The Imperative of Discernment

Stand Firm in the Faith has from the beginning has put the emphasis of the writing, posts, and guest articles in their entirety posted by permission, on the theme of Discernment and Apologetic issues effecting the Church. (Below is only a segment of an article “The Imperative of Discernment” by PFO Quarterly Journal - July - September 2012 Vol. 32 No 3). For the Complete Article - please order from the ministry website: http://www.pfo.org  

The Imperative of Discernment

by G. Richard Fisher

The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel was given a mandate from God that he was to pass on to the leaders of the nation:

“And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean” (Ezekiel 44:23).

 

The leaders were themselves to be discerning, and then teach the people to be discerning. If the nation was going to be God’s nation, its people had to discern.

The Apostle Paul thought discernment was very important. He told the believers in Philippi:

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10).

 

Approving or disapproving of teachings requires that we discern what is being taught. So Paul prays that all believers might abound in discernment. The word “abound” means to go beyond the ordinary.

Commenting on the phrases “that your love may abound” and “approve the things that are excellent,” Roy Laurin wrote:

“Possessed of such love the Christian would acquire a moral discernment which enables him to judge between right and wrong, truth and error. Where there is real love there is a deep moral sensitiveness. Love provides its own defenses against defection. A fully developed love means the highest development of personality which in turn means maturity. With maturity comes discernment and with discernment these Philippians would ‘remain untainted by error, unstumbling amidst obstacles.”’ (1)

 

So we see that Christian maturity depends on our exercising discernment. Our physical and spiritual health--and maybe even our lives--depends on it. 

 

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF DISCERNMENT

K. Neill Foster wrote:

“A.W. Tozer was fond of saying that the greatest need in the church was for the gift of discernment. And Dr. Tozer spoke from his perspective in the middle of the twentieth century. Were he able to comment on today’s religious confusion, I am sure his tones would be more strident, his concerns still deeper. It is certainly clear to Christian leaders everywhere that confusion is increasing. There seems to be a famine of clear thought and penetrating insight.” (2)

 

One example is a quote in the Los Angeles Times by Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena:

“Some are unhappy with me because I have gone on record as saying that [Mitt Romney’s church, the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is not a cult. …I have studied and taught about cults for many years. I have also spent the last dozen years meeting with Mormons --- scholars and church leaders --- to engage in lengthy theological discussions. …Based on these conversations and my own careful study, I do not believe Mormonism is a cult.” (3)

Other Christian leaders may also wish to sidestep labeling Mormonism a cult because they think it is a “loaded” term. However, if Mormonism with its salvation by works, its heretical views of God, and its extra-biblical books is not a cult, then the word “cult” has lost all meaning. Bill McKeever, founder and director of Mormonism Research Ministry, doesn’t agree with those who think the word “cult” needs to be retired.

And Christians have the biblical mandate to expose false teachers and their teaching (Titus 1:11; Ephesians 5:11). Romans 16:17 urges us to have nothing to do with those who would teach contrary to the apostles’ doctrine. Paul, in verse 18, says they do not serve Christ.

DISCERNMENT IS A BIBLE WORD

To many the word “discernment” is an offensive word. However, the writers of Scripture were quite comfortable with it. The Apostle Paul calls it a gift from God in 1 Corinthians 12 and urges its use. The words “discernment” and “discern” are used about 25 times in the New Testament. Other closely associated words such as “judge,” “test,” “try,” and “evaluate” are also used repeatedly.

Discernment is a gift that has fallen on hard times and is rejected and maligned in some circles. In Acts 17:11-12, the Bereans were called noble because they scoured the Scripture to be sure that their teacher Paul was on track. F.F. Bruce, along with the Scriptures, commends the Berean spirit:

“For, with commendable openmindedness, they brought the claims made by Paul to the touchstone of Holy Writ instead of giving way to prejudice. Their procedure, examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so’ (RSV), is worthy of imitation by all who have some new form of religious teaching pressed upon their acceptance.” (4)

STICKS AND STONES

Now Bereans are addressed by other names and even threatened with death, disease, and a “Holy Ghost machine gun.” It is not uncommon for PFO to receive phone calls from hostile callers because they have come across a Quarterly Journal article which examines a teacher or author to whom they have expressed an impassioned devotion. We have been “damned to hell” and told to “repent” for our evaluations. Apparently it is permissible for these callers to judge our salvation, but we are not afforded the opportunity to judge the doctrine and practice of their spiritual guides. Author Dave Hunt has often remarked that such people should more properly be angry, not at the one exposing the false teaching, but rather at the false teachers themselves for their lies, deception, and heretical doctrine. Those exercising discernment, and even doing it with great love, are often written off as mean-spirited, judgmental, hard-nosed, and critical.

