
ARCHIVED NEWS REPORTS
Third News Update of 1998
Welcome to the "summer" news update, though how anyone in the UK
can truthfully call this "summer" is beyond me! Here we are, nearly at
"midsummer" (June 21st) and so far we have had two weeks of warm
weather. The rest of the time it's been dark, gloomy, cold, wet and thoroughly
miserable here in Britain. (Nothing new there, then.)
The weather forecasters on TV are growing ever more apologetic in their
delivery of the weather. You can almost feel them cringe as they predict another
few days of heavy rain, gales and bitter cold. They put on a false smile and
tell us, things may be better soon. That can't be right - with the Cricket
season upon us, and Wimbledon round the corner, it's bound to be cold and wet
for a few more weeks!
Excuse my diatribe about the weather. But it all adds to the pressure, and
if my antennae serve me correctly I sense a lot of pressure amongst true
believers.
The word that comes to mind more often than not, and the word that keeps
being repeated in letters and e-mails is ISOLATION.
Believers feel isolated and alone. They refuse to
compromise, so they come out of churches where they are either being fed false
doctrines, or abused in various ways by heavy shepherding, and they find
themselves on the shelf. This seems hard to bear, on top of the insults and
(yes) lies that have been aimed at them beforehand.
Somehow, when a Christian obeys the voice of the Lord and makes the serious
step of leaving their church, he or she expects an immediate blessing in the
form of good fellowship. Instead however, there is no fellowship, and an even
harder battle against reviling, rejection and misunderstanding. The criticism,
the charges of "rebellion", the worries of friends and family often
make the pressure unbearable, and the poor hapless Christian is driven to join a
local church (however unsuitable) just for the sake of peace. Is this the right
choice? What is God saying to us?
I don't pretend to have all the answers. I can only speak as a Christian
myself, and one who is in much the same position, enduring all the same
pressures. Like many of you, I don't really understand why it's not possible to
have consistent, regular Christian fellowship, or to find a good local church.
Those who ARE blessed with these things are in the minority, but for many (if
not most) genuine, discerning, uncompromising believers, the path is a barren
one at present.
Is this due to our disobedience, our lack of faith, our inability to get on
with others - and all those other things people say? Or is it (as I believe) a
test of endurance rather like the sojourn through the Wilderness. Is it that God
is preparing us to withstand the forces of evil, and "having done all, to
stand."
I believe that some are being chosen by God to endure testing, isolation,
reviling and pressure, so that they might forsake everything based on human
strength, and trust in God alone. These are the ones who are "praying
through" as the saying goes. These are the ones who are seeking God daily
in prayer and studying the Word.
In isolation is where the "rubber hits the road", and if anything
like a Christian life is to be maintained, it's going to be at the expense of
luxuries like musical entertainment, social gatherings, chatter, gossip, circles
of friends, led worship and all the other easy pleasantries of church life - not
that there isn't a more serious side of being involved in a Church, but it has
to be admitted that the level of commitment and sacrifices to be made are
nothing like those demanded of an isolated believer.
Now - am I encouraging people to leave their churches?
This accusation is sometimes made, and I must say it's often made by those who
feel threatened by isolation. But nothing could be further from the truth. If
there were good sound fellowships, I would be the first to encourage Christians
to belong, and to take a full part. Each and every church I ever joined (and
it's been a good number, because we have moved house so often) I have given of
my all, getting involved up to the hilt. Only when I encountered persistent
false teaching did I leave - and then, only after a lot of prayer. So I
recognize it is not a step to take lightly. I also recognize the need for
discipline and obedience to our elders, and many young people need to be guided
in their Christian walk, so they need to be under a firm hand in a Church.
But I also have to recognise the current situation. I cannot wish churches
out of the air. We look around, and what do we see? Restoration fellowships
following after revivalism, manifestations, and post-millennial triumphalism; we
see liberal, ecumenistic denominations who know nothing of the endtimes or the
dangers we all face; we see rigid dour legalistic churches whose aim seems only
to stay in the rut they created for themselves somewhere in the last century,
and we see men and women who think themselves to be apostles and leaders setting
up fellowships for their deluded sheep-like followers, being led down all sorts
of crazy paths. Can we support any of this? NO.
The alternative for many, who care about truth, and who seek biblical
fellowship, is to stick with the one or two friends they know and trust, and
meet up with others when they can (at occasional national conferences, for
instance.).
