The Woman And The Leaven

The parable of the woman and the leaven is one of if not THE shortest ever given by the Lord Jesus Christ (It contains only 24 words). Because it is too short, it's easy to read past it quickly and completely miss its import, especially in the hour we live. It contains one of the most important messages to ever fall from the lips from the Lord and it is a WARNING to the 21rst Century Church!!!!!!! Jesus was speaking specifically in this parable to the nation of Israel, but His words echo down through each generation to us today. This parable warns that the Kingdom of God, with its teachings and spiritual direction, would be infiltrated and subverted by false doctrines and counterproductive programs until the plan of God is totally perverted:

TEXT: Matthew 13:33 - 37 - Another parable spoke he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

The parable of the woman and the leaven is one of if not THE shortest ever given by the Lord Jesus Christ (It contains only 24 words). Because it is too short, it's easy to read past it quickly and completely miss its import, especially in the hour we live. It contains one of the most important messages to ever fall from the lips from the Lord and it is a WARNING to the 21rst Century Church!!!!!!! Jesus was speaking specifically in this parable to the nation of Israel, but His words echo down through each generation to us today. This parable warns that the Kingdom of God, with its teachings and spiritual direction, would be infiltrated and subverted by false doctrines and counterproductive programs until the plan of God is totally perverted:

In Scripture, the figure of a woman can be used to illustrate two diametrically opposed forces - good or evil. When used to represent evil, woman always suggests ultimate wickedness, lack of integrity, uncleanness, and infidelity.

Jesus Himself uses the word "woman." It does not refer to the church itself. It refers to wickedness WITHIN the church. The purpose of this message is to send a clarion warning concerning false doctrines that are spreading such as the word of faith, purpose driven life and the government of twelve.

There was a time when a person could say "I'm a Baptist" or "I'm a Methodist," etc. and a clear perception of his spiritual orientation would follow. But today, this no longer applies. The time has come when we must remove our eyes from our denominations. And I'm going to make an even stronger statement that some may or may not agree with - but the time has come when we must remove our eyes from the pastors who lead us. Sadly, many pastors have become hirelings and abusers of power, subverting the gospel of Christ - which is a message of FREEDOM, for a message of greed, power, and control - which borders on the Spirit of Jezebel, or witchcraft.

Col. 2:10
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Philip. 3:1-3
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
[2] Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. [3] For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Millions will be led astray and end up in HELL because they have their faith anchored in something other than Christ. That "something" does not necessarily have to be anything bad in itself. To be frank, Satan has used "good" things to destroy souls than the "bad." We recognize the "bad" easily. Most Christian believers are quite adept to shun evil without a doubt. But MOST, if not all of us, have a harder time discerning evil when it's wrapped up in a religious, "GOOD," wrapper! That's the power of the devil's deception in these last days.

Most accept denominational doctrines, and like sheep, follow serenely to the slaughter. Millions will protest at the day of judgment when God says "I don't know you." They will point their fingers at their pastors, priests and leaders, but the pastors and priests won't be blamed. God will hold us ALL accountable for our OWN salvation. Neighbor I can't write this or say this with enough emotion. I pray the Holy Spirit takes these words and hammers it into the hearts of those reading at this moment. The apostate church has sunk into the most deprave teachings and doctrines ever known to mankind since the Reformation. Preachers of the gospel have stopped preaching the Word of God that points man to JESUS CHRIST and JESUS CHRIST alone. As a result, the church has lost its power. I don't care how many the number the church has coming to it - if the people are not being taught the power of the cross of Christ and the benefits the Holy Spirit brings as a result of the blood of Jesus - most of those attending are on eternally shaky ground. This is not a joke. This is not some melodramatic plea for Christians to flee into the hills. It IS a warning to the hearts and souls of those who sincerely want to know the TRUE FAITH of the Bible that will point them into a true relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Cor. 5:6-8
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? [7] Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: [8] Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Paul warned the church that "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." THIS IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM OF THE AMERICAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH TODAY. In Matthew 13:33, the leaven in this parable represented sin, false doctrines and hypocrisy.

