Continuing Church of God...Things are not as rosey as Bob Thiel wants us to believe

 

Things aren't pretty in paradise

Its no longer rainbows, unicorns, and lollipops

 

From a reader and one of his members:

As for the Continuing Church Of god and its leaders' credibility and counseling abilities, as a longtime COG member and a believer (in general terms), I did attend with them. I saw their people and their increasingly fixated and marginal work such as it really is. What of one of their foremost leaders, Richard Close? Years ago Richard was ordered to divorce his wife because his church minister--forcing some church policy--said he had to divorce her if he wanted to be a baptized church member. So, snap like that, he divorced his wife. Richard Close, now a leader in CCOG, chose to put his corporate minister's orders above the Bible's command in Matthew 19:6 which says: "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate." He put a minister's word above God's holy Word. some years later when the church's policy on d&r changed, Richard Close's minister gave him his permission to remarry his ex-wife. So, he did. This is not simplistically just a case of love having won out. It is an avoidable, tragic example of a man caving into ministerial hegemony--spiritual bullying-- as the so-called "government of God" having been placed above God himself and God's holy Words. If Richard Close had not been given ministerial permission to remarry his ex-wife, he would not have remarried her. what kind of a COG leader is this? ( Like the plodding, dutiful, and obedient Boxer from Animal Farm.) this is not railing and nastily throwing someone's mistakes at them in a mean-spirited way. For, nothing, in essence, has changed. Consider the implications of such men in church "over" God's laypeople. LCG and other churches are really no different.

What of yet another of CCOG's top leaders, Steve Dupuie?

 

Steve comes across as being not unfriendly, but he is insecure and therefore pretentious and hollow about his church intellect and his knowledge. Therefore, he has been so desperate to prove himself intellectually and in the field of knowledge that he completely minimizes and excoriates the very best and the nicest and most gentle of people who raise points, even by way of friendly discussion.

 

In one case, Warren from Ontario--a good and gentleman in whom is no guile--merely raised a friendly possibility of an idea being extrapolated and not directly stated in the Bible. Immediately, in public and on CCOG's e-mail group, Steve Dupuie accused Warren of being a force of dissension and discord among the brethren. Steve does this regularly to anyone who can out-do him in church writings, knowledge, and Bible studying, which could include everyone. He can't get his way and be the foremost, so he slights and belittles others who are far better than he, and of whom the world is not worthy. the good news is that neither Steve nor anyone has to be seen as being superlative in knowledge and church intellect. Insecurity. Consider the implications of such a man in the church "over" God's laypeople.

I could write of more ... for instance of the CCOG leader I know well who petulantly hacked another COG member's e-mail account and put a trace on it, and taunted him, because he was sore at the member.

Aside from their superficial, fizzling claim to continue the teachings shown by god through Mr. Armstrong and doing "the Philadelphia work", how do these CCOG leaders show Jesus to others? If some read this, perhaps they can explain and help us to understand.

 

 

Is Bob Thiel The Biggest Waffle Maker The Church Has Ever Seen?

 

The other day we reported some things that came to us by a person that had information about Thiel's African evangelist who apparently is converting half of the continent into the amazing "continuing" Church of God. This whipped the doubly blessed Elijah Amos Habbakuk Thiel into a prophetic frenzy. How dare we criticize his ministry or any of the things he does. How dare we! Oh wait, I know...we are tools of Satan himself who are deliberately trying to destroy the one true church which is doing the biggest worldwide work the Church of God has seen in human history.

The great Bwana and savior of Africa starts his waffling off immediately be claiming he is NOT the only COG doing a work. It doesn't take much of a rocket scientist to know that. Many COG groups are actually doing good things for people around this world. The problem comes from Thiel's waffling language. 

First, before going further, let it be pointed out that I have NEVER said, written, nor posted that CCOG is the only church doing a work. I have written that we of the CCOG are the only Philadelphian organization, other COGs do various types of works, there are Philadelphians in other COGs, and just being in CCOG does not, of itself, make one a Philadelphian. Yet, Banned cannot seem to even get that right.

Notice his "Philadelphia" keyword that sets him apart as the one true church doing the one true work. He is Philadelphian and all of the others are either Sardis or Laodicean groups who don't know the true timeline of prophecy so that they will know when to flee. Never has the COG had a name player like Thiel. Duplicity and waffling are his favorite methods of play-acting as the greatest leader the church has ever seen.

Bwana then goes on to take great umbrage at the fact his African followers do not consider him a prophet. Notice how he waffles his answer and never denies that they do not think he is a prophet. It's all about how he is so much better than the Living Church of God and how many magazines he is publishing in different languages.

