Sunday, January 13, 2008

We Humans Seem to Believe Almost Anything (or Fake Messiahs, False Prophets, and False Churches)

It's Sunday and I didn't get to go to Church today, so I turned on some religions programs after reading the Word and communing with the LORD a little -- something I do everyday anyway.

So I turned on the radio to listen to Family Radio -- a Christian station that has apparently been broadcasting for 'ages.' In general, their programs are good. There is one particular program which I often try to catch, 'Open Forum' with a gentleman by the name of Brother Howard Camping (who happens to be the President and co-founder of Family Stations, Inc., according to the Web site). Now Mr. Camping's particular focus seems to be on understanding and interpreting the Holy Bible in regards to the end times, i.e., the tribulation, Jesus' return, the final judgement, etc. Mr. Camping supposes to have figured out through various studies that the tribulation period (the time when GOD shows his 'face' to EVERYONE on earth) will conclude with Jesus return in a particular month, on a particular day in the year 2011. I heard him loud and clear in today's East coast broadcast give the date, and he has much of this information published on the Family Radio site, but I refuse to repost it here, because I believe the Bible when it says no man -- not even the Son of GOD Jesus -- knows the exact day or hour of the end of earth's history.

In Matthew 24 Jesus tells his disciples what kinds of things will happen before, during and after this period of GOD showing his 'face' to the earth. So he tells them that there are signs to watch out for but he says right away, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." (Matthew 24:36 - NKJV) Jesus said 'of that day and hour no one knows' yet Mr. Camping says it will be Oct. 21, 2011. He gives us a specific day (I wonder if he's holding back on the time, too). As Christians we are taught to try the spirits (you know, test your brothers and sisters spiritually) and to seek wisdom in the Word of GOD. If Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the Only Begotten Son of GOD, told his disciples that no one knows when exactly HE will return. If you do some research, you'll also discover that Mr. Camping used to believe that the year of this was 1994, and he even published a book under that title. I'm excited by the eventuality of heaven on earth, too, and I like to take note of what's going on in current events, but I'm not obsessed with figuring exactly when such and such a thing is going to take place. As a true child of GOD I don't need to concern myself with the day or hour, for when it comes I think WE WILL ALL KNOW (as Jesus explains in Luke 17:23-24). So, yes, Mr. Camping and the others putting forth their own dates and times may need to pull up and stop obsessing with the mathematical calculations because NO ONE KNOWS THE DAY when Jesus the Christ will come back to judge and rule. Mr. Camping seems to also teach some other things which may contradict GOD's Word, but I'm not too familiar with those other teachings to go into them now.

There are a few men who publicly claim to be Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ and god himself. Kind of like David Koresh. But I guess these current ones aren't raping children so the state doesn't need to get involved. But we as true Christians shouldn't hesitate to let others know when they smell a stink. Most likely no one will listen, but it's good to speak up nonetheless. Here are some current tools of satan leading people away from GOD.

Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda is a whack job who apparently has churches all over America and abroad. He and his followers have been interviewed by reporters and it's a sad situation. This Miranda guy is all over the place, too. He says he's the returned Jesus; he embraces the anti-christ description and says he's that too and has incorporated the triple 6 into his church (some members have tattooed that on their body). He says there's no hell and no sin and all that stuff we like to hear. Cause if there's no sin, we're never wrong, right? Based on the Holy Bible...I really don't get how he has followers. Are they not reading the Word? This man fulfills only one prophecy, as opposed to all of the prophecies Jesus the son of Mary fulfilled:

“Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many." (Matthew 24:4-5, NKJV)

Then there's this other guy who also claims to be the Jesus, but he uses technical Hebrew terms to add some flair to it. It's also important to know that this man was a criminal and was imprisoned for everything from murder to the raping of little girls. I say 'was' cause the man is dead (they say ascended), yet his brainwashed followers still purport his mess and broadcast their dumb program on TV. They call him Yahweh Ben Yahweh or god, son of god (his real name is Hulon Mitchell Jr.) and their cult is essentially just about black empowerment to the extreme, like supremacy. It says on their Web site in one of his brainwashing sessions: "...the Kingdom of Heaven is when Yehuwdah (Judah)-the so-called Black people of America, descendants of slaves-become the "chief" ruler..." Anyway, this man was a despicable human being who was evil and perhaps a little crazy. He used and abused his followers when he was with them...and others still followed him and taught his nonsense even after he was imprisoned (for another crime). Talk about being blind! You can read more about him here and about his death here.

These are just two examples of false christs who have no problem recruiting people to worship them.

However, there are also plenty of other dirty false prophets running around, many of whom I'm sure most of us are familiar with. You see them on TV begging for your financial seed or faith offering or tithe (they spin it anyway they can). Then you got those who take it up a notch who have no problem letting everyone know that they are selling sorcery. I mean the ones trying to sell you miracle oil or miracle water or a stupid prayer cloth...the tricks are so old and well documented. Yet these men and women stay in business for decades! I guess some of us just read the Holy Bible and don't see anything. But you know, if everyone were saved then this would be a perfect world and there would have been no reason for Jesus to come into the world. Not one of us are perfect and only a fraction of us will strive for perfection in GOD's eyes, and even then only a handful will achieve it.

It's a sad state of affairs, but who doesn't want it the easy way? Who doesn't want to be told that it's OK to have sex with as many people as you want, to drink and party relentlessly, to use every cuss word under the son -- in summary, we humans worship the flesh and materialism. We don't want to deny ourselves anything. And that's the hard part, isn't it? You don't want to give up anything. Fortunately (or unfortunately for you?), that's exactly what you must do to be free in Christ -- give up everything. I don't literally mean sell your home, car and give away your money. I simply mean, stop putting so much value on these things. They shouldn't own you and control you so much. In reality, they don't matter at all, because when you're dead, none of it is going with you. Some lucky bastard will be enjoying it. So recognize the value of your soul and spirit and you as a creation. There is on one else like you because HE has made you that way, and that is what HE wants you to know.

In summary, read and understand the Word and don't be seduced or sidetracked by the devil. And satan is real busy, I'll tell you that. But remember, when Jesus does come back to judge and rule, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US WILL KNOW IT because he won't be coming quietly (like his birth).

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