A MUST READ....A FORMER CATHOLIC SPEAKS ABOUT "EVANGELICAL MYSTICISM"

I have just read such a great article! The article is written by a former practicing Roman Catholic who exposes the false religion of Roman Catholicism and how the emerging church and many evangelicals are uniting with Rome through Catholic mysticism.

He includes some quotes of the Canons from the Council of Trent that are anti-biblical and demonstrate how Roman Catholicism is not true biblical Christianity.

In this article, the author T.A. McMahon also explains some Catholic mystical terms and their dangers. Some of the unbiblical practices explained are the following:

Lectio Divina, the Jesus Prayer, Ignatian Examen, Labyrinth Prayer, Stations of the Cross, and the Centering Prayer (many of these, by the way, the MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno is teaching)

I highly recommend reading this brief article. Here are its final quotes:

"As a former Catholic, it's hard for me to fathom the evangelical church buying into the religious occultism of Roman Catholicism. It makes no sense. Visit any country where that religion is taken seriously. What becomes obvious is a people who are in the bondage of superstition. On the other hand, I shouldn't be surprised. Apostasy is growing rapidly, the religion of the Antichrist is taking shape, and mysticism, whether it's the Catholic variety, the Sufism of Islam, yoga and the gurus of Eastern mysticism, the Shamanism of native religions, or otherwise, is a common yet powerful magnet that draws all religions together.

We need to be watchmen on the wall as we see this evil invading the church, warning especially-should our Lord delay His return-our next generation of believers. They are the clear targets of this mystical seduction."

**for more info about the false teaching of Roman Catholicism, read this article about how Mennonites are embracing its teaching at For the Author**

Mystical Health and Wellness Taught at University

To all those out there who have been wondering whether or not I fell off the bloggerland map, well I'm back and plan to continue blogging every now and then. I took a blogging break to focus on final exams for university and also for the holidays when access to computers was limited due to travels. So, now I'm back to a regular routine and also back to school and taking some new classes.

One of these classes is a health class, which is required for my program. My professor for this class is a young female, likely in her late 20s. She is a yoga instructor and her ideal of perfect wellness is the Buddhist monks.....mysticism here we go again...She is a very nice lady and a great teacher, but the new-age spiritual/mystical spin is very very evident. This will prove to be a very interesting class I think.

But if you don't believe that mysticism/universalism/new-age spirituality is going to be coming to a school near you....you are in for a nasty surprise in the near future.

In another class I took last term, my professor turned off the lights and led us (or at least those willing, myself NOT included) through a mental and physical relaxation technique which included a lot of visualization. He warned us that if we did this exercise correctly, we would experience wave-like sensations going through our body that would likely be a sensation we had never felt before. So, throughout this, I sat in my chair and observed through the dim light what was going on. Now, this is a class of about 150 people, so try to picture this if you can---the lights were off, it was dead silent except for the professor going through the exercise, people were sprawled out on the floor in the aisles. The guy two seats beside me started snoring. I prayed against this the whole time because the goal was obviously to reach a different state of consciousness and experience weird sensations. This was for a sports sociology/psychology class.

Now, here I am in a health class learning, once again, about yoga, meditation, and monks (they call is being "spiritually well"). New age religion and eastern mysticism is very prevalent at university. If you don't think this is coming to a school near you, well it already has if you attend my university. And, I've mentioned these two classes so far that are teaching this... does anyone want to guess what program and field I'm in....??

Religious Studies? nope, not that program. I can imagine how frustrating that program would be though.

Psychology? nope

Nursing? ....nope, try again. (Although this stuff is all over the place in the health field too)

The Answer......

Education.

yep. elementary/middle years education. This is what we future teachers are being equipped with, people. Teach future teachers these methods to pass on and use in their classroom--teach them this mystical RELIGION (of course they would never call it religion...but that's what it is.)

So, let's add it all up together, shall we?