That is another lie–it is not that no one may have told Banned that lie, but the statement just is not true. Consider that groups such as LCG spend more money in Kenya than CCOG does. Yet, we have probably over 10 x the number of congregants in Africa Kenya than they do. If people wanted money there are other groups who spend more money in Africa than CCOG does. One thing that CCOG does that most other COG groups have not done is produce literature in local languages, such as Luo, Kiswahili, and Ekegusii. People in places like Kenya appreciate having the truth available in languages other than English–yes it is helpful for the the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to be preached throughout the world (Matthew 24:14) in numerous languages. But the idea that people in Kenya could have interest in the truths that the CCOG teaches is something that then anti-COG types do not wish to accept–instead they prefer to promote lies.

The Great Bwana then quotes Jesus as if he actually follows the guy:

Jesus prophesied:

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:10-12)

And here we go again...PERSECUTION! 

Brethren, we are being persecuted! 

It is a sign of the end times. 

Satan is angry and Christ warned us this would be happening to us.

It's not only those of us here at Banned and its readers who are persecuting the Great Bwana, but The Painful Truth website is doing Satan's work too! Ghastly days!

Those at Banned, the Painful Truth, and various other places have regularly been fulfilling that prophecy and saying all kinds of things falsely against me and CCOG.

What people at Banned and the other anti-COG sites cannot stand is the idea that the true ministry is having success and is not in it for the money. The fact that my wife and I do not take a salary from CCOG grates on them as it is opposed to the lying narrative they wish to believe. While commandment keepers are to be rewarded, scripture warns about those who believe and love lies:

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. (Revelation 22:14-15)

True ministry? True ministry? What the hell? Again, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the improperly named "continuing" Church of God is NOT a true ministry.  From the tall tales of dreamweavers, double blessings, and all kinds of nefarious proclamations that no follower of Jesus would ever make. The flowers of Christ never went around proclaiming their mighty deeds. They did their work humbly. Is there even a humble bone in Thiel's self-aggrandizing personality?

The Great Bwana then takes offense that no one believes he received a double blessing. That double blessing is vitally important to Thiel's legitimacy. He loves to quote various Living Church of Go ministers making outlandish statements about him and prophetic duties...as if any of them are legitimate ministers of truth either. Gaylon Bonjour certainly never believed he was anointing Bob so he could start a new splinter group or completion for LCG.

Here is a short version for what happened: In November 2011, both LCG minister Dr. Jeff Fall and LCG minister Gary Ehman told me that I did NOT need to have hands laid upon me in order to be a true prophet of God. Yet, I told them that something like that needed to happen for me to accept it. And in November/December 2011, I prayed that if I truly had a prophetic role from God that He would have something happen during a planned mid-December 2011 trip to Charlotte, North Carolina to confirm it or deny it if that were His will. As it turned out, on 12/15/2011 hands were laid upon me in Charlotte by LCG minister Gaylyn Bonjour, who I had not even intended to see then (I had asked to see Gary Ehman, but as it turned out, he was not in the Charlotte office due to an unexpected illness). After seeing Gaylyn Bonjour mentioning some health issues and wisdom, he laid hands on me, and specifically prayed that I would be granted a “double-portion” of God’s Holy Spirit, and he anointed me with oil. Afterwards, Gaylyn told me that he had not ever requested a “double portion’ of God’s Spirit before on anyone, but he felt that it was reminiscent of the time that the prophetic and ecclesiastical leadership mantle passed from the Prophet Elijah to Elisha (2 Kings 2:9-13). Gaylyn Bonjour had been unaware that I had prayed that God would have me anointed or somehow identified for a prophetic role on that mid-December 2011 trip if that were His plan for me and I had never discussed my possible prophetic role with him prior to this anointing. On 12/18/12, I asked Gaylyn Bonjour if he knew what he may have unintentionally done and he said yes. This 12/15/11 anointing appears to be the first biblically-appropriate prophetic anointing in the Church of God in many decades, if not many, many multiple centuries. And the legitimacy of this anointing has been proven by subsequent events–though many do not seem to understand how God works at times.

He then goes on to state that his place as a prophet in the church came about because he had visions about Rod Meredith's wife and how this is proof he is a prophet.

As it also turned out, I tried to meet with Dr. Meredith on December 19, 2011 to tell him that it seemed God was telling me that his wife was about to be struck with something serious. A few weeks later (per Dr. Meredith’s letter dated 1/12/12), Dr. Meredith reported that his wife (who was much younger than he) was stricken with stage four cancer (she later died on November 29, 2013). That prediction was not the result of analytical skills on my behalf, but I believe were insights from God’s Spirit.

