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Here is a photo of a Taize service…..I finally remembered that i had found information about Taize on the Lighthouse Trails Research website. Taize is a prime example of how contemplative spirituality is compromising the church. It appeals to the youth and is Buddist oriented with a Catholic flavoring.
Taize – Another Avenue Through Which Contemplative is Entering the Church
Taize Community is an international, ecumenical communityin France. Taize Worship is practicing the silence with icons, candles, incense and prayer stations, and is a very contemplative/Buddist oriented community attracting young people from around the world.
As an article on Taize worship explains:
Short chants, repeated again and again, give it a meditative character,” the brothers explain in a brief introduction printed in the paperback songbook. “Using just a few words, [the chants] express a basic reality of faith, quickly grasped by the mind. As the words are sung over many times, this reality gradually penetrates the whole being.
While it is apparent that Taize is rooted in Eastern mysticism, it is equally apparent that it is being incorporated more and more into Christendom. Below are some examples of Christian ministries and schools that are introducing people to Taize worship.
Columbia Bible College (BC, Canada)
Eastern Mennonite University (Virginia)
Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Seattle Pacific University (Washington)
Renovare (Richard Foster) – page 2
Here is a link to the newsletter containing this article
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletter020507.htm
Here is the link to my orginal article about Taize
https://kimolsen.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/crisis-in-the-church-taize-what-is-it/
I have been studying discernment issues for awhile now, but posting these issues have put me in touch with real people having real problems and real people who have totally turned away from unbiblical practices. I want to thank those who have taken the time to speak up for Christ because previously their eyes had been opened by the Lord and have left false ministries and have denounced mysticism. Many have completely “come-out” of new age practices but unfortunately, there are others who retain a blend.
The seduction of new age pratices can truly have a hold on Christians because they think they are exempt from deception. This is a very dangerous stance to take because it removes discernment. Jesus told us over and over again to beware, that the end times will be filled with false prophets and the doctrines of demons.
What courage these folks have that have turned away from apostate teachings and practices and then share their experience with others. What humility and love for Christ they have to want to help others who may be in the same situation they found themselves in. This is truly surrendering all to Christ.
Some of the greatest teachers against new age practices have been deeply involved with them. Some well-known examples are Warren Smith who wrote “Reinventing Jesus Christ”, (his e-book is available on the blogroll or below), Ray Yungen who has two great books out, ” A Time of Departing”, and “For Many Shall Come In My Name”, and Kevin Reeves who wrote “The Other Side of the River”. I am currently reading “Spellbound”, The Paranormal Seduction of Today’s Kids, by Marcia Montenegro. Every parent or anyone involved with children should read this book. There is a huge assortment of occultism available to kids today and this is a must read that will help you protect them.
Here is how to find these books:
Anything from Warren Smith – “Another Jesus Calling”
“A Time of Departing” &
“For Many Shall Come in my Name” http://lighthousetrails.com
“Spellbound – The Paranormal Seduction of Today’s Kids”
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/kdqz4
Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/escjy
The Other Side of the River http://lighthousetrails.com
Kevin Reeves in the “The Other Side of the River” bravely tells of his own experience about the movement called the “The River” which claims to be spreading the kingdom of God through signs and wonders. Other names for this counterfeit “revival” is the Third Wave or the Latter Rain.
He covers issues he experienced in his church such as being “slain” in the spirit, holy laughter, visions of angels and “messages” from God?, word of faith, and experience over scripture. What I found very interesting was the compulsion he felt to stay within a church that felt it was on “the cutting edge” and the resistance he received whenever he questioned any of the practices. His story is amazing and if you have any questions about practices in your church you should read this book.
Lately I have been talking with a woman who has come out of a false ministry. It has been three years and she is still recovering. She is so very worried about the others still involved because she knows those still there are being deceived. Later she told me that even though she memorized scripture, did bible studies, she was still deceived. Others there who have mental problems seem to only fall deeper into their sin.
Another friend is totally out of the new age practices and she is walking only with the Lord now. She had a blend of Christianity and mysticism, (visions, meditation, altered states) for awhile but now holds true to the faith.
Another woman wrote to say that she had been deceived by the many false teachings on TBN but came to the truth. (I believe that there a few good people on TBN but they do not correct the false teachings so they can stay on air)
I get so discouraged at times, but then the Lord brings to mind those who He has brought out of deception, those whose eyes He has opened, and I am encouraged again.
kim
I had the opportunity to listen to Sarah Leslie speak at a discernment seminar in SpringHill, Florida February 2007 . Here is an article covering much of what she taught.
What is the New Age Movement?
