“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize that He is able to carry out His will for me. It does not matter where He places me, or how. That is for Him to consider, not me, for in the easiest positions He will give me grace, and in the most difficult ones His grace is sufficient.”
― Hudson Taylor (21 May 1832 – 3 June 1905) was a British Protestant Christian missionary to China and founder of the China Inland Mission (CIM, now OMF International).
From: The Berean Call
Dear Reader: the following is an question concerning the authenticity of the Bible that was received by The Berean Call. Dave Hunt, the author of the God Makers, The Mind Invaders, and The Woman Rides The Beast, gives an excellent answer. I pray you are blessed by the discussion. Carl
February 1, 2019 Dave Hunt – Berean Call– February Newsletter
What about Satan as Serpent?
Question: I think one of the great evidences against the authenticity of the Bible is its treatment of the serpent. In the Bible, the serpent is the embodiment of evil, whereas ancient myths and religions give exactly the opposite view. The Bible equates the serpent with the devil, but the most ancient religions, some of which are even practiced to the present time, almost universally identify the serpent as the Savior, or at least as benevolent and to be worshiped. How can the Bible be true at the same time be so much out of touch with what is clearly the common intuition of humanity?
Response: This is a fascinating subject, and its implications go beyond our ability to understand fully. There is no doubt that the Bible repeatedly identifies Satan both as the serpent and the dragon, not only in Genesis 3 but elsewhere. For example, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation:12:9 – “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”)
In view of the usual human revulsion and fear of both dragons and serpents, one would think that Satan would do everything possible to deny such a connection, yet the opposite seems to be the case, for some strange reason. How intriguing it is that both are so closely associated with nearly all pagan religions. The dragon is found on thousands of temples throughout Asia, while the serpent permeates and even dominates the religion of India.
Serpent Worship Everywhere
In the temples of ancient Egypt and Rome the body of the god Serapis was encircled by the coils of a great serpent. In Hinduism one of the three chief gods, Shiva, has serpents entwined in his hair. Yoga is symbolized as a raft made of cobras, and its goal is to awaken the kundalini power coiled at the base of the human spine in the form of a serpent. Numerous other examples could be given, from the plumed serpent Quetzalcoatl, the Savior-god of the Mayas, to the annual snake dance of the Hopi Indians. One of the greatest authorities on the occult (himself a practitioner of occultism) has written:
“Serpent worship in some form permeated nearly all parts of the earth. The serpent mounds of the American Indian; the carved-stone snakes of Central and South America; the hooded cobras of India; Python, the great snake of the Greeks; the sacred serpents of the Druids; the Midgard snake of Scandinavia; the Nagas of Burma, Siam, and Cambodia . . . the mystic serpent of Orpheus; the snakes at the oracle of Delphi . . . the sacred serpents preserved in the Egyptian temples; the Uraeus coiled upon the foreheads of the Pharaohs and priests—all these bear wintess to the universal veneration in which the snake was held. . . .”
” The serpent is . . . the symbol and prototype of the Universal Savior, who redeems the world by giving creation the knowledge of itself. . . . It has long been viewed as the emblem of immortality. It is the symbol of reincarnation.” (Manley P. Hall, The Secret Teachings or all Ages: An Encyclopedic outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Sybolical Philosophy (The Philosophical Research Society, Inc, Lost Angeles, CA 90027, 1969)
In Greek mythology a serpent was wrapped around the Orphic egg, the symbol of the cosmos. Likewise at Delphi, Greece (for centuries the location of the most sought-for and influential oracle of the ancient world, consulted by potentates from as far away as North Africa and Asia Minor), the three legs of the oracular tripod in the inner shrine of the temple were intertwined with serpents. As one further example, consider the Greek and Roman god of medicine, Aesculapius, whose symbol of modern medicine, the caduceus, was derived.
In the temples erected in his honor, Aesculapius was worshiped with snakes because of ancient myth that said he had received a healing herb at the mouth of a serpent. Here again we have the Genesis story perverted: The serpent is not the deceiver and destroyer but the Savior of mankind, replacing Jesus Christ. At graduation ceremonies of medical schools around the world, where prayers to the God of the Bible or to Jesus Christ would not be allowed, graduates, upon receiving their MD degrees, still repeat loudly in unison the Hippocratic oath. It begins, “I swear by Apollo, by Aesculapius, by Hygeia and Panacea, and by all the gods and goddesses. . . .”
Surely the Bible’s depiction of Satan as a serpent and dragon, the deceiver and destroyer of mankind, and then as the god of this world who originates pagan religions, fits the evidence. Furthermore, the very fact that the Bible stands alone against all ancient religions provides further evidence that all of them have a common source and that the inspiration behind the Bible is, exactly as it claims, independent of theirs. In fact, the two sources of inspiration are obviously diametrically opposed.
“It is an easy thing to be godly from the teeth outward.”
Preceeding quote is from Matthew Henry’s (1710 AD) comments describing false teachers in Romans 16:18.
One godly characteristic the false teachers exhibited was “Christian” speech. From the teeth outward they appeared godly. In other words, they used Christian lingo and profess to be Christian but inwardly, in their heart, they are ravenous wolves sent by satan to mislead the true born again Christians. They use their oratory skills and cunning to lead Christians astray. The scripture says
“… and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” (Romans 16:18)
The Lord Jesus warned about these people:
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. [16] You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? [17] So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. [18] A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] So then, you will know them by their fruits. …. (Matthew 7: 15-20)
Don’t be “unsuspecting” but be a fruit inspector. The Lord Jesus is telling you and me that by examining the fruit of their lives you can recognize the ravenous wolves despite their Christian words, mannerisms, associations, and their smooth and flattering speech.
In another blog we will discuss some of the fruit you should look for.
THEREFORE, “Gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit” (I Peter 1:13) and “be on alert, your adversary, the devil, prowls about…seeking someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).
Carl
Some Christians today, in their desire to have a closer walk with the Lord or for some health reason, have turned to meditative practices rooted in eastern mysticism such as Yoga, Mindfulness, Meditation, Contemplative Prayer, etc. The goal being to reach a passive state of “silence” or “stillness” where all mental thoughts cease and the ‘Lord’ can be heard. While it is noble to want a closer walk with the Lord Jesus, a person must be careful how he goes about seeking this intimacy, because a sincere motive is no protection from deception.