Surprisingly (or perhaps not!) many who go it alone in this way end up
feeling liberated, fresh and spiritually alive, and find they have a greater
love of God than ever before. In being driven to Bible study by themselves,
and for themselves, they find much more delight and relevance in the Word
of God than they ever did "at church". And the one-to-one fellowship
they enjoy over the phone or chatting in the kitchen is richer and more
meaningful than anything they knew sitting in the pew on a Sunday. Is
this God's will, do you think? Take a guess!
While, on paper, it's easy for some to justify the concept of church, we
must also face facts and see that today's church system is falling apart. There
are many reasons for this, and one of them is that what we call "church"
is a far cry from what the Lord intended for it to be. Nonetheless, we would all
have continued to be a part of it, had false teaching and replacementism, and
cessationism, and restorationism and ecumenism and a whole host of other "isms"
not squeezed us out of that system.
By and large, the leaders we once trusted have let us down, the friends we
once knew have gone chasing after the butterflies of the "love doctrine",
and the churches we once attended are now just a shadow of their former selves.
We have to wake up and face facts.
So - what about isolation? What is God doing with us? I
had a quick look through the Bible for the meaning of isolation and I came up
with much that was interesting. Each time God sent his people or his prophets
into isolation, it was with the express purpose of PREPARING them for the coming
battle (and the blessing to follow.)
Joseph was betrayed by his own family, left in a pit, forced into
slavery in a foreign land, and given up for dead, before becoming an instrument
of blessing in God's hands
Moses's intentions for good were misunderstood and as a result he
had to flee, and was separated from his people for many years, until called back
into service (to deliver God's Chosen from Egypt.)
Joshua had to travel through a barren wilderness before becoming the
leader of his people, taking them into the Promised Land.
Naomi endured life in an alien culture, the loss of her husband and
sons, and called herself "Mara" [bitterness] because "The Lord
has afflicted me" (Ruth 1:21) before seeing her fortunes restored and
becoming the grandmother of Obed, one of the ancestors of Jesus in the flesh.
David was forced into hiding by king Saul, and led a nomadic
existence for many years, in the wilderness, in caves and hiding places, under
constant attack by his enemies, before he returned and was crowned as king. The
strength he gained during that time, the wisdom he found, and his relationship
with God made him Israel's greatest king.
Elijah went into the wilderness, in suicidal despair, and told God "I
alone am left..." before God sent him out to anoint the future king of
Israel.
I could continue and speak of Job, Jeremiah, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Paul
and many others who found that the way to blessing, service and fruitfulness
led through a wilderness. Almost every true servant of God has endured rejection
and has been set aside in loneliness (and even despair) for a season. Now that
appears to be happening to the believing remnant as a whole. We should not be
surprised. It is a biblical pattern.
Furthermore, when God was about to deal with the rebellious, he SEPARATED
those who were innocent:
And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all
the congregation. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Separate
yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a
moment. ( Num 16:19-21)
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith
the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be
a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord
Almighty. [.2 Cor 6:17-18]
Much of this has been said already, and I don't want to go over old ground.
However, I thought it right to preface the rest of this news update, which has
the same subject - isolation.
This particular news update is from a recent
circulation, sent by post to the names on my Support Group mailing list.
NB: The Support Group mailing list is not a regular list for news
updates or newsletters. Indeed, this is the first mailing I have sent since late
1996. The Support Group is simply a register of former "Mainstream"
recipients who registered an interest in remaining in touch with me after "Mainstream"
ceased to exist.
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Dear Supporters,
FLOGGING A DEAD HORSE
Now that the deception has well and truly arrived, there is little need to
continually go over old ground. Those who have paid heed to the warnings already
perceive the endtimes delusion, and are keeping away from false teachings,
whatever form they may take. There is no need to flog it to death.
Nothing whatever has persuaded me that my decision at the end of 1996 to
bring Mainstream to an end was wrong. Indeed, I have had many confirmations of
the wisdom of that decision. As I suspected, nothing truly new has come along
needing expert research; it's now just "more of the same".
In addition, my prediction in my final Mainstream letter was that Watchman
Ministries would begin to recede, fail, or be removed by the Lord. That has
been happening! Their day is drawing to a close, and to continue artificially,
out of the Lord's will, would only add to the problem of "itching ears"
whereby people seek after an endless supply of titillating gossip and
information, really, for the sake of the information itself. It would also
continue to present MEN and MINISTRIES as a prop for the weak.