Gnostic researcher James Robinson, back in the 1970s, coined the term “Heresy Hunters.” In 1993, James Spencer used that phrase for the title of his book that castigated PFO and other discernment ministries for their critiques of Benny Hinn and other Word-Faith proponents. What Robinson and Spencer did not realize is that the cliché was incorrect because heresy need not be hunted; it is out in the open. It is proclaimed from church pulpits, stocked on the shelves of both secular and “Christian” bookstores, and fills the airwaves via “Christian” television and radio.

The very latest term and epithet for those who would want to discern truth is “the critique police.” Nevertheless, the mandate and imperative to judge between good and evil --- Hebrews 5:14 ---still stands! Hebrews 4:12 says that the Word of God is central to discernment. It is, in fact, the “discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Our present Church culture reflects the attitudes that were prevalent in Isaiah’s time when people were calling “evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20).

Let’s therefore consider and emphasize crucial points about discernment. 

THE FACT OF DISCERNMENT

The word “discernment” in all its forms and Greek nuances means to investigate, to look into, to scrutinize, question, examine, or to put on trial. It means to determine the good or bad of a person or thing. The Greek, word Kritikos means to critique, to judge, to evaluate and decide, and even pass judgment. As a judge uses the law as his basis of evaluation, believers use the Word of God as the ultimate court of appeal. It is the Word of God that discerns us. This is why men such as Joel Osteen are appalling and Paul is appealing. When the Corinthians refused to judge sin in their church, the apostle argued, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). Here we are commanded to discern and judge.

Someone has coined the phrase, “The pathology of sentimentality.” It is a state of mind where we believe that we have to keep everybody happy by agreeing with them on everything. We can’t rock any boat, not even a little, and we cannot disagree with false teaching or try to correct error. Yet Jesus, in Matthew 10:34-36, said:

“I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.”

 

At times, truth divides no matter how hard we try to present it with meekness, love, and respect. But there must be a separation between truth and error, light and darkness. “And what communion has light with darkness? … what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” Paul asks in 2 Corinthians 6:14 and 16.

Preaching does not always alleviate or solve problems. There may be times when exposition from the pulpit stirs or creates problems, even when we deeply would like to avoid them or not have it so.

 

 

In real life we are constantly discerning things. We discern between a one dollar bill and a ten dollar bill. We discern at the pharmacy and are sure we are not taking the wrong medication. We discern at home and make sure we keep detergents from being mixed with food. If we have young children we are constantly discerning for them what is right and what is wrong. Life could not be lived without constant discernment and choices. We need it no less for spiritual matters.

THE FICTION OF “MANY CHRISTIANITIES”

Some, such as Gnostic champions Bart Ehrman and Elaine Pagels, would have us believe that we really do not know what to believe because the Church of the first four or five centuries was a swirl of contradictory and competing variations of Christianity. There was, in fact, only one true Christianity and many heresies. However, Ehrman, Pagels, and others like them try to reconstruct early Church history in a totally different way. They argue that those with the most money, power, and clout won out. They maintain that it was the overwhelming power plays of the Orthodox that made the day, not truth. But that is just not so. The early Church, fiercely persecuted by the Romans, had no power, money, or clout --- only grace and truth. The early martyrs had no power, money, or clout --- only God’s Word. Truth prevailed plain and simple. The truth of the Bible won the day. The heresies trying to compete with the truth were thoroughly trounced.

All thoughout the New Testament there is a pattern of orthodox doctrine. It is called the “apostles’ doctrine” in Acts 2:42. Paul often refers to it as “the faith,” as does Jude who said it to be “the faith once delivered.” This pattern of orthodox doctrine was then encapsulated in creeds and held in tact for 2000 years. Read those who succeeded the Apostles. Read the early apologists. True Christianity held the fort, not against competing Christianities, but against competing heresies.

