Posts Tagged ‘deception’

from Nick
A Lighthouse Trails reader

 My hope is that this might benefit someone, if not in the writing of it, but in the responses it might receive. Telling myself always in all that I do, I try to do for the Glory of God.

   The need to unburden is great. I cry over the lost joy I had in going to church, and I’ve stopped attending. I feel the pull to go back, if anything to be a witness to what is transpiring since to my shame there seems to be little I can do to change the direction my church is heading in. Yet I can’t stop trying!   

    It began three years ago when a lady who attends my church and temporarily worked where I do, wanted to know if I had ever heard of the book called Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. She read it and was concerned with the contents. It was being taught in the youth group which her daughter was a part of. She asked me to see what I could find out about the book and the author. I had never heard of the book or the author, but figured that I should be able to Google it and find what I needed without actually having to read the book. Little did I know what I was in for!  I’m sure many of you if not all of you have been equally surprised to find that there is an abundance of material in this arena. Sadly, most of it is positive on the subject, and increasingly the norm in Christian circles. On one of my searches I came across Lighthouse Trails! Boy were my eyes opened and of cause I will be forever grateful for those at Lighthouse Trails and those who have stayed faithful to the Word of God. I can now include this blog [the LT Forum] in that blessing as well.

   I never realized that any movement of this size touching all areas of society and more importantly the church could exist so under cover!  The words Emergent Church, Spiritual Formation, Centering Prayer, Labyrinth, etc… They weren’t even a part of my vocabulary at the time.  I thought Labyrinth was a movie! Now I can hear terms from unexpected places that brings my heart to my throat and my mind starts to scream, please God no!!!!!!  Even as I write this my eyes tear for this deception that is sinking its claws into not only my church, but countless others. 

   From Lighthouse Trails I ordered the book by Ray Yungen For Many Shall Come In My Name.  This is where I first was introduced to the concept or should I say the term Centering Prayer.  The subject matter so moved me that I ordered 10 copies and provided it to my pastor to distribute it to the ministry team at church. Thinking maybe they were unaware of the direction the church was moving in. Looking back I never realized how naïve I was! How unprepared! I believed that the books would be read and I would receive some type of response. Negative! Upon giving the Pastor the book and its copies, the reaction was not what I hoped for. He looked at the back and said that it had no supporting commentaries on the back. Looking inside, he said it looks like he’s probably a Baptist. Getting over the shock of that statement, or should I say trying not to show how much that statement shocked me, I told him that the supporting commentaries might get me to read the book, but it would be the contents that would make or break the book for me.  He thanked me and took the books with a promise of getting back to me. 

   The church is of good size. It has about 800 or more members with easily 1000 to 1500 attending two services on any given Sunday. The Easter program will have up to 8,000 going through its doors in less than a week. Since it was around this time I had given him the books, I didn’t anticipate him getting back to me promptly. I was also hopeful that the ministry team would also provide him feedback. Time passed and not a word. As days, weeks, and months passed I started to believe nothing was going to come of opening this dialogue with my pastor.  After some time I attempted to reconnect with him by e-mail in order to set up a meeting between us. I’d say about six months later.

   With his initial reaction in receiving the books, and with the passing of time, my hope that anything positive would come of this, started to dwindle. During the wait I continued to research online and started to compile quotes and references garnered from different sites into a binder. There is so much material!  I’m not ashamed to say, I was overwhelmed. The subjects seemed to cross over into each other. An example of this is a chart showing the connectivity between individuals that was so intertwined, that a Rubik’s Cube would have been easier to figure out than this chart!   

   I asked myself how to put this data into a form whereby whoever I gave it to could research through it and not be overwhelmed as I had been. Trying to provide something that was compact, researchable, and most importantly supported by scripture was what I aimed for.   Listing by author instead of by subject seemed the best way to go. I decided if I went the other way, I’d have to have a binder for each subject! 

   With a starting point of Rob Bell, through Philip Yancy and still finding more, the meeting that I had been dreading to have finally occurred. More than half a year had passed. By then I had put together a binder with 24 different authors, preachers, teachers, in a little over a hundred pages. I had left out much because some of the information did not have direct references I could locate, while others had none at all.  The reason for this was if I were to provide the binder to someone, I didn’t want it to be unsupported, allowing the person to treat it as gossip or someone being spitefulness. My intention was not to present my Pastor with the binder at our next meeting because the meeting had to deal with the book by Ray Yungen. My wife warned me that it wouldn’t be right to come out of the clear blue sky with this binder or “blind side” him with it.  I told her that I was taking it with me, but would allow the Holy Spirit to move me on whether I would give the binder to Pastor. If the Holy Spirit provided the opportunity then I would use the binder, if not then I would hold on to it for another time.  Not being a theologian and feeling extremely worried about the meeting I prayed myself up and turned it over to God. Continuing to tell myself, “His will not mine.” 

