Solomon - From Righteousness To Idolatry

Outside of David his father, Solomon is the most famous King world wide. He's not only known for his great wisdom, wealth and power, but also as the King who built the Temple in Jerusalem. Solomon also wrote the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon in the Bible. As many had done after him, he started out with a bang, but ended with a whimper.

Solomon took the throne of Israel around 967 B.C. and ruled for 40 years. The first 20 years of his reign were prosperous. He took on many building projects in Israel, he ruled righteously and there was peace. As time wore on though Solomon began trusting in his power and wealth. He became proud and this was the beginning of his slide. Instead of trusting in God who gave Solomon the kingdom, Solomon began building foreign alliances through marriages. Ultimately Solomon ended up with 700 wives and 300 concubines.


"King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, 'You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.' Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray." 1 Kings 11:2-3

By Solomon's disobedience to the Law and intermarrying with so many foreign women when he became older, they influenced him into idolatry. Solomon never stopped worshiping God, but he also included other gods. (1 Kings 11:4) Solomon tolerated idolatry and compromised God's Truth for himself. He allowed paganism to mingle with the One true God and settled on worldly wisdom rather than what was divine.

"He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done. On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites.  He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods. " 1 Kings 11:5-7

It's fair to say Solomon ran after the flesh when he should have been following closely behind God and depending on Him to keep him on a straight path.

"For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. " Romans 8:13

He knew God's commands, he'd been tremendously blessed by God and was visited by God twice only to eventually turn away. God became angry with Solomon and promised that He would tear the kingdom away from him but for David's sake he would leave Solomon one tribe while the others would be ripped away. It would happen, God said, under the rule of his son. And it did. (1 Kings 11:9-13) Solomon gives us a clear example of what happens when we allow other things to take the place of God. Anything that does is an idol and God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14)

Throughout history we see God waging a war, destroying, His wrath being stirred up against people for one thing...idolatry. God cannot bear idolatry. He simply cannot allow someone or something being lifted up to His place and to wear His crown. False gods have always been tolerant of each other and willing to share their thrones, but not God.

The plagues He sent on Egypt was a war against Egyptian gods. Each plague was specifically designed and purposed to attack a certain god the Egyptians worshiped, to prove to them He was the only God and all the gods they worshiped were worthless and powerless. When the Philistines took the ark and set it inside their god Dagon's Temple (1 Samuel 5) the Philistines found their beloved god laying face down with it's head and hands broken off. Dagon had no problem sharing his temple with God, but God did. Judah and Israel were eventually destroyed and the people scattered because of idolatry. Many ancient, powerful nations have been brought down because of idolatry. For Solomon to be placed on a throne that God created, for Solomon to inherit a kingdom that God put together then turn to other gods was a severe slap in the face.

Everything in the universe He created. He keeps it running. We wake up every morning because of Him. He gives us everything we need to live. He loves us, cares for us and instead of showing gratitude and proper worship, we make other things our gods as if they had anything to do with us just taking in a breath.

"But their idols are silver and gold,  made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel,  feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them" Psalm 115:4-8 

What an insult to such a great Being. To attribute all of creation and even our lives and success on ourselves or something other than God's blessing and design is insulting. Idolatry isn't just a wooden, plaster, or metal image or object. It's anything we lift up in our lives that get more attention, more devotion, more love than God. It's money, other people, things we buy, things we want to buy, cars, food, success, revenge, grief, obsessions, etc. God is a jealous God and will wage a war against anyone and anything that is lifted up in His place in our heart, thoughts and lifestyles. He will not share His glory with another. Us humans are prone to idolatry. We are prone to exchanging the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:25). We are prone to accepting anything that will cater to ourselves and turn ourselves in idols. Most men will follow certain religions because it appeals to their sinful nature. It allows them to be selfish, violent, hateful, self centered, greedy and lustful therefore they love it and will fight to keep it. Since it's in us, we need to be extremely careful.

"I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols." Isaiah 42:8

This is where Solomon fell. It's tragic that a man so blessed by God, who was even allowed to live from birth, who was exalted to the throne of Israel for no other reason then God picked him and he turns his worship to other gods, himself and women. Solomon should serve as an example that all the wisdom he had he eventually just became a fool. For all the wealth he had Solomon became bankrupt inside and it had far reaching repercussions. Wealth is not such a blessing. The more someone has the more they're prone to turn away. In the end, it cannot save anyone. Nothing can save us but God alone. We will all still die and take nothing with us and everything we've worshiped will sit in judgment against us.

He is jealous over us, His name, His character, His sovereignty, His throne, His crown, all things He created and will not allow anything else to take His place. Sometimes He will have strike us to get us to turn back to Him and it can be devastating, but always necessary. I believe Solomon is in heaven, because years later he did repent and turn away, but like I end so many other posts...there are no great men and women of God. Only a great God.

