| One of the founders of this break-off group from the Southern Baptists, Cecil Sherman, said in regard to the virgin birth, "A teacher who might also be led by the Scriptures not to believe in the virgin birth should not be fired" from his seminary teaching position. Many churches in Texas that pulled away from the Southern Baptist joined that organization not fully realizing what was behind it. The main reason for the split was that there was a takeover of the Southern Baptists by conservatives who held to the inerrancy of Scripture and other great doctrines of the faith. Liberal pastors, who were trained in liberal schools, resisted this strengthening of the doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture. Inerrancy is a biblical doctrine. I should know. My thesis for my first master's degree was on inerrancy! And by the way, there was nothing wrong in the "take over." The whole purpose was to get back to what the Bible teaches. Liberalism was moving (and still is) into the Southern Baptist schools. In my opinion, soon, the Southern Baptists will be completely liberal. This is the way all human institutions are going. The liberals deny inerrancy. And apparently Cecil Sherman is certainly soft on the issue of the virgin birth of our Savior. Along with Dr. Al Mohler, I believe one who denies this doctrine is not saved. To deny the virgin birth is to "create" another Jesus. This would make Christ simply another man. The virgin birth is essential for understanding the sinlessness of Christ, otherwise, He would be dying for His own sins! Being the Son of God, Christ is sinless. It amazes me what people do not know about their own group, their own denomination! -- Dr. Mal Couch |
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
THE COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP
Monday, December 22, 2008
THE JEWS LOOKING UPON OR TO JESUS WHEN HE RETURNS
| When the Lord Jesus returns to earth to establish His Davidic and messianic rule, Zechariah 12:10 says: "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born." A question has been raised about the prepositional phrase "look on Me." Should this be "look on, upon Me" or "look unto Me"? Which is right, and does it make a big difference as to which translation would be correct? Many prepositions are rather spongy and have shades of meaning that sometimes are difficult to make precise. Without question, the passage is saying that Israel, the Jews, will see Christ physically return to the earth to rule over the house of David (the kingly house) and over Jerusalem, the royal city, for carrying out the messianic reign. This is a settled issue and it makes those who do not take His return to reign over the literal messianic kingdom, which is actual and literal, look foolish. It is the covenant guys who deny the normal, natural meaning of this great passage. They deprecate the Word of God and take away the Lord's earthly reign as promised clearly in Scripture! The proposition el at its first meaning is toward. Or, "to, on, upon." The great Jewish Rabbi Rashi says it should read "They shall look upon Me." Or, "They will turn to Me." Unger rightly puts it all together: "The pouring out of the Spirit upon the remnant will result in their looking 'upon' the Messiah, but the Hebrew 'they shall look' also includes the idea of 'looking to' Him in confidence and faith." By the way, it is God the Son who says in the passage "they shall look upon Me"! The word "to look" in Hebrew is ne'bat in the hiphil verb form with the force of "they will be made to look." The Hebrew lexicon says the word is best translated "to look in a specific direction." Apparently when the Spirit of God touches the Jews as Christ arrives to reign upon His messianic throne, the people will be made to turn and look at His descending down to earth. This will cause them to cry out when they recognize Him as their rejected Messiah! The piercing of course refers to His crucifixion when the nation as a whole rejected Him as their Savior and King! --Dr. Mal Couch |
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Slipping into the Abyss
As Cathy Lynn Grossman of USA Today reports:
This most recent report, released today, clarifies a report issued earlier this year. That earlier report became the cause of some controversy because some researchers questioned the accuracy of the responses, since some of those surveyed may have confused other Christian denominations for other religions.
In releasing this updated report, the Pew Forum isolated the question and made it far more specific. Those who affirmed other ways of salvation were then asked to specify what they meant. As USA Today reports, the vast majority of those who affirmed other ways of salvation went on to specify "Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists or people with no religion at all" as valid options.
The report indicates that 52% of those belonging to churches and denominations that teach that Jesus is the only way of salvation reject that teaching.
More from USA Today:
This survey cannot easily be dismissed. The specificity of the responses and the quality of the research sample indicate that we face a serious decline in confidence in the Gospel. When 34% of white evangelicals reject the truth that Jesus is the only Savior, we are witnessing a virtual collapse of evangelical theology.
There is also additional cause for concern. As Cathy Lynn Grossman reports, "Pew's new survey also found that many Christians (29%) say they are saved by their good actions; 30% say salvation is through belief in Jesus, God or a higher power alone, which is the core teaching of evangelical Protestantism; and 10% say salvation is found through a combination of behavior and belief, a view closer to Catholic teachings."
I was interviewed for the USA Today story and expressed my concern:
Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, calls the findings "a theological crisis for American evangelicals. They represent at best a misunderstanding of the Gospel and at worst a repudiation of the Gospel."
And:
Overall, the new findings are "an indictment of evangelicalism and evangelical preaching," said Mohler. "The clear Biblical teaching is that Jesus Christ proclaimed himself to be the only way to salvation."
Mohler sees behind the statistics the impact of pluralism and secularism in U.S. society and the challenge of facing family and friends with "an uncomfortable truth."
"We are in an age when we want to tell everyone they are doing just fine. It's extremely uncomfortable to turn to someone and say, 'You will go to hell unless you come to a saving knowledge of Jesus,' " Mohler says.
Over twenty years ago, Professor James Davison Hunter of the University of Virginia sounded a similar alarm in Evangelicalism: The Coming Generation. In that work, Hunter warned that the rising generation of younger evangelicals -- then mostly college age -- were increasingly uncomfortable with the claim that Jesus is the only Savior and that belief in Christ is necessary in order for a person to go to heaven. Now, those students are old enough to be parents and their influence is becoming more evident year by year. One can almost draw a straight line between Hunter's analysis of 1987 and the Pew report released today.
As I told USA Today, this report reveals that a good number of those who attend evangelical churches either misunderstand or repudiate the Gospel. The New Testament reveals not only that Jesus claimed to be the only way to the Father [see John 14:6] but also that the Gospel of Christ is the only message that saves [see Romans 10]. This claim has been central to evangelical conviction -- at least until now.
I am confident that much of this confusion can be traced to the superficiality that marks far too many evangelical pulpits. The disappearance of doctrinal understanding and evangelical demonstration can be traced directly to the decline in expository preaching and doctrinal instruction. A loss of evangelistic and missionary commitment can be fully expected as a direct result of this confusion or repudiation of the Gospel.
This new survey should be received with great concern. Will it awaken today's generation of evangelicals to the catastrophe before our eyes?
This article originated at albertmohler.com
Most American religious believers, including most Christians, say eternal life is not exclusively for those who accept Christ as their savior, a new survey finds.
Of the 65% of people who held this open view of heaven's gates, 80% named at least one non-Christian group - Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists or people with no religion at all- who may also be saved, according to a new survey released today by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
This most recent report, released today, clarifies a report issued earlier this year. That earlier report became the cause of some controversy because some researchers questioned the accuracy of the responses, since some of those surveyed may have confused other Christian denominations for other religions.
In releasing this updated report, the Pew Forum isolated the question and made it far more specific. Those who affirmed other ways of salvation were then asked to specify what they meant. As USA Today reports, the vast majority of those who affirmed other ways of salvation went on to specify "Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists or people with no religion at all" as valid options.
The report indicates that 52% of those belonging to churches and denominations that teach that Jesus is the only way of salvation reject that teaching.
More from USA Today:
Christian believers who named at least one non-Christian faith that could lead to salvation included 34% of white evangelicals, even though evangelical doctrine stresses that salvation is possible only through Jesus.
Higher levels of church attendance made some difference, particularly among white evangelical protestants. But an overall majority (54%) of people who identified with a religion and who said they attend church weekly also said many religions can lead to eternal life. This majority included 37% of white evangelicals, 75% of mainline Protestants and 85% of non-Hispanic white Catholics.
This survey cannot easily be dismissed. The specificity of the responses and the quality of the research sample indicate that we face a serious decline in confidence in the Gospel. When 34% of white evangelicals reject the truth that Jesus is the only Savior, we are witnessing a virtual collapse of evangelical theology.
There is also additional cause for concern. As Cathy Lynn Grossman reports, "Pew's new survey also found that many Christians (29%) say they are saved by their good actions; 30% say salvation is through belief in Jesus, God or a higher power alone, which is the core teaching of evangelical Protestantism; and 10% say salvation is found through a combination of behavior and belief, a view closer to Catholic teachings."
I was interviewed for the USA Today story and expressed my concern:
Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, calls the findings "a theological crisis for American evangelicals. They represent at best a misunderstanding of the Gospel and at worst a repudiation of the Gospel."
And:
Overall, the new findings are "an indictment of evangelicalism and evangelical preaching," said Mohler. "The clear Biblical teaching is that Jesus Christ proclaimed himself to be the only way to salvation."
Mohler sees behind the statistics the impact of pluralism and secularism in U.S. society and the challenge of facing family and friends with "an uncomfortable truth."
"We are in an age when we want to tell everyone they are doing just fine. It's extremely uncomfortable to turn to someone and say, 'You will go to hell unless you come to a saving knowledge of Jesus,' " Mohler says.
Over twenty years ago, Professor James Davison Hunter of the University of Virginia sounded a similar alarm in Evangelicalism: The Coming Generation. In that work, Hunter warned that the rising generation of younger evangelicals -- then mostly college age -- were increasingly uncomfortable with the claim that Jesus is the only Savior and that belief in Christ is necessary in order for a person to go to heaven. Now, those students are old enough to be parents and their influence is becoming more evident year by year. One can almost draw a straight line between Hunter's analysis of 1987 and the Pew report released today.
As I told USA Today, this report reveals that a good number of those who attend evangelical churches either misunderstand or repudiate the Gospel. The New Testament reveals not only that Jesus claimed to be the only way to the Father [see John 14:6] but also that the Gospel of Christ is the only message that saves [see Romans 10]. This claim has been central to evangelical conviction -- at least until now.
I am confident that much of this confusion can be traced to the superficiality that marks far too many evangelical pulpits. The disappearance of doctrinal understanding and evangelical demonstration can be traced directly to the decline in expository preaching and doctrinal instruction. A loss of evangelistic and missionary commitment can be fully expected as a direct result of this confusion or repudiation of the Gospel.
This new survey should be received with great concern. Will it awaken today's generation of evangelicals to the catastrophe before our eyes?
This article originated at albertmohler.com
Friday, December 19, 2008
IS THE CHURCH PRESENTLY IN A “SPIRITUAL” KINGDOM?
| A misinterpretation of the Colossians 1:13 passage has raised its ugly head again! There are those who want to argue that the kingdom here in this verse is somehow a "spiritualized" kingdom or is actually the messianic kingdom that the church has been joined to. The passage reads from the Greek text: "He delivered (Aorist Tense, ruomai, "rescued from enemies") us out from the power (exousias, "authority") of the darkness and transferred (Aorist Tense, methistami, "rescued, changed") us into the kingdom concerning His Son of love ("agapes")." Or, "loved," "beloved" Son! The Aorist Tenses make this verse absolute. God has already performed this transaction. In God's mind, this is completed action. This phenomenon happens also in Romans 8:30. By using the Aorist Tense God already sees us "glorified," that is, in heaven glorified. It's a done deal! I'm already there. I'm already in heaven. When I die I will go to heaven but then in my new glorified body I return to reign with Him in the Millennial kingdom. He sees me already here in that kingdom. The Aorist Tense in Colossians 1:13 makes it a done deal. I'm already transferred in God's mind to the Millennial kingdom, and, God also already sees me in heaven according to the Romans 8:30 passage. Both are true! (Though heaven is not the millennial kingdom!) Now again, how do I know Paul is describing the Millennial reign of Christ in Colossians 1:13 and not some kind of squashy "spiritualized" kingdom? (The answer is easy!) In the beginning of the Gospels, God the Father says over and over again that Christ is His "beloved Son" (Matt. 3:17; 12:18; 17:5; Mark 1:11, 9:7; 12:6; Luke 3:22; 9:35—for just a few!) The language of Colossians 1:13 is almost the same as used in the Gospels. In the Gospel references, "beloved Son" comes from Psalm 2:7 where it is said that the Lord has a Son, though "beloved" is not used. This is messianic, it is about the King (Psa. 2:6). Thus, it is about the Jewish messianic kingdom, it is not about some fuzzy spiritualized kingdom, nor is it about the church. The disciples got the point in the early chapters of the Gospels. Nathaniel virtually quotes Psalm 2 when he said to Christ: "You are the Son of God; You are the king of Israel" (John 1:49). Colossians 1:13 ties into all of this and says that we are now transferred in God's mind to that messianic kingdom. We will be down here on earth in our new body someday! We will co-rule with Him though the Jewish people will be the prime people in the kingdom reign. Keep the interpretative lines straight. OBSERVE clearly and carefully and the Bible will open like a flower! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch |
Friday, December 5, 2008
Obama Flip Flop!
