End Times Prophecy Headlines: March 26, 2014

“President Obama now is meeting with the G-7 leaders. Can you name all of the G-7? I try but I always forget Bashful.”
–David Letterman

Bone-Chilling Science: The Scariest experiments Ever

‘Stingray’: Increased and Secretive Cell Phone Surveillance by Local Police Raises Alarms

Word Faith Theology Within Mainstream Evangelicalism –

One WF doctrine that’s particularly heinous is known as the “born again Jesus.” Briefly, it holds that Jesus died “spiritually as well as physically,” He “suffered in hell to complete his suffering for our sins,” He also supposedly “took on Satan’s nature,” He “became sin.” was “literally separated from God,” and then “born again in hell.

 It was after all of this, goes the WF fable, that Jesus defeated the devil and rose from the dead. By the late 90′s all of this WF doctrine had been uncovered by Christian apologists.

This doctrine makes Jesus a liar when on the cross he declared “It is finished.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, the serpent is a symbol of Satan. Jesus Christ knew the only way he would stop Satan was by becoming one in nature with him. You say, What did you say? What blasphemy is this? No, you hear this! He did not take my sin; He became my sin”
–Benny Hinn, Benny Hinn broadcast on TBN, December 15, 1990.

 “When Jesus cried “It is finished!” He was not speaking of the plan of redemption. There were still three days and nights to go through before He went to the throne. He was referring to the Abrahamic Covenant Jesus‘ death on the cross was only the beginning of the complete work of redemption”
–Kenneth Copeland, “Jesus – Our Lord of Glory”, Believer’s Voice of Victory, April, 1982, p. 3

What did Jesus mean when he said “It is finished”?

 As regarding Christ’s words, “It is finished”, the word in the Greek is tetelistai and is rendered “to bring to an end” or “paid for in full” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary). What Christ was saying was that the work of redemption (paying for sin and securing salvation) was complete. If Christ did anything else beyond “It is finished,” in order to pay for sin, something is added to His completed work. This is what the Word-Faith teachers have done when they teach that salvation was completed in hell, after Christ died on the cross!

Word Faith has become so prevalent in evangelicalism, many times it’s not even recognized as such.  Because it’s clothed in Christian terms, it’s held up and exalted as if it were biblical.  Like leaven, it’s been explosive in its growth.

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.”
—Matthew 10:34-36

It is as Jesus warned in Matthew 10:34-36.  And so today, there are two fault lines which run through the American Christian Church.

One of these lines separates a great mass of those who call themselves Christians from the obvious heresies: the wolves prowling TBN, the prosperity gospel hucksters, the Luciferian cults, the Emergent Church superstars, the Vatican, the purpose-driven sensitive seekers and the blatantly occult/New Age teachings served up by the Christian mass media.

This line is fairly bright and is easily recognizable.  Though there are many sitting in pews and manning the pulpits who are blind to these false teachers, a large segment of Christians are wise enough to see these obvious dangers.

The other line separates a much smaller portion of Christianity who recognize the rampant heresies which are already inside the Church: the occult imagery in the songs, the pagan practices masquerading as biblical, the overt mysticism and abandonment to experience-based religion, the headlong flight to Hebrew fables, the blatant appeals to emotion, the vain repetitions of antichrist incantations, the steady drip-drip-drip of teachings which prepare for the coming of the One World Church.

Because these heresies are somewhat less obvious, it is this second, less-noticed fault line which sets a man’s household against him. Many of these practices are sanctified, not by God’s Word, but by way of being performed by their defenders.  Judging by the many comments on Christian forums and websites, their defenders are vociferous and self-justified.

Make no mistake: the time is fast approaching when the betrayals–which today may only be social–will be to the death.

“Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.”
—Mark 13:12

The spirit of antichrist is comfortably lodged in many Christian churches in 2014 America; proud as a peacock and dressed in its Sunday best–though many who sit in churches today don’t really think of pride as a sin, but rather something to be trumpeted and proclaimed.

Meanwhile, the bands of Psalm 2 are literally being broken before our very eyes–and many in the Church are celebrating the unshackling.

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”
—Psalm 2:2-3

All tragic.

But all expected–if one believes their Bible.

