Author: Linda Cook

California native who moved to Kootenai County, Idaho 30 years ago. Fierce conservative, former Congressional Aide to Helen Chenoweth, married to Army Ranger (he says those don’t retire), reformed trouble maker, grandmother of four who is looking to create a sounding board for informed, thoughtful, inquisitive commenters.

 

Go Ahead – Start Judging

Grown Ups Do It All the Time

Blogger’s Note:  More smart stuff from The Bible In Context

So many are taught to just let God judge, but the Bible says we have an obligation to judge for our own spiritual safety.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Test ALL things; hold fast what is good.” This does not mean to only test what “they” allow you to. Because of our freedom in Christ we have a spiritual obligation to test what they say, just as the Bereans tested Paul in what he said, and he commended them.

The Bible says the Spiritual man judges all things (1 Cor. 2:15). If you don’t judge, then you are saying you are not spiritual. To judge or to discern means we have maturity and can recognize truth from error. This is of the utmost importance for us living in the last days. So, the problem is an obvious one, people cannot recognize the difference of error from the truth because they have not been taught the truth.

Seek the Old Paths
Jeremiah Was Right
While reading Jeremiah I came across this passage:
Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls.  But they said, We will not walk therein.  ~Jeremiah 6:16
Interesting perspective I found yesterday.  I was unable to find the name of the author but they identify themselves as an Ex-NAR Christian.    

What’s Wrong With God’s Old Things

❓

If you spent any time in the Charismatic Movement or in much of American Evangelicalism, you probably got the impression that something big was always on the horizon.

Just beyond our reach was the next big move of God…He was just waiting on us to reach the critical mass of fearless faith. We thought God was always planning a groundbreaking movement that would take the world by storm.

But the big new thing never came. And while we were waiting, we missed something beautiful.

God is NOT doing a “NEW thing”! Rather, our Great God and Savior is doing a very OLD thing…

Every single day, God continues His quiet work of redemption in the hearts of individuals in every nation. It doesn’t get reported in the news and most people are not impressed or interested.

It’s an OLD work as ancient as the Garden. Our history began with a promise regarding the Seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head.

It’s VERY OLD, because the work of saving sinners by grace through faith has been the LORD’s MO since the beginning. From Abraham to Rahab to the Philippian jailer to you and me, we all testify that God has been doing the same thing all along!

Actually, the work of redemption is even OLDER than that. Before the foundation of the world, God had prepared a Lamb to atone for the sins of His children. (See Revelation 13:8 and 1 Peter 1:20-21)

In every century, no matter the political or cultural landscape, the Ancient of Days has been unfolding His master plan of salvation. From the Stone Age to the Information Age, the purpose of God is fixed and it has never changed. He uses common, ordinary folk in hidden places to preach Christ crucified. Faithful nobodies in the African bush and the jungles of Papua proclaim that Jesus is risen and Jesus is Lord. “Repent and believe the Gospel.”

So when you hear of this modern day obsession about God doing a “NEW thing”, pay it no attention. God is not interested in “shifting atmospheres” in politics or “igniting a generation” to conquer the 7 mountains of cultural influence…NO! 

Christ said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36a) His instruction to His followers was not to “make a difference” but to make DISCIPLES, teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded. (Matt 28:19-20)

His mission remains the same and we are His servants. His mission is this…
”I have other sheep, which are not of this fold;  I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.” (John 10:16)

When the last sheep enters the fold, this ancient work will conclude and THEN He will do a NEW THING! After executing judgment on His enemies, the LORD says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Rev 21:5b)

So unless the “new thing” proponents are talking about the final judgment and the New Heavens and New Earth, then they are wrong. God is still carrying forward His daily work of saving wicked sinners through the finished work of Christ!

He’s not changing His methods or means of salvation nor is He raising up a superstar generation. The Lord may be doing works of sanctification in your life that feel new to you, but He’s not implementing any new strategies.

The kingdom of Christ still marches on without fanfare through the faithful preaching of the Gospel and the labors of the saints to make disciples in all that Christ commanded.

