From my experience, the same characteristics apply to religious people as well – including church-goers who do/will not believe the Bible to be God’s Word and Final Authority - plus practising Christians who substitute the literal, plain-sense meanings of Scripture in favor of some other interpretive method.  The manifestations of these characteristics can often be expressed differently between the two groups, with angry resistance applying to the first, and passive resistance applying to the second.  Nevertheless, these are the characteristics that have shown up in opposition to me since I chose to become a Holy Spirit-led, Jesus Christ-centered, Bible-based born-again Christian back in 1985.

From what I can discern, it matters little if one rejects the Bible as God’s Word and Final Authority or if one rejects the literal, plain-sense interpretations in favor of some other method.  Why?  Because both are bordering on atheism in my opinion.  The dictionary tells us that an atheist is someone who does not believe in the existence of God.  But if we start playing “god” with the Bible, what makes us any different than an atheist?  If we reject certain Scriptures because we don’t understand them or don’t like them, what makes us any different?  New Testament James 2:19 shows us that even the demons believe in God – but they tremble in fear of Him. 

Believing in God really is not the issue.  The issue each Christian must ask themselves is, “do I believe God?”  If I do, I will not tamper with the Bible, water it down, or spiritualize & allegorize it so as I can by-pass that which I don’t understand or like in the way of literal, plain-sense meanings.  On the contrary, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, I will submit to it, embrace it, live it out, exalt it and proclaim it.  And as I continue to do so, God Almighty (in His time) will progressively deliver me from self-satisfaction, arrogance, intolerance, resistance and contempt for TRUTH. 

Churches throughout the western world love to place a great emphasis on relationship building and unity.  However, most of it is bogus.  It is only the appearance of such.  Genuine relationship building and unity is founded on TRUTH as one whole, not on half-truths or partial truths.  Jesus has told us that we will, “live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” Matthew 4:4 cf. Deuteronomy 8:3.  No wonder that the institutionalised church is dead – it committed suicide through starvation the day it decided to disbelieve the word of the Lord Jesus.  To consistently deny or reject any one part of Scripture is to fail to understand that TRUTH is whole, just as a loaf of bread is whole.

It matters not how it looks, but even if one slice of bread is removed from the loaf, then all appearances that it is still a whole loaf are illusionary.  That’s how it is with TRUTH.  Because TRUTH is rejected in those institutions, all appearances of sound relationships and unity are just as illusionary.  That is the reason many Christians are deceived.  They’ve embraced the partial, believing they have the whole.  And I have found that lots of  Christians will not have it any other way.  When testing time comes (as it most surely will for all who claim Jesus as Lord) not “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” is received, but on the contrary, only that which is palatable.

In my association with churches and sitting under leaders & teachers, I’ve been amazed by the doctrinal viewpoints held, versus those rejected.  And in all cases, when it gets right down to it, it has been men, traditions, denominations and “special” groups that have gotten the glory - not God.  When God fails to get all glory, deception very soon takes root and it is not long before it rules - even if in some cases, ever so subtly.  If I liken those doctrines held to, as slices of bread taken from the loaf, then that’s all they are – slices!  One can call it a loaf (whole) but they’re still only slices, no matter what I say to the contrary.  We cannot play games with TRUTH.

One’s attitude towards all biblical Scripture is one’s attitude towards God.  It has been said that we do not believe God more than we believe His Scriptures, nor do we obey God more than we obey His Scriptures.  How can we?  The church also comprises of multitudes of people who believe that love is the unifying factor, much more so than doctrine (TRUTH).  They say doctrine divides.  False doctrine divides.  So it should.  Doctrines that teach people they belong to “the one true church” divide.  Doctrines that teach men & women as equals in Church Leadership, divide.  Doctrines that teach Sinless Perfection, divide.  Doctrines that teach church leaders as being the human face of Jesus Christ, divide.  They are doctrines from hell.

True doctrine divides too.  It sorts out the religious from the real.  It sorts out the pretender for biblical faith from the contender for biblical faith.  It sorts out the professor of Jesus from the possessor of Jesus.  So yes, doctrine divides and that is a good thing.  Jesus has told us that He did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  He came to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, saying also, that our enemies will be in our own household etc. Matthew 10:34-36.  That’s why non-compromising biblical believers have enemies in the institutionalised church!  That is why the self-satisfied and arrogant are intolerant and completely resistant to any kind of “outside argument and contemptuous of it.”

Standing for TRUTH in the church is much harder than standing for the same in the world, I have found.  It is one thing to be told I have no love by “unbelievers” but quite something else to be told this by so-called fellow believers.  Some “unbelievers” can be quick to insult, abuse and quote, “judge not least you be judged….” but believers (much more covertly) will quote 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.  However, in every case where they’ve quoted this passage to me, there has been a complete lack of acknowledgement from them towards 1 Corinthians 13:6, “love does not rejoice in iniquity (in this case, Scriptural compromise, rejection or disobedience), but love rejoices in the truth.”  It’s as though that verse doesn’t exist for them!

There can be no true love for others without at first true love for God.  There can be no true love for God without at first true love for His word.  True love will always obey TRUTH, teach TRUTH, and be on the alert for anything that seeks to devalue & destroy TRUTH.  Otherwise, it’s not true love regardless of who says what about it.  We are living in the perilous times spoken of in 2 Timothy 3:1-9.  This passage of Scripture describes the very worst of human behavior.  Now, if it were speaking of unbelievers alone, we may have little cause for alarm.  But that is not the case.  The apostle Paul is referring also to religious people in the church, “having a form of godliness but denying it’s power.” 

Added to this, nowhere in that passage is there any suggestion that these church people are ignorant of God’s power.  They know exactly what they are doing and that is why they can be classed as self-satisfied, arrogant, intolerant, etc.  All Christians would be wise to heed God’s warnings about this.  What starts out at the beginning as seemingly harmless when denying the Bible as God’s Word and Final Authority – or - substituting literal, plain-sense meanings for some other method of interpreting the Scriptures, will, through the principle of gradualism, be turned into complete denial of TRUTH and full-on apostasy.  Once this happens, there will be no turning back from it.

Large sectors of Christendom have embraced a teaching that says in these last days, before Jesus’ returns, the church will experience one mighty, world-wide revival, whereby multitudes will turn to Jesus.  Yet Jesus Himself twice warns us, as does the bulk of the New Testament, that we can expect nothing but apostasy in the last days, as bad as what it was in the days of Noah and Lot Matthew 24:37 -38; Luke 17:28-30.  We can deny that all together, or, we can reinterpret it by pulling other Scriptures out of context and make it say something else, or, we can spiritualize & allegorize and make it say something else again.  But it will change nothing! 

So, as Christians, who are we going to believe?  Who are we going to obey?  We only have two choices – God or religious man.  Most people will make the choice to believe and obey religious man.  They always have and always will.  That is why in the end times there will be one almighty rising up of the false church – the Whore of Babylon, as it is so aptly symbolized in Revelation 17.  “….Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.  Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.  I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:17-18.  ”Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have the Son of God.  He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 9.         

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.

I developed a preference to roll my own later in life too, partly because it was cheaper but mainly because I loved the smell of fresh tobacco.  I still do.  When the Lord did come into my life it gradually became clearer that He had a better way for me to live.  So I was glad that the attraction for alcohol abuse had diminished, plus the fact that my attraction to blasphemy and filthy language was quickly on the way out as well.  But not so, my attraction for nicotine.  I wanted this practice to remain, so I continually came up with “valid” excuses & justifications to myself as to why it should remain.  

