And Nothing But the Truth

And Nothing But the Truth

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A116

In Ephesians 6:11  Paul says, "Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil." What is our armor? It consists of the belt of truthfulness (not merely knowing the truth, but being committed to it), the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace (confidence that we have made peace with God), the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation (confidence in our security in Christ), and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. None of those hints at any secret technique. Rather, they speak of clear understanding and a solid commitment to biblical truth and holiness.

When we resist Satan by taking our stand in the armor of God's truth, he flees. James 4:7  says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." Peter said, "Resist him, firm in the faith" (1 Peter 5:9, emphasis added)-firm in the Christian faith, which is the revealed truth. This is objective truth, not some unseen cosmic force. Since Satan is a deceiver and a liar, we can successfully resist him only by knowing and obeying the truth."

See the full article by Pastor John MacArthur at:

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A116

The Modern Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

Grace to you Sermon - The Modern Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

October 23, 2011

http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/90-415/the-modern-blasphemy-of-the-holy-spirit
To read more of the sermon or to hear an audio version or see a video go to the link.


An excerpt from the Sermon:

"How do they do it? By attributing to the Holy Spirit words that He didn’t say, deeds that He didn’t do, and experiences that He didn’t produce, attributing to the Holy Spirit that which is not the work of the Holy Spirit. Endless human experiences, emotional experiences, bizarre experiences and demonic experiences are said to come from the Holy Spirit…visions, revelations, voices from heaven, messages from the Spirit through transcendental means, dreams, speaking in tongues, prophecies, out of body experiences, trips to heaven, anointings, miracles. All false, all lies, all deceptions attributed falsely to the Holy Spirit.

You know enough to know that God does not want to be worshiped in illegitimate ways. God wants to be worshiped for who He is, for what He has done in the way He has declared. It is open season on abusing the Holy Spirit, outrageous dishonor of the Holy Spirit claiming He is saying things and doing things and generating things that have nothing to do with the Holy Spirit at all. It is a reckless kind of movement. It is a shameful and dangerous sin to heap such abuse on the Holy Spirit. In fact, the idea of bringing dishonor on the Holy Spirit ought to make any thinking person tremble. People think less interested, I think, in claiming that God is doing certain things, or saying certain things, or that Christ is doing things or saying certain things then they are at saying the Holy Spirit did this, the Holy Spirit said this, the Holy Spirit is producing and generating this that there just seems to be no restraint on the things that are blamed on the Holy Spirit."

Wrestling with Alligators, Prophets and Theologians

Stand Firm in the Faith has been given permission to reproduce this excellent article by Apostasy Alert written by Jackie Alnor. Please consider supporting the ministry. You can view other articles:

http://www.apostasyalert.org/ and the Blog http://rrrapostasyalert.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-15th-show-christian-psychic-medium.html

　

October 5, 2011

Wrestling with Alligators, Prophets and Theologians: Lessons from a Lifetime in the Church – A Memoir

is the autobiography of C. Peter Wagner, the head apostle of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR).

– An analysis, by Jackie Alnor

What strikes the reader is that Wagner’s memoirs show an evolution of theology that adapts itself to whatever trends invade the church. What Wagner boasts as being “paradigm shifts” in his spirituality actually demonstrate his lack of any biblical moorings. He tries to convince the reader of his academic prowess, while exposing his spiritual shallowness.

The book gives the reader insights into what makes this so-called apostle tick. Wagner seems quite honest in his self-assessment and does not seem to mind exposing his humanistic attitude towards all things religious. What is very much lacking in this book is any Christian testimony of the greatness of God and the Lord Jesus Christ and knowing Him as his personal Savior. It is more an overview of what he calls his “career” in church growth, academics and influence upon others.

Although there is no dedication page, Wagner does acknowledge the person who confirmed that he should publish his memoirs, Rick Joyner of Morning Star Ministries. While it is widely known that Joyner is a false prophet and worker with evil spirits, Wagner calls him “one of the most brilliant of our contemporary Christian leaders...Rick helped me to feel that I have good biblical justification for this book,” he wrote, citing

1 Thes. 5:12, “Paul’s admonition that believers should ‘recognize those who labor among you.’” [p. 11]

The book opens up to several pages of Wagner’s admirers, each writing a paragraph as to why they think Wagner is such an honorable figure in modern church history. They include Mike Bickle, President of IHOP; James Goll, Encounters Network; Bill Hamon, Christian Int’l Apostolic Network; Jack Hayford, Church on the Way; Cindy Jacobs, Generals Int’l; Bill Johnson, Bethel Church; Gwen Shaw, End-Time Handmaidens; Steve Strang, Charisma magazine and an assortment of endorsers from the charismaniac side of the church.

Wagner even gives himself an endorsement saying, “I can say up front that since the day I was born again, I have feared God and kept His commands. Perfectly? By no means…But through it all, I did fear God, I kept the faith, I ran the race, and my foremost desire was to do His will 24/7. I can truthfully say with Paul, ‘I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.’”

An Unimpressive Testimony

He begins by looking back to his childhood during the Great Depression, working on a farm and milking cows before heading off to college to study agriculture. He loved professional team sports and attributed his knowledge of sports for making it easy for him “to understand what the Bible was teaching about spiritual gifts and also how apostolic ministry was to function.” [p. 19]

What Wagner does say about his testimony of converting to Christianity is tied in with his story of meeting his future wife Doris. Doris refused to marry him until he would agree to receive Christ since she was a good Lutheran girl. She gave him devotionals called “The Upper Room,” which is a publication of the United Methodist Church. He says that after a “few more kisses” he was ready. “So I accepted Christ and dedicated my life to be a missionary the same night there in that farmhouse.” [p. 29] Such is his testimony of being born-again.

That sounds easy – no need for repentance or conviction of sin by the Holy Ghost or responding to the delivery of the Gospel. This is what some in the church would call “easy believism” a staple foundation for Wagner’s understanding of church growth principles.

After graduating from Rutgers in 1952, Mr. and Mrs. Wagner went west to study theology. He settled on Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, while Doris chose Biola. Wagner liked Fuller because, as he put it, they “were not afraid to think outside of the box. This greatly disturbed many fundamentalist leaders across the country, but it seemed very attractive to me…There was something inside me that made the possibility of new wineskins more appealing than the old wineskins.”

He decided that he was more in what was known as the ‘neo-evangelical’ camp and considered other Evangelicals and Fundies as legalists due to their insistence on separatism. After moving to California, the Wagners became members of Bell Friends Church, a Quaker denomination. He mentions that they would not participate in believers baptism or the Lord’s Supper, but that didn’t seem to bother them.

In 1956 the Wagners left the country to be missionaries in Bolivia. Wagner lamented the fact that he did not have adequate training in missiology at Fuller except for one course in missions taught by Harold Lindsell (a former editor of Christianity Today and former teacher of this reviewer). He took issue with the fact that Lindsell, a theological conservative, had no actual foreign missions experience, but learned all he knew from those who did.

At the time they left for South America, Wagner said “Christian leaders” such as “Kenneth Hagin and Oral Roberts had just begun to surface.” [p. 43] All he had heard about them was negative in his circles, but in retrospect he wished he had paid more attention to them, particularly their emphasis on prosperity since he had allowed himself “to be dominated by an evil spirit of poverty.” He didn’t elaborate on how he could identify poverty as an evil spirit; the implication is if anyone is poor he is also demonized. But then again, Wagner liked playing outside the box of Holy Writ.