Forget new things this side of Heaven and rejoice in partaking in the OLD work of our Gracious and Compassionate God!

Grace to you all!

In His Grip,

An Ex-NAR Christian

P.S. The verse below (and its context) is about the coming of Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, not some “revival” hosted by “prophet” so and so at the local stadium…

“Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.“ – Isaiah 43:19

Much Ado About Something

Church Tossing as a Blood Sport

My husband and I had been attending a church for over 20 years.  I never caused trouble, even though I did have some minor concerns, until one day my exasperation overflowed.  What I did next started a conflagration.  A pastor taught one Sunday about resting in the Lord.  It focused to a certain extent on getting good rest, or sleep.  Sleeping without a cell phone by your bed, sleep studies, how the particular pastor behaved when sleep-deprived, etc.  There was a pleasant nod in the direction of scripture but I walked out frustrated at what I perceived to be a message that completely missed the point of trusting in God, through knowledge of Him, and finding rest in that understanding that comes through deep study of the Word of God.

The church put up a post on Facebook about the sermon.  There was accommodation for comments below and I said “Come on (name of church) let’s study the Word“!  Or something to that effect.  I should never have fallen for the apparent invitation to ‘comment’.  It should have warned me that only laudatory comments could be made or all hell would break loose.  

I met with the senior pastor for two and a half hours.  We talked things over at length, I later provided some well-documented information pertaining to a woman who was coming to speak and is doctrinally light in the loafers.  The decision was made that she was worthy to address our church and deep inside of me hope, and confidence in where the church was headed, simply died.

I did email the pastor that I would blog about what I was starting to research and there’s the rub.  I have been “disfellowshipped” and named as a slanderer and gossip.

As I’ve spent at least 2 weeks, absorbing more of the Word and contemplating why I would confront and scold men I should have been submitted to, self-recrimination was foremost in my mind.  What on earth motivated me to take on a fight against overwhelming odds?  Then I came upon a startling study on the spark that ignited this forest fire and all the lights came on.

The modern church has approved, supported, and executed erosion of God’s Word.

This is kind of long so let me sum it up.  It starts with a passage in the book of Amos.

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.  They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it. ~Amos 8:11,12

What could possibly make the very Word of God disappear?  Another question is why are people seeking it so desperately.  It would seem we are much more likely, whether we call ourselves Christians or not, to avoid it at all costs.  The Word is sometimes just so hard.  That’s why Emerging Church techniques are delightful, that’s why the Mormon-controlled entertainment The Chosen is all the rage.  That’s why devotional books and quotes are the bomb and fraudulent translations like The Message and The Passion are the holy grail for shallow ‘believers’.  Studying the Bible seems exhausting until you actually Just Do It and then you learn it’s so endlessly fascinating you can barely put it down.  Plus it saves your life.

I’m betting that’s why people are literally running after the Word, but they shall not find it.  Where did it go?  It’s being stolen right under our noses as we read it online.  The words are being replaced, small, incremental changes so it will appear you are a trouble-making nitpicker if you point it out.  We are in a time when the very definition of words is being changed, i.e. calling a shot that permanently changes your DNA a “vaccine” being the most obvious.  When people don’t know what words mean, switching them out is absurdly easy.  Before you know it, you will be following a lie and will be absolutely convinced it’s the Word of God.

How do we sidestep this threat?  Get to a church that teaches the Word. We’ve made our way to Candlelight Christian Fellowship where literal passages of the Bible are taken, oddly enough . . . literally.  Choose a Bible that is as close to accurate as possible and go old school, not online. And follow the advice of Psalms 119.

How can a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed according to Your word.  With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!  Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.  Blessed are You, O Lord!  Teach me Your statutes.  With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth.  I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.  I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.  I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.  Psalms 119: 9-16

We have been warned against deception but I think we little realized how insidious and pervasive it would become.  Go deeply into the Word, and run to the Lord.  The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.  Hide His Word in your heart and hide in Him.  The storm is upon us, take shelter.  You might get tossed out of a church, but you’ll be found in Christ.

When it comes to the word of the Lord – stay thirsty my friends.

