Friday, January 23, 2015

Bible Study Recommendations

Posted by Christine Pack

photo credit: agent_mikejohnson via photopin cc
When I was newly saved, one of my new Christian friends told me: "Get into a Bible study, and when you are done, get into another one, and keep going." I asked her for how long, and she said, "The rest of your life." What great counsel this was! Learning about God takes a lifetime, and we can also study the Bible for years and years and years, and never fully plumb its depths. It is an amazing book, supernatural in wisdom and power and scope. So don't delay......roll up your sleeves, and get started today. With Amazon Prime (or even plain old Amazon), you can receive your new Bible study in just a few days. So here are my recommendations for getting started:

 Precepts Bible Studies (Inductive) 

I have learned so much in my Christian walk from doing Precepts studies. This verse by verse method of Bible study, also known as the Inductive Bible Study Method, is for both men and women. I like doing Precepts because I'm a visual learner, and this method forces you to slow down and take your time. I also like the marking up method used in Precepts (a Precepts marking card is shown, right). In fact, before I even discovered Precepts, I had developed my own sort of marking system. Now, after having done Precepts for so long, my system for marking is something of a combination of the Precepts method and my own marking system.

Kay Arthur is probably the most well-known of Precepts Bible teachers for women. I know that there are some concerns about Kay Arthur, and I share those concerns, but on the whole, the Precepts method itself is sound. This Bible study method majors on teaching Christians how to understand, interpret and apply scripture, verse by verse, chapter by chapter. You can't go wrong when you're sticking with straight Bible.
Precepts studies are available here.
Precepts studies for children are available here.
Precept Austin is available here. Precept Austin is an online resource for those using the precepts Bible study method.

 Alistair Begg / Truth For Life 

Alistair Begg is one of my favorite pastors to listen to. Perhaps it's his charming Scottish brogue that lulls me into thoughts of green meadows, bagpipes and tartan woolens. Nah, I think it's the way he preaches through God's word with such commitment and passion. His lessons are rich, and yet so accessible that my sons (11 and 13) can understand and take in what he's teaching. You can download or listen to Alistair Begg's sermons here.


 R.C. Sproul / Ligonier 

Dr. R.C. Sproul of Ligonier has also done an overview of the entire Bible, entitled "Dust to Glory" that I am working my way through now. It is excellent. You can begin listening to that series here. And Dr. Sproul, being a Presbyterian, is near and dear to my heart because my own father, who witnessed to me for ten years, is a Presbyterian (PCA) elder. Having grown up Presbyterian (though I no longer am), I have a soft spot for the Presbyterian church, even though it (like very denomination) has its issues. I still know every verse of the hymns I grew up singing at First Presbyterian in Marietta, GA. God bless the Presbys.


 Systematic Theology 

Don't be intimidated by the term "Systematic Theology." This form of Bible study is simply a way of organizing the Bible into categories in order to be able to study it in a systematic way. You can learn systematic theology through this teaching series by Pastor Ryan Habbena:

Intro and Theology Proper | Christology | Pneumatology | Bibliology | Soteriology, pt1 | Soteriology, pt2 Soteriology, pt3 | Theories and Extent of the Atonement | Israel and the Church | Eschatology


 Additional Resources 


Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Psalms, and the LORD as Our Vindicator

Posted by Christine Pack


Psalm 35 is one of my favorite Psalms, one I memorized during a particularly difficult trial, in which God was so faithful to me. He always hears and always answers the prayers of those who belong to Him.....always. He is always faithful to me, even in times when I have been distracted and forgetful, and have been a silly little sheep who wanders off. Because He is a loving Father, He will always go and fetch back the one who wanders, in the same way that an earthly parent will keep a watchful eye over his own children, and go after them when they wander (Luke 15:4).

Psalm 35 reveals that we can pray what might, on the surface, appear to be pretty ruthless prayers.
(Verses 4-6)
Let them be put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed
who devise evil against me!
Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away!
Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them! 
(Verse 8)
Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!
And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it—to his destruction!
But contrast the prayers for vindication in this psalm to the way the world thinks about vengeance:

The worldly person, the one who is without God, has to take matters into his own hands. He has no God upon whom he can call, no God who will take up his cause.

