'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
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JULY 8, 2020 NOTE: When time allows I will be updating this post with information regarding the latest developments concerning Doreen Virtue, Joshua Chavez, and Justin Peters.
NOTE: Updated this post on July 17, 2020 1:26 P.M. You will find all new UPDATES written in this teal color.
NOTE: Updated this post again on July 20, 2020 10:32 P.M. and July 21, 2020 2:49 P.M. with the latest developments. You will find these UPDATES in this pink color near the end of this post.
NOTE: Updated this post again on July 30, 2020 5:22 P.M. You will find this updated section near the bottom of this post in this green color.
NOTE: Saw the need to update this post again on August 24, 2020 12:20 P.M. by adding two videos. See the end of this post in this dark purple color.
First I want to begin this post by clearly saying that my intention in writing this post is not to bash Doreen Virtue, but rather to emphasize the extreme importance of not only praying for spiritual discernment but also to emphasize the extreme importance of testing everything that a professing Christian says against Scripture to be certain that all that they say lines up with Scripture. (Acts 17:11) Sometimes we are too quick to accept everything that a professing born-again Christian says is true without taking the time to pray for discernment as we either carefully listen to or read their testimony. Sometimes the music that may be played in the background of one’s testimony can move us emotionally and affect our ability to spiritually discern truth from error, as well.
I also want to make it clear that I am not denying Doreen’s salvation. Only God knows where each person stands regarding this extremely important eternal life issue and whether a person has made the decision to place their trust completely — and only — in the “once for all” sacrifice of His life in our place that Jesus Christ willingly offered when He shed His blood and died on the cross for our sins. What I am trying to show through all of the following information is the extreme importance of thinking for ourselves and examining all of the evidence in order to know what the truth really is, because the truth matters!
I also want to say that I personally do not know Doreen Virtue or Joshua Chavez, (who is known as Servus Christi on YouTube), and I have never personally interacted with either one of them in any way.
Although there are many concerns that could be brought to your attention regarding all that has transpired since Joshua Chavez posted his video entitled, ‘Justin Peters Now Believes Visions Of Jesus? (Doreen Virtue)’ the main issue that I will be addressing in this post is Doreen’s alleged vision of Jesus. However, I will post some of the information that addresses all of the issues so that you can see a well balanced view from all sides of this issue. It is my prayer that you will pray for discernment before you watch all of the videos posted below and come to your own conclusion after seeking God in prayer for the truth in this matter and looking into His Word.
For those of you who are not aware of who Doreen Virtue is, she was a top selling author for a top selling New Age publisher –Hay House. During her time in the New Age Movement she wrote many New Age books such as: ‘Healing With The Angels’, ‘Archangels & Ascended Masters: A Guide to Working and Healing with Divinities and Deities,’ ‘Daily Guidance From Your Angels,’ as well as many different types of Oracle cards (occultic cards used in giving so-called readings). Doreen is now a professing Christian, but many Christians (including myself) have some very valid concerns regarding some of the things that she has been saying.
This all started when Joshua posted his very in depth video analyzing Doreen Virtue’s testimony, the main point being on how she focuses on her alleged vision of Jesus that she claims to have had on January 7th of 2017 almost every time that she shares her testimony –including very recently. You will see that this is a fact by viewing the videos and documented information that I have added to this post. Although I would have liked to have seen more Christ-like love and grace shown by Joshua in the way that he presented much of his information regarding Justin Peters and Doreen Virtue, the fact remains that oftentimes Doreen does focus on the vision of Jesus that she claims to have had.
Picture above is a quick capture of Doreen Virtue holding a picture of the painting done by an artist that represents the alleged vision of Jesus that she claims to have had on January 7, 2017. You can watch the video HERE and the link is also posted further below in this post. NOTE: A comment was made in the comment section on one of these videos that show this painting which pointed out the disturbing fact that this “Jesus” does not have nail marks in His wrists or palms of His hands.
NOTE: Joshua has not allowed his video to be played on anyone’s website, so if you would like to watch it you will need to click on the link where it says, “Watch this video on YouTube.”
UPDATE: This video has now been taken down.
UPDATE: 7-17-2020 As you can see, YouTube reinstated Joshua’s video:
Here is a quick capture of what it originally looked like:
At the link below you will see a reupload of one of Joshua Chavez’s videos. IMHO it is the best one of his recent videos that focuses on Doreen and her inconsistencies regarding her alleged vision of Jesus. (This is the video in which you will see a picture of the Jesus that she allegedly saw in her vision). In this video Joshua gives his perspective and presents the documented facts on this whole issue:
Here is another very good video that contains clips of Joshua’s videos that were taken down by YouTube as well as documented evidence presented by Blood Bought Ministries regarding Doreen Virtue and her alleged vision of Jesus:
5-16-2020 – UPDATE: IT NOW APPEARS AS IF BLOOD BOUGHT MINISTRIES WAS FORCED TO REMOVE THE VIDEO, BUT CHOSE TO SET THIS VIDEO AS PRIVATE RATHER THAN DELETING IT.
5-17-2020 – 9:00 A.M. UPDATE: TODAY IT CAN BE VIEWED. PLEASE WATCH NOW WHILE IT IS STILL AVAILABLE:
UPDATE: 7-17-2020 At of today, this video is still available to watch in spite of what the text says:
BLOOD BOUGHT MINISTRIES – DOREEN VIRTUE AND HER DAMAGE CONTROL
After watching Joshua’s entire very lengthy video, which, for the most part, I found to be very eye opening regarding the very troubling fact that Doreen oftentimes focuses on her alleged vision of Jesus when she publicly shares her testimony, I immediately went to Doreen’s YouTube channel and watched her featured personal testimony video, which now has been marked private, (see quick captures of information I posted further below). In its place she now has a video of an interview that she did with Pastor Chris Quintana.
I then proceeded to go to her website where I found the following information as of 7:13 P.M., May 8th 2020 and quick captured everything and posted it below for you as documentation of what was presently there:
Under About Doreen Virtue in part it says:
“Raised in the new age, Doreen had a profound vision of Jesus on January 7, 2017 that led to her getting baptized and converting to Christianity.”
When I clicked on Doreen Virtue Testimony page it said the following:
“In this video, you’ll hear about the amazing experience and the 4 realizations which led to me becoming a born-again Christian, by clicking here.”
However, when I clicked on the link to view the video, as you can see from the quick capture below, it said,
“Video unavailable. This video is private.”
This appeared to be Doreen’s decision to begin what some would call, damage control.
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As I searched for other copies of Doreen’s testimony on video to see if she focuses on her vision of Jesus (before those videos possibly end up disappearing, as well), I came across the following two videos put together by a Bible believing Christian who is a former New Ager. She has a YouTube channel called, Truth Matters. In the following two videos she tests Doreen’s original testimony against Scripture and makes some excellent observations. Please considering listening to them when time allows:
UPDATE: Sadly, the person who put these videos together must have been forced to take them down. Her channel no longer exists, as well, but I can assure you that she did not present her comments in a mean-spirited way; she presented her information in a clear and Biblical manner using many Scriptures and in such a way that all Christians would see the serious concerns one should have with what Doreen had shared in her testimony.
Doreen Virtue’s Original Testimony to Christianity
Doreen Virtue’s Original Conversion Video Part 2
In the video further below, Doreen shares her testimony with Matt Blackburn. This video was posted on December 7th 2019 which was just five months ago at the time that I am writing this post. Beginning at the 24:49 – 28:49 minute mark you will hear Doreen say some of the following regarding her alleged vision of Jesus:
“I had this big experience on January 7th, 2017, Matt, that completely changed everything…”
“…all of a sudden everything disappeared in my vision field and all I saw was this vision of Jesus.”
“…it was like the veil lifted and he’s always there and I got to see him, but this light is what did move; it came out of his heart and I could feel the rays of this light and he actually had even pushed me back in my chair, and while this was going on, and I don’t know how long it lasted, I had these epiphanies which which means a realization and this knowingness.”
“And the first thing I knew was that Jesus is real. Jesus of the Bible is real. I had always doubted what the Bible had said about him, but he’s real.”
“And then the second realization was the Bible’s real. I mean, it just, I went from being a skeptic to a believer in a nanosecond, just…I knew the Bible was real. ”
“The third realization is that Jesus really had died for our sin. Again, I didn’t even believe he was crucified, let alone that he had died for sin “…and I could feel all of the sins on his body. I mean it was a palpable experience…”
“And the forth realization is I need to get out of the New Age…”
I am almost certain that it is just a matter of time before the above video gets taken down, as well, in what appears to be Doreen’s attempt to do damage control in order to keep the truth hidden of how recently she has proclaimed her vision as being Jesus without any doubt whatsoever. Here are some quick captures of some of the things that Doreen said in her interview with Matt Blackburn which shows that she bases her belief of the reality of Christianity not on the Word of God, but instead on the experience that she had –her alleged vision of Jesus that she said took place on January 7th of 2017:
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In case you missed it, I would like to bring the most concerning thing to your attention regarding what Doreen said at the 49:58 minute mark in the video above; speaking about Christianity, Doreen said the following:
“How do I know that it’s [Christianity] the real deal? I…I had this experience on January 7th of 2017. To my very bones…every soul in my, cell in my body knew that I was looking at the real Jesus.”
