Pester Brat's Saint and Sinner Hypocrisy Blog

Thought some would find this information interesting. I don't take an official position on this because I believe it is just something we cannot know on this side of glory and therefore no need to take a side and debate it. Still good to know the views though, imo.....Pastor Bret Classic Infralapsarian view: 1. the decree to create the world and (all) men 2. the decree that (all) men would fall 3. the election of some fallen men to salvation in Christ (and the reprobation of the others) 4. the decree to redeem the elect by the cross work of Christ 5. the decree to apply Christ's redemptive benefits to the elect Classic Supralapsarian view: 1. the election of some men to salvation in Christ (and the reprobation of the others) 2. the decree to create the world and both kinds of men 3. the decree that all men would fall 4. the decree to redeem the elect, who are now sinners, by the cross work of Christ 5. the decree to apply Christ's redemptive benefits to these elect sinners

Excellent article. And I need and want to be held accountable for my responsibilities as a Pastor Elder mentioned near the end....PB Narcissism Destroying our Vision Doctrinal Thoughts Let us begin with what the word narcissism means. The Dictionary says: “Excessive admiration for or fascination with oneself.” Ok now lets define the title of this devotion. How is an excessive admiration with oneself destroying our vision? I use the word vision here in the sense of purpose or direction of life. Your eyes help you to see where you are going. So how is this destroying our direction in life? The church, the modern day organization that you see all over the land, you know all of the buildings that you pass that say “So and so church” or “Church of so and so,” how are these organizations killing us? And yes, hang on; this is a Christian devotion, I promise. These organizations are in this age notorious for filling us with narcissism, a self-inflated love with ourselves! The very institution,

I am astonished (A Puritan Prayer) O bottomless Fountain of all good, I am astonished at the difference . . . between my receivings--and my deservings, between the state I am now in--and my past gracelessness, between the heaven I am bound for--and the hell I merit. Who made me to differ, but You? I could not have begun to love You, had You not first loved me. O Lord, I am astonished that . . . such a crown should fit the head of such a sinner! such high advancement be for an unfruitful person! such joys for so vile a rebel! Let 'wrath deserved' be written on the door of hell, but the 'free gift of grace' on the gate of heaven! Let Your love draw me nearer to Yourself. Wean me from sin, mortify me to this world, and make me ready for my departure hence. Secure me by Your grace as I sail across this stormy sea.

How May I Know I Am Elect? A.W. Pink gives seven points of reflection that I would urge you to use as a thermometer to take the temperature of your spiritual health. First by the Word of God having come in divine power to the soul so that my self-complacency is shattered and my self-righteousness is renounced. Second, by the Holy Spirit convicting me of my woeful, guilty and lost condition. Third, by having had revealed to me the suitability and sufficiency of Christ to meet my desperate case and by divinely given faith causing me to lay hold of and rest upon Him as my only hope. Fourth, by the marks of the new nature within me - a love for God; an appetite for spiritual things; a longing for holiness; a seeking after conformity to Christ. Fifth, by the resistance the new nature makes to the old, causing me to hate sin and loathe myself for it. Sixth, by avoiding everything which is condemned by God's Word and by sincerely repenting of and humbly confessing every transgression. Fai

Nate Saint Played by Gay Activist in "End of the Spear" Jason Janz -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- his past weekend marked the fiftieth anniversary of the death of five missionaries in Ecuador-Ed McCully, Jim Elliot, Peter Fleming, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian. They died after being speared by natives on a sandy beach along the Curaray River. The story rocketed around the globe and landed on the front cover of Life magazine which included a ten-page article. If you talk to someone who was a believer at the time, it had the same effect as other events such as Kennedy’s assassination – people remember where they were when they heard the story. I heard someone at a missions conference say that the greatest flood of American missionaries to land on foreign soil did so after the deaths of these young men. The story is perhaps the most endearing, convicting, and popular missions story of American missions overseas over the last o

FYI for those interested. From TD Jakes being #1 to Dr. Phil being #50. Several doctrinally sound people in there, but I don't see James White and John MacArthur on there ;-). But John Piper and D. James Kennedy made it :- ). www.thechurchreport.com/content/view/823/32/

