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Friday 24 January 2014

TRINITY LIFE CHURCH LEICESTER DOWNHILL SPIRAL INTO APOSTASY

RECAP

This is a follow up to my recent article about Trinity Life Church (TLC) and their successful bid for lottery funding for their Open Hands project last November.

The cost of gambling upon gambling addicts and their families is inestimable in terms of human misery and suffering.The NHS report that there may be as many as 450,000 problem gamblers in the UK. They also report that there is a link between gambling and alcohol abuse since many gambling addicts are also addicted to alcohol. Rates of depression and attempted suicide among gambling addicts are around double the national average. Gambling addicts are also more likely to go to prison as a result of criminal activity due to theft and fraud. http://www.nhs.uk/

The Bible calls covetousness idolatry:

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5/5) Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. (Proverbs 13/11)

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6/9-10)

From an ethical point of view, to use the proceeds of human suffering on one level as a form of relief for human suffering on another level is an oxymoron. For a supposed fundamental Christian church to take advantage of the human misery of gambling is outrageous - it goes against all Christian principles. If the church gains by the proceeds of gambling, they give gambling their stamp of approval and their hypocrisy brings the way of truth into disrepute (2 Peter 2/2). Apart from the obvious witness to the outside world, Christians who may be tempted by gambling and other related sins may compromise due to the bad example of a backsliden church.

A so called church seeking to gain lottery funding must DEMONSTRABLY “believe and abide by” secular equality values. Here we have a disastrous situation with untold implications for the Christian witness. Secular equality values are the world's values and are the very opposite of God's values as revealed in the Bible. Critically, secular equality values are an affront to the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as Lord, the only way of salvation biblically (John 14/6). Secular equality values endorse the sexual practices of the LGTB community, whereas the Bible condemns divergent sexual practices (Leviticus 18/22; 1 Corinthians 6/9-11 etc.) To believe and abide by equality values is in fact to deny the Lord Jesus Christ! Christians are commanded not to love the world (1 John 2/15).

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4/4)

TLC cannot claim to represent the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible and at the same time believe and abide by secular equality values!

TLC's Open Hands material is saturated with the “lucky” crossed fingers/evil 666 lottery logo. The satanic implications of this logo are unmistakable.

If this is not a huge red flag to TLC attendees then something is very wrong.

THEOCRACY


Theocracy is derived from the two Greek words (theo = God, cracy = government). It is a government operated under divine rule, or the pretence of divine rule. Theocracy was a word first used by Josephus to denote that the Jews were under the direct government of God himself under the ancient Hebrew constitution and the role of Mosaic law.

If you question any unsound decisions made by the leadership of TLC you will probably get the rebuttal that the church is a “theocracy”. TLC say this in order to legitimise their heavy top down type of leadership. One example of this is the way that people are appointed into leadership positions. The underhand way in which the previous assistant pastor at TLC was usurped by David Hind is a case in point. Hind's appointment as pastor of TLC was a fate accompli without any reference whatsoever to the congregation. THE WHOLE CONGREGATION was extremely unhappy when the previous assistant pastor was rejected by just three elders, and yet these arrogant men would not humble themselves and reconsider! Those of us who questioned the way that this happened were told that the church is a “theocracy”; that is to say that major decisions are made by elders because they are [supposedly] the spiritual authority, and that the congregation must abide by their decisions. Had the decision been made along biblical principles, there is no doubt in my mind that the outcome would have been very different. It was not very long after Hind's arrival before cronyism set in and a friend of Hind was appointed as Musical Director - no one at TLC had even met this woman appointee! Theocracy - rule by priesthood, is a very close relative of synarchy which is generally secretive and totalitarian. The theocracy argument is often used by cultish super-apostles whose motives are to “run the show” and to subtly elicit submission by misuse of Bible texts out of context. Biblically however, the issue is not black and white - theocracy is only legitimate when it agrees with the Word of God, otherwise it dishonours God and is abusive. There will of course be a perfect theocracy when Jesus Christ returns during his millennial reign, but until then the church is to be run along New Testament biblical lines.

