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I looked upon an old, dilapidated house

I once had owned. . .

The windows were boarded up

and the yard was overgrown.

This was the house where the children grew

and where we had lived for years. . .

And now everything was broken down

and memories made me brush away the tears.

When I looked upon my soul one day

I found that it too had grown. . .

There were thorns and nettles everywhere

because of the seeds of neglect I had sown.

Many years had passed

while I cared for things of lesser worth. . .

Those things of heaven I let go

while minding the things of earth.

I then turned to Jesus with bitter tears

and cried, “O Lord, forgive!”. . .

I haven’t much time left for Thee,

not many years to live.

Those are wasted years, forever gone,

and many days I can’t recall. . .

But if I could live those days again,

I’d make You Lord of all.

—Tom Kesting (Poet)

It is true that our bodies are composed of some of the same elements found in the stars. Atoms are made up of numerous subatomic particles, primarily the electron, neutron, and proton. Behind these, however, are numerous smaller bits of energy—neutrinos, leptons, quarks, baryons, mesons, etc. The number of ever-smaller particles goes on and on. These form atoms that form the molecules of which matter is composed. Without understanding their origin or being able to explain them, atheists accept the “laws” of physics and chemistry, which declare that every material thing is formed out of energy and that this makes up the stuff we call matter.

I am sure there are many readers of [the former Adventist publication] Proclamation! who know Adventist individuals representing both ends of the spectrum. So just how should one respond if asked, “Are Adventists evangelical or a cult?”

The answer should not be based on individual members but upon the teachings of the church. When Adventists say, “We don’t believe or teach that anymore” in response to being asked about a specific historical belief of Adventism, one needs to know the members do not represent the church’s teachings. The best way to determine if the church still believes or teaches a cultic doctrine is to determine if the church (not an individual member) has openly rejected that teaching. For example, do you know of any official renunciation of any of the following documented teachings of Ellen White and Adventism?

The shut-door. Ellen White’s clearly stated that the door of mercy or salvation was closed for all those who did not accept Adventism’s reinterpretation of Millers failed prophecies. Many Adventist writers have denied she ever taught this, but the record is clear.(1) But has the church ever stated, “Yes, Ellen White taught the shut door of mercy in one of her ‘I saw’ statements, but it is error and we reject her statement as error”?

The Daniel:8:14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
See All..., October 22, 1844 start of the investigative judgment. Some time ago one of our readers offered $100,000 to anyone who could prove this doctrine from Scripture using sound methods of interpretation. There were no takers. Many Adventist pastors and church leaders will privately admit that this is an unbiblical doctrine, but has the church ever renounced it as error? Not to our knowledge. In fact, we have a recording of the statement by Angel Rodriquez, chair of the Adventist Biblical Research Committee, that if Adventist’s 1844 Sanctuary teachings is error, the Adventist church has no reason to exist. 

The seventh-day Sabbath as the seal of God and Sunday keeping as the mark of the beast. We receive letters and emails confirming that Adventists are still using this argument in many evangelistic meetings around the world. Yet it is completely without any biblical foundation. How can Adventists be considered “evangelical” when evangelicals usually worship on Sunday and Adventists teach that Sunday keepers will receive the mark of the beast—and also hunt and kill Sabbath-keepers? Why doesn’t the Adventist church openly renounce both of these teachings as error and stop using these scare-tactics in Adventist evangelism? If a church actually believes and teaches the above doctrines, it should be considered a dangerous cult. However, if they don’t believe these things, they should openly renounce them as error. †

Endnote

1. Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 63; Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, p. 499; Ellen G. White, Letter to Joseph Bates, Feb. 1845. Word to the Little Flock, 1847, p. 172. See Ratzlaff, Cultic Doctrine, chapter, “The Swinging Door.”

https://blog.lifeassuranceministries.org/2024/05/23/evangelical-heterodox-or-cult-most-dont-know/

Originally published May 1, 1993

Go ye therefore, and [make disciples of] all nations.... Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

—Matthew:28:19-20 [19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
See All...

