Jesus prayed we'd be 'ONE' with each other in Him that the world will know! (John 17)

Month: November 2007

[video report] Falling Cow Hits Car (After Church)–Always gotta be ready!

From KING 5, Seattle
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Photo: God’s Universe: Our Milky Way–90° Panorama

From: Astronomy Picture of the Day
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Pastor Baldwin: More Reasons to Beware of Mike Huckabee

From: NewsWithViews.com

Robert Novak recently wrote a column about Mike Huckabee entitled, “The False Conservative.” In the column he said, “Huckabee is campaigning as a conservative, but serious Republicans know that he is a high-tax, protectionist, big-government advocate…

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Wall St. Journal: The Backlash Against Tithing

From: The Wall St. Journal

Can you put a price on faith? That is the question churchgoers are asking as the tradition of tithing — giving 10% of your income to the church — is increasingly challenged. Opponents of tithing say it is a misreading of the Bible….

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Related:
The Day that Tithing Ended — To Now Be Led By the Holy Spirit
Russell Earl Kelly, Ph.D.: Tithing is Not a Christian Doctrine
Many Pastors Still Teach Old Covenant, Pre-Pentecost Tithing—Not Spirit-Led Giving
Tithing or the Carriage Driver?
David Bercot CD teaching: What The Early Christians Believed About Tithing and Fasting? “You might be surprised to know…”
Teaching tithing keeps the little (and the big) children from coming to Jesus where they can have life!
All of my Tithing or Spirit-led posts

The Day that Tithing Ended, to Now Be Led By the Holy Spirit — No-More-Tithing Scriptures

The Day that Tithing Ended, to Now Be Led by the Holy Spirit — No-More-Tithing Scriptures

Compiled by Jeff Fenske

The better, new covenant way:

John 16:13 (WEB) …when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth….

Gal. 5:18 (WEB) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

2 Cor. 9:7 (WEB) Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart….

Rom. 8:1-4, 14 (WEB) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh; 4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. … 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.

1 John 2:20, 27 (WEB) 20 You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. … 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.

Paul never mentions tithing, but says giving should be determined in our hearts, the deepest seat of our emotions. Giving isn’t meant to be a brain-only, formula based, emotion free decision. We are to feel right, deep within, about to whom and how much we give.

2 Cor. 9:7 (WEB) Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Tithing puts people under a curse?/ the day tithing ended/ ”fallen away from grace”/ led by the Spirit:

Gal. 3:10 (WEB) For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. …

Gal. 3:13 (WEB) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” [The Day that Tithing Ended]

Gal. 4:4 (WEB) But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, 5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children. …

Gal. 4:21 (WEB) Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law? …

Gal. 5:3 (WEB) Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. …

Gal. 5:18 (WEB) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The elders gathered in Jerusalem to determine what should be retained from the old covenant, and tithing wasn’t one of them:

Acts 15:5 (WEB) But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.”

Acts 15:6 (WEB) The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. …

Acts 15:22 (WEB) Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers. 23 They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings. 24 Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment; 25 it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”

The commandment to tithe was “annulled because of its weakness and uselessness.” Now we have a better way, through which we draw near to God, to be led by Him:

Heb. 7:4 (WEB) Now consider how great this man [Melchizedek] was, to whom even Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the best spoils. 5 They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham, 6 but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has taken tithes of Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises. 7 But without any dispute the less is blessed by the better. 8 tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives. 9 So to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, …. 15 there arises another priest, 16 who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life: 17 for it is testified, “You are a priest forever, According to the order of Melchizedek.”

Heb. 7:18 (WEB) For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

The much-quoted, Jesus’ admonition to tithe applied only to before he died on the cross and before the veil was rent (so we can all enter the Holy of Holies to talk to God directly). The Levitical priests are now all replaced by Jesus, our High Priest, who then sent the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (including to know to whom and how much to give).

Matt. 23:23 (WEB) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin,a and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

Related:

[My Dream] Tithing? “No, it’s a Holy Spirit thing!!”

