Heaven is For Real – This Story is Not
Heaven is for Real – This Story is Definitely Not
Today I will give a review of “Heaven is for Real – A little boys astounding story of his trip to heaven and back”. I went to a local Christian book store called CUM Books stores here in South Africa to find hundreds of copies of this book stacked under the ‘Best Selling’ section. I picked one up and thought to myself, “Satan’s smart, he is now using little kids to sell his story.”
To give a brief summary of the story, little Colton aged 4, complains of stomach pains and runs a high fever. His parents, Todd and Sonja Burpo take him to a hospital where the doctor fails to diagnose the problem. The little boy is now deteriorating to such an extent that they remove him out of the hospital and take him to another one where he is diagnosed for a burst appendix. Rushed into surgery, little Colton while on the surgery table experiences something many people never do. He apparently goes to Heaven and meets Jesus. After he is home he starts to recount his story to his parents, as best as a 4 year old can, of his trip to Heaven and back.
There have been many books written by many people on their supposed trips of Heaven where they meet a ‘Jesus’ type person. One being Choo Thomas’ “Heaven is so Real” and then Don Piper’s “90 Minutes in Heaven”, who just happens to endorse Heaven is For Real. In the front of the book on the ‘Praise for Heaven is For Real’ pages, there are praises from 12 different people telling you why you should by this book, all reasoning as to why Colton’s story is just as good as that of the bible, and why you should “allow a little child to lead you.” — Don Piper, Speaker and Author, 90 Minutes in Heaven
Todd Burpo is a pastor at a Wesleyan church. This helps to cement the trap. First we the reader would surmise that a 4 year old child would never lie like (Alex Malarkey “The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven”), and to top things off the father of the child is a pastor – Satan would never go after a 4 year old child of a pastor, would he? Especially if the pastor is biblical sound in his doctrine, or is he? Throughout the book Heaven is for Real Todd Burpo points to scripture to try and back up his sons ‘visions’ but with terrible inaccuracy. For anyone not knowing scripture, they would agree with Todd, being non the wiser. After all he is a pastor, he should not be telling untruths to his church, let alone the whole world.
Heaven is for Real and it’s problematic areas:
I am now going to take you through the book Heaven is for Real, looking at all the problematic areas. We are going to deal with this book biblically which includes being logical. God gave us a brain to use – let’s use it.
False visions from Colton:
1) On page xix of Heaven is for Real,when Colton first tells his parents about his trip to Heaven he states that the angels sang to him. He says, “Dad, Jesus had the angels sing to me because I was so scared. They made me feel better” ..at the time… “I was sitting on Jesus lap”. Now Colton was scared because he was having surgery. Immediately we have a problem with this statement. If you are sitting on Jesus Christ’s lap, surely you will not be scared? But yet Colton is scared and this Jesus figure has to get the angels to sing to him in order to make him feel better. The bible tells us:
John 14:27 “27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
2) Colton tells his father about Jesus’ horse, he says; “Hey dad, did you know Jesus has a horse?”….”Yeah a rainbow horse, I got to pet him. There’s lots of colors”. pg. 63
In Heaven is for Real, Jesus has a horse that resembles that of a My Little Pony? And we as Christians are supposed to believe this? Rainbows are also very significant in New Age teaching.–(This we will discuss in more detail later). Todd tries to justify his son’s vision by telling us about scripture of “the rainbow colours described in the book of Revelation” pg. 66
3) Colton also tells his father that this Jesus figure had a crown; “Yeah a crown, and it had this… this diamond thing in the middle of it and it was kind of pink…” pg.66
In Heaven is for Real, it would appear that the Jesus of Colton’s vision not only has a My Litte Pony but appears ‘plastic’ as well. A pink like stone in his crown? Who are we kidding here! The Jesus that appeared to Colton certainly does not look anything Jesus Christ the Son of God as spoken about in the book of Revelation – visions given to John. Now this vision we can believe because it’s in the bible:
Revelation 1:12-16 “I turned to see whose voice it was that was speaking to me and when I had turned I saw seven golden lamp stands, and among these lampstands I saw someone ‘like a Son of Man’. He was dressed in a long robe with a golden girdle around his breast; his head and his hair were white as snow-white wool, his eyes blazed like fire, and his feet shone as the finest bronze glows in the furnace. His voice had the sound of a great waterfall, and I saw that in his right hand he held seven stars. A sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth, and his face was ablaze like the sun at its height.“
The Purple Sash
4) Colton also says his Jesus wore white with a purple sash in his book Heaven is for Real he says, “Jesus was the only one in heaven who had purple on, Dad Did you know that? pg 65
Todd then tries to confuse the reader of Heaven is for Real by saying the following, “In scripture, purple is the color of kings. A verse from the gospel of Mark flashed through my mind: “His clothes became dassling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them” pg 65.
If we look at this scripture what Todd is referring too, it says nothing of purple. This is when Jesus was transfigured (Mark 9:3). The only time Jesus had purple on was just before he was going to be crucified. Note, he was being clothed as a human King – Jesus Christ is now King of all Kings. He is not Colton’s description of a Jesus figure, which is more like a fairy-tale Jesus.
Mark 15:17 “And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head”
Mark 15:20 “And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.”
Later on in the article we will have a look at what Colton’s Jesus actually looks like – yes we have a picture.
5) Something that stuns Colton’s father into submission is the fact that Colton’s Jesus showed him his hands and feet and Colton says, “Jesus has markers” pg 65
Todd does not understand that this Jesus in Heaven is for Real is not the real Jesus Christ of the Bible; a vision and the reality of Jesus Christ really returning to earth are completely two different things. Yes when Jesus Christ returns we will see the marks of where he was nailed to the cross, but this vision of Colton’s is a vision and another Jesus. Satan can mimic anything he wants too.
6) Todd asks Colton what everyone looks like in heaven and Colton replies, “Everybody’s got wings.” pg 72 informing his father that everyone sort of looks like angels.