DISCERNMENT BEGINS EARLY

Another sad fact is that discerners often think they have to discern only full-blown error in its grossest forms and overlook or ignore the small detours that can lead to all-out heresy. But we must discern error and false teaching even in its earliest forms and its faint beginnings. People oftentimes do not rush into error; they wander there. Proverbs 4 talks about the very early beginnings of sin and false teaching when it says, “Do not enter the path of the wicked … Avoid it … Turn away from it and pass on” (vv. 14-15). Don’t enter that path; don’t even go there --- don’t even start because of where it ultimately leads. In verse 27 of the same proverb we are told, “Do not turn to the right or the left.” Whenever people tell us that “God told them” rather than “the Scripture says,” red flags should go up all over the place. When we hear of people journaling their inner voices more red flags should fly. And when we hear talk of added books to the Bible, even more red flags need to be raised. In many instances our red flags have been replaced by white ones.

(This is only an excerpt from the PFO article: “The Imperative of Discernment"- by G. Richard Fisher, The Quarterly Journal July-September 2012 , Vol. 32, No. 3). To obtain the full article please contact PFO ministry at their website: http://www.pfo.org or write: P.O. Box 26062, Saint Louis, Missouri 63136-0062

Copyright © 2012 Personal Freedom Outreach/ G. Richard Fisher

(partial) Endnotes:

1. Roy Laurin, Philippians - Where Life Advances. Findlay, Ohio: Dunham Publishing 1954, pp. 31.

2. K. Neil Foster, The Discerning Christian Harrisburg, Pa.: Christian Publications, Inc., 1981, pg. 11.

3. Richard J. Mouw, “Mormonism: Not a cult, not a problem,” Op-Ed in Los Angeles Times, Nov. 20, 2011. Document accessed at www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-mouw-mormons-20111120,0,699207.story

4. F.F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book of Acts. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing 1955, pg 347.

Reflecting on a President's words

On this 4^th of July 2012 it is good to Reflect on a President’s words given in a proclamation in 1983.  

The Year of the Bible, 1983 

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Of the many influences that have shaped the United States of America into a distinctive Nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.

Deep religious beliefs stemming from the Old and New Testament of the bible inspired many of the early settlers of our country, providing them with the strength, character, conviction, and faith necessary to withstand great hardship and danger in the new and rugged land. These shared beliefs helped forge a sense of common purpose among the widely dispersed colonies-a sense of community which laid the foundation for the spirit of nationhood that was to develop in later decades.

The Bible and its teachings helped form the basis for the Founding Fathers’ abiding belief in the inalienable rights of the individual, rights which they found implicit in the Bible’s teachings of the inherent worth and dignity of each individual. This same sense of man patterned the convictions of those who framed the English system of law inherited by our own Nation as well as the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

For centuries the Bible’s emphasis on compassion and love for our neighbor has inspired the institutional and governmental expressions of benevolent outreach such as private charity, the establishment of schools and hospitals, and the abolition of slavery.

Many of our greatest national leaders-among them Presidents Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, and Wilson-have recognized the influence of the Bible on our country’s development. The plainspoken Andrew Jackson referred to the Bible as no less than “the rock on which our Republic rests.”

Today our beloved America and indeed, the world, is facing a decade of enormous challenge. As a people we may well be tested as we have seldom, if ever, been tested before. We will need resources of spirit even more than resources of technology, education, and armaments. There could be no more fitting moment than now to reflect with gratitude, humility, and urgency upon the wisdom revealed to us in the writing that Abraham Lincoln called “the best gift God has ever given to man….But for it we could not know right from wrong.”

The Congress of the United States, in recognition of the unique contribution of the bible in shaping the history and character of the Nation, and so many of its citizens, has by Senate Joint Resolution 165, authorized and requested the President to designate the year 1983 as the “Year of the Bible.”

Now, THEREFORE, I , RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, in recognition of the contribution of the bible on our Republic and our people, do hereby proclaim 1983 the Year of the Bible in the United States. I encourage all citizens, each in his or her own way, to re-examine and rediscover its priceless and timeless message.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of February, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventh.

Ronald Reagan

From the book ‘The Book that made America How The Bible Formed Our Nation

THE ARMY OF GOD

An excerpt from the Book: Through the Windows of Heaven by Walter Martin / Jill Martin Rische.

The Army of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rules, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

-Ephesians 6:10-12
　

A SPIRITUAL WAR IS GOING ON, and it is directed against the Church. It is directed against all true Christian denominations, and against all true believers in them or outside of them. It is a premeditated, planned, open conspiracy to destroy, and it was launched by Lucifer, the prince of darkness, more than two thousand years ago.

