Global day of prayer ...

There is an event called the 'Global Day of Prayer' coming up in Singapore, on the 4^th June 2006. After watching the promotional video, I am grieved in my spirit by the things I have seen in it.

In this wideo, you can see both Bishop T.D. Jakes and Rev. Rick Warren taking part in this prayer movement. T.D. Jakes denies the Trinity and is a Sabellian, making the Father, Son and Holy Spirit three manifestations of one person, God. This could be confirmed from the belief statement of the Potter's House, T.D. Jakes' church, accessed 29^th April 2006, where it is stated thus:

God — There is one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three Manifestations: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Bold added)

This marks T. D. Jakes to be a heretic, being condemned by the historic Christian faith as expressed in the Anthanasian Creed, being subscribed by Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches alike.

As for Rick Warren, he is hetero-orthodox, promoting a social gospel with his PEACE plan and teaching wrong doctrine in the Purpose Driven^® Life, also misquoting Scriptural verses.

With the participation of these two "teachers", it would suffice to show that this whole ecumenical event is not approved by God. God told us to separate from false teachers (2 Cor. 6:14-18), thus unless the organisers distant themselves from and rebuke these two men, especially T.D. Jakes, this event is not blessed by God.

Also in this video, Is. 66:18 was quoted out of context. It was used to ask people to pray, as the video states that it is written that when we go about our Christian works and our thoughts towards God, God will come and gather all nations and tongues, and we will come and see God's glory, using the NIV version of the verse. However, when one look at the context and the verse in a better translation like the ESV, it can be seen that the verse is wrenched out of context, even if one uses the NIV version. It is rendered thus in the ESV:

For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see my glory, ... (Is. 66:18 — ESV)

and in the NIV:

And I, because of their actions and their imaginations, am about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory. (Is. 66:18 — NIV)

From the context of this verse, it can be seen that the 'they' being stated here refers to those peple who are among those who have rebelled against God (v. 15-17) but have received mercy and are saved by God's grace (v. 19) as revealed in His glory (v. 18b). Primarily, it is referring to the Jews who are in the process of being judged by God then, whom God will save a remnant (v.19) to bring forth the other Jews and also prophetically future Gentile believers unto salvation. (Ref: Matthew Henry's commentrary on this pasage, scroll down for the passage in question).

Thus, with regards to this verse, it is NOT talking about our Christian activity and piety which would bring about God's glory. The ESV is clear this verse is talking about God knowing the works and thoughts of the unregenerate elect among the sinners whom he shall bring to salvation from every nation and tongue(v. 18b-19). In the immediate context, it is talking about the elect Jews who will be gathered from all nations and tongues of the known world then from which they were dispersed. Prophetically, it refers to the ingathering of the elect, both Jews and Gentiles, from every nation, tribe and tongue in the world (cf Rev. 7:9). The ESV thus translate the verse better unlike the NIV which make the reason why God does his work due to the works and thoughts of the unregenerate elect. Such a casual relationship is not suggested in the context, and would overturn what we know of the sovereignty of God in his dealings with Man, as if our actions or non-actions determine what God will do or won't do. The only "casual relationship" which is plausible is the fact that God has decided to bring forth His glory and salvation to His elect "due to" the sinfulness of His yet unsaved people as expressed in their works and thoughts.

With such misapplication of the verse, it shows the anthropocentricity of the people involved in the video and the whole event in the first place. It does not help that throughout the whole video, nothing was said about preaching the Word of God, standing firm on it and rebuking the heretics present in the visible churches. It should be noted also that the statement of faith used by the Global Day of Prayer movement is the Apostle's Creed, which is ambiguous enough for heretics like T.D. Jakes to subscribe to. With such disregard for the Word of God and for what is says, can there ever be revival? No matter how much prayer, without the preaching of the pure Word of God, how can God be glorified and people saved, since salvation is accomplished through the preaching of the Word of God (Rom. 10:17)?

Since this is the case, it is highy recommanded that Christians should not attend this Global Day of Prayer, as it will accomplish little, unless it be building up the Kindom of the Antichrist, as Bishop T.D. Jakes and the heretics involved in the Word-faith movement would do so.