Kakande asked to set up church in UK
The Sunday Monitor, November 15, 2009
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/political_grapevine/Poison_rumours_scare_ministers_MPs.shtml
Ladies and Gentlemen: We reported in these pages sometime back that several politicians were jostling to meet Pastor Samuel Kakande of the Synagogue Church of All Nations. It seems the jostling has paid off for him.
Grapevine has learnt that some politicians convinced preachers from UK to help Kakande expand his healing empire to London. Upon the urging of a top government official, a delegation from Derby, UK has called on Uganda’s Pastor Kakande to set up a similar church there in order to address their countrymen and women’s social problems.
Pastor Dr Simon Peter William who led a three-man delegation to Uganda to find out how born again churches operate here, told reporters that he was amazed by the healing power he found at Pastor Kakande’s church and he offered his second house in Luton city to be converted into a church for Kakande.
Some tourists are said to have taken videotapes of Kakande’s healing miracles.
One politician is said to have told the visiting pastors that had it not been for Kakande, he wouldn’t have retained his ministerial post. We hope politicians in UK also believe in miracles to retain their jobs.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI PARTICIPATES IN OCCULT WEDDING PRESIDED OVER BY PROPHET SAMUEL KAKANDE
Translation
Kakande weds couple after slaying it in the spirit
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14988:kakande-abagole-abagasse-bebase&catid=3:ssanyu&Itemid=584
By Joseph Mutebi
Monday, 16 November 2009 16:19
Pastor Kakande of synagogue church of all Nations, Gayaza road(2 Kilometers from Kampala) wedded a couple which made marriage vows while lying on their backs. President Museveni was one of the guests who witnessed Nakimera daughter of prince Charles Mutebi Ssimbwa of Lubaga and Joshua Mangi son of Mrs. Kyakabale an NRM political mobiliser in the office of the president, make marriage vows.
Kakande first welcomed the president, then he stood in front of the bride and bride groom, looked into their faces, lifted is head and chest up and down(like a gecko), as he did this, the couple started moving back wards and then fell down(sleigh in the spirit). As they were lying on their backs he prayed for them and made them make wows on their backs.
After wedding the couple, Kakande showed president Museveni a film of his projects in Masindi which include a rice farm and maize farm. He requested the president to avail him land for agricultural purposes. Museveni appreciated the way pastor kakande pastors his sheep; Kakande not only preaches the gospel but also teaches his sheep to work hard.
He requested pastor Kakande to teach his followers how to save money and thereafter invest it wisely.
However the people residing in the neighborhood of Kakande’s church, in areas such as Gayaza, Mulago, Wandegeya, Kaleerwe and Bwaise were greatly inconvenienced by the a traffic jam(caused by this wedding) which lasted about three hours.
Original article in Luganda
Kakande abagole abagasse bebase
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14988:kakande-abagole-abagasse-bebase&catid=3:ssanyu&Itemid=584
Bya Joseph Mutebi
Monday, 16 November 2009 16:19
OMUSUMBA Samuel Kakande ow’ekkanisa ya Synagogue of All Nations Kubbiri ku lw’e Gayaza yagasse abagole nga beebase wansi batunudde waggulu.
Pulezidenti Museveni y’omu ku baabaddewo mu kugatta Rebecca Nakimera muwala w’Omulangira Charles Mutebi Ssimbwa e Lubaga ne Joshua Mangi mutabani wa Muky. Kyakabale akolera mu Ofiisi ya Pulezidenti ng’omukunzi w’ekibiina kya NRM.
Kakande eyasoose okwaniriza Pulezidenti yayimiridde abagole mu maaso nga n’atandika okukutama nga n’abagole bwe badda emabega omutwe bwe yagutunuza gye bali ne bagwa wansi era wano we yabasabidde.
Ng’amaze okugatta abagole, Kakande yalaze Pulezidenti firiimu y’ebintu by’alima e Masindi omuli kasooli n’omuceere n’amusaba amufunireyo ettaka kw’alimira.
Museveni yasiimye engeri omusumba Kakande gy’asumbamu endiga ze nga takoma ku kubuulira njiri yokka wabula n’abayigiriza n’okukola.
Yamusabye ayigirize abagobereezi be bwe batereka ensimbi n’okubako kye bazikolamu ekyamagezi.
Wabula abantu b’omu bitundu ebyettolodde ekkanisa eno okuli abava ku luguudo lwe Gayaza, Mulago, Wandegeya, Kaleerwe ne Bwaise baabonyebonye olw’entambula eyagootaanye ku nguudo zino okumala ssaawa kumpi nga ssatu nga zisibiddwa.
Museveni commends Pastor Kakande over food project
Sunday, 15th November, 2009
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/18/701277
Pastor Kakande (right) praying for Mangi and Nakimera
By Joyce Namutebi
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has commended Pastor Samuel Kakande for preaching the gospel and praying for the sick.
Museveni also lauded the pastor for starting agricultural projects, saying he was following in the footsteps of Jesus, who also preached the gospel, healed the sick and fed multitudes.
The President was speaking at the wedding ceremony of Joshua Mangi and Rebecca Nakimera at Kakande’s Synagogue Church of All Nations at Mulago on Saturday.
Mangi is the son of Joy Kyakabale, who works in the Office of the President as mobiliser, while Nakimera is the daughter of the late Prince Charles Mutebi Ssimbwa and Alice Kayiira of Rubaga.
During the service, Kakande showed a video footage of his maize and rice farm in Masindi, and another where he was praying for the sick at his church, including UPDF soldiers.
Kakande said he set up the project in Masindi after realising that most of the people who came for healing lacked jobs.
He explained that after they are healed, some of the members work at the farm, where they earn a living.
Responding to Kakande’s appeal for land, Museveni said he was looking at the possibility of either lending government land or selling it to the church for farming.
He urged Kakande to teach his followers about saving and investment.
The President also donated two cows to the couple.
Kyakabale, a member of Kakande’s church, thanked the President for caring for her son and promised to mobilise support for him in the 2011 elections.
Kakande weds couple after slaying it in the spirit
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14988:kakande-abagole-abagasse-bebase&catid=3:ssanyu&Itemid=584
By Joseph Mutebi
Monday, 16 November 2009 16:19
Pastor Kakande of synagogue church of all Nations, Gayaza road(2 Kilometers from Kampala) wedded a couple which made marriage vows while lying on their backs. President Museveni was one of the guests who witnessed Nakimera daughter of prince Charles Mutebi Ssimbwa of Lubaga and Joshua Mangi son of Mrs. Kyakabale an NRM political mobiliser in the office of the president, make marriage vows.
Kakande first welcomed the president, then he stood in front of the bride and bride groom, looked into their faces, lifted is head and chest up and down(like a gecko), as he did this, the couple started moving back wards and then fell down(sleigh in the spirit). As they were lying on their backs he prayed for them and made them make wows on their backs.
After wedding the couple, Kakande showed president Museveni a film of his projects in Masindi which include a rice farm and maize farm. He requested the president to avail him land for agricultural purposes. Museveni appreciated the way pastor kakande pastors his sheep; Kakande not only preaches the gospel but also teaches his sheep to work hard.
He requested pastor Kakande to teach his followers how to save money and thereafter invest it wisely.
However the people residing in the neighborhood of Kakande’s church, in areas such as Gayaza, Mulago, Wandegeya, Kaleerwe and Bwaise were greatly inconvenienced by the a traffic jam(caused by this wedding) which lasted about three hours.
Original article in Luganda
Kakande abagole abagasse bebase
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14988:kakande-abagole-abagasse-bebase&catid=3:ssanyu&Itemid=584
Bya Joseph Mutebi
Monday, 16 November 2009 16:19
OMUSUMBA Samuel Kakande ow’ekkanisa ya Synagogue of All Nations Kubbiri ku lw’e Gayaza yagasse abagole nga beebase wansi batunudde waggulu.
Pulezidenti Museveni y’omu ku baabaddewo mu kugatta Rebecca Nakimera muwala w’Omulangira Charles Mutebi Ssimbwa e Lubaga ne Joshua Mangi mutabani wa Muky. Kyakabale akolera mu Ofiisi ya Pulezidenti ng’omukunzi w’ekibiina kya NRM.
Kakande eyasoose okwaniriza Pulezidenti yayimiridde abagole mu maaso nga n’atandika okukutama nga n’abagole bwe badda emabega omutwe bwe yagutunuza gye bali ne bagwa wansi era wano we yabasabidde.
Ng’amaze okugatta abagole, Kakande yalaze Pulezidenti firiimu y’ebintu by’alima e Masindi omuli kasooli n’omuceere n’amusaba amufunireyo ettaka kw’alimira.
Museveni yasiimye engeri omusumba Kakande gy’asumbamu endiga ze nga takoma ku kubuulira njiri yokka wabula n’abayigiriza n’okukola.
Yamusabye ayigirize abagobereezi be bwe batereka ensimbi n’okubako kye bazikolamu ekyamagezi.
Wabula abantu b’omu bitundu ebyettolodde ekkanisa eno okuli abava ku luguudo lwe Gayaza, Mulago, Wandegeya, Kaleerwe ne Bwaise baabonyebonye olw’entambula eyagootaanye ku nguudo zino okumala ssaawa kumpi nga ssatu nga zisibiddwa.
Museveni commends Pastor Kakande over food project
Sunday, 15th November, 2009
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/18/701277
Pastor Kakande (right) praying for Mangi and Nakimera
By Joyce Namutebi
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has commended Pastor Samuel Kakande for preaching the gospel and praying for the sick.
Museveni also lauded the pastor for starting agricultural projects, saying he was following in the footsteps of Jesus, who also preached the gospel, healed the sick and fed multitudes.
The President was speaking at the wedding ceremony of Joshua Mangi and Rebecca Nakimera at Kakande’s Synagogue Church of All Nations at Mulago on Saturday.
Mangi is the son of Joy Kyakabale, who works in the Office of the President as mobiliser, while Nakimera is the daughter of the late Prince Charles Mutebi Ssimbwa and Alice Kayiira of Rubaga.
During the service, Kakande showed a video footage of his maize and rice farm in Masindi, and another where he was praying for the sick at his church, including UPDF soldiers.
Kakande said he set up the project in Masindi after realising that most of the people who came for healing lacked jobs.
He explained that after they are healed, some of the members work at the farm, where they earn a living.
Responding to Kakande’s appeal for land, Museveni said he was looking at the possibility of either lending government land or selling it to the church for farming.
He urged Kakande to teach his followers about saving and investment.
The President also donated two cows to the couple.
Kyakabale, a member of Kakande’s church, thanked the President for caring for her son and promised to mobilise support for him in the 2011 elections.
Monday, 16 November 2009
Ugandan Prosperity Occult Pastors take their antics to NBS TV : Exposing Apostle Semakula Deo and Prophet Mbuya Sebastain
"Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?" -Psalm 94:16
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.(Philippians 3: 18-19)
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them( I John 4:5)
"Ye that love the LORD, hate evil..." -Psalm 97:10
Every morning between 6:00am and 7:00am, NBS TV is awash with the antics of occult pastors. The first one to display his antics, is the so called Nabbi Jumba Sebastiann, of Deliverance power centre International,Lweza, Kitega zone , Mukono and the next is the notorious Apostle Semakula Deo, of Holy Ghost Tower of Power, Maganjo(6Km from Kampala).The antics of Prophet Mbuya include; sleighing people in the spirit by falling down, sleighing people in the spirit by jumping up and down like a monkey.
The testimonies of the followers of Mbuya show how deluded prosperity balokole have gotten. One woman thanked God because previously her 'men' were not giving her anything but now they do. Another man thanked God for giving him a phone which he picked(what a thief!!). Prophet Mbuya is very ‘wise’, he holds the microphone as people testify, and quickly removes the mike from any person who is giving a silly testimony (a testimony that exposes the occult nature of Mbuya). Like the occult T.B.Joshua of Nigeria, a woman is said to have delivered during one of Prophet Mbuya’s services.
Prophet Sebastian Mbuya’s Political Christianity
This Sunday, 15th November, 2009, Prophet Mbuya invited all people who want to contest for political offices on an NRM Ticket in 2011. He told them to come with their NRM membership cards as evidence. He argues that he is being harassed for being a Museveni supporter. All occult pastors in Uganda have learned the trick of identifying with the ruling government in order to avoid any investigation.
Prophet Sebastian Mbuya’s Acid Anointing
On 31st December, 2009 Prophet Sebastian Mbuya has organized ‘free’ prayers for his followers. In these so called deliverance prayers every one is supposed to pay 30,000Uganda shillings. While advertising these prayers on NBS TV, people are invited to come because ‘Jesus has paid’. This thief tells people to come because Jesus has paid yet everyone is supposed to pay 30,000 Uganda shillings. How will these serpents and vipers escape the damnation of hell???
Apostle Semakula Deo’s Occult necklace
Apostle Semakula Deo is one the greatest occult pastors in Kawempe region. This guy is very open, check him out on NBS with an occult inverted necklace. How can a man of God put on an occult necklace. Born again Christian zombies in Uganda do not have the slightest discernment to see an occult pastor through an occult necklace. These pastors never preach about sin, all they preach about is going to the next level, over coming witchcraft etc.
Why women are full of these occult churches!!
In Uganda women and men frequent witch doctors to solve their problems. Due to the patriarchal nature of the Ugandan society, women are so oppressed and in most of the cases they resort to witchcraft. Now, when these women get ‘born again’, they come with a shrine mentality, they want somebody to prophecy about their lives, they want to come to Jesus through a medium. Many so called born again women move from shrine church to shrine church, looking for miracles among which are bewitching their enemies (co-wives).
Do you know that some women have been raped by pastors. Some women and men have stupidly taken money to pastors to be prayed for. There is a woman who took 200 million Uganda shillings to a pastor to be prayed for. The pastor told her that she should not start constructing a storied house before bringing the money. She gave the money to the pastor who ate it instead. Many people have lost money this way. Such individuals keep quiete because they fear to be physically or spiritually killed by these occult pastors. Remember these are people coming out Catholicism and religiosity. The government is aware of these evil pastors but it has decided to protect them because they promote it politically. Flee these serpent pastors now.
You Ugandan !! Born again Christians, who has bewitched you???
I left the prosperity church where I was ministering a couple of months back. I could not stand the naivety of the pastors and ministers there. I frequently warned these guys about American apostasy, sound doctrine, and the dangers of the prosperity gospel. They thought I was a fool. What I did was to walk out of this church. The pastor has turned the church into a personal business; he hates accountability and is so greedy for money and power. Some members of this church tell me to come back and serve God. How funny!! How can you serve God with people who hold doctrines of devils?
We have churches where pastors have married over two wives but surprisingly Christians continue to flood these churches. They argue that we should take our focus from people and serve God. How can you serve God in the devils’ shrine?? These Christians are as hypocritical as their pastors. They know that the Lord Jesus Christ has never saved their pastor from his/her sin, but enjoy the prosperity lies of their pastors. They enjoy a pastor who does not confront them of their sin. They even join their pastor to fight the sin and discernment preachers. It is better to stay at home while you patiently look for true born again Christians than to stay in the territory of these venomous pastors’ serpents. The days are very evil indeed and therefore I urge you to walk circumspectly not as fools. AMEN
SEE, related stories
Suspected Cult members held
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910010169.html
The new Vision, 30th September, 2009
Herbert Ssempogo,
Kampala — THE Police in Mukono are holding 14 people, among them two security personnel and a pastor, Sebastian Mbuya, suspected to be cult members.
Following a tip, the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) personnel on Sunday stormed the Deliverance Power Centre and picked the suspects. They were led to the RRU head office in Kireka, a Kampala suburb, where they were still being held by yesterday morning.
The Police said Mbuya was duping the congregation into believing that he had special powers, was extorting them and was child sacrifice. Mbuya also claimed to help barren women have children.
The activities of the church are being investigated by the C ID and the suspects are due for interrogation. The two security personnel were only identified as a police woman and a UPDF soldier.
Meanwhile, a centre official, Pastor Madinah Kagoye, recorded a statement in which she denied any wrongdoing. Along with other church members, she demanded the release of the suspects.
In a related incident, the Police in Luweero recently arrested over five people, who allegedly belonged to a cult whose members do not eat cooked food.
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.(Philippians 3: 18-19)
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them( I John 4:5)
"Ye that love the LORD, hate evil..." -Psalm 97:10
Every morning between 6:00am and 7:00am, NBS TV is awash with the antics of occult pastors. The first one to display his antics, is the so called Nabbi Jumba Sebastiann, of Deliverance power centre International,Lweza, Kitega zone , Mukono and the next is the notorious Apostle Semakula Deo, of Holy Ghost Tower of Power, Maganjo(6Km from Kampala).The antics of Prophet Mbuya include; sleighing people in the spirit by falling down, sleighing people in the spirit by jumping up and down like a monkey.
The testimonies of the followers of Mbuya show how deluded prosperity balokole have gotten. One woman thanked God because previously her 'men' were not giving her anything but now they do. Another man thanked God for giving him a phone which he picked(what a thief!!). Prophet Mbuya is very ‘wise’, he holds the microphone as people testify, and quickly removes the mike from any person who is giving a silly testimony (a testimony that exposes the occult nature of Mbuya). Like the occult T.B.Joshua of Nigeria, a woman is said to have delivered during one of Prophet Mbuya’s services.
Prophet Sebastian Mbuya’s Political Christianity
This Sunday, 15th November, 2009, Prophet Mbuya invited all people who want to contest for political offices on an NRM Ticket in 2011. He told them to come with their NRM membership cards as evidence. He argues that he is being harassed for being a Museveni supporter. All occult pastors in Uganda have learned the trick of identifying with the ruling government in order to avoid any investigation.
Prophet Sebastian Mbuya’s Acid Anointing
On 31st December, 2009 Prophet Sebastian Mbuya has organized ‘free’ prayers for his followers. In these so called deliverance prayers every one is supposed to pay 30,000Uganda shillings. While advertising these prayers on NBS TV, people are invited to come because ‘Jesus has paid’. This thief tells people to come because Jesus has paid yet everyone is supposed to pay 30,000 Uganda shillings. How will these serpents and vipers escape the damnation of hell???
Apostle Semakula Deo’s Occult necklace
Apostle Semakula Deo is one the greatest occult pastors in Kawempe region. This guy is very open, check him out on NBS with an occult inverted necklace. How can a man of God put on an occult necklace. Born again Christian zombies in Uganda do not have the slightest discernment to see an occult pastor through an occult necklace. These pastors never preach about sin, all they preach about is going to the next level, over coming witchcraft etc.
Why women are full of these occult churches!!
In Uganda women and men frequent witch doctors to solve their problems. Due to the patriarchal nature of the Ugandan society, women are so oppressed and in most of the cases they resort to witchcraft. Now, when these women get ‘born again’, they come with a shrine mentality, they want somebody to prophecy about their lives, they want to come to Jesus through a medium. Many so called born again women move from shrine church to shrine church, looking for miracles among which are bewitching their enemies (co-wives).
Do you know that some women have been raped by pastors. Some women and men have stupidly taken money to pastors to be prayed for. There is a woman who took 200 million Uganda shillings to a pastor to be prayed for. The pastor told her that she should not start constructing a storied house before bringing the money. She gave the money to the pastor who ate it instead. Many people have lost money this way. Such individuals keep quiete because they fear to be physically or spiritually killed by these occult pastors. Remember these are people coming out Catholicism and religiosity. The government is aware of these evil pastors but it has decided to protect them because they promote it politically. Flee these serpent pastors now.
You Ugandan !! Born again Christians, who has bewitched you???
I left the prosperity church where I was ministering a couple of months back. I could not stand the naivety of the pastors and ministers there. I frequently warned these guys about American apostasy, sound doctrine, and the dangers of the prosperity gospel. They thought I was a fool. What I did was to walk out of this church. The pastor has turned the church into a personal business; he hates accountability and is so greedy for money and power. Some members of this church tell me to come back and serve God. How funny!! How can you serve God with people who hold doctrines of devils?
We have churches where pastors have married over two wives but surprisingly Christians continue to flood these churches. They argue that we should take our focus from people and serve God. How can you serve God in the devils’ shrine?? These Christians are as hypocritical as their pastors. They know that the Lord Jesus Christ has never saved their pastor from his/her sin, but enjoy the prosperity lies of their pastors. They enjoy a pastor who does not confront them of their sin. They even join their pastor to fight the sin and discernment preachers. It is better to stay at home while you patiently look for true born again Christians than to stay in the territory of these venomous pastors’ serpents. The days are very evil indeed and therefore I urge you to walk circumspectly not as fools. AMEN
SEE, related stories
Suspected Cult members held
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910010169.html
The new Vision, 30th September, 2009
Herbert Ssempogo,
Kampala — THE Police in Mukono are holding 14 people, among them two security personnel and a pastor, Sebastian Mbuya, suspected to be cult members.
Following a tip, the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) personnel on Sunday stormed the Deliverance Power Centre and picked the suspects. They were led to the RRU head office in Kireka, a Kampala suburb, where they were still being held by yesterday morning.
The Police said Mbuya was duping the congregation into believing that he had special powers, was extorting them and was child sacrifice. Mbuya also claimed to help barren women have children.
The activities of the church are being investigated by the C ID and the suspects are due for interrogation. The two security personnel were only identified as a police woman and a UPDF soldier.
Meanwhile, a centre official, Pastor Madinah Kagoye, recorded a statement in which she denied any wrongdoing. Along with other church members, she demanded the release of the suspects.
In a related incident, the Police in Luweero recently arrested over five people, who allegedly belonged to a cult whose members do not eat cooked food.
Anglicans to Pope - We're Staying Put
Anglicans to Pope - We're Staying Put
The Monitor, 12 November 2009
http://allafrica.com/stories/200911120836.html
Tabu Butagira,
Kampala — Anglicans in Uganda yesterday rallied behind conservative colleagues around the world to reject an open-ended invite to them by Pope Benedict XIV to embrace the Catholic faith.
"We are convinced that this is not the time to abandon the Anglican Communion," Mr Peter Abuja, the chairman of the Global Anglican Future (Gafcon), said in a Tuesday statement that Church of Uganda (CoU) endorsed.
Yesterday, Ms Amanda Onapito, CoU's newly-promoted communications director, said they "fully subscribe to Gafcon and all its views".
Uganda last year teamed with other conformist churches representing some 30 million Anglicans around the world to found Gafcon at a symposium in Jerusalem as a parallel forum to profess strict adherence to the scriptures.
The conservatives are angry over mainstream Anglican church's tolerance - some say acceptance - of openly gay bishops, especially in the US, Canada and Australia.
Gay factor
Anglicans have also been struggling for unity under their spiritual head Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, over issues such as allowing women become bishops and alleged digression from biblical teaching by liberals.
On October 20, Cardinal William Levada, the prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, announced the 'Apostolic Constitution' which enables followers not at peace in the Anglican Communion to convert to Catholicism without pre-condition.
The Vatican, in the surprise offer, said converts would, however, "preserve elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony."
The Gafcon position that Uganda solidly endorses, suggests the Vatican's "unprecedented" offer, whereas "gracious", appears calculated to exploit divisions among Anglicans over homosexuality. The remedy, they said, is to end the "shameful" digressions from the cardinal biblical teachings, not re-bounding to the Catholic Church that Anglicans abandoned during the 16th century Reformation over theological issues and the primacy of the Pope.
"The failure to fully address the abandonment of biblical faith and practice by The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada has now brought shame to the name of Christ and seriously impedes the cause of the Gospel," Tuesday's statement reads in part.
Grave indictment
The leaders of the 30 million strong Gafcon said the Vatican invite represented a grave indictment of the "Instruments of the [Anglican] Communion" but they "remain proud inheritors of the Anglican Reformation".
Last year's divisions basically over gays forced some orthodox parishes/dioceses in the US and Australia to break away and form their own churches or partner with selected Anglican churches, Church of Uganda inclusive, seen to uphold conservative religious values.
Vatican's surprise offer that could potentially witness married but willing Anglican clerics join robed ranks in the Catholic Church has ignited lively debate on whether ground was being prepared to let hitherto celibate Catholic priests marry like the converts.
It is this possibility that is unsettling Anglican leaders that the proposed cross-denominational shift, rather than promote unity, would stoke tension over raid on its congregation.
The Monitor, 12 November 2009
http://allafrica.com/stories/200911120836.html
Tabu Butagira,
Kampala — Anglicans in Uganda yesterday rallied behind conservative colleagues around the world to reject an open-ended invite to them by Pope Benedict XIV to embrace the Catholic faith.
"We are convinced that this is not the time to abandon the Anglican Communion," Mr Peter Abuja, the chairman of the Global Anglican Future (Gafcon), said in a Tuesday statement that Church of Uganda (CoU) endorsed.
Yesterday, Ms Amanda Onapito, CoU's newly-promoted communications director, said they "fully subscribe to Gafcon and all its views".
Uganda last year teamed with other conformist churches representing some 30 million Anglicans around the world to found Gafcon at a symposium in Jerusalem as a parallel forum to profess strict adherence to the scriptures.
The conservatives are angry over mainstream Anglican church's tolerance - some say acceptance - of openly gay bishops, especially in the US, Canada and Australia.
Gay factor
Anglicans have also been struggling for unity under their spiritual head Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, over issues such as allowing women become bishops and alleged digression from biblical teaching by liberals.
On October 20, Cardinal William Levada, the prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, announced the 'Apostolic Constitution' which enables followers not at peace in the Anglican Communion to convert to Catholicism without pre-condition.
The Vatican, in the surprise offer, said converts would, however, "preserve elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony."
The Gafcon position that Uganda solidly endorses, suggests the Vatican's "unprecedented" offer, whereas "gracious", appears calculated to exploit divisions among Anglicans over homosexuality. The remedy, they said, is to end the "shameful" digressions from the cardinal biblical teachings, not re-bounding to the Catholic Church that Anglicans abandoned during the 16th century Reformation over theological issues and the primacy of the Pope.
"The failure to fully address the abandonment of biblical faith and practice by The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada has now brought shame to the name of Christ and seriously impedes the cause of the Gospel," Tuesday's statement reads in part.
Grave indictment
The leaders of the 30 million strong Gafcon said the Vatican invite represented a grave indictment of the "Instruments of the [Anglican] Communion" but they "remain proud inheritors of the Anglican Reformation".
Last year's divisions basically over gays forced some orthodox parishes/dioceses in the US and Australia to break away and form their own churches or partner with selected Anglican churches, Church of Uganda inclusive, seen to uphold conservative religious values.
Vatican's surprise offer that could potentially witness married but willing Anglican clerics join robed ranks in the Catholic Church has ignited lively debate on whether ground was being prepared to let hitherto celibate Catholic priests marry like the converts.
It is this possibility that is unsettling Anglican leaders that the proposed cross-denominational shift, rather than promote unity, would stoke tension over raid on its congregation.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
The Temptations of a Man Pleasing Gospel in These Last Days
The Temptations of a Man Pleasing Gospel in These Last Days
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/discernment/388-the-temptations-of-a-man-pleasing-gospel-in-these-last-days.html
Kato Mivule | November 9, 2009
As global society converges towards a single global economic, political, and religious system, those who preach and labor in God’s Word are finding themselves increasingly at odds with Christians who are falling prey to Global Relativism.
Increasingly as I noted in my article last week (Receiving God’s Word with Humility in These Last Days), many preachers are caught up in the game of ‘diplomacy’ and so-called ‘tact’ as they try to convey God’s Truth in ways that they claim are ‘none offensive’ to their listeners. In doing so, many have watered down God’s Truth and the Devil has used the opportunity to not only dilute the Truth in God’s Word but also inject deception.
Many preachers think that they need to help The Lord with dexterity and diplomacy so as to ‘win over’ those who would otherwise be offended. The Lord’s Word is seen as too radical and too offensive by such preachers.
This, however, does not mean that we should not preach or teach God’s Word in Love, we must and but we cannot engage in adding or removing Truth we deem offensive in order to please our listeners in the name of Love. This does not mean that we ‘force the Gospel’ on people, nor are we called to use any means of violence, intimidation, hate, or vengeance in our communication of the gospel.
However, if we are going to preach the Gospel, then we had better communicate the whole truth and not conceal Truth in as to appease our listeners. We cannot separate God’s Truth in His Word from His Love and His Love from His Truth.
The temptation to use tact and diplomacy in preaching the gospel often leads to compromise and deception. Often many equate tact and diplomacy as love while they preach the gospel. There is nothing wrong to employ tact and diplomacy in conveying truth, however, many preachers and pastors today often use tact and diplomacy not to convey truth but instead to win over converts – it turns out to be a numbers game and appeasing people to gain large crowds.
The end result is that the convert who was won over has to be ‘maintained’ in the church pew through ‘tact’ and ‘diplomacy’. The day the pastor stands to preach truth openly, then the offensive truth that was held back by the pastor drives away the believers, and as such a drop in the congregation numbers. This reminds me of an African proverb that ‘Riches gained through lies are maintained by lies until the day they speak truth….’
Jesus Christ had to deal with this issue when He made bread for the Jews and a large crowd came following Him not for His message but for Bread and Miracles. When Jesus Christ begun to teach hard Truth, the crowd was offended and walked away except for his core disciples who chose to stay…
John 6:24-27
(24) When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
(25) And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
(26) Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
(27) Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
John 6:31-35
(31) Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
(32) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
(33) For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
(34) Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
(35) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 6:51-57
(51) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
(52) The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
(53) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
(54) Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
(55) For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
(56) He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
(57) As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
John 6:60-68
(60) Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?
(61) When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
(62) What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
(63) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
(64) But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
(65) And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
(66) From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
(67) Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
(68) Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Paul the apostle wrote to the Thessalonians Christians about his stance when it came to preaching the Word of Truth in Jesus Christ. Paul the apostle was not at anytime going to preach the gospel with motives to please man but rather he was to please The Lord. This does not mean that he did not love the people to listened to him preach; he did, and so much that he was unwilling at anytime to conceal truth from his listeners regardless if it was ‘offensive’. Of course the context and perspective is love but love in Christ Jesus does not conceal truth but conveys truth.
Yet there are a number of lessons to learn from Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians, especially Chapter 2 that deals with his conduct in preaching the Gospel. I believe that these are areas that we must all watch out for in our lives as we labor in preaching the gospel, that we do not allow the devil to slowly use snatch away the Truth of God’s Word in our lives.
2 Timothy 1:11-13
(11) Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
(12) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
(13) Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Preaching The Gospel not in Timidity…
1 Thessalonians 2:1-2
(1) For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
(2) But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
Paul and his team were bold in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were not ashamed of the gospel as they did preach the gospel in an era when persecuting and killing Christians was wide spread in the Roman Empire. This does not mean that they were arrogant, cocky, and or boastful but rather in Humility spoke with boldness the Truth without not as pleasing man but pleasing God and were willing to suffer the consequences.
Yet this is one area we must all watch out for in these last days as Relativism becomes the norm and Absolute Truth is cast out of churches. The falsehood of tact and diplomacy is that you are often trying to win over the other party at all costs – you are trying to please the other party. Yet Jesus Christ commands us to call all men to Repentance. We are commanded to preach The Gospel of Repentance from sin to All men.
Preaching The Gospel not in Deceit…
1 Thessalonians 2:3
(3) For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
As Christians engage in preaching the gospel through tact and diplomacy, truth is hidden and concealed so as to please the other party and not offend then in the process. As this method of preaching the gospel is repeated over and over again, it becomes normal to preach an incomplete gospel and the end result is a distorted gospel – a deceptive gospel.
I remember in Uganda, Street Preachers used to preach a gospel of repentance on streets but then as the Prosperity Gospel invaded churches, Street Preachers resorted to preaching a gospel saying that “come to Jesus Christ, He will give you everything”… The trouble was that once the new converts got to Church and started to walk a Christian life, they realized that coming to Jesus Christ did not mean “getting everything”…some of these converts backslide…
Yet still the most important point that Paul stresses in the verse above is that the Truth of God’s word be preached in season and out of season. If you are going to preach the Gospel, then preach the Truth and Preach and Teach Sound Bible Doctrine. Paul did not go about preaching falsehoods and fabrications but rather He preached scripture and Sound Bible Doctrine.
The question then is are you preaching the Truth of the Gospel, are the sermons you preach biblical or do they contradict scripture? Are you concealing Truth simply to win over large numbers of converts and to please men? But yet sill Paul speaks of uncleanness and guile which have to do with evil motives, cunningness, cleverness, astuteness, and ingenuity.
The trouble with Preaching a Gospel of using Tact and Diplomacy is that masses get to listen to you, then to keep the masses and large crowds, one has to device means to conceal Truth, then money comes into the mix and the large crowds give lots of money to sustain the ‘man pleasing’ preacher – a teacher who teaches things that they love to hear. The end result is compromise and sin. Brethren, in this age of Relativism, let us watch out.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
(3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
(4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Preaching the Gospel not to Please Men…
1Thessalonians 2:4
(4) But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
Paul mentions to the Thessalonian Christians that The Lord had entrusted him to preach the gospel not as to please man but God who tests our hearts. The mandate to preach the pure gospel was not only entrusted to Paul who is now long gone but to every Christian, that we proclaim the Truth not as pleasing men but God. Yet the Tact and Diplomacy methodology of preaching the gospel will always run into the arena of pleasing the other party and avoiding all forms of messages and truth considered offensive to the other party.
Paul’s proclamation in this verse was not to sound arrogant and boastful but he was avoiding the pitfalls that come with so-called tact and diplomacy in that diplomacy can be very manipulative. Diplomacy can be used by the powerful to gain advantage of the weak by employing trickery to convince and control opponents and thus deny them a chance to respond.
Yet the Gospel we preach is one that gives all men a choice to either believe in Jesus Christ and Repent or refuse and reject The Grace of God in Jesus Christ. Therefore Paul the apostle was not going to preach a gospel that pleased man but rather he was to preach a gospel that called all men to take full responsibility of their spiritual lives and Choose to Follow Jesus Christ or not; preaching the gospel that pleases men denies then that choice.
Galatians 1:8-10
(8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
(9) As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
(10) For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
Preaching the Gospel not in Flattery and Greed…
1Thessalonians 2:5
(5) For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness:
Of course one of the side offshoots of preaching the gospel through tact and diplomacy is that flattery becomes part of the mix. Often preachers and pastors begin by sweet talking their listeners and in the process Truth is cast aside.
The Listeners who don’t want anything to do with truth will maintain the preacher and will endeavor to keep the preacher paid well. The preacher then becomes a slave to the listeners who hate truth but gather to themselves preachers who teach things itching to their ears. This is the whole essence of the Prosperity Gospel for example; both the preacher and the listener in such settings are co-dependent.
The Listeners uses money, power, and popularity to keep the covetous and greedy preacher in check…the greedy preacher likewise uses a gospel of flattery and sweet talking to keep the large audience. It is in this setting that many popular New York Times Best Selling so-called Christians Books fall today…they are books that conceal Truth and use flattery to sell. Most of such books are always about ‘Self and You’ – sweet talking listeners and readers to perdition.
Flattery always goes along with Greed in Christendom. Show me a Preacher of Prosperity Gospel and I will show you Flattery. Show me a Flattering Preacher, and I will show you greed and covetousness.
Preaching the Gospel not as to Burden the People…
1Thessalonians 2:6
(6) Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
Paul gives an antidote to the Gospel of Greed and Flattery, and that is that the preachers of the gospel must be willing to work with their own hands. Paul and his team did not want to become a burden to any of the Christians but rather sought to be a blessing. There is nothing wrong with work and preachers of the gospel in these last days must embrace hard work.
Paul made Tents that he sold off and was able to preach the gospel and even help support those on his team. I know some American Pastors have so much given themselves to the concept of “Full Time Minister” that they wait for the offerings in the basket. This alone often leads to various temptations like publishing Best Selling Books that often are filled with no substance of gospel truth but flattery. Yet for one to publish a New York Best Selling Book, one has to dilute Truth and offer notions that people love to hear – notions that will sell.
Yet this does not mean that the saints did not support Paul and his Team on their mission trips, they did and it was and is a very noble thing to do. However, looking to such offerings for a living is not wise and will often lead true preachers to ‘improvise’ ways to increase such offertory – and one of such ways is through preaching a gospel of flattery.
Secondly, if a preacher will work and support themselves financially then they cut off the temptation to use flatter in preaching the Gospel and will speak the Truth boldly and with no fear that they are controlled by the crowd of listeners who hate listening to truth but simply seek teachers of their like.
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/discernment/388-the-temptations-of-a-man-pleasing-gospel-in-these-last-days.html
Kato Mivule | November 9, 2009
As global society converges towards a single global economic, political, and religious system, those who preach and labor in God’s Word are finding themselves increasingly at odds with Christians who are falling prey to Global Relativism.
Increasingly as I noted in my article last week (Receiving God’s Word with Humility in These Last Days), many preachers are caught up in the game of ‘diplomacy’ and so-called ‘tact’ as they try to convey God’s Truth in ways that they claim are ‘none offensive’ to their listeners. In doing so, many have watered down God’s Truth and the Devil has used the opportunity to not only dilute the Truth in God’s Word but also inject deception.
Many preachers think that they need to help The Lord with dexterity and diplomacy so as to ‘win over’ those who would otherwise be offended. The Lord’s Word is seen as too radical and too offensive by such preachers.
This, however, does not mean that we should not preach or teach God’s Word in Love, we must and but we cannot engage in adding or removing Truth we deem offensive in order to please our listeners in the name of Love. This does not mean that we ‘force the Gospel’ on people, nor are we called to use any means of violence, intimidation, hate, or vengeance in our communication of the gospel.
However, if we are going to preach the Gospel, then we had better communicate the whole truth and not conceal Truth in as to appease our listeners. We cannot separate God’s Truth in His Word from His Love and His Love from His Truth.
The temptation to use tact and diplomacy in preaching the gospel often leads to compromise and deception. Often many equate tact and diplomacy as love while they preach the gospel. There is nothing wrong to employ tact and diplomacy in conveying truth, however, many preachers and pastors today often use tact and diplomacy not to convey truth but instead to win over converts – it turns out to be a numbers game and appeasing people to gain large crowds.
The end result is that the convert who was won over has to be ‘maintained’ in the church pew through ‘tact’ and ‘diplomacy’. The day the pastor stands to preach truth openly, then the offensive truth that was held back by the pastor drives away the believers, and as such a drop in the congregation numbers. This reminds me of an African proverb that ‘Riches gained through lies are maintained by lies until the day they speak truth….’
Jesus Christ had to deal with this issue when He made bread for the Jews and a large crowd came following Him not for His message but for Bread and Miracles. When Jesus Christ begun to teach hard Truth, the crowd was offended and walked away except for his core disciples who chose to stay…
John 6:24-27
(24) When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
(25) And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
(26) Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
(27) Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
John 6:31-35
(31) Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
(32) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
(33) For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
(34) Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
(35) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 6:51-57
(51) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
(52) The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
(53) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
(54) Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
(55) For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
(56) He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
(57) As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
John 6:60-68
(60) Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?
(61) When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
(62) What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
(63) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
(64) But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
(65) And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
(66) From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
(67) Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
(68) Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Paul the apostle wrote to the Thessalonians Christians about his stance when it came to preaching the Word of Truth in Jesus Christ. Paul the apostle was not at anytime going to preach the gospel with motives to please man but rather he was to please The Lord. This does not mean that he did not love the people to listened to him preach; he did, and so much that he was unwilling at anytime to conceal truth from his listeners regardless if it was ‘offensive’. Of course the context and perspective is love but love in Christ Jesus does not conceal truth but conveys truth.
Yet there are a number of lessons to learn from Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians, especially Chapter 2 that deals with his conduct in preaching the Gospel. I believe that these are areas that we must all watch out for in our lives as we labor in preaching the gospel, that we do not allow the devil to slowly use snatch away the Truth of God’s Word in our lives.
2 Timothy 1:11-13
(11) Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
(12) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
(13) Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Preaching The Gospel not in Timidity…
1 Thessalonians 2:1-2
(1) For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
(2) But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
Paul and his team were bold in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were not ashamed of the gospel as they did preach the gospel in an era when persecuting and killing Christians was wide spread in the Roman Empire. This does not mean that they were arrogant, cocky, and or boastful but rather in Humility spoke with boldness the Truth without not as pleasing man but pleasing God and were willing to suffer the consequences.
Yet this is one area we must all watch out for in these last days as Relativism becomes the norm and Absolute Truth is cast out of churches. The falsehood of tact and diplomacy is that you are often trying to win over the other party at all costs – you are trying to please the other party. Yet Jesus Christ commands us to call all men to Repentance. We are commanded to preach The Gospel of Repentance from sin to All men.
Preaching The Gospel not in Deceit…
1 Thessalonians 2:3
(3) For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
As Christians engage in preaching the gospel through tact and diplomacy, truth is hidden and concealed so as to please the other party and not offend then in the process. As this method of preaching the gospel is repeated over and over again, it becomes normal to preach an incomplete gospel and the end result is a distorted gospel – a deceptive gospel.
I remember in Uganda, Street Preachers used to preach a gospel of repentance on streets but then as the Prosperity Gospel invaded churches, Street Preachers resorted to preaching a gospel saying that “come to Jesus Christ, He will give you everything”… The trouble was that once the new converts got to Church and started to walk a Christian life, they realized that coming to Jesus Christ did not mean “getting everything”…some of these converts backslide…
Yet still the most important point that Paul stresses in the verse above is that the Truth of God’s word be preached in season and out of season. If you are going to preach the Gospel, then preach the Truth and Preach and Teach Sound Bible Doctrine. Paul did not go about preaching falsehoods and fabrications but rather He preached scripture and Sound Bible Doctrine.
The question then is are you preaching the Truth of the Gospel, are the sermons you preach biblical or do they contradict scripture? Are you concealing Truth simply to win over large numbers of converts and to please men? But yet sill Paul speaks of uncleanness and guile which have to do with evil motives, cunningness, cleverness, astuteness, and ingenuity.
The trouble with Preaching a Gospel of using Tact and Diplomacy is that masses get to listen to you, then to keep the masses and large crowds, one has to device means to conceal Truth, then money comes into the mix and the large crowds give lots of money to sustain the ‘man pleasing’ preacher – a teacher who teaches things that they love to hear. The end result is compromise and sin. Brethren, in this age of Relativism, let us watch out.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
(3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
(4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Preaching the Gospel not to Please Men…
1Thessalonians 2:4
(4) But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
Paul mentions to the Thessalonian Christians that The Lord had entrusted him to preach the gospel not as to please man but God who tests our hearts. The mandate to preach the pure gospel was not only entrusted to Paul who is now long gone but to every Christian, that we proclaim the Truth not as pleasing men but God. Yet the Tact and Diplomacy methodology of preaching the gospel will always run into the arena of pleasing the other party and avoiding all forms of messages and truth considered offensive to the other party.
Paul’s proclamation in this verse was not to sound arrogant and boastful but he was avoiding the pitfalls that come with so-called tact and diplomacy in that diplomacy can be very manipulative. Diplomacy can be used by the powerful to gain advantage of the weak by employing trickery to convince and control opponents and thus deny them a chance to respond.
Yet the Gospel we preach is one that gives all men a choice to either believe in Jesus Christ and Repent or refuse and reject The Grace of God in Jesus Christ. Therefore Paul the apostle was not going to preach a gospel that pleased man but rather he was to preach a gospel that called all men to take full responsibility of their spiritual lives and Choose to Follow Jesus Christ or not; preaching the gospel that pleases men denies then that choice.
Galatians 1:8-10
(8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
(9) As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
(10) For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
Preaching the Gospel not in Flattery and Greed…
1Thessalonians 2:5
(5) For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness:
Of course one of the side offshoots of preaching the gospel through tact and diplomacy is that flattery becomes part of the mix. Often preachers and pastors begin by sweet talking their listeners and in the process Truth is cast aside.
The Listeners who don’t want anything to do with truth will maintain the preacher and will endeavor to keep the preacher paid well. The preacher then becomes a slave to the listeners who hate truth but gather to themselves preachers who teach things itching to their ears. This is the whole essence of the Prosperity Gospel for example; both the preacher and the listener in such settings are co-dependent.
The Listeners uses money, power, and popularity to keep the covetous and greedy preacher in check…the greedy preacher likewise uses a gospel of flattery and sweet talking to keep the large audience. It is in this setting that many popular New York Times Best Selling so-called Christians Books fall today…they are books that conceal Truth and use flattery to sell. Most of such books are always about ‘Self and You’ – sweet talking listeners and readers to perdition.
Flattery always goes along with Greed in Christendom. Show me a Preacher of Prosperity Gospel and I will show you Flattery. Show me a Flattering Preacher, and I will show you greed and covetousness.
Preaching the Gospel not as to Burden the People…
1Thessalonians 2:6
(6) Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
Paul gives an antidote to the Gospel of Greed and Flattery, and that is that the preachers of the gospel must be willing to work with their own hands. Paul and his team did not want to become a burden to any of the Christians but rather sought to be a blessing. There is nothing wrong with work and preachers of the gospel in these last days must embrace hard work.
Paul made Tents that he sold off and was able to preach the gospel and even help support those on his team. I know some American Pastors have so much given themselves to the concept of “Full Time Minister” that they wait for the offerings in the basket. This alone often leads to various temptations like publishing Best Selling Books that often are filled with no substance of gospel truth but flattery. Yet for one to publish a New York Best Selling Book, one has to dilute Truth and offer notions that people love to hear – notions that will sell.
Yet this does not mean that the saints did not support Paul and his Team on their mission trips, they did and it was and is a very noble thing to do. However, looking to such offerings for a living is not wise and will often lead true preachers to ‘improvise’ ways to increase such offertory – and one of such ways is through preaching a gospel of flattery.
Secondly, if a preacher will work and support themselves financially then they cut off the temptation to use flatter in preaching the Gospel and will speak the Truth boldly and with no fear that they are controlled by the crowd of listeners who hate listening to truth but simply seek teachers of their like.
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
Thoughts on TBN Politicking
Thoughts on TBN Politicking
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/385-thoughts-on-tbn-politicking.html
Arthur Owiti | November 9, 2009
Has this network tried its sticky fingers in politics, both world and sticky African politics? Is it set up for grand confusion of the masses? A look at TBN’S activities in Africa and the world show how it gets involved in the affairs of those countries. Like any colonial tool, TBN has helped to sanctify American hegemony in the world and license love of the world with scriptures in a subtle way.A few examples would do to solidify this fact.
TBN in Kenya
A few years ago, TBN invited one Evangelical kingpin, Pastor Pius Muiru of Maximum Miracle church to fill them with the lies of how Kenya is becoming Evangelical (apostate) because of TBN. This pastor was interviewed by Paul and Jan Crouch and it was aired on Kenya’s TBN channel.
Later during the elections of 2007, the same Pastor declared that God had told him to run for Presidency. It at first sounded like a joke but it later looked serious. However he was rejected by many rural Christians and after his big failure some left his churches the others excused him for ‘mishearing’.
As one connects the dots could this Pastor hoped to use his clout to get political power? His actions prove so .Yet TBN would have gained if he won the election on the claim hat Evangelical Kenya is blessed with a Christian President who was propped by TBN.TBN needs to know that it partook of the evil deeds of this Pastor’s Political Christianity
TBN in Uganda
TBN employed the services of Pastor Kayanja of the sodomy charges in some of their programming. His however was of great clout as he claimed that his international political prophecies had come to pass. I used to wonder how he prophesied about other nations but Uganda is home country?
Not until the 2006 elections where he ‘prophesied’ a 61% win for one candidate who happened to have opened his church…. Politics and faith mix similar to that of Pastor Muiru and TBN still partook of his evil deeds of Political Christianity.
TBN and the US Army and International Politics
After being exposed for allowing TBN to travel with their troops( as do all other American broadcasters ) ,a bible burning session was shown on TV to beat out the fact that there are many Evangelicals in the army who actually know that they are fighting for God against the enemies of God ,Israel and America.
Moreover TBN has had easy access in China with the Chinese government welcoming them with open arms, yet true Christian ministers cannot even dish out bibles in China to other Chinese Christians. TBN thus claims that China is opening up because of the partners prayers and financial giving yet it is because of political convenience and political dealings when Christian harassment goes on unabated. TBN partakes the deeds of the Chinese government as it carries the name of the Lord in vain.
TBN and UN
TBN recently showed off their connections with UN as they showed a session of TBN praying for peace and prosperity in the world. It was guised in the belief that they were at UN to join with the Christians who work there. The fact is that none gets such access to UN unless they have strong ties of associations. Another seen of partaking in the deeds of the UN. Proof of TBN AGREEING WITH New world order and Global hegemony masterminds.
Politics and the Media
For the elite to control and distract the masses they employ the media because of its massive appeal and reach to the masses. The Media is an educator and is a very powerful tool for change-good or bad. This is why the Internet, TV, Radio and newsprint are sources of knowledge.
That being the case the rulers of this world are concerned about what the media is giving the people. This why media laws are always being reformed worldwide.
So crucial is knowledge that the Internet is bound and is already under control of the rich rulers. Some sites have restricted access or membership to deny others from knowing something about that specific site.
They make the laws to control and distract people with false information and ban those who are giving the truth on the ground.
TBN has fallen into this trap of serving two masters at one time. From what teaches and does ,it despises the Faith as it teaches doctrines of devils and preaches tolerance ecumenism and world peace and prosperity...For TBN to have got its global coverage it must have paid a heavy price for filthy lucre; it has water down the gospel for the gain of the elite of the world and for the destruction of many.
From the above expositions it is clear that TBN serves another master other than the master it claims to serve…not the Lord Jesus Christ but Politics and Money, The kingdom of this world and the Prince of the power of the air.
This is the deception that JESUS SO SURELY WARNED THAT WE TAKE HEED .
Arthur Owiti
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/385-thoughts-on-tbn-politicking.html
Arthur Owiti | November 9, 2009
Has this network tried its sticky fingers in politics, both world and sticky African politics? Is it set up for grand confusion of the masses? A look at TBN’S activities in Africa and the world show how it gets involved in the affairs of those countries. Like any colonial tool, TBN has helped to sanctify American hegemony in the world and license love of the world with scriptures in a subtle way.A few examples would do to solidify this fact.
TBN in Kenya
A few years ago, TBN invited one Evangelical kingpin, Pastor Pius Muiru of Maximum Miracle church to fill them with the lies of how Kenya is becoming Evangelical (apostate) because of TBN. This pastor was interviewed by Paul and Jan Crouch and it was aired on Kenya’s TBN channel.
Later during the elections of 2007, the same Pastor declared that God had told him to run for Presidency. It at first sounded like a joke but it later looked serious. However he was rejected by many rural Christians and after his big failure some left his churches the others excused him for ‘mishearing’.
As one connects the dots could this Pastor hoped to use his clout to get political power? His actions prove so .Yet TBN would have gained if he won the election on the claim hat Evangelical Kenya is blessed with a Christian President who was propped by TBN.TBN needs to know that it partook of the evil deeds of this Pastor’s Political Christianity
TBN in Uganda
TBN employed the services of Pastor Kayanja of the sodomy charges in some of their programming. His however was of great clout as he claimed that his international political prophecies had come to pass. I used to wonder how he prophesied about other nations but Uganda is home country?
Not until the 2006 elections where he ‘prophesied’ a 61% win for one candidate who happened to have opened his church…. Politics and faith mix similar to that of Pastor Muiru and TBN still partook of his evil deeds of Political Christianity.
TBN and the US Army and International Politics
After being exposed for allowing TBN to travel with their troops( as do all other American broadcasters ) ,a bible burning session was shown on TV to beat out the fact that there are many Evangelicals in the army who actually know that they are fighting for God against the enemies of God ,Israel and America.
Moreover TBN has had easy access in China with the Chinese government welcoming them with open arms, yet true Christian ministers cannot even dish out bibles in China to other Chinese Christians. TBN thus claims that China is opening up because of the partners prayers and financial giving yet it is because of political convenience and political dealings when Christian harassment goes on unabated. TBN partakes the deeds of the Chinese government as it carries the name of the Lord in vain.
TBN and UN
TBN recently showed off their connections with UN as they showed a session of TBN praying for peace and prosperity in the world. It was guised in the belief that they were at UN to join with the Christians who work there. The fact is that none gets such access to UN unless they have strong ties of associations. Another seen of partaking in the deeds of the UN. Proof of TBN AGREEING WITH New world order and Global hegemony masterminds.
Politics and the Media
For the elite to control and distract the masses they employ the media because of its massive appeal and reach to the masses. The Media is an educator and is a very powerful tool for change-good or bad. This is why the Internet, TV, Radio and newsprint are sources of knowledge.
That being the case the rulers of this world are concerned about what the media is giving the people. This why media laws are always being reformed worldwide.
So crucial is knowledge that the Internet is bound and is already under control of the rich rulers. Some sites have restricted access or membership to deny others from knowing something about that specific site.
They make the laws to control and distract people with false information and ban those who are giving the truth on the ground.
TBN has fallen into this trap of serving two masters at one time. From what teaches and does ,it despises the Faith as it teaches doctrines of devils and preaches tolerance ecumenism and world peace and prosperity...For TBN to have got its global coverage it must have paid a heavy price for filthy lucre; it has water down the gospel for the gain of the elite of the world and for the destruction of many.
From the above expositions it is clear that TBN serves another master other than the master it claims to serve…not the Lord Jesus Christ but Politics and Money, The kingdom of this world and the Prince of the power of the air.
This is the deception that JESUS SO SURELY WARNED THAT WE TAKE HEED .
Arthur Owiti
The Hijackers of Evangelical Christianity in Africa
The Hijackers of Evangelical Christianity in Africa
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/386-the-hijackers-of-evangelical-christianity-in-africa.html
Arthur Owiti | November 9, 2009
This is in response to an article by All Africa, “Evangelical Churches Shake Up the Social Order” which exposed the magnitude of Evangelical Christianity in Africa. Though it paints a glitzy and awe striking picture of so called revival, hence fodder for revival hunters, it confirms the depth of apostasy and its ferocious spread-nothing to celebrate about…
Money and Politics, The Rich Elite of the world have hijacked Evangelical Christianity money circles. This hijack is beneficial to rich elite who like controlling the mass numbers for obeisance and pillaging or profits.
If the mass is Muslim, the elite like a chameleon, change color to satisfy the Muslim folk by meeting their demands for their own gain. If it is atheist, they put on atheist colors. For example, one American company has advocated for so called homosexual Rights yet the same company in East Africa sponsored A Christian event which was preaching against the same. How is that for change of colors?
If the masses like this we will do it. If the masses in Africa like this we will do it but not for the European masses who may not like it—that is the voice of the rich elite who please men to get gain from them So to make sure they get all the money and control, they support different values for one goal, money.
This is the spirit that is now overshadowing the Evangelical Church in sub Saharan Africa. A brief look at the countries which hold this Christianity will reveal one common bond: the hand of American/Western control, Global NOW influence…Africa is thus deep in colonial power and she knows it not !!
1. EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN KENYA--- THE AMERICAN COPY CAT
As we have seen over and over again, most of the evangelical church has morphed into the typical Dominionist American Evangelical church. Domionism and Prosperity drive the sermons of most of the churches courtesy of American teachings on Christianity. Many are zombies, thoroughly convinced in taking dominion.
In practice, the American teachers or missionaries that hold the above doctrines visit Kenya to reinforce and make disciples for these teachings. Before the so called Kenya festival, leaders of most churches across the board met to discuss religious unity and society transformation through the church; Oral Roberts Jr was one of the main speakers.
Below are the propagators of these falsehoods
Teachers or Missionaries from America and West--- Oral Roberts Jr, Rick Warren, Peter Youngren
2. EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN RWANDA… RICK WARREN’S ‘BABY’
After the end of the genocide the hand of America has been so heavy that now Rwanda is seen as a shining example of ‘democracy in Africa’ as stated by the global elite.
The irony is that Rwanda is fascist in its governance yet Christian because of being purpose driven. The mainline churches are dry wood as the Hill song type churches and Rick Warren books flood the country.
If you do the math properly, a successful Rwanda is because of a successful Rick Warren (member of CFR, who is building or lobbying for a library in a Ugandan university as he teaches Kenyan pastors in his many visits there... I smell a rat. ) because of A Purpose Driven population. This will be used to be an example for other African states.
Missionaries or Teachers…Jocye Meyer, Rick Warren
EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY in BURUNDI—George Otis Jr’s Dream Come True
Burundi boasts of an Evangelical President who is in active ministry as he serves the country…a perfect role model for Domionist Christianity. Burundi is now the talk on the lips of Transformationists since they have national worship services which is a concept steeped in The Transformationists doctrine of Dominion.
Thus Burundi is another ‘shining example Africa should follow.’ This is what both the economic and religious elite say and support for the sake of gain and control.
The list of countries is endless in terms of the type of Christianity that is spreading in sub Saharan Africa this time.
WHY PICK ON EVAGELICALS?
This being the current strain of Christianity in Africa it is seen as a very easy ground for capturing masses. The teachings are basically across the board in that they deal with salvation ,not man made doctrines of confirmation and other religious rites in the non evangelical churches.
In Africa many are embracing it because of its experiential tone. Whereas our walk with the Lord is experiential, the kind of experience most Evangelicals are having is fleshly experience which is manifest in love for the world and comforts.
Such a watered down and shallow faith is so tolerable to other non Evangelical churches that the only reason why they despise them is because of snatching away the numbers. It is important to note that though they are few Evangelical churches which are transnational like the Catholic and Baptist churches, they are mean African Evangelical Christians in non Evangelical churches. This is the biggest form of deceptive tolerance in the church today. It is also the basis of the Ecumenical movement and National Council of Churches.
In one interaction during a mission one sister said she is saved, not born gain because in her locality, the word born gain has been denominated, losing its doctrinal meaning. She is in the Anglican Church but believes in salvation as being the only way. Blinded while holding the truth.
SHEEP FOR SLAUHGTER?? Evangelical to Ecumenical??
Many like the lady mentioned above are thus in denominational folds and are set to joining in the One world church and religion because of rejection to hold sound doctrine and biblical Christianity.
The George Otis company and Global Day of prayer started with Evangelical roots but now are Ecumenical in practice to get the NUMBERS= PEOPLE=MONEY AND POLITICS
TBN started as an Evangelical channel but now has the Church Channel accommodating other denominations and sound tolerant for Muslims by removing Hal Lindsey ( do not endorse his teachings though ), to get the NUMBERS= PEOPLE=MONEY AND POLITICS
Benny Hinn started very Pentecostal but now embraces all denominations on the basis of ‘love because of NUMBERS= PEOPLE=MONEY AND POLITICS
So there is a growing solidification of this one church idea were the Evangelical Church is used as bait to draw many back to Rome. All roads lead to Rome except Jesus Christ that leads to New Jerusalem.
WAYS OF UNITING EVANGELICALS WITH NON EVANGELICALS TO GIVE BIRTH TO ECUMENISM
1. Abrahamic Faiths unity Jews, Muslims and Christians coming together as one for the sake of peace in middle east and unity in religion …initiated by SAUDI KING ON THE BASIS SOF ALL MAIN RELIGIONS FROM Abraham...remember CNN’s Christian Anampour did an exclusive on the three hinting a sort of unity to end the divisions
2. Inter Religious Councils that give joint statements on political and social issues
3. Ecumenical Theology…new definitions of the Holy Spirit and rejection of Jesus Christ …embracing different ways to one God.
4. Moral Legislation Muslims Catholics Evangelicals are against abortion, homosexuality, teen sex, prostitution. This opposition is a uniting factor that brings them together with ease ignoring doctrinal differences.
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/386-the-hijackers-of-evangelical-christianity-in-africa.html
Arthur Owiti | November 9, 2009
This is in response to an article by All Africa, “Evangelical Churches Shake Up the Social Order” which exposed the magnitude of Evangelical Christianity in Africa. Though it paints a glitzy and awe striking picture of so called revival, hence fodder for revival hunters, it confirms the depth of apostasy and its ferocious spread-nothing to celebrate about…
Money and Politics, The Rich Elite of the world have hijacked Evangelical Christianity money circles. This hijack is beneficial to rich elite who like controlling the mass numbers for obeisance and pillaging or profits.
If the mass is Muslim, the elite like a chameleon, change color to satisfy the Muslim folk by meeting their demands for their own gain. If it is atheist, they put on atheist colors. For example, one American company has advocated for so called homosexual Rights yet the same company in East Africa sponsored A Christian event which was preaching against the same. How is that for change of colors?
If the masses like this we will do it. If the masses in Africa like this we will do it but not for the European masses who may not like it—that is the voice of the rich elite who please men to get gain from them So to make sure they get all the money and control, they support different values for one goal, money.
This is the spirit that is now overshadowing the Evangelical Church in sub Saharan Africa. A brief look at the countries which hold this Christianity will reveal one common bond: the hand of American/Western control, Global NOW influence…Africa is thus deep in colonial power and she knows it not !!
1. EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN KENYA--- THE AMERICAN COPY CAT
As we have seen over and over again, most of the evangelical church has morphed into the typical Dominionist American Evangelical church. Domionism and Prosperity drive the sermons of most of the churches courtesy of American teachings on Christianity. Many are zombies, thoroughly convinced in taking dominion.
In practice, the American teachers or missionaries that hold the above doctrines visit Kenya to reinforce and make disciples for these teachings. Before the so called Kenya festival, leaders of most churches across the board met to discuss religious unity and society transformation through the church; Oral Roberts Jr was one of the main speakers.
Below are the propagators of these falsehoods
Teachers or Missionaries from America and West--- Oral Roberts Jr, Rick Warren, Peter Youngren
2. EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN RWANDA… RICK WARREN’S ‘BABY’
After the end of the genocide the hand of America has been so heavy that now Rwanda is seen as a shining example of ‘democracy in Africa’ as stated by the global elite.
The irony is that Rwanda is fascist in its governance yet Christian because of being purpose driven. The mainline churches are dry wood as the Hill song type churches and Rick Warren books flood the country.
If you do the math properly, a successful Rwanda is because of a successful Rick Warren (member of CFR, who is building or lobbying for a library in a Ugandan university as he teaches Kenyan pastors in his many visits there... I smell a rat. ) because of A Purpose Driven population. This will be used to be an example for other African states.
Missionaries or Teachers…Jocye Meyer, Rick Warren
EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY in BURUNDI—George Otis Jr’s Dream Come True
Burundi boasts of an Evangelical President who is in active ministry as he serves the country…a perfect role model for Domionist Christianity. Burundi is now the talk on the lips of Transformationists since they have national worship services which is a concept steeped in The Transformationists doctrine of Dominion.
Thus Burundi is another ‘shining example Africa should follow.’ This is what both the economic and religious elite say and support for the sake of gain and control.
The list of countries is endless in terms of the type of Christianity that is spreading in sub Saharan Africa this time.
WHY PICK ON EVAGELICALS?
This being the current strain of Christianity in Africa it is seen as a very easy ground for capturing masses. The teachings are basically across the board in that they deal with salvation ,not man made doctrines of confirmation and other religious rites in the non evangelical churches.
In Africa many are embracing it because of its experiential tone. Whereas our walk with the Lord is experiential, the kind of experience most Evangelicals are having is fleshly experience which is manifest in love for the world and comforts.
Such a watered down and shallow faith is so tolerable to other non Evangelical churches that the only reason why they despise them is because of snatching away the numbers. It is important to note that though they are few Evangelical churches which are transnational like the Catholic and Baptist churches, they are mean African Evangelical Christians in non Evangelical churches. This is the biggest form of deceptive tolerance in the church today. It is also the basis of the Ecumenical movement and National Council of Churches.
In one interaction during a mission one sister said she is saved, not born gain because in her locality, the word born gain has been denominated, losing its doctrinal meaning. She is in the Anglican Church but believes in salvation as being the only way. Blinded while holding the truth.
SHEEP FOR SLAUHGTER?? Evangelical to Ecumenical??
Many like the lady mentioned above are thus in denominational folds and are set to joining in the One world church and religion because of rejection to hold sound doctrine and biblical Christianity.
The George Otis company and Global Day of prayer started with Evangelical roots but now are Ecumenical in practice to get the NUMBERS= PEOPLE=MONEY AND POLITICS
TBN started as an Evangelical channel but now has the Church Channel accommodating other denominations and sound tolerant for Muslims by removing Hal Lindsey ( do not endorse his teachings though ), to get the NUMBERS= PEOPLE=MONEY AND POLITICS
Benny Hinn started very Pentecostal but now embraces all denominations on the basis of ‘love because of NUMBERS= PEOPLE=MONEY AND POLITICS
So there is a growing solidification of this one church idea were the Evangelical Church is used as bait to draw many back to Rome. All roads lead to Rome except Jesus Christ that leads to New Jerusalem.
WAYS OF UNITING EVANGELICALS WITH NON EVANGELICALS TO GIVE BIRTH TO ECUMENISM
1. Abrahamic Faiths unity Jews, Muslims and Christians coming together as one for the sake of peace in middle east and unity in religion …initiated by SAUDI KING ON THE BASIS SOF ALL MAIN RELIGIONS FROM Abraham...remember CNN’s Christian Anampour did an exclusive on the three hinting a sort of unity to end the divisions
2. Inter Religious Councils that give joint statements on political and social issues
3. Ecumenical Theology…new definitions of the Holy Spirit and rejection of Jesus Christ …embracing different ways to one God.
4. Moral Legislation Muslims Catholics Evangelicals are against abortion, homosexuality, teen sex, prostitution. This opposition is a uniting factor that brings them together with ease ignoring doctrinal differences.
Evangelical Churches Shake Up the Social Order?
Evangelical Churches Shake Up the Social Order?
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/387-evangelical-churches-shake-up-the-social-order.html
All Africa Reports that "Evangelical Churches are shaking the social order in East Africa" , interesting that Lee Grady, Charisma Magazine, 700 Club, George Ortis and Transformations, and Christianity Today Media Publications have been pushing this lie that a Revival is taking Place in East Africa...if one reads this report first published by Daily Nation Newspaper of Kenya, one does not fail to see that this is a mere Political Movement and not a Christian Revival at all...Kato Mivule
Evangelical Churches Shake Up the Social Order
All Africa | 29 October 2009
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910290919.html
Nairobi — The fire of Pentecostal evangelism is burning through the continent scorching "sins" and shaking the religio-political status quo to its very foundation. Meanwhile, traditional churches are watching helplessly as their members defect en masse to the Pentecostal churches.
Just a week ago in Kenya, Bishop Margaret Wanjru's Jesus is Alive Ministries, a Pentecostal church, received Maina Njenga. Njenga is not your normal Sunday service convert but the leader of the Mungiki, an ancestral worship "sect" complete with a political and economic arm that has been linked to brutal killings in Kenya and Mafia-like extortion rings. Njenga's triumphal march -- followed by thousands of Mungiki adherents who had suddenly 'seen the light' -- into Bishop Wanjiru's Nairobi church happened a day after the State dropped murder charges against him.
Evangelical church services are characterised by a spiritually charged atmosphere, energetic singing, dancing and passionate prayer. Sermons are delivered by charismatic pastors, some of them highly educated and modelling their preaching along the lines of American gospel greats such as TD Jakes.
The youth and a considerable chunk of senior citizens find Pentecostal church services more exciting than the subdued and even staid worship marked by silent congregations listening to soporific music that the first European missionaries brought here.
"Africans want things done powerfully," says Rev Nathan Samwini of the Christian Council of Ghana. "You meet white evangelicals from America -- they behave like Africans. They are vibrant, everything is done with vigour."
Material and spiritual success is a core element of their message which, on a continent where a significant section of the population is poor, attracts a huge number of people. "African realities make them open to faith," says Luis Bush, a renowned evangelist and a cousin of former US President George Bush.
"When a person is in that kind of need, it makes them much more open to external relief and belief than if you have comfort. Poverty really opens you up to spirituality," he adds.
Promoting a pragmatic and entrepreneurial approach to Christian life, Pentecostal evangelists attract young impressionable people from urban areas and dissatisfied older generations from the mainstream denominations. This is aided by the fact that their church meetings tend to be joyous fanfares with loud music and dancing reminiscent of festive carnivals. The sermons are crafted along popular themes such as miracle healing, financial breakthrough, finding marriage partners and freedom from demonic bondage -- all based on a literal interpretation of Bible stories. Most underplay the hallmarks of traditional Christianity such as humility, submission and meekness.
Twenty-nine-year-old Charles Kasibante, a former Catholic who joined the Miracle Centre Church in Kampala, says he feels more spiritual.
"I was hanging out in the wrong places with the wrong people. Then in 1994 I went to a 'born-again church'. The charismatic preaching, the dancing and the singing appealed to me."
Born-again Christians
According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, about 17 million Africans described themselves as born-again Christians in 1970. Today the figure has soared to more than 400 million, which accounts for roughly 19 per cent of the continent's population.
But as the fire of evangelism spreads across the continent, so does greed and materialism. This expansion has led to the emergence of mega-churches, sanctuaries visited by thousands of worshippers every week, and media-savvy celebrity pastors enjoying all the trappings of power, including bodyguards, limos, nice homes, designer suits and pride of place at important State functions.
Their role models are American 'prosperity gospel' preachers like Morris Cerullo, Robert Tilton, Creflo Dollar, John Avanzini and Marilyn Hickey.
The glamour and glitz associated with these successful evangelists has greatly increased the number of those heeding the call to serve as ministers, which has led to an unprecedented multiplication and fragmentation of evangelical churches in recent decades. Winning members is a cut-throat business employing all forms of publicity, the most preferred being televangelism.
To beat competition, some of the preachers claim to have all sorts of miracle working powers besides branding their establishments with catchy names. House of Harvest, Mountain of Fire, Prayer Palace and Miracle Centre are just a few examples.
In Kenya alone, almost 100 churches submit registration requests everyday to the Registrar of Societies. Some are eventually registered as the pastors' private property, exclusively co-owned with spouse and family, which explains the numerous protracted church ownership tussles that sometimes end up in court.
A 10-nation survey by US-based Pew Forum indicated that Kenya was the most evangelical African nation with 56 per cent of its Christians being born-again, beating the more populous South Africa and Nigeria at 34 and 26 per cent respectively. The concept of being "born-again" used to be very unpopular with the working class but these new Pentecostal movements and mega-churches have glamourised it by recruiting young urban professionals, students and high ranking government officials through emotional messages and Christianisation of secular music genres such as rock, hip-hop and reggae that are popular with the youth.
With a majority of its estimated population of 130 million people languishing in poverty, it is not surprising that Nigeria is the largest centre of Evangelical Christian faith in Africa. Judging from the glamorous and luxurious lives of some of its pastors, the Pentecostal faith is a veritable gold mine for some people in that country.
Besides having tens of thousands of churches, Nigeria boasts some of the wealthiest men of the cloth in the world.
Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo was for a long time considered the richest Nigerian evangelist until his formidable income supply was nipped in the bud. Donning high-end designer silk suits and shoes, he ministered in London where his Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) was based. He is said to have made so much money that it attracted the attention of the British tax collector, at which point he fled back to Nigeria where he operates from a modest premise in Lagos.
However the most successful evangelist in Africa now is Bishop (Dr) David Oyedepo, the general overseer of Living Faith Ministries Winners Chapel. Besides acquiring an aircraft 10 years ago to facilitate the international spread of his ministry, he has one of the largest basilicas in the world.
The auditorium of his Canaanland Church on the outskirts of Lagos houses 50,000 worshippers every Sunday. Besides this the charismatic preacher has founded a private university that has been ranked among the best in Nigeria by the Accreditation Committee of the Nigerian Universities Committee.
Cheerful givers
The success of these leaders and their ministries is owed to congregations inspired by the often quoted Biblical injunction that "cheerful givers never lack" besides selling recorded sermons, holding seminars, conferences, mammoth crusades, establishing learning institutions and writing motivational books.
After establishing the spiritual dominance in their respective countries, Pentecostal leaders are gradually shifting their focus to setting a social agenda through assumption of political power. This is achieved either by seeking favour from political leaders by promising to vote as a block or gunning for public office banking on their followers to elect them.
During the Ugandan general elections in 2006, most of the country's born-again church leaders, under their umbrella body, the National Fellowship of Born-Again Churches, held massive prayer conferences and rallies at Namboole and Lugogo stadia where they endorsed President Yoweri Museveni as their preferred candidate, terming him "God's gift to Uganda".
This was in contrast to the traditional denominations which, under the Ugandan Joint Christian Council (UJCC,) openly criticised the amendment of the country's constitution to give the President a third term. But the Pentecostal's move was no surprise since they boast among their members a huge contingent of high-ranking government officials led by First Lady Janet Museveni, army bigwigs like Elly Tumwine and Aronda Nyakairima, former Cabinet Ministers Dr Nsaba Buturo and Ezra Suruma, all of whom claim to be "saved" or balokole.
President Museveni is himself a common figure at crusades, having presided over the opening of the grand Miracle Centre Cathedral in Kampala and being on record as saying that he preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ to Libya's Col Muammar Gaddafi, a Muslim, during a continental gathering of Heads of States. Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza is also a self-declared 'born-again' Christian and worship leader of Komeza Gusenga (keep on praying), a choir composed of ex-rebels who fought alongside him during the civil war.
In Kenya several Pentecostal evangelists contested for various seats in the last general elections but only Bishop Margaret Wanjiru made it, winning the Starehe seat in Nairobi.
Although Pastor Pius Muiru's presidential bid in that election was no more than a big joke, things might be different in future elections if the rate at which evangelicals are winning souls is anything to go by.
Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka seem to have realised the voting potential of the evangelical movement in Kenya since they have both publicly declared their being "born-again", setting the stage for a future Pentecostal political showdown. While Raila, whose religious affiliations were sometimes questioned, was baptised in a highly publicised ceremony by maverick evangelical cleric and self-declared prophet, Dr David Owuor, Kalonzo constantly quotes the Scriptures during political rallies.
Well-drilled army
In Nigeria the Pentecostals are marching onwards like a well-drilled army. Boasting more than 20 million members and belonging to the powerful Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), their design to assume political control is clearly explained in some of its literature, which states the desire to create "a new social, economic and political reality that reveals the true nature of God's reign and the likeness of Christ through its renunciation of the world's definitions and tactics".
This agenda, which implies making all Nigerians undergo the Pentecostal conversion experience of being born-again in order to create a platform on which radical social transformation will be enacted, was made clear by one of the PFN leaders in a speech presented to members in a 1992 conference.
"In Nigeria we can become the force of change not by loving politicians but by winning souls. If we can get at least 80 per cent of Nigerians born again, you can be sure a Christian will be president. You won't even need to be a rich man before you become president because the people will say you are the one they want and you must be there," he said. Such statements have not been taken lightly by rivals considering that these churches supply 40 per cent of the total revenue earned by both public and private radio and television stations besides having some of the most learned clergy in the world.
The predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria has reacted swiftly by instituting Sharia law in most states. Where it is observed, Sharia bans the preaching of any other religion. The aggressive work of evangelical missionaries has also sent jitters in Islamic North Africa, prompting Algeria to pass a law in 2005 that made it a criminal offence to convert Muslims to another faith.
"Evangelicals are demonising other religions in their efforts to promote their values. It is another form of Jihad (holy war)," claims Sidique Wei, the head of a New York-based advocacy group called United African Congress.
Africa Insight is an initiative of the Nation Media Group's Africa Media Network Project.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910290919.html?page=2
One can safely say that the Evangelical Church in Africa has been hijacked by diabolical forces which hype up its growth to cover up the real owners of this type of Christianity...Arthur Owiti
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/387-evangelical-churches-shake-up-the-social-order.html
All Africa Reports that "Evangelical Churches are shaking the social order in East Africa" , interesting that Lee Grady, Charisma Magazine, 700 Club, George Ortis and Transformations, and Christianity Today Media Publications have been pushing this lie that a Revival is taking Place in East Africa...if one reads this report first published by Daily Nation Newspaper of Kenya, one does not fail to see that this is a mere Political Movement and not a Christian Revival at all...Kato Mivule
Evangelical Churches Shake Up the Social Order
All Africa | 29 October 2009
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910290919.html
Nairobi — The fire of Pentecostal evangelism is burning through the continent scorching "sins" and shaking the religio-political status quo to its very foundation. Meanwhile, traditional churches are watching helplessly as their members defect en masse to the Pentecostal churches.
Just a week ago in Kenya, Bishop Margaret Wanjru's Jesus is Alive Ministries, a Pentecostal church, received Maina Njenga. Njenga is not your normal Sunday service convert but the leader of the Mungiki, an ancestral worship "sect" complete with a political and economic arm that has been linked to brutal killings in Kenya and Mafia-like extortion rings. Njenga's triumphal march -- followed by thousands of Mungiki adherents who had suddenly 'seen the light' -- into Bishop Wanjiru's Nairobi church happened a day after the State dropped murder charges against him.
Evangelical church services are characterised by a spiritually charged atmosphere, energetic singing, dancing and passionate prayer. Sermons are delivered by charismatic pastors, some of them highly educated and modelling their preaching along the lines of American gospel greats such as TD Jakes.
The youth and a considerable chunk of senior citizens find Pentecostal church services more exciting than the subdued and even staid worship marked by silent congregations listening to soporific music that the first European missionaries brought here.
"Africans want things done powerfully," says Rev Nathan Samwini of the Christian Council of Ghana. "You meet white evangelicals from America -- they behave like Africans. They are vibrant, everything is done with vigour."
Material and spiritual success is a core element of their message which, on a continent where a significant section of the population is poor, attracts a huge number of people. "African realities make them open to faith," says Luis Bush, a renowned evangelist and a cousin of former US President George Bush.
"When a person is in that kind of need, it makes them much more open to external relief and belief than if you have comfort. Poverty really opens you up to spirituality," he adds.
Promoting a pragmatic and entrepreneurial approach to Christian life, Pentecostal evangelists attract young impressionable people from urban areas and dissatisfied older generations from the mainstream denominations. This is aided by the fact that their church meetings tend to be joyous fanfares with loud music and dancing reminiscent of festive carnivals. The sermons are crafted along popular themes such as miracle healing, financial breakthrough, finding marriage partners and freedom from demonic bondage -- all based on a literal interpretation of Bible stories. Most underplay the hallmarks of traditional Christianity such as humility, submission and meekness.
Twenty-nine-year-old Charles Kasibante, a former Catholic who joined the Miracle Centre Church in Kampala, says he feels more spiritual.
"I was hanging out in the wrong places with the wrong people. Then in 1994 I went to a 'born-again church'. The charismatic preaching, the dancing and the singing appealed to me."
Born-again Christians
According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, about 17 million Africans described themselves as born-again Christians in 1970. Today the figure has soared to more than 400 million, which accounts for roughly 19 per cent of the continent's population.
But as the fire of evangelism spreads across the continent, so does greed and materialism. This expansion has led to the emergence of mega-churches, sanctuaries visited by thousands of worshippers every week, and media-savvy celebrity pastors enjoying all the trappings of power, including bodyguards, limos, nice homes, designer suits and pride of place at important State functions.
Their role models are American 'prosperity gospel' preachers like Morris Cerullo, Robert Tilton, Creflo Dollar, John Avanzini and Marilyn Hickey.
The glamour and glitz associated with these successful evangelists has greatly increased the number of those heeding the call to serve as ministers, which has led to an unprecedented multiplication and fragmentation of evangelical churches in recent decades. Winning members is a cut-throat business employing all forms of publicity, the most preferred being televangelism.
To beat competition, some of the preachers claim to have all sorts of miracle working powers besides branding their establishments with catchy names. House of Harvest, Mountain of Fire, Prayer Palace and Miracle Centre are just a few examples.
In Kenya alone, almost 100 churches submit registration requests everyday to the Registrar of Societies. Some are eventually registered as the pastors' private property, exclusively co-owned with spouse and family, which explains the numerous protracted church ownership tussles that sometimes end up in court.
A 10-nation survey by US-based Pew Forum indicated that Kenya was the most evangelical African nation with 56 per cent of its Christians being born-again, beating the more populous South Africa and Nigeria at 34 and 26 per cent respectively. The concept of being "born-again" used to be very unpopular with the working class but these new Pentecostal movements and mega-churches have glamourised it by recruiting young urban professionals, students and high ranking government officials through emotional messages and Christianisation of secular music genres such as rock, hip-hop and reggae that are popular with the youth.
With a majority of its estimated population of 130 million people languishing in poverty, it is not surprising that Nigeria is the largest centre of Evangelical Christian faith in Africa. Judging from the glamorous and luxurious lives of some of its pastors, the Pentecostal faith is a veritable gold mine for some people in that country.
