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

DEREK PRINCE FALSE TEACHER WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING!!!

THE SHEPHERDING MOVEMENT HERESY

Derek Prince (1915-2003), was a well-known Bible teacher and author and founder of Derek Prince Ministries International. He was born to a British family in India and he had an impressive résumé as well as a commanding personality. He was highly intelligent and educated as a scholar of Greek and Latin at Eton College and Cambridge University in England and he held a Fellowship in Ancient and Modern Philosophy at King’s College. He also studied Hebrew and Aramaic, at Cambridge University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His daily radio broadcast, Derek Prince Legacy Radio still broadcasts to audiences around the world and his teachings are regularly broadcast on apostate channels like God TV, TBN and Revelation TV.

Derek Prince has the dubious reputation as one of the founders of the unmitigated disaster known as the Shepherding Movement. From 1970 the so called “Fort Lauderdale Five” (FL5) - Derek Prince, Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Charles Simpson and Ern Baxter (former Campaign Manager for proven false prophet and heretic William Branham) worked together in what they termed “covenant relationship". The Shepherding Movement (also known as the Discipleship Movement) operated primarily in the United States, though the teachings were distributed worldwide through the Christian magazine 'New Wine'.

Right from the outset the FL5 committed heresy by going beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6) by entering into an extrabiblical “covenant relationship” with one another. The New Testament tells us that on conversion believers have entered into the New Covenant with Jesus Christ - by default believers are also in covenant with one with another. The grace of the New Covenant, the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, and faith are sufficient - we should never add to the scriptures (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6). In other words, this idea of “covenant relationship” was a direct usurpation of the New Covenant and a denial of the cross of Christ. The fleshly idea of “covenant relationship” (as with other false teachings of Derek Prince) finds its theological precedent in the Old Testament not the New. In their arrogance and pride the FL5 proceeded to inflict their oppressive regime onto unsuspecting believers with disastrous results. Shepherding was initially introduced in 1973 by the FL5 at a Christian Growth Ministries (CGM) conference in Leesburg, Florida; it was then enlarged upon at a further CGM men's gathering in Montreat, North Carolina in 1974. This evil movement focused on a regime of extreme authority and submission within the church which later became known as “heavy shepherding”. Ironically the FL5 were incompetent to address the faults they alleged existed within the Charismatic Movement i.e. “individualism and lack of maturity” due to either their own inability or unwillingness to live and walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25-26). James 3:1 tells us with very good reason that few within the body of Christ should be teachers. Many people wonder why the charismatic movement is in its current state of failure and apostasy today – this is because it was derailed from the outset by self-elected leaders who were more interested in appeasing Rome and their own aggrandisement than truly following the Lord!

Bill Ligon gives a graphic example of the abuses of the Shepherding Movement in his book: Discipleship: The Jesus Way (Logos, 1979):

“One teacher stated in an article in 1974 that since the purpose of a true disciple was to carry out the will of Jesus Christ, ‘his own will must be broken.’ To do this, the teacher proposed that the disciple learn to obey his leader as a slave, not ‘knowing the ‘why’ of it.’ Then, he said, the day of recognition would come when his leader would tell him ‘Now you are ready.’ A true disciple, he said, could not be promoted or minister beyond ‘the recognition of his leader.’" (p. 221)

EARLY BETRAYAL: THE FL5 FORMED A SECRET COUNCIL AND AN ECUMENICAL ALLIANCE IN 1974! 

The alleged purpose of this unholy alliance was “to strengthen the shepherding system across the denominational lines.” Later on the Council included Roman Catholics Paul DeCelles and Kevin Ranaghan (People of Praise) and Cardinal Suenens among others:

“In 1974 Martin and Clark teamed up with the ‘Fort Lauderdale Five’ (Bob Mumford, Charles Simpson, Derek Prince, Don Basham & Ern Baxter – former secretary to William Branham), who were the founders of the Shepherding Movement, which later became known as the Charismatic Movement (yes, friends, the Shepherding came first!). They were joined by John Poole, another latter Rain adherent. Together these men established a group for ecumenical renewal.

