What Did God Do On The Eighth Day?

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A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Genesis 2:2-3)

These two verses are much different from those describing the preceding days in the creation account. All of them included the phrase “it was evening and it was morning, day … “. Not so for the seventh day. Also the Hebrew word translated rested is shabath (pronounced sha-BAT). We get sabbath from this word. It appears 71 times in the Bible, and 47 of those times it’s translated “cease”. It only means rest 11 times.

Will This Day Ever End?

Now obviously, the seventh day had a beginning and an end just like all the days before and after it. But the fact that there is no mention of this in the text of the creation account indicates that in a spiritual sense this day has never ended. There is no eighth day of creation. God has never taken up the work of creation again, and that’s why a word that also means ceased was used in describing His Sabbath rest.

Now don’t accuse me of promoting the “Great Watchmaker” theory of creation. That’s the one where God created the world and all that’s in it, then set it in motion, and has been just sitting there watching it run ever since. Let’s look at what God has been doing since He stopped creating. We’ll begin in John’s Gospel.


So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John 5:16-19)

This tells us that both the Father and the Son have so much to do that they work every day, even on the Sabbath.  So they haven’t been just sitting around waiting. They’ve both been working every day from that day to this.
But that’s not the point.  The point is this.  Since the end of the 6th day, God has never again taken up the work of creation. Where the creation is concerned he has never ceased his Sabbath rest.

What’s External And Physical In The Old Becomes Internal And Spiritual In The New

In Numbers 15:32-36 we read of a man who was caught gathering wood on the Sabbath. It was a violation of the commandment, but the Israelites didn’t know what to do with him. When they inquired of God, He told them to take him outside the camp and stone him to death. God was serious about not working on the Sabbath.

But when we get to the New Testament we find that the commandment to rest on the Sabbath is the only one of the 10 Commandments not specifically repeated. In fact the most frequent reference to the 4th commandment in the New Testament concerns the Lord’s frequent and flagrant violations of it. On six different occasions, the Lord defended working on the Sabbath, each time showing the religious leaders of the day that their rules for keeping the Sabbath were man made, arbitrary, and counter to God’s purpose. For example the priests in the Temple desecrated every Sabbath by working (Matt. 12:5), and the people could water their animals (Luke 13:15) or rescue them from danger (Matt. 12:11) but they couldn’t heal a person (Luke 13:14).

In Romans 14:5 Paul taught that we have the right to either consider one day holier than the others or to regard all days the same, based on our personal convictions. And in Colossians 1:16-17 he said not to let anyone judge us in regard to a religious festival or a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. He said that these things were only a shadow of things that were coming, that the reality was found in Christ.
Somehow the Sabbath commandment was supposed to teach us something about our relationship with Jesus. So let’s find out what it is.

God created the Heavens and the Earth. They didn’t do anything to help, He did it all. At the end of six days, He rested (ceased) from His work because it was finished. He never again took up the work of creating. He made the seventh day, a day without end, holy. There was no eighth day. Then He created a memorial. From that time forward the seventh day was a day of rest where no work was permitted to remind us that when His work was finished He ceased working.

Since we’re trapped in the dimension of time, we can’t have any days without end. So when God set up our calendar He made every seventh day holy, and then the calendar began again. There’s never an eighth day. This was to help us to see that the seventh day, the day of rest, never ends. To underscore the importance of this, He made working on the seventh day punishable by death.

But man missed the point. We thought it was about working on the Sabbath when it was really about resting when the work is finished, and that’s how all this relates to Jesus.
Jesus came to Earth with one job to do. It was to die for the sins of the people so we could be redeemed and live forever with Him (John 1:29). He was making us into a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).  We didn’t do anything to help, He did it all. When He died on the cross, His work was done. That’s why His last words before He died were, “It is finished.” Then He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit (John 19:30).

He never had to take up the work of redemption again, for by that once-for-all-time sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy (Hebr. 10:12-14). When He ascended into Heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the Father.  The redemptive work of our new creation was finished, so He ceased working.  This is why some theologians refer to the Lord’s work of redemption as His “completed” work on the cross.

What Is Our Work?