More information is NOT the answer to our need today. We must learn to look
away from men and newsletters and ministries and begin to see God as our only
hope of survival - knowing God, hearing from God and trusting in God alone.
AN AMAZING COINCIDENCE
Just as I was typing this, the phone rang. It was some-body who, in the
course of conversation, mentioned how blessed she had been by a description in a
very old book about the growth and harvest of the olive.
As she spoke, my heart rejoiced! How good is the Lord, for she was repeating
to me, word for word, all the things I wanted to share with you in this letter!
WHAT a confirmation.
Furthermore, I have this very book myself! I went to a bookshelf I don't
normally use, and lo and behold, there it was. I took it down, blew the dust
off, and opened it to the page she had been describing only a few minutes
before. And here (condensed) is part of what it contains:
The Harvest of the Olives: (Isaiah 17:6/Isa
24:10-15)
In early autumn, the ripened berries fall off the tree or are shaken by the
wind onto the ground. There they lie, under the eye of a Watchman appointed to
guard them, until the governor makes a decree: "go forth and gather".
Then the owners of the trees are permitted to gather their own olives.
In November, as the winter rains begin, there comes the final, general,
proclamation and all the countryfolk come to gather. Now the watchmen are
removed, and the olives are unguarded. The olive trees are SHAKEN by all and
sundry to make the last berries fall.
Finally, in worsening weather, the poorest come to glean whatever remains.
I cannot help but make some comparisons to our pre-sent situation. I see the
ripened olives, the Remnant Christians, falling away from their church "trees"
- this is the ongoing process of separation and isolation.
The first separation is a natural and Godly one, where the olives separate
themselves, having become fully ripe, or they are separated from the tree by the
wind (Holy Spirit.) Watchmen are appointed to guard these precious ones, and
ensure they are safely gathered by their owners.
However, some olives are yet on the branches. Now the watchmen are removed,
and these olives have to be violently SHAKEN and BEATEN to loosen their hold on
the tree. They may end up in their owner's baskets, but they may not, because
it's a free-for-all.
The analogy is clear I believe. If anyone is still ignoring the warnings,
failing to "take heed" and clinging to false security (men,
ministries, leadership, other people, churches, doctrines or anything apart from
God and His Word) then God will permit a second "shaking" to beat them
down off the trees. However, in the absence of watchmen, they are more
vulnerable at this stage, and could be plucked up by anyone passing by.
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God has been steadily warning us to separate from error, to build upon His
word, to stop depending on others. The "wake-up" call has gone out. He
has commanded us to "watch and pray". He has shown us the SAND on
which we were building, and encouraged us to build our houses upon the solid
ROCK.
I worry about anyone who is still resisting the Lord's call. Some are still
heedless, careless, unprepared. Some still scoff at the watchmen, or see no need
to make preparations in their lives. Some still place their trust in men instead
of God. (There is a place for ministries, churches and friends, but NOT as
crutches, or a substitute for God.)
Despite everything the Lord has told us about the dangers of dependency,
many are still hungering after "somewhere to go" - no matter what -
and are opening themselves up to all kinds of aberrant teachings, or simply to
the will and opinions and ego of MAN.
Rebellious people generally end up forcing God to give them exactly what
they want! And that is the worst judgement of all. What if the Lord permits the
"empire-builders" to prevail, and to skim off anyone intent on
following men?
Take out your bibles and look at 1 Sam 8, verses 4-22. Those who demand a
leader will get one - and note the result.
What if the Lord allows a man or a ministry to arise in this country with an
enormous popular following - somebody who IS biblically sound, NOT into false
revival, NOT restorationist (in fact, opposing these things.) Somebody who has
all the hallmarks of a man of God, whose ministry nobody can fault?
What if God permits this man to go to the olive grove and shake the trees.
How many unguarded olives will he gather into his basket? My guess is - quite a
lot!!
And this situation would come about in the absence of clear warnings from
the watchmen, and accompanied by shouts of approval and loud applause from the
great majority of national figureheads. (People we trust.) Precisely WHO would
see the dangers, then? Such a man, such a ministry, would decimate the Remnant
church and suck out of it anybody still trusting in man instead of God.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
You may already be thinking, what would be the danger, if this man/ministry
is biblically sound? Several dangers present themselves to me, and would present
themselves to anyone with spiritual discernment who is living close to God.
1) No large and popular ministry could arise at such a time as this without
being in disobedience to the will of God. God is weaning his Remnant off the
large prominent national/international ministries.