Throughout his memoirs, Wagner refers to his Christian service as his “professional career” and his assessment of himself and others seems to be based on Jungian personality types that he over and over again applies to his strengths and weaknesses in terms of the four humours: sanguine, melancholy, phlegmatic, and choleric.

He discovered that he had an apostle calling when he successfully coordinated a world missionary conference. He did not have a call to be a pastor, he discovered, but loved to teach other leaders. In the late 60s and into the 70s after studying world missions he was invited back to Fuller to teach church growth that he says was catching on in America. One of his students was John Wimber, a fellow Quaker, who he met in 1975 and hired Wimber as a consultant.

Whenever Wagner talks about changing career direction, he refers to it as a “paradigm shift.” He wrote, “using tools like statistics and graphs and charts was still considered by many as carnal rather than spiritual…but in those days, changing this paradigm was not easy.” [p. 103]

He cites John MacArthur, founder of Masters College and pastor of Grace Community Church, as one of his most notable critics. He writes that MacArthur wrote his book, Ashamed of the Gospel, to scold him for worldly pragmatism. “MacArthur’s paradigm obviously was not ready to shift!” [p. 104]

“The Wimber Era”

In his chapter on John Wimber, Wagner reflects on the era that took his career from the mundane and into the limelight. The new paradigm under the influence of Wimber changed his belief in cessationism of the gifts of the Spirit to not only belief in the continuance of the gifts, but the belief that the gifting could be learned and taught in a college classroom. Thus was birthed the “Signs and Wonders” class at Fuller Seminary. Learning to operate the gifts, whether the student is gifted or not, was classified as “MC510: Signs, Wonders and Church Growth” and earned the student three credits in what Wimber called his “clinic.”

Wagner’s striving for church growth principles by reason of logic and what can be worked seemed to play a big role in becoming a Wimber disciple and letting him teach his class. “I knew very well that his [Wimber] pastoral intuitions, his experience and his astute analysis of church growth principles could not be matched. I knew that John was a winner…he was regularly receiving higher evaluations than mine! I was elated!” [p. 125]

Since Wagner had the academic credentials as a tenure-track professor and Wimber had no teaching credentials, Wagner’s name appeared in the catalogue to appease the accreditation authorities, but Wimber actually directed the activities. Wagner described a typical session in the three-hour long class.

“John said, ‘Peter, come up here,’ and he had me sit on a stool facing the class…When John started praying, I felt a warm blanket of power come over me and I felt like my mind was partially disconnected. I could hear most of what was going on, but I didn’t care…I now know that I was slain in the Spirit, but I didn’t fall, because I was on the stool. John was describing my physical reactions to the class like a sports announcer giving a play-by-play account of what was happening to me. ‘See the eyelids fluttering? There’s some flushing on the side of his face! Watch the lips – they’re quivering! Thank you, Lord! More power!’” [p. 128]

Wagner claims he was thereby healed of high blood pressure. This academic healing was not much different than how Wagner got the “gift of tongues.” While studying 1 Cor. 14, he read that the Apostle Paul said, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.” So Wagner speculated that “If Paul could do it, why couldn’t I?” [p. 116]

He followed that up with an experiment of praying in tongues and said it was real easy. Since he was now a tongues-talker, he had to part company with his cessationist colleagues whom he now saw as those having a “spirit of religion.” [p. 117] I suppose he assumed that anyone who didn’t speak in tongues was as bigoted as he had been.

Now he was just like his mentor, John Wimber, who could “do the stuff” at will. They now figured that “doin’ the stuff” would be a wonderful appeal to entice people to come to such churches and another feather in the cap of church growth principles. And the numbers proved that theory. Statistics had shown, according to Wagner, that 70 percent of churches in Latin America were Pentecostal, and after seeing that he was determined to tap into it.

Wagner mentions Wimber’s falling out with Calvary Chapel’s Chuck Smith in passing, without noting that Calvary Chapels were growing by leaps and bounds simply by teaching the Bible verse-by-verse, emphasizing the nearness of the Lord’s return, and allowing the true gifts of the Spirit to operate. Feeding the sheep God’s Word is one “church growth principle” Wagner and Wimber did not seem to cater to.

“The home church meeting that Wimber was pastoring,” he noted, “became a Calvary Chapel affiliate under Chuck Smith in 1977, but the relationship between the two leaders was strained from the beginning. By 1982, the two agreed that they should go in different directions…As soon as John did, 30 other Calvary Chapels switched affiliation to Vineyard!” [pp. 124-125]

Wagner coined the term, “The Third Wave,” to describe the now hijacked charismatic movement that began as a true move of the Holy Spirit upon a generation of messed up hippies, now formulized to imitate the gifts and teach others to do likewise. The counterfeit movement, though Wagner does not recognize it as such, spread to the denominations and the Roman Catholic Church and became known as the “charismatic renewal.”

The occultic teachings of the Inner Healing movement, which became popular in the Vineyard churches through false teachers like Agnes Sanford and John and Paula Sandford, also introduced deceiving spirits into “The Third Wave.” Blind to the heresy of the Inner Healing movement, Wagner’s embracing of this error was due to the studies of his colleague, Chuck Kraft of Fuller Seminary, which set the stage for another paradigm shift into deliverance ministry.

Wagner and Wimber had a falling out in 1991 over a disagreement in their views of spiritual warfare. Wagner began to adopt the principles of Cindy Jacobs, in thinking it was up to the church to take dominion over principalities and powers in heavenly places, while Wimber’s views were not so overly-inflated.

Rejection of the Millennial Rule of Christ on Earth

Wagner points to his rejection of the expectancy of the soon return of Jesus Christ as his greatest shift. He puts it this way:

“Shifting from escapist eschatology to victorious eschatology: This most recent paradigm shift was a long time coming....when I started understanding the Dominion Mandate, it became clear that I needed a better view of the end times. The light came on when I read Harold Eberle and Martin Trench’s Victorious Eschatology, and their partial preterist view is what I now believe.” [p. 273]

Preterism took him to another paradigm in which his “Dominion Mandate” no longer presumes to be a preparation for the return of Jesus, like some of his premil, Kingdom-Now associates assert. Wagner’s ‘ever-changing with the tide’ vision is to establish a theocratic rule of the world represented by Seven Mountains upon which he and his fellow modern-day apostles and prophets sit. He took that idea from his friend Lance Wallnau who identified the mountains as “(1) Religion, (2) Family, (3) Education, (4) Media, (5) Government, (6) Arts and Entertainment, and (7) Business.” [p. 263]

The only place in Scripture where we see anyone sitting on seven mountains is in the 17^th chapter of Revelation – the Mother of Harlots: a prophetic peek into the future of what Wagner’s group, the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), is evolving into when it unites with its fellow false religionists.

“The Jacobs Era”

Wagner devotes an entire chapter to his friend and co-conspirator, Cindy Jacobs. Her contribution to his evolution of theology was her understanding of spiritual warfare. In 1990, Jacobs and Wagner gathered with a group of associates to form the SWN, the Spiritual Warfare Network. At that first meeting were such luminaries as Jack Hayford of Church on the Stray (I mean ‘Way’); Frank Hammond, author of Pigs in the Parlor, a book that falsely teaches that Christians can be demon-possessed and that all ills in one’s life is caused by demons; and Gwen Shaw of the End-Time Handmaidens fame who has always run in the circles of false prophets.

