From: John & April Correia <[email protected]>
Subject: Encouragement's From The Heart - October 2, 1998
Date: Thursday, October 01, 1998 21:15 PM

TEST, BELOVED, TEST!

As I sat down to write this evenings encouragement I was praying, Lord what shall I write about as my mind is blank and tired. My eyes immediately fell upon a chart called "Christianity, Cults & Religions", this brought to mind how some cults are so obvious that we readily know to stay clear of them, like Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, New Age, Scientology. And the same is true with World Religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Baha'i, the list goes on. But, there is a cultic teaching that is creeping its way into our very congregations! This teaching makes its way into our living rooms via TV and through our radios. The false teachers, preachers & prophets come on and teach us how to name and claim what we want and that if we send them this much $, then we will receive ten to one hundred fold in return. They go on to tell us that if you have enough faith that you need never be sick again, and you will be cured of your diseases; they change the meaning of faith and Hebrews 11:1 - no longer are you to have faith IN God, you are to have the faith OF God. In other words, you "logos" (Word) things into existence - as God (the Word) spoke and the world was. These teachers make us laugh and they "sound" so authoritative, little do they realizes that their ears have just been tickled. The Jesus of these teachers, preachers and prophets, went to hell from the cross and was "born again" - one teacher said that Jesus told him that he too, could of paid redemption for man had he been there and had the knowledge Jesus had because he was reborn too.(1) This should gravely disturb us. This Word Faith teaching is joining up with other teachings from what is called "Toronto Blessing" and the "Pensacola Outpour". These focus on "experiencing" God, they work people up by singing the same song over and over and over along with chanting and telling story after story of the wonderful things God has done to other people there. Both teachings are creeping their way into soundly grounded churches, watering down the once sound doctrine as they take there place as Sunday School Teachers, Deacons and Elders; because the workers are few these people, who have been deceived by these teachings, are passing on a "new" gospel which combines all they've learned. We must TEST EVERYTHING we are being taught in light of Scripture and, as one of my favorite Bible Teachers says, "Philippians 4:8 it, holding fast to that which is good and true." Paul didn't shame the Boreans because they "searched the Scriptures" to see if what he'd said was true. On the contrary, he called them "more noble minded" (Acts 17:11).

Test everything in light of Scripture (1 John 4:1, Matt. 7:13-23). The Word of God is the final court of arbitration and those who teach, preach, prophesy, etc. MUST line up with what the Word of God says; if the Word of God has no "new" revelations then there are none, He has given us His Word (which is Heb. 4:12) to study and read that we may know all things.

I encourage you to test everything in light of Scripture as the Lord calls us to. You'll be blessed when you do.

By April Correia

(1) Kenneth Copeland, "Substitution and Identification" KCM, 1989 tape #00-0202, side 2.
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The above message (poem, story, etc.) is sent to you as a ministry of encouragement. Please feel free to pass the encouragement on to others. If you'd like to be added to the mailing list reply to [email protected] Subject: "add to" Encouragement's From The Heart.

Have a joyous and bountiful day in the Lord!
April Correia

PRAISE THE LORD!! We are currently working on the "Encouragement From The Heart" Website. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/1483/encourag.html Special thanks to our Webmasters, Chris & John!
Blessings to blessings! April
all glory to God!
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