Besides having tens of thousands of churches, Nigeria boasts some of the wealthiest men of the cloth in the world.
Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo was for a long time considered the richest Nigerian evangelist until his formidable income supply was nipped in the bud. Donning high-end designer silk suits and shoes, he ministered in London where his Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) was based. He is said to have made so much money that it attracted the attention of the British tax collector, at which point he fled back to Nigeria where he operates from a modest premise in Lagos.
However the most successful evangelist in Africa now is Bishop (Dr) David Oyedepo, the general overseer of Living Faith Ministries Winners Chapel. Besides acquiring an aircraft 10 years ago to facilitate the international spread of his ministry, he has one of the largest basilicas in the world.
The auditorium of his Canaanland Church on the outskirts of Lagos houses 50,000 worshippers every Sunday. Besides this the charismatic preacher has founded a private university that has been ranked among the best in Nigeria by the Accreditation Committee of the Nigerian Universities Committee.
Cheerful givers
The success of these leaders and their ministries is owed to congregations inspired by the often quoted Biblical injunction that "cheerful givers never lack" besides selling recorded sermons, holding seminars, conferences, mammoth crusades, establishing learning institutions and writing motivational books.
After establishing the spiritual dominance in their respective countries, Pentecostal leaders are gradually shifting their focus to setting a social agenda through assumption of political power. This is achieved either by seeking favour from political leaders by promising to vote as a block or gunning for public office banking on their followers to elect them.
During the Ugandan general elections in 2006, most of the country's born-again church leaders, under their umbrella body, the National Fellowship of Born-Again Churches, held massive prayer conferences and rallies at Namboole and Lugogo stadia where they endorsed President Yoweri Museveni as their preferred candidate, terming him "God's gift to Uganda".
This was in contrast to the traditional denominations which, under the Ugandan Joint Christian Council (UJCC,) openly criticised the amendment of the country's constitution to give the President a third term. But the Pentecostal's move was no surprise since they boast among their members a huge contingent of high-ranking government officials led by First Lady Janet Museveni, army bigwigs like Elly Tumwine and Aronda Nyakairima, former Cabinet Ministers Dr Nsaba Buturo and Ezra Suruma, all of whom claim to be "saved" or balokole.
President Museveni is himself a common figure at crusades, having presided over the opening of the grand Miracle Centre Cathedral in Kampala and being on record as saying that he preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ to Libya's Col Muammar Gaddafi, a Muslim, during a continental gathering of Heads of States. Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza is also a self-declared 'born-again' Christian and worship leader of Komeza Gusenga (keep on praying), a choir composed of ex-rebels who fought alongside him during the civil war.
In Kenya several Pentecostal evangelists contested for various seats in the last general elections but only Bishop Margaret Wanjiru made it, winning the Starehe seat in Nairobi.
Although Pastor Pius Muiru's presidential bid in that election was no more than a big joke, things might be different in future elections if the rate at which evangelicals are winning souls is anything to go by.
Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka seem to have realised the voting potential of the evangelical movement in Kenya since they have both publicly declared their being "born-again", setting the stage for a future Pentecostal political showdown. While Raila, whose religious affiliations were sometimes questioned, was baptised in a highly publicised ceremony by maverick evangelical cleric and self-declared prophet, Dr David Owuor, Kalonzo constantly quotes the Scriptures during political rallies.
Well-drilled army
In Nigeria the Pentecostals are marching onwards like a well-drilled army. Boasting more than 20 million members and belonging to the powerful Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), their design to assume political control is clearly explained in some of its literature, which states the desire to create "a new social, economic and political reality that reveals the true nature of God's reign and the likeness of Christ through its renunciation of the world's definitions and tactics".
This agenda, which implies making all Nigerians undergo the Pentecostal conversion experience of being born-again in order to create a platform on which radical social transformation will be enacted, was made clear by one of the PFN leaders in a speech presented to members in a 1992 conference.
"In Nigeria we can become the force of change not by loving politicians but by winning souls. If we can get at least 80 per cent of Nigerians born again, you can be sure a Christian will be president. You won't even need to be a rich man before you become president because the people will say you are the one they want and you must be there," he said. Such statements have not been taken lightly by rivals considering that these churches supply 40 per cent of the total revenue earned by both public and private radio and television stations besides having some of the most learned clergy in the world.
The predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria has reacted swiftly by instituting Sharia law in most states. Where it is observed, Sharia bans the preaching of any other religion. The aggressive work of evangelical missionaries has also sent jitters in Islamic North Africa, prompting Algeria to pass a law in 2005 that made it a criminal offence to convert Muslims to another faith.
"Evangelicals are demonising other religions in their efforts to promote their values. It is another form of Jihad (holy war)," claims Sidique Wei, the head of a New York-based advocacy group called United African Congress.
Africa Insight is an initiative of the Nation Media Group's Africa Media Network Project.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910290919.html?page=2
One can safely say that the Evangelical Church in Africa has been hijacked by diabolical forces which hype up its growth to cover up the real owners of this type of Christianity...Arthur Owiti
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
There goes the Serpent Again: Prophet Godfrey Lule Prophesies that Dr. Kizza Besigye will run mad in 2011
In last week’s edition (Wednesday 28-10-2009) of the Kamunye weekly tabloid, there was a major story about Pastor Godfrey Lule’s bogus prophecy for 2011. Lule is said to have prophesied that Col.Dr.Kizza Besigye will ran mad in 2011. According to Prophet Godfrey Lule, the Retired Col. Will ran mad because of the overwhelming victory of President Museveni in 2011 election. This bogus prophecy is not from God and will not come to pass. Pastor Lule is one of the many spiritual politicians for the current government in Uganda. These guys have nothing to do with God, their god is money, power and prestige. They appear anointed but their anointing is from satan. As we approach the Ugandan election in 2011, many of these political pastors are going to be exposed. Their trust is not in the Lord Jesus Christ, but in President Museveni. Do not associate all balokole(born again Christians) with these prosperity mammon serpents.
See more of Pastor Godfrey Lule’s Bogus Gospel below
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/04/prosperity-pastors-and-political.html
See more of Pastor Godfrey Lule’s Bogus Gospel below
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/04/prosperity-pastors-and-political.html
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Pastor Kayanja Sodomy Case, Arrested Ugandan Pastors and Homosexuals
Pastor Kayanja Sodomy Case, Arrested Ugandan Pastors and Homosexuals
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/381-pastor-kayanja-sodomy-case-arrested-ugandan-pastors-and-homosexuals.html
Kato Mivule | October 28, 2009
In what seems to be another typical African Leadership Elite case of fraud, bribery, corruption, walking above the law, mafia-ism, cover-ups, and using state resources to protect the rich and powerful, Uganda’s Government went ahead yesterday and charged local Pastors with “criminal trespass” for allegedly causing injury to the reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja.
Early this year a group of Pastors with concrete evidence went to Uganda’s Police headquarters in Kampala and reported that there was rampant sodomy going on tin Uganda’s Evangelical Church. The Pastors reported to Uganda’s Police that some Pastors in the Ugandan Evangelical fraternity were heavily involved in sodomizing young boys.
The Pastors presented concrete evidence that led to one prominent Pastor, Grace Kitaka, at Kansanga Miracle Center, a Branch of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s church to step down and resign. Another Pastor at the same Church in Kansanga Miracle Center did not resign but instead utilized State security instruments to cover-up and had the sodomy victim arrested and thrown in jail.
Later on a Catholic Priest by the names of Father Musaala was accused of sodomy but rather than use state police to throw the accusers in jail, the Catholic Church in Uganda investigated the case and had Father Musaala step down – the Catholic Church took the allegations with great seriousness. In the USA where Pastor Robert Kayanja frequents, Sodomy and Sexual abuse allegations were taken seriously in the Boston Catholic Parish and the Catholic Church had to pay a heavy price for years of cover-up and injustice to the victims.
Surprisingly, Ugandan Pastors who brought up the sodomy case before Uganda’s Police acted in good faith and as law abiding citizens who would not allow crime to go on in the church under the guise of preaching the gospel. These pastors only sought medical recompense for the sodomized boys who doctors proved that they were sexually abused physically.
The same pastors sought for Pastor Robert Kayanja to step down and seek healing and recourse. Rather Pastor Robert Kayanja engaged in mafia style behavior by engaging with Uganda’s State Secret Police to kidnap pastors who exposed him and then turned around and had the victims of sexual abuse arrested and taken to unknown places.
Now Pastor Robert Kayanja has used Museveni’s Government to ‘white wash’ himself by having God fearing and law abiding local Pastors charged with criminal trespass in as injuring his reputation. Right now the Evangelical Church in Uganda is divided between the Robert Kayanja followers and those who seek truth and justice for sodomy victims in Uganda’s Evangelical Church.
It is well known that Pastor Robert Kayanja is a spiritual adviser (political spiritual adviser) to Uganda’s corrupt regime head – President Yoweri Museveni. President Museveni has used Pastor Kayanja as a tool to ‘white wash’ Uganda’s image abroad, especially in the West to unsuspecting and undiscerning politically connected evangelicals. It is Pastor Robert Kayanja that has spearhead the ‘white washing’ of Uganda’s image on TBN TV by running fabricated documentaries that Uganda is this “Christian Nation” and worthy of western capital investment.
Robert Kayanja also has a large following in Uganda, not mentioning his 10,000 member Church, Christian TV and Radio outreach, which President Museveni employs in election times to gather Christians to the polls to vote for him. This is the same Pastor Robert Kayanja who stated in Charisma Magazine that Uganda is 75 percent Legitimate Born Again Christian. (I wrote about this in my previous article “When African Preachers Lie and the Western Church Believes them”).
Therefore the implications of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s Sodomy Case in Uganda will be far reaching and further cause a great and greater schism in Uganda’s young Evangelical Movement.
For those who are praying remember Uganda’s local Pastors – Pastor Michael Kyazze, Pastor Kaira, Pastor Solomon Male, Pastor Martin Ssempa, among others who risk being thrown into jail, losing their property, and even lives because they decided to be law abiding and reported the gross sodomy acts in Uganda’s Evangelical Church. There are many young boys who have been sexually abused, and sodomized by big name pastors in Kampala Uganda but walk daily in fear of their lives least they be ‘taken out’ by the likes of Pastor Robert Kayanja.
It is a shame that groups like TBN TV and Churches across America still welcome Pastors accused of Sodomy and Sexual abuse in Uganda to minister in the USA and Great Britain. We now not only have to be worried about the safety our young relatives who attend local evangelical Churches in Uganda but also we must be worried about attending local Churches in America and Europe that host African Preachers if at all our children could be victims of sodomy in the west.
Yet still the Robert Kayanja case has increased resentment towards homosexuals in Uganda. While there is a growing community of consenting Homosexuals adults in Kampala Uganda, many of them have automatically been placed in the same basket as one and the same with Sodomy criminals inside Uganda’s Evangelical Church.
Many Gays in Kampala, Uganda claim to be law abiding and only engage in homosexual lifestyle with fellow consenting adults and not young boys according to Ugandan Homosexual and Gay blogs on the internet. However, such claims are not listened to in Uganda as locals see the last front of moralism in Uganda – the Evangelical Church attacked and hijacked by sodomy pastors who are then protected by the corrupt regime of President Museveni.
It is this reason that Uganda’s parliamentary representatives got hysterical and wanted to pass a bill that would have all Homosexuals put to death…in other words being Gay in Uganda would cause one to be put to death. Yet any Conservative Christian (which I am, and very conservative but not stupid either) would know that killing people because of sin not and has never been a spiritual remedy. Jesus Christ never came preaching a gospel of putting to death those who sinned but rather he preached love and repentance and died on the cross for those who sinned instead.
So, agitating for the death of those who engage in homosexuality would be counterproductive to the preaching of the Gospel in Uganda. Yet what Uganda’s Conservative Christians need to do is seek for a strong law to protect our people, especially children, and young boys from Sodomy, Rape, Sexual Abuse, and Child Molestation. So, this is the fine line that Uganda’s Evangelical Church has to walk in supporting Laws against Sodomy, Rape, Sexual Abuse, and Child Molestation while at the same time not legislation of morality.
However, the hysteria and yes, many times, “homophobia” surrounding homosexuals in Uganda has largely been increased by Pseudo Pastors in Kampala who engage in sodomy and child molestation activities and get protected by an increasingly seen corrupt regime in Kampala, Uganda. The backlash against homosexual in Kampala, Uganda is largely because locals associate the criminal acts of sodomy and child molestation in Uganda’s Evangelical Church with the general “Adult Consenting” Gay Community in Kampala.
What needs to happen is for the “Law Abiding” Homosexuals in Kampala to come out and expose the criminals who hide among them. Rather than write apologies on Ugandan Gay blogs and cry out to the International Community that Pastor Martin Ssempa is persecuting them, it would be better to stand out and point out that Gays in Uganda have nothing to do with Sodomizing young boys and child molestation.
Secondly, Uganda’s Evangelical Community ought to come up with well defined New Testament Biblical guiding principles to reach out to the gay community in Kampala rather than joining those who seek to pass paranoiac and homophobic draconian laws to execute and put to death folks simply because they are homosexuals or even accused of being homosexuals. I do not see any such correlation with the New Testament Teachings that clearly define Homosexuality as a sin; which means that Uganda’s Parliament would have to pass laws to kill all adulterers and other sinners…etc including laws to kill all corrupt government officials, starting from President Museveni’s corrupt regime…
Some Ugandan Gay blogs have gone at length in trying to defend Pastor Robert Kayanja and other Pastors accused of Sodomy and Child Molestation in Uganda. The Gay Community in Uganda sadly sees the exposing of Sodomy Pastors in Evangelical Churches as an attack and persecution of Homosexuals in Uganda. Uganda’s Gay community had better borrow a leaf from USA Gays who spoke out against Sexual Abuse in the US Catholic Sexual Abuse Debacle and also played a role in exposing Pastors like Pastor Ted Haggard of Colorado USA, who had sex with gay men and boys yet stood on evangelical pulpits to speak out against homosexuality in the USA.
Therefore Uganda’s Gay community ought to disown well known Pastors who engage in Sodomy activities and sexual molestation of young boys. It is well known in Uganda’s Gay community that some Pastors even go at length to solicit for Gay sex with some known gay members of Uganda’s Gay community as reported on Ugandan Gay Blogs, and that these same pastors are among those accused of sodomy during the current Sodomy Crisis in Uganda’s Evangelical Church. Why not expose such Pastors who hide under Evangelical Christianity to commit crimes or Sodomy, Rape, and Child Molestation while at the same time causing anti gay sentiments to rise in Kampala Uganda?
Pastor Robert Kayanja should step down and not allow himself and his ego to be a driving force in causing and pushing for a schism in Uganda’s young and growing Evangelical Church, using Uganda's government to cover-up his acts.
Kato Mivule
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NOTES AND SOURCES
Pastors charged with trespass
NEWS | October 28, 2009
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Pastors_charged_with_trespass_93696.shtml
EPHRAIM KASOZI & ANTHONY WESAKA
Mengo
Two Pentecostal pastors who allegedly entered Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral with intent to insult and or injure its leader, Pastor Robert Kayanja, were yesterday arraigned before Mwanga II Magistrates Court amid drama.
Pastors Bob Robert Kayiira of Omega Healing Centre and Michael David Kyazze of Omega International Ministry pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour before Grade One Magistrate Janeve Natukunda.
Ms Natukunda released the two pastors on court bond of Shs500,000 (not cash) and adjourned the case to December 3.
Prosecution alleges that on April 17, Pastor Kayiira at Rubaga Miracle Centre, entered into or upon a worship place with intent to intimidate, insult or annoy Pastor Kayanja.
The State also alleges that in March and April, pastors Kyazze and Kayiira conspired together to commit a misdemeanour with intent to cause injury to the reputation of Pastor Kayanja.
Pastor Kayanja came under the spotlight early this year when his fellow pastors accused him of hiring youth members of his church for homosexuality; allegations he denied. A Police investigation also found no evidence against the pastor.
Drama at court
Meanwhile, Mwanga II Court was treated to drama when a group of youths carried placards demonstrating against the court move. The group held placards reading “This battle is against homosexuality” and “Uganda will know the truth!”
The suspects first appeared before Grade Two Magistrate Wilson Wandera who disqualified himself from the case saying he did not have powers to hear their plea on the count of conspiracy.
He referred the file to the station in charge, Ms Natukunda who ordered journalists to step out of her chambers before hearing the plea at 5pm.
Ms Natukunda’s decision prompted arguments between court orderlies and the pastors’ sympathisers led by Pastors Martin Ssempa and Solomon Male.
The latter said journalists who were disregarding the court directive were “from Rubaga Miracle Centre”.
Two pastors charged over Kayanja
http://newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/699255
Tuesday, 27th October, 2009
TWO senior pastors of Omega Healing Centre were yesterday charged with conspiracy to cause injury to Pastor Robert Kayanja of Miracle Centre.
Robert Kayiira and Michael Kyazze were charged at Mwanga II Court in Lubaga before Grade One Magistrate Jeneva Natukunda
Kaira was also charged with criminal trespass into the premises of Rubaga Miracle Centre.
The pastors denied the charges and were granted non-cash bail of sh500,000. Their sureties, who included Pastor Martin Sempa, Pastor Joshua Lwere, David Odyee and Bernard Kugonza executed a bond of sh1m.
Prosecution said the two pastors on April 17, 2009 illegally entered Pastor Kayanja’s premises with intention to annoy him and injure his reputation.
It further alleges that the pastors went with a laptop purporting that they were going to download sodomy and pornographic material that was being used by Pastor Kayanja.
Under the Penal Code, the offence of conspiracy attracts five years imprisonment on conviction, while criminal trespass attracts a one-year jail term.
The accused pastors first appeared before Grade II Magistrate Wilson Wandera, who declined to handle their case, saying he had no jurisdiction to hear a criminal case of that magnitude.
Wandera referred them to Natukunda.
The magistrate sent away journalists and about 30 Christians, saying she did not want anyone else around except the accused, their lawyers and the prosecutor.
She gave no reason for barring journalists from covering the proceedings, prompting them to eavesdrop through open widows and the door.
Prosecutor Andrew Walube said investigations were ongoing and asked court for time to enable the Police complete inquiries.
The case was adjourned to December 3.
Initially, the Police interrogated four pastors implicated in the allegation of sodomy against Kayanja. But only Kyazze and Kayiira were charged.
A source said the Director of Public Prosecution recommended that pastors Sempa and Solomon Male be further investigated before they could be charged.
After court granted the two pastors bail, their followers burst out singing hymns and shouting “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, God is great.”
Homosexuals Face Death Penalty
The New Vision
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910150015.html
Mary Karugaba and Catherine Bekunda
14 October 2009
________________________________________
Kampala — Aggravated homosexuality will be punished by death, according to a new bill tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The private member's bill was tabled by Ndorwa West MP David Bahati (NRM).
A person commits aggravated homosexuality when the victim is a person with disability or below the age of 18, or when the offender is HIV-positive.
The bill thus equates aggravated homosexuality to aggravated defilement among people of different sexes, which also carries the death sentence.
The Bill, entitled the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009, also states that anyone who commits the offence of homosexuality will be liable to life imprisonment.
This was already the case under the current Penal Code Act.
However, it gives a broader definition of the offence of homosexuality.
A person charged with the offence will have to undergo a mandatory medical examination to ascertain his or her HIV status.
The bill further states that anybody who "attempts to commit the offence" is liable to imprisonment for seven years.
"The same applies to anybody who "aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage in acts of homosexuality" or anybody who keeps a house or room for the purpose of homosexuality.
The bill also proposes stiff sentences for people promoting homosexuality.
They risk a fine of sh100m or prison sentences of five to seven years.
This applies to people who produce, publish or distribute pornographic material for purposes of promoting homosexuality, fund or sponsor homosexuality.
Where the offender is a business or NGO, its certificate of registration will be cancelled and the director will be liable to seven years in prison.
Failure to disclose the offence within 24 hours of knowledge makes somebody liable to a maximum sh5m fine or imprisonment of up to three years.
The provisions, according to the bill, are meant to "protect the traditional family by prohibiting any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex."
They are also meant to prohibit the "promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any government entity or NGO."
The bill further aims at protecting children and youth who are "made vulnerable to sexual abuse and deviation as a result of cultural changes, uncensored information technologies and increasing attempts by homosexuals to raise children in homosexual relationships through adoption or foster care."
Bahati said the legislation is intended to complement the provisions of the Constitution and the Penal Code Act.
Pastors Petition Parliament over Gays
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910220050.html
The Monitor
Mercy Nalugo
22 October 2009
________________________________________
Pastors led by the Executive Director of Arising for Christ, Solomon Male, yesterday petitioned Parliament accusing their fellow pastors of sodomising young boys.
The pastors under their umbrella organisation, the National Coalition against Homosexuality and Sexual Abuses in Uganda, in a petition handed over to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Ssekandi, said the issue of homosexuality has to be addressed as a matter of urgency. "The homosexuals are taking us for a ride. They keep telling us that we must leave them to stay. We call on Parliament to institute an inquiry into homosexuality and all other forms of sexual abuses," Pastor Male said.
Mr Male in the company of pastors Michael Kyazze of the Omega Healing Centre and Bob Kayiira alleged that a number of their colleagues who have sodomised minors are walking scot-free.
He accused the Police of harassing them for exposing homosexuality among senior pastors. Mr Ssekandi said Parliament shall handle the matter to its logical conclusion.
"It's good you have come at a time when there is a Bill on homosexuality," Mr Ssekandi said. "Your input will help the responsible committee and when they start public hearings, they shall invite you to help them in their work."
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/381-pastor-kayanja-sodomy-case-arrested-ugandan-pastors-and-homosexuals.html
Kato Mivule | October 28, 2009
In what seems to be another typical African Leadership Elite case of fraud, bribery, corruption, walking above the law, mafia-ism, cover-ups, and using state resources to protect the rich and powerful, Uganda’s Government went ahead yesterday and charged local Pastors with “criminal trespass” for allegedly causing injury to the reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja.
Early this year a group of Pastors with concrete evidence went to Uganda’s Police headquarters in Kampala and reported that there was rampant sodomy going on tin Uganda’s Evangelical Church. The Pastors reported to Uganda’s Police that some Pastors in the Ugandan Evangelical fraternity were heavily involved in sodomizing young boys.
The Pastors presented concrete evidence that led to one prominent Pastor, Grace Kitaka, at Kansanga Miracle Center, a Branch of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s church to step down and resign. Another Pastor at the same Church in Kansanga Miracle Center did not resign but instead utilized State security instruments to cover-up and had the sodomy victim arrested and thrown in jail.
Later on a Catholic Priest by the names of Father Musaala was accused of sodomy but rather than use state police to throw the accusers in jail, the Catholic Church in Uganda investigated the case and had Father Musaala step down – the Catholic Church took the allegations with great seriousness. In the USA where Pastor Robert Kayanja frequents, Sodomy and Sexual abuse allegations were taken seriously in the Boston Catholic Parish and the Catholic Church had to pay a heavy price for years of cover-up and injustice to the victims.
Surprisingly, Ugandan Pastors who brought up the sodomy case before Uganda’s Police acted in good faith and as law abiding citizens who would not allow crime to go on in the church under the guise of preaching the gospel. These pastors only sought medical recompense for the sodomized boys who doctors proved that they were sexually abused physically.
The same pastors sought for Pastor Robert Kayanja to step down and seek healing and recourse. Rather Pastor Robert Kayanja engaged in mafia style behavior by engaging with Uganda’s State Secret Police to kidnap pastors who exposed him and then turned around and had the victims of sexual abuse arrested and taken to unknown places.
Now Pastor Robert Kayanja has used Museveni’s Government to ‘white wash’ himself by having God fearing and law abiding local Pastors charged with criminal trespass in as injuring his reputation. Right now the Evangelical Church in Uganda is divided between the Robert Kayanja followers and those who seek truth and justice for sodomy victims in Uganda’s Evangelical Church.
It is well known that Pastor Robert Kayanja is a spiritual adviser (political spiritual adviser) to Uganda’s corrupt regime head – President Yoweri Museveni. President Museveni has used Pastor Kayanja as a tool to ‘white wash’ Uganda’s image abroad, especially in the West to unsuspecting and undiscerning politically connected evangelicals. It is Pastor Robert Kayanja that has spearhead the ‘white washing’ of Uganda’s image on TBN TV by running fabricated documentaries that Uganda is this “Christian Nation” and worthy of western capital investment.
Robert Kayanja also has a large following in Uganda, not mentioning his 10,000 member Church, Christian TV and Radio outreach, which President Museveni employs in election times to gather Christians to the polls to vote for him. This is the same Pastor Robert Kayanja who stated in Charisma Magazine that Uganda is 75 percent Legitimate Born Again Christian. (I wrote about this in my previous article “When African Preachers Lie and the Western Church Believes them”).
Therefore the implications of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s Sodomy Case in Uganda will be far reaching and further cause a great and greater schism in Uganda’s young Evangelical Movement.
For those who are praying remember Uganda’s local Pastors – Pastor Michael Kyazze, Pastor Kaira, Pastor Solomon Male, Pastor Martin Ssempa, among others who risk being thrown into jail, losing their property, and even lives because they decided to be law abiding and reported the gross sodomy acts in Uganda’s Evangelical Church. There are many young boys who have been sexually abused, and sodomized by big name pastors in Kampala Uganda but walk daily in fear of their lives least they be ‘taken out’ by the likes of Pastor Robert Kayanja.
It is a shame that groups like TBN TV and Churches across America still welcome Pastors accused of Sodomy and Sexual abuse in Uganda to minister in the USA and Great Britain. We now not only have to be worried about the safety our young relatives who attend local evangelical Churches in Uganda but also we must be worried about attending local Churches in America and Europe that host African Preachers if at all our children could be victims of sodomy in the west.
Yet still the Robert Kayanja case has increased resentment towards homosexuals in Uganda. While there is a growing community of consenting Homosexuals adults in Kampala Uganda, many of them have automatically been placed in the same basket as one and the same with Sodomy criminals inside Uganda’s Evangelical Church.
Many Gays in Kampala, Uganda claim to be law abiding and only engage in homosexual lifestyle with fellow consenting adults and not young boys according to Ugandan Homosexual and Gay blogs on the internet. However, such claims are not listened to in Uganda as locals see the last front of moralism in Uganda – the Evangelical Church attacked and hijacked by sodomy pastors who are then protected by the corrupt regime of President Museveni.
It is this reason that Uganda’s parliamentary representatives got hysterical and wanted to pass a bill that would have all Homosexuals put to death…in other words being Gay in Uganda would cause one to be put to death. Yet any Conservative Christian (which I am, and very conservative but not stupid either) would know that killing people because of sin not and has never been a spiritual remedy. Jesus Christ never came preaching a gospel of putting to death those who sinned but rather he preached love and repentance and died on the cross for those who sinned instead.
So, agitating for the death of those who engage in homosexuality would be counterproductive to the preaching of the Gospel in Uganda. Yet what Uganda’s Conservative Christians need to do is seek for a strong law to protect our people, especially children, and young boys from Sodomy, Rape, Sexual Abuse, and Child Molestation. So, this is the fine line that Uganda’s Evangelical Church has to walk in supporting Laws against Sodomy, Rape, Sexual Abuse, and Child Molestation while at the same time not legislation of morality.
However, the hysteria and yes, many times, “homophobia” surrounding homosexuals in Uganda has largely been increased by Pseudo Pastors in Kampala who engage in sodomy and child molestation activities and get protected by an increasingly seen corrupt regime in Kampala, Uganda. The backlash against homosexual in Kampala, Uganda is largely because locals associate the criminal acts of sodomy and child molestation in Uganda’s Evangelical Church with the general “Adult Consenting” Gay Community in Kampala.
What needs to happen is for the “Law Abiding” Homosexuals in Kampala to come out and expose the criminals who hide among them. Rather than write apologies on Ugandan Gay blogs and cry out to the International Community that Pastor Martin Ssempa is persecuting them, it would be better to stand out and point out that Gays in Uganda have nothing to do with Sodomizing young boys and child molestation.
Secondly, Uganda’s Evangelical Community ought to come up with well defined New Testament Biblical guiding principles to reach out to the gay community in Kampala rather than joining those who seek to pass paranoiac and homophobic draconian laws to execute and put to death folks simply because they are homosexuals or even accused of being homosexuals. I do not see any such correlation with the New Testament Teachings that clearly define Homosexuality as a sin; which means that Uganda’s Parliament would have to pass laws to kill all adulterers and other sinners…etc including laws to kill all corrupt government officials, starting from President Museveni’s corrupt regime…
Some Ugandan Gay blogs have gone at length in trying to defend Pastor Robert Kayanja and other Pastors accused of Sodomy and Child Molestation in Uganda. The Gay Community in Uganda sadly sees the exposing of Sodomy Pastors in Evangelical Churches as an attack and persecution of Homosexuals in Uganda. Uganda’s Gay community had better borrow a leaf from USA Gays who spoke out against Sexual Abuse in the US Catholic Sexual Abuse Debacle and also played a role in exposing Pastors like Pastor Ted Haggard of Colorado USA, who had sex with gay men and boys yet stood on evangelical pulpits to speak out against homosexuality in the USA.
Therefore Uganda’s Gay community ought to disown well known Pastors who engage in Sodomy activities and sexual molestation of young boys. It is well known in Uganda’s Gay community that some Pastors even go at length to solicit for Gay sex with some known gay members of Uganda’s Gay community as reported on Ugandan Gay Blogs, and that these same pastors are among those accused of sodomy during the current Sodomy Crisis in Uganda’s Evangelical Church. Why not expose such Pastors who hide under Evangelical Christianity to commit crimes or Sodomy, Rape, and Child Molestation while at the same time causing anti gay sentiments to rise in Kampala Uganda?
Pastor Robert Kayanja should step down and not allow himself and his ego to be a driving force in causing and pushing for a schism in Uganda’s young and growing Evangelical Church, using Uganda's government to cover-up his acts.
Kato Mivule
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NOTES AND SOURCES
Pastors charged with trespass
NEWS | October 28, 2009
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Pastors_charged_with_trespass_93696.shtml
EPHRAIM KASOZI & ANTHONY WESAKA
Mengo
Two Pentecostal pastors who allegedly entered Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral with intent to insult and or injure its leader, Pastor Robert Kayanja, were yesterday arraigned before Mwanga II Magistrates Court amid drama.
Pastors Bob Robert Kayiira of Omega Healing Centre and Michael David Kyazze of Omega International Ministry pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour before Grade One Magistrate Janeve Natukunda.
Ms Natukunda released the two pastors on court bond of Shs500,000 (not cash) and adjourned the case to December 3.
Prosecution alleges that on April 17, Pastor Kayiira at Rubaga Miracle Centre, entered into or upon a worship place with intent to intimidate, insult or annoy Pastor Kayanja.
The State also alleges that in March and April, pastors Kyazze and Kayiira conspired together to commit a misdemeanour with intent to cause injury to the reputation of Pastor Kayanja.
Pastor Kayanja came under the spotlight early this year when his fellow pastors accused him of hiring youth members of his church for homosexuality; allegations he denied. A Police investigation also found no evidence against the pastor.
Drama at court
Meanwhile, Mwanga II Court was treated to drama when a group of youths carried placards demonstrating against the court move. The group held placards reading “This battle is against homosexuality” and “Uganda will know the truth!”
The suspects first appeared before Grade Two Magistrate Wilson Wandera who disqualified himself from the case saying he did not have powers to hear their plea on the count of conspiracy.
He referred the file to the station in charge, Ms Natukunda who ordered journalists to step out of her chambers before hearing the plea at 5pm.
Ms Natukunda’s decision prompted arguments between court orderlies and the pastors’ sympathisers led by Pastors Martin Ssempa and Solomon Male.
The latter said journalists who were disregarding the court directive were “from Rubaga Miracle Centre”.
Two pastors charged over Kayanja
http://newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/699255
Tuesday, 27th October, 2009
TWO senior pastors of Omega Healing Centre were yesterday charged with conspiracy to cause injury to Pastor Robert Kayanja of Miracle Centre.
Robert Kayiira and Michael Kyazze were charged at Mwanga II Court in Lubaga before Grade One Magistrate Jeneva Natukunda
Kaira was also charged with criminal trespass into the premises of Rubaga Miracle Centre.
The pastors denied the charges and were granted non-cash bail of sh500,000. Their sureties, who included Pastor Martin Sempa, Pastor Joshua Lwere, David Odyee and Bernard Kugonza executed a bond of sh1m.
Prosecution said the two pastors on April 17, 2009 illegally entered Pastor Kayanja’s premises with intention to annoy him and injure his reputation.
It further alleges that the pastors went with a laptop purporting that they were going to download sodomy and pornographic material that was being used by Pastor Kayanja.
Under the Penal Code, the offence of conspiracy attracts five years imprisonment on conviction, while criminal trespass attracts a one-year jail term.
The accused pastors first appeared before Grade II Magistrate Wilson Wandera, who declined to handle their case, saying he had no jurisdiction to hear a criminal case of that magnitude.
Wandera referred them to Natukunda.
The magistrate sent away journalists and about 30 Christians, saying she did not want anyone else around except the accused, their lawyers and the prosecutor.
She gave no reason for barring journalists from covering the proceedings, prompting them to eavesdrop through open widows and the door.
Prosecutor Andrew Walube said investigations were ongoing and asked court for time to enable the Police complete inquiries.
The case was adjourned to December 3.
Initially, the Police interrogated four pastors implicated in the allegation of sodomy against Kayanja. But only Kyazze and Kayiira were charged.
A source said the Director of Public Prosecution recommended that pastors Sempa and Solomon Male be further investigated before they could be charged.
After court granted the two pastors bail, their followers burst out singing hymns and shouting “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, God is great.”
Homosexuals Face Death Penalty
The New Vision
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910150015.html
Mary Karugaba and Catherine Bekunda
14 October 2009
________________________________________
Kampala — Aggravated homosexuality will be punished by death, according to a new bill tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The private member's bill was tabled by Ndorwa West MP David Bahati (NRM).
A person commits aggravated homosexuality when the victim is a person with disability or below the age of 18, or when the offender is HIV-positive.
The bill thus equates aggravated homosexuality to aggravated defilement among people of different sexes, which also carries the death sentence.
The Bill, entitled the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009, also states that anyone who commits the offence of homosexuality will be liable to life imprisonment.
This was already the case under the current Penal Code Act.
However, it gives a broader definition of the offence of homosexuality.
A person charged with the offence will have to undergo a mandatory medical examination to ascertain his or her HIV status.
The bill further states that anybody who "attempts to commit the offence" is liable to imprisonment for seven years.
"The same applies to anybody who "aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage in acts of homosexuality" or anybody who keeps a house or room for the purpose of homosexuality.
The bill also proposes stiff sentences for people promoting homosexuality.
They risk a fine of sh100m or prison sentences of five to seven years.
This applies to people who produce, publish or distribute pornographic material for purposes of promoting homosexuality, fund or sponsor homosexuality.
Where the offender is a business or NGO, its certificate of registration will be cancelled and the director will be liable to seven years in prison.
Failure to disclose the offence within 24 hours of knowledge makes somebody liable to a maximum sh5m fine or imprisonment of up to three years.
The provisions, according to the bill, are meant to "protect the traditional family by prohibiting any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex."
They are also meant to prohibit the "promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any government entity or NGO."
The bill further aims at protecting children and youth who are "made vulnerable to sexual abuse and deviation as a result of cultural changes, uncensored information technologies and increasing attempts by homosexuals to raise children in homosexual relationships through adoption or foster care."
Bahati said the legislation is intended to complement the provisions of the Constitution and the Penal Code Act.
Pastors Petition Parliament over Gays
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910220050.html
The Monitor
Mercy Nalugo
22 October 2009
________________________________________
Pastors led by the Executive Director of Arising for Christ, Solomon Male, yesterday petitioned Parliament accusing their fellow pastors of sodomising young boys.
The pastors under their umbrella organisation, the National Coalition against Homosexuality and Sexual Abuses in Uganda, in a petition handed over to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Ssekandi, said the issue of homosexuality has to be addressed as a matter of urgency. "The homosexuals are taking us for a ride. They keep telling us that we must leave them to stay. We call on Parliament to institute an inquiry into homosexuality and all other forms of sexual abuses," Pastor Male said.
Mr Male in the company of pastors Michael Kyazze of the Omega Healing Centre and Bob Kayiira alleged that a number of their colleagues who have sodomised minors are walking scot-free.
He accused the Police of harassing them for exposing homosexuality among senior pastors. Mr Ssekandi said Parliament shall handle the matter to its logical conclusion.
"It's good you have come at a time when there is a Bill on homosexuality," Mr Ssekandi said. "Your input will help the responsible committee and when they start public hearings, they shall invite you to help them in their work."
Friday, 23 October 2009
DPP: Pastors framed Kayanja on sodomy????
DPP: Pastors framed Kayanja on sodomy
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/DPP_Pastors_framed_Kayanja_on_sodomy_93417.shtml
Alfred Nyongesa Wandera
Kampala
The Directorate of Public Prosecution has noted credible evidence implicating both pastors Robert Kayiira and David Michael Kyazze in a conspiracy to falsely accuse Pastor Robert Kayanja of involvement in criminal acts relating to homosexuality, Daily Monitor has learnt.
In a letter dated October 7 by the Principal State Attorney, Mr David Ndamurani Ateenyi, to the Director of the CID, Mr Edward Ochom, the DPP advises the investigators to record the statements of the accused pastors.
“We advise that you record their charge and caution statements with the view to preferring criminal charges of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor against both suspects contrary to the Penal Code Act; to wit a conspiracy to cause injury to the person and reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja.” the letter reads.
The letter, that was received in the CID registry on October 13, also asks the investigators to resubmit the case papers soon thereafter for perusal and further necessary action.
Pastor Kayanja came under spotlight early this year when his fellow Pentecostal pastors accused him of indulging youth members of his church in homosexuality acts, allegations that left his image dented. Investigators into the allegations also faced a flurry of criticism that they acted softly on Pastor Kayanja after it emerged that he had helped renovate a number of police stations.
Pastor Kayiira said yesterday that he is not afraid of any charges being labelled against him. “I have nothing against Pastor Kayanja and I am ready to take on the charges as they come,” Pastor Kayiira told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview.
Pastor Kyazze could not be reached for a comment as his mobile telephone remained switched off.
But Pastor Solomon Male said the DPP’s findings are far-fetched and that Pastor Kayanja’s sodomy allegations have been going on for many years.
The DPP’s findings come on the backdrop of a move by a group of pastors presenting a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Ssekandi, demanding investigation into sodomy allegations in the churches.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/DPP_Pastors_framed_Kayanja_on_sodomy_93417.shtml
Alfred Nyongesa Wandera
Kampala
The Directorate of Public Prosecution has noted credible evidence implicating both pastors Robert Kayiira and David Michael Kyazze in a conspiracy to falsely accuse Pastor Robert Kayanja of involvement in criminal acts relating to homosexuality, Daily Monitor has learnt.
In a letter dated October 7 by the Principal State Attorney, Mr David Ndamurani Ateenyi, to the Director of the CID, Mr Edward Ochom, the DPP advises the investigators to record the statements of the accused pastors.
“We advise that you record their charge and caution statements with the view to preferring criminal charges of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor against both suspects contrary to the Penal Code Act; to wit a conspiracy to cause injury to the person and reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja.” the letter reads.
The letter, that was received in the CID registry on October 13, also asks the investigators to resubmit the case papers soon thereafter for perusal and further necessary action.
Pastor Kayanja came under spotlight early this year when his fellow Pentecostal pastors accused him of indulging youth members of his church in homosexuality acts, allegations that left his image dented. Investigators into the allegations also faced a flurry of criticism that they acted softly on Pastor Kayanja after it emerged that he had helped renovate a number of police stations.
Pastor Kayiira said yesterday that he is not afraid of any charges being labelled against him. “I have nothing against Pastor Kayanja and I am ready to take on the charges as they come,” Pastor Kayiira told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview.
Pastor Kyazze could not be reached for a comment as his mobile telephone remained switched off.
But Pastor Solomon Male said the DPP’s findings are far-fetched and that Pastor Kayanja’s sodomy allegations have been going on for many years.
The DPP’s findings come on the backdrop of a move by a group of pastors presenting a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Ssekandi, demanding investigation into sodomy allegations in the churches.
Monday, 19 October 2009
UNVEILING THE GREATEST LIES IN CHRISTENDOM: CHRISTMAS AND EASTER ARE SIMPLY BOGUS PAGAN HOLIDAYS
FIRST WATCH: UGANDA AMERICAN HERETICS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbjuHxEMjOA
BORN IN DECEMBER ?
"In Pagan Rome, December 25th was celebrated as the birthday of Mithras, a prophet of the sun worshipers. Perhaps these Roman holidays had their influence in the selection of December 25th as Christ's birthday. Justification for the choice was given by St. Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople at the end of the fourth century. In a discourse he said, 'On this day also the Birthday of Christ was lately fixed at Rome in order that while the heathen were busy with their profane ceremonies, the Christians might perform their sacred rites undisturbed. They call this (December 25th), the Birthday of the Invincible One (Mithras); but who is so invincible as the Lord? They call it the Birthday of the Solar Disk, but Christ is the Son of Righteousness.' About 336 AD, the Church of Rome definitely fixed the 25th day of December as the birthday of the Lord. Since the fifth century most of the Christian world has celebrated that day as Christ's Birthday."
So it has nothing to do with when Christ really was born. Therefore, it's not true.
"Gradually, as certain pagan customs of holiday celebrations were assimilated into the Christmas festival, the activities took on gaiety and often frivolity.....In time there was reaction to the more frivolous until in certain countries, England for example, the observance of festivals was entirely prohibited."
When the United States was settled, the celebration of Christmas was an illegal activity. I don't believe that it was just because of the frivolity that was involved. I believe that, as a result of the reformation, many people realized that the source was pagan and Roman Catholic, and thought, "We've left Roman Catholicism in protest and we are not going to bring their practices with us, such as Christmas and Easter and things of that nature."
"CAROLS AND CAROLING. Some carols, evidently of pagan origin, were adopted by Christians and given new words. Many of the carols were danced as well as sung which kept them from being approved by the church for centuries. The word carol was associated with dancing until the 14th century. It is said that St. Francis and his brethren sang simple carols at the first presentation of a life-sized representation of the Nativity scene."
In the nativity scene, what do you find? Don't you find three wise men, and you find them in a manger with the babe and sometimes the shepherds, too, I guess. Is that true? Where do we find the accounts of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ? In what books? Luke and Matthew. Mark and John don't have any record of that part of Christ's life. Luke and Matthew. But when you compare those two accounts, it's obvious that the shepherds were told, by the angels, of the birth of Christ, when he was at Bethlehem, at the time that he was born. And they found him where? In a manger. In contrast, by the time the wise men came, some time had lapsed. And when they found the Lord Jesus Christ, they found him where? In a house.
How many wise men were there? Nobody knows. Why do people assume there were three? Because they brought three types of gifts, which in no way would indicate that there were just three men. It could have been a hundred men for that matter. It could have been 25. It could have been three. But there is no reason to believe that it was three men. I don't think that three men normally made it a practice to travel in that country, in that way together, especially carrying gold, frankincense and myrrh. They had as much trouble with robbers and that kind of people as we do, in fact, maybe more.
"THE CRECHE. To inspire greater religious feeling, and help in the interpretation of the story of the birth of Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi conceived the idea of building a life-sized representation of the Nativity scene. The Pope gave him permission to do so, and in 1223 he built a full-sized stable next to his church in Graecia, a village near Assisi, in Italy. In it he created the Nativity scene with living people and animals. The people who came were much impressed. From this beginning the idea spread all over Europe. The creche was used in homes as well as in the churches and through the ages it has been built in all forms, large and small from the crudest to the most elaborate."
"THE THREE WISE MEN. The Three Wise men (also referred to as the Three Kings and as the Magi) are always a part of the Nativity scene. The story of their visit to the Christ Child is told in St. Matthew, and they are in themselves familiar symbols of Christmas. According to medieval legend, they were Melchoir, King of Arabia, who brought a gift of gold; Gaspar, King of Tarsus, who brought myrrh; and Balthasar, King of Ethiopia, who brought frankincense."
That is according to legend, not the word of God.
"Some authorities believe that gift giving at this time of the year was a carryover from the pagans. The Romans gave presents during the celebrations of Saturnalia and of Kalends.
"CHARITY. Our present day custom of providing for the less fortunate at Christmas is undoubtedly an outgrowth of an old legend. This legend says that every Christmas Eve, the Christ Child wanders all over the world asking for food, shelter, and help."
Again, is that true?
"One of the possible origins of the idea that Santa Claus descends the chimney to bring gifts has already been given." One story was of this Roman Catholic who became St. Nicholas. The story was that Nicholas heard of a man with three daughters and the father didn't have enough money to make a dowry for them so he was going to sell them. And so Nicholas dropped three gold bags at three different times down a chimney so that they could each have a dowry. And so they thought this story may be one possible origin.
The other story (there are at least two others) associates this custom with the early German Goddess Hertha, goddess of domesticity. "She was believed to descend the chimney through the smoke and guide the tellers of fortunes. At one time the Germans baked cakes in the form of a slipper which was supposed to be that of Hertha; these were filled with gifts for the children. In later times, it was the custom to clean the chimney at the beginning of the New Year so that good luck could enter the household. It is quite likely children were told that if they were good, Santa Claus would come down the chimney and bring them gifts.
"CHRISTMAS TREE. Of all Christmas symbols none is more familiar than the Christmas tree. The decorating of the Christmas tree is one of the most beloved Christmas customs and prevails wherever trees are available in either living or artificial form. From earliest times the ancients held nature in great reverence."
What does the scripture say about that? In Romans 1 we read, that they "worshipped and served the creature more than the creator."
"All things had their gods, among them water, the meadows, and the trees. Evergreen, therefore was not only for decorative purposes but because it was possible to thus bring a part of nature indoors. For the feast of Bacchus in Roman times trees were decorated with trinkets.
Among the trinkets were masks of Bacchus. Those trees toward which the wind turned the masks were supposed to be endowed with great fertility. In the celebration of the pagan Yule season, the ancient sun-worshiping Teutons are said to have decorated fir trees, for they likened the sun to the spreading and blossoming of a great tree. Some tell us that our own Christmas tree decoration is symbolic of this celestial sun tree of the ancient pagans; the lights represent the lightning, the decorations the sun, the moon, and the stars, while the little animals hung in the branches represent the sacrifice of animals made to the sun god.
"THE MISTLETOE. Mistletoe was often hung over the entrances to homes of the pagans in Scandinavian countries to keep out evil spirits. An old Scandinavian myth tells of the seemingly invulnerable god, Balder, who was struck down by a dart made of mistletoe, and it was decreed that the plant must never again be used as a weapon. Frigga, who was the Goddess of love, henceforth, gave a kiss to anyone who passed under the mistletoe. The Druids who were members of a pagan religious order in ancient Gaul, Briton and Ireland held the mistletoe in such reverence that if enemies met under it in the forest, a truce was declared for the day. Later, among Christians, it came to symbolize the healing power of Christ.
"THE YULE LOG. The Druids' custom was to light fires during the Yule season to burn out the sins and evils of the past year.
"BELLS. For centuries bells of churches of every land have pealed forth the glad tidings of the birth of Jesus. In medieval times, the bells tolled for an hour before midnight on Christmas Eve, and then on the hour their voices changed to a joyous ringing. The tolling was to warn the powers of Darkness of the approaching of the birth of the Savior. It was believed 'the Devil died when Christ was born.'"
I wish that were true. But sad to say, it's not true. The devil is alive and well today.
"And in England, the tolling was known as 'Tolling the Devil's knell.' As a result, bells have become a part of our Christmas decorations, mostly in imitation form. They are also prominent in Christmas card designs."
, I think we need to back off and just look at it and say, "Well, is it true?" How much of the Christmas story is true? Again, just to go back and reflect a little bit on the three wise men. If you go to Matthew chapter 2 you will find that there were wise men, and you will find that they brought gifts. They didn't come to the manger. And it's interesting. Let's look at Matthew chapter 2. It's an interesting thing that while the shepherds were told of peace on earth, good will towards men, it's also true that for those mothers of Israel who had children two years old and younger—males two years old and younger— that was a sad day. Let's start with verse 1:
Matthew 2:1-7. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared."
What was he (Herod) trying to establish? At least he is trying to establish the age of the child.
Matthew 2:8-11 "And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed, and lo the star, which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house (not into the stable but into the house) they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."
How many of them were there? We don't know. To imply that there were three doesn't seem to be reasonable and logical.
Matthew 2:12-14. "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child, and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt."
It's interesting how many times that the words "young child" are used here.
Matthew 2:15-16. "And was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquire of the wise men."
There is no doubt, this wasn't a happy day for them. And they would reflect back at that period of time and it wouldn't be with joy and rejoicing. I think we generally forget that. But the important thing was that it was “two years old” and under, and I am sure he spanned more time than was necessary. In other words, let's say, based on his calculations, that the child was possibly a year old. By going two years, he picked up that much extra tolerance, and going down to all of them under, he figured he could sweep it clean—two years old and under.
So again, it is not an accurate representation of the biblical account. Obviously, Santa Claus is a lie. And again, when you think of the next most prominent celebration, it's very similar because its origin is the same. That celebration, in the so-called Christian religion, is the celebration of Easter, allegedly celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What about Easter? Most of the activities that are surrounding that celebration are also from pagan origin, far predating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then we cap it by telling kids that rabbits lay eggs.
WHY? It's ridiculous! But that's what we tell them! And so we take something that did happen—the Lord Jesus Christ did suffer and did die and was raised the third day for our justification. That's true! Then we mix with it a lot of things that have their roots in paganism and idolatry that far predate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, to say nothing of his resurrection. Again, mixing a lie with truth. And then we add the little dimension of the Easter bunny and the Easter eggs laid by rabbits, and then we present that to children.
You think the god of this world is so blind, so stupid, that he didn't know what he was doing when he did that? No, I believe the opposite. He knew exactly what he was doing. And anytime you take something that is true and pure and holy and you mix that with a lie, something that is not true, you do not bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because truth came by him. He came to bear witness to the truth. He was the truth. And therefore, to try to serve him, to please him, we must say and do what is true. Religion today (sectarian, denominational religion) takes truth and mixes it with a lie, which they say is to promote truth. All they do is discredit the truth.
And that's why we as Christians, as we come to realize what is truth, need to hate that kind of sin, that kind of mixture. One of the things that God did not want, never has wanted for his people, was mixture. When you go back into the old scriptures, as well as into the writing of the apostle Paul, separation of truth from error is what God wanted. Over and over again, and in many ways, he taught that. The nation Israel was not to sow its fields with diverse kinds of seeds. Why? God wanted distinction. They were not to wear clothes of diverse kinds of material. God wanted separation and distinction. They [Israel] weren't to inter-marry with the nations of other lands.
Why? God didn't want the descendants of Jacob to be corrupted with heathen practices. God didn't want his people Israel to take on the practices that were authored by the Devil, the worship of pagan deities.
It's exactly what God didn't want. And that is exactly what the devil has been able to do, with nominal Christianity today. To mix truth with error. And it makes both a lie. It makes it a dirty, vile thing.
Turn to Ephesians 4:25:
"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another."
Put away lying! Speak truth. Look at Colossians chapter 3. We as Christians have no basis, no rhyme nor reason, that could possibly justify participating in anything with the magnitude of dishonesty in it that the celebration of Christmas and Easter have.
Colossians 3:9-10. "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:"
There is no doubt that at this time of year, there is much beautiful music written. The thought of giving to the poor certainly would appeal to anyone. The joyful times of families together, good food (too much food in many cases), times to visit and times for mothers and wives to prepare and cook and look forward to having all the family together in the family atmosphere and all that. Certainly none could speak against those things. But when they are mixed with a lie about really The most important One that ever moved on this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, then you and I need to find another time to have those activities. Certainly times of the family being together don't have to depend on everybody in the world doing the same thing at the same time.
We can have those times among our own families—times for wives and mothers and daughters and daughters-in-law to get together and cook, to have time of fellowship and maybe even eating too much. Those times don't have to be the times that the world dictates. The god of this world, the devil, dictates, as he has created through the Roman Catholic; a mixture of paganism and idolatry and mixed it up in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ—to say nothing of mixing it with the mass, the resurrection and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. There is no place for those who know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and who want to please Him to have any part in that. And yet, the vast majority of people in the world are like robots, lock- stepping down the road at this time of the year to celebrate Christ's birthday.
UNKNOWN AUTHOR
WHY TABERNACLES?
We see in Luke chapter three, that Jesus is baptized in the River Jordan, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. Luke also points out that it is ANOTHER important day in the life of Messiah--------let’s take a look.
Luke 3:22-24
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
KJV
Luke tells us that Jesus became ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD at his baptism in Jordan. Scholars all over the world agree that the ministry of Jesus on earth was THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS LONG, beginning at his baptism in Jordan, and concluding at his crucifixion at Passover------THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS LATER. It is a child’s effort to understand that if you count backward THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS from the crucifixion [the ministry of Christ], you come exactly to TABERNACLES ! Luke tells us that Jesus BEGAN TO BE ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD on that very day. Allow me to remind you that we are AGENTS OF TRUTH-------because Jesus has said “the day will come AND NOW IS, that they who worship the Father shall worship him in spirit AND IN TRUTH. What is THE TRUTH about the birth of Jesus, and why should we celebrate a lie?
Shall we participate in the abundance of lies that have crept into the Church? Luke tells us that “NO OTHER THING IS CELEBRATED IN ALL THE CHURCHES” of the first century than that which he [Luke] has reported. Does the passage of TIME transform a LIE into the TRUTH? Does century after century of the celebration of “CHRISTMAS” somehow validate this ancient farce? It does not. Shall the Lord NOT BE PLEASED if you forsake a lie? Will he be disappointed in you if you proclaim THE TRUTH about the birth of his Son? I think not regarding BOTH of these questions.
Danny McDowell
WHAT DO ABOUT EASTER?
http://propheticoutreach.blogspot.com/2008/02/what-to-do-about-easter_6222.html
Danny McDowell
Most Christians either DO NOT KNOW--------or DO NOT CARE, about the history of EASTER and the meanings of it’s varied celebrations world-wide. The history of Easter is decoded in it’s very NAME.
This yearly celebration is named for the ancient Babylonian goddess “ISHTAR” of the very same pronunciation [eester]. The celebration, like most ancient holy days, begins in Babylonian religious myth. In the days of ancient Babylonia, there was a renowned King by the name of Nimrod. You may remember Nimrod from the Old Testament.
Nimrod was married to Ishtar. After Nimrod’s death; in order to consolidate power, and to keep power in the hands of Ishtar and her son. Ishtar married her own son who’s name was Tammuz. One day as Tammuz was hunting for wild boar [for he was a great hunter as was his father Nimrod], he [Tammuz] was gored by a wild pig. He became very ill from this injury and later died of his wounds.
In torment, and grief,. Ishtar prayed to the gods of the underworld to release her son from the bondage of the underworld. In the mythology; the god’s of the underworld agreed to release Tammuz from his captivity for one day per year.
This DAY came to be known as ISHTAR , and the day of the week was that ancient, weekly pagan holy day of SUN-DAY. Each year at SUNRISE of ISHTAR SUN-DAY------all of the empire was compelled to celebrate the yearly freedom of Tammuz-------but NOT WITHOUT TRAVAIL AND WEEPING.
It was required that the WOMEN of the empire should WEEP IN TRAVAIL for FOURTY DAYS prior to Ishtar Sun-day morning. With GREIF satisfactory to the gods----Tammuz was released. This became known as the “WEEPING FOR TAMMUZ” It is recorded in Ezekiel:
Ezek 8:14-18
14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
In this same vein----it was required of the ELDERS to stand with their BACKS TO THE TEMPLE and to worship the RISING OF THE SON [Tammuz]. This abominable practice made it’s way into apostate Israel, as well as the entirety of the Mediterranean world under varied local names for this goddess to be-----ISHTAR.
Later in time, as the Bishops of Rome [popes] contrived to unify Roman religions, and give unchallenged POWER to the Pontiff; many pagan practices were introduced to the NOW APOSTATE church. EASTER was one of MANY to find it’s way into Christendom In order to “Christianize” these clearly PAGAN traditions , the church was compelled to create acceptable fable in order to placate the contemporary believer. Hence, we have the “LENTEN SEASON [fourty days of weeping for Tammuz], and EASTER SUNDAY [the resurrection of Tammuz].
Time has been the enemy of orthodoxy in many things. Given enough TIME and ANYTHING can be fostered on an already apostate church.
Tim 4:1-3
4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
KJV
So now we have, NOT ONLY THE HOAX-------but the hoax has become an an ENTRENCHED TRADITION to the very sad realization that the entire PASSION STORY is abundantly presented in the New Testament. There is no need for fable.
Cor 5:7-9
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
KJV
The New Testament is so CLEAR about this matter that the DENIAL of these Biblical witnesses borders on that very proclamation of the Apostle Paul:
2 Thess 2:10-12
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
KJV
Christ is our ETERNAL PASSOVER ! There is NO EXCUSE for this abominable exchange that has been celebrated in the church for CENTURIES-----NONE!!
In the fourteenth day of AVIV----in the year THIRTY AD------a man hung on a STAUROS, and in the NINTH HOUR of the day he cried out ----“IT IS FINISHED”. That man was the Messiah of Israel, the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD-----THE VERY SON OF GOD----------CHRIST-----------OUR PASSOVER !! He gave up the Ghost at the VERY MOMENT that the Temple HIGH PRIEST killed the yearly Passover Lamb. It was at that critical point in time that the GATES OF HELL TREMBLED. It was at that very moment that MY SINS were open to VAST ATONEMENT! It was at that very moment that the ENMITY OF THE LAW was abolished! It was at that moment that EVERY NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE BECAME SEALED!
What shame-------shame, shame, shame! That we should sacrifice the TRUTH for such a lame fable as EASTER. EASTER IS NOT PASSOVER-------and PASSOVER IS NOT EASTER. Passover falls on the FULL MOON nearest the SPRING EQUINOX [March/April]. It shall NEVER CHANGE.
For two hundred years the church followed the tradition of the Apostles and celebrated the ONLY AUTHORIZED CELEBRATION of the DEATH----BURIAL----AND RESURRECTION of the Savior. Jesus said “do this in rememberance of me”. They celebrated this event ONCE PER YEAR------AT PASSOVER. It was THE LORD’S TABLE !--------THEN CAME THE BISHOPS OF ROME !
Cor 11:24-31
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Let’s get this straight-----WE WERE NEVER AUTHORIZED TO CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION, CERTAINLY NOT EASTER !! We are COMMANDED to celebrate the Savior’s DEATH------TILL HE COMES. This sacrament has been lost to PAGAN TRADITION.------IT’S NOT TOO LATE. WE CAN FIX IT. GOD IS MERCIFUL. JUST REPENT AND FOLLOW THE NEW TESTAMENT!
Just look at I Cor.11:27-----it says “whoever celebrates this sacrament UNWORTHILY is GUILTY OF CHRIST’S BLOOD. That’s how important this matter is to Y-O-U !
Each year at Passover, we at the New Testament Fellowship of Winston/Salem North Carolina, celebrate the LORD’S TABLE under a predictable FULL MOON in the evening of 14 AVIV. Why not do the same. It’s wonderful to know that you are following a GREAT CROWD of New Testament Saints as we celebrate “CHRIST----OUR PASSOVER”. Danny McDowell---------ps don’t waste your time with all that hoey about law and grace. It has NOTHING TO DO with this lesson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbjuHxEMjOA
BORN IN DECEMBER ?
"In Pagan Rome, December 25th was celebrated as the birthday of Mithras, a prophet of the sun worshipers. Perhaps these Roman holidays had their influence in the selection of December 25th as Christ's birthday. Justification for the choice was given by St. Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople at the end of the fourth century. In a discourse he said, 'On this day also the Birthday of Christ was lately fixed at Rome in order that while the heathen were busy with their profane ceremonies, the Christians might perform their sacred rites undisturbed. They call this (December 25th), the Birthday of the Invincible One (Mithras); but who is so invincible as the Lord? They call it the Birthday of the Solar Disk, but Christ is the Son of Righteousness.' About 336 AD, the Church of Rome definitely fixed the 25th day of December as the birthday of the Lord. Since the fifth century most of the Christian world has celebrated that day as Christ's Birthday."
So it has nothing to do with when Christ really was born. Therefore, it's not true.
"Gradually, as certain pagan customs of holiday celebrations were assimilated into the Christmas festival, the activities took on gaiety and often frivolity.....In time there was reaction to the more frivolous until in certain countries, England for example, the observance of festivals was entirely prohibited."
When the United States was settled, the celebration of Christmas was an illegal activity. I don't believe that it was just because of the frivolity that was involved. I believe that, as a result of the reformation, many people realized that the source was pagan and Roman Catholic, and thought, "We've left Roman Catholicism in protest and we are not going to bring their practices with us, such as Christmas and Easter and things of that nature."
"CAROLS AND CAROLING. Some carols, evidently of pagan origin, were adopted by Christians and given new words. Many of the carols were danced as well as sung which kept them from being approved by the church for centuries. The word carol was associated with dancing until the 14th century. It is said that St. Francis and his brethren sang simple carols at the first presentation of a life-sized representation of the Nativity scene."
In the nativity scene, what do you find? Don't you find three wise men, and you find them in a manger with the babe and sometimes the shepherds, too, I guess. Is that true? Where do we find the accounts of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ? In what books? Luke and Matthew. Mark and John don't have any record of that part of Christ's life. Luke and Matthew. But when you compare those two accounts, it's obvious that the shepherds were told, by the angels, of the birth of Christ, when he was at Bethlehem, at the time that he was born. And they found him where? In a manger. In contrast, by the time the wise men came, some time had lapsed. And when they found the Lord Jesus Christ, they found him where? In a house.
How many wise men were there? Nobody knows. Why do people assume there were three? Because they brought three types of gifts, which in no way would indicate that there were just three men. It could have been a hundred men for that matter. It could have been 25. It could have been three. But there is no reason to believe that it was three men. I don't think that three men normally made it a practice to travel in that country, in that way together, especially carrying gold, frankincense and myrrh. They had as much trouble with robbers and that kind of people as we do, in fact, maybe more.
"THE CRECHE. To inspire greater religious feeling, and help in the interpretation of the story of the birth of Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi conceived the idea of building a life-sized representation of the Nativity scene. The Pope gave him permission to do so, and in 1223 he built a full-sized stable next to his church in Graecia, a village near Assisi, in Italy. In it he created the Nativity scene with living people and animals. The people who came were much impressed. From this beginning the idea spread all over Europe. The creche was used in homes as well as in the churches and through the ages it has been built in all forms, large and small from the crudest to the most elaborate."
"THE THREE WISE MEN. The Three Wise men (also referred to as the Three Kings and as the Magi) are always a part of the Nativity scene. The story of their visit to the Christ Child is told in St. Matthew, and they are in themselves familiar symbols of Christmas. According to medieval legend, they were Melchoir, King of Arabia, who brought a gift of gold; Gaspar, King of Tarsus, who brought myrrh; and Balthasar, King of Ethiopia, who brought frankincense."
That is according to legend, not the word of God.
"Some authorities believe that gift giving at this time of the year was a carryover from the pagans. The Romans gave presents during the celebrations of Saturnalia and of Kalends.
"CHARITY. Our present day custom of providing for the less fortunate at Christmas is undoubtedly an outgrowth of an old legend. This legend says that every Christmas Eve, the Christ Child wanders all over the world asking for food, shelter, and help."
Again, is that true?
"One of the possible origins of the idea that Santa Claus descends the chimney to bring gifts has already been given." One story was of this Roman Catholic who became St. Nicholas. The story was that Nicholas heard of a man with three daughters and the father didn't have enough money to make a dowry for them so he was going to sell them. And so Nicholas dropped three gold bags at three different times down a chimney so that they could each have a dowry. And so they thought this story may be one possible origin.
The other story (there are at least two others) associates this custom with the early German Goddess Hertha, goddess of domesticity. "She was believed to descend the chimney through the smoke and guide the tellers of fortunes. At one time the Germans baked cakes in the form of a slipper which was supposed to be that of Hertha; these were filled with gifts for the children. In later times, it was the custom to clean the chimney at the beginning of the New Year so that good luck could enter the household. It is quite likely children were told that if they were good, Santa Claus would come down the chimney and bring them gifts.
"CHRISTMAS TREE. Of all Christmas symbols none is more familiar than the Christmas tree. The decorating of the Christmas tree is one of the most beloved Christmas customs and prevails wherever trees are available in either living or artificial form. From earliest times the ancients held nature in great reverence."
What does the scripture say about that? In Romans 1 we read, that they "worshipped and served the creature more than the creator."
"All things had their gods, among them water, the meadows, and the trees. Evergreen, therefore was not only for decorative purposes but because it was possible to thus bring a part of nature indoors. For the feast of Bacchus in Roman times trees were decorated with trinkets.
Among the trinkets were masks of Bacchus. Those trees toward which the wind turned the masks were supposed to be endowed with great fertility. In the celebration of the pagan Yule season, the ancient sun-worshiping Teutons are said to have decorated fir trees, for they likened the sun to the spreading and blossoming of a great tree. Some tell us that our own Christmas tree decoration is symbolic of this celestial sun tree of the ancient pagans; the lights represent the lightning, the decorations the sun, the moon, and the stars, while the little animals hung in the branches represent the sacrifice of animals made to the sun god.
"THE MISTLETOE. Mistletoe was often hung over the entrances to homes of the pagans in Scandinavian countries to keep out evil spirits. An old Scandinavian myth tells of the seemingly invulnerable god, Balder, who was struck down by a dart made of mistletoe, and it was decreed that the plant must never again be used as a weapon. Frigga, who was the Goddess of love, henceforth, gave a kiss to anyone who passed under the mistletoe. The Druids who were members of a pagan religious order in ancient Gaul, Briton and Ireland held the mistletoe in such reverence that if enemies met under it in the forest, a truce was declared for the day. Later, among Christians, it came to symbolize the healing power of Christ.
"THE YULE LOG. The Druids' custom was to light fires during the Yule season to burn out the sins and evils of the past year.
"BELLS. For centuries bells of churches of every land have pealed forth the glad tidings of the birth of Jesus. In medieval times, the bells tolled for an hour before midnight on Christmas Eve, and then on the hour their voices changed to a joyous ringing. The tolling was to warn the powers of Darkness of the approaching of the birth of the Savior. It was believed 'the Devil died when Christ was born.'"
I wish that were true. But sad to say, it's not true. The devil is alive and well today.
"And in England, the tolling was known as 'Tolling the Devil's knell.' As a result, bells have become a part of our Christmas decorations, mostly in imitation form. They are also prominent in Christmas card designs."
, I think we need to back off and just look at it and say, "Well, is it true?" How much of the Christmas story is true? Again, just to go back and reflect a little bit on the three wise men. If you go to Matthew chapter 2 you will find that there were wise men, and you will find that they brought gifts. They didn't come to the manger. And it's interesting. Let's look at Matthew chapter 2. It's an interesting thing that while the shepherds were told of peace on earth, good will towards men, it's also true that for those mothers of Israel who had children two years old and younger—males two years old and younger— that was a sad day. Let's start with verse 1:
Matthew 2:1-7. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared."
What was he (Herod) trying to establish? At least he is trying to establish the age of the child.
Matthew 2:8-11 "And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed, and lo the star, which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house (not into the stable but into the house) they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."
How many of them were there? We don't know. To imply that there were three doesn't seem to be reasonable and logical.
Matthew 2:12-14. "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child, and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt."
It's interesting how many times that the words "young child" are used here.
Matthew 2:15-16. "And was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquire of the wise men."
There is no doubt, this wasn't a happy day for them. And they would reflect back at that period of time and it wouldn't be with joy and rejoicing. I think we generally forget that. But the important thing was that it was “two years old” and under, and I am sure he spanned more time than was necessary. In other words, let's say, based on his calculations, that the child was possibly a year old. By going two years, he picked up that much extra tolerance, and going down to all of them under, he figured he could sweep it clean—two years old and under.
So again, it is not an accurate representation of the biblical account. Obviously, Santa Claus is a lie. And again, when you think of the next most prominent celebration, it's very similar because its origin is the same. That celebration, in the so-called Christian religion, is the celebration of Easter, allegedly celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What about Easter? Most of the activities that are surrounding that celebration are also from pagan origin, far predating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then we cap it by telling kids that rabbits lay eggs.
WHY? It's ridiculous! But that's what we tell them! And so we take something that did happen—the Lord Jesus Christ did suffer and did die and was raised the third day for our justification. That's true! Then we mix with it a lot of things that have their roots in paganism and idolatry that far predate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, to say nothing of his resurrection. Again, mixing a lie with truth. And then we add the little dimension of the Easter bunny and the Easter eggs laid by rabbits, and then we present that to children.
You think the god of this world is so blind, so stupid, that he didn't know what he was doing when he did that? No, I believe the opposite. He knew exactly what he was doing. And anytime you take something that is true and pure and holy and you mix that with a lie, something that is not true, you do not bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because truth came by him. He came to bear witness to the truth. He was the truth. And therefore, to try to serve him, to please him, we must say and do what is true. Religion today (sectarian, denominational religion) takes truth and mixes it with a lie, which they say is to promote truth. All they do is discredit the truth.
And that's why we as Christians, as we come to realize what is truth, need to hate that kind of sin, that kind of mixture. One of the things that God did not want, never has wanted for his people, was mixture. When you go back into the old scriptures, as well as into the writing of the apostle Paul, separation of truth from error is what God wanted. Over and over again, and in many ways, he taught that. The nation Israel was not to sow its fields with diverse kinds of seeds. Why? God wanted distinction. They were not to wear clothes of diverse kinds of material. God wanted separation and distinction. They [Israel] weren't to inter-marry with the nations of other lands.
Why? God didn't want the descendants of Jacob to be corrupted with heathen practices. God didn't want his people Israel to take on the practices that were authored by the Devil, the worship of pagan deities.
It's exactly what God didn't want. And that is exactly what the devil has been able to do, with nominal Christianity today. To mix truth with error. And it makes both a lie. It makes it a dirty, vile thing.
Turn to Ephesians 4:25:
"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another."
Put away lying! Speak truth. Look at Colossians chapter 3. We as Christians have no basis, no rhyme nor reason, that could possibly justify participating in anything with the magnitude of dishonesty in it that the celebration of Christmas and Easter have.
Colossians 3:9-10. "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:"
There is no doubt that at this time of year, there is much beautiful music written. The thought of giving to the poor certainly would appeal to anyone. The joyful times of families together, good food (too much food in many cases), times to visit and times for mothers and wives to prepare and cook and look forward to having all the family together in the family atmosphere and all that. Certainly none could speak against those things. But when they are mixed with a lie about really The most important One that ever moved on this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, then you and I need to find another time to have those activities. Certainly times of the family being together don't have to depend on everybody in the world doing the same thing at the same time.
We can have those times among our own families—times for wives and mothers and daughters and daughters-in-law to get together and cook, to have time of fellowship and maybe even eating too much. Those times don't have to be the times that the world dictates. The god of this world, the devil, dictates, as he has created through the Roman Catholic; a mixture of paganism and idolatry and mixed it up in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ—to say nothing of mixing it with the mass, the resurrection and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. There is no place for those who know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and who want to please Him to have any part in that. And yet, the vast majority of people in the world are like robots, lock- stepping down the road at this time of the year to celebrate Christ's birthday.
UNKNOWN AUTHOR
WHY TABERNACLES?
We see in Luke chapter three, that Jesus is baptized in the River Jordan, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. Luke also points out that it is ANOTHER important day in the life of Messiah--------let’s take a look.
Luke 3:22-24
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
KJV
Luke tells us that Jesus became ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD at his baptism in Jordan. Scholars all over the world agree that the ministry of Jesus on earth was THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS LONG, beginning at his baptism in Jordan, and concluding at his crucifixion at Passover------THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS LATER. It is a child’s effort to understand that if you count backward THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS from the crucifixion [the ministry of Christ], you come exactly to TABERNACLES ! Luke tells us that Jesus BEGAN TO BE ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD on that very day. Allow me to remind you that we are AGENTS OF TRUTH-------because Jesus has said “the day will come AND NOW IS, that they who worship the Father shall worship him in spirit AND IN TRUTH. What is THE TRUTH about the birth of Jesus, and why should we celebrate a lie?
Shall we participate in the abundance of lies that have crept into the Church? Luke tells us that “NO OTHER THING IS CELEBRATED IN ALL THE CHURCHES” of the first century than that which he [Luke] has reported. Does the passage of TIME transform a LIE into the TRUTH? Does century after century of the celebration of “CHRISTMAS” somehow validate this ancient farce? It does not. Shall the Lord NOT BE PLEASED if you forsake a lie? Will he be disappointed in you if you proclaim THE TRUTH about the birth of his Son? I think not regarding BOTH of these questions.
Danny McDowell
WHAT DO ABOUT EASTER?
http://propheticoutreach.blogspot.com/2008/02/what-to-do-about-easter_6222.html
Danny McDowell
Most Christians either DO NOT KNOW--------or DO NOT CARE, about the history of EASTER and the meanings of it’s varied celebrations world-wide. The history of Easter is decoded in it’s very NAME.
This yearly celebration is named for the ancient Babylonian goddess “ISHTAR” of the very same pronunciation [eester]. The celebration, like most ancient holy days, begins in Babylonian religious myth. In the days of ancient Babylonia, there was a renowned King by the name of Nimrod. You may remember Nimrod from the Old Testament.
Nimrod was married to Ishtar. After Nimrod’s death; in order to consolidate power, and to keep power in the hands of Ishtar and her son. Ishtar married her own son who’s name was Tammuz. One day as Tammuz was hunting for wild boar [for he was a great hunter as was his father Nimrod], he [Tammuz] was gored by a wild pig. He became very ill from this injury and later died of his wounds.
In torment, and grief,. Ishtar prayed to the gods of the underworld to release her son from the bondage of the underworld. In the mythology; the god’s of the underworld agreed to release Tammuz from his captivity for one day per year.
This DAY came to be known as ISHTAR , and the day of the week was that ancient, weekly pagan holy day of SUN-DAY. Each year at SUNRISE of ISHTAR SUN-DAY------all of the empire was compelled to celebrate the yearly freedom of Tammuz-------but NOT WITHOUT TRAVAIL AND WEEPING.
It was required that the WOMEN of the empire should WEEP IN TRAVAIL for FOURTY DAYS prior to Ishtar Sun-day morning. With GREIF satisfactory to the gods----Tammuz was released. This became known as the “WEEPING FOR TAMMUZ” It is recorded in Ezekiel:
Ezek 8:14-18
14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
In this same vein----it was required of the ELDERS to stand with their BACKS TO THE TEMPLE and to worship the RISING OF THE SON [Tammuz]. This abominable practice made it’s way into apostate Israel, as well as the entirety of the Mediterranean world under varied local names for this goddess to be-----ISHTAR.
Later in time, as the Bishops of Rome [popes] contrived to unify Roman religions, and give unchallenged POWER to the Pontiff; many pagan practices were introduced to the NOW APOSTATE church. EASTER was one of MANY to find it’s way into Christendom In order to “Christianize” these clearly PAGAN traditions , the church was compelled to create acceptable fable in order to placate the contemporary believer. Hence, we have the “LENTEN SEASON [fourty days of weeping for Tammuz], and EASTER SUNDAY [the resurrection of Tammuz].
Time has been the enemy of orthodoxy in many things. Given enough TIME and ANYTHING can be fostered on an already apostate church.
Tim 4:1-3
4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
KJV
So now we have, NOT ONLY THE HOAX-------but the hoax has become an an ENTRENCHED TRADITION to the very sad realization that the entire PASSION STORY is abundantly presented in the New Testament. There is no need for fable.
Cor 5:7-9
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
KJV
The New Testament is so CLEAR about this matter that the DENIAL of these Biblical witnesses borders on that very proclamation of the Apostle Paul:
2 Thess 2:10-12
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
KJV
Christ is our ETERNAL PASSOVER ! There is NO EXCUSE for this abominable exchange that has been celebrated in the church for CENTURIES-----NONE!!
In the fourteenth day of AVIV----in the year THIRTY AD------a man hung on a STAUROS, and in the NINTH HOUR of the day he cried out ----“IT IS FINISHED”. That man was the Messiah of Israel, the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD-----THE VERY SON OF GOD----------CHRIST-----------OUR PASSOVER !! He gave up the Ghost at the VERY MOMENT that the Temple HIGH PRIEST killed the yearly Passover Lamb. It was at that critical point in time that the GATES OF HELL TREMBLED. It was at that very moment that MY SINS were open to VAST ATONEMENT! It was at that very moment that the ENMITY OF THE LAW was abolished! It was at that moment that EVERY NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE BECAME SEALED!
What shame-------shame, shame, shame! That we should sacrifice the TRUTH for such a lame fable as EASTER. EASTER IS NOT PASSOVER-------and PASSOVER IS NOT EASTER. Passover falls on the FULL MOON nearest the SPRING EQUINOX [March/April]. It shall NEVER CHANGE.
For two hundred years the church followed the tradition of the Apostles and celebrated the ONLY AUTHORIZED CELEBRATION of the DEATH----BURIAL----AND RESURRECTION of the Savior. Jesus said “do this in rememberance of me”. They celebrated this event ONCE PER YEAR------AT PASSOVER. It was THE LORD’S TABLE !--------THEN CAME THE BISHOPS OF ROME !
Cor 11:24-31
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Let’s get this straight-----WE WERE NEVER AUTHORIZED TO CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION, CERTAINLY NOT EASTER !! We are COMMANDED to celebrate the Savior’s DEATH------TILL HE COMES. This sacrament has been lost to PAGAN TRADITION.------IT’S NOT TOO LATE. WE CAN FIX IT. GOD IS MERCIFUL. JUST REPENT AND FOLLOW THE NEW TESTAMENT!
Just look at I Cor.11:27-----it says “whoever celebrates this sacrament UNWORTHILY is GUILTY OF CHRIST’S BLOOD. That’s how important this matter is to Y-O-U !
Each year at Passover, we at the New Testament Fellowship of Winston/Salem North Carolina, celebrate the LORD’S TABLE under a predictable FULL MOON in the evening of 14 AVIV. Why not do the same. It’s wonderful to know that you are following a GREAT CROWD of New Testament Saints as we celebrate “CHRIST----OUR PASSOVER”. Danny McDowell---------ps don’t waste your time with all that hoey about law and grace. It has NOTHING TO DO with this lesson.
The single eye: The Material prosperity mammon gospel and the Great darkness
The Single Eye
Where will you not find money-loving preachers, pleasure taking preachers and those seeking to please men? The whole church is contaminated with them! They are a stink in the nostrils of God, pests of the Truth and a nuisance to all those seeking Christ. Rightly so that hell is paved with the souls of these kinds of preachers, but woe unto those who follow their ways. What the world deems as success is contrary to what God has revealed in His Word. Making yourself a friend of the world is to automatically become an enemy of God. (James4:4) Beware of seeking after gold and silver for death and hell hide beneath. Mike Desario
http://www.matthew548.com/The%20Single%20Eye.html
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matt6:22-23
Simplicity and purity are the two wings that lift the soul up to heaven. Simplicity, which is in the intention and purity, which is in the affections. The earnest and devoted life in Christ is expressed singularly in these traits and is manifest by the fruit of godliness and self-control. Thus the Grace of God is made known unto man as WORTHY to be received because it adorns ones life in righteousness and true holiness.
But the present day church has distorted these glorious truths. Many appear to believe that the soul can blend darkness with light and light with darkness and remain ‘FULL’ of light in the Lord. In consequence the Shepherds who have been entrusted with the ‘souls’ of men, cannot tell the difference between good and evil and one who serves God and one who does not. However fixed the meaning of scripture may be, they have found a way around it and insist that God will take them to heaven despite their double-minded opinions. Yet the truth is expressed in Simplicity and purity.
