'Earnestly contending for the faith,' (Jude 3 ) as well as sharing encouragement and hope through Scripture (Romans 15:4), and through the poems and posts that I write. One of many voices on the Internet warning Christians of the importance of testing the teachings of men (and women) against the unchanging truth of God's Word. (Acts 17:11) I 'warn you with tears' through much of what I write, to 'be on guard against the savage wolves that will come in among us who will distort the Word of God' as God's Word warns us about in Acts 20:26-31
Hey there! Thanks for dropping by Living4HisGlory! Take a look around and grab the RSS feed to stay updated. See you around!
My apologies for not having written anything for so long, but since the death of my dear, sweet Mom in April of 2018, as well as the death of not only my dear older sister in January of 2021 but also my brother in April of this year (’22), I have come to realize that I need to focus on spending time with the remaining members of my family and sharing God’s love and truth with them more now than ever before.
I have spent hours and hours writing and researching for my blog posts, and I have no regrets in doing so. I only hope and pray that after reading them, many of you have come to realize the extreme importance of reading and studying your Bibles and testing everything in light of Scripture so that you know what the truth really is, because your eternal destiny is truly dependent upon what you believe about Jesus Christ and His “once for all” sacrifice –no matter what you may have been taught in the church that you attend.
Presently I have a part-time childcare job, and in the weeks ahead I will also be preparing for my very first Art Exhibit that will take place seven weeks from today! If you are interested in seeing my work and hearing more, you can follow me on Instagram:
~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts
Photo – Beautiful Swans of Gardenia With Their Cygnet – Psalm 146:1,2,6 taken by Mary K Dalke Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts – Photography And Acrylic Art; Fluid And Modern Abstract
Today is Sunday, March 27, 22, and many of us will be celebrating the glorious bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead in just four weeks from today! Many sermons will be preached up to that day regarding all the horrendous pain and suffering that Jesus Christ endured on the cross as He willingly hung there in our place, taking upon Himself the full wrath of God, His Father, for our sins, guilt, and shame. Some pastors will even (wrongly) suggest to you that God the Father turned His back on His Son, saying that Jesus became sin, and that God cannot look upon sin, therefore He abandoned His Son as He hung there in unimaginable agony!
Some pastors will even go as far as teaching that Jesus had to die spiritually; that it wasn’t His physical death that saved us. This is completely unbiblical, and that is the main purpose for this post today. I pray that this Playlist of many Biblically solid teachings presented by Jim Floyd and Pastor Tyler Leigeb of Billings Bible Church in Billings, Montana, that are based on many, many Scriptures, will inspire, encourage, and reveal truth to you regarding just how perfect the once for allphysical sacrifice of Jesus Christ was to pay the debt for all of our sins –in full! [NOTE: As new messages are presented at Billings Bible Church, I will continue to add them to the Playlist below.]
For those of you who have never really heard about Jesus Christ and all that He accomplished on your behalf out of obedience to His Father and out of His deep love for you — yes, you, no matter what you may have done — this series is also for you. I pray that you will also take time to listen to this series so that you too can discover the love and forgiveness that God offers to you that can only be found through placing your full trust in Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice on the cross in your place, His death, His burial, and His glorious bodily resurrection from the dead three days later.
“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
PSALM 22
{To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.} My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people
All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.
I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.
All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
1 John 3:5
“And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”
1 Peter 1:18,19
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Hebrews 9:12
“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
Hebrews 10:8-14
“Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
Hebrews 10:19-22
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having an high priest over the house of God;
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Romans 8:33,34
“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
Hebrews 7:22-28
“By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.”
Please know that this series is not about putting down Calvinists. I know some Calvinists and love them dearly! This series (as well as all of the posts that I have written thus far on the topic of Catholicism) is about stressing the importance for all of us to test the teachings of everyone we listen to, the books that we read, etc., against the truth of God’s Word –in context — as we are shown to do in Scripture. (Acts 17:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:21,22, 1 John 4:1)
God gives us many warnings in His Word regarding false teachers in the last days and how they will arise even in our midst! (2 Peter 2:1-3, Acts 20:25-31) Therefore we should always be alert and constantly testing everything against Scripture so that we will not be deceived!
It doesn’t matter how well respected a professing Christian pastor or teacher may be, or how many years they have been in ministry, how big a church they may have, etc.. What’s of the utmost importance is:
Do they present teachings to you that are based on Scripture, and are those Scriptures completely in context?
Do they distort the very character and nature of God by using human reasoning, instead of presenting God’s nature in all of His glory, holiness, and infinite love and mercy as He is revealed to us in His Word?
God’s Word also warns us about another Jesus and another gospel:
“I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-4)
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:6-9)
Therefore, with these stern warnings that God has given to us in His Word in mind, we should constantly be on guard against accepting a false Jesus and a false gospel, both not having complete power to save!
At first I thought Calvinism and Reformed Theology were the next steps to take in order to go deeper into God’s Word so that we can get to know Him better. However, the more that I learned about these teachings by listening to John MacArthur, John Piper, R C Sproul, and Paul Washer, the more I realized how these teachings do not line up with Scripture! I also became very disturbed and troubled as I saw how these teachings distort the character and nature of God and the truly good news of the Biblical gospel! Many Scriptures came flooding into my mind to refute these teachings and I just could not embrace them as being Biblical!! Those were the reasons why I rejected Calvinism. Those are also the reasons why I see the urgent need to write this series; I simply want to point every Calvinist back to Scripture and away from the teachings of men!
It grieves me when I see many Calvinists post quotes from well-known Calvinist preachers such as Spurgeon, A W Pink, Martyn Lloyd Jones, and Calvin himself, instead of simply quoting Scripture. We need nothing more than God’s Word! How can we lose sight of the amazing fact that we have the very Word of God given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit??!!
With all of that being said, here is the first submission that was sent to me by Loretta from Massachusetts. [NOTE: Names have been changed to protect their identities.] (I am waiting to receive more from some of you out there who would like to share your stories with me. Your names and locations will be changed to protect your identities, as well). When time allows, I may go through the many emails that this dear sister-in-Christ sent me and add more information that she had shared with me to this post –if I see the need to do so, and if I have time:
There are some things only a mother knows, I think God has given us that mothering gift exclusively because every mom I have ever known has had it. No disrespect to my husband, but he never saw this thing coming and I don’t blame him! Eight months after Leroy had left home to start plying his trade in LA after some local training, he took a cheap evening flight home for his first visit home. I was overjoyed at the prospect of seeing him again and did not sleep much the night before. The fact that Leroy had mentioned in his correspondence that he had listened and been to certain Calvinist mega-churches and had been reading Calvinist writers did worry me some. Let us be honest that LA is probably the last place parents want to see their children go, least of all to live and work! The horror stories from there are often not exaggerated.
Nothing, however, could prepare me for the next day. Seeing Leroy turned out to be one the saddest days of my life. I knew he had changed even before I kissed him hello. He looked different, spoke with a fake but weird accent, and he was distant as though his dad and I were actually embarrassing to him. He did not want to be home. I saw that and sensed that.
On the 40-minute or so drive home from the airport, my husband tried to strike up a conversation with Leroy. Leroy kept it strictly superficial and spoke about Hollywood and some of the famous people he had seen, and he said that he was not impressed with the Lakers or the Sparks. Leroy has always been a Celtics and Paul Pierce admirer! (Those days drove me nuts even tho’ they hold precious and sweet memories!) As if prompted, I suddenly felt I needed to ask Leroy something and asked him if he was still spreading the gospel as he used to do in our block.
My son grimaced and did not reply and for the rest of the trip no one spoke. By the time we reached our downtown apartment, my stomach was in knots and my chest was tight of the worryin’. After a late supper that had not gone as I had planned in my mind, and mostly because Leroy had barely spoken with his younger brother Jordan, I offered to unpack his suitcase, hoping to spend some needed time with him alone. While he was sitting on his bed and texting, I asked him to tell me what had happened in LA. I reminded him, silly me, that I was still his Mo. Many things had crossed my mind. Did he have problems at work? Problems in the apartment he was renting? Girlfriend problems? Did he not like the weather? Was the lifestyle change taking its toll on him? Had someone upset him, a friend perhaps? Was he in some kind of trouble?
Although I remember most of Leroy’s stingin’ words clearly, that night is still a hazy nightmare to me, and it still keeps me awake at night sometimes. Even now I sometimes get up at 3 a.m. and do household chores or watch some TV or read some. It’s very hard to write about this specific night because that’s the night that Leroy basically disowned me as his Mo. That’s the night he wrote off his family, his dad, his brother, his past, and dare I say it, his Jesus. (I say “his Jesus” because he had found another.) I had expected bad news, but I was not prepared for what came out of his mouth and the manner in which he said it. He told me I was not saved. He said I was a “reprobate” like his dad and Jordan. It was also the first time that my firstborn had ever raised his voice at me. As far as my beautiful boy was concerned, everyone who did not hold to his revealed “doctrines of grace” and who did not worship “his” sovereign God on God’s terms, which was the strange unscriptural TULIP, was basically already in hell, “predestined by God to go to hell from before time began.”