The Christian, however, can petition the Almighty God, the LORD of the universe, to take vengeance on his behalf, with the implicit understanding that he, the Christian, will not take matters into his own hands. He will trust in the LORD. The Christian can call upon the LORD, whose attributes of protection and deliverance are contained in his name "Yahweh," and can rest in knowing that the LORD, in His infinite wisdom, will make all things right in His own time. From the Got Questions? website:
"Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance (Psalm 107:13), forgiveness (Psalm 25:11) and guidance (Psalm 31:3)." (What are the names of God, and what do they mean? - Got Questions?)
Also see: Psalm 135:14 "For the LORD (Yahweh) will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants."


 Additional Resources 

Sons of Korah, A Recommended Resource

The Psalms (sermon by Dr. R.C. Sproul)

Wisdom for Spiritual People – The Message of The Psalms (sermon by Dr. Mark Dever)

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Does the Root Word of "Pharmaceutical" (Pharmakeia/φαρμακεία) Mean That Pharmaceutical Drugs Are Rooted In the Occult/Sorcery?

Posted by Christine Pack

One claim I am seeing more and more among Christians is that pharmaceutical drugs have their roots in the occult, because of the root word (φαρμακεία) from which the words pharmaceutical/pharmacy are derived.

With this in mind, I would like to exhort my brothers and sisters in Christ to think on this prayerfully, with Bible in hand, and with a clear mind. The word pharmakeia (φαρμακεία) in the Bible has to do with practices that God detests in which divination and contact with evil spirits are used (sorcery). That is not how pharmaceutical drugs of today are created. Drugs today are created using the scientific process of formulating an hypothesis, using double-blind randomized tests, engaging in long-term human trials, and mindfully studying the results in order to isolate a healing mechanism. Once a healing mechanism is located, the product is then categorized as a drug of some kind. Please note: this is all done with the brain, and not through the mystical means of obtaining data from the spirit world whereby the brain is bypassed (the biblical understanding of "sorcery").

Source: Bible Hub

Also, the gospel writer Luke was a doctor ("the beloved physician") who practiced medicine. Scripture does not give us any hint that doctors should be avoided, or that medicine is sinful.

Therefore, we know that our pharmaceutical drugs of today are not bad or evil or associated with witchcraft/sorcery. However, with all substances that are taken for physical healing, there is a risk/reward associated with the substance. Because of the scientific testing done on pharmaceuticals, their risks/benefits are more clearly defined. Alternative treatments, on the other hand, including herbs, don't have as much scientific testing/support. They are also unregulated, which means that virtually any claim can be made about them by the seller, without these claims having to have been scientifically evaluated or substantiated.

Because of that, herb manufacturers make all sorts of claims about the miraculous cures their products supposedly produce, and they rake in lots of money, too. Big Pharma is demonized for being a "for profit" industry. Well, guess what? The Alternative Treatments field is also a "for profit" industry (raking in $34 BILLION per year), only they have no oversight or regulatory committees keeping them in check, like the pharmaceutical industry does.

It is true that there have been some drugs that have been through testing and the approval process that ended up being recalled. But on the whole, the pharmaceutical industry is a blessing, not a curse.

Having said all that, I'm not entirely against herbs; I simply think Christians should approach them knowing first that they lack oversight, regulation and scientific evaluation. The biggest problem I see with herbs is that most people think (wrongly) that herbs, because they are "natural" (if you can even say that about a product that has been dried, condensed, and processed into supplement form), can ONLY help and NEVER do harm. This is not true. There are many accounts of herbal supplements being taken in dosages that are harmful to the body in some way and/or interact in a dangerous way with pharmaceutical drugs someone is already taking. Herbs are not automatically 100% benign just because they once had roots and grew in the ground.