A council was elected whose existence was kept secret as it was not acceptable at the time for Protestants to ‘labour in the Gospel’ with Catholics. For the fledgling Shepherding Movement the money and power of the Vatican were attractive: for Martin and Clark it was a golden opportunity to begin implementing the ecumenical and Charismatic aspirations of Vatican II”.
http://www.christiandoctrine.net/doctrine/articles/article_00171_the_charismatic_movement_web.htm

In 1977, the FL5 secretly met Cardinal Suenens in the Holy Land where they made a joint covert declaration to work together for the restoration of the unity of the Church. The council agreed to relate directly to Cardinal Suenens and to consult him before planning or implementing projects, evangelism, etc. In other words, the FL5 sold out and capitulated absolutely to Vatican control!
https://www.scribd.com/document/56951091/Meeting-Minutes-of-THE-COUNCIL-1974-1977
The General Council Minutes of The “Ft. Lauderdale” Elders makes very interesting reading! This document was obstructed and suppressed for a long time for obvious reasons: “The fuller picture is how these men wove themselves into a multi-apostasy which includes the RCC, the mother of whores.” http://www.seekgod.ca/gc.htm

In 1983 Derek Prince withdrew from the Shepherding Movement due to “reservations”. He publicly expressed regret about his involvement and the FL5 managed to pull off a classic blame shift onto other leaders down the line. However, Derek Prince had not yet finished inflicting his doctrines of demons onto believers by any means. 

1984 ONWARDS

The divisive subject of demonology and deliverance first raised its ugly head in 1971 at the first leaders meeting of the FL5 in Seattle when it caused controversy. After leaving the Shepherding Movement Derek Prince was completely delusional - he said that his ministry “exploded” from 1984 due to God’s blessing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b390cuOymns

Derek Prince now went all out to inflict more human traditions wholesale onto the body of Christ (Mark 7:8) via his extra-biblical teachings on “curses and blessings". His misapplication of the curses of Deuteronomy 28 onto believers is lethal. This teaching is also related to the teaching that Christians can be indwelt by the Holy Spirit and a demonic spirit simultaneously. Much of what is written in Derek Prince’s book 'Curses and Blessing' is simply a regurgitation of false teacher/prophet Kenneth Hagin’s teachings. As a result of these false teachings, Derek Prince screwed up many more Christians lives with his faulty theology. His teachings remain a great threat to many believers to this day.

“Derek Prince died in 2003, and now his teachings are being to half the world’s population through a daily radio program called Derek Prince Legacy Radio. However, it’s extremely important to point out that Prince has another legacy. It’s the shattered lives of those who have been spiritually abused by the destructive Shepherding Movement.” http://thewartburgwatch.com/2011/01/28/the-legacy-of-derek-prince/

CURSES AND BLESSING: A FURTHER DENIAL OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST!

The false teaching that believers remain under a generational curse due to familial or ancestral sin is completely unbiblical. Derek Prince taught that the curses in Deuteronomy 28 are applicable to born-again Christians: "The curses as described will also touch us because of the iniquities our forefathers have committed." In his book ‘Blessing or Curse: You Can Choose’ Prince teaches that Christians need deliverance from these generational curses. However Deuteronomy 28 concerns the Law and was specifically directed to the Israelites:

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Galatians 3:13)

Even in the Old Testament, generational curses are only applicable to those that hate God:

You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:5-6)

The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation. (Numbers 14:18) (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9; Numbers 14:18)

The Bible says that God will by no means clear the guilty. On the cross Jesus Christ removed all our guilt and the penalty of sin. When we are saved we are pronounced NOT GUILTY - we are JUSTIFIED (Galatians 2:16), WE HAVE RECEIVED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD (2 Corinthians 5:21). TRUE BELIEVERS ARE BLESSED – THEY ARE DEFINITELY NOT CURSED (Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:3). This teaching is foundational to Christianity, it is not secondary.

