Month: July 2017
The Amen Corner
Sword Of The Lord ~ February 24, 2017
The best remedy for a sick church is to put it on a soul-winning diet. -T.J. Bach
It is utterly false to suppose that the Word of the Lord, preached by a coldhearted, unanointed preacher who preaches in human wisdom and for selfish purposes, will bring in proper fruit the same as if preached by one whose heart is set aflame by the Holy Spirit. It takes the power of God to preach the Word of God. The Word of God is not a sword of man; it is the Sword of the Spirit. -John R. Rice
The foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing is a vice so mean and low that every person of sense and character detests and despises it. -George Washington
Samson with the Holy Spirit upon him could take the jawbone of an ass and lay dead a thousand Philistines. Samson without the Holy Spirit was as weak as a newborn babe. And so it is with the church. Without the Holy Spirit, you are as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals, simply four walls and a roof, a pipe organ and a preacher to do a little stunt on Sunday morning and evening. -Billy Sunday
There is one thing worse than not coming to church, and that is to come and do nothing about the message one hears. James tells us that hearing without doing means self-deception. (1:22) -Vance Havner
I am very profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book on reason that you can and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man. -Abraham Lincoln
He who is God’s enemy should not be your friend.
Quotable Quotation / William Penn
“Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.”
-William Penn
Rick Warren Challenges Christians That They Are Not Fit For The Kingdom If They Study Bible Prophecy
I have no idea what additional proof one would need in order to discern that Rick Warren is a false prophet, pure and simple. He has the audacity to believe that the Purpose Driven movement is bringing in a New Reformation, hence as we follow this track, his thinking is that he is a modern day Martin Luther. To Rick, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the Millenium are small potatoes, because like Ford, he has a better idea.
Perhaps he envisions himself as a Protestant Pope of some sort, and when he speaks “ex cathedra,” his words supersede Holy Writ. Rick’s time is spent hobnobbing with Muslim clerics, the Pope, various United Nations affiliates, involvement with a plethora of social concerns, meeting the leaders from all religions, and spending time with an additional assortment of political VIP’s throughout the world. (This sounds like a purely social “gospel” to…
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2015 Second Orlando Prophecy Summit, Part 59
Doug & Joe Hagmann, Paul McGuire, Jerry Robinson – Panel Discussion
The floor was later opened up to the audience for a question and answer session.
The theme is Economic Armageddon:
Paul McGuire: People intentionally try to confuse you about economics when what they say is not in your best interests. We must understand the foundation of the national and global economic system. The entire economic system is based upon an illusion. The system does not exist. The nature of the illusion is as magical as sorcery (as it says in the book of Revelation). It is hard to understand. The masses have always been controlled since the beginning of civilization, by a monetary and religious system. The monetary system is a controlled system. Paul has been on hundreds of economic debates on Fox News, CNN, etc. Most people act like they do not know what the Federal Reserve System is. The Federal Reserve System is built on a simple sorcery principle: they print money from nothing. There is no substance behind it. They control the world and the global economy by printing money from nothing. The economic system is spiritual – look at the dollar bill! It has hundreds of occultic symbols all over it. It screams at you in neon lights. It is not hidden, it is in plain sight. The incomplete pyramid has the all seeing eye of Lucifer, the New World Order or Order Of The Ages is written at the base of the pyramid, the Phoenix from Phoenicia is on the other side. The Phoenix is replete with occult symbolism. There are many more occult symbols there. The people at the highest level who control the economy, are in the Illuminati, occult, and they are Luciferean believers. The dollar is filled with spiritual symbols because the dollar is spiritual. The dollar is worth something only under the illusion that it is worth something. Mass events are scientifically engineered by an elite group in order to get people to act a certain way. There is a fight over new international currency. Who will control the world’s money? The dollar, Euro or another? This is an engineered crisis in order to bring a New World Order, and a new international currency. Revelation 13 refers to this situation.
