Friday, May 17, 2013

The 7 great lies in the Church today

How does one know the truth from a lie? How do you  know a counterfeit from authentic? Worse still is how does one sift the half truths mixed with lies which is  the making of heresy? Today the threat to the church of Christ is not an invasion, or even physical persecution ( though that is not desirable and does exit in some parts of the world) but error that is creeping into the church and taking many Christians captive by their fine sounding arguments. this is not new to Christianity - it was already prevalent during the time of the Apostles therefore the warnings in the Epistles.

Here is a super article that was sent to me by a friend that is worth reading , thinking about and doing a spot check whether these things have crept into our churches.
 This article though long, deserves our full attention.  I hope you find it instructive as I have.




(© Sean Gibson)
False teachings running rampant within the American church have created a “whiteout” condition for  millions of believers. Here’s how to detect—and overcome—these destructive doctrines before it’s too late.
Editor’s Note: Most Charisma readers remember Steve Hill as the fiery evangelist from the Brownsville Revival who has since continued to win countless souls for Jesus around the world. But what many readers don’t realize is that Hill only recently came out of a three-year battle with melanoma. During that time, he received a prophetic vision warning the church of an impending “spiritual avalanche” that could kill millions. The following article on deception in the church is part of this timely message, now delivered in his latest book, Spiritual Avalanche.
Years ago my wife, Jeri, and I were driving on the interstate when we were overcome by a white cloud of windblown snow. “I can’t see a thing!” I shouted. We were experiencing a complete whiteout. I lost all sense of direction. I couldn’t see the road or other cars. Everything had vanished, replaced by this strange, mystical blizzard of white. The only thing I knew to do was to slow down and pray that I was still on the road. 
By the providence of God I came to a stop in the median, where we waited out the storm. When it lifted, I was shocked at what we’d gone through. Miles in front of me and miles behind were wrecks—too many to number. Massive trucks had slid off the road and turned over. Cars were everywhere. It was purely by the hand of the Lord that we survived.
A whiteout is a weather condition in which visibility is severely reduced by snow. The horizon disappears completely; there are no reference points at all, leaving the individual with a distorted orientation.
This is what’s happening today in the church. Many are oblivious to the dangers on the horizon. In this spiritual whiteout the reference points—the ancient landmarks—have been covered. Erroneous teachings have merged together with truth, causing innocent believers to become disoriented—and blinded.
The Lord recently imparted to me a vision concerning the state of the church and what we must do about it. Those familiar with our ministry know we’ve never played games and have a deep, reverential fear for the work of God. Given this, I urge you to take heed to the following words. If you think I’m just letting off some steam, understand that I’ve just passed through three years of cancer treatments. I had been given only days to live. And as Leonard Ravenhill often reminded me, we must speak with the unction and urgency of God. We are all nothing more than dying men preaching to dying men.
In the vision I saw the church, depicted as a beautiful ski resort, with an enormous avalanche hovering overhead. The Lord immediately revealed the interpretation. This impending spiritual avalanche carried a threat that could destroy everyone. I’ve spent countless hours in the past attempting to rescue those who had fallen prey to false teaching. Now, in this visitation from God, I saw layers upon layers of snow steadily covering the solid, traditional truth of Christ. As with a whiteout, the truth had been lost in the flurry. No one who loves God willingly preaches deception, yet a spiritual whiteout of unhealthy, unbalanced and, in some cases, unbiblical teaching is blinding the body of Christ in America, and it is quickly spreading around the world.
How Has This Happened?
Unhealthy and destructive teaching can enter the church in various ways. Sometimes a biblical truth is taught to the exclusion of other biblical truths, producing a dangerous imbalance. At other times a biblical truth is taught in an exaggerated way, often going beyond what Scripture actually says, and in the end this does more harm than good. Many times clear, biblical warnings are ignored or reinterpreted so radically that they lose all impact or effect, leaving people vulnerable and exposed.
Paul warned that the “time will come when [believers] will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Today’s church in America, as a whole, is dangerously close to turning aside to such fables. Millions have already succumbed to these false teachings. Before we lose any more souls, it’s crucial that we identify what I believe are the seven greatest lies that have infiltrated the church and have led to a whiteout of error.