How many of you can see the serious danger in the things that Doreen has said? She is saying that she came to the realization that Christianity and Jesus Christ and the Bible are real after allegedly seeing a vision of Jesus. A Jesus that she describes as having rays of light coming out of his heart similar to the alleged vision seen by now deceased Catholic nun and mystic, Maria Faustina Kowalska, as Joshua rightly points out in his video, as well.
Doreen is telling everyone that she did not come to the realization that Jesus Christ and the Bible are real and that Jesus died for our sins by reading the Bible and hearing the gospel being preached. Instead she is saying she came to this realization by the vision that she allegedly saw! This is extremely troubling! Yes, Doreen is now speaking out and warning about some of the New Age practices that she was once involved in, practices that she claims she has repented of, but why is it that she mainly focuses on this vision almost every time that she shares her testimony? How is it that all of the thousands of Doreen’s followers cannot see this troubling fact?
Why is it that some Christians do not take the time to research a professing Christian’s beliefs before they choose to follow them or agree to accept their invitation to come on their show? People like Justin Peters, (whom I deeply respect because of how he speaks out regarding the false Word of Faith Movement), Chris Quintana, Phil Johnson, Chris Rosebrough — well respected professing Christian men who should know better — have all been guests on Doreen’s YouTube channel.
Since I had never heard of Matt Blackburn before I decided to do a little research on him simply by taking a look at some of the videos that he has posted on his YouTube channel. Here are just a couple of the troubling things that I found:
Although he professes to be a Christian, Matt Blackburn promotes the New Age practice of earthing (which is also referred to as grounding) on his YouTube channel (among other New Age things). If you’d like, you can read THIS POST that I wrote back in December of 2017 on this subject in order to warn Christians about it. On his website it gives a list of the things that he has studied extensively, which includes things such as crystal technology. This may be a case of a lack of diligence on Matt’s part to keep the information on his channel and website updated in order to reflect where he presently is in Christian walk with Jesus Christ, but it’s very troubling to think about the many people that he is leading astray by not deleting these things from his channel and website –if indeed he has rejected New Age philosophies and practices and repented for practicing and promoting them.
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In the process of writing this post I was contacted by a dear sister-in-Christ who shared a very disturbing update with me. It seems that Doreen Virtue is now saying that the vision she saw of Jesus could possibly have been a demon!
Do any of you find that rather suspicious that up until now she has insisted that she had seen the real Jesus in her alleged vision, and yet shortly after Joshua Chavez comes out with a video bringing attention to how Doreen focuses mainly on her January 7th 2017 alleged vision of Jesus when she shares her testimony, all of a sudden she is now saying it could possibly have been a demon? Doesn’t this seem more than just a coincidence? What will it take for some Christians to see the truth about someone they admire and follow who is quite clearly not being honest regarding some of the things they are saying and teaching?
On May 9, 2020, the day after Joshua posted his video, Doreen came out with this video. Although she does not mention Joshua Chavez by name, clearly it was a video response to what he had shared in his video entitled,‘Justin Peter Now Believes Visions Of Jesus? (Doreen Virtue),’ and she accuses him of slandering her:
UPDATE 7-17-2020: Doreen chose to delete this video. Appears to be more damage control:
The day after Doreen was interviewed by Katie — The Berean Millennial, (her interview is at the link that I shared with you earlier in this post), Doreen posted the following video which was basically what she had shared with Katie on Instagram, including that she was now saying that the alleged vision of Jesus that she claimed to have had on January 7, 2017 may possibly have been a demon:
UPDATE 7-17-2020 Doreen decided to delete this video, as well.
In the following video that I found on 5-11-2020 (a video that was first posted on YouTube on November 21, 2019 — less than six months ago from the time that I am writing this post), Doreen also shared her testimony — including her alleged vision of Jesus — on Tulips & Honey YouTube channel, and she does not say anything about it possibly having been a demon. She does say that she was not a Christian at this point, but again, the truth is that Doreen does focus on sharing her alleged vision of Jesus in the very recent past and she does not say that it was possibly a demon. Therefore, what Joshua said regarding her vision is true and it is not slander.
Below you will see some of the things that Doreen said in the above video that I have quick captured for you not only so that you can see what she says for yourself if you don’t have the time to watch the video, but also just in case the above video gets taken down at some point:
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You will hear and see the same thing in this audio (and the quick captures) of what Doreen had said when she shared her testimony very recently on the B.A.R. (Biblical And Reformed) Podcast that was posted on April 29, 2020:
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Yes, we are to extend grace to Doreen since she appears to be a fairly new Christian, and we definitely need to pray for her. Yes, she has been speaking out and warning about the dangers of yoga, the Enneagram, Contemplative Prayer, and other New Age practices because she has taught many occultic things in the past and she seems to genuinely want to warn Christians about the dangers of these things , but the following points need to be made:
The first point is this:
Why does Doreen see the need to put the emphasis on this vision almost every time that she shares her testimony?
The second point, which is the most important is:
Since she shared her alleged vision of Jesus on Tulips And Honey YouTube channel in November of 2019 , and then again in December of 2019 with Matt Blackburn, and again as recently as April 29th on B.A.R., and did not mention in any way whatsoever that it could possibly have been a demon, this is clear evidence that shows Doreen is presently covering up the truth with lies in her latest videos. Maybe she is afraid, and out of fear she is lying to protect herself from rejection, but a lie is a sin that must be confessed to the Lord, repented of, and admitted to her followers if indeed she is a Christian and wants to be pleasing to the Lord.
MY CLOSING THOUGHTS AFTER COMPLETELY WATCHING ALL OF THESE VIDEOS
Even though Joshua did not present all of his information in a Christ-like and compassionate manner regarding Justin Peters and Doreen Virtue, the fact remains that Doreen Virtue now looks like the completely innocent one being victimized by Joshua, when the facts show that she has lied and covered up the truth about her testimony and changed things to seemingly gain sympathy. In other words, Doreen has changed the facts and is misleading all of the thousands of people who follow her; people who deserve to know the truth — no matter what the cost.
Although I do not agree with Justin Peters’ Calvinistic/ Reformed Theology, as I previously mentioned I do truly appreciate his Clouds Without Water series exposing the Word of Faith heresies, and I agreed with much of what he said in his video regarding Joshua’s attitude and lack of love and compassion for Doreen. It was deeply troubling — and even embarrassing — to see the way Joshua treated Justin in his video playing that short clip over and over and over, ignoring — and seemingly not even taking the time to watch — the interview that Justin did with Doreen.
I also accept his explanation of why he didn’t check her out more closely before accepting her invitation to come on her program because many of us have learned that lesson in one way or another a little too late at least once in our lives, but I do pray that Justin will speak to her specifically about her vision and address these concerns that many of us have about the latest things that she has done and said in her recent videos.
Yes, Doreen did seem to have some, “Aha” moments as Justin Peters was sharing some Biblical truth with her regarding dreams and visions when she had asked him if “dreams from God are still for today,” but this question must be asked:
If Doreen sincerely did embrace this truth that Jesus does not speak through dreams and visions today based on what God’s Word says in Hebrews 1:1,2, why then did she continue to emphasize her vision at least two times since she received Justin’s Biblical response to her question during his interview that was posted on Doreen’s YouTube channel on November 28, 2019?
As I always try to stress in many of my posts:
As Christians *we are to be followers of Jesus Christ alone; we are not to follow any man — or woman — and their ministry to such a degree that we would ever wrongly think that they could never err in what they say or do. *(1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 1 Corinthians 3:1-7)
As Christians we need to realize the extreme importance of testing what professing Christians say — and do — in light of Scripture. (Acts 17:11)
As Christians we need to keep in mind the many warnings in Scripture about spiritual deception and false teachers in the last days and how even from our own number men — and women — will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:30)
I will be praying for Doreen to realize that Jesus Christ of the Bible knows the truth regarding her heart and her motives as well as what she truly believes about the alleged vision that she claims to have had on January 7th of 2017. He also knows why she now seems to be trying desperately to change her story. However, there is no good reason whatsoever for Doreen, a professing born-again Christian, to lie and to wrongly accuse Joshua Chavez of slander.
After watching some of Doreen’s videos it first appeared to me that she does seem to have a genuine and sincere desire to please God. I pray that is true, but honestly after watching her two latest videos I now have very serious concerns about her. If Doreen truly is a born-again Christian now, then I pray that out of a desire to live a life that is honoring to the Lord, she will take some time off from her YouTube ministry and go before the Lord and seek Him with all of her heart and do whatever needs to be done to make things right, all the while learning to trust Him even more. I also pray that she will come to the knowledge of the truth about the Biblical gospel and ask God’s forgiveness for placing her trust in experiences instead of in the finished work of Jesus Christ and the truth of His Word. I pray that many other Christians will pray for her, as well, instead of calling her horrible names in the comment section of these types of videos that allow for comments.