Jerry Robinson, author of Bankruptcy Of Our Nation: We have a faith based monetary system. We have a fiat currency. There is nothing backing up the U.S. dollar. The Bible says the dollar is corrupt – “unjust weights and false balances.” When you print money out of thin air with no backing, you are printing “unjust weights and false balances.” Our money is debt, without intrinsic value. Our currency is an abomination and corrupt. We are already under judgment. The economy is going to implode and collapse. Our economy is an abomination. Our economy is being judged because it is an abomination, NOT because of the other sins of our nation. A lot of nations now, are avoiding the dollar. China is collecting gold for a gold backed currency. We are going to see a reduction of dollars and their value. We may see a Chinese Russian currency in the future, an Amero, or other regional currency. They will eventually collude into a single global currency but it will not happen overnight.
Paul McGuire: Mankind’s progress is based on occultic occurrences and events at incremental times in man’s history. i.e. The Great Depression. The economics in America are based on an illusion. The illusion comes from the Federal Reserve and the Central Bank. Our nation is being put into tremendous debt so the One World Government can control us – …”the borrower is slave to the lender.” The Federal Reserve owns us. “Debt” is the key to the economy control system. Our media is corporate controlled.
Jerry Robinson: Fox News is a part of the corporate controlled media. Saudi Arabia is the second largest shareholder in Fox News. The United States has no backing behind the dollar. In the early 1970’s, we made an agreement with Saudi Arabia that we would continue to underwrite their oil industry if they would use the dollar as an international currency in their business dealings. This illusion is all that is keeping us afloat. The dollar is a house of cards and will collapse one day. Free trade does not exist and cannot exist.
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Issues Brought Up By The Audience:
The Federal Reserve is a private cartel owned by banks. G. Edward Griffin was one who exposed the Federal Reserve.
There is really only one party. The Democrats and Republicans are basically the same. There is not much truth to the right left paradigm. Two parties are an illusion. Fox News tells partial truths and they are just as bad as NBC and CBS. Paul McGuire no longer appeared on Fox News the minute he started telling the truth. He also lost his syndicated radio show.
There is a Sharia court in Texas and seventy eight in England. This was not related to the economy, but a very interesting point brought up by one in the audience.
When Satan Opposes The Will Of God In Your Life, Have Great Faith…
Mark 11:23 King James Version (KJV)
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
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Mountains are barriers to progress and must be seen here metaphorically as obstacles to the will of God. Whenever we try to make forward progress with the gospel, all sorts of barriers seem to hinder. The only way to remove them is through believing prayer. So our daily challenge is to seriously pray for God’s work to prosper. -Paul Young
Peter, though confined and chained, prayer prevailed and brought him out; When Elijah prayed, it rained, after three long years of drought. -Newton
The Lord Allows Us To Suffer So That We Can Grow In Faith And Provide Counsel To Others
Job 4:5 King James Version (KJV)
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
Job was a good man who gave excellent advice but until he suffered himself, his advice was head knowledge only. The Lord allows suffering and sorrow to befall his dear people at times so they have the moral right and authority to give authentic help and words of wisdom. When they say “I know” they really mean it. Never, if possible, minister beyond your experience. -Brian Russell
Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness, Take it to the Lord in prayer. -J. S. Scriven
Sword Of The Lord Newspaper / Dr. Shelton Smith, Editor / March 24, 2017
Amen Corner
We cannot always trace God’s hand, But we can always trust God’s heart. -Charles Spurgeon
It is not mine to amend or adapt the Gospel. What! Shall we attempt to improve upon what God has revealed? The Infinitely Wise-is He to be corrected by creatures of a day? Is the infallible revelation of the infallible Jehovah to be shaped, moderated and toned down to the fashions and fancies of the hour? God forgive us if we have ever altered His Word unwittingly; wittingly we have not done so, nor will we. -Charles Spurgeon
There is a world of difference between…getting things off your chest and pouring out your heart. -Vance Havner
Something about us religious humans makes us want to add to the Gospel. We want to help God with our salvation. If we can’t help Him save us, we want to help keep ourselves saved. -Curtis Hutson
It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong. -Henry W. Longfellow
“What Thou wilt, when Thou wilt, how Thou wilt”-I had rather speak these three phrases from my heart in my mother tongue than be master of all the languages in Europe. -John Newton
Esau wept because he had lost the blessing, not because he had sold his birthright. Men mourn for the evil that sin brings, not for the sin which brings the evil. -D.L. Moody
The best medals are pinned on those who go beyond the call of duty. -Robert E. Lee
Temptation is the Devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in. -Billy Sunday
There was a man , though some did count him mad, The more he cast away, the more he had. -John Bunyan
Sin is the greatest of all detectives; be sure it will find you out.