2) Empire-building is always wrong - it is the very act of organising people
and utilising them for popular support of a "movement" or "vision"
that is wrong - whatever the core belief system of that group. God calls those
in his Body to service TO that Body, as a whole, and the message is one of
relevance to all (even though in a particular field of expertise or gifting.)
But empire-builders recruit followers of one man's "vision" or "revelation",
making that vision the central focus of their teaching, and creating ministry
clones who all adopt the same vision and teaching.
3) Any closely knit group, movement or organisation that depends on
leadership "from the top" is more open to mass deception, if things go
wrong. . Ever since the dawn of history, men and women have grouped around a
guru, an adept, a psychic, a sharman, a priest or a prince. In that way, they
adopted that person's teachings for good or ill. God knew of man's desire to be
led, so he left instructions that, in God's Church, it should not be that way.
Almost all cults have begun through the inspiration of one "charismatic"
leader who then abused the trust of his supporters, and led them astray. We
avoid this by refusing to set one man or woman on a pedestal of exalted
leadership over us.
4) There are heretical groups who desire to promote a "cell-church"
system with a form of "body-ministry" and they could reap a harvest of
weak-willed Remnant Christians for their vision. Cell churches are often
confused with "house churches" but they differ. Strictly speaking, the
cell-church system is allied to the Latter Rain groups. It was openly promoted
in the 1990's by the Kansas City Prophets, and depends upon the leadership of
the "new-breed" of apostles and prophets. There are also other groups
out there whose appeal lies in their supposed acceptance of loosely-knit,
informal house fellowships. Not all of these groups are biblically sound, and
many have a hidden agenda.
5) Alternatively, a "new" denomination or group (however sound)
might perpetuate the old system of priestly dominion. Believers would be taught
that they NEED modern-day apostles and prophets to guide them, that they are
incapable of understanding the bible for themselves. It is not enough to avoid
error within the classic denominations and churches. The very concept of
priestly dominion must be rejected. The respect of elders in the Body is one
thing. It's quite another to be told that you can't make decisions, hear the
voice of God or understand the Bible without the help of a mentor, shepherd,
covering, anointed leader, biblical scholar or somebody with a degree and
letters after his name.
6) Some groups and leaders today firmly believe that God cannot act outside
of churches, and that anyone finding fellowship outside the membership of a
local church is in rebellion and out of the will of God. They seem to worship "churches"
more than God or His Word. They have a strange kind of fear of being "outside
the camp", as if anyone found outside of a church building is bound to fall
away from the faith. These groups and leaders encourage all they meet to GO BACK
into the system, rejoin the churches they had abandoned, and submit themselves
all over again to pastors and elders, for the sake of "being under
authority". They can be very intimidating.
7) If people are intimidated in this way, God's ongoing process of
individual discernment and dependence on the Word will be sabotaged in favour of
a group mentality, where people are afraid to disagree or be different.
8) God's choice of minister (the hidden, humble, obedient ones) who are at
this moment "in training" would never come into their calling, if this
process is sabotaged. They would become pew-warmers again, subservient to man's
choice of leadership.
Let us pray this situation does not arise - but what if it does? What if a
man or ministry does come along? In my opinion, many would toddle after it like
little ducklings, glad to be done with isolation.
Seeking to avoid the hardships of the "wilderness", they would in
effect set up a Golden Calf and miss God's plan for blessing. All for
the love of leadership and security!
What a subtle test for the Remnant! The only ones who would resist are the
few "foolish" dissenters who don't want to throw themselves at the
feet of any man, and are content to go on with God alone, totally isolated and
without any fellowship if necessary! (i.e. those "outside the camp".
[See Exod 33:7 and Heb 13:11-14])
NO REMEDY LEFT
If you still haven't made up your mind, then you need to read what God says
in 2 Chronicles 36, verses 14-16. The Lord God sent warning after warning, but "they
mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets,
until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, UNTIL THERE WAS NO REMEDY".
If you are still undecided, I would say - don't leave it too late. If you
are still on the "tree", don't wait for the day of "shaking".
Act now, forsake all that is of man - including promises of revival, social
transformation and bringing in the kingdom - and make God your only refuge in
these dangerous days.
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WHAT'S NEXT ON THE AGENDA FOR US ALL?
