Monday, April 29, 2013

The 7 Great Lies in the Church Today STEVE HILL


This is very similar to a dream I had;  dream-sept 2010

The 7 Great Lies in the Church Today STEVE HILL


False teachings running rampant within the American church have created a “whiteout” condition for  millions of believers. Here’s how to detect—and overcome—these destructive doctrines before it’s too late.
Editor’s Note: Most Charisma readers remember Steve Hill as the fiery evangelist from the Brownsville Revival who has since continued to win countless souls for Jesus around the world. But what many readers don’t realize is that Hill only recently came out of a three-year battle with melanoma. During that time, he received a prophetic vision warning the church of an impending “spiritual avalanche” that could kill millions. The following article on deception in the church is part of this timely message, now delivered in his latest book, Spiritual Avalanche.
Years ago my wife, Jeri, and I were driving on the interstate when we were overcome by a white cloud of windblown snow. “I can’t see a thing!” I shouted. We were experiencing a complete whiteout. I lost all sense of direction. I couldn’t see the road or other cars. Everything had vanished, replaced by this strange, mystical blizzard of white. The only thing I knew to do was to slow down and pray that I was still on the road. 
By the providence of God I came to a stop in the median, where we waited out the storm. When it lifted, I was shocked at what we’d gone through. Miles in front of me and miles behind were wrecks—too many to number. Massive trucks had slid off the road and turned over. Cars were everywhere. It was purely by the hand of the Lord that we survived.
A whiteout is a weather condition in which visibility is severely reduced by snow. The horizon disappears completely; there are no reference points at all, leaving the individual with a distorted orientation.
This is what’s happening today in the church. Many are oblivious to the dangers on the horizon. In this spiritual whiteout the reference points—the ancient landmarks—have been covered. Erroneous teachings have merged together with truth, causing innocent believers to become disoriented—and blinded.
The Lord recently imparted to me a vision concerning the state of the church and what we must do about it. Those familiar with our ministry know we’ve never played games and have a deep, reverential fear for the work of God. Given this, I urge you to take heed to the following words. If you think I’m just letting off some steam, understand that I’ve just passed through three years of cancer treatments. I had been given only days to live. And as Leonard Ravenhill often reminded me, we must speak with the unction and urgency of God. We are all nothing more than dying men preaching to dying men.
In the vision I saw the church, depicted as a beautiful ski resort, with an enormous avalanche hovering overhead. The Lord immediately revealed the interpretation. This impending spiritual avalanche carried a threat that could destroy everyone. I’ve spent countless hours in the past attempting to rescue those who had fallen prey to false teaching. Now, in this visitation from God, I saw layers upon layers of snow steadily covering the solid, traditional truth of Christ. As with a whiteout, the truth had been lost in the flurry. No one who loves God willingly preaches deception, yet a spiritual whiteout of unhealthy, unbalanced and, in some cases, unbiblical teaching is blinding the body of Christ in America, and it is quickly spreading around the world.
How Has This Happened?
Unhealthy and destructive teaching can enter the church in various ways. Sometimes a biblical truth is taught to the exclusion of other biblical truths, producing a dangerous imbalance. At other times a biblical truth is taught in an exaggerated way, often going beyond what Scripture actually says, and in the end this does more harm than good. Many times clear, biblical warnings are ignored or reinterpreted so radically that they lose all impact or effect, leaving people vulnerable and exposed.
Paul warned that the “time will come when [believers] will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Today’s church in America, as a whole, is dangerously close to turning aside to such fables. Millions have already succumbed to these false teachings. Before we lose any more souls, it’s crucial that we identify what I believe are the seven greatest lies that have infiltrated the church and have led to a whiteout of error.
1) Overemphasis of Prosperity
Undoubtedly, some adherents of the carnal prosperity message are motivated by greed. For them, preaching Jesus is a means of financial gain, something Paul rebuked in the strongest possible terms, speaking of men “of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Tim. 6:5).
Yet many sincere believers embrace this message too—and back their case with Scripture. They point to the covenant blessings the Lord promised to Israel for their obedience, including financial prosperity (Deut. 28:1-13). They highlight verses in Proverbs and Psalms that link financial prosperity to generosity, hard work, godly living and faith (e.g., Ps. 112). They remind us of wonderful promises, such as those found in Proverbs 3:9-10—and how Jesus reiterated these in the New Testament with teachings such as, “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38). And they quote Paul, who wrote about the financial principles of sowing and reaping (1 Cor. 9; 2 Cor. 8-9; Phil. 4:11-19).
Are you with me? I am not against you having money. But I am adamantly against money having you. The problem is, there’s more to the story that the carnal prosperity preachers fail to mention:
Jesus warned against storing up treasures on earth (Matt. 6:19-24) and covetousness (Luke 12:15).
Jesus emphasized caring for the poor (Matt. 25:31-46).
Paul and John both taught that we should not live according to this present age (1 Cor. 7:29-31; 1 John 2:15-17).
Jesus did not die to make us financially wealthy but to save us from our sins (Matt. 1:21).
God chose the poor to be rich in faith and kingdom heirs (James 2:5).
More importantly, the carnal prosperity preachers have ignored other biblical warnings, like Paul’s powerful words to Timothy: “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (1 Tim. 6:9-11).
Carnal prosperity preachers encourage God’s people to seek after riches—or to seek after God for the purpose of riches—often even judging your spirituality by the kind of car you drive. What does that have to do with the gospel of Jesus?
2) Exaggerated View of Grace
This hyper-grace teaching has become an epidemic (see “What’s Wrong With Grace?” on p. 28). It has slipped in almost unnoticed and taken root like an unwanted weed—easy to get in but hard to get out of the Christian. I have personally dealt with many young people who were once on fire but fell under this “kicked-back” view of God. Now, instead of pursuing Him, they are partying. This “unmerited freedom,” if not tackled and taken out, will spread to future generations, leaving us with millions of lukewarm Christians who have traded their passion for poison. 
Sadly, some hyper-grace preachers live in sin and ease their consciences by preaching about a God who is all love and who never condemns, a God who doesn’t judge us by our conduct. Like the false teachers Jude confronted, they “turn the grace of our God into lewdness” (Jude 4). The New International Version describes such lewdness as “a license for immorality.”
