One Thing to Do in 2012

Paul saw Christians as being athletes for Jesus. They were competing in the arena while they were surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1). They were individuals in a race which must be run according to rules (2 Tim. 2:5). They were fighters/boxers who were not just “punching into the air” but had precise blows planned for the enemy (1 Cor. 9:24). Like Paul, they intended to run the race and finish the course, knowing that a crown awaited them (2 Tim. 4:7).

As we look ahead for the new year consider how Paul described the Christian’s race and how it should be run. “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on . . . one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”  (Phil. 3:12-14). Herein lies the key to a successful life and a successful new year.

The success in the race involves dealing with the past. We all struggle with the past. Some never overcome the guilt of past mistakes, but the godly live knowing the magnitude of the His grace and casting all those concerns on the One who cares for them (1 Pet. 5:7).

Others struggle with the successes of the past and are filled with pride. Paul did not see himself as one who had reached perfection (maturity). He who brought the gospel to Europe and throughout Asia Minor did not glory in what had been accomplished. How foolishly many glory in what they have done for Him today!

How do you deal with the past? With its mistakes and accomplishments? Two words answer the question—forget it!

The success in the race involves dealing with the future. How did Paul deal with the unknown future. Look at his words. “I press on.” He also uses the expression “reaching forward,” which in the original Greek indicates the forward lean a runner gives as he approaches the finish line! Such an effort demanded the supreme exertion of energy. The past means nothing and the entire focus is on the prize promised by the Lord. Jesus has run the race and has finished it! He is waiting at the finish line to crown us.

Your race involves dealing with 2012. All this church has ever accomplished is past. The race has not been finished! Let us work together as never before and reach that finish line together. “Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

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How Should We Live Life in 2012?

An old year has passed. Happy New Year! As we have ushered out 2011 and begin 2012, we make our resolutions and reflect upon how quickly time passes, especially as we grow older. Personally, I am looking forward to the opportunities that God will present to us here at Southwest, and have full assurance that great things can happen! Thus, as we begin a new year, let us examine how we should live life in 2012.

First, let us remember yesterday as if it had never happened. Of course, this does not mean that we should not reflect upon past failures to learn from them and such like. However, so much undue stress today happens when people bring their problems forward into the present. God did not make us to be able to deal with the problems of yesterday that we bring into the present challenges of the current, present day. This is why God encourages us through Peter, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). The apostle Paul understood this point quite well when he declared, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto things which are before” (Phil. 3:13). Jesus warned us, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Not only can clinging too tightly onto yesterday result in extra undue stress, but it can also lead to those who through pride “live in the past” and fail to grow. Therefore, let us remember yesterday as if it had never happened.

Second, let us live today as if it were our last day. Far too often, we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives and fail to heed this important advice. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus discussed the worry of physical needs when he stated, “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven…” (Matt. 6:30; Luke 12:28). However, if we took this seriously and lived our lives as if there would be no tomorrow, how much more faithful would we be? How much more loving would we be? How much more forgiving would we be? How much more prepared would we be? Because of the approaching persecution, this is why the Hebrew writer no less than three times states in his epistle, “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts…” (3:7-8, 15; 4:7). The Hebrew writer wrote, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God, but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:12-13). If we lived today as if it were our last, it would be much easier for us to “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1-2). If we lived today as if it were our last, it would be much easier to “abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” as “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (1 Pet. 2:11; cf. Heb. 11:13), because as Moses, it would be easier to choose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25). Think about how much more faithful we would be to the Lord and more opportunistic towards our family, friends and everyone with whom we encounter. Therefore, let us live today as if it were our last day.