John Podhoretz has some interesting comments about our new president-elect Barack Obama in the Jewish magazine Commentary (Dec. 2008). He wrote:
“Barack Obama, it need hardly be said, comes to the presidency with no comparable agenda, or much of an agenda at all. True, he has had position papers galore, but in the course of his run he contradicted several of their core assumptions or promises. … He supported gay marriage, then opposed it. He opposed welfare reform, then said he would not question Bill Clinton’s decision to sign it into law. He has spent more than a year backing away from his statement that he would meet with America’s enemies without preconditions.
“He has lived in and around elite left-wing universities since he was eighteen years old, a community organizer working from a demonstrably radical playbook, a parishioner of a church with a radical anti-American pastor who officiated at his wedding and baptized his children and from whom he took the phrase “the audacity of hope” as the title of his second book, a state senator from one of the most left-wing districts in the United States, and so forth.
“American may not be a ‘center-Right’ country, but it is not a ‘center-Left’ country, either. Perhaps Obama thinks he can make it so. But the memory of the shortcomings of American Left-liberalism that still resides somewhere in the nervous system of the American body politic offers reason to believe that a lurch to the Left is not the change America voted for.
“Obama told the worshipful throng before him and the tens of millions who voted for him that they had chosen to ‘put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.’ The day is now upon us, and hope, however audacious, will no longer be enough.”
Interesting! – Dr. Mal Couch
“Barack Obama, it need hardly be said, comes to the presidency with no comparable agenda, or much of an agenda at all. True, he has had position papers galore, but in the course of his run he contradicted several of their core assumptions or promises. … He supported gay marriage, then opposed it. He opposed welfare reform, then said he would not question Bill Clinton’s decision to sign it into law. He has spent more than a year backing away from his statement that he would meet with America’s enemies without preconditions.
“He has lived in and around elite left-wing universities since he was eighteen years old, a community organizer working from a demonstrably radical playbook, a parishioner of a church with a radical anti-American pastor who officiated at his wedding and baptized his children and from whom he took the phrase “the audacity of hope” as the title of his second book, a state senator from one of the most left-wing districts in the United States, and so forth.
“American may not be a ‘center-Right’ country, but it is not a ‘center-Left’ country, either. Perhaps Obama thinks he can make it so. But the memory of the shortcomings of American Left-liberalism that still resides somewhere in the nervous system of the American body politic offers reason to believe that a lurch to the Left is not the change America voted for.
“Obama told the worshipful throng before him and the tens of millions who voted for him that they had chosen to ‘put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.’ The day is now upon us, and hope, however audacious, will no longer be enough.”
Interesting! – Dr. Mal Couch
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
RETRACTION
| A few weeks back we reported about the issue of Dr. John MacArthur, the eternal Sonship of Christ, the IFCA, and the Middletown Bible Church. We understand this was old information and that there was some positive movement on that issue that followed. We rarely make such goofs so we apologize for it. However we are very serious when it comes to doctrinal error and are zealous to strengthen the clear teaching of the Word of God. The Middletown Bible Church, as we reported, stands strong on upholding the integrity of the Scriptures. Thank the Lord that not all have bowed the knee to Baal! –Dr. Mal Couch |
Sunday, November 9, 2008
CAN WE EXPECT MERCY FROM GOD?
Why would God be merciful to America when the ruling party supports:
The atheist Bertrand Russell said: "Education should aim at destroying free will so that after pupils are thus schooled they will be incapable of thinking or acting otherwise than as their school masters would have wished."
A judgment is certain!
--Dr. Mal Couch
- Homosexual (Sodomite) rights
- Feminism that puts mothers, daughters, wives into harm's way of military combat
- Abortion, the killing of the unborn, or the slaughter of those who just make it out of the womb (over 3000 abortions per day in '05) God told the evil Jews, "You killed MY children"
- The coming of euthanasia
- The rampant use of drugs
- The explosion of sexual immorality (SIDS)
- The abandonment of family and children
- The repudiation of the Word of God
- The government giveaway that destroys the work ethic
The atheist Bertrand Russell said: "Education should aim at destroying free will so that after pupils are thus schooled they will be incapable of thinking or acting otherwise than as their school masters would have wished."
A judgment is certain!
--Dr. Mal Couch
Friday, November 7, 2008
READ THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL
In this troubling hour, every believer needs to read the book of Ezekiel. It is full of future prophecy and it tells how the Lord is going to spiritually restore the people of Israel, return them to their own land, and also judge the nations. But too, there is much in the book that is applicable to our day. The west, and our own dear country, is moving rapidly away from the Lord. This is bringing us into the prophesied apostasy when the world will grow darker spiritually, and the church will depart from THE FAITH, and THE TRUTH!
Ezekiel talks about the women, the feminists of his day, who deceive the people with their false words. They "disheartened the righteous with falsehood" and idolatry (13:19-25). The elders "have set up their idols in their hearts, and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity" (14:3).
One cannot help but think of abortion when God said that the people "took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me, and you sacrificed them to idols to be devoured" (16:20). But more, "You slaughtered My children and offered them up to idols by causing them to pass through the fire" (v. 21). Notice, they killed the children who belong to God. Our children are not our own; they are His!
Our nation will surely be judged because "With great light comes great responsibility!"
--Dr. Mal Couch
Ezekiel talks about the women, the feminists of his day, who deceive the people with their false words. They "disheartened the righteous with falsehood" and idolatry (13:19-25). The elders "have set up their idols in their hearts, and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity" (14:3).
One cannot help but think of abortion when God said that the people "took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me, and you sacrificed them to idols to be devoured" (16:20). But more, "You slaughtered My children and offered them up to idols by causing them to pass through the fire" (v. 21). Notice, they killed the children who belong to God. Our children are not our own; they are His!
Our nation will surely be judged because "With great light comes great responsibility!"
--Dr. Mal Couch
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A BEAUTIFUL SONG BLASPHEMED
After the California citizens voted down same-sex marriages, thousands of homosexuals marched in the streets of LA protesting. They are sore losers and cannot take the fact that they lost!
But what was worse was that they gathered in the streets and sang an old beautiful spiritual, applying its words somehow to their agenda. They sang "I Shall Not Be Moved."
The words go like this:
This issue, along with raw feminism, and the killing of unborn children, will bring judgment upon the west, and upon America. The issues that will soon bring judgment are not about the economy, or even about personal freedom. The main issues have to do with biblical morality, what is right and what is wrong. These issues supersede and go before personal freedom. Personal freedom has to do with being responsibly right, biblically correct. By these issues a nation is judged. –Dr. Mal Couch
But what was worse was that they gathered in the streets and sang an old beautiful spiritual, applying its words somehow to their agenda. They sang "I Shall Not Be Moved."
The words go like this:
Glory hallelujah, I shall not be moved.
Anchored in Jehovah, Tho all hell assail me,
In Him confiding.
Jesus will not be failing.
Like a tree planted by the water,
I shall not be moved!
Anchored in Jehovah, Tho all hell assail me,
In Him confiding.
Jesus will not be failing.
Like a tree planted by the water,
I shall not be moved!
This issue, along with raw feminism, and the killing of unborn children, will bring judgment upon the west, and upon America. The issues that will soon bring judgment are not about the economy, or even about personal freedom. The main issues have to do with biblical morality, what is right and what is wrong. These issues supersede and go before personal freedom. Personal freedom has to do with being responsibly right, biblically correct. By these issues a nation is judged. –Dr. Mal Couch
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
A NEW DAY FOR CHRISTIANS!
I am afraid that for sometime now the theology of Christians has been all fouled up! We really thought that we could somehow cling to this world, its comforts, and all that it offers. And, if we just put into office the right man as president, then everything will be alright. Of course this is not true. Dispensationalists really knew better but we were seduced by the goodness we have lived with for so long in this nation. Dispensationalists have had it right theologically but our practice in living out the Christian life has been bent! "Just give us a soft pillow, Lord, and we will be content!" Yet, this is not what He has promised in this cruel and sinful world!
The Bible tells us this age is not the age of the millennial kingdom. The dispensation of the church will end in apostasy, and for some reason, we just didn't want to believe it. Only when Christ returns and establishes His Davidic reign over the entire world will there be peace and blessings. And even then He must rule with a scepter of iron because of sin that will not be finally eradicated and destroyed until eternity begins.
Here is what the Bible has to say: (1) there will be a final apostasy that will blanket the world. Paul tells us "in later times some will fall away (apostatize) from the Faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1), and "in the last days difficult times will come. For men (the world) will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, … disobedient to parents, … unloving, … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God …" (2 Tim. 3:1-on). "The time will come when [men] will not endure sound doctrine, but they will be wanting to have their ears tickled with lies …" (4:3). "There will be false teachers among you …" (2 Pet. 2:1).
Then (2) the rapture will take place to remove believers from the world that is going to go under the wrath of God. We will at that time be resurrected from the dead, or if we are still alive, be raptured out of here as the wrath falls upon the entire earth. At the end of the seven year period of wrath (3) we return with Christ to reign with Him during His earthly kingdom rule.
Physical and spiritual peace and contentment will only come about during His kingdom reign that extends worldwide from the Holy Land. Not until then will this world be okay. The church, and believers, cannot fix the ills of humanity! We are light and salt but we cannot bring in final and lasting peace! Only the Lord Jesus Christ will solve the world's problems.
With the elections in America, a new day has dawned, in which believers can say, "Yes, we knew this was coming!" America's enemies are happy and we can now brace ourselves for the greatest period of liberalism and socialism this nation has ever seen. So what must we do? All we can do is hold fast to what we have always known correctly from Scripture! This does not mean that we go passive in living for the truth, but we should not be surprised when we see the direction the world is ultimately going.
Paul commended the Thessalonian Christians for their stance in the persecutions and afflictions they were enduring and suffering (2 Thess. 1:4-5). But he promises that God has a righteous judgment coming when the kingdom of God is established on earth (v. 5). Only then will we find rest (relief) when Christ comes, revealed from heaven, with His mighty angels in flaming fire (v. 7). Christ said the same thing to His disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him …" (Matt. 25:31-32).
Why do we seek perfection from this life? Why do we think we are now receiving the kingdom blessings when only Christ, when He comes and reigns, can bring in that glorious day?
Who do we think we are?
The apostle Paul goes on in 2 Thessalonians and reminds us that peace will not arrive until the Lord returns to reign and rule!
If we look just at this hour, we can see a dark day on the horizon, but if we look at what the Lord says about eternity, we are at peace. We should be content in our souls, share the gospel, and look for the final day when God will make all things right! In light of the troubles of the Thessalonian believers, Paul closes his second letter with these words:
--Dr. Mal Couch
The Bible tells us this age is not the age of the millennial kingdom. The dispensation of the church will end in apostasy, and for some reason, we just didn't want to believe it. Only when Christ returns and establishes His Davidic reign over the entire world will there be peace and blessings. And even then He must rule with a scepter of iron because of sin that will not be finally eradicated and destroyed until eternity begins.
Here is what the Bible has to say: (1) there will be a final apostasy that will blanket the world. Paul tells us "in later times some will fall away (apostatize) from the Faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1), and "in the last days difficult times will come. For men (the world) will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, … disobedient to parents, … unloving, … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God …" (2 Tim. 3:1-on). "The time will come when [men] will not endure sound doctrine, but they will be wanting to have their ears tickled with lies …" (4:3). "There will be false teachers among you …" (2 Pet. 2:1).
Then (2) the rapture will take place to remove believers from the world that is going to go under the wrath of God. We will at that time be resurrected from the dead, or if we are still alive, be raptured out of here as the wrath falls upon the entire earth. At the end of the seven year period of wrath (3) we return with Christ to reign with Him during His earthly kingdom rule.
Physical and spiritual peace and contentment will only come about during His kingdom reign that extends worldwide from the Holy Land. Not until then will this world be okay. The church, and believers, cannot fix the ills of humanity! We are light and salt but we cannot bring in final and lasting peace! Only the Lord Jesus Christ will solve the world's problems.