But not every hyper-grace preacher is looking for a way to justify sin. Some truly love Jesus but are simply preaching truth mixed with error. They’ve taken an undeniable, glorious truth about God and presented it in such an exaggerated form that they nullify all divine warnings and even claim that the words of Jesus don’t apply to New Covenant believers. If this seems judgmental, then it’s time to honestly line everyone’s teachings—including mine—alongside the Word. Don’t just go through the Word; let the Word go through you. Why are we so afraid in this godless generation to confront fallacies?
These hyper-grace teachers rightly emphasize that we are saved by grace and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9), that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Rom. 5:6-8), that we are no longer sinners but saints in God’s sight (1 Cor. 1:2), that God’s love for us is not based on our performance (Rom. 5:9-10), that having begun in the Spirit we can’t become perfect by human effort (Gal. 3:3), that we are now sons and daughters of God, joint heirs with Jesus (Rom. 8:15-17), and more!
But they ignore mountains of other scriptural truths and draw wrong theological conclusions. For example, they rightly teach that Jesus died for all our sins—past, present and future—but wrongly conclude that as believers we no longer have to deal with sin (meaning we never have to confess sin or repent of sin, and the Holy Spirit no longer convicts us of sin). Aren’t you tired of hearing of another backslidden brother? Trace his steps and you’ll often find he was given permission to slip away from the wonderful freedom of holiness into the bondage of humanism.
3) Antinomianism
Antinomianism—long word, simple meaning. The word literally means “against law.” It’s a short jump from an overemphasis on the grace message to complete antinomianism. In practice, it means that “anything goes,” since Jesus has set us free. The problem is, Jesus didn’t set us free to sin; He set us free from sin.
Jesus died for us and broke sin’s power on our lives so that now, by the Spirit, we can live out the righteous requirements of the law (Rom. 8:1-4). Yet purveyors of this poisonous teaching fail to realize that Jesus calls us beyond the requirements of the law in His teaching, stating, for example, that adultery refers to adultery of the heart and not just the physical act (Matt. 5:27-28).
God’s perfect, holy, glorious law is not the problem. Sinful flesh is the problem. Sin will take you farther than you ever wanted to go. Sin will cost you more than you ever wanted to pay. And sin will keep you longer than you ever intended to stay. Sin will promise you everything but leave you with nothing. Sin will love you for a season and curse you for eternity.
For all the antinomians out there who believe “anything goes,” the question is, where do you end up?
4) Deification of Man
Many false teachings today start with man rather than with God. In contrast, when Paul laid out the gospel message in Romans, he started with God and then went to man: God is holy and we are not; He is righteous and we are not; we are under His judgment and in need of mercy, and that mercy comes through the cross.
Today’s gospel, especially in America, has a very different ring to it; rather than being all about God, it’s all about me. Just as the American way is to make everything bigger and better, the American gospel says that Jesus came to make you into a bigger and better you. That is not the gospel!
Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 16:24-25). 
We are in grave danger worldwide as millions upon millions gaze upon man rather than God. Just take a look at our political system. Words like messiah, lord, savior and anointed one are tossed around like candy. I cringe at heaven’s response. This is a setup for the Antichrist; as we become so accustomed to worshipping man, it will be a simple maneuver for the Antichrist to move into position.
5) Challenging the Authority of the Word
The challenging of God’s authority goes back to the Garden of Eden, starting with the serpent’s challenge to Eve: “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Gen. 3:1). This satanic challenge was twofold: First, did God really say that? And second, God didn’t really mean what He said. After all, you won’t die if you eat from the tree (vv. 1-5).
That twofold challenge continues to assault us today. Best-selling authors tell us the biblical text isn’t reliable, that the biblical manuscripts we have in our possession are hopelessly contradictory, and that we can know little or nothing about the real, historical Jesus. Other authors tell us that the Bible is no more than a collection of religious traditions and that God Himself is nothing more than a religious myth.
For the most part, though, the challenge to the authority of the Scriptures is subtler, and some of it flows out of the deification of man, which says, “The Bible must live up to my standards. I will judge the God of the Bible based on my morality rather than the God of the Bible judging me based on His morality.” In short, when the Scriptures contradict our feelings and preferences rather than crucify our feelings and preferences and bow down before God and His Word, we question God’s Word.
6) Rejecting Hell
Nowhere is this questioning of God’s Word seen any more clearly than when it comes to the subject of hell and future punishment. And because we preach an imbalanced gospel—emphasizing God’s love and ignoring His wrath, emphasizing His mercy and ignoring His justice—we no longer have room for hell and future punishment in our theology.
Why did Jesus use such strong language in talking about the fire of hell and about people weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth (see Matt. 8:12)? And why did He teach that “it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matt. 5:29)? And why do other New Testament writers warn us repeatedly about the wrath to come (see Eph. 5:1-6)?
It’s one thing to debate the exact nature of the future punishment that awaits those who reject the gospel. It’s another thing to downplay or eliminate it. Whatever legitimate debate we may have on the precise nature of the coming judgment, this much is clear from the Word: it will be irreversible, dreadful and of eternal consequence.
Revelation 20:11-15 clearly warns about the coming Great White Throne Judgment. Yet modern-day heresy teachers have taken it upon themselves to erase the judgment. The result, if believed and followed, will be too devastating to mention.
7) Universal Reconciliation
Universal reconciliation promotes a get-out-of-jail-free mentality—that in the end, everyone will make it into heaven because of Jesus’ death on the cross. (In contrast, universalism teaches that all paths lead to God.) There may be future suffering, but it will be purging rather than punishment, and ultimately everyone will be saved.
Proponents of universal reconciliation point to verses that teach that God reconciled “all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20). And they point out that just as in Adam all die, in Jesus all will live (Rom. 5:12-21).
What would you say if someone attempted to persuade you that Adolf Hitler was in heaven? “Abomination!” you would scream. “You’re deranged!” Yet that’s a sample of the fundamental false teaching of this layer of “avalanche snow.” Added to other layers mentioned previously, we will find the believer’s foundation deteriorated, and when the storms come, the house will come crumbling to the ground.