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (Ezekiel 18:20)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Derek Prince: Charismatics Can Have The Holy Spirit And ANOTHER Spirit (he praises false prophet and teacher William Branham). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1S4P7r9LfA

There is no instance in the New Testament of demons being cast out of believers. This teaching also denies the cross and harms believers by putting them into bondage.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3) Who has bewitched you? – Paul the apostle refers to these teachings as WITCHCRAFT!

DEREK PRINCE WAS OPERATING IN WITCHCRAFT ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD!

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8) Ironically it would appear that those who deny the cross of Christ by putting believers back under the law through extrabiblical “deliverance ministries” and suchlike are actually the ones who are cursed!

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Derek Prince gave the unbiblical and man-centred “rule”: “Eat the fish and spit out the bones.” However, the apostles and the leaders of the early church protected the flock from the wolves and their doctrines of demons. They went all out to give believers the pure milk of the word of God, not a mixture. It is a leaders responsibility to correctly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Leaders must be faithful men who are able to teach (2 Timothy 2:2; 2:24; 1 Timothy 3:2) - all these qualities were demonstrably lacking in Derek Prince.

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. (Galatians 5:9)

“A little leaven—the false teaching of the Judaizers. A small portion of legalism, if it be mixed with the Gospel, corrupts its purity. To add legal ordinances and works in the least degree to justification by faith, is to undermine ‘the whole.’ So ‘leaven’ is used of false doctrine (Mt 16:12: compare Mt 13:33)”. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary http://biblehub.com/galatians/5-9.htm

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. (Mark 9:42)

It absolutely sickens me that any church or Christian organization should sing the praises of Derek Prince, arch-deceiver, heretic and traitor of Jesus Christ.

 
Further Reading

The Curse of Derek Prince False Teacher
https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-curse-of-derek-prince.html

Charlatan Derek Prince: Demons and Curses
https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/2018/01/charlatan-derek-prince-demons-and-curses.html

Divide and Conquer: Cell Churches and Hijacks
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/5/10/112924/148

Church Membership Covenants..

http://ratherexposethem.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/church-membership-covenants-unbiblical.html

Who Is Your Spiritual Covering? Is It Biblical?
http://www.inspiredwalk.com/5246/spiritual-covering?fbclid=IwAR2014gvrHgg0KxiZYOpzqGEwV76046rd-7voJGcVpw6nP1-Xn8ckhsdTns

God's Plan of Salvation Through Jesus Christ
http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/gods-plan-of-salvation-through-jesus.html

GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

Dear Reader

Your eternal destiny depends upon your decision to repent, to turn to Jesus Christ in faith and follow Him. It is not a question of how good you are, whether you are “religious” or whether you attend a church, but whether you receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

(To REPENT is to change one’s mind and to think differently)

Jesus Christ made an extraordinary claim: He claimed to be the ONLY way to the Father:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14/6)

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. (John 10/9)

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5/20)

All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. (John 10/8)

Below are some scriptures which explain something about salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3/1-7)

ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD (Romans 3/23)

(SIN is to miss the mark, to fail).

……as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; (Romans 3/10)

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1/8)

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17/9)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6/23)

…. it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement, (Hebrews 9/27).

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5/21).

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:22).

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. (Leviticus 17/11)

(ATONEMENT means to cover over, pacify, make propitiation).

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3/16)

…..but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5/8)

Jesus Christ died in our place when He was crucified on the cross. We deserved to be the ones placed on that cross to die because we are the ones who live sinful lives. But Christ took the punishment on Himself in our place—He substituted Himself for us and took what we rightly deserved.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. (1 Peter 2/24)

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, (Acts 17/30).

And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, (Acts 16/30-31)

Simply repent and believe on Jesus Christ as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (John 1/12).

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

Unless you repent and believe on Jesus Christ who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your crucified, buried and risen Saviour, you be forgiven all of your sins and you will receive His gift of eternal life.

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (Mark 8:36).

