Tag: false teaching

Prophetic Lyrics that tug at the heart…

IrmMa

When these songs were first released I was still piddling around with my Christian walk. Rarely, did I get into the Word. My church attendance was mediocre. I listened to many a message, but none that really penetrated my soul. The one mainstay in my Christian walk, was Christian music. The things of the world kept me busy, distracted and bound, but God in His infinite wisdom was working to draw me near to Him. There were only a handful of songs that He used to tug at my spirit. These four songs represented all that God wanted from me…my heart. He wanted me to surrender my heart, to surrender my life, so He could heal it, so He could lead me, so He could love me…like no one ever could, or ever would.

I was save back in 1982, except for a couple of country music artists all I listened to was Christian music. My thoughts were always on God, but my heart was nevertheless, far from Him. In 1995, divorce had left me alienated in many ways, yet…I felt good about my place with God. As time passed, the Lord would reveal to me how wrong I was…about the condition of my heart and my relationship with Him. Everything was perfectly timed. These songs were the prelude to what the Lord would eventually work out in my life and in my walk.

From 2004 to 2012, I went through a real dark time in my life and I had no one to turn to. It seemed my Christian friends had all but deserted me. In my dark time I found myself turning to God as never before. It’s a long story, but God did all the teaching. He took me through every closet, every crevice of my being to reveal who I was and who He wanted me to be. He used a handful of instruments, a handful of vessels.

After years of listening and singing songs about surrendering, when I listened to Rich Mullen’s “Hold Me Jesus”, for the umpteen time, the lyrics, and his reason for writing the song, I finally realized what it meant to surrender. I finally realized surrendering was not something I could do on my own. I find it so amazing how God can use a three minute song to create real transformation.  That’s God. That ‘s why it’s so vital to our walk to take in, to breath in, to consume the real truth.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 “Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Before God can truly use us, we must first learn to surrender.

Last night, I was sharing with a friend all the Lord has shown me the last few days, and one major lesson had to do with all the spiritual gibberish we learn and accept as gospel truth. We learn and accept, and expect all the goodness of God, while ignoring all the requirements that must be fulfilled, especially when it comes to prayer.  And how much of what we gather as gospel truth comes from the music we listen to?

Matthew 24:24 “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

IrmMa

This statement was posted on a Christian artist’s Facebook page…

ABOUT JOEL OSTEEN: I usually don’t comment on this stuff but I feel I need to speak up. For some reason many credible church leaders are finding the need to dissect Joel Osteen as a speaker and even his credibility as a Christian. Even going after his wife and dissecting her words by the phrase as if they’re prosecutors and she’s on a murder trial. Folks this has got to stop. Joel is one of us. He is a God ordained bridge between the mainstream world and the church and we really need to protect our bridge. He’s a pastor. He’s not an evangelist. Though he does offer prayers for salvation, he doesn’t have to in order to fulfill his call. We have to see him for everything he is instead of terrorizing him for everything he’s not. He can not say everything we want him to say. But if we keep him in place he creates a hunger in people to go to their local churches and hear “the rest of the story”. The Bible says Some are called to reap, some to water and some to sow seeds. Joel is a world class seed sower. Who, by the way, is not afraid to water and reap. So let’s back off this key representative in the mainstream world. Satan loves it when we partner with him and destroy our own leaders. God has a seed sower for every generation. Wether it’s Norman Vincent Peale or Robert Shuller or Joel Osteen. We support our troops in the military, now lets support our troops in the church. Joel Osteen is one of our finest soldiers and he needs our support. Can I hear an Amen ?

This statement is awfully disturbing. I know I said I would not comment on this mess with the Osteen’s, but it has yet to die down. I thought I would follow with this…people are defending the Osteen’s character, their ministry, their sincerity, their abilities to bring others to Christ. Where is God? Where is Jesus? People seem more concerned with the audacity of fellow Christians passing judgment on the great and mighty Osteen than on Word of God and rightly dividing the Word. And they are doing the same thing in passing judgment…

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”PicsArt_1410802722882

I am amazed at how many Christians are using the “don’t judge” card. And the real truth is this…Only God knows the heart of any man…we don’t…so if we defend a messenger of God, we better make doubly sure that the messenger is indeed sent by God. We are to know the true believers by their fruit. Well…sometimes that can be a bit tricky…if you do not read the scriptures. Without knowledge of the Word of God..without reading the Word and having God reveal it to you, a person can pretty much believe anything that sounds like truth. I mean, we humans do the same in many other areas, not just with the things of God. Some people are easily ensnared.

This is not about the Osteen’s or any other false teacher, preacher, pastor or teaching. This is about Christians…no.. this is about people desperately seeking ” …” and finding “…” fill in the blanks.

