Author: Elmarie

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Nine Marks Of A False Prophet

Matt 7 v 15

Don Fortner 

Title: Nine Marks Of A False Prophet
Text: Matthew 7:15
Subject: Indictments Against False Prophets
Date: Sunday Morning – July 27, 1997
Tape # T-92
Reading: Ezekiel 13:1-16 and 22:25-31

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Ezekiel 13:1  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2  Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; 3  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! 4  OIsrael, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. 5  Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. 6  They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. 7  Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken? 8  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD. 9  And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. 10 ¶ Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter: 11  Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.

Ezekiel 22:25  There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. 26  Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: Continue reading →

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“Christ Is All!”

Bible Image

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
(Colossians 3:11 KJV)

“Christ Is All!”           

Colossians 3:11

     It is not possible for any mortal to comprehend the  full scope of those three words, but here are ten statements that might help to enlarge our understanding of them. After you have read this brief article, carefully study each statement, asking God the Holy Spirit to seal these words to your heart – “Christ is all!”

1. Christ is all to be known (John 17:3; Phil. 3:10). If you know Christ you know enough, even if you are ignorant of other things. If you do not know Christ it is nothing to have all other knowledge.

2. Christ is all to be chosen (Matt. 13:44-46) . There is no way to obtain this treasure and purchase this Pearl, but by selling all that you have. If you would save your life, you must lose it to Christ. Continue reading →

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The Flattering Tongue

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Flattery is to compliment excessively and often insincerely given, especially in order to win favor.  Sincerity is sorely lacking in human relations today.  Flattery or sweet talk, which is another way that the tongue can be used for evil. People flatter continually starting from home to workplace. In the work place and offices people continually involved in internal politics and flattering in order to seek favour or, to get promoted to higher level.

Flattery is also a sin of the tongue. The Bible speaks of flattery as a characteristic of the wicked and of a sinful person. People from different walks of life trying to keep a record of the flattering speeches and conversations. Flattery is just a form of lying, and it has no place in the life of a Christian. It is an another produce of the misuse of the tongue.

He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery,
(Daniel 11:32-34 ESV)

We are encountering people with flattering nature everywhere, speaking something before us and contrarily with others, in other occasions, in order to please others or to fulfil their self-centred wishes. Continue reading →

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ECCLESIASTES All Emptiness Under the Sun All Fullness In The Son

Ecclesiastes 1 verses 1 to 2

Discovering Christ In Ecclesiastes ~ Don Fortner 

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It comes as a great surprise to many that the Word of God was deliberately written in such a way as to confuse unbelieving people. To the believer, to the sinner who has been born of God and granted eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to believe, it is a Book unsealed, open, and clear. To the unbeliever, it is a book of confusion.

This fact is nowhere more obviously demonstrated than in the comments generally given about the Book of Ecclesiastes. The vast majority of that which I have seen written about and heard spoken about this Book describes it as a book of pessimism. Most tell us that this Book of Solomon’s wisdom is little more than the rantings of a disappointed man, frustrated with life. Nothing could be further from the truth.

One thing that makes this Book so confusing to many is that it is a Book full of errors. It is divinely inspired; but it is full of errors. Let me show you.

In chapter 3 Solomon tells us that there is no difference between men and beasts, and that man dies like a dog and returns to dust (vv. 19-20). Continue reading →

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Wicked Balances and Deceitful Weights

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“Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?” (Micah 6:11)

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Jehovah’s question here is its own answer. The Lord God asserts in unequivocal terms that He abhors all injustice. If He saves, He will be “a just God and a Savior” (Isaiah 45:21). If He damns, it will be upon the grounds of strict justice. He will never use wicked balances or deceitful weights. He has named Himself a God that will by no means clear the guilty (Exodus 34:7). — “Behold, God will not cast away a perfect [man], neither will He help the evil doers” (Job 8:20). — “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both [are] abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 17:15).

