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Bringing Twilight out into the Son
Blockbuster books and hit movie confuse evil with good
By Eric Barger
By now most of you have heard about the bestselling Twilight saga series written by Stephenie Meyer. Thus far there are over 17 million books in print from the series. However, if you’ve been hanging around in a cave somewhere just waiting for a reason to flutter, let me sum up the storyline. Vampires are cool. Some may be bad, but in general Vampires are cool and Edward Cullen is the newest heart throb.
High school junior, Bella Swan, moves from Arizona to Forks on the Washington coast (the setting for the majority of the movie) and falls in love with Edward Cullen, who as it turns out, is a member of a family of vampires who have learned to survive from the blood of animals rather than that of humans.
 Kristen Stewart as Bella Swanand Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen |
Meyer, a thirty-something Mormon mother of three from Arizona is the author of the four book series (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn), a novel called The Host and the soon-to-be-released book, Midnight Sun which, unlike the Twilight series, chronicles the saga from Edward’s viewpoint rather than Bella’s.
Last Friday [Nov. 21, 2008] the first movie (“Twilight”) debuted in 3419 theaters nationwide. It came in #1 for the weekend, grossing $70 million and crushing the nearest competitor by a three to one margin. The theater that my wife Melanie and I saw it in was a complex of fourteen screens with three of them playing “Twilight.”
Make no mistake this is a buzz among millions of teens right now. One fan website sub heading proudly proclaims it is “For the obsessed Twilight saga fan.”
There is a whole market industry based on the books. Twilight has induced a multi-million dollar cottage industry spawning everything from t-shirts and clothing to tattoos and pod casts. As we have noted with other such phenomena, books are being written about the books! Four days after the movie’s release I went to a local Walmart to find the store sold out of Twilight series books. Same with the Target across the street. It isn’t that they didn’t plan; it’s just that there is no way to keep up with the current demand.
Nikki Kinke of Deadline Hollywood Daily reported:
“Exit polling showed audiences were 75%/25% female to male, and 55%/25% under or over the age of 25. Fangirls — or should I say fang-girls — were buying 5 Twilight tickets per second as of early Friday morning, making it online ticket-seller Fandango’s fastest-selling film since The Dark Knight last July. Then the tween and teen females in store bought or homemade Twilight clothes (and even Twilight tattoos) flocked to the first Big Screen version of Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling series of Romeo & Juliet-style vampire romance books. Yet the movie adaptation by Melissa Rosenberg was made by start-up studio Summit for only $37M. This will be the start of a big new franchise since a sequel is already in the works — “New Moon,” based on Meyer’s second book in the series. The first box office records have already been broken by Twilight’s girl power. This is the biggest opening for a female director. Catherine Hardwicke is easily beating Mimi Leder’s $41.1M for 1998’s Deep Impact. (But with an asterisk since these figures aren’t adjusted for inflation, ticket prices, etc.) Twilight will have the 2nd best opening day for a November release behind Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, and the 11th best Friday opening of all time, beating the first Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone, and the 15th best opening day ever. It also scored the 4th best November opening weekend of all time, and the 4th best opening weekend of 2008. It’s a defining moment for Summit’s start-up studio that had really struggled on its first few releases. On Saturday morning, Summit officially announced the greenlight for the New Moon sequel (I’m told to contain costs the studio is considering making sequels #2 and #3 back to back like other successful franchises have done), and Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen) and Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan) formally thanked fans for their support of what is now a movie franchise. (http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/2nd-update-for-the-twilight-zone)
Speaking of Harry Potter, make no mistake: Twilight is the next Harry Potter. In fact, many are saying, “who’s Harry Potter?” Many of the same Potter fans are now loyal to Meyer’s saga and it’s a logical move for a culture craving supernaturalism. From a school of witchcraft to a clan of vampires, readers and movie goers are again proving how broad the thirst is for mystical power whose source is decidedly not God.
Evil vs. Good or Evil vs. more Evil?
The storyline of Twilight is generally two faceted. It is first “boy vampire meets a mortal girl” and secondarily “‘good’ vampires fight ‘bad’ vampires.” Then there are the werewolves introduced in the second book, New Moon.
