Month: February 2014 (Page 1 of 3)

The supporters of Roma Downey and Mark Burnett’s movie, “Son of God”, are either puzzled about or indignant toward individuals that oppose the movie. They do not understand people like me that refuse to compromise. I cannot speak for anyone else, but I can explain why I adopt unyielding positions when defending true Christianity from encroachment by heretics and heresy.

Nearly thirty seven years ago, I was a hopeless drug addict and alcoholic. Immersed deeply in the seedy underworld of the music business, I reveled in sin as a normal way of life. I was extremely vulgar, violent, and filled with hatred because of my childhood. I once put a .38 caliber pistol to my temple, cocked the hammer, and began to squeeze the trigger. Something stopped me that night. Later on I intentionally rolled my car down a mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The police officers and my friends that saw the car remarked that they did not know how I got out alive. Suicide was an inevitable end for me. I was extremely miserable and nothing I did abated the mental and emotional torture.

In a motel room in Lubbock, Texas, I began reading a Bible. I started reading the last book first (because I wanted to know how it ended before I read such a large book). When I read the final verse in Revelation 3, I understood that God wanted to come inside. To make a long story short, I gave my life to Him that night. He delivered me from all bondage instantly; I had no effects of withdrawal. I went to my Mom’s house in Oklahoma and had read the entire Bible before I started looking for a church. When God called me to preach, I began preaching in the State Prison in McAlester, Oklahoma.

I promised that I would follow and obey Him no matter what the cost. In over 36 years of ministry, I have preached over 150 revivals and pastored 8 churches, pioneering 4 of them. I know what it is like to feel God’s strong hand upon me, to operate under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and have experienced and witnessed many times the supernatural working of God. I have seen demons cast out, people that were near death healed, countless people that were hardened and wicked saved, by the power of God. In my deepest and darkest trials, I learned how to trust God for deliverance, to hear His voice, and to obey His directives. Several times, He has delivered me from death, healed me, and answered prayers for help in very critical situations. I know the true Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, King of kings and Son of God. I know His voice.

In the past 3 ½ decades, I’ve witnessed the gradual decline of fidelity in professing Christians. It seemed that after a certain level of declension had been reached, another major heresy would arrive. A significant faction of Christians would hop on board without giving it a second thought. Each time they fired verbal darts at me for not accepting their new fad. In each case the argument was the same. They accused me of dogmatism, of clinging to an unreasonable position, of attacking people who only want to serve God, and of refusing to accept God’s “new thing”. I found and still find it incredible that people will reject what is true and pure while they rush to accept something diabolical that has only a modicum of truth. They defend their decision by asking, “Don’t you believe God can work through it?” Certainly, but God can make a jackass talk (2 Peter 2:16). That does not mean that we should have a new standard of putting jackasses in pulpits. The only time one needs to go to plan B is when plan A fails. Plan A is true Christianity according to God’s Word and it will never fail. Plan B is of Satan and his minions are constantly trying to supplant true Christianity with it.

The ones that abandoned true Christianity incrementally grew in number while the amount of true Christians decreased. Many of them died and other ones are old and debilitated. That brings me to the current state of Christianity. Presently, true Christianity is under a widespread insidious attack from New Age mystics and other heretics. It is considered by many in the younger generations as a strange religion, and bizarre in its requirements. Some people even believe that it needs to be discarded and replaced. The replacement Christianity suffers from an identity crisis and is susceptible to every wolf in sheep’s clothing, no matter how scantily clad. The professing masses race to buildings where sensationalism has replaced the Holy Spirit anointing and hirelings fleece them of money and autonomy. They ignore the ones that God has called to shepherd them. Their leaders apply pejorative terms to true Christians. They call us heresy hunters, judgmental and critical spirits, legalistic, dogmatic, and etcetera. We stand in the way of inclusive New Christianity that accepts all religions. It is Seeker Friendly, Emergent, and swims in New Age contemplative spirituality. This all inclusive Christianity is possible because decades of incremental heresy has degraded it and denuded it of identity and exclusiveness. Along the path of declension there were people warning the travelers not to go in that direction. They were labeled alarmists and pilloried for their efforts.