During this season when we celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, let’s determine to glorify Him by staying pure. A gentle breeze of false teaching has become a strong wind of serious error, some of it downright heretical, and a storm of doctrinal deviation has become a massive deadly whiteout. Amid this whiteout, stay committed to His teachings. Don’t permit any false teaching to subtly weave its way into your life, bringing down an avalanche that could destroy everything you hold so dearly. I won’t let it happen. Not in my lifetime and not in yours.
I urge you to open your heart and read Spiritual Avalanche. Revelation will be imparted from its pages. This 30-minute, full-color vision shook me to the core. I wept as I saw it and wept as I wrote the book. I love the church and will do everything possible to prepare her to meet the Groom. She isn’t ready, but she will be!
Yes, Jesus said in the last days even the elect could be deceived. But not you! You’re too smart for that!

Steve Hill is founder of Heartland World Ministries Church in Dallas. He is widely known for preaching the uncompromising message of Christ throughout the world.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

DREAM FROM APRIL 15TH 2013 ON MARRIAGE FROM GODS VIEW


Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Since I’ve been traveling its been difficult to post any new blogs as the internet has been very intermittent where I was and pretty much just gave up fighting it. I had several prophetic dreams over the last couple of weeks and will just post them as I can daily.

I dreamt I was traveling in a car at night with a woman that I know who is a Pastor of a church and has a daughter that I know very well who is in a difficult marriage. She was pouring her heart out to me as we were driving seeing that her daughter’s marriage was in serious trouble and was wondering why God wasn’t doing something about it. I told her that her daughter’s husband just married her without being in love and in fact married in rebellion. God doesn’t just put his stamp of approval on our rebellious acts nor does He follow mans laws regarding marriage only His own. She found this difficult to understand and I felt great compassion towards her. I climbed out of the car and went into a field where I saw a man plowing a field with a single bladed plow pulled by horses. I knew this man and hadn’t seen him in years. He was also a friend of the woman’s daughter. He seemed almost angry at me as he poured out his heart to me also regarding the same ending marriage of his friend. I also re-iterated the same story that God doesn’t endorse rebellious acts and they were not married in His eye’s. I could also see that he could not see into the kingdom of God because he put his hand back on the plow.  He was following mans ways not Gods and the secrets of the kingdom were hidden from him.

I then awoke. I  knew all of these people well and the whole situation. I knew that this day would come when it would all explode.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

25 Things That You Should Do To Get Prepared For The Coming Economic Collapse


Michael Snyder
Do you think that you know how to prepare for the collapse of the economy?  If so, are you putting that knowledge into action?  In America today, people are more concerned about the possibility of an economic collapse than ever before.  It has been estimated that there are now three million preppers in the United States.  But the truth that nobody really knows the actual number, because a lot of preppers keep their “prepping” to themselves.  So what are all of those people preparing for exactly?