Wagner took the collective understanding of spiritual warfare from that gathering and it later evolved to what became known as “spiritual mapping,” the teaching that prophets and apostles can determine what principality or power reigns over a geographical region and then take authority over them, decreeing them into the pit – or some other place before the people in the region could be open to the gospel. Of course, this sort of idea does not come from Scripture, but grew from the exalted view Wagner has of himself and his cohorts. He specifically mentioned one man as teaching him this idea, Luis Bush, a leader in the AD2000 movement, associated with the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. Wagner said that Billy Graham even paid the way for him and his associates to travel to Lausanne for the Congress.

Cindy Jacobs took things a step further and prophesied to Wagner that he needed “to repent for the sins of dropping the atomic bombs in World War II” in an act of “identificational repentance” before the Japanese people could be receptive to Christianity. So he went to Tokyo and did so from a stage he was sharing with ‘David’ Yonggi Cho.

Jacob’s prophecy said in part, “Lord, I thank You that You are sending Peter Wagner to Japan...to undo the atrocity of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Father, Peter will be used like a nuclear bomb in the Spriit to break apart the darkness that Satan has worked against the nation of Japan.” [p. 235]

Wagner pointed out that every time Cindy prophesies, she goes into some trance state and has a strange look on her face. I myself observed her once in her altered state and sure enough, some sort of evil countenance comes over her and she then talks in a low-pitched growling voice – pretty scary! Nothing holy about that spirit.

Apostolic Succession

There were so many people who influenced Peter Wagner throughout his career from one paradigm to the next. He mentions so many, including:

• Paul Cain, one of the Kansas City prophets known for getting outed as a homosexual. Wagner calls him a prophet who promised a sign to Wimber on the day they were to meet. Sure enough, that day there was a 5.0 earthquake. [p. 192]
• Chuck Pierce, who Wagner names an era after. The picture Wagner chose to use in his book of Pierce shows him in Eastern religious garb. Pierce is a so-called prophet who speaks first-person as God. On one occasion, Pierce prophesied, “God says, ‘I am beginning a time of reorganization of My people. I will realign within their minds...I must create My authority in the earth...I will begin the year with this realignment.” [p. 227] Wagner fails to ask the question, when did God lose His authority in the earth? This is blasphemous.
• Bill Hamon, author of the book, Prophets and Personal Prophecy, commissioned Wagner as an apostle. Wagner credits Hamon’s book for his own understanding of prophets today. Wagner calls Hamon “a distant hero for me” and a “distinguished personality.” What Wagner doesn’t point out is that Hamon has a long history of false prophecies and pompous decrees including decreeing that there would be no more evil in the state of Florida as of May, 1997.
• Ted Haggard, is mentioned as a one-time associate with Wagner in Colorado Springs, Colorado, who allowed him to operate his ministry from his New Life Church facilities. Wagner had a falling-out with the scandalized bisexual former president of the NAE (National Association of Evangelicals). Wagner did not have much to say about the scandal, he didn’t like Haggard because he “did not fit at all with our apostolic/prophetic stream of Christianity.” [p. 228]
The Second Apostolic Age

Wagner determined that he was a super apostle witnessing the “historic beginnings of the Second Apostolic Age” – the first apostolic age being the true apostles in the first century. He fixed the date for the start of the new apostolic age as the year 2001, after achieving what he calls “a critical mass,” an unstated number of professing Christians who agree with him that apostles and prophets are the foundation of the church. [p. 218]

It may seem obvious to any bible-believing Christian, that the foundation of the church was laid 2,000 years ago, and no new foundation needs to be built at the final completion of the building of God as we near the end of the Church Age.

Borrowing from the Roman Catholic Church, Wagner teaches that “apostolic succession” must take place. Since he is in his late 80s, he has chosen who will fill his apostle slippers after he’s gone. At least the Catholic Church’s apostolic succession is one pope at a time – but with Wagner, he needs a crowd to carry his mantle when he’s gone – he’s that important. He has an entire chapter called “Transitions” to lay out who inherits what authority upon his demise.

Wagner admits that the root of his apostolic movement dates back to the Latter Rain Movement of the mid-twentieth century. He calls them “pioneers” but dares not name them by name, knowing they’ve all been discredited as heretics. If he dared to name William Branham by name, that could come back to bite him. It just takes one simple Google search to know how twisted the Joel’s Army, Manifest Sons doctrines are.

Wagner headed up too many organizations to cover in this analysis. He founded more self-glorifying named groups than any other “Christian leader” in all of church history. He followed every crazy spiritual fad that he could find; and found a way to legitimize the fad with an impressive name. His idea of a good time is taking a group of friends to a snake-handling church to watch the fun as loonies dance with rattlesnakes.

His wild claims include decreeing an end to Mad Cow disease; capturing spiritual gold dust that represents the soon transfer of wealth into the hands of the new apostles, and lengthening short legs.

At the end of his memoirs he sums up his accomplishments in a most appropriate but undignified manner: “I feel like a roll of toilet paper – the nearer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. [p. 284]

At the end of the book, Wagner gives a summary of all the books he has written in his “career” – 73 of them with titles such as Defeat the Bird God, Signs and Wonders Today, Wrestling with Dark Angels, Engaging the Enemy, Warfare Prayer, The New Apostolic Churches, The Everychurch Guide to Growth, and Churchquake! How the New Apostolic Reformation Is Shaking up the Church as We Know It.

Grab one of them next time you run out of toilet paper.

 

Copyright © 2011 Jackie Alnor

Apostasy Alert

Send your comments to Jackie a jalnor@yahoo.com

Original Article reproduce from

 http://apostasyalert.org/REFLECTIONS/wagner.htm

Please visit Jackie Alnor’s Websites for further Articles http://www.apostasyalert.org/

Blog

http://rrrapostasyalert.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-15th-show-christian-psychic-medium.html

***

Standing Firm by Faith

Stand Firm in the Faith has been given permission to post this article by Banner of Truth.

Standing Firm by Faith

To grasp this basic (indeed, very basic) fact, will transform our lives. It is undoubtedly one of the devil's stratagems to turn the Christian in upon himself/herself

by Ian Hamilton

"Faith" is perhaps the most used word in the evangelical vocabulary. Without "faith" it is impossible to please God. We are justified through "faith". We know that the "righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." It is by "faith" that we stand firm. We are to resist the devil "standing firm in the faith." It is our "faith" that overcomes the world. Indeed, "we live by faith and not by sight." Faith is basic and absolutely essential to authentic Christianity. The Bible could not be clearer or more emphatic in its teaching on faith. So far, so good.

There is, however, a problem here that needs to be addressed. When many Christians think about "faith", their tendency is to think first about the "quality" of their faith and not about the "object" of their faith. This leads to a skewing of the Christian life and a lack of personal assurance. I am not saying that we should never reflect on the quality of our faith. Our Saviour rebuked his disciples for their "little" faith. My concern is to remind myself, and those of you reading this, that faith, to quote John Murray is "essentially extraspective" (you could have guessed it was John Murray without me telling you!) Murray's telling phrase highlights the primary movement of true faith. It does not look into self, it is not principally "introspective", it looks out and away to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the focus of faith. Who he is and what he has done is where faith casts its anchor for the soul.

