Author Archives: Delight in Truth

Mar 8 2013

Theology 101: Angels and Our Relationship to Them

Angels are created, spiritual beings with moral judgment and high intelligence, but without physical bodies (1).

The Bible makes it clear that these heavenly creatures take a particular interest in us.  Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:10-12 that there are  “things into which angels long to look,” things that have to do with the grace and manner in which God provides salvation to humans.  This is a fascinating process for them, as they are unable to experience  redemption first hand which involves the greatest event in the universe, the death and resurrection of Christ.

The writer to the Hebrews makes a powerful statement about angels joining us in spiritual worship when he states that we “have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God…”

The Bible also tells that angels can take human form and interact with us.  “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” Hebrews 13:2. This verse encourages us to minister to others who may truly be “angels” of whom we are “unaware.”

Scripture also makes it clear that angels can convey physical protection for us.  An angel send by God shut the mouth of the lions in the den where Daniel was thrown. An angel delivered Peter from prison. Angels also came and ministered to Jesus after His temptation.

When we find ourselves in life and death situations and suddenly find that we are able to make it out untouched, we can certainly consider that an angel send by God perhaps rescued us.  When you avoided that car accident in a miraculous way, or something made you turn around to catch your baby just in the nick of time, that may have been God ministering to you via an invisible angel…

There is strong biblical support for this. “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:11-12

And then there is one of my favorite verses about the relationship between children and angels: “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”  I find the phrase “their angels” fascinating.  It results that children have angels assigned to them, and these creatures are continually also in the presence of God.

These concepts on the doctrine about angels as well as the verses supporting them can serve as great comfort for believers, knowing that God uses such means to protect us and our loved ones.

(1) Grudem, Wayne 1994; Systematic Theology; pp. 405-406

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Mar 7 2013

Rob Bell and… Other Ways of Understanding God

Rob Bell is baaaaack… and is promoting his new book What We Talk About When We Talk About God in the video below.

The former pastor of Mars Hill mega church compares God to a Oldsmobile he used to drive in his youth, charging that historic Christianity is no longer relevant for our generation.  The punch line in the video promo comes toward the end when the says: “Is God going to be left behind like Oldsmobiles? I don’t think so, because I believe there are other ways, better ways of talking about God, understanding God, because I believe God is with us, and for us.”

At this point Rob needs a cold shower to wake him from the stupor of false teaching.  Be aware of anyone who claims to have a new way of presenting Jesus and his Gospel, because Jude tells us in Jude 1:3  “I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”  

There is no “other ways” of understanding God as Bell claims.  God does not conform to the image of the modern generation, nor will He allow Himself to be dragged through the distortion of relevance by Universalists like Bell.

He states that God is “inviting and pulling us, all of us, into a better future than we can ever imagine.”

That sounds so good, so exciting, so relevant, but the truth is that such as statement is a lie from the depths of hell!  I believe Universalism, that is the idea that in the end God will save everyone, is one of the biggest threats to those Christians who are not grounded in Scripture.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Everyone unfortunately will not be saved, and this is due to lack of saving faith in Jesus.

Watch the video below and be aware of the false doctrine of Universalism.

Mar 6 2013

Abortion as Risk Factor for Breast Cancer

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) is one of the premier medical publications in the world, and this week it came out with stunning new data (here) about the increased incidence of advanced breast cancer among women ages 25-39.

Advanced breast cancer was defined as that type of cancer which has metastasized to locations other than the breast at diagnosis, and 70% of these young women die in less than 5 years from diagnosis. The study found that between 1976 and 2009 the rate of advanced breast cancer grew by 90% in this age group.

These are alarming statistics!

While the article does not speculate on reasons for these results, the drastic increase in breast cancer begs the question if abortion is associated with and potentially causative of breast cancer.  After doing a PubMed search I found data which may support this association.  For instance, a Chinese study involving about 1,300 patients found a positive association between abortion and breast cancer (here).  Also here, here and here.

Such a link is more detectable in patients who had 2nd trimester abortions.

It is important to note that many mainstream pro-choice groups deny this association, and have data to back up their claim.  But this data is taken from Europe (large Dutch study) where pregnancy terminations are performed very early in the 1st trimester, and the link to breast cancer cannot be elucidated as well as in 2nd trimester cases.

Professor Angela Lanfranchi, MD, F.A.C.S., an Ob-Gyn doctor, explains the biological connection between induced abortion and breast cancer:

“A woman gains protection from breast cancer by completing a full-term
pregnancy. In utero, her offspring produce hormones that mature 85
percent of the mother’s breast tissue into cancer-resistant breast tissue.
If the pregnancy ends through an induced abortion or a premature birth
before thirty-two weeks, the mother’s breasts will have only partially
matured, retaining even more cancer-susceptible breast tissue than
when the pregnancy began. This increased amount of immature breast
tissue will leave the mother with more sites for cancer initiation, thereby
increasing her risk of breast cancer.”