One late afternoon I set off for a near two-hour drive across town to play at a night club.  Sitting in a long cue at traffic lights I rolled a cigarette.  As I was completing the task I found myself saying, “Lord, I don’t want to do this anymore, it is a dirty habit and I believe it dishonors You Who lives in me.”  I did not know the Scripture 1 Corinthians 6:19 at the time but strongly felt the truth of it, based on the deep, indescribable inner peace that I had been experiencing since Christ came into my life those few months earlier.  However, as the traffic started to move off I put the lighter to the cigarette and inhaled.

I will never forget God’s immediate answer to that prayer!  Upon inhaling that smoke, I instantly experienced the most vile, foul, putrid taste in my mouth - shocking!  I quickly pulled it from my lips and dumped it in the ash tray.  It could not have been a quicker action had it been an explosive in my hand.  This was the second time I had experienced an immediate answer to prayer from the Lord, the first having been His two instant physical healings to my body (see my About page) some time earlier.  Just like the people I had been reading about in the gospels when encountering the Lord – I marvelled.

The taste left my mouth later, but not my thoughts on the experience.  Then about thirty minutes from my destination other thoughts entered my head - extreme, powerful thoughts of doubt – “It couldn’t be.  You are imagining yourself.  Who do you think you are?  Where are you at?”  I entertained those thoughts, big time.  So much so that I heard myself saying, “Yeah, it couldn’t be.  You are imagining it. Try it again and see.”  So I did. I rolled another cigarette, lit it, inhaled and the same thing happened exactly as it had seventy minutes earlier.  The decision to doubt my Lord grieved me.  It was not to be the last time, but it certainly was one of the first times when I knew without doubt that I had entertained Satan himself.

By the grace of God, I have never touched another cigarette since that time, twenty-four years ago.  But it is only by the grace of God.  One night I was playing in a club and the smell of booze and cigarette smoke was very enticing.  It still is.  From the stage I looked towards our table and my eyes became fixed on a pack of cigarettes belonging to a colleague.  I said to myself, “As soon as this set finishes, I’m going to have one of those.”  That was my full intention.  Standing up at the table, I reached for the pack only to feel a gentle tap on my shoulder and a male voice saying, “Excuse me, do you mind if I talk to you for a moment?  I’d like to ask about your playing.” 

We stood chatting together for the duration of the break, about twenty minutes.  Back up on that stage later, I thought about that cigarette and the fact that I did not have it, nor by now did I want it.  This was my third known experience of the biblical promise being fulfilled in my life, that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able, but with that temptation He promises a way of escape so that we are able to bear it 1 Corinthians 10:13.  How blessed I have been to experience the reality of that promise in other areas of temptation too.  On the other hand, how grieved I’ve been when yielding to temptations.  If inhaling cigarette smoke was the worst thing I could ever do before God, my struggles would be over…but…….

Although he failed to live up to his own words, a pastor was later to teach us that the Lord Jesus knows the very worst about us, “so hide nothing from Him.  Keep nothing back.”  Knowing who and what I had been before I turned to Christ, the words of that pastor began to make sense to me.  The foolishness of trying to justify any ungodly thoughts, words and actions dawned upon me and as a result, I have forever marvelled at God’s great grace and mercy when I do tell him.  One time (but not the last) during prayer, some blasphemous and filthy thoughts cut across my mind and I said, “My Lord God, what is that?”

The biblical answer immediately came from John 15:3 where Jesus tells His followers that we are already clean because of His word, but I also felt a strong impression from Him saying, “Don’t confuse what is around you with what is in you.”  I received that as from the Lord because it lined up the Scripture given, plus, we know the cunning wiles and deceptive tactics of Satan the devil and the fact that we are in a spiritual battle.  The devil loves to play God with our conscience so we must be able to discern and distinguish between what is conviction from the Holy Spirit and what is condemnation from Satan.  If we don’t, he’ll have us for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Although this post gives testimony to my instant deliverance from nicotine addiction, the last thing I want to suggest or imply is that God will do exactly the same for other smokers, Christian or otherwise.  In the marvellous dealings of God, smoking is not the issue on God’s current agenda for some of His people.  He may deliver them if they cry out, He may not.  I’ve shared this story with people over the years and although some were blessed by hearing it, they still smoke and I do not judge them.  But I have encouraged them to, “hide nothing from God, keep nothing back” and to avoid the temptation to make excuses or justifications before God.

Some Christians are afraid to tell the Lord the very worst about themselves.  They will confess certain things to Him, but often, not the worst thing.  Whether it be ignorance, doubt, unbelief or holding to faulty concepts of God, there seems to be a failure to trust Him fully.  We must know by experience that the very worst is already covered by the blood of Jesus.  In other words, there is not one ugly sinful thought, word or act that Jesus did not take care of by His death on that cross two thousand years ago.  The reason God wants us to personally tell Him about our areas of temptation, is so that we can be led into the way of freedom from all that seeks to trap and snare. 

There is many a Christian whose heart condemns them who are totally missing out on the experiential reality that God is greater than their heart and knows all things 1 John 3:20.  What sort of a taste does that leave in His mouth?  As Christians, we must be cast out all guilt, shame and condemnation and the only way that we can successfully do so is to tell the Lord the worst.  Fear, worry, doubt and unbelief is the worst for some.  Tell God.  Drunkenness, nicotine and drug abuse is the worst for some.  Tell God.  Perpetrating mental and physical violence is the worst for some.  Tell God.  Sexual perversion, pedophilia & pornography addiction is the worst for some.  Tell God.  Dirty business dealings, corruption and stealing are the worst for some.  Tell God.

Christian people have asked me to pray with them over the years and when asked what is it they want prayer for, their response has been, “God already knows.”  I’ve then asked, “Have you told God about this?”  Again, the response has been, “No. God already knows.”  In Matthew 20:29-34 two blind men asked Jesus for mercy.  Jesus responded with a question asking them what it was that they wanted Him to do.  They told Him they wanted to receive their sight.  Jesus knew that.  But He wanted to hear it from their mouths as well.  Tell God.  “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus………For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2. 

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.

With that he quickly followed up with, “Ours is the one true church.  Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom, he was the first pope!”  There was nothing new to my ears here of course, there are no practicing Roman Catholic people who would not say the same thing.  The conversation ceased there, but driving home I got to thinking about words & language and communication - or rather, miscommunication.  The young man and myself were engaged in “Christian-speak” but we were not communicating.  Why was/is that?  The answer is -same words, different meanings.

Take the words receive and received the Lord Jesus.  A Bible-practicing Protestant Christian uses such words in the context of having been first; personally convicted of his sinful state by the Holy Spirit, second; the Holy Spirit awakens his spirit to the reality of his need to turn away from his sin and third; turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for a once-and-for-all deliverance from his sin, and fourth; fully surrender his whole being to the Lordship of Jesus Christ from thereon in.  The immediate result of such a decision means, he is now a new creature, the old has gone, the new has come 2 Corinthians 5:17. 

Included, he now becomes God’s property to do with what He will; no more his own property.  As he grows in the biblical knowledge and grace of God, “nobody tells me what to do” ceases to be part of his belief system.  The opposite takes place as he studies the Bible, whereby he lives no longer for himself or any other man, religious system or philosophy.  He only lives to more & more discover and embrace the will of God for his life.  He lives the eternal life in Jesus’ name  - God’s quality of life - not the (man-inspired) religious life. 

