The secular new year of 2023 is nearly upon us, and the year of 2022 is nearly behind us. Really, the past few months have felt really, really strange. For one thing, I and my family were sick over the Thanksgiving (in America), and so we celebrated it late. Then, because of sickness the early Christmas activities were missed such as going to Handel’s Messiah and the lighted Christmas parade, and then because of ice and snow we missed all of the week before Christmas events like the Christmas Eve specials at various churches and shopping for last minute gifts. Therefore, Thanksgiving did not feel like Thanksgiving and Christmas did not feel like Christmas.
On top of this there was a heaviness over the season. I thought I was feeling this way simply because I had not experienced all the fun events, but it went deeper. Each time I would shake it off. Each time I would struggle against it and turn up the Christmas music a bit more, and sing a little bit louder. But something was definitely different. It was nearly tangible.
Just after Christmas I and a family member listened to Dana Coverstone’s most recent dream (posted about a week before Christmas) about the canary in the coal mine, and it not only explained the growing darkness, it also explained that we as Christians in that darkness must continue working and worshiping while we work. We must not stop singing. And, we must not attempt to defend Christianity or the Holy Spirit or ourselves. We must not be defensive, but must be active in working and worshiping, for when we do so we will not be discouraged nor distracted nor defeated. This is, in short, the interpretation of the dream.
Then, yesterday I went onto youtube looking for something else when I came across the video below by Adele Grobler of Bold Existence. Adele Grobler and Candace and Michael Foy are the “coaches” and ministers of Bold Existence. They are true Christians, and are Holy Spirit- empowered sisters and brother in the Lord on the other side of the world. They do not appear to be apart of any nefarious group nor are they a cult. Praise the Lord! And they have deeply refreshed me! And oh! How I needed refreshing after a very oppressive week!
Yes, I believe Jesus really shared His heart with Adele through the Holy Spirit, and I pray that whoever it is that is reading this today would also click on the video below to hear Christ’s “right now” message (rhema word) to the Church.
Indeed, it has been a blessing to hear from both Dana Coverstone and Adele Grobler the same exact thing that I have been experiencing and feeling. They truly have confirmed what I have been dreaming and hearing from the Lord.
The darkness is growing. But as it does, we who have been in the secret place, who have pressed in to the Lord, who know Him will be unshaken by what is coming on the earth. And we must continue to worship and shine, for as we do so the darkness will still be perplexed and will be rendered powerless to overcome us! (“Christmas 2022: Choosing to Shine,” https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/2022/12/23/christmas-2022-choosing-to-shine/).
Indeed, God has made His heart known to mankind, and is about to show forth His great power in the earth. He has given many warnings, allowing time for people to repent. Things are going to happen more quickly now than ever before, “wave upon wave. All this is of My doing, and My shaking, and final attempts to wake mankind up, to wake them up to the hour that is upon them… Will not all these things that I have spoken come to pass? The clock is ticking and is running out; the hourglass is almost empty. My light is almost here…I will continue to shake everything…they will see many tears in days ahead, and you will hear many cries of suffering and pain and anguish on the lips of my people who wake up too late. They will beat their breasts and cry out loud saying, ‘Why didn’t I listen? Why didn’t I hear? He spoke but I was blinded in my own ways. He made His way known to me, but I refused to follow. I wish I could turn back time. I would do things differently if I knew what I know now.”
To these the Lord responds, “I will never turn My back on my people who repent, but I won’t ease the consequences they will need to walk out because of their disobedience. They have made themselves their god. They are so focused on their next meal, their next success, their next holiday, their next entertainment. They put me on a shelf thinking as long as I gave my life to Christ I will be saved, and yet, little do they listen to the rest of my instructions, what it means to be a true disciple and follower of Me.”
Truly those “Christians” who, like Jesus said to Adele, have been looking to their next vacation or meal or fun thing will seriously be affected by the grave darkness that is descending palpably upon the world.
And so dear Christian who is reading today as the year 2022 turns into 2023 and as Christ’s return is upon us and the darkness is becoming so thick that it can be felt, do not be found lukewarm! Do not be found wanting! Do not be found pursuing your own goals, your own pleasures, your own gains, your own wants, your own ways when Jesus calls His Bride home! For truly, who is it that you are serving? Yourself? Are you your own god? Are you your own idol? Is your family your idol? Are your kids? Your spouse? Your job? Your house or your car or your tv shows or movies or vacations or life in general? Do you say you believe in Jesus, but everything else is on the throne of your heart?
Where is your heart? I pray the Holy Spirit convicts you now, today, and that today if you hear His voice you will not harden your heart! For today is the day of salvation (Psalm 95:8; Hebrews 3:15). You must choose THIS day whom you will serve. Everyday you make a choice. Every single day you decided who rules your life — you, another person, or God. If it is not God, then it is time to repent. For real. Today. Right this minute. This very second. Whether or not you go in the rapture of the Bride depends on it! Seriously. We are called to lives of holiness, for without holiness and undiluted, unadulterated faith we will not see the Lord (Hebrews 11:6; 12:14). “28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12).
“25“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”29Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 34“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Let’s be found watching. Let’s be praying always that we may be counted worthy to escape. Let’s not be found enamored by the things of this world nor be found overwhelmed by all that is happening, but rather, may we be found looking up. May we be found believing Jesus’ words that will come to pass and will NEVER pass away.
Jesus is coming SOON! Let’s be ready!
Looking up,
Holy Light Ministries
I personally only listen to the dream portion by Pastor Dana at the beginning and do not listen to Cherie. The interpretation is simple and does not take an hour to unpack!
In the wake of many disappointing elections in the United States and upheaval in Brazil because of their elections; in light of what is happening worldwide as the rumblings of war grow louder and longer such as in Tigray of Ethiopia, Ukraine of Europe, Taiwan, and the Middle East; and in the reality of tyrannical governments, such as China’s and Myanmar’s and North Korea’s, continuing to constrict and clamp down more tightly on their people, it is powerfully clear that we must live in the truth of 2 Peter 3:10-18.
“10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.14Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless…17You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”
Think about that. The heavens are going to disappear with a great roaring, crashing sound, and all will melt with extreme fire. And all the earth, everything held too dearly right now, will be loosed from the word of God’s great power, and will burn with an unimagined intensity until liquified, and will never be found again even if one sought to find it.
What then are we holding onto so tightly?
The affect of the knowledge that God’s kingdom is coming and that we are very much apart of it, and the hope of a new heavens and new earth and the conclusion of the present world is to be the cause of an inward change in us that in turn causes an “up-turn” of inner beliefs that leads to an alteration in outward behavior (https://biblehub.com/greek/391.htm). And this modification of behavior is to be one of holiness and reverent devotion to God. Verse 12 then goes on to explain that as we live out this holiness and reverence we will be “looking for and hastening” the day of God. To be “looking for and hastening” means we are eagerly and expectantly looking for this culmination of all things, and are earnestly desiring it above all else. It is not that we bring it into being by anything that we do or say or think. No. But it does mean that we are looking for it with every fiber of our being, our hearts singing and singly looking for it, awaiting with intense eagerness the coming of our King and His kingdom.
Dear reader, this is what God would have us doing now. He does not want us full of gloom and doom because of the disintegrating of this dying world and the death even of America. He does not want us disillusioned because of corrupt politics. He does not want us distracted by elections and talk of election fraud nor because our candidate did not get elected.
There are those who have tried their best recently to resuscitate America. They have poured their hearts, their time, their energy, their prayers, their money into saving her. The same is true also of other nations of this world such as Tigray, Myanmar, Brazil, Ukraine, Russia, China, Taiwan, Israel, Canada, and the list could go on indefinitely. But these nations are passing away, and we must not forget that God is still in charge. He sets up leaders and nations, and it is He who brings them down, even by bringing to power those we know are unworthy (Job 12:23; Psalm 75:7; Daniel 2 and 4). And we must not forget that this world is passing away! It is all being “loosed” as God intended long ago when He first created it. It is apart of His magnificent plan. This is that moment. This is that time.
Dearly beloved of Christ, our great God, Savior, and coming King is reminding us that He is “loosing” the world – He is letting the world go. And as He lets this earth go, we are to let it go too. It is time. And we are therefore, according to 2 Peter 3:14, to “be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless…” This means we are to be morally blameless, untainted by this world, faultless, and at peace – whole in our minds, hearts, and our unity with each other as the body of Christ.
Let us not get caught up in the error of the wicked that Christ cannot possibly be coming soon (2 Peter 3:1-7). Let us not become cynical or sarcastic regarding the eternal hope that we have. Let us not become weary and lose our mooring, our anchor and become like a helpless ship stuck on the sands of the shore. It is imperative that we keep our eyes on Jesus, our hopes in the coming of our Lord alone, and our minds set on things above and not on earthly things. Jesus warned us of all that is happening so that we would not be taken unawares, we would not be taken aback, we would not lose hope. He lovingly told us all we need to know in order that we might remain steadfast, firmly rooted in Him, planted upon the solid rock foundation of the eternal faith of the unchanging Christ.
Fear not little sheep, our Shepherd knew this day was coming, this valley of the shadow of death. There is nothing new in this to Him. He is in charge. He is in control. The devil can do nothing but what God gives him leave to do it. Thus, as Isaiah 50 states, 7“…the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.” Rest in this unchanging fact, and “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity!
(many sources are listed below, sources regarding Coverstone’s dream, Christians and Halloween, the fall of the Western Church, and the schism taking place in many denominations over transgenderism. Please, scroll down and view the sources along with quotes from many of those sources)
While a chaplain at a Christian health care facility who had a Christian board and mostly Christian residents, I was slapped in the face by an overwhelming acceptance of Halloween. For the years I was there, they went all out in decorating competitions, costume competitions, and little trick-or-treaters invited yearly to go room to room for candy. Competition judges were called in to pick winners, and pictures were posted proudly in our newsletter and even in the local paper. Each year I was reminded of how one by one those who would not wear a costume were eventually pressured into wearing one and participating. So for several years I made sure that I went home early before all the craziness would start so as to remain unnoticed. For several years I flew under the radar on the covert mission of ministering to the residents, and continued undetected like the military’s stealth bomber flying over an unsuspecting nation.
But, then one day I could not fly undetected anymore. They came after me by sending the most outspoken Christian – and she was very evangelistic and everyone knew her beliefs about Jesus – to talk to me about participating in the Halloween madness. She spoke of innocent themes, even Bible themes, in hopes to influence me to dress up the next year. If I was not the only one left not who had not compromised it sure felt like I was the only one the way they targeted me. And though I cannot remember at all what all I said to her, after all, I am not good in confrontational moments. But, I do know that my heart was this, “I cannot ever participate in the devil’s holiday no matter how innocently dressed it might be.” And that heart is what I communicated however imperfectly.
Martin Luther did no differently on that fateful day that he stood before his judges at the Diet of Worms in 1521. They called on him to recant what he had written in the form of 95 Theses nailed to the Wittenburg chapel door as well as other literature he had published. “The official transcript quotes him as saying, “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason (I do not accept the authority of popes and councils because they have contradicted each other), my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. So help me God. Amen.”” (https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/blog/post/here-i-stand-i-can-do-no-other/) Or as he is popularly remember as saying as quoted from Luther’s books, ““Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.”
In Luther’s day, the Church was polluted with compromise, filth, unscriptural practices, and demonically inspired doctrine. Corruption, fornication, indulgences, purgatory, fear, and ignorance had so riddled the Church that it was ripe for judgment. The pronouncement of that judgment was heard in the footsteps of a monk-professor crossing the frosty street and ascending the Wittenberg chapel steps, hammer and nail in hand. The pronouncement of God’s verdict was heard loudly and clearly with the firm rap of the hammer to the nail, the echo of which has resounded for 505 years into this present year of October 31, 2022. And that hammer and nail, that pronouncement, that verdict, that uncompromised stance brought about a dividing of the sheep from the goats, a separation of wheat from the tares, gold from the dross, light from darkness.
Today, the modern day western Church is polluted with compromise, filth, unscriptural practices and the doctrine of devils. Everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes while at the same time saying God had given them leave to do it. Dizzy with the cloud of incantations said against them and ignorant of what the Scripture says while proudly saying otherwise, they are deceived into believing that mixing and mingling with the world is not a sin. This has produced a “root of bitterness” in our midst that has polluted from the top down. This is not a bitterness of unforgiveness, as some mistakenly think, but rather, is a root of rebellion that like a little leaven it leavens the who lump, tainting the whole. As Deuteronomy 29 so adeptly states, there will be those “18…whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; 19and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.” The writer of the book of Hebrews addresses this in chapter 12 when he says, “14Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright…28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29For our God is a consuming fire.”
The Corinthians felt they were so wise, so enlightened that they could not possibly be contaminated by evil. They truly felt that they could justifiably attend the idol feasts wherein pagans gathered in fellowship around the sacrifice of an animal before an idol, and then were able eat together of that sacrifice and chant in worship to another god. Since they really did believe in only One God, they felt they were safe in doing so. The Corinthians really thought they were immune to this because they knew that the idol was just an idol, and the food was just food. After all, they were gathering for business purposes (that is where business people would gather in those days – which was not much different than secret societies of modern times), or because their family wanted to do so (like going to a restaurant), not because they believed all that stuff. However, the Apostle Paul in three chapters (1 Corinthians 8-10) lays out two very important points against such behavior. Number one, to do so will likely cause your weaker brother or sister to stumble, and that the Corinthian’s freedom was therefore unloving. Number two, the idol was not just an idol but was backed by a very real demonic entity, and that to have koinonia with pagans and to partake of the altar was to partake with demons. “14Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.18Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?” (1 Corinthians 10:14-22)
This is exactly what is happening when a church or Christian participates in Halloween by wearing the costume of the festival or partaking of the candy of the holiday or by hanging out those, particularly unbelievers, who are doing so. This is the modern day equivalent of idolatry.
But it goes beyond Halloween. The sanctuary of the living God has been polluted by little things here and little things there, until its very spiritual walls have been decorated with images much like in Ezekiel’s day. “6“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what they are doing—the great abominations that the house of Israel is committing—to drive Me far from My sanctuary? Yet you will see even greater abominations.”…10 engraved all around the wall was every kind of crawling creature and detestable beast, along with all the idols of the house of Israel. 11Before them stood seventy elders of the house of Israel…Each had a censer in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising. 12“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? For they are saying, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.’ ” And “14Then He brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD, and I saw women sitting there, weeping for Tammuz…16So He brought me to the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were bowing to the east in worship of the sun.” (Ezekiel 8)
So, what is happening in the Church? What has decorated its walls and filled its inner sanctuary? Oh where shall I begin?
There has been the witchcraft teaching of the “word faith” philosophy wherein each can call into being what is not, which fuels the fire of the greed of Balaam and covetousness and creates an atmosphere of entitlement and discontentment, which is contrary to Scripture (Jude 1; Colossians 3:5; 1 Timothy 6:6; James 4). We are riddled with New Age practices such as yoga while thinking it can be redeemed by calling it Christian and doing it at church; altered by mystical Catholicism and its labyrinth walks and contemplative prayer that empties your mind instead of filling it with Scripture (Psalm 1) and opens you up to the demonic; inundated with the Hindu Kundalini spirit parading as the Holy Spirit with its lying signs and wonders of the New Apostolic Reformation; flooded with the foul demonic doctrines of the manifest sons of God wherein Christians are all becoming christ, and Dominionism wherein Jesus cannot come back until we get the world cleaned up and all seven mountains are taken and made ready for Him; overwhelmed with the unbiblical thought that we are not to judge in matters of the body of Christ and sin and thus we are filled with adultery, fornication, homosexuality, transgenders, people co-habiting, pornography, etc.; infiltrated by witches and warlocks who get in close with the leadership in order to turn them from the narrow way and truth and render them ineffective; permeated with ecumenism and its many Jesuses (Isa of Islam, christ-consciousness of New Age, Krishna of Hinduism, the Jesus of Catholicism whose mother is a co-redemptrix and who requires works in order to be fully saved, the Jesus of Mormonism who is brothers with Lucifer and who became god and taught us how to become gods too), and the belief that the Christian Jesus is not the only way to heaven.
And now there is a great schism taking place in the body of Christ today because the Church has refused to “bind and loose” as they ought. Though Scripture clearly teaches that we must loose away from us that which is unholy, and bind to us what is holy via Biblical judgment and loving correction (Matthew 18; 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Timothy 2:23-26), believers of the western world are not well-versed in Scripture anymore, and they are indeed, perishing for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). For according to a Probe Ministries survey 70% of Christians today do not think that Jesus is the only way for everyone, and only half of Protestant pastors have a Biblical worldview. And according to “American Worldview Inventory published…by the Cultural Research Center of Arizona Christian University…ofan estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, just 6% or 15 million of them were actually found to hold a biblical worldview.” (sources listed below)
It is no wonder then that so many can be and are deceived!
Last week Pastor Dana Coverstone shared a recent dream he has had that he entitled, “The Halloween Dream.” In this dream, Pastor Dana is late to the Sunday morning service at church, and as he runs into the church and toward the sanctuary he is told that he is late several times. After initially being barred from the sanctuary, he finally enters and encounters a crowd of Christians most of whom are dressed in costumes of witches and goblins, Bob the Builder, and kids dressed up like as if they were adult doctors and lawyers. The man speaking at the front was wearing a clerical robe and collar, and he was saying that the Ten Commandments were outdated “in practice and in principle” and that “a new set of ideas was needed” and that everyone should be able to do whatever they want to do because “grace is our friend more than our foe”.
There were a few in the audience who were not wearing costumes, and who were visibly though quietly disagreeing with the speaker.
Pastor Dana is then accosted by one of the ushers and told to quit noticing things and told to put on a costume. But, Pastor Dana did not comply and shouted, “What kind of church is this?” To which the man at the podium replied, “this is our church and we make the rules around here.” At that response, Pastor Dana ran to the front of the church and stated point blank, “By questioning the Ten Commandments you are violating the foundation of Scripture.” To which the minister replied, “We no longer need Scripture to live right. We must allow culture to guide us.”
At that moment Jesus entered the back of the church and marched to the front where He stated to the man at the front, “You can try to keep me out, you can discount my word, but I will not be silent or locked out.” At that, He walked up to the minister and took a hold of his face and took off the mask he was wearing, and behind the mask was a demonic pasty face. And everyone gasped. The speaker tried to speak, but Jesus said, “You will speak no more!” and breathed on the pale face until it disappeared like a wisp of smoke.
Jesus then said to the crowd, “As I expose the truth you’ll be given the chance to take your mask off. If not, your circumstances will tear them from your face and take your eyes with them. You that know the word know better. And those that never studied my word will stay dressed in a costume and miss heaven because you chose to remain in ignorance. Even if you hide from the truth it will confront you, and it will confront you to the front of your face.”