In Watchman Nee’s 1927 book, The Spiritual Man, he discusses how we can discern if the Lord Jesus or evil spirits are communicating with us. Following are some quotes from the section entitled, The Mind A Battlefield, where he compares the different mental conditions through which the Holy Spirit works versus the mental conditions through which evil spirits work.
At the end of his comments, we have quotes from Quaker Richard J. Foster, an advocate of these practices, and a former Yanamamo witchdoctor.
I hope you find the material enlightening. Thank you for your time.
Carl
“God creates man with a mind to be used —“he who hears the word and understands it” (Matt. 13:23). God desires man to understand His Word with the intellect, from whence the emotion, will and spirit are reached.”
“In their desire to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit many of the Lord’s people feel they do not need to measure, investigate, and judge by the light of the Bible all thoughts which seemingly come from God. “
“The passivity of the mind is due to a misconception of the meaning of consecration and obedience to the Holy Spirit. Many take for granted that the thoughts in their head hinder their walk. They do not perceive that it is a brain which ceases to function or which functions chaotically that hinders spiritual life, whereas, one which functions properly is not only profitable but also essential. Such a mind as this can alone cooperate with God.”
“Let us pursue one step further this matter of passivity as a condition for the operation of evil spirits. We are aware of one class of people who especially relish communicating with these spirits. People usually do not hanker to be demon possessed, but this special class craves to be so possessed. These are the soothsayers, the augurs, the mediums, the necromancers. By accurately observing the cause of their possession we may come to understand the principle of demon possession. These people tell us that in order to be possessed by what they call gods (who actually are demons) their will must present no resistance whatsoever but be favorably disposed to accept whatever comes upon their bodies. To render their will completely passive their mind must first to be reduced to blankness. A blank brain produces a passive will. These two elements are the basic requisites for demon possession. Hence a necromancer who is waiting for his “god” to come to him lets down his hair and shakes his head for a continued period until it is dizzy and his mind completely out of action. As the latter is turning blank his will naturally becomes immobile. At this point his mouth begins to move unconsciously, his body gradually trembles, and before long his “god” descends upon him. This is one way of becoming possessed. Although there may be others, the principle for the spiritist is the same: to achieve passivity of will through a perfectly blank mind; for all spiritist agree that when spirits or demons alight upon them their heads can no longer think and their wills can no longer act. They are unpossessed until this state of an empty mind and an inert will is reached.
Today’s (1927) so-called scientific hypnotism and religious yogi, which enable people to possess the powers of telepathy, healing, and transforming, are in reality founded upon these two principles. Using the argument that certain methods can be beneficial to mankind, those of this class who perform such techniques as focusing one’s attention, sitting silently, contemplating and meditating, are actually employing these devices to reduce their mind to a blank condition and their will to passivity so as to invite supernatural spirits or demons to supply them with many wonderful experiences. Our purpose here is not to inquire whether or not these people realize they are inviting evil spirits to come; we merely wish to observe that they are fulfilling the requirements for demon possession. The consequence is grave; perhaps later they shall awaken to the fact that what they have welcomed are indeed evil spirits.
Our intention here is not a full treatment of this subject. We simply wish to acquaint the Lord’s children with the principles behind the practice of the black arts: which are a blank and passive mind and will. Evil spirits are overjoyed should these conditions be present, as they can immediately commence to do their dark work.
It is well for every Christian to always bear in mind the one basic and crucially important distinction between the working of evil spirits and that of the Holy Spirit: the Latter works when man fulfills His working conditions, while the former work when man fulfills their working conditions. If man, even though he may appear to be seeking the Holy Spirit, meets the requirements for evil spirits to operate, God’s Spirit will never operate. The wicked spirits wait tirelessly for the opportunity to act. Should anyone be incompetent to distinguish what is truly of God from what is a counterfeit, he need only ask himself one question: what kind of condition was he in when first he experienced such phenomena? If he had fulfilled the prerequisites for the Holy Spirit’s activity, it must have been from God; but had he met the necessary conditions for evil spirits to work, then what he encountered must have been the evil spirit. We do not reject every supernatural phenomenon; what we simply and earnestly desire to do is to separate what is of God from what is of Satan.
The basic distinction between the operating requirements of the Holy Spirit and the wicked spirits can be summarized as follows:
The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee ( Part Eight – The Mind A Battlefield – selections from pages 21-27. Emphasis- mine.)
In addition to what Nee said the dangers of a blank mind and passive will, the Quaker Richard J. Foster, an advocate of “Christian” contemplation, expresses his concerns about who is speaking in the “silence” when he says
“I also want to give a word of precaution. In the silent contemplation of God we are entering deeply into the spiritual realm, and there is such a thing as supernatural guidance that is not divine guidance…there are various orders of spiritual beings, and some of them are definitely not in cooperation with God and his way! (Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home)
In other words, there are other dangerous spirits in this “silence” that can do you harm. Shame on Foster for encouraging innocent people to expose themselves to such danger. In the, Be Still, DVD he offers advice about how to discern who might be communicating in the “silence” or “stillness”:
“Learning to distinguish the voice of God….from just human voices within us…comes in much the same way that we learn any other voice. Satan pushes and condemns. God draws and encourages. And we know the difference.”
He admits to a chorus of voices that might speak in the “solitude” and “silence”: God, satan, or even other human voices. To show how naïve Foster is, in telling people how to discern God’s voice from satan’s, listen to what the former witchdoctor has to say about what he experienced while in the “silence” and focusing.
Chief Shoefoot, a Yanamamo shaman or witchdoctor, in the DVD, I’ll Never Go Back – A Shaman’s Story, describes the multitude of spiritual beings (demons) that are in this “deep spiritual realm” that Foster encourages people to go into, with blank minds and passive wills. The Chief begins by relating his initiation into shamanism. How he, after having drugs blown up his nose, was told by the head witchdoctor to sit in “silence” and “focus” only on him (the witchdoctor). Then the “good” and “bad” spirits materialized, a vast mass swirling around the teacher, beautifully attired in tropical bird feathers, and certain “good” ones entered his chest where, he said, they built their houses and invited other “good” spirts. There were other “bad” spirits that were not to be accepted since they caused jealously, murder, etc.
