Does this Shoe Fit?

-meme

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References

Amen Clinics

Heart of Sound

 

Look up: 

"Cult Behavior Signs"

Read and Read and Read about Cults. 

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You are not alone.

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Cry out to Jesus!

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Psalm 3

O Lord, how my adversaries have increased!


Many are rising up against me.


Many are saying of my soul,


“There is no deliverance for him in God.” 

But You, O Lord, are a shield about me,


My glory, and the One who lifts my head.


I was crying to the Lord with my voice,


And He answered me from His holy mountain. 

I lay down and slept;


I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.


I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people


Who have set themselves against me round about.

Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God!


For You have smitten 

all my enemies on the cheek;


You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.


Salvation belongs to the Lord;


Your blessing be upon Your people! 

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There is Freedom in Christ! Cry out to Him! 

He will give you a way to escape! And a way to return to a normal life!

He will give you a way to survive if you have "lost" a loved one to a cult-like situation!

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Evil is in the World when Cult Dynamics Rule

~Yellowstone FB

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Beware of Indoctrination

"When an opponent declares, 

“I will not come over to your side, and you will not get me on your side,” 

I calmly say, 

“Your child belongs to me already. A people lives forever. What are you? You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else but this new community.”

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Yes, Cults of all Kinds have been around since the Fall...

and this quote is from none other than 

Adolf Hitler, 11/6/33, Elbing, East Prussia.

Be Aware of Falsehoods and 

Warn Others!

You, and Me, are Basically Sheep

-Scotland FB

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"Cults are characterized by a charismatic leader, strong social control, and isolation from the outside world. 

They often involve extreme beliefs, manipulation, and exploitation of members."

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Cult Behaviors

-internet meme

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Key Characteristics of Cults:

Charismatic Leader:
Cults are often led by a charismatic figure who demands obedience and unquestioning loyalty. 


Strong Social Control:
Cult leaders exert tight control over members' lives, dictating their thoughts, actions, and emotions. 


Isolation from the Outside World:
Cults often isolate members from family, friends, and traditional society, limiting exposure to alternative perspectives. 


Extreme Beliefs:
Cults often promote dogmatic and extreme beliefs, sometimes involving apocalyptic scenarios or unique interpretations of reality. 


Manipulation and Control:
Cults utilize various techniques to manipulate members, including "love bombing," guilt-tripping, and mind control tactics. 


Exploitation:
Cults may exploit members financially, emotionally, or sexually, often under the guise of serving a higher purpose. 


Unquestioning Faith:
Members are often discouraged from questioning the leader or the group's doctrines, and dissent is punished. 


Fear and Suspicion:
Cults may foster a climate of fear and suspicion of the outside world, often portraying outsiders as enemies or threats. 


New Doctrines:
Cults frequently invent new doctrines or interpretations of existing ones, often to maintain control and justify their practices. 


Unresolved Insecurities:
Cult leaders and members may struggle with unresolved insecurities and a need for validation, which can be exploited by the leader.


Delusions:
Cults may promote delusions or unsubstantiated claims, often to justify their beliefs and actions. 

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sources

Cult Recovery101

Cult-Related Activity

What is a Cult? 10 Warning Signs

What is a Cult? 4 Types of Cults and Common Characteristics

Stockholm Syndrome

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Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

~Yellowstone FB 

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As the saying goes:

"Lie down with dogs;

get up with fleas."

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1 Corinthians 15:33-34

..."Do not be deceived: 

“Bad company corrupts good morals.”

Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. 

I speak this to your shame."...

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- essentially saying that associating with morally bad, unrighteous people can negatively influence your own character and lead you astray.

-unknown

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Terrifying Storm Clouds

What do you do when you see a terribly dangerous "storm" arising around certain people, but your adult child is able to make his own decisions?

You can "see" all of "this" will turn out in an awful way, but your adult child says he can handle it.

He thinks he will handle it. 

He is an adult and he is in charge of himself, but it turns out that "they" know exactly how to control others...and so, in reality, he can't handle it. 

Thus begins your precious child's life caught in a "web" of control that you can not solve. 

The LORD will solve it His Way

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What do you do?

Pray for your child! 

For the rest of your life, pray for this child!

Rest in the LORD as you pray for this child!

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Unjust Suffering

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Proverbs 3:3-5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.

