New Age Religion: The Religion of the AntiChrist & the New World Order

[B3L13v3R]

17 hours ago, FresnoJoe said:

It Often Seems Strange To Me How So Many Beloved Men Of God

Can Kiss Off The Words Of The LORD

While They Seem To Desire To

Kick Out The Holy Ghost

So They Can Write

More Books

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16

 

FresnoJoe
Thank you my brother for teaching me with a handful of others here about the Old Testament and Israel.
A few links you have shared with me with your love of Israel and our conjoined abhorrence at the rising antisemitism that is once again spreading across the world.

These links you have shared with me in the past sell "books" and have "conferences" too my brother, and are likely not getting rich, any more than my brother Warren B. Smith is.
Hopefully they making a living, yes, but making a killing by the love of money, no.

Want a "free" look at the tract pamphlets "in there entirety" of Warren B. Smiths?
Click on any one of them here from the site you provided: http://warrenbsmith.com/booklets.htm
And read them in there entirety on the next opening page where it says:
"Click here to read the content of this Booklet Tract"
Perhaps read a few and show us doctrinally where they are outside of God's Word?
Should you like the pamphlets, they can be bought also.
Not many ministries do that these days that I'm aware of.
This publisher is one of two publishers of Warren B. Smith's work.
They are not making a killing as your words suggest, but a living, and getting out some much needed expounding on God's Word with the authors they publish for.

Weeping? Do you know he has not?

Have you read any of his books to determine if he has:
"Kiss (Kissed) Off The Words Of The LORD
While They Seem,
To Desire To Kick Out,
The Holy Ghost ,
So They Can Write More Books"

Do you KNOW he has done those things?
If not, does this not border on slander by your insinuating this?

In my reading of Warren Smiths books, I would say he believes in the both the natural and spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit, as outlined in the Bible.
The same way all of the Body of Christ should!

John 15:26  But when the Comforter (Holy Spirit) is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, (Father God) even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of Me:(Jesus Christ)
 
 -The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus Christ.  The Bible/Word represents Jesus Christ.
Anything the Holy Spirit speaks or does testifies of Jesus Christ and His Word the Bible, and Christ is always glorified.
Anything we hear or see done outside of the boundaries of that Word does not come from God,  no matter how good the words or works/manifestations seem to be!

[B3L13v3R]

Did anyone note in that 4 minute video on page 2 "Bill Johnson and the New Age" these few the statements?

Quoting from the 4 minute A Strom "Bill Johnson and the New Age" video in italics with a few thoughts and interjections following:

:49- 1:15 min mark
-A Strom stating: "What really concerns us (and me!) is whats going on behind the scenes at Bethel."
Snaps to Bethel youth on bus:
-"This is what a bunch of DRUNK Bethel students look like."
As they were all "drunk in the spirit(s)." They all appeared to all have at least a fifth of whiskey in them on that bus.
And God is glorified by this how?

-A. Strom stating: "All of this footage comes from within Bethel itself. Obviously as you can see their inter-spreading this drunkenness anointing just like the others we've looked at"
Camera scans as people lay around on the floor, one "oh my god,"(blasphemy of our Lord) possessed of spirits of drunkenness, moaning, mad cackling, and debauchery?
Can we honestly in light of Scripture show where we glorify God The Holy Spirit while looking like this?

-The scene of Mrs. Beni Johnson mentioning her (New Age) reflexology, or her the picture of herself that she put out lying down on a grave while "soaking on CS Lewis grave."
This is a form of necromancy. And it is found in the Word of God in a very bad sinful light...

-A Strom stating and showing accompanying pictures: "These are student from Bethel School of ministry and they've been photographed around the world lying on the graves of dead Christian leaders... Theres a teaching in some of these circles that you can soak up the anointing by lying on their graves."

-A Strom stating with picture of Bill Johnson: "Here's Bill Johnson himself at the grave of the wife of Smith Wigglesworth..."

-A Strom speaking with picture of the book The Physics of Heaven:
"In 2012 the Bethel crowd put out this book: "The Physics of Heaven" and the subtitle says it all. "Exploring god's Mysteries of Sound, Light, Energy, Vibrations, and Quantum Physics." Many Christian leaders when they read this book said "It was one of the most New Age things they'd ever seen."
The contents are unbelievable, just the chapter headings alone are proof enough. "Vibrating in Harmony with god," "The god Vibration," "Dolphin Therapy," Quantum mysticim"

Goes on to show a few more chapters in the book with a picture. Here they are:
13. Your Quantum Leap-David Van Koveringwith With sub chapters *Popping Qwiffs, **Mind Over Matter
14. A Whole Latta Shaking Going On. With sub chapters "Your Body is an Electromagnetic Field" & "Sensing Magnetic Field"
15. The Clarion Call -- Beni Johnson
16. Pulling Into Today --Bill Johnson

-A Strom: "This DEEPLY NEW AGE BOOK is still sold on the Bethel website to this day. After all, that's who it's come from."