Matthew 13:33
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

The three measures of meal speaks of the power of the gospel of the resurrection of Christ. It speaks of the Trinity - Father, Son, Holy Ghost. It also speaks of the word of God which is likened to "bread," and "food" to our souls. Christ is called the "BREAD OF LIFE." Only Christ can feed the hungry heart. Only Christ can set the captives free. A man-made self-help philosophy will NEVER set a captive free. Neighbor, listen to me. You may smirk at this but when the lights go out at night and you lay there in the dark hurting beyond what words can describe, the only power in the universe that can heal that hurt is the ONE whom I'm talking about. Your cell group won't heal that hurt. Your government of 12 society at your church won't heal that hurt. Your purpose driven life seminars won't heal that hurt. Your word of faith formulas won't heal your hurt. Your pastor or Sunday school teacher, as wonderful a person as they may be - can NEVER HEAL THAT HURT. There is only one place where we find healing, salvation, restoration, revival and deliverance and it's in the blood stained hands of the world's only redeemer. It's at the foot of the old rugged cross where Jesus died 2,000 years ago, looked Satan and hell in the eyes, broke the chains of man's bondage and sin and brought us out of miry pit of sin. GLORY TO GOD.

You can't be free by someone blowing on you. You can't be free by all the other foolishness you see over Christian television. And I'm going to interject this here as well. That false prophet or teacher or television may promise you if you send him a "seed-faith" gift that all your problems will just go away but I can promise you - they won't. He'll get rich with your seed-faith gift and HIS problems won't be that great (at least for now). You can't buy deliverance. You can't buy peace. You can't buy freedom. You can't buy release. You can't buy salvation.

Acts 8:17-23 - Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. [18] And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, [19] Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. [20] But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. [21] Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. [22] Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. [23] For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

When you insert a small amount of leaven (yeast) into flour, the leaven will soon permeate the whole batch. It only takes a minute amount to begin this process. At the Passover Supper, Israel ate only UNLEAVENED BREAD, a type of Christ, because leaven was a type of sin. There was NO SIN IN CHRIST. In Paul's day, they were trying to insert "just a little," Hebrew law into grace. Of course this couldn't work. ALL Hebrew law had to be totally eliminated as the "new vessel" of salvation through grace took it's place.

The principle is the same today. The church is using the ways of the world to further the work of God. The catch phrase is "all the potential good will surely outweigh the little bad." But the principle in this eternal parable spoken 2000 years ago applies today. The small amount of leaven (evil) that is placed in a lump will gradually corrupt the whole lump.

Some of the biggest false ministries in America today appear to be doing great "good" on the surface. This is only an illusion. Most of what is going on today is dependent on MAN'S earthly ingenuity, which is HUMANISM!!!!!! It may look good to the crowd and it may sound good to the masses, but inside it is rotten and corrupt - because leaven has been introduced.

The rejection of the Holy Spirit and the denial of the power of God was, in the beginning, only a small lump of leaven within most camps in the Body of Christ. Today, it permeates the whole lump. No denominations are exempt from this. Salvation is no longer preached that it's faith in Christ and Him crucified alone. Salvation is being presented today as a message that puts MAN in charge of his own eternal destiny or "purpose," as Rick Warren puts it. Man cannot deliver himself. Man cannot save himself. Man cannot bring himself out of the morass he is in. Man is MORE LOST than he'll ever care to realize. Until the CHURCH realizes how LOST it is without CHRIST, we too will continue to sink into this morass we find ourselves in today. The leaven is a type of the false doctrine and they are sweeping the church world today in an unprecedented fashion.

