New post on John McTernan's Insights
http://defendproclaimthefaith.org/blog/?p=31062 

8 Ways to Identify Apostasy

 

Jude 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Commentary

Martin Niemoller: Uncompromised German pastor who stood against Hitler

I recently posted a fantastic article by Joseph Mattera about how to identify a compromised apostate church. The article was so good that I want to highlight it to ensure that everyone reads it.
I also recommend that you forward this article to everyone you know, so we have ammunition to confront the apostates. I see those that compromise the faith as “tares amongst the wheat”.
If anyone reading this realizes that they are compromised, you must repent before the Lord and ask Him to cleanse you of this mindset. Ask Him for the power to live according to the word of God. It is very serious to the Lord to live compromised in this corrupt world. People who are compromised deny the faith and bring much confusion to many people.
I also suggest that you confront any preacher that is compromised with this truth, and offer him the opportunity to repent before the Lord. With the clarity of this article, no preacher has an excuse for promoting a compromise version of Christianity.

Philippians 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

The article quoted in full follows:

8 Clear Signs of a Compromising Church

“During the days of Nazi Germany there arose a Confessing Church movement that rose against the German Church movement, which became the religious arm of the Fascist Nazi Socialist movement. Of the 18,000 pastors in Germany during that time (from 1933 to 1945), less than 5,000 were aligned with the Confessing Church. Hence, only a remnant held fast to the biblical position with about half of the churches conforming due to political and societal pressure. Unfortunately, this demonstrates that, when push comes to shove, a large percentage of pastors, churches and so-called Christians will probably bow to pressure and allow the norms of culture to become their credo for Christianity.
We see the same thing today in churches in the USA and beyond. With the accelerated pace of the attack on religious liberty today, there could develop a great divide in the church between confessing churches and compromising churches similar to what happened in Nazi Germany. This will not be a divide based on denominational affiliation but based on the degree of loyalty to biblical fidelity. It is sad but true that more and more believers will be compromising core biblical values and standards rather than be stigmatized or persecuted, and lose influence in society.
In John 12:42-43 we see that many contemporaries of Jesus believed in Him but would not confess Him because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
The following are contrasts between the confessing church and the compromising church.
1. In the confessing church, Christ is over culture. The compromising church accommodates Christ to culture. The confessing church believes Jesus is Lord over all creation. Hence, they attempt to reflect Christ in every area of culture. The compromising church has a posture of accommodation. Hence, the Christ they believe in and preach is shaped by the culture they live in.
2. The confessing church holds fast to the Word of God in spite of opposition. The compromising church alters the Word of God because of opposition. Soon in America it is quite possible that it will be illegal to preach from certain passages of the Bible dealing with human sexuality. Because of this, many will alter their theology to fit the culture while the confessing church will preach the Word of God in spite of governmental fines, penalties, lawsuits and even serving time in jail.
3. The confessing church puts the kingdom of God above their culture and ethnicity. The compromising church puts their ethnicity before the kingdom of God. The German Church during the Nazi era put nationalism and their Aryan heritage above the Word of God. Many pastors and believers today view the Scriptures more through the lens of their ethnicity and national heritage than through a proper exegesis of Scripture.
When, and if, our nation officially makes biblical Christianity illegal, we will soon see who will be the confessors and who will be the compromisers. In many ways, practicing biblical Christianity is already illegal when it comes to believers attempting to walk out their faith in the marketplace because private Christian-owned businesses do not have the same level of protection today as do local churches.
4. The confessing church alters their methods of preaching. The compromising church alters the message they preach. While it is wise and biblical for the body of Christ to be relevant to culture regarding the preaching of the gospel, it should never put being relevant above being faithful. The compromising church puts being relevant before biblical faithfulness. Hence, they not only change the method of preaching but also the message they preach.
5. The confessing church is a remnant in the minority of church and state. The compromising church wants to be in the mainstream of both church and state.  The confessing church endures long seasons of feeling like aliens and strangers in their own communities. The compromising church wants to be in the mainstream of culture more than living in the divine flow of God’s favor and presence.
6. The confessing church is penalized by the state government. The compromising church is applauded by the state government. While the confessing church is hunted down and ostracized by the humanistic state, the compromising church is celebrated by the far-left radicals and used as a model of how church and state should function together.
7. The confessing church prophetically speaks truth to power. The compromising church conforms to those in power. The confessing church knows that at various seasons in their existence they will not gain a lot of converts and/or experience societal transformation. The best they can do is to maintain a prophetic witness to the cultural elites and surrounding communities. Since the compromising church enjoys the power and prestige the elites grant them, they always conform rather than confront.
8. The confessing church desires the praise of God. The compromising church desires the praise of men. Ultimately at the end of the day it boils down to this: Are we living for the praise of men or the praise of God? If things don’t change in the coming days, we will be shocked at how many megachurches, mid-size churches and smaller churches compromise the word of God so they could continue to keep their doors open.
At some point we will all have to stand the ultimate test, which is whether we desire God more than we love our lives, or whether we love our pleasures, conveniences and material goods more than God. Truly, if we confess Christ before men He will confess us before His Father in heaven, but if we deny Him before men He will deny us before His Father in heaven (Matt. 10:32-33).
Joseph Mattera is overseeing bishop of Resurrection Church and Christ Covenant Coalition, in Brooklyn, New York.”