As a born again Christian studying the Bible, he will also discover within its pages that there is absolutely no New Testament evidence that the apostle Peter even visited Rome, let alone become the first bishop or pope of that church.  He’ll discover as well, that Peter is given no special place of authority in the New Testament.  But he will discover that Jesus treats all apostles as equal in authority and responsibility Matthew 28:16-20.  Should this born again person happen to be a Roman Catholic, he will be most surprised and perhaps shocked to find this out. 

But as he continues to yield to the Holy Spirit he will reject all religious teaching that does not align itself with New Testament Christianity.  Roman Catholic or not, he will learn also, that it was James (another son of Joseph and Mary – the Lord’s half-brother), not Peter, who moderated at the only church council mentioned in the New Testament Acts 15:13-21.  Then when he turns to the apostle Peter’s first epistle he will read of him declaring that it is Jesus Christ alone who is the chief cornerstone of the church 1 Peter 2:4-8.  He will find the apostle Paul declaring the same in Ephesians 2:20 cf. 1 Corinthians 3:11.

This same born again Christian will learn that “The One True Church” by biblical definition, is built on Jesus Christ, and all members are those who confess Him as Savior and Lord, just as the apostle Peter did.  In this TRUE One True Church, all members are born again, all possess repentance towards a holy God, all express faith alone to Jesus alone, all seek holiness of life, all hate sin, all love God, all love Jesus and all love His written word, the Bible.  As a result, all will be despised by the religious and non-religious alike.  They will be persecuted, labelled or branded as narrow minded, unloving, fundamentalist and……

No matter how much this TRUE One True Church values and honors its true leaders, absolutely no dependence is placed upon any one of them for salvation, assurance of salvation, assurance of heaven, or - assurance of anything else.  Both the leadership and members of the TRUE One True Church know that it is the leader/s’ job to lead all on to the Lord Jesus Christ and into spiritual freedom & liberty.  To witness each other being set free from all hindrances to growing and maturing in Christ, and being conformed to His image, is the objective of this Church.

The members of this TRUE One True Church know that they do not literally “receive the Lord Jesus” when taking the bread and wine at what is called holy communion or the Lord’s Supper.  But they do know they spiritually eat Christ’s body and drink His blood every day of their lives and that no man, minister, reverend, priest, elder, bishop, or church denomination can ever prevent them from doing so.  Such men can (and do) exercise power over who comes and goes in their religious systems, but they are powerless when dealing with TRUE One True Church members.  Why?

Because this Church is not some humanly designed system, denomination or organisation.  It is “the body of believers” - an organism.  It does not depend on nor care too much about buildings, religious forms & ceremonies or holy day observances – nor does its leadership jockey for positions and titles to cement its spiritual authority.  The apostle Peter loved this church.  He tells its members that they are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s own special people 1 Peter 2:9.  Most don’t physically know one another in this TRUE One True Church because as members, they are scattered all over the world.

Some members dwell high in the mountains, or low in the valleys and wildernesses of remote areas.  Others dwell high in the sky, or low in the suburbs and slums of the largest cities of the world.  They will never know one another this side of eternity.  But they have unity, nevertheless!  Take a member from remote New Guinea and place him with another member in not-so-remote New York and even though they may not understand the language of man, they will have no problems with understanding the language of God.  They will not argue as to whether the Bible is God’s final authority, they know it is by their daily experience of yielding to the living and powerful words within.

So what about the keys of the kingdom?  It belongs to this church only and to no other.  This is not a matter for argument.  New Testament Romans 14:17 tells us clearly that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  No other church has this, so their “keys” are useless.  If they were useful, evidence would be demonstrated in the lives of all their members.  But it is not.  Besides, if they were useful, pedophilia and sexual immorality would not be the problem that it is in the church that claims to be the One true….nor in the religious institutions that make no such claim.

1 Corinthians 4:20 tells us that the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.  Once again, this is not a matter for argument.  Arguments consist of words - volumes of words and the church system is full of them.  But when they come up against the power of God, they too become useless – every one of them.  So again, this renders their “keys” useless.  If it were not so, the evidence would be there to inspect.  But it is not.  The TRUE One True Church too, is the only one that the gates of hell can not prevail against.  This is the Church Jesus spoke to Peter about in Matthew 16:18-19.

Yes, Peter was given the keys of the kingdom, as were the rest of the apostles.  But the effectiveness of those keys were and are demonstrated only in the TRUE One True Church that is portrayed in the New Testament and written about in this post.  The reality of this will be experienced in all people who are willing to lay down their lives before God and seek THE TRUTH, regardless of all cost.  For such a person, God Almighty in Jesus’ name, will shift heaven and earth to ensure that this is so.  “Coming to Him as a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”  1 Peter 2:4-5.           

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.

Our city was experiencing over ten years of drought so the rain was a welcome sight – but not on my daughter’s wedding day, so I prayed for a day just as described here.  Everywhere I turned I heard people saying, “it’s going to be wet and cold on Saturday.”  Not only did I hear it on the radio & television but it was coming out of the mouths of all whom I met that week.  Christian preachers & teachers are fond of telling us, “you get what you speak.”  And we who listen to them, whether we believe it or not, are fond of nodding our heads as we respond with our, “Amen.”   

It is a biblical truth, we do get what we speak.  But I was not prepared to allow my spirit to receive that Saturday weather forecast, regardless of who said it or how obvious it looked to be when gazing out through my window.  On the Friday afternoon I was sweeping up leaves in the courtyard and I looked up to view a small blue patch in an otherwise dull sky.  At the same time, I received a mental picture of Jesus standing up in the boat telling that storm to be quiet Mark 4:39.  The Holy Spirit then said, “Are you willing to stretch to that?”

Immediately I said, “Yes Lord.  I am.”  What the Spirit meant was, would I exercise His faith and rebuke the forecast, the clouds, the rain and the cold?  Sweeping leaves is not a job that usually puts a smile on my face, but after that encounter I found myself doing it a lot that afternoon.  Later, the clouds regathered and the rain came down.  Things looked worse than before.  I have learned that whenever God gives a word of wisdom, knowledge and the gift of faith to go with it, the devil will not long after move in to try and steal it by filling the mind with doubts, followed by unbelief.

All that night and into mid-morning Saturday I was given plenty of opportunity to receive & believe the devil’s lies, but thanks to the power and reality of God I refused to yield.  I was washing a few dishes around 10.30 am when I looked out westerly to see very dull skies, so I rebuked them in the name of Jesus and commanded them to leave.  Then I called forth the sun to shine.  I walked over to another window looking out southerly and did the same thing.  I believe I can still “see” the Lord smiling at my commanding the sun.  Naturally, if the clouds and the rain obey Him, where else can the sun be?! 

My daughter and myself were driven to the church at 1.45 pm.  From around 11.30 am, there were clouds to be viewed, but they were white.  The rain was nowhere to be seen, the sun was shining brightly and the temperature, whilst not hot, was pleasant.  The blessing of God was very evident - but only to those who believed – and they were few.  There were in access of one hundred and twenty practising Christians at the wedding reception, so I shared the event as a testimony at the start of my speech.  I looked into faces, nearly all of whom expressed indifference.  Even our “unbelieving” friends and family were more open to what was shared.  

One Christian married couple came at the end of the night to share that their faith had been challenged.  The wife said, “It’s all there for us in the Bible isn’t it?  The problem is, do we believe it?”  The bigger problem is, as I see it; are we sensitive to the Holy Spirit, ready to receive, when He imparts His revelation?  It’s wonderful to receive His leadings, but how many have I missed?  How many do I miss?  Added to this problem, in my opinion – if we spent less time allowing preachers, teachers and fellow Christians to develop our theology and more time alone with God and the Bible, we would miss less of His leadings.