Unbelievers will not inherit the Kingdom of heaven:

"But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshippers, and all liars--their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." (Revelation 21/8)

THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD – GOD CANNOT LIE:

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it? (Numbers 23/19)

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. (Hebrews 6/18)

If the above verses of scripture have impacted you and you want to find out more about salvation through Jesus Christ then please do get in touch via the contact form on this blog.

A WORD OF WARNING

Many so called “Christian” churches today are false churches; they do not teach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ or follow Him. They have all the outward appearance of godliness and they may seem to be successful, but in fact they are mere stooges of Satan (Matthew 23/27). To become involved with any of these false churches would be catastrophic.

“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. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7/21-23)



http://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/a-new-outreach-connecting-outside-camp.html

TRINITY LIFE CHURCH LEICESTER – SMITH WIGGLESWORTH FALSE REVIVAL

What follows is a biblical critique of Smith Wigglesworth’s healing ministry and his prophecy of  a great end-time revival. This gives a very different picture to that given by Brian Niblock on the 19th of October 2014.

Brian Niblock Map and Compass : http://trinitylifechurch.org.uk/messages/

SMITH WIGGLESWORTH MAN OF GOD?

Smith Wigglesworth

Smith Wigglesworth, far from being a man of God was the cause of much consternation and concern amongst his critics. Many sick people were afraid to go forward for prayer at his meetings because of his violent and bullying behaviour! His methods involved hitting, slapping or punching the afflicted part of the body. Proven false prophet Lester Sumrall was responsible for circulating many of the stories of the so called feats of Wigglesworth.

“1987 to 2000: Lester Sumrall, in his 1987 book ‘I Predict 2000 AD’ predicted that Jerusalem would be the richest city on Earth, that the Common Market would rule Europe, and that there would be a nuclear war involving Russia and perhaps the U.S. Also, he prophesized that the greatest Christian revival in the history of the church would happen: all during the last 13 years of the 20th century. All of the predictions failed.” http://www.sounddoctrine.net/Nick/topical/false_prophets.htm

Sumrall recounts Wigglesworth punching corpses until restored to life and repeatedly punching cancer tumour victims until they died and then raising them from the dead. Wigglesworth is credited with creative miracles where missing limbs were formed. He is reported to have kicked a dead baby off the platform which later came back to life!!! It has been said that the legend of Smith Wigglesworth is one of the greatest lies and fabrications ever developed within the Pentecostal movement. Not one account of Wigglesworth’s raising the dead was ever authentically documented.

“On a number of occasions his approach to persons suffering from stomach complaints was to punch them in the stomach, sometimes with such force that it propelled them across the room. When challenged on this, his response was "I don't hit them, I hit the devil". Responding to criticism over his method of praying for the sick, Wigglesworth stated: "You might think by the way I went about praying for the sick that I was sometimes unloving and rough, but oh, friends, you have no idea what I see behind the sickness and the one who is afflicted. I am not dealing with the person; I am dealing with the satanic forces that are binding the afflicted…..” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_Wigglesworth

“On another typical occasion, a man came forward for prayer for stomach pain, and, commanding the pain to be gone, Wigglesworth punched the man in the stomach so hard that he was sent half-way across the room (completely healed)! This kind of thing happened more than once. Wigglesworth believed in COMMANDING the sick to be healed in Jesus' name. His was an aggressive, holy faith. He was a ‘violent’ man, taking ground from the devil by force. And yet he was also a man of great compassion, as well as of great authority. The devil certainly felt it when Smith Wigglesworth hit town!" http://www.deanbergministries.org/smith_wigglesworth2.htm

Did Jesus Christ or the apostles ever use violence to heal anyone?

I can only imagine that the devil was having a good laugh at this base and ignorant man.