Now we have reached the place to where New Age heretics posing falsely as Christians can make a movie that would have been considered offensive three decades ago. Now it is considered a benefit to God’s kingdom and nearly every leading professing Christian is supporting it. Further, they attack anyone that opposes it. There is a passage in Isaiah where God is speaking that rends my heart.

“For I looked, and there was no man;
I looked among them, but there was no counselor,
Who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
Indeed they are all worthless;
Their works are nothing;
Their molded images are wind and confusion.” (Isaiah 41:28-29)

Someone must stand up for God on this earth. Someone must defend Him against satanic heresy. Someone must defy all attempts to pervert the Gospel and tarnish the image of Christ Jesus. Someone must keep a strong beacon in the lighthouse of faith. I intend to be one that will do those things no matter what the cost. Some call it dogmatism, but I call it passionate love. No matter what they call it, as long as I have breath, may God never again have to say, “For I looked, and there was no man.”

Roma Downey and Mark Burnett’s movie, Son of God, is set to open in theaters this Saturday. I am completely opposed to the film for several good reasons. I believe it to be a work of two New Age mystics that have twisted the word of God to fit their personal belief systems. Just the fact that Ceelo (Mr. Vulgar) Green is singing in the movie is a red flag that every true Christian should be concerned about. Matthew Hagee goes beyond endorsing the movie to attacking everyone who opposes it. The following is my response to his statement of support.

A NOTE FROM PASTOR MATTHEW HAGEE: This weekend over 500,000 people, whether Believers or Non-Believers will attend the film “Son of God”. This film is an effort to make people aware about a Savior who died in their place, and gave His life that they might be redeemed. I am personally saddened at the state of the body of Christ in America when we cannot celebrate that fact. What an awesome thing to have a half million people line up to see a major motion picture made with excellence about Jesus, and hear about what He ultimately has done for all men everywhere. There are not a half million people pre-purchasing tickets to go watch the regular trash that is sold to us and corrupts our culture and destroys our families. They are going to see a production companies effort to tell others about the Son of God.

Response: While Hagee sees a half-million people lining up to watch a heretical film produced by two New Age false Christians as a good thing, I view it as an indictment of pastors who sold this sordid bill of goods to their congregations. I also view it as very disturbing that so many professing Christians have so little discernment. I am also saddened by the fact that Christianity is under an aggressive attack of New Age mystics and individuals such as Matthew Hagee are doing nothing to expose it.

The reason that I write this is because I have had plenty of emails and inquiries sent to my office, asked to me in passing, and pushed through the “grape vine” about what some people have been able to pull up about the Burnett-Downey family or the actual actor who plays the role of Jesus. Let me make this clear, “That is a waste of time, and I don’t care to read it, or hear it!” Why you ask?

Response: I find it amazing that Hagee refuses to research or accept information essential to informing his congregation about heresy and the diabolical individuals that are promoting it. It is never a waste of time to present the truth and warn people about heresy. Why do we ask? Because when another gospel and another Jesus are presented, the ones who do the deed are accursed. It is a matter of love and duty to God and our fellow Christians that we warn them about supporting the unfruitful works of darkness with their money and credibility.

1. You can’t believe everything you read. Believe it or not, not all that stuff floating around on the world wide web is true. I have plenty of personal experience in this.

Response: Certainly not all “that stuff floating around on the world-wide web is true”. However, Hagee has a presence on the world-wide web. Should we believe what he writes? He made his post in favor of the film and its producers on the world-wide web. Are we to gauge his words by the same measurement that he gauges ours? If it is true, it does not matter whether or not it is on the world-wide web.  Therefore, his point is invalid.

