False Prophets, False Messiahs, False Teaching

I want to begin with a quick note about myself that will help make clear why this observation that I'm posting may be relevant. I have this 'interesting' ability, it's not mystical or anything, but I find it useful for evaluating information, trends and thus correlating them for a non-definitive, unprovable conclusion. I can take, what will seem to most as, random, disconnected, thoughts and events and connect them to a singular consciousness. It stops being fun, when I'm right. I won't comment on how often that is...I'm not a future telling prophet, I'm not a sorcerer, I'm not into mystics, magic...I don't practice voodoo...I do my best to be obedient to YHWH, to submit to his Son Y'ehushua, and the Spirit guides me. His mark on me, is evident by my life change; with that said...here's what I've noticed.

I've always wondered how popular teachings like the rapture could go unnoticed by the people left behind. But then a reading a scripture reveals that it will NOT go unnoticed, but that a GREAT delusion will be sent by GOD. Now I don't personally think there is any evidence that conclusively demonstrates a rapture of the saints. I don't think that early Christianity was appointed wrath, yet they died horrible gruesome deaths, appointed by God; I can say that because he told them it was going to happen. So using my own understanding of scripture, I didn't understand how, prophecies could be clearly missed by so many...certainly Ahjmadinjad(sp?) has read the Bible, or has people who have? They would know who Daniel was, certainly their empire is talked about just as much as any other in the Bible. This can't have escaped their notice. The fact that there are so many parallels with the Iraq war and America's involvement in Daniels prophecies, is uncanny. I'm not saying we're fulfilling them, just commenting on it's strange parallels.

So my conclusion was, I don't see how so many people could miss what's plain for anyone. To me that would be like saying the whole world would miss the olympics...well, even if you didn't see them, the amount of people on this planet who could possibly be interested in that, DICTATES that you will in some form or fashion come in contact with the olympics...even if UNWILLINGLY.

Let me show you what I've compiled. I'm sorry this is long, but you need to force yourself to hold your attention. Not that my information is so awesome or valid, but that is also part of the deception. We've been taught that if I can't glean what I need in 30 seconds, it's not useful, or I'll come back to it later; but you never do. Here we go;

• With the advent of social networking, it is literally possible to push information to the farthest point reachable in under one minute.
• This has provided a platform for those who wish to speak, (including me) to others about various topics, mine is my journal and passion for God.
• Christianity is, in the place where the most amount of social media creation takes place [America], largely un-persecuted; especially compared to Pakistan, China, India, Iran, etc.
• In America, there is great apostasy, for certainly 72-86% of Americans are NOT Christian.
• There has begun a revival of sorts for end-times discussion, mostly to do with economic downturn, attacks on our homeland, increases in moral decay, 2912, Mayan calendar, etc
• We've entered an age of entitlement and not enlightenment.
• We've been programmed, world-wide, but definately in America, how NOT to think. How questioning certain things is unpatriotic, or un-american.
• We've been programmed that all things are equal, lies and truth are equal in a public forum.
• We've been programmed that opinions are just as valid as facts, emotions are just as valid as evidence
• We've been falsely taught that you're not to judge anyone or anything, due to the above reasons
• We've been lied to that obedience to anything is a pure flight of fancy and good for you, but not necessary even if at all possible.
• Lastly and probably worstly, due to entitlement, we believe we all have a voice that should be heard, quite simply because we have a voice, and desire to be heard. (have you watched how people react when Simon Cowell tells them that they can't sing? Facebook anyone?)

So, enter the false prophets. I've begun to believe that part of the delusion is the prevalence of information. Specifically false information. Our way of learning and validating facts has SO fundamentally changed in the last 20 years that we're in danger of losing the truth...I'll prove this. If we were to lose all of our written resources, as many ancient cultures did during wars, our history would be lost in a single generation.

20 years ago, when I wanted to look up a fact, let's say about a bird. I had to get an encylopedia and go to the name of the bird and see if the information was there. If I was especially studious, I would cross-reference that citation with other sources, adding to it's validity. But as with all facts, the only proof could be to the naked eye, and under scrutiny of the scientific method of observation.

Not so today. Even though most enclyopedia's have been digitized, the said fact remains, with the internet, you can't be sure what you're seeing is ACTUALLY in that enclyopedia, or that for reasons unknown to you, that fact hasn't changed over time. You can still go observe, but the above programming, teaches you NOT to. For all is equal and thus trustworthy in the forum of public opinion and fact. We've been taught that the ease and access to information is not a factor in it's validity. Let me tell you it is...ease of access is a good thing, but especially related to things valuable, how much can it be worth if you were to come by it so easy?

Quoted from a movie: "We have a saying in Tenesee, if somthin' sounds too good to be true......[leaning forward] it ain't". Best line in the whole movie!.

Let me show you how easy it is to put data out there that's wrong and imagine if you will that I had an evil INTENT to do so, whether I realized it or not.

Take this phrase "Jesus is not the messiah, he's just a good dude, he was a hippie who hung out with strippers, but you should listen to what he says...believe in his name and you'll be saved, cuz he did die for you on the cross. The world will end in 2012."

Highlight it, right-click with your mouse and put it as your facebook status. Then fire up your webcam, create a short youtube video about it, then put it on your myspace, both text AND video. And while you do each of these things, make sure you have a BIBLE in your hand and leaf through the pages to make that popular and dignifying sound. Then put a priest uniform on, then refer to yourself as a priest, then act to speak for God. Then teach others that they are wrong if they don't believe as you do. Then tell the world that it's full of "false" prophets and quote scripture...make sure to type it up in your videos and quote it with sincerity...maybe even cry over something that you think will draw attention or make you seem more authentic.