The Scripture tells you right here that spiritual warfare is first, foremost, and primarily against the forces of darkness---against Satan and against satanic powers. But that’s not all that’s involved in spiritual warfare. We first have to recognize the fact of spiritual warfare. Some people act as if there were nothing going on around them---as if they were floating over Niagara Falls like a Ping Pong ball, just bobbing along with nothing affecting them. When something adverse occurs in their lives, they never think of it as an attack of the devil. Instead, they just sort of say, “Well, that’s life! That’s the way things are,” and they brush it off.

Not to worry---God will get your attention. There is such a thing as spiritual conflict. We are born into conflict: in conflict against the world, in conflict against our carnal natures, in conflict against the devil. We will live in that conflict and we will die in that conflict, unless Jesus Christ returns in our lifetime.

The Bible clearly tells us there is such a thing as spiritual war. It’s our warfare; it’s personal war. It’s not against people. It’s against the rulers of the darkness of this age that manipulate people as if this were a great chessboard on earth. And the forces are arrayed against the Christian church.

Now, of course, you have an option: you can be dumb. You can say, “I don’t have any spiritual war, I think positively all the time. I don’t have negative thoughts. I think only about possibilities and the things God has for me. There’s no war around me.” that’s reminiscent of the Christian Scientist in hell who sat by himself in a corner and said, “I’m not here, I’m not here, I’m not here.” but it never changes the fact--- he’s there! You are in a spiritual war whether you think so or not. The whole world is blowing up around you, and you just can’t sit there and say, “Nothing’s hap-pen-ing.”

It is! And it will continue to happen, because the moment you enlist in the army of God you personally become a target. No more Mr. Nice Guy. You are on the satanic hit list. You are in the army of god.

If you will not fight in the army of God, then the Lord will discipline you until you get to the place where you will fight. You will get so many attacks that you will eventually have to do something. That is a warning. It is also biblical theology.

You are in the middle of a war. People who walk around in the middle of a war acting as if there is no war are called casualties. Three are people scattered all over the landscape who are ineffective in their Christian lives, neutralized in their Christian witness, paralyzed in their Christian activities, simply because they don’t realize they’re casualties. They must be restored by God so they can get back into the battle.

Something to Think About

God believes in you, and he wants you to believe in yourself. Don’t be discouraged. You are in the middle of a war, but---take heart---you do not fight alone.

 

Something to Do

Read Matthew 10:29-31. Remember this: God surrendered his beloved son to a cruel death--to save your life. Kneel before him and rededicate your life to his service.


Walter Martin’s Religious InfoNet Website: http://www.waltermartin.com/
http://www.waltermartin.com/whatsnew.html

Walter Martin: A Defense Of Apologetics

See Video Link:

http://youtu.be/uZ4a8EratYw

Walter Martin's last TBN Appearance - Pt 2 of 5

See Video link:

http://youtu.be/w0h0ya1DlD4

 

　


　

The Problem with Same-Sex Marriage

See Video :  http://youtu.be/egxB0dTajb4

The Problem with Same-Sex marriage

A documentary every Christian should see, know what is at stake.

1. How is same-sex marriage affects our Kids

2. The Impact on At-Risk children

3. How it affect Religious Freedom and Free speech

4. Reinforces False Assumptions

5. Is it really marriage - same-sex marriage is a contradiction in terms

An Apologetic Response

SEE Video: http://youtu.be/uxIWf7qrcZM
An Apologetic Response

To disagree with the moral or morality of sexual behavior of homosexuality is to be a bigot. This is how the reasoning goes. There is also the flawed position that if you do disagree with homosexuality than that makes you some how unloving. This is not the case and those who oppose the bible’s teaching often used these arguments to silence their audience who do not agree with them. Where is the middle ground for discussing sexuality?

 

 

The word ‘Bigot’ is being re-defined today. As of late, the moral position, and the Christian position is automatically identified as ’bigotry’ and hateful. Christians are being automatically called names due to their honoring what the Word of God says about homosexuality. What is the Christian to do? How can we have a fair conversation about this? 

This video covers many of the objections and points being made by those who oppose the biblical and Christian view of homosexuality.

In this video James White responds to the key elements of the infamous diatribe launched by Dan Savage at a high school journalism conference, and provide a challenge to him to debate this issue in a moderated, public forum

Gay Marriage Debate

The debate on Same-Sex marriage is a topic frequently in the news. Recently seeing an article that our vice-president is in favor of same-sex marriage, I notice that sometimes in these articles and news releases, it seems something more is sadly missing: A well reasoned position on both sides of this debate and how it will effect all people.   