2. Even if what you have to present or argue about is based in a measure of truth, ask yourself this question. Do you take the same time to investigate the person who volunteers to play Jesus in the Christmas pageant or walk out of the dry ice with a dove on his finger at Easter? Do you look into the dating history of the girl who played Mary in the pageant of ’96, or question if all that was portrayed on Dec. 25th was true and accurate in its exact detail about “The Day” that our Savior was born? Or…do you enjoy an individual’s effort to bring others to a moment of awareness about who Jesus was and what He has done?

Response: I have never attended any of those events. However, his points are like comparing the indiscretions of a child with the purposeful crimes of an adult. If that standard is to be used, then why should a pastor ever check the credentials of anyone that he invites to minister in his church? Would Hagee invite a Mormon or Muslim that also claims to be a Christian to preach in his church? Why not book a homosexual quartet on Sunday morning as long as they sing gospel music? Go ahead and allow a New Age mystic to teach a Sunday School class. As long as they add the title Christian, should we toss out all discernment and welcome them to feed the flock of God?

My point should be pretty clear. Stop arguing about what doesn’t matter and celebrate what others are trying to do. One of the reasons that we are losing the battle for our nation is because we are wasting our energy tearing each other apart instead of supporting those who are attempting to reach the lost. I am not concerned as to whether you agree or disagree with the above, I have aligned myself with the Word and I am looking forward to going to the movies with more than 3500 of our Church members this Thursday.

Response: First, if it doesn’t matter that Downey and Burnett are heretics that spread heresy, then nothing matters and discernment is useless. Christianity would have an open door for any demon that adds the title of Christian. Hagee should practice what he preaches. He is using what he believes is discernment in attacking me and other Christians for exposing heresy and heretics. If he means that Christians are tearing each other apart, he is engaging in the same activity that he condemns. Christianity is rife with heresy and heretics. That is the reason it is weak and has no power to change this nation or the world. The evil is rapidly advancing because highly visible leaders such as Hagee not only refuse to confront the problem, but attack anyone who does. One thing is perfectly clear; he is not aligned with the Word of God in this matter.
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

I give you the words of Jesus from Luke 9:49-50, “Now John answered and said, Master we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.” (50) “But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us in on our side.”

Response: I find that an incredible misapplication of that scripture.  Roma Downey and Mark Burnett are not casting out demons or doing any other works of God. In fact, they are doing the work of heresy and have a demonic individual singing in their film. By Hagee’s standard, he is declaring that we should not oppose the New Age Movement, necromancy, vulgarity, and any of the cults and false religions. Here is a better verse than the one he posted.

“These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” (Jude 1:12-13)

The harvest is many and the workers are few, PRAY FOR THE HARVEST!!! Stop throwing rocks at those who are working in the fields.

Sincerely,
Pastor Matt

Response: I implore Matthew Hagee to stop throwing rocks at God’s watchmen. Roma Downey and Mark Burnett are not working in God’s harvest, but they are attempting to harvest souls for the kingdom of darkness. There is a widespread spirit of ecumenism with New Age mystics occurring in Christianity that could quite possibly destroy it. The Assemblies of God leadership, in spite of many detailed warnings, chose to invite a New Age mystic to speak at their General Council. The reasoning was exactly as Matthew Hagee’s reasoning concerning the film, ‘Son of God’.