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:28-29)
Jesus forgave all of your sins at the cross (Col 2:13-15) and therefore He saved you completely.  Hebr. 7:25 confirms that He is able to do this.  According to 2 Cor. 1:21-22 God has accepted responsibility for keeping you saved.  He has set His seal of ownership on you and put His spirit in your heart to guarantee this. 

Believing that means your work of salvation is finished and you have entered into your life-long seventh day, your Sabbath rest.  It means you’ve done what God requires and the work of your salvation is finished. You will inherit eternal life. “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)

Just as God never again took up the work of creation, and Jesus never again took up the work of redemption, you need never again take up the work of salvation. You’re a new creation and the work is finished. Now you rest, as they rested. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:9-10)

As we can see from the above, the folks who keep asking whether Saturday or Sunday is the correct Sabbath for Christians to keep are asking the wrong question. The real question we should all be asking is whether we are keeping our Sabbath rest or not. It doesn’t matter that you say you’re born again. If you are still working to earn or keep your salvation after saying that you’ve accepted the work Jesus did for you, then you are violating the commandment to keep the Sabbath and are subject to the penalty of the Sabbath breaker in Numbers 15. 

His was a physical death, but yours will be a spiritual one, because you aren’t doing the one and only work He gave you to do; you aren’t believing in the One He has sent.  Instead, you’re believing in your own ability to finish the work you think He only began.  And that means you aren’t saved.

There isn’t much time left for the Church. The Lord could come while you’re reading this. Please consider these things carefully. Make sure you’re really saved by grace through faith. Not by works, lest anyone boast. (Ephes. 2:8-9)   Remember, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness (Romans 4:5).  Believe in the One God sent to save you, enter your sabbath rest, and don’t ever take up the work of your salvation again. 05-17-14

The Sectarians in America: The "Jumpers"

Reblogged from Leben Magazine

Written by Lillian Sokoloff, A.B., 1918, from The Russians in Los Angeles

American Christianity has influenced, and been influenced by, a stunning panoply of non-conformist groups, separatist enclaves and, in some cases, self-styled prophets and messiahs. In our series "The Sectarians," we will trace the origins, the beliefs and the impact which some of these groups have had on the Church today. We begin the series with a fascinating report we've recently discovered written in 1918 about a group known as the "Jumpers," or "Molokans," (the former name referring specifically to an 1830's offshoot of the Molokans). Impelled by the utterances of a prophet-child, they left their native Russia by the thousands and headed for the "City of the Angels"—Los Angeles, California.

  The first group of Molokans, who came here in 1905 [some date this as 1904, Ed.], settled around Bethlehem Institute on Vignes Street. When others came, a few bought homes along Clarence and Utah Streets. Then the settlement grew in the district situated between Boyle Avenue on the east and the Los Angeles River on the west, and between Aliso Street on the north and Seventh Street on the south. Recently there has been a new settlement made along what is known as Salt Lake Terrace several blocks east of the larger colony. On that street are located many of the somewhat better homes. In a hollow south of Stephenson Avenue and east of Mott Street, there is a group of about sixty houses occupied by Russians only.

Sectarian Emigration from Russia.
To understand the Russians in Los Angeles, it is necessary to consider briefly their historical backgrounds. During the reign of Alexis Michaelovitch, second ruler of the Romanoff family—1645-1676—Nicon, at that time patriarch of the Russian Greek-Catholic Church, investigated and decided to change the liturgy. While the ruling house accepted these changes and formally adopted his type of worship as the state religion, there were many dissenters who would not submit to the dictates of the government in matters of religion. The dissenters were continually persecuted or banished, and were greatly dissatisfied with the bureaucratic institutions, with the hypocrisy of the priesthood, and with the forms of their worship, the numbers who sought other types of religion that would satisfy their deep religious feelings constantly grew.

Prominent among the religious sects that developed, were the Dukhobors, the Molokans, and the Subotniks. The last-mentioned are Russians who have embraced the Jewish faith. This result was not through influence exerted on the part of Jews, however, because the Jews do not have any form of mission work for the purpose of conversion to Judaism; nor were there any Jews living in that part of Russia where these religious sects developed. The Subotniks embraced Judaism as a result of reading the Old Testament.

