abandoned to Christ.

Showing posts with label Warnings Against False Doctrine. Show all posts

In a world where #IamEnough is the mantra of the day, I am inexplicably happy and relieved to affirm that #IamNotEnough because, thanks be to God, Jesus Christ IS.

I can't imagine the heavy weight and burden; the amount of daily self-cajoling it takes to justify to self and others, that who I am and all that I possess and am capable of, with my finite knowledge and capabilities, is enough for me and all those around me.

I am truly and deeply grieved for all who are deceived by this devilish lie. The same lie from the Garden: "God is not enough. You are just as good or better than God. That’s why He’s keeping things from you. You can and should be your own god to insure you receive all that you deserve." If Adam and Eve had just taken a moment to prudently consider what God named the only thing (a singular tree) in all of the Garden of Eden, that they were forbidden from touching, taking, and eating was called; they perhaps, would have not been so easily deceived. And therefore, would not have sinned.

God named the one and only forbidden thing in the Garden: The tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:15-17).

Adam and Eve were already well-acquainted with the knowledge of good. For they knew God. And God alone is good (Mk 10:18). The only thing they were completely unfamiliar with and unaware of, was, the knowledge of evil.

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
~Psalm 84:10-12, ESV

They were created by a good God, in a good garden, with every good thing they needed. They neither knew evil nor experienced evil. Yet, they were easily made to be discontented with all the good God had given them when Satan suggested that they didn’t know all that God knew and didn’t have all that God had. In essence, Satan enticed Adam and Eve with the fact that God was keeping something from them. And He was. He was keeping evil from them. But rather than trust and be grateful for the perfect goodness of their God, Father, and Creator, they desired to be more and have more than complete and absolute good. That sounds absolutely absurd doesn’t it? And yet, to a discontented heart, it makes sense to have it all and know all…whether good or evil.

And herein lies the greatest travesty in all of history: Though we know what Satan used to deceive Adam and Eve and successfully entice them to sin, we are just as easily deceived and enticed by the same old lie— "You are enough. You don’t need God. You don’t need anyone. You are sufficient in yourself. You do not need to aspire to be better than you are. You are as good as it gets, just the way you are. Because you are enough, you never need to do or say anything that makes you feel dissatisfied with yourself."

But the truth is: Only God is enough because He is the only being that is truly sufficient in Himself. He alone is eternal, holy, sovereign, and good.

And this awesome Creator of ours is the God and Father of peace—not discontent. God is the God and Father of order—not chaos. Satan, on the other hand, is the god and father of discontent and chaos. Satan is the god and father of confusion, lies, and the deception of self-sufficiency.

So how do we combat the devil’s #IamEnough lie and movement? We preach the truth of God’s Word to our spirits rather than listen to the pride of our flesh.

If God gave us the best He had—His one and only Son, to save us from what we deserve—every misery in this life and eternal damnation in the next; for being His vile and arrogant enemies who revel in self and sin; then what good, that's less than Jesus (because there is no good equal to or above Him) would the LORD of hosts deny us? What lesser good than the life of Christ would God, the Father of all creation withhold from those love and fear Him?

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?…[for] His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire…Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God…[who] is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency (or all contentment) in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
~Rom 8:32; 2 Pt 1:3-4; 2 Cor 3:4-5, 9:8

#IamNotEnough for me, for you, or for anyone else.

#YouAreNotEnough for you, for me, or for anyone else.

#OnlyJesusIsEnough because all things seen and unseen have been made by Christ, through Christ, for Christ, and are held together in Christ (cf. Jn 1:1-3, Col 1:15-20, Heb 1:2-3). No one else, save Christ, can claim any of these things to be true about themselves.

A dangerous yet well-received and popularly-taught practice within Christianity is, "It's okay to be angry with God. He can handle it."

This is not biblical (Ecc 5:1-3; Job 32:2-3, 34:9-10, 40:1-2; Rom 9:19-20).

This is megalomaniacal blasphemy.

It is not a matter of whether or not God can "handle" our anger against Him. What an utterly foolish assessment. It is a matter of whether or not God Almighty, the LORD of hosts, will tolerate such arrogant "Jesus is my pal", disrespectful attitude before His most holy presence.

As William Gurnall once said,

(1.) Faith spies mercy in the greatest affliction—an eye of white in the saddest mixture of providence; so that when the devil provokes to blasphemy from the evil that the creature receives from God, faith shows more good received than evil.
Thus Job quenched this dart which Satan shot at him from his wife’s tongue. ‘Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall not we receive evil?’ Shall a few present troubles be a grave to bury the remembrance of all my past and present mercies? ‘Thou speakest as one of the foolish women.’ What God takes from me is less than I owe him, but what he leaves me is more than he owes me. Solomon bids us, ‘In the day of adversity consider,’ Ec. vii.14. Our unbeseeming thoughts and words of God are the product of a rash hasty spirit. Now faith is a considering grace; ‘He that believeth will not make haste—no not to think or speak of God. Faith hath a good memory, and can tell the Christian many stories of ancient mercies; and when his present meal falls short, it can entertain the soul with a cold dish, and not complain that God keeps a bad house neither. (The Christian in Complete Armour, vol. ii, dir. iii, part ii, div iii, First Design 3.1)

I do not count this against the unbelieving. For what do they know or proclaim to know about God? Of course they will blaspheme. They are enslaved to all sin. And therefore, I have great pity on them and great compassion for them. I pray that God will forgive them and in His great mercy, just as He has granted such a vile woman as me, that He would also grant them the gift of repentance that leads to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

However, I do admonish and strongly urge all who profess the name of the LORD, yet teach and promote this ungodly practice—to repent. Repent of teaching and encouraging others that man’s angry complaints against God is the truest and humblest form of transparent Christianity (being like Christ). It is not. For Christ was never angry against His God and Father. And anyone who supposes to do anything that Christ Himself did not do or teach, is a person who is warped and should repent of their foolishness, rather than falsely teach and mislead others in what most pleases, honors, and glorifies God.

All who teach, should teach with fear and trembling, rather than with arrogance and delusions of grandeur (megalomania).

Heed these words from our LORD:

You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Rom 2:23-24)

In Acts 11:26, it's recorded that this is the first time disciples of Christ were called "Christians". The entire New Testament books are replete with what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ—a Christian. In those days, "Christian" was not a complimentary or even as a neutral term for a group of people, but rather, they were called "Christians" as a derogatory term. We know this because we read account after account about the many who suffered for being named a Christian.

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name."

-1 Peter 4:12-16, ESV

In Acts 2:42-47, we're given a beautifully clear picture of what the Church (that is, the Body of Christ) looked like: devoted to the apostle's teaching (Scripture); breaking of bread; prayer; having all things in common; sacrificially and generously giving to one another not out of compulsion, but from sincere hearts; habitually fellowshiping in the temple and at one another's homes; praising God; and the Lord added to their number daily, those who were being saved. This is what the Church should look like today, but doesn't.

