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Thursday, May 12, 2016

ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ: GOD "CIRCLE-PRAYED" THE CREATION?

Lotz-A-Palooza

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ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ: 
GOD "CIRCLE-PRAYED" THE CREATION?
BY BUD AHLHEIM
SEE: http://pulpitandpen.org/2016/05/11/lotz-a-palooza-god-circle-prayed-the-creation/republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

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(I’m a little late to the Lotz-a-palooza party!  But here are some thoughts I’d like to share. For more insight, please check out JD Hall’s Polemics Report broadcast and the great article over at Berean Research.)
A woman who embraces the heresy of circle praying, itself borne out of Wiccan witchcraft, will be taking the helm of the National Day Of Prayer Task Force.
Pandering to the discernment-free and Scripture-disregarding, ecumenical efforts of the modern evangelical church, the false teacher Anne Graham Lotz will presumably be drawing circles around the entire nation as she mystically leads it to pray for “repentance, revival, and a recommitment to serious prayer.”
As reported throughout the religious news media, Lotz remarked on her blog that “I was not surprised to receive a call from Shirley Dobson asking me to succeed her … “  Lotz was not surprised, you see, because “God has called me to be a messenger.”  (Uh-huh. Sure, God’s gonna pick someone who uses pagan prayer practices.  Umm, no, prolly not.)
Anyone familiar with Lotz’s less-than-orthodox practices (She gives “prophetic” words, too, FYI) may herein recognize yet further departure from God’s Word by the larger “evangelical” church.  As we know, the enemy may disguise himself as an “angel of light,” this time perhaps via Lotz’s self-monikered, anagrammatic AnGel Ministries.
“God has called me to be a messenger. I have used my initials, AGL, to name my non-profit ministry AnGeL Ministries because in Scripture angels are God’s messengers.”
While correctly identifying the divine use of angels as messengers, Lotz did not point out the important retention of her evangelically-hallowed middle name.  Were it not for that, it seems likely that this particular faith-threatening femme fatale might have a substantially more muted voice.  And that would be a good thing, since her handling of Scripture and her promotion of patently unbiblical teachings are spiritual poison.
No, God did not “call” Lotz to “be a messenger.”  God does not “call” anyone to be a messenger in the same way that He calls a prophet, or a pastor, or someone to any other established, Biblical office.  Instead, God “saves” us to be messengers. Messenger is not an ecclesiastic office noted in the New Testament.   “We are ambassadors of Christ,” remember?  So, in the sense of Him saving us, we are all called to be messengers.
Every believer is charged with the Great Commission.  Saints – all saints – do the work of ministry.  Lotz shoulders no unique, divinely appointed “messenger mantle.”
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” Ephesians 4:11-12
Lotz’s “messenger-ship” office, though, is imbued with an overly spiritualized, ethereal mysticism when she compares it to the ministry of angels.  Did Lotz – whom her father called, according to Dobson in the Charisma news article, “the greatest preacher in the family” – just narcigete herself as an angel? 
(That the elder Graham would call his daughter a “preacher” is a rather curious statement considering the gender-specific, apostolic teaching, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”  1 Timothy 2:12)
Lotz’s next comment highlights another huge problem.  She makes things up.  She makes things up not only by implying she’s some sort of angelic messenger appointed by God, she also makes up things about His Word and what it means.
“It’s interesting to note that at the beginning of all things, in Genesis 1, God used prayer—the preparation of the Spirit hovering over the waters of a formless, empty planet, and the proclamation of His Word—and God said—to transform our world physically.”
Actually, no, that’s not “interesting to note.”  What’s interesting to note is that Lotz mystically, and wrongly, spiritualizes Genesis to accommodate her own preferences.
(Important Scripture interpretation safety tip from John MacArthur: “Do not spiritualize the passage.  Interpret and understand the passage in its normal, literal, historical, grammatical sense, just like you would understand any other piece of literature you were reading today.”)
Instead of a logical and literal interpretation, Lotz suggests an esoteric meaning.  She is stating that prayer was God’s mechanism for the creation of the world.  HUH?  Did God draw a circle around nothingness and ask for the world to be made?  Is she claiming that God prayed to God for the creation of the world and that God answered God by doing it? (Here, friends, is an example of eisegetical violence being done to Scripture.)
The proper, orthodox interpretation of the creation story yields an introductory, fundamental, and staggering presentation of the sovereignty of God. (that’s a doctrine, by the way, though you may not hear about it in church these days)  Scripture teaches that God, in the fullness of all His divine attributes, SPOKE, and the visible creation that we see was formed “ex nihilo” – out of nothing.  Look it up.
No sound theologian, scholar, pastor, teacher or Scripturally-literate “messenger” will suggest that God was praying for the world to be created.  He spoke; it happened.
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 In his (highly recommended) book, Everyone’s A Theologian, R.C. Sproul writes, “God can call worlds into existence.  This is the power of creativity in its absolute sense, and only God has it.  God said, ‘Let there be …,’ and there was.  That is the divine imperative.  Nothing can resist the command of God…”
The Psalmist wrote, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth … For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded and it stood forth.”  (Psalm 33:6,9)  God did not “pray” things into existence; He spoke them into existence.
The contention over Lotz’s creation confusion cannot be understated.  Whether she is intentionally misinterpreting Scripture, or whether it merely reflects her poor theological understanding, the risk she represents to believers is woeful.  To misrepresent the overarching doctrine of God’s sovereignty is spiritually dangerous.
There’s another motive, perhaps, for Lotz’s faulty hermeneutic that the world was created “by prayer.”  Such a view perpetuates the heretical, mystical teaching of contemplative prayer.  The erroneous assumption in this false teaching is that, in our prayers, God also speaks to us.  If the premise that God’s communication is “prayer,” that tends to set the supposed stage that when we pray, He will also speak to us, because, as Lotz says, “God used prayer” to create the world.
By interpreting the Spirit’s “hovering” and the “and God said” phrase to mean that His speech is called “prayer,” Lotz is denying fundamental, historic, orthodox theology.  Suggesting that His creative decree was instead merely a “prayer,” she sacrifices sovereignty for the sake of elevating intercession.  Doing so, it seems to set the unwary believer up for an expectation that God always speaks in prayer.  God’s sovereignty is never minimized in any command we are told to obey, including prayer.
Another important spiritual safety tip, this one from the great reformer, Martin Luther:
“God wants to give you His Spirit only through His external Word.”
While God’s work of salvation is never accomplished outside the Truth of His Word (the Gospel), Luther’s words support this fact: GOD DOES NOT SPEAK TO US WHEN WE PRAY.  He speaks to us exclusively in one place: His Word.
God was not uttering a prayer, or answering one, when He created the world.  He issued a command, a decree, borne of His sovereign will, executed by His supreme authority, and according to His own divine pleasure.  To twist the Genesis account to suggest a basis for two-way dialogue in prayer because “that’s how God talks” is mishandling “the Word of truth.” It’s unscriptural, unorthodox, and spiritually toxic to engage in such maneuvers.
Lotz wrote the following near the conclusion of her blog of acceptance of the “intercessory prayer mantle”.
“In a unique way, I will do my best to combine prayer and the proclamation of God’s Word in what I pray will be a powerful and effective movement of God’s Spirit.  Who knows? Perhaps, by God’s grace and mercy, once again we will see worldwide transformation.”
The “unique way” she references isn’t explained, but if her previous circle-casting, witchcraft-sourced techniques are involved, that “way’ includes violent, unorthodox, and faulty Biblical interpretation.  Rather than seeking “worldwide transformation”, we ought be praying for another ecclesiastic reformation, the need for which is evidenced Lotz’s own faulty hermeneutics.
You might recall stories of the last one. 1517.  Martin Luther.  What happened?  The church – the “true” church, not the visible one – returned to sola Scriptura.  Scripture alone.  The teachings of the Roman church were found to be, like Lotz’s and so many other modern evangelical “messengers”, contradictory to Scripture.  The “true church” emerged from the apostasy, and the Word of God exploded across the world … VIA THE CHURCH.
Lotz would do well to repent of the heretical techniques she employs and teaches, and return to a doctrinally-sound study of the Word, with obedience to it.   As for the “abide in my Word” disciple who may be prone to follow the likes of Lotz, please, take the following words of Paul as a warning.
“And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”  2 Corinthians 11:12-15