A brief synopsis
By Sarah Leslie
See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. (Col. 2:8)
During the 1970s America underwent a rapid and profound transformation from a culture that was primarily Christian to one that is now mostly pagan. In the 1960s the Beatles rock group had imported eastern religion via their guru Marharishi Mahesh Yogi and popularized drug use. Eastern mysticism believes that each man determines his own truth – a very subjective way of looking at reality. In eastern religions Jesus isn’t THE way, THE truth, THE life, he is just an ascended spiritual “master” who is but one of many truths about spirituality. Jesus is not seen as the Son of God who died for our sins on the cross and was resurrected. Rather, in eastern and pagan religions, Jesus is put on a par with other deities who are worshipped, and in some case even called by the names of these other idols.
It is important to understand the roots of what is now called the “New Age” movement. Constance Cumbey, a Christian attorney from Michigan, was the first one to alert evangelicals to this movement in her landmark book, The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow (Huntington House, 1983). She discovered that the modern move towards pagan religions and occult practices was actually initiated in 1875 by an organized group of Satanists who called themselves the Theosophical Society, headed up by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. Their goal was to unite all world religions. From channeled demonic transmissions the Theosophists wrote extensively about how they would destroy Christianity and replace it with the occult. Alice Bailey, another Theosophist leader, wrote two dozen books laying out the specific instructions for creating a “New Age” on the Earth. The Lucifer Publishing Company (now Lucis Trust) published her writings which are still available for purchase and can be found on the Internet. Constance Cumbey warned:
“Plans for religious war, forced redistribution of the world’s resources, Luciferic initiations, mass planetary initiations, theology for the New World Religion, disarmament campaign, and elimination or sealing away of obstinate religious orthodoxies – all were covered extensively in the Alice Bailey writings.” (p. 50)
The Theosophists believed that they could best achieve their goals by remaining underground for a period of years and by infiltrating the world’s religious, educational, medical and governmental establishments. Their conspiracy surfaced to public view in 1976 when a modern disciple of Alice Bailey, Marilyn Ferguson, published a bestselling book called The Aquarian Conspiracy: Personal and Social Transformation in the 1980s (J.P. Tarcher, Inc.). This book had a prominently displayed “666” logo on the cover, representing the Theosophical belief that this number would invite the “Christ” to their New Age. Ferguson divulged the “Plan” and bragged about how it had already become an integral part of American society.
A foundational doctrine for the New Age movement is the belief that humanity is evolving, and that we will attain a higher level of consciousness and emerge as a new species (homo noeticus or homo universalis). A corollary doctrine teaches that truth itself is evolving, and that our understanding of spiritual things is becoming enhanced as we work collectively for a common good on the planet. Perpetual change is seen as a method to constantly accelerate this evolution. Visioning techniques, borrowed straight from the occult, are also used. Other occult methods have been mainstreamed into medicine, education, social sciences, business, and even the church. Marilyn Ferguson even ominously suggested, “Evolution may be speeded up by certain genetic mechanisms.” (p. 160)
Disunity with this Plan is seen as a hindrance to this coming “paradigm shift” in which a benevolent “New Age” of peace will transform the planet. The New Agers expectantly await their own messiah, a New Age “Christ” figure (also known as Maitreya) who will institute peace on earth.
Constance Cumbey’s original warnings went unheeded by evangelical leadership. Over the past three decades Christians began to rapidly replace the Scriptures with this mystical “New Age” worldview. These new doctrines didn’t come into the church all at once, but in small doses of leaven, often placed in books and teachings by key evangelical leaders. The effect of this leaven has been disastrous in the church.
What fun and fellowship I am having since I started this little blog. I didn’t know what I was doing when I started and I still don’t but that’s OK.
When I started studying discernment and apologetics I found that there was no one in my church who was really interested in starting a discernment group. I have a few friends that I always talk to but I have been worried about wearing out my welcome with them. Then I found a blog on wordpress that was very interesting and was soaking it up. Then I found that I could start my own blog in a few seconds. They weren’t kidding.
I have really discovered that there are many who feel the same way as I do, that the church is in deep trouble. Mysticism has crept in by various forms, there is no longer repentance, sin is an inconvenient term, and church leaders are more concerned about attendance than saving souls.
I just wanted to take a few minutes to thank those who have welcomed and encouraged me to be bold and to stand-up for Jesus Christ. He is what it is all about. I know that I cannot change anyone’s mind and I don’t want to try to win an argument with anyone, because it is God only, who can intervene and open someone’s eyes and show them the truth.
There surely is a remnant. I am so grateful to the Lord for my new friends.
kim
Recommended blog sites
http://thegreatapostasy.wordpress.com
http://riderforjc.wordpress.com
http://earthquakeresurrection.blogspot.com
This woman kept e-mailing me because I had been searching online for other Christians who have had an earthquake warning similar to mine and she was answering my inquiry. I felt bad because I had initiated contact with her group, but I felt I was being told, “STAY AWAY FROM THEM.” So…I asked myself…..who are “them”?
