Clipmarks | Eaglewings's 'faith' clips

Declaration of Independence from England not God

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:26:41 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: Reliance upon God was the foundation from which our forefathers brought forth this great nation. And it is that continued dependence upon Almighty God that shall sustain us as a great nation.

Declaring our Independence from God would only lead us into a path of destruction and oblivion.

Clip Source: www.onenewsnow.com

Dr. Larry Arnn is president of Hillsdale College in Michigan. In a recent article published on TownHall.com, Arnn calls The Declaration of Independence "a most remarkable declaration." He says that it is remarkable to remember that all who supported the document and all who signed the document were committing acts of treason punishable by death. But perhaps most remarkable was the documents four references to God.

"The posture of The Declaration of Independence is an appeal to heaven. And so it's really a beautiful thing if you put the four places that God is mentioned together in the declaration. He's mentioned as the maker of the laws of nature and of nature's God – which makes him a legislator. He's mentioned as the supreme judge of the world – which makes him a judge. He's mentioned as divine providence – which makes him an executive. And he's mentioned as the creator – which is like being a founder," Arnn explains.

Tags: declaration, independence, government, faith

Salad Bar Christianity

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:33:09 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: This is just another example of a man-made god. Taking the parts we like from all religious practices and mixing them together to form a hodgepodge of beliefs that Jesus warned against. Jesus declared unashamedly that he was the way the truth and the life not just one of many.

Man loves to remake God into their own image, changing the absolute rightness of God for a rightness that suits each individual. The salad bar analogy works good here because the tendency of people is to take what they like and leave what they do not like. Most times it is the food that is best for us that we leave on the salad bar.

Clip Source: www.usatoday.com

Religion today in the USA is a salad bar where people heap on upbeat beliefs they like and often leave the veggies — like strict doctrines — behind.

There are so many ways of seeing God, public policy expert Barry Kosmin says, that "the highest authority is now the lowest common denominator."

"Americans believe in everything. It's a spiritual salad bar," says Rice University sociologist Michael Lindsay. Rather than religious leaders setting the cultural agenda, today, it's Oprah Winfrey, he says.

"The impact of Oprah is seen throughout this survey. She uses the language of Bible and Christian traditions and yet includes other traditions to create a hodgepodge personalized faith. Exclusivism (one religion has the absolute and exclusive truth) has gotten a bad name in America today," he says.

Tags: religion. oprah, christianity

Top 10 Make-over tips for Today's Church

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:37:37 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: I just wish I would have said it first. Kudos to Doug Giles

Clip Source: www.townhall.com

1. Get men who dig being rowdy back in the pulpit.

2. Could we have some sound doctrine, por favor?

3. Preach scary sermons (at least every fourth one).

4. Get rid of 99.9% of “Christian” TV.

5. Quit trying to be relevant and instead become prophetic contrarians, I’m talking contra mundus, mama!

6. Put a 10-year moratorium on “God wants you rich” sermons (yeah, that’s what we need to hear nowadays, you morons, more sermons about money, money, money!).

7. Embrace apologetics and shun shallow faith.

8. Evangelize like it’s 1999.

Clip Source: www.townhall.com

9. Push lazy Christians to get a life or join a Satanic Church.

10. Demand that if a Christian gets involved in the arts that their “craft” must scream excellence and not excrement.

As much as it is a believer’s duty to become all things to all people and not be removed freakish monks stuck in an ecclesiastical time warp, it is first and foremost the Christian’s duty to stand for God

Tags: church, culture, gospel, evangelism, truth, prophet, prophecy, change

Caspian Worth Watching

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 01:03:42 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings

Clip Source: www.usatoday.com

On Friday, Walden Media and Disney released The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, the sequel to the wildly successful 2005 film The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. The filmmakers faced the challenge of turning a beloved book with a slow plot into a modern film, but also one that retains the story's spiritual messages.

"The underlying messages are so important, and so vital to the story," says Douglas Gresham, Lewis' stepson and co-producer of the new film.

"Which are the return to faith, truth, justice, honesty, honor, glory, personal commitment, personal responsibility. Also the message (that) no matter how far away we stray, there's only one way back."

In Prince Caspian, the children return to Narnia (this time through a tube station near London's Trafalgar Square). Although they are only a year older, 1,300 years have passed in their former kingdom. The evil interloper Miraz has stolen the throne from Prince Caspian and forced the true Narnians into hiding.