Wigglesworth believed that physical healing is included within the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice as part of the atonement. He taught against the use of all medicine and believed that all sickness was of the devil. The concept of guaranteed healing brings with it very serious problems. The Bible tells us that NOT ALL sickness is of the devil. Paul the apostle was unable to heal Timothy’s frequent ailments (1 Timothy 5/23); Paul left Trophimus sick in Miletus (2 Timothy 4/20). Sickness can be caused by sin of course (John 5/14). 1 Corinthians 15/42-44 and 2 Corinthians 4/16 tells us that our outer man is decaying. Only in the resurrected state will believers be completely free from illness and pain. Wigglesworth commenced each one of his meetings by standing up on the platform and arrogantly declaring, "Whoever gets up here first will be healed of whatever disease they have got!"

"On one occasion Wigglesworth declared to the sick ‘I'll only pray for you once, to pray twice is unbelief.’ The second night, a man approached the altar to receive prayer again and Wigglesworth, recognizing him, said ‘Didn't I pray for you last night? You are full of unbelief, get off this platform!’” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_Wigglesworth

To top it all off, Wigglesworth himself and his own family were critically impacted by sickness. Wigglesworth suffered for years with gallstones and later with sciatica. His daughter Alice, who assisted at his meetings, was never healed of deafness. His wife Polly was not healed of the sickness that took her life as a young woman in 1913, and his son died two years later from the sickness that took him away in childhood. Mary Boddy, the woman who laid hands on Wigglesworth in 1907 when he was allegedly “baptized in the Spirit”, spent the last sixteen years of her life as an invalid. All this really speaks for itself.

I’m sorry if this offends Smith Wigglesworth fans, but I find that his attitude was disgusting in the extreme and about as far away from God as you can get! Wigglesworth set a precedent for false healers like Todd Bentley to go around punching and kicking the sick! It is all very well being unorthodox in one’s methods, but Wigglesworth was a violent and crude man! I personally do believe in healing and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but we should never abuse the body of Christ by dishing out crass unbiblical answers to people who are suffering, and we cannot attribute all sickness to the activity of demons!

In addition to his blatantly unscriptural teaching about healing, Wigglesworth was a forerunner of the erroneous Word-Faith Movement due to his teaching that Christians can command (speak) things into being. He also taught a form of sinless perfection. There are many other problems with Wigglesworth’s theology too numerous to mention here.

SMITH WIGGLESWORTH WAS A FRAUD AND A LIABILITY!!!!!

As Brian Niblock rightly says, Wigglesworth did prophesy a great end-time revival. In 1936 he gave a prophecy to ecumenist David DuPlessis that God would pour out the Pentecostal experience to sweep the world, and that DuPlessis would play a significant role in this movement. The non-fulfilment of this prophecy proves that it was not of God. The ecumenical/charismatic “renewal” can be credited with facilitating the false end-time one-world ecumenical church of the book of Revelation AKA Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Abominations of the Earth (Revelation 17/5).

Below is the text of the Smith Wigglesworth prophecy published by Adrian Warnock:

"THE GREAT REVIVAL

During the next few decades there will be two distinct moves of the Holy Spirit across the Church in Great Britain. The first move will affect every church that is open to receive it and will be

The second move of the Holy Spirit will result in people leaving historic churches and planting new churches.

In the duration of each of these moves, the people who are involved will say, ‘This is the great revival.’ But the Lord says, ‘No, neither is this the great revival, but both are steps towards it.’

When the new church phase is on the wane, there will be evidenced in the churches something that has not been seen before: a coming together of those with an emphasis on the Word and those with an emphasis on the Spirit. When the Word and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest movement of the Holy Spirit that the nation, and indeed, the world, has ever seen. It will mark the beginning of a revival that will eclipse anything that has been witnessed within these shores, even the Wesleyan and the Welsh revivals of former years. The outpouring of God’s Spirit will flow over from the United Kingdom to the mainland of Europe, and from there, will begin a missionary move to the ends of the earth.”

— Smith Wigglesworth, 1947

What does the Bible say about the end-times and revival?

Many passages in the Bible say that there will be a massive end-time falling away, NOT a revival:

Jesus Christ did not speak about a great end-time revival, in fact he taught the polar opposite - in the Olivet Discourse his very first statement was: “See that no-one leads you astray.” (Matthew 24/4)

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24/9-14)

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24/24)

Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.(Luke 17/26; Matthew 24/3 ) This is an emphatic statement in the Greek meaning exactly as it was in the days of Noah.