In the New Testament the selection of leaders is a varied process and there is no clear model for guidance. The appointment method by existing leaders and congregational selection often coexisted. Those wanting to circumvent the congregation claim that it is exclusively a leadership role to make major decisions, however they are mistaken as the New Testament demonstrates. Timothy and Titus were instructed by Paul regarding the selection of elders. Titus himself had been ordained earlier, when “he was chosen by the churches” (2 Corinthians 8/19). In this case the ordination of elders involved the whole congregation, not just the apostles. The Greek word used in 2 Corinthians 8/19 for Titus’ appointment and in Acts 14/23 for the choosing of the Galatian elders literally means chosen by a show of hands.

The original meaning of χειροτονέω is "to stretch out the hand" and the substantive χειροτονία is used in the LXX. Of Isaiah 58:9 for "the putting forth of the finger" of the A.V. But the common meaning of the verb is "to vote by stretching out the hand" and hence "to elect" by a show of hands (2 Corinthians 8:19) http://biblehub.com/

…..the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them”, Later we discover the letter they wrote said, So we all agreed to choose some men and send them..... (Acts 15:13-29). This passage reinforces the model where the whole church are involved in decision making.

An interesting article to read is: http://www.cultwatch.com/churchleadershipauthority-html.html

Trinity Life Church was already deteriorating prior to David Hind's appointment. However, after his appointment, the congregation were obliged to endure more and more silly games and rock music instead of worship, worldly presentations in place of bible teaching, less and less bible reading and sound teaching – in fact anything and everything instead of true worship and doctrine. The slide has obviously continued to the point that the leadership have actually denied Jesus Christ Himself by bowing the knee to secular equality values which are the antithesis of biblical principles.

NEPOTISM!

“Nepotism is favouritism granted in politics or business to relatives. The term originated with the assignment of nephews to cardinal positions by Catholic popes and bishops. Nepotism is found in the fields of politics, entertainment, business and religion.” http://en.wikipedia.org/

When a person is employed due to their familial ties it is an act of favouritism. It is often seen as unethical in business, and prospective employees are usually required to disclose any familial ties they have within the organisation. A common argument against nepotism in employment is that the emotional ties between people who are related may negatively affect their decision making abilities and professional growth.
Nepotism is not only often considered wrong by worldly standards, it is biblically unsound. The New Testament does not affirm nepotism as a model for church government. When someone gains a leadership position based on familial ties rather than on objective evaluation of their gifting and calling, it demonstrates a fleshly bias which is very damaging. As a result the whole body suffers and the church becomes an institution of men where family loyalties trump doctrine. It is natural to favour ones close relatives above others, but this is likely to cloud our judgements. Nepotism should be decisively rejected as a work of the flesh. 
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8/5-7)
The very definition of nepotism is favouritism or partiality! 
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. (1 Timothy 5/21)
To show partiality is not good..... (Proverbs 28/21a) 
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality..... (Acts 10/34)
There are now THREE members of the Hind family owning the title of "pastor" at TLC following David Hind's appointment in 2007!
 
ROCK MUSIC OR WORSHIP!

David Hind's son, Tom Hind is employed by TLC as Children's Pastor and Worship Coordinator. The worship is something that I have huge issues with at TLC. Ear splitting religious rock music from a so called “worship band” is, in my opinion, demonic. When I attended TLC this was a regular occurrence especially on a Sunday night when the majority of attendees were young people. The purpose of music in the church is to glorify and praise God. This is a huge subject which I will not go into here. A good article to read is: http://www.av1611.org/crock.html

COOL OR REAL?

In recent years there has been a trend of churches planting satellite “campuses”  that remain part of the original church. We see this taking place in false churches like Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, Mark Driscoll's Mars Hill Church, Bill Hybels Willow Creek Church etc. This also is the pattern that false teacher Richard Taylor (Welsh Outpouring) has followed at Victory Church in Cwmbran. It is all part of the megachurch culture and CEO pastoral model, but it is not biblical.

These so called churches have multi-site “campuses”; they “connect”  and are hip, cool and savvy. Image is everything; the pastors are hip, the music is cool, and the doctrine is false, weak or non existent! Campuses make the founding church central and facilitate egocentric pastors who are free to extend their tentacles of control in all sorts of ways, spiritual as well as financial - a bit like Rome really!

The “multi-site”  model looks more like a “mini-denomination”  than a biblical model for a growing church. The New Testament does demonstrate the existence of multiple local churches, but they never followed this “multi-site” model.