Just in the last five years we have seen the apostasy spoken of by Paul and John literally blossom before our eyes. The church today is divided along those two lines - period - TRUE or apostate. The true church puts in faith in the blood of Jesus and anchors it there. The true church believes in the operation and moving of the Holy Spirit and does not deny the supernatural power of God, while not chasing after "other spirits" to manufacture something to deceive the masses. The true church believes in the mighty baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues as the SPIRIT OF GOD gives the utterance. The true church believes in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ - FIRST FOR THE CHURCH at the rapture, then SECONDLY, WITH THE CHURCH at the Battle Of Armageddon. The true church puts its faith in what Christ accomplished for us at the CROSS. We don't put our faith in man-made fables and doctrines or movements. We don't put a lot of stock in some hireling's words that makes big claims of spirituality offering the hearers great things if they will just "buy" into his formulas for victory. NEIGHBOR THERE ARE NO FORMULAS FOR VICTORY. There IS a God-prescribed order for victory, but it's not a man-made formula. It's what the LORD JESUS ACCOMPLISHED at the CROSS!

1 Cor. 1:17-18
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. [18] For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

John 6:47-51
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. [48] I am that bread of life. [49] Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. [50] This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. [51] I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The single most used instrument that men use to promote their false doctrines is the Word of God. Sounds shocking don't it? All false teachings, false religious programs and professed "Christian lives" seek to hide behind the Word of God. This gives them an air of surface respectability and legitimacy, and it deceives so many, many people. False doctrines inevitably claim to be based on the Word of God. All religious programs claim to be Bible-Based. All professed Christian teachings, which in reality aren't Christian at all, claim a foundation in the Word. The sad footnote to this is the millions of Christians who DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FALSE AND THE GOOD! Most never take the time to check out what their pastors are teaching them with the Bible. Millions are being led astray by preachers and leaders who twist the scriptures to get their own little doctrines to fit into their schemes - be them church growth schemes or any formulas given to man for success. This goes beyond the greed gospel, this goes to very heart of all eternity - the ATONEMENT of CHRIST. Man thinks he is able to circumvent the blood of Christ to get to heaven and find favor with God - HE CAN'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most of what is going on today "sounds good," "looks good," "appears to be right," and even utters scriptures and words from the Bible. In reality it is a FALSE TEACHING representing the leaven of the apostate church. THE LEAVEN WILL CORRUPT THE WHOLE IF NOT CONFRONTED AND CHECKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The leader of a major Christian television network said the other day over his station that "what we believe is not that important, it's just important if we all are on the same page." Neighbor, in this hour before Jesus comes - it DOES MATTER what we believe. DOCTRINAL issues ARE important. The Holy Spirit through Paul called the last days "perilous," and said that in the end times that "doctrines of devils" would rise to deceive millions. Because the masses don't want truth today, God has sent a strong delusion.

1 Tim. 4:1-4
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; [2] Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; [3] Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. [4] For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

2 Thes. 2:2-4
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. [3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; [4] Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

The use of the meal (the Word of God) makes almost anything appear legitimate. Jesus said the leaven was hid in three measures of meal and the whole was leavened. Millions will wind up in hell because they were persuaded that "all is well" only to stand before a Holy God in the end time lost and without eternal salvation.

You and I, as children of God, have to be personally knowledgeable in the Word. We have to know and understand the moving of the Holy Spirit in our OWN lives. We have to be able to look at what is being taught from our pulpits and over the television set in the name of Christianity and be able to discern whether or not it's from God. We have to look through the think veneer of religiosity and recognize the leaven. If leaven is there, you have to understand that it is a FALSE GOSPEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many actions may be presented as being in the name of the Lord. It will even be pointed out that much good is being accomplished. But if this is based on leaven, great harm will result. The whole effort will be totally corrupted. It may take time to come to the front but neighbor in the end, the fruit of the root will become KNOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Matthew 13:36-40
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. [37] He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; [38] The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; [39] The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. [40] As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

The only answer is to root out the leaven. The Holy Spirit said this exact thing through Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:7:

1 Cor. 5:7
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:

Notice that Paul ties in the leaven being taken out with the PASSOVER, a type of the sacrifice made by Christ at the CROSS as the LAMB OF GOD!!!!!! The greatest attack by Satan today is on the atonement of Christ. We must remember if we are wrong about the Atonement, then in some way, we will be wrong about everything else as it regards what we teach concerning the Bible. Whereas the atonement is the Foundation of the Gospel, the Cross is the foundation of the Atonement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In other words, we cannot divorce the Cross from the Atonement. If we do that, then we have divorced ourselves from Christ Himself!! We have destroyed the atonement and by thus doing so, we have divorced ourselves from the only hope of eternal life for fallen humanity!

