Absolute Fallacy

"Churching the unchurched is an absolute fallacy – it is like purposing to let the tares in. It is absolutely bizarre to want to make unsaved people feel comfortable in a church. The church is not a building – the church is a group of worshiping, redeemed, and sanctified people among whom an unbeliever should feel either miserable, convicted and drawn to Christ, or else alienated and isolated. Only if the church hides its message and ceases to be what God designed the church to be, can it make an unbeliever comfortable." —John MacArthur

Lost Hymns

One Day

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my Example is He!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!

One day they left Him alone in the garden,
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He!

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my belovèd ones bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!

by: John Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918)

Sensitiveness to Sin

"No upsurge of religious interest or excitement merits the name of revival if there is no profound sense of sin at its heart. God's coming, and the consequent impact of his word, makes Christians much more sensitive to sin than they previously were: consciences become tender and a profound humbling takes place. The perverseness, ugliness, uncleanness, and guilt of sin are seen and felt with new vividness. Under revival conditions consciences are so quickened that conviction of each person's own sinfulness becomes strong and terrible, inducing agonies of mind that are beyond imagining till they happen. The gospel of forgiveness through Christ's cross comes to be loved as never before, as people see their need of it so much more clearly" —J. I. Packer

Unnoticed Separation

Today I got a e-mail from a dear brother in Christ who I also happen to work with, it was a reply to a previous e-mail that I had sent him and I just wanted to share a little quote that I thought was very insightful as to what is taking place within the American church.

"I believe there is a major movement going on largely unnoticed by the rest of the so called churches in this country. It seems to me the wheat and the tares are being separated" —Greg McGuigan

You know with all the oddities that are taking place like the never ending Purpose Driven program, the Emergent Church Movement; and with the ever growing Ecumenical Movement advancing the acceptance of attacks on Biblical authority with great success, I believe Greg is right. It does seems like true Christians are being separated from the tares as they run to healthy church's.

Big Mac Attack

I am not the biggest fan of McDonald's but I do enjoy their big breakfast deal from time to time, and a quick stop in the morning on the way to work for a southern style chicken biscuit can't be beat and the fast service here in my town is second to none. But... I know it's terrible to hear that McDonald's is supporting the Homosexual agenda along with Ford, Disney World, Oprah and a whole slew of other corporations, but does that really shock you? If you answer yes then that shocks me, because Jeremiah 13:23 says "Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots?" Of course they can't, so then how do you really expect fallen sinful man to behave like born-again regenerate Christians? They are lost and need a savior, they need to be made a "new creature" as Paul says or be "born again" as the Lord said.

So just because McDonald's is supporting the Homosexual agenda am I as a Christian now required to stop eating at the golden arches? Well the AFA seems to think so, a boycott of McDonald's may make some superficial dent in the promotion of a sinful lifestyle but will it have the power to change the eternal destiny of even one Homosexual? Has anyone else noticed how the AFA seems to be very selective as to the sins it attacks? So many Christians are quick to get on board any agenda that tries to stamp out REALLY BAD SINS, but I have never noticed any movement from the AFA to boycott the sins of materialism, divorce, greed, pride, adultery, fornication, etc. which are all worthy of eternal punishment, and which equally damage our society. Protesting the bad is not what we Christians are called to do, proclaim the Gospel is our call, for have you forgotten that we are all bad? Romans 3:10-12 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Do we not all fail to see our own sinfulness in our attempts to be good?

Now let's say that every Homosexual in this country stoped their lewd behavior because of the onslaught of boycotts by Christians and became good moral citizens, but still reject Jesus Christ as Lord what good would this boycott accomplish? This type of open attack on the Homosexual agenda and it's supporters make them out to be the enemy instead of the very mission field for whom we are sent as "ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us;" begging them "on behalf of Christ," that they should "be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20

So dear brother and sister I would say use your own judgement as to weather you should stop eating at McDonald's just because the AFA says so, and pray "that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth" 2 Timothy 2:25 so that they may "see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Corinthians 4:4! Amen

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Zoo Pic's

Yesterday I took my wife to the Nashville Zoo, it was a beautiful day as the weather was perfect. The Nashville Zoo has come along way and is really a nice visit. I was totally amazed at the giraffes, they are such graceful animals.

