Podcast: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

In this episode, I read the famous Jonathan Edwards sermon.

Giving Denominations the Benefit of the Doubt

A lot of times I've spoken with people who say that they don't like associating themselves with denominations or giving themselves denominational titles. They either prefer to call themselves simply "Christians" or even "Bible-believing Christians." While this may not be necessarily wrong, and while no one's a heretic or going to hell for doing so, I think there is much to be said about associating yourself with a denomination. Let me present a few reasons why I believe this:

Firstly, denominations can be helpful in identifying and understanding our presuppositions right off the bat. When someone tells me they're a member of the Presbyterian Church of America, I immediately have a better understanding of what they believe on a variety of topics. If someone tells me they're a Wesleyan Arminian, I automatically know what possible differences we might have. When I tell someone I'm a Reformed Baptist Christian, it is not because I care about the two adjectives over and against the noun, but because they will know what I believe and what I uphold to be truth. It permits us to neatly categorize where we are and where we stand. This is the great danger of postmodernism and its related teachings, because it breaks down those dividing lines and tells us that everything can mean anything.

Secondly, even if we call ourselves "nondenominational" or "just a Christian," at some point this breaks down. To any person who likes to call themselves just a "Bible believing Christian," ask yourself this: do you believe in paedobaptism, or credobaptism? If you deny one, you isolate yourself from those who affirm the other. Do you believe in predestination? If you do, then you isolate yourself from those who deny it. Do you believe in a church hierarchy with bishops and priests? Then you isolate yourself from those with a different ecclesiology. Even if you want to avoid identification with a specific denomination, when push comes to shove or you are forced to analyze what you believe the Bible teaches, you will either unintentionally align yourself with a denomination, or you will make yourself a denomination all by yourself. This is why many so-called "nondenominational" churches, in and of themselves, become much more denominational than most denominations.

Thirdly, this seems to come from the assumption that distinctions automatically cause great divisions. By this I mean that, when we distinguish ourselves from one another, we are not automatically placing ourselves as "better" or "more godly" than another person - we are merely identifying what we believe and what we uphold as truth. Let me give these examples: if I am with an African American friend, and I give the distinction that he is a black male and I am a white male, I am in no way saying that he or I are better than the other; if I am with a British friend and I make the distinction that he is British and I am American, I am in no way automatically suggesting he is better than I am, or vice versa. In a similar fashion, if I make the distinction I am a Reformed Baptist, over and against being Lutheran, Presbyterian, or any other church, I am not declaring that I have all the secrets of the universe. We can have unity without cult-like uniformity.

Podcast: Design of Providence

Here is the latest podcast, where I go through 2 Kings 18-19 and speak on God's providence and His sovereignty in all things.

Benny Hinn: Street Fighter Style

And now for something completely different...

Podcast: Is IHOP-KC a Cult?

The following is my latest podcast, asking the important question: is the International House of Prayer a cult? I've been hesitant to give any definite answer in the past, but here I finally come to a definite conclusion.


This link provides an example of how IHOP-KC is defended by some of its members.

This link provides a testimony about someone's time on IHOP-KC's intern staff.

This link provides a testimony of someone who became involved in the house of prayer movement.

This link has the post with Mari's response in the comments page (mentioned in the podcast).

This link has the post featuring my open email to Mike Bickle and IHOP-KC.

Some Thoughts on Tweeting

One of the things I dislike is when I click on a tweet by someone I follow, and I see a slew of responses made by people who are mainly taking pot shots at the individual. Most of them seem to serve very little purpose other than to make the poster feel good, or make them feel as if they've done something useful, and many of them are either just empty insults or contentions made ad nauseum. It can be a bit aggravating and tiresome to see, not because of what they say but because of the repetitive, empty nature of it.

Then again, I see people doing this to the Twitter accounts of heretics and false teachers as well. There are times when even that can be aggravating or tiresome to see.

