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by Ingrid Schlueter

As a part of the job that I do in Christian radio, I have to fight my way through a blizzard of catalogs from Christian publishers across the nation. I also get a number of secular catalogs as well. There is one predominant theme now from both non-Christian and Christian publishers alike and it cannot be denied. That theme is spirituality and how to experience an authentic spiritual life.

The New Agers, or “transformational teachers”, as they now prefer to be called have books filled with the theme of finding personal peace through various methods. Five steps to this, ten steps to that. Each individual guru has his or her own path for you to follow that they claim will help you achieve “authentic” spirituality. Millions around the world are buying into each new offering from publishers who promise the ultimate spiritual answer.

It is no secret that like its secular counterpart, Christian publishing is largely a money-making business. Without a constant flow of new books that capture the imagination of the evangelical public, publishing houses would quickly grind to a halt. This reality, however, is often at odds with what is best for Christians in their spiritual lives. The publishing world and Christian media have created an array of celebrities who are looked to as spiritual experts upon whom we must depend to hear from God for our own lives. How many Sunday school classes today rely not on the Bible itself, but on the latest books about the Bible from the current raft of authors and teachers put forth from Zondervan, Nelson, Word, Intervarsity, and so forth? Many “Bible” classes today are taught by authors and celebrities on DVD, rather than a humble member of the church who has immersed himself in the Word of God.

Compounding this problem is often the content of the books themselves. One mainstream Christian book catalog I received offered all kinds of ways to find the right kind of spirituality. Here are some of the book titles they are promoting: The Path of Celtic Prayer: An Ancient Way to Everyday JoySpirituality Old & New: Recovering Authentic Spiritual LifeFlirting with Monasticism: Finding God on Ancient Paths (this is an evangelical publisher!), Fasting: Spiritual Freedom Beyond our AppetitesSpiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform UsSacred Rhythms: Arranging our Lives for Spiritual Transformation, and The Deeper Journey. Like the medieval Roman church prior to the Reformation, finding God and experiencing Him is accomplished through a variety of methods and practices, not opening His Word, the Bible.

The conservative Christian publishers are at times no better. Here are a few titles offered by a more conservative publishing house. 30 Days to Taming Your TongueThe Sassy Girl’s Checklist for LivingLoving and OvercomingTake Back Your LifePrayers for Emotional Wholeness30 Days to Taming Your Stress15 Minutes Alone with God. There are thousands upon thousands of books like this that hit the market every year, and enough people are buying them to keep Christian publishing a lucrative business. While some of these books may have good things to say about given problems in the lives of believers, the real question is this: If the Bible truly contains what we need for life and godliness, why are so many evangelical Christians seeing the Bible through the eyes of someone else? If the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth through His Word, than why are so many Christians looking for ten steps to freedom from this or that spiritual problem, or 30 days to being a better person? In short, why are billions of dollars a year going into supporting Christian publishing when we have the whole counsel of God in our hands?

Christians down through the centuries had nothing but the Scripture and their unquenchable faith in the Lord. They didn’t have the kind of celebrity media culture of today where we are told over and over that we need to buy this latest book or DVD to really understand how to encounter God. Yet those Christians of old were the ones who faced lions, fire, the sword, imprisonment, torture and the loss of every earthly comfort for the sake of the Gospel. How did they manage to do all of that without stacks of self-help books, guidance manuals and elaborate seminars on how to achieve real spirituality? The answer? They had something far more powerful than Christian publishing. They had the power of the Holy Ghost in their lives and utter confidence in what God had told them in His Word. That was enough.

This kind of deep Christian faith is not achieved by reading the Word through another’s eyes or adopting the practices or methods of the evangelical celebrity of the hour. It is discovered by delving into the vast riches of God’s Word for ourselves and by seeking God in earnest and prevailing prayer. It is astounding how we can spend our entire lives reading about the Bible, reading about a deeper spiritual life and a deeper relationship with Christ and yet never achieve it. Even those in ministry who are out fighting false doctrine and spiritual error can sadly fall prey to this. This kind of virtual Christianity is why our ministries and churches are so often full of carnality and flesh and lacking in spiritual power. Only a spiritual walk with God through daily immersion in His Word and faithful prayer will keep us from this state.

There is a place for solid Christian literature, without doubt. I have been greatly helped by the writings of faithful and godly men and women, past and present. But when the writings of others become the primarysource of our spiritual food, we are missing out on what God has to say to us through the Word, directly. There is also no substitute for time away from the noise and clamor of our commercial culture (that includes much of evangelicalism as well, sadly) and time with the Lord Himself.

