The Ugly Face Of Fanaticism: Christians Blindly Following Wicked Leaders

Few would argue that we are witnessing the unraveling of the end of days if signs and events are any indication. The ferocious battle between good and evil rages even more, and the fact that Christians are at the front lines of this battle is indicative that spiritual casualties are a possibility. Jesus, during his earthly ministry had warned his disciples of the coming deception that would test their faith that even the very elect could fall for. When his disciples inquired of him as to the end of days, the first thing he said was, "take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:2-3).

Deception is the favorite weapon of the devil to ensnare those that do not belong to him. Deception is his classic ammunition intended for the believers to get to the core of their belief where he can easily compromise without him getting noticed. I remember a pastor once said that "the devil cannot get inside the church (a building or room where we gather), for it is a holy place. Of course I imagined we were being secured by a spiritual fence in the form of fire where no enemy dares enter. But as a Christian desiring to grow deeper in the knowledge of truth, I found out that the enemy can make easy playground through the doctrines taught in church.

As Christians we are called to be vigilant, discerning and well-versed in the scripture. But the devil is cunning, his antics never get boring when it comes to ensnaring believers into his trap, and he is more well-versed in scripture than any of us, so who can top that? The Bible says, "greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). So, that is already one big blow to the enemy, if we hold on to God's truth in faith. Speaking of truth, it is very important that as Christians we don't strip ourselves of the full armor of God, one of which is the belt of truth that should be tightly fastened. But once our belt of truth loosened up, our breastplate of righteousness also goes down with it, and every other armor comes unraveling so that we lose our battle with the enemy. Some Christians easily overlook the fact that once we have submitted ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ, we have also automatically enlisted ourselves into God's army. We don't expect to be just sitting back as spectators to the ensuing battle without participating, and by participating we mean getting ourselves fully equipped to be ready for battle with the intent to win it.

Christian Dilemma over scriptural emphasis on following laws of men

Very often we hear exchanges of opinion in church and among Christian communities as to the right interpretation of certain scriptural doctrine that sometimes contentious subject find its way on social media platforms. As a result, debates and arguments lead to fire and brimstone which ultimately unmask the true state of modern Christianity, thereby giving the unbelievers a front view seat to the spectacle. 

One particular subject that sets up Christians to an argument can be found in Romans 13:1. It says, "Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God." Take note that Paul calls everyone to be in subjection to all authorities as it is God who establishes authorities on earth. What Paul wanted to say is that, authorities are there for a reason to create laws and policies in order to attain social order. For when there is no law there will be chaos and disorder. Even Paul and other disciples had subjected themselves to authorities. When they were apprehended and jailed for no apparent reason apart from preaching God's word, they did not fight back or initiated dissent, rather they obeyed their oppressors who happened to be the men in authority.

In Acts 5, the authorities got the apostles arrested and jailed for preaching and healing the sick. But the angel of the Lord came to their rescue and commanded them to preach about Jesus. When the authorities found out that they got out of prison and still preaching at the temple, they were again arrested and presented to the council where they were warned not to preach again. But Peter defiantly replied, "we would rather obey God than men". Before they were released, the authorities had them beaten again and warned them not to preach Jesus to which they blatantly defied by continually preaching and teaching in the temple and in every house. (Acts 5:42)

Take note that if Paul's admonition to believers to obey authorities is absolute, he himself should have obeyed them, no more ifs and buts. When the authorities had warned him not to preach, he should have stopped preaching, for reasons that he just causes trouble by stirring up arguments that would eventually lead to chaos and dissent. But Paul and all other apostles were not cowed by death threats and incarceration because to them God's laws and commandments should come first before all other laws of man. They could have easily stopped their ministry if only to set an example to the believers that they practice what they preach. But there is really no need to be confused if we all read and understand our bibles because one thing that Paul and the apostles would want us to know is that, once the law of man is already in conflict with the law of God, there is no contest as to which law the believers ought to follow.

Christians unconsciously becoming complicit to the transgression of God's law

These days, one of the hot topics in just about every conversation of global proportion is the so-called war on drugs in the Philippines initiated by president Rodrigo Duterte. Since he took office in July this year, there has been over three thousand dead people who are either products of police operation or extra-judicial killings. Duterte won the election in May mainly because of his promise to rid the country of drugs and other crimes in only three to six months - which greatly resonated with people. Filipinos think he is their hope amid all troubles befalling the country. If anything, their admiration of him already borders on idolatry if the degree of loyalty to him is any indication.

Duterte supporters come in all shapes and sizes, his charisma pervasive it transcends religion, social status and party affiliation. History would vouch no other political figure has emerged in Philippine setting as polarizing as Duterte. Either he is being adored or loathed. By tradition, if a politician has a reputation of killing people, that could pretty much spell his doom. Ironically, Duterte is being adored for bragging he had killed many people and has promised during campaign that he would kill all criminals so that peace will be achieved in the country of 110 million.

This brazen pronouncement by Duterte coupled with a serious vow to make it happen in just six months - either got people excited or alarmed. Fast forward to three months, the death toll including many who were innocent - whom Duterte supporters pass off as collateral damage - is already inching closer to four thousand mark. Despite cries by the global human rights organizations of a massive human rights violations and the increasing local opposition to the culture of death - there seems to be no waning of the bloodlust by the Duterte supporters who advocate drug users of all kinds deserve death.

Wait till we hear real consensus from real people. During the campaign preceding the election, it is understandable that Duterte's support comes from all walks of life - and that includes born-again believers who openly campaign for Duterte. Pastors and spiritual leaders would even dedicate a day of prayer and fasting to ensure Duterte's victory in the election.

It is no secret that President Duterte despite all allegations of criminal past - enjoys massive support from Christian communities. The magnitude of support he has from Christian groups is unprecedented in Philippine political history, that not even a certain Eddie Villanueva, a popular pastor evangelist - could draw a fraction of that support when he ran for president twice.

Now this is where it gets really disturbing. If social media is to be the barometer to gauge people's opinion, the consensus is really scary. Most professing Christians including those that I know of personally - are in favor and fully supportive of Duterte's style of war on drugs no matter the method of implementation. So far those that are dead include the innocent, women and children, and lately a vacationing OFW who was mistaken for a drug suspect, got apprehended, tortured and killed by the police.

The love of many shall wax cold

A few months back prior to election, I had a conversation on Facebook with a pastor based in the Middle East who is an ardent supporter of Duterte. He said he does not believe in due process anymore and that it's about time that all the menace in society should be annihilated. He said he stands by what he said because he already started to fear for his family given today's crime-riddled society, so due process to him is no longer applicable. That goes without saying, once a suspected criminal gets cornered, there will be no jail time for him or a court of law hearing his case, just one final stop for him: six feet below the ground.

That conversation may sound ordinarily innocuous but it is reflective of the actual values present in today's churches: of Christians forgetting the very basic tenets of Christianity for their self-preservation. What makes it even disturbing is the fact that this pastor does not believe in due process anymore but is advocating death for society's transgressors as shortcut to peace. The fact that it is an opinion of a Christian, let alone a pastor who had topped his Homiletics class, is doubly disturbing, and I could only hope and pray he is alone. But reality tells otherwise. In the wake of a weakening Philippine economy mainly due to fears and worries of the president's deadly war on drugs, some Filipino Christians are yet to awake from their blind adoration of him. The extent of their fanaticism is shockingly evident by their Facebook posts supporting the lies and ferociously defending even the vilest of deed associated with the president, and we can't even start to comprehend how on earth Christians can lose their testimony and becoming belligerent in the name of their idolatry for a wicked man.

I've been in some of these churches and I can tell how congregants are being fed with the doctrine of absolute authority by the state and that Christians ought to obey leaders as though it is a godly mandate they need to follow ascribing to Romans 13. However, this twisting of the scripture coupled with church's leaders special fondness for a certain leader - makes for a lethal recipe for spiritual deception. They think that whatever directive it is coming from a leader, even if it is a wicked leader, they ought to support it. And this begs the question: How can "Christians support and even defend a leader whose program of death is a glaring violation of God's commandment "thou shalt not kill"?

