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Wednesday, April 30, 2008
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER ENDORSES "CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER"
Tag: Contemplative Prayer
For those who are unaware of the term "contemplative prayer" beware of this spiritual term that is being interwoven and subtly interjected into Christianity; it has its roots in the occult and mysticism, New Age, and universalism and is oft referred to as "contemplative prayer." Contemplative prayer is nothing new; it is just being "repackaged" to sell to the masses and undiscerning Christians and amounts to the same old eastern mysticism of transcendental meditation. This type of prayer practice is forbidden by God in the Bible as written in the Book of Deuteronomy 18:9-11. Beware the wolves in sheep's clothing. The Bible tells us that in the last days we will incur spiritual deception and the Apostle Paul warns of those who did not believe the truth, God would send them a strong delusion that they should believe a lie in II Thessalonians Chapter 2 vs. 11.
Lighthouse Trails Research Blog is reporting that The National Day of Prayer has once again chosen Heart's Cry by Jennifer Kennedy Dean as one of this year's featured books. Kennedy Dean writes about the "listening prayer" in chapter 11 of her book. Here are some excerpts:"God calls us to silence, inner as well as outer. He invites us to listening prayer [contemplative prayer] ... in the inner sanctuary of our souls.... Listening prayer is the ground from which spoken prayer grows. Spoken prayer will not reach its fullness unless it is born in listening prayer" (p. 127). Please read more at above link.
Related Story: National Day of Prayer Farce
Related Story: Today Is National Day of Prayer
TODAY IS NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
Tag Shirley Dobson
Tag:Dr. Ravi Zacharias
Today is National Day of Prayer. The news around the blogsphere is Jesus has been banned by Ravi Zacharias and Shirley Dobson, both professing Christians, for the ridiculous reason of fear of "offending" some Jewish people. Do they not know that fear is the oppposite of faith and without faith, it is impossible to please God?
Like it or not, this is the excuse Christians all around this nation are expected to accept. I don't know about you, but I am not buying into this excuse these new "elite" evangelicals are pushing on the rest of us. I'll have my own Day of Prayer without them, and I know my prayers will be honored because I am not ashamed of the name of Jesus Christ or His Gospel message, and to publicaly proclaim it, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
These evangelical organizers of this event threw away a golden God-given opportunity to publicly honor God's Son by praying in His name, as instructed by Jesus Himself, and thereby blessing this nation.
Jesus said "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John's Gospel 12:32.
In John's Gospel, Chapter 14, Jesus instructed "And whatsoever ye shall ask IN MY NAME, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." vs. 13
"If ye shall ask any thing IN MY NAME, I will do it." vs 14
In John's Gospel, Chapter 15, Jesus said: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father IN MY NAME, he may give it to you." vs. 16
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing IN MY NAME: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." vs. 24
This is a very sad day in the history of post Christian America. The great Jewish Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in II: 2 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." vs.15
Pondering on the ridiculous excuse the American Christian public were given for Ravi Zacharias not mentioning the name of Jesus at the national level, with Shirley Dobson's apparent concurrence, I began to research into this more. I began to wonder, "why in the world would Shirley Dobson embrace New Age and emergent church teachings at Robert Schuller's Hour of Power Church recently?" It just doesn't make logical sense to me. After all, she and Dr. James Dobson appeared to be the "ideal Christian" role models.
I found my shocking answer in an article written by Brannon Howse over at Christian Worldview Network. It seems the Dobson's son have some good connections with Rob Bell, who also embraces the emergent church movement along with Robert Schuller. The pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into place. A big thank you, and job well done goes out to Brannon Howse for making this information known. My only logical conclusion concerning this is there is much more going on "behind the scenes" that the American Christian public are not aware of. Read it here and see for yourself:
Posted: 04/29/2008
Do The Dobsons and Focus on the Family Agree with the Emergent Church?
By Brannon S. Howse
While I respect much of the great work of Dr. Dobson, Shirley Dobson and Focus on the Family, there has been a recent trend that is disturbing.
This past weekend, Shirley Dobson appeared with Dr. Robert Schuller on his Hour of Power. Click here to view her appearance: http://www.crystalcathedral.org/hour_of_power/index.php
I don’t take issue with Mrs. Dobson’s message on behalf of the National Day of Prayer but rather her appearance on his show and her closing remark that affirmed the “work” of Dr. Schuller.