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Further reading:

DID JESUS CARE ABOUT CORRECT DOCTRINE?

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Yes--Jesus-Did-Care-about-Correct-Doctrine.html?soid=1101870705073&aid=0D-nuk1N8j4

TRINITY LIFE CHURCH LEICESTER - END OF YEAR REVIEW

This post is an end of year review and update following my articles on this blog and also on
https://standfirminthelord.wordpress.com concerning Trinity Life Church (TLC) which is an Assemblies of God Pentecostal denomination in Leicester.

This past year I have written about a number of alarming issues concerning TLC:

• PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS PROHIBITED AT OPEN HANDS AS A CONDITION OF RECEIVING BIG LOTTERY FUNDING!
• RECIPIENTS OF LOTTERY FUNDING EQUALS UNGODLY APPROVAL OF GAMBLING!
• TLC MUST DEMONSTRABLY BELIEVE AND ABIDE BY UNBIBLICAL SECULAR EQUALITY VALUES AS A CONDITION OF SECURING LOTTERY FUNDING!
• THEOCRACY: UNBIBLICAL TOP HEAVY LEADERSHIP WHICH EXCLUDES THE CONGEGATION IN DECISION MAKING AS AGAINST THE NEW TESTAMENT MODEL!
• NEPOTISM = PARTIALITY!
• ROCK MUSIC VERSUS WORSHIP!
• CHURCH GROWTH BASED ON THE “SEEKER SENSITIVE” MEGA CHURCH CAMPUS MODEL RATHER THAN ON GOD'S BLUEPRINT FOR CHURCH PLANTING IN THE BOOK OF ACTS!
• PLAYING HOST TO FALSE TEACHER/PROPHET MARK STIBBE IN 2011!
• VALIDATION OF ARCH DECEIVER AND NECROMANCER BENNY HINN!
• INVOLVEMENT WITH ECUMENICAL CHURCHES TOGETHER!
• ENDORSEMENT OF FALSE TEACHER BILLY GRAHAM!
• FALSE TEACHING: SMITH WIGGLESWORTH'S FALSE PROPHECY ABOUT END-TIME REVIVAL!
• ADAM SIMMONDS REMOVAL OF TWO OF MY POSTS FROM BLOGGER IN FEBRUARY (HAVING BEEN DENIED EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY, I STILL BELIEVE THIS WAS ILLEGAL)!

As 2014 has progressed, it has become painfully clear to me that TLC have continued to steer a course which is in opposition to God’s Word whilst outwardly professing their love for Him. There does come a point when God will abandon people to the path they are determined to follow because they refuse to love the truth (2 Thessalonians 2/10). I am now beginning to wonder whether TLC have crossed the Rubicon.

