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What Might Jesus Say To Your Church Today?
[This weeks church is Smyrna; the article for last week is here: http://westsidechristianfellowship.org/articles/are-you-among-the-living-dead-shane-idleman/] What would He say about your worship and the depth of your prayer? What about the commitment to teach all of...
LGBT – The Real Reason Why There’s A Divide
It seems like every month a new Christian leader embraces the LGBT movement - from pastor Brandan Robertson to Tony Campolo and Jen Hatmaker - the list never ends. Recently, I came across an article in the Christian Post stating, “After his announcement of LGBT...
Are You Among The Living Dead?
In Revelation chapter two, we see what appears to be a model church. They performed good works and were involved in the community. They were steadfast and patient. They hated evil and pointed out false doctrine. But Jesus said, “I have this against you, that you have...
How To Shift Prayer To Full Throttle
When prayer is edited out of our services, the beacon of light will fade and the salt will lose its savor. A deathlike slumber has overtaken the church: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead."[1] God help us. It's time to...
Fox News – Are religious people more readily accepting of gay marriage?
Fox News – Is it necessary to believe in God to be a moral person?
The LGBT Agenda – 10 Things You Need to Know
I recently spoke at a community college in Southern California demonstrating that faith and science are not at odds: http://youtu.be/CvDFxW0GlaQ. In posts leading up to the event, I was labeled a “hate pastor” as LGBT activists protested the event. Sadly, due to...
Parenting – Cultivating Character or Controlling Chaos?
Excerpt from the sermon on parenting. View the message at https://youtu.be/rKxjzMtFbvY. In a chaotic and confusing world, let's get grounded by looking to Scripture. Raising responsible kids is no microwave magic; it takes consistent time and energy. The results are...
What Goes In The Mind Comes Out In Actions
When Matt was very young, his parents introduced him to a family friend. Matt was excited because he had someone to play with; his parents were pleased because he could entertain Matt when they were busy. As the years went by, Matt and his friend spent countless hours...
The BIG Problem With Marriage
In the book, Sacred Thirst, the author writes, “The bride and groom are standing in front of everyone, looking better than they are ever going to look again, getting so much attention and affirmation. Everybody even stands when they walk in so it’s easy to think this...
Fasting: Starve the Flesh to Feed the Soul
We are at the crossroads - opioid and alcohol abuse are leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Obesity is skyrocketing and plaguing the young as well as the old; it has reached epidemic levels in children - caffeine and sugar have taken us captive. Diabetes is...
5 Crucial Lessons Learned From Planting A Church – They Will Help You Too
Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California arose out of a desperate need to encourage Christians to seek God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. God has graciously honored our desire and is spreading His Word. Propelled by prayer and passion,...
AMERICA – Why Didn’t Someone Do Something?
“There is no nation on earth powerful enough to accomplish our overthrow. Our destruction, should it come at all, will be from another quarter. From the inattention of the people to the concerns of their government, from their carelessness and negligence” (Daniel...
Christians, Wake Up to the Blinding Effects of Sin
"The Church is Physically Alive, But Spiritually Dead." I recently referred to a true story. A young girl, devastated by the choice her father made to leave her family for a younger woman, had a nightmare following his announcement. She dreamt that she, her...
Lord, Help Me Change! I Can’t On My Own
Matthew 12:43-45 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes...
Does Science Confirm the Bible?
This information was taken from a recent debate on this topic. To view the debate, Does Science Confirm the Bible, visit our website at WCFAV.org. The uniformity, the consistency, the stability, and the harmony of the universe declares that there is Creator. The...
(Debate) Satanic Group Walks Out During Closing Statement
I Know What The Bible Says, BUT! …
A parable is a simple story conveying a moral or spiritual lesson. We often don’t like direct confrontation, thus God uses parables to open our eyes. Self-examination is very healthy. I recently heard a contemporary parable that is also a true story. A young girl,...
The Race – Author Unknown
The Race - author unknown - Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure’s face, my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race. A children’s race, young boys, young men; how I remember well, excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn’t hard to tell. They all...
