Do Not Be Deceived

This is a letter I wrote to my friends in my Bible study who may not understand my passion when I speak up against evangelical, charismatic churches.

Hi all,

http://ivarfjeld.com/2012/10/29/the-deceptive-talk-of-heidi-baker/

Just a little sampling of what the charismatic movement promotes and how deceptive it is and why I am so passionate against it. I too had these "supernatural" experiences and thought, and was taught, that it was the Holy Spirit's work in us. Yet in these churches, and I went to many, there was very little of Jesus and His work for us on the cross. It was subtle and would pull you in and tell you what your itching ears wanted to hear. Yet in reading the Bible I knew that there were so many errors in these teachings and preachers, yet loved my friends even when they encouraged me to get "drunk in the spirit" and go to Benny Hinn and healing services. 

The year Jeffrey died I went to three different churches for Easter and not one spoke of the love of Christ and His atoning death and resurrection for us. Not one. All large congregations being fed error and pablum, how to live a better life, be a better you, be healthy, prosperous, ask and you will receive because you are a child of God. All about you and nothing about Jesus. Jeffrey died three days after Easter and for me the bottom dropped out. My friends had no answers, the pastors had no time for me to console or counsel. I was abandoned, where was the church? Where was my comfort? What happened? To me the charismatics are fair weather friends indeed. They teach a different gospel, one of health, wealth and prosperity and if you do not have these things they have nothing for you. It is not the gospel of Jesus Christ which is one of suffering and shame, resurrection and glory  "and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" Romans 8:17.  I am passionate against this movement because it leads people astray and pollutes the truth with a lie.

 The video in the link above, is of a woman who I saw with my friends at Jubilee church in San Jose. She is very compelling and I remember when we went to see her speak there was a man who had trouble walking and she did a "healing" by walking him around the church praying (in tongues, of coarse) for God to heal him. I walked around with her and a few others for at least an hour with this man. Was he healed? No. Did they say he was healed? Of coarse, because it is all part of the deception. They prey on the vulnerable and weak, the desperate and instead of encouraging as Paul did by saying Thy grace is sufficient and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” Eph. 1:3. Instead they take out of context Isaiah 53:5 "by His stripes we are healed". They blanket that to mean you will never be sick again and then have all kinds of unprovable examples of "healings" and people risen from the dead but no proof. A kind of urban legend type of talk. They do not keep it in the context with the first part of the statement  "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed." In context it is clear this is not about physical healing but rather spiritual healing. Our transgressions, our iniquities, not our cancer or our infirmities. For our peace with God He was wounded, chastised, bruised, what amazing grace. To demote this to just what we can have for the here and now, the physical rather than the eternal is sad to say the very least and again is leading people astray.

I do not write this for pity but rather for awareness of what is out there and the kind of snare the enemy has trapped so much of the church into today. We really need to be sober and vigilant, redeeming the time for the days are evil and more than ever ready to give every man an answer for the hope that lies within us with gentleness and respect. I am still working on the gentleness and respect part. I know God had me in this movement for a reason and season just like when I was a catholic and now I am here. I know that God is sovereign and I can trust Him because He never will leave me or forsake me. He never has, if it were not for the Lord and His grace, mercy and great love for me, I really don't know how I would have survived this world. His grace really is sufficient. His mercy really is new every morning. He really is the strength of my heart and the lifter of my head. Nothing in my hand I bring only to Thy cross I cling.

 I really did not intend this to be so long. If this helps clarify the church today for you and you think it will encourage and enlighten others feel free to forward it along. When I speak up about this it is never with the intention of “my church is better than yours” but rather to be aware of truth and error. The enemy is always prowling around waiting for those to devour it is our job to cast down every argument and stronghold that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." 2Cor. 10:4-6

Thank you for your support and patience,

God bless,

margie

margiewongmusic.com

Psalm 40- Salvation

Psalm 40 New King James Version (NKJV)

Faith Persevering in Trial

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

40 I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
My ears You have opened.
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord;
Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
Therefore my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who seek to destroy my life;
Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
Who wish me evil.
15 Let them be confounded because of their shame,
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
17 But I am poor and needy;
Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

I read this and can't help but meditate on how great a gift salvation is. Nothing we can do can earn us or obtain for us salvation. It is completely by God's will for us, by God's way for us, His gift of love, grace and mercy to us. We cry out and He hears, He heals, He forgives, He redeems, He saves. Nothing in my hand I bring only to Your cross I cling. 

All His work: He inclined to me, He heard my cry, He brought me up out of the pit, He set my feet upon the rock, He established my steps, He put a new song in my mouth. 

That new song is the Spirit in us that sings out Praise to our God, which we can only say when we are redeemed, forgiven and saved. No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1Cor.12:3). And why does He do this? So others will see it and fear and trust in the Lord. How will they know if nobody goes, How will they hear if nobody speaks? (Romans 10:14). 

How vital to recognize the importance in following only the Lord, to put no man, woman, sect, denomination, organization or other idols above God and His Word (verse 4).

Again the Psalmist stresses there is nothing he can do to earn salvation. Verse 5 his way sacrifices and offerings. "My ears You have opened...Then I said..." God brings us to repentance, the free gift of faith. Not by any works we can do only by His will.