God will not deviate from HIS way. He will not shift or veer the slightest degree. It must be HIS WAY or no way at all neighbor!

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.

Proverbs 14:12
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

I still believe that the message of Pentecost is the message delivered by the Word of God. It's been nearly 20 years ago now since I first was baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. It was a glorious experience but in my ignorance and lack of obedience at times I did not allow the Holy Ghost to take control of ME. As a result, I've paid an awfully high price over the years. But thank God my failures as a person does not destroy the fact that the message of the HOLY SPIRIT IS the message of the Bible. No, you don't have to speak in tongues to be saved. But you need to be baptized in the Holy Ghost. So as a Pentecostal, I am not sticking my nose in someone else's business, I'm addressing my own movement.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is more than an experience. It's a transformation of being led by our flesh to that being led of the SPIRIT of GOD.

Romans 8:1-39 - There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [5] For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. [8] So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. [9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. [10] And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. [12] Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. [13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. [14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Sadly, this message is not part of most doctrinal statements any longer - INCLUDING MOST PENTECOSTAL churches. Humanistic psychology has replaced the old fashioned altar and repentance. Leaven has crept into our doctrine, our worship, our services, our music and our thinking. One of the greatest tragedies facing the modern church

We are blind. We look at the meal, yet it is shot through with leaven and we don't recognize it. I may add to that last statement that some DO recognize it, but they WON'T recognize it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I want to share a letter from a pastor a huge Pentecostal church in America who fought hard to keep contemporary Christian music and Christian rock out of his church only to be vetoed by his board and threatened to leave if he didn't give in:

This is just a symptom of a far greater problem. The problem is we have rejected the move of the Holy Spirit in favor of secular humanism and psychological gimmicks to solve the problems of man. We have wrapped up the gospel in a New Age wrapper and claimed that man can be fixed through "enlightenment." That's not a term in quotes there I got out of a New Age book, I took it from one of the leading books sweeping America right now - "The Purpose Driven Life."

As I close this message, I want to share an article written by Frances Swaggart a few weeks ago concerning the Purpose Driven Life

NEW AGE CONNECTIONS OF THE PURPOSE DRIVEN CHURCH

Rick Warren admits that Robert Schuller, a man who does not believe that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, had a great influence upon him. Schuller believes it is wrong to call people sinners. He’s a man who, as well, will not try to convert people of different religions. Schuller is a false teacher and has influenced the leader of the Modern Church Growth Movement tremendously. In the November 18, 2002 issue of “Christianity Today,” in an article entitled “Regular Purpose Guy,” Kay Warren says: “During Rick’s last year of Seminary, he and I drove out west to visit Schuller’s Institute for Church Growth. We had a very stony ride out to the conference because such nontraditional Ministry scared me to death. Schuller had a profound influence on Rick.” Kay said, “We were captivated by his positive appeal to nonbelievers. I never looked back.” Schuller made this comment about Rick Warren on his “Hour of Power” program, April 4, 2004: “And there’s Rick Warren, a pastor who today is phenomenal. He came to our institute time after time.” Rick Warren and Bill Hybel are both graduates of Schuller’s Institute for Church Growth. Schuller’s name is never mentioned in Warren’s books. So most readers seldom realize that much of Warren’s material is drawn from Schuller’s influence. It is difficult for the average reader to discern the intrusive message of these two men’s teachings. Warren’s purpose as a self-proclaimed “change agent” seems to be to mainstream Schuller’s teachings into the more traditional, “Bible-based,” wing of the Church. He has been successful in making the teachings of Schuller acceptable to Believers who would have otherwise rejected it had it come directly from Schuller himself.

