Spiritual Abuse Questionnaire

Questions To Help Identify Specific Areas of Spiritual Abuse, Deception, and Fraud

The following list of questions is to help you, the reader, think through a number of things that perhaps you have never seriously considered on your own before.

As you read the questions, circle either YES or NO.  When you reach the end, go back through the list and prayerfully consider the questions that you have answered YES to.

Answering YES to any of the following questions may be an indication of an unhealthy problem in your group or with your leaders.

Answering YES to more than just a few questions is a definite cause for alarm.  If this is the case, it is recommended that you take a much closer look into your group’s or organization’s history, purpose, and goals.  Observe closely the methods, activities, and lives of the leaders.  Are they using abusive and manipulative tactics on people?

If you believe that you are being abused in any way, it is highly recommended that you seek immediate help from balanced individuals and relatives who are outside of the influence of your group and its leaders.

Remember, you have the freedom to make your own choices and to be free from controlling and manipulative people.  Controlling, abusive, and manipulating people will only mock, chastise and attempt to control you even more when their ploys, methods and artful ways of controlling others have been exposed.

Lastly, if you are suffering physical harm in any way or are involved against your conscience in any activity, you have the freedom to call emergency personnel by dialing 911.

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT YOUR CHURCH OR GROUP’S LEADERS

Are you in any way fearful of your leader(s)?
YES / NO

Does your church or group revolve around one main charismatic personality who is the final arbiter of “truth”?
YES / NO

Do your leaders make claims of being “Anointed,” having “Elijah’s Mantle,” having “Apostolic Authority,” etc?
YES / NO

Does the main leader, or the leaders in your church or group ALWAYS insist that they are right?
YES / NO

Are you allowed to freely ask questions about the background of your leader(s) and your group without being looked down upon or being considered ‘divisive’?
YES / NO

Would you be ‘rebuked’ by your leader(s) if you researched the background and history of the group and its leader(s)?
YES / NO

Are you allowed to freely discuss teachings, prophecies, or so-called new revelations that your groups leader(s) have stated in the past or present?
YES / NO

Are you allowed to ask your leader(s) questions regarding their background in ministry, education, teaching, policies, etc.?
YES / NO

Are your leaders above reproach (without blame) in morals, ethics, teaching and financial issues?
YES / NO

Do any of your leaders have a criminal record?
YES / NO

Would your leader(s) freely allow you to research their background in order to find out if they have any criminal record?
YES / NO

Has anyone in your group ever tried to persuade you to NOT research the personal background of the leaders?
YES / NO

When issues are brought up about abusive situations, do your leaders say, “You just need to have more faith!”, or “You are being disloyal to leadership!”?
YES / NO

Are leaders in your group very, very hard to contact or meet with?
YES / NO

Do your leaders avoid problematic issues?  Or, when you discuss or address a real problem, do YOU then become targeted as THE problem, instead of the real issue that needs to be addressed?
YES / NO

Are your leaders aloof, unapproachable, unkind or harsh in any way to any of the people in your group?
YES / NO

Are your leaders amongst an “elite” class within your group?
YES / NO

Have your leaders ever told you or taught you that they are the only ones that can “rightly interpret” the Scriptures (Holy Bible)?
YES / NO

Do your leaders teach that your “church” or “movement” or “group” is the Only True Church?
YES / NO

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT YOUR GROUP AND ITS TEACHINGS

Do you feel that your group twists and misapplies Bible verses?
YES / NO

Are you told what you will believe?
YES / NO

Are you guided through the Bible and at the same time NOT ALLOWED to study the Scriptures on your own, apart from your group’s own materials?
YES / NO

Do your leaders claim “New Revelations,” or special “Words from God?”
YES / NO

Do your leaders withhold or avoid providing you and your group with a written “Statement of Beliefs”, or, “Statement of Faith”?
YES / NO

Is it difficult to get a straight answer from the group’s leader(s) on the group’s teachings?
YES / NO

Is your group ‘secretive’ about any of its teachings, practices or meetings?
YES / NO

Does your group take ‘oaths’ or have you commit to unrealistic expectations?
YES / NO

Are your leaders ever “harsh” in tone with you or do you ever feel like an animal that is “driven hard”?
YES / NO

Have you been taught, told or commanded NOT to share any of your group’s teachings, doctrines or practices with any outsiders?
YES / NO

Does your group encourage you to read the Bible on your own, apart from the group’s own interpretation of what it is teaching?
YES / NO

Have you ever been instructed to cut all ties with the past, with relatives (spouse, children, in-laws, etc.) or with friends upon joining the group?
YES / NO

Do your leaders favorably quote and endorse known false teachers and false teachings in their own sermons, messages and teaching?
YES / NO

Are the leaders in your group or church comprised of “yes men” who simply follow, submit to, and carry out the whims and desires of one man?
YES / NO

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT YOUR GROUP’S OR CHURCH’S POLICIES

Does your group have any policies (or lack thereof) that allow leaders to use threats, pressures to conform, bribes, verbal abuse, etc.?
YES / NO