David - The Sword That Never Left His House

2 Samuel 11

 
It was Spring, a time when Kings went to war. A time of good weather and when food would be easier to gather for a marching army. Except David. He stayed in Jerusalem while his army attacked Rabbah. This wasn't David's usual practice, but he stayed behind anyway. His lapse in judgment that Spring would have lasting, tragic consequences that would follow him for the rest of his life.

One evening that Spring, David went onto his roof of his Palace (2 Samuel 11:2). From there he could look down onto the neighboring roofs which is where he saw Bathsheba bathing. He wanted her so he asked his servants about her. They simply told him she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah and daughter of Eliam. Two mighty, respected and loyal men in David's army who were away at war where he should have been. Spurned by his own lust, David sent for her anyway.

This isn't a case that Bathsheba didn't refuse out of fear of David. Even if she was afraid of him and what he might do if she refused, that's not an excuse. She nor David were above the law of God. (2 Samuel 11:4) She went to David and he "lay with her".

Verse 4 also points out that she was clean from her impurity. In other words she had just come off her menstruation and went through the ritual cleansing process before she slept with David. We're told this simply to make known there was no way Bathsheba was pregnant by her husband.

Afterward, Bathsheba returned home. Some time later she sent a note to David that simply said "I am with child". This was not good news for either of them. According to the Law in Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22, the penalty for adultery was death. They may have been able to hide it before, but their secret was about to be blown wide open.

"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." Proverbs 28:13

David didn't panic at first, but instead of dealing with it righteously, he continued to try to cover it up by sending for Uriah from the battlefield (2 Sam 11:6) When Uriah returned, David made some casual conversation with one of his best soldiers. He asked how his commander Joab was. How were the men? How was the war effort going? Since Uriah was there David told him to go home to rest. David even sent food from the king's table with him so Uriah could spend a nice evening at home with his wife, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. David was sure he would sleep with Bathsheba and the baby could easily be past off as Uriah's.

(2 Sam 11:9) Uriah the Gentile was more honorable and righteous than that. He had too much loyalty to David and his fellow soldiers. Instead of going home to be with his wife, bathe, eat good food and sleep in a nice bed, Uriah slept on the floor at the king's door with the servants. Uriah didn't think it was fair that he be in comfort while so many other men were sleeping on the battlefields. When David heard this the next day he started to panic.

2 Sam 11:12 David pulled it together and told Uriah to remain in Jerusalem another two days before returning to battle. Then David called him and they ate and drank together until Uriah was drunk. David was certain now Uriah would go home to be with his wife. But once more Uriah returned to the servants and slept at the King's door. (2 Sam 11:13)

When David heard this he became desperate. In his panic he wrote a note to Joab his commander and told him that when Uriah returns to put him in the thickest part of the battle then order the men to back away from him so Uriah would be struck down by the enemy. To make it worse, David sent this note sealing Uriah's death sentence by Uriah himself. (2 Sam 11:14)

Uriah was killed and Joab sent word to David by messenger that Uriah the Hittite was dead. When Bathsheba heard her husband was dead she mourned him the customary seven days. When her mourning was over David sent for her and married her.

The damage was done and this marriage was not going to fix anything. 2 Sam 11:27 "But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD." Literally, it was pure evil to God and the consequences for David's actions would be evil. "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." Galatians 6:7

God sent Nathan the Prophet to David to expose his sins and warn him that because David had Uriah murdered "by the sword of the people of Ammon" (2 Sam 12:9) God promised David that "the sword shall never leave your house" (2 Sam 12:10). David despised God in his gross disobedience and defiance then further sinned by trying to cover it up. God spared David's life, but He would still demand restitution for Uriah. David's sin had to be judged. When Bathsheba had the baby God took its life. Though David would not eat or sleep when the baby became sick, though he fasted and prayed continuously for God to spare the baby, the baby died. By allowing the baby to live it gave occasion for blasphemy against God by God's enemies. God had to protect His own reputation, holiness and righteousness. David didn't face the full penalty for his crimes, but death isn't always a punishment. Sometimes living is worse.

Because the analogy Nathan used to confront David about his sin was that of a rich man who had many flocks ( David's many wives) stealing the only ewe lamb a poor man had (Uriah's only wife Bathsheba),  the restitution God was demanding was the same for the theft of a lamb. According to the Law, restitution for a stolen lamb was to be repaid four-fold (Exodus 22:1) David did pay four-fold eventually by losing four sons. The baby, Amnon, Absalom and Adonijah (2 Sam 12:19).

Eventually, Bathsheba got pregnant again and bore Solomon. It says "the Lord loved him" (2 Sam 12:24). and sent this message by the Prophet Nathan. God called Solomon Jedidiah which means "Beloved of the Lord" (2 Sam 12:25) We know Solomon went on to succeed David on the throne of Israel and was greatly blessed by God, but David's life from that mistake with Bathsheba cost him dearly and the sword never did leave his house. Because Uriah died so violently, violence would never leave David. David may have found grace with God in that he didn't face the full penalty of being put to death for what was done and he was forgiven, he still had to face consequences just the same. Forgiveness doesn't always mean a free pass. Sometimes God may lighten the load, but evil always follows evil and consequences always follow from our choices. If they didn't, we'd never learn.