SAUL’S UNFAITHFULNESS

Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD." But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" (1 Samuel 15/13-14)

King Saul was commanded by the Lord to totally destroy everything belonging to the Amalekites and to put every single person and animal to death (1 Samuel 15/3). When the prophet Samuel arrived it was clear that Saul had not obeyed the Lord’s instructions. Saul had spared the best of the animals and everything he considered to be good. He also spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites. The next morning Saul set up a monument in his own honour! This was a defining moment for Saul, but he did not comprehend the seriousness of his situation. When he was challenged by Samuel, Saul insisted that he had obeyed the Lord:

And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction." (1 Samuel 15/20)

As a result of these actions the Lord rejected Saul as king over Israel (1 Samuel 16/1).

Below are some interesting comments from two commentaries on Biblehub:

While Saul's own conscience was silent they (the animals) were proclaiming his disobedience. these questions he put to convict him of the falsehood he had delivered; the bleating and lowing of these creatures proved him a liar, and were witnesses of his breach of the divine command; and one would think every bleating and lowing of these must alarm his conscience, unless dreadfully stupefied.
The reason for sparing the best cattle is very apparent, namely selfishness. But it is not so easy to determine why Agag should have been spared by Saul. It is by no means probable that he wished thereby to do honour to the royal dignity. O. v. Gerlach's supposition, that vanity or the desire to make a display with a royal slave was the actual reason, is a much more probable one.

When Saul persisted in declaring that he had obeyed, alleging that the animals, whose bleating was heard, had been reserved for a liberal sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, his shuffling, prevaricating answer called forth a stern rebuke from the prophet. It well deserved it—for the destination of the spoil to the altar was a flimsy pretext—a gross deception, an attempt to conceal the selfishness of the original motive under the cloak of religious zeal and gratitude. http://biblehub.com/commentaries/1_samuel/15-14.htm

Eventually Saul turned to full on occultism when he went to the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28/7).

Similarly King Solomon turned away from the Lord after other gods: - And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. (1 Kings 11/9-10). King Solomon was a prototype of the Antichrist: Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold.... (1 Kings 10/14)

What point am I trying to make by relating these incidents?

What we say about ourselves may actually be the very opposite of reality!!!

TLC: “WE LOVE GOD - He comes first, His Word is central and we aim for Jesus to be the centre of all we do.” http://trinitylifechurch.org.uk/our-heart/

TLC make great boasts about their love of and commitment to God, but they demonstrably do not keep the Word of God? Words are cheap, but the Bible says: By their fruit (deeds) you will know them. (Matthew 7/16) The acid test of anyone claiming to follow the Lord is: Do their actions match their words? Are they faithfully following the Word of God and devoting themselves to the the gospel of Jesus Christ and the apostles teaching?

The Bible invites us to examine ourselves, to see whether we are really in the faith (2 Corinthians 13/5). The way we examine ourselves is to test whether our doctrine matches up to God’s word i.e. Do we keep God’s word? If we do not then we have failed the test and are reprobates.

The deluded self assessment of the Laodicean church:

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. (Revelation 3/17)

The reputation of the church in Sardis:

You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. (Revelation 3/1)

Christ commends the struggling church in Philadelphia because they KEPT HIS WORD:

I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3/8-10)

Love for Jesus Christ cannot be separated from keeping His word:

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14/23)

Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” (John 8/51) When Jesus Christ uses the phrase amen, amen (truly, truly) His words are emphatic.

And the Word (Jesus Christ) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1/14)

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7/21)

The Bible talks about a different Jesus, a different spirit and a different gospel. These counterfeits usually focus on good works like helping the poor and a "social gospel" – TLC have these elements in abundance. 

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)  NOTE - WE ARE NOT TO PUT UP WITH IT!

Jeremiah’s warning about false teachers and prophets: 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.’”