Folks, I can find no reference to the Holy Spirit in the Bible having His people behaving drunk, hysterical laughing, twitching, jerking, eyes fluttering and rolling back in their head, screaming, slithering along the floor, laying all over each other on the floor, being thrown back violently, (and other times not so violently while being "slain") as being "The Holy Ghost."
I have personally seen this myself in other "churches," while not being a participant of this madness done in the name of The Holy Spirit.

A number of references of the same are in the Bible as people being possessed by evil spirits, NOT the Holy Spirit.

Bill Johnson and his Bethel church appears to be rather "huge," with quite a bit to sell.
At the time of this writing, the "Bethel Store" products page still had the wicked New Age book "The Physics of Heaven."
From their site:
"More About The Physics of Heaven
Read what some of the most beloved leaders in the Christian charismatic movement have to say as they explore the mysteries of God hidden in sound, light, vibrations, frequencies, energy, and quantum physics and they share their insights into how God may use these different expressions of creation to usher us into the fullness of Pentecost."
------------------------------
*Popping Qwiffs are:
As per the New Ager David Van Koevering:
"Superstrings are tiny donut shaped packets of energy that spin at a frequency - or sing as in a pitch.
None of this is real in this dimension because they exist only in a state of possibilities until someone observes them. Then, at that observation, the potential becomes a thing - a particle or a wave. This quantum wave collapse, caused by observation, is called popping a qwiff. This is your first step to taking a quantum leap. You can see or observe a God qwiff (something God shows you that is not yet real in this dimension) and, by observing or popping that qwiff, cause that potential to become your reality. Be careful what you see; you are going to get it! Be careful what you say; you will get that, too!"

**Mind Over Matter
Largely based on cultist "Christian Science" teachings founded by Mary Baker Eddy.
Her "mind over matter" heretic Gnostic gospel has made her and others in this corner large amounts of money.
More info on Christian Science:
https://carm.org/what-does-christian-science-teach
 

[other one]

42 minutes ago, B3L13v3R said:

Did anyone note in that 4 minute video on page 2 "Bill Johnson and the New Age" these few the statements?
 

Yes I did, and what I saw in the video's looked shockingly like the VooDoo dances I saw from people in Haiti back when I was involved in the occult.   That was back in the late 70's and 80's.   These people would dance themselves into a frenzy with the goal of being possessed by demons and letting them take over thier bodies.....   looked just the same as the Bethel video.

[other one]

12 minutes ago, Davida said:

It's the great spiritual deception...That video showing people spreading the so called "drunk or laughing anointing" this was the same thing that was in the Toronto Airport Church -it is all demonic & this has spread through the Charismatic Churches, it is all through Africa to by their missionaries.

Well, it could be, but there are other things coming, we will have to see how it all works out and fits together.  We must also keep in mind that "the" great deception is not from the devil.....   God himself sends it.

[FresnoJoe]

On 3/2/2016 at 7:09 PM, B3L13v3R said:

Do you KNOW he has done those things?
If not, does this not border on slander by your insinuating this?

Yes Beloved, You Are Spot On~! There Is Way Too Much Slandering In Christianity Today

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 timothy 3:12

So, Please Forgive Me. Others Are Doing Such A Great Job

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. Luke 6:26

There Is No Need For Me To Add To It

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Psalms 141:3

~

Pray For Worthy

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Song Of Solomon 2:4

Love, Your Brother Joe

[B3L13v3R]

10 hours ago, other one said:

Well, it could be, but there are other things coming, we will have to see how it all works out and fits together.  We must also keep in mind that "the" great deception is not from the devil.....   God himself sends it.

 

Agreed.

The main reason for this is they do not love the Truth, who is Jesus Christ, that they might be saved!


"Let no man deceive you by any means." We are indeed seeing a "falling away" these days.
Whoever the "man of sin/son of perdition" is, it seems nearly ripe for him to show up as "god."

I'm thankful that one day, the Lord shall take this same false god and "consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming"

False churches and cults today are in abundance with many forms of "the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders"

For those that are deceived and unrighteous and under the, "strong delusion" there is still hope for them while they're still breathing.

They need to repent and believe on the Only Savior who can set them free, Jesus Christ, and His infallible Word that they too can stand on.
If they should do so, they too can be saved!
Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners! 1Ti 1:15

If they do not embrace the Truth of Jesus Christ and His Word, the inevitable follows.
They will continue to believe in the God-sent "strong delusion," and be damned, believing in a lie that will send them to Hell.

