Showing posts with label In the Line of Fire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label In the Line of Fire. Show all posts

Thursday, March 31, 2016

5 Sure Signs That America Has Gone Mad - MICHAEL BROWN CHARISMA NEWS

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo

5 Sure Signs That America Has Gone Mad



New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (File)

In the Line of Fire, by Michael Brown
If you needed proof that America has lost it corporate mind, here are five compelling examples.
1. In New York City, Cooper Union College has decided to remove all "gender markings" from its bathrooms.
As reported by The Guardian, "Last fall, the oldest building on the Cooper Union campus underwent a sudden renovation. A group of students, agitating for their transgender classmates, stripped the words 'men' and 'women' off the doors of the Foundation Building's restrooms."
But rather than discipline the unruly students, "the Cooper Union administration this month moved to remove the gender designations from all the bathrooms on campus by taking down the rest of the men's and women's signage from bathrooms."
Goodbye, men's and women's bathrooms!
The school's website is actually boasting about all this, with the homepage headline declaring, "DE-GENDERED RESTROOMS ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION."
2. In Illinois, a Christian businessman has been fined $80,000 for his faith, and that's just the beginning.
Writing for the Illinois Family Institute, Laurie Higgins explains that, "Another Christian business owner has been persecuted for his faith. Jim Walder, owner of an Illinois bed and breakfast, has been fined $80,000 by the Illinois 'Human Rights' junta (also known as the Illinois Human Rights Commission) for refusing to rent his facility to homosexual couple Todd and Mark Wathen for their civil union ceremony."
I recall reading somewhere that religious liberty was one of the very foundations of our nation, but hey, that was a long time ago, and this is today, right?
Higgins continues, "Even more outrageous, the Illinois Human Rights Commission has ordered that Jim Walder '[o]ffer the Wathens access to the facility, within one year, for an event celebrating their civil union.' You read that right. This unelected, quasi-governmental commission has mandated that Jim Walder not only pay a fine for not accepting a request that violated his religious beliefs but also to offer to violate his religious beliefs. Such a mandate clearly violates Mr. Walder's constitutionally protected religious liberty."
Not only, then, was Walder found guilty of a punishable offense for simply practicing his faith, but he was fined the ridiculous amount of $80,000, as if this couple literally experienced almost $100,000 in personal damages. What's more, he is now being told that he is required to violate his faith and host a homosexual civil union celebration.
3. In Wisconsin, a Catholic university has extended the suspension of a tenured professor for expressing his commitment to the academic freedom of students to express their Catholic moral values in class.
In November 2014, after Cheryl Abbate, an instructor at Marquette University, informed a student that he could not express his opposition to same-sex marriage in class, encouraging him to drop the "Theory of Ethics" course, political science professor John McAdams blogged his disapproval in reasonable and rational terms. In response, rather than disciplining the instructor, Marquette suspended McAdams, now extending his suspension until he apologizes. (As in the just-cited Illinois case, discipline is not even enough; there must be coercion.)
David French, writing for the National Review, writes, "My former colleagues at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) are right to label the forced apology 'an age-old inquisitorial tactic used to violate freedom of conscience through compelled speech.'
Thankfully, the professor has refused to apologize, and French concludes, "I would say that it's astonishing that a Catholic university punish a professor for defending the right of students to advocate the church's teaching on marriage, but politically correct nonsense is par for the course even (especially) at many religious colleges. McAdams should be applauded—and supported—for his lonely, courageous stand."
