Witchcraft in the Pulpit

So.

It really is so. "Word of Faith"/"Prosperity Gospel" is witchcraft. That...is painful.

So many thoughts, on that count. So, so many. But I'll attempt to remain calm enough to let through what need be, rather than all the mass.

Given I'd practiced for as long as I did, I don't know whether I should be surprised, dismayed, ashamed, or outright confounded that it wasn't immediately apparent. Perhaps there was just the assumption that all religion should be alike, in approach, that all things should be a matter of learning so to assert one's will. As to manifest desired circumstances.

Current Deviations

 1 John 4: 1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, 
for many false prophets have gone out.

Still attempting to comprehend what's going on in churches, today.

One thing which has caught attention for the past few months has been "Kundalini," which apparently is (as best my very limited understanding presently extends, and perhaps yet mistaken) a form of mystical, Hindi yoga which does often entail spiritual manifestations. Such manifestations as convulsing, twitching, writhing on the floor, falling to the ground in a state of semi-conscious euphoria (unable to get back up, for varied spans of time), uncontrollable laughter or weeping, acting as and making noises of animals, shaking uncontrollably, and...well, seemingly everything that characterizes modern charismatic "revivals."

And it's "transmitted"/ brought about by either a) being in the presence of someone who has had that "awakening experience" within themselves and who practices the form of it regularly or b) the laying on of hands, by a person who has had such an "awakening experience."

Pilate's Truth

John 18:38
Pilate said unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

No matter what comes, the Lord overcomes. He is faithful. He is true. He is willing. And He never fails. He never falters. He never draws back. He never ceases loving. And He always triumphs.

Good is greater. Far greater. Far superior.

There is nothing else. It doesn't matter.

Whatever storm may rage, it doesn't matter. He is good, and He overcomes.

Walking Faith

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10

Everything has continued to be rather strained. Much prayer, and a momentary breakthrough last night. Only momentary, but enough to recall as a source of strength, now.

The Lord is so good, that way.

Walking by faith is strange, in this world. Everything around us demands attention, demands focus, demands honor. Everything around us demands priority. To such an extent, without the help of the Lord, it all would take full focus. And still may tend toward that, except for diligent seeking of Christ.

Year before last saw a break, on that front, in ways. Prior to salvation, there'd been a struggle regarding a conscious divide which was continually "walked" regarding metaphysical and physical reality. Experience had proven the validity and import of the former, but there's an odd strain in attempting to "reconcile" what seem disparate realities. But they're not. They're not disjoined.

There's not even an overlay, really.

They exist in the same time and space, even as one apparently exceeds the other.

"God Needs Men" - Zac Poonen

God needs men today -

• Men who will stand before His face and hear His voice daily,
• Men who have no desire in their heart for anyone or anything other than God Himself,
• Men who fear Him so greatly that they hate sin in every form and love righteousness and truth in all their ways,
• Men who have overcome anger and sexually sinful thoughts, and who would rather die than sin even in thought or attitude,
• Men whose daily lifestyle is one of taking up the cross and pressing on to perfection, and who are constantly working out their own salvation with fear and trembling,
• Men, full of the Holy Spirit, who are so rooted and grounded in love that nothing can ever move them into an unloving attitude towards another human being, however great the provocation,
• Men who are so rooted and grounded in humility that neither human praise nor spiritual growth, neither a divinely endorsed ministry nor anything else will be able to make them lose the awareness of their being less than the least of all the saints,
• Men who have an understanding of God's nature and purpose through His word, and who tremble at that word so that they will not disobey even the smallest commandment or neglect to teach it to others,

Reality Check

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

As delusion goes, try this one on for size (in other words, see if you're already "wearing it"):

Serving God, seeking Him, praising the Lord, knowing Christ Jesus as savior and master...

...and yet experiencing a disconnect, in such a way that it shocks you to hear of people acting in such ways as this:

WASHINGTON – A legal brief recently submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court warns that forcing states to recognize same-sex “marriage” could bring God’s judgment upon the nation.

As previously reported, in January, in light of contrasting appeals court decisions, the nine justices agreed to take up a case that would determine whether or not the U.S.Constitution provides states the right to ban same-sex nuptials. The case is set to for oral argument this month with a decision in June.

“This case before this Court is this nation’s tower of Babel. At issue is whether we as a people are going to continue to conform the institution of marriage to the one created and established by God, or instead will reform the most sacred of human institutions into something else chosen by an elite set of jurists,” reads the amicus brief, filed by the U.S. Justice Foundation of Ramona, Calif. and the law offices of William Olsen of Vienna, Va.

...acting as though, you know...God is real and the Bible is legitimately His word.

Spirits of Delusion in the Church

Isaiah 44:20
Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

Something, again, to consider. Careless worship. Worship which seeks self-indulgence, self-aggrandizement, self-edification, rather than seeking the face of God. There is an abundance of this sort, right now, and we must all remain humble and contrite before the Lord, continually examining ourselves, so to refrain from slipping into that same indulgence. There’s no other course.

Christ is all, we are not. So, to take worship as an arbitrary act is rather misguided.

Attempted Stability...And Then, There Was Christ.

This may not last long, but there's a moment presently afforded to peace.

Everything is so strange, right now. Completely in suspension.

Striving unto holiness, striving unto Christ is the most blessed and demanding pursuit. Many difficulties. Many. Yet, the things which have been the most difficult have driven me further to rely upon Him. There's no alternative, in those moments of abject pain and uncertainty. Nothing within me, of my own will or ability, is capable of weathering such storms.

Prior to coming to know Christ, efforts would hold up for a while, but under continued stress (which was constant) and recurrent trauma (which was regular)...constant unraveling would occur. Continual breakdown. Perpetual uncertainty.

Such a distorted path to travel--always conceiving everything and anything possible, given enough motivation and effort, while continually falling apart under the strain of unrelenting chaos and destruction.

Legalism?

As always, many things right now are in transition.

The Lord is so good.

I've struggled so much. Continually comes a point where prior-persistent delusions regarding religion and reality and society are further disbanded, considering faith a reality and pervasive is easy. Trusting Him in the middle of circumstances which make no sense, in the midst of disillusionment regarding many, many things...goes against everything of the flesh.

Much prayer has been necessary, and I've continually been so terrible as to doubt. He bears with me, though. With a patience that absolutely exceeds comprehension and which completely humbles my own feeble attempts at patience. He has been so good, through this. And He has been so good, to allow an opportunity to trust Him in such a way.

Though I lose my very life, I will praise Him, for He is worthy: Being able to more clearly perceive the reality of that is a blessing.

Immanence.

Branching out, a bit. It's taken a few days to line everything out, and there's been very little in the way of certainty, alongside the going. Such as goes, with multi-day migraines, but no matter.

Something considered, still being prayed about, but is at least for-now "done"--a website. Just a blog, is all. Just this, only elsewhere.

Things are still strange, but it's up, now. By the grace of God, it is.

Still asking whether it's the right course, but everything is still...in limbo, regardless. He'll direct, as is necessary.