Now, if previous posts are any inclination, I've made responses to the Twitter accounts of heretics or false teachers myself. What I try to do (as consistently as I can), however, is to pick and choose my battles. I try to make a response when I see something that can have a valid contention made to it. If Joel Osteen's Twitter account makes a post saying God wants you to have a good day today, I choose not to write a response because, really, it's just not worth it. On the other hand, if someone makes a poor application of scripture that is provably erroneous, I might make a post asking them to clarify their position, or pointing out the error. That's the other point I want to make: I try, as best I can, to make a post that would hopefully spur conversation, not just make a pot shot at the person in a tweet that amounts to "You suck." Most of the time I don't get responses from them, but sometimes I will get followers responding and attempting to give answers, which I have found to be useful in the long run.

It's also beneficial because, if you make valid contentions or ask a question that raises a valid point, and the other person ignores you, then you have good reason to wonder why they're doing so. On the other hand, if you keep responding a gazillion times with what amounts to "NO U WRONG BRO!", don't be surprised if you never get a response. Don't be surprised if you get blocked, either. Heck, I'd probably block you if you did that to me.

Yes I know, I can't control what other people do on the internet - but folks, let's try to pick our battles. Spamming four thousand messages on Joyce Meyer's account isn't going to make her repent of her ways (I highly doubt many of these accounts are even directly handled by said individual, any way). I'm not saying you shouldn't stand up for the truth, nor am I saying you shouldn't call out false teachers for their lies and blasphemy...but as I said before, let's pick and choose our battles. Let's not turn ourselves into stumbling blocks for others. And let's not be annoying - the internet has enough of those kinds of people already.

Podcast: Two Sermonettes

In this episode of the podcast, I simply share two "sermonettes" I had done for a local church I attended in Kansas City, MO. One covers the Wise Thief on the cross, while the other covers the temptations of Christ in the wilderness.

Prayers for the Dead

Is there a Biblical teaching in praying for the dead? I recently discovered that three passages are cited in some Roman Catholic circles as irrefutable evidence of this: the raising of the widow's son by Elijah; the raising of Lazarus by Jesus Christ; the raising of Tabitha by Peter. Before we begin, however, let's review the Roman Catholic teaching regarding prayers for the dead, starting with a passage from the Catechism (specifically pertaining to the subject of Purgatory):

From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead. [Roman Catholic Catechism, 1032; source]

And from the Catholic Answers website, regarding prayer:

As the prayers themselves witness, the Church teaches us that we should pray not only directly to God, but also to those who are close to God, those who have the power to intercede upon our behalf. Indeed, we pray to the angels to help and watch over us; we pray to the saints in heaven to ask their intercession and assistance; we pray to the Blessed Mother to enlist her aid, to ask her to beg her Son to hear our prayers. Further, we pray not only on our own behalf, but also on the behalf of those souls in purgatory and of those brothers on earth who are in need. Prayer unites us to God; in doing so, we are united to the other members of the Mystical Body. [source]

We will first grant that most people, even Protestants or general non-Roman Catholics, pray for the dead in one way or another: we might pray that family members who died repented and put their faith in Christ before passing on; we might pray that we will see departed loved ones in paradise. The Roman Catholic belief, however, goes far beyond this: prayers for the dead are offered, along with other acts, in the hopes of freeing them from purgatory and giving them penance - that is, paying for the legal demands of the sins they committed. Traditionally, the most passage turned to for this doctrine is from the apocryphal 2 Maccabees 12:46 (although Eastern Orthodox interpret that as simply memorial prayers for the dead, sans justification) - however it would appear many today believe the three previously cited stories likewise teach this doctrine.

Now, let's begin our review of the biblical stories cited, first with the raising of the widow's son by Elijah:

After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life come into him again.” And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. [1 Kings 17:17-22]

Let's ask a few quick questions:

1. Did Elijah's prayers offer penance for the sins of the deceased boy?
2. Were Elijah's prayers in any way made in intercession for the justified status of the deceased boy?

The answer to all these questions is: NO. Elijah's prayers were specifically for the raising of the boy from death onto life. It did not deal with his justification.

Now let's review the raising of Lazarus...but I think it's vital we review what Jesus said when news first came that Lazarus was ill.