The Lord our God repeatedly avows His absolute, unbending justice in the exercise of His free, saving grace in Christ Jesus, and in the execution of His holy justice. — “A just weight and balance are the Lord’s” (Proverbs 16:11). — “Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good” (Proverbs 20:23). The God of all grace never uses wicked balances and deceitful weights to make sinners pure by His grace. Continue reading →

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The Great White Throne Judgment

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And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
(Revelation 20:11-15 KJV)

Revelation 20:11-15

This is the throne of judgment before which we all must appear in the last day. It is called “a great white throne“, to set forth the power, holiness, and sovereignty of the One who sits upon it. It is called “great” because it is the throne of the omnipotent God. It is called “white” because it is pure, spotless, righteous, and just. Nothing proceeds from this throne but justice and truth. It is called a “throne” because the Judge who sits upon it, before whom we all must stand, is the holy, sovereign Lord God.

In the last day, when time shall be no more, we all must appear before the august, great, white throne to be judged of God, to be judged according to the strict and exact righteousness and justice of the thrice holy God!

Yet, while the Word of God constantly warns the wicked of the terror of divine judgment and the everlasting wrath of God, the day of judgment is never described as a terror to the believer, or even a thing to be dreaded by us. Rather, for the believer the day of judgment is always set forth as a matter of anticipated joy and glory.

On this earth God’s saints are constantly misjudged. His servants are maligned and slandered by reprobate men. Continue reading →

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THE GOSPEL COALITION: THE “NEW CALVINISM’S” ATTACK ON THE BIBLE AND ITS EPISTEMOLOGY

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If you trust and revere men like, John Piper, Mark Dever, Mark Driscoll, Tim Keller,Kevin De Young, Joshua Harris, D A Carson, Tullian Tchividjian, Ligon Duncan, Jared Wilson, Thabiti Anyabwile , Al Mohler, C.J. Mahaney and all those part of this movement T4G/Gospel Coalition (TGC) /Reformed Charismatics/ you had better think again my friend. Test these men and pray for discernment, because their deception is finely tuned very finely tuned.

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  (2 Corinthians 11:13-14 KJV)

You can also read our previous articles on the issue, all names mentioned above are well known in the Reformed Circles here in South Africa, some of them visited South Africa recently .  Why We Cannot Endorse Rezolution 2013 , More on the New Calvinist /YRR Mystic Tim Keller and Rezolution Conference 2013 , Charismaticism: fraud, lies, arrogance and deception and The New Calvinists. 

Also read these extensive well written articles which voice  serious concerns,  by Dr Paul M Elliott Tim Keller’s False Gospel: A Point-By-Point Analysis. Timothy Keller promotes a “gospel” designed to be attractive to unregenerated man, but stripped of the Biblical essentials and robbed of Divine power and authority.Tim Keller’s False Gospel: Changing Both the Method and the Message. Timothy Keller’s “gospel” rests on a faulty foundation: the misconception that man changes, therefore the message must change. Tim Keller’s Gutless ‘Gospel’. A segment from an interview with Tim Keller shows just how gutless his “gospel” is – a mass of evasions, equivocations, and misrepresentations of God’s truth.Tim Keller: Dangerously Influential. Dr. Timothy J. Keller is one of today’s most influential religious leaders, and one of the most dangerous. Continue reading →

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The Psalms

the Psalms

 Don Fortner – Discovering Christ in All the Scriptures

PSALMS

God’s Book of Praise

The Book of Psalms is the largest Book in the Word of God. It is a Book about the worship of God. The word “psalms” means “praises.’’ The Book of Psalms is “the Book of Praises.” It is God’s Book of Praise. That which is essential in the praise of God is dominate in these 150 psalms—Worship.” “Worship” means ‘‘prostration.’’ To worship and praise the Lord our God is to prostrate ourselves before him, taking our place in the dust before him as we acknowledge and adore his supremacy, perfection, and work.

This is where we must begin. After describing Christ as the perfect man in Psalms 1 and declaring him to be the exalted King in Psalms 2, we are called to worship him in Psa_2:11-12. “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”

Worship

The Book of Psalms teaches us to worship our God, to be ever occupied with him. Just in proportion as our hearts and minds are occupied with Christ, we worship him (Col_3:1-3). Here we are taught to treasure his Word, delight in his providence, remember his works, speak of his greatness, trust his care, glory in his gospel, and celebrate his praise continually. We are here taught to find strength for life’s labors, comfort for life’s troubles, and solace in life’s sorrows by continually prostrating ourselves before the throne of grace, seeking mercy and grace from our great God in time of need.