   This is how naïve I was and to some extent still am.  Even though he had neither provided the books to the ministry team and only scanned the book himself.  I believed the meeting went well.  In the meeting he mentioned that a couple of ladies had brought similar observations to his attention, and even stated that should he find out what was being said was true, he would have the churches article of faith change to reflect that it would not accept such doctrine! Strong words! Joyful words to my ears! This I believe is where the Holy Spirit took over. Amazing!!!! Right after stating what he would do, he told me that he had told the ladies that they would need documentation on the subject matter before he would address it. I guess the book wasn’t enough. We do serve an amazing God my brothers and sisters! Here I was sitting with this binder in my briefcase!  I looked at him and said “it just so happens I have a binder containing such information” and pulled out the binder and handed it to him. When I pulled out the binder, I don’t know if he was pleased or not, but he was definitely surprised. At that moment I felt such a filling of joy that I could have run a marathon with the energy I felt!!!!  Being an admin person, I attempted to make it presentable and easy to utilize. Even had a table of contents listing each author with the name of the documents reflected under each one.  He told me he would look into it once the Easter play was done. My hope was running high! 

   Sadly, another meeting between us has never happened. It has been two years and the binder has made its way into the associate pastor’s hands a half year after providing the binder to the pastor. The associate pastor told me he didn’t know what to do with it; I told him he should return it to the pastor.  I’m assuming he did.  I haven’t mentioned things like psychedelic lights occurring during one praise and worship service (I complained and it hasn’t happened again. At least not while I was still going regularly). On stage with the men’s choir and hearing an individual who is now titled the Director of Spiritual Formation say on communion “it’s worthy to be worshipped”! I used to be Catholic and in a Catholic Church I would not have been surprised to hear this! But in [an Evangelical] Church? No Way!!! It hit me so hard, I wanted to do like scripture mentions when people start to mourn. I wanted to rip my shirt, pour ashes on myself and run out of the place screaming!  However, this happened during the first service and there was another service to go! My hope was that somehow I had misheard what he had said (I have a hearing problem called Tinnitus. For anyone who believes in the “silencing” of their mind to commune with God, I’d welcome the discussion).  He did not repeat it during the second service, but the seed was planted in my mind. I still believe the comment was said.  Small groups have become the norm covering Spiritual Formation books. Even on Facebook I see the Associate Pastor and Director of SF providing links or quotes from  Emergent/SF individuals and associated sites.  I’ve taken a worship class that would make for another example but the details of it would lengthen this post even more than it already is.

   I’ve done nothing since then in addressing this with my Pastor. I feel like a very poor servant for our Lord.   To be honest I’m torn between completely severing ties with the church and continuing to go. I love the people in this church. If I was a teacher I’d ask to be allowed to teach a class on the subject. I’m not. My knowledge base is poor and my skills in this area even worse.

   I’m praying on once again opening dialogue with my Pastor (by e-mail) and asking bluntly if the church is Emergent and/or Universalist.   I don’t know if he’s rationalized the changes or truly doesn’t see the danger involved, but his ministry staff is all for it, and sadly even his wife (Creative Arts Ministry Director). My heart goes out to him and yet I have this need to have him say yes, so I can move on.  I know this is not right, yet I can’t seem to help myself. God continues to show me that this is not going away.

   Since I’ve been typing this post, I’ve sent out the e-mail posing the question above. His reply was an empathically typed “NO”!
 
   I’ve posted this here in hope and prayer that I might receive suggestions from others who have been in the same boat, or who are more knowledgeable in scripture on what to do next.  I’ve even had the thought to provide this post to him as well. I don’t know. My Brothers & Sisters in Christ, if you all can provide any help it would be appreciated. Even more importantly, your prayers would be welcomed.   

Nick
A Believer in Christ Jesus who is my Lord and Savior. One who cries not only for the church but for this country as well.

LTRP Note: If you would like to respond to Nick, you may do so on our Forum.

By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Aug 20, 2010 in Current Issues

by T. A. McMahon
The Berean Call – President

According to the online encyclopedia wikipedia.org, “Christianity Today [CT] is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, IL. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming readership of 290,000. The founder, Billy Graham, stated that he wanted to ‘plant the evangelical flag in the middle-of-the-road, taking the conservative theological position but a definite liberal approach to social problems.’

“Today it, and its 13 sister publications, reach well over 2 million readers in its traditional paperbound form, and more than 10 million pageviews per month in their Internet form.”