We more resemble the Corinthian church—full of sexual immorality, greed, gluttony, pride, envy, strife, misuse of spiritual gifts, spiritual laziness/apathy, nominal and corrupt church leaders who neglect the flock while filling their egos and lives with mammon. Beginning with the sexual devolution promoted by Hugh Hefner in the early 1950s, leading to the women's liberation movement in the 1960s and culminating with the legal right to murder innocent lives if they're an inconvenience in 1973 with Roe v. Wade; it's been a slow fade. It's understandable that these wicked behaviors founded on wicked beliefs are fulfilling to the people of this world, but it's a complete abomination that these same wicked behaviors are being accepted, excused, and chased after by professing Christians.

Yesterday, I saw something on Twitter that grieved my heart: a list of the top 25 bestselling "Christian" books for March 2016. It's too painful to share all 25, so I'm only sharing the screenshot of the top 10 because the rest of the list is just more of the same.

I was heartbroken that Sarah Young's blasphemous and heretical book Jesus Calling, two books by well-known heretic and unbeliever Joel Osteen, the undoctrinal book about prayer Fervent by Priscilla Shirer (which the movie War Room was largely based on), and worse...adult coloring books, topped the list.

Here's what Waterbrook Multnomah (Waterbrook Press), whose membership was revoked from NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) in 2014 says about their adult coloring book Whatever is Lovely, "Color your way to peace and worship. We live in such a busy, hectic world—but what waits for you inside this adult coloring book is a way to quiet the noise, express creativity, and spend some sweet time with God. Each page features an original design from one of a dozen different artists, beautifully illustrating a contemplative quote from an inspirational writer, a beloved hymn, or Scripture."

Mind you, there are four adult coloring books that make this list of top 25 "Christian" bestsellers, and three of them are listed in the top 10. If you're interested, you can view my top 20 favorite and recommended books by clicking here: Sunny's Top 20.

I lament to say that I know too few "Christians" who read, study, meditate and understand the Bible (in context), and too many who can only quote Scripture out of context (or can't quote Scripture at all), and get the majority of their theology from heretical books, heretical TV miniseries and heretical "bible" movies. Prior to this, they could only share what they "felt" like God's Word says to them, but now, they can also, literally, color in God's Word however they'd like.

As I consider how the Bride of Christ is shamefully defiling herself with vain and worldly philosophies, rather than cleansing and strengthening herself with the Word of God, these words from our heavenly Father come to mind, "Folly is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him" (Prov 22:15), "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." (1 Cor 13:11), "Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them." (Ps 111:2), "And he [Christ] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." (Eph 4:11-14), "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Heb 4:12)

The word "Christian" used to mean someone who is crucified with Christ, someone who carries their cross daily—dying to sin and living in Christ's righteousness. It used to mean someone would sacrifice personal comforts and delights (family, friends, riches, food, etc.) for Christ rather than settle for false peace just to keep "good" relations with family and friends who profess Christ, yet practice sordid ways of living that oppose and mock Him (1 Jn 2:3-6, 3:7-10).

To the many who love Jesus Calling and other heretical books and movies, I pray you repent of your idolatry, hunger and thirst for righteousness, and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus (Col 1:9-12). Kill your pride and throw off every weight and sin that clings closely; hindering you from running with endurance, the race God has set before you in Christ Jesus (Heb 12:1-2).

To the few who diligently read, study, meditate and memorize the gracious, pure and precious Word of our LORD, press on and sow the good seed of faith even while you mourn, for our Father promises you comfort in your sorrows (Zeph 3:17), and an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison when you arrive Home (2 Cor 4:15-18, Heb 11:13-16).

The holy Bible is authored by God Almighty, and He has unequivocally denied anyone "artistic license" concerning His Word. In the holy Scriptures, God reveals Himself as—Savior to those He graciously and mercifully grants the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and the Righteous Judge who will forever cast into Hell, all those who disobey and deny Him.

In the holy Bible, God reveals that only those who've been granted new life in Christ can actually understand the Bible, and alone are empowered by Christ to do what it says (Phil 2:13, Heb 11:6).

"Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

~1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (ESV)

Which is why everything Roma Downey and her husband Mark Burnett have produced about the Bible is full of blasphemy and heresy. They can't help it. They're not saved. That's why we need to pray for them and share the true Gospel of God's grace with them. If Christians continue to support their work, they will only be led further into their delusion.

Demonstrate the true love of Christ, and urge them to repent (Mk 1:15).

Though there's a grave misconception in the Christian community, the truth is, Roma Downey and Mark Burnett are not Christians. They don't even profess to be true Christians. They profess to be a mix of New Age and Roman Catholic religions—by their own words and by the rituals they choose to follow.

Roma Downey graduated in 2010 from the University of Santa Monica, a private, New Age, unaccredited graduate school where she received her master's degree in Spiritual Psychology. She's also proudly connected with necromancer John Edward, who, to her joy was able to "channel" her dead mother so she could talk to her on February 3, 2002 of "Crossing Over With John Edward".

The title of Burnett and Downey's latest project "A.D. The Bible Continues", similar to their previous work, is inaccurate. A more suitable title for what the television show conveys would be "A.D. The Bible As We'd Like It To Be".

This show is no different from not-"The Bible" miniseries and not-"The Son of God" movie. Just as these previous productions created new scenes and dialogue that are not found in the real Bible, with dramatic music and excessive, mystical imagery, 'A.D.' proves to flop in facts, but succeeds in fallacious depictions of Christ, His apostles, His disciples and other people who played a role in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the true Son of God.

Because television shows and movies have to tell their story in an established period of time (between one to two hours, generally) producers have to decide to either stick with the facts, or interject their own interpretations of what they'd like to see happen in each scene. If the makers of a movie decide to interject their own interpretations, for time-keeping sake, they must remove some truth.

In the case of 'A.D.' due to Burnett and Downey's infusion of an exuberant amount of scenes and dialogue from their imaginations about God, there was less room in this production than the previous ones, for actual facts. Similar to my review of not-"The Bible" miniseries and not-"The Son of God" movie, there were too many errors in 'A.D.' for me to list everything they left out. So I made a short list (and yes, this is actually short) of true and necessary facts that were ignored in the first episode of 'A.D.'

Below are some of the scenes that are crucial to the Gospel, yet omitted from 'A.D.'