Last month we saw from God's Word that lost sinners are offered forgiveness of all sins (past, present, and future), and eternal life as a free gift of God's grace by virtue of Christ's fully accomplished redemptive work upon the cross and bodily resurrection. To receive this priceless gift one need only believe the gospel: that one is a sinner deserving God's judgment and unable by self-effort, religious ritual or any other means, to earn or merit salvation even in part; and that Christ paid the full debt which God's justice demands for man's sin. Of course, one must believe the gospel not merely as a historic fact, but to the extent of placing one's faith completely in the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior for eternity.

We noted also that Christ directed His disciples to preach this good news of the gospel to everyone everywhere. This command by Christ to His original followers has become known as the "Great Commission." It is stated in two ways: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel" (Mark:16:15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
See All...); and "make disciples" (Matthew:28:19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
See All...). Those who preach the gospel are to disciple those who believe it. Born again by God's Spirit into His family (John:3:3-5 [3] Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. [4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? [5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
See All...; 1 John:3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
See All...), converts begin a new life as Christ's followers, eager to learn of Him and to obey the One whom they now love for having saved them.

Christ warned that some would seem to receive the gospel with great enthusiasm only to become entangled in the world, discouraged, disillusioned, and would eventually turn back from following Him. Many maintain a facade of Christianity without inward reality, deceiving perhaps even themselves. Never fully convinced in their hearts, they are unwilling nevertheless to admit their unbelief. "Examine yourselves," Paul warned, "whether ye be in the faith" (2 Corinthians:13:5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
See All...).

Of those who are genuine, all too few are able to give a "reason for the hope that is in them" (1 Peter:3:15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
See All...). How many Christians are able to convincingly persuade an atheist, Buddhist, Hindu, New Ager with overwhelming evidence and sound reason from Scripture? God's Word is the sword of the Spirit, but few know it well enough to quell their own doubts, much less to convert others.

One of today's greatest needs is for the solid Bible teaching that produces disciples who are able to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once [for all] delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). That faith for which we must contend was delivered by Christ to the original 12 disciples, who were then to teach those whom they evangelized "to observe all things" that Christ had commanded them. Through succeeding generations of those who have been won to Him and have in turn, in obedience to their Lord, discipled others, this unbroken chain of command comes down to us in our time. Not some special priest or clergy class, but each Christian today, like those who have passed before, is a successor to the apostles. Think of what that means!

At the heart of Christ's call to discipleship is the daily application of His cross in each life. Yet one seldom hears in evangelical circles today Christ's definitive declaration: "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me...[and] forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke:14:27-33 [27] And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. [28] For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? [29] Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, [30] Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. [31] Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? [32] Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. [33] So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
See All...). The call to discipleship must be honestly faced. Through the Cross we die to self and begin to live to our Lord in resurrection power (Galatians:2:20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
See All...).

True discipleship begins at home. Parents are responsible to bring up their children in the nurture, admonition and fear of the Lord. Thorough understanding of the faith is especially vital for children and youth growing up in a world filled with persuasive arguments against God's truth and in favor of immorality and paganism.

Instead of the popular self-esteem, children need to be taught to deny self, to love truth and hate folly, to please God instead of others or themselves, no matter what the cost in this life. Never mind "social pressures" from what others think, say, or do. Youth should be fully persuaded that what God thinks of them and what He will say to them when they appear before Him one day is all that matters. As Jim Elliot, one of the martyrs of Ecuador, said when, as a young man, he chose the mission field over more popular careers, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." That choice is only logical if one believes that time is short and eternity endless. Such commitment brings heavenly joy, peace, and fulfillment that nothing earth offers can rival.

To those whom He called into a saving relationship with Himself, Christ said, "Follow me" (Matthew:4:19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
See All...; 8:22; 9:9; 16:24, etc.). This simple command, which our Lord repeated after His resurrection (John:21:19This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
See All..., 22), is as applicable to Christians today as it was when He called the first disciples. What does it mean to follow Christ? Did He promise His followers that they would be successful, wealthy, and esteemed in this world? God may grant earthly success to a few for His own purposes. On the whole, however, our Lord declared that those who were true to Him would follow in His path of rejection and suffering: "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.... The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you...for my name's sake..." (John:15:18-21 [18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. [19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. [20] Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. [21] But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
See All...).