It was right after I became a born-again Christian more than thirty years ago that I encountered my first copy of Christianity Today. Having grown up Roman Catholic, my appetite for anything evangelical was ravenous. Yet even in those early years of my faith, there were things that I read in that magazine that troubled me. I recognized, in Mr. Graham’s own words, “a definite liberal approach to social problems” in the promotion of “Christian” psychological counseling (see TBC, July 1999 ).

Of even more concern, however, were articles that clearly favored Roman Catholicism. This was disconcerting for one who had recently been delivered from the bondage of the false gospel of Rome. I remembered also reading an old quote from Billy Graham, which he had spoken nearly a decade before he started CT. He declared that “The three gravest menaces faced by orthodox Christianity are Communism, Roman Catholicism, and Mohammedanism” (Plains Baptist Challenger, March 1984). Incredibly, years later, among CT’s contributing editors and writers were Roman Catholics, including Catholic priest Richard John Neuhaus. It was Neuhaus, along with CT editors Chuck Colson, J. I. Packer, Timothy George, Thomas Oden, Richard Mouw, and Mark Noll, among others, who formed, were promoters of, and/or were signers of “Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium.” Their news release proclaimed: “[L]eading Catholics and evangelicals are asking their flocks for a remarkable leap of faith: to finally accept each other as Christians….[E]vangelicals including Pat Robertson and Charles Colson joined with conservative Roman Catholic leaders today in upholding the ties of faith that bind [them]….They urged Catholics and evangelicals…to stop aggressive proselytization of each other’s flocks.”

The Catholic bias of CT is reflected in the modus operandi of Graham’s crusades: they were, and continue to be, publicized and subsidized by each Catholic diocese where they take place. Additionally, the crusades continue to be outfitted with Catholic counselors who guide those Catholics that “come forward” to return to their local Catholic churches.

The list of Catholic luminaries celebrated by CT includes popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II (Graham told Larry King that he and the pope “agree on almost everything”), Mother Teresa, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, Buddhist/Catholic monk Thomas Merton, and mystic Catholic priest Henry Nouwen. Catholic mysticism is further promoted by CT contributing editor Richard Foster, who is the godfather of the modern contemplative/mystical (read “Eastern”) movement within evangelical Christianity.

It seems that no voice that advances apostasy has been omitted from CT’s list of contributing editors or writers: Ron Sider, President Obama’s leftist theologian; Notre Dame professor Mark Noll; Eugene Peterson (who wrote his own bible called The Message); Eastern Orthodox followers Frederica Mathewes-Green and Bradley Nassif; former executive editor Terry Muck (who writes of his love for the Buddha); Leith Anderson (who promotes the experiential over the propositional, i.e., that emergent experience trumps doctrine); and psychology and Bible integrationist Eric L. Johnson, to name but a few. Click here to continue reading this article.

by Berit Kjos

“…when in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another [England] and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights [cannot be taken away], that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” – The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. (Thomas Jefferson, primary author)

——————————————————————————–

Is that true? Does our sovereign Creator give us certain “unalienable rights” as American citizens that cannot be lost or taken away?

Like most of our presidents, Barack Obama affirms that historical promise. In The Audacity of Hope, he referred to Jefferson’s introduction as “the foundation of our government” and “the substance of our common creed.”[1]

Yes, we have taken our freedom for granted. But, no, we don’t “arrive” in this world with a bundle of irrevocable rights. Today’s evolving laws and government “entitlements” are actually replacing our original “rights” with unthinkable restrictions on speech and liberty! The most offensive “right” of all is our fading freedom to share God’s unchanging truths! As He warns us,

“…the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” 1 John 5:19

From Freedom to “Change”

James Madison was alert to the threats ahead. As the main author of our “Bill of Rights,” he saw the need to limit government control over personal liberties. Ratified on December 15, 1791, the First Amendment states:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

But, as we have seen, this promised protection is not irrevocable. Step by step, those wise legal guidelines are being torn down.

Historically, it makes sense. God doesn’t promise us earthly “freedom” in this world. Nations that reject His guidelines will suffer the consequences:

“…when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them… when your heart is lifted up and you forget the Lord your God. …you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’… Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods… you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.” (Deut. 8:12-20)

Naturally, that warning doesn’t fit our thinking today. It’s far easier to believe the nice-sounding illusions in The Audacity of Hope that appeal to our feelings than to accept a disturbing reality based on facts. For example, the historical balance Obama mentions in the next paragraph has little in common with his communitarian dictates,[2] which are fast transforming America:

“In every society (and in every individual), these twin strands — the individualistic and the communal, autonomy and solidarity — are in tension, and it has been one of the blessings of America that the circumstances of our nation’s birth allowed us to negotiate these tensions better than most.”[3]

Today, those tensions are simply resolved through his undefined plan for “change,” which embraces the UN vision of communitarianism, solidarity and control. Our old individual “rights” have no place in this rising global collective — nor in the UN Alliance of Civilizations, which recently added America to its roster of western and Muslim nations committed to unity through “dialogue.”

