Is God still giving revelation today? That question is at the heart of the claims of the largest theological "movement" of Christianity since the Reformation, charismaticism. And the foundation of their position is that the gift of prophecy is still operating today. This book is a detailed study of the gift and it defends the following: - Modern claims to prophecy are one of the most widespread and dangerous frauds in Christianity. - Real biblical Prophets spoke divinely authoritative revelation, and always predicted the future with perfect accuracy in order to authenticate themselves. - Modern so-called "prophets" either make mistaken predictions, or claim they don't even need to try. - There was no difference between the authority and purpose of OT Jewish Prophets like Jeremiah and NT Christian Prophets like Agabus. - The Church universally testified that the gift of prophecy ceased by the third century. - God really hates modern false claims to be speaking for Him.

Faith is a vital topic in Christian theology. However, the concept is more complex than is assumed. John Stott writes: "One wonders if there is any Christian quality more misunderstood than faith." We demonstrate that Scripture uses faith in a variety of ways, including saving faith, false faith, miracle faith, empowering faith, and visionary faith. Failure to recognize this leads to serious error in both Arminianism and charismaticism. Included is an extended section on visionary faith that enables us to step out in courage, taking risks to pursue human plans to fulfill God's commands. In our defense of the fact that biblical faith must rest on biblical revelation, we critique the inclusivism of John Wesley, Billy Graham, and C. S. Lewis which claims salvation can be apart from a revelation of the Gospel. Finally, we demonstrate that the strength of our faith depends on reason, and the evidences it perceives and evaluates. There is no such thing as a biblical "leap of faith" apart from reason.

What does Scripture say about the human heart? The human "heart" is where we meet God, believe Him, and obey Him. Which is why the psychological use of "heart" is used over 1000 times in Scripture, not including the hundreds of synonymous references to the human mind, spirit, soul, and conscience. Contrary to many, there is a lot of psychology in the Bible. This book is first a biblical study on the different aspects of the human "heart" including our reason, will, and emotions. Included is an important chapter on how we change our "heart" and thus our life. Secondly, we discuss the dangers of how the Charismatic movement has elevated emotion over reason in both worship and prayer. Finally, we correct the common mistake in theology of not distinguishing between the abilities of the devil-darkened reason of the unregenerated and the Spirit-liberated reason of the regenerated. In the process, we describe the psychological aspects of conversion.

How does God supernaturally reveal Himself? This book is a detailed introduction to the complex, controversial, but vital topic of miracles. The topic would be difficult enough, but the claims and teaching of charismaticism have made a biblical understanding of miracles even more critical, but also more complicated. In the course of this Bible study we endeavor to answer such questions as: - What is a miracle? - How do we avoid the extremes between anti-supernaturalism which claims there are no miracles, and super-supernaturalism which claims an abundance of them? - What are the different types of miracles and why is it critical to distinguish them? - What are the myriad of ways that God has miraculously "spoken" and which of these can we expect today? - What is the biblical place and attributes of dreams and visions? - What is the embarrassing history and alarming dangers of the super-supernaturalism at the heart of the "charismatic" movement?

How was NT Scripture created? The Apostles are our only link to the truths of the New Covenant we are saved by and live by. Who were these men? How did they obtain such divine revelation? How can we know they did? We make the following claims in this book: - It was through the "Scripture gift" of divine knowledge and wisdom that Apostles obtained a store of revelation from which they wrote from. - This revelation was not received through some subjective, mystical experience referred to as "inspiration," but the Apostles physically saw or heard the revelation, or received it in visions, and then accurately recorded it. - 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 teaches that the "Scripture and sign gifts" claimed by charismaticism today, were predicted by the Apostle Paul to cease with the completion of the NT revelation-and history confirms this very thing. - Theories of "inspiration" for the creation of Scripture are unnecessary and no where supported in Scripture.

Does God speak to us apart from Scripture? The belief that God provides us with extra-biblical revelation for extra-biblical decision making (what we term as mega mysticism) is incredibly popular. Hence, there are a multitude of books explaining how to "hear" from God. Once again, we go to Scripture to answer vital questions regarding how God communicates with us today, and come to the following conclusions: - The idea that God grants extra-biblical, amoral revelation directly to our minds is not supported in Scripture. - God does not have a private, personal will for our lives that we must discern outside of Scripture. - The translation of paraklēte in the Gospel of John as "Counselor" is incorrect. - The "wisdom" we are to ask for in James 1 is entirely moral in nature as described in James 3. It does not include answers to all the questions that mega mystics claim God wants to answer. - Mega mysticism is leading many Christians astray in dangerous ways.

How and why has God spoken to us? Our purpose in this book is to provide a biblical study of the various types and purposes of the myriad of different methods of divine revelation. In the process we endeavor to answer such critical and controversial questions as: - How do we know when God is 'speaking'? - What has been the progression of divine revelation? - What are the only two methods of revelation that God uses to communicate to all of humanity? - Why is Scripture so authoritative and sufficient for the Christian life? - What are the several vital but often neglected ways that God "speaks" to us apart from Scripture? - How does God expect us to make decisions and does He have a "personal" will for our lives that cannot be found in Scripture? - Does God "speak" to us by planting thoughts in our mind?

How Does God Really Want Us to Prove Christianity Christian apologetics is the endeavor to prove "There is salvation in no one else [but Jesus Christ]." The popular intellectual approach marshals scientific, historical, and philosophical arguments to defend the Christian faith. However, this book makes the following claims: - Intellectual apologetics has no biblical support, including the often quoted 1 Peter 3:15. - The Apostle Paul actually denounced the use of intellectual apologetics for evangelism. - Virtue apologetics, which proves the salvific exclusivity of Christianity by the superior love and holiness of Spirit-indwelled believers, is repeatedly commanded in Scripture and demonstrated in real life and history. - Claims to Christian immorality in both history and modern research are not true. - While there are a multitude of books on intellectual apologetics, this author could not find a biblical study that explains, defends, and encourages virtue apologetics. So he wrote one.

Is Scripture really our ultimate authority? Authority is what dictates what we will believe and do. Accordingly, J. I. Packer, rightfully remarks: "The problem of authority is the most fundamental problem that the Christian Church ever faces." Most Christians solve the issue by simply saying, "The Bible is my final authority." But such a view forgets that there is a human being between us and the Bible, which is why there are a multitude of interpretations of the Bible that people live by. Reformed theologians claim that a "testimony of the Spirit," confirms to us what is true. But there is no biblical or practical support for this. Accordingly, we are back to our God-given reason and the right and responsibility of private judgment as our ultimate subjective authority by which we live by. Postmoderns are right, then, to assert that our own reason is the god we live by. But they are wrong to ignore that our ultimate objective authority is God, Who our reasoning will be judged by.

A compelling companion to Rosh Hashanah that connects the words of our ancestors and the central ideas of modern spiritual life. Through readings and prayers from ancient, medieval and modern sources, offers powerful, personal ways to begin the new year.