GAMBLING AND LOTTERY FUNDING!

TLC'S OPEN HANDS MATERIAL IS SATURATED WITH THE SATANIC 666 “LUCKY” CROSSED FINGERS LOTTERY LOGO!

TLC received their thirty pieces of silver from Big Lottery last year. In doing so they put their own agenda above biblical values and ethical considerations against gambling by applying for and accepting lottery funding. It is ironic that Director and Trustee of TLC Adam Simmonds is a Fellow of the Institute of Faith & Culture at CARE  (Christian Action Research & Education). CARE is an advocacy group that takes a very strong stand against gambling! http://www.care.org.uk/advocacy/gambling 

Who knows, there may be even more ungodly funding in the pipeline for The Open Hands Trust!
http://www.togetherinservice.net/event/fast-track-to-funding-leicester/
http://www.faithaction.net/events/faith-too-significant-to-ignore/report/ 

NEPOTISM!

I previously reported that there were three members of the Hind family owning the title of pastor at TLC following David Hind's appointment in 2007. This number has now increased and currently FOUR members of the Hind family hold the title of "pastor": "David and Susan Hind are the Senior Pastors of TLC; their son Tom Hind and his wife Philippa are the Campus Pastors of TLC @ UpperT. Tom Hind is also the Children’s Pastor and Worship Co-ordinator.” http://trinitylifechurch.org.uk/leaders/

THE UNBIBLICAL MULTI-SITE CAMPUS MODEL!

TLC: “We are one church currently meeting as 6 campuses.” – TLC Central, TLC @ Beaumont Leys, TLC @ Oadby, TLC @ Braunstone, TLC @ UpperT and TLC @ The Unit” http://trinitylifechurch.org.uk/our-heart/

The megachurch culture and CEO pastoral model of the multi-site campus model has been adopted by apostate ecumenical leaders such as Rick Warren (Saddleback Church), Mark Driscoll (Mars Hill Church) and Bill Hybels (Willow Creek Church). This was also the model adopted by false teacher Richard Taylor who lead the fake Welsh Outpouring at Victory Church in Cwmbran. Since my original post, Mark Driscoll has been ousted from Mars Hill Church and Richard Taylor has been forced to leave Victory Church in disgrace along with his sidekick Andrew Parsons.

MARK STIBBE EX LEADER OF THE FATHERS HOUSE TRUST!

I wrote 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 so called “third wave” Toronto “blessing” at Chorleywood.

Another disaster: Mark Stibbe stepped down as the leader of FHT in 2012 due to his: “decision to enter into an inappropriate relationship with someone other than his wife.”

DAVID HIND'S SHOCKING ENDORSEMENT OF PROVEN FALSE PROPHET AND NECROMANCER BENNY HINN IN JANUARY 2014!

I must say that David Hind’s endorsement of false prophet and necromancer Benny Hinn shocked even me. Benny Hinn has strong connections with Roman Catholicism and 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

UNHOLY ALLIANCES: ECUMENICAL CHURCHES TOGETHER!

BREAKFAST ON THE 10TH MAY 2014 - ST MARTIN'S HOUSE LEICESTER!

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

No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. (1 Corinthians 10/20) DID YOU GET THAT? According to the Apostle Paul, the “gods” of other religions are DEMONS.

· Ecumenism is worldwide unity among religions.

· Ecumenism is unholy unity with false religions.

· Ecumenism is the foundation of the one-world religion warned about in the Bible.

· Ecumenism is the spirit of Antichrist.

· Ecumenism will usher in the Antichrist. 

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.b You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6/4-5)

b - Or The LORD our God is one LORD; or The LORD is our God, the LORD is one; or The LORD is our God, the LORD alone

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. (Deuteronomy 4/39)

"You shall have no other gods before me." (Deuteronomy 5/7)

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22/37; Mark 12/30; Luke 10/27)

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6/46)

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

            Pope John Paul 11 kissing the Koran

WHICH "GOD" DOES ADAM SIMMONDS PCC NORTHAMPTONSHIRE DIRECTOR AND TRUSTEE OF TRINITY LIFE CHURCH LEICESTER FOLLOW?