 The purpose of this article is to raise awareness of the devastating impact abortion is having on our society and the lives of the women involved. There are also many other studies showing negative health consequences as a result of abortion.  This is the truth and it must be told, even though the abortion platform is trying to suppress it.

Mar 5 2013

Dilation and Evacuation: Raw, Real and Evil

I am beginning to devote a considerable portion of Delight in Truth to the Pro Life cause because the Spirit of life, the One who raised Jesus from the grave, the One who gives life (Romans 8:11) to our mortal bodies is Pro Life.

I am posting in the video below the testimony of Dr. Anthony Levatino, a board certified Ob-Gyn who used to perform abortions and who became Pro Life after his daughter was struck and killed by a car.

He said: “If you haven’t gone through that kind of tragedy, you don’t have a clue. You may think you can imagine it, but trust me: You have no idea what it’s like to lose a child, in any way.”

Seeing his daughter die was so traumatic for him, that he began seeing abortion as the violent death of someone’s son or daughter, and he became a Pro Life activist.

The video contains a short clinical description of what a dilation and evacuation around minute 2:45.

The ending is bound to leave a mark in your soul.

Mar 4 2013

Chinese Propaganda… in Our Christian Media!

I had written a post (here) about the online magazine Christianity Today, questioning whether it can be called Christian based on some the articles, editorials, and opinion pieces they publish.

So, it was not surprising to see an article in Christianity Today entitled “China Isn’t Trying to Wipe Out Christianity” which is basically an apologetic piece on the claim that persecution is really not that bad in China.

Having lived in communist Romania until age 13, and having seen the persecution methods employed by that government against my local church, I can testify that what I read in this article was a message influenced by communist propaganda.  The communist Romanians had freedom of speech, religion and assembly as part of their core values.  Allegedly. And theoretically.  But they were vehemently persecuting the existing ne0-Protestant churches for their FAITH under the banner of national security.  Any prayer meeting was seen as a national threat.  Every church was suspected of being a potential western ally.  Every faithful Christian was a potential revolutionary.  All of these to cover the real motive which was religious persecution.

They used the seemingly legitimate national defense excuse to accomplish their atheistic goals of suppressing the truth and stamping out religious practice.

And the propaganda disseminated in this article by Christianity Today follows some of the same old techniques we have seen in the former eastern communist bloc.  For example:

1. The government is really not after those practicing their faith in house churches.  Oh no.  They are after anti-government elements that pose a national threat… So I ask… National threat from whom?  Is the US or western Europe about to go to war with China? How ridiculous does that sound? Are they afraid that individual house cell meetings for prayer are going to topple a massive totalitarian government?  Even that is highly improbable!

2. The Chinese government is not persecuting the faith, they are trying to suppress protests which can be embarrassing.  So I ask… Why are Christians trying to protest in the first place if they are not persecuted for their faith?

3. The Chinese government is not persecuting Christians… only the ones who are trying to publicize human rights violations.  Again, when freedom of religion is suppressed, that is a human rights violation translating into religion persecution.

Quote from the article: “The point here is not in any way to minimize the seriousness of these cases, but simply to point out that these believers were not persecuted for their faith or even for belonging to a house church…”  This is exactly what the propaganda is!  That the persecution has nothing to do with faith but with anti-government activity.  We have seen this cover story time and time again in Romania.

This is an old trick and we are not going to fall for it!

Can we now see how ridiculous it is to blame Christian “trouble makers” to divert attention from the real underlying impetus of the atheist Chinese government, their real motive being the  persecution of the Christian faith? And Christianity Today is buying it despite multiple other reports and assessments with respect to the intense persecution of the faithful in China!

Even though Christianity Today may not (want to) discern the truth, we know that our brothers and sisters in China are suffering at the hands of an atheist totalitarian regime which wants to inhibit their faith in God.  We will continue to pray for these Christians and remember Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

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Mar 2 2013

Pro Life Victory in Arkansas

This week the pro-life movement in Arkansas gained a small but important victory in the battle against abortion.

Both houses of the legislature passed the “pain-capable unborn child protection act” or anti-abortion pain bill for any baby over 20 weeks gestation.  The bill argues that the fetus is capable of feeling pain and therefore suffers a horrific death at the hands of the abortionist.

Even though democratic governor Mike Bebee vetoed this life saving bill, both houses of the legislature came through with an override and the bill is now passed.

The constitutionality of the law will most likely be challenged by the ACLU, but for now the law stands.

Progress is slow and methodical, but the pro-life movement continues to grow especially among younger people, many of whom are Catholics and Evangelicals.  One could argue that is not a victory because it only limits abortion, and it does not ban it completely, and I agree that any abortion is an act of depravity and a grave sin.

