All These Things...

(8) Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. (9) And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." (Matthew 4:8-9)

I received that verse via the email verse-a-day I have subscribed to.

(Before I go on, let me do this: You can find the verse and the message here at The Berean. I just LOVE the site! I have to go and study their message for the day, but the verse alone brought many things to mind for me that I want to share with you.)

You all know that I have a concern about the different media I expose myself to: music, television shows, websites, etc. One of the reasons I try to be very careful about what I absorb through these avenues of "entertainment" or distraction is that I worry about the messengers involved. I don't know anymore what to think about some of the music artists out there. I want to think that most of them are simply talented people expressing themselves through their art - the same way I try to do through my writing. I don't know if that is true of a lot of artists. When I look at their public behavior, when I pay attention to the messages in their lyrics and in their videos... I really don't know what to think. And, for some of them, I wonder what their true motivation is. 

When I see many of the "hot" artists out there, I notice that they are very, very wrapped up in their materialistic image. They try so very hard to be "cutting edge" with the way they dress and otherwise express themselves. It's so often not just about their music anymore. So... What is their motivation? What really drives them? And if they are motivated by the wrong things, how much of that affects the listener, viewer or (for the die-hards) fan?

I think about how much energy has to go into what most performers do - not just on stage or in a studio, creating a product - but all the other stuff. And I wonder what drives that drive, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, I can get off the famous people and look at "regular" people I know. When someone is very driven by materialism, where does their spiritual life come in? If you, for example, pledge your heart and soul to the Lord, how much of you is there left to worry about having the latest car, the biggest house, the most "bling"? How much of you is left to celebrate your life as a Christian if your material life consumes you to such a degree?

I guess I am thinking of the teaching about serving two masters.

Going back to the verse that I opened this post with, I wonder how many people have decided to take Satan up on his offer? And I'm not talking about people participating in dark ceremonies, joining secret societies, etc. (I'm am sure that happens too, but...) I'm talking about people who have wished for or said in their hearts what they would give to ... (take your pick) ... be more successful, have more fame or money, or whatever it is.

I'm just hoping that as a Christian, I remain faithful and on my guard against Satan's whispers. And anyone who has been through tough times will know what I mean. Satan will catch us at a low point in life and tempt us with lots of things...

•  Why be honest about everything? What has being honest (or faithful, or kind, or patient, etc) gotten you?
• Go ahead and give up. God has let you sink this low, why not just give up?
• Nobody loves you the way you are. Change and be something different so that people will pay attention to you.
• Next time don't be so nice. See what being nice got you this time.
• "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me."

When I feel tempted, I have to remind myself that if Satan has so much to give, why does he have to whisper to me. I also remind myself that life here is so very, very temporary. So, no thanks, Satan. I think I'll hold out for something a little more permanent that riches or fame or being a pretty face on a magazine cover.

Peace

--Free

Can We Be Clear Here?

I've been thinking a lot about how deception gets started around matters of faith. When you are trying to get a handle on a person's spiritual beliefs, one of the problems is - so many people are vague about it all.

For instance, how many people do you know who describe themselves as "spiritual"? How many people will say that they believe in "a higher power"?

Okay, now, how many people, when the subject comes up, are specific about what being "spiritual" means to them? How many are willing to name that that "higher power" they speak of?

When people ask me about my beliefs, I am careful to say that I am a Christian and that I believe in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I am clear because I don't want to mislead anyone. The sooner a person understands my "spiritual" identity, the sooner we can get on with being honest about everything else.

This is one of the big problems I have with influential people. I have said again and again how Oprah Winfrey disappoints me. I just don't like that she is misleading people. Because she talks about "Christianity" and uses terms like "god" and "spirit," so many people assume she is talking about orthodox Christianity and God and the Holy Spirit. She's not, folks. She's got her own definitions of all those things and because she is so intelligent and seemingly "good," people are being fooled by her every day. (By the way, I will repeat here that we Christians do need to continue praying for Oprah, Eckhart and all her other new age buddies...)

I was mentioning on Twitter that while Oprah touts the beliefs of Helen Schucman, she's not so quick to tell the whole story about this poor woman. I will try to do a little summary here:

Helen Schucman wrote the "A Course In Miracles." That right there sounds pretty good, right? Well, it does until you realize the work was dictated to her by a demon spirit. (A lot of new age books were written the same way, such as "Conversations With God." See my P.S. on this at end of post!)

The eulogy at her funeral by Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, a psychologist and an acquaintance of Schucman's, wrote about her:

"This woman who had written so eloquently that suffering really did not exist spent the last two years of her life in the blackest psychotic depression I have ever witnessed."