There are no great men and women of God. Only a great God.

A Psalm David wrote after Nathan confronted him about Bathsheba and Uriah. Psalm 51...

  Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
   blot out my transgressions.
 Wash away all my iniquity
   and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
   and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
   and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
   and justified when you judge.
 Surely I was sinful at birth,
   sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
   you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
   wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
 Let me hear joy and gladness;
   let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
 Hide your face from my sins
   and blot out all my iniquity.

 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
 Do not cast me from your presence
   or take your Holy Spirit from me.
 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
   so that sinners will turn back to you.
 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
   you who are God my Savior,
   and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
 Open my lips, Lord,
   and my mouth will declare your praise.
 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
   you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart
   you, God, will not despise.

May it please you to prosper Zion,
   to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
   in burnt offerings offered whole;
   then bulls will be offered on your altar.

John Piper Sharing The Stage Again With Heretic Rick Warren

Crosstalk Blog Link


Other Speakers Link

Piper is only continuing to give credence to heretics and the fact that he is a leader and teacher of God's Word should have him shaking in his boots.

"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more severely than others." James 3:1

I Never Knew You

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’" Matthew 7:21-23

 These few scriptures that Jesus spoke are frightening. I think people often equate these with the world...unbelievers on the Day of Judgment and skip right over them. They believe they're going to heaven so this doesn't apply to them. But in fact they are a warning to those who profess Christ and not to those who don't. Jesus wasn't talking about unbelievers here. He was clearly talking about those who truly believe they are Christians, are in the church and believe they're going to heaven.


1. "Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord Lord' will enter" Calling Jesus 'Lord' is not evidence of real regeneration. Even the Pharisees called Him 'Lord'. Judas was with Him for 3 years and referred to Him the same way. 


2. Next He gives a clear sign of the difference between those who do lip service and those who are real.."but only he who does the will of My Father". Obedience to God, obedience to His Word is a telling sign. Just going to church, being involved in ministries, tithing, attending Bible Studies is not evidence. Again, Judas did these things too. Are you obedient even when you're alone? Are you following Christ outside of church and Christian functions?


3. Now He switches to the actual Day of Judgment and says "Many will say". Not some, not a few but "Many". These people are already in a frenzy. They seem to already know they're being rejected. They're begging him and pleading with Him... "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?" 


The ability to prophecy is not evidence of real conversion. Balaam prophesied too. King Saul did as well. The witch of Endor conjured up Samuel (1 Samuel 28). Performing miracles and driving out demons are easily counterfeited. Jannes and Jambres, the 2 Egyptian magicians Moses found himself up against, performed miracles (2 Timothy 3:8-9 and Exodus 7). Satan can perform miracles. The anti-christ will also perform miracles. Satan always tries to counterfeit everything God does so depending on these things to prove or take assurance in one's salvation is delusional. But these people Jesus is talking about were doing exactly that to their own detriment and we have millions today who do this very thing and base their entire salvation on them. 


4. Jesus follows it with a terrifying statement..."I never knew you. Depart from Me you evildoers."

He doesn't know them. He has never had a relationship with them. Whatever miracles they performed, whatever things they prophesied, whatever demons they drove out had nothing to do with Him. He was no part of those things at any time, but worse, He was no part of their lives. He had no part in their ideas of salvation and because He wasn't, they were damned.

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test" 2 Corinthians 13:5 

We're told to examine ourselves, examine the evidence, examine our lives to make sure we truly are saved. That self examination does not include if we've prophesied, cast out demons or performed miracles. That's not a viable scale. A viable scale the Bible gives is...

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46 Are you obedient? Do you follow the simple commands of scripture even when you're alone? We know no one gets to heaven by works but obedience is a natural result of sanctification. The desire to please, the desire to obey out of love and gratitude. If that's missing that's a big red flag. (1 John 2:4-6)

Are you bearing fruit? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" Galatians 5:22-23 The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of true conversion. If the Holy Spirit is there one will bear fruit. It's impossible for them not to. If you're not bearing any fruit then the Spirit is not at work and that's not His fault. He's just not there.

Because the bearing of fruit doesn't happen over night and maybe you're a new convert, then you can examine yourself by...

1. Are you growing in a hatred for sin and love for righteousness?
2. Do you at least have a desire to be holy and pleasing to God?
3. When you do sin how do you respond to it?
4. Are you convicted of that sin and do you repent? Or do you cling to it, don't feel bad about it and tell yourself you don't have sin? (1 John 1:8-10)

Like Paul Washer said "If you don't have a new relationship with sin you don't have a new relationship with God."