1) Overemphasis of Prosperity
Undoubtedly, some adherents of the carnal prosperity message are motivated by greed. For them, preaching Jesus is a means of financial gain, something Paul rebuked in the strongest possible terms, speaking of men “of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Tim. 6:5).
Yet many sincere believers embrace this message too—and back their case with Scripture. They point to the covenant blessings the Lord promised to Israel for their obedience, including financial prosperity (Deut. 28:1-13). They highlight verses in Proverbs and Psalms that link financial prosperity to generosity, hard work, godly living and faith (e.g., Ps. 112). They remind us of wonderful promises, such as those found in Proverbs 3:9-10—and how Jesus reiterated these in the New Testament with teachings such as, “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38). And they quote Paul, who wrote about the financial principles of sowing and reaping (1 Cor. 9; 2 Cor. 8-9; Phil. 4:11-19).
Are you with me? I am not against you having money. But I am adamantly against money having you. The problem is, there’s more to the story that the carnal prosperity preachers fail to mention:
  • Jesus warned against storing up treasures on earth (Matt. 6:19-24) and covetousness (Luke 12:15).
  • Jesus emphasized caring for the poor (Matt. 25:31-46).
  • Paul and John both taught that we should not live according to this present age (1 Cor. 7:29-31; 1 John 2:15-17).
  • Jesus did not die to make us financially wealthy but to save us from our sins (Matt. 1:21).
  • God chose the poor to be rich in faith and kingdom heirs (James 2:5).
More importantly, the carnal prosperity preachers have ignored other biblical warnings, like Paul’s powerful words to Timothy: “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (1 Tim. 6:9-11).
Carnal prosperity preachers encourage God’s people to seek after riches—or to seek after God for the purpose of riches—often even judging your spirituality by the kind of car you drive. What does that have to do with the gospel of Jesus?
2) Exaggerated View of Grace
This hyper-grace teaching has become an epidemic (see “What’s Wrong With Grace?” on p. 28). It has slipped in almost unnoticed and taken root like an unwanted weed—easy to get in but hard to get out of the Christian. I have personally dealt with many young people who were once on fire but fell under this “kicked-back” view of God. Now, instead of pursuing Him, they are partying. This “unmerited freedom,” if not tackled and taken out, will spread to future generations, leaving us with millions of lukewarm Christians who have traded their passion for poison. 
Sadly, some hyper-grace preachers live in sin and ease their consciences by preaching about a God who is all love and who never condemns, a God who doesn’t judge us by our conduct. Like the false teachers Jude confronted, they “turn the grace of our God into lewdness” (Jude 4). The New International Version describes such lewdness as “a license for immorality.”
But not every hyper-grace preacher is looking for a way to justify sin. Some truly love Jesus but are simply preaching truth mixed with error. They’ve taken an undeniable, glorious truth about God and presented it in such an exaggerated form that they nullify all divine warnings and even claim that the words of Jesus don’t apply to New Covenant believers. If this seems judgmental, then it’s time to honestly line everyone’s teachings—including mine—alongside the Word. Don’t just go through the Word; let the Word go through you. Why are we so afraid in this godless generation to confront fallacies?
These hyper-grace teachers rightly emphasize that we are saved by grace and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9), that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Rom. 5:6-8), that we are no longer sinners but saints in God’s sight (1 Cor. 1:2), that God’s love for us is not based on our performance (Rom. 5:9-10), that having begun in the Spirit we can’t become perfect by human effort (Gal. 3:3), that we are now sons and daughters of God, joint heirs with Jesus (Rom. 8:15-17), and more!
But they ignore mountains of other scriptural truths and draw wrong theological conclusions. For example, they rightly teach that Jesus died for all our sins—past, present and future—but wrongly conclude that as believers we no longer have to deal with sin (meaning we never have to confess sin or repent of sin, and the Holy Spirit no longer convicts us of sin). Aren’t you tired of hearing of another backslidden brother? Trace his steps and you’ll often find he was given permission to slip away from the wonderful freedom of holiness into the bondage of humanism.
3) Antinomianism
Antinomianism—long word, simple meaning. The word literally means “against law.” It’s a short jump from an overemphasis on the grace message to complete antinomianism. In practice, it means that “anything goes,” since Jesus has set us free. The problem is, Jesus didn’t set us free to sin; He set us free fromsin.
Jesus died for us and broke sin’s power on our lives so that now, by the Spirit, we can live out the righteous requirements of the law (Rom. 8:1-4). Yet purveyors of this poisonous teaching fail to realize that Jesus calls us beyond the requirements of the law in His teaching, stating, for example, that adultery refers to adultery of the heart and not just the physical act (Matt. 5:27-28).