The Lord places simplicity of intention DIRECTLY between your worldly desires and cares, either you have your eye FIXED singly upon God and thereby your whole body is full of light, or the root of your intention is to please yourself and those around you, and your whole body is full of darkness. Devotion to God cannot be divided. Holiness and happiness follow those WALKING in the Light. But darkness and despair pursue those who attempt to serve God and mammon. Although they imagine themselves ‘in the light’ they are blind to the great darkness in them. Thus the passage states, ‘If the light in you is darkness, how GREAT is that darkness!’ Nothing could be worse than this brand of SELF-DECEPTION.
Who then is ‘full of light’, and conformed in heart and life to the will of God? None but those who are truly Born of God and guided by His Holy Spirit! The Bible is unattainable to those who pretend to follow Christ and that’s the reason they can’t understand its meaning. To most professing Christians the weekly sermon is a scheme of doctrines and practices far above what anyone could actually accomplish. They feel that by ‘hearing,’ their faith is increased and God will accept them nonetheless because of Grace. After all, the preachers make no demands as to their manner of life and if they do it’s ALWAYS tempered with the ‘suggestion’ that God is merciful and forgiving and no one is perfect.
What does it mean to have a ‘Single Eye?’ It means simply that GOD is the guiding principle of all your thoughts, words and actions. From within flows the intention that in all things either small or great, in word or deed, the heart is focused on pleasing God and doing His will. He is the center of ALL your desires, the end of all your plans and aspirations. Your goals in life are to His Glory alone, not your success, comfort and ease. ‘Thy WHOLE body is FULL of Light!’
The soul is filled with the light of heaven and glory of the Lord. The conscience is void of offense toward God and man, love is sincere from a pure heart. The Spirit is bearing witness that you are acceptable unto Him. You rejoice evermore and pray without ceasing, because your mind is constantly fixed upon God. In everything you give thanks, knowing that THIS is the will of God concerning you and all things will work together for good if you love and cleave to Him forever.
You know your salvation experience is genuine IF you are walking in this Light. He abides with you, teaches you and chastens you as a beloved son. You are continually being renewed in the spirit of your mind into the image of Jesus Christ and walking in newness of life with Him through the Power of His Grace. You are fighting the good fight and laying hold on eternal life to which you were called by His glory. And you are holding forth His Word of life to the world, blameless and harmless, bearing witness to a wicked and perverse generation that Christ can make you whole.
But what of those ‘full of darkness’ who know it not? The eye is not single, but evil, roving about seeking the pleasures of life and lust of the flesh. They pretend to know God and admire His Son, but their guiding principle is the ‘love’ of the world. While they indulge the pleasures of the imagination, seek the praises of men and desire wealth and prosperity, they embrace a form of godliness and remain in utter darkness. They are ignorant of their present estate and surrounded with impenetrable clouds of delusion impossible to penetrate. As long as their soul rests on the false assumption that darkness can be mixed with light and truth with error, they will continue in this snare until they stand naked at the Judgment and are sent away in sorrow.
How many today in the church who are respectable and a decent sort of people have fallen into this awful trap and know nothing of the nature of true religion. From the pastors right on down to the pew-sitter, they are defective in this natural understanding. Although many have an excellent education and consider themselves intelligent, they remain totally ignorant of the Simplicity that is in Christ. They do not Strive to please God, nor is He in many of their thoughts, unless they need something from Him. The guiding principle of their lives is career, family and self indulgence, not God.
For this reason true holiness is lost to the modern church as is Christ Himself. They worship Him in word and song, but they WILL NOT present themselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him and be transformed by the renewing of their mind! The vast majority of them including the pastors have NEVER seen a true conversion to Christ. They know nothing of scriptural holiness or the Power of a true and living faith. To them such things are ‘fanatical’ and over the edge, their concept of salvation is repeating a prayer and joining the church. All their efforts fall flat on the ground because they are building on the WRONG foundation. The heart must FIRST be transformed before you can pour in the New Wine of Truth. (Matt9:17) Religion avails nothing that is NOT based on the righteousness, joy and peace that comes from a heart FILLED with the Living Spirit of God. The church can seek happiness in prosperity, activities and worldly enjoyments but until the eye is FIXED solely on Christ all their efforts will be in vain.
Consider then, is the light in you really darkness? How important is this to know? Your eternal soul hangs in the balance. Are you puffed up with knowledge and much learning in the scriptures, but lacking in true piety and self-control? Is your profession utterly inconsistent with the revelation of plain Bible truth? The Simplicity is this, IF the guiding principle inside you is NOT directing your understanding, passions, affections and desires (all your thoughts words and deeds) to God and His glory and you are not striving to please Him in all your ways, the ‘Light’ that you suppose to be in you is really DARKNESS altogether. And how terrible are its effects!
Test and examine yourself in view of these precious truths. If your eye is not single what will be your aim in life? To please yourself and others and to seek worldly achievement? What of your children? Do you desire that they go to the best schools, get the finest education that money can buy and find employment that will grant them the most comfort and success according to the standards of the world? Would you prefer that your son be a fine lawyer, a brilliant engineer or a rich doctor, rather than a Saint of God, filled with the Holy Spirit and broken hearted over the lost souls of humanity? What are the common pursuits of MOST professing Christians today if NOT these very things? How unspeakably darkened is the understanding of those who judge a palace on earth to be preferred over a throne in heaven!
Consider also those who would account it joy for their daughters to marry a rich man, yet count themselves good Christians. They would rather sell her soul to the devil than insure her eternal happiness in Christ. Not that the rich cannot be saved! But it is exceedingly difficult in the BEST of times for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Mark10:17-22) How near impossible is it in such darkened times as these when every preacher in the pulpit is willing compromise the truth to please the ears of men? But many are seeking to ‘marry well’ within the walls of the church. They do not have a single eye on Christ or His eternal riches but on the things of this world and how much of them they can gain. The gods of wealth and success have become to the professing church like the fires of Moloch. Yet he only required that they pass ‘through’ his fire, while you pass your children into a FIRE that shall NEVER be quenched!
Even the young person who has a deep and abiding desire to serve God and bring souls out of darkness into His marvelous light must beware of not having this SINGLE EYE. How easily can one be plunged into darkness and begin to seek the folly of worldly gain. They are surrounded on every side by money and refinement, by greed and covetousness. The pulpits are filled with preachers seeking praise and recognition, vile wretches who lead unknowing souls into the pits of hell around the clock. Where will you not find money-loving preachers, pleasure taking preachers and those seeking to please men? The whole church is contaminated with them! They are a stink in the nostrils of God, pests of the Truth and a nuisance to all those seeking Christ. Rightly so that hell is paved with the souls of these kinds of preachers, but woe unto those who follow their ways.
What the world deems as success is contrary to what God has revealed in His Word. Making yourself a friend of the world is to automatically become an enemy of God. (James4:4) Beware of seeking after gold and silver for death and hell hide beneath.
Find contentment in the Lord and serve Him with all your heart. Better to marry a godly person who possesses nothing in this world but Jesus Christ than a person of wealth who ignores God and thinks nothing of Him. But the choice is yours to make, be it a rich child of the devil or a poor son of God, your EYE will decide. You may prefer a little of both and think it ‘acceptable’ to join with one who mixes only slightly darkness with light. But give heed to His warnings, NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS! In choosing a profession or a companion for life, FIX your eye firmly on HIM and do not become ensnared in the teaching of men. “Let your eye be Single and your whole body will be full of light!”
SEE MORE TRACKS HERE
http://www.matthew548.com
Contact: Mike DeSario, mike@antiosas,Qrg
2172 Marhofer Ave, Stow, Ohio 44224
330-945-6700
Where will you not find money-loving preachers, pleasure taking preachers and those seeking to please men? The whole church is contaminated with them! They are a stink in the nostrils of God, pests of the Truth and a nuisance to all those seeking Christ. Rightly so that hell is paved with the souls of these kinds of preachers, but woe unto those who follow their ways. What the world deems as success is contrary to what God has revealed in His Word. Making yourself a friend of the world is to automatically become an enemy of God. (James4:4) Beware of seeking after gold and silver for death and hell hide beneath. Mike Desario
http://www.matthew548.com/The%20Single%20Eye.html
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matt6:22-23
Simplicity and purity are the two wings that lift the soul up to heaven. Simplicity, which is in the intention and purity, which is in the affections. The earnest and devoted life in Christ is expressed singularly in these traits and is manifest by the fruit of godliness and self-control. Thus the Grace of God is made known unto man as WORTHY to be received because it adorns ones life in righteousness and true holiness.
But the present day church has distorted these glorious truths. Many appear to believe that the soul can blend darkness with light and light with darkness and remain ‘FULL’ of light in the Lord. In consequence the Shepherds who have been entrusted with the ‘souls’ of men, cannot tell the difference between good and evil and one who serves God and one who does not. However fixed the meaning of scripture may be, they have found a way around it and insist that God will take them to heaven despite their double-minded opinions. Yet the truth is expressed in Simplicity and purity.
The Lord places simplicity of intention DIRECTLY between your worldly desires and cares, either you have your eye FIXED singly upon God and thereby your whole body is full of light, or the root of your intention is to please yourself and those around you, and your whole body is full of darkness. Devotion to God cannot be divided. Holiness and happiness follow those WALKING in the Light. But darkness and despair pursue those who attempt to serve God and mammon. Although they imagine themselves ‘in the light’ they are blind to the great darkness in them. Thus the passage states, ‘If the light in you is darkness, how GREAT is that darkness!’ Nothing could be worse than this brand of SELF-DECEPTION.
Who then is ‘full of light’, and conformed in heart and life to the will of God? None but those who are truly Born of God and guided by His Holy Spirit! The Bible is unattainable to those who pretend to follow Christ and that’s the reason they can’t understand its meaning. To most professing Christians the weekly sermon is a scheme of doctrines and practices far above what anyone could actually accomplish. They feel that by ‘hearing,’ their faith is increased and God will accept them nonetheless because of Grace. After all, the preachers make no demands as to their manner of life and if they do it’s ALWAYS tempered with the ‘suggestion’ that God is merciful and forgiving and no one is perfect.
What does it mean to have a ‘Single Eye?’ It means simply that GOD is the guiding principle of all your thoughts, words and actions. From within flows the intention that in all things either small or great, in word or deed, the heart is focused on pleasing God and doing His will. He is the center of ALL your desires, the end of all your plans and aspirations. Your goals in life are to His Glory alone, not your success, comfort and ease. ‘Thy WHOLE body is FULL of Light!’
The soul is filled with the light of heaven and glory of the Lord. The conscience is void of offense toward God and man, love is sincere from a pure heart. The Spirit is bearing witness that you are acceptable unto Him. You rejoice evermore and pray without ceasing, because your mind is constantly fixed upon God. In everything you give thanks, knowing that THIS is the will of God concerning you and all things will work together for good if you love and cleave to Him forever.
You know your salvation experience is genuine IF you are walking in this Light. He abides with you, teaches you and chastens you as a beloved son. You are continually being renewed in the spirit of your mind into the image of Jesus Christ and walking in newness of life with Him through the Power of His Grace. You are fighting the good fight and laying hold on eternal life to which you were called by His glory. And you are holding forth His Word of life to the world, blameless and harmless, bearing witness to a wicked and perverse generation that Christ can make you whole.
But what of those ‘full of darkness’ who know it not? The eye is not single, but evil, roving about seeking the pleasures of life and lust of the flesh. They pretend to know God and admire His Son, but their guiding principle is the ‘love’ of the world. While they indulge the pleasures of the imagination, seek the praises of men and desire wealth and prosperity, they embrace a form of godliness and remain in utter darkness. They are ignorant of their present estate and surrounded with impenetrable clouds of delusion impossible to penetrate. As long as their soul rests on the false assumption that darkness can be mixed with light and truth with error, they will continue in this snare until they stand naked at the Judgment and are sent away in sorrow.
How many today in the church who are respectable and a decent sort of people have fallen into this awful trap and know nothing of the nature of true religion. From the pastors right on down to the pew-sitter, they are defective in this natural understanding. Although many have an excellent education and consider themselves intelligent, they remain totally ignorant of the Simplicity that is in Christ. They do not Strive to please God, nor is He in many of their thoughts, unless they need something from Him. The guiding principle of their lives is career, family and self indulgence, not God.
For this reason true holiness is lost to the modern church as is Christ Himself. They worship Him in word and song, but they WILL NOT present themselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him and be transformed by the renewing of their mind! The vast majority of them including the pastors have NEVER seen a true conversion to Christ. They know nothing of scriptural holiness or the Power of a true and living faith. To them such things are ‘fanatical’ and over the edge, their concept of salvation is repeating a prayer and joining the church. All their efforts fall flat on the ground because they are building on the WRONG foundation. The heart must FIRST be transformed before you can pour in the New Wine of Truth. (Matt9:17) Religion avails nothing that is NOT based on the righteousness, joy and peace that comes from a heart FILLED with the Living Spirit of God. The church can seek happiness in prosperity, activities and worldly enjoyments but until the eye is FIXED solely on Christ all their efforts will be in vain.
Consider then, is the light in you really darkness? How important is this to know? Your eternal soul hangs in the balance. Are you puffed up with knowledge and much learning in the scriptures, but lacking in true piety and self-control? Is your profession utterly inconsistent with the revelation of plain Bible truth? The Simplicity is this, IF the guiding principle inside you is NOT directing your understanding, passions, affections and desires (all your thoughts words and deeds) to God and His glory and you are not striving to please Him in all your ways, the ‘Light’ that you suppose to be in you is really DARKNESS altogether. And how terrible are its effects!
Test and examine yourself in view of these precious truths. If your eye is not single what will be your aim in life? To please yourself and others and to seek worldly achievement? What of your children? Do you desire that they go to the best schools, get the finest education that money can buy and find employment that will grant them the most comfort and success according to the standards of the world? Would you prefer that your son be a fine lawyer, a brilliant engineer or a rich doctor, rather than a Saint of God, filled with the Holy Spirit and broken hearted over the lost souls of humanity? What are the common pursuits of MOST professing Christians today if NOT these very things? How unspeakably darkened is the understanding of those who judge a palace on earth to be preferred over a throne in heaven!
Consider also those who would account it joy for their daughters to marry a rich man, yet count themselves good Christians. They would rather sell her soul to the devil than insure her eternal happiness in Christ. Not that the rich cannot be saved! But it is exceedingly difficult in the BEST of times for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Mark10:17-22) How near impossible is it in such darkened times as these when every preacher in the pulpit is willing compromise the truth to please the ears of men? But many are seeking to ‘marry well’ within the walls of the church. They do not have a single eye on Christ or His eternal riches but on the things of this world and how much of them they can gain. The gods of wealth and success have become to the professing church like the fires of Moloch. Yet he only required that they pass ‘through’ his fire, while you pass your children into a FIRE that shall NEVER be quenched!
Even the young person who has a deep and abiding desire to serve God and bring souls out of darkness into His marvelous light must beware of not having this SINGLE EYE. How easily can one be plunged into darkness and begin to seek the folly of worldly gain. They are surrounded on every side by money and refinement, by greed and covetousness. The pulpits are filled with preachers seeking praise and recognition, vile wretches who lead unknowing souls into the pits of hell around the clock. Where will you not find money-loving preachers, pleasure taking preachers and those seeking to please men? The whole church is contaminated with them! They are a stink in the nostrils of God, pests of the Truth and a nuisance to all those seeking Christ. Rightly so that hell is paved with the souls of these kinds of preachers, but woe unto those who follow their ways.
What the world deems as success is contrary to what God has revealed in His Word. Making yourself a friend of the world is to automatically become an enemy of God. (James4:4) Beware of seeking after gold and silver for death and hell hide beneath.
Find contentment in the Lord and serve Him with all your heart. Better to marry a godly person who possesses nothing in this world but Jesus Christ than a person of wealth who ignores God and thinks nothing of Him. But the choice is yours to make, be it a rich child of the devil or a poor son of God, your EYE will decide. You may prefer a little of both and think it ‘acceptable’ to join with one who mixes only slightly darkness with light. But give heed to His warnings, NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS! In choosing a profession or a companion for life, FIX your eye firmly on HIM and do not become ensnared in the teaching of men. “Let your eye be Single and your whole body will be full of light!”
SEE MORE TRACKS HERE
http://www.matthew548.com
Contact: Mike DeSario, mike@antiosas,Qrg
2172 Marhofer Ave, Stow, Ohio 44224
330-945-6700
Friday, 16 October 2009
Miracle baby fracas exposes Catholic Church: The case of Rev.Father Peter Bakka and his miracle baby deception
My comments
Masaka district is one of the greatest strongholds of Catholicism in Uganda. This district is a home to so many catholic sub-cults. It is a place where a series of Mary apparitions have taken place. The most recent fracas in this district involves a catholic priest and the so called miracle baby. The culprits in this saga failed to produce the so-called miracle baby. They argue that she was taken by the Holy Spirit to heaven. They say that those who cant see the child do not have faith, because the child can only be seen by a person who is full of faith. Other catholic theatrics involve a catholic apostle called Kazibwe, still of Masaka district who claims to have supernatural healing powers (see, article below).The Catholic Church is getting more and more irrelevant especially to the youth and so Satan is trying to change tactics aimed at keeping people trapped in the Catholic Church. Despite the lies of the likes of Pastor Kayanja that Uganda’s Christian population is 92%,(see, Charisma magazine, 2002) many Ugandans continue to be trapped in the counterfeit roman Catholic Christian sect. Despite the so called city based Pentecostal revivals, Uganda is still largely engrossed in Catholicism and witchcraft.
First see: CULT WITH IN A CULT: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CULT IN UGANDA PANICS AS SUB-CULTS INCREASE WITH IN IT
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/cult-with-in-cult-catholic-church-cult.html
‘Miracle’ baby divides Masaka
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/regional-special/Miracle_baby_divides_Masaka_93023.shtml
REGIONAL SPECIAL | October 16, 2009
MICHAEL J SSALI & ISSA ALIGA
Masaka
Public attention has been drawn to a home near Masaka Town where a child is said to have been born with a Bible, a palm tree leaf and tunic similar to the one worn by Jesus.
The two - month old baby is said to be talking, making some section of the public say she could be a messiah sent by God.
Fr. Peter Bakka, from Nsambya in Kampala, has been holding prayers at the baby’s home since Sunday.
Ms Sylvia Nassimbwa, a resident of Kijajja Village in Rakai District, claims that when she went for antenatal care at a dispensary near her home, the health officer told her that she is pregnant with quadruplets.
She also claims that on August 12, she had a miscarriage when she was four months pregnant and three of the babies came out dead, save for the one living now.
Ms Nassimbwa added that when the baby was examined, it looked mature.
Her close relatives and husband, Mr Joseph Muyanja, are the only ones who have reportedly seen and heard the baby talk.
Fr. Bakka says only those who have faith in God can see the child or hear her talk adding that he baptised the baby and named her Margaret Nabiddo.
“This child has a message for repentance, forgiveness and examining our duties as people who fear God,” he said.
However, the Bishop of Masaka Diocese John Baptist Kaggwa, had asked everybody including Fr. Bakka to vacate the place to give the church a chance to make its own investigations.
Bishop Kaggwa told Daily Monitor: “As a church, we don’t believe what people are saying about the existence of such a child. We have to investigate first.”
The baby was taken to the home of Mr Peter Walusimbi of Kayijja Village near Masaka Town on Sunday. A step-daughter to Mr Walusimbi, Ms Margaret Kyakuwa, a lecturer in the US, said she had a dream that a child had been born and that it should be brought to Mr Walusimbi’s home.
Hundreds of people have streamed their home to see the baby without success. They shouted at Fr. Bakka to stop conducting prayers and allow them see the child but he ignored their requests.
The Police intervened and arrested Fr. Bakka and the alleged parents of the child and took them to Masaka Police Station.
There was also no baby found in the house after a thorough search by the Police.
The Officer in charge of Mobile Police in Southern Region, Mr Henry Kintu, said, Fr. Bakka will help with investigations.
“He has been hoodwinking the public and has drawn public attention to a nonexistent mysterious event,” he said.
Police disperse rowdy Masaka congregation
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/19/697999
Thursday, 15th October, 2009
THE anti-riot Police dispersed hundreds of people on Wednesday who had turned up at Bujja village in Masaka diocese to see a two-month-old baby said to have delivered a message from God.
The Police also arrested Fr. Peter Bakka, who was presiding over the ceremony and the parents of the baby, Slyvia Nasimbwa and Joseph Muyanja.
The Police searched the house where the baby was reportedly kept and found nothing.
The ‘parents’ of the baby claimed that angels took the baby to heaven because people had turned rowdy.
Some residents had braved the scotching sun from 9:00am to 4:00pm to see the baby identified as Margaret Nabiddo, in vain.
The southern regional Police commander, Olivia Waweri, said Bakka had prevented her from seeing the baby when she arrived at the scene at 9:00am, saying it was only possible after the unveiling that was to take place at 10:00am after mass.
However, the congregation started getting suspicious when the mass took long to end.
Bakka claimed the baby had performed several miracles since last Friday when he baptised her at Nabigasa in Rakai district.
He added that the baby was born with a Bible and a palm tree leaf in her hand.
At about 12:30pm after the mass, the gathering turned rowdy demanding that the baby be brought out, which prompted the Police to act.
In a statement, Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa of Masaka diocese condemned the act and advised Catholics to desist from getting involved in the matter, saying it was against the Church principles.
Omwana ‘ayogera’ abakwasizza
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13390:omwana-ayogera-abakwasizza&catid=1:omuko-ogusooka&Itemid=591
Bya SSENABULYA BAAGALAYINA NE ALI MABULE
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 17:06
POLIISI e Masaka ezinze ekifo e Masaka awaakung’aanidde abantu abangi okulaba omwana omuwere agambibwa nti ayogera era aliko amaanyi ga‘Mwoyo Mutukuvu’.
Abaserikale baasanze Faaza Peter Bakka ow’e Nsambya asoma mmisa n’egiyimiriza n’emukwata. N’eddako abazadde n’omwana n’ebalagira bagirage omwana oyo, kyokka nnyina bwe yatutte abaserikale omwana w’ayogerera nga taliiwo.Olwo nnyina kwe kutegeeza nti Mwoyo Mutukuvu yabadde amututte mu Ggulu.
Okuva ku Mmande abantu beekulumulula okweyiwa mu maka ga Peter Walusimbi neTeo Nabukenya e Bujja mu muluka gw’e Kalagala mu Ggombolola Mukungwe okulaba omwana agambibwa okuzaalibwa ng’ayogera (kyokka tewali akakasa kulaba ku mwana ono okuggyako nnyina atuusa ku bantu ebigambo by’assa ku mwana nti y’abyogera).
Bujja kiriraanye ekigo ky’e Kitovu. Walusimbi musomesa mu ttendekero ly’abasomesa erya Kabulasoke PTC e Gomba era bino we bibeereddewo nga tali waka.Abazadde b’omwana (kibuusibwabuusibwa oba ddala omwana gy’ali) ye Sylivia Nassimbwa ne Joseph Mayanja.
Mu maka ga Walusimbi baagenzeeyo bugenzi nga bagamba nti Mwoyo Mutukuvu y’abalagidde era Muky.Walusimbi n’abaaniriza.Abantu abajja okulaba omwana babadde bategeezebwa nti ali munda mu nnyumba kyokka tayinza kwogera mu Nassimbwa nga bamuwalaawala. Poliisi ng’etwala Mayanja.lujjudde okuggyako nga waliwo Mmisa esomeddwa mu maka gano.
Ekirala ebyogerwa omwana bigambo bya Mwoyo Mutukuvu n’olwekyo teyetaaga kumupapya ayogera w’ayagalidde ng’aliko obubaka Katonda bw’amutumye Mmisa eyasomeddwa Fr Bakka yaddiridde endala eyasomebwa Bwannamukulu w’e Kitovu Fr.Henry Kasule eyategeezezza Bukedde nti yalagirwa mukama omusumba John Baptist Kaggwa eyamusindika azuule ekituufu.Fr. Kasule yagambye nti naye tebaamukkiriza kulaba ku mwana.
Mmisa ya Fr. Bakka bwe yawedde abantu ne balindirira okulaba omwana kyokka ng’atavaayo mu nju.Ku ssaawa 8, waliwo ekibinja ky’abavubuka abaavudde mu mbeera ne babanja okulaba omwana nga bwe balekaana nga bwe bakooye okubalimba.
Oluvannyuma poliisi yazze n’egumbulula abantu n’esaba okulaba omwana. NNyina w’omwana yategeezezza nti yabadde atwaliddwa Mwoyo Mutukuvu mu Ggulu. Fr Bakka n’abazadde b’omwana poliisi yabakutte. Ddala omwana ayogerwako gy’ali? Kirabika kiwaani.
Priest suspended over mystery baby
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/699065
Sunday, 25th October, 2009
By Dismus Buregyeya
Fr. Peter Bakka of Masaka diocese has been suspended after he apologised to the Catholic Church for his involvement in the fake miracle baby.
“Fr Bakka shall not conduct any mass or give out any sacraments. We have banned the books where he has been the author because they contain misleading information,” said bishop John Baptist Kaggwa, the Masaka diocese bishop.
Bishop Kaggwa told the people to refrain from the team that has been working closely with Fr Bakka.
Earlier, the priest apologised for baptising the mystery baby and cerebrating holy mass without the permission of local church leaders.
The bishop then welcomed the apology but said the Church had procedures to be followed in resolving such matters.
He regretted that the incident had caused damage and shame to the Catholic Church.
Kaggwa noted that the Church had finalised plans to set up a commission of inquiry into the matter and all those who were involved.
He also instructed Catholics to fast one day per week and to open up a monthly rosary praying session to restore their spiritual strength.
“We are very ashamed and sorry for such an incident to take place within our diocese. We pray to God to forgive us,” he said.
Kaggwa warned the public not to easily believe fake prophets, saying they should always consult church leaders when such strange incidents happen in their communities.
“We are aware that Fr Bakka is gifted with a talent of convincing people. He is brilliant and sometimes he goes to extremes when he believes in something,” he said.
Bishop Kaggwa barred believers from following Fr. Bakka on pilgrimages to Kibewo in Masaka, where miracles have reportedly been occurring.
Masaka district is one of the greatest strongholds of Catholicism in Uganda. This district is a home to so many catholic sub-cults. It is a place where a series of Mary apparitions have taken place. The most recent fracas in this district involves a catholic priest and the so called miracle baby. The culprits in this saga failed to produce the so-called miracle baby. They argue that she was taken by the Holy Spirit to heaven. They say that those who cant see the child do not have faith, because the child can only be seen by a person who is full of faith. Other catholic theatrics involve a catholic apostle called Kazibwe, still of Masaka district who claims to have supernatural healing powers (see, article below).The Catholic Church is getting more and more irrelevant especially to the youth and so Satan is trying to change tactics aimed at keeping people trapped in the Catholic Church. Despite the lies of the likes of Pastor Kayanja that Uganda’s Christian population is 92%,(see, Charisma magazine, 2002) many Ugandans continue to be trapped in the counterfeit roman Catholic Christian sect. Despite the so called city based Pentecostal revivals, Uganda is still largely engrossed in Catholicism and witchcraft.
First see: CULT WITH IN A CULT: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CULT IN UGANDA PANICS AS SUB-CULTS INCREASE WITH IN IT
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/cult-with-in-cult-catholic-church-cult.html
‘Miracle’ baby divides Masaka
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/regional-special/Miracle_baby_divides_Masaka_93023.shtml
REGIONAL SPECIAL | October 16, 2009
MICHAEL J SSALI & ISSA ALIGA
Masaka
Public attention has been drawn to a home near Masaka Town where a child is said to have been born with a Bible, a palm tree leaf and tunic similar to the one worn by Jesus.
The two - month old baby is said to be talking, making some section of the public say she could be a messiah sent by God.
Fr. Peter Bakka, from Nsambya in Kampala, has been holding prayers at the baby’s home since Sunday.
Ms Sylvia Nassimbwa, a resident of Kijajja Village in Rakai District, claims that when she went for antenatal care at a dispensary near her home, the health officer told her that she is pregnant with quadruplets.
She also claims that on August 12, she had a miscarriage when she was four months pregnant and three of the babies came out dead, save for the one living now.
Ms Nassimbwa added that when the baby was examined, it looked mature.
Her close relatives and husband, Mr Joseph Muyanja, are the only ones who have reportedly seen and heard the baby talk.
Fr. Bakka says only those who have faith in God can see the child or hear her talk adding that he baptised the baby and named her Margaret Nabiddo.
“This child has a message for repentance, forgiveness and examining our duties as people who fear God,” he said.
However, the Bishop of Masaka Diocese John Baptist Kaggwa, had asked everybody including Fr. Bakka to vacate the place to give the church a chance to make its own investigations.
Bishop Kaggwa told Daily Monitor: “As a church, we don’t believe what people are saying about the existence of such a child. We have to investigate first.”
The baby was taken to the home of Mr Peter Walusimbi of Kayijja Village near Masaka Town on Sunday. A step-daughter to Mr Walusimbi, Ms Margaret Kyakuwa, a lecturer in the US, said she had a dream that a child had been born and that it should be brought to Mr Walusimbi’s home.
Hundreds of people have streamed their home to see the baby without success. They shouted at Fr. Bakka to stop conducting prayers and allow them see the child but he ignored their requests.
The Police intervened and arrested Fr. Bakka and the alleged parents of the child and took them to Masaka Police Station.
There was also no baby found in the house after a thorough search by the Police.
The Officer in charge of Mobile Police in Southern Region, Mr Henry Kintu, said, Fr. Bakka will help with investigations.
“He has been hoodwinking the public and has drawn public attention to a nonexistent mysterious event,” he said.
Police disperse rowdy Masaka congregation
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/19/697999
Thursday, 15th October, 2009
THE anti-riot Police dispersed hundreds of people on Wednesday who had turned up at Bujja village in Masaka diocese to see a two-month-old baby said to have delivered a message from God.
The Police also arrested Fr. Peter Bakka, who was presiding over the ceremony and the parents of the baby, Slyvia Nasimbwa and Joseph Muyanja.
The Police searched the house where the baby was reportedly kept and found nothing.
The ‘parents’ of the baby claimed that angels took the baby to heaven because people had turned rowdy.
Some residents had braved the scotching sun from 9:00am to 4:00pm to see the baby identified as Margaret Nabiddo, in vain.
The southern regional Police commander, Olivia Waweri, said Bakka had prevented her from seeing the baby when she arrived at the scene at 9:00am, saying it was only possible after the unveiling that was to take place at 10:00am after mass.
However, the congregation started getting suspicious when the mass took long to end.
Bakka claimed the baby had performed several miracles since last Friday when he baptised her at Nabigasa in Rakai district.
He added that the baby was born with a Bible and a palm tree leaf in her hand.
At about 12:30pm after the mass, the gathering turned rowdy demanding that the baby be brought out, which prompted the Police to act.
In a statement, Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa of Masaka diocese condemned the act and advised Catholics to desist from getting involved in the matter, saying it was against the Church principles.
Omwana ‘ayogera’ abakwasizza
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13390:omwana-ayogera-abakwasizza&catid=1:omuko-ogusooka&Itemid=591
Bya SSENABULYA BAAGALAYINA NE ALI MABULE
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 17:06
POLIISI e Masaka ezinze ekifo e Masaka awaakung’aanidde abantu abangi okulaba omwana omuwere agambibwa nti ayogera era aliko amaanyi ga‘Mwoyo Mutukuvu’.
Abaserikale baasanze Faaza Peter Bakka ow’e Nsambya asoma mmisa n’egiyimiriza n’emukwata. N’eddako abazadde n’omwana n’ebalagira bagirage omwana oyo, kyokka nnyina bwe yatutte abaserikale omwana w’ayogerera nga taliiwo.Olwo nnyina kwe kutegeeza nti Mwoyo Mutukuvu yabadde amututte mu Ggulu.
Okuva ku Mmande abantu beekulumulula okweyiwa mu maka ga Peter Walusimbi neTeo Nabukenya e Bujja mu muluka gw’e Kalagala mu Ggombolola Mukungwe okulaba omwana agambibwa okuzaalibwa ng’ayogera (kyokka tewali akakasa kulaba ku mwana ono okuggyako nnyina atuusa ku bantu ebigambo by’assa ku mwana nti y’abyogera).
Bujja kiriraanye ekigo ky’e Kitovu. Walusimbi musomesa mu ttendekero ly’abasomesa erya Kabulasoke PTC e Gomba era bino we bibeereddewo nga tali waka.Abazadde b’omwana (kibuusibwabuusibwa oba ddala omwana gy’ali) ye Sylivia Nassimbwa ne Joseph Mayanja.
Mu maka ga Walusimbi baagenzeeyo bugenzi nga bagamba nti Mwoyo Mutukuvu y’abalagidde era Muky.Walusimbi n’abaaniriza.Abantu abajja okulaba omwana babadde bategeezebwa nti ali munda mu nnyumba kyokka tayinza kwogera mu Nassimbwa nga bamuwalaawala. Poliisi ng’etwala Mayanja.lujjudde okuggyako nga waliwo Mmisa esomeddwa mu maka gano.
Ekirala ebyogerwa omwana bigambo bya Mwoyo Mutukuvu n’olwekyo teyetaaga kumupapya ayogera w’ayagalidde ng’aliko obubaka Katonda bw’amutumye Mmisa eyasomeddwa Fr Bakka yaddiridde endala eyasomebwa Bwannamukulu w’e Kitovu Fr.Henry Kasule eyategeezezza Bukedde nti yalagirwa mukama omusumba John Baptist Kaggwa eyamusindika azuule ekituufu.Fr. Kasule yagambye nti naye tebaamukkiriza kulaba ku mwana.
Mmisa ya Fr. Bakka bwe yawedde abantu ne balindirira okulaba omwana kyokka ng’atavaayo mu nju.Ku ssaawa 8, waliwo ekibinja ky’abavubuka abaavudde mu mbeera ne babanja okulaba omwana nga bwe balekaana nga bwe bakooye okubalimba.
Oluvannyuma poliisi yazze n’egumbulula abantu n’esaba okulaba omwana. NNyina w’omwana yategeezezza nti yabadde atwaliddwa Mwoyo Mutukuvu mu Ggulu. Fr Bakka n’abazadde b’omwana poliisi yabakutte. Ddala omwana ayogerwako gy’ali? Kirabika kiwaani.
Priest suspended over mystery baby
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/699065
Sunday, 25th October, 2009
By Dismus Buregyeya
Fr. Peter Bakka of Masaka diocese has been suspended after he apologised to the Catholic Church for his involvement in the fake miracle baby.
“Fr Bakka shall not conduct any mass or give out any sacraments. We have banned the books where he has been the author because they contain misleading information,” said bishop John Baptist Kaggwa, the Masaka diocese bishop.
Bishop Kaggwa told the people to refrain from the team that has been working closely with Fr Bakka.
Earlier, the priest apologised for baptising the mystery baby and cerebrating holy mass without the permission of local church leaders.
The bishop then welcomed the apology but said the Church had procedures to be followed in resolving such matters.
He regretted that the incident had caused damage and shame to the Catholic Church.
Kaggwa noted that the Church had finalised plans to set up a commission of inquiry into the matter and all those who were involved.
He also instructed Catholics to fast one day per week and to open up a monthly rosary praying session to restore their spiritual strength.
“We are very ashamed and sorry for such an incident to take place within our diocese. We pray to God to forgive us,” he said.
Kaggwa warned the public not to easily believe fake prophets, saying they should always consult church leaders when such strange incidents happen in their communities.
“We are aware that Fr Bakka is gifted with a talent of convincing people. He is brilliant and sometimes he goes to extremes when he believes in something,” he said.
Bishop Kaggwa barred believers from following Fr. Bakka on pilgrimages to Kibewo in Masaka, where miracles have reportedly been occurring.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Lee Grady, Charisma, Balokole-ism, and False African Revivals
Lee Grady, Charisma, Balokole-ism, and False African Revivals
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/376-lee-grady-charisma-balokole-ism-and-false-african-revivals.html
Kato Mivule | October 13, 2009
I was stunned and amazed at the recent article by Lee Grady in which he details his experiences in search (research) of a Revival in East Africa commonly known as the East African Revival. According to the article Lee Grady visited East Africa for two weeks especially Uganda and he witnesses 'remnant experiences' or what he refers to as an 80 year old East African Revival still going on in Uganda.
Lee Grady mentions the Balokole in Uganda and how they have been central to the 80 year old East African Revival in Uganda. Lee Grady goes on to even wish that the same Balokole-ism would spread over to the USA that is already dealing with fake and false revivals. I stand and wonder what Lee Grady went to see in Africa. This is the whole trouble with “Revival seeking”…always the danger lies in “seeking” the revival verses a genuine call for Christians to repent. The result is that a pseudo revival is always present.
For those of us who have grown up in Uganda, and preached the gospel in Uganda, Lee Grady and Charisma Magazine must be talking and writing about another Uganda on a different planet other than the earth. I do respect Lee Grandy’s efforts in exposing false teachers in many of his articles and his sincerity in search for a “genuine” revival around the world. This is understandable yet at the same time a very big and large loophole for the same thing Lee Grady is fighting…falsehood in the Church.
I happen to be from Uganda, the very place that Lee Grady and Charisma visited. There is no Revival in Uganda, not even a remnant revival! What is happening is a rapid acceleration towards apostasy in Uganda and unless something is done, Evangelicalism (Balokole-ism) as we know it in Uganda ended years ago and all is left is a dead religion but still with the Pentecostal effects like shakings, goose bumps, overnight prayers, large gatherings etc…these things are mistakably called Revival by unsuspecting two week visitors to East Africa.
The Balokole (Evangelical or Saved ones, as Lee Grady calls them) have largely been invaded by the very same ills and debacles that Lee Grady writes about in Charisma Magazine, from the Prosperity Gospel, Sexual Abuse, Divorce, Greed, Materialism, etc, to other weird doctrines of devils and demons.
On Christian TV and Radio Stations, messages of repentance are extinct, instead messages of materialism and wealth are proclaimed. The Church has become political and preachers have embraced politics similar to Right Wing Conservatives Evangelicals in America. This website(YesuMulungi.com), Ugandan Secular Newspapers, Secular TV and Radio Stations have documented countless gross corruption inside the Balokole Movement, yet Lee Grady fails to even simply use Google to find out the current state of Balokole-ism in Uganda.
I still wonder what Lee Grady and the Charisma Team went to document in Uganda… Lee Grady's Article in Charisma Magazine, a major Evangelical Publication in the USA totally paints an incorrect picture concerning the spiritual affairs of Uganda's Evangelical Church, let alone East Africa.
The Church in Uganda is not at anytime experiencing Revival and I CHALLENGE Lee Grady and Charisma Magazine to substantiate such spurious claims of a 80 Year Old East African Revival in Uganda.
The Church in Uganda is just increasingly becoming a photocopy of the Church in America, from preaching styles, doctrine, and mannerisms. What Lee Grady experienced, was Christians still locked up in the gone days of Pentecostalism in Africa, long unending prayer meetings, long sermons, screaming, shouting, goose bumps, proclamations of Faith etc…these things to a undiscerning two weeks visiting Western Missionary sound like ‘Revival’.
Where did Lee Grady witness messages of Repentance in Uganda? Where did he witness folks coming to renounce their sins? What did Lee Grady hear on Uganda’s Christian TV and Radio? Uganda’s Christian TV and Radio do have Internet Streams and witness is there that they preach an American version of the Prosperity Gospel. What Doctrines did Lee Grady hear being taught in Churches in Uganda for instance? For simplicity and ‘revival talk’, compare Charles Finny and Jonathan Edwards’s sermons, did that occur to Lee Grady that any similarity could be found…?
Yes, there is no doubt that there existed a historical East African Revival (Renewal) probably up to the late 1980’s, but from then on a fake revival is taking place in Uganda – one spearheaded by the Prosperity Gospel movement…an apostasy is happening in Uganda’s Balokole-ism movement and there is urgent need for Sound Bible Teachers to help Christians there be grounded on solid New Testament Bible Truth and not the flattering of revival seekers.
What Lee Grady needed to do in Uganda was not “seek” revivals but to preach a message of repentance and a call for the Evangelical Church to return back to Bible Truth and Sound Bible Doctrine. The insinuating proclamations in Charisma Magazine of a 'continual' 80 year old East African Revival are spurious and a danger to Christians in America and Europe who have a habit of traversing geographical territories in search for revivals. From the Toronto Revival to the Florida Revivals, Christians in America have been misled into searching for the wrong thing – a Revival.
I would not be surprised of Christians boarding planes to go to Kampala, Uganda in 'search' or 're-search' of the new Balokole-ism experience, since Lee Grady is in prayer that Americans would experience a similar Ugandan Balokole-ism experience.
The New Testament does not at any one time teach us to go traverse the globe in search of revivals. This is a danger that I see with the Revival seeking Christian crowd. Nowhere in the New Testament do we have Jesus Christ, Paul, Peter, John and other apostles running to and fro seeking revivals, worst of all fake revivals like the one happening in Uganda, Africa. Brethren watch out!
===============================================
LEE GRADY'S ARTICLE IN CHARISMA
http://charismamag.com/index.php/fire-in-my-bones/23526-spiritual-awakening-the-only-thing-that-will-save-us#readmore
===============================================
SPIRITUAL AWAKENING: The Only Thing That Will Save Us
-by J. Lee Grady.
We can learn an important lesson from the East African Revival, which transformed a region 80 years ago. The people of Uganda call it Balokole. In the Luganda language it means "the saved ones," but the word became synonymous with the East African Revival—one of the most significant Christian
movements in modern history.
This revival had humble beginnings in September 1929, just before America's Great Depression. Historians trace it to a prayer meeting on Namirembe Hill in Kampala, Uganda, where a missionary to Rwanda, Joe Church, prayed and read the Bible for two days with his friend Simeoni Nsibambi. They felt God had showed them that the African church was powerless because of a lack of personal holiness.
It is impossible to explain exactly what happened after this prayer meeting or how the resulting spiritual fervor spread. When God comes, unusual things happen. Within weeks after the Rev. Church returned to Gahini, Rwanda, Christians gathered to pray and confess their sins openly. A heavy spirit of conviction fell on the people. Whenever they repented for their sins and failures they would weep uncontrollably, ask others to forgive them and
pledge to make restitution.
The weeping spread to farmlands and open fields. Unbelievers who visited these gatherings were converted after they witnessed the sincerity of the Christians. Repentance went deep. Husbands publicly apologized for adultery and farmers repented for stealing cows from each other. Eventually, as the revival spread from Rwanda to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi, even the centuries-old tradition of polygamy (which was still common among professing Christians) was unraveled in some areas.
Balokole changed African Christianity forever. In a 1986 article for Christian History, Michael Harper writes of the revival: "It's effects have been more lasting than almost any other revival in history, so that today there is hardly a single Protestant leader in East Africa who has not been touched by it in some way."
I spent the past two weeks ministering in Uganda and Kenya, and everywhere I went I met people who still talk about the East African Revival—80 years after it began. It breathed resurrection power into dead, traditional churches and triggered aggressive church-planting movements that affected a variety of denominations.
Whether sermons were delivered from pulpits or under trees, six important themes were emphasized in those days: 1) the blood of Jesus; 2) the name of Jesus; 3) the cross of Jesus; 4) the Word of God; 5) the testimony of the saints; and 6) the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Leaders also stressed the message of 1 John 6-7: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His son cleanses us from all sin (NASB)." As was true in other spiritual awakenings in history (such as the Asbury Revival in Kentucky in 1970), people stood in front of
each other and admitted their sins, no matter how embarrassing. The honesty cut deep into human pride and dealt a fatal blow against entrenched sin and religious hypocrisy.
After hearing more details about the East African Revival while I was in Uganda last week, I was convinced that this type of movement is the only thing that will pull the United States out of its current despair.
We must have a spiritual awakening, or we die. Political engineering, economic policies, government bailouts and stimulus packages will not save us. No politician, Democrat or Republican, will reverse our course toward destruction.
Our only hope is that a backslidden American church—a church that is as smug, blind and lukewarm as the Laodiceans-—will "be zealous and repent" (see Rev. 3:19).
What encourages me is that God, not man, initiated all the spiritual awakenings of the past—including the First Great Awakening, which gave our country its historic Christian identity. Yes, we play our feeble part by praying, and we must storm heaven. Yes, awakenings come in response to our weak attempts to repent, and we must passionately seek a fresh baptism of holiness.
But we cannot manufacture revivals. Pentecostal fire comes from heaven alone. It is a sovereign blessing from a God who loves us and desires to rescue us from ourselves. We charismatics have generated a lot of our own sound and fury in the past 30 years, but much of what we have created is a shameful substitute for revival. We must become desperate for the real thing.
Today our movement is mired in the shallow waters of self-centered, carnal Christianity. May God mercifully send us our own version of Balokole. May gut-wrenching repentance and public confession of sin interrupt our trendy worship services. May this holy fire spread until the people of the United States see genuine Christians living the message we preach.
-J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.
SOURCE - http://fireinmybones.com/
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/376-lee-grady-charisma-balokole-ism-and-false-african-revivals.html
Kato Mivule | October 13, 2009
I was stunned and amazed at the recent article by Lee Grady in which he details his experiences in search (research) of a Revival in East Africa commonly known as the East African Revival. According to the article Lee Grady visited East Africa for two weeks especially Uganda and he witnesses 'remnant experiences' or what he refers to as an 80 year old East African Revival still going on in Uganda.
Lee Grady mentions the Balokole in Uganda and how they have been central to the 80 year old East African Revival in Uganda. Lee Grady goes on to even wish that the same Balokole-ism would spread over to the USA that is already dealing with fake and false revivals. I stand and wonder what Lee Grady went to see in Africa. This is the whole trouble with “Revival seeking”…always the danger lies in “seeking” the revival verses a genuine call for Christians to repent. The result is that a pseudo revival is always present.
For those of us who have grown up in Uganda, and preached the gospel in Uganda, Lee Grady and Charisma Magazine must be talking and writing about another Uganda on a different planet other than the earth. I do respect Lee Grandy’s efforts in exposing false teachers in many of his articles and his sincerity in search for a “genuine” revival around the world. This is understandable yet at the same time a very big and large loophole for the same thing Lee Grady is fighting…falsehood in the Church.
I happen to be from Uganda, the very place that Lee Grady and Charisma visited. There is no Revival in Uganda, not even a remnant revival! What is happening is a rapid acceleration towards apostasy in Uganda and unless something is done, Evangelicalism (Balokole-ism) as we know it in Uganda ended years ago and all is left is a dead religion but still with the Pentecostal effects like shakings, goose bumps, overnight prayers, large gatherings etc…these things are mistakably called Revival by unsuspecting two week visitors to East Africa.
The Balokole (Evangelical or Saved ones, as Lee Grady calls them) have largely been invaded by the very same ills and debacles that Lee Grady writes about in Charisma Magazine, from the Prosperity Gospel, Sexual Abuse, Divorce, Greed, Materialism, etc, to other weird doctrines of devils and demons.
On Christian TV and Radio Stations, messages of repentance are extinct, instead messages of materialism and wealth are proclaimed. The Church has become political and preachers have embraced politics similar to Right Wing Conservatives Evangelicals in America. This website(YesuMulungi.com), Ugandan Secular Newspapers, Secular TV and Radio Stations have documented countless gross corruption inside the Balokole Movement, yet Lee Grady fails to even simply use Google to find out the current state of Balokole-ism in Uganda.
I still wonder what Lee Grady and the Charisma Team went to document in Uganda… Lee Grady's Article in Charisma Magazine, a major Evangelical Publication in the USA totally paints an incorrect picture concerning the spiritual affairs of Uganda's Evangelical Church, let alone East Africa.
The Church in Uganda is not at anytime experiencing Revival and I CHALLENGE Lee Grady and Charisma Magazine to substantiate such spurious claims of a 80 Year Old East African Revival in Uganda.
The Church in Uganda is just increasingly becoming a photocopy of the Church in America, from preaching styles, doctrine, and mannerisms. What Lee Grady experienced, was Christians still locked up in the gone days of Pentecostalism in Africa, long unending prayer meetings, long sermons, screaming, shouting, goose bumps, proclamations of Faith etc…these things to a undiscerning two weeks visiting Western Missionary sound like ‘Revival’.
Where did Lee Grady witness messages of Repentance in Uganda? Where did he witness folks coming to renounce their sins? What did Lee Grady hear on Uganda’s Christian TV and Radio? Uganda’s Christian TV and Radio do have Internet Streams and witness is there that they preach an American version of the Prosperity Gospel. What Doctrines did Lee Grady hear being taught in Churches in Uganda for instance? For simplicity and ‘revival talk’, compare Charles Finny and Jonathan Edwards’s sermons, did that occur to Lee Grady that any similarity could be found…?
Yes, there is no doubt that there existed a historical East African Revival (Renewal) probably up to the late 1980’s, but from then on a fake revival is taking place in Uganda – one spearheaded by the Prosperity Gospel movement…an apostasy is happening in Uganda’s Balokole-ism movement and there is urgent need for Sound Bible Teachers to help Christians there be grounded on solid New Testament Bible Truth and not the flattering of revival seekers.
What Lee Grady needed to do in Uganda was not “seek” revivals but to preach a message of repentance and a call for the Evangelical Church to return back to Bible Truth and Sound Bible Doctrine. The insinuating proclamations in Charisma Magazine of a 'continual' 80 year old East African Revival are spurious and a danger to Christians in America and Europe who have a habit of traversing geographical territories in search for revivals. From the Toronto Revival to the Florida Revivals, Christians in America have been misled into searching for the wrong thing – a Revival.
I would not be surprised of Christians boarding planes to go to Kampala, Uganda in 'search' or 're-search' of the new Balokole-ism experience, since Lee Grady is in prayer that Americans would experience a similar Ugandan Balokole-ism experience.
The New Testament does not at any one time teach us to go traverse the globe in search of revivals. This is a danger that I see with the Revival seeking Christian crowd. Nowhere in the New Testament do we have Jesus Christ, Paul, Peter, John and other apostles running to and fro seeking revivals, worst of all fake revivals like the one happening in Uganda, Africa. Brethren watch out!
===============================================
LEE GRADY'S ARTICLE IN CHARISMA
http://charismamag.com/index.php/fire-in-my-bones/23526-spiritual-awakening-the-only-thing-that-will-save-us#readmore
===============================================
SPIRITUAL AWAKENING: The Only Thing That Will Save Us
-by J. Lee Grady.
We can learn an important lesson from the East African Revival, which transformed a region 80 years ago. The people of Uganda call it Balokole. In the Luganda language it means "the saved ones," but the word became synonymous with the East African Revival—one of the most significant Christian
movements in modern history.
This revival had humble beginnings in September 1929, just before America's Great Depression. Historians trace it to a prayer meeting on Namirembe Hill in Kampala, Uganda, where a missionary to Rwanda, Joe Church, prayed and read the Bible for two days with his friend Simeoni Nsibambi. They felt God had showed them that the African church was powerless because of a lack of personal holiness.
It is impossible to explain exactly what happened after this prayer meeting or how the resulting spiritual fervor spread. When God comes, unusual things happen. Within weeks after the Rev. Church returned to Gahini, Rwanda, Christians gathered to pray and confess their sins openly. A heavy spirit of conviction fell on the people. Whenever they repented for their sins and failures they would weep uncontrollably, ask others to forgive them and
pledge to make restitution.
The weeping spread to farmlands and open fields. Unbelievers who visited these gatherings were converted after they witnessed the sincerity of the Christians. Repentance went deep. Husbands publicly apologized for adultery and farmers repented for stealing cows from each other. Eventually, as the revival spread from Rwanda to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi, even the centuries-old tradition of polygamy (which was still common among professing Christians) was unraveled in some areas.
Balokole changed African Christianity forever. In a 1986 article for Christian History, Michael Harper writes of the revival: "It's effects have been more lasting than almost any other revival in history, so that today there is hardly a single Protestant leader in East Africa who has not been touched by it in some way."
I spent the past two weeks ministering in Uganda and Kenya, and everywhere I went I met people who still talk about the East African Revival—80 years after it began. It breathed resurrection power into dead, traditional churches and triggered aggressive church-planting movements that affected a variety of denominations.
Whether sermons were delivered from pulpits or under trees, six important themes were emphasized in those days: 1) the blood of Jesus; 2) the name of Jesus; 3) the cross of Jesus; 4) the Word of God; 5) the testimony of the saints; and 6) the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Leaders also stressed the message of 1 John 6-7: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His son cleanses us from all sin (NASB)." As was true in other spiritual awakenings in history (such as the Asbury Revival in Kentucky in 1970), people stood in front of
each other and admitted their sins, no matter how embarrassing. The honesty cut deep into human pride and dealt a fatal blow against entrenched sin and religious hypocrisy.
After hearing more details about the East African Revival while I was in Uganda last week, I was convinced that this type of movement is the only thing that will pull the United States out of its current despair.
We must have a spiritual awakening, or we die. Political engineering, economic policies, government bailouts and stimulus packages will not save us. No politician, Democrat or Republican, will reverse our course toward destruction.
Our only hope is that a backslidden American church—a church that is as smug, blind and lukewarm as the Laodiceans-—will "be zealous and repent" (see Rev. 3:19).
What encourages me is that God, not man, initiated all the spiritual awakenings of the past—including the First Great Awakening, which gave our country its historic Christian identity. Yes, we play our feeble part by praying, and we must storm heaven. Yes, awakenings come in response to our weak attempts to repent, and we must passionately seek a fresh baptism of holiness.
But we cannot manufacture revivals. Pentecostal fire comes from heaven alone. It is a sovereign blessing from a God who loves us and desires to rescue us from ourselves. We charismatics have generated a lot of our own sound and fury in the past 30 years, but much of what we have created is a shameful substitute for revival. We must become desperate for the real thing.
Today our movement is mired in the shallow waters of self-centered, carnal Christianity. May God mercifully send us our own version of Balokole. May gut-wrenching repentance and public confession of sin interrupt our trendy worship services. May this holy fire spread until the people of the United States see genuine Christians living the message we preach.
-J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.
SOURCE - http://fireinmybones.com/
Monday, 12 October 2009
Is Pastor Sempa too Simplistic?Tribal Politics: Role of the church in peace building
My analysis
My bother in Christ Dr. Martin Sempa gives good insights however, his analysis is quite simplistic. He does not define what he means by church. He seems to be in favour of ecumenism(unity of all faiths ie catholic, SDA, Anglican etc). The so called church or churches are as rotten as the political status quo. Many Ugandans have for example lost trust in the evangelical (balokole) church. They know that the church is in full support of the current oppressing regime. Some people think that the balokole are cronies of President Museveni. Remember, recently a pastor was burnt to death by locals in Mubende over a land row. Many pulpits of the balokole churches have been used as political platforms for President Museveni’s government. This is very sad. Virtually all balokole pastors are silent about the injustice in Uganda such as; land injustice, corruption, nepotism, cronyism, election rigging etc.
In the year 2000 about 2000 people in Madudu, Mubende district were evicted by the Uganda army(UPDF)and their land was given to German investor. In the process of evicting these people; churches, schools etc were destroyed. Up to today the poor people of Madudu have not received justice. The church is virtually silent about this injustice. The lord Jesus Christ stood for social justice for the poor. The current church has only demonstrated double standards and hypocrisy as far as good governance is concerned. The balokole church has participated in the exploitation of the poor. Be warned that Uganda is a genocide prone nation. If tribal violence erupts(God forbid) in Uganda the balokole and balokole churches are likely to be a target.The envengelical church in Uganda needs to re-position it self now.It should become pro-poor and pro-justice now or else the consequences will be fatal
Buganda Crisis, Ugandan Evangelicals, Ssabalokole, and the Future
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/375-buganda-crisis-ugandan-evangelicals-ssabalokole-and-the-future.html
“Family Rule In Uganda: How The Museveni ‘Clan’ Runs Government”
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/news/news-analysis/79-news-analysis/739-museveni-govts-family-tree
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/cover-story/cover-story/82-cover-story/690-family-rule-in-uganda-
PASTOR DR. MARTIN SEMPA'S ARTICLE
Tribal Politics: Role of the church in peace building
Monday, 12th, October, 2009
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/column/insight/106-myblog/1923-tribal-politics-role-of-the-church-in-peace-building
Dr. Martin Ssempa
If Agnes, a Muganda university student did not beg for mercy of the rioters, she would be dead by now and Adwin Karuhanga, a Munyankole student from Bushenyi was going to have his nose cut off with a machete.
This scene took place in Nakulabye on September 11, 2009. Adwin and Agnes are members of our college church who ran into a group of rioters who were outraged that the Kabaka of Buganda had been refused passage to his sovereign province of Bugerere, Kayunga.
This largely cultural-political issue was initially a violent demonstration of Kabaka loyalists squaring off with the police, military and the army. Human right groups have accused the state of excessive force and violence evidenced by televised pictures.
Paradoxically, as the armed forces took control of the cities, the demonstration morphed into a covert tribal clash where individuals and groups were profiled into tribes and sometimes attacked with violence.
Adwin is a lucky survivor but I have since heard other harrowing accounts which have forced me to urgently inquire the holy book on the role of the church in averting tribal conflicts from escalating into widespread genocide.
The recent history of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and the 2008 Kenyan post-election violence bloodbath shows that our tribal tensions lay underground like volcanoes which can erupt anytime cracks appear in our society.
What is the role of the church in ensuring that these tensions do not disintegrate into tribal violence?
The church must urgently declare God’s command of “love your neighbour as you love your self” (Matt 19:19). The military may be able to restrain the mob from burning tyres in the streets, but they cannot teach us to love one another. This is the role of the church, which must urgently urge the Banyoro to love the Bafuruki, the Baganda to love Banyankore, and the Banyara to love the Baganda.
We must not deny the existence of complicated issues that may cause enmity or disagreement. We must preach and demonstrate a love of all Ugandans regardless of tribe and opinion. Let the church thunder with “love your neighbour” regardless the shape of their nose or their tribal accents.
In Judges 12:6 we are told of an inter-tribal conflict pitting Jews against Gileadites and the Ephramites which descended into ethnic cleansing. The Ephramites could not properly pronounce the “she” in the Shiboleth. Like some Nilotic tribes, they could only say “siboleth”. Riotous riverside roadblocks were set up and travellers were subjected to oral tests where your accent would lead to your death. More than 42,000 were killed.
We must rebuke those who will use the Shiboleths as a reason to wreak death and violence on one another. We all live together in Uganda, and many Ugandans have set up farms and homes away from their tribal home villages. My village in Bombo has a majority of Baganda, but we also have Banyarwanda, Bahima, and Nubians. If tribal Shiboleths remain, there are not enough soldiers, teargas or Mambas to secure every goat, cow, sheep or garden in Uganda’s countryside.
On the contrary we have a lot of able bodied, unemployed youth who can be misguided into marauding and plundering their neighbours’ property. This must not be allowed. The traditional African spirit of communal culture must be strengthened and complemented by the teaching of the church. Love your neighbour (regardless of his nose or the number of cows he may have) as you love yourself.
The church must pray for the leaders to have infinite wisdom to handle complicated issues with justice and equity. Solomon in 1 Kings 3:16-28 needed to figure a complicated case of two new mothers who both claimed one baby. He had no access to modern DNA maternal test yet he had to solve this dispute. The complex issue of tribes, kingdoms and their relationship to a national government requires divine wisdom for our leaders. In the spate between Buganda and Central government, MPs who are from Buganda yet belong to the ruling political party may find themselves with torn loyalties as children are when Daddy and Mummy conflict. We must pray for wisdom and render to each what is due to them. Jesus says “render to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar, to God what belongs to God”. We must render to the executive government (president) and the traditional cultural leaders (Kabaka) whatever loyalties belong to each of them. A way has to be figured out where we all win, and in the end Uganda wins.
At this critical time the church must urgently preach the aspirations of our founding fathers at the formation of our nation. “Oh Uganda may God uphold you”, it is our duty to pray for our motherland. “We lay our future in your hands” our collective destiny is in the wellbeing of Uganda. “United free for liberty” our freedom and liberty is only possible when we are cohesive. “Together we will always stand.” We can only stand when none of us is left behind. If we are to avert the trajectory of history, the prophets must preach a message of love regardless of the size and shape of my nose.
For God and our Country.
Dr. Ssempa is nationally syndicated writer, broadcaster and AIDS activist. He is the pastor of Makerere Community Church at Makerere University; ssempam@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 0772-641028
My bother in Christ Dr. Martin Sempa gives good insights however, his analysis is quite simplistic. He does not define what he means by church. He seems to be in favour of ecumenism(unity of all faiths ie catholic, SDA, Anglican etc). The so called church or churches are as rotten as the political status quo. Many Ugandans have for example lost trust in the evangelical (balokole) church. They know that the church is in full support of the current oppressing regime. Some people think that the balokole are cronies of President Museveni. Remember, recently a pastor was burnt to death by locals in Mubende over a land row. Many pulpits of the balokole churches have been used as political platforms for President Museveni’s government. This is very sad. Virtually all balokole pastors are silent about the injustice in Uganda such as; land injustice, corruption, nepotism, cronyism, election rigging etc.
In the year 2000 about 2000 people in Madudu, Mubende district were evicted by the Uganda army(UPDF)and their land was given to German investor. In the process of evicting these people; churches, schools etc were destroyed. Up to today the poor people of Madudu have not received justice. The church is virtually silent about this injustice. The lord Jesus Christ stood for social justice for the poor. The current church has only demonstrated double standards and hypocrisy as far as good governance is concerned. The balokole church has participated in the exploitation of the poor. Be warned that Uganda is a genocide prone nation. If tribal violence erupts(God forbid) in Uganda the balokole and balokole churches are likely to be a target.The envengelical church in Uganda needs to re-position it self now.It should become pro-poor and pro-justice now or else the consequences will be fatal
Buganda Crisis, Ugandan Evangelicals, Ssabalokole, and the Future
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/375-buganda-crisis-ugandan-evangelicals-ssabalokole-and-the-future.html
“Family Rule In Uganda: How The Museveni ‘Clan’ Runs Government”
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/news/news-analysis/79-news-analysis/739-museveni-govts-family-tree
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/cover-story/cover-story/82-cover-story/690-family-rule-in-uganda-
PASTOR DR. MARTIN SEMPA'S ARTICLE
Tribal Politics: Role of the church in peace building
Monday, 12th, October, 2009
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/column/insight/106-myblog/1923-tribal-politics-role-of-the-church-in-peace-building
Dr. Martin Ssempa
If Agnes, a Muganda university student did not beg for mercy of the rioters, she would be dead by now and Adwin Karuhanga, a Munyankole student from Bushenyi was going to have his nose cut off with a machete.
This scene took place in Nakulabye on September 11, 2009. Adwin and Agnes are members of our college church who ran into a group of rioters who were outraged that the Kabaka of Buganda had been refused passage to his sovereign province of Bugerere, Kayunga.
This largely cultural-political issue was initially a violent demonstration of Kabaka loyalists squaring off with the police, military and the army. Human right groups have accused the state of excessive force and violence evidenced by televised pictures.
Paradoxically, as the armed forces took control of the cities, the demonstration morphed into a covert tribal clash where individuals and groups were profiled into tribes and sometimes attacked with violence.
Adwin is a lucky survivor but I have since heard other harrowing accounts which have forced me to urgently inquire the holy book on the role of the church in averting tribal conflicts from escalating into widespread genocide.
The recent history of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and the 2008 Kenyan post-election violence bloodbath shows that our tribal tensions lay underground like volcanoes which can erupt anytime cracks appear in our society.
What is the role of the church in ensuring that these tensions do not disintegrate into tribal violence?
The church must urgently declare God’s command of “love your neighbour as you love your self” (Matt 19:19). The military may be able to restrain the mob from burning tyres in the streets, but they cannot teach us to love one another. This is the role of the church, which must urgently urge the Banyoro to love the Bafuruki, the Baganda to love Banyankore, and the Banyara to love the Baganda.
We must not deny the existence of complicated issues that may cause enmity or disagreement. We must preach and demonstrate a love of all Ugandans regardless of tribe and opinion. Let the church thunder with “love your neighbour” regardless the shape of their nose or their tribal accents.
In Judges 12:6 we are told of an inter-tribal conflict pitting Jews against Gileadites and the Ephramites which descended into ethnic cleansing. The Ephramites could not properly pronounce the “she” in the Shiboleth. Like some Nilotic tribes, they could only say “siboleth”. Riotous riverside roadblocks were set up and travellers were subjected to oral tests where your accent would lead to your death. More than 42,000 were killed.
We must rebuke those who will use the Shiboleths as a reason to wreak death and violence on one another. We all live together in Uganda, and many Ugandans have set up farms and homes away from their tribal home villages. My village in Bombo has a majority of Baganda, but we also have Banyarwanda, Bahima, and Nubians. If tribal Shiboleths remain, there are not enough soldiers, teargas or Mambas to secure every goat, cow, sheep or garden in Uganda’s countryside.
On the contrary we have a lot of able bodied, unemployed youth who can be misguided into marauding and plundering their neighbours’ property. This must not be allowed. The traditional African spirit of communal culture must be strengthened and complemented by the teaching of the church. Love your neighbour (regardless of his nose or the number of cows he may have) as you love yourself.
The church must pray for the leaders to have infinite wisdom to handle complicated issues with justice and equity. Solomon in 1 Kings 3:16-28 needed to figure a complicated case of two new mothers who both claimed one baby. He had no access to modern DNA maternal test yet he had to solve this dispute. The complex issue of tribes, kingdoms and their relationship to a national government requires divine wisdom for our leaders. In the spate between Buganda and Central government, MPs who are from Buganda yet belong to the ruling political party may find themselves with torn loyalties as children are when Daddy and Mummy conflict. We must pray for wisdom and render to each what is due to them. Jesus says “render to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar, to God what belongs to God”. We must render to the executive government (president) and the traditional cultural leaders (Kabaka) whatever loyalties belong to each of them. A way has to be figured out where we all win, and in the end Uganda wins.
At this critical time the church must urgently preach the aspirations of our founding fathers at the formation of our nation. “Oh Uganda may God uphold you”, it is our duty to pray for our motherland. “We lay our future in your hands” our collective destiny is in the wellbeing of Uganda. “United free for liberty” our freedom and liberty is only possible when we are cohesive. “Together we will always stand.” We can only stand when none of us is left behind. If we are to avert the trajectory of history, the prophets must preach a message of love regardless of the size and shape of my nose.
For God and our Country.
Dr. Ssempa is nationally syndicated writer, broadcaster and AIDS activist. He is the pastor of Makerere Community Church at Makerere University; ssempam@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 0772-641028
Buganda Crisis, Ugandan Evangelicals, Ssabalokole, and the Future
Buganda Crisis, Ugandan Evangelicals, Ssabalokole, and the Future
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/375-buganda-crisis-ugandan-evangelicals-ssabalokole-and-the-future.html
Kato Mivule | October 6, 2009
For over 20 years, Uganda’s Evangelical Churches have enjoyed a rather flattery and illusionist relationship with the current Ugandan regime headed by President Museveni. The implications of the recent Buganda Crisis, for the Ugandan Evangelical Community will in no doubt be far reaching as Ugandans from all sections of life take a second look at the cozy and manipulative relationship between President Museveni’s regime and Ugandan Evangelicals.
September 10th 2009 will probably go down in history as one of Uganda’s worst and bloodiest days when demonstrators who for all reasons were basically fed up with the current regime of President Museveni took to the streets to demonstrate, only to be met with live gun fire from government security forces.
Buganda Riots in Kampala
Brief background…
The demonstrations were a result of the Museveni Government restricting the movements of the Kabaka (King of the Baganda tribe in Uganda – the largest tribe in Uganda). Museveni’s Regime basically denied the Kabaka from visiting one of his ‘counties or village in his kingdom due to objections by one ‘Clan chief’(Banyala Clan Chief – called the Ssabanyala – Ssa-banyala…meaning chief of the Banyala Clan) that resides in the ‘county’ declaring autonomy from the Buganda Kingdom.
The Museveni administration seemed to have taken sides and rather than foster reconciliation to stop the fracas, instead sent troops to protect the Ssabanyala and stopped the Kabaka visiting the area. The result was demonstrations and riots that erupted in Kampala and throughout Uganda’s central region.
The history of the Buganda and Central Government conflict has been long since 1962 and the central issue has been Land and Federal system of governance that Buganda Kingdom demands. The Museveni Government has sought to control most of the Land in Buganda and give it to foreign investors among others, an issue that Buganda and even other tribes strongly oppose. Recent discovery of Oil in Western Uganda and other high value minerals in Uganda has only exacerbated the already existing tensions.
Land grabbing conflicts…
Museveni’s regime is increasingly seen by Ugandan locals as one that grabs land from the poor and hands it over to foreign multinational corporations in the name of economic development. Therefore denying the Kabaka his right to visit one of the counties in his kingdom was interpreted as a move to divide the Buganda Kingdom and ‘steal’ land from the poor and hand it over to large multinational corporations and Museveni’s immediate family members who currently hold most of the senior government positions in Uganda.
The Kabaka of Buganda is the chief custodian of Buganda’s land and for years diverse ethnic groups have settled in Buganda – Uganda’s central region, welcomed by the Kabaka and Baganda peoples and in many cases given free land to settle. These diverse ethnic groups have then been absorbed into Buganda and often adopt the Buganda Culture and language. No violence or wars has resulted as a result of this ‘natural assimilation’ for quite some time; it is only during President Museveni’s Regime that such inter tribe clan ethnic skirmishes have begun to erupt.
Therefore the declaration of autonomy by one of the Clan Chiefs with support from the Museveni regime was read as a tactic to further disenfranchise and marginalize the already poor Baganda by ‘grabbing’ their land.
The resulting riots in the city of Kampala, Uganda’s capital left about 26 people dead as a result of the Museveni government using live ammunition on unarmed demonstrators and killing the innocents, which seems to be common in Africa today when despotic regimes face public opposition, take the case of Guinea, where 150 Peaceful demonstrators were killed by government troops recently.
Corruption defining Museveni’s Administration…
Yet still corruption, injustice, nepotism, poverty, high unemployment, land grabbing, the war in Northern Uganda, hunger and drought in Eastern Uganda, the war of pillage in Congo, the war in Sudan, and a large young generation of unemployed youth have defined Museveni’s Government in Uganda. This negative social economic situation only added fuel to the already existing brawl between Buganda and the Central Government and the result was that people were demonstrating against the Museveni Regime that they viewed as corrupt rather than ‘simply’ venting anger over the restriction of the Kabaka’s movements.
It is in this light that Ugandan Evangelicals find themselves in a dilemma as the Ugandan political tide has begun changing against Museveni’s regime that has granted Ugandan Evangelicals a sort of ‘comfort zone’.
Influential Ugandan Evangelical Pastors Turned Political…
Some ‘influential’ Ugandan Evangelical Pastors have always turned their pulpits and gatherings as a podium for President Museveni’s re-election campaigns in exchange for promises of “more freedoms of worship”, money, land for church buildings, and armed protection from President Museveni.
President Museveni has always viewed his relationship with Uganda’s Evangelicals as a political opportunity; always using them to gain political ground and retain power especially during times of elections. Uganda’s Evangelicals command large followings, often filling up stadiums and auditoriums during prayer meetings across Uganda. Therefore a ‘good’ relationship with Uganda’s Evangelical leaders is a powerful asset in President Museveni’s hands.
Museveni at the National Prayers in Nambole Stadium National Prayers at Nambole Stadium
Influential Pastors Defended by Museveni’s Government…
It is President Museveni that has provided protection to popular and now infamous TBN preachers like Ugandan Pastor, Robert Kayanja who was strongly defended by Museveni’s Government when large quantities of smuggled European wine was found by Uganda’s Revenue Authority in his posh ‘million dollar’ home in Gaba, Kampala, one of Uganda’s upscale lakeside neighborhoods. The investigation was frustrated and a full page advertisement by the Ugandan Government was posted in Uganda’s State newspaper, the New Vision, clearing Pastor Kayanja of any wrong doing.
It is then President Museveni that sent out his minister of Ethics Dr. Nsaba Buturo, to vigorously defend Pastor Robert Kayanja on Ugandan Radio and TV Stations after the 2006 Presidential Elections that Ugandan Courts declared were flawed. Pastor Robert Kayanja had gone on national TV and declared a prophecy during those presidential campaigns that one of the Presidential Candidates from the opposition would die and that President Museveni, the incumbent would win by over 60 Per cent of the vote. The prophecy failed and was not true in that no presidential candidate from the opposition died and President Museveni did not win by 60 per cent. The public was outraged by the Robert Kayanja Prophecy that they saw as Pastor Kayanja voicing support for a ‘corrupt’ President Museveni. Ugandans during then realized that the Ugandan Evangelical Leadership was partisan and was a tool for the ‘corrupt’ Museveni regime to retain influence and power.
Those in the opposition cried foul during the 2006 presidential elections when it was discovered and reported by Uganda’s media that President Museveni had secretly met with some Ugandan Evangelical Pastors and ‘given them money’ which the President termed as “facilitation funds” so they could help send many of their parishioners to the polls to vote for Museveni. The incident was an embarrassment to the Evangelical Church that was supposed to be seen as neutral and non partisan yet for ‘thirty pieces of silver’, they sold out.
Evangelicalism viewed as Uganda’s ‘State Religion’…
A number of local evangelical pastors in Uganda have positioned Evangelicalism as the State Religion in Uganda, and with ideas they borrow from Western Political Right wing movements like the US Political Evangelicals, which they then employ in Uganda. For instance President Museveni has been invited on a number of times to officiate at the annual end of year prayer meetings in Nambole Stadium – Uganda’s largest spots stadium and asked to “dedicate” and “declare” Uganda a “Christian Nation”. In these ‘National Prayer’ events, a group of Pastors receive Uganda’s National Flag from Mr. Museveni which they then pray over and announce Uganda a “Christian Nation” – Christian in terms of Evangelical Christianity.
The National Prayers have largely been organized by Pastor Joseph Sserwada of Victory Christian Center in Kampala, who is found of flip flopping at between opposing Museveni’s policies at times and then supporting him at other occasions. For instance at one Prayer Convocation in 2005, Pastor Sserwada demanded that President Museveni release the political opposition leader Kizza Besigye from jail unconditionally but after Museveni granted the request, Pastor Sserwada joined the bandwagon calling on Born Again Christians to vote Museveni back into office.
Sexual Crime in Uganda’s Evangelical Church overlooked…
It is still the same President Museveni’s Government and State House Security agencies that defended Pastor Robert Kayanja when a number of young boys opened cases of sodomy against pastor Kayanja.
The State House defense of Pastor Robert Kayanja was highly dramatized when security agencies put on a spectacular display of theatrics by kidnapping and then releasing one of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s aides and then blamed the local Pastors who had reported the Sodomy case to Police. To this day no report has been released about those who kidnapped Pastor Kayanja’s aide.
Pastor Robert Kayanja on learning that he was about to be indicted, offered Uganda’s police money to renovate Uganda’s Police Staff quarters in Kampala. Uganda’s Police Chief Mr. Kayihura received the offer on the same day that local pastors were helping the sodomized boys report their cases to police to receive justice.
The sodomized boys were arrested and charged and the pastors were summoned at the Police Investigation Headquarters and threatened. Later Uganda’s Police released a report in the State Newspaper – the New Vision, clearing Pastor Robert Kayanja of any sodomy charges. The whereabouts of some of the sodomized boys is still unknown; Uganda’s Police claims that the boys are in “safe police custody”.
Sodomized Boys
Armed Protection for Uganda’s Prosperity Gospel Preachers…
It is the same President Museveni who has provided armed security guards from his presidential protection unit to guard and protect a number of Prosperity Gospel Preachers who preach a gospel of money and basically rob the poor of the little they have and live a luxurious Western lifestyle in poor Uganda at the expense of poor and impoverished parishioners.
After the sodomy scandal, Pastor Robert Kayanja a major prosperity gospel preacher is among pastors who enjoy the privilege of armed security guards with links to the Presidential Protection Unit in Uganda.
First Family into the Evangelicalism Business…
As if that was not enough, President Museveni’s own daughter, Patience Museveni Rwabogo recently became an evangelical Pastor and started a Church in Buziga another upscale lakeside suburb of Kampala in Uganda. Among those who attend President Museveni’s Daugter’s Church are Generals in the army, high ranking government officials, and members of Museveni’s extended family.
It is the first time in Uganda’s history that a member of the first family is now Pastor of an Evangelical Church in Uganda and with great influence among local pastors who often seek audience with President Museveni courtesy of Pastor Patience Rwabogo.
Yet despite genuine motives and sincerity by Pastor Patience Rwabogo, her ministry is seen through the eyes of her father President Museveni and how he conducts business with Uganda’s Evangelicals.
Political Endorsing of Pastor Peter Ssematimba…
The latest move by President Museveni making inroads into Uganda’s Evangelical Church was his endorsing of a flamboyant Pastor and Businessman, Pastor Peter Ssematimba. Pastor Ssematimba claims that he became a Born Again Christian in one of Pastor Benny Hinn’s Healing Meetings while on a business trip in the USA.
Museveni at Ssematimba Ceremony Pastor Kayanja and Ssematimba
President Museveni at Swearing in Ceremony of Pastor Peter Ssematimba (in middle) as Local Council Chief - Next Insert...Pastor Robert Kayanja at same ceremony to pray over Pastor Ssematimba...Pastor Kayanja looked thin and weak due to fasting over the Sodomy Scandal during the same period of time...
Pastor Peter Ssematimba is a long time buddy of Uganda’s Prosperity Gospel Czar Pastor Robert Kayanja and the two have been the champions of the ‘get rich quick’ prosperity gospel in Uganda. At one time Pastor Ssematimba boasted on his FM Radio Station how it was easy to become a millionaire if one became a Pastor.
Pastor Ssematimba
However, Pastor Ssematimba joined politics and became Mayor of his Town after a failed bid at becoming the Mayor of Kampala, Uganda’s major city. Both Pastor Robert Kayanja and President Museveni fully endorsed Pastor Ssemantimba’s run for local council office and presided over the swearing in ceremony of Pastor Peter Ssematimba in an election that was reported as flawed and fully rigged.
Pastor Peter Ssematimba, a fan of Micheal Jackson Performs the 'Obscene' Micheal Jackson Dance at a local pub in Memory of Michael Jackson...he repeatingly touches his 'private parts' as he dances to MJ tunes...
Divide and Rule Theo-Politics…
President Museveni has always viewed Uganda’s Evangelicals as his constituency and with many large churches being stationed in Buganda and many of the “powerful men of God” being from Buganda, President Museveni has made it is point to keep the Evangelicals as his political constituency. President Museveni has also used the ‘divide and rule’ technique to divide tribes into smaller rival clans and then take sides thus gaining advantage.
This was the case with the Buganda riots; President Museveni took sides with the Banyala Clan and thus the conflict and riots between the Banyala and Baganda tribes that have been in harmony for years. President Museveni makes it a point to appoint a head or chief of the newly formed faction clan. Titles like Ssabanyala, Ssabakoki, Ssabaruri, have become now familiar in Uganda’s Political discourse. Every newly formed clan faction supported by the central government gets a head with the title “Ssa”…
Ugandan Evangelical Leadership Vacuum…
Yet still Evangelicals in Uganda have of recent had squabbles among themselves over leadership. Pastor Sserwada has formed his own organization in Uganda to head Evangelicals which Pastor Robert Kayanja does not subscribe to. Pastor Robert Kayanja claims to be head of his own Ugandan Evangelical federation – the Miracle Center Churches.
Pastor Alex Mitala is also head of the original Uganda Evangelical Body which was set up voluntarily by local Pastors to help train pastors, call pastors to accountability, keep to New Testament Bible Doctrine, and discipline pastors who abuse their authority. Both Pastor Sserwada and Pastor Kayanja do not subscribe to this body and therefore the many conflicts among Uganda’s Evangelicals, not mentioning Evangelical missionaries who also have their own leadership, mostly foreign.
Will there be a Ssabalokole in Buganda?
Such vacuum of leadership has been taken advantage of by President Museveni and his political elites. It would not be surprising that soon President Museveni would appoint a ‘Ssabalokole’ to head the Balokole (Evangelicals) in Uganda before the coming 2011 Presidential Elections should some Evangelicals object his policies openly.