Our souls are restless, as Augustine once wrote, until they rest in God. Our souls are hungry, and they are only satisfied when they are in fellowship with our Creator. That will not come by learning how to chant mantra prayers, or clutching prayer beads or burning candles or listening to some expert on “spiritual formation.” It will also not come by listening to every new emerging teacher to produce a DVD on the ultimate whiz bang way to encounter God or by reading yet another author’s take on what God has to say to us. The Scriptures tell us that He who has begun a good work in us will be faithful to complete it. (Phil. 1:6) That’s why our eyes need to be on the author and finisher of our faith, and not on the hot new release from profit-driven Christian publishing. The old gospel song says it best:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

and the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

in the light of His glory and grace.

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Abiding

Be Not Moved Away from the Hope of the Gospel [podcast]


“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

IF ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;” Colossians 1:23 

OSAS is a lie from hell. OSAS/eternal security was Satan’s first lie and so it’s blasphemy to teach this doctrine of devils (Gen 2:17; 3:4; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-39; 2 Peter 2:20-21; Jude 4, etc.).

The concept of an un-conditional eternal security is not established in Scripture …. except for it being Satan’s first teaching, his first lie – the “ye shall NOT surely die” lie (Genesis 2:17, 3:4).

Eternal Security/Once Saved Always Saved is a Doctrine of Devils | 100’s of Scripture-rich Edifying Podcasts here

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Conspiracy is Reality [podcast]

The Prophesied End Times Conspiracy of False Leaders [podcast]


“There is a CONSPIRACY of her prophets (apostate leaders) in the midst thereof” Ezekiel 22:25

One source notes the following concerning Ezekiel 22’s expose of how the false leaders conspire to betray God and the people.

In Ezekiel 22, the prophet condemns the systemic corruption of Jerusalem’s leaders. He specifically exposes a “conspiracy” among the false prophets who actively preyed on the people, perverted God’s law, and covered up the sins of the nation to enrich themselves.”

The following definition for “conspiracy” is found in the Webster’s 1828 dictionary:

“Conspiracy
n. [L. See Conspire.]

1. A combination of men for an evil purpose; an agreement between two or more persons, to commit some crime in concert; particularly, a combination to commit treason, or excite sedition or insurrection against the government of a state; a plot; as a conspiracy against the life of a king; a conspiracy against the government.

More than forty had made this conspiracy. Acts 23.

2. In law, an agreement between two or more persons, falsely and maliciously to indict, or procure to be indicted, an innocent person of felony.”

“Conspiracy” is a Bible word which in itself, due to God’s use of it, makes it a divine reality (Ezekiel 22:25-27). Denial changes nothing. The Bible even gives us a glimpse into a “conspiracy” that occurred in eternity past where Lucifer and a third of God’s angels conspired and rebelled against Him, only to be forever vanquished from His holy presence (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:  Revelation 12:4, 7-12).

To say there is not conspiracy is to reveal that the evil one has accomplished his work of deceiving us. To say there is no conspiracy is to say there is no evil or evil one and that he has no evil workers, that is, human agents who are under his power.

According to 2 John 10-11 we will be judged with evil doers if we condone, support them in any way. Also, a major truth of discerning is found in Ezekiel 22:25-27.

​Conspiracy is reality and is nothing new. Evil men have always conspired against God and His people (Ezekiel 22:25-27). Conspiracy began in eternity past in Heaven when lucifer/satan conspired against the Almighty, garnering a third of the angels to rebel in a conspiracy with him, against God (Revelation 12:4, 7-12). Those who want you to believe their lies are winning apparently. They are evil doers, agents of Satan, the first to conspire against the LORD and what is right. The FBI is the evil entity that invented the term “conspiracy theory” in order to cover the evils they do. Gullibility is not a virtue.

Interestingly, hatred for Christ and His saints even brings people together in a “conspiracy” who were previously enemies.

“And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.” Luke 23:12

In this case above, Pilate and Herod were brought together to betray the Messiah. Pilate, the ruler of the Jews, represents religion and Herod, the Roman ruler, represents the civil or civilian populace. The same is at hand today and will increase against Jesus and His people as the day of His blessed return nears.

All rulers, men and women in authority, who do not bow down and “kiss the Son,” will be utterly destroyed by the Ruler of all rulers (read Psalms 2).

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall PUNISH the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.” Isaiah 24:21

The LORD Jesus will return with unprecedented, holy violence against the wicked:

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelations 19:11-16

Jesus told us that Satan has come to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). So, if you are a true child of God, you are being conspired against due to being His child. The Bible says that wicked wolves “lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14). “Rejoice”!

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12

BIRDS OF A FEATHER TRULY DO FLOCK TOGETHER

The Bible clearly teaches that anyone who fellowships with, yokes with wolves IS one himself.