That summer, my wife and I were holidaying in a part of our beautiful state of Victoria, renowned for its historical bush-ranger “lookouts.”  One evening we decided to get up early the following day and drive to one of those lookouts, high in the mountains.  It rained during the night, during the morning and on the way to the lookout.  Once again, in Jesus’ name I rebuked the clouds and the rain and commanded them to leave.  As we approached the area the rain had stopped, but the clouds were overcast – no sun.  In the car park it was the same.

It was rather a narrow, rocky track up hill and down to the lookout, but not far from the viewing area the sun moved in very quickly with clouds dispersing just as quickly.  Standing on the viewing area itself, not only had the clouds dispersed, but the sun was beating down and it was hot.  The view was glorious.  One could see for miles in an arc of measure perhaps greater than 180 degrees.  We stayed over ten minutes.  When we decided to leave, the clouds quickly made their move to close in.  By the time we got back to the car and drove away it was once again very overcast and the rain lightly came down.

My wife’s dear, 93 year-old aunt died recently.  Although she lived most of her life in the city, she was born in the country and began her nursing career there.  Her parents were pioneers of the district, clearing the land for farming, in some of what soon became the most beautiful hills this wonderful state of ours has to offer.  Many years ago she purchased her plot in the local, picturesque, hilltop cemetery next to those of her parents and siblings.  On the day of her funeral we drove the two hour journey under some of the most hazardous weather conditions seen for some time.

Just over 3 days before she died, Aunty prayed with my wife and I in the hospital and affirmed the Lord as her Savior.  Soon after He arranged for her to come back to her own residence, where she died in her chair, enjoying a cup of tea and the view from her room.  All this was clearly a blessing for her, so I asked the Lord if He would continue the blessing by honoring her funeral with fine sunny weather.  My prayer was, “Lord, would you deal with this wet, cold, windy weather and cause the sun to shine into her gave please?  To me, that sun represents Your visible presence.”  I got the impression that God said, “You do it and I will do it.” 

So I did do it, driving along as I looked up into those hills.  Using similar words as on those previous occasions, I spoke to the weather.  I also thought this would be a grand witness for God too, so I told some family members what I had done and what we could expect in just over hour’s time at the cemetery.  It was still pouring with rain, so the looks I got were not unexpected!  It stopped raining before we went into the church, but started again slightly as we drove to the cemetery.  Then it stopped.  There was a canopy at the grave-sight, but it was not needed.

At the end of the committal prayer the minster made a decision not to lower Aunty’s coffin beyond ground level.  She said it would be a good idea to leave it in view so we could reflect on all that she had been to us in life, as we stood alone or chatting.  Just moments before, the clouds shifted and the very warm sun shone down on her coffin, and into the grave and stayed the duration of our time - perhaps 30 minutes.  I have never heard or seen a minister make that decision before.  It was the hand of God upon her and upon all of us who attended – especially those whom I spoke with earlier, if they chose to believe. “……Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40.

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.

Three years later out on those streets I worked in as a gospel messenger, one of the most delightful parts of the work was being granted the opportunity to lay on hands and pray for a sick person.  Sometimes a healing would take place immediately but mostly they came gradually.  It was a time of encouragement for both of us too, because it helped the person to believe the Bible as God’s revelation to them, and I got to experience the truth and reality of Mark 16:20 - out proclaiming God’s word, the Lord working with me confirming His message by the attesting signs & miracles etc, that accompanied His word.

A lady I knew developed stomach pains.  After being diagnosed by the medical people she was told the worst -  cancer.  I just happened to find this out “by chance” when I called in to the hospital to see how she was doing.  As I walked into her ward she was lying in bed and her husband was sitting in a chair.  Their faces were ashen-gray with fear as they told me of the possibility of it being incurable.  They were a church-going couple, and a young man who was member of their church was with them giving words of comfort.

I was disturbed in my spirit with this young man, because although his intentions were noble, his words were more religious than they were real.  In other words, what he was sharing touched their emotions, but there was no life.  His words were not “living and powerful” nor were they “sharper than a two-edged sword”  Hebrews 4:12, because they were neither the words of God or from God.  He had a religious book with him, but no Bible.  There was no Bible in the bedside drawer either, so I walked down to the chapel to get one.  On the way down I prayed asking God for wisdom on how to deal with this situation.

Wherever Jesus ministered, the devil was not far away and that is what I have always found in my work for the Lord as well.  Not only that, but it seems he loves to use good people just as much as he’ll use bad people – anything at all to side-track us from biblical truth!  Without getting anything specific from God, I felt myself being empowered by the Holy Spirit to just open my mouth and God would give me living and powerful words from the Scriptures and back up every one of them.  Given that our warfare is spiritual, on the way back to the people I took authority over the spirits of death, hell, destruction, fear and religion.

On re-entering the room, I felt the presence of the Lord powerfully, so I said to the lady and her husband that, “Jesus is with us here now in this room and He is going to minister to you.”  I did not say He was going to heal her but I did say He was with them, and would continue to be throughout this entire ordeal.  The look in their eyes as they received words of life, as opposed to words of religion and emotionalism (death) was, and always is for me, a great joy to behold.  I asked the lady if she believed the Bible was the word of God.  She did not hesitate to say yes - neither did her husband. 

Without discounting medical expertise, it was important to establish this because I informed her that Jesus’ on-going ministry was going to come from that Book, over and above any other book.  I read some instances from the gospels of Jesus healing ministry and then encouraged the lady to accept these as timeless truths, not just historical truths, and to allow the Holy Spirit to plant this deep in her innermost being.  Next, I asked her to place her hands upon her stomach, I asked her husband to place his hands on hers, then I placed mine on his and prayed.

When we finished praying, there was no immediate assurance that the lady had been instantly, physically healed, but I discerned that a great mental and spiritual healing was taking place instantly - in both of them.  The awesome presence of Jesus Christ was evident for them as well, by now.  Often, when visiting the sick in hospital, a nurse, doctor or orderly walked into the room just as I was about to pray with a patient.  This could happen two or three times in a row. When it did, I discerned it as a spirit of disruption and took authority over it.  In the natural, people have their work to do.  In the supernatural, Satan has his work to do as well – and it is prayer he loves to disrupt.

The other side to this has been; when they or visitors walk in after prayer, it is time for me to go.  That’s what happened that day.    Within a few days of that visit the lady came home from that hospital.  It was good to be able to continue ministering and praying with her, giving me lots of opportunity to talk about the biblical Lord Jesus and point her and her husband to Him.  Four or five weeks later she went back to work.  I have not seen her for eighteen months or so, but this is the testimony of that event – which took place about eleven years ago. 

A radio colleague developed a blood disorder, which put him in hospital.  Although he was hopeful of the medical profession finding a breakthrough, each test carried out on him was unsuccessful and he began to worry greatly.  His wife phoned me one day, crying, and asked if I would visit him in hospital.  Whenever I received a phone call such as that, I knew God was in it somewhere, so at the appropriate time on that visit, I spoke to him about the Lord Jesus as to why He came to earth and that if he wanted to enter heaven, Jesus was the only Way.  He was somewhat skeptical when being advised hell was his only alternative.