Because they did not believe in the only Truth that could have saved them, and continue on in their unrighteousness/sins...

2Th 2:1-17
(1)  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
(2)  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
(3)  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(4)  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
(5)  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
(6)  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
(7)  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
(8)  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(9)  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
(10)  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(11)  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
(12)  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
(13)  But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
(14)  Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(15)  Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
(16)  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
(17)  Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

 

[Guest Thallasa]

On ‎01‎/‎03‎/‎2016 at 8:10 PM, Joshua-777 said:

The devil is doing a horrible job, he's leading people to Jesus. I have seen drug addicts give their lives to Jesus and become completely sober and passionate about the Gospel, I have seen demonized people who could barely sit through a service without it manifesting get completely delivered and free to worship Jesus. I have seen the mute speak, the deaf hear, tumors dissolve, aids healed and too many other things to even mention all leading to praise and glory for Jesus. I have seen leaders humble themselves to wash others feet, Churches work together in unity for the cause of the Gospel and real genuine love between believers and Churches. I have seen radical generosity that breaks people free to give. An example of this, many times when teams from Bethel come up they take offerings up for local ministries and not themselves.

You know by their fruit. The devil is the accuser of brethren, his fruit is accusation and slander and he loves to trash others ministries through well meaning believers. The fruit of Jesus is love, patience, kindness, gentleness, faith, self control, and passionate love for Jesus and one another.

Amen !!

[Guest Thallasa]

On ‎02‎/‎03‎/‎2016 at 2:09 AM, B3L13v3R said:

Underlining emphasis and some bolding mine.

Hope some read it and consider what the author is presenting.

------------------------------------------

The New Age Propensities of Bethel Church’s Bill Johnson
By John Lanagan

At that time I could not find a single Christian leader who shared a similar interest in finding out if there were truths hidden in the New Age. Now we are beginning to hear more and more revelation that is in line with what New Agers have been saying all along and we are hearing more and more teaching about Christians “taking back truths” from the New Age that really belong to citizens of the Kingdom of God.1—Ellyn Davis, co-author, The Physics of Heaven

In Redding, California, Bethel Church has become one of the largest evangelical churches in North America. Many people from around the world travel to Redding to attend the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, and C. Peter Wagner (“founder” of the New Apostolic Reformation movement) has called Bethel’s senior pastor, Bill Johnson, an “apostle.”

Given that title with claims on the church website that Bethel has a “global impact as a revival resource and equipping center,”2 it is expedient and responsible to examine Johnson and determine if he is indeed an apostle sent from God to the body of Christ.

The Physics of Heaven, a recent book Bill Johnson contributed to, and his personal assistant co-authored, reveals a very different picture than that of the apostles described in the Bible. It appears that rather than an apostle of God, Bill Johnson may be poised to serve as the vehicle that carries the New Age and quantum spirituality deep into the Body of Christ.

Being drawn to New Age ideas is not something new to Bethel’s leader. In a 2006 book titled Dreaming with God, Johnson writes, when referring to a practice associated with the New Age:

Many prominent pastors and conference speakers add fuel to the fire of fear by assuming that because the New Age promotes it, its origins must be from the devil. I find that form of reasoning weak at best. If we follow that line of thought we will continue to give the devil the tools that God has given us for success in life and ministry.3 (emphasis added)

Stop and think about what is being said here: “the tools that God has given us” somehow ended up in the New Age? How did that happen? And which tools is he talking about? Why would a professing Christian say something like this? New Age teaching is in total opposition to the Word of God. To suggest that New Age practices are really just hijacked Christian truths is utterly absurd.

Research analyst Ray Yungen explains the basis of New Age thought:

Everything that exists, seen or unseen, is made up of energy—tiny particles of vibrating energy, atoms, molecules, protons, etc. All is energy. That energy, they believe, is God, and therefore, all is God. They believe that since we are all part of this “God-energy,” then we, too, are God. God is not seen as a Being that dwells in heaven, but as the universe itself.4

Bill Johnson and Bethel Church exert significant influence in the body of Christ. And whatever path Bethel and its leaders travel is the path on which many will follow. We need to pay attention to what is happening here, using discernment and godly wisdom.

While Bill Johnson’s approach to prayer and worship and the extreme emphasis placed on signs and wonders has concerned many, it is the 2012 book titled The Physics of Heaven (in which Johnson is one of eleven contributors) that indicates the real direction Johnson and Bethel are heading.