Meditation/yoga taught and promoted to future teachers at university in health classes
+ meditation and yoga taught at the National Pastor's Conference in the States
+universalism, new age, and interfaith at the United Nations
+professor at university ensuring students "understand" that Catholic and Christian are one and the same (which they are not)
+"evangelical" leaders such as Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback, and Bill Hybels, pastor or Willow Creek Church signing a letter that Christians and Muslims should work to "reflect our common love for God" (Jesus Christ and Allah are NOT the same God!!)
+meditation and labyrinth prayers taught at MB Seminary in Fresno

=a world ready for the anti-christ and his eventual one world religion

Reading my school newspaper sickens me so much I barely ever read it because each time it is filled with mockery of true Bible-believing Christians. Some of you may also remember the offensive cartoon published a year or two ago that mocked Jesus. At university, I am forced to pay for this newspaper in my tuition. Isn't that sickening?

It is definitely time to prepare for persecution. In fact, it has already arrived, but it will only get worse. Pray for the Christians at university that we would be a light in a very very dark place.

Wake Up, Repent, Believe

I can hardly believe what I am seeing going on in so many of the "Bible" schools and churches these days (promoting mysticism (see previous post), new age ideas and practices, etc). What will the next generation of pastors be like if they are being taught to embrace practices like these (labyrinth prayers, etc)? I pray that there will still be men willing to be obedient to the Word of God and rise up as pastors as God appoints and leads them and that these pastors would reject these ancient mystical practices that are completely unbiblical.

If you are a Christian, please wake up to what's going on if you haven't already done so. When Jesus comes again, don't let him find you asleep.

And if you aren't a Christian and are not saved, I plead with you to not delay your decision any longer. You really don't know how much time you have left. Repent of your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who shed His blood and died for you so that you can be seen as blameless and righteous before God on judgment day and then spend eternity in heaven rather than in hell.

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Romans 2:4-5

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.2 Corinthians 7:10

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12-13

I believe Jesus is coming again very very soon. Even so, Lord Jesus come.

MB Seminary Promotes Labyrinth Prayer

It is very late, and perhaps I should be studying for my 3 final exams coming up in the next 5 days, but I feel I must post about something that both angers and saddens me. I just read a blog from fortheauthor about the MB seminary in Fresno that offers a spiritual formation class where students "must be willing to try a variety of spiritual practices". Click here to go to the course outline.

Some of these practices include "The Jesus Prayer", "Labyrinth Prayer", and "Lectio Divina" and daily "Guided Meditation". These practices are man-made attempts to reach God. But through the Bible, God has already provided us with all we need to know about prayer and how to pray. Prayer is simply talking to God. In fact, we aren't supposed to use vain repetitions:

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7

Sure, these methods may be "spiritual" practices, but are they biblical? Definitely not. To say that anything "spiritual" is of God is ridiculous; clearly there are evil spiritual forces as well. The Bible is clear in Ephesians 6:12 that we are in a spiritual battle against spiritual forces of evil. The question is, which side are you on, and who are you fighting for?

Why does Richard Foster, a well-known contemplative professing-Christian, recommend we should pray a prayer of protection before trying these practices? He says to pray something like "All dark and evil spirits must now leave" on p. 157 of his book Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home.

Roger Oakland states the following about this:

"Nowhere in Scripture are we required to pray a prayer of protection before we pray. The fact that Foster recognizes that contemplative prayer is dangerous and opens the door to the fallen spirit world is very revealing. What is this--praying to the God of the Bible but instead reaching demons?" (page 99 Faith Undone by Roger Oakland)

Likely the devil is laughing at this-that Christians would purposely put themselves into a state where they could potentially reach demons (Remember 2 Corinthians 11 tells us that Satan transforms himself into an angel of light and his ministers transform themselves into ministers of righteousness) , while God is probably grieving and angry as Christians attempt to use pagan methods to reach a holy God. Let us not forget that when Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire to God, he killed them. God is a holy God, and it seems many people these days are lacking a proper fear for God.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11 "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."

Unfortunately, it seems many are being deceived and led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ by trying all kinds of man-made pagan techniques to reach God. We need to point out this error to warn others and also pray that people will realize this is not only unbiblical but dangerous. Pray that the Holy Spirit would convict those participating in this and that they would repent.