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” [John 11:5-15]

Note two things:

1. Christ purposefully waits a while, as if willingly permitting Lazarus to die.
2. This waiting and permitting Lazarus to die was not empty, but for a purpose: so that the disciples may believe.

Already we see that something bigger is unfolding here. Christ is doing something meaningful with the raising of Lazarus.

Now let's review what happens when Christ gets to the tomb, after Lazarus has been dead many days.

So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” [John 11:20-27]

This exchange shows the bigger significance of Lazarus' raising. Firstly, Christ is affirming his messianic status. Secondly, Christ is connecting himself to the resurrection. That is, Christ is not outside of the resurrection and the life, but he, himself, is the resurrection and the life. On top of this, Christ presents to Martha the important knowledge that whoever believes in Christ shall live, even after death. Faith in Christ leads, even in this present time (for Christ states "everyone who lives and believes"), to eternal life. The whole point of the raising of Lazarus, therefore, was to demonstrate that Christ is the source of resurrection and life, and that belief in him will lead to eternal life even after death. Lazarus's death and raising was a precursor for the death and resurrection of all those who believe.

Now let's get to the final part, where Lazarus is raised.

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” [John 11:38-44]

Again, as with Elijah, let's ask a few questions:

1. Was Christ praying? No - he wasn't praying, he was ordering. The Greek word for "come" (δεῦρο) is in the imperative - in other words, it's a command. Last I checked, you didn't make commands in prayer.
2. Were Christ's words offering penance for Lazarus' sins? No, they weren't. They were commanding Lazarus to come out, so that Christ may prove to the people there that he was indeed the resurrection and the life, and they would believe.
3. Were Christ's words in any way made in intercession for the justified status of Lazarus? No, they weren't. See the previous point.

Therefore, the passage here is completely unrelated to the Roman Catholic doctrine concerning prayers for the dead. Quite frankly, taking a passage about the power of Christ and the role of God the Son in our resurrection and making it about something that can happen through us is a bit disrespectful towards God.

Now, finally, let's examine the raising of Tabitha:

Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner. [Acts 9:36-43]

Let's ask some questions similar to the ones we've asked before:

1. Was Peter offering a prayer for Tabitha? No - similar to Christ, he was not giving a prayer, but an order. The word Paul uses (ἀνάστηθι) is in the imperative form - again, signifying clearly that it was a command demanding compliance.
2. Were Peter's words done for penance or to pay for the sins of Tabitha? No, not at all. They were an order for her to rise up.
3. Were Peter's words done for intercession for Tabitha while she lay in Purgatory? Again, not at all.

Before we conclude this post, it will be granted that many Roman Catholics admit these passages do not specifically teach the Roman Catholic doctrine pertaining to prayers for the dead, but nonetheless do present some form of prayers for the dead. This is, however, a fine example of straining gnats. As we demonstrated, at least two of these passages do not show prayers for the dead, but rather orders to the dead. The one passage which does contain some form of prayer for a dead person simply involved praying for their raising, and can hardly be used to justify a doctrine which attaches justification with prayer and penance. This latter point is especially important: we should be wary if someone, presenting an argument from a collection of scriptural passages, shows no sign that one could logically come to a doctrinal conclusion from said passages. The justification of the dead through prayers and penance could never be read from these passages, unless one chose first to read it into them. This, however, is eisegesis, not exegesis.

In short, none of these passages demonstrate the Roman Catholic doctrine pertaining to prayers for the dead. We should be very careful when any one (be it a Roman Catholic, Protestant, or otherwise) comes to us and attempts to read a large, well defined doctrine into a verse which, if graded on a scale of one to ten in regards to clarity, would barely surface a three. If it is not clearly found within the verses cited, then the verses are not speaking on the subject.