This is absolutely incorrect. We know from scripture that we will most probably look the same as we did on earth, but we will be perfect in every sense of the word. We also know from scripture that the resurrection of believers’ physical bodies has yet to take place, anyone who dies and is destined for Heaven, their form now in Heaven must lack physical attributes. Just to note: Some people were raised from the dead and transformed at the time of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Matthew 27:52 says that their “bodies…were raised.” But do they have wings? No they do not. Philippians 3:21 says that Jesus “will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body.” Does Jesus have wings? No he does not. We are made in the image of God according to Genesis 1:27, does God have wings? No He does not. Is Colton’s Jesus pulling this child’s leg and everyone else who believes him? Yes he is.
7) Another strange addition to our bodies in Heaven is for Real is that in heaven is a halo. Colton tells his father that, “All people have a light above their head”. pg 73 To try and persuade the reader that dear little Colton is telling the truth Todd goes on to tell us about angels in the bible and “when angels show up, they’re sometimes dazzlingly bright, blinding almost”. pg 73 He also tells us about Stephen who’s “face became as bright as an angel’s” pg 73 not long after he was stoned to death.
Hmm, and what has that got to do with people in heaven having “lights about their heads?” Nothing. Again Todd’s examples from scripture to try prove his point are ridiculous to say the least. Interestingly enough Todd does say that he actually can’t “…remember angels having lights over their heads specifically-or halos, as some would call them.” pg 74 But never the less chooses to believe his sons story as being true and goes on to tell the rest of the world a lie.
8) In Heaven is for Real, Colton meets his grandfather and his little sister in heaven. It would appear that everyone goes to Heaven because his little sister tells Colton that she can’t wait to meet her parents (Todd and Sonja) one day in heaven. What would happen if either Todd or Sonja were to reject the Gospel? Would the little sister’s hope be crushed?
Colton’s little long lost sister tells him that God (who is called Jesus’ dad) – adopts all babies that have died. Now this story of God adopting children will pull at the heartstrings of a billion mothers who have lost children through miscarriage and other tragedies. The pain of losing a child is unlike anything a parent should face. But now we have the story Heaven is for Real by the Burpo’s, tapping into the heartache of millions of women (like it did with Sonja Burpo) and blinding them into believing that the vision Colton experienced was true; that he was indeed in Heaven and that the Jesus he met was indeed the true Biblical Jesus, when we know, based on all the evidence that Colton’s experience was demonic.
Who’s on the left side?
9) Colton explains to his father that Jesus sits on the right hand side of his ‘dad’. Todd then asks who sits on the left side and Colton replies, “Oh, that’s easy, Dad, That’s where the angel Gabriel is, He is really nice”. pg 101 This is another lie. No where in the bible does it tell us who sits on the left side of God because there is no left side, only a right side.
“In (Ephesians 1:19-21) here we see God exalting Jesus above all others by seating Him at the right hand of the Father.”
“The term “God’s right hand” in prophecy also refers to the Messiah to whom is given the power and authority to subdue His enemies (Psalm 110:1; Psalm 118:16)”
The fact that Jesus Christ is at the “right hand of God” was a sign to the disciples that Jesus had indeed gone to heaven. In John 16:7-15, Jesus told the disciples that He had to go away and He would send the Holy Spirit. So the coming of the Holy Spirit in the upper room on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13) was positive proof that Jesus was indeed in heaven seated at the right hand of God. This is confirmed in Romans 8:34 where the Apostle Paul writes that Christ is sitting at God’s right hand making intercession for us.
Therefore, what we can say that “God’s right hand” refers to the Messiah, the LORD Jesus Christ and He is of equal position, honor, power and authority with God (John 1:1-5). The fact that Christ is “sitting” refers to the fact that His work of redemption is done and when the fullness of the gentiles is brought in (Romans 11:25), Christ’s enemies will be made His footstool as the end of the age comes, all prophecy is completed, and time is no more.” –http://www.gotquestions.org/right-hand-God.html
The Holy Spirit
10) But it get’s worse, Colton tells his father that he sat with the Holy Spirit and it was kinda hard to describe him, other than “he’s kinda blue”. Colton was sitting by the Holy Spirit (in Heaven) praying for his father because as Colton said to his dad, “You needed the Holy Spirit, so I prayed for you”. pg 102 This is a very telling statement. The bible tells us that when you become a Christian the Holy Spirit comes to abide in you.
John 14:16-18 16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you”
Romans 8:9-11 “9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
1 Corinthians 6:19 “19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”
Todd is supposed to be a Pastor, and Todd is a professing Christian yet according to Colton’s Jesus, he does not have the Holy Spirit in him. This means that the following verses and many more applies to Todd Burpo:
Matthew 7:21-23 “21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied [preached] in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!
11) To make matters even worse Colton says that the Holy Spirit shoots down power to his dad when he is preaching in church, “It’s the Holy Spirit, “I watched him, He showed me”… ” He shoots down power for you when you are talking in church.” pg 126 This is totally unscriptural. Because we have proved above that the Holy Spirit abides in born again believers here on earth. The Holy Spirit does not give you power either. This Holy Spirit that Colton speaks of is false, along with it’s Jesus.
John 16:7-15 “7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.“
Rainbows in Heaven is for Real
12) Colton becomes obsessed with rainbows. Even to the point that he prays for a rainbow and one supposedly appears in the sky the following day. Todd Burbo uses the one and only scripture of Revelation 4:3 to try and backup his sons visions. “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.”
Because we know from everything else that we have read that there is something seriously demonic regarding Colton’s visions, therefore it’s only obvious to look at New Age teaching regarding Rainbows to see what they have to say. I did an article here on the 7 Colours of the Rainbow and the 7 Chakras, please read.
This is what New Ager’s have to say about the Rainbow:
“The experience of seeing the colours of the rainbow, when the sun is shining and it has been raining, is one we all can share. The experience often has a magical quality to it as though it is stirring some deep inner response. Such is the wonder of the light that forms the colours of the rainbow.The heavenly principle is to GIVE AS WE RECEIVE. We are not intended to absorb the light of the rainbow, enlightenment, joy and happiness, rather we are intended to transmit it; and in doing so to unfold its meaning for others, and for ourselves too.” —http://www.spiritualwisdom.org.uk/colours-of-the-rainbow.htm
“The rainbow represents the regenerate spiritual person – one who has lived out the path of enlightenment, whose potential has opened out like the lotus flower of the east, each stage represented by a new colour developing out of the one before.
The main seven colours symbolise wholeness or holiness. There are a variety of rainbows sometimes seen around those in the spiritual realms – the rainbow of the ‘aura’, as it is sometimes called, picturing the spiritual state of the person.
