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Avoid Greg Laurie and Harvest America

Greg Laurie and Harvest America should be avoided. That assertion is based on a simple premise. The Bible’s warnings about deception are to be taken seriously. Safe and sound people don’t point God’s sheep in dangerous directions. Greg Laurie and Harvest America have not proven to be safe and sound because they point God’s sheep in dangerous directions.

We’re warned in scripture about a level of deception that is so convincing, it could deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

Matthew 24:24
24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

Mark 13:22
22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show [a]signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

That is a serious warning, indicating we must keep our eyes open, because deception can look like it’s really true, when in reality it is very false.

Deception that is 100% dark, can look like it’s 100% light.

2 Corinthians 11:14
14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Greg Laurie and Harvest America have pointed people to at least two dangerous ministries. He has pointed to the ministries of Jentezen Franklin, and Robert Morris.

If you go to the endorsement page of Harvest America, you’ll see he has accepted and promoted the endorsements of Jentezen Franklin and Robert Morris.

Laurie is giving them credibility by accepting and promoting their endorsement. The assumption is that these are two safe people to do ministry with. This is much different than sharing a stage at a conference, or getting a friendly backstage picture taken with them. This is beyond that level of guilt by association.

Laurie is overtly and in your face saying he values their recommendation. You don’t tend to value things you think aren’t worthy of a certain level of trust. These two are not worthy of any level of Christian trust or credibility.

Robert Morris and his church promote the word of faith heresy. In this Facebook post from Gateway Church you’ll see them speaking provision over people and declaring that things will change.

This is all based on the word of faith idea that our words can create results and change reality. Robert Morris also peddles books that have the prosperity overtone.

Jentezen Franklin peddles in the deceptive and dangerous prosperity gospel. Source

He wants to change your poverty mentality. You have to believe His promises and confess that it is God’s will for you to prosper. Your faith will set you free from fear of financial failure.

I am so glad I worship the living God who wants me to prosper. He gave all things to us to enjoy in Christ. The difference between living in prosperity and living in poverty is a choice.

Sin is a choice. Sin brings poverty, low living, addictions, and destroyed lives. Living under a financial curse of sin is a choice. If you choose not to give, not to work, not to be responsible for the prosperity God wants to give to His children, you will bring a curse of poverty to your life.

Jentezen Franklin approves of and promotes the false ministry of Joel Osteen. Source

Laurie’s acceptance and promotion of their recommendations, indicates he trusts them and their ministries and does not view them as dangerous. To suggest that he doesn’t trust them and doesn’t view them as safe would be ridiculous. Who accepts and promotes recommendations from people they don’t trust or don’t view as safe?

Laurie is pointing people in the direction of dangerous wolves. This is what makes Greg Laurie and Harvest America dangerous and not worthy of your trust. Safe and sound people don’t point God’s sheep in dangerous directions.

This is more than a matter of Christian brothers disagreeing over different doctrines. The doctrines Franklin and Morris hold are dangerous. These men are wolves exploiting and feeding upon God’s sheep in the name of Jesus, and Greg Laurie is openly pointing the sheep to them. How can you trust a ministry or preacher who would point sheep to the wolves?

You may think this is all fine because they trumpet the name of Jesus and speak of saving souls. Again, remember those verses warning us about how truthful real deception looks?

Yes flying the name of Jesus and talking about revival looks really true and full of light, But you need to look closer to see the true deception behind it all. The deception behind it all is pointing people to ministries that promise a worldly prosperity, and the idea that your words have the creative power of God.

We are not to walk in unity with false teachers, instead we are called to avoid them. Attempting to walk with them in the name of unity means you’ve failed to take the Bible’s warnings about deception and avoiding false teachers seriously.

Romans 16:17-18
17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

If you’re serious about following the Bible, then you’ll be serious about avoiding these types of people and ministries.

###Addition. Posted 10-19-2020###

Some people are failing to notice the difference between being endorsed by a heretic, and overtly accepting the endorsement and promoting the endorsement from a heretic. Yes, if the case was made that Greg Laurie is to be avoided because a heretic endorses him, that would be an absolutely absurd case to make. Laurie is doing so much more than being endorsed by a heretic from a distance.