Re: Worship That Shakes the World

Recently, Misty Edwards, the International House of Prayer's worship leader, wrote an article for Charisma Magazine on the subject of prayer and music in worship. The full article can be found here. When I read it, I felt compelled to write a response, not so much because of what was said, but because of what wasn't said. That is, Misty Edwards would touch on the subject of prayer and worship music, but not clarify what she meant by it, or what she really meant by it. We need to understand a person's theology not by what we want them to mean, but by how they themselves define what they mean. Someone reading the article might assume from it that IHOP-KC was a theologically sound place, or might think that their beliefs regarding prayer and worship are like any other Christian group. As we go through the article, however, we'll see that's not the case.

Worship and prayer are inseparable. Through worship, we agree with who God is, and through prayer, we agree with what He promised to do. I don’t believe worship can be disconnected from prayer at all. The only thing that makes “worship music” worship is that we’re talking to God; otherwise, it’s just music.

Prayer is a dialogue with the Invisible, and there are many expressions of this conversation. Sometimes it is a contemplative meditation on Scripture. Other times it’s a heartfelt plea for help, a cry for justice or a lament of repentance. Prayer also includes a declaration of who God is and gratitude for what He’s done and will do, as well as a prophetic declaration of what He’s saying today. Intercession, worship, praise and the prophetic are all one seamless flow involved in this holy conversation that we call prayer. When we combine these elements with music, there is a dynamic impact on our hearts—individually and corporately—that affects society at large.

To those unfamiliar with IHOP-KC and its theology, this might all sound well and good. However, just as a Mormon means much more than an orthodox Christian when he says he believes God is the "God of this world," so too does Misty Edwards mean a bit more here. In fact, she fails to mention a couple of things here.

One thing she fails to mention here is what she means by "contemplative meditation on Scripture." While I agree that it's good to meditate over Scripture (that is, ponder what a verse means, study it in depth, etc.), she means something entirely different by it. At IHOP-KC, they teach what amounts to the Roman Catholic doctrine of Lectio Divina, which teaches "praying God's word" in order to receive feedback or a deeper "communion" with God. They likewise teach the monastic (and also pagan) teaching of contemplative prayer, where you attempt to discover the deeper secrets of God by meditating (in a pagan sense) over a verse (I talk about this somewhat here and here).

Another thing she fails to mention is exactly what she, and IHOP-KC, believes prayer can do. That is, they believe that through our prayer we in essence give God permission to act on earth, similar to the beliefs of Word of Faith teacher Myles Munroe; God cannot release great conversions or miracles or powers until we pray for Him to. To quote from Mike Bickle's book Seven Commitments of a Forerunner:

Speaking forth the Word of God back to God is the catalyst for releasing His power. The Father has chosen to govern the earth in partnership with His people through intercession. [pg. 35; Forerunner]

And again:

Today, God requires our intercession to release the fullness of His power and justice on earth. As we speak, or pray, God’s will back to God, the Spirit releases it on the earth. If we do not speak out God’s Word, then the power of the Spirit will not be released in the same measure. God requires holy, persevering, believing prayer to release the fullness of what is in His heart. The fullness of God’s justice will only be released in the context of night and day intercession. [pg. 36; Forerunner]

Another thing she fails to mention is what she means by prayer being "a declaration of who God is and gratitude for what He’s done and will do, as well as a prophetic declaration of what He’s saying today." IHOP-KC believes that through prayer, we actually receive personal revelation of God's intentions for today, especially for the end times. This leads into the rather Gnostic belief held at IHOP-KC that those who engage in heavy prayer (especially if they join the Forerunner movement or something like it) will receive from God "deep secrets of His heart."

Prayer is much more than a spiritual discipline to be performed, or the means by which we find our way out of difficult circumstances...Rather, it is the place of encounter with God where our spirit is energized as we grow in love with Him...As we dialogue with Him in prayer, He reveals glimpses of His personality, giving us revelation of His thoughts and feelings toward us. This is a necessary foundation for all who wish to grow in intimacy with God. [pg. 30-31; Forerunner]

Again, there's far more under the surface here than we may realize.