To grasp this basic (indeed, very basic) fact, will transform our lives. It is undoubtedly one of the devil's stratagems to turn the Christian in upon himself/herself (Incurvatus in se, to use Luther's words). Once he gets us preoccupied with looking in, the clouds of our many sins and failures hide the precious and perfect justifying righteousness of our Lord Jesus from our view. We fret over the inconstancy of our faith. We become distressed by the shallowness of our faith. We are humbled by the coldness of our faith. You may now be already asking: but is it not right and good that we do this? Yes - and no! Yes, if we do it "looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." If we do it with both eyes on ourselves, the devil will cast us into the deepest of pits. John Rogers' words are always timely: "Weak faith is true faith - as precious, though not as great as strong faith: the same Holy Ghost the author, the same Gospel instrument... For it is not the strength of our faith that saves, but the truth of our faith - not the weakness of our faith that condemns, but the want - of faith."

Faith is "essentially extraspective." Faith's first glance is to Christ. But no less is faith's continuing glances focused on Christ. Faith is nourished, not by looking in to find crumbs of spiritual comfort, but by looking out and feeding on the "bread of Life." - He is our great encouragement. His love to me, not my love to him, supports my soul. His faithfulness to me, not my faithfulness to him, will bring me safely home.

In no sense am I seeking to diminish the importance of spiritual responsibility. We are called, to "add to our faith" and to "grow in faith." But first, we are called to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." Where are you looking as you read this? Where am I looking? May the Lord give us all grace, and the, wit,' to look out and up (I am speaking theologically, not spacially!), to "fix our eyes on Jesus."' ' He is our everything.

IAN HAMILTON
Cambridge Presbyterian Church, England
Banner of Truth
http://www.banneroftruth.co.uk/pages/articles/article_detail.php?388

In today’s spiritual climate there are many false teachers and some churches that endorse false teachers, some false teachers intermingling with weak churches that have pastors that are not discerning error for their flocks. Stand Firm in the Faith believer! Do not walk with them or partake of these strange manifestations and strange doctrines and teachings that are very prevalent and spiritually destructive and these doctrines of demons are leading many astray, they may be in your town right now.

2 Cor. 11:4

“For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.”

One of the problems in Christianity today is that it is readily believed: because something is supernatural it must be of God. The possibility that it might be evil or demonic is rejected. Scriptures that warn believers ( 1 John 4:1, 2 Thess 2:9-12, 2 Thess 2:3-4, 2 Peter 2:1-2, 2 Peter 3:17, 2 Tim 4:3, to test and know that false Christs and false prophets will be in abundance in the last days. These false teachers will cause many to follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned. 2 Peter 2:2.

Stand Firm - Why Put up a Warning about Beth Moore?

Beth Moore is STILL promoting Contemplative Prayer - Stand Firm in the Faith
Moore Praises Brother Lawrence - Apprise Ministries - Sept 4, 2011 http://apprising.org/2011/09/04/beth-moore-praises-brother-lawrence-and-obscures-the-reformation/

 

Video: http://youtu.be/HxzTTSzhQIU

* Also listen to: Beth Moore’s Dangerous Bible Twisting - Chris Rosebrough From show - March 10, 2010 - Radio broadcast examining the errors in Beth Moore’s teachings.  http://www.extremetheology.com/2010/03/beth-moores-dangerous-bible-twisting.html

Why Put up a Warning about Beth Moore?
Beth Moore simulcast conferences are currently being promoted through Churches this month.  One is scheduled for Sept. 10, 2011 an all day event. 

Although, Beth Moore recanted her involvement with the ‘Be Still’ DVD, and the promotion of Contemplative prayer, it seems that it was short lived, and is now again a cause of concern.   (see Apprise article) Also, from her books/studies she tends to take and use scripture out of context to support what level of teaching she is on.

 

One critic wrote: “This particular teaching is plainly shown to take Scriptures out of context in an attempt to try to portray them as saying what she wants them to say. She does this so that her lessons will appear to carry the weight of Biblical authority. This is extremely dangerous, and if you are not paying attention, can sometimes be hard to detect. Rather than taking the Word in hand, and expounding on what it says, she is taking a thought or lesson she likes, and trying to find Scripture that might sound as though it agrees. This is backwards and wrong. It is essentially self-help delivered as being the Word of God! Add to that other teachings that flow from conversations she has had with God (which essentially elevates what she hears to the position of God’s infallible words) and you have spiritual food that is not good for eating.” (3)

Numerous articles on Beth Moore have been written by creditable discernment ministries such as PFO and others who have examined her teachings. http://www.pfo.org/Beth_Moore.htm

It is every Christian’s responsibility to Stand Firm in the Faith. We know there will be those who accuse us of being divisive, but we would say this:

To truly love someone is to strive for what is good for them and to oppose whatever harms them. That is true of husbands and wives love for each other, of parents for their children, of pastors for their congregations, and of believers for all other believers.

 Unfortunately evangelicals who adhere strictly but unpretentiously to the inerrancy of Scripture and refuse to join ranks with those who claim to be Christian but who compromise or denigrate God’s Word are often wrongly accused of being divisive. But God’s true Church is bonded by His Word and the power of His indwelling spirit, who applies and builds the church on and through that Word. (1)

 

** As we grow as Christians and do our Bible studies we want to make sure we are taught by teachers who rightly dividing the Word. 2 Tim 2:15 says:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. “

Word of Truth: Truth defines the nature of Scripture. It is a beacon of truth in the darkness of all kinds of falsehoods. Teachers of the bible should make every effort to handle His truth (God’s Word) accurately. Failure to do so will lead to divine judgment (see James 3:1). (2)

“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”

Receive a stricter Judgment: Teachers: teachers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be judged more strictly than others. Their greater influence translates into greater responsibility. Judgment here most likely does not refer to eternal separation from God; rather it suggest a thorough judgment of teachers before Christ. (Matt 5:19; Rom. 14:10-12). Leadership imposes responsibility. (2)

Resources:

Moore Praises Brother Lawrence - Appraise Ministries
http://apprising.org/2011/09/04/beth-moore-praises-brother-lawrence-and-obscures-the-reformation/

Beth Moore’s Dangerous Bible Twisting - Chris Rosebrough - March 10, 2010 - Radio broadcast examining the errors in Beth Moore’s teachings.
http://www.extremetheology.com/2010/03/beth-moores-dangerous-bible-twisting.html

Personal Freedom Outreach - Beth Moore Article Series Here you will find a link to a brief excerpt and info on ordering the Article series from PFO.
http://www.pfo.org/Beth_Moore.htm

When Godly People teach Ungodly Theology - The Subtle Error of Beth Moore
http://www.pfo.org/Moore_1.pdf

Get out of that Pit-iful Theology - A Further look at the Subtle errors of Beth Moore
http://www.pfo.org/Moore_2.pdf

Believing Beth About Believing God - A Further Look at the Deceptive Drifts of Beth Moore
http://www.pfo.org/Moore_3.pdf

Breaking Free from Faulty Strongholds - The Haphazard Hermeneutics of Beth Moore
http://www.pfo.org/Moore_4.pdf

So Long, Beth: Your Precepts Have Been a Bad Friend to Us - Beth Moor'e's Latest Book on Felmale Insecurity
http://www.pfo.org/Moore_5.pdf

End Notes:

1. Romans Commentary - John MacArthur 1994

2. H. Wayne House Th.D, J.D. New Testament - Thomas Nelson Bibles

3. Beth Moore…does she teach the Word? - http://churchsalt.com/2010/03/11/beth-moore-does-she-teach-the-word/

***

In Memory

This year will mark 10 yrs. since the tragedy of 9/11. Our world since has not been the same.  Because Sept 11 falls on a Sunday, Pilgrim Radio will have memorial programming this weekend in remembrance and can be heard online at:   http://pilgrimradio.com/


See Video: http://youtu.be/-AshOCLGTT8

California voters SB48

Stop SB48.com  -  Pastor Jack Hibbs explains what this Bill means and what we can do.

