We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. A.W. Tozer
Therefore let God-inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth. --Basil of Caesarea
Once you learn to discern, there's no going back. You will begin to spot the lie everywhere it appears.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. 1 Timothy 1:12

Sunday, March 26, 2023

Praising the Lord With Bagpipes


 MacLellan Bagpipes posted this poem on Facebook.

May my pipes be a gift

I will lift to the Lord.

A grace note of praise in

every lyric and chord.

May my tune be a prayer

of renewal and light.

May my tune be a beacon

which shines through the night.

And even when loss

and grief come along

I'll have faith in the Lord

and play him a TUNE.


I have felt this way since I first began going to church after learning the pipes.  The first hymn I learned in 1983 because it was a band tune, and which every piper is expected to know: Amazing Grace. Going Home was the next band tune considered a hymn of sorts (I’ve had it requested for funerals). Those were the only hymns I learned with the band.


Since I wasn’t really proficient with music scores, sometimes I learned a hymn by listening to it. I heard Kum Ba Yah on a folk song cassette and worked it out on the pipes in 1989, and then I began thinking how I could probably transcribe hymns if I could tinker the tune out (not many can be transcribed to pipes). In 1990 I began seeing what I could do.


Ode to Joy was one I heard at Easter and found it relatively easy to work out, and the next one was one of my favorite hymns—Martyrdom. And then they just kept coming so I could praise the Lord with my pipes. Soon there was I Need Thee, then Old 100th, All Through the Night, Praise and Thanksgiving, The Ash Grove, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (I played a duet of this with a trumpeter), Fairest Lord Jesus, Stand Up For Jesus, Just As I Am, Greensleeves, All Creatures of Our God and King, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, We Three Kings, Little Drummer Boy, God King Wenceslas, Immortal Invisible God Only Wise, and Holy, Holy, Holy all came to me during 1990. It was so exciting that I have never ceased trying to put some hymn on my pipes.


One stroke of luck in 1993 was when we were on vacation to the Olympic National Park in Washington and stopped at one of the shops I had been using for mail order; I purchased a small book titled “The Church Piper,” which had many of the hymns I already learned plus several I was planning on transcribing! There are 33 tunes but that includes many non-hymn laments for funerals, etc.


The following list is of Christian songs/hymns—and which I have had opportunities to play in church over the years for regular services, Easter and Christmas time. 


A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

A Shield About Me

Abide With Me

All Creatures of Our God and King

All Through The Night

Amazing Grace

As the Deer Panteth Over the Water

Ash Grove, The (Sent Forth By God’s Blessing)

At the Cross

Austrian Hymn (Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken)

Chief of Sinners Though I Be

Children of the Heavenly Father

Come, Christians, Join to Sing

Earth and All Stars

Fairest Lord Jesus (Crusader’s Hymn)

Faith of Our Fathers

God Leads Us Along

Going Home (Dvorak)

Grace Greater Than Our Sin

Holy God We Praise Your Name

Holy, Holy, Holy

How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

How Great Thou Art

Hymn to Joy

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

I Love to Tell the Story

I Love You Lord

I Need Thee Every Hour

I’ll Fly Away

I Will Sing of My Redeemer

Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise

Just As I Am Without One Plea

King of Love My Shepherd Is, The

Kum Ba Yah

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)

Love Devine (Beecher)

Love of God, The

Martyrdom (Alas and Did My Savior Bleed)

My Faith Looks Trustingly

Nearer My God to Thee

Oh, For A Thousand Tongues

Old 100th (Doxology)

Praise and Thanksgiving (Morning Has Broken)

Psalm 42 (O Waly, Waly)

Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It

Rejoice, Rejoice This Happy Morn (etc) 

Shall We Gather At The River

Softly and Tenderly 

Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

Sweet Bye and Bye

There is Power in the Blood

Thy Strong Word (Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus)

To God Be the Glory

Victory in Jesus

We Gather Together

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross  (Hamburg)

When the Saints Go Marching In


Christmas

Angels We Have Heard On High

Good King Wenceslas

Greensleeves 

In Dulci Jubilo

Little Drummer Boy, The

O Come, O Come Immanuel

Oh Come, All Ye Faithful

We Three Kings


If you play a musical instrument and don’t already do so, see how you can use it to praise the Lord for His gift of music.