If you took the time to pray for discernment before reading this lengthy post and watching all of these videos, I pray that you now see the extreme importance of reading and studying God’s Word, constantly praying for discernment, and testing what every professing Christian says in light of Scripture so that you will never be deceived and led astray from Jesus Christ.
I am not wrongly judging Doreen by saying all that I did in this post. I, along with many other concerned Christians, simply tested what she has said and claims to have said against her own words that she has shared publicly. God’s Word shows us very clearly that there are times when we are to judge:
“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” (John 7:24)
“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
PLEASE REFLECT ON THESE SCRIPTURES
“You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars — all the heavenly array — do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has appointed to all the nations under heaven.” (Deuteronomy 4:15-19)
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1-3 – KJV)
“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)
“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas ”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:10-13)
“Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-7)
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. “(2 Corinthians 11:13,14)
“In fact everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus I give you this charge, 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 men 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 3:13-4:1-4)
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But a man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it –he will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22-25)
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:22,23)
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:7-10)
“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)
“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 any of you. 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)
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)
Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures above are from The Holy Bible New International Version® 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
The Biblical Gospel
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:16-21 – KJV)
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36 – KJV)
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6 – KJV)
“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-12 – NIV)
“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.” Romans 3:10-26 – KJV)
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 – KJV)
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 – KJV)
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-6 – KJV)
“For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10 – KJV)
“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7 – KJV)
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9,10 – KJV)
All Scriptures above were found on biblehub.com
RELATED VIDEOS
Video that my friend and dear sister-in-Christ put together regarding this issue has now been taken down.
Doreen Virtue’s Dishonesty
Justin Peters’ response to Joshua Chavez’s original video posted on May 2020:
Joshua’s Video Responding To Doreen Virtue’s Video – Posted May 11, 2020:
UPDATE: Joshua’s video has now been removed – Quick capture of his video can be seen further below.
UPDATE: 7-17-2020 As you can see, YouTube reinstated Joshua’s second video, as well!
Here again is the link to a reupload of this original video by Joshua Chavez that has documented information about this whole very extremely troubling situation regarding Doreen Virtue:
5-16-2020 UPDATE: There is now another upload of the original video by Joshua Chavez on YouTube, as well:
CHRISTIAN WRITER AND SPEAKER, WARREN B SMITH, WHO WAS ONCE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE NEW AGE:
PLAYLIST – WARREN WARNS CHRISTIANS ABOUT THE NEW AGE AND APOSTASY
ANOTHER VERY BIBLICAL AND IMPORTANT PRESENTATION GIVEN BY WARREN B SMITH
UPDATE: 7-17-2020MY FINAL CLOSING COMMENTS:
After watching Joshua’s latest video that you can watch directly below, I must confess that I was wrong to say that Joshua was being unloving towards Doreen because of some of the things that he had said in his previous videos. When a professing Christian is in error and is teaching error, we are to rebuke them sharply as Jesus Himself did, and as many of the apostles did, as well!
Also, because of some documented evidence that Joshua shared in THIS VIDEO (entitled, ‘DISQUALIFIED,’ which I have also posted below) regarding Justin Peters, I no longer trust Justin Peters or believe all that he had said concerning what he knew about Doreen before he accepted his invitation to be her guest on her YouTube Channel. Although Justin Peters has done a wonderful job of exposing the many heretical teachings in the Word of Faith Movement, his soft spoken manner can be very misleading; we must always test everything against Scripture and the truth that is presented to us regardless of how we may feel about a person!
JOSHUA CHAVEZ – MOST PROFESSING CHRISTIANS WOULD HAVE HATED JESUS
UPDATE JULY 20, 2020 – VIDEOS – I DOCUMENT, YOU PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF
JOSHUA CHAVEZ – VIDEO POSTED JUNE 19, 2020
THE VIDEO BELOW IS JUSTIN PETERS’ RESPONSE TO JOSHUA’S ABOVE VIDEO – THIS VIDEO WAS POSTED ON JULY 10, 2020
[NOTE: JUST SO YOU KNOW, I DO NOT FOLLOW OR ENDORSE JACOB PRASCH WHOM JUSTIN SPEAKS OF AT ONE POINT IN THIS VIDEO.]
After watching Justin Peters’ above video, I must tell you that even though I completely reject his Reformed Theology, I now believe Justin’s explanation regarding the other e-mails that were sent to him warning him about Doreen Virtue and the reason he gave for why he did not see them.
DOREEN VIRTUE’S APOLOGY VIDEO THAT INCLUDES AN ANALYSIS OF HER VISION WITH GUEST, CHRIS ROSEBROUGH, CAN BE SEEN AT THE LINK BELOW. [IMPORTANT NOTE: Many years ago I shared some of Chris Rosebrough’s videos with you in some of my posts in which he analyzed the sermons of some professing Christian pastors and teachers, such as Steven Furtick, and at that point I saw some value in his ministry. However,I no longer endorse him due to some of the things that have come to my attention, such as him being a Lutheran pastor who preaches in front of a statue of Jesus.]
This will probably be my last update for you on this post. If you would like to know the latest, then check both Joshua’s and Justin’s YouTube channels as well as Doreen’s channel from time to time. However, I encourage you instead to earnestly pray for Joshua Chavez, Justin Peters, and especially for Doreen Virtue, because there are some serious issues regarding Doreen and her soon to be released book in which she still speaks about her alleged vision of Jesus. If she is now in doubt about her vision regarding if it was Jesus or a demon that she actually saw, one must ask this important question:
If she took down her video about her vision that was on her website as well as on her YouTube channel because she did not want her vision experience to be a stumbling block for anyone and she didn’t want to cause confusion, (see video entitled, ‘DOREEN ANSWERS FAQ’S at the link below the following quick capture), why then is she openly and boldly posting advertisements on her Facebook page for her new book that includes the account of her vision?
Although I am trying to be gracious towards Doreen and not judge her heart or her motives, as a Berean at heart (Acts 17:11) I see the need to bring the following information to your attention:
After listening to DOREEN VIRTUE’S VIDEO in which she reads her revised version of Chapter 9 of her new book, DeceivedNo More, and talks about her alleged vision of Jesus, here are some troubling things that you need to be aware of:
As I was listening to her read from Chapter 9, a few things that she wrote in this revised version sent red flags waving and alarm bells going off in my spirit. Beginning at the 14:12 minute mark until the 14:36 minute mark, you will hear Doreen say this:
“…when the demon tried to tempt me by appearing as Jesus, God melted the snow upon my heart and allowed the Biblical truth to finally penetrate my heart. These were legitimate epiphanies, a term which means insights that help you to suddenly realize a deep spiritual truth. You might say it’s like a divine download.”
The term divine download is a New Age term, and you can see some examples of this by clickingHERE
Starting at the 18:05 minute mark until the 18:35 minute mark of this same video, Doreen said the following:
“I did not identify as a sinner because I didn’t understand the nature and the gravity of sin. My false beliefs unraveled as I had this epiphany. It was like I could feel the extreme weight of humanity’s sins striking Jesus’ crucified body like agonizing arrows. Of course I felt only a fraction of the weight and the suffering that Jesus endured on the cross to save us, but this realization radically transformed my beliefs. “
It’s very troubling to see that Doreen chose to keep that mystical experience that she claimed to have had in her revised version of Chapter 9. It brings to mind the Catholic mystic, Teresa of Avila, who allegedly had visions of Jesus and she claimed to have been pierced in her heart by arrows, as well:
Then beginning at the 24:14 minute mark, Doreen gives examples of how those in the New Age “ascribe healing and divination properties to each type of crystal.” She then goes on to mention two certain crystals and the divination properties that are given to them by those in the New Age. IMHO, as a professing Christian, Doreen should not be sharing that type of occultic information to those who may be influenced by hearing something like that because it could easily lure some of her followers into dabbling in the occult! This is why it is so very important for Christians to not only be followers of Jesus Christ alone, but also why it is so very important for us as Christians to test everything in light of Scripture and to focus on the truth that is found in God’s Word alone and not on any experience that a professing Christian — or anyone — claims to have had! END OF UPDATE
UPDATE: August 24, 2020 After watching the two following videos I saw the need to add them to this post so that you all can be aware of the disturbing facts regarding Doreen that cannot be denied:
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
Please keep Doreen Virtue and this entire situation in prayer. Pray that the whole truth will be made known and that God will be glorified in and through all of this. And, although Joshua Chavez has brought forth a lot of troubling things, I do pray that he will learn not to be so harsh and cruel with his attitude and words and try to present the truth in a more loving manner.