Many of the characters in the novel possess supernatural abilities such as:
– Mind reading
– Levitation
– Lycanthropy (shape shifting)
– Pre-cognitive knowledge of future events – mediumship
– Super strength, hearing and speed
– They also don’t eat, sleep or need to breath
A quick reading of Deuteronomy 18:9-12 clearly outline God’s final word on many of these vampire attributes. I covered these four verses for over 100 pages in my book Entertaining Spirits Unaware: The End-Time Occult Invasion.
Interestingly, Meyer begins Twilight with the words of Genesis 2:17.
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
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Even though Meyer says on her website that the cover of the book (the apple) symbolizes “forbidden fruit” and that the Genesis scripture reference is related to Bella’s eventual understanding of the knowledge of good and evil, the inference of this passage is much more. It is about the fall of mankind and about eternal life (something vampires claim to have). Even Mormon theology would be hard pressed to come up with less than this observation.
The Cullen family is led by Edward’s “father” (through vampirism) the “best” vampire, Dr. Carlisle Cullen. The elder Cullen was raised centuries ago by a father who, as an Anglican pastor, hunted witches, destroyed werewolves – and vampires. (Speaking of this in the manuscript Meyer throws a direct barb towards supposedly intolerant, orthodox Christian ministers.) Some believe that due to this background, Dr. Cullen’s character seeks to rise above the nature of a vampire becoming a doctor in order to do good and save people. However, what is actually evident here are two disturbing points. First, Meyer has incorporated in Dr. Cullen’s makeup the Mormon edict that a person must accomplish their own good acts in order to be redeemed. I commonly refer to this as “works salvation” which is a mainstay taught in every Mormon seminary, church and home. In Mormonism the onus for salvation is all about what a person does for the Mormon Church – instead of what Jesus completely finished for us. (Concerning this, it is interesting that more than one Mormon blog entry has complained that Meyer integrates far too much Mormon doctrine into her books.) Second and most disturbing is the notion that the Cullen’s seem to view their state as generally hopeless. This shouts loudly against the omnipotent power of Jehovah God to accomplish deliverance. In a subtle and unspoken manner, the books assert that God is unable to rescue one from an incurable eternal ill such as vampirism is presented to be. Whether vampirism is but a mythical malady or not, this thinking may translate to the reader that Jesus’ sacrifice was not sufficient or that it is only by one’s own righteousness that freedom (or eternal life) can be attained. The truth is that God is indeed able to deliver anyone and everyone and such deliverance is only available through the power of the Cross! One can argue that vampires either do or do not exist. (I know personally of one very credible person whose testimony recounts actually participating in vampirism to gain supernatural satanic power. However, the point here is that no matter how deep the pit of evil and sin one may be trapped in, Jesus’ power is greater. Praise the Lord!
The fact is that the entire Twilight series is glamorizing and promoting vampirism. It is fueling the craving for eternal human life and for dominating super human abilities and strength. In the book and movie Bella powerfully begs her vampire love interest to make her one of his like (by biting her neck of course). Edward restrains himself but only for the sake of drawing out the suspense, for she indeed does join him in vampire status in later books (and in a future movie). Though Meyer is to be commended that Bella’s unwanted pregnancy later in the series does not end in abortion one has to wonder if the union of two vampires could produce a God-created human in the first place?
Twilight has been defended as a positive book because it contains no sex, seems to preach abstinence and includes only mild swearing. Whose version of morality is that I ask? This is simply a lesser-than-two-evils approach and while I readily admit that this romantic styled chick flick is far less ominous than a large number of the books and movies out there today, how can a biblically minded Christian endorse it as acceptable for a 12 year-old?
To revisit a theme I wrote and spoke of many times during the height of the Harry Potter fad, the heroes of today are much like the villains I grew up watching on TV. Gone are the likes of Roy Rogers, Ward Cleaver and Red Skelton. The people who we’re asked to root for at the movies today act more like the thugs portrayed in 1950’s Hollywood entertainment. The marker of truth and what is good and right has surely moved and it hasn’t been pretty.