Jesus then said to Coverstone, “It’s not too late to warn the body as there are still many who will hear it. But woe to those who refuse to listen at this point.”
Ushers were attempting to keep people inside the church, but many were trying to leave. Costumes had been taken off, and many seats were empty. The majority remained behind however. After finally exiting with great effort, about 50 people in the parking lot questioned what was next. Coverstone then stated that Jesus had told them to warn the others. Thus, they all dispersed in every direction to do just that. The dream had started in the morning, but was now ending with the sun setting quickly. The time was short, the night was coming fast.
All that I have written about today is exactly this. God is shaking the church, and the masks are coming off. There is filth in the body of Christ, and it is being exposed. Church denominations are splitting over the transgender abomination, and other heresies and doctrines of devils are being revealed. And though, “evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived,” (2 Timothy 3:13) it is clear that we are not to “14… be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16). For we “…are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” (1 Peter 2:9), and are called to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Indeed we are not our own but are bought at a price (1 Corinthiains 6:19-20), and are now the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5) who are being conformed into the image of Jesus (Roman 8).
And it is time to shine. It is time to get our lights out from under the bed. It is time to quit sitting idly by while ministers or any so-called Christian spew blasphemy from the pulpit or elsewhere. We are children of light, children of the day, and that light cannot help but expose darkness wherever we go!
“8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.12For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14Therefore
He says:
“Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” 15See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5)
This battle has gone on for ages, and Jesus has already made us more than conquerors (Romans 8). The battle that Martin Luther faced is before us still today. But, he made the choice to nail up those 95 Theses on October 31, 1517, and to stand unwaveringly in the face of a death sentence in 1521. And many before and after him made the same stand against the Goliath of their time, steadfastly persevering and even dying for the sake of the truth of the Gospel. They chose to live unadulterated and unpopular lives of holiness, to shine their lights into the darkness, to not become weary in well doing. Youth died because they owned a Bible or would not say the Rosary; uncompromising men and women of all ages outspokenly stood against the heresy of their times at any cost. For they knew that their lives were not their own. They belonged to Christ and him alone, and marched to the beat of a different drummer, heads lifted up looking for their redemption that was drawing near with every step. They died to themselves daily and counted themselves as already dead for the cause of Christ.
Why then do we, who have such a great cloud of witnesses, march so out of step and to the tune of the Pied Piper of this world instead of the cause of Christ? Why are we so lukewarm when the power of the Holy Spirit is still for us today and readily at hand if we would but press in and zealously seek that we might find? Why are we so dim when we are the lights of this ever darkening world?
Now is not the time for compromise in the name of some hybrid unbiblical love! Jesus is coming back for a Bride unpolluted by this world, unstained and untainted, holy and set apart, standing on His promises, people of unadulterated faith, shining out like stars in this wicked and depraved generation, holding forth the word of life!!!!!!!!!! Now is the time to stand, for we can do no other – so help us God!
Jesus is coming soon. Let’s be ready.
Vigilantly,
Holy Light Ministries
(Again, many sources are listed below, sources regarding Coverstone’s dream, Christians and Halloween, the fall of the Western Church, and the schism taking place in many denominations over transgenderism. Please, scroll down and view the sources along with quotes from many of those sources. Also, please be encouraged by this very inspired song of the Christian worship team Shane and Shane. God bless!)
Quote: At the beginning of this video following the heading of ‘Should Christians Celebrate an Alternative Festival in Place of Halloween?’ Former Satanist John Ramirez responds, “Why would you take something that is demonic and slap the name of Jesus on it? Jesus isn’t going to show up and bless your stuff.”
At the 40 second mark after the heading ‘5 Reasons Why Christians Should Not Celebrate Halloween’ he begins to list them beginning with #1 Legal Rights, #2 Eternal Mistake, #3 Satanists Celebrate, #4 We Bring It Into Our Churches, and #5 Demonic Candies
At 1 minute and 5 second mark he says, “Even as a Christian you could say ‘I’m a Christian and I love God’ but you are cheating on Him on Halloween. When you dress up for Halloween…you are giving the devil the legal rights to change your identity.”
At the 1 minute and 25 second mark he says, “Anton Lavae…priest of the church of Satan…a devil worshiper for many, many years. He had 8,000 people in his church…he said, ‘I want to thank every Christian parent for allowing their children at least one time a year to celebrate my holiday.’”
At 2 minute and 25 second mark, “I don’t see Satantist…saying…’Good Friday’s coming, can I come to your church? Could I come celebrate Good Friday with you because’…I don’t hear Satanists packing out churches on Good Friday…”
At the 4 minute mark, “I’m gonna tell you as an ex-devil worshiper for 25 years…a lot of these candies that you give your kids that you buy in the store for Halloween, they are prayed for…demonic people have prayed over these candies…they pray over these costumes…”
Quote: The interviewer says, “what do you say to those Christians who are sort of on the fence or they’re struggling to know whether it’s the right thing to do?” Jenn Nizza responds, “Well, I think you have to think about why you are trying to redeem something that is demonic. Why are we trying to redeem that? If it’s the matter of…the nostalgia you want…why as a Kingdom follower are you wanting to participate in something that could open a demonic door? We know that the devil is manipulative…and he’s sneaky. So something that might be as seemingly innocent as bobbing for apples or having a little party or putting a costume…you don’t want to entertain something that belongs to…the evil one…that would open a door to demonic entities…don’t get involved in it. Don’t do it.”
Quote: At the 12 minute and 46 second mark Jenny Weaver states, “…the person that…started the satanic church – he’s passed on now – but he said he loves that Christians allow their children to participate in and worship the devil at least one night of the year.”
Quote: “Nearly 70% of born-again Christians disagree with the biblical position that Jesus is the only way to God, according to a new survey from Probe Ministries, a nonprofit that seeks to help the Church in renewing the minds of believers with a Christian worldview…The survey also found that among the top reasons given by born-again Christians for not telling others about their faith is the acceptance of pluralism. When asked why they don’t share their beliefs with others, born-again respondents chose “They can get to Heaven through their different religious belief,” “We shouldn’t impose our ideas on others,” and “The Bible tells us not to judge others” as their top three responses, respectively…confusion among Christians and what they believe was also recently reflected in the American Worldview Inventory published last month by the Cultural Research Center of Arizona Christian University. Of an estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, just 6% or 15 million of them were actually found to hold a biblical worldview. The study showed, in general, that while a majority of America’s self-identified Christians, including many who identify as evangelical, believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing and is the Creator of the universe, more than half reject a number of biblical teachings and principles, including the existence of the Holy Spirit.
Strong majorities were also found to errantly believe that all religious faiths are of equal value, people are basically good and that people can use acts of goodness to earn their way into Heaven. The study further showed that majorities don’t believe in moral absolutes, consider feelings, experience or the input of friends and family as their most trusted sources of moral guidance, and say that having faith matters more than which faith you pursue.”
Quote: According to a 2004 Barna study, “57% of the pastors of Baptist churches (other than Southern Baptist) had a biblical worldview, as did 51% of non-denominational Protestant pastors, 44% of pastors of charismatic or Pentecostal churches, 35% of pastors of black churches, and 28% of those leading mainline congregations.”
QUOTE: “The U.S. House of Representatives voted July 19 to codify same-sex marriage into law with the help of one-fifth of its Republican members and to the chagrin of Southern Baptist leaders.
With all the Democrats and 47 Republicans voting in favor, the House approved the Respect for Marriage Act in a 267-157 roll call. The proposal would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and require federal and state recognition of same-sex marriages considered legal in the jurisdiction where they took place…
The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission “stands firmly opposed to this legislation, and it should not make any more advances in the legislative process,” said Brent Leatherwood, the ERLC’s acting president. “Its passage by the House is yet another reminder of how far our culture has moved away from the biblical understanding of marriage as being between one man and one woman for life and why God’s design for that union is meant for our flourishing.
“Marriage is bound up in the Gospel itself and so, regardless of any act of Congress, it is imperative that we, as Christians, continue to show how it is a picture of Christ joining with His bride, the church,” Leatherwood told Baptist Press in written comments.
Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the vote shows the country’s “political class has decided to vote for same-sex marriage, and 47 House Republicans decided to get aboard the train.”
“Yesterday, those of us who know that marriage is and can only be the union of a man and a woman found ourselves facing the undeniable reality that our political class will not rise to defend society’s most fundamental institution,” Mohler wrote in a column Wednesday (July 20) for WORLD Opinions.”
QUOTE: “After months of preparation, a theologically conservative denomination has broken away from the Reformed Church in America, with 43 congregations joining the new body on New Year’s Day…
“Now the realignment that began in the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is reaching the Dutch Reformed – but without the lawsuits and acrimony that characterized some of those prior splits,” wrote Walton
“Delegates to the RCA General Synod in October approved recommendations that allow transferring churches to retain assets and church buildings.””
QUOTE: “A conservative group in the Reformed Church in America (RCA) has left the denomination and formed the Alliance of Reformed Churches (ARC) due to disagreements over same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy. Same-sex marriage and LGBT-identifying clergy have caused splits in many denominations and now the RCA will split as well. At the RCA’s 214th General Synod last October, the denomination set in motion the split after longstanding disagreements over LGBT issues.Churches that hold to the biblical view of marriage will be allowed to seek another denominational home, including the ARC, without giving up their assets and buildings…Some are concerned that the RCA, a denomination with less than 200,000 members and 1,000 churches, will not survive the split.”
QUOTE: “This week, North America’s oldest denomination will confront its gridlock over LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage. Votes cast in Tucson at the Reformed Church in America’s General Synod—delayed 16 months due to the pandemic—will chart the course for the already-splintering denomination…
The RCA is a historically Dutch Reformed denomination dating back to the 1620s, when New York was known as New Amsterdam. Today, the RCA has fewer than 200,000 members and 1,000 churches. While in theory RCA churches are united by their polity, history, and Reformed convictions, they hold a range of political and theological beliefs.
The RCA isn’t the only Protestant denomination facing division over views on sexuality. Next year, the United Methodist Church is expected to vote on a proposal to split the denomination over the inclusion of LGBTQ members, and the RCA’s sister denomination, the Christian Reformed Church, will grapple with its contentious human sexuality report at its own synod.”
QUOTE: ““The Christian Reformed Church, a small evangelical denomination of U.S. and Canadian churches, voted Wednesday (June 15) at its annual synod to codify its opposition to homosexual sex by elevating it to the status of confession, or declaration of faith.
The 123-53 vote at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, caps a process begun in 2016 when a previous synod voted to form a study committee to bring a report on the “biblical theology” of sexuality.
The vote, following a long day of debate, approves a list of what the denomination calls sexual immorality it won’t tolerate, including “adultery, premarital sex, extra-marital sex, polyamory, pornography and homosexual sex.””
QUOTE: “Any rebellion against God’s perfect design is sin. It separates us from God and distorts intimacy… Some seek to redefine the created nature of our sexuality in rebellion (Romans 1:24–27). They desire the intimacy or pleasure of sex apart from the divinely established context of marriage between a man and woman (1 Corinthians 6:16; cf. Genesis 2:24), such as homosexual or extra-marital sexual activity. Others seek an illusion of intimacy through actively indulging in lust, fantasizing, and/or pornography. All of these are indicators of our rebellion against God.”
QUOTE: “Increasing political and religious advocacy for homosexual1 practices, same-sex marriage, and alternate sexual identities has prompted us to clarify our position on these critical issues. We believe that all matters of faith and conduct must be evaluated on the basis of Holy Scripture, which is our infallible guide (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Since the Bible does speak to the nature of human beings and their sexuality, it is imperative that the Church correctly understands and articulates what it actually teaches on these matters which have now become so controversial and divisive.
A reaffirmation of biblical teachings has become all the more urgent because writers sympathetic to the LGBT (Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender)2 communities have advanced revisionist interpretations of relevant biblical texts that are based upon biased exegesis and mistranslation. In effect, they seek to set aside almost two thousand years of Christian biblical interpretation and ethical teachings. We believe these efforts are reflective of the conditions described in 2 Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”3 (See also v. 4.)
It should be noted at the outset that there is absolutely no affirmation of homosexual activity, same-sex
marriage, or changes in sexual identity found anywhere in Scripture. Male and female genders are
carefully defined and unconfused. The consistent ideal for sexual experience in the Bible is chastity4
for those outside a monogamous heterosexual marriage and fidelity5 for those inside such a marriage. There is also abundant evidence that homosexual behavior, along with illicit heterosexual behavior, is immoral and comes under the judgment of God.”
It ends by stating, “Christians should also do all they can to assist the person who has struggled with homosexual behaviors and desires to change and find deliverance. Change is not always easy but it is possible. It may require the help of others in the body of Christ, such as counselors and pastors, as well as a supportive church fellowship. Christian organizations are also available to help those who seek to change their lifestyles.
We desire all to be reconciled to God—to experience the peace and joy that stems from the forgiveness of sin through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. God does not want any to perish in their sins; He invites all to accept His offer of eternal life (John 3:16). As part of His church, we issue that invitation to life in Christ to everyone.”
QUOTE: Under the heading, ‘General Assembly Declaration and Apologetic of Marriage,’ it says, “We, the Presiding Bishop, the General Board and the Board of Bishops of the Church of God in Christ, solemnly proclaim that the institution of marriage was established and ordained by God (Genesis 2:24) …We believe that the homosexual practices of same-sex couples are in violation of religious and social norms and are aberrant and deviant behavior. We believe that these unions are sinful and in direct violation of the law of God in that they are a deviation from the natural use and purpose of the body….in spite of the progressive normalization of alternative lifestyles and the growing legal acceptance of same-sex unions; we declare our opposition to any deviation from traditional marriages of male and female. Notwithstanding the rulings of the court systems of the land in support of same-sex unions; we resolve that the Church of God in Christ stand resolutely firm and never allow the sanctioning of same-sex marriages by its clergy nor recognize the legitimacy of such unions.”
Under the heading ‘Statement of Faith in Human Rights Declaration’: “The Church of God in Christ utterly rejects and uncompromisingly denounces the practice of homosexuality. Homosexual relationships are a violation of the biblical teaching on marriage and are strongly condemned in the scriptures… At the same time, as Christians we are called to treat all sinners with compassion and to lovingly proclaim the message of salvation and restoration to all, recognizing that we are all sinners in need of the atoning gift of Christ’s death and resurrection. Therefore for the Christian homosexual marriage is not a human right, nor a morally and legally sanctioned entitlement. Sexual preferences do not constitute rights.”
QUOTE: “Episcopal clergy are highlighting The Episcopal Church’s support for LGBTQ couples this week while condemning an announcement by the Vatican that it would not allow blessing of same-sex unions because the relationships are seen by the Roman Catholic Church as sinful…
QUOTE: “With an estimated 2.3 million members, the Episcopal Church is open and welcoming of the LGBTQ community. Unlike the Worldwide Anglican Communion, of which it is a part, the Episcopal Church does not condemn homosexuality.”
QUOTE: “We have a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being; women and men serve as bishops, priests, and deacons in our church. Laypeople and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of our church. Leadership is a gift from God and can be expressed by all people in our church, regardless of gender, sexual identity or orientation.
We believe that God loves us all – no exceptions.”
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Note about the Presbyterian church: the Presbyterian Church (USA) is more liberal in theological and social issues and is said to be 5x as big as the Presbyterian Church in America. However, while the PC(USA)’s number of members is going down, the membership numbers of the PCA are going up.
QUOTE: “On Wednesday, June 20, the Presbyterian Church took a historic step by voting unanimously to accept three Overtures submitted at their biennial conference in Missouri. The Overtures both celebrate LGBTQ people of faith and speak out against religious freedom being used to discriminate against the LGBTQ community…
The Church’s move is in line with growing support in the LGBTQ nondiscrimination movement from religious leaders and congregations around the country. Last year, nearly 1,300 faith leaders signed on to an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, which concerned a bakery that refused service to a same sex couple by citing their religious beliefs. The brief stated that religion cannot be used to justify discrimination, and that businesses must be open to all. Furthermore, the weekend before oral argument in the case, more than 100 congregations celebrated the National Weekend of Prayer for LGBTQ Justice.”
QUOTE: “…the Presbytery of the Palisades had cast its vote in favor of an amendment to the PC(USA) Constitution that would change the description of marriage from being between “a man and a woman” to being between “two people.” In doing so, it had become the 86th presbytery to cast an affirmative vote, providing the majority needed among 171 presbyteries to approve the change.”
“I think for evangelicals the mystifying question is how then does the church speak prophetically about anything, how do we call anyone to repentance, if we’re simply conforming to the culture? You can observe the dynamic and astounding evangelical fruit God is producing through [some] new denominations, and I have great hope that an evangelical Presbyterian movement is going to happen. I regret that’s going to happen outside the PC(USA). I do think, though, there is a potential for hope and benefit. Let’s start talking about definitions of goodness, holiness, beauty, and truth, and stop talking about sex. Start talking about what it means to be in Jesus Christ, in His goodness, holiness, beauty, and truth. And then ask whether we individually and corporately as a denomination are going to conform to these realities.” —Carmen Fowler LaBerge
Presbyterian Church in America
Note: The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is more conservative than their cousin the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA), and they are also about 5x smaller. However, in recent years the PCA’s membership numbers have been increasing while the PCUSA’s numbers have been in decline.
QUOTE: ““’The Nashville Statement,’ carefully worked out by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in 2017, is a timely statement that speaks into the current confusion surrounding gender and sexuality within the evangelical church (including the PCA) and the broader culture,” stated the Overture.
“Signed by many leaders within the Reformed and evangelical world, it is a balanced and biblically faithful attempt to ‘speak the truth in love’ (Eph. 4:15) on one of the most pivotal and controversial issues facing the church today.””
Article 1 of the Nashville Statement reads, “WE AFFIRM that God has designed marriage to be a covenantal, sexual, procreative, lifelong union of one man and one woman, as husband and wife, and is meant to signify the covenant love between Christ and his bride the church. WE DENY that God has designed marriage to be homosexual, polygamous, or polyamorous relationship. We also deny that marriage is a mere human contract rather than a covenant made before God.” https://cbmw.org/nashville-statement#articles
QUOTE: “Conservatives have officially parted ways with the United Methodist Church (UMC) after years of debate on same-sex marriage and the ordination of openly gay pastors. The new denomination, called the Global Methodist Church, took effect on Sunday following a five-day meeting with UMC bishops. As CBN News has previously reported, church members have been at odds for years with some members in the United States leading the call for full inclusion of LGBTQ people within the denomination.
While other mainline Protestant denominations have embraced gay-friendly practices, the UMC still bans them, though acts of defiance by pro-LGBT clergy have multiplied. Many have performed same-sex weddings. Others have come out as gay or lesbian from the pulpit.