Yoga teaches that there are seven centers or chakras in the human body. These are spiritual centers – you will not find them described in a materialistic medical book.” — http://www.spiritualwisdom.org.uk/colours-of-the-rainbow2.htm
Akiane and Colton Burpo’s Christ
13) In the book, Heaven is for Real, The Burpo’s were themselves totally obsessed with finding out what Colton’s Jesus looked like “…as pastor, I wound up spending a lot of time at hospitals, in Christian bookstores, and at other churches–all places where there are lots of drawings and paintings of Christ….When we came across a picture of Jesus we’d ask Colton, “What about this one? Is that what Jesus looks like?’ pg 93. Finally Todd came across information of a girl by the the name of Akiane Kramarik who too had began having visions at the age of four. And as it turns out her descriptions of Heaven appear to be the same as Colton’s – so they say. Akiane is a Prodigy and paints the most beautiful paintings, “she states that God has given her the visions and abilities to create her artwork” –– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiane_Kramarik. One of her paintings is that of the Christ of her visions, she calls him her ‘Prince of Peace’. Colton, turned to his dad when he saw Akiane’s Jesus and said, “Dad, that one’s right.” pg 145.
What does the bible tell us:
Exodus 20:4-5 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
That applies to images of Jesus too, be it statues, or any other religious paintings, even the movies. It leads to idolatry, breeds superstition and leads to occultism. If Jesus wanted us to know what he looked like there would be a full description of Him in the bible, but He has not because we are to believe by FAITH.
Corinthians 5:7 “7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
1 Peter 1:8 “8 whom having not seenyou love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory”
John 20:29 “29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Therefore all and I mean all representations of Jesus are false and have no backing by scripture.
Akiane is now 16 years old, this is what she has to say about Jesus,
“Jesus shared with us: ‘I am the way, the truth and the light. No one comes to my Father, but through me.’ I feel that he invited us to participate in the divinity. Each of us is one of kind [ sic ] original path to the way of truth and light, and without our individual love and effort we cannot understand and reach God” [Emphasis added] — http://akiane.com/blog/?tag=akiane.
She rejects Jesus as being the only way for mankind to be reconciled to God. She opposes what Jesus Christ taught in favor of Satan’s promise of divinity to Eve in Genesis:3:5. Akiane has clearly met another Jesus and if Colton’s Jesus looks the same as Akiane’s then we can be certain that Colton’s Jesus is anti-Christ too.
14) Besides all the other unbiblical nonsense that Colton saw in his ‘trip to Heaven’ that was penned down in his book Heaven is for Real, the one that will bring fear into people the most is the one where he speaks of the coming war. “There’s going to be a war, and it’s going to destroy this world. Jesus and the angels and the good people are going to fight against Satan and the monsters and the bad people. I saw it”. pg 136 Colton tells his father that he saw his father fighting in the war too, fighting for Jesus who wins the war in the end. The problem with this eschatological view (the study of the end times) is that it’s wrong. The Body of Christ (Church) are ‘raptured’ to Heaven before the Tribulation starts. The ‘church’ that remains is but the false church of the antiChrist – the Roman Catholic church who have it as their mission to take over Jerusalem for themselves. The time of the 7 year tribulation is for Israel – and everything will happen in Israel. God turns back to Israel as he seals 144,000 Jewish witness to do the preaching instead of gentiles along with the 2 witnesses mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Anyone who professes Jesus Christ as their saviour will be beheaded. The time of the Tribulation is for God’s Wrath upon the earth. God deals with mankind and the anti-Christ very severely – but will mankind repent? No. If Todd Burpo is still going to be on earth during the Tribulation according to Colton’s vision he has then missed the ‘Blessed Hope’. (Titus 2:13)
See all these articles on the rapture here: Rapture, Caught Up, The First Resurrection
Colton is the new Jesus.
15) Colton’s babysitter, Ali, one night hears Colton’s story regarding his sister in heaven and that he missed her terribly. Ali, shocked at his story ends up crying her heart out. She is deeply touched. Ali had grown up in a Christian home but had entertained doubts regarding her faith, for e.g., not knowing if all religions lead to the same God or not. “But Colton’s story about his sister strengthened her Christian faith” pg 130
So Colton’s story is more impressive than anything the Bible could offer. Even though the Bible is TRUE and Colton’s story is not. Satan loves to use emotions to tug at the heartstrings of unsuspecting victims. And he is bargaining on you not going to the Bible to check to see if what he is telling you is true or not. And the longer you refrain from testing these evil spirits, the deeper and deeper you are pulled into deception through more false teaching, until you are completely swallowed up with no where to go.
Paul’s Rapture, John’s Prophecies and Lazarus and the Rich Man:
16) On page 80 of Heaven is for Real, Todd tells us about the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 12 about a man he knew personally (obviously, Paul himself) who was caught up to Heaven. And Todd also tells us about the Apostle John who had an angel appear to him and he penned a number of prophecies and described Heaven in great detail. Todd then quotes scripture from the Book of Revelation
Revelation 4:1-3 “1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.”
Basically Todd is trying to convince the reader that Colton’s vision is equal to that of Paul and John, but if Todd was a genuine Christian Pastor he would know the following:
“If I told you that I had recently visited there and only communicated what I knew was recorded in the Bible about it, you couldn’t object to what I said on the basis of my being biblically inaccurate. Accuracy, however, is not the only criterion for biblical discernment. There are many other instructions and examples that we must take into consideration. For example, the Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12 of a “man in Christ” (no doubt Paul himself) who was caught up to Heaven. He didn’t know at the time whether it was an experience in which his spirit had left his body, or a vision while his spirit remained in his body. Nevertheless, he states that what he saw and heard in paradise was not lawful for a man to utter. Paul’s experience was followed by a humbling infirmity, which he states that God allowed him to suffer “lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations…“ (2 Corinthians:12:6-7)
That isn’t always the case in Scripture. The Apostle John obviously was given permission to declare what he witnessed in Heaven in the Book of Revelation. This would seemingly apply as well to the writer of the Book of Job.