In addition to Johnson’s own contribution to the book (one full chapter), his personal assistant, Judy Franklin, is a co-author; and the foreword of The Physics of Heaven is written by Kris Vallotton, Senior Associate leader at Bethel. Vallotton lauds the contributors as “seers.”5 Banning Liebscher, Director of Bethel’s Jesus Culture, adds his praise.6 Bill Johnson’s wife, Beni Johnson, also has a chapter in the book. With all that, The Physics of Heaven undeniably has the approval of Bethel’s leaders.

So what does The Physics of Heaven reveal?

The Next Move of God?
Ellyn Davis, one of the authors of The Physics of Heaven, says this:

[The contributors of the book] all agree that the next move of God will cause a shift at the deepest level of who we are—perhaps the very “vibrational level” that the New Age movement has been exploring. They also all agree that there are precious truths hidden in the New Age that belong to us as Christians and need to be extracted from the worthless.7

Contributor Jonathan Welton adds:

I have found throughout Scripture at least 75 examples of things that the New Age has counterfeited, such as having a spirit guide, trances, meditation, auras, power objects, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and more. These actually belong to the church, but they have been stolen and cleverly repackaged.8

Welton believes:

We need to begin to use [New Age] counterfeits as signposts. Every time a counterfeit shows up, take it as the Lord presenting you with an opportunity to reclaim . . . the Church’s stolen property.9

This is like taking a bottle with a “Poison!” warning on it and re-labeling it, “Honey.”
Contemplative prayer, which is essentially Eastern/New Age meditation disguised with Christian terminology, entered the church in just this manner.

Co-author Ellyn Davis asserts:

It wasn’t that I wanted to become a New Ager, I just wanted to find out if maybe they had uncovered some truths the church hadn’t.10

Davis then attempts to justify her position by claiming much of what she found “embodied biblical principles” and “could be backed up by Scripture.”11

In contrast to such a mindset, Scripture exhorts us:

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (Ephesians 5:11)

Compare Davis’ desire to sample New Age wisdom with the resolve of the newly saved Christians in Acts 19: These saints separated themselves from the occult; they did not peruse their occultic literature one last time in case there were some “truths” there. The unholy books were gathered and set on fire:

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. (Acts 19:19)

The action taken by these bold new believers caused the Gospel to spread.

So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. (Acts 19:20)

Lacking basic discernment about involvement with the New Age, co-author Davis, the Bethel Redding contingent, and the other contributors have rendered a great disservice to the Body of Christ. The Bethel contributors, in particular, can potentially do the most damage because of their popularity and high visibility.

Bill Johnson’s view of Scripture may give us a clue as to how he ended up being attracted to extra-biblical leanings. According to Johnson:
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.12

This is dangerous thinking. The Bible is our map. To go “beyond what we know” is to go beyond the parameters of Scripture.

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:103-105)

The Physics of Heaven, whether intentionally or unintentionally, serves to illustrate how the false church will form—or, more accurately, how it is forming. New Age practices will increasingly be welcomed into the Body of Christ. These practices will be presented as redeemed or Christian in origin. The church will be subverted—turned toward Eastern/New Age/Quantum mysticism. Language, terms, and trappings may even remain essentially “Christian”—but acceptance of the biblical Christ will diminish.

A Bridge to the New Age?
Bill Johnson has an interesting teaching about Christ that can be seen as a bridge between the two belief systems—New Age and biblical Christianity.

Johnson believes in a teaching called kenosis, an unorthodox heretical belief that the Incarnate Christ laid aside His divine attributes and walked the earth as a completely limited, human man.13 According to Johnson, Christ “performed miracles, wonders, and signs, as a man in right relationship to God . . . not as God. If He performed miracles because He was God, then they would be unobtainable for us. But if He did them as a man, I am responsible to pursue His lifestyle. Recapturing this simple truth changes everything.”14

In other words, Bill Johnson believes the miracles Jesus performed came about because He, as a man, and only as a man, had access to the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Johnson teaches that Christians should be capable of wondrous feats of healing and miracles due to our own relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Thus Johnson’s kenosis doctrine serves to reduce the biblical Christ and elevate man. As one apologist points out:

Jesus is no longer unique, but only a special enlightened one who could lead the way to many such enlightened ones in the future. Thus we have a New Age Christ.15

Kenosis comes from a faulty understanding of Philippians 2:7. It is proven false by the simple fact that Christ not only created the universe, but He holds it together. If Christ had given up His divine power and attributes and had operated only as a man until Resurrection, all creation would have come apart! (Colossians 1:17). Furthermore, when Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), He was making an emphatic statement to a claim to be both God and man—present tense!