4. In Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina, two governors and one attorney general reject common sense and religious protections, selling out to political correctness.
First, it was Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal who caved in, deciding to veto a bill that, asexplained by Ryan Anderson, "would have safeguarded clergy from having to officiate same-sex weddings, prevented faith-based organizations from being forced to hire someone who publicly undermines their mission, and prohibited the state government from discriminating against churches and their affiliated ministries because they believe that marriage is between a man and a woman."
To add insult to injury, earlier in the month, Gov. Deal pointed to the ethics of Jesus to justify his actions.
In Virginia, Governor Terry McCauliffe vetoed legislation "aimed at protecting opponents of same-sex marriage, saying it would legalize discrimination of the LGBT community and hurt the state's economy."
He stated, "We cannot have fear and persecution, people being demonized, we're not going to tolerate that."
By doing so, he fosters the persecution and demonizing of Christians, bowing down at the altar of homosexual activism rather than honoring the constitutional rights of Virginians to enjoy their religious liberties, claiming that protecting those liberties would hurt the state's economy.
And in North Carolina, after the state legislature and Gov. Pat McCrory overturned Charlotte's infamous bathroom bill, simply requiring people to use the bathroom that corresponds to their birth certificate, the ACLU launched a lawsuit in response. Attorney General Roy Cooper, himself a gubernatorial candidate, refused to defend the law, despite his responsibilities as Attorney General to defend the laws of the state.
Cooper, claiming that the law was a "national embarrassment," said, "We've got to remember here the overriding concern that this new law provides for broad-based discrimination."
All clear, Mr. Cooper. If we believe in gender distinction and want to keep men out of women's bathrooms and locker rooms, also keeping the door closed on heterosexual predators who will cause that law to their advantage, we are guilty of "broad-based discrimination."
5. The NBA has threatened to relocate the 2017 all-star game from Charlotte to another city because North Carolina wants to keep men out of the ladies' rooms, and the governor of New York has forbidden state-related travel to North Carolina.
As stated by Sister Toldjah on the Independent Journal Review, "This is not a result of genuine concern; it's a result of the manufactured outrage machines that have worked together in the past to pressure sports leagues and corporations to get out 'in front' of an issue that they, in reality, really don't care much about (until they face the prospect of negative PR from the left and the media)."
Toldjah points out that the NBA agreed to locate the all-star game in Charlotte in 2015, meaning before the overturned Charlotte bill was ever passed. Weren't they collaborating with bigotry then?
Toldjah also writes that "it's particularly confusing to be lectured on 'equality' by an organization that is expanding its reach into communist China since 2004, the same China that jails and murders political dissidents and which, for decades, forced women with more than one child to abort any pregnancy after the first one."
Indeed, the same can be said for many other companies, including Apple, which regularly threatens states like North Carolina the moment they stand for social sanity and religious freedom, yet have no problem working with countries like Saudi Arabia that execute homosexuals.
Oh, the irony.
And speaking of irony, good old Atlanta, located in a state whose governor just betrayed millions of people of faith, has offered to host next year's game should the NBA choose to relocate.
How congenial and gracious of them.
And we can't forget New York's governor, Andrew Cuomo, joining the mayor of San Francisco in banning non-essential state travel to North Carolina for the terrible sin of keeping men out of women's bathrooms.
God have mercy on America.
Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown.
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Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Let's Make a Difference Together in 2016 In the Line of Fire - DR. MICHAEL BROWN CHARISMA NEWS