In a closing prayer at one of his Seeker-Sensitive growth seminars, Warren declared, “Thank God there is a movement, a stealth movement that is flying beneath the radar that is changing literally hundreds, even thousands of churches around the World.” One has to ask the question, “Why does it have to fly underneath the radar of the church?” Could the answer be that if the Church recognized it for what it really is, the Church would reject it? Schuller himself admits that he is the founder of the Seeker-Sensitive Movement. He says, “I advocated and launched what has become known as the marketing approach to Christianity.” No one will dispute his statement knowing that Hybel and Warren both are graduates of Schuller’s Church Growth Institute and utilizes his teachings. It is easy to see that the foundation of the Church Growth Movement is not the Bible. It comes from New Age teacher Robert Schuller. THE RELIGION OF SCHULLER, WARREN, AND HYBEL. Let’s look at some of Schuller’s quotes:

1. “I am not trying to convert anyone from another religion. I am only trying to reach people who have no religion” (Larry King Live, December 1999).
2. “I don’t think anything has been done in the name of Christ under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and hence counterproductive to Evangelism enterprise, than the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition” (Time Magazine, March 18, 1985).Whoa . . . He has just called Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, the Apostle Paul, all the Apostles of the New Testament, all the prophets of the Old Testament, the Word of God, the Plan of Salvation, the offerings of the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament for the Atonement of man’s sin, crude, uncouth and unchristian.
This is blasphemy. He just stated that the God of the universe, the God of the Bible, our loving Heavenly Father, is wrong in making people aware of their sinful condition, of sending His Son Jesus Christ to shed His Blood for the remission of man’s sin. Church wake up! Can’t you see? Can’t you hear? Can’t you read? This is the voice of Satan. It is certainly not the voice of God. Schuler states:3. “I believe in Positive thinking. IT is almost as important as the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (Inside Story, 1983, pg. 152).
4. “If the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be proclaimed as a theology of self-esteem, imagine the health this could generate in society” (“Self-Esteem: The New Reformation”, Word Books, 1982, pg.47).
5. “Jesus knew His worth, His success fed His self-esteem . . . He suffered the Cross to sanctify the ego trip” (“Living Positively One Day At A Time”, pg. 201).
6. “The Most effective mantras employ the ‘m’ sound. You can get the feel of it by repeating the words, ‘I Am,’ ‘I Am.’ Transcendental meditation or TM . . . It is not a religion nor is it necessarily ‘anti-Christian’” (“Peace of Mind Through Possibility Thinking”, pg. 131-132).RIGHTEOUS ANGER! I pray by now your emotions are as mine — angry, angry, angry. A righteous anger that the Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is seen as nothing more than something to find our self-esteem. This is blatant, blatant, blatant blasphemy. I have to ask the reader this question. Has God ever used a false teacher to influence a Biblical movement? If your answer is yes, please show me where it is found in the Bible. If your answer is “no,” the Lord would never use a false teacher to influence a move of God, then you have to reject the modern day Church Growth Movement. The Seeker-Sensitive, Purpose-driven model of Church growth was founded by a false prophet. The Bible commands us to rebuke and be separate from false teachers, not to use their methods and ideas for worship or Church growth: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?

"And what communion hath light with darkness?
“And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
“And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (II Cor. 6:14-18).To this day Rick Warren and Bill

Hybel hold conferences at the Crystal Cathedral. In January 2004, Rick Warren and Paul Crouch were two of the featured speakers. In the Spring of 1997, more than 80 Gay and Lesbian pastors and lay leaders from the Metro Community Church participated in Robert Schuller’s Institute for Successful Church leadership at his Crystal Cathedral. The speakers included Rick Warren, Bill Hybel, and John Maxwell. Thousands of pastors have been to this false teacher’s Church Leadership conferences. Ask your Pastor if he has ever attended one. You might be surprised.

