Twitter Scripture Twisting With Rick Warren

Rick Warren twists Scripture with this tweet:

Doctrine and Duty? God wants my love? Let's take a look at the other half of the verse that Rick Warren failed to tweet:

Hosea 6:6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Hosea chapter 6 speaks to the unrepentant tribes of Juda and Ephraim. Both had broken God's covenant that was forged at Mt. Sinai. A covenant that not only promised a new land, but a covenant that would teach the Hebrews who the the One True God is and who they would be as a new nation. As a witness to the nations. The nation known as Israel, governed by God.

In John 14:21 Jesus highlights the connection between having and keeping commands ( doctrine driven obedience) and love toward God:

21 The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.

The knowledge of God as revealed in the Scriptures, otherwise known as doctrine, is essential to a steadfast love of God. A body of doctrine that is first preached. A body of doctrine that regenerates those called by God. A doctrine that would produce faith, obedience, love and the manifold gifts of the Spirit.

Christian, are you governed by God or by a program driven by romantic notions of spirituality and mere human caliber?

Endless Earthquake Now The New Normal?

In the beginning of April Volcanic-like Quake Activity In Pacific Ring of Fire continued to ring.

Chile, Baja region of Mexico & Southern California experience the "endless earthquake" as 100's of after shocks rock the regions. Sumatra was struck with a 7.7 magnitude quake on Tuesday and with 8 - 4.0+ magnitude after shocks so far.

Is this a new phase in plate tectonics...earthquakes that act like volcanic eruptions, rumbling for days and weeks? With solar storms peaking in 2012, the earth's already fragile magnetic field stands to be pummelled. And along with it, the tectonic plates of the earth.

Now, at the end of April, the Bio-Bio region of Chile has quieted to single digit-daily quakes since it's February 27 magnitude 8.8. event.

The Baja region of Southern California & Mexico continue to rock with tremors nearly four weeks after the April 4, 2010 -7.2 magnitude quake.

(click on image to go to USGS site)

Over the last seven days, Baja has been rocked with 763 quakes, 47 of which were between 3.0 and 4.1 magnitude.

See also Solar Storms + Weak Magnetic Field = Disasters , Is cosmic and solar radiation wreaking havoc on the Earth?

See all solar storm articles here.

Coast To Coast US Quakes

(click on image to go to USGS site)

NEW MEXICO 2010 April 30 Magnitude 2.8 - 06:05:49 UTC

WEST VIRGINIA 2010 April 29 Magnitude 2.6 - 01:36:21 UTC

VIRGINIA 2010 April 29 Magnitude 2.3 - 04:12:52 UTC

WEST VIRGINIA 2010 April 29 Magnitude 2.7 - 12:38:53 UTC

ARKANSAS 2010 April 29 Magnitude 2.5 - 15:52:31 UTC

TENNESSEE 2010 April 29 Magnitude 1.6 - 04:59:27 UTC

TENNESSEE 2010 April 29 Magnitude 1.9 - 04:44:30 UTC

UTAH 2010 April 28 Magnitude 3.2 - 17:40:02 UTC

SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI 2010 April 27 Magnitude 2.0 - 08:42:33 UTC

OHIO 2010 April 25 Magnitude 2.7 - 02:00:39 UTC

SOUTHERN TEXAS 2010 April 25 Magnitude 4.0 - 02:10:41 UTC

INDIANA 2010 April 24 Magnitude 2.5 - 09:05:33 UTC

SOUTHERN QUEBEC, CANADA 2010 April 24 Magnitude 2.8 - 07:08:53 UTC

SOUTHERN QUEBEC, CANADA 2010 April 24 Magnitude 1.8 - 14:30:54 UTC

ST. LAWRENCE REG., QUEBEC, CANADA 2010 April 24 Magnitude 2.3 - 11:35:33 UTC

The Third Temple and the Third World War

Israeli Muslims know the Third Temple is coming, and insist war is coming with it - Aviel Schneider at Israel Today

Israeli Muslims seem to take the possible building of the Third Temple in Jerusalem much more seriously than the nation's Jews. This became a hot-button issue with the reconstruction of the Hurva Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, which Israeli Arabs and Palestinians saw as a sign that the Jews are planning to rebuild the Temple.

Muslim politicians and clerics issued dire warnings: "Save Jerusalem from the Jewish threat!" "Save the the Mosque of Al Aksa from destruction!" "Construction of the Third Temple is a Jewish conspiracy to control the world!" From their point of view, the Third Temple is a recipe for the Third World War.

The Temple Mount is the focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As the site of the two biblical Temples it is the holiest place in Judaism, and Muslims claim it as the third holiest place in Islam. It represents the clash between two revelations, the Bible and the Koran, and between Jewish and Muslim nationalism.

Mideast nearing 'explosion,' Jordan's Abdullah says

Haaretz: Jordan's King Abdullah II warned Thursday that the situation in the Middle East could "explode" due to Israel's building of settlements in East Jerusalem.

"I am afraid the tension could develop into an explosion with all parties paying the price," the monarch said in a speech to the annual conference of Jordanian ambassadors.

His comments came ahead of a meeting this weekend of the Arab League in Cairo, which may herald the resumption of indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
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Abdullah accused Israel of "playing with fire" by carrying out unilateral actions in East Jerusalem which the Jewish state captured from Jordan in the 1967 war.

Volcano Spreads Ash Across Western Guatemala

The Associated Press

GUATEMALA CITY -- An eruption at Guatemala's Santiaguito volcano has sent a plume of ash 27,300 feet (8,300 meters) above sea level, dusting parts of at least four provinces.

Disaster response agency spokesman David De Leon says the volcano has calmed since Monday's big burst - though it is still seeing weak to moderate explosions.

De Leon says the eruption damaged local flower harvests, but caused no injuries. The agency says schools were closed in 10 communities as a precaution and flights have been banned for 12 miles (20 kilometers) around the volcano.

Santiaguito is a crater on the slope of the 12,375-foot (3,772-meter) Santa Maria volcano about 120 miles (200 kilometers) northwest of Guatemala City.

See also Will 2010 Be The Year Of the Volcano?, Undersea Volcano Threatens Italy , Watcher's Lamp: Iceland Volcano Awakens From 200 Year Slumber

US threatens Iran with all options

From Press TV.IR-

Washington says “all options are on the table” in dealing with Tehran, in a veiled threat, which refers to a new US nuclear policy.

During a Sunday address to attendees of a Pentagon briefing, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates touched on the newly-crafted Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), under which the Obama administration promises not to use nuclear weapons against states that do not possess nuclear warheads, with the exception of Iran.

Gates asserted that the 22,000-word Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) does not apply to countries such as Iran and North Korea because they belong to a certain category of states that Washington will never limit its options against.

Egypt Warns of War Between Israel and Lebanon

From The Jerusalem Post:

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit passed on messages to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and representatives of the other permanent UN Security Council members, warning that the current Israel-Lebanon tensions could deteriorate into an armed conflict, Israel Radio reported on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, according to the radio station, Egyptian diplomats denied reports that Aboul Gheit had called Israel an enemy state in Beirut on Monday. They stressed that the foreign minister had said it was Lebanon that considered Israel an enemy state, not Egypt.