Christian's false obedience (to authorities) as one facet of deception

Indeed deception comes in a variety of forms. Christians who believe that if they follow or obey whosoever in authority as backed up by their Romans 13:1 misinterpretation - will be finding themselves at war with biblical truth. Or is it because they themselves are the fulfillment of 2 Timothy 3: 1-4 that they would rather support a president who advocates killing without the rule of law? How far will some Christians go in their adoration for a wicked man at the pretext that he is a god-installed leader whom they should support and follow regardless of his bloodthirsty agenda? Have they already forgotten the time when the gospel of salvation was preached to them and later found out that "God wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth"? (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9) Did it not even cross their minds that the death of the wicked does not please God? (Ezekiel 18:32)

Christians ought to obey authorities for no authority under heaven exists except that which God ordains. That's very clear.  God also tells us to obey human laws, and we should. But sometimes men in authority act as if they are above the law of the land, and yet people, including many Christians perceive it as God-ordained so that they equate supporting and obeying these men in authority to obeying God. And what kind of a Christian will support and agree with a leader who invokes Hitler and tags himself as the modern-day copycat who would gladly slaughter millions of drug addicts? If we do, we have been greatly deceived for not even recognizing we no longer serve the compassionate God who gives second chances, in fact many chances, to all. Truth be told, we may have been serving another god.

The Holy Spirit will not allow true believers to get stuck in a quagmire of confusion for it is Him who guides, directs and convicts believers into all truth. It's just that we do not allow Him to do His work in us because as Christians our personal opinion and preferences override that of the will of God. This is where many Christians who are die-hard supporters of wicked leaders suffer from an issue of false obedience. It is as simple as it gets: we've been commanded to obey human laws and also authorities, no question about that, but when human laws come in conflict with God's law, "we are to obey God rather than men".

Creflo Dollar Tweets Jesus' Death A Stamp To Prosperity

Imagine the rage written all over Creflo Dollar's face. As he found out, Twitter certainly has its downside especially when you are a superstar in the business with half a million followers and counting. On Twitter, not all of your followers are ready to blindly agree on just about everything you post especially when your post is a direct assault to human intelligence more so if it bastardizes scriptures.

His tweet on October 7 goes:

"Jesus bled and died for us so that we can lay claim to the promise of financial prosperity."  #ProsperityinChrist #WealthyLiving #AbundantLife

The nerve.

His tweet remained even after 24 hours before Team Dollar decided it's just one of those days in the Dollar empire where discernment from other believers can surely wreak havoc to the "credibility" of their boss, and so the tweet disappeared, but not without a trace.

Of course, not everyone though has the penchant to double-check scriptures as long as the sensation gives them goosebumps, thus the thousands of likes and favorites it amassed.

Imagine Jesus Christ the Son of God bled and died so that we can be prosperous, healthy and wealthy! Oh, what a eureka moment! Has anyone realized this yet? Has it not sunk in yet how "blessed" Christians truly are and highly favored by God? But why has Pastor Saeed Abedini failed to apply this "biblical principle"? He could have been spared of his now awful state in an Iranian prison and his family spared from constant bouts with depression had he realized this earlier in his ministry. Or perhaps Team Dollar has just cornered the monopoly for such biblical secret that others failed to dissect?

When prodded by commenters to cite a verse that would explicitly prove Jesus bled and died so that we can lay claim to financial prosperity, Team Dollar seemed to have responded by hibernating for the next 24 hours as if an avalanche of financial blessings suddenly hid them in a bunker.

This is where it gets even more interesting, and here's hoping Creflo summons all his intellectual aptitude and moral reasoning to defend his claim. That would be a real test of his authenticity that would either way dispel or validate accusations of him being a false teacher and ravenous wolf who shamelessly peddles the word of God for profit.

The good news for his followers: Creflo's Twitter message arrived just in time, delivered to appease and comfort, daintily packaged for his bunch of hopeful faithful, but there's a catch: let there be an unhindered flow of tithes and offerings into his bottomless coffers and all will be well.

And the bad: to those who got excited over his tweet and didn't blink to hit like and retweeted it, the bad news is your favorite Creflo Dollar is proven to be a false teacher and a ravenous wolf in sheep's clothing. If you share his belief that the only begotten Son of God became a man, bled and died on the cross so that you can live a life of financial prosperity and if you don't repent, you are on your way somersaulting to hell with this man.

The real prosperous are those who suffered the most

True born again believers of the Lord Jesus Christ have no business listening to these false teachers who perennially prostitute  and bastardize the word of God for their selfish gains. The apostle Paul has this to say of them:

"For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God." ~ 2 Corinthians 2:17

If Jesus' death signaled an era of financial revolution as what Creflo Dollar shamelessly claims, then Peter who seemed to be the most charismatic and assertive of all the apostles should have regretted his gruesome death by crucifixion upside down when he can outrightly demand his Lord a vacation grande or a cruise in Mediterranean as reward for putting up with Him for three years of lack and poverty.

James, son of Zebedee could have demanded full respite from fishing all his life, if not a complete upgrade to probably a CEO job, but no he didn't complain when he was the very first among all the apostles to die by the sword. Zebedee could have petitioned Jesus to at least let John his younger son enjoy the perks and rewards due to his older son James but John himself endured the most difficult life in exile till his death in the island of Patmos.

What about Paul and Silas' frequent brushes with authorities that almost regularly landed them in prison? the whippings, constant beatings, and muggings that they endured as soon as people laid their eyes on them? It's hardly prosperity! Not an iota of wealthy living and abundant life!

False teachers like Creflo Dollar and many others that easily come to mind are masters of deceit and flattery. They are superstars in their chosen craft. They feed off the gullible that have pinned their hopes in this life - them that crave everything this carnal world offers to satisfy their carnal desires. They don't desire the Savior who is able to give them life eternal but what they can get from the Savior in this life temporal.

Why Creflo is a pampered wolf amid willing preys

Pastor Mike Abendroth on his youtube video points out that the reason why people give their money to Creflo Dollar is the very reason why people buy lottery tickets. They think giving to God's ministry is a wise investment that guarantees exponential returns. They were made to believe God fixes His eyes on the tenth of their income so that He releases unthinkable favors if it reaches church coffers so that His favorite pastors get to drive Ferraris and fly in Gulfstream jets. These false teachers' propensity to misuse and abuse Malachi 3:10 for financial gain is evil to the core.

As long as people's frenzied desire for material and financial abundance does not wane so shall there be no slowing down the career of prosperity preachers anytime soon. The time has come when people don't bother any more about the kind of doctrines that creeps into the church even if they're doctrines of demons masking as feel-good gospel. No matter what they get to eat even if it is poison disguised as sweets as long as it tastes good then they have no problem ingesting them as a panacea for their carnality.

Tips for the gullible and how not to remain one 

• Those who love to flaunt their badges as "Christians" need not just to have a Twitter or Facebook account so that they could lustfully follow their favorite prosperity preachers - surely it's inadequate parameter to be called one. 
• They should have a firm belief that the Bible is the Word of God, it is infallible, and the final authority under the sun by which humanity is called to live by, and that biblical truths override the aesthetically lovely tweets by their "idols".
• Let there be no doubt that Jesus was serious when he told those who want to follow Him to "deny himself, and take up his cross daily" (Luke 9:23). So what's with he hashtags #ProsperityinChrist #WealthyLiving #AbundantLife got to do with self-denial and carrying one's cross? 
• If you really want to convince yourself that you are on the same road as Jesus, let this be a warning: Jesus might not be the role model you want to emulate, His life exemplified utter humility, being born on a manger when as an infant He already suffered rejection (Luke 2:7), went hungry (Mark 11:12), got tired and exhausted while doing God's work (John 4:6), and had no place to lay his head (Luke 9:58). Hardly the things you dream about, are they?
• Jesus was assuredly clear in his command to "store up riches in heaven and not on earth" (Matthew 6: 19,20), and verse 21 warns the danger: "for where your treasure is, there you heart will also be".
• Jesus says, "if you love me obey my commandments". Let's break it down: Loving God with all your heart, soul and mind as the greatest commandment and loving one's neighbor as oneself being the second greatest (Matthew 22: 36-38) -- is by no means a command to enrich oneself and wallow in abundance in the midst of Christian beheadings for not renouncing Christ! Has God been playing favorites for "Christians" in their Ferraris and palatial mansions? 
• You followers of Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, Joyce Myer, Benny Hinn, T.D. Jakes, Paula White, Rick Warren and all other prosperity preachers a.k.a wolves in sheep's clothing, let this be known to you once and for all, that JESUS, yes the Jesus of the Bible (not the type of Jesus that you get to hear about on Sundays in your flashy 20-thousand or more seater megachurches) -- became a man, suffered and died on the cross to pay our debts, but was raised to life again so that you and me filthy sinners may obtain forgiveness and receive eternal life  if we repent and believe. Yes, that's the real reason Christ died a humiliating and gruesomely painful death, not for you to obtain material and financial wealth just like your favorite Creflo Dollar wants you to believe.
• Lastly, read your Bible diligently, ask wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit because God is faithful, He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Put on the full armor of God, part of which is your belt of truth so that when deception comes you are safely standing on solid ground.

