Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

What in the World is Happening in the Church?

While we can recognize "a world upside down" when we see the craziness and evil of a world in deception, how about the Church? Some of the Church is in deception and delusion as much as the non-believing world.

The following are just some examples that I have come across in the last year. They are just the tip of the iceberg of outrageous things that are going on in God's Body worldwide. Mostly I don't go looking for this kind of thing, but these examples have figuratively "jumped up and bit me." I am not really singling out Scotland, Germany or the USA, but as I said these deceptions have come across my path.

Scotland

A report by the Church of Scotland, published in May 2013, denies any special privilege for the Jewish people to the land of Israel. This is not unique to the Church of Scotland. What makes this so outrageous is that it is coming from a church that in the 19^th century had a very strong revelation of the return of the Jewish People from exile to the Land of Israel, the restoration of the Nation and the ultimate salvation of the Jewish People.

Robert Murray McCheyne was a Church of Scotland minister whose very short time on this earth was marked by an intense revival in Scotland.

While he was on a trip to the land of Israel, motivated by a deep concern for the Jewish People as the people of the Covenant, a mighty revival took place in his church in Dundee. This "Mission of Inquiry to the Jews" was an official delegation sent by the Church of Scotland.

On his return from The Land, McCheyne was surprised to find 39 prayer meetings, five of them conducted by children for children. A coincidence, hardly, as the Lord said to Abram:

I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Genesis 12:3

There has been an outcry both from the small Jewish community in Scotland and from Israel's ambassador to the United Kingdom as well. The report has been cosmetically revised, though the central tenet that the Bible gives the Land to the Jewish People as an everlasting inheritance is still denied.

Some years ago a former minister of the Church of Scotland whose whole family was deeply involved in Jewish Ministry told me that the Church of Scotland had changed and at the same time millions of UK Pounds dedicated to Jewish Ministry had disappeared from the Church's accounts. Not a coincidence either I think.

This is another case of Christians refusing to take the Bible literally.

Germany

In Germany a group of self-proclaimed "prophets" have stolen Isaiah 43: 1-7 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west; I will say to the north, Give them up! And to the south, Do not keep them back! Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth-Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.

These profits (not a spelling error) are proclaiming that this now applies to Germany, they say:

God's spirit through the prophets gives this word now to Germany. We should take it as it is said I have created you and redeemed you - Germany - you are mine. You are precious in my sight and favored more than many other nations.

This word was given on the basis of 2 dreams and while I believe dreams can be of God, they as all supernatural words, visions etc. must be in line with God's Word.

This is clearly not. I believe that this is an arrogant, presumptuous and an unethical interpretation of scripture. I would even call it theft!

Actually this is Aryanism in a self-serving false prophetic word, a theological Aryanism.

Remember Aryanism was the false biological basis of Hitler's racial theories and we know where that led, not just for the Jewish People but for Germany as well.

Another example from Germany:

Theologians who do not believe the clear, simple unequivocal Word of God is enough truth to clearly understand that God Himself has given the Land of Israel to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for aneverlasting inheritance. They say they have to add history, geopolitics and other academic disciplines to understand the Word of God.

This is what happened with the "higher criticism" movement from mid-18^th century to the early 20^th century. The Bible itself was no longer enough. In Germany in the 1880's the "higher criticism" was the dominant theological interpretation of scripture and it gutted the Biblical and Historical truth of first the Old Testament and then the New Testament.

All became allegory; the Word of God was no longer sure. Here are two examples:

The theologian Feuerbach is probably the most radical, holding that the idea of God was created by man to express the divine within himself, and that the beginning, middle, and end of Religion is MAN. How can there be anything "divine" without God? It isn't even logical.

This is Humanism pure and simple.

Rudolf Karl Bultmann is another example. He was a German Lutheran theologian and professor of New Testament at the University of Marburg. He was one of the major figures of early 20th century biblical studies and a prominent voice in liberal Christianity. Bultmann contended that only faith in the kerygma, or proclamation, of the New Testament was necessary for Christian faith, not any particular facts regarding the historical Jesus. In other words according to him, you can have salvation without the Savior.

Humanism again.

In 1909, the German church went even further: The Berlin declaration was a theological statement by 56 leading Evangelical theologians in Germany.

The declaration condemned the German Pentecostal movement which had started two years earlier in Kassel. It stated that the Pentecostal movement was "not from above, but from below" thus limiting the person and work of the Holy Spirit in our day.