“But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.”
—Mark 13:23

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
—Revelation 22:20

Did Indiana become the first state to ditch Common Core–or did they just re-brand it?

College students fail to name a single US senator (w/VIDEO)

Sarah Palin, GOP look to “Mama Grizzlies” for help in fall election

Supreme Court women raise questions over contraception coverage – To all those who have placed their faith in the the US constitution: that document gives Americans exactly the protections that nine unelected people in Washington DC decide they should have.

Artificial protein to supercharge immune system?

Planning for World Congress of Families VIII Suspended

SMITH WIGGLESWORTH – When one becomes a Christian, IF one has any “heroes of the faith” besides the Lord Jesus Christ, one should simply quit reading and researching.  Otherwise, there’s a fairly good chance that one will have to confront with Scripture what these exalted men have said.

And there’s no reconciling the ungodly and the Word of God.  Which is basically why this writer has had to throw away almost every book in his library which had the word “Christian” printed somewhere on the cover.

Looking through the books (we had every one) of Smith Wigglesworth (1859-1947), there’s no denying the many disturbing things the man–a hero to many Christians due to the numerous claimed healings and his slogan of “Only believe!”–said.

Wigglesworth, was a type of Benny Hinn or Kathryn Kuhlman; a forerunner, if you will, of today’s Word Faith preacher.

Having lately looked into the Plymouth Brethren and what issued forth from that movement, Wigglesworth came to mind.  It was remembered that Smith Wigglesworth claimed the Plymouth Brethren.

Of the hundreds of Wigglesworth declarations and statements that could be examined and compared to Scripture, let’s look at a few.  These are not the worst nor are they the most egregious: they were merely the easiest to find.

When asked how one was to achieve faith:

“Now, listen, here is the answer to that: First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. Faith must grow by soil, moisture, and exercise.”
—Smith Wigglesworth (also quoted in Smith Wigglesworth – A Life Ablaze With The Power Of God, William Hacking, Harrison House, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1972)

“How is faith received? By acting on that which you have. If you act with what you have, your faith will be increased. You can never increase faith until you act.”
—Smith Wigglesworth – A Life Ablaze With The Power Of God, Hacking, p. 71

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
—Romans 10:17

“I want you to understand that after the trials, after all the temptations and everything, Jesus comes out more full of God, more clothed in the Spirit, more ready for the fight.”
–‘The Place of Power’, June 1916, reprinted in ‘The Anointing of His Spirit’, p.146 – Quoted in Smith Wigglesworth: The Facts

“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
—John 3:34

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
—Hebrews 13:8

As with the faith healers of today, if a sick person did not receive a healing, it was their fault.  The sick person not only remained sick, he or she was accused of having no faith, the wrong kind of faith or not enough faith.

On one occasion Wigglesworth declared to the sick “I’ll only pray for you once, to pray twice is unbelief.” The second night, a man approached the altar to receive prayer again and Wigglesworth, recognizing him, said “Didn’t I pray for you last night? You are full of unbelief, get off this platform!

–Julian Wilson, Wigglesworth The Complete Story: A New Biography Of The ‘Apostle Of Faith’ Smith Wigglesworth (Biblica, 2004) page 82-3.

Is “praying twice” a sign of “unbelief?”

Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane over whether the “cup might not pass away from me.” [Matthew 26:38-44]

Was this a sign of unbelief?  Paul prayed three times over a “thorn in the flesh.”  [2 Corinthians 12:8-9] Was this unbelief? [NOTE: These were not rote prayers or “vain repetitions.”]

“And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
—Luke 11:5-9

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?”
—Luke 18:1-7 – (h/t:JP)

To one dear woman who came to him in the healing line for prayer, he [Wigglesworth] said, “What’s the matter with you?”

“It’s my heart,” she replied.

“Weren’t you here for prayer yesterday?”

“Yes”

“Well, what’s the matter now?”

“My heart.”

Giving her a gentle push, he said, “Go away with you, woman, and believe God. There’s nothing the matter with your heart. It’s your faith.”
—Smith Wigglesworth – A Life Ablaze With The Power Of God, Hacking, p. 45

Yet Wigglesworth suffered from gallstones and Sciata.
His daughter was deaf from birth.
His son died of a childhood illness.
His wife died, while young, from illness.