 

Into the Battle

Sitting It Out Is Not An Option

Blogger Note:  I did not write this, this is from a source I can only identify as Bible In Context.  A brilliant mind, consistently spot-on.

I have a saying, “If it’s not Holy Spirit led, it’s demon fed.”

What I mean by that is that there really is no in-between. There are no coincidences. The powers of darkness that rule this world are committed to deception in “every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God”

The Child of God has a duty to grow in Love, Discernment and Real Knowledge (which is a knowledge of God) Philippians 1:9.

Our battle is confronting “every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.” These “high things” are false doctrines, worldly philosophies and anything else that is not based on the truth of Scripture. We are commanded to take every teaching or any “truth” captive before allowing it to enter our minds and hearts and we are to search the Scriptures to see if it is true. Take it all captive and bring it to Christ in His Word, before you allow it to enter your heart and mind as a truth.

If anything that calls itself Christian is not bringing you closer to studying God’s Word in context, you are better off without it.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds”;)

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

 

 

That’ll Do Donkey!

When to Stop Being An Ass

There comes a time when you (and by ‘you’ I mean ‘me’) need to stop setting yourself up as the judge, jury and executioner of churches, pastors, flocks and heretics.  Even if you assigned yourself that job with a great deal of vigor.  Even if they have it coming.  Be like Balaam’s donkey rather than Shrek’s.  

If you’re a Shrek fan, you know Donkey and you know he can’t stop himself.  He means well but sometimes you just want to strangle him.

The donkey in the story of Balaam is also like me in that she’s an ass, but I prefer this analogy for reasons you’ll soon understand.  In the book of Numbers, chapter 22 you’ll find the story.

Funny Donkey On Road Stock Photo - Download Image Now - Donkey, Humor, Mule - iStock

  

Balaam was known as someone who had the power to bless and curse.  The king sent messengers with a “diviner’s fee” for him to curse the Israelites, which of course, God was against.  After repeated attempts and increased bribes, Balaam agreed to go to see the king since the pot was so much richer.

So Balaam rose in the morning saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.  Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him.  And he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.  Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field.  So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.

Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.  And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again.

Then the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or the left.

And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

The the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?” And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me.  I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!”

So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden ever since I became yours, to this day?  Was I ever disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.”

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.  And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times?  Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times.  If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

Numbers 22:21-33

 

The difference between Shrek’s donkey and Balaam’s is that one won’t stop and the other wouldn’t quit stopping.  To keep people safe, I must stop.

1,000+ Free Donkey & Animal Images - Pixabay

Balaam’s ass made the final move and simply laid down.  The good news is, the Angel with the sword was still on duty.  God will protect His church and doesn’t need help from me.

I have a friend. Surprised you, didn’t I?  Think of Queen Boudicea.  You mess with her or her kids and she’ll get you in the night, just for sport.  When she looked at me and simply said “You’ve now crossed the line into being contentious”, I had to listen.  Then I heard a message on the role of women in the church and though it’s an oft-repeated passage it impacted this time.

Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 1 Corinthians 14:34

Another passage I have a difficult time warming up to is:  Titus 2:3-5

the older women, likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

And THERE it is!  I know I’m not gentle and meek, I am frequently irreverent, it’s one of my favorite pastimes.  And as I sit here composing, I’m sipping wine. To my credit, I’m a pretty good homemaker.

My self-assigned battle has been to contend for the faith, to promote sound doctrine by going to the word and spending my efforts to convince people gullible to false prophets that they should go biblical with no time to waste.  I wanted souls to be safe and I figured the only way was to make sure they understood who God is, what He requires and how to know you’re going to hear “well done, good and faithful servant” instead of “I never knew you.”  Not until recently did I comprehend that my behavior and a certain ‘combat readiness’ were accomplishing precisely what I was fighting against.

Now I’m having to face that women need to be silent and willing to learn.  The fact that a female ass was needed to step in and stop a man from self-destruction is not lost on me and has me inclined to view that as proof of my qualifications.  Still, I must reflect on the might of God, persistent Angels with swords and then just lay my ass down.

 

 

And Another Thing!

