Have you considered as we begin another New Year that
there is a very real possibility that you could lose your freedom—your
freedom nationally and as a Christian?
It may or may not come as a shock to you that Communism is
only pretending to be "dead"; that it is very much alive and
that this cancer has infiltrated every facet of our present-day American
system. Any so-called "national emergency" could activate
the scores of "Executive Orders" signed by our past Presidents
(especially Clinton) thus opening the way for martial law and the overthrow
of our personal freedoms. Any "dissident" who protests the
controlling authorities will find him or herself in one of the 123 concentration
camps throughout America that are already in place for the American
people. It’s time for America to WAKE UP!
Equally true, it’s also time for Christians to WAKE UP
to the fact that Communism is a form of religion that has infiltrated
the church. It must be understood that Communism is both a political
system and a religious antichrist system. In the political sense Communism
deprives individuals of their freedom to independently function in every
area of their lives. In other words, people who live under the oppressive
rule of Communism are told what to believe, how to think, where to work,
how to live, how many children they can have, how much money they can
keep, who they can and cannot associate with, what they cannot talk
about and so forth. Thus, for the individual, Communism replaces God
in their life. Instead of worshipping and obeying the Lord, they must
pledge their allegiance to this satanic and idolatrous religion of humanism.
COMMUNISM AND CULT
LEADERS HAVE THE SAME SOURCE AND GOAL.
Within Christianity there has been an incredible shift from
the traditional orthodox biblical foundation to a radically different
type of "Christianity" that is based on "new revelations",
"signs and wonders" and a myriad of unscriptural "prophecies".
Just as Communism depends upon propaganda to numb the minds of people
and change their perspectives, so too, these "new" doctrines
have brought about a new "mind set" within Christian ranks.
Through Communistic propaganda all thoughts, beliefs and conceptions
of a Creator God who holds men responsible for their actions is eradicated.
Thus the system becomes the conscience of the people, or "god".
In essence this is exactly how Satan works within the church to set
up a subtle shift from worship of the one true God to himself. He does
it through his servants who have transformed themselves into "ministers
of righteousness." (See 2 Corinthians 11:15.) Communist leaders
and cult leaders have much in common. They viciously attack anyone who
does not agree with them and line up to them. Both are paranoid. Both
demand to be "god" in people’s lives. Communism and cult
leaders both demand loyalty. Under Communism any disagreement or rebellion
is punished through interrogation, torture, prison and death. On the
other hand, a cult leader controls through fear, intimidation and guilt;
they punish any form of "disloyalty" through interrogation,
intimidation and threats of excommunication. They make an example of
the "rebellious" person in front of other members of the group.
The victim is brought under control by being psychologically tortured
into submission. People under either Communism or a cult leader are
literally forced to submit. Thus both of these ungodly systems use intimidation
and brainwashing techniques to control their subjects or devotees.
In a cult (or cultish church) coerced people begin to exchange
God in their lives for their spiritual leader. Through repetition of
certain scriptures cleverly taken out of context (which are twisted
and perverted to mean something "new" or "different")
the follower’s perception of God is altered and his or her relationship
with the Lord diminished. In other words, there is a subtle shift in
focus from Christ Jesus to the preacher, prophet, pastor, priest or
Pope.
Cults are insidious in many ways but their subtleties lie in
the fact that they use scriptures to dupe people into believing they
are legitimate. Just as Communism resorts to overwhelming and inescapable
propaganda and lies to alter men’s minds, so too, cult leaders
employ various psychological means to convince their followers that
they are THE voice of God. They imply that to turn from them
or question or disagree with them is actually coming against God’s
"anointed" or God Himself! Thus, fear and guilt are the means
by which they achieve their role of God in people’s lives. What
can set people free once their perspectives have been altered? Only
two things: Spirit and Truth! (John 4:24) Paul wrote to the Thessalonians,
"…because they received not the love of the truth, that
they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,
that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed
not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" 2 Thess.
2:10-12. "Unrighteousness" is not only solid sins, but following
and obeying any leader other than Christ. (Read Matthew 7:21-23.) Think
about it.
Once Spirit and Truth shed light on the blinded soul, they
must repent of gross idolatry at the feet of Jesus and surrender to
His Lordship. Only by so doing will they be relieved from the shackles
of satanic despotism and deliver their souls from a Christless eternity.
