Answering my recent commenter, someone with another heaven story

Just visited a commenter's blog where I found a post in which she quotes Augustine about the folly of picking and choosing from scripture, as it shows trusting in oneself over trusting in God.

If you believe what you like in the gospels,
and reject what you don't like,
it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.
~Saint Augustine~

Which is very ironic considering that that's exactly what she did on my Hidden Glory blog a few days ago where she did her best to discredit the apostle Paul as having reverted to Judaism in his teaching that women are to cover our heads in the church assembly, simply because she dislikes his teachings on women. I left her the following message:

Hello,
You've posted a number of times at my blogs, mostly opposing my views, and now I've come to your blog and have spent a little time familiarizing myself with your views.

Since you came to my Hidden Glory blog recently to denounce the apostle Paul essentially as a Judaizer in his teaching that women are to cover our heads in church, I have to conclude that you are one of those who reject God's word and prefer your own wisdom to His despite what you are implying in this blog post.

Actually, for all their theology of free will, the Arminians (I have no idea what an "arminiast" might be) do recognize God's sovereignty in most of the life experiences of Christians. The Pelagians, on the other hand, are more directly heretical in their insistence on human free will.

Be that as it may, I suppose you believe that evidence of Jesus' choosing you is your experience at the age of three? As I have also written at my blog in response to your posts, I believe you need to carefully and honestly reexamine that experience as there is no doubt it was a deception that has misled you for many years. If you were to describe that experience in some detail I'm quite sure it would show it wasn't heaven you were experiencing, and that wasn't Jesus you met there. Similar experiences children have reported of being taken to heaven reveal that they are in fact deceptions, as I have discussed in a few posts on my Faith's Corner blog. You should describe yours in some detail in your Profile here, or in a separate blog post if you prefer. If you are truly committed to the truth of Christ you should be willing to submit your experience to the prayerful guidance of other Christians and especially pastors or elders. Have you done this? I sincerely hope if you have not that you will, as you are most certainly under a very serious spiritual deception.

A great deal of what she says on that blog is more or less orthodox, but it is presented in such a disconnected way that I'm not sure what she means by many of the terms. Since she doesn't treat Paul as the author of inspired scripture but only as a fallible man, there are probably many other ways her doctrine is faulty. This is what I would expect of someone who attributes her salvation to a visit to heaven at the age of three. Akiane Kramarik -- who must be a teenager by now or a young adult, who also claims to have been to heaven, in her case at four as I recall, came back with a very New Age version of Jesus. The young boys who have had books recently written about their visits to "heaven" also have unbiblical ideas about God and Jesus from their experiences.

Texas Governor Perry's call for prayer for the nation NOT what we need

It sounds like a good idea, in fact it sounds like what I've been hoping would happen for a long time. But like Glenn Beck's rally it is pulling together people of false beliefs as well as true. We can't do this together with heretics and expect God to hear us. This sort of thing makes it discouraging even to consider calling Christians to a time of prayer.

Here's Brannon Howse on this upcoming event:

In August of 2010 it was Glenn Beck with whom Christians were uniting for his "Restoring Honor Rally". I took a real beating from many Christians for stating that I believe that Glenn Beck, as a Mormon, is proclaiming another Jesus and another gospel and that this event would not help America but hurt America.

Even after Beck released his book, Seven Wonders That Will Change Your Life in which he detailed his completely unbiblical worldview; Christians continued to defend Beck stating that he is a good Christian that is teaching truth.

Now, as we approach August of 2011, many Christians are once again jumping on what appears to be the next spiritual bandwagon; a prayer rally being hosted by Governor Perry of Texas and other leaders. The website of The Response, says the reason for this rally is because:

America is in the midst of a historic crisis. We have been besieged by financial debt, terrorism, and a multitude of natural disasters. The youth of America are in grave peril economically, socially, and, most of all, morally. There are threats emerging within our nation and beyond our borders beyond our power to solve.

The reason the "youth of America are in grave peril economically, socially, and most of all, morally", is because they are in peril spiritually and I believe that giving credibility to and introducing youth and adults to false teachers and their unbiblical spirituality is only going to put people in danger of eternal, spiritual peril.

I do not believe this event will aide in reclaiming the country, restoring liberty, or prosperity and it certainly will not prompt God to bless America. I believe such an event will actually hasten God's judgment on our nation.

News reports reveal that on July 22nd, Governor Perry stated that he has no problem with gay marriage in New York. Are pro-family leaders that have agreed with boycotting secular companies for their support of gay marriage now going to be consistent and boycott Perry's prayer event?

The Response, as this event is being called, is being promoted as a time of prayer and repentance. However, how can Christians and Christian leaders gather together in a spiritual enterprise, a spiritual service, with individuals that embrace a theology and doctrine that teaches a different Jesus and a different gospel? I and thousands of pastors and theologians believe that the Word of God reveals that the teaching of the New Apostolic Reformation, (NAR) the Word of Faith movement and the prosperity gospel is completely unbiblical.