But can we be sure that the visions and personal experiences of these writers are true? Absolutely–because their words are found in the Scriptures . Of the Word of God, the psalmist writes, “Thy word is true from the beginning…,” and Jesus said, “Thy word is truth” (Psalm:119:160; John:17:17). That is the ultimate verification that the experiences of those men of God indeed took place as they described. Furthermore, since the canon of Scripture was closed in the first century A.D., no one since that time can have his vision of-or his alleged visit to–Heaven validated in the same way.
Jesus gave us another insight to help our discernment when He told of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man, who had died, was in a place where he was tormented and suffering remorse. Yet he begged Abraham to send someone to warn his brothers so that they would not end up with him in “this place of torment.” Abraham’s response was: “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” And again, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead“ (Luke:16:19-31) [Emphasis added] — http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/search-the-scriptures-daily/read/articles/is-heaven-is-for-real-for-real-an-exercise-in-discernment-13365.html
Todd Burpo’s deceptive faith:
17) On page 62, Todd Burpo was still trying to come to terms with Colton’s story, he said, “If Colton really had a supernatural encounter, I certainly didn’t want to ask him leading questions. We had taught Colton about our faith all his life. But if he really had seen Jesus and the angels, I wanted to become the student, not the teacher!”
Todd himself would appear to be duped and does not approve in proper biblical testing as per 1 John 4:1-6. He instead says that we must “be willing to accept reality and to call things what they are even when it is hard”. pg 75 So even though Colton’s story might be a bit hard to swallow, just believe it with childlike faith.
Todd also wanted to become a student of a 4 year old child instead of taking instruction from Jesus Christ (The Word of God). Is a 4 year old child now more truthful than the Word of God? The Bible says:
2 Timothy 3:15-17 “17 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”
Proverbs 30:5 (Amp) “5Every word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.”
18) On page 82 of Heaven is for Real, we are told that “Roman Catholics practice confession as a sacrament, sharing their sins and shortcomings with a priest. Protestants practice confession too, though a little less formally, often confiding in God without an intermediary.” When I started reading this book I kept my eyes peeled for the Roman Catholic connection and was not really surprised when it showed up.
1) Catholics practice confession, genuine Christians do no not practice confession. Christians ask Jesus Christ for forgiveness of their sin. 2) Confession and asking for forgiveness (repenting) is two different things. 3) The statement by Todd that he confides to “God without an intermediary” is very concerning for the bible says,
1 Tim 2:5 “5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus“
Todd prays to the Holy Spirit.
19) He says, “I breathed a ‘prayer of thanks’ to the Holy Spirit, who had clearly “shot down power,” giving me an answer for this grieving woman…” pg 146 Well we know that Todd lacks Jesus Christ as an intermediary, so he needs a new substitute; the holy spirit (lower case because it’s a false spirit)
No where in the bible are we told to pray to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will always point you to Jesus Christ the Son of God.
John 14:26 “26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
John 16:14 “14 Jesus speaking of the Holy Spirit said, “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you“
The bible does tell us the following about the Holy Spirit regarding prayer:
Romans 8:26 “26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Jude 1:20 “…build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.”
Scripture suggests that we pray “in the Holy Spirit”, which means we permit the Holy Spirit to guide our prayers and give us the right words to say, and during times when we don’t know what to say, the Holy Spirit automatically prays on our behalf with words that cannot be uttered, because He knows exactly what we need. This new idea that we pray to the Holy Spirit is a New Age concept – The false New Age holy spirit represents the 6th Chakra or the Third Eye.
When we pray, we can pray to God our Heavenly Father – Psalm 5:2 “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray”. To the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray as to the Father because they are equal. Or you can pray to our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – it does not matter, what ever makes you happy. Prayer to one member of the Trinity is prayer to all, because all three are One. Stephen, when he was being martyred, prayed – Acts 7:59 “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” . We are also to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul said, that we are always give – Ephesians 5:20 “thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” . There is no fixed rule, to add a rule on how to address God is wrong.
Jesus Christ’s crucifixion
20) On page 149 in Heaven is for Real, Todd makes the most unbelievable statement regarding Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, he says, “The scripture says that as Jesus gave up his spirit, as he sagged there, lifeless on that Roman cross, God the Father turn his back. I am convinced that he did that because if he had kept on watching, he couldn’t have gone through with it” This kind of thinking is very similar to a man by the name of John Dominic Crossan’s (Jesus Seminar), who has had a great influence the Emergent church:
“If we are to believe that God deliberately sent his only son into the world to be brutally tortured and crucified, then I take that to be transcendental child abuse, and I will not have it.” — John Dominic Crossan, Speech at Duke University Conference on “Jesus in Context: Who Was He?”, February 19-21, 1998
For the undiscerning reader reading this book and does not understand the crucifixion, let me please explain so that you may know the truth and nothing but the truth, because you are not going to get it from Todd Burpo.
Isaiah 53:10 “10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. “
“And about the ninth hour Jesus “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46. This cry is a fulfillment of Psalm 22:1.
Isaiah 53:4-5 tells us that Jesus “bore our griefs and carried our sorrows; that he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; that the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him; that by his stripes we are healed” and Galatians 3:13 tells us “He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us”.
In those awful moments on the cross, Jesus was expressing His feelings of abandonment as God placed the sins of the world on Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” and 1 John 2:2 “2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” – and because of that God had to “turn away” from Jesus. As Jesus was feeling that weight of sin, He was experiencing separation from God for the only time in all of eternity. Jesus became sin for us, so He felt the loneliness and abandonment that sin always produces, except that in His case, it was not His sin – it was ours.
But then Jesus cried out from the cross, when Jesus uttered those words, John 19:30 “It is Finished” He was declaring the debt by mankind (the debt of sin) owed to His Father was wiped away completely and forever.
The Catholic connection.
21) One of the biggest warning signs today for a genuine Christian is to note any Roman Catholic connection. Todd says on page 152 in Heaven is for Real, “A lot of our Catholic friends have asked whether Colton saw Mary, the mother of Jesus. The answer to that is also yes. He saw Mary kneeling before the throne of God and at times, standing besides Jesus. “She still loves him like a mom”. The Roman Catholic Church is spoken off in the book of Revelation as:
Revelation 17:4-6 “4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.”