You just became a false prophet and you can get all kinds of people to follow you....

This is part of the delusion. It's not that the truth is unknowable, it's that there is SO MUCH false information that literally EVERYTHING you think you know MUST BE CHECKED. You cannot take ANYTHING at it's word. You must check. And while we will all fail at this from time to time, a trend demonstrates growth, you need to decide is it toward obedience, humility and understanding, or toward, disobedience, pride and false understanding.

Are You Defensive?

I've not vetted their site or any of their other material, but this was spot on.

Compromise of the Church

I had a conversation today with my realtor; we talked in brief about some things, as Christians, we're seeing...it's troubling to me. In a way that I could not before appreciate. Because I was there myself. I was in the glass house, looking out, only woefully plugged into the matrix, not realizing that my very existence was powering someone else's, at my own expense.

There are a couple of words that I think identify what we're seeing and I want to share them with you, because if you see them, run! If you have them, pray, seek eldership within your body of believers...because they have no place in a Christians life. In fact, I've come to believe they are a sign that you *may not genuinely be a believer.

*caveat is, only you and God know the truth. For me, even though I demonstrated these things, I was saved. Sadly some who have knowledge of who God is and even practice his traditions will never escape this, because they are NOT saved.

This is why Peter tells us to SEARCH ourselves to see if the truth be in us. I say that these words I write, I do so, trembling. This not a happy message, nor one that I offer with joy. This is the stuff that makes me shudder, for it reminds me and makes obvious that the only salvation, is God's heroic, divine, active, and miraculous work in a my life, that has saved me.

Compromise

Frankly, this is the easiest one for me to point out now. I can remember, just like watching a movie play out before my eyes. "COMPROMISE! - I've COMPROMISED! I've said I CAN'T be holy, who can be obedient? I've abused God's grace!"

I was speaking to my brother. I was realizing that all this time I thought I was holy, or a little holier than thou, what I was actually doing is not putting my hand to the plow. I was certainly looking back if ever my hand was on the plow. I made every excuse why my obedience wasn't necessary, how it was impossible and even in the slight moments where I again felt the call, I was try to test it against somebody...who would reassure me of the lack of necessity. I've started to coin the phrase "I used to think of serving God as a 'part-time' job, that I took a LOT of vacation from". That's true. And in contrast, now I see it as my primary vocation. Everything else flows out of knowing God. Nothing is accomplished without God and therefore, knowing him, serving him, talking with him, serving him, must be first.

There are other compromises though; What started the compromise discussion for me was a church that I attended once. Called Westside Family. The long and short of it is this; my wife and I went there out of deference to my best friend and we happened to arrive on Easter Sunday. With a church of this magnitude, I'm expecting all the bells and whistles. I'm expecting to hear the salvation message. I'm expecting to be crying by the end. Sadly, not for me, but for the members of that body, what I say was 3 stacked high latte carrying, paritioners, finding their seat too late because they were busy paying for their entertainment and beverage. Yep, I said paying for it. At this church you can buy latte's, t-shirts, bibles, and any Christian sort of thing you have need of. Ofcourse when you bring up the passage in John about Christ kicking over the money changers and the guys selling dove sacrifices, what do their members say?

"We donate that money; It's just like a tithe. What difference does it make if I put it in the plate or in the till of the same church?"

I gently answered. Though I wanted to kick over some money tables myself. Friend if you can't see the difference; you've compromised. You probably don't know what the word says. Christ also kicked out the guy selling doves. Now, why would a GUY, be selling doves at a temple? Well, in those days, if you couldn't afford to bring your own fatted calf, as the law required, you could buy a sacrifice at the temple. You could buy a dove. Now some would say...well, I can see all sorts of good in that....many people are provided for, isn't that a good thing?!

It was good in fact, Christ didn't forsake the opportunity to make fools of them and throw him out of his Fathers house. So, you can see Christ wasn't willing to compromise. He didn't care about their feelings, he cared about the respect for the holiness of GOD. This is something we've completely lost sight of.

I used to attend a church and I won't name it, because it literally could be anywhere. This attitude is SO prevalent that where doesn't matter. It's everywhere. In a conversation about what a church should do, in order to get people to hear the message, here's what was said by the pastor:

"We've got to package the message so that they will hear it"

There's nothing wrong with tailoring a message. Nothing wrong with lights, camera's, bands, big productions, choirs, kantata's, men's retreats, womens retreat's, vbs, food kitches, motorcycle rallys or any other behavior that the leaders of a church desire to engage in for evangelism...BUT; if you think that you need to PACKAGE the holy word of God, then there is a problem.

You should be more concerned that you're actually teaching WHAT IT SAYS! Most "believers" are so woefully immature, as I am, was and continue to be, that they don't even realize that if you belong to the real church, the holy invisible church, that means you're CATHOLIC! Not Roman Catholic, but catholic, which means 'universal'.

• Most have not read the entire Bible, nor attempted to do so.
• Most misquote verses they've heard, misapply words meant for Israel, to modern-day America.
• Most believe in the 'prosperity' gospel. Joel Osteen anyone?
• Most are so intrigued with biblical prophecy and the desire to know the future, they forget the real ministry of God. Or worse, exchange one for the other.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not better. I've suffered through this myself. I'm merely describing me...I also happen to know that this applies to SO many out there.

God has called us to obedience, it's a high calling. It's not easy. It's NOT easy. In fact, it is THE HARDEST thing you will ever be part of. It's also the most rewarding, as things generally go.

If you feel that call for obedience and the need to cleanse your life of all things impure. DO NOT quench the spirit. DO IT. God bears up those who love him, those who follow him, those who are his children...