The latest tensions between Israel and Lebanon arose after reports surfaced in Kuwait’s Al-Rai newspaper that Syria had transferred Scud ballistic missiles to Hizbullah. Israel subsequently issued a stern warning that it would consider attacking both Syrian and Lebanese targets in response to a Scud attack on its territory.

See also: Standoff Over Ship Escalates in Koreas

Rick Warren Sports Interfaith Fashion

Rick Warren dresses for the occassion in Religious Leaders Meet for Interfaith Dialogue at Sinai Temple .

The cap Warren wore for this event is as known a Kufi.

This style cap is typically worn by people of African descent of all faiths including Christians, African Jews, Black Hebrew Israelites, Muslims, and Buddhists.

It certainly is appropriate for this event and a match for Warren's ecumenical theology.

Seth Brisk of the AJC kicked off the event with the interfaith accomplishments of the AJC. He noted that the AJC:

• builds bridges among different communities.
• was instrumental in convincing the Roman Catholic Church in welcoming other faith communities in the Vatican's 1965 NOSTRA AETATE. The AJC drafted sections of that document.
• reaching out to the Church of Latter Day Saints.

Warren sets up his civility strawman argument, emphasizes that tolerance equates to civility. He paints with the broad brush how "It pleases God when we work together...America, in particular, is getting quite rude... we have to restore civility..."

Hats off to America's Pastor for once again misrepesenting Biblical Christianity to the general public.

Buzz kill! Is this 'bee Armageddon'?

Nature's most valuable workers mysteriously vanishing out of thin air from WorldNet Daily:
What is devastating the world's honeybees?

In what appears to be a honeybee mystery of Armageddon proportions that has baffled scientists and beekeepers, more than one-third of the nation's commercial honeybee population is mysteriously disappearing – and researchers warn the unexplained phenomenon threatens one-third of the American diet.

Entire colonies of honeybees are abandoning hives and food stores, including honey and pollen. In collapsed colonies, adult bees mysteriously disappear, and there is no accumulation of dead bees. Even hive pests such as wax moths and hive beetles are nowhere to be found around affected colonies. Likewise, other honeybees are reluctant or unwilling to rob the abandoned hives of honey.

Standoff Over Ship Escalates in Koreas

WSJ- SEOUL—South Korea’s top military official said Sunday that a torpedo likely exploded under the South Korean patrol boat that sank a month ago near the maritime border with North Korea, bringing Seoul closer to declaring it was attacked by the North and hastening a delicate decision about what to do next.

The finding puts South Korea and its ally the U.S. in a bind in confronting the nuclear-armed totalitarian state. Seoul faces several constraints in penalizing Pyongyang, starting with the prospect that a military response could escalate into a war that very few here want.
The response could include seeking economic sanctions through the United Nations, a senior official in Seoul said, but the timing may be shaped by an approaching South Korean election and the process of rallying world support for penalties.

Big Tent Christianity Funded By Pro Abortion, Pro LBGT Ford Foundation

In this report, PHILIP CLAYTON WITH “BIG TENT” CHRISTIANITY IN THE EMERGING CHURCH, Pastor Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries exposes the Trojan Horse effect of the Emerging Church on main stream evangelicalism. Well, it seems that the Emergent Trojan Horse is now being assisted by the globalist-leftist agenda of the Ford Foundation.

Pastor Silva points to the "Theology After Google" conference which is part of social change agent Brian McLaren's latest effort called Transforming Theology (TT). The Theology After Google website plainly states what organization is funding the event:

On March 10-12, 2010 in Claremont, Calif., we were able to offer a first-of-its-kind national conference, “Theology After Google,” thanks to a generous grant from the Ford Foundation.

Pastor Silva also identified an additional TT conference, Big Tent Christianity: Being and Becoming the Church. Again, the Ford Foundation provided grant funds for this effort.

What is the Ford Foundation and why is the Foundation funded these conferences? The Ford Foundation was chartered in Michigan by Edsel Ford in 1936 for the well being of the general public. The Ford Foundation has a long history of left wing agendas.

In 1950 the foundation became a national and international philanthropy "dedicated to reducing poverty, promoting democratic values, striving for peace and building educational capacities and understanding of human conduct." During this time, The Foundation served as a front organization of the Central Intelligence Agency.

While funding humanitarian work, the Foundation also funded Planned Parenthood:

1966: The foundation supported research in the reproductive sciences, contraceptive development and contraceptive safety, through its extensive funding of clinics and laboratories, as well as the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the American Public Health Association.

The Foundation is key supporter of abortion in Latin America.

Another example of the Foundation's ideology from NGO MONITOR:

In 2001 The Foundation was among the main funders for extremist NGOs involved in the 2001 UN sponsored Durban conference.

After Durban, and in response to US Congressional hearings, President Susan Berresford apologized and pledged to "cease funding of subversive groups" including those calling for the destruction of Israel. Implementation of this pledge has not been consistent, and many politicized Palestinian NGOs promoting the Durban agenda are still receiving Ford support.

Fast forward to 2010 and the Foundation's website: The Ford Foundation works with visionary leaders and organizations around the world. We were founded to advance social justice, and all of our work flows from this fundamental commitment.

The Foundation offers "grants to build a strategic alliance among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and reproductive rights groups and organizations." Grants have been given across the world.

The Center for Reclaiming America reported that the "The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest homosexual advocacy group, “honored” several corporations and foundations that have helped to fund the furtherance of the homosexual agenda. The Ford Foundation was one foundation that was honored.

What interest does The Foundation have in McLaren's conferences? Both have at least two things in common: Social Justice and Religious Pluralism:

Religion and Culture: Meeting the Challenge of Pluralism is an initiative of the Ford Foundation, and explores the role of religious traditions in helping to shape social values and institutions.
The Ford Foundation partnered with Douglas Gould & Co., Inc, a public interest communications firm, through 2007 to increase diverse voices in the public discussion of cultural and religious pluralism.

Now is the time to amplify the unique voices of diverse clergy, scholars of religion, and activists in the public debate on religion and society.

Douglas Gould, president of Doug Gould & Co worked for fifteen years at Planned Parenthood, holding the post as VP for Communications.

The Religion and Culture website promotes over 30 professionals from the fields of human rights, interfaith relations, religious practices and spirituality.

Covert operations. Abortion. Homosexuality. Universalism.

And the Emerging Church is ok with taking the money.

See more of the Ford Foundation's geopolitical expoits:

US Corporate Elite Funds Radical Left & Islam

The Ford Foundation And The Co-option of Dissent

Ford Has a Better Idea: One Nation Under Allah

Who Funds the Radical Left In America?

US Heartland Ravaged As US Pressures Israel

Mitchell Ends Mideast Peace Mission, No Breakthrough

U.S President Barack Obama's point man in the Middle East has little to show for his latest peace mission.

U.S. envoy George Mitchell held three days of separate meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, but failed to achieve a breakthrough on resuming peace talks. He said he will return again next week.

"I look forward to continuing our efforts to achieve comprehensive peace and security in the region, including a two-state solution," Mitchell said.

Mitchell's last meeting was with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who spoke afterward to his Cabinet.

Mr. Netanyahu said Israel and the United States want to restart peace talks immediately, and he hopes the Palestinians share the same goal.