Dr. Michael Brown is called to serve as a "voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution."
Dr. Michael Brown is called to serve as a "voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution." (Dr. Michael Brown)

Let's Make a Difference Together in 2016

A couple of months ago a woman named Lola posted these gracious words on the AskDrBrown Facebook page: "Thank you for being a voice of intelligence and reason in this very ignorant mess that has become Christianity. Every time I listen to you I feel hopeful that all is not lost in Christendom. Again, thank you."
Those words warmed my heart, and they echo what people tell me wherever I travel in America or around the world. With a big smile (and sometimes with tears) people of all ages say to me, "Thanks so much for being our voice! Don't ever stop what you're doing."
This is a sacred responsibility, and it is something I take quite seriously, as I know that the Lord has called me to serve as a voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution — as your voice.
What a privilege and honor.
You see, every one of us has a specific calling and function, and every one of us is anointed by God to fulfill the calling He has laid upon us.
There are no superstars in God's kingdom, just servants.
Many of the Corinthians were new believers who were impressed with big names and dynamic personalities. That's why Paul wrote to them, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth" (1 Cor. 3:6-7).
I have been given an assignment from the Lord, and that assignment is to be a voice, a voice for the Lord, and a voice for you.
And so, when I appear on a secular TV show like Piers Morgan, I'm not thinking about doing well for myself. I'm thinking about representing the Lord well.
I'm also thinking about representing each of you well, saying what you would want to say if you had the opportunity to speak in that setting.
And just as there are many things you can do that I could never do, there are things I can do that you could never do.
That's what makes us a body and a family, and only by working together can we see our ultimate goals fulfilled.
And so, just as I serve as a voice, each of you help to amplify that voice, which becomes our voice together.
On this website alone, some of my articles have been shared more than 150,000 times, with one article being shared more than 360,000 times. You did that, not me.
The AskDrBrown Facebook page reaches multiplied millions every day (as many as 50 million in a single week) with up to 5 million actively engaged over the course of a week (meaning, people who are liking, sharing, or commenting on a post).
Again, you are making that happen, and while I may sow the seed, you are the ones watering it by sharing these messages with others.
As a result, within minutes, what we've done together reaches tens of thousands, and within hours, reaches millions.
That is what I call teamwork!
Because my heart burns to see God's purposes on the earth advanced at this critical time in history, I speak and write day and night.
In the last 12 months, we posted more than 140 articles on the Charisma Newswebsite. These are written as a labor of love with no monetary compensation.
Our AskDrBrown YouTube channel now has more than 360 videos, and we are producing as many as three new videos each week.
We have also posted more than 125 Jewish outreach videos on our Real Messiah YouTube channel.
We have done more than 500 hours of daily radio in 2015, with every show posted online for free, without any subscription fee.
We have brought the message of revival, revolution, and reformation to cities across America as well as to numerous foreign countries.
We have broadcast the "Answering Your Toughest Questions" show on NRB TV, potentially reaching more than 40 million homes.
But all this is just scratching the surface, and what previously felt like the ceiling is really the floor to the next level of effectiveness in the years ahead.
Join with me to make a radical difference in 2016! You can help amplify my voice.
We have invitations to be on more radio stations across America.
We have the opportunity to produce new, cutting-edge TV shows that will equip you to respond to the most critical issues of the day.
We have major plans for front-line Jewish outreach, in America, Israel, and around the world.
We want to post timely YouTube videos on a daily basis as the news happens.
We are at the gate, poised and ready to go, and with your help, we can change the world together.
And so, if you believe in the work we are doing and long to have your voice heard in 2016, please consider making a year-end, tax-deductible donation to our ministry.
I give you my word that every dollar will be used to advance the cause of the kingdom and not a dime will go into my own pocket.
Thank you so much for your support, your encouragement, and your faithfulness to the Lord.
I am excited to see what God will do as we work together in 2016.
Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW from CHARISMA: Do you want to encounter the Holy Spirit and hear God speak to you? Increase your faith, discover freedom, and draw near to God! Click Here
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LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE FEATURED BOOK
Paperback $5.95  Kindle $1.95

STANDING FOR TRUTH IN A WORLD OF DECEPTION 
- Now Think On This – Book 4 

Here are more encouraging messages written by Steve Martin for the Love For His People and Now Think On This blogs. They cover a variety of topics to encourage you, believers in Jesus, to stand strong in your daily walk, firmly committed for His plans and purposes in our nations. As the Lord would give Steve a word or two in his spirit, he would begin to write. 

With a prophetic and inspirational edge, these messages will be an encouragement to you to stand clear in your faith, fulfill the call on your life, and be a light to the nations, beginning within your own family and to those around you. These simple words are meant to be an addition to your daily Bible reading and prayer time. 

While the days growing darker, each of us must be built up in the faith of our forefathers and the Jewish writers of the Written Word, as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. We must stand strong for truth in this world of deception which increasingly surrounds us.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Of Course Christians and Muslims Don't Worship The Same God - MICHAEL BROWN CHARISMA NEWS

To the Muslim, God (Allah) is too transcendent and "other" to be our friend. He is to worshiped and adored and obeyed, just as our heavenly Father is to be worshiped and adored and obeyed, but Muslims do not have "fellowship" with God as Christians do.
To the Muslim, God (Allah) is too transcendent and "other" to be our friend. He is to worshiped and adored and obeyed, just as our heavenly Father is to be worshiped and adored and obeyed, but Muslims do not have "fellowship" with God as Christians do. (Reuters)