The New Testament model is for relatively small autonomous congregations; the local church is to function like a body and its members are accountable to each other in love (1 Corinthians 12/12-28; Galatians 6/1-2; Hebrews 10/24-25). How can this truly be accomplished when people in the same “church”  do not have close relationships and regularly assemble together? Biblically, each individual local church is to represent a community of God’s people, shepherded by elders and served by deacons (Acts 2/42-47; 14/23; Philippians 1/1). We do not see a system in the New Testament where elders have oversight of more than one local congregation at a time. There are those who argue that these are different times and that the biblical model is old fashioned and irrelevant etc. Do these so called “pastors”  know better than God?  Fads come and go, but God's Word is eternal i.e. it is outside time and culture. If the biblical model is for small autonomous churches, then we have to believe that this is the only way that the the church will really be healthy effective and grow according to God's will. Didn't Paul say emulate him as he emulated Christ (1 Corinthians 11/1)?   What really is the point of emulating false teachers and false megachurches? 


The apostle Paul planted churches and then moved on, he released the new elders to autonomous leadership: When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia.… (Acts 14/23-24)


MARK STIBBE EX LEADER OF THE FATHERS HOUSE TRUST

I have already written in depth about Mark Stibbe and his visit to Leicester in 2011: http://eliora.hubpages.com/hub/A-CRITIQUE-OF-MISSION-SHAPED-COMMUNITIES-HOLY-TRINITY-LEICESTER

TLC was the main player in hosting false teacher/wolf in sheep's clothing Stibbe, the previous vicar at St Andrews Church in Chorleywood and founder of The Fathers House Trust. The other two churches involved in his visit were Holy Trinity Church (Anglican) and Knighton Evangelical Free Church. Together the leaders of these three churches exposed the body of Christ to a man who was well known to have been closely involved in all manner of apostasy. Stibbe was an integral part of the infestation of false teachers associated with Toronto and was closely involved with Todd Bentley. He supported the heresy of Todd Bentley’s so called “healing angel”  named “Emma”  amongst other questionable manifestations. Stibbe also promoted the infamous “third wave”  Toronto “blessing”  at Chorleywood.

Stibbe has since stepped down as the leader of FHT due to his: “decision to enter into an inappropriate relationship with someone other than his wife.”

All this speaks volumes about the discernment of the so called “church leaders”  in Leicester.


DAVID HIND'S ENDORSEMENT OF PROVEN FALSE PROPHET AND NECROMANCER BENNY HINN IN JANUARY!

Benny Hinn is very well known and a proven false prophet and necromancer; he is ecumenical having strong connections with Roman Catholicism. His so called “anointing”  is received from two dead people (supposedly - though actually demons), Kathryn Kuhlman, Aimee Semple McPherson and allegedly the Old Testament prophet Elijah. His visit to Leicester in January was endorsed by TLC, All Nations Church and Holy Trinity Church. 
http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/the-circus-comes-to-town-false-prophet.html

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5/1-5)


INVOLVEMENT WITH ECUMENICAL CHURCHES TOGETHER! 

BREAKFAST ON THE 10TH MAY- ST MARTIN'S HOUSE LEICESTER!

"An opportunity to bring together church leaders, many of whom do not normally meet together, in an informal setting, but under a theme that in my experience does unite them – God’s concern for the poor both in our city and globally.  For the ministers gathered at the breakfast with the purpose of showing support for the poor I believes they are sending a message to the world and the heavenlies.....This event was inspired by a sermon preached by David Hind from Trinity Life Church."

http://www.churchestogetherinleicestershire.org/index.php?module=pagesmith&uop=view_page&id=136


Ecumenism is working to achieve a satanic New World Order. The ultimate aim of ecumenism is to unite all religions into one apostate church which will worship the Antichrist.  Essential Christian doctrine such as creationism, the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, a literal hell, the inerrancy of the Bible are all denied by the ecumenical movement. The ecumenical movement mutes the message of sin, repentance and personal salvation and replaces it with a "social gospel" of secular political activism around mostly liberal issues such as social justice, ending poverty, opposition to war etc. 

WHO HAS BLOWN THE TRUMPET?