But the Palestinians have balked, saying they will not return to peace talks until Israel freezes construction projects in disputed East Jerusalem. Backed by the U.S., the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. But Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its eternal capital and says it can build anywhere in the city.

Over 80 Tornadoes In Last Three Days

From Wood TV 8

The Yazoo tornado was moving at 55 mph. 49 tornadoes on Saturday in 7 states as of 11:30 PM, 115 wind damage reports and 61 large hail (to softball-size near Henderson, TN). Follow storm reports here. Click the map above to read the discussion. Here’s southern regional radar – some big storms down there. Sat. AM update: We had 8 tornadoes Friday, 12 wind and 44 hail reports up to tennis-ball size. 32 tornadoes on Thursday (though I bet some of these are duplicates, seen from two sides). That’s 40 tornadoes in two days. Stratton, Colorado had hail pile up 3″ deep Thursday PM. The El Nino and colder than average water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico have combined to bring us a near record slow start to the severe weather season in the U.S. Prior to Thursday we had only 19 tornadoes in the month of April (less than one per day) in the entire U.S. and only 97 since the start of the year.

Mile wide tornado kills at least 10

Storms Roll Across Mississippi, Creates Tornadoes

A band of strong thunderstorms rolled across Mississippi yesterday, wreaking havoc from Yazoo City, in the north of the state, to Ocean Springs, on the coast. The storms spawned a number of tornadoes, and some those turned deadly.

Mile wide tornado kills at least 10A tornado caused by the storm system ravaged the town of Yazoo City. According to a report by CNN.com, the tornado killed at least 10 and rescue crews were going to try and reach more harder hit areas in the morning daylight. It is feared that additional deaths will be discovered when the crew get there.Governor Haley Barbour, according to an Associated Press report in the Sun Herald, described the scene as "Utter obliteration."

Governor Barbour has declared the area is in a "State of Emergency" and has authorized the use of the Mississippi National Guard to support local civil authorities in the recovery of the area.

Piper & Warren: Pain, Pastors & Purpose

If You Have Been Hurt, by Todd Friel

How many people have been deeply wounded because of “The Purpose Driven Church”? If I were a betting man, I would guess millions have been driven from their beloved church because of the writings of Rick Warren.

That is the second reason I absolutely hate the decision made by a man I love to invite Rick Warren to speak at the Desiring God Conference in the fall of this year.

As Purpose has seduced over 300,000 pastors (that is not a guess) to leave the Jesus Model and follow the Rick Model, faithful sheep have been forced out of their church by their shepherd to make room for the goats. Devastating.

If you are one of those people, I am very, very sorry that one of the men who probably served as an anchor during your storm has seen fit to use his national conference to figure out how Rick Warren ticks. Frankly, we know how Rick Warren ticks. He may have file cabinet orthodoxy, but his public works are nothing short of lethal.

Perhaps you have suffered the effects of purpose poison and now your almost-healed scars have been ripped open. Many of us feel bad for you. Please heal fast knowing that you were not wrong, you were wronged.

You were not the bad guy when you left your church whimpering and scalded. You were right. Rick Warren’s pragmatic methodology is not Biblical. His use of Scripture is worse than a self-proclaimed “bishop” on prosperity TV. Rick Warren’s Gospel is no Gospel at all.

That is the number one reason why I continue to be saddened by this decision; the Gospel will suffer and more people will be hurt.

Honestly, I thought Rick Warren’s Purpose kingdom was one to two years away from joining Jabez on the ash heap of church trends. Unfortunately, Purpose has been given new life by a highly esteemed pastor.

Tragic.

See also John Piper Opens The Door To the Lion's Den , What's Worse Than John Piper's Invite To Rick Warren? , Piper and Warren: Ego Endorsing Enterprise , Piper & Warren: Pride, Priests & Purpose , Piper & Warren: Paving The Road to Rome?

See all articles on Piper & Warren here.

Future Christian A Mystic or Not a Christian At All

MARK BARNA,THE GAZETTE

Mysticism is a dirty word for some Christians.

“They think of it as the bizarre,” said Bernard McGinn, a retired religion professor at the University of Chicago’s Divinity School. “But that is an unfortunate misreading of (the Christian) mystical tradition.”

McGinn will be discussing this tradition in a Friday lecture at Colorado College and this weekend at First Congregational Church.

For McGinn, mysticism is not simply a part of Christianity. Mysticism is imperative to its survival. “The Christian of the future will be a mystic or not a Christian at all,” McGinn said.

Mysticism within the Abrahamic faiths is about seeking an experiential, rather than a solely intellectual, relationship with God. This is achieved, mystics say, through various types of meditation and a contemplative reading of sacred texts.

Piper & Warren: Paving The Road to Rome?

“I… I’m uh… I’m uh… I need … I’m gonna need help to know why I should feel bad about this decision.”- John Piper defending his decision to invite Rick Warren to Piper’s Desiring God conference.

Pastor Ken Silva highlights the dangers of ecumenism as represented by the "Evangelicals and Catholics Together" declaration. Pastor Silva presented the dissenting positions of noted Evangelicals such as John Ankerberg, the late D. James Kennedy, John MacArthur and Dr. R.C. Sproul. Rick Warren makes himself quite clear that Roman Catholics are part of God's family.

Chuck Colson is a part of Rick Warren's " family ". Colson and Lutheran turned Catholic priest John Newhaus co-edited the ECT document. This same document states, "Evangelicals and Catholics are brothers and sisters in Christ."

Chuck Colson signed on to Rick Warren's global PEACE plan. Colson's prison ministry partner with Purpose Driven Ministries to bring Warren's psychology-driven "Celebrate Recovery" program to prisons.

Warren and Colson teamed up to create a DVD series called Wide Angle: Framing Your Worldview. "They explore such key issues as truth, tolerance, terrorism, reconciliation, and the purpose of life." Colson presented similar themes at the SBC's 2007 Annual Meeting with Rick Warren's image hovering on the Jumbotron. A letter of objection sent to the SBC regarding Colson's participation in the Annual Meeting went unanswered.

Similar intefaith activity caused division at an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship chapter at at George Washington University. According to Christianity Today:

"At issue was student leaders' worry that the national ministry confuses the gospel by cooperating with Roman Catholics, and has a mission statement that Catholics could sign without violating church teaching on the doctrine of justification—how sinners are declared righteous before God."

Ironically, CT referenced John Piper's book, "The Future of Justification: A Response to N.T. Wright in 2007." Piper and Wright were examples of the polarity of the subject. The debate can be found here.

Dr. Rod Rosenbladt of Concordia University describes Warren as a Southern Baptist Roman Catholic.

In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI laid down his strategy to combat defections by millions of Catholics joining evangelical Protestant churches in recent years. However, Rome is more than willing to accept converts to Roman Catholicism. And it seems Protestants are more than willing to help.

Three years later, more division is ocurring with John Piper's name on it. This time it looks like John Piper's poles may be shifting.

If Colson's network bandwidth increased by hooking his wagon to Warren's, could it be that John Piper is tempted to expand his network bandwidth with the Warren invitation?

There is still time to repent and restore.