A Second Pentecost and Quantum Vibrations
Bill Johnson further believes that select, end-times Christians will be endowed with great power to work miracles, healings, signs, and wonders. These super-powered Christians—the Elijah generation—will supposedly bring about an unprecedented revival. Johnson states:

[A] generation is now forming . . . that will walk in an anointing that has never been known by mankind before, including the disciples.16

In 2014, Johnson attended the Empowered 21 Conference, a gathering of Christians who are certain a “Second Pentecost” is coming by 2033.17 Through the influence of Bethel Church, the “apostles” of the New Apostolic Reformation, and others, a large portion of the church now believes there is a coming supernatural end-time event, an outpouring of great power.

This presumed event is not the rapture. As The Physics of Heaven co-author and Johnson’s personal assistant Judy Franklin states:

The greatest error we could ever commit is to think that this world is going to get so bad that He will snatch us out quickly before we all die.18

This is not . . . showing the world how powerful we are because God has given us His power.19

Many in this camp are dominionists. Their understanding is that Adam and Eve lost dominion of the earth to Satan, the resurrected Christ appointed the Church to take it back, and Christ either cannot or will not return until the Church has accomplished its task. If you have never found this theology in the Bible, it is because it is not there.

Dr. Orrel Steinkamp states:

This dominion mentality is conceived as a gigantic end-time revival that will sweep the whole earth in its wake. . . . An elite company of overcomers from out of the larger church will subdue all things and will be so endued with supernatural power that the first church apostles will be envious of the latter day apostles.20

Quantum Sounds?
In light of this, consider how The Physics of Heaven describes what God is supposedly going to bring about. A theme of the book is that God may somehow bestow incredible power on believers through vibrations/sounds/frequencies/energies, with “sound” mentioned a number of times throughout the book:

This book is just a precursor to the revelation that God is going to give us when He releases a new, transforming sound.21

We’re talking about 10 times the power that was released at Pentecost.22
The sound God desires to release will chase religion from the church and bring truth.23

[We] suspect God is up to something new—something that will transform us at the deepest level of who we are and will be ushered in by a new form of “sound” or “vibration.”24

This coming new sound . . . can change DNA so we are genetically growing up. Your genetics are the same as His was. Our genetics came out of the Father in our spirit. We are becoming like an instrument being tuned, where our genetics are getting aligned with the Father’s genetics, in harmony with Him.25

What if there really are “good vibrations” that God has imbedded into everything He created and we just need to be open to experiencing them?26

[W]e became interested in such weird and wonderful phenomena as energy, frequencies, vibrations, and quantum physics.27

What The Physics of Heaven is doing is turning God into more of a cosmic quantum force that permeates everything rather than a Creator who is separate from His creation as described in the Bible (e.g., Romans 1:25; Isaiah 42:8; 46:9). New Agers frequently talk about sounds and vibrations as signs of this “god” force. Occult “prophetess” Alice Bailey says:

[T]here is a group of human beings, integrating now . . . upon whom is laid the burden of leading humanity. They are starting movements that have in them the new vibration, they are saying things that are universal in their tone, they are enunciating principles that are cosmic.28

That the contributors believe those in the New Age may understand the manner in which an alleged “next move of God” might occur is chilling. Is it a coincidence that New Age leader Barbara Marx Hubbard also predicts a coming spiritual shift of great significance?

Hubbard forecasts the arrival of a “planetary Pentecost” that will mean “the divisions of the religions would be over.”29 She explains:

We would each know that God is within us. . . . If all who feel we are connected to each other, to nature and to God join in a planetary Pentecost, we shall be transformed in this lifetime. I believe in the peaceful second Coming.30

The false “christ” who communicated with Hubbard for decades revealed this Planetary Pentecost will instantly transform most humans (but not Christians and others who do not believe God is in everyone) into a spiritually evolved race.

What if the “next move of God”31 that The Physics of Heaven expects and the New Age “Planetary Pentecost” are the same event? Could it be that they are waiting for the same “christ” to perform this “vibrational” shift in humanity? Is this possible? Could this be the unholy deception we have been warned about in the Bible?

f any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matthew 24:23-24)

Former New Age follower Warren B. Smith warned of this years ago:

Expecting only revival and the return of the true Christ, will the Church be deceived by the one who will come in the name of Christ and pretend to be Him? Caught unawares, will the Church mistake the counterfeit Christ’s “Planetary Pentecost” for the great ‘move of God’ they had been told to expect?32

 Bethel and Contemplative Prayer
Some may be asking, what would cause an evangelical church to become receptive to New Age ideas and concepts? For Johnson and Bethel, as with so many Christian leaders and churches today, contemplative prayer has played a significant role in “conditioning” the people at Bethel to head in the New Age direction. There is much irony in suggesting, “[E]very time a counterfeit shows up, take it as the Lord presenting you with an opportunity to reclaim . . . the Church’s stolen property,”33 since this is how contemplative prayer snaked its way into the body of Christ in the first place.