 

“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. Romans 16:17-18

Many professing believers today have not learned right doctrine so they have no basis to know when one has departed from it because they themselves are not walking in it. (2 John 9)

We are in perilous times not because we have too much judging, but too little.

We allow spiritual falsehood to work among us and sometimes we mistakenly (and other times intentionally) call it God’s work.

 

Truth confronts error so the truth can be known to the sheep. By pointing out the error you show a love for the truth and you show love for the sheep.

Authentic love means loving people enough to challenge them with the truth of God’s Word in context, despite their rejection”. ~The Bible In Context

Mann’s Word

Defending the Christian faith and promoting its wisdom against the secular and religious challenges of our day.

Monday, April 17, 2023

 

NAR, BETHEL CHURCH, AND THE NEW AGE CONNECTION

 

Are the “apostles” and “prophets” of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), centered at Bethel Church, Redding, California introducing New Age teachings? If so, this alone should discredit their teachings, despite their many claims that God is validating their movement through miracles, even though Satan can also perform miracles:

  • The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:9–10)

 

Perhaps the most profound evidence that Bethel has adopted many teachings of the New Age come from their endorsed book, The Physics of Heaven. Kris Vallotton, an NAR proponent, senior associate pastor, and lead prophet at Bethel has written “Through their collective intelligence, these seers [the many contributors to this book] have emerged with new perspectives never before pondered.”

 

Such a claim is problematic since the Bible instructs us to not go beyond the teachings of the Bible:

  • I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. (1 Corinthians 4:6)

 

Regarding the authors of this book, Vallotton suggests that we should join the authors’ readiness to go beyond what has long been accepted as the final truth:

  • Leaving the safe haven of conventional thinking, they set sail in uncharted waters with a passion to discover new lands…If you are tired of being a settler, existing on the shores of tradition [the Bible] and riskless living, this book is for you.

 

However, the Bible instructs us that the Scriptures are all that we need to live for Jesus:

  • All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

 

Nevertheless, the author/editors, Ellyn Davis & Judy Franklin of Bethel, claim that the bulk of the Christian world  are missing the:

 

  • …sea of quantum light that undergirds everything, and more importantly, we need to know how to access it.

 

Davis is convinced that we can and must supplement the Bible with New Age thinking:

 

  • I decided to examine New Age thought and practice for anything precious that might be extracted from the the worthless…now… we are hearing more …Christians “taking back truths.”

 

Stalking the New Age for truth is like going to mediums. instead, we should seek truth from God and His Word:

 

  • And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. (Isaiah 8:19–20)

 

One contributor, NAR Prophet Jonathan Welton, wrote that he had: 

 

  • “…found throughout Scripture 75 examples of things that the New Age has counterfeited …such as having a spirit guide, trances, mediation, auras, power objects, clarivoyance. Clairudience, and more…  These actually belong to the Church but have been stolen and cleverly repackaged…now whenever you see a counterfeit, I hope you’ll ask yourself…what is that a counterfeit of, ‘what is it’s source,’ and how can I have the authentic?’”

 

Although the authors, professed Christians, clearly reject the warnings of the Word of God, they offer no justification for their own “insights” and imaginations other than asserting that others are coming to the same “insights” through their own personal experiences. However, Satan is the master deceiver:

  • For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. (2 Corinthians 11:13–15)

 

How then can we protect ourselves against deception? By “not going beyond what is written” in the Scriptures. Jesus had warned that Satanic deceptions will be so compelling that even believers would be led astray apart from our Savior’s protection:

  • For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24)

 

The NAR is never lacking in “prophesies”:

 

 

Franklin claims that the Spirit will give new revelations to the NAR prophets and their followers, but is there any compelling reason to believe this? Scripture provides a way to discern the true prophet from the false:

 

  • But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20–22)

 

Unfortunately, Franklin places no time limit on her prophecy. Therefore, if there is no Upper Room experience during the next 20 years, she can conveniently say, “There was no time frame placed on its fulfillment.” Even worse, the Bethel prophets admit that their prophecies have proven wrong. At best, this should disqualify them. They are preaching, “Thus sayeth the Lord.” However, their mistaken prophecies prove that the Lord hasn’t spoken. Therefore, they have prophesied according to their own imaginations, while claiming their prophecies came from the Lord—a serious, careless, arrogant, and presumptuous error—according to the false prophets of the OT:

 

  • Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’” For who among them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and to hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened?” (Jeremiah 23:16–18)

 

The NAR prophets are simply asking us to place our trust in them. But do they merit our trust? Not according to the God of the Bible! Even if they are producing miracles, they must not be trusted if they are distorting God’s Word:

  • “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.” (Deuteronomy 13:1–5)

 

Bill Johnson, lead pastor of Bethel, is both a contributor and endorser of The Physics of Heaven. He believes that it is enough to merely “sense” that God “is on the verge of releasing something new”:

 

  • All of the contributors to chapters in this book sense that God is on the verge of releasing something new on the earth and that new thing somehow involves vibrations, frequencies, energy, sound, light, and taking “quantum leaps” by faith. (The Physics of Heaven, Chapter 16: Pulling the Tomorrows of God into Today, http://heavensphysics.com/chapter16/) Also: https://www.youtube.com/embed/weHo7pO6cmQ“

 

Johnson believes that we have the power and authority to prematurely “pull into our day” something that is only reserved for Christ’s return:

 

  • If it’s true that the promises of restored cities and healed nations are actually millennium promises…and if the promise of God’s glory being manifest all over the earth is far off into the future…and if in fact the people of God will not reach a place of true maturity, living like one mature man—then I must ask the question—is there anyone hungry enough for what He has shown us in the Scriptures that we will pull into our day something that is reserved for another? Is there anyone willing to lay themselves down to bring more of God’s promises across another great divide? If you can see God’s coming future promises, and He hasn’t blinded your eyes to His intent, then He is hoping to hook you into the role of calling “into being that which does not exist.” It is the role of the desperate heart of faith. We have the opportunity to affect the direction and flow of history through our prayers and intercessions. This is where we take hold of the future. This is why He wants to show us, “things to come.” The future is now, and it belongs to us. (The Physics of Heaven, p. 178.)

 

Many of the Prosperity Preachers also erroneously believe that we have the power, only claimed by God, to call “into being that which does not exist” (Romans 4:17).

 

There is no provision for the Church to “pull into our day” the Millennial Kingdom nor is there a promise that the Church can “call into being that which does not exist.” The future belongs to God, and only He knows the day and hour of the return of Christ. But Johnson adds:

 

  • All of the promises He reveals to us will be realized in time, but the acceleration of events is largely determined by the desperation of God’s people. (Bill Johnson, The Physics of Heaven, Chapter 16: Pulling the Tomorrows of God into Today, http://heavensphysics.com/chapter16/)

 

Bill Johnson absurdly claimed:

 

 

However, God can and does afflict with disease:

  • Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? (Exodus 4:11)

 

  • Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason, many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:27-30)

 

Against the Bible’s warnings, Johnson and the other Bethel leaders assure their naïve youthful followers that there is no danger in giving themselves over to the imaginations of their heart in the place of true prophecy. Consequently, the most loving thing that we can do is to warn. 

 

 

 

 

All or Nothing

There IS No Third Bucket

I attended a very large church in Post Falls, Idaho.  This past Easter, at all associated locations, we had north of 14,000 people attend services.  I don’t mind the crowds, since I do think the goal is to have Heaven be full but I have been forced to question what is being sacrificed to keep those numbers at peak performance.

In our church, there is a concept about Biblical doctrine.  Some things are “salvation” issues known as First Bucket matters.  There are also Second and Third Bucket topics.  I’m not sure what those are.  You’d have to ask one of our pastors.  I am more convinced than ever that the entire Word of God is to be studied, comprehended, and applied.  The minute we start relegating to the third bucket, or the dustbin, we’ve proven we can dismiss all of it.  But of what import is the Word of God, if we’re striving for big tent unity?  That seems to be a question our church leadership has already settled to their satisfaction.