RICK WARREN AWARDS PURPOSE DRIVEN ROMAN CATHOLICS

From Pastor Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries:

As one who is myself a former Roman Catholic, whom the Lord graciously delivered from the religious bondage of apostate Roman Catholicism into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, I’m taking issue with Dr. Piper telling us that the double-minded Rick Warren is “doctrinal and sound.” [1]

Quite frankly, Warren is not at all in line with biblical Christianity, and Reformation theology, concerning the Roman Catholic Church, which should be a major concern to those in the Reformed camp ala Dr. Piper. In fact, fellow DG 2010 speaker Dr. R.C. Sproul is on record as saying the Church of Rome placed its anathema upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ itself; and is, therefore, apostate. [2] The Protestant Reformers e.g. Martin Luther and John Calvin also recognized this and denounced the Roman Catholic Church as being led by one in the chair of the Antichrist.

I personally would have preferred they had said an antichrist; but even so, as I showed you in Desiring God 2010, John Piper, And Warrengate, Rick Warren has still said: “I see absolutely zero reason in separating my fellowship from anybody.” [3] And, specifically of the Church of Rome, Warren has stated:

“The small group structure is the structure of renewal in every facet of Christianity — including Catholicism.” (Online source, emphasis mine)

“Now I don’t agree with everything in everybody’s denomination, including my own. I don’t agree with everything that Catholics do or Pentecostals do, but what binds us together is so much stronger than what divides us,” he said. “I really do feel that these people are brothers and sisters in God’s family. I am looking to build bridges with the Orthodox Church, looking to build bridges with the Catholic Church,….” (Online source, emphasis mine)

“Most readers will be surprised to learn that the largest international network is…the Christian Church. The Church, in all its expressions—Catholic, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Protestant and many others—has 2.3 billion followers.” (Online source, emphasis mine)

Rick Warren Has Decided That The Protestant Reformation Was In Error

You should realize that Rick Warren has just told us, for example, that Luther and Calvin were wrong in teaching that the Roman Catholic Church was apostate. And remember Warren’s statement about there being “zero reason” for him “separating my fellowship from anybody”; consider below just how sweeping his statement appears to have been...

Puerto Rico Region Rocking With Quakes

The Puerto Rico region is and active earthquake area and also is situated on a significant fault line that poses a high risk of tsunami in the event of a large earthquake.


The Caribbean's "Kick 'em Jenny" is the only active underwater volcano in the region, though there is one other erupting volcano on the British Caribbean island of Montserrat.

15 other volcanoes exist in the greater Carribbean region as well.

31 quakes have been recorded over last seven days, nearly half above 3.0 magnitude.

Iceland volcano eruption could last months

From Science Fair:

The last time Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano blew, the eruption lasted more than a year, from December 1821 until January 1823, reports Sally Sennert, a geologist at the Smithsonian Institution.

"This seems similar to what's happening now," she says.

The volcano is erupting small, jagged pieces of rocks, minerals and volcanic glass the size of sand and silt into the atmosphere, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This volcanic ash can even be as small as 1/25,000th of an inch across.

Volcanic ash is formed during explosive volcanic eruptions. Once in the air, the wind can blow these tiny ash particles tens to thousands of miles away from the volcano. Life-threatening and costly damages can occur to aircraft that fly through an eruption cloud, reports the geological survey.

See also: Will 2010 Be The Year Of the Volcano?

Israel warns Syria over Hezbollah attacks

TIMES ONLINE: Israel has delivered a secret warning to Syrian President Bashar Assad that it will respond to missile attacks from Hezbollah, the militant Lebanese-based Islamist group, by launching immediate retaliation against Syria itself.

In a message, sent earlier this month, Israel made it clear that it now regards Hezbollah as a division of the Syrian army and that reprisals against Syria will be fast and devastating.

It follows the discovery by Israeli intelligence that Syria has recently supplied long-range ballistic missiles and advanced anti-aircraft systems to Hezbollah.

“We’ll return Syria to the Stone Age by crippling its power stations, ports, fuel storage and every bit of strategic infrastructure if Hezbollah dare to launch ballistic missiles against us,” said an Israeli minister, who who was speaking off-the-record, last week.

Volcanic Ash Shrouds Europe for 5th Day

Volcanic Ash: Summary Of Latest Developments -WSJ

The Volcanic ash cloud that has shuttered most of the airspace above northern and central Europe is continuing to cause chaos across the world for a fifth consecutive day. The situation is fast moving, especially now Europe’s politicians are finally starting to wake up to the crisis.

Here’s a summary of key developments:

European Union transport ministers will meet Monday afternoon in emergency session to discuss measures to reduce the mounting losses on businesses and the economy. They are set to discuss test flights undertaken by several European airlines over the weekend that showed no damage to aircraft.

European Union officials have now started commenting on the crisis, but no consensus has been reach.

Some say airlines could be due compensation but others say it’s premature to discuss the issue. Airlines have joined together to ask for compensation.
Airline officials are continuing to slam law makers for being slow to react to the crisis and coordinate. They also say authorities have overreacted by closing vast swathes of airspace without detailed analysis of atmospheric conditions and the dangers posed.

See related: Iceland Volcano Awakens From 200 Year Slumber

Piper & Warren: Pride, Priests & Purpose

"I… I’m uh… I’m uh… I need … I’m gonna need help to know why I should feel bad about this decision."- John Piper defending his decision to invite Rick Warren to Piper's Desiring God conference.

Does John Piper feel bad about the millions of people trapped in the false religious system known as Roman Catholicism? Does he feel bad that Rick Warren helps Roman Catholics remain trapped in Catholicism?

In 2005, Warren's Southeast Asia PD node reported on the roll out of PD to Roman Catholic churches in the Philippines...

Also in 2005, Catholic Online.com featured this press release: Purpose Driven Church “Goes Catholic”

The Purpose Driven Church will—for the first time ever—be bringing their evangelical message of living out God’s five purposes to a Catholic Church: Holy Family Parish in Inverness, Illinois.
...Each day’s session begins at 9 a.m., and will be delivered by Pastor Bret Schrock of the Purpose Driven Ministries.

Rick Warren partnered with the Anglican-created, Roman Catholic-promoted Alpha Course.

Pastor Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries questions John Piper's claim that RICK WARREN'S DOCTRINAL AND SOUND?

John Piper doesn't feel bad about his decision.

There is still time to repent and restore.

See also Alignment of New Evangelicals with Apostasy, The ABC's of Catholicism, Far from Rome, Near to God , From Tradition to Truth a Priest Story

John Piper Opens The Door To the Lion's Den , What's Worse Than John Piper's Invite To Rick Warren? , Piper and Warren: Ego Endorsing Enterprise

Perfect Storm of Food Shortage, Water Scarcity on Horizon

Prophecy News Headlines

The world faces “mass starvation” following North America’s next major crop failure. And it could even happen before year’s end. So says Chicago-based Don Coxe, who is one of the world’s leading experts on agricultural commodities, so much so that Canada’s renowned BMO Financial Group named the fund after him. A crop failure in North America will have particularly dire consequences for major overseas markets that are highly reliant on U.S. crop imports.