Such was the lot of the early church. Yet today it is imagined that Christianity can be popularized. The idea of suffering for Christ doesn't suit a worldly church. How strange such verses as the following seem to Christians in America: "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake" (Philippians:1:29For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
See All...). Suffering is given to us? Paul speaks as though it were a precious privilege to suffer for His sake! After being imprisoned and beaten, the early disciples rejoiced "that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name" (Acts:5:41And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
See All...). Such is the commitment to which the gospel actually calls us.

Christ told His disciples after the Resurrection, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John:20:21Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
See All...). The Father sent the Son as a lamb to the slaughter into a world that would hate and crucify Him! And as the Father sent Him, so Christ sends us into a world that He promises will treat His followers as it did Him. Are we willing? Is this not your idea of Christianity? Then think again and check it out against the Scriptures. We are farther from Him and His truth than we realize!

Peter, who failed so miserably and was restored by the Lord, explained that Christians would be hated, falsely accused, and persecuted, and were expected to suffer these wrongs patiently (1 Peter:2:19-20 [19] For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. [20] For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
See All...; 4:12-19; etc.). Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he wrote, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness..." (1 Peter:2:21-25 [21] For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: [22] Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: [23] Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: [24] Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. [25] For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
See All...).

Christians are being imprisoned and martyred again in communist China, in Muslim countries, and at the hands of Catholics in Mexico. Similar persecutions could well overtake us in America. Already pastors are being fined and imprisoned, and churches locked and sold by the state. In 1986, for example, Jefferson County, KY, imposed a licensing fee upon every "business, profession, trade, or occupation"—including pastors and churches. One local pastor, declaring that Christ had commissioned him to preach the gospel, refused to pay any civil authority for a license to do so. Another pastor, arrested and jailed for the same "crime," was released April 5 due to overcrowding of the jail and his trial was set for a later date.

In another even more bizarre case, a Colorado pastor [was] being prosecuted for opposing a local ordinance which would have given homosexuals preferential treatment. Civil authorities claimed that homosexuality was a political issue, and in order to speak about it, his church must register as a political organization. This the church refused to do. The pastor correctly insist[ed] that homosexuality is a moral issue which the Bible addresses and which, therefore, he must address as well. He and his church [were] taken to court and heavily fined, and bank accounts and church property [were] seized.

Recently, I listened with tears welling in my eyes as my wife, Ruth, read to me some of the history of her ancestors. For being rebaptized after they became Christians (and thus denying the efficacy of Rome's infant baptism), these Anabaptists were burned at the stake. To escape the flames, many fled the Inquisition in Holland to Prussia. From there they fled to Russia, and in the closing days of World War II many attempted an escape from godless and oppressive communism back to the West. Out of one group of 611 that left Russia, only 31 arrived back in Holland. Tramping day and night through the snow, unable to find food or shelter, some were caught and returned, others were killed or died of exposure. Children were torn from parents, husbands from wives. The terror and agony was beyond imagination.

As Ruth read of the indescribable suffering, I thought of the thousands of Christians in America who find it necessary to enter "therapy" and spend months if not years dealing with comparatively trifling "hurts from the past." I thought of the thousands of Christian psychologists who encourage their clients to pity themselves, to pamper their "inner child of the past," when what they need is to deny self, take up the cross, and follow Christ!

In contrast, I was inspired by the testimony of those who suffered the loss of possessions, loved ones, of almost every earthly hope and joy, yet triumphed through their faith in Christ. Going to a "therapist" and engaging in self-pity would have seemed incomprehensible to them. Why should they, when they had the Lord and His Word and when they knew that "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians:4:17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
See All...)?

Whence comes the strength to stand against overwhelming suffering and to triumph as Christ's faithful disciples? Oddly enough, victory comes not through our strength, but through our weakness. When Paul cried out for deliverance from a severe trial, Christ replied that He had allowed it to make Paul weak enough so that he would no longer trust in his great abilities but only in the Lord. "[M]y strength is made perfect in [your] weakness," the Lord declared (2 Corinthians:12:9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
See All...).