With the elections in America, a new day has dawned, in which believers can say, "Yes, we knew this was coming!" America's enemies are happy and we can now brace ourselves for the greatest period of liberalism and socialism this nation has ever seen. So what must we do? All we can do is hold fast to what we have always known correctly from Scripture! This does not mean that we go passive in living for the truth, but we should not be surprised when we see the direction the world is ultimately going.
Paul commended the Thessalonian Christians for their stance in the persecutions and afflictions they were enduring and suffering (2 Thess. 1:4-5). But he promises that God has a righteous judgment coming when the kingdom of God is established on earth (v. 5). Only then will we find rest (relief) when Christ comes, revealed from heaven, with His mighty angels in flaming fire (v. 7). Christ said the same thing to His disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him …" (Matt. 25:31-32).
Why do we seek perfection from this life? Why do we think we are now receiving the kingdom blessings when only Christ, when He comes and reigns, can bring in that glorious day?
Who do we think we are?
The apostle Paul goes on in 2 Thessalonians and reminds us that peace will not arrive until the Lord returns to reign and rule!
He will come "dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified …" (vv. 7-10).
If we look just at this hour, we can see a dark day on the horizon, but if we look at what the Lord says about eternity, we are at peace. We should be content in our souls, share the gospel, and look for the final day when God will make all things right! In light of the troubles of the Thessalonian believers, Paul closes his second letter with these words:
The Son and the Father have loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, and may we be comforted and strengthened in our hearts in every good work and word (2:16-17).
--Dr. Mal Couch
Friday, October 31, 2008
THE DEATH OF EVANGELISM
I believe that people will be coming to Christ as their Savior right up to the day of the rapture of the church. However, I know for a fact that evangelism is slowing down around the world. Many missionaries and church leaders have been telling me this for some time now. This would make sense if indeed we are moving into the period Paul describes as the apostasy. But at the same time, I do not know God's plans and purposes, so I am giving an opinion based on a lot of areas of observation.
Church history tells us that evangelism and revivals have come about in the past in almost every case based on some knowledge (even limited) of the Word of God in the society and culture. This is certainly true in American revivals. So if the Scriptures are removed from the culture and the social fabric, then more than likely fewer and fewer will be coming to Christ. Many argue, "But God can do anything!" And this I agree with whole heartedly but the issue is, how has He worked in the past? It is through the work of the Holy Spirit with the Bible. This does not mean that we stop sharing the gospel. We do not! We need to go down proclaiming the grace of God to the very end.
It is interesting to study the great revivals of the past in America. The one that lasted for the shortest period was the one especially based on emotion and expression—yelling, screaming, hands in the air, etc. Sound familiar?
Here is a short review of such revivals in American history:
As with most of America, early in our history, there were no public schools organized for children. The colony of Massachusetts set forth laws in 1642 and 1647 to establish village schools. This was repeated in Connecticut in 1650. The purpose was stated: "That the children were to be taught, especially to read and understand the principles of religion and the capital laws of this country." And also the people were reminded: "It being one chief project of the old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures."
It was written in 1645 that the schoolmaster was "to commend his scholars and his labors among them unto God by prayer morning and evening, taking care that his scholars do reverently attend during the same." As well, each Monday he was to examine them as to what they had learned from the Sabbath sermon "in the principles of the Christian religion." The students were to learn to read "in order to be able to duly read the Scriptures."
Everyone agreed on the basics of what could be taught from the Bible in the village school. The teachers could teach anything scriptural but they could not teach sectarianism, that is, particular doctrines that would be denominational in nature. But it was after the Civil War that the nation became more secular. Many school systems cut out any teaching of the Word of God in the classrooms. No matter what was being taught, most towns required that the new teacher be a Christian and that she or he attend church each week.
However I can remember being in school in the 1950s when the Bible was read each morning over the PA system along with a closing prayer. Gideon Bibles were passed out to all in my grade school class. We always had assembles in school for Thanksgiving, Christian, and Easter. These were spiritual in nature. I am convinced that many of my classmates were touched spiritually and even came to Christ because of that. In my high school graduating class, over 75 percent of my classmates took Bible courses for credit. Can you imagine that happening today!
To show how bad it has become we have school teacher friends who say that kids will come up to them and ask, "Now just what is this Christmas thing all about?" The biblical and spiritual ignorance is part of the growing apostasy destroying America and the west! In fact, I would say that it is all over. And, we are coming up to one of the most drastic change in American history. The churches will be both blessed and tried! – Dr. Mal Couch
Church history tells us that evangelism and revivals have come about in the past in almost every case based on some knowledge (even limited) of the Word of God in the society and culture. This is certainly true in American revivals. So if the Scriptures are removed from the culture and the social fabric, then more than likely fewer and fewer will be coming to Christ. Many argue, "But God can do anything!" And this I agree with whole heartedly but the issue is, how has He worked in the past? It is through the work of the Holy Spirit with the Bible. This does not mean that we stop sharing the gospel. We do not! We need to go down proclaiming the grace of God to the very end.
It is interesting to study the great revivals of the past in America. The one that lasted for the shortest period was the one especially based on emotion and expression—yelling, screaming, hands in the air, etc. Sound familiar?
Here is a short review of such revivals in American history:
1. THE GREAT AWAKENING. This took place roughly between 1720-1744. No one element brought it about. It was America's share in the general reaction against the relatively dead, formal orthodoxy of state churches, which in Germany appeared as the Pietistic movement. Wesley and Whitefield (the great English Calvinist) brought its spirit to Georgia. Jonathan Edwards was responsible for its beginning in New England. Before this, revival was taking place in New Jersey in the Dutch Reform congregations. The Dutch pastor, Frelinghuysen, insisted on true conversion and renewal of the heart, not simply a formal or emotional reaction without any true evidence of the Spirit's work.
2. THE EMOTIONAL REVIVAL or THE GREAT REVIVAL. This began around 1799 to 1801. It began among the Methodists and spread throughout the southern states. The revivals that took place were generally held in the rural areas. There was a lot of emotionalism with jerking, falling on the ground, and screaming. This is reminiscent of the shallow emotionalism that we see today in some circles. "Such emotional surgings, however, could not last. They quickly subsided." A lot of extremes took place. Camp meetings with prayer would often last all day. The GREAT REVIVAL brought on the Shaker Movement in which the extreme of emotionalism was exhibited. This movement, often called the SECOND AWAKENING, divided many churches. The climax came about in Kentucky near Cane Ridge where twenty-five thousand gathered in 1801.
3. THE PRAYER-MEETING REVIVAL of 1857-1858. Started in the North Dutch Church of New York, businessmen began to meeting daily at noon for prayer meetings. This was spurred on by the financial panic that fell upon the business community of the city and the country at that time. This was a lay movement with thousands coming to Christ and sharing their faith among their contemporaries. The result was that it promoted the growth of church attendance and brought about a lot of interdenominational fellowship. It was described as "a providential preparation for the Civil War," which was soon to make tremendous demands upon the spiritual resources of the nation.
4. THE CIVIL WAR REVIVALS of 1861-1865. There is no telling how many soldiers, in the north and in the south, came to Christ during that war. The soldiers had left home and were facing death on the battle field or in a hospital from the diseases that killed so many of them. As youngsters, they had learned the Bible on the knees of their parents back home. And now, it was time to reach up to the Lord and accept Him as their personal Savior! Pastors and evangelists went from camp to camp bringing the gospel to those who were so spiritually hungry.
5. THE CHILDRENS' SUNDAY SCHOOL MOVEMENT of 1868-1874. Especially in the eastern cities, thousands of Sunday schools were organized in the churches with the result that thousands of youngsters were taught the Scriptures on Sunday mornings. This also brought on church revivals with thousands filling such churches as the Brooklyn Tabernacle. While this may not be classified as a revival movement, Sunday schools became the center piece of conversion and revival for decades to come. While it is certainly better for children to learn the Word of God from their parents in the home setting, there is no doubt as to the great blessing Sunday schools have been in the past. Many Sunday schools today are poorly organized and teach ineffective scriptural lessons, and this is unfortunate for the body of Christ!
2. THE EMOTIONAL REVIVAL or THE GREAT REVIVAL. This began around 1799 to 1801. It began among the Methodists and spread throughout the southern states. The revivals that took place were generally held in the rural areas. There was a lot of emotionalism with jerking, falling on the ground, and screaming. This is reminiscent of the shallow emotionalism that we see today in some circles. "Such emotional surgings, however, could not last. They quickly subsided." A lot of extremes took place. Camp meetings with prayer would often last all day. The GREAT REVIVAL brought on the Shaker Movement in which the extreme of emotionalism was exhibited. This movement, often called the SECOND AWAKENING, divided many churches. The climax came about in Kentucky near Cane Ridge where twenty-five thousand gathered in 1801.
3. THE PRAYER-MEETING REVIVAL of 1857-1858. Started in the North Dutch Church of New York, businessmen began to meeting daily at noon for prayer meetings. This was spurred on by the financial panic that fell upon the business community of the city and the country at that time. This was a lay movement with thousands coming to Christ and sharing their faith among their contemporaries. The result was that it promoted the growth of church attendance and brought about a lot of interdenominational fellowship. It was described as "a providential preparation for the Civil War," which was soon to make tremendous demands upon the spiritual resources of the nation.
4. THE CIVIL WAR REVIVALS of 1861-1865. There is no telling how many soldiers, in the north and in the south, came to Christ during that war. The soldiers had left home and were facing death on the battle field or in a hospital from the diseases that killed so many of them. As youngsters, they had learned the Bible on the knees of their parents back home. And now, it was time to reach up to the Lord and accept Him as their personal Savior! Pastors and evangelists went from camp to camp bringing the gospel to those who were so spiritually hungry.
5. THE CHILDRENS' SUNDAY SCHOOL MOVEMENT of 1868-1874. Especially in the eastern cities, thousands of Sunday schools were organized in the churches with the result that thousands of youngsters were taught the Scriptures on Sunday mornings. This also brought on church revivals with thousands filling such churches as the Brooklyn Tabernacle. While this may not be classified as a revival movement, Sunday schools became the center piece of conversion and revival for decades to come. While it is certainly better for children to learn the Word of God from their parents in the home setting, there is no doubt as to the great blessing Sunday schools have been in the past. Many Sunday schools today are poorly organized and teach ineffective scriptural lessons, and this is unfortunate for the body of Christ!
As with most of America, early in our history, there were no public schools organized for children. The colony of Massachusetts set forth laws in 1642 and 1647 to establish village schools. This was repeated in Connecticut in 1650. The purpose was stated: "That the children were to be taught, especially to read and understand the principles of religion and the capital laws of this country." And also the people were reminded: "It being one chief project of the old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures."
It was written in 1645 that the schoolmaster was "to commend his scholars and his labors among them unto God by prayer morning and evening, taking care that his scholars do reverently attend during the same." As well, each Monday he was to examine them as to what they had learned from the Sabbath sermon "in the principles of the Christian religion." The students were to learn to read "in order to be able to duly read the Scriptures."
Everyone agreed on the basics of what could be taught from the Bible in the village school. The teachers could teach anything scriptural but they could not teach sectarianism, that is, particular doctrines that would be denominational in nature. But it was after the Civil War that the nation became more secular. Many school systems cut out any teaching of the Word of God in the classrooms. No matter what was being taught, most towns required that the new teacher be a Christian and that she or he attend church each week.
However I can remember being in school in the 1950s when the Bible was read each morning over the PA system along with a closing prayer. Gideon Bibles were passed out to all in my grade school class. We always had assembles in school for Thanksgiving, Christian, and Easter. These were spiritual in nature. I am convinced that many of my classmates were touched spiritually and even came to Christ because of that. In my high school graduating class, over 75 percent of my classmates took Bible courses for credit. Can you imagine that happening today!
To show how bad it has become we have school teacher friends who say that kids will come up to them and ask, "Now just what is this Christmas thing all about?" The biblical and spiritual ignorance is part of the growing apostasy destroying America and the west! In fact, I would say that it is all over. And, we are coming up to one of the most drastic change in American history. The churches will be both blessed and tried! – Dr. Mal Couch
Monday, October 27, 2008
WE ARE ALMOST THERE!
I need to be very careful in what I write in these next few paragraphs. It is very possible that things are about to collapse far more quickly than we could have imagined. I have spent two hours talking on the phone with several economists who say that there is no way to recover from what is now taking place worldwide!
A latest report from China points to the fact that there is a concerted effort to put all the blame on America who they claim, has plundered the world economically with the dollar. There is a call for an Asia-Europe two day meeting to find a new base for world economics that will cut America out of the picture. One Chinese economist says:
He went on and said: "The grim reality has led people, amidst the panic, to realize that the United States has used the U.S. dollar's hegemony to plunder the world's wealth."
