Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Gangrene

"Their teaching will spread like gangrene."
2 Tim 2:17

I am very concerned about the latest wind of doctrine blowing through the Church.  

"Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth."
Eph 4:14

"Cross-centered, Gospel-centered, gospel-driven, explicit-gospel, gospel-centered discipleship, gospel, gospel, 
gospel-__________" 
Fill in the blank and you can find a book written on it.

 But, wait a minute, I LOVE the gospel of Jesus Christ!!!
John 3:16 is on my answering machine!!!! Look at my header/ Christmas card. I live/breathe the gospel.
I will share the gospel with anyone who has a pulse and invite them to enter into a relationship with Christ.  I have studied what the Bible teaches about the gospel (of Jesus Christ) for years now. 
I. LOVE. THE. GOSPEL.
How could anything including the word "gospel" be bad?


The word "gospel" seems to be the new "skinny jeans" of the Church. People have 24 books piled by their night stand about the gospel and how to preach it to themselves. Nobody knows what anybody is talking about anymore and you have to read books to really understand the gospel.  Pastors are being "enlightened" into the secret mysteries found in the writings of man that awaken them to the "true gospel".  There are actually "gospel prayers" (that contain no Scripture) that you can pray to yourself everyday that promise great success
Just meditate on "the gospel". 
And the meditate some more on... "the gospel".
Are we suppose to be meditating on "the gospel"?
No. 

We are suppose to be meditating on God's Word!
"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it."
Joshua 1:8 
"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."
Psalm 1:2

They say,
" The gospel' isn't the diving board, it is the pool!"
Jump in and get lost. Swim around and splash in "the gospel" for a while. 
What on earth???
Talk about high-sounding nonsense!
"Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ."
Col 2:8


The gospel of Jesus Christ is our WAY to God. 
It isn't God. 
We don't worship the gospel. 
We worship GOD.


This doctrine is very emotionally-charged and sensationally-described. We are buying these books and DVD series' faster than these guys can write them.  The tricky part is that they use words we love... yet they have been redefined and we have no idea.
It is the "bait" or what the Bible calls, "guile" or "deceit".
There has to be bait to lure us in. It is the words we love and think are safe that cause us to take the bait.
"For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.
 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts."

1 Thess 2:3,4

I totally got snowed by this. 
I totally "took the bait"... hook, line, and sinker. 
So please feel no condemnation from me.
It got me too! Until the Spirit inside me began blowing an airhorn of danger and I began to examine what they were saying to see if it was true.
You think you are all talking about the same thing but you aren't. Meanwhile you have just read 18 books and still have no idea what anything means. You start saying things like "I think what THEY MEAN is" when it isn't what they say.
And there is now NO WAY you could ever share the gospel again, because after all, WHAT IS IT? 
"I thought it was simple, but not according to these books!"
I just need to keep reading until I understand.
It is almost like the emperor's new clothes. No one will admit they have no idea what they are doing. They are just imitating the other guy who seems to know what he is doing.

The Bible calls the gospel "mysterious". The mystery being that we Gentiles even have a CHANCE at inheriting the salvation promised to the Jewish people.
"This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."
Eph 3:6

Look at this verse... 
how long did it take these guys to understand the gospel?
"All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since THE DAY you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth."
Col 1:6

My concern is this... people are reading books written by man that are LOADED with error and having awakenings to "the gospel". They spend their days preaching "the gospel" to themselves and praying "the gospel" prayer. They haven't shared the gospel with someone in years.  They aren't even sure if they are saved anymore because, after all, they did pray the sinner's prayer and ask Jesus to come into their lives. Maybe they didn't repent ENOUGH. Maybe they didn't FULLY understand "the gospel". Doubt, confusion, man-worship, and self-centeredness begin to take over.
Meanwhile, the Word of God is accumulating dust at the bottom of a pile of books. They can no longer read it for themselves. 
The writings of man have become like an addiction. 

The water is tainted but they don't realize it. They keep drinking. 
Pastors are deceptively introducing these teachings to naive sheep who drink the water given.
I think this list is so fascinating about sheep that I found on wikipedia... 
READ NUMBERS 5, 11, &13!!!


