Archive for the ‘pentecostal’ Category
Posted by appolus on November 19, 2013
Josiah Batton writes………
The issue of John MacArthur’s recent Strange Fire Conference (and forthcoming book) is all the rage in the Evangelical blogosphere right now. Truth be told, I’m impressed by the attention the whole thing is drawing. If you know anything about MacArthur you know he is a cessationist, and that he has promoted cessationism publicly for quite some time.
I gather the issue is not MacArthur’s cessationism, which is well-known. The issue is that MacArthur has thrown down the theological gauntlet. He’s not merely saying continuationism is wrong, he’s saying it’s wrong and dangerous. While I was not at the conference, reports I read had MacArthur likening Charismatics to Mormonism, saying that Evangelicals will challenge 14 million Mormons, but are silent in the face of half a billion Charismatics. This is inflammatory, perhaps even reckless, speech.
But as you may have gathered from the title, I’m not writing this post to point out MacArthur’s errors or where I disagree with him (though such disagreements do exist). That I’m writing in general support of Strange Fire implies I have particular differences with the conference and some of its themes. This post is about my support of the conference, not my differences with it.
You might be curious about how I, as a Pentecostal pastor, could possibly support any conference that fundamentally challenges the theological foundation of my movement and condemns many of its practices. My reasons are simple: Read the rest of the article here …. http://questiontradition.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/a-pentecostal-in-general-support-of-the-strange-fire-conference/
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: cessationism, John MacArthur, Strange Fire Conference | Leave a Comment »
Posted by appolus on November 18, 2013
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 17 Comments »
Posted by appolus on November 14, 2013
Its a terrible thing to be held captive by our own thoughts. How exhausting can it can be when we allow them to consume and overwhelm us? They can begin to eat away at us. They can even rob us of sleep and leave us tired and weary. I thank the Lord that He freed us and gave us the ability to take every thought into captivity and focus on Him. If a specific situation or trial has taken your mind captive today, know that there is a way of escape, you are no longer slaves to the flesh but bond-servants, willing servants to the Lord of power. If you have been set free by the Lord then you are free indeed. You now have the power to take those thoughts captive, they must bow to the Spirit of God in you. By an act of your will, take your eyes off of that situation today and turn them to Jesus and draw close to Him and peace will flood your soul. “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 37 Comments »
Posted by appolus on November 13, 2013
There is a groaning generation being raised, a witness to God’s truth and glory being raised for these last days, raised for rejection , raised to be persecuted and reviled , raised for martyrdom, raised to praise God not only from the mountaintops but also from the deepest valleys – bro Frank
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Nominal Christians are nothing like the real thing. Their lives are cold copies of the reality, faint lines traced by a dull pencil, conveying nothing of faith’s force and grace. According to Scripture, Christianity is not a geographical concept ( not an accident of birth) but a spiritual one. It does not depend on our being a native of a Christian country, it is a condition, a state of heart, a unique possession – William Wilberforce , Real Christianity
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Persecution failed to destroy the church, but it seems that the enemy thought that if he could not beat them then he must buy them.What we in the west consider blessings, from God could in fact be one of many Trojan horses designed to infiltrate and weaken, dilute and compromise Christendom. Ultimately those who identify with Christ’s sufferings will not fall for the notion of these ” blessings,” and will see it for what it is. Something to held very loosely – bro Frank
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christian quotes, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Leave a Comment »
Posted by appolus on November 12, 2013
Below is a comment I received from a dear saint this morning. I thought I would share it as it did my heart good and it is thought provoking. The comment was in regard to a post of mine ” A Call To The Remnant,” https://acalltotheremnant.com/a-call-to-the-remnant/ which of course is also the name of this site. The comment…….