Would you say that your church’s or group’s policy on ‘discipline’ is extreme?  If so, why and how?
YES / NO

Is, or could, your group’s policy on ‘discipline’ be dangerous, illegal, or abusive in any way?
YES / NO

Does your group restrict you from “visiting” other churches?
YES / NO

If you visit another church for a wedding, baptism, funeral or baby dedication would you get in trouble?
YES NO

If you were to ask valid, enquiring questions about your group’s policies, would this create relationship problems with the leaders?
YES / NO

Does your group have any policies that you would consider harmful to children, the family unit, or society in general?
YES / NO

Does your group employ “out-loud shaming” of individuals and/or families?
YES / NO

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT YOUR GROUP’S LITERATURE AND MULTI-MEDIA

Do you rely completely, without question, on the literature and information that your group gives you for your spiritual growth?
YES / NO

Will you be disciplined if you ever, at any time, listen to, read or view literature and multi-media materials that are not from your group, church or organization?  Materials could include such things as books, journals, tracts, magazines, newsletters, CD’s, DVD’s, audio cassettes, videos, websites, etc.?
YES / NO

Are you only allowed to use study aids, books, etc. that are from your group or organization?
YES / NO

Do your leaders ever communicate to you that only your organizations materials or “of God” -
YES / NO

Have your leaders ever told you that all bible study materials outside of your group considered worldly, bad, apostate, ‘of the devil’, or evil?
YES / NO

If you are caught reading religious materials or assessments about your group, that are not published by your group, your group’s governing body or your organization’s headquarters, will you be disciplined?
YES / NO

Do your leaders speak down, mock, or show consistent disdain against Christian churches and Christian, counter-cult research ministries?
YES / NO

If you were to visit your leaders and confront them regarding false prophecies they have made, or false teachings they have taught, do you think they would be angry, upset or frustrated that you came to show them their error?
YES / NO

Would you say that your leaders display lack of sorrow, lack of apology, and unrepentance when they are confronted with real sin or abuse issues?
YES / NO

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT MORALS, HEALTH AND CONSCIENCE

Are you dependent upon the “approval” of your leaders for what you do (i.e. what you eat, what you wear, where you go, what you say, who you spend time with, who you marry, the music you listen to, etc.)?
YES / NO

Do you feel as though your life (or ministry) is being ‘micromanaged’ by others?
YES / NO

Do your leaders add unnecessary pressure to your decision making?
YES / NO

Are your leaders cruel, vindictive or overbearing?
YES / NO

Do any of your leaders justify sexual immorality by telling you something like, “God told me it is OK!”

Have you ever been instructed, led, or forced to partake in any type of sexual activity with any of your group’s leaders?
YES / NO

Are you or have you ever been commanded, forced, coerced, extorted, or manipulated into financial giving, tithing, sowing your seed-faith offering, etc.?
YES / NO

Are you being physically injured in any way (molested, raped, abused, whipped, beaten, tied up, slapped, heavy handed ‘intimacy’, etc.)?
YES / NO

Does your church, group or organization employ sleep deprivation, deprive people of a balanced diet, or utilize dehydration as a means to being more ‘spiritual’)?
YES / NO

Have you been forced, manipulated, coerced or pressured into making any moral and ethical choices against your own will and conscience?  If so, what?  If so, by whom?
YES / NO

If you address a valid issue or concern regarding problems in leadership that are clearly unbiblical, do your leaders backpedal, blameshift, or insist that they are right and you are wrong?
YES / NO

When confronting a leaders(s) with a valid issue or concern, do they turn the whole thing around to the point where now YOU have become the problem, not the issue that needs to be dealt with?
YES / NO

Do your leaders or ministry helpers ever lie to you?
YES / NO

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT MAKING PERSONAL CHOICES

Do you feel that you are manipulated against your own desires when making personal choices about diet, clothing, time commitments, service, tithing, friendships, dating, spouses, purchases?
YES / NO

Are choices ever made by your leaders that go against and burden your own conscience?
YES / NO

Do authority figures within your group ever demand answers from you or use threats to get their way?
YES / NO

Do your leaders or the ‘group dynamic’ in your group make you feel as though you cannot come and go as you please (i.e. you feel as though your expected to be at all or most of the meetings)?
YES / NO

If you are experiencing abuse in any way, are you scared, afraid or nervous about leaving your group, church or organization?
YES / NO

Do your leaders, or the group itself, make choices to involve you in things that you don’t like or would prefer not to be a part of?
YES / NO

Are you pressured or manipulated into making decisions – any decisions at all – regarding anything?
YES / NO

Do you feel guilty or dirty after making decisions because... “That is just what our group does.”
YES / NO

Do others in your group make any decisions for you?  If so, what are they?
YES / NO

Is pressure put upon you, in any way, to avoid ‘other outside information’ about your group?
YES / NO

Are you fearful that if you make ‘a wrong choice’ your leaders will punish you?
YES / NO