These two events spiritually prepared the way for Hitler and the Nazis. The plumb line of God's Word was denied, distorted and eventually destroyed. The witness of the Holy Spirit in believer's lives was for the most part silenced. These two fortresses against deception were gone from the life of most of the German Church.

So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

Isaiah 59:19

As deception raged in Germany, many of the Jews of Europe were setting their faces and their feet to come home to the Land of Israel, in line with God's Kingdom purposes. The 1880's was the time of the First Aliyah, the beginning of the present day restoration of Israel.

As deception grows today may there be the same kind of reaction/response from the Jewish People - come home!

Even among the friends of Israel humanism is creeping in. Some friends are calling the "piece process" with the Palestinians a good thing that can lead to peace between the two peoples and they are encouraging prayer in that direction.

The "piece" talks are not good; they are not Biblical and it not going to work. Not unless you substitute piece for peace. Any agreement that divides God's Land Joel 3:1-2 is not only against His will, God's response is to bring His Judgment on whoever has a part in this - including Israelis. Because of these talks we have been setting free heinous and unrepentant murderers. This makes a mockery of justice, weakens Israel and I do not believe it is a Godly action.

Again some are praying that the Palestinians give up their culture of hatred against Israel in their education system, their medias and their religious structures. It's a nice prayer but it is only going to happen if they become believers and renounce Islam. Instead of praying for the Palestinians to give up hatred we need to pray for them to be saved.

Yet again, it is a fantasy to pray that the Palestinians may recognize Israel as Jewish State with which they want to live in peace side by side. IF somehow the PA were to recognize Israel as a Jewish State, it would sill mean a division of God's Land and it would really be "takiyya." Takiyya is the Muslim tactic of deception. You can lie and say you are doing X to deceive your enemy when you are really doing Y. Especially when dealing with the "infidel," in Islam anything goes.

USA and Elsewhere

In some of the western churches and very much in the USA, adultery no longer seems to be a sin. Leaders who have fallen into sexual sin, seem to take a short break and are then quickly back in ministry, often to fall again.

In Florida a well-known pastor was removed because of an adulterous relationship that went on for many years. He agreed to counseling and a long time period for restoration.

Well rather quickly the restoration period got too long and he wanted to change the terms of his restoration contract. When the pastor he had submitted himself to refused, he found some other leaders to restore him to ministry. He was not only restored to a pastorate but also as a teacher in a Bible College - all in 8 months - less time than it takes to give birth to a child.

I believe in forgiveness for sin and I believe that God can restore to ministry His servants who have fallen but it takes humility and time for that process to be worked out.

In some of the charismatic churches bizarre manifestations and presumptuous prophesies have become "normal" contrary to the teaching of the Word. When these so called prophetic words do not come to pass there seems to be no repentance for misleading God's People and the nonevents are either ignored or explained away in a not Biblical fashion. There seems to be no shame or accountability amongst these false prophets.

Then if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Messiah! or, Look, He is there! do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

Mark 13:21-26

Then there are the self-proclaimed apostles who set themselves up as the modern leaders of God's People today. Not only are there individual apostles, some of them have banded together as various "counsels of the apostles." One group has the arrogance to give themselves a name like "the world counsel of the elders." There seems to be no limits to man's presumptuousness and shamelessness before a Holy God.

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

1 Cor 12:28

I do not believe that these apostles or prophets have been appointed by God, but on the contrary they have been seduced by pride and when they band together they encourage one another in their deception and pride.

Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Acts 2:43

And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Yeshua. And great grace was upon them all.

Acts 4:33

Rather than giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord, these self-proclaimed apostles and prophets make a mockery of true signs and wonders and bring into dishonor those whom God has truly called into such ministries.

One such group "anointed and appointed" an evangelist with a so called "miraculous" ministry (that was not Biblically based) as the evangelist of the age when this man was already living in sin and preparing to divorce his wife.

Was there any repentance for this obviously not God led act? None that I know of.

How can these people be apostles appointed by God and not have enough of the gift of the discernment of spirits to know that the one they were anointing had already fallen?

One of these so called apostles then took in this fallen man and his second wife on in order to rehabilitate him so that he can be returned to the ministry.

What in the world is going on?

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Messiah.

2 Cor 11:13

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;

Rev 2:2

We are seeing an assault on the Word of God today and it is a call to battle for us. The battle is for the integrity and bedrock truth of the Living Word.

 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Tim 3:16-17

When we see or hear or read of manifestations, prophesies, new revelations and unbiblical teaching that are supposedly under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and they are not Biblically sound, then we know the spirit that is behind it all is not the Holy Spirit.