 

 

Instead most of what is put forth is a “us vs. them” argument rather than approaching the subject with sound reason which will make any final decision a more firm foundation that people can stand firm on and it’s conclusion. Below is an Article from Christianpost.com which makes a very good point and should be considered when deciding on this debate.

It's Not About you: the Gay Marriage Debate

http://blogs.christianpost.com/disciple/its-not-about-you-gay-marriage-9744/

May 07th, 2012 06:56 AM ET
By Kae Am

"Advocates of Same-sex marriage often emphasize the individual couple, and an individual's right to choose to marry whoever he or she wants. An argument they often use is "this won't affect you" or "it won't hurt your marriage." This argument actually counters none of the arguments against sex-same marriage because the focus point for both sides is ...

It's Not About you: the Gay Marriage Debate
“Advocates of Same-sex marriage often emphasize the individual couple, and an individual's right to choose to marry whoever he or she wants. An argument they often use is "this won't affect you" or "it won't hurt your marriage." This argument actually counters none of the arguments against sex-same marriage because the focus point for both sides is completely different.


Opponents of same-sex marriage oppose it because they consider it wrong for society. Proponents focus on the individual; opponents focus on the community. Anthropology, sociology, and history have verified that children are often raised within families. Children become the new, leading generation of society. Therefore, families are the basic building blocs of society. Anthropology, sociology, and history have verified this.


Because families are the basic building blocs of society, the only proper argument about marriage - regardless of whether you advocate or support gay marriage - will be an argument that focuses on society and social impact. The only proper argument will involve anthropology, sociology, and history because those three fields of study have provided the most knowledge about family and society.

Proponents of same-sex marriage focus on the individual and not on society. Whenever a conservative voices support for traditional values, the proponents refuse to have an intellectual conversation and automatically decry the conservative with emotionally-charged terms. The proponent's response is based entirely upon emotion and personal feeling with little regard to anthropology, sociology, and history. But this controversy actually has nothing to do with personal feeling or opinion. This controversy has everything to do with what is best for society. The gay marriage advocates deny supporters of traditional marriage the right to show concern for society and social well-being.

The argument "this won't affect you" or "it won't hurt your marriage" is a narrow and isolated argument that refuses to take society into consideration. It prizes individual wants and desires over social responsibility.

People who oppose gay marriage consider it wrong for society. For them, the debate is not about the either side; it is about society. Furthermore, the liberal argument "this won't affect you" can also be used to counter charitable works. Many charities don't affect the people who donate to them. Yet, people donate and volunteer to contribute to social well-being.

Many people donate to St. Jude, which provides free medical care and research for children. Yet, many children of those people who donate never have serious illnesses. Some of the people who donate money to St. Jude are not even parents, so St. Jude will never affect them.

There are some attempts to decriminalize and even to legalize hallucinogenic drugs. The mind-distorting effects can resemble psychological disorders. People who oppose these attempts will never be affected by these substances because they will never use them. However, people oppose attempts to legalize marijuana, cocaine, etc., because such drugs are dangerous to society.

I don't know how many people seek to ban texting-while-driving. Texting does occur within the privacy of one's car.

How will donating to the March of Dimes affect men and women who do not have children? It will not affect them at all.

Why should people who have homes and safe-housing donate or volunteer for homeless shelters? It won't affect them.


The controversy about sex-same marriage is not about the proponents or the opponents of gay marriage. The controversy is about society and social well-being.
Any argument for same-sex marriage needs to involve empirical research, yet the advocates of same-sex marriage ignore anthropology, sociology, and history. Homosexual behavior has occurred throughout history, but never in the context of marriage.  Marriage has always been heterosexual, even for cultures such as Ancient Greece that allowed gay sex.

The family is the basic building block of society. Marriage creates families. The controversy about same-sex marriage is not about the proponents or the opponents. The controversy is about society. Marriage deserves to have a thorough discussion and debate, and the best sources for the discussion and the debate are anthropology, sociology, and history. Before doing something that will alter the building bloc of society, take a look at what anthropology, sociology, and history have to say about marriage and family.”