Have you ever been punished or abused in any of the following ways:  Physically abused, out-loud verbal shaming in front of others, given the non-verbal silent treatment, coded non-verbal abuse (the look), financially mistreated or extorted and, as a result, suffered financial repercussions, sexually abused in any way, emotionally manipulated, purposefully betrayed, sexual inuendos, etc?
YES / NO

Are there spoken or unspoken “dress code rules” in your group, that if broken, will lead to “discipline”?
YES / NO

If you are a woman, are you taught or commanded that you must wear long skirts, have long hair, avoid all make-up, and wear a head covering in order to please God?
YES / NO

Will your leaders or the group you belong to chastise you or refer to you as “carnal,” “less spiritual,” “unsubmissive,” or “in rebellion” if you do not wear long skirts, have long hair, wear a head covering and avoid all make-up?
YES / NO


QUESTIONS ABOUT REGISTERED SEX-OFFENDERS BEING ALLOWED AROUND CHILDREN


Does your church, group, or organization allow registered sex offenders to be involved in children’s or youth ministry?
YES / NO

Do your leaders break the law by allowing registered sex offenders to be anywhere in the vicinity of children?
YES / NO

If it is known by your leaders that a registered sex offender is attempting to visit (or is consistently attending) your group or church service, and is in the vicinity of children, do your leaders kindly remove the registered sex offender(s) from the premises in order to protect the children (and the offender from breaking probation)?
YES / NO

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT FINANCES

Are you allowed to enquire and ask valid questions as to how money is handled, where money is spent, and who is accountable with your church or group finances?
YES / NO

Is your group secretive about where its funds go?
YES / NO

If you were to enquire about “Who counts and handles the money?”, would your leader(s) show contempt towards you or look down on you with suspicion?
YES / NO

If your group is a church and/or holding services, and monies are received, does just one person or one married couple count and handle all the finances?
YES / NO

Have you ever been told by your leader(s) that no financial board is needed?
YES / NO

If your group is a church and/or holding services, and monies are received, do the leaders AVOID filing annual tax documents with the Internal Revenue Service and Franchise Tax Board?
YES / NO

When money is received through offerings, collected through offering boxes, etc., do you see that there is a lack of accountability with counting, processing and depositing funds?
YES / NO

If you have ever enquired about the financial accountability procedures in your church, group or organization, have your leaders been defensive?
YES / NO

A FEW MORE QUESTIONS

Is there a high turnover rate of people coming and then leaving your church or group?
YES / NO

Do you often hear stories of strife, bitterness, and controversies within your group or its leadership?
YES / NO

Does your group consistently condemn people and churches outside your group as being “of the devil,” “Satanic,” “servants of Satan,” “worldly”, etc.?
YES / NO

Does your church have the “We Are The Only True Church” mentality?
YES / NO

Do you experience cruelty or abusive attitudes from leaders in your church or group?
YES / NO

Are the leading men in your church, group or organization too busy to spend time with their own families?
YES / NO

Is your group engaging in any of the following forms of mystical, New Age, occult, or consciousness altering methodology:  chanting, mysticism, contemplative “centering” prayer, yoga, meditation, uncontrollable laughter, “babbling in tongues”,  consciousness altering practices, visualization, guided imagery, reiki, therapeutic touch, transferable anointing, shaking, jerking, heat in hands, electrical jolts, shocks and currents through the body, carpet time, “Holy Laughter,” group hysteria, spontaneous yoga poses, etc.?
YES / NO

Just one last thing.  If you are in tears right now, filled with grief, sorrow and pain, please know this:  There is freedom ahead and there is a God in heaven who desires to break the chains of abuse, pain, and the hardship you have been through.  He sees your silent tears, He understands your grief, and He is willing and available to comfort your pain and distress.

God - who is he?

~ GOD EXPLAINED? ~
There is quite a bit we can claim to know about the nature of God based upon the scriptures and our various understandings of those same scriptures. Yet we still manage to argue endlessly with one another concerning what we, in reality, have very limited comprehension of, namely:

 what is God like. We have questions about what the God-head is and how many persons are in it, whether the Son is the same as the Father or a separate person, was the Son created like most sons on earth, is God both male and female, is the Spirit a person or a force or a part of God . . . etc.?

 I think you all know what I mean. These are questions we would like answers to, and some of us think we have all the answers to these already. Really!

~ This is what I believe:
It is apparently in our nature, given by God, to inquire about the Creator; but to know God fully is like a lump of clay trying to grasp the inner workings of the master potter as he works the wheel. So, let’s not presume we have much understanding of this subject; and let’s not get so tied up with arguing our viewpoint that we make enemies of our brethren and divide into different camps with watchmen on the walls. Aren’t we called to love one another? So let’s not make needless war with our comrades in arms, believing that we have better understanding than they.

3-19-12 ~ N. DeLaHunt

THE CHRISTIAN’S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Therefore, if the SON makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:36

I am free; Praise the LORD, I'm free! No longer bound; no more chains holding me. My soul is resting; it’s just a blessing; Praise the LORD! Hallelujah, I'm free!

