Archive for February 2015
My last night at Revival Church is tonight
I’m ready to burn one last time in Michigan! Tonight’s my last night at Revival Church…see you there!
Tonight’s it!
After nearly six years of amazing adventures in Michigan tonight is the last time I’ll be ministering at Revival Church, at least while still living here!
I can’t wait to cast the vision for full blown, intense revival and to connect with some of Detroit’s most amazing warriors!
Prayer starts at 6:15pm and the service begins at 7pm!
Oh, also…I NEED SOME HELP!!
We’ll be loading up the moving truck on Wednesday, March 11th at 1pm. It will be the EASIEST move you’ve ever experienced. Everything is already in the living/dining room and garage, ready to be put on the truck. With help we should knock it out in an hour. Can you help? PLEASE let me know. We’ll also need help doing some minor cleaning to make the house ready for the new owners.
New Charisma Magazine article: Unsaved Christians
Read my latest article in Charisma Magazine: Unsaved Christians
Unsaved Christians: Do We Understand the Threat of Sin in the Life of Christians?
Note: This is the first in a series of articles by John Burton. Part 2 on Friday will explore the salvation of Christians who persist in a life of “minor” sin.
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There is a glorious salvation to be had, and the enemy has tainted powerful, life-giving theologies in an attempt to counterfeit them—and draw people away from the one true God. God's passion is for people to be wildly in love with Him, and that is what the enemy is afraid of. Instead of radical intimacy and passionate obedience, people are falling for a lesser, false doctrine that communicates God's apparent affirmation of them and affection for them—and it is resulting in a faux closeness to him for millions of “Christians.”
Our salvation is glorious and it is also weighty. We can't presume upon it or take it lightly. I suggest it's possible that most people who are convinced of their position in Christ would actually be in Hell if they died today. I will share some convincing and powerful stories that speak directly to further down in the article. People like Corrie Ten Boom, John Mulinde and Daniel Ekechukwu have a perspective that few others do.
The concept of unsaved Christians seems contradictory. I understand that. A Christian is a follower of Jesus. I am suggesting that there are many followers of Jesus, many who name the name of Christ, who are living their lives following him in an unsaved condition.
Nephilim Doctrine: A teaching on dangerous doctrines and movements in the church
My second to last message at Revival Church is critical—Nephilim Doctrine.
I'm concerned that the American church has become so enthralled with psuedo-unity and mis-defined love that we are affirming false teachers as if they were comrades. Passivity does not equate to unity and silence does not reveal our love. Those who have been put at risk of Hell by those who are careless with their theology are the ones who deserve our love, care and attention the most…and that often requires a hard, unmovable stance.
Watch this timely teaching now (follow along with the notes below):
Teacher: John Burton
Teaching Title: Nephilim Doctrine
- I’m watching a couple of things happen: Unnecessary division and inappropriate unity.
- I'm concerned that the American church has become so enthralled with psuedo-unity and mis-defined love that we are affirming false teachers as if they were comrades. Passivity does not equate to unity and silence does not reveal our love. Those who have been put at risk of Hell by those who are careless with their theology are the ones who deserve our love, care and attention the most…and that often requires a hard, unmovable stance.
- Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:11-14
- We must watch and beware—and expose the darkness!
- We much be careful that we don’t fall ourselves. It will be VERY easy to do so. The falling away will be GREAT.
- After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. Matthew 26:73-74
- Peter was swearing that he did not know Jesus and was invoking a curse on himself if his words were untrue. He was saying, in effect, “May God strike me dead if I am lying.”
- Now, Peter wasn’t deceived by false teaching, he knew the Truth and he still boldly, intentionally denied Christ!
- The risk is even greater for those who think they know Christ but are deceived!
- Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth… Ephesians 6:13-14
- This is a very real warning that we must heed. We must stand.
- Deception will hit millions of current Christians—and the key deception is that the error isn’t something to be that concerned about.
- Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. Matthew 24:4-5
- These are not people who will take on the identity of Christ but who will come in his name and misrepresent him.
- Another way to say it would be: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many shall come claiming to represent Me, saying that I [Jesus] am the Christ, yet shall deceive many.”
- For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
- See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8
- Continuing from Children of the Last Days teaching:
- They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth–men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings–what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:6-17
- Always learning; fresh revelations
- They are learning but can’t acknowledge the truth
- Why? They oppose the truth.
