6 signs of a cult

6 signs of a cult

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If I may, I would like to better define the lines between a Christian church and an actual cult. All too often the word cult is addressed to people that believe in the second coming, trust the Bible, or just plain home school their children. What amazes me is how often it is the Catholic church that labels people with the title cult, when they themselves sport all the earmarks of a cult. This is an ancient technique designed to hide the truth in plain sight.

When the commandment keeping, prophecy understanding children of God came out of hiding about 200 years ago, the Roman church with their many millions of members decided they should be immediately tagged a cult. Reason being, not only were these Christians embracing the Law of God as a fruit of true Christianity, they also had an uncanny ability to match prophetic facts with historic documentation. Rome of course didn’t like that one bit. They feared their message because they were the ones being unmasked. Every prophecy that has ever been uttered in Scripture regarding Antichrist was now being uncovered and explained using un-refutable evidence. The finger was pointing directly at the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. Thousands of years of History had now afforded these Christians with ample evidence that was readily available. To lend credence to their message, the Bible itself was now being printed for the common man allowing him to verify all that was being said. No more did the Vatican have the ability to burn the bibles and translate them into the dead Latin language. The prophetic fulfillment of the Bible’s ability to witness absolute truth has allowed almost anyone with a competent knowledge of history a valid method by which to identify Antichrist. Rome knew they had no way of defending itself with the Bible because it was the very book exposing them. Instead, they reared up on their heels, took a deep breath, and yelled CULT as loud as she could to try and prevent the truth from exposing them as the true and easily identified as well as prophecied Cult of ages.

Common nature has proven that the natural reaction to the mass opinion is to always go with the crowd. In other words, the mind-set had been cultivated that declares, if everyone is saying it, it must be true. Problem with that thought process is, when it comes to Scriptural facts, the crowd theology is always wrong. Case in point, the entire planet back in Noah’s day thought Noah was just some crazed lunatic building a boat on dry land. They came to the conclusion that his preaching that the end of the world was coming by a flood was not accepted by anyone with common sense.

Science has in fact proven that before this time in earth’s history, it had NEVER rained on the planet. The earth was well watered within as well as by a gentle dew each morning. No one believed Noah when he said water would come from above and flood the earth. The great firmament was still in place, the great deep was still just under the earth’s crust that was not only watering the soil and roots, it was gently warming it as well due to the close proximity of the earth’s magma. So, rain as we see today was simply not necessary. The plants had all the water they needed, the atmosphere was hyperbolic in nature. So the thought of rain, let alone clouds in the air seemed absolutely insane to the majority. Did their adamant disbelief somehow stop the now scientifically proven global flood from coming? No it did not. Scientists have not only proven a global flood occurred. They have also found pillow lava that can only form under water, as well as large salt formations on most mountains, including Mt. Ararat. Not to mention the actual petrified ark of Noah that has been probed, flown over and even photographed over the years. In fact…

· Marco Polo wrote of seeing it during his travels

· In 1883 a Turkish expedition documented the ark’s existence upon Mt Ararat

· In 1916 during World War I, Russian pilot Lt. Zabalotski photographed the ark while on a reconnaissance mission

· In 1944 a photo of the ark appeared in an issue of the “Stars & Stripes” publication of the US military

· In 1959 F100 Jet Fighter pilot Gregor Schwinghammer sighted the ark

· And Ron Bennet, UPI White House photographer, during the Carter administration was on board Air Force One, while on an escorted flight over Mt. Ararat. He was told along with everyone else on board to look out their windows and see for themselves NOAH’S ARK!

That ark is there, and there was a global flood. We now know this. The majority in Noah’s day stated Noah was wrong. The majority, or shall I say, the entire planet figured since everyone else thought Noah was mistaken in his prophetic declarations, he must be wrong. How can the whole planet be wrong they thought? How can this one man, and his small family be the only true followers of God?

Well, it’s no different today! When the commandment keeping and prophecy understanding child of God came out of hiding directly after Rome paused killing the Christians, they started to proclaim prophetic facts that angered the dragon. Satan knew his methods of deception, and crowd theology worked real well in Noah’s day. As the saying goes, if it works don’t fix it, right? So, the Devil prodded the prelates of Rome to proclaim the true Christians to be a cult simply because they didn’t go along with the new majority, which is of course the hundreds of millions of Catholics that were taught to blindly accept what their leaders said as truth. These peculiar people that are keeping what the Vatican called the “Jewish Sabbath,” had to be a cult. Look at how strange they are Rome said! They don’t go to church in Sunday like we do! They don’t embrace the doctrines that we do! They don’t believe our Pope is holy like we do! So they must be a cult.

Problem with this lie of Rome was, there will always be people out there that will open their bibles to verify the Truth. They are called the elect. According to Matthew 24:24, the elect can not be deceived.