God’s perfect, holy, glorious law is not the problem. Sinful flesh is the problem. Sin will take you farther than you ever wanted to go. Sin will cost you more than you ever wanted to pay. And sin will keep you longer than you ever intended to stay. Sin will promise you everything but leave you with nothing. Sin will love you for a season and curse you for eternity.
For all the antinomians out there who believe “anything goes,” the question is, where do you end up?
4) Deification of Man
Many false teachings today start with man rather than with God. In contrast, when Paul laid out the gospel message in Romans, he started with God and then went to man: God is holy and we are not; He is righteous and we are not; we are under His judgment and in need of mercy, and that mercy comes through the cross.
Today’s gospel, especially in America, has a very different ring to it; rather than being all about God, it’s all about me. Just as the American way is to make everything bigger and better, the American gospel says that Jesus came to make you into a bigger and better you. That is not the gospel!
Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 16:24-25). 
We are in grave danger worldwide as millions upon millions gaze upon man rather than God. Just take a look at our political system. Words like messiahlord, savior and anointed one are tossed around like candy. I cringe at heaven’s response. This is a setup for the Antichrist; as we become so accustomed to worshipping man, it will be a simple maneuver for the Antichrist to move into position.
5) Challenging the Authority of the Word
The challenging of God’s authority goes back to the Garden of Eden, starting with the serpent’s challenge to Eve: “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Gen. 3:1). This satanic challenge was twofold: First, did God really say that? And second, God didn’t really mean what He said. After all, you won’t die if you eat from the tree (vv. 1-5).
That twofold challenge continues to assault us today. Best-selling authors tell us the biblical text isn’t reliable, that the biblical manuscripts we have in our possession are hopelessly contradictory, and that we can know little or nothing about the real, historical Jesus. Other authors tell us that the Bible is no more than a collection of religious traditions and that God Himself is nothing more than a religious myth.
For the most part, though, the challenge to the authority of the Scriptures is subtler, and some of it flows out of the deification of man, which says, “The Bible must live up to my standards. I will judge the God of the Bible based on my morality rather than the God of the Bible judging me based on His morality.” In short, when the Scriptures contradict our feelings and preferences rather than crucify our feelings and preferences and bow down before God and His Word, we question God’s Word.
6) Rejecting Hell
Nowhere is this questioning of God’s Word seen any more clearly than when it comes to the subject of hell and future punishment. And because we preach an imbalanced gospel—emphasizing God’s love and ignoring His wrath, emphasizing His mercy and ignoring His justice—we no longer have room for hell and future punishment in our theology.
Why did Jesus use such strong language in talking about the fire of hell and about people weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth (see Matt. 8:12)? And why did He teach that “it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matt. 5:29)? And why do other New Testament writers warn us repeatedly about the wrath to come (see Eph. 5:1-6)?
It’s one thing to debate the exact nature of the future punishment that awaits those who reject the gospel. It’s another thing to downplay or eliminate it. Whatever legitimate debate we may have on the precise nature of the coming judgment, this much is clear from the Word: it will be irreversible, dreadful and of eternal consequence.
Revelation 20:11-15 clearly warns about the coming Great White Throne Judgment. Yet modern-day heresy teachers have taken it upon themselves to erase the judgment. The result, if believed and followed, will be too devastating to mention.
7) Universal Reconciliation
Universal reconciliation promotes a get-out-of-jail-free mentality—that in the end, everyone will make it into heaven because of Jesus’ death on the cross. (In contrast, universalism teaches that all paths lead to God.) There may be future suffering, but it will be purging rather than punishment, and ultimately everyone will be saved.
Proponents of universal reconciliation point to verses that teach that God reconciled “all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20). And they point out that just as in Adam all die, in Jesus all will live (Rom. 5:12-21).
What would you say if someone attempted to persuade you that Adolf Hitler was in heaven? “Abomination!” you would scream. “You’re deranged!” Yet that’s a sample of the fundamental false teaching of this layer of “avalanche snow.” Added to other layers mentioned previously, we will find the believer’s foundation deteriorated, and when the storms come, the house will come crumbling to the ground.