So, would Pastor Robert Kayanja be the next Ssabalokole of Uganda or would it be Pastor Peter Ssematimba? Of recent President Museveni has been providing armed bodyguards to newly formed tribal faction leaders like the Ssabanyala, the same detail that Pastor Robert Kayanja enjoys…so is he being groomed to be the next Ssabalokole? This issue is serious and not comical as it might sound.
Ugandan Evangelicals ought to re-examine their relationship with President Museveni and for the sake of the purity of the Gospel, it might be wise to heed the call of those who call for a separation of Church and State.
Ugandan Evangelicals and the identity of politics…
Such relationships between Uganda’s Evangelical Church and President Museveni’s regime have cast a dark shadow of doubt by the public when it comes to the integrity of Evangelicals in Uganda. Evangelicals are largely seen as being one and the same with the current Museveni Regime – they are seen as those who foster the Museveni Movement.
Therefore the recent political riots in Buganda were simply the public’s venting of anger towards what they are increasingly seeing as a corrupt and despotic regime, and this includes those who support it.
This means that the Evangelicals Churches that team up with the Museveni Regime are seen as one and the same and therefore by default become or will increasingly become a target for the opposition. Uganda’s next presidential elections are scheduled for 2011 and many analysts predict that they will largely be violent as President Museveni seeks to keep a hold on power.
The current posture of Uganda’s Evangelical Church is that it receives protection from the current Museveni Government and should there be a change of administration, there will certainly be consequences to the cozy Museveni Uganda Evangelical unholy marriage.
There is nothing wrong with praying for those in political leadership, as this the bible commands, yet Uganda’s Evangelicals have become political tools to keep Uganda’s corrupt political elite in power. The lack of a biblical based leadership among Evangelicals in Uganda has left the door wide open for political abuse and manipulation.
The future ramifications…
The ramifications are great and will be seen when political Pastors in Uganda return to their call of preaching the gospel and begin to take a stand for social justice, placing them on a collision course with Uganda’s corrupt political elite. It is then that President Museveni will react just as in the case with Buganda and vigorously and viciously enforce his own mandate and maybe a Ssabalokole in the Religious Affairs of the still young Evangelical Body in Uganda.
Future Criminal Probes…
But still the prospects of Evangelicalism in Uganda will face a backlash in event that the opposition politicians gain control of both Uganda’s Parliament and State House. Laws will be enacted to clearly spell the separation of Church and State. Investigations of major Evangelical Pastors will ensue assuming that the new government in power will be serious in fighting corruption. Pastors will have to declare their wealth and account for donations they receive in order to flash out dirty money. Sexual Abuse will be investigated and sodomy charges not dropped.
However, such would be a scenario in a new Uganda were corruption is fought with all instruments of the government. Yet this status quo of corruption with impunity among Uganda’s top Prosperity Gospel Pastors goes undeterred courtesy of President Museveni who winks at the evil (crimes) in Evangelicals Churches in Uganda in return for political support.
Harsh Laws of Church and State Separation…
For one there are no laws in Uganda dictating a separation of Church and State yet what I foresee are laws being quickly enacted by a new opposition administration in Uganda. The laws might not as much curtail mainstream religions like the Catholic Church and Episcopalian Church but rather such laws could be heavily skewed against Evangelicals in Uganda and very harsh.
Yet even such laws might help Evangelicals get more focused on preaching the gospel rather than engage in spending resources in getting a “Christian President” in office.
Violence against Evangelicals…
Further still Uganda’s Evangelical Churches might be at a security risk as large numbers of frustrated locals turn their anger and backlash at the Evangelicals who they see singing the praises not of Jesus Christ who stood for the poor and justice but for a President Museveni who they view as an oppressor of the poor and land grabber. This might mean violence against innocent Balokole (Evangelicals) and destruction of their property.
State Persecution and Imprisonment…
Yet still Ugandan Pastors are faced with another dilemma of facing persecution, imprisonment, banishment, and closure of their Churches should they voice support for justice and the poor, and such interests conflict with President Museveni. As it is now, Evangelical Pastors are expected to follow the lead of impromptu ‘Ssabalokoles’ like Pastor Robert Kayanja and Pastor Peter Ssematimba – to sing and dance to the political tunes of President Museveni or else…
Future Exodus out of Evangelical Uganda to Agnostic Uganda…
However, further devastating consequences would be that the large numbers of parishioners would begin an exodus out of the Uganda Evangelical Faith. Many parishioners in Uganda’s Evangelical Churches came out of the Catholic and Episcopalian Churches that were seen as ‘dead’ and ‘lifeless’.
During the late 1980’s large numbers of young people made exodus from the Catholic and Anglican faith and joined the Evangelical Movement in Uganda. At that time many of the young folks sought for role models, they sought a place were they could get the Full Gospel and experience of the New Testament Christianity, they sought a place were they could help by participating, helping the poor, reaching out to other fellow youth etc… Yet the result has been disappointment as Evangelical leaders are only interested in money and an affluent lifestyle.
The circumstances have changed today in Uganda, there are more young educated youth, with access to wireless communication technology, high speed internet, and Satellite TV. Such a well informed generation of people is beginning to demand for accountability to the True Gospel of Jesus Christ as we have it in the New Testament. Such a generation will not be hoodwinked by imposter pastors and preachers. The resulting exodus out of the Evangelical Churches will mean a vibrant agnostic society that is ‘burnt out’ with Balokole-ism (Evangelicalism) in Uganda.
Both the Catholic and Episcopalian Churches have been involved in Uganda’s Politics but much more discreetly and with decorum. Yet Evangelicals have instead always been radical and sometimes frenzied such as when prophecies are proclaimed in support of President Museveni. One circulating Prophecy around 1986 was that God spoke to some pastor in Kampala that President Museveni would be president until Jesus Christ came back – and many evangelicals deeply believed it…
Few helpful remedies and recommendations…
Yet Uganda’s Evangelical Church still have time to steer clear of being an object of resent and rejection by Uganda’s poor and disenfranchised public. Rather than joining hands with those who oppress the poor and deny justice, Uganda’s Evangelical church had better return to preaching the Gospel and forsake the Political Platform.
Rather than being instruments that promote the policies of President Museveni, the Ugandan Evangelical church could become a voice of peace, a voice of reason, a voice for the oppressed, a voice for the poor, the sick, prisoners, doing it peacefully from a non partisan stand, speaking truth and justice, and peace to Uganda’s warring factions; most importantly, the True Gospel being proclaimed; concentrate on preaching the gospel, feeding the poor, visiting the sick, and clothing the naked rather than joining those who pillage the poor…
The future of Uganda’s Evangelical Church is dark and unless there is a clear separation of Church and State, Evangelicalism as we knew it in Uganda ended sometime ago; what we have is a religious political cadaver…and it is stinking…certainly an aroma that the Church ought not to give off. The Body of Jesus Christ – The Church is called to be a fragrance of Christ’s Knowledge and Life to the world and not to give off choking and lifeless political fumes.
Yet Uganda’s Evangelicals can arise to the right side of history and do what the Church has done since the first century, Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, stand for justice, care for the poor, widows, orphans, be instruments of peace and reason, and perhaps help Uganda’s warring ethnic tribal factions resort to peaceful means of conflict resolution.
Kato Mivule
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/375-buganda-crisis-ugandan-evangelicals-ssabalokole-and-the-future.html
Kato Mivule | October 6, 2009
For over 20 years, Uganda’s Evangelical Churches have enjoyed a rather flattery and illusionist relationship with the current Ugandan regime headed by President Museveni. The implications of the recent Buganda Crisis, for the Ugandan Evangelical Community will in no doubt be far reaching as Ugandans from all sections of life take a second look at the cozy and manipulative relationship between President Museveni’s regime and Ugandan Evangelicals.
September 10th 2009 will probably go down in history as one of Uganda’s worst and bloodiest days when demonstrators who for all reasons were basically fed up with the current regime of President Museveni took to the streets to demonstrate, only to be met with live gun fire from government security forces.
Buganda Riots in Kampala
Brief background…
The demonstrations were a result of the Museveni Government restricting the movements of the Kabaka (King of the Baganda tribe in Uganda – the largest tribe in Uganda). Museveni’s Regime basically denied the Kabaka from visiting one of his ‘counties or village in his kingdom due to objections by one ‘Clan chief’(Banyala Clan Chief – called the Ssabanyala – Ssa-banyala…meaning chief of the Banyala Clan) that resides in the ‘county’ declaring autonomy from the Buganda Kingdom.
The Museveni administration seemed to have taken sides and rather than foster reconciliation to stop the fracas, instead sent troops to protect the Ssabanyala and stopped the Kabaka visiting the area. The result was demonstrations and riots that erupted in Kampala and throughout Uganda’s central region.
The history of the Buganda and Central Government conflict has been long since 1962 and the central issue has been Land and Federal system of governance that Buganda Kingdom demands. The Museveni Government has sought to control most of the Land in Buganda and give it to foreign investors among others, an issue that Buganda and even other tribes strongly oppose. Recent discovery of Oil in Western Uganda and other high value minerals in Uganda has only exacerbated the already existing tensions.
Land grabbing conflicts…
Museveni’s regime is increasingly seen by Ugandan locals as one that grabs land from the poor and hands it over to foreign multinational corporations in the name of economic development. Therefore denying the Kabaka his right to visit one of the counties in his kingdom was interpreted as a move to divide the Buganda Kingdom and ‘steal’ land from the poor and hand it over to large multinational corporations and Museveni’s immediate family members who currently hold most of the senior government positions in Uganda.
The Kabaka of Buganda is the chief custodian of Buganda’s land and for years diverse ethnic groups have settled in Buganda – Uganda’s central region, welcomed by the Kabaka and Baganda peoples and in many cases given free land to settle. These diverse ethnic groups have then been absorbed into Buganda and often adopt the Buganda Culture and language. No violence or wars has resulted as a result of this ‘natural assimilation’ for quite some time; it is only during President Museveni’s Regime that such inter tribe clan ethnic skirmishes have begun to erupt.
Therefore the declaration of autonomy by one of the Clan Chiefs with support from the Museveni regime was read as a tactic to further disenfranchise and marginalize the already poor Baganda by ‘grabbing’ their land.
The resulting riots in the city of Kampala, Uganda’s capital left about 26 people dead as a result of the Museveni government using live ammunition on unarmed demonstrators and killing the innocents, which seems to be common in Africa today when despotic regimes face public opposition, take the case of Guinea, where 150 Peaceful demonstrators were killed by government troops recently.
Corruption defining Museveni’s Administration…
Yet still corruption, injustice, nepotism, poverty, high unemployment, land grabbing, the war in Northern Uganda, hunger and drought in Eastern Uganda, the war of pillage in Congo, the war in Sudan, and a large young generation of unemployed youth have defined Museveni’s Government in Uganda. This negative social economic situation only added fuel to the already existing brawl between Buganda and the Central Government and the result was that people were demonstrating against the Museveni Regime that they viewed as corrupt rather than ‘simply’ venting anger over the restriction of the Kabaka’s movements.
It is in this light that Ugandan Evangelicals find themselves in a dilemma as the Ugandan political tide has begun changing against Museveni’s regime that has granted Ugandan Evangelicals a sort of ‘comfort zone’.
Influential Ugandan Evangelical Pastors Turned Political…
Some ‘influential’ Ugandan Evangelical Pastors have always turned their pulpits and gatherings as a podium for President Museveni’s re-election campaigns in exchange for promises of “more freedoms of worship”, money, land for church buildings, and armed protection from President Museveni.
President Museveni has always viewed his relationship with Uganda’s Evangelicals as a political opportunity; always using them to gain political ground and retain power especially during times of elections. Uganda’s Evangelicals command large followings, often filling up stadiums and auditoriums during prayer meetings across Uganda. Therefore a ‘good’ relationship with Uganda’s Evangelical leaders is a powerful asset in President Museveni’s hands.
Museveni at the National Prayers in Nambole Stadium National Prayers at Nambole Stadium
Influential Pastors Defended by Museveni’s Government…
It is President Museveni that has provided protection to popular and now infamous TBN preachers like Ugandan Pastor, Robert Kayanja who was strongly defended by Museveni’s Government when large quantities of smuggled European wine was found by Uganda’s Revenue Authority in his posh ‘million dollar’ home in Gaba, Kampala, one of Uganda’s upscale lakeside neighborhoods. The investigation was frustrated and a full page advertisement by the Ugandan Government was posted in Uganda’s State newspaper, the New Vision, clearing Pastor Kayanja of any wrong doing.
It is then President Museveni that sent out his minister of Ethics Dr. Nsaba Buturo, to vigorously defend Pastor Robert Kayanja on Ugandan Radio and TV Stations after the 2006 Presidential Elections that Ugandan Courts declared were flawed. Pastor Robert Kayanja had gone on national TV and declared a prophecy during those presidential campaigns that one of the Presidential Candidates from the opposition would die and that President Museveni, the incumbent would win by over 60 Per cent of the vote. The prophecy failed and was not true in that no presidential candidate from the opposition died and President Museveni did not win by 60 per cent. The public was outraged by the Robert Kayanja Prophecy that they saw as Pastor Kayanja voicing support for a ‘corrupt’ President Museveni. Ugandans during then realized that the Ugandan Evangelical Leadership was partisan and was a tool for the ‘corrupt’ Museveni regime to retain influence and power.
Those in the opposition cried foul during the 2006 presidential elections when it was discovered and reported by Uganda’s media that President Museveni had secretly met with some Ugandan Evangelical Pastors and ‘given them money’ which the President termed as “facilitation funds” so they could help send many of their parishioners to the polls to vote for Museveni. The incident was an embarrassment to the Evangelical Church that was supposed to be seen as neutral and non partisan yet for ‘thirty pieces of silver’, they sold out.
Evangelicalism viewed as Uganda’s ‘State Religion’…
A number of local evangelical pastors in Uganda have positioned Evangelicalism as the State Religion in Uganda, and with ideas they borrow from Western Political Right wing movements like the US Political Evangelicals, which they then employ in Uganda. For instance President Museveni has been invited on a number of times to officiate at the annual end of year prayer meetings in Nambole Stadium – Uganda’s largest spots stadium and asked to “dedicate” and “declare” Uganda a “Christian Nation”. In these ‘National Prayer’ events, a group of Pastors receive Uganda’s National Flag from Mr. Museveni which they then pray over and announce Uganda a “Christian Nation” – Christian in terms of Evangelical Christianity.
The National Prayers have largely been organized by Pastor Joseph Sserwada of Victory Christian Center in Kampala, who is found of flip flopping at between opposing Museveni’s policies at times and then supporting him at other occasions. For instance at one Prayer Convocation in 2005, Pastor Sserwada demanded that President Museveni release the political opposition leader Kizza Besigye from jail unconditionally but after Museveni granted the request, Pastor Sserwada joined the bandwagon calling on Born Again Christians to vote Museveni back into office.
Sexual Crime in Uganda’s Evangelical Church overlooked…
It is still the same President Museveni’s Government and State House Security agencies that defended Pastor Robert Kayanja when a number of young boys opened cases of sodomy against pastor Kayanja.
The State House defense of Pastor Robert Kayanja was highly dramatized when security agencies put on a spectacular display of theatrics by kidnapping and then releasing one of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s aides and then blamed the local Pastors who had reported the Sodomy case to Police. To this day no report has been released about those who kidnapped Pastor Kayanja’s aide.
Pastor Robert Kayanja on learning that he was about to be indicted, offered Uganda’s police money to renovate Uganda’s Police Staff quarters in Kampala. Uganda’s Police Chief Mr. Kayihura received the offer on the same day that local pastors were helping the sodomized boys report their cases to police to receive justice.
The sodomized boys were arrested and charged and the pastors were summoned at the Police Investigation Headquarters and threatened. Later Uganda’s Police released a report in the State Newspaper – the New Vision, clearing Pastor Robert Kayanja of any sodomy charges. The whereabouts of some of the sodomized boys is still unknown; Uganda’s Police claims that the boys are in “safe police custody”.
Sodomized Boys
Armed Protection for Uganda’s Prosperity Gospel Preachers…
It is the same President Museveni who has provided armed security guards from his presidential protection unit to guard and protect a number of Prosperity Gospel Preachers who preach a gospel of money and basically rob the poor of the little they have and live a luxurious Western lifestyle in poor Uganda at the expense of poor and impoverished parishioners.
After the sodomy scandal, Pastor Robert Kayanja a major prosperity gospel preacher is among pastors who enjoy the privilege of armed security guards with links to the Presidential Protection Unit in Uganda.
First Family into the Evangelicalism Business…
As if that was not enough, President Museveni’s own daughter, Patience Museveni Rwabogo recently became an evangelical Pastor and started a Church in Buziga another upscale lakeside suburb of Kampala in Uganda. Among those who attend President Museveni’s Daugter’s Church are Generals in the army, high ranking government officials, and members of Museveni’s extended family.
It is the first time in Uganda’s history that a member of the first family is now Pastor of an Evangelical Church in Uganda and with great influence among local pastors who often seek audience with President Museveni courtesy of Pastor Patience Rwabogo.
Yet despite genuine motives and sincerity by Pastor Patience Rwabogo, her ministry is seen through the eyes of her father President Museveni and how he conducts business with Uganda’s Evangelicals.
Political Endorsing of Pastor Peter Ssematimba…
The latest move by President Museveni making inroads into Uganda’s Evangelical Church was his endorsing of a flamboyant Pastor and Businessman, Pastor Peter Ssematimba. Pastor Ssematimba claims that he became a Born Again Christian in one of Pastor Benny Hinn’s Healing Meetings while on a business trip in the USA.
Museveni at Ssematimba Ceremony Pastor Kayanja and Ssematimba
President Museveni at Swearing in Ceremony of Pastor Peter Ssematimba (in middle) as Local Council Chief - Next Insert...Pastor Robert Kayanja at same ceremony to pray over Pastor Ssematimba...Pastor Kayanja looked thin and weak due to fasting over the Sodomy Scandal during the same period of time...
Pastor Peter Ssematimba is a long time buddy of Uganda’s Prosperity Gospel Czar Pastor Robert Kayanja and the two have been the champions of the ‘get rich quick’ prosperity gospel in Uganda. At one time Pastor Ssematimba boasted on his FM Radio Station how it was easy to become a millionaire if one became a Pastor.
Pastor Ssematimba
However, Pastor Ssematimba joined politics and became Mayor of his Town after a failed bid at becoming the Mayor of Kampala, Uganda’s major city. Both Pastor Robert Kayanja and President Museveni fully endorsed Pastor Ssemantimba’s run for local council office and presided over the swearing in ceremony of Pastor Peter Ssematimba in an election that was reported as flawed and fully rigged.
Pastor Peter Ssematimba, a fan of Micheal Jackson Performs the 'Obscene' Micheal Jackson Dance at a local pub in Memory of Michael Jackson...he repeatingly touches his 'private parts' as he dances to MJ tunes...
Divide and Rule Theo-Politics…
President Museveni has always viewed Uganda’s Evangelicals as his constituency and with many large churches being stationed in Buganda and many of the “powerful men of God” being from Buganda, President Museveni has made it is point to keep the Evangelicals as his political constituency. President Museveni has also used the ‘divide and rule’ technique to divide tribes into smaller rival clans and then take sides thus gaining advantage.
This was the case with the Buganda riots; President Museveni took sides with the Banyala Clan and thus the conflict and riots between the Banyala and Baganda tribes that have been in harmony for years. President Museveni makes it a point to appoint a head or chief of the newly formed faction clan. Titles like Ssabanyala, Ssabakoki, Ssabaruri, have become now familiar in Uganda’s Political discourse. Every newly formed clan faction supported by the central government gets a head with the title “Ssa”…
Ugandan Evangelical Leadership Vacuum…
Yet still Evangelicals in Uganda have of recent had squabbles among themselves over leadership. Pastor Sserwada has formed his own organization in Uganda to head Evangelicals which Pastor Robert Kayanja does not subscribe to. Pastor Robert Kayanja claims to be head of his own Ugandan Evangelical federation – the Miracle Center Churches.
Pastor Alex Mitala is also head of the original Uganda Evangelical Body which was set up voluntarily by local Pastors to help train pastors, call pastors to accountability, keep to New Testament Bible Doctrine, and discipline pastors who abuse their authority. Both Pastor Sserwada and Pastor Kayanja do not subscribe to this body and therefore the many conflicts among Uganda’s Evangelicals, not mentioning Evangelical missionaries who also have their own leadership, mostly foreign.
Will there be a Ssabalokole in Buganda?
Such vacuum of leadership has been taken advantage of by President Museveni and his political elites. It would not be surprising that soon President Museveni would appoint a ‘Ssabalokole’ to head the Balokole (Evangelicals) in Uganda before the coming 2011 Presidential Elections should some Evangelicals object his policies openly.
So, would Pastor Robert Kayanja be the next Ssabalokole of Uganda or would it be Pastor Peter Ssematimba? Of recent President Museveni has been providing armed bodyguards to newly formed tribal faction leaders like the Ssabanyala, the same detail that Pastor Robert Kayanja enjoys…so is he being groomed to be the next Ssabalokole? This issue is serious and not comical as it might sound.
Ugandan Evangelicals ought to re-examine their relationship with President Museveni and for the sake of the purity of the Gospel, it might be wise to heed the call of those who call for a separation of Church and State.
Ugandan Evangelicals and the identity of politics…
Such relationships between Uganda’s Evangelical Church and President Museveni’s regime have cast a dark shadow of doubt by the public when it comes to the integrity of Evangelicals in Uganda. Evangelicals are largely seen as being one and the same with the current Museveni Regime – they are seen as those who foster the Museveni Movement.
Therefore the recent political riots in Buganda were simply the public’s venting of anger towards what they are increasingly seeing as a corrupt and despotic regime, and this includes those who support it.
This means that the Evangelicals Churches that team up with the Museveni Regime are seen as one and the same and therefore by default become or will increasingly become a target for the opposition. Uganda’s next presidential elections are scheduled for 2011 and many analysts predict that they will largely be violent as President Museveni seeks to keep a hold on power.
The current posture of Uganda’s Evangelical Church is that it receives protection from the current Museveni Government and should there be a change of administration, there will certainly be consequences to the cozy Museveni Uganda Evangelical unholy marriage.
There is nothing wrong with praying for those in political leadership, as this the bible commands, yet Uganda’s Evangelicals have become political tools to keep Uganda’s corrupt political elite in power. The lack of a biblical based leadership among Evangelicals in Uganda has left the door wide open for political abuse and manipulation.
The future ramifications…
The ramifications are great and will be seen when political Pastors in Uganda return to their call of preaching the gospel and begin to take a stand for social justice, placing them on a collision course with Uganda’s corrupt political elite. It is then that President Museveni will react just as in the case with Buganda and vigorously and viciously enforce his own mandate and maybe a Ssabalokole in the Religious Affairs of the still young Evangelical Body in Uganda.
Future Criminal Probes…
But still the prospects of Evangelicalism in Uganda will face a backlash in event that the opposition politicians gain control of both Uganda’s Parliament and State House. Laws will be enacted to clearly spell the separation of Church and State. Investigations of major Evangelical Pastors will ensue assuming that the new government in power will be serious in fighting corruption. Pastors will have to declare their wealth and account for donations they receive in order to flash out dirty money. Sexual Abuse will be investigated and sodomy charges not dropped.
However, such would be a scenario in a new Uganda were corruption is fought with all instruments of the government. Yet this status quo of corruption with impunity among Uganda’s top Prosperity Gospel Pastors goes undeterred courtesy of President Museveni who winks at the evil (crimes) in Evangelicals Churches in Uganda in return for political support.
Harsh Laws of Church and State Separation…
For one there are no laws in Uganda dictating a separation of Church and State yet what I foresee are laws being quickly enacted by a new opposition administration in Uganda. The laws might not as much curtail mainstream religions like the Catholic Church and Episcopalian Church but rather such laws could be heavily skewed against Evangelicals in Uganda and very harsh.
Yet even such laws might help Evangelicals get more focused on preaching the gospel rather than engage in spending resources in getting a “Christian President” in office.
Violence against Evangelicals…
Further still Uganda’s Evangelical Churches might be at a security risk as large numbers of frustrated locals turn their anger and backlash at the Evangelicals who they see singing the praises not of Jesus Christ who stood for the poor and justice but for a President Museveni who they view as an oppressor of the poor and land grabber. This might mean violence against innocent Balokole (Evangelicals) and destruction of their property.
State Persecution and Imprisonment…
Yet still Ugandan Pastors are faced with another dilemma of facing persecution, imprisonment, banishment, and closure of their Churches should they voice support for justice and the poor, and such interests conflict with President Museveni. As it is now, Evangelical Pastors are expected to follow the lead of impromptu ‘Ssabalokoles’ like Pastor Robert Kayanja and Pastor Peter Ssematimba – to sing and dance to the political tunes of President Museveni or else…
Future Exodus out of Evangelical Uganda to Agnostic Uganda…
However, further devastating consequences would be that the large numbers of parishioners would begin an exodus out of the Uganda Evangelical Faith. Many parishioners in Uganda’s Evangelical Churches came out of the Catholic and Episcopalian Churches that were seen as ‘dead’ and ‘lifeless’.
During the late 1980’s large numbers of young people made exodus from the Catholic and Anglican faith and joined the Evangelical Movement in Uganda. At that time many of the young folks sought for role models, they sought a place were they could get the Full Gospel and experience of the New Testament Christianity, they sought a place were they could help by participating, helping the poor, reaching out to other fellow youth etc… Yet the result has been disappointment as Evangelical leaders are only interested in money and an affluent lifestyle.
The circumstances have changed today in Uganda, there are more young educated youth, with access to wireless communication technology, high speed internet, and Satellite TV. Such a well informed generation of people is beginning to demand for accountability to the True Gospel of Jesus Christ as we have it in the New Testament. Such a generation will not be hoodwinked by imposter pastors and preachers. The resulting exodus out of the Evangelical Churches will mean a vibrant agnostic society that is ‘burnt out’ with Balokole-ism (Evangelicalism) in Uganda.
Both the Catholic and Episcopalian Churches have been involved in Uganda’s Politics but much more discreetly and with decorum. Yet Evangelicals have instead always been radical and sometimes frenzied such as when prophecies are proclaimed in support of President Museveni. One circulating Prophecy around 1986 was that God spoke to some pastor in Kampala that President Museveni would be president until Jesus Christ came back – and many evangelicals deeply believed it…
Few helpful remedies and recommendations…
Yet Uganda’s Evangelical Church still have time to steer clear of being an object of resent and rejection by Uganda’s poor and disenfranchised public. Rather than joining hands with those who oppress the poor and deny justice, Uganda’s Evangelical church had better return to preaching the Gospel and forsake the Political Platform.
Rather than being instruments that promote the policies of President Museveni, the Ugandan Evangelical church could become a voice of peace, a voice of reason, a voice for the oppressed, a voice for the poor, the sick, prisoners, doing it peacefully from a non partisan stand, speaking truth and justice, and peace to Uganda’s warring factions; most importantly, the True Gospel being proclaimed; concentrate on preaching the gospel, feeding the poor, visiting the sick, and clothing the naked rather than joining those who pillage the poor…
The future of Uganda’s Evangelical Church is dark and unless there is a clear separation of Church and State, Evangelicalism as we knew it in Uganda ended sometime ago; what we have is a religious political cadaver…and it is stinking…certainly an aroma that the Church ought not to give off. The Body of Jesus Christ – The Church is called to be a fragrance of Christ’s Knowledge and Life to the world and not to give off choking and lifeless political fumes.
Yet Uganda’s Evangelicals can arise to the right side of history and do what the Church has done since the first century, Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, stand for justice, care for the poor, widows, orphans, be instruments of peace and reason, and perhaps help Uganda’s warring ethnic tribal factions resort to peaceful means of conflict resolution.
Kato Mivule
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Mike Desario End time Series: Exposing the dangerous lies behind the mark of the beast
First Read : MARK OF THE BEAST: TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT! MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THE MARK
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2008/11/mark-of-beast.html
THE MARK OF THE BEAST
By Mike Desario
http://standingthegap.org/The%20Mark%20of%20the%20Beast.htm
"And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads." Rev13:16
What is this Mark spoken of in the Book of Revelation and how will it be implemented upon mankind? Will a charismatic world leader suddenly come to power in the Middle East, solve the geo-political problems between the Western and Arab nations, then proclaim himself the new savior of mankind? Will the World at large then receive his ‘mark’ implanted through some high-tech electronic device under the skin of their forehead or hand? Or perhaps all this is just some movie plot designed to sell you an interesting story line with religious overtones about the end of the world?
This subject however is no joking matter to millions of professing Christians in the US and world who are eagerly awaiting for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to ‘Snatch’ them away from any ‘tribulation’ that may occur in their lifetimes as a result of an anti-Christ figure rising to power over the nations.
They fear anything related to the Number 666 and entertain numerous conspiracy theories concerning the Governments ability to inflict just such a system upon its people to enslave them. But given the present condition of the professing church, somewhere between lukewarm, corrupt and dead spiritually, much of the hype concerning the ‘end times’ is just another means to keep the focus off the Truth.
Ask yourself, if Satan is behind all the evil that exists in the world and the plot to overthrow the Kingdoms of the earth, would anything he put into action be done in an ‘obvious’ manner? Would he not work his schemes on mankind with much stealth, cunning and massive deception? The Bible says that he can actually appear as an angel of light and minister of righteousness when spreading his lies and deceit. (2Cor11:13-14) MOST professing Christians are deeply deceived already by his lies that promise them liberty in Christ while they remain slaves to their own inner corruption. Is it any wonder then that this ‘mark’, that they think will be so obvious as a chip under the skin, is just another in a long list of STONG delusions brought about by professing Christianity’s LACK of Love for the Truth?
The Apostle, who wrote the Book of Revelation, said this, 1John2:15-17,
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever."
Jesus said, concerning the lust of the eyes, Matt5:28-29 ,
"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. And if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."
Jesus also said this concerning the eye, Matt6:22-23,
"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is single, your whole body is full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
Scripture teaches unquestionably that the ‘evil eye’ (Mark7:22) is the single most source of Lust and Corruption of man’s inner being. The remedy is a radical removal of this source and a singleness of devotion to the True Light giver, Jesus Christ. But from WHERE does this ‘evil eye’ ignite these deadly passions within and henceforth cause the whole body to be cast into hell!?
Revelation 13:18, says that 666 is the ‘Number of a man!’ Is this merely the ‘number’ of his name as many have been lead to believe through present day teaching. Howbeit when our decimal numbering system was not invented until around 800AD? Who translated the original notation by John and what ‘system’ did he use to distinguish the weight of these numbers? In ancient Greek the letters of the Greek alphabet contained numerical value, each corresponding with a certain value weighted against Roman numerals. This translates into our 666, the number contained in our English Bibles and feared by millions of professing Christians as some mysterious individual yet to be revealed who will number the people of earth as his servants.
However NOTHING could be further from the truth. Unknown to the Apostle John at the time, the number of man is indeed 666. The Carbon Atom consists of 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons, the Atomic number of Carbon is 6. The human body consists of 18% carbon (a multiple of 3x6) & over 60% oxygen! The Number of man is indeed 666! Our own flesh contains this ‘mark’ by the every fact that we exist as human beings.
But what does it mean to ‘receive’ the mark on the forehead or hand? Will the Beast and False Prophet force you to take this mark as a form of worship or will you escape their clutches in the nick of time because you ‘believe’ in Jesus? The Truth may surprise you!
Strange translations.
The word translated ‘forehead’ in Rev13:16 and elsewhere in Revelation is NOT used anywhere else in the New Testament. The Greek Word is ‘Metopon’, a combination of two Greek expressions, meaning simply, ‘With an eye.’ (Ops….an eye, Meta…with) The ‘hand’ in the ancient world denoted a place of honor where some sort of designation as to your status in life would be displayed. This 666 is NOT the number of an individual man, but as the word in verse 18 translates, ‘anthropos’ or MANKIND.
The MARK then represents the Lustful eye of man, attached to the things of this world, ‘receiving’ from his own ‘animal’ like nature, the pride of life.
The image of the Beast John beheld was the VERY image of unregenerate man, professing to a form of godliness but denying its Power to destroy the sin nature inside! Beast is translated as a ‘savage, ferocious animal’ Is this NOT a perfect description given of man in his godless state of rebellion?
"Lovers of themselves, lovers of money, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanders, without self-control, brutal, despises of good, traitors, headstrong, proud, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power!" 2Tim3:2-5
Jesus said you must CUT off the offending member or risk being throw whole into hell, Matt5:27-30. You are told NOT to present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but to God as being alive from the dead! Rom6:13. Eph5:30 says we are members of His body of His flesh of His bones! Therefore put to death your members which are on earth, lust, uncleanness, passion, evil desires, covetousness and idolatry. Col3:5 James says that its LUST that is at war with our members, James4:1.
Everything goes back to the ‘eye’ and man’s attempt to serve TWO Masters. When only Singleness of eye will put to death (or cut off the offending members, metaphor) the deeds of the body in order that he may live. WHO is it that dispenses this ‘Mark’, look again at Rev13:16, WHO causes man to ‘receive’ this mark….THE FALSE PROPHET! Again, Scripture DOES NOT teach that this is an individual person rising up out of the masses, but a SYSTEM at work from the beginning enslaving men in their own lusts.
"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work!" 2Thess2:7
"But there were false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you!" 2Pet2:1
"MANY false prophets have gone out into the world." 1John4:1
"Even now MANY anti-Christs have come." 1John2:18
WHO is causing professing Christians to ‘receive’ this mark? THOSE who preach the Grace of God as License for immorality! Such teaching is rampant in the present day church. The False Prophet is proclaiming a FALSE Gospel! That’s the deception, the STRONG DELUSION spoken of in 2Thess2:11. The PERFECT LIE! Everyone is looking for an outward sign of End time Prophecy when it’s in their OWN Flesh they are held captive. "For to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that ones slave whom you Obey!" Rom6:16.
Peter and Jude spoke plainly of these men and how to recognize them. They will teach destructive heresies, exploit you with deceptive words and cause the way of truth to be blasphemed, 2Pet2:1-3. They will walk according to their own ‘lusts, self willed and presumptuous, 2Pet2:10. They have ‘eyes’ full of adultery that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls and they love the wages of unrighteousness, 2Pet2:14. Like natural brute ‘Beasts’ made to be caught and destroyed, 2Pet2:12.
Jude added, ‘They are spots in your love feasts, clouds without water, trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots!’ Jude12. ‘They are sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the Spirit’ Jude19.
Scripture often refers to corrupted man as a ‘dog’ returning to its own vomit or a ‘sow’ wallowing in the mire, 2Pet2:22. Christ calls false teachers ‘Savage Wolves’ who are known by their fruits, Matt7:15. Outside the Great Kingdom will be the ‘dogs’, immoral, murderers and idolaters who love and practice a lie, Rev22:15. At the end no one is magically transformed into a holy and upright Saint, pure and chaste for the Lord, Rev22:11 States,
"He who is unjust, let him be unjust still, he who is filthy, let him be filthy still, he who is righteous, let him be righteous still, he who is holy, let him be holy still."
If the Nature of the Beast remains in you and your flesh is in control, you have ALREADY received the ‘mark’ spoken of by John. If you are double-minded, impure and friends with the world you need to ‘cut off’ the offending members, humble yourself and draw near to God. (James4:7-10.) The False Prophet is teaching you a gospel of sin! Although it appeals to your flesh now, it will indeed exclude from the Kingdom at the Great Judgment.
Why ‘pluck out’ an eye to enter into life? To what purpose would removing this important member of the body serve, if the remaining eye remains corrupt and full of darkness? The simple answer of course, is NONE whatsoever! ONLY if the remaining eye is fixed in Singleness of purpose and devotion on Christ and the Narrow Way to the Kingdom, would it be sound and FULL of Light. That’s why Jesus said you CANNOT Serve Two Masters, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit, Matt6:24, 7:18. Those who attempt to serve God in this manner are ‘double-minded’ and unstable in every way. Unfit for the Kingdom!
The Beast John saw rising up out of the sea in Revelation 13, with all its horns, crowns and heads represents mankind in all his regalia. He draws his power and authority from the great Dragon (Satan, the Prince and power of the air & god of this age, Eph2:2, 2Cor4:4, 1Jh5:19) Through man, this dragon makes war against everything decent and holy, despises the Saints of God and works his most devious schemes and deceptions against them. Men delight imitating this animal nature, taking on its attributes, mimicking its savage instincts. They fight and war, kill and destroy, dog eating dog in a world perishing in its own corruption.
Those who attempt to ‘buy and sell’ in this world without the ‘mark’, meet with a constant source of frustration. The ‘Sound’ eye is SINGLE, full of honest, sincerity and serves its Master in just such manner with ‘singleness’ or sincerity of heart, Col3:22. Redeemed by a ‘Purchased Price’ (1Cor7:23) the Saints of the Most High God triumph over the ‘mark’! Although they may be severely persecuted, stripped of earthly goods and put to death, they will OVERCOME the Beast by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony! (Rev12:11)
In Mystery Babylon the fallen worship the Beast and his image. They bow at the shine of vain amusement and heap unto themselves teachers to tickle their ears and turn them away from the truth. They walk as enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose god is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, their mind set on earthly things. The Great system of wealth and fortune, adorned in the finery of modern convenience will become their smoldering ruin. And all who have ‘received’ the ‘mark’ will perish in torment, the smoke of which will ascend forever and ever.
While the professing church waits for the ‘rapture’ they serve the Beast and the False Prophet, having received his mark through the corruption of their own eye. Lusting after the things of the world and calling it ‘Christian’ they have tested the depths of Satan and toy with immorality. A bed of affliction awaits them and great tribulation unless they repent and return to their first love. Rather than strengthening the little that remains of godliness in there midst, they rely on dead works to substitute for true holiness. Many have already had their names blotted OUT of the Book of Life and are completely unaware! The remainder sleep the deadly slumber of death, not hot, or cold, but ‘lukewarm’ (wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked!) primed to be spewed out of the Master’s mouth. Rich and increased with goods, the modern church is gathering in the Tares for the final burning and refusing to heed the WORDS of warning contained in Scripture before it’s too late. (Rev2:1-11, 18-27, 3:1-6, 14-22)
There are many mysterious symbols and strange illustrations contained in the Apocalypse that have confused readers for generations. What did John see in this fantastic Cosmic Vision of end time events? Was it the close of an age, the final Judgment of mankind or the ravings of a lunatic? Whatever is your understanding of this Book looking back or forward through time, one thing is certain, it’s the Corruption of the FLESH that Christ came to destroy, so that man would no longer have to serve his own ‘beast’ like nature. The ENTIRE focus of Christ’s message is aimed at saving man from the corruption that is in the world through LUST! (2Pet1:3-11)
All things that pertain to life and godliness, the exceeding great and precious promises, the Divine Nature of Christ, each one is a vital element in man’s eternal redemption. Through these he can add to his faith, make his calling and election sure, never stumble or fall away, and NOT lose sight of the fact that he was Cleansed of his former sins to live a life worthy of the high calling in Christ Jesus. By which he will have an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom supplied to him abundantly IF he endures to end in Christ.
Those who insist on the more theatrical view of prophecy have probably already fallen prey to the false prophet (or risk the danger of strong delusion) and his wiles. FEW today are circumspect concerning their faith, redeeming the time wisely, realizing that the days are evil. FEW Guard their hearts, Test the spirits and know the difference between truth and error. The prevailing winds of false doctrine are at Gail force in our time and NO ONE is sounding the alarm!
So sleep on church, enjoy the party, raise your voices to heaven and shout for Joy! Perhaps you can drown out the cries of the damned and the shrieks of millions of souls falling daily into hell fire while you stuff your face full of food and satisfy your belly with worldly pleasures! You have sown to the wind and will reap the whirlwind.
You have plowed wickedness and reaped iniquity! Sow for yourself righteousness and reap in mercy! Break up your fallow ground and seek the Lord while He may yet be found! The Day of the Lord will be darkness and not light, a Day of vengeance and flaming fire from above, to punish those who will not OBEY the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who have received the ‘mark’ …..the evil eye of the flesh they have REFUSED to pluck out and cast from them….will be removed from His presence forever, but His Saints will reign with Him in eternity.
"He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."
Also see
UNVEILING THE LIE
http://www.standingthegap.org/
Mike Desario’s tracts
http://www.matthew548.com/Mikes.html
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2008/11/mark-of-beast.html
THE MARK OF THE BEAST
By Mike Desario
http://standingthegap.org/The%20Mark%20of%20the%20Beast.htm
"And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads." Rev13:16
What is this Mark spoken of in the Book of Revelation and how will it be implemented upon mankind? Will a charismatic world leader suddenly come to power in the Middle East, solve the geo-political problems between the Western and Arab nations, then proclaim himself the new savior of mankind? Will the World at large then receive his ‘mark’ implanted through some high-tech electronic device under the skin of their forehead or hand? Or perhaps all this is just some movie plot designed to sell you an interesting story line with religious overtones about the end of the world?
This subject however is no joking matter to millions of professing Christians in the US and world who are eagerly awaiting for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to ‘Snatch’ them away from any ‘tribulation’ that may occur in their lifetimes as a result of an anti-Christ figure rising to power over the nations.
They fear anything related to the Number 666 and entertain numerous conspiracy theories concerning the Governments ability to inflict just such a system upon its people to enslave them. But given the present condition of the professing church, somewhere between lukewarm, corrupt and dead spiritually, much of the hype concerning the ‘end times’ is just another means to keep the focus off the Truth.
Ask yourself, if Satan is behind all the evil that exists in the world and the plot to overthrow the Kingdoms of the earth, would anything he put into action be done in an ‘obvious’ manner? Would he not work his schemes on mankind with much stealth, cunning and massive deception? The Bible says that he can actually appear as an angel of light and minister of righteousness when spreading his lies and deceit. (2Cor11:13-14) MOST professing Christians are deeply deceived already by his lies that promise them liberty in Christ while they remain slaves to their own inner corruption. Is it any wonder then that this ‘mark’, that they think will be so obvious as a chip under the skin, is just another in a long list of STONG delusions brought about by professing Christianity’s LACK of Love for the Truth?
The Apostle, who wrote the Book of Revelation, said this, 1John2:15-17,
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever."
Jesus said, concerning the lust of the eyes, Matt5:28-29 ,
"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. And if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."
Jesus also said this concerning the eye, Matt6:22-23,
"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is single, your whole body is full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
Scripture teaches unquestionably that the ‘evil eye’ (Mark7:22) is the single most source of Lust and Corruption of man’s inner being. The remedy is a radical removal of this source and a singleness of devotion to the True Light giver, Jesus Christ. But from WHERE does this ‘evil eye’ ignite these deadly passions within and henceforth cause the whole body to be cast into hell!?
Revelation 13:18, says that 666 is the ‘Number of a man!’ Is this merely the ‘number’ of his name as many have been lead to believe through present day teaching. Howbeit when our decimal numbering system was not invented until around 800AD? Who translated the original notation by John and what ‘system’ did he use to distinguish the weight of these numbers? In ancient Greek the letters of the Greek alphabet contained numerical value, each corresponding with a certain value weighted against Roman numerals. This translates into our 666, the number contained in our English Bibles and feared by millions of professing Christians as some mysterious individual yet to be revealed who will number the people of earth as his servants.
However NOTHING could be further from the truth. Unknown to the Apostle John at the time, the number of man is indeed 666. The Carbon Atom consists of 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons, the Atomic number of Carbon is 6. The human body consists of 18% carbon (a multiple of 3x6) & over 60% oxygen! The Number of man is indeed 666! Our own flesh contains this ‘mark’ by the every fact that we exist as human beings.
But what does it mean to ‘receive’ the mark on the forehead or hand? Will the Beast and False Prophet force you to take this mark as a form of worship or will you escape their clutches in the nick of time because you ‘believe’ in Jesus? The Truth may surprise you!
Strange translations.
The word translated ‘forehead’ in Rev13:16 and elsewhere in Revelation is NOT used anywhere else in the New Testament. The Greek Word is ‘Metopon’, a combination of two Greek expressions, meaning simply, ‘With an eye.’ (Ops….an eye, Meta…with) The ‘hand’ in the ancient world denoted a place of honor where some sort of designation as to your status in life would be displayed. This 666 is NOT the number of an individual man, but as the word in verse 18 translates, ‘anthropos’ or MANKIND.
The MARK then represents the Lustful eye of man, attached to the things of this world, ‘receiving’ from his own ‘animal’ like nature, the pride of life.
The image of the Beast John beheld was the VERY image of unregenerate man, professing to a form of godliness but denying its Power to destroy the sin nature inside! Beast is translated as a ‘savage, ferocious animal’ Is this NOT a perfect description given of man in his godless state of rebellion?
"Lovers of themselves, lovers of money, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanders, without self-control, brutal, despises of good, traitors, headstrong, proud, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power!" 2Tim3:2-5
Jesus said you must CUT off the offending member or risk being throw whole into hell, Matt5:27-30. You are told NOT to present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but to God as being alive from the dead! Rom6:13. Eph5:30 says we are members of His body of His flesh of His bones! Therefore put to death your members which are on earth, lust, uncleanness, passion, evil desires, covetousness and idolatry. Col3:5 James says that its LUST that is at war with our members, James4:1.
Everything goes back to the ‘eye’ and man’s attempt to serve TWO Masters. When only Singleness of eye will put to death (or cut off the offending members, metaphor) the deeds of the body in order that he may live. WHO is it that dispenses this ‘Mark’, look again at Rev13:16, WHO causes man to ‘receive’ this mark….THE FALSE PROPHET! Again, Scripture DOES NOT teach that this is an individual person rising up out of the masses, but a SYSTEM at work from the beginning enslaving men in their own lusts.
"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work!" 2Thess2:7
"But there were false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you!" 2Pet2:1
"MANY false prophets have gone out into the world." 1John4:1
"Even now MANY anti-Christs have come." 1John2:18
WHO is causing professing Christians to ‘receive’ this mark? THOSE who preach the Grace of God as License for immorality! Such teaching is rampant in the present day church. The False Prophet is proclaiming a FALSE Gospel! That’s the deception, the STRONG DELUSION spoken of in 2Thess2:11. The PERFECT LIE! Everyone is looking for an outward sign of End time Prophecy when it’s in their OWN Flesh they are held captive. "For to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that ones slave whom you Obey!" Rom6:16.
Peter and Jude spoke plainly of these men and how to recognize them. They will teach destructive heresies, exploit you with deceptive words and cause the way of truth to be blasphemed, 2Pet2:1-3. They will walk according to their own ‘lusts, self willed and presumptuous, 2Pet2:10. They have ‘eyes’ full of adultery that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls and they love the wages of unrighteousness, 2Pet2:14. Like natural brute ‘Beasts’ made to be caught and destroyed, 2Pet2:12.
Jude added, ‘They are spots in your love feasts, clouds without water, trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots!’ Jude12. ‘They are sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the Spirit’ Jude19.
Scripture often refers to corrupted man as a ‘dog’ returning to its own vomit or a ‘sow’ wallowing in the mire, 2Pet2:22. Christ calls false teachers ‘Savage Wolves’ who are known by their fruits, Matt7:15. Outside the Great Kingdom will be the ‘dogs’, immoral, murderers and idolaters who love and practice a lie, Rev22:15. At the end no one is magically transformed into a holy and upright Saint, pure and chaste for the Lord, Rev22:11 States,
"He who is unjust, let him be unjust still, he who is filthy, let him be filthy still, he who is righteous, let him be righteous still, he who is holy, let him be holy still."
If the Nature of the Beast remains in you and your flesh is in control, you have ALREADY received the ‘mark’ spoken of by John. If you are double-minded, impure and friends with the world you need to ‘cut off’ the offending members, humble yourself and draw near to God. (James4:7-10.) The False Prophet is teaching you a gospel of sin! Although it appeals to your flesh now, it will indeed exclude from the Kingdom at the Great Judgment.
Why ‘pluck out’ an eye to enter into life? To what purpose would removing this important member of the body serve, if the remaining eye remains corrupt and full of darkness? The simple answer of course, is NONE whatsoever! ONLY if the remaining eye is fixed in Singleness of purpose and devotion on Christ and the Narrow Way to the Kingdom, would it be sound and FULL of Light. That’s why Jesus said you CANNOT Serve Two Masters, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit, Matt6:24, 7:18. Those who attempt to serve God in this manner are ‘double-minded’ and unstable in every way. Unfit for the Kingdom!
The Beast John saw rising up out of the sea in Revelation 13, with all its horns, crowns and heads represents mankind in all his regalia. He draws his power and authority from the great Dragon (Satan, the Prince and power of the air & god of this age, Eph2:2, 2Cor4:4, 1Jh5:19) Through man, this dragon makes war against everything decent and holy, despises the Saints of God and works his most devious schemes and deceptions against them. Men delight imitating this animal nature, taking on its attributes, mimicking its savage instincts. They fight and war, kill and destroy, dog eating dog in a world perishing in its own corruption.
Those who attempt to ‘buy and sell’ in this world without the ‘mark’, meet with a constant source of frustration. The ‘Sound’ eye is SINGLE, full of honest, sincerity and serves its Master in just such manner with ‘singleness’ or sincerity of heart, Col3:22. Redeemed by a ‘Purchased Price’ (1Cor7:23) the Saints of the Most High God triumph over the ‘mark’! Although they may be severely persecuted, stripped of earthly goods and put to death, they will OVERCOME the Beast by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony! (Rev12:11)
In Mystery Babylon the fallen worship the Beast and his image. They bow at the shine of vain amusement and heap unto themselves teachers to tickle their ears and turn them away from the truth. They walk as enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose god is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, their mind set on earthly things. The Great system of wealth and fortune, adorned in the finery of modern convenience will become their smoldering ruin. And all who have ‘received’ the ‘mark’ will perish in torment, the smoke of which will ascend forever and ever.
While the professing church waits for the ‘rapture’ they serve the Beast and the False Prophet, having received his mark through the corruption of their own eye. Lusting after the things of the world and calling it ‘Christian’ they have tested the depths of Satan and toy with immorality. A bed of affliction awaits them and great tribulation unless they repent and return to their first love. Rather than strengthening the little that remains of godliness in there midst, they rely on dead works to substitute for true holiness. Many have already had their names blotted OUT of the Book of Life and are completely unaware! The remainder sleep the deadly slumber of death, not hot, or cold, but ‘lukewarm’ (wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked!) primed to be spewed out of the Master’s mouth. Rich and increased with goods, the modern church is gathering in the Tares for the final burning and refusing to heed the WORDS of warning contained in Scripture before it’s too late. (Rev2:1-11, 18-27, 3:1-6, 14-22)
There are many mysterious symbols and strange illustrations contained in the Apocalypse that have confused readers for generations. What did John see in this fantastic Cosmic Vision of end time events? Was it the close of an age, the final Judgment of mankind or the ravings of a lunatic? Whatever is your understanding of this Book looking back or forward through time, one thing is certain, it’s the Corruption of the FLESH that Christ came to destroy, so that man would no longer have to serve his own ‘beast’ like nature. The ENTIRE focus of Christ’s message is aimed at saving man from the corruption that is in the world through LUST! (2Pet1:3-11)
All things that pertain to life and godliness, the exceeding great and precious promises, the Divine Nature of Christ, each one is a vital element in man’s eternal redemption. Through these he can add to his faith, make his calling and election sure, never stumble or fall away, and NOT lose sight of the fact that he was Cleansed of his former sins to live a life worthy of the high calling in Christ Jesus. By which he will have an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom supplied to him abundantly IF he endures to end in Christ.
Those who insist on the more theatrical view of prophecy have probably already fallen prey to the false prophet (or risk the danger of strong delusion) and his wiles. FEW today are circumspect concerning their faith, redeeming the time wisely, realizing that the days are evil. FEW Guard their hearts, Test the spirits and know the difference between truth and error. The prevailing winds of false doctrine are at Gail force in our time and NO ONE is sounding the alarm!
So sleep on church, enjoy the party, raise your voices to heaven and shout for Joy! Perhaps you can drown out the cries of the damned and the shrieks of millions of souls falling daily into hell fire while you stuff your face full of food and satisfy your belly with worldly pleasures! You have sown to the wind and will reap the whirlwind.
You have plowed wickedness and reaped iniquity! Sow for yourself righteousness and reap in mercy! Break up your fallow ground and seek the Lord while He may yet be found! The Day of the Lord will be darkness and not light, a Day of vengeance and flaming fire from above, to punish those who will not OBEY the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who have received the ‘mark’ …..the evil eye of the flesh they have REFUSED to pluck out and cast from them….will be removed from His presence forever, but His Saints will reign with Him in eternity.
"He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."
Also see
UNVEILING THE LIE
http://www.standingthegap.org/
Mike Desario’s tracts
http://www.matthew548.com/Mikes.html
Jack shearer end time series: CAPITALISM AND CHRISTIANITY, the bitter truth the rich hate
CAPITALISM AND CHRISTIANITY
http://www.antipasministries.com/html/file0000053.htm
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."
- George Orwell
"Someone who lacks independent wealth has no claim to even the SMALLEST portion of food ..."
- David Ricardo
"And he (i.e., the "false prophet") causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: "AND THAT NO MAN MIGHT BUY OR SELL, SAVE HE THAT HAD THE MARK or the name of the beast (i.e., the Antichrist), or the number of his name." (Rev. 13:16-17)
INTRODUCTION:
Wow! What a reaction our last newsletter ("The Deceitfulness of Riches and the Marxist Paradigm") generated! It seems that whenever we touch the matter of "money" and the "rich," people - especially our American readers - appear as if out of nowhere to assail and denounce us. [Note: this doesn't happen with our readers in Bulgaria, or in Russia, or in Botswana, or in Zambia, or in Kenya, or in Brazil, or in Egypt, or in Abu Dubai, or in Costa Rica, or in Peru, etc. (and yes, we do have readers in all these places).] You would think that we had blasphemed God - and maybe, insofar as the god they apparently serve is concerned (i.e., money), we have. I wonder if these same people would respond with such vehemence and fury if we had attacked the poor, the displaced, the homeless, the outcasts, the friendless, etc. I doubt it!
We are called "Marxists," "ner-do-wells," "hypocrites," and other things too hateful and odious to be mentioned here. It seems that nothing draws the ire and outrage of Christians in America (not all of them, for sure, but certainly a lot of them) against us more than when we touch the matter of wealth.
Most of the people who attack us start out with a broad and sometimes even magnanimous comment about the "general truth" of what we are saying, but that usually "peters off" into an attack against our "bias" insofar as the rich are concerned. Typical of this kind of letter is the following:
"... (Your article) is indeed full of truth and I applaud that. However ... there seems to be a hostile thread toward those who have money and that's sad ... In your dissertation on the dangers of having money, you seem to elevate those with little or no money to a more wholesome, pure and honest level of servitude, implying that those who have been "blessed" with poverty have a less difficult path to God than those with financial substance. I must disagree ... Blessings to you guys as you follow the leading of our Lord - as controversial as it may become.
A second letter reads as follows:
"I didn't subscribe to your Newsletter. It was sent to me by a friend. I read your letter on Money and you have many Bible passages that pertain to money and its relationship to sin. I would like to say that generally speaking what you are saying about money in your letter (i.e., article) is true ... However, the real problem lies in the depraved heart of man ... Sure the love of money is the root of all evil, but what about the wealthy man who uses his wealth to support missions, gospel ministries and such ..."
A third person writes:
"There is a consistent substance to Steven's [i.e., Stevan (S.R. Shearer's) - editor] writings that I have trouble with. I have tried to rationalize it away as there is a lot about Antipas that I like. A couple of weeks ago someone posted a message that struck a cord with me ... As I read it my thoughts were, " taking the words right out of my mouth". [Note: we quoted from this letter in our last article; this is the letter from "R" that referred to us as "Marxists" - editor.] I don't want to get into a debate about this, so I am reluctant to mention anything, but I will tell you one of the things that has consistently bothered me. The notion that it is more spiritual to be poor ... (In) one of Steven's newsletters he characterized the enemy as someone reading his Wall Street Journal, driving his SUV and talking on his cell phone. This poor vs. rich theme is in all of what he writes."
It seems that money is the "third rail of America's form of Christianity" - touch it (i.e., "diss it," as they say where we live) and you die.
All of these people are evidently concerned at our lack of "equity" insofar as the rich vis a vis the poor are concerned. They complain that we seem to favor the poor over the rich - that we seem to think that "... it is," as the first letter writer above acerbically puts it, "more spiritual to be poor" than it is to be rich; that - as the third letter writer above sarcastically suggests we say - "... those who have been 'blessed' with poverty have a less difficult path to God than those with financial substance."
THE POOR AND THE BIBLE
But that's what the Bible indicates! That's exactly what the Bible suggests: for example, Jesus didn't say "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a poor man to enter into the kingdom of God;" but He did say that about the rich:
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a RICH man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matt. 19:24)
And He said this not once, but twice in the same passage of Scripture:
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a RICH man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 19:23)
Moreover, the Bible doesn't speak about the "deceitfulness of poverty," it does say that, however, about wealth and riches (Matt. 13:22 and Mark 4:19), specifically, it suggests that riches choke the efficacy of the Word of God in our hearts -
"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
"When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
"Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
"He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (Matt. 13:18-22)
The Bible doesn't tell the poor "woe unto you that are poor." Nowhere does it say that! Nowhere! But it does say that to the rich:
"But woe unto you that are RICH! for ye have received your consolation.
"Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep." (Luke 6:24-25)
The Bible doesn't say, "Go to now, ye poor men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your poverty has corrupted you ..." But it does say that about the rich:
"Go to now, ye RICH men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you."Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
"Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. (James 5:1-3)
The Bible doesn't say, "And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye rich: for yours is the kingdom of God." But it does say that about the poor:
"And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye POOR: for yours is the kingdom of God." (Luke 6:20)
The Scriptures don't say, "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the rich." But it does say that about the poor:
"Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God CHOSEN the POOR of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" (James 2:5)
THE BIBLE IS AN AFFRONT TO THE RICH
What are we to say about all this? - Yes, the Bible very evidently does favor the poor over the rich - VERY CLEARLY IT DOES!! And, moreover, it doesn't beat around the bush about its favoritism; it says it very plainly and openly:
"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that NOT MANY WISE MEN AFTER THE FLESH, NOT MANY MIGHTY, NOT MANY NOBLE, are called:
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
"And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are." (1 Cor. 1:26-28)
Obviously, rich Americans will find this offensive. Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE RICH! - at least in comparison to those living in the rest of the world. Obviously, they would be offended by our comments concerning SUVs. It's not the poor who parade around in them pretending to be on Safari in Kruger National Park or in the jungles of the Amazon - it's the rich! They're the ones who read the Wall Street Journal; not the poor; the poor aren't following the stock market, it's the rich who are. They're the ones who talk on cell phones and the ones who live in Yuppie Land. They are the ones who invest their money in the stock of companies who treat their employees like slaves in Indonesia, El Salvador, Thailand, etc. - maybe not so much the ones who subscribe to our website, but certainly the ones who attend the services at Crystal Cathedral in Southern California, or at Capital Christian Center in Sacramento, California, or at Thomas Roads Baptist Church in Lynchberg, Virginia, or at James Robison's church in Texas, or at James Kennedy's church in Florida, or at Tim LaHaye's church, etc., or who tune in to Paul Crouch at TBN and Pat Robertson at CBN.
Naturally, all these people will reject what the Bible has to say about the rich; of course they will complain bitterly that "This poor vs. rich theme is in all of what he (i.e., S.R. Shearer) writes." But the very real fact of the matter is, THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT THEMES OF THE BIBLE: THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR BY THE RICH:
"Do not RICH men OPPRESS you, and draw you before the judgment seats?" (James 2:6)
Moreover - and much more ominously - the Bible says that in making such an ostentatious display of their wealth and in oppressing the poor, they (i.e., the rich) are storing up God's wrath against themselves (Rom. 2:5). That's the truth of the matter - and only Western Christianity (and especially the Christianity of America) would miss this point.
REJECTING THE COUNSEL OF GOD
Again - why do the rich rage against all this? Why do they call this "class warfare?" BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES AGAINST WHOM ALL THIS IS DIRECTED! Duh! (to put it in the vernacular) - what else would one expect from those against whom these verses are directed? This is how the Pharisees (i.e., the religious establishment of Christ's day) reacted to Christ when He spoke against them and called them "serpents," "vipers," "poisonous snakes" (Matt. 23:33), and "whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness" (Matt. 23:27).
Moreover, this is precisely how they (again, the "religious establishment") reacted to Christ when He asked them, "HOW CAN YE ESCAPE THE DAMNATION OF HELL?" (Matt. 23:33):
"And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
"But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
"But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
"This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
"For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
"And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
"BUT THE PHARISEES AND LAWYERS REJECTED THE COUNSEL OF GOD AGAINST THEMSELVES, being not baptized of him. (Luke 7:24-30)
WE HAVE NO PERSONAL INTEREST IN
OFFENDING THE RICH! - WHAT'S IN IT FOR US?
It is only natural for people to reject criticism that is directed against themselves. But I implore you - especially those of you who have money, i.e., who "drive the SUVs," who "talk on cell phones," and who "read the Wall Street Journal," please do not take offense at what we are saying; please don't reject it as simply the blather of Marxist ideology. I can tell you that our intention in discussing money has not been to purposefully offend you or anyone else. THERE CERTAINLY IS NO GAIN IN THAT FOR US! Indeed, every time we discuss the issue of money, it seems to drive people away from our website. What's in that for us? One brother writes:
"I think highly of ... the brothers ... at Antipas. I just can't support this ministry (financially) any longer for the reasons I have mentioned (i.e., our stance with regard to the rich and money - editor). I hope its clear that I agree with much of the message you are spreading, but I have very serious concerns about a few things I have mentioned."
Again, I ask you, what's in it for us if we drive people like this away? - and this particular brother has actually supported the ministry. What do we get out of offending supporters like that? If money is what we cared about, we would never mention it again! - that's for sure! But that's not what we care about. What we care about is YOU!! We would rather have you angry at us now and, as a result, suffer the loss of your support in this present life, than "water down" our message to you in order to gain your financial backing, and have you offended at us in eternity because we failed to preach to you an unadulterated Gospel. The very real fact of the matter is, that's what the "end of days" is all about - MONEY! That's what Rev. 13:16-17 very clearly indicates. Unless we come to grips with the hold money has on our lives, and quit kidding ourselves about it, we'll never make it through the "Deception of the End of Days." It's unbelievable how blind we are to the matter of wealth! How utterly hypocritical we are when it comes to our money.
THE INCONGRUITY OF IT ALL
For example, why is it so difficult for Christians in America to see the incongruity of being "right" insofar as abortion, homosexuality, militant feminism and so forth are concerned while all the while refusing to acknowledge the rapacious, greedy and even predatory character of the corporate allies they have chosen to ally themselves with in their battle to "take America back for Christ," to say nothing of the money-grubbing and avaricious life-styles many of them have adopted on a personal level? And all this in contravention to the lifestyle of Christ - the Lord of all the universe, the One who dwells in "unapproachable light" - who chose a life of poverty in His sojourn on this earth, and so much so that He could say of Himself:
"... Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." (Luke 9:58)
Is it so difficult to see the utter hypocrisy of speaking out against the SLAVERY of drug addiction, while all the while investing money in the "high-return" stock of corporations that enslave poor peasants in virtual "SLAVE-labor camps" in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, El Salvador, Guatemala, etc. in order to make the products that make life comfortable in the United States and Western Europe.
This is what drives ordinary people on the Left crazy! This is what makes the Christianity of the Western World out to be the sham it has become. THE RELIGION OF THE RICH! The religion of the "Master Race" (i.e., the whites of the so-called "First World")! Yes, abortion, homosexuality and all the rest are wrong! - very wrong! But so are the predatory economic policies that the "Christian West" perpetrates on the poor of the world. Jesus said:
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
"Ye blind guides, WHICH STRAIN AT A GNAT, AND SWALLOW A CAMEL (Matt. 23:23-24)
And isn't that exactly what the Religious Right is doing here in America? They harangue Americans about abortion, about gays and lesbians, about sexual sin, about "family values," and all the while statistics by the Gallup and Roper polling organizations - to say nothing about any number of other studies on the subject, many of them commissioned by Christian organizations and published in journals like Christianity Today - reveal that there is as much drug addiction, divorce, and sexual sin among so-called "born-again" Christians as there is in the general population. Jesus said:
"... why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
"Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
"THOU HYPOCRITE, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (Mark 7:3-5)
THOU HYPOCRITE
"Thou HYPOCRITE!" That's what Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees. You say one thing, and do another! - isn't that what the Religious Right is doing when they condemn the Left for the very same kind of immorality that they practice? - only the Left does it out in the open and boasts about it, while the Religious Right does it under the table and tries (mostly unsuccessfully) to keep it a secret.
Isn't that what Newt Gingrich - who was for a very long period of time the "darling" of the Religious Right - was doing during the Monica Lewinski affair: condemning Clinton for his sexual dalliance with Lewinski while all the while he was carrying on the same kind of sordid affair with one of his secretaries in the offices of the Speaker of the House of Representatives? This is to say nothing of the shameful way Gingrich dumped his first wife, Jackie, in 1980. According to insiders, Gingrich came to his wife of 18 years while she was hospitalized for cancer. He announced that he wanted a divorce, and handed her a yellow legal pad with a list of provisions for handling the split up; he then badgered her to sign the hand-drafted document; and after she did so, walked out on her never to see her again. And what was it that she had done to deserve this kind of treatment? Lee Howell, a former friend who had asked Gingrich to be the best man at his wedding in 1979 offered an explanation. According to Howell, "Jackie was kind of frumpy in Washington, and she was seven years older than he was. And I guess Newt thought, 'Well, it doesn't look good for an articulate, young, aggressive, attractive Congressman to have a frumpy old wife'."
And then there is the matter of Rep. John Livingston (R) of Louisiana - the former Speaker designate of the House of Representatives and the author of the federal "Three-strikes law." Livingston was "outed" for having a "love child." Livingston's supporters claim that his sexual indiscretions were "ancient history," but the fact of the matter is, reporter Allan MacDonell appeared on the syndicated television news show Extra and charged that Livingston's "indiscretions" had continued well into the present.
And that's not the end of it. Take Rep. Henry Hyde (R) of Illinois. Hyde, another favorite of the Religious Right, called his sexual faux-pas a "youthful indiscretion." Trouble was, Hyde was 46 at the time he took up with Cherie Snodgrass - a married woman half Hyde's age who had three children - often keeping her up all night and away from her children "nightclubbing." Fred Snodgrass, Cherie's ex-husband, said of Hyde's seduction of his wife, "All I can think of is, Here is this hypocrite who broke up my family."
And what about Rep. Dan Burton (R) of Indiana, another Religious Right favorite who had a long-lasting sexual fling with an ex-model named Claudia Keller whom he set up in an apartment and paid $40,000 a year?
Then there is Tom Delay (R) of Texas, another "dear" insofar as the Religious Right is concerned, who is alleged to have had countless numbers of sexual encounters with prostitutes (in fact, Newsweek Magazine is reputed to have in its possession a picture of Delay locked in a sexual embrace with a Mexican prostitute), and who is also to be rumored to have a grown daughter not by his wife.
And did any of these men come clean on their own accord? No! - not one of them! They were all "outed" by Hustler Magazine's Larry Flynt. In other words, they were "forced out into the open." Their professed shame resulted not so much from their sexual peccadilloes, as it did from being caught. AND MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, NONE OF THESE MEN ARE OBSCURE "NOBODIES!" THEY ARE ALL EXTREMELY PROMINENT POLITICAL FIGURES STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT! Moreover, every single one of them has campaigned on a platform of "moral values."
And what about those in the Religious Right itself? What about Jimmy Swaggert? What about David Hocking? What about Ralph Wilkerson? - well, you know all of them. It's a shame to even name them, and not just the leaders of the Religious Right, but the congregates and the "pew sitters" as well? Don't you think that unbelievers and the Left notice these things? These inconsistencies? Of course they do! - and it is precisely for this reason that the name of Christ is blasphemed among the gentiles (i.e., the unbelievers). The Bible says:
"Behold, thou art called a Jew (in our case, a Christian) ... and makest thy boast of God,
"And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
"And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
"An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
"THOU THEREFORE WHICH TEACHEST ANOTHER, TEACHEST THOU NOT THYSELF? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
"Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
"Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
"FOR THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES THROUGH (i.e., because of) YOU ... " (Rom. 2:17-24)
DISDAIN FOR THE POOR
All this is to say nothing about the way the Religious Right slavishly mimics its corporate sponsors in its obvious disdain for the poor; for example, the manner in which the Religious Right begrudges the poor any kind of real welfare assistance while all the while saying nothing about the billions and billions and billions of dollars of "corporate welfare" that its secular allies in the corporate world receive, which is many, many times greater than the total of all the welfare programs of the poor combined. IT SEEMS THAT WHILE WELFARE IS OKAY FOR THE RICH, IT ISN'T FOR THE POOR. And what about the support the Religious Right lends to the "free trade" economic policies of its rich corporate sponsors which ship millions and millions of American jobs out of the United States to the "slave-labor camps" they have set up in the Third World? - policies that, incidentally, are largely responsible for the poverty of today's "working poor" in this country.
And then there is the matter of today's "workfare" programs that the Religious Right supports at the behest of Corporate America, programs that in "temperament and philosophy" resemble the hideous "workfare" programs that the Rev. William Wilberforce and his Calvinist-like cohorts in England forced on the starving Irish during the Great Potato famine of the mid-1830s, and which forever earned the enmity of the Catholic Irish over and against the Protestant English; "workfare" programs which today force poor, single mothers up at 5:00 am to leave their children with "whomsoever," while they embark on a two and sometimes three hour bus ride across town to work at minimum wage jobs that pay no benefits and not enough money to pay for rent, utilities, food and a cheap car.
These are the kind of Christians who want to live safely in their gated communities, preach to the Left a Puritan moral ethic (that they themselves don't even keep), and blame the poor for their own poverty while they - whether they realize it or not - support elite economic policies that strip the poor of the very "living wage" jobs they need to support themselves with. Is it really that difficult to see the utter hypocrisy in all this? Is it really that impossible to recognize the shallow display of virtue in a kind of Christianity that seeks to enforce personal morality on the poor while all the time it pushes mean-spirited, selfish, and sordid economic policies designed to grind the poor into the dirt?
And this is not a new phenomenon in the so-called "Christian West" of the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It's been going on for a long time.
CHARLES FULLER: AN EXAMPLE
OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
Take Charles Fuller, for example; Fuller was a great Christian philanthropist of the 1930s and 40s, and underwrote many Christian projects of that era including Cam Townsend's Wycliffe Bible Translators, Lewis Sperry Chafer's Dallas Theological Seminary, Bill Bright's Campus Crusade, and a myriad of Henrietta Mears' evangelistic projects at UCLA. He was also the founder of Fuller Theological Seminary in Southern California (to which he gave his name), and the prime mover behind the establishment of the National Association of Evangelicals. He is held up today as a model for all good Christian businessmen to shape their lives after. But a closer examination of Fuller's life might lead to another conclusion. The fact is, Fuller's philanthropy RESTED ON A FOUNDATION OF HUMAN MISERY of the worst kind! - the kind that was forever immortalized in John Steinbeck's heart-rending novel, The Grapes of Wrath.
Fuller's wealth derived from his immense citrus grove holdings in Southern California. He was director and leader of the California Orange Growers Association in the 1930s, a group of farmers whose neat white-fenced farms and Christian churches rested on a foundation of CHEAP LABOR. Fuller also owned a chain of department stores in Santa Ana and Riverside. During the Great Depression, a steady stream of displaced farmers from the impoverished "dustbowl" states of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas (known derisively as "Oakies" and "Arkies") trekked across the deserts of west Texas, New Mexico and Arizona to find work as "day-laborers" in the citrus groves of Southern California and California's San Juaquin and Sacramento Valleys.
There they ran smack into the "slave labor camps" of the California Orange Growers Association and other assorted grower organizations. The camps the growers provided their workers with - and for which they charged a small fortune, sometimes up to half their worker's paychecks - often had no toilet facilities (laborers were forced to dig holes in the ground) or if they did, they were totally inadequate to the number of laborers who had to use them. In addition, the camps often had no running water (laborers had to get their water from polluted creeks in the area), and no electricity of any kind. All the workers received from the growers was a patch of empty ground - all that for half their paycheck! In other words, Fuller and his cohorts were charging workers for a plot of dirt to put their tents on - and that's all. Laborers who gave the growers trouble or who complained were labeled "communists" and "black-listed."
FULLER AND THE STRIKE OF 1936
In June 1936, 2,500 of Fuller's citrus workers went on strike in Orange County for a wage increase. They wanted to increase their wages from twenty-five cents to forty-cents an hour [and here one needs to be clear, the actual wage many of Fuller's workers received was only half this amount (i.e., about 15 cents) - the other half Fuller deducted from their paychecks for the little bit of ground the workers pitched their tents on]. The California Orange Growers Association, which Fuller headed, refused to bargain.
Supported by local Protestant clergy and the Associated Farmers of California - a grower's organization financially backed by Standard Oil of California - the growers instead pointed to the supposed presence of Communist party members among the organizers of the farm-workers' union. That was all Fuller needed to justify calling in the Orange County sheriff. Four hundred armed deputies descended on the farm-workers' shantytowns with tear gas and clubs. Men, women and children were mercilessly beaten and gassed. Santa Ana, the quiet town where Cam Townsend had biked to high school as a child, was transformed into the site of a "concentration camp," where hundreds and hundreds of workers were herded into a stockade that Fuller had built BEFORE the strike commenced. Fuller, it seems, had actually planned for his use of clubs, guns, tear gas, and his use of concentration camp-like detention centers. The strikers were then marched into court and summarily found guilty by judges and juries who had been "bought and sold" by the growers. They were then jailed: husbands were separated from their wives, and children torn from the arms of their mothers and placed in "receiving homes" where many of them were later "adopted out," despite the anguished cries of their mothers and fathers who had no one to turn to for help.
Fuller repeated this process throughout the 1930s and '40s, not only in his citrus groves, but in his chain of department stores in Santa Ana and Riverside. For example, in the late 1940s Fuller ruthlessly put down a strike at one of his department stores, and after successfully winning the strike against the workers, he sent that portion of the strike fund (about $3,000) that he had not used to Wycliffe as a "Thank-Offering" to God for his success against the workers.
CHRISTIAN PHILANTHROPY AT THE
EXPENSE OF THE WORKING POOR
Christian philanthropy founded on the bashed heads of workers - many, if not most of them, fellow-Christians? What an unbelievable disgrace and shame to the NAME of Christ! And this is not some process that ended in the 1930s and '40s - this heartless and cruel system is presently going on now in the "slave-labor camps" established by the corporate elites (and supported by their minions in the Religious Right as well as Protestant missionary groups like WYAM and Wycliffe) in the Philippines, Thailand, Saipan, El Salvador, etc.
Is that where our form of Christianity has taken us? Is that what we are engaged in? - building up the Kingdom of God based on the misery and anguish of the poor? Many CHRISTIANS TODAY SEEM TO FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS - THEY BELIEVE THAT IT'S OKAY TO BASH PEOPLE'S HEADS IN FOR THE SAKE OF CORPORATE PROFITS SO LONG AS THE ONE DOING THE BASHING IS NOT A HOMOSEXUAL, IS AGAINST ABORTION, AND IS FOR "FAMILY VALUES." God help us all if that's the kind of Christianity that we are involved in today!!
CAPITALISM: IS IT REALLY "GOD ORDAINED?"
The Religious Right claims, and their secular allies in the corporate elites similarly believe, that capitalism is God's ordained economic system for this world - almost as if Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and Thomas Malthus were Biblical figures on a par with Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Nehemiah, and so forth; and that the system they devised - i.e., capitalism - finds its origins in the Bible and should be adhered to with as much ardor and ebullience as one would adhere to the injunctions of Holy Writ.
But that's utter nonsense! No where in the Bible can one find even the smallest suggestion that the "Dismal Science" of Adam Smith, or the dreary and gloomy economic system that Malthus and Ricardo contrived are biblically based.
This evil and pernicious world of Oliver Twist that Smith, Ricardo and Malthus conceived is entirely a man-made system; it has NOTHING to do with God or the Bible! NOTHING!
The repugnant and even vulgar thought - central to the system of capitalism - that the world should be divided into a management class of "haves" (i.e., the rich) and a laboring class of "have nots" (i.e., the poor) simply does not exist in the Bible. The very real fact of the matter is, the severe and cold "Calvinistic" economic system of Ricardo, Smith and Malthus - based as it is on the Darwinian maxim of "survival of the fittest" in which the most productive are supposed to rise to the top of the economic pecking order and the least productive are supposed to fall to the bottom - is utterly repudiated by the Scripture.
How you say? - through the device of the "Jubilee," a God-ordained mechanism aimed at preventing the untoward accumulation of wealth - central to the system of capitalism - in Old Testament Israeli society. You never heard of this? - well, I'm not surprised! It's not something that the elites of this world or their "toadies" in the Religious Right would find it convenient to talk about too much.
THE YEAR OF JUBILEE
In the Old Testament (in the Book of Leviticus) the land of Israel was to be divided EQUALLY in perpetual allotments to its citizenry. Each family was to receive a roughly equal share of the land. Now the Bible envisioned that in the course of time, some would not do as well as others and, as a result, would have to sell their land and their houses. But every fifty years, the Bible established a "Year of Jubilee" in which everything had to be restored to its original owner:
"And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee (i.e., a time of rejoicing") unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession ... (in other words, everyman in Israel would have his former possessions returned to him).
"A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.
"In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession.
"IN THE YEAR OF THE JUBILEE THE FIELD SHALL RETURN UNTO HIM OF WHOM IT WAS BOUGHT, EVEN TO HIM TO WHOM THE POSSESSION OF THE LAND OF THE LAND DID BELONG originally)." (Lev. 25:10-11, 13, 24)
Hardly a system of things that would be approved today by Bank of America and Wells Fargo, and by the "Captains of Industry." How long do you suppose modern capitalism would survive under this kind of system? Not very long I should imagine. And be clear here, this is the only "system of economics" (so to speak) that the Bible ever actually set up - and it's certainly not a capitalist system or a system that would be very much approved by the Rockefellers, the Fords, and the DuPonts of this world. Where is there here any chance for the massive accumulation of wealth by the few at the expense of the many upon which the system of capitalism is so entirely dependent? It doesn't exist! THE PURPOSE OF THESE REGULATIONS WAS TO PREVENT THE ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH BY THE FEW AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MANY - even on a legitimate basis!! That was the spirit behind these regulations and ordinances! - and that is precisely what the SUV Christians of today would no doubt call "Marxist!" Pretty hard to justify the accumulation of wealth that makes possible the gated communities of Yuppie Land-Christians under that system of things, isn't it?
Where is there here the opportunity for the conquest of Africa by the European colonial powers if at the end of fifty years, the British, the Belgians, the French, and the Spanish would have been forced to give back to the original inhabitants of the land the possessions they had stolen, or even legitimately bought - after all, the Bible admitted to no difference here! The land had to be returned! Where is the possibility that Exxon, Shell, BP, etc. could have raped the Iranians, the Iraqis, the Arabians, the Nigerians, etc. of their wealth under such a system. This is definitely not a system the World Bank or the WTO would very much approve of! Certainly not Ford, or GM! Certainly not General Electric or Microsoft! SO MUCH FOR THE THOUGHT THAT THE CAPITALISM PRACTICED BY TODAY'S SECULAR ELITES AND APPROVED OF BY THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT IS SANCTIONED BY THE BIBLE!
MARXISM IS NOT GOD-ORDAINED EITHER
Now this is certainly not to say that Marxism is God-ordained either. BUT THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT AND CHRISTIANS IN GENERAL ARE NOT "DUPED" OR ENTANGLED IN THIS SYSTEM OF ECONOMICS. AND, MOREOVER, AS WE SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS ARTICLE, THE MARXISTS AND THE SOCIALISTS DON'T SPREAD THEIR MISERY IN THE NAME OF CHRIST. BUT THE CAPITALISTS DO.
But if capitalism is not God-ordained, then where did it come from? How did it get so established in the minds of Christians today - especially the stingy and mean-spirited form of it that the Republicans are involved with.
http://www.antipasministries.com/html/file0000053.htm
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."