These evil “good” spirits brought bondage, eventually causing him to think he was losing his mind. He said the spirits were “deceivers and loved to deceive.” It was at this point that he met a missionary who helped him understand why God sent his Son to earth. He was born again and delivered from all of the evil spirits. To the anthropologist’s argument that these primitive tribes should be left alone, Chief Shoefoot says he never wants to go back to living a life dominated by the forces of darkness.
In conclusion, Watchman Nee shares that a blank mind and passive will are a welcome mat for evil spirits to enter a person, that the voice one hears in this “silent” state, which is the goal of all eastern mysticism meditation, is NOT God’s but deceiving, evil spirits. Even the advocates of these practices, like Richard J. Foster, admit that a person is exposing themselves to deception by these evil beings when in this state. Finally, the error of Foster’s advice on how to discern God’s voice from satan is revealed by Chief Shoefoot’s testimony. From this once professional witchdoctor we see that there are “good” spirits that do good things and “bad” spirits that do evil things. So in this meditative state you can have a wide range of feelings, from being “drawn and encouraged” to being “pushed and condemned” depending on the evil spirit. Feelings are a dangerous yardstick for WHO you are hearing in this mentally blank and passive state.
He said these spirits were beautiful in appearance but that they all deceive and love to deceive.
If you are a Christian or a non-Christian who is involved or considering trying these eastern meditation methods, I strongly suggest you stop these practices or never get started. God never asked you to seek Him in such a way that exposes you to demonic possession. Use your mind to meditate on His Word found in the Bible and let the truths therein bring practical righteousness to your daily walk and overflowing joy into your life.
The Lord Jesus said He came so that you could have abundant life. Don’t settle for a counterfeit.
“Now to Him is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 24 -25)
Carl
“It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to speak the truth that hurts, and then heals, than falsehood that comforts and then kills. Let me tell you something, friend, it is not love, and it is not friendship, if we fail to declare the whole counsel of God. It is better to be hated for telling the truth, than to be loved for telling a lie….”
Adrian Rogers
As you can see from an overview of this text that Paul shared what would be termed today “negative” truth with this church. Following are some observations that can be drawn from Paul’s statements:
Therefore, dear Reader, if you are in a church that does not give you the whole counsel of God, the positive, the negative and everything in-between, I advise you to get up, grab your Bible, and run out the door. If they are just tickling your ears and giving you what your flesh or the contemporary culture wants you to hear, you’re in, or headed for great deception. Find yourself a pastor who loves the sheep enough to tell them the truth, even when it is not popular, and fears the Lord instead of man. A pastor who loves you more than he loves money and popularity.
Why should you do this?
Because the savage wolves are still here! And they still want to lead you astray and devour you and your love ones.
Peter said in 2 Peter 2:1, as there were false prophets before the Lord Jesus came the first time, there would also be false teachers among the New Testament believers, who would secretly introduce destructive heresies alongside of biblical truths. They would use the Holy Scripture to camaflouge their lies.
This is why the Lord Jesus gave certain offices to His Church that would produce a certain Result:
….gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, [12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. [14] As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;…
Ephesians 4:11-14
These men mentioned in verse 14 above, are savage wolves. By the preaching and teaching of the whole counsel of God, the Church is protected from these destructive, demonized people, whose goal is to destroy. If you have ever watched a wild animal attack and devour another wild animal, you know how powerful this analogy is. No mercy, no stopping until the victim’s life is snuffed out. We once had a hawk knock a wood duck out the sky and they fell in front of our dinning room window. Watching the hawk kill the duck was a sobering reminder of the life and death struggle in the physical world and the spiritual world.
Therefore, choose your spiritual teachers very wisely, including the spiritual books you read. Do some research and find out what the author believes before you expose yourself to their teaching.
Remember what Adrian Rogers said at the beginning of this post.
“It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to speak the truth that hurts, and then heals, than falsehood that comforts and then kills.
“Falsehood” is what savage wolves give unsuspecting hearts (Romans 16:18) to ensnare them. “Therefore be alert…”
May you be growing into the “measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ“. Thank you for your time.
Carl
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said…”
Genesis 3:1
In this Scripture from Genesis, the first book of the Holy Bible, we have an account of Satan’s first contact with the human race.
What does this fallen angelic being say?
“… has God said…”
From his first interaction with our race of beings, his goal has been to cast doubt on what God has already said. Today, he is still using this tactic and, as a result, many people see no need to read the greatest book ever written, the Holy Bible.
Christian, be sure to reject this lie because
[19] “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Num. 23:19
Carl
The Christian Post (CP) reported last week that Christians in Vietnam are suffering persecution for the testimony of Jesus. I encourage you to keep the global Christian community in your prayers, as Christians in many nations continue to suffer, even to the point of death, for the cause of Christ. Persecution is projected to increase in 2019. Excerpts from the CP article follow. Carl
Several Hmong Christians were beaten and arrested by Vietnamese government officials after they refused to renounce their faith and worship a Buddha statue, a pastor has revealed.
Pastor Hoang Van Pa told persecution watchdog group International Christian Concern that government officials threatened 33 Hmong Protestants in Phá Lóm village in November if they refused to renounce their Christian faith.
Police reportedly gathered personal information about the 33 believers and carried out an open trial before the community. The officers presented an image of the Buddha and tried to force the Christians to abandon their faith and worship the Buddha statue instead. Four of the Christians were arrested and beaten, and government officials continued to harass Protestants in several other raids throughout November and December.
As Dzung, the representative of the Interdisciplinary Inspection Team, explained that Vietnam has banned the Protestant Christian faith and seeks to expel those who refuse to renounce their faith in Jesus. In 2018, more than 100 believers were expelled from Yen Bai province and Lao Cai province.
Due to its ethnic background and high percentage of practicing Christians, Vietnam’s Hmong community is often targeted and harassed by both the government and neighboring communities,” wrote ICC’s Regional Manager Gina Goh.
In a Communist country where Christianity is often seen as unpatriotic or a threat to the regime, Hmong Christians constantly face discrimination, harassment, land grabs, torture, and imprisonment.”