Differences came to a head in February 2019 at a conference in St. Louis where delegates voted 438-384 for a proposal called the Traditional Plan, which strengthens bans on LGBT-inclusive practices.
A majority of U.S.-based delegates opposed that plan and favored LGBT-friendly options, but they were outvoted by U.S. conservatives teamed with most of the delegates from Methodist strongholds in Africa and the Philippines…
Global Methodist organizers have launched a new website that states the new denomination would allow women to serve at all levels and seek membership.
Regarding LGBTQ issues, organizers said the denomination would adhere to “the traditional understanding of Christian marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman and as God’s intended setting for human sexual expression.”
QUOTE: “Boyette said the Transitional Leadership Council doesn’t know how many more will follow this summer. He did not have numbers Monday for how many clergy, churches or conferences had joined the denomination with the launch, but he believes hundreds of churches across the U.S. already have begun the process to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church, and most will land in the Global Methodist Church.
“I don’t think anyone is dancing with joy that we are at this place in Methodism. I think there is a sadness that we have come to this and that we find ourselves in this season,” Boyette said.
QUOTE: “The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod overwhelmingly passed a resolution reaffirming its traditional, biblical stance on gender identity and sexual orientation, while also calling for churches to “minister compassionately” to people who identify as LGBT…
…the resolution reaffirmed “the biblical truth that God created humanity as male and female” and commended people who “continue to live chaste and decent lives in repentant faith” in spite of “same-sex attraction and gender identity confusion.”
QUOTE: “The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with approximately 3.8 million members, has passed repeated resolutions to welcome LGBTQ people since 1991. Of the three leading Lutheran organizations operating in the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is considered the most welcoming and inclusive of LGBTQ members. Formed in 1988 with the merger of three smaller Lutheran organizations, the ELCA is based in Chicago and encompasses nearly 10,000 congregations and more than 3.8 million members across the country…
LGBTQ ministers have been ordained by the ELCA since 2010. However, church policy, like that for same-sex marriage, gives individual congregations autonomy in calling ministers to serve.”
QUOTE: “The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has ousted four of its churches, two for forming policies that are considered to be too welcoming of the LGBT community, while the other two for hiring pastors who were sex offenders.
QUOTE: “The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, with over 16 million members, has discriminated against gay and lesbian people for more than a quarter-century.
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, with over 15 million members, traces its history to 1845 when it broke off from Northern Baptists over slavery. The roots of Southern Baptist history go back to the Baptist churches established in the American colonies in the 17th century.
“In 2017, top leaders of the SBC joined other evangelical leaders in a statement Aug. 29 denouncing LGBTQ people and their identities as “inconsistent with God’s holy purposes in creation and redemption.”
The Southern Baptist Convention does not ordain openly LGBTQ people, nor does it ordain women. However, alternative Baptist denominations such as the Alliance of Baptists do ordain both women and LGBTQ people.”
QUOTE: “The American Baptist Churches USA is the fifth-largest Christian denomination in the United States, with approximately 1.3 million members and 5,000 congregations worldwide.
Although ABCUSA shares many traditions, beliefs and values with other Baptists, ABCUSA is a distinct entity from its relatives, the American Baptist Association (ABA), the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the Alliance of Baptists, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship…
A 1992 denominational vote determined “the practice of homosexuality” to be “incompatible with Christian teaching.” Noting that individual members of the denomination may not agree with all resolutions which are approved, the church does acknowledge that issues such as sexual orientation require full and continuous engagement in dialogue.
In 2006, more than 300 churches from the Pacific Southwest region of ABCUSA voted to withdraw from their 1.5-million member parent denomination after its leaders refused to address complaints about the membership of “welcoming and affirming” churches, or churches that accept as members unrepentant homosexuals, in the denomination…
LGBTQ ordination is not explicitly accepted nor banned in the American Baptist Churches USA. However, in several regions there are statements that a candidate must sign stating they are not a “practicing homosexual” prior to ordination.”
QUOTE: “”The controversy over homosexuality has consumed our agenda, our discussion time, and our energy; yet the controversy still threatens to break us apart as American Baptists. The prevailing view among American Baptists is that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” Because American Baptist polity allows for respectful dissent, individuals and congregations who hold different viewpoints exist among us.”
QUOTE: “Formed in the early 1800s in response to the practice of Christian denominations acting in exclusion of each other rather than collaboration, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have a history of reaching out to other traditions. They established the Council on Christian Unity in 1910 to foster inter-denominational community and were active in forming the National and World Councils of Churches. In 1989, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ formed a close partnership that emphasized shared global in global and domestic ministries.”
“With a total membership of approximately 600,000 people, individual congregations are organized in 32 self-governing regions across North America.”
“At the General Assembly in 2013, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) voted to affirm and welcome LGBTQ people in all aspects of church life, including leadership. While the resolution does not dictate policy for individual congregations, the denomination actively encourages congregations interested in becoming more inclusive.”
QUOTE: “The United Church of Christ, a mainline Protestant denomination with about 1.3 million members, has been one of the most accepting religious groups of LGBTQ people, although not every church in the denomination is supportive…the United Church of Christ (UCC) is recognized as one of the most welcoming and affirming Christian denominations, celebrating same-sex marriages since 2005 and ordaining LGBTQ pastors since 1972. Numbering more than 5,000 churches and close to a million members, the UCC core values include an “Extravagant Welcome,” and the affirmation, “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here.””
Ecumenism, the World Council of Churches, the UN’s Agenda 2030, the World Economic Forum and the Church, Free Masonry etc.
Quote: ‘Waking the Giant’ is a global ecumenical initiative of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF). It aims to empower churches to contribute effectively to the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development. The initiative provides churches and church-related actors with tools and training to relate their on-going work to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the context of the global ‘Waking the Giant’ network, churches and church-related actors come together for experience exchange, mutual learning and joint action. LWF also supports churches and ecumenical partners in selected countries to set up implementation mechanisms for taking stock of their existing work in relation to the SDGs and engage in joint planning for direct action and advocacy…
In a worldly analogy to Christ’s promise to “make all things new” (Rev. 21.5), the SDGs represent an opportunity to enhance human dignity and our stewardship towards God’s creation…
Many churches have established themselves as important actors in the provision of social and development services and as advocates for global human values, such as gender equality, peace and justice. They distinguish themselves through the permanence of their presence, an often high level of credibility and a wide reach at community level, including to the remotest areas where state institutions may be absent.”
Quote: “The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has joined with Christian churches and faith- based organizations to urge the international community to work towards a more just and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The call comes in a joint statement to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), the main UN platform for follow up of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Quote: “Together they will reflect and pray on the Assembly theme “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity.”…The WCC Assembly is the largest ecumenical gathering of its kind and is estimated to bring together more than 4,000 Christians.”
Quote: “The controversial 10th World Assembly of Religions for Peace, backed by George Soros and the globalist-controlled German government and other powerful forces, aimed to unify the world’s religious organizations behind key elements of the establishment’s agenda — including a UN-guided “modern order.”
Operating in almost 100 nations, the alliance claims to be “the world’s largest and most representative coalition of religious and indigenous communities.” It is funded by Soros, the Rockefellers, the Ford Foundation, the UN Foundation, various UN agencies, U.S. taxpayers the State Department, and more.”
Quote: “Noted Catholic Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano has issued a scathing criticism on Pope Francis and his association with The Great Reset…
The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Klaus Schwab’s idea of the Fourth Economic Revolution, which is the basis for previous discussions of “The Great Reset,” is mentioned by Vigano right at the opening of the clip. He then mentions Pope Francis’ connected to this movement.
The archbishop accuses Pope Francis of being a “zealous cooperator” in the Great Reset. He said that the Pope wants to demolish the Church and replace it with an organization inspired by Masons.
“The fourth revolution theorized by Klaus Schwab and the family of international finance find in Bergoglio [Pope Francis], not a neutral spectator, which would itself already be an unheard- of thing, but actually a zealous cooperator who abuses his own moral authority in order to support ab extra, outside the church, the project of the dissolution of traditional society,” said the archbishop.”
The outlet went on to explain that the Pope seems unconcerned about spirituality or sin. More to the point, he is concerned about climate change and the downfall of capitalism. All of the Pope’s main contributions, in a nutshell, are in sync with the objectives of the WEF and its Great Reset.
In fact, in December, Forbes reported that Pope Francis has formed a shadow council of the world’s top businessmen to address capitalism’s flaws. They’re called the “Guardians.”
Also according to another allegation, a Benedictine Nun named “Mother Miriam” has a video going around social media warning people of a globalist depopulation plan. Pope Francis, according to the nun, is the spiritual head of the globalist elites – which includes Bill Gates and George Soros.
According to Mother Miriam, the COVID vaccine shots are part of the global elites’ depopulation plan.”
Quote: On May 25, 2022, the Vatican News reported that the World Economic Forum and the Vatican’s global policies are in alignment and that the Vatican is already putting them into action. This was revealed during an interview with Catholic Priest Leonir Chiarello, who is “at the forefront of many WEF Forum agenda items at a global and local level.” [1]
The Vatican News reported the following:
“The Catholic Church is already committed to the various issues considered at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, both globally and locally … Just a few examples: the perspective proposed by Pope Francis on the care of nature and the promotion of a more inclusive economy in Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti … The various programs for job creation, development, education, and health care, among other programs promoted by the Catholic organizations and religious congregations at global and local levels.”
Quote: The former head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) is under fire for his connections with globalist organizations like the World Economic Forum (WEF). The controversy erupted when Michael O’Fallon of Sovereign Nations shared an image of Dr. Richard Land with a briefcase carrying the logo of the World Economic Forum. O’Fallon posted the picture and then said, “Why is the SBC heading down a progressive, social justice, globalist paved path? This picture of the former President of the ERLC, Richard Land, is worth a thousand words. Focus on the briefcase…”
The World Economic Forum is a globalist organization pushing leftist goals such as Stakeholder Capitalism and concepts Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The WEF was all about the Leftist Build Back Better agenda in Westernnations. (For more on the WEF, read on.) The WEF is connected with other prominent evangelicals including Rick Warren.”
Quote: “Southern Baptist pastor Rick Warren told the globalists of the World Economic Forum (WEF) how to use the church as a partner during a pandemic or similar emergency. Warren promoted the use of free church volunteers and as a “universal distribution” system while at the 2008 WEF event in Davos, Switzerland. Warren promoted the church as one leg of a three- legged partnership between government, business, and religion. This highlights a recent Daily Wire report showing a link between churches spreading government propaganda during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The video begins, “This is Rick Warren author of The Purpose Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church. I’m here at Davos with a lot of my friends and we’re talking about what are the biggest problems on the planet and how are we going to solve them. Right now, I think there are five that I call global giants: extreme poverty, pandemic diseases, illiteracy, corruption and the spiritual emptiness…
The entire report is important; however, it is this deserves special attention: “During Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren’s special broadcast with Collins on behalf of Health and Human Services, he mentioned that he and Collins first met when both were speakers for the billionaires and heads of state who gather annually in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum. They reconnected recently, Warren revealed, at an ‘off-the- record’ meeting between Collins and ‘key faith leaders.’ Warren did not say, but one can make an educated guess as to who convened that meeting and for what purpose, given the striking similarity of Collins’ appearances alongside all these leading Christian lights.
Quote: “The nation’s largest conservative, Protestant denomination revealed on Friday it is under investigation by the Biden administration over claims of sexual abuse and harassment…
The Southern Baptist Convention outsourced a report examining how the executive committee handled sexual abuse reports between 2000 and 2021. An outside firm, Guidepost Solutions, reported in a 288-page report in May that one member of the Southern Baptist Convention’s executive committee compiled a list of 703 people “suspected of abuse” but never released it publicly. The report records “703 abusers” but notes curiously that only 409 are “believed to be SBC-affiliated at some point in time.”
Days after the report’s release, Guidepost Solutions tweeted its support for Pride Month and the LGBT movement. The Southern Baptist Convention subsequently printed a list of 205 pages of pastors, church workers, and volunteers “credibly accused” of abuse—a list, it notes, that includes cases that “resulted in an acquittal.” The report redacted the names and some details of those found innocent, or not accused of sexual impropriety—resulting in some entries with every detail blacked out.”
Quote: “Welcome. is a women’s group promoting evangelical involvement in immigration. Its website is welcomeimmigrants.org. That website’s Internet Registry information shows World Relief as its administrative contact, and an email contact address with the National Immigration Forum. The National Immigration Forum is a group funded by George Soros. Baptist Press promoted this women’s mission group in a story released September 12, 2019. Baptist Press detailed how Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty staffers explored the border at the invitation of an “online community of women” engaged in the immigration issue…
A review of the Internet registration for the Welcome. website, verifies the site was registered by World Relief and the Soros-funded National Immigration Forum. The National Immigration Forum (NIF) received millions of its funding from George Soros. (For links on the Evangelical Immigration Table and the National Immigration Forum to George Soros, see reports from National Review, The Institute on Religion and Democracy’s blog Juicy Ecumenism, the Center for Immigration Studies and The Christian Post.)…
This is not the first time Southern Baptist entities promoted a Soros-funded political propaganda arm promoting immigration. As previously reported, in 2017, the ERLC tweeted out Soros-funded immigration videos made by the group Christiandreamers.us. Later, Baptist Press published a story on one of the ChristianDreamers.us leaders.
Southern Baptist leadership including ERLC [ethics and religious liberty commission] employees have tweeted their support for open borders policies and promoted anti- Christian groups like the George Soros funded Media Matters…
So, why do so-called conservative Southern Baptists tweet out propaganda from Soros- funded groups like Media Matters and Christiandreamers.US? Why do ERLC employees attend a trip for a group created by a Soros-funded pro-immigration group? Why did Baptist Press promote a pro-immigrant group that is in partnership with the Soros-funded National Immigration Forum?
Quote: “Well, likely because Soros and his money have infiltrated many so-called Christian organizations. Soros has funded the National Immigration Forum. That group funded the Evangelical Immigration Table. Our Southern Baptist ERLC has even tweeted out immigration propaganda produced directly by the National Immigration Forum through the Christiandreamers.us website—a website created and controlled directly from Washington, DC by the National Immigration Forum.
Want more info on the Soros topic? Sovereign Nations has a podcast and supporting documents detailing Soros meddling in Christian groups. It exposes how progressive money has coopted conservative Christian organizations and leaders.”
Quote: “The Protestant evangelical church has been a massive conservative force over the past 50 years. With nearly 40 million members, evangelicals are normally politically active, voting for their morals as well as for the preservation of our republic.
But something has happened over the past 7 years or so that has radically changed the priorities and mission of the largest evangelical seminaries and churches in the United States. Seminaries previously focused on Scriptural exegesis and proclamation are now focusing on teaching their future pastors postmodern concepts such as critical race theory and intersectionality. Churches throughout the nation are pushing progressive agendas along with the teaching of unconscious bias training and the deceptive idea of ‘white privilege’.
Faithful church members are being encouraged to reject constitutional conservatives and to embrace open borders, reject normative patriotism, and embrace progressive concepts and social justice policies normally reserved for radical socialists or open society adherents.”
Quote: “First, it was Drag Queen Story Hour is a Blessing of Liberty David French supporting Bart Barber for President of the Southern Baptist Convention. Now, it is World Economic Forum speaker Rick Warren endorsing his friend Bart Barber for Southern Baptist Convention President…
The Daily Wire reported, “During Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren’s special broadcast with Collins on behalf of Health and Human Services, he mentioned that he and Collins first met when both were speakers for the billionaires and heads of state who gather annually in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum. They reconnected recently, Warren revealed, at an ‘off-the-record’ meeting between Collins and ‘key faith leaders.’ Warren did not say, but one can make an educated guess as to who convened that meeting and for what purpose, given the striking similarity of Collins’ appearances alongside all these leading Christian lights.”
Quote: “In 1992 James Holly, a Southern Baptist medical doctor, requested that the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) conduct a study of Freemasonry. It was agreed, and Dr. Holly wrote a 70+page article that summarized his investigation: “Freemasonry Watch: The Southern Baptist Convention and Freemasonry.” Setting aside the study that was done, the SBC published its report on Freemasonry in 1993, noting SBC leaders who were also Masons, points of agreement between Freemasonry and Christianity, and areas of disagreement between the two. At that Convention the following recommendation was approved:
“In light of the fact that many tenets and teachings of Freemasonry are not compatible with Christianity and Southern Baptist doctrine, while others are compatible with Christianity and Southern Baptist doctrine, we therefore recommend that consistent with our denomination’s deep convictions regarding the priesthood of the believer and the autonomy of the local church, membership in a Masonic Order be a matter of personal conscience. Therefore, we exhort Southern Baptists to prayerfully and carefully evaluate Freemasonry in the light of the Lordship of Christ, the teachings of the Scripture, and the findings of this report, as led by the Holy Spirit of God.” H11-6 Last Revision Board of Directors February 2010
The Masons responded by publishing the following: “Because of your support, the vote of the Southern Baptist Convention is a historic and positive turning point for Freemasonry. Basically, it is a vitalization of our Fraternity by America’s largest Protestant denomination after nearly a year of thorough, scholarly study. At the same time, it is a call to renewed effort on the part of all Freemasons today to re-energize our Fraternity and move forward to fulfilling its mission as the world’s foremost proponent of Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God” (The Scottish Rite Journal, Aug. 1993).
Note: Though Dr. Holly suggests at the beginning of his article that everything within the SBC was resolved in the 1993 statement, upon reading the above, it was not resolved at all. In fact, the Freemasons praised the convention’s decision and thanked them for the support. That is not resolved, at least not in the correct way.
Quote: “This booklet has been prepared with a prayer for revival among Southern Baptists. It does not pretend that the only problem hindering revival is Freemasonry. It does recognize however that the leaven of the occult will corrupt the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and will sap her vitality.
The men who are involved in Freemmasonry, on the whole, are not evil men. Yet, they are men who are being used for an evil purpose. It is the spirit which empowers the Lodge which we wish to expose. The ludicrousness of the secret words and the secret handshakes would be laughable if it were not for the spirit behind Freemasonry. The spirit makes this more than a bad joke, it makes the issue of Freemasonry among Southern Baptists a serious issue of life…
“WHAT ARE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS TO DO ABOUT FREEMASONRY? *
“The intent of this booklet is to encourage the Southern Baptist Convention to take a stand on the issue of Freemasonry, and then for each individual church to apply that stand as they are led by the Lord. Recently, an African pastor, led to Christ by a Southern Baptist missionary, was asked, “What are the hind- rances to revival among Southern Baptists?” He said: “rebellion…ignorance of the supernatural (spiritual warfare, not charismatic gifts)…and the toleration of Freemasonry in the church.”