- George Orwell
"Someone who lacks independent wealth has no claim to even the SMALLEST portion of food ..."
- David Ricardo
"And he (i.e., the "false prophet") causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: "AND THAT NO MAN MIGHT BUY OR SELL, SAVE HE THAT HAD THE MARK or the name of the beast (i.e., the Antichrist), or the number of his name." (Rev. 13:16-17)
INTRODUCTION:
Wow! What a reaction our last newsletter ("The Deceitfulness of Riches and the Marxist Paradigm") generated! It seems that whenever we touch the matter of "money" and the "rich," people - especially our American readers - appear as if out of nowhere to assail and denounce us. [Note: this doesn't happen with our readers in Bulgaria, or in Russia, or in Botswana, or in Zambia, or in Kenya, or in Brazil, or in Egypt, or in Abu Dubai, or in Costa Rica, or in Peru, etc. (and yes, we do have readers in all these places).] You would think that we had blasphemed God - and maybe, insofar as the god they apparently serve is concerned (i.e., money), we have. I wonder if these same people would respond with such vehemence and fury if we had attacked the poor, the displaced, the homeless, the outcasts, the friendless, etc. I doubt it!
We are called "Marxists," "ner-do-wells," "hypocrites," and other things too hateful and odious to be mentioned here. It seems that nothing draws the ire and outrage of Christians in America (not all of them, for sure, but certainly a lot of them) against us more than when we touch the matter of wealth.
Most of the people who attack us start out with a broad and sometimes even magnanimous comment about the "general truth" of what we are saying, but that usually "peters off" into an attack against our "bias" insofar as the rich are concerned. Typical of this kind of letter is the following:
"... (Your article) is indeed full of truth and I applaud that. However ... there seems to be a hostile thread toward those who have money and that's sad ... In your dissertation on the dangers of having money, you seem to elevate those with little or no money to a more wholesome, pure and honest level of servitude, implying that those who have been "blessed" with poverty have a less difficult path to God than those with financial substance. I must disagree ... Blessings to you guys as you follow the leading of our Lord - as controversial as it may become.
A second letter reads as follows:
"I didn't subscribe to your Newsletter. It was sent to me by a friend. I read your letter on Money and you have many Bible passages that pertain to money and its relationship to sin. I would like to say that generally speaking what you are saying about money in your letter (i.e., article) is true ... However, the real problem lies in the depraved heart of man ... Sure the love of money is the root of all evil, but what about the wealthy man who uses his wealth to support missions, gospel ministries and such ..."
A third person writes:
"There is a consistent substance to Steven's [i.e., Stevan (S.R. Shearer's) - editor] writings that I have trouble with. I have tried to rationalize it away as there is a lot about Antipas that I like. A couple of weeks ago someone posted a message that struck a cord with me ... As I read it my thoughts were, " taking the words right out of my mouth". [Note: we quoted from this letter in our last article; this is the letter from "R" that referred to us as "Marxists" - editor.] I don't want to get into a debate about this, so I am reluctant to mention anything, but I will tell you one of the things that has consistently bothered me. The notion that it is more spiritual to be poor ... (In) one of Steven's newsletters he characterized the enemy as someone reading his Wall Street Journal, driving his SUV and talking on his cell phone. This poor vs. rich theme is in all of what he writes."
It seems that money is the "third rail of America's form of Christianity" - touch it (i.e., "diss it," as they say where we live) and you die.
All of these people are evidently concerned at our lack of "equity" insofar as the rich vis a vis the poor are concerned. They complain that we seem to favor the poor over the rich - that we seem to think that "... it is," as the first letter writer above acerbically puts it, "more spiritual to be poor" than it is to be rich; that - as the third letter writer above sarcastically suggests we say - "... those who have been 'blessed' with poverty have a less difficult path to God than those with financial substance."
THE POOR AND THE BIBLE
But that's what the Bible indicates! That's exactly what the Bible suggests: for example, Jesus didn't say "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a poor man to enter into the kingdom of God;" but He did say that about the rich:
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a RICH man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matt. 19:24)
And He said this not once, but twice in the same passage of Scripture:
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a RICH man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 19:23)
Moreover, the Bible doesn't speak about the "deceitfulness of poverty," it does say that, however, about wealth and riches (Matt. 13:22 and Mark 4:19), specifically, it suggests that riches choke the efficacy of the Word of God in our hearts -
"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
"When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
"Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
"He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (Matt. 13:18-22)
The Bible doesn't tell the poor "woe unto you that are poor." Nowhere does it say that! Nowhere! But it does say that to the rich:
"But woe unto you that are RICH! for ye have received your consolation.
"Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep." (Luke 6:24-25)
The Bible doesn't say, "Go to now, ye poor men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your poverty has corrupted you ..." But it does say that about the rich:
"Go to now, ye RICH men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you."Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
"Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. (James 5:1-3)
The Bible doesn't say, "And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye rich: for yours is the kingdom of God." But it does say that about the poor:
"And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye POOR: for yours is the kingdom of God." (Luke 6:20)
The Scriptures don't say, "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the rich." But it does say that about the poor:
"Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God CHOSEN the POOR of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" (James 2:5)
THE BIBLE IS AN AFFRONT TO THE RICH
What are we to say about all this? - Yes, the Bible very evidently does favor the poor over the rich - VERY CLEARLY IT DOES!! And, moreover, it doesn't beat around the bush about its favoritism; it says it very plainly and openly:
"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that NOT MANY WISE MEN AFTER THE FLESH, NOT MANY MIGHTY, NOT MANY NOBLE, are called:
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
"And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are." (1 Cor. 1:26-28)
Obviously, rich Americans will find this offensive. Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE RICH! - at least in comparison to those living in the rest of the world. Obviously, they would be offended by our comments concerning SUVs. It's not the poor who parade around in them pretending to be on Safari in Kruger National Park or in the jungles of the Amazon - it's the rich! They're the ones who read the Wall Street Journal; not the poor; the poor aren't following the stock market, it's the rich who are. They're the ones who talk on cell phones and the ones who live in Yuppie Land. They are the ones who invest their money in the stock of companies who treat their employees like slaves in Indonesia, El Salvador, Thailand, etc. - maybe not so much the ones who subscribe to our website, but certainly the ones who attend the services at Crystal Cathedral in Southern California, or at Capital Christian Center in Sacramento, California, or at Thomas Roads Baptist Church in Lynchberg, Virginia, or at James Robison's church in Texas, or at James Kennedy's church in Florida, or at Tim LaHaye's church, etc., or who tune in to Paul Crouch at TBN and Pat Robertson at CBN.
Naturally, all these people will reject what the Bible has to say about the rich; of course they will complain bitterly that "This poor vs. rich theme is in all of what he (i.e., S.R. Shearer) writes." But the very real fact of the matter is, THIS IS ONE OF THE GREAT THEMES OF THE BIBLE: THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR BY THE RICH:
"Do not RICH men OPPRESS you, and draw you before the judgment seats?" (James 2:6)
Moreover - and much more ominously - the Bible says that in making such an ostentatious display of their wealth and in oppressing the poor, they (i.e., the rich) are storing up God's wrath against themselves (Rom. 2:5). That's the truth of the matter - and only Western Christianity (and especially the Christianity of America) would miss this point.
REJECTING THE COUNSEL OF GOD
Again - why do the rich rage against all this? Why do they call this "class warfare?" BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES AGAINST WHOM ALL THIS IS DIRECTED! Duh! (to put it in the vernacular) - what else would one expect from those against whom these verses are directed? This is how the Pharisees (i.e., the religious establishment of Christ's day) reacted to Christ when He spoke against them and called them "serpents," "vipers," "poisonous snakes" (Matt. 23:33), and "whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness" (Matt. 23:27).
Moreover, this is precisely how they (again, the "religious establishment") reacted to Christ when He asked them, "HOW CAN YE ESCAPE THE DAMNATION OF HELL?" (Matt. 23:33):
"And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
"But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
"But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
"This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
"For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
"And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
"BUT THE PHARISEES AND LAWYERS REJECTED THE COUNSEL OF GOD AGAINST THEMSELVES, being not baptized of him. (Luke 7:24-30)
WE HAVE NO PERSONAL INTEREST IN
OFFENDING THE RICH! - WHAT'S IN IT FOR US?
It is only natural for people to reject criticism that is directed against themselves. But I implore you - especially those of you who have money, i.e., who "drive the SUVs," who "talk on cell phones," and who "read the Wall Street Journal," please do not take offense at what we are saying; please don't reject it as simply the blather of Marxist ideology. I can tell you that our intention in discussing money has not been to purposefully offend you or anyone else. THERE CERTAINLY IS NO GAIN IN THAT FOR US! Indeed, every time we discuss the issue of money, it seems to drive people away from our website. What's in that for us? One brother writes:
"I think highly of ... the brothers ... at Antipas. I just can't support this ministry (financially) any longer for the reasons I have mentioned (i.e., our stance with regard to the rich and money - editor). I hope its clear that I agree with much of the message you are spreading, but I have very serious concerns about a few things I have mentioned."
Again, I ask you, what's in it for us if we drive people like this away? - and this particular brother has actually supported the ministry. What do we get out of offending supporters like that? If money is what we cared about, we would never mention it again! - that's for sure! But that's not what we care about. What we care about is YOU!! We would rather have you angry at us now and, as a result, suffer the loss of your support in this present life, than "water down" our message to you in order to gain your financial backing, and have you offended at us in eternity because we failed to preach to you an unadulterated Gospel. The very real fact of the matter is, that's what the "end of days" is all about - MONEY! That's what Rev. 13:16-17 very clearly indicates. Unless we come to grips with the hold money has on our lives, and quit kidding ourselves about it, we'll never make it through the "Deception of the End of Days." It's unbelievable how blind we are to the matter of wealth! How utterly hypocritical we are when it comes to our money.
THE INCONGRUITY OF IT ALL
For example, why is it so difficult for Christians in America to see the incongruity of being "right" insofar as abortion, homosexuality, militant feminism and so forth are concerned while all the while refusing to acknowledge the rapacious, greedy and even predatory character of the corporate allies they have chosen to ally themselves with in their battle to "take America back for Christ," to say nothing of the money-grubbing and avaricious life-styles many of them have adopted on a personal level? And all this in contravention to the lifestyle of Christ - the Lord of all the universe, the One who dwells in "unapproachable light" - who chose a life of poverty in His sojourn on this earth, and so much so that He could say of Himself:
"... Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." (Luke 9:58)
Is it so difficult to see the utter hypocrisy of speaking out against the SLAVERY of drug addiction, while all the while investing money in the "high-return" stock of corporations that enslave poor peasants in virtual "SLAVE-labor camps" in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, El Salvador, Guatemala, etc. in order to make the products that make life comfortable in the United States and Western Europe.
This is what drives ordinary people on the Left crazy! This is what makes the Christianity of the Western World out to be the sham it has become. THE RELIGION OF THE RICH! The religion of the "Master Race" (i.e., the whites of the so-called "First World")! Yes, abortion, homosexuality and all the rest are wrong! - very wrong! But so are the predatory economic policies that the "Christian West" perpetrates on the poor of the world. Jesus said:
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
"Ye blind guides, WHICH STRAIN AT A GNAT, AND SWALLOW A CAMEL (Matt. 23:23-24)
And isn't that exactly what the Religious Right is doing here in America? They harangue Americans about abortion, about gays and lesbians, about sexual sin, about "family values," and all the while statistics by the Gallup and Roper polling organizations - to say nothing about any number of other studies on the subject, many of them commissioned by Christian organizations and published in journals like Christianity Today - reveal that there is as much drug addiction, divorce, and sexual sin among so-called "born-again" Christians as there is in the general population. Jesus said:
"... why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
"Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
"THOU HYPOCRITE, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (Mark 7:3-5)
THOU HYPOCRITE
"Thou HYPOCRITE!" That's what Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees. You say one thing, and do another! - isn't that what the Religious Right is doing when they condemn the Left for the very same kind of immorality that they practice? - only the Left does it out in the open and boasts about it, while the Religious Right does it under the table and tries (mostly unsuccessfully) to keep it a secret.
Isn't that what Newt Gingrich - who was for a very long period of time the "darling" of the Religious Right - was doing during the Monica Lewinski affair: condemning Clinton for his sexual dalliance with Lewinski while all the while he was carrying on the same kind of sordid affair with one of his secretaries in the offices of the Speaker of the House of Representatives? This is to say nothing of the shameful way Gingrich dumped his first wife, Jackie, in 1980. According to insiders, Gingrich came to his wife of 18 years while she was hospitalized for cancer. He announced that he wanted a divorce, and handed her a yellow legal pad with a list of provisions for handling the split up; he then badgered her to sign the hand-drafted document; and after she did so, walked out on her never to see her again. And what was it that she had done to deserve this kind of treatment? Lee Howell, a former friend who had asked Gingrich to be the best man at his wedding in 1979 offered an explanation. According to Howell, "Jackie was kind of frumpy in Washington, and she was seven years older than he was. And I guess Newt thought, 'Well, it doesn't look good for an articulate, young, aggressive, attractive Congressman to have a frumpy old wife'."
And then there is the matter of Rep. John Livingston (R) of Louisiana - the former Speaker designate of the House of Representatives and the author of the federal "Three-strikes law." Livingston was "outed" for having a "love child." Livingston's supporters claim that his sexual indiscretions were "ancient history," but the fact of the matter is, reporter Allan MacDonell appeared on the syndicated television news show Extra and charged that Livingston's "indiscretions" had continued well into the present.
And that's not the end of it. Take Rep. Henry Hyde (R) of Illinois. Hyde, another favorite of the Religious Right, called his sexual faux-pas a "youthful indiscretion." Trouble was, Hyde was 46 at the time he took up with Cherie Snodgrass - a married woman half Hyde's age who had three children - often keeping her up all night and away from her children "nightclubbing." Fred Snodgrass, Cherie's ex-husband, said of Hyde's seduction of his wife, "All I can think of is, Here is this hypocrite who broke up my family."
And what about Rep. Dan Burton (R) of Indiana, another Religious Right favorite who had a long-lasting sexual fling with an ex-model named Claudia Keller whom he set up in an apartment and paid $40,000 a year?
Then there is Tom Delay (R) of Texas, another "dear" insofar as the Religious Right is concerned, who is alleged to have had countless numbers of sexual encounters with prostitutes (in fact, Newsweek Magazine is reputed to have in its possession a picture of Delay locked in a sexual embrace with a Mexican prostitute), and who is also to be rumored to have a grown daughter not by his wife.
And did any of these men come clean on their own accord? No! - not one of them! They were all "outed" by Hustler Magazine's Larry Flynt. In other words, they were "forced out into the open." Their professed shame resulted not so much from their sexual peccadilloes, as it did from being caught. AND MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, NONE OF THESE MEN ARE OBSCURE "NOBODIES!" THEY ARE ALL EXTREMELY PROMINENT POLITICAL FIGURES STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT! Moreover, every single one of them has campaigned on a platform of "moral values."
And what about those in the Religious Right itself? What about Jimmy Swaggert? What about David Hocking? What about Ralph Wilkerson? - well, you know all of them. It's a shame to even name them, and not just the leaders of the Religious Right, but the congregates and the "pew sitters" as well? Don't you think that unbelievers and the Left notice these things? These inconsistencies? Of course they do! - and it is precisely for this reason that the name of Christ is blasphemed among the gentiles (i.e., the unbelievers). The Bible says:
"Behold, thou art called a Jew (in our case, a Christian) ... and makest thy boast of God,
"And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
"And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
"An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
"THOU THEREFORE WHICH TEACHEST ANOTHER, TEACHEST THOU NOT THYSELF? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
"Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
"Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
"FOR THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES THROUGH (i.e., because of) YOU ... " (Rom. 2:17-24)
DISDAIN FOR THE POOR
All this is to say nothing about the way the Religious Right slavishly mimics its corporate sponsors in its obvious disdain for the poor; for example, the manner in which the Religious Right begrudges the poor any kind of real welfare assistance while all the while saying nothing about the billions and billions and billions of dollars of "corporate welfare" that its secular allies in the corporate world receive, which is many, many times greater than the total of all the welfare programs of the poor combined. IT SEEMS THAT WHILE WELFARE IS OKAY FOR THE RICH, IT ISN'T FOR THE POOR. And what about the support the Religious Right lends to the "free trade" economic policies of its rich corporate sponsors which ship millions and millions of American jobs out of the United States to the "slave-labor camps" they have set up in the Third World? - policies that, incidentally, are largely responsible for the poverty of today's "working poor" in this country.
And then there is the matter of today's "workfare" programs that the Religious Right supports at the behest of Corporate America, programs that in "temperament and philosophy" resemble the hideous "workfare" programs that the Rev. William Wilberforce and his Calvinist-like cohorts in England forced on the starving Irish during the Great Potato famine of the mid-1830s, and which forever earned the enmity of the Catholic Irish over and against the Protestant English; "workfare" programs which today force poor, single mothers up at 5:00 am to leave their children with "whomsoever," while they embark on a two and sometimes three hour bus ride across town to work at minimum wage jobs that pay no benefits and not enough money to pay for rent, utilities, food and a cheap car.
These are the kind of Christians who want to live safely in their gated communities, preach to the Left a Puritan moral ethic (that they themselves don't even keep), and blame the poor for their own poverty while they - whether they realize it or not - support elite economic policies that strip the poor of the very "living wage" jobs they need to support themselves with. Is it really that difficult to see the utter hypocrisy in all this? Is it really that impossible to recognize the shallow display of virtue in a kind of Christianity that seeks to enforce personal morality on the poor while all the time it pushes mean-spirited, selfish, and sordid economic policies designed to grind the poor into the dirt?
And this is not a new phenomenon in the so-called "Christian West" of the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It's been going on for a long time.
CHARLES FULLER: AN EXAMPLE
OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
Take Charles Fuller, for example; Fuller was a great Christian philanthropist of the 1930s and 40s, and underwrote many Christian projects of that era including Cam Townsend's Wycliffe Bible Translators, Lewis Sperry Chafer's Dallas Theological Seminary, Bill Bright's Campus Crusade, and a myriad of Henrietta Mears' evangelistic projects at UCLA. He was also the founder of Fuller Theological Seminary in Southern California (to which he gave his name), and the prime mover behind the establishment of the National Association of Evangelicals. He is held up today as a model for all good Christian businessmen to shape their lives after. But a closer examination of Fuller's life might lead to another conclusion. The fact is, Fuller's philanthropy RESTED ON A FOUNDATION OF HUMAN MISERY of the worst kind! - the kind that was forever immortalized in John Steinbeck's heart-rending novel, The Grapes of Wrath.
Fuller's wealth derived from his immense citrus grove holdings in Southern California. He was director and leader of the California Orange Growers Association in the 1930s, a group of farmers whose neat white-fenced farms and Christian churches rested on a foundation of CHEAP LABOR. Fuller also owned a chain of department stores in Santa Ana and Riverside. During the Great Depression, a steady stream of displaced farmers from the impoverished "dustbowl" states of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas (known derisively as "Oakies" and "Arkies") trekked across the deserts of west Texas, New Mexico and Arizona to find work as "day-laborers" in the citrus groves of Southern California and California's San Juaquin and Sacramento Valleys.
There they ran smack into the "slave labor camps" of the California Orange Growers Association and other assorted grower organizations. The camps the growers provided their workers with - and for which they charged a small fortune, sometimes up to half their worker's paychecks - often had no toilet facilities (laborers were forced to dig holes in the ground) or if they did, they were totally inadequate to the number of laborers who had to use them. In addition, the camps often had no running water (laborers had to get their water from polluted creeks in the area), and no electricity of any kind. All the workers received from the growers was a patch of empty ground - all that for half their paycheck! In other words, Fuller and his cohorts were charging workers for a plot of dirt to put their tents on - and that's all. Laborers who gave the growers trouble or who complained were labeled "communists" and "black-listed."
FULLER AND THE STRIKE OF 1936
In June 1936, 2,500 of Fuller's citrus workers went on strike in Orange County for a wage increase. They wanted to increase their wages from twenty-five cents to forty-cents an hour [and here one needs to be clear, the actual wage many of Fuller's workers received was only half this amount (i.e., about 15 cents) - the other half Fuller deducted from their paychecks for the little bit of ground the workers pitched their tents on]. The California Orange Growers Association, which Fuller headed, refused to bargain.
Supported by local Protestant clergy and the Associated Farmers of California - a grower's organization financially backed by Standard Oil of California - the growers instead pointed to the supposed presence of Communist party members among the organizers of the farm-workers' union. That was all Fuller needed to justify calling in the Orange County sheriff. Four hundred armed deputies descended on the farm-workers' shantytowns with tear gas and clubs. Men, women and children were mercilessly beaten and gassed. Santa Ana, the quiet town where Cam Townsend had biked to high school as a child, was transformed into the site of a "concentration camp," where hundreds and hundreds of workers were herded into a stockade that Fuller had built BEFORE the strike commenced. Fuller, it seems, had actually planned for his use of clubs, guns, tear gas, and his use of concentration camp-like detention centers. The strikers were then marched into court and summarily found guilty by judges and juries who had been "bought and sold" by the growers. They were then jailed: husbands were separated from their wives, and children torn from the arms of their mothers and placed in "receiving homes" where many of them were later "adopted out," despite the anguished cries of their mothers and fathers who had no one to turn to for help.
Fuller repeated this process throughout the 1930s and '40s, not only in his citrus groves, but in his chain of department stores in Santa Ana and Riverside. For example, in the late 1940s Fuller ruthlessly put down a strike at one of his department stores, and after successfully winning the strike against the workers, he sent that portion of the strike fund (about $3,000) that he had not used to Wycliffe as a "Thank-Offering" to God for his success against the workers.
CHRISTIAN PHILANTHROPY AT THE
EXPENSE OF THE WORKING POOR
Christian philanthropy founded on the bashed heads of workers - many, if not most of them, fellow-Christians? What an unbelievable disgrace and shame to the NAME of Christ! And this is not some process that ended in the 1930s and '40s - this heartless and cruel system is presently going on now in the "slave-labor camps" established by the corporate elites (and supported by their minions in the Religious Right as well as Protestant missionary groups like WYAM and Wycliffe) in the Philippines, Thailand, Saipan, El Salvador, etc.
Is that where our form of Christianity has taken us? Is that what we are engaged in? - building up the Kingdom of God based on the misery and anguish of the poor? Many CHRISTIANS TODAY SEEM TO FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS - THEY BELIEVE THAT IT'S OKAY TO BASH PEOPLE'S HEADS IN FOR THE SAKE OF CORPORATE PROFITS SO LONG AS THE ONE DOING THE BASHING IS NOT A HOMOSEXUAL, IS AGAINST ABORTION, AND IS FOR "FAMILY VALUES." God help us all if that's the kind of Christianity that we are involved in today!!
CAPITALISM: IS IT REALLY "GOD ORDAINED?"
The Religious Right claims, and their secular allies in the corporate elites similarly believe, that capitalism is God's ordained economic system for this world - almost as if Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and Thomas Malthus were Biblical figures on a par with Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Nehemiah, and so forth; and that the system they devised - i.e., capitalism - finds its origins in the Bible and should be adhered to with as much ardor and ebullience as one would adhere to the injunctions of Holy Writ.
But that's utter nonsense! No where in the Bible can one find even the smallest suggestion that the "Dismal Science" of Adam Smith, or the dreary and gloomy economic system that Malthus and Ricardo contrived are biblically based.
This evil and pernicious world of Oliver Twist that Smith, Ricardo and Malthus conceived is entirely a man-made system; it has NOTHING to do with God or the Bible! NOTHING!
The repugnant and even vulgar thought - central to the system of capitalism - that the world should be divided into a management class of "haves" (i.e., the rich) and a laboring class of "have nots" (i.e., the poor) simply does not exist in the Bible. The very real fact of the matter is, the severe and cold "Calvinistic" economic system of Ricardo, Smith and Malthus - based as it is on the Darwinian maxim of "survival of the fittest" in which the most productive are supposed to rise to the top of the economic pecking order and the least productive are supposed to fall to the bottom - is utterly repudiated by the Scripture.
How you say? - through the device of the "Jubilee," a God-ordained mechanism aimed at preventing the untoward accumulation of wealth - central to the system of capitalism - in Old Testament Israeli society. You never heard of this? - well, I'm not surprised! It's not something that the elites of this world or their "toadies" in the Religious Right would find it convenient to talk about too much.
THE YEAR OF JUBILEE
In the Old Testament (in the Book of Leviticus) the land of Israel was to be divided EQUALLY in perpetual allotments to its citizenry. Each family was to receive a roughly equal share of the land. Now the Bible envisioned that in the course of time, some would not do as well as others and, as a result, would have to sell their land and their houses. But every fifty years, the Bible established a "Year of Jubilee" in which everything had to be restored to its original owner:
"And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee (i.e., a time of rejoicing") unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession ... (in other words, everyman in Israel would have his former possessions returned to him).
"A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.
"In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession.
"IN THE YEAR OF THE JUBILEE THE FIELD SHALL RETURN UNTO HIM OF WHOM IT WAS BOUGHT, EVEN TO HIM TO WHOM THE POSSESSION OF THE LAND OF THE LAND DID BELONG originally)." (Lev. 25:10-11, 13, 24)
Hardly a system of things that would be approved today by Bank of America and Wells Fargo, and by the "Captains of Industry." How long do you suppose modern capitalism would survive under this kind of system? Not very long I should imagine. And be clear here, this is the only "system of economics" (so to speak) that the Bible ever actually set up - and it's certainly not a capitalist system or a system that would be very much approved by the Rockefellers, the Fords, and the DuPonts of this world. Where is there here any chance for the massive accumulation of wealth by the few at the expense of the many upon which the system of capitalism is so entirely dependent? It doesn't exist! THE PURPOSE OF THESE REGULATIONS WAS TO PREVENT THE ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH BY THE FEW AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MANY - even on a legitimate basis!! That was the spirit behind these regulations and ordinances! - and that is precisely what the SUV Christians of today would no doubt call "Marxist!" Pretty hard to justify the accumulation of wealth that makes possible the gated communities of Yuppie Land-Christians under that system of things, isn't it?
Where is there here the opportunity for the conquest of Africa by the European colonial powers if at the end of fifty years, the British, the Belgians, the French, and the Spanish would have been forced to give back to the original inhabitants of the land the possessions they had stolen, or even legitimately bought - after all, the Bible admitted to no difference here! The land had to be returned! Where is the possibility that Exxon, Shell, BP, etc. could have raped the Iranians, the Iraqis, the Arabians, the Nigerians, etc. of their wealth under such a system. This is definitely not a system the World Bank or the WTO would very much approve of! Certainly not Ford, or GM! Certainly not General Electric or Microsoft! SO MUCH FOR THE THOUGHT THAT THE CAPITALISM PRACTICED BY TODAY'S SECULAR ELITES AND APPROVED OF BY THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT IS SANCTIONED BY THE BIBLE!
MARXISM IS NOT GOD-ORDAINED EITHER
Now this is certainly not to say that Marxism is God-ordained either. BUT THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT AND CHRISTIANS IN GENERAL ARE NOT "DUPED" OR ENTANGLED IN THIS SYSTEM OF ECONOMICS. AND, MOREOVER, AS WE SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS ARTICLE, THE MARXISTS AND THE SOCIALISTS DON'T SPREAD THEIR MISERY IN THE NAME OF CHRIST. BUT THE CAPITALISTS DO.
But if capitalism is not God-ordained, then where did it come from? How did it get so established in the minds of Christians today - especially the stingy and mean-spirited form of it that the Republicans are involved with.
Jack shearer end time series: Take it or leave it, you must go through the Great Tribulation
CHAPTER VIII
TRIBULATION & JUDGMENT
http://www.antipasministries.com/k3x8IwX92lMwOp64eqzC/chapter8a.htm
"... tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance proven character, and proven character hope: and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us ..." (Romans 5:3-5)
PART 1: TRIBULATION REVEALS
WHAT IS ALREADY FORMED
INTRODUCTION
We have by now learned that we - as Christians, as the church of God - are going to go through the Tribulation. We now turn to deal with the following matters:
• God's purpose for us in the Tribulation.
• The Two Witnesses
TRIBULATION REVEALS WHAT IS ALREADY FORMED
IN US; IT DOES NOT ADD ANYTHING NEW TO US
Oswald Chambers once wrote, "We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save ourselves nor sanctify ourselves, God does that; but God will not give us good habits, He will not give us character, He will not make us walk aright. We have to do all that ourselves, we have to work out (i.e., develop) the salvation God has worked in (us) ..."
What Chambers was saying is that if we fail to take advantage of those opportunities now to "develop our salvation" [i.e., to bring it to maturity, to develop Christian character in ourselves, to have Christ's life actually worked out in us (Phil. 2:12)] then we will fail when a real crisis (test) finally comes.
Many of us, nonetheless, continue to think that if God gives the call, we will somehow or other rise to the occasion. We imagine that we will be OK; sadly, however, the crisis (test) will only reveal what has already been developed in our lives as Christian character - it will not add anything new into us. If we have not risen to the occasion before in the little things of life - we will surely fail when the real test comes. All that a crisis (test) does is reveal what we are already made of. If we have yielded to temptation and weakness before in the little things, we will yield to temptation and weakness in the big things. If we are not in God's will in the things that are nearest to us, when the crisis (test) comes, instead of being revealed as ready, we will be revealed as unready. A crisis reveals character that has already been formed - it does not in itself create new character.
The Bible says that someday our Christian character is going to be put to the test - that the time will come in all of our lives that pretense will have to yield to reality; when what we are really made out of will be dragged out into the open for all to see, and we will be revealed for what we really are. If we have not "practiced the presence of God" in our lives, if we have not learned to yield ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit, if we have not taken the time to study the Word of God and know for sure what it really is all about, if we have not been living a sanctified life in the circumstances that we are presently in, if we have not been instant in prayer in the little things, then the crisis (test) will reveal all that!
If you say now, "I have no time for prayer, I have no time 'to practice the presence of Christ', it's so impractical to yield to Christ in this or that business decision now - but when the time comes, I will do it," our answer to you, sadly, is "No you won't!"
Many people think of David as a man of faith, and that when he went out to face Goliath, he relied on that faith to get him through - and that certainly is true. But what so many Christians fail to see is that the faith David had was not a blind faith - it was a faith that had been well developed. His faith was a developed faith - and it was in the strength of that developed faith that he went out to face Goliath. David had developed his faith years before as a youth tending his father's sheep on the back side of the desert - out of the way where no one saw. He had tested it against a lion and a bear - and he had prevailed. When he finally met Goliath, then, he was simply walking in the way he had been moving all of his life. The path of faith he relied on when he faced Goliath was a well worn path - he knew it well. He was ready for Goliath. It was not blind faith that saw him through, it was developed faith. The story is recounted in First Samuel. The Bible says,
"And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying ... Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. (1 Sam. 17:26-51)
Let us, therefore, develop our faith now, while there is yet time - for soon our test will come, and our faith will be revealed for what it really is - either to honor or to dishonor:
For there is nothing hid, which shall
not be manifested; neither is any
thing kept secret, but that it
should come abroad. (Mark 4:22)
JUDGMENT
The word, "Judgment," conjures up fantasies of old, bent, black robed figures glowering down with solemn, pitiless faces from lofty heights; cavernous halls with high ceilings and polished marble floors; echoing footsteps and hushed whisperings. It is a word around which swirls vague feelings of sorrow and distress, dread and foreboding, alarm and fright. And always, there is about the word a gloomy and oppressive pallor; a dull, aching sense of impending doom.
The Scriptures anticipate a day of coming judgment - one that will make men's hearts stop beating in fear and their blood run cold with terror. The Bible refers to it over 150 times in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the Psalmist writes:
"... for He cometh [this Judge, who flies on the wings of the wind with fire in His eyes and darkness under His feet; whose pavilion round about Him is dark waters and thick clouds (Psalm 18:8-12)], for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with [pure] righteousness, and the people with [absolute] truth." (Psalm 96:13)
And in the New Testament, Paul exclaims:
"... He hath appointed a day in which He will judge the world..." (Acts 17:31).
In the vernacular, or common language of the people, this day of horror has been referred to as Judgment Day - and perhaps even more to the point, as Doomsday. Its anticipation has always struck fear in the hearts of men and women. Indeed, so great has been man's dread of Judgment Day that in the year 999 a paralyzing terror gripped all of Europe in anticipation of the turn of the Millennium. It was commonly believed by prince and peasant alike that Judgment Day was New Years Day, 1000 A.D. The ordinary cares of life were given up. The land was left untilled. Houses and buildings of every type were allowed to fall into disrepair. Throngs of common people slept in the porches and in the shadows of holy buildings and churches. Kings and emperors begged to be admitted to monasteries. A wild and uncontrollable dread and sense of foreboding seized the entire continent.
And make no mistakes about it, that same terror is still alive - lurking just beneath our Twentieth Century veneer of sophistication and science. It comes to us when we are alone - at night; it's in our music, our movies, our art. It is a phantom that defies the scientist's efforts to dislodge it, and the psychologist's attempts to explain it away.
JUDGMENT: THE ACT OF
DECLARING SOMETHING'S WORTH
But beyond our fears, beyond our foreboding, what does the word "judgment" really mean? Judgment is the act of DECLARING the worth of something, of ANNOUNCING its value. We do it every day, in countless ways. When we shop, we make judgments as to which foods are best for us, which coats are warmer for the winter, what car is best suited for our needs, where we should live, the house we should live in - all these decisions are or will be products of a judgment we have made or will make. And all these judgments [which have been manifested or DECLARED in our purchases] were preceded by some form or process of TESTING. True, the testing may have only occurred in our minds at a very rudimentary level, but it occurred nonetheless. The judgments or decisions [which is another word for judgment] that were made as to which products to purchase were the results of that testing. A JUDGMENT IS ALWAYS PRECEDED BY SOME FORM OF TESTING.
TRIBULATION
This brings us to the matter of the Tribulation. The word, "Tribulation," means test. It is derived from the Latin word, Tribulum, which means to press and subject to stress as in a test. But the word means more - it means to SEVERELY test, to press to the point of ANGUISH - much as a test pilot tests an experimental plane and presses it to its very limits of toleration.
The Roman word, Tribune, is also derived from the Latin word Tribulum. A Tribune in ancient Rome was a magistrate or judge appointed to hear civil and criminal proceedings. It is the word from which our modern English word, "Tribunal," is derived - which means a seat of judgment. In all these instances, the word Tribulum [from which, once again, the English word "Tribulation" is derived] had a legal sense attached to it. It meant [in the sense that is appropriate here] pressure and stress applied to an object in order to test it.
This is the exact sense that the translators of the King James version of the Bible were trying to convey when they translated the Greek word, Thlipsis, as Tribulation in Revelation 7:14. As with the Latin word, Tribulum, the Greek word, Thlipsis, means pressure and stress applied to an object for the purpose of testing.
It is this sense, then, of the word, "Tribulation," which the translators of the King James version of the Bible wished to convey to the readers - A TIME OF TESTING!! This is substantiated by Revelation 3:10 when Jesus referred to the Tribulation as "the hour of testing."
WITNESSES
It goes without saying that in any test the presence of witnesses is paramount. They are required to OBSERVE and RECORD the results of the test. These observations and recordings, carefully compiled and documented, are then used as the basis of later JUDGMENTS [or decisions].
In a criminal case in a court of law, the judgment of the judge is preceded by a test of the evidence which has been compiled against the accused. It is on the basis of this test that the judge will make his decision as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. The process is known as a trial - which really means test. Once again, throughout the entire proceeding, WITNESSES are called forth to give evidence as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. These witnesses are people who saw or who can give FIRSTHAND accounts [or TESTIMONY] as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. Hear-say or second and third-hand evidence [gossip] is not admissible as evidence. The witnesses can introduce into evidence only that which they saw on a FIRSTHAND basis. In other words, they had to be present themselves when the alleged crime was committed.
THE CHURCH IN THE TRIBULATION
The Tribulation, then, is humanity's trial, its test before its Maker - a time of great separation, disunion, division, and parting. And the Church will be a part of this immense process.
Oh, you're surprised that the Church will be a part of this process? Well, be assured, dear Christian, your salvation is secure - it is not in question! Nothing can pluck you out of the Father's hand. Paul writes:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35,38-39)
Why, then, is the Church to be a part of this process? If this process has nothing to do with our salvation, then why are we to be involved? The answer is twofold. The paramount reason is that the church is to be subpoenaed as a "witness" against this world and its present world-ruler or Kosmokrator - a subject which we will discuss at great length in the following sub-sections. There is, however, a second reason - one which is almost as important as the first, and one which is absolutely vital to the accomplishment of the first - for if the church is to testify against the world and the things of this world, it is necessary that it be shown to be not a part of the world - that it be once and for all separated from the world. And because of this separation (or "manifestation"), just and seeking men everywhere will be drawn to Christianity and the Lord Jesus Christ, producing even in such a time, the "Great Harvest of the Lamb. This is what all creation is waiting for. Paul writes:
"For [even the whole] creation ... waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons [the Church] to be made known - waits for the REVEALING, the DISCLOSURE of their sonship." (Romans 8:19, Zondervan, the Amplified Bible )
The King James version translates it in this way:
"For the earnest expectation of the ...[creation] waiteth for the MANIFESTATION of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)
And the NASB version translates it this way:
"For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the REVEALING of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)
In this Paul is saying that the whole universe is waiting for something to happen insofar as the Church is concerned. It is waiting for the church to be "REVEALED," "DISCLOSED," "MANIFESTED."
These are interesting words that Paul has chosen to use with regard to the Church. In a back-handed way, what Paul is really saying is that the Church has been hidden and obscured in this present dispensation [age].
What? But hasn't the Church always been with us? Can't we see it all about us? In the hundreds and thousands of church buildings that seem sometimes to all but surround us? In the proliferation of a now almost countless number of Christian TV and radio stations? In the new manifestation of Christian political power in such organizations as the Christian Coalition, the Traditional Values Coalition, Christian Voice, etc.
But do all these church buildings, all this Christian activity, all these people claiming to be Christian and born-again really represent the Church? If they do, then God help us. Was the Thirty Years War - which made the streets of Europe run red with blood four hundred years ago - really a Christian activity? What about the Inquisition? What about the bloody war that rages even now in Ireland in the name of the Church? What about the Papacy? What about Jim Jones and the Jonestown Suicides? What about all this?
Andrew Miller, the well-known and godly Church historian, wrote in the last century:
"We must always bear in mind when reading what is called a history of the Church, that from the days of the apostles until now, there have been TWO DISTINCT and widely different classes of persons in the professing Church: the merely nominal, and the real - the true, and the false. This was predicted: "For I know this," says the apostle, "that after my departure [death] shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20) His second Epistle [letter] to Timothy is also full of warnings ... as to the various forms of evil which were then but too plainly manifest ...
"... Some historians have not taken into account this sad mixture of evil vessels with the good - of true Christians and false. They have not themselves been spiritual-minded men. Hence they have rather made it their chief object to record the many unchristian and wicked ways of mere professors [those who said they were Christians, but were not]. They have dwelt at great length, and with great minuteness, on the heresies that have troubled the Church - on the abuses that have disgraced it. Much rather would we endeavor to trace, all down through the long dark pages of history, the SILVER LINE OF GOD'S GRACE IN TRUE CHRISTIANS; though at times the alloy so predominates that the pure ore is scarcely perceptible.
"[But] God has never left us without witness. He has had His loved and cherished, though HIDDEN ones, in all ages and in all places. No eye but His could see the seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed their knees to the image of Baal, in the days of Ahab and Jezebel. And tens of thousands, we doubt not, even from the darkest days of Christianity, will be found at last in the "Glorious Church," which Christ will present to Himself, on the long-looked-for day of His nuptial glory ..."
THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE
TARES: A PARABLE OF THE TRIBULATION
Jesus himself, speaking in a prophetic parable concerning this condition of the Church, said:
"The kingdom of heaven [the Church] may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
"But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.
"And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?
"And he said to them, An enemy has done this! And the slaves said to him, Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?
"But he said, No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them.
"Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn. "Then He left the multitudes, and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.
"And He answered and said, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
"And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
"Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. "And will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43)
Now in connection with the parable above, it is interesting to note how the harvest was carried out in the ancient world and how the wheat [the good seed] was separated from the tares and the chaff [the bad seed]. BOTH WERE HARVESTED TOGETHER! Then through a process of winnowing, the wheat was separated from the tares and the chaff. The process of winnowing was accomplished in this manner: first, the harvest was crushed and spread out on a large floor; then workers took shovels and threw the harvest into the air by the shovel-full. The tares and chaff, being lighter than the kernels of wheat, were blown away by the wind, usually into another bin, while the kernels of wheat, being heavier, fell again to the threshing floor. In this way the wheat was separated from the tares and the chaff. The chaff and tares, being good for nothing, were then gathered together and burned, while the wheat was gathered together, bundled and stored in the barn.
Now it is important to note in this process, that the wheat itself is not being tested at all. Wheat is wheat!! Tares are tares!! There is nothing in this process which is meant to test the quality of the wheat. Neither is there anything in this process that the wheat is supposed to do. The wheat is required to do nothing. Works are not involved!! The wheat needs to do only one thing - be what it is inherently - wheat. The process is a SEPARATING PROCESS. It is not a process of works. The purpose of the entire process is quite simple: to separate, and by separating to MANIFEST or DISCLOSE, or REVEAL (Romans 8:19) the wheat from the tares and the chaff.
PART 2: THE TRIBULATION AS A
WINNOWING OF GOD
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock be cut off from the fold, And there be no heard in the stalls - "YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION."
(Habakkuk 3:17-18)
INTRODUCTION
In a day when it has become so popular - even fashionable - to be referred to as "born-again" that political figures [whom the Bible calls the basest or lowest of people (Daniel 4:17)] refer to themselves as "born-again" to get votes, there certainly can be no doubt concerning this matter. Indeed, what can one say to all of this when even the owner of Hustler Magazine [one of the most notorious pornographic magazines in the country] refers to himself openly as "born-again."
Yes, there is a winnowing coming! John the Baptist, speaking prophetically, said of it:
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me [i.e., in the "end of days"] is mightier than I ...
"His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff [tares] with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:11-12)
And how will He accomplish this winnowing? By the Tribulation! The Tribulation is to be the great winnowing of God spoken of by John the Baptist! And what will this winnowing accomplish? A great separation between those who truly love Christ and those who merely claim to love Him, but whose hearts are far away. This is the EXACT context in which John uttered his prophecy:
"Then Jerusalem [i.e., the entire Jewish religious community], all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him [John]
"And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3:5-7)
John the Baptist was a forerunner, a precursor to Jesus. His work was a work of separation - to separate the hypocrite from the believer, the wheat from the chaff, the Pharisees and the Sadducees from those in Israel who genuinely longed for the Messiah. So also with Jesus in the work of the Tribulation - to which John specifically pointed in this prophecy.
The work of tribulation is first and foremost a SEPARATING work. Specifically, it separates those who merely profess Christianity from those who truly believe. This is important. The work of tribulation - in the first instance - is a work directed not at separating the atheist from the believer, or the idolater from those who worship the one true God [idolaters and atheists are people who obviously and openly are not Christians], or any other such thing; but rather it is a work SPECIFICALLY directed at separating those who claim to be Christian [out of convention or advantage] from those who truly are. And this is precisely the work of tribulation in the Parable of the Sower. Concerning those who accept Christianity and profess it superficially for material advantage, Jesus had this to say:
"But he who received the seed [Gospel] on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
"Yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when TRIBULATION or PERSECUTION arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles (other translations say "wither away")." (Matthew 13:20-21)
TRIBULATION: A WORK OF TRANSFORMATION
IN THE BELIEVER'S HEART
Yes, tribulation SEPARATES, but there is another more sublime work of tribulation; and this work of tribulation is not a separating work, but a purifying work directed not at the hypocrite, but at the believer. This work elevates, ennobles, glorifies, and transforms the believer. Paul says:
"... but we also EXULT in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; "And perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
"And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)
Indeed, tribulation is the gate through which all true believers must pass into the kingdom of heaven; transformation is impossible without it. The Bible says:
"And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
"Strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God'." (Acts 14:21-22)
And again, the Bible - speaking of those saints who through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit [during the Great Tribulation] have been translated to the very throne of God - says:
"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands ...
"Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?
"And I said to him, Sir, you know. So he said to me, THESE ARE THE ONES WHO COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9,13-14)
TRIBULATION: GOD'S WAY OF MANIFESTING
HIS GLORY IN THE SAINTS
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT, fearing God, and turning away from evil.
"Now there was a day when the sons of God [angles] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come'? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it'.
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT man, fearing God and turning away from evil'.
"Then Satan answered the Lord, 'Does Job fear God for nothing? [Why shouldn't he respect you since you take care of him so well?]
"'Hast Thou not made a hedge about him [haven't you put a wall around him to protect him from me?] and his house [his family] and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
"'But put forth Thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse Thee to Thy face'." [but take away the wall and let me at him, and he will hate you]
"The Lord said to Satan, 'BEHOLD, ALL THAT HE HAS IS IN YOUR POWER ...'" (Job 1:1, 6-12)
Why does God allow his servants to suffer? Why does God allow Satan access to them? Why does God allow tribulation to enter their lives? Many in today's Church, of course, deny that God does - but this is obviously not what the Scriptures say. But these same people would retort that God only allows suffering when there is sin - and, apparently, this is what Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, Job's, friends said about Job during his sufferings: that Job was suffering because there was "hidden sin" in Job's life, and that this was the only reason that God would allow such suffering in one of his servants. But God was greatly angered by such thinking:
"And it came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 'My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.
"'Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has'." (Job 42:7-8)
GOD'S PURPOSE IN TRIBULATION: TO MANIFEST
& DISPLAY HIS OWN GLORY IN THE SAINTS
GOD WAS GLORIFIED IN JOB!! Satan had said that Job loved God only because of the "things" God bestowed upon him. What a terrible thing to say. It is the curse of wealth. How does a rich man ever know that he is truly loved? The sad truth is, he doesn't so long as he retains his wealth. But should he lose it, then he will find out. Great crowds of people followed Jesus so long as he fed them and healed them of their diseases. But when tribulation arose because of the Word He spoke, the crowds disappeared. Oh, to be loved because of who you are, and not just because of the "things" you have! This is the love that God desires from those who follow Him. It is the love that Ruth gave to Naomi, and this even after Naomi had asked Ruth to depart from her because she [Naomi] had nothing further to give Ruth - she no longer possessed any "things" with which to "purchase" Ruth's love:
"But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.
"'Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me'." (Ruth 1:16-17)
The Lord is looking for such to follow Him - those that will follow after Him long after the "things" are gone, the crowds have left, the popularity faded; when the clothes are tattered and torn, there is no food on the table, and persecution rages all around. These are the disciples of Jesus - with such people one can repose trust and friendship, true love is here to be found!
These are the disciples who can say with the prophet Habakkuk:
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock be cut off from the fold, And there be no heard in the stalls –
"YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION." (Habakkuk 3:17-18)
It is in this kind of love that the TRUE Church will be "revealed," "disclosed," "manifested" (Romans 8:19)! It is this kind of love which will expose the hypocrites for what they really are. It is this kind of love which will separate the wheat from the tares. And it is only in tribulation that this love is truly revealed in all of its splendor and peerless beauty. In this, God's glory can find rest; in this the presence of God securely dwells.
"... tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance proven character, and proven character hope: and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us ..." (Romans 5:3-5)
PART 1: TRIBULATION REVEALS
WHAT IS ALREADY FORMED
INTRODUCTION
We have by now learned that we - as Christians, as the church of God - are going to go through the Tribulation. We now turn to deal with the following matters:
• God's purpose for us in the Tribulation.
• The Two Witnesses
TRIBULATION REVEALS WHAT IS ALREADY FORMED
IN US; IT DOES NOT ADD ANYTHING NEW TO US
Oswald Chambers once wrote, "We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save ourselves nor sanctify ourselves, God does that; but God will not give us good habits, He will not give us character, He will not make us walk aright. We have to do all that ourselves, we have to work out (i.e., develop) the salvation God has worked in (us) ..."
What Chambers was saying is that if we fail to take advantage of those opportunities now to "develop our salvation" [i.e., to bring it to maturity, to develop Christian character in ourselves, to have Christ's life actually worked out in us (Phil. 2:12)] then we will fail when a real crisis (test) finally comes.
Many of us, nonetheless, continue to think that if God gives the call, we will somehow or other rise to the occasion. We imagine that we will be OK; sadly, however, the crisis (test) will only reveal what has already been developed in our lives as Christian character - it will not add anything new into us. If we have not risen to the occasion before in the little things of life - we will surely fail when the real test comes. All that a crisis (test) does is reveal what we are already made of. If we have yielded to temptation and weakness before in the little things, we will yield to temptation and weakness in the big things. If we are not in God's will in the things that are nearest to us, when the crisis (test) comes, instead of being revealed as ready, we will be revealed as unready. A crisis reveals character that has already been formed - it does not in itself create new character.
The Bible says that someday our Christian character is going to be put to the test - that the time will come in all of our lives that pretense will have to yield to reality; when what we are really made out of will be dragged out into the open for all to see, and we will be revealed for what we really are. If we have not "practiced the presence of God" in our lives, if we have not learned to yield ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit, if we have not taken the time to study the Word of God and know for sure what it really is all about, if we have not been living a sanctified life in the circumstances that we are presently in, if we have not been instant in prayer in the little things, then the crisis (test) will reveal all that!
If you say now, "I have no time for prayer, I have no time 'to practice the presence of Christ', it's so impractical to yield to Christ in this or that business decision now - but when the time comes, I will do it," our answer to you, sadly, is "No you won't!"
Many people think of David as a man of faith, and that when he went out to face Goliath, he relied on that faith to get him through - and that certainly is true. But what so many Christians fail to see is that the faith David had was not a blind faith - it was a faith that had been well developed. His faith was a developed faith - and it was in the strength of that developed faith that he went out to face Goliath. David had developed his faith years before as a youth tending his father's sheep on the back side of the desert - out of the way where no one saw. He had tested it against a lion and a bear - and he had prevailed. When he finally met Goliath, then, he was simply walking in the way he had been moving all of his life. The path of faith he relied on when he faced Goliath was a well worn path - he knew it well. He was ready for Goliath. It was not blind faith that saw him through, it was developed faith. The story is recounted in First Samuel. The Bible says,
"And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying ... Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. (1 Sam. 17:26-51)
Let us, therefore, develop our faith now, while there is yet time - for soon our test will come, and our faith will be revealed for what it really is - either to honor or to dishonor:
For there is nothing hid, which shall
not be manifested; neither is any
thing kept secret, but that it
should come abroad. (Mark 4:22)
JUDGMENT
The word, "Judgment," conjures up fantasies of old, bent, black robed figures glowering down with solemn, pitiless faces from lofty heights; cavernous halls with high ceilings and polished marble floors; echoing footsteps and hushed whisperings. It is a word around which swirls vague feelings of sorrow and distress, dread and foreboding, alarm and fright. And always, there is about the word a gloomy and oppressive pallor; a dull, aching sense of impending doom.
The Scriptures anticipate a day of coming judgment - one that will make men's hearts stop beating in fear and their blood run cold with terror. The Bible refers to it over 150 times in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the Psalmist writes:
"... for He cometh [this Judge, who flies on the wings of the wind with fire in His eyes and darkness under His feet; whose pavilion round about Him is dark waters and thick clouds (Psalm 18:8-12)], for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with [pure] righteousness, and the people with [absolute] truth." (Psalm 96:13)
And in the New Testament, Paul exclaims:
"... He hath appointed a day in which He will judge the world..." (Acts 17:31).
In the vernacular, or common language of the people, this day of horror has been referred to as Judgment Day - and perhaps even more to the point, as Doomsday. Its anticipation has always struck fear in the hearts of men and women. Indeed, so great has been man's dread of Judgment Day that in the year 999 a paralyzing terror gripped all of Europe in anticipation of the turn of the Millennium. It was commonly believed by prince and peasant alike that Judgment Day was New Years Day, 1000 A.D. The ordinary cares of life were given up. The land was left untilled. Houses and buildings of every type were allowed to fall into disrepair. Throngs of common people slept in the porches and in the shadows of holy buildings and churches. Kings and emperors begged to be admitted to monasteries. A wild and uncontrollable dread and sense of foreboding seized the entire continent.
And make no mistakes about it, that same terror is still alive - lurking just beneath our Twentieth Century veneer of sophistication and science. It comes to us when we are alone - at night; it's in our music, our movies, our art. It is a phantom that defies the scientist's efforts to dislodge it, and the psychologist's attempts to explain it away.
JUDGMENT: THE ACT OF
DECLARING SOMETHING'S WORTH
But beyond our fears, beyond our foreboding, what does the word "judgment" really mean? Judgment is the act of DECLARING the worth of something, of ANNOUNCING its value. We do it every day, in countless ways. When we shop, we make judgments as to which foods are best for us, which coats are warmer for the winter, what car is best suited for our needs, where we should live, the house we should live in - all these decisions are or will be products of a judgment we have made or will make. And all these judgments [which have been manifested or DECLARED in our purchases] were preceded by some form or process of TESTING. True, the testing may have only occurred in our minds at a very rudimentary level, but it occurred nonetheless. The judgments or decisions [which is another word for judgment] that were made as to which products to purchase were the results of that testing. A JUDGMENT IS ALWAYS PRECEDED BY SOME FORM OF TESTING.
TRIBULATION
This brings us to the matter of the Tribulation. The word, "Tribulation," means test. It is derived from the Latin word, Tribulum, which means to press and subject to stress as in a test. But the word means more - it means to SEVERELY test, to press to the point of ANGUISH - much as a test pilot tests an experimental plane and presses it to its very limits of toleration.
The Roman word, Tribune, is also derived from the Latin word Tribulum. A Tribune in ancient Rome was a magistrate or judge appointed to hear civil and criminal proceedings. It is the word from which our modern English word, "Tribunal," is derived - which means a seat of judgment. In all these instances, the word Tribulum [from which, once again, the English word "Tribulation" is derived] had a legal sense attached to it. It meant [in the sense that is appropriate here] pressure and stress applied to an object in order to test it.
This is the exact sense that the translators of the King James version of the Bible were trying to convey when they translated the Greek word, Thlipsis, as Tribulation in Revelation 7:14. As with the Latin word, Tribulum, the Greek word, Thlipsis, means pressure and stress applied to an object for the purpose of testing.
It is this sense, then, of the word, "Tribulation," which the translators of the King James version of the Bible wished to convey to the readers - A TIME OF TESTING!! This is substantiated by Revelation 3:10 when Jesus referred to the Tribulation as "the hour of testing."
WITNESSES
It goes without saying that in any test the presence of witnesses is paramount. They are required to OBSERVE and RECORD the results of the test. These observations and recordings, carefully compiled and documented, are then used as the basis of later JUDGMENTS [or decisions].
In a criminal case in a court of law, the judgment of the judge is preceded by a test of the evidence which has been compiled against the accused. It is on the basis of this test that the judge will make his decision as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. The process is known as a trial - which really means test. Once again, throughout the entire proceeding, WITNESSES are called forth to give evidence as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. These witnesses are people who saw or who can give FIRSTHAND accounts [or TESTIMONY] as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. Hear-say or second and third-hand evidence [gossip] is not admissible as evidence. The witnesses can introduce into evidence only that which they saw on a FIRSTHAND basis. In other words, they had to be present themselves when the alleged crime was committed.
THE CHURCH IN THE TRIBULATION
The Tribulation, then, is humanity's trial, its test before its Maker - a time of great separation, disunion, division, and parting. And the Church will be a part of this immense process.
Oh, you're surprised that the Church will be a part of this process? Well, be assured, dear Christian, your salvation is secure - it is not in question! Nothing can pluck you out of the Father's hand. Paul writes:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35,38-39)
Why, then, is the Church to be a part of this process? If this process has nothing to do with our salvation, then why are we to be involved? The answer is twofold. The paramount reason is that the church is to be subpoenaed as a "witness" against this world and its present world-ruler or Kosmokrator - a subject which we will discuss at great length in the following sub-sections. There is, however, a second reason - one which is almost as important as the first, and one which is absolutely vital to the accomplishment of the first - for if the church is to testify against the world and the things of this world, it is necessary that it be shown to be not a part of the world - that it be once and for all separated from the world. And because of this separation (or "manifestation"), just and seeking men everywhere will be drawn to Christianity and the Lord Jesus Christ, producing even in such a time, the "Great Harvest of the Lamb. This is what all creation is waiting for. Paul writes:
"For [even the whole] creation ... waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons [the Church] to be made known - waits for the REVEALING, the DISCLOSURE of their sonship." (Romans 8:19, Zondervan, the Amplified Bible )
The King James version translates it in this way:
"For the earnest expectation of the ...[creation] waiteth for the MANIFESTATION of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)
And the NASB version translates it this way:
"For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the REVEALING of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)
In this Paul is saying that the whole universe is waiting for something to happen insofar as the Church is concerned. It is waiting for the church to be "REVEALED," "DISCLOSED," "MANIFESTED."
These are interesting words that Paul has chosen to use with regard to the Church. In a back-handed way, what Paul is really saying is that the Church has been hidden and obscured in this present dispensation [age].
What? But hasn't the Church always been with us? Can't we see it all about us? In the hundreds and thousands of church buildings that seem sometimes to all but surround us? In the proliferation of a now almost countless number of Christian TV and radio stations? In the new manifestation of Christian political power in such organizations as the Christian Coalition, the Traditional Values Coalition, Christian Voice, etc.
But do all these church buildings, all this Christian activity, all these people claiming to be Christian and born-again really represent the Church? If they do, then God help us. Was the Thirty Years War - which made the streets of Europe run red with blood four hundred years ago - really a Christian activity? What about the Inquisition? What about the bloody war that rages even now in Ireland in the name of the Church? What about the Papacy? What about Jim Jones and the Jonestown Suicides? What about all this?
Andrew Miller, the well-known and godly Church historian, wrote in the last century:
"We must always bear in mind when reading what is called a history of the Church, that from the days of the apostles until now, there have been TWO DISTINCT and widely different classes of persons in the professing Church: the merely nominal, and the real - the true, and the false. This was predicted: "For I know this," says the apostle, "that after my departure [death] shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20) His second Epistle [letter] to Timothy is also full of warnings ... as to the various forms of evil which were then but too plainly manifest ...
"... Some historians have not taken into account this sad mixture of evil vessels with the good - of true Christians and false. They have not themselves been spiritual-minded men. Hence they have rather made it their chief object to record the many unchristian and wicked ways of mere professors [those who said they were Christians, but were not]. They have dwelt at great length, and with great minuteness, on the heresies that have troubled the Church - on the abuses that have disgraced it. Much rather would we endeavor to trace, all down through the long dark pages of history, the SILVER LINE OF GOD'S GRACE IN TRUE CHRISTIANS; though at times the alloy so predominates that the pure ore is scarcely perceptible.
"[But] God has never left us without witness. He has had His loved and cherished, though HIDDEN ones, in all ages and in all places. No eye but His could see the seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed their knees to the image of Baal, in the days of Ahab and Jezebel. And tens of thousands, we doubt not, even from the darkest days of Christianity, will be found at last in the "Glorious Church," which Christ will present to Himself, on the long-looked-for day of His nuptial glory ..."
THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE
TARES: A PARABLE OF THE TRIBULATION
Jesus himself, speaking in a prophetic parable concerning this condition of the Church, said:
"The kingdom of heaven [the Church] may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
"But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.
"And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?
"And he said to them, An enemy has done this! And the slaves said to him, Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?
"But he said, No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them.
"Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn. "Then He left the multitudes, and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.
"And He answered and said, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
"And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
"Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. "And will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43)
Now in connection with the parable above, it is interesting to note how the harvest was carried out in the ancient world and how the wheat [the good seed] was separated from the tares and the chaff [the bad seed]. BOTH WERE HARVESTED TOGETHER! Then through a process of winnowing, the wheat was separated from the tares and the chaff. The process of winnowing was accomplished in this manner: first, the harvest was crushed and spread out on a large floor; then workers took shovels and threw the harvest into the air by the shovel-full. The tares and chaff, being lighter than the kernels of wheat, were blown away by the wind, usually into another bin, while the kernels of wheat, being heavier, fell again to the threshing floor. In this way the wheat was separated from the tares and the chaff. The chaff and tares, being good for nothing, were then gathered together and burned, while the wheat was gathered together, bundled and stored in the barn.
Now it is important to note in this process, that the wheat itself is not being tested at all. Wheat is wheat!! Tares are tares!! There is nothing in this process which is meant to test the quality of the wheat. Neither is there anything in this process that the wheat is supposed to do. The wheat is required to do nothing. Works are not involved!! The wheat needs to do only one thing - be what it is inherently - wheat. The process is a SEPARATING PROCESS. It is not a process of works. The purpose of the entire process is quite simple: to separate, and by separating to MANIFEST or DISCLOSE, or REVEAL (Romans 8:19) the wheat from the tares and the chaff.
PART 2: THE TRIBULATION AS A
WINNOWING OF GOD
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock be cut off from the fold, And there be no heard in the stalls - "YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION."
(Habakkuk 3:17-18)
INTRODUCTION
In a day when it has become so popular - even fashionable - to be referred to as "born-again" that political figures [whom the Bible calls the basest or lowest of people (Daniel 4:17)] refer to themselves as "born-again" to get votes, there certainly can be no doubt concerning this matter. Indeed, what can one say to all of this when even the owner of Hustler Magazine [one of the most notorious pornographic magazines in the country] refers to himself openly as "born-again."
Yes, there is a winnowing coming! John the Baptist, speaking prophetically, said of it:
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me [i.e., in the "end of days"] is mightier than I ...
"His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff [tares] with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:11-12)
And how will He accomplish this winnowing? By the Tribulation! The Tribulation is to be the great winnowing of God spoken of by John the Baptist! And what will this winnowing accomplish? A great separation between those who truly love Christ and those who merely claim to love Him, but whose hearts are far away. This is the EXACT context in which John uttered his prophecy:
"Then Jerusalem [i.e., the entire Jewish religious community], all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him [John]
"And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3:5-7)
John the Baptist was a forerunner, a precursor to Jesus. His work was a work of separation - to separate the hypocrite from the believer, the wheat from the chaff, the Pharisees and the Sadducees from those in Israel who genuinely longed for the Messiah. So also with Jesus in the work of the Tribulation - to which John specifically pointed in this prophecy.
The work of tribulation is first and foremost a SEPARATING work. Specifically, it separates those who merely profess Christianity from those who truly believe. This is important. The work of tribulation - in the first instance - is a work directed not at separating the atheist from the believer, or the idolater from those who worship the one true God [idolaters and atheists are people who obviously and openly are not Christians], or any other such thing; but rather it is a work SPECIFICALLY directed at separating those who claim to be Christian [out of convention or advantage] from those who truly are. And this is precisely the work of tribulation in the Parable of the Sower. Concerning those who accept Christianity and profess it superficially for material advantage, Jesus had this to say:
"But he who received the seed [Gospel] on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
"Yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when TRIBULATION or PERSECUTION arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles (other translations say "wither away")." (Matthew 13:20-21)
TRIBULATION: A WORK OF TRANSFORMATION
IN THE BELIEVER'S HEART
Yes, tribulation SEPARATES, but there is another more sublime work of tribulation; and this work of tribulation is not a separating work, but a purifying work directed not at the hypocrite, but at the believer. This work elevates, ennobles, glorifies, and transforms the believer. Paul says:
"... but we also EXULT in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; "And perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
"And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)
Indeed, tribulation is the gate through which all true believers must pass into the kingdom of heaven; transformation is impossible without it. The Bible says:
"And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
"Strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God'." (Acts 14:21-22)
And again, the Bible - speaking of those saints who through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit [during the Great Tribulation] have been translated to the very throne of God - says:
"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands ...
"Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?
"And I said to him, Sir, you know. So he said to me, THESE ARE THE ONES WHO COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9,13-14)
TRIBULATION: GOD'S WAY OF MANIFESTING
HIS GLORY IN THE SAINTS
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT, fearing God, and turning away from evil.
"Now there was a day when the sons of God [angles] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come'? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it'.
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT man, fearing God and turning away from evil'.
"Then Satan answered the Lord, 'Does Job fear God for nothing? [Why shouldn't he respect you since you take care of him so well?]
"'Hast Thou not made a hedge about him [haven't you put a wall around him to protect him from me?] and his house [his family] and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
"'But put forth Thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse Thee to Thy face'." [but take away the wall and let me at him, and he will hate you]
"The Lord said to Satan, 'BEHOLD, ALL THAT HE HAS IS IN YOUR POWER ...'" (Job 1:1, 6-12)
Why does God allow his servants to suffer? Why does God allow Satan access to them? Why does God allow tribulation to enter their lives? Many in today's Church, of course, deny that God does - but this is obviously not what the Scriptures say. But these same people would retort that God only allows suffering when there is sin - and, apparently, this is what Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, Job's, friends said about Job during his sufferings: that Job was suffering because there was "hidden sin" in Job's life, and that this was the only reason that God would allow such suffering in one of his servants. But God was greatly angered by such thinking:
"And it came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 'My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.
"'Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has'." (Job 42:7-8)
GOD'S PURPOSE IN TRIBULATION: TO MANIFEST
& DISPLAY HIS OWN GLORY IN THE SAINTS
GOD WAS GLORIFIED IN JOB!! Satan had said that Job loved God only because of the "things" God bestowed upon him. What a terrible thing to say. It is the curse of wealth. How does a rich man ever know that he is truly loved? The sad truth is, he doesn't so long as he retains his wealth. But should he lose it, then he will find out. Great crowds of people followed Jesus so long as he fed them and healed them of their diseases. But when tribulation arose because of the Word He spoke, the crowds disappeared. Oh, to be loved because of who you are, and not just because of the "things" you have! This is the love that God desires from those who follow Him. It is the love that Ruth gave to Naomi, and this even after Naomi had asked Ruth to depart from her because she [Naomi] had nothing further to give Ruth - she no longer possessed any "things" with which to "purchase" Ruth's love:
"But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.
"'Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me'." (Ruth 1:16-17)
The Lord is looking for such to follow Him - those that will follow after Him long after the "things" are gone, the crowds have left, the popularity faded; when the clothes are tattered and torn, there is no food on the table, and persecution rages all around. These are the disciples of Jesus - with such people one can repose trust and friendship, true love is here to be found!
These are the disciples who can say with the prophet Habakkuk:
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock be cut off from the fold, And there be no heard in the stalls –
"YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION." (Habakkuk 3:17-18)
It is in this kind of love that the TRUE Church will
be "revealed," "disclosed," "manifested" (Romans 8:19)! It is this kind of love which will expose the hypocrites for what they really are. It is this kind of love which will separate the wheat from the tares. And it is only in tribulation that this love is truly revealed in all of its splendor and peerless beauty. In this, God's glory can find rest; in this the presence of God securely dwells.
TRIBULATION & JUDGMENT
http://www.antipasministries.com/k3x8IwX92lMwOp64eqzC/chapter8a.htm
"... tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance proven character, and proven character hope: and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us ..." (Romans 5:3-5)
PART 1: TRIBULATION REVEALS
WHAT IS ALREADY FORMED
INTRODUCTION
We have by now learned that we - as Christians, as the church of God - are going to go through the Tribulation. We now turn to deal with the following matters:
• God's purpose for us in the Tribulation.
• The Two Witnesses
TRIBULATION REVEALS WHAT IS ALREADY FORMED
IN US; IT DOES NOT ADD ANYTHING NEW TO US
Oswald Chambers once wrote, "We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save ourselves nor sanctify ourselves, God does that; but God will not give us good habits, He will not give us character, He will not make us walk aright. We have to do all that ourselves, we have to work out (i.e., develop) the salvation God has worked in (us) ..."
What Chambers was saying is that if we fail to take advantage of those opportunities now to "develop our salvation" [i.e., to bring it to maturity, to develop Christian character in ourselves, to have Christ's life actually worked out in us (Phil. 2:12)] then we will fail when a real crisis (test) finally comes.
Many of us, nonetheless, continue to think that if God gives the call, we will somehow or other rise to the occasion. We imagine that we will be OK; sadly, however, the crisis (test) will only reveal what has already been developed in our lives as Christian character - it will not add anything new into us. If we have not risen to the occasion before in the little things of life - we will surely fail when the real test comes. All that a crisis (test) does is reveal what we are already made of. If we have yielded to temptation and weakness before in the little things, we will yield to temptation and weakness in the big things. If we are not in God's will in the things that are nearest to us, when the crisis (test) comes, instead of being revealed as ready, we will be revealed as unready. A crisis reveals character that has already been formed - it does not in itself create new character.
The Bible says that someday our Christian character is going to be put to the test - that the time will come in all of our lives that pretense will have to yield to reality; when what we are really made out of will be dragged out into the open for all to see, and we will be revealed for what we really are. If we have not "practiced the presence of God" in our lives, if we have not learned to yield ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit, if we have not taken the time to study the Word of God and know for sure what it really is all about, if we have not been living a sanctified life in the circumstances that we are presently in, if we have not been instant in prayer in the little things, then the crisis (test) will reveal all that!
If you say now, "I have no time for prayer, I have no time 'to practice the presence of Christ', it's so impractical to yield to Christ in this or that business decision now - but when the time comes, I will do it," our answer to you, sadly, is "No you won't!"
Many people think of David as a man of faith, and that when he went out to face Goliath, he relied on that faith to get him through - and that certainly is true. But what so many Christians fail to see is that the faith David had was not a blind faith - it was a faith that had been well developed. His faith was a developed faith - and it was in the strength of that developed faith that he went out to face Goliath. David had developed his faith years before as a youth tending his father's sheep on the back side of the desert - out of the way where no one saw. He had tested it against a lion and a bear - and he had prevailed. When he finally met Goliath, then, he was simply walking in the way he had been moving all of his life. The path of faith he relied on when he faced Goliath was a well worn path - he knew it well. He was ready for Goliath. It was not blind faith that saw him through, it was developed faith. The story is recounted in First Samuel. The Bible says,
"And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying ... Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. (1 Sam. 17:26-51)
Let us, therefore, develop our faith now, while there is yet time - for soon our test will come, and our faith will be revealed for what it really is - either to honor or to dishonor:
For there is nothing hid, which shall
not be manifested; neither is any
thing kept secret, but that it
should come abroad. (Mark 4:22)
JUDGMENT
The word, "Judgment," conjures up fantasies of old, bent, black robed figures glowering down with solemn, pitiless faces from lofty heights; cavernous halls with high ceilings and polished marble floors; echoing footsteps and hushed whisperings. It is a word around which swirls vague feelings of sorrow and distress, dread and foreboding, alarm and fright. And always, there is about the word a gloomy and oppressive pallor; a dull, aching sense of impending doom.
The Scriptures anticipate a day of coming judgment - one that will make men's hearts stop beating in fear and their blood run cold with terror. The Bible refers to it over 150 times in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the Psalmist writes:
"... for He cometh [this Judge, who flies on the wings of the wind with fire in His eyes and darkness under His feet; whose pavilion round about Him is dark waters and thick clouds (Psalm 18:8-12)], for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with [pure] righteousness, and the people with [absolute] truth." (Psalm 96:13)
And in the New Testament, Paul exclaims:
"... He hath appointed a day in which He will judge the world..." (Acts 17:31).
In the vernacular, or common language of the people, this day of horror has been referred to as Judgment Day - and perhaps even more to the point, as Doomsday. Its anticipation has always struck fear in the hearts of men and women. Indeed, so great has been man's dread of Judgment Day that in the year 999 a paralyzing terror gripped all of Europe in anticipation of the turn of the Millennium. It was commonly believed by prince and peasant alike that Judgment Day was New Years Day, 1000 A.D. The ordinary cares of life were given up. The land was left untilled. Houses and buildings of every type were allowed to fall into disrepair. Throngs of common people slept in the porches and in the shadows of holy buildings and churches. Kings and emperors begged to be admitted to monasteries. A wild and uncontrollable dread and sense of foreboding seized the entire continent.
And make no mistakes about it, that same terror is still alive - lurking just beneath our Twentieth Century veneer of sophistication and science. It comes to us when we are alone - at night; it's in our music, our movies, our art. It is a phantom that defies the scientist's efforts to dislodge it, and the psychologist's attempts to explain it away.
JUDGMENT: THE ACT OF
DECLARING SOMETHING'S WORTH
But beyond our fears, beyond our foreboding, what does the word "judgment" really mean? Judgment is the act of DECLARING the worth of something, of ANNOUNCING its value. We do it every day, in countless ways. When we shop, we make judgments as to which foods are best for us, which coats are warmer for the winter, what car is best suited for our needs, where we should live, the house we should live in - all these decisions are or will be products of a judgment we have made or will make. And all these judgments [which have been manifested or DECLARED in our purchases] were preceded by some form or process of TESTING. True, the testing may have only occurred in our minds at a very rudimentary level, but it occurred nonetheless. The judgments or decisions [which is another word for judgment] that were made as to which products to purchase were the results of that testing. A JUDGMENT IS ALWAYS PRECEDED BY SOME FORM OF TESTING.
TRIBULATION
This brings us to the matter of the Tribulation. The word, "Tribulation," means test. It is derived from the Latin word, Tribulum, which means to press and subject to stress as in a test. But the word means more - it means to SEVERELY test, to press to the point of ANGUISH - much as a test pilot tests an experimental plane and presses it to its very limits of toleration.
The Roman word, Tribune, is also derived from the Latin word Tribulum. A Tribune in ancient Rome was a magistrate or judge appointed to hear civil and criminal proceedings. It is the word from which our modern English word, "Tribunal," is derived - which means a seat of judgment. In all these instances, the word Tribulum [from which, once again, the English word "Tribulation" is derived] had a legal sense attached to it. It meant [in the sense that is appropriate here] pressure and stress applied to an object in order to test it.
This is the exact sense that the translators of the King James version of the Bible were trying to convey when they translated the Greek word, Thlipsis, as Tribulation in Revelation 7:14. As with the Latin word, Tribulum, the Greek word, Thlipsis, means pressure and stress applied to an object for the purpose of testing.
It is this sense, then, of the word, "Tribulation," which the translators of the King James version of the Bible wished to convey to the readers - A TIME OF TESTING!! This is substantiated by Revelation 3:10 when Jesus referred to the Tribulation as "the hour of testing."
WITNESSES
It goes without saying that in any test the presence of witnesses is paramount. They are required to OBSERVE and RECORD the results of the test. These observations and recordings, carefully compiled and documented, are then used as the basis of later JUDGMENTS [or decisions].
In a criminal case in a court of law, the judgment of the judge is preceded by a test of the evidence which has been compiled against the accused. It is on the basis of this test that the judge will make his decision as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. The process is known as a trial - which really means test. Once again, throughout the entire proceeding, WITNESSES are called forth to give evidence as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. These witnesses are people who saw or who can give FIRSTHAND accounts [or TESTIMONY] as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. Hear-say or second and third-hand evidence [gossip] is not admissible as evidence. The witnesses can introduce into evidence only that which they saw on a FIRSTHAND basis. In other words, they had to be present themselves when the alleged crime was committed.
THE CHURCH IN THE TRIBULATION
The Tribulation, then, is humanity's trial, its test before its Maker - a time of great separation, disunion, division, and parting. And the Church will be a part of this immense process.
Oh, you're surprised that the Church will be a part of this process? Well, be assured, dear Christian, your salvation is secure - it is not in question! Nothing can pluck you out of the Father's hand. Paul writes:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35,38-39)
Why, then, is the Church to be a part of this process? If this process has nothing to do with our salvation, then why are we to be involved? The answer is twofold. The paramount reason is that the church is to be subpoenaed as a "witness" against this world and its present world-ruler or Kosmokrator - a subject which we will discuss at great length in the following sub-sections. There is, however, a second reason - one which is almost as important as the first, and one which is absolutely vital to the accomplishment of the first - for if the church is to testify against the world and the things of this world, it is necessary that it be shown to be not a part of the world - that it be once and for all separated from the world. And because of this separation (or "manifestation"), just and seeking men everywhere will be drawn to Christianity and the Lord Jesus Christ, producing even in such a time, the "Great Harvest of the Lamb. This is what all creation is waiting for. Paul writes:
"For [even the whole] creation ... waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons [the Church] to be made known - waits for the REVEALING, the DISCLOSURE of their sonship." (Romans 8:19, Zondervan, the Amplified Bible )
The King James version translates it in this way:
"For the earnest expectation of the ...[creation] waiteth for the MANIFESTATION of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)
And the NASB version translates it this way:
"For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the REVEALING of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)
In this Paul is saying that the whole universe is waiting for something to happen insofar as the Church is concerned. It is waiting for the church to be "REVEALED," "DISCLOSED," "MANIFESTED."
These are interesting words that Paul has chosen to use with regard to the Church. In a back-handed way, what Paul is really saying is that the Church has been hidden and obscured in this present dispensation [age].
What? But hasn't the Church always been with us? Can't we see it all about us? In the hundreds and thousands of church buildings that seem sometimes to all but surround us? In the proliferation of a now almost countless number of Christian TV and radio stations? In the new manifestation of Christian political power in such organizations as the Christian Coalition, the Traditional Values Coalition, Christian Voice, etc.
But do all these church buildings, all this Christian activity, all these people claiming to be Christian and born-again really represent the Church? If they do, then God help us. Was the Thirty Years War - which made the streets of Europe run red with blood four hundred years ago - really a Christian activity? What about the Inquisition? What about the bloody war that rages even now in Ireland in the name of the Church? What about the Papacy? What about Jim Jones and the Jonestown Suicides? What about all this?
Andrew Miller, the well-known and godly Church historian, wrote in the last century:
"We must always bear in mind when reading what is called a history of the Church, that from the days of the apostles until now, there have been TWO DISTINCT and widely different classes of persons in the professing Church: the merely nominal, and the real - the true, and the false. This was predicted: "For I know this," says the apostle, "that after my departure [death] shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20) His second Epistle [letter] to Timothy is also full of warnings ... as to the various forms of evil which were then but too plainly manifest ...
"... Some historians have not taken into account this sad mixture of evil vessels with the good - of true Christians and false. They have not themselves been spiritual-minded men. Hence they have rather made it their chief object to record the many unchristian and wicked ways of mere professors [those who said they were Christians, but were not]. They have dwelt at great length, and with great minuteness, on the heresies that have troubled the Church - on the abuses that have disgraced it. Much rather would we endeavor to trace, all down through the long dark pages of history, the SILVER LINE OF GOD'S GRACE IN TRUE CHRISTIANS; though at times the alloy so predominates that the pure ore is scarcely perceptible.
"[But] God has never left us without witness. He has had His loved and cherished, though HIDDEN ones, in all ages and in all places. No eye but His could see the seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed their knees to the image of Baal, in the days of Ahab and Jezebel. And tens of thousands, we doubt not, even from the darkest days of Christianity, will be found at last in the "Glorious Church," which Christ will present to Himself, on the long-looked-for day of His nuptial glory ..."
THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE
TARES: A PARABLE OF THE TRIBULATION
Jesus himself, speaking in a prophetic parable concerning this condition of the Church, said:
"The kingdom of heaven [the Church] may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
"But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.
"And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?
"And he said to them, An enemy has done this! And the slaves said to him, Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?
"But he said, No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them.
"Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn. "Then He left the multitudes, and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.
"And He answered and said, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
"And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
"Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. "And will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43)
Now in connection with the parable above, it is interesting to note how the harvest was carried out in the ancient world and how the wheat [the good seed] was separated from the tares and the chaff [the bad seed]. BOTH WERE HARVESTED TOGETHER! Then through a process of winnowing, the wheat was separated from the tares and the chaff. The process of winnowing was accomplished in this manner: first, the harvest was crushed and spread out on a large floor; then workers took shovels and threw the harvest into the air by the shovel-full. The tares and chaff, being lighter than the kernels of wheat, were blown away by the wind, usually into another bin, while the kernels of wheat, being heavier, fell again to the threshing floor. In this way the wheat was separated from the tares and the chaff. The chaff and tares, being good for nothing, were then gathered together and burned, while the wheat was gathered together, bundled and stored in the barn.
