And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls. (Revelation 18:11-13)
This chapter in Revelation depicts the moment in the Great Tribulation that nothing in any part of life, including economics and financial transactions, merchandising, and trade, will even appear to be normal any more. The last bit of the economy will be crushed under the righteous hand of Jesus as He smashes any semblance of business at all. Continue reading “Slavery, the Bible, and Prophecy”→
A new video clip of Beth Moore speaking to a group of people, filmed by Trinity Broadcasting, is making the rounds. It is a 5-minute clip excised from her 30-minute broadcast on that TBN schedule. it shows Moore relating a story of a vision she received when she had been in prayer. Since it seems the clip cannot be embedded, I am going to synopsize the anecdote for you and then explain why this vision she has allegedly received from “God” is untrue and a demonic deception.
She said that as she prayed “as plain as day” God put a picture “in her mind” of a Houston Bus Stop. It was a particular stop that was about 30 minutes from her home. It was definitely not a stop that was close to her home, as she saw it clearly “in her heart”. She explained that she “jotted down what she felt like God was saying. He didn’t speak to me out loud, I felt it “in my spirit.”
What she said she “jotted down” as her “note” was,
“Take money with you, I will show you who to give it to.” ~God
Moore can aver all she wants that she isn’t hearing “God” audibly, but she wrote down exactly what “God” said, didn’t she. The statement from the entity she says is God is in the first person, isn’t it. If it’s first person command from God, it is authoritative, and it is scripture. God can’t be any less authoritative with Moore than He was with Habakkuk when He said to write it down, can He? So Moore “jotted down” a “note” in response to the God of the Universe commanding her in first person. Such a casual response, isn’t it.
Back to the vision.
She then went to the ATM to get money for this jaunt, and she said
“I believe I know in my heart how much it was supposed to be. Then I go to the mall and run my errands. It’s my husband’s birthday in a few days.”
Let’s stop here. We are one minute and five seconds into the description of the vision. There are many contradictions already.
Ever since Moore has been criticized for her alleged visions, she has changed her story to now say that she does not hear God audibly. In just the first 45 seconds she said she received her summons from God-
In her mind.
In her heart.
In her spirit.
In a picture.
Intuition. (regarding the $$)
It’s never this unclear when God spoke to the Prophets or Apostles, especially within the same vision. We read that “The Lord said…” He speaks clearly to the prophet, the prophet records the words, or he performs the task. It’s not rocket science. Enough with the inaudible, intuitive, mind-spirit-heart pictures already.
Now to my main point. What we also notice in the Bible is that when the Lord says “Arise and go” or “Follow me” they arise and go. Immediately. At once.
When Jesus said “Come, follow Me“, to the fishermen disciples … “And at once they left their nets and followed Him“. (Mt 4:20). At once.
When Jesus said ‘follow me’ to Matthew, didn’t he jump up from his tax booth and follow Jesus right then? (Mark 2:14).
And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
And, didn’t Jesus say to the man who had errands to do first, “Let the dead bury the dead” and to the other man who wanted to say goodbye to his family, “Anyone who puts the hand to the plow and looks back isn’t worthy“… (Matthew 8:22; Luke 9:62). When the God of the universe says go do something, you do it at once, or you’re not worthy to follow Him.
Yet, let me understand this. According to Beth Moore, “God” said to Beth Moore, ‘GO TO THE BUS STOP!’ but Beth Moore went shopping first!? You notice she squeezed God into her schedule and went to the mall first since it was on her way. She actually said that. Since this particular mall was out near the Bus Stop she had been divinely commanded to appear at, she would do her errands there before obeying God.
I can just see her notes she said she “jotted down.”
1. Keith’s b-day.
2. Bus stop for God.
3. Get gas.
4. Pick up milk.
If she was truly hearing from God she would have obeyed immediately. Hearing from God elicits a response in the soul that is convicting, immediate, because the command comes from the ultimate authoritative source. The response of the Prophets and Apostles and Disciples who actually heard from God responded immediately. We see that in just the few examples I shared from the Bible, and there are many other examples. Moreover, He said anyone who does errands first is not worthy to follow Him. What He was saying there is that He is the priority at any given moment.
Moore squeezing God into her schedule to make it more convenient for her day is not Christian obedience. She is actually teaching her listeners to diminish God’s authority by demonstrating her casual and disdainful response to His command. She is showing her audience how to satisfy the flesh before you obey God. And she is teaching them to deny the sufficiency of scripture by claiming to have heard from “God,” and further diminish scripture, because had written down in first person what he “said.” Or actually had “jotted down” the “note”.