In this Book we have Continue reading →

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SCRIPTURES ON THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE

Tulip Don Fortner

I found this wonderful Scripture list on the Doctrines of Grace by Don Fortner  and felt compelled and lead to share . Enjoy the read !!!

Foreordination & Predestination

(Psalms 139:16)  “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

(Acts 2:23)  “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:”

(Acts 4:27-28)  “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, {28} For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.”

(Acts 13:48)  “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

(Romans 8:29-30)  “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. {30} Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

(Romans 9:23)  “And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,”

(1 Corinthians 2:7)  “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:”

(Ephesians 1:5)  “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”

(Ephesians 1:11)  “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”

(Ephesians 2:10)  “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

The Eternality Of God’s Purpose Continue reading →

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Salvation is of the LORD!

Jonah 2 ; 9

“Salvation is of the Lord!”

Jonah 2:9

“Salvation” is a big word. It includes much more than a believer’s initial experience of grace in regeneration and conversion. It includes everything required to bring fallen men from the pit of the damned into the eternal presence of God’s glory in heaven. And, from first to last, it is the work of God’s free grace alone. Man does nothing. Man contributes nothing. Nothing is determined by or dependent upon the will of man or the works or worth of man. “Salvation is of the Lord!”

All True Doctrine

This is the essence of all true doctrine. Continue reading →

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The Heresy Of Today’s Free-willism : Pelagius’s Legacy

Bad-Boys-of-Theology-Pelagius

By Robert Truelove

Augustine vs. Pelagius

We will now move in our studies to a doctrinal controversy that occurred during the fifth century between Augustine bishop of Hippo and Pelagius, a British monk. Pelagius was the father of the doctrines now referred to as Pelagianism, which Augustine argued against and considered destructive of the gospel. In this short article, we will give a brief overview of their positions and point out the error of the Pelagian system. This is an issue that strikes at the very heart of the gospel message. I would ask that everyone who reads this would consider the practical importance of a proper understanding of sin and grace.

Pelagius taught that Adam was created neither good nor evil, but was created neutral. His will was completely free to choose to sin or not to sin. He also believed that whether Adam sinned or not he was still mortal and would one day die. He therefore denied that man was created holy and that by Adam’s sin, death entered into the world. As a matter a fact, he went so far as to say that man is born in the same condition as Adam was before the fall; that is, he is born without sin. The only difference, according to Pelagius, between him and Adam is that Adam did not have the example of sin before him whereas his posterity does. Pelagius therefore did not believe Continue reading →

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“Messiah the Prince”

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Daniel 9:25

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
(Daniel 9:25 KJV)

The man Gabriel appeared to Daniel, assuring him of the coming of Christ and of our Savior’s great accomplishments as our Savior at God’s appointed time (Daniel 9:20-24). By the accomplishment of these six great feats of grace, “Messiah the Prince” is identified. He who accomplished these things is the Christ, the Son of God, our Savior.

Transgression Finished

First, Gabriel told Daniel that when the Christ appeared, He would, by the sacrifice of Himself, “finish the transgression.” That is precisely what our blessed Savior did when our transgressions were laid on Him and borne by Him, and he carried them all away in the stream of His precious blood when He made satisfaction for us. They shall never be seen or brought up again!

Sins End Continue reading →

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The Israel Of God Is The Church Of God

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“All Israel shall be saved.”

Romans 11:26

The physical nation of Israel in the Old Testament was, like all other things under the law (the tabernacle, the paschal lamb, the mercy-seat, etc.), was typical. It was chosen of God to be typical of his Church, “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:14). The natural nation was typical of God’s “holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). The physical seed of Abraham was typical of his spiritual seed, God’s elect scattered among all nations, who are the true “children of Abraham” (Romans 9:6-8; Galatians 3:29).