Often we use these two words—worship and prayer—to mean singing and speaking our conversation with God. I believe there’s a powerful connection between spoken prayers and those that are sung. In Revelation, we see both spoken word and song offered continuously around the throne. We see a harp, signifying music (Rev. 5:8), and a bowl full of the intercession of the saints (vv. 8-9). And we know that if this is the way it is in heaven, it’s also a model for how it ought to be on earth.

Today we see prayer meetings springing up around the world where the intercessors are being carried and sustained by enjoyable prayer (Is. 56:7). One way such prayer becomes enjoyable is through the combination of spoken prayer with prophetic, inspirational music and singing.

It is common for those at IHOP-KC to take the vision in Revelation 5:8 as a literal representation of what it is like in heaven, and while I don't deny that it's probably close, I would likewise ask if they believe there is also a bloodied lamb with seven horns and seven eyes walking around heaven (Rev 5:6).

Also note that she says the bowl in verses 8-9 are the "intercession of the saints" and that it is "full." This is because at IHOP-KC (according to the end-times beliefs of Mike Bickle) they believe the first seal will not be broken until the bowl is full of the intercession of the houses of prayer (a clear teaching that is not clearly taught in the text). To put it another way, God's automobile of judgment needs gas, and praying fuels it up, hence one reason those in this movement are so adamant about prayer. They in essence believe that they are praying Jesus back.

In fact, the forerunner movement gets a silent nod at the end of this section, when Misty Edwards talks of "prayer meetings springing up around the world where the intercessors are being carried and sustained by enjoyable prayers." I talk more about the forerunner movement here, but suffice to say IHOP-KC believes that these prayer meetings (more accurately prayer cultures, as Lou Engle calls them) are being raised by God to bring about His end times plans. In fact, God personally spoke to Mike Bickle and personally told him to help start this movement. Almost everything at IHOP-KC is grounded on personal revelation...one of the traits, by the way, of a cult.

Music originated from God. The human spirit is musical because we are created in His image. There is something mysterious yet simple about song and the connection it has to our emotions, our memory and our ability to focus mind, body, soul and spirit. It is a beautiful gift God has given each of us.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a singer or a musician, you are musical. Paul said that he sang spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). I doubt he was a worship leader, but he was a man of prayer, and he sang in the spirit to God (1 Cor. 14:15).

Note how she says that music has the ability to help us "focus mind, body, soul and spirit." If you listen to the music at IHOP-KC, especially at their special events, one thing you'll notice quickly is that they tend to repeat words a lot and use music in a rather hypnotic way. This is something done in New Age music and some pagan rites, and is simply a manipulative use of music done to help the people get into a kind of spiritual high. Somehow, I don't think this was what Paul was talking about. If you read all of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, you'll find that when he spoke of "spiritual songs", he was talking about "psalms and hymns". Psalms and hymns don't do what the music at IHOP-KC does.

In our individual lives, singing our prayers is beneficial in many ways. One way is by giving us the ability to focus at a greater level. When we sing Scripture to God, it has a way of leading us into meditation, due to the repetitive nature of song. It also writes the truth on our hearts in a way the spoken word does not.

For example, if I said, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star,” you would immediately remember the song and likely be able to sing it word for word. But if I said “Ephesians 1:17,” many of us would not know that prayer at all. However, if we put this prayer of the apostle Paul to music, even children would remember it. Add in the spontaneity and development of Scripture a teacher would bring to such a text—yet do it through song—and you would not only remember the text, but you would also understand it.

Note that here, in a way, Misty Edwards confirms what I said before: we can "focus at a greater level" and hence lead us "into meditation, due to the repetitive nature of song." IHOP-KC has their musicians repeat the same lyric over and over and over again so that the listeners can get into a kind of meditative state -however, this form of meditation belongs more in monasteries and false religions than it does in Christianity.

In regards to the second section, while I agree that putting scripture to music (as many hymn writers did) can assist even children in remembering the verse. There's nothing wrong with that. However, I've rarely seen it happen at IHOP-KC in such a way that one would "understand it." Usually what might happen at IHOP-KC is someone would take Ephesians 1:17, repeat it a few times, then focus in on one thing and say something like "Give us the wisdom and revelation!", and repeat that over and over again. One time, while I was personally visiting the prayer room, I was listening to the music and realized that they had taken a well known hymn (I forget which one) and just repeating the first verse over and over and over again. That's hardly edifying to anyone.