As my friend said on Facebook as per our conversation about this ‘vision’, giving the Apostle John in Revelation 1:10 the same kind of response Moore gave,
I was in the Spirit on Patmos when the Lord came to me. I said, “Hold on a minute, I’m making some fish for my wife’s birthday dinner.
Sadly, aside from the thousands to tens of thousands or millions who tuned in to her show on TBN and saw it originally, a quarter of a million people have additionally viewed this clip that was posted later. We are truly living in a time of deep biblical illiteracy. You can combat that by reading your Bible and praying for the wisdom from the Spirit to illuminate it to your mind. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)
How can we know if what they are hearing or seeing is truly from the Lord? There is a very simple test you can apply. Does their personal revelation agree with the Bible? If the answer is no, they are either making stuff up or the voice they are hearing isn’t from God. If the answer is yes, then you don’t need their word or vision, it’s in the Bible.
Taking a couple questions from listeners, one is a criticism and another looking for clarification on the WWUTT video featuring Beth Moore. (20 minutes).
We read in the “Pastoral Epistles”, Titus and Timothy, what to do that is consistent with sound doctrine. The pastoral epistles are: “those letters written by Paul to Timothy and Titus in the New Testament. So, they are 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. They are called pastoral because they are letters with instructions for pastors, congregations, and general functions within the church.”
We read what people are supposed to do in order to display the highest qualifications for behavior and character.
I want to note the first sentence of Titus 2:1-10,
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Paul is telling Titus to teach according to sound doctrine. Paul does not particularly outline what the sound doctrine is, at this point because the point of the letter is to encourage Titus to display and hence his flock to display certain behavioral attributes. In displaying these attributes in life, they will be acting consistently with sound doctrine.
In an interesting parallel, Paul gives Timothy a list of behavioral attributes, too. The difference is, Paul’s list to Timothy includes behaviors that are contrary to sound doctrine. Here is the list:
Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. (1 Timothy 1:8-11).
Anyone displaying these negative attributes in their behavior are acting against sound doctrine.
The second item to focus on is the reason we are to behave consistent with the good doctrine we have been taught. It is so that the name of Jesus will not come under reproach. If we behave against sound doctrine, the adversary (satan, that old dragon) will be able to use us to bring reproach upon Jesus’ name.
In the unbelieving world, it is very easy to avoid Christians. Their mind is darkened, so they do not see us.
“Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” (Ephesians 4:17-18).
Two kingdoms are co-existing side by side, locked in a war. The opponents are- satan’s army and his unbelievers whom he influences, and Jesus’s army and His saved believers. The unbelievers do not really see us but they are aware of our presence. What I mean is, unbelievers as a whole do not think about Christians in their daily lives. It is very easy to have no contact with Christians, be unaware and uncaring about Christian life, and go for long periods of time not hearing or seeing Christian language or behavior. It is like oil and water. As we know, oil and water may occupy the same space in a glass, but they do not mix. (Left, oil and water)
And also as we know, the kingdom of Jesus is not of this earth. (John 18:36). It is in heaven. So how will the unbeliever see the kingdom of God?
When we behave in the sterling way as Paul outlined to Titus, the veil parts. The unbeliever sees the Kingdom. He sees it because the Light is so bright! He cannot avoid seeing the Kingdom that dwells among them because the Light is so bright!
for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you. (Luke 17:21b).
We ARE the kingdom, the veil parts, they see us when we act according to kingdom attributes. How will the unbeliever see the King, unless they see the Kingdom? Jesus is in heaven on His throne, but the kingdom He created is within us for this present age. The unbeliever will see it if we act according to sound doctrine, as Paul urges Titus.
Never let anyone tell you that ‘doctrine doesn’t matter.’ It does. It is not just head knowledge but it expresses itself through behavior that brings the Kingdom forward and lets the blind to see the unreproached name of Jesus.
Paul ended that paragraph by saying that we may adorn the doctrine of Christ the Savior. The word adorn is defined – “properly, to beautify; to adorn, make compellingly attractive, very appealing (inviting, awesomely gorgeous).
We are not gorgeous but Jesus in us is gorgeous! Let us pray for the strength and wisdom to go forward each day so that we may adorn Him, and be compellingly attractive in the eyes of those who are living in such darkness. We have been told how to act, and how not to act.
Henry Branagh in Henry V
In 1415, Henry V was severely outnumbered as they prepared for battle at Agincourt. This battle was dramatised by William Shakespeare in the play Henry V featuring the St. Crispin’s Day Speech in which Henry inspired his much outnumbered English forces to fight the French. It was a stirring moment in the film adaptation when actor Kenneth Branagh gave the speech. It was the speech when the King said, once more into the breach, dear friends. I was inspired to jump up and fight against the opposing forces! It was unusual for a king to call his army men ‘friends.’