BETHEL MUSIC: UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS

BETHEL MUSIC: 
UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS 
BY JEFF MAPLES
SEE: http://pulpitandpen.org/2016/05/09/bethel-music-unfruitful-works-of-darkness/republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

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If you’ve followed Pulpit & Pen, you know we’ve covered the contemporary Christian music movement and have written about several of its mainstream figures, including Kari Jobe and Hillsong. It’s no secret we believe that the relentless promotion of much of this flesh-feeding ecstatic music does no good for the edification of the body of Christ. But perhaps one of the most deceitfully nefarious organizations pumping out poisonous exhaust is Bethel Music.
According to Wikipedia, Bethel Music is a collection artists based out of the worship ministry at Bethel Church in Redding, California. Some of its artists include Brian Johnson, Jenn Johnson, Jeremy Riddle, Amanda Cook, William Matthews, Kristene DiMarco (of Jesus Culture, also out of Bethel Church), and quite a few others.
Bethel Music is known for its popular songs, such as This Is Amazing Grace and We Will Not Be Shaken, that are played throughout churches of all breeds on Sunday mornings. Of course, some of their music may appear to be just fine on the surface, but is this just a deceptive bait to reel you in? For even Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and he’s always looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). This is why we must be sober-minded and alert, and always on the watch for his deceptions.