Surely the Dobsons and Focus on the Family do not agree with the heretical theology of Pastor Robert Schuller?In the early part of 2008, H.B. London, who is Dr. Dobson’s cousin and vice president of outreach/pastoral ministries for FOTF spoke for the Re-think Conference hosted at the Crystal Cathedral by Dr. Schuller and Emergent Pastor Erwin McManus. When London received tons of calls he reportedly put out a press release defending his speaking at the conference.
Are the Dobsons and Focus on the Family in agreement with the Emergent Church? I can not believe they are so why are they showing up at their conferences and functions and giving them credibility?
For those that don’t know, the Emergent Church, while hard to define, is largely made up of people that do not believe in the authority of Scripture, most or any of the essential Christian doctrines or absolute truth. Most within the Emergent Church embrace Universalism and practice occult rituals such as yoga, transcendental meditation, and walking a labyrinth. They also tend to be very liberal in their social and political views. They are committed to a social gospel and stand in opposition to the real Gospel.
In February of 2007, Ryan Dobson, son of Dr. James and Shirely Dobson, wrote me an e-mail. In this e-mail he stated:
“I am a HUGE fan of Rob Bell. I think you really should look into his ministry before bashing him too. He is an exemplary man of God.”
Really? I have concluded through all my research that Emergent Pastor Rob Bell is embracing nothing more than universalism so how does that make him a man of God? Bell also just appeared with the Dalai Lama in Seattle for an interspiritual conference with a host of leaders that represent false religions. Use the search engine on the top left hand side of http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/ and read all the documented articles on Pastor Rob Bell and decide for yourself if he is a “man of God”.
Dr. Dobson has not hosted one program to expose the Emergent Church, despite my private plea to Dr. Dobson, through his personal secretary, to join us in opposing the Emergent Church. However, Mrs. Dobson now shows up with Emergent Pastor Robert Schuller?
All the evidence seems to point to the fact the Dobsons and Focus on the Family are deliberately embracing the Emergent Church and giving them credibility by speaking at their conference and the church of one of its leaders. I can only assume they are doing this out of pragmatism and a lack of understanding and poor judgment. If Dr. Dobson and Focus on the Family are NOT in agreement with the Emergent Church then Dr. Dobson should release a letter stating that he does not agree with Emergent church leaders such as Dr. Robert Schuller and apologize for his wife’s appearance with Dr. Schuller on The Hour of Power and his VP’s appearance at Schuller’s conference. Dr. Dobson should commit to hosting a series of programs on this fast growing cancer inside the church. Dr. Dobson could invite former Emergent Church pioneer, Jason Carlson on his program to expose the heresy of this Trojan horse in our camp.
I really wish that Dr. Dobson and Mrs. Dobson would join me in my opposition of the Emergent Church theology and not be praising one of its biggest leaders and promoters. At the conclusion of her interview with Dr. Robert Schuller, Mrs. Dobson says, “Thank you, thank you, thank you Dr. Schuller. God bless you and the good work you are doing here”
What? “God bless the good work you are doing here”? What good work is that, leading millions of people to hell with a false gospel? Really, I would like to know what good work she is talking about. Dr. Schuller promotes Universalism and I know the Dobsons do not agree with Universalism.
I don’t believe that Dr. Schuller even prays to the God of the Bible, through Jesus Christ. Schuller is promoting a false gospel and a false Jesus and therefore Shirley Dobson should not confuse the public by going to his church and acting like Schuller believes in the God and Jesus Christ of the Bible. Here is a small collection of the things Dr. Shuller has been teaching that now Focus on the Family and the Dobsons have give credibility to whether they realize it or not.In an interview with Christianity Today, published on Oct. 5, 1984, Robert Schuller was quoted as saying:
“I don’t think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and, hence counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition.”
In his book "Self-Esteem, the New Reformation," Schuller argues that we now have a far more enlightened understanding of what is really going on in our souls:"Lack of self-love or self-esteem, here is a scientific, scriptural doctrine of original sin." What Bible is he reading from? According to mine, the original sin of Adam and Eve was a choice of desiring what they – the self – wanted over what God desired for them. Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan's lie of human supremacy, which is to love self to the extent of seeing yourself as god. They also believed the favorite falsehood of humanism that they could be the ones to determine truth and to control their destinies. It was the desire to serve "self," not God, that led to disobedience and the original sin. Later in his book, Schuller reveals the core of happy-talk teaching: "Let us start with a theology of salvation that addresses itself at the outset to man's deepest need, the 'will to self worth.'"