So.. how can we tell the difference between a cult and a Christian church? Finding a Christian church is rather easy. It’s one that will adhere to the Christian God’s Bible as the sole authority. I have a page on the site, called “Remnant Christian Fruits” in the “Bible Truths” section of the website that lays out 8 of the major biblical teachings that we can use to identify the true remnant church, or Bride of Christ in the last days. If we were to look for this church we must not settle for just any church. We must make sure it is exactly as the Word of God describes it to be. It won’t step off that platform of Truth no matter what the cost.

A cult on the other hand ignores the written Word of God in key areas. They will twist Scripture to their end but leave just enough truth to appear as a church. Looking closer, we find they don’t rely on Scripture at all. In fact they rely on what Jesus refers to as doctrines of demons and traditions of man over and above the Scripture. Here is the key we will use in our investigation.

One more thing is the cult will always seek to go against biblical jurisprudence, or actual Christian truths as is found in the Bible. All one needs to do in this respect is to look at the church in question, investigate its doctrines and teachings to do as the Berean’s of Acts chapter 17 did. We must see what they have to preach, and then open a Bible to see if those things are so.

So.. let’s do that with Roman Catholicism shall we? Does it stand up to the acid test of truth? Do they go by a simple whatsoever saith the Lord? The Vatican does claim to be a Christian church does it not? So let’s see if that is so? If they are a Christian church, then they won’t have a problem with the Christian Bible.

Biblical jurisprudence is defined by Isaiah when he says, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20) Bringing a Bible into the mix is an absolute necessity when a church proclaims to be Christian, yet has fruit that says otherwise. You can use a Bible to expose non-Christian faiths as well of course, but not as effectively as you can with so called followers of Christ because Muslims, Buddhists, or even Zoroastrian nuns don’t accept him as Lord. So when you walk up to them with a Bible they don’t understand that book as truth. They ignore it. In that respect the Bible is only effective to the believer that holds it. But as I said earlier, Rome claims Christ as Lord. So the Bible will have to be the method by which she must be tested! Isaiah made that very clear.

In my research over the years I have found many signs of cultic activity in many churches. Of course there are far too many of these signs to mention. So I will concentrate on what I like to refer to as the SIX MAJOR SIGNS OF A CULT. If the church you are investigating has more then one of these, there is a good chance this is a church that has stepped off the platform of truth and should be avoided at all cost. But if they have ALL SIX, then this is most assuredly a bonafide, died in the wool actual cult we are dealing with.

Every cult has a single powerful human leader. In fact, all cult leaders will proclaim themselves a god on earth. Do you recall Jim Jones? or Charles Manson? They both proclaimed themselves to be Jesus Christ. Did you know the Pope does this as well? Listen to what the Pope's of Rome have to say in that regard.

"The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, he is Jesus Christ himself, hidden under the veil of flesh." Catholic National July 1895.

"We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty" ...Pope Leo XIII Encyclical Letter of June 20, 1894,

"For thou art the shepherd, thou art the physician, thou art the director, thou art the husbandman, finally thou art another God on earth." Labbe and Cossart's "History of the Councils." Vol. XIV, col. 109

The title "Lord God the Pope" is found within a gloss of Extravagantes of Pope John XXII, title 14, chapter 4, In an Antwerp edition of the Extravagantes, the words, "Dominum Deum Nostrum Papam" (Our Lord God the Pope) can be found in column 153. In a Paris edition, they are found in column 140.

"The pope is the supreme judge of the law of the land . . . He is the vicegerent of Christ, and is not only a priest forever, but also King of kings and Lord of lords"--La Civilta Cattolica, March 18, 1871.

"It seems that Pope John Paul II now presides over the universal Church from his place upon Christ's cross," said Bishop Dunn, who traveled with seven other prelates to Rome. Taken from an article entitled, "Auckland Bishop Says Pope Presides From the Cross" AUCKLAND, New Zealand, SEPT. 20, 2004 -Zenit.org (Article # ZE04092001)

OUR BIBLE SAYS...

• Isaiah 45:22, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."
• John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

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The cult leaders word, or teachings of the cult become absolute truth over shadowing the Word of God. In fact, ALL cult leaders declare their traditions are above the Bible. They must do this because the Bible exposes them. They need to make the Bible appear fallible so as to ingrain the thought process that makes man’s word appear superior to God’s Word. What does the Vatican say about their tradition?

"The Pope has power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ. The Pope has authority and has often exercised it, to dispense with the command of Christ." - Decretal, de Tranlatic Episcop. Cap.

"...the church is above the Bible, and the transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact" Catholic Record of London, Ontario Sept 1,1923.

"The authority of the church could therefore not be bound to the authority of the Scriptures, because the Church had changed...the Sabbath into Sunday, not by command of Christ, but by its own authority." Canon and Tradition, p. 263

(82) As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "DOES NOT derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. BOTH SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION MUST BE ACCEPTED AND HONORED WITH EQUAL SENTIMENTS OF DEVOTION AND REVERENCE. Catechism of Catholic Doctrine Page 31

"The Scriptures indeed is a divine book but it is a dead letter, which has to be explained, and cannot exercise the action which the preacher can obtain." -Our Priesthood, p. 155

They also state that the Bible is a…

"...A dead and speechless book." -Roman Catholic booklet entitled “Question Box”, p. 67

"The doctrines of the Catholic Church are entirely independent of Holy Scripture." -Familiar Explanation of Catholic Doctrine, Rev. M. Muller, p.151.