I will admit that in comparison, the content of “Twilight” seems lightweight in the overall scheme of today’s motion picture industry. The trailers previewing other forthcoming features that were shown before the screening of the “Twilight” film were frankly shocking and full of occultism and gut wrenching violence. However, have we stooped so low as to say “‘Twilight,’ with its vampire heroes and PG-13 rating is somehow more acceptable than the more gruesome R rated jobs?” Is “not as bad as” somehow a prerequisite making something OK for our kids? Since when did the “lesser-of-two-evils” become a biblical principle? One needs to be aware that there are Satanists who in real life practice drinking the blood of humans. To many occultists, vampirism is not just a fairy tale but something coveted. No matter how dreamy Hollywood may present Edward Cullen to be or how obsessed some junior higher may become with him, Twilight is nothing short of Satan’s cloak of evil; appearing good. Remember, the most deceptive evil is not the most obvious. It is the most subtle. It also induces more people who may be repulsed by overt darkness to begin the journey from right to wrong.
Two Scriptures immediately come to mind here.
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! – Isaiah 5:20-21
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. – II Corinthians 11:14
Four Life Principles
A friend of mine, Lia Carlile, who teaches at a solid Christian school in Washington State addressed this very issue last Friday. She knew, as I did, that even in this good and godly environment that the crazed idolatry brought on by the Twilight series and movie was thriving. My two oldest granddaughters heard Lia speak warning them and their classmates and for good reason. Several of my 12 year-old granddaughters friends had been trying to convince her to both read these 500+ page books and to then go to the movie with them. Thankfully, both my kiddos have voluntarily rejected Meyer’s books and shunned the movie with parental intervention.
I want to share with you a few of the points Lia brought up to the students last week. They are reminiscent of things I have said over the last two decades concerning what and who we give our time, mind, money and emotions to. More so, the following points speak as a check list to see if we have fallen into making something besides Jehovah our “god” or if we are on the road toward full blown idol worship.
Lia’s points here
Question 1 – Me and God
How is this thing building my relationship with the Lord?
How does my interest in this area compare with my time invested in my relationship with the Lord?
Question 2 – Me and the People Around Me
Is this creating conflict in my family or with others?
Does it offend other believers or is it confusing them in their faith?
What am I saying to my non-Christian friends or what example am I setting for others?
Question 3 – The Bible
What does the Bible have to say about this? Who does it glorify-God or Satan? Jesus or the things of the World?
Question 4 – Me and Twilight (or whatever applies)
How is this affecting what I think about; my attitude, heart, and mind?
Does it help me to do what is right according to God? Or, does it promote things of the World?
Does it distract me from the Lord and my relationships with others? Serving, praying, reading Bible, ministry, etc.
Does it cause me to say, think, or do things that are contrary to Jesus and his life?
Lia outlined many Scriptures in her notes. One passage that I have pointed out often is Colossians 2:8 which warns us to guard against being taken captive by the deceptiveness of the world. This is up to us to do or not do. What will your decision be?
(If you want all of Lia’s notes on Twilight click here.)
Why Blood?
Leviticus 17 tells us that life is in the blood. This Old Testament teaching from The Law finds unfathomable depths of meaning when one thinks of what Christ’s blood represents for all who will believe.
Satan is very interested in the mockery of God’s Word, His name and His Cross. Lucifer, as with vampires, is blood thirsty. He would love nothing more than to deceive young, impressionable people – whom God loves and Jesus died for – into somehow believing that eternal life can be attained some other way than through Jesus and His once-for-all sacrifice on Calvary.
Until the final battle has been fought and the Lord has come with His everlasting and perfect peace, Satan will attempt to prevail through manipulating those who he may. Stephenie Meyer is just one in a long line of those who, without any understanding of it, the Evil One has paid big money to for their services. Twilight is more than mere entertainment. To some it has become every bit as important and as captivating as a religion.
The most famous line from the book and movie is Edward Cullen’s statement to Bella “And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.” This is Meyer’s crafty, yet sick play upon biblical words. The truth is that when Satan is vanquished and evil is defeated, then and only then will the lion and the lamb live in harmony – not as a hundred year old vampire and his wanna-be girlfriend. While Meyer’s character Bella so flippantly decides that nothing is more important than spending eternity with Edward – regardless of the consequences, shouldn’t we be focused on our future eternity with God and on introducing as many to Him before it is too late?
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As I studied the entire book of Matthew last year, I was amazed at how much teaching there is about false teachers, false doctrine and false prophets.
Let’s start in Matthew 7 verses 15-21. “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ….by their fruit you will recognize them….Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.'”
The parable about the weeds in Matthew 13 explains that the weeds are among believers and that the kingdom of God will have yeast, and the yeast is worked through the dough.