Yes, that's the problem with calls to prayer in this time. There was a time when a self-described Christian could be counted on to be orthodox enough to join with in such an event. In our time the nation is full of cults and apostate churches. Prayer for the nation now has to include strenuous spiritual warfare against false doctrine along with all the other needed petitions on behalf of the nation. Yes, such is the time we live in that we need to do spiritual warfare against a false Christian group that thinks it has the last word in spiritual warfare (see the Howse article linked above for an explanation of what I mean by this).

Norway joins the rest of the West in the eclipsing of its once-Christian society

How does someone come to the conclusion that the best way to combat an ideology that produces terrorists is to become one yourself?

That's what the Norwegian man who killed over 90 people at a "liberal" camp, and some government officials in another killing in downtown Oslo, seems to have been thinking. He says he wants to "change Norwegian society." He opposes the liberal immigration policies that have allowed the Muslim subpopulation to grow, he opposes multiculturalism and the Cultural Marxism that brought it about, he opposes the jihadic policies of Islam and wants them recognized and restricted by Norwegian society. How is that going to happen by murdering people?

It seems the only way he might change Norwegian society is by making it more paranoid and less free.

Norway has been known for its freedoms, for instance that its highest officials felt free to walk around in town or ride public transportation without the need for protection. Now that may change. How will that serve the killer's objectives?

They regard their liberal immigration policies and their open door to Muslims as part of their superior notions of freedom. If they do change in reaction to this murderous event they are only going to batten down more behind such policies and enforce them with other kinds of restrictions on their freedoms.

You know what's REALLY sad about all this? The freedom they are so proud of GOES BACK TO THEIR CHRISTIAN PAST. They no longer understand this and now mistakenly attribute it to their liberal policies, the policies that are allowing Islam a voice to such an extent that it may rise up and challenge whatever is left of Norway's Christian heritage -- because Islam is committed to taking the world for Allah and Islam is NOT a religion that promotes such freedoms as Norway has enjoyed for centuries. In nation after nation liberalism has become the handmaiden to the murderous aims of Islam.

Apparently the killer knows this and wants to bring it to the attention of the society in general. It isn't going to happen, it's only going to get worse. You don't return to a Christian society by murdering people.

The degeneration into liberalism AND the growth of Islamic influence in the West are BOTH DUE TO THE DETERIORATION OF CHRISTIANITY.

The solution is God-wrought revival. Certainly not murder.

==================
Later: Since of course the Right is concerned that the Left is going to make this into some kind of proof that Christians are just as much terrorists as Islamists, I want to add that I think Christians should be careful not to see this so much as a political conflict as a reflection of the spiritual "powers and principalities" that we are always up against. Our enemy is "not flesh and blood" and the war can't be fought effectively by human means. We really do need a revival, this is a spiritual war and it can only be won by Christians dying to self, taking up our cross and following the Lord into battle primarily on our knees. Really sad that this "Christian" killer doesn't recognize these realities.

Time off the internet

I'm having computer problems which is keeping me off the internet for a while. Computer crashed, have to use the library's or this borrowed old laptop that won't accept anti-virus programs for some reason -- they claim there's not enough space for them although the computer itself says it has 11 GB free so I don't get it, but whatever the reason it means I need to keep the risk to a minimum. I don't have the money to get a new computer outright although some friends have offered to help which I much appreciate and I may take them up on their offer. The borrowed computer is adequate for my work so far so there's no rush to get a new system.

And I have to say it's been a very good thing to be off the internet for a while. I've been getting a lot of reading done and catching up on other neglected things.

(I may go make a report on some of the reading on the Things of the Spirit blog.)

The Harold Camping False Prophecy

I haven't written anything on the Harold Camping Judgment Day May 21 prophecy debacle, thinking it's been amply covered elsewhere, but a link or two is probably in order.

I received this one of Eric Barger's comments through Olive Tree Ministries. He is imagining what it must have been like to be in the position of Camping's followers both before and after the prophecy fell through, and calls for prayer for them in the wake of the disaster.

Here's a 5-part blog post by W. Robert Godfrey, President of Westminster Seminary, giving background on Harold Camping and his approach to the Bible.

More links to come as I run across them.

David Wilkerson: May 19, 1931 to April 27, 2011

Google page on David Wilkerson.

I remember reading The Cross and the Switchblade very early in my Christian life, the story of David Wilkerson's obedient response to God's calling to the teenage gangs in New York City in the late 1950s. I think it may have spoiled me with the expectation that there must be many such obedient Christian leaders as David Wilkerson, Christians who spend hours with God and hear and obey. I then went on to his book Set the Trumpet to Thy Mouth about his prophecy of disaster coming to New York City. I always considered him a true man of God even after I gave up on the charismatic movement which is related to the Pentecostalism of which he was a part. He never fell for the deceptions in that movement.