Conveniently, and I say this with a mother’s love, Leroy was not one of the unbelieving doomed masses. As if taken over by someone or something else, Leroy explained, stressin’ every word as though I could not hear him, that he was now one of the “elect”, that the “sovereign” God had revealed it to him via the teaching and the elders of his godly church (which he has since changed for another two) and through their godly authority, which neither his dad nor I had ever had.
I broke down and left his room and for the next week, until he returned we did not speak about the incident again. We all pretended that nothing had happened except for Jordan. Jordan was not happy with the way Leroy had treated all of us, but took out his frustration by playing his jazz music with some friends in the church hall at nights. Since then, Leroy has only been home a couple of times, twice with his girlfriend, bless her heart, whom he had met at a church “function.” She is another huge influence on his life and decisions, and even once suggested with Leroy that I go for Biblical counseling so that I could also see the one true way that was found only in Calvinism. I really believed she was playing a joke on me, but it turned out that she was serious! Leroy’s choice of girlfriend is not my decision at all, but I can only pray that she turns from her ways and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. But by far, the saddest aspect of Leroy’s “conversion” to what so many call the doctrines of men, which I agree with, is that since that first night and in the many times after that, is the absence of mentioning and reverence of the Lord Jesus Christ and His complete deity. Over time, Leroy has given me the names of hundreds of websites to visit, the names of just as many books, and he has spoken of Calvinists that I have not even heard of. He has sent me link upon link about this teacher and that one, and the one was as far gone as the next. He has also sent internet sermons that were embarrassing to watch and listen to. But Jesus who died so that anyone who accepts His gift of salvation may be saved, is not esteemed as highly as these false teachers or as some of the websites, many of which were downright offensive to a Christian!
My dear pastor was visibly upset when I asked him for advice about Leroy’s situation. Leroy and Jordan were both born-again in our small church, only two years apart! My pastor gave me some books to read on Calvinism and then gave me advice that turned out to be so helpful. He said I should read up and find out everything about it for myself so I can learn about it from the horse’s mouth. Although I had a good understanding of Calvinism before, due to an altercation I had had with a colleague years ago, reading and learning about it broadened my understanding of it even more. It is an ugly belief system, I must admit. Against my will I patiently visited and read through every website and blog that Leroy had given me and it did not take long to see who and what was poisoning him. Every site had the same message of “total depravity” and every site made excuses for sin and even condoned it, including the evil acts of Calvin himself. What was most disturbing and heartbreaking was that many of these sites were downright rude and pious and going as far as to say — and this Leroy had said so himself — that the evil acts of men were for God’s glory, and these included 9/11, the Sandy Hooks School bloodbath, the Orlando nightclub shootings and every other disaster and even the molestation of children, as shocking as that may sound! “It is God’s will,” Leroy says to all these horrible things! What kind of God would take glory from such things? Not the God of the Bible, and on a few occasions I have told Leroy that. Every time he has given me the same answer, that I don’t understand Calvinism or the “secret ways of God.”
Over time, Leroy has come to reflect the false gospel that he now believes in. Again, I am saying this because I love him, because I want to see him be freed from this terrible lie, and because there are other Leroys out there.
Before I continue I must make it clear that until a few months before he left for LA, Leroy, Jordan, and a couple of other brave youngsters, still spread the gospel in our neighborhood as was their custom. Even though our block of the city and neighborhood have had the tragic fentanyl drug plague for years, it’s known as Apache or China White on the streets, the street gangs, and the dirty clubs and its intimidating barkers, these things had never stopped Leroy from venturing out at all hours to tell everyone about Jesus Christ. He especially enjoyed weekend nights and basket ball games to tell the lost souls of the salvation that Jesus offered. Despite these dangers I never feared for his safety or for that of Jordan’s as much as I fear for Leroy’s safety now. I am talking about his spiritual safety.
He has changed. The handsome young man with the charming dark brown eyes (in his late teens, he was known as the young Denzel Washington of our specific ‘hood’) is no longer there. My real son is not behind those eyes anymore. Someone else has moved in and took his body, someone spiritually proud, arrogant, condescending, angry, and unloving. He has become unhappy and is depressed. I have noticed that he is looking down on women, as though he is superior simply by being a man. I spoke to him about that and he went into the “submission without questioning” tirade that grieved me deeply. Would he one day really treat his own wife that way? I asked him that too and he said that’s what the scriptures really teach.
I dare not list the number of insults Leroy has thrown our way since he has “found” Calvinism. There have been Easter cards that mocked Jesus, that had made fun of me, Calvinist Christmas cards, and hundreds of memes with senseless and offensive Calvinist memes. He went so far as to call me a bad mother because I had kept the “truth” from him, and he has turned red in the face on many occasions when I have asked him for some straightforward answers on simple issues like why even bother to share the gospel when god has already decided who’d be saved? “Because we don’t know who the elect are,” he answered, and that answer I’ve heard countless times from other Calvinists and have seen on blogs.
It does not even make sense! I understand my son is under someone else’s control and his normal way of thinking has been altered, and I get chest pains when I think who is responsible! He does not laugh like he used to, or talk to his brother and hang with him like he used to when he visits, he ignores his dad, he sees himself as good for nothing, which is not what the Bible teaches! He has become rude and even cusses…! And he is watching and promoting movies with extreme nude scenes and blasphemy that he’d never dream of watching before, and this because some false teacher has said there’s nothing wrong for a Christian to watch worldly things (Ephesians 4, verse 29). He has even turned his back on the music we used to listen to together. The artists he listens to now I won’t even name as there is nothing Christian or wholesome about them although these performers are found at every Calvinist conference or “event” and some of the big names in Calvinism even promote these worldly songs.
Leroy spends much of his money attending these conferences and he used to tell me about it all the time, and every time I realized that he was being led by the nose and being brainwashed. What struck me is that these conferences were obviously aimed at people within his age range. But how do I tell him that I can see he is involved with the works of darkness without pushing him away even more? On the rare visit, I have tried to talk to him, to remind him of how he had been before. I even asked him on the last visit in 2016 if he even realized that he was hurting everyone who loves him. He shrugged his shoulders.
Jordan has had words with Leroy and has demanded he apologize for the way he’d been treating my husband and I, and an apology did come forth, but even that did not last long. Jordan has been amazing and has told me over and over that Leroy will come to his senses, that he is simply star struck and following personalities and not Jesus; Leroy is caught in human idolatry. Jordan says, “It is just a phase that will pass.” He tells me that every now and then. He misses his brother so much and is planning to visit him in LA during the summer.
My dear husband has been supportive too even though he has probably been hit the hardest by all of this. He has taken it very personally, and I often find him staring at nothing. He has been patient with Leroy and has told him that our home is still his home, and that Jesus is still his Savior, and that there is no other. My husband has often asked me and I have often asked him where we’d gone wrong. But we’ve been told by wonderful friends and fellow believers that we are not to blame, that Leroy has made his own choices, and that we should not give up praying, hoping, and believing. Our son will come “home.”
For all the grieving and worried parents out there whose children have wandered away from Jesus and into Calvinism, I can say take heart! It seems to be a almost fashion like and this fad should pass. In Leroy’s case, this fad has been going on for 3 years, but it will pass. Never argue with your children about Calvinism, but speak to them gently about it by quoting the Bible and not the words of men or women.
Also, although technically it is a cult, please don’t call it one when talking to them as that will make them more determined in following after men. Never stop praying for them or loving them or showering them with kindness. Learn as much about Calvinism that you can stand and find out who the popular Calvinist and Reformed leaders are and what they teach. Remember, Calvinists have twisted every Christian phrase and word to mean something else. Above all, let them know that you love them despite everything.
Growing up, my mom and her friends had the beautiful and exciting habit of break into song whenever they got together. It was second nature for those women to sing and sing. “His eye is on the sparrow” by Mahalia Jackson was one of their favorites, and before I turned seven, I knew the words to the whole song! I know that despite the fact that Leroy has temporarily turned his back on Him and despite Leroy being blinded by Satan, God is still keeping an eye on my boy. That is the God we believe in, a God of love, forgiveness and salvation that comes through believing in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Our family’s story does not have a good ending yet, but I know it is gonna have one. Many precious people are praying for Leroy and for his girlfriend too. I thank them all. Our story will have a good ending too. I just know it. God bless y’all!
And thank you Mary for allowing me to share our story.
Lord willing, I will be spending most of my free time writing the last post in my series, “APPARITIONS OF THE VIRGIN MARY, OR DEMONS IN DISGUISE? EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE IN LIGHT OF SCRIPTURE.” I was hoping to finish by the end of this week, but I think it will be more fitting if I publish it on October 13th since that is the date of the alleged appearance of Mary and the so-called Miracle of the Sun that took place in 1917. Plus, I really don’t think that I will be able to finish it by the end of this week since there is so much more to write and so much more documentation that I need to sort through and gather together to add to that post. In the meantime, here is a video that will give you Scriptural reasons why I — and many others — believe these alleged apparitions of Mary are demonic in nature.
It is not my intention to offend Catholics who believe that these are truly apparitions of Mary. Rather it is out of love and concern for precious Catholics that I write these types of posts in order to urge Catholics — and everyone — to read and to study God’s Word and to test everything against the truth of God’s Word so that they will not be deceived by the many spiritually deceptive things that are taking place these days in the name of “Christianity.”