Dangerous Trends 2017
NFL Now Has a Homosexual Ad
The ad “Fans of love/Love Has No Labels” relies on the kiss cam at the January 29 Pro Bowl to show various couples kissing each other or hugging, including two homosexual men and two lesbian women. The ad also posts screen graphics informing people that “love has no gender,” among other slogans. -WND.com
Editor’s Comments: Since the flap over refusing to salute the American flag by Colin Kaepernick and the NFL’s positioning itself as an advocate of the homosexual lobby, viewership has dropped eight percent nationwide. I know a lot of people seem pretty “crazy” about football, but I’m confident many fans are not going to support this “crazy” stuff.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Church:
A man who hadn’t lived the best kind of life passed away. At the funeral, the preacher gave a flowery description of the man, telling what a good husband and father he had been. Finally, the wife leaned over to her little boy and whispered, “Go up and see if that’s your daddy in that coffin.”
A homiletics student asked his professor if a good beginning and a good ending were the markings of a good sermon. The professor replied, “Yes, if they come close enough together!”
The sermon had gone on a long, long time. A visitor leaned over to the person next to him and whispered, “How long has he been preaching?” The reply, “Almost thirty years.” “Oh,” said the stranger, “I guess I’ll stay. He ought to be through soon.”
2015 Second Orlando Prophecy Summit, Part 58
Jonathan Matusitz ~ Comparative Analysis Between Islam And Christianity
There are some similarities between Christianity and Islam but there are many differences between the two faiths. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the three Abrahamic faiths. Islam is the youngest of all three religions. When Mohammed was forty years old, he was hiding in a cave and the angel Gabriel came up to him and told him that Christianity and Judaism were corrupt religions. They had to be replaced by a new movement, and that movement was one of submission, and Islam means submission in Arabic. At this time, Mohammed was in Mecca. In twelve years he had about one thousand followers. People in Mecca wanted to kill him in Mecca, hence when he was fifty two, he fled to Medina in 622 A.D. Mohammed was more peaceful in Mecca. In Medina he started with new rules- anyone who does not convert to Islam will be killed. In the Koran, later verses take priority over earlier verses. Hence the violent theology from Medina prevailed. The hateful verse takes priority over the peaceful verse. This is called the principle of abrogation. The Bible has 800,000 words. The Koran has 80,000 words. The Koran is one tenth the size of the Bible. Isis and Al Qaeda focus on the hateful verses of the Koran. Isis is a Muslim terrorist group, following the hateful verses of the Koran very literally. Mohammed died in 632 A.D. at the age of 62. The conflict between Sunni and Shiite Muslims started at this point in time.