But in the grand scheme of abortion legality which is here to stay for the foreseeable future, our time-tested course is to chip away at this behemoth from any and all angles.  These kind of pro life victories help invigorate those who persevere in this legal and spiritual battle.

The sanctity of life is held up by the testimony of the One who’s Spirit is called the Spirit of life (Romans 8).  Our actions and testimony must be in line with the One who is called the Spirit of life.

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Mar 1 2013

Pet Care… After the Rapture?

In an effort to highlight the things that some of today’s Christians are concerned with, I bring to your attention this little scheme targeting Christians who love their pets.

You can go to the Christian site www.aftertherapturepetcare.com, and for a fee you can register your pet to be matched with a volunteer of the atheist worldview or perhaps a non-Christian religion who will take care of your pet in the aftermath of the Rapture event.

It was such an entertaining venture watching the video below and scrolling through their site, that I had to share this with my beloved readers and friends 🙂

What people will do these days to make a buck going after the emotional bond between people and their pets!

And to think that Christians are so tied to their worldly possessions, including their pets!

Imagine this.

The Rapture occurs and we meet the LORD in the air with our incorruptible bodies.  Assuming the predominant premillennial view common among evangelicals today, the Rapture occurs at some point in the Great Tribulation (beginning, middle, end) and the elect is taken up.  Imagine the chaos, the oppression of the AntiChristic reign, imagine God’s wrath being poured out on the earth via physical and spiritual disaster… Matthew 24;21 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.”

Now image some pet volunteer who was left behind in the greatest disaster that this planet has ever endured finding and looking after your non-raptured pet!  Funny and ridiculous!

Just another way to make money off the gullibility of people.

Watch this promo for “After the Rapture Pet Care” via “Chief of the Least” and be entertained!

Feb 28 2013

The Bible Has Gone Hollywood

Or perhaps Hollywood has gone… biblical?

Hollywood has a long history of digging into biblical story lines to come up with epic productions like Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, and The Passion of the Christ.  And now, Hollywood mega couple Roma Downey and Mark Burnett (producer of popular shows like Survivor) have come up with the highly acclaimed and well reviewed miniseries “The Bible,” which will run this Spring on the History Channel.

The docudrama will present 10 episodes with major stories from the Old and the New Testament, and evangelicals like Rick Warren are not only endorsing it, but Rick Warren himself is presenting a preview and a behind-the-scenes look at the series.

Unlike Rick Warren, I personally do not endorse Hollywood efforts depicting aspects of the Judeo-Christian faith and stories from the Bible.  This is a personal decision, and I understand that many Christians are eager to promote movies such as The Passion in an effort to extend the Kingdom of God.

There are several reasons why I do not get excited about these projects, and have serious reservations about recommending them:

1. I have a difficult time receiving a Bible story, especially one that encapsulates the gospel, told by directors and actors who do not know the LORD.  Some may know the LORD, but I suspect that their numbers are very low, or perhaps almost non-existent.  Again, this is a personal stumbling block for me.  Generically speaking, how can an actor “become” a depraved character in one movie, and then turn around and depict Christ in the next movie?  How can a depraved director depict for us the inspired word of Scripture in a film?

2. Every year around Easter and Christmas (I stopped watching TV for the last few years but I assume the trend continues) the Discovery Channel and History Channel present shows about Jesus and various aspects of our faith which are plain wrong.  Various forms of heresies are presented mixed in with fragments of truth as was the case with the all the shows surrounding the Gospel of Judas and the Da Vinci Code a few years ago. Moreover, authorities from all kind of backgrounds are interviewed, from Universalists, to Catholics, to atheist historians who weigh in on Christian doctrine, and these are people who do not know the LORD.  Having been illuminated by the Holy Spirit to understand God’s Word, it becomes a difficult exercise watching these “everyone-has-an-opinion” on the Bible shows.

3. Many of these shows and movies are not done with the intent of spreading the gospel message but with the intent to make money.  Lots of money.  The masses of Christians out there soak these projects up like they are supposed to soak up the real thing: God Word.  For example, the Passion of the Christ is the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time (yes R-rated in the same sentence as Christ).  It made $600 million just during its theatrical release, and many millions since then.  Producers are getting very wealthy from these “Christian” films.

4.  The gospel message and the Word of God as a form of entertainment is a turn-off for me.  Many Christians do not have a problem with this aspect, but the Holy Spirit speaks to me when I read Scripture, and I feel that the Word is profaned when the depraved of this world take advantage of it to create films… whatever their motives are.

So, starting next week I will not hold my breath for “The Bible” miniseries to entertain me.  “The Bible,” the real thing, is sitting right here on my desk ready to receive my delight.  It’s a delight in truth.