In my view, the unexpected ‘double-portion anointing, Gaylyn Bonjour’s comments about the mantle passing, and my feeling led to tell of something about to hit Sheryl Meredith, were the result of God answering my prayers in November/December 2011 that the prophet matter would be confirmed or denied in Charlotte with my December 2011 trip. Essentially, this was THREE confirmations.

Let this be clear, I was absolutely anointed, had hands laid over me, and the LCG minister who did so prayed that I would receive a ‘double-portion’ of God’s Holy Spirit, and afterwards that same minister (Gaylyn Bonjour) stated that this was reminiscent of the mantle passing from Elijah to Elisha (Gaylyn Bonjour also brought up the passing of the mantle related to this when we spoke on March 23, 2012). The fact that he did not originally intend to pray that I receive a ‘double-portion’ of God’s Holy Spirit is of no consequence, as the Bible shows that although Isaac had not intended to provide certain blessings to Jacob, once Isaac laid hands upon Jacob and gave the prayer, the anointed blessing would remain according to the Bible (Genesis 27)–and Gaylyn Bonjour concurs with this. Let it be noted that unlike Jacob, I did not employ any deceit in the anointing.

Furthermore, understand that I believe that I do have the appropriate prophetic fruits that Jesus discussed (Matthew 7:15-20) and that those truly interested in the truth can see this if they truly wish to prayfully look into this. Perhaps it should be mentioned that while some question my ordination, others have also had concerns about God’s anointing and ordinations (2 Kings 9:1-11; Jeremiah 43:2; Genesis 27:26-37). God does not always do things the way humans think He does (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9). 

The Bwana Bob finally makes a truthful statement: 

Gary Leonard does not want to accept that I have the fruits of a prophet and meet the biblical and COG criteria for that.

Absolutely! There is no way on God's green earth that Theil is a prophet of God. That I can state as a fact.  Pigs will be flying and rats dancing when I ever believe that nonsense. Plus, the so-called COG criteria for prophet is as pathetic as Bob's claims.  The Church of God has never produced a real prophet in the last 80 some years of the church and Thiel is NOT one for the end times. That I can state as a fact again. 

I can also stare as a fact that no real Christian needs Theil, his prophetic utterances, or his end-times timeline in order to be saved from tribulation. No COG member needs Thiel's crap in order to know when to flee to Petra. That is a lie of epic proportions.

If you are interested you can read the rest of Thiel's sad little response here...and even see a video he has produced about the big bad meanie people on the blogs who are picking on him.  Banned promotes lies about evangelist Evans Ochieng and CCOG

Bob Thiel's African "Brethren" Do Not Consider Him A Prophet And Only Attend For The Money

 

From a reader:

A source in Kenya confirms that the attendees don't consider Bob to be a prophet, but only attend for the money. One can hardly blame them considering how impoverished they are. I'm still not clear how active Evans is with each of the groups. He seems to burn bridges along the way.