Christians, it is time to wake up and prepare for a judgment against us as a people! How foolish for Christians to say, "Oh God, bail us out of our immorality and sins!" Turn your TV on and see what is happening with the younger American generation and crowd! For so many, there is no holding them back from doing just what they want to do! A judgment from the Lord is about to fall upon us, and even upon the entire world.
Deuteronomy 29:18-20 which is about the sins of Israel, reminds me of the rebellion presently in this country against the Lord. God said that all the Jewish people had turned their heart away "today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of the other nations" (v. 18). Then those who hear the words of God's curse will boast, saying, "I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart [with the result] to turn the watered blessed land into a dry place" (v. 19). Then
America could be on the way out! Economic and military clashes could be on the horizon! A depression, with millions out of work, could fall upon us sooner than we can imagine!
A serious question: Do you have at least six months of food stored up? I urge you to do just that! I am not being radical just book-of-Proverbs sensible! – Dr. Mal Couch
A latest report from China points to the fact that there is a concerted effort to put all the blame on America who they claim, has plundered the world economically with the dollar. There is a call for an Asia-Europe two day meeting to find a new base for world economics that will cut America out of the picture. One Chinese economist says:
How can Europe and Asia grasp each other's hands and together confront the once-in-a-century global financial crises sparked by the U.S.; how can they construct a new equitable and safe international financial order [that will cut America out of the picture]?
He went on and said: "The grim reality has led people, amidst the panic, to realize that the United States has used the U.S. dollar's hegemony to plunder the world's wealth."
Christians, it is time to wake up and prepare for a judgment against us as a people! How foolish for Christians to say, "Oh God, bail us out of our immorality and sins!" Turn your TV on and see what is happening with the younger American generation and crowd! For so many, there is no holding them back from doing just what they want to do! A judgment from the Lord is about to fall upon us, and even upon the entire world.
Deuteronomy 29:18-20 which is about the sins of Israel, reminds me of the rebellion presently in this country against the Lord. God said that all the Jewish people had turned their heart away "today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of the other nations" (v. 18). Then those who hear the words of God's curse will boast, saying, "I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart [with the result] to turn the watered blessed land into a dry place" (v. 19). Then
The Lord shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven. (v. 20)
America could be on the way out! Economic and military clashes could be on the horizon! A depression, with millions out of work, could fall upon us sooner than we can imagine!
A serious question: Do you have at least six months of food stored up? I urge you to do just that! I am not being radical just book-of-Proverbs sensible! – Dr. Mal Couch
Sunday, October 26, 2008
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
I've recently been asked, is justification equal to becoming saved? The answer is yes, though many other things also take place when one is saved. To be made just or righteous, is first mentioned in the OT though there are a lot of details that are not explained. In other words, the OT saints were declared justified. This is done by the work of Christ on the cross, applied back to the believers of dispensations past. This does not mean that they are placed into the church, into the spiritual body of Christ, or that they are now seen "in Jesus," or "in Christ." But this "declaration of righteousness" is how both the OT saints and the NT saints are saved! Justification comes from the Hebrew word tzad'deek and a family of related words. The root idea is to make something right, straight. The word is used dozens of times in the OT. One of the key passages is Daniel 8:14 with the Niphal verb form. "Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed, made or declared righteous or vindicated from wrong." Also, God is said "to be our righteousness" (Jer. 31:16; Dan. 9:14). One of the most significant verses is Isaiah 53:11, using the Hiphil verb form: "My righteous Servant (the Messiah) shall make righteous, justify the many." The Hiphil is a passive form. The many shall receive justification from God's Servant, the Messiah! The action of justification will come upon them! Concerning OT saints, Romans 3:25b is extremely important. It reads: Christ as a propitiation "was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed." Kroll rightly points out: "The righteousness of God is declared by atoning for present and future sins as well as past sins. Therefore God is the justifier of any man or woman—past, present, or future—who places his or her faith in the blood of Jesus Christ." A. T. Robertson concurs: "The sins before the coming of Christ (Acts 14:16; 17:30; Heb. 9:15)." Abraham became the key OT example of one who became justified by his simple faith in what God had told him. The Lord told him he would have an heir from his own body (Gen. 15:4). He then told him to count the stars, "So shall your descendants be" (v. 5). "Then [Abraham] believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness" (v. 6). This verse is quoted several places by Paul, and by James also. It became the standard illustration of justification (being declared righteous) by faith and trust. The Scofield notes say:
The word reckoned means to account or put to the credit of. Paul writes this idea in many places. Another great verse is: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:23-24). This justification is the greatest gift made available to the human race. One by faith is declared as righteous as Christ, in fact, those who trust Him, have this acquittal applied to them in a positional way. That is, if I die tonight, I go into the very presence of the Lord, completely justified and seen as righteous in His sight. This may be said to be the greatest expression of His love for sinful mankind. There is no other way of entering into His presence except by having His perfection, His holiness, and righteousness applied to me. Eternal life is the result of this justification. Every child of God needs to daily give Him thanks for this wonderful gift of salvation! – Dr. Mal Couch |
Thursday, October 23, 2008
CHRIST IS THE NEW COVENANT
There are a lot of great truths in the OT about the Lord Jesus that are missed in our Bible study. For example, the great Messianic chapter, Isaiah 42 tells, us that Christ will be both a covenant for the nation of Israel, and a light to the nations (v. 6). This ties in with Jeremiah 31 where it is said that God "will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (v. 31). It will be in contrast with the Mosaic covenant (the Law) (v. 32). This new covenant has a spiritual connotation for the Jewish people. It brings "forgiveness of their iniquities," and because of it, God says "I will remember no more their sin" (v. 34b). This new covenant is first for the house of Israel and house of Judah. One cannot allegorize this and say this refers to the church, which the amills foolishly do!
The Lord Jesus ratifies the new covenant by His blood. "This cup is poured out for you [and] is the new covenant in My blood" (Luke 22:20). The new covenant then was launched at Pentecost. This was prophesied in Joel 2. But it is important to note that the Bible does not say that it is fulfilled in the church. The church indeed benefits by the new covenant, with forgiveness of sin and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but it will only be fulfilled with the Jews in the future Davidic and millennial kingdom.
As Isaiah 42, chapter 49 is also a Messianic passage. In this chapter it is clear that the Messiah "was called by the Lord from the womb; [and the Messiah says] from the body of My mother He named Me" (v. 1). In verse 8 the Lord is speaking to His Messiah and says: "I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, to restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages." Thus it is by the new covenant also that the Holy Land will be restored to the Jewish people. This has to do with the actual land, the dirt, the acreage of the Holy Land! THE RESTORED LAND, THE INHERITANCE, THE DESOLATE HERITAGES. You cannot allegorize this idea!
How in the world can the allegorical guys, the amillennialists, foul up this passage and spiritualize it? But that is exactly what they do! The amil guy Ellicott destroys the passage when he writes on verse 8: "The prophet Isaiah may have thought of a literal fulfillment such as was probably in part accomplished by Zerubbabel, but we now see the prediction in the light of its fulfillment [in the church], and look to the spiritual inheritance." Talking about being blinded! So the literalness of the land no longer has any meaning? --Dr. Mal Couch
The Lord Jesus ratifies the new covenant by His blood. "This cup is poured out for you [and] is the new covenant in My blood" (Luke 22:20). The new covenant then was launched at Pentecost. This was prophesied in Joel 2. But it is important to note that the Bible does not say that it is fulfilled in the church. The church indeed benefits by the new covenant, with forgiveness of sin and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but it will only be fulfilled with the Jews in the future Davidic and millennial kingdom.
As Isaiah 42, chapter 49 is also a Messianic passage. In this chapter it is clear that the Messiah "was called by the Lord from the womb; [and the Messiah says] from the body of My mother He named Me" (v. 1). In verse 8 the Lord is speaking to His Messiah and says: "I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, to restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages." Thus it is by the new covenant also that the Holy Land will be restored to the Jewish people. This has to do with the actual land, the dirt, the acreage of the Holy Land! THE RESTORED LAND, THE INHERITANCE, THE DESOLATE HERITAGES. You cannot allegorize this idea!
How in the world can the allegorical guys, the amillennialists, foul up this passage and spiritualize it? But that is exactly what they do! The amil guy Ellicott destroys the passage when he writes on verse 8: "The prophet Isaiah may have thought of a literal fulfillment such as was probably in part accomplished by Zerubbabel, but we now see the prediction in the light of its fulfillment [in the church], and look to the spiritual inheritance." Talking about being blinded! So the literalness of the land no longer has any meaning? --Dr. Mal Couch
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
THE COMING DARK AGES
Can you guess what is the fastest growing "religious" movement in America? You probably can't! It is atheism! People becoming atheists are increasing in number at an alarming rate. This is because this nation cut the ties with Christianity at least five decades ago. We removed any vestige of the Bible and Christianity from the public schools and from the public arena. We have millions now in this country who have no idea of what the Word of God is all about. By the way, the fastest growing cultural/religious group is Muslims.
Dispensationalists are correct. We understand Paul's words that in the end times there will come about a religious apostasy. I believe we are galloping into that prophesied period. Also, coming along with it is a kind of explosion of worldly, cultural and social apostasy, a turning to an immorality like never before. Paul prophesied this in 2 Timothy 3:1-9. He is writing about the end times, the growing evil that is overtaking the world. The world has always been depraved but the apostle sees the expression of evil growing worse and worse. He says this specifically in 3:13: "But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." Does not 3:1-5 indicate an exploding form of immorality in "the last days when the difficult times ("the hard to bear times") arrive"? Read the list of evil happenings Paul lists in these verses. We are moving into this depraved period. All of this evil is an expression of a depraved ideology; it does not have to be learned by man. It is what is coming out of the evil soul. But the Reformation and the proclamation of the Bible in the culture of the past several hundred years, is now gone. And now what is left is the interaction of the human race by communication that is accelerating the practice of sin, as never before.
The covenant guys have nothing to say about what is happening culturally. They have no true understanding of what Paul is talking about. And, they deny an apostasy, the rapture, a tribulation, and a literally coming kingdom.
Though Proverbs 28:4-5 is written concerning the Mosaic Law, the point is well applied to our day. "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive with them. Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all things."
Godly and righteous people see what is coming upon the earth. They understand there is no turning back. The evil have no point of orientation or ability to know what is coming in our world! –Mal Couch
Dispensationalists are correct. We understand Paul's words that in the end times there will come about a religious apostasy. I believe we are galloping into that prophesied period. Also, coming along with it is a kind of explosion of worldly, cultural and social apostasy, a turning to an immorality like never before. Paul prophesied this in 2 Timothy 3:1-9. He is writing about the end times, the growing evil that is overtaking the world. The world has always been depraved but the apostle sees the expression of evil growing worse and worse. He says this specifically in 3:13: "But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." Does not 3:1-5 indicate an exploding form of immorality in "the last days when the difficult times ("the hard to bear times") arrive"? Read the list of evil happenings Paul lists in these verses. We are moving into this depraved period. All of this evil is an expression of a depraved ideology; it does not have to be learned by man. It is what is coming out of the evil soul. But the Reformation and the proclamation of the Bible in the culture of the past several hundred years, is now gone. And now what is left is the interaction of the human race by communication that is accelerating the practice of sin, as never before.
The covenant guys have nothing to say about what is happening culturally. They have no true understanding of what Paul is talking about. And, they deny an apostasy, the rapture, a tribulation, and a literally coming kingdom.
Though Proverbs 28:4-5 is written concerning the Mosaic Law, the point is well applied to our day. "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive with them. Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all things."
Godly and righteous people see what is coming upon the earth. They understand there is no turning back. The evil have no point of orientation or ability to know what is coming in our world! –Mal Couch
Friday, October 17, 2008
FRIGHTENING SURVEY!
The Institute for Jewish and Community Research recently did a study of 25 public school history and geography textbooks as reported in The International Jerusalem Post (Oct. 10, 2008). They found some 500 glaring errors concerning Christianity, Israel, and the Middle East. Researcher Dr. Gary Tobin said that the textbooks cited are used in all 50 states by Millions of school children.
The inaccuracies and lies are too numerous to number in this article, except to say, that the information leans towards Islam and slams Christianity and Judaism. Millions of kids then will be brainwashed and have no correct knowledge about God's people and what is happening in the Middle East.