The Catholic Mary (Queen of Heaven) is non other than a demonic goddess posing as Jesus’ mother. “The Queen of Heaven in the bible is a Babylonian goddess whom people worshiped. She has been incarnated to Roman Catholicism under the name ‘Mary’, Mary-Queen of Heaven. Many Catholics would deny that Mary worship is part of Catholicism but unfortunately this is not true as she holds a special place in the hearts of many.” — Please read more on Mary Queen of Heaven – Whore of Babylon
Jeremiah 7:18 (Amp) “18 The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger!
Conclusion:
As you can see from the heaps of evidence above that was taken directly from Heaven is for Real that the ‘altered states of consciousness’ that Colton experienced was not genuine. Why? Is is due to his fathers sin of following after false doctrines. Have the Burpo’s delved into things, i.e, contemplative spirituality, that they should have not been delving into. Is this story even a lie? What ever it is, one thing is very clear, the story is not true, and if you choose to follow after this false Jesus with a pink stone in his crown and a pink pony, you will be following after a New Age Jesus. The bible says:
2 Timothy 4:1-5 “1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
TLM
Preaching the Gospel and exposing false teachers is not about having meals with them and eating popcorn while you watch a movie with them. How do I know?
The word “paraggellō” (charge) means to command someone who preaches false doctrine to stop their nonsense. I suppose you can do it while having a meal with false teachers but don’t expect them to pay for your meal. They will rather chase you away.
By the way, judging someone’s doctrines is not judging the person. In fact God commands us to judge all things because the spiritually mature Christian has learned to judge righteously.
Now please tell us who we should obey – YOU, who misinterpret the meaning of “judge not lest you be judged” or God who says that we should judge all things? I prefer to obey God, and you?
if Jesus returns, he would be so amazed by your disbelief (Mark 6:6).
SABRINA,
WHEN Jesus returns, He would be amazed at how easily you were deceived. (Matthew 24:4).
I don’t think God would like us wasting our time arguing over trivial matters. I am pretty sure there are areas of his work that need far greater attention? ie.. Giving out his Gospel?, loving our neighbor? Caring for the neady? This blog has been going on for the longest I have ever seen yet. Our time can be better spent. Arguing over a 4 yr old’s beliefs? The same age of children who have imaginary friends? Who love to play pretend? Or, have we all forgotten what it’s like to be 4 yrs old? Come on guys, you really believe all this?
Harold,
I really don’t think Jesus is too happy when his Gospel which concerns the salvation of lost souls is tampered with, even when the one tampering with it is a four year old kid. You see, it works like this. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Truth which makes free and whoever tampers with it and presents something else in its place (including loving to play with imaginary friends) turns the Truth into a lie and lies come from the father of all lies who is Satan (John 8:44). And you say it is trivial? Really? “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”
Never read the book, never intend to…. one has to be SOOO CAREFUL when shopping at a “Christian” book store, or buying from “Christian” book stores online. Bottom line: they don’t care what they sell, as long as it’s more k-ching for them!! (and I do believe they will be held accountable for this!)
C’mon!! “Rainbow” colored horses in heaven? I recall that when the book 1st came out…. and Jesus was made out to be a “good ole’ boy” (I feel blasphemous in even stating that…) IMHO, it wasn’t that a little 4 y/o boy fantasized or even saw visions while laying on the table…. it was that the parents weren’t familiar enough with God’s Word to correct their son & tell him what was truth!!
Got to agree with Tom wholeheartedly on your Oct. 26th reply to Harold.
Real Christians: are we gonna’ fall for just ANYTHING??
Anything the world (or even mega masses of Christians for that matter) get excited about most generally goes against the “narrow road” we’re to be on! And should be checked with due diligence; as Bereans we should check all things that come down the pike against the BIBLE!! If we’re not in the Bible, we’ll easily fall for anything. (preaching to myself here as well, of course!)
As i read your article i felt a spirit of truth, and i cried throughout the article. i felt so conflicted after reading this book, i cried and i was confused. It didn’t sound like my God or something He would allow and i was so confused because i almost felt guilty for not believing a child, but i forget that the devil can work through anyone and i thank you for providing this revelation in Jesus’ name, what you are saying is the truth and you have reminded me to continue to spend extensive time in the word. May my Lord God Yhwh bless you ,keep you and have mercy on your soul. We can not stop the work of darkness because it is written in scripture but it is definitely painful to be apart of
Thank you again.
Hi Panash Masoha
Thank you for your comment. Yes indeed, the devil can use anyone. In Acts 16 wee see him using a young damsel.
We should always rely on the Holy Spirit to lead us within the boundaries of God’s written Word. (Matthew 24:4)
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for commenting on my comment! James
The boy appears to have had a real experience. Lets look at it this way. Is it really promoting sin, unrighteousness, lack of faith, or a deception of what we need to be saved? No, it is not. It is more likely to spur people on toward God, rather than away from him right? About the comment made about the Holy Spirit coming upon people who are already saved. Were not the Apostles already saved and having the Holy Spirit when they were told to “wait” for the Holy Spirit. Yes they were! Jesus had already prayed for them and they had already received the Holy Spirit at the end of the book of John! The Holy Spirit comes in measures. Jesus is the only one who has the Holy Spirit “without measure” John 3:34.
Saddened by some views wrote:
Hi Saddened. True I have problems with the fundamentalist view also. It is usually hyper-Calvinist. They misrepresent anything good on Christianity such as a truly transformed life in Christ. Yet I am a revivalist protestant Christian.
As with practically all Christian movements, there tents to be a movement over time and the centuries, toward spiritual deadness. What was once an alive movement very slowly and gradually becomes spiritually dead. Don’t you think this might have also happened with the Catholic Church in general (as well as Christian “fundamentalists”)? Slowly, but surely any organisation can be over-run by evil people. Yes you may still see some good remaining. But is the Catholic doctrine of praying to Mary really in the Bible? Are we not commanded to pray to God directly? This is a really evil thing! Also at the time of Luther Catholics were abusing the sacrament of Indulgences, his principle argument against them. I have spoken to those in Catholic ministry and know a bit about it.
Jesus never promised to protect an organisation. The ideas that the Holy Spirit necessarily guides the whole, (either a church, such as the Catholic Church, or individual congregational-style churches is a serious error – e.g. extreme ideas of the late Baptist Stanley J. Grenz). Jesus, or the Holy Spirit do not guide the whole, to guarantee that the corporate whole have the truth. It is ALWAYS up to us/leaders to respond to his promptings… And Jesus said we shall know them by their fruits, not their church-associations. If we don’t then the church goes astray. Jesus promised to never leave the faithful (or those who return to Him).