Third, let us plan for tomorrow with the will of God in our mind. This is the absolute point James makes in James 4:13-17:

Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

As we make our plans for 2012, we should not ever make them without consideration for the will of God! If we are not careful, we can make future plans as if we are certain about the future, but such is not true! These people to whom James refers acted as if they knew what they were going to do, when they were going to do it, where they were going to go, how long they were staying and even how profitable their ventures would be. Yet, they did not say one thing about including God in their plans. While we know the end of this life is approaching, we do not know when such will take place (2 Pet. 3:10). Everyone who has ever faced any unseen adversity knows that we cannot anticipate when such will happen. In other words, the future is unclear! Let us be sure to understand that James is not condemning the act of making plans for the future at all. For example, the apostle Paul commended the Corinthians for their plans (2 Cor. 8:1-11; 9:1-7). Nevertheless, James is condemning the failure of including God and His will in our plans! Thus, the questions that ought to dominate our minds as we plan 2012 include, “What is the will of God in reference to this matter? What does God want me to do?” God is in control! At least, God ought to be in control of our lives!

Therefore, how should we live life in 2012? Let us remember yesterday as if it never happened, live today as if it were our last day to live, and plan for tomorrow with the will of God in our minds.

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Of New Oracles and New Earths

[The following is a portion of a new booklet produced by Focus Press exposing the error of New Age religion and the book A New Earth, written by Eckhart Tolle and recommended by Oprah Winfrey. We encourage you to arm yourself with knowledge regarding this dangerous belief system.]

Jim Jones, the charismatic leader of the People’s Temple, died along with his followers on November 18, 1978. While his body and the People’s Temple are gone, his name is now synonymous with mass murder/suicide and Flavor-aid (Kool-aid) laced with cyanide. On that fateful day, 913 people (including 276 children) living in Jonestown drank the deadly cocktail, giving a new definition to the term “cult followers.”

While most modern Americans would never consider themselves members of a cult, (much less drink the Kool-aid), a new charismatic movement has emerged, and the leaders of this new “awakening” are Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle. It is no secret that a simple nod from Oprah and her book club can instantly turn a novel into a bestseller. But this year that book club has transformed itself into a bully pulpit for New Age religion. In January 2008, Winfrey announced her 61st Oprah’s Book Club selection, A New Earth written by Tolle. However, this book is not like choices in the past—it’s not a novel or even memoir. In fact, Oprah called it her boldest choice yet. It deals with a new form of spirituality—it is a handbook for New Age religion.

If the recommendation from Oprah itself was not bad enough, Winfrey and Tolle have teamed up to form a “school” to teach (a.k.a. brainwash) millions of unsuspecting souls on how to shed “ego” and embrace consciousness to become “awakened”. Discussing this latest venture Winfrey proclaims, “Being able to share this material with you is a gift and a part of the fulfillment of my life’s purpose. It was an awakening for me that I want for you too.” (http://www2.oprah.com/obc_classic/webcast/stories/anewearth_stories_284_101.jhtml?promocode=HP12.)

Thus, on Monday nights individuals from all across the globe gathered to listen to Winfrey and Tolle in an exclusive online class that walked through his book. I should admit that I do not watch the Oprah television program and, prior to this new religious propaganda, had never been on her Web site or bought one of her recommended books. But after listening to individuals “wonder” about this new teaching and hearing of New Testament Christians who wanted to take this class, I decided to employ my research training and see what kind of Kool-aid Eckhart and Winfrey were offering the masses. I should warn you that having digested the book and spent some time on her Web site, the “enlightenment” that Winfrey and Tolle are offering up will indeed sicken your soul.

Trying to pin down Tolle’s true religious beliefs is like trying to nail jello to a tree. He is a master at using flowered language and symbolism, but never truly “lands the plane”. He combines his doctrine with just enough truth to confuse and entice those who are not happy in their current state. While there are many errors in this new teaching (e.g., embracing of evolution, no absolute truth, God being merely consciousness), the central tenet that Christians must be aware of is the reduction of Jesus Christ to simply a prophet.

Beliefs contradicting Christ’s teachings

Tolle does not wait long to inform readers of his own position regarding Jesus Christ. He observes: “The messengers—Buddha, Jesus, and others, no all of them known—were humanity’s early flowers. They were precursors, rare and precious beings” (p. 6). Jesus Christ a mere messenger? Nowhere in his book does Tolle address Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:1; 2 Peter 1:17)—the Savior of all mankind. This should be a major red flag to anyone identifying themselves as Christian. It becomes apparent very early in Tolle’s writings that he has missed the entire scheme of redemption and the need for a Savior (John 3:16).