He is lending his credibility to them, by posting his endorsement from them on his website. This gives the impression that these are safe and sound people. He is pointing the sheep in the direction of wolves.

Greg Laurie may have teaching that is within the acceptable realm of orthodoxy. Once he starts pointing the sheep in the direction of wolves, his direction pointing becomes part of his teaching.

Some people need to slow down, and think through important distinctions, because there are some important distinctions being made in this entry.

It would be absurd to automatically call for the avoidance of Greg Laurie if he happened to speak at the same event as a heretic. It would be absurd if he happened to take a back stage picture with a heretic and call for the avoidance of him because of that alone.

What Laurie has done is so much more than any of that. And these two aren’t just people who believe different things, they are two people who believe different things that are deceptive, dangerous, demonic, and take advantage of the poor, sick, and suffering.

Should Sean Feucht Be Avoided?

Yes, Sean Feucht should be avoided. He promotes dangerous teachers and ministries, and points people in their direction. How can you trust his lyrics or teaching if he doesn’t have enough discernment to avoid pointing God’s sheep in a dangerous direction? Safe and sound people don’t point God’s sheep in dangerous directions.

Here is my case.

We are given serious warnings from scripture about the dangers of being deceived. If you claim to follow scripture, you can’t brush these warnings aside. You can’t claim to be a serious follower of scripture, and ignore these serious warnings. As you read this, keep asking yourself if you take all of scripture seriously, even the parts that warn us about the dangers of being deceived.

We’re warned in scripture about a level of deception that is so convincing, it could deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

Matthew 24:24
24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

Mark 13:22
22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show [a]signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

That is a serious warning, indicating we must keep our eyes open, because deception can look like it’s really true, when in reality it is very false.

Deception that is 100% dark, can look like it’s 100% light.

2 Corinthians 11:14
14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Sean Feucht is part of Bethel Church in Redding, California. Already rolling your eyes, and about to dismiss this entry because Bethel exists under the Jesus banner? Remember, deception can look like it’s real, and we’re warned about that. Keep reading.

Sean Feucht creates some music with the Bethel Music label. (Source) (Source 2) I’ll get to why this is significant, stick with me, I’m building my case.

Sean Feucht does ministry with prophet Shawn Bolz. (Source 1 Source 2)

You might be upset. Why am I saying to avoid this guy who sings about Jesus and has faith rallies? Let me remind you about the biblical warning concerning deception. Deception can look like the truth, when it’s not. Something isn’t the truth just because it uses the right terms and events.

Why is any of this important? Because it reveals the people and ministries Sean Feucht is comfortable associating with and promoting. People who listen to Feucht could be guided to accept these people and their ministries. If these ministries are loaded with deception, then Sean Feucht is pointing the sheep right to the hungry salivating wolves. Safe and sound people don’t point God’s sheep in dangerous directions.

But can’t honest Christians disagree on things, and still walk in unity and love. Yes, and no. There are some areas of disagreement that are not damaging to the believer. Other areas of disagreement are dangerous, and are cause for alarm, because they cause real danger.

Bethel Church in Redding, California, and Shawn Bolz are examples of dangerous differences we must avoid. These are dangerous differences Sean Feucht associates with, promotes, and points people to. He should be avoided because he points people in dangerous directions. Safe and sound people don’t point God’s sheep in dangerous directions.

We are to avoid dangerous differences, and not walk in unity with them.

Romans 16:17-18
17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

There is no place in scripture instructing us to walk in unity with people holding to destructive dangerous differences. Rather we are warned about them, and told to avoid them. To walk with them in the name of unity, would be to support an unbiblical unity.

I’ll work toward concluding this entry by proving those Sean Feucht points people to are dangerous deceivers that are to be avoided. Safe and sound people don’t point God’s sheep in dangerous directions.

Let’s look at some of the bizarre, and dangerous spiritual practices Bill Johnson promotes and practices at Bethel Church in Redding, California.