Blasphemy of the highest order

It's safe to assume that Creflo Dollar might still be reeling from a trauma for an intentional blunder on Twitter that left him battered with strong rebukes and calls for repentance. If he indeed is a man of God he would have apologized to his followers right away without any reservation for his wayward theology. He must have also repented publicly for his sheer arrogance of assigning the death of the Lord Jesus Christ a brand new purpose, that is to for us to obtain financial prosperity. But he won't have any of that.

Cheapening the blood of Jesus by equating it to a barter commodity for financial gain is blasphemy of the highest order. If anything, no amount of rebuke will ever diminish Creflo's determination to keep his empire flourishing; after all that is what he believes the purpose why Jesus bled and died. Sadly, only few will get to see the fangs peeking out beneath the wolves' nostrils all along feigned as sheeps. And these are the kind that Paul had warned about:

"Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." ~ 1 Timothy 4:1,2

Real prosperity according to Scriptures

For the record, Jesus never promised mansions on earth for His disciples but was assured on heavenly mansions reserved for them. He even told the young man who wished to follow Him to sell his possessions and give to the poor but he was aggrieved for his heart belongs to where his treasures are (Matthew 19: 21-24) Is it not a big irony that these prosperity preachers teach their followers that Jesus' death is a stamp to prosperous living while Jesus expressly laments that it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for the rich to enter heaven?

As for those champions of faith who truly understood what real prosperity meant this is what the writer of Hebrews wrote:

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." ~ Hebrew 11:13

"And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourging, yes, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy), they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." ~ Hebrews 11: 36-38

"And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." ~ Hebrews 11: 39,40

Throughout history, many have died a gruesome death while defending their faith. Historical and biblical accounts can vouch to the martyrdom of those who had willingly embraced death for the sake of Christ knowing that their reward is kept secured in heaven for eternity. Today's true disciples of Jesus have also their share of suffering and persecution, but they continue to stand their ground. Christians in Iran  are threatened with hangings when they get caught; in ISIS enclave, Christians get raped, beheaded or crucified on a daily basis for not renouncing Christ; and in Indonesia churches get razed and pastors beaten; in Nigeria congregants get massacred, their women and girls raped, their men and boys hacked to death, and I could go on and on. Hardly the prosperity Creflo and all other wolves so aggressively endorse and advocate. So be warned: a blind cannot lead another blind for they both will fall into the ditch.

Those Familiar Wolves At The Harlot's Table

Pope Francis' recent visit to the US was by no means just another state visit of a head of state from another country. It was regarded as a milestone event being the pontiff's official first visit to the US. Many pundits from both the secular media and religious groups have been abuzz with their synonymous take that the pope's visit would usher the fulfillment of biblical prophecies.

As to which biblical prophecies have been fulfilled that remains debatable, but one thing is clear and beyond argument, and after all dust has settled, God has revealed those who consistently prostitute his truth in the name of false love, false peace, and false unity. And there you have it, people won't be reeling from shock as everyone's usual suspects spontaneously come out united in revealing who they really are: wolves in sheep's clothing.

If there was anything "true and sincere" (albeit a great abomination to God) that the world has witnessed, it was the multitude's show of devotion and adoration to the pope that had the sovereign God of heavens seemingly shoved off His throne. 

Don't get me wrong, as Christians we should love the pope as someone whom Jesus died for and whose soul needs salvation. He needs to repent of his sins and acknowledge the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ through the redemptive power of His blood. We also need to pray for every Catholic who puts their faith in the Catholic church for their salvation. But we cannot be one with them  and approving of and thereby sharing their sins.

Wait a minute, we almost feel this topic about the pope as being recurringly redundant. And along comes the burning question, why can't some Christians seemingly don't get it when all the pope desires, is for all the world to come together in unity amid all the troubles of this world? Why the fierce criticism when all T.D. Jakes, Rick Warren, and Joel Osteen yearn for is to giggle at the presence of the pope and express their admiration for him for his being so cool and humble?

Here it goes: The Scripture in itself is the word of God, its nature infallible and immutable, it is the final authority and the moral compass which all humankind is called to live by. The Scripture reveals to man God's grand design of redemption from sin through His son Jesus Christ who took the form of a man, was sinless, and gave His life as a ransom for all our sins.The Scripture also speaks of Jesus as being the only Way, the Truth, and the Life, so that no one comes to the Father but by Him. So in essence, Jesus has the sole authority to forgive sinners if they repent and turn their backs from sin and follow Him. All other religious figures in history such as Mohammed, Buddha, and many others have all died and will never return again while Jesus has spoken of his return to judge the living and the dead. Basic kindergarten lesson we have here.

So what has the pope anything to do with this? As a matter of tradition, the pope so believes that Jesus died on the cross, unlike the Muslims who believe in their Quran that says Jesus did not die but that their god Allah deceived the Jews into believing such lie. Quran 3:54 even corroborates that their god Allah is the greatest deceiver of all. There you have it! In principle, the contradiction in belief is poles apart, yet the pope allows Quranic prayer be recited in the Vatican and he himself even offered prayer inside a mosque in Turkey.

Here are some of the obvious reasons why true born-again believers should not associate themselves with almost about anything the pope promotes:

The Catholic church endorses Marian worship and countless other idols

The Catholic church for centuries has been unequivocal in affirming the deity of Mary in its doctrines and bestowed her a litany of titles such as "the queen of heavens", "mother of God",  "the mediatrix", etc. Obviously, nowhere in Scripture has Mary been crowned as queen of heavens as though there existed a vacant throne that needed occupancy. Catholic dogma even claims that Mary was taken up to heaven both her soul and body on the third day after her death.

In fairness to Mary, when she was called blessed among women she exclaimed, "my spirit rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 1:47). She herself acknowledged that she needed a saviour because she was no god. Well, Catholics have the propensity to analogize that if Jesus is God so are his mother and Father. And no chance on earth they'd lose this argument. I vividly recall my sister-in-law who strongly brushed off biblical truth saying, "I was born a Catholic and I will die a Catholic".

The Bible explicitly says that the God of the universe is a jealous God (Deuteronomy 6:14,15) who is not willing to give His glory to anyone and His praises to graven images (Isaiah 42:8). In essence, God hates the worship of idols that cannot see, speak, hear or feel and cannot even defend themselves. His disdain for idol worshippers is such that He calls them fools and shameless (Isaiah 44:9-20). And who would dare challenge a holy and righteous God? You share this truth lovingly and compassionately to a hardened Catholic if not you're shown the door in rage or get blocked on facebook.

As for Mary's mediatrix title, it doesn't get more blasphemous than that to claim Mary possesses a greater level of intercessory powers than any other saint because Jesus can in no way turn His back on the woman who gave Him life. You pray to Mary being the mother of God and narrate your petitions, the moment she brings your cause to her son no matter how unlikely your petitions will be granted by Jesus, His heart can only melt away at the sight of His mother in tears, and voila your petition is granted. This is why Catholics have a special fondness for their idol, the "Mother of Perpetual Help".