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Some Good, Some Bad, and Some Downright Ugly

I’ve been quite busy lately with practicing my pipes and playing for events. Added to that have been too many doctor visits.  Meanwhile, my collection of links for articles I feel important to be shared just kept piling up. So this is a long post, but there are some good articles for edification and many for learning what is going on with false teachers/teachings.


Starting off, here is another thought-provoking article about the so-called revival at Asbury.


A saying that sounds pious but isn’t- “Let Go and Let God


Here’san interesting article about the translation of the Greek word ecclesia. What is interesting to me is that I have always understood the translation “church” to mean the individual assembly — a congregation. That’s what I see in the context.


Jesse has a pretty good examination of the Catholic Eucharist.


Everyone I Don’t Like is Literally Gothard. Too many people are making false accusations against teachers they don’t like, comparing them with Bill Gothard’s teachings. This article gives a review of some of Gothard’s teachings so as to settle such false charges.


What’s in the Gap?  An excellent examination of the “Gap Theory” and why it doesn’t work. (One problem exists when it ascribes the name “Lucifer” to Satan—Lucifer was never Satan’s name.)


The Church should not be using cultural relevance and entertainment to reach people.


Hillsong is NOT a church or even a group of churches—it is a business, and even a cult with false teachings of every sort.


Why Christians shouldn’t bow to “homosexual marriage.” Excellent speech, worth the five minutes to watch.


Pay attention to Clint Eastwood—3:27 minutes of good lessons using satire.


This is what you get when the person who really got your church started is a well-known false teacher—Saddleback church ordaining women pastors. Rick Warren severely abuses Scripture to support women pastors.


Beth Moore has literally become a cult leader. She has led millions of women (and, surprisingly, men) astray, and her latest antics prove just how apostate she has become.


The Gospel Coalition teaches only the gospel” of Satan. Disgusting, absolutely disgusting.


Do you need any more evidence than this to prove that Andy Stanley is an heretical apostate? How about another bit of evidence?


False teacher Steven Furtick is selling tickets for a preaching/worship tour—for hundreds of dollars!!!


The Catholic Church, as a whole, continues to be more and more apostate because the man in charge, the Pope, does nothing about those who violate not only Catholicism but also real Christianity.  There is a priest in Ireland who allows a Muslim call to prayer during Mass. Then we have a Catholic university denying a formation of a group on campus because the group believes in only two genders — male and female!  OH, and how about a Catholic school that suspended a student for saying men and women are different?!!?


Stay away from Lysa TerKeurst/Proverbs 31 Ministries. (note that even though the article is originally dated in 2015, the article itself is continually updated).


Bible Project’s Tim Mackie believes Penal Substitutionary Atonement stems from pagan sacrifice rituals. There are some really heretical beliefs out there, so beware.


Proof that Joyce Meyer is a false teacher and most likely is unsaved.


Kenneth Copeland and Heidi Baker—two of the biggest frauds and worse false prophets out there.


In The Chosen, Peter says God makes mistakes!  ANNNNDDD, the guy who plays Jesus on The Chosen is about as theologically apostate as it gets.


Monday, March 6, 2023

Questioning the Asbury “Revival”


Revival Isn’t About Sitting Around Playing Acoustic Guitars and Singing Shallow Worship Songs. And, Evidence Shows the Asbury Event Wasn’t Spontaneous, but Planned Weeks in Advance. A letter to Lighthouse Trails Research Project also proves it wasn’t spontaneous. 

What about the influence there of the New Apostolic Reformation? And why would a bonafide revival from the Holy Spirit include emotional and often heretical songs from Hillsong and Bethel? How about we ask 8 Crucial Questions? (This is on Facebook and I don’t know how to get it on my blog, but the questions follow below.)


1. Eight revivals at this university since 1890. Why does the Holy Spirit favor this university? Or is this being manipulated? Why no regular revival anywhere else?