“The Northamptonshire Police Force and Fire Services are keen to explore co-operation with faith group leaders across the County in order to pursue the aim of making Northamptonshire the safest place in England. Recognising the fact that faith-based organisations are already taking the lead in Community Involvement throughout the Country, Adam Simmonds, the Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner, has set up THE OFFICE OF FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES in order to be able to help the Police to better engage with faith groups. The OFBCI is now looking to open discussions with those with leadership roles in faith groups and faith motivated initiatives throughout the County. They have already been in consultation with Churches Together Groups, Denominational leaders of the Christian Churches, leaders of the other Major Faith Groups and senior personnel of Street Pastors, Crime2Christ and other similar organisations, and they now wish to invite leaders of all faith groups…..” 
http://www.churches-together-northampton.org.uk/NovwebLOGOS.pdf

PCC addresses faith-based conference in Westminster:

Simmonds: “In January 2014 I created an Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) within the Police and Crime Commission”. http://www.northants.police.uk/#!/News/24682

TLC:  “WE LOVE GOD - He comes first, His Word is central and we aim for Jesus to be the centre of all we do.”

TO FOLLOW: I shall be writing in more depth about how TLC's profession of faith is at complete variance with the political agenda of Adam Simmonds and his involvement with Freemasons, the OFBCI, Churches Together in Northampton, Interfaith Festival of Color Basti Ram and the Woolf Institute which specialises in the study of relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims from a multidisciplinary perspective. http://www.togetherinservice.net/latest/category/news/

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

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4/1)

Dear Reader – Do you have questions about Jesus Christ and how to be truly saved? If so, then please read my post: GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/gods-plan-of-salvation-through-jesus.html

THE TROUBLE WITH ADAM SIMMONDS PCC NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Every time I read posts about Adam Simmonds in the newspapers, I am astounded by the hostility he provokes from the general public in the comments section. Quite frankly I have never seen so many negative comments about anyone, not even a politician!

The initial furore erupted over Simmonds so called “cronyism” when he appointed four assistant commissioners, namely Kathryn Buckle (his campaign agent and "best friend"), Peter Heaton, (his campaign spokesman), John Raisin and Iain Britton. Peter Heaton and John Raisin were Simmonds’ previous colleagues at Northamptonshire County Council and Iain Britton was previously deputy head of policy for Northamptonshire Police. Simmonds came under fire in 2013 after budgeting up to £260,000 for his new management team. The full time salaries of these four jobs at level PMG4 was in excess of £65,000.

The criticism that these appointments provoked was damning on many levels:

• The appointments were undemocratic. The Police and Crime Panels which scrutinise the appointments of commissioners can only make recommendations; they do not have the power to block appointments.
• The appointments were not necessary since Simmonds inherited paid staff from the old police authority.
• Simmonds actions were contrary to his frequent statements about making savings.
• The jobs were not advertised and interviews were not held.
• The appointees did not have the necessary experience.
• Simmonds did not observe normal procedure for public appointments.

Peter Heaton and John Raisin announced they would be “stepping down” in June of this year. The phrasal verb “step down” implies that this was a decision taken by these men themselves, but apparently not so!  These two men were made redundant, they did not “step down” voluntarily at all.  The burning question asked by one reader is whether these men will receive redundancy payments.

Simmonds has announced that the staff will not be replaced, saving £114,000!!! How much money would have been saved if Simmonds had not acted so foolishly in employing his cronies in the first place?

“Northamptonshire Police said both posts had been subject to contractual notice periods and had been made redundant.

A Freedom of Information request by the BBC last month revealed Mr Simmonds' then 17-strong team cost £1.12m.