One real problem in your Church is this:
You rely far to much on the actions of priests, presupposing this administers grace. Suppose an unholy priest were to provide the “right” words and actions to turn the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. This is observed. No anointing or “presence” can be provided simply by the actions and speech act of a priest. It depends more on his own personal relationship to Christ, which will sanctify his actions (e.g. Jesus spitting in mud to heal), and this will vary greatly, not just in the Catholic Church. No grace can be given simply by actions and words of a priest alone…
It is an error to think the legacy of the Catholic Church is better than the Protestants. Jesus NEVER praised legacy at all, or any particular organisation. e.g. one time He forbidden his disciples to stop another group from using the name of Jesus to do good, though they were not with them. God will use anyone who has the truth!
Caleb
So-called “real experiences” is not the litmus test for truth. Satan is quite capable of letting you have “real experiences.” Does that make it OK?
Thank you, Caleb, for you insightful comment addressed to saddened.
Saddened, what do you think of this?
https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/confusing-even-the-elect-the-troubling-statements-of-pope-francis
sir iam kakkerla pramod from india sir iam suffering with severe evil spirits problem and severe demonic powerrs in head sir since 2 years iam suffering sir my parents taken me to many doctors and astrolagers sir they spend 3 lacs on me sir but there is no use sir with my problem my father got heart surgery sir my wife leaved me sir i did a suasaid attempt sir one person saved me and said few words about jesus and said this webadderess sir now iam in iccu sir doctors did all the tests and said in my body total nerves are completly week and they are in disorder sir they said sir they given powerful injections for improvement sir but there is no improvement sir if my father knows this his heart will stop sir i will catch your legs sir plz pray for me sir and save me sir iam the only son to my parents sir i didnt have energy to send message also sir may be it is my last prayer reqest sir
Dear kakkerla pramod
I hope this is not a joke, if you are for real, please read this article. Salvation and Deliverance
This article is for you to be saved by Jesus Christ and for deliverance from evil spirits. Do exactly what the article tells you to do.
Please make a note that when you make your list of sins – mention to Jesus Christ in prayer that He must remove all demonic spirits from you when you went to see the astrologer.
If you need more help please comment.
OMG this was an amazing article. I prayed yesterday night for more wisdom and truth be told I read this book and a few articles on Alkaine when I first moved to Raleigh, NC and I had always been a baptized christian but never tapped into my “Personal Relationship” with Christ until he got me alone and away from all the cares of this world….. but long story short I was introduced to this book at work I read it and got inspired of course I was a baby in Christ at the time, I had no reason to question my faith after I read this book and like most I recommended this book to other people at the time {GOD FOR FORGIVE ME!!) but as I’m more now grounded in the Lord and READ MY BIBLE!! I began to question some of the things that I read not but again as I stated I asked God for more wisdom I was here on the internet building a Newsletter for the Ministry I’m apart of I saw the picture of Carlton followed by Alkaine drawing and thought to myself what if they aren’t telling the truth…It’s been 3 years since I read this book and now this question arises??? So I veered away from my newsletter and sought after a different opinion something that could back up the word of God because everything seemed to be cheering for this book and drawing after 8 pages in I stumbled upon this article and behold TRUTH!!!!!! thank you writer for allowing God to use you in this might way and not only that I pray this article teaches believers in Christ to TEST EVERY SPIRIT!!! side note: I printing and sharing to all the people I gave this book too <3
Dear Deidre
When we are baby Christians we fall into traps set by Satan to capture our imagination and lead us away from Jesus Christ to another Christ. Some people never grow up spiritually and are drawn further away from Jesus Christ to Satan, others do grow up – like yourself.
Ephesians 4:14 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”
Having said that, even as gown up Christians we must put on the whole armour of God to stand against the plots and plans of Satan.
Ephesians 6:11-12″11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Can I ask you a question…
You said “but never tapped into my “Personal Relationship” with Christ until he got me alone and away from all the cares of this world….”
What did you mean?
I watched a documentary about Akiane, the girl who does the paintings and claims God is the one telling her to paint them. Nearly everything she says is not biblical at all. Here’s a very disturbing quote from the documentary: “I like to say me and God are both in control of everything. So he tells me an idea and I just take that idea and make it better”. Two huge red flags here. 1. She’s making herself equal with God by claiming that she has equal control with him. 2. She is claiming that she can improve on God’s ideas. That suggestion is absolutely laughable. God is INFINITELY more intelligent than we primitive humans are. If anything, God sees our primitive pitiful ideas (that we consider to be advanced and intelligent) and laughs kindly and he is the one who improves on OUR ideas! To suggest that any idea that God has might need to be improved upon by humans is to suggest that God is not God. To be God means to be absolutely superior to us, and to be all-knowing and wise. I do not believe she can possibly have met the real God at all, because if she had, she wouldn’t be saying such arrogant things and she would have reached a realisation that God is much, much more clever and talented at art (and everything else) than she is. She and God are not equals, but she seems to think they are. None of God’s ideas need to be “made better” by her! Another huge red flag is that despite claiming to have seen a vision of the real Jesus, the “vision” seemingly wasn’t clear enough in her mind to be able to paint it from memory so she had to use a human model of some random man who turned up and knocked on her door and she asked him to sit for her as a model. So the man in her painting isn’t Jesus. He’s just a handyman who sat for her as a model. She claims that the model she used resembled the real Jesus, but if she had truly seen a vision of the real Jesus and God had intended her to paint it, I am confident that God would have seared that vision into her mind and she would have been able to paint him perfectly from memory. Also her entire painting career seems to be a huge money-making exercise. She and her family are now extremely rich due to selling her paintings. If she were really in contact with the real Jesus, I very much doubt he would be telling her that he had given her a talent in art just in order to make herself filthy rich. He is far more likely to say that she should give all the money to the poor. You only need to read the gospels to know Jesus’ thoughts on that.
Akiane claims that her faith came through direct visions and experiences of Jesus. That alone is unbiblicaL for God says, “So faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17). All false teachings and heresies started with visions and dreams, supposedly of God and Jesus.