Paul exhorts us, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him" (Colossians:2:6As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
See All...). Did we not receive Christ in weakness as helpless, hopeless sinners crying out to Him for mercy and grace? That, then, is the way we are to walk this path of triumph in suffering—as sinners saved by grace, weak and helpless in ourselves and trusting totally in Him. We are earthen vessels, but we contain a great treasure: "that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" (2 Corinthians:4:7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
See All...). Such is the secret of our triumph over the world, the flesh and the devil. The load is too heavy for us to carry it ourselves. What a relief to turn it over to Him! And what a joy to be delivered from the fear of man, from seeking to win the acclaim of this world, from seeking anything but His "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matthew:25:21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
See All...) in that coming day.

Some manage to amass a fortune to leave at their deaths to their heirs. Others have little of this earth's goods but have great riches laid up in heaven for eternity. It takes little wisdom to know who of these has made the wisest choice and who has been truly successful. God has an eternal purpose for our lives. Our passion should be to know and to fulfill that purpose beginning here on this earth. One day, very soon, we will each stand before Him. What a tragedy to miss the very purpose for which we were created and redeemed!

You may say, "Yes, I want to be used of God, but I don't know what He wants me to do." Or, "I try to serve Him, try to witness for Him, and it all seems to come to nothing." Learn this: Greater than anything God can do through you is what He wants to do in you. What counts most is not quantity but quality, not so much your outward effort but your motive within—the purity of your heart rather than your prominence with men. Moreover, what seems much in time may be very little in eternity. It is not one's talents or energy but the empowering of the Holy Spirit that produces genuine and lasting results: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah:4:6Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
See All...). Trust God for the filling and empowering of His Spirit.

Millions in past generations have laid down their lives for the faith. Their commitment to Christ meant so much that they would not compromise even when threatened with the most excruciating torture and death. Can we fathom their choice? The martyrs could have chosen the ecumenical path of compromise and of avoiding controversy, and of affirming the "common beliefs of all religions," and thus have escaped the flame or the sword. They chose instead to stand firm for the truth, to contend earnestly for the faith. Christ calls us to do the same. There is no escaping the eternal choice which confronts us. Will it be compromise or commitment? One day we will give an account before God for the path we choose. What joy there is now and eternally in being true to Him! 

TBC

• Question: Why does world opinion go against Israel?
• Question: What should I expect from a relationship with Jesus?
• Question: Why will everyone be united after the Rapture?
• Letters
• TBC Notes
• Quotable
• NewsWatch
• In Defense of the Faith

*Our Q&A section is primarily pulled from the Dave Hunt archives. Although some references may be dated, we believe that there is timeless value within the messages.

Question: Why does world opinion (UN, EU, Russia, media, etc.) generally go against Israel, and why is it often so viciously backed by false accusations? Is this of any significance for today, or is it merely what God foreordained?

Response: God did not foreordain anti-Semitism and the hatred of Israel rampant in the world—and He will severely punish those persons and nations guilty of it. He foretold this hatred, but He does not cause it. As Jesus declared, evil comes from the human heart: "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man..." (Mt 15:19-20).

Of course, Satan does all he can to stir up anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel. As we explain inJudgment Day, Satan's only hope to escape his final doom is to destroy Israel. He has made the destruction of Israel and the extermination of all Jews one of the foundations of Islam; he has persuaded Europe and most of the rest of the world to believe the lies of the Arabs who claim to be descended from the original "Palestinians" (a people who never existed); and he is persuading not just the D. James Kennedys, Hank Hanegraaffs, and R. C. Sprouls, but increasing numbers of Christians that the church has replaced Israel.

Why would Satan be immune from God's judgment if Israel were destroyed? The answer is simple. God has made hundreds of promises to preserve the Jews and to bring them back into their own land, where He will never allow Israel as a nation to be destroyed (Jer:31:31-40 [31] Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: [33] But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. [34] And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. [35] Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: [36] If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. [37] Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD. [38] Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. [39] And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath. [40] And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.
See All...; Ezk 36:22-38, etc.). It is to Israel restored in the last days that Christ will return to rescue His people at Armageddon and to reign over them and the world from the throne of David in Jerusalem.