Tags: narnia, c.s. lewis, chronicles of narnia, prince caspian, movie, theater, the lion, the witch, the wardrobe

Woman wakes up after being declared dead 17 hrs earlier

Sat, 24 May 2008 01:47:40 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: She woke up and thanked God! I guess miracles still happen.

Clip Source: www.newsnet5.com

Video: Doctors Call Woman Medical Miracle

Tags: miracle, medicine, science, faith, hope

OH MY MY MILEY!

Fri, 02 May 2008 02:14:57 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: Shame on you Vanity Fair magazine. Double shame on Miley Cirus and triple shame on her parents. According to Vanity Fair magazine Miley's parents were present during this photo shoot.

Now I ask you what is really artistic about a 15 yr old young lady topless covered only with a bed sheet? You mean to tell me this was the only thing ARTISTIC you could find to depict this young lady? Wasn't there a far more wholesome way to showcase your daughter Billy Ray then having her likeness plastered on millions of copies of a magazine TOPLESS?

I do not wish to be too hard on Miley after all she is only 15 yrs old and I am sure handling more than most adults have to deal with in a life time at a very formidable age. The adults involved however ought to know better.

Vanity Fair is fast becoming a sleaze mag like so many others cluttering up the store shelves.

Yes MILEY you were duped like so many young ladies in our society have been by manipulative predators. Anytime anyone asks you

Clip Source: www.christianpost.com

Miley Cyrus, the extremely popular 15-year-old star of Disney’s Hannah Montana, became the focus of a national controversy this week after photos of her appearing topless and covered only in a bed sheet were published in Vanity Fair magazine.

Although the release of the photos brought immediate condemnation on the emerging star that many assumed to be a good role model for their children, others criticized the magazine for what they said was “manipulation” of the young star into an act amounting to sexual exploitation.

In a tearful apology to her fans, Miley – who has often spoken openly about the importance of her Christian faith and beliefs – said that she felt duped by the magazine into an uncomfortable situation.

“I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ‘artistic’ and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about,” she said in a statement.

Tags: miley, cirus, hannah, montana, nude, pictures, vanity fair, magazine, marketing

40th Anniversarie of Dr Martin Luther King's death remembered

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:33:01 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: Interesting point of fact that Rev Dr Martin Luther King was first a preacher of the gospel and then a leader for civil rights and and end to racism. Today we need more preachers preaching against the ills of society by proclaiming the gospel cure.

It is a known fact that you can not legislate love it has to come from the heart.

Clip Source: www.christianpost.com

April 4, 2008 marked the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Anyone who had reached the age of consciousness by that date remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the shattering and heartbreaking news that Dr. King had been gunned down in Memphis.

Looking back on the truly significant progress Dr. King and those inspired by his dream, black and white, made between the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954 and Dr. King’s death in 1968, I must confess that I am deeply saddened we have not made more progress toward racial reconciliation and justice than we have in the subsequent 40 years.

Perhaps the law has done most of the heavy lifting it can do. People of faith should understand better than most that the law can change habits, but faith can change hearts.

Tags: dr martin luther king, civil rights, racism, dream, faith

Bible Stories Bastardized by Anglican vicar

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:33:53 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: Okay correct me if I am wrong here but if these stories are so important that an new generation needs to hear them then why must we rewrite them and turn them into some trashy dime store novel? I mean can we not tell the story the way it is? I do not mind so much when some atheist insists on rewriting or interpreting the biblical stories of our faith from their perspective but when a member of the church decides to bastardize these sacred stories then I say ENOUGH ALREADY!

Clip Source: www.christianpost.com

Some of the most popular stories in the Bible were recently re-written by a British Anglican vicar, including the story of Goliath, who in the retelling is a celebrity binge drinker.

The Rev. Robert Harrison of St. John’s Church in northwest London is behind the reworking of the top 10 Bible stories that were chosen by a poll conducted by the Christian charity Scripture Union.

In Harrison’s book, The Must Know Stories, the tale of David and Goliath is retold from the perspective of Goliath, who is portrayed as a “depressed alcoholic” who is hung over on the day of battle with David, according to the U.K.-based Telegraph newspaper.