“Wow, I really enjoyed this post; it brought tears to my eyes and it really encouraged me, because I am one of those who was wounded by Christ, and I am now a remnant soul. Jesus disciplines those he loves, isn’t that so? I was deeply embedded in the Word of Faith cult, all the while thinking I was saved, I was in need of deliverance. I thought I was in the light, but I was in a false light that was really darkness, and how great was that darkness! While he was dealing with my mother’s adulteries through sicknesses, to the point of bringing her rebellious heart to finally repent of her sins while on her death-bed, he was changing my heart too. In the aftermath of prophecies and promises of her healing that were supposed to be from the LORD, but were left unfulfilled, I was finally ready for the truth. I was desperately hungry and thirsty for the real Almighty God.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 11 Comments »
Posted by appolus on November 11, 2013
The Man After God’s Own Heart (Part Two) —-Bro Allan Halton
As we read the story of Saul we discover that he wasn’t a man who had much of a regard for learning God’s ways. His own ways were quite good enough for him—as they were for the Gentile kings. No one told them what to do. And, after all, wasn’t he a king just like the nations round about? Isn’t this what the people wanted in the first place? But this was God’s kingdom, and the two “mistakes” we highlighted in the first part of this message cost Saul the kingdom. He made others beside the two we have spoken of, and they were all rooted in the same soil—a heart that was ready enough to sideline God and do what was reasonable in its own eyes. As we said last time, we see this same heart of Saul on every hand in the leadership of the churches of our day, and because of it an immense collapse is inevitable. The thing is… finding fault is easy enough, but knowing where others are missing it is of no value if we are not searching our own heart. If we want to make sure we ourselves don’t get caught in the looming disaster it will mean two things:
1) We must wait for God when waiting is so difficult. In the press of desperate circumstance when God is nowhere in sight we must resist the temptation to do what is expedient in our own eyes; we must wait for God—for His direction, for His help, for His strategy… for Himself, His Presence. Our churches are chock full of things that men decided to go ahead with when God was absent, was silent; there are countless programs and methodologies that the Lord of the church had absolutely nothing to do with bringing into being. We must repent of this evil, and get on our knees with a broken and contrite heart and seek the Anointed Jesus our Lord to come to us once again… and with His anointing help us offer the burnt offering.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: fear of God, Man After God’s Own Heart | 2 Comments »
Posted by appolus on November 8, 2013
The Man After God’s Own Heart (Part One)
Something like a hundred pages of my Bible are devoted to the account of Israel’s first two kings, Saul and David. It’s an engaging story but God has more in mind than entertaining us with history; we need to learn what the Holy Spirit would teach us from the lives of these two kings. For, in our day the same drama is being played out again in the church of Jesus Christ.
Let us plunge right into the story. Israel had asked God for a king so they could be like the nations around them. This displeased the Lord, for His intention with Israel was to make them very different from the nations. But when Samuel protested that their desire was not of God, and that the king they wanted would use them to advance his own kingdom and interests, they refused to listen. “Nay, but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like the nations…” (1 Sam. 8.19). So God gave them their hearts’ desire—something that you and I should remember when we persist in asking God for something that He has indicated is not His will. We might just get what we ask for… to our sorrow.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: Israel, Samuel, Saul and David | 13 Comments »
Posted by appolus on November 6, 2013
THE CONSTANTINE CONTAGION
Let us look at what kind of Kingdom Constantine built. You decide if he initiated and contaminated Christendom with a contagion that lasts until this day, that created the Catholic church and also the reformed church. In 313 Constantine issued the Edict of Milan. This granted freedom of religion to all men, including Christians. I know that this may come as a shock to many American Christians, but yes, there was freedom of religion prior to some settlements in the colonies. Constantine went on and decreed that the properties stolen from Christians during the persecution would be returned. He also decreed that the houses of prayer that were burned would be rebuilt and paid for by the state. And even with that , Constantine was not finished. He decided in his earthly wisdom and undoubted friendliness towards those of the Christian faith that they should have very fine buildings in which to worship, very much larger structures since it was now the favored religion of the state. The previous modest houses of prayer would be too small to hold the large crowds that would now come, so he built them ” churches,” that were more ornate than the pagan temples of the day.