The old police authority cost £694,599.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-3005587

There are also burning questions being voiced about Wootton Park School, the 900 non-existent special constables and the controversial merging of the Police and the Fire Service. Justin Brown is much more qualified to address these issues than myself. http://www.justintelligence.net/

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has stated that Labour would remove the PCC posts if they won next year’s election.  The Liberal Democrats have branded PCC's a failure and have also pledged to scrap the position. Phew - let us all hope and pray that whoever is elected will remove the highly unpopular PCC posts.

My own complaint against Adam Simmonds has been a complete farce from start to finish:

Simmonds was responsible for removing two of my posts on Blogger in February. These posts were a critique of Trinity Life Church in Leicester (part of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God denomination) of which Simmonds is Director and Trustee. Simmonds claims he took this action under his own name, a claim that I have questioned for a number of reasons outlined in previous posts.

My complaint against Adam Simmonds, PCC for Northamptonshire was “considered” by the toothless Northamptonshire Police & Crime Panel (PCP). I say “toothless” because the PCP is a joint committee of each of the councils in Northamptonshire set up by legislation to scrutinise the PCC. The irony is that one of the statutory functions of the PCP is to deal with complaints about Simmonds conduct, and yet they have informed the Government Ombudsman that they have “no investigatory powers” i.e. they are powerless to investigate any complaints about his conduct. That being the case, what precisely is the point of their existence? The Government Ombudsman in turn are also toothless since they cannot change the system that exists for scrutiny of a PCC - they can only look at the way the current system has been implemented.  This situation makes Adam Simmonds effectively unanswerable – he is an autocrat and can do and say anything he likes because no-one has the power to investigate his actions and hold him to account! Ironically, Simmonds talks a lot about accountability, but he does not like to be held accountable himself! My recourse now has been to contact Liberty80 and to write to the PM in protest.

The main problem I have with Adam Simmonds is that he does all these terrible things and yet at the same time he claims to be an evangelical Christian - this seems to me to be a complete contradiction in terms.  I am acutely aware that someone with a public profile like Simmonds needs to be especially careful about his Christian witness to the outside world - having a clear conscience, desiring to act honourably in all things (Hebrews 13/18). All the criticisms against Simmonds I have read concern autocracy, abuse of power, lack of transparency, egotism, honesty, truth and fairness.  I believe that Simmonds is bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ into disrepute and that because of him the way of truth will be blasphemed (2 Peter 2/2).  In fact I have already read some derogatory comments about his faith.

The Apostle Paul wrote that overseers in the church (which is what Simmonds is) should be above reproach (Titus 1/7):

For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. 

I am not levelling all the above faults against Simmonds as I do not know him personally, but certainly some of them stand out to me.  I also contend that Trinity Life Church in Leicester has lost its way spiritually and is being run along similar ungodly "empire building" principles that Simmonds employs in his PCC role. This is a matter of grave concern and prayer.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7/21)

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7/15-19)

https://www.change.org/p/david-cameron-sack-adam-simmonds-police-and-crime-commissioner-for-northamptonshire - "This petition is a vote of no confidence in Adam Simmonds, a man who puts his ego and media profile ahead of the people of Northamptonshire."

https://www.change.org/p/keith-vaz-mp-chair-of-home-affairs-select-committee-public-inquiry-into-wootton-park-school-the-northampton-free-school-trust  - "We request a public inquiry to determine what degree of involvement the PCC and his office have in relation to this School, how it benefits Northamptonshire Police, how it benefits the people of Northamptonshire and why has Adam Simmonds seemingly colluded with Political allies and previous colleagues in pushing forward this School. Who really stands to benefit?"