Of Course Christians and Muslims Don't Worship The Same God




It is true that the three primary monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all believe in an eternal, uncreated Creator God to whom all human beings must one day give account. But it is self-evident that Muslims and Christians do not worship the same God.
First, God is the heavenly Father of Christians, but Allah is not the Father of Muslims.
This is one of the most fundamental revelations of the Bible, which is why Jesus taught His followers to pray the "Our Father" prayer on a daily basis (Matt. 6:9-13). The New Testament even goes as far as saying that God has put the spirit of sonship into our hearts so that we can call God "Abba," just as Jesus called His Father "Abba" (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6).
But Allah is not seen as the heavenly Father in Islam, let alone as "Abba," an even more endearing term. That's why "father" is not one of the 99 names of Allah in Islamic theology.
Second, through Jesus, we can have intimate fellowship—even friendship—with God.
Already in the Old Testament, God referred to Abraham as His friend (Is. 41:8), but in the New Testament, Jesus takes this even further, saying to His disciples: "Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you" (John 15:13-14).
A Muslim could not possibly think of Allah in such terms.
To the Muslim, God (Allah) is too transcendent and "other" to be our friend. He is to be worshiped and adored and obeyed—just as our heavenly Father is to be worshiped and adored and obeyed—but Muslims do not have "communion" with God as Christians do (2 Cor. 13:14).
In Islam, a human being cannot enjoy that kind of personal intimacy with the Creator.
This difference between the Christian conception of God and the Muslim conception of God is seen clearly when we consider the aspect of prayer. The depth of communion we enjoy with the Lord is expressed in the words of a famous hymn by Fanny Crosby, who wrote,
"O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!"
In Islam, Muslims must follow prescribed prayers in Arabic, even if they don't understand Arabic. So much for friendship with the deity. This alone underscores the deep contrast between these two faiths in terms of how God is viewed.
Third, Christians believe that Jesus is the full manifestation of God, whereas Muslims see Jesus as only a human prophet, not as the unique representation of the image of God.
Jesus told His disciples that if they He had seen Him, they had seen the Father; that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him; and that He and the Father are one (John 14:9-11; 10:30). The New Testament also states that Jesus is the very image of the invisible God and "the express image of Himself" (Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3).
All of these concepts are totally foreign to Islam.
For Muslims, Jesus is simply another creation of Allah. For Christians, Jesus is the one through whom the Father made the universe.
Fourth, the Christian "blessed Trinity" is, for Muslims, a cursed blasphemy.
For 200 years, Christians have sung the classic hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy," which speaks of "God in three persons, blessed Trinity," articulating truths taught by the Church for centuries.
The words of that hymn are terribly offensive to Muslims, as emphasized in a chapter in the Quran which Muslims recite in prayer five times a day, Sura 112, which states that Allah "begets not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto Him."
This Sura was originally spoken with reference to Muhammad's polytheistic hearers but was then applied to Christian beliefs as well. This means that five times a day, Muslims denounce some of the most fundamental tenets of the Christian faith.
Fifth, true Christians would rather die than deny Jesus as Lord; true Muslims would rather die than confess Jesus as Lord. This is as basic as it gets, and I can't imagine that a devoted Christian or Muslim would argue with this premise.
The New Testament tells us that an essential element of salvation is confessing Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10:9-10). In stark contrast, the Quran says of those who believe that Jesus is God's Son, "May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?" (Sura 9:30).
Can there really be any serious debate as to whether Muslims and Christians worship the same God?
Someone could argue that both faiths represent human attempts to please and obey the Creator, but what those faiths say explicitly about that Creator is mutually exclusive.
We do not worship the same God, which is why Muslims seek to convert Christians to Islam and Christians seek to convert Muslims to faith in Jesus.
The good news is that Jesus really is Lord and that one day, willingly or unwillingly, every knee will bow to Him and every tongue will make that very confession—"Jesus Christ is Lord"—to glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11).
Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW from CHARISMA: Do you want to encounter the Holy Spirit and hear God speak to you? Increase your faith, discover freedom, and draw near to God! Click Here
Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

President Barack Obama, Apologist for Islam - MICHAEL BROWN CHARISMA NEWS

It is abundantly clear that President Obama reveres the Islamic faith and often serves as an apologist for the religion of Muhammad.