Dominionism was one of the first end-time deceptions that I became acquainted with. I still really don’t understand all of it because it involves so many different groups of people and it is a system based on change and networking. Yes, change. Chaos even. In fact the more chaos the better. Why? It bands people together, just like 9/11. It makes the people cry, “Do something”. When you see or hear the terms restoration or reformation used in reference to create some kind of change in the church there usually is dominionism behind it.
Here are the names of some movements that need to be questioned and this is an extremely shortened version.
Latter Rain
Joel’s Army/The Manifest Sons of God
The New Apostolic Reformation
The Elijah List
Here is a good description of the Latter Rain movement by Orrel Steinkamp.
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This is from www.ditc.com
Deception in the Church
COMMENTS
by Orrel Steinkamp
The Plumbline contends that the original seedbed of spiritual warfare evangelism can be found in the fertile soil of the Latter Rain. From this seed plot of 50 years ago, many hybrids and mutations have developed.
The Latter Rain originated in a series of revival meetings in 1948 at the Sharon Orphanage and Schools in North Battelford, Sask., Canada. By late 1949 the AOG, in the USA and Canada, declared this movement to be heretical and false.
– A Summary of Latter Rain Teaching –
1. The purpose of the church is to establish on the earth the kingdom of God. The reason the church has failed its mandate, is that early on it lost the offices of Apostle and prophets.
2. In the last days God will restore these offices to lead the church in an endtime holy war and all evil will be defeated.
3. A worldwide revival will break out and the majority of the world will be won to Christ. Signs and wonders will include blessings upon those whom the apostles and prophets bless and cursing upon those whom they curse. Through intense worship and praise (Tabernacle of David) accompanied by prayer, fasting and spiritual warfare the church will defeat all demonic strongholds and territorial spirits upon the earth and in the heavens.
4. Some adherents of the Latter Rain (though by no means all) believe that the second coming of Jesus will occur with a spiritual experience of believers in which believers are incarnated into the body of Christ upon the earth. This body of Christ will rule the nations. Others in the movement saw the church taking dominion over the earth as a prelude to the return of Jesus from heaven to earth.
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The above summary covers a huge arena of false teachings and practices.
JOEL’S ARMY (The Prophetic Message) : “God is raising up an army in the last days to execute judgment and dominion on the Earth”. This is what the false prophets are saying, that the church will become Christ, giving them supernatural abilities (The Manifest Sons of God), to hand out judgment. When this is done then Christ can return to Earth. This completely eliminates the literal “catching away” or “rapture”. Much of this teaching was taken up by present day “apostles” Paul Cain, (who has been disgraced of late by counts of alcoholism and homosexuality), and Mike Bickle, who are continuing in the tradition of the Kansas City Fellowship movement. Bickle is now head of IHOP, International House of Prayer in Kansas City. I have been told that Bickle’s church has been marginalized and is considered a cult by the locals, but he has a program on GOD TV.
Again we see that man is taking on God-like qualities and that man will have to “take over” for Jesus. This is the same Dominion/Kingdom Now error being taught.
THE NEW APOSTOLIC REFORMATION
From a brochure advertising a C. Peter Wagner’s conference.
“The New Apostolic Reformation is an extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit that is changing the shape of Christianity globally. It is truly a new day! The Church is changing. New names! New methods! New worship expressions! The Lord is establishing the foundation of the Church for the new Millennium. This foundation is built upon apostles and prophets. Apostles execute and establish God’s plan on the earth”.
Wagner has also been an aggressive promoter of the Spiritual Warfare movement. The terms “strategic-level intercession”, “territorial spirits and mapping”, “prayerwalking” and “demon power encounter”, can be traced back to Wagner.
Giving the current-day so-called apostles and prophets (the foundation of the new church) the importance of the early apostles, allows them to create a new gospel. Their revelations are pumped out on a regular basis on the Eijah list. Chuck Pierce, Kim Clement, Ryan Wyatt, Bob Jones, Francis Frangipane, and Cindy Jacobs are all contributors and are considered false prophets.
The proposed five-fold ministry is quite interesting. The offices are Apostle – Prophet – Evangelist – Pastor – Teacher. Of course the latter 3 offices are totally controlled by the Apostle – Prophet offices. We are already hearing current leaders referring to each other as “apostles” and “prophets”. It is by this means that the church will be controlled. The church will be told what to believe by the evangelists, pastors, and teachers, who will be dominated by those in authority, who of course will be receiving new “revelations”. Add to this, the concept of small cell churches all reporting and tithing to a “mother” church and you will have a pretty good idea of what the new “spiritual” leaders of the future have in the works for total control and manipulation.