OUR BIBLE SAYS...

• Mark 7:7, "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
• Isaiah 8:20, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

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Each cult uses force to coerce its members into submission. Most cults today will use high pressure tactics to get people to not only join them, they also resort to extreme measures to make them stay. They do this mainly because they know the loved ones of their converts would eventually reveal their hidden evil agenda to them causing them to leave the cult. Is there evidence to support the fact the Roman Catholic church tries to use force to convert people to Catholicism?

"For teaching faith contrary to the teaching of the Church of Rome, history records the martyrdom of more than 100 million people ." Brief Bible Readings p. 16 Harvest Time books

"There was no village of the Vaudois valleys but had its martyrs. The Waldenses were burned; they were cast into damp and horrid dungeons; they were smothered in crowds in mountain caverns, mothers and babes, and old men and women together; they were sent out into exile in the winter night, unclothed and unfed, to climb the snowy mountains; they were hurled over the rocks; their houses and lands were taken from them; their children were stolen to be indoctrinated with the religion which they abhorred. Rapacious individuals were sent among them to strip them of their property, to persecute and exterminate them. Thousands of heretics" or Waldenses, "old men, women and children, were hung, quartered, broken upon the wheel, or burned alive and their property confiscated for the benefit of the king, and Holy See."-Thompson - The Papacy and the Civil Power

"The Catholic Church has persecuted ... when she thinks it is good to use physical force she will use it... Will the Catholic Church give bond that she will not persecute?... The Catholic Church gives no bonds for her *good behaviour*." -Western Watchman, Dec. 24, 1908 (emphasis added)

"On August 24, 1527, Roman Catholics in France, by prearranged plan, under Jesuit influence, murdered 70,000 Protestants within the space of two months. The Pope rejoiced when he heard the news of the successful outcome."-(Roman Catholic publication) The Western Watchman, Nov.21, 1912

Foxes book of Martyrs reports Rome killed over 500 MILLION Christians during their prophecied attack on Christ and His bride.

The reason Rome killed these Christians is widely known. Even recently, (March 12, 2000) the Vatican admitted they did this to Christians thinking they were doing God’s will just as Jesus predicted they would think.

• John 16:2-3, "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me."

They thought their forceful methods would bring many into the church. It’s true, they did bring people in, but those people were weak and fearful of Rome torturous acts and they denied Christ merely to save their lives. Sadly, Jesus said in Luke 17:33, "Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it." Many went to Christ-less graves simply because they chose to do as Rome demanded over what God commanded. However, there were many that will see a better resurrection because they trusted the Jesus of the Bible and exposed the Antichrist of Rome all the way to their graves.

And by the way, for those of you that think it’s impossible for Rome to kill 500 million Christians during its 1260 year prophecied reign. Which was from 538ad to 1798ad. Let’s do the math shall we? If they only killed HALF of the 70,000 as that article said they killed every two months, that would actually equate to, Rome killing only 210,000 Christians each year. Or, 2,100,000 every 10 years, or 210,000.000 every 100 years. But history proves, and Rome admitted, to killing for 1260 years. So, if we are gentle in our math and state Rome killed only 210,000 a year, even though they admitted to killing twice that already in writing. That would equate to them easily killing well over 2,520,000.000 innocent people over the course of 1260 years. And that’s not counting those they killed spiritually. So, the next time someone shows you historic evidence that Rome killed a mere 500 Million during their 1260 year first prophecied reign, it will seem a bit more easy to believe now won’t it?

OUR BIBLE SAYS...

• Luke 3:14, "…Do violence to no man"

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Each cult leader will teach a Jesus that is not found in the Scriptures. Like Jim Jones, or Charles Manson, their version of "Jesus" was light-years from the true Jesus of the Bible. Do we see a different Jesus in the Roman Catholic church as well? Do they really preach the Jesus of the Bible in Rome?