Wow so Jesus’s mother is a whore… Bravo to the author, I wish you good luck when you face Jesus. Explain well to Him how the woman who said YES to God and allowed Him to incarnate is considered a whore.
Luke 1:48 “for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant,
From now on all generations will call me blessed” blessed not a whore…. read your scripture.
Your text is satanic, lifeless and loveless, and the only thought that passed by my mind was “wow the author reminds me so much of the pharisians” . I could go on and on but I will stop here for you are blind and do not wish to see the truth. Matthew 33:39 “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
I don’t see love but hate. You divide, just like Satan. May Jesus have mercy on your soul.
John,
I suggest that you put on your spectacles and read what the author really said, again.
Are you sure that you believe in the Jesus of the Bible?
Also read, https://www.discerningtheworld.com/2018/02/12/mosaiek-kerk-scallop-pagan-spirituality/
Hi Tom,
Thank you for your reply.
Tom, Where do you guys find all this info about a demon goddess that is incarnated in the catholic church? The Bible says she will be called blessed… the Virgin Mary, the one and only Mary, the mother of God, does have an important place in a catholic heart because she is the woman who said “yes” to Gabriel. God needed that “yes” because of our free will to incarnate. We do not, I repeat, we do not adore Mary. A catholic only adores Jesus Christ, who gave His life and holy blood on the cross for our sins. We love and respect Mary as our mother because Jesus gave her to us on the cross when He gave her to John as his mother. John was his beloved, but aren’t we all christians His beloved? It was His testamony on the cross. You guys have so much hate for Mary and the Saints that is just not comprehensible for another christian. Let’s say Tom you and I are friends. If I am feeling bad or ill, am I allowed to tell you: “Tom, please my friend, pray with me and for me Jesus, I need His help” ? Well it is the same with the Saints, they are Jesus’s friends.we do not adore them, we ask them to pray with us and for us our Lord and Savior Jesus. It is all about charity and Love my friend, and it saddens me to hear brothers and sisters in Christ spreading hatred. We should only spread love and Jesus will judge us on Love.
Don’t think just because you said Jesus is Lord, you are saved.
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
But what is the Will of the Father?
Mark 12 29-31: “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” aren’t we catholics your neighbors Tom? Catholics, orthodox, muslims, atheists, etc… are all our neighbors. We need to love everyone and tell them about Jesus with love and empathy.
I pray Jesus widen your hearts brothers and sisters from the protestant realm. It is all about love and charity. God bless you
In reply to John.
Well, John, the info we get is from the Bible and you only need to believe what it says about the false Mary to understand that you are deceived. First off, it is evident from Scripture that the Mary you, as you say, ask to pray for you on your behalf is a false one. Consider the following quotes from the lips of Catholics.
Listen to what Jesus said about his real mother.
If a Catholic only adores and worships Jesus Christ, why do you give the attributes which belong to Jesus alone, to Mary as your intercessor? Indeed, you may ask anyone to pray with and for you, but do you believe that the one who prays with or for you gives you access to Christ Jesus? There is not a single instance in the Bible where Jesus or his disciples advised anyone to pray to Mary to give them access to Jesus. In fact, this is what the Bible teaches.
Jesus shed his blood and presented his body (flesh) on the cross to redeem us, and not Mary. Whoever believes that is a blasphemer.
The Old Testament high priesthood was a type of Jesus Christ. The allotted high priest in the OT was the person who represented God’s people and the only one who was allowed to enter into the holiest of holies in the tabernacle and later, the temple, to offer the diverse sacrifices in behalf of the sins of the people. If Mary had been an intercessor in heaven to do penance for sins, she too should have had a type in the Old Testament. Show me a single example in the Bible where a woman first had to grant the people access to the high priest (a type of Jesus Christ) before he interceded for the people via the sacrifices.
Yes, there is an example in the Old Testament but she is a false Mary.
Tom (Discerning the World) wrote:
Well, John, the info we get is from the Bible and you only need to believe what it says about the false Mary to understand that you are deceived. First off, it is evident from
Scripture that the Mary you, as you say, ask to pray for you on your behalf is a false one. Consider the following quotes from the lips of Catholics.
Where in scripture it says that Mary is a demon goddess??…. “it is evident” is not enough for me. It is your interpretation, not what he Bible says.
There is no one, O most holy Mary. .. who can be saved or redeemed but through thee…. -St. Germanus
Yes, by her “YES” and through her, God came to earth to save us. God doesn’t need anyone, He can just open the skies and descend with glory from His heavenly Throne, but HE WANTED to incarnate through Mary! Mary Co-operated with God, what would’ve happened if Herod the Great managed to kill baby Jesus when he was born? Mary and Joseph protected Him. God Almighty was vulnerable on Earth as a baby/Child and Mary protected Him, loved Him, educated Him… Protestants seem to forget that.
As we have access to the Eternal Father only through Jesus Christ, so have we access to Jesus Christ only through Mary. By thee we have access to the Son, O blessed finder of
grace, bearer of life, and mother of salvation…. -St. Bernard
I send you to the episode of Cana, Jesus time was not ready but she intercede for the people there and Jesus listened to her, because she is His mother and He loved her. Again it is all about love guys, get rid of the pharisean way of reading the Bible guys. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Everything is not in Scriptures and stopping at scriptures is a huge mistake:
John 16 12-15: “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
The Holy Spirit is still guiding the universal church. He gave us extra knowledge not at your disposal.
In thy hands I place my eternal salvation, and to thee do I entrust my soul…. For, if thou protect me, dear Mother, I fear nothing; not from my sins, because thou wilt obtain for
me the pardon of them; nor from the devils, because thou art more powerful than all hell together; nor even from Jesus, my Judge himself, because by one prayer from thee, he
will be appeased. But one thing I fear; that, in the our of temptation, I may neglect to call on thee, and thus perish miserably.
Obtain for me, then, the pardon of my sins…. – One of many prayers in the popular booklet devotions in Honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Listen to what Jesus said about his real mother.
