Christian leaders dropping like flies

[Betty]

“Max Lucado was invited to speak at the Washington National Cathedral — an apostate Episcopalian Church in Washington D.C. — two weeks ago where he preached a sermon comparing the Holy Spirit to a woman and calling Him the “mother heart of God.”

Prior to the invitation, homosexuals were up-in-arms over his apparent pro-traditional marriage views and desperately sought to have him disinvited from speaking at the church. However, he preached anyway.



Yesterday, Max Lucado issued a letter of apology to the homosexual community where he asked for forgiveness for his words which he says “have hurt or been used to hurt the LGBTQ community.”

“Faithful people may disagree about what the Bible says about homosexuality,” Lucado says in the letter, “but we agree that God’s holy Word must never be used as a weapon to wound others.” He also said that he believes in a “God of unbounded grace and love” and that “LGBTQ individuals and LGBTQ families must be respected and treated with love” because they are “made in the image and likeness of God.”


So close to the rapture and many respected Christian leaders seem to be falling away from the truth.
Betty

 

[ByGod'sGrace]

The remnant is getting ever smaller....

 

[Andiamo]

Wow. Apparently he was apologizing for a specific sermon and an article he wrote.

https://www.episcopalnewsservice.or...ter-outrage-at-national-cathedral-invitation/

 

[railfan727]

The remnant is getting ever smaller....

I don't undertstand how anyone could know and believe what we do and just walk away. Yet they do....

 

[Andiamo]

I'm not sure what to think. I wish I could read his sermon so I can see what he is apologizing for. His letter affirmed that he does still believe in traditional marriage of the Bible.

As for what he says here, I don't completely disagree, to be honest. Yes, all people should be treated with respect and love. The part about God's grace and love should have been counterbalanced with the truth about Sin, and hell. No, scripture should not be used to hurt people. But what exactly is his definition of that? Quoting scripture on a sign and hating people, like what that horrible "God hates fags" cult used to do? Or simply speaking the truth about what God's word says?

Not ready to dump Max quite yet.

 

[ByGod'sGrace]

I think of Jesus confronting the woman at the well. John Chapter 4. That is how we should model our encounters with those living in sin. Always come from a place of love. Jesus broke three customs....talking to a woman, a woman who was getting water in the middle of the day because she was shunned by the city for her sin, and she was a Samaritan, who were shunned by the Jews. Also, he asked her to get him a drink, and drinking from her cup would make him "unclean." So, Jesus did a LOT to break down barriers to show love. Jesus didn't actually tell her he knew about all her sins until she asked him where she could get the living water he was talking about.

 

[Lovin Jesus]

“Max Lucado was invited to speak at the Washington National Cathedral — an apostate Episcopalian Church in Washington D.C. — two weeks ago where he preached a sermon comparing the Holy Spirit to a woman and calling Him the “mother heart of God.”

Prior to the invitation, homosexuals were up-in-arms over his apparent pro-traditional marriage views and desperately sought to have him disinvited from speaking at the church. However, he preached anyway.



Yesterday, Max Lucado issued a letter of apology to the homosexual community where he asked for forgiveness for his words which he says “have hurt or been used to hurt the LGBTQ community.”

“Faithful people may disagree about what the Bible says about homosexuality,” Lucado says in the letter, “but we agree that God’s holy Word must never be used as a weapon to wound others.” He also said that he believes in a “God of unbounded grace and love” and that “LGBTQ individuals and LGBTQ families must be respected and treated with love” because they are “made in the image and likeness of God.”


So close to the rapture and many respected Christian leaders seem to be falling away from the truth.
Betty

The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36 Then he left the crowds and went into ithe house. And his disciples came to him, saying, j“Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are lthe sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds oare gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and rall law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place tthere will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Matthew 13:36-41

In the explanation of parable, Christ declares that He Himself is the sower. He spreads His redeemed seed, true believers, in the field of the world. Through His grace, these Christians bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). Their presence on earth is the reason the “kingdom of heaven” is like the field of the world. When Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17; Mark 3:2), He meant the spiritual realm which exists on earth side by side with the realm of the evil one (1 John 5:19). When the kingdom of heaven comes to its fruition, heaven will be a reality and there will be no “weeds” among the “wheat.” But for now, both good and bad seeds mature in the world.