Of course Matthew 24 is full of various end-time warnings to watch for deception. Verse 4 says “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”
Verse 11 and 24. “and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people…For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect — if that were possible.”
There many verses in the New Testament, so here is a list…I implore you to take the time and look up every verse and prayerfully read through them. At one time we have all read these verses, but focusing a few minutes on a subject that was obviously very important in the Bible, will give you defense.
2 Corinthians 1:14
2 Corinthians 4:1-5
2 Corinthians 11:4,13-15
Galatians 1:8-9
Galatians 5:7-10
Ephesians 4:6-7
Colossians 2:8
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
1 Timothy 1:3-4, 7
1 Timothy 4:1-2
1 Timothy 6:3-10
2 Timothy 2:17-18
2 Timothy 3:12-13
2 Timothy 4:14-15
2 Peter 2:1-3
2 Peter 3:17-18
1 John 2:18-23, 26
1 John 4:1-3
2 John 1:7-8
Jude 3-16
Paul, Peter, Jude, John. Are these men divisive? Yes they are. They are dividing truth from lies. They are warning us to divide ourselves, to stay away from the false prophets and to avoid and not listen to them. We are told to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness.
Ephesians 5:11 says “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
An interesting aspect to the end times is that good, will be called evil, and evil, good. There will be a reversal of thought. Those who are trying to point out and expose the heresies of today are the ones being accused of division. But in truth it is the false prophet who is being divisive by introducing false doctrine into the church.
Romans 16:17-18 says “I urge you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching that you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.”
This verse tell us something quite contrary to what many are saying today. Many are saying that we need unity in the church no matter what and doctrine is not an issue. Those who compare the new teachings against the Bible are called heresy hunters and dividers. But this verse tells us that the opposite is true. It is those who are teaching contrary to scripture, that are the dividers, not those bringing it to the attention of the church.
Charlie Robinson and his ‘Pillow Fight with Jesus’
Does the word BLASPHEMY ring a bell?!
by Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
http://www.christianresearchservice.com
December 29, 2008
Charlie Robinson, associate of Todd Bentley and Fresh Fire Ministries1, is known for his off-the-wall super-unnatural stories that go well beyond the usual super-duper fantasy conjured up by many within the hyper-Charismatic camp.
It seems that Robinson just isn’t satisfied with the real Jesus Christ (the One Who is so eloquently revealed within God’s holy and inspired written word; the One Who is God Himself in human form, second Person of the Trinity and Creator of the universe; the sinless Savior Who suffered and died on the cross and arose victoriously from the grave; the One Who returned to heaven to prepare a place for those who truly love and worship Him).
That said, the Jesus described in God’s written word is not the same “Jesus” Robinson described in the following excerpt:
After this wonderful fiery experience, I found myself standing in front of Jesus. He turned and grabbed a big white pillow and …..Full Story
Christmas or Communion?
Here in America, Christmas seems to be a much bigger affair than I am accustomed to in South Africa. Many houses are beautifully decorated, almost every one sports at least some form of Christmas decoration, even if just a wreath on the door or a tree in the window. Millions of Dollars are spent on food, gifts, cards and other paraphernalia that relates to Christmas and even the gasoline stations join in by hiking the price of fuel. So it is not unexpected that I have been thinking long and hard about the holiday, it’s meaning and the reasons why people love to celebrate it so lavishly.
It is clear that it is not a Christian celebration since more unbelievers than true believers celebrate the day. So what is it about the season that people, even unbelievers, find so attractive? It seems to have little to do with Jesus and the message of the Gospel and much to do about money, greed and commercialism. Recently a newspaper headline suggested that we should rather call it “techmas”, referring to the emphasis on technology and technological toys and gifts. Even children seem to agree by pulling their noses up at any gift that does not require batteries.
I can not find a single reference in the whole Bible where the Disciples or the early church celebrated His birth. Come to think of it, there is not a single reference to Jesus ever celebrating His own birthday! There is also no instruction in the whole of the Bible to celebrate the birth of the Savior. Unlike His birth, His death is to be celebrated and to be remembered. Jesus instituted the memorial the night before He was crucified (Matthew 26:26). He instructs the disciples to celebrate it (Luke 22:19) and Paul instructs us to remember the Lord (1Corinthians 11). Yet the vast majority of Westerners will celebrate His birth while ignoring His death! Why?