During this season when we celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, let’s determine to glorify Him by staying pure. A gentle breeze of false teaching has become a strong wind of serious error, some of it downright heretical, and a storm of doctrinal deviation has become a massive deadly whiteout. Amid this whiteout, stay committed to His teachings. Don’t permit any false teaching to subtly weave its way into your life, bringing down an avalanche that could destroy everything you hold so dearly. I won’t let it happen. Not in my lifetime and not in yours.
I urge you to open your heart and read Spiritual Avalanche. Revelation will be imparted from its pages. This 30-minute, full-color vision shook me to the core. I wept as I saw it and wept as I wrote the book. I love the church and will do everything possible to prepare her to meet the Groom. She isn’t ready, but she will be!
Yes, Jesus said in the last days even the elect could be deceived. But not you! You’re too smart for that!

Steve Hill is founder of Heartland World Ministries Church in Dallas. He is widely known for preaching the uncompromising message of Christ throughout the world.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Are we on the same page that Jesus is ? What kind of house will you build for me?

This message was preached by Tim Davis in Mumbai at the Regions Beyond Leaders Meeting. This is a summary of that preach.

In Is 66 there is one question God ask his people “What kind of house will you build for me?”
That question is a fascinating one to think on. The way the question is asked is in the context of God saying “Heaven is my throne and earth my footstool – what kind of house will you build for me?” How can you build anything for me? It’s like David wanted to build a house for the Lord. Nathan comes back with a word from the Lord where God says to David “No, I will build you a house “and He talks of David’s house going on forever and that Solomon would build the temple. But this is only fulfilled n Jesus when he said “I will build …”

So our aim should be to say “ I will build what you are building”. Nothing else will please God (Ps 127 Unless the Lord builds the house,  the builders labor in vain.) God expects it to be done His way.
It’s got to be done in His strength for Him. It’s not about personal preferences but the whole house is for him.

 The house that is for His glory and with His strength must have His pattern.
Rom 11 “For by Him and through Him. ” this is true about all things even though its hard to see at times. But this is most clear in the church- plans are his, build through his strength, the church is led by Him and for His glory. This is a key thing to line up with.

What kind of church is Jesus building? Sometimes we can be under pressure to be different. It’s his pattern we want to work to. What we are building is a temple of the Holy Spirit - a dwelling place for God.

John records “if you see me you have seen the father” 1 Jn4:12 says no one has ever seen God. If we look at Jesus we see God. But John does not say that. But if we love one another he abides in us. Where that verse is pointing is that while we love one another we will see him in the church.
We want to build one that becomes a dwelling place or God. We should be able to say to our friends come to our church and you will see God in the love that is there.

Laying on of hands is not a fad we are adding. The presence of God is the essence of what we are building. The Bible ends with “now the dwelling of God is with man”.
The church is the outpost for the end of the world. It’s like the trailer for a film. The film of the great presence of God is coming. We need our meetings to be full of the presence of God. We don’t want to be diverted from anything else.

What kind of House?

1.      Our Worship should focus on Jesus. Everything should line up with Jesus- the corner stone and built on the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets. The local church is governed by Elders and the visiting gifts.