There are some who know better who should have blown the trumpet. They have remained within TLC and remained silent and "non-judgemental"

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand." (Ezekiel 33/1-6)

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Luke 11/23)

TLC have now reached a critical point. They have publicly endorsed secular equality values in their pursuit and acquisition of lottery funding. They have turned aside after lucre (1 Samuel 8/3; 1 Peter 5/2 etc.) To do such a thing is a denial of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

The judgement of God is not only upon wicked leaders, there are also grave consequences for their followers:

Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you. For who among them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and to hear his word,or who has paid attention to his word and listened?” (Jeremiah 23/16-18) 

JESUS CHRIST IS THE WORD OF GOD – THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF JESUS CHRIST. 

Those who claim to be followers of Christ but who will not turn from disobedience to the Word of God do not love the truth (2 Thessalonians 2/10). This is a time of testing for all those who claim to be Christians. Those who cannot tolerate the truth have no part of Christ.

Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15/14)

Jesus Christ said “Let them alone” or “leave them”. It is not only the blind guides it is also their followers who will fall into a pit!

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2/1-3)

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4/3-4)

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3/1-5)

Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading. (Lamentations 2/14)

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.....” Revelation 18/4)

RECOMMENDED TEACHING

The challenge to those who say they are followers of Jesus Christ is to test everything by the Word of God and to repent (1 Thessalonians 5/21). Below are a few exceptional Bible teachers I have come across in these days where there is a famine of hearing the words of the Lord (Amos 8/11). These teachers give sound comprehensive Bible teaching and clarity for anyone seeking discernment in these perilous times (2 Timothy 3/1).

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8/31-32)




UPDATE: 

27th January 2017
My more recent posts address the issue of TLC's unmissable association with the number 666, the number of the Beast! (Revelation 13:18). The Bible teaches us to abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). On the contrary, Trinity Life Church in Leicester is the ticking time bomb on its hapless journey towards destruction. It is anyones guess what they will do next! 

http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/trinity-life-church-leicester-and-open.html 
https://standfirminthelord.wordpress.com/category/deception-in-the-church/
http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/george-o-wood-assemblies-of-god.html 

Friday 10 January 2014

TRINITY LIFE CHURCH LEICESTER ASSEMBLIES OF GOD GOING DOWN THE TUBES

SHOULD FUNDAMENTAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES APPLY FOR LOTTERY FUNDING?
  
"The Open Hands Trust has been granted £446,626 after receiving support from Voluntary Action Leicestershire (VAL) with their bid for Big Lottery Reaching Communities funding." http://www.valonline.org.uk Release date 12th of November 2013. Open Hands Trust is a project founded by Trinity Life Church (TLC) in Leicester which is part of the Assemblies of God (AOG) Pentecostal denomination in the UK.

"Over the past 15 years, Lottery distributors have awarded at least 139 grants worth more than £3.1m to evangelical, Pentecostal and conservative Christian groups." http://www.theguardian.com

This is a very critical debate which I believe is significant in our time. We may rightly pose the question: Should those who claim to be Bible believing fundamental Christians pursue secular funding for church projects? Lottery money in particular has extremely negative associations with gambling, and so we can legitimately say that from a biblical perspective it comes from an “unclean” source and that it is money tainted by sin. An inevitable consequence is that the church loses its right to speak against the evils of gambling if it is advertising, benefiting from and accepting the proceeds of gambling.

The social evil of gambling is rooted in greed and idolatry; its addictive nature and the misery that it causes to some people in society is very well known. For the Church to raise money from this source is pure hypocrisy. Critics say that the lottery exploits the poor and gives them false hope; it is said to be a tax on the poor, and those with little cash to spare are more likely to buy a £2 ticket than high earners. Is it right that those who call themselves Bible believing Christians should benefit from such wickedness?

Biblically money obtained through the sinfulness of gambling is an abomination; it will not bring the blessing of God but rather His curse. The ethical question of how money is obtained is a critical one because we cannot honour God with our substance unless it has been honourably and honestly acquired. 

You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the LORD your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 23/18)

In the Old Testament, nothing unclean was ever allowed into the temple because the Glory of Yahweh dwelt there. God is holy and He cannot dwell in a defiled temple. What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? “For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." (2 Corinthians 6/16)

The lambs and other animals offered as sacrifices in the Old Testament were to be without blemish (Exodus 12/5; Leviticus 22/19-21). Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf. (Leviticus 22/20) Good works done with unclean lottery money in God's name are indeed defective offerings. 

Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you..... (2 Corinthians 6/17; Isaiah 52/11 ) 

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1/5)

A great deal of casuistry has to be applied to justify the pursuit of unrighteous lottery funding:

TLC: “We are privileged to show the love and compassion of Christ to some of the most vulnerable people in our city with Isaiah ch58 vs6-12 very much being our heartbeat.” http://www.trinitylifechurch.org.uk

In context, Isaiah Chapter 58 addresses the internal sins of the house of Jacob and calls for their repentance (Isaiah 58). For instance, the Israelites were unjust and oppressed all their workers (58/3). This is not to say that Christians should not help the poor and needy, but it should not be done with money gained by wickedness. 

Whatever happened to trusting God for provision? 

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4/19)

The underlying issue is whether such schemes, programmes and building works are really in the will of the Lord. Are these plans and activities really in the will of God or are TLC empire building in the flesh?

How many hoops have TLC had to jump through in order to receive this money?

Lottery funding comes at a terrible cost: THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. 

“Lottery distributors' rules make a distinction between religious activities and the community projects churches run. They say: "The project outcomes are key, rather than the non-project activities and ethos of the organisation. Crucially, the activities undertaken with lottery money cannot promote religion or belief." http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/

TLC: "Compassion is at the very heart of God and the very heart of TLC. The challenge of Isaiah 58 and Matthew 28. Through our compassion charity Open Hands we are privileged to show the love and compassion of Jesus to some of the most vulnerable people in our city." http://www.trinitylifechurch.org.uk/compassion/ 

And Jesus came and said to them,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28/18-20)

Here we have a dilemma: Either TLC together with Open Hands are promoting Jesus Christ or they are not. The above statement by them seems to indicate that they are, albeit in a very clandestine way. Here we have a double compromise; firstly the compromise of selling the gospel down the river; secondly the compromise of applying for lottery funding under false pretences. You cannot please two masters (Matthew 6/24)

Critically, the Bible puts preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ as the first priority as against good works and helping the poor. According to Lottery rules, TLC are not allowed to preach the gospel to those it helps. 

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10/14-17)

If TLC believe that they can somehow win people to Jesus Christ without preaching the gospel, they are not only breaking Lottery rules, they are deceiving themselves and more importantly they are dishonouring the Lord. TLC have in effect yoked themselves together with unbelievers and are prevented from doing the very thing that Christ told Christians to do i.e. engage in The Great Commission, that is to boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28/19). That of course brings a price which these days few are prepared to pay. 

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6/14) 

.....and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6/19-20) 

…..preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Timothy 4/2) 

woe to me if I do not preach the gospel..... (1 Corinthians 9/16)

An insipid message has come from the Evangelical Alliance on this subject - we should not be surprised: 

"A spokeswoman for the Evangelical Alliance – condemning the lottery as ‘a thinly disguised and unjust tax’ – says, ‘there is no biblical basis for relying on chance for income, either through gambling or applying to an unjust structure for monies.’ She echoes the view that funding streams have shifted to the lottery, and says the alliance does not advocate a hard line on lottery applications for social projects." http://www.lottery-monitor.com 

LOTTERY EQUALITY VALUES ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY! 

“.....it is equally important that when applying for lottery funding, such groups believe and abide by equality values." http://www.theguardian.com

Do TLC believe and abide by equality values? For instance, one of the criteria for equality is: Promoting inclusive communities such as other religions. Do TLC believe that other religions are equal to Christianity? It appears that they do not since they promote the exclusivity of Jesus Christ above other religions.
http://www.trinitylifechurch.org.uk/messages/

Another equality value is: Reducing disadvantage and exclusion. Disadvantaged groups may include lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Would TLC say that LGBT people are in God's will? Would they appoint them in key positions of leadership? Do TLC agree with same sex marriage etc?

If TLC do believe and abide by secular equality values then they have betrayed the Jesus Christ. If however TLC do not believe and abide by secular equality values then they have obtained lottery funding by deception and they have also betrayed Jesus Christ. Either way they are not in God's will!