Rather than acknowledging the sacrifice Jesus made for man’s sins, Tolle belittles that gift and declares, “Suffering has a noble purpose: the evolution of consciousness and the burning up of the ego. The man on the cross is an archetypal image. He is every man and every woman” (p. 102, emp. added). Tolle then begins to use the teachings of Christ in a perverted fashion, taking Scripture completely out of context. He sprinkles the words of Christ amidst the teachings of Buddha and Zen masters, as if they were all on the same level—merely prophets who had attained this “awakening.” He even has the audacity to “correct” Jesus on several occasions. For instance, Tolle noted: “And when Jesus said, ‘Deny thyself,’ what he meant was: Negate (and thus undo) the illusion of self. If the self—ego—were truly who I am, it would be absurd to ‘deny’ it” (p. 78-79).

Tolle argues that Heaven is not a location but rather a state of mind. He states, “‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,’ Jesus said, ‘for theirs will be the kingdom of heaven.’ What does ‘poor in spirit’ mean? No inner baggage, no identifications. Not with things nor with any mental concepts that have a sense of self in them. And what is the ‘kingdom of heaven’? The simple but profound joy of Being that is there when you let go of identifications and so become ‘poor in spirit’” (p. 43).

Tolle drove this point home in an earlier chapter in which he shined a light on why the book was titled A New Earth: “It occurs in both the Old and the New Testament and speaks of the collapse of the existing world order and the arising of ‘a new heaven and a new earth.’ We need to understand here that heaven is not a location but refers to the inner realm of consciousness….‘A new heaven’ is the emergence of a transformed state of human consciousness, and ‘a new earth’ is its reflection in the physical realm”(p. 23, italics in orig., emp. added). Surely true Christians see the folly and foolishness in this teaching. Jesus Christ said, “Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1-2). Just before his death, the first Christian martyr Stephen “gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55). Anyone with even an elementary knowledge of God’s Word recognizes that God resides in Heaven, and it is the place most desire for their eternal homes.

With the quick stroke of a pen, Tolle completely obliterates all of the parables of Jesus Christ and His teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven and the coming judgment. If Heaven is the emergence of consciousness, then why did Christ say, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven”?

Probably the biggest perversion of God’s Word is found on pages 70-71 in which Tolle tries to escape the reality of absolute truths. Tolle notes:

…but you won’t find absolute truth if you look for it where it cannot be found: in doctrines, ideologies, sets of rules, or stories. What do all these have in common? They are made up of thought. Thought can best point to the truth but it never is the truth…. All religions are equally false and equally true, depending on how you use them. You can use them in the service of ego, or you can use them in the service of the Truth. If you believe only your religion is the Truth, you are using it in the service of ego (p. 70-71).

He then goes on to claim that man is Truth. Tolle and Winfrey have bought into the notion that the only absolute truth is man himself. Tolle observes, “There is only one absolute Truth, and all other truths emanate from it…. The Truth is inseparable from who you are. Yes, you are the Truth. If you look for it elsewhere, you will be deceived every time” (p. 71, emp. added).

Tolle then attacks a most basic, sacred premise in God’s Word. Giving readers only a portion of the words of Jesus in John 14:6, Tolle claims: “The very Being that you are is Truth. Jesus tried to convey that when he said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” These words uttered by Jesus are one of the most powerful and direct pointers to the Truth, if understood correctly. If misrepresented, however, they become a great obstacle. Jesus speaks of the innermost I Am, the essence of identity of every man and woman, every life-form, in fact” (p. 71). What Tolle left out was the completion of Jesus’ thought– “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, emp. added). That bold (and truthful) claim made by the Son of God completely destroys Tolle’s understanding of Truth.