2 Corinthians 3:15-18 “But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

There seems to be a lot of conversion, but very little in the way of transformation…and all of us can recognize transformation.

2 Timothy 3 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,  persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Luke 17  “Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sin

Don’t Judge Me! Who are you to Judge Me? Christians shouldn’t judge! Better arrows from a friend, then kisses from an enemy.

IrmMa

Have you heard those comments before, or something to that effect? Just about everyone has been subjected to finger pointing at some point, especially if you are a believer. But what about when the person ordained mishandles the Word of God, especially those that draw crowds by the thousands? Those who claim to have been called by God to preach the Gospel? Do we just allow them to pervert the Word of God? We should know the people of God by their fruits, but instead we see them as in the old days of the priests. We don’t see, or call many of these lovely preachers, teachers, pastors, or prophets – false prophets. We call them anything but that, and we don’t even try to steer fellow believers away from such as these. I recall the apostle Paul calling out a couple of them. This one topic, that of false teaching, false prophets and such is always a great lesson for believers, well…for me anyway.

I ask the question again, do we cut them any slack? Well, this incident with the Osteen’s has certainly brought this question to the forefront. The incident has disturbed the slumber of some believers and nonbelievers. However, there were some believers that were watchful and now they are being criticized for criticizing the powerful and great Osteen ministry. We can expect criticism from the typical anti-God groups, that is not troubling, if anything expected, but what is troubling is that many believers, especially new believers, babes in Christ may be getting the wrong idea of what the Christian faith, believing in a living God, and the message of the cross is all about. And it’s not just her remarks that trouble me, it’s her response and that of some of their followers, many of which may be new believers.

I ask God, is there resolve in this matter, as in the case of ISIS according to the fella from DD, is it one of two choices: repent, or ignore God and suffer the consequences.  Or as believers, do we just let it slide? Knowing of course that the Lord will deal with His own. We can know with confidence that the Osteen’s will not repent, because repentance connotes wrong doing. And Osteen has pretty much admitted no wrong doing. I am surprise that she did not use scripture to support her remarks. I am confident that anyone at all concerned about this has already forgotten about it, or put it in God’s hands, which is what I would have done, but for some reason…I can’t, so I am just going to address it this last time and put it in God’s faithful hands. He alone knows the heart of every man. Praise God!

Matthew 18:6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. The bible warns repeatedly to watch out for the false prophet.

Well, the hour is at hand.

Last night I had this image in my mind. In the garden of Eden, Eve took the fruit from the tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. She handed it to Adam. Adam took the fruit and ate of it. So, here comes God, walking in the garden, calls Adam. Adam admits he is hiding because he is naked. Why, God asks Adam do you think you are naked? Well, you know the story. Eve handed Adam her belief that the fruit of the tree that God told them not to eat from was a better choice…and you know the rest of the story. God dealt with both, but let’s face it, Adam got all the blame. He went along with Eve, but not without consequences. I had to discuss this image in my brain with a friend before I completely understood what the Lord was showing me.

Why I am I even compelled to put this argument on paper, I don’t know, but God knows. Let the reader have ears to hear.

The Hour is at Hand…

In her words…

“I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God we’re not doing it for God — I mean that’s one way to look at it (That’s the only way to look at it.),” she said from the pulpit. “We’re doing it for yourself, because God takes pleasure when we’re happy. That’s the thing that gives him the greatest joy this morning … just do good for your own self. Do good because God wants you to be happy.”

With boldness, she reiterates her statement… rather than clarifying the awkwardness of the statement she had just made. This was her opportunity to acknowledge God, but instead chose to please the flesh. She might have gone into more detail with her church, or elsewhere, but no where that I found.

She added, “When you come to church when you worship him, you’re not doing it for God, really. You’re doing it for yourself, because that’s what makes God happy.”

Her defense or reasoning whichever way you want to see it… Read more →

The Voice of Truth…is Heaven for Real?

IrmMa

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A couple of years ago my two-year old grandson was sick with vomiting, fever and just feeling pretty bad. At some point, he began to look bad. His eyes were sunken in and his color was a bit off. It happens when you have stuff coming out both ends. Anyway, my daughter and I were keeping a close eye on him, believing that it was nothing more than a stomach virus. Well, it was late one evening, after about three days of illness that my daughter was in her room, sitting on her bed and just holding him. It was an ominous sight that to this day I cannot forget. My daughter, already tired herself, was holding my grandson. His little body laid almost draped over her, almost lifeless. She was worried and had called me in to check him out, not sure what to do for him. I cannot tell you the fear that came over me upon seeing his lifeless little body. I told my daughter that we had to get him to the emergency room, asap. We did not call EMS. We just got in the car and sped to the Children’s ER which was about twenty minutes away. When we got to the ER, of course they took him right back in. ER doctors immediately started running tests and such. As it turned out he had acute appendicitis and by God’s grace, we got him medical help in time. The doctors performed an emergency appendectomy and he was going to be alright. The doctors told my daughter that if we had waited any longer his appendix would have ruptured and things would have been worse. Praise God. God is so good.

