Will wonders never cease? PDL saves man from gator attack

I got this one from Slice of Laodecia, of a man in Florida attacked by an alligator. In this excerpt the man Rick Cabot, who is the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Lutz, Florida, tells his story....

"Shocked, Rick mentally yelled, "I can't believe a gator has got my leg." Yet Rick felt strangely peaceful in the midst of this life-and-death struggle. Instinctively, Rick tried to pry the alligator's jaws off of him.
That's when, according to Rick, his mind drifted back to the book his small group had been studying the night before – The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Particularly, he remembered a line from chapter 22 of the book: "God's ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development."

Wow that book is something else ain't it? Once again, as with the young lady in Atlanta, the Purpose Driven Life, not the Word of the living God, pulled them through.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Modern Evangelism

This is an excerpt from an interview in Christianity Today that appeared in 1980 between Dr. Carl F. H. Henry and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Henry: What specific reservations do you have about modern evangelism as such?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones: I am unhappy about organized campaigns and even more about the invitation system of calling people forward. Mark you, I consider Billy Graham an utterly honest, sincere and genuine man. He, in fact, asked me in 1963 to be chairman of the first Congress on Evangelism, then projected for Rome, not Berlin. I said I’d make a bargain; if he would stop the general sponsorship of his campaigns-stop having liberals and Roman Catholics on the platform and drop the invitation system (altar calls), I would whole-heartedly support him and chair the congress. We talked for three hours, but he didn’t accept these conditions.

I just can’t subscribe to the idea that either congresses or campaigns really deal with the situation. The facts, I feel, substantiate my point of view; in spite of all that has been done in the last 20 or 25 years, the spiritual situation has deteriorated rather than improved. I am convinced that nothing can avail but churches and ministers on their knees in total dependence on God. As long as you go on organizing, people will not fall on their knees and implore God to come and heal them. It seems to me that the campaign approach trusts ultimately in techniques rather in the power of the Spirit. Graham certainly preaches the Gospel. I would never criticize him on that score. What I have criticized, for example, is that in the Glasgow campaign he had John Sutherland Bonnell address the ministers meets. I challenged that. Graham replied,’ You know, I have more fellowship with John Sutherland Bonnell than with many evangelical ministers.’ I replied, ‘Now it may be that Bonnell is nicer chap than Lloyd-Jones---I will not argue that. But real fellowship is something else; I can genuinely fellowship only with someone who holds the same basic truths that I do.’

Caner Takes Off on Calvinists

I can respect someone who disagrees with what is classically described as Calvinism and seeks to present their points of views in the right spirit. But comments made by Dr. Ergun Caner recently are beneath him. Thanks to OldTruth.com for bringing this story out front, as Caner compares Calvinists with Muslims. Read it for yourself.

Picturing The Absurd: "Worse Than Muslims"?
from OldTruth.com

FoundersMinistries Blog: Dr. Jerry Vines on Calvinism

Dr. Thomas Ascol offers a wonderful commentary on a sermon preached by Dr. Jerry Vines recently entitled "Calvinism: A Baptist and His Election". Dr. Vine's comments and reflections are very representative (in my opinion) of the vast majority of the church today. Dr. Ascol's comments are very insightful and presented in a very loving spirit.

Dr. Vines on Calvinism

Revival or Reformation?

I have asked such leaders as R. C. Sproul, John MacArthur, J. Ligon Duncan and others, do we need a revival or reformation? In this great article by Jim Elliff on Christian Worldview Network, he states you can't have one without the other and reformation begins with a submission to the Word of God.

Amen brother.

Should We Really Want Revival?

NRB Hosts Conference Featuring Contemplative Heretics

(NOTE: In response to a comment I received from a reader, I have removed Phil Cooke's name from the commentary below. While I am very familiar with the teachings of McManus and Sweet, and I believe them to be heretical, I am not that familiar with the work of Mr. Cooke. Therefore I have chosen to remove his name as being included in that comment. I do however reserve the option to learn more of Mr. Cooke's ministry and will make more comment later. Thank you)

How sad, how sad. I received a notice in the mail the other day from the National Religious Broadcasters inviting me to be a part of Reach 2007, heralded as "a unique opportunity to connect with visionaries, futurists, media strategists, and producers who understand the next generation of media and recognize how it will change the world."

Sounds good right to want to change the world? Well how will they do it? It will be pulled off through the heresy of such people as Leonard Sweet and Erwin MacManus.

This is a very disturbing development and I am extremely disappointed in the NRB. As I have said many times, I am disappointed but not surprised. Yet another reason why we must stand firm and faithful to the true Gospel.

Recommended Resources for background on the meaning of contemplative spirituality:
Lighthouse Trails Research
Slice of Laodecia
Brian Flynn and One Truth Ministries
Contemplative Prayer and the Evangelical Church by Ray Yungen

Catholic Group Joins Muslims in Fasting for Rammadan

I wondered how long it would take after the Pope's waffling on his comments on Islam that we would see a "move toward unity". Now, from the Muslim American Society comes the announcement that some Catholics are joining Muslims in fasting for their pagan holiday. What should the conclusion be?

Read: Pax Christi Announces Solidarity with Muslim Community Through Voluntary Fasting for Ramadan