Goff Weighs In Bill Goff 5/2/2014 There have been numerous reports concerning my relationship with Bob Thiel’s group called “Continuous COG”, most of which are false reports. For one, I did not help fund Bob Thiel’s trip to Kenya, or “rush to Kenya” to assess the situation. My stand concerning incorporated COG groups who continuously try to draw the brethren into their carnal organizations, and lord over them, has not changed since I first put my feet on the ground in Kenya back in 2005. I am totally against such behavior. Below is a message I sent on March 15, 2014 to Evans Ochieng (Bob Thiel’s new representative in Kenya.) Following my letter is a statement to the Kenya/Tanzania brethren concerning what actions need to be taken to avoid being led astray by the confusion that carnal men continuously bring into God’s church. First, my letter to Evans Ochieng, which I sent to him one week before Bob Thiel’s trip to Nairobi, Kenya. (I was not informed by Ochieng beforehand that Bob was planning to hold a meeting with numerous leaders from around Kenya. Although I had been working with Ochieng for some time, he kept this meeting, and all the preparations that he himself was making for it, from me.) “Evans, I am very concerned about your connecting to Bob Thiel. I feel you have not been honest with me. For one, you told me that Bob was meeting with you for 3 days in Nairobi. But later found out that the meeting included many leaders from around Kenya/Tanzania, with you on top of Thiel's operation in Kenya. You were not honest with me concerning this matter. Also, Bob Thiel teaches many doctrines that I do not agree with, in fact many doctrines that I preach very strongly against, like believing that his group is the Philadelphians, Christ's little flock. (Just like the rest of the hierarchies like to teach concerning their groups) All this is deception to the brethren, and I will have no part of it. I'm going to stick with sincerity & truth and not going to play church games likes many false & deceived men who consider themselves "ministers" like to do. I may not have silver or gold, but I do have truth, and I will not compromise it. Please stop telling brethren that Bill Goff and Bob Thiel are together, because we're are not. “Now If you want to represent Bob and his beliefs, that's your choice, and I will have no ill will towards you, But I will not participate in church games that consist of trying to get the brethren to join “their particular group” with all the jockeying for positions. Did not the Apostle Paul speak of this very nonsense as being carnal when he wrote to the Corinthians? “For you are yet carnal: for as there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; and another Cephas; are ye not carnal? Is Christ divided? Was Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or Bob crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?” (1Corinthians 1:12; 3:4)” Let us not be confused over this matter, Brethren. I encourage God’s entire Household to remember that God's True Church (His true “Little Flock”) is a Spiritual organization and everyone who has been baptized and had hands laid on them is part of it, as long as they remain faithful to God by walking in the spirit in all of His ways. Don't follow men, follow God. It’s okay to listen to men's teachings, but don't swallow all their sayings without chewing first. (Most of these “leaders” have their own personal agendas, which are contrary to God.) Treat men’s words (all men’s words) like you do your chicken when eating KuKu, chew first, swallow only the meat, and be sure to spit out the bones. (1Thessalonians 5:21, Acts 17:11, 2Timothy 2:15) Let us (the members of God’s church) get our priorities straight, because our Lord & Savior is soon to return to this earth, and He will be presenting to Himself a glorious church, those who have “purified themselves” - those not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but who are holy and without blemish. Put your trust in God, Brethren, and not in any carnal man. Follow Christ; listen to His voice only, because following men will always lead you to the ditch. The Scriptures tell us “Cursed be the man who puts his trust in men.” (Ephesians 5:27, John 10:27, Jeremiah 17:5) Polepole Brethren, let us always remember that entrance into the Kingdom of God is not determined by which incorporated church group one associates with, but by one’s behavior, by one’s actions. One must be a “Sheep” to receive from God the free gift of eternal life. One must develop the Holy Righteous Character of the Father. Make no mistake about it, “GOATS” will not be there, nor will the unrighteous, or any transgressors of God’s way. (Matthew 25:31-46,  1John 3:1-3.) Brethren, do not be deceived by the many false men who claim to be of Christ, and have deceived many into thinking that there are hundreds of splinter groups out there to choose between. Don’t be deceived brethren, because in God’s eyes, there are only “two” groups. Yes, two groups in His church (not hundreds). Two groups, the “Wise” and the “Foolish”. The Wise are making themselves ready for the return of their Lord & Master, and will soon meet Him and go into the marriage. But the door into the marriage will be shut to the foolish. Let us wake up, let us make our calling and election sure. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to us. Let us cleanse our hands, and purify our hearts, because He is coming quickly, and His reward is with Him to give every man according to his works. Not according to which incorporated church group he fellowships with, but according to his works. (Matthew 25:1-13, 2Peter 1:1-12, James 4:8. Revelation 22:12) bill Goff

Bob Thiel Getting Played By His African Leaders

 

This just in from Africa...

What we all have known for several years now is that Bob Thiel, the Great Bwana to Africa, has been a useful tool for some of his African leaders who have been using him along with other COG groups. They have a long history of doing this in addition to getting what they can from the Seventh Day Adventists.

Ochieng is supposedly Thiel's top "evangelist". If he is Thiel's official evangelist, does that make him an evangelist for the other COG groups too? But, since Thiel claims his group is the ONLY true church doing a work today, how does he justify Ochieng spending his valuable evangelistic time with the other groups?

Thought you would find this of interest. Bob Thiel's man in Africa, Evans Ochieng, works for any church he can. Currently, he works for these:

1. Midnight Ministries- Malcolm B Heap

2. Church of God In Truth and Peace- James Russel

3. A Voice In The Wilderness Church of God- Bill Goff

4. Continuing Church of God- Bob Thiel

Low-level prophet asks: Could Tkach, Sr. have consulted with the Bilderbergers about getting an earring before he decorated his Christmas tree and then relaxed with some Sabbath sex? Is there a possibility he did this while chewing tobacco? Prophets gotta ask!

 

Who in their right mind would sit and listen to this trash and think it is godly worship? Once more, Jesus gets dumped on the trash heap out behind the homeopathic pill-pushing low-level prophets' amazing HQ. This shows exactly what a cesspool Armstrongism has turned into.  Does ANYONE in 2020 care about such crap, especially his African followers? These topics are of ZERO concern to his followers or the rest of humanity.

In this sermon, Dr. Thiel answers questions that have been submitted to the Church of God on many topics, such as:

What about making/receiving organ donations?

Should you chew tobacco?