Here is a comprehensive entry of information about the dangers of Bill Johnson and Bethel Redding.

Shawn Bolz is another dangerous mess.

He sees dead people.

He is more of a cold reading psychic than an actual prophet.

Shawn Bolz is a failed false prophet.

http://www.piratechristian.com/museum-of-idolatry/2020/3/proof-that-the-charismatic-apostles-and-prophets-are-false-and-powerless

Yeah but, isn’t this guilt by association? No, this is not guilt by association. Guilt by association is declaring someone guilty because maybe they spoke at the same conference, or took a friendly picture together. Sean Feucht has gone far beyond that with Bethel Church and Shawn Bolz. He embraces their ministries, and promotes them, and points people in their direction.

If you take scripture seriously, then you’ll take this warning about deception seriously. You can’t sweep this under the rug in the name of unity. Sean Feucht points people in their dangerous direction.

Yes Sean sings about Jesus and revival, but remember, deception can appear 100% real, when it’s really 100% false.

Matthew 24:24
24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

Mark 13:22
22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show [a]signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

2 Corinthians 11:14
14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

How can you trust his lyrics or teaching if he doesn’t have enough discernment to avoid pointing God’s sheep in a dangerous direction? Safe and sound people don’t point God’s sheep in dangerous directions.

Tony Evans: Heaven needs earth’s authorization to intervene in the affairs of earth

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Summary

Tony Evans taught that heaven needs earth’s authorization to intervene in the affairs of earth. There is evidence he is influenced by toxic doctrine similar to Word of Faith teaching, thus that statement isn’t merely a failure to be precise. Like Word of Faith theology, he has taught that you can speak peace to your organs and hormones so your body will function well. Like Word of Faith theology he has taught that you can refuse symptoms of disease and claim your healing, going so far as to say you can command it to depart. Finally, similar to Word of Faith theology he has taught that we’re not waiting on God for a miracle, God waits on us, because the miracle is already done. That was taught in a sermon titled Stop Blocking Your Miracle.

With all of that in view, it’s more believable that his statement about heaven needing earth’s authorization to act is evidence of bad doctrine leaking out, than it is evidence of a man with a Th.D. and Th.M, engaged in the rigors of the writing process, simply failing to be precise enough.

Explained

Tony Evans sounds very similar to Word of Faith heretics in his blog titled Holding God Accountable. He asserts that heaven needs earth’s authorization to intervene in the affairs of earth. Later in the this entry, you’ll see it looks like Tony Evans has been influenced by some bad theology that has Word of Faith overtones.

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:24

One of the most important things we can do as Christians is to pray according to our covenantal rights. But we often don’t do this because we misunderstand what prayer is.

Let me define prayer by first saying what prayer is not. Prayer is not simply talking to God. Instead, prayer is asserting earthly permission for heavenly interference. Prayer is earth giving heaven authorization to intervene in the affairs of earth as heaven has previously stated it would. That permission is granted based on your legal position and rights. That’s why it is essential to study the Word of God and to know the rights He has granted you through His Word.

If you’re being held in bondage by an illegitimate force in your life, cry out to God. Pray to Him for deliverance by appealing to Him based on your covenantal rights. God has a legal obligation to respond to you because you have a legitimate agreement with Him found in His Word.

Go through the Scriptures and read everything that relates to your stronghold and pray it back to God. When you do that, prayer is no longer just a spiritual exercise or something to check off of your Christian to-do list. Rather, prayer becomes a legal meeting where you and God get together in agreement on the same covenantal arrangement. Prayer becomes an act of holding God accountable, in the right sense of the word, to what He holds Himself accountable to: His Word.

Compare the quote from Evans with a quote from word of faith heretic Myles Munroe.

Myles Munroe
“Yes. Let me define prayer for you in this show. Prayer is man giving God permission, or license, to interfere in earth’s affairs. In other words, prayer is earthly license for heavenly interference….God can do nothing on earth, nothing has God ever done on earth without a human giving him access….Always looking for a human to give him power of permission. In other words, God has the power, but you got the permission. God got the authority and the power, but you got the license. So even though God can do anything, he can only do what you permit him to do”

Tony Evans again
Instead, prayer is asserting earthly permission for heavenly interference. Prayer is earth giving heaven authorization to intervene in the affairs of earth as heaven has previously stated it would. That permission is granted based on your legal position and rights.