The days of Noah don’t look like revival to me! The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6/5).

…..because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. (1 Peter 3/20)

Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17/28-30) Only Lot, his wife and two daughters were rescued from Sodom.

Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD. (Genesis 13/13; 18/20; 19/4)

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons….. (1 Timothy 4/1)

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4/3-4)

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction….. (2 Thessalonians 2/3)

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7/14)

Who should we believe – Smith Wigglesworth or JESUS CHRIST?

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

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)

Much more could be said about Smith Wigglesworth, but I will let readers investigate the links in this post for themselves if they are interested. Paul the apostle advised Christians to have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths (1 Timothy 4/7) and that is precisely what all this Wigglesworth nonsense really is. If you attend TLC, please do your research and do not just take on board what these leaders are telling you (Acts 17/11).

Brian Niblock et al can talk about the Bible and the Holy Spirit as much as they like, but the church needs to put its house in order before the Lord will work in anyone’s life! I have already listed multiple problems at TLC in previous posts, the latest of these being David Hind’s ecumenical leanings and his misplaced admiration for apostate Billy Graham who also talks about an end-time revival i.e. "a great spiritual awakening"!

The Bible warns us AGAIN AND AGAIN that there will be a massive deception in the end-times and that demonic forces will perform astounding miracles - lying signs and wonders. (Daniel 8/25; 2 Thessalonians 2/10-12; Revelation 13/14; Revelation 16/13-14).

My challenge to the leaders of TLC is to provide BIBLICAL EVIDENCE for an end-time revival. Please contact me if you come up with any such evidence.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20/28-30)

…..if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7/14)

 

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the LORD. They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfil their word. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the LORD,’ although I have not spoken?”Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end. And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the LORD. Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it, the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 13/1-15)

http://taministries.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Smith-Wigglesworth-The-Facts-v3.5.pdf

http://www.smithwigglesworth.com/pensketches/prophecy.html

http://ianvincent.wordpress.com/2014/04/21/smith-wigglesworth/

https://www.facebook.com/watchmandownunder/posts/552629761474242

http://www.bibleprophecyblog.com/2009/11/last-days-apostasy-of-church-part-1.html#

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

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

PETITION FOR A PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO WOOTTON PARK SCHOOL - ADAM SIMMONDS PCC 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#share

PLEASE SIGN THE ABOVE PETITION  It is very important that the circumstances surrounding Adam Simmonds PCC for Northamtponshire dealings over Wootton Park School are investigated.

Simmonds is also Director of Trinity Life Church in Leicester and had two of my posts removed from Blogger earlier this year - an action which I believe was illegal. This matter is currently under investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman.

Justin Brown:

"This is a copy of a press release I put out to all local newspaper editors and the BBC last Friday:

Retired Policeman calls for public inquiry into OPCC and Wootton Park School.

Retired Northants Policeman Justin Brown has called for a public inquiry in relation to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the creation of Wootton Park School.

The proposed School, set to replace the existing county Police headquarters at Wootton Hall received approval by the Department for Education earlier this week.

Mr Brown had earlier questioned the Police and Crime Commissioner Adam Simmonds regarding his suspected involvement with the trust behind the School at a Police and Crime panel meeting in March this year.

Mr Brown has also provided written evidence regarding the matter to the home affairs select committee which conducted a public inquiry into the progress of Police and crime commissioners nationally during the summer. His evidence was accepted by the inquiry chaired by Keith Vaz MP and published as part of the final report. As part of the conclusion by this committee Keith Vaz stated PCC's were 'on probation'.

Mr Brown said " I had referred my concerns initially to the independent police complaints commission, as I believe the PCC has abused the public trust, they declined to deal with the matter and the complaint was heard recently by the local Police and Crime scrutiny panel, who also decided the PCC had already satisfactorily answered my concerns at the meeting in March"

"Of course I contest the local decision as I believe the PCC has misled the public regarding both his own and his office involvement with the creation of both the trust and School. I remain very concerned and suspicious that the PCC arrived in office with a prepared agenda for the Police headquarters, I don't believe its sale or intended use is either to help create a more efficient Police service or is justified as part of a wider crime tackling plan."