Do you love the world? Do you love the things of the world? Do you still have attachments to the world that you just can't give up? (1 John 2:15)

When you face difficulties and trials, how does your faith hold up? Do you throw in the towel easily? Have you thrown in the towel? Or, after facing trials, has your faith remained in tact? Is it stronger? (1 Peter 1:7)

"Examine yourselves" Paul commanded. Don't ignore the warning signs. Don't put your trust in acts or a prayer. If you do this you are deceiving yourself and not using an accurate sale to measure the truth by. The accurate scale is the Word of God not something you've done or someone else told you. To ignore this could possibly cost you eternity.

Loneliness

At some point we all will feel lonely or have to deal with it. Loneliness can be debilitating as it tears down day by day. It can cause us to make bad choices which can lead to a lifetime of paying consequences. Some withdraw completely from people and others will look desperately for a friend. Either way, loneliness, if not handled right, can lead us down a road of deep pain.

Loneliness can be caused from many things, from minor to major. We may feel lonely after moving away from friends and family or if a close friend moves away. We can feel lonely in a crowded room where we don't know anyone. We all deal with this kind of loneliness and it's usually just temporary.

The dangerous kind of loneliness is the type that, despite being in a room full of people you know, you still feel lonely. You may feel like an outcast among friends and family. You may feel no one cares about you or loves you. No one cares what you think or what you have to say. You're uncomfortable going somewhere by yourself because you feel self conscious. Maybe you feel no one pays attention to you or no one likes you. Maybe you've been hurt so much loneliness comes from trusting no one. Loneliness is very real and not something we can just snap out of. It can last anywhere from a few minutes to many years. It ruins lives.

There are a lot of scientific theories why some people live a life of perpetual loneliness. Some think it's a chemical imbalance and can be treated with therapy and drugs. Others think it's diet and exercise and still others think it comes from past abuses. It isn't about just making some friends. We've all heard someone tell us "You need to make a friend". Most people who deal with chronic loneliness have friends and/or close families. Scientists and therapy gurus have a lot of methods to try to break its hold, but in an age where tens of millions, just in this country alone, suffer from severe loneliness daily despite having tried methods, it's obvious the issue is much bigger than science, much deeper than having human companionship and its hold on a person is much stronger.

Loneliness can be broken, but first we need to see it for what it is. Loneliness is being self focused. Loneliness is an obsession with "self". By going to therapy, taking drugs or spending millions on self help material the cycle is never broken in a person. These methods are, in fact, a vicious cycle because they only reinforce the loneliness by keeping the individual self focused.

Take a look at this excerpt from an article concerning major depression among Western societies that loneliness also fits into...

Societies that breed depression, and societies that don't
It is a fact that we all have basic emotional needs that must be met for us to thrive and enjoy life. After the primary human needs for food, water and shelter come commonly shared emotional and physical needs. Without exception we find depressed people are not getting these needs met.
Traditional communities naturally meet many 'basic needs' for emotional support. In the traditional Amish society in the US major depression is almost unknown, as it is in the equally traditional Kaluli tribe of New Guinea. In these societies individual concerns are group concerns and vise-versa. You know that if you have a problem other people will help you and you are expected to help out when others need support. We know we are meant to do these things but it's not a 'built in feature' of modern society in the same way.
These days we are much more 'self-focused'. The idea of considering the wider community to be more important than the self is almost impossible to understand for most people.
Major depression is 4th most disabling condition in the world, and 2nd most in the developed world. As well as the human cost, the burden on society is incredible. Much of the research on this site about effective treatments for depression has been controlled by the US government, in order to try and find the best way to overcome depression. The cost to society is real, and we need to find the best way at beating depression for good.
http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/dlp/depression-information/major-depression-facts/

Loneliness makes you think "No one loves me. No one cares about me. No one thinks I'm important. No one notices me. No one thinks about me. No one will ever do anything good for me. No one thinks I'm cute/nice/important enough/smart", etc. What's the common denominator in all of this? "Me".

The problem isn't medical or a painful past. The problem is being self centered. We get all wrapped up in ourselves and what we want and what we need. We are only worried about ourselves. This not only does extreme damage to us, but to others as well. We become so self centered and ungrateful, so focused on ourselves that we neglect others and push them off over and over again until ultimately they leave. Instead of seeing it for what it is we turn in on ourselves, reinforce the loneliness in us and say "See! No one loves me. No one cares. No one's concerned for me. I did everything I could..."

Ever heard the term "it's better to give than to receive"? It's true that people who give of themselves, either by volunteer work, involvement in charities or other things, are happier people. They experience far less loneliness and far less depression than those who aren't active in giving of themselves in some way.

Ready to break the cycle? First you have to realize (and this may sound harsh but I've had to face it too) the world does not revolve around you. The truth is if we die today the world will still go on as just another day. You are the only one at the center of your universe. No matter what you've been through there are many more who have been through or are going through far worse than you. No matter what you may not have there are many others who have far less.