Yet those promised “rights” are fast being crushed by a vast machinery of blurry laws and oppressive regulations. Obama’s next comments only illustrate the confusing double-speak so often heard from Alinksky-trained change-agents:

“…the essential idea behind the Declaration — that we are born into this world free, all of us; that each of us arrives with a bundle of rights that can’t be taken away by any person or any state without just cause; that through our own agency we can, and must, make of our lives what we will — is one that every American understands…. Indeed the value of individual freedom is so deeply ingrained in us that we tend to take it for granted.” To continue reading click here.

Sandy Simpson on Dialectic DeceptionThe following video link is to a segment from Concerned Nazarenes DVD project on the new spirituality. This particular segment is an interview between missionary Sandy Simpson (founder of Deception in the Church) and interviewer John Loeffler.

[To receive a free copy of the DVD, please send a request to the following email address: concernednazareneslist@hotmail.com.  They will send a DVD postage paid to you.]

Important LTRP Note: Although this book has been out for several decades (1930s) in one form or another, it has remained highly popular in Christian circles and is said to be ”one of the best selling devotional books of all time” with sales well over 10 million copies worldwide.1 After you read this review, you will wonder how that is possible.  Also worth noting, the very popular book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young was inspired by God Calling (Young calls God Calling a “treasure” – p. XI).

Review by Dwayna Litz and Charisse Graves
Lighting the Way International 

It is safe to assume that many sincere Christians have felt blessed by the book, God Calling, as the book remains available through mainstream Christian bookstores. We are not basing this review on our opinion but rather on God’s Word through the teaching of Scripture.

The book, God Calling, is comprised of messages from a spirit guide to two anonymous female “listeners.”  The “listeners” approached the day sitting in silence, waiting for a call from the spiritual realm. Wishing to remain anonymous, the listeners compiled this book of daily guidance edited by A. J. Russell, who refers to the book in the beginning pages as the “Daily Power.”

The listeners claimed these messages were given to them by Jesus Himself as a special revelation, but an unbiblical Jesus is an oxymoron. On page 6, Russell explains more about the universal “Jesus” and spirit guide this book has to offer:

“You will find that you are no longer one and alone, but two and united with the Great Companion and Guide, Who is the same yesterday, to-day and forever [sic].”

They sincerely believed the Great Companion and Guide was God calling. Yet, the Bible teaches, the devil was in the details of this seduction all along.

WHILE LISTENING IN THE SILENCE

Does God speak to us through the settled Scriptures, or is the Bible one of many revelations of our Lord?  If there are extra-biblical revelations of Christ, can we know they are trustworthy?  This review will aim to answer these questions unequivocally as we “stand firm in the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 3:8), on “sober alert”, resisting our “adversary, the devil” (1 Peter 5:8), “destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5)…in God Calling.

As Christians, we have a responsibility, according to the Bible, to defend the Holy Scriptures as commanded in Jude 3.  As we “contend for the faith once handed down to the saints”, we don’t judge the Bible; we let the Bible judge us. The “spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2; Galatians 5:1) offers freedom to sin. The holy God of the Bible offers freedom from it. (John 8:32-36).

An orthodox view of evangelical Christianity includes the teaching of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), meaning the Bible is all sufficient.  In Paul’s second epistle to Timothy chapter 3, verse 16, he writes, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 

The Bible warns us to test the spirits (1 John 4:1), because not every spirit is from God. In God Calling, a listener states:

“But with my friend a very wonderful thing happened.  From the first, beautiful messages were given to her from the Lord Himself, and every day from then these messages have never failed us.  We felt all unworthy and overwhelmed by the wonder of it, and could hardly realize that we were being taught, trained and encouraged day by day by Him personally, when millions of souls who are  far worthier, had to be content with guidance from the Bible, sermons, their Churches, books and other sources.” [Page 10]

This is an extraordinary claim—that Christ Himself penned these new revelations through channeling. These open minded, spiritual seekers were certainly correct when they said they had compiled “no ordinary book”:

“So to us this book, which we believe has been guided by our Lord Himself, is no ordinary book.” [Page 12]

What the “listener” is describing here is nothing short of automatic handwriting, a common practice in the occult. Furthermore, we see that this revelation could have never been from “our Lord Himself,” because what they heard and wrote down goes against God’s Word in Scripture. In Galatians 1:8, we read in the Bible that an “angel” bringing such a message is cursed. The Bible clearly warns of signs and wonders from darkness masquerading as light. (See 2 Corinthians 11:14-15). God takes seriously those who would be disobedient to Him through mystic worship. (Leviticus 10:1-3, Numbers 3:4, Joshua 24:20).