The Solitariness of God By A.W. Pink The title of this article is perhaps not sufficiently explicit to indicate its theme. This is partly due to the fact that so few today are accustomed to meditate upon the personal perfections of God. Comparatively few of those who occasionally read the Bible are aware of the awe-inspiring and worship-provoking grandeur of the Divine character. That God is great in wisdom, wondrous in power, yet full of mercy, is assumed by many to be almost common know]edge; but, to entertain anything approaching an adequate conception of His being, His nature, His attributes, as these are revealed in Holy Scripture, is something which very, very few people in these degenerate times have attained unto. God is Solitary in His Excellency “Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). “In the beginning, God” (Genesis 1:1). There was a time, if “time” is could be called, when Go

And most of you that read my Blog know this very well. Yesterday, I decided to go into a Paltalk Room called The Bible Only so I could keep up with what they are saying. For those of you who don't know, this is one of several rooms that teach falsely that God had judged the "corporate church" and all Christians are to flee from them. They are to be part of fellowships that do not have Pastors, Elders, and Deacons, and just study the bible together. They believe that if a Christian stays in the local church, they are proving that they are not saved. They further believe that the Lord's Supper and Water Baptism are "carnal ordinances." Some things I did observe/hear is that they contradict themselves in several ways. I will mention two of them: 1) They say that if itsn't in the bible then it is didn't happen. So when it comes to whether any of what Jesus is recorded as saying in Mt. 24; Lk. 21; Mk. 13 as coming to pass in 70AD (Temple destruction for e

Well, while we know it is also much more, allowing prayer and the mentioning of God back in school would probably help. Interesting parallel between the many school not allowing God in schools and violence. But the primary responsibility for the gospel and the word of God being taught belongs to the family and local church! SWAT Team Shoots 'Armed' Fla. 8th-Grader Friday, January 13, 2006 10:47 PM EST The Associated Press By KELLI KENNEDY LONGWOOD, Fla. (AP) — An eighth-grader was shot and wounded by a SWAT team officer in a school bathroom Friday after he pulled out a pellet gun that resembled a real weapon and later raised it at a deputy, authorities said. Sheriff Don Eslinger said the 15-year-old boy brought the gun to Milwee Middle School in his backpack. Eslinger said two students saw it and one persuaded the other to report it, causing a scuffle. The alleged gunman ordered one of the students into a closet, dimmed the lights and ran from the classroom. He then went around

Becoming All Things to All People to Win Some Doctrinal Thoughts There is a curse that hovers over much of the church today. The curse of stagnation, apathy, traditionalism, comfort, and convenience has robbed the bride of Christ of her drive, her enthusiasm, and her ability to relate to lost people. Many Christians have lost the ability to dialogue, interact, and relate to the people whom do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. In this condition the Christians have lost the wisdom needed to be used of God to win people to salvation. The Bible teaches us this: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30 NIV). Wisdom is important, essential, vital, and necessary to be able to relate to the lost so we can guide them into the faith. Apostle Paul used wisdom in his evangelism tactics. He once noted, “Don’t give offense to the Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t

Legalistic Ethics Doctrinal Thoughts There are basically three types of ethical systems in which people live by. Some try and live within the system whereby there are no laws (antinomianism) to govern them, others try and make up a specific rule for every conceivable situation or subject that a person may face (legalism), and then others try and make decisions based upon biblical revelation with the Holy Spirit, church leadership guidance, and personal conscience. Antinomianism is more prominent in churches that do not follow the absolute authority of Scripture. However, legalistic ethics are more prominent in churches that believe in the absolute authority and full inspiration of Scripture. Legalists are those whom live “by certain rules or principals not found in the Scriptures” and then expect “others to follow those same rules” (Arnold Fruchtenbuam, Hebrew Christianity, 118). It is not that one has rules of one’s own personal conscience that makes him or her a legalist. It is when

Robertson Apologizes for Sharon Remarks Thursday, January 12, 2006 9:17 PM EST The Associated Press By BRIAN MURPHY TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson has sent a letter apologizing for suggesting that Ariel Sharon's massive stroke was divine punishment for pulling Israel out of the Gaza Strip. Robertson's comments drew widespread condemnation from other Christian leaders, President Bush and Israeli officials, who canceled plans to include the American evangelist in the construction of a Christian tourist center in northern Israel. In a letter dated Wednesday and marked for hand delivery to Sharon's son Omri, Robertson called the Israeli prime minister a "kind, gracious and gentle man" who was "carrying an almost insurmountable burden of making decisions for his nation." "My concern for the future safety of your nation led me to make remarks which I can now view in retrospect as inappropriate and insensitive in light of a nat