Well, survey after survey has shown that “economic collapse” is the number one potential disaster that preppers are most concerned about.  Of course that shouldn’t be surprising because we truly are facing economic problems that are absolutely unprecedented.  We are living in the greatest debt bubble in the history of the world, the global banking system has been transformed into a high-risk pyramid scheme of debt, risk and leverage that could collapse at any time, and wealthy countries such as the United States have been living way above their means for decades.
Meanwhile, the United States is being deindustrialized at a blinding pace and poverty in this country isabsolutely exploding.  Anyone that is not concerned about the economy should have their head examined.  Fortunately, I have found that an increasing number of Americans are becoming convinced that we are heading for a horrific economic crisis.  Once they come to that realization, they want to know what they should do.
And the reality is that “getting prepared” is going to look different for each family based on their own unique circumstances.  Some people have a lot of resources, while others have very little.  Some people are very independent of the system and can move wherever they want, while others are totally dependent on their jobs and must stay near the cities at least for now.
In addition, it is important to distinguish between the “short-term” and the “long-term” when talking about economic collapse.  As I have written about previously, our economic collapse is not going to happen all at once.  It is going to unfold over time.  In the “short-term”, many are moving money around and are building up “emergency funds” to prepare for the next recession.  For the “long-term”, many are storing up food and huge stockpiles of survival supplies in order to be prepared for the total collapse of society.  Both approaches are wise, but it is important to keep in mind that different approaches will be needed at different times.
The strategies posted below are a mix of both short-term and long-term strategies.  Some will be important for our immediate future, while others may not be needed for a number of years.  But in the end, you will be very thankful for the time and the effort that you spent getting prepared while you still could.
The following are 25 things that you should do to get prepared for the coming economic collapse…
#1 An Emergency Fund
Do you remember what happened when the financial system almost collapsed back in 2008?  Millions of Americans suddenly lost their jobs, and because many of them were living paycheck to paycheck, many of them also got behind on their mortgages and lost their homes.  You don’t want to lose everything that you have worked for during this next major economic downturn.  It is imperative that you have an emergency fund.  It should be enough to cover all of your expenses for at least six months, but I would encourage you to have an emergency fund that is even larger than that.
#2 Don’t Put All Of Your Eggs Into One Basket
If the wealth confiscation in Cyprus has taught us anything, it is that we should not put all of our eggs in one basket.  If all of your money is in one single bank account, it would be easy to wipe out.  But if you have your money scattered around a number of different places it will give you a little bit more security.
#3 Keep Some Cash At Home
This goes along with the previous point.  While it is not wise to keep all of your money at home, you do want to keep some cash on hand.  If there is an extended bank holiday or if a giant burst from the suncauses the ATM machines to go down, you want to be able to have enough cash to buy the things that your family needs.  Just ask the people of Cyprus how crippling a bank holiday can be.  One way to keep your cash secure at home is by storing it in a concealed safe.
#4 Get Out Of Debt
A lot of people seem to assume that an economic collapse would wipe out all debts, but that will probably not be the case.  In fact, if you are in a tremendous amount of debt you will be very vulnerable if the economy collapses and you are not able to find a job.  Just ask the people who were overextended and lost their jobs during the last recession.  So please get out of debt.  Many debt collectors are becoming increasingly ruthless.  In many areas of the country they are now routinely putting debtors into prison.  You do not want to be a slave to debt when the next wave of the economic collapse strikes.
#5 Gold And Silver
In the long-term, the U.S. dollar is going to lose a tremendous amount of value and inflation is going to absolutely skyrocket.  That is one reason why so many people are investing very heavily in gold, silver and other precious metals.  All over the globe, the central banks of the world are recklessly printing money.  Everyone knows that this is going to end very badly.  In fact, there is already a push in more than a dozen U.S. states to allow gold and silver coins to be used as legal tender.  Someday you will be glad that you invested in gold and silver now while their prices were still low.
#6 Reduce Your Expenses
A lot of people claim that they can’t put any money toward prepping, but the truth is that we all have room to reduce our expenses.  We all spend money on things that we do not really need.  Those that are “lean and mean” will tend to do much better during the times that are coming.
#7 Start A Side Business
If you do not have much money, a great way to increase your income is by starting a side business.  And it does not take a lot of money – there are many side businesses that you can start for next to nothing.
And starting a side business will allow you to become less dependent on your job.
In this economic environment, a job could disappear at literally any time.
#8 Move Away From The Big Cities If Possible
For many people, this is simply not possible.  Many Americans are still completely and totally dependent on their jobs.  But if you are able, now is a good time to move away from the big cities.  When the next major economic downturn strikes, there will be rioting and a dramatic rise in crime in the major cities.  If you are able to move to a more rural area you will probably be in much better shape.
#9 Store Food
Global food reserves have reached their lowest level in nearly 40 years.  As the economy gets even worse and global weather patterns become even more unstable, the price of food will go much higher and global food supplies will become much tighter.  In the long run, you will be glad for the money that you put into long-term food storage now.
#10 Learn To Grow Your Own Food
This is a skill that most Americans possessed in the past, but that most Americans today have forgotten.  Growing your own food is a way to become more independent of the system, and it is a way to get prepared for what is ahead.
#11 Nobody Can Survive Without Water
Without water, you would not even make it a few days in an emergency situation.  It is imperative that you have a plan to provide clean drinking water for your family when disaster strikes.
#12 Have A Plan For When The Grid Goes Down
What would you do if the grid went down and you suddenly did not have power for an extended period of time?  Anyone that has spent more than a few hours without power knows how frustrating this can be.  You need to have a plan for how you are going to provide power to your home that is independent of the power company.
#13 Have Blankets And Warm Clothing On Hand
This is more for emergency situations or for a complete meltdown of society.  During any major crisis, blankets and warm clothing are in great demand.  They also could potentially make great barter items.
#14 Store Personal Hygiene Supplies
A lot of preppers store up huge amounts of food, but they forget all about personal hygiene supplies.  During a long crisis, these are items that you would greatly miss if you do not have them stored up.  These types of supplies would also be great for barter.
#15 Store Medicine And Medical Supplies
You will also want to store up medical supplies and any medicine that you may need.  In an emergency situation, you definitely would not want to be without bandages and a first-aid kit.  Over the course of a long crisis, you do not want to run out of any medicines that are critical for your health.
#16 Stock Up On Vitamins
A lot of preppers do not think about this either, but it is very important.  These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get adequate nutrition from the foods that we eat.  That is why it is very important to have an adequate store of vitamins and other supplements.
#17 Make A List Of Other Supplies That You Will Need
During any crisis, there will be a lot of other things that you will need in addition to food and water.  The following are just a few basic things that it would be wise to have on hand…
- an axe
- a can opener
- flashlights
- battery-powered radio
- extra batteries
- lighters or matches
- fire extinguisher
- sewing kit
- tools
This list could be much, much longer, but hopefully this will get you started.
#18 Don’t Forget The Special Needs Of Your Babies And Your Pets
Young children and pets have special needs.  As you store supplies, don’t forget about the things that they will need as well.
#19 Entertainment
This may sound trivial, but the truth is that our entertainment-addicted society would become very bored and very frustrated if the grid suddenly went down for an extended period of time.  Card games and other basic forms of entertainment can make enduring a crisis much easier.
#20 Self-Defense
In the years ahead, being able to defend your home and your family is going to become increasingly important.  When the economy crashes, people are going to start to become very desperate.  And desperate people do desperate things.
#21 Get Your Ammunition While You Still Can
Your firearms will not do you much good if you do not have ammunition for them.  Already there are widespread reports of huge ammunition shortages.  The following is from a recent CNS News article
“The run on ammunition has manufacturers scrambling to accommodate demand and reassure customers, as many new and seasoned gun owners stock up over fears of new firearms regulations at both the state and federal levels.”
Don’t just assume that you will always be able to purchase large amounts of ammunition whenever you want.  Get it now while you still can.
#22 If You Have To Go…
Have a plan for what you and your family will do if you are forced to leave your home.  If you do have to go, the following are some items that you will want to have on hand…
- a map of the area
- a compass
- backpacks for every member of the family
- sleeping bags
- warm clothing
- comfortable shoes or hiking boots
#23 Community
One of the most important assets in any crisis situation is community.  If you have friends or neighbors that you can depend upon, that is invaluable.  The time spent building those bonds now will pay off greatly during a major crisis.
#24 Have A Back-Up Plan And Be Flexible
Mike Tyson once said the following…
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
No plan ever unfolds perfectly.  When your plan is disrupted, what will you do?
It will be imperative for all of us to have a back-up plan and to be flexible during the years ahead.
#25 Keep Your Prepping To Yourself
Do not go around and tell everyone in the area where you live about your prepping.  If you do, then you may find yourself overwhelmed with “visitors” when everything falls apart.
And please do not go on television and brag about your prepping to a national audience.
Prepping is something that you want to keep to yourself, unless you want hordes of desperate people banging on your door in the future.
For much more on prepping, please check out some of my previous articles…
Sadly, most Americans still have blind faith that our “leaders” actually know what they are doing and will be able to fix things.
Most Americans still are convinced that everything is going to be just fine.
And of course the mainstream media does all they can to reinforce faith in the system.  Day after day, we see mindless news headlines such as this: “Californians Champing at the Bit Over Powerball Debut“.
But if you are reading this article that means that you are probably much more awake than the average American is.
Please get prepared while you still can.
A great storm is coming, and time is quickly running out.
So do you have any points that you would add to the list above?  Please feel free to post a comment with your thoughts below…
This article first appeared here at the Economic Collapse.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