The essence of the Dukhobor religion is a belief in the divinity of Christ [this is contrary to modern sources, Ed.], and the brotherhood of man. The Dukhobors do not believe in any earthly representative of God; they have no church leaders, and no icons or images. They do not have church ceremonies nor do they believe in saints as do the Greek Catholics. They are opposed to war and therefore to military service. Their religion forbids their indulging in the use of intoxicating liquors, and in smoking.

The name "Molokan, derived from the word "moloko" which means milk, was first applied to them in 1765 by a religious sect in the Government of Tambov. This name was applied because of the fact that the Molokans drink milk every day in the week, while the Greek Catholics abstain from it on Wednesdays and Fridays, which are fast days for them.
The Molokans had no definite form of religion for many years. During the last years of the seventeenth century, two highly educated men, Skovoroda and Tveritinoff, had come under the influence of the teachings of Luther, Calvin, and other European reformers. These men then preached reform among the dissenters of the Russian Greek-Catholic Church. They thus paved the way for other reformers. For about one hundred years, the Molokans were unmolested by the governmental authorities.

It was not long, however, before the Russian government again began to oppress the sectarians in various ways. The heavy taxation of their land proved to be a greater burden than they could possibly bear. They were again compelled to serve in the army. Some of the more educated among them foresaw disastrous times because of inevitable wars in which Russia was to engage. They therefore began to consider the advisability of emigrating from their country. It is well known that of the emigrants from Russia up to the end of the last century, the greatest number were Jews and a smaller per cent were Poles, but scarcely any Russians proper. In the last two years of the nineteenth century, many of the Dukhobors left the Caucasus region and went to Western Canada where several thousands now live. [There remains a large community in the Grand Junction area, Ed.]

The beginning of the Russo-Japanese War inaugurated a new era of persecutions for the sectarians in southeastern Russia. They were compelled to go to war. Though many were capable of occupying high military positions, they were prevented from so doing and were put to the most menial work. They also suffered all kinds of insults at the instigation of government officials. They were not permitted to go anywhere without passports—and passports were not granted them. It is therefore not surprising that these people became disgusted with conditions such as they experienced, and longed to leave the country.

Occupations
Of all the Russians in this city, about 75 per cent of the working men were employed in lumber yards up to the outbreak of the war. Then the majority entered the ship-building industry. About 10 per cent own and drive their own teams, and work by the day in hauling produce and other commodities. About 2 per cent are engaged in running little grocery stores and butcher shops, which are patronized by their own people. The remainder—about 13 per cent—are employed in various ways, e. g., in the metal trades, automobile shops, planing mills, fruit canneries. The last-mentioned occupations are followed by the younger men of the community, who have had some schooling but who left school as soon as the law permitted them to do so.

It is the usual thing among the Russians for the married women to work. The young women are employed chiefly in laundries. Girls who have attended school and have learned the English language, work in the biscuit factories which are in the neighborhood. A small number of girls work in a candy factory on Utah Street. The older women work in fruit canneries or do housework by the day. Though many of the girls who have been to school for several years, could do other work and perhaps earn more money, the parents are anxious to have them work near home and among their own people. Clerking or office work might cause the girls to become "Americanized" quickly and to this the older people object.

The religion of the Molokans sprang from that of the Dukhobors. Both these sects are opposed to war. They believe in no earthly representatives of God. The Molokans have no ministers or church dignitaries of any kind. They have no rules or traditions as to who shall be their religious advisers. Their pastors are not ordained, do not receive compensation, and are not dependent upon the approval of the community. Their authority prevails only at prayer meetings, marriage ceremonies, and funeral services. It may be said that the Molokan religion has little definite form. It is systemless. Many of its phases are exceedingly crude. It is incoherent and inconsistent. Like the orthodox Jews, the Molokans abstain from eating pork and are supposed to slaughter their beef in a certain manner.