Russell Earl Kelly, Ph.D.: Tithing is Not a Christian Doctrine — “Tithing, today, is reaching the levels of a modern scandal”

Russell Earl Kelly, Ph.D.: Where in the Bible Were Tithes Abolished?

Russell Kelly: REASONS TO OPPOSE N.T. TITHING

Russell Kelly: TITHERS’ MATTHEW 5:17 PROBLEM

Russell Kelly, Ph.D.: Reply to Jim Feeney, Ph.D. on Tithing

Many Pastors Still Teach Old Covenant, Pre-Pentecost Tithing—Not Spirit-Led Giving

Tithing or the Carriage Driver? [From the Let Us Be ONE prophecy]

David Bercot CD teaching: What The Early Christians Believed About

Tithing and Fasting? “You might be surprised to know…”

Teaching tithing keeps the little (and the big) children from coming to Jesus where they can have life!

Baruch: “Not only is DECEPTION of the church possible, it was PROPHESIED TO HAPPEN!” — Jesus said “IN THE LAST DAYS THE MAJORITY WILL BE DECEIVED, take heed that it doesn’t happen to you” — “FALSE TEACHERS are actually SPEAKING SPELLS with the words of their FALSE DOCTRINES!”

All of my Tithing or Spirit-led posts

Paul’s Elders’ qualifications revisited: What does ‘BLAMELESS’ mean? — Most pastors are biblically disqualified

Richard Roberts, Oral Roberts President Resigns

From The Associated Press:

Former ORU Regent Harry McNevin, who quit the board in 1987 because of the misspending he alleged he witnessed, called the resignation “inevitable.”
“You can’t take the sacrifices of God’s people and use them any old way,” he said. “It’s been 20 years that they’ve been doing the same things that I became aware of.”
“We still haven’t heard any admission of wrongdoing or any kind of humility or contrition.”

Click for Story

The GOOD news about the BAD economy: RON PAUL Springboarded!

I was just listening to The Rick Williams Show on Ron Paul Radio http://www.ronpaulradio.com , where you never know what you’re going to hear.
Rick said he was kind of depressed by the bad news about the economy, but then he realizes that the good news about the bad economy is that it’s driving Ron Paul’s campaign–along with the backlash against the war.
– jeff

Why is Pat Robertson Supporting Giuliani?

This started as a response to a close friend who was thinking this way about why Pat has endorsed Rudy:

To me, it seems obvious why Robertson endorsed Giuliani. He’s supporting Giuliani against Romney.
He’d rather have a liberal than a Mormon.

A partial explanation.
If Robertson is so anti-Mormon, then why did he allow Romney to give the commencement address at Regent?

The former Massachusetts governor is to give the commencement address Saturday at Robertson’s Regent University in Virginia, a golden opportunity to reach core GOP voters.

Pat stated why he is supporting Giuliani, because basically he wants the most pro-war President possible.

“The overriding issue before the American people, is the defense of our population against the bloodlust of Islamic terrorists,” Robertson told the National Press Club audience. “Our world faces deadly peril…and we need a leader with a bold vision who is not afraid to tackle the challenges ahead.”

Pat recently, again stated how right he was by calling for Chavez’ assassination.
Robertson is amillennialist, right, thinking the millennium is now? And apparently he’s counting on military might to get ‘er done; though, in reality he’s actually supporting Satan’s globalist, one-world-government agenda, for these wars seem to me to be designed to take out the opposition to the one-world government.
Why doesn’t Robertson ever support the candidate with the most Christian values at the beginning of the race, when they need name recognition and support? Why didn’t he support Keyes in ‘90, but loudly supported Bush? Why has he totally dissed Paul? Ron Paul would have a huge chance of winning had the religious right leaders supported him from early on. He still could win if people would become aware of what he could do for America, but most people still don’t even know who he is. No prominent religious leader will give him even one interview, let alone help America understand why Paul’s policies are so Godly, powerful, and loving.
Robertson unconstitutionally wants government to control people, to push his agenda. Paul wants government off of people’s backs, so the states can decide matters that aren’t in the Constitution. Ron Paul is hope for America. Giulliani will continue its destruction. And only Paul can beat Hillary. Unless Hillary’s evil acts get more coverage.
In the ‘70s, I actually enjoyed very, very much watching The 700 Club. It actually had a lot of good, sound Christian teaching on it. But when Pat turned it into a political platform along with religious soundbites, it no longer appealed to me, but felt weird and yukky. And more than one female co-host has had serious problems largely from their experiences with Pat. It is said that Danuta Soderman no longer claims to be a Christian.