Watch Video at this Link:

http://youtu.be/wAdR6ChYLXM

 

StopSB48.com - See Article here: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/SB-48-and-Bullying.html?soid=1100422530046&aid=6YMsuDLmlN8

Excerpt from the Article:

SB 48 will teach children as young as five to not only accept but also endorse transgenderism, bisexuality, and homosexuality through our social sciences curriculum including history, history books and instructional materials. The media and others call SB 48 the "Gay History Bill," however, SB 48 goes even further. The bill casts a wide-reaching net that includes all social sciences like economics, government, and cultural and social anthropology.

See Link:  Why Repeal SB 48  How it happened

Please see : Pacific Justice Institute Letter to find out more how churches and pastors can respond.

Excerpt from article:

 

What it does

"SB 48 will use all social science curriculum, including history books and other instructional materials, to teach children as young as five not only to accept but also to endorse transgenderism, bisexuality, and homosexuality. SB 48 has been misrepresented to the public and passed as a bill aimed to end bullying. But whatever the stated goal, the actual provisions of the bill say nothing about bullying. Instead, they regulate the content of classroom instruction. SB 48 requires all public schools — including charter schools — to include positive discussions of the sexual orientations of transgender, bisexual, and gay Americans in all social science courses. The sponsors have repeatedly asserted that SB 48 mandates this provocative material for California students in all grades from K-12."   http://stopsb48.com/churches/

 

To sign the Petition go to the homepage: http://stopsb48.com/ 

http://stopsb48.com/get-involved/sign-the-petition/

***

 

Pilgrim Radio Interview with Rev. Robert Liichow -8-12-2011

Rev. Bob Liichow will be a guest on Pilgrim Radio's 'His People' program with host Bill Feltner - Tomorrow - Friday Aug. 12th - 12:30 pm  and  9:30 pm. You can listen via the internet at their website: http://www.pilgrimradio.com/# 

Click on the tab at the bottom of the page and choose your internet connect. The Liichow's Ministry is Discernment Ministries International in Detroit, Michigan. 

WORLDVIEW WEEKEND NEWS: GOV. RICK PERRY PRAYER EVENT - JOEL'S ARMY CULT?

See Video : http://youtu.be/dEqZ9cFqGao

2 Cor 6:14 -18  "Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;  AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. "THEREFORE, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;  AND I WILL WELCOME YOU. "And I will be a father to you,  And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,"

Says the Lord Almighty. "
 

2 John 9-11  "Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching he has both the Father and the Son.  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;  for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds."

See additional Links

Rick Perry bases call for national salvation on "Joel's Army" cult movement - http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-national/uhj

Texas governor's Aug 6th prayer event includes cult members? - By Marsha West
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=7390

***

Rick Perry bases call for national salvation on "Joel's Army" cult movement

From the Examiner Article: "Perry has jumped on the "Joel's Army" bandwagon, claiming in his promotional message for his The Response prayer and fasting event in Houston in August: "Some problems are beyond our power to solve, and according to the Book of Joel, Chapter 2, this historic hour demands a historic response."

From Examiner Article: "If Governor Rick Perry (R) of Texas runs for president of the United States, he will have one of the most unusual and specific bases for his platform of any candidate in many decades—the spiritual visions of the ancient Hebrew prophet Joel."

Click Here:  Rick Perry bases call for national salvation on "Joel's Army" cult movement

***

For those who would like to know more about "Joel's Army", Jewel Grewe of Discernment Ministries has produced a booklet on the Error's of Joel's Army  that is available by contacting the ministry  http://www.discernment-ministries.org/aboutus.html . This is an excellent booklet that explains the history and founders/leaders of this movement.

From back cover: There is another gospel being taught today which is in total conflict with the Gospel of Christ.  Leaders in this movement allegorize the truth away, place their revelations on par with Scriptures, emphasize their thoughts and ideas above Scriptures, and claim that Israel is now an "outcast" who has been replaced by the church in endtimes prophecy. 

In this booklet read about:
* The New Breed
* The Overcomers
* The Phineas Priesthood
* The Latter Rain Error
* Manifested Sons of God

Are Today's Prophets Dangerous?

Stand Firm in the Faith has been given permission by Discernment Ministries International to post the article. We encourage those who benefit from this article to consider supporting the missionary work and Ministry of  DMI - http://discernmentministriesinternational.wordpress.com/

Truth Matters Newsletters - July 2011 - Vol. 16 Issue 7 - Are Today's Prophets Dangerous? - By Rev. Robert Liichow

Discernment Ministries International

Are Today’s Prophets Dangerous?

Rev. Bob Liichow

Over the last two issues we’ve been examining today’s so called Prophetic Movement (PM) and now we want to consider why it is dangerous on many levels.

My wife and editor of Truth Matters thought I was being a bit harsh in the last issue and possibly could have been more irenic in my writing. Although generally my wife is correct in her comments, in this case I thought not. Please keep in mind DMI is concerned with those individuals who occupy pulpits and the international stage as “prophets” as opposed to the squirrelly charismanic who always seems to “have a word from the Lord” for you at family gatherings.

Are false prophets dangerous? Without a doubt they are: and God has always warned His people in both testaments to be aware of the danger they pose. The Apostle Paul warned the Ephesians elders (and us by extension) to be aware of the coming two-front attack on the Church:

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, every one night and day with tears. Acts 20:28-31. (1)

A false prophet from outside the Church, truly a wolf devouring the souls of multitudes was a man named Mohammad, the guy who started the false religion Islam. Today over 1.5 billion follows are marching straight into the jaws of hell. Sadly, much of today’s suffering is directly tied to people following this particular false prophet. So you tell me, is a false prophet dangerous?

Let me cite a couple examples of false prophets from within the Church. A fellow named Joseph Smith decided to call himself a restored prophet (a man who believed in speaking in other tongues, healing cloths, etc.) and founded The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a movement of restorationists. This cult is listed as the ninth largest denomination in America and these people are very evangelistic both nationally and internationally. Millions are destined for eternal destruction because they follow the doctrines of a false prophet.

In 1978 over 900 people died following a formerly ordained minister (Disciples of Christ) who proclaimed himself a restored prophet, Mr. Jim Jones.

More recently in 1993 a member of a sect of the Seventh Day Adventist was shot to death along with other followers in Waco, Texas. David Koresh announced himself the prophet to the Branch Davidian, a sect of the S.D.A. church (2) and his disciples followed him to the death (those deaths I personally blame on our bumbling former government leaders).