Related Articles:
Obama's vague gay marriage stance under scrutiny
http://www.charter.net/news/read.php?rip_id=%3CD9UK3DEG0%40news.ap.org%3E&ps=1011



　

Billy Graham Stands Firm in the Faith

Today an Article came out by the associated press titled: “Billy Granham backs NC anti-gay marriage amendment”. In the article the Rev. Billy Graham is urging North Carolina voters to support an amendment that will ban gay marriage in that State. One observer said this move was highly unusual but another said it was in keeping with the minister’s moral beliefs.

Graham was quoted as saying;

"Watching the moral decline of our country causes me great concern," said Graham, 93, who lives near Asheville. "I believe the home and marriage is the foundation of our society and must be protected."

Graham states "At 93, I never thought we would have to debate the definition of marriage," Billy Graham's statement continues:

"The Bible is clear — God's definition of marriage is between a man and a woman. I want to urge my fellow North Carolinians to vote for the marriage amendment" Tuesday.”

In the AP article Danny Akin, president of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary was quoted as saying, “ he's not surprised that Graham took such a strong stand on Amendment One. "I think he would see this as I do, not so much as a political issue — which it is — but a moral issue," Akin said. "He believes it's right to affirm that marriage should be understood as a covenant between a man and a woman."

The article states: “ Although Graham's last crusade was in 2005, he remains deeply influential. In April 2010, President Barack Obama made the pilgrimage to meet with Graham, continuing a tradition of counseling commanders in chief that began with Dwight Eisenhower.”

Billy Graham is one of the most recognizable figures in the world, a man who for more than 60 years has spoken in person to over 100,000 million people on 6 different continents, in 85 countries, and in all of America’s 50 states. Graham has ministered to millions around the world, has counseled Presidents and Prime Ministers, and is a leading figure in the Evangelical movement of the 20^th Century.

 

Those who Stand Firm in the Faith on biblical teaching are often attacked and ridiculed for their faith and biblical stand on homosexuality. Last year there were several stories of Christians that suffered persecution for their faith on this issue. Below is an excerpt of a story from August 2011 of a Florida School teacher that was at risk of being fired for posting his personal opinions on his own Facebook wall regarding  the New York  decision to legalize same sex unions.

One must ask … is what happened to this man’s case going too far?   Surely it is.   This man made a profession of his faith on his Facebook acct and quoted Romans 1 and what the Bible says about Homosexuality, doing so on his own personal computer at his home on his face book account, not on School district property or equipment and this man was at risk of losing his Job. (Buell was reinstated to his teaching position several days later. He was supported by teachers at the school as well as students)   These are perilous times indeed. (2 Tim. 3:1 - 5) 
Below is just an excerpt from this article:

Florida Teacher Suspended for Anti-Gay Marriage Posts on Personal Facebook Page
By Todd Starnes
Published August 19, 2011
FoxNews.com

“ A former “Teacher of the Year” in Mount Dora, Fla. has been suspended and could lose his job after he voiced his objection to gay marriage on his personal Facebook page.

Jerry Buell, a veteran American history teacher at Mount Dora High School, was removed from his teaching duties this week as school officials in Lake County investigate allegations that what he posted was biased towards homosexuals.

“We took the allegations seriously,” said Chris Patton, a communication officer with Lake County Schools. “All teachers are bound by a code of special ethics (and) this is a code ethics violation investigation.”
Patton said the school system received a complaint on Tuesday about something Buell had written last July when New York legalized same sex unions. On Wednesday, he was temporarily suspended from the classroom and reassigned.

Patton said Buell has taught in the school system for 22 years and has a spotless record. Last year, he was selected as the high school’s “Teacher of the Year.”

But now his job is on the line because of what some have called anti-gay and homophobic comments.

Buell told Fox News Radio that he was stunned by the accusations. “It was my own personal comment on my own personal time on my own personal computer in my own personal house, exercising what I believed as a social studies teacher to be my First Amendment rights,” he said.
The school system declined to comment on the specific Facebook messages that led to their investigation, but Buell provided Fox News Radio with a copy of the two Facebook messages that he said landed him in trouble.


The first was posted on July 25 at 5:43 p.m. as he was eating dinner and watching the evening news.

“I’m watching the news, eating dinner when the story about New York okaying same-sex unions came on and I almost threw up,” he wrote. “And now they showed two guys kissing after their announcement. If they want to call it a union, go ahead. But don’t insult a man and woman’s marriage by throwing it in the same cesspool of whatever. God will not be mocked. When did this sin become acceptable?”
Three minutes later, Buell posted another comment: “By the way, if one doesn’t like the most recently posted opinion based on biblical principles and God’s laws, then go ahead and unfriend me. I’ll miss you like I miss my kidney stone from 1994. And I will never accept it because God will never accept it. Romans chapter one.”