Danuta Soderman, Pat Robertson’s former colleague and former “700 Club” co-host, told Freedom Writer that Robertson’s strange views hinder the advancement of the Christian Coalition. She said Robertson’s unusual and extreme beliefs sunk his 1988 presidential campaign and now impairs the Christian Coalition.
A five-year co-host with Robertson on the “700 Club,” Soderman worked with him during his unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for president. …
Soderman, who no longer considers herself a Christian, said that the people who work for Pat Robertson “need to ask questions and to learn to think for themselves.”

And Sheila Walsh had a “nervous breakdown” while working with Pat. I’ve always liked Sheila:

Ideological differences with Robertson and general feelings of hopelessness and depression[1] After leaving Robertson’s enterprises in 1992 she sought therapy for her depression, eventually returning to college at Fuller Theological Seminary in California to take on doctoral studies in theology. Pat Robertson explained her departure from CBN as the result of a “Nervous Breakdown” brought on by the tremendous demands of her work with CBN. He asked his viewers to keep her in their prayers and ask God to give her the strength to continue doing his work. brought Walsh to re-examine her life’s direction.
She went on to write a book exploring her struggle with depression and her experiences with her faith as a Christian, entitled Honestly.

Is it possible that Pat has become a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Has the love of money and maybe even power overtaken Pat? This is serious, and he’s leading millions astray, politically and spiritually.
America should change the channel.
Related: Pat Robertson Advocates Israel Bombing Iran Before 2008 Election

Pat Robertson’s Deceptive Tithing Doctrine: ” an irreducible MINIMUM,” “ANTICIPATORY tithing”

http://www.cbnlatinoamerica.org/answers.pdf

Pat Robertson ANSWERS TO 200 OF LIFE’S MOST PROBING QUESTIONS
THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS NASHVILLE
In determining a giving pattern, the Christian should consider 10 percent as an irreducible minimum. We belong to the Lord and so do all our possessions. Therefore:, what we give should be determined by God’s leading in our lives [Exactly. “God’s leading, period.” Not a percentage from the Old Covenant as being a starting point, designed to finance the Levites. Pastors aren’t of the Levitical priesthood, and we are now capable of being Spirit-led – jeff] may give 25 percent, others 50 percent. Some might use 10 percent to live on and give away 90 percent.
We give as God has blessed us. I believe there is also merit in the concept of anticipatory tithing. Consider the income that you anticipate receiving, and tithe as if you already had it.

Tithing was in the old covenant, Old Testament law so the Levitical priesthood would have income no matter what. Now that Jesus died on the cross and the Holy Spirit has been given, the law is now written in Christians’ hearts. So the Holy Spirit now helps us determine how much and where to give. This is the new and better way spoken of in Hebrews 7 and:

2 Cor. 9:7: Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart….

In Acts 15, the elders decided to keep only a few practices from the old covenant, none of which was tithing.
Teaching viewers to give 10% of their income helps keep The 700 Club on the air whether it’s God’s will or not. Many ‘churches’ do the same, teaching ‘benchmark’ tithing (10% should be the minimum).
But Pat goes one step further:

“I believe there is also merit in the concept of anticipatory tithing. Consider the income that you anticipate receiving, and tithe as if you already had it.”