A quote from C. Peter Wagner of Global Harvest Ministries
“Since 2001, the body of Christ has been in the Second Apostolic Age. The apostolic/prophetic goverment of the church is now in place….We began to build our base by locating and identifying with the intercessory prayer movements. This time, however, we feel that God want us to start governmentally, connecting with the apostles of the region. God has already raised up for us a key apostle in one of the strategic nations of the Middle East, and other apostles are already coming on board. Once we have the apostles in place, we will then bring the intercessors and the prophets into the inner circle and we will end up with the spiritual core we need to move ahead for retaking the dominion that is rightfully ours. (11/01/05, Global Link newsletter Global Harvest Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Okay….. so who was the “them” that I was warned about?
I was contacted by a regional director of www.latterglory.com a Latter Rain ministry, full of signs and wonders manifestations. Take a look at their website.
Their featured writer is usually Dutch Sheets who partners with C. Peter Wagner
| Dutch Sheets is the Senior Pastor of Springs Harvest Fellowship in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he has pastored for twelve years. He has served on the faculty of Christ for the Nations Institute, now serves as an instructor for Christian Life School of Theology and is a guest lecturer for Wagner Leadership Institute. He serves on many ministry boards and is a best selling author with Regal Books (a division of Gospel Light). He has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Central America, Africa, Australia, and much of Europe teaching and ministering to the Body of Christ. He is now traveling across America challenging believers for passionate prayer and world-changing revival. |
So as usual, Dominionism falls into the same category as spiritual mysticism and the practice of making oneself a God. This pattern repeats itself over and over again in many false movements today. Man will not live by faith alone like the Bible instructs, so he feels he has to try to change God’s will or change circumstances here on earth to his liking, just to satisfy his own self-inflated ego.
kim
PS… There is something I would like to add. This article is so short that is really does not do the subject matter any justice at all. All I want to do is warn Christians about false ministries and then they can do further research. I met two amazing women at a Discernment-Ministries seminar in February. They are Jewel Grewe and Sarah Leslie. They have been researching dominionism since the 80’s.
Check out these two sites for their imput and their great service to the Lord.
http://discernment-ministries.org
The body of Christ is on a collision course. The day will come when the fact will be realized that the church has completely fallen away from faith. A day of apostasy, truly a day of sorrow. But the Lord always keeps a remnant which is good news indeed.
Many will ask, what do you mean the church has fallen away? Look at all the church goers. l go to church every Sunday, pray and believe in God. But you know what? This is not enough. The reason being is that a great deception is infiltrating the church of today. Yes, people do go to church every Sunday, but what happens the rest of the week? Work, play, eat, sleep, work, eat, play and so on it goes. Back to church on Sunday to pay your respects to God making you appear respectable, and back to the old same routine, back to your same old self.
So, one has to ask himself… Can one be devoted to the Lord only one day a week? Is one day a week of righteousness really pleasing to the Lord? I know..I know.. I will say it for you….I am a good person what more does God want?
What God wants is your total surrender….
I desperately want to be always in God’s will. When i feel that i am, i am so humbled in the realization of His mighty greatness. That He would even consider using me to glorify Him, instantly bows me down to his feet to be his servant forever. How is that when He uses me i feel so humbled? It is the only way that He can truly use me or you. Daily i ask Him, “Lord, please use me to do your will. I want to please and serve only you. Open doors that you want me to walk through, close doors i am not to enter”.
I encountered a woman who was buying a cross for a friend who she said was “spiritual”. I know another woman who says that she is not religious but “spiritual”. I know not what she means, but i know that she does not confess Jesus Christ as her Saviour, and i know that she does not read the Bible. I dare not try to know the heart of others, it is not my place, but it makes me wonder who will be deceived in the end times. Many Christians do not know the word of God anymore and have no discernment whatsoever.
Mat: 24: 4-5 says “…Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”
Luke 18:8 “…Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
What a horrible question to ponder… when Jesus returns, will he find any believers? Christians who do not know the word of God or who do not have a personal relationship with Him will be deceived. Listen to a description of the last generation…
II Tim 3:1-2 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers…despisers of those that are good…lovers of pleasures more than God, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Sound familiar? Men shall be lovers of their own selves. This is what is happening in the Word of Faith teaching with the well-known advocates calling themselves, “little gods” and with contemplative spirituality seeking the “god within”.
Mystical spiritualism, Word of Faith/Prosperity/Health teachings, the blending of paganism with Christianity, Mega churches that do not teach the gospel anymore are all concerns for the church today.
It is a cruel joke that Satan plays…making people believe his lies..that they can have material wealth… heal and save themselves by speaking forth the words, being saved by a religious system devised by man. What a cruel ending there will be when one gives in to these deceptions. Do not let Satan reign supreme instead of letting the Supreme reign in your life.