There are at present seven churches in the Russian settlement. These are simply very large rooms in which church services are conducted. During holidays, some private homes are also used for religious services. The Priguni conduct their prayers in a unique manner. All pray aloud for some time, until one feels that the "spirit" has entered into him, when in a trance-like manner he comes to the center of the place of worship. The praying goes on in a sing-song loud tone of voice until one by one, every person feels the "spirit" within him....
Abridged from: Studies in Sociology, SOCIOLOGICAL MONOGRAPH NO. 11, Vol. III MARCH 1918 No. 3, EDITED BY EMORY S. BOGARDUS, Department of Sociology, University of Southern California, Originally published by the University of Southern California Press, Los Angeles, California. For the complete text, please visit: http://www.archive.org/ stream/russiansinlosang01soko/russiansinlosang01soko_djvu.txt

While there are still numerous groups in the U.S. and in Canada that are direct descendants of the Molokan and Doukhabor sects, their influence may well have been enormous on what is today generally referred to as Pentecostalism.

The Molokans, especially of the "Jumper" variety, had a long history of laying claim to modern-day manifestations of the apostolic gifts, including healings, tongues, etc. When they moved to Los Angeles, California, most settled near the lumber yard that employed many of the men, a lumbar yard situated in close proximity to Azusa Street. A year after the Molokans arrived, the "Azusa Street Revival", considered by many to be the birthplace of American Pentecostalism, burst forth onto the American church scene. The "revival" continued with three services a day for nearly three years.
It is an established fact that many of the Russian Molokans became a part of the Azusa Street Revival, but it remains a mystery as to whether they were converts or, after a fashion, the founders.

Proof of Purchase - The Shroud of Turin

Proof of Purchase: 05/09/14 from Gary Stearman on Vimeo.

Doing Something to “Feel” Saved

Reblogged via raptureready.com 

By Vernon Gray

When someone gets saved, it is quite likely that that person expects to feel something emotionally or physically. If this does not happen, they may not “feel” like they are saved. It is true that one may experience something on an emotional level, but this is not always so, and in any case emotions do not last. 

Because the new believer wants to “know” that what has happened to him or her is real, they look for something tangible that they can relate to; like an emotion. Now, since there may not be some tangible manifestation to make them “feel” saved, they compensate by doing something that will give them a “feeling” that they are saved. Doing something is not a bad thing in itself, except that if it done from the flesh it is a religious thing the Bible calls “Dead Works.”

This “doing something” is sometimes encouraged by many churches; and often enforced as a legal requirement to “prove” that you were well and truly saved. New believers are vulnerable and eager to please God, and so Scriptures about tithing, bearing fruit etc, are used to get them into action; and soon they are on their way to becoming a well-meaning Pharisee. Why?

Because you end up in the place where you depend more on what you do, than on the finished work of the cross. Churchianity teaches that you have to work at being a Christian instead of simply being who you already are in Christ. This can make one feel that one cannot reach a level of “spirituality” and enthusiasm like the rest of their fellowship. This finally results in the believer feeling like a hypocrite.

This feeling of inadequacy causes them to disqualify themselves from the race. They eventually tire of working at the Christian life and failing at it consistently.
Others who feel the same way simply continue to go to church and remain involved, but they know that they are not what they should be. They maintain a sense of hypocrisy, but they would be too ashamed or too afraid to leave, because the church is all they have to cling to. Their connection to God is through the church, and the church is all that they have to lean on. They do not know that their Christian life is not dependant on what they do, or dependant on the church; their Christian life is rooted in Christ only. Nothing else can give them love, peace, joy and a deeper, personal relationship with God the Father than the Christ in them. 

Relying on the Holy Spirit for eternal life is not what the Holy Spirit came to do. He came to reveal the Christ in you, in order that you might express Christ who is the real life within you.
Click here to Read More

Top Christian bestseller accused of heresy

Former New Ager alleges 'Jesus Calling' is harmful to believers

Jim Fletcher About | Email | Archive

Blogger and researcher Jim Fletcher has worked in the book publishing industry for 15 years, and is now director of the apologetics group Prophecy Matters. His new book, "Truth Wins," provides important analysis of Rob Bell and his Emergent friends.