But what the Scripture has to say with respect to such belief is beyond confounding to those who refuse to open their eyes and refuse to read and be guided by the truth of Scripture. Does God really listen to the prayers of unrepentant and idolatrous people? And who is the true mediator who brings our petitions to God?

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." ~ Psalm 66:18

"Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does His will, him he hears." ~ John 9:31

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Timothy 2:5

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." ~ Hebrews 4: 14,15

The Pope believes Allah the god of Islam and Yahweh the God of the Bible are one

We've been hearing it a gazillion of times over, people would conveniently blurt out: "oh yeah, of course, I believe there is only one God and our only disagreement stems from how we address him by name."

Don't be deceived, the god of the Quran doesn't have a son, as opposed to Yahweh the Father who has a begotten Son named Jesus who took a human form, ministered to the sick and needy, offered His life, was buried and raised from the dead, and He will return to judge both the living and the dead. While the Quran explicitly narrates that Allah hid his prophet Issa from the Jews, deceived them into believing that he died (but never crucified), and Allah took him up to heaven.

Let us check the following verses:

"In fact. the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of the blood there is no forgiveness." ~ Hebrews 9:22

"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." ~ Matthew 26:28

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." ~ Colossians 1:14

Clearly, it is only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that can wash away mankind's sin and forgiveness can only be obtained through His blood, that's why Jesus died by crucifixion, was buried and was raised from the dead. But the Quran belies these facts by claiming that not one of these had ever happened. To them, the Bible is a lie and corrupt and the Quran is the real deal. Perhaps Pope Francis is so enamored with the Quran that he invited an Imam to recite a quranic prayer inside the Vatican. He even offered prayer (facing Makkah) alongside a mufti at a mosque in Turkey.

The Pope believes atheists can get to heaven

Previously, Pope Francis made a bold declaration that atheists can get to heaven if they do good, effectively invalidating the power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Such brazen rebellion against the truth of God won him over adoring fans worldwide and media accolades despite his obvious disdain for the truth of God's word. Ephesians 2:8,9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."  We could only assume that in all his years as a Catholic let alone his being a pontiff, he has not come across this verse yet. But we all know that is not the case.

This pope certainly has a way to draw controversies, and they are by no means negligible. His words and actions impact billions of souls and his influence limitless, after all he is the "vicar" of Christ on earth, and when he speaks it is as if God speaks through him. Yet it can't get as blasphemous as this saying, "Jesus failed on the cross". Scripture says before Jesus breathed His last on the cross, he uttered, "it is finished".  He had won the victory on the cross! Yet, wonder of wonders the pope believes otherwise! In his homily on his recent trip to America, Pope Francis said, "Jesus failed on the cross"!

The cross was a fundamental part of Jesus' life. It's why he was born and was a fulfillment of why he came. To call it a failure is about as high a blasphemy as could be spoken by a false prophet, striking at the very foundation of Christianity.

Since Pope Francis assumed the papacy there has never been a dearth in controversies appended to him. His initiatives to bring all religions together in the name of peace and  unity is about as good a fulfillment in the book of Revelation that speaks of a harlot who committed adultery with the inhabitants of the earth. But what mortal can resist his charm? Notwithstanding, God warns us to come out of her and be not partakers of her sin (Revelation 18:4).

Wolves in sheep's clothing share table with the harlot

It is no secret Joel Osteen is one of the biggest fans of the pope. When he profusely heaps praises on him, his face glows like all the hopes of this world is pinned on that one man. That if he can only convince skeptics to pay attention to the message of this man, then the world will be a better place. This same Joel Osteen who seldom mentions the name Jesus, if none at all in his sermons and in his books. He is the same Joel Osteen who fondly describes the pope as "very cool and humble" yet steers clear of mentioning Jesus as the perfect example of humility, being born in a manger, and "had no place to lay his head" during His earthly ministry. If anything, these pictures are perfect contradiction to "your best life now" that Joel Osteen endorses: a life filled with financial and material blessings, health and wealth bonanza, and even going to places you've never been.

Proof that Pope Francis has no shortage of fans even in the evangelical community is the no-nonsense endorsement of his agenda by well-known mega pastors such as Kenneth Copeland, T.D. Jakes, and Rick Warren, among others. Jakes and Warren were even among the VIPs and dignitaries who had a front-row seat at the White House papal reception. It is no surprise seeing Rick Warren joining in spiritual oneness with the pope whose agenda is in sync with the former's Chrislam advocacy. And what about T.D. Jakes? Well, he's got no problem with homosexuality in the church just as the pope wants  homosexuals and lesbians to fill the pews but refuses to rebuke them of their lifestyles. After all, "who am I to judge?"

The Kim Davis Fiasco

She would have been doing well, at least after she emerged from prison. She was touted by fellow Christians around the world as a champion of faith circa pre-tribulation. She stood her ground even to the point of going to prison, still she refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses as it violates her conscience and religious belief. Imagine a deluge of articles and Christians blogs dedicated to her exploits and heroism; multitudes of Christians got fired up to fight for their faith. Even some Republican presidentiables had their rating shot up for siding with her. In the end, good triumphed over evil.

Not until, the man of the hour Pope Francis set foot on American soil that a certain Kim Davis, a renowned champion of faith had her bout with starstruck syndrome induced by the presence of the man from Vatican. It was reported she had a private audience with the pope in Washington, she even asked an aide to the pope "if I could hug the holy father". Her request was granted and he hugged her back. He asked her to pray for him and she reciprocated the request. He thanked her for her courage and told her to "stay strong".  At the culmination of that private audience, the pope gave her and her husband rosaries which in turn she would later give to her parents. And here's the mother of ironies: prior to her meeting with the pope, the day before, two homosexuals who are partners for 19 years had a real audience with the pope; turns out one of them is a long- time friend of the pope back home in Argentina.

Kim Davis was in awe of the pope: in her own words she could not believe a man of great stature would want to see her. He thanked her for her courage, presumably the courage of standing her ground. Then we can only assume that the day before, he lovingly admonished his homosexual friend and his partner that their lifestyle is something God does not approve of, but as reports would have it, everyone came out from that rendezvous wearing a big smile.

And as for the rosaries as gift of the pope to her and her husband, it is not expected of her to win her parents back to Catholicism if her intentions were anything to go by. She should be evangelizing them for the Lord and not to encourage them to pray the rosary.

Deception as the preeminent sign of Jesus' return

In Matthew 24, when Jesus went out and departed from the temple, his disciples marveled at the buildings of the temple, but Jesus said there shall be no stone left upon another that shall not be thrown down. And His disciples asked what shall be the signs of His coming and the end of the world. And Jesus answered, "take heed that no man deceive you". The Gospel chapters of Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13 otherwise known as the Olivet Discourse where Jesus spoke of the signs of His return and the end of days contain repeated warnings of deception that shall abound. Jesus has put emphasis on many that shall be deceived, even the elect if possible.

Truth be told, today's Christians suffer from spiritual famine: the lack of discernment, lack of knowledge and indifference towards biblical truth in favor of the  doctrines of demons that constitute a surefire way to damnation. Christians are called to put on the full armour of God, with the belt of truth buckled around the waist and the breastplate of righteousness in place. But once your belt of truth is compromised and it falls, so is your righteousness.

The Laodicean Warning

The state of Christianity today can be likened to that of the church in Laodicea but God is faithful, those He loves He chastens, and calls them to repent so that they won't be caught off-guard when He comes like a thief.

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel youn to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that ou may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint you eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and I will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches." ~ Revelation 3: 15-22

Good Is the New Evil: The Day Is At Hand

For those who hardly miss the news in sports, we know that Caitlyn Jenner aka Bruce Jenner was recognized for his/her supposed "courage" and was duly awarded the Arthur Ashe Award for courage. Hollywood superstars, elite athletes, media personalities, and all belonging to the elite that filled the auditorium, can't help but get their eyes fixated at an imposing figure in white body-hugging dress that glided towards the center of the podium. With her flowing hair and feminine look, she was every inch a lady, not until she opened her mouth.