Without Israel, there could be no Second Coming. God would have been proved a liar by His failure to fulfill His hundreds of promises to Israel and would have lost the moral ground for judging and punishing Satan and removing him and his man, Antichrist, from the earth. Satan would be firmly in control of the world and its inhabitants for eternity. The Rapture would have occurred, and the church would be safe in heaven.

With no people of Israel for Christ to return to and rule over, with no throne of David in Jerusalem upon which He could reign, the world would be under Satan's control for eternity. No new heavens and new earth would be possible.

Question: I’ve been pondering a question that only leads to more questions: “What should I expect from a relationship with Jesus?” Some would tell me that the sky is the limit when it comes to God. Not only does He want to take control of my life and guide my every thought and action, but He will heal me of my sicknesses, make me prosperous, and protect me from all harm. And yet, when tragedy strikes, a loved one dies, or the paychecks just barely cover the bills, these same individuals are left searching for explanations. At the other end of the spectrum are those who would say that a relationship with Jesus is all about matters of the heart. I should set my mind on things above, think in spiritual terms, and not be so concerned with physical needs and wishes. But, based on what I’ve read in the Bible, this hardly seems like the complete picture of a relationship with the Lord either. When it comes to believing in Jesus and His offer of salvation, I know that I cannot prove His existence, and I accept Him by faith. But when it comes to understanding a relationship with Jesus and His interaction and/or intervention in my daily life, I find it more difficult to just accept everything by faith. For instance, I’ve met Christians that like to “name it and claim it,” who are quick to say that “God did this” and “God did that” in answer to prayer. Maybe He did. Maybe He didn’t. How are we to know? And what should we expect?

Response: First of all, we can prove that God exists, that the Bible is God’s Word, that Jesus Christ is the true and only Savior of sinners, that he died for our sins and rose the third day and is in heaven, and is soon to return. Faith is not a leap in the dark. I must have proof for the basic elements of faith, which are those I just listed. Otherwise a Muslim or Buddhist or Mormon, concerning his religion and holy books, could “take it by faith” as well and be lost.

Consider Acts:1:3To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
See All..., 9:22, 18:28, etc. where we have Christ proving Himself alive, and Paul and Apollos proving that Jesus is the Christ.

There is also much that I can’t prove and must take by faith, such as the Lord’s daily guidance. Oh, He gives much evidence (I could tell you hundreds of encounters the Lord has given me that could not be the result of chance, but which I could not prove were of God). Fellowship with the Lord is a matter of the heart and mind, but should bear visible fruit in godly living (love, joy, peace, etc.—Gal:5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
See All...).

“Name it and claim it” is the pathway to disaster. We don’t tell God what to do or what to give us; we submit ourselves to His holy will in everything. There is nothing so thrilling as to be in God’s will and see Him at work in and through us. There are trials as well as triumphs. Paul longed to know Christ better and prayed that the Ephesians would be inspired to know the “hope of his calling” (Eph:1:18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
See All...).

Meditate on the Word of God, tell Christ frequently that you love Him and want to love Him more, get to know Him better, and give living for Him everything you have and are—and you will have plenty of evidence of His reality.

I would recommend two of my own books: An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith and In Defense of the Faith. These books could be helpful in strengthening your faith and understanding.

Question: I’ve heard you say that after the Rapture everyone on earth will be united. To do what?

Response: They will be united, first of all, in a world religion and they will worship both Satan and the Antichrist. Scripture teaches that everyone (except those who believe the gospel and reject Antichrist and as a result are executed for their faith) will worship “the dragon...and...the beast…” (Rv 13:2-4).

Secondly, the world will be united in a world government under Antichrist. He is given power “over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations” (v. 7) so that “all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, [must] receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Rv 13:16-17).