A few articles to consider:
Should Christians go to doctors? (Got Questions?) 
Alternative Medicine Is a $34 Billion Industry, But Only One-Third of the Treatments Have Been Tested (Smithsonian Magazine) 
The Truth About Nutritional Supplements (Fitness Magazine, 10-01-2009) 
Safety and Regulation of Dietary Supplements (NPR radio interview, 7-16-2014) 
Herbal Supplements Are Often Not What They Seem (The New York Times) 
Alternative Medicine Fraud Warnings: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 
Beware the Impurities in ‘Natural’ Supplements (Wall Street Journal) 
Dietary and Herbal Supplements Could Interfere With Prescription Drugs (Medical News Today) 
5 Risky Herbal Supplements: Even though they're natural, some herbal supplements can be dangerous (WebMD) 
Severe liver damage from certain dietary aid supplements (The Examiner) 
Safety and Regulation of Dietary Supplements (The Diane Rehm Show) 
Alternative medicines are popular, but do any of them really work? (The Washington Post) 
Apple founder Steve Jobs 'regretted trying to beat cancer with alternative medicine for so long' (The Telegraph, 10-21-11) 
Free online book examining the history of Alternative Treatments (Steve Ransom)
Also, please note that I am not completely against a measured, prayerful, mindful use of some herbs. My husband has a chronic, long-term illness, and we use a protocol of meds + herbs. I am against Christians uncritically taking in any and all claims made about herbs (and other alternative treatments) without looking for science based evidence that supports these claims. And I'm talking long-term clinical trials on humans, not just claims made by pseudoscience websites that base their recommendations on limited petri dish trials. Lots of substances kill cancer cells and germs in a petri dish (gasoline, turpentine, acid, etc.) but that doesn't mean we should ingest them. Herbs and oils are not automatically benign: they can be dangerous if misused and/or used in large dosages.


 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

 The Value and Importance of Scientific Studies 

The Biblical Worldview Is The Foundation of Modern Science

The Scientific Method and Why It Matters


 Cautions About "Natural" and Alternative Treatments 



Alternative Medicine: A Mind Blowing Magical Mystery Tour (This is a free, online e-book exposing the unsubstantiated claims [both currently and historically] made about many "natural" remedies)


Herbal Supplements May Not Mix With Heart Medicines (Mayo Clinic)

5 Risky Herbal Supplements: Even Though They're Natural, Some Herbal Supplements Can Be Dangerous (Web MD)

Apple founder Steve Jobs 'regretted trying to beat cancer with alternative medicine for so long' (The Telegraph, 10-21-11)


 Radio Programs Warning About Alternative Supplements 




 Warnings About Essential Oils 

The Christian and Essential Oils: A Few Thoughts [UPDATED] (Sola Sisters)

Essential Oils Revisited (Sola Sisters)

Aromatherapy: Biblical Path to Healing or Demonic Deception? (Chuck and Julie Cohen)

A Critique of David Stewart's Healing Oils of the Bible (Marcia Montenegro)

The FDA Warns Young Living, doTERRA Essential Oils Companies To Stop Making Unsubstantiated Claims That The Oils Cure Cancer, Protect Against Ebola (Food and Drug Administration, 9-22-2014)

How To Use Essential Oils: A Step-By-Step Guide (satire, warning: some mild language)


 Warnings About Homeopathy 


Friday, January 16, 2015

Meet Hillsong, One of the Fastest Growing Churches In The World

Posted by Christine Pack



Meet Hillsong, one of the fastest growing churches in the world. Hillsong is based in Australia, and the attached video is of one of their London church services. Some of Hillsong's pastors are: Brian Houston, Carl Lentz and Christine Caine, all of whom are very popular on the conference circuit. Brian Houston is the lead pastor in Australia, and Carl Lentz, who is very popular here in America (and whom Justin Bieber claims as his pastor), heads Hillsong NYC.

If while watching this video, you begin to suffer from frustrative disorder and/or forehead keyboard embedment syndrome, hang in there because you don't want to miss Mr. Sparkle at about the 5:20 mark. He's meant to show us what freedom in Christ looks like.

**Please pray for the church, brothers and sisters, and for saints around the world who are seeking bible teaching and true fellowship, and finding this instead.**



 Additional Resources 

Brian Houston: "Are you ready for the Word?" (Museum of Idolatry)

Christine Caine fills in for Beth Moore (Apprisng)

Sermon Review: "When Something's Done, Don't Stop" by Brian Houston (Fighting For The Faith)

Sermon Review: "Maker of Miracles" by Christine Caine of Hillsong (Fighting For The Faith)

Sermon Review: "Awareness That Sets You Up to Win" by Brian Houston (Fighting For The Faith)





Interview of Tanya Levin re: her exposé of Hillsong (Fighting For The Faith)

Hillsong music writer who faked his terminal illness (Fighting For The Faith)

Hillsong Church Watch

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Sarah Young's Bestseller "Jesus Calling": An Overactive Imagination or a Demon?