Some may give Evans the benefit of the doubt because he appeals to covenant promises. Actually he calls them covenant rights. Those giving Evans the benefit of the doubt might argue that his language is imprecise. They would argue that Evans is merely saying we can rest on the promises of God, and bring them to God in prayer. Because God promised them, we can trust that God will do them. Some might even point to teachings from the Puritans.

If that is the case, Evans made an incredible gaffe that put him within the rhetorical realm of really bad company. His statements gravely diminish the sovereignty of God. The idea that God needs permission to do anything is unbiblical, and puts man on the throne, instead of putting God on the throne.

Saying to grasp the promises of God, rest in the promises of God, and pray the promises of God to God, based on covenant promises, is vastly different than precisely saying heaven needs earthly permission for heavenly interference. To read it as anything different is to do abuse to the english language.

The Puritans qualified their teaching on these matters with a robust doctrine of God’s sovereignty. A Puritan would never even come close to saying heaven needs earth’s permission for heavenly interference. Even the mere suggestion would cause them to recoil.

Here are some quotes from the book A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for life on these matters. Notice the stark contrast between the Puritan emphasis on God’s sovereignty and the rhetoric of Evans on heaven needing our permission.

We may still pray in faith, but in the faith of submission and not with definite assurance. In this type of faith, we believe we will receive an answer of good tidings, knowing that the good we receive will be determined according to what most glorifies the Lord and is best for us and those for whom we pray. In writing about the wisdom of God in fulfilling His promises in due season, Spurstowe also urged submissive praying.

He said, “It is good in prayer to have the desires winged with affection and to be like an arrow drawn with full strength, but yet there must be a submission exercised unto the holy and wise will of God, that so it may appear that we seek him in a way of begging, and not by way of contest; that we make him not the object only of our duties and ourselves the end, but him to be both the object and the end of every service which we give unto him.”62

Beeke, Joel R.; Jones, Mark. A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life (Kindle Locations 15841-15848). . Kindle Edition.

Even in such prayers for absolute promises, however, we must pray in submission to God’s will and wisdom. Praying for things absolutely promised does not mean prescribing to God when or how He must keep His promise. We must trust Him with the circumstances of time, means, and measure, for He has reserved these things in His own power.64

Spurstowe said, God has in his Word recorded [the promises], as so many discoveries of his immutable counsel and purpose, that thereby faith might have a sure ground to rely upon him in all exigencies, and to expect a relief from him, but the season and time of performance, God has reserved to himself, as best knowing not only what to give, but when to give; so that, believers, though they may plead to God his promise, must yet be careful not to confine and limit him to times which they judge fittest; but wholly to resign themselves to his wise disposal, to whom every creature looks, and receive their meat in due season (Ps. 145:15).65

Beeke, Joel R.; Jones, Mark. A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life (Kindle Locations 15860-15868). . Kindle Edition.

Tony Evans missed the robust nuance of God’s sovereignty in this matter. He appeals to rights, not promises, and precisely puts man in the position of giving God permission to act.

^{Psalm 115:3}But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

An interpretation of Evans may assert he’s just appealing to covenant promises and our need to bring them to God in prayer. That assertion believes Evans didn’t intend to sound like a word of faith heretic, but was imprecise in his writing, and sounded similar to one accidentally.

Evans is an educated man, and it should be assumed he meant to say what he said. He sounded very precise. What he posted probably went through the rigors of the writing process. He has earned a Th.M. and a Th.D. He isn’t a bumbling social media theologian spewing off whatever pops into his head.

Given all of that, I think we have to assume he meant to say what he said. It comes close to abusing the english language to think he just wasn’t precise enough, and wasn’t communicating what he intended to communicate, given his robust education, the rigors of the writing process, and the like.