After seeing more and more churches these days promoting not only yoga, but also the Martial Arts, I found the need to set aside some time today to put together this short, but very important post. It is my hope and prayer that this post will reach many Christians — as well as non-Christians — who are sadly involved with the Martial Arts thinking that they are simply just innocent classes that teach discipline and self-defense methods. It is both sad and deeply alarming to realize that many Christians — including pastors — do not realize the spiritual dangers and occult roots of these practices as well as the philosophy that is so prevalent in the Martial Arts! So today I wanted to present to you not only the link to the short version of Gaylene Goodroad’s testimony of her time in the Martial Arts (during which sheachieved not one, but two black belts, both which she has renounced after becoming a Christian), but also the link to her E BOOK:
The link to the short version of her testimony can be found HERE
When time allows, I pray that you will take time to read through all of the important information that she has provided for everyone at the links above so that you can become aware of the spiritual dangers that are involved in these practices. I pray also that you will seek the Lord in prayer and in His Word if you are either presently involved in the Martial Arts or have enrolled your children in these classes, innocently thinking that they will simply learn how to become more disciplined and learn how to defend themselves.
Here also is the link to Gaylene Goodroad’s website where she clearly states that she is: “…determined to expose the spiritual dangers of combat arts.”MY LIFE IN THE WAY
Gaylene also contends for the faith by writing many important and informative posts (along with Sarah Leslie) for the: HERESCOPE BLOG You will find that these posts are all rooted in Scripture in order to expose the many ways in which spiritual mysticism (and more) has infiltrated the Church, thus leading many Christians away from Biblical truth and into the world of the occult. The need to continually pray for spiritual discernment as well as the need to constantly test everything that a professing Christian pastor or teacher says and does is a must these days, and we are shown the importance of doing so in Scripture:
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
“Prove [test] all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. ” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try [test] the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
God’s Word is filled with many warnings about adopting the pagan practices of the culture that surrounded His chosen people, the Jews. Here are just a few of them:
“You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you. You must not walk in their customs.” (Leviticus 18:3)
“Do not practice divination or seek omens.” ” ‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 19:26,31)
“You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.” (Leviticus 20:23)
“Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.” (Deuteronomy 12:30)
Similar warnings were given to the church regarding being led astray by the philosophies of men and doctrines of devils, not yoking together with unbelievers, and how false teachers would arise even from among us which is clearly happening today through Spiritual Formation classes, yoga classes, and Martial Art classes that are being presented at many allegedly Biblically based churches. Just as you cannot separate the spiritual aspect of yoga from the different poses that are done, so also you cannot separate the Buddhist spiritual aspects and philosophy from the Martial Arts.
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy 4:1)
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
“And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:25-31)
We are truly living in the last days! The Book of Revelation clearly shows us the depth of the demonic activity that will be taking place at that time and how the people will refuse to repent in spite of the judgements that God will bring upon the earth because man loved their sin and refused to receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. Instead they will believe the lie because they chose not to believe the truth:
“And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” (Revelation 9:20,21)
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:1-8)
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12)
Here also are links to podcasts that Gaylene did with BEREAN CALL’S,T. A. McMahon regarding her time in the Martial Arts:
Are you aware of the dangers of Contemplative Spirituality? Would you know error as soon as you heard or saw something? Do you take the time to do some research on authors of books that are mentioned or suggested for you to read by those in leadership at your church before reading them? I pray that this post will help you learn to discern and show you just how very important it is to not only read and study God’s Word and to pray for discernment, but also how very important it is to always be alert for spiritual deception! I also pray that you will see just how subtle spiritual deception begins and how it can dangerously progress and lead you away from Biblical truth!
Before we begin, here’s some background information:
I used to be on Twitter quite frequently a few years ago. However, going on Twitter, as well as on Facebook, can turn the intended amount of time of being on there for just fifteen or twenty minutes, to at least an hour or two if you get drawn into commenting on a tweet or a post that you see the need to express your appreciation for or concerns about. It made me realize just how time consuming social media can be! All that to say this: I decided to go back on Twitter recently because I saw a huge spike in my blog stats on May 3rd, and the views were all coming from Twitter. Everyone was reading one of my most popular posts regarding why I left my church, HarvestBible Chapel Rolling Meadows, back in 2012 after attending there for 14 1/2 years: https://living4hisglory.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/warning-you-with-tears/ Jessica Hockett, also a former member of Harvest Bible Chapel, had discovered my post and after realizing that she had been — and continues to be — an important person in the ongoing investigation regarding the misappropriation of funds by former Pastor, James MacDonald, and the wrongdoings and coverups that have been taking place at Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows, I began to read up on the very latest of what had been happening.
Now, to get to the important point of this post:
After a few weeks of being on Twitter and connecting with many people who also have serious concerns about those who once were in leadership there, and concerns regarding some who are still in leadership, as well as love and concern for the people who are still attending there, I saw that some people had posted a recording of a recent HARVEST BIBLE CHAPEL ROLLING MEADOWS FAMILY MEETING – (MAY 29, 2019) and decided to listen to see what people were being told by those in leadership and to also see if any emotional manipulation was taking place. There definitely was some emotional manipulation taking place by what was being said to those in attendance, but this post is going to focus on something else that is equally or even more serious. I will continue now by telling you what I heard in that audio that urged me to write this post in order to send out a serious warning not only to those who are still attending Harvest Bible Chapel, but also to everyone because these types of unbiblical teachings are coming full force into many churches these days through so-called Spiritual Formation classes and similar classes!
NOTE: To those of you who may now be reading this post and are still choosing to continue attending Harvest Bible Chapel, (the Rolling Meadows location especially), I want to clearly state beforehand that my intention in writing this post is not to bring you any more pain as you are all trying to heal, but rather to help you — and every one else — realize the importance of thinking for yourselves, to help you realize the necessity of examining the Scriptures daily to see if what is being said is true (Acts 17:11), to alert you to what some — or all — of your leaders are involved in, and to give you information about some troubling things that they have already presented to some of you, and information about what they may very well present to you in the near future.
Although this information mainly has to do with HBC, this information is as relevant to every other Christian because what I am about to share with all of you is coming into many churches through numerous pastors, teachers, and authors of books that are being promoted at many churches these days.
Now back to the main thing that I heard as I listened to the audio of the family meeting at HBCRM and what I discovered after doing a lot of research:
As I continued listening, I heard Greg Bradshaw encourage everyone to “read” this summer and to “get a good book.” He mention a book entitled, Emotionally Healthy Church beginning at the 24:18 minute mark by saying:
“We’re reading as a church — we provided for our staff — ‘Emotionally Healthy Church.’ We’re reading ‘Emotionally Healthy Church’ book this summer as a staff…”
I had never heard of that book before, so I decided to do some research on it, as well as taking some time to do some research on the author, Peter Scazzero. Here are some of the alarming things that I discovered:
Here is what you will see on the Our Vision page on the website of the church that Pete pastors — New Life Fellowship Church — that is located in Queens, New York. Red flag words: Spiritual formation practices, Monastic values, contemplative and monastic traditions, Desert Fathers and Mothers, and monks.
The following 1 hour and 16 minute video is the first of many videos that I watched and listened to in order to find out as much as possible about Pete Scazzero and what he teaches. Below the video you will see a list of notes that I took as I listened. I did that for you for the first 30 minutes of the video.
Pete says people are not experiencing deep transformation.
Mentions self awareness, managing one’s triggers under stress
Pete claims to have had 4 conversions
Notices and says, “People are not changing deeply in our church.”
1994 Pete starts an inward journey for 2 years
Started Christian counseling
His wife confronted him on how he’s not a strong leader – left his church, attended another one
Pete shows diagram created by now deceased professor of Fuller Theological Seminary , Robert Guelich, and claims Emotional Health and Spiritual Maturity are inseparable
Emotional component
He claims he and his wife were “born-again” again
1996-2003 Claims “a little revolution took place in our church just by bringing in the emotional component”
He still felt “something more was needed.” He “began to read quite a bit about Monasticism.”
2003, 2004 – For a 4 month period he and his wife “visited a variety of monasteries and lived rhythms of silence and solitude.”
A revolution. Third conversion.
Pete says about Christians in general, “We’re so busy we have to live off other people’s spirituality.”
Got people connected personally with God directly
Made drastic move to slow down their lives
“…people’s lives began to be radically transformed…finally wrote it down into a couple of books.”
The description that can be found under the following video on YouTube, says:
“Pete Scazzero interviews Rosy Kandathil about her experiences at the Monastery. Rosy is a former staff and pastor at New Life Fellowship and began a journey to become a Benedictine Sister.”
Being a former Catholic, I find it very troubling that he presented this woman, Rosy Kandathil, who was once a “pastor” at his church and who is now in the process of becoming a Benedictine nun to speak to the people at his church, but it further shows that he is clearly promoting Catholicism and Contemplative New Age spirituality.
Just in case the following video entitled, ‘Pete Scazzero Interviewing a Trappist Monk on Prayer‘ disappears for some reason, I did a quick capture of it for you to document the fact that Pete Scazzero is promoting eastern mysticism and Catholicism by featuring William Meninger, a Catholic trappist monk, at his church. Once again I must ask a question: Why would a professing Christian pastor choose to have a monk speak at his church if he wasn’t?