(Dear Reader: This subject, “God is in everything and everyone”, is the foundational doctrine of the New Spirituality or New Age movement. It is panentheism which leads to rejecting the atonement of Christ and the need for a Savior. No need for a Savior if you are already “god” yourself. This doctrine of demons is very seductive and dangerous. The author, Warren B. Smith, was a member of the New Age Movement and was set free by reading Johana Michaelsen’s book The Beautiful Side of Evil . This booklet may be purchased at Lighthouse Trials. God bless. Carl)
By Warren B. Smith
Our Spiritual Adversary would have everyone believe that we are all “one” because God is “in” everyone and everything. Using every promotional means possible—including a creative and ingenious perversion of quantum physics—he is attempting to convince the world and the church that while Jesus was Christ, so is everyone. And while Jesus was God, so is everyone else. To underscore this heretical New Age doctrine of God and Christ “in” everyone, he would have us further believe that nothing of any significance happened on the Cross of Calvary. However, the Bible makes it very clear that something extremely wonderful and overwhelmingly significant did happen on the Cross of Calvary. For it was on that Cross that Jesus Christ died to save the world as He defeated sin (1 John 2:2), death (2 Timothy 1:10), and the Devil himself (Hebrews 2:14). As the one and only Christ, He is our Rock (1 Corinthians 10:1-4), He is our Foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11), and in every sense of the word He is the Saviour of the world (1 John 4:14).
Christ Our Savior
The apostle Paul proclaimed that all he needed to know was Christ and Christ crucified:
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2)
Yet Paul also said we should not be “ignorant” of Satan’s “devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).
Paul further stated it is “a shame” we have to talk about “the unfruitful works of darkness,” but we must “reprove” them—expose them—by bringing them into the “light”:
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. (Ephesians 5:11-13)
“Human wisdom delights to trim and arrange the doctrine of the cross into a system more artificial and congenial with the depraved tastes of fallen nature; instead, however, of improving the gospel carnal wisdom pollutes it, until it becomes another gospel, and not the truth of God at all. All alterations and amendments of the Lord’s own word are defilements and pollutions.
Charles Spurgeon
Last night NBC evening news did a segment on meditation. The reporter interviewed one of the founders of Headspace (a former Buddhist monk) about the wonderful benefits of meditation. They estimated around 45 million Americans practice meditation.
The article below will explain what they are NOT telling you. If you are a parent, grandparent or a teacher this will be of interest to you since many private and public schools are now using Mindfulness (meditation) in the classes of young children. Toward the end of the article is a list of DANGEROUS AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS of Mindfulness (meditation) that has been found by doctors to occur in young children. God bless you and may God have mercy on America. Carl
(Shared with permission)
By the Editors at Lighthouse Trails
Currently, “mindfulness” is being introduced to tens of thousands of public schools across America. One group alone, Healthy Schools Program, which includes mindfulness as part of its program, is in over 30,000 public schools (that’s about one third of all public schools in America).1 Programs such as Healthy Schools* claim that children behave better and think more clearly when they incorporate mindfulness exercises into their school regime. Researcher and author Ray Yungen states:
In recent years, a type of meditation known as mindfulness has made a surprising showing. Based on current trends, it has the potential to eclipse even Yoga in popularity. You will now find it everywhere that people are seeking therapeutic approaches to ailments or disorders. . . it is presented as something to cure society’s ills.2
School administrators, principals, teachers, and other school officials are being told that mindfulness is safe, is not religious, and is not the same as eastern or Buddhist meditation. This booklet will examine several aspects of mindfulness and will help to show why mindfulness meditation should not be brought into the schools and taught to children.
First, let’s take a moment to examine the root word of mindfulness—mindful. The word mindful is actually found in the Bible. The meaning of the word in Hebrew (the Old Testament) means “to recall,” “to record,” “to remember,” and “to call to mind.” In the Greek (the New Testament), the meaning is virtually the same, “to bring to remembrance” and “to bear in mind.” Here are a few examples:
Be ye mindful always of his covenant. (1 Chronicles 16:15)
[They] refused to obey, neither were [they] mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them. (Nehemiah 9:17)
The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us. (Psalm 115:112)
Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength. (Isaiah 17:10)
. . . greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy. (2 Timothy 1:4)
. . . that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets. (2 Peter 3:2)
So, we can see from the Bible’s perspective that the word mindful is something where the mind is engaged actively and pondering on certain things. In several instances, it has to do with man being “mindful” (i.e., remembering) of the promises and great works of God. Obviously, with the legal structure of our public schools today, administrators who are bringing in mindfulness meditation to the students’ lives are not planning to (or legally allowed to) teach children this definition of mindful.
Webster’s Dictionary describes the word mindful as “bearing in mind” or “inclined to be aware.” Again, here we see that mindful means to be actively aware of something. Is it accurate to say that being mindful about something (as described in the context of these definitions) is the same thing as practicing mindfulness meditation? And does it belong in our public schools? Is it safe? Is it religious? Is it a form of therapy? Let’s take a look at “mindfulness” with these questions in mind.
By “meditation” we are not referring to normal meditation where thoughts fill our mind. This article refers to “meditation” that originates in eastern influences and requires you to create a mental void, stillness or silence. Also when the author uses the word “metaphysics” in this context, it means the occult. Similar articles addressing the New Age Spirituality can be found at Lighthouse Trails. Enjoy. God Bless. Carl
by Ray Yungen
“In the West, mysticism always used to be restricted to a tiny fraction of the population (i.e., shamans, esoteric brotherhoods, and small spiritually elite groups). Never before has there been a widespread teaching of these methods to the general population. Now, mysticism pervades the Western world. How did this happen?
The first such book to reach a broad audience was Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain. This book could rightfully be called a practical mystic’s “Bible.” Many people can trace their first involvement with metaphysics to this book. Since its publication in 1978, it has sold millions of copies and has influenced the fields of psychology, health, business, and athletics.
This book became so popular because it addresses such topics as creativity, career goals, relationships, better health, and simple relaxation and peacefulness. Who wouldn’t want to have all this, especially if all it takes is engaging in a simple practice?