And as soon as she did, fantasies faded abruptly that brought everyone back to their senses, for not even their feigned applause could erase the fact that she is still a he, a former Olympic champion, who sired six progenies by three women, as a matter of proof. Though elegantly dressed and hair perfectly done, no amount of technology can belie the fact that a statuesque figure being celebrated as "woman of courage" sounded very much like a real man that he is, in every sense. Truth be told, the idea that man's war against God's natural order can get people on the pedestal simply cannot be affirmed by loud applause and standing ovation.

Putting appearance aside, how on earth a 66-year old father of six who in his twilight years suddenly announced he is a she, got for himself a "courage award"? for what? People who are still in their right minds subsequently complained of such travesty that befell the Oscars of sports when there are legions of other stories in sport that could have easily merited them the award; but why an over-hyped old man in drag who had just caused the death of one person in a car crash, suddenly walked away with the "courage award"? courage for what? 

I'm sure I'm not alone in my thoughts that every day that passes leaves us a thing or two that impact our existence one way or another. You wake up to a new day only to see that people around you go gaga over latest craze or trend. The ambivalence people get to experience when confronted with upgrade in technology at a breakneck speed is undeniably evident. And you see attempts at exercising caution in social media being a tangible product wrought by political correctness; and it is political correctness that dictates, and most often than not, shapes society's perception of what is good and evil. But in a maze of confusion, somehow, the very basic and fundamental distinction of good from evil gets intertwined so that what is easily perceived as good to one, looks evil to another, and vice-versa.

Christianity vis-a-vis homosexuality and political correctness

Very few people doubted that once same-sex marriage gets enacted into law, there'd be no stopping some other forms of perversion that could get legally recognized under the pretext of "basic human right". They did succeed with their agenda with flying (rainbow) colors, then the aggressive institutionalization of perversion and depravity follows. Those that show disagreement are readily labeled bigot and hater. Truth is now the new hate speech. Obviously, homosexual rage is directed at Christians who cannot be silenced for their stand of the biblical definition of marriage. Now, the madness intensifies as Christians conveniently figure at the lookout list for potential  terrorists as the Pentagon would have it in its report and therefore become easy targets for arrest. If it's not insanity of the highest order, what is it? How do you cope with such reasoning?

We see how the devil uses political correctness to twist even the definition of good to make it appear evil and evil good. America has now pioneered the labeling of Bible-believing Christians as the new evil, while the perverts and sodomites are the new heroes. There is nothing more obvious in the conduct of state affairs in America than its bias against Christians. Talk about a nativity scene that adorns the lawns of every town hall or city hall in America, and you get raucous crowds of atheists and homosexuals screaming on top of their lungs protesting in anger the next.

We saw how Obama had the entire White House lit up in rainbow colors in honor of perversion but stayed clear of pinpointing Islamic fanaticism as reason for the killings of five soldiers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, despite the fact a homegrown Islamic terrorist was the one responsible. If only to give weight to Pentagon's classifying of Christians as potential terrorists, then by all means he could lie all he wants, feed his fantasies, and convince himself his favored religion is all about peace and Christians are terrorists. If anything, this double standard is Obama's show of disgust for Christianity that could gradually serve as springboard for greater Christian persecution in America.

After same-sex marriage, pedophilia next, and comes endless possibilities 

Prior to the enactment of same-sex marriage as law of the land, Christians and conservatives alike had their worries confirmed should same-sex marriage passes into law, that is, nothing would be off limits. They had foreseen it is forthcoming, and here it is why: Using the same tactics used by gay rights activists, pedophiles have begun to seek similar status arguing their desire for children is a sexual orientation no different than heterosexuals or homosexuals. In their argument, just like homosexuality, pedophilia is also a sexual orientation and therefore pedophiles should be granted their rights to practice their lifestyles - that is at the expense of your children. Psychiatrists are now beginning to advocate redefining pedophilia in the same way homosexuality was redefined several years ago.

Here is more alarming but should not come as a surprise nonetheless: The US Federal government no less has granted pedophilia protected status in its Hate Crime Prevention Act; this is to safeguard their rights from stereotyping. Well, so much rights granted for so much perversion but little or no rights for advocates of good. At least we get to witness the slippery slope America is headed towards; and most likely the same trajectory the world at large is traversing at a dizzying pace.

This has become the trend: the world is quick to glorify anything deviant, evil and immoral under the guise of acceptance and equality. First, you have the homosexuals fighting for their "human rights" which in reality is an effort to shove their perversion down everyone else's throat. Then comes the pedophiles who argue that theirs is no different than homosexuals who are only expressing their lifestyles. When Obama lit up the White House in rainbow color, that was the consummate sign of the glorification of evil, and if current trend is anything to go by, the evil epidemic on a global scale is set to take hold.

America at the forefront of war against morality

While Obama's America ensures homosexuality and other forms of perversion are called basic human rights, the same thing cannot be said for well-meaning individuals who only want to do good. In some cities, feeding the homeless is punishable by law that could land you in jail. Humans don't require to be micro-chipped or brainwashed to hold view that compassion is a virtue that can be dispensed if need be, it comes with his DNA upon birth as God-given component of his being. But you have America that glorifies every representation of evil but vilifies that which represents good, moral and compassionate.

How many millions of babies get slaughtered every year in America because they believe human embryo complete with organs, face and limbs are not yet humans? and showing the world how all these "specimens and tissues" can be a lucrative business? These are the same people who shout "protect women's rights" and force their way through the halls of Congress to see to it that women can have sex all they want without fear of getting pregnant as the state is there to their rescue and aid them to murder their babies any time they want.

America is the champion of "human rights" and the world better be ready to copy America. Paramount to these "rights" are the rights of homosexuals to practice their perversion and this was at the forefront of Obama's mission when he traveled to Kenya. He very much sounded like the president and spokesperson of the greatest gay country on earth, virtually ditching the unmistakable stars and stripes for the rainbow flag, when he shamelessly pontificated on the "homosexual rights" as though he bleeds for the most persecuted group of people on earth. Despite prior knowledge that Kenyans disapprove of his agenda to bring in America's culture of depravity and godlessness into their country, Obama has the temerity to lecture at Kenyans as though the future of Kenya and its relations with America depends on the amount of rights his beloved group of people is getting in their own country.

We see how America as a state flexes its muscles by subtle threat or by intimidation to see to it that every country at its mercy applies in its own shore what America deems as free exercise of "basic human rights", paramount of which is homosexual rights (e.g. same-sex marriage) that is frowned upon in most countries for cultural and moral reason. Obviously, Obama is in no mood to exercise self-restraint in his aggressive yet intrusively disrespectful lobbying for more immorality and perversion to thrive in countries where citizens are proud of their love for God and His natural order.

If in certain aspects America has failed time and again beyond fix (i.e. economy, immigration and foreign relations), it has succeeded nonetheless in one aspect and with flying colors: the hastening of God's wrath upon America for its glorification of anything abominable; from sexual perversion to murdering millions of babies annually, to pedophilia being identified as sexual orientation just as homosexuality is, and God knows what's next, as endless possibilities can come in handy, now that the mother of all perversions and depravity is the law of the land.

Good is the new evil and evil good

If there indeed observable evolution that has taken place, it is society's spontaneous tendency to adapt to blinded reasoning as pernicious as the embrace of evil to be good and good evil. We're aware of people running into law and getting punished for feeding the homeless, of a teacher who lost his job because he gave his inquisitive student a Bible, and in a twist of fate, of students who got suspended from school for giving out donuts with Bible verses to teachers and students alike.

Cases of Christians running afoul with either government authorities, or school officials, or private establishments because they did or wanted to do good - is in abundance - solely because they are being targeted for their Christian faith. These people know for a fact that true Christians have in their heart the unquenchable desire to always do good and impact the lives of people around them in a positive way - because that is what Jesus is all about.

Christian students being refused admission to a specific course in a college or university happens on a regular basis because they failed in interviews for honestly answering usual question as to who or what motivates them to succeed. These interviewers who virtually hold the key for the realization of these students' dreams to be accepted to their chosen course do not like hearing it's their faith in God that motivates them.