No Gethsemane where Jesus surrenders His will for the Father's will, proving selflessness and perfect obedience;
No rooster crowing, a sign to Peter that Jesus knew He would deny Him;
No bitter weeping of repentance from Peter after he denies Christ, but rather he's quite happy to be "able to get away";
No Jews saying, "We have no king but Caesar." (Jn 19:15) showing their betrayal to God in order to kill someone they were envious of (Mt 27:18);
No choosing of Barabbas (an insurrectionist and murderer) over Jesus who is the Christ;
No salvation of one of the criminals hung alongside Jesus, an essential demonstration that repentance and faith in Christ alone saves, not the works of man;
No crowds, chief priests and scribes jeering at Christ while He suffers on the cross, proving the utter depravity and wickedness of men even in the midst of horrific suffering;
No asking for forgiveness of those jeering at Him (Lk 23:34) or His last words, "Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit." a necessary demonstration of Luke 6:35-36 and proof that He willingly gave up His life and chose the time of His death rather than have His life taken from Him—because he is God and God is sovereign (Lk 23:46);
No water and blood flowing from Jesus' spear-pierced side;
No centurion proclaiming "Truly this man was the Son of God." (Mt 15:39).

However, some of what was irreverently inserted were the following scenes.

The high priest Caiaphas' wife rudely tells Joseph of Arimathea (another council member) to hush up and often rebukes him harshly (as he cowers and submits to her), though this kind of behavior is considered highly inappropriate for women of this time, and an especially vulgar behavior for a wife of a priest;
Claudia, Pontus Pilate's wife knows more than Pilate and rather than desire to set Jesus free (as it's written in the real Bible, Lk 23:20-22), in this Hollywood-hyped version of the Bible, Pontus Pilate wants Jesus dead;
The apostle John says in one scene after Jesus' crucifixion, "He [Jesus] understood our weaknesses. He loved us for it. He died for it." This preposterous and heretical statement completely denies why Christ came and what He died for and what He loved. Jesus loves the Father, He loves the holy commandments, He loves righteousness and He hates sins. But He loves those He came to save, so He took on what He hated in order to save those He loved.
A comical, comet-like fire ball descends from the sky and lands in a form of a man in armor, supposing to be an angel who unsheathes his sword in order to roll away the stone from Jesus' tomb.

Though Jesus provided equality to women, He did this without usurping His Father God's hierarchy and order within the family and the church. In God's sight, women are equally loved and valued by God, but have different roles than men.

But as in their previous productions, Burnett and Downey make Mary Magdalene one of the apostles (who were only men) rather than one of the many disciples of Jesus (that included men and women). She's also the lead apostle who has more faith than anyone, confronts Peter about his denial of Jesus, shames Peter, and rebukes Peter and John for not having enough faith. By the way, this wasn't just my imagination, the actress (Chipo Chung) who plays Mary Magdalene expressed in a Christian Post interview, "But when you look at the actual material and where she [Mary Magdalene] was, she was there at the resurrection, she was the first witness and as many of the early Christian writings said, she was the apostle of apostles." I have no idea what early "Christian" writings she's referring to since no orthodox Christian writings claim any woman to be an apostle of Christ.

NBC's own description of Mary Magdalene's role in this fictitious adaptation of the God's holy Word says, "Feisty and clever, Mary Magdalene is the backbone and moral conscience of the Apostles group. Always working tirelessly for the movement, she is relied upon to pick up where others falter, and takes risks that sometimes cause her to be labeled negatively by society."

I've decided I don't need to watch the next 11 episodes of this malicious butchering of my Father God's holy Scriptures. It's evident that Roma Downey and Mark Burnett have not wavered from their artistic ability to desecrate the name of Jesus in order to make Him more appealing to the world. I have great pity for these two poor souls and lovingly pray for them and others who've been bewitched by their craft.

The jesus depicted by Downey and Burnett will never measure up to the true and awesome Jesus of the Bible who said these things:

"The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me [Jesus] because I testify about it that its works are evil.

"So Jesus again said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them... My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness"

~John 7:7, 10:7-8, 27-28; 2 Tim 2:15-16 (ESV)

Rather than give yourself over to anger for insults (Prov 19:11), be mindful of the Scriptures when you encounter those who oppose you for staying true to God's Word.

"And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

~2 Timothy 2:24-26, 4:3-5 (ESV)

All three women have succumbed to the wiles of our enemy, the devil—leading masses away from sound doctrine and luring them to follow and practice panentheism, western mystiscm (e.g., lectio divina), extra-biblical revelations and viewing our holy relationship with God Almighty in a sexual manner.

Though I will speak clearly and firmly as I ought about all three women and the dangerous effects of their writing, speaking and teaching of God's holy Word, I will refrain from making any unnecessary personal attacks about these desperately deceived souls.

The purpose of this article is not to demonize any of these women, but to carefully and lovingly warn and exhort them and other women to be more diligent in studying the Word, seeking wisdom and biblical teaching from their husbands (if they're Christians), submit to their husbands' headships whether or not they are Christians (1 Cor 7:13-16, 2 Peter 3:1-2) and imitate the faith of those who are singularly faithful to God and His Word—with no deviation or imaginations (Heb 13:7, 2 Tim 1:13-14, 2 Cor 10:4-6).

Ann Voskamp

Ann and I have very different writing styles: I shoot straight and she takes the scenic route. Nothing wrong with either. When Ann writes, she paints verbal pictures as she amasses a collage of words and symbolism. Again, nothing wrong with her writing style...many women love that kind of writing...I just don't happen to be one of them and here's why.

Throughout Ann's vastly popular book "One Thousand Gifts" she crafts and weaves a web of words that woo a person's deepest emotions of tragedy and trials—which causes a reader's heart to connect with hers. Once she's captured the reader's heart through her imagery of words and masterfully entangled mess of emotions, she transports you to a place of mystical sighs. And here, anyone, I mean anyone (men and women of all ages) can very easily lose sight of what is true in accordance with God's perfect Word and what is true to our imperfect and often, emotionally and sensory driven hearts and minds.

"And I, when I came to you, brothers [and sisters], did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

~1 Corinthians 2:1-5

In both her interviews and writings, Ann insists that a person's greatest saving grace is having a heart of gratitude, rather than repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. She employs and perpetually repeats the Greek word for thanksgiving: "eucharisteo". This is her mantra. And this (not Christ) is what she emphasizes is the key to unlocking God's gracious gift of finding joy right where you are.

Ann proclaims "thanksgiving always precedes the miracle". While this a moving and inspirational thought, it's simply not biblically accurate. Sometimes miracles were distributed by God's wisdom and grace after someone gave Him thanks, but it didn't always happen that way.

For example, when Gideon was called by God to go into battle, the miracle of the fire springing up from the rock and the miracle of the fleece happened not after or because Gideon thanked God, rather it happened because Gideon rightly feared the LORD and by faith, obeyed His commands.

In addition, there's an entire chapter in Hebrews (11) that gives account of all the miracles that were performed by God, not because people gave Him thanks, but because people feared, loved and had faith in God Almighty alone.

"Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from God of his salvation...

"Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way...Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will He instruct in the way that he should chose...The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant."

~Psalm 24:3-5; Psalm 25:8-9, 12, 14

I don't take issue with Ann's exhortation for all of us to live lives of thanksgiving to God. How can I? It's biblical (1 Thess 5:18). What's not biblical, is Ann's insistence that giving thanks is God's secret; the hidden treasure to all His miracles and the gift of a joy-filled life.