Soft Does Not Save – We Must Preach With Authority
Many today argue that we can’t preach with authority because we need to have a flexible approach to all aspects of theology. By “flexible” they mean accommodating all beliefs, but truth is not “flexible” when it comes to absolutes; it’s solid and unyielding—an anchor....
The #1 Way to Quench the Work of the Spirit
“The gratification of the flesh and the fullness of the Spirit do not go hand in hand” (R.A. Torrey). Society’s influence on the church is very alarming. In times past, the hero was the father, not Edward (from Twilight). The greatest influence was the mother, not...
Marijuana – Will We Reap The Whirlwind?
Wednesday’s headline read, “Council votes 3-1 to Allow Medical Cultivation” after rejecting the counsel of the faith based community. With the legalization of M.J., comes new problems such as how taxpayers will pay for increased law enforcement. But, no problem...
How to Hear God’s Voice… to Know His Will
Let me begin by applauding your desire to know God’s will; this is often a sign of spiritual health. God guides those who are willing to follow. When it comes to knowing God’s will, more often than not, unless it’s written in His word, there are no specific answers....
Can I Lose My Salvation?
A common question for many is, "Can I lose my salvation?" I’ve heard both sides of the argument, and only God truly knows a person’s heart, but I can share a few thoughts. The reason there is a debate is because the Scriptures teach that salvation is a gift...
Do All Roads Lead to God? What Religion is Right?
Over the last few weeks we've been discussing the differences between certain religious groups. People are asking, "How do you know what religion is right? Who are you to say what is right or wrong?" I’m no one - please don’t take my word for it - look to God’s...
A Conversation With a Priest – Truth vs. Tradition
I recently had the privilege of meeting a priest of a large parish in Southern California. The purpose of our conversation was to discuss the role of tradition in light of Scripture. Granted, some tradition is beneficial if it lines up with Scripture. I have...
Gay Marriage – Why Are “Christians” Divided?
With best-selling Christian authors and popular worship leaders showing support for gay-marriage, many are left baffled and confused. These points may help us better understand the great divide: 1. The definition of love is misunderstood. To truly “love” others we...
Five Things Pastors Need to Stop Doing Immediately
Pastors, we are not just cheerleaders, we are game-changers. We are called to stir and to convict so that change takes place. Granted, there are many wonderful pastors and churches—I appreciate their ministry, but, as a whole, the church has drifted off course. They...
The Only Thing Holding Many Churches Together Is…
I knew a pastor who instructed his worship leader to remove songs that mentioned the Holy Spirit, and another pastor who removed songs about the blood of Christ. How sad...in their zeal to avoid charismatic excesses and offensive truths, these pastors actually...
The Difference Between True Revival And False Fire
As believers, we are to discern truth from error, light from darkness, and right from wrong…but how? Jeremiah 23:17 offers one answer, “They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD has said, You shall have peace;’ And to everyone who walks according to the...
Not Standing For The National Anthem – Trend or Tragedy?
I’m all for exercising Constitutional Rights, but this new trend is alarming. Standing honors those who have given their lives for the freedoms that we now enjoy - freedoms that allow these individuals to make millions of dollars and never have to worry about...
Opposing Gay Marriage – 5 Reasons Why It’s Not Hate Speech
The ultimate goal of the radical LGBT agenda is to silence the pulpits, and they’ll do it by labeling Christians as “haters”. But those who strongly believe in the Bible and God’s will regarding sexual behavior also strongly believe in unconditional love and...
Is God Truly Guiding You?
It’s important to regularly ask, “Is God truly guiding me?” “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Psalm 32:8). The inner promptings of the Holy Spirit are like gauges in an airplane—if the pilot ignores them, he’ll...
Should We Still Keep The Commandments?
Should We Still Keep The Commandments? If you are skeptical because of past experiences with religion, understand that religion is not the answer—a relationship with Christ is. There is a clear difference. Religion says, “I have to follow rules.” A relationship with...
Dallas, Texas – How Can We Quench the Fires of Violence?