How each of our hearts yearn for the Holy Spirit empowered, Christ-honoring, life-changing revival to sweep America. It may happen. It can happen. We can be a part of it happening. Prayerfully read this booklet and support the S.B.C.’s declaring of Freemasonry to be incompatible with the message of the Bible and with the ministry of the church.
“Don’t tune me out. Hang on awhile. This is a big story, and you’re part of it. It’s too late to do anything here now except stand in the dark and let them come. It’s as if the lights were all out everywhere, except in America. Keep those lights burning…Hello America! Hang onto your lights; they’re the only lights left in the world.” (Foreign Correspondent, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocAzfplTdTw). “For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world” (John Winthrop, https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/colliding-cultures/john-winthrop-dreams-of-a-city-on-a-hill-1630/). And indeed, “the city on a hill has grown dark. Its light has dimmed and is in danger of going out. It has now been overtaken by a plague that has left it shaken, a lock down that has battered its economy and paralyzed its daily life, and the sword of disorder and violence that has set it on edge and divided in two. It’s an America that has declared war against its own foundation, a nation its founders would not recognize.” (Jonathan Cahn, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPz-Z3nbdLo). “And I saw America as lights flickering. And it was like I saw the whole country outline of the United States of America, including Alaska and Hawaii, and it was like…right before a light goes out it flickers and starts flashing – that was what it looked like. It was like America was a light bulb about to go out.” (Dana Coverstone, “Dana Coverstone #8 WARNING America Blackout 28 Aug 4 Sept,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrAtdE1oNoo&list=PLW8JhAzepVMqWXzvYTiWm9sf2xzf1tSao&index=9)
City on a Hill
Once awash in glorious light, this nation as a white city upon a high hill shimmered and radiated the glory of God to the nations of the world. From our inception, America was a land dedicated to God, in covenant with God, servants of the Most High. Christianity flourished here. Missionaries were sent from here into the deepest, darkest regions of the world. High on that hill, this nation lifted higher still the banner of freedom and hope in the midnight of this world, and people from all corners of this earth flocked en mass to the dazzling display of the lighthouse of America, land of the free and home of the brave.
But somewhere in the midst of it all, the light grew dimmer and the pristine white aged to ivory as the identity of Christians mingled with red, white and blue and material success rose in prominence. The American dream was set upon a pedestal, schools banned the Bible and prayer, while colleges taught children to question the authority of the Bible and the existence of God. Sexual revolutions came, drugs stole lives and souls, families disintegrated, Bible translations were contaminated with man’s opinions, ministers more lost than their sheep lead churches slowly down slippery paths of ecumenism, New Age philosophies, liberal theology until approximately 70% of “Born Again” Christians believe that Jesus is NOT the only way to heaven, and only an estimated 6% of 176 million Americans who profess to be Christian hold a “biblical worldview.” This is the modern America. This is America’s church – the church of the west. Not only has its yellowed paint chipped and fallen in large chunks from our once white city upon a hill, the light has all but gone out.
Grave darkness has descended upon America, deep, deep, tangible darkness. But it is not a darkness that can be rebuked or resisted, nor is it a darkness that can be overcome in our own strength, for it is a darkness sent by God Himself because America has rejected God and raised herself up in pompous pride against Him.
When A Land Sins Against Me…
Ezekiel 14 poignantly says, “12The word of the Lord came again to me, saying: 13“Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. 14Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord God.
15“If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, 16eventhough these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.
17“Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I cut off man and beast from it, 18even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.
19“Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, 20even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”
21For thus says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it?”
To be clear, these are the curses God warned Israel about in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. These are the curses that would come upon Judah, a nation in covenant with God, as well as any nation and any land that rejects God according to Ezekiel. But what is important to be emphasized here is this: these curses fell upon Jerusalem wherein the Temple of the Lord was.
God’s Holy Temple, the Lesson of Shiloh, and America
The inhabitant of Judah had been very confident that God would not execute judgment upon them because His Temple was there, and God would not destroy His Temple. God would keep His covenant. God would not wipe them out. They were His people. The land was His land. The Temple was His Temple.
But God said in Jeremiah 7, “4Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.’5“For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, 6if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, 7then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. 8“Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. 9Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, 10and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? 11Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.12“But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. 13And now, because you have done all these works,” says the Lord, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer, 14therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.”
Shiloh. Shiloh was where Eli was priest, and Hannah brought little Samuel to reside in the presence of the Lord. It was there that Eli’s sons and priests Hophni and Phineas sinned habitually along with the people without any fear of the Lord. Yet, when the Philistines came up against them they all marched out proudly with the Ark of the Covenant from the Holy of Holies assuming and believing it made them invincible. After all, God would have to defend His Ark! But, instead the Philistines crushed them and confiscated the Ark of the Covenant, both sons of Eli died in battle, and then Eli himself died at the news that the Ark had been captured.
This is what God did to Shiloh and His Ark.
And God did the same to Jerusalem and His Temple.
If He did that to the very Temple where He dwelt and the Ark of the Covenant upon which He sat, why would He not do it to America that is called by His name?
Judgment of Unadulterated Evil
Do not think God is unjust in His dealing with America. Is not our land dripping, saturated, inundated, flooded and overflowing with the blood of the innocent? Overturning Roe v. Wade was merely a hollow gesture compared to all the slaughter, murders, and human sacrifices and injustice and human trafficking and the infestation of Hollywood filth embedded deep into the soul of this nation and spread to the rest of the world like a disease of putrid sores. Yes, sacrifices even now are being offered, and Washington D.C. is oozing with blood and filth and Occult depravity. The oppression does not cease: of the poor, the foreign, those without parents, those without husbands, etc. They are easy prey, always controlled by political agendas so that they vote for people who promise help but who never help them. And on top of this, the Church is rotten from the inside out — having a form of godliness but denying its power, believers in doctrines of devils, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, pursuers of another Jesus…
What has been happening in America IS evil. What God is doing to America IS NOT evil. Think about that…
The love of money in the name of good for one’s family or career is evil. The the love of and pursuit of pleasure and the service to the idol of constant busyness is evil. The cry for peace and security outside of God and at any price is evil. The belief that Jesus is not the only way to heaven is evil. Lack of the fear of the Lord is evil. The murder of the innocent is evil. Teaching others to do the same is evil. The use of aborted, sacrificed babies in vaccines and in the name of the false god of science is evil. And it’s stench has risen up into the nostrils of a holy God.
And thus, God is dealing out judgment to America in the form of economic collapse, natural disasters, looming war, leaders ruling over them who hate them, a “pandemic”, an “invasion” at the Mexican border, rising food costs with famine breathing down their necks, people in the prime of life dropping dead of the vaccine, and the suffocation of tyranny just around the corner. In the words of the Lord in one of Coverstone’s dreams, “This is for the slaughter of and for the hands that shed innocent blood.” For indeed, “I keep my word. And I will be faithful to keep my word as it regards the blessing and the curse.” (from the Millstone Dream).
In truth, what God said in Scripture regarding “blessing and cursing” is coming to pass, and He has confirmed this through Jonathan Cahn, “Jeremy” on Aminutetomidnite with Tony Koretz, and the dreams of Dana Coverstone. If you cannot see this, please take a look at the video links and article links below and take them to the Lord in prayer. This is not to be taken lightly nor is to be merely shrugged off as nothing nor to flippantly be responded to with a “this too shall pass”.
God is judging America and the nations. The signs are everywhere.
Message to the Bride of Christ
Though the lights of America are indeed going out, your lights oh true Church are not to go out! Though God’s judgment has come to America and will be poured out slowly over time, giving her always a chance to repent, you oh Church and spotless Bride, must arise and shine! It is not the time to be silent nor the time to be too busy nor the time to be troubled by war or famine or fear or cold – but to be alive in the fear of the Lord and to be empowered by the joy of the Lord that is our strength. This is not the moment to cower, but to rise!
The shaking that is coming now upon America will be intense, but do not be confused by it – for judgment must come. Indeed, let God arise and His enemies be scattered!
America will not rise again nor be made great again nor will freedom bells continue ringing, for her judgment has come. And she has not repented. Therefore, God is visiting her with judgment and soon will plunge the entire world into great tribulation riddled with wars and disasters and famine and pestilence and death, for the world has rejected God.
But, we are only now nearing this ultimate culmination, and are called on to shine like stars in the universe. We may be few in number, but it only takes one lamp to pierce the darkness. So, trim your lamps, fill your oil, and prepare to shine for all your worth into the ever growing darkness that will only see an end in the blessed hope of Christ! And pray with fervor and anointing. Pray with the sword of the spirit that is the word of God. Pray with great faith that is your shield. Pray with the authority that you’ve been given and in unity and agreement, with Christ in our midst.
Today is still the day of salvation, in spite of the impending doom of the gathering storm. Today we are still to redeem the time for the days are evil. Today we are to shine for we still serve a risen Savior, a Savior who came first as the Lamb, but who is coming back as the Lion, as King of kings and Lord of lords, with fire in His eyes and great glory!
Forget not who you serve! Forget not why we are here, oh Ambassadors of Christ! Forget not your calling! Forget not that we are to work while it is still day, for the night is coming when no one can work! Press on dearly beloved in Christ! Press on toward the goal, the heavenly, eternal goal in Christ! Shake off the dirt and earth of this world! Look away from national flags and earthly allegiances, for we’ve a heavenly Kingdom, a heavenly King, and His is the glory and power and honor forever!! Amen!!!
Indeed, heaven and earth will pass away, but His word will never pass away.
Quote: “Nearly 70% of born-again Christians disagree with the biblical position that Jesus is the only way to God, according to a new survey from Probe Ministries, a nonprofit that seeks to help the Church in renewing the minds of believers with a Christian worldview…The survey also found that among the top reasons given by born-again Christians for not telling others about their faith is the acceptance of pluralism. When asked why they don’t share their beliefs with others, born-again respondents chose “They can get to Heaven through their different religious belief,” “We shouldn’t impose our ideas on others,” and “The Bible tells us not to judge others” as their top three responses, respectively…confusion among Christians and what they believe was also recently reflected in the American Worldview Inventory published last month by the Cultural Research Center of Arizona Christian University. Of an estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, just 6% or 15 million of them were actually found to hold a biblical worldview. The study showed, in general, that while a majority of America’s self-identified Christians, including many who identify as evangelical, believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing and is the Creator of the universe, more than half reject a number of biblical teachings and principles, including the existence of the Holy Spirit.
Strong majorities were also found to errantly believe that all religious faiths are of equal value, people are basically good and that people can use acts of goodness to earn their way into Heaven. The study further showed that majorities don’t believe in moral absolutes, consider feelings, experience or the input of friends and family as their most trusted sources of moral guidance, and say that having faith matters more than which faith you pursue.”
Quote: According to a 2004 Barna study, “57% of the pastors of Baptist churches (other than Southern Baptist) had a biblical worldview, as did 51% of non-denominational Protestant pastors, 44% of pastors of charismatic or Pentecostal churches, 35% of pastors of black churches, and 28% of those leading mainline congregations.”
Please take a look at Coverstone’s dreams below. They reveal much of what has been happening in America and what will be taking place soon. I have summarized some of them for your convenience (the summary will be found beneath the video).
Summary: Things are going on just outside the window during the very homey Thanksgiving scene like the scene of the Rockwell painting with the family at Thanksgiving time. As those at the table try to talk about what is happening just outside the window behind the grandparents who are serving the Turkey, most at the table rebuke and silence them. And then things turn really bad, people die, and only the few who were alert survive.
This truly has been happening, even in families. Truth and those who stand for it are under attack, but in the end it is those who have not faced the truth who will suffer most.
Summary: Really this picks up where “The Bunker” dream leaves off. The blood under the president’s desk that goes deep into the tunnels beneath the Oval Office and also suddenly poured from the ceiling of the office as well, the spreading of the blood by the rats all over Washington D.C., the sifting and shaking of D.C., and the Lord holding the scales with the currencies of the world held high above His head until He threw the currencies to the ground, turning them to powder that blew away. And the Lord said while still holding the scale, “I determine the value of what is valued, but the soul of the nation worships paper and paper is all it will be. The time of bracing is past and the season of endurance is upon the Body of Christ. Endure now. Endure tomorrow. And endure until the end.”
And indeed, He is determining that right now. All the money of the world that has been held dear is about to blow away in the wind, and God is behind it.
Summary: This is unfolding and has been unfolding regarding the January 6th trials and arrests and imprisonments (including of Dr. Simone Gold), the raid on one of Donald Trump’s homes, etc.
Summary: This too is unfolding with the sacrifice and demolition of the U.S. legal system in the name of U.S. patriotism, and in so doing, patriotism is being destroyed too. Courts are practicing lawlessness, and in the name of freedom they are killing freedom itself.
Summary: The “Republic” of America is over, and the nations of this world are become the nations of our God and of His Christ. All are being tested to see what they are made of, and all are in God’s hands. Though evil may think they are holding sway over this world, God is indeed sovereign, He is in control, and His will is being done.
Summary: This is a Statue of Liberty dream which shows her lengthy yet ultimate demise, her defiance, lack of repentance, and complete and utter destruction.
Summary: Concerning the 2nd and 3rd weeks in October as well as October 31st which was emphasized. He sees federal officials, governors, and other leadership with wicks coming out of their heads which eventually are lit and explode – everyone’s heads blew up at the same time, and protests turned violent. There were also older people being attacked – patriotic Americans with principles. There were even those attempting to break into nursing homes to attack the elderly. And there was a hundred dollar bill raised as a flag on a pole where it burned as it was slowly lowered to the tune of Taps until there was only a third of the flag left, and people with hands over their hearts wept. But others celebrated that the value dollar died.
Meanwhile, small groups of Christians met together and prayed (small churches and small groups of people) – the faithful who had not compromised and who are discerning the times. “They were wrestling in prayer with the spirit of the age.” And they were protected by “bubbles” as angels guarded them on every side. And these were encouraged to stand strong and to press on and to believe in spite of relentless attacks. Behind each of them was a small gate (Coverstone was reminded of Matthew 7:13-14, the narrow gate that leads to the narrow way).
This was followed by “puffed up” prosperity prophets and pastors who preached against any type of persecution and only predicted good things. Their words were slurred, and they sounded drunk. Little by little they lost their clothing until they were completely naked. Then a rug under them was pulled out and they were flipped into the air, and money flew everywhere that they’d gotten from their prophesies. As they landed the bit through their tongues, and they reached out to grab their tongues but could not reach them. They were exposed. [part of this came to pass when Trump did not get back in to serve a second term as president, for all those who had predicted his victory were dumbfounded and silenced. However, they have since continued their bombastic, proud prophesying and more are listening or are continuing to listen in spite of it. Furthermore, this part about $ and them being shamed has not yet come to pass].
The scene returned to those who were praying. It was more intense, but they persevered still.
The final scene was of election clowns who poured out slippery grease to keep voters away. They did so professionally with skits, but were there to deter voters and to distract.
– Passover 2021 billboard – [this is already passed]
And the figure in white appeared and said, “Do not stop bracing for the storm will not pass until I stop the storm. So brace, brace, brace yourselves, and don’t look back.”
Summary: I believe that this dream will find its full fulfillment this November. It started to unfold in November of 2020, so some of its content has been fulfilled already. However, there are a number of parts that have yet to be fulfilled, and will likely come to pass this November including the complete demolition of democracy and all that the White House and this nation has ever stood for in all of its years. The part regarding the fire on the heads of the Body of Christ and the fires burning on the altars of churches for sure will be happening this November. And by fire, I mean the fire of the Holy Spirit. This fulfillment will surely take place this November.
**fire on the heads of Christians agrees with the Desert Road Dream. After seeing this again, the timing points to this November
Summary: December – the finger pointed under the word December and forcefully underlined it. Then the calendar flipped to January and the finger underlined the word January just as slowly and deliberately as it had December.
This was followed by clips of long food lines in person not in cars, and people waiting for hours throughout the nation. Idle ships sat in ports on both the east and west coasts. And a headline read: ‘The Baltic Dry Index is Dead’, for trade had come to a screeching halt around the world. This was in December.
There were not holiday displays, no Christmas lights, no sales, no Santa Claus. Instead there was “great sadness” and confusion. Shopping malls had been shuttered and converted into shelters. People were on cots. Food outreach. Something bad had happened.
Christians however really stood out – they shined like burning torches, and told people point blank that “you need Jesus now”. There were those who rejected and those who received.
There were people in homes wearing coats and looking out their windows to dark dingy snow. [cold that’s coming and power outages]
Headlines: ‘Nationwide Outages Plague the Southwest’ and ‘Americans Don’t Know Who to Blame for Darkness’
The darkness stretched into Canada though it did not go everywhere.
Saw an outline of the U.S. including Alaska and Hawaii, and there were lights flickering, just like a light bulb flickers before it goes out. Thus, America was like a light bulb about to go out. [MOVIE quote: “Foreign Correspondent”]
Fat Vultures had rotting food hanging from their mouths.
Depression was embodied – face mask on with a smile on it, and it pushed people down
Saint Louis arch and men with nuclear suitcases cuffed to them, and they got into black SUVs and they dispersed all directions. Each had a Wall Street Journal and wore heavily tinted sunglasses.
Headlines: Market crashes, yields being lost, and one even had sympathy for the swastika
Tired crowds, tired people, everyone was heavy
Christians reminded people of what Jesus had said about “winter”.
Lights of churches across America were seen, and Coverstone felt that they were “keeping warmth and hope in their communities”
The white figure arose out of one of those lights and said, “Brace yourself, brace, brace, brace yourself on the Word and my promises, and do not rely on your own strength.”
**This goes along with the Desert Road Dream with people in line for food and only a few are allowed in a store at a time and there are armed guards who check on what people are buying.
** The part also about the cold that’s coming and power outages are also in the Desert Road dream wherein people had frozen to death
Summary: By the State of the Union 2023 the state of our union will be that of tyranny such as is found in China. Though most within the House and Senate have worked to bring about this goal, they are terror stricken by the force of its realization, and those who dare to question are not heard from again. This aligns with Jonathan Cahn’s “Return of the gods” and the Enchantress/Transformer – perhaps even the whore that rides the beast.
Summary: Plane representing America being intentionally directed downward by the pilot, but no one noticed because they were busy on their electronic devices. Meanwhile, China and Russia in sync with one another move forward with war plans as planes swarm Taiwan and missiles rain down on Ukraine. Large smoking silos in western Europe are then uncovered, but nothing was launched. But one of the ships off of Taiwan did launch a missile that headed east across the Pacific ocean, and its trajectory stopped over the middle of the U.S. There was an explosion above the clouds. It was then that the plane representing the U.S. lost all power, and everyone who had been oblivious before realized what was happening as the powerless plane descended sharply and swiftly. Panic overcame everyone. It was then that the Lord spoke “I told them to pray, but they did not. They need to take it seriously now.”