I do sincerely pray for Doreen, because only God knows her heart and her motives.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflections Of His Glory Photography
Featured photo taken by Mary K Dalke – Reflections Of His Glory Photography
Scripture added to photo by Mary K Dalke using Pixlr X free online photo editor
UPDATE:
Due to the fact that I have taken the past few days to research and to write this post, it will probably be another two week or so before I am able to finish the next post in my present series, Comparing Scriptures In A Catholic New Testament Bible To Teachings Found In The Catechism Of The Catholic Church — Dear Catholic Are You Going To Believe The Word Of God, Or The Word Of Man? UPDATE: Already completed and posted.
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.
Have you unknowingly been lured into New Age mystical practices by teachers claiming that certain “new ways to pray” will bring you closer to God? Have you signed up for classes in Spiritual Formation, or has your pastor been preaching on it? Have you been involved in “Christian“ Yoga, Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, or Lectio Divina? Well, this series of posts in the new Category of posts that I have entitled, ‘MYSTICISM MONDAYS,‘ will attempt to not only peel back the layers of the many forms of spiritual deception that have been entering the church in order to reveal them to you as being lies of the enemy of our souls, but also the intention of these posts is to present you with the truth of God’s Word in order to expose the spiritual dangers of these practices.
Lord willing, at least once a month on a Monday, I will be sharing teachings with you from Christian experts on the subject, some of whom have even been personally involved with these dangerous practices. All of these teachings that I will be presenting to you will focus on many Scriptures; those who speak on these topics will not just be talking about these practices, because it’s only the truth of God’s Word that will expose the dangers of these practices and set a deceived person free.
Lord willing, when time allows, I will be writing many posts in the future zeroing in on specific Christian programming and Christian teachers who are promoting these deceptive practices, (I recently posted a very lengthy one concerning Moody Radio which I will continue to update when time allows until completed) but since my time is getting rather limited these days because of other important responsibilities that I now have, I will oftentimes simply be sharing a video or an article with you.
When time allows, I truly hope and pray that you will take the time to listen to these messages or read these articles, as well as read the upcoming posts that — Lord willing — I will be writing on these important topics so that you can be aware of these false teachings that are deceiving many Christians –possibly even you!
Please be sure that you test the teachings of all those whom you listen to against Scripture as God’s Word shows us that we are to do (Acts 17:11) so that you will never be deceived.
I hope and pray that all of you who are Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ are constantly testing what your pastors and teachers are presenting to you against the truth of God’s Word as we are shown in Scripture to do (Acts 17:11) no matter how long they have been in ministry, because many pastors and teachers are now embracing and presenting New Age mystical practices to their people through things such as yoga, as well as though meditation practices which often times are found in Spiritual Formation classes and are referred to as Contemplative Prayer, silent prayer, Lectio Divina, Taize, etc.
“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)
Mysticism in the church is one of the many ways that Satan is now using to bring about the oneness and unity that is being promoted in the world to bring about the One World Religion. Sadly, many pastors and teachers lack discernment and have now become tools in Satan’s hands to promote these mystical practices. We must keep in mind what God says in His Word:
“Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)
Are you a follower of a man (or woman) and their ministry? Or are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Will you be a Berean and examine the Scriptures daily to see if what they are saying is true? Will you walk in the light and in truth and leave, if necessary, if Yoga and other mystical practices are being promoted at your church? Or are the relationships that you have developed over the years while you have attended your church more important to you than being obedient to God and the truth presented in His Word? True followers of Jesus Christ will follow Him –no matter what the cost.
“For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.” (2 Corinthians 2:9)
Now for today’s Mysticism Monday:
In the video below you will hear Phil Holden of *EDINBURGH CREATION GROUP as he gives a clear and very detailed explanation of why we are now seeing paganism replacing Biblical Christianity in many churches these days. In his presentation he also explains how paganism slowly made its way into the teachings at many schools and universities today. As he presents all of his information you will come to realize what is truly responsible for paganism’s modern rise.
Here is a quick capture from a portion of his article that will give you an idea of some of the things that he addresses in his presentation:
(SOURCE) *“Edinburgh Creation Group is an active forum where scientifically minded people meet to discuss evidence supporting the Biblical account of creation.”
Some of the things discussed in this video are Freemasonry, Evolution, becoming gods, enlightenment, and more. He clearly establishes a spiritual link between evolution and paganism through all of the visual and documented information that he shares in the following video. He gave this presentation in front of a very large audience at Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival.
When time allows I hope you will watch this video so that your eyes will be opened even more so that you can see how these spiritually deceptive teachings are attempting to erode the foundations of Biblical Christianity and our society as a whole.
RELATED SCRIPTURES
“O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:20,21) (KJV – Bible Hub)
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:6-8)(KJV – Bible Hub)
16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” King James Version (KJV) Romans 1:16-32) by Public Domain
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:
For those of you who may be interested: Yesterday I updated my post, MOODY RADIO’S MIDDAY CONNECTION PROGRAM – CANCELLED, and, Lord willing, I hope to add a little more information to that post later on this evening.
Welcome to another post in the series of posts that I have entitled, Warning You With Tears Wednesdays. Lord willing, at least once a month on Wednesdays I will be writing and sharing one of these posts with you so that I can make you all aware of some important information that I come across on the Internet that you may not have heard about.
Since I knew that I would soon be starting a new part-time job (which I started in June) and that my free time would then be somewhat limited, I was trying to think of something that I could write on a regular basis that would be short and to the point (at least that was my intention). And since I am a detective-at-heart and desire to make you all aware of the importance of testing things that pastors and teachers say (and do) in light of Scripture (Acts 17:11), the idea to do these posts — as well as the name — came to my mind in November of 2014, based on Acts 20:26-31:
“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.”
So with all of that in mind, here is what I’d like to share with you in today’s WARNING YOU WITH TEARS WEDNESDAY:
In these first few stories I want you to see how unity/Ecumenism/oneness are all on the increase, and luring many Christians into thinking this is just wonderful! Here are a few different examples:
Last week I saw this first story posted on Facebook:
Sadly, many on Facebook commented by saying they thought Turnpike Mass was a good thing –even some people I know who profess to be Christians clicked like! On the surface it is very inspiring to see how people join together in the middle of a crisis, but for those who are truly followers of Jesus Christ and have Biblical discernment and an understanding of what the Sacrifice of the Mass truly is (see videos and information further down in this post if you are not aware of what it is), spiritually speaking this was not a good thing! (Note the comments below that speak about “oneness.”)
Although it appeared at first that all those who took part in Turnpike Mass (as it is being called) were Catholic pro-life students on their way back from March For Life, this next article goes on to say that a bus load of Catholic students stuck on the Pennsylvania turnpike met other Christian kids on a bus from Missouri:
These posts will show you how some Christians are being lured into Catholicism through what took place that day. As you will see, the focus is not on Jesus Christ, but on experiences:
Yes, Catholics are taught that Jesus Christ is made present in the communion wafers; they believe that they actually become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. Here’s what it says in Para 1374 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“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.”
This teaching of the “real Presence” is what is being used to lure many Protestants into Catholicism. And sadly, many are being deceived into believing in another gospel and another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:2-4, Galatians 1:6-9) because they do not know the Word of God. I speak from experience when I say that Catholicism teaches another gospel and another Jesus; I was a Catholic for many years and became a Christian when God opened my eyes to see the true Biblical gospel while reading the Book of Romans in a little Catholic New Testament.
When time allows, please watch this video presentation by Roger Oakland as he explains who Jesus is according to Catholicism:
2) Then, while researching for this post, I came across the following related story reporting a possible Eucharistic miracle –the multiplication of communion wafers. In the Catholic church they are called hosts:
You may not be aware of this, but the word host as defined by the Roman Catholic Church means sacrificial victim:
The Word of God says that Jesus gave His life willingly, (John 10:17,18, and therefore He was not a victim, but the Victor over sin and death! God’s Word also says that Jesus died “once for all,” (Romans 6:10, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 9:12,26, 1 Peter 3:18), and therefore there is no need for the continuation of sacrifices for sin:
1″For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 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; 9 Then said He, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering andoffering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 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; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 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. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:1-23) (Emphasis in lavender is mine).
The Sacrifice of the Mass, according to Paragraph 1367 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, states that:
“The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered Himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” An since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner…this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.”
Notice how it says that that Jesus is offered in an unbloody manner in the Sacrifice of the Mass, and yet it goes on to say “this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.”
But God’s Word clearly says:
“Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22)
So then how can the Sacrifice of the Mass be a propitiatory sacrifice?
Now, as you keep all of that in mind, think once again about the supposed multiplication of hosts, and ask yourself this question: Would God really perform a miracle like that which would contradict His Word and would render the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ as being insufficient to pay the debt of sin? On the basis of God’s Word being absolute truth, I declare to you that He would not.
3) Then on Tuesday 2/2/16,LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS posted this story, which once again shows the lack of Biblical discernment among some Christians, and the strong push for unity:
The video below is the longer version of the one that you will find in the article above. One of the many leaders of churches that you will see in this video and the one in the article above, will be Aaron Niequist, who is the son-in-law of Bill Hybels, the pastor of Willow Creek Church:
4) Below you will see two quick captures from an article by Amy Spreeman of BEREAN RESEARCH. If you take time to read her article you will discover that Aaron Niequistcame up with the idea of The Practice, which “openly promotes building a bridge between Protestants and Catholics through Ecumenism.”