The enemy in the parable is Satan. In opposition to Jesus Christ, the devil tries to destroy Christ’s work by placing false believers and teachers in the world who lead many astray. One has only to look at the latest televangelist scandal to know the world is filled with professing “Christians” whose ungodly actions bring reproach on the name of Christ. But we are not to pursue such people in an effort to destroy them. For one thing, we don’t know if immature and innocent believers might be injured by our efforts. Further, one has only to look at the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, and the reign of “Bloody Mary” in England to see the results of men taking upon themselves the responsibility of separating true believers from false, a task reserved for God alone. Instead of requiring these false believers to be rooted out of the world, and possibly hurting immature believers in the process, Christ allows them to remain until His return. At that time, angels will separate the true from false believers.

Entire article here:
https://www.gotquestions.org/parable-wheat-tares.html

 

[depserv]

I have a theory. It's not Biblical, but it is based on what the Bible tells me. The theory is that God uses this world as a filtration system, to filter out the weak-willed. It is an active filter, with God's enemy given a more or less free hand to draw any soul to him weak-willed enough to be drawn, so only the truly faithful pass through without being filtered out. This would account for God allowing his enemy to be the god of this world.

If there is anything to this theory, the more strongly the world works to draw the weak away from their faith in God, the better the filter works. It could be this is the process we see happening around us now. We know that God is always in control. We do not always know why He allows things to happen like they do. So I use the human curiosity He gave me to speculate.

Like I said, it's just a theory. I can not pretend to know the details of God's plan because what little wisdom and knowledge I might think I have is an insignificant little speck compared to His. But I like to speculate about these things anyway, and this theory seems to kind of make sense.

 

[ByGod'sGrace]

I have a theory. It's not Biblical, but it is based on what the Bible tells me. The theory is that God uses this world as a filtration system, to filter out the weak-willed. It is an active filter, with God's enemy given a more or less free hand to draw any soul to him weak-willed enough to be drawn, so only the truly faithful pass through without being filtered out. This would account for God allowing his enemy to be the god of this world.

If there is anything to this theory, the more strongly the world works to draw the weak away from their faith in God, the better the filter works. It could be this is the process we see happening around us. We know that God is always in control. We do not always know why He allows things to happen like they do. So I use the human curiosity He gave me to speculate.

Like I said, it's just a theory. I can not pretend to know the details of God's plan because what little wisdom and knowledge I might think I have is an insignificant little speck compared to His. But I like to speculate about these things anyway, and this theory seems to kind of make sense.

That is an interesting theory. I think that the stronger the filter gets, the more love we will get for God and want to be Home with Him. It makes sense.

 

[Andiamo]

I think of Jesus confronting the woman at the well. John Chapter 4. That is how we should model our encounters with those living in sin. Always come from a place of love. Jesus broke three customs....talking to a woman, a woman who was getting water in the middle of the day because she was shunned by the city for her sin, and she was a Samaritan, who were shunned by the Jews. Also, he asked her to get him a drink, and drinking from her cup would make him "unclean." So, Jesus did a LOT to break down barriers to show love. Jesus didn't actually tell her he knew about all her sins until she asked him where she could get the living water he was talking about.

wonderful observation. He broke down barriers, and showed love.....that was the bait. And then at just the right moment, He snagged in that hook and reeled her in. That moment of truth for her was painful, but it was her moment. I love it.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

I thought apologetics was defense of the Bible and The Gospel, not apologizing for it

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

I don't undertstand how anyone could know and believe what we do and just walk away. Yet they do....

I know a guy that was a Christian Pastor and became a muslim

James 3:1 comes to mind.
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. James 3:1, ESV

May he repent and return to Jesus.

 

[FaithnHope]

I used to read his books when I was still a baby Christian. I grew up without my dad around much so his books gave me hope for a loving father. The more I grew as a Christian though the more he fell into the Norman Vincent Peale category. They both give you encouragement but nothing to lean on when life gets hard. I lost my grandpa and best friend back to back during this time and that’s when I realized how shallow their teachings were. I’m not surprised at all that he apologized. I seriously doubt he even said anything offensive other then it was a sin. It’s a shame we have so few well known pastors with backbones. Thankfully, there are still many pastors who aren’t famous who are willing to teach the truth.

