SELLING OUT

Rick Warren says: "You Don't Have To See Eye To Eye To Walk Hand In Hand"

But that is not what God’s Word says:

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? Amos 3:3

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:13-15 KJV

With Rick Warren selling out to the Obama administration, and, yes, I mean selling out because it is, in the eyes of the World, his acceptance of the invitation for the prayer at the “coronation” is an endorsement of Obama who stands openly for abortion and the gay agenda as well. Warren’s failure to condemn Obama’s stand on abortion amounts to agreement.

I say this just as I stated it was true with TD Jakes who was present at the Saddleback meeting when Obama was asked about abortion, and he foolishly replied that it was above his pay grade. TD Jakes, a pastor of a predominately Black congregation in Dallas, Texas, sold out by not condemning Obama. Instead, he chose to “let it slide,” thus, giving the impression that he stood in agreement with Obama’s stand on abortion. TD Jakes endorsed ethnic genocide, yet, remains in high standing among the “Christian” community as well as the Black community across the nation.

In the news currently, one of the so-called leaders of the NAE seems to agree and now must step down, and I must add, none too soon. ( See article below)

When so-called Christian leaders fail to take a stand against the world, then what is the world to think about Christians.

Is it any wonder that Christians are laughed at and criticized as hypocrites, which in such cases as presented are evidently a true reflection?

Selling out for gain is certainly not what Jesus had in mind.

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Mark 8:36

If you are not outraged by the actions of these so-called leaders, then I suggest that something is wrong in your thinking.

If you think that one can straddle the fence on these issues, then understand what Jesus has to say about those who are lukewarm. In Revelation 3:15-16, He is very adamant about such and spoke so to the church at Laodicea.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

There is but one path that Christians can follow and that is the path of the teachings of Jesus. Jesus didn’t say that there are many paths to follow, but one and only one. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

How much clearer can the Word be, yet we have so-called leaders who do not adhere to what Jesus has said.

A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’
Malachi 1:5-7

Someday an answer must be given, not only by these leaders but by all. Where will you stand?

___________________

Evangelical leader resigns amid controversial comments

Jim Brown and Jody Brown - OneNewsNow - 12/12/2008 7:00:00 AM

The controversial Washington lobbyist for the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) has resigned after he created a stir by expressing support for homosexual civil unions.

Richard Cizik has resigned as vice president for governmental affairs for the NAE. In a statement to NAE board members, acting president Leith Anderson cited "a loss of trust in his [Cizik's] credibility as a spokesperson among leaders and constituencies."

On December 2, Cizik acknowledged -- during an interview on National Public Radio's Fresh Air -- that he voted for Barack Obama in the Virginia primary, and suggested that Christians should not be afraid to vote for candidates who support abortion and same-sex "marriage." He also admitted on that broadcast that he was "shifting" on the issue of marriage and that he supports homosexual civil unions.

In addition, Cizik has found himself at odds with most evangelicals on the issue of global warming, which he believes is a climate crisis created by human activity.

Mark Tooley with the Washington-based Institute on Religion & Democracy welcomes Cizik's departure from the NAE. "Cizik has been very outspoken and in some ways 'off the reservation' for the last five or six years in terms of his global warming activism, which the board of NAE had initially somewhat disavowed -- but that had not discouraged him," he notes.

"So it left the impression that the board and the president of NAE were somewhat passive and that Richard Cizik pretty much could say and do almost whatever he wanted to do in Washington. But clearly that was not the case -- at least this time."

Tooley says Cizik's support for same-sex civil unions appears to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

Reaction to Cizik's comments
In an interview before Cizik resigned, Tooley said he found it especially troubling that Cizik would consider the issue of same-sex marriage an evolving one for evangelicals, and in particular, younger evangelicals.

"The National Association of Evangelicals has official positions strongly supporting traditional marriage and opposing same-sex marriage, and certainly by implication same-sex civil unions," he pointed out. "So it seemed to be a very clear case where Cizik was ignoring the very obvious and official positions of his own organization, for which he is supposed to be the chief spokesman and lobbyist in Washington."