This is not a simple case of Christians being at the receiving end of random persecution in school, government and in the workplace - because of their faith. It has now become institutionalized persecution to keep Christians at bay from impacting societal norm that is increasingly getting more demonic by the day. When you have sodomites invited to state dinner and homosexuals parading their anatomies and all sorts of vulgarities in high streets for all men, women and children to see; and the systemic glorification of all sorts of perversion - and you have simple act of kindness and intents to do good being punished - God's judgment is indeed upon the earth. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will be in the days of the Son of Man (Luke 17:26).

We all have been witnesses to man's audacious rebellion against a holy God as epitomized in this generation. From redefining the millennia-old biblical definition of marriage to suit man's vagaries driven by the lust of the flesh, to the commercialization of "specimens" otherwise known as murdered fetuses for profit, and to erecting a statue of Satan in Detroit, Michigan as an ultimate symbol of man's hatred for God; practically there is no off limit for any sort of evil to take root and get embedded in a society where God is systematically kicked out and abhorred.

Deception, warning and God's wrath, but solace for those who wait

Man is being deceived into believing that he can fight and ultimately defeat God. He hates the concept of a Supreme Being who governs the universe with justice and righteousness. He wants to be his own god. He wants to do the things that please him even if they violate moral conscience which is God's thumbprint in his being. He takes pleasure in the defilement of his own body and of others. He believes he does humanity a disservice if he continues leading a life that which God has naturally designed for him as opposed to something else he intends to be. His views and reasoning become twisted, devoid of character and overtaken by carnality, then he calls good evil and evil good.

Did not God forewarn man for his rebellion against Him? In fact, Scripture is replete with them. Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe to them that call evil good and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter."  In Psalms 37: 1,2 King David predicted the fate of all doers of wickedness when he says, "Fret not yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb." And finally, the apostle Paul had this warning in 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 which says, " Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

In every argument man puts forth, it is God who will have the final say. Man can mock God all he wants but the Scripture assuredly says that "God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Galatians 6:7,8). As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ we are not to be caught off-guard at the increase in wickedness in this last age. The Book of Daniel reminds us so when God instructs Daniel, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand (Daniel 12: 9,10).  Let us therefore persevere in our walk with Christ no matter the troubles along the way for we take comfort in that Blessed Hope, that day when He appears so that we will be with him forever. Amen.

A Christian Perspective: The Online Pyramid Scheme

There's a new craze going on sweeping the internet that causes firestorm on social media in particular: the so-called Emgoldex investment scheme that promises too-good-to-be-true easy money, and bulks of it, that one finds hard to resist if he is diligent enough to find people to get on the bandwagon. Though staunch defenders of it claim it's not a pyramid scheme, its nature and dynamics say otherwise. Of late, even the Philippine government has issued warnings to its citizens (as it is a huge draw among OFWs) of the legal implications and unsustainability of the said scheme, yet this does not deter them from joining in and take risks with their hard-earned money.

This Emgoldex online company that purportedly sells gold to its clients uses some effective approach to make its "clientele" feel a sense of self-aggrandizement by referring to them, among others, "clients", "online entrepreneurs", or "investors" in order to get a psychological boost and affirm the legitimacy and legality of the so-called partnership, thus the confidence in the business relationship.

Convenient money who can resist it?

Why this particular online investment scheme became an overnight hit to so many Filipinos can only be attributed to its easy strategy: a client needs to find only two recruits, and voila, it  takes only a fortnight before he receives his gold or its equivalent, in this case most investors prefer to receive its cash equivalent amounting to 3,500 euro. Essentially, the cash prize (or return of investment) an investor receives comes from the investment money that his recruits had entrusted to him (or what they term it as "upline"). So, it is in every sense a pyramiding scheme, though I do not insinuate here that it is illegal, the fact that many personalities I personally know have already benefited from it. As a Christian, I have of the opinion that this lure of prosperity is a trap to so many Christians who unwittingly took the bait that will lead to a Christian's spiritual demise.

The Merriam - Webster dictionary describes pyramid scheme as "a usually illegal operation in which participants pay to join and profit mainly from payments made by subsequent participants". Wikipedia adds, "it's an unsustainable business model that involves promising participants payment or services, primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, rather than supplying any real investment or sale of products or services to the public."

There are lots of pyramid schemes out there, famous of which and popular to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are the likes of AIM Global, SWA, Royale and ultimately Emgoldex. I myself as an OFW have been tagged and inundated with invites to join in one of these, specifically Emgoldex. Not only we OFWs become the most convenient targets for recruiters but our immediate family members as well due to the notion that we have the capabilities to invest in these said schemes.

This would have not been surprising considering that pyramid schemes have been in existent since time immemorial, and still people continually gravitate towards the lure of quick and exponential profits from their investment. Due to its nature of long-term unsustainability, many pyramiding businesses in the past have crumbled, along with the lives of those who put their trust and hope in them. From the mistakes of the past, pyramiding business has somehow evolved and perfected its strategy to counter the stigma of "unsustainability" appended to it, thus the emergence of highly successful so-called online investment scheme of which Emgoldex is at the forefront. But what is surprising and saddening is that a lot of Christians such as pastors, worship leaders, elders and legions of church members have joined the fray in the hope of experiencing huge windfalls they believe to be God's way of showering his blessings to his children.

Emgoldex frenzy in Christian churches a real cause of alarm

Had I not joined the conversation in one of the Christian groups on Facebook about a specific post on Emgoldex, I would have not realized the extent of its deep-seated impact among many 'believers' -  some of whom are my personal friends. When I posted Bible verses about contentment and Jesus urging believers to lay up treasures in heaven not on earth, I was immediately overwhelmed by a barrage of negative comments as if the whole Christian community was ganging up on me for my supposed wrong perception of God's favor for His children. That in itself was a shocking revelation knowing the lure of prosperity can create a mobster mentality in people who ironically flaunt themselves as Christians.

One commenter even boasted of their pastor who was able to build a new church because he invested in Emgoldex, and that the pastor's family do not starve anymore, all because of Emgoldex (i was seeing a golden calf in such a proud testimony). And that goes without saying the said pastor is a hard-working guy who uses his gift of gab to find new recruits as evidenced by their new church building and his family not going hungry anymore. This commenter's testimony of how Emgoldex changed the lives of so many Christians she knows including pastors even turned into boasting by saying "faith without action is dead", and that reading their bibles will not do them any good if they don't work up on their faith, in this case, Emgoldex saved the day for them. She continued, "thank you Lord for giving us Emgoldex" and "please stop giving us your nonsense" in shooing me away the next, that elicited a chorus of amens from other commenters who proudly outed themselves to be Emgoldex investors also. Needless to say, I retreated from the mob and said blessings to them.

If anything, what was revealed to me is the current sad state of what some Christian churches have become, spiritually. These pastors who lack discernment and have no desire for it, may be smiling ear to ear for an unprecedented meteoric increase in tithes, have the belief that God is well-pleased at his brand of service in the ministry. That facebook episode did not only serve as an eye-opener to me to the emerging trend, that is earthly prosperity, sweeping across evangelical churches in the Philippines and abroad.

 Church leaders as indirect complicit to the trap of prosperity

A few months back, the Lord led me out of a church whose aggressive stance on matters about tithing is such that you come out feeling like a criminal if you have not yet committed yourself to tithing. Obviously, judging from the delivery of exhortation, there is that sense of arrogance knowing that you belong to the tithers' club, and a sense of guilt and condemnation when you do not; the sad thing is, not everyone, including new attendees, pretty much understands this doctrine, yet being subjected to the same level of admonition. Their kind of exhortation conclusively conveys that if you give your full tithes, God will bless you tremendously, as if God's mercy and grace solely depend on your ability to give your tithes.

Fast forward to present, this same church has now its music director, praise and worship members, dance ministry leader, elders and other members, into the business of Emgoldex. These same people you would find on Facebook posting videos or photos of themselves waving bulks of cash as if to shame their detractors. One of them even goes as far as sticking his tongue out to the bulks of cash he is holding as if to tease his skeptics. The next, they post photos of themselves with their pastors and other members eating out at their favorite restaurant with captions: "katas ng Emgoldex" or loosely translated as "benefits from Emgoldex". What follows are photos of them waving their new iphone 6, huge plasma tv, and even shouting out their plans to buy a new car - for all the world to see.