"Characteristics of Sheep"
They are of a gregarious nature...meaning they love to be with the herd, they are herbivores. Sheep must have a leader (shepherd) and must be told what to do and where to go, other wise they'll wander off and get lost. 
1. timid, fearful, easily panicked
2. dumb stupid, gullible
3. very vulnerable to fear, frustration, pests, hunger
4. easily influenced by a leader, by the shepherd
5. stampede easily, vulnerable to mob psychology
6. little or no means of self-defense; can only run
7. easily killed by enemies
8. the shepherd is most effective, calming influence
9. jealous, competitive for dominance
10. constantly need fresh water, fresh pasture
11. have very little discernment in choosing food or water
12. best water source is early morning dew
13. perverse, stubborn - will insist on their own way , even eating poisonous
plants or drinking dirty water
14. easily "cast" - flipped over on their back, unable to right themselves
will die of starvation if not turned over by shepherd; helpless
15. frequently look for easy places to rest
16. don't like to be sheared, cleaned
17. too much wool can cause sheep to be easily "cast"
18. creatures of habit; get into "ruts"
19. need the most care of all livestock
20. need to be "on the move"; need a pre-determined plan, pattern of grazing
21. totally dependent of shepherd for every need
22. need "rod and staff" guidance"

These guys are trying to throw out the sinner's prayer along with discouraging children to ask Jesus into their hearts. :( 
You can read dozens of blogs and books on that. 
They will convince you both aren't Biblical. 
THEY ARE WRONG.
Is asking Jesus to come into your heart Biblical? 

YOU TELL ME....

"But in your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord"
1 Peter 3:15

"so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith."
Eph 3:17


"He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts" 2 Cor 1:21-22

"Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col 1:27

"God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts," Gal 4:6

"And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us."
1 John 3:24

"Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."
John 14:23


Skip the latest books and RIDONCULOUS blogs and STUDY THE WORD!!! :)



"I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them." 


Romans 16:17



‎Guess what this word "obstacles" (skandalon) means-

 the movable stick or trigger of a trap, a trap stick...the trigger of a trap on which the bait is placed, and which, when touched by the animal, springs and causes it to close causing entrapment.
So, sweet friends, GET AWAY FROM IT.
IT is dangerous. There is a trigger or a trap stick that the bait is placed on and it will take you captive!
Again...


"Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers* of this world, rather than from Christ."
Col 2:8







CHRIST IN US.
A MYSTERY.
OUR HOPE OF GLORY.
JESUS LEFT HEAVEN TO NOT ONLY SAVE US BUT TO LIVE IN US!

In John 14, Jesus talked about how He and the Father were going to make their home in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. THIS is the key to the Christian life. Realizing the when you become a Christian, the God of the Universe… Jesus Christ Himself MOVES INSIDE YOU AND BEGINS TO LIVE HIS LIFE THROUGH YOU!
I am super concerned about this teaching (in the Church right now) that says we are not to ask Jesus into our hearts.
WHAT? That is our only hope!!!
Colossians 1:27 says that 
"Christ in you" is your "HOPE of glory".
 Discouraging your children from asking Jesus into their hearts literally leaves them HOPELESS.
I definitely tell my children to ask Jesus into their hearts. Apart from Him they can do nothing!
Here is how I explained it to my boys just the other day:
“Guys, What would you do if somebody called you and told you that you were going to be the starting quarter back in the Superbowl.”
They were like, “um, no way I would do it.”
Me “why?”
Them: “Because those guys are like 400 pounds and I don’t know how to play football. We would get killed.”
Then I said, “ok, what if they told you the best football player that ever lived was going to unzip you and climb inside you and you would have all His strength and skill and He would tell you all the plays to call. He would give you the power to win and tell you everything to do.”
They said, “then we would do it”.
That is what Jesus does.
We are called into a battle we CANNOT WIN. I don’t know about you but I have never really had a desire to be in the military or go to war. Especially when I will be fighting against the demonic realm and the principalities of this world!
I like cute shoes. I like comfort. I am not a warrior.
I have a better shot playing quarter back in the Superbowl!

Yet, Jesus says, 
"I will UNZIP you and live my life through you.
I will tell you everything to say, everything to do, I will fight the battle through and we will win.
But, whatever you do… DON’T try to do anything apart from me and DON'T drop your sword!"

I asked the boys…
 "so if you are on the field as quarterback with all these 400 pound guys, would you ever think it would be a good idea to try to play in your own strength?”

No. not a good idea.

It is not a good idea for us either.

We will get crushed too. Apart from Him, we can do nothing!!!


Please, please, please encourage your children to ask Jesus into their hearts. That is Biblical. That is a concrete Biblical truth.

Praise God that WE have the power of the TRINITY living inside us.

Meditating on some guy's gospel prayer is going to give you ZERO power to live for Jesus. Preaching the gospel to yourself gives you ZERO power to overcome sin. 

Our only HOPE is asking Christ to come into our hearts!
Christ in us... our hope of glory!

