23 Ὡς δὲ ἦν ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐν τῷ πάσχα ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ, πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ θεωροῦντες αὐτοῦ τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει· 24 αὐτὸς δὲ Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἐπίστευεν αὐτὸν αὐτοῖς διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν γινώσκειν πάντας 25 καὶ ὅτι οὐ χρείαν εἶχεν ἵνα τις μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐγίνωσκεν τί ἦν ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ.
John 2:23-25, NA27
23 And when he was in Jerusalem during the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, seeing his signs which he was doing. 24 But Jesus, himself, was not entrusting himself to them because he knew all men, 25 and because he had no need that anyone should testify about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
John 2:23-25, Possessing the Treasure New Testament V1
I was in a quasi-theological discussion with a fellow I work with not that long ago. We were discussing matters directly relevant to John 2:23-25 (above) in that just because people committed themselves to some religiosity or temporal experience or the personality of a “religious leader” with a “social cause” or whatever, does not mean Jesus is necessarily committed or entrusted to them. That was basically my stance and when I stated it, the jaw of the fellow I talking with dropped and he looked at me as if I had said something that he could use against me somehow or at least challenge me. He seemed positive that he could tear up my arguments. Of course, as he objected, I offered to debate him on any of his “issues” with what I said, but only if his part was to challenge what I said biblically. That ended it. All he had was platitudes from his favorite preacher who sounded a lot like Joel Osteen. Right now, that fellow is the most “Politically Correct” person I know so I do all I can to not have any one-on-one encounters with him at all.
Life News reports:
Appearing on the radio talk show of conservative radio host Laura Ingraham today, former President Jimmy Carter said he believes the Democratic Party should moderate its position on abortion, which it currently supports without limits and funded at taxpayer expense.
Carter said toning down the stridently pro-abortion position would help win back Republicans who abandoned the Democrats because of abortion and other liberal social issue positions.
The L.A. Times reports:
Villagers in this small textile town thought Saeed Mehmood ul Hasan had a pipeline to God. They believed that his Koranic maxims — sometimes scrawled onto wadded scraps of paper, stuffed into a leather pouch and worn around the neck — could cure headaches, mend an ailing kidney or patch up a family rift.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1, ESV
Much of the false doctrine that we see in our time can be at least partially seen to emanate from a misunderstanding of what faith is. Paul tell us in Ephesians 2:8 that Christians are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. So, whatever faith is, saving faith has as its source something other than our fallen nature.
The Christian Post reports:
T.D. Jakes recently released a new book on forgiveness that has at least one critic accusing the renowned preacher of denying the doctrine of original sin.
Chris Rosebrough, an apologist, rejected Jakes’ statement to CP that forgiveness is innate and unforgiveness is learned from one’s environment. There isn’t a “single passage (in Scripture) that says human beings are by nature forgiving,” he argued.
Rosebrough explored the premise of Jakes’ new book Let It Go: Forgive So You Can Be Forgiven on his radio program, “Fighting for the Faith.”
The Christian Post reports:
Evangelical pastor Matt Chandler has been disturbed by what he’s been hearing or sensing from pastors lately – and that is their search for “success” through the size of their churches and the growth of their platforms.
In a post featured on theresurgence.com this week, Chandler, who leads The Village Church in Texas, bluntly stated that such a goal is “hollow” and “dangerous.”
Apprising Ministries reminds you that the primary goal of Elephant Room 2 appeared to be the mainstreaming of Word Faith prosperity preacher T.D. Jakes.
Here in this new article, you’ll see why, as we examine the Word faith fruit of Jakes’ own disciple, Paula White. We shall see that a dangerous door into contemporary evangelicalism has been opened.
Apprising Ministries takes a look at the root reasons why we have so many unregenerate preachers in the visible church today.
In this devotional teaching you’ll see that years of over-emphasizing the love of God and a misunderstanding of the true nature of man has had a detrimental effect on the Christian witness.
holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. Titus 1:9, NASB
In one of our discernment group discussions today the topic came up about Mark Driscoll’s replacement at Acts 29 actually being a promotion as per this article. From that it naturally followed that basically the same thing was going on with John Piper at Bethlehem Baptist. In each case, these men were moving on to positions of more influence and more power. Also, the man who is replacing John Piper taught “Spiritual Formation” at the College level. Who is replacing Mark Driscoll? Isn’t it Matt Chandler? Isn’t he the one who claims to hear commands directly and audibly from God just like Driscoll?