Update as of 10-26-22 and how this dream is being fulfilled:
Summary: Why America is being judged… this is about the steady judgment and suffocation of America via a millstone with an enormous rope attached to it that was miles wide, fallen from the sky into the Pacific ocean. As the stone landed, the rope formed a circle completely around the U.S. And as the stone sank, the rope tightened, until the Midwest began to choke. And the heartbeat of America could be heard, even as the millstone thudded against the bottom of the ocean. The noose loosened briefly, but not for long.
And the Lord said, “This is for the slaughter of and for the hands that shed innocent blood.” And the Lord’s hand pushed the millstone through the Earth’s mantle violently and the rope tightened around the nation’s throat. There were earthquakes, and the nation died swiftly at that point after a brief moment of relief. And the Lord appeared on a white horse saying, “I keep my word. And I will be faithful to keep my word as it regards the blessing and the curse. There is not much time to work, and those that know, know this deeply. Get busy. Stay busy. And know that I am coming back very soon.” And the horse and rider were gone in a flash. It ends with the fields being full of crops absolutely white unto harvest with only a few people working in them. And then large groups of people appeared from north, south, east and west ran at full speed with bags over their shoulder and sickles in their hands, working swiftly as the sun began to set.
And the Lord said quickly, “It’s too late to START bracing, and the braced are about to be tested harshly. So, LOCK in place.”
“Blessings and Cursings” Still Apply
Leviticus 26 “14‘But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments,15and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant,16I also will do this to you…”
Deuteronomy 28 “15“But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…47“Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, 48therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.”
Jeremiah 15“1Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth. 2And it shall be, if they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ then you shall tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord:
“Such as are for death, to death; And such as are for the sword, to the sword; And such as are for the famine, to the famine; And such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.” ’
3“And I will appoint over them four forms of destruction,” says the Lord: “the sword to slay, the dogs to drag, the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.”
Ezekiel 14 “12The word of the Lord came again to me, saying: 13“Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famineon it, and cut off man and beast from it. 14Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord God.
15“If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, 16eventhough these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.
17“Or if I bring a swordon that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I cut off man and beast from it, 18even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.
19“Or if I senda pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, 20even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”
21For thus says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it?”
But If…
Leviticus 2640‘But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me, 41and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies;if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—42then I will remember My covenant…”
A Christian teacher in Ireland has been jailed “for violating a court order forbidding him from going to the school where he works, after he was put on administrative leave during disciplinary proceedings over his refusal to use a student’s new name and gender-neutral pronouns…” Mr. Enoch Burke stated that calling the student by a gender neutral pronoun went against his Christian beliefs. In other words, Mr. Burke is being persecuted for being a true Christian who stood for the truth and would not, in effect call evil good.
Addressing this topic of good and evil, Isaiah states succinctly God’s words on this matter, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! … 24Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” For indeed, “the LORD of Hosts will be exalted by His justice, and the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness” (Isaiah 5:16).
I encourage each of us as Christians that when we see the school buses out and about driving by our homes or stopping in front of us, or as we send our kids or grandkids to school, let us remember to pray for the Christian teachers and Christian coaches and Christian students and Christian parents, really for all Christians, especially now. The days are getting darker by the nanosecond — but the darker the night, the nearer the dawn.
And here are some ways in which we can pray:
Ephesians 5
“14Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life…” Pray that they “Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them… walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Ephesians 6
Along with the full armor of God passage, may we especially, pray “19… that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20…that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Colossians 4
Pray also “…3that God would open…a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ… 4that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
Pray, Pray, Pray
Indeed, we all must “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving…” (Colossians 4:2), “…18… always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…” (Ephesians 6), pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and may we also ourselves live out all the passages above with all diligence and perseverance and courage, for the time is short and Christ’s return is nearer today than yesterday. “11And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13). Amen. Indeed, the night is far spent, and the day is very close at hand. Though the darkness is deep, the faint dawning of the light of day is about to blush the sky with glorious light!
Be not afraid, dear Christian! Jesus is coming soon! Let’s be ready!
With Sincerity,
Holy Light Ministries
Story of Irish Christian teacher found at this link:
Yes, the song below is old, but its words are more relevant today than it was even when they sang it way back when. Blessings as you listen with your ears and heart!
Just thought I’d share a mystery with y’all. The Georgia Guidestones which have been called ‘America’s Stonehenge’ were mysteriously struck by an explosion of some sort yesterday. I say mysteriously because no one is sharing what really happened. They have security cameras focused on the Guidestones, but they still seem clueless — at least that’s what they say. Maybe they don’t want the truth to be known. Maybe they just want some attention.
Or… did God do it?
After hearing what had happened, I immediately thought that because of what those stones stand for, I would not be surprised if God struck them Himself. Interestingly enough “former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor” spoke aloud the same sentiments when she tweeted, “”God is God all by Himself. He can do ANYTHING He wants to do. That includes striking down Satanic Guidestones.” (quote from the Reuter’s article below).
What are the Guidestones? In short, they are the ten commandments of the New World Order. Two of their commandments call for population control and a world court. To learn more, please watch the video below.
Think about this — Didn’t the idol of the false god Dagon literally get struck down by God? We find this story in 1 Samuel 5.
“1Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon[a] and set it by Dagon. 3And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. 4And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only [b]Dagon’s torso was left of it.”
This being remembered, and since the episode is a mystery at this point, it is quite possible that God did strike them. After all, why not? Is our God not still the One who struck down Dagon? Is He not still the all-powerful God of the Bible?
This past Sunday was Pentecost Sunday. It seems these days that too few churches even mention the name or even come close to celebrating it. But the day, or rather two days of Pentecost, are incredibly special and underappreciated. It ought to be observed by every church the world over, even as Christmas and Resurrection Sunday are. After all, it is the day that God sent His Spirit to empower believers for the propagation of the Gospel. It is the day that the new covenant was enacted publicly, and the Church was born. Without it, we would not be here.
Remember, God has ordained holidays, and His holidays were performed as dress rehearsals, foreshadows and pictures of His promises yet to be fulfilled. He desired them to be celebrated year after year to prepare the people for their final culmination in Christ. Four of them have been fulfilled. Passover (Jesus was our spotless, sacrificial Lamb), Unleavened Bread (Jesus was buried as one without sin), First Fruits (Jesus was resurrected and promises resurrection to all who believe in Him), and Pentecost (the birthday of the Church).
So, when was the first Pentecost? Did it all begin with the 120 who were gathered in the upper room in Acts 1 and 2? No. This was not the first Pentecost. The first Pentecost, also known as Shavuot, was initially observed three months following the exodus from Egypt. It is called the feast of “weeks” because it comes seven weeks after God’s holy feast of First Fruits, now called Resurrection Sunday. So, seven weeks after the Hebrews crossed the Red Sea, they encamped at Sinai where the first Pentecost unfolded.
The First Pentecost
Exodus 19:1, 16-20 relates the first Pentecost story:
“In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai… And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.”
God Came Down
In this incredible scene, God came down to meet the people. In the verses we did not read, God told them to get washed up to meet Him. And so, for three days they prepared for God’s arrival. Take note of the details we just read. It happened in the morning. There was a loud noise called the “voice of the trumpet,” which was God’s voice, for it has been noted in other parts of Scripture that God’s voice is like trumpet (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 1:10). And there was fire, smoke, thunder and lightning. It was so amazing that the people, including Moses, trembled at the sights and sounds and feelings. It has been said by several sources, that God with His trumpet voice, spoke forth the law into seventy languages. Then over the course of forty days and in the presence of Moses alone, He wrote the law on stone with His own finger (Exodus 31:18).
But, why did God come down on Mt. Sinai? He came to initiate the Hebrews as a nation and as the members of a covenant. Now, a covenant always involves blood that essentially seals the deal. In Hebrew the word covenant comes from a root word meaning “to cut,” for there was the cutting of an animal and the shedding of blood sealed the deal. Without the blood there was no covenant.
And so, the LORD presented the covenant to them, and they accepted, thus becoming His covenant people, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6; 24:3,7). “And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning these words…” (Exodus 24:8). The Hebrews were initiated as God’s covenant nation on the day of first Pentecost at Mount Sinai.
The Ascension and the Promised Return
In Acts 1 ten days before Pentecost commenced, we read that Jesus had just ascended into heaven. “9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” In this we find our eternal hope of Christ’s promised return. To this we cling when all looks bleak, the color of the world dims from gray to black, disasters increase and both world wars and spiritual wars insatiably spread and concerns for our families overwhelm our hearts and minds. Jesus is coming back! Even as He promised to come, He has promised to return. Even as He ascended up into the clouds forty days after His resurrection, He will come back with the clouds of heaven.
In the Meantime…
In the meantime, Jesus knew exactly what, or shall I say Who, we would need. For until that awesome hoped for day, He has promised to empower us with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 1 we read, “4 And, being assembled together with them, [Jesus] commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.8…ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem… These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren… (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)…”
Pentecost Fulfilled
Acts 2:1-21
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Exodus 19 and Acts 2
Just as in Exodus 19 God came down in the morning to initiate the Hebrews to His covenant and nationhood, even so in Acts 2 Peter confirms that it was 9:00am in the morning when God came down again. Just as in Exodus 19 there were loud noises of thunder, even the trumpet of God, in Acts 2 there also was the loud sound of a mighty, rushing wind. Even as there was much fire upon Mount Sinai, in Acts 2 the Holy Spirit descended in what appeared to be tongues of fire. As some scholars believe that God on that first Pentecost spoke forth the law into the 70 languages of the world, even so the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 declared the wonders of God in the languages of the world through the believers who had tarried in Jerusalem. And that day, God fulfilled His promise by writing His word upon the hearts of those who believed instead of on tablets of stone (2 Corinthians 3:3). Even as the Hebrews had been brought into a covenant with God and were sprinkled with the blood of sacrificial animals, Acts 2 saw the ceremony of a new covenant in Christ’s blood brought to the believers, forming and empowering them as a holy nation. Though Acts 2 was not the first Pentecost it was the incredible fulfillment of what God had promised for it brought about an interminable and indomitable Pentecost.
After all, the first Pentecost at Sinai was but a foreshadowing of a better covenant through the shed blood of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the initiation of Christians as a holy nation. As it says in 1 Peter 2:9-10, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”
Today
And so that remarkable day of Pentecost God brought to pass what He had always intended. Fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection, the rushing wind of the Most High God swept through that room as the Holy Spirit baptised the believers with tongues of fire as they were immersed into a new covenant of Christ’s holy blood. They were made a new nation of priests and kings empowered here as ambassadors, spokespersons of the heavenly kingdom and of it’s eternal, almighty King.
While we await the day of Christ’s return, He has promised to empower us with His Holy Spirit of Truth (John 14:15-31 and Acts 1). Jesus says in John 7:38-39, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”
Today Jesus is glorified and is seated at the right hand of the Father on high, and believers are still promised this empowering of the Holy Spirit of the Living God, and true sign and seal of the new covenant established in Christ’s blood.
Conclusion
We conclude today with Hebrews 12:18-24.
18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” 21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”) 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.”
As we remember Pentecost, let us also live in Pentecost. Jesus is coming soon! Let’s be ready!
“The Angels and the Giving of the Law,” Rev. Stewart, http://www.prca.org/current/Doctrine/Volume%2013/NEWS-M20.pdfNote: the views expressed in this article on infant death has no bearing on the topic of angels, and is not agreed with by myself, the author of the present article. Although Rev. Stewart who wrote on angels, who I do quote in my article may agree with the article on infant death, I do not agree.
Mark Biltz, “The Feasts of Israel,” DVD series. Note: Mark Biltz has recently come under the influence of Yitzhak Shapira who says he is a Messianic Jew, but is really a Kabbalist in disguise and a member of the Chabad Lubavitch sect of Judaism. Though he claims conversion, there are terms and phrases that he uses that should not only give one pause but give one reason to distrust him. Others are also being deceived by Shapira, such as Jonathan Bernis of Jewish Voice. Mark Biltz produced this video on the feasts of Israel before his association with Shapira. And I also must say that are elements within the video that are based in rabbinic tradition, and must be weighed heavily with Scripture. I do not take everything Biltz says at face value, and I encourage everyone to be good Bereans.
“1Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. 2Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah 4You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue.5God shall likewise destroy you forever;He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place,And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah6The righteous also shall see and fear,And shall laugh at him, saying,7“Here is the man who did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness.”8But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.9I will praise You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for itis good.”
This week, at the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, the U.S. along with 193 other nations are on the verge of readily and eagerly ceding their sovereignty over to the World Health Organization otherwise dubbed WHO in all matters of pandemics, etc. In years past, these leaders and groups and meetings were secretive and secluded, with only those present knowing what was presented. Only a select few knew the plan, and those that attempted to expose that plan were silenced. That was then. This is now. Before, they were only planning and strategizing. But, now, they are implementing those plans, and all “World Economic Forum groomed” leaders are strategically in place. And thus, an air of invincibility has enveloped them, and they can be open because everything is set. It’s as if they are saying, “Who cares who knows now?! No one can stop us!”
And indeed, the stage is set. But, they only think they are secure. For truly it is God who is in control, and the book of Revelation is about to fall upon them like an unexpected bolt of lightning, a deafening clap of thunder, and the shaking of a mighty earthquake. For, not only America, but the nations of the world have forsaken God. One by one they have been persecuting Christians, from North Korea, to China, to Indonesia, to India, to Crimea, to Russia, to Saudi Arabia, to Israel, to Sudan, to Eritrea, to Canada and the list goes on. Millions upon millions have been slaughtered because they wear the name of Christ, and many others are persecuted in their employment and even imprisoned mercilessly for their faith. The nations are raging and the people are plotting a vain thing, and what a century ago had been only the dream of a few elite secret society members is now being realized by the masses. Though God has seemingly kept silent so far, He says in Psalm 50:21-22, “These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes. 22“Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And there be none to deliver…”
And thus Psalm 2, Psalm 52, Psalm 92, Psalm 96, Psalm 98, Isaiah 24, Daniel, Zechariah, Matthew 24, Luke 17 and 21, Mark 13, 2 Peter 3, and Revelation were written. For God did not want His people to despair when evil appears to be prospering, for God is still good, His mercy still endures, and His name is worthy of our trust. He is a righteous judge, and He is coming.
Psalm 52, though written around 3,000 years ago regarding a very specific event in the life of David, is still very much applicable today. For David it was regarding the betrayal of Doeg the Edomite who was chief herdsman and head servant over King Saul’s servants as recounted in 1 Samuel 21-22. David had hurriedly escaped King’s Saul’s plot to kill him, and had been on the run for three days. It can be assessed from the story that he had taken no provision with him. He had no sword, no armor, no change of clothes, no money, and no food. At last he came to the city of Nob which is located very near Jerusalem to the northeast. There Ahimelech suspiciously yet dutifully supplies David with the holy bread from the table of showbread in the Holy Place.
Now, according to David in 1 Samuel 21:5, the bread though holy, was also in a manner common because the priests had that very day exchanged it for hot, fresh loaves. Leviticus 24 says, “8Every Sabbath he [the priest] shall set it [the bread] in order before the Lord continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 9And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy to him from the offerings of the Lord made by fire, by a perpetual statute.” Based on these details, we can know that it was the Sabbath day when David stood before Ahimelech, and David knew that the old twelve loaves (symbolic for the twelve tribes of Israel) was being changed out for the fresh bread on that day. And thus, David reasoned that the bread was now in a manner common. “Giving anyone this bread other than the priests was unheard of and never repeated. After all, this holy bread, called “most holy unto Him” (Leviticus 24:9), was for God’s sanctified priests alone. This incredible experience would have impacted David greatly, indelibly imprinting upon his heart the awesome generosity of our great God in a time of extreme and desperate need,” (Psalm 23:5 article). The Critical-Experimental Commentary by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown states that these loaves of bread were exceptionally large, weighing upwards to 13.5 pounds.
Along with the five loaves that David requested, Ahimelech also gave David Goliath’s sword that had been stored there for whatever reason. And Ahimelech did this without knowing that David was running from the king. Nevertheless, a certain man by the name of Doeg the Edomite was watching all of this unfold, and told the king that Ahimelech had sided with David against King Saul. Because of this King Saul ordered the wholesale slaughter of all of the Lord’s priests, including Ahimelech, and their families. Though King Saul’s Israelite servants would not follow his order to kill God’s priests, Doeg the Edomite gladly obliged. “So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. 19Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep—with the edge of the sword.” (1 Samuel 22:18-19).
However, we are also told that one of Ahimelech’s sons escaped with an ephod and ran to David to inform him and to find safety. It was then that David wrote Psalm 52, regarding one who makes his boast in evil, his trust in riches, and his strength in wickedness.
Indeed, evil is boasting right now. They are openly allowing everyone to see what they are doing because they are confident that their plans will move forward in spite of chaos and resistance. After all, they love chaos. They feed off of it, and are energized by it. Like Doeg the Edomite felt confident in his razor sharp words against David, these modern day elite Doegs make riches their trust and wickedness their strength. Even so, they are boasting, devising destruction, and crafting deceit, from ceding the sovereignty of each nation to the WHO, to implementing a one world, blockchain currency, to tracking and tracing and surveillance via technology, and the global depopulation via the vaccine, food shortages and inflation.
But let us also be reminded by David that God is still good continually, that His mercy lasts forever, that we as His children are like green, flourishing olive trees in the house of our God, and all these boastful evil ones will be destroyed forever, shall be plucked up and uprooted “from the land of the living” (vs 5). But, “6The righteous also shall see and fear, And shall laugh at him, saying,7“Here is the man who did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness.” And with David may we say, “9I will praise You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for itis good.” He has done it. Not will do it. Not could do it. Not shall do it. Not might do it. He HAS done it! Hallelujah!!! It is finished, just like He said!!!
Quote: “Says the Critical-Experimental Commentary by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, the twelve loaves or “cakes” of the showbread were baked by the Levites, the flour being furnished by the people (I Chronicles 9:32; 23:29). Oil, wine and salt were the other ingredients (Leviticus 2:13). Each loaf was to be “two tenth deals” — that is, of an ephah. In other words, each loaf weighed about 13.5 pounds. Every Sabbath day hot new loaves were placed on the table and the old loaves were removed and eaten by the priests, except in cases of dire emergency (I Samuel 21:30-6i; Luke 6:3-4).
(Links to various articles/videos will be posted below in an outline form so that you can read/watch and not just take my word for it. There are even more articles not listed below (a plethora), but they are online regarding what I have only begun to touch on here from websites such as https://www.thebereancall.org/; http://letusreason.org/; https://carm.org/; https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/ and many others. May your hearts be open to what the Spirit of God would say to you through this article, and the resources that follow).