As with all things, we offer God our thanksgiving, not so that He will perform miracles or give us something that makes us feel better about ourselves, but we give to God because He is due all praise, all glory, and all worship.

Beth Moore

More than a decade ago, I took my first Beth Moore study—it was on the tabernacle. I enjoyed it and thought she was a pretty stellar teacher of the Word. I began "following" her work and even attended one of her conferences. But once I began studying the Word of God for myself, and as I listened to her teachings and read more of her work, I began to see some discrepancies between what she says God says, and what God actually says in His Word.

As time passed, I began to notice that as her popularity rose, so did her arrogance. She now presumptuously claims that God gives her extra-biblical revelations. Strangely enough, as I searched to share video clips I once saw just a few months back, I noticed that all the videos displaying the heresy straight from the horses mouth were all deleted and none but this audio clip can be found: http://youtu.be/op2121d0loE.

Why hide something if you really believe it's true?

The other danger of Beth Moore is that she not only teaches women, but she also presumes unbiblical authority over men; teaching and preaching to audiences of both genders. As a matter of fact, she was the only female who took the stage along with John Piper and many others at Louie Giglio's most recent Passion Conference in 2012 (which I also do not recommend).

Beth continues to teach more and more from a human experiential and emotional foundation rather than holy fear and true faith in Christ and His life, His experiences, His Word and His relationship with us.

Sarah Young

In 2004, Sarah Young published the first edition of her book, "Jesus Calling" which litters Christian bookstores everywhere. Young's primary influence for this book came from the "two listeners" (two women) who wrote and published a book with a similar title "God Calling" back in the 1930s.

These "two listeners" while seeking a deeper intimacy with God through other means than just reading the Bible, claim to have experienced direct revelations from the Almighty. Out of obedience to the Lord, they felt they needed to write down these revelations and share it with the world. And this is exactly what Sarah Young claims happened to her.

A quote from Sarah Young during an interview with CBN.

"My journey began with a devotional book (God Calling) written in the 1930's by two women who practiced waiting in God's Presence, writing the messages they received as they "listened." About a year after I started reading this book, I began to wonder if I too could receive messages during my times of communing with God. I had been writing in prayer journals for years, but this was one-way communication: "monologue." I knew that God communicates through the Bible (and I treasure His Word), but I wondered what He might say to me personally on a given day. So I decided to "listen" to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever I sensed He was saying. Of course, I wasn't listening for an audible voice; I was seeking the "still, small voice" of God in my mind/heart."

Unfortunately many solid Christians, including a number of my personal friends have this heretical book in their library and read it faithfully (some, even more faithfully than God's Word) because it really "speaks to my heart", said a dear friend of mine. I was grieved to have to tell her the truth about this book and that the author, Sarah Young claims that the entire book is filled with direct, extra-biblical revelations from God, spoken to her, to be shared with all.

Though Young claims that God's Word alone is infallible, she continued to write and publish a book in which she purports is also infallible by claiming that it too, is divinely inspired by Christ the Lord.

Here is a thorough and biblical review of Sarah Young's "Jesus Calling": Tim Challies Review of 'Jesus Calling'.

Conclusion On All Three Women

The cord that seems to bind a person's heart to the dangerous and heretical teachings of these women, are the stories of tragedy's, trials and the yearning every human being has to be loved, feel significant and sense true purpose in their lives.

All three women give us a sense that we can do something to be holy and to commune more intimately with God—elevating a person's sense of accomplishment rather than humbling us, and bringing us to our knees with utter gratitude and indebtedness for all the Father has given to us in His Son Jesus Christ alone.

Lovingly pray for the repentance of these ladies and warn anyone who follows their heretical teachings...no matter the cost.

About a decade ago, I followed John Piper and his ministry "Desiring God", with great joy.

I listened to sermon after sermon; purchased books for me, my darling husband, sons and sent them as gifts for friends and family. I shared links to their blog articles, retweeted their tweets, shared their materials over every social media platform I participated in, just to soak up and share what I thought at the time, was entirely, soundly biblical wisdom.

Having decided to no longer be a Jonah or Moses when they were first called by God, I was hungry for the truth as I was coming to terms with the spiritual gifts God has given me (Faith, Exhortation, and Teaching).

With this hunger and resolve to have a heart more like Abraham and Isaiah, I wanted to obey God immediately—with joy, and use the gifts He so graciously bestowed upon me, for the purpose in which He gave them: For the encouragement and edification of those within the Body of Christ (Eph 4:11-16) without usurping God's authority of male headship within the church, and to go out to all the world preaching the Gospel, discipling young girls and women of all ages.

But in 2006, there was an uproar within the Christian community after John Piper extended an invitation to a young, filthy mouthed, unabashed preacher from Washington state, Mark Driscoll, to be one of the speakers at his Desiring God National Conference. And it didn't stop there. Though Piper was questioned and criticized (and by some, too harshly and unbiblically), he stood by his young protégé and extended two more invitations to speak at their national conference (2008 and 2009), though Driscoll proved to continue to get carried away by strange and unbiblical behavior like having pornographic divinations about other people's lives, and speaking harshly, including name calling to rebuke those within his church.

Unfortunately, Piper's lack of obedience to God's word in 1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals.'" continued to perpetuate his decline in discernment as he extended an invitation to Rick Warren (2010) and Louie Giglio (2011) to be speakers at his Desiring God National Conferences as well. Then at Passion 2012, Pastor John Piper condoned and participated in Louie Giglio's practice of a meditative, mystical type exercise that closely mirrors the heretical "Lectio Divina" where Catholic priests believe that God directly speaks extra-biblical messages to those who engage in this mind-emptying practice (click link to listen to Todd Friel's "Wretched" radio program on this topic).

I share all this to show you how much Piper and his ministry "Desiring God" has, in some ways (not all), been led away from sola scriptura (Scripture alone), so that you might be more discerning about following their ministry (writings, sermons, etc.).

I know I can be easily deceived just like Eve, and desire all that feeds my flesh and makes it feel good through emotional and sentimental hogwash. With that said, it would be unwise for me personally, to continue to follow John Piper or his "Desiring God" ministry as he/they continue to engage and condone unbiblical practices.

I've found the teachings from John Piper and "Desiring God" (after testing it with God's word) requires more discernment than I currently possess. And since there are other Christian teachers/ministries I can learn from (e.g., John MacArthur/Grace to You, Alistair Begg/Truth for Life, R.C. Sproul/Ligonier Ministries) that don't give me tired-head, I've chosen to only follow those who are clearly and faithfully following the Lord (Heb 13:7).

Basically, it's like this: When I sit down to relax and enjoy a good meal after a long, yet productive, hard work day, I'd prefer not to sit down to a meal I know will have lots of bones in it because I know there's a good chance I could be injured. I'd rather sit down to a meal where there are either no bones or just a few bones, so I can truly enjoy my meal and keep from serious injury. Sitting under John Piper's teaching is like the former, and sitting under guys like MacArthur, Begg and Sproul, is like the latter.