Here is the video:
Below are some quick captures from the above video that will show you how Pete Scazzero has embraced the teachings of Catholicism regarding communion, that being that Jesus Christ is truly present in the elements of bread and wine and that Jesus comes into us when we take communion:
Here is a reminder for you of what it says in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding their communion which they call, the Eucharist:
“In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.” (Para 1374 CCC)
Here is one of the anathemas (curses) regarding the Eucharist that you will find in the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent:
Canon 3 “If anyone saith that the Sacrifice of the Mass is only a sacrifice of praise and of thanksgiving; or that it is a bare commemoration of the sacrifices consummated on the cross, but not a propitiatory sacrifice; or that it profits him only who receives; and that it ought not to be offered for the living and the dead for sins, pains, satisfactions, and other necessities; let him be anathema.”
[NOTE: Lord willing, I will be going in depth on the teaching of the Eucharist and the Sacrifice of the Mass in light of Scripture when we get to that part in the CCC book.]
One look at William Meninger in the following picture that was chosen as the main image for this video should leave no doubt in one’s mind that what he presents is not Biblical Christianity, but rather a form of mystical, New Age spirituality that is rooted in Buddhism, which is the same type of spirituality that Pete Scazzero is presenting at the church he pastors, New Life Fellowship Church in New York.
For those of you who have never heard of The Cloud of Unknowing, here are some resources for you to help you learn to discern so that you will not be deceived by this:
The reason I am concerned that these mystical, New Age practices might very well be encouraged to be practiced by those attending HBCRM is not only because this book by Pete Scazzero was mentioned by Greg Bradshaw at the Family Meeting as a book that is being read by the staff, but also because of what Greg Bradshaw said beginning at 16:03-16:46 minute mark which was:
“How do you rebuild hope? I told our staff and I’m telling you, ‘The way you rebuild hope is intimacy with God.’ There’s no shortcut… but if your struggling a little bit with hope, ‘What is this going to look like at our church,’ the way to build hope is intimacy with God. And how do you build intimacy with God? There’s no shortcut, it’s disciplines. It’s finding time to get alone with God. It’s called solitude.”
In order to show you that I am not merely speculating, here is some documented evidence that I came across in my research that will prove to you that as far back as 2012 Pete Scazzero and his Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (EHS) teachings have been promoted in some ways at HBC:
I am also very concerned for all of you at HBCRM because of Greg Bradshaw’s emphasis on having “intimacy with God” and “getting healthy” as a church in light of his focus on Pete Scazzero’s book, ‘Emotionally Healthy Church’ which clearly presents New Age/New Spirituality/Catholic mystical practices as ways to haveintimacywith God. After listening to the audio of HBC’s Family Meeting, I just strongly felt led to write this post as a warning of what might be presented to you this fall as the leadership at HBC seems to be raising a level of excitement about what they desire to see take place starting this fall season.
UPDATE 7/3/19 10:22 A.M.NOTE ADDED FOR CLARIFICATION:
I need to make it very clear that I am not saying that the leaders at Harvest Bible Chapel are intentionally and knowingly promoting these unbiblical, occultic teachings…they may be deceived into believing these are acceptable practices to do to bring one closer to God like so many other Christians have been (wrongly) led to believe. Harvest Bible Chapel leadership has been promoting Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer for many years now, and these women (wrongly) teach how to hear God speak to you. (Please consider reading the following post to see the documentation that I have on these women: HARVEST BIBLE CHAPEL LEADERSHIP, CHRISTIAN LEADERS, AND THE LACK OF BIBLICAL DISCERNMENT). However, there is no excuse for pastors and teachers who are held to an even higher lever of accountability (James 3:1) to fall for or to present such unbiblical practices to the people at their churches. Sadly, when many pastors see that a certain teacher is popular, they simply order their so-called “Bible studies” and fail to take the time to test what they actually teach against the truth of God’s Word to see if it is true or not. Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows leadership has fail to be Biblical shepherds and to guard their flock from false teachers; instead they just invite them in: Mark Driscoll, Steven Furtick, Levi Lusko, etc.
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God which he bought with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)
We are all called to: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22) As Christians, we think that we can trust those in leadership, but that simply is not true. The only one who we can completely trust is Jesus Christ alone and His Holy Word that will endure forever. (1 Peter 1:25)
Besides constantly praying for discernment, now, more than ever before, we as Christians must: study God’s Word ( 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV), examine the Scriptures daily to see if what is being said (and done) is true (Acts 17:11) or not, and always be alert so that we are not deceived by the many ways in which our enemy, the devil, is attempting to devour us. (1 Peter 5:8)
Please also consider reading this post regarding Levi Lusko: HOW DISCERNING ARE YOU? He was a guest speaker at Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows in 2016 on January 2nd and 3rd. [NOTE: Just to let you know, this post also includes a Biblical analysis of a message that T D Jakes’ daughter (Sarah Jakes Roberts) preached, entitled, ‘The Displaced Crown,’ but she did not present this message at Harvest Bible Chapel. The video that she preached her message in was taken down shortly after I posted it.] END OF UPDATE
Dear Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows members and attendees — and every Christian — beware! Beware of what is being presented to you as ways to develop intimacy with God. We have God’s Word, the Bible. What more could we ever need in order to develop intimacy with God? Nothing more! Especially when the practices that are suggested for us to do in order to have intimacy with God is derived from unbiblical, New Age practices that can be found in Buddhism, Hinduism, and mystical practices derived from Catholicism –practices that open up doorways into the world of the occult!
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy 4:1)
“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, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 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. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:1-4)
“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard. Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:25-31)
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory
RELATED VIDEOS
In the following video, Pete Scazzero, who is also the co-founder of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship (EHD), where they “help leaders around the world grow their people into mature disciples of Jesus,” tells us how EHD has “helped thousands of people move from a shallow Christianity to a deep authentic relationship with God, themselves, and others.“Although he may give some good suggestions in his courses, such as taking enough time to rest, to say that the Christianity of those who do not pursue the ways through which he suggests in his courses in order to be able to have a “deep authentic relationship with God” is “shallow Christianity,” is very troubling!
In the following video, ‘Pete’s Take on Daily Office,’ that you will find further below this quick capture from the video, Pete Scazzero has this to say beginning at the 1:31 minute mark:
“…but the silence to me is the quality that probably I found most significant because again, I’m being with Jesus my lover, and I’m quieting myself down, I’m centering in Christ and abiding in this love relationship allowing Him to love me and I’m loving Him back.” (Emphasis is mine).
This is sometimes referred to as spiritual romanticism; it is a completely unbiblical form of thinking in which we view Jesus Christ as our “lover.” This is frighteningly becoming a more common belief among professing Christian teachers (such as Ann Voskamp), and it leads Christians down an unbiblical and dangerous path!
In the video that you will find further below, which is entitled, ‘What is the Daily Office & Why is it Needed,’ at the 2:43 minute mark you will find this chart that shows ‘the core of the EHS (Emotionally Healthy Spirituality) Course.’ These are very similar to the experienced based methods that you will find in transcendental meditation and in the New Age Movement.
At the 3:23 minute mark in the video below you will hear Pete Scazzero quote Brother Lawrence, and at the 4:43 minute mark in this same video you will also hear Pete Scazzero quote Dallas Willard. Both of these men promoted unbiblical, contemplative, mystical, spirituality. (See information on these men that I have added below for you at the end of this post).
Beginning at the 5:09 minute mark in the same video that you will find further below, you will also see this chart with Silence & Stillness Guidelines that clearly present the same type of steps that you will find in eastern meditation practices in Buddhism, but they have been repackaged using Christian terminology:
Finally, here is the actual video, entitled: ‘What is the Daily Office & Why is it Needed?’
At the 4:12 minute mark in the following video you will hear Pete Scazzero say:
“Remember, the purpose of the Daily Office is to commune with God.”
He ends this video by saying: “…and I trust that you will find, as I have, that you are remembering and thinking of God much more throughout your days, in ways that you never imagined or did before.”
When anyone tells you to practice spiritual disciplines that are the same types of spiritual disciplines practiced by Buddhist and Catholic monks only Christianized to make them appear acceptable, or if you are told to read a certain book or that taking a specific course is going to change your spiritual life rather than telling you that all you need is to spend time with God in His spiritual life giving, life changing Word — the Bible — that should send up an immediatered flag within your spirit! We are sadly at a point in time when many professing Christian pastors and teachers are casting aside Biblical Christianity. Instead they are now focusing on man’s emotions and promoting having experiences with God that come directly out of the world of the occult!
I am sure that Pete Scazzero and his wife are probably very sincere and wonderful people, but they have sadly been deceived by accepting these unbiblical practices as ways to develop a deeper relationship with God. When trying to search for ways to help their people grow in their relationship with God and to grow spiritually, they have wandered off the Biblical path and are now presenting to their people — and to the world — teachings that are telling everyone to look inward instead of looking to God and seeking Him in His Word.