Jesus said “love your enemy,” and “love your neighbor as thyself.” Unlike Islam, Christians are not suppose to murder. In the Koran- Sura 9:5 “Kill them wherever you find them.” “Them” refers to non Muslims, i.e. Jews and Christians. Women are subjugated in the Koran. Suicide bombers will receive 72 virgins in paradise. The best way to reach heaven is by being killed in a holy war or jihad, and killing infidels in the process. Suicide attacks are increasing dramatically. When you marry Allah, you join a suicide squad such as Hamas. Jihad only exists in Islam. Jihadists are global threats. Islam is the fastest growing religion. They want to return to the golden age of Islam from the days of Mohammed. The Sunni followers of Isis, in order to reach their version of Armageddon, must obliterate all infidels and unfaithful Muslims. This will pave the way for the Mahdi. The Mahdi is their Messiah who will establish a global caliphate. All nations will abide by sharia law. Isa will accompany the Mahdi. Isa is a false Christ, reducing our Lord to the status of a mere prophet. Islam denies that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. In Africa, 30 out of 56 countries have a Muslim majority. Most Muslims live in southeast Asia and in Africa, followed by the Middle East and Europe. According to Islam, Armageddon will take place in Dabiq, Syria. Dabiq is where the Ottoman Empire won its best battle in 1516. Isis wants to fight Armageddon in Dabiq. The only commonality between Christianity and Islam are ways of cooking and methods of punishment. Islam followers are not to be friends with Jews and Christians. 60% of global Muslims are cultural Muslims. They are peaceful and nominal Muslims. Sharia attempts to force their religion on people. Christianity does not do this. The notion of “convert or die” is unique to Islam. Women are a field that men can plow. Reformed Muslims feel they must follow the five pillars of Islam, but they will not force any religion on you. These Muslims are few and far between. When Muslims reach 10%, they demand for their religion to be adhered to (Sharia Law). Civilization Jihad destroys the west through infiltrating education boards, federal agencies and local governments. They want to use our own laws against us by imposing Sharia right under our nose. They want to infiltrate our textbooks through lying about Islam and its violent history. This is cultural infiltration. This is called stealth jihad. In the United States, we must be concerned about Muslims who desire to impose Sharia Law. You cannot believe in Sharia and believe in the U.S. Constitution. Sharia is mandated by Allah. The Antichrist will be pro Islam and a globalist. In Great Britain, 2,000 women were mutilated because of Muslim honor crimes, but British law could not intervene because of multiculturalism. Political Correctness (PC) will bring down our culture. The best way to convert a Muslim to Jesus, is by witnessing to them one on one.
[ON MISSION] ~ The Pulse
[ON MISSION] is a quarterly publication of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), representing the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the International Mission Board (IMB). The following data comes from both the spring and summer editions of this seasonal publication:
The Pulse
3 million adolescents in the U.S. ages 12 to 17 are reported to have had a major depressive episode in the past year.
19.5% females experience depression, compared to 5.8% of males.
6.3 million youth ages 13 to 18 have an anxiety disorder, representing 25% of the adolescent population in 2015.
30.1% females have an anxiety disorder, while at 20.3%, males are more likely to deal with anxiety over depression.
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After-school Satan club
A school district in Portland, Oregon, approved an after-school “Satan Club” at a local elementary school this past September. The Satanic Temple advocated for this club in response to a 2001 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Child Evangelism Fellowship could have access to school facilities to host their “Good News Club.” -Source: The Washington Post, An open letter from the Satanic Temple Los Angeles, August 1, 2016.
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From global to local
In 2015 the United States was home to 46.6 million people who were born in other countries. More than 2 million of those immigrants were from China, and almost another 2 million from India – the two countries with the most unreached people groups.
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Baptist students provide aid
About 450 students from collegiate ministries spent their 2016 Labor Day weekend serving those affected by the Louisiana flooding. Students pried up waterlogged wood flooring, tore out drywall and helped salvage homeowner’s precious mementos from the mold.
Source: Baptist Press, September 6, 2016
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Supernatural healing
A recent Barna poll showed that the majority of American adults (66%) believe people can be physically healed by God, supernaturally. The study also showed millennials are the more skeptical of this belief than elders, and evangelicals are the most likely to believe in supernatural healing.