Going to church on Sundays is not enough. You need to read and study the Bible daily for yourself. If you are truly seeking Him and are interacting with the Holy Spirit, the Word will come alive and thrill you, speak to you and give you instruction on how to live for the Lord Jesus Christ. Live each and every moment for Him. Allow the Lord to direct every facet of your life. Let His living gospel change you EVERY DAY and compel you to share this joy and good news with others.
If you do not study the Bible, and hear his word, you may fall asleep at the wheel, and what will your fate be?
kim
I had fun with this little quiz about demons. Try it and see how you do!
Continued from:
Part 3 Contemplative Spirituality
Contemplative Spirituality – A belief system thatuses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence), and is rooted in mysticism and the occult, but often is wrapped in Christian terminology. The premise of Contemplative Spirituality is Pantheistic (God is All) and Panentheistic (God is in All). – Lighthouse Trails Research
On my last post I went over Yoga, Meditation, Contemplative Prayer, Channeling and Visualization. The post was getting way too long so I decided to split it up.
Now onto:
Reiki/Therapeutic Massage
When I first started researching Reiki, I realized that I had seen this word somewhere before but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
It didn’t take long before it came to me. I saw it on of a wall of a massage therapist. Because of an auto injury, massage therapy was recommended and I went about 4 times. On the fourth visit I was witnessing to the therapist. It was at this time that she told me that she was going to “try something new” on me. Well I didn’t know it at the time but I guess she was going to try a reiki treatment on me. As soon as she started to lay her hand on me, she jerked her hand away. Startled, she told me that she had just received a shock. ” I won’t be trying that again” she joked. The bad part is that she was not going to tell me of her intention to try an alternative treatment besides the basic massage approved by my insurance company, and I would not have known the difference.
The Lord was protecting me, and He let me experience this situation so i could relate this incident. That is what I believe anyway.
Reiki was developed by a Japanese Buddhist, Dr. Mikau Usai. The word translates REI (universe), KI (life-energy). The two Japanese characters together express the unification of body and soul. It is pronounced ray’-kee.
After fasting for 21 days on Mt. Kurama in 1914, Usai was “enlightened”. He said “When I fasted I touched an intense energy and in a mysterious manner I was inspired (I received the reiki energy).”
Apparently, the reiki energy enters the body of the master at the chakra at the base of the skull just above the neck and it is released into the other person with the hands. It is believed that the patient is taking in the energy as it passes through the chakras, meridians and the nervous system along the spine. The reiki practitioner uses rituals to pass the universal energy to the patient. It seems that the origins of this healing energy power is unknown or unexplained except that it comes from the Source, God, spirit, or the Force.
Christians who are using reiki say that Jesus used this power to heal. I do not believe this to be true in any sense. When Jesus healed the sick all the glory was given to God. This healing method does not point to Jesus at all and is similar to occult methods.
I like what Marcia Montenegro says about reiki and Jesus.
“Jesus being the Son of God, did not need a technique, but healed because His nature was the same as God’s (which is what being the “Son of God” signifies), and God is the Healer and Giver of Life. Jesus’ miracles of healing were not just to cure, however, but were a sign that He was the promised Messiah.”
To find out more there is a website by Marcia Montenegro that i recommend.
http://cana.userworld.com/cana_reiki1.html
Now there is nothing wrong with a good massage because it can be an effective stress reducer, such as a Swedish, deep tissue, or sports massage. But if the practitioner makes any comments as to chakras, kundalini, energy fields, or anything close to these terms, then you need to rethink your decision to accept such treatment. Do not expose yourself to any occult methods.
Therapeutic Touch is a form of psychic healing by the channeling of the therapist’s prana into the patient, which induces healing from the process. Again we see a practice that is occult in nature and Christian’s need to be aware and careful.
kim
Next: Goddess Worship
Contemplative Spirituality – A belief system that uses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence), and is rooted in mysticism and the occult, but often is wrapped in Christian terminology. The premise of Contemplative Spirituality is Pantheistic (God is All) and Panentheistic (God is in All). – Lighthouse Trails Research
YOGA/MEDITATION
I have already written about Yoga in “Is Yoga Occult?”. Well it is and here’s why. Yoga is based on Hinduism no matter what others may say. It’s main goal is ‘union” with Brahman a Hindu god. The names of the asansas (positions) are Hindu goddesses and were named as worship to them. The positions that one holds, were developed to force the Kundalini Power up the spine through the Chakras (wheels) with the ultimate goal of reaching the Crown Chakra. This causes an “enlightenment”. I have read that few ever are able to reach this final state, but in the process you are involving yourself in Hinduism. There are two dangerous aspects.