• Do they preach Jesus as Savior when their Popes GLORIFY Mary as Co-Saviour?
• Do they preach Jesus as their High priest when the Roman priests are drunks, smokers, & Sodomite child rapists?
• Do they preach Jesus peaceful while killing 500 million Christians during the dark ages?
• Do they preach Jesus as infallible while placing tradition over and above His Word?
• Do they preach Jesus’ death as sufficient when they teach of Purgatory instead of Salvation in Jesus?
• Do they preach Jesus’ cross sufficient when teaching you must individually suffer to be saved?
• Do they preach Jesus’ cross sufficient when selling Indulgences to escape Hellfire?
• Do they preach Jesus as the only mediator to the Father while going to Priest for forgiveness?
• Do they preach Jesus as Creator when the Pope said in 1996 and 1998 "Evolution is fact" making Jesus the Creator a liar?
• Do they preach Jesus as a wise steward of finances when they teach gambling is acceptable Christ-like activity at their church Carnivals, Casino nights, and Bingo halls?
• Do they preach Jesus as truthful when the Pope praises and embraces Buddhism, Wicca, and Islam as acceptable faiths in the ecumenical movement?
• Do they preach Jesus merciful when they preach that "Fellow believers" stoned Stephan on Roman Catholic Television?
• Do they preach Jesus 100% capable of protecting you when the Pope drives a bullet proof pope-mobile?
• Do they preach Jesus as all embracing Saviour when the Pope preaches you MUST be loyal to him to be saved?
• Do they preach Jesus as worthy of worship when you must bow down to the Pope and kiss his ring?
• Do they preach Jesus’ Word as worthy while killing half a billion for reading His Word?
• Do they preach Jesus’ adult baptism as an example when they baptize babies?
• Do they preach Jesus worthy of hearing when they put His Bible on the "forbidden book" list in the Council of Valencia in1229ad
• Do they preach Jesus’ commandments are holy when they "venerate" crosses, statues, images, and relics. And remove the second Commandment from their Catechism books?
• Do they preach Jesus’ Law regarding idols as truth when they preach you must worship a wafer as God?
• Do they preach Jesus is the only way to be saved when they preach a "scapular" will save you from the fires of Hell instead of Jesus?
• Do they preach Jesus’ Word is the only Truth when they put books in the Bible that Jesus nor the Apostles ever quoted from, and most theologians have found to be uninspired and contradictory?
• Do they preach Jesus was the only one without sin when they say Mary was "utterly without sin" as well?
• Do they preach Jesus the only source of Truth by calling the Pope infallible and Jesus fallible?
• Do they preach Jesus God, when the Pope himself states to all the world that "He is god"?
• Do they preach Jesus will save you when the Pope proclaims that the "church" is a must for salvation?
• Do they preach Jesus as merciful and kind when they slowly torture hundreds of millions of His followers to death?
• Do they preach Jesus as tolerant and hopeful when they destroy entire countries for political gain?
• Do they preach Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath when they put it in writing that they abolish His Sabbath altogether and force others to comply?

OUR BIBLE SAYS...

• 1 John 4:3, "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."
• Isaiah 8:20, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

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A Cult will teach a Gospel of good works in place of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Again, like Jim Jones, Charles Manson, and even some of the more "gentle" cults of today. Their leaders always taught that you must work your way to Heaven. Jim Jones declared the Kool-Aid a work that will “set them free.” Charles Manson declared murder their good works. Of course, some cults will use works of murder and mayhem, while still there are others that use good works as their requirement. Does the Catholic church teach you can gain Heaven by what you do instead of what Jesus did?

The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance. What is an indulgence? "An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints." "An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin." Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead. The Catechism of the Catholic church says: (Indulgences/good works) Item# 1471 Page 411

An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the punishments due for their sins. Thus the Church does not want simply to come to the aid of these Christians, but also to spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity. Ibid Item# 1478 Page 413

Since the faithful departed now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted. Ibid Item# 1479 Page 413

(NOTE: They do not mention Indulgences are received by BUYING THEM here.)

OUR BIBLE SAYS...

• Ephesians 2:9, "Not of works, lest any man should boast."
• Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
• Romans 6:23, "... the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

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Cults often urge their converts to leave their families. This is a common feature wherein the cult leaders force their converts away from families to prevent them from learning the truth about the cult they are now a member of. All too often some governments actually step in to break up such "communes" because of what has been happening lately. Their reasoning for doing this has to do with the mass suicides many of these cults are known for. I recall back in the 70’s how cults were the focus of many interventions. A family member or friend would be lured away by some cult member. Once there, they are brainwashed, and taught everyone outside the cult are evil and hell-bent on their destruction. So, friends or family, and often both would abduct the loved one back from the cult and bring them to a neutral location where they try to bring them back to reality. In these interventions they would attempt to re-educate, or un-wash their brains during a long series of conversations with loved ones. This was usually done by a cult specialist that would come in and show the affected loved one how the cult had twisted numerous Bible verses to get them to believe their lies over actual truth. It would usually take several days to even weeks in some cases to get the loved one to realize the truth.

Does the Roman Catholic church have a communal structure? Do they house some of their converts so as to keep them away from their family members? This is the easiest of all cultic evidences to expose. The Roman Catholic church is infamous for its Rectories, Convents, and Monasteries

Rectory:
Is a Place were only male priests live permanently away from their family.

Convent:
Is a Place were nuns permanently live away from their family. Cloistered nuns rarely see strangers, let alone family.

Monasteries
Is a place where monks are housed away from society as well as their families and oftentimes in complete silence.

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Romans 1:22-32 describes Roman Catholicism with uncanny accuracy!

It states... "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

Revelation 18:1-5, "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."