All the covenant promises God made to Abraham’s physical seed, the nation of Israel, were conditional promises. The promises were all conditioned upon obedience. The nation failed miserably. Yet, they inherited the land of Canaan and God fulfilled every covenant promise to that typical nation. Not one thing was lacking (Joshua 23:14). Why? Because one faithful man (Joshua, who typified our Lord Jesus) obeyed God. For Joshua’s sake, God brought Israel into the possession of all the good things God promised to their fathers. Even so, all the promises of God to the Israel of God are yea and amen in our great Joshua, the Lord Jesus, for whose sake we shall possess all things eternally with him!

“The Israel of God” is the whole body of God’s elect, Continue reading →

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Women Preaching On The Streets

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I find it a bit heartbreaking that so many people are now into “Street Preaching”. Not that it is a bad thing, indeed, it can be a very good thing…but it has become a new badge, a new “Thing to do to be right in evangelism”…and in the case of women standing in the street preaching like men…it is not obedient to what God says women are to refrain from. We are told to teach younger women…and that does include witnessing to them, but in a different venue. There are plenty of Evangie sites that insist that it is okay to use women in this….Really? There are NO examples of women in scripture, standing out in the courtyards, preaching the gospel, and no one has been able to offer accurate support of that from scripture…which should tell us something, now shouldn’t it? Yes, it is the “IN” thing to be doing…but are we seeking to be “IN” the IN crowd, or are we seeking to obey our Father in Heaven? Do we seek to please sites like WOTM (who are right in teaching the full Gospel, but wrong in enlisting women as public shills for it). Yes, they will try to cite Priscilla and Aquila (who brought the man into their home and explained the gospel rightly to him….and I’m sure she helped her husband do that…in their home. Which was a meeting place for believers…still does not say she was preaching in public, so let’s stop reading what one would like INTO what it never says in scripture). They will cite Deborah….um…a judge in the OT…not a preacher of anything. Apples and oranges, folks. Context may be good to look at. They will even try to cite Mary and Martha….going so far out on a limb as to say that their running to the disciples and telling them that Jesus was risen was “evangelism”….it was not. Context again….they were Christ’s disciples…HE had already evangelized them….the women simply sought them because they were astounded and happy….hello.Truth is that, in context and application, there is not one woman shown through scripture who stood on street corners preaching. And why not? Well, no doubt because God has said through Paul that women are not to preach. Not to the public, not to men, not on streets with mics and boxes to stand on while they preach and debate with the lost. Not one REAL example. So, bottom line is this…..

Men…get out there…preach your hearts out. Women…we can find lost women EVERYWHERE…go talk to them one on one…off the street….for to disobey God, even if it is a good activity, is still disobedience…and women are not to act like men. Period.

YES…we can fulfill His Commission… Continue reading →

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Dispensational Distortions ~ Leading To A System Fraught With Distortion, Error, and Even Absurdity

Dispensationalism Errors

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
(Matthew 24:4 KJV)

A short series by Ken Gentry 

In a 6 Parts series below

Christological Distortions in Dispensationalism 

In this and the next few newsletters, I will be highlighting three types of distortions involved in popular classic dispensationalism. These distortions are harmful to a balanced Christian worldview. In this brief series, I have chosen to cover classic dispensational errors in the areas of christology, redemptive history, and contemporary historical progress. There are, of course, many other areas that I could consider.

Before I begin considering these, it should be understood that, as in any system, there will be some internal disagreements among its adherents. The aspects I have chosen for scrutiny are broadly popular, even if some of the details of the following features are debated by dispensational theologians. I would also note that I will not be dealing with the latest variety of dispensationalism, “progressive dispensationalism.” This is because I am more concerned with the enormous influence of the older form which lies behind many multi-million selling books found in Christian bookstores everywhere. It’s influence is as large as it sales are enormous.

“Christ’s Rule is Future”

First, popular dispensationalism denies the contemporary presence of Christ’s kingdom, despite the clear teaching of Scripture. Thomas Ice writes that: “Whatever dynamic God has given believers today does not mean that the Messianic kingdom is here. We see it as totally future.” [1] Continue reading →