The listeners write:

“Totally unexpected interpretations of His own words were given.” [Page 11]

As fantastic as it sounds, such “unexpected interpretations” are nothing new. (Ecclesiastes 1:9; Galatians 1:9). As a matter of fact, our Lord Himself warns His own through the Apostle Paul that these “interpretations” are not so unexpected after all according to the Bible:

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel.” (Galatians 1:6)

“…who has bewitched you?” (Galatians 3:1)

Why would God (surprisingly, in the year 1932) give a different interpretation of Scripture? Peter cautions us about twisting Scripture:

“Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.  You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness”   (2 Peter 3:14-17).

Indicative of psychic phenomena (forbidden in Scripture in Isaiah 47, Deuteronomy 17, 18, Acts 16:16), God Calling dares the spirit world to unmask “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4) through visions. 

The listener states:

“An adverse verdict on seeing visions of Himself, which we had hitherto thought granted only to the saintliest and , most strongly stressed of all, the immense power given to two souls praying together in close union and at one in their desire to love and serve Him.” [Page 11]

In dealing with demonic apparitions, once again, we are encouraged and protected by the Holy Bible:

“So the other disciples were saying to him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’  After eight days His disciples were again inside and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.’  Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’  Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed?  Blessed are they who did not see and yet believed.’”  John 20:25-29 “Now Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:1  “And He said, “See to it that you are not mislead; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He, and The time is near.’; Do not go after them.”  Luke 21:8   

 A STRANGER IS CALLING

In the Bible, Jesus is described as a Shepherd to His own sheep who know Him so intimately that “a stranger they simply will not follow…” He says, “I am the good Shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me.” (John 10:1-14)

Unless a Christian is familiar with New Age/occult terms such references in this book may not be obvious.  For example, channeling is defined from The American Heritage Dictionary as:  The act or practice of serving as a medium through which a spirit guide purportedly communicates with living persons.

God’s Holy Word forbids this in Isaiah 8:19. No doubt, a stranger calls in the following mystical experiences from God Calling (See John 10:5).

“Be Channels [sic] both of you” [Jan. 3] “Uproot self- the channel blocker” [Jan. 4] “Be just a channel of helpfulness to others.” [Jan. 13] “You are channels and though the channel may not be altogether blocked, fret and impatience and worry corrode, and in time would become beyond your help.” [Jan. 17] “Any block means My Power diverted into other channels.  Pour forth-pour forth-pour forth-I cannot bless a life that does not act as a channel.” [Jan. 26]

SOURCE OF POWER

The book describes a power. The listeners explain it as “fearful,” but this initiated encounter is far from the omnipotent power of the Prince of Peace. (Ephesians 2:14). No wonder the Bible warns Christians to “renounce the hidden things…adulterating the word of God” in 2 Corinthians 4:2. Though defeated at the Cross, the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) is ever at work in the spiritual realm (Job 1:7) as “god” calling…

“Discipline and perfect yourselves at all costs.  Do this for soon every fleeting thought will be answered, every wish gratified, every deed used.  It is a fearful Power, almighty [sic] Power. Oh!  Be careful that you ask nothing amiss-nothing that is not according to My Spirit.  All thoughts harmful must be turned out.  Miracle-working power can become witchery in wrong hands.  See how necessary I have made the purity and goodness of your own lives to you. That is why.  Soon, very soon, you shall ask and at once it will come.  Welcome the training.  Without it I dare not give you this Power. [sic] It would do harm.” [Jan. 6]

This is a blasphemous statement, suggesting that any power derived from the Holy, pure and perfect God could do harm and be witchery!  If this one statement is flawed and untrue then the entire premise of this book being written or inspired by the true Jesus Christ must be thrown to the wind. 

Satan is called the “god of this world” in 2 Corinthians 4:4. It would be just like a demon to call on anyone willing to listen to a mockery of the Gospel of Jesus and His power.

[Note: there are 7 more examples of “power” in God Calling on the accounts of ‘Jan 18, Jan. 23, Jan. 24, and Jan. 26.]

THE “FAMILIAR” SPIRIT OF GOD CALLING

It is no wonder that many believers have been duped by the counterfeit spirit of God Calling. In spiritism, which is forbidden by the Lord, the Bible warns that a demonic spirit may seem “familiar.” (See Leviticus 20:27; Isaiah 8:19, KJV). These spirits are “familiar,” because demons even know the Bible well enough to quote it (especially out of context.) Yet, Satan cannot counterfeit God’s peace in the heart of a believer, nor can legions of devils defeat the power of Jesus living in the heart of a Christian. Though they war against Christ, demons believe in Jesus and even tremble at His name:

“You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe and tremble…” (James 2:19).