THE RIGHTEOUS EXAMPLE OF CHARLES SPURGEON. Over 116 years ago, Charles Haddon Spurgeon was preaching against the Seeker-Sensitive Movement: “Ecclesiastes 1:9, ‘The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be done. There is no new thing under the sun.’ “The fact is that many would like to unite the Church and Stage, cards and prayers, dancing and sacraments. If we are powerless to stem this torrent, we can at least warn men of the existence and entreat them to keep out of it. When the old faith is gone, and enthusiasm for the Gospel is extinct, it is no wonder that the people seek something else in the way of delight. Lacking bread, they feed on ashes, rejecting the way of the Lord. They run greedily into the path of folly” (“Another Word Concerning The Down Grade”, The Sword and the Trowel, 1887).“The idea of progressive Gospel seems to have fascinated many. To us that notion is a sort of crossbreed between nonsense and blasphemy. After the Gospel has been found effective in the eternal salvation of untold multitudes, it seems rather late in the day to alter it, and, since it is the revelation of the all wise and unchanging God, it appears somewhat audacious to attempt it’s improvement. When we call up before our mind’s eye the gentlemen who have set themselves this presumptuous task, we feel half inclined to laugh; the case is so much like the proposal of moles to improve the light of the sun. Do men believe that this is a Gospel for each century? Or a religion for each fifty years?” (“Progressive Theology”, The Sword and Trowel, 1888, pg. 157-158).THE BAIT OF GOODNESS.

The allure of false teaching is always garnished by the bait of goodness. The appeal to helping others and the hope for unity and peace, is the means of attracting well-intentioned Christians into compromising their traditional Christian principles in exchange for being accepted in a loving community. The Modern Church Growth Movement agenda parallels the rhetoric of the New Age Movement now showered throughout our Churches by Schuller’s stooges. Warren would have you catch his New Age vision by saying, “But in today’s rapidly changing world, vision is also the ability to accurately assess current changes and take advantage of them. Vision is being alert to opportunities” (“Purpose Driven Church”, pg. 28). The promised outcome is that your Church “will be healthier, stronger, and more effective by becoming a Purpose Driven Church.” Jeremiah would cry, “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jer. 6:16).Rick Warren teaches “God is in everything and everyone” (“Purpose Driven Life”, pg. 88). The New Age God of Rick Warren, fashioned by Schuller and Paganism of long past, will not produce world “peace,” as Warren will sell to the Church in 2005, but prepare it for the advent of the false Christ. Church, we must not hold the Truth, Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, in unrighteousness (II Thess. 2:12).

Sister Swaggart has caught unmitigated hell for writing this but we stand behind her along with Brother Swaggart 1,000 percent. Today the work of God, even in Pentecostal circles, is so filled with leaven that we are close to seeing the whole meal corrupted. Today, the state of the church of the living God is close to the state of Judah 2000 years ago. Millions of souls hang in the balance. There is a tremendous move, fostered and nurtured by the Holy Spirit, that is driving people to their knees and causing them to search the Scriptures. And, as a result, millions are leaving their churches by the droves and the leaderships shake their heads and wonder why. I'll tell you why. Millions are waking up to the fact the MEAL has been infected by leaven and they want the PURE WORD OF GOD preached without fear or favor. They don't want to listen any longer to a message that does nothing but denigrates the cross of Christ or makes the preaching of the cross a side product instead of the root of ALL doctrine!

For the millions of souls who hang in the balance, I write this message today. We will pick up this theme in future journals as well but I leave you today with a plea. KNOW WHO and WHAT You are listening to friend. Be anchored in the true faith of the gospel of Christ. The wickedness represented by the leaven is boiling and bubbling more than at any time in history. The apostasy is no longer coming, it's HERE. It's here and you need to earnestly seek the Lord for discernment in these last days to reveal that which is false from that which is true. Ultimately, you are the one responsible for your eternal soul. Ultimately, the ONLY TRUTH you will find is not going to be in a doctrine - it's the form of a PERSON - and that is CHRIST and HIM CRUCIFIED - the Slain Lamb, from where the blood flowed that paid man's sin debt and broke the powers of darkness forever. Praise God.