"Ex colleagues and fellow Political party allies of the PCC feature heavily in this proposed School, both in the trust behind it and the actual School itself, freedom of information act requests show that staff from the OPCC have been personally involved in the direction of the School and that includes putting public money towards its creation"

Mr Brown has prepared a report containing his concerns for Keith Vaz MP in his capacity as chair of the home affairs select committee urging for a public inquiry to be held.

Mr Brown added:

" I believe that only a public inquiry can get to the truth of the matter, the people of our county, especially the officers, staff of Northants Police and the folk who actually live on the park itself need answers as to why so much effort and public expenditure has gone into the creation of the School by the PCC"

Ends"

For further information please visit the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/justintelligence?fref=nf

Councillor Danielle Stone (Lab, Abington and Phippsville), Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Member for Education at Northamptonshire County Council: “Free schools are supposed to be driven by parents, but this school is being driven by the Police and Crime Commissioner who is more interested in empire building than the needs of ordinary local people." http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/local/breaking-news-new-school-at-northampton-s-wootton-hall-police-headquarters-given-go-ahead-by-department-for-education-1-6329575

Simmonds plans for closer collaboration between police and fire services in Northamptonshire has received strong criticism by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) for being undemocratic:

“The FBU is fundamentally opposed to police and crime commissioners taking over the governance of local fire and rescue services. PCCs have no democratic mandate to administer the fire and rescue service, nor the expertise or resources to improve our service.”

http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/top-stories/union-criticises-northamptonshire-police-commissioner-s-blue-light-plans-1-6320944

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

DECEIVER BILLY GRAHAM EXPOSED!!!

Unbiblical statements about the second coming of Jesus Christ from Billy and Franklin Graham should serve as a huge red flag to true believers of Jesus Christ. Both these men are currently heralding the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth. These statements are utterly false and have no biblical foundation whatsoever. The Bible tells us that Christ will NOT return to the earth until the end of the Great Tribulation!!!! Certain end-time events must take place before Jesus Christ returns to the earth (2 Thessalonians 2/4; Matthew 24/4-30; Revelation chapters 6–19).

We would have to be biblically illiterate to believe anything coming out of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA).

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thesalonians 2/3-4)

Franklin Graham in a recent interview with of all people apostate TBN Co-Founder Jan Crouch: “We feel that we’re on the edge, that the lord Jesus Christ could come back at any moment.”

The BGEA places the rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth as simultaneous events…..this raises some very serious issues:

Billy Graham: “ …..the rapture will not be secret, since it will be part of Christ’s visible and triumphant return to end this present evil age (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).” http://billygraham.org/answer/what-is-the-rapture/

“Graham showed the evangelical flame still burned brightly within him by claiming that the time was ripe for the second coming of God on Earth. In the Bible this is called the Rapture - but it spells Armageddon for human civilisation.” http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/billy-graham-hope-christ-rapture-prediction-516248

“America is suffering from a ‘sea of immorality,’ he (Billy Graham) said, adding that in his opinion, the second coming of Jesus Christ is imminent.” http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/7/rev-billy-graham-americas-drowning-sea-immorality/

Franklin Graham: “As I read the news, I can’t help but wonder if we are in the last hours before our Lord Jesus Christ returns to rescue His church and God pours out His wrath on the world for the rejection of His Son….. I don’t know if we have hours, days, months, or years…..”
http://www.refiningtruth.com/billy-graham-wonders-hours-christ/

It is important to differentiate between the rapture (the harpázō of the ekklésia - the snatching away of the true church) and the second coming of Jesus Christ. The rapture is described in 1 Thessalonians 4/13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15/50-54. The second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth is described in Revelation 19/11-16.