Meditation, used in many other practices other than Yoga, empties your mind of thought. What happens when you meditate is that you alter your consciousness. Many religions worldwide use meditation as a tool for spiritual growth and now it is being advertised today in the West as a form of relaxation.
Kundalini Yoga. Serpent Power. I wonder how many Yoga teachers bring to their students attention, that Kundalini translates into Serpent Power. In “Is Yoga Occult?” I quoted the many manifestations that can occur. I was criticized for using the extreme manifestations but the words that people have been using in their search engines to find my blog, are….demons, occult, insanity, serpent power, etc. I found that I could not downplay the worst that could happen, just as a drug company would not leave out the extreme side effects of a medication, (ha… sorry …bad example).
Warning: Yoga is not for Christians. It will initiate you into a worldview and practices that may separate you from Christ.
CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER
CP is just a step beyond meditation. Basically it is repeating a biblical phrase till you become “Still”. Even though it is a biblical phrase it still becomes a “mantra” because when a phrase is repeated over and over again it becomes meaningless suspending you into an altered state of consciousness. Eastern pagan religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism have always used mystical meditation. Buddhist call this state Nirvana, New Agers call it unity with the universe or oneness with God, Christians call it contemplative prayer.
Other names that may be used for CP is centering prayer, listening prayer, breath prayer, or prayer of the heart. But it is all the same, part of the mystical movement called Contemplative Spirituality.
Here is a list of those who promote CP. Alice Bailey…Jack Canfield…Richard Foster…Matthew Fox…Barbara Hubbard Marx…Brian Mclaren…Thomas Merton…Henri Nouwen…Robert Schuller…Marianne Williamson…Bill Hybels…David Jeremiah…Max Lucado…Eugene Peterson…Michael W. Smith…Watchman Nee
This list is far from complete. Two that surprised me were David Jeremiah and Michael W. Smith. I used to watch David Jeremiah on TBN ( I never watch TBN anymore) and I used to listen to Michael W. Smith all the time. But I found out Smith is a promoter of Brennan Manning’s book “Above All” which advocates CP . Now I have to toss the CD’s I have because now I can hear how hypnotic some of his songs are and to stay true to the findings of my research, have to abandon this artist.
I like what Ray Yungen has to say about CP, in his book, “A Time of Departing: How a universal spirituality is changing the face of Christianity”. (a necessary read for every Christian)
“The premise is that God can never be really known in a conventional non-mystical way. Therefore the mind has to be shut-down, turned-off so one can enter the cloud of unknowing where the presence of God awaits. The practitioners of this method believe if the sacreds words are Christian, you will get Christ–it is simple a matter of intent. Contemplative Prayer may sound exotic and appealing, but it is Biblically groundless.” (pg39)
Mat: 6:7 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do…”
Warning: If a church leader or anyone recommends anything that resembles meditation with repetitions, do not do it!
CHANNELING
Have you heard of spirit guides? Well, this is another bonus of CP and channeling. While you are repeating your biblical phrase (chanting) someone may talk back to you. This is the case of Barbara Hubbard Marx, one of most well-known NewAgers who heard an “inner voice”. This inner voice Of Marx’s actually dictated a “new” book of Revelation.
Here are a few quotes from her “inner voice”:
“Behold, I am writing anew, through scribes on Earth who are willing to listen to me again with new ears, in the light of the present crises on planet Earth” (p.265)
“I did not suffer on the cross and rise again on the third day to show you what i could do, but what you can do. Yours is the power. Yours is the glory. That is my message to you.” (p.100)
“I did not intend for you to deify me, but to deify yourselves as being at the same stage of evolution as I am.” (p.231)
(Quotes taken from Warren Smith’s—Reinventing Jesus Christ)
Obviously these quotes show that Marx’s “Christ” is a false Christ, a spirit merely masquerading. Those who get involved with these New Age techniques become deceived because the experiences seem to be real, pure, and uplifting. This new gospel is nothing but deceit and rubbish.
J.Z. Knight is a channeler of the 35,000 year old warrior Ramtha here in my home state of Washington. A quick look at Ramtha’s web site is pretty revealing and predictably follows the New Age mantras.
Ramtha has “The School of Enlightenment, the School of Ancient Wisdom”. His four cornerstone philosophy is:
You are God. (no surprise here)
To make known the unknown.
The concept that consciousness and energy create the nature of reality.
The challenge to conquer yourself.
These are the same New Age goals you will collectively find in all New Age definitions. The same glorification of self, the desire to learn the esoteric unknown, and that an altered consciousness is the way to these truths.
Christian’s should not involve themselves in any practice that eliminates Jesus Christ, makes oneself a God, and searches for unknown truths outside of scripture.