The material is being published by some of the largest publishing companies in the world. One grosses 8 billion dollars in sales, and another, about 2.5 billion.
There is no turning back! We are getting closer and closer and our children are being lied to as to world history. What is interesting is that these textbooks have to pass muster with the two biggest states, California and Texas. These books were approved without any objection!
We are indeed into the apostasy!
Dr. Mal Couch
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING?
My answer again is, we're moving into the apostasy! Strange things are taking place though we have been warned in Scripture that the last days are coming!
Just a few days ago, Jesse Jackson made a public statement that the Jews will lose power when Obama is elected. It was clearly an anti-Semitic proclamation. This is telling us where his heart is, and, he will have a lot of influence on thousands of others who follow his pronouncements!
Also, Barack Obama, when asked about taxing those who made $250,000 or more, said that he wants "to spread the wealth around." This is a standard socialistic and Marxist doctrinal philosophy and statement!
The frightening thing is that those who will vote for him have no discernment as to what this is all about. Andy Woods and I will probably be doing a series of CDs that discuss what the world will be like after the elections! Look for them when they are completed. –Dr. Mal Couch
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
PRE-WRATH INVASION OF ISRAEL?
Psalm 83 is a most interesting chapter in the OT. It is about an invasion of Israel that has no citing in the Middle East history of the OT. The psalmist Asaph asks God to no longer remain silent and "not to be still" (v. 1). The Lord's enemies hate Him and "have exalted themselves. They make shrewed plans against His people," the Jews (vv. 2-3). His people are called "the treasured ones" (v. 3b). The enemy, the peoples surrounding the Holy Land say "Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more" (v. 4). With one mind they conspire against Israel, and "against Thee do they make a covenant" (v. 5).
Note again, this has never happened in history past. And it happens when Israel is one people, one nation, and who are back in the land! Assyria is mentioned last, because they simply assist the smaller nations that circle Israel and who invade. Today, Assyria would be Iraq and even maybe Iran, the territory of ancient Assyria.
On these nations God's wrath falls with a tempest. Note that the passage does not mention large Jewish divisions fighting these invading forces. Something spectacular happens that destroys them. God pulverizes them, "makes them like the whirling dust; like chaff before the wind. Like fire that burns the forest, and like a flame that sets the mountains on fire" (vv. 13-14).
The Lord "pursues them with His tempest, and terrifies them with His storm" (v. 15). When their destruction takes place, the enemy will recognize that God is absolutely sovereign, and they "will know that God alone, whose name is the Lord, is the Most High over all the earth" (v. 18).
This chapter does not seem to fit with the seven-year tribulation but with some period before. Unger writes:
—Dr. Mal Couch
Note again, this has never happened in history past. And it happens when Israel is one people, one nation, and who are back in the land! Assyria is mentioned last, because they simply assist the smaller nations that circle Israel and who invade. Today, Assyria would be Iraq and even maybe Iran, the territory of ancient Assyria.
On these nations God's wrath falls with a tempest. Note that the passage does not mention large Jewish divisions fighting these invading forces. Something spectacular happens that destroys them. God pulverizes them, "makes them like the whirling dust; like chaff before the wind. Like fire that burns the forest, and like a flame that sets the mountains on fire" (vv. 13-14).
The Lord "pursues them with His tempest, and terrifies them with His storm" (v. 15). When their destruction takes place, the enemy will recognize that God is absolutely sovereign, and they "will know that God alone, whose name is the Lord, is the Most High over all the earth" (v. 18).
This chapter does not seem to fit with the seven-year tribulation but with some period before. Unger writes:
It is difficult to fit this confederacy into the prophetic picture of either Russia's future invasion (Ezek. 38-39), but probably before the Tribulation, or that of Antichrist and his invading hordes at Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation (Rev. 16:13-16). Probably its fulfillment will come in some pan-Arabic coalition and attack on the Israeli State before the church is taken out, or at least before Daniel's seventieth week begins.
—Dr. Mal Couch
Saturday, October 11, 2008
AMERICA IS DYING!
I recently received an email by a good brother that said "All we have to do is pray for our nation, and God will spare us! He is just waiting for us all to pray together." It closed with "We must invite God to the fray!"
The brother who sent this means well but he needs to look also at the fact that God is the Author of history—He brings blessing and judgment. The question I want to ask is: "Why should God be good to America?" In at least the last four decades this country has spat in His face, denied His grace, and turned to abominable and evil secular humanism. Sinful psychology has ruined our court system, our schools, and our homes. Abortion, homosexuality, drugs, feminism, and other sins are ruining our society. Certain foreign cultures have infiltrated, have destroyed our laws, imported ways that are foreign to the founding principles that were at one time biblically based.
Why do we believe that "God only must be good to us"? Or argue, "God can only do good for America!" With all due respect my friend does not believe in the sovereignty of God and the fact that He has not counseled with us as to what He must do with this once great nation! To say "We must invite God to the fray" implies that He is upstairs with His arms folded, and that He is impotent in handling His own history! He is not! It also implies that He is helpless and that He must wait on us before He can act!
Do we not believe that collectively as a nation we deserve His judgment? Why do we think He can only be gracious? Someone has well said this little ditty:
Are we so ignorant of the Word of God that we fail to remember that He can send to us evil for our sins by His angels? He did just this with Israel when they were in the wilderness. And upon Egypt, He sent the hailstones and bolts of lightning to kill their cattle (Psa. 78:48). "He sent upon them His burning anger, fury, and indignation, and trouble [by] a band of destroying angels" (v. 49). And, "He leveled a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, but gave over their life to the plague" (v. 50). Why do we think He cannot act this way again with a sinful nation. God is the Author of all of history. All wars, all plagues, and storms, come from His hand as a judgment upon evil men. And unfortunately, the righteous of that nation will also suffer, being part of that culture.
The case of the prophet Jeremiah is apropos for America today. The people of Israel were living out their full-blown evil ways. They challenged Jeremiah and mocked him when he said "It is hopeless!" (2:25a). Then they answered: "No [it is not]! For [we] have loved the aliens, the strangers, and after them [we] will walk" (v. 25b).
In their sin, the Jews thought they were free to do as they pleased. God asked: "Why do My people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come no more to Thee'" (v. 31). They then denied their sinful ways. They did not think God would be angry with them. Jeremiah speaks of them and says: "You have said, 'I am innocent; surely His anger is turned away from me'" (v. 35a). God replied, "Behold, I will enter into judgment with you because you say, 'I have not sinned'" (v. 35b).
Just as with America today, the people of Israel in their sin still thought of themselves as being wise. And they argued that they still followed the law of God. Jeremiah asks: "How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made [what they write] into a lie. The wise are put to shame, they are dismayed and caught [in their lies]; behold, they have rejected the Word of the Lord" (8:8-9).
America's shepherds, the nation's pastors and politicians, have become dumb! Jeremiah writes about Israel's leaders: "For the shepherds have become stupid and have not sought the Lord; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered" (10:21). And as with America, the people of Israel no longer wanted to hear from the Lord. They threatened Jeremiah and said: "Do not prophecy in the name of the Lord, that you might not die at our hand" (11:21). In other words, they promised to kill him if He mentioned God's name and prophesied what He said about the nation's evil ways.
Of Israel, God said:
The word APOSTASY is the Hebrew word meshoovoh that means to be faithless, to defect, to commit apostasy. This describes America today. We are a nation that has departed, moved away from the truth, and spat in God's face!
The wayward Jewish people did not believe they could be judged for their sins. Jeremiah accuses them of "lying about the Lord" (5:12a). They said, "Not He; misfortune will not come on us [from Him]; and we will not see sword or famine. And the prophets are just as the wind, and the word is not in them" (5:12b-13).
American believers should always be praying for this nation, but interestingly, Jeremiah was told to stop praying for Israel. It was time for judgment and not blessing. God told the prophet: "As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you. Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?" (7:16-17). God continues: The fathers are burning fires to the gods "and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out libations to other gods in order to spite Me" (v. 18). The Lord adds: "I will not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster [coming upon them]" (11:14). "Do not pray for the welfare of this people" (14:11).
Finally, God says: "When they fast, I am not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to make an end of them by the sword, famine, and pestilence" (14:12).
The people will someday ask, why has God forsaken us? Jeremiah is to answer: "It is because your forefathers have forsaken Me, … and followed other gods and served them and bowed down to them; but they have forsaken Me and have not kept My law. You too have done evil, even more than your forefathers … walking according to the stubbornness of his own evil heart, without listening to Me. So I will hurl you out of this land into the land which you have not know …" (16:10-13).
On this passage the Jewish Rabbis write: "Instead of being warned and deterred by the evil of former generations, the people have wandered still farther along the path of APOSTASY. Their guilt is therefore greater and the penalty more severe."
Believers in the Lord, be prepared! Our greatest moment of witness may be just before us, as this nation faces a wrath from God never before conceived! –Dr. Mal Couch
The brother who sent this means well but he needs to look also at the fact that God is the Author of history—He brings blessing and judgment. The question I want to ask is: "Why should God be good to America?" In at least the last four decades this country has spat in His face, denied His grace, and turned to abominable and evil secular humanism. Sinful psychology has ruined our court system, our schools, and our homes. Abortion, homosexuality, drugs, feminism, and other sins are ruining our society. Certain foreign cultures have infiltrated, have destroyed our laws, imported ways that are foreign to the founding principles that were at one time biblically based.
Why do we believe that "God only must be good to us"? Or argue, "God can only do good for America!" With all due respect my friend does not believe in the sovereignty of God and the fact that He has not counseled with us as to what He must do with this once great nation! To say "We must invite God to the fray" implies that He is upstairs with His arms folded, and that He is impotent in handling His own history! He is not! It also implies that He is helpless and that He must wait on us before He can act!
Do we not believe that collectively as a nation we deserve His judgment? Why do we think He can only be gracious? Someone has well said this little ditty:
"God has a line in the sand before us unseen, that line crosses every path, but there is also a hidden boundary that lies between God's patience and His wrath!"
Are we so ignorant of the Word of God that we fail to remember that He can send to us evil for our sins by His angels? He did just this with Israel when they were in the wilderness. And upon Egypt, He sent the hailstones and bolts of lightning to kill their cattle (Psa. 78:48). "He sent upon them His burning anger, fury, and indignation, and trouble [by] a band of destroying angels" (v. 49). And, "He leveled a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, but gave over their life to the plague" (v. 50). Why do we think He cannot act this way again with a sinful nation. God is the Author of all of history. All wars, all plagues, and storms, come from His hand as a judgment upon evil men. And unfortunately, the righteous of that nation will also suffer, being part of that culture.
The case of the prophet Jeremiah is apropos for America today. The people of Israel were living out their full-blown evil ways. They challenged Jeremiah and mocked him when he said "It is hopeless!" (2:25a). Then they answered: "No [it is not]! For [we] have loved the aliens, the strangers, and after them [we] will walk" (v. 25b).
In their sin, the Jews thought they were free to do as they pleased. God asked: "Why do My people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come no more to Thee'" (v. 31). They then denied their sinful ways. They did not think God would be angry with them. Jeremiah speaks of them and says: "You have said, 'I am innocent; surely His anger is turned away from me'" (v. 35a). God replied, "Behold, I will enter into judgment with you because you say, 'I have not sinned'" (v. 35b).
Just as with America today, the people of Israel in their sin still thought of themselves as being wise. And they argued that they still followed the law of God. Jeremiah asks: "How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us'? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made [what they write] into a lie. The wise are put to shame, they are dismayed and caught [in their lies]; behold, they have rejected the Word of the Lord" (8:8-9).
America's shepherds, the nation's pastors and politicians, have become dumb! Jeremiah writes about Israel's leaders: "For the shepherds have become stupid and have not sought the Lord; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered" (10:21). And as with America, the people of Israel no longer wanted to hear from the Lord. They threatened Jeremiah and said: "Do not prophecy in the name of the Lord, that you might not die at our hand" (11:21). In other words, they promised to kill him if He mentioned God's name and prophesied what He said about the nation's evil ways.
Of Israel, God said:
Why then has this people, Jerusalem, turned away in continual APOSTASY? They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return. I have listened and heard, they have spoken what is not right; no man repented of his wickedness, saying, "What have I done?" Everyone turned to his course, like a horse charging [wildly] into the battle. (8:5-6)
The word APOSTASY is the Hebrew word meshoovoh that means to be faithless, to defect, to commit apostasy. This describes America today. We are a nation that has departed, moved away from the truth, and spat in God's face!