So we went from a faith that met in very modest houses of prayer to highly ornate temples of worship. We went from a faith that was persecuted by the state to a faith that was made an amalgam of the state. Constantine further recognized that most bishops and deacons lived on or near the poverty line. Now think about that saints-saints on or near the poverty line. Now this was often by choice, men gladly giving up their estates, but nevertheless that is how most bishops and deacons lived prior to the great persecution of Diocletian. Now Constantine thought this most improper that men of the status of a bishop or a deacon should live in such a manner. So Constantine decided that the state would pay them a handsome salary. Think about it saints. Just a few years before Christendom had faced the most sever persecution and now here was Constantine, building extravagant buildings called churches and paying bishops and deacons handsome salaries. Brilliant strategy of the Devil? Good cop bad cop syndrome with Diocletian and Constantine? I would argue that it could only have happened against the backdrop of such a great persecution. Prior to this men of God would not even take governmental roles never mind have the state pay for ornate buildings and receive a wage from them. One more thing, Constantine decreed that these churches did not have to pay property tax, which was one of the main ways Rome raised revenue.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Constantine, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: Constantine, Kingdom Constantine | 6 Comments »
Posted by appolus on November 5, 2013
This article will be in two parts and will explore the effect that the Emperor Constantine had on the church world then and as we know it today and how this relates to genuine Kingdom or remnant saints. So what is the title of this article asking? What does it mean to be either a Kingdom , pilgrim or remnant saint? All of these titles describe one person, the saint who walks in the Kingdom of God. They come from every tribe, every tongue and every nation. They cross denominational lines. Their identity is established in Christ , not in men or men’s Kingdom. The walk of such a saint is often a lonely walk.
In every century down through the ages, beginning with the death and resurrection of Jesus, we see this saint. He is a lover of the Truth and would rather die than deny this truth. He would rather walk this world alone than compromise the truth. His country cannot shake it, his friends cannot shake it nor even his family because while he may love all of these passionately , nothing even comes close to his passion for the Truth. He has been captured by it, bought by it, ruined for the things of this world by it. Of course this truth of which I speak is the way, the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father except by Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, ruler of the Kingdom of God.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, Church history, church of scotland, Constantine, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: Constantine, Emperor Constantine, parable of jesus | 8 Comments »
Posted by appolus on November 1, 2013
The authentic saint is founded upon relationship not theology or doctrine. That is not to say that the authentic saint does not study theology or have doctrine. What it does say is that their entrance into the Kingdom of God came by way of encounter, not by information. One is of the head, the other of the heart. One radically transforms, the other puffs up.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, Daily devotional, Devotions, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: doctrine | 3 Comments »
Posted by appolus on October 31, 2013
Do you know what is wrong with us as a Church today? We are taking ourselves for granted. We are assuming that which may not be true at all; that which is founded upon wishful hoping and not upon sound Biblical experience in many cases. We have not been disturbed enough. We have not allowed God to plough furrows on our backs. We have not dared to go before God and have the examination made. We are afraid of what God will find , and we would rather wait. Therefore we have waited and settled down.
There has always been a small remnant and they have been in the midst of all the rest. A million might wish with their lips and worship with their lips, but only a small fragment truly worship in their hearts in a way that honors and pleases God. We do not need to imagine it as an indication of vast spiritual or high degree of holiness when we see a church door open and multitudes spew out on the sidewalk. Follow them home. Follow them a half a block and see how they live. That is the way to tell. “Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them’( Matt 7:20)
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the state of the church, theology | Leave a Comment »
Posted by appolus on October 31, 2013
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace,” they said, “the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18).
Above is either side of the one coin of faith. You cannot have one without the other. If your faith relies on a positive outcome then what you have is positive thinking, not faith. If on the other hand you have counted the cost and are willing to praise God no matter what comes your way, you have found true faith. Everything must be unconditional, including our faith.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, faith, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: positive thinking, true faith | Leave a Comment »
Posted by appolus on October 30, 2013
Many times in my Christian life I have run from God. Let me explain that. In some of my toughest trials, my tendency is to present a ” stiff upper lip,” as they say in Britain. To stand stoically and unmovable in the midst of trial. While some of this is positive, standing firm and all that, the weakness is in the ” shutting down,” emotionally and becoming detached as a way of dealing with problems. Problem is, to do this, one becomes detached from the presence of the living God, the very cure for a heart turned cold. In those times, sometimes weeks or months, my God has never failed to come looking for me. He should not have to come look for me, but He does. This is the synopsis of the poem below.
Why is it, in some of my roughest times
I run from You?
Frank my child, I call to you
Will you come to me?