Posted by Sola Sisters

Ladies, have you received a copy of the bestselling book Jesus Calling as a gift from a friend? Perhaps you have even bought and given out this book yourself? If so, please continue reading this article, along with the links below so that you can be aware of the serious spiritual problems with this book.  Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling, has characterized her book as "first-person messages from Jesus." In fact, the devotional reads in a conversational manner, albeit a one-sided conversation, in which "Jesus" is purported to be communicating directly to the reader through daily devotionals.

Sarah Young, the author of Jesus Calling, describes the unusual way in which this book came about in an interview with Christian Broadcasting Network:
"My journey began with a devotional book (God Calling) written in the 1930's by two women who practiced waiting in God's Presence, writing the messages they received as they 'listened.' About a year after I started reading this book, I began to wonder if I too could receive messages during my times of communing with God. I had been writing in prayer journals for years, but this was one-way communication: 'monologue.' I knew that God communicates through the Bible (and I treasure His Word), but I wondered what He might say to me personally on a given day. So I decided to 'listen' to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever I sensed He was saying. Of course, I wasn't listening for an audible voice; I was seeking the 'still, small voice' of God in my mind/heart." (Q and A with Sarah Young, CBN)
But the Bible does not tell us to sit quietly and attempt to hear words from God. In fact, what is being described above by Sarah Young is an extremely occultic practice known in occultic circles as "automatic writing." Wikipedia describes this practice thusly:
"Automatic writing or psychography is an alleged psychic ability allowing a person to produce written words without consciously writing. The words are claimed to arise from a subconscious, spiritual or supernatural source." (online source)
We know from God's word that He detests any form of divination, which is what this practice is.
"When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God." (Deut 18:9-13)
Now, it is true that God communicated through words in ages past through the prophets of his choosing, but in Hebrews 1:1-2, we are told that:
"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe." 
What this means is that God's communication to us found its complete and final and greatest fulfillment in the final Prophet of his choosing, his own Son, Jesus Christ. After Jesus's earthly ministry, death and resurrection, the biblical office of prophet was forever closed. Could any human prophet after Christ add to his perfect, prophetic ministry? Absolutely not. And yet, there have been myriads of those over the centuries who have claimed to receive revelation from God, and to speak authoritatively (prophetically) on his behalf. That is the case with Sarah Young, though in some interviews, there has been waffling on this when she has been pinned down. Well, she can't have it both ways. Either Jesus is speaking authoritatively through this book to us, or he is not. Which is it? And, if he is, then we all need to get out our Bibles and start stapling these prophetic utterances to the backs of our Bibles, right after the end of Revelation. Does anyone else see the problem with this? I, for one, most certainly do. I see the problem, in fact, in the final words of Revelation:
"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll." (Rev 22:18-19)

 The "Voice" of the "Jesus" in Jesus Calling 

The following question was asked in a thread on our Facebook ministry page in which the bestselling book Jesus Calling was being discussed. I thought it was a great question, and I also think it's one that (rightly) occurs to believers when trying to evaluate whether battles are of the flesh/mind or have a more spiritual/demonic component to them. I have therefore written this standalone article highlighting the question and our answer, in the hope that this exchange is edifying for anyone who might have also had this question. Also, I have posted a number of entries from the Jesus Calling devotional that need to read only with great discernment.

QUESTION: How do you distinguish between something fabricated by an overactive imagination and something truly demonic?

OUR RESPONSE: That's a great question, and one that ultimately we can't really know the answer to. However, when I see the ferocity with which professing believers defend the false "Jesus" of Jesus Calling, I tend to strongly suspect that there is a demon or Satan involved, and thus a spiritual component to the battle. Spiritual warfare is a battle of words, concepts and propositional truths, and those who want to defend the false "Jesus" of Jesus Calling are arguing AGAINST Bible truths with worldly concepts (like pragmatism....."It 'worked' for me!") for the right to cling to their false "Jesus."

