An Excerpt from the Upcoming Sequel to House of Lies

An excerpt from the upcoming sequel to House of Lies…

     Tess depressed the button that made the back of her hospital bed sit up a little straighter and then narrowed her eyes at Shane.  “All you wanted to do was steal my joy.  I was happy until you started nosing around in my business!  What concern is it of yours anyway?”

     Shane swallowed hard because she didn’t want her answer to come from a place of anger, but from the love that she felt deep down.  “I want nothing more than your happiness and I’m sorry that you think I have somehow robbed you of joy.” 

     Rising from the bedside chair, Shane turned toward the door.  Maybe Braznovich was right.  Maybe it was time to give up the fight to save her sister.  No!  Not yet!  Her inner voice screamed and taking only two steps, she whirled back around to face Tess.  “It was my concern because I love you.  I looked into what you were so deeply into because I cared for your wellbeing.  I saw it destroying our family and your life and all I wanted you to do was open your eyes and see what was happening before it was too late.” 

     “You wouldn’t have been happy until I gave up everything that was important to me!”  Tess seethed.  “I’m not going to do that.  I’m never going to do that, no matter how horribly you persecute me!” 

     Shane fought the lump rising in her throat and tried to calmly continue.  She silently reminded herself that her sister was brainwashed and that the deception she had been living under would not be undone overnight. It was going to take time.  “I didn’t ask you to stop believing what you believe or even to stop doing what you do.  I only asked that you would take some time to study it from an objective perspective so that you would fully understand the hold that it had on you.  The hold it obviously still has on you.”

     “I don’t feel that God is telling me to study it,” Tess rebutted.

     Shane had heard this excuse one too many times and it grated her like nails on a chalkboard.  She stormed to the other side of the bed, pulled open the bedside table top drawer and took out the Gideon Bible.  Tossing the Bible unto Tess’s bed, Shane blurted, “Look up James 1:5.”

     “I don’t need to look it up.  I already know what it says,” Tess spat.  “‘If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach; and it will be given him.’” Tess gloated.  “I don’t lack wisdom.  You do.”

     Shane’s breath caught in her chest as a realization rushed over her.  She wasn’t talking to her sister.  Not really.  She was talking to the demonic, blinding stronghold that had taken over Tess.  She could see it in the hollow stare of her sister’s gaze.  Tess’s body was here but whoever or whatever was peering from behind her eyes was not Tess.

     Slowly backing toward the door, Shane fought to keep her composure. “Maybe you’re right.  Maybe I should go and ask God for more wisdom.”

     An evil smile spread across Tess’s face and sent a chill darting up the back of Shane’s neck, the same chill she had felt when she stood face-to-face with Maxwell Sagan.  ~

If it Scares You...

There are times when I am tempted to play it safe, take the path most traveled and lean toward the conservative side when writing; and then, I stand up at my desk, jump up and down three or four times and shake it off.  When I feel this stagnation coming on in life, I jump from a plane, skinny dip or do something else exhilarating to liven things up.

I try to make a conscious effort to live on the edge on paper and in life.  That doesn't mean live dangerously, but purposefully.  It doesn't mean to live carelessly, but care-freely.  I think it means to embrace every chance you're given and whenever you can, choose the path less traveled and leave a piece of yourself on the trail.  That is to say, pour a little bit of yourself onto the pages even if it's scary. 

Writing my novels has taken me into some dark places.  For the Just Call Me Angel series I studied the Mafia and for House of Lies I studied cult groups, past and current.  Writing The Candy Shop took me to a new precipice, as I studied the psychological profiles of serial killers.  It was uncomfortable and, at times, downright creepy.  I dove in nonetheless and I'm thankful I did.  The newly found knowledge I embraced added a depth to each story that otherwise would not exist.  It scared me, but the positive reviews have made those fearful moments worthwhile.  :) 

Trying something new or looking at something from a new perspective can cause trepidation.  Those feelings are normal.  If it scares you a little... you're on the right path.  ~

Silenced but Un-Changed

The past month, my email inbox has been filled with letters from people asking me about my research on cult groups.  It has been impossible for me to respond to every inquiry, so I will give a blanket response here.  The most common question:  “Where did all of your blogs on IHOP and other cult groups go?”

I apologize, but I pulled those blogs down because it was causing turmoil within my family.  In short, I promised my family I would sit down and shut up in order to promote and maintain peace.  I know I have let some of you down in doing so, and for that I am deeply sorry.

I understand this makes me look weak and pointedly pathetic, not to mention hypocritical, as I encourage all people to stand up for what they believe is right and to fight for truth.  I’m still praying for truth, deep down, despite my forced silence.

If we don’t stand for something we will most assuredly fall for anything.  So, I encourage you to keep seeking knowledge and continue on your quest for truth, taking a stand against the demonic strongholds prevalent in these types of cult groups.  Back up every word with Biblical knowledge.  Beware of false prophesy.  It’s not okay.  It’s not acceptable. Beware of elitism and arrogance, as these are not traits of Jesus, but rather ones that cause relational division and destruction of families and friendships.  Demonic influence is strong in these prophetic-induced, cult-type movements. Study. Study. Study.  Avoid any group that incorporates brainwashing tactics into the core foundation of their methods. Beware of any group that becomes so "radical for the Lord" that they lose balance in daily life.  I cannot stress enough that ANYONE who tells you that false prophesy is justifiable, explainable, acceptable or excuses it as a mere learning curve in the spiritual journey is NOT operating with the Holy Spirit, but rather inducing demonic translation.  The Bible specifically warns us against false prophets.  Heed this warning.