REPOST OF MY DREAM FROM NOVEMBER 27 SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

Dream Tuesday, November 27, 2012 Dreamt I saw myself in field hung on a cross. I was high up and on a grassy mound. My head had also been decapitated but was hung just above my open neck. Blood was streaming down the front of my open shirt and it looked as if I had been badly beaten. I seemed to be still alive which was amazing. I knew my friends and family had put me there somehow for trying to save them from the coming judgments of God. I felt so honored in fact to be sacrificed like the prophets of old and Jesus for trying to save them and at the same time felt so bad for the judgments they have already received and will receive for their persecution against me and all those God sent to them. Almost everyone I knew came against me for trying to save them. God was showing me from His perspective and how it was an incredible honor to be persecuted for following Jesus and not give into the counterfeit Christians. I felt also that their one and true God the Almighty Dollar was about to crash and become totally worthless. EJ Ouellette

Sunday, March 31, 2013

TD Hale’s Dreams Tell the Future of America


TD Hale’s Dreams Tell the Future of America
The following is a transcript of an interview with Pastor TD Hale fromCalvary Christian Center in Galipolis, Ohio. In the interview, Pastor Hale describes the details of two dreams that he received from the Lord. The first dream was on December 28, 2011. The second dream was the very next night.
The interview was conducted on March 27, 2012 by Rick Wiles, and was broadcast on Trunews.com.

HEAR THE INTERVIEW HERE

TRANSCRIPT OF THE FIRST DREAM
With the situation that we see going on in America, with the president and the administration certainly there are warning signs coming up. On December 28, 2011, I had been seeking the Lord for a word to give to our assembly. I went to bed that night just like any other night. The Lord just really dealt with me in the middle of the night concerning things that were coming.
I certainly was shocked when I saw what I saw. In the dream I began to see myself going across America. I was floating, suspended in the air going across America. I had no fear about what I was seeing, Then all of a sudden I began to see bombs had landed everywhere. The land was totally destroyed.
It looked like things were totally just wiped off, grass, trees, everything. Everything was gone, burned. There was nothing left. There was nothing on the trees. There was just total disaster. I don’t know if it was everywhere but it was everywhere that I could see, from the point I was at.
When I saw this I saw people standing around their homes and things that were left, holding onto each other. I saw people that laid dead, and I heard the cries of the people saying, “This should never have happened, this should never have happened.”
It was like they just kept saying it over and over again, “This should never have happened, oh Lord, this should never have happened.”
You could tell that life had changed. There was no food. There was no water. I could see babies crying, grownups, men all crying, holding onto their families. They were begging God for mercy. As I moved along I saw people running, looking for their loved ones who were missing and they were completely, completely out of their minds. Insanity had taken over.
I could see people slinging themselves off of bridges, committing suicide. It was just so vivid what I could see.
Then I came over a big city that looked like Columbus, Ohio. That is when all of a sudden I saw mass hysteria, riots and all kinds of things breaking out in the streets of the city. There were windows being busted. There were people just grabbing things left and right. But when I saw it, I did not see them grabbing things like TVs and electronics. They were grabbing food. They were grabbing chips. They were grabbing water. They were grabbing anything they could get in their hands to sustain their lives. It was all about survival. I could tell that this was different from riots that we have seen in the past.
They had come into the stores by the thousands, as many as could come in. I saw them pushing shelves over and pushing electronics aside. They were trying to grab the food, the bread, the cases of water. They were seeking everything they could get for survival.
The rioters were fighting among themselves. I saw one man grab a gun out of his pocket and shoot another man right in the head.
The next part of the dream was the most startling for me. As I left that place, I was going like at the speed of light. I found myself standing on the backside of the White House. As I stood there I looked up. I heard a voice say, “Look up to the Truman balcony.” I knew what a balcony was, but I did not know the balcony had a name. I did not know that there was a Truman balcony until I later shared this with a friend who told me there is a balcony by that name at the White House. In my mind, I believe the Lord identified that to let me know that my dream was from the Lord.
I saw the president of United States, President Obama, standing on the balcony and I saw in his hands a shotgun. All of a sudden, to my left hand side I heard a loud scream, real loud. When I turned my head to see where the scream was coming from I saw flying high in the air was a majestic eagle flying in the air around Washington DC. I knew that scream. I knew it was an eagle.
I saw all of a sudden the president of United States point that shotgun and shot that eagle dead and it fell to the ground. When it did I looked back up at him and he just had a smile on his face like a smirk. And these were the words I heard in the dream, “I’ve done it and I won’t have to deal with this in my administration.”
Then there was dead silence. Then I heard a voice say “Tell the people that this is my will, that this is my hand, this is the hand of the Almighty both upon the generation of the righteous and the cursed. The righteous will find their way and will know what to do. The cursed will wander around with no compass because the cup is full.”
There will be people running around saying we don’t understand why these things are happening, but people need to understand that God has everything under control. The Lord let me know that this is his will. This is his hand upon the righteous and the cursed and we have to accept that.
It amazes me how people have their heads buried in the sand when God is sending so many warnings to people through all kinds of His servants and yet they still will not believe. It is just like in the Bible (with ancient Israel). God sent the prophets and warned them there is going to come destruction, there’s going to come to come trouble, the nations are going to come in and take over. But the people said, “No that’s not going to happen, God is not going to let that happen. God won’t do something like that.” But then it did happen. Then the people went back to God and apologized to him and said we are sorry, but it was too late.
It is like people have fallen asleep. They don’t have a prayer life. They constantly just go on as if nothing is going to happen. They act like life is going to continue on as it is, like America is going to continue on as it is, and there is no urgency. They have their heads buried in the sand, but God is saying “it is time to wake up. Things are getting ready to happen. It is going to move at a fast rate. It is time to get a prayer life back.”
At that point in the dream I knew we were coming to a showdown between good versus evil. I saw people gathering in their homes and there were prayer meetings. People were praying in the spirit. Then I heard the Lord say, “Tell my servants and my handmaidens a special anointing will reside on you in the last days. Hold not back your voices but speak your hearts for out of them come the issues of life. Pick up the mantle of prayer and cover yourselves in a secret place of prayer. Your eyes will be anointed with a special anointing. There will be others who will be blinded to my word. All things will be revealed in their due course. There will be a supernatural wave of the spirit that will come over this generation very soon. The final voices are in the land to speak one last time. Yet through the ministries of tapes and DVDs and books that people would have in their possession that God will give them that spiritual food to sustain them during these times that are coming upon us. The Lord said there are harsh days coming.
All of a sudden, things changed in the dream and I began to hear a voice, the voice of God. I saw in front of me a very old antique table. I knew there had been documents signed on this table, special documents. I am hesitant to say this but I saw a voting ballot laying there on the table. As I looked at the ballot I saw two names on it. I saw the President’s name and I saw Mitt Romney’s name on it. Then all of a sudden I looked and I saw the president of United States name check marked. I knew then what that meant. I looked at the ballot and I saw written on the ballot, “This is the will of the Lord.” Then I woke up.
America’s days are numbered. The handwriting is on the wall. I am telling my church to be prepared and to get their house in order. I am telling them that whatever they need to do for their families do it quickly.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE SECOND DREAM
The very next night I had a second dream in which I saw the American people going into slavery. In this dream I came upon a wooded area where I saw some people that were camping. They were not camping like we normally think. They were hiding. They were all standing by their tents. There were two tents. The people looked tattered. They looked like they had not taken a bath in ages. There were gallon jugs of water and they were trying to light a fire but they didn’t want to bring attention to themselves. But they had already been found out.
I saw some federal officials coming up around and they took these families. They handcuffed the adults and took them to the cars, and they took their children with them. I also saw two elderly people and they took them and put them in the car. I saw the federal agents and they said “We are from the United States government and you are under arrest.”
I knew that these people had been running to get away from being arrested. They took these people to some kind of a processing place. I was standing in front of this building where I watched them being taken in and processed. To me, it was like I was looking at the days of Hitler again. The building looked like it had been modernized and updated and painted, but it looked tattered and things were very run down. I knew they were old military bases that had been shut down. I saw them take the people inside where they were being processed. I even saw them being fingerprinted.
I saw rail cars that came up beside this place. I did not go into the rail cars so I did not see inside them. That frightened me. It really disturbed me. I knew America was in trouble when I saw that. I knew we were headed down a path that was not going to be turned around.
I felt like I had entered into a death camp. What I saw literally sickened me. I knew that America was about to change.