On the next visit, the man was notably less skeptical.  This time he opened the conversation about eternity and I said to him that since our last visit, heaven or hell were still the only two choices each one of us has.  I mentioned that it was not God’s desire that anyone go to hell, the Bible revealing it as a horrible place to have to spend eternity.  My colleague responded, “I know.  I’ve already been there.”  I asked him to describe his experience.  A couple of days earlier, he’d had a dream that he was in hell.  He said, “It is a cold, dark, lonely place and I don’t want to go there.”

He then said that in the middle of that night he was awakened from the dream by, “someone shaking my foot.”  When I asked him Who did he think that Someone was, he said, “Jesus.”  I told him I agreed.  This, yet again, was another affirmation of the truth from Mark 16:20.  He asked me to pray for him, which I did, but I also encouraged him to pray himself and ask that the Lord Jesus re-reveal Himself to him.  He did, and the Lord did.  We prayed for his healing too, but it was not forthcoming – at least not this side of eternity. 

A short period of time later my colleague died.  Or should I say, his body died, his spirit lives.  Today the man has the experience of ultimate healing.  But there is more to come.  One day, in the will and timing of our Sovereign God, he and all believers of Savior and Lord Jesus will not only inherit a new body, but a new heaven and new earth to live it out in for all eternity. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”  Hebrews 9:27-28.

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.

One morning, just before prayer-time began, I was sharing what had happened so dramatically in a person’s life and (just like in these posts) the word “I” was frequently used by myself.  It was not my purpose to draw any attention to me, but unless that little one-letter-word was used, the testimony would not have had the desired impact for God’s exaltation.  Three or four of the younger men were delighted with what they were hearing.  A couple of the older one’s gave similar appearance – but not one man.  He sat upright in his chair, closed his mouth, took a long, deep breathe in through his nose and said, “Let’s pray.”

It was not too long into his prayer when he began asking the Lord to humble “us.”  He did not mean “us” he meant me.  A very necessary gift of the Holy Spirit for ministry to others is that of discernment.  I was enabled to discern a couple of things about the man that morning.  One, he was more religious than real.  The other, he was going to personally experience God’s answer to that prayer whether he recognised the answer as from God, or not.  He asked the Lord to bring, “such a humility to us” and “to test us in our faith.”

It is often said in Christian-speak, “Be careful for what you pray for, for you shall surely get it.”  Well, as the months rolled into a couple of years, he “got it.”  As far as I know that man has ceased going on for God.  He came out on the streets with me once, but he was most uncomfortable with the way I ministered to people.  One Sunday he gave me a hand written script, “of what I find works for me and I suggest you try it.”  The script was not originated by himself, but taken from some popular “How to…” books on evangelism.

Personally, I have never been into methods of evangelism of any kind, unless the Holy Spirit has His stamp of anointing upon them.  I have found what God gives to one often will not be effective for another.  It is also my belief that if the church would stop seeking for “methods” and wholeheartedly seek the Messenger - for the benefit of those whom we want to reach, everybody would be much better off.  In the majority of churches throughout the western world it is clear that religious man prefers to lean on his own understanding, rather than God’s understanding Proverbs 3:5-6.

The result of that is: the carnal wins out over the spiritual; theology wins out over divine revelation; psychology wins out over divine discernment; humanism & reasoning win out over biblical faith and “the church program” has nearly always won out over Holy Spirit-supernatural direction.  God Almighty so dramatically intervened in my life that I wanted nothing to do with anything any man had to offer – religious or otherwise.  That religious man did not understand.  All he saw was a spiritually-proud person when he saw me.  He was later to become one of the devil’s tools in that church. 

Go into most churches today anywhere in the western world and you will find “the church program” running like clock-work.  There is the usual greeting time - smiles, handshakes, some kissing & hugging, some backslapping and lots of, “good to see you.”  Some dear people genuinely mean their every word and action.  Many do not – and it shows up later when they fail to get their own way – or, when they don’t like biblical truth that visits their innermost being.  That religious man was a perfect picture of this description.

Next item on the church program will be the “Order of the Service.”  These vary, but usually everyone comes together with an opening hymn (in the traditional church) or happy song/s (in the non-traditional church).  Then the pastor/elder or song leader will get up and the church members will all nod their heads and say, “Amen” to his/her, “It’s so good to be in the house of the Lord today, amen?”  The person who says that will then “bring the announcements,” that are already written down in the Church Bulletin and were placed in the hand of each member when greeted on the way in.

Following the announcements there will be a time of worship - anything from twenty to forty-or-more minutes.  Sometimes there is a wonderful blessing upon the church at that point, but too often this gets interrupted by the song leader working up a spiritual sweat and calling the Holy Spirit to, “touch us Lord, just touch us” or something similar.  And it can go on with each song.  In other words, the strongest emphasis is feelings-based, not faith-based.  The problem with seeking “feelings” over faith is that we are less likely to honor God in spirit and in truth, which can then disqualify us as true worshippers John 4:23.

After the worship, next on the list is the Communion “celebration” or Lord’s Supper.  Usually this is a time where deep solemnity is expressed by all as we remember what Jesus did on the cross for us.  Depending on who brings that communion message, it can be a time where great condemnation is brought upon all (just after we’ve been “touched” by the Spirit) as we are reminded to reflect on our sinful selves - or, it can be a time when (still solemn) we are constantly reminded that Jesus’ death for us means we are forgiven - but no further reminder to seek peace with our brothers and holiness for God Hebrews 12:14.

On the list, after the Lord’s Supper, the offering bags or plates are passed around and everybody is asked to give liberally, because, “God loves a cheerful giver, amen?”  It’s true too.  God does love a cheerful giver.  The problem is too many of His people are manipulated givers, but they fail to discern the difference.  A prayer of blessing & thanksgiving is then made for the money “to be used wisely for Your Kingdom, Oh Lord.”  After that comes the minister’s sermon, perhaps followed by an altar call for all in need of prayer and last of all on that Order of Service is the final hymn/song and benediction.

What is the problem with all this?  There is none - if God is in it from start to finish.  The question is, is He?  I do not believe so.  It is religious man working his methods.  Religious man loves methodology and he is wary of anything that threatens this.   It is true that God wants things done decently and in order 1 Corinthians 14:40, as many will quote in their defence.  But they defend themselves in ignorance of the context of that Scripture.  Religious man’s order of service in church meetings is an anaemic caricature in comparison to God’s order of service.  Even a brief study of 1 Corinthians 14 will confirm this.

1 Corinthians 14:26-31 shows it is, “each of us” who has a psalm, a tongue, a revelation.  Some have the gift of interpretation of spiritual language and others have the gift of prophecy.  We see a calling for some who would judge wisely any prophecy uttered, making the church sure what was of God and what was not.  The whole purpose being for our edification.  It is not the one or two “gifted ones” that are so boringly predictable in the institutionalised church, but rather, for “all to prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be encouraged.”  In other words, God wants reality for all, not religion. 

It was God’s reality, being so clearly demonstrated in our midst on those streets which was the reason I was so excited and could not wait to share.  That religious man was not the only one to respond in the manner in which he did.  In sharing testimonies with other Christians down through the years, many have responded similarly – even if more covertly.  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be witnesses to Me……”  Acts 1:8.

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.

Not only that, but in most cases in the Old Testament, it is God Almighty Himself Who utters those words, through His prophets & messengers.  So much for the Old Testament revealing “a vindictive, cruel God” as is a commonly held view – even by some Christians!  No wonder that John the apostle twice tells us in one chapter of his epistle that, “God is love,” 1 John 4:8, 16, and then just a couple of verses down says, “There is no fear in love……” 1 John 4:18.  In my twenty-fives years as a Christian I could count on one hand how often I’ve heard, “Fear not” preached, freely.