Our King has given us a stirring speech, too. It is the bible. His doctrine is the inspiration for us to leap up and go into battle. But our battle is not in flesh and blood nor with swords. Our battle is through our behavior and our words, and the love we carry for our King, a remarkable eternal king who calls US His friends. Would you fight for Him in truth and kindness and gentleness so that we may adorn Him?
Tim LaHaye, the best-selling author best known for the Left Behind series, “graduated to heaven” early this morning after suffering a stroke at age 90. His family announced the news of his passing at a San Diego hospital on his ministry Facebook page.
In my early days of Christianity, I read most of the Left Behind series. A lot of people did. Here is an article about the series from earlier in July, before Dr LaHaye’s passing.
A popular author who helped invigorate pop culture interest in Christian eschatology with the release of the first book in the “Left Behind” series 21 years ago is surprised by the novel’s monumental impact. … Years later, it not only continues to fly off bookshelves, it has been the impetus for at least four apocalyptic-themed Hollywood films.
It’s hard to imagine it’s been 21 years, even though I was not a Christian for 10 of those. The series referred to is a series of fiction books written from the point of view of non-believers living through the rapture, the rise of the antichrist, and the Tribulation. Though in the books, most of the main characters convert to Christianity subsequent to the Rapture. The books’ backdrop is Christian apocalyptic, unlike most of today’s apocalyptic books, TV shows, movies, and video games which present an apocalypse from a secular point of view. The “Left Behind” books present the real apocalypse, though sanitized and fictionalized. Continue reading “Left Behind author Tim LaHaye, passes away”→
The level of doctrinal Christian error and demonic activity in this present world is staggering. The spiritual war is cosmic and invisible. (Ephesians 6:12). But recently someone followed my blog on WordPress. In doing my diligence I perused her blog to see what they were about. What I found absolutely horrified me before the Lord, as much as it worried me for the woman’s soul.
The tagline to her blog is –
The writing of the Holy Bible continues, published by G.ROY. God dictated unto me the words coming out of His mouth through the use of his prophets and I wrote them out in this blog (web log of God) for the instruction of us whom ends of the world are come. Sometimes some highlights are thrown in to help people understand the context by which the prophecy was worded out. I am not deciding what is to be written and called a prophecy. God speaks, I write word for word what was said!
Immediately one praises the Lord for His patience in not doing to this writer as He did to Ananias & Sapphira, (Acts 5:1-11) or Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:7) for profaning His holiness. The unmitigated pride and deep demonic delusion evident in that blog’s About section is stunning. And yet there’s more.
For if it be unlawful to follow Christ for loaves, (as it is in the sixth of John), how much more abominable is it to make of him and religion a stalking-horse to get and enjoy the world! Nor do we find any other than heathens, hypocrites, devils, and witches, that are of this opinion.
The above quote is from Pilgrim’s Progress. The main character named Christian is discussing the motives behind following Christ. We do not follow Him for loaves, as Christian says. Put another way, we don’t follow Christ for what we can get out of Him to satisfy our fleshly desires.
Christian goes on to give three examples of those who DID pretend to follow Christ but really were in it to get what they could. Continue reading “Stalking Horse Religion”→
There are three videos recently released, in which Pastor Justin Peters speaks on various discernment topics. Known for his lessons on discerning the Word of Faith/Prosperity Gospel movement, through leading conferences and producing DVDs, such as a recent one titled “Clouds Without Water,” in these short but in-depth video bites Mr Peters discusses-
Heaven Tourism,
The inherent dangers of Jesus Calling,
The difference between Revelation and Illumination,
The responsibility of the Christian Bookstore (yet to be released).
I work in education and that means summers off! Mind, my salary covers employment for 190 days, so I’m not paid for the days off summers off, but at this point of my life I’m happier to have the time.
I had 9 weeks off, all in a row. Sixty-four days from May 27 to August 1, I’ve had a blissful time here in what I call The Hermitage. It’s so dubbed because I like to spend copious amounts of time indoors in my small apartment. Alone. Never lonely.
Like everyone else, during the seasons when I’m working, there are always lots of other things I’d like to do, but the fact that I’m committed elsewhere for 9 hours a day (longer if I work AfterSchool Program) means I don’t have time to do all that I want. I like to read, study, surf the web, watch movies, write, and do crafts. Erm, I can’t squeeze all that into a day that is also dedicated to doing my best job at school. Add errands and cleaning to that, and like everyone else, time is short. Continue reading “The sin struggle of summer”→
The Protestant Reformation began almost 500 years ago (in 1517) after Martin Luther posted his “95 Theses,” which proposed two central beliefs—that the Bible is the central religious authority – (not the Catholic Church) – and that humans may reach salvation only by their faith and not by their works. By the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church had been teaching that one could attain salvation by one’s own meritorious works that they alone were the authority, and darkness had settled over the land. Luther’s act sparked the Reformation. To this day the Catholic Church maintains that sola scriptura is a “blueprint for anarchy“.
