THE ART OF DISCERNING

Jesus said: “Not everyone who calls out to Me, Lord! Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.  On judgment day many will say to Me, Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.  But I will reply, I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God’s laws.” Matthew 7:21-23 NLT

This passage also applies to many of the well-known Televangelists, pastors, prophets, and ministers who all preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, prophesying in His name, casting out demons in His name, and performing many miracles in His name. And yet all these ministers are not God’s true chosen followers of Jesus Christ, and will not enter heaven! These ministers are like what the Bible describes them; false apostles of Christ, deceitful workers who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. (See 2. Corinthians 11:13-15) Or, they are false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. (See Matthew 7:15)

The Scriptures warn us not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit, but we must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world! (See 1. John 4:1)

The way we identify and test these ministers whether they are good or evil is by their fruit and that is by the way they act, their motivation! (See Matthew 7:16-20)

As I said before, many of these false ministers do preach about Christ, but not with pure motives. They preach with selfish ambition, to make money, make a name for themselves, to control and have power over people, out of jealousy and rivalry. (See Philippians 1:15-17)

A true minister of God is supposed to care for people not for what he or she can get out of it, but because he or she is eager to serve God. And never should a minister of God lord over or control the people assigned to his care, but lead them by his own Christ-like example of pursuing righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness! (1. Peter 5:2-3, 1. Timothy 6:11)

DID JESUS CHRIST CELEBRATE HANUKKAH?

There is a false teaching circulating around this time of year, saying that Christians are supposed to celebrate the holiday feast of Hanukkah, remembering and celebrating God’s miracles.

Hanukkah, or the Festival of Dedication, was a yearly event celebrating the dedication of the Temple after Antiochus IV Epiphanes defiled it in 167 BC. The revolt under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus was the most recent deliverance in the history of the Jews. Hanukkah was not one of the feasts God commanded the Jews to celebrate, but it was popular among the people.

The Bible Scripture used to support that Jesus so-called celebrated Hanukkah, comes from John chapter 10 verses 22 and 23, where it says:

“It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade.” John 10:22-23 NLT

Jesus was not there to celebrate Hanukkah, but was walking around! Jesus was at the Temple for a time debating with the Pharisees, and then He left! (See John 10:24-38)

Therefore, to think that Jesus celebrated Hanukkah can absolutely not be proven scripturally!

And besides this, the Scriptures do say: “Don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for NOT celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.” Colossians 2:16 NLT  

WE BELIEVE IN GOD’S WORD AND POWER, BUT NOT THIS STUFF! | Edwin Christiaan

Some time ago, my wife and I completely distanced ourselves from the circles of churches and ministries, who are teaching and conducting unbiblical doctrines and practices. Here is a list of what we are talking about:    

·      The obligation of tithing to be blessed or be member of the church.

·      The sowing of money seeds in exchange for financial breakthrough or healing.

·      The getting rich Prosperity Gospel.

·      The name-it-and-claim-it teachings.

·      Pastors begging for money and living in wealth and luxury at the expense of the church.

·      The giving of special high-level leadership callings and titles like presidential seals and mantels.

·      The following of Jewish laws with the blowing of shofars and the waving of flags and touching of banners to bring God’s presence and blessings.

·      The keeping of Sabbaths or other Jewish feast celebrations and commemorations as a requirement to please God and be blessed.

·      The year of Jubilee debt cancellation teachings.

·      The purposely-crafted around-the-corner financial breakthrough prophesies.

·      Teachings on how to get into alignment with God in order to receive money blessings, healing, and spouses.

·      Revelations and teachings about the crashing of Wall Street and the world economy, like the Shemitah and Blood Moon that is supposed to signal the end of the world.

·      The New Apostolic Reformation with its Seven Mountain teachings, like being an apostle that has dominion in the marketplace.

·      The coming end-time Great Wealth Transfer for Christians.

·      Teachings on how to get supernaturally transferred or travel in the spirit from one place to another.

·      The charging for conferences, worship concerts, seminars, worship and prophetic schools.

·      The selling of books, CD’s, DVD’s, and food in the church for profit.

·      The you-can-only-be-married-one-time-to-be-in-the-ministry doctrine, and that once you are married the marriage is automatically blessed by God.

·      The teachings that God does not want you to suffer or to be poor.

·      Fire impartations and tunnels.

·      The worship of the anointing, miracles and the supernatural.

·      Supernatural manifestations of gold dust and feathers.

·      Smoke supposedly being the glory cloud.

·      Angel obsession.

·      Spiritual birthing.

·      Teachings on how to get drunk in the spirit.

·      Uncontrollable laughter, jerking, and shaking.

·      The laying on the graves of deceased ministers in order to soak up their anointing.

·      The going-to-Heaven-and-sit-on-the-Father’s-throne teachings and prophecies.

·      The Hyper Grace doctrine.

·      Motivational, and the Law of Attraction teachings.

·      Female pastors having authority over men and teaching them.

·      The adoration and elevation of pastors and worship leaders.

·      And finally, the teaching of cessationism – the belief that miracles and speaking in tongues have ceased to exist.  

The majority of the churches and prophetic gatherings are in actuality the Synagogues of Satan, where masses are being deceived and led astray!

We are supposed to be like the people of Berea, who searched the Scriptures day after day to see if what people were teaching was indeed the truth, and not like the Corinthian Church, where they happily put up with whatever anyone were telling them, even if they preached a different Jesus, or they had a different kind of Spirit, or taught a different kind of gospel. (See Acts 17:11, 2. Corinthians 11:4)