Source: Barna, September 29, 2016
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Dirty Mouths
Work place etiquette has undeniably taken an informal turn since millennials have entered the workforce. A new survey reported that two-thirds of millennials swear at work and 40% even prefer working in an environment where there is cussing. Furthermore, a third of those surveyed said the use of profanity strengthens the team.
Source: The Week, October 21, 2016
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The Latino impact
The United States is now home to 55 million Hispanics – 17% of the nation’s population. Hispanics are projected to account for 52% of new homeowners by 2030. They have also contributed to 47% growth in small businesses between 2007 to 2012 – a rate 60 times higher than that of non-Latinos.
Source: TIME, September 26, 2016
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Moving home
According to the Census Bureau, Americans are on the move. About one in eight Americans move each year, and many end up living close to mom. The New York Times reported that 50% live within 18 miles of their mom. Only 5% live over 1,400 miles away.
Source: Facts & Trends, Summer 2016
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Reasons they will come
In a survey by LifeWay Research of 2,000 Americans who do not attend church, several events were identified that may draw non-church attendees to participate in church-sponsored activities.
62% Meeting about neighborhood safety
51% Community service event
46% Sports or exercise program
45% Neighborhood get-together
35% Worship service
25% Recovery group
24% Seminar on a spiritual topic
Source: Christianity Today, September 2016
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Getting Social
For over a decade, social media has played a vital role in North American culture. On average, U.S. adults spend about 10 hours and 39 minutes a day consuming social media. Percentage of U.S. Internet users who access social networks weekly.
70% Facebook (36% between the ages of 18-34)
32% Instagram (46% between the ages of 18-34)
30% Twitter (40% between the ages of 18-34)
25% Snapchat (53% between the ages of 18-34)
25% Pinterest (38% between the ages of 18-34)
Source: TIME, March 13, 2017, AdWeek.com, June 27, 2016
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America’s aging pastors
In partnership with Pepperdine University, Barna recently released a new study on the ages of American pastors. The study found that the median age of pastors today is 54, while in 1992, the median age was only 44. The study also found the percentage of pastors who are 65 and older has tripled since 1992, while only one in seven pastors today is under 40.
Source: Barna.com, March 1, 2017
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Independent living?
Around 40% of recent college grads are receiving help from their parents to pay for rent. On average, 22- to 24-year-olds receive about $3,000 a year from their parents to make ends meet.
Source: The New York Times, February 9, 2017
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Losing the war on drugs
For the first time ever, 50,000 people died from overdose in one year in the U.S. Seventy-three percent of overdose deaths in 2015 were from prescription opioids and heroin, up from 57% in 2010.
Source: The Week, March 10, 2017 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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A new normal
Cohabitation before marriage is now what the majority agrees is the best indicator for whether a couple is ready to get married. Sixty-five percent agreed that cohabitation is a good idea, according to a recent survey by Barna. Seventy-two percent of millennials agreed with the statement, compared to only 36% of elders.
Source: Barna.com, June 24, 2016
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What millennials want in a church
The Fuller Youth Institute has spent the last four years studying over 250 congregations of diverse sizes, ethnicities, denominations and geographic regions and found that one of the most compelling characteristics of a church for millennials is a church’s vision to be the best neighbors to their community.
Source: RelevantMagazine.com, November 16, 2016
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Women in power
Although most American adults would say they are comfortable with a female CEO, evangelicals show the lowest level of acceptance. A recent Barna study showed the following results when they asked the question: Are you comfortable with a female CEO?
94% All adults
90% Men
97% Women
77% Evangelicals
Source: Barna.com, March 8, 2017
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The cost of parenting
On average, it will cost $233,610 for a middle-income family to raise a child born in 2015 through age 17. According to a new government report, at 29%, housing is the biggest cost for parents. Another major expense is childcare, which costs an average of $37,378 per child.
Source: The Week, January 2017
Even Steven 