Instead of thinking "no one loves me" try asking yourself "who can I show love to"?
Instead of thinking "No one appreciates me" ask yourself "who can I show appreciation to?"
Instead of thinking "No one listens to me" ask yourself "who can I listen to?"
Instead of thinking "I have no friends" ask yourself "who can I be a friend or friendly to?"
Instead of thinking "No one is there for me" ask yourself "Who can I be there for?"

Selfishness is not a virtue. Being self centered is not a good character trait. People notice it and instinctively back away from it. But those that give of themselves despite what they feel or what they may be going through not only profoundly changes us, but it changes those around us. Think of a time when you felt bad or at your worst and someone (maybe a complete stranger) did something for you, something they didn't have to do, but went out of their way for you. Maybe something that seemed so insignificant, but it completely changed your mood and made your situation a little better. Because it changed your mood it had a chain reaction. Now you are reacting to others a little differently, a little nicer, a little more patiently. Now you've effected those people and their mood is a little lighter and better and they in turn do something for someone else.

Those we praise as heroes have always been those who gave the most of themselves and thought of others more. You may not save kids from a burning building today or rescue an old lady from a group of thugs, but you can can make a difference in someone's life today and that always makes a difference in us. You may be the only person today who picks another person up with even just a kind word. Loneliness cannot survive when we reach out to others, but it's more than just coming to a realization of what loneliness is. You have to act on it and the more you do the weaker loneliness becomes.

Women - No Dominion Over Men

In light of the crazy Bible twisting Beth Moore and others bring to us, I began to realize just why the Bible is very clear about women having any kind of dominion over men and asserting that by teaching them. Being in a teaching position is leadership, thus forcing men to submit to her authority (Hebrews 13:17). In these post modern times us girls are taught vigorously to not only compete with men, but to beat them over the head for control.

Women are allowed to teach other women. Women are allowed to teach children and are instructed to teach their own children and wield their influence there. Women have a prominent role in the church and they are to be honored for all the hard work they put in, but they are not to be teachers in the church. It's given to men to teach both men and women. They have the authority by God.

"Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection. But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression:" 1 Tim 2:11-14

It was Eve who had been deceived not Adam. Though Adam freely followed Eve into the fall, he wasn't the one tricked. Eve was the one targeted not Adam. She was weaker and easily duped. In light of a lot of heresy running rampant in the church these days of apostasy, there's no room for gender wars or prideful self assurance.

"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3

I love everything about being female and would never wish otherwise, but let's face it, us females are emotional creatures. We don't always use our heads. I know some girl is going to read this and get upset because she's been raised on a feminism diet. In any case, we are to obey God even if our sin nature takes offense. One thing that stands out with Beth Moore, Joel Osteen, Priscilla Shier and many others is their constant appeal to emotions. They base entire ministries on the emotions and addressing emotional issues females are highly prone to.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.  They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,  always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." 2 Timothy 3:1-8

Paul, writing Timothy, warns him about the end times and what people will be like. Mankind will go from bad to worse being completely self-centered, self absorbed and narcissistic. He ends it with "having nothing to do with such people". Turn away and cut it off. Is he talking about the world? No. We'd have to go live on the moon to have nothing to do with them. He's talking about in the church. Heretics don't announce themselves. They don't introduce themselves as deceivers. They slip in unnoticed.

Then Paul points out that they're the kind of deceivers who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women. They strike when the husband is not around because he's not so easily deceived or gullible. He's not as easily moved by emotions. They prey on the weaker of the two who is easily given over to emotional stimulation and who has more influence over the husband. Just as Satan got Adam through Eve. Satan didn't have to go after Adam. He knew if he could get Eve then he could get Adam through her influence. Being one flesh, as you can see, means a lot more than working together.

We don't need to have someone showing up at our door to fulfill this. We let these heretics in our homes everyday through the TV, computer, books, DVDs and radios. While the cat is away the mice will play, in other words, while our husbands are away they move in for the kill. Get the wife and you'll get the husband. Women are far easier to deceive with a sob story or any other appeal to our emotions.

Lastly, he points out, "they are loaded down with sins and swayed by all kinds of evil desires". That's very interesting. Look at the concentration of teaching coming from Beth Moore and many others. It's a man centered message and not God centered. It's all about "me". They want me focused on me. It's focuses on self esteem, confidence, hurts, abuse, failures, insecurities, etc. It focuses on sins women tend to be loaded down with. Paul doesn't call these things anything other than what what they are....sin. Satan did the same thing to Eve. He told her the forbidden fruit would be good for gaining wisdom which would benefit her. The fruit was attractive, it didn't look "bad". He got Eve to focus on herself and what would be personally beneficial to her. She was aware that God created Adam first and gave him His command. She was aware God placed Adam over her. Satan appealed to her emotions.

We are swayed by all kinds of evil desires because it's mostly emotional. We are constantly looking for something to fulfill us emotionally and this makes us females easy prey. Since we are far more likely to get it wrong then it's downright dangerous to put women in a position of teaching which is a position of authority. Where men would have to submit to her leadership thus an eventual total derailment.

