Grant Swart
It never ceases to amaze, how controversial personalities and questionable professing Christians succeed in occupying the thoughts, imagination and time of those who regard the internet news feed as a worthy place to spend a lot of their valuable time. It is evident that the debate about characters and events such as Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, The Elephant Room, Rob Bell and Passion 2013, takes on a greater importance for many, than does for example, the studying and discussion surrounding the wonderful wisdom and humour held within the Book of Proverbs.
The statistics on this blog represent no exception. As administrator, I was able to gain access to those. The following list should be indicative of what I have just said. These are the names of the controversial personalities attached to the most widely read articles on this blog over the past year or two. The list tells its own story:
Santa Claus (father Christmas)
Antichrist
Angus Buchan
TB Joshua
Rick Joyner
Rick Warren
John Piper
Joseph Prince
Eugene Peterson (author of The Message)
Bill Johnson
Beth Moore
Ann Voskamp
Kay Arthur
I do concede that, on the greater scale of things, this blog cannot be representative of global tendencies, but these stats are nevertheless disturbing, particularly as there are so many more expository articles on this blog, than there are articles of tabloid interest.
While I realize that it is not any sort of requirement or justification, I wonder how many of the people who have read and commented with much fervour on the blog postings regarding the above personalities, are able to fill in (more or less) the missing words from these well-known Bible verses?
OK, so let us try, beloved readers:
1) “I will lift up mine eyes unto the….., from whence cometh my …… My …. cometh from the …., which made …… and earth…”
2) LORD, how are they increased that……. me! many are they that …… up against me.
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no….. for him in God
One more try, this time, from the most beautiful benediction from the Book of Jude. Simply fill in the blanks in your mind’s eye:
Now to him who is able to keep you from…….. and to present you blameless before the presence of his…… with great……, to the only God, our ……, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, …….. and ………., before all time ..… and forever. Amen
It seems unacceptable that, when placed on a balance, the time set aside by Christians to partake in conferences, debates, forums and discussions surrounding controversial personalities and subjects, it far outweighs that which is spent in contemplating God’s Grace and applying the simplicity of His Sovereign will to our lives.
I wish there to be great blessings of peace in your lives, and less strife and confusion over subjects and people who cannot as much as influence the passage of a single day in Creation.
Irrespective of how many seats on international jet-liners, people such as CJ Mahaney, John Piper or Benny Hinn fill, or how many hotel rooms they rent as they criss-cross the globe, or how many deceived souls they draw into their conference halls, the form of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ will remain unaffected (Matthew 16:18). Maybe Rick Warren or Louis Giglio will have a street, a building or a new model of some four cylinder Korean car named after themselves, but in terms of that which they successfully merchandise to the unbelieving world, they are worthy only of our disregard.
Blessings to all.
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For the Love of His Truth 
Amen, and Amen!!!
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Thank you Grant for that wisdom and insight. I must admit I could not complete all those wonderful verses.
Nico
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Thank you, Nico. While writing the piece, I simply slipped those specific verses in because they were a few of those which I have committed to memory over time. Of course, there are over 31,000 other verses which I should still etch into my mind! I’m sure all believers have memorized different ones, and still others can recite entire Chapters. I praise the Lord that He has provided us with access to His Word in these secular times.
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Dear Grant, I love your stuff and have replied tonight for the first time, I k ow personally or have worked with all of the peeps on your list with the exception of Santa and the Anti Christ although I do know some of his friends, the tabloid type blog is for the average unlearned church person the real teaching that you do is what I like
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Dear Grant,
I totally agree with what you wrote here, but you forgot to include Sid Roth in the list.
I apologize for making this so long but I think you might find this to be interesting:
I haven’t had TV for 22 years and so up until about four years ago I had never heard of Sid Roth. Then about four years ago I had a dream in which there was this big guy (a huge guy who must’ve been at least nine feet tall) who looked like a medieval warrior with a large sword in his hand and he was repeatedly stabbing the sword into what looked like a grid of some kind that was suspended in mid-air about five feet off the floor in what looked like a really big room, like an arena. The grid was about six feet X six feet and had uniformly square openings about four inches X four inches, and about four inches deep. The grid looked like it was made out of aluminum or maybe platinum. It hung in mid-air with no strings or wires attached to hold it up. The openings in the grid were covered by a thin sheer cloth-like material stretched tight over the face of the grid. The warrior kept repeatedly stabbing through the material, almost frantically going about it as if he really hated that grid.
There was this other guy who was much smaller than the warrior who was wearing what looked like an off-white robe made out of a heavy muslin type material. The robe looked like it was too big for the guy. Every time the warrior stabbed through the grid the small guy would wave his hand over the cut in the material and the cut would be mended as if it was never cut into. The warrior was stabbing through the openings as fast as he could and the small guy was waving his hand non-stop close to the grid and mending the cuts in the material as fast as the warrior could make them. I could tell that the grid was charged with a lot of electricity because every time the warrior stabbed into the grid I could hear what sounded like electrical sparks. I didn’t see any sparks or any visible electrical currents but I could hear the sparking. This went on for quite awhile with the warrior not making any headway, but he kept at it nonetheless. Then as I was watching the small guy waving his hand to mend the cuts in the material and I heard a voice say “Sid Roth.” Then the dream ended.
Then immediately afterward I had another dream in which the same small guy was on a stage in front of a big audience in a big auditorium and he was preaching a sermon. He was wearing a loose fitting suit that was an off-white color, the same color as the robe he was wearing in the first dream. It looked like the suit was several sizes too large for him, to the point that he looked almost comical. I noticed that he did a lot of waving of his hands. I could tell he had power over the people in the audience and that they were enthralled by him. Then I heard a voice say “Sid Roth” and the dream ended.
Then I woke up and I got up and got online and typed in “Sid Roth” to see if I could find out who he was. The first thought I had was that he was a rock star. I was surprised to find out who he is and what he’s about.
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Thank you Jim
If only he was a rock star, he might have been more believable. The following Scripture immediately comes to mind.
(2Th 2:9) The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,
(2Th 2:10) and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
(2Th 2:11) Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,
(2Th 2:12) in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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Hey Grant,
Yeah, those scriptures pretty much sum up where Sid Roth is at, along with all the other televangelists. Over the years I’ve been scolded by several of my Christian friends for telling the truth about the televangelists. My summation to them is that the fact that those guys are on TV is proof enough that they’re part of the world system. Thus far none of my well meaning friends have been able to refute what I say… I think the reason they harp on me for dissing the televangelists is because they have this superstitious belief that Christians aren’t supposed to say anything negative about another professing Christian. Evidently they don’t spend much time reading Paul’s epistles.
Anyway, I’m glad I stumbled onto your website. I’ll check in from time to time to see what’s happening in your corner.
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Jim Yost
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