Failure
 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” [Phil. 4:13]
Want
 “My God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” [Phil. 4:19]

Fear
 “God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” [II Tim. 1:7]

Doubt
God hath given to every man the measure of faith” [Rom. 12:3]

Weakness
“For the Lord is the strength of my life” [Ps. 27:1] and “The people that know their God shall be strong and do exploits” [Daniel 11:32]

Satan
“For greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world” [I John 4:4]

Defeat
“For God always causeth me to triumph in Christ Jesus” [II Cor. 2:14]

Ignorance
“For Christ Jesus is made unto me wisdom from God”[I Cor. 1:30]

Sin
“For the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth me from all sin”[I John 1:7]

Worry
“For I am to cast my cares upon Him” [I Peter 5:7]

Bondage
“For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”[II Cor. 3:17]

Condemnation
“For there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”[Romans 8:1]

Agreed

People sometimes quote this Bible verse "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" to show that tho persons can not have friendship if they don´t agree about everything. That is a lie. If that was a true no one could have friendship with anyone.

Let us look at this verse in context:

Amos 3:1-6
Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:

“You only have I known of all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?
Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?
Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?
Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no trap for it?
Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all?
If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid?
If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?

Do you see that it is about relationship with GOD and not between people?

Key to heaven

 

Anciently, when one came to seek the king's help or counsel, the servant's job was to open the door to the king's house and assist him in reaching the king. Christ's servants, the ministry, have a similar responsibility to assist those God is calling in coming to their King, Jesus Christ.

Christ showed that the religious teachers of His day, who had access to the knowledge of God's ways, had failed in this duty. "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered" (Luke 11:52).

Revelation 3:7
speaks plainly of Jesus having the key. In ancient Israel, the human king was in fact the steward of God, the true King of the land. Similarly, the divine Christ will be the steward of His Father's Kingdom. With that authority, Jesus could allow or disallow someone entrance into the Kingdom—but no man had or has that authority.

Christ's statement in Matthew 16:19 meant that His apostles had authority to represent Him, to teach as He taught them and to be instruments in helping people live the way the Kingdom of God. Christ still lends His authority to His true ministers today to do the same work. Sadly, many falsely claim this authority and misuse it.
Jesus asked peter:
But whom say ye that I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matt 16:15-17)

Then Jesus said I give you the key. WHY? Because he just had a revelation that Jesus is God. No one can see that without the Holy Spirit. So everyone with the Holy Spirit have key to Kingdom of heaven and God used Peter here to tell that to everyone who was there. Right?

The "rock" of Matthew 16:18 is Jesus, not Peter. Peter was a leading apostle of the early New Testament Church of God for many years, but not its chief cornerstone that was and is Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:20).

It's erroneous to think any man could allow someone into the Kingdom of God whom God would not allow into it and no man could disallow someone access to the Kingdom whom God would invite into it.

The Bible - Word of God

It is very dangerous to interpret the Bible on our own. The Bible interprets itself, if you quote a verse or a teaching it must be supported by the Bible itself.

Yes that is true but the best interpreter is the Holy Spirit i.e. when you see a revealed picture in your spirit about the message delivered by the words and when you see His creation and word of God in everything of it.

 

Do you really believe that God would miss such a thing as allowing some men to mix with His words?

Bible is spiritual book and words are alive, when Holy Spirit explains the meaning to each one who read it. The Bible i.e. written word of God are pure without dross in it when seen spiritually, and all versions are just to delude religious, that is a part of the test.

 

By Simon Dannie

THE HOLY SPIRIT is a person just like God the Father and God the Son .
He is fully God.
He is eternal (never dies), omniscient 9He knows everything), omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time),
He has a will, and can speak.
He is alive; he was not born; He has been there all the time
He is a person.
He is not particularly visible in the Bible because His ministry is to bear witness of Jesus (John 15:26).
Some cults say that the Holy Spirit is nothing more than a force. This is false. If the Holy Spirit were merely a force, then He could not speak (Acts 13:2); He could not be grieved (Eph. 4:30); and He would not have a will (1 Cor. 12:11) etc.
The truth is that the Holy Spirit is a person the same as the Father and the Son.

THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
References are only examples; there are other references available.
Access to God - Eph. 2:18
Inspires prayer - Eph. 6:18; Jude 20
Anoints for Service - Luke 4:18
Intercedes -Rom. 8:26
Assures - Rom. 8:15-16; Gal. 4:6
Interprets Scripture - 1 Cor. 2:1,14;Eph. 1:17
Authors Scripture - 2 Pet. 1:20-21
Leads - Rom. 8:14
Baptizes - John 1:23-34; 1 Cor. 12:13-14
Liberates - Rom. 8:2
Believers Born of - John 3:3-6
Molds Character - Gal. 5:22-23
Calls and Commissions - Acts 13:24; 20:28
Produces fruit - Gal. 5:22-23
Cleanses - 1 Thess. 3:13; 1 Pet. 1:2
Empowers Believers - Luke 24:49
Convicts of sin - John 16:9,14
Raises from the dead - Rom. 8:11
Creates - Gen. 1:2; Job 33:4
Regenerates - Titus 3:5
Empowers - 1 Thess. 1:5
Sanctifies - Rom. 15:16
Fills - Acts 2:4; 4:29-31; 5:18-20
Seals - Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30
Gives gifts - 1 Cor. 12:8-11
Strengthens - Eph. 3:16; Acts 1:8; 2:4;1 Cor. 2:4
Glorifies Christ - John 16:14
Teaches - John 14:26
Guides in truth - John 16:13
Testifies of Jesus - John 15:26