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Besides the largest and most dangerous cult. The Roman Catholic Church. There are other cults out there as we all well know. One in particular I would like to bring to your attention. It is attacking the SDA church from within its ranks as did the Roman Catholic church so long ago. They disguise themselves as Sabbath keeping Christians with a strange twist on the Scriptures. It is the Yahweh and Yeshua movement that I like to refer to as the YAHcult.

Please understand, not everyone that embraces the biblical name of God are of this YAHcult. The major keys to watch for are they insist you will burn in Hell if you use any other name for God or His Son, and most of them also push the Feast Days as an absolute requirement to gain Heaven.

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Everything Belongs to God

14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace.

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19 Why should we perish before your eyes-- we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate."
20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh's,
21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other.

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25 "You have saved our lives," they said. "May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh."

Gen. 47:14,19-21,25 (NIV)

Joseph has been known as a foreshadowing of Jesus. They have much in common. Both were highly esteemed by their fathers, the envy of their brothers, sold for silver, falsely accused, sentenced to death, stripped and beaten, but drawn out of the pit, their robes dipped in blood, exalted to the right hand of the King, not recognized by their brothers. But all this was meant for good, for the salvation of many.

After Joseph was given power in Egypt and the predicted famine started to take effect, he systematically took everyone’s money, then their livestock, then finally their land and even the people themselves in exchange for food, in exchange for life. And they willingly gave themselves over in bondage to Pharaoh. All this wealth was presented to Pharaoh.

It required special circumstances and the wisdom of Joseph to incrementally bring this about, in such a way that people willingly gave themselves over to servitude.

Jesus has saved us from death, not physical but an eternal death. In exchange He requires everything we have, including our servitude. It now all belongs to Him, and He presents it all to His Father, for His Father’s glory. Not a worldly king, but a God who loves us so much He would even die for us. Therefore, how much more should we willingly offer all that we have and are over to Him who redeemed our lives.

Surely it is in the light of all this that Jesus could have radical encounters like this:

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Mark 10:21 (NIV)

(When you give to the poor you are giving to God.)

Won’t you offer yourself and all that you have to God? Prayers like this require courage, but if you can, pray that Jesus with careful wisdom, would reduce you to servitude before God. That everything you have may be given over to Him, for His glory and purposes.

You have saved our lives, may we find favor in the eyes of our Lord; we will be in bondage to our King.

SpiritsWord Daily Devotional - Everything Belongs to God

Everything Belongs to God

by Simon Whitton

Celebs Channeling: Demons and Spirits

The subject of channeling is quite popular today. Even Hillary Clinton and other famous people have been involved with channeling, but does that make it right and safe? Channeling is performed by someone opening themselves up to other forces, supposedly of those who have long been dead, and are supposedly benevolent, helpful and kind "spirits." Channeling is done for the purpose of obtaining "helpful" information to "guide" humans along the road of life, or to contact a dead relative or friend.
Hollywood actors, politicians, new age disciples and others are moving toward channeling simply because it is exciting, and it is a supposed way of receiving vital information from "the other side." But, IS THIS TRUE?
Many people will undoubtedly jump to the defense of new age mysticism and channeling because they have "experienced" the "reality" of it. Others defend it because they HOPE channeling is real and would LIKE it to be real. After all, it IS exciting, isn't it? However, unless you understand what you are playing with, you could be badly deceived, and even physically hurt.
If you really want to understand this subject, you also need to read about the Prince of Spirits who has dominion over this earth. If you don't believe in such things, ask yourself this: How do you KNOW that the forces some people are opening themselves up to are GOOD forces? Is it wise to simply take THEIR word for it? If you were a spirit, with the intent of deceiving human minds away from the truth and into ANYTHING else, would YOU tell them the truth? On the other hand, would you tell them so many obvious lies that they became suspicious and wouldn't listen?
The human race has free will and the ability to discern and judge things in the world. It wouldn't be a good idea to lie about everything because this would show up quite easily. So what do they do? They simply tell enough truth to make it believable, but sow in enough deceitful lies to bring about the end result they really want. By revealing themselves as "good guys," they cater to the NEED within all of us to have a spiritual contact and base.
Notice 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. :14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his (Satan's) ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, (appear to be ministers of truth, helpers of mankind) whose end will be according to their works."
1 Timothy 4:1 "...giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons."
Once you understand the truth about death and what happens after it, you will see that it is impossible for these "spirits" to be departed humans. These spirits have been around long before any human was on the earth. They know a great deal about the lives of past humans, ao it isn't any surprise that they can cough up details about them. Some of these lying spirits (1 Kings 22:22) make themselves out to be some wise, powerful, ancient forces here to lead mankind to truth.
So what is the purpose of this deception anyway? They are playing on human ignorance and rejection of the only true spirit that mankind absolutely MUST have to survive the grave. The great "Christian" religious counterfeit foisted on the human race by Satan has turned off untold millions of people, and keeps hundreds of millions more in ignorance of the true plan of God. This watered-down Christian facade only tells a part of the whole process God is working out on the planet.
Either way, the prince of evil spirits is temporarily blinding the minds of the entire human race, preventing them from seeing the truth. He doesn't care what people believe as long as it ISN'T the truth of God. These spirits KNOW full well the plan of God and the destiny of the human race. They have set themselves up as enemies of God in an attempt to keep people from this truth and to try to destroy their personal potential, and the earth itself. Witness the environmental situation, and take a long, hard look at all the other systems man has devised as "solutions" to problems. We are seriously deficient, and slowly going down the tubes.
All this is being done slowly, because Satan KNOWS that to do things more blatantly would raise some suspicions. He isn't in a big hurry so he can plan the downfall of the human race down to the littlest detail. God is allowing this to occur as an example to all of us that we, of ourselves, CAN NOT direct our own course according to the true reality of existence, without God. He is the only spirit that can take us from the situation we were born in, to the God Plane of existence.