Now it is important to note in this process, that the wheat itself is not being tested at all. Wheat is wheat!! Tares are tares!! There is nothing in this process which is meant to test the quality of the wheat. Neither is there anything in this process that the wheat is supposed to do. The wheat is required to do nothing. Works are not involved!! The wheat needs to do only one thing - be what it is inherently - wheat. The process is a SEPARATING PROCESS. It is not a process of works. The purpose of the entire process is quite simple: to separate, and by separating to MANIFEST or DISCLOSE, or REVEAL (Romans 8:19) the wheat from the tares and the chaff.
PART 2: THE TRIBULATION AS A
WINNOWING OF GOD
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock be cut off from the fold, And there be no heard in the stalls - "YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION."
(Habakkuk 3:17-18)
INTRODUCTION
In a day when it has become so popular - even fashionable - to be referred to as "born-again" that political figures [whom the Bible calls the basest or lowest of people (Daniel 4:17)] refer to themselves as "born-again" to get votes, there certainly can be no doubt concerning this matter. Indeed, what can one say to all of this when even the owner of Hustler Magazine [one of the most notorious pornographic magazines in the country] refers to himself openly as "born-again."
Yes, there is a winnowing coming! John the Baptist, speaking prophetically, said of it:
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me [i.e., in the "end of days"] is mightier than I ...
"His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff [tares] with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:11-12)
And how will He accomplish this winnowing? By the Tribulation! The Tribulation is to be the great winnowing of God spoken of by John the Baptist! And what will this winnowing accomplish? A great separation between those who truly love Christ and those who merely claim to love Him, but whose hearts are far away. This is the EXACT context in which John uttered his prophecy:
"Then Jerusalem [i.e., the entire Jewish religious community], all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him [John]
"And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3:5-7)
John the Baptist was a forerunner, a precursor to Jesus. His work was a work of separation - to separate the hypocrite from the believer, the wheat from the chaff, the Pharisees and the Sadducees from those in Israel who genuinely longed for the Messiah. So also with Jesus in the work of the Tribulation - to which John specifically pointed in this prophecy.
The work of tribulation is first and foremost a SEPARATING work. Specifically, it separates those who merely profess Christianity from those who truly believe. This is important. The work of tribulation - in the first instance - is a work directed not at separating the atheist from the believer, or the idolater from those who worship the one true God [idolaters and atheists are people who obviously and openly are not Christians], or any other such thing; but rather it is a work SPECIFICALLY directed at separating those who claim to be Christian [out of convention or advantage] from those who truly are. And this is precisely the work of tribulation in the Parable of the Sower. Concerning those who accept Christianity and profess it superficially for material advantage, Jesus had this to say:
"But he who received the seed [Gospel] on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
"Yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when TRIBULATION or PERSECUTION arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles (other translations say "wither away")." (Matthew 13:20-21)
TRIBULATION: A WORK OF TRANSFORMATION
IN THE BELIEVER'S HEART
Yes, tribulation SEPARATES, but there is another more sublime work of tribulation; and this work of tribulation is not a separating work, but a purifying work directed not at the hypocrite, but at the believer. This work elevates, ennobles, glorifies, and transforms the believer. Paul says:
"... but we also EXULT in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; "And perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
"And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)
Indeed, tribulation is the gate through which all true believers must pass into the kingdom of heaven; transformation is impossible without it. The Bible says:
"And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
"Strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God'." (Acts 14:21-22)
And again, the Bible - speaking of those saints who through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit [during the Great Tribulation] have been translated to the very throne of God - says:
"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands ...
"Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?
"And I said to him, Sir, you know. So he said to me, THESE ARE THE ONES WHO COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9,13-14)
TRIBULATION: GOD'S WAY OF MANIFESTING
HIS GLORY IN THE SAINTS
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT, fearing God, and turning away from evil.
"Now there was a day when the sons of God [angles] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come'? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it'.
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT man, fearing God and turning away from evil'.
"Then Satan answered the Lord, 'Does Job fear God for nothing? [Why shouldn't he respect you since you take care of him so well?]
"'Hast Thou not made a hedge about him [haven't you put a wall around him to protect him from me?] and his house [his family] and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
"'But put forth Thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse Thee to Thy face'." [but take away the wall and let me at him, and he will hate you]
"The Lord said to Satan, 'BEHOLD, ALL THAT HE HAS IS IN YOUR POWER ...'" (Job 1:1, 6-12)
Why does God allow his servants to suffer? Why does God allow Satan access to them? Why does God allow tribulation to enter their lives? Many in today's Church, of course, deny that God does - but this is obviously not what the Scriptures say. But these same people would retort that God only allows suffering when there is sin - and, apparently, this is what Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, Job's, friends said about Job during his sufferings: that Job was suffering because there was "hidden sin" in Job's life, and that this was the only reason that God would allow such suffering in one of his servants. But God was greatly angered by such thinking:
"And it came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 'My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.
"'Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has'." (Job 42:7-8)
GOD'S PURPOSE IN TRIBULATION: TO MANIFEST
& DISPLAY HIS OWN GLORY IN THE SAINTS
GOD WAS GLORIFIED IN JOB!! Satan had said that Job loved God only because of the "things" God bestowed upon him. What a terrible thing to say. It is the curse of wealth. How does a rich man ever know that he is truly loved? The sad truth is, he doesn't so long as he retains his wealth. But should he lose it, then he will find out. Great crowds of people followed Jesus so long as he fed them and healed them of their diseases. But when tribulation arose because of the Word He spoke, the crowds disappeared. Oh, to be loved because of who you are, and not just because of the "things" you have! This is the love that God desires from those who follow Him. It is the love that Ruth gave to Naomi, and this even after Naomi had asked Ruth to depart from her because she [Naomi] had nothing further to give Ruth - she no longer possessed any "things" with which to "purchase" Ruth's love:
"But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.
"'Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me'." (Ruth 1:16-17)
The Lord is looking for such to follow Him - those that will follow after Him long after the "things" are gone, the crowds have left, the popularity faded; when the clothes are tattered and torn, there is no food on the table, and persecution rages all around. These are the disciples of Jesus - with such people one can repose trust and friendship, true love is here to be found!
These are the disciples who can say with the prophet Habakkuk:
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock be cut off from the fold, And there be no heard in the stalls –
"YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION." (Habakkuk 3:17-18)
It is in this kind of love that the TRUE Church will be "revealed," "disclosed," "manifested" (Romans 8:19)! It is this kind of love which will expose the hypocrites for what they really are. It is this kind of love which will separate the wheat from the tares. And it is only in tribulation that this love is truly revealed in all of its splendor and peerless beauty. In this, God's glory can find rest; in this the presence of God securely dwells.
"... tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance proven character, and proven character hope: and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us ..." (Romans 5:3-5)
PART 1: TRIBULATION REVEALS
WHAT IS ALREADY FORMED
INTRODUCTION
We have by now learned that we - as Christians, as the church of God - are going to go through the Tribulation. We now turn to deal with the following matters:
• God's purpose for us in the Tribulation.
• The Two Witnesses
TRIBULATION REVEALS WHAT IS ALREADY FORMED
IN US; IT DOES NOT ADD ANYTHING NEW TO US
Oswald Chambers once wrote, "We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save ourselves nor sanctify ourselves, God does that; but God will not give us good habits, He will not give us character, He will not make us walk aright. We have to do all that ourselves, we have to work out (i.e., develop) the salvation God has worked in (us) ..."
What Chambers was saying is that if we fail to take advantage of those opportunities now to "develop our salvation" [i.e., to bring it to maturity, to develop Christian character in ourselves, to have Christ's life actually worked out in us (Phil. 2:12)] then we will fail when a real crisis (test) finally comes.
Many of us, nonetheless, continue to think that if God gives the call, we will somehow or other rise to the occasion. We imagine that we will be OK; sadly, however, the crisis (test) will only reveal what has already been developed in our lives as Christian character - it will not add anything new into us. If we have not risen to the occasion before in the little things of life - we will surely fail when the real test comes. All that a crisis (test) does is reveal what we are already made of. If we have yielded to temptation and weakness before in the little things, we will yield to temptation and weakness in the big things. If we are not in God's will in the things that are nearest to us, when the crisis (test) comes, instead of being revealed as ready, we will be revealed as unready. A crisis reveals character that has already been formed - it does not in itself create new character.
The Bible says that someday our Christian character is going to be put to the test - that the time will come in all of our lives that pretense will have to yield to reality; when what we are really made out of will be dragged out into the open for all to see, and we will be revealed for what we really are. If we have not "practiced the presence of God" in our lives, if we have not learned to yield ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit, if we have not taken the time to study the Word of God and know for sure what it really is all about, if we have not been living a sanctified life in the circumstances that we are presently in, if we have not been instant in prayer in the little things, then the crisis (test) will reveal all that!
If you say now, "I have no time for prayer, I have no time 'to practice the presence of Christ', it's so impractical to yield to Christ in this or that business decision now - but when the time comes, I will do it," our answer to you, sadly, is "No you won't!"
Many people think of David as a man of faith, and that when he went out to face Goliath, he relied on that faith to get him through - and that certainly is true. But what so many Christians fail to see is that the faith David had was not a blind faith - it was a faith that had been well developed. His faith was a developed faith - and it was in the strength of that developed faith that he went out to face Goliath. David had developed his faith years before as a youth tending his father's sheep on the back side of the desert - out of the way where no one saw. He had tested it against a lion and a bear - and he had prevailed. When he finally met Goliath, then, he was simply walking in the way he had been moving all of his life. The path of faith he relied on when he faced Goliath was a well worn path - he knew it well. He was ready for Goliath. It was not blind faith that saw him through, it was developed faith. The story is recounted in First Samuel. The Bible says,
"And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying ... Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. (1 Sam. 17:26-51)
Let us, therefore, develop our faith now, while there is yet time - for soon our test will come, and our faith will be revealed for what it really is - either to honor or to dishonor:
For there is nothing hid, which shall
not be manifested; neither is any
thing kept secret, but that it
should come abroad. (Mark 4:22)
JUDGMENT
The word, "Judgment," conjures up fantasies of old, bent, black robed figures glowering down with solemn, pitiless faces from lofty heights; cavernous halls with high ceilings and polished marble floors; echoing footsteps and hushed whisperings. It is a word around which swirls vague feelings of sorrow and distress, dread and foreboding, alarm and fright. And always, there is about the word a gloomy and oppressive pallor; a dull, aching sense of impending doom.
The Scriptures anticipate a day of coming judgment - one that will make men's hearts stop beating in fear and their blood run cold with terror. The Bible refers to it over 150 times in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the Psalmist writes:
"... for He cometh [this Judge, who flies on the wings of the wind with fire in His eyes and darkness under His feet; whose pavilion round about Him is dark waters and thick clouds (Psalm 18:8-12)], for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with [pure] righteousness, and the people with [absolute] truth." (Psalm 96:13)
And in the New Testament, Paul exclaims:
"... He hath appointed a day in which He will judge the world..." (Acts 17:31).
In the vernacular, or common language of the people, this day of horror has been referred to as Judgment Day - and perhaps even more to the point, as Doomsday. Its anticipation has always struck fear in the hearts of men and women. Indeed, so great has been man's dread of Judgment Day that in the year 999 a paralyzing terror gripped all of Europe in anticipation of the turn of the Millennium. It was commonly believed by prince and peasant alike that Judgment Day was New Years Day, 1000 A.D. The ordinary cares of life were given up. The land was left untilled. Houses and buildings of every type were allowed to fall into disrepair. Throngs of common people slept in the porches and in the shadows of holy buildings and churches. Kings and emperors begged to be admitted to monasteries. A wild and uncontrollable dread and sense of foreboding seized the entire continent.
And make no mistakes about it, that same terror is still alive - lurking just beneath our Twentieth Century veneer of sophistication and science. It comes to us when we are alone - at night; it's in our music, our movies, our art. It is a phantom that defies the scientist's efforts to dislodge it, and the psychologist's attempts to explain it away.
JUDGMENT: THE ACT OF
DECLARING SOMETHING'S WORTH
But beyond our fears, beyond our foreboding, what does the word "judgment" really mean? Judgment is the act of DECLARING the worth of something, of ANNOUNCING its value. We do it every day, in countless ways. When we shop, we make judgments as to which foods are best for us, which coats are warmer for the winter, what car is best suited for our needs, where we should live, the house we should live in - all these decisions are or will be products of a judgment we have made or will make. And all these judgments [which have been manifested or DECLARED in our purchases] were preceded by some form or process of TESTING. True, the testing may have only occurred in our minds at a very rudimentary level, but it occurred nonetheless. The judgments or decisions [which is another word for judgment] that were made as to which products to purchase were the results of that testing. A JUDGMENT IS ALWAYS PRECEDED BY SOME FORM OF TESTING.
TRIBULATION
This brings us to the matter of the Tribulation. The word, "Tribulation," means test. It is derived from the Latin word, Tribulum, which means to press and subject to stress as in a test. But the word means more - it means to SEVERELY test, to press to the point of ANGUISH - much as a test pilot tests an experimental plane and presses it to its very limits of toleration.
The Roman word, Tribune, is also derived from the Latin word Tribulum. A Tribune in ancient Rome was a magistrate or judge appointed to hear civil and criminal proceedings. It is the word from which our modern English word, "Tribunal," is derived - which means a seat of judgment. In all these instances, the word Tribulum [from which, once again, the English word "Tribulation" is derived] had a legal sense attached to it. It meant [in the sense that is appropriate here] pressure and stress applied to an object in order to test it.
This is the exact sense that the translators of the King James version of the Bible were trying to convey when they translated the Greek word, Thlipsis, as Tribulation in Revelation 7:14. As with the Latin word, Tribulum, the Greek word, Thlipsis, means pressure and stress applied to an object for the purpose of testing.
It is this sense, then, of the word, "Tribulation," which the translators of the King James version of the Bible wished to convey to the readers - A TIME OF TESTING!! This is substantiated by Revelation 3:10 when Jesus referred to the Tribulation as "the hour of testing."
WITNESSES
It goes without saying that in any test the presence of witnesses is paramount. They are required to OBSERVE and RECORD the results of the test. These observations and recordings, carefully compiled and documented, are then used as the basis of later JUDGMENTS [or decisions].
In a criminal case in a court of law, the judgment of the judge is preceded by a test of the evidence which has been compiled against the accused. It is on the basis of this test that the judge will make his decision as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. The process is known as a trial - which really means test. Once again, throughout the entire proceeding, WITNESSES are called forth to give evidence as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. These witnesses are people who saw or who can give FIRSTHAND accounts [or TESTIMONY] as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. Hear-say or second and third-hand evidence [gossip] is not admissible as evidence. The witnesses can introduce into evidence only that which they saw on a FIRSTHAND basis. In other words, they had to be present themselves when the alleged crime was committed.
THE CHURCH IN THE TRIBULATION
The Tribulation, then, is humanity's trial, its test before its Maker - a time of great separation, disunion, division, and parting. And the Church will be a part of this immense process.
Oh, you're surprised that the Church will be a part of this process? Well, be assured, dear Christian, your salvation is secure - it is not in question! Nothing can pluck you out of the Father's hand. Paul writes:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35,38-39)
Why, then, is the Church to be a part of this process? If this process has nothing to do with our salvation, then why are we to be involved? The answer is twofold. The paramount reason is that the church is to be subpoenaed as a "witness" against this world and its present world-ruler or Kosmokrator - a subject which we will discuss at great length in the following sub-sections. There is, however, a second reason - one which is almost as important as the first, and one which is absolutely vital to the accomplishment of the first - for if the church is to testify against the world and the things of this world, it is necessary that it be shown to be not a part of the world - that it be once and for all separated from the world. And because of this separation (or "manifestation"), just and seeking men everywhere will be drawn to Christianity and the Lord Jesus Christ, producing even in such a time, the "Great Harvest of the Lamb. This is what all creation is waiting for. Paul writes:
"For [even the whole] creation ... waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons [the Church] to be made known - waits for the REVEALING, the DISCLOSURE of their sonship." (Romans 8:19, Zondervan, the Amplified Bible )
The King James version translates it in this way:
"For the earnest expectation of the ...[creation] waiteth for the MANIFESTATION of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)
And the NASB version translates it this way:
"For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the REVEALING of the sons of God." (Romans 8:19)
In this Paul is saying that the whole universe is waiting for something to happen insofar as the Church is concerned. It is waiting for the church to be "REVEALED," "DISCLOSED," "MANIFESTED."
These are interesting words that Paul has chosen to use with regard to the Church. In a back-handed way, what Paul is really saying is that the Church has been hidden and obscured in this present dispensation [age].
What? But hasn't the Church always been with us? Can't we see it all about us? In the hundreds and thousands of church buildings that seem sometimes to all but surround us? In the proliferation of a now almost countless number of Christian TV and radio stations? In the new manifestation of Christian political power in such organizations as the Christian Coalition, the Traditional Values Coalition, Christian Voice, etc.
But do all these church buildings, all this Christian activity, all these people claiming to be Christian and born-again really represent the Church? If they do, then God help us. Was the Thirty Years War - which made the streets of Europe run red with blood four hundred years ago - really a Christian activity? What about the Inquisition? What about the bloody war that rages even now in Ireland in the name of the Church? What about the Papacy? What about Jim Jones and the Jonestown Suicides? What about all this?
Andrew Miller, the well-known and godly Church historian, wrote in the last century:
"We must always bear in mind when reading what is called a history of the Church, that from the days of the apostles until now, there have been TWO DISTINCT and widely different classes of persons in the professing Church: the merely nominal, and the real - the true, and the false. This was predicted: "For I know this," says the apostle, "that after my departure [death] shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20) His second Epistle [letter] to Timothy is also full of warnings ... as to the various forms of evil which were then but too plainly manifest ...
"... Some historians have not taken into account this sad mixture of evil vessels with the good - of true Christians and false. They have not themselves been spiritual-minded men. Hence they have rather made it their chief object to record the many unchristian and wicked ways of mere professors [those who said they were Christians, but were not]. They have dwelt at great length, and with great minuteness, on the heresies that have troubled the Church - on the abuses that have disgraced it. Much rather would we endeavor to trace, all down through the long dark pages of history, the SILVER LINE OF GOD'S GRACE IN TRUE CHRISTIANS; though at times the alloy so predominates that the pure ore is scarcely perceptible.
"[But] God has never left us without witness. He has had His loved and cherished, though HIDDEN ones, in all ages and in all places. No eye but His could see the seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed their knees to the image of Baal, in the days of Ahab and Jezebel. And tens of thousands, we doubt not, even from the darkest days of Christianity, will be found at last in the "Glorious Church," which Christ will present to Himself, on the long-looked-for day of His nuptial glory ..."
THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE
TARES: A PARABLE OF THE TRIBULATION
Jesus himself, speaking in a prophetic parable concerning this condition of the Church, said:
"The kingdom of heaven [the Church] may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
"But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.
"And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?
"And he said to them, An enemy has done this! And the slaves said to him, Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?
"But he said, No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them.
"Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn. "Then He left the multitudes, and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.
"And He answered and said, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
"And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
"Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. "And will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43)
Now in connection with the parable above, it is interesting to note how the harvest was carried out in the ancient world and how the wheat [the good seed] was separated from the tares and the chaff [the bad seed]. BOTH WERE HARVESTED TOGETHER! Then through a process of winnowing, the wheat was separated from the tares and the chaff. The process of winnowing was accomplished in this manner: first, the harvest was crushed and spread out on a large floor; then workers took shovels and threw the harvest into the air by the shovel-full. The tares and chaff, being lighter than the kernels of wheat, were blown away by the wind, usually into another bin, while the kernels of wheat, being heavier, fell again to the threshing floor. In this way the wheat was separated from the tares and the chaff. The chaff and tares, being good for nothing, were then gathered together and burned, while the wheat was gathered together, bundled and stored in the barn.
Now it is important to note in this process, that the wheat itself is not being tested at all. Wheat is wheat!! Tares are tares!! There is nothing in this process which is meant to test the quality of the wheat. Neither is there anything in this process that the wheat is supposed to do. The wheat is required to do nothing. Works are not involved!! The wheat needs to do only one thing - be what it is inherently - wheat. The process is a SEPARATING PROCESS. It is not a process of works. The purpose of the entire process is quite simple: to separate, and by separating to MANIFEST or DISCLOSE, or REVEAL (Romans 8:19) the wheat from the tares and the chaff.
PART 2: THE TRIBULATION AS A
WINNOWING OF GOD
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock be cut off from the fold, And there be no heard in the stalls - "YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION."
(Habakkuk 3:17-18)
INTRODUCTION
In a day when it has become so popular - even fashionable - to be referred to as "born-again" that political figures [whom the Bible calls the basest or lowest of people (Daniel 4:17)] refer to themselves as "born-again" to get votes, there certainly can be no doubt concerning this matter. Indeed, what can one say to all of this when even the owner of Hustler Magazine [one of the most notorious pornographic magazines in the country] refers to himself openly as "born-again."
Yes, there is a winnowing coming! John the Baptist, speaking prophetically, said of it:
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me [i.e., in the "end of days"] is mightier than I ...
"His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff [tares] with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:11-12)
And how will He accomplish this winnowing? By the Tribulation! The Tribulation is to be the great winnowing of God spoken of by John the Baptist! And what will this winnowing accomplish? A great separation between those who truly love Christ and those who merely claim to love Him, but whose hearts are far away. This is the EXACT context in which John uttered his prophecy:
"Then Jerusalem [i.e., the entire Jewish religious community], all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him [John]
"And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3:5-7)
John the Baptist was a forerunner, a precursor to Jesus. His work was a work of separation - to separate the hypocrite from the believer, the wheat from the chaff, the Pharisees and the Sadducees from those in Israel who genuinely longed for the Messiah. So also with Jesus in the work of the Tribulation - to which John specifically pointed in this prophecy.
The work of tribulation is first and foremost a SEPARATING work. Specifically, it separates those who merely profess Christianity from those who truly believe. This is important. The work of tribulation - in the first instance - is a work directed not at separating the atheist from the believer, or the idolater from those who worship the one true God [idolaters and atheists are people who obviously and openly are not Christians], or any other such thing; but rather it is a work SPECIFICALLY directed at separating those who claim to be Christian [out of convention or advantage] from those who truly are. And this is precisely the work of tribulation in the Parable of the Sower. Concerning those who accept Christianity and profess it superficially for material advantage, Jesus had this to say:
"But he who received the seed [Gospel] on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
"Yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when TRIBULATION or PERSECUTION arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles (other translations say "wither away")." (Matthew 13:20-21)
TRIBULATION: A WORK OF TRANSFORMATION
IN THE BELIEVER'S HEART
Yes, tribulation SEPARATES, but there is another more sublime work of tribulation; and this work of tribulation is not a separating work, but a purifying work directed not at the hypocrite, but at the believer. This work elevates, ennobles, glorifies, and transforms the believer. Paul says:
"... but we also EXULT in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; "And perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
"And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)
Indeed, tribulation is the gate through which all true believers must pass into the kingdom of heaven; transformation is impossible without it. The Bible says:
"And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
"Strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God'." (Acts 14:21-22)
And again, the Bible - speaking of those saints who through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit [during the Great Tribulation] have been translated to the very throne of God - says:
"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands ...
"Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?
"And I said to him, Sir, you know. So he said to me, THESE ARE THE ONES WHO COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9,13-14)
TRIBULATION: GOD'S WAY OF MANIFESTING
HIS GLORY IN THE SAINTS
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT, fearing God, and turning away from evil.
"Now there was a day when the sons of God [angles] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come'? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it'.
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a BLAMELESS, UPRIGHT man, fearing God and turning away from evil'.
"Then Satan answered the Lord, 'Does Job fear God for nothing? [Why shouldn't he respect you since you take care of him so well?]
"'Hast Thou not made a hedge about him [haven't you put a wall around him to protect him from me?] and his house [his family] and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
"'But put forth Thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse Thee to Thy face'." [but take away the wall and let me at him, and he will hate you]
"The Lord said to Satan, 'BEHOLD, ALL THAT HE HAS IS IN YOUR POWER ...'" (Job 1:1, 6-12)
Why does God allow his servants to suffer? Why does God allow Satan access to them? Why does God allow tribulation to enter their lives? Many in today's Church, of course, deny that God does - but this is obviously not what the Scriptures say. But these same people would retort that God only allows suffering when there is sin - and, apparently, this is what Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, Job's, friends said about Job during his sufferings: that Job was suffering because there was "hidden sin" in Job's life, and that this was the only reason that God would allow such suffering in one of his servants. But God was greatly angered by such thinking:
"And it came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 'My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.
"'Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so that I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has'." (Job 42:7-8)
GOD'S PURPOSE IN TRIBULATION: TO MANIFEST
& DISPLAY HIS OWN GLORY IN THE SAINTS
GOD WAS GLORIFIED IN JOB!! Satan had said that Job loved God only because of the "things" God bestowed upon him. What a terrible thing to say. It is the curse of wealth. How does a rich man ever know that he is truly loved? The sad truth is, he doesn't so long as he retains his wealth. But should he lose it, then he will find out. Great crowds of people followed Jesus so long as he fed them and healed them of their diseases. But when tribulation arose because of the Word He spoke, the crowds disappeared. Oh, to be loved because of who you are, and not just because of the "things" you have! This is the love that God desires from those who follow Him. It is the love that Ruth gave to Naomi, and this even after Naomi had asked Ruth to depart from her because she [Naomi] had nothing further to give Ruth - she no longer possessed any "things" with which to "purchase" Ruth's love:
"But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.
"'Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me'." (Ruth 1:16-17)
The Lord is looking for such to follow Him - those that will follow after Him long after the "things" are gone, the crowds have left, the popularity faded; when the clothes are tattered and torn, there is no food on the table, and persecution rages all around. These are the disciples of Jesus - with such people one can repose trust and friendship, true love is here to be found!
These are the disciples who can say with the prophet Habakkuk:
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock be cut off from the fold, And there be no heard in the stalls –
"YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION." (Habakkuk 3:17-18)
It is in this kind of love that the TRUE Church will
be "revealed," "disclosed," "manifested" (Romans 8:19)! It is this kind of love which will expose the hypocrites for what they really are. It is this kind of love which will separate the wheat from the tares. And it is only in tribulation that this love is truly revealed in all of its splendor and peerless beauty. In this, God's glory can find rest; in this the presence of God securely dwells.
Monday, 21 September 2009
MIKE DESARIO'S END TIME SERIES: Fatal Mistakes
Fatal Mistakes
http://www.standingthegap.org/Mistakes.htm
The Biggest mistake you could make is thinking you are bound for heaven when you die, while in reality the wrath of God is abiding on your head. Most people are under the assumption that God will welcome them into His Kingdom at death because they have acknowledged His Name. But they are sadly mistaken.
The worst possible situation you could be in is self-deception. You are hearing God’s Word but NEVER putting it into practice! (Lk8:21) Thus faith, in your mind is something vague and mysterious, not based on the Solid foundation of ‘Keeping His Commandments!’ (Jh14:15) You are under the false impression that God has forgiven your sins while you CONTINUE to enjoy them! (Rom6:1, 15)
Grace therefore gives you permission to keep on sinning, although you may not be a complete reprobate, inwardly your conscience is defiled by the corruption of lust. Putting to death the misdeeds of the body is something FAR from your mind. Yet this alone is the fundamental principle of the Gospel message.
Regardless what is preached as the ‘truth’ at your local church, THIS is what the Bible has declared! (2Tim2:19, 1Jh2:16-17) Yours is to believe it or reject it, but know that the consequences are eternal.
Jesus said, "Blessed are the Pure of heart for they shall see God!" Matt5:8
(You can be certain that NO ONE else will. ONLY those Purified from the inward & outward defilement of sin by His Grace will inherit the Kingdom.)
"The PURPOSE of the Commandment is love from a Pure heart, from a good conscience, from sincere faith!" 1Tim1:5
Grace is NOT an excuse to keep on sinning, or a cloak for ‘inward’ defilement. The entire Purpose of salvation by Grace is to REMOVE the inward corruption of selfishness from your heart! But unless you put to death the deeds of body by the Spirit, you will die & go to hell. (Rom8:13, Gal5:24)
Listen to the Prophet: "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from ALL your filthiness & double-minded ways! I will give you a NEW heart and put My Spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put MY Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My Statues & KEEP My Commandments!" Ezk36:25-28
This happens by GRACE through FAITH, BUT it MUST occur in reality within your heart or heaven will NEVER be your final destination.
If you continue in a life of selfish ambition, seeking after the things of the world and taking pleasure in your sins, your faith will be in Vain. You may indeed ‘believe’, but the ‘devils believe!’ (Js2:19) NO ONE becomes a new creation in Christ without FIRST dying to Self.
"Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone, but if it dies it produces much grain. He who loves his life will LOSE it and he who hates his life in this world will find it for eternal life." Jh12:24-25
COUNT on it. Jesus has declared the truth of entering into life eternal. IF you continue to live according to the flesh you will DIE & go to hell. BUT if by the Spirit of God you put to death the deeds of the body you will live, eternally! Rom8:13
This is the grand difference between you and the devils. YOU have a choice and the means by which to lay aside the carnal mind that will destroy you! (Rom8:6) By ‘Crucifying’ the flesh with it’s passions & desires and walking in Newness of life. But this requires effort.
The BIGGEST mistake you could make at this point is being assured by the false teachers that you are a child of God while you remain in bondage to the inward corruption of sin. NOTHING could be further from the truth. Grace WILL NOT accommodate your sin or make up for your lack of Obedience to the faith. You may cling to a false notion that your ‘faith’ is genuine, but if you CONTINUE in your deception know that your conscience will soon be hardened by sin. (Heb3:12-14)
It doesn’t matter what your pastor has to say. Examine the Scriptures! "Come let us REASON together!" says the Lord. If your soul is Void of inward Purity and a Steadfast enduring faith, you will NOT go to heaven when you die. (Rom2:7-8 is how you inherit life eternal)
The works of the flesh are obvious, Gal5:19-21, they include: adultery, fornication (real or imagined) uncleanness, indecent behavior, idolatry, lack of Self-Control! Hatred, selfish ambition, envy, murder, drunkenness and the like. READ what the passage has to say about these things: "THOSE who DO such things WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God!"
EVIDENCE of the New Birth is FRUIT that Remains! (Jh15:16) The OPPOSITE of Selfishness. Gal5:22-23: "Love, Joy, Peace, Endurance, Self-Control, Kindness, Meekness & Faithfulness!"
Are these evident in you? Are you DAILY denying yourself, walking in love toward your fellow man, meek, kind, your inner passions under Control of the Spirit? THIS is the HOPE of eternal life! (Rom8:16)
If Newness of Life is not actively at work in your heart transforming you from glory to glory and putting to death the inward corruption of your flesh, you are NOT a child of God. (Rom8:9) You Cannot blend Darkness with Light, Purity with impurity. If Christ is in you, HIS IMAGE and likeness are Evident in your behavior. It doesn’t matter what your preacher says, ‘Carnal Christianity’ is a MYTH! Christ is NOT a minister of sin. When you Die to Self, in HIM, you have your FRUIT to holiness and the END thereof is EVERLASTING LIFE! Rom6:22
Stop believing a lie and enter into the True Vine.
Everybody's Saved!
http://www.standingthegap.org/THINK.htm
Jesus said, "ONLY A FEW would find eternal life!" Matt7:13-14 But you don't believe that, do you? You claim salvation in His name while STILL in bondage to your sins! You've NEVER Obeyed God's Word, Denied yourself or taken up your cross to Follow Him.
The reason is that ANYONE can 'accept' Jesus as their personal savior, as you have done, for forgiveness of sins. BUT FEW will ever OBEY HIM!
And since it by OBEDIENCE the heart is made PURE before God, (1Pet1:22) you are still in your sins, lost and deceived! 'Hearing' the Word, but NEVER DOING it. With a Form of godliness without Power to deny sin. Js1:22, Titus1:16
The PURPOSE of the Commandant is Love from a PURE heart from a good conscience & from sincere faith! 1Tim1:5 If your heart is not PURE you are NOT in Christ. Knowing about Jesus is not enough. The devils 'know' and tremble! Js2:19
The ONLY way you can KNOW for sure you are saved in Christ is by OBEDIENCE to the Faith. Jesus said, "IF you love ME, KEEP My commandants!" John14:15
It is the Heart that MUST be changed! "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries & immoral behavior!" Matt15:19
"From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks!" Matt13:34 People draw near to God with their mouths, BUT their hearts are FAR away! Mark7:9
You cannot live a Worldly, Carnal lifestyle and go to heaven in the end.
Church attendance to sooth a guilty conscience is another vain attempt at true salvation. MOST people are LOST even though they 'BELIEVE' on Jesus!
WHY?
Because they have NEVER Obeyed Him! You can convince anyone their sins are forgiven in Christ by repeating a prayer, BUT tell them they MUST surrender everything they own & everything they are to Jesus and continue to DO SO to remain saved, and you will have FEW real converts to Christ. (Matt10:24-28)
Do you profess to be a Christian, attend church & do nice things for others but STILL cling to a Worldly lifestyle? SELF is still at the center of your being. You're convinced that being a Christian is a profession of faith NOT a transformation of conduct.
When's the last time you confronted anyone with the truth of God? Not the watered-down, accept Jesus, come to church message, but really got down to the nitty gritty of repentance, faith, obedience, holiness? DO YOU EVEN CARE? It's rare to find anyone whose willing to OBEY God at all cost. Or even open enough to discuss it without making excuses for sin.
Most people THINK they are saved and get very perturbed when someone asks them to produce EVIDENCE of their salvation. YET this is what scripture demands, 2Cor13:5
"Examine yourself as to whether you are in the faith, PROVE yourself! Do you not know that Jesus is in you, unless you fail to pass the test!"
When's the last time you heard a preacher tell you to examine your faith to see if it's real? Probably NEVER, because if he did it on a regular bases you wouldn't attend his church! You want someone to give you assurance that Christ died for your sins and you're saved no matter what you do! Isn't that the essence of the message they preach? By grace you are saved through faith, not of yourself, it a gift of God!
But what is FAITH? You have no idea! You hope it's something vague, mysterious, a supernatural force not of yourself that God imparts to those who will acknowledge His Son.
But Real Faith is simply OBEDIENCE to God. Nothing more & nothing less. "By faith people obeyed God when He called them!" Heb11:8, 11,23
"God rewards those who diligently seek Him by faith!" Heb11:6
By FAITH the heart is made PURE. By Faith you can have Victory over sin. By faith you can walk in Newness of Life! ALL dependant on your willingness to OBEY God, take that step forward and endure to the end. 1Pet1:22, 1John5:4, Rom6:4,17, Matt10:22
Living for yourself, in worldly pursuits, lusting for the things of this life is NOT Faith in God. If you have Lust in your heart you have NOT 'believed' on Jesus. Stop kidding yourself. Either Jesus came to deliver you from the corrupting influence of sin by the Power of His Grace, or the Bible is in error! Grace is NOT an accommodation to sin (Rom6:1,15)
The Bible defines Grace as God's Power to deliver you FROM sin! Titus2:11
"For the Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, training us to deny ungodliness & worldly lust and live soberly & righteously & godly in this present age!"
2Pet1:4 "We have been given exceeding great and precious promises that through these we may become partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust!"
Titus3:7 "Having been justified by His Grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (No guarantees here conditional on your obedience!)
Is that your HOPE? Living by His Power in this crooked, perverse generation as a shining light testifying of His Power to Break the bondage of sin & lust in your heart!
Or would you rather just go on trying to get by, thinking you are saved by faith while your heart is in love with the world and your flesh is bound by lust? Religious deception is common among professing Christians. You may be comfortable in your church, safe & secure under 'grace', but unless you Actively OBEY God NOW, your 'faith' is in vain! 1Cor15:2
"More blessed are those who hear the Word of God and KEEP IT!" Luke11:28
"Blessed are the PURE at heart, for they shall see God." Matt5:8
Contact: Mike DeSario, mike@antiosas.org
2172 Marhofer Ave, Stow, Ohio 44224
330-945-6700
http://www.standingthegap.org/Mistakes.htm
The Biggest mistake you could make is thinking you are bound for heaven when you die, while in reality the wrath of God is abiding on your head. Most people are under the assumption that God will welcome them into His Kingdom at death because they have acknowledged His Name. But they are sadly mistaken.
The worst possible situation you could be in is self-deception. You are hearing God’s Word but NEVER putting it into practice! (Lk8:21) Thus faith, in your mind is something vague and mysterious, not based on the Solid foundation of ‘Keeping His Commandments!’ (Jh14:15) You are under the false impression that God has forgiven your sins while you CONTINUE to enjoy them! (Rom6:1, 15)
Grace therefore gives you permission to keep on sinning, although you may not be a complete reprobate, inwardly your conscience is defiled by the corruption of lust. Putting to death the misdeeds of the body is something FAR from your mind. Yet this alone is the fundamental principle of the Gospel message.
Regardless what is preached as the ‘truth’ at your local church, THIS is what the Bible has declared! (2Tim2:19, 1Jh2:16-17) Yours is to believe it or reject it, but know that the consequences are eternal.
Jesus said, "Blessed are the Pure of heart for they shall see God!" Matt5:8
(You can be certain that NO ONE else will. ONLY those Purified from the inward & outward defilement of sin by His Grace will inherit the Kingdom.)
"The PURPOSE of the Commandment is love from a Pure heart, from a good conscience, from sincere faith!" 1Tim1:5
Grace is NOT an excuse to keep on sinning, or a cloak for ‘inward’ defilement. The entire Purpose of salvation by Grace is to REMOVE the inward corruption of selfishness from your heart! But unless you put to death the deeds of body by the Spirit, you will die & go to hell. (Rom8:13, Gal5:24)
Listen to the Prophet: "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from ALL your filthiness & double-minded ways! I will give you a NEW heart and put My Spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put MY Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My Statues & KEEP My Commandments!" Ezk36:25-28
This happens by GRACE through FAITH, BUT it MUST occur in reality within your heart or heaven will NEVER be your final destination.
If you continue in a life of selfish ambition, seeking after the things of the world and taking pleasure in your sins, your faith will be in Vain. You may indeed ‘believe’, but the ‘devils believe!’ (Js2:19) NO ONE becomes a new creation in Christ without FIRST dying to Self.
"Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone, but if it dies it produces much grain. He who loves his life will LOSE it and he who hates his life in this world will find it for eternal life." Jh12:24-25
COUNT on it. Jesus has declared the truth of entering into life eternal. IF you continue to live according to the flesh you will DIE & go to hell. BUT if by the Spirit of God you put to death the deeds of the body you will live, eternally! Rom8:13
This is the grand difference between you and the devils. YOU have a choice and the means by which to lay aside the carnal mind that will destroy you! (Rom8:6) By ‘Crucifying’ the flesh with it’s passions & desires and walking in Newness of life. But this requires effort.
The BIGGEST mistake you could make at this point is being assured by the false teachers that you are a child of God while you remain in bondage to the inward corruption of sin. NOTHING could be further from the truth. Grace WILL NOT accommodate your sin or make up for your lack of Obedience to the faith. You may cling to a false notion that your ‘faith’ is genuine, but if you CONTINUE in your deception know that your conscience will soon be hardened by sin. (Heb3:12-14)
It doesn’t matter what your pastor has to say. Examine the Scriptures! "Come let us REASON together!" says the Lord. If your soul is Void of inward Purity and a Steadfast enduring faith, you will NOT go to heaven when you die. (Rom2:7-8 is how you inherit life eternal)
The works of the flesh are obvious, Gal5:19-21, they include: adultery, fornication (real or imagined) uncleanness, indecent behavior, idolatry, lack of Self-Control! Hatred, selfish ambition, envy, murder, drunkenness and the like. READ what the passage has to say about these things: "THOSE who DO such things WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God!"
EVIDENCE of the New Birth is FRUIT that Remains! (Jh15:16) The OPPOSITE of Selfishness. Gal5:22-23: "Love, Joy, Peace, Endurance, Self-Control, Kindness, Meekness & Faithfulness!"
Are these evident in you? Are you DAILY denying yourself, walking in love toward your fellow man, meek, kind, your inner passions under Control of the Spirit? THIS is the HOPE of eternal life! (Rom8:16)
If Newness of Life is not actively at work in your heart transforming you from glory to glory and putting to death the inward corruption of your flesh, you are NOT a child of God. (Rom8:9) You Cannot blend Darkness with Light, Purity with impurity. If Christ is in you, HIS IMAGE and likeness are Evident in your behavior. It doesn’t matter what your preacher says, ‘Carnal Christianity’ is a MYTH! Christ is NOT a minister of sin. When you Die to Self, in HIM, you have your FRUIT to holiness and the END thereof is EVERLASTING LIFE! Rom6:22
Stop believing a lie and enter into the True Vine.
Everybody's Saved!
http://www.standingthegap.org/THINK.htm
Jesus said, "ONLY A FEW would find eternal life!" Matt7:13-14 But you don't believe that, do you? You claim salvation in His name while STILL in bondage to your sins! You've NEVER Obeyed God's Word, Denied yourself or taken up your cross to Follow Him.
The reason is that ANYONE can 'accept' Jesus as their personal savior, as you have done, for forgiveness of sins. BUT FEW will ever OBEY HIM!
And since it by OBEDIENCE the heart is made PURE before God, (1Pet1:22) you are still in your sins, lost and deceived! 'Hearing' the Word, but NEVER DOING it. With a Form of godliness without Power to deny sin. Js1:22, Titus1:16
The PURPOSE of the Commandant is Love from a PURE heart from a good conscience & from sincere faith! 1Tim1:5 If your heart is not PURE you are NOT in Christ. Knowing about Jesus is not enough. The devils 'know' and tremble! Js2:19
The ONLY way you can KNOW for sure you are saved in Christ is by OBEDIENCE to the Faith. Jesus said, "IF you love ME, KEEP My commandants!" John14:15
It is the Heart that MUST be changed! "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries & immoral behavior!" Matt15:19
"From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks!" Matt13:34 People draw near to God with their mouths, BUT their hearts are FAR away! Mark7:9
You cannot live a Worldly, Carnal lifestyle and go to heaven in the end.
Church attendance to sooth a guilty conscience is another vain attempt at true salvation. MOST people are LOST even though they 'BELIEVE' on Jesus!
WHY?
Because they have NEVER Obeyed Him! You can convince anyone their sins are forgiven in Christ by repeating a prayer, BUT tell them they MUST surrender everything they own & everything they are to Jesus and continue to DO SO to remain saved, and you will have FEW real converts to Christ. (Matt10:24-28)
Do you profess to be a Christian, attend church & do nice things for others but STILL cling to a Worldly lifestyle? SELF is still at the center of your being. You're convinced that being a Christian is a profession of faith NOT a transformation of conduct.
When's the last time you confronted anyone with the truth of God? Not the watered-down, accept Jesus, come to church message, but really got down to the nitty gritty of repentance, faith, obedience, holiness? DO YOU EVEN CARE? It's rare to find anyone whose willing to OBEY God at all cost. Or even open enough to discuss it without making excuses for sin.
Most people THINK they are saved and get very perturbed when someone asks them to produce EVIDENCE of their salvation. YET this is what scripture demands, 2Cor13:5
"Examine yourself as to whether you are in the faith, PROVE yourself! Do you not know that Jesus is in you, unless you fail to pass the test!"
When's the last time you heard a preacher tell you to examine your faith to see if it's real? Probably NEVER, because if he did it on a regular bases you wouldn't attend his church! You want someone to give you assurance that Christ died for your sins and you're saved no matter what you do! Isn't that the essence of the message they preach? By grace you are saved through faith, not of yourself, it a gift of God!
But what is FAITH? You have no idea! You hope it's something vague, mysterious, a supernatural force not of yourself that God imparts to those who will acknowledge His Son.
But Real Faith is simply OBEDIENCE to God. Nothing more & nothing less. "By faith people obeyed God when He called them!" Heb11:8, 11,23
"God rewards those who diligently seek Him by faith!" Heb11:6
By FAITH the heart is made PURE. By Faith you can have Victory over sin. By faith you can walk in Newness of Life! ALL dependant on your willingness to OBEY God, take that step forward and endure to the end. 1Pet1:22, 1John5:4, Rom6:4,17, Matt10:22
Living for yourself, in worldly pursuits, lusting for the things of this life is NOT Faith in God. If you have Lust in your heart you have NOT 'believed' on Jesus. Stop kidding yourself. Either Jesus came to deliver you from the corrupting influence of sin by the Power of His Grace, or the Bible is in error! Grace is NOT an accommodation to sin (Rom6:1,15)
The Bible defines Grace as God's Power to deliver you FROM sin! Titus2:11
"For the Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, training us to deny ungodliness & worldly lust and live soberly & righteously & godly in this present age!"
2Pet1:4 "We have been given exceeding great and precious promises that through these we may become partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust!"
Titus3:7 "Having been justified by His Grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (No guarantees here conditional on your obedience!)
Is that your HOPE? Living by His Power in this crooked, perverse generation as a shining light testifying of His Power to Break the bondage of sin & lust in your heart!
Or would you rather just go on trying to get by, thinking you are saved by faith while your heart is in love with the world and your flesh is bound by lust? Religious deception is common among professing Christians. You may be comfortable in your church, safe & secure under 'grace', but unless you Actively OBEY God NOW, your 'faith' is in vain! 1Cor15:2
"More blessed are those who hear the Word of God and KEEP IT!" Luke11:28
"Blessed are the PURE at heart, for they shall see God." Matt5:8
Contact: Mike DeSario, mike@antiosas.org
2172 Marhofer Ave, Stow, Ohio 44224
330-945-6700
KATO MIVULE END TIME SERIES: Discerning The Last Days Delusion and Pharisee Spirit
Be ware of Pentecostal cult churches
Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, I urge you to read Bro.Kato Mivule’s series on MAN CONTROL AND THE Pharisee spirit in the church. What he is talking about is all around us. It is more real than ever. I have personally come face to face with this beast. Do you know that some pastors in the church today are not saved at all. They are not interested in the Lord Jesus Christ at all. They are only using Jesus as a stepping stone to power, money and prestige. They hold the so called deliverance sessions in their churches but when you examine clearly, you will discover that the correct name of these sessions should be bondage sessions. They want to control Christians like their pants. They curse and threaten whoever does not agree with them. When a Christian leader lives their churches they get panicking because they think that he will start a church and destruct their money grabbing scheme. Dear saints come out from such.
Do you know that some ‘born again’christians are so naïve that they fear their pastors more than God? Some ‘born again’ women fear their pastors more than their husbands. Do you know that some women have been raped by pastors because of fear? Do you that some pastors threaten Christians that if they live their churches, they will die. Our focus must be on Christ alone not pastors. If your pastor does not reflect the image of Christ any more, you have no obligation to obey him. When the blind lead the blind, they will all fall into the ditch.
A Must read:Discerning The Last Days Delusion and Pharisee Spirit Part1-6
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/discernment.html
A Must read: Worship of Man: Man control End time Implications 1-4
http://www.geocities.com/kmivule7/index.htm
http://www.geocities.com/kmivule7/Comment4.htm
Mind control at Gospel Assembly churches
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/breakingfree.html
http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:Q976egrSGwIJ:www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/breakingfree.html+Apostle+Aloise+Rutivi&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk
Lloyd Goodwin’s false gospel exposed: Remember Dr.A.A Rutivi received invaluable lessons and instructions at the feet of great men of God such as Dr. Lloyd Goodwin.
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/index.html
Exposing Lloyd Goodwin’s Gospel Assembly Churches
http://www.rickross.com/reference/ga/ga12.html
http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/g/gospel
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/letters/rutivitogary.htm
Discerning The Last Days Delusion and Pharisee Spirit Part3
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/discernment/151-Discerning%20The%20Last%20Days%20Delusion%20and%20Pharisee%20Spirit%20Part%203.html
Kato Mivule
October 17, 2007
In this Part Three of our series on ‘Discerning the Last Days Delusion and Pharisee Spirit’, I will take a look back at Matthew Chapter 15. We shall examine the scriptures as we see the confrontation between Jesus Christ and the Pharisees of His day. In doing so we discern the spirit of error and delusion that had captured the minds of the Pharisees but still very present today.
False so-called Seminary Apologetics is mere disinformation…
We shall continue to see that Jesus Christ rebuked the Pharisees for their deception, hypocrisy, lies, distortion of Scripture, traditions of men, and blasphemies. This will help us with the growth of our discernment based on God’s Holy Word and not just fables of men or so-called Apologetics that is based on Ivy League Bible Collages of today.
As a matter of fact some Bible Collages and seminaries engage in what they call apologetics as a cover-up of their own erroneous doctrines. They engage in only discerning the teachings of cults like Mormons, etc but will hardly tackle the doctrinal errors in the Evangelical Church. Thus their apologetics has nothing to do with true discernment based on God’s Holy Word but disinformation to sway Christians into their denominations.
Obsessed with UFOs, Green Men, and Aliens?
When I titled these series ‘Discerning the End Time Delusion and Pharisee Spirit’, some thought I was going to dwell on UFOs, Return of The Nephilim, and Aliens. However, as we go ahead in our series we shall examine what scriptures say about this UFO/Alien/return of the Nephilim encounters that has hit many Christian websites lately. As for now, let us begin with what Jesus Christ said, which sadly many UFO/Alien/Return of the Nephilim Hunting Christians miss.
Some Christians look to discern UFOs and Aliens and hunt their occurrences allover the world yet forget the deception right next door…this is sad in that the so-called UFO/Alien Christian Hunter Movement has been mesmerized and obsessed in looking at the ‘Demonic Green Men in Flying Saucers’ while neglecting Scriptures and as such it has become another ‘Intellectual Entertainment’ on ‘Paranormal Beings’ – an illusion and decoy from Truth in Jesus Christ…
While such ‘Green Men in Flying Saucers’ Apparitions might be true yet folks often forget that they are just demonic with origin from Satan and no reason for the obsession. On the other extreme are those who think demons don’t exist and such ‘Alien’ apparitions have no factuality… Such folks are deceived and already in the camp of the deceived…
In 1Timothy 4:1, Paul the apostle even warns us of how some folks in the last days will give heed to the teachings of seducing spirits and doctrines of demons… Better wakeup and smell the coffee…that Preacher on your pulpit this past Sunday morning might have been spewing teachings from a seducing evil spirit and teaching a doctrine given to him by a demon…
Traditions of Men – A Great Trait of Deception and Pharisees…
Matthew 15:1-9
(1) Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
(2) Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
(3) But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
(4) For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
(5) But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
(6) And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
(7) Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
(8) This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
(9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
One of the greatest traits of false teachers, false apostles, and false prophets is their emphasis for traditions of men which they falsely teach as commandments of God. They reject the True Commandments of Jesus Christ, they fight against Truth, and they resist God’s Holy Word, and resist The Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ confronted the Pharisees and rebuked them for this error, in which they purposely rejected God’s Commandments and taught their Traditions as though they were commands from The Lord. Jesus Christ called the Pharisees hypocrites and those who worshiped The Lord with their lips but their hearts were far from Him.
They simply loved religious gatherings and meeting in synagogues while they hated with a passion the True Commandments of God. They were experts at False Worship. Brethren, lets not be deceived, True Worship involves our 100 per cent obedience to ALL The True Commandments of God and NOT the traditions of Men.
Many today teach Observance of the Law of Moses in Churches…
Today we see the same Pharisee Deception in many churches around the world. Historically we see in the book of Acts how the Pharisees resisted the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentiles when they commanded that all men who would be saved had to be circumcised and also keep the Laws of Moses. We see that there was a Council of the Apostles called in Jerusalem to answer this question of whether men had to be circumcised and keep the laws of Moses in order to be saved.
Acts 15:1-2
(1) And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
(2) When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
The Apostle Peter stood and proclaimed that there was no need to place a burden (Moses Laws and Pharisee Traditions) on the gentiles as prerequisite for salvation which they themselves the Jews, their fathers, and fore fathers could not keep…
The Law, Traditions and Commands of Men, a Yoke…
Acts 15:5-11
(5) But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
(6) And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
(7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
(8) And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
(9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
(10) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
(11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
The Apostle Peter was in essence stating that Salvation was by Grace through Christ Jesus and not by keeping the Laws of Moses and Traditions of the Pharisees which Men had failed to keep. The Mosaic Laws had become a burden to the peoples and they could not fulfill them and neither could the gentiles.
Today we have many churches teaching doctrines centered on the Mosaic Law like Tithes and Building of Temples like King Solomon (Mega Church Building Projects). These things have become a burden on believers and a big stumbling block in regards to their salvation. Brethren, salvation is not by works of the law but by Grace in Christ Jesus.
Traditions and Commandments of Men Hinder the Gospel Truth…
Acts 15:23-29
(23) And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
(24) Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
(25) It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
(26) Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(27) We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
(28) For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
(29) That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Teaching traditions of Men is very dangerous in that it denies and hinders the True Message of Salvation. It perverts the true gospel of salvation. It turns men to seek salvation through works of flesh and the law rather than Grace through Jesus Christ.
Traditions and Commandments of Men is Witchcraft…
Galatians 1:6-9
(6) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
(7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
(8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
(9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Galatians 3:1-5
(1) O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
(2) This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
(3) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
(4) Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
(5) He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Paul the Apostle refers to those who are saved yet practice the Mosaic Law as bewitched and having begun in the Spirit and now ended up in the flesh. The Mosaic Law not only included circumcision, but also tithing which many Christians practice today.
Those who fail to practice the whole law are under a curse…
Galatians 3:10-12
(10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
(11) But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
(12) And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
However, if you practicing the Mosaic Law, then you ought to do all of them as described in the Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, otherwise if you do not fulfill ALL the Mosaic Law then you are under a curse.
In other words if your Pastor is teaching you to only give a Tithe out of the whole Mosaic Law and negate the other Mosaic laws, then that pastor is placing you under a curse because you only practiced one law and did not fulfill all the others.
So, those teaching Tithes should also teach circumcision, keeping the Sabbath according to Mosaic Law, and all the other Mosaic Laws. This they cannot do because they only seek Mosaic Laws that are financially beneficial to them, thus the popularity of the Tithing Doctrine.
Jesus Christ and the Apostles taught giving and NOT tithing, so we should give as The Lord Leads with a Cheerful heart and not tithing. The Tithing Doctrine has actually brought a curse on the people of God as Covetousness, Materialism, Greed and Love of Money have only increased with viciousness in Christendom, especially among the leaders who live opulent lifestyles while their congregations suffer need.
The reason for this curse is they practice only one Mosaic Law while not all laws as the Bibles has said, “the man who does them shall live in them”… Secondly, that ‘NO MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW’… One cannot be justified to obtain the blessings of God through the Law… It is only Through Faith in Jesus Christ that we are justified, and by Grace.
Galatians 3:13-14
(13) Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
(14) That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Some of the Traditions of Men taught as Commandments of God…
Tithing Tradition…
Sowing the Seed Tradition…
Name it Claim It Tradition…
Mega Church Building Tradition…
One Man Pastor Leadership Tradition…
Women Leading Men in Church Tradition – Jezebel Spirit…
Order of Service – Praise, Worship, Testimony, Offering, then Preacher Tradition…
Bible School Seminary Tradition…
Covering Traditions – Seeking Man to Cover and Protect You…
Sunday is The Lord’s Day Tradition…
Christmas Tradition…
Christmas tree Tradition…
Easter Tradition…
Easter Eggs Traditions…
…and many more just to mention but a few…
I have had some exchange of words with some Pastors who argue that they can keep their traditions as long as they don’t violet scripture or are good for the society. However, that is the problem, most of the traditions we have today are inherited from the gentile world. The gentile world practices most of their traditions in honor of their gods, idols and demons. We are to keep away from idols and all their forms.
Roman Catholic Church and Traditions of Men…
In 313 AD Emperor Constantine formed pacts with groups of backslidden Christians and legalized the Christianity in Rome. The Roman Catholic Church was then born out of this unholy alliance between Church and State. Roman Catholic Christianity became a State religion and Constantine used it to control the masses through the priests and the pope. Emperors of Rome were considered infallible and as such the Pope is considered infallible today.
Emperor Constantine had one condition as he legalized Catholic Christianity that his idols and gods would also be Christianized and given Christian names. The Roman Catholic Church then embraced the pagan gods of Rome and including the pagan celebration and festival days were embraced by the Catholic Church. Over a period of time the Catholic Church instituted the following Pagan Traditions…
Sun god worship - Sunday Worship
Christmas Day 25 December
Ishtar Day, or Easter Day, Falsely equated to the Resurrection Day…
Idol worship in the Church…
The Priesthood…
Bible only read by Priesthood…
Priesthood reserved for a chosen few…
Separation of Clergy from Laity…
Worship of Man – The Pope…
Pope as infallible….
Diluting God’s Word…
Removing God’s Word from the people…
40 Days of Lent, or 40 days of weeping for Tammuz…
Purgatory…
Confessing one’s sins to the Priest…
Prayers for the dead…
Prayers to the dead saints…necromancy…
Veneration of dead saints…
The Mass…
Priests Dressed in Long Robes, different from the Laity…
Seminaries and Theological Collages for the Clergy…
Use of the Latin Language that most people don’t understand…
Baptism of Babies…
Celibacy of the Priesthood…
Sale of Indulgence or License to sin…
Doctrine of Transubstantiation…that the wafer is the actual body of Christ…
Council of Trent, that Tradition is equal to Bible – Traditions of Men…
Council of Trent added Apocryphal Books not know to Early Church…
Worship of Mary…
The Mary Rosary and Prayer Beads…
The Immaculate Conception of Mary…
Mary regarded as Co-redemptrix and Co-Mediatrix…
Apparitions of Mary Endorsed…
Apparitions of Mary as Queen of Heaven endorsed…
…and many other blasphemous doctrines which is beyond the scope of this paper to dwell on…
However, interestingly, when the Protestants came with the advent of Martin Luther, some of these doctrines and traditions were not changed. The Baptist came, the Lutherans, etc up to today’s Evangelicals, some of these Traditions of Men from the Catholic Church have only been refined and polished, yet not done away with…
Today in the Evangelical Churches we see Traditions of Men…
The separation of the clergy from the laity…Pastors are separate from believers…
The Priesthood is still reserved for an elite group of Pastors…
The Pastor Leadership instead of the Priest…Pastor is Head of the Church…
Seminaries and Bible Collages for Pastors instead of Catholic Seminaries…
The Evangelical Service instead of the Mass…Service done much more similar to the Catholic Mass, except that there is no Latin. The Evangelical services are so structured and time conscious just as the Mass is… There is no interaction between the Clergy and Laity, no questioning if what the Pastor teaches on Sunday is really in God’s Holy Word…
Gathering…
Opening Prayer…
Hymn or worship Session…
Testimonies…
Gathering Offerings and Tithes…
Pastor Gives the Word…
Alter Call…
Doxology…
Song to Send Folks Home…
Tithes and Offerings without which no one can be blessed and some teach that since you rob God of Tithes, then your redemption thus depends on your Tithe…if you don’t tithe you go to hell since you rob God…
Hiding Scriptures away from Believers in form of watered down Bible Translations, Printed Sermons for believers to take home etc…
Accountability Groups where sins are confessed and one gives their will to the Accountability Group Leader – Similar to Confessions of Sins to a Priest in the Catholic Church…
Worship of the Pastor as the “Man of God” and becoming a Pastor’s ‘Yes Man’ – similar to the infallibility of the Pope Doctrine…
Mega Church Buildings – Similar to Magnificent Roman Catholic Cathedrals were emphasis is placed on the Church Building and not the believer…
Eternal Security Doctrine a.k.a. Once Saved Always Saved doctrine were believers can do whatever sin they wish and still enter Heaven – similar to the Catholic Purgatory Doctrine…
The Christian Women Movement and elevation of Women Ministers who take authority over Men, a Jezebel spirit – similar to the elevation of Mary or Immaculate Conception of Mary as co-redemptrix and co-mediatrix…
Exaltation of certain “Men and Women” of God – similar to the veneration of dead saints in the Catholic Church…
Worship on Sun-day as the Lord’s Day – the same as the Catholic worship on Sun-day with origination from the Babylonian sun god worship…
Easter Day Celebrations – Same as Catholic Easter Day worship with origin from Ishtar celebrations, a Babylonian Pagan day Celebration…
Christmas Day Celebration – Same as the December 25th Catholic Christmas Day Celebration of Babylonian Pagan worship origin…
The Cross Symbol – Originated with the Catholic Church to have Crosses on Church Buildings and around peoples necks…
The Church Staple symbol – Originated with the Catholic Church that inherited it from the Babylonian and Egyptian Obelisks which represented the erected male organ, a symbol of blasphemy towards God of Heaven Almighty…
Threats of Excommunication – Origin from the Council of Trent that excommunicated all who questioned the Catholic Tradition…
False Submission to the Pastor – Origin from the Catholic Church that required all to submit to the Pope who is considered infallible…
40 Day of Purpose Driven Life? Sounds similar to 40 days of Lent…
Benny Hinn and Dead Katherine Kuhlman Visits? Sounds similar to the Apparitions of Many Queen of Heaven…
….and many more other Evangelical Traditions that have root and similarities with Pagan Roman Catholic Practices… Just check any Evangelical Tradition and trend today, you will find its origin in the Roman Catholic Church….
These traditions are not scriptural and not anywhere to be found in the Bible but where introduced by Pagan Priests in the Roman Catholic Church and have found their way even down to the Evangelicals who today are walking along the path of apostasy…
Paul the apostle was once zealous for the Traditions of Men…
Galatians 1:13-15
(13) For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
(14) And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
(15) But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
Paul the apostle was exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his fathers yet it pleased The Lord to call him out of such religiosity to serve Jesus Christ and preach the Gospel. Today, many in Christendom are submerged in the Traditions of Men that they can hardly see The Savior calling. Traditions of Men don’t save, neither did they save Paul; it was Grace through Jesus Christ that Paul got saved.
Beware that your Faith in Christ be not spoiled by Traditions of men…
Colossians 2:6-9
(6) As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
(7) Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
(9) For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
We are exhorted to be rooted and built in Christ Jesus and established in the faith as we have been taught according to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. We can only be established by being grounded in The Whole Counsel of God’s Holy Word and not Traditions of Men.
We are warned to be careful that we don’t be spoiled (ruined, messed up, blemished, blotted, blighted, and destroyed) by any man through…
Philosophy (viewpoint, values, beliefs, thinking, idea, way of life) of men…
Vain Deceit (pretense, trickery, cheating, and dishonesty) of men…
Traditions (customs, way of life, background) of Men…
The Rudiments (basics, essentials, fundamentals, ground rules, nitty-gritty) of the world…
Some Christians argue that it is okay to keep their church or denominational traditions as they will not affect them. However, when we check the Word of God, it says that you will be spoiled or messed up, and or blemished by traditions of men if you do continue under them… So, quit them and look to fellowship with believers who are governed by the Whole Counsel of God’s Holy Word.
Commandments and Doctrines of Men – A False Humility…
Colossians 2:18-23
(18) Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
(19) And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
(20) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
(22) Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
(23) Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.
Many times Christians are puffed up with false humility through worshipping of angels and apparitions. We are warned to stay away from such things. Today the Charismatic Catholic Movement is obsessed with the apparitions of Mary. Likewise many Evangelicals of the Charismatic and Pentecostal background go wild with dreams, visions and lately Benny Hinn with his visions of the dead like Katherine Kuhlman…
The devil has used this to infiltrate Christians with apparitions of Jesus, Gold Dust, Gold Teeth, Heavenly Visitations and people have become puffed up with them. All such boasting and puffing up is false humility and from the devil.
Paul warns that such folks who get obsessed with apparitions are not holding to the Head of the Body which is Jesus Christ. False doctrines, visions, dreams and apparitions always draw the attention away from Christ Jesus to the ‘angel’, prophet, prophetess, people, etc. This can be seen clearly seen with the Roman Catholic Apparitions that give blaspheme reverence to Mary the Queen of Heaven…
Paul warns us that if we are dead with Christ from the Rudiments or regulations of the world, then why do we continue to live as though we are of the world and follow their religious ordinances. We are to renounce all such religious traditions of men and false humility and receive with meekness the Grace of God through Jesus Christ.
Such traditions have a form of wisdom and goodliness but to mere satisfaction of the flesh.
We only Hold to the Traditions of the Teachings of Christ…
2 Thessalonians 2:15
(15) Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
The only traditions which we are to hold are the Doctrine of Jesus Christ as taught by Jesus Christ Himself and through His Apostles. In other words we are to keep and obey the Whole Counsel of God’s Holy Word. We are to obey the Commandments of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and NOT the Traditions of MEN which ALWAYS contradict the Commandments of Jesus Christ…
A call to separate…
2 Thessalonians 3:6
(6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
The Bible calls us to SEPARATE from any Brethren that walk after NOT the Traditions of God’s Holy Word. In other words, if you find a Church or a group of so-called Christians following after the Traditions of Men and Not the Commandments of Jesus Christ, you are to separate from them, otherwise your Faith will be spoiled or messed up as we saw earlier… Come out from among them and be ye separate… search for True Saints whose constitution is the Whole Counsel of God’s Holy Word…
Traditions of Men authored by seducing spirits and demons…
1 Timothy 4:1-3
(1) Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
(2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
(3) Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
Paul warned Timothy that in the Last days, folks would depart from the Faith and follow after seducing spirits and doctrines of demons…. Paul goes on ahead to elaborate what some of those teachings of devils would be…and one of them is forbidding to marry or false celibacy which we largely see happening in the Roman Catholic Church…which is clearly a tradition of Men. However, there are many Traditions of Men that the Evangelical Church has embraced and their origin is Seducing spirits and doctrines of demons…
Traditions and Commandments of Men breed false godliness…
2 Timothy 3:1-5
(1) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
(2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
(3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
(4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
(5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Paul continues to warn us that in these last days perilous times would come and people would be lovers of themselves…no wonder the positive possibility, self help Purpose Driven Life Gospel in Churches today… This is a gospel that only breads covetousness and high mindedness. Such folks who preach this type of gospel and those who believe in it have a form of godliness by deny the power of Christ to Change hearts. We are commanded to SEPARATE AND TURN AWAY FROM SUCH FOLKS…
Commandments of Men Turn People from Truth…
Titus 1:13-16
(13) This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
(14) Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
(15) Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
(16) They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Paul exhorts Titus to rebuke with sharp rebuke the Christians of Crete that they may become sound in faith and not given to commandments of Men and traditions of Men, or Jewish fables. Paul is warning us today that Traditions and Commandments of Men turn people away from Truth. They turn people away from Jesus Christ and Head of His Body and focus people on Man.
Teaching Traditions of Men is preaching ‘Another Gospel’… Such folks who teach traditions of men profess to know God yet deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and in every good work reprobate… I remember having a discussion with a Pastor here in Uganda over a certain tradition he held and I told him how the such thought and tradition was an abomination before God, he thought I used very hard language…Paul was very tough when it came to addressing traditions of men which were always contrary to God’s Holy Word…
Traditions and Commandments of Men Cannot Redeem…
1 Peter 1:18
(18) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
Peter the apostle sums it up well by telling us that we are not redeemed by corruptible such as silver and gold which is what we were taught from the traditions of our father. It is interesting to note that the most propagated gospel toady among the Evangelicals is the Prosperity gospel and Purpose Driven Self Help gospel.
Christians are taught to give Tithes, give Building Funds, and give Offerings to Pastors in guise that they will obtain special favor before God to receive a blessing. Curses are said to be broken if one gives a tithe and offering, yet such teachings are Traditions of men and falsely promise men liberty yet they redeem not a single soul. Brethren, we are NOT redeemed with silver and gold nor the traditions of men but by the Blood of Jesus Christ…
To be continued…
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
Uganda, Africa
Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, I urge you to read Bro.Kato Mivule’s series on MAN CONTROL AND THE Pharisee spirit in the church. What he is talking about is all around us. It is more real than ever. I have personally come face to face with this beast. Do you know that some pastors in the church today are not saved at all. They are not interested in the Lord Jesus Christ at all. They are only using Jesus as a stepping stone to power, money and prestige. They hold the so called deliverance sessions in their churches but when you examine clearly, you will discover that the correct name of these sessions should be bondage sessions. They want to control Christians like their pants. They curse and threaten whoever does not agree with them. When a Christian leader lives their churches they get panicking because they think that he will start a church and destruct their money grabbing scheme. Dear saints come out from such.
Do you know that some ‘born again’christians are so naïve that they fear their pastors more than God? Some ‘born again’ women fear their pastors more than their husbands. Do you know that some women have been raped by pastors because of fear? Do you that some pastors threaten Christians that if they live their churches, they will die. Our focus must be on Christ alone not pastors. If your pastor does not reflect the image of Christ any more, you have no obligation to obey him. When the blind lead the blind, they will all fall into the ditch.
A Must read:Discerning The Last Days Delusion and Pharisee Spirit Part1-6
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/discernment.html
A Must read: Worship of Man: Man control End time Implications 1-4
http://www.geocities.com/kmivule7/index.htm
http://www.geocities.com/kmivule7/Comment4.htm
Mind control at Gospel Assembly churches
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/breakingfree.html
http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:Q976egrSGwIJ:www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/breakingfree.html+Apostle+Aloise+Rutivi&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk
Lloyd Goodwin’s false gospel exposed: Remember Dr.A.A Rutivi received invaluable lessons and instructions at the feet of great men of God such as Dr. Lloyd Goodwin.
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/index.html
Exposing Lloyd Goodwin’s Gospel Assembly Churches
http://www.rickross.com/reference/ga/ga12.html
http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/g/gospel
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/letters/rutivitogary.htm
Discerning The Last Days Delusion and Pharisee Spirit Part3
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/discernment/151-Discerning%20The%20Last%20Days%20Delusion%20and%20Pharisee%20Spirit%20Part%203.html
Kato Mivule
October 17, 2007
In this Part Three of our series on ‘Discerning the Last Days Delusion and Pharisee Spirit’, I will take a look back at Matthew Chapter 15. We shall examine the scriptures as we see the confrontation between Jesus Christ and the Pharisees of His day. In doing so we discern the spirit of error and delusion that had captured the minds of the Pharisees but still very present today.
False so-called Seminary Apologetics is mere disinformation…
We shall continue to see that Jesus Christ rebuked the Pharisees for their deception, hypocrisy, lies, distortion of Scripture, traditions of men, and blasphemies. This will help us with the growth of our discernment based on God’s Holy Word and not just fables of men or so-called Apologetics that is based on Ivy League Bible Collages of today.
As a matter of fact some Bible Collages and seminaries engage in what they call apologetics as a cover-up of their own erroneous doctrines. They engage in only discerning the teachings of cults like Mormons, etc but will hardly tackle the doctrinal errors in the Evangelical Church. Thus their apologetics has nothing to do with true discernment based on God’s Holy Word but disinformation to sway Christians into their denominations.
Obsessed with UFOs, Green Men, and Aliens?
When I titled these series ‘Discerning the End Time Delusion and Pharisee Spirit’, some thought I was going to dwell on UFOs, Return of The Nephilim, and Aliens. However, as we go ahead in our series we shall examine what scriptures say about this UFO/Alien/return of the Nephilim encounters that has hit many Christian websites lately. As for now, let us begin with what Jesus Christ said, which sadly many UFO/Alien/Return of the Nephilim Hunting Christians miss.
Some Christians look to discern UFOs and Aliens and hunt their occurrences allover the world yet forget the deception right next door…this is sad in that the so-called UFO/Alien Christian Hunter Movement has been mesmerized and obsessed in looking at the ‘Demonic Green Men in Flying Saucers’ while neglecting Scriptures and as such it has become another ‘Intellectual Entertainment’ on ‘Paranormal Beings’ – an illusion and decoy from Truth in Jesus Christ…
While such ‘Green Men in Flying Saucers’ Apparitions might be true yet folks often forget that they are just demonic with origin from Satan and no reason for the obsession. On the other extreme are those who think demons don’t exist and such ‘Alien’ apparitions have no factuality… Such folks are deceived and already in the camp of the deceived…
In 1Timothy 4:1, Paul the apostle even warns us of how some folks in the last days will give heed to the teachings of seducing spirits and doctrines of demons… Better wakeup and smell the coffee…that Preacher on your pulpit this past Sunday morning might have been spewing teachings from a seducing evil spirit and teaching a doctrine given to him by a demon…
Traditions of Men – A Great Trait of Deception and Pharisees…
Matthew 15:1-9
(1) Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
(2) Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
(3) But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
(4) For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
(5) But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
(6) And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
(7) Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
(8) This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
(9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
One of the greatest traits of false teachers, false apostles, and false prophets is their emphasis for traditions of men which they falsely teach as commandments of God. They reject the True Commandments of Jesus Christ, they fight against Truth, and they resist God’s Holy Word, and resist The Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ confronted the Pharisees and rebuked them for this error, in which they purposely rejected God’s Commandments and taught their Traditions as though they were commands from The Lord. Jesus Christ called the Pharisees hypocrites and those who worshiped The Lord with their lips but their hearts were far from Him.
They simply loved religious gatherings and meeting in synagogues while they hated with a passion the True Commandments of God. They were experts at False Worship. Brethren, lets not be deceived, True Worship involves our 100 per cent obedience to ALL The True Commandments of God and NOT the traditions of Men.
Many today teach Observance of the Law of Moses in Churches…
Today we see the same Pharisee Deception in many churches around the world. Historically we see in the book of Acts how the Pharisees resisted the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentiles when they commanded that all men who would be saved had to be circumcised and also keep the Laws of Moses. We see that there was a Council of the Apostles called in Jerusalem to answer this question of whether men had to be circumcised and keep the laws of Moses in order to be saved.
Acts 15:1-2
(1) And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
(2) When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
The Apostle Peter stood and proclaimed that there was no need to place a burden (Moses Laws and Pharisee Traditions) on the gentiles as prerequisite for salvation which they themselves the Jews, their fathers, and fore fathers could not keep…
The Law, Traditions and Commands of Men, a Yoke…
Acts 15:5-11
(5) But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
(6) And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
(7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
(8) And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
(9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
(10) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
(11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
The Apostle Peter was in essence stating that Salvation was by Grace through Christ Jesus and not by keeping the Laws of Moses and Traditions of the Pharisees which Men had failed to keep. The Mosaic Laws had become a burden to the peoples and they could not fulfill them and neither could the gentiles.
Today we have many churches teaching doctrines centered on the Mosaic Law like Tithes and Building of Temples like King Solomon (Mega Church Building Projects). These things have become a burden on believers and a big stumbling block in regards to their salvation. Brethren, salvation is not by works of the law but by Grace in Christ Jesus.
Traditions and Commandments of Men Hinder the Gospel Truth…
Acts 15:23-29
(23) And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
(24) Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
(25) It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
(26) Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(27) We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
(28) For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
(29) That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Teaching traditions of Men is very dangerous in that it denies and hinders the True Message of Salvation. It perverts the true gospel of salvation. It turns men to seek salvation through works of flesh and the law rather than Grace through Jesus Christ.
Traditions and Commandments of Men is Witchcraft…
Galatians 1:6-9
(6) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
(7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
(8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
(9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Galatians 3:1-5
(1) O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
(2) This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
(3) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
(4) Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
(5) He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Paul the Apostle refers to those who are saved yet practice the Mosaic Law as bewitched and having begun in the Spirit and now ended up in the flesh. The Mosaic Law not only included circumcision, but also tithing which many Christians practice today.
Those who fail to practice the whole law are under a curse…
Galatians 3:10-12
(10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
(11) But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
(12) And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
However, if you practicing the Mosaic Law, then you ought to do all of them as described in the Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, otherwise if you do not fulfill ALL the Mosaic Law then you are under a curse.
In other words if your Pastor is teaching you to only give a Tithe out of the whole Mosaic Law and negate the other Mosaic laws, then that pastor is placing you under a curse because you only practiced one law and did not fulfill all the others.
So, those teaching Tithes should also teach circumcision, keeping the Sabbath according to Mosaic Law, and all the other Mosaic Laws. This they cannot do because they only seek Mosaic Laws that are financially beneficial to them, thus the popularity of the Tithing Doctrine.
Jesus Christ and the Apostles taught giving and NOT tithing, so we should give as The Lord Leads with a Cheerful heart and not tithing. The Tithing Doctrine has actually brought a curse on the people of God as Covetousness, Materialism, Greed and Love of Money have only increased with viciousness in Christendom, especially among the leaders who live opulent lifestyles while their congregations suffer need.
The reason for this curse is they practice only one Mosaic Law while not all laws as the Bibles has said, “the man who does them shall live in them”… Secondly, that ‘NO MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW’… One cannot be justified to obtain the blessings of God through the Law… It is only Through Faith in Jesus Christ that we are justified, and by Grace.
Galatians 3:13-14
(13) Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
(14) That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Some of the Traditions of Men taught as Commandments of God…
Tithing Tradition…
Sowing the Seed Tradition…
Name it Claim It Tradition…
Mega Church Building Tradition…
One Man Pastor Leadership Tradition…
Women Leading Men in Church Tradition – Jezebel Spirit…
Order of Service – Praise, Worship, Testimony, Offering, then Preacher Tradition…
Bible School Seminary Tradition…
Covering Traditions – Seeking Man to Cover and Protect You…
Sunday is The Lord’s Day Tradition…
Christmas Tradition…
Christmas tree Tradition…
Easter Tradition…
Easter Eggs Traditions…
…and many more just to mention but a few…
I have had some exchange of words with some Pastors who argue that they can keep their traditions as long as they don’t violet scripture or are good for the society. However, that is the problem, most of the traditions we have today are inherited from the gentile world. The gentile world practices most of their traditions in honor of their gods, idols and demons. We are to keep away from idols and all their forms.
Roman Catholic Church and Traditions of Men…
In 313 AD Emperor Constantine formed pacts with groups of backslidden Christians and legalized the Christianity in Rome. The Roman Catholic Church was then born out of this unholy alliance between Church and State. Roman Catholic Christianity became a State religion and Constantine used it to control the masses through the priests and the pope. Emperors of Rome were considered infallible and as such the Pope is considered infallible today.
Emperor Constantine had one condition as he legalized Catholic Christianity that his idols and gods would also be Christianized and given Christian names. The Roman Catholic Church then embraced the pagan gods of Rome and including the pagan celebration and festival days were embraced by the Catholic Church. Over a period of time the Catholic Church instituted the following Pagan Traditions…
Sun god worship - Sunday Worship
Christmas Day 25 December
Ishtar Day, or Easter Day, Falsely equated to the Resurrection Day…
Idol worship in the Church…
The Priesthood…
Bible only read by Priesthood…
Priesthood reserved for a chosen few…
Separation of Clergy from Laity…
Worship of Man – The Pope…
Pope as infallible….
