Testimony:

I got into yoga before going to college, and when the Lord came for me after my first year, I became a truly converted and regenerated believer in Christ. For a short time, though, because of a lack of knowledge, I went further and practiced what is called Ashtanga Yoga. Being an athlete, I thought it was great! It was supposed to be good for ME. I had strength and vitality; I could move in ways that others could not and I was proud of it. Oh and the supposed “stress relief”…I was sold!

It did not take long for the Lord to take away the blindness. When the Lord first pricked my heart and conscience that practicing this kind of yoga is wrong, I tried to ignore it…LITERALLY. I would still go to yoga practice but would sometimes try to plug my ears whenever someone opened with a chant or meditation. I thought “Well I believe in Christ now, and I can still practice, but just not do the things that make it seem bad.” Ugh!!! Our God says, “I am the LORD your God, you shall have NO other gods before Me.” Then, in my particular case, these “yogis” as they are called, started talking about practicing so that Garugi the Monkey God would not be angry. (Hello…anyone see something wrong here?!?!). Finally, I couldn’t take it. I was out of there.

True Christians love God more than anything else. Period. It is not fanatical to give up your life for Christ. It is what we as Christians are called to do. We are to join Him in the fellowship of His sufferings and count the cost worthy to suffer for His sake. Very often that means giving up what we think will make us happy. If God truly has your heart bound to Him in Christ Jesus, you cannot practice sin consistently as a pattern of life. What a mercy of God that He chastens those whom He loves.

 Many demonstrate by their lives the belief that Jesus the Christ is an accessory, something they’ve got tacked on to life along with all of the other baggage. “I’ll do what I want, and Christ can come, too.” No, brothers and sisters. Christ is all in all. The beginning and the end. You cannot live the Christian life in word only. Please come back to Christ. In Love,

(printed by permission)