Gawain spells out very clearly what that practice entails. She teaches her readers:
Almost any form of meditation will eventually take you to an experience of yourself as source, or your higher self . . . Eventually you will start experiencing certain moments during your meditation when there is a sort of “click” in your consciousness and you feel like things are really working; you may even experience a lot of energy flowing through you or a warm radiant glow in your body. These are signs that you are beginning to channel the energy of your higher self.1”
(Pastor John Lindell of the 10,000 member James River Church in Ozark, Missouri recently preached a sermon on New Age practices including yoga. I applaud Pastor Lindell for having the conviction to address New Age or New Spirituality practices that are deceiving Christians and our fellow Americans. Following is a booklet entitled YOGA: Is It Exercise or Religion – Does It Matter by Ray Yungen from Lighthouse Trials. I pray the article answers questions some are having about this seemingly innocent practice. God Bless. Carl)
“It is a moment that troubles me even now. Once, when I was giving a presentation at a Christian college about New Age spirituality, I noticed a student roll her eyes when I mentioned the term, Yoga. It was a small gesture, yet it spoke volumes—as if to say, “Give me a break! It’s just exercises!” I surmised from her response that she was a Yoga practitioner or had at least been exposed to the subject and believed that participation in Yoga had no negative impact on one’s spiritual life. After all, the young lady was attending a Christian college, so she likely presumed she was discerning enough to know whether a practice was pagan or not. But she gave no biblical evaluation of Yoga, and rather wordlessly defended it. Unfortunately, this trend to accept Yoga and other New Age practices has only continued to accelerate within Christian colleges, ministries, and even churches.
Just Exercise?
Currently, an estimated 24 million people in the United States are regularly involved with some form of Yoga.1 In the town where I live, the high majority of health clubs, including the YMCA, YWCA, and the local community college, offer Yoga classes. According to a new survey by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease and Prevention, nearly ten percent of U.S. adults and three percent of children participated in yoga in 2012.”2 Most of these adults may be vaguely aware of the Hindu component of Yoga but see that as being irrelevant to taking Yoga classes. Many people doing the asanas, or postures, seem to feel that these exercises are devoid of any religious connotation.”
(The following article reveals how dangerous the New Age or New Spirituality message promoted by Oprah Winfrey, Neale Donald Walsch and others truly is. By ‘dangerous’ I mean “a future “selection process” that would result in the mandated deaths of all those who refuse to comply with the bottom-line doctrine of his New Spirituality—that we are all “God.”” I strongly encourage you to read Warren B. Smith’s 2015 booklet Oprah Winfrey’s New Age “Christianity” – Neale Donald Walsch, “God,” and Hitler which follows the blog. May God open the eyes of the unsuspecting. God Bless. Carl)
Media and Advocacy Groups Ignore Larger Anti-Semitic Culprit—-the New Age/New Thought “God” Who Minimizes The Holocaust
November 14, 2018 Lighthouse Trails Editors
While major media voices such as Newsweek and groups such as Poland’s Auschwitz Memorial are speaking up this week about a group of Wisconsin high school boys who allegedly gave a Nazi salute in a group photo, media and Jewish advocacy groups seem unaware that one of the most popular well-admired New Age authors states in a best-selling book that God told him Hitler didn’t “inflict suffering” on the Jewish people, but rather he “ended” it.
Neale Donald Walsch’s Conversations With God series sold millions of copies, and Book 1 sat on the New York Times Best-Seller list for 137 weeks. In Conversations With God (Book 2), Walsch (who “views himself as a messenger from God” ) said his New Age “God” told him:
Now your thought that Hitler was a monster is based on the fact that he ordered the killing of millions of people, correct? . . . Yet what if I told you that what you call “death” is the greatest thing that could happen to anyone—what then?
Walsch’s “God” also said in Book 2 that “Hitler went to heaven” (p.35) and in speaking about Hitler and the exterminated Jews, says, “Every event is an Act of God” (p. 49).
Even though such comments were made in a book by a New York Times best-selling author, not one advocacy group or media outlet protested at all even though such comments have been read and have likely altered the views of countless people since Conversations With God, Book 2 came out in 1997. On the contrary, people like Oprah Winfrey have promoted Walsch. On one show, Oprah called him one of the ten most “memorable thinkers” in a special program in 2001 after 9/11; and, in a presentation that Walsch gave, he said Oprah held up Conversations With God, Book 1 and said, “This is my favorite book” (source). How could she (or anyone) promote Walsch’s “God,” who said:
The mistakes Hitler made did no harm or damage to those whose deaths he caused. Those souls were released from their earthly bondage, like butterflies emerging from a cocoon. (p. 54, CWG, Book 2)
It seems rather hypocritical to go after this group of high school boys (who were utterly wrong if indeed they were giving a Nazi salute) yet ignore widely spread statements, made in a best-selling book, that carry far more weight and have substantially more influence.
To read the entire article, click here.
God bless you and may the Lord open our eyes!
Carl
[17] Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. [18] For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
Romans 16:17-20 NASB…
Many Christians go through their daily routine never suspecting that the enemy is laying snares for them. This scripture tells us that the “unsuspecting” are subject to being deceived by Satan’s ministers who can come as angels of light. The Lord Jesus taught us, in the model prayer, to ask God to DAILY “deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13)
Peter warned us to “gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you” when the Lord returns for His Bride (I Peter 1:13).
Following are some characteristics of an “unsuspecting” Christian:
If this is you, please consider the spiritual war that is swirling around you unseen, but nevertheless very real, and with eternal consequences. Paul warned us to “not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:27) Why? Because he will take it. Many of the characteristics listed give the devil an opportunity to destroy you, your spouse, your children, your church, your witness, etc. Therefore, I encourage you to:
8] “be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is and…be filled with the Spirit…” Ephesians 5: 15-18
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” I Peter 5:8
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness…” 2 Corinthians 11:14
“…beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen”. (Jude 24 -25)
Father God, please protect us from the evil one today so we do not stumble. Use us Father to do your will on the earth and to be a blessing to others. In Jesus Name. Amen
Carl
The Golden Lampstand Church in Shanxi Province was destroyed in January 2018, by Chinese paramilitary police officers. (Photo: China Aid)
“Religious freedom in China has really reached to the worst level that has not been seen since the beginning of the Cultural Revolution by Chairman Mao [Zedong] in the 1960s,” says Bob Fu, a former house church pastor in China. Fu came to the U.S. to found China Aid to warn of the growing persecution in China.