Again, I apologize for letting you down.  I did not pull my blogs because my opinion, intuition or awareness has changed.  If anything, the repulsion against false prophetic movements has grown stronger within me.  I have done it because I have been accused of attempting to cause conflict in my own family and blamed for an intent I never possessed.  In standing up for my convictions and expressing my true beliefs,  I am deemed unacceptable.  I cannot express the lingering heartache.  

To all that have emailed, I am happy to send you my research notes on the cult-type groups I have studied.

May God open the eyes of the blind and one day rid the world of all false prophets and bring about the destruction of the false prophetic movement altogether.  ~

Sequel for Certain

I received several emails regarding my book, House of Lies, asking if there is going to be a sequel and when it will be released.

The answer:  A RESOUNDING YES

There is definitely going to be a sequel and it will be released in the fall of 2014. 

The book has yet to be titled, but I will keep you posted as the release date nears.  If you haven’t yet read House of Lies, I recommend reading it before the sequel.  You can get a copy in either print or Ebook from the following retailers:

BARNES & NOBLE

SMASHWORDS

AMAZON

 

 

 

 

 

As always, thank you for your letters and for your interest in my books.  It means the world to me.   ~

Poisonous Prophets

In an email from a member of a cult group of which I will not name, I was accused of being a bad example of Christianity because I was “not believing” in prophetic visions or “offerings” from God.

 "The bad example you set by claiming to be a follower of Christ and then not believing in the prophetic offerings given from the Lord will bring about destruction."

I want to publically set the record straight, as this accusation has now been thrown at me numerous times. The Bible talks about the gift of prophesy, therefore I do believe in its existence.  It also speaks of false prophets and I do believe in their existence, especially within this particular evangelical group.  My only argument on the topic of prophetic offerings has been that there should be no inaccuracies in a prophetic word that has come from God.  The Almighty is perfect.  He does not error.  Therefore, if a word or a vision is truly from Him then no part of it will be false.  There is no exception to this rule. 

It is not that I don't believe in prophecy, it is that I only believe in accurate prophecy.

Excuses have been made by evangelical power-seeking leaders, stating that prophetic words are no longer expected to be 100% accurate, that human emotion, ego and misguided intentions can lead to misinterpretation and even that demonic influence can affect the given word.  To this, I say, bullshit.  Show me anywhere in the Bible where God says it’s okay to distort His word. 

 

Truth is truth.  Lies are lies.  God is ALL truth.  Satan is ALL lies often manifested as half-truths or twisted truths.

 

Here is why an inaccurate prophetic word cannot be excused with a sigh and a head tilt, and an, "oh, well, the flesh gets in the way sometimes."  If you're allowing the flesh to get in the way than you are not a prophet of the Lord, you are nothing more than a glorified psychic.

If you are a Christian then you possess within you the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit.  If God gives you a prophetic word to deliver to someone else or to a group of people, His Holy Spirit within you will confirm that word 100% and when you go to speak it, you will not be nervous, afraid or have any red flags going off in your head, heart or spirit.  If there is even one teeny-tiny sense of apprehension inside of you...if there is even one teeny-tiny element of the word that is not completely accurate, then do not speak that word because it is not from God.

Every prophetic word...and I mean EVERY prophetic word that is from the Lord will be able to be confirmed and backed-up in every aspect in the written Word of God. 

If you want to go off half-cocked, spouting half-truths and words riddled with inaccuracies then go get yourself a job as a psychic.  But don't proclaim those falsehoods to be from the Almighty.

In all of the finger pointing at me, this particular cult group seems to have missed one very important element of Christianity.  The Bible.  The Bible is the living Word of God.  It is a culmination of the beginning and the end.  It encompasses everything.  God isn’t adding to the Bible because nothing needs to be added.  As you seek wisdom and knowledge, revelations of God’s truth become alive in you and you see things as you haven’t seen them before.  This is what the term "living Word" means.   The magic is that you can have read the same verse twenty times and it meant nothing to you, and then, all of a sudden, at the right moment in your life, when it is applicable, that same verse leaps from the page and nurtures your soul.  God’s Word feeds His children the right spiritual food at the right time.  It’s a personal walk.

 

God isn’t adding to the Bible, there is no sequel; everything is already in there, so if YOU are adding to it then you must realize that what you are adding is NOT from Him, but more likely from your own ego or from some form of spoon-fed deception.  Open your eyes. 

God doesn’t feed the false prophets, they feast on their own arrogance.

There are cult groups who like to behave as if God has given them a key to unlock the mysteries of His Word.  Jesus is the key and Jesus was given to everyone.  God isn’t entrusting a select few with the agenda of His Son’s glorious return.  He isn’t telling anyone the hour; and everything else you need to know has already been prophesied and recorded in the Bible. He’s not going to bestow upon some evangelical leader a vision of His return.  He already gave that vision to John on the isle of Patmos and told him to write it down.  It’s called the book of Revelations. 

There is nothing “new” that needs to be said.  God already said it all.  It’s ALL in His Word just waiting for you to discover it.  Does that mean He doesn’t speak to anyone anymore?  No.  What it means is that He speaks to individuals, personally, as they journey into His Word to get to know Him better.  He uncovers the truth that’s already been written and as you seek, He reveals more of His wisdom to you.

"The flesh gets in the way."  Oh, please!  If you believed for even an instant that the Almighty God spoke to you, would you alter even one word of it?  Would you change even a punctuation mark?  Are you that arrogant that you believe you have the authority to re-write the word of the Lord? 

Repulsive excuses.  Repulsive false prophets.  Repulsive elitism.

As far as me being a "bad example"...I'm a nobody...what I believe or don't believe doesn't affect the masses.  I don't have the power to cause destruction, but what your group leaders are doing causes more destruction and deception than any other force on the planet.   They are servants of the serpent in disguise, luring the youth with poisonous fruit. 

Look at the red flags around you…they are literally waving all over your campus… and open your eyes. ~