The wayward Jewish people did not believe they could be judged for their sins. Jeremiah accuses them of "lying about the Lord" (5:12a). They said, "Not He; misfortune will not come on us [from Him]; and we will not see sword or famine. And the prophets are just as the wind, and the word is not in them" (5:12b-13).
American believers should always be praying for this nation, but interestingly, Jeremiah was told to stop praying for Israel. It was time for judgment and not blessing. God told the prophet: "As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you. Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?" (7:16-17). God continues: The fathers are burning fires to the gods "and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out libations to other gods in order to spite Me" (v. 18). The Lord adds: "I will not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster [coming upon them]" (11:14). "Do not pray for the welfare of this people" (14:11).
Finally, God says: "When they fast, I am not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to make an end of them by the sword, famine, and pestilence" (14:12).
The people will someday ask, why has God forsaken us? Jeremiah is to answer: "It is because your forefathers have forsaken Me, … and followed other gods and served them and bowed down to them; but they have forsaken Me and have not kept My law. You too have done evil, even more than your forefathers … walking according to the stubbornness of his own evil heart, without listening to Me. So I will hurl you out of this land into the land which you have not know …" (16:10-13).
On this passage the Jewish Rabbis write: "Instead of being warned and deterred by the evil of former generations, the people have wandered still farther along the path of APOSTASY. Their guilt is therefore greater and the penalty more severe."
Believers in the Lord, be prepared! Our greatest moment of witness may be just before us, as this nation faces a wrath from God never before conceived! –Dr. Mal Couch
AMERICA: THE POTTER AND THE CLAY
Without repentance, America will face a terrible judgment. And presently, there is no sign of any sorrow and confession of sin. In fact, though people are fearful of the loss of the material, there is no contrition before God for the sin that is compounding and growing even greater by the day.
Just yesterday the State of Connecticut determined to be the third State to approve same-sex marriages! This is spitting in God's face, turning against Him as the Creator of man and woman! Secular humanism rules in America and no longer the Word of God.
Jeremiah 18 makes it clear that God is the Potter and a nation or a kingdom of this world is the clay (v. 7). He told the Jewish people that, "like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel" (v. 6). With a country, God can at any moment uproot, or pull it down, or destroy it (v. 7). If that nation does evil and not obey His voice "then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it" (v. 10).
Jeremiah was instructed to speak to the men of Judah and Jerusalem saying: "Behold, I am fashioning calamity against you and devising a plan against you" (v. 11b). The people were rebelling against the Lord and saying to Him, "It's hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his own evil heart" (v. 12).
God responds with these words of judgment: My people have forgotten Me. They have stumbled from their ways, from the ancient paths, to make their land a desolation, an object of perpetual hissing. They answered back: "Let us give no heed to any of Jeremiah's words" (v. 18).
The Jewish Rabbis rightly conclude:
On the eve of the Day of Atonement the Jews read this liturgical poem:
—Dr. Mal Couch
Just yesterday the State of Connecticut determined to be the third State to approve same-sex marriages! This is spitting in God's face, turning against Him as the Creator of man and woman! Secular humanism rules in America and no longer the Word of God.
Jeremiah 18 makes it clear that God is the Potter and a nation or a kingdom of this world is the clay (v. 7). He told the Jewish people that, "like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel" (v. 6). With a country, God can at any moment uproot, or pull it down, or destroy it (v. 7). If that nation does evil and not obey His voice "then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it" (v. 10).
Jeremiah was instructed to speak to the men of Judah and Jerusalem saying: "Behold, I am fashioning calamity against you and devising a plan against you" (v. 11b). The people were rebelling against the Lord and saying to Him, "It's hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his own evil heart" (v. 12).
God responds with these words of judgment: My people have forgotten Me. They have stumbled from their ways, from the ancient paths, to make their land a desolation, an object of perpetual hissing. They answered back: "Let us give no heed to any of Jeremiah's words" (v. 18).
The Jewish Rabbis rightly conclude:
God disposes absolutely of the destinies of Israel and every other nation, in the same way that the potter does whatever he pleases with the clay. This is true notwithstanding previous predictions of blessings or disaster, because such are always conditional: the blessings will be forfeited if the people become unworthy of them, while the disaster may be averted if the people repent in time.
On the eve of the Day of Atonement the Jews read this liturgical poem:
Lo! As the potter moulds the soft clay to display, to form his varying fancy; So in Thy hand, O God of love, are we: Thy bond we must regard, please let our sin be veiled, be covered from Thee!
—Dr. Mal Couch
Friday, October 10, 2008
Foreign Language
While many languages may be spoken in a nation, there must be one that is dominant and preeminent in the affairs of that country. In America, English is the national language. All business and commerce must be carried out in English or there will be confusion. In many of our States illegal foreigners are pushing for more than one language to be accepted as the official language. Some of the small towns around Dallas, Texas are being swamped with illegals (one out of five) who are political activists and who are pushing for Spanish to be accepted as a second official language. This would cause these cities hundreds of thousands of dollars to have official city documents and signs translated. It would also mean that many official business meetings and court cases must have Spanish used also. Businesses of any size would have to have people employed who speak Spanish. The hospitals and schools would be required to do business in Spanish. But never mind, they are pushing to have it their way!
There is a saying, whoever controls the language controls the culture. And America cannot exist with two "official" languages. English must be the prime language. The Jewish Rabbi ben Yehuda knew this at the turn of the last century. He realized that the immigrants arriving in the Holy Land were coming from many cultures, speaking different languages. He spent the rest of his life turning ancient biblical Hebrew into modern Hebrew, which in time, became the official language of the land. This was a miracle from the Lord—the Jews returning to their Promised Land, were required to learn the language of their ancient forefathers.
When the Jews had returned from Babylon, language became an important issue. God instructed Nehemiah to make the returning Jews speak only Hebrew. Many had married pagan wives—those from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. Their children were speaking Ashdod-ian and "none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people" from whence he came (Neh. 13:24). Unger says the language of Ashdod was probably a mixture of Philistine and Aramaic languages.
Nehemiah got furious! He said "So I cursed with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, 'You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves'" (v. 25). The issue of the language spoken played a role in how they were gravitating to pagan young men and women, with the result that intermarriage was taking place. Nehemiah then reminded them of the wives of Solomon who caused him to sin. By intermarrying, the "foreign women caused even him to sin" (v. 26). The language played a key role in the problem. It brought about isolation and a splitting of the people with language and communication barriers.
As Americans we are virtually cursing our European and Anglo heritage. Our culture was greatly imprinted by the Reformation and Protestant heritage. This impacted our laws, our spiritual heritage, our thrift and economic practices. We are not Latin (as in Spanish) in our way of culturally thinking and living!
We are into the apostasy, and we are forfeiting our rich Anglo-Germanic heritage! America as we know it, is disintegrating! –Dr. Mal Couch
There is a saying, whoever controls the language controls the culture. And America cannot exist with two "official" languages. English must be the prime language. The Jewish Rabbi ben Yehuda knew this at the turn of the last century. He realized that the immigrants arriving in the Holy Land were coming from many cultures, speaking different languages. He spent the rest of his life turning ancient biblical Hebrew into modern Hebrew, which in time, became the official language of the land. This was a miracle from the Lord—the Jews returning to their Promised Land, were required to learn the language of their ancient forefathers.
When the Jews had returned from Babylon, language became an important issue. God instructed Nehemiah to make the returning Jews speak only Hebrew. Many had married pagan wives—those from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. Their children were speaking Ashdod-ian and "none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people" from whence he came (Neh. 13:24). Unger says the language of Ashdod was probably a mixture of Philistine and Aramaic languages.
Nehemiah got furious! He said "So I cursed with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, 'You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves'" (v. 25). The issue of the language spoken played a role in how they were gravitating to pagan young men and women, with the result that intermarriage was taking place. Nehemiah then reminded them of the wives of Solomon who caused him to sin. By intermarrying, the "foreign women caused even him to sin" (v. 26). The language played a key role in the problem. It brought about isolation and a splitting of the people with language and communication barriers.
As Americans we are virtually cursing our European and Anglo heritage. Our culture was greatly imprinted by the Reformation and Protestant heritage. This impacted our laws, our spiritual heritage, our thrift and economic practices. We are not Latin (as in Spanish) in our way of culturally thinking and living!
We are into the apostasy, and we are forfeiting our rich Anglo-Germanic heritage! America as we know it, is disintegrating! –Dr. Mal Couch
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Death of Hamburg Germany
Hamburg Germany lies on the Elbe River on a tributary leading into the North Sea. The blue-eyed, blond Germans embraced Lutheran Protestantism early during the Reformation. The people became very spiritual and accepted other peoples, and religious minorities for centuries. They were conservative and moral and a credit to the Germany of that period. The cold and cloudy climate fed the energy of the population. The early Falls brought sleet and snow to the climate. But somehow this energized the population to be extremely industrious.
The city was blessed with prosperity and morality above most cities of its size. In the sixteenth century it welcomed Jews from Spain who were expelled from that country, and who were driven from Portugal. Hamburg built one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe. Dutch Calvinists found a haven there from the Catholic armies of Philip II. Later, the conservative and orthodox French Huguenots, along with many French aristocrats settled in Hamburg.
But in time, Hamburg went the way of German Protestantism. Liberalism and skepticism theologically began to destroy its strong Christianity. By the time of World War I Hamburg had turned against the Bible. The people became extremely secular, thriving with pride in their prosperity and secularism. They paid a price. Some 40,000 young men from Hamburg perished in World War I. But, in my opinion, the judgment from God would grow worse. During the 1930s God was gone and humanism reigned in the universities of the city.
Because of its industry and location on the North Sea, the city was doomed by the allies during the height of World War II. The British Air Force General Arthur Harris was the man given the assignment. Harris was a strong Bible-believing Christian who led prayer meetings and Bible studies with his fliers. It is said he "had a dry, cutting sense of humor, and would not suffer fools gladly." Harris determined that Hamburg must go, by being bombed into dust by incendiary fire storms. The first strike against the city was ordered on July 22, 1943. 792 Lancaster, Stirling, Halifaxe, and Wellington bombers took off for Hamburg. The young British airmen knew what was coming against the population below. In a little over one hour, some 200,000 to 40,000 people were turned into ashes.
Fire storms sucked the breath out of the population. Heaps of bodies were piled up in basements. A judgment had come! And, the war was possibly shortened by anywhere between 2-6 months.
The people of Hamburg knew God but gave Him up for prosperity. It is a terrible thing for a nation to know God and then to give Him up for the material. A warning for all nations of the earth!
--Dr. Mal Couch
The city was blessed with prosperity and morality above most cities of its size. In the sixteenth century it welcomed Jews from Spain who were expelled from that country, and who were driven from Portugal. Hamburg built one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe. Dutch Calvinists found a haven there from the Catholic armies of Philip II. Later, the conservative and orthodox French Huguenots, along with many French aristocrats settled in Hamburg.
But in time, Hamburg went the way of German Protestantism. Liberalism and skepticism theologically began to destroy its strong Christianity. By the time of World War I Hamburg had turned against the Bible. The people became extremely secular, thriving with pride in their prosperity and secularism. They paid a price. Some 40,000 young men from Hamburg perished in World War I. But, in my opinion, the judgment from God would grow worse. During the 1930s God was gone and humanism reigned in the universities of the city.
Because of its industry and location on the North Sea, the city was doomed by the allies during the height of World War II. The British Air Force General Arthur Harris was the man given the assignment. Harris was a strong Bible-believing Christian who led prayer meetings and Bible studies with his fliers. It is said he "had a dry, cutting sense of humor, and would not suffer fools gladly." Harris determined that Hamburg must go, by being bombed into dust by incendiary fire storms. The first strike against the city was ordered on July 22, 1943. 792 Lancaster, Stirling, Halifaxe, and Wellington bombers took off for Hamburg. The young British airmen knew what was coming against the population below. In a little over one hour, some 200,000 to 40,000 people were turned into ashes.
Fire storms sucked the breath out of the population. Heaps of bodies were piled up in basements. A judgment had come! And, the war was possibly shortened by anywhere between 2-6 months.
The people of Hamburg knew God but gave Him up for prosperity. It is a terrible thing for a nation to know God and then to give Him up for the material. A warning for all nations of the earth!