You can read Amy Spreeman’s full article at the link below. When time allows please consider reading the many other very good articles that Amy and Marsha West have both written and posted on their website:
Can you now see how more and more Christian leaders are promoting this unbiblical unity that is not built upon Jesus Christ and Biblical truth as its foundation? Since we live at a time when spiritual deception is at its highest level, we as Christians must stand on the truth revealed in Scripture so that we will not be misled by our emotions because of this seductive and unbiblical call for unity.
“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…” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)
“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-4)
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9)
5) Spiritual deception and demonic activity are on the increase. Here is just one of many examples concerning what is taking place today:
According to the following story by the Christian Post, there is a VIRGIN MARY STATUE ‘GROWING TALLER, SMILING, CRYING’ AS CATHOLICS FLOCK TO SEE ‘MIRACLE’ IN MALAYSIA, and you can read about it HERE
6) For those of you who are looking for reviews on War Room, the latest movie by the Kendrick Brothers who presented us with such good movies in the past like Flywheel, Fireproof, Facing the Giants, and Courageous, here are two for you that will give you some strong, valid warnings, as well as being fair and balanced:
7) In the midst of all of this spiritual darkness and deception that we are witnessing these days, there are still men and women of God who continue to earnestly contend for the faith in spite of the opposition. Two of them are my favorite Christian authors and speakers —Roger Oakland and Warren B Smith. For those of you who are saying, “Amen” along with me right now, I’d like to share something with you in case you haven’t heard about this yet:
You can read the full article with all of the details at the link below. If this conference will be live streamed, I will link to it here on my website tomorrow. If they post this conference on YouTube, I will add the videos to my blog, as well.
I’m sorry this post is a day late, but I ran into some technical problems after WordPress changed a few things at the start of the New Year. Even though I stayed up late trying to figure things out hoping to post it on time, it took me until tonight to finally figure things out. Needless to say I haven’t had time to update my Moody Radio post yet, but I will do so as soon as time allows –Lord willing.
Have you unknowingly been lured into New Age mystical practices by teachers claiming that certain “new ways to pray” will bring you closer to God? Have you signed up for classes in Spiritual Formation, or has your pastor been preaching on it? Have you been involved in “Christian“ Yoga, Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, or Lectio Divina? Well, this series of posts in the new Category of posts that I have entitled, ‘MYSTICISM MONDAYS,‘ will attempt to not only peel back the layers of the many forms of spiritual deception that have been entering the church in order to reveal them to you as being lies of the enemy of our souls, but also the intention of these posts is to present you with the truth of God’s Word in order to expose the spiritual dangers of these practices.
Lord willing, at least once a month on a Monday, I will be sharing teachings with you from Christian experts on the subject, some of whom have even been personally involved with these dangerous practices. All of these teachings that I will be presenting to you will focus on many Scriptures; those who speak on these topics will not just be talking about these practices, because it’s only the truth of God’s Word that will expose the dangers of these practices and set a deceived person free.
Lord willing, when time allows, I will be writing many posts in the future zeroing in on specific Christian programming and Christian teachers who are promoting these deceptive practices, (I recently posted a very lengthy one concerning Moody Radio which I will continue to update when time allows until completed) but since my time is getting rather limited these days because of other important responsibilities that I now have, I will oftentimes simply be sharing a video or an article with you.
When time allows, I truly hope and pray that you will take the time to listen to these messages or read these articles, as well as read the upcoming posts that — Lord willing — I will be writing on these important topics so that you can be aware of these false teachings that are deceiving many Christians –possibly even you!
Please be sure that you test the teachings of all those whom you listen to against Scripture as God’s Word shows us that we are to do (Acts 17:11) so that you will never be deceived.
I hope and pray that all of you who are Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ are constantly testing what your pastors and teachers are presenting to you against the truth of God’s Word as we are shown in Scripture to do (Acts 17:11) no matter how long they have been in ministry, because many pastors and teachers are now embracing and presenting New Age mystical practices to their people through things such as yoga, as well as though meditation practices which often times are found in Spiritual Formation classes and are referred to as Contemplative Prayer, silent prayer, Lectio Divina, Taize, etc.
“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)
Mysticism in the church is one of the many ways that Satan is now using to bring about the oneness and unity that is being promoted in the world to bring about the One World Religion. Sadly, many pastors and teachers lack discernment and have now become tools in Satan’s hands to promote these mystical practices. We must keep in mind what God says in His Word:
“Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)
Are you a follower of a man (or woman) and their ministry? Or are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Will you be a Berean and examine the Scriptures daily to see if what they are saying is true? Will you walk in the light and in truth and leave, if necessary, if Yoga and other mystical practices are being promoted at your church? Or are the relationships that you have developed over the years while you have attended your church more important to you than being obedient to God and the truth presented in His Word? True followers of Jesus Christ will follow Him –no matter what the cost.
“For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.” (2 Corinthians 2:9)
Now for today’s very short, but very important, Mysticism Monday:
Before I begin though, I first want to thank those of you who have already taken the time to participate in my Survey Saturday poll:
For those of you who would still like to vote on your favorite Category of posts that you enjoy reading on this blog, you still have until Saturday evening, February 6th, to place your vote.
If you prefer, you can also send me a message using the ‘If You’d Like To Contact Me’ form at the top of my blog, or you can send me a message using the Contact Form that I added to my Survey Saturday post if you’d like to give me suggestions on what you would like me to prayerfully consider writing about over this coming year.
I would also like to sincerely thank those of you who sent me personal messages concerning what you would like me to write about. In doing so, God used you to confirm to me what I see the need to write about because of the heavy burden that I have upon my heart to warn Christians about these specific things. Please pray for me as I seek God’s help in writing these posts. Thank you so much!
Today’s Mysticism Monday has to be another short one because of unexpected circumstances that I have to deal with.
And now, finally, here is today’s Mysticism Monday:
The following videos are concerning Rick Joyner, of MorningStar Fellowship Church which is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, in order to demonstrate the power of suggestion, emotional manipulation, and his unbiblical teachings.
These videos will also demonstrate how mysticism and doctrines of demons are being accepted without question by Christians who are lacking discernment not only because they fail to read and study God’s Word, but also because they fail to pray for discernment and do not test what is being said and done in light of Scripture. (Acts 17:11) (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
Watch how the leaders of Rick Joyner’s Morningstar Church first declare what will happen, thus preparing the people to accept this as from God. Listen carefully to what is being said and how the people are acting. Does God’s Word reveal to us an account of anyone acting like this? How many Christians are accepting the words of men (and women) and ignoring the many warnings in Scripture about spiritual deception and doctrines of demons? Sadly, it appears that many do these days. Please do not be one of them!
RICK JOYNER CHURCH OF ALTERED STATES
RICK JOYNER INTERVIEWED BY SID ROTH
SID ROTH AT RICK JOYNER’S CHURCH
PEOPLE SO MANIPULATED AND SO DEEPLY LACKING IN DISCERNMENT THAT THEY ARE LED TO DO UNBELIEVABLE THINGS, SUCH AS THE HOLY GHOST HOKEY POKEY
TESTIMONY OF MISHEL MCCUMBER OF DECEPTION BYTES, A FORMER MEMBER OF RICK JOYNER’S CHURCH:
INTERVIEW WITH MISHEL MCCUMBER – SHE ALSO WARNS ABOUT THE FALSE TEACHINGS OF DOMINIONISM THAT RICK JOYNER IS INVOLVED IN AND IS ALSO PROMOTING
RELATED VIDEOS
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 sorry that I was unable to update my post on Moody Radio over the weekend, but, Lord willing, I am hoping that I will be able to do it throughout this coming week –if time allows.
post by adding a link to Chris Rosebrough’s sermon review of Levi Lusko’s message in which he clearly makes the shocking and even blasphemous statement that “Jesus had suicidal thoughts in His head,” please be sure to listen to that clip from Levi Lusko’s sermon, as well as what Chris has to say in his short review.
Have you unknowingly been lured into New Age mystical practices by teachers claiming that certain “new waysto pray” will bring you closer to God? Have you signed up for classes in Spiritual Formation, or has your pastor been preaching on it? Have you been involved in “Christian“ Yoga, Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, or Lectio Divina? Well, this series of posts in the new Category of posts that I have entitled, ‘MYSTICISM MONDAYS,‘ will attempt to not only peel back the layers of the many forms of spiritual deception that have been entering the church in order to reveal them to you as being lies of the enemy of our souls, but also the intention of these posts are to present you with the truth of God’s Word in order to expose the spiritual dangers of these practices.
Lord willing, at least once a month on a Monday, I will be sharing teachings with you from Christian experts on the subject, some of whom have even been personally involved with these dangerous practices.
All of these teachings that I will be presenting to you will focus on many Scriptures; those who speak on these topics will not just be talking about these practices, because it’s only the truth of God’s Word that will expose the dangers of these practices and set a deceived person free.