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Preserve Your Life! Do Not Consent!

 Proverbs 1:7-19

..."The fear of the Lord is the beginning 

of knowledge;


Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction


And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;


Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head

And ornaments about your neck.


My son, if sinners entice you,


Do not consent.


If they say, “Come with us,


Let us lie in wait for blood,


Let us ambush the innocent without cause;


Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,


Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;


We will find all kinds of precious wealth,


We will fill our houses with spoil;


Throw in your lot with us,


We shall all have one purse,”


My son, do not walk in the way with them.


Keep your feet from their path,


For their feet run to evil


And they hasten to shed blood.


Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net


In the sight of any bird;


But they lie in wait for their own blood;


They ambush their own lives.


So are the ways of everyone 

who gains by violence;


It takes away the life of its possessors."...

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Bondage in False Teachings as a Choice

This is a subject I have heard many times over these years where men or women have chosen to follow after wrong thinking into a life of spiritual bondage. 

Each instance has had Bible Believing individuals who have trusted the LORD and followed Him biblically in their life only to be swayed by certain "christians" on the "edge" of biblical theology into aberrant beliefs and ways of life. This usually turns into controlling rules, abuse, false righteousness, twisting God's Word, wrong thinking and beliefs, and damaged relationships.

The LORD has never been wishy-washy about what is required of His people, and, really, He did not give us behaviors we could not manage. 

We all need to look humbly at our Christian behaviors and make very sure we are not making up our own rules or following someone else's rules.

The LORD God is whom we should be following.

Micah 6:8

..."He has told you, O man, what is good;


And what does the Lord require of you


But to do justice, to love kindness,


And to walk humbly with your God..."

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Learn the Antidote

"The antidote to indoctrination 

is to tell the truth, 

expose people to the lies that 

would deceive them, 

show them how to refute this lies, 

and prepare them with 

the thinking skills necessary 

to continue resisting falsehoods."

-Understanding the Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews, by Jeff Myers & David A. Noebel, pg. 9

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The Deadly Desert of Life

~internet photo

 *We must be very careful with whom we follow*

The Evil in Deception

"Deception is a sort of seduction. 

In love and war, 

adultery and 

espionage, 

deceit can only succeed 

if the deceived party is willing, 

in some way, 

to be deceived."

~Ben Macintyre, Operation Mincemeat, pg.232

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Vindicate me, O Lord...

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 Psalm 26:1-5

"Vindicate me, O Lord, 

for I have walked in my integrity,

And I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

Examine me, O Lord, and try me;

Test my mind and my heart.

For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,

And I have walked in Your truth.

I do not sit with deceitful men,

Nor will I go with pretenders.

I hate the assembly of evildoers,

And I will not sit with the wicked."...

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1 Corinthians 5:9-13

..."I wrote you in my letter not to associate 

with immoral people;

I did not at all mean with the 

immoral people of this world, 

or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, 

for then you would have to go out of the world.

But actually, I wrote to you not to associate 

with any so-called brother 

if he is an immoral person, or covetous, 

or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, 

or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? 

Do you not judge those who are within the church?

But those who are outside, God judges. 

Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

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Matthew 12:33-37

...“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, 

or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; 

for the tree is known by its fruit.

You brood of vipers, how can you, 

being evil, speak what is good? 

For the mouth speaks out of that 

which fills the heart.

The good man brings out of his good treasure 

what is good; 

and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure 

what is evil.

But I tell you that every careless word 

that people speak, 

they shall give an accounting 

for it in the day of judgment.

For by your words you will be justified, 

and by your words you will be condemned.”

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Matthew 7:15-20

“Beware of the false prophets,

who come to you in sheep’s clothing, 

but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

You will know them by their fruits. 

Grapes are not gathered from 

thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 

So every good tree bears good fruit, 

but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, 

nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down 

and thrown into the fire.

So then, you will know them by their fruits."

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Psalm 31:12

..."I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;

I am like a broken vessel."...

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How can you Forget?

"You never forget the face of the person who destroyed your family."

~unknown

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A Guilty Conscience

1 Peter 1:13-16

..."Therefore, prepare your minds for action, 

keep sober in spirit, 

fix your hope completely

on the grace to be brought to you 

at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As obedient children, 

do not be conformed to the former lusts 

which were yours in your ignorance,

but like the Holy One who called you, 

be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

because it is written, 

“You shall be holy, for I am holy.”...