The upshot of this entire post is this: As God's holy and dearly beloved children, be obedient to God's Word, test everything against it, and never put any man (for none are infallible, except for Christ when He was here) on a pedestal, and lackadaisically assume popularity, size of ministry, etc., qualifies a solidly biblical teacher. Let nothing deter you from diligently being a student of the Word.

I love John Piper and view him as a brother in Christ who has unfortunately let his guard down, and has been deceived into believing that God's grace and patience is demonstrated through condoning sin in others...all in the name of "love"...by the world's definition.

I pray for him and I encourage you to pray as well. Pray for his ministry. Pray for all who follow him without question. And pray for yourself—that God would give you a discerning heart to love Him and His Word greater than anyone or anything else.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where I'll share with you, what I believe is a well-meaning, yet dangerous post, written by John Piper's son Abraham; an ex-prodigal, who came home.

I will be interviewed tonight (March 25, 2013) on KKLA, 99.5 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. PST by Frank Sontag, a guest-host for the former Frank Pastore show "The Intersection of Faith and Reason" in Los Angeles, California.

The interview will begin with my review on the heretical "The Bible" mini-series, but will mainly focus on God's goodness, His sovereignty and grace to all creation, and especially to the elect.

I'd be so grateful for your fervent prayers for tonight's interview.

Please pray for me and our brother Frank:

that God would protect our interview;
give us both hearts and ears that are sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading;
and that God will prepare the hearts of all the listeners so they may hear His truth, have their faith strengthened and exhorted to live abandoned to Christ with every breath they have.

You can listen to the interview live by clicking this link: The Intersection of Faith and Reason or you can go to the radio station's homepage: KKLA 99.5.

If you can't listen live, please check out the archives link and listen by clicking this link: Archives.

For those of you who are wondering how all this came about, below is a little background on why I was contacted by Frank Sontag and how he came to be a guest-host of Frank Pastore's former show.

After Frank Sontag's best friend sent him a link to my review on the History Channel's not-"The Bible" mini-series, and after much prayer, Frank was led to contact me and request an interview.

Due to the gravity of the deception of this docudrama that is filled with heresy and blasphemy, many saints have been deceived by it's lure, as a valid source to share the Gospel with the lost world.

Unfortunately, this is the false gospel where there's no confession of sin, no repentance and therefore no evidence or need for God's grace and mercy and especially no need for forgiveness; which means there is no salvation that is only found in Christ Jesus the Lord.

After my review, I received many comments and emails from readers all over the world who were both grateful and hateful towards my publishing this review. Nonetheless, I continue to stand by God's word, regardless of praise of ridicule, I am resolved to my Father's call to remain steadfast and immovable—contending for the faith.

"And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He [Christ] has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him [God the Father], if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven"

~Colossians 1:21-23

It's been a painful and joyous past few weeks as the Lord has kindly endured me through friendly fire and kept me grateful for those who have ears to hear the true message of Christ and have removed their endorsements and promotions of this wicked film that was created and produced by unbelievers.

God has brought me much comfort through the prayers and support of many faithful saints who love God's word and take Him just as seriously as He commands us. I am immensely grateful to the Lord for allowing me to travel this road with other soldiers of the Cross.

One of these soldiers is my brother Frank Sontag.

Many of you may be familiar with Frank Pastore as he was Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds (1979-1985) , Minnesota Twins (1986) and Texas Rangers (1987). Soon after this, Frank came to know Christ as his Lord and Savior, authored a book and started a radio program to exhort saints in Christ to live every day for the Lord who gave His life for us, so that we live fully in Him.

In November of 2012, Pastore was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that sent him Home to be with our Lord Jesus in December of 2012. After this accident, KKLA contacted Frank Sontag to ask him to be one of the guest-host for Pastore's show.

Frank Sontag has been in the radio and motivational speaking industry for 21 years. Sontag was raised in a Roman Catholic environment, but after he had a serious motorcycle accident in 1984, he began to wonder why he survived and what purpose did his life serve. He turned away from his Roman Catholic upbringing and was inclined to the New Age spirituality teachings until God saved Him through repentance and faith in Christ in 2009.

Our brother Frank now lives to honor and glorify God in all he does. He has a passion to preach the true Gospel of Christ (as he lived most of his life in deception with the false gospel) and lives to exhort fellow saints of the Lord Jesus to do the same.

Please share this with anyone who you know will pray and may be blessed by this interview. I hope many of you can tune in to tonight's program and will leaven encouraging comments on the station's website.

God bless you all, and thank you in advance for your prayers and support of God's work.

"praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel"

~Eph 6:18-19

To God alone be the glory. Amen.

About a week ago, I was contacted by the History Channel’s media group asking me to help promote “The Bible”, a new mini-series that was created and produced by Roma Downey, (Touched By An Angel) with her husband Mark Burnett (producer: The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, Celebrity Apprentice).

After prayerfully reviewing the materials and consulting with my wise husband, I stated that I was unable to participate in promoting this endeavor due to its highly unbiblical content, as well as their portrayal of championing the virility of man while palliating the glory, righteousness and holiness of God.

God our Father revealed Himself through His holy word (the real Bible) to proclaim:

God's righteousness;
Man's depravity;
Humanity's desperate need for a Savior—the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

From the words of the creators and producers of not-"The Bible" mini-series, their purpose is to portray God:

As an angry God who punishes the "bad" people and curses the "good" people who disobey;
As a really cool deity who still blesses all the "good" people no matter what they do;
Whose ultimate desire is to "change the world", make people nicer and happier through social reform and show all humanity the "good" we all have within ourselves.

Show's website: "The Bible - an epic 10-part miniseries retells stories from the Scriptures for a whole new generation from Genesis through Revelation. This DVD set is sure to entertain and inspire the whole...offering new insight into famous scenes and iconic characters..."

Roma Downey: "We knew that we could make it heartfelt. We knew we could make it faithful. But we wanted to be sure that we could make it cool."

Mark Burnett: "Our goal is to breathe fresh, visual life into the sacred text, the Bible...There are many, many epic battles in the Bible, and telling those from the character perspective makes you care more about the outcome of the battles."

Nancy Dubuc (History Channel’s president and manager): "The faith community is going to sample it, unquestionably. Whether they stay or go remains with the TV gods. Our job has been to present this as an epic tale of adventure."

Kierston Wareing (Delilah): "My hopes for the Bible series is that it brings in a larger range of audience, especially the younger audience because I can really say this for myself, this is really different, it’s really modern, it’s for everyone. If I saw this advertised myself and I wasn't in it, I would certainly be tuning in."

Beloved saints of the Lord Jesus Christ, I share this review out of my abiding love and devotion to our heavenly Father, my great love and compassion for God's elect, and those who are still lost. Please, be careful what you teach and what you condone.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea...It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves."