- True Christians will be persecuted for their faith, for their beliefs.
- Impostors are those who are deceiving and being deceived.
- At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:10-13
- “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. Matthew 7:15
- For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect–if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. Matthew 24:24-25
- Understand, these aren’t leaders of obscure cults—these will be leading mega churches with crosses on their steeples, phenomenal worship and preaching out of the Bible.
- Baptized by Blazing Fire by Pastor Yong-Doo Kim: Even later that night, as I continued to pray in tongues, I was taken down to hell. I was in a place where there was some devil jabbing a long, sharp spear into rectangular shaped boxes. With foul language, it shouted, “You think you are a pastor? What kind of life did you live? I am ecstatic that you are here with me.” The evil spirit continued to jab the boxes as it cursed. Loud, painful screams came from the boxes, as blood flowed out. I noticed the tops of the boxes were covered with canvass, with a large cross portrayed on it. The boxes were lined up in an orderly fashion, and they stretched endlessly. I could not see where they ended. I realized that they were coffins. Evil spirits were jabbing their long, sharp spears into the holes unmercifully. I asked the Lord, “Jesus, why are the caskets of former pastors here?” Jesus replied, “These pastors did not preach My gospel. They preached another gospel, and those who followed became depraved. This is their end result, a place in hell.” Jesus said, “Depraved pastors will be judged greater.”
- Nephilim Doctrine
- Note that this isn’t titled “The Doctrine of Nephilim,” as that would take us into an entirely different direction.
- In scripture we know that the Nephilim were the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Many believe demons are the spirits of dead Nephilim, but regardless of that we clearly know that they were unholy offspring. Demonized children. A different breed altogether.
- The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. Genesis 6:4
- What I call Nephilim doctrine is when a demonic seed, a doctrine of demons, is deposited into people who are seeking after truth.
- It’s a theology of mixture—pure Bible truth that has twisted theology, philosophy, mysticism, etc. mixed in.
- When people made in God’s image become intimate with doctrines of demons, unholy doctrine is reproduced. Nephilim Doctrine. Half man, half demon. Doctrines that are received by people who were made in the very image of God results in mixture and a defiled offspring—children that are part ‘image of God’ and part ‘image of Satan’. This is extremely sobering!
- For example, False Grace is a Nephilim Doctrine.
- It has much truth and some mixture.
- Other Nephilim Doctrines might include various New Age beliefs, mysticism, spirit travel (traveling to Heaven at will), “positive Christianity,” simple ideas like “God is always in a good mood,” or teachings that God no longer judges, manifest sons of God, Gnosticism, etc.
- There are Nephilim churches and ministries that are mostly amazing but greatly compromised due to demonically inspired teachings.
- If you had a gallon of fresh, pure lemonade mixed in with a teaspoon of urine, would you drink it?
- Portland planned to dump 38 million gallons of pure water after a man pees in a reservoir.
- Many powerful experiences of God will come…as will many powerful experiences of the enemy…both happening in churches or within popular movements. This is why those who are “experience focused” are at great risk of deception. It may very well feel good, feel like their concept of God…but be a putrid, evil spirit leading them astray. This is why we must be grounded in the Word.
- For example, False Grace is a Nephilim Doctrine.
- Gnosticism is based on a mystical, intuitive, subjective, inward, emotional approach to truth.
- Gnostics claim to possess an elevated knowledge, a “higher truth” known only to a certain few. Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis which means “to know.” Gnostics claim to possess a higher knowledge, not from the Bible, but acquired on some mystical higher plain of existence. Gnostics see themselves as a privileged class elevated above everybody else by their higher, deeper knowledge of God.
- Gnostics assert that matter is inherently evil and spirit is good. As a result of this presupposition, Gnostics believe anything done in the body, even the grossest sin, has no meaning because real life exists in the spirit realm only.
- Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 1 Timothy 4:1
- This is what happened with Adam and Eve.
- But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Genesis 3:4-7
- They desired to be more like God.
- They desired wisdom.
- They received a fresh revelation.
- But, it was truth that was defiled by a demonic teaching.
- But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4
- There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Proverbs 16:25
- God is calling us to intimacy with the Truth of the Word of God which is what will result in us living undefiled in the image of God. The cross of Christ must be preached!
- I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel– which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:6-10
- There are strong delusions on the rise and we must beware.
- Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. Jeremiah 14:14
- The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
- So, how do we respond?
- I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 3:11-13