Quote of the Day

"The surest evidence and the greatest proof of genuine conversion is persecution." —Jonathan Sims

Edification and Comfort

"I must tell you what I believe. Some would have me now stand here and say, "All that are eminent preachers are most certainly truthful preachers." now, I cannot say it. If at any time I hear a man preach the doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, through the merits of Christ, I give him my hand, and call him my brother, because he is right in the main thing; but when I do that I am long way from endorsing many other of his sentiments. It may be that he denies the effectual power of the Spirit in conversion; it may be he does not hold the doctrine of the entire depravity of the human race—does not insist upon free sovereign grace—does not hold forth and teach the doctrine of substitution and satisfaction through Christ. Now, I will not so befool myself as to tell you that wherein that man differs from the Word of God he is true. No doubt that man may be blessed for your salvation; but there may he a curse upon his ministry notwithstanding; so that while you may be saved by it, you may be all your lifetime subject to bondage through it, and you may go groaning, where you ought to have gone singing—crying, where you might have had a sacred burst of joy. You sit under such-and-such a man who has been made the means of your conversion; but he tells you that your salvation depends upon yourself, and not upon the power of Christ. He insists upon it that you may, after all, fall from grace and be a cast-away; he tells you that although you are saved, God did no more love you than he loved Judas; that there is no such thing as special love, no such thing, in fact, as Election. He tells you that others might have come to Christ, as well as yourself—that there was no extraordinary power put out in your case, more than in any others. Well, if he does not lead you to glory in man, to magnify the flesh, and sometimes to trust in yourself, or else lead you to distress yourself where there is no need for distress, I should marvel indeed, inasmuch as his doctrine is false, and must mislead you. It may be the means of your salvation, and yet it may fail in may points to minister to your edification and comfort." —C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Truth Wars

Pink on Holiness

"Herein we find proof for the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures. The unregenerate do not really believe in the holiness of God. Their conception of His character is altogether one-sided. They fondly hope that His mercy will override everything else. “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether as thyself” (Psalm 50:21) is God’s charge against them. They think only of a “god” patterned after their own evil hearts. Hence their continuance in a course of mad folly.... The fact is that nothing makes more manifest the terrible depravity of man’s heart and his enmity against the living God than to have set before him One who is infinitely and immutably holy. His own idea of sin is practically limited to what the world calls “crime.” Anything short of that, man palliates as “defects,” “mistakes,” “infirmities,” etc. And even where sin is owned at all, excuses and extenuations are made for it.

The “god” which the vast majority of professing Christians “love,” is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man, who himself has no relish for folly, but leniently winks at the “indiscretions” of youth. But the Word says, “Thou hatest all workers of iniquity “(Psalm 5:5). And again, “God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11). But men refuse to believe in this God, and gnash their teeth when His hatred of sin is faithfully pressed upon their attention. No, sinful man was no more likely to devise a holy God than to create the Lake of fire in which he will be tormented for ever and ever." —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)

Excerpt taken form "The Attributes of God" by A. W. Pink

Fine White Linen

I heard David Miller (country preacher at large) quote this from memory and I don't know if he wrote it or if he quoted it from someone else but I wanted to share it, if anyone knows the source please let me know. I have tried to transcribe it the best that I could so it may not be exact, but what a wonderful picture of God's Grace!

Revelation 19:8 "Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear."

I saw a poor poor woman and clothed in rags was she
So full of dark uncleanness and foul impurities
With wounds and bruises grievous and sins of crimson red
A stench to God Almighty with interest passing death
Unrighteous sinful rags was all she had to wear

I saw the king of glory come from his home on high
To save her from her sinfulness and take her for his bride
Dressed in His robes of righteousness so pure and holy He
The joy of God His Father throughout eternity

A cruel crown of thorns was what He came to wear
The woman heard of Jesus and trembled in despair
She gazed upon her garments each gaping ragged tear
She wept in deep contrition and deep repentance too
It was her sin that clothed her soul and this the woman knew
Unholy, sin stained rags was all she had to wear