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Romans 12:1-2

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, 

by the mercies of God, 

to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, 

acceptable to God, 

which is your spiritual service of worship.

And do not be conformed to this world, 

but be transformed 

by the renewing of your mind, 

so that you may prove 

what the will of God is, 

that which is good and acceptable and perfect."...

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Never Give Up

"We mothers put up such a good fight--

--But we don't always win."

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The one thing we do have--

The LORD GOD is on our side

and He never gives up.

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I, sadly, know a few of these people...

There is still time to seek the truth.

Worldly people can blind your right thinking.

Lies can be woven into "their truth". 

Open your eyes for the LORD to show you His Truth!---not theirs!

The LORD is waiting for you...

Lamentations 3:22-23

..."The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness."...

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The Real Dragon Lady

Cults and False idols

This "vicious looking" plane is a Lockheed TR-1 with the nickname, The Dragon Lady. She is dangerous in that she is a reconnaissance aircraft. 

In real life there really are "Dragon Ladies" (wicked men also) who "weave" in and out at church, in your homeschool group, choir, baseball...all the places you attend...

Yes... do you know her?  Who could this be?

Is there a person in your life who's best adjective to describe "her" is...Controlling and Manipulating?

Sometimes "she" helps you, other times you wonder about "her", then the rest of the time you avoid "her".  

You can't put your finger on what it is about "her" (although "haunty" would easily describe "her".)  

As a Christian "she" seems so religious, maybe even better than you because "she" can rattle off scriptures without looking them up. 

"She" states God's Word and everyone is hushed as "she" pronounces "her" opinion....plus many are afraid of her because they know she can "nail you" to the wall with vicious, mean words.

...But as time goes by IF you begin to pay close attention to "her" words, plus "her" behavior you may begin to realize "she" is using God's Word as a hammer, "she" is twisting the Word to fit "her" own agenda which is "her" way of controlling others. One way is to twist the scriptures to say what she wants it to say.

Stop and think now... 

As a Believer it is your duty to study the Word of God to discern His truth. This means with the people you are with, and it especially means with certain "Dragon Lady" people who give you a strange "Uh-Oh" feeling. 

If you have these feelings which make you uncomfortable you need to get in the Word and find out what is God's Truth--study to discern the truth. 

Don't wait for someone else to begin to trust the "The Dragon Lady".  "She" needs to be avoided as a false teacher!

2 Timothy 2:14-19

..."Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. 

Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men [people] who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.

Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.”

It is difficult or it may seem difficult as a Christian woman to "second guess" another woman, or a man, when "something isn't quite right" about a person's teachings or words they share...

...or somebody else gives you a "heads up" concerning some strange behavior or strange teachings a "Dragon Lady" is sharing, like "her" way is better...  

*If you have an "uh oh" feeling ---CHECK IT OUT IN GOD'S WORD!!

Getting wrapped up in wrong teachings can shipwreck your faith and end up hurting you personally in many, many ways.

Better to be spiritually safe than sorry!!! 

https://genewhitehead.com/recognizing-idolatry-in-8-modern-day-idols/

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Idol Worship:The Worship of Your Own Group

You know... 

...That Certain Small Group you know...

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Romans 16:17-19

..."Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.

For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil."...

Matthew 7:15-20

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

You will know them by their fruits. 

Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 

A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

So then, you will know them by their fruits."...

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BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! 

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Yes, Evil Preaches so prepare yourself w/the Word

 Ephesians 5:1-21

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,
 And arise from the dead, 
And Christ will shine on you.”

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."...

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Ingratitude, Meanness, Anger, Bitterness, Hatred, Favoritism, and Lashing out...

 Galatians 5:7-26

..."You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?!!

This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.

A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.

I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? 

Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.

I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, 

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: 

immorality, 

impurity, 

sensuality,

idolatry, 

sorcery, 

enmities, 

strife, 

jealousy, 

outbursts of anger, 

disputes, 

dissensions, 

factions, 

envying, 

drunkenness, 

carousing, 

and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is 

love, 

joy, 

peace, 

patience, 

kindness, 

goodness, 

faithfulness,

gentleness, 

self-control; 

against such things there is no law.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Let us not become boastful, 

challenging one another, 

envying one another."

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