Why is that?  The church is the one place where God’s very own people are to be exhorted, edified and comforted; what better way to do that than tell us what God says to us about not fearing, not being afraid – especially of Himself!  I am of the opinion that the reason we don’t hear about this enough, is because too many preachers are not really and truly, deep down in their innermost being, released from fear of Him themselves.  If they were, they would shout it from the roof tops!  But rarely is this the case, in my experience.  I’ve heard plenty of religious men - but not many released men.

In fact, if it were not for the grace of God, Who for the past twenty-five years has made it His business to place biblical books, tapes & teachings at my disposal – from men who are released, I may not have been able to discern this. Numerous posts have been written on this blog of my experiences with church-goers who were fearful of God, their priests & ministers.  But in most cases there was no evidence that any of them knew God - no evidence that they were born again – so it is only natural that these people would be afraid of Him.  That was my experience too, before I met the Lord.

But once born again, it should be most unnatural for a person to have a sustained fear of God.  How is it that we hear so much about God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and peace etc, but often not much change being evidenced as a result, in the lives of those who hear these messages.  I guess the answers to this are many and complex.  I know God can only really work effectively in us as we (in faith) meet the conditions required to inherit His promises…but still, how is it?  Why is it?  One answer today.  It seems to me that the people and preachers do not REALLY BELIEVE  that God’s salvation is a GIFT Ephesians 2:8-9.

Yes, biblical Christians know in their head that salvation is a gift, but how about deep down in their heart?  One of my favorite questions when speaking with Christians is, “If you died tonight, do you believe you would go to heaven?”  Too often the answer is, “I hope so.”  My next question is, “Is Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord?”  When they say He is, I then ask them why.  A born-again biblical Christian’s answer should be something like, “Because Jesus died on the cross for my sins and every one of them (past, present and future) has been washed away by His blood.  I’m trusting Him, therefore, I am no longer guilty before God.” 

That, or similar should be the answer.  But I have found too often that it is not.  The answer to my “Why?’ is usually something like, “Well, I’m doing my best to faithful and obedient to Him………..”  Enough said!  The moment I hear, “I’m doing”, I know that such a person has no assurance of having God’s GIFT.  They were once sure, perhaps - but not now.  Here’s why.  When people attend a church where the gospel is preached, a great emphasis (rightly so) is placed on the need for one to receive Jesus as Savior.  And there is great joy always, when one does so.  Is it joy for Jesus?  Partly.  But also, is it joy for the preacher and his church, because, ”we’re extending the kingdom of God in this place, hallelujah!”?

I know that sounds cynical on my part, but it needs to be asked.  Again, here’s why.  Once a person becomes born again, he is told he now needs to get baptised.  It is true, he does.  The question is, in what manner is he told?  Is it with genuine Holy Spirit-led love, grace, exhortation and encouragement?  And do they receive sound biblical teaching on baptism, so that they can’t wait to get baptised?  Or are they lorded over (with a smile), manipulated into (with a smile) or fear-driven into it? 

Now, in most churches, once the person does get baptised, it is then not too long before he learns of his expectations & obligations.  First, he must join the church - “become a member to show your commitment to Jesus!”  Then he will be encouraged to, “seek God for your ministry” which often simply means, “get involved with the church program.”  So he does that.  He doesn’t have any choice.  Everyone else is doing it too and “what will they think of me if I don’t?”  He does not realise it yet, but the moment he yields to that thought, the seeds of religious fear have been sown and later they will grow to kill his joy.  

When this born again, baptised believer first notices that he’s losing his joy he will be reluctant to admit it.  The worship team sing songs of joy.  Every week the song leader and singers up the front appear to be full of joy, so he rallies himself to get with it.  He keeps hearing “faith messages” from the pulpit, and he notices people nodding their head, saying, “amen” to certain statements - so he does it too.  The only problem however, after the service nobody seems to want to talk about faith – even the minister.  They want to talk about the football!  

He hears a couple women expressing concern over who should be on the morning tea roster. They’re not happy.  Other women are talking, but it doesn’t appear to be about the message on faith either.  In fact, he listens to two of them discussing their worries and problems.  One of the influential ladies in the church marches over, widely smiling as she asks him if he would consider putting his name to another “very important” church program.  She tells him, “We think you are just the man for this job.”  Because he has not learned to discern the voices of manipulation and flattery, he falls for it. 

Years go by, but in them all, this man has given little thought to the reality that he is no longer, “set free in Jesus.”  He, along with his minister and others simply believe they are.  As for that joy he once had?  Well, “everybody has to mature and grow up in the faith.  We’re not babies forever!”  He believes every word of that.  And yes, like everyone else in that church, ”set free in Jesus” still comes up often in the minister’s “faith” messages.  But, neither he or the others ever stop to consider what it really means.  Why not?  Because “real faith is demonstrated,” the minister and others will say – or imply - ”by how much you are committed to the church program.”

In other words, most churches are works based – rules based.  It has to be said too, it is the leaders who create this mentality, fostered and feed by the members.  The rules are not written down.  They don’t need to be.  Everyone knows what’s expected of them and what their obligations are.  They believe themselves to be Christ-centered, but in reality they are church-centered, man-centered.  And as a result – fear rules the day whether they know it or not, or believe it or not. 

Salvation is a GIFT.  We cannot earn it.  God wants our being, before our doing.  Once He’s got that, He provides the doing.  A by-product of doing it God’s way is to experience release from fear - both of Him and man.  Then the joy becomes real and sustained.  In that order only are we able to, “Fear not.”  “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10. 

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.

That was a question I sometimes asked myself before I came to experience the reality of Christ.  Not long after I did experience Him though, I began to get a glimpse of why such differences, because when I shared what had happened to me (see my About page) and quoted the Bible to support my testimony, it was the “devout” religious practitioners who turned on me and away from me first.  A little later, when studying the Bible I saw that it was the religious people who set the Lord Jesus up to be killed.  It was not the junkies, whores and thieves that many religious folk take much delight in looking down upon.  With the Lord Himself, I was in good company! 

The reason for using the word “biblical” was to draw the distinctions between the “religious” and the “real” and that the real can only be experienced as we take a stand for the Jesus Christ revealed within the Bible alone, plus nothing else.  Numerous groups and denominations tell their people that they can only receive infallible guidance from God through their leader/s.  Roman Catholicism is not the only system to teach this.  Many are there who have elevated themselves as apostles and prophets so as to give “current infallible guidance” from God.  But the Bible declares all that is necessary for godliness and faith can be found in the Scriptures.  The religious spirit rejects that.

Controlling leadership says it is only those in their group who can rightfully partake of the bread and wine and as they do so, it is only then that each person can be sure of his or her salvation.  Gathering “around the table together” is spoken of as an extremely important step to holding on to their spiritual security.  The Bible shows us, however, that our partaking of these elements, the bread and wine (grape juice) do not in themselves impart spiritual life, they simply remind us of both the saving and finished work of Jesus Christ.  In fact, it is also a time of celebration, not solemnity, nor is it a time for creating a breeding ground of fear.

Controlling leadership tells their followers that their souls are “being saved” only as they embrace the doctrines and practices of that particular group.  They blasphemously teach that God imparts a deposit of His righteousness to those who believe Christ, but not enough for salvation, which means they only become acceptable to God as they continue to strive for their own righteousness through “good works” – that is “works” that meet leadership approval.  This lie creates a great and sustained fear within each person, causing them to be ever looking inward upon self, instead of looking upon the Lord Jesus within.

