WEEKLY CHURCH NEWS NOTES

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

*
WEEKLY CHURCH NEWS NOTES*

May 9, 2009

By: David Cloud FBIS

The Weekly Church News Notes is designed for use in churches

WHY ARE THE FOOLISH IN CHARGE OF AMERICA?

Conservative web journalists and radio talk show hosts are beside
themselves at the stupidity of the Obama administration, and rightly so.
We, too, bewail the squander of America’s wealth, the weakening of her
military, the traitorous, despicable mishandling of the CIA, the
celebration of moral wickedness, the encroachment of constitutional
liberties, the blind commitment to environmental myths, and so much
more. While Bush conducted a war on terrorism (though he didn’t really
take off the gloves), Obama appears to be conducting a war on the war on
terrorism. All of these things, though, are mere symptoms of a deeper
problem, one that very few of the conservative pundits understand.
America’s root problem is the apostasy and compromise of her churches.
The problem is not in the White House; it is in God’s house. America is
not a Christian nation, but America was founded largely by church-going,
God-fearing people and the majority of her citizens are still professing
Christians. The root of America’s woes is spiritual. The people don’t
fear God because the churches don’t preach the fear of God. For that
reason the issue can’t be solved by political action and moralistic
crusades and Republican or Libertarian rants. I am thankful for the
watchdog role of the conservative media and for the fact that there is a
viable alternative media today, but the best thing Bible-believing
Christians can do to help America is to seek God’s face and purify our
individual lives and congregations and keep our focus on Christ’s Great
Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). A man that has not submitted himself to
the gospel of Jesus Christ but who follows false religion such as
Catholicism (Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Laura Ingraham, Michael
Reagan), Judaism (Michael Medved, Mark Levin, and Dennis Prager), and
Mormonism (Glenn Beck), or who believes the Bible contains myths and
denies Christ’s blood atonement (Rush Limbaugh and Neal Boortz) does not
have the spiritual wisdom necessary to understand the times, and Bible
believers would be wise not to drink deeply of such wells. “Woe unto the
wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be
given him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women
rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and
destroy the way of thy paths” (Isaiah 3:11-12). If the biblical churches
in America would take this matter seriously and call for some special
prayer meetings, for fasting and earnest prayer, falling on their faces
and confessing their sins, God would probably hear and turn back the
tide of wickedness and give us more years. Instead, though, for the most
part it is business as usual, and if anything at all is being done it is
a misguided attempt to address the situation according to the flesh
rather than the spirit, by politics and rantings and anger and fear and
frustration and worldly demonstrations and unscriptural associations.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

THE U.S. SENATE’S MOST DANGEROUS PROGRAM

The Democrat majority in the U.S. Congress aims to pass a federal “hate
crimes” law that will give special protection to homosexuals and “leave
Christian ministers and pastors open to prosecution should their
teachings be linked to any subsequent offense, by anyone, against a
“gay” (“House Agrees to Muzzle Pastors,” WorldNetDaily, April 30, 2009).
On April 30, the House of Representatives approved hate crimes
legislation by a vote of 249-175. The bill adds “sexual orientation” and
“gender identity” to the current classes protected from hate crimes.
Such laws have brought persecution wherever they have been enacted,
including Canada, Australia, and Sweden. The House Republicans were
unable to hold back the hate crimes tidal wave, though some of them
tried. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said H.R. 1913 will create “thought
crimes.” Trent Franks, R-Ariz., said it will end equality in the United
States, and Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, said it will divide America into
groups of more favored versus less. Gohmert cited USC Title 18, Section
2a, the foundation of the legislation, which says anyone who through
speech “induces” commission of a violent hate crime “will be tried as a
principal” alongside the active offender. The legislation now goes to
the Senate, where it is being pushed by Sens. Edward Kennedy and Patrick
Leahy. President Bush vowed to veto the bill had it passed under his
watch, but Obama will doubtless sign it. He has urged Congress to act
“this important civil rights issue.” This is a serious matter, and God’s
people need to be in earnest prayer. The House rejected an amendment
that pedophilia was not covered in the bill, so who knows what moral
perversion will gain special protection under this wicked law. Once
homosexuality is protected by law, the biblical concept of morality is
finished as a legal force in the land and there is nothing left but the
fearful judgment of Almighty God. “I exhort therefore, that, first of
all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be
made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we
may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1
Timothy 2:1-2).

BRITISH AIRLINE REMOVES ISRAEL FROM MAP

The British Airline BMI removed Israel from the electronic map displayed
to passengers in some of its planes on route to Middle Eastern countries
(IsraelNationalNews.com, April 30, 2009). The objective was to avoid
offending Muslim passengers. The same maps showed the direction of
Mecca. After being confronted with the issue, the airline claimed that
it was the result of a “logistical problem” and the maps in question
were removed.