Diluting God’s Word…
Removing God’s Word from the people…
40 Days of Lent, or 40 days of weeping for Tammuz…
Purgatory…
Confessing one’s sins to the Priest…
Prayers for the dead…
Prayers to the dead saints…necromancy…
Veneration of dead saints…
The Mass…
Priests Dressed in Long Robes, different from the Laity…
Seminaries and Theological Collages for the Clergy…
Use of the Latin Language that most people don’t understand…
Baptism of Babies…
Celibacy of the Priesthood…
Sale of Indulgence or License to sin…
Doctrine of Transubstantiation…that the wafer is the actual body of Christ…
Council of Trent, that Tradition is equal to Bible – Traditions of Men…
Council of Trent added Apocryphal Books not know to Early Church…
Worship of Mary…
The Mary Rosary and Prayer Beads…
The Immaculate Conception of Mary…
Mary regarded as Co-redemptrix and Co-Mediatrix…
Apparitions of Mary Endorsed…
Apparitions of Mary as Queen of Heaven endorsed…
…and many other blasphemous doctrines which is beyond the scope of this paper to dwell on…
However, interestingly, when the Protestants came with the advent of Martin Luther, some of these doctrines and traditions were not changed. The Baptist came, the Lutherans, etc up to today’s Evangelicals, some of these Traditions of Men from the Catholic Church have only been refined and polished, yet not done away with…
Today in the Evangelical Churches we see Traditions of Men…
The separation of the clergy from the laity…Pastors are separate from believers…
The Priesthood is still reserved for an elite group of Pastors…
The Pastor Leadership instead of the Priest…Pastor is Head of the Church…
Seminaries and Bible Collages for Pastors instead of Catholic Seminaries…
The Evangelical Service instead of the Mass…Service done much more similar to the Catholic Mass, except that there is no Latin. The Evangelical services are so structured and time conscious just as the Mass is… There is no interaction between the Clergy and Laity, no questioning if what the Pastor teaches on Sunday is really in God’s Holy Word…
Gathering…
Opening Prayer…
Hymn or worship Session…
Testimonies…
Gathering Offerings and Tithes…
Pastor Gives the Word…
Alter Call…
Doxology…
Song to Send Folks Home…
Tithes and Offerings without which no one can be blessed and some teach that since you rob God of Tithes, then your redemption thus depends on your Tithe…if you don’t tithe you go to hell since you rob God…
Hiding Scriptures away from Believers in form of watered down Bible Translations, Printed Sermons for believers to take home etc…
Accountability Groups where sins are confessed and one gives their will to the Accountability Group Leader – Similar to Confessions of Sins to a Priest in the Catholic Church…
Worship of the Pastor as the “Man of God” and becoming a Pastor’s ‘Yes Man’ – similar to the infallibility of the Pope Doctrine…
Mega Church Buildings – Similar to Magnificent Roman Catholic Cathedrals were emphasis is placed on the Church Building and not the believer…
Eternal Security Doctrine a.k.a. Once Saved Always Saved doctrine were believers can do whatever sin they wish and still enter Heaven – similar to the Catholic Purgatory Doctrine…
The Christian Women Movement and elevation of Women Ministers who take authority over Men, a Jezebel spirit – similar to the elevation of Mary or Immaculate Conception of Mary as co-redemptrix and co-mediatrix…
Exaltation of certain “Men and Women” of God – similar to the veneration of dead saints in the Catholic Church…
Worship on Sun-day as the Lord’s Day – the same as the Catholic worship on Sun-day with origination from the Babylonian sun god worship…
Easter Day Celebrations – Same as Catholic Easter Day worship with origin from Ishtar celebrations, a Babylonian Pagan day Celebration…
Christmas Day Celebration – Same as the December 25th Catholic Christmas Day Celebration of Babylonian Pagan worship origin…
The Cross Symbol – Originated with the Catholic Church to have Crosses on Church Buildings and around peoples necks…
The Church Staple symbol – Originated with the Catholic Church that inherited it from the Babylonian and Egyptian Obelisks which represented the erected male organ, a symbol of blasphemy towards God of Heaven Almighty…
Threats of Excommunication – Origin from the Council of Trent that excommunicated all who questioned the Catholic Tradition…
False Submission to the Pastor – Origin from the Catholic Church that required all to submit to the Pope who is considered infallible…
40 Day of Purpose Driven Life? Sounds similar to 40 days of Lent…
Benny Hinn and Dead Katherine Kuhlman Visits? Sounds similar to the Apparitions of Many Queen of Heaven…
….and many more other Evangelical Traditions that have root and similarities with Pagan Roman Catholic Practices… Just check any Evangelical Tradition and trend today, you will find its origin in the Roman Catholic Church….
These traditions are not scriptural and not anywhere to be found in the Bible but where introduced by Pagan Priests in the Roman Catholic Church and have found their way even down to the Evangelicals who today are walking along the path of apostasy…
Paul the apostle was once zealous for the Traditions of Men…
Galatians 1:13-15
(13) For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
(14) And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
(15) But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
Paul the apostle was exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his fathers yet it pleased The Lord to call him out of such religiosity to serve Jesus Christ and preach the Gospel. Today, many in Christendom are submerged in the Traditions of Men that they can hardly see The Savior calling. Traditions of Men don’t save, neither did they save Paul; it was Grace through Jesus Christ that Paul got saved.
Beware that your Faith in Christ be not spoiled by Traditions of men…
Colossians 2:6-9
(6) As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
(7) Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
(9) For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
We are exhorted to be rooted and built in Christ Jesus and established in the faith as we have been taught according to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. We can only be established by being grounded in The Whole Counsel of God’s Holy Word and not Traditions of Men.
We are warned to be careful that we don’t be spoiled (ruined, messed up, blemished, blotted, blighted, and destroyed) by any man through…
Philosophy (viewpoint, values, beliefs, thinking, idea, way of life) of men…
Vain Deceit (pretense, trickery, cheating, and dishonesty) of men…
Traditions (customs, way of life, background) of Men…
The Rudiments (basics, essentials, fundamentals, ground rules, nitty-gritty) of the world…
Some Christians argue that it is okay to keep their church or denominational traditions as they will not affect them. However, when we check the Word of God, it says that you will be spoiled or messed up, and or blemished by traditions of men if you do continue under them… So, quit them and look to fellowship with believers who are governed by the Whole Counsel of God’s Holy Word.
Commandments and Doctrines of Men – A False Humility…
Colossians 2:18-23
(18) Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
(19) And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
(20) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
(22) Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
(23) Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.
Many times Christians are puffed up with false humility through worshipping of angels and apparitions. We are warned to stay away from such things. Today the Charismatic Catholic Movement is obsessed with the apparitions of Mary. Likewise many Evangelicals of the Charismatic and Pentecostal background go wild with dreams, visions and lately Benny Hinn with his visions of the dead like Katherine Kuhlman…
The devil has used this to infiltrate Christians with apparitions of Jesus, Gold Dust, Gold Teeth, Heavenly Visitations and people have become puffed up with them. All such boasting and puffing up is false humility and from the devil.
Paul warns that such folks who get obsessed with apparitions are not holding to the Head of the Body which is Jesus Christ. False doctrines, visions, dreams and apparitions always draw the attention away from Christ Jesus to the ‘angel’, prophet, prophetess, people, etc. This can be seen clearly seen with the Roman Catholic Apparitions that give blaspheme reverence to Mary the Queen of Heaven…
Paul warns us that if we are dead with Christ from the Rudiments or regulations of the world, then why do we continue to live as though we are of the world and follow their religious ordinances. We are to renounce all such religious traditions of men and false humility and receive with meekness the Grace of God through Jesus Christ.
Such traditions have a form of wisdom and goodliness but to mere satisfaction of the flesh.
We only Hold to the Traditions of the Teachings of Christ…
2 Thessalonians 2:15
(15) Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
The only traditions which we are to hold are the Doctrine of Jesus Christ as taught by Jesus Christ Himself and through His Apostles. In other words we are to keep and obey the Whole Counsel of God’s Holy Word. We are to obey the Commandments of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and NOT the Traditions of MEN which ALWAYS contradict the Commandments of Jesus Christ…
A call to separate…
2 Thessalonians 3:6
(6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
The Bible calls us to SEPARATE from any Brethren that walk after NOT the Traditions of God’s Holy Word. In other words, if you find a Church or a group of so-called Christians following after the Traditions of Men and Not the Commandments of Jesus Christ, you are to separate from them, otherwise your Faith will be spoiled or messed up as we saw earlier… Come out from among them and be ye separate… search for True Saints whose constitution is the Whole Counsel of God’s Holy Word…
Traditions of Men authored by seducing spirits and demons…
1 Timothy 4:1-3
(1) Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
(2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
(3) Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
Paul warned Timothy that in the Last days, folks would depart from the Faith and follow after seducing spirits and doctrines of demons…. Paul goes on ahead to elaborate what some of those teachings of devils would be…and one of them is forbidding to marry or false celibacy which we largely see happening in the Roman Catholic Church…which is clearly a tradition of Men. However, there are many Traditions of Men that the Evangelical Church has embraced and their origin is Seducing spirits and doctrines of demons…
Traditions and Commandments of Men breed false godliness…
2 Timothy 3:1-5
(1) This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
(2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
(3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
(4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
(5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Paul continues to warn us that in these last days perilous times would come and people would be lovers of themselves…no wonder the positive possibility, self help Purpose Driven Life Gospel in Churches today… This is a gospel that only breads covetousness and high mindedness. Such folks who preach this type of gospel and those who believe in it have a form of godliness by deny the power of Christ to Change hearts. We are commanded to SEPARATE AND TURN AWAY FROM SUCH FOLKS…
Commandments of Men Turn People from Truth…
Titus 1:13-16
(13) This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
(14) Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
(15) Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
(16) They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Paul exhorts Titus to rebuke with sharp rebuke the Christians of Crete that they may become sound in faith and not given to commandments of Men and traditions of Men, or Jewish fables. Paul is warning us today that Traditions and Commandments of Men turn people away from Truth. They turn people away from Jesus Christ and Head of His Body and focus people on Man.
Teaching Traditions of Men is preaching ‘Another Gospel’… Such folks who teach traditions of men profess to know God yet deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and in every good work reprobate… I remember having a discussion with a Pastor here in Uganda over a certain tradition he held and I told him how the such thought and tradition was an abomination before God, he thought I used very hard language…Paul was very tough when it came to addressing traditions of men which were always contrary to God’s Holy Word…
Traditions and Commandments of Men Cannot Redeem…
1 Peter 1:18
(18) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
Peter the apostle sums it up well by telling us that we are not redeemed by corruptible such as silver and gold which is what we were taught from the traditions of our father. It is interesting to note that the most propagated gospel toady among the Evangelicals is the Prosperity gospel and Purpose Driven Self Help gospel.
Christians are taught to give Tithes, give Building Funds, and give Offerings to Pastors in guise that they will obtain special favor before God to receive a blessing. Curses are said to be broken if one gives a tithe and offering, yet such teachings are Traditions of men and falsely promise men liberty yet they redeem not a single soul. Brethren, we are NOT redeemed with silver and gold nor the traditions of men but by the Blood of Jesus Christ…
To be continued…
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
Uganda, Africa
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Pastor Chuck Baldwin, Tea Bag Party Evangelicals, and the Lies
Pastor Chuck Baldwin, Tea Bag Party Evangelicals, and the Lies
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/373-pastor-chuck-baldwin-tea-bag-party-evangelicals-and-the-lies.html
Kato Mivule | September 14, 2009
If there is anything in Evangelical America today, it is that Evangelical Christians are being ‘used’ and turned into political pawns by the Political Right in America simply bent on regaining and retaining Political Power.
Take for instance the so-called Tea Bag Party Protests that some Evangelicals in America are getting embroiled in, none of these so-called Tea Bag Parties have anything to do with Christianity or Jesus Christ, and neither do they preach the Gospel. Rather they have become places through which hate, fear, paranoia, folly, ignorance, and Dominionist Theology are displayed.
Many Christian Evangelicals who engage in these ‘Tea Bag Parties’ claim that the USA is being taken over by Moslems, Marxists, Socialists, and Nazis. Therefore it is their duty to fight against the “Government Takeover” by the ‘Moslem Socialist Marxist Nazi’ Obama Administration and “Retake America Back”.
Pastor Dr. Chuck Baldwin
Such ‘thinking’ finds its roots in Dominion Theology and “American Evangelical Exceptionalism” with roots in John Calvin’s Predestination Theology, which unfortunately has become very popular among some American Evangelicals today ever since Obama came into Office.
Yet nauseating is the lack of discernment among ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’ that the American Political Right backed by Corporate interests are ‘using’ the Evangelicals to simply promote the Political Right’s agenda for power, using free speech as a pretext with subtle and overt racial and hate undertones that we have seen displayed on signs and placards in protests across the USA.
Yet even what is more disturbing is that some Preachers and Pastors are forsaking the preaching of The Gospel and instead resorting to ‘Tea Bag Party Theology’. Other preachers are getting more radical and arming themselves to the tooth and threatening to join armed insurrections and rebellion against what they perceive to be a ‘Moslem Marxist Socialist Nazi’ takeover of their “Christian Nation”.
The central theme among the American Evangelical ‘Tea Bag Party Theologists’ is that America was founded as a ‘Christian Nation’ and therefore America should be governed as a Christian Theocracy with ‘less government involvement’, a terminology ‘channeled’ through them by Corporate Interests and the Political Right.
Of course such notions cannot be defended in New Testament Scriptures. Such undiscerning Christians often turn to the Old Testament to defend their reasoning and paranoia. They often site Old Testament Scriptures of The Lord giving the Promised Land to Israel and therefore equate themselves to Israel of the Old Testament in today’s world.
Yet worse is that the secular world in America is amazed as such display of ignorance, outright stupidity, idiocy, and lack of knowledge concerning historical matters such as when ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’ mix Socialism, Marxism, Nazism, and Islamism as one and the same thing…and seem to deviate from the context of the original Boston Tea Bag Party. The same ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’ seem to allow themselves to be hoodwinked by Kenyan con artists who offer them fake ‘Kenyan Obama Birth Certificates’ that they intern circulate around email lists on the web. One wonders when such insanity will stop.
Yet still much more frightening is the fact that the Pure Gospel of Jesus Christ is being lost in America as Christians forsake the Preaching of the pure Gospel in search for Christian Political Power.
The Testimony and Witness of Jesus Christ in America is being obstructed, misrepresented, distorted, and hindered by the now ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelical’ Christians who see the Obama administration as the Devil Incarnate.
One Baptist Pastor recently preached a whole sermon titled “I hate Barrack Obama”. Clips of the Pastor’s “I hate Barrack Obama” sermon made its way on Cable News Networks and YouTube, and the last I heard was the same Pastor was a guest speaker at one of the ‘Tea Bag Parties’…that is the Gospel being preached now in America by some USA Evangelicals whose repository is Fox News and the Glen Beck Show.
Yet still Chuck Baldwin pens an article in which he tries to distance himself from such lunacy yet at the same time maintains the very ideology that the ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’ uphold…that is the notion that America should return to being a “Christian Nation”.
It is the same Chuck Baldwin who continuously writes articles trying hard to spin Romans 13 and create his own theology concerning local governments and their relationship to Evangelical Christians.
It is Chuck Baldwin that insists that it is OK for Christians to take up arms and rebel against their “repressive” governments. He claims that if the Founding Fathers did not take up arms against the British, then we would not enjoy ‘Liberty’ today. He claims that America was founded as a “Christian Nation” by Christians and for Christians who sought ‘Liberty’.
Chuck Baldwin goes on to tell and document his fabrications by quoting and paraphrasing the Old Testament scriptures that as Canaan was the Promised Land to the Israelites of the Old Testament, so America is the Promised Land to Christians of Today…
"...If Canaan was the Promised Land for Old Testament Israel, America was an earthly Promised Land for Christians and lovers of liberty. In the Providence of God, America was established by the right people, at the right time, and for the right purpose. With all its shortcomings, the U.S. Constitution--along with the Bill of Rights--is the greatest governing document ever devised by man. And the Declaration of Independence is thegreatest birth certificate a nation ever had."…"I do find it demonstrably hypocritical, however, for these 21st Century preachers to condemn America's Founding Fathers as being disobedient to Romans 13, only to turn around and celebrate Independence Day--and even conduct patriotic services in their churches. Even more egregious is the way these same preachers who condemn the 13 colonies in their fight for independence against the British Crown so quickly take up the war cry for military aggression all over the world. Obviously, inconsistency is one of the most consistent trademarks of Pharisaism..."
Hate America? Count Me Out! | By Chuck Baldwin | September 11, 2009
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2009/cbarchive_20090911.html
Chuck Baldwin cannot at anyone time quote scriptures in the New Testament to back him up. His resource is the Old Testament and the occasional spinning of Romans 13 to backup his own erroneous theology when it comes to local governments and Christians. Chuck Baldwin claims that he is no Republican and no Democrat, yet the very theology he espouses is no different from the ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’.
Lastly Chuck Baldwin makes himself the master of American History and therefore to his readers, it is Chuck Baldwin who dearly has full knowledge of American History and everyone else is a dupe who cannot read or research for themselves. To Chuck Baldwin, Christians left Europe and came and Founded America as a “Christian Nation” and declared America’s independence on grounds of Christianity.
Such deliberate distortion of historical facts and hijacking of the Bible Scriptures to promote a Christian Utopia makes Chuck Baldwin’s views deliberately spurious and having nothing to do with New Testament Christianity but armed insurrections, rebellion, politics, and the creation of a ‘Christian Utopia’ which any thinking Christian should have nothing to do with.
So, what does Chuck Baldwin expect Christians in Africa to do? Rebel against their governments? Should we Christians from Africa add to the already unfruitful rebellion, insurgencies, and many wars that have left Africa bleeding to this day? Is that Chuck Baldwin’s solution to many Christians who are persecuted for their faith around the world?
If Chuck Baldwin’s ‘Christian Political’ Theology is correct, then it must work in America and therefore must be a standard for Christians around the world since he bases that kind of Theology on Biblical Scriptures; since there are no special scriptures for American Christians and other scriptures for None American Christians, the standard must be the same…
But Chuck Baldwin’s ‘Exceptionalism’ Theology does not give him room to maneuver; it is constrained to American Evangelicals only; thus making the Bible and Salvation to have been written to an American Audience only…he finally has to call upon all Christians around the world to take up arms and fight a war of flesh and blood against the Infidels who he perceives as a threat to America and her interests, since arguably, America and her foreign interests are part and parcel of the “Promised Land” that Chuck Baldwin agitates for. Is this not the same Neo-conservative a.k.a. Neocon ideologies that the Political Right in America employed to lead up to the Iraq war?
Are the Neocons not the very same people Chuck Baldwin says he is not part of, yet hypocritically he promotes the same ‘John Calvin Exceptionalism’ ideologies that Neocons employ?
However, if Chuck Baldwin’s Christian Political Theology does not work in America and has failed to work in America, how does he expect other Christians around the world to behave and adapt to his Romans 13 Theology spin? Should they pick up guns and fight the Chinese regime? Should they pick up guns and fight African despotic regimes that hinder free speech and freedom of religion?
Who is Chuck Baldwin fooling? When was the last time Chuck Baldwin was persecuted for his faith in America? It is certain that he is simply promoting ‘American Evangelical’ “Exceptionalism” steaming from John Calvin’s Theology and not New Testament Christianity.
If truly America is the “Promised Land” that God has given to Christians today, why not give free Immigrant Visas to all Christians around the World and mandate them to immigrate to their “God given USA”? Should all Moslems convert to Christianity and then immigrate to their God Given USA – the Promised Land as Chuck Baldwin calls it? Or is it that only “Exceptional” Christians were allowed to immigrate to the Promised Land and others even if they convert cannot do so? Is this thinking and theology not similar to Joseph Smith and the Mormon Theology? What happened to Chuck Baldwin the Pastor who used to rightly divide the Word of Truth?
It is a shame that a respectable man who used to teach the pure Word of God is engaging in silly and irresponsible theology and leading the American Evangelical Church astray even when he thinks he is simply helping Christians recover their “Promised Land”...
The very Dominion Theology that Chuck Baldwin seems to challenge and oppose at times in his articles is the very theology he supports and as such the display of total duplicity, leading many American Evangelicals off track.
Now don’t get me wrong, everyone has a right to air their views and their own opinion, and therefore Chuck Baldwin’s views should be seen as his personal opinions and not sold out as New Testament Truth that Evangelicals must adhere to.
However, when the likes of Chuck Baldwin hijack scriptures to support their own erroneous Theology and go ahead to condemn all who don’t support their Dominionist theology, then that is were the line in the sand should be drawn. Chuck Baldwin’s views do not represent New Testament Christianity rather they are a total distortion of New Testament Teachings and outright lies.
There is no New Testament scripture promising Christians in the world a physical “Promised Land”. There are no scriptures in the New Testament that state that America is the Christian Promised Land of today. There are no scriptures in the New Testament that state that Christians should take up arms and rebel against their local governments in search for Freedom.
There are no scriptures in the New Testament that state that God promised the Americas as the ‘Promised Land’ to Christians. There is no single scripture in the New Testament that states that Christians must be governed under a ‘Christian Theocratic Regime’.
On the other hand Christianity has flourished under the most repressive regimes on earth, from the Nero regime of ancient Rome to the Chinese oppressive regimes, the Russian Marxists regimes, Christianity has flourished and blossomed. Go to Africa and see how Christianity has never left Egypt despite the persecution of Christians in Egypt.
Visit Sudan and Christianity stood the test of time under the oppression and persecution of Sudan’s Islamic regime. Visit Iran, Iraq, and Syria, Christians under hash circumstances not even known to Chuck Baldwin have survived and still exist there to this day.
The arguments that Chuck Baldwin makes of freedoms going away are nothing but mere ‘cry baby tantrums’ being thrown by folks who hate endurance, patience, long suffering, and pain. If Christians in other nations suffer persecution for Christ Jesus, then not why endure a little persecution in America?
Chuck Baldwin’s ‘Christian Political’ views are his and should remain his and he should not equate them with New Testament Christianity; doing so is spurious, fake, and bogus. The best way for Chuck Baldwin to “Take America Back” is for him to repent, forsake his Christian Political Theology, and return to his calling, which is preaching the pure and simple Gospel of Jesus Christ as we have it laid out in the New Testament.
Millions of Souls in America are lost spiritually and what will save them is not Chuck Baldwin’s ‘Christian Politics’ or Tea Bag Party Evangelicalism, or even a “Christian President”. Unfortunately, the True Gospel of Jesus Christ that is able to shine light to the millions of dying souls is being obstructed by the likes of Chuck Baldwin and his ‘Christian Political’ Theology that he forwards as New Testament Truth.
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/373-pastor-chuck-baldwin-tea-bag-party-evangelicals-and-the-lies.html
Kato Mivule | September 14, 2009
If there is anything in Evangelical America today, it is that Evangelical Christians are being ‘used’ and turned into political pawns by the Political Right in America simply bent on regaining and retaining Political Power.
Take for instance the so-called Tea Bag Party Protests that some Evangelicals in America are getting embroiled in, none of these so-called Tea Bag Parties have anything to do with Christianity or Jesus Christ, and neither do they preach the Gospel. Rather they have become places through which hate, fear, paranoia, folly, ignorance, and Dominionist Theology are displayed.
Many Christian Evangelicals who engage in these ‘Tea Bag Parties’ claim that the USA is being taken over by Moslems, Marxists, Socialists, and Nazis. Therefore it is their duty to fight against the “Government Takeover” by the ‘Moslem Socialist Marxist Nazi’ Obama Administration and “Retake America Back”.
Pastor Dr. Chuck Baldwin
Such ‘thinking’ finds its roots in Dominion Theology and “American Evangelical Exceptionalism” with roots in John Calvin’s Predestination Theology, which unfortunately has become very popular among some American Evangelicals today ever since Obama came into Office.
Yet nauseating is the lack of discernment among ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’ that the American Political Right backed by Corporate interests are ‘using’ the Evangelicals to simply promote the Political Right’s agenda for power, using free speech as a pretext with subtle and overt racial and hate undertones that we have seen displayed on signs and placards in protests across the USA.
Yet even what is more disturbing is that some Preachers and Pastors are forsaking the preaching of The Gospel and instead resorting to ‘Tea Bag Party Theology’. Other preachers are getting more radical and arming themselves to the tooth and threatening to join armed insurrections and rebellion against what they perceive to be a ‘Moslem Marxist Socialist Nazi’ takeover of their “Christian Nation”.
The central theme among the American Evangelical ‘Tea Bag Party Theologists’ is that America was founded as a ‘Christian Nation’ and therefore America should be governed as a Christian Theocracy with ‘less government involvement’, a terminology ‘channeled’ through them by Corporate Interests and the Political Right.
Of course such notions cannot be defended in New Testament Scriptures. Such undiscerning Christians often turn to the Old Testament to defend their reasoning and paranoia. They often site Old Testament Scriptures of The Lord giving the Promised Land to Israel and therefore equate themselves to Israel of the Old Testament in today’s world.
Yet worse is that the secular world in America is amazed as such display of ignorance, outright stupidity, idiocy, and lack of knowledge concerning historical matters such as when ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’ mix Socialism, Marxism, Nazism, and Islamism as one and the same thing…and seem to deviate from the context of the original Boston Tea Bag Party. The same ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’ seem to allow themselves to be hoodwinked by Kenyan con artists who offer them fake ‘Kenyan Obama Birth Certificates’ that they intern circulate around email lists on the web. One wonders when such insanity will stop.
Yet still much more frightening is the fact that the Pure Gospel of Jesus Christ is being lost in America as Christians forsake the Preaching of the pure Gospel in search for Christian Political Power.
The Testimony and Witness of Jesus Christ in America is being obstructed, misrepresented, distorted, and hindered by the now ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelical’ Christians who see the Obama administration as the Devil Incarnate.
One Baptist Pastor recently preached a whole sermon titled “I hate Barrack Obama”. Clips of the Pastor’s “I hate Barrack Obama” sermon made its way on Cable News Networks and YouTube, and the last I heard was the same Pastor was a guest speaker at one of the ‘Tea Bag Parties’…that is the Gospel being preached now in America by some USA Evangelicals whose repository is Fox News and the Glen Beck Show.
Yet still Chuck Baldwin pens an article in which he tries to distance himself from such lunacy yet at the same time maintains the very ideology that the ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’ uphold…that is the notion that America should return to being a “Christian Nation”.
It is the same Chuck Baldwin who continuously writes articles trying hard to spin Romans 13 and create his own theology concerning local governments and their relationship to Evangelical Christians.
It is Chuck Baldwin that insists that it is OK for Christians to take up arms and rebel against their “repressive” governments. He claims that if the Founding Fathers did not take up arms against the British, then we would not enjoy ‘Liberty’ today. He claims that America was founded as a “Christian Nation” by Christians and for Christians who sought ‘Liberty’.
Chuck Baldwin goes on to tell and document his fabrications by quoting and paraphrasing the Old Testament scriptures that as Canaan was the Promised Land to the Israelites of the Old Testament, so America is the Promised Land to Christians of Today…
"...If Canaan was the Promised Land for Old Testament Israel, America was an earthly Promised Land for Christians and lovers of liberty. In the Providence of God, America was established by the right people, at the right time, and for the right purpose. With all its shortcomings, the U.S. Constitution--along with the Bill of Rights--is the greatest governing document ever devised by man. And the Declaration of Independence is thegreatest birth certificate a nation ever had."…"I do find it demonstrably hypocritical, however, for these 21st Century preachers to condemn America's Founding Fathers as being disobedient to Romans 13, only to turn around and celebrate Independence Day--and even conduct patriotic services in their churches. Even more egregious is the way these same preachers who condemn the 13 colonies in their fight for independence against the British Crown so quickly take up the war cry for military aggression all over the world. Obviously, inconsistency is one of the most consistent trademarks of Pharisaism..."
Hate America? Count Me Out! | By Chuck Baldwin | September 11, 2009
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2009/cbarchive_20090911.html
Chuck Baldwin cannot at anyone time quote scriptures in the New Testament to back him up. His resource is the Old Testament and the occasional spinning of Romans 13 to backup his own erroneous theology when it comes to local governments and Christians. Chuck Baldwin claims that he is no Republican and no Democrat, yet the very theology he espouses is no different from the ‘Tea Bag Party Evangelicals’.
Lastly Chuck Baldwin makes himself the master of American History and therefore to his readers, it is Chuck Baldwin who dearly has full knowledge of American History and everyone else is a dupe who cannot read or research for themselves. To Chuck Baldwin, Christians left Europe and came and Founded America as a “Christian Nation” and declared America’s independence on grounds of Christianity.
Such deliberate distortion of historical facts and hijacking of the Bible Scriptures to promote a Christian Utopia makes Chuck Baldwin’s views deliberately spurious and having nothing to do with New Testament Christianity but armed insurrections, rebellion, politics, and the creation of a ‘Christian Utopia’ which any thinking Christian should have nothing to do with.
So, what does Chuck Baldwin expect Christians in Africa to do? Rebel against their governments? Should we Christians from Africa add to the already unfruitful rebellion, insurgencies, and many wars that have left Africa bleeding to this day? Is that Chuck Baldwin’s solution to many Christians who are persecuted for their faith around the world?
If Chuck Baldwin’s ‘Christian Political’ Theology is correct, then it must work in America and therefore must be a standard for Christians around the world since he bases that kind of Theology on Biblical Scriptures; since there are no special scriptures for American Christians and other scriptures for None American Christians, the standard must be the same…
But Chuck Baldwin’s ‘Exceptionalism’ Theology does not give him room to maneuver; it is constrained to American Evangelicals only; thus making the Bible and Salvation to have been written to an American Audience only…he finally has to call upon all Christians around the world to take up arms and fight a war of flesh and blood against the Infidels who he perceives as a threat to America and her interests, since arguably, America and her foreign interests are part and parcel of the “Promised Land” that Chuck Baldwin agitates for. Is this not the same Neo-conservative a.k.a. Neocon ideologies that the Political Right in America employed to lead up to the Iraq war?
Are the Neocons not the very same people Chuck Baldwin says he is not part of, yet hypocritically he promotes the same ‘John Calvin Exceptionalism’ ideologies that Neocons employ?
However, if Chuck Baldwin’s Christian Political Theology does not work in America and has failed to work in America, how does he expect other Christians around the world to behave and adapt to his Romans 13 Theology spin? Should they pick up guns and fight the Chinese regime? Should they pick up guns and fight African despotic regimes that hinder free speech and freedom of religion?
Who is Chuck Baldwin fooling? When was the last time Chuck Baldwin was persecuted for his faith in America? It is certain that he is simply promoting ‘American Evangelical’ “Exceptionalism” steaming from John Calvin’s Theology and not New Testament Christianity.
If truly America is the “Promised Land” that God has given to Christians today, why not give free Immigrant Visas to all Christians around the World and mandate them to immigrate to their “God given USA”? Should all Moslems convert to Christianity and then immigrate to their God Given USA – the Promised Land as Chuck Baldwin calls it? Or is it that only “Exceptional” Christians were allowed to immigrate to the Promised Land and others even if they convert cannot do so? Is this thinking and theology not similar to Joseph Smith and the Mormon Theology? What happened to Chuck Baldwin the Pastor who used to rightly divide the Word of Truth?
It is a shame that a respectable man who used to teach the pure Word of God is engaging in silly and irresponsible theology and leading the American Evangelical Church astray even when he thinks he is simply helping Christians recover their “Promised Land”...
The very Dominion Theology that Chuck Baldwin seems to challenge and oppose at times in his articles is the very theology he supports and as such the display of total duplicity, leading many American Evangelicals off track.
Now don’t get me wrong, everyone has a right to air their views and their own opinion, and therefore Chuck Baldwin’s views should be seen as his personal opinions and not sold out as New Testament Truth that Evangelicals must adhere to.
However, when the likes of Chuck Baldwin hijack scriptures to support their own erroneous Theology and go ahead to condemn all who don’t support their Dominionist theology, then that is were the line in the sand should be drawn. Chuck Baldwin’s views do not represent New Testament Christianity rather they are a total distortion of New Testament Teachings and outright lies.
There is no New Testament scripture promising Christians in the world a physical “Promised Land”. There are no scriptures in the New Testament that state that America is the Christian Promised Land of today. There are no scriptures in the New Testament that state that Christians should take up arms and rebel against their local governments in search for Freedom.
There are no scriptures in the New Testament that state that God promised the Americas as the ‘Promised Land’ to Christians. There is no single scripture in the New Testament that states that Christians must be governed under a ‘Christian Theocratic Regime’.
On the other hand Christianity has flourished under the most repressive regimes on earth, from the Nero regime of ancient Rome to the Chinese oppressive regimes, the Russian Marxists regimes, Christianity has flourished and blossomed. Go to Africa and see how Christianity has never left Egypt despite the persecution of Christians in Egypt.
Visit Sudan and Christianity stood the test of time under the oppression and persecution of Sudan’s Islamic regime. Visit Iran, Iraq, and Syria, Christians under hash circumstances not even known to Chuck Baldwin have survived and still exist there to this day.
The arguments that Chuck Baldwin makes of freedoms going away are nothing but mere ‘cry baby tantrums’ being thrown by folks who hate endurance, patience, long suffering, and pain. If Christians in other nations suffer persecution for Christ Jesus, then not why endure a little persecution in America?
Chuck Baldwin’s ‘Christian Political’ views are his and should remain his and he should not equate them with New Testament Christianity; doing so is spurious, fake, and bogus. The best way for Chuck Baldwin to “Take America Back” is for him to repent, forsake his Christian Political Theology, and return to his calling, which is preaching the pure and simple Gospel of Jesus Christ as we have it laid out in the New Testament.
Millions of Souls in America are lost spiritually and what will save them is not Chuck Baldwin’s ‘Christian Politics’ or Tea Bag Party Evangelicalism, or even a “Christian President”. Unfortunately, the True Gospel of Jesus Christ that is able to shine light to the millions of dying souls is being obstructed by the likes of Chuck Baldwin and his ‘Christian Political’ Theology that he forwards as New Testament Truth.
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
What Doctrine Do You Hold?
What Doctrine Do You Hold?
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/370-what-doctrine-do-you-hold.html
Arthur Owiti | September 9, 2009
A heart rending look at the seven churches in the book of Revelation reveals one point amongst many: Jesus Christ desires the church as whole and individuals to hold to his doctrine, his name, and His works ALONE.
Since the beginning of the church we find that the area of doctrine has been facing attack. Yet true doctrine is the right and easy way of having unity of the faith. In fact the church was the church because it held ONLY on the name and teachings of Jesus Christ not on many statements of faith or creeds as today in Christendom.
Presently there are so many different gospels that have people receiving different spirits other than the one spirit, the Holy Spirit of Truth; truth which is the word of God. Thus many Christians who hold not the doctrine of Christ cannot have the fruit of the Spirit nor the love of God in their lives hence the spirit of disobedience and the love of the world abounds in them in different ways.
DOCTRINES= DEEDS=JUDGMENT
Reading the words of Jesus to the seven churches one can see that, what one learns is what one does. Those that heard wrong teachings like the teachings of Jezebel and the teachings of Balaam, found themselves in fornication and idolatry. These sins are contrary to the word of Christ.
Remember idolatry is covetousness .Thus today the greed for physical treasures and power is a sign of evil doctrines being present in the church today that justitify unrighteousness. This spiritual adultery has made the church earthly minded seeking money and power, the main idols of today's church.
The outcome for Thyatira was warning of judgment and vengeance from the Lord himself. Death, great tribulation, fighting were set for those who refused to repent. This judgment, (yes, that word is in the New Testament) serves as an example to other churches for those who choose to hold other doctrines other than the truth. God will avenge if one insists on holding on what he hates.
True doctrine when applied practically produces life and the fruit of the spirit, the character of Jesus Christ. Jesus even stated how the seed is the word of God and only those who understand and keep it are fruitful. However some hear the word and do not apply it becoming unfruitful.
Others get a corrupted seed which is similar to the truth but it is twisted, hence is not truth. This similar to the tares the enemy planted together with the wheat. As tare seeds must give forth tares, corrupt doctrine will give out corrupt fruit which the Lord does not honor but will burn in the fire. Thus judgment for those who bring forth corrupt fruit. The good seed is the doctrine of Christ that will produce much fruit to them that keep it.
Since doctrine is basically instructions and instructions consist of words, the words of Jesus Christ are essential for us to know the will of God as we need to be instructed in knowing how to live and be holy like him. The words of men however are pompous, exciting, but are not life and spirit. Since they come from the flesh, they profit nothing .So the words of Jesus Christ in action are the will of God, but the words of men, the will of men , the will of the devil.
A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU/ ONE THING YOU LACK
The Lord did not ignore the good deeds of the churches; he commended them. However his word to them shows that a few things set one apart from him. The church of Thyatira had charity, works service and faith but death was promised for those who held the doctrine of Jezebel. The Lord knows those who are his and those who are meddling in the faith. No one can hide from him.
What about the rich man who loved his neighbor as himself but did not love the Lord by disobeying his word to sell all that he had to the poor and follow him? The one thing he lacked shut him out of the kingdom of God, even though his commandment keeping from his youth was picture perfect.
We should watch for the 'one thing' in our lives daily in repentance before him. Many churches are doing very many 'good works' but have a little leaven that is leavening the whole, slowly but surely. That little leaven is enough to destroy the spiritual life of a local church and ultimately, a nation.
The doctrines they hold, even if they are twisted from the Law or Old Testament end up being rebellion against the Lord. We must hold on the word that was given in the beginning for the church in the New Testament .That is why we at times, read the book of Acts in line with the epistles as it shows us how the church applied the doctrine of Christ. Any other doctrine we receive today that pollutes the faith should be rejected utterly or the Lord shall reject us.
This rejection of the word of Christ and rebellion is played out in the physical hence today the dominion of sins IN THE CHURCH such as homosexuality, adultery, false hood, greed, selfish gain, heresy, murder ,disobedience of parents - all these and others which Jesus said come FROM THE HEART.
THE HEART AND GOD’S WORD
Like David we should hide the word of God in our hearts to keep to Sound Doctrine. From and in the heart, we can fall into the temptation of hiding evil thoughts, ill motives, and grudges, past ways, sinful and worldly desires .Such things do not edify our inner man but bring spiritual destruction gradually or suddenly. That is why we abide in Jesus daily to daily wrestle and crush self and sins dominance in repentance in him by the Holy Spirit. So what have you hidden in your heart…the word or the world?
By the grace of God, daily clean the inside of hearts from all the hidden works of dishonesty by the word of God which sanctifies us in truth. The word of Christ should dwell richly in us, in our hearts, rejecting worldly lusts and be filled with Holy Spirit to bear fruit. Reading and doing, meditating on his word, strengthens us in the spirit as we pray in the Holy Spirit according to his will which is in his word. This is the life of daily carrying the cross and dying to self and its sinful desires.
We can ONLY overcome the world and evil by the doctrine of Christ. Are you holding it alone or another doctrine? Is your fellowship running back to hold Jezebel and Balaam? Look at most of the church today and ask yourself whether it is only holding the doctrine of Christ or it is holding complicated, confusing evil doctrines . Edification in the word of God is key for our conformation to the image of Christ and rejection of the lusts of the devil.
WORSHIP = OBEDIENCE
We see in the Garden of Eden the devil came with a twisted word of God. He misused the commandment to win the obedience of Adam and Eve. He added to the words of God to gain the service of Adam and Eve. They disobeyed God to obey the Devil in the name of fulfilling their lusts and that of the devil.
Jesus however did not fall into the temptation of obeying the devil. His example shows that Worship/ Obedience is to God alone and no one else.
Jesus gave the apostles the words of God because he was building his church beginning with them. They were cleansed by his word so that they could receive the Holy Spirit to remember his words and write them down and to teach the church the doctrine of Christ and his gospel.
The false teachers came AFTER THE WORD, like the devil did at the Garden of Eden. They employed the Law, which is spiritual, to cause divisions and heresies once the New Covenant was established to be the truth for BOTH Jew and Gentile. Others misused Liberty for lasciviousness.
Today we have seen this in the denominational circles where they exalt one scripture or doctrine to form the foundation of their churches. All that is falsehood from the enemy, even if it is laced with scriptures. Man has usurped the authority of Jesus Christ the builder of the true church, by building his own church with his own materials and sayings. Vain worship exists in such a church where man has taken authority by teaching and upholding his words not the words of Christ...
The so called one man pastor, worship leaders, popes, so called apostles, archbishops, are usurpations of the authority of Jesus Christ, demanding to mediate in the everlasting new covenant where ONLY Jesus Christ is the mediator. This is just plain rebellion, antichrist blasphemy.
Let us watch that we only hold the doctrine of Jesus Christ as taught in the New Testament, the whole counsel of God's word. He alone deserves to be worshipped and obeyed.
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/370-what-doctrine-do-you-hold.html
Arthur Owiti | September 9, 2009
A heart rending look at the seven churches in the book of Revelation reveals one point amongst many: Jesus Christ desires the church as whole and individuals to hold to his doctrine, his name, and His works ALONE.
Since the beginning of the church we find that the area of doctrine has been facing attack. Yet true doctrine is the right and easy way of having unity of the faith. In fact the church was the church because it held ONLY on the name and teachings of Jesus Christ not on many statements of faith or creeds as today in Christendom.
Presently there are so many different gospels that have people receiving different spirits other than the one spirit, the Holy Spirit of Truth; truth which is the word of God. Thus many Christians who hold not the doctrine of Christ cannot have the fruit of the Spirit nor the love of God in their lives hence the spirit of disobedience and the love of the world abounds in them in different ways.
DOCTRINES= DEEDS=JUDGMENT
Reading the words of Jesus to the seven churches one can see that, what one learns is what one does. Those that heard wrong teachings like the teachings of Jezebel and the teachings of Balaam, found themselves in fornication and idolatry. These sins are contrary to the word of Christ.
Remember idolatry is covetousness .Thus today the greed for physical treasures and power is a sign of evil doctrines being present in the church today that justitify unrighteousness. This spiritual adultery has made the church earthly minded seeking money and power, the main idols of today's church.
The outcome for Thyatira was warning of judgment and vengeance from the Lord himself. Death, great tribulation, fighting were set for those who refused to repent. This judgment, (yes, that word is in the New Testament) serves as an example to other churches for those who choose to hold other doctrines other than the truth. God will avenge if one insists on holding on what he hates.
True doctrine when applied practically produces life and the fruit of the spirit, the character of Jesus Christ. Jesus even stated how the seed is the word of God and only those who understand and keep it are fruitful. However some hear the word and do not apply it becoming unfruitful.
Others get a corrupted seed which is similar to the truth but it is twisted, hence is not truth. This similar to the tares the enemy planted together with the wheat. As tare seeds must give forth tares, corrupt doctrine will give out corrupt fruit which the Lord does not honor but will burn in the fire. Thus judgment for those who bring forth corrupt fruit. The good seed is the doctrine of Christ that will produce much fruit to them that keep it.
Since doctrine is basically instructions and instructions consist of words, the words of Jesus Christ are essential for us to know the will of God as we need to be instructed in knowing how to live and be holy like him. The words of men however are pompous, exciting, but are not life and spirit. Since they come from the flesh, they profit nothing .So the words of Jesus Christ in action are the will of God, but the words of men, the will of men , the will of the devil.
A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU/ ONE THING YOU LACK
The Lord did not ignore the good deeds of the churches; he commended them. However his word to them shows that a few things set one apart from him. The church of Thyatira had charity, works service and faith but death was promised for those who held the doctrine of Jezebel. The Lord knows those who are his and those who are meddling in the faith. No one can hide from him.
What about the rich man who loved his neighbor as himself but did not love the Lord by disobeying his word to sell all that he had to the poor and follow him? The one thing he lacked shut him out of the kingdom of God, even though his commandment keeping from his youth was picture perfect.
We should watch for the 'one thing' in our lives daily in repentance before him. Many churches are doing very many 'good works' but have a little leaven that is leavening the whole, slowly but surely. That little leaven is enough to destroy the spiritual life of a local church and ultimately, a nation.
The doctrines they hold, even if they are twisted from the Law or Old Testament end up being rebellion against the Lord. We must hold on the word that was given in the beginning for the church in the New Testament .That is why we at times, read the book of Acts in line with the epistles as it shows us how the church applied the doctrine of Christ. Any other doctrine we receive today that pollutes the faith should be rejected utterly or the Lord shall reject us.
This rejection of the word of Christ and rebellion is played out in the physical hence today the dominion of sins IN THE CHURCH such as homosexuality, adultery, false hood, greed, selfish gain, heresy, murder ,disobedience of parents - all these and others which Jesus said come FROM THE HEART.
THE HEART AND GOD’S WORD
Like David we should hide the word of God in our hearts to keep to Sound Doctrine. From and in the heart, we can fall into the temptation of hiding evil thoughts, ill motives, and grudges, past ways, sinful and worldly desires .Such things do not edify our inner man but bring spiritual destruction gradually or suddenly. That is why we abide in Jesus daily to daily wrestle and crush self and sins dominance in repentance in him by the Holy Spirit. So what have you hidden in your heart…the word or the world?
By the grace of God, daily clean the inside of hearts from all the hidden works of dishonesty by the word of God which sanctifies us in truth. The word of Christ should dwell richly in us, in our hearts, rejecting worldly lusts and be filled with Holy Spirit to bear fruit. Reading and doing, meditating on his word, strengthens us in the spirit as we pray in the Holy Spirit according to his will which is in his word. This is the life of daily carrying the cross and dying to self and its sinful desires.
We can ONLY overcome the world and evil by the doctrine of Christ. Are you holding it alone or another doctrine? Is your fellowship running back to hold Jezebel and Balaam? Look at most of the church today and ask yourself whether it is only holding the doctrine of Christ or it is holding complicated, confusing evil doctrines . Edification in the word of God is key for our conformation to the image of Christ and rejection of the lusts of the devil.
WORSHIP = OBEDIENCE
We see in the Garden of Eden the devil came with a twisted word of God. He misused the commandment to win the obedience of Adam and Eve. He added to the words of God to gain the service of Adam and Eve. They disobeyed God to obey the Devil in the name of fulfilling their lusts and that of the devil.
Jesus however did not fall into the temptation of obeying the devil. His example shows that Worship/ Obedience is to God alone and no one else.
Jesus gave the apostles the words of God because he was building his church beginning with them. They were cleansed by his word so that they could receive the Holy Spirit to remember his words and write them down and to teach the church the doctrine of Christ and his gospel.
The false teachers came AFTER THE WORD, like the devil did at the Garden of Eden. They employed the Law, which is spiritual, to cause divisions and heresies once the New Covenant was established to be the truth for BOTH Jew and Gentile. Others misused Liberty for lasciviousness.
Today we have seen this in the denominational circles where they exalt one scripture or doctrine to form the foundation of their churches. All that is falsehood from the enemy, even if it is laced with scriptures. Man has usurped the authority of Jesus Christ the builder of the true church, by building his own church with his own materials and sayings. Vain worship exists in such a church where man has taken authority by teaching and upholding his words not the words of Christ...
The so called one man pastor, worship leaders, popes, so called apostles, archbishops, are usurpations of the authority of Jesus Christ, demanding to mediate in the everlasting new covenant where ONLY Jesus Christ is the mediator. This is just plain rebellion, antichrist blasphemy.
Let us watch that we only hold the doctrine of Jesus Christ as taught in the New Testament, the whole counsel of God's word. He alone deserves to be worshipped and obeyed.
CHRIST verses CONSTANTINE
CHRIST verses CONSTANTINE
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/369-christ-verses-constantine.html
Arthur Owiti | Posted September 9, 2009
There is an ongoing two way reorganization of Christianity. Whereas one is a return to the true gospel based on the love of God, built by Jesus Christ, the other is the grand establishment of blasphemy based on love (lust) of the world, built by man.
The Lord said that he is the builder of his church. This shows us that the Lord owns the church, the bride of Christ. That is why he is justified to chasten her and protect her, because he bought her with a price, his own life. This is the love that Jesus Christ has for his church.
However as the devil entered the Garden of Eden to deceive man, he being a murderer and liar from beginning, comes into the church through false doctrines and blasphemy to deceive the church and separate her from Christ.
One incident of such entry is that of the Roman Empire’s ‘marriage’ with the church in Rome. This event joined the Politics of the world with Religion, in this case Christianity. Constantine saw it as gain to bring order in the church for his own purpose of building his empire. The Church , tired of persecution, did not mind the order ,which would bring the end of persecution and gain in government positions .They were both driven by lust of the world-- for riches, power and glory.
THE FOUNDATION OF CONSTANTINE ’S CHURCH, FALSE VINE:
--- Replacement of the one elect, Israel
The Constantine church did not consider that it was grafted to the natural olive tree. In their arrogance they forsook it, focusing on the wild olive tree .There is no mention of the one elect of Jews and Gentiles in Jesus Christ in the creeds. Hence the Catholic (Universal) church replaced the one elect of Israel. Hence the presence of Anti Semitism in the Constantine/Man controlled churches yesterday and today.
--- The Replacement of the Melchizedek order
Restoration of a Levitical Order, using New Testament scriptures on an Old Testament man building, carnal man control order--cathedrals are the temples of worship, Christmas Easter days are Church feast days, priests in garments are the Levites of the church etc…
--- Replacement of the Lordship of Jesus Christ
The headship of carnal man over a spiritual body (disorder and blasphemy) through the papal position or prime overseer of the faith. Also creating hierarchy in the church, Nicolaitanes doctrine. Like Jezebel, the Bride usurped authority from the Bridegroom by not being subject to his sayings and creating new theology. Hence this Jezebel plays out in the worship of Mary in the Catholic Church and the bishophood of women in Protestant and Evangelical churches.
---- Replacement of the Word of God
By creating creeds and statement of faiths. The word of God is the foundation of the faith, not theological explanations or revelations from men. They replaced truth with twisted scriptures by men, lies.
Replacement is a form of rejection. This is rejection of the faith delivered once to the saints. They reject the true builder of the church, Jesus Christ and his doctrine and put Man as the builder of the church... blasphemy.
EUROPE AND ‘STATE CHURCH ’
This type of Christianity compacted the official Church with Politicians, making them one in agreement. This went on until the reformation where Luther rejected some of the doctrines of the Catholic Church and broke away.
However Luther did not deal with the Constantine Root which was the base of official Christianity .Thus instead of uprooting it, the reformation allowed nationalization of the system of Church and State in Europe. The reformation thus led to:
* Roman Catholic Church in Italy and France ---Holy Roman Emperor and Pope
* Anglican Church/Church of England -- The King, Head of the Church
* Lutheran Church in Germany and other Scandinavian countries --- King and Church relationship
The national churches enthroned the Kings and the Kings protected the churches. Just as the false prophet will lead the world to worship the Antichrist.
Moreover economy was bound to the political wing or King and his nobles (today’s elite).Thus politics and religion and economy were and are in one agreement. This is the current Western system that is employed globally, even in Islamic countries having a similar politico- economic -religious system.
Despite doctrinal differences in the Protestant and Catholic churches, they are still united by the Apostles creed and Nicene creed .They believe they are the universal church, the 'catholic church', not one elect, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
AMERICA AND THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH
Some of those who opposed this and saw wickedness in this order in the church immigrated to America. However, as they settled, others went on to establish a similar order even though the American constitution claims to separate church and State. Many of the drafters of the constitution were both Theologians Church leaders and Politicians, covert evidence of a 'Constantine Root/Union'.
What is interesting is that the Evangelical church in America did not wholly subscribe to the Constantine Root by employing its historic creeds; until she became earthly minded and IRS policy demanded for creeds for tax exemption. In a subtle way this makes government/ politicians the lord of the churches, yet Jesus paid tax.
Thus the official tax exempt American church is connected to the State, covertly. Those which are not and do not involve themselves in politics, are not connected to the State. The Lord Jesus still has his sheep there.
Moreover creeds are trap to Evangelical churches to be part of the Constantine root of Man control of the spiritual life of the people---because most Evangelical Christians loathe the Catholic Church doctrine making it difficult for the leaders to openly tell them to hold the Apostles and Nicene creeds. Yet the doctrines of many Evangelical churches have a Roman Catholic root.
EMPIRE AND ‘THE IMPERIAL CHURCH ’
Every empire has its religious aspect that inspires it. In Daniel's time Babylon ordered idol worship over all tongues and nations it ruled. When the European powers colonized Africa they employed their state churches for objects of political conquest. Thus the Catholic Church was a sign of French control, The Episcopalian/Anglican church, British control.
The British Empire (which set the foundation of today’s globalization) succeeded worldwide, because it was strong economically thus could fund military conquests and most of all and most forgotten, it had a strong religious front that inspired and sanctified her conquest. Joining the army was a God given duty, a Christian virtue. Britain’s success made some of them believe they were at par with Israel in the times of King David. Patriotism and faith were one in Britain at that time.
There is nothing new under the sun. Thus we have seen the same Religious Empire mentality with America, where the political elite employs American churches as spheres of influence in a region. This was Constantine’s idea of Christianity…a tool for Empire expansion and stability.
One common fact of religious empires is that they murder their enemies in the name of God. This is why the antichrist empowered by Satan, will murder of true saints will be sanctioned by the false prophet who will have led antichrist lovers to worship the antichrist.
Empire is also about control of politics, religion and economy of others-- the 3 main ingredients of a 'nation'. Globally there is a crisis and confusion and disorder in economy, politics and religion .The crisis is preparing way for one who will bring order in the politics, the economy and religion of the world. The prophetic scriptures say this is the Antichrist, who will bring order control world politics, world economy and world religion, like Constantine desired in most of the world.
However, it is the religious aspect that will be key because he will be empowered by Satan; the creature, a powerful carnal man, will declare himself Creator in the place where God the Creator and Redeemer has chosen to place his name on earth, in the temple, in the city of the great King, Jerusalem --- it will be the highest blasphemy and the complete revelation of the man of sin.
This Constantine Root /Union, where the religious aspect is compounded with State is a counterfeit of the true kingdom of God, where the one Israel , believing Jew and Gentile, are Kings and Priests in Jesus Christ the King of Kings, in his kingdom . We shall take up this position on earth, WHEN JESUS CHRIST COMES IN HIS POWER AND GLORY. This is where the great detour of the wicked Dominion theology occurs; -- impatience on their part in wanting to redeem the world for Christ.
DOMINION CHURCH CO- REDEEMER -DOCTRINE
For the dominion church it is time to redeem the world and apostate church for Christ
One pastor in Kenya who holds this doctrine said that even if Constantine’s pagan holidays and church building doctrine and hierarchy are unscriptural, we as Christians can redeem them for God's glory. They have redeemed Christmas, Easter, cathedrals, for Christ.
So you find these types of Christians who know about the false Christ and doctrines in Christendom redeeming for Christ or what they call end time revival. 'Let us be united but don't destroy our denominations' is what they sing. This is especially in the Charismatic circles of Christendom.
Some Christians who know the truth have changed it into a lie by compromising it either by not speaking out or coming out. They prefer to take dominion over the rot in Christendom. This makes them co redeemer with Christ in taking dominion over the world. They stand in the position of Mary in the Roman Catholic Church hence evidence of employing Catholic teachings/Catholic root in the Evangelical Church in the name of Dominion
Their redemption is not about truth and Jesus taking his rightful place but about them being in authority, greed and the praise of men. This happens in the Anglican/Episcopalian circles in East Africa where born again Christians from the renewal movement were and are given top positions so as not to expose doctrinal errors and lose members or leave the church.
In America, Hollywood, Science, the media and the military are on the redemption process. Not forgetting the craze of Christian universities which are set up to create manpower for the new kingdom. They proudly say the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof as a basis of redemption and loving the world.
Most important in the redemption process is the Politics and Law. In Kenya we have Christian MPs or congressmen some of whom are 'ministers of God ‘! When do these ministers pray or care for the sheep with sound doctrine and physical support when they are busy with political matters?? They must be failing on one front if not all.
Moreover, some so called church leaders beseech the president on ministerial appointments so as to appease their tribesmen who happen to be a majority in their church. Colonial/Empire Christianity is what drives these false churches whereas there are true Christians rejecting this political Christianity.
This redemption is the way to Hell. Daniel 2 shows us that Jesus Christ shall destroy the man made image, which is the kingdoms of this world. So why should Christians be part of such kingdoms...will they not become enemies of Christ? These people will be part and parcel of the Antichrist rule and worship if they insist on taking Christian control of politics.
Conferences in Africa concerning religion and politics, where they are calling for change in government expose a sinister plot. In my opinion African Christians should not be surprised if coups, fundamental changes or militarization of government will in the near future take place in the midst of the global crisis and rising NWO that is wreaking havoc in the world(though some African countries have covertly militarized governments as of now)
CONCLUSION
My point in all this is that the foundation matters for our faith to endure. Remember in the New Testament the epistles apart from instruction, also remind believers about the words they heard at the beginning. That is the simplicity of Christ…all that was said at the beginning, his words and the apostles doctrine in the New Testament, are what we are to cling on for doctrine.
Sadly many Christians today cling more on the sayings of Luther, the sayings of Calvin, sayings of Adam Smith, sayings of Karl Marx; the sayings of Freud, sayings of dead theologians...the words of pastors. You hear a Christian fondly say ‘Pastor G said this…Prophet B said do this … when what was said is contrary to God’s word. Like the Bereans, one should take what that man said and measure it against what ‘Jesus said’ or ‘ It is written’ by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. These sayings of men are the foundation of their faith instead of the sayings of Jesus Christ.
Yes, one has liberty to study those sayings of men and test them against the word of God so that you hold on what is good and reject the false. Their sayings are to be a confirmation of what the word of God has said and not contrary because the word of God is wholesome having everything we need for godliness. Sadly some of those theologians lied in the name of the Lord because they did not rightly divide the word of truth nor properly use the scriptures .Let God be true and every man a liar. The word of God is truth, from the beginning to the end.
You are either on the true foundation of Jesus Christ, the truth or the corrupt foundation of man, Constantine, which is of now, the Antichrist to be revealed. Just because a house is well furnished and looks beautiful does not mean that it will stand a storm. So long as its foundation is weak it will fall when attacked by a storm.
This applies to our faith. Just because one preaches pseudo truth messages with scriptures, does not mean he is right. If the foundation is not Christ and his doctrine, then one has no business considering such a preacher; who is determined to reject the sayings of Jesus Christ.
Like Jesus Christ our King, we are not of the kingdoms of this world. Patiently watch and wait for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ to crush them. Reject any form of redeeming the governments for Christ. It is blasphemy…to take the position of Christ ...just like the church in Rome did in Constantine’s day.
If the foundations be destroyed what shall the righteous do?
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/369-christ-verses-constantine.html
Arthur Owiti | Posted September 9, 2009
There is an ongoing two way reorganization of Christianity. Whereas one is a return to the true gospel based on the love of God, built by Jesus Christ, the other is the grand establishment of blasphemy based on love (lust) of the world, built by man.
The Lord said that he is the builder of his church. This shows us that the Lord owns the church, the bride of Christ. That is why he is justified to chasten her and protect her, because he bought her with a price, his own life. This is the love that Jesus Christ has for his church.
However as the devil entered the Garden of Eden to deceive man, he being a murderer and liar from beginning, comes into the church through false doctrines and blasphemy to deceive the church and separate her from Christ.
One incident of such entry is that of the Roman Empire’s ‘marriage’ with the church in Rome. This event joined the Politics of the world with Religion, in this case Christianity. Constantine saw it as gain to bring order in the church for his own purpose of building his empire. The Church , tired of persecution, did not mind the order ,which would bring the end of persecution and gain in government positions .They were both driven by lust of the world-- for riches, power and glory.
THE FOUNDATION OF CONSTANTINE ’S CHURCH, FALSE VINE:
--- Replacement of the one elect, Israel
The Constantine church did not consider that it was grafted to the natural olive tree. In their arrogance they forsook it, focusing on the wild olive tree .There is no mention of the one elect of Jews and Gentiles in Jesus Christ in the creeds. Hence the Catholic (Universal) church replaced the one elect of Israel. Hence the presence of Anti Semitism in the Constantine/Man controlled churches yesterday and today.
--- The Replacement of the Melchizedek order
Restoration of a Levitical Order, using New Testament scriptures on an Old Testament man building, carnal man control order--cathedrals are the temples of worship, Christmas Easter days are Church feast days, priests in garments are the Levites of the church etc…
--- Replacement of the Lordship of Jesus Christ
The headship of carnal man over a spiritual body (disorder and blasphemy) through the papal position or prime overseer of the faith. Also creating hierarchy in the church, Nicolaitanes doctrine. Like Jezebel, the Bride usurped authority from the Bridegroom by not being subject to his sayings and creating new theology. Hence this Jezebel plays out in the worship of Mary in the Catholic Church and the bishophood of women in Protestant and Evangelical churches.
---- Replacement of the Word of God
By creating creeds and statement of faiths. The word of God is the foundation of the faith, not theological explanations or revelations from men. They replaced truth with twisted scriptures by men, lies.
Replacement is a form of rejection. This is rejection of the faith delivered once to the saints. They reject the true builder of the church, Jesus Christ and his doctrine and put Man as the builder of the church... blasphemy.
EUROPE AND ‘STATE CHURCH ’
This type of Christianity compacted the official Church with Politicians, making them one in agreement. This went on until the reformation where Luther rejected some of the doctrines of the Catholic Church and broke away.
However Luther did not deal with the Constantine Root which was the base of official Christianity .Thus instead of uprooting it, the reformation allowed nationalization of the system of Church and State in Europe. The reformation thus led to:
* Roman Catholic Church in Italy and France ---Holy Roman Emperor and Pope
* Anglican Church/Church of England -- The King, Head of the Church
* Lutheran Church in Germany and other Scandinavian countries --- King and Church relationship
The national churches enthroned the Kings and the Kings protected the churches. Just as the false prophet will lead the world to worship the Antichrist.
Moreover economy was bound to the political wing or King and his nobles (today’s elite).Thus politics and religion and economy were and are in one agreement. This is the current Western system that is employed globally, even in Islamic countries having a similar politico- economic -religious system.
Despite doctrinal differences in the Protestant and Catholic churches, they are still united by the Apostles creed and Nicene creed .They believe they are the universal church, the 'catholic church', not one elect, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
AMERICA AND THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH
Some of those who opposed this and saw wickedness in this order in the church immigrated to America. However, as they settled, others went on to establish a similar order even though the American constitution claims to separate church and State. Many of the drafters of the constitution were both Theologians Church leaders and Politicians, covert evidence of a 'Constantine Root/Union'.
What is interesting is that the Evangelical church in America did not wholly subscribe to the Constantine Root by employing its historic creeds; until she became earthly minded and IRS policy demanded for creeds for tax exemption. In a subtle way this makes government/ politicians the lord of the churches, yet Jesus paid tax.
Thus the official tax exempt American church is connected to the State, covertly. Those which are not and do not involve themselves in politics, are not connected to the State. The Lord Jesus still has his sheep there.
Moreover creeds are trap to Evangelical churches to be part of the Constantine root of Man control of the spiritual life of the people---because most Evangelical Christians loathe the Catholic Church doctrine making it difficult for the leaders to openly tell them to hold the Apostles and Nicene creeds. Yet the doctrines of many Evangelical churches have a Roman Catholic root.
EMPIRE AND ‘THE IMPERIAL CHURCH ’
Every empire has its religious aspect that inspires it. In Daniel's time Babylon ordered idol worship over all tongues and nations it ruled. When the European powers colonized Africa they employed their state churches for objects of political conquest. Thus the Catholic Church was a sign of French control, The Episcopalian/Anglican church, British control.
The British Empire (which set the foundation of today’s globalization) succeeded worldwide, because it was strong economically thus could fund military conquests and most of all and most forgotten, it had a strong religious front that inspired and sanctified her conquest. Joining the army was a God given duty, a Christian virtue. Britain’s success made some of them believe they were at par with Israel in the times of King David. Patriotism and faith were one in Britain at that time.
There is nothing new under the sun. Thus we have seen the same Religious Empire mentality with America, where the political elite employs American churches as spheres of influence in a region. This was Constantine’s idea of Christianity…a tool for Empire expansion and stability.
One common fact of religious empires is that they murder their enemies in the name of God. This is why the antichrist empowered by Satan, will murder of true saints will be sanctioned by the false prophet who will have led antichrist lovers to worship the antichrist.
Empire is also about control of politics, religion and economy of others-- the 3 main ingredients of a 'nation'. Globally there is a crisis and confusion and disorder in economy, politics and religion .The crisis is preparing way for one who will bring order in the politics, the economy and religion of the world. The prophetic scriptures say this is the Antichrist, who will bring order control world politics, world economy and world religion, like Constantine desired in most of the world.
However, it is the religious aspect that will be key because he will be empowered by Satan; the creature, a powerful carnal man, will declare himself Creator in the place where God the Creator and Redeemer has chosen to place his name on earth, in the temple, in the city of the great King, Jerusalem --- it will be the highest blasphemy and the complete revelation of the man of sin.
This Constantine Root /Union, where the religious aspect is compounded with State is a counterfeit of the true kingdom of God, where the one Israel , believing Jew and Gentile, are Kings and Priests in Jesus Christ the King of Kings, in his kingdom . We shall take up this position on earth, WHEN JESUS CHRIST COMES IN HIS POWER AND GLORY. This is where the great detour of the wicked Dominion theology occurs; -- impatience on their part in wanting to redeem the world for Christ.
DOMINION CHURCH CO- REDEEMER -DOCTRINE
For the dominion church it is time to redeem the world and apostate church for Christ
One pastor in Kenya who holds this doctrine said that even if Constantine’s pagan holidays and church building doctrine and hierarchy are unscriptural, we as Christians can redeem them for God's glory. They have redeemed Christmas, Easter, cathedrals, for Christ.
So you find these types of Christians who know about the false Christ and doctrines in Christendom redeeming for Christ or what they call end time revival. 'Let us be united but don't destroy our denominations' is what they sing. This is especially in the Charismatic circles of Christendom.
Some Christians who know the truth have changed it into a lie by compromising it either by not speaking out or coming out. They prefer to take dominion over the rot in Christendom. This makes them co redeemer with Christ in taking dominion over the world. They stand in the position of Mary in the Roman Catholic Church hence evidence of employing Catholic teachings/Catholic root in the Evangelical Church in the name of Dominion
Their redemption is not about truth and Jesus taking his rightful place but about them being in authority, greed and the praise of men. This happens in the Anglican/Episcopalian circles in East Africa where born again Christians from the renewal movement were and are given top positions so as not to expose doctrinal errors and lose members or leave the church.
In America, Hollywood, Science, the media and the military are on the redemption process. Not forgetting the craze of Christian universities which are set up to create manpower for the new kingdom. They proudly say the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof as a basis of redemption and loving the world.
Most important in the redemption process is the Politics and Law. In Kenya we have Christian MPs or congressmen some of whom are 'ministers of God ‘! When do these ministers pray or care for the sheep with sound doctrine and physical support when they are busy with political matters?? They must be failing on one front if not all.
Moreover, some so called church leaders beseech the president on ministerial appointments so as to appease their tribesmen who happen to be a majority in their church. Colonial/Empire Christianity is what drives these false churches whereas there are true Christians rejecting this political Christianity.
This redemption is the way to Hell. Daniel 2 shows us that Jesus Christ shall destroy the man made image, which is the kingdoms of this world. So why should Christians be part of such kingdoms...will they not become enemies of Christ? These people will be part and parcel of the Antichrist rule and worship if they insist on taking Christian control of politics.
Conferences in Africa concerning religion and politics, where they are calling for change in government expose a sinister plot. In my opinion African Christians should not be surprised if coups, fundamental changes or militarization of government will in the near future take place in the midst of the global crisis and rising NWO that is wreaking havoc in the world(though some African countries have covertly militarized governments as of now)
CONCLUSION
My point in all this is that the foundation matters for our faith to endure. Remember in the New Testament the epistles apart from instruction, also remind believers about the words they heard at the beginning. That is the simplicity of Christ…all that was said at the beginning, his words and the apostles doctrine in the New Testament, are what we are to cling on for doctrine.
Sadly many Christians today cling more on the sayings of Luther, the sayings of Calvin, sayings of Adam Smith, sayings of Karl Marx; the sayings of Freud, sayings of dead theologians...the words of pastors. You hear a Christian fondly say ‘Pastor G said this…Prophet B said do this … when what was said is contrary to God’s word. Like the Bereans, one should take what that man said and measure it against what ‘Jesus said’ or ‘ It is written’ by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. These sayings of men are the foundation of their faith instead of the sayings of Jesus Christ.
Yes, one has liberty to study those sayings of men and test them against the word of God so that you hold on what is good and reject the false. Their sayings are to be a confirmation of what the word of God has said and not contrary because the word of God is wholesome having everything we need for godliness. Sadly some of those theologians lied in the name of the Lord because they did not rightly divide the word of truth nor properly use the scriptures .Let God be true and every man a liar. The word of God is truth, from the beginning to the end.
You are either on the true foundation of Jesus Christ, the truth or the corrupt foundation of man, Constantine, which is of now, the Antichrist to be revealed. Just because a house is well furnished and looks beautiful does not mean that it will stand a storm. So long as its foundation is weak it will fall when attacked by a storm.
This applies to our faith. Just because one preaches pseudo truth messages with scriptures, does not mean he is right. If the foundation is not Christ and his doctrine, then one has no business considering such a preacher; who is determined to reject the sayings of Jesus Christ.
Like Jesus Christ our King, we are not of the kingdoms of this world. Patiently watch and wait for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ to crush them. Reject any form of redeeming the governments for Christ. It is blasphemy…to take the position of Christ ...just like the church in Rome did in Constantine’s day.
If the foundations be destroyed what shall the righteous do?
IS OBAMA REALLY the PROBLEM?
IS OBAMA REALLY the PROBLEM?
Andrew Strom | Posted September 9, 2009
ARE WE BEING DISTRACTED From THE REAL FIGHT?
Years ago a friend of mine, Robert Holmes, saw a vision of Christians leaving the Harvest field to go and join in with a "Civil War". They were leaving their primary mission (the gospel) to go and make war against their own countrymen. What does it mean and why would they do such a thing? -This was unclear.
Like a lot of you, every day I get bombarded with the latest emails against Obama - and what he is up to. I can truly understand this. Unlike a lot of overseas Christians who can't comprehend this kind of American political partisanship, I truly get it.
I lived in America for four years, and one of the things I saw clearly while living there is that America is at WAR with itself. And it is getting worse. Right against left, liberal against conservative. And there is no doubt that as an evangelical Christian, I am truly a "conservative" myself. But there is a lot that troubles me about what is going on.
When the US conservatives elected Bush, a lot of the world could not understand it. I understood it completely. America is at war with itself and Bush seemed like the most robust campaigner against the liberal agenda. It did not matter that he was not the "smartest" guy. He was strongly on "our side" in the culture war - and that is what mattered: Homosexuality, abortion, taxes, health care, and so-on. To a lot of US Christians, politics has become THE main arena where they fight and take a stand. So if I am a conservative myself, why am I so troubled by a lot of this?
Well, let me ask you some questions and hopefully you will see why:
-Is "Politics" the arena that Christians are supposed to be putting so much time and energy into fighting? Is that what the early church did?
-Aren't we supposed to be more passionate about prayer and the gospel than we are about pulling the "liberals" down?
-Couldn't this be a total distraction from our real mission?
-Doesn't a lot of it amount to a giant "smear" campaign of rumor-mongering that should be beneath Christians to participate in?
-In other words, isn't the way we are speaking often gossipy, slanderous, mocking and ungodly?
-Why are prayer and the gospel taking a backseat to Obama-baiting?
-Is the Christian community in any country supposed to become a "voting bloc" for one particular party?
I think those are pretty important questions. And I think a lot of Christians may have trouble answering them.
The fact is, I get more "political" anti-Obama emails from US Christians every day than 'spiritual' emails. What does this say about conservative Christians? It says they care more about politics than the gospel. That is the conclusion I have to come to. And I believe this is Idolatry - pure and simple.
Politics has replaced the pure milk of the word for a lot of Christians. They are on a "campaign" alright, but it is not a campaign for Jesus. And they devote hours and hours to it. They are feverishly checking out the "latest dirt" on Obama every night and hungrily devouring Fox News (which makes more and more ratings dollars as it drives every fresh controversy). They love it! There is only one problem: It is not Jesus, it is not the gospel, and a lot of it is simply not godly at all. In fact, it is replacing Jesus and replacing the gospel.
If I was the Republican Party or Fox News or Talk Radio (each hungry for more ratings and dollars - these are not Christian organizations at all) then I would absolutely LOVE the fact that the Christians are so easy to whip up into a frenzy of Obama-rumors and Obama-trash-talk. But none of this is godly, is it? It is not remotely Christian. The early church would have renounced it utterly. They took no interest in politics. They only cared about Jesus and His simple gospel. And that is still the only thing that can save America today. We are being sidetracked.
But the frenzy continues. "Did you hear the one about Obama being likened to Hitler?" 'Did you hear the one about Obama's birth certificate?' 'Did you hear the one about Obama's "death panels"? 'Did you hear that there are really demons in the Swine Flu vaccine?' (canned laughter please).
A lot of this amounts to a kind-of Christian "smear" campaign. In politics much of it would be considered in the 'dirty tricks' category - the kind of thing you do when trying to ruin someone's reputation with sick rumors and innuendo. No matter if it's true or not. As long as it does the job of "smearing" the person. Is that the kind of thing Jesus would want us involved in?
Here is the truly major thing that I believe the devil is trying to do in America today:
-He is trying to create division so bitter and so extreme that both sides literally start to fight one another with guns drawn. He is trying to tear America apart.
-He is trying to sidetrack the one group that truly has the answer. He is trying to wrap them up in fighting politics, so they will forget that the pure GOSPEL is the only real hope for America today.
I believe the devil is truly succeeding in both of the above aims.
To conclude this article, I would like to ask some questions of the Christians who spend so much time on this "Obama War":
-Do you spend as much time spreading the pure gospel as you spend spreading stuff about Obama? Why not?
-Is your mind and your energy and your passion more focused on getting the true gospel out - or defeating Obama and the liberals in politics?
-If you were asked to turn off Fox News and delete the "Obama" emails and turn off Talk Radio, etc, could you bear it? Or are you more-or-less an "addict"?
-Do you really think it is right for this to be the big focus of your life?
I truly believe these are huge issues and huge problems in the American church today. But I guess I can expect a wave of angry disagreement in response!
Please send feedback to- prophetic@revivalschool.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
God bless you all.
Andrew Strom.
Andrew Strom | Posted September 9, 2009
ARE WE BEING DISTRACTED From THE REAL FIGHT?
Years ago a friend of mine, Robert Holmes, saw a vision of Christians leaving the Harvest field to go and join in with a "Civil War". They were leaving their primary mission (the gospel) to go and make war against their own countrymen. What does it mean and why would they do such a thing? -This was unclear.
Like a lot of you, every day I get bombarded with the latest emails against Obama - and what he is up to. I can truly understand this. Unlike a lot of overseas Christians who can't comprehend this kind of American political partisanship, I truly get it.
I lived in America for four years, and one of the things I saw clearly while living there is that America is at WAR with itself. And it is getting worse. Right against left, liberal against conservative. And there is no doubt that as an evangelical Christian, I am truly a "conservative" myself. But there is a lot that troubles me about what is going on.
When the US conservatives elected Bush, a lot of the world could not understand it. I understood it completely. America is at war with itself and Bush seemed like the most robust campaigner against the liberal agenda. It did not matter that he was not the "smartest" guy. He was strongly on "our side" in the culture war - and that is what mattered: Homosexuality, abortion, taxes, health care, and so-on. To a lot of US Christians, politics has become THE main arena where they fight and take a stand. So if I am a conservative myself, why am I so troubled by a lot of this?
Well, let me ask you some questions and hopefully you will see why:
-Is "Politics" the arena that Christians are supposed to be putting so much time and energy into fighting? Is that what the early church did?
-Aren't we supposed to be more passionate about prayer and the gospel than we are about pulling the "liberals" down?
-Couldn't this be a total distraction from our real mission?
-Doesn't a lot of it amount to a giant "smear" campaign of rumor-mongering that should be beneath Christians to participate in?
-In other words, isn't the way we are speaking often gossipy, slanderous, mocking and ungodly?
-Why are prayer and the gospel taking a backseat to Obama-baiting?
-Is the Christian community in any country supposed to become a "voting bloc" for one particular party?
I think those are pretty important questions. And I think a lot of Christians may have trouble answering them.
The fact is, I get more "political" anti-Obama emails from US Christians every day than 'spiritual' emails. What does this say about conservative Christians? It says they care more about politics than the gospel. That is the conclusion I have to come to. And I believe this is Idolatry - pure and simple.
Politics has replaced the pure milk of the word for a lot of Christians. They are on a "campaign" alright, but it is not a campaign for Jesus. And they devote hours and hours to it. They are feverishly checking out the "latest dirt" on Obama every night and hungrily devouring Fox News (which makes more and more ratings dollars as it drives every fresh controversy). They love it! There is only one problem: It is not Jesus, it is not the gospel, and a lot of it is simply not godly at all. In fact, it is replacing Jesus and replacing the gospel.
If I was the Republican Party or Fox News or Talk Radio (each hungry for more ratings and dollars - these are not Christian organizations at all) then I would absolutely LOVE the fact that the Christians are so easy to whip up into a frenzy of Obama-rumors and Obama-trash-talk. But none of this is godly, is it? It is not remotely Christian. The early church would have renounced it utterly. They took no interest in politics. They only cared about Jesus and His simple gospel. And that is still the only thing that can save America today. We are being sidetracked.
But the frenzy continues. "Did you hear the one about Obama being likened to Hitler?" 'Did you hear the one about Obama's birth certificate?' 'Did you hear the one about Obama's "death panels"? 'Did you hear that there are really demons in the Swine Flu vaccine?' (canned laughter please).
A lot of this amounts to a kind-of Christian "smear" campaign. In politics much of it would be considered in the 'dirty tricks' category - the kind of thing you do when trying to ruin someone's reputation with sick rumors and innuendo. No matter if it's true or not. As long as it does the job of "smearing" the person. Is that the kind of thing Jesus would want us involved in?
Here is the truly major thing that I believe the devil is trying to do in America today:
-He is trying to create division so bitter and so extreme that both sides literally start to fight one another with guns drawn. He is trying to tear America apart.
-He is trying to sidetrack the one group that truly has the answer. He is trying to wrap them up in fighting politics, so they will forget that the pure GOSPEL is the only real hope for America today.
I believe the devil is truly succeeding in both of the above aims.
To conclude this article, I would like to ask some questions of the Christians who spend so much time on this "Obama War":
-Do you spend as much time spreading the pure gospel as you spend spreading stuff about Obama? Why not?
-Is your mind and your energy and your passion more focused on getting the true gospel out - or defeating Obama and the liberals in politics?
-If you were asked to turn off Fox News and delete the "Obama" emails and turn off Talk Radio, etc, could you bear it? Or are you more-or-less an "addict"?
-Do you really think it is right for this to be the big focus of your life?
I truly believe these are huge issues and huge problems in the American church today. But I guess I can expect a wave of angry disagreement in response!
Please send feedback to- prophetic@revivalschool.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
God bless you all.
Andrew Strom.
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Islamists Kill Nigerian Pastor…Tell them I died Well.. Rev. George Ojih
Islamists Kill Nigerian Pastor…Tell them I died Well.. Rev. George Ojih
BE WARE OF ECUMENISM: THE HAVOC CREATED BY ISLAMISITS IN NIGERIA IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR ACCEPTING ECUMENISM
www.kizitomg.webs.com
ANSWERING ISLAM: EXPOSING THE KORAN
http://www.answering-islam.org
Women in Christianity and Islam
http://www.answering-islam.org/Women/index.html
List of churches burnt in Maiduguri, Borno State in the wake of Boko Haram carnage
http://www.sosnigeria.com/church_burnt.htm
Pastor George Orji: Biography
http://www.sosnigeria.com/orji_biography.htm
The late Pastor George Ojih was born on the 30th June 1966 to the family of Mr & Mrs Philip Ojih at Orokam village of Ogbadi-gbo LGA of Benue State. He is Idoma by tribe. Late Pastor George Ojih attended Sabon Gari Primary School Zaria from 1973-1978.
He proceeded to Mount St. Gabriel Secondary School Makurdi from 1978 - 1983, while in Secondary school he served as a prefect in-charge of the School Chapel and testimonies abound that he served excellently well. Perhaps that was the bases for his strong motivation to go to the School of End-time Ministerial Anointing which is an arm of FOOD FOR THE TOTAL MAN MINISTRY based in Kaduna where he obtained Diploma in Christian Ministry in December 1997. Pastor George also obtained Intermediate Diploma in LaboratoryTechnology from Nigerian Institute of Science and Technology Zaria in 1998.
He thereafter proceeded to the University of Maiduguri where he obtained HND in Science Laboratory Technology in 2004.Pastor George quickly enrolled in Yasib Computers where he obtained his Diploma in Computer Applications that same year-2004. In his desire to expand his horizon of understanding ,he secured admission into ECWA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Theology between 2006-2007.
Late pastor Ojih was actually a student of ECWA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY JOS where he was pursuing Masters Program, he actually came from Jos that same weekend to see his wife who is heavy and is due to deliver any moment from now and got cought up in this unfortunate situation. MINISTERIAL WORK Late Pastor Ojih was appointed as a Pastor by the Good-News Church on the 25th March 1999 and was immediately posted to the River-Side branch of the Church, he then was transfered to the Hqr church from June 1999- March 2004.
He was redeployed to the River-Side Branch from May 2004 - april 2009.He again was posted back to the the Hqtrs Church in May 2009 until his death. The late Rev. George Ojih is survived by His wife MRS VERONICA OJIH AND TWO CHILDREN- BERACHAH & ELIOENAI. The pictures are attached. His life was indeed a blessing to the entire Christian community. he had Ministered accross denominational divide.
Also See
Pope kisses Koran ?????
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/popekiss.html
Is the god of Islam, Allah, the same as the God of Israel and Christianity?