Scientists in England are warning that a “perfect storm” of food shortages and water scarcity now threatens to unleash public unrest and conflict, the government’s chief scientist, Professor John Beddington, has warned.[i] “People do not quite realise the scale of the issue,” said Professor Mike Bevan. “This is one of the most serious problems that science has ever faced.” In Britain the lives of hundreds of thousands of people will be threatened by food shortages. The repercussions of food shortages for any society are devastating. The world faces “mass starvation” following more major crop failures in the United States and other places around the globe. According to Chicago-based Don Coxe, who is one of the world’s leading experts on agricultural commodities, so much so that Canada’s renowned BMO Financial Group named the fund after him, this mind boggling event could happen before year’s end.

Army Report Says Christians Threaten US Foreign Policy

From Chuck Baldwin

"...whether one is a post-millennialist or a pre-millennialist, the fact that we Christians believe in the literal return of Jesus Christ to the earth to establish His Kingdom puts us in the same boat, as far as the ramifications of Major Stuckert's report--and similar reports--are concerned. We Christians need to recognize that, as far as the Stuckerts of this world are concerned, because we believe the Bible and we believe in the literal return of Christ, we are considered an enemy. We can disagree with one another all we want to about whether there is a Rapture (and if there is one, when it will occur), whether Christ will return before or after a millennial kingdom takes place, and scores of other theological differences, but none of that is important to the events at hand: there is a growing sense among many governmental and military leaders in America that Bible-believing Christians are an enemy that must be marginalized, warned about, watched, and even controlled. And it does not matter to a tinker's dam to these Machiavellians whether one is a post-millennialist or a pre-millennialist. If we believe the Bible and believe that Jesus is coming again, they consider us "dangerous."

7.1 quake in China kills 400

LA TIMES:

The quake strikes a remote area of Qinghai province in western China that is mostly populated by Tibetans. About 8,000 are injured.

Reporting from BeijingAn earthquake that Chinese officials measured at magnitude 7.1 rocked a remote, mostly Tibetan-populated county in western China early Wednesday, killing at least 400 people and injuring at least 8,000, according to state television reports.

The quake struck in Qinghai province about 20 miles from the county seat of Yushu, where it toppled houses, an elementary school and part of a Buddhist tower in a public park and seriously damaged the main hospital in town, officials told Chinese media."In a flash, the houses went down. It was a terrible earthquake," one witness said.

Does John Piper Want You To Trust The Lie?

Jeremiah 29:24-32

29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 31"Send to all the exiles, saying, 'Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because Shemaiah had prophesied to you when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, 32 therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the LORD, for he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.'"

John Piper's invitation to Rick Warren is a validation of Warren's ministry which is polluted with the traditions and wisdom of men and doctrines of demons .

There is still time to repent and restore for both men.

Piper and Warren: Ego Endorsing Enterprise

John Piper's video on why he invited Rick Warren reveals an " I " problem.

What John Piper conveys is his confidence in his personal ability to qualify Warren's theology by asking theological questions. John Piper apparently believes that he is immune to deception because of his theological brilliance.

Smugness is revealed when John Piper laughs when he says "I’m gonna need help to know why I should feel bad about this decision."

It seems pride may be blinding John Piper's discernment.

"So I made a list"

"I think Rick Warren meant it when he began the Purpose Driven life with “It’s not about you."

"I could even tell you other things he said he’s not but that… that might offend uh… too many people."

"I… I’m uh… I’m uh… I need … I’m gonna need help to know why I should feel bad about this decision. (Laughs)"


"And uhm… I’m real eager that this glorious thing God is doing in the young, restless, reformed, whatever uh this this thing is called that God’s doing – awakening people’s love for the supremacy of God in all things – I’m real eager that that not become a… a brittle, narrow, ugly, excessively separatist movement and so I am not devoting my life to finding a lot of enemies to attack. I’ve got some and I like to do it by simply hammering on truth. I… I’m gonna hammer on truth."

"I don’t put Rick Warren in the group that I am gonna hold at arm’s distance."

"... I’m not gonna push somebody like that away when they’ve got so much to offer."

"So uh, I am not gonna draw the circle there and suppose you disagree with me on that."

"The way I have chosen to live my life for the sake of reformed theology...is to give all my energy to putting them in a positive, aggressively, uh, spreadable form...I think I have uh, got some work to do with my marriage, and my kids, and my soul, but I do not regret that approach to.. to Reformation advance."

If Rick Warren Is A Heretic, What Does That Make John Piper?

The defense of John Piper rests on the presupposition that Warren is not a heretic. The defense would fall apart if that presuppostion was wrong.

Webster defines "heretic" as one who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine.

In the case of a confessing evangelical, the Bible would be the standard of belief and doctrine.

Let’s take a look at just a few components of Warren’s ministry:

* Warren endorses Roman Catholic mystics in his PDL book
* Warren embraces New Age sympathizer Leonard Sweet and Red Letter Christian Tony Campolo, both by definition, hold heretical positions on a variety of subjects.
* Warren advocates the removal of church members that will not conform to the PD church growth model which turns a congregation into a crowd for the sake of unbelievers.
* Warren asked the god of Islam for forgiveness.
* Warren’s Celebrate Recovery program is a Christianized version of Alcoholics Anonymous, whose founder was steeped in bondage to spiritualism and communed for decades with unclean spirits.
*Warren’s PEACE plan is communitarianism / religious socialism
*Warren’s SHAPE program is based on Jungian psychology. Jung practiced
necromancy, and had daily contact with disembodied spirits, which he credited as the source of much of his writings. Jungian philosophy also impact A-A’s 12 step program.
*Warren believes that Roman Catholicism is a legitimate expression of Christianity.
*Warren declared that the future of the world is not secularism, it’s religious pluralism.
*Rick Warren’s worldly approach to ministry and his famous Scripture twisting, by default, denies the sufficiency of Scriptures.

By the Biblical standard, any of these issues would conflict with the Biblical standard. Any of these issues would create a heretical position antithetical to the Scriptures and would require rebuke and correction.

Not endorsement or a tacit wink of approval.

What one does defines what he truly believes.

John Piper took a great liberty in not verifying Rick Warren’s statements. He has erred in judgment and example by doing so. There is still time to repent and restore.

We are all like sheep.

Matthew 24:4And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

What's Worse Than John Piper's Invite To Rick Warren?

What's worse than John Piper inviting Rick Warren to the DG conference?

It's John Piper on video justifying his own actions and Rick Warren's theology and ministry.

It's John Piper on video classifying the issues others have with Warren simply as secondary separation issues.

Really?

Asking Allah for forgiveness, entertaining homosexual activists (and then acting like you weren't because you were "out of town"), espousing interfaith and pluralism internationally as a representative of "Christianity", never mind the mutilation of Scripture and promoting a false gospel in the name of church growth. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

John Piper minimizes the manifold issues Warren represents to Biblical Christianity.

In a cloaked manner, John Piper patronizes the critics by saying it's just "hanging out with someone".

No Dr Piper, it is not just "hanging out with someone".

Rationalizing and patronizing are the same techniques 100's of other pastors used to counter church members who stood against the use of Warren's materials in their churches.

Why did pastors resort to those tactics? Because the Purpose Driven program teaches those tactics. Pastors use those tactics to get what they want...out of pride and ambition.

Anyone who does not feel the sting of John Piper's actions and comments does not know enough about Rick Warren's theology and ministry or doesn't know enough about the Bible. Or both.

