Austin events Bible Study Controversial Issues HIlter

Study on How the Bible Relates to Culture and Politics Today – monthly in Round Rock, Texas

Published by:

I was at a couple of meetings this past week and between us we could not name a single pastor who would address issues of the day, from Jarrell, Georgetown, Round Rock, or Cedar Park. Therefore, I was asked if I would lead such a study. Of course! So we had our organizational meeting today. Here is the plan: we will meet every 2nd Saturday at 4:00 pm in Round Rock. You must call, leave your name, phone number and email in order to get the location. This is aimed at straining out those who would make trouble. Anyone is welcomed who wants to come and learn. People who act in an illegal, dangerous fashion will face the police. Preferrably we will not face that. So call and leave a message at 512-534-5425.

Topics may include:

  1. Dominion(ism): What the Bible says, what theologIES say, and what the Leftists say we say.
  2. The Importance of Words And How Political Correctness is Being used to Steer Society
  3. The 7 Mountain Teaching: Biblical?Good?Bad?
  4. How to Talk to Infected Youth, How to Get Your Pastor Involved.
  5. Government of God
  6. Romans 13: Does it mean that we must obey ungodly orders?
  7. Is this a Christian nation?
  8. Metaxas’ Letter to the American Church
  9. Lutzer’s books warning Americans based on history of church in Germany during rise of Hitler

Let’s work up to a stable group, large enough to invite guest speakers.

Okay, Sharon, but why do you think you are the right person? Besides that fact that there is a great need and no one else will do it? Maybe because I have a Master’s Degree in Divinity, have a broad understanding of a wide range of theologies and denominational viewpoints, and a Master’s in Sociology, with a long history of running fair and balanced discussions? Well, maybe because at Lifetime Learning Institute, when I taught comparative religions, at the end of the semester, I was given a standing ovation for finishing without a fist-fight or even a quarrel. Or maybe because I am a nut case with already too many things to do.

So, here is the deal. I will teach/facilitate discussion. But YOU must bring people. Next meeting: April 13th 4:00p. Please let me know you are coming, because I have 3 other places to be that day!

Disclaimer: this meeting is open to all, and is not necessarily related to any other JesusNameAustion initiative. You are welcomed to disagree: you will be encouraged to think; you will not be permitted to endanger anyone. Thanks y’all!

 

Bible Study Leadership Replication Sam Fife's Body of Christ Move of God

Paul’s Last Word to Leaders in Ephesus About how to be Good Leaders

Published by:

Today, we work through the story in Acts 20. These are Paul’s last words to the leaders in Ephesus, telling them how to be good leaders. Indeed, Ephesus was then, and remained, a very important congregation, not only in a large city, but also having very influential leadership.

This message was quickened to me. In my usual morning reading, I noticed what Paul had to say to the leaders at Ephesus. He was in a hurry, but took time to see them. He called them to travel to come to see him. (Remember, no cars back then.) He had something important to tell them. He would not see them again. So, what did he tell them? He told them how to be good leaders, pointing out his own example. Strong words and sweet.

Let’s go through them together.

Sam Fife's Body of Christ Move of God

You Can Ask… Well, Actually Not… Even Though Maybe you Should

Published by:

I heard a couple of factually wrong, if insignificant things from the pulpit. I thought that was pretty funny (because I assumed that everyone in the story was highly literate in Bible stories), so I mentioned those, rather than answer the question about whether I enjoyed the convention. It was a smug question based on a prideful assumption, of course, and I was dodging it, of course.  So, I brought up something quite amusing — I thought. Then, I was told, well I could ask about my confusion. WHAT?!?!?!? Wow! Now I was completely exasperated and still trying to “make nice.”

Seriously, how likely is it that I could, even if I had wanted to, ask about something preached in a sermon? Especially a mistake? Right. (All chuckle together.)