God is the only one who transforms us by His Word and by His Holy Spirit when we choose to believe the good news of the Biblical gospel and come to Him through Jesus Christ; transformation does not come about by looking inward and dwelling on the past and on our emotional pain and struggles. (Isaiah 43:18) (Philippians 3:13)
Jesus Christ was and is God in the flesh. Jesus, being fully God, took upon Himself human flesh and entered our sin-filled world. He lived the perfect, sinless life that we could never live, and became the perfect sacrifice. Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God, willingly went to the cross where He bore all of our sins as well as all of our grief and sorrows, and God poured out all of His wrath intended for us because of our sins upon His one and only Son. He died in our place, was buried, and was gloriously raised to life on the third day in bodily form to show that God accepted His death as full payment for every one of our sins — no matter what we may have done! God is love, but He is also just. Therefore sin must be paid for, and Jesus paid our debt to sin in full –tetelestai. That is the life changing good news of the Biblical gospel that transforms a person’s life!
May I share a personal illustration with you? During the twelve years of my marriage I became a broken and shattered woman emotionally because of the way that my ‘husband’ treated me. However, everything began to change when I began to read the Bible and came to see the truly good news of the Biblical gospel for the first time and chose to believe it and to place my full trust in all that Jesus Christ accomplished for us. In the midst of my deep hurt I did not look inward. I cried out to God and read His Word often throughout each day as the tears fell and my heart broke in thousands of pieces. As I spent time in prayer and in His Word, God began to heal me and to renew my mind and troubled heart and I no longer based my worth as a person by how my ‘husband’ treated me, but rather by what God’s Word says. That is when my life began to change and God began to transform me into a new creation in Christ. Day by day I learned to trust God more, and day by day His strength became perfected in my weakness and His peace that surpasses all human understanding began to guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus as I prayed and stopped worrying about everything. He proved Himself over and over to be faithful and able to meet all of my needs in ways that I never would have imagined!
I pray that Pete and his wife will begin simply seeking God in His Word and that one day he will cast these unbiblical practices out of his church, his books, and his presentations, as well, and that he will point his people — and all Christians — back to Jesus Christ — who was and is God in the flesh –so that they will find true and lasting transformation! As true Biblical Christians that is what we are all to do.
I hope you can now see that in many ways Christianity today is becoming more and more experiential based. Sadly, God’s Holy Word, the Bible, is now being used by many as a tool to bring one into an altered state of consciousness as it is twisted and repeated over and over. God’s Word is no longer seen as having the greatest importance as it is read and studied in context. The only way to truly come to know God is through coming to Jesus Christ in simple faith and believing that His “once for all sacrifice” was truly enough to pay the debt for all of our sins in full!
Please do not be deceived by these unbiblical types of practices that may sound very appealing to you emotionally, but at their very core is New Age Catholic mysticism.
RELATED VIDEOS
More videos to show you how William Meninger, who was a guest at Pete Scazzero’s church, is heavily involved in New Age/ New Spirituality/Buddhism/Catholic mysticism.
Here is some information regarding Fuller Theological Seminary, the seminary that now deceased Professor of New Testament, Robert Guelich taught at. He was the one who made the chart that Pete Scazzero showed in his presentation at the 22:32 minute mark in the first video entitled, ‘Emotionally Healthy Spirituality – An Evening With Pete Scazzero.’
Lord willing, another new post coming later this month or in August on this same subject regarding how Catholic mysticism is infiltrating many churches these days and leading many Christians astray in order to show the extreme importance of reading and studying God’s Word and praying for discernment.
Also coming later in July, Lord willing, will be another new post in the series in which we will continue comparing the teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church to a Catholic New Testament to show precious Catholics the truly good news of the Biblical gospel and that many of the things that they are being taught, which is based on the traditions of men, contradicts God’s Word, the Bible. It is equally important for all Christians to know this information so that they not only come to realize the need to share the truly good news of the Biblical gospel with their dear Catholic friends and family, but also so that they will not be deceived into thinking that Catholicism is Biblical and end up being lured into Catholicism by one of many ways that have been devised by our enemy, the devil.
Normally I add a pole to each SURVEY SATURDAY post for you and ask you to please vote on a certain question that I present to you, but this time I am going to try something different.
These surveys help me immensely as I prepare to write something, because I don’t want to waste my time writing something that those of you who read this blog from time to time aren’t interested in reading. However, reaching precious Catholics with the truth from God’s Word is my highest priority right now, so you will continue to see posts that expose some of the very concerning teachings that Catholicism presents to their people. Lord willing, as I mentioned to you before, as soon as I finish this present series on the Alleged Apparitions of the Virgin Mary, I will get back to writing posts in which I will continue to compare many of the teachings from the Catechism of the Catholic Church to a Catholic Bible just to show precious Catholics the errors in their teachings that they need to be aware of. Many of them will come to the point of experiencing a crisis of faith because they will have to decide if they are going to choose to believe the Word of God (the Bible) or continue to place their trust in the word of man (Traditions of the Catholic Church) when they see the truth presented to them and how it contradicts God’s Word.
Most importantly, however, I will be continuing that series in order to reveal to Catholics the truly good news of the Biblical gospel that is hidden from them but made very clear in their Scriptures if only they would read them for themselves and allow God to reveal the truth to them just as He began to do for me back in 1980.
As I also mentioned to you in at least one of my previous posts, my desire is also to begin writing posts in which I will be testing the teachings of Reformed Theology and Calvinism against Scripture after I finish writing the many series that I am presently writing concerning Catholicism. I am neither a Calvinist, nor am I an Arminian –or a Universalist. And I am not a hypocrite as I was basically called recently. Yes, I added a few links to posts written by known Calvinists who were exposing some false teachings or something concerning mysticism, but at the time I shared them I either did not know they were Reformed in their theology, or I simply shared them to give proper credit to them as the source by which I came to discover the serious matter that I posted about. A couple of months ago I went back and removed the post in which I shared teachings by Phil Johnson, Steve Lawson, and another pastor involved with John MacArthur. I had no idea what Calvinism and Reformed Theology taught at the time that I shared some of the things that I did in the past, but after coming to realize how these teachings distort Scripture and oftentimes presents another gospel and another Jesus, as well as perverts the very character of the God of the Bible, I realized that I needed to remove them. When time allows I will go back and delete more videos and remove entire posts so that I do not mislead anyone or cause anyone to think that I am double-minded or hypocritical.
Now for the survey and the new way in which I will present this to you:
For those of you who would be willing to participate, would you please simply leave a comment below and tell me what you would like to see me write about here during this New Year? Or if you’d prefer, please send me a very brief message with your request and I will try to answer you as soon as possible. If time allows me to do so, and if it is something that I agree to do, I would be happy to write about anything that you may find troubling as you seek to walk in truth and follow after Jesus Christ alone in the midst of so much spiritual deception that is out there today.
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary/Living4HisGlory
UPDATE:
I am still doing further research and trying to find time to add more information to my previous post concerning the “sacred heart” of Jesus, but I am rather behind because of other responsibilities and because of encountering another new series of computer problems! Ugh! Technology!
Use this form directly below to contact me privately with your requests. You will find where to share your request publicly by looking further below this form where it says, “Leave a Reply.”
To those of you who may have been wondering why I have not posted anything recently, I deeply apologize! I have been trying to make time to work on writing the second post in the present series, APPARITIONS OF THE VIRGIN MARY, OR DEMONS IN DISGUISE? EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE IN LIGHT OF SCRIPTURE, however, a lot has been happening lately that has caused my free time to be extremely limited! Such as:
1) I am continuing to look for a new church since I am still churchless, (if you’d like, you can read why I left my former church after attending there for over five years by reading: CHURCHLESS ONCE AGAIN)
2) My engine light turned on in my car, and after discovering that it would cost $2,700.00 to repair my 2003 car, I realized it was time for me to start looking to purchase another used car
3) AND, since the childcare job that I am blessed to have again for the same precious child that I had before turned out to be for only one day each week instead of the four days that it was originally going to be for because the mom had a change of plans, and because I know how unlikely it is that I would be able to get some type of job writing from a Christian perspective, I knew that it was time for me to seriously start praying and looking for some other type of job that I would enjoy so that God could use it to provide for my immediate and future needs
Now that two of the three major concerns have been taken care of, I need to devote some of my present time to preparing for my new position as a local Freelance Floral Designer and teacher of Floral Design For Beginners at my neighborhood craft store. I am in the process of setting up a new blog for my new business that I dedicate to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, trusting that He will indeed supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory. However, I want all of you to know that I am as dedicated to standing for Biblical truth and exposing error as I ever was, and, Lord willing, I will continue to write and present you with posts that I pray God will use to make all of you realize the extreme importance of being a follower of Jesus Christ alone and not a follower of any man (or woman) and their ministry, as well as the extreme importance of reading and studying God’s Word so that you will never be led astray by the many spiritually deceptive teachings and doctrines of men that not only have become popular these days, but also have led so many precious Christians captive because they fail to test everything they read and hear against the truth of God’s Word –in context.
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read some of my posts and poems.