Marsha West takes up where she left off in Part 1. Among other things she reveals Rick Warren’s plan for interdenominational cooperation. She writes:
In part 1 I brought you up to speed on what some “watchbloggers” refer to as “Kingsway-gate.” I’m guessing we haven’t heard the end of this mess. However, this matter and many others commented on in part 1 have helped to earn Rick Warren the title: Teflon Pastor. So we shall see what happens with Kingsway-gate.
Common ground in the love of God…or god?
Most likely Saddleback Church congregants are unaware that their pastor signed a controversial document produced by the Yale Center for Faith and Culture titled Loving God and Neighbor Together: A Christian Response to a Common Word Between Us and You. In July 2008 Christian and Muslim leaders gathered at Yale University for a conference to promote understanding and peace between Christians and Muslims. The letter urged the two faiths to find “common ground” in the love of God. Since Christians and Muslims do not believe in the same God, one wonders which God we’re to find common ground with.
There’s little doubt that we live in difficult times and there’s much talk about, and interest in, how the church can help people find happiness and fulfillment.
Apprising Ministries brings you a teaching from J.C. Ryle in this piece that tells us the only way to find true happiness, a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
The Christian Post reports:
While GOP presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney is not known for a willingness to discuss his Mormon faith in detail, at least during his political speeches, a family member and former Mormon has come out to accuse The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of being a cult and a fraud.
Authors Vince and Lori Williams viewed Monumental. They express their concern over seeing Glenn Beck in a live feed from the set of the GBTV studio and the conversation Kirk, an evangelical Christian, and Glenn, A New Age Mormon, had about God. They write:
“My premise as I start out this film is to approach this subject not as an actor or as a politician or not even as a Christian but to approach it as a father.” (emphasis ours) This is how Kirk Cameron defined his documentary in a recent interview to a secular radio host and this is exactly what the film delivered having just watched it at the live screening.
Before we even get into the review, it needs to be noted one of the most shocking parts of the live event was a very welcomed live feed from Glenn Beck on the set of GBTV studio. On the pre-show before Monumental starts, Kirk talks to the audience of viewers and introduces Beck as “one of our biggest supporters of the film and a friend.” Beck then comes on the screen very excited to be partaking in this live event and says, “I am honored to be called your friend”, and then goes on to say, “You were in Left Behind while I was reading it.” He goes on to address the audience with statements on the topic of how God is giving us an alarm, and if you don’t have freedom you can’t be who you are.
Beck states “He (talking about God) is telling us to do these things.” Beck also says, “There’s no way out”, then goes on to say that God has really confirmed to him “why would I be telling you to gather if I’m a God that wants to torture you. He is a loving God. We have to return to Him.” Kirk then says, “We are ready to answer the call” and graciously thanks Glenn and pleasantries are exchanged.
Kirk then introduces some others involved with the film, in particular of note was his conversation with his current pastor Rex Holt of Conejo Church, http://www.conejochurch.com/
They have a conversation together talking about this being a spiritual journey and Holt speaks about John Robinson the pastor to the Puritans that were on this voyage.
The film opens up with the trailer many of us have seen with Cameron blasting away at how the world is supposedly going to hell in a hand basket and we have to somehow stop it from spiraling downward before we hand it off to the next generation.
The film is portrayed with Kirk’s narration back and forth of what he is learning along the way as he goes from point to point along the pilgrim’s escape route from England.
CRN has compiled a list of false teachers and several other professing Christians we’ve warned you about over the years. The list also contains those we must keep an eye on plus movements, organizations and “frauds, phonies and money-grubbing religious quacks” to mark and avoid as per Romans 16:17-18 such as Glenn Beck.