But wait, there was more. The sermon under question, actually was about not being able to discuss, argue, or even talk about it. Now, the speaker might deny it, but only uselessly, because while it did wander wide and long, and get tied up with a mention of the first point, I actually did hear it. I understood it.  Not just pretending.  I heard the offhand comment that “Jesus penned letters to the churches and sent them by angelic messengers.”  And I also heard and understood the main body and various points. You see, revelation is pnuemenal, we were told, and so really, we must always forget everything we knew, and…. follow along blindly, without questioning . We all know all this patter so well we are asleep, I know. Maybe this is why no one actually hears what is said?  This time, the innovation was to use the words phenomenal (meaning in the world of sense) and pnuemenal (in the world of spirit). Well, perhaps I was the one in the room who had been over this ground before, so let me let you in on it. Yes, spiritual experience is pnuemenal. And application is and always must be phenomenal.  But talking about revelation… well, in order to be communicated in human language (a phenomenal event)… then revelation must be communicated in propositional form. Truth is propositional. (Very big, discussion of this in seminaries and graduate schools for a very long time. This whole dodge of saying, well since experience is pnuemenal, then revelation is, and therefore you can’t argue with me… has been done before. No, if you are a human communicating to other humans, you have to talk language, and therefore you are constrained to be logical — assuming you want to communicate.  However, if you want to dodge things like questions (and heavens challenges! unthinkable!!!!), then you might just try the old big word trick and try to get beyond propositional truth. That was exactly what was going on.

So, no, I could not ask. That was the point of what was preached.

Even though, we should ask. Each of us is required to ask. The Bible says so. But all of us know and have known for decades that blind obedience to ever changing direction is exactly the only thing that will be tolerated.

So, maybe my sweet interlocutor just could not hear what was said, or didn’t understand it. And clearly the speaker could not see the clock, for at one point he peered, hard, to see what time it was. But, I don’t think there was any clock in that direction. Never mind about that agreement, or that gosh we would have like to have heard who was supposed to be next. But I heard, and I knew the point was : we were not permitted to ask, such an elite…. aaaaaa  right (not).

Now, all of this would just be funny…. except in context it shows the degradation and bankruptcy, if not the debauchery of what still flickers of The Move of God. Ten years ago, there were embers. Today, only the last flickers of those embers remain. There is still hope that their lieutenants who left long ago will come back. I even heard a mention that maybe someone “out there” would want to come to ask how something could be done. The hope is progress, no matter how ridiculously unlikely.

My aim is not to ridicule, not at all. My aim is to bring some Truth, some life; and therefore necessary repentance. Only because my love is great. My tears are real. I dearly wish the embers could be stirred, life could be brought back, and some salvage made. However, I worked for that ten years ago, maybe too quietly, but at every turn I saw poor decisions, poor choices. Choices for comfort, for power, and now… for nothing short of insanity.

While there is today, there is repentance. Please make better choices.

Current Events Feasts of Israel

Light of the World – Revelations from Hanukah

Published by:

Light of the world — the whole world.  Gentiles, women, and what it all means for today.

The story of the Macabeean revolt, the miracle of the oil in the “candlestick” in the holy place, freedom and continuation of civilization! Then Jesus proclaiming Himself the Light of the World. What it all means today: God meeting us in our dedication, fueling from Holy Spirit, and hope in dark times.

Rabbi Smith: What a non-Jew Can Do for Chanukah?

Controversial Issues

Statement on War in Israel

Published by:

Our hearts go out to those who have been ruthlessless, senseless, and illegally attacked. We are okay with the US doing what it can to prevent escalation. We do not want world war, and fear that either this is a trap or that in any case globalist controllist will use it as such.

Check out these wise words: https://mariomurillo.org/2023/10/15/what-israel-and-america-should-do/?mc_cid=dbab840186&mc_eid=493d12087e

Advice:

1. Don’t permit yourself to be sucked in by emotional rhetoric. Keep your wits about  you. Seek evidence for any claims. Don’t say and so stupid things. Don’t support those who lie and urge the doing of stupid things.

2. In your calculations, do not assume that everyone thinks like you do. Those in the Judeo-Christian tradition assume an default to truthtelling and altruism that others do not. Western civilization subscribes to the theory of Just War (including fighting only against milatary not civilians), but others may not.

3. Also, check out history. Robert Barnes (RobertBarnes.locals.com?  and Viva Frie on Rumble)  has had some good teaching on the history of the M$sl*m Brotherhood and other descendant groups, and how they have fought against rulers, autocrats, democracies and currently no one more than the democratic, pluralistic state of *sra3l. Stop listening to people who have fairly consistently lied to you in the past, and listen to other voices, particularly those who have a higher likelihood of being correct.

4. Ask if the claims that Americans are making even make sense, or if they are a contradiction in terms.

5.  Head on a swivel. The religious leader in Ir*an has asked for this J>h*d to be world-wide. Protect yourself and others.