His view of God’s sovereignty and the place of man leaked out into his blog. What’s inside a person’s head leaks out into their writing. Someone with a robust doctrine of God’s sovereignty wouldn’t leak out the sentences he leaked out. Certainly not someone engaged in the rigors of the writing process who holds two very advanced degrees, and has proven he knows how to communicate what he intends to communicate.

There are other concerns about Tony Evans that make what he said above, look like he may actually have influence from Word of Faith teaching. Here are some quotes from his book Prayer for Victories in Spiritual Warfare.

“I speak peace into the organs and hormones that my body needs to function well.”

“I remove the curse of this illness and command it to depart in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Satan, you may not have my body or any part of it. I refuse your symptoms of disease and claim bodily healing for the sake of my Lord and the ministry He’s given me.”

Speaking peace to organs, and refusing symptoms of illness are teachings much like you would find in the Word of Faith camp. This may indicate that his quote about heaven needing permission from earth was more than an imprecise statement. It looks like he has been influenced by bad theology.

Look below at part of his sermon titled Stop Blocking Your Miracle. It conveys the same idea that word of faithers teach, the idea that God is waiting on us to grab the miracle.

He says, “Thank you, Father, that you have already heard me,” which means whatever he’s getting ready to talk about, he has previously discussed. “God, you and I discussed this earlier.” Stay with me now.

We kinda get a hint of that discussion back in chapter 11, verse 2, “And the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, ‘Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick.'” Lazarus. “But when Jesus heard this, he said, ‘This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so the Son of God may be glorified by it.'” So, let’s look at what happened here. “I thank you, Father, that you’ve already heard and we’ve already talked about this.”

In other words, “When they sent word to me about the need of a miracle, you and me, Daddy, had a meeting, and in our meeting, when we discussed this, we agreed that when we saw faith, we were gonna do a supernatural work. You and I have already had this meeting. But even though you and I have had the meeting in the spiritual realm, they’re not gonna see what we agreed on in the physical realm until the bridge of faith is built so that my intercession for them becomes you bringing to pass what has already been agreed on.”

So, why is that important for you to know? That your supernatural miracle, whatever is in God’s will to do, has already been agreed on in the spiritual realm. That means you do not have to beg God to do something that is in his will to do.

It’s not you waiting on God, if he’s agreed to it. It’s him waiting on you to move the stone so he can let you see what was already previously agreed on. It’s called the intercession of the Son and of the Holy Spirit bringing into the physical realm what has previously been agreed on in the spiritual realm once faith has been exercised, even if it has to overrule logic and correct logic.

. . .

Again, Tony Evans has been influenced by some toxic theology, and it’s not likely his teaching on heaven needing earth’s permission is some kind of ooopsie-daisy. Rather it’s the product of his actual theology.

People should be aware of toxic teachings like those that are part of his ministry. Other aspects of his ministry may be solid. Rather than going to him for those helpful aspects, it is probably better to find that elsewhere so you’re not exposed to those types of toxic teachings.

Tony Evans Obliterates God’s Sovereignty: Making Man the Commander of God

There is an updated version of this entry here.

Charlie Shamp’s Bogus North Korea “Prophecy”: Educated Guessing Again

ShampLead1

On April 20, 2020 Charlie Shamp attempted to show that a prophecy of his concerning North Korea had come to pass. His April 20, 2020 post on Facebook linked back to an April 16, 2020 post he made that was a “prophecy” concerning North Korea. He said it was proof of fulfillment because news had just come out on April 20, 2020 that Kim Jong Un had complications from surgery and was in grave danger.

On April 16, 2020 there were already stories about Kim Jong Un missing, and one story even speculated he was ill. In other words Shamp’s prophecy came out the same day stories came out about Kim Jong Un missing, and potentially being ill.
(Look at the screenshots below.)

Previously this blog has covered Shamp’s failed prophecies, and has documented how Shamp basically reads stories in the news, makes educated guesses, then wraps his guesses up as prophecies. If his guesses are correct he claims victory. When he misses, he then says sometimes prophets get it wrong. You can read this blog’s analysis of his failed prophecies and tactics here.

(This one was deleted.)

Shamp1