2.      We want to build houses full of Grace – it’s a part of the cornerstone Jesus.1jn4 so as we love one another – he dwells amongst us and we can believe in grace theologically but never experience it in reality. We are not just drawing a plan but actually building it. It means our church should be full of the grace of God – loved unconditionally in spite of all our quirks. We can cover it with love. “Love covers” is an amazing verse. It’s amazing when you read the gospels that sinners loved to be with Jesus who knew no sin. Jesus loved being with them too.
That means it’s not a new system of rules when people come to church but that they are loved and love.
Jesus was different from the other religious leaders – he got angry with the religious leaders who put burdens on them. People often relate with God the way their leaders relate with them. God was seen as a hard task master who demanded a lot from the people. But God is not like that – he made everything and then he provides for us as well all the time not just what is necessary but in abundance. Throughout the Old Testament we see (Ps 23) this. So when Jesus comes his harshest words are toward the religious leaders. When he feeds the 500 its shouting generosity. He pours out blessing upon blessing. So the house is full of grace and we are teaching people that the gospel will change lives.
Often we look at law and grace as opposite. Actually even the law is grace- the difference is its no longer law but people of the spirit. So our great news is they can believe freely and will receive the Holy Spirit who will transform lives. Sometimes our lack of faith in the Spirits ability to change lives makes us feel the need to bring some rules to assist change. So this house of grace is a super natural thing totally dependent on the Spirit. Once we look at law we become judgmental and grace is gone.

3.      Church grows as everyone does their part and we should be good at honouring each one that does their part. 1 Cor 12 talks about insignificant parts that need to be given special honour. Its not enough to have a mighty man of God.

4.      It’s a house of servant leadership being expressed in a team because what it does is it gives people an example of how it works and that we are there for the success of others. Its not a platform for me to look good but to build a house of God - a people who are his very own eager to do what is right. We want to give ourselves to give what Jesus gave himself to.

5.      Jesus clears the temple of things that should not be there. This is a sobering thing for leaders. May we never use the house of God for anything else? May I never use it for personal gain. My house will be a house of prayer for all nations. Each local church will change from being local to international
Have faith for calling your people to pray for situations in the nations. When we line up with God’s purposes and heaven sees it the Spirit comes upon us and uses us.
I pray that we are building lines up with what Jesus is building. 

Word of Grace Church is a spirit filled (charismatic), evangelical  ( Born- again) English speaking church that preaches from the Bible as God's inspired Word of life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to  put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. 

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – THE LAYING ON OF HANDS





Here is a  short but very practical word that was shared shared by Steve Oliver (at the Regions Beyond gathering in Mumbai)on some vital things we need to pay attention to when we come together as a church. It is a blessing to have the Apostolic gift put some solid stuff into the foundations of the church .

Impartation through the laying on of hands was very much a part of church life but we have settled for a hymn sandwich.



 In the early church laying on of hands was a part of life. We need to get it back and contend for it. 

Paul writes to Timothy – do not neglect the gift you got through the laying o of hands. When the Elders of a church lay hands, something happens – don’t be little it.

If we are full of the Spirit and faith – we have weapons of mass destruction in our hands ( to demolish every stronghold of Satan)

 I   So firstly this is something we need to establish in the local church as part of our foundations. It should be a daily routine.
Secondly we are a Word and Spirit church
Some Sundays don’t preach the Word – lay hands. Leaders should model it. Make it a life style I your leadership meetings. As leaders, be eager to receive prayer as well.
Organize well – it shows you are intentional. 

II Create an atmosphere where people can encounter God. Do it with faith. You don’t work it up.  it’s a promise from God “ I will pour out my spirit on all flesh”
Worship leaders – lead people into His presence. Explain about the anointing and how it works. Tell people to receive and expect the Holy Spirit.
Testimonies are helpful. Teach people to linger in the presence of God.

III   Those who minister the Word – build it into your message – tell your people that you will pray for them after the message that they can respond to the Word. This creates a hunger and thirst for God.
Look for evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit when you are praying.

IV Establish this as a body ministry so that it is not around a person. There will be different measures according to faith but it will be a body. This builds churches. What you teach is added to experience and it becomes life. It will start small but you will see God move. Amen!