Jesus never once needed to embrace bad theology in order to love people correctly. ~Israel Wayne

The following is from The Bible in Context:

You cannot just believe parts of the Bible and not others. You either believe all of it or none of it. God’s Word is not a buffet where you get to pick and choose.

Notice the “every word”, i.e all of it👇🏼

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4

The Israelite’s were commanded to eat all the Manna and not leave any. We know the manna is a “type” of Christ – our bread of life.
Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it until morning.” Exodus 16:19

See the parallel?

Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
John 6:31-35

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: Luke 6:46-47

Doctrine absolutely matters. The doctrine you believe is the doctrine you will live out. Wrong doctrine leads to wrong practice and wrong belief. The first piece of the armor in Ephesians 6 is the Belt of Truth.

The Trinity: God is one “What” and three “Who’s” with each “Who” possessing all the attributes of Deity and personality.

The Person of Jesus Christ: Jesus is 100% God and 100% man for all eternity.

The Second Coming: Jesus Christ is coming bodily to earth to rule and judge.

Salvation: It is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

The Scripture: It is entirely inerrant and sufficient for all Christian life.

If what you believe differs from what the Word of God says, you are in error in your doctrine. There is no person alive today who does not hold to doctrines. They may pretend to be free of doctrine and just “feeling” their way around the world, but they hold to doctrines just as tightly as you and I do. They just don’t realized how much they have been deceived by the enemy, by others, and by allowing themselves to be deceived.

The sermon just yesterday was basically sound on the topic of giving grace to each other and topping the list of next steps “If you haven’t already, establish a regular routine of being in the Bible’.  The problem is, I’ve delved into the Bible more in the past year than in my entire preceding 65 years on this planet.  The more I absorb, the more I realize I’m not on the same road as my pastors.

Even yesterday, a point made in the sermon was the need to “give grace to God” when He doesn’t respond the way we want.  Well, it sounds kind of sweet, but I kept thinking it was simply a misstatement.  I comforted myself about the vast gulf of a mistaken understanding of the nature of God, Life, Eternity, the Universe, and Biblical inerrancy by excusing it as nerves on the part of the pastor.  Right up until the moment he said it again with even more force and clarity.

The Bible I’ve been reading speaks of Christians needing patient endurance amidst persecution.  It fails to mention extending loving forgiveness to a God who may just have gotten it wrong.

As we veer toward a crowd-pleasing, man-centered faith that puts us in the catbird seat of extending grace to God I realize my options are narrowing.

You might tell me, go to your pastor first, which I had not done prior to making my frustrations known on social media.  Our senior pastor called me and offered a meeting.  The meeting lasted two and a half hours.  I can tell you that the lead pastor is rock solid on doctrine but that the church is veering distinctly into dangerous territory.  Almost like the Titanic with a rudder that is strong but too limited for the size of the vessel.  So next step, speak to the pastor who appears to represent the Emerging church doctrine.  Check.    He’s been sought out, and people have been brushed off.  It’s being made all too clear that any verbalized concerns will be firmly put down with the advice, literally from the pulpit to “ZIP it!”  Another meeting is being requested following this most recent sermon.  

 

After being told we’re to avoid many topics that only start fights, I must rebut that we are attempting to “gently instruct those who oppose the truth”.   Perhaps, in this case, simply ignoring the truth is more accurate.  Failing to learn, present and uphold the truth is the most subtle form of opposition, though.  The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth should be the standard.

“If we can’t have unity and agreement upon The Truth, then we can’t have unity.  True Unity is in the unity of the Spirit of Truth.”  ~The Bible In Context

When we can decide which scripture is crucial and heap the rest of it in a pile of irrelevance, it might give us nothing left to fight over.  On the other hand, it might give us the most strenuous contest ever since many of us recognize that walking away from sound doctrine is deathly serious.  Forget the Third Bucket – it doesn’t even exist.

 

 

 

I Never Knew You

 

Latest from The Bible In Context:

Signs and wonders were never taught nor were they preached to attract multitudes of people. They absolutely were not used to attract those who already believed.

We are warned of false apostles those who claim authority that is not from God and who can perform miracles.