God Calling teaches:

“You must learn poise, soul-balance and poise, in a vacillating, changing world.  Claim My power.  The same power with which I cast out devils is yours to-day. [sic] Use it.  If not, I withdraw it.” [Jan. 15]

But, this is confusing when compared with Scripture. How could God withdraw His power when His power comes from the Holy Spirit indwelling His children who are “sealed” in Jesus forever according to the Bible? (See Ephesians 1:13). He would have to deny Himself, and the Bible says He cannot:

“…the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man…” (1 Samuel 15:29).

The Holy God defies the capricious, demonic realm as He promises in the Bible in His righteousness:

“’I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.  What will man do to me?’  Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:5-8

In contrast to the Law-Giver of the Bible who is perfect in justice and holiness (Psalm 119), God Callingintroduces the seeker to a panentheistic, universal spirit:

“Do not be too ready to do, just be.  I said, “Be ye therefore perfect” not “do” perfect things.  Try and grasp this.  Individual efforts avail nothing.  It is only the work of the Universal Spirit-My Spirit that counts.” [Jan. 7]

“True it is, I wait in many a heart, but so few retire into that inner place of the being to commune with Me. Wherever the soul is, I am. Man has rarely understood this. I am actually at the centre [sic] of every man’s being, but, distracted with the things of the sense-life, he finds Me [sic] not.” [March 16]

A MOTHER-GOD CALLS

Then, we come to January 19 in the book where we are introduced to Mother God:

“The Anticipatory Love of God is a thing mortals seldom realize.  Dwell on this though. Dismiss from your minds the thought of a grudging God; who had to be petitioned with sighs and tears and much speaking before reluctantly He loosed the desired treasures.  Man’s thoughts of Me need revolutionizing.  Try and see a Mother preparing birthday or Christmas delights for her child-the while her Mother-heart sings: ‘Will she not love that? How she will love this!’ and anticipates the rapture of her child, her own heart full of the tenderest joy.  Where did the Mother learn all this preparation- joy?  From Me – a faint echo this of My preparation – joy. [sic]”

 To feminize God is a very dangerous idea. The Bible states the Truth – “Pray then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” Matthew 6:9 “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;” Genesis 1:26. “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.” Genesis 9:6. (For more Bible verses against calling God “mother” go to the Lighting the Way Worldwide web site here.)

THE MESSAGE: “YOU ARE GODS”

Just like Satan in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:5), the whispered message of the God Calling is “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God”:

 “To dwell in thought on the material, when once you live in Me, - is to call it into being.  So you must be careful only to think of and desire that which will help, not hinder, your spiritual growth.  The same law operates too on the spiritual plane.  Think Love and Love surrounds you and all about whom you think, Think thoughts of ill-will and ill surrounds you, and those about whom you think.  Think health – health comes.  The physical reflects the mental and spiritual.”  [January 20]

This theme is much like the imagination/visualization techniques described in The Spiral Dance by Wiccan author Starhawk:  “four basic abilities: relaxation, concentration, visualization, and projection.” [Page 62]

No wonder this book has had such resurgence with the 21^st century’s unprecedented interest in reincarnation and “listening prayers” and “secrets” about knowing God.  Even demons know their day of judgment is coming, and there is no such thing as reincarnation! (See Matthew 8:29). We are warned in the Bible to fear God, who will destroy both body and soul in hell. The true God never communicates through the “transmigration of souls” despite the marketing of the media. (See Matthew 10:28). “Familiar” spirits come at people to deceive (Galatians 5:7-8; Revelation 17; 21:8, 27) them away from the true and living Savior. (See John 14:6). The enemy of our souls wants people to believe it is the true God calling with a different Gospel (Galatians 1) when all along it is the “ruler of the world” and the “father of lies” (John 8:44; 14:30) masquerading a dangerous, dark spirit as Light. (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

 THE JESUS OF GOD CALLING

The “Jesus” of God Calling demeans the death of Jesus of Nazareth in the January 22 entry. (2 Corinthians 11:4, Galatians 1:6-12):

“My death upon the Cross was not only necessary to save a world, it was necessary, if only to train my disciples.  It was all a part of their training: my entering Jerusalem in triumph; My washing the disciples’ feet; My sorrow-time in Gethsemane; My being despised, judged, crucified, buried.  Every step was necessary to their development – and so with you. [sic]”

The real Jesus was the unblemished Lamb, the only perfect sacrifice to make restitution for the sins of mankind. He is not the ‘christed energy’ of the occult with seducing spirits to make people feel more comfortable in their sin and bedrocks of humanism. And He is not the god of God Calling.

