"...not ashamed of the Gospel..." Romans 1:16
The Jewishness of the Gospel“Let every Messianic Jew and every Gentile Christian demonstrate in his own life those elements of Jewishness which arise from his own spiritual consciousness and identity, without feeling condemned for expressing either too much or too little.”
Dr. David Stern
Restoring the Jewishness of the Gospel
Relating Calvinism & Arminianism
Mike and Pastor Scott Reiber break from their lessons on worldviews to address a question from a listener about Calvinism, Arminianism and how the two theologies can relate to one another, including perspective from Dr. Dan Edney via telephone.
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Views on the News
Mike looks at a variety of news items including Rick Warren and “Chrislam”, the Southern Baptists Conventions name change,a special thanks to friends in Alabama and a story to bless you about a church reaching out to someone who persecuted them.
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The Origin of Easter
I will be labeled a prude for daring to post something about another holiday, but the error of Easter has long been a worry to me, especially as I read and hear of churches having Easter services or even Easter egg hunts for church children. This article is from Christian Answers.net and of course I agree with it completely. I also plan to soon post a portion of a teaching by Zola Levitt on the subject. My question is…with the obvious truth about the origins of Easter…why in the world would we continue to be a part of it?
The name “Easter” has its roots in ancient polytheistic religions (paganism). On this, all scholars agree. This name is never used in the original Scriptures, nor is it ever associated biblically with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For these reasons, we prefer to use the term “Resurrection Sunday” rather than “Easter” when referring to the annual Christian remembrance of Christ’s resurrection…..
The seductive symbols of ancient ungodly religions inspired by Satan have been incorporated into people’s everyday lives, even to this day – continuing to obscure the truth of God .
One might wonder if there is a better way for Christians to celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection, the most important of all Christian holy days. In retrospect, it seems obvious that it would have been a better witness to the world if Christians had not attempted to “Christianize” pagan celebrations – adopting the name “Easter” (Ishtar/Semiramis) in remembrance of Christ. Jesus has been obscured by painted eggs and bunnies. Attention has been shifted away from spiritual truth and toward materialism (clothing, products and candies with the wrong symbolism). Stores merchandise the name of Easter (not “Resurrection Sunday”) and sell goods that have nothing to do with Christ’s death and resurrection. Christians naively use symbols and practices that unknowingly perpetuate ancient anti-Christ traditions – symbolic customs followed by the same religious cults that inspired the destruction of great numbers of Christians and Jews. Is the Devil laughing at us?
Many church bodies recognize the problem and make every effort to keep the focus of Resurrection Sunday totally on Jesus Christ and the Good News that He brought.
The Church: Why Bother?The Church: Why Bother? is a great new book by Pastor Jeffrey Johnson of Grace Bible Church in Conway,Arkansas. He will be a guest in the coming weeks on The Mike Corley Program.
“In one way or another, virtually every troubling trend in the current world of evangelical Christianity is rooted in misunderstanding about the church. What is her proper mission? What is her role in an increasingly secular culture? What should her priorities be? How should a local church function? Why is church membership necessary? or is it? What is the basis for true unity? This excellent book shines the clear light of Scripture on those and many other questions. Since Christ loved the church enough to die for her, every believer ought to share that passion. Jeffrey Johnson clearly does, and I believe you will find his enthusiasm contagious.”
- JOHN MACARTHUR, Pastor/Teacherof Grace Community Church in Sun Valley,California and President of The Master’s College and Seminary
Theology of Worldviews,Existentialism
Whether many know it or will acknowledge it, the predominant worldview is that of existentialism, or the belief that it’s man’s feelings that determine reality. On this installment of Theology 101, Mike and pastor Scott Reiber explore the definition of existentialism, it’s causes, it’s expressions, how it contradicts the Christian faith and how believers should address those with this worldview.
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Blue Like Jazz, The MovieThe Donald Miller book Blue Like Jazz has been made into a movie and will hit theaters nationwide 13 April. Im hesitant to, but I will be going to see it so long as it’s within driving distance. Meanwhile here is the trailer for the film, and it’s just as “out-there” as the book seemed to be. Let me know if you saw it and what you thought.
Rick Warren,Chrislam & The OC Register
from Christian Research Network
KING’S WAY? NO WAY! RICK WARREN AT ODDS WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
In a post yesterday entitled “Rick Warren directly contradicts what was reported in the OC Register”, I documented some of the statements by Saddleback pastor Rick Warren, as well as online resources that shows that the story that Rick Warren is using doesn’t line up with the facts reported by the Orange County Register’s reporter Jim Hinch – facts that were vetted by pastor Rick Warren’s own staff.
Thanks to my friend Christine Pack of Sola Sister blog (http://solasisters.blogspot.com/) for doing the research that makes this post necessary. Doing a little comparison, Christine compares what Rick Warren stated publicly with what’s also said publicly by other sources.
Click here to see a clear comparison of what pastor Rick Warren said and what three documented sources show is clearly at odds with our friendly neighborhood megachurch pastor.
Matthew 24-The End
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
Matthew 24: Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Signs of the End of the Age
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away[a] and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
The Abomination of Desolation
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place ( let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
The Coming of the Son of Man
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
No One Knows That Day and Hour
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son,[b] but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant,[c] whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants[d] and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Headlines re: Israel and Our Times from Joel Rosenberg
‘Easter’ Leading Christians Astray