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/allahyhwh.html
Some Scandalous Photographs of John Paul II
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/jp2.htm
BE WARE OF ECUMENISM: THE HAVOC CREATED BY ISLAMISITS IN NIGERIA IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR ACCEPTING ECUMENISM
www.kizitomg.webs.com
ANSWERING ISLAM: EXPOSING THE KORAN
http://www.answering-islam.org
Women in Christianity and Islam
http://www.answering-islam.org/Women/index.html
List of churches burnt in Maiduguri, Borno State in the wake of Boko Haram carnage
http://www.sosnigeria.com/church_burnt.htm
Pastor George Orji: Biography
http://www.sosnigeria.com/orji_biography.htm
The late Pastor George Ojih was born on the 30th June 1966 to the family of Mr & Mrs Philip Ojih at Orokam village of Ogbadi-gbo LGA of Benue State. He is Idoma by tribe. Late Pastor George Ojih attended Sabon Gari Primary School Zaria from 1973-1978.
He proceeded to Mount St. Gabriel Secondary School Makurdi from 1978 - 1983, while in Secondary school he served as a prefect in-charge of the School Chapel and testimonies abound that he served excellently well. Perhaps that was the bases for his strong motivation to go to the School of End-time Ministerial Anointing which is an arm of FOOD FOR THE TOTAL MAN MINISTRY based in Kaduna where he obtained Diploma in Christian Ministry in December 1997. Pastor George also obtained Intermediate Diploma in LaboratoryTechnology from Nigerian Institute of Science and Technology Zaria in 1998.
He thereafter proceeded to the University of Maiduguri where he obtained HND in Science Laboratory Technology in 2004.Pastor George quickly enrolled in Yasib Computers where he obtained his Diploma in Computer Applications that same year-2004. In his desire to expand his horizon of understanding ,he secured admission into ECWA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Theology between 2006-2007.
Late pastor Ojih was actually a student of ECWA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY JOS where he was pursuing Masters Program, he actually came from Jos that same weekend to see his wife who is heavy and is due to deliver any moment from now and got cought up in this unfortunate situation. MINISTERIAL WORK Late Pastor Ojih was appointed as a Pastor by the Good-News Church on the 25th March 1999 and was immediately posted to the River-Side branch of the Church, he then was transfered to the Hqr church from June 1999- March 2004.
He was redeployed to the River-Side Branch from May 2004 - april 2009.He again was posted back to the the Hqtrs Church in May 2009 until his death. The late Rev. George Ojih is survived by His wife MRS VERONICA OJIH AND TWO CHILDREN- BERACHAH & ELIOENAI. The pictures are attached. His life was indeed a blessing to the entire Christian community. he had Ministered accross denominational divide.
Also See
Pope kisses Koran ?????
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/popekiss.html
Is the god of Islam, Allah, the same as the God of Israel and Christianity?
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/allahyhwh.html
Some Scandalous Photographs of John Paul II
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/jp2.htm
Kenya Festival 2009: A Promotion and Protection of Sound Doctrine or Apostasy, Political Christianity, Ecumenism, Greed and Mammon Worship
Kenya Festival 2009: A celebration and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ or MAN: A Promotion and Protection of Sound Doctrine or Apostasy, Political Christianity, Ecumenism, Greed and Mammon Worship
Pastor Dr.Luke Mwangi facilitator of Kenya Festival 2009
http://www.jbakenya.org/senior_pastor.html
2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3)
9And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven (Matthew 23:9).
15And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God (Luke 16:15).
5Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. 7Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD (Jeremiah 8:5-7)
The Agony of Deceit: Take it or leave it, the Kenyan Prosperity Gospel is largely a Mirror of the Rotten America Prosperity Movement
This month the Kenyan born again church is organizing the so called Kenya Festival, 2009. This festival will not bring Christians closer to the lord Jesus Christ. Its purpose is to stealthily hide the judgment of God on the Kenyan Prosperity church. I’m totally convinced that a few honest and humble servants of the lord are part and parcel of this festival but remember, the word of God cautions us that the culprits to the deceptions in the last days might include even the elect(Matthew 24:24). This festival is a promotion of false unity and ecumenism. It is a promotion and an exaltation of man. What a curse!(Jer.17:15)
Kenya festival 2009
http://www.kenyafestival.net/mentorship.html
http://www.kenyafestival.net/wageni.html
http://www.kenyafestival.net/index.html
CALLED TO JUDGE
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2008/02/called-to-judge.html
The festival will give out the so called HONOUR AND APPRECIATION OF KINGDOM SPIRITUAL FATHERS, MOTHERS, ACHIEVERS AND HEROES awards to catholic H.E Mwai Kibaki plus many prosperity kingpins. The apostasy and deception, political and spiritual fornication in the Kenyan church calls for moaning, weeping, wailing and repenting before God and not celebration. How can you celebrate greed, lies, apostasy and judgment? One of the spiritual heroes that will be honored during this Kenyan festival, 2009 is Morris Cellulo’s Apostate mission. Can you imagine!! How can you celebrate your self as a spiritual father, yet the bible tells us to call no body father, except God the father. Shame upon you Prosperity Pastors in Kenya. Be ware that God is going to cleanse his church in Kenya. Pastors and ministers who refuse to repent are going to be exposed by God. You are going to be a laughing stalk for the world if you do not repent. Instead of pointing people to God, you are leading people to your self and your so called sick achievements. Lie and die. The judgments of God on the Kenyan Church prosperity are just beginning. Amen
A Must read: Worship of Man: Man control End time Implications
http://www.geocities.com/kmivule7/Comment4.htm
THE DAY KENYA ROSE AGAINST THE ROTTEN PROSPERITY GOSPEL
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/day-kenya-rose-against-rotten.html
A Cursed Generation of Pastors: Is Nigeria’s Rotten Prosperity Movement and Its CZARS/CEOs Ripe for Judgment?
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/356-a-cursed-generation-of-nigerian-pastors-are-they-ripe-for-judgment.html
Some of the major brains behind this Kenya 2009 festival such as Apostle Dr.Martin SSuna, Apostle A.A.Rutivi and Pastor Dr.Wilred Lai are TBN prosperity Kingpins. Apostle Martin Ssuna has written prosperity texts such as’’ Extreme Maker Over’’ and is a friend and admirer of Pastor Robert Kayanja and Imelda Namutebi Kula. He has actually ministered in their churches. Some of these Pastors call themselves Dr. but surprisingly, they do not tell you where they studied to get a PhD and what were the titles of their theses. This is a lie and remember pastors are not supposed to lie. Some of them brag that PHD to them means PULL HEAVEN DOWN. What arrogance! They really love power, money and prestige.
They really love to be exalted. Instead of promoting the Lord Jesus Christ, they promote them selves. Most of these pastors want to teach, but they hate studying. Despite the fact that most of these schools drop outs now have the money to take them back to sound bible schools, they are not interested. All they want is big money, big businesses, big congregations, big American prosperity connections etc. A primary school drop out pastor wants to call himself doctor because he wants to compete with another Kenyan PhD pastor who got his genuine PhD from America. Why this competition??
Pastor Imelda Numutebi Kula’s theology of Imagination: The forbidden tree that Adam and Eve ate of is the tithe
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/pastor-imelda-numutebi-kulas-theology.html
"Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?" -Psalm 94:16
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.(Philippians 3: 18-19)
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them( I John 4:5)
"Ye that love the LORD, hate evil..." -Psalm 97:10
Apostle Martin SSuna and family
http://www.martinssuna.org/profile.html
Dr.Martin Ssuna - is the President and founder of World Harvest Evangelistic Ministries International - a multi faceted ministry with a mandate to bring in a Harvest of Souls from around the World.
He Pastors World Harvest International Church - one of the fastest growing and influencial Church situated right in the Nairobi City's Central business district.
Called into the Ministry at 17, he grew under the spiritual tutelage and leadership of reknowned Intenational Minister, Pastor Robert Kayanja.He has hosted and ministered alongside several prominent Ministers like Bishop T.D.Jakes, Dr. Robb Thompson, Prophet Juanita Bynum, Bishop R.J Washington, Dr. Mellette and many others.
Called as an Apostle, He is graced with an evangelistic healing ministry, he has travelled in many countries of the World like Brazil, USA, UK, South Africa, Italy where he has held miracle healing campaigns and teaching Conferences attended by mammoth crowds of between 1,000 to 100,000.He is a sought after Conference and Motivational speaker with a remarkable gift of inspiring faith in the hearers and giving hope to the hopeless.He also hosts and ministers on 'The Power Connection' that is aired twice weekly on TBN Family Network in Kenya and Lighthouse TV in Uganda. It is estimated that he reaches a combined total of over 5 million people in East Africa with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
He makes his home in Nairobi where he is happily married to Mrs Rinah Ssuna and are blessed with a two lovely Children, a daughter Antisha and a son Martin Ssuna Jr. Apostle Martin Ssuna is humbled to be at the helm of this growing Ministry and he believes there is still business to accomplish in the Kingdom.
MISSION : To Transform the Lives of God's People to Spiritual and Physical Prosperity by Preaching the Kingdom of God and Those Things that Concern the Lord Jesus Christ.
-- Acts 28:3
VISION : To See the Church Flourishing and Holistically Transforming People's Lives Through the Anointed Gospel Globally.
-- Matthew 28:19-20
Bishop Aloysios Alois Rutivi
http://www.thekingdommessage.org
Bishop Aloysios Alois Rutivi is the overseer of 94 churches in Africa, 36 of which are in Kenya. He pastors a vibrant and lively pentecostal church of about 1,200 people in Nairobi, Kenya. Bishop Rutivi's wisdom and influence reaches out beyond his fellowship. He has a teaching ministry with an Apostolic call which has taken him to four continents (America, Europe, Asia and Africa). In his local and international meetings, the Lord confirms his messages with signs, miracles and wonders.
Dr Rutivi Studied theology at UNISA in South Africa and ZOE University in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.A. Above all, he received invaluable lessons and instructions at the feet of great men of God such as Dr. Lloyd Goodwin.
He has interacted with men and women from all walks of life, the humble ones in the slums and shanties of Africa and even men of influence and high profile including Heads of State. His ministry has fast evolved into mentoring and fathering many up-coming ministers in the Body of Christ. He has a television ministry called "Times of Refreshing" in Africa aired on Adonai Television Network, LTV and TBN Family TV.
Mind control at Gospel Assembly church
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/breakingfree.html
http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:Q976egrSGwIJ:www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/breakingfree.html+Apostle+Aloise+Rutivi&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk
Lloyd Goodwin’s false gospel exposed: Remember Dr.A.A Rutivi received invaluable lessons and instructions at the feet of great men of God such as Dr. Lloyd Goodwin.
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/index.html
Exposing Lloyd Goodwin’s Gospel Assembly Churches
http://www.rickross.com/reference/ga/ga12.html
http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/g/gospel
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/letters/rutivitogary.htm
Dr. Wilfred Lai is Senior Pastor of Jesus Celebration
http://www.jccmombasa.org/about.php?ID=53
Dr. Wilfred Lai is Senior Pastor of Jesus Celebration Center which is a Ministry of Redeemed Gospel Church. He is also the General Secretary of Redeemed Gospel Church Inc., which has over 1000 churches in Africa.
Pastor Lai was called in the ministry in 1982 when he was working at Standard Chartered Bank in Machakos. He went and joined Life Ministry (Christian Campus for Christ) in Nairobi in 1983 he was then transferred to Mombasa where he was the Director of Coast Province, he was also the assistant pastor of the local Redeemed Gospel Church.
In 1986 he became the Senior Pastor and at the same time left Life ministry to be able to concentrate on his new assignment. The church grew from a congregation of 60 people in 1986 to a congregation of 4000 in 1991 when JCC was born. JCC is one of the fastest growing churches in eastern central Africa.
Pastor Wilfred Lai is married to a wonderful lady Mrs. Rita Lai and they are blessed with two sons David (1982) and Daniel (1984). Pastor Lai and the Family would like to appreciate everyone that over the years has supported the ministry in any way. May the Lord forever light your path, may His hand be near to rescue you from the and of the enemy and may His goodness and mercy follow your all the days of your life.
Prosperity Gospel in Africa is Dr. Wilfred the Second Moses
http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=3494
http://www.speroforum.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5971
Bishop Dr Margaret Wanjiru, MP Stararehe and Assistant Minister for Housing
http://www.jiam.org
http://www.jiam.org/bishop.htm
Several years ago, the Lord took Bishop Dr Margaret Wanjiru on a nine hour vision, in which He revealed to her the vision: "Africa Shall Be Saved". Jesus Is Alive Ministries (JIAM) was born out of this vision.
Since that time, Bishop Margaret has focused all her energy and resources to the fulfillment of this vision.
Currently JIAM, a dynamic ministry under the leadership of Bishop Margaret Wanjiru has offices and staff spread across the nations of the world.
Hon. Bishop Dr. Margaret Wanjiru was born in Nairobi as the third child into a very poor family of casual workers. Despite the many challenges that come with poverty, her hard working mother was able to put her through both primary and high school while instilling the discipline necessary to excel in life. She worked hard in her pursuit of a better future and by the time she was 17 years old, she was paying her way through college by working numerous jobs. She worked as a house girl, hawker, a toilet cleaner, car cleaner and office cleaner. On graduation from college she earned herself a position as sales girl.
This discipline and determination to succeed resulted in rapid promotions and various accomplishments until she become a sales and Marketing executive for a multinational firm in the city. She later went on to form her own business in the city excelling both as an entrepreneur and single mother to her two sons and one daughter.
TODAY:
Later on in life she gave her life to Jesus Christ and become a born again Christian. Thanks to her determination to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and great leadership skills, she is the founder and presiding Bishop of the Jesus Is Alive Ministries, (JIAM), an international Christian organization with headquarter in Nairobi Kenya .
Today, with one of the fastest growing churches in the continent of Africa , JIAM is becoming a ministry to the world, with offices in many nations, touching many hearts, changing many lives through its various departments.
Hon. Bishop Dr. Margaret Wanjiru has been used mightily by God. She oversees a massive congregation and her dynamic ministry has transformed nations especially through the media television program entitled the Glory is here.
She is an author of many Christian books and also oversees a monthly magazine namely ‘Faith digest'.
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Hon. Bishop Dr Margaret Wanjiru has for a long time been actively involved with matters of national concern. As a leader she has for years been a vocal participant in governmental policy and leadership issues across the board.
Politicians have for years called on the Kenyan churches when elections near on a vote seeking mission only to soon after renege on their every promise to the people of Kenya . Her call to national leadership (politics) is as a result of the people demanding for better leadership and representation in government.
In 2007, she was elected as a Member of Parliament for Starehe Constituency in a hotly contested election in one of the most challenging constituency in Nairobi the capital city of Kenya .
She now has the opportunity to not only continue pursuing better governance for the Kenyan people but to also be a key participant in the policy making and implementation process as we work together towards a better Kenya.
In 2008, she was appointed into the cabinet as an Assistant Minister for Housing.
She has a Doctorate in Divinity excelling in the matters of religion, education and human sciences. Recently, she obtained a certificate on governance from Harvard University - USA .
Nowadays, she preaches with greater anointing than ever before. To know more about her or to receive her sermons, log into website www.jiam.org.
Female Bishop: Not in the bible
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/discernment/361-1timothy-2-women-ministry-leadership-and-sound-doctrine.html
The Dr.Margret Wanjiru Controversy
http://kumekucha.blogspot.com/2007/01/bishop-margaret-wanjiru-controversy.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200906221108.html
H.E MWAI KIBAKI A STAUNCH ROMAN CATHOLIC WILL RECEIVE AN WARD AT THE KENYA FESTIVAL 2009 FOR BEING A SPIRITUAL HERO AND ACHIEVER ???
H.E MWAI KIBAKI
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mwai_Kibaki
Episcopalians and Ecumenism in Kenya
http://www.kec.or.ke/subsection.asp?ID=20
www.kec.or.ke/viewdocument.asp?ID=7
Ecumenism and the spirit of blasphemy in Kenya
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/292-ecumenism-and-the-spirit-of-blasphemy-in-kenya.html
PROSPERITY GOSPEL CRITIC PROPHET DR. DAVID OWUOR WAS NOT INVITED TO KENYA PROSPERITY FESTIVAL, 2009: HE CAN NOT BE GIVEN AN AWARD
http://www.eastandard.net/news/InsidePage.php?id=1144011274&cid=4&
Prophet David Owuor
7Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (Matthew 15:7-9)
5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (1 John 4:5)
14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:4)
KENYA FESTIVAL MINISTERS SESSIONS
PROGRAM FOR SESSIONS FACILITATED BY MAJOR 50 SPIRITUAL FATHERS, MOTHERS AND PROMINENT MENTORS
http://www.kenyafestival.net/mentorship.html
1) SMART TEAM HANDLING QUESTION AND ANSWERS:
Bishop Dr Muriithi, Bishop Allan Kiuna, Apostle Martin SSuna, Rev Philip Kitoto, Rev Wilson Nyale, Bishop Erick, Rev Rutivi, Rev Tom Otieno, Rev Stanley Mwalili, Rev John Wesley, Steve Mutua, Eda Adoyo, Rev Judy Mbuga, Rev Simon Kariuki, Rev Shilamba
2) SESSION FACILITATORS: Dr. Luke Mwangi, Rev. Simon Kariuki
RE: INVITATION TO PARTNER WITH THE KENYA FESTIVAL 2009
http://www.kenyafestival.net/index.html
The Kenya Festival is an annual Patriotic event that gathers over 7,000 Christian leaders (i.e. Apostles, Bishops, Evangelists, Pastors, Missionaries e.t.c) who influence over 15,000,000 people. This event aims at Empowering and Networking Christians in Kenya, Enhancing trade, Appreciating and Celebrating key stakeholders and players in the Christian Business fraternity.
This year the Kenya Festival is scheduled for Monday 14th to Sunday 20th September 2009 at the Uhuru Park Grounds. The festival will entail the following activities:
•Ministers and Church Leaders Empowerment Mentorship and Networking Summit
•Economic Empowerment Summit and Exhibition
•Honor and Appreciation of Spiritual Leaders and Achievers
•Students and Youth Workshops over 4000 schools invited.
•Parents/Guardians Workshops
•God Bless Kenya Festival ( Patriotic Thanksgiving Celebration)
Our regional seminars have impacted over 20,000 leaders in fostering unity and empowering leaders to enhance excellence in service delivery to millions of Kenya. The training and networking has had great impact in national healing and restoration in Kenya across all regions following the strives and divisions that negatively affected Kenya.
God has blessed you and placed you in prominent position in Kenya and we saw it a worthy course to invite you in various special sessions as per VIP invitation card attached.
Looking forward to your confirmation and coming, we shall be honoured to have you attend this meeting.
HONOUR AND APPRECIATION OF KINGDOM SPIRITUAL FATHERS, MOTHERS, ACHIEVERS AND HEROES
http://www.kenyafestival.net/honour.html
Nominations
PEOPLE RECEIVING AWARD
http://www.kenyafestival.net/nominated.html
1)APOSTLE JOE KAYO
2)BISHOP MARGARET WANGARI
3)REV THERESIA WAIRIMU
4)DR WILFRED LAI & RITA LAI
5)BISHOP THOMAS MUTHEE
6)BISHOP DR ARTHUR KITONGA &
REV JOSEPHINE KITONGA
7)BISHOP EDWARD MBURIA
8)REV PRINCE & ESTHER OBASIKE
9)BISHOP ALLAN KIUNA & CATHY KIUNA
10)BISHOP DR DAVID MURIITHI
11)BISHOP MARK KARIUKI
12)BISHOP DR JOHN BROWN MASINDE
13)APOSTLE DR JAMES MAINA NG’ANG’A
14)BISHOP HARRISON NG’ANG’A
15)ARCH BISHOP BENJAMIN NZIMBI
16)BISHOP JERRY KIBARABARA
17)REV DR JUDY MBUGUA
18)BISHOP PETER NJIIRI
19)BISHOP SILAS YEGO
20)BISHOP ROBERT MDZOMBA
21)BISHOP STEPHEN MACHARIA
22) BISHOP FANNY MRIMA
23)BISHOP SAILAS OWITI
24) BISHOP CHARLSES MARITA
25)BISHOP ALOISE RUTIVI
26)APOSTLE DR MARTIN SSUNA
27)REV DR JESEE GITHII
28) REV DON MATHENEY
29)APOSTLE HARRY DAS
30) BISHOP DR HENRY MULANDI
31)BISHOP TITUS MBAI
32) REV OSCAR MURIU
33) BISHOP DR MARGARET WANJIRU
34) BISHOP CHARLES MUYU
35) BISHOP SAMUEL MWATHA
36) REV STANLEY MWALILI
37) BISHOP PIUS MUIRU
38) REV PHILIP KITOTO
39) BISHOP JAMES BETT
40) BISHOP MARK KEGOHI
41)BISHOP EMMANUEL MAYEKU
42)BISHOP SIMON OKETCH
43)BISHOP JAMES ONGUKO
44)BISHOP SIMON OMBAYO
45)BISHOP JOSEPH KAMAU
46)REV GEOFFRY KIRIUNGI
47)BISHOP TITUS MASIKA
48)APOSTLE MUKADI WA MUKADI
49)REV MAMBOLEO
50)BISHOP ABALIJA KINOGA
51)BISHOP GILEAD MKALA
52)BISHOP NICK AKENGA- KILIFI
53)BISHOP JOSPHAT NDUMBU
54)BISHOP JOSEPH MAISHA
55)BISHOP GEORGE GICHANA
56)BISHOP JOSEPH RIKAVO
57)REV JOHANA MWEI
58)APOSTLE DANIEL NZOKA
59)BISHOP PAUL MUTUA
60) APOSTLE KABABU
61)REV DR ELIZABETH WAHOME
62)REV TOM OTIENO
63)BISHOP HARRISON NGANGA
64)REV STEVE MUTUA
65)BISHOP JEFFERSON NYATUKA
66)BISHOP PETER SILA
67)BISHOP HENRY MULANDI
68)BISHOP TITUS MBAI
69)BISHOP HENRY MULANDI
70)BISHOP DR STEPHEN KANIARU
71)BISHOP SAILAS YEGO
72)REV MATHEWS MALWA
73)REV ABROSE NYANGAU
74)REV MURIITHI WANJAU
75)REV GEORGE SHILAMBA
76)REV GICHINGA
77)MASAAI---REV STEVE
78)DR LUKE & CATHERINE MWANGI
79)BISHOP BONFACE AND ADA ADOTO
80)BISHOP DR KABACHIA
81)DR JAMES MWANGI
82) PHILIP KHISIA- TOWN CLERK
MARK OF EXCELLENCE AWARDS NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
1.H.E MWAI KIBAKI
2.H.E STEPHEN KALONZO MUSYOKA
3.RIGHT HONORABLE RAILA ODINGA
4.KENNETH MARENDE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT DESERVE AWARD FOR THEIR ROLE IN SUPPORTING BODY OF CHRIST.
http://www.kenyafestival.net/nomorg.html
1.AFLEWO MINISTRIES
2.GROOVE AWARDS
3.MORRIS CERULLO WORLD EVANGELISM
4.CHRISTIAN CABLE NETWORK
5.CHRIST FOR ALL NATIONS
6.FAULU KENYA
7.EQUITY BANK
8.FAMILY BANK
9.CO-OPERATIVE BANK
10.C.I.C INSUARANCE
11.KEN POLY
12.FOCUS
13.KSCF
14.DEBORA MINISTRIES
15.CHRISTIAN LAWYERS FELLOWSHIP
16.SLIF
17.HOME CARE
18.CHRISTIAN POLICE FELLOWSHIP
19.RED CROSS
20.HOPE F.M
21.SAYARI T.V
22.FAMILY T.V
23.BARAKA F.M
24.REVIVAL SPRINGS MEDIA
25.MIRACLE MAGAZINE
26.HOUSE OF TEPHILLA MINISTRIES
27.NIST
28.NEGGEST
29.BREAKTHROUGH INSTITUTE OF LEADERSHIP AND MINISTERIAL STUDIES
30.WORLD HARVEST - PETER YONGREN
31.CHRISTIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS FELLOWSHIP
32.NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST INITIATIVE
33.NAVAGITORS
34.LIFE MINISTRY
35.INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN MISSIONS
36.BIBLE LEAGUE
37.BIBLE SOCIETY OF KENYA
38.BIBLE TRANSLATION
39.AFRICA EVANGELISTIC ENTREPRISE
40.RHEMA MINISTRY
41.NORMADS OUTREACH MINISTRY
42.PACC
43.BELIEVERS BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONALS CLUB
44.CHRISTIAN BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONALS
45.KINGDOM BUSINESS NETWORK
PROGRAM DETAILS
http://www.kenyafestival.net/festival_prog.html
SESSIONS OPEN TO ALL MONDAY - FRIDAY DAILY
Morning Devotions - 06.00 - 07.00 a.m
Lunch Hour - 01.00 - 02.00 p.m
Evening Revivals - 05.00 - 07.00 p.m
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- Entry is free, all Delegates to invest in fares (transport), food and accommodation.
- Prayer Chain of 40 days designated in provinces as per prayer calendar and brochures. Take a day per week from 10th to 20th Sept. Overnight prayer on Sunday 13th Sept Night.
- Opening Launch of Kenya Festival Monday 14th at 7.00.
- Accommodation Options available at ksh 400 per day and above.
- Join in the prayer Chain of 40 days designated in provinces as per prayer calendar and brochure take a day per week from 10th to 20th Sept .
- Praise-A-Thon Kesha Friday 18th Sept
- To support this Festival supported by well wishers and friends of Church and Kenya prosperity M-PESA NO 0723458580
Pastor Dr.Luke Mwangi facilitator of Kenya Festival 2009
http://www.jbakenya.org/senior_pastor.html
2For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3)
9And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven (Matthew 23:9).
15And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God (Luke 16:15).
5Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. 7Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD (Jeremiah 8:5-7)
The Agony of Deceit: Take it or leave it, the Kenyan Prosperity Gospel is largely a Mirror of the Rotten America Prosperity Movement
This month the Kenyan born again church is organizing the so called Kenya Festival, 2009. This festival will not bring Christians closer to the lord Jesus Christ. Its purpose is to stealthily hide the judgment of God on the Kenyan Prosperity church. I’m totally convinced that a few honest and humble servants of the lord are part and parcel of this festival but remember, the word of God cautions us that the culprits to the deceptions in the last days might include even the elect(Matthew 24:24). This festival is a promotion of false unity and ecumenism. It is a promotion and an exaltation of man. What a curse!(Jer.17:15)
Kenya festival 2009
http://www.kenyafestival.net/mentorship.html
http://www.kenyafestival.net/wageni.html
http://www.kenyafestival.net/index.html
CALLED TO JUDGE
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2008/02/called-to-judge.html
The festival will give out the so called HONOUR AND APPRECIATION OF KINGDOM SPIRITUAL FATHERS, MOTHERS, ACHIEVERS AND HEROES awards to catholic H.E Mwai Kibaki plus many prosperity kingpins. The apostasy and deception, political and spiritual fornication in the Kenyan church calls for moaning, weeping, wailing and repenting before God and not celebration. How can you celebrate greed, lies, apostasy and judgment? One of the spiritual heroes that will be honored during this Kenyan festival, 2009 is Morris Cellulo’s Apostate mission. Can you imagine!! How can you celebrate your self as a spiritual father, yet the bible tells us to call no body father, except God the father. Shame upon you Prosperity Pastors in Kenya. Be ware that God is going to cleanse his church in Kenya. Pastors and ministers who refuse to repent are going to be exposed by God. You are going to be a laughing stalk for the world if you do not repent. Instead of pointing people to God, you are leading people to your self and your so called sick achievements. Lie and die. The judgments of God on the Kenyan Church prosperity are just beginning. Amen
A Must read: Worship of Man: Man control End time Implications
http://www.geocities.com/kmivule7/Comment4.htm
THE DAY KENYA ROSE AGAINST THE ROTTEN PROSPERITY GOSPEL
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/day-kenya-rose-against-rotten.html
A Cursed Generation of Pastors: Is Nigeria’s Rotten Prosperity Movement and Its CZARS/CEOs Ripe for Judgment?
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/356-a-cursed-generation-of-nigerian-pastors-are-they-ripe-for-judgment.html
Some of the major brains behind this Kenya 2009 festival such as Apostle Dr.Martin SSuna, Apostle A.A.Rutivi and Pastor Dr.Wilred Lai are TBN prosperity Kingpins. Apostle Martin Ssuna has written prosperity texts such as’’ Extreme Maker Over’’ and is a friend and admirer of Pastor Robert Kayanja and Imelda Namutebi Kula. He has actually ministered in their churches. Some of these Pastors call themselves Dr. but surprisingly, they do not tell you where they studied to get a PhD and what were the titles of their theses. This is a lie and remember pastors are not supposed to lie. Some of them brag that PHD to them means PULL HEAVEN DOWN. What arrogance! They really love power, money and prestige.
They really love to be exalted. Instead of promoting the Lord Jesus Christ, they promote them selves. Most of these pastors want to teach, but they hate studying. Despite the fact that most of these schools drop outs now have the money to take them back to sound bible schools, they are not interested. All they want is big money, big businesses, big congregations, big American prosperity connections etc. A primary school drop out pastor wants to call himself doctor because he wants to compete with another Kenyan PhD pastor who got his genuine PhD from America. Why this competition??
Pastor Imelda Numutebi Kula’s theology of Imagination: The forbidden tree that Adam and Eve ate of is the tithe
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/pastor-imelda-numutebi-kulas-theology.html
"Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?" -Psalm 94:16
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.(Philippians 3: 18-19)
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them( I John 4:5)
"Ye that love the LORD, hate evil..." -Psalm 97:10
Apostle Martin SSuna and family
http://www.martinssuna.org/profile.html
Dr.Martin Ssuna - is the President and founder of World Harvest Evangelistic Ministries International - a multi faceted ministry with a mandate to bring in a Harvest of Souls from around the World.
He Pastors World Harvest International Church - one of the fastest growing and influencial Church situated right in the Nairobi City's Central business district.
Called into the Ministry at 17, he grew under the spiritual tutelage and leadership of reknowned Intenational Minister, Pastor Robert Kayanja.He has hosted and ministered alongside several prominent Ministers like Bishop T.D.Jakes, Dr. Robb Thompson, Prophet Juanita Bynum, Bishop R.J Washington, Dr. Mellette and many others.
Called as an Apostle, He is graced with an evangelistic healing ministry, he has travelled in many countries of the World like Brazil, USA, UK, South Africa, Italy where he has held miracle healing campaigns and teaching Conferences attended by mammoth crowds of between 1,000 to 100,000.He is a sought after Conference and Motivational speaker with a remarkable gift of inspiring faith in the hearers and giving hope to the hopeless.He also hosts and ministers on 'The Power Connection' that is aired twice weekly on TBN Family Network in Kenya and Lighthouse TV in Uganda. It is estimated that he reaches a combined total of over 5 million people in East Africa with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
He makes his home in Nairobi where he is happily married to Mrs Rinah Ssuna and are blessed with a two lovely Children, a daughter Antisha and a son Martin Ssuna Jr. Apostle Martin Ssuna is humbled to be at the helm of this growing Ministry and he believes there is still business to accomplish in the Kingdom.
MISSION : To Transform the Lives of God's People to Spiritual and Physical Prosperity by Preaching the Kingdom of God and Those Things that Concern the Lord Jesus Christ.
-- Acts 28:3
VISION : To See the Church Flourishing and Holistically Transforming People's Lives Through the Anointed Gospel Globally.
-- Matthew 28:19-20
Bishop Aloysios Alois Rutivi
http://www.thekingdommessage.org
Bishop Aloysios Alois Rutivi is the overseer of 94 churches in Africa, 36 of which are in Kenya. He pastors a vibrant and lively pentecostal church of about 1,200 people in Nairobi, Kenya. Bishop Rutivi's wisdom and influence reaches out beyond his fellowship. He has a teaching ministry with an Apostolic call which has taken him to four continents (America, Europe, Asia and Africa). In his local and international meetings, the Lord confirms his messages with signs, miracles and wonders.
Dr Rutivi Studied theology at UNISA in South Africa and ZOE University in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.A. Above all, he received invaluable lessons and instructions at the feet of great men of God such as Dr. Lloyd Goodwin.
He has interacted with men and women from all walks of life, the humble ones in the slums and shanties of Africa and even men of influence and high profile including Heads of State. His ministry has fast evolved into mentoring and fathering many up-coming ministers in the Body of Christ. He has a television ministry called "Times of Refreshing" in Africa aired on Adonai Television Network, LTV and TBN Family TV.
Mind control at Gospel Assembly church
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/breakingfree.html
http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:Q976egrSGwIJ:www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/breakingfree.html+Apostle+Aloise+Rutivi&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk
Lloyd Goodwin’s false gospel exposed: Remember Dr.A.A Rutivi received invaluable lessons and instructions at the feet of great men of God such as Dr. Lloyd Goodwin.
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/index.html
Exposing Lloyd Goodwin’s Gospel Assembly Churches
http://www.rickross.com/reference/ga/ga12.html
http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/g/gospel
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/letters/rutivitogary.htm
Dr. Wilfred Lai is Senior Pastor of Jesus Celebration
http://www.jccmombasa.org/about.php?ID=53
Dr. Wilfred Lai is Senior Pastor of Jesus Celebration Center which is a Ministry of Redeemed Gospel Church. He is also the General Secretary of Redeemed Gospel Church Inc., which has over 1000 churches in Africa.
Pastor Lai was called in the ministry in 1982 when he was working at Standard Chartered Bank in Machakos. He went and joined Life Ministry (Christian Campus for Christ) in Nairobi in 1983 he was then transferred to Mombasa where he was the Director of Coast Province, he was also the assistant pastor of the local Redeemed Gospel Church.
In 1986 he became the Senior Pastor and at the same time left Life ministry to be able to concentrate on his new assignment. The church grew from a congregation of 60 people in 1986 to a congregation of 4000 in 1991 when JCC was born. JCC is one of the fastest growing churches in eastern central Africa.
Pastor Wilfred Lai is married to a wonderful lady Mrs. Rita Lai and they are blessed with two sons David (1982) and Daniel (1984). Pastor Lai and the Family would like to appreciate everyone that over the years has supported the ministry in any way. May the Lord forever light your path, may His hand be near to rescue you from the and of the enemy and may His goodness and mercy follow your all the days of your life.
Prosperity Gospel in Africa is Dr. Wilfred the Second Moses
http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=3494
http://www.speroforum.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5971
Bishop Dr Margaret Wanjiru, MP Stararehe and Assistant Minister for Housing
http://www.jiam.org
http://www.jiam.org/bishop.htm
Several years ago, the Lord took Bishop Dr Margaret Wanjiru on a nine hour vision, in which He revealed to her the vision: "Africa Shall Be Saved". Jesus Is Alive Ministries (JIAM) was born out of this vision.
Since that time, Bishop Margaret has focused all her energy and resources to the fulfillment of this vision.
Currently JIAM, a dynamic ministry under the leadership of Bishop Margaret Wanjiru has offices and staff spread across the nations of the world.
Hon. Bishop Dr. Margaret Wanjiru was born in Nairobi as the third child into a very poor family of casual workers. Despite the many challenges that come with poverty, her hard working mother was able to put her through both primary and high school while instilling the discipline necessary to excel in life. She worked hard in her pursuit of a better future and by the time she was 17 years old, she was paying her way through college by working numerous jobs. She worked as a house girl, hawker, a toilet cleaner, car cleaner and office cleaner. On graduation from college she earned herself a position as sales girl.
This discipline and determination to succeed resulted in rapid promotions and various accomplishments until she become a sales and Marketing executive for a multinational firm in the city. She later went on to form her own business in the city excelling both as an entrepreneur and single mother to her two sons and one daughter.
TODAY:
Later on in life she gave her life to Jesus Christ and become a born again Christian. Thanks to her determination to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and great leadership skills, she is the founder and presiding Bishop of the Jesus Is Alive Ministries, (JIAM), an international Christian organization with headquarter in Nairobi Kenya .
Today, with one of the fastest growing churches in the continent of Africa , JIAM is becoming a ministry to the world, with offices in many nations, touching many hearts, changing many lives through its various departments.
Hon. Bishop Dr. Margaret Wanjiru has been used mightily by God. She oversees a massive congregation and her dynamic ministry has transformed nations especially through the media television program entitled the Glory is here.
She is an author of many Christian books and also oversees a monthly magazine namely ‘Faith digest'.
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Hon. Bishop Dr Margaret Wanjiru has for a long time been actively involved with matters of national concern. As a leader she has for years been a vocal participant in governmental policy and leadership issues across the board.
Politicians have for years called on the Kenyan churches when elections near on a vote seeking mission only to soon after renege on their every promise to the people of Kenya . Her call to national leadership (politics) is as a result of the people demanding for better leadership and representation in government.
In 2007, she was elected as a Member of Parliament for Starehe Constituency in a hotly contested election in one of the most challenging constituency in Nairobi the capital city of Kenya .
She now has the opportunity to not only continue pursuing better governance for the Kenyan people but to also be a key participant in the policy making and implementation process as we work together towards a better Kenya.
In 2008, she was appointed into the cabinet as an Assistant Minister for Housing.
She has a Doctorate in Divinity excelling in the matters of religion, education and human sciences. Recently, she obtained a certificate on governance from Harvard University - USA .
Nowadays, she preaches with greater anointing than ever before. To know more about her or to receive her sermons, log into website www.jiam.org.
Female Bishop: Not in the bible
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/discernment/361-1timothy-2-women-ministry-leadership-and-sound-doctrine.html
The Dr.Margret Wanjiru Controversy
http://kumekucha.blogspot.com/2007/01/bishop-margaret-wanjiru-controversy.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200906221108.html
H.E MWAI KIBAKI A STAUNCH ROMAN CATHOLIC WILL RECEIVE AN WARD AT THE KENYA FESTIVAL 2009 FOR BEING A SPIRITUAL HERO AND ACHIEVER ???
H.E MWAI KIBAKI
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mwai_Kibaki
Episcopalians and Ecumenism in Kenya
http://www.kec.or.ke/subsection.asp?ID=20
www.kec.or.ke/viewdocument.asp?ID=7
Ecumenism and the spirit of blasphemy in Kenya
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/292-ecumenism-and-the-spirit-of-blasphemy-in-kenya.html
PROSPERITY GOSPEL CRITIC PROPHET DR. DAVID OWUOR WAS NOT INVITED TO KENYA PROSPERITY FESTIVAL, 2009: HE CAN NOT BE GIVEN AN AWARD
http://www.eastandard.net/news/InsidePage.php?id=1144011274&cid=4&
Prophet David Owuor
7Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (Matthew 15:7-9)
5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (1 John 4:5)
14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:4)
KENYA FESTIVAL MINISTERS SESSIONS
PROGRAM FOR SESSIONS FACILITATED BY MAJOR 50 SPIRITUAL FATHERS, MOTHERS AND PROMINENT MENTORS
http://www.kenyafestival.net/mentorship.html
1) SMART TEAM HANDLING QUESTION AND ANSWERS:
Bishop Dr Muriithi, Bishop Allan Kiuna, Apostle Martin SSuna, Rev Philip Kitoto, Rev Wilson Nyale, Bishop Erick, Rev Rutivi, Rev Tom Otieno, Rev Stanley Mwalili, Rev John Wesley, Steve Mutua, Eda Adoyo, Rev Judy Mbuga, Rev Simon Kariuki, Rev Shilamba
2) SESSION FACILITATORS: Dr. Luke Mwangi, Rev. Simon Kariuki
RE: INVITATION TO PARTNER WITH THE KENYA FESTIVAL 2009
http://www.kenyafestival.net/index.html
The Kenya Festival is an annual Patriotic event that gathers over 7,000 Christian leaders (i.e. Apostles, Bishops, Evangelists, Pastors, Missionaries e.t.c) who influence over 15,000,000 people. This event aims at Empowering and Networking Christians in Kenya, Enhancing trade, Appreciating and Celebrating key stakeholders and players in the Christian Business fraternity.
This year the Kenya Festival is scheduled for Monday 14th to Sunday 20th September 2009 at the Uhuru Park Grounds. The festival will entail the following activities:
•Ministers and Church Leaders Empowerment Mentorship and Networking Summit
•Economic Empowerment Summit and Exhibition
•Honor and Appreciation of Spiritual Leaders and Achievers
•Students and Youth Workshops over 4000 schools invited.
•Parents/Guardians Workshops
•God Bless Kenya Festival ( Patriotic Thanksgiving Celebration)
Our regional seminars have impacted over 20,000 leaders in fostering unity and empowering leaders to enhance excellence in service delivery to millions of Kenya. The training and networking has had great impact in national healing and restoration in Kenya across all regions following the strives and divisions that negatively affected Kenya.
God has blessed you and placed you in prominent position in Kenya and we saw it a worthy course to invite you in various special sessions as per VIP invitation card attached.
Looking forward to your confirmation and coming, we shall be honoured to have you attend this meeting.
HONOUR AND APPRECIATION OF KINGDOM SPIRITUAL FATHERS, MOTHERS, ACHIEVERS AND HEROES
http://www.kenyafestival.net/honour.html
Nominations
PEOPLE RECEIVING AWARD
http://www.kenyafestival.net/nominated.html
1)APOSTLE JOE KAYO
2)BISHOP MARGARET WANGARI
3)REV THERESIA WAIRIMU
4)DR WILFRED LAI & RITA LAI
5)BISHOP THOMAS MUTHEE
6)BISHOP DR ARTHUR KITONGA &
REV JOSEPHINE KITONGA
7)BISHOP EDWARD MBURIA
8)REV PRINCE & ESTHER OBASIKE
9)BISHOP ALLAN KIUNA & CATHY KIUNA
10)BISHOP DR DAVID MURIITHI
11)BISHOP MARK KARIUKI
12)BISHOP DR JOHN BROWN MASINDE
13)APOSTLE DR JAMES MAINA NG’ANG’A
14)BISHOP HARRISON NG’ANG’A
15)ARCH BISHOP BENJAMIN NZIMBI
16)BISHOP JERRY KIBARABARA
17)REV DR JUDY MBUGUA
18)BISHOP PETER NJIIRI
19)BISHOP SILAS YEGO
20)BISHOP ROBERT MDZOMBA
21)BISHOP STEPHEN MACHARIA
22) BISHOP FANNY MRIMA
23)BISHOP SAILAS OWITI
24) BISHOP CHARLSES MARITA
25)BISHOP ALOISE RUTIVI
26)APOSTLE DR MARTIN SSUNA
27)REV DR JESEE GITHII
28) REV DON MATHENEY
29)APOSTLE HARRY DAS
30) BISHOP DR HENRY MULANDI
31)BISHOP TITUS MBAI
32) REV OSCAR MURIU
33) BISHOP DR MARGARET WANJIRU
34) BISHOP CHARLES MUYU
35) BISHOP SAMUEL MWATHA
36) REV STANLEY MWALILI
37) BISHOP PIUS MUIRU
38) REV PHILIP KITOTO
39) BISHOP JAMES BETT
40) BISHOP MARK KEGOHI
41)BISHOP EMMANUEL MAYEKU
42)BISHOP SIMON OKETCH
43)BISHOP JAMES ONGUKO
44)BISHOP SIMON OMBAYO
45)BISHOP JOSEPH KAMAU
46)REV GEOFFRY KIRIUNGI
47)BISHOP TITUS MASIKA
48)APOSTLE MUKADI WA MUKADI
49)REV MAMBOLEO
50)BISHOP ABALIJA KINOGA
51)BISHOP GILEAD MKALA
52)BISHOP NICK AKENGA- KILIFI
53)BISHOP JOSPHAT NDUMBU
54)BISHOP JOSEPH MAISHA
55)BISHOP GEORGE GICHANA
56)BISHOP JOSEPH RIKAVO
57)REV JOHANA MWEI
58)APOSTLE DANIEL NZOKA
59)BISHOP PAUL MUTUA
60) APOSTLE KABABU
61)REV DR ELIZABETH WAHOME
62)REV TOM OTIENO
63)BISHOP HARRISON NGANGA
64)REV STEVE MUTUA
65)BISHOP JEFFERSON NYATUKA
66)BISHOP PETER SILA
67)BISHOP HENRY MULANDI
68)BISHOP TITUS MBAI
69)BISHOP HENRY MULANDI
70)BISHOP DR STEPHEN KANIARU
71)BISHOP SAILAS YEGO
72)REV MATHEWS MALWA
73)REV ABROSE NYANGAU
74)REV MURIITHI WANJAU
75)REV GEORGE SHILAMBA
76)REV GICHINGA
77)MASAAI---REV STEVE
78)DR LUKE & CATHERINE MWANGI
79)BISHOP BONFACE AND ADA ADOTO
80)BISHOP DR KABACHIA
81)DR JAMES MWANGI
82) PHILIP KHISIA- TOWN CLERK
MARK OF EXCELLENCE AWARDS NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
1.H.E MWAI KIBAKI
2.H.E STEPHEN KALONZO MUSYOKA
3.RIGHT HONORABLE RAILA ODINGA
4.KENNETH MARENDE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT DESERVE AWARD FOR THEIR ROLE IN SUPPORTING BODY OF CHRIST.
http://www.kenyafestival.net/nomorg.html
1.AFLEWO MINISTRIES
2.GROOVE AWARDS
3.MORRIS CERULLO WORLD EVANGELISM
4.CHRISTIAN CABLE NETWORK
5.CHRIST FOR ALL NATIONS
6.FAULU KENYA
7.EQUITY BANK
8.FAMILY BANK
9.CO-OPERATIVE BANK
10.C.I.C INSUARANCE
11.KEN POLY
12.FOCUS
13.KSCF
14.DEBORA MINISTRIES
15.CHRISTIAN LAWYERS FELLOWSHIP
16.SLIF
17.HOME CARE
18.CHRISTIAN POLICE FELLOWSHIP
19.RED CROSS
20.HOPE F.M
21.SAYARI T.V
22.FAMILY T.V
23.BARAKA F.M
24.REVIVAL SPRINGS MEDIA
25.MIRACLE MAGAZINE
26.HOUSE OF TEPHILLA MINISTRIES
27.NIST
28.NEGGEST
29.BREAKTHROUGH INSTITUTE OF LEADERSHIP AND MINISTERIAL STUDIES
30.WORLD HARVEST - PETER YONGREN
31.CHRISTIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS FELLOWSHIP
32.NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST INITIATIVE
33.NAVAGITORS
34.LIFE MINISTRY
35.INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN MISSIONS
36.BIBLE LEAGUE
37.BIBLE SOCIETY OF KENYA
38.BIBLE TRANSLATION
39.AFRICA EVANGELISTIC ENTREPRISE
40.RHEMA MINISTRY
41.NORMADS OUTREACH MINISTRY
42.PACC
43.BELIEVERS BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONALS CLUB
44.CHRISTIAN BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONALS
45.KINGDOM BUSINESS NETWORK
PROGRAM DETAILS
http://www.kenyafestival.net/festival_prog.html
SESSIONS OPEN TO ALL MONDAY - FRIDAY DAILY
Morning Devotions - 06.00 - 07.00 a.m
Lunch Hour - 01.00 - 02.00 p.m
Evening Revivals - 05.00 - 07.00 p.m
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- Entry is free, all Delegates to invest in fares (transport), food and accommodation.
- Prayer Chain of 40 days designated in provinces as per prayer calendar and brochures. Take a day per week from 10th to 20th Sept. Overnight prayer on Sunday 13th Sept Night.
- Opening Launch of Kenya Festival Monday 14th at 7.00.
- Accommodation Options available at ksh 400 per day and above.
- Join in the prayer Chain of 40 days designated in provinces as per prayer calendar and brochure take a day per week from 10th to 20th Sept .
- Praise-A-Thon Kesha Friday 18th Sept
- To support this Festival supported by well wishers and friends of Church and Kenya prosperity M-PESA NO 0723458580
Monday, 7 September 2009
‘Temuteeka byapa bya kkanisa mu mannya gammwe’
‘Temuteeka byapa bya kkanisa mu mannya gammwe’
Bya Paddy Nsobya
http://www.bukeddekussande.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=3&newsCategoryId=186&newsId=693644
PAASITA Joseph Sserwadda owa Victory Christian Church mu Ndeeba ali mu kaweefube w’okulaba ng’abalokole ab’ebiwayi ebyenjawulo mu ggwanga beegatta bakole enzikiriza emu etongozebwe gavumenti.
Asabye basumba banne abataasoma bagende basome. Abasabye n’ebyapa by’ettaka ly’ekkanisa ze bakulira babiggye mu mannya gaabwe.
Yasinzidde mu kusaba okwategekeddwa mu Crane Paradise Hotel mu kibuga Mukono ku Lwomukaaga, okwetabiddwamu abasumba okuva mu biwayi eby’enjawulo mu disitulikiti eno.
“Okusooka byonna abasumba abataasoma muddeeyo musome tukomye okwogeranga mu bantu nga twogera ng’abatalina magezi. Kino ky’ekimu ku bitukosa ennyo; butasoma bwa basumba.
Ekirala abooluganda tuteekwa okwegatta tufune n’ekitebe ekikulu gavumenti n’omuntu yenna atwetaaga w’ayinza okutusanga nga bannaffe ab’enzikiriza endala.
Gavumenti n’ab’enzikiriza endala batutwala nga bibiina bya busuubuzi na byannakyewa so si balyoyi bamyoyo lwakuba buli omu ali ku lulwe.
Embeera eno ewadde ebbeetu abantu abakyamu okwekweka mu bulokole.
Bannamukono wadde muva mu biwayi bya njawulo mbasaba muwagire enteekateeka y’okwegatta kw’abalokole ffenna.
Ekirala, abasumba ebyapa by’ettaka ly’ekkanisa mubiggye mu mannya gammwe mubiteeke mu mannya g’ekkanisa, kuba bwe mutakikola abaana bammwe ettaka bajja kulyekomya n’ekkanisa bazimenye,” bwatyo bwe yabakubirizza.’
Published on: Saturday, 5th September, 2009
Bya Paddy Nsobya
http://www.bukeddekussande.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=3&newsCategoryId=186&newsId=693644
PAASITA Joseph Sserwadda owa Victory Christian Church mu Ndeeba ali mu kaweefube w’okulaba ng’abalokole ab’ebiwayi ebyenjawulo mu ggwanga beegatta bakole enzikiriza emu etongozebwe gavumenti.
Asabye basumba banne abataasoma bagende basome. Abasabye n’ebyapa by’ettaka ly’ekkanisa ze bakulira babiggye mu mannya gaabwe.
Yasinzidde mu kusaba okwategekeddwa mu Crane Paradise Hotel mu kibuga Mukono ku Lwomukaaga, okwetabiddwamu abasumba okuva mu biwayi eby’enjawulo mu disitulikiti eno.
“Okusooka byonna abasumba abataasoma muddeeyo musome tukomye okwogeranga mu bantu nga twogera ng’abatalina magezi. Kino ky’ekimu ku bitukosa ennyo; butasoma bwa basumba.
Ekirala abooluganda tuteekwa okwegatta tufune n’ekitebe ekikulu gavumenti n’omuntu yenna atwetaaga w’ayinza okutusanga nga bannaffe ab’enzikiriza endala.
Gavumenti n’ab’enzikiriza endala batutwala nga bibiina bya busuubuzi na byannakyewa so si balyoyi bamyoyo lwakuba buli omu ali ku lulwe.
Embeera eno ewadde ebbeetu abantu abakyamu okwekweka mu bulokole.
Bannamukono wadde muva mu biwayi bya njawulo mbasaba muwagire enteekateeka y’okwegatta kw’abalokole ffenna.
Ekirala, abasumba ebyapa by’ettaka ly’ekkanisa mubiggye mu mannya gammwe mubiteeke mu mannya g’ekkanisa, kuba bwe mutakikola abaana bammwe ettaka bajja kulyekomya n’ekkanisa bazimenye,” bwatyo bwe yabakubirizza.’
Published on: Saturday, 5th September, 2009
Thursday, 3 September 2009
THE AGONY OF DECEIT: EXPOSING THE CATHOLIC LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE’S SALVATION BY WORKS
The Agony of Deceit: Exposing the Catholic Leadership magazine’s salvation by works
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God (Romans 10:3)
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9)
..if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (Isaiah 8:20)
Today, I came across the August, 2009 Edition of the catholic Leadership Magazine. In this magazine, was a prize letter(best letter for the month) by one MZEE PAUL ONGUATYA of Mbuya catholic Parish(see, letter below). The reasons why this letter was chosen is because it clearly brings out the catholic deceptive antics. Can you Imagine! Catholics believe that ‘’Once a Catholic has confessed his sins, attends daily Mass and has received the Holy Communion, he is supposed to be in the state of grace – God’s friend!’’.
It is amazing that MZEE PAUL ONGUATYA of Mbuya catholic Parish lacks a single scripture to defend his argument. His only authority is the catholic catechism. The author of the catholic catechism is man and not God. The word of God categorically states that Cursed is he who trusts in man(Jere.17:5), the word of God says that we are not saved by works but by grace(Ephesians 2:11). God says that he has magnified his word even above all his name(Psalms 138:2) therefore, it is with the word of God that we should test all catholic beliefs and practices. The Catholic Church has persecuted the word of God for centuries. They know that once catholics get the know the word of God, the catholic church will be no more.
Does salvation come through the Catholic Church?
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/cat846.html
Does Grace come through the Catholic Church?
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/cat819.html
Inside the Catholic Catechism
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/cat-ndx.html
http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/catechism.cfm
SUBLIMINAL MIND CONTROL AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Catholic Church has managed to control its believers by tricking them to trust in the Catholic Church instead of the word of God. Catholics are not taught discernment through the bible; they are not encouraged to read the bible on their own and to test spirits(Acts 17:11), they are not trained to prove things(1 Thesa 5:21). The catholic church has so many faith folly colleges and universities where they indoctrinate their faith fools. Many Catholic priests have degrees in philosophy, theology, divinity, psychology etc. Do not be surprised to find a catholic priest with three Bachelors degrees, three Masters degrees and two PhDs in theology and Divinity respectively.
The purpose of this is to create pride in these young men that they are fountains of knowledge, yet the truth is that they have been trained to be fountains of catholic doctrine and deception. Can, you imagine such graduates kneeling before a statue, not knowing that God does not share his glory with curved images(Isaiah 42:8). The Devil that is controlling the catholic church knows that man is greedy for POWER, money and prestige. There are many people inside the catholic who know that this institution is a fraud but can not come out because of their love for power and prosperity in the Catholic Church. They are struggling to climb the catholic prosperity ladder. They want to be bishops and cardinals etc .
MZEE PAUL ONGUATYA’S LETTER
Baptism a Second Time?
http://leadershipmagazine.org/aug2009/letters.html
PRIZE LETTER
“ARE you saved?” is a common question asked of many believers, be they Catholic, Anglican or Bahaian. Some are taken by surprise and lack ready answers. But, for a Catholic who knows his catechism well, answers should be just spontaneous and intuitive, like, “Obviously! I am saved because Jesus died to save us.”
Once a Catholic has confessed his sins, attends daily Mass and has received the Holy Communion, he is supposed to be in the state of grace – God’s friend! People who usually ask that question seem to convince their ‘prey’ to the baptized a second time, a third time etc… But, the Catholic Church teaches one true baptism.
I was walking to my place of worship for Mass on a Sunday, when I met a Christian, who asked me the question, when I told him I was heading for Mass at Mbuya Catholic Church. He told me, “my friend, this business of hearing Mass is not adequate for the kingdom of God. You had better get
saved.”
I asked, “What should I do then, in order to get saved?” He said I should be saved by being baptized, citing the example of Nichodemus in the bible. Fortunately, I did not have time to waste arguing with him, as I had Mass to go for. But, we need to tell this people salvation is not just about saying I am saved.
MZEE PAUL ONGUATYA
Mbuya Parish
ALSO SEE THESE RELATED ARTICLES
Drunken priest blames Holy Wine
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/drunken-catholic-priest-blames-holy.html
YOU ARE SIMPLY WRONG ABOUT THE CATHOLICS: OH! REALLY
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/you-are-simply-wrong-about-catholics-oh.html
CULT WITH IN A CULT: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CULT IN UGANDA PANICS AS SUB-CULTS INCREASE WITH IN IT
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/cult-with-in-cult-catholic-church-cult.html
Expedicto Magembe of Mountain Sion and Christ the King prayer Group
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/06/deceptive-antics-of-catholic.html
Unmasking Catholicism
http://www.catholicconcerns.com/Book/index.html
http://www.catholicconcerns.com/index.html
What saith Rome? Introduction
http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/rome.html
Catholicism is typical witchcraft
http://www.cephasministry.com/index_catholic_files.html
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2006/12/history-of-papacy-heresies-of-rome.html
CATHOLICISM IS OF THE DEVIL
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Roman%20Catholicism/catholicism_is_of_the_devil.htm
ROME'S PERSECUTION OF THE BIBLE
http://www.wayoflife.org/files/4ef3f30d5ea4253059dc014c8c9f6db3-79.html
BE WARE OF CATHOLIC ECUMENISM
http://www.kizitomg.webs.com
Here comes the Antichrist
www.cuttingedge.org/ce1080.html
www.cuttingedge.org/newsletters/122405.html
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God (Romans 10:3)
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9)
..if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (Isaiah 8:20)
Today, I came across the August, 2009 Edition of the catholic Leadership Magazine. In this magazine, was a prize letter(best letter for the month) by one MZEE PAUL ONGUATYA of Mbuya catholic Parish(see, letter below). The reasons why this letter was chosen is because it clearly brings out the catholic deceptive antics. Can you Imagine! Catholics believe that ‘’Once a Catholic has confessed his sins, attends daily Mass and has received the Holy Communion, he is supposed to be in the state of grace – God’s friend!’’.
It is amazing that MZEE PAUL ONGUATYA of Mbuya catholic Parish lacks a single scripture to defend his argument. His only authority is the catholic catechism. The author of the catholic catechism is man and not God. The word of God categorically states that Cursed is he who trusts in man(Jere.17:5), the word of God says that we are not saved by works but by grace(Ephesians 2:11). God says that he has magnified his word even above all his name(Psalms 138:2) therefore, it is with the word of God that we should test all catholic beliefs and practices. The Catholic Church has persecuted the word of God for centuries. They know that once catholics get the know the word of God, the catholic church will be no more.
Does salvation come through the Catholic Church?
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/cat846.html
Does Grace come through the Catholic Church?
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/cat819.html
Inside the Catholic Catechism
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/cat-ndx.html
http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/catechism.cfm
SUBLIMINAL MIND CONTROL AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Catholic Church has managed to control its believers by tricking them to trust in the Catholic Church instead of the word of God. Catholics are not taught discernment through the bible; they are not encouraged to read the bible on their own and to test spirits(Acts 17:11), they are not trained to prove things(1 Thesa 5:21). The catholic church has so many faith folly colleges and universities where they indoctrinate their faith fools. Many Catholic priests have degrees in philosophy, theology, divinity, psychology etc. Do not be surprised to find a catholic priest with three Bachelors degrees, three Masters degrees and two PhDs in theology and Divinity respectively.
The purpose of this is to create pride in these young men that they are fountains of knowledge, yet the truth is that they have been trained to be fountains of catholic doctrine and deception. Can, you imagine such graduates kneeling before a statue, not knowing that God does not share his glory with curved images(Isaiah 42:8). The Devil that is controlling the catholic church knows that man is greedy for POWER, money and prestige. There are many people inside the catholic who know that this institution is a fraud but can not come out because of their love for power and prosperity in the Catholic Church. They are struggling to climb the catholic prosperity ladder. They want to be bishops and cardinals etc .
MZEE PAUL ONGUATYA’S LETTER
Baptism a Second Time?
http://leadershipmagazine.org/aug2009/letters.html
PRIZE LETTER
“ARE you saved?” is a common question asked of many believers, be they Catholic, Anglican or Bahaian. Some are taken by surprise and lack ready answers. But, for a Catholic who knows his catechism well, answers should be just spontaneous and intuitive, like, “Obviously! I am saved because Jesus died to save us.”
Once a Catholic has confessed his sins, attends daily Mass and has received the Holy Communion, he is supposed to be in the state of grace – God’s friend! People who usually ask that question seem to convince their ‘prey’ to the baptized a second time, a third time etc… But, the Catholic Church teaches one true baptism.
I was walking to my place of worship for Mass on a Sunday, when I met a Christian, who asked me the question, when I told him I was heading for Mass at Mbuya Catholic Church. He told me, “my friend, this business of hearing Mass is not adequate for the kingdom of God. You had better get
saved.”
I asked, “What should I do then, in order to get saved?” He said I should be saved by being baptized, citing the example of Nichodemus in the bible. Fortunately, I did not have time to waste arguing with him, as I had Mass to go for. But, we need to tell this people salvation is not just about saying I am saved.
MZEE PAUL ONGUATYA
Mbuya Parish
ALSO SEE THESE RELATED ARTICLES
Drunken priest blames Holy Wine
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/drunken-catholic-priest-blames-holy.html
YOU ARE SIMPLY WRONG ABOUT THE CATHOLICS: OH! REALLY
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/you-are-simply-wrong-about-catholics-oh.html
CULT WITH IN A CULT: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CULT IN UGANDA PANICS AS SUB-CULTS INCREASE WITH IN IT
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/cult-with-in-cult-catholic-church-cult.html
Expedicto Magembe of Mountain Sion and Christ the King prayer Group
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/06/deceptive-antics-of-catholic.html
Unmasking Catholicism
http://www.catholicconcerns.com/Book/index.html
http://www.catholicconcerns.com/index.html
What saith Rome? Introduction
http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/rome.html
Catholicism is typical witchcraft
http://www.cephasministry.com/index_catholic_files.html
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2006/12/history-of-papacy-heresies-of-rome.html
CATHOLICISM IS OF THE DEVIL
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Roman%20Catholicism/catholicism_is_of_the_devil.htm
ROME'S PERSECUTION OF THE BIBLE
http://www.wayoflife.org/files/4ef3f30d5ea4253059dc014c8c9f6db3-79.html
BE WARE OF CATHOLIC ECUMENISM
http://www.kizitomg.webs.com
Here comes the Antichrist
www.cuttingedge.org/ce1080.html
www.cuttingedge.org/newsletters/122405.html
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
THE NEW AGE RELIGION HAS INVADED AFRICA: BE WARE OF HUMANISM: FAITH IN YOUR FAITH OR FAITH IN GOD: A scriptural critique of Ethan Musolini’s TIPS
THE NEW AGE RELIGION HAS INVADED AFRICA: BE WARE OF HUMANISM: FAITH IN YOUR FAITH OR FAITH IN GOD: A scriptural critique of Ethan Musolini’s humanistic succeeding tips
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD(Jeremiah 17:5).
15And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God (Luke 16:15).
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works(2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness(1Corinthians 3:18-19)
18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ….25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men 1 Corinthians 1:18,19,20&25)
BEHIND NEW AGE HUMANISM’S SELF ESTEEM DOCTRINE IS THE THEOLOGY THAT HUMANS ARE LITTLE GODS(DEIFICATION OF MAN)
They are many success gurus in the world today. These men and women are excellent speakers with incredible oratory skills. They are telling people to think big, dream big, believe in your self, trust in your self, forgive your self . This is called Humanism or new age religion, or New age spirituality . This humanism is a hiss of the serpent. So, the serpent behind the lie of new age- humanism is telling us to believe in our self instead of believing in God. This humanism has stealthily crept into the born again churches especially the Pentecostal churches. Pentecostal pastors like Dr.Shulller, Rick Warren, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Andrew Wommack, Late Kenneth Hagin etc are teaching new age-humanism, which they have given a Christian mask. Dr. Shulller is famous for his so called self esteem new age-humanism theology. The likes of Benny Hinn, Copeland, Frederick Price, have stealthily taught that we should have faith in our faith, instead of having faith in God. The word of God categorically cautions us to put our trust in God in everything we do and never to lean on our own understanding.(Proverbs. 3:5). Scripture categorically states that cursed is he who trusts in man(Jeremiah 17:5)
New age faith is being taught as bible faith
http://www.combineharvesting.com/new%20age%20faith%20%A0is%20being%20taught%20as%20bible%20faith.htm
God’s plan of salvation has been corrupted
http://www.combineharvesting.com/god_s_plan_of_salvation_has_been_corrupted.xml.htm
Man control End time Implications
http://www.geocities.com/kmivule7/Comment4.htm
Exposing the new age movement
http://www3.telus.net/thegoodnews/newage.htm
Dr.Phil: Christian or new Age Humanist
http://www.arcapologetics.org/blog/2005/10/discerning-dr-phil.html
The new Age Movement
http://www.wayoflife.org/files/category-new-age-movement.html
The Lord jesus Christ Versus the Ne age Movement
http://www.geocities.com/cobblestoneministries/2006/Jesus_vsTheNewAgeMovement.html
Oprah Winfrey’s New age Humanistic Gospel
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Wolves/oprah-exposed.htm
http://www.geocities.com/cobblestoneministries/2005_CRM/ShouldChristiansWatchOprah.html
http://www.wayoflife.org/files/f242b57c5e80b6702a8f7c7def5a142c-91.html
http://www.watchman.org
HUMANISM, CAPITALISTIC GREED, LITTLE GODS AND THE ANTICHRIST SPIRIT
The bible cautions us to prove all things (1Thesa.5:21) and to test spirits whether they are from God(1John:4:1). The major spirit behind new age-humanism is capitalism. You, see, capitalism thrives on greed, self indulgence etc. The more greedy people are, the more the capitalist make profits. The capitalists want people to be so greedy to extent of buying even what they do not need, living beyond their means, lusting after the things of the world, loving materialism, killing and shedding blood for the sake of greed. The capitalists know that the Jesus of the bible is an enemy to their plans, so they have created their own Pentecostal, designer Jesus who advocates for the gospel of materialism or prosperity gospel. Many Christians are in serious debts, because of the gospel of new-age-humanism. The main cause of the current financial crisis is humanism’s self esteem lie of thinking big, succeeding better than anyone, climbing high ad higher.
Think like a billionaire
http://5minuteswithmolly.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/top-10-ways-of-thinking-like-a-billionaire-according-to-donald-trumps-best-selling-think-like-a-billionaire/
http://en.wordpress.com/tag/think-like-a-billionaire/
BE WARE THAT GOD’S JUDGMENTS ON UGANDA’S ROTTEN PROSPERITY MOVEMENT ARE JUST BEGINNING: APOSTATE PENTECOSTAL TELEVISION CHANNELS INCREASE TO FOUR: LIGHT HOUSE TELEVISION(LTV), TOP TV, PASTOR KAYANJA’S CHANNELS 44 AND SHILOH TV
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/08/be-ware-that-gods-judgments-on-ugandas.html
MR.ETHAN MUSOLIN’S NEW AGE-HUMANISTIC SUCCEEDING TIPS: GUYS, THERE IS NO GOD OUT THERE TO TRUST, YOU DO NOT HAVE A GOD IN YOU, THE ONLY GOD THAT EXISTS IS YOUR SELF.
I have been watching and reading success tips of a young brilliant man by the names of Ethan Musolin for quite some time. This young man is indeed an eloquent motivation speaker who is attracting many people. Many born again Christians are following prey to lies of satan. They easily believe somebody because he has put on an expensive suit, because he or she is eloquent. Many women do not care about the theology(enjoy every day lies) of Joyce Meyer, they really want to have the wealth of Joyce, they are thrilled(like a man sick with sexual desire for a beautiful woman (Proverbs 7:6-27)) by Joyce Meyer’s luxurious shoes, earrings, mansion, cars, dresses, trousers etc, .Many Christians think that Satan is a fool , satan is smart that is why, we like the angels must put our trust in God who is the smartest. Remember, Michael the arch angle told the devil, the lord rebuke thee(Jude 1:9). He never said I bind you. If angles trust in God, it is foolish for human beings to trust in themselves. Remember scripture says that man was created a little lower than angels(Psalms 8:5-check KJV and compare with fake NIV)
THE NEW AGE, FEMINISM, HOMOSEXUALS AND LESBIANISM
New age-humanism is greatly responsible for the upsurge of homosexualism, lesbianism and radical feminism. A little research around will show you that most of the gays and feminists are new age-humanists.
SEE, ETHAN MUSOLIN’S HUMANISTIC ARTICLES ON SUCCEEDING
http://successsecrets123.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/ethan-musolini%E2%80%99s-articles-appearing-in-column-%E2%80%9Csucceeding%E2%80%9D/
Confidence and Self Esteem
http://successsecrets123.wordpress.com/category/confidence-and-self-esteem/
Your self worth means everything. Could self esteem be the key to that world of wonder and magic? Yes, even in the world which has been knocking in your dream to succeed in life?
Ethan Musolini
You are Worth all That and More
http://successsecrets123.wordpress.com/2008/05/13/you-are-worth-all-that-and-more-self-esteem/
http://www.3-day-diet.net/you-are-worth-all-that-and-more-self-esteem.htm
http://http//www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/features/You_are_worth_all_that_and_more.shtml
You are definetely worth so much more than you may think. What may be stoping you to believe the above statement is your level of self esteem.
In today’s Daily Monitor Newspaper, I published You are Worth all That and More in my weekly column.
How do you measure up with what it really takes to have a high level of self esteem? What do you need to do to claim the top echelons of self esteem heights? Could self esteem be the key until you realize your dreams?
You are worth much more that what you may think. That’s what spiritual teachers and sages have said and taught for ages. Read more…
Ethan Musolini is the CEO of Success Africa, Motivational Speaker and HR consultant
ethan@success-africa.com
Comments to Ethan Musolini’s article
That is so very true. When one realises that their own self worth is more than they had originally believed it to be then from that point they will be able to move forward and build their self esteem at the same time.
Terry,
You are right. Self esteem is the core. What’s even critical is for someone to reach a point where they believe they are worthy of great things in their life.
It’s funny because recently I was talking to a lady who is aspiring to be a member of parliament (MP) and wated advice from me. We shared a lot and towards the end, I challenged her to start seeing herself as an MP. Then she commented that when one of her friends started referring to her as an MP that she would “feel shy”.
You see, it means that at a certain level, she doesn’t feel worthy of the position. The faster she believes that she deserves no less than that, the faster she will be declared as an MP
Are you true to your self?
http://successsecrets123.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/are-you-true-to-yourself/
When I was growing up, my dad wanted me to either become a doctor or an engineer.
“When you are an engineer or doctor, you are assured of a job” he reasoned.
Right from high school, I set my eyes on the prize. I worked hard. I read hard. But somehow, physics and maths was never my cup of tea. Not even chemistry.
Finally, toward my end of high school, I had to choose between the red pill and the blue pill. Please my father or be true to myself and do arts subjects.
It was a Saturday. I had woken up in the morning at home and he was nearby me. Already awake. I gathered myself…
“Dad, somehow science subjects are not easy for me. I would prefer arts subjects” then I held my breath awaiting his scathing reply. To my surprise, he calmly responded “well, if they are hard for you, then do what comes naturally to you”
I switched my subjects around and concentrated on history, geography, economics and divinity. I scored high points which qualified me for government sponsorship at the university and did social sciences.
Now, am being paid to tell stories as a motivational speaker, consultant and author. As you can tell, am still sharing a story here. Would you blame me for taking history?
The crux of the matter is that there comes a time when you must be true to yourself. Being honest to what your heart tells you rather than what other people are advising you to do. Like Blaise Pascal put it “We know the truth, not only by the reason, but also by the heart”
Not
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD(Jeremiah 17:5).
15And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God (Luke 16:15).
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works(2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness(1Corinthians 3:18-19)
18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ….25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men 1 Corinthians 1:18,19,20&25)
BEHIND NEW AGE HUMANISM’S SELF ESTEEM DOCTRINE IS THE THEOLOGY THAT HUMANS ARE LITTLE GODS(DEIFICATION OF MAN)
They are many success gurus in the world today. These men and women are excellent speakers with incredible oratory skills. They are telling people to think big, dream big, believe in your self, trust in your self, forgive your self . This is called Humanism or new age religion, or New age spirituality . This humanism is a hiss of the serpent. So, the serpent behind the lie of new age- humanism is telling us to believe in our self instead of believing in God. This humanism has stealthily crept into the born again churches especially the Pentecostal churches. Pentecostal pastors like Dr.Shulller, Rick Warren, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Andrew Wommack, Late Kenneth Hagin etc are teaching new age-humanism, which they have given a Christian mask. Dr. Shulller is famous for his so called self esteem new age-humanism theology. The likes of Benny Hinn, Copeland, Frederick Price, have stealthily taught that we should have faith in our faith, instead of having faith in God. The word of God categorically cautions us to put our trust in God in everything we do and never to lean on our own understanding.(Proverbs. 3:5). Scripture categorically states that cursed is he who trusts in man(Jeremiah 17:5)
New age faith is being taught as bible faith
http://www.combineharvesting.com/new%20age%20faith%20%A0is%20being%20taught%20as%20bible%20faith.htm
God’s plan of salvation has been corrupted
http://www.combineharvesting.com/god_s_plan_of_salvation_has_been_corrupted.xml.htm
Man control End time Implications
http://www.geocities.com/kmivule7/Comment4.htm
Exposing the new age movement
http://www3.telus.net/thegoodnews/newage.htm
Dr.Phil: Christian or new Age Humanist
http://www.arcapologetics.org/blog/2005/10/discerning-dr-phil.html
The new Age Movement
http://www.wayoflife.org/files/category-new-age-movement.html
The Lord jesus Christ Versus the Ne age Movement
http://www.geocities.com/cobblestoneministries/2006/Jesus_vsTheNewAgeMovement.html
Oprah Winfrey’s New age Humanistic Gospel
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Wolves/oprah-exposed.htm
http://www.geocities.com/cobblestoneministries/2005_CRM/ShouldChristiansWatchOprah.html
http://www.wayoflife.org/files/f242b57c5e80b6702a8f7c7def5a142c-91.html
http://www.watchman.org
HUMANISM, CAPITALISTIC GREED, LITTLE GODS AND THE ANTICHRIST SPIRIT
The bible cautions us to prove all things (1Thesa.5:21) and to test spirits whether they are from God(1John:4:1). The major spirit behind new age-humanism is capitalism. You, see, capitalism thrives on greed, self indulgence etc. The more greedy people are, the more the capitalist make profits. The capitalists want people to be so greedy to extent of buying even what they do not need, living beyond their means, lusting after the things of the world, loving materialism, killing and shedding blood for the sake of greed. The capitalists know that the Jesus of the bible is an enemy to their plans, so they have created their own Pentecostal, designer Jesus who advocates for the gospel of materialism or prosperity gospel. Many Christians are in serious debts, because of the gospel of new-age-humanism. The main cause of the current financial crisis is humanism’s self esteem lie of thinking big, succeeding better than anyone, climbing high ad higher.
Think like a billionaire
http://5minuteswithmolly.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/top-10-ways-of-thinking-like-a-billionaire-according-to-donald-trumps-best-selling-think-like-a-billionaire/
http://en.wordpress.com/tag/think-like-a-billionaire/
BE WARE THAT GOD’S JUDGMENTS ON UGANDA’S ROTTEN PROSPERITY MOVEMENT ARE JUST BEGINNING: APOSTATE PENTECOSTAL TELEVISION CHANNELS INCREASE TO FOUR: LIGHT HOUSE TELEVISION(LTV), TOP TV, PASTOR KAYANJA’S CHANNELS 44 AND SHILOH TV
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/08/be-ware-that-gods-judgments-on-ugandas.html
MR.ETHAN MUSOLIN’S NEW AGE-HUMANISTIC SUCCEEDING TIPS: GUYS, THERE IS NO GOD OUT THERE TO TRUST, YOU DO NOT HAVE A GOD IN YOU, THE ONLY GOD THAT EXISTS IS YOUR SELF.
I have been watching and reading success tips of a young brilliant man by the names of Ethan Musolin for quite some time. This young man is indeed an eloquent motivation speaker who is attracting many people. Many born again Christians are following prey to lies of satan. They easily believe somebody because he has put on an expensive suit, because he or she is eloquent. Many women do not care about the theology(enjoy every day lies) of Joyce Meyer, they really want to have the wealth of Joyce, they are thrilled(like a man sick with sexual desire for a beautiful woman (Proverbs 7:6-27)) by Joyce Meyer’s luxurious shoes, earrings, mansion, cars, dresses, trousers etc, .Many Christians think that Satan is a fool , satan is smart that is why, we like the angels must put our trust in God who is the smartest. Remember, Michael the arch angle told the devil, the lord rebuke thee(Jude 1:9). He never said I bind you. If angles trust in God, it is foolish for human beings to trust in themselves. Remember scripture says that man was created a little lower than angels(Psalms 8:5-check KJV and compare with fake NIV)
THE NEW AGE, FEMINISM, HOMOSEXUALS AND LESBIANISM
New age-humanism is greatly responsible for the upsurge of homosexualism, lesbianism and radical feminism. A little research around will show you that most of the gays and feminists are new age-humanists.
SEE, ETHAN MUSOLIN’S HUMANISTIC ARTICLES ON SUCCEEDING
http://successsecrets123.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/ethan-musolini%E2%80%99s-articles-appearing-in-column-%E2%80%9Csucceeding%E2%80%9D/
Confidence and Self Esteem
http://successsecrets123.wordpress.com/category/confidence-and-self-esteem/
Your self worth means everything. Could self esteem be the key to that world of wonder and magic? Yes, even in the world which has been knocking in your dream to succeed in life?
Ethan Musolini
You are Worth all That and More
http://successsecrets123.wordpress.com/2008/05/13/you-are-worth-all-that-and-more-self-esteem/
http://www.3-day-diet.net/you-are-worth-all-that-and-more-self-esteem.htm
http://http//www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/features/You_are_worth_all_that_and_more.shtml
You are definetely worth so much more than you may think. What may be stoping you to believe the above statement is your level of self esteem.
In today’s Daily Monitor Newspaper, I published You are Worth all That and More in my weekly column.
How do you measure up with what it really takes to have a high level of self esteem? What do you need to do to claim the top echelons of self esteem heights? Could self esteem be the key until you realize your dreams?
You are worth much more that what you may think. That’s what spiritual teachers and sages have said and taught for ages. Read more…
Ethan Musolini is the CEO of Success Africa, Motivational Speaker and HR consultant
ethan@success-africa.com
Comments to Ethan Musolini’s article
That is so very true. When one realises that their own self worth is more than they had originally believed it to be then from that point they will be able to move forward and build their self esteem at the same time.
Terry,
You are right. Self esteem is the core. What’s even critical is for someone to reach a point where they believe they are worthy of great things in their life.
It’s funny because recently I was talking to a lady who is aspiring to be a member of parliament (MP) and wated advice from me. We shared a lot and towards the end, I challenged her to start seeing herself as an MP. Then she commented that when one of her friends started referring to her as an MP that she would “feel shy”.
You see, it means that at a certain level, she doesn’t feel worthy of the position. The faster she believes that she deserves no less than that, the faster she will be declared as an MP
Are you true to your self?
http://successsecrets123.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/are-you-true-to-yourself/
When I was growing up, my dad wanted me to either become a doctor or an engineer.
“When you are an engineer or doctor, you are assured of a job” he reasoned.
Right from high school, I set my eyes on the prize. I worked hard. I read hard. But somehow, physics and maths was never my cup of tea. Not even chemistry.
Finally, toward my end of high school, I had to choose between the red pill and the blue pill. Please my father or be true to myself and do arts subjects.
It was a Saturday. I had woken up in the morning at home and he was nearby me. Already awake. I gathered myself…
“Dad, somehow science subjects are not easy for me. I would prefer arts subjects” then I held my breath awaiting his scathing reply. To my surprise, he calmly responded “well, if they are hard for you, then do what comes naturally to you”
I switched my subjects around and concentrated on history, geography, economics and divinity. I scored high points which qualified me for government sponsorship at the university and did social sciences.
Now, am being paid to tell stories as a motivational speaker, consultant and author. As you can tell, am still sharing a story here. Would you blame me for taking history?
The crux of the matter is that there comes a time when you must be true to yourself. Being honest to what your heart tells you rather than what other people are advising you to do. Like Blaise Pascal put it “We know the truth, not only by the reason, but also by the heart”
Not