1 Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινὴ καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ γεωργός ἐστιν. 2 πᾶν κλῆμα ἐν ἐμοὶ μὴ φέρον καρπὸν αἴρει αὐτό, καὶ πᾶν τὸ καρπὸν φέρον καθαίρει αὐτὸ ἵνα καρπὸν πλείονα φέρῃ. 3 ἤδη ὑμεῖς καθαροί ἐστε διὰ τὸν λόγον ὃν λελάληκα ὑμῖν· 4 μείνατε ἐν ἐμοί, κἀγὼ ἐν ὑμῖν. καθὼς τὸ κλῆμα οὐ δύναται καρπὸν φέρειν ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ἐὰν μὴ μένῃ ἐν τῇ ἀμπέλῳ, οὕτως οὐδὲ ὑμεῖς ἐὰν μὴ ἐν ἐμοὶ μένητε. 5 ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήματα. ὁ μένων ἐν ἐμοὶ κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ οὗτος φέρει καρπὸν πολύν, ὅτι χωρὶς ἐμοῦ οὐ δύνασθε ποιεῖν οὐδέν. 6 ἐὰν μή τις μένῃ ἐν ἐμοί, ἐβλήθη ἔξω ὡς τὸ κλῆμα καὶ ἐξηράνθη καὶ συνάγουσιν αὐτὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ πῦρ βάλλουσιν καὶ καίεται. 7 ἐὰν μείνητε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ τὰ ῥήματά μου ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ, ὃ ἐὰν θέλητε αἰτήσασθε, καὶ γενήσεται ὑμῖν. 8 ἐν τούτῳ ἐδοξάσθη ὁ πατήρ μου, ἵνα καρπὸν πολὺν φέρητε καὶ γένησθε ἐμοὶ μαθηταί. John 15:1–8, NA27
1 I am the True Vine and my Father is the Vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me not bearing fruit he take away and every branch bearing fruit he prunes it that it may bear much fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me and I in you as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the Vine you are the branches. The on abiding in me and I in him, this one bears much fruit because apart from me you are not able to do anything. 6 Unless one abides in me, he is cast as branch that dries up and they are gathered and thrown into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, whatever you want, ask, and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit and you be my disciples. John 15:1–8, Possessing the Treasure New Testament V1
This last Sunday my Pastor, Rick Holland, preached through these very verses. I find it interesting how often I have been pulled back into theological discussions or research that has taken me right back here many times since. With the “deeds not creeds” group ignoring the truth as their groups seemingly continue to swell each and every day, we must not become discouraged, but remain fixed never wavering as we abide in Christ as his words abide in us. These people who decry the need for sound doctrine are open to deception from every source and there are plenty of wolves out there ready to lead them right down the center of the broad way to hell. The following post by Dr. James White is lengthy and technical, but I pray that you take the time to work your way through it.
Apprising Ministries continues to warn concerning the rapid spread of contemplative mysticism within the mainstream of the visible church.
Unfortunately, it is undermining the proper Christian spirituality of sola Scriptura and we will see more of this wishy-washy non-stance motivated by feelings and superstitions.
By Marsha West
Angels fascinate people. For years we’ve been inundated with books, calendars, stationery, folklore, jewelry, knickknacks, lunch boxes, tattoos, even cherubic trash containers. People can’t get enough of angels! Stories of angelic encounters abound on the Internet. You ask, “Do you have a problem with angels?” Well, yes. And herein lies the problem. The messengers are not necessarily “angels of light” as people have been led to believe. Many angel enthusiasts have actually met heavenly visitors from the dark side. Even self-professed Christians are deceived. How can this be? Shouldn’t Christians be able to discern what’s real and what’s counterfeit? Not necessarily. Biblically illiterate Christians are easily fooled.
ANGELS OF LIGHT, ANGELS OF DARKNESS
Two elect holy angels are mentioned by name in the Bible: Michael and Gabriel. Also mentioned are the Angel of the Lord, the archangel (Michael), the Captain of the Host, messengers (Gabriel appeared to Mary), and guardians. The fallen angels mentioned are the angel of the Abyss (Destroyer), and of course the most notorious angel of all: Lucifer. Scripture tells us very little about angels, except that they are sent to do God’s bidding. Most people know the story of the angel of the Lord who appeared to Mary and announced that she would conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Savior. “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” — which means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23).
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ANGELS?