It is abundantly clear that President Obama reveres the Islamic faith and often serves as an apologist for the religion of Muhammad. (Reuters)


President Barack Obama, Apologist for Islam

In the Line of Fire, by Michael Brown

I do not believe that President Obama is a Muslim, but I have no doubt that he reveres Islam and that he is an apologist for Islam. Is there really any question about it?
I posted comments similar to this on social media December 5th in the aftermath of the San Bernardino massacre before reading that Sen. Ted Cruz had commented that, "We have a president right now, who at times operates as an apologist for radical Islamic terrorists." It was also before I read Donald Trump's comment that, "Our president doesn't want to use the term, 'Radical Islamic Terrorism.' There is something wrong with him that we don't know about."
There are many who believe that Barack Hussein Obama is, in fact, a Muslim, but I seriously doubt it. A real Muslim would not worship in a church building for a period of years, neglecting Islamic prayer on a daily basis and abstaining from prayer on Fridays in a mosque, nor would a real Muslim publicly and consistently profess to be a Christian. That would be a denial of his faith.
At the same time, it is abundantly clear that President Obama reveres the Islamic faith and often serves as an apologist for the religion of Muhammad.
Speaking in harmony with the president back in February, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson explained that, "The thing I hear from leaders in the Muslim community in this country is ISIL is attempting to hijack my religion."
Yes, "To refer to ISIL as occupying any part of the Islamic theology is playing on a battlefield that they would like us to be on. I think that to call them some form of Islam gives the group more dignity than it deserves frankly. It is a terrorist organization."
This echoes statements made repeatedly by President Obama, the clear implication being: If it's violent, it's not Islam since Islam is a religion of peace, despite Islam's consistently violent 1,400 year history.
But the president's defense of Islam goes beyond rejecting the idea that radical, violent, terroristic Islam can be Islamic. It is also the positive way he speaks of Islam that is striking.
It was one thing for him to greet his listeners in Cairo in 2009 with the words, "assalaamu alaykum." That could be written off as cultural sensitivity from a president who had been reared in an Islamic country (Indonesia) and went to an Islamic school.
But his words went far beyond the standard Muslim greeting. He also stated his belief that America and Islam "are not exclusive" but rather "overlap, and share common principles—principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings." And when backing up one of his points, he noted that, "As the Holy Quran tells us, 'Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.'"
The Holy Quran? Who speaks like this without reverence for the religion? Conversely, would a devout Muslim speak of the Holy Bible when Muslims believe that our Scriptures represent a corruption of the real Word of God as represented by the Quran?
The president also spoke of "civilization's debt to Islam," noting that "throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality." (Perhaps he means the kind of "religious tolerance and racial equality" we find today in countries like Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran—including the equality of women?)
President Obama even alleged that "since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States," referencing President John Adams' statement with the signing of the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796 that "the United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims."
Did he forget that 10 years earlier, in 1786, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, then ambassadors for America, were in Tripoli to combat the murderous Muslim pirates whose actions were backed by some Tripoli leaders in the name of Islam?
And was he unaware of the comments of John Quincy Adams, our sixth president, regarding Muhammad? Adams said that Muhammad "humbled [the Christian religion] to the dust by adapting all the rewards and sanctions of his religion to the gratification of the sexual passion. He poisoned the sources of human felicity at the fountain, by degrading the condition of the female sex, and the allowance of polygamy; and he declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind. The essence of his doctrine was violence and lust—to exalt the brutal over the spiritual part of human nature. ... Between these two religions, thus contrasted in their characters, a war of twelve hundred years has already raged."
Perhaps our president has taken an airbrush to American-Islamic history and relationships?
In his Cairo speech, he also spoke of Islam being "revealed," meaning, that he affirms that God did, in fact, give the Quran to Muhammad.
And so, despite the nuances of his Cairo speech and his criticism of certain expressions of "some Muslims," he stood as not just a friend of Islam but an apologist for Islam, one who spoke with undeniable reverence for the faith of his father and the faith in which he grew up as a boy.
His statement, then, in 2012, that "the future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam," should not surprise us in the least, nor did his nuancing of that statement diminish its force in the least.
In President Obama, we do not simply have a leader who speaks respectfully of the world's second largest religion, as President George W. Bush also did. We have a man who reveres Islam and is committed to defending it before the world, even when it potentially undermines national security and international order.
Can this really be denied?
Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!
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Thursday, October 15, 2015

When Christians Use 'Liberty' as a License for the Flesh Dr. Michael Brown


 

But it's another thing entirely to be polluted by the world in the name of liberty and to exalt the flesh in the name of freedom.