Lord willing, when time allows, I will be writing many posts in the future zeroing in on specific Christian programming and Christian teachers who are promoting these deceptive practices, (One coming very soon –Lord willing) but since my time is getting rather limited these days because of other important responsibilities that I now have, I will oftentimes simply be sharing a video or an article with you that is filled with important information for you.
When time allows, I truly hope and pray that you will take the time to listen to these messages and read the upcoming articles and posts on these important topics so that you can be aware of these false teachings that are deceiving many Christians –possibly even you.
Please be sure that you test the teachings of all those whom you listen to against Scripture as God’s Word shows us that we are to do (Acts 17:11) so that you will never be deceived.
I hope and pray that all of you who are Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ are constantly testing what your pastors and teachers are presenting to you against the truth of God’s Word as we are shown in Scripture to do (Acts 17:11) no matter how long they have been in ministry, because many pastors and teachers are now embracing and presenting New Age mystical practices to their people through things such as yoga, as well as though meditation practices which often times are found in Spiritual Formation classes and are referred to as Contemplative Prayer, silent prayer, Lectio Divina, Taize, etc.
“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)
Mysticism in the church is one of the many ways that Satan is now using to bring about the oneness and unity that is being promoted in the world to bring about the One World Religion. Sadly, many pastors and teachers lack discernment and have now become tools in Satan’s hands to promote these mystical practices. We must keep in mind what God says in His Word:
“Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)
Are you a follower of a man (or woman) and their ministry? Or are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Will you be a Berean and examine the Scriptures daily to see if what they are saying is true? Will you walk in the light and in truth and leave, if necessary, if Yoga and other mystical practices are being promoted at your church? Or are the relationships that you have developed over the years while you have attended your church more important to you than being obedient to God and the truth presented in His Word? True followers of Jesus Christ will follow Him –no matter what the cost.
“For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.” (2 Corinthians 2:9)
I hope and pray that you will guard yourselves and your precious children and leave your church if yoga and mystical practices are being promoted and taught at your church before you and your loved ones are led into spiritual deception!
Lord willing, in future posts I will be going into greater depth concerning the pastors who are promoting Spiritual Formation (such as Rick Warren of Saddle Back Church and Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Church), and I will also be warning you about some of the other writers and speakers who are teaching these things.
As I mentioned to you in a few previous posts, I am in the process of writing a very detailed post concerning Mysticism. Today I spent at least eight more hours working on it and it is very close to being fully completed. Lord willing, I am hoping to have it completed before the end of this week. So for today’s Mysticism Monday, in order to continue to inform you and warn you of how New Age mysticism is entering many churches today, I would like to share a video with you that was put together by a dear sister-in-Christ known as Psalm86 on YouTube.
And now for today’s Mysticism Monday:
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read some of my posts and poems.
Have you unknowingly been lured into New Age mystical practices by teachers claiming that certain “new waysto pray” will bring you closer to God? Have you signed up for classes in Spiritual Formation, or has your pastor been preaching on it? Have you been involved in “Christian“Yoga, Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, or Lectio Divina? Well, this series of posts in the new Category of posts that I have entitled, ‘MYSTICISMMONDAYS,‘ will attempt to not only peel back the layers of the many forms of spiritual deception that have been entering the church in order to reveal them to you as being lies of the enemy of our souls, but also the intention of these posts are to present you with the truth of God’s Word in order to expose the spiritual dangers of these practices.
Lord willing, at least once a month on a Monday, I will be sharing teachings with you from Christian experts on the subject, some of whom have even been personally involved with these dangerous practices. All of these teachings that I will be presenting to you will focus on many Scriptures; those who speak on these topics will not just be talking about these practices, because it’s only the truth of God’s Word that will expose the dangers of these practices and set a deceived person free.
Lord willing, when time allows, I will be writing many posts in the future zeroing in on specific Christian programming and Christian teachers who are promoting these deceptive practices, (One coming very soon –Lord willing) but since my time is getting rather limited these days because of other important responsibilities that I now have, I will oftentimes simply be sharing a video or an article with you that is filled with important information for you.
When time allows, I truly hope and pray that you will take the time to listen to these messages and read the upcoming articles and posts on these important topics so that you can be aware of these false teachings that are deceiving many Christians –possibly even you.
Please be sure that you test the teachings of all those whom you listen to against Scripture as God’s Word shows us that we are to do (Acts 17:11) so that you will never be deceived.
As I shared with you before: If there’s ever a topic that I cannot warn you enough about, it’s SpiritualFormation! Many churches today are presenting Spiritual Formation classes to the people in their churches not only by their own pastors and teachers, but also through the teachings of women such as Ruth Haley Barton and Mindy Caliguire, as well as offering Bible Studies by women such as *Beth Moore and *Priscilla Shirer. *(Consider reading THIS POSTto learn about Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer). These women strongly promote unbiblical, New Age/New Spirituality mystical practices in their teachings! (More about these women in upcoming posts –Lord willing).
While these Spiritual Formation teachings may be presented to you as ways to help you grow in Christ, as well as to grow closer to Him and help you to become conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, the practices they incorporate into their teachings, such as Contemplative Prayer, Lectio Divina, silent prayer, and entering into “the silence,” are unbiblical; they are all forms of Eastern Meditation cloaked in somewhat Christian terminology. Instead of leading you closer to Jesus Christ, these practices will lead you away from Him and into spiritual deception and even into the world of the occult!
When teachings become more focused on leading you to have experiences with God, and less focused on teaching and preaching verse by verse through God’s Word, or when verses are taken out of context to make it mean something entirely different in order to promote these mystical practices, those should be huge red flags to you that the direction they are going in is unbiblical!
Consider checking your church’s web site and the classes that they offer, as well as the topics of the sermons that they present to you. If you see Spiritual Formation and/or any of the above forms of prayer or people that I previously mentioned, you need to be on guard!
If there is no doubt in your mind that these mystical practices are being presented at your church, then it very well may be time for you to prayerfully consider leaving your church and looking for another church where God’s Word is preached verse by verse through many books of the Bible, and the pastor guards his sheep by exposing these false teachings and false teachers.
I hope and pray that all of you who are Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ are constantly testing what your pastors and teachers are presenting to you against the truth of God’s Word as we are shown in Scripture to do (Acts 17:11) no matter how long they have been in ministry, because many pastors and teachers are now embracing and presenting Spiritual Formation teachings and mystical practices to their people.
“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)
Mysticism in the church is one of the many ways that Satan is now using to bring about the oneness and unity that is being promoted in the world to bring about the One World Religion. Sadly, many pastors and teachers lack discernment and have now become tools in Satan’s hands to promote these mystical practices. We must keep in mind what God says in His Word:
“Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)
Are you a follower of a man (or woman) and their ministry? Or are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Will you be a Berean and examine the Scriptures daily to see if what they are saying is true? Will you walk in the light and in truth and leave, if necessary, if Spiritual Formation and mystical practices are being promoted at your church? Or are the relationships that you have developed over the years while you have attended your church more important to you than being obedient to God and the truth presented in His Word? True followers of Jesus Christ will follow Him –no matter what the cost.
“For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.” (2 Corinthians 2:9)
I hope and pray that you will guard yourselves and your precious children and leave your church if these mystical practices are being promoted and taught at your church before you and your loved ones are led into spiritual deception!
Lord willing, in future posts I will be going into greater depth concerning the pastors who are promoting Spiritual Formation (such as Rick Warren of Saddle Back Church and Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Church), and I will also be warning you about some of the other writers and speakers who are teaching these things.
UPDATE:
As I mentioned to you in previous posts, I am in the process of writing a very detailed post concerning Mysticism, but due to certain circumstances I still have not had sufficient time to complete it. So in the mean time, for today’s Mysticism Monday, in order to continue to inform you and warn you of how New Age mysticism is entering many churches today, here is a quick capture from a portion of an article that Lighthouse Trails just posted on their website that I would like to present to you for today’s Mysticism Monday:
(SOURCE)<–Please click here to continue reading this important information.
RELATED VIDEOS
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read some of my posts and poems.
Welcome to another post in the series of posts that I have entitled, Warning You With Tears Wednesdays. Lord willing, at least once a month on Wednesdays I will be writing and sharing one of these posts with you so that I can make you all aware of some important information that I come across on the Internet that you may not have heard about.
Since I knew that I would soon be starting a new part-time job (which I started in June) and that my free time would then be somewhat limited, I was trying to think of something that I could write on a regular basis that would be short and to the point (at least that was my intention). And since I am a detective-at-heart and desire to make you all aware of the importance of testing things that pastors and teachers say (and do) in light of Scripture (Acts 17:11), the idea to do these posts — as well as the name — came to my mind in November of 2014, based on Acts 20:26-31:
“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.”
