Can You Discern the Spirit Behind the Gospel of Reason?

Can You Discern the Spirit Behind the Gospel of Reason?

While many politicians—including President Obama—are embracing the National Day of Prayer, at least two members of Congress, as well as state and local officials, are swinging their support to the atheistic camp in the name of reason.

Indeed, Congressman Michael Honda, D-Calif., and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., are celebrating the National Day of Reason, which bills itself as an “observance promoting a more inclusive alternative to the religiously focused, government-sponsored National Day of Prayer.”

It doesn’t take a lot of spiritual discernment to figure out what group is behind this one. You guessed it: the American Humanist Association. This irreverent institution has worked hard to encourage elected officials to proclaim May 1 as the National Day of Reason, flying in the face of the political correctness for which they typically strive.

7 Inspiring Leaders and the Traits That Made Them Great

7 Inspiring Leaders and the Traits That Made Them Great

John Maxwell says everything rises and falls based on leadership. I agree.

But leadership was not something taught when I went to the University of Florida. I’ve had to learn it the hard way, mostly by trial and error. Here are seven traits of leadership I’ve learned by watching leaders who exhibited them:

1. Vision. This is the ability to see the future. The Bible says without vision, the people perish. I’ve learned to focus on one thing and simply work in that direction when I didn’t have any idea what do. Somehow, a way is found.

Christian Brits protected less than other religious believers

Christian Brits protected less than other religious believers

Christians are afforded less protection for their beliefs by the state compared to those who practise other religions, a new survey suggests.

Of the 2000 people surveyed exclusively for The Telegraph, nearly half thought British believers had less protection.

This figure rises to 62 per cent among those who identify as non-practising Christians.

Criticism

The poll also reveals that over half of the respondents – 56 per cent – believe Britain is a Christian country.

The survey comes amidst criticism from a group of atheists who lambasted David Cameron after he called Britain a Christian country during Downing Street’s Easter reception.

But several ministers have backed Cameron’s comments including Attorney General Dominic Grieve who said atheists who claim that Britain is not a Christian nation are “deluding themselves

What Does Jesus Really Think About Same-Sex Marriage?

What Does Jesus Really Think About Same-Sex Marriage?

One argument in favor of gay marriage made by professed Christians and unbelievers is “Jesus didn’t say anything about homosexuality.” Is this statement true? Yes and no.

It’s true that we have no record of Jesus specifically mentioning homosexuality during His earthly ministry, but He didn’t mention bestiality or molesting children either. Does this “argument from silence” (a logical fallacy) prove that Jesus was OK with these things? Of course not.

We do know, however, that Jesus affirmed marriage as between one man and one woman in a one-flesh relationship for life by appealing to creation. (Of course, Jesus is God the Son incarnate. He affirms the entire Old Testament. Yet even if I grant that Jesus’ words, the red letters, during His earthly ministry are more authoritative than the rest of Scripture, the argument still fails.) He essentially said, “It’s Adam and Eve, and not any other definition.” Thus, Jesus rejected every other so-called definition of marriage beyond what was given in Genesis 1:27 and 2:23-24.

PM rejects Clegg’s calls to disestablish Church of England

PM rejects Clegg’s calls to disestablish Church of England

David Cameron has rejected calls from the Deputy Prime Minister to disestablish the Church of England.

Nick Clegg, who is an atheist, was speaking on his weekly radio phone-in programme. He said: “In the long run it would be better for the Church, and better for people of faith, and better for Anglicans, if the Church and the state were over time to stand on their own two separate feet.”

But Cameron disagreed, explaining that “our arrangements work well in this country”.

Christian Band Drums Up Support for Gay Marriage

Christian Band Drums Up Support for Gay Marriage

Christian band Jars of Clay was supposed to be setting out on a 20th anniversary tour—but if the latest controversy is any indication, not many fans will be celebrating.

Lead vocalist Dan Haseltine made sure of that last week by singing a different tune onsame-sex marriage. The firestorm is just the latest evidence of Haseltine's slow walk away from orthodoxy that made the band famous.

Words for the Wise, James 5, Christian Patience and Prayer

James 5

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

5 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers,[a] until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.[b] 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

The Bible Panorama

James 5

V 1–6: SINFUL STORING Those who sinfully store riches, especially where they have been gained by taking advantage of others, and concentrate on pleasure and luxury, will be judged. This shares, with murder, the evil root of trampling on the welfare of others.

 V 7–11: PATIENT PERSEVERANCE God’s people should patiently wait for the Lord to come, just as the farmer waits for the seed to germinate and be harvested. Such patience is an antidote to grumbling and an encouragement to perseverance, knowing that the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

 V 12: STRAIGHT SPEAKING The Christian does not have to dress up his everyday language with oaths and assurances. He should tell it as it is, and have a reputation for telling the truth.

 V 13–18: PRUDENT PRAYING Prayer should be made with and for people in all states of life and emotion. Those suffering and sick should be prayed for and church leaders should be ready to respond to a call to go and pray with someone who is suffering. Confession of sin is a prerequisite for restoration spiritually and may even affect the way we feel physically. The pattern of Elijah’s patient endurance in prayer is an encouragement to all who feel that their prayers are ineffective.

 V 19–20: SINNER SAVED James tells the twelve scattered tribes that if someone among them wanders from the truth and is turned back from sin, the person responsible for that turning will save a soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins. God, who is sovereign in salvation, expects us to be actively involved in the privilege of seeing lost sinners being saved, including those who keep company with Christians.

The Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.

Yours by His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport, Merseyside