Bethel Music unashamedly promotes false doctrine. Let’s be clear, all of the music that comes from this church are designed to draw people in and promote the message of Bethel Church. Under the leadership of Bill Johnson, the church promotes a message that is anti-gospel and cultish. Bethel is a New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) church that promotes nefarious theologies such as  Word of Faith, Dominionism, Latter Rain, and Joel’s Army. Below is a video of Bethel Church practicing what they call a “fire tunnel,” in which people will quickly pass through the tunnel while others supposedly speak blessings and healings on the participants.
The NAR is a movement that elevates experience above doctrinal truth. Often times you will see many with contradictory beliefs about the basic tenets of Christianity come together in prayer and worship. Bethel’s pastor, Bill Johnson, who was labeled an Apostle by C. Peter Wagner, advocates for less Scriptural knowledge and promotes extra-biblical experiences as security for your relationship with God. He says in his book When Heaven Invades Earth:
Those who feel safe because of their intellectual grasp of Scriptures enjoy a false sense of security. None of us has a full grasp of Scripture, but we all have the Holy Spirit. He is our common denominator who will always lead us into truth. But to follow Him, we must be willing to follow off the map—to go beyond what we know (Johnson, p. 76)
This is clearly a denial of the sufficiency of Scripture, and a promotion of extra-biblical revelation. It’s no wonder that most of their music is shallow and insipid. Johnson was also instrumental in bringing false prophet Todd Bentley back into the mainstream. Bentley, who claims to raise people from the dead, is a false teacher that promotes Word of Faith theology and performs false signs and wonders.
But if that isn’t enough, Bethel Church recently hosted false prophet Heidi Baker, to impart demons and cast spells in front of their congregation.
This is purely demonic witchcraft, and there is absolutely nothing Christian about this.
The New Apostolic Reformation is the driving force behind modern worship. They use a deceptive tactic that mixes a little bit of truth with error which gives their music the appearance of holiness. But the fact is much of the music that comes out of this demonic center of darkness is designed to empty your mind by the use of repetitive lyrics, sensual music and a fleshly experience that puts you in a state of hypnotic trance. An example of this would be Jesus Culture’s song, Fill Me Up, that repeats this phrases over and over, inviting an altered state of mind, and opening one’s self up to suggestion. John MacArthur says of this kind of music, “This is paganism. This is the Kundalini cult…This is what Hindus do.”
…I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. – 1 Corinthians 14:15
Besides the bad theology in much of the music’s lyrics, the bigger problem lies in the music itself. There is no question that Bethel Music exists to make money, and to promote their ideology, false signs and wonders, and the so-called ministry of their leaders. But the music they put out that has the appearance of holiness only serves to attract people to the blatantly unholy. Most people just assume that because Bethel Music and Jesus Culture are labeled “Christian music,” that it’s fine, but it isn’t. The music serves to marginalize God from true worship in truth and spirit (John 4:24), and promotes the singers, or even music itself as the object(s) of worship.
This is mainstream contemporary Christian music. It feeds the flesh and weakens our mission (Galatians 5:16). Bethel music, in its insatiable lust for more followers, is seeking to devour anyone who has itching ears (2 Tim 4:3). We are commanded in Scripture to avoid these false teachers, these workers of darkness who produce bad fruits, to have absolutely nothing to do with them, rather expose them (Eph 5:11). Christians need to turn from their fleshly desires of unholy worship and focus on that which is acceptable in the eyes of God, and what brings Him alone glory.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2
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The Dangers of Bethel, Redding, California
by Evangelist Tony Miano




SUPREME COURT'S "BAIT & SWITCH" ON LGBT "RIGHTS"


THE SUPREME COURT'S BAIT AND SWITCH
BY DAVE DAUBENMIRE
SEE: http://www.newswithviews.com/Daubenmire/dave465.htm;
republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