I've heard one minister lament that Schucman had been decieved by Satan and then deserted by him at the end. This always brings to my mind what Pastor G. Craige Lewis says about the devil demanding a sacrifice...

Now, if all that Schucman believed (and taught millions of others) was true, why did her life end in such a way? It's completely contrary to all she spoke about.

It's my opinion that people who are spiritually hungry and searching will find something. Either they find the true and living God and accept His gift, or they find some other deceiving god. With people like Oprah, she knew of the true God, but she decided that she needed to mold Him to her own liking - sort of like she is playing Sims! - and she ended up serving some piecemeal god.

We need to be praying for Oprah and others like her. Our God made THE Sacrifice for us, but one day, Oprah's god is going to be demanding his sacrifice of her.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: One of my nieces was almost sucked in by that book "Conversations With God" simply because of the title and her own ignorance and lack of Christian discernment. When she called to ask me about the book, I was able to point her back to the Bible.

BTW, here are some hastily looked up links to info about the subject. PLEASE pray and be discerning because I have not studied all the info on the links.

Link1 (lot of info)
Link2 (more info on twisting of messages)

And here is a video that covers some info on the whole Oprah new age mess...

PART 1




PART 2




Matthew 24:11
Matthew 24:23

Power of Words/Temper (Topical Bible)

My husband and I tend to have one weakness in our relationship: We are headstrong, so we argue. A lot. Constantly it seems. Since we started praying together every morning and evening, we seem to be under attack from the Enemy. Before, it would at least take one of us being in a less than ideal mood to start an argument. Lately, it doesn't take but one word to start us up.

Today, we had another argument over - as usual - something minor, petty. I prayed about it and, of course, went to the Bible to seek some answers. I used a topical search that I found at Open Bible. I looked up "power of words" (because I felt that my husband had said some hurtful things, and I KNOW I said some). I also looked up "temper"(as in Tim's temper).

Wow.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Whoa...

I had to stop and really shake myself. In Bible study last night, we briefly touched on the subject of "words have power," and those verses brought it right to the front door of my own heart.

I called Tim and read through some of the verses right then. It stopped him too. I think we both felt the way we should when God chastises us: convicted and in need of repentance. Tonight we are planning to pray about how we use our words and how the Enemy uses our temper against us and others.

Mainly, I wanted to do this post to alert you all to the existence of this search site. My own Bible does not have a very extended concordance, so a topical search this thorough is going to be really helpful to my study of the Word. I hope it is a blessing to you all as well.

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. Prov. 18:15

Peace
--Free

Backsliding & Ignorance

This is something that has been on my heart for a while. How can people who know about God be so happy to ignore Him?

I am just amazed at the people I know who were raised in homes where they were taught about the Lord and about salvation - but they just go on with their lives as if it's not important. And when the subject comes up, they will look a little shame-faced and admit that they need to "get it together."

"I know," they say. "I remember my mom's (or grandma) talking about it. I went to church all the time when I was little..."

And yet - well, they're grown now, and going about life just like they don't have an appointment with the Lord one day.

What goes through their minds? Or do they just fill up their minds - their lives - with other things so that they don't have to think about it all? Do they think that they can just put it off forever? That they are going to live forever?

It's so puzzling to me.

And then there are the folks who believe that because they KNOW about God and they "got saved" when they were young they're going to be all right. Even though they have made the World their master, they feel like God is going to be pleased with them. Even though they don't honor Him, praise Him, or depend on Him - they are going to be all right.

You can look at some of the celebrities who claim to be believers in Christ and look at the way they are living and acting... Saved? Oh, really?

Now I'm not saying that I know what is between a believer and the Lord. I'm just saying that if you are a believer, shouldn't people be able to tell that you are by your actions? I don't mean because you wear a cross around your neck or "give thanks" to God when you accept your Grammy or whatever. I mean, people should be able to tell there is something more about you. People should not be surprised to see you on a list of "Christians in Hollywood" or whatever!

Don't even get me started on the folks who claimed Christ early on, but then as their careers took off, suddenly they are giving credit for their success to strange "spirits" and "guides" and all the stuff that is "deeper within them." Puh-lease.

So, anyway, I guess I'm just wondering how people rest well, knowing that they might close their eyes never to open them again. They can't claim ignorance. They were introduced to Him, then when they met the World, they walked away from Him. I guess the World looks really good as long as you are living...

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (John 6:66)

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Mtt 24:44)

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. (Mtt 12:30)


Peace
--Free