“Conspiracy” is not a theory but rather a divine revelation! “Conspiracy” is a divinely-given truth, a reality, and a fact of life:

“There is a CONSPIRACY of her prophets (apostate leaders) in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have DEVOURED SOULS; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. 26 Her priests (leaders) have violated my law (Word), and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. 27 Her princes (leaders) in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to DESTROY SOULS, to get dishonest gain (greed mongering hirelings).” Ezekiel 22:25-27

Conspiracy is a reality until Christ puts down all rebellion. Till then there will be men and devils conspiring against Jesus and His saints. Remember that wolves often travel in packs due to their cowardliness (Proverbs 28:1). The “the spirit of antichrist” possesses these wolves. “The spirit of antichrist” involves sinful men and Satan who are in rebellion against the Almighty (1John 4:1-3). The most insidious of these are those traitors in our very midst who pose as children of God and yet are tares, fruit-less apostates (Acts 20:27-31; Jude 1; 2 Peter 3, etc.).

Of these apostates, those who once knew God and have since departed from the faith and Christ, the Bible says that they are “crept in unawares (undetected)” (Jude 4).

“These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;” Jude 12

Was not our LORD Himself betrayed by an insider whom He had chosen?

Jesus promised us that as His return draws near, “the love of many shall wax cold” due to iniquity abounding in the earth and among those who claim to know Jesus yet don’t (Matthew 24:10-13).

David was constantly conspired against by the counsels of the wicked who plotted his destruction and out of whose vile hands the Almighty delivered him repeatedly. In fact, the book of Psalms records more specific data about conspiracy against the righteous than any other book in the canon of Holy Scripture. So often David, a man after God’s own heart, was pursued by the wicked doers of his day. Haman created hanging gallows to kill Mordecai and the Jews but the LORD had him hung on those very gallows. God will always get the last say! Paul was often conspired against by the Jews. At one place he had to be let down in a basket to escape the wrath of wicked men (Acts 9:25).

Those who are choosing to be on the LORD’s side have the LORD’s watch care and protection (Psalms 91).

“The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. ” Psalms 34:7

Those whom Christ has found and saved and are presently abiding in Him, are His sheep, and He will save them from His conspiring enemies and preserve them unto everlasting life. He will also preserve the wicked to eternally torment them, salting them to preserve their torment for ever (Mark 9:43-49).

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” 2 Peter 2:9

More here on the Wolf Conspiracy (category)

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Abiding

The Damning Myth of Unconditional Eternal Security! [podcast]


HELL Awaits!

SO YOU THINK YOU ARE ETERNALLY SECURE? WHO TOLD YOU THAT LIE? NOT GOD!

IT SIMPLY DOESN’T MATTER HOW POPULAR A PREACHER IS – IF HE’S TEACHING SATAN’S FIRST LIE THAT CAUSED THE FALL OF THE HUMAN RACE – OSAS/ETERNAL SECURITY – HE’S A FALSE TEACHER, AN AGENT OF SATAN (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). OF COURSE he’s popular – he’s not preaching the cross but rather excuses for sin against a Holy God! RUN from that devil!

You will be safe and eternally secure when you get to Heaven, not before.

ARE YOU enduring sound doctrine today or walking in lies? (2 Timothy 4:2-4)

There are not a few but rather “MANY adversaries”“For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are MANY adversaries.” (1 Corinthians 16:9) All born again believers who are presently abiding/remaining in Christ are exclusively going to be with Christ (John 15:6). All others are destined for irrevocable damnation in hell.

OSAS/eternal security is irrefutably Satan’s first lie and anyone teaching it is an agent of Satan Himself – Genesis 2:17; 3:4.

MOST Christians have been weakened in their resolve via Satan’s first lie which is peddled today under the clichés of OSAS (once saved always saved or eternal security). This unconditional security heresy removes the holy fear of God from the hearts of those who allow it and lowers their guard, always leading to sin. This is EXACTLY what happened to Adam and Eve when this doctrine of devils was introduced to them (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).

Remember that Satan is the first one to teach this eternal security lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). Now, who’s peddling this same lie today, other than Satan’s human agents?

More proof that false prophets teach unconditional eternal security/OSAS:

“They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace (eternal security); and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil (judgment) shall come upon you.” Jeremiah 23:17 

Satan and his false leaders are the only ones teaching OSAS as is clear from God’s Word (Genesis 2:17; 3:4; Jeremiah 23:17; Jude 4).

Concerning Satan’s OSAS/eternal security heresy, one sister testifies: “This doctrine almost sent me to hell, thinking I was on my way to heaven while living in sin. It’s repulsive and damning. It feeds the ego and wicked mind of man. It props him up for a great fall. It’s a deadly and hellish deception.”

The central reason people want to believe OSAS is that they simply do not want to truly repent and die to self.

Like it or not, if you are peddling Satan’s first lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4) – OSAS/eternal security – you are of him and not God. A false teacher is simply anyone who is teaching falsely.

IMAGINE THE TRUTH FOR JUST A MOMENT …..