The picture that is shaping up is a highly controlled society with a personality cult. The control follows the pattern of other Marxist/Socialist/Communist countries, present and past.
President Xi Jinping is the personality behind the cult. In the last 10 years, he has systemically restructured the government to put himself in permanent charge.
Control is escalating by using modern technology. Cameras are installed in churches to record who attends. It is now a crime not to watch state television.
As in Russia, the excuse for the crackdown is to “eliminate extremism.” Detention camps have recently been constructed holding up to a million Uyghur Muslims in the western province of Xinjiang. Since the Christians, especially members of the unregistered “house” churches, are also considered “extremists” by the communist government, they are included in the government “elimination” efforts.
Churches are now being forced to hang pictures of Xi beside crucifixes and sing communist anthems during service. In some places, children under 18 are forbidden to attend church and Bible camps are being closed. Bibles and other “illegal promotional materials” are being confiscated and burned.
Authorities in some provinces are taking a harder line than others but the government has passed regulations directing the nation-wide shift toward less freedom. The emphasis is on forcing everyone to submit to the Communist Party and “Chinese” culture. And all rivals must be eliminated, including Christians. “Party members who have religious belief should have [be given] strengthened thought education,” according to new government regulations released in February.
Some brave pastors have tried to resist. The persecution has become worse since new government regulations were published. At least 250 Chinese pastors have signed a public statement against the regulations. It closed with: “For the sake of the gospel, we are prepared to bear all losses, —even the loss of our freedom and our lives.”
This stand could be costly. Witness the invasion of one church in Henan province: 50 officials stormed the service, beat the worshippers and confiscated most of the church property. One grabbed the microphone from the pastor, read a document declaring the church “illegitimate” and demanded the pastor sign it. He refused and was taken away.
Some of the women attempted to video the attack and were beaten and kicked and their cell phones confiscated before they were taken into custody. Anyone who attempted to protect them was also beaten.
“For the first time, people throughout China are saying ‘NO!’ to what the Communist party wants—control. Control over what they can do, what they can believe, where they can go, what they can say. It’s yet another sign something is beginning to take shape here in China, the call for democracy! The call for freedom!” says Christopher Gregory of China Missions.
Decades ago the people of China chose Communism’s hollow dream instead of the Bible. Now, millions there have discovered the truth and are willing to die for it —and some may have to.
The same war is being fought in almost every other country in the world. Satan’s time is short and he is outraged. America is an oasis in this battlefield, but for how long? Handing out a gospel tract can get you killed in some parts of the world.
Many have shed their blood to buy and protect our freedom. Are we grateful enough to exercise that freedom and just hand someone a tract?
From — Chick Publishers
A good friend of mine shared this quote by the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon. I wanted to share it with you because if the saints of God ever needed to be discerning, it is now! Satan is very busy….in Christendom deceiving those who call themselves Christian.
The Lord warned His disciples that many false prophets will come and DECEIVE MANY, also that many would come in His name and DECEIVE MANY. This “many” does not just refer to human beings coming in His name, but also evil spirits. Through certain prayer practices, meditation, yoga, etc. they will come and identify themselves as “Jesus” or the “Christ” to the naïve or deceived, spewing heresy as they work their counterfeit.
The Lord also warned that “wolves” would come in sheep’s clothing and DEVOUR THE FLOCK, that satan would appear as an angel of light to DECEIVE MANY.
Through the biblical writings of the early Apostles He warned us not to be “asleep” in the “light”. Don’t be wooed into spiritual “sleep” by the things of the world and the love of the world.
Be paying attention to yourself, your conduct, your spiritual disciplines and what the people, who are spiritually feeding you, are saying and doing, as well as who you are fellowshipping with.
Peter told us “sufficient is the time, that you have run around with your old running mates”. Now is the time to get serious about the things of Faith and following our Lord, not our old worldly ways.
Are you paying attention? Much is at stake.
May God the Father richly bless each one of you!
Carl
“…and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
“And Jesus answered and said to them , “See to it that no one misleads you,
For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will mislead many.”
Matthew 24: 3-5
After Jesus and the disciples left the temple in Jerusalem and came to rest on the Mount of Olives, His disciples asked Him privately what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the age. The first recorded words out of the Lord’s mouth is a warning about deception, “See to it that no one misleads you.” (NASB) or, as the Expanded Translation states, “Be constantly seeing to it that no one leads you astray.” (Wuest)
The means by which the “being lead astray” is accomplished is, “For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will mislead many.”
There have been many down through the centuries who have claimed to be gods. Many of the Roman Emperors claimed to be god and there were and still are many pagan gods in different cultures. Early church history tell us that even Simon, The Magician, found in Acts ——– who faked his conversion to get the power of the Holy Spirit, would later proclaim himself to be a god.
But here the Lord speaks specifically about deceivers coming in His name, false “Christ”, false “Jesus”.
We normally think of a deceiver as a human being.
But as we see the deception being fostered on Christians today, we realize that many are being deceived by evil spirits declaring they are “Jesus” or the “Christ”. This has always been the case with occultists, but now many Christians are falling prey to this deception.
A perfect example of this is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, which is an account of what “Jesus” has told her arranged in a daily devotional format. The problem is that it is a false ‘Jesus’. I strongly recommend you read 10 Scriptural Reasons Jesus Calling is a Dangerous Book by Warren B. Smith to see how a false “Jesus” and a false “Christ” can deceive a person. Mr. Smith, a former member of the New Age movement, writes:
In 2004, in one of her rare, carefully staged interviews, Sarah Young was asked by the Christian Broadcasting Network “How did you learn to ‘dialogue’ with God?” She answered that it was from reading the book, God Calling:
My journey began with a devotional book (God Calling) written in the 1930s by two women who practiced waiting in God’s Presence, writing the messages they received as they “listened.”4 (parenthesis hers)
Also, in the original introduction to Jesus Calling that stood from 2004-2013, Young specifically praised, God Calling, as “a treasure to me.” 5 However, The Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs published by Christian publisher Harvest House, describes, God Calling, as a channeled New Age book that was spiritually dictated by a deceptive spirit pretending to be the real Jesus Christ. 6 In their lengthy Encyclopedia chapter on channeling and spiritual dictation, Christian authors/apologists John Weldon and John Ankerberg explain that channeling is a form of New Age “mediumship” which the Bible clearly defines as a “forbidden” practice (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).7 Under a subheading titled “Impersonations of Christianity,” the authors describe, God Calling, as a New Age book “replete with denials of biblical teaching” 8 that “subtly encourages psychic development and spiritistic inspiration under the guise of Christ’s personal guidance . . . and often misinterprets Scripture.”9
Click here to finish Mr. Smith’s 10 Reasons.
