The Latest Rumor out of Hollywood

Some screenwriters are planning on quiting their union, and starting up a street gang instead.  They plan to call themselves the 'Scripts.'

Hmmm, Martians?

If there were marshes on Mars, and people lived in those marshes, would they be called marshian Martians, or Martian marshians??

PROPHETS, PROPHECY, AND PROPHESYING.

I see a lot of confusion about these topics.  While this article is not going to go in depth, I hope it brings some clarity.

Throughout history, prophecy is the speaking or delivery of messages from the supernatural realm.  It mostly has been redarded a form of divination, a means to gain information about future events, or the outcome of planned events.  When one was curious about such things, they would seek out a prophet, a seer, a fortune teller, or a shaman, or some other kind of mystic.

Prophets in Christianity

We do see prophets in the Bible, in both the Old and the New Testaments.

Are prophets in the Bible the same as they are outside the Bible?  Yes and no.  In the early OT books, people viewed all prophets the same.  But the further we look forward through the Scripture, the more we see God speaking through His prophets, men who spoke only for Him. Those who spoke their own thoughts, or thoughts of unclean spirits, were exposed as false prophets.

Now, I am speaking in generalities here, because to provide chapter and verse for every act or word of an OT prophet would require a book.  We already have that Book; we just need to read it and pay attention.

God used the OT and NT prophets primarily to provide direction to His people.  Sometimes that meant information about upcoming events, but it often came down to one word: REPENT!

In the NT, things start out the same.  John the Baptist came preaching a message of repentance.  He preached it to the people.  He preached it to priests and Pharisees.  He preached it to King Herod.  The only one he didn't preach it to was Jesus.

After Jesus rose from the dead, things changed, even for prophets.  God still uses them to give direction.  However, the Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul has given clarity.  After the Gospels, the prophets spoke to the body of Body of Christ.  When prophesying to believers, the guideline is now this:

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification, exhortation, and consolation.  1 Cor. 14:3 NASB.

So, if you hear someone prophesying, or preaching, and their messages do not edify (build you up), exhort (tell you to do the right thing), or console (remind you of God's grace when things go wrong) anybody... Well, I'm not going to say they are a false prophet, but you will be right to not believe what they say, no matter what title they may hold, or how many visions, dreams, or angelic visits they claim to have had.

PROPHETS TODAY?

The previous paragraph brings up a point of controversy: Does the Body of Christ have prophets today.  Many believe not, but I do.  I could go into the Scriptures predicting restoratation, but I will leave that for another article.

I will address one question relating to this issue: do we need prophets today?

Jesus served as a prophet.  During his life, the Old Covenant was still in effect.  Through His life, death, burial, and resurrection, He fulfilled the requirements of the Old Covenant to establish the New one, which granted access to everyone, and not just the Jews.

In the time between His resurrection and ascension, He served as a prophet of the New Covenant.  So, He was the last OT prophet, and the first NT prophet.  Since Christ has the preeminence in all things (Col. 1:18), some say He is the last prophet they need.

But, the real question is: Is He the last prophet His Body needs?

Remember (or go back and read for yourself in John 13:26 - 17:26), what Jesus said about sending the Holy Spirit:

I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now...  John 16:12 - 15 NASB

We do see prophets in the Acts of the Apostles.  So the ministry of prophets was a real thing back then.  The early saints must have needed them.

But do we need them today?  Look at the news and social media.  Preachers accused of, and even arrested for, sexual or financial offences. False doctrines proclaimed from pulpits and over the airwaves, allowing for occultic practices to come into worship services and the personal lives of believers.  Shrinking attendance and donations lead to staff layoffs.  Even popular Christian singers have become embroiled in scandal.  Scandal has even touched a church related university.

Quite a number on ministers today claim to be prophets.  I doubt the validity of most of them.  WHERE ARE THE TRUE PROPHETS?

In The Very Early Days of Rock & Roll...

Many bands that later became famous started out playing in nightclubs.  Some of those clubs were owned by the Mafia.

Also, some of those bands changed members, so the lineups they became famouswith were not always the lineups they started with.  So, some musicians never became famous, even though they were once part of a famous band.

This one band had put on an awful show at one mob owned club, due to the antics of a couple of members.  The manager of the club swore to get them.

But, he didn't want to use any of his own hitmen.  He heard that one member of a rival band had a reputation as a tough guy.  So, the mob boss hired him to do the job.

The mob boss also had connections with the police and the press, so it never got reported.  If it had, the headline would have read, MOB KILLS TWO BYRDS WITH ONE STONE!

WHY TALK ABOUT CULTS?

The answer is quite simple.  Cults usually don't draw in a large number of people, as in a large portion of the population, so they might not seem to be a big threat.  But, these groups might promote false doctrines that could be adopted by other groups.  Those other groups might or might not become a cults, but the ones that don't become cults could still develop cultish traits.

Today, church scandals make the news almost every day.  Scandals are nothing new in Christendom, but they have become more common.  When you look at the history of cults, you can see how they can be a breeding ground for scandalous behavior.