~Mk 9:42, Rom 14:21-22 (emphasis added)

This mini-series has unfortunately been endorsed and promoted by Jim Daly (Focus on the Family), Rick Warren, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Lisa Harper (Women of Faith), Luis Palau, Dick Rolfe (the Dove Foundation) and many other well-known Christian leaders and organizations.

Some of the project's advisers were: Joel Osteen who is a heretic, T.D. Jakes who is a modalist (which is heretical and blasphemous) and Rick Warren who is known for his faulty doctrine. Trying to obtain doctrinal accuracy from these men, is just asking for failure...of biblical proportions (pun and truth intended).

I'm not surprised by many of these advisers and endorsers, however I am disappointed by Jim Daly, Lisa Harper and Dick Rolfe's promotion of this Hollywood-ized show of the Bible.

There's so much added and so much taken away from Scripture (and I don't mean Bible stories, I mean the truth is omitted and replaced with lies) that this mini-series plays more like a religious soap opera with overly emotional characters than an accurate depiction of God's word, and His call for His people to be holy, as He is holy.

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name." ~Matthew 6:9

Biblical inaccuracies that matter (Jer 9:23-24):

Opening: Noah quotes Genesis while he's on the ark with his family (though only Moses knew this and was commissioned by God to write the Pentateuch). During this nice little family story time, Noah tells his family that God caused the flood because Cain killed Abel and not because God saw that the people of Noah's time were consumed with evil (Gen 6:5-8).

Noah's monologue continues with Noah saying, "God has seen too much evil in people's hearts...wrong choices, wrong decisions", though it is written in God's word that there is nothing but evil in all our hearts; we are dead in our trespasses, born sinners and enslaved to the sinful passions of our flesh until we are born again as new creations in Christ Jesus the Lord (Rom 3:10-12, 2 Cor 5:17, Eph 4:20-24) .
First attack on the Gospel: Right after Noah's monologue, the voice-over narrator states, "After the flood waters engulfed the world, there is a new beginning for Noah's descendants, and a chance [for them] to restore the relationship between God and humanity." This statement completely negates the Gospel of Jesus Christ while it denies the depravity of man, the holiness of God, and humanity's desperate need for a Savior.

God visits Abraham: Never does Abraham demonstrate reverent fear of the Lord, rather he speaks to Lord as if He were a man. While this is happening, the two angels sent into the city are attacked by the people of the city and come to Lot's door, breathless and begging for Lot's help. The angels who earlier feared the people, now reveal they are wearing armor under their cloaks and have swords which is how they fight and kill their way out of the city. God destroys the city as the angels run away bleeding and injured; barely escaping with Lot and his family (Gen 19:1-22), as opposed to the accurate biblical telling of the angels appropriating their God-given, supernatural power from the moment they entered the city to the way they left.
Sacrifice of Isaac: Though Scripture depicts Abraham as one who quickly and faithfully obeys God's call to sacrifice Isaac (Gen 22:1-3), in this mini-series we find Abraham arguing and irreverently talking back to God, "What? No! Haven't I shown you enough faith?"

After Abraham lifts his knife to strike the boy, biblically, the angel of the Lord tells Abraham not to touch Isaac. Abraham then looks up and sees a ram with its horns caught in a thicket which he understands to be God's substitutionary sacrifice; foreshadowing Christ's sacrifice for the sins of the world. But in the mini-series, Abraham asks Isaac for his forgiveness, the angel only calls Abraham's name and there is a cute little lamb just standing there, not caught in anything (Gen 9-13). The ram with it's horn caught in a thicket is a very important thing to change. The ram and it's horns symbolize strength while the thicket represents the crown of thorns our Savior wears as He's being mocked by Pilate's men.

In Scripture, Abraham has no idea exactly where he is going (Gen 22:1-4) only that God will lead him to a mountain in the region of Moriah. But in the mini-series Sarah knows exactly where they are, and meets them at the foot of the mountain, hoping to stop Abraham. She cries out to Isaac who shows resentment towards Abraham for almost sacrificing him. Isaac runs and embraces his mother and Sarah glares at Abraham. The scene ends with Abraham rejected and standing alone.
Moses: God never tells Moses that he's standing on holy ground so Moses keeps his sandals on (another clear omission of God's holiness [Exodus 3:5]). Moses speaks to Pharaoh himself (rather than Aaron speaking to Pharaoh) and Moses doesn't argue with God when He first calls him to this task (Exodus 3:10-4:17), instead, Moses is full of courage throughout the mini-series.
Second attack on the Gospel: After the crossing of the Red Sea (which in Downey and Burnett depicts as happening on wet and muddy land rather than the miracle of dry land) Moses confidently declares, "We're going to fulfill Abraham's covenant with God." What? This was a one-way covenant that God initiated while Abram (Gen 15:12-21) was asleep. The hope in this covenant is that God promises to this great and awesome thing for Abram and his descendants without any assistance or participation from Abram or any man. God established the covenant and He alone will, and can fulfill it, just as He promised.

The correlation between this covenant and the new covenant that Christ establishes (through His shed blood) is once again, an unbreakable covenant because it's initiated and fulfilled only by God Himself: for those He calls, He grants them the gift of repentance that leads to salvation found only in His Son (John 6:44, Rom 8:29-30, 2 Cor 7:10).
John the Baptist: In Scripture, John the Baptist is the one who is commissioned by God the Father to "Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight." (Matt 3:1-3). But in the mini-series, when John sees Jesus as he's baptizing people, rather than proclaim who Christ is and how unworthy he is to even untie Jesus' sandals (Luke 3:16), John merely says, "Lord, you need to baptize me." To which Jesus replies, "John, what you are doing is right." Again, the mini-series neglects to reveal Christ's deity, His greatness and that His desire is to fulfill all righteousness (Matt 3:13-15).
Third attack on the Gospel: Prior to being beheaded John exclaims “He [Jesus] will bring a new age of righteousness and justice. His [Jesus’] power will draw all men to a new world.” This entire statement is very new-age and doctrinally unsound. Jesus is not interested in social reform. He's interested in reconciling utterly sinful human beings to a holy, righteous and good God through: His substitutionary death for sinful man, His resurrection of new life for those who've repented and trusted in Him, and a glorious eternal life spent in the presence of the Almighty once we've completed our sojourn here on earth.