 COMMENTS
An interesting point about TD Hale is that when he saw Barack Obama for the very first time back in 2004, the Lord showed him Obama would eventually become the president. So he got that right. Also, the dreams were given to him in December 2011, which was about six months before Mitt Romney secured the Republican nomination. Pastor Hale saw Mitt Romney’s name on the ballot in the 2012 election so he got that right too.
At the time of this posting, it is Nov 2, 2012. The election is now only four days away. We will know then whether or not Pastor Hale’s dream is correct regarding the outcome of the election. If Obama wins then Pastor Hale’s track record remains good. If not, this post will likely not stay on my site and I will be left wondering where this dream came from.
The first dream has four parts:
1. Scene One – total destruction from bombs
2. Scene Two – mass riots in a large city in America
3. Scene Three – President Obama shooting the American eagle
4. Scene Four – election ballots with Obama winning re-election
Since we are just four days away from the election, it is safe to say the scenes are not in chronological order. In fact, my guess is they are in reverse chronological order. So my comments are listed below in reverse order.
Scene Four: This is very straightforward, Obama gets re-elected. The current polls show the race is very close. We will know in a few days whether or not the dream was accurate.
Scence Three: At some point after the election, Obama completes his destruction of our constitutional form of government and the freedoms we enjoy. It sounds like Obama will take over as a dictator at that point.
Scene Two: Many other prophetic voices have already warned about mass riots coming to America including John Paul Jackson, Terry Bennett, Shane Warren, and others. The dream did not provide any details on the timing, which is why it is important to note that John Paul Jackson connects the riots with the election. He said the riots would come because there was going to be such a furor over the election and over the fact that the American dollar has become worthless. The riots ultimately lead to martial law in many parts of America, with most of the violence and suffering concentrated in large urban areas. If you are living in the downtown area of a large city it would probably be a good idea to move out to a rural area. It would also be a good idea to stock up on canned foods, rice, beans, water, batteries, cash, and things like that. It sounds like a massive disruption is coming to our food and water supplies. Rick Joyner from Morningstar Ministries says he believes the worst part of it will last about three months and in some areas it will be less than that. Grocery stores get wiped out fast in panic situations so it is important to act before the crisis starts.
Scene One: This is very disturbing. TD Hale did not know what part of the country was hit or if all of it was hit. John Paul Jackson said a dirty bomb will explode in a coastal city making it uninhabitable for over 30 years. He also saw the tunnels that run under water in a large American city were completely filled with water. Others have seen missiles striking several large cities bringing massive destruction. No dates are provided so we do not know if this happens during the Obama administration or perhaps years later or even decades later. As with any prophetic words, we only see part of the picture. It is very important to avoid drawing conclusions beyond the details revealed to us. That only leads to misinterpreting the revelation. It is clear that this is a warning to all who have ears to hear in America. God is calling us to repent of our sins and turn to Him. John Paul Jackson said the Lord told him things will continue to get worse until we do that.
TD Hale’s second dream is also very disturbing. Others have shared similar words about American citizens being forced into concentration camps. It sounds similar to the horrible camps now used in North Korea and the Nazi camps from World War 2.
There are no dates provided so this might be very soon or it could also be years away. Based on other prophetic words received by other people, my guess is we have at least a few years before the concentration camps come. This is only a guess and could be way off. However, the reason I say that is because other prophets have indicated 2012 was the beginning of the great harvest of lost souls and that the harvest period would last about 12-15 years. The harvest will require lots of laborers so all believers cannot be locked up. Of course, it is also possible that concentration camps occur during the harvest season with some believers locked up while others are still free to bring in the harvest. This is the great harvest of the last days. We are blessed to live during these times. What an honor to be chosen by God to live during this awesome time.
My advice is to stay close to the Lord, just as Pastor Hale said. Spend time in prayer. Stay filled with the Spirit. Take no regard for your own life. Be bold to speak whatever God puts in your heart. Your words are life or death to those around you. God bless you fellow soldiers!