According to the school system, what Buell wrote on his private account was disturbing. They were especially concerned that gay students at the school might be frightened or intimidated walking into his classroom. Patton also disputed the notion that Buell’s Facebook account is private.
“He has (more than) 700 friends,” he said. “How private is that – really? Social media can be troubling if you don’t respect it and know that just because you think you are in a private realm – it’s not private.”

Buell’s attorney strongly disagreed and accused the school system of violating his First Amendment rights.

“The school district is being anti-straight, anti-First Amendment and anti-personal liberty,” said Horatio Mihet, an attorney with the Liberty Counsel. “The idea that public servants have to whole-heartedly endorse homosexual marriage is repugnant to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,” Mihet told Fox News Radio.


“All he did was speak out on an issue of national importance and because his comments did not fit a particular mold, he is now being investigated and could possibly lose his job. What have we come to?”
See the rest of this Article at Foxnews.com

　

_______________________________________
Billy Graham
 backs NC anti-gay marriage amendmenthttp://www.charter.net/news/read.php?rip_id=%3CD9UGS2Q02%40news.ap.org%3E&ps=1018

Billy Graham backs NC anti-gay marriage amendmenthttp://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/02/billy-graham-backs-nc-anti-gay-marriage-amendment/

Billy Graham Backs Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment In North Carolinahttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/02/billy-graham-backs-nc-ant_n_1472485.html

Phil Johnson We are in a Spritual Battle

See Video link: http://youtu.be/d57hAF6K77w

From the 2010 Shepherd's Conference; Phil Johnson gives a sermon illustrating how we are in a Spiritual War.

2 Corinthians 10:4,5
"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are talking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, "

Homosexuality Week on CARM Radio

http://carm.org/radio

CARM Radio host Matt Slick is doing a series of program for the week of March 5^th-9^th on Homosexuality.  These programs will feature guest interviews. You can hear these broadcasts online at the 2 links provided below or by going to the CARM website.  

Links for the program - listen daily at these 2 links

3-4 PM, FM http://webcast1.fiberpipe.tv/channels/ifr/kbxl-All_Rights_Reserved.wax

AM REBROADCAST 4 pm (PST) :
http://webcast1.fiberpipe.tv/channels/ifr/kspd-All_Rights_Reserved.wax

You can also find the links at the CARM Radio show page -
http://carm.org/radio

Is Oprah a Christian?

Is Oprah a Christian? Find out what she truly believes with guest James Walker on the show Christ in Prophecy. Listen to the video interview below.  This interview will help you understand what new age teaching is comparing it with Christianity.  


Understanding New Age spirituality, its unique terminologies, and underlying truth-claims is a daunting task for today's Christians. Basic familiarity with the history, practices, and philosophies of the New Age is an essential first step to reaching out to friends and family members who may be involved in the its teachings or practices. After watching the video below, please visit the Watchman Fellowship Website for further resources.

See Video at Link below:

http://youtu.be/c4EgBwY9W74

For more resources go to the Watchman Fellowship Website: www.watchman.org

Video production by Lamb & Lion Ministries P.O. Box 919 McKinney, TX 75070 

Write them on the Tablet of your Heart

The Rewards of Wisdom

My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments;

For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you.

Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.

Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.

My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD or loathe His reproof,
For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

From the New American Standard Bible
(bolding and underlining added for emphasis)  


 

Joel Osteen: Origins and Errors of His Teaching

"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 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."  2 Corinthians 11:3-4  

Joel Osteen: Origins & Errors of His Teaching   (a Film by Keith Thompson)
SEE Video at Link: http://youtu.be/Ne34FMXm2XY

 

1. What does the bible say about Judging ?

2. What does Joel Osteen Actually Teach?

3. Where do Joel Osteen’s Teachings Come From?

4. Contrasting the Biblical Gospel with Osteen’s Views

5. Examples of Osteen Distorting Scripture to Support His Views

6.. Dangers of Osteen’s Teachings

Is Joel Osteen's teachings Biblical? Are they in line with ancient church belief?  What does he teach and where do his views come from? This documentary is the most comprehensive video refutation and expose of Joel Osteen that exists.  Many are asking what's happening in the Church today.

Amazon.com

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.