The King came to the woman and called her by her name
But she did weep and hide her face and hanged her head in shame
He told her of His love for her and how he came to die
To save her from her sinfulness and take her for his wife

Dear Lord, she cried in gratitude, why have you chosen me
To show my love and grace He said, throughout eternity
God's holy wrath for her was what He came to bear
But Lord, said she I am not fit, what of my sinful clothes
He said, put on my righteousness and you must give me those

I saw them on their wedding day, the morn of endless time
The poor poor woman shining bright in righteousness divine
What praises from the multitude like pills of thunder rang
The host of heaven cried aloud, this is what they sang

Fine linen bright and clean was given her to wear
Fine linen bright and clean was given her to wear
Fine white linen bright and clean was given her to wear

Re-evaluating Killinger!

I can't say for sure what the intentions of the Baptist Press were in reporting this story, either for a warning or for promotional value; either way the language coming out of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in Memphis, is heresy at best, and apostasy at worst. I never thought I would ever hear a so-called minister deny the deity of Christ, and all but call Daniel a liar, but that is exactly what John Killinger has done. Shame on the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship for allowing this man to speak at this event!

"Now we are reevaluating and we're approaching everything with a humbler perspective and seeing God's hand working in Christ, but not necessarily as the incarnate God in our midst,... the Old Testament book of Daniel "fibbed a lot." —John Killinger

Biblical Vaccination

1 Thessalonians 5:21 "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

It is a painful thing to watch as so many professing Christians in Lakeland, FL swallow doctrinal poison from such a spiritual quack. These people have lost their ability to "prove all things" they have either never learned Biblical discernment in the first place or they have completely lost the desire to know the difference between good and evil, they can not perceive the lie which is wrapped in Biblical language because the god of this world is working hard to blind the glorious gospel of Christ from the pulpit's of most church's with a heavy dose of Man-centered medicine that does nothing more than make the dying soul more comfortable and pain-free. A second symptom of an over dose of this manly medicine is that it leaves the spiritual immune system weak and prone to even worse spiritual diseases. These more harmful diseases or strands have accumulated in Lakeland, FL in the form of a revival which may turn out to be a world wide spiritual plague that will continue to spread across this land with devastating effects on the church; unless the vaccination of sound Biblical preaching is administered.

True Revival

"The church will never have a revival until it comprehends the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man, out of which true brokenness comes.... true revival isn't people saying, "We've arrived spiritually"; it's people being broken over the sense that they have not arrived. So if you wonder whether current trends in Christianity mark a genuine revival, ask yourself, "Does it mark itself by an overwhelming sense of the holiness of God, a comprehensive sense of the depth of sin, a spiritual experience that results in brokenness rather than self-congratulation? That's the stuff that makes for true revival. Because what you have in the church today is this incessant talk about love, acceptance, tolerance, self-esteem, and the presumption that God wants you healthy, wealthy, and happy, then you are really at the very opposite pole from the elements of genuine revival. And the reason for this is that the church, not understanding the holiness of God, doesn't deal with the sinfulness of sin and consequently never purges itself. —John MacArthur

Excerpt taken from a sermon preached by John MacArthur titled "The Discipline of God's Children (Part 3)"

The Danger of Lakeland!

"Every attempt at revival of religion which proves a failure,—and fail it must without the presence of God,—leaves the Church in a worse condition than it was before; because, if it should prove a failure, from the want of any stir at all; then God's people fall back into their former lethargy, with an excuse for continuing in it; or if a false stir be made, a reaction follows of a most injurious character. I suppose the worst time in the Christian Church is generally that which follows the excitement of a revival; and if that revival has had no reality in it, the mischief which is done is awful and incalulable. If no excitement shall come at all, the mischief is still as great; God's people, being disappointed, have little heart to listen to further exhortations to future zealous action, become contented with their Laodicean lukewarmness, and it becomes impossible to bestir them again. If a revival should apparently have success and yet God be not in it, perhaps this is even worse. The wild-fire and madness of some revivals have been a perfect disgrace to the common sense of the age, let alone the spirituality of the Church." —C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)