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

John 16:13

While I personally do not know of any Apostles or Prophets I do believe that while the office of the Prophet may be empty, the prophetic ministry is alive and active. I know that God still moves in signs, wonders and miracles and He speaks to His children. However we all need a measure of the gift of the discernment of spirits to know if something is from God or not.

One test of such a sign, wonder or prophetic word, is who gets the glory?

Is God lifted up or is the vessel/vehicle used in the sign, wonder, miracle or prophetic word given honor for what happens?

Perilous times are upon us

I believe that what we are seeing in the Church today is the beginning of the Battle of the End of the Age.

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Peter 4:17

Some people have taught that Islam is the Last of the Giants of this Age. I believe Humanism - The Spirit of Greece is the last great World Ruler. Some people call Humanism "New Age" and it is the basis for New Age cults, but it is as old as mankind.

Gen 3:4-5 You will be like God - Serpent in the Garden of Eden

Gen 11:4 A name for ourselves - Tower of Babel

As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you. For I have bent Judah, My bow, Fitted the bow with Ephraim, and raised up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and made you like the sword of a mighty man. Then the LORD will be seen over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, and go with whirlwinds from the south.

Zech 9:11-14

Humanism is expressed here as the sons of Greece.

Heraclitus 460 BC, was the first Greek philosopher. His three foundational statements are one of the bases of humanism:

All things flow.

You can never step twice in the same river.

Man is the measure of all things.

Everthing is relative, there are no moral or legal absolutes and man is the highest authority in the universe.

When Church leaders or Profits make decisions and issue "words" that do not line up with the foundation of scripture, they are setting themselves up as the final judge of what is of God and what is not.

This is Humanism the pride of man!

The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, Who will bring me down to the ground? Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down, says the LORD.

Obadiah 1:3-4

All the examples I have written about here are the fruits of Humanism. The Word of God is no longer supreme or inerrant; it is all open to man's reinterpretation.

As we fight for the Holiness of the Word let us take comfort in the Lord.

If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

2 Tim 2:13

Iran or how the USA learned to love the bomb

The weekend negotiations with Iran by the P5+1 have been a betrayal of the often spoken promises by those nations to protect Israel's security interests. The unexpected exception was France who basically torpedoed (at least temporarily) this very bad deal. The deal being worked out would have allowed Iran to keep building its Arak plutonium reactor, keep enriching uranium to 3.5% and worst of all to keep building centrifuges.

Israel's position is that Arak must be dismantled, the centrifuges dismantled and all enrichment stopped. While the sanctions seem to be biting a little bit, they have not been strong enough to stop Iran's march toward the bomb. When the sanctions were imposed just a few years ago, Iran had 1,000 slow first generation centrifuges enriching uranium to 3.5%. Today they have 19,000 fast third generation centrifuges enriching to 20%. According to a Washington think tank that tracks the nuclear issue, Iran could have enough 90+% uranium for 1-2 bombs in just two weeks if it chooses to do so.

Most Israelis feel betrayed and abandoned especially by the USA. Obama's promises to "have Israel's back" seem more like "to stab Israel in the back." Germany Chancellor Merkel had wonderful works to say on the 75^thanniversary of Kristalnacht (as did Obama) but just last week a German court in Hamburg found four German companies guilty of selling Iran parts for the Arak plutonium reactor. They were able to make those sales even after American, Israeli and German intelligence agencies warned the German export authorities what was happening. While words are important, it is what you do and not what you say that matters in the end.

I cannot imagine the pressure that P.M. Netanyahu is under right now. Not only the pressure of urging the world not to make a deal that will allow Iran to race for the bomb whenever it so choses, but also the internal pressure of questioning himself as to whether he has already waited too long to attack Iran.

Pray for:

• God's people to seek the Lord for the gift of the discernmentof spirits. I Corinthians. 12:10

• The Body of Messiah to demand that prophetic words be biblically sound.

• The Body of Messiah to demand accountability when false prophesies are proclaimed.

• The Body of Messiah to demand that all signs, wonders and miracles line up with the Word of God.

• God to intervene in the destruction of the Iranian nuclear project. Let us pray as Hezekiah prayed when attacked by Sennacherib.

• Then Hezekiah prayed to the LORD, saying: O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands-wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD, You alone.

  Isaiah 37:15-20

• P.M. Netanyahu to hear from the Lord what he must do at this time.

• That he would have the battle plans of the Kingdom of Heaven.

• That he would have clarity of thought, courage and the anointing to express and to defend Israel's cause.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

Eliyahu Ben-Haim, Jerusalem

11 November, 2013