Jesus did not come to earth, die, be resurrected and ascended to the right hand of the Father so we could have a "better life" here on earth.
Jesus' calling of Peter: Jesus sees Peter rolling up his nets and asks him if he needs any help. Peter is tired and angry and rudely declines Jesus' offer. So Jesus just smiles understandably and starts walking in the water toward Peter's boat. When Jesus gets waist deep, he asks for Peter's help into the boat. Peter reluctantly helps Jesus. Jesus suggests they go fishing, Peter angrily says "No". Jesus then smiles and pleads, “Peter, just give me an hour, and I will give you a whole new life.” To which Peter retorts, “Who says I want one?” No majesty, no power and no reverence for Christ is depicted here; only humanity's vivacious spirit and the God of the universe trying to convince people to follow Him.
Fourth attack on the Gospel: While Jesus and Peter are fishing, Jesus tells Peter He needs Peter to help Him "change the world." Downey, Burnett and their theological advisers continue to portray the Almighty much like the false pagan gods who something from their subjects in order to do anything. Nowhere in Scripture does God state that He is trying to change the world or needs our assistance with anything; rather our Lord clearly states, without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Also in the Scriptures, our LORD declares He is going to do something magnificent—He's going to give us new hearts and new minds and conform us into the image of His Son, Christ the Lord. God certainly has no interest in merely making this world a nicer place to live.
Last Supper and Fifth attack on the Gospel: While the actor who portrays Jesus says the bread is the body of Christ and the wine is Jesus' blood, he never says the most important thing: it is for the forgiveness of sins (Matt 26:28). Though all of Scripture points to the Gospel, in this mini-series, there is no Gospel message; only a message of man's power to have enough "faith" to see himself through and lead others to a "better place".
Second Coming: They have the actor who portrays Jesus to say that he's coming again, with a smile and in a comforting, reassuring tone; as if Christ's Second Coming will be a happy day for all...which it won't be. As it is written, our Lord's awesome Second Coming will be a time of great rejoicing and relief for believers, and a dread beyond words for unbelievers (2 Thess 1:5-9, Revelations 3:10-11, 22:12).

Throughout the entire series, God's holiness and righteousness is either completely omitted or diminished. The Almighty is portrayed as the Roman Catholic's works-based God who curses people who disobey and blesses those who obey, mixed with the heretical false god of Joel Osteen who wants to give you a big hug and make you happy no matter what you've done. Putting both sects of heretical teachings together produces man-centered, sappy deity who desperately wants people to know about His love (as defined by the world) and will punish all the "bad" people, while allowing all the "good" people (by their own merits) to continuously receive blessings regardless of any ungodly behavior.

This is most certainly not the true nature of the Almighty God as He reveals Himself through His word. The one true God reveals Himself as: holy, awesome, righteous and just, full of compassion and mercy, who, in spite of our great sins, provides salvation to us through the condescension, perfect life, death and resurrection of His one and only Son, Christ the Lord.

There are many more incredulous liberties Downey and her husband took on their re-writing of the Bible stories, but it's unwise to belabor the point. What I've shared should suffice and convince any God-fearing, Christ-loving, Bible-believing Christian to stay away, warn others and respectfully share this truth with the Christian leaders and organizations that are endorsing this project.

Q. "Even though there's a lot of error in this movie, still, don't you think it's a great way to show people who God really is, I mean, can't God use anything to save someone?

A. No, I don't think this movie is a great way to reveal the truth about God since it's filled with lies about God. And yes, I realize God can use anything to save someone, but He only chose to use the message of the true Gospel to save all men (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). Nowhere in Scripture does God command or allow His children to use the work of Satan to proclaim His truth. And God is clear, anyone who denies Him and defiles His holy character or word, works for the devil, not for God.

Since the beginning of time, the devil has attempted to minimize and blaspheme God's holy character by lulling us to disregard His holiness, justice and righteousness. God has never called His children of light to partner with the works of darkness (2 Cor 6:15-16). As God's children, we are commanded to pursue holiness, rather than try to find a way to compromise the glory of Christ in order to "reach more people".

Q. "Sunny, don't you think you're taking this a bit too seriously? I mean, when's the last time you saw "the Bible" trending at #1 in social media? Don't you think this is great!?"

A. Jesus said, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God...Now when He [Jesus] was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He was doing. But Jesus on His part did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man...The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.' " ~Luke 16:15, John 2:23-25, Jer 17:9-10

Q. "Sunny, this is Roma Downey and her husband's movie. Don't you think they have the right to leave out or add into the film whatever they want?"

A. While I agree that this mini-series belongs to Roma Downey and her husband, the story they're telling doesn't. The Bible and everything in it belongs to God and no one else. God clearly states in His word, that He has given no one "creative liberties" with His word or His immutable character (Is 46:5-11, James 1:16-18).

Q. "I know they left things out in the mini-series Sunny, but did you really expect them to fit the entire Bible into 10 hours?"

A. No, I didn't expect them to include every detail of God's word in that short time span. However, when I said they left much out and added much in, I didn't mean biblical content, I meant biblical truths were left out and lies were added in. Downey and Burnett tried to re-write the word of God to fit their idea and the public's idea of who God should be; someone more approachable, easy to get along with, someone who makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. And this depiction of God is false. It is the world's idol of who they want their god to be. Their god who has no power, no authority and no salvation.

Q. "Don't you think it's useful for all Christians to have this great springboard to talk to people who normally wouldn't be interested in God or the Bible (i.e., people at work, school, etc.)?"

A. Let me ask you a question. Do you believe Romans 1:16-17, that the Gospel of Christ alone has the power to save and reveal the righteousness of God? If you do, why would you need anything else to talk to people about the Lord? If you're sincerely desiring to learn ways to reach more people for Christ, go to www.livingwaters.com to find out how you can biblically and effectively share the Gospel in every area of your life. Trust me, God's word was sufficient for Christ and all His faithful witnesses of old and I assure you, God's word is still sufficient to do the job today. God doesn't need the spectacle of Hollywood to make Himself more presentable to the world.

Q. "Wait, why did you make a distinction between the Roman Catholic god and your God? Aren't they the same? Aren't Catholic's also Christians?

A. That's a very good question. I make that distinction because God makes the distinction between who He is and who others like to say He is. Roman Catholic teaching is not in accord with sound doctrine and there are many false teachings within the Catholic church about who Christ is and how a person can be saved. But rather than go into all that here, I'd like to refer you to a friend of mine, Mike Gendron with Proclaiming the Gospel. Mike is a former Catholic who was once in training to be a priest. He is now a born again believer in Christ and has a great heart, full of compassion for those still within the Catholic church.

Q. "Okay, I agree with everything you just mentioned, but don't you think the more mature Christian could use this as a teaching tool so we're better equipped to defend our faith and help those weak in faith to distinguish between the errors and truth?"

A. In law enforcement, when they're training officers to quickly discern counterfeit money, do you know what they do? They tell them to study the authentic bill so well, that it'll be easy to spot a counterfeit. Just the same, God commands His children, children of the light, children of truth, to be students of His word so that we are not tossed by the waves of false teaching and false doctrine (Matt 7:15-20, 16:12, Eph 4:11-14).

Q. "Well, don't you think it's still a 'good' movie? I thought it was well made and quite entertaining."

A. Remember what Jesus said, only God is good (Mk 10:18); therefore if whatever anyone does is not of God, then it of no good. Besides, God never created us, nor revealed Himself to us, for our entertainment, He did it to make us a holy people—set apart for Him.

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.' And if you call on Him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."