Contemplative adherents, such as Richard Foster, have convinced Christians that Eastern and New Age meditation are actually counterfeits of the real deal (i.e., contemplative prayer). Contemplative prayer is presented as an ancient Christian tradition.

Yet, contemplative prayer is not prayer at all. It is essentially Eastern/New Age meditation thinly coated with Christian terminology. The goal in contemplative prayer is to stop the thinking process and to enter what is known as the silence. This is accomplished by repeating a word or phrase over and over (or focusing on the breath) until the word loses its meaning and the mind becomes void.

In this void—this silence—many wonderful deceptions can occur: spirit guides, ascendant masters, oneness, bliss, false “christs.” The deception that occurs through contemplative prayer destroys doctrinal soundness and ultimately even faith.

In comparison, when we are truly “meditating” on God’s Word, the mind remains active, and we ponder upon or think about the Word of God. Never do we try to cease active thought in order to empty our mind or as Ray Yungen says putting our mind into “neutral”34 so that God can supposedly fill it.

Where does Bethel stand with regard to contemplative prayer? There is ample evidence that Bethel has embraced it. For example, Bill Johnson’s wife, Beni, oversees Bethel’s prayer intercessors and Prayer House. In a book that Beni compiled, in a chapter she wrote on prayer titled, “Mystics, Mystical Experiences, and Contemplative Prayer” she says that the chapter is “dedicated to the mystics, the contemplatives, those now and those who have gone on before us.”35

Like all committed contemplatives, Beni believes, “When it comes to prayer and intercession, words are important but not necessary.”36

Practicing contemplative prayer changes how one understands spiritual things. Beni writes:

A thin place is where heaven and earth are close. It is easier to experience the spiritual realm in these places.37

As Roger Oakland explains in Faith Undone: the emerging church—a new reformation or an end-time deception, the term thin place “originated with Celtic spirituality (i.e., contemplative) and is in line with panentheism.”38 Beni believes Ashland, Oregon, parts of Ireland, and the New Age stronghold of Sedona, Arizona are thin places. She claims:

In contemplative prayer, you discover that the atmosphere around you becomes thin to the point that there is no division between Heaven and earth.39

Consider the following description of meditation by Bill Johnson:

Meditation has a quiet heart and a “directed” mind. Mulling a word over in our heart, with a pursuit that springs from the inquisitive child’s heart, is meditation.40

Ironically, just before the instruction about the repetitive use of a word (“Mulling a word over in our heart”), Johnson states:

Whereas religious cults teach people to empty their minds as the means of meditation, the Bible teaches us to fill our minds with God’s word.41

Johnson seemingly warns about emptying the mind and then directs how to accomplish that very thing!

Contemplative prayer has also been taught in a classroom setting at Bethel.

Bonnie Johnson’s class, “The Secret Place,” was for “Instruction and activation in meditation and contemplative prayer” with emphasis on Catholic mystic Bernard of Clairvaux.42 Her work, Union With God: A Study of Mystics, Meditation, & Miracles, is featured in Bethel’s online store.43

Bethel’s Alabaster Prayer House is open around the clock. According to the church website, “The Alabaster Prayer House and surrounding gardens are quiet and peaceful places to be in contemplative prayer and soaking.”44 Its purpose is for “people to encounter the presence of God.”45

This Prayer House is not described as a place for Bible study, or for supplication or devotions. It is intended to facilitate contemplative prayer, and contemplative prayer has, in turn, facilitated entrance into the New Age.

A Quantum Transformation
No doubt, Ellyn Davis and Judy Franklin chose The Physics of Heaven to be the title of their book because of their fascination with quantum physics and quantum mysticism. Davis notes:

Quantum Physics suggests that everything is “vibrations,”—fields of vibrating energy. However, quantum mysticism claims that even our thoughts and emotions give off vibrations or energies.46

Quantum spirituality or quantum mysticism is a spiritual interpretation, one might say, of quantum physics. New Age proponents embrace it because they feel it gives validity to their belief not only that all is interconnected energy, but that all is God. Thus we are all One. Everything is interconnected. Of course, if this were true, there would be no need for the Cross as a means of salvation for mankind.