And it was told him [Jesus]. .. Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which
hear the Word of God and do it. – Luke 8:20, 21
And it came to pass [that] … a certain woman… said unto him [Jesus], Blessed is the womb that bare thee…. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God
and keep it. – Luke 11:27, 28
She is our mother, Jesus gave her to us and if it wasen’t for Her humanity would have been anihilated. Here what she says at La Salette in 1846:
““If my people will not submit, I shall be forced to let fall the arm of my Son. It is so strong, so heavy, that I can no longer withhold it.
“For how long a time do I suffer for you! If I would not have my Son abandon you, I am compelled to pray to him without ceasing; and as to you, you take not heed of it.
“However much you pray, however much you do, you will never recompense the pains I have taken for you.”
You speak of her as if Jesus didn’t respected her while He was on earth. Exodus 20:12 : “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
If a Catholic only adores and worships Jesus Christ, why do you give the attributes which belong to Jesus alone, to Mary as your intercessor? Indeed, you may ask anyone to pray with
and for you, but do you believe that the one who prays with or for you gives you access to Christ Jesus? There is not a single instance in the Bible where Jesus or his disciples advised
anyone to pray to Mary to give them access to Jesus. In fact, this is what the Bible teaches.
If Mary is absent from the Bible it is because of her extreme humilty. Think about this Tom, who gave the apostles the infos written in the Bible about Jesus’s childhood period? Apostolic tradition says that she asked Luke not to write about her. What a lady!!, she is the first christian who understood humilty. Saint Maximilian Kolbe had a dream, he saw Jesus and Mary in heaven and 2 ladders, one that goes from earth to Jesus and this ladder was red and people had a hard time climbing it (lack of love and charity) and a second ladder that goes to Mary and from Mary to Jesus, and this ladder was blue and people arrived faster to Jesus.
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his
flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:19-23).
Jesus shed his blood and presented his body (flesh) on the cross to redeem us, and not Mary. Whoever believes that is a blasphemer.
True but again Mary allowed Him to incarnate so that He could shed His blood on the cross. She is loved by the catholics for that reason, she co-operated with God for our salvation.
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:23-25)
The Old Testament high priesthood was a type of Jesus Christ. The allotted high priest in the OT was the person who represented God’s people and the only one who was allowed
to enter into the holiest of holies in the tabernacle and later, the temple, to offer the diverse sacrifices in behalf of the sins of the people. If Mary had been an intercessor in
heaven to do penance for sins, she too should have had a type in the Old Testament. Show me a single example in the Bible where a woman first had to grant the people access to
the high priest (a type of Jesus Christ) before he interceded for the people via the sacrifices.
Don’t forget that Mary also is a tabernacle, she had in her belly the holiest of holies.
Mary cannot forgive sins, he who says otherwise is a liar. But she can intercede/pray Jesus as she did in Cana for us and our sins. What a great lady! Thank you Lord for givine us your mother as our mother, you gave us everything you had out of love for us. We love you <3
Yes, there is an example in the Old Testament but she is a false Mary.
As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth,
to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in
the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink
offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink
offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men? (Jeremiah 44:16-19)
Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
Who is this woman Satan hates so much that he, the prince of this world, managed to put hatred towards her even in christian’s hearts.
Who is the woman’s offspring that will crush Satan’s head?
Satan hates Mary because he wanted you and I to fall, to be damned for eternity in hell, his domain. Mary blew up his plans by allowing God to incarnate and save humanity.
So with no surprise I witness hate towards the mother God from alot of people including protestants who walked away from the original church, the church Jesus built. The church of Peter.
Anyway I will stop here, I had many conversations with protestants on this matter, and I know it will lead nowhere. My only advice for you if I may is to pray the Holy Spirit to guide you through the whole truth. Not a disfigured truth established by a human (luther) who came centuries after the original apostles claiming he got things right.
God bless you Tom. We will continue this discussion with Jesus when we get promoted and leave this satanic exile.
John, you are deceived, my friend, heavily deceived. Jesus said,
Do yourself a favor and read Dave Hunt’s book “A Woman Rides the Beast” to see how fraudulent Roman Catholic tradition is.
In reply to John.
Dave Hunt writes:
UNHOLY MOTHER
A System Made for Prostitution
For centuries the priesthood was largely hereditary. Most priests were the sons of other priests and bishops. More than one pope was the illegitimate son of a previous and supposedly celibate pope. For example, Pope Sylverius (536-7) was fathered by Pope Hormisdas (514-23), and John XI (931-5) by Sergius III (904-11) of his favorite mistress, Marozia, to whom we referred earlier. Among the other bastards who ruled the Church were Popes Boniface 1(418-22), Gelasius (492-6), Agapitus (535-6), and Theodore (642-9). There were more. Adrian IV (1154-9) was the son of a priest. No wonder Pope Pius 11 (1458-64) said Rome was “the only city run by bastards.” Pius himself admitted to fathering at least two illegitimate children, by different women, one of them married at the time. The rule of celibacy literally created prostitutes, making Rome the “Mother of Harlots,” as the apostle John foresaw. In his fiery sermons, Savonarola of Florence, Italy (soon to be martyred), called Rome “a harlot ready to sell her favors for coin”6 and accused the priests of bringing “spiritual death upon all … their piety consists in spending their nights with harlots.” He cried, “One thousand, ten thousand, fourteen thousand harlots are few for Rome, for there both men and women are made harlots.”7 Pope Alexander VI threatened to “lay an interdict upon Florence” if it did not silence Savonarola. The city rulers obeyed for fear that as a result of the interdict all “the Florentine merchants in Rome would be thrown into jail.”8 The pope wanted Savonarola brought to Rome for trial as a heretic, but the Signory of Florence wanted to execute him themselves. After signing confessions that had been wrung out of them by the cruelest of torture, Savonarola and two comrade friars were hanged and burned to ashes.9 Yet this man who reached against the Church leaders’ immorality and was slain by Roman Catholics is now celebrated by the Vatican as “a giant of our faith, martyred May 23, 1498.”10 What revision of history! Visiting Germany in the eighth century, St. Boniface found that none of the clergy honored their vows of celibacy. He wrote to Pope Zachary (741-52): “Young men who spent their youth in rape and adultery were rising in the ranks of the clergy. They were spending their nights in bed with four or five women, then getting up in the morning … to celebrate mass.” Bishop Rathurio complained that if he excommunicated unchaste priests “there would be none left to administer the sacraments, except boys. If he excluded bastards, as canon law demanded, not even boys [would be left].”