Romans 12:15 says "rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep". Or it can be understood as "to be happy for those who are happy". But when you see your brethren acting and sounding like the world and displaying their love of the world, I think there is no reason at all to be happy with them. What we are seeing here is the deification of material prosperity under the guise of God's favor - and that what truly is upsetting. As sad as it gets, a lot of church people today come to church, not for their need of the Savior but what they can get from the Savior.

Why a born-again believer should shun activities like this

I am in no way against a Christian brother or a sister who wants to uplift their families' economic status as everyone of us strives to do the same, but the following are obvious reasons why a Christian should stay away from pyramiding schemes, and this practice should not be tolerated inside the church the way it has become prevalent in so many of them today:

It causes Christians to be worldly and materialistic. Although we are in this world, we need to remember that we are not of this world, and should not be living the way the world lives. 1 John 2:15 says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. First, he gets to achieve what his initial goals were, then the next, and higher, and so on, until sky is the limit. The obsession and preoccupation to the  limitless goals he has set for himself will ultimately lead to his spiritual demise. And this is the area where most Christians are perfectly vulnerable.

It causes Christians to covet. The example being, a Christian brother who sees his fellow Christian in the ministry who has recruited other church members to invest into the scheme and is now able to buy a lot of things and testifies behind pulpit that God has honored the works of his hands (and mouth, through the scheme) will now be encouraged to join the fray so that he too will be blessed by God. Envy and jealousy will take root, and that will lead to self-pity if he fails to achieve the same. Jesus says, And he said to them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses (Luke 12:15).

It sends out a wrong message to other Christians most especially the new believers that could derail their walk with Christ. What impression will it give other Christians and new believers alike when after Bible studies or worship service they find church workers in a huddle on every corner talking to new prospects and convincing them to get on board their scheme? What spiritual benefit does it contribute to other believers if the encouraging verses they used to share on facebook suddenly disappeared in lieu of the ubiquitous and aggressive sales pitch that go with photos fanning themselves with bulks of cash? Has greed overwhelmed the church while pastors sit idly by in perfect complicit to the pervasive materialism and worldliness that has gripped their congregation?

It increases the tendencies for them to associate with the wrong people for the wrong reason. Normally, a true Christian would not hesitate to make his faith known to unbelievers, rather he finds it as an opportunity to share the gospel to them. But in the case of a Christian winning over new recruits into the scheme, he tends to never bother mentioning the name of Jesus to them, in fact he is most likely to compromise his faith for fear of losing his prospect. He tends to agree with them, join in the kind of conversation they are comfortable with, and ultimately surprises them as though they are clueless that he goes to a Christian church as he does not sound like one. Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, "Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14)

It steals away their precious time with God. All they have to do is to keep abreast of all the inquiries on their Facebook accounts, emails and other platforms where interested parties insist on knowing the dynamics of the business before they take the risk. This is pretty much the routine of Christians who use the internet (some are known to have skipped regular sleep) as their means to win over more recruits - the more recruits the more chances of fat cold cash rushing in. Sometimes, in their status they apologize to not being able to entertain questions as they are sitting in a pew, but admits to being tempted to reply to prospects so as not to lose prospective "clients". So, what else is left for God, much less quiet time, anyone?

It changes their priority. Now, it's more important for them to get more people to join in the scheme instead of witnessing for Christ. Witnessing as a command that every Christian must heed now takes a convenient backseat. "Witnessing will have its proper time and place and a suitable forum, but not now, I might get dissed knowing people find religion a polarizing subject, and besides how can I pitch my business proposal if I have a gospel in tow, so it must be one over the other, for now." In quest for prosperity, there is no such thing as "I've reached my bounds, time to get back to my roots" moments - it is an unending quest for more. It's just how the world operates, and some Christians are willing participants on that stage.

God wants us to prosper to the extent that our souls prosper

Again, I want to emphasize I am not against a brother or a sister who aspires for prosperity, in fact it is God's desire that His people prosper. The apostle John who was known for his closeness with the Lord, wrote to Gaius, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prosper" (3 John 1:2). He then went on to recognize some of the good works Gaius was doing for his fellow workers in the Lord. Gaius certainly could not have done much here had he been homeless, or poverty-stricken. Now this verse shows that God wants us to prosper in all things. John would not pray for something that was not the will of God. He prayed for Gaius because it was God's will that he prosper, and not Gaius only, for it is written that, "the Lord takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servant" (Psalm 35:27). But it is not the kind of prosperity that most of us would conveniently interpret - for the key to real prosperity is the state of our soul. God wants us to "renew our minds" (Romans 12:2); but if our minds are carnal, our desires wicked, then earthly prosperity would not do us much good. If our minds are sufficiently renewed then it is definitely in God's interest to prosper us in all things, including material things.

I love the prayer of a wise man in Proverbs that says, "give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only may daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30: 8,9) This is the prayer that glorifies God; for this wise man knew in his heart that for as long as he is obedient to the commands and precepts of God, he will surely lack nothing because God will never forget him nor abandon him. In his letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul had this to say,

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." ~ (1 Timothy 6: 6-10)

The best investment, better than any other scheme

Can God trust you with money? He can't trust all that many people. The reason is, many Christians, whether they are rich or poor, trust in the money they have now more than in God's ability to provide for them. We are told not to trust in riches. Paul instructed Timothy. "Command those are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." (1 Timothy 6:17). No matter how much we have accumulated in this world, there is always an encompassing threat that we cannot hold onto the fruits of our hands, for as long as we want.  

Jesus has warned, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21). The same is true for property, gold, shares, or any other assets we may have. They are "uncertain riches". God would like us to invest in something certain, something eternal. Does that sound like a good investment plan or not?

Persecution And Prosperity: A 'Christian' Dilemma

From random stories of unimaginable atrocities committed against Christians in the Middle East - to the advent of ISIS where Christians become automatic target for beheading because of their faith- all these seem to amount to nothing - if the sound of preaching in many Christian churches today is anything to go by. Even before ISIS came into the scene, there was Boko Haram that randomly torched Christian churches in Nigeria - along with their congregants - and sometimes spraying bullets on them while they worship God inside their churches. Pastors and their families have been soft targets for these evil Islamists and the repercussions for being Christian in the wake of persecutions are beyond despicable. Of late, those over 200 Christian girls abducted by this group - were known to have been made sex slaves or murdered - and some were forced to become human bombs targeting public places so as to maximize casualties.

In Egypt, Christians have their own share of indescribable persecutions from Islamists that you do not see often reported in media. Churches pelted with rocks and vandalized by Muslim mobs are a daily occurrence mainstream media think so trivial enough to be given little of their attention. Rape of Christian girls by their Muslim neighbors commonly do not get reported for fear of repercussion from the Muslim majority that has the stranglehold of virtually every government office - from police, military to the judiciary. And not even the highly-publicized beachfront beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians by the ISIS can deter Muslim mobs from inflicting more persecution upon the relatives of those beheaded - when they surrounded the homes of those in mourning and threw stones at them - upon hearing that a monument will be built in honor of those 21.

Nowadays, cases of Christian persecutions worldwide are rising exponentially in a level unprecedented in history. Christians in the Middle East and some parts of Africa certainly have plenty to say - and some have vouched through photos of their severed heads on top of their chests - why it is never easy to be a Christian. These Christian beheadings that have of late become a mundane scenario with its gruesomeness easily accessible in the internet - surprisingly do not surprise the world anymore.

Nowadays, Christian persecutions come in varying forms and degrees but fueled by the same evil force that hates the truth. It's only a matter of geography that gives new definition to it. While Christians in the US and most part of the West are not imminently subjected to threats of beheadings, persecution nonetheless can come in myriad other forms, such as losing your livelihood because you refused to bake wedding cake for same-sex couples as a matter of faith principle, or getting terminated from your teaching job because you gave your student a Bible when she asked for it, and getting bullied or taunted because you prayed and gave glory to God when you scored a touchdown at a football game - and the list goes on and on.