Judy Franklin has come to believe that “if this world is actually going to be what it was created to be in the beginning, now that Jesus has redeemed everything we need to know what this power is, this ‘sea of quantum light’ that undergirds everything. And, more importantly, we need to know how to access it.”47

“If there weren’t some universal connectedness, why would God treat us as ‘all in Adam’ or ‘all in Christ?’” asks Ellyn Davis.48

But Warren Smith warns:

The New Age/New Spirituality is heralding quantum physics as a “scientific” basis for their contention that God is not only transcendent but also immanent—“in” everyone and everything.49

In The Physics of Heaven, it says that God’s “voice [is] filling every atom in the universe.”50 This is a kind of disguised view of panentheism and is what New Age teaches. For example, Matthew Fox, quoting Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, says that God is in “the tiniest atom.”51 New Agers teach that through quantum spirituality, man will realize his own divinity and will see that he embodies the “cosmic christ” (a christ-consciousness).

Annette Capps, daughter of the best-selling author and charismatic leader Charles Capps has been instrumental in introducing quantum spirituality to the church. In a booklet she wrote titled Quantum Faith, she states:

As I studied the theories of quantum physics, I was reminded of a prophecy given by my father . . . : “Some things which have required faith to believe will no longer require faith, for it will be proven to be scientific fact.”52

The definition and understanding of “God” is changing for many. This has been gradual but now is accelerating to the point where Bethel Redding’s movers and shakers (and others) are amenable to New Age “truths.”

God is not in all people. The Bible tells us only those who know Christ have God within:

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9)

God is not an impersonal energy force, and people are not “God” as part of this energy force. Quantum mysticism and the New Age are in total opposition to the Bible.

Whether Bill Johnson and other Bethel Redding leaders realize the ramifications of their actions or not, their participation in and approval of The Physics of Heaven begs the question: Does Bethel threaten to serve as a spearhead for synthesis of the sorcery-science of New Age/quantum mysticism into the Body of Christ?

Author Bio: John Lanagan is a researcher and writer. He writes about issues that are affecting believers and turning them away from the truth of God’s Word. You can read more of his work on his blog at: http://mywordlikefire.com. He resides with his wife in the Great Northwest.

Endnotes:

1. Ellyn Davis, The Physics of Heaven (Crossville, TN: Double Portion Publishing, Kindle Edition, 2013), Kindle location: 405.
2. Bethel Redding website, http://bethelredding.com/about.
3. Bill Johnson, Dreaming With God: Secrets to Redesigning Your World Through God’s Creative Flow (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image, 2006), p. 86.
4. Ray Yungen, For Many Shall Come In My Name (Eureka, MT: Lighthouse Trails Publishing, 2007), p. 17.
5. Kris Vallotton, The Physics of Heaven, op. cit., Kindle location: 96.
6. Ibid., Banning Liebscher, Kindle location: 85.
7. Ibid., Ellyn Davis, Kindle location: 447.
8. Ibid., Jonathan Welton, Kindle location: 808.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid., Ellyn Davis, Kindle location: 392
11. Ibid.
12. Bill Johnson, When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles (Shippensburg, PA., Destiny Image Publishers Inc., 2003, Kindle edition), p. 1113.
13. Kenosis, Christology, and Bill Johnson, Crosswise Blog, http://notunlikelee.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/kenosis-christology-and-bill-johnson-part-ii.
14. Bill Johnson, When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles, op. cit., Kindle location: 259.
15. Bob Dewaay, “An Invasion of Error” (Critical Issues Commentary, Issue 124 Jan.-Feb. 2013, http://www.cicministry.org/commentary/issue124.htm).
16. Bill Johnson, The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind: Access to a Life of Miracles (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers Inc., 2005, Kindle edition), Kindle location: 1959.
17. Chris Mitchell, “Spirit-Empowered Believers Praying For Second Pentecostal Outpouring” (Charisma, 4/1/14, http: empowered21.com/about).
18. Judy Franklin, The Physics of Heaven, op.cit., Kindle location: 202
19. Ibid., Kindle location: 203.
20. Dr. Orrel Steinkamp, “Assessing Current Teachings, Issues, And Events With Scripture: A Second Pentecost?” (http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/secondpentecost.html).
21. Judy Franklin, The Physics of Heaven, op. cit., Kindle location: 188.
22. Ibid., Bob Jones, Kindle location: 522.
23. Ibid., Ray Hughes, Kindle location: 1125.
24. Ibid., Ellyn Davis, Judy Franklin, Kindle location: 471.
25. Ibid., Bob Jones, Kindle location: 534.
26. Ibid., Ellyn Davis, Kindle location: 860.
27. Ibid., Ellyn Davis, Judy Franklin, Kindle location: 470.
28. Alice Bailey & Djwhal Khul, “The Labors of Hercules—Labor XII,” Lecture by A.A.B.—1936, (Caux, Switzerland: Netnews Association and/or its suppliers, 2002), http://www.netnews.org, http://laluni.helloyou.ws/netnews/bk/hercules/herc1062.html.
29. “Barbara Marx Hubbard and the Armageddon Alternative” Brooks Alexander, SPC Vol. 19:2/3, 1995, p. 49.
30. Ibid.
31. The Physics of Heaven, op. cit., Kindle location: 447, 1462.
32. Warren B. Smith, False Christ Coming: Does Anybody Care? (Eureka, MT: Lighthouse Trails Publishing, 2010), pp. 119-120.
33. Jonathan Welton, The Physics of Heaven, op. cit., Kindle location: 808.
34. Ray Yungen, For Many Shall Come in My Name, op. cit., p. 19.
35. Compiled by Beni Johnson, Prayer Changes Things: Taking Your Prayer Life To The Next Level (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 2012), p. 51.
36. Ibid, p. 11.
37. Ibid, p. 65.
38. Roger Oakland, Faith Undone (Eureka, MT: Lighthouse Trails Publishing, 2007), p. 119.
39. Beni Johnson, Prayer Changes Things: Taking Your Prayer Life To The Next Level, op. cit., p. 65.
40. http://bjm.org/qa/how-do-i-receive-revelation; (#3).
41. Ibid.
42. The Secret Place, class, Bonnie Johnson http://bethelredding.com/get-involved/classes/secret-place.
43. https://shop.ibethel.org/products/union-with-god.
44. http://bethelredding.com/ministries/prayer-house.
45. Ibid.
46. Ellyn Davis, The Physics of Heaven, op. cit., Kindle location: 1742.
47. Ibid., Judy Franklin, Kindle location: 317.
48. Ibid., Kindle location: 1825.
49. Warren B. Smith, A “Wonderful” Deception (Magalia, CA: Mountain Stream Press, 2009), p. 167.
50. Larry Randolph, The Physics of Heaven, op. cit., Kindle Location: 1425.
51. Matthew Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ,(San Francisco, CA: Harper & Row Publishers, 1988), p. 129.
52. Annette Capps, Quantum Faith (England, AR: Capps Publishing, 2003, 2007), p. 6.