--Dr. Mal Couch
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The Sufficiency of Scripture
Please join Guest Teacher, Dr. Steve Spurlin, as he teaches the Clifton Bible Church on the subject of The Sufficiency of Scripture.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Marching to the Apostasy
George Barna has collected more frightening data that just confirms that we are moving into the apostasy. In a survey at City University of New York he found that 14% of young Americans have no preference for any religious affiliation—this has doubled from a previous decade. He has found with contemporary churches that with the current pace, soon only 4% of teens will be Bible believers. This is in sharp contrast to 35% of Baby Boomers and 65% of the World War II generation.
And even among so-called "believers" in the younger generation, they consider their church teaching as irrelevant to their daily lives. They added that going to church was a "time waster." The sermons or "homilies" are bland, uninspiring, and not appealing to the highly educated.
This is what we would expect with what is happening in most churches. They either give out bland swill or try to pump up excitement with the hot-rock stuff! It is God Himself who is bringing about the judgment upon this nation, and upon the West.
Dispensationalism has always rightly taught from the Bible that each dispensation ended in failure, and this will be the case with the church dispensation. The Covenant guys are lying when they equate the church with the messianic kingdom! The church age is going to end with the seven-year tribulation before Christ returns to establish His throne of David upon the earth. The believers will be spared the tribulation and will be raptured away from the Day of the Lord! See 1 Thessalonians 4-5.
Get a life! Read your Bible!
Dr. Mal Couch
And even among so-called "believers" in the younger generation, they consider their church teaching as irrelevant to their daily lives. They added that going to church was a "time waster." The sermons or "homilies" are bland, uninspiring, and not appealing to the highly educated.
This is what we would expect with what is happening in most churches. They either give out bland swill or try to pump up excitement with the hot-rock stuff! It is God Himself who is bringing about the judgment upon this nation, and upon the West.
Dispensationalism has always rightly taught from the Bible that each dispensation ended in failure, and this will be the case with the church dispensation. The Covenant guys are lying when they equate the church with the messianic kingdom! The church age is going to end with the seven-year tribulation before Christ returns to establish His throne of David upon the earth. The believers will be spared the tribulation and will be raptured away from the Day of the Lord! See 1 Thessalonians 4-5.
Get a life! Read your Bible!
Dr. Mal Couch
Friday, September 5, 2008
Did You Know?
It seems as if Sarah Palin attends Wasilla Bible Church in her home town of Wasilla, Alaska.
The Doctrine of Reconcilation
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 causes a lot of problems for those who hold to certain doctrinal preconceptions. To understand the passage takes meaningful study.
Good Bible study requires solid OBSERVATION skills. Let the Bible speak and it will make itself clear and understandable! Calvinists and many others fight over the passage because of faulty preconceptions. The passage is not saying, as some Calvinists charge, that God has already "saved" the entire world. Some think that the passage can be interpreted as universalism if one does not believe in the hard-core Calvinistic doctrine of Limited Atonement. That is, that Christ died only for the elect. I have studied thoroughly their faulty view of Limited Atonement, and it won't fly doctrinally! This passage is arguing that Christ died for the sins of the world but the world, that is each individual, must appropriate and believe in His sacrifice. The provision is there but it must be accepted.
Some years ago I did a major study on this passage and on Limited Atonement. I found that many hard-core Calvinists may be misunderstood because they say what I say: "Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for the world but applied only to the elect." This is so because the doctrine of Total Depravity kicks in. No one by himself will come to Christ without the sovereign drawing of the Spirit and the calling of God. Read John 6:37, 39, 44.
Before reading the comments below, you need to first read the verses. On these verses, I believe the Scottish Calvinist C. K. Barrett and the great Presbyterian scholar Charles Hodge says it best. Barrett writes:
Hodge says:
Christ made peace possible (Eph. 2:11-19). No longer need people be the objects of God wrath (Rom. 5:9). By trusting themselves to the reconciling work of Christ alone, people pass from God's wrath to God's blessing (Acts 16:30-31; Rom. 8:1).
I hope this helps. I believe these are good explanations where in the past confusion has reigned!
–Dr. Mal Couch
Good Bible study requires solid OBSERVATION skills. Let the Bible speak and it will make itself clear and understandable! Calvinists and many others fight over the passage because of faulty preconceptions. The passage is not saying, as some Calvinists charge, that God has already "saved" the entire world. Some think that the passage can be interpreted as universalism if one does not believe in the hard-core Calvinistic doctrine of Limited Atonement. That is, that Christ died only for the elect. I have studied thoroughly their faulty view of Limited Atonement, and it won't fly doctrinally! This passage is arguing that Christ died for the sins of the world but the world, that is each individual, must appropriate and believe in His sacrifice. The provision is there but it must be accepted.
Some years ago I did a major study on this passage and on Limited Atonement. I found that many hard-core Calvinists may be misunderstood because they say what I say: "Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for the world but applied only to the elect." This is so because the doctrine of Total Depravity kicks in. No one by himself will come to Christ without the sovereign drawing of the Spirit and the calling of God. Read John 6:37, 39, 44.
Before reading the comments below, you need to first read the verses. On these verses, I believe the Scottish Calvinist C. K. Barrett and the great Presbyterian scholar Charles Hodge says it best. Barrett writes:
On "the world" the absence of the article has the effect of emphasizing the nature rather than the particularity of the object of the verb. … Since transgressions no longer [are] counted against men the way was open for reconciliation; nothing remained but for men to take it. This however they could not do unless they were informed of the possibility [of salvation] now open to them. This brings Paul back to verse 19b to the theme of his ministry. … We have the ministry, as Paul does, of the message of reconciliation.
Hodge says:
"God was in Christ" is a proof of His being engaged, so to speak, in the great work of reconciling the world unto Himself. ... This means God was making atonement for the sins of the world; He set Christ forth as a propitiation.
"To reconcile unto Himself" does not mean to convert, or [even] to render friendly to Himself. This reconciliation is said to be effected by the death of Christ as a sacrifice; and secondly, because what follows is not a proof of God's converting the world, but it is a proof of His being in Christ (i.e. in His death) is that He does not impute to men their trespasses, and that He has established the ministry of reconciliation. … The evidence that the death of Christ has been accepted as an expiation for sin, of infinite value and efficiency, is the fact that God has commissioned His ministers to announce to all men that God is reconciled and ready to forgive, so that whosoever will my turn unto Him and live.
"To reconcile unto Himself" does not mean to convert, or [even] to render friendly to Himself. This reconciliation is said to be effected by the death of Christ as a sacrifice; and secondly, because what follows is not a proof of God's converting the world, but it is a proof of His being in Christ (i.e. in His death) is that He does not impute to men their trespasses, and that He has established the ministry of reconciliation. … The evidence that the death of Christ has been accepted as an expiation for sin, of infinite value and efficiency, is the fact that God has commissioned His ministers to announce to all men that God is reconciled and ready to forgive, so that whosoever will my turn unto Him and live.
Christ made peace possible (Eph. 2:11-19). No longer need people be the objects of God wrath (Rom. 5:9). By trusting themselves to the reconciling work of Christ alone, people pass from God's wrath to God's blessing (Acts 16:30-31; Rom. 8:1).
I hope this helps. I believe these are good explanations where in the past confusion has reigned!
–Dr. Mal Couch
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Obama Attracts Young Evangelicals
| The younger crowd of Evangelicals, generally who are biblically and spiritually ignorant, are turning liberal and do not understand what is happening in our world. They do not understand that every decision they make has spiritual overtones. They separate such decisions from their spiritual walk. They do not discern and think what they are doing. Someone has said that "These young Evangelicals are suffering from 'fetus fatigue' and want to 'give up' in the fight with the culture, the society, and with politics. They have lost their nerve and there sense of balance. Also, they are blinded by their choices. They know that the Democratic Party Platform is for higher taxes, taxpayer-funded abortion. They know that Barack Obama is pro-choice, but never mind, these issues are no longer moral issues with them! It no longer matters when a candidate votes 100 percent for abortion, and for the funding of Planned Parenthood which sponsors abortions. If someone like Rick Warren endorses an Obama, this then makes it somehow alright! Concerning Warren, Dr. Tim LaHaye said that Warren is naïve and influenced by some socialist-minded people who claim to be Evangelicals. The younger Evangelicals who "don't get it," are totally out of sync with Obama but it does not matter to them. They are somehow blinded to him in an emotional way. They are going against both common sense but worse, they are going against Scripture! Liberal Evangelical speaker Brian McLaren, who has endorsed Obama, thinks the Democrats are winning in influencing younger ignorant Evangelicals. He says he has met only one person in all his travels who was voting for McCain. Strangely, 85 percent of Evangelicals think abortion is "the taking of human life," nevertheless, they still think a woman has the right to choose. No one can tell which way the younger Evangelicals are going to go. While some may be more pro-life than their parents they are now more anti-religious right! They are leftist and socialist leaning! By degree, they are turning left in their social, cultural, and political thinking. One observer said the problem is that they lack "generational development." In other words, they are brainwashed by the thinking of the culture, and they cultivated their lack of thinking skills from the public schools, and secular university influences. They tell you they think as individuals, but it is just the opposite, they have a herd mentality! D. A. Carson said they think they have maturity spiritually and yet they have diluted their convictions. If they ever had any! Dr. Mal Couch |
Friday, August 29, 2008
We Predicted ...
| In Central Texas our power company has just been purchased by a Muslim Investment Firm. They have bought out other power companies in the U.S. at the tune of Twenty-two billion dollars! They promised to run the company fairly but also according to "Islamic Principles." We are selling our soul and our assets with any profit from such buyouts now going overseas. We are now marching to the edge of the abyss! And you were told this from this website ministry! We are moving rapidly into the apostasy! Most Christians do not have the faintest idea of what is happening. They are spiritually sound asleep! Dr. Mal Couch |
Monday, August 25, 2008
Urgent Alert!
Hallmark Greeting Cards is now turning out wedding cards for same-sex marriages. Many Christians are furious, but unfortunately, too few are willing to say anything in protest. But if we did, a big company does not care what we think. Our protest would probably mean nothing, though we should still try!
Many believers say they are going to boycott Hallmark and produce their own wedding cards. Thank the Lord that there are many Christian bookstores selling some meaningful and even spiritual wedding cards! This is simply another step in the destruction of the culture. We are moving rapidly back to paganism. This is telling us the present makeup of our society. Things are changing so rapidly we cannot keep up with it!
Many believers say they are going to boycott Hallmark and produce their own wedding cards. Thank the Lord that there are many Christian bookstores selling some meaningful and even spiritual wedding cards! This is simply another step in the destruction of the culture. We are moving rapidly back to paganism. This is telling us the present makeup of our society. Things are changing so rapidly we cannot keep up with it!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Dream Heresy!