I come to You, I run to You
I’m coming in from the cold
My hands held high, my heart opened wide
Here in your presence with nowhere left to hide
Sometimes life just beats you down
And comes against your very soul
Wave after wave they keep on coming
Surviving one more day becomes your only goal
I come to You, I run to You
I’m coming in from the cold
My hands held high, my heart opened wide
Here in your presence with nowhere left to hide
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, poetry, revival, the state of the church, theology | 2 Comments »
Posted by appolus on October 29, 2013
PROPHETIC WORD FROM 50 YEARS AGO – A. W. TOZER
“Let me go out on a limb a little bit and prophesy. I see the time coming
when all the holy men whose eyes have been opened by the Holy Spirit will
desert worldly Evangelicalism, one by one. The house will be left desolate
and there will not be a man of God, a man in whom the Holy Spirit dwells,
left among them.
I hear Jesus saying…Mat 23:37-38: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one killing
the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her, how often would I have
gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her
wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is left to you desolate”
As the Church now stands, the man who sees this condition of worldly
evangelicalism is written off as somewhat fanatical. But the day is coming
when the house will be left desolate and there will not be a man of God
among them. I would like to live long enough to watch this develop and see
how things turn out. I would like to live to see the time when the men and
woman of God-holy, separated and spiritually enlightened-walk out of the
evangelical church and form a group of their own; when they get off the
sinking ship and let her go down in the brackish and worldliness and form a
new ark to ride out the storm”
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, prophecy, prophet, revival, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: Evangelicalism, the Holy Spirit | 13 Comments »
Posted by appolus on October 25, 2013
I would like to comment on John McArthur’s recent conference and book ” Strange Fire.” This conference and the book is an all out attack, not just on Charismatics but also on anyone who believes in the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in sign gifts such as Tongues, Prophecy, Words of knowledge and gifts of healings and so on. Much of what McArthur writes is obviously correct. I do believe that most of the Charismatic sect is a Trojan horse, gifted to and greedily accepted by the Pentecostals. The Charismatics do have an obsession with health and wealth and miracles and time and time again it overshadows Jesus.I also agree that the majority worship a golden calf, erected by modern men in the shadow of Jannes and Jambres.
Yet MacArthur exposes himself in his own zeal as the opposite end of the Trojan horse. The combination of men who deny the ongoing work of the Spirit as written in the Word and men who are obsessed with health and wealth and miracles is an almost deadly one-two punch from the devil himself. These are the men who have spied out our liberty and have come down to bring us into bondage, those whom the Lord delivered from the Law. True men and woman of God would cry ” God forbid,” in response to the charge that we have created a license to sin as we walk in the liberty and the freedom of the Spirit.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, False Prophets, False Prophets and Teachers, false teachers, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: Charismatics, John McArthur, Trojan horse | 5 Comments »
Posted by appolus on October 23, 2013
How many times I have heard people say ” There there, everything will be okay.” Having now lived long enough, I know that not to be true, yet still people somehow cling to that notion and draw comfort from it. Humanism. When Peter , hearing Jesus talk about the things that He must suffer, rebukes Jesus and tells Him these things shall never be, Jesus uses the same rebuke that He used on Satan when Satan tempted Him with all the Kingdoms of the world. And so, those who mind the things of the world will always be offended at the notion that we have been called to suffer. We know that all who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer, yet we also know that there are many who would rebuke us for these thoughts. And why? Because they mind the things of this world and do not mind the things of God. Can you imagine our Lord Jesus rebuking us and calling us Satan? The choice before us? The cross and Christ or the ” things of men.”
Luk 4:8 And Jesus answered and said to him, Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.”
Mar 8:33 But when He had turned around and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not mind the things of God, but of the things of men.
Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: Christ Jesus | Leave a Comment »
Posted by appolus on October 22, 2013
One of the hardest things I ever dealt with as a Christian was unforgiveness. In fact, it almost dashed me on its rocks, threatening to undo all the work the Lord had ever done in me. It brought me to a place of great darkness within my soul. I cried out to God that what He was asking me to do, to forgive, was not possible, at least not for me. He was asking me to do something that was simply impossible for me. And of course the truth was, in me, it was impossible, but in Him, all things are possible. I wrote the poem below to speak to this subject of forgiveness and the great danger of un-forgiveness.