Angels are personal spiritual beings, having aspects of intelligence, emotions, and will. This is true of both the good and evil angels. Angels possess intelligence (Matthew 8:29; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Peter 1:12), show emotions (Luke 2:13; James 2:19; Revelation 12:17), and demonstrate that they have wills (Luke 8:28-31: 2 Timothy 2:26; Jude 6). Angels are spirit beings (Hebrews 1:14), with no true physical body. The fact that they do not have bodies does not affect their being personalities (any more than it does with God). [1]
Because angels are personal spiritual beings they cannot be in two places at once. That includes Satan. He’s powerful, but his powers are limited. It’s impossible for him to be in Washington D.C. and Iran at the same moment in time. Give this some serious thought the next time you take it upon yourself to command “Satan” to leave.
Scripture tells us that angels are created beings, thus they have not existed for all eternity. “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col 1:16-17).
According to Hebrews 13:2 angels can take on the appearance of humans. “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” They always appear as men. Daniel sees an angel with very strange features. “I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude” (Dan. 10:5-6). It’s surprising that Daniel didn’t keel over from heart failure.
God sends His angels to care for believers upon death. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side” (Luke 16:22).
Does God need angels? In his best-selling book, Angels Among Us, Ron Rhodes gives this response, “God does not need angels! In saying this, my intention is not to minimize the importance of what the Bible teaches about angels. I, personally, am very thankful that God created angels. My point is simply that God is fully capable of accomplishing His ends without their assistance.”
This will not go over well with radical feminists, however angels are always of the male gender.
And, yes, angels have wings. The order of angel called Seraphs has as many as 6 wings. “Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:1). However, most angels are not described with wings on their backs. Would angels really need wings to move through the cosmos? I mean, c’mon!
There is nothing in Scripture that tells us to pray to angels. Just the opposite is true. In Luke 11:1 Jesus tells us to pray directly to the Father. In Matthew 6:6 He said, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Jesus Christ bridged the gap between God and humans. Hence there’s no need to approach God through angels or through any other means. We can come to God directly because of Christ.
Are there angels among us today? You bet there are!
It’s very cool that God sends His angels to minister to our every need, right? Wrong! Most of today’s angels are not from God. The way to determine whether an angel is holy (from God) or unholy (demonic) is to look at what they support. First of all you must ask yourself this: does my angel point me to Jesus Christ, or away from Him?
Secondly, does your angel support in any way the world of the occult? If the answer is yes, it’s an “angel” from the dark side.
Well-known New Age angel guru Terry Lynn Taylor encourages the use of occult tools such as Angelic Messenger Cards that are said to guide people to accept contacting the dead (necromancy). In her book, “Creating With the Angels: An Angel-Guided Journey into Creativity,” we’re told about “dream work.” Taylor invites readers to play with the angels. “Dream time is spirit time and offers a great opportunity to play with the angels. . . .Allow the angels to help you interpret your dreams.” Now then, because necromancy falls into the category of sorcery, she’s promoting angels from the dark side.
Today’s angels also push other occult practices on naive individuals. (See below.) God’s holy angels would not, could not, promote something that He expressly forbids! Holy angels are incapable of going against God. Fallen angels continually go against God.
How do you contact an angel? John Randolph Price’s book “The Angels Within Us” takes readers into altered states of consciousness to establish contact with them. In the Bible there’s a name for an angel that possesses the unbeliever: demon. Angels, either holy or unholy, do not indwell believers. The Holy Spirit resides in Christians from the moment they give their lives to Christ and be assured that the Spirit will never leave. In John 14:16-17, Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you…” Those are powerful words.
TOOLS OF THE OCCULT ON EBAY
Search eBay and you’ll find Angel Oracle Cards that “provide messages and reminders of your ‘Guardian Angels’ steady and loving presence. Each day your Angels will give you the answers to your questions, set positive intentions, help you heal, and manifest what you desire.”
eBay also offers Earth Stones. “Have the names of the ARCH ANGELS on each one, in gold. There is much to learn about our Watchers of the Heavens & Earth. … Place the ARCH ANGEL stones on your Altar, Meditation area or bedside.”
Gullible people actually do this sort of thing.
Purchase “The Little Book of Angel Wisdom” and you will be “filled with wonderful verse and insiteful (sic) messages from our Angels.”