What indeed will the next months bring? We in England are also wondering
that, as Tony Blair our smiley left-wing Prime Minister, bows his neck to the
federalist Eurocrats and gives away yet more of our British sovereignty. His
latest announcements, at the Cardiff EU summit meeting, show his growing
subservience to the invisible powers of the New World Order. He cheerfully
predicted the abandonment of our veto powers, to allow yet more European
policies to take precedence over our British Government, and suggested we would
be using the European currency by 2002.
On the issue of European currency (something he admits the British public
hates, and which even his own ministers have warned against) Blair seems to have
capitulated under some kind of threat of economic collapse due to the
instability of the Asian money markets. It is tempting to see this about-face
coming as a result of the recent G8 and Bilderberg meetings that often decide
world policies.
We could picture the scene as a doomsday picture of imminent financial chaos
is presented to the assembled heads of state at these secretive meetings. After
predicting the worst kind of economic disaster, the speakers then suggest the
answer: to underpin what Blair now calls the "twin pillars" of
economic stability, the American and united European banking systems.
Ignoring the fact that these "twin pillars" have been responsible
for more financial chaos than we can shake a stick at, Blair now turns his back
on Japan's troubles and those of Eastern Asia, and tells us to adopt a united
European currency as the answer to all our problems! Truly, deception and
delusion ride rampant over the Governments of our world!
We have to remember that NWO politics is run along the lines of the Hegelian principle;
that two equal opposites produce a third option. Several years ago, ordinary
democratic right-wing policies began to be attacked and presented to us
as an evil, imperialist, capitalist plot. To counter this supposed "threat"
we saw the world-wide introduction of left-wing political correctness. Now
that movement, too, has run its course and the media is beginning to deride
new-age rainbow policies as equally invalid for the world we really want.
Maybe these things have been permitted in order to create a disgust so great
that people will readily accept the alternative?
The third option, however, is by far the worst. It is the road to
dictatorship.
Post-War Germany is our Example
Consider the political and financial chaos of Germany after the first world
war - a situation that has echoes in today's world scene. Berlin was overrun by
communist agitators, Bavaria became almost a socialist republic, Russian
refugees swarmed into the country and terrified the German middle-classes with
their stories of Bolshevik atrocities against the bourgeoisie.
The social order seemed about to collapse. There were no strong leaders in
Government. Germany had to pay crippling war reparations and saw her army
reduced almost to nothing. Unemployment was rife, people were starving, sleeping
in the streets. Stories circulated (fuelled also by the evil "Protocols of
Zion" forgery) that greedy plotting Jewish bankers were responsible for
Germany's defeat and losses.
Into this chaos stepped a nationalist saviour who tapped into Germany's
pride and patriotism, and their fears for the future. He correctly identified
the German disgust with bolshevism, and their anxiety to preserve their
way-of-life. He gave them answers for their economic woes. He attacked crime; he
denounced the social vices of idleness, prostitution and homosexuality that were
sapping German national strength; he praised hard work, purity, family values
and morality.
Yes, this was Hitler - who presented the Germans with a plan for health, and
national pride, and economic and political recovery. He encouraged the Germans
to blame the bogeyman (the Jews) for all their ills and to resent the Jews'
affluence and success.
As a reaction to bolshevism, there was a swing to the right-wing,
and thus an extreme Nationalist party - the coming NAZI party - gained popular
support in a way that surprised and amazed everyone. It was just the perfect
time for Hitler to arise. The people were hemmed in on every side, fearful and
furious, and here was a man who stood up and spoke out for the masses. They
worshipped him
We are told that history always repeats itself. Perhaps that is because we
never learn from our mistakes! Also, it's because satan has for thousands of
years been trying to organise a popular revolution that would put him back in
power. Now we know from scripture that his day will come - and may be coming
sooner than we imagine.
Almost all of the historical figures that we recognise as fore-runners of
the antichrist are nationalistic right-wing "saviours" of their
people. That is how they rise to power.
If the time has come for the introduction of reactionary right-wing leaders,
then perhaps it is time for the introduction of the final antichrist.
All decent people are tired of crime, immorality, new-age lunacy and weak
government. As a reaction, could they (and could WE) fall for the Hitler
plan? Could we worship a new popular champion, who turns out to be the
devil incarnate?
Beware, my friends. "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an
hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." (Matt 24:44 44)
A circular recently issued by "Pray For Revival" organisation
(Birmingham, UK) illustrates the trend towards the unity of all groups
interested in global revival.