How many times should I forgive
Once or twice or seven?
How is it that I should walk
As one whose been forgiven?
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, poetry, revival, the state of the church, theology, Uncategorized | Tagged: forgiveness | Leave a Comment »
Posted by appolus on October 22, 2013
The Gospel of Martyrdom vs. the Gospel of Success by Micheal Brown
Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin. The appointed Jewish leadership confronted this anointed Jewish believer. They glared; he glowed. They were enraged; he was enraptured. Their faces were contorted with anger; his was like the countenance of an angel. “Men and brothers,” he said, “listen to me.”
He rehearsed the history of Israel, from Abraham to Moses to David, the faithfulness of God in spite of the unfaithfulness of the people. But Stephen was not there that day merely to recite the lessons of history. He was there to be a witness, and as a faithful witness he spoke. His words turned to piercing rebuke:
You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered Him — you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it (7:51-53).
Soon his body lay battered and bloody, a mangled, motionless mass. He had not backed down. He had not compromised. He had not omitted a word. He was a witness and a prophetic voice. And that day he became the Church’s first martyr — the first, but not the last. Hundreds of thousands have followed in his path. Being a witness for Jesus could cost you your life.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | 11 Comments »
Posted by appolus on October 10, 2013
THE WOLVES COME FROM WITHIN – JANNES & JAMBRES
And so brothers and sisters, the first eight verses of 2Tim chapter 3 are speaking not of the world but of Christendom. And the final two names , Jannes and Jambres are noted as men who greatly resisted Moses and since the context of this chapter is perilous last days, then we can assume that men like Jannes and Jambres will greatly resist God’s true people in these latter days. Now who were these men and what do they represent today? Well Jannes and Jambres are reckoned to be two of the occultist magicians in Pharoah’s court who replicated the rod turning into a snake, then were able to replicate some of the plagues. It is reckoned that when Moses and the children of Israel left Egypt that they had become followers of Moses, perhaps for the same reasons as Simon the magician of Acts 8 , who was amazed at the power of the Apostles and who tried to buy this power.
Extra Biblical evidence suggests that Jannes and Jambres were very influential in persuading Aaron to make a golden calf when it seemed that Moses may not return. And we know that the calf was made with the gold and the treasure that was taken from Egypt. And so we see two men who had some kind of power, perhaps even a form of Godliness since they were now following Moses, persuade men to fall down and worship the treasures of the world and act just like the world from which they had been delivered. Do we not see that in Christendom today. There are so many men just like Jannes, just like Jambres, just like Simon, men who are desperate to operate in the power of God so that they can impress others and elevate their own status. It will never happen. Today’s so-called miracles workers and self-proclaimed prophets are merely operating in the soulish realm. And God’s fire will never fall on them. This will be one reason they will hate genuine saints, for as God pours out His Spirit on genuine saints in these latter times and they begin to move in the genuine power of God, it will enrage the false teachers just as it enraged the religious leaders in the days of Jesus. We see a small clue in Matthew 27:18 as to why they wanted Jesus dead… ” For he knew they had delivered Him because of envy. ”
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: Christendom, Jannes and Jambres | 1 Comment »
Posted by appolus on October 9, 2013
As the Lord approaches, as we enter into the times of sorrow, as the birth pangs are beginning that marks the imminent rise of the anti-christ and therefore the return of our Lord and Saviour, we must be on guard and heed the warnings of the Word of God. Jesus plainly told us to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.( Mar 8:15)
Pharisees and Saducees
Now the leaven here is plainly speaking of false doctrine. And so it is helpful to know who are those who opposed Jesus and why. For the same spirits that opposed Jesus ( we do not wrestle against flesh and blood) are still alive and well and will oppose Jesus, in His followers, and all the more so as that day approaches. So those who opposed Jesus were the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Herodians. As we describe who they are, you must discern who represents these groups today and see if the motivations which existed in the days of Jerusalem , still exist today. I would argue that they do and that the battle will be the same, just set against a different backdrop.
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Posted in Christian, christian living, Christianity, church of scotland, end times, Jesus, pentecostal, revival, the remnant, the state of the church, theology | Tagged: Herodians, Jesus, Pharisees and Sadducees | 1 Comment »
A Call To The Remnant 