(France and Denmark is burning and not Switzerland. Some states have had some violence, but the South and Western states not so much — even tho they have had demonstrations. THINK ABOUT IT.

While the US is not currently officialy at war.  However, General Flynn says we are in a state of war with China, because they are covertly attacking us.)

HIlter Sonship

The Churches’ Experience in Hitler’s Time : Losing or Finding Life

Published by:

This is the 3rd and last installment in our fullsome review of Erwin Lutzer’s Hitler’s Cross. In earlier episodes, we saw what Hitler’s intention way. He was being deception, pushing the church out of the picture. Most of the church cooperated. Some did not. They were called “The Confessing Church.” Many of those pastors couldn’t stay true once the Gestapo pressured them.

We talk about Neimoller and Bonhoeffer’s response. Neimoller went to the concentration camp, but was alive when the Allies liberated it. Bonhoeffer was executed weeks before Hitler died. What is so central about the Christian gospel that people would die for it?

Indeed, we are called to come and die. But those who lose their lives, find it. Those who saved it, lost it.

Let’s consider how this applies to us today. In similar situation.

No one more than those who aspire to being sons of God must think about this: both to avoid the fate of Hitler as well as to aspire to the fate of these saints who continued faithful to the confession of Jesus Christ.

https://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-Cross-Used-Promote-Agenda/dp/B0BQWX416F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11HQT4ZY69B04&keywords=hitler%27s+cross+erwin+lutzer&qid=1697326727&sprefix=lutzer+hitler%2Caps%2C270&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/When-Nation-Forgets-God-Lessons/dp/B09LRMW6DR/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2VGVZDKHZHTG1&keywords=lutzer&qid=1697326675&sprefix=lutzer%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-8

 

https://www.amazon.com/Bonhoeffer-Pastor-Martyr-Prophet-Spy/dp/B082DPN1KF/ref=sr_1_2?crid=31NGV79Y8K0O7&keywords=eric+metaxas&qid=1697326884&s=audible&sprefix=eric+met%2Caudible%2C137&sr=1-2

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-Cross-Used-Promote-Agenda/dp/B0BQWX416F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11HQT4ZY69B04&keywords=hitler%27s+cross+erwin+lutzer&qid=1697326727&sprefix=lutzer+hitler%2Caps%2C270&sr=8-1

 

Current Events

Hitler Takes Power, Lied to the Church, Diminished Freedoms

Published by:

Continuing in our review of Erwin Lutzer’s Hitler’s Cross, we cover how Hitler lied to the church, made deals promising religious freedom for political support, but private said he intended to completely shut down churches. The state could dedicate babies and make holidays! He appeared to be a Roman Catholic but was really practicing occultism. Most churchmen went along.

Here what Lutzer says, and a little by James Dobson and R. Rushdoony.

I think you will make many connections with what is going on today. Don’t be a church leader who makes similar mistakes.

History News

Hitler’s Cross 1

Published by:

I am reviewing Edward Lutzer’s book Hitler’s Cross. In this episode I simply establish what was going on in Germany and with Hitler as the Third Reich began.

I will let you pretty much draw your own conclusions. I think it is a shame we don’t study history. Indeed, in The Move, we didn’t have any political opinions according to Sam Fife. It offered some peace – at that time. Now, while I don’t think it is a great idea to perseverate on what the devil is doing, I think it helps discernment and intelligent action to know a little history — and made comparisons. Or contrasts. And not be sucked into being triggered. Enjoy.

Feasts of Israel

Passover Matters

Published by:

Whether you just want to learn more about the Passover pattern…

Whether you just want to know Jesus better…

Or if you want to know how the pattern is applying now,

This episode will do that for you. Passover is a pattern. Jesus fulfilled it. We are living in that pattern.

The gavel has come down. Decide now, quickly, if you want to be in Pharoah’s army, plunging into the Red Sea in order to catch and get their slaves back. Or, get in the house with the outline of the door in the blood of the lamb. There, the Lord protects you with his wings. Come.

Uncategorized

Interesting Conversation

Published by:

Two men who have serve the Lord and seen miracles discuss various forms of leadership in congregations.

When you have a toxic situation, is it because the structure or doctrine made the leader toxic or did the leader set up a toxic structure?

When you have some special status, some special revelation, is that itself a red flag of being off center, heretical.

Is there a clear system for organization in the New Testament? Did Jesus give us a clear vision statement? Do we need more?

Many questions to ponder.