As I've said before, it seems like those at IHOP-KC's prayer team believe that Christ said "do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words", they believed it was a friendly suggestion.

In our corporate life, singing prayers has a dynamic impact too. Through song, we are able to become one voice and one heart as we sing the same thing to the same Man at the same time. Through song, we can also feel the same thing at the same time while either declaring the truth or interceding for a breakthrough. 

Again, do you see the subtle hint at IHOP-KC doctrine here? When she says "interceding for a breakthrough," she means praying to God to grant Him the ability to perform something.

Song is a powerful tool to unify the body of Christ. Whenever you have the combination of spoken prayer and singing, an entire room or a whole stadium of people can come into agreement with what is being prayed through simple songs that make us one voice. I believe this unified intercession and worship is one thing that changes the spiritual atmosphere of a city or a region. 

Once again, a subtle reference to IHOP-KC's doctrine. When she says "unified intercession and worship" can change "the spiritual atmosphere of a city or a region",  she's saying that when we pray, we release "spiritual energy" (as Lou Engle called it) into the atmosphere, to combat demonic forces. If you listen to Lou Engle talk about the house of prayer movement, you'll hear him talk about Christian houses of prayer are literally in direct spiritual warfare with non-Christian houses of prayer, because according to this doctrine mosques and synagogues and other non-Christian places of worship are blasting energy into the atmosphere. The house of prayer movement believes that when we pray, we combat that spiritual energy, and hence break it away and help bring revival to a city.

You don’t have to add music to the conversation—prayer—you’re holding with God, but music combined with prayer opens our hearts, writes truth on our minds, changes the atmosphere and facilitates sustainable, enjoyable corporate prayer that leads to a unified heart with one another and with God.

As I said earlier, all this sounds good, and perhaps if it was someone else writing this, I would give a hearty "Amen!" But we need to realize something: theology matters.

Podcast: From Darkness to Light

Here is the link to my latest podcast, where we get to hear the testimony for Steven from Long for Truth.

The Most Important Thing a Christian Should Know

Imagine in your head that it's World War II, and the Normandy beachhead is about to be invaded. A plane carrying elements of the 82nd Airborne is flying over the drop zones, and the soldiers are preparing to leap out. Then, two soldiers engage in a conversation.

"Do you think your chute will open?" says the first one.

The second shrugs, "I hope so."

The first one is taken aback by this, and he asks, "Do you know how to open your chute?"

"No."

"Do you know how to guide yourself after it's opened?"

"Nope."

"Do you know how to land when you get to the ground?"

"I couldn't tell you. But I hope things work out!"

Imagine all that unfolding...what would you make of it? You would probably imagine the second soldier was foolish, or at fault for not doing his homework. You would have figured someone doing something as important as jumping from a plane would have done just a little bit more research for assurance. You would think that, of all topics an airborne soldier would need to know, how to handle your parachute should have been top of his priorities.

And yet, many Christians are this exact same way in regards to their salvation.

I have met many who called themselves Christians and yet only had a vague idea of their salvation. Ask them what scripture teaches on salvation, and they'll tell you, "I don't know." Ask them how their salvation functions in relation to God, and they'll say, "I don't know." Ask them if they're saved, and they'll say, "I hope so." The importance of the matter seems completely lost on them.

Folks, the fact of the matter is that salvation is important. Eternity is a long time. When you are resurrected, there will be no second chance to do some studying and make certain you truly were saved, just as there is no second chance to make certain your parachute works once you jump out of an airplane. If you are in this camp of "I hope I'm saved," I would strongly encourage you to take this time now to study what scripture teaches about salvation - not just how to be saved but what happens after you are saved. It is the most important thing you will ever study, and will carry the greatest benefits. You will find that you will have great assurance, and receive comfort. You will have no doubt that, once you jump out of that plane, your chute will indeed open.