The truth is man's deepest need is not "self worth" but forgiveness of sins through repentance and belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Unless we die to our own will and the desires of self-love and become alive to Christ and His will, there is no salvation. When describing salvation, Jesus' words never sounded remotely like those of Robert Schuller. That belies the fact that the messages of Robert Schuller and Jesus Christ are in direct conflict. Jesus spoke about self-denial and dying to self, while Schuller promotes self-worship.
Robert Schuller, like many of today's liberal pastors, have a strong desire to avoid using the "S" word. In "Self-Esteem, The New Reformation," Schuller writes: "Salvation is defined as rescue from shame to glory. It is salvation from guilt to pride, from fear to love, from distrust to faith, from hypocrisy to honesty." "So lack of trust or a lack of self-worth is the central core of sin." Uh … no.
The central core of sin is disobedience toward God and our being in rebellion against His character and nature. The more we focus on self and self-worth, self-importance or our rights, the deeper our offending sin. Schuller also writes:"Jesus Christ employed a strategy of evangelism where he never called a person a 'sinner.' They were sinners, of course, but he never told them they were." I repeat: What Bible is that? Jesus not only told His audience He was calling sinners to repentance, but He called some of them names even less flattering than "sinner." How would today's happy-talk audience like to be addressed as "vipers," "serpents" or "tombs"? Why on earth would Mrs. Dobson appear on The Hour of Power and then ask God to bless “the good work” Schuller is doing? FOTF and the Dobson’s have nothing to gain by cooperating with Schuller, but they do have their credibility to lose with discerning, conservative, Bible-Believing Christians. I plead with Dr. Dobson and Mrs. Dobson not to be part of the elect that will be deceived in the last days by false teaching as the Bible says will occur.Distributed by http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/
Related Articles: Jesus Banned at National Day of Prayer
National Day of Prayer Farce, National Day of Prayer Endorses "Contemplative Prayer"
CHRISTIAN NEWSPAPERS UNITE REVEALING OPRAH'S SPIRITUAL BELIEFS
Tag New Age Spirituality
This is great news from the Christian Newswire, who are reporting that Christian newspapers all around the country are uniting in an mutual task warning people of the spiritual New Age teachings that Oprah is promoting that include "there are many paths to God."
'Oprah's Gospel:' Christian Newspapers Unite to Publish Revealing Story about Oprah Winfrey's Spiritual Beliefs
SAN DIEGO, Calif., April 28 -- "Oprah's Gospel," an in-depth report about the spiritual beliefs of the popular entertainment mogul, Oprah Winfrey, will appear in the May edition of 23 Christian newspapers as part of an unprecedented joint project. The participating newspapers represent a combined distribution of 500,000 copies in 20 states and British Columbia.The project involved 13 separate newspaper groups, all members of the Fellowship of Christian Newspapers, an affinity group within the Evangelical Press Association.
You can check this story out from the link above and see if your city or area is involved in this united effort.
Related Stories The New Age Gospel of Oprah
The Church of Oprah Exposed
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
EMERGENT CHURCH
The forces of darkness are working overtime to bring this one world spiritual and ecumenical religious system spoken of in Revelation 13:4 and 14:9-11.
Related Topic Rick Warren Pluralistic Religion
RICK WARREN PLURALISTIC RELIGION ON VIDEO
Rick Warren's humanistic and philisophical ramblings, interwoven into his purpose driven church teachings has led the masses around the world right into New Age religious pluralism or all and/or many paths will lead to God, and the Emergent Church that is taking over the planet; and like Oprah, still believe one can be a Christian. Certainly, people who promote this deception cannot believe the Word of God to be the truth.
In fact, in this post modern world that we live in, it is promoted by New Agers such as Oprah, Rick Warren, Robert Schuller, Rob Bell, Doug Pagitt and others who are deceiving an entire generation of young people into following this wide road, that the true Gospel message of Salvation by God's grace through repentence of sin, faith and forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ is not relevant. According to this New Age teaching, there are no absolutes, and God's Holy Word, the Bible, is not the ultimate truth.
According to New Agers, the crucified and risen Saviour, for the sins of the human race, Jesus is just one of many paths to God, which is in direct conflict with the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God:
Jesus said in Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 7
"Enter ye at the straight gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.
Because strait is the gate, and narrow, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."vs. 13,14
"I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Jesus Christ--John's Gospel 14:6
Jesus gave his followers many signs to watch for in Matthew's Gospel Chapter 24 before He returns to earth to set up His Millenneal Kingdom, on David's Throne, out of Jerusalem, Israel. Before the Jewish people returned to their ancient homeland, and the State of Israel was reborn as a nation in 1948, many of these signs that Jesus gave us were waiting to be fulfilled. They are now being fulfilled at an accelerating rate in our generation.