Those two central tenets posted by Martin Luther were later expanded to become known as the Five Solas, as Theopedia explains here,
The Five Solas are five Latin phrases (or slogans) that emerged from the Protestant Reformation intended to summarize the Reformers’ basic theological principles in contrast to certain teachings of the Roman Catholic Church of the day. “Sola” is Latin meaning “alone” or “only” and the corresponding phrases are: Sola Fide, by faith alone. Sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone. Solus Christus, through Christ alone. Sola Gratia, by grace alone. Soli Deo Gloria, glory to God alone.
Sola Scriptura is the tenet I’m looking at today. Theopedia explains sola scriptura further-
The inerrant Scripture (the Bible) is the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. It is denied that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian’s conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.
And here we have the point. Currently, Scripture alone is the sole point of intersection of God’s personal revelation of Himself to man. (Hebrews 1:1-2). ‘Personal experience can never be a vehicle of revelation.’ Never ever.
And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, (2 Peter 1:19).
Satan battles the above five points at every turn. The battle for sola scriptura has been extremely pitched in our era. Book after book published from Christian publishers purport to show how to commune with God by doing certain things that will enhance one’s antenna for receiving His personal revelation. People claim visits from Jesus and visits to Jesus in heaven. They claim to have heard Him speak to them and have received personally tailored career advice or new theological commands or projects to engage in (Joanna Gaines of the HGTV show “Fixer Upper” and Beth Moore, are two examples). Book after book emerge from someone claiming to have had a heavenly visit and personal tour of heaven (or hell). Claiming a personal divine word is the new mantra.
Last year’s Shepherd’s Conference at Grace Community Church was titled the “Inerrancy Summit” and worked to teach attendee pastors the importance of defending truth against all those who seek to undermine the authority of scripture. John MacArthur opened the Summit by listing four reasons why such a summit is needed, one of which is that Scripture is authoritative and pastors and teachers are called to declare it. In his speech, MacArthur gave a quick overview of the progress of the undermining of scripture in our era-
In the 1960s and ‘70s, experientialism began to infiltrate the mainline denominations. This movement tempted the church to define truth on the basis of emotional experience. Biblical interpretation was no longer based on the clear teaching of the text; but rather upon feelings and subjective, unverifiable experiences, such as supposed revelations, visions, prophecies, and intuition.
The Third Wave movement of the 1980s continued the growth of mysticism within the church, convincing people to look for signs and wonders and to listen for paranormal words from God rather than seeking out truth in the written Word of God.
The New Apostolic Reformation [NAR] is the latest in these kinds of movements.
One attack on Sola Scriptura that has persisted for 12 years and is now its own cottage industry, is the book Jesus Calling. Jesus Calling is a book written by Sarah Young. Ms Young was restless with the Bible and wanted more. She actively sought out hearing from God and these supposed divine utterings were captured by her pen and made into a book. In the book, Ms Young puts the utterings from a “Jesus” into first person.
Being dissatisfied with the complete revelation of God to man in His word is attack #1 on sola scriptura. And there are soldiers who continue to stand on this important point, such as Justin Peters. Here is a short video speaking about the importance of sola scriptura and warning to avoid the Jesus Calling book.
“Where the battle is really being fought today is over whether or not God’s word is sufficient, and evangelicals are losing that battle.” ~Justin Peters
If you read, listen to, or follow any teacher who professes Jesus and yet also claims to have personally heard from God or uses personal revelations of teachings they say they’ve received from God, avoid them. What they are doing is undermining the sufficiency of scripture. The Bible says,
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Bible does not say, All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,plus what I told Beth Moore last week and including what I mentioned to Sarah Young and…
For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)
It is through the scriptures that we gain our instruction and have hope. Scripture alone.
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. (Proverbs 27:17)
Do you feel things are going faster and faster? The news that is coming at us is ever more forceful in its depravity? I do. I feel like a guy stuck in a snowball that is gathering speed as it rolls down the hill. Are you using one eye for looking out (for your fellow man) and the other eye for looking up (for our redemption draweth nigh)?
The times are getting harder now, financially, emotionally, physically (tough winters & summers everywhere). Let us remember to share our faith with unbelievers but also encourage each other. Now is the time to let grudges go, to refrain from being annoyed by small things. Put personal differences aside and “build each other up” as we face increasing iniquity that disheartens and depresses, as the news may indeed do. One way to accomplish this is to do what the Proverb says. Continue reading “Iron Sharpens Iron”→
the-end-time.org 