Important to know about true Christianity

There is "NOTHING" we MUST do.

 
The only thing that makes us "sons of God" is if we are lead by the HolySpirit in every single situation.
This contains EVERYTHING we must do, meditate on those four verses.

Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord
Galatians 5:14
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 10:27
So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”

 

If you wonder, and I believe many do wonder but they maybe don´t dare to ask. How can I love all those stupid fools who are everywhere around us on all sides. The answer is: You can´t without Grace of God. This is what make you different. Only by His Grace we can love everyone. No one can pretend to love forever, sooner or later he or she will be tested and fail. To love your neighbor as yourself "doe´s NOT MEAN": that you are to be unequally yoked with evil people or foolish people or false brothers or even people who make you uncomfortable meaning who put you in danger to lose your faith or to fall in sin. This is what you must decide by yourself. You are still free indeed to do as you are lead by the spirit of God in every situation.

Religion puts you in bondage and Jesus make you free. So if you sense that you are in any kind of bondage, that is not from the HolySpirit. Depart from that.

 Satan even try to make "Bondage as something erotic and desirable"

Hope

•  
•     And in no way shall there enter into it anything that is defiled, nor anyone who does abominations, or lies; Rev 21:8,27
•     And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for the redeemed. Isa 35:8
•     Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. For from this time forward the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no more come into you. Isa 52:1

 

Salvation is not to be presumed, salvation is to be experienced and seen.

 -------------------------------------------------------------
We are saved by heart-and-soul-purifying grace through our faith in God's promises, but we must have the hope of our securing them:

We are saved by hope of:

• being guided into all truth and taught all things by God,
• being cleansed by the power of God,
• being delivered from our sins,
• coming out of darkness to the light of God,
•  becoming children of the light, (the light being God),
• overcoming the world, the devil, and death, to victory,
• being renewed into the spiritual image of God,
• walking by faith, in the spirit, in love, and in the light,
• becoming pure,
• seeing God appear in your heart,
• seeing the glory of God,
• you appearing in glory with Him when he appears,
• producing the fruit of the spirit and bringing glory to the Father,
• becoming righteous,
• becoming holy,
• a forever cleansing and perfection,
• being perfected as commanded,
• growing up into a perfect man, the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
• being raised with Christ, as Christ is resurrected in you,
• becoming an entirely new creature,
•  Christ ruling in your heart,
• entering the promised rest from our labors, to thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, energized by God,
• joining in union with Christ and the Father,
• entering the Kingdom of God ,
• fellowship with Christ and the Father,
• fellowship in the Spirit with other saints in the world, and past men made perfect,
• eternal Life in God that is brought to us as we see him bring our salvation - and
• all of this occurring by faith through the grace of God as we live in this present world.

Ten comandments

Two levels of righteousness
In Luke chapter 18, the Holy Spirit declares the following:

"18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Luke 18:18-25).

Luke Portrayed Jesus as Son of Man...his passage very clearly illustrates the fact that "eternal life" is more than just escaping the fire of hell. When the ruler asked Jesus what he had to do to inherit eternal life (v18), the Lord did not ask him to repeat the "sinner's prayer". Instead, Jesus listed 5 of the 10 commandments in verse 20:

Do not commit adultery (Deuteronomy 5:18)

Do not kill (Deuteronomy 5:17)

Do not steal (Deuteronomy 5:19)

Do not bear false witness (Deuteronomy 5:20)

Honor your father and your mother (Deuteronomy 5:16)

These are the other 5 commandments that Jesus did not list:

Do not have any other gods before the Lord God (Deuteronomy 5:7)

Do not surrender to any graven images (Deuteronomy 5:8-10)

Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain (Deuteronomy 5:11)

Keep the sabbath (Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

Do not covet your neighbor's wife or any of his belongings (Deuteronomy 5:21)

When one compares the two lists, it becomes evident that the former list focuses on one's external interaction with others, while the latter list focuses on one's internal interaction with God. Even though the last commandment of the latter list seems to focus on our interaction with others, it really doesn't. I must admit that, as I was reading Deuteronomy 5:21 before summarizing it in the list above, I began to chuckle. Why? Because a literal understanding of that verse seems to equate the neighbor's wife with his ox and his other animals:

"Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s" (Deuteronomy 5:21).