Paul warned us about the love of $$money$$:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1Tim. 6:10 (WEB)

Related:
The Day that Tithing Ended — To Now Be Led By the Holy Spirit
Russell Earl Kelly, Ph.D.: Tithing is Not a Christian Doctrine
Many Pastors Still Teach Old Covenant, Pre-Pentecost Tithing—Not Spirit-Led Giving
Tithing or the Carriage Driver?
David Bercot CD teaching: What The Early Christians Believed About Tithing and Fasting? “You might be surprised to know…”
Teaching tithing keeps the little (and the big) children from coming to Jesus where they can have life!
All of my Tithing or Spirit-led posts

Pat Robertson Hides Business Interests In War-Torn Liberia

From Rense.com:

TV preacher Pat Robertson has repeatedly criticized the Bush administration over its handling of the crisis in Liberia without once mentioning his own personal business interests in the country.
In recent days, Robertson has used his nationally broadcast television show to charge that the U.S. government has sought to destabilize Liberia and oust President Charles Taylor. Although Taylor is a brutal dictator under indictment for war crimes by the United Nations, he is a business partner of Robertson.

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Not Saying a Word, Entire Train Car Convinced of Their Sin: Wigglesworth Lived in the LIGHT Through PURITY & Faith

From revivalschool.com:

On one occasion, he recalled, “I was travelling to Cardiff in South Wales. I had been much in prayer on the journey. The carriage was full of people whom I knew to be unsaved, but as there was so much talking and joking I could not get in a word for my Master. As the train was nearing the station, I thought I would wash my hands… and as I returned to the carriage, a man jumped up and said, ‘Sir, you convince me of sin,’ and fell on his knees there and then. Soon the whole carriage of people were crying out the same way. They said, ‘Who are you? What are you? You convince us all of sin’…” (Stanley Frodsham, ‘Smith Wigglesworth, Apostle of Faith’, pg 80).
Smith Wigglesworth placed great emphasis on purity and holiness, like all true Revivalists. He said, “You must every day make higher ground. You must deny yourself to make progress with God. You must refuse everything that is not pure and holy. God wants you pure in heart. He wants you to have an intense desire after holiness… Two things will get you to leap out of yourselves into the promises of God today. One is purity, and the other is FAITH, which is kindled more and more BY PURITY.” (Pg 125). This one statement contains what is probably the key secret to Smith Wigglesworth’s outstanding success in God. And it is obviously a key that is well worth remembering for us also. Another point to remember is that Smith was very aware of the dangers of money, and guarded himself carefully against the possibility of covetousness entering in. He was truly beyond reproach in this area also.

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Always Gotta Be Ready To Go: Cow falls 200 feet, lands on minivan’s hood

From: DetNews.com

Charles and Linda Everson of Westland were driving in the scenic foothills of Washington state when they slowed for a fallen rock.
The boulder, however, was nothing compared to what would drop next.
Namely, a 600-pound baby cow.

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Pastor Baldwin: An Appeal to My Fellow Pastors

From: NewsWithViews

Consider how Congressman Paul’s message impacted Pastor Jim Hartman of the Assembly of God church in Conrad, Iowa. “I’ve been supporting Mike Huckabee, but I would say I’m leaning real strong toward Ron Paul.” Hartman supported President Bush four years ago and explained, “Up until the last six months I had not allowed myself to imagine that we’d been let down by Bush.”
You see, Ron Paul is actually calling on us pastors and Christians to stop seeing the federal government as one “in whom we live and move and have our being.” Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord, not the federal government. Have we not, in a material way, set up the federal government as our functional Lord and Savior? When we look to the federal government to solve our moral and spiritual problems, that is exactly what we are doing.

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REVIVAL at ASBURY College 1970–God Showed Up Big-Time!

This is the most inspiring revival video I’ve seen, “A Revival Account Asbury 1970.”
The students and faculty got right with each other, publicly confessing their sins. God showed up so powerfully that they shut down classes, the media showed up, and this was a hot topic on campus when I attended seminary the first time, during the ~1989 Vineyard revival.
The key was getting right with each other. That was the focus.
See: VIDEO: The Asbury Revival
I bought videos many years ago from here.
This is a must see!
ONE Can Happen!
Jeff Fenske : )
Related: Asbury Revival, 1970: “Dr. Kinlaw, I am a liar. Now what do I do?”