Don’t open your mind up to a false ‘Jesus’ or a false ‘Christ’ through contemplative prayer, yoga, or eastern forms of meditation. And do not follow Christian people or lost people who have.
God’s blessings and protection on your life and your family.
Carl
[10] and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. [11] For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, [12] in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (Emphasis added)
In the end times, the people who did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved but took pleasure in wickedness are going to receive a deluding influence from God so that they will believe what is false, “the lie”. Many bible scholars say this is the same “lie” that Satan told Eve in the Garden of Eden when he tempted her to eat the prohibited fruit. He said “…you will be like God…” (Genesis 3:5). In many of Satan’s deceptions today, we see this same “lie” still being used. I would like to share a little about one avenue through which many are being deceived.
I recently read a pamphlet entitled Oprah Winfrey’s New Age “Christianity” and the Emperor’s New Clothes by Warren B. Smith (2015) of Lighthouse Trails Publishing, Inc. Mr. Smith was a member of the New Age Movement until God delivered him and he became a biblically born again Christian.
He shows that the ancient “lie” of Eden is now called the New Age doctrine of spiritual Oneness:
“….Oprah was unleashing two very public New Age classes. And these classes were teaching millions of people that the way to save themselves and the planet was not by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but rather by accepting the “God” and “Christ within”. As Williamson put it in her book A Return to Love: Reflection on the Principles of A Course in Miracles: “I accept the Christ within.”
“In defending her New Age beliefs, Oprah Winfrey would argue that what she is promoting is for the good of the world, and she tells detractors —-“I am not a New Age anything, and I resent being called that.” While Oprah is free to call her New Age teaching whatever she wants, a rose by any other name is still a rose. Oprah and her spiritual colleagues are New Age because they all teach the heretical New Age doctrine of spiritual Oneness—We are all one because we are all “God” and we are all “Christ”. As Marianne Williamson writes:
“We are all one, we are love itself. “Accepting the Christ” is merely a shift in self-perception.”
In another section Mr. Smith talks about Eckhart Tolle’s book A New Earth which Oprah recommends and held an online seminar with the author. The book
“….describes how the world is at a crisis point and that we are in dire need of spiritual help. Tolle insists that humanity must “spiritually evolve” in order to avoid personal and planetary disaster. According to Oprah, Tolle and New Age teachers everywhere, “spiritually evolving” means “shifting” and accepting the New Age/ New Spirituality belief we are all divine —-i.e. we are all “God”. In his book and in his first class with Oprah, Tolle reiterated the same teaching that key New Age leader Barbara Marx Hubbard received from her New Age “Christ” —–“Evolve or die”. Thus, what people were basically being told by Winfrey and Tolle was —if you don’t “shift” to the New Age/New Spirituality point of view, planet earth may be destroyed and humanity may become extinct. This echoes what Barbara Marx Hubbard’s New Age “Christ” told her. He made it clear that in the future, those who refuse to see “God” and “Christ” in everyone will eventually be eliminated by what he describes as a spiritual “selection process”.
The “lie” is that we are Gods and Christs ourselves! Really?
If you have read the Bible and had your understanding enlightened by God’s Holy Spirit, it is obvious to you that this is a “lie” and a whopper of a “lie”. The God of the Bible said
“…For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me….” (Isaiah 46:9)
There is only one true God and only one Christ, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of mankind. This “lie” is nothing but the repackaged demonic “lie” of eastern religions. Each of us is a created being in need of a Savior, Jesus Christ. Not a god or Christ.
The problem of the New Age Movement is that they are listening to the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), satan, who fell from his exalted position in God’s creation because of this very thing, he wanted to be God. And it did not happen and will never happen!
I encourage you to purchase this little booklet (cost is less than $2) at Lighthouse Trials Publishing and read it for yourself.
Now be faithful to warn your kids and extended family about this “lie”. Appreciate your time. I hope you were enlightened by this article.
God Bless You and Yours!
Carl
Recently, on a morning news show, the host interviewed a company whose sole purpose evidently is to promote meditation. Their website’s homepage simply states “Meditation made simple.” The interview revolved around the fact that the company will be applying for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for their meditation app. With this approval, a medical doctor could prescribe meditation according to their app. If I understood correctly, this would be a first-of-its-kind government approval. Though it was not revealed on the show, my research revealed that one of the company founders is a former Buddhist monk. Their website just states he is a former monk.
I find it very interesting that in the future, if the company is successful in their attempt to gain FDA approval for their app, your doctor may be able to prescribe meditation for its alleged benefits, based on this app.
With this in mind, I want to share a quote from The Kingdom of the Occult by Walter Martin.
“The New Age movement today must be recognized for what it is: the ancient world of the occult presented in new terminology. ”
(Note: the term “New Age” is also expressed by the terms “spiritual” or “spirituality” in today’s culture.)
” The New Age movement has mushroomed throughout the world, particularly in the United States. Cloaked in acceptable and seemingly harmless terms, such as the widespread exercises of yoga and meditation, is the hidden agenda of the occult. When one meditates or practices yoga, the mind is said to be emptied to allow the person to become one with the universe, but this is where the person opens the mind and heart to false spirits that await every opportunity to invade a soul that is normally guarded.”