"Religion is not to be stowed away in the dark garret of the brain. Christianity is a heart religion; and if you cannot say, from the very depths of your being, Christ is all, you have neither part nor lot in the blessings and privileges of the gospel; and your end will be destruction, everlasting banishment from the presence of the Lord. God grant it may not be so, but that in both your lives and mine we may each be enabled to say of a truth, Christ is all, and that we may meet again around the eternal throne!" - C.H. Spurgeon "If we be not in good earnest in religion, and our wills and inclinations be not strongly exercised, we are nothing. The things of religion are so great, that there can be no suitableness in the exercises of our hearts, to their nature and importance, unless they be lively and powerful. In nothing is vigor in the actings of our inclinations so requisite, as in religion; and in nothing is lukewarmness so od! ious. True religion is evermore a powerf

Prescription For a Better Marriage By Pastor Bret Lovitz of Grace Fellowship of Mtn. Home, ID. 1. Both the husband and wife are trusting in the Person and the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ alone with a repentant faith for the payment of their sins. 2. Both the husband and wife believe the bible is God's word, and the final authority in their lives. 3. Both the husband and wife are members of the same Church that believes in the authority and sufficiency of the bible and teaches it, attends the church regularly, and uses their gifts for local church ministry. 4. The husband is the leader of the family, loves his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, and does not provoke his children unto anger. 5. The wife submits herself to her husband's biblical authority in everything unless it is sin including finances, jobs, raising the children, family issues and important decisions. 6. The husband and wife should continue to "court" one anoth

Love for the Spiritual Family is Higher than Physical Family Doctrinal Thoughts Jesus Christ had a unique message that radically challenged the hearts and lives of people. It still challenges us today. The message of utmost love for God sometimes calls us to tough decisions in life. I have noticed that many times we Christians are biased. We sometimes come to the table with biased ideas, slanted thoughts, or tainted leanings toward those who are of our physical family. We often place a higher love and higher appreciation on those of physical ties than we do with those whom are of spiritual ties. Furthermore, we sometimes take sides with our physical family instead of taking sides with the issue of truth. Many of the problems today in the church (spiritual family) and physical family (blood relatives) often occur because some family member does not love nor respect the truth or spiritual ties as much as they do their own physical ties. Let me explain what I mean. First, though there is

Dear Editor: In response to the article about Gordon Hinckley of the Latter Day Saints Church, Mormons aren't Christians, they're still a Cult. I'm concerned about the deception by Mr. Hinckley and other Mormon leaders in trying to convince the public, gullible evangelicals, and Mormon members that they're biblical, historical Christians. I encourage everyone to do some research to find out what the Mormons did and still do believe. In short, they believe God was once as we are, and we will one day be as He is. They believe God the Father is Adam, and that He had a physical relationship with Mary to produce Jesus Christ. The Mormons don't believe in the biblical gospel that salvation from eternal Hell to eternal Heaven is by grace through faith alone in the Person and Work of Christ alone. If Mr. Hinckley really did repent, it would not only show that Joseph Smith and all of their so called prophets were in error, but they would publicly denounce them and their fals

Interesting article written by my friend and brother Steve Horn. Brother Steve use to write Sunday School materials..... The Baptism of Our Sinless Savior! Jesus Baptism An Official Act For Public Ministry . Q. Was the baptism of Jesus an official act? A. Yes, It was an official act as was His temptation and crucifixion. . (NOTE: The official acts are those Old Testament requirements that God had ordained for the setting aside of people for the priesthood and other holy offices.) . Q. Are Christians commanded anywhere in the Bible to follow the official acts of Jesus? A. No, they are commanded to follow His moral acts. . Q. If the baptism of Jesus was an official act are those good people wrong who contend that Jesus was baptized to set an example to His followers? A. Yes. . Q. Is there any evidence in the Bible that Jesus was baptized to set an example to His followers? A. We have never found any such evidence. . Q. For what reason did Jesus say He should be baptized? A. "Thus it