Deception in the last days

When the disciples asked Jesus what will be the signs of His coming and of the end of the age, He said to them "watch out that no one deceives you" (Matthew 24:4). In verse 9 to 13, He continues to say, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of many will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."

Jesus spoke very clearly of what is to come and what should befall those who would follow Him. The apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy concurred when he said "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2 Timothy 3:12). The apostle Peter on the other hand reminds us believers to rejoice amid all our sufferings and trials because it is to purposely test the genuineness of our faith (1 Peter 1:6,7), and if we pass the test, the end result of it is the salvation of our souls (1 Peter 1:9)

I have been to a lot of evangelical churches before and seldom this topic is mentioned in their pulpit. You speak of trials and sufferings in your exhortation and you get perplexed audience in quiet discomfort staring back at you - and the usual 'amens' heard in unison suddenly get obsoleted. If anything, this sort of reaction is understandable given the monotone feel-good messages that you usually hear behind pulpit and compounded by the prolific positive quotes from Joel Osteen or Joyce Meyer that proved popular on social media.

So, what does this say of the spiritual condition of the present day church? When you have the most popular mainstream preachers such as Joel Osteen (who never preaches sin, hell and repentance let alone judgment day and second coming), Joyce Meyer (whose entire family sits at the board of his multi-million dollar ministry and lives off at it grandiosely), and the formidable duo Benny and Kenny (Hinn and Copeland) of the little-gods doctrine; plus the ultra-rich jetsetting Creflo Dollar - who as a bunch has hijacked the true gospel of Jesus Christ into their own brand of gospel - what else do we expect to see around so many churches that do not pray for discernment but only have their sights on earthly blessings?

The teaching that God wants His children to prosper in all aspects of their lives has been the single most indispensable subject everyone loves to talk about. And the increasingly strong desire by congregants to obtain these blessings propels them to even faithfully give their tithes because the usual sermon they habitually hear - either promises of a tremendous blessings - or otherwise a threat of a litany of curses - and that's the last thing the congregants want to hear.

Paul Washer in one of his sermons spoke with full conviction that "False teachers are God's judgment on people who don't want God, but in the name of religion plan on getting everything their carnal heart desires. That's why a Joel Osteen is raised up. Those people who sit under him are not victims of him, he is the judgment of God upon them because they want exactly what he wants, and it is not God."

Even during Jesus' earthly ministry, He already taught substantially on His return that reflected on the numerous parables admonishing believers to be ready (Matthew 25). The apostle Paul in his epistles constantly reminded believers to be patient and to keep themselves worthy as the Day of the Lord is drawing near (1 Thessalonians 4, Hebrews 10). Even at the earliest church age, the believers had hoped that they were going to witness the return of Jesus. Such earnest longing for Jesus' return inspired early believers to preach the gospel of salvation to every place they could reach - calling all people to repent from their sins. That very same message reverberated across the earth after so many generations till today that predisposes ungodly people to mock Christians for Jesus' impending return that never took place. The apostle Peter had in fact long predicted that and had this to say to believers:

Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "where is this coming he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3,4)

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. ~ (2 Peter 3:9,10)

The high-jacking of the true Gospel by wolves in sheep's clothing

When I was a kid growing up in a rural area in the central Philippines, the only medium by which we get to know what the world is up to is by transistor radio because there was no electricity available. I would always hear pastors warning people of the imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. At that time,  even people living in the mountains had been reached by the gospel and somehow had heard of the signs leading to Jesus' return. Recently, as I was listening to a podcast from Stand Up For The Truth, the hosts and their guests have echoed similar observation that during their early years they used to hear preachings left and right about the return of the Lord Jesus Christ but now the usual talk-about from mainstream preachers is how a Christian can live a life of favor, abundance and happiness. And who can resist such message when in fact it was the Lord Jesus Christ himself who promised that "He came so that we may have life and have it to the full?" In one of his sermons, Paul Washer had famously quoted: "...twist not Scripture lest you be like Satan!"

Few would argue that the advent of the so-called prosperity gospel, its lure, its comforting message, has paved the way for the true gospel to cunningly evolve into the gospel of demons - where believers are made to believe that they can have all they want in this life for being co-heirs to the wealth of the Great Provider. Today, the world at-large has grown numb to hearing scandal-after-scandal involving so-called mega pastors who make no apologies for living the high-life, whose sprawling estates, fleets of private jets and palatial mansions in tight security fit for royals - are a picture of total contrast to the life of humility of the Man they preach about - who did not even have a proper place to lay his head (Luke 9:58).

Of course, a gullible Christian would never think deceptions could come from within the church. For as long as he comes and sits at his favorite spot on Sundays, does his assigned ministry , and gives his tithes, then there is every chance that he is on the right track and his place in heaven secured. He doesn't see any wrong in his pastor using Rick Warren's unbiblical teaching materials, (in fact that is what they have been implementing in church recently); the words 'tribulation' and 'rapture' are strange to him - he has been to this church for two years but hasn't heard of them. He has been an ardent fan of Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer, in fact he loves to share their quotes on facebook and draws inspiration from them. "These are great men and women of God and I have been tremendously blessed by their teachings!", he would argue. When you post encouraging verses on facebook, he is one of the first to hit like, and you get tons of it thereafter; but when you post verses pertaining to hell, holiness and judgment, you would get convinced spontaneous boycott from facebook friends does really happen - and that solely depends on what you post.

The sidestepping of the gospel for prosperity's sake

It is the belief that when you act on your faith God will bless your every endeavor. Such is the driving force behind Christians who have been heavily involved in online networking that have plagued local churches that I know. The proliferation of online investment schemes that attract recruits to invest for an incredibly huge profits have now crept up in these churches that you will see worship leaders, elders and deacons, and even an ordained prophetess and some pastors in a race to find recruits to invest in the schemes. Those Bible verses that you usually see in their facebook walls have been dislodged in favor of video materials and testimonies from successful investors. And no one, not even one has dared rebuke them and stood up to them. They even have the temerity to use Jeremiah 29:11(NIV) in their slogan to validate their claims that God desires to "prosper them, give them hope and a better future".

Lack of knowledge and discernment is what thrusts Christians into a dilemma of the supposed incompatibility of scriptures when embracing one doctrine without forsaking another. They reluctantly admit that trials and sufferings are fixtures in the lives of Christians but their hearts vacillate when confronted with biblical promises of wealth, health and success - which their mentors have twisted and taken out of context to suit their needs - because it is what they primarily want to hear.

It is a Christian's reluctance to grow in the knowledge of the Word that puts him in a situation where the scriptures albeit plain and simple seem conflicting to him. The state of many churches today is such that deception is hardly noticed because leaders are deceived and in turn deceiving the flocks. The lure of prosperity, endless favor and good life advocated and being practiced by the so-called megapastors -  has in turn influenced local church leaders to pass on the teachings to their flocks who are now attributing their success and new-found financial breakthrough to God's favor. When you have "prophets and pastors" in church whose mentors they list as Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, Benny Hinn and Creflo Dollar, that says it all of the spiritual condition of the church.

"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." ~ (2 Timothy 4:3-5)

The true prosperity 

As for those Christians who are being systematically slaughtered, raped and torched, starved to death, falsely accused and imprisoned without trial, losing their jobs and businesses - all because of their faith - surely God did not fail them and did not forget His promises to them of a hope and a better future. A Christian who truly desires to obey the Lord Jesus Christ and is willing to take up his own cross daily and follow Him understands and finds the true meaning of prosperity: the joy, godly contentment and peace that emanates from our hope of redemption when Christ is revealed to us in His glory.

A lot of Christians around the world have been experiencing untold sufferings and tribulations because of their faith, and they willingly embrace their fate - to them they share with the sufferings of Christ - to them the glory that will be revealed on the last day and the crown of righteousness and the crown of life that await them - is the true prosperity. The apostle Paul had this to say: "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight of faith, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." ~ (2 timothy 4:6-8)