“Noted German authority on the occult Dr. Kurt Koch states the following about the occultic side of yoga: “This technique of relaxation and these ’emptying exercises,’ so highly spoken of by the yogis lead to the inflowing of another spirit—other spirits. The students of yoga did not notice it.” Similarly, Dr. Koch, who has compiled volumes of case studies on people involved in the occult, wrote the following about meditation: “My counseling work in East and West has given me insight into the nature and practice of meditation…I am totally opposed to meditation in the Far Eastern pattern… We cannot empty ourselves by means of techniques and postures—-then other powers flood in.”
“It is difficult to find any New Ager who does not practice either meditation or yoga, but Dr. Koch’s warning is clear: if one empties the mind, it becomes an open vessel for other spirits.”
“It is important to note what Jesus said concerning spirits, particularly demonic spirits that invade human bodies: ‘When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first” (Matthew 12:43-45).”
“From Jesus we learn, then, that demonic spirits can inhabit human beings. Rather than experiment with the occult and New Age practices, where the person unwittingly opens the soul to demons, it is much better to close the door and refuse participation.”
As you can see, the practice of yoga and Far Eastern meditation, can open a person up to demonic spirits. And Dr. Koch said the participants never noticed the demonic spirits entering them.
Think about that for a moment.
Jesus spent time in His earthly ministry casting demonic spirits out of people. The number of evil spirits in people varied. One boy had one demon. When Jesus confronted a demonic mad man, He asked him “What is your name?” . The demon said ” ‘Legion’; for many demons had entered him”, i.e. the man. (Luke 8: 26-33) A “legion” of Roman soldiers consisted of 5000 soldiers. Scripture does not say it was that number of demons but understanding that fact adds weight to “many”.
As far as alleged benefits, the Dalai Lama, a Tibetan Buddhist, said if we would start teaching meditation to every 8 year old, in one generation we would have a peaceful world. Researchers in New Zealand, The Netherlands and the UK found out that meditation does not change how adults behave toward others. To find the whole article, search for “Meditation DOESN’T make you a calmer person – The Berean Call”.
We encourage you to keep away from any occult practices and keep the door to your mind and soul closed to all except Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. And never participate in any practice that requires you to empty your mind. Biblical meditation does not require an emptying of the mind.
Thank you for your time and may God richly bless you in wisdom and understanding.
Carl
Following is a question and an answer about yoga from The Berean Call. I hope you will find it informative. Remember, Lord Jesus said the mark of the end times would be great deception. God bless you and yours. Carl
Question: Recently I joined a yoga class for fitness and relaxation. During the class, mantras are used. The teacher explained the meanings such as “all is truth.” Is it wrong to participate in these mantras? Can I just substitute Christian words such as “Jesus”? Or should I not participate in the class at all? Everyone I have asked seems to think there is no problem with this but I feel uncomfortable and do not know why.
Response: I am glad that you feel uncomfortable about being involved in yoga. Drop the class immediately! Yoga is the very heart of Hinduism. It is sold in the West as science but in fact is religion. It is promoted in the West as beneficial to health, but in the East it is a technique for dying. The goal is to reach moksha, allegedly escaping the world of illusion (maya) of time and sense into liberation from the endless cycle of birth and death and rebirth through reincarnation.
The latter is another of Satan’s appealing lies that offers endless chances by denying God’s declaration that it is “appointed unto man once to die” (Heb:9:27). Many Roman Catholic priests and nuns practice yoga, and some who have become deeply involved in Eastern mysticism of various kinds, such as Thomas Merton, are highly honored among Catholics.
Yoga is a sanskrit word that means “yoking” and refers to union with Brahman, the ultimate god in Hinduism. The goal of yoga is “self-realization,” to realize that atman, the individual soul, is identical with Brahman, the universal soul, i.e., that you and god are one; indeed, that you are god but just don’t know it and need, through yoga, to discover this great “truth.”
Your yoga teacher will probably deny all of this, but he (or she) cannot deny that this practice comes from Hinduism. It was not invented in the West. Yoga was introduced by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita as the sure way to the Hindu heaven. Shiva, one of the most feared Hindu deities, known as The Destroyer, is addressed as Yogeshwara, which means “Lord of Yoga.”
Hatha yoga, known as physical yoga, is alleged to be devoid of the mysticism in other forms. Not so. One of the most authoritative hatha yoga texts, the fifteenth-century Hathayoga-Pradipika, declares that Lord Shiva was the first hatha yoga teacher. As for the mantras, if one of them means “all is truth,” that should give you the pantheistic Hindu connection. You know that all is not truth; indeed, this very idea is a satanic lie!
Substitute “Jesus” as your “Christian mantra”? No! Any mantra (like the Catholic rosary) violates Christ’s command to “use not vain repetitions as the heathen” (Mt 6:7). I don’t know what mantras you have been taught, but the fact is that true yoga mantras are all the names of Hindu gods. Furthermore, the greatest yoga teachers all declare that the repetition of a mantra is a call to that god (i.e., the demon it represents) to come and possess the meditator. I have interviewed people who became demon possessed through yoga. The great yogis all warn of the grave dangers involved, even though at the same time they promote the alleged benefits.
Yes, you could benefit physically from stretching your muscles, etc. However, the spiritual price you pay is not worth it. If you are interested in physical fitness, then practice exercises designed for that, not those designed specifically for achieving union with Brahman!
One of the most popular forms of yoga in the West is Transcendental Meditation (TM). Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at first introduced TM to the West as a Hindu religious practice. He openly taught that its purpose was to produce in the meditators’ bodies “soma,” a legendary substance that would allegedly feed and awaken the pantheon of Hindu gods. But when TM was excluded from public schools and government funding, Maharishi quickly and dishonestly deleted all reference to religion and began presenting TM as pure science. Such deliberate deceit says much about Maharishi’s integrity. Nothing was changed except the labels.
Former TMers have filed lawsuits asking millions of dollars in damages because of the traumas they suffered through the practice of TM. More recently, TM has practically taken over the town of Fairfield, Iowa, where Maharishi University of Management is located.
The latest push in the promotion of TM comes from television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz. This protégé of Oprah Winfrey is a national spokesman for Transcendental Meditation, as well as being a medical advisor/teacher in Rick Warren’s “Daniel Plan,” an alleged biblical health and fitness program begun at Saddleback Church. The curriculum features occult meditation advocated by Oz and two other medical consultants.
The Berean Call – T.A. McMahon
Psalm 119: 38 