2. Asbury is part of the Wesleyan Holiness movement. This branch usually doesn’t preach much on sin, judgement or wrath and the need for repentance. Those who visited haven’t heard the Gospel at all, which should be the centerpiece of any revival. (Asbury promotes the unbiblical teaching of women pastors—why would a revival be where there are false teachings?)


3. Who is endorsing (and some teaching) this revival? False teachers such as Todd Bentley, Sean Feucht of Bethel Church, Emergent Shane Clairborne, Francis Chan, Rick Warren, Mike Bickle, et al.


4. Why no reports of revival on secular campuses? Why just private Christian schools?


5. What is revival? Individual; revivals go out, people don’t come in. 


6. What is actually happening? Lots of worship but little if any expository Bible teaching, and possibly no Gospel teaching. Fruit of Biblical revival is salvation and those saved taking the Gospel out.


7. Bizarre behavior there: demons being cast out? Female preacher speaking in tongues, lots of Hillsong and Bethel music. 


8. Those interviewed focus on the Holy Sprit and the Savior is Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s role is to focus on Jesus. Emotion-focused, musically-driven.


As I see from the evidence, this was a planned, emotion-driven event pretending to be from God, attracting mostly young people who have very little discernment ability.

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

The Bible and Homosexual Behavior


This post is replacing one published on 9/3/10. The changes include the additional verse from 1 Timothy, along with an additional paragraph referencing Ezekiel 16: 49-15 and Jude 7.


==========================================


There are several passages in Scripture that are unequivocal in their condemnation of homosexual behavior and yet those who support such perversion twist these passages to say something totally different. I’m going to just address a few of these passages in this article, and all will be from the English Standard Version:


Leviticus 18:22

Leviticus 20:13

Romans 1:26-27

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

1 Timothy 1:10


Let‘s look at the first passage, Lev.18:22: You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.


Now, this is pretty strong in the verbiage used to describe how God sees the act of homosexual behavior - an abomination. Now let’s look at the context.


Chapter 18 starts with God saying, I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. From this point God lists all sorts of sexual practices which were done in Egypt and Canaan, and which God found detestable. There are no other topics in this chapter; God just says don’t do any of these things because these are a reason why God is punishing the nations by having Israel drive the people out of the land. It was these practices which made the land unclean. The Scripture is very, very plain: God says all the listed sexual behaviors are an abomination to Him, and that those who practice these things are worthy of severe punishment.


Now here is the second passage, Lev.20:13: If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death.


Notice the same strong verbiage God uses to explain His revulsion to such behavior; it is an abomination. Again, let’s look at the context.


Beginning at 20:10, God again lists numerous sexual practices which He forbids. And again, God gives the reason why at verse 23: And you shall not walk in the customs of the nations that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things and therefore I detested them. God said that the pagan lands where he was bringing them were detested - another strong word - because of these sexual practices.


Leviticus has many ceremonial laws and social order laws which are meant only for Israel as a way to set the nation up as holy - separated - to himself. Scripture tells us these laws were just for Israel (Deut. 4:7-8; Lev. 27:34; Ps. 147:19-20, et al). However, in His discussion about sexual practices He found abhorrent, God says these are behaviors that those outside of Israel are even disallowed, and because they practice such abominations they are being destroyed.


The point is that the Leviticus passages aren’t just relegated to some ancient prohibition for some people. These passages speak of these sexual practices as something that God detests among people—no matter when or where.


There are some claims by those promoting homosexuality that we misunderstand these passages. They say that it is only about homosexual behavior in conjunction with idolatry. But this leaves a problem: Does God then condemn incest, adultery and bestiality ONLY if they are done in conjunction with idolatry - that at any other time they are okay?


Okay, now let’s look at Romans 1:26-27, but start at verse 24 to get more of the context: Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.