The timing of the rapture is not specified in the scriptures ….. no one knows the day or the hour (Matthew 25/13), whereas the second coming of Christ to the earth follows a definite sequence of events and will occur after the great tribulation. In both Daniel and Revelation we have a period of three and a half lunar years, described variously as 42 months, 1260 days, or a time, times and half a time (Daniel 7/25; 12/7; Revelation 11/2; 12/6; 12/14; 13/5). In Daniel 12/11-12 the period is extended to 1290 and 1335 days (Daniel 12/11-12).

And he (the Antichrist) shall make a strong covenant with many for one week (seven years – each day is one year), and for half of the week (three and a half years) he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator. (Daniel 9/27)

Concerning the rapture, some people take the pre-tribulation view, some the mid tribulation view and some the post tribulation view. It does concern me that those who teach a definitive pre-tribulation position are taking liberties with God’s word and I am not convinced by their arguments (Proverbs 30/6; Revelation 22/18). Good Fight Ministries and others are now beginning to warn about the dangers of pre-tribulation position.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9iRT91_pyo

My own thoughts are that if the rapture and the second coming are simultaneous, believers will have to go through the whole period of the great tribulation and suffer the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 5/9; Revelation 3/10; 6/12-17). I therefore very tentatively take a pre-wrath rather than a pre-tribulation view at this point in time for the following reasons:

The rapture will be an instantaneous event (1 Corinthians 15/52), whereas the second coming will be visible to all people and Christ’s millennial reign on the earth will begin (Revelation 1/7).

At the rapture, Christ comes for His own - believers will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4/13-18; John 14/3). The elect will be rescued just as Lot was rescued from Sodom (Luke 17/28-29). This is what is referred to as the “secret” rapture.

In contrast, the second coming is Christ’s visible return to the earth ----every eye shall see him---- (Revelation 1/7; Matthew 24/29-30; Acts 1/11). His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14/2-4)). Jesus Christ will come to the earth with His own following the great tribulation period of three and a half years (1 Thessalonians 3/13; Jude 1/14; Revelation 19/4,14). At the end of the age, the angels will gather all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness (Matthew 13/40-42, 47-50) The wicked will be blotted out as in the days of Noah (Genesis 7/23; Matthew 24/39).

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24/31; Mark 13/27) 

There seems to be a very short period of time between the rapture and the second coming in the above passage. Nevertheless it is not the same event.

To sum up, the Christians are taken from the earth at the rapture and the wicked are left, whereas the wicked are taken away at the second coming and the Christians remain on the earth with Christ.

What are we to think about Billy and Franklin Graham? Are they so arrogant that they think that they can say anything and be believed? Unfortunately there are people who have made the catastrophic mistake of gambling with their eternal destiny by putting Billy Graham on a pedestal above the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. We should seriously take note of the Berean Jews and test men’s words against the scriptures (Acts 17/11). No man’s reputation should come above Jesus Christ and His gospel!

These men are false prophets and false teachers. As I have written in previous posts, they have a proven track record of apostasy and compromise. The whole Graham family are ecumenical including Anne Graham Lotz. They have a form of godliness, but they deny the power of the true gospel (2 Timothy 3/5). The true gospel preached by the power of the Holy Spirit is the power of God for salvation – this is incompatible with ecumenism (Romans 1/16). These men empty the cross of Christ of its power (1 Corinthians 1/17).

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1/8)

Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (Revelation 12/17)

The love of the Lord is directly connected to making disciples NOT converts. Any person preaching the gospel has a responsibility to do everything possible to ensure that those who respond are given sound teaching and follow up.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs (Greek = little lambs).” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” (John 21/15-17)

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….. (Matthew 28/19)

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. (Acts 20/28)

The BGEA quite literally throw the lambs to the wolves by sending them directly into the “care” of the Luciferian Roman Catholic Church!!!

 

I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. (Acts20/29)

Billy Graham and Franklin Graham are actually aiding demons in snatching away the gospel from mens hearts:

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.” (Matthew 13/3-4, 19)

"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? (Ezekiel 34/2)

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19/6-10)

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