One of the possible reasons lies in the fact that “gentle Jesus, meek and mild” is a lot more user-friendly and manageable than a bloody Savior on a cross. A baby Jesus in a crib, all cute and cuddly sells product much better than One at whose Name every knee shall bow, and the romance of an “illegitimate” child, born in a stable in an obscure village, and Who rose to greatness is far more appealing than the truth that our sin nailed Him to that tree. A helpless baby who makes no demands, other than for food is much more appealing than a risen, glorified Lord who demands our total love, obedience and devotion.
Thus many people prefer to “freeze” the moment and the Child for ever. That way, He is much less threatening and more manageable. We too like think of God in terms of gifts, giving and presents and not as One Who makes just and holy demands. Above all, men like to confine God to a shape and form in which they can manage and control Him. Is this not one of the ways in which we change the glory of the incorruptible God? (Romans 1:23).
Yes, the Almighty Word became flesh and limited Himself to the body of a baby that was helpless and totally dependant upon His parents for everything. But, He is no longer a helpless, cute baby or even a young man. He is the risen, glorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the One who will soon come to judge the world, destroy His enemies and establish His eternal Kingdom. Every knee shall bow before Him and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:10).
His birth was incidental to God’s wonderful plan of salvation. He had to be born in human form in order to relate to us and to be a faithful High Priest but, He did not come to be born: He came to die! It is not His birth that saves us, but His death and resurrection. Many people like to emphasize Jesus’ life as an example, rather than see Him as the One Who died and rose again. They willingly forget that the message of the Gospel is not His life and death, but rather, His death and life. Yes, we like to see Him as the Lamb of God, but forget that He is no longer dumb before those who slaughtered Him. He now has seven horns which represent his Divine power and authority (Revelation 5:6) and when He speaks, the heavens and earth quake. No longer is there no room for Him in the inn, but heaven is His throne and the earth His footstool (Acts 7:49). No longer is He wrapped in swaddling clothes, but now He is “clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance like the sun shining in its strength.” (Revelation 1:13-16).
Is it wrong for us to celebrate His birth? Yes, I think it is wrong if we do not give far more importance to remembering His death than His birth. Here’s the catch: How many of us look forward to the Lord’s Table and put as much time into preparing for Communion as we do for Christmas. Most Christians will miss the Lord’s Table for the slightest excuse, yet they will travel thousands of miles to be present at a Christmas celebration. And don’t tell me it’s not about Christmas but that it is time to be with family. So is the Lord’s Supper not a time to be with family? And the excuse that it is a holiday also does not work – every Sunday is a holiday.
You can celebrate Christmas as long as at least twelve times a year (preferably 52 times) you will look forward to, and put as much time into preparing your heart and mind for the Lord’s table as you do for Christmas and if you will spend as much money on giving to the Lord each week as you give to others at Christmas. Isn’t it strange that amid all the emphasis on gifts and giving around Christmas, that this is the month when giving to the church is the lowest of the year! Something has to be wrong with this picture.
For too long the church has allowed the world to shape it’s traditions and values. It should be the other way around. It is time for us to get back to the priorities and principles of the Bible and not of the world. Enjoy your celebrations but determine to give more importance to the Lord’s table than Christmas – that’s the way it should be.
written 12/25/2006
source: found HERE
Posted from: Just to make you Think
This blog is designed to make you think. Also to encourage, exhort, edify and warn the saints of God as we see the day of The Lord on the horizon.
Another Lie Via God-less TV
When Mike Bickle of IHOP speaks saints-don’t listen.
Just happened to catch a snippet from an e-mail I got from “God TV” (that’s a joke-it should be called God-less TV). These same people were the ones who broadcast Todd Bentley world wide to deceive thousands. http://www.god.tv/node/519
Photo shows Rory& Wendy Alec of God-less TV, with Mike Bickle at IHOP (International House of Prayer.)
He was telling all his large audience “Jesus will not come back until the church has shaken off the spirit of slumber, operates in the anointing of prayer and has a bridal identity”…now just where in scripture does he find that? While these things sound good, they are not truth, and we know a little leavens the whole lump. These teachings are so subtle, that the young and unlearned cannot distinguish truth from a lie.