It should be no surprise that Oprah Winfrey has embraced Tolle’s definition of Truth, as she herself has admitted she believes there are multiple ways to God—multiple ways to get to Heaven. Consider the following discussion that took place on her highly rated talk show:

Oprah: One of the mistakes that human beings make is believing that there is only one way to live—and that we don’t accept that there are diverse ways of being in the world, that there millions of ways to be a human being.

Audience Member: Then how do you please God?

Oprah: And many ways, many paths to what you call God. And her path might be something else. And when she gets there she might call it the light, but her loving, and her kindness, and her generosity, if it brings her to the same point that it brings you it doesn’t matter if she called it God along the way or not. There couldn’t possibly be just one way.

Audience member: What about Jesus?

Oprah: What about Jesus?

Audience member: You bring Him up in this whole discussion and you say there isn’t only one way. There is one way and only one way and that is through Jesus.

Oprah: There couldn’t possibly be only one way for the millions of people in the world.

Winfrey may be a media mogul and a wealthy individual, but her voice and opinion has no authority in this discussion. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, plainly said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Christians need to fully understand Tolle’s teachings are dangerous and soul-threatening. He boldly proclaims, “It has been said ‘God is love’ but that is not absolutely correct. God is the One Life in and beyond the countless forms of life (p. 106, emp. added). Tolle obviously is not aware that an inspired writer made the declaration that God is love (1 John 4:16). All he is worried about is an inner feeling of joy. Tolle contends: “There are three words that convey the secret of the art of living, the secret of all success and happiness: One With Life. Being one with life is being one with Now. You then realize that you don’t live your life, but life lives you. Life is the dancer, and you are the dance” (p. 115, emp. added). His words soundeerily similar to Shirley MacLaine who years ago in her book, Dancing in the Light, said: “I am God, because all energy is plugged in to the same source. We are each aspects of that source. We are all part of God. We are individualized reflections of the God source. God is us and we are God” (p. 339).

Oprah continues to proclaim that she is a Christian—a follower of Christ—but it is obvious from her own voice and the voice of Eckhart Tolle that they have long ago abandoned the Son of God and His teachings. They believe they have discovered God—and He is a part of them. Tolle ends his book by noting: “A new species is arising on the planet. It is arising now, and you are it!” (p. 309). One wonders how many of these new species could be accurately described as followers—cult followers of New Age religion. Don’t be deceived. Jesus is still The  Way.

[For the complete evaluation of Oprah’s New Age religion and Eckhart Tolle’s book A New Earth, we invite you to order a copy of the pamphlet Of New Oracles and New Earths, coauthored by Brad Harrub, Ph.D. and Dewayne Bryant M.S. It is available for $2.50 online as a PDF download or by calling our office at 615.324.5870 to receive the PDF by email attachment.]

References:

Tolle, Eckhart (2005) A New Earth (London: Penguin).

MacLaine, Shirley (1991), Dancing in the Light (New York: Bantam).

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Heart of the Matter: Death

Heart of the Matter: Death

Having looked into the tearful eyes of parents whose children have abandoned the Faith, I have learned there are a million miles between our children “going through the motions” in reference to their spiritual lives versus our children possessing hearts that dictate their actions. In this column, I plan to share with you what I hope to instill in the hearts of my own children and those whom I love.

She lived to be over one hundred, and to this day I can still remember the smell of her perfume, lotion, and the stale smell of tobacco when she kissed my cheek. We called her Granny Morgan, and she was my great-grandmother. She was one of those unforgettable characters who loved life and loved to tell stories. She was also the first person who gave me my first-hand experience with death. I was only seven years old when she died—but those memories linger still.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of walking this Earth for more than a couple of decades has experienced the pain of death. It is the one thing we can all count on. Death is not prejudiced or biased; it affects the rich and poor, black and white, religious and non-believers. Oftentimes death causes so much emotional strain that it can stress our relationship with God. We question why He would allow someone close to us to die.

Here’s what I intend on teaching my children about death.