A runaway bestseller in the Christian book world is generating controversy as charges of unbiblical and New Age influences are leveled by watchdog groups and individuals. 

“Jesus Calling,” a top-selling inspirational Christian title, is authored by Sarah Young and currently ranks No. 1 on numerous lists
Young, who lives in Australia, where she helps her husband plant churches, has a philosophy degree from Wellesley College, a counseling degree from Georgia State University and a master’s degree from Tufts. By all accounts, she is stunned by the success of her book, which has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide in the decade since its launch.

Various editions have been published by Thomas Nelson, the world’s largest Christian publisher. The Nashville-based publishing house was bought by News Corporation in 2011, and is now a subsidiary of NewsCorp-owned HarperCollins.

Christian author Warren Smith, who left the New Age movement in 1984, has serious concerns about much of the material in “Jesus Calling,” and has written a book – titled “‘Another Jesus’ Calling” – critiquing Young’s bestseller as well as other modern Christian movements and ministries in which he sees dangerous New Age influences.
“We’re getting incredible response to my book,” says Smith, “because her book is indefensible!”
Laura Minchew, senior vice-president of publishing for Thomas Nelson, disputes the claims, and told WND the Sarah Young book has positively impacted countless lives.

“I will tell you that should anyone hint of New Age teachings in ‘Jesus Calling,’ they would be sorely misinformed,” she said.
“We are releasing a new 10th anniversary edition of the book in September.  We have added an expanded ‘Author Note’ that looks back at how the book was published and includes stories from the thousands of comments we have received about the impact of this book on people’s lives.” 

For a critical review of “Jesus Calling,” get Warren Smith’s “‘Another Jesus’ Calling.”
Minchew added: “Jesus Calling has been such a comfort and source of peace for so many. It helps readers spend time with the Lord. People’s lives have been touched for good by this book. I would ask that you not try to make a controversy that has no merit, just for the sake of readership.”

However, others in the Christian community echo Smith’s concerns, including Chris Quintana, pastor of Calvary Chapel Cypress, in Cypress, California, who is alarmed by the book’s success: 

“‘Jesus Calling’ is just the latest fad to come through the church,” says Quintana. “Like ‘The Shack’ or ‘The Prayer of Jabez’ before it, when truth is mixed with error, then it becomes heralded as the new wonderful thing. The church embraces and promotes it because those who should know better … don’t.

“The Jesus of Scripture would be appalled by the ‘Jesus’ of this book, and I am sure is grieved over the misrepresentation. There are some pages where nothing objectionable can be found, so people let their guard down. The book was given to them by a friend, or purchased through their church bookstore, etc. It then becomes trusted and they fail to see the error of the mystical ‘Jesus’ found therein.”

According to the Association for Christian Retail, or CBA, “Jesus Calling” ranks No. 1 in the category of Inspirational/General Interest. For May 2014, the children’s version ranks No. 2 in the Children’s category and No. 3 in Young Adult for the teen edition.
“Jesus Calling” has a staggering 5,451 reviews on Amazon, of which 5,050 are five-star. Only 73 are one-star.
Typical of the positive reviews are these three:

• “A beautifully written book of devotion. Sarah Young has a great deal of love in her heart for Jesus and the Christian faith.”
• “I was given this devotional while going through a difficult time, and it couldn’t be a better fit. Young writes from the voice of God, without sounding blasphemous or assumptive.”
• “Great devotional book, has changed my life! If you are looking for a closer relationship with God, this devotional book will help you on this journey.

However, one negative Amazon review clearly summarizes most of the main problems critics see with Young’s bestseller:
“There are several problems with this book. Here are just four:

• The obvious one is that the book puts words in God’s mouth.
• The author seems to depend on mystic experiences she’s had for her belief in God. Also, she wants something more than God’s Word in the Bible. It has a New Age feel to it.
• It’s a feel good book. It avoids the real problem of personal sin. It’s all about God filling the personal needs that you feel. It’s very self-centered.
• Dependence on experiences will lead to frustration and confusion in the Christian life because we need to have more and more experiences to be satisfied.