One of the major signs Jesus warned of is deception in the last days, and He said:
"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." vs. 11 And in Matthew's Gospel Chapter 7, Jesus again warns "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep'sclothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." vs. 15,16
The New Age Gospel and religious pluralism is one of the big deceptions in the last days. It is a different gospel, of which Paul warns against in Galatians Chapter 1.
Much of what Jesus spoke about in His Olivet Discourse has been fulfilled, or is all coming together or in the making now in our generation. Jesus warned in verse 34 of Matthew Chapter 24 that the generation that sees all these things taking place would not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Folks, we are living on borrowed time, by the grace of God.
Related Story: The New Age Gospel of Oprah
Related Story: Today Is National Day of Prayer
NANCY PELOSI'S EARTH DAY COMMENTS

A Little Leaven has picked up on Nancy Pelosi's "Earth Day" comments, but I have no idea where Pelosi dug them up from; it sounds as if she has been involved in New Age emergent church junk. Take a look for yourself:
In her April 22 Earth Day news release, Pelosi said,
"The Bible tells us in the Old Testament, "To minister to the needs of God's creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us"." On this Earth Day, and every day, let us pledge to our children, and our children's children, that they will have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and the opportunity to experience the wonders of nature."
So in Pelosi's thought process, she thinks one is suppose to "worship God's creation?" For someone as Pelosi to come out with ficticious words from The Old Testament and say "the Bible tells us" is very serious business in God's eyes, as He values His Word above all else. So much so that the psalmist David wrote in Psalm 138:2:
"for thou has magnified thy word above all thy name. "
The word David is speaking of is Jesus Christ, God's only begotton Son, whom alone is worthy of our worship~~ John's Gospel, Chapter 1, reads:In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.The same was in the beginning with God.All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. vs. 1-3
Nothing withstanding Pelosi's words, though her own, and not from the Holy Scriptures, I was prompted to read them more than once. Not that I am at all surprised, but being a partial birth abortion supporter that she is, I hardly think Pelosi gives a hoot about God's creation.
Monday, April 28, 2008
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FARCE
Sola Dei Gloria has put up several shocking eye-opening updates concerning the Banning of Jesus at the National Day of Prayer by its Honorary Chairman Ravi Zacharias for fear of offending Jewish people according to the initial news release reported at Slice of Laodicea It's my understanding that the National Day of Prayer has its foundation in America's Judeo Christian heritage so why then is Christ left out? I would just like to ask for some simple honesty, at least from Mr. Zacharias or Shirley Dobson, both professing "Christians" who suggest that Jewish people will be offended at the mention of Jesus name during this "religious" event.
You must admit that the writers of the New Testament were Jewish, correct? And by all that is written, they were observant Jews, except for the fact that they believed in and followed Jesus, also Jewish. Jesus himself attended and celebrated the Passover Seder. So why would any Jewish person be offended, and why not just call the event a Jewish event or Judeo event since it is quite obvious that the word "Christian" is not Jewish enough for some, or too foreign for others ?
Do you know that the New Testament and the belief in Jesus Christ or Messiah is Jewish? Hello?
It seems these organizers that suggest Jewish people will be offended are now wearing the same shoes of the pharisees that rejected the Messiah and confronted him daily. With that said, one would hope they would at least be honest and admit that this is a Jewish faith, born in the land of Isreal, with Torah as its foundation.
The Messianic Jews of Israel very recently won a precedent setting victory in the Supreme Court to be recognized as Jews in the land of Israel under the Law of Return. Are we now going to segregate and discriminate against them in America because some evangelicals thinks some Jewish people will be offended?
Related Stories:
Jesus Banned At National Day of Prayer
Today Is National Day of Prayer Update
Friday, April 25, 2008
JESUS BANNED AT NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
I Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus
Following, is a news release which reveals just how secular and humanistic some evangelicals have become. While millions of people across America will gather at thousands of prayer events May 1 for the annual National Day of Prayer, the Name Above all Names has not been invited by the Honorary Chairman of the event.
Does Dr. Zacharias and Shirley Dobson really think God will honor their prayer when they have booted out His only begotton Son and Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ?