 

 

 True  ,  God is not , in All people  .

[FresnoJoe]

Dangers of a Lop Sided Message

by George Whitten

We, as believers, must teach and present a balanced message of grace and truth. We see this clearly in the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see in John 1:17b, that "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (emphasis added)

The Problems of Extremism

If we show a message of all grace without truth, then we have become a part of the apostasy flooding the end time church. As 2 Timothy 4:3-4 states, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." This message of all grace without balanced truth is flooding this end time church. Proclaiming that God is love without showing the righteous judgment of the Lord is just one of the many teachings in these days.

The other extreme is preaching a message of truth without grace and compassion. Too often I see people proclaiming truth with such harshness and without love that it only offends, and the spirit of God has been quenched. The Word shows us how to teach truth with grace. 2 Timothy 2:24-26:"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." (emphasis added) The Word clearly shows that we are to teach without striving. If you find yourself striving, then the Spirit is not at work, but the flesh is. Notice who does the work of recovering one out of error -- it is the work of God that they recover themselves out of error.

The Spirit is what gives life. In 2 Corinthians 3:6, "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (emphasis added) The Spirit through us is what teaches men. The Spirit is gentle, patient and meek. The Spirit is what reproves the world of sin and of righteousness. (John 16:7-13) Allow the Spirit to do it's job or correcting another -- let us not try to do the Spirit's job.

Do we strive and press a message of truth because of pride? Pride in knowing we are right? Is it self righteousness? None of us have arrived. All of us can walk closer to the Lord. In my own life, as I walk closer with the Lord, and though it seems as I walk holier, the more sinful I find myself. This is when I realize the great grace of God in my life, because of all my own short comings. Oh how much the Lord loves us, even though we deserve none of it. It is a love so deep that even angels desire to look into the great salvation the Lord has given us. (1 Peter 1:12) We MUST be able ministers of the gospel with grace, compassion, love and truth.

Just as a father raises a child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, the father also must be sure not to provoke the child to wrath. (Ephesians 6:4) Let us keep our pride and self righteousness in check as we present the great truths of the Word of God with love, compassion and grace.

As we follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, let us be compassionate, yet uncompromising with the truth. Let us proclaim the truth with grace through the Spirit within us.

 

[FresnoJoe]

A Prayer For Me
And For The Dear Folks Of Worthy Forum

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psalms 51:10-12

Thank You LORD For Answered Prayer
In Jesus
Amen