Some time ago, a video popped up on my YouTube feed that caught my attention.  It was about William Branham.  I had heard that Branham had operated in miracles, but had taught false doctrine towards the end of his ministry.  The truth about this man turned out to be much worse.  In short, he started a cult that still exists.

That video was a podcast, part of a series on William Branham.  The host had grown up in the cult, but left as an adult.  He had questions, and began to research.  The result of his research was not just the podcast, but some short documentaries, a website, and a few books.  If you want to know more -

William Branham Historical Research

THOUGHTS ON CULTS

After watching a considerable number of videos about cults, | have decided to record a few thoughts on the subject. 

If you have paid attention over the last few decades, you might be thinking of cults that have turned destructive enough to make national or international news, such as Jamestown, the Branch Davidians, or Heaven's Gate. But many cults share similar characteristics as these, so knowing about their commonalities can be helpful. 

Doctrines of Cults

Many cults claim to be Christian, but you can tell if they are Christian in name only by looking at what they do with Jesus. If a group identifies Jesus as anyone other than the virgin born, God become flesh, Son of God, Son of Man, prophesied Messiah (Anointed One, Christ) of Israel who died for the sins of the whole world, rose from the dead on the third day, ascended to the right hand of Father God, and reigns as Lord and Savior, then that group is a false cult. 

You still need to be careful. Some groups might use the same words as orthodox Christianity, but they change the definitions. You could say they are using a different dictionary. Examine their teachings in depth, and consider how their doctrine reflects how they see Jesus. 

Practices of Cults 

Authoritarian leadership is a common aspect of false cults. The founder or current leader will claim to speak as the only one chosen to speak for God, or even to speak AS God. They often place restrictive rules or burdens on their followers, while they often violate those rules in their private lives. Such a leader might even replace Jesus with himself as the only mediator between Father God and man. 

Authoritarian leadership often leads to another characteristic exclusivity. The leader will claim that his message and he himself are the only key to eternal salvation. 

His followers see themselves as the only ones worthy of blessings. They rarely engage in outreach activities, for too many followers might dilute the group's “purity.” Actually, more followers will only dilute their sense of superiority. 

This sense of superiority can cause the leader and the followers to engage in abusive behavior. 

The group will often mentally abuse “violators” who fail to show proper devotion to the leader and his message. The victim feels dirty, ashamed, impure, condemned, and hopeless. 

The group will also extend mental abuse to people who leave the group. 

Physical abuse can get as extreme as torture. 

Leaders and followers might sexually abuse weaker members because their sense of superiority makes them feel entitled to use the vulnerable for their own pleasure. 

I know this is not a complete list of the characteristics of false cults, and | could have gone into more detail. This is a summary, and | hope it is enough to make you more aware of the dangers of cults. 

Dealing with Cults

How we deal with cults depends on if we are dealing with a group or an individual. In either case, we need to consider how Jesus would handle them. 

Group  --  If you are aware of a false cult in your area, your first action should be payer, because God can go places where you can't, and He can do things that you can't. 

Don't expect the group to shut down, unless the authorities get involved. Even so, the group might reappear in another place using another name. Most of the exclusive cults tend to die out as their members age and pass on. 

Pray for the entire group to finally see Jesus as He really is. Ask for protection for those being abused, and for those who could be subject to abuse. Ask for healing those who have been abused. 

Individuals --  God might lead people out individually, or by families. Ask Father God if He wants you to help them. If so, then ask for wisdom, not just for your own actions, but for wisdom to pass on to those you help. 

How should someone deal with a cult member who doesn't want to leave? Again, pray for them specifically. Ask Father God to open their eyes to the truth, and to help them accept it. 

Next, be patient with them. They might argue with you. Don't engage. Just stick with the truth you know. Getting them to change will take some time. Listen to them carefully. They could give you a clue to what they are thinking or feeling. 

When someone is ready to leave a cult, they still need you to be patient with them. Healing will take time. Completing the process might require therapy or counseling, and maybe some de- programming. 

Wrapping Up

I am not an expert on cults.  I have not done extensive research into their doctrines and practices,  not do I have much experience in dealing with people who are involved in cults.

I now see where my family and I have been exposed to cult teachings.  So I face the necessity of re-examining some of my beliefs.  To a smaller degree, I understand what former cult members are going through.

I offer these thoughts for what they are worth.

1482025

WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

   I hope you enjoy it. Sometimes, I might post jokes, but mostly, I will put up Scriptural teachings, or commentary on anything.

   Who am I? Douglas D. Lee. Obviously, I am not famous, or you would recognize my name.

   I currently live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But most of my life I lived in towns to the southwest of Tulsa.

   In 1970, I became born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit. But I had joined a Southern Baptist congregation several years earlier, and soon thereafter, I began to study the Bible.

   You could say that I am a communicator. Writing, amateur and military radio operating, and drafting are my main areas of communications experience.

   If this blog doesn't educate or entertain you, at least it should make you think.