Friday, March 29, 2013

Meteorites & Tidal Waves


Meteorites & Tidal Waves
Belinda Anderson - 3/19/13
(David’s notes in red)
I had a short dream this morning and then an unusual event took place this morning, as well.  I'm praying for interpretation.

I dreamed I was in bed asleep, when I was awakened at 2:30 AM (in the dream) by an angel of the Lord.  He said to me, "Get up and go outside and look up in the sky."  So I got up and went outside.  I went down by the lake over to the left side of the property, away from the tall trees, and looked up into the eastern sky.  As soon as I looked up, I saw a large fireball streaking across the sky, going east to west toward the Gulf.  I immediately ran back to the house and got the telephone and called Brother David.  As I was dialing Brother David, I went back outside to watch the fireball.  When David answered the phone, I said, "Brother David, this is Belinda Anderson and I need to tell you something very important. There is a fireball in the sky and I know it's going to get Florida." (I didn't say it was going to "hit" Florida. I said it was going to "get" Florida.)  "Wait, David. There's more.  Wow!  The sky is littered with them!" (Meaning fireballs.)  "Brother David, will you agree with me in prayer?"  I began to pray Psalm 91.  Then I asked, "David, can you see them in Tennessee? Can you see them in Tennessee?"  Then I woke up.

The angel's voice did not sound threatening, nor did I feel threatened or alarmed in the dream.  I just knew I had to report to Brother David what I was witnessing, like somehow David would understand and possibly he could see them as well.

Meteorites will “hit” the Gulf of Mexico, causing a tidal wave (tsunami) to sweep over Florida.  I have known this since the mid 1990s and that it would kill many, many people but have never known when. We are obviously drawing closer. There will also be a more permanent invasion of the coasts with water possibly due to Planet X. Another thing that is going to happen to send waters in places it haven’t gone since the flood is a shift of the earth on its axis, causing one-third of the visible stars to fall below the horizon or appear to fall to the earth in the "Day of the Lord." This is also a sign of the reprobation of one-third of star glory Christians at that time. [Revelation 6:13,14; 12:4; Matthew 24:29; Isaiah 13:13; Job 38:13; Isaiah 24:18-20]

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Another one bites the dust... The delusion of the cheap grace doctrine goes on.


Another one bites the dust. I just happen to stumble upon the tidbit revealing Graham Cooke embracing the cheap grace doctrine, discounting Gods Judgments for today. I mean, I knew this before because Graham came to me in a dream in 2008 and showed me he had embraced the false doctrines of the shepherding movement, which is now the Vineyard theology. This Facebook post was kind of a reminder. Don’t get me wrong I always loved Graham Cooke’s speaking and have seen him many times over the years but it seems no one is impervious to this delusion. Its seems there is no healthy fear of God anymore.
EJ Ouellette
1 PETER : 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 
“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
    what will become of the ungodly and the sinners?”

Acts 5:5 But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; 2 with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us[a] but to God!” 5 Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. 6 The young men came and wrapped up his body,[b] then carried him out and buried him.
7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.8 Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price.” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.


ACTS13:9 Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. 10 Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?11 Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him.
REV2: 20 “But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality.
22 “Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering,[c] and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

The effects of praise: What scientific studies reveal about the right way to praise kids


The effects of praise:
What scientific studies reveal about the right way to praise kids
© 2008 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved

Funny thing about praise.
In many cultures—-like China-—praise is rare. People worry about the effects of praise. That too much praise will inflate the ego...make people too big for their britches.
This seems to be an ancient concern.
Modern-day hunter-gatherers—-people whose life-ways most closely resemble those of our ancestors—-are famously intolerant of big egos.
It used to be that way in the West, too. But today things are different. Westerners praise each other all the time. And Western parents praise their kids all the time.
Why? Because we think that praise is going to make our kids better—more motivated, more confident, more inclined to tackle challenges.
But does it really work that way?
Well, yes. Praise can be a powerful form of encouragement. For instance, moms who praise their preschoolers for their good manners have kids with better social skills (Garner 2006; Hastings et al 2007).
But in some cases, praise can actually undermine your child’s motivation.

What’s the right way to praise kids?
Good answers come from Jennifer Henderlong Corpus and Mark Lepper, psychologists who have analyzed over 30 years of studies on the effects of praise (Henderlong and Lepper 2002). They determined that praise can be a powerful motivating force if you follow these guidelines:
• Be sincere and specific with your praise
• Praise kids only for traits they have the power to change
• Use descriptive praise that conveys realistic, attainable standards
• Be careful about praising kids for achievements that come easily
• Be careful about praising kids for doing what they already love to do
• Encourage kids to focus on mastering skills—not on comparing themselves to others
In addition, it’s important to be sensitive to your child’s developmental level.
I explain these guidelines—and the evidence supporting them—in more detail below.