They will also be united in the “strong delusion” with which the Lord will afflict those who “believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thes:2:11-12 [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
See All...). Clearly, mankind will unite under Antichrist to do his will, to pursue evil desires, and to oppose the true God.

*Our purpose in this section is to simply show what kind of feedback we receive. We may respond to some of them in private whether or not we agree with their views. 

Dear TBC,

What I see happening is twisted theological meanings contributing to this mysticism and New Age influence on Christian beliefs. You see the lie of Christ Consciousness becoming popular as the biblical ideologies that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and being created in God’s image, instead mean, “God is within,” therefore, “I am God.”

It’s total heresy of course, but it’s running rampant, even infecting so called evangelical churches. The “little god theory” is especially pushed by the New Apostolic Reformation crowd (NAR) and Word of Faith/prosperity gospel group (WOF). Many, many people are being deceived by what they falsely attribute as Christian doctrine. This is what will unify all denominations in the One World Religion that’s coming, as many religions already believe in personal achievement of deification of self…. Mormonism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and in Eastern Orthodoxy, reaching deification as the culmination of complete salvation is called theosis. So, it’s not a surprise all religions will eventually jump on the bandwagon of the “I am God” lie. S (email)

Dear TBC,

Our enemy is the most cunning of all God's creatures. He is also familiar with the divine in a way that we have yet to experience fully, so he is quite able to contrive masterful trickeries. By the grace of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit we can perceive these errors and expose them. To love Yeshua Jesus is to love Truth. If we claim to love the Messiah, yet shy away from Truth or just want to stay in our comfort zones, then we are deceiving ourselves and one day we will wish we had chosen a truer grit. AFW (email)

Dear TBC,

In 2012 I downloaded Paul Wilkinson’s booklet, Christian Palestinianism and the Anti-Israel Crusade (see—https://bit.ly/4eyuTGo) from your site. I reread it last night and I was so glad that you had offered it and I had downloaded it. It helps me to understand what is going on today and why. May God bless Israel and the innocents in Gaza and may God have mercy on false preachers of His Word. I am so glad that a friend shared your newsletter with me 24 years ago. Thank you for being faithful to Him. NH (email)

Dear TBC,

I just want to thank you for all that you're doing for the Lord, and especially your newsletter that I get each month and have for so long. May the Lord bless you, and meet your every need. Anon. (email)

Dear TBC,

Thank you for all your great information. I am finding it very hard not to get very, very angry when I see all the injustice, disobedience, and arrogance in the world and around me. I know I am not perfect by a long shot, and that God says that judgment belongs to Him, but it's hard sometimes for me to separate the sin from the sinner and to hold on to love. Anyone got any advice for me? I just really don't want to be in this world anymore. Bless your ministry for helping me to stay sane in this horrible confusion. DH (email)

Waylaid by Distractions?

Jesus had a solution to dealing with distractions that few of us probably follow. He separated from crowds and sought fellowship with God the Father. Jesus wanted to be alone with the Father as often as possible.

That begs the question: what was the content of their communication? The only thing we're told is that it had to do with prayer. Prayer! 

There's little doubt that most of us were saved through prayer. There's no doubt that a believer's fruitful life can only be made possible through sustained prayer. That's why we're told to "pray without ceasing."

Consider these verses concerning Christ:

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone [with the Father]. (Matthew:14:23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
See All...)

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. (Luke:6:12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
See All...)

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. (Mark:1:35And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
See All...)

And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. (Mark:6:46And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
See All...)

And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. (Luke:5:16And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
See All...)

Few of us have the opportunity to depart to a mountain to be alone with God. But it doesn't have to be a mountain or wilderness—a "solitary place" works. The Amplified Bible says "go into your most private room, close the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you" (Matthew:6:6But 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.
See All...). The point of this is to avoid worldly distractions and get alone with the Lord as often as you can.

T. A. McMahon

Executive Director

Christ never was in a hurry. There was no rushing forward, no anticipating, no fretting over what might be. Each day’s duties were done as each day brought them, and the rest was left with God.