The bowels of eternal damnation – hell – is chock full of eternally vanquished – irrevocably departed – consciously and forever suffering souls who once had the same opportunity you now temporarily have. There is no and will never be a release date from the incarceration of this righteous justice of the Almighty. Yet, even though many of those who now occupy hell got initially saved, they chose to deny Christ instead of self in their daily lives. They therefore ran out of fuel and like the 5 foolish virgins, had the door into the bridal chamber with Christ (the Bridegroom) shut on them! Read Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:1-13.

“For if AFTER they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are AGAIN entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, AFTER they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit AGAIN; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22 

MILLIONS now irrevocably occupy hell, horribly, consciously suffering with no end – ever. Many of these helpless tormented souls were in their earthly life saved by Christ and yet chose not to endure to the end, to abide – REMAIN – in Christ, and just as Jesus promised, were cast into the fires of eternal damnation (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; John 15:6). In fact, their sufferings are even worse than if they’d never known Christ (2 Peter 2:20-22). ANY person teaching an unconditional “eternal security” is a messenger of hell! Rebuke them sharply! (Titus 1:13) If they don’t repent, run! Expose them.

“Study to shew thyself (YOURSELF) approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

These are the foolish virgins of Jesus’ parable who chose to deny Christ for the cares and riches and pleasures of this fleeting world, to think about and coddle the false god of self …. Upon awaking in their mornings, they freely chose to read the paper, check Facebook and emails, watched the news, etc.  …. They freely chose not to fill their vessels with God’s Word ….. and they will never cease to suffer consciously for it….. the lake of fire lies ahead and so it’s just going to get worst! Revelation 20:11-15 … When a billion years of earth’s time have passed, not even 1 second will have expired from eternity’s time clock!!

Is it really worth it?

YOU are going to choose!

No one else can choose for you!

May the LORD Almighty figuratively dip your soul in the bowels of hell. May He shake you to the core of your being … before it’s too late!

RUN for your life from every so-called preacher who refuses to preach on the essential biblical doctrines of repentance, the daily cross, holiness, judgment to come, and hell – and the absolute necessity of enduring to the end after being saved (Jeremiah 23:17; Amos 9:10; Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Colossians 1:22-23; Hebrews 3:6m 12-14; 10:26-39; Revelation 2:26, etc.).

CHRIST said HIS work is finished, not yours (John 19:30). You are taking Christ’s words out of context. The ONE who died on the cross for your sins also commanded YOU to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him daily – and that’s what saving grace looks like (Luke 9:23-24).

“And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:” Revelation 2:26

OSAS is a scam teaching. The lascivious, “once saved always saved (OSAS)” and Calvinistic devils tell others that God requires nothing at all of them after He saves them. But that is clearly a false gospel, another gospel, and they are “accursed” for preaching it (Galatians 1:6-9). Ridiculous. In His Word the LORD gives us initial and ongoing personal responsibilities which if not met, one loses out (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; 25:1-13, etc.). Jesus commanded those He saves to “abide” –  to remain in Him to the end or perish (John 15:1-6).

“If a man abide (remain) not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (hell).” John 15:6

Many do not recognize that in Scripture there is

1. initial salvation and,

2. final salvation.

False teachers will tell you that you only need to get saved initially. Yet the Bible teaches initial and final salvation. Jesus told His own that only those among them who “endure to the end” will be saved into eternal glory (final salvation).

“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:10-13

False teachers teach that just because you’ve been initially saved, you are now judgment proof! This is exactly what the false leaders of Israel taught. They refuse to call people to true repentance and personal holiness and promise eternal life/security/peace to those living in sin (2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:25-27; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16).

Were the Gentile believers judgment proof?

“Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:20-22

Did the apostle Paul believe he was judgment proof?

“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Corinthians 9:27

There is no guarantee of unconditional eternal security given in God’s Word and in fact many clear truths which reveal one can “fall away” after being saved (Luke 8:13) or be “cut off” (Romans 11:20-22), or cast into the fires of hell if the believer doesn’t abide/remain in Christ (John 15:6).

“I have not yet figured out how anyone can preach the true Gospel without including the fact of hell that we are saved to escape! In this positive think world, hell has become a `negative` and thus avoided. But it is still a fact that has to be preached, to warn others not to go there.” Shirley Moose Filer

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Eternal Security/OSASAccounted Worthy to Escape [podcast] | Eternal Security Exposed | Sealed?The Return of Christ | SupportLie of the Ages [podcast]10 Questions about Eternal SecurityIs Salvation Eternal?The Damning Myth of Unconditional Eternal Security [podcast]The Essential of Fearing God | The KING is Coming [podcast] | Lie of the Ages (Blockbuster book exposing OSAS and calvinism)

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More on Hell here | OSAS/Eternal Security Exposed

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