THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS NO LONGER FEAR GOD

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A new study released by the Southern Baptist Convention-affiliated Lifeway Research titled the “State of Theology, found that 60% of U.S. adults believe that religious beliefs are “a matter of personal opinion” and “not about objective truth.”

Scott McConnell, the executive director of Lifeway Research, said in a statement released Monday that he believed the COVID-19 pandemic played a factor in the findings. 

“Religious identity, beliefs, and behavior are interrelated,” said McConnell. “When in-person church attendance behaviors were interrupted and habits were broken, it affected some Americans’ beliefs about the need to gather with other believers to worship.”

“Many Americans think about God as if He had only revealed Himself in a vague, nondescript way. They seem to fill in the gaps with whatever they want to believe,” McConnell stated.

“This creates sharp contrasts between what Americans believe about God and how He revealed himself in great detail in the Bible.”

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them… For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.” Matthew 24:3,7-10

It is interesting that the study revealed that a little over half of U.S. adults (53%) still say sex outside of traditional marriage is a sin, in contrast to 42% who disagree. In fact, it marks an increase in Americans who see non-marital sex as sinful compared to 2016 when 49% said it was sinful which is a hopeful sign.

The study reported that 46% of Americans believe that the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behavior is not relevant today, while 42% believe that it is still relevant. 

“Discussions of sin are inherently theological because they explore whether God set standards and what behaviors miss this mark,” McConnell noted. 

“So, those who acknowledge certain behaviors as sin are acknowledging a deity’s standards. This is a different discussion than whether society agrees on an ethical standard of conduct that we determine.”

Just as God’s nation Israel fell away from understanding God as Creator and the one whom they should fear. America a nation founded on knowing and fearing God likewise is falling away fast and opening the nation up to God’s judgment and ultimate wrath.

“Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.” Deuteronomy 10:14

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?” Deuteronomy 12:11-13

Jesus told us beforehand that in the last days before His return that people would no longer believe He exists and to be feared, as a result, lawlessness will increase.

“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:12-13

Will you be one of those that endure to the end and as a result be saved?

GLORIOUS PROMISES OF GOD

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‘Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’” John 14:12-13

Jesus was speaking to his disciples from the heart, in the knowledge that the cross awaited. Contextually, he is talking about his miracles, urging his disciples to believe in him as the Son of God because of the works he has done in their sight. Caught up in the Spirit, he prophesies that those who believe in him, including believers down through the ages, will perform the same, and even greater miracles. In the power and effectiveness of his children, Father God will be glorified. What a glorious promise!

Also, Jesus’ initial statement is that we would do the miracles He had done. The additional clause of ‘even greater things will you do builds on that, rather than diminishes it. 

Most denominational churches do not see or believe miracles occur today so have lost faith in the word of God.

The consequences of believing false traditions over the word of God are serious. We lower our expectations of God, reducing his incredible promises to match our experience. By doing so, we lose our hold on faith, because we are no longer clinging to his Word – our grip has been transferred instead to the tradition, and we are well adrift of the truth. Once we drift from the truth of God’s active, compassionate, interventionist love, and the promises of his miraculous provision, deliverance, and healing, we lose sight of who God is altogether. We paint a lesser picture and worship it instead.

The testimony of Francis Chan is very revealing in regard to miracles. When he was pastoring a church of 5,000 in California and esteemed highly in the World because of the size of his church and authoring best-selling books like Crazy Love he never saw or expected to see miracles.

Speaking during the virtual International Association of Healing Ministries conference this week, Chan said, “What I do know is for many years I didn’t believe in healing, I didn’t believe in miracles, it was pretty much what I was taught in seminary.

“Humbly, I have to say, I used to ridicule people who spoke in tongues or prophesied or believed they could heal, even though when I personally read the Scriptures, I saw this available.”

Earlier this year, Chan shared that he and a team of other Christians supernaturally healed several people in a rural village in Myanmar, including a little boy and girl who were deaf. 

“Every person I touched was healed,” the Crazy Love author said in a sermon delivered at Moody Bible Institute’s Founders Week Conference.

“OK, this is craziness to me. I have never experienced this in 52 years,” he testified then. “I’m talking like a little boy and a little girl who were deaf. We laid hands on her and she starts crying and smiling. These are not Christians who have even heard about Jesus, and she’s freaking out. We lay hands on her little brother, we lay hands on him, and he starts hearing for the first time.

Do you think Francis wants to go back to his church of 5000? No, in fact, he is setting up House Churches with no buildings or paid pastors.

PROOF BIBLE AUTHORS INSPIRED BY GOD

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Just look at what God revealed to Isaiah about Jesus. Isaiah the Prophet wrote a stunningly accurate portrait of Jesus’ all-encompassing work before, at, and after the cross.

BEFORE THE CROSS

In Isaiah 53, he states “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed” (Isaiah 53:1). This is an accurate prediction: not many continued to follow Jesus after some of His hard teachings (John 6:66). Not many believed it in the end. At the Cross, they all fled. The crowds liked the fish and loaves of bread, but they were not willing to follow Him.

Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3), and he probably looked just like any other Jew of the day. What does Isaiah tell us about Jesus’ physical appearance?  

“He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2).

The religious crowd despised Jesus for claiming to be Who He really was. Did Isaiah predict this happening?

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 53:3

AT THE CROSS BEFORE AND DURING HIS CRUCIFIXION

When taken before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilot we know that Jesus did not try to defend himself. Could Isaiah have been shown this simple fact?

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7

Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the world, motivated by the love of God (John 3:16). Could Isaiah have been shown this 700 years before Jesus came to earth and in such detail?

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:4-6

“Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; He has put him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see his offspring; He shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:10-11

AFTER THE CROSS

Could Isaiah have been shown details of Jesus’ death and burial? Once again in astonishing detail. We know that Joseph of Arimathea was the rich man who gave Jesus his own grave (Matthew 27:60).

“By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” Isaiah 53:8-9

Does God reveal anything about the ultimate destiny of the nation, Israel, which He established for His purposes?

“For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion, I will gather you. In overflowing anger, for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love, I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer. “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be (forever) angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:7-10

Israel has a glorious future ahead with Jesus ruling and reigning with the Saints during His Millennial reign on this earth. Will you be there? Start living eternal now ready for Jesus’ return.

“They (Saints) came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-6

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LAST DAYS DECEPTION

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In this message preached over eight years ago, David Wilkerson exposes and rebukes Kenneth Copeland and the prosperity preaching crowd. These false prophets have been exposed and there is no reason why any true believer should follow or listen to their preaching or teaching. The false teachers have repeatedly given false prophecies and have drained poor people of all their money with the false promise of prosperity.

Pastor David Wilkerson warred against the false prosperity gospel for much of his ministry. David Wilkerson passionately exposed the last day’s deception. He encouraged listeners to pray and seek God. He preached with anguish. Enjoy this sermon and share it with others.

PROOF MOSES WROTE THE PENTATEUCH

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The most ancient Proto-Hebrew inscription ever discovered!

This article is by Gavin Cox of Creation Ministries International in The Journal of Creation 2022 Volume 36 Issue 2

Tablet found on Mount Ebal in the Samaria mountains in the West Bank containing the word “curse” 10 times.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)


According to Associates for Biblical Research (ABR), the inside surfaces of the amulet contain 44 proto-alphabetic letters (a script that precedes paleo-Hebrew) and is centuries older than the oldest known Hebrew texts from ancient Israel. Douglas Petrovich, also an associate with ABR, has been working on even older proto-consonantal scripts found in Sinai dated to 1842 bc. 6 These were featured in the film Patterns of Evidence: The Moses Controversy. 7 All this evidence is highly significant because many liberal theologians postulate there was no evidence of an alphabet in which to write during the LBI–II period, hence, the Bible must have been written much later than Moses—in contradiction to Jesus’s clear statement in John 5:46. Furthermore, the divine name YHW occurs at an Israelite covenant site of LBI–II age. This new discovery forever buries skeptical claims of the late formation of the Bible, or of Israel as a nation. It cannot be overstated how important this artifact really is: it truly is “one of the greatest discoveries to ever come out of the Holy Land.” ABR have yet to publish their translation of the outermost tablet surface text—which may reveal to whom the tablet belonged, who it was written by, or to whom it was addressed. We will wait with anticipation for the publishing of their textual analysis (hopefully by the end of 2022) and for further exciting archaeological discoveries on Mt Ebal!