 

[Work4Peanuts]

I have a theory. It's not Biblical, but it is based on what the Bible tells me. The theory is that God uses this world as a filtration system, to filter out the weak-willed. It is an active filter, with God's enemy given a more or less free hand to draw any soul to him weak-willed enough to be drawn, so only the truly faithful pass through without being filtered out. This would account for God allowing his enemy to be the god of this world.

If there is anything to this theory, the more strongly the world works to draw the weak away from their faith in God, the better the filter works. It could be this is the process we see happening around us now. We know that God is always in control. We do not always know why He allows things to happen like they do. So I use the human curiosity He gave me to speculate.

Like I said, it's just a theory. I can not pretend to know the details of God's plan because what little wisdom and knowledge I might think I have is an insignificant little speck compared to His. But I like to speculate about these things anyway, and this theory seems to kind of make sense.

How do you figure once saved, always saved fits in with that theory?

To my way of thinking, we're all weak willed, and weak in faith. Peter failed God multiple times. Paul was told by God that His power was perfected in weakness. It's when we admit our weakness, our inability to save ourselves, and humble ourselves before God that He is glorified and can work in our lives.

The Bible says knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. Many Christians are given a chance to fall to humble them and bring them back around to giving the glory not to themselves, but to God. Praise God that we are dependent on Him to maintain our salvation by His grace, because God knows, if it were up to me and my faithfulness, I would have lost my salvation long ago.

 

[LibertyBelle]

My short list just keeps getting shorter by nearly the day.

Unbelievable.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Lucado says in the letter, “but we agree that God’s holy Word must never be used as a weapon to wound others.”

The Word of God is a double edged sword. I guess Lucado doesn't think he should hurt a sinner's feelings on any matter, no matter how clear cut the Bible is about it.

 

[Andy C]

I know a guy that was a Christian Pastor and became a muslim

James 3:1 comes to mind.
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. James 3:1, ESV

May he repent and return to Jesus.

I cant recall ever hearing about a Christian pastor becoming a muslim, but there can be no doubt, he was never one of His.

 

[Andy C]

“Max Lucado was invited to speak at the Washington National Cathedral — an apostate Episcopalian Church in Washington D.C. — two weeks ago where he preached a sermon comparing the Holy Spirit to a woman and calling Him the “mother heart of God.”

Prior to the invitation, homosexuals were up-in-arms over his apparent pro-traditional marriage views and desperately sought to have him disinvited from speaking at the church. However, he preached anyway.



Yesterday, Max Lucado issued a letter of apology to the homosexual community where he asked for forgiveness for his words which he says “have hurt or been used to hurt the LGBTQ community.”

“Faithful people may disagree about what the Bible says about homosexuality,” Lucado says in the letter, “but we agree that God’s holy Word must never be used as a weapon to wound others.” He also said that he believes in a “God of unbounded grace and love” and that “LGBTQ individuals and LGBTQ families must be respected and treated with love” because they are “made in the image and likeness of God.”


So close to the rapture and many respected Christian leaders seem to be falling away from the truth.
Betty

I never liked him and thought he was a complete phony, after dollars, not souls.

 

[Erin]

I don't undertstand how anyone could know and believe what we do and just walk away. Yet they do....

Yes!!! I don't understand how they can turn their back after so long... I'm just flummoxed, can someone fake that long? I've read so many of his books...he has helped me and many others I know so much! I just dont understand!

 

[LibertyBelle]

If anyone wants to hear it for themselves, it's here, at the 58:00 mark:
https://www.************/watch/live/?v=813903096134572&ref=watch_permalink

The comment section lets you know that that 'church' is waaaaaaay unbiblical re: certain sexual sins. I am flabbergasted that he spoke there.

Granted, I don't know much about him. Love his Punchinello kids videos. Liked Hermie & Friends. Recently began listening to his daily devotionals on YT. Very surprised to know this.

Link is censored.
If you google his name, and 'mother heart of God', it's the FB video.