Christianity is apostatizing from the head down. Downey and Burnett’s film will further soften Christians at the grass roots level to accept New Age heresy. We are seeing the formation of a Global religion and there are no highly visible leaders attempting to expose it. Like Hagee, they are instead embracing it. It is a sad day for Christianity. This is not a game! It is a deadly contest for your eternal souls. Guard your hearts and minds, because no one else is going to do it for you. The only way to survive this period is by prayer, reading and studying God’s Word, abstain from association with evil, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

In Christ Jesus,

C. H. Fisher

A number of professing Christians are alarmed by what they view as fatal heresy and even apostasy occurring in Christianity.  Please allow me to make a distinction here.  The Body of Christ is composed of people.  However, Christianity is composed of various churches, denominations and movements, and people.  The Body of Christ is pure, but Christianity is riddled with heresy.  Many of these factions have been heading down the road to apostasy for quite some time.  I have observed a common paradigm that is woven through all of them.  There are a number of members in each faction that will rise up in protest and oppose the invasion of the heresy.  It does not seem to matter because heresy eventually takes over.  That may be due to the fact that some of the protestors either die or capitulate to the heresies.  There is another reason that I will relate later in this article.  In any case, the result is that the churches, denominations or movements become apostate to a significant degree.  In some of these apostate entities, there are still people protesting even though the organization has become so spiritually decrepit that it appears beyond help.

The question remains; “Why do they stay?”   It is a paradox of sorts.  Although they claim to want purity in their relationship with God, they are willing to associate with an impure entity for no good reason(s).  Some would protest and declare that they have invested their lives in the organization and they are not going to allow Satan to destroy it.  But Satan mocks them and their feeble protests, and then goes on and does what he wishes.  Other ones will not admit it, but they stay because they are fearful of leaving.  They are afraid of the unknown, of losing fellowship with friends, of suffering, and ministers are fearful of losing income and position.  All the reasons amount to an insufficient argument for remaining in fellowship with a religious entity that has been overcome by apostasy.

In my 36 years of following Christ Jesus I have never witnessed an entire church, denomination, movement, turn back to God after reaching critical mass with heresy.  I have witnessed a few churches recapture their former vision and position, but not without conflict and painful upheaval, plus loss of membership and leaders.  The only cure for apostasy seems to be preventative measures.  The moment a heresy knocks on the door, people must rise up and vehemently reject it.  If it has been accepted to a degree and then exposed, they must spew it, as it were, out of their mouths.  There is a good reason that does not occur.  It is because there are a certain number of people in every church, denomination, and movement that view a heresy as an alternate point of view that needs to be heard.  They give place to Satan while they marginalize the protests and insist on being “reasonable” and “rational”. “Reasonable and “rational” translated is, “Give sin a chance.”  The only rationale is to reject heresy in every form no matter how gaudily it is clothed in claims of truth or promises of beneficial worth.

Heresy always comes from very convincing people that appear well-intentioned and even godly.  You can observe these tares most clearly in Internet venues such as forums, blogs, and Facebook pages.  They are the ones who immediately rise in strong opposition when someone points out a heresy.  You would think that they had been poked with the hot iron of a personal insult.  They go off on tirades about accepting other points of view.  Many of them speak in ethereal terms of being loving and kind, or about being thoughtful or considerate.  They accuse the messenger of getting his or her facts from dubious sources, of being ignorant, of leaping to false conclusions, and of being judgmental, legalistic, or even hateful.  However, you never witness them speaking out against any sin or heresy.  All their effort is focused on individuals that dare to challenge a work of darkness.  I have observed them attending church meetings with no outward sign of participating in worship, no reaction to the preaching and teaching, and no outward show of support for anything good that occurs in the church.  However, when a heresy is exposed or prevented from entering the church, they rise up as if they are God-ordained ombudsmen for doctrinal diversity.  Professing Christians that are unstable or dependent on the externals, words and appearances, are easily swayed by such individuals.

True Christians must face the fact that every generation of Christians are infiltrated by individuals that are deemed as mere nominal Christians.  In appearance and action (or lack thereof) they resemble wilted or malnourished wheat.  However, if they were nominal Christians, there would be hope for reviving them to vibrancy.  They are not nominal Christians; they are tares.  These tares will grow and mingle with Christians long enough to assume many of the outward qualities.  However, they will come to life the moment a move of the Holy Spirit occurs, or a heresy approaches for entrance. The Holy Spirit is a threat to them, heresy is an attraction.  It isn’t that they have no discernment, but that they do not have the mind of Christ.  Therefore, they are not alarmed by approaching or invading heresy.  Instead, they become agitated when someone opposes heresy.  They deem heresy as progress, as a natural extension of the thought process that operates in them.  Thus, they make the individual pay dearly that dares to expose or reject what they believe is an increase of God.  I seriously doubt if most of them are even aware that they are in league with Satan.

