As christians we should be alert, and be sure that we are measuring everything against the word of God. This is a reminder to myself and encouragement for us all...
It has been on my heart for quite some time to share this with everyone! The Holy Spirit has prompted me to just DO IT, and share from my heart on this subject. So here goes! =)
The enemy is all about tickling our ears and giving us "feel good" feelings that go beyond the true peace, joy and contentment in living the abundant christian life. The enemy uses the same old tricks as he did back in the garden of Eden when he told Eve that she could be as a god if she ate of the fruit of the tree that was forbidden! Same tricks, more modern methods. It can be masked under many titles...one of them is "New Age"...there are other more subtle titles.
This has troubled me ever since I've seen Oprah talk on the subject of "The Secret" many months ago. I used to be an Oprah viewer...not avid...like, I didn't have to see it every day! Yet I enjoyed the show if I caught it... until she got off on religious tangents. The Holy Spirit in me rose up and took notice.
She claims to be a christian of Baptist upbringing, yet denies Christ as being the only way.
Don't get me wrong...she has a lot of positive and informative materials on her show about weight loss and inspirational messages, but she is playing on emotions and drawing a huge crowd through this avenue, and leading even Christians astray from the Truth.
I believe if we deny Christ as being the only way, the truth, and the life...we are getting into dangerous territory.
The Bible says that the ONLY way to the Father is through Jesus Christ.
This is how the enemy operates through subtle and glamourous ways. He takes just enough truth to make it believable, and mixes that with lies... then it becomes all about self, and not about impacting the world by sharing the love of Jesus. It becomes about whatever we can do to feel better, look better, become wealthier.
The word of God says not to be even concerned about what we will wear...Matthew 6:28 (New King James Version) 28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; (As a matter of fact, when Adam and Eve took their eyes off God, that was when they got concerned about what they were wearing!)
Even many churches today get hung up on material things...what people wear (feeling like they must dress up to please or impress God), how many members they have warming the pews vs. another churches and they boast about it...these are all traditions of men and Jesus is not one bit concerned about what we are wearing and whether our church roster holds more than another's! There can be a church FULL of people who are totally lost or ineffective for the cause of Christ.
I'm not saying to purposely walk around without trying to have some personal hygiene and care for yourself. Yet should we risk an opportunity to share Christ by making people feel they must look or act a certain way before they are welcomed in? After all, the cleaning up is really from the inside out.
God is concerned about the position of our hearts, and if we are sharing his love with a lost world. Jesus said in the Bible that the most important commands to him were (1) loving God (Father Son and Holy Spirit) with all our hearts, souls and minds and (2) loving others as much as we love ourselves. Mark 12:29-31
New Age teaching is all about self and feeling good....if one thinks hard enough one can will it!
I'm not saying we shouldn't have goals and be hopeful. We should stay hopeful in Christ, and positive and not be a negative sour-puss (and believe me, I've been guilty of that too!), but God teaches us how to live in His word, The Bible.
I could be way off base here: I believe that God gives us dreams and "a purpose" or mission or vision...for our lives. Yet our God given dreams should be about a bigger cause than ourselves (not merely for wealthy gain or fame or even to feel all warm and fuzzy inside)...it should be first and foremost about spreading the gospel/love of Jesus Christ to the lost.
We know in the Bible that Jesus says in Matt 6:33, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and HIS righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you".
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit-Three in One...the Bible, gives us everything we need to know about how to live (MORE than Enough). We don't need an extra written book, manual or DVD to help us along.
Check out both of these videos...shocking!
Oprah Denies Christ as the Only Way
Oprah - New Age Teachings
If we as Christians would exercise the power of the Holy Spirit we have in Jesus Christ, and live out our lives in joy according to HIS word, people would not need, "The Secret".
I'm wondering would Jesus who said to His disciples "Go and tell the world of the GOOD NEWS" want us to present this as some "secret" that people need to be "let in on"? It is no secret that Jesus took such horrific pain, so that we can live! It is something we should shout from the rooftops! We shout for our favorite teams...let's shout for Jesus!!!
If we would devote our time to studying the Bible, fervent prayer and fasting(in Jesus name!)...we would see the miracles come! Again, preaching to myself here first!!!
I've already seen the hand of God performing miracles here even in our home church in past months. A young girl who was to have spine surgery at DUKE Hosp was prayed for and completely healed by the power of God, through Jesus Christ! She was to have her spine broken and aligned with a titanium rod...God healed her, and Duke was astounded!!!
I personally have received a healing in my body when my dear sister Pastor Diane C. prayed over me...In Jesus Name...and by NO other name would I give the glory to, nor would she. She does not take the credit, and neither do I...I didn't do a mind over matter thing..."think positive or hard enough" to get healed (I tried that too and it didn't work!). (although staying positive is something that is good to do!) GOD through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit healed me through my faith in HIM alone and in HIS Holy word, the Bible! =)
Here are a few scriptures that remind us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life:
Ephesians 4:13-15 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
3.. till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
1 John 2:22 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
1 John 4:3 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is NOT of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
2 John 1:7 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Beware of Antichrist Deceivers
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
John 10
Jesus the True Shepherd
1 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
John 14:6 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Deuteronomy 13:2-4 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
2 and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
Personally, the Bible has everything I need to live the abundant life. It is up to me, (and all christians) to read it and live it out. =) Something I work on every day. Once again...I know I am preaching to the choir here, but I pray that God will keep us all uplifted and sober in these last days. Even christians can be taken away if we don't keep one another encouraged and grounded in the word of God. It is our responsibility to keep one another pointed to Jesus. If one stumbles, we lift them up in Jesus name. So...if I am not in line with God's word with what I have shared, please correct me...in love. =)
You know, there are so many miraculous healings (by the power of the Holy Spirit...through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior) going on in places overseas (and especially countries where Christians as so persecuted),and that is because they commit themselves to studying the word of God day and night, devoting themselves in Bible study, and fasting in prayer, even 24 hrs a day with small groups of believers. It is amazing, people are being healed...truly healed! If we did the same (you may already be), we would see the hand of God in such a mighty way.
Please know that I share all of this from my heart and passion for Christ, and know that I am preaching to myself here too because I'll be the first to say I don't spend as much time doing these things as I should...but I will never stop trying.
We can't get what we need from talk shows or self-help books. We can only get what we need from the Bible, God's Holy word and believing, accepting, receiving the precious gift of Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Then, we grow as we study the Bible...the word is God...and the power of the Holy Spirit guides us every day. It is only by God's word can we know how to truly live. It is only through Jesus Christ that we can be truly rescued from the darkness. You all know this...and that is GREAT! =)
Let us pray for God's truth to be revealed to Oprah and all those who are lost and christians especially to be sober...we need to lift one another up in prayer...in a mighty way. Can you imagine if she were to turn away from this teaching, and back to the truth of the Bible?...what an impact she would have for the kingdom of God! Let us be sober and alert...and let us pray for her and for one another in Christian love.
Stay strong believers!
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