But it's another thing entirely to be polluted by the world in the name of liberty and to exalt the flesh in the name of freedom. (Flickr/Creative Commons)

When Christians Use 'Liberty' as a License for the Flesh


In the Line of Fire, by Michael Brown



I could hear the shock and pain in his voice. He could not believe what he had just seen at a birthday party for a pastor's wife.
How could this be?
I received a text from this friend during my radio show, so I called him as soon as the show was over. What he told me brought tears to my eyes.
Please understand that the man calling me was no Christian prude.
He had lived a worldly life before meeting the Lord, and he knew the party scene well.
And he was no uptight, old-fashioned traditionalist, no fun-killing legalist.
He was simply a lover of Jesus who was mortified by the spirit of the world flooding into the church, and in a million years, he would never have believed that the party he attended was for the wife of a respected pastor.
He told me that the pastor functioned as the DJ, playing 30-40 songs over the night. Not one of the songs was Christian, and some of them were downright profane—meaning full of profanity and even celebrating pot and the like. These were the sounds that filled the room.
At one point, the wife of another leader climbed onto a chair, grabbed the ceiling to brace herself, then began to dance like a stripper.
This was at a party for Christian leaders!
But should we be surprised when we hear reports like this?
After all, to speak against sin today is to be "judgmental."
To call for holiness is to be "legalistic."
To live differently than the world is to be "religious."
Yes, this is the putrid spiritual atmosphere we find ourselves in today.
I don't know this pastor personally, but I do know that he errs on the side of "grace" and "liberty" and prides himself in not being "judgmental."
And so, as grieved as I was to hear the report, I couldn't say I was shocked, especially since this pastor openly celebrates his love for carnal entertainment.
You see, it's one thing to welcome the worst of sinners into our midst, showing them the love of God, introducing them to Jesus, and being patient with them as we grow.
It's one thing to show mercy to believers who fall, reaching out to them with compassion and gently leading them back to restoration.
It's one thing to preach against legalism, which I define as externally imposed religion, meaning, laws without love, rules without relationship, and standards without a Savior.
And it's one thing to extol God's grace, recognizing that He loves on our good days and our bad days and that our relationship with Jesus is not measured by our latest spiritual accomplishment.
But it's another thing entirely to be polluted by the world in the name of liberty and to exalt the flesh in the name of freedom.
Paul warned about this plainly, writing, "You, brothers, have been called to liberty. Only do not use liberty to give an opportunity to the flesh, but by love serve one another" (Gal. 5:13).
Peter warned about it as well, writing, "As free people, do not use your liberty as a covering for evil, but live as servants of God" (1 Pet. 2:16).
But there's something even worse than abusing the freedom we have in Jesus, which, for the record, is freedom from sin not to sin.
It's the fact that we cannot possibly have intimacy with God's heart and, at the same time, indulge the flesh so freely. Something very deep is lacking in our relationship with God if we can party like the world without shame.
It is impossible to be close to the Father of lights and to love darkness, just as it is impossible to be in a close, intimate relationship with your spouse while living in unrepentant adultery. If you're faithful to the one, you'll hate the other.
Take a moment and bathe yourself in these beautiful words from Paul, then go back to the scene of that party, which my friend could barely convey in words, and ask yourself if the two are compatible:
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret." (Eph. 5:1-12, ESV).
Do you want to be an imitator of God? I do!
Then let us walk in His life-giving, grace-filled light, loving what is good and hating what is evil. That is the life of a disciple of Jesus, and it is life indeed, life to the full.
But there's one more part to this story, and it's the most heartbreaking part of all: People will come flocking to hear this pastor preach on Sunday, loving his "no condemnation" message, continuing to live in sin and continuing to be comfortable in sin, deceived by this self-deceived leader. They love his message because they love the world.
May we all examine our own lives first, may we pray for this pastor and his family, and may we, as dearly loved children of the Father, "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1, MEV)
(I encourage you not to try to figure out which pastor I'm talking about, as it could easily be one of hundreds, if not thousands. Let's simply pray for him and examine our own lives.)

Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!
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Dr. Michael Brown: Jesus Was Not a Palestinian

Ask Dr. Brown - on set


Dr. Michael Brown: Jesus Was Not a Palestinian




In the Line of Fire, by Michael Brown
During the Million Man March this weekend, Rev. Jeremiah Wright told those gathered Jesus was a Palestinian.  
He also claimed today's Palestinians are descendants of the ancient Canaanites. 
Dr. Michael Brown breaks down whether the controversial reverend is "Wright or wrong." 

Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!
Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive CHARISMA NEWS by email.