Bethel of the Bible
The Bible recounts that a place by the name of Bethel, meaning “house of God”, had been incredibly special and important. It was the place of Abraham’s communion with God (Genesis 12:8), the location of the heavenly staircase upon which Jacob perceived angels ascending and descending (Genesis 28:10, 19), where the Israelites went to seek God’s council in troubled times (Judges 20:18 Judges 20:31; 21:2), where the ark of the Covenant was protected by Phinehas (Judges 20:26-28), and was one of the places where the prophet Samuel judged the people (1 Samuel 7:16). It was a holy place. It was a blessed place.
But Bethel did not remain pure and holy, for it fell head over heals into idolatry when Jeroboam set up a golden calf in its midst (1 Kings 12:28-13:1) and told Israel that it was their god. And thus the prophet Hosea (Hosea 4:15, 5:8, 10:5, 8) calls it Beth-aven, “house of idols.” No longer was it a place where God dwelt and met with His people. Rather, it became a place wherein evil was welcomed with open arms, the exciting and exotic rites of Occultism were practiced openly, and where the people sought the aide of any god but God while not at all discerning the difference.
In Acts 16:16-24 a story is recounted of Paul, Silas, Luke and other Christians who were being closely and daily followed around by a young woman who was declaring, “These men are servants of the Most High God which show unto us the way of salvation” (vs 17).
Now, what is wrong with this statement? Sounds inspired, doesn’t it? It appears completely sound in doctrine, doesn’t it? So, why then is Paul troubled and thoroughly fatigued (1278) by her? I mean, wasn’t what she was saying making the people listen to Paul? Wasn’t it drawing them to Jesus?
The Spirit of Python
No. She was possessed by the spirit of puthon. Puthon sometimes called Python, was a serpent that the Greco-Roman god Apollo was said to have slain, but then manifested at a place called Delphi through a young woman for the purpose of prophesying. (https://ehistory.osu.edu/articles/oracle-delphi) And though the instruction was more often than not cryptic and vague, the oracle at Delphi was still considered to be so accurate that commoners and influential people alike from all around would seek to divine their future through her. But puthon was not of God. Puthon was demonic.
In other words, it was not what the young woman said that was wrong. The words she spoke were not wrong. Please, notice that. The average listener would not hear anything amiss. But, the spirit behind the prophetic words was evil, and Paul through discernment, knew this. The spirit wanted to attach itself to the Christian message and become revered by the Christian ministers and all listening, in order to gain the trust of believers and to attain greater prestige. The Gospel was forcefully advancing, and many were coming to Christ, and the spirit of Python wanted to be apart of it in order to draw attention to itself and steal Christ’s glory.
This Present Darkness
It is no different today. For, there is a deep darkness that has descended over the modern day house of God worldwide. The tares are growing up prolifically among the ears of wheat, and great deception is pervading with increasing energy and perseverance. There is a hybridization taking place, a mixing and mingling of Christianity until little of Christ is left except a shell void of the life that once dwelt there. Though many may nod knowingly regarding this apostasy, very few actually regard the specifics and far reaching, tentacled, many headed hydra that has overtaken the Church. A spiritual genetic manipulation has and is in effect taking place, and most are too apathetic or mesmerized or sleepy to notice or care.
But, I must ask, is it at any time acceptable for Christians to use tarot cards or Ouija boards? What about practicing necromancy or divination or any other type of Occultism? Is any of that blessed by God at any time or under any other name? How about being filled with “drunken glory” exemplified by staggering and slurred speech? Would you be comfortable with the belief that there are “precious” treasures of New Age mysticism that we as Christians must reclaim and fully utilize? What about the teaching that Jesus was completely emptied of His godhood while here and thus was only a man? What about the teaching that Jesus was the first one to be born again?
Deception
Our God is a holy God, and He commands that we are to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). And this holiness is to pervade every aspect and facet of our daily lives, from what we watch, what we think about, what we listen to, what entertains us, what and who motivates us, and what type of teaching and teacher we heed. Indeed, even as the saying goes “garbage in, garbage out”, so it is with the spiritual food we receive, whether deliberately or inadvertently. That which we take into our spirits, does eventually produce fruit of some kind – good or bad depending on what type of spiritual food we ingest.
We so quickly and easily say that we have the Holy Spirit and that He will not allow us to go astray. And yes, as Christians we do have the Holy Spirit who will lead us into all truth – if we are abiding in His word (John 16:13). For indeed, we are still sheep, and we can still be “drawn away” by the desires (James 1:14) of our hearts that are deceitful above all else (Jeremiah 17:9). We are still called on by the Savior to be diligent and of a sound mind. Thus, James implores his Christian readers saying, “do not be deceived” (James 1:16). For as Peter states in 2 Peter 2, “1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”
Deception has been around since the snake in the garden, but it grew thick and fast after Jesus’ resurrection and the commencement of the Church age. This deception has not been outside of the Church, but inside. That is why Peter, Paul, John, James, and others in Scripture warned believers to beware and be on guard constantly. Even Matthew 24:1 relates, “3Now as He [Jesus] sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”4And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you…” Again, this is addressed to believers. This is addressed to us.
The Problem of Cognitive Dissonance
Most if not all who read what I’ve just stated above will be nodding their heads quickly in agreement to such a general statement. But, the moment that one gets specific and begins to point out who or what is false and why, people start to stiffen, resist, and disagree. Why? We get uncomfortable as soon as the information hits too close to home, in other words, touches on a ministry or minister that we like. That is the nature of each of our hearts. That is the nature of deception. And that is precisely how Satan preys upon Christians.
Here’s the deal. Do you want the truth? Do you want it even at the expense of losing names and faces that you have looked up to and trusted? Do you want the truth even at the expense of realizing that you were fooled by them and their smooth words? Do you want the truth more than signs and wonders? Do you?
Deception in Plain Sight
Well, there is a specific church, a specific organization, a specific movement, a specific ministry, a specific man that is propagating a now widespread deception in the Church. Yes, they truly do believe that they are “reclaiming” Hindu/New Age teachings as if they at first belonged to Christianity, and are teaching and inspiring other Christians to do so too. This includes the use of Ouija Boards aptly renamed Angel Boards, Tarot Cards aptly renamed Destiny Cards (and now there are Destiny Pants too), Necromancy renamed grave soaking/sucking/mantle grabbing, and Eastern Meditation practices now aptly renamed Contemplative Prayer or Soaking Prayer which leads to Kundalini enlightenment, and people are staggering and stammering about in a so-called “drunken glory”. But of course they do not call it Kundalini (the nine headed serpent power/wisdom of the Hinduism of India, https://icrcanada.org/learn/historicalbasis/kundaliniindia). Rather, they call it the Holy Spirit. And the manifestations of this Kundalini are as follows: “Unholy laughing, uncontrollable laughing, involuntary falling, jerking, roaring, barking, hissing, crying, body contortions, shaking, muscle twitches, spasms, postures or moving one’s body in unusual ways, drunkenness,” (“Lindsey Davis’ Heart Cry for Bethel’s Correction,” pg 29, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jTWy8zJMf4X13maBE2SXRLT2-ACM7MCf/view). And then there is the walk through the “fire tunnel”, wherein Kundalini is imparted and people begin to thrash about like the demon possessed/oppressed because they are, but they believe it to be an encounter with God.
On top of this, the one propagating the above is also a teacher of false doctrine regarding Jesus, for it is taught that Jesus while here was only a man and was completely emptied of His divinity/godhood, and that Jesus was the first one born again. The reasoning presented is that if Jesus had not been merely a man, then we as humans could not hope to do the miracles that he did. But, because Jesus was only a man then we can do what he did. One of those spiritual manifestations is that of prophecy, only one does not need to be 100% accurate. And in this organization’s school of ministry (which is increasingly popular), they will not allow any student to graduate until they have prophesied three times incorrectly.
Does this even sound Christian or doctrinally accurate? What good can come from this?
In spite of these horrors, this organization and its founder are highly venerated among charismatic Christians, and big name Christian leaders visit his church for conferences, worship gatherings and the like. This individual is viewed as a respected leader among Pentecostals and charismatics, and is even included on the Global Council leadership team of Empowered21. Empowered21 states that it “is a global movement which aims to…Promote the empowerment of the Holy Spirit on all believers and the empowerment of the generations to serve God…The vision is for everyone on Earth to have an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit… by Pentecost 2033”. (https://digitalshowcase.oru.edu/e21archive/; https://empowered21.com/about/; https://empowered21.com/about/global-leaders/)
First of all there is nothing wrong with this vision. I myself am Pentecostal. There, the cat’s out of the bag on that one! But, at this point it is imperative that you know this. I am not merely charismatic. I am Pentecostal. I believe that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 began then and continues today, and that the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as explained by Paul in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12-14 are still for the edification of the Church today. Thus, the noble goals of Empowered21 are good.
But, the goats have mixed in with the sheep, the tares with the wheat. This man is a counterfeit, and is apart of a much larger, approved of movement that is polluting the Body of Christ with lies garbed in prophetic words, dreams and visions and decorated with flashy promises of good to come and hit or mostly miss emotionally charged prophetic utterances. The deception of this group is far-reaching and deeply entrenched in the Church, poisoning it from the inside out. For, even if it tastes good, looks good, and smells good, it is still poison.
Exposed
The movement is the New Apostolic Reformation, also referred to as the acroym NAR.
The man’s name is Bill Johnson, and his church’s name is Bethel, also called Bethel Redding or Bethel Church Redding.
Much can be found online regarding Bill Johnson, his links with the NAR, the Toronto Blessing (so-called), Rick Joyner and other NAR apostolic leadership, the Three Rivers/Latter Rain/Dominionism/Manifest Sons of God/Seven Mountains Mandate beliefs, etc., but this article is not for the purpose of summarizing these nor the heresy of this movement. Rather, it is to point out a very overlooked yet overwhelmingly prevalent fact. Jesus stated in Matthew 7:18, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” There is something that springs from the source of this heretical church and movement, something that grows from its roots, and that is inseparable from this corrupt Bethel tree.
Corrupt Fruit
What is this corrupt fruit of Bethel church in Redding, California? Bethel Music and Jesus Culture.
How can such incredible music and such moving lyrics come from such a polluted, cult-like church? How can they sound so Christian, when they are led by the guru-like teaching of Bill Johnson who propagates a false doctrine and advocates Occult and New Age practices?
Lucifer: Worship Leader
Let’s remember this very important fact: Lucifer was a worship leader in heaven. In Ezekiel 28:13 he is said to have been made with timbrels and pipes, and in Isaiah 14:11 it goes on to say that the sound of his stringed instruments and music were silenced in the day he was taken down to Sheol. Thus, it is said that Lucifer was made up of all three types of musical instruments that we use today (percussion, wind, and strings).
But one day, he polluted his sanctuaries by the iniquity of his “trading”. This “trading” or “merchandizing” that Lucifer did, according to Pastor Zev Porat, a Messianic rabbi whose first language is Hebrew, was actually stealthily and secretly keeping back part of what rightfully belonged to God – namely His worship – while making it look like all of the worship had been given to God. (“Satan’s Days are Numbered – Messianic Rabbi Zev Porat Teaches,” November 5, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNs2adgR4gc).
Really, this is exactly like what Ananias and Sapphira did in Acts 5. They covertly embezzled (nosphizo, 3557), deceptively held something back when they said they given all of it to God. And, does the spirit of this not align with Matthew 4 when it says, “8Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.””
Would Satan, who led in worship in heaven not also be well-versed in what worship ought to sound like, be worded like, even feel like? Wouldn’t he then who is a deceiver also be very excellent at mixing truth with a subtle lie, mingled with powerful music that stirs the soul so that one overlooks the error, lets down their guard, and sings on with the mesmerizing melody? Is Lucifer not adept at appearing as an angel of light? (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Are you shaking your head in disbelief? Are you underestimating the devil, that ancient serpent (Revelation 12:9)?
Now…back to Bethel.
Bethel Music
Bethel church, filled with error and heresy, a church endorsing Occult practices, advocating New Age manifestations, a church apart of the New Apostolic Reformation which calls their leadership super apostles and prophets who also back false prophets and false teachers including Bill Johnson, and who advocate all unfiltered, untested supernatural signs as being from God, all while calling themselves Christian, has now given birth to a music revolution.
“From 2009 to 2013, Bethel Music rapidly grew from being a relatively small local church music ministry to becoming a fully-fledged record label and publishing company, featuring songwriters and worship leaders based out of Bethel Church in Redding, California” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel_Music). “Bethel Music is an American record label and publishing company associated with Bethel Church, led by Bill Johnson’s son Brian Johnson. Its music was among the most played contemporary worship music in American churches in 2019 and its albums have reached the BillBoard 200 multiple times. Bethel Music has many songs with tens of millions of views on Youtube, and two with over 100 million views as of 2019. The live performances of its songs are characterized by extended duration with much repetition and emotion.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel_Church_(Redding%2C_California) And furthermore, they have mixed and mingled with many well-meaning, godly worship teams worldwide, rubbing shoulders with and sharing platforms and songs, thus presenting themselves as legitimately Christian and legitimately inspired.
Not Just Music
Some may say, it’s just a song. It’s just music. The words sound okay. I feel good when I sing it. It feels like the Holy Spirit to me. It’s not teaching doctrine.
In Acts 17:11 the Berean group of people were praised for being noble minded in their daily research of Scripture to see if what Paul said was true. First of all, think about that. The Apostle Paul was scrutinized. The man of God who was Holy Spirit inspired, had his words investigated by the Bereans to make sure that what he was saying was true. It’s not that they were suspicious of him. They actually really believed and wanted to believe what he said. But, they wanted the whole truth and nothing but the truth more than anything else.
If they did this to trustworthy, Spirit-inspired, Apostle Paul, how much more ought we to do this when it comes to the worship leading and instruction of fallible teachers and worship leaders.
Furthermore, worship songs are not just songs. In Colossians 3:16 we read, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” It is clear from this passage that songs teach the Church. They give instruction. They present doctrine in poetic stanzas, set to stirring music. Songs are not just songs. Music is not just music. They sculpt us, mold us, make us, warn us, reinforce us, and inspire us.
This being the case, it is imperative to know what a song is communicating, who the human author is, and what spirit is behind it.
Python: The spirit behind the music
The spirit behind Bethel church is a false Holy Spirit. The Jesus of Bethel church is a very human Jesus who was not divine while on earth, was the first one born again, and who taught all people how to become christs on earth. Demonic manifestations are attributed to the Holy Spirit, and lying signs and wonders entrance the masses (angel feathers, gold dust, gem stones, fire tunnels, etc.).
The authors of Bethel worship music and Jesus Cultureare attenders of this very same Bethel church, and are disciples of Bill Johnson and followers of the Bethel Jesus, and their music and lyrics flow from this same spirit and influence – even an angel of light.
And so we come back to the spirit of Python and the oracle at Delphi who called out that Paul and his Christian companions were men of God, declaring the way of salvation. She was already considered prophetic. Her utterances were revered. And, her words regarding the apostles were accurate. But, the spirit behind the words was demonic. The spirit of Python was at work seeking to deceive everyone into believing that he and the Holy Spirit were one and the same, that he was on the same team as Christians. Python wanted to blur the lines, to be accepted by Christians and all religions, and thus to steal God’s glory for himself.
But, God does not share His glory (Isaiah 42:8). God does not like mixtures (Exodus 34:12-16; Leviticus 19:19; Numbers 25; Ezra 9:12; Deuteronomy Deuteronomy 7:3-4; 22:9-11; Ezra 10; Nehemiah 10:28-30, 13:23-27). God does not like compromise. God does not like the blurring of very clear lines that have been drawn in the sand. Thus, God is exposing this spirit of deceptive divination yet again, forthe spirit of the NAR prophetic movement and Bethel church Redding and Bethel music is nothing more than the spirit of Python drawing attention to itself, the seething of Lucifer stealing worship from God.
Are we being tested?
While the Lord does not tempt us to sin, could He possibly be constructively testing us? As it says in Exodus 13, 1“If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ 3you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” In other words, it sounded right, but, the spirit behind it was evil. Discerning is not always cut and dry. And believe it or not, God allowed for this in order to test the quality of the hearts of His people, like fire tests metal not for the sake of destruction but to temper it.
The line drawn in the sand by Moses thousands of years ago at the foot of Mount Horeb is still in the sand before us today, and his words still echo loudly and clearly above the beat of drums and strum of guitars saying, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Let him come to me” (Exodus 32:26).
Good fruit cannot come from a bad tree, and a bad fruit cannot come from a good tree. Can we trust anything that comes out of the serpent-inspired rot of Bethel Church in Redding, California or even the NAR movement?
Dealing with Those Steeped in Deception
Now, regarding those more deeply deceived by the entrancing teaching and feel-good prophecies of the NAR and who are lulled by the spell of Bethel, remember the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4, “1I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.3For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” And finally, the epistle of Jude says, “17But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ18when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.” 19These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life. 22And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.”
There are those who have left Bethel and the NAR. There are those who truly loved Christ and His word more than all else, and eventually they saw through the facade. So, please do not give up on praying for those ensnared right now. The Holy Spirit is still working. More will make their exodus. As Jesus said, ““If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” (John 8:32)
O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
But then, what do we do with seemingly sincere, evangelistically minded people like Sean Feucht (who attended Bethel and also ministered there in the past) and Mario Murillo (who is in thick with the NAR)? Neither of them are false prophets, the gospel they preach is Biblically sound, and many are coming to Jesus through their outreaches. However, they do respect and work alongside of false prophets and false teachers and questionable worship leaders. And this goes for Pastor Louie Giglio, worship pastor Kristian Stanfill, singer Keri Jobe, Evangelist Perry Stone, worship leader/song writer Darlene Zschech, the Daystar television network and the Lamb family (who have brought great truth to many concerning the vaccine etc) and others who also lend credence to Bethel. These are brothers and sisters in Christ have obviously been deceived into believing that Bethel and the NAR is genuinely and unquestionably Christian. After all, Bethel and the NAR sing to Jesus; they pray to Jesus; they seem close to God because they have spiritual manifestations; they have visions and dreams and trips to heaven and have eavesdropped on important conversations of God on His throne.
Speaking of Christians who have not yet seen through the “glory cloud” smoke screen of Bethel and the glitz and glamor of dreams of heaven and lying signs and wonders of the NAR, these are still our fellow Christians, and God loves them immensely. Let us remember that just because we can see through the flashy facade, there is something else in our life that we either at one time could not see through but now do, or that we even now are deceived about. How many times have I felt I was immune and years go by, and then one day I see. And when I see, my heart is pierced through with the grievous thought that I had thought I was so right, when in reality, I was so terribly wrong. This does not excuse someone else’s deception. But, it ought to change our attitude and approach of them regarding that deception.