 “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!  For, am I now seeking the favor of God, or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:6-10

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.”   2 Corinthians 11:3-4

“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons…” 1 Corinthians 10:21

Obviously, when the women—the morning “listeners”—sat in silence as the dawn of these messages were compiled in this book via automatic handwriting, the messages were coming from the ‘god of this age’, the ‘prince of the power of the air.’ The God of the Bible was never calling.

 Dwayna Litz and Charisse Graves

Related Information:

A Course in Miracles review by John Ankerberg

Street evangelist Dwayna Litz’s first music CD, My Prize.

On April 19-22, in Orlando Florida, Exponential 2010 will present a large number of speakers, many of whom are proponents of the New Spirituality. Just another effort to build momentum for what has become obvious to many discerning believers - an apostate leadership racing toward a “New Christianity” for millions of unsuspecting proclaiming Christians.

This year’s speaker list:

Obe Arellano	Hugh Halter	Kem Meyer
Mark Batterson	Bob Harrington	Brian Mosley
Joe Beam	Sarah Hatfield	Mary Nelson
Rick Bezet	Alan Hirsch	Dave Olson
Marcus Bigelow	Scott Hodge	Larry Osborne
Ken Blanchard (check LT)	Chris Hodges	Darrin Patrick
Brian Bloye	Billy Hornsby	Vanessa Pugh
Matt Carter	Rick Howerton	David Putman
Noel Castellanos	Troy Jackson	Lloyd Reeb
Francis Chan	Galen Jones	Dino Rizzo
Matt Chandler	Lisa Jones	Rick Rusaw
Steve Childers	James King, Jr.	Matt Smay
Shane Claiborne	George Klippenes	Dan & Shannon Smith
Neil Cole	Charles Lee	Efrem Smith
Caleb Crider	Brad Leeper	Wayne Smith
Mark DeYmaz	Shawn Lovejoy	Ed Stetzer
Bill Easum	Will Mancini	Tim Stevens
Dave Ferguson	Marc McCartney	Kirsten Strand
Sue Ferguson	Larry McCrary	Greg Surratt
Dave Gibbons	Mel McGowan	Ron Sylvia
Louie Giglio	Janet McMahon	Scott Thomas
Rich and Dori Gorman	Reggie McNeal	James Wafford III
Larry Grays	Brenda Salter McNeil	Scott Williams
Mike Hall

Related Information:

Cedarville University Cancels Shane Claiborne Event

Research on Ken Blanchard’s Promotion of New Age meditation/Buddhism and his connections with Rick Warren.

LTRP Note: In a January 4, 2010 article, “Mystical Spirituality Paradigm Saw Major Growth in 2009,” we made reference to the January issue of Charles Stanley’s popular magazine In Touch. In that issue was an article by a Joseph Bentz who highlighted the spiritual journeys of two women, whom Bentz claimed were both converted to the Christian faith. Both women today can be considered significant proponents of the new spirituality. We stated:

While we are not suggesting that Charles Stanley is a contemplative now because of the inclusion of this article, we believe it is a perfect example of a steady blending of contemplative and New Age to the point where eventually no one will notice the difference, and what will be known as Christianity will be mystical.

This week, we received the following email from someone who has followed Charles Stanley’s ministry for many years and who is very concerned about this lack of spiritual discernment in his ministry. A few years ago, we spoke with one of Stanley’s top assistants, with the hope that he would ask Charles Stanley to read A Time of Departing and/or Faith Undone, which we sent to the assistant for Dr. Stanley. We never heard whether he read the books, but seeing Anne Lamott and Sara Miles names in his current issue of In Touch is very disheartening. Why won’t Christian leaders bring themselves up to speed on these matters and begin warning rather than abetting?

The Letter to Charles Stanley (used with permission):

Dear Dr. Stanley:

Regretfully, I again must write this followup letter to the one I wrote you dated January 4, 2010  regarding the In Touch magazine article in the January 2010 issue by Joseph Benz titled, “I Didn’t Want to be a Christian but….How Running Away Can Take you on an Unexpected Journey.”