~1 Peter 1:13-19

Not-"The Bible" mini-series depicts mankind without sin, therefore no need to repent, leaving no reason for God to show grace or mercy, and nothing to forgive—ultimately leaving all mankind destitute, without any means for salvation.

This is truly a grievous film with a destructive end for anyone who thinks they will "find God" through the heretical and blasphemous message of this mini-series.

Read (below) other biblical reviews that honor God rather than entertain the masses and please help me spread God's truth and warn the other saints of these wolves in sheep's clothing. Then faithfully share the true Gospel to a dying and depraved world (2 Tim 2:15, Heb 4:11-13).

May God's name and character always be honored and exalted in the lives of His children.

To God alone be the glory.

Why Jesus? is Dr. Ravi Zacharias latest book, released today, January 25, 2012. This is a well-researched, intriguing and informative book that will set free the minds of all who are confused about who Jesus really is.

People like Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra and Rhonda Byrne have infected the minds and hearts of many, leading them astray to worship false gods and believe in a false Jesus. These religious misunderstandings can cause much strife in marriages and sometimes lead to divorce. That’s why it’s critical for us to have books like Why Jesus? to help educate our society that’s saturated with false hope and mass confusion.

With the heart of a compassionate father and the intellect of an astute scholar, Dr. Zacharias gives us the rarely understood background of how Eastern mysticism has defiled our Western theology and how the massive power of media has muddled the truth about eternal life and how to obtain it.

Why did you write the book and who is your target audience?

Dr. Zacharias: I wrote the book because there’s a great deal of confusion regarding spiritual matters due to the power of media, especially in the West. Who is God? Who are we? What is our purpose? All these questions remain unanswered. I want to reach the genuine seeker of spiritual well-being. My goal is to satisfy the hunger and longing for those who are seeking the truth.

In one sentence, how would you express why you think the New Spirituality is so captivating?

Dr. Zacharias: Because it makes you your ultimate authority; it allows you to play God without having to bow down to His authority.

In your book, you briefly mentioned why you believe Christianity in America has made the New Spirituality so appealing. Do you also believe it’s due to the false, man-centered Gospel that is preached (i.e., if you have any problems, try Jesus and He’ll fix your life)?

Dr. Zacharias: Absolutely. The way was paved in the ‘70s from self-help books that promised to make you understand your temperament so you could help yourself. In contrast, the journey with Christ begins with repentance and seeing yourself as God sees you—we’re all ultimately depraved. We all want Canaan without going through the wilderness.

The New Spirituality requires no one to see evil or depravity for what it is, instead they just tell you to involve yourself in some religious activity like chants, or prayers or meditations that are all a complete abuse of the human intellect. It appeals to people through the use of icons of pop-media and they harness the wills and attentions of millions.

If in your book, you wrote how Eastern mysticism is completely erroneous, why did you state in one of your speaking engagements that Henri Nouwen was one of the greatest saints who lived in our time, when Nouwen is known to have been influenced by Thomas Merton and others who practice Eastern mysticism?

Dr. Zacharias: I regret having said that. At the time, I based my comment on Nouwen’s story of the prodigal son which I felt was on target. But later as I learned more about Nouwen and Merton, I found their writings to be very troubling. I believe that doctrinally, Nouwen lost his way. I used to read Malcolm Muggeridge too until I read his book, “Jesus Rediscovered”. Muggeridge was morally and culturally a good thinker, but he was not theologically sound.

On page 228, you mention Oscar Wilde asking for the Eucharist so he could get right with God. Are you saying that you believe a person can be saved by taking the Eucharist or by any other Catholic beliefs?

Dr. Zacharias: Absolutely not. Only through repentance and faith in Christ can anyone be saved. No religious activity will be sufficient, only true faith in Jesus Christ alone. When I wrote that, I was trying to express that for Wilde, this was the ultimate expression of him trying to make things right with Christ because at the end of his life, in his heart, he knew that he lived as a reprobate. Whether Wilde is now in Heaven, I don’t know. God doesn’t tell me these things.

You questioned how the Church will maintain its teaching while still displaying God’s love to the fallen world (page 215). Does this include loving one another enough to rebuke those who are in sin (1 Corinthians 5:12-13)?

Dr. Zacharias: Yes, this is very important and very good. Painful correction and wounds of a friend are legitimate and are necessary. We all need accountability. King David had many prophets who held him accountable when he sinned. I’ve never seen a prophet in Solomon's life. I think that was one of the biggest problems.

On pages 264-265, you mention Gerald L. Sittser’s book, Water from a Deep Well, stating that he lists the best known Christian mystics in his book. How are you using the term “mystics” here?

Dr. Zacharias: When I say “Christian mystics” I mean that Christians today have lost the legitimate side of the mystical that is in accordance with sound doctrine. Like in marriage, the romantic side is very real, but has to be addressed by the will, not just feelings. As Christians we’ve forgotten how to be still and know that the LORD is God (Psalm 46:10). Many Christians have so busied themselves with programs and activities that they no longer know how to be silent and meditate on God’s word or recognize the mysteries that are in the Person of Christ. I’m not speaking of the esoteric or gnostic, I’m speaking of the meditative and reflective that conforms with sound doctrine.

Dr. Zacharias is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). He was born in India in the late ‘40s, immigrated to Canada with his family in the late ‘60s, has three grown children and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Margie whom he’s been married to for nearly 39 years.

He’s authored or edited more than 20 books, with several translated into Russian, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Spanish and other languages.

You can listen to Dr. Zacharias on his weekly radio programs, “Let My People Think”, aired on more than 1,700 outlets worldwide or “Just Thinking”, aired on more than 400 stations.

Dr. Zacharias is a highly sought after, world renown Christian author and speaker of apologetics whose demeanor is rare and refreshing. The first thoughts I had after my interview were: this man is unashamedly abandoned to Christ, humble and full of grace.

If you’d like to hear him speak in person, Dr. Zacharias will be at the First Baptist Church of Dallas on Sunday, April 15, 2012. For more information, please click HERE.

Listed below are local and online bookstores where you can purchase this dynamically truth-filled book:

Mardel

Barnes & Nobles

Christianbook.com (hardcover and audio CD)

Amazon

**Special note: For those who have concerns about Dr. Zacharias, his commitment to Christ and the true Gospel due to his 2004 speaking engagement at the Mormon Tabernacle, please don’t be foolish and make judgments based on what you’ve read or heard from someone else. Rather, educate yourself properly with the truth. You can watch his message in it’s entirety on YouTube by clicking this link: Ravi Zacharias Speaking to LDS 1 of 7 and/or read his note here: A Note from Ravi about the Mormon Tabernacle Event.

I’ve personally read the note and watched all seven videos and clearly heard Dr. Zacharias preach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ as well as make a clear distinction that the Christ of the Mormons is not the Christ of the Bible. The title of his message says it all: “The Exclusivity and Sufficiency of Jesus Christ”.

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