If Rick Warren's purpose-driven life/church is not of God, then whose is it?

Read more . . .

Rick Warren's Global Peace Plan vs. 
Scriptural Teachings on Peace

by James Sundquist

To buy the book, visit the book website/store.

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image . . . Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them"

by Al Sabado

Today, millions among my countrymen walk barefoot as they join the procession for the Black Nazarene, "a life-sized wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ carrying the cross" [1]. The traditional pahalik or kissing of the sculpture would normally create long lines of devotees who tirelessly await "their turn to kiss the foot of the image" [2]. Catholic devotees touch the sculpture and pray to it like it is indeed alive--when it is not. Despite the fact that the sculpture is a non-living thing, many devotees speak of the miracles it has brought to their lives.

 [3]

Question--isn't the Black Nazarene an example of a graven image? And doesn't God forbid us from bowing before any graven image, which is an idol in Hebrew [4]? Some might say, "We're just kissing it." Yes, but the significance of kissing the image among devotees is synonymous with bowing to it, isn't it?

My high school teacher even explained in class over two decades ago that images and photos of Jesus and Mary are only representations, not idols. But then, God's Word is clear as He has stated the First Commandment:

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; (Exodus 20:3-5)

Besides, the Lord Jesus was crucified just once and He was risen the third day He said He would rise again. That means we don't crucify Him every year because the events in His life happened only once. For the same reason, we don't put Him on a manger and call Him "baby Jesus" every December!

Oh, my people, the sculptures and god-saint images standing in our (Catholic) churches/homes, which many of us are praying to, are the very images God forbids us to possess. Let's not harden our hearts. Let's turn away from all these, lest God's wrath be upon us all . . .

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. (Psalms 115:4-8)

Endnotes

[1] Wikipedia, n.d., Black Nazarene, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Nazarene
[2] Manila Bulletin, 2014, Black Nazarene vigil starts, http://www.mb.com.ph/black-nazarene-vigil-starts/
[3] Photo from Wikipedia, n.d., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Nazarene
[4] Got Questions, n.d., What is a graven image? http://www.gotquestions.org/graven-image.html

God teaches us in His Word NOT to pray as the hypocrites do

by Al Sabado

This morning, I came across a photo of the Pope as front cover of one of the leading newspapers in the country. Quoted on photo are the following words: "POPE IN DEEP PRAYER (AFP) - Pope Francis lay prostrate on the floor of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican as he prays in front of the altar during a Good Friday service in this handout picture released by the Vatican press office on March 29, 2013."

But what does the God of the Bible teach us about prayer? Let's read from Matthew 6:5-8.

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. [emphases mine]

The Catholic church misleads its followers as it continues to uphold its teachings and the Pope above God's Word.

God's Word says that "[whoso] causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: . . ." (Proverbs 28:10). There is no other way but through God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who firmly speaks of Himself: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

Unlearning Calvinism after 22 years . . . and other things that go with it

by Al Sabado

For quite some time, I was among the avid audience of Watchman Video Broadcast by Mike Hoggard. I was also a regular listener of Radio Free Church and its radio affiliate, KRSS. And perhaps, as I found them very compelling, I opted to type "Calvary Chapel" and "Mike Hoggard" on Google search just to find out if I needed to know something I didn’t know about them. Indeed, I didn’t know them enough. I may not be too articulate to explain the alarming things I discovered about them, but you may research about them online.

Along such discovery is the realization that I’d believed something I shouldn’t—Calvinism. I do not claim to understand it much, but what I know is that the churches I had been to uphold such doctrine, particularly "lordship salvation." (I now think that it's appropriate to write that pair in lowercase.) And after 22 years under its clout, I’ve decided to unlearn it as well. It’s taking some time for me to even understand it, much so to unlearn its misleading ways. I thank God for the brethren online who speak against such doctrine and uphold above all what God says in His Word in the Holy Bible.

While I've been understanding God's "free grace" anew, I also review my head knowledge about my faith. So I guess, the question to ask now is not "Have you made Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior?" but simply the question, "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?"

Following are Califgracer's YouTube videos: Louie Lordship and Freddie Free Grace on Lordship and Louie Lordship and Freddie Free Grace on Salvation. I still watch these videos a number of times . . .

Louie Lordship and Freddie Free Grace on Lordship

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

-- 

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (John 6:29)

-- 

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)

Louie Lordship and Freddie Free Grace on Salvation

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

-- 

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19)

-- 

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)

Related posts:

• Yes, I've stopped tithing and attending a physical church
• Among the emergent churches in the Philippines and the reasons I left them (Revised Edition)
• Response to a friend who has stayed in an emergent church: "But God says in His Word. . ."
• Why believers should not attend church

What does the Bible Say about Purgatory?

Link: What does the Bible Say about Purgatory?

Rick Warren and Saddleback Celebrate Halloween

Link: Rick Warren and Saddleback Celebrate Halloween

How the global spirituality endangers not only the adults, but also the children

Link: How the global spirituality endangers not only the adults, but also the children

Rick Warren and Joel Osteen Join Oprah

Link: Rick Warren and Joel Osteen Join Hands with Oprah

. . . The Cult of Evangelical Leadership by Herescope

Link -> Sacred Cows and Stars: The Cult of Evangelical Leadership by Herescope

Joel Osteen, another 'great' false teacher

by Al Sabado

Joel Osteen, author of Your Best Life Now, has been critiqued a number of times for his distorted interpretation of the Bible and his leanings toward false teachings and erring philosophies. The following videos are just a few to attest to these claims. Despite his frequent reference to himself as being endowed the "Lord's favor," Joel Osteen is considered among the many false teachers of this day.

Joel Osteen Cult Exposed

Related video

Joel Osteen Denies the Gospel (Embraces Mormonism)

Sources:

1. Joel Osteen Cult Exposed by www.alittleleaven.com posted via Time's almost up. Get saved and stay saved by thementalpatient2005
2. Joel Osteen Denies the Gospel (Embraces Mormonism) from Got Thirst? by GotThirstDrinkFreely

Rick Warren's False PEACE and the Antichrist Agenda

Lee Strobel, one of the strong advocates of contemplative spirituality

Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ study Bible, is a teaching pastor of Willow Creek Church and a member/teaching pastor of Saddleback Church, both churches are proponents of contemplative spirituality. Strobel 'strongly' endorses Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life (see back cover of a PDL copy). His son is also the founder of a contemplative ministry. Strobel is just one of the many authors who accepts and supports contemplative spirituality, also known as the "spiritual formation movement." Zondervan, the publisher of The Case for Christ study Bible, PDL, and others, is also among the strong proponents of contemplative spirituality. To understand the dangers of contemplative spirituality, read more on the 1997 treatise of John Caddock, What is contemplative spirituality and why is it dangerous?


Related links:

• Deception in the Church
• Master list of authors, books, and bookstores NOT recommended by the Christian Research Service
• Why do modern churches lose the power of the Gospel?
• Lee Strobel's dangerous associations

Earth Day: It’s More than Recycling

Link - Earth Day: It’s More than Recycling

Nobody can save earth other than the One True God who created it.

A restful weekend to everyone! ;)