They report that team members Pauline Cole, Di Dunnett and Paul Miller have
"just returned from the leaders' conference in Brownsville, Pensacola,
and are inspiring us with reports of all that God is doing in the revival."
They also report on their project for a World Prayer Centre, hoping
to submit a planning application on a piece of land near to Birmingham in the
Autumn. This Prayer Centre would bring together many organisations involved in
world evangelisation. The Centre will "send and receive Kingdom information
to and from every corner of the globe.." Pray for Revival organisation has "regular
contacts" with "our friends in Colorado Springs who plan to open their
World Prayer Centre in September".
The Colorado Prayer Centre is one part of a simply huge global "christian"
network now incorporating almost all national and international ministries and
organisations. Denver and Colorado now houses around 90percent of the
multi-national networking organisations, and it is growing like a dark stain
over the face of the earth. The World Prayer Centre in the grounds of New Life
Church (Ted Haggard) in Colorado Springs, houses three strategic ministries:
Sentinel (George Otis), Global Harvest (Peter Wagner) and Christian Information
Network (Ted Haggard). Peter Wagner is also head of the "United Prayer
Track" of AD2000.
Peter Wagner said that God had selected Colorado Springs and "anointed
this city as a global evangelistic communications centre for the 21st century".
Odd then, that new-agers Maurice Strong and his kooky wife Hanne, also chose the
same area for its supernatural powers and vibrations, and established a
community of all kinds of wacky individuals and groups on land in the Baca
Grande. Ask any Christian in that area and they will tell you Denver and
environs is a centre for occult activity, rather like England's Glastonbury or
Avebury. Why would Peter Wagner feel that God had "anointed this city"
- unless perhaps he's heard the voice of the wrong god?
As for global Christian networking, one example perhaps illustrates what is
going on. In 1996, the members of the Prayer Centre plus a long list of other
like-minded ministers hosted a "Post-Denominational Symposium". The
thinking is that we have now gone beyond denominations and should be a World
Church. Peter Wagner called it "historic" and said "nothing like
this has ever happened before". (Er - somebody tell Wagner about the
pre-reformation Roman Catholic church, please!)
Another leader, Larry Stockstill, stated "at last the leaders of
the "streams" will combine to form a river of revelation for growth
and missions worldwide."
Ed Delph, who has organised a networks called N.A.T.I.O.N.S, (Networking
Apostolic Thrust Internationally or Nationally) and who worked closely with the
leaders at the Post-Denominational Symposium, likens this coming together of the
streams as the fulfillment of Ezekiel's vision of the River of God that flows
from the Restored Temple. (Ezek 47).
Delph wants to "release apostolic ministry to the world" and one
of his spokesmen claims that "the networking of key leaders is
essential to the reaching of the nations...". Another says that "NATIONS
is a vision for bringing spiritual fathers and apostles together, as the
synergism of Networking makes each part greater, and it makes the whole greater."
One spokesman claims that Delph is opening doors to the global church - and
it is a global church that is on the agenda of most revivalists today.
One has to admire the faith and tenacity of those who believe the whole
world can be christianised by such methods. I am reminded of a recent Peter
Wagner AD2000 meeting where the members of that organisation continued to affirm
their belief that every people-group in the world will have local churches by
the year 2000. This is a fantastic piece of wishful-thinking, and it is born out
of the desire to see people adopt the Christian faith. Unfortunately for all of
us, the plan of a global harvest before the return of Christ is way off base,
scripturally, and also the evangelising committees have been crippled by
ecumenism and the wrong kind of spiritual warfare theories.
I am glad to report, by the way, that a book has appeared that tackles
this issue of spiritual warfare, and examines whether concepts like "spiritual
mapping" and "territorial spirits" are truly scriptural. (They
are not!). I have not read the book myself, so cannot vouch for everything is
says. However, the reviews suggest it exposes modern spiritual warfare as
unbiblical, thus it might be a useful addition to your bookshelf. The book is
"Territorial Spirits and World Evangelism" by Chuck Lowe, a
lecturer in Singapore Bible College. Published by OMF International/Mentor.
There are a lot of good-hearted people caught up in this web of deception.
Please pray that these people will, somehow, wake up to reality before it's too
late.
It would be a good thing, also, to pray that we stay awake, and are
not caught napping at this most important time in history. Events may (as Jesus
indicated) happen suddenly and take us all by surprise. It's time to heed his
voice:
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh,
at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming
suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
(Mark 13:35-37 35)
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