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’’

It would seem that in Matthew 7:22-23, we are seeing those claiming some sort of apostolic and prophetic ministry. Notice prophesying being mentioned and then an emphasis on casting out demons and performing miracles mentioned, these were signs that particularly followed the true Apostles of the first century, those of the second and third category of apostles.

Notice in Matthew 7:22-23, those speaking are not saying, “did we not preach the gospel?” or “did we not teach the whole counsel of God rightly dividing it?” They tried to be accepted by what they did, by the power they supposedly had. They did not do the Will of the Lord which is to preach the Gospel in truthfulness and teach the Word, rightly dividing the entire Word of God.

Also notice that “many” will be caught up in this. The New Apostolic Reformation certainly qualifies as having swept up many into its grasp of false teachings and outright mysticism.

Jesus says to them “I never knew you” meaning He never had a relationship with them.

Understand here that God is showing us that just because someone uses the name of Jesus does not make what they are doing authentic or biblical. Obviously, they had what the Bible calls a different Jesus who was the source of their power. They were lawless, they were not under the leadership, or guidance of The Biblical Jesus Christ.

Jesus informs the church that there are and will be “false apostles” in Revelation 2:2 –
‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

These False Apostles are liars. They are false apostles because they did not see the risen Lord, nor were they commissioned by Him. How they lived and what they taught does not agree with the already written Scripture, the Word of God.

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Bloggers Confession:  I have become wrapped up in this particular battle to the point where I have been without gentleness and respect for people blinded to the dangers of experiential faith.  For that, I am profoundly sorry

 

 

Real Life – Honestly!

The American Church is in a fight for its life.  We have media-savvy wolves, sin-supporting suck-ups who promote the gay lifestyle, women preachers who by their very vocation show a deep disdain for scripture and then we have Jim Putman, senior pastor at Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho.

Jim did something every pastor in America should be doing but it’s just so hard.  He stood up and preached the Word in blunt clarity with love and truth.  It was executed with the perfect balance of a Flying Wallenda, except all they had to deal with was gravity and wind speed.

 

Men who preach the actual gospel have to deal with death by a thousand cuts.  I’m certain that after this masterpiece, the slicing will continue.

The lesson was from Jude, the half-sibling of Jesus, who started his life having to live with the perfect brother.  Familiarity breeds contempt (except with Jesus) so Jude became a believer and wrote this letter which is the template for contending for the faith.  

This is a book, a mere chapter in length, that contains more meat than a Montana beast feast.    The book is targeting false teachers, and the point was that there is no new message, no new understanding and if you hear men speak of new revelation, look out. These false teachers are inside the church, who obey their own lusts and flatter people to gain advantage.

“These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you, without fear, serving only themselves.  They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds;  late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for who is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” ~Jude 12-14

 

It’s not merely a warning against trendy pastors who believe they have special authority to declare something fresh, we all know the ‘demon-slayers’ who believe they have special gifts to name, rebuke, bind and cast out demons.   It’s a fine line we’re treading here, and I’m no Wallenda so my tight rope is starting to wobble, there can be a case made for casting out demons but as your claim to fame and sole vocation, you’re out of balance.  What does Jude say?

“Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke you!” ~Jude 9

Throughout the book, perhaps the most salient point, is to watch yourselves.  The examples of Cain, Balaam, and Korah are used.  There’s a common thread and for a deeper look go to Genesis 4,  Numbers 22 – 24 and 16.  If you too suffer from wounded pride, material desire, or wanting power, be on guard.  Not sure about anyone else, but I scored a trifecta.  

Jim isn’t messing around, asking if we really believe what God is saying, asserting it’s serious business and that if you love God you will obey Him.  He was clear he’s not ok with sin coming into the church and recruiting.  People aren’t going to like it but that’s not the point.  

“From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.  They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.  ‘Peace, peace’, they say, when there is no peace.” ~Jeremiah 13 -14

The church of today is assuring people that everything is going to be okay, listen to Joel Osteen and you know it’s all good.  He’s telling a world with a fatal wound that they’ll be fine and is setting them up to go to hell.

Jim Putman is pointing the way to heaven.