Consider now what the Spirit declares in the following passage:

"9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope." (1 Corinthians 9:9-10)

If God sees an inherent value in humans that exceeds that of oxen, why would God apparently place the neighbor's wife in the same list as his ox, his ass, and his other material possessions? Because He is revealing a basic truth about covetousness. When a man covets his neighbor's wife, he is, in effect, reducing her to a mere object of possession. He is reducing her to an object from which he will derive temporary benefits, in the same way that he can derive temporary benefits from a luxury car or a microwave oven. Such a man is unable to see the "God-value" in his neighbor's wife, the "God-value" that makes man different from animals. We are the only creatures that were created in the image and likeness of God, and we are the only creatures with the potential to be One with God. God is Holy, meaning that He is worthy of reverence and respect. Since woman was also created in God's image and likeness, she must be treated with a certain reverence and respect. Even though she is a weaker vessel than man, she deserves to be cherished and honored. When a man covets his neighbor's wife, he is denying her "holiness"; he is denying the fact that, as a "holy" vessel, she has been set apart unto her husband in the natural realm, and unto God in the spirit realm.

"Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." (1 Peter 3:7).

Notice that a husband's "prayers" are hindered if he does not cherish his wife. As we have said before, prayer is an act of prophetic intimacy with God, meaning that true prayer is "an exercise in Oneness with God". If a husband does not honor his wife, he is failing to see that she also has access to God's eternal life, i.e.- to Oneness with God. He is therefore failing to see the "God-value" in her, and, when he does so, he belittles his own "God-value", thereby hindering his own intimate access to God.

From all of the above, we can conclude that Deuteronomy 5:21 is not so much a commandment regarding our interaction with others. Instead, it is a commandment regarding our interaction with God. We can therefore say that the 10 commandments are divided into two groups of 5. One group deals with external, moral behavior towards others, and the other group deals with our internal behavior towards God.

In the case of the ruler who asked Jesus about "eternal life" in Luke 18:18-25, Jesus only listed the 5 commandments that had to with moral behavior towards others, to which the ruler responded, "I have kept all of these from my youth" (v21). When Jesus heard this, He did not say, "Liar, liar". Instead, He says to him, "You lack one thing" (v22), as if to say, "Yes, you have kept these 5 commandments, but the Father is calling you to enter into the other 5, and, in order to do so, you must do one thing first".

The fact that Lord assented to the ruler's claim in verse 21 reveals that the ruler was indeed a "righteous" man. This ruler was a "model citizen" who didn't steal or kill or commit adultery; he did not spread false rumors about others, and he was very respectful of his parents. In other words, no neighbor of his could hold anything against him because he had harmed no one. He was the type of person who paid all his debts and fulfilled all that was required of him. However, Jesus was now asking him to do something that was not required of him. In other words, the Lord was now asking him to do something to which he had the option of saying "no"; He was asking him the following: "Sell all that you have and distribute unto the poor, and follow Me" (v22). The ruler had no "obligation" to freely give unto others what was legitimately his. This ruler had never kept anything that was not his, but he was now being asked to give away what was his. No one could hold it against him if he refused this offer. It is obviously not a crime to keep what is yours. Yet, this optional offer was the key for this ruler to move from the 5 commandments that he had kept into the 5 commandments he was being called to keep.

All of this means that, in God's eyes, there are 2 levels of "righteousness":
The righteousness where you fulfill your obligations
The righteousness where you voluntarily give of yourself for others..

Interesting and revealing the Truth..Those at "level-1" righteousness abide by the saying, "Live and let die", but those at "level-2" righteousness abide by the saying, "Die and let live". Those who stay at "Level-1" are worried about their own righteousness, which motivates them to fulfill all their legal obligations towards others, but they are not worried about the righteousness of others. Level-1 believers are worried about being right with God themselves, but they are not concerned about others being right with God.

Those who stay at "level-1" righteousness can fulfill the 5 commandments that deal with our external interaction with others. These 5 commandments do not demand an intimate awareness of God. In fact, a person can even be an atheist and live by these commandments (in their literal sense). There are many people who do not have any intimacy with God, but who believe in the commandment "Thou shalt not kill".

On the other hand, those who move on to "level-2" righteousness can live out the 5 commandments which the Lord did not mention to the ruler in Luke 18:20; these 5 other commandments deal with our internal interaction with God. Therefore, level-2 believers can have direct and intimate access with God, which means that they have unhindered access to eternal life, i.e. to Oneness with God.
---Yeshua our Saviour shall check our level of righteousness---

By Julie's Faith Speak Toriaga     

Faith or feelings ?

We must begin to believe God, not based on what we feel, but on what you know God's Word say's. The good fight of faith is often lost by those who go by or believe what they feel. Your feelings can be manipulated, but God's Word does not change. No matter what the outward circumstances may say, or no matter what you may be going through, we must say as Job said in The Book Of Job 13:15; "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him."
When you’re going through something and the enemy is trying to tear away and destroy what God has promised you, you must then remember what the writer of the Book of Hebrews said Jesus said (Hebrews 13:5 [b clause]); "...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.".

