The Blogosphere: What I’ve Been Reading, etc…

Todays been a good day for sitting back and reading the thoughts of other bloggers…in between listening to a few very good sermons and podcasts. I’d been a little under the weather this past week, so was also finally (Thank God) able to squeeze in doing the laundry which had been piling up all week like some growing monster-mountain. Just wanted to share a few links where I’ve traveled today:

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-I listened to a good sermon preached by Carter Conlon: Standing on the Wrong Side of the Battle. Well worth listening to! More by Carter can be found here at Sermon Index. Sermon Index is the best place around to find a bounty of great sermons, both old and new, listed in audio AND text.

- This is a good topic at Shepherd the Flock written by Nathan White: Is New Testament Worship about Fear, or Love?- He nicely brings out the balance which is sorely needed today. I often wonder why we, as Christians, are so easily swayed into becoming out of balance…’into extremes’? Perhaps its human nature. I’ve always believed it is this extremism which leads to false teachings of doctrines.

- Believe I may have mentioned this new blog I came across last week, Reformed Voices blog. I’ve found it has become a a small gem to visit this past week. I signed up for the feed, so get notified when something new is added. You can find some of your favorite teachers of the past [and present] with many quotes or, snippets from sermons.

- As always, HealtheLand has posted some outstanding video teachings today. YAHOO!! These today are on Christ: R.C. Sproul: Interpreting The Parables And Doctrines Of Jesus Christ. Be sure and check these out!

- Over at SoulRefuge is another good read: Ten Reasons Why I’m Not an Atheist. Just last night I was listening to the song, He Came to Me, and thinking about how true the words are. He did come to me over 27 years ago, and how deeply in His debt I am that He did. For when I did not know what it was I needed, Jesus, or how to attain it, He reached down to me (and you) anyway….Praise His wonderful Name.

- From Spiritual Pathways- The 5th Gospel on Trusting in The Shadow of Egypt- Part One of Two, is a good message. Looking forward to reading part 2…

-Randy Maugans and Sue Patterson at The Threshing Floor have a new podcast up: Training and Equipping: Part 1-”What Do We Do?” – “In this first part of an ongoing series entitled “Training and Equipping” we are going to take the metaphoric language and theoretical underpinnings of the “Third Day” series and begin to apply them to practical instructions for hearing and seeing the Word of the Lord on a day to day basis. Right now we have some cryptic instructions in the form of a vision, an interpretation, and a practical word from scriptures—in the mouths of two or three a thing is so…”

-The spirit of antichrist has been here for a long time–we know this because John wrote of it being present (and active) in the epistle 1John chapter 2: Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

In todays world that spirit has become bolder every day. Even those who have any knowledge of the bible or God, even if not saved, are aware of the boldness of evil or corruption which threatens the world and its institutions. That sadly, includes the Church. Over at GCMWATCH, is one article which shows those of us who are believers just how bold this spirit has become: Spirit of the antichrist working in apostate Episcopal ruler.

- At True Discernment we see a report of further work by this spirit of antichrist in this report and video: Father Michael Manning Rejects Salvation By Christ Alone.

This spirit isn’t going to back down folks..its only going to become bolder and bolder. Be prepared…have yourself so firmly planted upon THE ROCK (Jesus) that nothing or no one can cause you to be up-rooted. Not even if your ‘favorite’ preacher or your own pastor begins to operate in/by this spirit. You just may see it.

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Those are a few places I’ve read and been browsing on today…perhaps you may find one or more which interest you and be blessed by the offering. Thanks to all the bloggers out there which feed, bless, and make me dig into the word of God.

I’ll close with a quote I read ’somewhere’ today and copied. Some years ago I came across it for the first time and recall how it made me think of America:

“The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependence; from dependency back again into bondage.”

– Alexander Tyler