Is there any help to overcome bad habits?

Did Joseph W. Tkach, Sr. have the mantle of succession?

What is ‘servile work’?

Is sexual intercourse prohibited on the Sabbath?

Is a ‘holy kiss’ ever appropriate?

Can you home school your children?

Was it possible for Jesus to be born on December 25th?

Should we fear conspiracy theories involving the Bilderbergers, Trilateralists, Vatican, Council of Foreign Relations, Freemasons, etc.?

Should you force your ‘legal rights’?

Does Daniel 9 help prove Jesus is the Messiah?

Why should the Jews accept Jesus as Messiah?

What about the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon?

Is it acceptable for men to wear earrings?

Dr. Thiel goes through scriptures, facts, COG documents, and historical information to provide answers.

Laodicean COG Leader Says Being Baptized Into His Group Is Only Assurance Of Salvation

On this Independence Day here in the United States, one COG so-called leader is claiming that true Christians (which he is not) can only be independent of the world they live in if they are members of his "church". He valiantly struggles to claim he and his little group are the ONLY true "Phialdelphain" Christians on the face of the earth today. So, if you really want to be free, you must LEAVE your COG and follow him, agree to support his work, and then after meeting all his demands for baptism, be baptized. Only then can you be saved and be independent of the world.

All of that is kind of weird considering how much he depended upon using a church of the world to prop him up as he used LCG to garner as many "proofs" of his prophethood status as he could. After manipulating people into saying and doing certain things to stroke his ego he joined the myriad of worldly Laodicean COG leaders who are enticed by money, prestige, power, and rebelled to start his own group, godless though it may be.

So open your wallets kiddo's, say you have repented of being a so-called Christian in one of the other fake Churches of God and join the ONE TRUE LEADER of the ONLY TRUE COG who will guarantee your salvation and a chance to be in Petra with him for 3 1/2 years. 

My heart is filled with excitement!

If you have been appropriately baptized, then we also suggest that you read the Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God. If you agree, will live as a true Christian, and wish to be part of us, then we accept true believers who wish to support us as we lead the Final Phase of the Work by proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God as a witness (Matthew 24:14), teaching all that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19-20), working to reach the full number of those called in this age (see What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles), while also preparing for the ‘Short Work, remembering the poor (Galatians 2:10), and proclaiming the Ezekiel Warning. 

This spiritual degenerate does not have the ability to determine what is a "true" baptism and no real Christian would ever submit to his list of requirements to be a member of the improperly named "continuing" Church of "god". 

Once you agree to follow his list and agree to support him, then you will be one of the chosen people, set apart from all of the other slovenly COG's who are not being led by a doubly-blessed and dreamed over prophet. 

As the world comes to an end, which COG prophet and leader would you choose to follow into the "final phase"? One who self-appointed himself or follow no man and place your confidence and assurance in the ONE you should be following instead? You don't need some self-appointed man who dreamed himself into being to be leading you anywhere.

You can contact a minister or other representative near your area to let him know you wish to be part of us. We also would expect you to live as a Christian and, among other things, keep the Sabbath, attend or watch our church services, and strive to attend the Feast of Tabernacles.

Salvation is not dependent upon keeping the sabbath or watching some lame-ass questionable "church" service of a spiritually bankrupt man flailing his arms all over the place expounding upon 66 points for an hour and a half that he could have accomplished in 10 -15 minutes. 

Please understand, their is no minimum or maximum amount of time required to learn about the church. The important thing is to believe the word of God and understand the about living as a true Christian. 

Nor is one even required to DO anything as the rebellious prophet claims.  Just ask the man on the cross who needed to do nothing more than belief.  Pretty simple. No long list of rules some wayward spiritual degenerate has set in place. Nothing. Nada.

Once you have turned you life over to God and learned about the church, you are ready to become part of the body of Christ. You become a member of the Church of God through being baptized by a representative of the church. Baptism is a critical and fundamental step. Baptism signifies the death of our carnal nature and our being begotten as a follower of Jesus Christ. It allows us to partake God’s plan of eternal salvation. 

Baptism is NOT critical and is NOT a necessity for salvation.  Scripture proves that over and over. The ONLY so-called "requirement" is faith. Faith alone is what saves, not baptism, or following some self-appointed, self-righteous, or so-called prophet in some asinine "final push." No Sabbath-keeping, no law-keeping, no works period are required other than faith.  Justification comes through faith and never though Bob Thiel.

• Romans 3:28: “We hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
• Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God.”
• Romans 4:5: “To the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.”
• John 3:16: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 
• Acts 13:38–39: “Through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed [justified] from everything from which you could not be freed [justified] by the law of Moses.”