Second Timothy 2:24-25 clearly explains concerning the correction of fellow Christians that “24…a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26and that they may come to their senses andescape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
O think of God’s great patience in teaching and instructing us! O how gentle He is with each of us, so adept at correcting and disciplining the ones He loves. O how much Jesus loves us! As the voice of Samuel T. Francis’ heartfelt hymn still resounds and reaches the depths of hearts today with the words,
“O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore! How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own; How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hzYKovRsJ8)
Now What?
This being said, what do we practically do regarding these deceived fellow Christians? Do we follow their ministry? Do we include their songs in our worship lineup in church? Do we go to their conferences, attend their churches, or buy their books and CDs?
Just before the book of Revelation is released upon the world, Jesus inspects each of His seven churches. First of all, each of them is Christian. Each of them is a Church. Each of them is beloved of Christ, so much so that He has John pen the letters to them. After all, He disciplines those whom He loves (Hebrews 12). But, of the seven only 2 are pure, and 5 are called to repent. Repent of what? Imperfect works. What does this mean? They all compromised, and were found wanting. And before the full Revelation of Christ, Jesus calls His churches away from their compromise, away from their mixture, and to repentance.
Another example is that of the Christian Dallas Jenkins, the main writer of the show “The Chosen”, who not only works alongside Mormons but also calls them his brothers and sisters. He fellowships with them, hangs out with them, and defends them. (https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/2022/03/17/do-not-be-deceived-the-chosen/)
Even so, the Passion Band along with the Passion City Church, Daystar television, Hillsong, and a host of other well-known names have come alongside Bethel, calling them brother and sisters in Christ, when in reality Bethel’s leadership follows another Jesus — just like Muslims and Mormons.
Some may rightly assert that God is using these bands and evangelists and pastors for His glory anyway. True. But, let us also remember that God used Judas Iscariot, Balaam and Pharaoh and the devil. Interestingly enough Paul said in Philippians 1, “15Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”
These well-meaning Christians are not who Paul is referring to, nor are they evil. I do not mean to even slightly imply this. Rather, what I do mean is that God so often takes what the enemy means for evil and turns it for good. But that truth does not give any Christian license nor a legitimate excuse to be deceived.
These brothers like Mario Murillo and Sean Feucht appear to be in fellowship with those who serve another Jesus — a New Age, feel good, “drunken glory,” “grave sucking”, mere man who needed to be born again, spouting false prophecies and boasting about trips to heaven and visions and dreams kind of Jesus. It doesn’t look good.
Is this any different than Jenkins’ inability to discern the false Jesus of the Mormons? Is this any different than Warren’s inability to discern the false Jesus of the Muslims?
Second Corinthians 6 says it best, “14Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”
17Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.””
Indeed, are we not to “21Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil,” (1 Thessalonians 5)? Need anything more be said?
Grievous
I am grieved beyond words over all of this. I do not revel in revealing any of this. My heart is broken. I hate deception and the unholiness and division that it causes. I am sickened that is tainting large numbers of churches and Christians. I especially am deeply troubled over those who are not troubled over this information, but instead defiantly reject the truth. It seems that the knowledge of good and evil is a terribly weighty burden.
Knowing the Genuine
Furthermore, I am not approaching this from the vantage point of someone who is against the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. I grew up a Pentecostal and have experienced the Biblical manifestations from a young age. It is precisely this knowledge and experience of the genuine that has enabled me to recognize the counterfeit. For not everything supernatural is of God.
Conclusion
In conclusion, let us remember the alarming words of Jesus that “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23). Please note the word, “many”. These “many” are people who considered themselves Christians. These are people who thought they were operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. And, they were “many”. This word in the Greek polys (4183) means that this is a multitude. This is not a handful of well-meaning people. Rather, this is an exorbitant amount, a very and extremely large number, for the word “emphasizes the quantity involved” (https://biblehub.com/greek/4183.htm).
Please, please understand how important it is to be discerning. After all, if countless numbers who performed and are performing wonders and speaking countless prophetic utterances can be so deceived, couldn’t any of us be too?
This message is beyond humbling, and is a piercing warning to those who will heed it.
It is time, body of Christ, to be grieved like Paul and to discern that the angel of light is at work right now. It is time to quit abiding unholiness of any kind in God’s house. It is time to quit legitimizing it by accepting it as a new normal, even as Christian when it is not. It is time to quit pampering Python and his need to usurp what is God’s. It is time to stop singing along to the mesmerizing pied piper of our day. It is time to be wearied to the point of complete fatigue by it all, and to turn and rebuke it. In a day of hybrids, syncretism, ecumenism, and prolific deception, it is time to rally on the Lord’s side of pure spiritual genetics, to be like zealous Nehemiah as we keep our house of God, even our Bethel, holy and undefiled.
Jesus is coming soon! It is time to be ready!
Ever vigilant,
Holy Light Ministries
Nehemiah 13:14, “Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services!”
– This is an excellent video that every Christian should watch. It documents and exposes the New Apostolic Reformation, its leadership, and the Kundalini serpent spirit that works among them in the name of the Holy Spirit.
— This is a must see as well, for among many other things it shares the testimony of Kim Ferris (sprinkled throughout the video) who attended Bethel church in Redding for 21 years.
— Addresses the topics of Militant Christianity, Word Faith, Roman Catholicism, The NAR, Hinduism, Mormonism, and the New Age and their commonly held belief that we are little gods, that Jesus “assumed our nature that he might make men gods”, and that we are going to make the world better in order for “Jesus” to return. Madam Guyon, EW Kenyon, John G. Lake, and William Branham are discussed and their significance in the lives and philosophies of the leadership in the NAR movement.
Kim Ferris is also interviewed intermittently throughout this video as well. At the approximately the 49 minute mark, she explains how the Holy Spirit revealed to her the importance of “testing the spirits” and reminded her that satan comes as “an angel of light.”
Bill Johnson and Bethel Church (in General)
Bill Johnson is a 5th generation pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California. Bethel Church was established in 1952, and became affiliated with the Assemblies of God in 1954. Bill Johnson’s father Earl Johnson had been the pastor just prior to Bill.
In 1995 just before Bill became a part of the pastoral staff of Bethel Church, he attended the Toronto Blessing which was one year into its “holy laughter” movement started by the visit of Randy Clark (who was influenced by Rodney Howard-Browne). In 1996 Bill Johnson became head pastor of Bethel church in Redding, California, and though church leadership unanimously agreed with Bill Johnson’s vision for Bethel, upwards to 2000 members did not and left.
Soon thereafter, they began the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry under the leadership of Chris Vallatton. And though Johnson has tried to distance himself from the NAR, even openly denying being apart of any such thing, rosters of NAR guest speakers at Bethel, pictures of NAR apostles with Johnson gathered for special NAR ceremonies, quotes, publications, and other evidence speak louder than his words. He is very much apart of the New Apostolic Reformation, and in complete agreement with their beliefs of Dominionism, Seven Mountains Mandate, Manifest Sons of God, and so forth based on his own spoken and written words.
Quote: “The predictions alleged to come straight from God’s own mouth say that the three conglomerates, Bill Johnson’s Bethel Church in Redding, California, Mike Bickle’s International House of Prayer (IHOP) empire, and the Toronto church are three rivers that must flow into one.”
– This is an excellent video that every Christian should watch. It documents and exposes the New Apostolic Reformation, its leadership, and the Kundalini serpent spirit that works among them in the name of the Holy Spirit.
Quote: “…NAR, the New Apostolic Reformation. … It is like Grape Nuts – it’s not grapes and it’s not nuts. It’s like Christian Science – it’s not Christian and it’s not scientific. Well, the New Apostolic Reformation isn’t new, it isn’t apostolic, and it isn’t a reformation. But it is a rapidly expanding movement being generated by some of the same old troubling false teachers and false leaders that have been around in Charismania for decades, always dishonoring the Holy Spirit, always dishonoring the Scripture, always claiming miracle signs, wonders, visions, dreams. ~ John MacArthur
Quote: “This term was first used by C. Peter Wagner. According to him, the roles of apostles and prophets, which had been lost after the first century, were restored in 2001.”
Among their core beliefs are of the seven mountains mandate, extra biblical revelations that do not have to align with the word of God, and that of Dominionism to name a few.
Quote: ““Dominionism“: when Jesus came to earth, he brought down the kingdom of heaven with Him and is waiting for Christians to take control (again) over the world, snatching it from Satan’s hands. They have to bring peace and prosperity to the world; only then will Jesus come to be crowned”
Quote: “The NAR is an evangelical movement that seeks to take over “seven mountains of culture”, including business, government, and media, to prompt the return of Jesus. [13]”
Quote: “Many well-known pastors and theologians have come out against Bethel Church’s teachings and practices, one of whom is Pastor Gabriel Hughes of First Southern Baptist Church in Kansas, in which he stated in a 2017 blog post, “Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel Church, preaches a different gospel. This is a very serious charge, and I’m very serious when I make it.””
– When here Jesus was only fully human, and was completely emptied of His godhood. If Jesus hadn’t been only a man, then we could not ever hope to perform miracles like He did.
Quote: “In his book, When Heaven Invades Earth, Johnson explains,
“He [Jesus] performed miracles, wonders, and signs, as a man in right relationship to God, not as God. If He performed miracles because He was God, then they would be unattainable for us. But if he did them as a man, I am responsible to pursue His lifestyle.””
**The booklet Addresses Kenosis, Jesus emptying Himself.
Quote: “Johnson believes in a teaching called kenosis, an unorthodox heretical belief that the Incarnate Christ laid aside His divine attributes and walked the earth as a completely limited, human man.13 According to Johnson, Christ “performed miracles, wonders, and signs, as a man in right relationship to God . . . not as God. If He performed miracles because He was God, then they would be unobtainable for us. But if He did them as a man, I am responsible to pursue His lifestyle. Recapturing this simple truth changes everything.” (Bill Johnson, When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles, op. cit., Kindle location: 259)
– Gold dust that has been found to be plastic, angel feathers, the appearance of gem stones that are in actuality fake, “Fire Tunnels”
– Kundalini spirit which is the same as that in India via Hindu enlightenment which is accompanied by strange shaking, jerking, and violent head movements, but is said to be the Holy Spirit.
Quote: “Services may have congregants laughing uncontrollably, lying on the floor,[7] shaking, staggering, screaming,[5] and dancing, which they teach are signs of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Leaders claim to have witnessed angels appearing and “balls of electricity” that throw people into the air.[5] One of the most well-known phenomena is a cloud of what is claimed to be gold dust or gold glitter that has been seen falling from the roof of the auditorium.[5] The church has uploaded videos to its YouTube channel, calling it a “glory cloud”.[8]”
Quote: ““In response to a question about how he cultivates gifts such as prophecy, Johnson replied, “When I taught my boys to ride their bikes I took them to the park where there was a lot of grass so that when they fell, they fell safely. You have to create a context for people to learn the gifts, to operate in the gifts of the spirit. You have to give them permission to not get it right. In fact at our school we actually require our students to fail three times their first year. At least three times or they can’t graduate.” – Bill Johnson
Quote: “In addition to Johnson’s own contribution to the book (one full chapter), his personal assistant, Judy Franklin, is a co-author; and the foreword of The Physics of Heaven is written by Kris Vallotton, Senior Associate leader at Bethel. Vallotton lauds the contributors as “seers.”5 Banning Liebscher, Director of Bethel’s Jesus Culture, adds his praise.6 Bill Johnson’s wife, Beni Johnson, also has a chapter in the book. With all that, The Physics of Heaven undeniably has the approval of Bethel’s leaders.”
Quote: “Ellyn Davis, one of the authors of The Physics of Heaven, says this:
“[The contributors of the book] all agree that the next move of God will cause a shift at the deepest level of who we are—perhaps the very “vibrational level” that the New Age movement has been exploring. They also all agree that there are precious truths hidden in the New Age that belong to us as Christians and need to be extracted from the worthless.”” (The Physics of Heaven, Kindle location, 447)
Quote: “Contributor Jonathan Welton adds:
“I have found throughout Scripture at least 75 examples of things that the New Age has counterfeited, such as having a spirit guide, trances, meditation, auras, power objects, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and more. These actually belong to the church, but they have been stolen and cleverly repackaged.” (The Physics of Heaven, Kindle location, 808)
* New Age/Hindu Meditation/Contemplative/Soaking Prayer
Quote: Speaking of a “Bethel produced book” entitled The Physics of Heaven, “One Bethel leader (Kris Vallotton) says it is “a foretaste of things to come”.[10] The book also states, “It wasn’t that I wanted to become a New Ager. I just wanted to find out if maybe they had discovered some truths the churches hadn’t.”[11]
Quote: “Contemplative adherents, such as Richard Foster, have convinced Christians that Eastern and New Age meditation are actually counterfeits of the real deal (i.e., contemplative prayer). Contemplative prayer is presented as an ancient Christian tradition.
Yet, contemplative prayer is not prayer at all. It is essentially Eastern/New Age meditation thinly coated with Christian terminology. The goal in contemplative prayer is to stop the thinking process and to enter what is known as the silence. This is accomplished by repeating a word or phrase over and over (or focusing on the breath) until the word loses its meaning and the mind becomes void.
In this void—this silence—many wonderful deceptions can occur: spirit guides, ascendant masters, oneness, bliss, false “christs.” The deception that occurs through contemplative prayer destroys doctrinal soundness and ultimately even faith.”
Quote: “To those who are still skeptical, I suggest examining the writings of Philip St. Romain, who wrote a book about his journey into contemplative prayer called Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality. This title is revealing because kundalini is a Hindu term for the mystical power or force that underlies Hindu spirituality. In Hinduism it is commonly referred to as the serpent power.”
Quote: “…“hypnosis” does not refer only to putting someone into a trance to entertain an audience (a very dangerous practice); it has many forms and techniques (some of which you may recognize). These include deep hypnosis, Eastern meditation, relaxation techniques, induced suggestions, monotonous stimulation, stimulation of the imagination, imagery suggestions, guided imagery, activation of unconscious motives, visualization, regressive therapy, altered states of consciousness, trance phenomena, induced hallucinations, hypnotherapy, autosuggestion, medical hypnosis, shamanic hypnosis, et al. Although the list is quite diverse, the activity is basically the same: the individual becomes receptive to the suggestions of a person or an entity other than himself.
The Bible has its own list of activities related to the practice of hypnosis: sorcery, wizardry, enchantments, “charming,” necromancy, astrology, consulting with familiar spirits, and practicing magic arts. None of these, as we all should be aware, are okay with God. In fact, they are condemned, and all involve deception…
Sozo is one of the latest inner healing practices to enter the church, particularly among those who are into signs and wonders, healing and prosperity, word-faith, and the Latter Rain/New Apostolic Reformation movements. The Sozo website declares that “Sozo is a unique inner healing and deliverance ministry aimed to get to the root of things hindering your personal connection with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. With a healed connection, you can walk in the destiny to which you have been called.” Sozo was developed and is led by two women, Dawna DeSilva and Teresa Liebscher. Another leader, teacher, and mentor in Sozo is Randy Clark, who instigated the bizarre manifestations allegedly of the Holy Spirit at the Toronto Airport Vineyard.”
Later Rain/Dominionism/Manifest Sons of God/Seven Mountains Mandate
Below are a number of articles that explain what this belief is. To summarize, however, this has gone by many different names (Manifest Sons of God, Seven Mountains Mandate, Latter Rain, Joel’s Army, New Breed, Dominionism, etc), but all of them refer to the same thing. In short, they teach that last days Christians are not only reincarnations of Christ but are becoming Christ. They are therefore not awaiting the Second Coming of Christ but the “becoming of Christ.” As those who are becoming christs they must take back each of the seven mountains of society until they take over the world with the greatest revival the world has ever seen. Those who are little christs/little gods will take on immortality and will be an invincible Joel’s army of supermen that will conquer the world for Christ, and Christ will then be released to come down from heaven.Doesn’t this sound familiar — maybe “lo here is Christ, lo there” from Matthew 24?
Quote: “The Seven Mountain Mandate(7MM) was invented by NAR Apostles Bill Bright and Lorren Cunningham. NAR Apostles Lance Wallnau and Johnny Enlow are responsible for repackaging the 7MM and continually pushing this dangerous cult teaching on churches around the world.”
Quote:“That teaching can be traced back several centuries, but its recent explosion dates from the Latter Rain, or Manifest Sons of God, movement that began in 1948 in Canada in apparent revival. It was declared to be heresy by the Assemblies of God in 1950. Its relationship to the Word/Faith, positive-confession, prosperity and healing movements (Hagin, Copeland, Capps, Price, et al.) is clearly established. Obviously, if we can get whatever we confess, then we ought to confess healing and immortality and peace and prosperity and salvation for the world. This is, in fact, where the name “Manifest Sons” comes from: the last-days overcomers must manifest total victory over all foes, including death, while in these bodies and without a resurrection…
Many groups are beginning to work together who disagree on some points but join with Gaia (Mother Earth)-worshiping New Agers in their desire to clean up our terra firma and establish the Kingdom. We can expect such cooperative efforts to grow, even involving Christian leaders who are not aware of what they are actually promoting. The Coalition on Revival (COR), for example, included such influential evangelicals as Joseph Aldrich, Pat Robertson, Bill Bright, Jerry Falwell, Armin Gesswein, Josh McDowell and J. I. Packer, who were probably clueless regarding the actual intention of the leaders of COR.”
Quote: “This belief is not held by one particular group but many individuals are influenced by the teaching. It has many names, such as, The Latter Rain Movement, Identity, Joel’s Army, Restoration and Reconstruction. The Manifest Sons of God doctrine has been around in some Pentecostal circles for many years, but it was the ‘Latter Rain Movement’ of 1948 that gave them a wider audience. This movement was thought of as the last great spiritual outpouring that would see the return of Christ. It would result in the Church being perfected and submitting to the restored ministry of apostles and prophets. These ministries would be in charge of restoring truths that were lost to the Church. Scriptures refer to the rains in Israel as the ‘former rain,’ essential for planting and the ‘latter rain,’ needed for the harvest. Manifest Sons see the former rain as Pentecost and the latter rain as a greater outpouring of the Spirit in these last days. There is evidence that much teaching on spiritual warfare today, is largely an extension of this doctrine…
“Jesus is considered the ‘Pattern Son.’ He was the first one to make it as a divine, immortal, sinless Manifest Son of God and this accomplishment will be duplicated by each individual who, following Jesus, become Manifest Sons of God. This Christ Company, now individually Manifest as Sons of God, will execute judgement at the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord…
“Rick Joyner is another teacher for this movement. He believes that the elite ‘overcomers’ will conquer the world. This will lead to the greatest revival of history, where the majority of the world will be won to Christ and the kingdom made ready to be received by Christ.””