Finally, Genesis 2 gives us the account of the creation of man. Something very important happened here that I think often gets skipped over. Notice that when God created Adam he gave His command to Adam about eating from all the trees except one. Eve hadn't been created yet. God never spoke directly to Eve or gave her any commands. He only spoke to Adam. Once Eve had been created, Adam was the one who taught Eve what had been given by God. It established the order of hierarchy God intended in their relationship and when Satan deceived Eve, he not only questioned and made her doubt and distrust what God said, but also her husband.

God didn't establish His order in our relationships because He's a chauvinist. It was for a very specific reason. Trying to usurp that or change it is direct disobedience and rebellion to God and us females continue to fall for Satan's trick even today. Did Christ ever lock horns with the Father? Though equal with the Father, though He was God in the flesh, He submitted and women are to follow Christ's example. By taking this hierarchy seriously, even though men are not perfect themselves, it's respectful to God and His rule and also protects us...His daughters, from further deception and future heartache.

Beth Moore's Dangerous Bible Twisting

 So long, Beth Moore! You've been a bad friend to us!

I used to attend her studies too until I discovered Beth Moore is not rightly dividing the Word. Instead she twists, distorts and takes Scripture way out of context to force it to fit her own ideas. Beth Moore is not sound. It's a simple test you can do on your own to see if this is true and you don't need to be theologian or scholar. If you own a Bible then you should be checking it out for yourself anyway. Look at the scriptures she uses in her teachings then go to it in your Bible and read all the surrounding text for yourself taking it into context. You'll quickly discover what the Bible teaches and what Beth Moore teaches are two very different things.  Her "rapid fire" style is done on purpose. Unless you slow it down yourself and go over her teachings with your Bible, you'll completely miss the damage she's doing to the Word of God and her listeners.

Pirate Christian Radio did just that and you'll be shocked by what they discovered....
A BETH MOORE EXPOSE



Listen for yourself. Study for yourself. Check her references....then RUN!

Ask For The Ancient Paths

Amos 8:11-13  "'The days are coming,' declares the Sovereign LORD, 'when I will send a famine through the land--not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. In that day "the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst.'"

In the above scriptures, the Prophet Amos was describing the fast approaching destruction of Israel. God was fed up and was ready to judge and destroy. It wasn't a matter of "if" it came, it was a matter of "when" in the very near future.

Pastor's and scholars use Amos 8:11 to describe our own time. I know now from experience it's very difficult, if not almost impossible, to find a church or teacher who is preaching the sound biblical doctrine alone without some infiltration from worldly philosophies and practices.(See HERE) When it's found...people hang onto it like a cup of water in an arid land. Those who are seeking the Words of the Lord are wandering, staggering, looking for somewhere it's distributed to the flock. Most churches are feeding their flocks the equivalent of fast, junk food. And many are eating it up gladly. In fact the junk food appeals to them so much they can no longer  put up with the Words of the Lord. They can't stomach it and therefore reject it.

A famine of hearing the Words of the LORD is an act of judgment by God. What we're seeing today is judgment make no mistake. I know in America and most of the Western world pop psychology, philosophies, mysticism, witchcraft have been added to popular teachings by popular teachers and distorted the Bible. Because they have continually rejected the Words of God and His knowledge and knowing Him through the only means He's provided (His Word)...He's rejected them.

"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. 'Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.'" Hosea 4:6

As people have vomited up His Words so He is vomiting them up. This is a fatal blow. Not only do most not recognize it for what it is, they don't care...

 "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 2 Timothy 4:3

The teachers and Pastors propagating these myths are to be blamed because they are in positions of authority, teaching and leading so they will be judged far more harshly. But look at the above verse carefully. That verse isn't describing teachers. That verse is describing the people who flock to those types of twisted doctrine and teachers. They are not victims. They are just as guilty as the teachers. They can no longer put up with the sound doctrine. They themselves are surrounding themselves with these false teachers because they're being told exactly what they want to hear.


The people can't handle the truth. They don't want to hear it. They can't stomach it. They reject it. Because they reject it God rejects them by withholding His Words, His blessing and His guidance and turns them over to their sin. They love it so much they can have it. Another fatal blow. The longer they sit under those teachers the more they are subjected to their own deceit until they become so debased they are good for absolutely nothing. God has withdrawn His protective grace. Now they're on their own until they are utterly pulverized in their sin.

They're told God loves them just the way they are and don't have to change and they love it. They're told God wants them to be successful and rich and they devour it. They're told God is all love and understanding to their struggles from the past therefore won't act on their continued sin and they gorge themselves. They're told any suffering they go through is evil and God only wants to bless and they feast on it. It's exactly what they're itching ears want to hear and they flock to it, rejecting all sound doctrine. They've cast it off.

Look at these teachers. They fear the truth. It will drain their pockets so they malign the Bible and do character assassinations on people who are calling them out with the truth. They hate when anyone questions what they're teaching. They don't want anyone going behind them and searching the Scriptures to see if their teaching lines up or not. If Paul didn't have a problem when the Bereans cross checked his message in Acts 17:11 why do these teachers? But like rabid dogs they go on the attack and the people love it.

"Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep." 2 Peter 2:2-3

They always have one thing in common...they all have special messages from God and they all have been given some revelation, dream or vision. God is always "speaking" to them. They take scripture and twist it to suit what they're eager listeners want to hear. They take scripture out of context. "God told me" or "God said to me" and when you compare their message to the actual Bible it doesn't match up. They all sound the same in many ways because they're all intermixing, taking and using things from each other then tailoring it to fit their listeners.


"'Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has My word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?' declares the LORD. 'Is not My word like fire,' declares the LORD, 'and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? 'Therefore,' declares the LORD, 'I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from Me.'" Jeremiah 23:20


They use God's Word in twisted, distorted ways and "having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:5) because they "think that godliness is a means to financial gain". 1 Timothy 6:6

Both teacher and people are guilty because they feed off each other in their debasement.  They both want the same things and as Paul Washer said "It's not God."

But those who truly want out and don't know where to look because they've been so inundated with everything but God's Word...

"This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'" Jeremiah 6:16

"'Come out and be separate', says the Lord" (2 Corinthians 6:17) Go back to the Bible. Go back to the ancient way. This is the good way. It's the way all the Prophets, Patriarchs and Apostles have walked...the narrow road. Get rid of all your "Christian" books from your favorite teachers....lock them up, burn them, throw them in the garbage but don't give them away because at some point you're going to know that all your favorite teachers are in fact perpetuating lies and it's just as sinful to pass their heresy off on someone else. Get out the only book God has provided for you...the Bible. There is no room for laziness with God.

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." (2 Peter 1:3) But we have to put in the effort. Start reading it, study it, meditate on it, know it, pray it because that is the way where God is.

Ravi Zacharias Compulsion in Religion

And the freedom to disbelieve...

Hijacked Studies - Beth Moore Rant

Trying to find an actual Bible study where someone's book isn't the center is like trying to find the Loch Ness Monster. Women's/girl's Bible studies have been hijacked by Beth Moore and others. Beth Moore is charismatic, funny, pretty and animated. I use to love her too and attended several studies until problems began popping up. Before you close this page thinking I'm just another person picking on Beth Moore, take a few minutes to read. I was just as disappointed and disturbed by the truth as you'll be, but the truth is rarely easy to take, but always necessary.

Beth Moore studies are not Bible studies. The Bible isn't used much at them. What scripture is used is taken out of context, twisted and severely distorted at times.  One instance as an example is HERE. We're encouraged and taught to get rid of insecurities, to have self esteem and confidence and try to make sense out of our pasts. That's not even Biblical. (To read more about the sin of "Self Esteem" go HERE.) God has never advocated or encouraged such teachings, which is what Beth Moore's studies center around. Paul pointed out teachers that would come and prey on weak women who are loaded down with sins (2 Timothy 3:6) What kind of sins are us girls prone to and often loaded down with? Searching for security, wanting to love ourselves, wanting to feel good about ourselves, emotional satisfaction in ourselves or with mates, obsessed with physical imperfections, abuse mentalities, victim mentalities, grief, worldly success and security, etc,. The Bible calls these things sin and sin is to be cut off not cultivated. (Mark 9:43)

We're all damaged goods. Every single one of us. It's the affects and natural course of sin past on and getting worse as man increases on the earth. How often is "sin" even mentioned by these teachers? How often do they even bring up the Gospel or repentance and need for a Savior? Not very often I can tell you from experience. 

God chose the weak things of the world, the despised things, the beaten down things, the poor things, the unwise things and the things the world looks down on (1 Corinthians 1:27). Every human being has been bulldozed somewhere and wounded deeply. But only in our constant weakness and understanding that we are nothing without God does He work in us and through us. Wanting to feel good about ourselves and having self esteem is a direct affront to God and His greatness. It's a direct affront to the work of the Holy Spirit and the purpose for which Christ died. Wanting these things and chasing after them is pride and of the sin nature.

So we buy someone's book and watch their DVDs to hear from God and to feel good about ourselves when we already have God and His book. But, more often than not, the Bible doesn't tell us what our itching ears want to hear especially when we're being convicted of sin. So we surround ourselves with teachers that will.

My husband heard about her involvement with contemplative prayer HERE.  This made me start looking deeper at her studies and noticed how she incorrectly handles scripture, twists scriptures and even lies. Beth Moore was called out by apologetic groups about her involvement in the "Be Still" DVD and initially she backed away from it, but then she dug her heels in and  sided with the new age Contemplative Prayer and eastern mystics advocating it. It's really not a surprise to me now noticing how much pop psychology Beth Moore uses in her studies.

 Beth Moore studies keep us so focused on ourselves and problems we never look up long enough to notice God. I asked my husband one day..."When you and your family were being persecuted in Iran (after they converted from Islam) did anyone ever whip out a Beth Moore book to help get you past it and protect your self esteem?"