So with all of that in mind, here is what I’d like to share with you in today’s WARNING YOU WITH TEARS WEDNESDAY:
1) As I mentioned to youIN A PREVIOUS WARNING YOU WITH TEARS WEDNESDAY POST, Carl Teichrib of FORCING CHANGE and Don Venoit of MIDWEST CHRISTIAN OUTREACH attended the recent Parliament of the Worlds Religions which took place in Salt Lake City Utah on October 15th through the 19th. Jackie Alnor of THE SCATTERED SHEEP REPORT, as well as Lynette Irwin are two more of many other Christians who attended and they also gave a rather chilling report on what took place there. If you’d like to find out some of the very disturbing things that they all observed and heard, you can click on the links below, as well as play the following video:
2) I am one among many Christians who believe that one of the most dangerous books to be accepted as being Christian is ‘Celebration of Discipline‘ by Richard Foster. (Lord willing, more on Richard Foster in my upcoming post that I am hoping to have completed by Saturday evening). If you’d like to know why that book is so dangerous, please consider reading the following very important article by LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS RESEARCH BLOG:
3) Another Christian book that is extremely popular and is considered by many Christians to be extremely dangerous, — and rightly so — is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. Lighthouse Trails recently posted a book review of Warren B Smith’s book “Another Jesus” Calling. Warren tested the messages that Sarah Young claims to have received from Jesus against the truth of God’s Word and discovered that the Jesus that Sarah Young is hearing from is “another Jesus” just as Scripture warns us about in 2 Corinthians 11:2-4:
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].”
4) If your church has AWANA groups for your children, please read this article by Lighthouse Trails Research so that you can be aware of some concerns that many are now having about what is presently being taught at some levels. (Hint: It has to do with Rick Warren).
5) Below you will find quick captures of the latest Suggested Posts that Facebook thought I would be interested in. Instead of all pastors trusting God to provide for the needs of their church, sadly there are some pastors who try to manipulate strongly encourage the people in their church to give generously. These pastors have now discovered new ways to inspire end of year generosity:
8) Herescope has another very in depth post that I read last week and completely forgot about it until I received an email from a dear sister in the Lord who sent me the link as I was getting ready to finish up and publish today’s post. (Thank you, Janice. 🙂 ). Once again, here is an article that will show you how many in church leadership are promoting Christian mysticism through people such as Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer, and how the world is “mainstreaming mystic mindedness” throughout the medical field, as well as through our education system by promoting EASTERN MEDITATION AS THE UNIVERSAL CURE-ALL
9) I’ll end with this story by News reporter Bill Melugin of FOX 46, Charlotte, NC, to give praise, glory, and honor to God for the lives saved by a new technique that, if done in time, can reverse an abortion with no harm done to the life of the precious unborn baby:
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read some of my posts and poems.
Have you unknowingly been lured into New Age mystical practices by teachers claiming that certain “new waysto pray” will bring you closer to God? Have you signed up for classes in Spiritual Formation, or has your pastor been preaching on it? Have you been involved in “Christian“Yoga, Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, or Lectio Divina? Well, this series of posts in the new Category of posts that I have entitled, ‘MYSTICISMMONDAYS,‘ will attempt to not only peel back the layers of the many forms of spiritual deception that have been entering the church in order to reveal them to you as being lies of the enemy of our souls, but also the intention of these posts are to present you with the truth of God’s Word in order to expose the spiritual dangers of these practices.
Lord willing, at least once a month on a Monday, I will be sharing teachings with you from Christian experts on the subject, some of whom have even been personally involved with these dangerous practices. All of these teachings that I will be presenting to you will focus on many Scriptures; those who speak on these topics will not just be talking about these practices, because it’s only the truth of God’s Word that will expose the dangers of these practices and set a deceived person free.
Lord willing, when time allows, I will be writing many posts in the future zeroing in on specific Christian programming and Christian teachers who are promoting these deceptive practices, (One coming very soon –Lord willing) but since my time is getting rather limited these days because of other important responsibilities that I now have, I will oftentimes simply be sharing a video with you.
When time allows, I truly hope and pray that you will take the time to listen to these messages and read the upcoming posts on these important topics so that you can be aware of these false teachings that are deceiving many Christians –possibly even you.
Please be sure that you test the teachings of all those whom you listen to against Scripture as God’s Word shows us that we are to do (Acts 17:11) so that you will never be deceived.
Now for today’s Mysticism Monday:
If there’s ever a topic that I cannot warn you enough about, it’s SpiritualFormation! Many churches today are presenting Spiritual Formation classes to the people in their churches not only by their own pastors and teachers, but also through the teachings of women such as Ruth Haley Barton and Mindy Caliguire, as well as offering Bible Studies by women such as *Beth Moore and *Priscilla Shirer. *(Consider reading THIS POSTto learn about Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer). These women strongly promote unbiblical, New Age/New Spirituality mystical practices in their teachings! (More about these women in upcoming posts –Lord willing).
While these Spiritual Formation teachings may be presented to you as ways to help you grow in Christ, as well as to grow closer to Him and help you to become conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, the practices they incorporate into their teachings, such as Contemplative Prayer, Lectio Divina, silent prayer, and entering into “the silence,” are unbiblical; they are all forms of Eastern Meditation cloaked in somewhat Christian terminology. Instead of leading you closer to Jesus Christ, these practices will lead you away from Him and into spiritual deception and even into the world of the occult!
When teachings become more focused on leading you to have experiences with God, and less focused on teaching and preaching verse by verse through God’s Word, or when verses are taken out of context to make it mean something entirely different in order to promote these mystical practices, those should be hugered flags to you that the direction they are going in is unbiblical!
Consider checking your church’s web site and the classes that they offer, as well as the topics of the sermons that they present to you. If you see Spiritual Formation and/or any of the above forms of prayer or people that I previously mentioned, you need to be on guard!
If there is no doubt in your mind that these mystical practices are being presented at your church, then it very well may be time for you to prayerfully consider leaving your church and looking for another church where God’s Word is preached verse by verse through many books of the Bible, and the pastor guards his sheep by exposing these false teachings and false teachers.
I hope and pray that all of you who are Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ are constantly testing what your pastors and teachers are presenting to you against the truth of God’s Word as we are shown in Scripture to do (Acts 17:11) no matter how long they have been in ministry, because many pastors and teachers are now embracing and presenting Spiritual Formation teachings and mystical practices to their people.
“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)
Mysticism in the church is one of the many ways that Satan is now using to bring about the oneness and unity that is being promoted in the world to bring about the One World Religion. Sadly, many pastors and teachers lack discernment and have now become tools in Satan’s hands to promote these mystical practices. We must keep in mind what God says in His Word:
“Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)
Are you a follower of a man (or woman) and their ministry? Or are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Will you be a Berean and examine the Scriptures daily to see if what they are saying is true? Will you walk in the light and in truth and leave, if necessary, if Spiritual Formation and mystical practices are being promoted at your church? Or are the relationships that you have developed over the years while you have attended your church more important to you than being obedient to God and the truth presented in His Word? True followers of Jesus Christ will follow Him –no matter what the cost.
“For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.” (2 Corinthians 2:9)
I hope and pray that you will guard yourselves and your precious children and leave your church if these mystical practices are being promoted and taught at your church before you and your loved ones are led into spiritual deception!
Lord willing, in future posts I will be going into greater depth concerning the pastors who are promoting Spiritual Formation (such as Rick Warren of Saddle Back Church and Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Church), and I will also be warning you about some of the other writers and speakers who are teaching these things. But for now, in order to continue to inform you and to show you how mysticism is entering the church, here is what I would like to present to you for today’s Mysticism Monday.
When time allows, please pray for discernment and listen to the following short presentation of Mike Oppenheimer and Ray Yungen as they discuss mysticism and the Emerging Church movement and compare everything against Scripture. Many names of those who have written about these unbiblical, mystical, new age practices are also mentioned so that you can become aware of what names to watch out for, because sadly, some of these writers and their books are being promoted by some pastors and teachers, and their books are sold in many Christian book stores, as well.
RELATED SCRIPTURES
“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)
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” (2 Peter 2:1-3)
“Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.” (3 John 1:11)
“Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall he speak: and He will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13)
“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)
Thank you for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke/Living4HisGlory
UPDATE:
Due to many responsibilities that I now have, and the need to get up very early for my new three days a week part-time job, I still have not had the time to finish my main post on Mysticism. Lord willing, I hope to have it finished within the next couple of weeks.
Have you unknowingly been lured into New Age mystical practices by teachers claiming that certain “new waysto pray” will bring you closer to God? Have you signed up for classes in Spiritual Formation, or has your pastor been preaching on it? Have you been involved in “Christian“ Yoga, Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, or Lectio Divina? Well, this series of posts in the new Category of posts that I have entitled, ‘MYSTICISM MONDAYS,‘ will attempt to not only peel back the layers of the many forms of spiritual deception that have been entering the church in order to reveal them to you as being lies of the enemy of our souls, but also the intention of these posts are to present you with the truth of God’s Word in order to expose the spiritual dangers of these practices.