Full Article here:
http://justtomakeyouthink.blogspot.com/2008/12/another-lie-via-god-less-tv.html
It was so good to read your testimony and to see God’s power in delivering you from deception. I have a similar testimony, but what concerns me is that I quite by accident did experience the opening of the third eye in October of 2006.
It was 4-6 months before the Word of God brought correction and rebuke and I repented for this act of rebellion. I experienced a bright light that I thought was the glory of God, but was clearly a fallen angel of light. It was so powerful and beautiful that i still have to remind myself that this was demonic. This is how Satan is going to get the whole world to believe the lie that we are already divine and that our divinity and power comes from within. Without the truth of God’s word, man will have no power to resist Satan’s deception.
After the initial shock I began to see how the beast will convince the people that he is to be worshiped.
I had been deceived into believing that I was going to hear from God by sitting in silence by waiting and listening. Now please know that I was not expecting an audible voice, nor did I ever hear one, but I was definitely influenced in my thinking during these times of silence. What I did EXPERIENCE was a beautiful illumination of light. It was so wonderful that I don’t have the words to describe it. I was convinced that this was the glory of God and wanted all of my loved ones to have this wonderful experience.
I was sincerely seeking God, but sincerity apart from the Word of God leads to deception. I was diagnosed with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2005 and had been on my knees crying out to God for relief from the severe pain. Pain so bad that I couldn’t walk on my feet or even wear shoes. My hands so swollen and painful that I couldn’t hold a fork, wash my hands, or go to the bathroom by myself. But what Satan intended for evil God used for good. God allowed this terrible time in my life to test my faith and like Peter even thought it seemed as if my faith had failed as I fell for a Satanic trap, God’s power is greater and set me free.
It all started by believing that I needed to be quiet to hear God speak to me. I had read a book by Madame Guyon, the Catholic mystic when I was in my early twenties and had a mystical experience that had really frightened me, so I put away the book. When I had the experience in 2006, I remembered the first experience and pulled back out this book. Eventually I became aware that she was a Catholic mystic and was set free from this deception and realized I had been practicing contemplative prayer. The worst fruit of this deception is how I felt special and better than my fellow Christians because I had this experience. How utterly humbling to find out that I was so deceived.
It is a long story, but I just wanted to contact you because there are so few “Christians” anymore with whom I can fellowship. I have a wonderful friend, but she lives far away and we talk everyday on the phone. Then I have my older sister who is a wonderful Godly Christian lady, but she lives far away, but mostly everyone I know has been infected by Babylonian mysticism in one way or another and they don’t see the need to come out of it. It is heart breaking as I weep over the condition of the churches.
Like you I spend all of my free time reading the scriptures. That and sharing my faith with anyone who will listen are the only things that interest me in this world. I want to walk so closely with the Lord that He takes me like Enoch and Elijah. That is my goal and hearts desire. Surely it won’t be much longer, but even though there is much darkness, it seems more is to come.
Come Lord Jesus,
Valerie
Knoxville, TN
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Valerie can be reached at
Got80@aol.com if you have any questions for her.
This is a nice article from Discernment 4 Truth
This morning I read Matthew 10 and a particular verse that stayed with me is verse 15
“I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
Now in the past I always thought this verse applied to people that don’t believe in God and those outside of the church. I read this verse and it struck me who the wolves are. Those within the church that portray a form of godliness, those that claim to know the way but instead they show deception. There are wolves within churches. Could Jesus have been talking about those that actually claim to know God? This verse is not just for those that don’t know God, it is for those who are out there that are influencing the church negatively leading them to another doctrine other than the true gospel.
The verse where we need to be shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves is towards those who claim to know it all, those in leadership that are blinding the sheep and leading them to another Jesus. Honestly, when I look at the verse the way I now see it, it makes so much sense.
People that have never heard about Jesus or new born christians will embrace truth more than the ‘christian’ who has been in the church for more than 20 years who has the feeling in their heart that they know it all. A person who is devoted to Todd Bently and the lakeland revival is so blinded to the truth that they are harder to rebuke, teach, encourage than the unsaved. The wolves are not those outside the church as their influence is not to steer someone away from true doctrine and a christian will not follow the outsider who drinks and lives in sin, the christian is more likely to be deceived by a self acclaimed apostle or prophet.. They are the wolves. Mind boggling.. and I hope I have made sense here.
