Category Archives: Christianity

by | May 24, 2015 · 1:23 am

How far we have fallen

May 24, 2015: This Pentecost Sunday will be the 1982nd birthday of the Christian Church.

Before He ascended, Jesus prayed for His disciples and for all those “who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.”  -John 17:20-21

The Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (link below) estimated that in 1900, there were about 1,600 Christian denominations world-wide.  As of 2012, that number had grown to approximately 43,000.

Heads up, all y’all who are familiar with my blogs about “Satan’s Century”!  Jesus prayed to the Father that we would all be one so the world may believe in Him.  Satan wants us divided so the world will NOT believe in Him!

Jesus' church timeline

Each of these 43,000 denominations falls roughly into one of three categories. FYI: The following is highly simplified for the sake of clarity only. It’s also going to get some of your panties in a bunch, but church history is what it is.

Christian denom - 3 groups by numbers

CATHOLIC

More than half of all Christians identify as Catholic; 70% of these identify as Roman Catholic.  All of the churches in the Catholic grouping can trace their histories back to the Apostles and include “one, holy, catholic and apostolic” in their creeds. The Greek roots of the word catholic — kata and holos — mean “with respect to wholeness.”

All of these denominations teach that Scripture is inerrant and primary, but that it came out of, and is therefore a part of a larger wholeness known as Tradition (with a capital T). Thus, while these denominations also teach that the Holy Spirit inspires individuals in matters pertaining to their personal walks with Jesus, they also teach that His inspiration on issues of doctrine must be discerned in union with the combined wisdom of the Church’s elders as it has been passed down to us from the first century through to modern day.

Important sources of Tradition include the Bible, first and foremost, plus the writings of the early Church Fathers and the rulings of Ecumenical Councils.

The Assyrian, Orthodox and Anglican groups split off from the Roman communion in roughly the centuries shown below in parentheses. Their disputes are largely political, not doctrinal.

  • Roman Catholic (Matt 16:18) = 1.2 Billion
  • Assyrian (5th c.) = 600,000
  • Orthodox (12th c.) = 386 Million
  • Anglican (16th c.) = 85 Million

PROTESTANT

Most of the 43,000 denominations fall into this category. These churches reject all of Tradition apart from the Bible (minus 7 books*).  They call this Sola Scriptura. Each denomination can trace its history only to the 16th century or later and to an individual founder whose interpretation of Scripture conflicted with that of his mentor’s.  The first of these was the Catholic priest, Martin Luther, who decided the Holy Spirit had dropped the ball at some point in the 15 centuries since Christ, but that He was now ready to correct Himself … via Martin Luther … with the truth about what the Catholics had messed up.

Jesus said, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name — he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you.” – John 14:26

Some of Luther’s own disciples decided he had got it wrong too and went off and started their own denominations where some decided they had got it wrong too and went off and … etc. etc. etc. … which is how we got from the unity Jesus prayed for to the 43,000 that is a scandal and a stumbling block to non-believers.  In doctrine and in practice, these denominations differ from one another in ways both large and small.  Yet each claims to have discerned their own variation on the truest interpretation of Jesus’ teachings via the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit.  (And you wonder why I’m Catholic?)

  • Lutheran (16th c.) = 65-90 Million
  • Baptist (17th c.) = 75-105 Million
  • Reformed (18th c.) = 55-85 Million
  • Modern Protestant (20th c.) = 400-500 Million

NON-TRINITARIAN

A handful of 19th and 20th c. denominations reject the Doctrine of the Trinity which is attested to by all Catholic and Protestant denominations.   The First Council of Nicaea (325 CE) declared the full divinity of the Son; the First Council of Constantinople (381 CE) declared the divinity of the Holy Spirit.  At this time — i.e., the 4th c. — Christendom was still fully united.

  • Mormon (19th c) = 15.5 Million
  • Jehovah’s Witness (19th c) = 8.2 Million
  • Oneness Pentecostal (20th c) = 6 Million

*About the Protestant Bible

Protestant Reformers rejected certain parts of the Old Testament that had been accepted by all of Christendom for more than a millennium. These included the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom (Wisdom of Solomon), Ecclesiasticus (Sirach, Ben Sira), Baruch (includes the Letters of Jeremiah), First and Second Maccabees, plus some sections of Daniel and Esther.