ARE YOU IN A CULT?
Perhaps as you read this you are certain that your spiritual
leader is a man of God. If questioned about his or her integrity as
a godly person could you say that the word of God is faithfully preached
in Spirit and in Truth; that is, is Jesus ALWAYS lifted up, or is some
other cause or agenda their primary focus? Ask yourself, "Does
this preacher, pastor, prophet, priest or Pope replace my personal life
and relationship with Jesus? Is he the final authority for my life?
Is everything I think, believe, do, eat, wear, read and so forth because
of my leader? Have I lost friends and family since coming under this
governing? Has my normal routine and lifestyle been drastically altered
because of this leader? Have I lost joy, peace, liberty and love for
others? Have I become self-righteous, religious and judgmental? Am I
expected to turn over most of my income to this leader or group? Am
I required to obey certain rules and regulations that Jesus doesn’t
demand of me? Am I told that any question against the leader is rebellion
and must be repented of? Has my freedom of choice been curtailed? Am
I being asked to conform to the leader’s ideas, lifestyle, laws,
rules and regulations? Have my former beliefs, values and relationship
with Christ been altered to conform to the leader’s definitions?
Do I now believe that I am part of an elite society and/or group? Do
I spend more time working for or with my leader than time alone with
God getting His perspective? Have I become judgmental, harsh, unloving
and feel superior to others who once were friends or family? Am I truly
separated unto God or unto my leader? Who is my conscience—God
or my leader? What kind of fruit is my life producing—in other
words, are people being led to a saving knowledge and faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ? Or, do I spend all my time and energy building up the
reputation and goals of my spiritual leader?
GREAT BIBLICAL LEADERS
NEVER SOUGHT A PERSONAL FOLLOWING.
Only Jesus had a following of seeking hearts in scripture.
All of the godly men and women of both the Old and New Testaments pointed
people to God, not to themselves. True leadership is not threatened
by pointing to another greater than itself. Those who "think more
highly of themselves than they ought to think" and who "seek
great things for themselves" are motivated by the devil whose entire
goal is to be worshipped.
The purpose of the church is to be the "salt" and
the "light" in the world; not a museum for the saints. Jesus
told His disciples to go into the entire world and make disciples TO
HIM, not to a religious system. The reason the church is so ineffective
today is because of its insatiable quest to gain NUMBERS, power
and money. It has failed to obey Christ’s commandment to preach
the GOSPEL; that is, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
Have you ever considered that out of all the great prophets
recorded in scripture Jesus said that John the Baptist was the "greatest"?
That shocks our fallen human sensibilities. After all, John never performed
even one miracle! Apparently, the ability to perform miracles
isn’t considered "great" in God’s eyes.
"GREATNESS"
IN GOD’S EYES IS BEING AN OBEDIENT SERVANT.
John the Baptist was great because he prepared the way, preached
the way and got out of the way. True prophets do not seek a following
but, with John, declare, "I must decrease that He might increase."
The secret to John’s greatness was humility and submission to Christ,
so that Jesus was lifted up. Many of today’s preachers and prophets,
like Hitler and Communism demand to be lifted up, worshipped, honored,
adored, feared and obeyed without question.
I find it amazing that so many who loudly speak out against
government control are more than willing to submit to a controlling
spiritual leader. Both originate out of the pit of hell. It is man’s
pride that propels him into both cults and communistic political movements,
but the end results are death and destruction. The same delusion that
drew multitudes of people into Hitler’s deadly web is the very
same delusion that sweeps well-meaning but gullible people into cults.
And the same power that held Hitler’s devotees captive is the same
power that entangles (and eventually strangles) those who have unwittingly
become God’s enemies by dethroning Christ and crowning a mere mortal
in His place.
Therefore, what shall it profit us if we succeed in the battle
to restore and maintain America’s lost freedoms only to sacrifice
our soul’s eternal well-being on the altars of man’s ego?
Look well to yourselves, my friends, for God holds each person
responsible for what they do with Jesus and the liberty that has been
granted to us in Christ. May God have mercy upon us in 2001 and may
He be glorified through this message. Amen.