“In a nutshell,” adds the reviewer, “the book is misleading and is self-centered, rather than what Christianity teaches – to realize our sinfulness and look to Christ, and to serve God and others as a response to our salvation. I do not recommend this book.”

Despite warnings from Smith and others, “Jesus Calling” is highly visible in Christian bookstore chains and among ministries.

Spiritual Survival (Part 18)

Reblogged from servehiminthewaiting.com   

Separation
by Rayola Kelley
 

       We have been on a journey to discover what it will mean to survive the end days. This is the last article in this series. We can look at the great challenges before us and conclude that we are facing some exciting times, but are we ready for the possible challenges that could shake our worlds? As believers, we need to keep in mind that to spiritually survive involves preparing the inner man to stand in trials and testings, with the intent of walking out the Christian life in an appropriate way. Therefore, the real culprit that we must face will not always come from the outside, but from within our own personal camps.

      When we consider what it means to survive, we think in terms of managing to survive the odds of something that would normally be considered impossible to endure. If we come out on the other side of such a situation, we figure we have survived it, and now belong to that unique club of survivors that serve as shining beacons of hope. However, in the kingdom of God, the concept of survival is a bit different. It is not a matter of coming out on top of an impossible matter; rather, the real issue is who will come out on top in our lives.

      I have often shared with others that the world is a big classroom, and life the main teacher. In America, before the invasion of Communistic indoctrination in our schools, academia was designed to prepare students for a different life outside of their controlled or confined worlds of family, friends, and education. 

      Likewise, when it comes to spiritual survival, the world serves as a classroom that is meant to prepare and challenge us in light of a new existence. Eventually, we will even graduate from this classroom to embrace a completely different way of living. As we consider the idea of the world, we will discover that much of what it stands for is vanity, and its goal is to tantalize the fleshly appetites to pursue its deadly fruit and temporary glory. However, it brings a viable contrast to us when it comes to what constitutes life.

      When it comes to the harsh reality of life being our teacher, it clearly stipulates that all is a cruel joke unless there is something beyond the activities of the present world. This was brought home by the tragic shootings that have recently taken place in Oregon and Connecticut. The tragedy will be blamed on guns, but the real culprit rests with society that has taken God and morality out of the equation. What you end up with is a society that will run a muck in a world of fanaticism which will prove lawless, indifferent, militant, and insane.

      It is for this reason that so much of the world’s activities seem senseless. It becomes clearer each new day that life proves to be an astute teacher. Its shrewdness can cause people to become utter skeptics if they do not understand its ultimate goal. However, it will teach open, receptive students that their very existence does not make sense unless there is a God who has a purpose, plan, and design for their lives. In order for each of us to secure real purpose for our being, we must come to terms with God. In order to benefit from His plan, we must come to a place of agreement with Him. And, to discover our place in His kingdom, we must come to a place of total separation from what was in order to discover what can be. 

      According to the Bible, transformation of the inner man is a necessity while reformation of the outer man is a means to whitewash tombs that contain the dead bones of the old ways and of man’s religious best. The reason is the old must die so that the new can live. The “old” will defile the new, and the “new” will render the old ineffective. The Bible clearly brings this principle out in the parable in Matthew 9:16-17 and the example found in Haggai 2:11-14.

      Clearly, when it comes to the matters of holiness, saints cannot make what is considered to be “common”, “profane”, and what is “unclean” acceptable to God. That which is considered profane by God will be judged and consumed by His holy fire. The reason for this is because holiness is a state. If you expose and touch the unclean, it will make you unclean in your state. Since God is holy, His Church must be holy as well. The members of His Body must come out and separate from that which is unholy, in order to separate themselves to that which is holy. This is the only way to ensure the integrity of their inward state. Click here To Read Further

The Temple at the Center of Time.

Christian Rock Music “Is it possible to Worship Satan in the Name of Jesus."

Part One 
By Vernon Gray
Reblogged from http://raptureready.com/soap2/gray7.html

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“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not” (1 Corinthians 10:23).

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Music was created to be a language of the human spirit. It was never meant to be called the language of the soul. Man is a spiritual creature and singing is one of mankind’s highest ideals. Life without music and singing would be dull and empty. Not only is music a language of our human spirit, it is also a primary language of our worship.