Obviously the answer was "No". They survived. In fact their maturity in the faith under such extreme conditions is staggering. They did it with God alone. The Bible is where they went for answers, comfort and assurance. No one even knows who Joel Osteen or Beth Moore is over there. Only in America, a capitalistic society where everything is about making a buck, do we find these types of things. While they keep Christian girls and women wading in the mire of their past and sins, throwing out "self help" books as useless life rafts and making empty promises, these teachers are getting rich while millions are drowning. If we could help ourselves by reading books, doing workbooks and watching DVDs then no one would need God. Self help is just that: self help. God is not included.

What God does want us to do is....

"Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead," Philippians 3:13

"But Jesus said to him, 'No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'" Luke 9:62

God wants us productive for Him and through Him. God already saved us from our pasts, but these pop psychology teachers like Beth Moore keep telling us to run back there, jump in the mire and sift through it. Love yourself, feel good about yourself, God wants you to be a better you." God wants us to be like Christ.

When the Egyptians  were coming for the Jews at the Red Sea did God yell "Ok everyone! Stop, drop and analyze why this is happening and what it could all mean for the future. You can't move ahead until you all understand how being a slave effected you for the last 430 years. Moses you wanna add anything to this?"  He told them to get going to the sea.

Do we ever see Joseph running back to the rotten way his brothers treated him and picking it apart in order to serve Pharaoh effectively or perform his duties? No. Did he tromp through the prison and yell "Come on girls! It's time to say so long insecurity! I know I gotta break free from the stuff my brothers pulled. Man was I treated bad and where was my father when this was all happening? Let's spend the next 10 years having circle time and discussing it."

I'm not trying to minimize what people have gone through. I truly can sympathize/relate. My life hasn't been all fun and games either. That's what makes me so angry about these teachers. They prey on some of God's weakest lambs. We're supposed to be running a race, but Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer and others keep us stagnant and focused on ourselves. That's not what God wants. That's what Satan wants.

When crushed women and girls fail to attain to the level Beth Moore and those like her advocate and claim they've ascended to...it breeds depression. When it fails to be manifested in their lives after repeated studies and very little results they turn in on themselves. They think God doesn't love them, they lose hope, they beat themselves up, ultimately crushing any morsel of faith.

Our joy, peace and comfort is found only in Him. There's nothing in us to feel good about. There's nothing in our flesh deserving of confidence, love or to esteem. We're sinful creatures and filthy before God. That's what repentance is...realizing we're all bankrupt and on our way to hell without Him. Without that we have no idea what true repentance is, therefore, true and saving faith. God doesn't want us like us or a better us. God doesn't want us like Beth Moore, Osteen or anyone else. He wants us like Christ and we can only attain that through Christ. Everything we go through, every obstacle, struggle, trial, persecution, hardship etc., is for the sole purpose to make us into the image of Christ. And if Christ learned obedience through what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8) so will we.

If our behavior, mentality and personalities are running contrary to what God demands then it's sin. And how are we to handle sin? He never tells us to examine it and try to figure it out, where it came from, why it's still there. We're told to...

"If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if you right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." Matthew 5:30

"No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:27

"We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Here's a quote from John Piper that's fitting...

"I hear so many Christians murmuring about their imperfections and their failures and their addictions and their shortcomings and I see so little war! Murmur, murmur, murmur 'why am I this way?' Make war!" 

Any book or commentary on God or the Bible is only opinion. All commentaries, no matter who they're from, are always low man on the totem pole and last things to be consulted in Bible study, but we've made them the first things we run to. I know I've done it because I'm lazy. Someone else has figured it out for me so I'll go with that, but that's not what God requires.

We get caught in a vicious circle and same tired rut because focusing on ourselves and problems keeps us in the same sad state and so many wounded women are falling prey to this. God doesn't want us esteeming ourselves. We're supposed to esteem Him. But as long as we're busy esteeming us He doesn't get any.

I'm not against workbooks. There are 2 amazing ones at the top of this page by Paul Washer that are invaluable and free for download and printing. You'll learn more from one page in those then 5 Beth Moore studies combined and you'll be getting good doctrine. But just like with all things everything in moderation and if they take the place of the Bible, and that's all we do and never feeding on the Word daily, then we have a serious problem. When only 10% of Christians in this country read their Bibles regularly then we understand how teachers like this hijack so easily and get a large following.  


"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6

"Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; And their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst." Isaiah 5:13

"Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law, They are regarded as a strange thing." Hosea 8:12

It's regarded as "strange" because we don't know it. And we pay the price. Hopefully more and more will toss out the books and DVDs and turn to the Word of God. Otherwise we're starving and being led around by a hook through the nose.


Until Beth Moore repents publicly of her Bible twisting, involvement and agreement with Contemplative prayer, Eastern Mysticism and being in agreement with known heretics she will stay in the "Heretic" category.