Lord willing, at least once a month on a Monday, I will be sharing teachings with you from Christian experts on the subject, some of whom have even been personally involved with these dangerous practices. All of these teachings that I will be presenting to you will focus on many Scriptures; those who speak on these topics will not just be talking about these practices, because it’s only the truth of God’s Word that will expose the dangers of these practices and set a deceived person free.
Lord willing, when time allows, I will be writing many posts in the future zeroing in on specific Christian programming and Christian teachers who are promoting these deceptive practices, (One coming very soon –Lord willing) but since my time is getting rather limited these days because of other important responsibilities that I now have, I will oftentimes simply be sharing a video with you.
When time allows, I truly hope and pray that you will take the time to listen to these messages and read the upcoming posts on these important topics so that you can be aware of these false teachings that are deceiving many Christians –possibly even you.
Please be sure that you test the teachings of all those whom you listen to against Scripture as God’s Word shows us that we are to do (Acts 17:11) so that you will never be deceived.
Now for today’s Mysticism Monday:
In the Playlist that you will find below, Pastor Bob DeWaay of CRITICAL ISSUES COMMENTARY, addresses the New Age teachings of Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, and Ronda Byrne, and how many Christians are being deceived by these very teachings because they are now being repackaged and presented to Christians by being disguised in somewhat Christian terminology. When time allows please listen and learn about these teachings that are being blended with Christianity and presented through spiritual practices in Spiritual Formation classes which may now be in your very own churches!
Watch out for some of these key words as being hugeredflags to warn you that these teachings are slowly being presented to you. Some words may sound innocent enough, but beware of their hidden, true meaning that you will learn about in these Mysticism Monday posts, as well as some main posts that — Lord willing — I will be writing in the future:
Spiritual Formation, the silence, sacred space, be still, breath prayers, Contemplative Prayer, Lectio Divina, Taize, Centering Prayer, body prayer
Also watch out for books or teachings that may be recommended to you written by people such as: Ruth Haley Barton, Bill Hybels, Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Richard Foster, Richard Rohr, Dallas Willard, Mindy Caliguire, Sue Monk Kidd, Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, and Thomas Merton, just to name a few, at this point. (More to come at another time).
Beware also of pastors and teachers who attempt to distort Scripture in order to attempt to show you that Jesus Himself did these spiritual practices.
The most obvious thing that you will notice if these unbiblical, New Age practices are entering your church will be a sudden emphasis on having experiences with God, and simultaneously you will also sadly realize that there is much less of an emphasis on the preaching of God’s Word in its proper context.
These videos in the following Playlist have some basic, but very important information for you so that you know what to watch for. I will be presenting even more detailed and disturbing teachings from other pastors and teachers to you in the future –Lord willing.
In this Playlist of videos Pastor Bob DeWaay passionately warns Christians to “wake up” concerning how Biblical truth is being replaced in churches by these false, new age teachings:
RELATED SCRIPTURES
“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 4:2-4)
“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.” (Matthew 24:3,4)
“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 sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
“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 the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:6-9)
“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 11:3,4)
“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.” (2 Corinthians 6:12-18)
RELATED VIDEOS
WHY WE MUST CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH – PASTOR BOB DEWAAY
CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH IN PERILOUS TIMES – DAVE HUNT
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY: OPRAH, MAYA ANGELOU, AND IYANLA VANZANT
IYANA VANZANT
UNBIBLICAL – PRAYING WITH YOUR BODY
DEBATE BETWEEN PASTOR BOB DEWAAY AND DOUG PAGITT THAT HE MENTIONED IN HIS PRESENTATION
Summary of Bob DeWaay’s article that you will find at the link above:
“What do the Pope, the Dalai Lama and Donald Whitney have in common? They all promote freestyle spirituality where feeling close to God replaces drawing near to God on His terms. Religious experimentation replaces practices ordained by God and sincerity replaces revealed truth. We will begin with a narrative from the Old Testament and proceed to revealed truth in the New Testament to show that we must come to God in faith on His terms. We cannot trust our spiritual well-being to experimentation.” ~Bob DeWaay
UPDATE:
As I mentioned earlier: One main post focusing on ‘Mysticism’ coming soon –Lord willing. I’m not exactly sure when it will finally be finished though.
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day 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.
Picture above is a quick capture of Doreen Virtue holding a picture of the painting done by an artist that represents the alleged vision of Jesus that she claims to have had on January 7, 2017. You can watch the video HERE and the link is also posted further below in this post. NOTE: A comment was made in the comment section on one of these videos that show this painting which pointed out the disturbing fact that this “Jesus” does not have nail marks in His wrists or palms of His hands.
Mary Dalke - Living4HisGlory
Living4HisGlory 
MYSTICISM MONDAY – WARNING YOU OF HOW MYSTICISM IS NOW RAPIDLY ENTERING THE CHURCH AND DECEIVING MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY
Have you unknowingly been lured into New Age mystical practices by teachers claiming that certain “new ways to pray” will bring you closer to God? Have you signed up for classes in Spiritual Formation, or has your pastor been preaching on it? Have you been involved in “Christian“ Yoga, Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, or Lectio Divina? Well, this series of posts in the new Category of posts that I have entitled, ‘MYSTICISM MONDAYS,‘ will attempt to not only peel back the layers of the many forms of spiritual deception that have been entering the church in order to reveal them to you as being lies of the enemy of our souls, but also the intention of these posts are to present you with the truth of God’s Word in order to expose the spiritual dangers of these practices.
Lord willing, at least once a month on a Monday, I will be sharing teachings with you from Christian experts on the subject, some of whom have even been personally involved with these dangerous practices. All of these teachings that I will be presenting to you will focus on many Scriptures; those who speak on these topics will not just be talking about these practices, because it’s only the truth of God’s Word that will expose the dangers of these practices and set a deceived person free.
Lord willing, when time allows, I will be writing many posts in the future zeroing in on specific Christian programming and Christian teachers who are promoting these deceptive practices, (One coming very soon –Lord willing) but since my time is getting rather limited these days because of other important responsibilities that I now have, I will oftentimes simply be sharing a video with you.
When time allows, I truly hope and pray that you will take the time to listen to these messages and read the upcoming posts on these important topics so that you can be aware of these false teachings that are deceiving many Christians –possibly even you.
Please be sure that you test the teachings of all those whom you listen to against Scripture as God’s Word shows us that we are to do (Acts 17:11) so that you will never be deceived.
Now for today’s Mysticism Monday:
In the Playlist that you will find below, Pastor Bob DeWaay of CRITICAL ISSUES COMMENTARY, addresses the New Age teachings of Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, and Ronda Byrne, and how many Christians are being deceived by these very teachings because they are now being repackaged and presented to Christians by being disguised in somewhat Christian terminology. When time allows please listen and learn about these teachings that are being blended with Christianity and presented through spiritual practices in Spiritual Formation classes which may now be in your very own churches!
Watch out for some of these key words as being huge red flags to warn you that these teachings are slowly being presented to you. Some words may sound innocent enough, but beware of their hidden, true meaning that you will learn about in these Mysticism Monday posts, as well as some main posts that — Lord willing — I will be writing in the future:
Also watch out for books or teachings that may be recommended to you written by people such as: Ruth Haley Barton, Bill Hybels, Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Richard Foster, Richard Rohr, Dallas Willard, Mindy Caliguire, Sue Monk Kidd, Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, and Thomas Merton, just to name a few, at this point. (More to come at another time).
Beware also of pastors and teachers who attempt to distort Scripture in order to attempt to show you that Jesus Himself did these spiritual practices.
The most obvious thing that you will notice if these unbiblical, New Age practices are entering your church will be a sudden emphasis on having experiences with God, and simultaneously you will also sadly realize that there is much less of an emphasis on the preaching of God’s Word in its proper context.
These videos in the following Playlist have some basic, but very important information for you so that you know what to watch for. I will be presenting even more detailed and disturbing teachings from other pastors and teachers to you in the future –Lord willing.
In this Playlist of videos Pastor Bob DeWaay passionately warns Christians to “wake up” concerning how Biblical truth is being replaced in churches by these false, new age teachings:
RELATED SCRIPTURES
RELATED VIDEOS
WHY WE MUST CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH – PASTOR BOB DEWAAY
CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH IN PERILOUS TIMES – DAVE HUNT
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY: OPRAH, MAYA ANGELOU, AND IYANLA VANZANT
IYANA VANZANT
UNBIBLICAL – PRAYING WITH YOUR BODY
DEBATE BETWEEN PASTOR BOB DEWAAY AND DOUG PAGITT THAT HE MENTIONED IN HIS PRESENTATION
PASTOR BOB DEWAAY – CRITICAL ISSUES COMMENTARY – FACEBOOK PAGE
BOB DEWAAY’S LATEST POST – HOW GOD CHANGES LIVES
Summary of Bob DeWaay’s article that you will find at the link above:
UPDATE:
As I mentioned earlier: One main post focusing on ‘Mysticism’ coming soon –Lord willing. I’m not exactly sure when it will finally be finished though.
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 Dalke/Living4HisGlory/Living For His Glory