DEFENDING THE INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE

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Defending the inerrancy of scripture can be a challenging task for the unprepared Christian. In the world today, there is no shortage of critical voices speaking out against the authority of scripture. Even within Christendom, some seem determined to undermine the bible’s inerrancy in every instance. Therefore, Christians need to be equipped to defend, not only their faith but also the scriptures upon which the only true religion is based upon.

I highly recommend Poythress’ book Inerrancy and The Gospels. to anyone desiring to understand the harmonization of the gospels better. The book is largely broken up into two sections. The first is centered on the basic principles for studying harmonization, and the second examines specific gospel problem texts. I found the principles section to be the most useful part of the book. It creates a brilliant groundwork for the reader to approach the gospels in a logical, practical, and faithful way.

The practical nature of the principles was a relief. I have read numerous works on textual criticism, commentaries, etc. They have their place and are useful. Yet, it is easy to get lost in them. However, the basic principles laid forth in Poythress’ book are accessible to almost any believer.

Poythress reminds us of the complete trustworthiness of scripture, and the importance of remembering historical, narrative context. As Christians, we are called to trust God and His written word. If we find what appears to be a contradiction, our first response should be to remember that the problem lies not with the text, but with us.

 As mentioned, the second half of the book focuses on logic and a handful of specific examples of gospel problem texts – such as The Rich Young Ruler and Blind Bartimaeus. This section is useful and interesting as a reference tool to study specific texts. However, for me, the deep value of the book is found in the principles.

I highly recommend Poythress’ book to all Christians. Defending the inerrancy of scripture is not a hard task when we have the right tools and worldview to accompany it. Poythress’ principles to study the harmonization of the gospels are fantastic and worth the price of the book.

A MINORITY OF PASTORS IN THE USA HOLD A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW

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A “shocking” new survey from researcher and pollster George Barna of the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University found just 37% of U.S.-based pastors hold to a “biblical worldview.”

“This is another strong piece of evidence that the culture is influencing the American church more than Christian churches are influencing the culture,” Barna said of the survey results. “The research indicates that Americans are more likely to experience a positive impact on their worldview by hanging out with [spiritually active governance engaged conservative Christians] than they are by being in the presence or under the teaching of pastors.”

Taken on the whole, just under 2/3 of pastors embrace a form of syncretism, which is the blending of various belief systems together as one. In other words, purported ministers of the Christian faith don’t actually hold to the Christian faith, but an eclectic grab-bag of ideological, philosophical, and theological ideas that are fundamentally at odds with one another. 

If America is going to experience a spiritual revival it must happen at the grassroots level.

For the most part, Barna explained, people largely form their perspectives on the world before they reach 13 years old, then go “through a period of refinement during their teens and twenties.”

“From a worldview perspective, a church’s most important ministers are the children’s pastor and the youth pastor,” he stated. “Discovering that seven out of every eight of those pastors lack a biblical worldview helps to explain why so few people in the nation’s youngest generations are developing a heart and mind for biblical principles and ways of life, and why our society seems to have run wild over the last decade, in particular.”

According to information provided to CBN’s Faithwire, Barna’s “American Worldview Inventory” is an annual survey developed in 2020 and conducted by the Cultural Research Center, surveying roughly 2,000 randomly chosen U.S. adults. The survey contains 54 “belief and behavior questions” that determine a “biblical worldview.”

Preachers who hold to a biblical worldview are in the minority,

“The AWVI survey questions relate to eight different categories of life,” states an explainer on the survey. “Those categories are faith practices; human character and nature; God, creation, history; purpose, calling; sin, salvation, God relationship; family and value of life; lifestyle, behavior, relationships; and Bible, truth, morals. The AWVI provides scores for each of those eight areas, as well as identifying one’s dominant worldview.”

“Respondents who answer 80% or more of the belief questions and 80% or more of the behavioral questions in harmony with biblical teaching are identified as Integrated Disciples, people who have integrated biblical principles into their mind and heart in such a way that they clearly have a biblical view of and approach to life,” it adds.

Of all eight categories, the only one showing a majority of pastors holding to a biblical worldview was the purpose of life and calling (57%). In the remaining categories, a minority of pastors were found to hold to a biblical worldview: 47% on family; 44% on God, creation, and history; 43% on faith practices; 43% on sin, salvation, God relationship; 40% on human character and nature; 40% on lifestyle, behavior relationships; and 39% on Bible, truth, morals.

Similar research conducted earlier this year and reported on by CBN News found that, although 67% of parents with pre-teens identified as Christians, only 2% were found to abide by a biblical worldview, which stresses the importance of children and youth pastors believing in and teaching Bible-based perspective on life.