Mary Boddy, the woman who laid hands on Wigglesworth when he was ‘baptized in the Spirit’ spent the last sixteen years of her life as an invalid.

Smith Wigglesworth has been called a prophet.  About a 1936 Wigglesworth prophecy:

Wigglesworth prophesied a mighty restoration of the gifts of the Spirit and revival to start before the end of the twentieth Century

“Australia you have been chosen by God for a great move of the Holy Spirit. This move of God will be the greatest move of God ever known in mankind’s history and will start towards the end of the 20th century and move into the 21st century. This move of God will start a great revival in Australia, spread throughout the whole world and usher in the second coming of Jesus. This will be the final revival before the coming of the Lord.”

–Letter (on file) from ‘Catch the Fire Ministries’, 2011 – quoted in Smith Wigglesworth: The Facts

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”
—2 Thessalonians 2:3

There’s more, much more.  But the reader who is interested in knowing the truth; who has an hour or so and an Internet connection (or a collection of Wigglesworth books) can do their own digging.  It does take some time.  It’s suspected that not all will not be pleased with what they discover.

One consolation: once one gets started comparing the words of men with Scripture, the time goes faster.

Conclusion: Smith Wigglesworth was a man.  Admittedly, he often claimed powers through his anointing or belief beyond normal men, but more often, others claimed these powers in his name.  Much of what he preached is being preached today in the Word Faith movement.  Smith Wigglesworth made many unscriptural claims and statements during his ministry.

Death Cologne: Chemist’s secret to surviving Zombie Apocalypse – Daily Zombie Link

America’s Workers: Stressed out, overwhelmed and totally exhausted

Broke graduate students are the next debt crisis and it’s partly the government’s fault

===OF INTEREST

NEW! A midweek collection of pieces from smaller sites–which for one reason or another, this writer follows–which may otherwise escape the notice of the reader. One of the reasons for this is to support smaller, independent sites who may do their own research/reporting.

The posting of a link is no endorsement of the website from which it came.  These are posted for a variety of reasons.  The reader will have to form his own judgments when perusing them.

Forced Vaccinations : Colorado House Bill Passed! 17 Other States Following?!(w/VIDEO)

Media Matters inexplicably attacks Fox News for using the term “homosexual”

The Lord will accomplish what concerns me

DeBlasio says that Pre-K expansion will curb student suicides – Politicians really will say anything these days.

Earthquakes: Over 300 in a week in Chile; 100,000 evacuated

Stanford: Psychology is a fraud – Let’s get one thing straight: it’s is a college degree-certified fraud!

(VIDEO) 3.2 million are victims of gang stalking

Why the Media doesn’t cover the Jihadist attacks on Middle East Christians – Ahh, but the media does cover the persecution of Middle Eastern Christians. In fact, this ramped-up coverage of a group of people the Corporate Media abhors was the recent topic of discussion.  Is the increased coverage over the last year or so because the media loves Christians and wants to warn them?  What is the reason for the noticeable increase in coverage–especially among the Alternate Corporate Media?

Maybe it can be summed up in one word: “fear.”

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
—2 Timothy 1:7

The thought that they may be called to suffer persecution for the name of Christ absolutely terrifies a significant portion of American Christianity. This fear is already at work.  Many American Christians–whether they admit it or not–are motivated by fear of what they may have to face.

One can sympathize: after years of being reassured that they were special, that they would never have to face what the Bible assures believers they “shall” have to face, they are beginning to get nervous.  Certain doctrines which were labeled “heresies” 50 years ago are looking very attractive to those scared Christians right about now.

Consequently, the media will play upon these fears and stoke them.

In the meantime, the media will regale Americans with a steady stream of horror stories about Christian persecution around the globe.  This is not to say that these events are not happening: they are.  But the question remains: why has the Corporate Media suddenly become so faithful in making sure that Americans know about these events?

At the appropriate time, Americans sitting in the pews of Christian churches will be reminded of these fears.  Because they haven’t had a love of the truth, many will convince themselves to walk a path they shouldn’t.  Their flesh will remember the many media stories of the horrors of persecution and will whisper anything in their ears in order to avoid that unpleasantness.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
—2 Timothy 3:12