Such teaching and practice is extremely effective, always.  The problem is, however, it not only breeds fear in people, but also religious pride, coupled with smug, self-satisfaction.  The Bible makes it very clear that we are saved only by the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ Romans 3:22-24; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1: 30; Galatians 2:21; Philippians 3:9.  Jesus fully imparts His righteousness to each one of us the very moment we confess Him as Lord and Savior of our life.  Bless the Lord for the late Derek Prince, who taught, “To Adam’s sin we have added much of our own.  To Christ’s righteousness, we can add nothing.”  Romans 5:17. 

There are groups that teach a “doctrine” of Sinless Perfection.  That is, their people are promised that in the last days, before the return of Jesus Christ, those within their ranks will have been perfected from all sin – totally sinless!  Meaning also, that those Christians not within their ranks, will not be perfected.  Now apart from the grievous lie, plus the spiritual & mental harm such teaching creates, it has the blasphemous effect of making their followers church-centered, rather than Christ-centered.  They will talk of Jesus, but a serious study of such a “doctrine” shows that they do not speak of the biblical Lord Jesus, the author and finisher (completer, consummater) of our faith Hebrews 12:2.

There are those who teach that only their priest, minister, reverend or (often self-elevated) apostles and prophets are capable of understanding the Scriptures - especially “those deep spiritual truths.”  Therefore, the wide reading of books and study materials, plus the attending of outside seminars and fellowships are (in a sophisticated manner) discouraged.  Again, it comes back to the “infallible guidance” mentality where only the leaders are capable of leading their followers into truth.  In biblical effect, they are bordering on blaspheming the Holy Spirit, Who’s job it is to lead us into all truth John 16:13.

Whilst abhorring the embracing of extra-biblical “doctrines” because of the tremendous effect such “doctrines” have upon us in nullifying the living and powerful written word of God, the Holy Spirit, nevertheless, greatly encourages the use of Spirit-anointed books, studies and commentaries for His people.  He will make it His business to place these in our hands as we diligently seek Him, in fulfilment of His command for us to study earnestly.  We are to present ourselves approved to God as workmen that do not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  How else could we “shun profane and vain babblings” which is also His command?

It is nearly always done in ignorance and sustained by fear, but when members of controlling organizations anchor their “faith” upon the so-called “rock” of their church/leadership instead of upon the ROCK, Jesus Christ Himself, naturally they will believe their salvation to be in danger.  In fact, worse than that, they can never sure they have salvation!  The demonic religious spirit of control will make sure of it.  That is why the people will endeavor never to miss a service or meeting and will feel tremendous guilt when and if they do so.  That is why they are so pliable in the hands of such inwardly ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing.

No one man, church, group, organization or system can ever contain or restrain the all-powerful work and reality of God Almighty.  And the Bible declares it is His will, plan and desire for all people to come to know Him on a personal basis through the revelation of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  And yes, the Holy Spirit has placed leaders in the church, whom we are called to honor and obey, but only as they commit to leading us to Jesus Christ alone and not to themselves, their doctrines and organizations alone.  A test of how effective leaders are in this calling can be observed by how much their people express biblical liberty - especially when in their company.

There are only two churches.  One is led by the Holy Trinity of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit using imperfect men and the other is led by the unholy trinity: religion, politics and control, also using imperfect men.  To discern which is which is often not easy.  In fact, it can be very difficult – even as a practicing biblical believer.  Why?  Because of the mixture that’s taught in both.  In other words, not everything expressed in the Lord’s church is perfect and not everything expressed in religious man’s church is imperfect.  That is why we must stick close to the Holy Spirit and His plain-sense-meaning Scriptural revelations. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22.  

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.

Imagine yourself sitting

Working with the religious in my community as a gospel messenger, it was almost a daily experience for me to be sitting in a person’s lounge room discussing what appeared to be our mutual Friend, the Lord Jesus Christ.  The only problem was however, when these dear people described their Jesus to me, it was not the Jesus of the Bible.  The nature and character they were describing was not at all the same.  This was not really foreign to me though, because until I met the biblical Lord Jesus, I had my own descriptions of what I thought He was like.

I had no love for the Jesus I’d created in my own mind however, but most of those people said they did.  Especially did the migrants from southern Europe.  At the mere mention of Jesus’ name, many (both men & women) would cry, cross themselves, kiss religious pictures, prayer books & crucifixes and in broken English declare, “Me love Jesus.”  Among the various Jesus’ they described was one who bodily lives in the form of a wafer inside a small box-like tabernacle on the altar of their church.  Others declared their love for Baby Jesus, the miracle worker, and still others for the Jesus hanging on their crucifixes.  In their eyes He had not come off that cross.

Other religious people told me of their love and respect for Jesus, but when they described Him, it was not the Jesus of the Bible either.  They said that Jesus existed in three different and separate states.  He was the Archangel Michael in heaven before He came to earth, and a brother of Lucifer (the devil).  He was nothing but a mere man when He was here,  and He is now, again, Michael in heaven.  They denied Jesus’ divine status, informing me that He is a mighty god, but not Almighty God, therefore, He is neither eternal nor co-equal with God the Father.  These people claimed to know their Bible, but they were determined to deny that Jesus Christ is Who He says He is in it.

I met those who told me that Jesus is a created being, the first-born spirit child of a long line of children who were sexually conceived in spirit form by a Heavenly Father who is called God of the universe, and a Heavenly Mother.  They too told me that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers in the spirit world.  God the Father chose Jesus to be the Savior of the world and Lucifer argued with that decision among other things, whereby God threw him out of heaven, taking one third of the angels with him to become Satan and his demons.  They said Jesus was married to Mary, Martha and Mary Magdalene, all at the same time.

One day I was having a coffee with a young lady who told me she had recently given her heart to Jesus.  She had studied some material written by an author commonly known and popular for his prosperity gospel teaching - also known as “name it and claim it” theology.  She bought into that teaching, telling me Jesus wants His people to become rich financially & materially – big dollars, big houses, big cars etc.  So all one has to do is believe for whatever it is they want by faith and sooner or later it will show up.  When asked what if Jesus’ teaching had more to do with spiritual prosperity than materialism, she replied, “I’m looking for a church that teaches what I believe, regardless!” 

One man told me he was a Christian psychologist and he did not like the biblical declaration of us all being born in sin.  He much preferred to embrace another common teaching which talks of Jesus coming to earth and dying for us on the cross to secure our self-worth or self-esteem.  When challenged with the idea that our problems are not in the realm of the mind (psyche) but rather, deep-seated in our spirit – the realm which only Jesus is qualified to enter - I got a glimpse of how the Lord Himself must have felt when insulted by those old Pharisees - “What would you know?  Where are your qualifications?” 

Many other people did I meet whose practice it was to pick and choose from the Bible.  One dear old lady was brought up as a child under the temperance society - a once influential social movement against the use of alcoholic beverages.  Any discussions we had about Jesus, His mission, His promises and the Bible in general – all of them were interpreted by her through the eyes of intolerance for “the demon drink.”  More than once I shared that I was a former alcohol abuser, but had now been redeemed and delivered by the Lord, and more than once did she tell me, “You don’t know your Bible.”  Her Jesus had no room for redemption to boozers!