I had a phone call on Friday, January 15, from a young woman on the In Touch staff regarding my letter. I’m sorry that I did not get her name, but I had just finished a call on which I was still focused and neglected to get her name. I may perhaps be mistaken, but I assumed she was one of the editors at the magazine. The young woman expressed the intent of the author was that God could reach anyone, and I wholeheartedly agreed with that, as I am a testament to that indisputable fact. I, in turn, expressed my concerns that the two women Mr. Benz focuses on in the article, Anne Lamott and Sara Miles, both authors, by their own words, deeds, and indeed, lifestyles do not show a biblical conversion. In fact, the copies of interviews given by Lamott and Miles since their “epiphanies” which I am enclosing with this letter portray no such Christian conversion. In fact, Sara Miles is a lesbian in a 14+-year “marriage” relationship with her lesbian lover. Gay and proud of it she is. Your caller seemed surprised at that, even though it was mentioned in my previous letter, and you can read Ms. Miles own declaration of that fact and her other unbiblical beliefs in the enclosed materials. Anne Lamott, on the other hand, is braggadocios in the fact that in each of her books she uses the “F” word in describing her “conversion,” and states she was “F* by Jesus.”

I had also stated in my earlier letter that I was concerned that those reading the article would purchase the 2 books noted within the footnotes without researching the authors simply because the titles appeared in the In Touch magazine. Your [seemingly] young staff member said rather astonishingly that she had not thought along those lines. She also said that Mr. Benz was a well-known and respected author and professor. I do not care what credentials Mr. Benz carries. If in my own research I am providing you with copies of interviews from Lamott and Miles regarding their “spiritual” journeys, how could Joseph Benz not be privy to the same information or more about their professed conversions? Did the good professor read the books they authored, or does he blindly write his articles and books without research? If he has read their books, if he did research on the 2 subjects, is it not academic arrogance to foist upon the readers of In Touch magazine a false impression that Lamott and Miles had a conversion to the Jesus of the Bible, which is not evident in any of their own words over the many years of their “born-again” conversions. Mr. Benz has presented another Jesus, a false one at that, and he has done it deceptively within the pages of In Touch magazine.

In an article titled, “Neo-Liberal Stealth Offensive,” author Phil Johnson , executive director of Grace to You ministry [John MacArthur] and lay pastor at Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA, states, “The gospel’s most dangerous earthly adversaries are not raving atheists who stand outside the door shouting threats and insults. They are church leaders who cultivate a gentle, friendly, pious demeanor but hack away at the foundations of faith under the guise of keeping in step with a changing world. No Christian should imagine that heresy is always conspicuous or that every purveyor of theological mischief will lay out his agenda in plain and honest terms. The enemy prefers to sow tares secretly, for obvious reasons. Thus Scripture expressly warns us to be on guard against false teachers who creep into the church unnoticed (Jude 4), wolves who sneak into the flock wearing sheep’s clothing (Matt 7:15), and servants of Satan who disguise themselves as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:13-15).”

I am not the only one who is waiting a response, Dr. Stanley. My close brothers and sisters in Christ are waiting, my pastor and other pastors are waiting a response, and others not known to either of us personally are waiting for a response. In fact, in the enclosed article from the morebooksandthings blog, some are questioning if In Touch has begun to get out of touch with the true Gospel. You may be completely unaware of Mr. Benz’s January article, although the young woman caller did assure me that you had more input than I might think you had in the day-to-day operations. I do know that Joseph Benz has written for In Touch in the past. As I have stated previously, it is interesting that he used The Message in his In Touch magazine article for Scripture quotation, particularly in light of the fact that Eugene Peterson is a contemplative mystic. The one phrase that keeps crossing my mind is, “birds of a feather flock together.” 

Dr. Stanley, I care about you, In Touch, and First Baptist Atlanta. My previous letter sets forth my high regard for you. I do hope that you will publicly quell the questions this January article has raised. I would, however, like to raise one other question. Do you perhaps have tares amongst your staff at In Touch? The good folks at Lighthouse Trails at lighthousetrailsresearch.com devote their entire ministry to contemplative spirituality, emergent church, and the “New Christianity.” I highly recommend this internet site as a point of research and reference to you and your staff, if you are unaware of their ministry.

Please know that I come to you with this matter in the love of Christ and in the calling of the Holy Spirit, earnestly contending for the faith.

Sincerely,
B. Anderson
Ohio

Interview excerpt with Sara Miles (2007) by San Francisco Chronicle:

SF Chronicle: You are married to a woman who you’ve been with for almost 14 years. How do you reconcile Christian teachings that oppose same-sex relationships with your own beliefs as a Christian?

Sara Miles: Which Christian teachings? I think it’s kind of simple to say that the Bible says this or that thing is good or bad. The Bible is a collection of documents that is remade every time somebody reads it. And Christianity is a religion that over the centuries has adapted to incredibly different cultures, so people reinterpret and reinterpret and reinterpret [the Bible]. I also don’t feel like once the last pages of the King James Bible were assembled that God stopped talking to Christians. The conversation between God and the church is not finished.

Related Article:

Mystical Spirituality Paradigm Saw Major Growth in 2009