Warning: Deut 18:10-12
“Let no one be found….who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchdraft, or cast spells, or who is a medium or spiritualist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord…” (NIV)
VISUALIZATION
I have read so much about visualization the last couple of weeks that my eyes are all glazed over. This being the case, I have decided to use a summary from Brian Flynn’s “Running Against the Wind”.
Creative Visualization is the practice of creating mental images for the purpose of self-improvement or personal gain. The underlying belief is that if someone can ceate a mental picture of a desired outcome…let’s say more confidence in social and business settings, or a physical healing…then that outcome can be achieved by mentally picturing it into existence. Here again is the underlying philosophy that every human being has a higher self or the God within who can, like God, virtually speak things into existence.
Coupled with the practice of creative visualization is the use of spirit guides. According to Shakti Gawain, creative visualization can easily introduce the practitioner to “spirit guides, the like of which would be thrilled to meet us.”
Guided Imagery is in the same category as creative visualization. Some guided imagery programs actually suggest meeting a being in your mind to assist you. This is dangerous because it opens the door to spirits that are not of God. Sadly countless Christians have jumped into this trend by creating their own version of guided imagery where they suggest meeting Jesus to act as a guide. This is problematic in that it creates a false belief that you are actually meeting and talking with Jesus in a mystical sense. There is no scriptual support that God chooses to communicate with us in this way.
This summary truly reminds me of all aspects of meditation and yoga. The deification of self, the necessity for the altered state of consciousness, the desire for power, the possibility of contacting the spirit world and the deception that can follow by thinking this contact is godly.
This is just another New Age occult practice that is spreading from the secular world to the church. It suggests that we are divine and can create our own reality when we should be bowing to Jesus, seeking Him only and doing his will.
Do not look inside yourself, to try to visualize an inner “Jesus”. The real Jesus is found in the words of the Bible.
kim
Next:
Reiki/Therapeutic Massage
Many churches are so lacking in the gospel that people are hungry for God. This has created a vacuum that people are desperately trying to fill. Unfortunately, there is someone who is more than happy to fill this void but it is NOT of God.
Churches that are lacking the true Gospel are becoming the norm instead of the exception. In the attempt to fill pews, pastors are allowing their sermons to become a source of inspiration instead of conviction. Conviction or feeling guilt for sin is what causes a person to repent. This is a necessary action on part of the Christian. Repentance turns us back to God. Jesus Christ’s blood shed for us atones and cleanses us.
This lack of Bible-based truths is not the only problem in the church. When people stray from the Bible and its guidance they open themselves up to deception.
The New Age….What is the New Age? One could say in general that the New Age is a new way of looking at things. In reality it is a new spirituality woven with mysticism. Think back to the late 60’s. Remember the dawning of “The Age of Aquarius”? The Age of Aquarius is inviting us to enlightenment, an awakening of peace, love, and unity with God and the universe. New Age “enlightenment” is infiltrating business, home, leisure activities and it is also infiltrating the church. Your church, my church. How can this be? Well, this process was started many years ago and it crept in so slow that many have been caught unaware. Very few churches today are totally dedicated to keeping untruths from filtering in. It is sad to say that this is what the people want and the church leaders are complying.
Consider just a few of these activities that are now being practiced by Christians.
Yoga
Meditation
Contemplative Prayer/Centering Prayer
Channeling
Visualization
Reiki/Therapeutic Touch Massage
Goddess Worship
What do these practices have in common? Divination. Divination is the attempt of man to contact the spirit world. Well the Lord forbids it. God’s people are not to use these condemned techniques to acquire knowledge or attain the “experiences” so many are seeking. Current terms for divination may be metaphysics or paranormal. Think of these terms used in the New Age lingo as meaning, beyond the seen world, beyond the 5 senses, or outside of explanation.
Now let’s take a couple of these terms and make them sound biblical. How about Centering Prayer or Christ Consciousness. Centering Prayer is actually meditation and Christ Consciousness is state of awareness one reaches while in meditation in which one becomes a “christ” or becomes divine. Christians are being duped into indulging themselves in New Age/New Thought practices by redefined terminology to make it acceptable, but in truth, it is sorcery.
Let’s look at Det 18:10-12
“Let no one be found….who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchdraft, or cast spells, or who is a medium or spiritualist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord…” (NIV)
The Bible could not be any more clear than this. The above verse condemns witchcraft, sorcery, and spells. This is turn condemns Harry Potter, The Chronices of Narnia, Star Wars, and the Ring Trilogy.
I used to believe that the deceivers saying “I am Christ” would only be cult leaders with a following but with the booming New Age practices being found IN the church as well as in secular life, i now believe that a new spirit is taking over the church and it is being promoted by church leaders. This spirit is not the Holy Spirit but the spirit-world which has nothing to do with holiness. These spirits are parading as Jesus and Christian’s believe that they are “seeing”, “feeling” and “experiencing” Christ. This deception is truly overpowering to those who think they are communing with the Lord when in fact they are not. Satan is a master deceiver at imitating Christ.