Other biblical pickers and choosers spoke of a Jesus so full of love for us all that He turns a blind eye to all things morally injurious in the world and, regardless of repentance, heaven is their destination.  Some people asked me for my opinion about hell and when I replied that it is a place where one sends themselves at death because of one’s lifetime denial or rejection of Jesus Christ, they told me in no uncertain terms that, “Jesus would not at all be impressed with your judgmentalism and lack of love.”  I found that always to be a remarkable statement because as deniers of biblical declaration, they failed to see judgmentalism and lack of (biblical) love within themselves. 

Although worshipping the Jesus of one’s imagination was rampant among those people I met, it was nothing new.  This practice was going on at the beginnings of the church in Corinth, being such a concern for Paul the apostle that he was compelled to bring it to their attention.  In New Testament 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 he spoke of his fears of them becoming corrupted and seduced from, “the simplicity (singleness) that is in Christ” by accepting teachers who brought them to “another Jesus” and “another spirit” as well as “another gospel.”  Well, it was not the same people, but it certainly was the same spirit that had seduced these dear people – a religious, but unholy spirit.

In this blog I have spoken previously of the common “mantra” I encountered among the religious, “It all depends on how you interpret the Bible.”  Not everybody used that statement as a smoke-screen to hide behind, but when I asked the apparently sincere ones, “How do you interpret it?”  They had no answer.  They could only fall back on what their churches or other influential people had imparted to them, most of which was a mixture of misquoted Scripture coupled with extra-biblical teaching.  They had plenty to tell me that the Bible never mentions, but very little to tell me what it does mention.

So the question is, at that time, can we say we were talking about the same Jesus, regardless of biblical accuracy?  No.  We can not.  Did they truly and sincerely know and love the Lord Jesus Christ, the One Who shed His blood for us on that cross in a once-and-for-all sacrifice?  No.  They did not.  The Gospels tell us Jesus is THE TRUTH, not A truth.  Those same gospels tell us that Jesus can only be known in TRUTH by those who seek TRUTH John 14:6; 18:37 .  By their numerous actions, reactions and responses to my message, they gave no indication (again, at that time) that they were willing to shift from their “theological” positions.  “You shall have no other gods before Me” Exodus 20:3.  “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk (live) in truth.” 3 John 1:4.

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.

No challenges were ever brought to the people in that church about their spiritual condition.  However, by what came out of the mouths of some during tea & coffee after the service, challenges should have been brought from time to time.  Relationships between a few who’d been members there for many years were not what they should have been either - with anger, bitterness, unforgiveness etc, showing up.  Ignorance and unbelief in the Scriptures showed up as well, resulting in lack of faith.  But here they were turning up without fail, week after week, year after year participating in the Lord’s Supper.

There was an elder in that church too who made it clear that the communion messages were not to be mini sermons.  He was a clock watcher.  The people loved it when he preached because before, and during his sermons he frequently said, “I will not be keeping you long this morning.”  My name was on that roster.  After some years of hearing the same kind of communion message coming each Sunday, when it came my turn to bring a message I sought the Lord asking Him to lay it on my heart what He wanted shared.  Sometimes my messages were challenging and would be slightly over the allotted time.

One morning I had a message that I didn’t really want to bring because, although it was edifying, exhorting and comforting in my mind according to 1 Corinthians 14:3, it was very challenging.  During the presentation I felt the devil’s daggers and darts from people both behind and in front of me.  It was very clear that neither I nor the message was popular that morning.  When I took my place again after, I said, “Oh Lord.  That didn’t go over too well.  I’ve offended lots of them.”  How I praise God for His strong encouragement and perhaps, mild rebuke.  Immediately He said, “Don’t seek the approval of man.”

In my twenty-five years as a biblical believer I have had some wonderful encouraging and liberating words from the Lord, but those six words I would not trade for anything.  The moment I heard them, I also experienced an empowering of the Holy Spirit to embrace them and live according to them at a level not lived before.  No messenger of the gospel deliberately wants to offend his or her hearers, but the reality is that if we are truly following the biblical Lord Jesus Christ, we will offend, Jesus has told us so - end of story.  Whether it was related to my message or not, it was not long before the clock-watching elder made more protests about “mini sermons.”

How awesome to discover that the mind of God is the absolute antithesis to the mind of man.  From birth we’re conditioned by parents or guardians to be on our best behavior, to give thought to, “what others might think of you” etc; with added conditioning coming as well from our school teachers, peers, bosses and whoever else we give our ears to.  Looking good, is the number one motivator for most people in life, none of us wanting to be thought of as anything other than what our conditioning has created for us and made us believe.  The pressure to live up to other people’s expectations is hell on earth and it’s destroying multitudes of people – even Christians.

Many years before the Lord spoke to me about this, I was to observe “approval-seeking” practice going on in the first church I became a member of.  A couple of leaders or influential men in that place would constantly look towards the pastor as they made comments, everything worded in such a way that it would be difficult for the pastor not to approve.  It went on for the six or more years I was there.  When that pastor left, these two men carried on the same behavior with the next person.  The Bible calls such people “men pleasers” Galatians 1:10, which was a very apt description for both.  Neither man turned out to be a God pleaser. 

I was to witness the same practice in lots of people at another church I was associated with, also for nearly seven years.  The members in this national organization saw themselves as, “a very privileged group of people indeed.”  They had “a word from God that no other church is getting” and they were very proud of that belief.  They still are.  During men’s meetings, sitting around tables either formally or casually, certain ones when they spoke looked with an eye of approval-seeking towards a leader as they shared their doctrinal thoughts and opinions.  Looking good, appeared to be a powerful motivator for each man.

It was the same at home group meetings.  Their main method of “interpreting” the Scriptures was to allegorize and spiritualize them at the expense of retaining the plain-sense meanings, which is what gave them this “very special word from God.”  It was difficult enough to understand what was first being taught when it came down from the head guru interstate, but by the time ordinary church members in the home group put there slant to whatever we were discussing, my head would spin whilst a few tongues were tied.  A couple of tongues that were frequently untied however, always had eyes of approval-seeking fixed towards the leaders as they spoke.

It has been said that the unholy trinity rules in most churches: religion, politics and control.  And I believe it with all my heart.  But from what I have discerned, it is the demonic spirit of control manifesting itself in the most influential leader that is the root cause of approval-seeking, causing both to spread like cancer.  The weak always cave in to the strong and it is no different in the church than it is in the jail.  What a sin that is!  Here we have in the church, controlling preachers talking about freedom and liberty with approval-seekers nodding “Amen” to their every word – but neither one doing anything about it.

The biblical reality is that both controllers and approval-seekers are insecure people who need to be delivered – set free from themselves.  Until we are set free, we are pretty much powerless in the hands of God, but very powerful in the hands of the devil.  If we don’t see to it that our controlling and approval-seeking must go, the devil will see to it that the demonic spirits of religion and politics are part of the deal as well.  And they are, in most churches throughout the western world – hence the unholy trinity.  Is it any wonder the unbelieving world wants nothing to do with us?  They’ve already got it! 

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees of His day about freedom and they told Him they were Abraham’s descendants and that they had never been in bondage to anyone John 8:32-33.  They were blinded to the reality that the Romans were walking all over them!   In two thousand years Jesus has never ceased speaking about freedom.  It’s for all who will choose to receive.  The problem is, just like those old Pharisees, many sitting in those church pews – and standing in pulpits, believe themselves to be Jesus’ “descendants” free from all bondage, when the reality is, the demons of religion, politics, control -and approval-seeking are walking all over them.  “And I will walk at liberty, for I will seek Your precepts.” Psalm 119:45.  “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (freedom).”  2 Corinthians 3:17.                 

© 2010, Roger Williams. All rights reserved.