I inadvertently attended an Open Hands presentation by Sue Smout, Senior Manager of the Open Hands Trust at Knighton Evangelical Free Church last year. It was a typical worldly TLC presentation - I might just as well have been at a slick business promotional meeting. How they love to peddle their own ideas and promote themselves above the Word of God at the expense of true worship – it was a very painful and grievous experience. We are indeed experiencing the end time apostasia (falling away) prophesied by the Apostle Paul (2 Thessalonians 2/3). 

PINK ACTIVISTS ARE MORE HONEST THAN THE CHURCH!

It is amazing how God uses His enemies to accomplish his work and discipline his people if they stubbornly persist in wickedness. The Lord employed the wicked nations of Babylon and Assyria to punish apostate Israel (2 Kings 15/29; 16/7-9; 18/9-12). It appears that God is using the Pink activists of all people to put a stop to the hypocrisy of the church! The LGBT community object strongly to fundamentalist churches receiving lottery funds, and rightly so. Their arguments are absolutely correct in that the church cannot expect to get the benefits of the world if they are not willing to play the world's game. What an indictment on the church that this should be the case. I pray that these Pink activists are successful if it will bring TLC and other worldly churches like them to their senses.

Some excerpts from Peter Tatchell and the Pink Activists:

“The government and national lottery need to establish tighter controls on grants, to ensure that homophobic and other hate-mongering organisations do not get funding.” http://www.pinknews.co.uk/

LGBT rights campaigner Peter Tatchell: "No lottery money should be given, directly or indirectly, to organisations that promote prejudice and discriminatory values." http://www.gaystarnews.com

Labour MP Chris Bryant: "I don't object to religious charities being supported by the lottery, as many churches and religions do a great deal for society. But most people would be scandalized to hear that lottery money is being used by groups that peddle fundamentalist prejudice and bigotry.” http://www.gaystarnews.com 

"In a free society, extremist churches are entitled to believe that homosexuality is wrong, but they should not receive money that comes from the public and is intended to support good causes." http://protectthepope.com/?p=7285

When and not if the challenge comes, how will TLC respond when their charity status is threatened if they don’t comply to Caesar’s demand that we worship him? Will they try and wriggle around the issues and make their tenuous position before God even worse, or will they repent?

There are some ingenious worldly ideas floating around if they need any help in taking their apostasy further forward: 

"While Christianity has traditionally forbidden sodomy, believing it to be parallel to homosexuality, it's been discovered in the Hebrew text and history that the word sodomy literally means "male temple prostitute", and not a translation for homosexual. Thus, homosexuality is not thought of as an act of sin in a growing population of churches today, namely the religion of Christianity." Assemblies of God USA 

THE SATANIC 666 LOTTERY LOGO!

The whole world lies under the dominion of the evil one, Satan, the prince of this world (1 John 5/19; John 12/31; Luke 4/6).

Hidden in plain sight, Satanic numbers and symbols are commonly used in corporate logos e.g. Cadbury, Coca Cola and Cern amongst many many others. I have demonstrated this in my Hubpages article referenced below. By using the number 666 in some form, disguised or otherwise, Satan is marking his territory. The Lottery logo is no exception and contains a very thinly disguised 666 – any organisation receiving lottery money is to be literally saturated with the signature of Satan!

Below is an excerpt from the Big Lottery Fund Website:

"Questions about using BIG’s logo

Do I have to use the logo?


Yes - by accepting your award you have made a commitment to using our logo to acknowledge your grant publicly. This is a requirement of your grant contract. Acknowledging your grant is part of your contract with us, and not acknowledging is a breach of that contract. We monitor projects closely for acknowledgement, and contact all projects that don’t meet these guidelines.
Where should I use the logo?

All grant recipients should acknowledge the support of BIG when producing any form of promotional or publicity material, including your website, press releases, leaflets, posters, brochures, annual reports and stationery, such as letterheads.

When advertising a job funded by us, our logo should feature in the advert.

If you have a building, especially if it was funded by the Big Lottery Fund, a plaque should be installed on completion. Site hoarding stickers must be installed while work is in progress."

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

CROSSED FINGERS!

The Big Lottery logo is not only a thinly disguised 666, it is the image of crossed fingers, an image which has its history in witchcraft and superstition. By crossing fingers we are engaging in making a spell, albeit inadvertently. As far as the lottery goes, crossed fingers depicts “good luck”, supposedly as an aid to winning. Other meanings of crossed fingers include protection from harm e.g. when walking under a ladder. When people cross fingers behind their backs it has negative connotations with lies. The symbol of crossed fingers is the antithesis of biblical Christianity and yet TLC are obliged to have this logo plastered all over their Open Hands material! 

