Gossips

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

Proverbs 16:28

Consumer Christianity

 

Husbands and Wives

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:22-29

Brian Simmons, False Teacher to Avoid

The following was posted on These Aren’t the Apostles You’re Looking For Facebook page on 4/21/23 :

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090095345514

This is the author of the "Passion Translation,” Brian Simmons. 

Christian friend, if you use TPT, I care for you and simply wish to inform you. Simmons claims Jesus took him to Heaven to give him the keys to God's emotions that are supposedly lost in existing translations. He also claims that Jesus promised to bring him back to Heaven at a later time to give him John chapter 22 (There are only 21 chapters in John). He says this latter day revelation of John 22 will trigger the greatest revival of all time (The greatest deception would be more likely). He told this story to Sid Roth on "It's Supernatural". You can Youtube it. 

The pictured quote is from a conference in 2014. He goes on to say, "It would have to be a Quartet". It's not taken out of context. I listened to hours of it...the context is even worse. He says in another talk during this conference that…”We are the reincarnation of Jesus Christ." 

Simmons is a Charismatic mystic and some consider him to be an apostle. He is widely accepted in the hyper-charismatic movement which believes in new apostles and prophets. It's possible that you've never heard of it. You may even like TPT and I'm not trying to attack you personally. I have been deceived before. Feel free to reach out if you have questions. I've deconstructed a lot of erroneous beliefs and am rebuilding on the solid rock. We can build together. 

Truth matters, and I still believe truth can be known. I can also hold to my beliefs without being nasty, so fear not. If Jesus said "Love your enemies", surely I can love a sibling in Christ with whom I disagree. I've made a ton of mistakes in discernment, which makes me eager to extend grace. 

So grace to you, dear friend.

Fake Healers Seek Medical People!

The following was posted on the Famine in the Land Facebook page on 4/22/23:

 https://www.facebook.com/Famine-in-the-land-679286202242353/

Havilah Cunnington is Bethel's Women's Pastor. She's literally surrounded by those who claim to bring Heaven to Earth and teach that there's no sickness in Heaven so there should be no sickness on Earth.  If she just waits for two weeks she can attend Bethel's healing school in May (she's on staff so I presume the $165 fee doesn't apply to her). According to Bethel's website "At Bethel Healing School we will explore a heavenly culture that overflows into the miraculous. You will be inspired, activated, and launched into a lifestyle of healing and miracles.”

The reality is that these celebrity teachers, NAR, and word of faith frauds, cannot practice what they preach - and even worse what they sell. Kenneth Copeland has a pacemaker, Todd White suffered from a serious heart condition, and need I list all the NAR & faith healers who died from disease? 

As for Lisa Bevere, as far as discerning believers are concerned liking or not liking an individual is irrelevant. What they teach is relevant! Lisa and John Bevere are word of faith/prosperity gospel/NAR false teachers. John Bevere believes we can speak to the wind and command it to "blow from east to west." With this kind of authority, why not speak a creative miracle into being as Lisa Bevere has one prosthetic eye - that would be a real miracle. 

Nevertheless, here we have Havilah Cunnington, who like the rest of us is relying on medical professionals to deal with a medical condition. One would expect however that a leader in one of the leading "churches" that pursue, teach on, and peddle healing and miracles, would promote their own healing school...perhaps she knows the truth.

(We certainly believe that the sick should be prayed for and that God may heal some according to his will - we just don't believe in snake oil salesmen).

More Odds and Ends

Lots of information on the ‘net about a so-called association of Bill Gothard with John MacArthur, but any who knows much about Gothard should know it’s a lie. A lengthy article shows where this “gossip” came from and the misrepresentations of what’s in a photo.

Examples of bad interpretations of Scripture by various Church Fathers

A great review of Debi Pearl’s new book, Created to Be His Help Meet. You can bet she twists scripture into pretzels.

While the major topic of this post is Nancy Pelosi’s violation of Catholic tenets, it really has good information about Christian doctrines which are violated by many who call themselves Christian.

“Heaven Tourism” is a dangerous fraud.

3 Reasons Why “The Chosen” Does More Harm Than Good. Beware that there is some Calvinist theology taught.

Beth Moore has gone full LEFT with calling “white” people racists. If this video doesn’t convince you that Beth Moore is a false teacher, you are in denial! By the way, she’s taught her daughter to be a horrible person.

Revoice—worshiping Satan and defending evil.

It’s difficult for me to believe Andy Stanley is really a Christian. He denies the Creation in Genesis.

Take the time to watch this video—52 minutes. You’ll learn why almost all the teachings you hear about angels is from false teacher who prove they are false Christians; what they teach is demonic.

Another MAJOR problem with Hillsong—Greed. Another example.  Scandals in the church abound.