This flock is getting fleeced.

UN Judge Says Pope Should be Prosecuted at International Criminal Court

From C-FAM

By Susan Yoshihara, Ph.D.

(NEW YORK – C-FAM) In London last Friday, a high ranking United Nations (UN) jurist called on the British government to detain Pope Benedict XVI during his upcoming visit to Britain, and send him to trial in the International Criminal Court (ICC) for “crimes against humanity.”

Geoffrey Robertson touted his status as a UN judge in an article he published last week claiming that jurists should invoke the same procedures that have been used to indict war criminals such as Slobodan Milosevic. To try the Pope as head of the Roman Catholic Church who is ultimately responsible for sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests.

Robertson is one of five select jurists in the UN’s internal justice system responsible for holding UN officials accountable for corruption and mismanagement. His article was published in both the United States and Britain and reported on by the Associated Press.

Worldview Weekend Statement on John Piper Inviting Rick Warren

From Worldview Times:
Because we are being asked for our take on this subject we are releasing the following statement from Brannon Howse, President of Worldview Weekend and host of Worldview Matters. Brannon will cover this issue on his national radio program on Monday but for now here is a written statement:

I think it is a VERY bad idea for John Piper to invite Rick Warren to speak at his Desiring God conference. Piper is showing a serious lack of discernment in this decision. I think Piper was taken in by the Warren personality and not the facts. I wonder if Piper even knows all we know from our own personal study and documentation of what Rick Warren has said in speeches and interviews. Sadly, and rightfully so, this will harm the ministry and influence of Piper with many true Christians worldwide. Does Piper agree with Rick Warren’s endorsement of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation that is working to bring the religions of the world together? Does Piper agree with Warren signing the Yale Center document that states that Christians and Muslims worship the same God? I could go on and on with such examples. This is a very sad day for the church in America. Another leader we thought had enough common sense and Biblical discernment not to be taken in has revealed otherwise. Please pray that John Piper will change his mind and withdraw the speaking invitation of Rick Warren at his conference. John Piper is giving Rick Warren credibility and thus Piper is losing his.

Listen to Brannon Howse and Jan Markell discuss John Piper inviting Rick Warren to speak at his national conference.

HT: Christian Research Network

Why everything you've been told about evolution is wrong

What if Darwin's theory of natural selection is inaccurate? What if the way you live now affects the life expectancy of your descendants? Evolutionary thinking is having a revolution . . .

By Oliver Burkeman at The Guardian:

...The scientists are baffled, until a Christian member of the team dimly recalls something and rushes to fetch a Bible. He thumbs through it until he reaches the Book of Joshua, chapter 10, in which Joshua asks God to stop the world for . . . "about a full day!" Uproar in the computer lab. The astronomers have happened upon proof that God controls the universe on a day-to-day basis, that the Bible is literally true, and that by extension the "myth" of creation is, in fact, a reality. Darwin was wrong – according to another creationist rumour, he'd recanted on his deathbed, anyway – and here, at last, is scientific evidence!

Inevitably, those of us who aren't professional scientists have to take a lot of science on trust. And one of the things that makes it so easy to trust the standard view of evolution, in particular, is amply illustrated by the legend of the Nasa astronomers: the doubters are so deluded or dishonest that one needn't waste time with them. Unfortunately, that also makes it embarrassingly awkward to ask a question that seems, in the light of recent studies and several popular books, to be growing ever more pertinent. What if Darwin's theory of evolution – or, at least, Darwin's theory of evolution as most of us learned it at school and believe we understand it – is, in crucial respects, not entirely accurate?


From The Berean Call:
When Richard Dawkins published The Blind Watchmaker, he was simply articulating an idea common to those who promote evolution. They know that evolution has elements that require “faith.” Consequently, Dawkins’s argument seeks to prove that “if there were a God, he wouldn’t have done it that way.” This book carefully demonstrates that this concept was what motivated Charles Darwin to develop (borrowing from others) his theory of evolution. To this day, many evolutionists consistently use the same “metaphysical” [beyond what is perceptible to the senses] argument as Darwin. Although many theories and supposed evidences litter the history of evolutionary theory, the core approach remains the same. As author Hunter notes, “the evidence makes evolution compelling only when a specific metaphysical interpretation is attached…the difference comes down not to scientific arguments, but to one’s metaphysical presuppositions.”
- Reviewed by Edwin Newby, TBC staff member.

Truth Is Falling Into The Streets

TO DESIRING GOD 2010 RICK WARREN JOHN PIPER ATTENDEES


Thanks to MRWBBIII for sharing this video.

WARRENGATE, JOHN PIPER, AND THE NEW CALVINISM

From Pastor Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries

Apprising Ministries has been keeping you updated on Warrengate, which has begun because Dr. John Piper suffered a lapse in judgment by inviting Purpose Driven Pope Rick Warren to be a keynote speaker at the Desiring God Conference 2010.

Yesterday I pointed you to a couple of radio programs featuring two godly men very much up on the issues involved here in Crosstalk: Bob DeWaay On Warrengate And John Piper and Phil Johnson Comments On Warrengate For Iron Sharpens Iron Radio.

Over at First Things Adam Omelianchuk has contributed The New Calvinism’s Personality-Driven Life where he writes:

There have been many write ups on the so-called “New Calvinism” sweeping through the evangelical landscape, and much attention has been paid to highly organized leadership behind it. It seems that what Emergent Village was trying to accomplish through networking and organizing with other like-minded leaders and ministries through blogs, books, and websites, the New Calvinists did with much more success… (Online source)

See the rest at Apprising Ministries.

Volcanic-like Quake Activity In Pacific Ring of Fire

Chile, Baja region of Mexico & Southern California are experiencing the "endless earthquake" as 100's of after shocks rock the regions. Sumatra was struck with a 7.7 magnitude quake on Tuesday and with 8 - 4.0+ magnitude after shocks so far.

Is this a new phase in plate tectonics...earthquakes that act like volcanic eruptions, rumbling for days and weeks?

With solar storms peaking in 2012, the earth's already fragile magnetic field stands to be pummelled. And along with it, the tectonic plates of the earth.

See Solar Storms + Weak Magnetic Field = Disasters , Is cosmic and solar radiation wreaking havoc on the Earth?

See all solar storm articles here.

Sumatra Earthquake In the Wake of Baja and Others

Phil Butler from EverythingPR

Another magnitude 7 plus earthquake struck Indonesia early yesterday morning. According to the USGS a magnitude 7.7 Earthquake shook Northern Sumatra just before sunrise Tuesday. This is the second magnitude 7 or above event in the last week, the other being the massive quake in Baja which terrified people even in Southern California.

The Sumatran quake, while intense, has apparently caused little or no damage, and not injuries have been reported. 2010 is rapidly approaching being the deadliest year for natural disasters in history.

Actually, in the last 4 days there have been three magnitude 6 or above earthquakes around the Pacific basin. The Baja quake caused the most damage killing at least 2 persons, while another 6.2 quake deep within the Mollucca Sea in Eastern Malaysia preceded this mornings more powerful event. As for the Baja event of Sunday, you can see all the seismic activity in the aftermath of this powerful quake here. As you can tell, the aftermath of such quakes causes continual activity even once the main event takes place. Literally hundreds of smaller trembles occur nearly continually.