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; (Revelation 18/4)

http://eliora.hubpages.com/hub/SATAN-THE-DECEIVER-GOD-OF-THIS-WORLD-SATANIC-LOGOS




UPDATE: http://standfirminthelord.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/the-trouble-with-adam-simmonds-pcc-northamptonshire/

Thursday 2 January 2014

THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN - FALSE PROPHET BENNY HINN TO COME TO LEICESTER

Athena Theatre, Queen Street, Leicester on the 26th January 2014.

THE FALSE TEACHING AND PROPHECIES OF BENNY HINN

Benny Hinn has been around for many years and is very well known for his “Miracle Crusades” and as a so called “TV Evangelist” on the godless TBN and other apostate TV stations. His false teaching, false prophecies and false healings are very well documented. This so called “ministry”  is totally unbiblical - Hinn is actually an enemy of Jesus Christ.
  • The Spirit”  told Hinn that Fidel Castro would die some time in the 1990s.
  • Hinn predicted that a major earthquake would devastate the East Coast before the year 2000.
  • The Lord”  told Hinn: “In the mid 90's, about '94-'95, no later than that, God will destroy the homosexual community of America. But He will not destroy it - with what many minds have thought Him to be, He will destroy it with fire. And many will turn and be saved, and many will rebel and be destroyed." Orlando Christian Center, Dec. 31st, 1989.
  • Hinn announced that Jesus would appear physically on the stage at his crusade in Nairobi Kenya (29th -30th of April, 2000)
  • Hinn announced that the world would end in 1992 and 1999.
  • Hinn has announced on TBN that he believes when Billy Graham dies, America will experience a major religious revival.
  • Hinn claims that there are nine members of the Trinity.
  • Hinn has previously taught the “Jesus died spiritually”  heresy, also promulgated by other word-faith false teachers such as EW Kenyon, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland etc.
  • Hinn underwent a congressional investigation and numerous exposés by news organizations that failed to turn up a single person ever healed at his "Miracle Crusades".
  • Hinn has an exorbitant lifestyle; he has an estimated net worth of $42 million and a seven figure salary.
  • Hinn promotes Roman Catholicism and ecumenism.

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5/20)

Hinn issues curses and threats to anyone who would question his false “anointing” : ''There's a heavy price and I would not want to be in the shoes of the one who touches the anointing. Don't touch the anointing!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-A51ltVq7I

If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18/22)

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. (Ephesians 5/11) 

NECROMANCY! 

Necromancy is a form of witchcraft involving communication with the dead (actually evil spirits), either by summoning spirits as an apparition or raising them bodily for the purpose of divination, imparting the means to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge.

Hinn claims to get his anointing from visiting the graves of Kathryn Kuhlman and Aimee Semple McPherson. He also claims to have dreams which he calls “visions” or “night visions”.

Hinn: "Well, anyway, in this one, in this vision that-that I saw-saw Miss Kuhlman. And she said, 'Follow me.' That's all she said. And I followed her to a second room. In that second room stood the Lord. When the Lord, uh-when-when I saw the lord, Kathryn disappeared. She was just gone. And now the Lord looked at me and said, 'Follow me.' And I followed him to a third room. In the third room sat a gentleman - I still remember his face. I can tell you, I still remember the man's face. And the man sat in this wheelchair in that third room. There was a big hole in his neck. A tube down his throat. He was crippled on that wheelchair. And he had tubes down his body. Totally crippled, totally para-totally, of course, paralyzed. The Lord laid His hands on this man and as He did the tubes disappeared, the hole closed, he was completely healed and got up off the wheelchair. It was a creative miracle. Now I'm standing watching the Lord in this vision heal this man. And now as the man was healed, the Lord looked at me with piercing eyes - I'll not forget that one I'll tell you. (He) looked at me with piercing eyes and said, 'DO IT!' And the dream and the vision came to an end." (Benny Hinn, This Is Your Day, June 11, 1997)