Lastly, we have our brother Harold Camping, who describes himself as a Bible student and not a prophet, nonetheless stands in that “office” when he says “thus saith the Lord” according to his interpretation of various texts publicly. Several who believed his pronouncements lost their jobs and homes both most recently and previously when he declared the “rapture” of the Church. Another bad fruit borne is that the name of Jesus is tarnished and ridiculed even more so by the world when these people rise up in our midst. (3) As an update for those who have not heard, brother Camping suffered a stroke, and he is home now, but pray for him, his wife and their followers. (4) There are several other examples I could cite of some of the more obvious repercussions of following false prophets, but these should suffice.

Unfortunately we live in a time that is the perfect feeding ground for these deluded souls and wolves to feast upon. We live in a generation of experience driven spiritual enthusiasts. Our churches are filled with people who are no longer content with the plain teaching of the Bible. Today’s Americanized Christian wants direct immediate (current) revelation from God, not some dry exegesis of Scripture or some sermon on Law and Gospel. No today’s spiritual seeker looks for direct immediate mystical fellowship with God. It is not unusual for people attending prophetic congregations to be slain in the spirit (5) and get up later and share with the others how they had just spent “face time” with Jesus, mano-a-mano in heaven.

Our culture of immediacy, self-gratification and a desire for spiritual power (6) is fertile ground for the wily wolf. When you combine thee elements with people who have no sure doctrinal foundation you have a recipe for a subtle but devastating spiritual shipwreck. I say subtle, because the destruction is done within the context of Christian church services and meetings. Subtle, in that the words they use are similar to ours but they mean something vastly different to them. As the patron saint of heresy-hunters said:

By means of specious and plausible worlds, they cunningly allure the simple-minded to inquire into their system; but they nevertheless clumsily destroy them, while they initiate them into their blasphemous and impious opinions respecting the Demiurge (3) and these simple ones are unable, even in such a matter, to distinguish falsehood from truth. Error, indeed, is never set forth in its naked deformity, lest, being thus exposed, it should at once be detected. But it is craftily decked out in an attractive dress, so as, by its outward form, to make it appear to the inexperienced (ridiculous as the expression may seem) more true than the truth itself. One far superior to me has well said, in reference to this point, “A clever imitation in glass casts contempt, as it were, on that precious jewel the emerald (which is most highly esteemed by some) unless it come under the eye of one able to test and expose the counterfeit. Or, again, what inexperienced person can with ease detect the presence of brass when it has been mixed up with silver?” Lest, therefore, through my neglect, some should be carried off, even as sheep are by wolves, while they perceive not the true character of these men,--because they outwardly are covered with sheep’s clothing (against whom the Lord has enjoined us to be on our guard), and because their language resembles ours, while their sentiments are very different. (7)

America has given birth to almost all of today’s recognized false-prophets. One of the most dangerous is “Dr.” Bill Hamon, one of the living fathers of the P.M. Even though throughout the recorded history of the Bible God has sent less than 60 people total, 48 men and 7 prophetesses. That is all it took God in order to reveal His will to His people. However, Mr. Hamon has great news for the world!

John came in the power and spirit of the PROPHET Elijah. Just as one PROPHET, John the baptist prepared the way for Christ’s first coming, now a COMPANY OF PROPHETS will prepare the way for Christ’s second coming. That COMPANY OF PROPHETS is being raised up in the 1980’s. God revealed to me that there are 10,000 PROPHETS on the North American continent alone being prepared to be released within the Church. This COMPANY OF PROPHETS will come forth in the power and spirit of Elijah. They as a corporate body of PROPHETS, will fulfill the prophecy of Malachi in relation to Christ’s second coming as John the Baptist fulfilled it in relation to Christ’s first coming. A single PROPHET prepared the way for the Messiah of Israel and Redeemer of mankind. The COMPANY OF PROPHETS will prepare the way for Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The one PROPHET prepared the way for Jesus to come and usher in the Church Age; the many PROPHETS will prepare the way for Jesus to come and usher in the Kingdom age. (8)

“God” revealed to Hamon that there were 10,000 prophets being prepared to be released within the Church. Not only will there be 10,000 God-sent prophets, they have the duty to (1) prepare the way for the return of Jesus and (2) actually usher Jesus back to earth!

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3:19-21

This brings us to the very important question of authority. Under whose authority do these people operate? There are only three sources of authority: (1) God, (2) man, and (3) the devil. If they were from God then they would teach His Word accurately which they clearly do not do. Secondly, when they speak in the name of the Lord what they say would be 100% accurate every time. The first mistake would disqualify one from every speaking again (that is N.T. grace; the O.T. was death for the false prophet). There are books, audio cassettes, videos and internet transcripts of all of the major “prophets” of today making false and unfulfilled prophetic claims in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Himself gave us this guideline to use:

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:15-20

What about a little fruit inspecting? Paul Cain the “father” of today’s PM was recently exposed as an alcoholic and homosexual (9) Well Bob we are all sinners…Yes, but isn’t it interesting that a man revered as the living bridge between William Branham, the greatest prophet since the Apostle Paul and mentor and spiritual father to the major prophets today would not be discovered/uncovered by the other “prophets” for over 20 years? How good are these guys’ spiritual antennae?

Mr. Benny Hinn is on public record regularly prophalies (10) things that do not occur. This does not stop Hinn nor hundreds of thousands hanging on his every word even after failure after failure both prophetically and miracle-wise. A good example of Hinn’s lack of heavenly insight was demonstrated when God did not reveal to Hinn that his two closest associate were heroin addicts, both of whom died of their addictions while in Hinn’s employ. (11) Surely our Lord would have wanted His servant to help deliver his close associates from this demonic addiction? Maybe God is not speaking to Mr. Hinn, I believe He is not.

The list of sexual predators within the PM is long, people such as the august Bob Jones of Kansas City prophets fame and spiritual son of Cain. Nothing like having Christian sisters stand nude (how deceived were these poor women?) before you as you “speak” over them the words of God! (12) He stepped down for a short season, but he is back profiling today.

Todd Bentley was recently elevated to the role of an “apostle” there ceremony is still available to be seen on Youtube.com. Mr. Bentley is a convicted child molester (do they ever change?) and soon after his “anointing” to new realms of revival power he got divorced from his wife due to his recent sexual indiscretions and married the woman he was cheating with. (13) This all transpired within a year of his establishment as a mighty prophetic voice. I really urge our readers to go and watch some of the many Youtube.com videos. It is simply amazing to hear swelling words over Todd’s spiritually slain body! I do not have space enough to cite all the prophets who’ve been divorced and remarried without missing a step! All of the above is simply an inspection of “fruit” borne in their public lives. I have written extensively in the past regarding the myriad of false doctrines and practices these people promote. To any sensible person it is obvious that these so-called men and women have not been sent by God (the fist and foremost Authority). Here is what the Lord says regarding these people:

Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophecy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters; for I will pour their wickedness upon them. Jeremiah 14:14-16

Since God did not send them that leaves only two options, either they sent themselves or by other men or Satan sent them. Never forget that Satan sends people into the Church under ministry guise all the time (where did all those pedophiles come from recently exposed?).

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also…The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; Matthew 13:25,26,38

Both of these possible choices are unacceptable to the Christian Church. We do not want any man sent, man ordained “prophet” whom God did not send, whom God did not speak to, and who prophesy a false vision and deceit from his heart! Nor will we accept someone sent by our adversary the devil roars like a lion and seeks tender lambs to devour (1 Peter 5:8). In Jeremiah’s time God not only judged the false prophets but He also judged those who heeded their lies. It seems in this case that God expected His people to know better, to have been able to discern true from false, after all He did send them a true prophet in Jeremiah (whom they rejected).