This most recent event occurred along the same subduction zone which ruptured in 2004 when a magnitude 9.1 quake happened just 125 km North. That earthquake caused a massive tsunami which traveled across the Indian Ocean killing nearly a quarter of a million souls. The map below from the USGS reveals all the global earthquakes of any magnitude which have occurred over the last 30 days. It is important for people to understand the nature of these events, rather than simply being alarmed once they hear of such events. For those in danger zones the potential for disaster should be understood and it should be obvious being forewarned is being forewarned.

Purpose Driven Theology Incompatible With Biblical Theology

Pastor Jon Cardwell of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church examines the Piper - Warren dilema:

"...Are John Piper’s reasons valid enough to justify inviting Rick Warren to speak in Piper’s pulpit? Dr. Piper believes they are, according to the YouTube video. He believes that fundamentally, Dr. Warren is theological and that the premise of The Purpose Driven Life, “It’s not about you,”[i] suggests that it somehow corresponds to the first answer of the Westminster or Charles Spurgeon’s catechism, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”

"...His ( Warren's ) theology is foundationally and fundamentally different from mine. The central truth in my theology is the person and work of Jesus Christ for God’s glory alone according to Scripture alone. The central premise in Dr. Warren’s theology is church growth. As a result, his approach pragmatism is actually logical, though built on a false and faulty premise: getting results (church growth) through identifying and satisfying the “felt needs” of people who are not in the church.

"...I should conclude by saying that these reasons alone would keep me from inviting Dr. Warren from preaching in my pulpit; yet, it’s not just Rick Warren, and it isn’t personal. I wouldn’t invite any Purpose-Driven® pastor to preach to the congregation the Lord has charged me to watch over and protect: because our theologies are just fundamentally and foundationally incompatible."

John Piper Opens The Door To the Lion's Den

History repeating itself.

A congregation led by a Biblical pastor sees the introduction of pseudo-theological ideas. A few people instantly recognize the man-centered commercialism, but most pay no mind to what the pastor has said because the pastor is just that...the pastor.

Soon the church is put on a course that departs from it's Biblical moorings and is now powered by marketing and CEO style leadership. Any member that expresses concern about the departure from Scriptural authority is marginalized, maligned and bullied out of the church.

This church growth methodology has been championed by Rick Warren. Warren also advocates interfaith acceptance in the name of doing good works. He asked Islam's Allah for forgiveness. He encourages formal relations with Roman Catholicism. His best selling book edifies Roman Catholic mystics.

This is just the tip of Warren's mired and polluted theological, doctrinal iceberg.

Now, Pastor John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist Church and Desiring God ministries has invited Rick Warren to speak at the 2010 Desiring God Conference in October. This decision is polarizing Evangelicals, and rightfully so. Internet commentary from the Reformed and Liberal camps is drawing a line in cybersand.

For those people who experienced the great pain of being thrown on the tracks because the pastor was on the Purpose Driven train, this news is crushing.

Why? Because John Piper, a pastor with a tremendous reputation for his pursuit of Biblical truth and the glorification of God is validating Warren's methodologies and theology with this invitation. Methodologies and a theology that is diametrically opposed to the very theology that John Piper espouses.

Has John Piper become seduced with America's star studded pastor?

Will the congregation at Bethlehem Baptist Church dare to stand up and call their pastor into account for this error? Is someone at BBC willing to contend for the faith and resist this purpose driven endorsement?

Only time will tell.

And now, for those Christians who suffered Purpose Driven dismemberment, John Piper is opening up the door to the lion's den.

History repeating itself.

574 Quakes Rock Baja Region

Stats since 3:40PM (PST) April 4, 2010 -7.2 magnitude quake

278 quakes less than 3.0 magnitude

296 quakes greater than 3.0 magnitude

Will the Baja region continue to quake for 6 more weeks like Chile has experienced? Will large quake events be protracted over long periods of time similar to volcanic eruptions?

See Chile: The Earthquake That Acts Like a Volcano

Missing link between man and apes found

From the Telegraph

The new species of hominid, the evolutionary branch of primates that includes humans, is to be revealed when the two-million-year-old skeleton of a child is unveiled this week.

Scientists believe the almost-complete fossilised skeleton belonged to a previously-unknown type of early human ancestor that may have been a intermediate stage as ape-men evolved into the first species of advanced humans, Homo habilis.

Experts who have seen the skeleton say it shares characteristics with Homo habilis, whose emergence 2.5 million years ago is seen as a key stage in the evolution of our species.
The new discovery could help to rewrite the history of human evolution by filling in crucial gaps in the scientific knowledge.

Most fossilised hominid remains are little more than scattered fragments of bone, so the discovery of an almost-complete skeleton will allow scientists to answer key questions about what our early ancestors looked like and when they began walking upright on two legs.

See also Who Is Your Creator? , Darwin and Lincoln: The Race Connection , The Vatican's Techno-synthesis of Faith

Interfaith Movement Gains New Strength

The Washington Times takes a look at the interfaith promoters in America today. A few Progressive Christians feature include:

• Samir Selmanovic's Faith House ( endorsed by Tony Campolo )
• Brian McLaren
• Tony Blair ( with Rick Warren's support )
• Fuller Theological Seminary ( Rick Warren's Alma mater )

Click here to see the entire article.

Piper, Warren Issue On The Mike Corley Show

The Mike Corley Show: Rick Warren to speak at Desiring God Conference

Mike takes a look at the unbelievable decision by John Piper to host the Purpose Driven guru at his national conference.

"...I respect John Piper a great deal... It troubles me, it confuses me as to how John Piper can invite Rick Warren...

Rick Warren is a palageanist...God doesn't call the shots, you do.

...Do you know what a pragmatist is? ...The end justifies the means...Rick Warren is a pragmatist.

...He believes if they love us, they will love Jesus.

...Whatever it takes to to get them to recite some words, sign a card, get them on the rolls, whatever it takes, it takes.

...He ( Warren ) doesn't believe the Gospel can stand on it's own.

...He believes that you have the ability, authority and power, that whenever you are ready to holler up to Jesus and he will come down.

...This is the problem I have with it, aside from the fact that he ( Warren) is perverting the truth, he promotes it as being the true Gospel...this is Christianity according to Rick Warren and it is not.

...For John Piper to make a statement (regarding Warren), "Come and tell us why thinking Biblically matters to you and your amazing pragmatic approach to ministry" is outrageous... Outrageous!

Click here to listen.

John Piper's Purpose Driven Problem

From Pastor Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries

Ever since Dr. John Piper made the unfortunate mistake of asking Rick Warren to be a keynote speaker for the Desiring God Conference 2010 at Apprising Ministries I’ve been keeping you updated on the events surrounding Warrengate. You may know that John Piper released a video detailing the reasons why he decided to extend this offer to Rick Warren.

Pastor Silva provides links and commentary from a variety of sources expressing great concern regarding this stunning situation.

Click here to go direct to Apprising Ministries.