“Every man who has been born again is an incarnation and Christianity is a miracle. The believer is as much an incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth.” – Kenneth Hagin, The Incarnation, December 1980, p.13
“Who are you? Come on, who are you? Come on, say it: ‘Sons of God!’ Come on, say it! And what does work inside us, brother, is that manifestation of the expression of all that God is and all that God has. And when we stand up here, brother, you’re not looking at Morris Cerullo; you’re looking at God. You’re looking at Jesus.” – Morris Cerullo, The Endtime Manifestation of the Sons of God, World Evangelism – Tape 1.
Quote: “Sadly today so called “prophets” are spiritualizing this army and interpreting it to be a supernatural breed of people being birthed without the literal presence of Jesus Christ. Scriptures have been taken out of context to imply a super end-time church made up of a “New Breed” of people who will move in the supernatural realm…
The “waves” that break from time to time are referred to as new waves bringing forth new truths hitherto hidden. One of the strongest waves to bit in this century was the “Latter Rain” referred to as ‘”The New Order of the Latter Rain.” Out of this Movement in the late 40’s came the teaching: “Manifest Sons of God”. Other terms that were prevalent are: “Joel’s Army”, “New Breed”, “Elijah Company”, “Manchild” and “Overcomers” etc. Modem day prophets are always quick to deny that they teach Manifest Sons of God teaching, but yet continue to do so. We see from the 1920’s onward, similar thinking emerging from divergent sources…
In 1948, the Assemblies of God were particularly hit by the wave that came out of Canada. The new manifestations coming out of the tide were claimed to be of God. The Assemblies at that time took a strong Stand and officially rejected the new teachings… However today we are seeing a new development – instead of the Assemblies of God rejecting this teaching in its new garb, they are courting it and have been infiltrated to such an extent they have become part of it.
The MANIFESTED SONS believe they are establishing a new and glorious Kingdom – led by a NEW BREED of men of women. The” Joel’s Army” now individually manifest as Sons of God, would be revealed to the world as many “saviours” who would take dominion and execute judgment.”
Quote: “The 7-M movement places upon Christians a mandate to dominate world systems to usher in Jesus’ return. Spiritually, these ideas are closely associated with New Age thoughts that call for a spiritual shift in which humans become co-redeemers of earth.”
Quote: “7 Mountain Mandate simply says, that in order for the church to control the global society, it must take control over every aspect of that particular society and its culture, being 7 cultural mountains. They are; Family, Government, Business, Media, Arts and Entertainment, Education and the church itself. Those who control these cultural gates exercise the greatest influence over the culture and ultimately that society. This is, in a nutshell, the doctrine of Dr. Lance Wallnau and why many are beginning, and have already, been embracing like a strange, intoxicating drink, they (the church) are becoming drunk on this notion that says we shall eradicate evil and overthrow Satan’s kingdom of dominance…
This teaching (7 mountain mandate) is a false teaching simply because it goes against scripture. Jesus gave us (the end time church) a clear picture of the end times just before he returns, and that picture is not one of hope, or victory, but instead, one of which would shake any believer in terrible fear, for he (Jesus) paints a very sobering portrait of what we will see, those who are alive during this particular time, of what the world will look like, as well as resemble, and it is found in Matthew chapter 24, as well as Luke 21:8-28. For your sake I encourage the reader to search those scriptures up and read them repeatedly.”
Quote: “Here is the underlying goal within the Latter Rain message of Bill Hamon.
“The whole creation is waiting for the last generation Church. The earth and all of creation are waiting for the manifestation of God’s last-day apostles and prophets and fully restored Church. “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19 NKJV). When the Church is fully restored, then the saints will receive their final redemption, the immortalization of their mortal bodies. When this happens, then the natural creation of plants and animals will be delivered from their bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Apostles, Prophets and the Coming Moves of God: God’s End-Time Plans for His Church and Planet Earth. Destiny Image Publishers (July 1, 1997). p. 235…
Hamon promotes one of the more distorted doctrines that came from the Latter Rain movement, the manifested sons of God doctrine. Their interpretation of this verse is unique in church history. There is no rapture but people will be changed into eternal beings right here on earth to do miraculous works like Jesus to overcome the devil and the world system BEFORE the Lord returns.
Hamon claims in The Eternal Church, ‘Jesus is waiting on the church. All that the fall of man and sin has taken away from humanity, Jesus through His church shall restore.”
Again this can only take place “When the Church realizes its full sonship, its bodily redemption will cause a redemptive chain reaction throughout all of creation.” (Bill Hamon p. 385 The Eternal Church)…
Hamon: “When the church has put under it’s feet all enemies of Christ …then Christ can be released from Heaven to return as the manifested head of His physically resurrected and translated church.” (Prophets and Personal Prophecy, Bill Hamon).”
Quote: “In the 50’s Paul Cain travelled with and ministered alongside William Branham, whom he called “the greatest prophet that ever lived.” Though he disagrees with Branham’s views on the doctrine of theTrinity (which the latter said was inspired by the devil), Cain very much promotes Branham’s Manifest Sons of God teachings. Cain coined the term “New Breed” to refer to that doctrine. Paul Cain was instrumental in founding Kansas City Fellowship (as it was known at the time) – a church based on the teachings of Latter Rain theology. Cain headed the controversial Kansas City Prophets.”
Quote: “ ‘The Manifest Sons of God'(MSOG) movement has many names such as, The Latter Rain Movement, Identity, Joel’s Army, Restoration and Reconstruction. MSOG doctrine has been around in some Pentecostal circles for many years, but it was the ‘Latter Rain Movement’ of 1948 that gave it a wider audience. This movement was thought by its adherents as the last great spiritual outpouring that would see the return of Christ. It would result in the Church being perfected and submitting to the restored ministry of apostles and prophets. These ministries would supposedly be in charge of restoring truths that were lost to the Church. But when we examine the fruit of this movement and see how it’s doctrine compares to the Word of God, it falls woefully short…
‘The Great Tribulation itself is going to be cut short because of the Sons of God…so the Sons of God, through the exercise of their royal priesthood, shall actually shorten the Great Tribulation… As priests, they will be able to present the needs of the people to God, and intercede for them; and as kings they will have the authority of God to dispense life and blessing to such as are in tribulation and distress.’ – George Warnock: The Feast of the Tabernacles, p.79…
‘Who are you?…Come on, say it: ‘Sons of God!’ Come on, say it!…And when we stand up here, brother, you’re not looking at Morris Cerullo; you’re looking at God. You’re looking at Jesus.’ – Morris Cerullo, The Endtime Manifestation of the Sons of God, World Evangelism – Tape 1…
‘Man was created on terms of equality with God, and he could stand in God’s presence without any consciousness of inferiority…Kenneth Copeland, Zoe: The God-Kind of Life, 1989, pp.35-36”
Quote: “Brian Mark Johnson (born March 17, 1978) is an American contemporary worship musician and worship pastor. He is the president and co-founder of Bethel Music,[2] as well as a member of its Artist Collective and is one-half of the husband- and-wife worship duo, Brian & Jenn Johnson.[3][4] He is also a senior worship pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California, and a Senior Overseer of WorshipU,[4] an online school of worship under Bethel Music which he co-founded with Jenn Johnson. [5]… As a founding member of Bethel Music, Johnson has been featured on most Bethel Music releases… ”
Quote: “Jennifer Louise Rock Johnson is an American Christian worship singer, songwriter and worship pastor. She is a co-founding member of Bethel Music, and is one-half of the husband-and-wife worship duo, Brian & Jenn Johnson.[1][2] She is also a senior worship pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California, and a Senior Overseer of WorshipU,[3] an online school of worship under Bethel Music which she co-founded with Brian Johnson.[4]”
Quote: “She produced her first solo album, Here Is My Song, which was released in February 2008 through the Jesus Culture record label.[1][2] Walker-Smith is best known as the worship leader for the Jesus Culture Band and Jesus Culture events, and a worship pastor for Bethel Church in Redding.[3]”
– Just confirms that she is a worship leader at Bethel church, and therefore exposes the fact that she is under the leadership and teaching of Bill Johnson.
Quote: “Kim Walker-Smith a worship pastor for Bethel Church in Redding and worship leader for the Jesus Culture Band has a vision that would more akin to a hallucinogenic trip, it certainly was not God from the Bible no matter how passionate she is in conveying it… To believe Jesus is begging her to ask him this certain question and brings her to heaven where she sees God the Father (which the bible says no man can see). God rips a piece out of himself and forms it into her right on the spot and then gets entertained but putting her in a music box and continues to open it to see her dancing. Saying “Woohoo! And He starts running around in circles.” And she is transferred into the Fathers hand, where he then he puts her into the missing portion of his heart where he says I created you from and commends her.
Really? I mean Really?! This is her view of God by going to Bethel church. Contrary to this, holy men who went to heaven fell down as dead (John) and could not convey what they saw for it was illegal (Paul). John later was allowed so we would have it written to know what is genuine.”
Quote: “In 2010, Cook became a worship leader at Bethel Church in Redding, California, joining the Bethel music collective, Bethel Music.[15] She has appeared on many Bethel Music albums since then.”
Note: Her words are more New Age than Christian. What she says is disturbing at best. Is this how a worship leader should talk? Is this what King David and psalmist in the Bible would say? Quotes from her interview with the Christian Post are in the article linked above. A link to the full interview is found in this article by Holly Pivec.
Quote: “… Amanda Lindsey Cook also teaches at Bethel Church in Redding, California, home to Bethel Music. Given her unclear and curious responses during the interview, one may wonder how she ever was approved to teach at any church, let alone one as large and influential as Bethel Church.”
Quotes of Amanda Lindsey Cook from her interview:
“Every day I increasingly felt like gravity and the great beyond, called God, was working in my favor.”
“”I love the names that this essence and this divine presence gives itself. In the Old Testament, where God describes themselves as ‘I am,’ also the name Yahweh, ‘the intake and the exhale of breath.'”
“”It’s this common acknowledgment, this communal aspect of living, where we’re all connected, we’re all part of the common thread … to be connected at the source to this divine presence, this Christ consciousness…”
Quote: “In 1999 the youth group pastored by Banning Liebscher at Bethel Church
launched the first Jesus Culture Conference. This gave birth to Jesus Culture and paved the way for what it is today–a global movement awakening hearts to worship and serve God. Through events, worship, resources, and a local church, Jesus Culture has a mandate to mobilize a generation of revivalists and reformers who will shape culture and transform nations.”
Quote: “When you hear the word “gospel” mentioned at Bethel Church, know that it is a different gospel they’re talking about. This filters into all of their ministries. The “Jesus” in the name “Jesus Culture” is not the Jesus of the Bible. When you listen to their worship songs, you might hear all the right Christian words, but you are not praising God with them because they are writing and singing about a different Jesus.”
Quote: “Jesus Culture started as a youth group at Bill Johnson’s church Bethel in Redding California… It must be made clear that Bethel Church and Jesus Culture cannot be separated for their roots are in Bill Johnson…”
Quote: “Now over the last many years it is Bethel under Bill Johnson spearheading a mystical Christianity. He is a man who has less than 0% discernment (in fact they change the meaning of discernment to be “changing the atmosphere.” Bethel has become the sweet spot for every trend tried and some new ones. It is the new Hybrid model for the church, combining new age practices (which they say were once Christian and they are now redeeming them) one of them is yoga. These revivalists are fooling the whole Christian world with their synergism of new age with Christianity using occasional Bible words. It’s time we stand up for the word of God who is Jesus. Its time for the church to be what it was intended to be and not be changed by new age change agents touting their Gnosticism and Mysticism. This is no longer a subtle change but bold and audacious one, and it has gone on far too long through the various false revivals. Only to find a more permanent home at Bethel among the naïve ungrounded youth that are inclined to feel more than to think biblically.”
The NAR Bible Translation of Choice: The Passion Bible
Quote: “Apostle Brian Simmons, of Stairway Ministries, is the lone translator of this “groundbreaking” project…
Simmons’ translation is endorsed by influential NAR leaders…
Simmons claims he undertook this work because he saw a need for a more emotionally passionate translation of the Bible…
Simmons has taken verses of Scripture that have nothing to do with NAR teachings or practices and reworded them so they appear to support those very teachings and practices, such as “prophetic singing,” the “transference of an anointing,” and the issuing of “apostolic decrees.” In other words, despite his claim to unveil the truth of the Bible “unfiltered by religious jargon,” he’s actually exploiting his audience’s ignorance of sound textual criticism to smuggle in a heterodox theology along with a good measure of NAR jargon.”
Quote: “NAR Bible: Like most cults, the NAR have extra-biblical revelations that add, surpass or mangle the bible. Brian Simmons’ ‘The Passion Translation’ (TPT) is the ‘bible’ that NAR leaders preach and teach from. In fact, if you are unsure if your church is part of the NAR or is being influenced by the NAR, if your leaders are using the TPT, that should be a warning sign.”
The “becoming of Christ” teaching in conjunction with the Later Rain and Manifest Sons of God teaching of Branham, and Christ’s second coming on the clouds is actually about people becoming Christ.
Quote: The “Reincarnation of Christ” teaching that Christians are “the word made flesh again. We ARE the reincarnation of Jesus Christ…” And this again is in agreement with the teachings of William Branham who said, “I believe that’s Jesus Christ reincarnated in flesh in the human church here on earth a doing signs and wonders. ” (53-1205, The Resurrection, American Legion Hall, West Palm Beach)
“”Forged many years ago while translating the Scriptures among South American tribes, and hammered out on the anvil of decades of personal devotion and apostolic experience, my dear friend Brian Simmons brings to the earth a powerful and refreshing translation of the Scriptures that is fueling and inflaming the hearts of tens of thousands world wide. Like the Living Bible that sprung forth in the days of the Jesus Movement, this translation bursts forth from the womb of this present revival. Read it and get caught up in a God-swirl of spiritual understanding and revelation.”
Patricia King
“The Passion Translation skillfully penned by Dr. Brian Simmons contains deep treasures that can only be discovered through intense scholarly research saturated in Divine Revelation. Dr. Brian Simmons fulfilled both of these criteria so he could present to you this glorious gift. Keys to knowing the heart of God and His deep love for His people will fill you as you read and meditate on the scriptures. I personally cannot get enough of this translation! It is beyond beautiful!”
Heidi Baker
“During my over four decades of ministry around the world, I have read and preached from various Bible translations in different languages. They are all powerful and anointed, and each has its particular strengths. The Passion Translation is one that speaks with particular poetic imagination in a style that is deeply moving and easily accessible. I have found it truly refreshing in personal devotion. It has been a steadfast help and comfort in the midst of many storms”
Banning Liebscher (founder of Jesus Culture)
“In a world that is constantly shaking, The Passion Translation is making Scripture accessible to a generation whose lives long to be established on the truth of God’s Word. Young and old are experiencing the inevitable freedom that comes when you encounter the power found in God’s Word, and are being ignited with a passion for Jesus that will not be extinguished. My own personal devotion and study has been deeply impacted by The Passion Translation and I am grateful for what this work is adding to the body of Christ.”
Che Ahn
“I believe The Passion Translation will be the Bible of choice for the next Jesus people movement.”
Chuck Pierce
“I have devoured The Passion Translation! There is a fragrance of God’s Spirit that emanates from the powerful expressions that Brian Simmons has brought forth in this translation. Not only have I used The Passion Translation for teaching, but I have picked up certain books of the Bible and read them like a living novel. I love this translation!”
“4And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for [a]all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, [b]pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Matthew 24:4-8 (NKJV, emphasis mine)
The videos that I’ve attached below give animation and color to the statement about earthquakes in various places. The term “earthquakes” is actually the Greek word seismos (#4578) meaning, “a commotion, shaking”, even a tempest or storm, and comes from the term seio (4579) meaning to shake, agitate or stir up. Thus, it appears that this could describe a variety of weather events that are stormy, shaky, and tempestuous such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, thunderstorms, volcanic eruptions, and of course earthquakes. And, because of the Greek word kata (2596) placed in front of seismos it is clear that these events are happening daily. It is not occasionally, but rather, day-by-day.
Though this passage could be said to have been unfolding throughout the centuries, it was not happening daily and it was not happening everywhere at the same time. However, right now in the year 2022 it is happening daily, and it is happening everywhere.
When it comes to the United States, earthquakes have been shaking this land from sea to shining sea in just the past few days. A 2.9 shook Darrington, Washington and its surrounding towns including parts of Stanwood, Camano Island, Mount Vernon and Burlington. A lot of low rumblings have been trembling Vancouver Island in the area of Victoria. The Saint Louis area has also been jostled, and yesterday South Carolina was shaken by an earthquake and very bad thunderstorms. Oklahoma, Georgia, and parts of California and Alaska have effected by seismic activity as well. Western Texas and New Mexico recently suffered swarms of tremors with the largest registering a 4.4. And east Texas in the are of Hallsville, a rare and extreme hailstorm hit about two weeks ago. People whose heritage in the area goes back generations said it was record breaking and unprecedented. Indeed, they have never seen such a hailstorm in all the years they or their ancestors have called Hallsville home.
Then around the world earthquakes and volcanoes are causing emergency evacuations. On April 7th Poland was hit by a 4.7. They thought it was bombing and that war had come to them, but it was an earthquake. March 30th there was a 7.0 earthquake near New Caladonia of the Loyalty Islands just east of Australia, and on March 29th a 3.0 struck southern Australia. This was preceded by a volcanic eruption in the Philippines on March 28th. And for up to a week (as reported on March 25th) a Portuguese island has had over 2,000 tremors and volcanic activity prompting evacuations. And two weeks ago a large earthquake was registered in Tawain at a 6.7.
This brings to mind Nahum 1 which says,
“…The Lord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. 4He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. 5The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth [b]heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.”
In conclusion, Hebrews 12 powerfully states,“25See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29For our God is a consuming fire.”
His voice shakes both the earth and heaven, both the spiritual realm and the physical. Think on that.
This also causes my mind to turn to 1 Thessalonians 4 regarding the “snatching away” of the Bride which says, “16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18Therefore comfort one another with these words.” “27For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be,” Matthew 24:27.
Just imagine what that shout will do to this world, what the voice of the archangel will rattle, and what the trumpet of God will shake at that very split second, when in the twinkling of an eye we are all changed (I Corinthians 15)!!! When Christ in lightning fast fashion takes us to be with Himself, the thunder of His voice will inevitably cause this world to shake uncontrollably. For, with lightning always comes thunder, even the thunder of God’s voice! As Job 37 unequivocally states,
“2Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, And the rumbling that comes from His mouth. 3He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His [a]lightning to the ends of the earth. 4After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. 5God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend.”
Jesus’ words are coming to pass, and the present age is truly coming to a very swift, dramatic, and climactic close. And this most definitely means that Jesus’ return is immanent. Let’s be ready!