I read several articles on this subject, which are linked below.  One by a Protestant claimed that the inspired status of these books had been contested right through the Middle Ages, but another by a Catholic cited a Protestant church historian saying this was not true, that these books had always been included and considered authentic.

I understand it is common for modern Protestant Bibles to include the contested books, though they are stigmatized in a section labeled Apocrypha, which means “of doubtful authenticity.”

This article on the “Canon of the Old Testament” goes into detail about the history of the alleged “lack of full acceptance” of these books @ http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03267a.htm.

Sources:

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by | May 17, 2015 · 3:03 pm

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever. —2 Chronicles 20:21

Praise God

The following is an Our Daily Bread meditation by Jennifer Benson Schuldt (who used to babysit for us).

Willie Myrick was kidnapped from his driveway when he was 9 years old. For hours, he traveled in a car with his kidnapper, not knowing what would happen to him. During that time, Willie decided to sing a song called “Every Praise.” As he repeatedly sang the words, his abductor spewed profanity and told him to shut up. Finally, the man stopped the car and let Willie out—unharmed.

As Willie demonstrated, truly praising the Lord requires us to concentrate on God’s character while forsaking what we fear, what is wrong in our lives, and the self-sufficiency in our hearts.

The Israelites reached this place of surrender when they faced attackers. As they prepared for battle, King Jehoshaphat organized a choir to march out in advance of their enemy’s army. The choir sang, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” (2 Chron. 20:21). When the music started, Israel’s enemies became confused and destroyed each other. As the prophet Jahaziel had predicted, Israel didn’t need to fight at all (v.17).

Whether we’re facing a battle or feeling trapped, we can glorify God in our hearts. Truly, “The Lord is great and greatly to be praised” (Ps. 96:4).

Dear God, You are holy and good. I worship You today despite the problems that cloud my vision of You. Let my soul tell of Your glory forever.

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by | May 15, 2015 · 6:22 pm

In ALL things, praise and thank Him!

2015_05 Tornado Bible

Source:

http://www.ijreview.com/2015/05/322213-bible-is-found-in-the-middle-of-a-tornados-devastation-the-page-its-open-to-is-eerily-fitting/

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by | May 14, 2015 · 12:41 pm

Sister Hatune reports on ISIS war on women

ISLAM nun reports on sex slavery

While Leftist Americans like Nancy Pelosi have been “defending” women against the alleged and non-existent GOP “war on women”, Sister Hatune Dogan has been on the ground in the Middle East, providing food, clothing, medicine and shelter to the poor and persecuted.

She told CBN about the stories survivors have shared with her about how ISIS sells Christians and Yazidi women into sex slavery. “They choose the most beautiful one, even if they have a small child, and they sell these women, these ladies to each other. They don’t sell to another religion — only Sunni Muslim,” Dogan said.

ISIS women being sold

Sources:

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Filed under Christianity, ISIS, Islam, Middle East

by | May 11, 2015 · 1:52 pm

Where will you spend eternity?

2015_05 04 Satan is laughing
2015_01 25 Medj ms

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by | May 4, 2015 · 11:59 pm

Does a cartoon justify murder? UPDATE

May 3, 2015: Two men drove up and opened fire on the site of the heavily guarded “Draw the Prophet” event in Garland, Texas.  The two gun men were shot and killed in the parking lot; one of the officers on duty suffered non-life threatening injuries.  The event was locked down while police searched for a possible bomb while visitors to the exhibit sang patriotic songs to pass the time as they waited for the all clear.  The cartoon contest was held in defense of free speech and to highlight the cowardice of the American press that refused to publish the Mohammad-mocking Charlie Hebdo cartoons that inspired the lethal January 7, 2015, attack in Paris. The $10,000 prize-winning cartoon was drawn by Bosch Fawstin, a former Muslim.