I believe when we trust in Him like that our feelings will be in accordance to His will it will be in harmony.

Power in you

"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:16-17).in my previous post,i made us to know the need of knowing who we really are in Christ Jesus,and the power and authority in us,the need to use them in turning around ugly situation in our physical and spiritual world.the scripture made us to understand that we war not against the flesh,but against,powers of darkness,and every wicked rulers in heaven and earthly places.as i earlier stated,that policies and affairs of this life are been decided in the spirit before brought forward to the physical.you don't need to be criticizing or shouting to your president or government because of their bad decisions or policies as the world do,but rather enter into the spirit and decide how you would want the policies to be.can't you see that the whole world are waiting for our manifestation as Sons and daughters of God?(Rom8:19).the angels,saints and our God are waiting and watching to see us take up our responsibilities as Heirs of the Kingdom.Fear not all you people of God,for the seven spirits of God are at work with us in this plant earth(Revelations5:6)We are required to get knowledge ,and occupy till the return of Jesus.Note:that meetings are regularly held in the kingdoms of darkness to decide and manipulate the affairs of the sons and daughters of men on earth.Be at alert all you Sons and daughters of God.






"And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:10).it's unfortunate that many believers in Christ Jesus do not know who they are in in Him,nor the authority and power they possess as believers. And are kind of bargaining with the devil in some situations of life.know it now that you are king and priest of our God,you are expected to rule and control situation with the power and authority in you. Except you are still compromising with sin.until you know who you are,the devils will not fear you.know you not that things happening in the physical are control in the spirit?then,learn to enter and Change situations in the spirit through prayers as situation Changer.God doesn't want to see us complain because He has given us what it takes to handle situations around us ,all you need is knowledge through the revelation of His word.


We are born and created out for God's will and purpose,and therefor refused to be intimidated by any man or spirits.for as He is so we will be,right from this earth.So close your ears against any accusers and discouragement.days of ignorance is past.it's time to speak life to the death things,and to call up things that where not as if they where.speak to all the ugly situations around you with the awareness of God in you.They shall bow.


Be careful with whom you share your dreams with,because there are lots of dream killers who may come to you as brothers and sisters,as was the case of Joseph and the brethren,fear not,but apply God's wisdom in all things,for many have gone the ways of the whole earth,due to their carefree and careless attitudes,"And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more." (Genesis 37:4-5).


I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:" (Nehemiah 1:5) praying that You take us to higher grounds,for we have dwelled long on a terrible faulty grounds,due to our ignorance,weaknesses and disobedient in moving along with Thee,cause us to stand our ground with boldness of thy glory and power,let those gods that did not creat the world with You, to perish from the earth and from under the heavens(jeremiah10:11),amen.


I have seen lots of things on planet earth,even people claiming to be what they are not,thinking that they can mock God? .No way !"With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks." (Psalm 18:25-27).


‎"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12).


Everything God created is perfect,but due to the fall of man via Adam and eve,erros came into man,the only way to purify man back to it's former glory is through Jesus by taking heed unto the word of God.


"And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. " (Matthew 18:2-3).All the requirements necessary for you to live in peace with one another has been made available,it all depends on your mind set, and willingness to comply,no matter,how much prophecy and preaching you rendered, without humbling yourself as little Children in malice ,you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.you must be Children in malice and adult in wisdom.


By : Kelechi Jackson Anyasor

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sermons of today

Sermons are full of "fluff", empty words that make you feel good like an injection of heroin that induces a brief euphoria without truly revealing spiritual truths about yourself, about God, and about the world in general.

You walk out as ignorant of the truth as you were when you walked in, but with an emotional high that convinces you that things between God and you are "OK" and that all you need is to continue with your "regularly scheduled programming" because there is nothing basically wrong with you.

Churches are places where you go to have moments of intense "spiritual intimacy" with "God" and can somehow escape not only the reality of the world but also the reality of your own spiritual condition. As the attention of believers was drawn to fighting an imaginary outside enemy, the real enemy within was ignored, and he grew and grew.

Churches are places of dissipation where potentials are wasted away they are places where no spiritual growth is truly being produced.

If the church is charismatic injection is addictive but from other churches you go out even without the injection, just plain empty.

Is the Current Church Structure Biblical?

Is the Current Church Structure Biblical?

formerly 'Who is Your Pastor?'

by Curtis L. Hall

For the updated version of this article go to
http://www.inthebeginning.com/articles/church.htm

Woe to the prosperity preachers! And all those who get fat off the sheep. Ezekiel 34:10-12 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.” ‘For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day.

Who will be saved ?

Isaiah 26:1-2 - A Song of Salvation

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
“We have a strong city God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks.
Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.

 Nation is not nation made by men, a faith is not religion made by men, a church in not a group of people made by men.