Ashamed of Jesus at the National Day of Prayer
Contact: Ingrid Schlueter, Crosstalk Radio Talk Show, VCY America Radio Network, 414-881-5852
MEDIA ADVISORY, April 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- The 2008 Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer, Dr. Ravi Zacharias, is refusing to pray in the name of Jesus Christ in his prayer posted on the official NDP website. Dr. Zacharias' prayer can be read here. A receptionist with the National Day of Prayer in Colorado Springs stated that the Honorary Chairman's prayer does not include the name of Jesus so as not to offend the Jewish participants in the event, and that others are free to pray in Jesus' name if they desire. Contrast that betrayal of Jesus Christ with the faithfulness of the first martyr, the Apostle Stephen, who died in a hail of stones for his fearless preaching of Christ crucified to the Jewish religious leaders of his day.
According to the truth of God's Word, the entire counsel of God, we do not pray in "God's Holy Name" to God the Father. We pray to God the Father in the name of His only Son, Jesus Christ, who alone provides us access to the Father. It is appalling that Dr. Zacharias is willing to capitulate to the un-scriptural, interfaith ecumenism and discard the name of Jesus. NDP Chairwoman, Shirley Dobson, owes a biblical explanation to Christians around the nation as to why the name of Jesus is absent from the official prayer. We are not here as Christians to appease those of other world religions. We cannot come to God except through His Son's righteous merits. To pray as "Christians" in any other way is both a farce and a mockery. While other believers around the world are dying for that name, in America, Dr. Zacharias will not even breathe that name in his offiial public prayer because it might "offend."
If evangelical leaders want God's help in the midst of America's deepening national crisis, we must come to Him on His stated terms, not ours. Either God's Word is truth, or it is not. There is no middle ground. There are no special interfaith prayer models in Scripture for evangelical activists hoping to maintain conservative political coalitions. Such tacit denial of Jesus Christ will court God's righteous wrath, not His blessing. Dr. Zacharias owes an apology to those throughout history who have paid the ultimate price for their fealty to King Jesus. May God grant repentence to those pragmatic evangelicals who place cultural concerns before Scriptural truth.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.--Philippians 2:10-11
National Day of Prayer Farce
Updated Today: See Today Is National Day of Prayer
Thursday, April 24, 2008
JESUS UNDER ATTACK AGAIN
Tag Divinity of Jesus Under Attack
It appears the closer we get to the return of Christ, the more blasphemy of the Name Above All Names we see.
Fox News is reporting 'Basic Instinct' Director Paul Verhoeven has written a biography that says Jesus was the son of Mary and a Roman rapist.
In his upcoming biography of Jesus, "Basic Instinct" director Paul Verhoeven will make the shocking claim that Christ probably was the son of Mary and a Roman soldier who raped her during the Jewish uprising in Galilee.
An Amsterdam publishing house said Wednesday it will publish the Dutch filmmaker's biography of Jesus, "Jesus of Nazareth: A Realistic Portrait," in September.
It will be translated into English in 2009, Marianna Sterk of the publishing house J.M. Meulenhoff said. Verhoeven hopes it will be a springboard for him to raise interest in making a film along the same lines, she said.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
ISRAEL: SUPREME COURT ORDERS MINISTRY OF INTERIOR: STOP PERSECUTING JEWISH BELIEVERS!
Tag: Israel Supreme Court
Strange, there is no news coming out of the major news media concerning this precedent setting Israeli Supreme Court decision April 17th, finding in favor of Messianic Jews and the law of return. Here's another article that I came across from the Baptist press today which elaborates a bit more on this landmark decision.
"It's really a huge decision because the court apparently further ordered the Israeli Ministry of Interior to stop persecuting Jewish believers," Sibley said. "Some of the very Orthodox Jewish sectors of society had taken positions in the Ministry of Interior and had been using their positions to revoke believers' citizenship, deny visas and generally harass not only Jewish believers in Jesus but also Christian workers in Israel."
The Supreme Court's decision should alleviate some of the pressure that Jewish believers and foreign Christian workers have felt in Israel, Sibley said, adding that he "can't help but believe" the ruling is related to a terrorist attack on the Messianic community that occurred in March. In that incident, 15 year old Ami Ortiz, whose parents are noted Messianic congregational leaders in Ariel, opened a bomb disguised as a gift delivered to his home. He suffered extensive damage to his body but is expected to recover after at least a year of treatment. Though a police investigation is ongoing, anti-missionary Orthodox Jews were among those originally suspected as perpetrators.
Here's an updated report on the progress and outpouring of prayers from around the world for Ami Ortiz and his family. Let us continue to pray for and support this family, as well as all of the Messianic Jews of Israel first and foremost as they labor in winning more Jewish people in Israel to salvation by grace through faith in the Messiah Jesus.
ISRAEL: Messianic Jews Attacked By Orthodox Jews