Although concerned, Barna suggested he is not defeated by the survey’s results. It is important, he said, for people to be aware of the problem — because that is the only way to fix it.

“God is in the transformation business,” he stated. “Pastors who are willing to allow Him to transform their thinking and behavior can emerge from that process as a powerful example of what can happen when one’s heart, mind, and soul are surrendered to God.

These are perilous days. And the days to come may even be more perilous than today, but hope in God. Join the throng of God’s people and wage war against the power and principalities of darkness looming over the church. The powers of hell cannot prevail against Christ’s bride; time and time again this keen and hopeful Word has proven true. Be strong and courageous, act like men, and gird up your loins by going about those ordinary works which He prepared beforehand for us to walk in. Lo, Christ is with us, even to the end of the age.

IN QUEST OF THE HISTORICAL ADAM

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In the last few years, apologist William Lane Craig has attacked biblical (‘young earth’) creation. However, he is not enamoured with many of the other compromise views. In 2021, he published a book, In Quest of the Historical Adam. He concluded that Adam and Eve were a real original couple who gave rise to all humans, and who committed the first acts of sin. But they were a pair of Homo heidelbergensis who lived perhaps 750,000 years ago. Dr. Jonathan Sarfati and Keaton Halley of Creation Ministries International offer their analysis of Craig’s book.

They do an excellent job of critiquing Craig’s book. God’s Bible is inerrant. It clearly provides evidence for a young earth and this video will help you support that view. Share your thoughts in the comments and share the video with your friends! If you would like to support Creation Ministries and their efforts: (https://creation.com/donate)

DINOSAURS REFUTE MILLIONS OF YEARS

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What’s the big deal with “dinosaur soft tissue”?

It is not just dinosaur soft tissue, either, but the presence of detectable proteins such as collagen, hemoglobin, osteocalcin, actin, and tubulin that they must account for. These are complex molecules that continually tend to break down to simpler ones. If the world is billions of years old these cannot be there.

Not only that but in many cases, there are fine details of the bone matrix, with microscopically intact-looking bone cells (osteocytes) showing incredible detail. Palaeontologist, Dr. Mary Schweitzer has even recovered fragments of the even more fragile and complex molecule, DNA. This has been extracted from the bone cells with markers indicating its source such that it is extremely likely to be dinosaur DNA.

Others have reported the fast-decaying carbon-14 from dino bones—not a single atom should be left after 1 million years.

Go to http://www.creation.com for more evidence of a young earth from Ph.D. scientists.

CRAB CAPTURED IN AMBER

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“The specimen is spectacular, it is one of a kind. It’s absolutely complete and is not missing a single hair on the body, which is remarkable”. These are the words lead author Javier Luque used to describe Cretapsara athanata, the first crab from the ‘Cretaceous dinosaur era’ preserved in amber (fossil tree resin), and the most complete fossil crab ever found. Despite being ‘dated’ at around 100 million years, 3-D scans showed it to be modern-looking.

The amber preserved delicate features such as antennae, compound eyes, and mouthparts covered in minute hairs. It even preserved the well-developed gills which meant the small crab was most likely water-dwelling. Plant material and insect faeces were also found in the same amber lump (c. 20 mm × 7 mm). “How then did a 100 million-year-old aquatic animal become preserved in tree amber, which normally houses land-dwelling specimens?”

For evolutionists, such a question leads to many ‘it might have’ stories. Of course, they would be aware that to preserve the crab in such a complete state the resin would have to engulf it quickly. Today’s generally slow trickle of resin from trees would never suffice.

The conditions found in the Noahic Flood around 4,500 years ago readily account for all aspects of this find. The obvious one is finding an aquatic crab in resin from a tree, alongside terrestrial plant and insect material. As forests were ripped up and carried by the floodwaters, huge rafts of trees crashed into each other. The damaged trees were bleeding abnormally copious amounts of their sticky resin, which quickly enveloped the items it contacted. This also explains the existence of large amber deposits, such as the ones mined in Myanmar from which this specimen came.

Harvard University, International team of researchers discover first dinosaur era crab fully preserved in amber; oeb.harvard.edu, 20 Oct 2021.

This article appeared in Creation Magazine Vol 44 Issue 2, 2022 (http://www.creation.com)