Death is part of the circle of life. In Ecclesiastes, we read that there is a time to be born and a time to die (3:2). Death was brought into the world by the sin of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:17), and has continued ever since (1 Corinthians 15:21). Having spent several years working in a hospital, I have probably witnessed hundreds of people slipping into eternity. It’s a very odd thing to talk to someone and then realize in the next minute they are gone. Just think, every year that passes holds the anniversary day of your death. It’s one of the few things in the world that money, influence, or fame cannot change—it is inevitable.

But I want to make sure you always keep a proper perspective of death. For you see, death is not something to be scared of or try to avoid. In fact, for those who have obeyed God, death is the beginning of a reward (2 Timothy 4:7-8). In the medical profession, death is often viewed as a failure, but the truth is that for Christians, death is victory. Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi and declared, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Never forget that this loss is ultimately a “gain.” During your lifetime, you will have the opportunity to attend the funerals of individuals who are Christians and those who are not. One of the things I hope you recognize is the difference in the atmosphere—at Christian funerals there is almost a joy in the air, as everyone knows where that person will spend eternity. However, the death of a non-Christian is usually a very solemn and often gut-wrenching occasion. I cannot think of anything worse that having to preach the funeral of someone who is not a Christian—because at that point they no longer have the ability to obey God. Their eternal destiny has already been determined.

You have heard me say many times that if ever I am on a plane that crashes, I would be happy and at peace—because I know I’m “going home” to receive my crown of life (Revelation 2:10). Never forget that as faithful Christians we can know where we will spend eternity (1 John 5:13). My only sadness will be leaving you and your mother, temporarily, while you continue to reside here on the Earth. But that’s not “the end.”

While death does mean we are separated, we can feel a great deal of comfort during our time of loss. It is my prayer that as you mature you will give a lot more thought to the topic of “eternity” rather than death. Study what the Bible has to say about eternal life—and what is required (e.g., Matthew 18:8; Matthew 19:29; Matthew 25:46) It’s hard to even fathom that amount of time. But I look forward to spending it with you and those we love. Never, ever forget your #1 and #2 goals in life. See you there…

Love, Dad

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What Are You Talking About

So, what are the last words you say when you are leaving others? I find myself often ending a phone conversation with family members by saying, “Goodbye, I love you.” Those words are not just meaningless words, but are intended to remind those who are so precious to me that I cherish them.

Thinking about this led me to wonder what parting words were used by the writers of the epistles. I actually was amazed when I took time to look into this matter. Some of them ended their letters by sending greetings or expressing expectations to see others soon, but there is one phrase used consistently by Paul in his writings. Before reading more about the answer to this question, what phrase or phrases did Paul use as he ended his letters?

Paul’s parting words in his epistles. To the Corinthians, he said, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus” and “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ . . . be with you all” (1 Cor. 16:23-24; 2 Cor. 13:14). As he finished his letter to the churches of Galatia, he said, “Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Gal. 6:18). He had preached in Ephesus for three years and ended the epistle to them by saying, “Grace be with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Eph. 6:24). To the Colossians, he said, “Grace be with you” (Col. 4:18). The apostle to the Gentiles ended both letters to the Thessalonians with “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (1 Thess. 5:28; 2 Thess. 3:18). He used the same words in the three epistles to younger preachers, “Grace be with you” (1 Tim. 6:21; 2 Tim. 4:22; Tit. 3:15). He finished that very personal letter to Philemon by saying, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” The same idea is found in the last verse of Hebrews, “Grace be with you all.”

Paul’s emphasis on grace. Should there be any wonder as to why Paul magnified grace in his letters? He constantly had to deal with Judaizing teachers who tried to bind the law on Gentiles. Even more overwhelming was Paul’s realization that he, the chief of sinners, had received grace from God. The remembrance of His grace is the prime motivation for spiritual maturity (2 Pet. 1:8-9). He never wanted those around him to lose sight of the grace of God.

The emphasis of your words. What words, not just the parting ones, do people hear you mentioning most often? Do they ever hear a spiritual emphasis, or is it always on secular matters? One could not be around Paul without hearing about grace. What do those around you hear from you?

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