Is New Age Spirit Channeling, Really NEW?

You might be surprised to learn that the so called NEW age practices are far from being new. In fact, these practices are thousands of years old, and have been utilized by mankind for much the same reasons. Take a look at just a few of the references to such:
Leviticus 19:31 "Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God."
Leviticus 20:6 "And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people."
Deuteronomy 18:9 "When you are come into the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you [any one] that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 ""or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead." 12 For all that do these things [are] an abomination to the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD your God doth drive them out from before you."
2 Kings 21:6 "Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke [Him] to anger."
Isaiah 8:19-20 "And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? [Should they seek] the dead on behalf of the living? :20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them."
Isaiah 19:3 "The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, And they will consult the idols and the charmers, The mediums and the sorcerers."
1 Chronicles 10:13-14 "So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. 14 But [he] did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse."
2 Chronicles 33:6 "Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger."
POINT: Today, as back then, people are seeking answers to their problems, but looking in the wrong place.
Judges 9:23 "Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:"
1 Kings 22:23 ""Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.""
Matthew 4:24 "Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them."
Acts 8:7 "For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed."
Acts 16:16 "Now it happened, as we went to pray, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling."
Acts 19:15 "And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" :16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded."
1 Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times (end times) some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons."
Revelation 16:14 "For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, [which] go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."
POINT: As the above references show, there are EVIL spirits, LYING spirits, DECEIVING spirits, and UNCLEAN spirits that CAN AND DO communicate with human beings. Think about the world's condition right now. Is it really difficult to imagine how millions of such evil spirits can influence the collective mind of mankind?





There IS some truth to the concept of channeling, however. The only true "channeling" we should be attempting to do is to channel the spirit of the true living God into our lives. He has to start the process, but WE need to renew this contact daily and grow to be more like Him. This can ONLY happen when we play by the rules... described in detail in His word, the Bible. Trying to contact any other spirit is not only dangerous, but it can have serious repercussions for us SPIRITUALLY, not just physically as the world shows. We ALL need to have spiritual contact, but if it isn't with the right spirit, we will never achieve the goal that God has for us.
So I ask you once again, how can someone be SURE that what they may be connected to is really good? Unless you know what the test is, and have the right understanding of truth, you WILL be deceived.
1 John 4:1-3 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the [spirit] of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world."
Please realize that a demon COULD acknowledge that Christ has come in the flesh, simply because they know who He is. This scripture, along with many others, teach that these "spirits" would have to acknowledge God's authority, His laws, commands and His word, the bible. In other words, if they do NOT teach what the bible teaches, or teach ANYTHING contrary to what it says... they are lying spirits and deceiving with their words.
This will become so prevalent that, in the future, when things heat up, people will be so deceived by all this and more that they will be brought to the point of making war with God Himself, unknowingly.
Revelation 17:14 "These will make war with the Lamb, (Christ) and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those [who are] with Him [are] called, chosen, and faithful."
This battle will involve millions of people in the middle east and will be the bloodiest war ever fought...
Revelation 14:20 "And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs."
The vast majority of humankind will be deceived into believing a false religion... something far different from truth, and will be caught up in actually doing battle against Christ when He returns to this Earth.
Suffice it to say that what you may think about new age mysticism, there is ONLY a dark side to it all. You need to beware!

Hollywood Unmasked and Exposed

Hupokrites

Have you ever wondered how some of your favorite actors and actresses manage to be so convincing in their roles? How do they transform themselves into becoming the characters that they play and make it look so real?

Are you familiar with such concepts as automatic writing, channeling, theosophy, demon possession, astrology, fortune telling, satanic worship, occult sacrifices, mind transference, transcendental meditation, black magic? Many of them are...and they credit these practices for their success in Hollywood.

Entertainers such as Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington, Johnny Depp, Robin Williams, Sandra Bullock, Kevin Bacon, Roseanne Barr, Greta Garbo, Halle Berry, Marlene Dietrich, Winona Ryder, Joan Crawford, River Phoenix, Mae West, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Michael Landon, Peter Sellers...openly acknowledge the influence spiritism and the occult has played in their acting careers.