ROME PUTS MARY ON THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

A monstrance* created for the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Chicago
depicts Mary on top of the Ark of the Covenant. Her hands are
outstretched and two angels are kneeling before her. The monstrance,
called “Our Lady of the Shrine, Ark of Mercy,” was dedicated on May 31,
2008 (Catholic News Service, June 10, 2008). This is pure blasphemy. The
Ark of the Covenant was located in the Holy of Holies in the Old
Testament Tabernacle and was the place where God’s presence dwelt
(Exodus 25:22). Angels do not worship creatures (Acts 14:11-15; Rev.
19:10). (* In the Catholic mass, the consecrated wafer, which is said to
be the very body and blood of Jesus, is placed in a monstrance and
lifted up to be worshipped by the people. This is called “Eucharistic
adoration.”) This monstrance depicts Rome’s dogma that Mary is the
co-redemptress with Christ and that she intercedes for men from heaven
and aids in their salvation. Note the following quotations from the
Second Vatican Council: “As St. Irenaeus says, she being obedient,
became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.
Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert with him in their
preaching ... ‘death through Eve, LIFE THROUGH MARY.’ This UNION OF THE
MOTHER WITH THE SON IN THE WORK OF SALVATION is made manifest from the
time of Christ’s virginal conception up to his death” (Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, chap. 8, II, 56, pp. 380-381). “Taken up to
heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but BY HER MANIFOLD
INTERCESSION CONTINUES TO BRING US THE GIFTS OF ETERNAL SALVATION. ...
Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles
of ADVOCATE, HELPER, BENEFACTRESS, and MEDIATRIX” (Dogmatic Constitution
on the Church, chap. 8, II, 62, pp. 382-383).

ENTITLED TO A PRESIDENT

The socialistic entitlement mentality that has been fed by corrupt
politicians has spread beyond the supposed right to such things as food,
housing, education, and medicine. Now some think they are entitled to
the president of their choice regardless of the outcome of an election.
In an interview with Etihad Airlines’ in-flight magazine, pop singer
Alicia Keys said that the night of the November election: “I just sat
back and took it all in. I was bracing myself for the fact that it
wouldn’t happen and that there would have been a revolt. So I was glad I
didn’t have to revolt and now we’re good” (Etihadinflight, January
2009). She expected a revolt if Barack Obama had not been elected. The
United States is becoming a nation under mob rule.

WHAT ROBOTS TEACH US ABOUT LIFE

The field of robotics is making great strides, and some claim that
robots are “getting smarter, more capable, more like flesh-and-flood
people” (Robert Boyd, “Robots Are Narrowing the Gap with Humans,” Taiwan
News, April 26, 2009). In a talk in 2008 entitled “Crossing the Chasm
between Humans and Machines,” Justin Rattner, chief technology officer
for Intel, said that it is conceivable that “machines could even
overtake humans in their ability to reason in the no-so-distant future.”
Rodney Brooks, a robot designer at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, says, “One day we will create a human-level artificial
intelligence.” Futurist Ray Kurzweil claims that robots will match human
intelligence by 2029. All of this is nonsense. What does robotics
actually teach us? First, it teaches that evolution is fantasy. Design
requires an intelligent designer. Not even the tiniest aspect of
robotics has evolved. Every advance has been carefully planned and
carried out by a superior intelligence. Second, it teaches us that human
beings are bewilderingly complex. Not only can Artificial Intelligence
(AI) researchers not imitate the complexity of man’s brain, they cannot
even begin to imitate the complexity of the brain of a creature as lowly
as the fruit fly. Third, it teaches us that man is more than a powerful
computer. Man can intelligently process facts, but he is much more than
a mega computation machine. He has self-awareness, a conscience, a will,
a heart, imagination. He is inventive. He is a living creature that can
reproduce. If great intelligence is required to create a machine that
can imitate some aspects of man’s processing ability, how much greater
intelligence is required to create man himself! The Bible does not try
to prove the existence of God for the very reason that the creation
itself proves God’s existence and man’s conscience answers to it, unless
perverted by sin. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of
the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without
excuse” (Romans 1:20). “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no
God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none
that doeth good.” (Psalms 14:1).

AMERICA IS NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION, BUT IT WAS ONCE A
BIBLICALLY-INFLUENCED NATION

The following is excerpted from “America Has Never Been a Christian
Nation” by Reb Bradley, WorldNetDaily, April 17, 2009: “The New
Testament Scriptures clearly delineate a church’s governmental framework
and establish its standards, programs, practices and elements of its
liturgy. However, there is no biblical precedent for a Christian nation.
Israel, of course, was a nation conceived by God, and whose foundations
were laid out in the Bible, but all other nations--including
America--are of manmade origin. ... America was founded by Christians,
deists and others who embraced virtue and biblical morality, and who
understood the importance of humility before the Creator. Hence, early
documents such as the Declaration of Independence made so many
references to God and His Providence. That is why so many of our laws
and governmental practices were originally adapted from biblical
precepts and standards. Without a doubt America was founded on biblical
principles, but lacking a New Testament mandate, and given its manmade
origin, the nation our founders created can never be called ‘Christian.’
... It is important to note that although our nation was not originally
a ‘Christian’ nation, our Founding Fathers understood the wisdom of
Christian morality and the necessity of acknowledging God's supreme
authority. They communicated in their writings that if our nation, with
its unique vision for self-government and personal liberty, were to
persevere in greatness, its individual citizens would need to embrace
the morality and Christian worldview upon which it was founded. Benjamin
Franklin said, ‘Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As
nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.’ ...
John Adams said, ‘Our constitution was made only for a moral and
religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any
other.’ ... the founders built our nation upon Christian principles and
ethics, and warned that America would morally disintegrate if it forsook
its ‘religious’ roots.”

THE BLESSED MAN

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he
meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf
also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalms
1:1-3).

CONCLUSION: The Weekly Church News Notes is designed for use in
churches. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this
obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will
not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch.
12:32; Mat. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as
doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need
to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again?
Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is
high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than
when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us
therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour
of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and
drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and
envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for
the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:11-14).