After the alleged miracle of the sun took place at the Cova de Iria in Fatima, Portugal on October 13, 1917, it caused many people to come to the conclusion that the little shepherd children were not lying about the visions they had claimed to have seen of the Virgin Mary. At this point even more people began to flock to the homes of the children: Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta. The disturbing details concerning what happened in the years that followed were revealed on the final pages in the little book about the apparitions of Fatima that I received back in the 1980s from my Aunt Lee who was a nun for many years. Most people (including myself), who are familiar with the apparitions of the Virgin Mary that took place at Fatima, are unaware of the fact that Lucia allegedly continued to see visions of the Virgin Mary after 1917. Before we look into these events, here is a very brief summary of what happened a few years after that last apparition took place at Fatima based upon the information that I learned from reading my little book:
Francisco and Jacinta, the two little shepherd children and cousins of Lucia, died as a result of the 1918 influenza epidemic that broke out in Europe; Francisco died on April 4, 1919, and Jacinta died on February 20, 1920. Because of the constant intrusions in the lives of Lucia and her family, it got to the point where the local Bishop thought it best to have her sent away to a convent school where no one would know her. She was given a new name and was told not reveal her true identity or to ever mention anything about Fatima.
Here are a few more brief excerpts from my book concerning the apparitions at Fatima. The pictures that you will see below are examples of the illustrations that were included in this little book and should cause those of you who are truly born-again, Bible believing, discerning Christians, to shudder at what they are clearly conveying!
The main thing I would like to draw your attention to concerning the first vision is the fact that Jesus Christ is revealed as a mere child. Thus the focus, once again, is placed upon Mary as the one who is presented as having the more dominant position of power.
“In the convent, Our Lady did not leave Lucia alone. She came to visit her many times. At the Cova da Iria , Our Lady had already told Lucia of the bitter sorrow of her heart over the ingratitude and sinfulness of mankind. She asked that the first Saturday of each month be set aside by all as a day of reparation to her Immaculate Heart. Our Lady again appeared to Lucia on December 10, 1025, while she was in her room at the convent. The Child Jesus was at Our Lady’s side, elevated upon a cloud of light.”
“Our Lady resting one hand upon Lucia’s shoulder, held in her other hand a heart surrounded with sharp thorns. The Child Jesus spoke first to Lucia:
“Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation.”
Then Our Lady said to Lucia:
“My daughter, look at my Heart encircled with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. Do you at least try to console me and announce in my name that I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to Confession and receive Holy Communion, recite the Rosary and keep me company for a quarter of an hour while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to me.”
“Lucia could never forget this vision of Mary’s bleeding heart. She informed her confessor and her superior of this apparition but they felt unable of themselves to spread this devotion. A year passed and on the 15th of December, 1926, the Child Jesus again appeared to Lucia, inquiring if she had spread this devotion of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of His Mother. She told Our Lord how her confessor had pointed out to her so many difficulties, and thought the Mother Superior ardently desired to propagate the devotion, her confessor also warned her that she could do nothing by herself.”
“It is true that your Superior alone can do nothing, but with My grace she can do all,” Our Lord answered.
“Lucia had not yet been given permission to reveal all that Our Lady had spoken to her at the Cova da Iria. She did, however, had permission to reveal the need of reparation and the devotion of the First Saturdays. It was in 1927, while she was praying in the convent chapel at Tuy, Spain, where she was then stationed, that she received permission from Heaven to reveal the first two parts of the secret, the vision of Hell and the urgent need for devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
“You have seen Hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wants to establish throughout the world the devotion to my Immaculate Heart. …I shall come to ask the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart.”
“Two years later, in 1929, Our Lady again appeared to Lucia while she was praying in the chapel at Tuy. This was the time chosen by Our Lady to ask the fulfillment of her previous request: “I shall come to ask the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart… If they heed my request, Russia will be converted and there will be peace.” Our Lady explained that this consecration should be made by the Holy Father in unison with all the bishops of the world.”
In the picture above that depicts the vision that Lucia allegedly saw as she prayed in the chapel, you will notice that God the Father is revealed as having a body, which reflects the teachings of Mormonism, not Biblical Christianity!
“God the Father is the Supreme Being in whom we believe and whom we worship. He is the ultimate Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things. He is perfect, has all power, and knows all things, He has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s.” (Mormonism – Doctrines and Covenants 130:22) (See videos below under Related Videos to become aware of the unbiblical nature of Mormonism).
God’s Word says the following:
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
Also in the illustration above of the alleged vision, you will notice that instead of Jesus Christ being revealed as our Risen, Glorified Savior, He is revealed as the crucified Christ, which is how Jesus is mainly presented to Catholics through their teachings, especially during the Sacrifice of the Mass when it is said that the bread and the wine become the literal body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ through the process of what’s called transubstantiation. This also is symbolized in the illustration of the vision by the host and the chalice representing the body and blood of Christ being offered again and again during every Mass for the sins of the living and the dead. Once again, this vision does not present Biblical truth since God’s Word clearly says:
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1,2)
“If God is for us who can be against us, He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, –how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus who died –more than that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:31b-34)
“When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:11-14)
“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” (Hebrews 9:24-28)
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)
“Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear you.” (Isaiah 59:1,2)
“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Ephesians 3:12)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16,17)
“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:35,36)
“You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ who is Lord of all.” (Acts 10:36)
“Against all hope Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead –since he was about a hundred years old –and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why it was credited to him as righteousness. The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness –for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to live for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” (Romans 4:18-25-5:1)
“Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he [Jesus Christ], Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:8-23) (Insertion [Jesus Christ] added).
Dear Catholic — and each and every one of you — did you grasp the good news of the Biblical gospel after reading God’s life-giving truth in all of those verses? For those who choose to place their trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ as our sin offering — our substitute who bore our sins and took upon Himself the full wrath of God that was intended for us because of all of our sins — and believe that Jesus Christ arose from the dead for our justification, we are then covered with His righteousness, and we can then draw near to God in full assurance of faith. That truly is good news!
Jesus Christ is our only Mediator! (1 Timothy 2:5) We cannot come to God through the saints or through Mary, even though you are being taught that. God did everything necessary to remove the barrier of sin that separates us from Himself, a God who is thrice Holy. Peace can only be found though Jesus Christ.
There is no need for God to send Mary with messages for us. His Word is filled with all of the truth and hope that we need to help us find peace and forgiveness for our sins through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
God’s Word is also filled with many prophecies that have already come to pass which shows the accuracy of His Word. Many prophecies in God’s Word reveal the condition that our world will be in shortly before the return of Jesus Christ. The things that we are presently witnessing in our world signifies that we are indeed living in the last of the last days!
“People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything.Remember Lot’s wife!Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” (Luke 17:23-36)
NOTE: I would like to point out here that many wrongly teach that this passage presents an example to support the pretribulation rapture view, a position that I hold to because it teaches the only position that lines up with Scripture by having us look for the imminent return of Jesus Christ. I always accepted that interpretation of this passage, until one day as I was reading it again, the next verse caught my attention and my eyes were opened to see the truth! As I read the reply Jesus gave when He was asked where these people were taken to, it clearly shows they were not taken to a glorious place like heaven, as you will also see!
“Where, Lord?” they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.” (Luke 17:37)
Continuing on with a few more Scriptures to show how God’s Word shows us how the condition of our world will be like in the last days before Jesus Christ returns:
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when 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. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
The return of Jesus Christ could be much sooner than any of us could ever imagine! Look to Jesus, not to Mary!
Some of the messages given in these many different apparitions (which I will share with you in the next post –Lord willing) make it appear as if Mary is the one who is accurately predicting the condition of our world, when in fact it is God who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, moved upon those holy men in times past to record His Words to us concerning what the condition our world would be like when the time was drawing near for the return of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Bible prophecy is being fulfilled right before our very eyes!
Please do not be deceived by thinking that these apparitions are of the virgin Mary when so many of the messages given contradict God’s Word!
For those of you who read Glenn Chatfield’s blog, THE WATCHMAN’S BAGPIPES, you may have seen one of his recent posts in which he shared how he found some cards at a Catholic church with some artwork. These cards were to be given to those who would be attending Mass. Notice how the depiction of the Trinity looks very similar to the illustration of Lucia’s vision:
Let’s continue on with a few more disturbing excerpts from the book on the apparitions that continued after 1917 before we bring this post to an end:
“Lucia asked for the consecration of the world to Mary’s Immaculate Heart with a special mention of Russia. The Pope deliberated long and prayerfully upon this request of Mary. In 1942, the clergy and people of Portugal celebrated the silver anniversary of the apparitions of Fatima. On the last day of October of the same year, the Bishops gathered at the Cathedral of Lisbon to join with the Holy Father in fulfilling the request of Our Lady. The Pope at that time consecrated the Church and the world to her Immaculate Heart, including the people of Russia by these words:
“Give peace to the peoples separated from us by error or by schism and especially to the one who professes such singular devotion to thee and in whose homes an honored place was ever accorded thy venerable icon (today perhaps often kept hidden to await better days); bring them back to the one fold of Christ under the one true Shepherd…” Six weeks later, on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, in the presence of 40,000 people, the Holy Father repeated this consecration at St. Peter’s in Rome. This consecration was a decisive event in the history of the world; it marks the beginning of a new era, the Age of Mary.” (Emphasis added)
“The following spring, Our Blessed Lord appeared to Lucia to express the joy of His Heart over this consecration.”