So, I just finished watching the movie Heaven is for real. This movie is about a little boy that goes to heaven during emergency surgery. It’s a touching story based on real life. The reason I shared this story about my grandson is because the little boy in the movie had his appendix rupture and he nearly died. So the experience hit close to home. I don’t want to spoil the movie for those that have not seen it yet, but as I watched as the father struggled with his own faith, the mom not sure how to help, and the Christian community coming together to pray and support that also had a difficult time accepting and believing this little boy’s experience…I found myself… not questioning the validity of the boy’s experience, but just having a heck of time deciding whether to believe or not believe that God would reveal Himself through this little boy. There have always been individuals that have reported near-death experiences, some pleasant, others not so pleasant and most of us have some doubt about the validity of such experiences.

So, the little boy shares with his father his varied experiences while visiting heaven. His mother just seems to pass it off as a dream based on past experiences, and exposure to the things of God. Totally, nonspiritual, she was being a mom. Well, the movie goes on and later on, the boy shares something with mom that she knows he could not possibly know and she too begins to believe in his outrageous tale. After a while, typical… the critics come out, the supports start questioning the father’s behavior and such. In the end, everyone must make their own choice.

As I watched, I thought…how many Christian genuinely believe that Heaven is a real place and that Jesus is real and that we are not alone in this universe? How many believers can accept Jesus as a brother, father? How many Christian women would accept Jesus as their husband? Not just in a spiritual sense but like the Catholic nuns that wear a wedding band to signify their marriage to Him (I guess they still do that???).

Today, as I was skimming Yahoo news, I read that Ann B. Davis (of the Brady Bunch) died yesterday, right here in my hometown. It was reported that she had lived here, 18 years in a “Christian community”. I was like…what? She lived in San Antonio? What Christian community? I don’t know of any such here…that’s just the way it was reported.

Davis’s death and my grandson’s experience raised some questions for me. I have read of other near death experiences, but never watched any in film. This particular film struck a chord with me because of my grandson. Also, because of the mom’s nonchalant attitude at the start of it all…but more because God had a message of love and comfort to a world stricken with grieve and doubt, cynicism and just pure hate for the things of God. The little boy had a message for his mom, but also to rest of the us (I won’t spoil the movie). Reading about this “Christian community” that I knew nothing about also raised concerns about what “we” as Christians are doing to reach the lost with the love of God. Are we just sitting pretty somewhere, content in our own righteous living, unnoticed?

Well, I thought…the world wants us to believe that God, that Heaven and hell for that matter exists only in our finite minds. If we, as humans have retained anything it’s that human knowledge, unfettered, can be a dangerous thing. Not because knowledge is always a dangerous thing, but because the human chooses to believe in “survival of the fittest” as an end goal rather than on the Creator of the man and His destiny for each one of us.  You can fill in the blanks. History is filled with plenty of examples.

I just wonder, …as believers, can we distinguish the voice of truth from all the voices in our head? False teachings, false teachers, and false prophets grace our churches at every corner and people blindly enter, and our “Christian communities” sit by unnoticed. The biggest problem we face is that every church pastor, preacher, teacher, etc. believes they are preaching truth.

In this last hour…God has a message for us. How many of us are listening? Heaven is real. And if heaven is real…

I see Dead People!

IrmMa

“I see dead people.” said the little boy. The 1999 movie, The Sixth Sense, sent chills up my back when I figured out the plot to the movie…the psychologist was dead, but he did not know it. The boy did not like the fact that he could see dead people. Who could blame him?  In the movie, I don’t recall if it was some kind of special, spiritual gift that the little boy possessed that gave him the ability to see dead people, but I imagine it would be pretty creepy.

Imagine, as Christian believers, we walk among the spiritually dead all our lives and rarely do they creep us out. If anything we enjoy their company. However, the Lord said He came to separate.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Mat. 10:34-39

He was clear when he said “we were in the world, but we are not of this world.” And that we cannot separate ourselves from the world, but we are to steer clear of other “believers” who mock God with their contradictory lifestyles and we all know one or two Christians that cuss like sailors, are having an affair, or are just mean… seriously lacking in God’s love and compassion. As fellow Christians, however, we may simply pray for them, rather than confronting them about their unchristian lifestyle. No one wants to judge and no one wants to be accused of being judgmental or self-righteous.

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Consider, the Febreze commercial, the participants are blinded folded and placed in filthy rooms that are sprayed with a pleasant aroma that completely eliminates bad odors. Well, when their blindfold is removed they are grossed out by the surroundings, the mess, the filth in which they have been standing, or sitting. I would too.