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Feb 27 2013

Perspectives on the Unfriendly Starts of New Churches

Thom RainerThis short article was written by Dr. Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of Life Way Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, and it highlights some painful truths about the issue of churches breaking up.  It also holds the party that initiates the split accountable:

“A new church is started in a community with many members of an existing church. Unfortunately, the existing church has not blessed the new church start, nor has it been consulted about it. In many cases, a staff member from the existing church has led the unfriendly church start.

I have emails that include phrases like “deep hurt,” “betrayal,” and “kick in the stomach.” In other words, this new church start has not been received well at all by the existing church. I understand that there are two sides to these stories, so I am ready to be corrected. Nevertheless, I have some strong opinions about unfriendly church starts. Allow me to share four of them.

1. The DNA of the new church is a problem. In most unfriendly church starts, the new church is a negative reaction to the existing church. Thus, the very reason for the existence of the new church has negative overtones. The DNA is, at least in part, filled with negativity.

2. Ill will is immediately established between two churches. There is the perception that members were wrongfully taken from one church. Often the existing church feels the immediate pain of loss of people, finances, and leaders. They simply did not have time to plan to replace those who would leave.

3. The new church begins with a potential negative reputation in the community. The church is the congregation that “split” or “took members” or “fought” with the existing church. Those words do not enhance the reputation of a church that is trying to reach its community.

4. Reconciliation must begin with the new church. At some point, the chasm between the two congregations must be bridged. In most cases the new church should initiate that effort, especially since it started without the blessing or knowledge of the existing church.

A few years ago I spoke with a young associate pastor who told me that he had been approached by a large group in the church that wanted him to lead a split and start of a new church. Even though there seemed to be serious problems in the existing church, he refused to make such a move. When I asked him why he was not seizing the opportunity, his response was telling: “God called me here to honor this pastor as long as I am here. There are a lot of problems that I see in the church, but starting a new church is just not the answer. It’s just not the right thing to do.”

I agree. It’s just not the right thing to do.”

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Feb 26 2013

Light Before the Sun… Possible?

by John D. Morris, PhD.

According to Scripture, God “created the heaven and the earth” on Day One of Creation Week (Genesis 1:1). Initially all was dark, until God said, “Let there be light” (v. 3). Days Two and Three saw the oceans, firmament (or atmosphere), continents, and plants formed, as the earth was being progressively prepared for man’s habitation. It was on Day Four that God created the sun, moon, and stars, proclaiming, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven” (v. 14), one purpose of which was “to give light upon the earth” (v. 15).

This light was directional, coming from a particular source. The earth was evidently rotating underneath it, causing alternating periods of light and dark. “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night” (v. 5).

Skeptics have long ridiculed the science of biblical creation over this point. How could there be light bathing the earth before the sun was created? Obviously the Bible must be in error. But as always, this apparent error drives us to look more closely at the relevant data, both scientific and biblical.

Actually there are many sources of light, not just the sun. There are also many types of light, not just visible light. Short-wave light includes ultraviolet light, X-rays, and others. Long-wave light includes infrared light, radio waves, etc. Light is produced by friction, by fire, by numerous chemical reactions, as well as the nuclear reactions of atomic fission and fusion, which is what we think is occurring in the sun. God had at His fingertips many options to accomplish His purposes. Light does not automatically require the sun.

Furthermore, we have important data given by the Hebrew words used in the creation account. When God created “light” in verse 3, the word used connotes the presence of light only, while the word used for “lights” on Day Four is best translated “light bearers,” or permanent light sources. Their purpose was not only to give light, but to serve as timekeepers for man once he was created. According to the best stellar creation theory now available, light from stars created anywhere in the universe on Day Four would reach earth in two earth days, and would be useful to Adam on Day Six. (For more information, see Dr. Russell Humphrey’s cosmology articles on http://www.icr.org.)

Keep in mind that the Creation Week was a uniquely miraculous time, and we are justified in speculating that miraculous events may have been taking place outside of today’s natural laws. Especially when we realize that “God is light” (1 John 1:5) Himself, thus no outside natural source is necessarily mandated.

For semi-creationists who claim that the “days” of Genesis 1 must have been long periods of time, a more serious problem arises. Genesis plainly teaches that plants appeared on Day Three, and the sun on Day Four. But plants need sunlight for photosynthesis and cannot wait in darkness for millions of years. If the days were long epochs, as demanded by critics of a literal Creation Week, plants could not survive.

How much better and more satisfying it is to accept Scripture as it stands. It doesn’t need to be fully understood and explained by modern scientific thought; it just needs to be believed and obeyed.

* Dr. Morris is President of the Institute for Creation Research.

Morris, J. 2008. Sunlight Before the Sun. Acts & Facts. 37 (1): 14.

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via WBMoore @ http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/where-did-light-come-from-before-the-sun-was-created/