Tooley was not alone in his criticism. Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, considered Cizik's views to be "not anywhere close to biblical orthodoxy, traditional Christian theology, nor the bulk of Evangelicals who ground their faith in the Bible." She suggested that may be why the NAE vice president shared them on a forum to which most of his supposed "constituents" do not listen.

At least one Christian radio commentator delivered some biting criticism of Cizik in the wake of his remarks, suggesting that the NAE officer's comments are one of the reasons for the moral decay in America. "The moral anarchy in America worsens daily largely do the refusal of evangelical Christians to stand for biblical truth in all areas of life," said Ingrid Schlueter, co-host of Crosstalk America. "Those who are at war with God, the author of life, should be publicly confronted by evangelical Christians. Instead, they are aided and abetted in their evil by craven leaders like Cizik."

Earlier this week, The Christian Post published an interview with NAE acting president Leith Anderson, who suggested that listeners were confused by Cizik's words. His vice president's comments, Anderson admitted, "did not appropriately reflect the positions of the [NAE] and its constituents. Our...stand on marriage, abortion, and other biblical values is long, clear, and unchanged."

(Perhaps if Anderson is confused by very direct statements made by Cizik then he should step aside as well. )

TIME magazine had named Cizik one of its top 100 most influential people in the world for 2008.

ADDENDUM on Rick Warren:

I was scrolling the Yahoo web and ran across this article by Mellisa Etheridge in which she tells about her conversation with Rick Warren. If there was ever a question about this man "selling out", compromising his beliefs for the sake of a few moments of fame in the national spotlight on inauguration day this will certain cause one to put all doubt aside. Rick Warren has bowed to the "golden idol " of secular progressivism . Here is what Ethridge had to say about that conversation: "I told my manager to reach out to Pastor Warren and say "In the spirit of unity I would like to talk to him." They gave him my phone number. On the day of the conference I received a call from Pastor Rick, and before I could say anything, he told me what a fan he was. He had most of my albums from the very first one. What? This didn't sound like a gay hater, much less a preacher. He explained in very thoughtful words that as a Christian he believed in equal rights for everyone. He believed every loving relationship should have equal protection. He struggled with proposition 8 because he didn't want to see marriage redefined as anything other than between a man and a woman. He said he regretted his choice of words in his video message to his congregation about proposition 8 when he mentioned pedophiles and those who commit incest. He said that in no way, is that how he thought about gays. He invited me to his church, I invited him to my home to meet my wife and kids. He told me of his wife's struggle with breast cancer just a year before mine....."

A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

A lot of folks would like to hear your answer Rick!

A Christmas Message

I am "borrowing" the content for this Blog. I have actually used this passage of scripture as a Christmas message in years gone by. My Pastor and I seem to run on the same track about some things so he will not mind my "borrowing" his words for this season's message. I hope that each of you will take away the true meaning of this message and realize that this is indeed what the Father did when He sent His Son to this world. The question , as in the message, is how will you decide to treat the Son?

To each and everyone of you my family and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

Mark 12:1-8 (NIV)
He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. ² At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ³ But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. ⁵ He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. ⁶ “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ⁷ “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

As I was reading this passage thinking of Jesus coming into his Father’s vineyard 2000 years ago on that first Christmas, one phrase jumped off the page at me. It was the father’s statement – surely, if I send my son, “They will respect my son.”

It made me think of our celebration of Christmas in this country. You see what’s going on. Political correctness has taken over and, just like in the parable, we don’t respect the Son.

My pastoral prayer( and mine) for you this Christmas season is that you and I would be different than the other tenants. Not only would we respect the Son, we’d welcome him.

God bless you this week,

Pastor Jim

And I add my blessing to that for each of you. Again I thank each and everyone of you who have supported me and my family with your prayers. I am progressing well and growing stronger each day.