— Mary Slessor (1848-1915, missionary to Nigeria)

Christ’s Creativity in Canyon Critters

ICR.org, 4/30/24, “Christ’s Creativity in Canyon Critters” [Excerpts]: Grand Canyon animals display many marvelous traits and behaviors as they live life in that harsh habitat. These canyon creatures succeed thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ’s providential provisioning and not due to impersonal “luck.”

It’s not by good luck that turkey vultures can find rotten carrion, gobble it down, and not die of food poisoning. Vultures have powerful senses of sight and smell; they detect dead animals from afar. Equipped by God for scavenging in this fallen world, they serve as garbage collectors/processors, picking apart and eating roadkill and other carcasses.

Why don’t they get sick or die of botulism? The acidity of vultures’ digestive tracts is astounding. The digestive juices in their stomachs can reach a pH between 1.5 and 1.0, more corrosive than car battery acid and caustic enough to instantly denature to death almost any bacterial or viral pathogen! If the vultures’ Creator had not constructed their stomachs with such germ-destroying acidity, the vultures themselves would quickly become dead meat.

https://bit.ly/3yTDdQH

Unapologetically Stand for Truth

TheCollegeFix.com, 5/6/24, “Riley Gaines grad speech: ‘I decided I would unapologetically stand for truth’” [Excerpts]: Female sports activist Riley Gaines urged Adrian College graduates to be courageous during a speech over the [first May] weekend.

Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer, shared her story of taking on the transgender agenda after competing against [transgender] William “Lia” Thomas.

“I decided I would unapologetically stand for truth, both in a Biblical and objective sense,” Gaines said at the graduation ceremony, sharing that she was waiting for someone else to lead.

“I wanted to be liked. I thought twice before I spoke to an issue that was deemed controversial like I imagine many of you do or have done,” she said. “But I chose to be courageous.”

The college’s selection of Gaines drew some protest from a campus LGBT group, which demanded the school cancel her.

During her speech Gaines said, “Courage is contagious. It inspires and uplifts. May you embrace each new challenge as an opportunity, not shy away from risk and remain true to your conviction,” she said. “Forge your path with both humility and boldness.”

Gaines said her Christian faith has kept her going. “My faith is central in all that I do.”

“Faith isn’t just a set of beliefs, but the transformative principle that influences our actions, shapes our worldview, and leads us in times of both uncertainty and triumph,” she said shortly after.

She told the graduates to remember the “lessons” of “faith” when facing challenges in the secular world.

“In those moments, remember that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” she said, quoting the Bible [Hebrews:11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
See All...].

https://bit.ly/45dioLW

Extraterrestrials as Spirit Guides

TandFonline.com, 6/25/08, “Spiritualists, Aliens and UFOs: Extraterrestrials as spirit guides” [Excerpts]:One of the most striking innovations within contemporary North American Spiritualism is the adoption of extraterrestrials as spirit guides by some contemporary Spiritualists. It is here that the New Age fascination with extraterrestrials and UFOs has taken on a uniquely Spiritualist form.

Extraterrestrials have come to represent for many Spiritualists the successful achievement of the ultimate Spiritualist goal: the union between spirituality and science. Extraterrestrials are seen as spiritually superior to us because their science exceeds our own; their ‘science’ is perceived superior because it incorporates recognition of spiritual ‘truth’.

Consequently, within the North American Spiritualist context, the adoption of extraterrestrials as spirit guides can be seen both as a ‘rationalisation’ of Spiritualist belief through a strong idealisation of ‘science’, and as a critique of orthodox science for ignoring the ‘spiritual’ realm. For several of the Spiritualists with whom I worked, extraterrestrials have consequently become excellent choices for spirit guides.

https://bit.ly/4aVlJkf

Most scientists now recognize (though many of them do so with great reluctance) that materialism as a viable philosophy is dead. Why? It has become obvious that there is a non-material universe of consciousness, thoughts, ideas, and conscience. Yet in order to eliminate God, the human soul, angels, and Satan, atheists still cling to the discredited superstition that nothing exists except matter. After all, what else do they have? As we’ve already seen, it is impossible to describe morals, ethics, truth, justice, and so much more in material terms. This fact ought to concern materialists deeply.