Psalm 127:1
Unless the Lord builds the house,They labor in vain who build it, Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

Acts 5:30-32
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those "WHO OBEY HIM”

 

After we have crucified our selfish nature

There are six Bible verses in which Jesus emphatically tells everyone that they must deny themselves, pick up their cross, and follow him, and whoever fails to do so is not worthy of him. 

After telling us we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow him, Jesus himself then died on the cross to show us the obedience necessary of following him, as he followed the Father's commands to die on the cross. He died on the cross as an example to us, to show us that we too must die to our selfish, fleshly life to gain the eternal life in God. The cross is to deny our will and obey the commands he speaks to us - doing his will instead. 

As we deny our will and follow his will, we are putting to death our selfish, sinful nature — the inward cross of self-denial. And as Jesus destroys the sin in us, he increases his Spirit in us, until we join in union with Christ.

 The cross is the only way to salvation — and Christendom has totally lost the true meaning of the cross, and so to has lost the true gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation. After we have crucified our selfish nature in the inward cross of self-denial, then and only then are we in Christ, as we are raised with him resurrected in us to be our true Lord in control of our thoughts, words, and deeds.

Source:
http://www.hallvworthington.com/MissingCross.html

Why did Jesus wrote on the earth ?

Jeremiah 17:13
O Lord, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You shall be ashamed.
“Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, Because they have forsaken the Lord, The fountain of living waters.”

Leviticus 20:10
‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.

John 8:4-7
.. they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

Jesus of Nazareth - Who was he?

Jesus of Nazareth had to receive grace, Holy Spirit, and wisdom from God the Father for his own spiritual growth and ministry. He was a man of sorrows. He ceased to have equal status with God. He set aside all reputation of God and thereby he ceased to be God. He had to pray to God, by crying and weeping with tears even with fear, who was able to save him and he had to be saved from death. He had to learn obedience to be made perfect in order to become the author of salvation. He was lower than an angel. Jesus of Nazareth humbled himself and became a man servant to God. If you know how to humble before God and to resist Satan and his servants, then you will easily understand this truth.

 If virgin Mary became pregnant by the Holy Ghost, then Jesus would have been Man-God. But, that was not the case. "Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: Matt 1:20 ... for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." The above verses make us to think as if the seed of God was planted in the womb of Mary that made her pregnant. But, God is a Spirit and God does not have a flesh seed. Further, according to the Bible, Jesus was the seed of the woman, but not the seed of God. "Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed;" Mary was conceived by her own seed, which was the miracle. "Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son. "

God the Word was made flesh. Romans 8:3 mentions him as flesh. Flesh is not God, but it referred to the man, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was born as a baby boy, lived as a man, and died as a man. Between his birth and his death, no time he lived as God. Here, we will view a few questions asked by sincere Christians attempting to show that Jesus of Nazareth lived as God or as God-Man and my answers to their questions from the Bible to show them that Jesus of Nazareth lived as a man, but not as God, UNTIL HIS DEATH.

 Dear friends IF you believe that Jesus was 1. man made by man, or 2. angel or 3. only God. Then you are still not saved.

 If you think you will be one with God, angel, or a God, you will not be saved.

 ‎"God the Word" asked God the Most High and the Holy Ghost, to create a body for him to be born in the world as a man. "Heb 10:5 ...when he cometh into the world, he saith, ... a body hast thou prepared me:" So, they came upon Virgin Mary and created a body of flesh, so that "the Word," who was in the Omnipotent Spirit body, can leave the Body of the Spirit, which is God, and enter into the body of flesh that was human, which was created in the womb. God created Adam from the dust of the earth. He created Eve from a rib of Adam. God created Jesus in the womb of Mary so that Jesus was the seed of Mary. Jesus was even called the last Adam, to indicate that God will not create anymore human in the fashion as he has created Adam, Eve, and Jesus. So, he was the last Adam and he was the created seed of woman, who was just a man.

 The soul of 'God the Word' left the Omnipotent Spirit body of God and entered the flesh body in the womb of Mary so that the baby was the seed of Mary. Thus, God became flesh. The divine became a human. "God the Word" became Jesus of Nazareth, who was flesh. So, Jesus of Nazareth became just a man, and he was neither God nor a Man-God. He was a soul in a human flesh body, who was just like any other normal man.

 IF YOU DON´T UNDERSTAND THIS YOU ARE NOT BORN AGAIN and you are not saved. So read it again and if you understand this you are Born Of spirit of God. Very simple my friends. Read until you understand.

The Bible refers Jesus of Nazareth neither as God nor as Mighty God. Let me quote the scripture. " Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." This is a prophetic word which was spoken by the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. "For unto us a child is born," this was fulfilled at the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. "Unto us a son is given," this was fulfilled when the Lord Jesus Christ was declared as the begotten Son of God and Lord. "The government shall be upon his shoulder" this will be fulfilled at his thousand years reign on earth. The end of this prophesy, "Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace", this will be fulfilled in his everlasting kingdom. Jesus of Nazareth was a child (For unto us a child is born) in this prophesy. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, will be the Mighty God, but not Jesus of Nazareth.