That is our children's only hope. To know they canNOT live this life on their own. It will have to be Jesus in them and through them.

These teachers say that children are too concrete and imagine a little guy living in their hearts...

First of all.... BOLOGNA. 



I asked my kids if they ever thought that and they haven't. Nobody does until these guys put that visual in your mind. Second of all, who even cares if they do? I want my children to know Jesus is with them at all times. 
It isn't about Jesus being a little man living in our big heart!
That is nonsense.

The real question is that HOW IN THE WORLD can the God who created the universe 

FIT INSIDE US? 

Answer: 
He doesn't. 



He will pour out out of our hearts onto the people around us. 


He will flow out of our hearts like a RIVER!

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

John 7:38






I already wrote A POST on the Sinner's Prayer.
So, if these guys get their way, everyone will preach the gospel to THEMSELVES, no one will pray the sinner's prayer or ask Jesus into their hearts, and everybody will be reading books and listening to their sermons instead of studying the Word for themselves.
I am watching Churches split right down the middle over this stuff. 
It divides everything it touches. 
It brings death, not life. 
Confusion instead of clarity. 
The gangrene is spreading everywhere throughout the body of Christ. 
I am begging you to get away from these books and book-studies. You don't realize you are in a current being led in the wrong direction until you look up and have no idea how to get back to truth.
I know this post is harsh but I am so heart-broken as I watch the Church getting beat up by it... one sheep at a time. 


There are a lot of different gospels out there. 
Make sure you are referring to the gospel of Jesus Christ- not man's gospel.
"For I would have you know brothers, that the gospel that

 was preached by me is not man's gospel. 

For i did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, 

but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." 

Galatians 1:11-12

 gospel of man= DEFICIENT, lacking, worships the cross, worships the gospel, worships man, ignores the resurrection, 
denies authority of Scripture,  dependent on works/ your ability to repent, philosophical, promotes the writings of MAN, preached to self, causes confusion and division, not for all men-only some.

Gospel of Jesus= complete, worships GOD, teaches death and resurrection, upholds the Word, points people to God/not man,  preached to the world, Isn't based on intellectual (secret) knowledge but on God's power, not dependent on works, promotes the writings of GOD, brings unity and peace, accepted by faith, 
offered to ALL.

So, we need to figure out which gospel we are talking about because we SURE don't want to spread the gospel of man. It has NO power.
The Gospel of Christ, however, has the power to SAVE!

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,"
Romans 1:16


I love you. 
Please, please be careful out there.
Stay in the Word! Like my friend, Erin, said...
 "If the love of your life sends you a letter, do you hand it off to someone you've never met and ask them to tell you what it says?! No way!! You hide under your covers and treasure every word in secret"
He wrote His Word TO YOU. To be read and understood by you.
You do not need anyone to teach  you. His Spirit and His anointing will teach you!

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth."
John 16:13


"But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ."
1 John 2:27


I know you may be nervous about who to trust and what to read. Just stay in the Word. 

It is the Word that gives life. 

If you want to read a book or a commentary, do that after you have read, memorized, meditated on Scripture. 

If you have a steady diet of books/ on-line sermons and are hardly reading the Word, you are in trouble. No matter who it is. The gospel of Jesus isn't complicated. We are to preach it to the world, not ourselves.
 "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
Mark 16:15
It is the message that we are commanded to give to the world. The invitation that Jesus has made to every person who has every lived.
"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin  for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
2 Cor 5:20,21


Be Blessed~
Steph

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."
Acts 20:24

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

AMEN!!!!!

beth said...

with all due respect [and much is due; you are amazing!], I think what you refer to as 'redefining' is, in many cases, actually 'clarifying' - an immeasurable, eternal difference!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k22HizakN9I&feature=youtu.be

with love,
beth

Anonymous said...

I love what you said about how the true gospel isn't something complicated and some secret thing that can only be discovered if you study all these books and such. What hope can we give our kids if that is true!? The enemy wants us to get all caught up in the "complicated" - when Jesus says to become like little children. That means that His Word is for little children and we as mothers have the wonderful privilege to bring them before His throne and pray to Him for salvation and change their hearts! Understanding all this complicated stuff isn't going to save anyone - I love the stories I hear of foreigners who saw the Jesus story film and asked God to come into their lives and they are changed and live for Him - they know nothing of other books then the Bible and they go and PREACH to their people simple love of Christ and what He has done for them! awesome. I envy sometimes that innocence they have and simple devotion unstained by all we have crowding out here in the USA. lys

jen said...

Every time I come "visit" your blog I wish we knew each other in real life. It's so refreshing to see someone that just "gets it". ~ Jen