Other versions get a bit more descriptive so there is no doubt what “natural relations” mean:

For even their females exchanged natural sexual intercourse for what is unnatural. The males in the same way also left natural sexual intercourse with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. HCSB


Women no longer wanted to have sex in a natural way, and they did things with each other that were not natural. Men behaved in the same way. They stopped wanting to have sex with women and had strong desires for sex with other men. CEV


Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. NLT


Let’s begin with this question: Who is the “them” that God gave over to their lusts? Verse 18 says it is those who “suppress the truth” about God. Continuing on in the passage Paul says God made Himself known to these people who suppress the truth about God and yet they do not honor God or thank Him. Instead of giving glory to God, they give it to animals and man, and worship created things instead of worshiping God (the way evolutionists do today). These people who suppress the truth about God did not just exist at the time Romans was written - these people have always existed. Everywhere you look you will see people who suppress and deny the truths of God.


Then at vs. 24 it says “therefore,” which means it is because these people suppress the truth about God and refuse to honor Him and what He has revealed that he gives them up to sexual impurity which dishonors their bodies. God calls it “dishonorable passions.” And it is because they would rather accept a lie than the truth of God. Verses 26 and 27 then describe exactly what Paul means when he says they are given over to impurity which dishonors their bodies: homosexual behavior.


This Scriptural passage is clear: homosexual relations for any reason are considered dishonorable and impure. There is no room for claiming that it is only about those whose “natural” inclinations are for members of the opposite sex and not about those whose “natural” inclinations are for members of the same sex. There is no such thing as “natural” sexual desires for members of the same sex.


Let’s now look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 


The English Standard Version combines two terms from the Greek and interprets them as “men who practice homosexuality.” The NIV translates the passage as “male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders,” the NASB says, “nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,” NKJV says, “homosexuals, nor sodomites,” and the KJV says, “nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.”


With this many versions, let’s look at the original Greek to know exactly what was said here. The first word is arsenokoites. Where does this come from and what does it mean?


When looking at the Septuagint’s Greek translation of Lev. 18:22 we have the following: meta arsenos ou koimethese koiten gunaikos. Arsenos means “male” and koiten means “to have sexual intercourse.”


Next, when looking at the Septuagint’s Greek for Lev. 20:13 we have this: hos an koimethe meta arsenos koiten gunaikos


Notice in both these passages the use of arsenos and koiten, and especially the latter passage where the two words are together. It becomes obvious where Paul got this word which means a man who has sexual relations with another man. He is referring back to the Levitical commands against homosexual behavior. It is this word which is translated as “homosexual offenders,” “homosexuals,” “sodomites,” and “abusers of themselves with mankind.” It’s meaning is “male bedder.”


What about the word translated as “male prostitutes,” “effeminate,” and “homosexuals?” This is the Greek word malakoi, which literally means “soft ones.” Supposedly this refers to those who were usually a passive partner in homosexual relationships (or should we say, the one who plays the receptor?)


Nevertheless, both terms are used by Paul to describe those who practice homosexual behavior, and he states without equivocation that these people will not inherit the kingdom of God. Again, it is very plain that Paul is here saying that those who practice homosexual behavior are among the “unrighteous.”


There is nothing in any of these passages that allows for twisted interpretations to claim God permits homosexual relations as long as they are conducted in a committed relationship. The relations are not permitted at all.


But notice vs. 11 ends with good news. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Paul says that some of those among the Corinthian church were practitioners of homosexual behavior before they became Christians, and that now they no longer are. So much for the claim that change is not possible!


Now let’s look at 1 Timothy 1:10 in context, beginning at verse 8, with the germane phrase italicized: Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. Paul uses the same word here as in the 1 Corinthians passage.


Some people will cite Ezekiel 16:49 to “prove” that Sodom’s sin (Genesis 19) was lack of hospitality and not homosexual behavior, for it says, Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. But they fail to continue reading into the very next verse: They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. Notice the word, “abomination,” which is referring to the homosexual behavior of the people of Sodom.  And if that isn’t clear enough, Jude 7 is unambiguous as to the sin of Sodom: just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire,[a] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.


Here is the clear conclusion about the Bible’s instruction on homosexual behavior: it is an abominable sin before God, is an unnatural and dishonorable use of human sexuality, and is not practiced by those who have become Christians. Only by twisting of the passages beyond their context could anyone claim God sanctions such behavior.