Hinn's interpretation: "When I woke, when I got up, when I came out of the vision, I was trembling and perspiring from head to toes. I know exactly what that vision means. It was Kathryn Khulman who took me, who introduced me to the Holy Spirit. That is the meaning of that first room when she said, 'Follow me.' But when Kathryn was gone, Jesus was there. Kathryn did her job and was gone and the Lord said, 'Follow me' into a third room. And there was this man. I believe I'm about to enter that third room. [Audience applause.] I'm telling you I feel it. I sense it. I believe that room speaks of a dimension, a new dimension in the Spirit. I believe I've been in that second room now for the last seven years. What is amazing to me, what's amazing to me is God works or has worked in my life in seven year cycles. I'm now in the seventh year - beginning the eighth of the ministry of these crusades. 1990 we started - March. This is what? '97. And just now I feel another platform, another dimension, another level is really coming. ell, saints you're going to be a part of it. God- God has sent you as partners to be a part of it. So how many are ready to see greater things for the glory of God?" (Benny Hinn, This Is Your Day, June 11, 1997) 

The sin of necromancy is an abomination and is absolutely forbidden in the Bible.

Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19/31 see also Leviticus 20/6 Deuteronomy 18/9-12 Isaiah 8/19)

Hinn: "In this dream, I did not see his face. Everything in me knew it was the prophet Elijah . . . I walked up to him and he was turning water into blood. As I came to him, he said to me, 'Take this!' I took the rod from him."

Fellow “prophet”  Marc Chironna's interpretation: "You have received the spirit of Elijah and the essence of the Elijah ministry."

The prophet Elijah's mantle was first given to Elisha the prophet (1 Kings 19/19; 2 Kings 2/9-10, 15) and then John the Baptist (Luke 1/17). John the Baptist and Elijah were fearless in preaching an uncompromised message before rulers and governors. In the last days the Bible tells us that “Elijah” will come again as a true prophet of the Lord, and like John the Baptist he will prepare the way of the king (Luke 3/4) – many believe as one of the two witnesses during the tribulation period (Revelation 11).  The two witnesses will boldly proclaim the clear, uncompromising, and unpopular message of the gospel of Jesus Christ shortly before the Lord's return (Revelation 11/3). The spirit of Jezebel is raising up counterfeits – false Elijah's who herald the false messiah i.e. the antichrist. Benny Hinn no doubt fancies himself as Elijah the prophet, but whatever he is, he is no true prophet of the Lord!

Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5, 6)
.
Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23/28)
But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. (Deuteronomy 13/5) 

Hinn is practising witchcraft and occult practices wrapped up in Christian garb. Notice his horned hand Luciferian salute.

Hinn's so called “anointing”  is received from two dead people (supposedly - though actually demons), Kuhlman and McPherson, and allegedly the Old Testament prophet Elijah - as such it cannot possibly be of God. It is The Holy Spirit and none other who anoints (Acts 2). The Bible makes it perfectly clear that the anointing belongs to Jesus Christ and that it is the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit who is poured out upon true believers, the body of Christ (Luke 24/49; Acts 2/32; John 14/16,26). 

Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2/38-39) 

But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. (1 John 2/27) 

For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. (2 Corinthians 11/4) 

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us....(2 Corinthians 1/21) 
Hinn's announcement that Jesus Christ would appear physically on the stage at his crusade in Nairobi Kenya (29th -30th of April, 2000) is totally unbiblical:

Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24/23-27)

And the LORD said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds." (Jeremiah 14/14)
Jesus Christ's warning: Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. (Matthew 7/15)

Jesus Christ's TRIPLE warnings about end time deception: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” And Jesus answered them, See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray...... And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. (Matthew 24/3-5,11) 

Peter's warning: But there were false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies … (2 Peter 2/1a)

What are true Christians instructions regarding prophesies? Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4/1)

False Prophets:  We do not stone false prophets these days but this sin is no less serious.   "I have not sent them,” declares the Lord. “They are prophesying lies in my name. (Jeremiah 27/15a) But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.  You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord”  If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message that Lord has not spoken.  That prophet has spoken presumptuously.  Do not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18/20-22)

Actions against heretics: A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject. (Titus 3/10)

The end of false prophets: But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  This is the second death. (Revelation 21:8) 

Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. (2 John 1/9-11)

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; (Revelation 18/4) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQKCMl2XzTs