Meanwhile, the well-known story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is twisted so that Adam expresses his obsession with Eve’s naked body. The nativity story is also changed so as to have Jesus born in an overcrowded house instead of a manger, amid family tension stirred by Joseph’s aunt who is upset that Mary and Joseph are not married.

Tags: david, goliath, bible, stories, jesus, 10 commandments

Survey Says: Church is fluid has no sticking power

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:24:44 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: More and more I am seeing the degrading of religious influence in our culture. Churches are becoming less and less relevant in today's fast moving society. There are so many other forces at work on an average family that finding time for church is not high on the list of things to do today. In addition church attendance is not a high priority on most peoples goals and future planning.

What say you?

Clip Source: www.usatoday.com

A new map of faith in the USA shows a nation constantly shifting amid religious choices, unaware or unconcerned with doctrinal distinctions. Unbelief is on the rise. And immigration is introducing new faces in the pews, new cultural concerns, new forces in the public square.

•Faith is fluid: 44% say they're no longer tied to the religious or secular upbringing of their childhood. They've changed religions or denominations, adopted a faith for the first time or abandoned any affiliation altogether.

•"Nothing" matters: 12.1% say their religious identity is "nothing in particular," outranking every denomination and tradition except Catholics (23.9%) and all groups of Baptists (17.2%).

•Protestants are fading: 51.3% call themselves Protestant, but roughly one-third of this group were "unable or unwilling" to describe their denomination.

Tags: church, attendance, decline, christianity

Have Christians Sold Out Christmas?

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:55:20 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings

Clip Source: www.assistnews.net

So, let me ask the same question I asked years ago: “Why are we bowing to secular pressure and forgetting how the Church originally celebrated the holiday?

If the job of a Christian is to “witness” then why are we witnessing at the wrong time.

Suppose we were to celebrate Christmas during the Twelve Days of Christmas.

we in the Christian world don't have a leg to stand on when we blast the secular world for “stealing Christmas.” I said that, instead of letting it be stolen, we had actually GIVEN away the holiday and failed to fight for its original meaning. I further suggested that if one of the jobs of a Christian (particularly an evangelical Christian) was to “witness” the faith, then most of us are doing a lousy job of using Christmas as a time to not only demonstrate our faith, but to show others that we are believers.

f we held our Christmas concerts on the 6th or 7th Day of Christmas we would be right in time with the season, but viewed as kooks

Tags: christmas, twelve, days, twelfth night

"In God We Trust" still stirring controversy after 50 years

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:59:22 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings

Clip Source: www.christianpost.com

After 50 years of appearing on the back of U.S. dollar bills, the words “In God We Trust” continue to be at the center of debate with some courts examining whether references to God in the public sphere violates the Constitution’s separation of church and state.

Critics often argue that references of God in public domains exclude faith groups that don’t believe in God and amount to the government’s endorsement of religion, in particular Christianity.

You can turn the argument around and say that to have no recognition of a supreme being would favor atheists

A 2003 Gallup poll found that an overwhelming 90 percent of Americans approved of the use of the motto on coins.

“In God We Trust” began appearing on coins in 1864.

Tags: motto, in god we trust

Faith Rebuilds More than Houses: Katrina Relief Efforts

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 21:24:26 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: This is just a partial list of those service organizations who have helped in some way in the Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts. More needs to be done and many are being led of God to do what they can.

Clip Source: www.usatoday.com

THE FAITHFUL LEND A HAND

Although officials say it's difficult to know the exact number of people who have volunteered in the Hurricane Katrina recovery, they estimate that more than 655,000 have served in Louisiana and Mississippi since the storm. Many faith-based groups have helped residents return to their homes.

Catholic Charities USA 15,481 2,550

Convoy of Hope (Christian) 16,962 2,828

Episcopal Relief & Development 18,303 2,471

Habitat for Humanity (Christian) 71,412 2,896

Lutheran Disaster Response 26,585 8,242

Mennonite Disaster Service (includes Amish volunteers) 9,000 750

Presbyterian Church U.S.A. 29,345 3,380

Salvation Army 15,232 N/A **

Samaritan's Purse 12,026 5,000

Southern Baptist Convention 175,378 5,136

United Methodist Committee on Relief 56,656 15,643

Volunteers of America 14,000 430

Totals 506,233 53,226

Source: USA TODAY research

Tags: katrina, relief, faith, community, habitat for humanity

The Deadly Virus of Celebrity Christianity

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 20:51:34 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: Let all who are without money come and drink from the fountain freely without cost. The gospel if Jesus Christ is free for all. It costs you nothing yet it is not free. It does not require a large bank account to acquire yet it is not cheap. The only requirement to receiving the Gospel is to believe on Jesus Christ and the One who sent Him.