Last week he was killed in a car crash at the age of 79. Here are some stories about that and about his life:

The report from Christianity Today.

A video tribute to his life at one of his websites.

Report from Charisma magazine..

The report in The Wall Street Journal.

By STEPHEN MILLER
The Rev. David Wilkerson created the longest-running show on Broadway, an 8,000-strong Pentecostal church dedicated to saving New York City's drug addicts and prostitutes.

Mr. Wilkerson, who died Wednesday at age 79, was founder of World Challenge, a nondenominational Christian ministry that has worked in more than 50 countries, with a special emphasis on young people.

Mr. Wilkerson's car veered into oncoming traffic in East Texas and collided head-on with a tractor-trailer, police said. He was not wearing a seat belt. His wife, Gwendolyn, was injured in the accident.

In 1963, Mr. Wilkerson published "The Cross and the Switchblade," an autobiographical account of working with teenage gang members in New York.

The book sold 15 million copies, his church claims, and in 1969 was made into a movie starring Pat Boone as Mr. Wilkerson and Erik Estrada as troubled gang leader Nicky Cruz.

After kicking drugs via Mr. Wilkerson's cold-turkey, scripture-reading method, Mr. Cruz went on to become a Pentecostal minister himself, often preaching in Eastern Europe.

Teen Challenge, Mr. Wilkerson's antidrug organization, runs nearly 1,200 drug centers, 233 of them in the U.S.

The Christian form of the royal wedding was apparent, if not, perhaps, the spiritual substance

Sun May 1, 4 PM:
The Royal Channel at You Tube has the whole event available on video, all three and a half hours of it. There's no commentary.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The royal wedding in Britain yesterday was particularly interesting to me for its glimpse into the Christian underpinnings of the nation that continue through the Westminster Abbey service.

I have to doubt, however, that those underpinnings continue much in the hearts and minds of many Brits themselves, including the clergy, the Anglican church being so notable these days for its "liberal" leanings to the point of apostasy. I even wonder how many who attended the service had any feeling whatever for the Christian message beyond its traditional use in such ceremonies. In a word, were there any believers there? Any who call Christ Lord and Savior and reject all other gods? I simply don't know, but I'd like to think there were at least a few.

But it does show that the UK is still mostly culturally Christian at least. The Christian message WAS there: a good passage from the Bible was nicely read by the bride's brother, many Biblical prayers were given by all the clergy, the sermon/homily was very Biblical, traditional Christian hymns were sung by choir and congregation, nothing out of line that I noticed. That so much of the message comes through was touching, and reminds one that England, or the United Kingdom, WAS once a Christian nation.

One very touching hymn, chosen, the announcers said, by Prince Charles, is this poem by William Blake:

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

The idea that Christ was ever physically in England during his lifetime is pretty silly, maybe even heretical, as silly at least as the New Age idea that he went to India to study under Hindus, or the Mormon idea that he came to the Americas to preach the gospel to his "other sheep," at the very time that Paul was preaching it to the sheep the Lord had in mind.

And Blake wasn't exactly your orthodox Christian, and the poem also apparently carries political overtones, but it can be heard in terms of a yearning for the spirit of Christ to embrace England, and that's how I more or less heard it in the wedding ceremony and found it very moving.

The Christian flavor of the ceremony got me thinking about the symbolism of the cross that is on their flag too, also on the flags of other European countries: I looked it up -- not as many as I'd thought, pretty much just the U.K. and the Scandinavian nations -- and I always thought it indicated a Christian identity. I might be surprised I suppose if I really got into the history of these things. But since I recently wrote a blog entry about how America isn't really Christian after all, my wondering why our flag has no cross image in it sort of just came and went as I thought about these things.

Not that a nation can really BE Christian of course, in the true sense I mean, since this is a fallen world, but it can be culturally Christian, and I think Britain demonstrates that it still retains much of its cultural Christian past if little else, and so does the U.S. although we're rapidly losing it.

One other observation connected to this: I suppose the habit of British women's wearing hats in the service was originally derived from 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (which is the basis of my other blog, Hidden Glory), which is interesting in itself since pretty much all American congregations have given up any kind of head covering for women. Of course in Britain it's become a fashion item, to the point of ridiculousness in some cases (Princess Beatrice got herself established in the minds of millions with her really silly head thing -- hardly a hat -- and if getting recognized was her aim she succeeded) but at least in MOST cases their hats DO cover the head and that counts for something in the direction of obedience to the scripture, however removed from consciousness. Not those tilted saucers or those bizarre "fascinators" but the really hatty hats of which there were many.