As I read the news reports, my heart immediately went out to the families. The media has been fueling the flames of racism and hatred for sometime and we are reaping the whirlwind. Yes, hatred and racism do exist, but from my vantage point, not to the degree they are...
4th of July Wake-up Call for the Pulpit and the Pew
"We have forgotten God, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own” (Abraham Lincoln). Over the last few decades, Americans have seen the destruction of the...
Can’t We All Just Get Along – Can The Pope Usher In Revival?
I thank God for the wonderful work that many large ministries are doing to promote revival from D.C. to Pasadena - I wish there were more, but there is also a very troubling trend in the evangelical church as a whole. We are encouraged to be at peace with all men,...
Local School District Needs A History Lesson
Local School District Needs A History Lesson News reports this week noted that officials at Desert Rose Elementary School in Palmdale, California dispatched a sheriff’s deputy to stop a 7-year-old from sharing Bible verses with his classmates because someone could be...
Have You Done Too Much Damage?
Have You Done Too Much Damage? It's Not Too Late “Like a bird that wanders from the nest, so is a man who wanders from his from his place” (Proverbs 27:8). It's no secret that our generation has wandered severely off course: schools resemble battle-grounds, the...
Why Do Many Walk Willingly Into the Enemy’s Camp?
Why Do Many Walk Willingly Into the Enemy's Camp? “Grace changes the nature of man, but nothing changes the nature of sin” (John Owen). The principle of sowing and reaping applies to all areas of our lives. We must first discipline ourselves before desire comes. We...
Are You On The Verge of Wrecking Your Life?
In Russell Moore’s compelling book, Tempted & Tried, a chapter entitled, Why You’re on the Verge of Wrecking Your Life (Especially If You Don’t Know It), caught my attention. Moore writes quoting a scientist who studied cattle behavior, “A slaughterhouse, in order...
Why Are Christians Watching The Movie Sensation “Deadpool”?
Why Are Christians Watching The Movie Sensation “Deadpool”? The unavoidable truth is that many are becoming desensitized to murder, molestation, violence, and lust. When the Holy Spirit no longer fills hearts and minds with a passion for purity and holiness, there is...
From Prodigal to Pastor – God’s Not Done With You Yet
From Prodigal to Pastor - God’s Not Done With You Yet How Steroids, Alcohol, and Partying almost took his life, but God... As a Southern California corporate executive for the fastest growing fitness company in the world in the mid-1990s, I had the opportunity to...
How to Overcome the Pain of Regret
Many of us can look back on our lives and regret the damage done through bad choices. For most, we didn’t see it coming. For example, the enemy doesn’t show a couple the pain and anguish and the years of regret that adultery brings; he deceives them with the...
6 Things That Must Happen To Bring Revival
With a culture saturated by political correctness and relativism, we are inclined to ask if there is any hope for America. If we continue down this slippery slope, there is little hope. Apart from a national spiritual awakening, it will be difficult to turn the...
Why Do Many People Hate Preachers?
Those who have been called to preach, much like the prophets in the Old Testament, will confront compromise, condemn moral digression, and powerfully denounce sin in the hope of reconciling man to God—they speak the truth in love. The world, and carnal Christians,...
The Real Reason Churches Die and People Leave
Experts say that nearly 4,000 churches close every year in America and over 3,500 people leave the church every single day. Church is boring, and many churches are dying because the power of God has vanished from the pulpit as well as the pew. Like Samson,...
The Cure For Doubt And Fear
“Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, ‘Are...
Will God Really Say, “Depart From Me, I Don’t Know You”?
I remember it as if it were yesterday - it was the summer of 2000. I was a corporate executive in Southern California for the world’s fastest growing fitness company, 24 Hour Fitness. I had just concluded a phone call with the president of the Central California...
5 Keys of Restoration After Successful Church Discipline
Deep and Genuine Repentance Must Take Place. If this does not occur, restoration is elusive. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in action—brokenness, genuine sorrow over sin, a desire for accountability (transparency), and humility are marks...
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