There is another preventative measure that cannot be neglected without dire ramifications.  A church, denomination, or movement, must have a steady stream of new converts to counter the influence of such people.  In fact, if they are not infused with new converts and periodic revivals, no matter how strong their doctrine may be, that church, denomination, or movement, will die spiritually.  They will become infested with heresy and individuals that cannot discern good from evil.  Nothing righteous can grow in such an environment.  Anyone attempting to remain will use most of his or her spiritual resources resisting the contamination of apostasy.  One has to consider if it is worth such an expenditure and waste of spiritual energy simply to meet with root-bound tares in a particular building.  Is that really what it is all about…a building? Is it worth the massive waste of spiritual energy to remain in a tare infested denomination or movement?  Of what benefit is it to waste all that energy just to have a title in front of the term Christian?  I am more in empathy with ministers whose income is tied to a denomination or movement.  However, it is better to be in poverty, or to work at a secular job, and to have fewer places to preach, than to wade around in a cesspool pouring out fresh water.  Please accept my word of honor that I do not make that last statement from an ivory tower of abundance.

I left the denomination that I was ordained with over much less apostasy than the amount that has infected it today.  I did not wait for the New Age Movement, Roman Catholicism, and etcetera, to infiltrate the leadership.  I witnessed the quenching of the Holy Spirit. It was manifested as disdain and condescension toward ministers that preached with demonstrations of the Spirit and power.  I observed the marginalizing of the anointing, underhandedness, the flagrant lying, and other wickedness in leadership.  I made my exit.  It has not been an easy path, but easy was not what I signed up for when I gave my life to Christ.  God never promised me a cozy and comfortable life with all the perks and benefits of being a “clergyman”.  He called me out of darkness, drug and alcohol addiction, bondage to hatred and violence, and other wicked vices.  I owe Him everything.

Have I suffered?  Yes, but the spiritual benefits of that suffering are priceless.  Did I become financially and materially impoverished?  Yes, but I am spiritually rich.  Was I rejected?  Yes, many times and to great degrees, but I am accepted by God.  That’s really all that matters.  Was I fearful?  Yes, often, but I learned how to hold His hand.  It has always been extended, but I often trusted too much in my own abilities.  Did I feel alone?  Yes, many times.  But I learned how to hear the still, small, voice, and how to embrace the fellowship of His sufferings.  Did I lose my confidence?  Yes, and I have no confidence in the flesh.  Did I endure other hardships?  Yes, but I learned how to pray.  And it was not pagan contemplative praying, but communicating with God for long periods every day.  Have I regretted my decision?  I would be lying if I said that I did not at times regret it.  But each time I thought of going back, I would shudder to the depths of my soul.  Did I have any pity parties?  Yes, many.  I even made some of them last for days.  But they ceased after I re-read Foxes Book of Martyrs and reflecting considerably about the persecuted church.  I’m no martyr.  I would be too embarrassed to relate my woes in heaven before that blessed throng who loved not their lives unto death.  I just thank God that I left before the door closed on my exit.  That door will eventually close on anyone who rationalizes that they can have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness and remain a viable Christian.

Finally, God has a book.  It will not have recorded in it some of the things important to us in the temporal realm.  Instead, in it is recorded the names of people that love Him and their righteous deeds.  When His pen has ceased to move regarding your church, denomination, or movement, it is time to shake the dust off of your shoes and leave.

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord”
And who meditate on His name. (Malachi 3:16)