| In several brochures published by one of the "big" seminaries in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area said that God Dreams! I nearly fainted to see them buy into New Age cult heresy! This was first mentioned that God dreams by New Age leader Wayne Dyer. It was mentioned in a book in 2001 from Robert Schuller. Now it is being quoted by Bruce Wilkinson and Rick Warren. Wilkinson added: Fulfilling God's dream is what you have been made to do. If you don't follow your dream [that came from His dreaming] do you realize how many people will be affected because you didn't follow your dream? … It is God's dream and God's dream is never selfish. God is the Dream Giver, he added. God is the Dream Coach. Rick Warren said that man's purpose is to realize he was "made for greatness." Schuller had earlier said, "The Dream Giver gave me a Big Dream? I was made to be a Somebody and destined to achieve Great Things!" All of this reminds us of Jeremiah 23. The false prophets prophecy in His name "I had a dream. I had a dream!" (v. 25). But in truth they speak to cause God people "to forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another" (v. 27). God concludes: "I am against the prophets. The [false] prophet who has dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My Word speak My Word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?" (v. 28). Then, "I am against the prophets who use their tongues and declare 'The Lord declares'" (v. 31). Finally, "I am against those who have prophesied false dreams and related them, and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit" (v. 32). The false prophet says he is speaking "the oracle of the Lord" (v. 34a). But "I shall bring punishment upon that man and his household" (v. 34b). A word to the wise! |
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Inerrancy of Scripture
| The original Scriptures are accurate to the very letters of the words! This was proven again by a discovery at a dig in the city of Jerusalem. On July 31 2008, archaeologists found a government seal bearing the name of one of King Zedekiah's ministers, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur. This man served Zedekiah around 597-586 BC. This seal was found alongside another seal with the biblical name of Jucal the son of Shelemiah. Both names are mentioned in Jeremiah 38:1. It is amazing how the Arab world can deny that Israel was ever in the Holy Land! Their determination today to drive Israel out of the land is a satanic ploy. It is Satan's effort to eradicate the Jewish nation who are the kingdom people. Christ will be King over Israel, the Holy Land, and the world, when He returns from glory. The discoveries were made by Eilat Mazar who I believe is the son of the great Jewish historian and archaeologist of some years back, Dr. Benjamin Mazar. I met and interviewed Dr. Mazar on my first trip to Israel in 1970. Jewish scholars are stunned because such a definitive discovery, down to the very names mentioned in the Bible, are rare. But they stand out as living and ancient proof that the events of biblical history are verifiable. In 1982, the archaeologist Yigal Shiloh also found a seal with the name of Gemariah ben Shaphan that goes back to the reign of King Jehoiakim (608-597 BC). This name is mentioned in Jeremiah 36:10. It is no accident that such great demonstrations of the accuracy of our Bible are now being given to us in this age of doubt and skepticism. We do not have to shrink back from the criticism against the Bible, which is the living truth given to us by the Spirit of God! |
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Proverb for the Week: August 17
| Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it (Prov. 23:4-5). Many Christians are in the "health and wealth" mindset. I heard, however, one of the big charismatic teachers finally admit, "'The health and wealth' doctrine does not work in poor countries!" No kidding! It is sad that so many are gulping down great doses of false doctrine and fail to read carefully what the Word of God says on such issues. Verse 5 goes on and says: "When you set your eyes [on wealth], it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings. Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens." One of the problems of the Jews when Christ was ministering among them was that they could not break away from the physical and understand His words in the realm of the spiritual. They were earth-bound and unable to think spiritually. So today, many believers are caught up in the false promises of the American culture and fail to look carefully at the great spiritual truths God gives us. Part of the problem is that many Christians are not taught the Scriptures, nor do they study it for themselves. Lawson writes: To look at other men's money with covetous desires, and to look upon our own money with rapturous delight, because our hand has gotten much, is to make to ourselves gods of gold, as the ancient Israelites did, and to give the soul to such things, is wrong and sinful. That is why covetousness is called idolatry; and to rejoice in money more than in God is to say to the gold, "You are my hope, and to the fine gold, You are my confidence." This is foolishness and sinful! In my opinion America is doomed. It is all over! There is no turning back. The Scriptures have been trashed by our culture, and the average Christian no longer honors them and considers them authoritative in his life! We are into the first phase of the apostasy, the stepping away from the truth! We are now a debtor nation. Financially, we are beholding to other nations, like China and Russia. They have bought up trillions of dollars worth of our bonds and indebtedness. The average American owes, on the average, about $17,000 to the credit card companies! There is no way to repay or get out from under this terrible financial burden. On verse 5 the Rabbis point out that the Hebrew says something like, "Will you make your eyes fly to the wealth? Like a ravenous bird will you sweep down upon riches?" From my father I learned to work hard but not to look to wealth as my god! He came out of poverty but he had character when it came to providing for himself and his family. He did not need a fortune to be happy. Dr. Mal Couch |
Friday, August 15, 2008
Christian America Better Wake Up!
| I do not believe Christians in this country realize how tenuous things are in our nation today. We are moving rapidly into the apostasy of the church, but too, things are shifting so quickly in all areas! Believers in Christ need to wake up and warn our people where all of this is going. I do not think most pastors "get it"! They are deep in sleep and are not aware of the world situation. Christians need to think long and hard as to whom they vote for this Fall. We need to pray and ask for forgiveness for our materialism and lack of appreciation for this great God-given nation. We may just get the President we deserve! By the way, in about thirty years, the European, Calvinistic base of America will be gone. In social demographics we will not be the same country. Other cultures do not share that heritage. In thirty years, by numbers, other cultures will dominate. We will have handed the land over to unsympathetic social groups. It will be a different nation! And all the things that established this country, socially, spiritually, culturally, will be wiped away! (It is virtually gone already!) Many of you reading these words will not understand what I am writing about because you lack a solid understanding of American history. Remember the old saying, those who do not know their heritage will certainly lose it! I do not believe our prayers will be answered in a positive way, though we should pray. We are certain for judgment because we squandered what was given to us. In my opinion, there is no turning back! Nehemiah 8 is a most interesting chapter in the OT. The people who had returned back to the Holy Land from Babylon had forgotten the Law. They spend several days having it read to them by Ezra. The people "understood the reading" and fell into deep conviction. The people began to weep and cry. They "understood the words which had been made known to them" (v. 12). The congregation began to rejoice with the Law of God read daily "from the first day to the last day." But this could not happen today in America. We have cut ourselves off from the Scriptures. It has no meaning to this younger generation; in fact, it is repudiated and scorned! Without the Bible, there is no divine authority to return to! If there is any benefit that will come out of all of this, it is that we will be made stronger by the persecution and ostracizing that will come upon us. Dr. Mal Couch |
Thursday, August 14, 2008
One of the Keys to Roman Catholicism: Gold, Glitter, and Marble!
Why are there so many buildings of marble, gold, and glitter at the Vatican in Rome? And why is the eye so pleased with all of the outward show of wealth and power? The answer can be found in the last words of the dying Pope, Nicholas V, spoken around 1450. He set forth the principle that would attract people to Catholicism and it would not be doctrine or the truth about theology. Instead, he said:
In other words, by the gold and glitter you can make people think you have the truth and that you have the blessing of God. People are impressed by the eye-gate and not by the truth filling the heart and soul! Satan is smart and he knows how to control and fool people! Dr. Mal Couch |
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Obama and Dispensationalism
Barack Obama was recently recorded as blasting the Scriptures! He clearly does not understand how the Word of God came together. And, he shows by his lack of knowledge the importance of interpreting the Bible dispensationally. He was recorded as saying that we cannot interpret the Scriptures too closely. As an example, he referred to the Old Testament in regard to stoning and to slavery. "Therefore, we cannot say that our country is built on the Bible because these views are endorsed in the OT!" Then he used the Sermon on the Mount and the issue of having peace with one another to argue against war and our military. If one does not understand the dispensational shifts in Scripture from Law to Grace, such abuse can be thrown at the OT. Only dispensationalists fully understand the change from one dispensation to another! The Law failed because of human flesh. Paul says "it was weak through the flesh!" Obama has not done his biblical homework. And this was not his old "wayward" pastor speaking, it was his own views uttered in pure ignorance! "Voter beware!" Dr. Mal Couch |
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Proverb For the Week of August 10
| He who spares his rod hates his son. But he who loves him disciplines him diligently (Prov. 13:24). The yuppy Christian parents who were raised on secular psychology as they came up through the ranks of the public schools practice spoiling and pampering their kids. They are sinning against the Word of God and virtually calling God "out of touch." That parent does not know what God has said in His Scriptures! They are sinning against their children and calling God foolish! Secular psychology teaches self-esteem, self-actualization, and says that punishment puts shame on a child. That is correct, it does! And shame brings one to his knees and creates guilt. We should feel guilty when we've done something wrong! Now of course there is a balance to all of this. Physical punishment should be fitting to the crime. If there is lying, hurting someone else, continual defying the rules, the child needs some swats. Many reading this have probably been at the grocery store where the mother is standing outside waiting for her kid to finish his fit. He throws rocks against the wall, falls on the concrete, yells and screams, etc. How dumb and stupid! On Proverbs 13:24, on the verb hate the Rabbis write: "The verb is sometimes used merely with the comparative intention of not loving" though often meaning that the parent is mistreating the child by the lack of following God's commandments. "A man displays no love for a child by failing to correct him." But to chasten, "He does not overlook the child's faults and exercises disciplinary measures to eradicate them." The old Calvinistic teacher, George Lawson, writes: "The foolish fondness of too indulgent parents is accounted by them parental love; but the Spirit of God calls it hatred. But he who loves his son chastens him as soon as he begins to discover that folly which is bound up in his heart." Chastening will be with spankings but also with directive words of guidance. Dr. Mal Couch |
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
It's A Sick, Sick World!
| I just discovered a couple of letters written to a syndicated columnist about raising children. I couldn't help but share them. They illustrate how secular psychology, self-esteem, the self-actualization theory, has brainwashed the yuppy crowd. The letters speak for themselves though I can't help but make a few comments! "I recommend not stressing out about your teenager's messy bedroom. I did, however, ask my own two children to keep their bedroom doors shut. Every Saturday morning, I would clean out the 'science experiments' and wet towels in their room. The rest was up to them—if they wanted to live like that, it was OK with me. Eventually, as they ran out of clean clothes and were unable to find things, they wised up and kept neater bedrooms. I didn't want to sacrifice my relationship with them over a messy bedroom. Keeping the bedroom doors shut was the key to controlling my stress level." (Notice the entire issue is about mom's stress level not about what is right or wrong concerning "doing things decently and in order." And by the way, it should be dad who is giving instructions to the kids. He needs to run interference for the mother. A strong manly voice and "command" will get their attention! My older generation never talked about "stress." Life is tough with its ups and downs. The idea of personal stress was never an issue! You do what is right, what may be tough, and, you teach the children what is right!) "If your child is about to have his or her haircut, use the word 'trim' instead of 'haircut.' 'Trim' is a less-scary word than 'cut.'" (What little sick and weak crumb snatchers we are making today. It would not take but one trip to the barber for the little kid to know what the word "cut" meant! We are so afraid of their "widdo feewings," instead of trying to make them strong as to how to live in a hard world! Question: If your little kid gets hurt, do you rush over and say "Are you hurt, are you hurt?" Let them explain to you the proper level of intensity as to what is happening. Often, it is we who are "imagining" and are out of reality. The kid may not be hurt at all! Give the appropriate response to the appropriate issue! If he is really hurt, that is one thing. But the "hurt" may simply be about YOU and not about the child!)Dr. Mal Couch |
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
A Merrill Lynch Warning!
| "America depends on Asian, Russian, and Middle Eastern investors to find much of its $700 billion current account deficit, leaving it far more vulnerable to collapse. But the lion's share is held by the central banks of China, Russia, and petrol powers. These countries could all too easily precipitate a run on the dollar climate and bring the United States to its knees, should they decide it is in their interest to do so." We are now a debtor nation and have become a slave to the Godless world systems. Dr. Mal Couch |
Friday, August 1, 2008
Christian Professor Faces Muslim Wrath
| Indrek Wichman, professor at Michigan State University sent an email to the Muslim Student's Association about what was happening to Christians in Muslim countries. The letter was not inflammatory but simply factual. The association came unglued and attacked the professor's letter calling it a hate crime. So far, the University is standing by the professor but for how long? This is a warning to our readers to expect more and more attacks and responses from such groups. And expect liberal judges at some point in the future to side with the Muslims. In another unrelated issue, experts are now expecting homosexual groups to start coming against Evangelicals for what the Bible says in their publications against homosexuality. I understand that one Christian publisher of English Bibles is being sued because they simply published the Bible in its specific translation. Dr. Mal Couch |
Thursday, July 31, 2008
We’ve Been Saying On This Website The Same Thing For About A Year Now!
| Texas Republican congressman Ron Paul sounds like an informed dispensationalist! Only a dispensationalist who understands what the Bible says about the apostasy, the rapture, and the tribulation, really gets it! Ron Paul has got it! He said recently: I have grave concerns about America's future. I have days, growing more frequent all the time, when I'm convinced the time is now upon us that some big events are about to occur, he began. These fast approaching events … will affect all of us. They will not be limited to just some areas of our country. The world economy and political system will share in the chaos about to be unleashed. Mr. Paul warned of an indeed frightening and an historic event, one that may even be worse than I first thought … now at our doorstep. There are reasons to believe this coming crisis is different and bigger than the world has ever experienced. The financial crisis, still in its early stages, is apparent to everyone: gasoline prices …; skyrocketing education and medical-care costs; the collapse of the housing bubble; the bursting of NASDAQ bubble; stock markets; excessive government debt; and unmanageable personal debt. Little doubt exists as to whether we'll get stagflation. The question that will soon be asked is: When will the stagflation become an inflationary depression? I receive almost weekly reports from a knowledgeable economist and a Christian, who says our people, especially our younger people, are in the dark. Their selfishness keeps them from understanding or caring what is taking place in our world. These are not simply economic issues but drastic spiritual issues. All that is happening can not go on much longer, he notes! I am now working on a major book dealing with the galloping apostasy, globalism, and what all of this means to Christians. I am tracing the events of the last two hundred years that have brought us to this hour. I will be showing how World Wars I & II established the backdrop for what we are now faced with. And, I hope to show the diabolical nature of humanism that will bring upon us the removal of the church from the earth, in preparation for the wrath of God and the seven year tribulation. Look for its publication. Dr. Mal Couch |
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