“Last Thursday at midnight, while I was in chapel with my superior’s permission, Our Lord said to me, “The sacrifice required of every person is the fulfillment of his duties in life and the observance of My law. This is the penance that I now seek and require.”
Below you will see one of the very last statements in this little book concerning Mary that clearly reveals how Catholicism attributes to Mary the power to do what only Jesus Christ alone has already accomplished and will ultimately bring to fulfillment at the very end of time:
“Also, the Rosary gives Mary new power to crush the head of the Serpent and to destroy his evil power over the world.” (Emphasis added).
No, dear reader — Catholic or otherwise — Jesus Christ alone defeated the Serpent known as Satan at the cross! The final words that He uttered from the cross, “It is finished,” (John 19:30) made that abundantly clear!
Here are some more Scriptures that show Jesus Christ destroyed Satan’s power at the cross, and will ultimately be the one to send him to the bottomless pit for all eternity!
“He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code with its regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”(Colossians 2:13b-15)
“Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.” (John 12:23-33)
“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:about sin, because people do not believe in me;about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” (John 16:7-11)
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” (Romans 16:20)
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil–and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14,15)
Dear Catholic, though Mary was humble and obedient, and had a deep love for God, she played no part in bringing about our actual salvation no matter what you have been taught. Out of her love for God she put aside all of the concerns that she must have had and willingly submitted to God and became the virgin mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the second Person in the Trinity. Jesus took upon Himself human flesh and willingly came into our world to live the perfect, sinless life that you and I could never live, to become the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God –He became our substitute and died in our place for all of our sins, guilt, and shame.
In the following video you will discover that after the death of the two little shepherd children, Jacinta and Francisco, it has been said that “they were in constant communication with her [Lucia] until the very end of her life.”
Communicating with the dead is referred to as “necromancy,” and is forbidden by God according to His Word! (Leviticus 19:31, 20:27) (Isaiah 8:19)
To accept the many teachings of the Catholic church concerning Mary — or anything that cannot be found anywhere in Scripture — is to go beyond what has been written, which is something that we are commanded not to do. (1 Corinthians 4:6) It is also adding to Scripture, as well as taking away from Scripture, which is something that God clearly forbids! (See Deut. 4:2, 12:32, Rev. 22:18)
When Mary is exalted to a position of power that is equal to or that surpasses that of Jesus Christ’s, (which sadly is often the case if one takes the time to compare the teachings of the Catholic church to Scripture, as I have been trying to do for you in these recent series that focuses on Catholicism), or when Jesus is presented to you as a baby, a child, or still on the cross, then you, dear Catholic, are being prevented from seeing the greatness of all that Jesus Christ alone has accomplished for you out of His love for you and out of His obedience to God the Father!
The foundation for our faith must be built upon Jesus Christ alone for our salvation, and it is not to be built upon any particular church or denomination.
“The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:22)
“So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.” (Isaiah 28:16)
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19,20)
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.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: 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. (1 Peter 2:2-8)
IN CLOSING:
While it is true that the Catholic church does not demand Catholics to accept these apparitions (that are classified as private revelations) in order to be Catholic, the fact that some of these apparitions have been fully approved by the Catholic church (some of which we will examine in an upcoming post) is enough to cause many Catholics to fall prey to the clearly unbiblical and spiritually deceptive messages that are given during these apparitions.
Dear Catholic, (and those of you who may be seeking after signs and wonders), please do not allow yourselves to be led astray from the simplicity of the Biblical gospel by apparitions and by Catholic traditions that are not based on Scripture, and yet are put on the same level as Scripture, as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing and move towards the same goal.” Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own *”always, to the close of the age.” *(Matthew 28:20)
“Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit” “And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound, and spread it abroad by their preaching.”
“As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, “does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.”
(Para 80, 81, 82 Catechism of the Catholic Church) (Emphasis added to point out serious concerns).
Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), His name is the only name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12), He is the only Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), and He is the door (John 10:7-10) that leads to eternal life. And yet below you will read a quote that was taken from an interview with Lucia in Fatima in 1957 in which she stated that Mary is to be considered “as the certain door by which we are to enter heaven.”
Dear Catholic, and those of you who may have become captivated by these apparitions. Will you continue to believe the messages given during these apparitions that appeal to your emotions? Or after examining the evidence in light of Scripture will you make the decision to reject these apparitions and place your trust in Jesus Christ alone, who is the only Savior that God has provided for you? The choice is yours. I am praying for all of you.
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary/Living4HisGlory
RELATED SCRIPTURES
“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12:38-42)
“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” (John 4:48)
“The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there. and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:22-40)
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them…” (Exodus 20:3-5)
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
RELATED VIDEOS
In spite of the fact that the following apparitions received full approval by the Catholic church because nothing contradicts their teachings, if tested against Scripture each one fails to line up with the truth of God’s Word:
As I mentioned earlier in this post, I added this video to show you what some of the teachings of Mormonism are because of the fact that Lucia claimed to have seen a vision in which God the Father had a body, which is one of the many unbiblical teachings of Mormonism.
In this 2 Part series we will begin by just looking at what is being planned for the 100 Year Anniversary celebration of the apparitions of Mary at Fatima that were said to have begun in May of 1917.
In Part 2 we will then look closely at the messages given during these apparitions at Fatima back in 1917, and not only will we “test the spirits to see if they are from God” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 John 4:1) or not, but also we will then compare these messages to God’s Word, the Bible, to see if what was said in these messages is true or not, as we are shown to do in Acts 17:11
“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
Let’s begin:
As the 100 Year Anniversary of the alleged appearances of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal quickly approaches, many special plans are already underway:
Pope Francis has decided to “grant a plenary indulgence opportunity throughout the entire anniversary year which began November 27, 2016 and will end November 26, 2017.”
For those of you who are not aware of what a plenary indulgence is, here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say concerning indulgences:
INDULGENCES
PARA 1471 The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance.
What is an indulgence?
“An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and all the saints.” An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.” The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead.” (Much more on indulgences in an upcoming installment of the Catholicism series in which I am continuing to take you through the Catechism of the Catholic Church and comparing these teachings to Scriptures in a Catholic New Testament Bible to show Catholics the importance of testing their teachings to the Word of God, as we are all to do –Acts 17:11).
Pope Francis is planning on visiting Fatima, Portugal during this highly anticipated celebration:
As you can see from the quick capture below, it was recently announced that Pope Francis will be declaring two of the three shepherd children (Jacinta and Francisco Marta) as saints on this day commemorating the 100 year anniversary of the beginning of these alleged apparitions. According to the article below it says the following concerning Lucia, who was the third and oldest of the shepherd children who reportedly saw these apparitions of the Virgin Mary:
“The children’s cousin entered the Carmelites. Sister Lucia died in 2005 at the age of 97. The diocesan phase of her sainthood cause concluded in February and now is under study at the Vatican.”
The most troubling news to Bible believing Christians that has come forth as many Catholics and others are anticipating this momentous celebration, is the news that the Virgin Mary may finally be given the title that she has been requesting during many of these supposed apparitions, which is “Co-Redemptrix.”
Starting at the 0:51 minute mark in the video above, you will hear Dr. Miravalle say the following concerning Mary, which is also the accepted teaching according to the Catholic church. Be sure to pray for discernment and test what is said against Scripture:
“Mary’s role as Co-Redemptrix is always in participation in the sufferings of Jesus, the great victory of the cross of our Lord. Without the cross of Jesus, without the sufferings of the God-man, the only Divine Redeemer, the sufferings of Mary are useless, just like our sufferings become useless. But when united with the cross of Christ, Mary becomes again that New Eve with the New Adam to obtain the salvation of the world. The suffering of Mary should be acknowledged. The role of Mary as Co-Redemptrix should be acknowledged. We have it in Scripture. Mary gives Jesus his body, and then she continues to suffer with Jesus for the whole mission of redemption which is climaxed at Calvary. St. John Paul II explains,” She is spiritually crucified, but her role as Co-Redemptrix does not cease for the glorification of her Son. It continues in mediating grace to us in being our advocate. And so the suffering of Mary, the role of Mary as Co-Redemptrix should be acknowledged.”
“And in fact, it is God’s desire that it be acknowledged. Not only has there been a hundred year movement in the church to acknowledge Mary’s roll as Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix, as well as her intercessory role as advocate, but also there have been private revelations, authentic church approved private revelations, that have said, “Heaven wants this done.” In fact so strong has heaven spoken that it has articulated that only when Mary’s role as Co-Redemptrix has been acknowledged in the form of a dogma, acknowledged by the Holy Father in a solemn declaration, only then will Mary be allowed to intercede for peace for our troubled world.”
What has been stated above is simply an attempt to give to Mary some of the glory that is due only to Jesus Christ for obtaining our salvation and to justify their reasons for attempting to declare Mary as Co-redemptrix. Yes, as the mother of Jesus Christ I am sure that her heart was filled with grief and pain as any mother’s heart would be if she saw her son nailed to a cross and in intense agony. However, Mary’s suffering was not necessary for our salvation; Jesus Christ alone carried out and fulfilled God’s complete redemptive plan for our salvation!