BOOKS ON ANGELS
The books of spiritist Geoffrey Hodson are popular with the angel set. Hodson claims an angel calling itself Bethelda gave him material for several books, including the popular “The Brotherhood of Angels and Men and The Kingdom of the Gods.” In his book “Clairvoyant Investigations” Hodson writes, “I have myself confirmed that these super-physical domains contain innumerable nonphysical beings, such as angels and nature spirits. . .” What kind of angels are they? Examine what they teach and you’ll discover that they encourage occult practices such as automatic writing, dictation, or speaking, in order to get their messages published and in the hands of the public.
Meredith L. Young-Sowers admits, “For well over a decade, I’ve been taught by an angelic presence that describes himself/herself simply as Mentor, meaning ‘teacher.’” According to Sowers, Mentor’s verbatim teachings are given in her books.
Rosemary Ellen Guiley, “has written more than 20 books on spirituality, visionary experience, personal growth and also the paranormal, including Dreamwork for the Soul, The Encyclopedia of Dreams and Breakthrough Intuition.” Here’s how Guiley describes encounter dreams with spirit beings:
Guiley believes that angels facilitate her work in numerous ways:
The name of Guiley’s speaking angel is Plato. By her own admission the spirit being uses her voice to give his message while she’s in a semi-conscious state.
Most of the popular angel literature is from the angels themselves. Fallen angels literally overrun every occult practice known to man. Angelic forces are invoked in magic rituals and various magical systems and witchcraft. Those involved in angelology hold that angels are benevolent beings and are different from demons.
Benevolent angels do not entice people into sorcery.
Speaking of demons. Read the Bible and you’ll discover the principle goal of demonic spirits that imitate angels is to confuse people as to their modus operandi. If people can be convinced that the realm of the occult is “safe” they’ll be much more willing to experiment. But they’re not safe! A person who channels an angel (or a spirit guide) is possessed by a control spirit every bit as much as if they were a medium or a trans-channeler. The messages and phenomena found in angel channeling and in mediumism are essentially the same.
The Bible speaks very clearly of this deception in Second Thessalonians 2:9-12: “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”
Satan’s a fighter. His goal is to take you down with him. There’s still time to abandon ship! The price you’ll pay for trusting an angel is your very soul.
AVENGING ANGELS
Judgment Day’s approaching my brethren. God’s angels will announce His impending judgments as well as execute them. “New Age angel enthusiasts who say that the typical message from an angels is, ‘Don’t be afraid, everything is fine. There is nothing but love’ are in gross error. Though angels are loving and do bring comfort to the people of God, they also bring messages of death, destruction, and judgment to those who reject Christ.” [2] Satan will go down in flames.
A final word of warning: Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin’ it back in.
NOTES:
[1] What Does the Bible Say About Angels?
[2] Angels Among Us, page 181, by Ron Rhodes
RESEARCH
© Marsha West 2007
Philip, however, one of those who had been ordained with Stephen to the diaconate, was among those dispersed. He went to Samaria and, filled with divine power, was the first to preach the word there. So great was the divine grace at work with him that even Simon Magus and many others were captivated by his words. Simon had gained such fame by the wizardry with which he controlled his victims that he was believed to be the Great Power of God. But even he was so overwhelmed by the wonders Philip performed through divine power that he insinuated himself [into the faith], hypocritically feigning belief in Christ even to the point of baptism. (This is still done by those who continue his foul heresy to the present day: following the practice of their progenitor, they fasten onto the church like a noxious and scabby disease, destroying all whom they succeed in smearing with the dreadful, deadly poison hidden in them.
Eusebius, The Church History, Book 2: The Apostles
My friend Chris Rosebrough informed our discernment group this morning of a tweet:
Your n good company if it bothers u that some Christians are quick to argue theology. Jesus didn’t die for correct theology…
Chris then asked the following question, “I wonder if this statement is theologically correct?”
Here is my response:
Jesus commanded us to teach them to observe all that I have commanded you – Correct Theology – Matt 28:20
Apprising Ministries has what could be a most shocking story. Who would have thought it might even come to this? 
Berit Kjos of Kjos Ministries reviews the smash hit The Hunger Games. The movie is based on Suzanne Collin’s first novel of a trilogy that has fascinated readers young and old alike. Kjos warns of the movie’s occult themes and “stark contradictions to America’s founding beliefs and values.”