In an interview with Spike Lee, he relates these things as being similar to hocus pocus and voodoo. He couldn't be more right. The Scriptures expressly forbid attempts to contact the deceased and interact with them. Any attempt to access the spirit world apart from Jesus Christ is satanic.

Individuals in the industry describe these transformations as "scary" and "spooky". Why? Because they know these actors are tapping into the supernatural and calling upon demonic spirits to take them over in their performances. Many of the world's leading entertainers are crossing into the realm of witchcraft and the occult. Yet, they are worshiped around the world and held up as icons. People flock to see their latest pictures, swoon to hear their advise, follow every nuance of their lives, etc. What spirits are really being presented for your amusement and entertainment? What are you joining yourself to when you make these "stars" your idols?

"Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh." II Corinthians 5:16a

So many want to simply dismiss what these artists say about their own efforts to become embodied with other spirits. But this is commonplace in Hollywood. We are not speaking of the exception, but of the typical practice by most in this field. Are you really prepared to understand what they are dealing with?

We had previously posted all of the Hollywood Unmasked videos below, but a poster raised concerns about the graphic nature of some of the content, including images of homosexuality being pushed in the media. We agree with this poster and have only included two videos below: 1) An overview of the Hollywood Unmasked series; and 2) An separate interview with Spike Lee about how Denzel Washington sought to be possessed by the spirit of Malcom X in preparing for that role.

Celebrity spirit channelers: Anne Heche and… Brad Pitt?

Brad Pitt is shown on 1/27/08; Anne Heche on 6/7/07. Credit: PRPhotos
This week’s tabloids have stories of two celebrities who are into holding seances and channeling spirits. One is unsurprising, but another is a celebrity you wouldn’t expect to be into that sort of thing. According to the National Enquirer, Anne Heche is friends with a seer who claims to contact the dead and Heche has been holding seances to talk to her departed relatives. If Star Magazine is to be believed, Brad Pitt also thinks he’s communing with the dead and is into “deep-trance spirit channeling.” I would bet that Pitt is only doing meditative practices when he can find the time and that Star is twisting it into something else. Either that or Star is trying to promote the documentary they’re name-dropping:
Pals say [Anne Heche] is hosting seances to contact long-dead relatives…
“Anne recently became friends with this New Age seer who sold her a psychic trip about connecting with ancestors going back to the 15th century,” said the pal.
The psychic claims she can see the dead and talk to them, and Anne now believes she has a long-lost sister whom she hopes to contact through the medium, said the souce.
“Anne’s held at least four seances with close friends and believes her link to the past will help her pave the way for a smoother future,” the source said.
[From The National Enquirer, print edition, December 15, 2008]
Pitt is said to be into a more individual form of contacting spirits - deep trance channeling. Star does get the first part of the story right as Brad has talked in interviews recently about his quest for meaning:
[Brad Pitt] is “having sort of a midlife crisis,” a source tells Star. “He’s asking the big questions, like ‘What do I want to do with the rest of my life?’” Brad is turning to spiritual leaders, including the Dalai Lama, for advice. He’s also taken up deep-trance spirit channeling, trying to commune with ghosts, after watching the documentary Tuning In: Spirit Channelers in America. Angelina Jolie is trying to be supportive but is now worried that Brad may become obsessed. Says the source, “He’s looking for a script about channeling, but Angie’s afraid that if he tries to bring it into the mainstream, people will really think he’s gone off the deep end.”
[From Star Magazine, print edition, December 15, 2008]
I highly doubt that Pitt is into this, but there are some compelling aspects to it and it’s different than a typical seance. The deep spirit channelers in that film that Pitt supposedly watched claim they’re channeling these evolved bengs that have messages of hope and understanding for mankind. Some, like Lee Carroll, have meditation exercises that help you relax and receive messages from what they claim is a divine source. It’s not something I believe but the themes of hope and personal enlightenment these channelers are touting are universal. You can learn more about it by viewing a few videos on YouTube, linked below. Some of the people seem somewhat sincere and others seem full of it.
It seems strange and rather bogus to me, but people get into this and it does provide a kind of guidance and belief system that is not unlike religion or self help in general. I’ve had friends that believed in stuff like this and I’m not one to judge. All that said, this is Star Magazine reporting this blurb and it seems suspicious that they’re mentioning a certain documentary. It could be the last time we’re hearing “Pitt” and “Spirit Channeling” together - at least until this rumor dies down on the Internet in about ten days.
Here’s more about “deep spirit channeling.” Some of these videos are kind of amusing, especially when you check out the expressions on these people’s faces as they “channel.”
- Trailer for Tuning In: Spirit Channelers in America
- Darryl Anka channeling Bashar, talks about “Abundance” and living in the moment
- A deep spirit channeling meditation that is similar to other guided meditations.
- Lee Carroll channels Kryon.
- This guy was not featured in the documentary I just couldn’t pass this up. Bart Smit channels Dr. Williams.
- Esther Hicks channels Veronica. She wasn’t featured in the documentary either.