Let’s continue on with what else is being planned for Fatima’s 100 year Anniversary:
Other plans for this upcoming event include the making of three movies: One will be an animation of the events that allegedly took place in Fatima beginning in 1916 with the apparitions of the Angel of Peace that preceded the apparitions of the Virgin Mary that were said to have started on May 13th of 1917 and continued on the 13th of each month until October, 1917:
This movie, entitled, ‘FE’ which means faith, is still in the process of being filmed and will be told in a “modern way.” It will also include some of what will take place for the 100 year celebration at Fatima in May of 2017. Pope Francis will also be represented in this movie “in an animated way.”
The man chosen and approved by the Vatican to do the voice of Pope Francis will be Jose’ Mourinho, manager of Manchester United:
According to the following article, the second movie being made is entitled, “From Heaven: The Story Of Fatima.” The release date for this movie will be some time in May, right before the 100th Anniversary of the appearances of the Virgin Mary at Fatima. This movie will be an updated version of the 1952 version which will not only include what was said to have taken place at Fatima, Portugal, but also this movie will include many of the events that were said to have taken place after the final and most widely known October 17th day of the Fatima apparitions that came to be known as ‘The Miracle of the Sun.’ In this movie the continued visits from the Virgin Mary to Lucia that have been reported to have taken place will be portrayed, along with the many challenges that she faced in the years following the apparitions of Fatima:
The production company for this movie, Origin Entertainment, has as their core philosophy, a commitment to excellence and making a positive impact on the film industry and the modern world through entertainment. The type of films they make are PG and G rated films, and their desire is to establish a track record of producing excellent projects.
Here is Origin’s logo for their production company along with their statement that they posted on Facebook:
Could this symbol possibly be a toned down Ouroboros? ⇑
Executive Director: Writers Table/VP Creative Development, Barbara Nicolosi, says the following in the video below:
“The idea would be that everything that we make would in some sense the audience would encounter it as a call, a move, a yearning to move forward, to move towards something.”
This movie clearly has unity as its focus. Many who are involved in the making of this movie have actually started a ‘year long global movement to inspire millions of people to pray for peace.’
Their Facebook page states the following about this movement:
“Pray for Peace is a global movement to inspire people of all faiths to pray for peace, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Apparitions at Fatima.”
Here are two quick captures taken from the video that you will find directly following them:
ORIGIN ENTERTAINMENT, the production company for the upcoming film, ‘Fatima,’ sent out the following invitation to PRAY FOR PEACE at a SPECIAL MASS:
In this video you will see more evidence of the unity that the producers of this Fatima film are hoping to inspire within those who will see this new movie.
When it comes to this growing cry for unity, those of us who are true Bible believing Christians cannot compromise with Biblical truth. Jesus Christ is the only way to God. Jesus Christ Himself said:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (John 14:6)
There may come a time in the not too distant future where we will be looked at as the ones preventing the unity that the world is clamoring for; we will be looked at as the evil that divides. (In some cases, we already are looked at in that way). When, in reality, we are the ones who truly love and care enough to warn everyone — regardless of what religion they may be — of the fact that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, and that our sin is what separates us from the one and only true God who is completely Holy.
Regardless of the fact that there is a strong movement underway to make Mary the Co-Redemptrix along with Jesus Christ, the truth according to Scripture is that God has provided only one way to be reconciled to Himself, and that is through the “once for all” sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:10, Hebrews 7:27, 9:12,26-28, 10:10-14, 1 Peter 3:18) He alone paid the price for our sins in full; He is our only Mediator between God and man, and His name is the only name under heaven by which we can be saved:
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”(Acts 4:12)
Because Jesus Christ was/is the *sinless, Son of God *(2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5, ), who willingly came in the flesh (Hebrews 10:5-9) and lived the perfect, sinless life that we could never live, He then became the perfect sacrifice and willingly died in our place on the cross. (John 10:17,18) He took upon Himself the full wrath of God that was intended for each of us because of all of our sins –no matter how wretched of a life that we may have lived, or are now living. God accepted His death on our behalf, and in return, if we choose to place our complete trust in all that Jesus Christ did as full payment for our sins, our sins and guilt will be washed away. We will then be covered in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and our sins He will remember no more.
Please take time to reflect upon the truth within these Scriptures:
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:Their feet are swift to shed blood:Destruction and misery are in their ways:And the way of peace have they not known:There is no fear of God before their eyes.Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:” (Romans 3:10-28)
“Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sins the Lord will never count against him.” (Romans 4:4-8)
“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Romans 5:12-19)
“For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21)
“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8)
Many yearn for something real and tangible when it comes to their spirituality. As a young Catholic child I remember being deeply impacted emotionally when I watched the original Fatima movie and saw the portrayal of the alleged apparitions of Mary. However, our faith must be built upon the truth in God’s Word and not on our feelings which can lead us astray! And that is my concern for the many who will view these new updated movies concerning the Fatima apparitions. Messages presented in movies have the capability of being very “transformative” when it comes to our beliefs. What are the real reasons behind making these movies concerning the apparitions of Fatima? Just think about the many who have said how their view of God and the Trinity have completely changed since reading the book and seeing the movie, ‘The Shack.’ And, sadly, their views have not changed to align with Scripture!
We must keep in mind what God’s Word has to say concerning faith:
“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:26-29)
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3-9)
Will you stand on the truth of God’s Word? Or will you be swayed by the emotionally deceptive messages that strongly encourage love and unity and looking to someone other than Jesus Christ? Please learn to discern so that you will not be deceived by what is taking place these days in an attempt to cause you to embrace love and unity, at the cost of rejecting Biblical truth!
NOTE ADDED 4/25/17: It is not my intention to speculate, to sensationalize, or to judge the intentions of Origin Entertainment because of how the symbol of their production company resembles an ouroboros. I realize that there is only so much someone can do with the letter O in order to be creative and to personalize it, but please consider what came to mind as that thought occurred to me: I remembered back to the TOGETHER 2016 event that took place in Washington DC on July 16th, 2016 in which thousands of people of many different Christian denominations gathered together to pray, and the design of the O in TOGETHER also resembled an ouroboros. This symbol was painted on their stage, as well. (Please consider reading the article by HERESCOPE below for a very in-depth and disturbing look at this event which strongly focused on unity.).
Here is an actual ouroboros symbol which is an occult symbol representing infinity and the unity of all things :
END OF UPDATE
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time to read some of my posts and poems.
Desiring for God to use all that I have been through in life, I decided to start my first blog, living4hisglory.wordpress.com, in order to write poems about some of those experiences to bring glory to God, as well as to share them with others with the hope of encouraging those of you who have been broken and shattered by life's circumstances and hurt by those who were supposed to have loved you rather than abuse you in some way.
Also, because of some pastors and teachers today who seem to be abandoning Biblical Christianity and instead seem to be either seeking to build their own empires and promoting their own agendas, and at times even leading the people in their churches into unbiblical, 'mystical practices' without some people even realizing it, I saw the importance and necessity to begin writing poems and posts in order to inform Christians, as well as to make Christians realize the extreme importance of testing what people say (who claim to speak for God) against the truth of God's Word, (Acts 17:11) so that they will not be deceived. It has never been -- nor shall it ever be -- my intention to bash any particular pastor or teacher; my sole purpose in bringing attention to false teachings is to make Christians realize that we are to be followers of Jesus Christ, and not to be followers of any man (or woman) and his (or her) ministry. I hope that you will be blessed -- as well as challenged -- by the things that I write.
NOTE: COMMENTS ON ALL POSTS CLOSE ONE MONTH AFTER THEY ARE PUBLISHED.
Thank you for stopping by and taking time to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary - Living4HisGlory
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mary K. Dalke and Living4HisGlory Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
NOTE: Any adds that may be displayed on my blog have not been chosen or approved by me; I can't even see any adds that WordPress chooses to post here.
Desiring for God to use all that I have been through in life, I decided to start my first blog, living4hisglory.wordpress.com, in order to write poems about some of those experiences to bring glory to God, as well as to share them with others with the hope of encouraging those of you who have been broken and shattered by life's circumstances and hurt by those who were supposed to have loved you rather than abuse you in some way.
Also, because of some pastors and teachers today who seem to be abandoning Biblical Christianity and instead seem to be either seeking to build their own empires and promoting their own agendas, and at times even leading the people in their churches into unbiblical, 'mystical practices' without some people even realizing it, I saw the importance and necessity to begin writing poems and posts in order to inform Christians, as well as to make Christians realize the extreme importance of testing what people say (who claim to speak for God) against the truth of God's Word, (Acts 17:11) so that they will not be deceived. It has never been -- nor shall it ever be -- my intention to bash any particular pastor or teacher; my sole purpose in bringing attention to false teachings is to make Christians realize that we are to be followers of Jesus Christ, and not to be followers of any man (or woman) and his (or her) ministry. I hope that you will be blessed -- as well as challenged -- by the things that I write.
NOTE: COMMENTS ON ALL POSTS CLOSE ONE MONTH AFTER THEY ARE PUBLISHED.
Thank you for stopping by and taking time to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary - Living4HisGlory
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mary K. Dalke and Living4HisGlory Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
NOTE: Any adds that may be displayed on my blog have not been chosen or approved by me; I can't even see any adds that WordPress chooses to post here.
Mary Dalke - Living4HisGlory
Living4HisGlory 