Clip Source: beta.agoc.com

"What has become of the American church? What is this sickness spreading in the body of Christ? I don't know whom to blame more for it: The narcissistic minister who craves the attention, or the spiritually naive crowds who place these arrogant people on their shaky pedestals. All I know is that God is grieved by all of this shameful carnality.

one friend

in Texas recently inquired to see if a prominent preacher could speak at her conference. The minister's assistant faxed back a list of requirements that had to be met in order to book a speaking engagement.

The demands included:

a five-figure honorarium

a $10,000 gasoline deposit for the private plane

a manicurist and hairstylist for the speaker

a suite in a five-star hotel

a luxury car from the airport to the hotel (2004 model or newer)

room-temperature Perrier

How far we have fallen from authentic New Testament faith.

New Testament Christianity is humble, selfless and authentic.

Can I hear an "Amen"?

Let the circus end!

Tags: christianity, idolitry, false prophets, false worship

Resources for systematic theology

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 04:14:19 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: www.monergism.com

The Nature and Function of Theology
David F. Wells

Theology for Everyman
John H. Gerstner

Basic Doctrine
Reformed Bible Church

Institutes of the Christian Religion
John Calvin

Westminster Confession of Faith Commentary
A.A. Hodge

Systematic Theology
Vincent Cheung

Summary of Christian Doctrine
Louis Berkhof

Systematic Theology: Theology Proper (Volume 1)
Charles Hodge

Systematic Theology: Anthropology (Volume 2)
Charles Hodge

Systematic Theology: Soteriology (Volume 3)
Charles Hodge

Systematic Theology: Index
Charles Hodge

Systematic Theology
R.L. Dabney

Abstract of Systematic Theology
James P. Boyce

Manual of Theology
J.L. Dagg

Soteriology
Gary E. Gilley

Theology Proper
Gary E. Gilley

Growing in Christ
Gary E. Gilley

Survey Studies in Reformed Theology
Bob Burridge

Objective Soteriology: The study of the provision of salvation
Bob Burridge

Subjective Soteriology: The study of the application of salvation
Bob Burridge

Calvin's Institutes: Study Guide
Chuck Baynard

Tags: theology, christianity, faith, apologetics

God Gets Credit for Win on Super Bowl Sunday

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 01:33:07 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings

Clip Source: www.bpnews.net

Tony Dungy, atop his players’ shoulders, celebrates the Indianapolis Colts’ 29-17 Super Bowl XLI win over the Chicago Bears. Moments later before a national TV audience, Dungy said he was proud above all for “doing it the Lord’s way.” Photo by Bob Carey

MIAMI (BP)--Tony Dungy closed out a soggy night riding the back of his players with his fists clinched, pointing to the sky, after his Indianapolis Colts captured Super Bowl XLI, 29-17, over the Chicago Bears Sunday night in Miami.

Dungy again used his nationally televised platform to give glory to God during the post-game awards ceremony.

In the awards ceremony in Dolphin Stadium, CBS announcer Jim Nantz asked Dungy to comment on the significance of being the first African American head coach to lead a team to a Super Bowl victory. "I’m proud to be representing African American coaches," Dungy said. "... It means an awful lot to our country."

But Dungy continued: “More than anything – and I’ve said it before -- [Chicago coach] Lovie Smith and I [are] not only the first two African-Americans, but Christian coaches, showing that you can win doing it the Lord’s way,” Dungy told Nantz while holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy given to each year’s NFL champion.

“And we’re more proud of that.”

To hear Dungy give a testimony to his personal faith in Jesus Christ at the biggest of television venues came as little surprise to those who know him best.

“I think God’s way is the best way,” he said during one of his pre-Super Bowl news conferences, “and I appreciate the opportunity to share.”

Tags: god, super bowl, football, tony dungy, indianapolis colts, colts, super bowl xli, religion, christianity