2015_05 04 Winning Muhammad cartoon

January 7, 2015: Two members of Al-Qaeda attacked the office of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris and murdered 22 people. The reason? Charlie Hebdo had published cartoons mocking Muhammed. IMHO, Hebdo has published far worse about Christians, particularly Catholics, and Jews. I am unaware of any of us responding with anything more dire than a strongly worded protest. Normally, I wouldn’t reprint this kind of trash, but I think it’s important that we view the context within which 22 people were murdered by militant Muslims.

Charlie Hebdo 1

Charlie Hebdo 2

Charlie Hebdo 3

Charlie Hebdo 4

UPDATE:

The American Left Stream Media has taken the “Blame Pam Geller” route for the shootings at the ‘Draw Mohammad” event.  On Sunday, she told “Fox and Friends” that she has message for those who want to blame her for what appears to be a terrorist attack on the event:

“I’m not responsible for the violence conducted by others. It’s outrageous that this would even be the morally inverted view of the media, that somehow because we drew a cartoon that two gunmen with AK-47s tried to storm the building and shoot up innocent people, and somehow they’re not responsible?”

Source:

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Filed under Al Qaeda, Charlie Hebdo, Christianity, First Amendment, Islam, Law Enforcement

by | May 3, 2015 · 10:28 pm

Romans 12:12

Romans 12:12 – “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

2015_04 25 Our Lady's ms at Medj

April 17, 2015: Jonathan Cahn on Capitol Hill addressing Members of Congress and Leaders with a prophetic message

2015_05 03 Cool day to get Raptured!

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Filed under Bible Prophecy, Christianity, Jonathan Cahn

by | April 21, 2015 · 3:55 pm

Today the church is a church of martyrs

“How many Stephens there are in the world these days. We think of our brothers whose throats were slit on the beach in Libya; we think of that young boy burned alive by his fellow citizens because he was Christian; we think about those migrants who were thrown into the high seas by others, and many others whom we don’t know about, who suffer in prisons because they are Christians. Today the church is a church of martyrs.” – Pope Francis, April 21, 2015

2015_04 Pope Francis - martyrs

“[Stephen], filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. – Acts 7:55-60

Boko Haram

Sources:

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by | April 20, 2015 · 4:36 pm

Do these #BlackLivesMatter, Mr. President?

2015_04 19 Christian Libyans murdered by ISIS

The narrator of the 39-minute ISIS video says, “All praise be to Allah … and blessings be upon the Prophet Mohammed. To the nation of the cross [i.e., Christians] … we swear to Allah: … you will not have safety, even in your dreams, until you embrace Islam … and obedience becomes Allah’s on its entirety.”

The Ethiopian government confirmed Monday that 30 of its citizens had been executed. The Christians who were martyred refused to either embrace Islam or pay a tax or tribute to the Muslim conquerors. One group was beheaded on a beach along the Mediterranean Sea, while the other group was shot to death in Southern Libya, hundreds of miles away. According to Walid and Theodore Shoebat, Coptic and Ethiopian Christians are famous for refusing to bow to Islam.

Two months ago, ISIS released a video of 21 Coptic Christians from Egypt being executed on a Libyan beach, again for the crime of professing Jesus Christ is Lord.

Source:

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by | April 17, 2015 · 7:18 am

What is the MOST important meal of the day

The time you spend feeding your soul with prayer and Bible reading.
Dinner with God Set a place

Colleen Mitchell writes: “There was a period in my life when I didn’t even bother to serve myself breakfast or lunch; sleep-deprived and in the constant swirl of meeting the needs of many small people, I often just slogged along through my days foraging left over bits of bread crusts, chicken nuggets, and peas—lots of peas—from my kids’ plates. Looking back, I can see what a terrible habit that was, but in the moment, it seemed perfectly normal to me to never expect to sit, be fed, and feel full because I was too busy serving the needs of others.

“How often we fall into that same habit spiritually! I can easily hit a pace in my life where prayer and quiet and Sabbath rest come as scraps I grab as I run through life meeting everyone else’s needs, never giving myself permission to seek the true soul nourishment I need. No spiritual life can be sustained on a constant diet of scraps. And Jesus never intended for us to feed others while we starved ourselves.”

http://blessedisshe.net/beyond-the-scrap-diet/

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