Notice his list of requirements that he demands of his followers.

If you are not a properly baptized part of the Church of God, in order to be considered a real member of the Continuing Church of God, you must:

1. Be called of God.
2. Be willing to seek first the kingdom of God.
3. Repent of your sins.
4. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
5. Strive to live as a loving Christian.
6. Be persuaded that our beliefs are biblical.
7. Contact a CCOG leader for counseling.
8. Be properly baptized and have hands laid upon you.
9. Support the work of Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:19-20, and other aspects of the Philadelphian work.
10. Continue to live as a Christian and endure to the end.

Bob Thiel does not have the ability to determine who is "called" by God. No one should ever assume that.  No COG leader has that ability. It never did with Herbert Armstrong and most certainly does NOT today.

Faith in the one to come, faith in the one who was, and faith in the one who is. Even the continual repenting of sins and beating one's self up day after day and year after year, is not a requirement for salvation or even to be a follower of Jesus. Armstrongism required this, but Jesus never did.

So, on this Independence Day, it is time for the captives of Armstrongism and those of wayward, rebellious, and self-appointed Church of God leaders, to be set free from their sick demands. These men do not speak for God. 

True freedom is found OUTSIDE some man-made church run by bloviating men of no substance.

Church of God Seventh Day: WEAR A MASK! No exceptions

Will Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry, Bob Thiel, and others continue to flout rules set in place regarding holding church services during the uptick in COVID cases, another COG is setting the example. Of course, Thiel, Pack, Flurry, Weston, and others believe these are not real Christians and certainly NOT true COG members, the COG7 continues to preach and witness better than any Armstrongite COG does.

Wishy-washy Thiel lets his own ministers make the decision whether they want to follow the rules instead of being a real manly leader and tell them to stay home. No COG service is that important and certainly, no sermon is that important to miss.

Pack and Flurry flout the rule be having services on thier compounds while telling local churches to stay home if they want.

Armstrongism has always been filled with double standards.

Here is COG7 recent statement on COVID-19 and what they expect from those that still hold services:

Central District – Church of God (Seventh Day

Dear Pastors and Leaders

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord, Jesus.

I pray that you, your family and your church are well and staying safe during this difficult time. I am writing to you to encourage you as a leader in your church to do all you can, in a responsible and thoughtful way, to keep your members safe.

Not all leaders are doing that.  Some are ignoring suggested guidelines, for what- ever reasons, and by doing so, put their families and members in jeopardy. Just this week, in a Superintendent “ZOOM” call with Loren Stacy and Jody McCoy, we learned that one of our churches in the Southeast District, where the pandemic is now increasing rapidly, “refused” to follow any guidelines like masking and social distancing – with this result.  Every member in attendance at their services now have the virus and are under a strict individual 14-day quarantine. The authorities came in and shut them down until further notice. Several churches in the S.E. District and the S.W. District are being mandated to shut down, again.

In both the Southeast District and Southwest District, the number of members of the church with COVID 19 are increasing rapidly. We have had several of our leaders and pastors who have had and some who now have the coronavirus.  In two entire churches, almost all members have the virus. 

As I have written before, as a Leader/Pastor, you are responsible to make wise and compassionate choices to keep your people safe. This is your responsibility, and also in making your choices, you accept the liability for the choices you make.

I URGE YOU to google the following research experiments of the following individual.  RICK DAVIS, EXPERIMENTS REGARDING COVID-19. Reading this should make us well aware of the absolute value of WEARING MASKS and SOCIAL DISTANCING. PLEASE take the time to read his experiments.  His work is the result of measuring droplets, by coughing, sneezing, talking and singing into identical culture plates, from various distances. The results are a bit startling to say the least.

After you have read that, I urge you to make the wisest decision for the safety of your congregation.  I encourage you to make it mandatory that every attendee in your services WEAR A MASK!  No exceptions.  I encourage you to practice social distancing of 6 ft.  I encourage you to insist that there be no close contact or hand shaking allowed.  I encourage you to sanitize your facility and have hand sanitizer available to your congregation.  I encourage you to design a worship experience and fellowship that is SAFE!  Ask them to use hand sanitizer when they come in and when they leave. I would not and will not, at this time, attend any church where even one member attends refusing to wear a mask. To behave in such a manner puts every vulnerable attendee at risk.  Now, even young people, not just the elderly are getting sick.

Everyone of our District Superintendents and our GC Leadership are alarmed at the response of individual members, and some leaders, who have put their church at risk by irresponsible choices. Watch for a coming statement from the GC Leadership with their recommendations.

If you have already opened up your church for services, PLEASE study again your choices for the safety of your congregation. Make whatever adjustments you need to for their safety. Make wise choices, not based on your politics or your view of constitutional rights.  Think first of others and their needs and the seriousness of their vulnerability.