It is funny because the one time before walking into the church I had a picture in my mind of the majority of them being wolves and I shut my mind up thinking that I was being silly but looking back, it makes a lot more sense.
The point that I am trying to make is that we really ought to discern more and never be afraid to question what is going on. We have a duty to look out for oneanother in all things. We are sheep among wolves and we need to be focused on the Good shepherd and follow His leading in everything.
“Savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”
Acts 20:29-30
“There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them – bringing swift destruction on themselves.”
2 Peter 2:1
“Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”
1 John 4:1-3
2 Cor. 11:3-4 “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted– you may well put up with it. (you will have to endure it, or you wear it beautifully, and some do).”
Gal 1:6-9: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 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. 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.”
As you know I love posting personal testimonies – This one is from – “For the Author”
A PERSONAL TESTIMONY: WHY CHRISTIAN LEADERS SHOULD NOT PROMOTE HENRI NOUWEN
Please read the important article at Lighthouse Trails
Why Christian Leaders Should Not Promote Henri Nouwen
that inspired the diatribe which follows:
Why Christian Leaders Should Not Promote Henri Nouwen
that inspired the diatribe which follows:
I became a big fan of Henri Nouwen after discovering him on the reading list of the Spiritual Formation syllabus at a seminary where I took a few classes a couple of years ago. As an author, I found him to be warm, honest and engaging. He appealed to the scholarly side of me as well. I ended up choosing to write one of my papers for the Spiritual Formation class about two of the books he wrote. (It was a required class – I was enrolled in the Marriage and Family Counseling program).
Finish the article here
Early this morning three things entered my mind when I recounted the religious deception that had occurred in my own life.
1. I had listened to the lies of Satan.
2. When I knew the truth I repented and turned away from the spiritual pride of thinking of myself as “special”.
3. I had to warn others of the spiritual deception of “christian divination”, which in truth is witchcraft or fortune-telling.
Moments later I came across these two posts.
Adrift in the River of God
Submitted by Mishel on Sun, 11/02/2008 – 04:55
don’t recall exactly how it started or when the decisive moment was. I do not know how I got to the point of being so deeply entrenched in apostasy and deception. I can not definitively point to one moment and declare that that is when the deception began and my destructive course was charted. I simply don’t know. What I do know is that I was convinced. I was convinced of my being on the right path. I was one of God’s chosen, His elite, His enlightened ones. “Get into the River” was our mantra and our manifesto. In my home church they called us the River People, and I was hopelessly immersed. Those that loved me enough had tried to warn me. However, I did not want to listen to those I perceived as being beneath me spiritually. They simply did not understand the river’s flow, I reasoned. No, I wanted nothing to do with their life-vests; I was happy being adrift.
******
Full story of Part One read HERE
Adrift in the River of God- Part Two
After my first summer at Morningstar I enrolled in their ministry school. As Joyner was quick to point out, it was not a Bible school per se. The emphasis was on prophesy, dreams, visions, and the supernatural. We were being trained for the coming harvest and what Joyner referred to as the coming civil war in the church. He was quick to tell us that we represented the blues. Like the ocean and the sky, blue stood for revelation and expanse, spiritual enlightenment, and openness of spirit.
*******
We were special, a new breed. We were Joel’s army who would go forth victoriously to build the kingdom of heaven on earth.
******
……..Did I have a gift? Was this gift truly from God? If this gift was from God, was this the way He wanted me to use it? What if the gift was not from God? What if I had been engaging in soul reading or fortune telling? I believed in the gifts of the Spirit but something suddenly felt very wrong.
******
Full story of Part Two read HERE
Part Three to follow
Mishel has given permission to cut and paste his articles as long as credit is given to Deception Bytes.
Please share….
Over at the Earthquake Resurrection blog, David Lowe has posted a very powerful 5 minute video. I did not get through it without tears and it sent me to my knees in gratitude for what our Father gave for us.
Please click on the link
http://earthquakeresurrection.blogspot.com
to watch:
The Bridge: A Father’s Choice
A Cinematic Story of a Father’s Love…
Faced With an Unfathomable
Circumstance and Choice.
Faced With an Unfathomable
Circumstance and Choice.
DiscernIt 
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