When this spirit takes over, it is not going to announce it to you. It is going to seduce you, make you feel joy and union with the universe and/or God. You may feel a power of being special, that you have been chosen and are spiritually superior to others. “Anointed” is another term that is popular today to describe God’s chosen.
Fallen angels, who so many years ago were thrown from the heavens for rebelling against God, roam the earth looking for a vulnerable empty vessel to enter. Please do not be that empty vessel by opening up yourself to the spirit world.
Meditation is the key that opens the door between the two worlds and an open door is an invitation to the occult spirits. Meditation is how one stills the mind and empties it of thought. This is commonly done through repetition of words and breathing techniques. Often those who use these techniques report seeing a bright white light. Remember that the Bible teaches that Satan comes as a white light.
2 Cor 11:14 “And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light“. (KJV)
And as he masquerades he is saying:
Gen 3:5 “…then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods..” (KJV)
Isn’t this what the New Agers are promising? We shall discover the God within us, that we are as Gods, we are God?
This is the exact opposite of true Christianity, which is to give our lives totally over to Christ in obedience to his will. He is our God, our Creator, and when we repent of our sin and call upon his name, He gives us the Holy Spirit. We are no longer in charge of our lives. Look at this next verse.
Mat 16:24 “… If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me“. (KJV)
If we are our own God then how can we deny ourselves. WE CAN”T
There is only one way. That way is believing that Jesus Christ is the son of God, that he suffered and died for you and me on the cross, that he was resurrected, and now is at the right hand of God.
Hold the word of God next to your heart. Search the scriptures for truth. The truth will not be found in the ways of man that are devised to achieve Godhood. The truth lies in your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and discovering Him, as your God, by the Word He has given to us in the Holy Bible.
If you are using any of the above methods please refrain and repent as these methods are detestable to the Lord.
On the blogroll the best information comes from the Eastern Regional Watch website with a variety of New Age articles.
kim
Next – Crisis in the Church – Part 3
More about New Age Techniques
Saturday, June 23, 2007
The Fundamental Message of Christianity
by David W. Lowe
Because Jesus Christ is equal with God (Phi 2:6) and created all persons (Joh 1:1-9), he has inherent sovereign authority over all humanity and the universe. This means you and I must surrender to the authority of Jesus Christ. It is one thing to call him Master and Lord with your mouth, and quite another to make him the Master and Lord of your words, thoughts, and actions by obeying his commands in complete humility. He cannot be your Savior unless he is first your Master and Lord. If you have a problem with the idea of a Sovereign God ruling over your thoughts and actions, then you must question whether you are truly a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is King of Kings, seated at the right hand of the throne of God, and has all authority and power. As the righteous judge of mankind, his kingdom stands eternally opposed to sin and rebellion. Just as an inventor has the inherent rights to an invention or an author holds the copyright for a book he has written, so the Lord has the inherent rights to the earth he created and everyone in it. Because he holds the patent to the creation, he has the right to demand how it is used and how we interact and conduct ourselves within it. If that omnipotence and omniscience were the only reason to worship and obey him, it would be enough. But he not only created the world and everyone in it, he became one of us, and willingly offered himself to be butchered and crucified by his own creation in order to provide for its salvation.
How could I not bow in reverence and amazement to a King such as this? Earthly kings desire power, wealth, and fame, but this King desires mercy, servanthood, and sacrifice. This King humbled himself below all of his subjects in order to save them from their sins. Instead of giving me justice and crushing me back into dust, he vowed to save me in his boundless mercy. In the ultimate of paradoxes, God used my murder of his Son to be the medium by which I am saved! On the cross, the sinless Lamb became a curse so that a sinful human being like yourself could have his righteousness credited to your account by trusting in his blood atonement for forgiveness. Without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission of your sins, and you remain a magnet of the wrath of God. But the perfect, sinless blood of Jesus Christ can remit the sin of every person who repents and trusts in his sacrifice.
Every knee will bow and acknowledge his authority, because he has earned the right to rule and receive all glory and honor through his perfect sacrifice and resurrection from the dead. Come to him in humility, understanding the quantum lengths to which he descended in order to become a human being and experience a gruesome, excruciating death at your bloody hands. Put your trust in his sacrificial atonement for your acts of rebellion against him, realizing his perfect existence was crediting to your sinful account. Believe the eyewitnesses of his resurrection from the dead and ascension to heaven. Then, pick up a cross daily in gratitude, obey his commandments in the Word of God with joy, and follow him without wavering, no matter the price.
http://earthquakeresurrection.com
Read David’s Blog Here
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