Dear Reader – Do you have questions about Jesus Christ and how to be truly saved? If so, then please read my post: GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST  

http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/gods-plan-of-salvation-through-jesus.html

http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/top-stories/help-hold-northamptonshire-s-police-commissioner-to-account-1-6394805

http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/ipcc-police-crime-commissioner-complaints.html

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/crime/new-report-reveals-northamptonshire-has-highest-proportion-of-special-constables-in-the-uk-1-6410877

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/crime/commissioner-simmonds-appoints-four-assistants-1-4520273

http://www.northantspcc.org.uk/docs/about-us/staffing/FurtherStaffInfo.pdf

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-30055875

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/crime/northamptonshire-police-and-crime-commissioner-reacts-as-labour-reveals-it-would-scrap-role-after-election-1-6312216

http://www.northampton-news-hp.co.uk/Row-brews-PCCs260k-budget-staff/story-21668880-detail/story.html

http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/

The Great Hillsong Sellout - Brian Houston Fudges On Homosexuality

Apparently Brian Houston looked rather nervous before making these remarks about the LGBT debate - and rightly so. It is a pity that he does not fear God more than men (Hebrews 13/6; Proverbs 29/25). These remarks follow Houston's outrageous false claim that Muslims and Christians serve the same God earlier this year - a claim that he quickly retracted! 
http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/brian-houston-hillsong-muslims-and.html

TRANSCRIPT:

Brian Houston: "The message is sacred but the methods have to change uh- for the church to stay relevant. And uh it’s challenging! It’s challenging to stay relevant. I mean we go to you – you know – the one big hot topic maybe for churches is now with homosexual marriage uh legalised and uh – you know – and churches for generations, they- they hold a set of beliefs around what they believe the Word of God- the bible says. And all of a sudden in many circles the church can look like a pariah because- to many people it’s so irrelevant now on that subject. So staying relevant, it’s actually a big challenge. Uh- I think it’s more than just – you know – singing more contemporary songs and- and uh – and – you know, the c-c-colours you paint your walls or whatever.
It’s- it can be challenging for churches to stay relevant because many mainstream churches – uh – you know – in how in what- would they would believe is a long established view in what the bible says on the subject of homosexuality. But the world’s changed around and about them.
On the subject I always feel like there’s three things: there’s the world we live in, there’s the weight we live with and there’s the word we live by. The world, the weight, the word. And to me, the world we live in, whether we like it or not, is changing around and about us. Um- homosexual marriages legal in your city and uh- and will be in probably in most Western world countries within a short time. So the world’s changing and we want to stay relevant as a church. So it- that’s a mixing thing. You think, 'How can we stay- ho-how can we not become a pariah'.
So that’s the world we live in. In the weight we live with is the reality that in churches like ours and virtually in any other church, there are young people who have serious questions about their sexuality. And uh- who maybe spea- you know – hypothetically – speak to a youth leader. A youth pastor. And says -uh, 'I think – you know- I’m gay'.
And maybe they feel a sense of rejection there. Or maybe even their own Christian parents can’t handle it and uh- exclude them at the time when they are the most vulnerable in their life. So you can have in churches not- not just our church – churches, young people who are literally uh depressed. Maybe even suicidal. And sadly often times grow up to hate the church because they feel like the church rejected them.
So there’s the world we live in, the weight we live with and the word we live by. And the word we live by is what the bible says. And uh- it would be much easier if- if- if- if you could feel like all of those three could easily- easily wind up. But they don’t necessarily. And that’s why Carl always says, 'For us it’s a conversation'.
You know to us, I think it’s very easy to reduce, 'What do you think of homosexuality' to just a public statement. And that would keep a lot of people happy. But we feel at this point that it is an ongoing conversation. That the real issues in people’s lives are too important for us to reduce it down to a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer in a media outlet. So we- we’re on the journey with it aren’t we?"