Whom Do You Really Worship?

Good Friday

When I survey the wondrous cross 

on which the Prince of Glory died; 

my richest gain I count but loss, 

and pour contempt on all my pride. 

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, 

save in the death of Christ, my God; 

all the vain things that charm me most, 

I sacrifice them to his blood. 

See, from his head, his hands, his feet, 

sorrow and love flow mingled down. 

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, 

or thorns compose so rich a crown. 

Were the whole realm of nature mine, 

that were an offering far too small; 

love so amazing, so divine, 

demands my soul, my life, my all. 

Thought-Provoking Memes

Praising the Lord With Bagpipes

 MacLellan Bagpipes posted this poem on Facebook.

May my pipes be a gift

I will lift to the Lord.

​

A grace note of praise in

every lyric and chord.

​

May my tune be a prayer

of renewal and light.

​

May my tune be a beacon

which shines through the night.

​

And even when loss

and grief come along

​

I'll have faith in the Lord

and play him a TUNE.

I have felt this way since I first began going to church after learning the pipes.  The first hymn I learned in 1983 because it was a band tune, and which every piper is expected to know: Amazing Grace. Going Home was the next band tune considered a hymn of sorts (I’ve had it requested for funerals). Those were the only hymns I learned with the band.

Since I wasn’t really proficient with music scores, sometimes I learned a hymn by listening to it. I heard Kum Ba Yah on a folk song cassette and worked it out on the pipes in 1989, and then I began thinking how I could probably transcribe hymns if I could tinker the tune out (not many can be transcribed to pipes). In 1990 I began seeing what I could do.

Ode to Joy was one I heard at Easter and found it relatively easy to work out, and the next one was one of my favorite hymns—Martyrdom. And then they just kept coming so I could praise the Lord with my pipes. Soon there was I Need Thee, then Old 100th, All Through the Night, Praise and Thanksgiving, The Ash Grove, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (I played a duet of this with a trumpeter), Fairest Lord Jesus, Stand Up For Jesus, Just As I Am, Greensleeves, All Creatures of Our God and King, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, We Three Kings, Little Drummer Boy, God King Wenceslas, Immortal Invisible God Only Wise, and Holy, Holy, Holy all came to me during 1990. It was so exciting that I have never ceased trying to put some hymn on my pipes.

One stroke of luck in 1993 was when we were on vacation to the Olympic National Park in Washington and stopped at one of the shops I had been using for mail order; I purchased a small book titled “The Church Piper,” which had many of the hymns I already learned plus several I was planning on transcribing! There are 33 tunes but that includes many non-hymn laments for funerals, etc.

The following list is of Christian songs/hymns—and which I have had opportunities to play in church over the years for regular services, Easter and Christmas time. 

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

A Shield About Me

Abide With Me

All Creatures of Our God and King

All Through The Night

Amazing Grace

As the Deer Panteth Over the Water

Ash Grove, The (Sent Forth By God’s Blessing)

At the Cross

Austrian Hymn (Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken)

Chief of Sinners Though I Be

Children of the Heavenly Father

Come, Christians, Join to Sing

Earth and All Stars

Fairest Lord Jesus (Crusader’s Hymn)

Faith of Our Fathers

God Leads Us Along

Going Home (Dvorak)

Grace Greater Than Our Sin

Holy God We Praise Your Name

Holy, Holy, Holy

How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

How Great Thou Art

Hymn to Joy

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

I Love to Tell the Story

I Love You Lord

I Need Thee Every Hour

I’ll Fly Away

I Will Sing of My Redeemer

Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise

Just As I Am Without One Plea

King of Love My Shepherd Is, The

Kum Ba Yah

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)

Love Devine (Beecher)

Love of God, The

Martyrdom (Alas and Did My Savior Bleed)

My Faith Looks Trustingly

Nearer My God to Thee

Oh, For A Thousand Tongues

Old 100th (Doxology)

Praise and Thanksgiving (Morning Has Broken)

Psalm 42 (O Waly, Waly)

Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It

Rejoice, Rejoice This Happy Morn (etc) 

Shall We Gather At The River

Softly and Tenderly 

Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

Sweet Bye and Bye

There is Power in the Blood

Thy Strong Word (Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus)

To God Be the Glory

Victory in Jesus

We Gather Together

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross  (Hamburg)

When the Saints Go Marching In

Christmas

Angels We Have Heard On High

Good King Wenceslas

Greensleeves 

In Dulci Jubilo

Little Drummer Boy, The

O Come, O Come Immanuel

Oh Come, All Ye Faithful

We Three Kings

If you play a musical instrument and don’t already do so, see how you can use it to praise the Lord for His gift of music.