The human spirit is our direct line of communion with God. Spiritual singing unites us to Him for fellowship and life. “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19). Singing was ordained by God to be full of Him, His words, and answers that satisfy our daily longing after Him. 
Modern music is similar to modern art and modern living; it is full of questions and very few answers. Rick Warren calls his church, “The flock that rocks.” You are not likely to find a liberal church that is now called the “emerging church” that sings gospel music. Modern/Contemporary music is the music of churches that have left the fundamentals of Holy Scripture. There is something wrong when someone does not have enough time to read the Word of God, but does have enough time to listen to “Christian rock” for their daily manna. Read More Part I
Part II 

Pastor Rob Bell to tour with Oprah Winfrey, Michigan stop planned | MLive.com

Pastor Rob Bell to tour with Oprah Winfrey, Michigan stop planned | MLive.com

Major Christian conference 'pushing mysticism'

Controversial prayer technique at evangelical gathering

Jim Fletcher About | Email | Archive

Blogger and researcher Jim Fletcher has worked in the book publishing industry for 15 years, and is now director of the apologetics group Prophecy Matters. His new book, "Truth Wins," provides important analysis of Rob Bell and his Emergent friends. 

A major Christian church-leadership organization, which brought thousands of pastors and church workers together in Carrollton, Texas, this week, succeeded in raising eyebrows from some of the attendees – over so-called “contemplative spirituality.”

The event, called “Catalyst Dallas,” was sponsored by Atlanta-based Catalyst, and featured speakers Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv, filmmaker Ryan Leak, corporate management expert Patrick Lencioni and author Jen Hatmaker, among many others.

During a workshop Tuesday afternoon, contemplative proponent Phileena Heuertz led the audience in a “centering prayer,” which detractors argue opens the door to altered states of consciousness. A common theme throughout Catalyst Dallas was references to mystics Thomas Merton, Thomas Keating and Henri Nouwen.

Warren Smith, a writer specializing in the New Age movement, notes that mainstream Christian leaders have been promoting such mysticism for decades:
“[Robert H.] Schuller had Nouwen as a special guest on the Hour of Power television program in 1992. After Nouwen appeared on that program ‘his reputation [among Protestants] blossomed dramatically."
According to author Phyllis Tickle, there are “seven ancient disciplines,” including centering prayer, or “fixed-hour prayer,” that are making a comeback among younger Christians. Included in these disciplines is the practice of solitude and “centering prayer.”

In her session at Catalyst Dallas, titled, “Find Out Who You Really Are: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer,” Heuertz said that she became aware, 20 years ago, of the teachings of Thomas Keating, a priest and Trappist monk, and expert in the practice of centering prayer.

“I practice centering prayer twice a day for 20 minutes,” Heuertz said. She also refuted criticisms that centering prayer is about “emptying the mind.” At the conclusion of her session, Heuretz stood in front of the group and led in centering prayer.
Read Warren Smith’s expose of the New Age in “The Light That Was Dark.”
 
In her book, “Pilgrimage of a Soul,” Heuretz describes the methods she advocates:
“The Christian contemplative tradition navigates our path toward a posture of receptivity to the One who can save us from our chaos and destruction—whether that is on a small, personal and social scale or on the grand landscape of global politics. All we have to do is submit to the process. That’s it. Submit. Surrender.”

However, Ken Silva, director of Apprising Ministries, expressed dismay over the contemplative presence at Catalyst:
“For some ten years now I’ve been documenting the influence and impact of the Emerging Church on mainstream evangelicalism. A core doctrine of the EC was contemplative spirituality, which is really a remained form of Roman Catholic mysticism. For the past couple of years now I’ve been seeing contemplative practices only as recommendations by influential evangelicals like Rick Warren.

“Even so, I was a bit taken by surprise that straight ahead contemplative mysticism was being openly taught at such a major mainstream evangelical conference as Catalyst. Catalyst’s stamp of approval will embolden more evangelical churches to incorporate it with their congregations and will serve to quickly spread that spiritual cancer far throughout the heart of the professing ‘Protestant’ community.”