Are we any better off today? God has sent His true prophet into the hands of His Church in the form of the Bible. The Bible alone is the only guide for faith and practice and it is readily agreed upon by all orthodox Christians to be 100% accurate in the original manuscripts. Yet tens of thousands of professing Christians have cast aside their true guide (their Bible) for willingly pay for a fresh word from some prophet or prophetess. The spiritual bastard (Heb. 12:8) E. Bernard Jordan can be seen daily on BET television offering a word from the Master prophet (himself) for varying amounts of money. For a mere $3,000 you can get into his master circle and receive one-on-one prophetic instruction! You can also purchase prophetic soap, oils and other superstitious trinkets and crap from his web site at http://www.zoeministries.com/ Jordan was trained by prophet Bill Hamon and today is phenomenally wealthy and was the last place 1960’s false prophet Rev. Ike was given a television platform. Like granny always used to say [“if it’s in the root, it’s in the fruit”]. Obviously thousands of people are hearkening to the voice of the Master Profit, people who prefer to hear an audible voice say “the Lord says He loves you” as opposed to reading 2 Corinthians 13:14: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all Amen. They have more faith in the audible word than God’s written Word which is part of what makes these people so dangerous. If I can get to you to believe that God has sent me to give you your personal divine direction from the throne of Almighty God through the power of the Holy Spirit, then I own you lock, stock and barrel.

How can I prove God has sent me as His prophet (profit) for you? Simple! Today this is proven by either matriculating from one of the many prophetic schools (14) or being even tangentially associated with some of the recognized prophets, i.e. Paul Cain laid hands on me to activate my prophetic gift.” Give Jordan enough money and he will put you on television with him and acknowledge you as a prophet under him. That alone is probably a six figure money stream. It is easy to obtain instant global public relations via the internet. Any aspiring prophet need only create a blog, link to accepted prophetic ministries (they will reciprocate), attend some meetings, get your photo snapped (or morphed) in with other recognized prophets. Write/prophesy something extreme. Doing this will generate (1) a mailing list, something coveted by all media SINisters, (2) money from donations, books, tapes, and (3) give one a veneer of legitimacy. Naturally every prophet worth his or her salt offers wondrous tales of their experiences in the spirit realm. Jesus personally met with Paul Cain and offered him a prophetic ministry at the alleged cost of celibacy (Matthew 19:12). This gave the sodomite cover for remaining single for over fifty years of SINistry. Branham heard voices, saw angels, others saw lights on and around him, etc. An angel appeared to Cindy Jacobs telling her to start Generals of Intercession. So one must have some sort of wild tale, trip to heaven, special mandate, etc. to set oneself apart and on a higher spiritual platform than those who seek your wisdom. After all, why follow someone who is no further along than yourself?

The prophetic bona fides as a prophet are then offered to a pastor of usually a smaller independent P.M. congregation (say any of the Vineyard or their offshoot groups) and thus begin the milking process with that initial pastor’s congregation and then ministry network, hopefully working one’s way up the food chain gaining access to larger and larger groups. All along the way they amass a larger and larger mailing list/donor base. These small potato beginnings are part of the dues the false prophet has to pay in order to become a BIG PROFIT. After all, doesn’t the Bible teach us not to despise the days of small beginnings in Zech. 4?

Infiltrating the local church route is pretty much a guaranteed feeding trough for the profit. First of all he is accorded special treatment by the pastor and elders. Even our small prophetic/apostolic congregations in Detroit had its “prophets chamber” with fresh juice and snack cart, private bathroom and, an armor bearer. (15) Since the pastor let him or her into the sheepfold then they must be from the Lord, right? This is a legitimate charge against all the pastors who’ve allowed their portion of His flock to be misled by willfully allowing false ministers access. They will give an account for it on that day. The wolf will usually bring his own materials to sell, newsletters, sign-up sheets which along with the huge offering taken from God’s gullible sheep equal thousands of dollars for an evening’s work. I remember when we brought up false apostle Clarence from Baton Rouge who prophesied over all of us in leadership individually and those who gave money. That night, from an inner city church in Detroit, Jubilee Christian Center, under the leadership of false apostle Ellis Smith over $15,000 was raped from the ignorant by the beguiling words of a street thug. Do I sound bitter? I am not, but I am angry as I think how many of our friends we’ve known who were so easily taken in by various false prophets and apostles. These are people who have a sincere desire to work for Jesus and to be on the cutting edge of the moving of the Holy Spirit in the earth. People who are fervent in prayer and their giving embarrassingly outstrips the rest of us in our congregations. It is among these people, an open expectant people who already believe to some degree that God is restoring His Church in these last days that the false prophet finds a fertile field.

It is precisely this reason that God is against the false prophet and warns us continually to beware of these dangerous frauds, who if given ear to can be very convincing :

A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? Jeremiah 5:30-31

Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: And they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; But have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment. Lamentations 2:14

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:11-12

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingenth not, and their damnation slumbered not. 2 Peter 2:1-3

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

God knows that people are sheep like (John 10:11) and we will follow leaders and no leader is more eternally important to Christians than the spiritual leaders who are supposed to lead us into a closer fellowship with our Lord, which I can tell you is genuinely fulfilled in Word and sacrament ministry and thus discipline us to be productive citizens of the Kingdom of God.

God knows that His people have a new heart to obey His will for their lives (Ezekiel 11:19) and the new man within them desires to please Him (2 Timothy 2:4) which allows for growth by the Holy Spirit through His means of grace. These godly capacities can be taken captive (2 Timothy 2:26) by our enemy through false ministers. Some time ago I began a booklet to refute the tiresome extremist position called the Five-fold ministry and one day soon I hope to finish it (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher).

Sign-gift dogma teaches that every congregation must receive unique and particular anointing(s) from each one of these five ministry offices. It is in fact impossible for any church to genuinely develop apart from these specific impartations. This has been drummed into toe heads of virtually all sign-gift congregations since 1948 and it is widely accepted. Because virtually all congregations believe they must receive from the Lord via these final two restored ministries the false prophet has a readymade home in every city in practically every country.

Another attending facet to the prophetic ministry is reliance upon signs and wonders, the more bizarre and novel the better. Reports abound within prophetic congregations and on the internet about meetings where angelic feathers appeared, gold dust miraculously covering people, jewels and precious stones being found after prophetic worship. (16) It was the so-called restored prophets who brought into the Church the onslaught of holy laughter and other forms of fleshly and demonic manifestations which has impacted millions of professing believers and is still roaring on in various morphed forms including the “Bay of the Holy Spirit.”