If you have visitors come to your church from other cities/states, you MUST have them wear a mask and practice social distancing.  To not do so is not being responsible as a leader. Many churches may have visitors tomorrow, July 4^th.

Leaders and Pastors, we need to be a pro-active part of the solution, and not make choices that put us in the area of being part of the problem.

May our God be with you and may His Holy Spirit be in you.

Sincerely in Christ

Superintendent – Ken Lawson

UPDATED: Great signs and works are soon coming from a certain COG splinter leader “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you..."

We have been accused of being unable to see a prophet in our midst.  Nothing new to that, especially when it is our one and only Bwana Bob. The great Bwana has been trying to convince us for years that he is THE MAN! 

No other man in the history of the Church of God has more qualifications than he does.  

No one has had people dream about him in dreams like he has.  

No one has been doubly blessed in the manner he was, even though that so-called blessing came from a counterfeit practitioner of a fake gospel. 

No human leader of the church has ever been persecuted as much as he has. 

No other man in the church has ever come as Elisha, Elijah, Amos, Habbakuk, Johsua, and Malachi all at the same time. 

No other human leader has ever been ridiculed and publicly rebuked by Rod Merdith as much as Bwana Bob has; even Dave Pack got off more lightly than Bwana Bob did.

We are too blinded to see what an amazing man the self-appointed leader of the improperly named "continuing" Church of God is. he will soon be doing great and marvelous wonders for us to be amazed at. Because we failed to bow at his feet we will not know when it is time to go to Petra.

Such silly rebellious deceived people! We should be ashamed of dishonoring the Great Bwana!

Anonymous said...

You Guys wouldn't believe a prophet,if he was a prophet; out of all the would be Prophets in the COGs; his is the only one that was legit; Facts speak for themselves; Rod Meredith said God may consider you to be a Prophet, so did the other LCG Evangelists, also the Fruits; did you ever read his books or blogs; everything is spot on; also he truly cares for the poor and unfortunate Brethren: that the other Churches of God would be afraid to support, due to the financial drain; you at banned, just have a root of bitterness;. You know it's true. How unfortunate. Great signs and works are coming; the head church leaders of Jesus Day didn't believe either, because there hate blinded them

June 27, 2020 at 10:16 AM

Jesus weeps...

UPDATE:

God's greatest end-time prophet took notice that someone stood up for him here:

The facts for those who believe the Bible and are willing to believe the truth are there for those interested in being like the Bereans of old who searched the scriptures to see if things being declared were so (Acts 17:11; see also Church of God Leaders on Prophets).

Note: I do not know who the anonymous poster was nor did I ever encourage anyone at CCOG to post that or anything like that. But the biblical prophetic facts and fruits related to me are there for those with eyes to hear and ears to hear.

Here is what scripture plainly says about Bwana Bob and the rest of the lying prophets of Armstrongism. Remember that Bwana Bob depends upon lying divinations for his credibility.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 ESV / 286 helpful votes 

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Jeremiah 14:14-16 ESV / 120 helpful votes

And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not come upon this land’: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword, with none to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their evil upon them.


Matthew 7:15 ESV / 1,383 helpful votes

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

1 John 4:1 ESV / 1,327 helpful votes

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Matthew 24:24 ESV / 1,234 helpful votes

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

2 Peter 2:1 ESV / 1,153 helpful votes

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

1 John 4:1-6 ESV / 1,003 helpful votes

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ...

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ESV / 897 helpful votes

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Matthew 24:11 ESV / 756 helpful votes

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

2 Timothy 4:3 ESV / 690 helpful votes

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 ESV / 690 helpful votes

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Jeremiah 23:16 ESV / 590 helpful votes

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.

Romans 16:18 ESV / 535 helpful votes

For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.


Deuteronomy 18:20 ESV / 521 helpful votes

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’

Luke 6:26 ESV / 510 helpful votes

“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Mark 13:22 ESV / 496 helpful votes

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

Revelation 20:10 ESV / 474 helpful votes

And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Jeremiah 14:14 ESV / 465 helpful votes

And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.

Mark 7:6-9 ESV / 456 helpful votes

And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!

2 Peter 2:3 ESV / 447 helpful votes

And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.


2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV / 397 helpful votes

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Romans 16:17-18 ESV / 390 helpful votes

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

2 Peter 2:1-3 ESV / 384 helpful votes

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Jeremiah 23:1-40 ESV / 336 helpful votes

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ...

Ezekiel 22:28 ESV / 321 helpful votes

And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lordhas not spoken.

Jeremiah 5:30-31 ESV / 320 helpful votes

An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?