Christians Need to Beware of Mike Huckabee

From: NewsWithViews.com

Even one of Huckabee’s strongest supporters within the Religious Right, Pastor Rick Scarborough, head of Vision America, admitted, “Mike has always sought the validation of elites.” Of course, my question for Rick Scarborough is, With an indictment such as that, how can you continue to support Mike Huckabee?

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Robert Shank: Erroneous “2 natures of the believer” doctrine — Romans 7 is before Paul’s ‘life in the Son’

Transcribed by Jeff Fenske from “Life in the Son: A Study of the Doctrine of Perseverance,” by Robert Shank, 1960, 1961 and 1989, p. 212-215.

A popular doctrine … is the assertion that the believer has two natures, one of which is carnal and can do nothing but sin, and the other of which is spiritual and cannot possibly sin. It is assumed that, when a Christian sins, it is only a manifestation of his old carnal nature; but his new spiritual nature is not involved. …
The doctrine of the two natures of the believer” is an erroneous assumption. It is true that the believer’s own inherent nature is carnal, and certainly it is the occasion of sin—to his sorrow [6]. But contrary to the assumptions of some, the believer does not possess two natures as equally as his own, for he does not possess the new spiritual nature as his own, per se. Rather, he is only a “partaker of the divine nature” (II Pet. 1:4), “who partakes of His holiness” (Heb. 12:10) through submission and faith in Jesus Christ. …
Despite the assumptions of many, the Christian does not have two natures. To the contrary, he is a single spiritual entity who can act only as an integer [def.: “a whole unit or entity” – jeff]. … The whole of his person is involved in whatever he does “after the Spirit,” and in whatever he does “after the flesh.” As a spiritual integer, he is continually confronted with the necessity of choosing whether to walk after the flesh, or after the Spirit; whether to sow to the flesh, the ultimate outcome of which is to reap destruction, or to sow to the Spirit, the consequence of which is to reap life everlasting. Whichever he does he can do only as the whole man.
… And men can walk but one direction at a time. Whether a man walks “after the Spirit” or “after the flesh,” he walks with both feet as the whole man.
The popular concept of “the strife of the two natures of the believer” may seem to be substantiated by Paul’s account of the conflict which he experienced within himself, as recorded in Romans 7:7-25. But the passage, which is historical and autobiographical, depicts the conflict between conscience and conduct, between aspirations and inclinations, which Paul experienced while still under the Law. (The “therefore” of 8:1 reverts to 7:6, and 7:7-25 is parenthetic.) The dismal conclusion which Paul reached in the conflict within himself under Law is stated (following a parenthetic exclamation in vv. 24, 25a) in verse 25b: “So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” But now that he has found deliverance through Jesus Christ our Lord and by faith has come to be “in Christ Jesus” (8:1), no longer can he resign himself to such a miserable conclusion. Far from accepting such a conclusion, Paul insists that we who are in Christ Jesus must “walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (v. 4). For the man who is “in Christ Jesus,” such a course is mandatory. But it is not inevitable, even though he is “not in the flesh but in the Spirit” through His indwelling presence (v. 9). The Christian must continue to choose whether to be “carnally minded,“ which tends toward death, or to be “spiritually minded,” which tends toward life and peace (v. 6). Paul sharply admonishes his brethren who are in the Spirit to remember that “we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh” (v. 12). We must recognize that two courses are open to us, and we can follow but one. We must weigh carefully the consequences of following either course. If we live after the flesh, we shall die; if we live after the Spirit, we shall live (v. 13). Only men who consent to be led of the Spirit can be sons of God (v. 14), and only such as consent to suffer with Christ will ultimately be glorified together with Him (v. 17).

Related:
THE PATRISTIC INTERPRETATION of ROMANS 7:14-25 — The early church did not understand Rom 7:14-25 to teach the necessity of sin in believers
Leonard Ravenhill: Romans 7 vs 8

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