These are pictures of our spiritual walk. Some of us walk among the living, but we are really dead and don’t realize it. Others are blinded to the mess surrounding them, because it smells so good…it can’t be bad. The adulterous Christian feels no remorse, no shame in his/her behavior, because it feels good. How can God be against that?

Thus, when the truth is revealed, we have no choice but to accept the truth, sadly some of us still refuse to heed. As Christians, however, we must…how does the song go…

dark skies
Only the living God can penetrate the darkness.

“…I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now I see.” We need to always be in check with the things of God. If the Lord is merciful enough to show us our true spiritual state, thank God for His love and faithfulness. God loves us and wants nothing less than for us to be right with Him. In these last days, deception is everywhere. Sure, we have always had deception, but the Lord warned us it would get worse as the time drew near. We live in the “if it feels good, just do it!” generation.

We cannot separate ourselves from the dead, as I mentioned they are always among us. However, when we gain spiritual truth, and subsequently some outside force attempts to twist that truth…we need to make sure whatever voice we choose to hear aligns with the truth of God. Test the spirits.

Be Blessed.

The Depravity of our Mind

IrmMa

Read with caution and in the name of Jesus, let the Spirit of the Lord give you understanding. This is not being presented as a judgment against these people, but as an example of the depths of depravity, even for the elect, to which man can sink.

Just a little disclaimer: This example in no way advocates for women to remain in abusive relationships, or deny the seriousness of mental illness. 

It has been over 30 years, but I know a woman who left her husband for another man, a married man, a married man that served as pastor at my church.

Before leaving her husband she had maintained an affair with my pastor for over 10 years and had two kids by him.

This same pastor beat his wife, daily, often times forcing his two boys to sit and watch. He beat his boys. He raped most women that he came into his home. He lied. He lied to his flock.

His wife dealt with his abuse for the sake of her boys. She suspected he was involved with other women, but it was a practice he continually denied.

The pastor’s wife broke down one day and left her abusive husband, and never looked back.  Regrettably, because of her mental state she had no choice but to leave her boys behind.

The woman involved in the affair, well…the pastor’s wife filed for divorce, so he married the adulterous woman. As you can imagine, the pastor did not change. He was an abusive man.

After 20 years of abuse, she too broke down one day, and walked away from her marriage. The only difference, the pastor had developed a brain disorder a few years earlier and he wound up losing much of his mobility, and his mental faculties. So, the abused, became the abuser. No, not physical abuse, but neglect. He needed a lot of personal care and many times she did not attend to his needs and often times left him alone for much of the day. And she cussed at him like a sailor.  I know because she shared during the bible studies, she taught,  that I attended.  Total disbelieve. And no matter what others said, she refused to accept anyone’s judgments. This woman, believe or not, was supposed to be best friend’s with the pastor’s wife. When the affair came to the attention of the church, the pastor’s wife warned this woman about her husband’s abuse. She refused to heed the warnings. SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Today, she is not divorced yet, but she gladly takes part of his SSI check, but in the pastor’s state of mind, he gladly gives it to her. Worse, she lives with an illegal immigrant that she claims loves her, yet she complains of his need for “women of the evening” if you get my drift. He will gladly take any money she brings in. And, when she visits the home of one of his friends (which is frequented by these woman) she has no problem associating with these sorted woman, thus she claims herself as a “classy” woman compared to them. She is tiring of him, so she says there is another man that interests her. Oh and the man, the lover, was a man that her daughter was visiting with to maintain her habit (if you get my drift).

Also, I know a 39 year old man that lives like a squatter, if not worse, because he had no place to go. He refused to humble himself and seek his wife’s forgiveness. I can’t even describe his living conditions without it hurting my very soul. His situation reminded me of the prodigal son.

The people in this story are real. The people in this story are Christian. They go to church and have and do teach bible studies.

In these last days, reading the bible will be most crucial, so as to learn how to live for Christ and not for self. Judgment will start with the house of God. God have mercy on our soul. sunrise3

How do I wrapped my head around this, I ask God. These are Christians that are living like they have no accountability, only to themselves. Where is God in all this? …
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Well, God is working. And He wants us to rest in Him. Sometimes, I find it difficult to understand how Christians can live without conscious for the things of God, but then God shows me…that is the world without God. And it is… that even with the knowledge of Jesus Christ, we as humans regress to worldly passions and desires and depravity when we choose to seek the things of the world. But if we seek God, He reveals the truth and nothing but the truth, and if we ask with a sincere heart, which God can recognize in a heartbeat, He can pull us out of our depravity and give us peace. Search me and know me Lord.

So, then what is being taught in today’s churches, I wonder? Tickling stuff, no doubt. Stayed tuned.

Does God still talk through a burning bush? Stay tuned.

Be blessed.