If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shall not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 13:1-3

I am always reminded of the false prophet William Branham whose SINistry was truly accompanied by many strange signs and wonders. Yeah some of his wonders did come to pass and he pointed to them as proof that his doctrine was correct because God was using him in a mighty way. This caused untold thousands to abandon their former congregations and denominations and follow a man who denied the Trinity, taught bizarre doctrines and was at best an apostate. People believed the signs and wonders over the Word of God as taught and confessed by the Church since the beginning.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matthew 24:24

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.   2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

Some of the accounts of sign and wonders have been proven to be false (gold dust turning out to be gold colored plastic micro-flake for example and gold teeth that were prior to the revival meeting) others not so easily explained. Jesus said the time would come when false prophets would show great signs and lying wonders but I believe that same dark spiritual power is parceled out to the myriad false prophets today by Satan:

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last time. 1 John 2:18-19

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist 2 John 7

How many tragic accounts have been reported due to the abuses of those calling themselves prophets? Profit Robert Tilton is now married to his third wife, and is still siphoning a few hundred million dollars from legitimate ministry work via television and mail. Bishop/prophet Earl Paulk of the mega Atlanta, GA Based den of extremism was charged several times with forcing women to have sex with him and other “church” officials. (17) W.V. Grant is another convicted felon and prophetic fraud, hurting thousands. Many cases are being reported from Africa where extremist Pentecostalism is rampant. Here is one example---Madzibaba Urayai Zvamunondiita:

By Shiyiwe Mbedzi

ANOTHER SELF-STYLED bogus prophet has been caught in the eye of a storm accused of indecently assaulting his 22-year-old client. Madzibaba Urayai Zvamunondiita (36) of Waterfalls was yesterday in court facing charges of fondling the private parts of a married woman…rayai prayed for Sertina and told her that he would need her vaginal fluids to assist her. He ordered her to undress and started kissing and fondling her private parts. Sertina also accused Urayai of making her touch his erect penis until he ejaculated. Urayai took Sertina’s pants and wiped her vaginal fluids ordering her to use it when conducting her prayers. (18)

“Oh that would not happen here in America.”  Wrong,  ever hear about John Roberts Stevens, one of the fathers of today’s Latter Rain Movement aka Signs and Wonders Movement, Joel’s Army, the New Apostolic Reformation, Prophetic Movement, Apostolic Movement, etc? His overcoming prophetic group was scandalized by his leadership in which he led the way to rampant sexual infidelity among its members. His cultic congregation, Living Word Fellowship naturally has a school of the prophets, their deceased founder being one of the early Latter Rain false prophets and sexual predator.

When an individual has been seduced into following a pied-piper prophet they are on very dangerous ground indeed. It will cost them spiritually, because while they believe they are on the frontlines of spiritual warfare they have been taken captive by our enemy long ago and now are simply exhibiting the enthusiastic antics of the monkey cage. Not only is there loss of a genuine meaningful walk with Christ now (which is the only one that counts) but the loss of future spiritual reward at the reward seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).

There is also the terrifying, yet distinct possibility of hearing:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23

Here we find people standing face to face with Christ and what do we see? People pointing to their works, even works done in His name. (19)  These are power people, signs and wonder workers, folks who prophesied in Jesus’ name, cast out demons in His name and did many wonderful works, again in His name. These were not your rank-n-file low wattage Lutherans, frozen chosen Presbyterians or mundane Methodists. No these sound like the so-called “eagle saints” of Joel’s Army. Is Jesus impressed? Does He applaud their mighty works (in His name)? Jesus does not deny what they have done, nor does He say that He once knew them but now had forgotten them. No He says the most chilling words that can be uttered “I NEVER knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Those who presume to stand up and declare themselves to be prophets of the Living God are in extreme spiritual danger and need to quickly repent of their presumptuous sin (Psalms 19:13) Equally those who have rejected the Bible for a now word from a prophet is being spiritually misled now and is in danger of eternal loss.

This has been a rather harsh article in some ways. I have not tried to write diplomatically about men and women who have been severely deceived into thinking they really are prophets or are demonically inspired in some cases --- unfortunately, it is not an either/or situation, it is a both/and. Pray for all of those caught up in this seductive and growing movement within the Church. Warn those in love who you know are involved in this type of aberrant group and most of all continue to nourish your spiritual life with a regular infusion of God’s Word and sacrament.

Copyright © 2011 Robert S. Liichow


End Notes

1. The Holy Bible: King James Version 2009 (Electronic Edition of the 1906 Authorized Version) (Ac 20:28-31) Bellingham, WA: Logos Research System Inc.


2. Some people place the S.D.A. in the cult category, others place it as a sect, I.e. non-standard but still orthodox enough to be considered Christian. Where does DMI stand? Frankly, we are with those who call it a cult. They follow the teachings of Ellen G. White (a restored prophetess), are very legalistic in diet and worship being strict Sabbath keepers. I urge anyone who is interested to research them on the web and come to your own conclusion based on the facts about the SDA.

3. I know the rest of the Church rebuked and denounced Harold, but the world does not care about what we say, only that we look foolish in their eyes


4. Obtained from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/06/13/national/main20070762.shtml on 07-13-11.

5, DMI has an excellent booklet entitled “Does the Bible Support A Doctrine of Being Slain in the Spirit.” It is once of the few books in print on this bizarre, yet commonplace phenomena in the lives of millions of professing Christians.

6. Sign-gift people are very preoccupied with the search of mystical experiences and power. Simply look at the titles of the majority of their books (go to any televangelist’s web site bookstore). As a former extremist myself I know how much time I spent trying to gain spiritual power, naturally for the glory of God…and then Bob Isn’t it interesting the “gifts” are just that---gifts---given by God (or someone else). However, fruit on the other hand must be cultivated; it take time to develop into ripeness. Fruit bearing is work, labor and thus little is taught in sign-gift congregations on it.

7. Irenaeus Against Heresies book One, paragraph 1 and two. Underlining added for emphasis.

8 Hamon, Bill Prophets and Personal Prophecy, Destiny Image 1987. Underlining added.


9. Read about him at http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/orrel19.html.


10. Prophalie, the act of uttering a false pathetic word masquerading as a word from the Lord God.


11. Read about it here http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2009/10/benny-hinn-heroin-and-long-trail-of-of.html

12. Read about this story at http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/kcp.html


13. Read about it http://westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2009/03/todd-bentley-marries-woman-whom-he-had-extramarital-affair-with.html

14. Hamon, Jordan, Bickle, Joyner all offer some form of prophetic education in and by their schools of the prophets. They seem to believe that if one is called to be a prophet, then they can be trained by other prophets. They argue both sides of the coin (1) we all can prophesy 1 Cor. 14:1, so we can learn how to do so or (2) obviously we cannot train one to prophesy who is not first called by God as a prophet, ergo any prophetic “failure” falls on the prophet not the school or the teacher. So these liars can take either side when challenged and they do.

15. What your pastor does not have an armor bearer? How passé and so five minutes ago. The ministry of the armor bearer has been restored back to the Church in the early 1990’s, where have you been? Calling all young men who want to get into the glory & bask in the anointing that flows from the garments of your leader then consider this vocation as seen in the Bible! Yes sir, this is a biblical ministry--read about King Saul and little David before he killed Goliath.

16. Prophetic worship is when the worship is aimed at spiritual warfare and/or the declaring of victory or future glories by the worship leader(s). It may involve simple impromptu singing and the “song of the Lord” and quickly made up ditty. Prophetic worship often is “spirit-led” i.e. a departure from whatever else was planned, and usually involves a protracted amount of time singing, dancing or doing carpet time. There is also “prophetic intercession,” “prophetic praise,” prophetic healing too.


17. Read more at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312249,00.html

18. http://www.hmetrozim.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4085:prophet-in-sex-scandal&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=1655 has this story. 5


19. It is interesting that they point to their “works” even though if what they said they did was wrought in and by God then it would have simply been the

***