BRIAN HOUSTON'S THREE POINT VERSION OF CHRISTIANITY AS IT RELATES TO THE LGBT DEBATE:

1. THE WORLD WE LIVE IN
2. THE WEIGHT WE LIVE WITH
3. THE WORD WE LIVE BY

Notice that the Word of God comes last in Houstons three points! He has it completely backwards - the Word of God always comes first biblically.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119/105)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2/15)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12/2)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1/27)

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4/4)

Houston says that because the world is changing Hill$ong wants to stay RELEVANT! Should Christians be relevant to the world or pleasing to God (2 Corinthians 5/9)? Although the world is subject to change, GOD DOES NOT CHANGE (Malachi 3/6). Houston/Hill$ong do not want to become a pariah.... this is nothing less than cowardice and compromise - Jesus Christ said that Christians can expect to be a pariah:

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you...." (John 15/18-19)

.....and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10/22 and also Matthew 24/9, Mark 13/13, Luke 21/17)

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. (Matthew 5/11)

Houston says that many mainstream churches have traditionally held a set of beliefs around what they believe the word of God says. NO BRAIN HOUSTON - The Word of God is unequivocal - The Bible condemns homosexuality and calls it a sin. If this offends anyone then I am very unhappy, but it says what it says. It is more important to Houston to "stay relevant" than to preach the Word of God. Houston is no real friend of homosexuals I can assure you. He is squirming and stuttering through this issue to stay relevant i.e. to pacify the LGBT community and to keep his rather large "church" (if you can call it that).

For Houston the LGBT debate is an ongoing conversation!!! It may be an ongoing conversation for Hill$ong and other traitors of Jesus Christ, but it is not an ongoing conversation for those who truly follow the Lord.  The Lord Jesus Christ calls sinners everywhere (including homosexuals) to repent and turn to him in faith so that they will be saved from the wrath to come.

Carl Lentz New York City Hill$ong pastor also fudges the issue:

“When it comes to homosexuality, I refuse to let another human being or immediate moment dictate how we approach it. Jesus was in the thick of an era where homosexuality, just like it is today was widely prevalent. And I’m still waiting for someone to show me the quote were Jesus addressed it on the record in front of people. You won’t find it because he never did.”
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1406/02/acd.02.html

THIS IS A GROSSLY INACURATE STATEMENT

Jesus Christ was NOT in the thick of an era where homosexuality was widely prevalent!!!!  Homosexuality was condemned by the Jewish tradition and it was almost unheard of in first century Jewish culture.

The author of the Syballine Oracles, thought to be an Egyptian Jew (approx. 163 - 45 B.C.) "The Jews are mindful of holy wedlock, and they do not engage in impious intercourse with male children, as do Phoenicians, Egyptians, and Romans, specious Greece and many nations of others, Persians and Galatians and all Asia."  http://www.conservapedia.com/History_of_homosexuality#Homosexuality_among_the_Jews

JESUS CHRIST AFFIRMED THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS!

Jesus Christ: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5/17)

Jesus Christ: “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.” (Luke 16/17)

Leviticus 18 forbids various types of unlawful sexual relations calling them “unclean” - verse 22 explicitly calls homosexuality an abomination as does Leviticus 20/13).

Jesus Christ's affirmation that marriage is between a man and a woman: “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh." (Matthew 19/3-6; Genesis 2/24)

Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”  (Acts 17/29-31)

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21/8)

HILL$ONG MEMBERS BEWARE!  The feel-good factor at Hill$ong has nothing to do with Biblical Christianity!

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)

THE BIBLE AND HOMOSEXUALITY

·You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. (Leviticus 18/22)

·If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them. (Leviticus 20/13)

·For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error. (Romans 1/26-27)

·Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, (1 Corinthians 6/9)

·This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, fornicators, sodomites, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching (1 Timothy 1/9-10)

THE DAYS OF LOT

The days of Lot were were defined by sexual immorality and rampant homosexuality just prior to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus Christ warns us that the world will be just the same in the end times prior to his second coming. Now is the time for church leaders to be warning about the coming judgement rather than fudging the issue.

Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building..... (Luke 17/28).

They (Sodom and her daughters) were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. (Ezekiel 16/50)

Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural lust (perversion), serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1/7)

…… they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, so that we may know (be intimate with) them." Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, and said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly." (Genesis 19/5-7)

Dear Reader – Do you have questions about Jesus Christ and how to be truly saved? If so, then please read my post: GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/gods-plan-of-salvation-through-jesus.html