More Than 260 Quakes Rock SoCal, Mexico

Number of 1.0 Magnitude or greater quakes in Baja region since 7.2 quake event: 135

Number of 3.0 Magnitude or greater quakes in Baja region since 7.2 quake event: 130

7.2 Mag Quake Rocks Mexico, SoCal

Quake rolls across Baja - Los Angeles Times

The magnitude 7.2 temblor topples buildings and is blamed for at least two deaths. Damage is worst in the border cities of Calexico and Mexicali.

Reporting from Mexico City and Mexicali, Mexico - A magnitude 7.2 earthquake rocked Mexico's Baja California peninsula Sunday, jolting millions of people from Los Angeles and San Diego to Phoenix and scattering destruction along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Emergency services in both the U.S. and Mexico scrambled to assess the extent of casualties and damage, including fallen buildings, buckled roads, cracked water canals, fires and telephone and electrical outages. It appeared that most of the damage was in the twin border cities of Calexico, Calif., and Mexicali, Mexico, where at least two people were reported killed and several injured.

Jews outraged at Vatican scandal comparison

(Reuters) - Jewish groups around the world have reacted with shock after Pope Benedict's personal preacher compared attacks on the Church and pope over a sexual abuse scandal to "collective violence" against Jews.

...The pope's personal preacher, Father Raniero Cantalamessa, in a Friday sermon in St Peter's Basilica, said attacks on the Catholic Church and the pope over a sexual abuse scandal were comparable to "collective violence" against Jews.

Jewish leaders around the world used words like repugnant, obscene and offensive to describe the sermon, particularly, as Di Segni noted, it came on the day that for centuries Christians prayed for the conversion of the Jews, who were held collectively responsible for Jesus' death.

"How can you compare the collective guilt assigned to the Jews which caused the deaths of tens of millions of innocent people to perpetrators who abuse their faith and their calling by sexually abusing children?" demanded Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the international Jewish rights group.

..."This ridiculous attempt to hide the crimes of the (Church) hierarchy inside of Jewish suffering shows just how far this Pope seems willing to go to stop the truth from emerging," said Peter Isely, a spokesman for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).

The Vatican has denied any cover-up over the abuse of 200 deaf boys in the United States by Reverend Lawrence Murphy from 1950 to 1974. The New York Times reported the Vatican and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, were warned about Murphy but he was not defrocked.

US Interfaith Conference Features Unity In The Divine Feminine

Nazareth College in Rochester, NY is hosting the 2010 Interfaith Understanding Conference on April 11 - 13.

From the website:
"The conference will establish an environment conducive to understanding the diversity of faiths in the Rochester community and the world," said Muhammad Shafiq, executive director of the Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue at Nazareth College. "We believe that individuals can learn from each other, understand each other and work together in a respectful way for the common good."

Speakers representing five major world religions will encourage participants to explore critical issues of diversity by highlighting eight major themes: next generation, stories of faith, women's interfaith leadership, LGBT and religion, religious stereotypes and prejudices, global interfaith coexistence, business and ethics, and environmental and social justice.

The conference is endorsed by the global nonprofit United Religions Initiative (URI) and representatives of the The Parliament of the World's Religions will be on hand.

In addition, the conference focuses on interfaith activities at the high school and college levels. A scholarship is offered to students as well.

One plenary session offered is The Divine Feminine: The Foundation of the Abrahamic World by Sr. Joan Chittister.

In "The Divine Feminine: the foundation of the Abrahamic world" Joan Chittister explores four questions, including: Where does the subject of the Divine Feminine come from and why is it important for us to consider it today? For the answers she looks to all the major religious traditions including the Hebrew scriptures and Jesus' life in the Christian scriptures. Sister Joan also presents wisdom stories and considers the basic concept of God in support of her belief in the authentic role of the Divine Feminine in all spirituality.

The concept of the Divine Feminine is a pillar in both ancient occult belief systems and gnostic heresy recently publicized by Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.

Israel provoked God's anger by making offerings to The Queen of Heaven in the Book of Jeremiah. Roman Catholicism offers the most famous figure of the Divine Feminine in the Mary of Rome.

See related articles & videos: Mysticism Melds Muslims & Mary , Queen of Rome, Queen of Islam, Queen of All , Mary of Rome, The Queen of All , Vatican, WCC Assemble For Muslim Dialogue.

Worthy Is The Lamb That Was Slain

Revelation 5:

6And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song, saying,

"Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth."

11Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" 13And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" 14And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Israeli jets strike Gaza

From YNET NEWS.com: Israeli jets struck two weapons labs in the northern and central Gaza Strip Thursday night, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit reported. Two weapons warehouses in the southern Strip were also hit.

"The strike comes in response to the rocket fired at Hof Ashkelon Regional Council in the evening. The IDF holds the Hamas terror organization as solely responsible for the occurrences in the Gaza Strip and for maintaining quiet there," an IDF. (Hanan Greenberg)

Texas Church Offers Free Cars and Free Heaven

WARNING: DEMONS DON'T YIELD TO DOLLAR SIGNS ...

From Go San Angelino Standard Times

"Come to church for the first time and leave an hour later with a car!" - Bill Cornealius, pastor of Bay Area Fellowship Church, Corpus Christi

You’ve never seen an Easter egg hunt like this before.

Bay Area Fellowship, the largest church in Corpus Christi, is giving away flat-screen televisions, skateboards, Fender guitars, furniture and 15 cars — yes, cars — at its Easter services.

And even those who don’t win big will walk away with something. The church has gathered donations for 15,000 gift bags, each with about $300 worth of free goods and services.

“We’re going to give some stuff away and say, ‘Imagine how great heaven is going to be if you feel that excited about a car,’ ” lead Pastor Bil Cornelius said. “It’s completely free — all you have to do is receive him.”

He hopes the prizes will help Bay Area lure some people who don’t normally go to church or those who have lapsed in their faith.

Editor's note: Is the price Christ paid on the cross not sufficient, Pastor? Apparently if the salt is lost, it's ok to conjure up substitutes.

See also The Idolatry of Decisionalism , Will You Escape The Wrath To Come?

Undersea Volcano Threatens Italy

FOX NEWS Europe's largest undersea volcano could disintegrate and unleash a tsunami that would engulf southern Italy "at any time,” a prominent vulcanologist warned in an interview published Monday.

The Marsili volcano, which is bursting with magma, has "fragile walls" that could collapse, Enzo Boschi told the leading daily Corriere della Sera.

"It could even happen tomorrow," said Boschi, president of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).

"Our latest research shows that the volcano is not structurally solid, its walls are fragile, the magma chamber is of sizable dimensions," he said. "All that tells us that the volcano is active and could begin erupting at any time."

Schuller's Crystal Cathedral hit with $2M in lawsuits

The Associated Press

GARDEN GROVE, Calif.—Three businesses have sued the Crystal Cathedral megachurch for more than $2 million combined in unpaid bills.
It's another blow for the pioneering Orange County megachurch, which airs the "Hour of Power" to viewers worldwide each week.

Last week, several vendors claimed the ministry owes them tens of thousands of dollars for services provided during the annual "Glory of Christmas" extravaganza.

The church has a $55 million budget deficit and recently conducted layoffs, sold church property and reduced the number of TV stations airing the "Hour of Power" telecast.

The 10,000-member church was founded more than a half-century ago by the Rev. Robert H. Schuller who preached the power of positive thinking.

Editor's note: Even the secular media can discern the root of Schuller's theology-psychology.