Also, the "voice" the false Jesus speaks in is remarkably similar to the demonic spirits I was in touch with while in the New Age. Deception isn't always obvious. In fact, I think it's rarely obvious......else, it wouldn't be deceptive, right? When I was communicating with demons as a New Ager, they (obviously) didn't identify themselves as such. Spooky music didn't start playing and green smoke didn't ooze under the door when they showed up, like we see in the movies. They had beautiful names, and they professed to me to care for me and to desire to help me grow spiritually. They had a very smooth, soothing way of communicating. (The more Bibley term for that would be "ear tickling.")

They would often say "Trust me" or "Trust us," a phrase ("Trust me") that is also often used by the false "Jesus" in Jesus Calling. If you read through the book, you will see that phrase used repeatedly, yet that is not something that Jesus uttered on a regular basis during his earthly ministry or elsewhere in the Bible, even though we are to trust in the Lord. I think the repetition of this phrase is used by demons to lull humans into, well, trusting them, since their obvious aim is to deceive us and confuse us as they are in the process of communicating to us things that are contrary to what the Bible teaches us about Jesus and God. Their ultimate goal, obviously, is to turn us away from the Jesus of the Bible. And to do this, they often masquerade, as we are told they would, as "angels of light" (2 Cor 11:14).
"Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." (2 Cor 11:14) 
"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough." (2 Cor 11:3-4)
"Satan was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)
"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)
"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Tim 4:3)
[NOTE: I have posted below a number of entries from the Jesus Calling devotional to show how often the false "Jesus" of Jesus Calling urges the reader to trust him. Please pray before reading these, and please exercise discernment while reading these entries]












 Additional Resources 

Warning About Popular Book Jesus Calling (Sola Sisters)

Former New Ager Warren Smith Explains That The "Jesus" of Bestseller Jesus Calling Is Not The Jesus of the Bible
 (Sola Sisters)

Jesus Calling By Sarah Young: W.U.I. (Writing Under the Influence) (Marcia Montenegro, former New Ager and professional astrologer who is now a Christian researcher)

Tim Challies Reviews Jesus Calling (Challies.com)

Toxic Devotion: A Review of Sarah Young's Jesus Calling (Critical Issues Commentary, Pastor Bob DeWaay)

Beth Moore Recommends Jesus Calling Book (Apprising)

"Another Jesus" Calling (book by former New Ager Warren Smith)

Thomas Nelson Publishers Creatively Edit Jesus Calling (Stand Up For The Truth)

Is Jesus Calling A Wrong Number? A Book Review (Stand Up For The Truth)

Changing Jesus Calling: Damage Control For a False Christ (Stand Up For The Truth)

Jesus Calling: Whitewashing The Red Flags (Stand Up For The Truth)

Is Deception Calling? A review of Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (Stand Up For The Truth)

False Teachings About Hearing Audible Words From God Taking Even Deeper Root in Today's Church (Sola Sisters)

Bestseller "Experiencing God" Misleading Christians With "Soft" Mysticism? (Sola Sisters)


 Interviews With Sarah Young 

Q and A with Sarah Young (Christian Broadcasting Network) (more about God Calling here)

Meet Sarah Young (Christian Retailing, Aug 18, 2010) (Young cites the New Age book God Calling as influential)

Sarah Young: Amid Suffering, Devotion (Publishers Weekly, Nov 14, 2012)


 Sola Sisters Facebook Wall Discussions 

Discussion about Jesus Calling on the Sola Sisters Facebook wall - Dec 14, 2013

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Birth of Jesus...How It Might Have Been....

Posted by Christine Pack





 Additional Resources 

To Christmas or Not To Christmas.....That Is The Question (Sola Sisters)

Christmas and Christian Liberty (Sola Sisters)

Christmas Is Just a Christianized Pagan Holiday? Not So Fast..... (Sola Sisters)

Should We Have A Christmas Tree? (Got Questions?)


 Resources Refuting the Errors of Alexander Hislop 

Myths From Hislop: A Call To Examine Facts (Marcia Montenegro, CANA)

Exposé of Alexander Hislop's The Two Babylons (UK Apologetics)