Then the regenerate, saved heart delights to do God's will. Not to earn anything from God, not for selfish motives, but for the joy of knowing the Lord. 

The Spirit within cannot be silenced. It delights to declare God's righteousness, faithfulness and lovingkindness to all. As on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit arrived with tongues of fire to do one thing- declare the wonders of God for all to hear in their own languages.

Still with all the boldness of the Lord within Him the Psalmist knows he is a sinner and unworthy of God's love and mercy, and bowing in humbleness before God pleads for forgiveness (vs 12 my iniquities).

My favorite verse 16 emphasizes the Lord's working of salvation in life. An ongoing process of sanctification. The "purpose driven life" is all about this, to continually say "The Lord be magnified." Not about me, not any work I could ever do no matter how great it might seem in man's eyes. It could never be greater than this one thing "The Lord be magnified." 

While we are here on this earth we will always be poor and needy. What amazing grace that God still thinks upon us and delivers us. 

It is said we live in an age of instant gratification, but even on this point the eagerness of the heart for God to intervene immediately was a cry in David's heart just as it has been in all hearts throughout time. This one thing never changes. Even so, come Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:20).

God's Promise

Psalm 34:11-22New King James Version (NKJV)

11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

Good Facebook Post

God is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. We must guard against zeal not according to knowledge.

Tongues have ceased because they have fulfilled their purpose in God's plans.
They were a sign to unbelieving Jews that God was at work, and it was a sign of God's judgment on disobedient Israel. In AD 70 the judgment came. Jerusalem was destroyed, the Jews were scattered. The purpose of the sign of tongues was completed.

One of the most important elements of Bible study is CONTEXT.
One of the most significant points of CONTEXT is recognizing matters that pertain uniquely to national Israel.

In the Old Testament God had warned Israel that when she was disobedient judgment would come. Foreign tongues were a sign of judgment.

Isaiah 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

Jeremiah 5:15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.

Deuteronomy 28:49 The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

It is clear in Acts 2 that "tongues" were known foreign languages spoken by those who did not know those languages, but heard by those who did. 120 Jews were gathered on the Day of Pentecost, 120 Jews from the
scattered regions around the Mediterranean. They spoke different languges, and heard God praised in their native tongue. To the Jews, Hebrew was God's language. They had never heard God praised in a foreign tongue.

The idea that tongues were gibberish or ecstatic language is not taught in Scripture. Frankly it was made up by those claiming to restore tongues in the Church.

I Cor 14:22 tells us that tongues were a sign to unbelievers, specifically, unbelieving Jews. Paul was rebuking and correcting the Corinthians for their abuse of spiritual gifts. He said tongues would cease and they did.

Tongues were known foreign languages spoken by those who did not know the language, but those who knew the language heard God praised in their native tongue. It was a sign to unbelieving Jews that God was at work, and it was a warning of judgment on Israel for Disobedience.
Judgment came and the special sign purpose of tongues ceased.

Scripture does not teach of ecsatatic or gibberish tongues, or of a private prayer tongue, or of tongues for self edification. The Corinthians were rebuked for seeking to edify themselves by boasting of the showy gift of tongues instead of using spritual gifts to edify the Body of Christ.

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Signs and Wonders

(This is in response to a man who asked why people are not performing miracles or signs and wonders today and we are not seeing the power of God.)

Jesus said we would do greater works than these (meaning healings). The greatest miracle is that of salvation. This is happening everywhere everyday. What does it matter if you are healed of a disease yet die in your sin unrepentant. 

Matt. 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

John 4:47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

Matthew 24:4 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

2Thess.2 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

You ask why are there no miracles as before, it is in scripture we find the answer in Hebrews 2:3-5 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

God was bearing witness to His word of salvation to the apostles and those who heard Him, with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the  Holy Spirit. He was confirming His Word. 

Today we preach the good news of the Gospel: Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Miracles are great and God is still working them for His plan and purpose, but when the people came to Jesus just for the miracles and begged Him to stay and do more what did he say:

Luke 4:42 Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; 43 but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” 44 And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

Luke 9:59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”

But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

Luke24:46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.

Matt.2818 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Did you believe because you received a miracle or because you received the gift of faith by hearing the Word of God which led you to repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

The greatest work we can do for the Lord is to preach the Word in season and out, 1Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 

 Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

“Their sound has gone out to all the earth,

And their words to the ends of the world.”

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

We see the power of God everyday, Salvation, Salvation, Salvation. This power lasts for all eternity. This is the greatest gift of all. That God so loved the world that whoever shall believe in Him shall not die but have everlasting life.

  

Apostles

     I find it prideful and arrogant when I see people put the word "apostle" in front of their name. They do this for the sake of having a title and status. Consider what Paul has to say about being an apostle:

"For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now." 1Corinthians 4:9-13. 
    
     Look at the people today that call themselves apostles, are they suffering for Christ, considered fools, dishonored? I think they are living quite the opposite to this. There are no more apostles today that is why Paul says they are last. Condemned to death. A spectacle to men and angels. I have not seen any of these self described apostles today living like this. They are prideful not humble. If you really look at Paul and the apostles how they lived and died, beheaded, stoned, crucified, fed to lions, something to consider.