Be sensitive to your child’s developmental level
Very young children thrive on praise
Babies and toddlers benefit from praise that encourages them to explore on their own. In a study of 24-month old children, researchers watched how mothers responded to their toddlers while they attempted a challenging task.
Then, these same families were invited back to the lab a year later and kids were tested again.
Researchers found that the 36-month old kids who were most likely to tackle challenges—and to persist at a task—were the ones whose mothers had praised and encouraged their independence at 24 months (Kelley et al 2000).
Older kids are more sophisticated and may interpret your praise in negative ways
Whereas very young children are likely to take your praise at face value, older kids are a different story. As kids mature, they become aware of your own possible motives for praising them. If they perceive you to be insincere, they may dismiss your praise. They may also be sensitive to being patronized or manipulated (see below).
Be sincere and specific
Insincere praise may harm self-esteem and damage relationships
Obviously, kids won’t feel very encouraged by praise if you seem insincere.
But insincere praise isn’t just ineffective. It can be damaging.
Kids might think you feel sorry for them or that you are trying to be manipulative. Insincere praise might also send the message that you don’t really understand your child (Henderlong and Lepper 2002).
Do these problems arise for very young children? Probably not. But once your child becomes mature enough to question your motives, she may become sensitive to the effects of insincere praise.
To prevent the appearance of insincerity, avoid frequent, effusive praise. And avoid praise that is sweeping or general. Kids are more likely to doubt it.
Praise kids for traits they have the power to change
It might seem that praising your child’s intelligence or talent would boost his self-esteem and motivate him.
But it turns out that this sort of praise backfires.
Carol Dweck and her colleagues have demonstrated the effect in a series of experimental studies: When we praise kids for their ability, kids become more cautious. They avoid challenges.
It’s as if they are afraid to do anything that might make them fail and lose your high appraisal.
Kids might also get the message that intelligence or talent is something that people either have or don’t have. This leaves kids feeling helpless when they make mistakes. What’s the point of trying to improve if your mistakes indicate that you lack intelligence?
For these reasons, it’s better to avoid praising kids for ability. Instead, praise them for things that they can clearly change—like their level of effort or the strategies they use. For more information on the effects of praise on intellectual performance, click here.
Use descriptive praise that conveys realistic, attainable standards
Some praise is merely about making a judgment “Good job!” Other praise provides information about what the recipient did right: “I like the way you begin your essay by describing the problem and explaining why it’s important.”
The latter is called descriptive praise, and it is thought to be more helpful than general praise. When you give a child descriptive praise, you don’t just tell him he’s doing well. You give him specific feedback, and you tell him something about your standards.
But there is an important caveat, argue Jennifer Henderlong Corpus and Mark Lepper (2002). The standards you convey should be reasonable. If you over-praise a child (e.g. “You’re amazing! I’ve never heard anyone play the piano better!”), you may send the wrong message. Your child might conclude that your standards are superhuman. How can he possibly live up to that? Praise that conveys unrealistically high standards can become a source of pressure, and make kids feel inadequate.
Beware of praising kids for achievements that come easily
If you praise kids for easy tasks, kids may conclude there is something wrong: Either you’re too dumb to realize how easy the task is, or you think the kids are dumb (Meyer 1992).
Such interpretations are unlikely to occur to younger children. But as kids mature, they become more sophisticated about the social meaning of praise.
One experiment presented American kids (aged 4 to 12 years) with a videotaped scenario depicting students at work. The scenario showed two students solving a problem. Each performed equally well, but only one student was praised.
The kids who watched the program were asked to judge the students’ effort and ability.
Kids of all ages agreed that the praised student tried harder. But the older kids also inferred that the praised student had lower ability (Barker and Graham 1987).
These reactions might be culturally specific, however. When a similar experiment was conducted on Chinese students, older subjects did not conclude that the praised person was inferior in ability (Salili and Hau 1994).
The difference might reflect Chinese attitudes about praise and intelligence.
In China, praise is rarely given (Salili and Hau 1994). As a result, people may be less likely to infer that praise is insincere or patronizing. In addition, Chinese people are more inclined to view intellectual achievements as a product of effort (Salili and Hau 1994; Stevenson and Lee 1990).
Beware of over-praising kids for doing things they like anyway
It’s okay to praise kids for doing what they like to do. But be careful not to go overboard—particularly with older kids. When you praise kids every time they do something they enjoy, it might actually reduce their motivation (Henderlong and Lepper 2002).
For example, suppose that Adam loves to eat broccoli. But every time he eats broccoli, his mom praises him for it. Consciously or unconsciously, Adam starts to question his motivation. Is he eating broccoli only for the praise? Adam changes his attitude toward broccoli-eating. It’s a chore, not a pleasure. If the praise ends, Adam loses interest in eating broccoli.
Does this sort of thing really happen? It’s been well-documented in cases where people are given tangible rewards each time they perform a particular behavior (e.g., giving your child some money each time he eats broccoli). The feedback appears to re-set a person’s attitude (Lepper and Henderlong 2000).
There’s less research showing that social rewards—like praise—can produce the same effect. However, a recent brain study reveals that social rewards (like praise) and tangible rewards (like money) activate the same regions of the brain (Izuma et al 2008). And a food-tasting experiment performed on children found that praise, like tangible rewards, made kids like a food less (Birch et al 1984).
But the key point seems to be that praise must be given every time, so that kids expect to be praised for the behavior .
When praise is unexpected or spontaneous, it remains a powerful motivating force.
So this doesn’t mean we can’t—or shouldn’t—praise our children for good behavior or a job well done. But suggests we should be cautious about overriding our kids’ natural sources of motivation.
Avoid praise that compares your child to others
At first blush, it might seem like a good idea to praise kids for out-performing their peers. After all, research has shown that such social-comparison praise enhances a child’s motivation and enjoyment of a task (see review in Henderlong and Lepper 2002).
But there are at least two big problems with social-comparison praise.
Problem One: Social-comparison praise is only motivating as long as kids continue to finish first.
If their competitive edge slips, kids are likely to lose motivation.
In essence, kids who are accustomed to social-comparison praise become poor losers.
Consider this experiment on American 4th and 5th graders (Corpus et al 2006). Kids were given a set of puzzles to complete and received either
• social-comparison praise
• mastery praise (i.e., comments about how the child had mastered the task)
OR
• no praise at all
Next, kids completed a second task. This time they were left without clear feedback about how they’d done.
How did this uncertainty affect each child’s motivation?
It depended on what kind of praise kids had received earlier. Those who had received social comparison praise suffered a loss of motivation. But kids who had received mastery praise showed enhanced motivation.
In other words, a history of social-comparison praise backfires the minute kids stop hearing that they’ve outperformed their peers.
Problem Two: Social-comparison praise teaches kids that competitive standing, not mastery, is the goal.
When kids decide that the goal is to outperform other kids, they lack intrinsic motivation for a task. Work is only interesting insofar as it permits them to show that they are the best.
Even worse, these kids are so wrapped up in maintaining their competitive standing that they avoid challenges and opportunities to learn. Why tackle something new and risk failure? Social-comparison praise doesn’t prepare kids for coping with failure. Instead of trying to learn from their mistakes, these kids respond by feeling helpless (Elliot and Dweck 1988).