1 Corinthians 14:33 ESV / 313 helpful votes

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

Matthew 24:4-5 ESV / 307 helpful votes

And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

Matthew 7:15-20 ESV / 306 helpful votes

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ...

Jude 1:4 ESV / 303 helpful votes

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 13:9 ESV / 292 helpful votes

My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God.


2 Peter 2:1-22 ESV / 288 helpful votes

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; ...

Isaiah 8:20 ESV / 282 helpful votes

To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.

John 14:6 ESV / 281 helpful votes

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Revelation 13:1-18 ESV / 277 helpful votes

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. ...

Colossians 2:8 ESV / 272 helpful votes

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.

Jeremiah 5:31 ESV / 269 helpful votes

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?

Matthew 7:15-16 ESV / 266 helpful votes

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

2 Peter 2:2 ESV / 254 helpful votes

And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.

Ezekiel 13:6 ESV / 248 helpful votes

They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3 ESV / 247 helpful votes

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Acts 13:6 ESV / 246 helpful votes

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.

Deuteronomy 13:1-18 ESV / 246 helpful votes

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. ...

Revelation 13:14 ESV / 244 helpful votes

And by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

Galatians 1:6-9 ESV / 244 helpful votes

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Lamentations 2:14 ESV / 242 helpful votes

Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading.

Revelation 2:20 ESV / 241 helpful votes

But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

John 8:44 ESV / 239 helpful votes

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Deuteronomy 13:3 ESV / 234 helpful votes

You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lordyour God with all your heart and with all your soul.

2 Corinthians 11:13 ESV / 232 helpful votes

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Revelation 2:2 ESV / 231 helpful votes

“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

Revelation 13:12 ESV / 230 helpful votes

It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

Jeremiah 23:21 ESV / 227 helpful votes

“I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.

Jeremiah 23:14 ESV / 227 helpful votes

But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.”

Revelation 16:13 ESV / 225 helpful votes

And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.

2 Peter 1:1-21 ESV / 223 helpful votes

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ...

1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV / 219 helpful votes

But test everything; hold fast what is good.

Revelation 12:9 ESV / 218 helpful votes

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Micah 3:11 ESV / 213 helpful votes

Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.”

Micah 3:5 ESV / 211 helpful votes

Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.

1 Timothy 6:5 ESV / 199 helpful votes

And constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Matthew 24:12 ESV / 191 helpful votes

And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 ESV / 191 helpful votes

And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Isaiah 56:10-11 ESV / 190 helpful votes

His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.

Matthew 7:1-29 ESV / 188 helpful votes

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. ...

2 Timothy 3:13 ESV / 181 helpful votes

While evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Acts 20:29 ESV / 181 helpful votes

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

Jeremiah 23:13 ESV / 176 helpful votes

In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

Matthew 7:22 ESV / 175 helpful votes

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

Revelation 13:11-15 ESV / 174 helpful votes

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

2 Peter 2:10-11 ESV / 173 helpful votes

And especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.

Jeremiah 23:26 ESV / 173 helpful votes

How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart,

Jeremiah 28:8-9 ESV / 171 helpful votes

The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV / 170 helpful votes

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Revelation 13:11 ESV / 169 helpful votes

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.

2 Timothy 3:5 ESV / 168 helpful votes

Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Matthew 24:1-51 ESV / 168 helpful votes

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ...

John 10:1-42 ESV / 166 helpful votes

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ...

Ezekiel 22:25 ESV / 165 helpful votes

The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.

1 Timothy 4:1-3 ESV / 162 helpful votes

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, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Titus 3:10-11 ESV / 160 helpful votes

As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 ESV / 160 helpful votes

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,

Revelation 17:6 ESV / 155 helpful votes

And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

Jude 1:8 ESV / 154 helpful votes

Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

Isaiah 44:25 ESV / 154 helpful votes

Who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish,

2 Thessalonians 2:3 ESV / 146 helpful votes

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

Ephesians 4:14-15 ESV / 142 helpful votes

So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Revelation 13:1 ESV / 139 helpful votes

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

2 Peter 2:18 ESV / 138 helpful votes

For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.

Ezekiel 13:22 ESV / 138 helpful votes

Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life,

2 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV / 136 helpful votes

Who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Daniel 7:25 ESV / 134 helpful votes

He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV / 133 helpful votes

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Jeremiah 6:14 ESV / 133 helpful votes

They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.

Revelation 13:15 ESV / 128 helpful votes

And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

Acts 17:10-11 ESV / 127 helpful votes

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Daniel 7:8 ESV / 126 helpful votes

I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Deuteronomy 18:22 ESV / 123 helpful votes

When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.