Harry Potter Fans: Dumbeldore’s Been Outed

Sadly, many of my friends are reading these books and watching these movies, and not to understand what the culture is being fed, but to be entertained. Much to the dismay of many of them I’m sure, it is now confirmed that the Harry Potter series isn’t so innocent after all. Not that it ever was being that it is pretty much a multi-book advertisement for witchcraft.

Let us be sanctified and pure my friends, for friendship with the world is enmity with God.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Peace

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

3. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

8. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

9. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

Healing

O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed. And my soul is greatly dismayed; But You, O LORD–how long? Return, O LORD, rescue my soul; Save me because of Your lovingkindness. For there is no mention of You in death; In Sheol who will give You thanks? I am weary with my sighing; Every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears. My eye has wasted away with grief; It has become old because of all my adversaries. Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication, The LORD receives my prayer. All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed. (Psalm 6)

Sometimes I Just Want One of These

Puppies soothe me.

That is all.

And Just in Case You Aren’t Convinced. . .

Read the heresy for yourself.

Lambast me if you insist, but I’ll let the man speak for himself.

I’m wholly convinced by his own testimony, so I’ll come right out and say it: Rob Bell is a heretic. He preaches a gospel other than that which is revealed in Scripture and the gospel according to Rob Bell is powerless to save men from their sins.

Ears Which Long to be Tickled

Someone recently quoted this and I was surprised I missed it the first time I browsed the site. It’s from the “About NOOMA” section on NOOMA.com, one of Rob Bell’s projects. See if you can figure out what the folks producing it care most about and are pursuing with all their heart, mind, and strength from what is written in the description of NOOMA. I’ll give you a hint: it’s not truth.

We can get anything we want, from anywhere in the world, whenever we want it. That’s how it is and that’s how we want it to be. Still, our lives aren’t any different than other generations before us. Our time is.

We want spiritual direction, but it has to be real for us and available when we need it. We want a new format for getting Christian perspectives.

NOOMA is the new format.

It’s short films with communicators that really speak to us. Compact, portable, and concise. Each NOOMA touches on issues that we care about, that we want to talk about,
and it comes in a way that fits our world. It’s a format that’s there for us when we need it, as we need it, how we need it.

To Bell and the rest of the Emergent movement, it’s all about what we want, we need, and we care about. It’s not about knowing the absolute truths about God and ourselves and then conforming our lives to what God wants. To Bell and those like him, it’s about redefining the truth about God to make it conform to what man wants.

Regardless, I plan on going to see Mr. Bell speak in Cleveland on December 1st. Not because I’m not already thoroughly convinced that what he teaches is contrary to Scripture in the utmost. It is firmly established in my mind that Mr. Bell is the dreaded h-word that so many Christians are afraid to utter, even in the face of clear evidence which justifies its use. But I digress. I will go because I have friends and loved ones who are being deceived by what this man is teaching to the flock. And to be credible to them, it would be profitable to hear what they are hearing (although we ought to strive to listen always in a discerning manner) and read what they are reading to know what is being said in order that we might respond point for point to the deception that has come and will no doubt abound all the more when Mr. Bell comes to town.

We must contend earnestly for the faith that was handed down once for all to the saints. And we must not be afraid to call out false teaching for what it is. We know that more is coming and that much is already here (Mike Bickle, Lou Engle, Rob Bell, Doug Pagitt, etc). Jesus Himself said in Matt 24 and Mark 13: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance.”

Paul gives instructions to Timothy in 1 Tim 4:1-5 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

My prayer is that we would be wise, filled with the knowledge of Truth, not being tossed about by every wind of doctrine, but holding fast to that which is sound, to that which is true. My prayer is that God would open our minds and hearts to the Truth first and foremost so that we might easily recognize the many counterfeits, discarding that which is bad and holding onto what is good.

IHOPping Around

I had a chance last night to go to IHOP Cleveland. I went with an open mind, willing to be convinced that this place was not founded on faulty hermeneutic (among other things) and that it is not a place where Christian-sounding false teaching abounds. After even a cursory examination of their materials, my convictions were reinforced rather than changed.

Interestingly enough, there was a significant portion of material that had to be “smuggled” out by way of the camera on my iPhone. This was due to the fact that this material was either tacked to a wall or else prominently labeled “Do not remove from IHOP.” In respect of this request, I did not steal their printed materials. However, I think it will become plain as to why those particular things aren’t handouts when I have a chance to present to you the contents of the material I viewed while at IHOP Cleveland.

And certainly some will accuse me of being “divisive” and not working for “unity” in the Body, but such accusations are patently false. It is not those who advocate the truth and supremacy of God’s Word who are dividers, but those who come to us with fanciful new doctrines with no basis in historical, biblically-faithful Christian orthodoxy. Such men who bring these false prophecies and teachings are deceivers, leading many astray, even the elect if it is possible for them to do so. Jesus forewarned us of such men and told us to be on guard for them.

More to come later.