Beyonce Channeling the spirit of “Sasha Fierce”

Lynn on November 29, 2008 — 59 Comments

By: Lynn Green
The “real” Beyonce
READERS: Do NOT respond to this thread until after you have read it in its entirety!
I posted an article recently where I lauded the fact that Beyonce set a good example to those who look up to her by legally marrying Jay Z, as opposed to eternally dating and/or living outside of wedlock with him. Let’s face it, there were pictures all over the internet of the two of them on vacations in France, etc. and they were obviously not married.
Marriage between a man and a woman is the backbone of civilization and family structure so I uplift marriage here in Hicktown. I only speak in favor of divorce in situations where someone’s life is in jeapardy. NO HUMAN is expected to stay in a relationship where someone is cheating on them because AIDS has no cure and God offers divorce as an option to those who have had the covenant broken in such cases. And because “thou shalt not murder” is one of the Ten Commandments, God also does not expect anyone to stay with a person who is trying to kill them—and yes, exposing someone to AIDS and/or beating the daylights out of a person qualifies as attempted murder as far as I’m concerned. Beatings are oftentimes deadly.

Channeling

I won’t go further into that. Instead I will switch gears and talk about an issue that has been on my mind for a while but I have not said anything. However, the Lord led Hicktowner, Child of the Most High to bring up the subject of Beyonce and the fact that she has an alter ego whom she calls “Sasha Fierce”. In fact, her new CD is titled, “I am Sasha Fierce”.
This is what Beyonce herself has said about “Sasha”:

I have someone else that takes over when it’s time for me to work and when I’m on stage, this alter ego that I’ve created that kind of protects me and who I really am, the former Destiny’s Child frontwoman said in a statement.
Sasha Fierce is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I’m working and when I’m on the stage.

Source
Furthermore, Sash Fierce now has her very own MySpace page, which you may access by pressing HERE
On Beyonce’s MySpace page she goes further into discussing ”Sasha”:

According to Beyoncé, SASHA FIERCE is kind of the opposite, she’s more the other side because sometimes you don’t want to think, sometimes you just want to feel good. She’s the party girl, she’s Bootylicious. She is but I’m not. She’s my alter ego. I’m finally revealing who I am.

Oh, and let us not forget the Sasha Fierce gift shop: PRESS HERE
What is channeling?

Channeling is where a human enters into an ‘altered state of consciousness’ which allows the person to become a conduit or ‘channel’ for the spirit of another, who can then use the channel to speak and take limited actions. This is, in essence, what a medium does to communicate with the dead. The channeling popular in some New Age circles is more extensive than the traditional medium, and sometimes involves the identity of the channeled being taking full control of the channel for a short period of time.

SOURCE

Familiar Spirits

Some people who are not spiritually sensitive or knowledgeable would just shrug this off as being no big deal. However, it’s a huge deal. You are who you are and you should exist as God made you.
What Beyonce is doing without realizing it is…she is playing with familiar spirits. That’s a dangerous game to play, especially when you are not a born again Christian, and clearly she is not born again. What does it profit a man to gain the world but lose his soul? She and husband, Jay Z were just voted by Forbes as the celebrity couple who earned the most money last year. SOURCE
What does God say about dealing with spirits?

Leviticus 19:31 (King James Version)Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

What Beyonce does not understand is that she is dealing with familiar spirits. That’s a dangerous place in which to be and she has no clue.

Ephesians 6:10 – 18
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand, Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

Deut. 18: 9 – 12
When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer or one who conjures spells or a medium or a spiritust or one who calls up the dead. For all who do hese things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.

From the outside looking in, some think it’s cute that Beyonce is dealing with her so-called alter ego who takes over her body during performances. But what does God say?

2 Corinthians 11:14 (KJV)
And no marvel; for satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

The fact that the devil is able to transform himself into an angel of light means that with the natural eyes, you cannot see that there is a problem. That is why it is so important to be born again, as God, via the Holy Spirit, has gifted us with discernment and we can spot evil a mile away.
I will end by saying this. Be not deceived. God is NOT mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. God is a jealous God. He said so Himself. He instructed us to have NO GODS before Him. That would include the God of Money, Sex, Drugs, Alcohol, etc. AND…it would include not allowing alter egos, which are mini-gods, into our lives. GOD wants one spirit to inhabit us, and that would be the HOLY SPIRIT.
It is indeed praying time, Christians. Beyonce should go on our prayer lists at church and on our personal prayer lists. But she is not alone. Every entertainer who has access to the minds of our children need prayer if they are leading children astray.
Channeling spirits? That’s a dangerous game to play and I sincerely hope that God leads some Christian to her to tell her the truth. Let’s get the genie back in the bottle before it’s too late. Channeling spirits today…but what will that lead to tomorrow?

Channeling: Demons and Satan

Oprah & Denzel Summon Spirits