As many of you are aware Judge Roy Moore is directly in the sights of the Federal Judiciary again.
That’s right. But this time he is not alone. The Governor of North Carolina is fighting back. So is the state of Texas.
Judicial tyranny is breaking out all across America as Obama’s Justice Department is being used to “fundamentally transform” this nation. This transformation is being accomplished by the out-of-control oligarchy currently masquerading as a court system.
I have a stunner to share with you…but let me lay some ground work for you. “Transgender” restrooms are all of the rage in America today. In fact, they have become so important to the sexual deviants that it has now garnered the support of the Obama administration as they try to ram-rod sexual anarchy down the throats of mainstream America.
This fight is not about restrooms, although that is the avenue that they have chosen to drive their legal bulldozers down in their attempt to change the landscape of America. This sodomy-focused army is hell-bent on removing all sexual standards in this nation. Their blitzkrieg through the courts would rival the cultural destruction of Sherman’s march to the sea.
And it is built upon a lie...a Two-Card Monty…that would make even the world’s greatest magicians envious…and they have been able to pull it off in full view of the brain-dead American people.
Here is the skinny. Sodomy-based marriage is not now, nor has it ever been, legal. It is a lie. As I will show you in just a few sentences it is the all-time greatest legal sleight of hand ever pulled in any society…ever.
In 1996 the US Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and it was signed by President Clinton on September 21, codifying into law that marriage was a union of one man and one woman…ONLY. DOMA was the “law of the land” until it was “overturned” by the 5-4 SCOTUS United States v Windsor decision on June 26 2013.
One of the central arguments of Windsor was that regulation of marriage was in the sole jurisdiction of the STATES and thusly was not within the power of the Federal government. Because, SCOTUS ruled, marriage was an issue for the individual states to regulate there was no Federal “standing” permitting FEDERAL law to be written.
Did you get that? The SCOTUS in Windsor ruled 5-4 that marriage fell under the jurisdiction of the STATES and therefore out of the regulation of the US. Congress. Judges Kagan, Breyer, Kennedy, Sotomayor, and Ginsburg ruled in the majority. From 1996 through 2013 there was a FEDERAL law defining marriage as one man one woman only. Windsorstruck it down.
Fast forward to June 2015 when the landmark Obergefell case was decided by the same 5-4 majority than had ruled against marriage in 2013 citing the fact that marriage was under the jurisdiction of the STATES.
Here comes the bait-and-switch. In Obergefell SCOTUS used the power of the FEDERAL COURTS to “legalize same-sex marriage” by using the 14th Amendment’s “equal protection clause” to grant FEDERAL protection to homo-sexual marriage. The majority opinion was supported by the same five judges… Kagan, Breyer, Kennedy, Sotomayor, and Ginsburg…who two years early had overturned the FEDERAL LAW (DOMA) claiming marriage was a decision left up to the states to regulate.
Did you follow that? In 2013 the SCOTUS said marriage was a STATE issue. In 2015 SCOTUS determined marriage was a FEDERAL issue. The same five judges were the majority in both decisions.
Sodomy-based marriage became “legal” only through the bait and switch tactics of five corrupt judges on the SCOTUS. Courts CANNOT make law. The opinion of SCOTUS in both cases was bald-faced social engineering at its finest. In order to “fundamentally transform marriage” SCOTUS had to remove DOMA from the law-books. Once this was accomplished via their ruling in Windsor, the court cleared the deck for their companion ruling in Obergefell.
This is the greatest example of legal-gymnastics in the history of the world.
Please take 7 minutes to watch this fantastic video produced by attorney Jeff Cobble clearly exposing the fraud of the social engineering done by SCOTUS. It proves that the emperor has no clothes.
Judge Roy Moore is standing on solid ground. We must awaken Americans to the sham that five unelected judges have pulled on this nation. This is tyranny at its most egregious.
For greater study please visit DEFYTYRANTS.COM where the answer to judicial tyranny is further explained.
In addition, this website is just choc full of goodies!!
Daylight is burning. We must awaken this nation!!
The Courts CANNOT MAKE LAW. It is time for the STATES to reclaim their sovereignty.
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DOMA vs Obergefell by Attorney Jeffrey Cobble
Published on Dec 11, 2015
Attorney Jeffrey Cobble pits DOMA against Obergefell duting the Tennessee Defy Tyrants Volunteer Training Session in Nashville, TN. For information visit http://courtscannotmakelaws.com/tn/

CORRUPT SUPREME COURT PRACTICING TYRANNY BY MAKING LAW TO ADVANCE THE LIBERAL SOCIALIST GLOBALIST AGENDA

PATRICK HENRY: "GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH"