Priceless!!

I’ve had a bit of time lately now that the hustle & bustle of the ‘season’ has passed, so I began visiting some of my favorite blogs.   Come to find out Satan did NOT take time off for the ‘holy day’!   Whoda thunk it?

Devil went down to Georgia…

What do John Piper and Beth Moore have in common?

 

 

 

Christian love does not consist in approving everybody’s religious opinions. Here is another most serious and growing delusion. There are many who pride themselves on never pronouncing others mistaken–whatever views they may hold. Your neighbor may be an Atheist, or a Buddhist, or a Roman Catholic, or a Mormonite, a Deist, or a Skeptic, a mere Formalist, or a thorough Antinomian. But the “love” of many says that you have no right to think him wrong! “If he is sincere–then it is uncharitable to think unfavorably of his spiritual condition!”

From such love–may I ever be delivered! 

At this rate, the Apostles were wrong in going out to preach to the Gentiles!

At this rate, there is no use in missions!

At this rate, we had better close our Bibles, and shut up our churches! 

At this rate, everybody is right–and nobody is wrong!

At this rate, everybody is going to Heaven–and nobody is going to Hell! 

Such love is a monstrous caricature! To say that all are equally right in their opinions–though their opinions flatly contradict one another; to say that all are equally in the way to Heaven–though their doctrinal sentiments are as opposite as black and white–this is not Scriptural love. Love like this pours contempt on the Bible, and talks as if God had not given us a written standard of truth. Love like this, confuses all our notions of Heaven, and would fill it with a discordant inharmonious rabble.

True love does not think everybody right in doctrine. True love cries, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world!” 1 John 4:1. “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching–do not take him into your house or welcome him!” 2 John 1:10

J.C. Ryle, “Christian Love” 1878

HT: Grace Gems

For those tolerating the intolerance, here’s some fun…

~John MacArthur

As a pastor in Southern California, I have the blessed privilege of mining the truth from God’s Word every week of my life. Doing that in Los Angeles only makes it more interesting, if for no other reason than the tremendous diversity of people, culture, and language here. When we take the gospel to our city, it’s amazing to watch God’s Word transcend the culture–and every false religion–to change lives. The message of salvation in Christ truly knows no hindrance.

If you think evangelism is a somewhat arduous task in that environment, you’re right. We face a culture that has rejected absolute truth and now considers it stylish to openly embrace and encourage degrading passions. The ecumenical, syncretistic spirit of the age recoils in horror at the exclusive claims of Christ. And popular, evangelical seeker-sensitive churches only make the task more difficult by refusing to confront sin in an effort to make the “unchurched” sinner comfortable.

Preaching today is clearly out of season (2 Tim. 4:2) and evangelism is difficult, but that’s nothing new. Paul faced worse challenges in his day. He faced an increasingly anti-Christian culture–there was no spirit of tolerance to shield believers from hostility. Still, he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ-a hard, uncompromising message of repentance. That is best illustrated in Acts 17:16-34 where Paul faced one of the most intellectually erudite and morally corrupt audiences ever–the philosophers on Mars Hill.

The Situation (Acts 17:16-21): Paul came to Athens after being forced to flee Thessalonica and Berea (Acts 17:1-15). Athens was the heart of Greek culture and thought, renowned for its art and philosophy and some of the most famous philosophers. The founders of two dominant philosophies, Epicurus (Epicureanism) and Zeno (Stoicism), had taught in Athens.

Athens was also the home of almost every man-made god in existence. The pagan writer Petronius once said it was easier to find a god in Athens than a man. In fact it was Athenian idolatry that drove Paul to preach the gospel in Athens–such idolatry offended him to the core (v. 16). In customary fashion, he marched directly to the local synagogue and was reasoning from the Scriptures (cf. v. 2) “with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present” (v. 17).

Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers heard Paul’s message in the market place and brought him to the Areopagus on Mars Hill before some of the most astute philosophers in Athens. They had no interest in the gospel; Paul was simply a novelty to them. They set him in their midst as a specimen that would amuse their interest in “telling or hearing something new” (v. 21). That’s the setting for Paul’s message and method for confronting a godless culture.

The Method (Acts 17:22-34): Paul spoke his message to an indifferent and arrogant audience, like many to whom you and I speak today. As we look at how Paul preached to the philosophers, you’ll see three essential elements of an effective message to confront our post-Christian culture with the truth.

First, tell them that God is (vv. 22-23). Here’s Paul’s first point: “You are ignorant and I’m going to give you the truth.” Try recommending that opening line at an evangelism conference. Some people think Paul commended their religiosity when he mentioned their many objects of worship. He wasn’t commending them at all–their idols infuriated him (v. 16). Rather, he started with a given: all men are innately religious. All men are created to be worshipers–they either worship God or something else, but everyone worships something. The Athenians were no different.

Externally, God has given witness about Himself through what He created: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Ps. 19:1). Internally, according to Romans 1:19: “that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.” They have an innate sense of the true God of the Bible, His standards are written on their hearts, and their consciences hold them accountable (Rom. 2:14-15). But because of sin, they “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18). They willfully reject what they know to be true and choose instead to worship in ignorance.

Second, tell them who God is (vv. 24-29).This is Paul’s lesson to the ignorant about the unknown God. This is Theology 101. It’s ironic that Paul was teaching the ABCs of theology to those who were known worldwide as supreme intellectuals. It proves the truth of 1 Corinthians 1:25: “The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” Here are five things ignorant, rebellious men need to know about the “Unknown God.”

God is the Creator. Verse 24a: He “made the world and all things in it.” In Paul’s day and ours, the truth makes no room for men’s opinions regarding origins.

God is the Ruler. Verse 24b: “He is Lord of heaven and earth [and] does not dwell in temples made with hands.” It logically follows that if God is the Creator, He is also the rightful Ruler of what He created. And if He is Creator and Ruler, He doesn’t live in what His creatures have made.

God is the Giver. Verse 25: “He [is not] served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things.” Far from needing anything from men, the Creator “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. 5:45).

God is the Controller. Verse 26: “He made from one man every nation of mankind … having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation.” That statement was a blow to the national pride of the Greeks, who scornfully referred to non-Greeks as “barbarians.” Nonetheless, God controls the affairs and destinies of men and nations.

God is the Revealer. Verses 27-29: Men should “seek God…He is not far from each one of us…Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like [anything] formed by the art and thought of man.” God, by creating, ruling, giving, and controlling all things, has clearly revealed Himself in what He has made–men are truly without excuse (Rom. 1:20).

Third, tell them what God says (vv. 30-31). Paul’s evangelism method ends with a simple, powerful point: tell them to repent or be judged. In the past, God was patient. But a day is coming when He will judge the world through Jesus Christ. God gave sufficient proof of the truth of His Word in the resurrection of His Son–He holds all men accountable to that evidence. His grace in the past and His wrath in the future require repentance in the present. As Paul said elsewhere, “Now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation’” (2 Cor. 6:2). That message isn’t popular today, but then again, it has never been popular. “Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer…so Paul went out of their midst” (v. 32-33).

I mentioned earlier that Paul’s method was effective, and it is. Look at verse 34: “But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” It was effective to save those whom God chose to save. Paul was faithful to proclaim the truth. He left the results to God.

From Athens to Los Angeles, first century to twenty-first century and everywhere in between, repentance may not be popular, but it’s still the gospel. Teach this post-Christian culture about God and then command repentance. That’s the only message we have; without it, no one would be saved.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
 Matthew 7:21-23

HT: http://twistedcrownofthorns.com/

John MacArthur
[source]

In an increasingly secular and ungodly culture, many Christians wonder about their role and duty. Should we lobby for rights that have traditionally belonged to us? Should we make every effort to implement a Christian agenda? Should we completely reform the government? The Bible speaks clearly about our duty, and it’s all about governingour character.

Over a quarter of a century ago the late apologist and Christian thinker Francis Schaeffer asked the question, “How should we then live?” in his landmark book of the same title. The relevance of that question has not changed. If anything, it has only become more urgent for believers at the dawn of a new century and millennium.

Society has taken a nosedive into greater and greater evil, debauchery, violence, and corruption, and outside the church, the landscape seems filled with “modern barbarians.” The temptation is strong for believers to jump into the cultural fray as self-righteous social/political reformers and condescending moralizers. All the while those self-styled Christian activists forget or ignore their true mission in the world and completely miss the answer to Schaeffer’s question–an answer that God’s Word spells out quite clearly.

As noble as a desire to reform society may be, and as stirring as the emotions sometimes are when involved in the “rightness” of a political cause, those activities are not to be the Christian’s chief priorities. God does not call the church to influence the culture by promoting legislation and court rulings that advance a Scripture point of view. Nor does He condone any type of radical activism that would avoid tax obligations, disobey or seek removal of government officials we don’t agree with, or spend an inordinate amount of time campaigning for a so-called Christian slate of candidates.

The church will really change society for the better only when individual believers make their chief concern their own spiritual maturity, which means living in a way that honors God’s commands and glorifies His name. Such a concern inherently includes a firm grasp on Scripture and an understanding that its primary mandate to us is to know Christ and proclaim His gospel. A godly attitude coupled with godly living makes the saving message of the gospel credible to the unsaved. If we claim to be saved but still convey proud, unloving attitudes toward the lost, our preaching and teaching–no matter how doctrinally orthodox or politically savvy and persuasive–will be ignored or rejected.

The New Testament is very clear about how we ought to embrace and live out our primary mission in a pagan society. One such example is in Titus 3:

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. (vv. 1-2)

Notice that Paul simply followed the Lord’s model and did not expend time and energy admonishing believers on how to reform pagan culture’s idolatrous, immoral, and corrupt practices. The apostle also did not call for believers to exercise civil disobedience to protest the Roman Empire’s unjust laws or cruel punishments. Instead, his appeal was for Christians to proclaim the gospel and live lives that would give clear evidence of its transforming power.

Believe it or not, Christians have obligations to a pagan society. When you live as God wants you to in an unbelieving culture, the Holy Spirit uses your life to draw the sinner by softening his attitude toward God (cf. 1 Peter 2:12).

Submission and Obedience
The first two duties–submission to government and obedience to all human authority–I’ve combined under one heading because they are so closely related. They are just one more reminder that Christians have certain requirements of attitude and conduct in relation to their secular leaders. Those reminders reiterate the idea that believers are not exempt from following civil laws and directives, unless such orders contradict the Word and will of God (see Acts 4:18-20; 5:40-42). That twofold prompting also gives us the scriptural premise from which all our other public actions ought to flow.

Readiness for Good Works
Our third major duty toward society is to have a readiness “for every good deed.” Here the apostle Paul is not referring to some minimal, reluctant adherence to doing what we already know is right, but to a sincere willingness and heart preparation to do good works to everyone, as we have the opportunity. No matter how antagonistic the people around us may be, we are to be kind servants to them when their lives intersect with ours. “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6:10).

God wants us to be recognized for what we might call “consistent and aggressive goodness”–good deeds done out of love for the Lord and love for other people.

Respectful in Speech
Next, we have the scriptural duty of not maligning anyone, not even those unbelievers who are most antagonistic toward biblical standards. Titus 3:2 begins with Paul’s command “to malign no one,” and refers to cursing, slandering, and treating with contempt. In fact the Greek term rendered “malign” is the one from which we derive the English word blasphemy. We can never use such speech with a righteous motive.

It is sad that many believers today speak scornfully of politicians and other public figures. When they do that, they actually manifest a basic disregard of their responsibility toward authority and hinder God’s redemptive plan. In another of Paul’s pastoral letters, he urges us to pray for everyone’s salvation, even for that of those who occupy official positions of authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Peaceful and Gentle
Paul goes on in verse 2 to mention two more Christian duties. First, he reminds us that we must be friendly and peaceful toward the lost, not belligerent and quarrelsome. In the ungodly, postmodern world we live in, it’s easy to condemn those who contribute to the culture’s demise and write them off as corrupt sinners who will never change. If God’s love for the world was so broad and intense that His Son died for a multitude of sinners (John 3:16), how can we who have received that redeeming grace be harsh and unloving toward those who have not yet received it? Until God is pleased to save an individual, he or she is going to behave like an unbeliever, and it is wrong for us, meanwhile, to treat them contemptuously for acting according to their nature.

Secondly, Paul reminds us that we must be “gentle,” a word in the Greek that means being fair, moderate, and forbearing toward others. Some have translated this term “sweet reasonableness,” a definition denoting an attitude that does not hold grudges but gives others the benefit of the doubt.

Consideration for Others

The final duty in the apostle Paul’s list of reminders to believers is that they should be “showing every consideration for all men” (v. 2). The word rendered “consideration” always has a New Testament meaning of genuine concern for others.

Scripture clearly describes Jesus as the One supremely characterized by humility, or consideration for everyone–the same trait that should identify His followers. Jesus used the word to depict Himself when He told His followers, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29, emphasis added).

All our dealings with unbelievers should display that kind of attitude, as the apostle Peter also wrote: “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15). Sincere, heartfelt consideration to all men is foundational for our Christian walk in a pagan society.

Our duty as we relate to an increasingly secular and ungodly culture is not to lobby for certain rights, the implementation of a Christian agenda, or the reformation of the government. Rather, God would have us continually to remember Paul’s instructions to Titus and live them out as we seek to demonstrate His power and grace that can regenerate sinners. Changing people’s hearts one individual at a time is the only way to bring meaningful, lasting change to our communities, our nation, and even the whole world.

From Lighthouse Trails e-newsletter~

During the first week of October, Rick Warren made a bold move, revealing his true affinity toward contemplative (centering) prayer. The majority of people who saw this will probably not have recognized the significance of this endorsement, which has led us to put out this communiqué. It was done in a simple Twitter posting on Rick Warren’s Toolbox Twitter account, where a “Tweet” told followers to go to Rick Warren’s Pastors.com website where a step-by-step process in centering prayer (i.e., contemplative prayer) is given. The message told followers to click over to the website for “easy steps” on how to practice “centering prayer.” Once at Warren’s website, readers saw the following post (click to enlarge):

A few days after this article by Stacy Smith was posted on the Pastors.com website, it was removed. However, no explanation was given as to why it was there in the first place and why it was removed. We believe our article will answer both of these questions.

The Pastors.com article states:

Centering prayer is an ancient form of prayer that is a combination of prayer and meditation. The practice was revived in the 1960s and 70s by three Cistercian monks.

While the article goes on to give some of the steps to centering prayer, one thing the article does not reveal is the spiritual background of these three monks. Because of our work at Lighthouse Trails exposing the dangers of contemplative spirituality, we are well acquainted with the writings of two of these monks: Thomas Keating and Basil Pennington (the 3rd is William Meninger, also a contemplative).

The Pastors.com article states that mystical prayer was “revived” by these three men, who played a primary role in bringing contemplative prayer from the Catholic monasteries to the average layperson. This “revived” spirituality is the very same spirituality that is being heralded in the evangelical/Protestant church known as “spiritual formation.” Rick Warren obviously recognizes this, which is why his Twitter post pointed readers to these men and to their centering prayer. As we examine the spiritual outlook of Keating and Pennington, the logical conclusion will be that Rick Warren has a strong affinity with the same spirituality.

First of all, it is vital to understand that the mysticism practiced by occultists and those in eastern religions is the same mysticism practiced by contemplatives. That can be a hard statement for some to swallow. How can someone like Brennan Manning, who talks about God’s love and His grace, be encouraging people to engage in an occultic practice? Well, obviously, many of Christianity’s major contemplative figures don’t believe they are doing anything wrong. They believe they are teaching a good thing, certainly not something equated to occultism. But even the mystics themselves acknowledge that this is so. Listen to these quotes:

The meditation of advanced occultists is identical with the prayer of advanced mystics. (contemplative mystic Richard Kirby, The Mission of Mysticism, p. 7)

This mystical stream [contemplative prayer] is the Western bridge to Far Eastern spirituality. (contemplative teacher Tilden Edwards, Spiritual Friend, p. 18)

Isn’t it interesting that one of evangelicalism’s most popular contemplative teachers, Ruth Haley Barton, was trained at Tilden Edwards’Shalem Institute. This is another example of how the prayer of “advanced mystics” is indeed the same as that being spread throughout Christianity today through the spiritual formation/contemplative prayer movement.

Now let us examine the significance of Keating and Pennington, in light of this controversy. Ray Yungen profiles the two men in the third chapter of A Time of Departing. Yungen quotes Basil Pennington:

We should not hesitate to take the fruit of the age-old wisdom of the East and “capture” it for Christ. Indeed, those of us who are in ministry should make the necessary effort to acquaint ourselves with as many of these Eastern techniques as possible.

Many Christians who take their prayer life seriously have been greatly helped by Yoga, Zen, TM and similar practices, especially where they have been initiated by reliable teachers and have a solidly developed Christian faith to find inner form and meaning to the resulting experiences” (from Finding Grace at the Center, pp. 5-6).

To also understand the spirituality of Thomas Keating and the significance of what we are trying to convey here, consider the following: Contemplative mystic Wayne Teasdale was mentored by Thomas Keating in a profound and lasting way. This is backed up in Teasdale’s book, The Mystic Heart (foreword by the Dalai Lama) where Teasdale attributes to Keating a prominent role in his spiritual development (the book is filled with Keating references from start to finish). Without any doubt, Teasdale’s spiritual outlook mirrors Keating’s. These following quotes by Teasdale echo Thomas Keating’s spiritual sentiments:

It was during my college years that my first mystical experience occurred. . . . the divine completely took me over. . . . I couldn’t think, analyze, remember, imagine, or speak. . . . For many years I have been intensely aware of the divine as a breathing presence that surrounds me, is within me, and takes me into its self. . . . Whenever I am aware of it, there is no mistaking it for something else. I immediately know who it is. (The Mystic Heart, pp. 225-226)

I began to appreciate and value other traditions. I discovered that Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Sufism, the Kabbalah, Hasidism, did not take me away from my faith, but augmented my deep commitment to Christian contemplation. I became impassioned in my interest in these traditions. Interspirituality, and the intermystical life it entails, recognizes the larger community of humankind in the mystical quest. . . . to leave out any spiritual experience is to impoverish humanity. Everything must be included. (The Mystic Heart, p. 236)

These quotes above have briefly laid out the spirituality of Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating, which by Rick Warren’s website’s own admission are the pioneer’s of the contemplative prayer movement (“revived” by the three monks).

Those who have followed Lighthouse Trails and read A Time of Departing might remember that Lighthouse Trails sent Rick Warren a copy of the first edition of A Time of Departing shortly after it was released in 2002 (ironically, released the same month as The Purpose Driven Life). Rick Warren wrote a personal hand-written note to us, after receiving the book, stating:

Just a note to say thanks for the copy of A Time of Departing by Ray Yungen. It definitely will be a useful addition to my personal library and resource in my studies. I agree this is a hot topic. Sincerely, Rick Warren

If Rick Warren did actually read A Time of Departing, then he knows what the roots of contemplative spirituality are. He knows that Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating advocate eastern style meditation practices. He would also know, if he read the second edition of A Time of Departing (of which we also sent him), that his friend Gary Thomas teaches readers to practice mantra-like meditation (repeat a word for 20 minutes – Sacred Pathways). He would also know that favorites of his, Richard Foster, Henri Nouwen, Brennan Manning, and Jan Johnson, all advocate the same thing. (click here to read chapter 8 of A Time of Departing –  ”America’s Pastor”)

From 1995 to 2010, Rick Warren played a kind of “catch me if you can with mysticism” game. From his endorsement of the spiritual formation movement in his book The Purpose Driven Church(where he called the movement a “valid message for the church” ala Richard Foster and Dallas Willard, p. 127) –  to his rallying for emerging church figures like Dan Kimball and Leonard Sweet – to his Saddleback bookstore that carries some blatantly “new” spirituality/mystic promoting authors –  to his own book, The Purpose Driven Life,which toys with contemplative concepts and names such as Brother Lawrence, breath prayers, monks, god in everything, etc., he has consistently pushed the contemplative underpinnings of the “new” spirituality. And we cannot forget Warren’s efforts to bring in New Age sympathizer Ken Blanchard to help train leaders around the world for his P.E.A.C.E. Plan. Blanchard has consistently for many years advocated for mystical spirituality. With all this in mind (and more), Rick Warren seems to have been one of the most prolific influencers for contemplative spirituality to the evangelical church.

But in 2011, Rick Warren “upped the ante” dramatically. In January, Warren began the Daniel Plan at Saddleback and in his network churches, a diet/health plan in which Warren recruited New Age meditation teachers Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Daniel Amen, and Dr. Mark Hyman. The three doctors openly teach mind-emptying type meditation exercises (e.g. sa-na-ta-ma), and some of this has been carried over already to Rick Warren’s websites. As if such a bold move wasn’t enough to convince the majority of the church that Rick Warren is a contemplative mysticism proponent, his recent Twitter post certainly can leave no more room for speculation.

One thing is for sure, Rick Warren has come full circle when it comes to the contemplative issue. Until 2011, he “beat around the bush” about the issue, even at times saying he isn’t into all that “New Agey” stuff. But today, with his indirect promotion of Thomas Keating and Basil Pennington, Rick Warren has boldly come out of the contemplative closet. One can only wonder now when he will absorb the full disposition of Keating and Pennington. The following statement by Pennington is chilling when you stop to realize this is the direction that millions in the Christian church could be heading thanks to Rick Warren:

It is my sense, from having meditated with persons from many different [non-Christian] traditions, that in the silence we experience a deep unity. When we go beyond the portals of the rational mind into the experience, there is only one God to be experienced.—Basil Pennington (Centered Living, p. 192)

The nature of who this “one God” is can be clearly grasped from this quote by Thomas Keating:

In order to guide persons having this experience [divine oneness], Christian spiritual directors may need to dialogue with Eastern teachers in order to get a fuller understanding.  (Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality, by Philip St. Romain, foreword)

In other words, the experience that Pennington talks about and that Keating talks about is not an experience that will center you in Jesus, as Rick Warren’s “Tweet” suggests; it will center you in Eastern mysticism, which is why we have no hesitation in labeling this approach as New Age. What one mystical writer saw as a positive thing, those that uphold the Gospel of Christ will clearly see as a slide into apostasy:

Christian mysticism seems, from the beginning, to have had an intuitive recognition of the way in which mysticism is a form of unity that transcends religious difference. . . . no absolutely clear distinction can be drawn between Christian and non-Christian mysticism. . . . It is precisely in this dimension of mystery that people of different faiths and different wisdom traditions can relate to each other. (Carl McColman, The Big Book of Mysticism, pp. 63-64)

Clearly the element that unifies these various traditions is not the person of Jesus Christ. If you were to “dialogue with Eastern teachers” as suggested in the preceding quote, you would learn that what is being experienced is the false “god” that is said to be in each person and in all things. But the Bible makes a clear distinction between God and His creation (Genesis 1:1, John 1:3, Romans 1:25). The God of the Bible will not share His divinity with the phony, impersonal god of pantheism and panentheism:

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. (Exodus 34:14)

The god of mysticism is the same god that the serpent spoke to Eve about when he said, “ye shall be as gods” (Genesis 3:5). In fact, centering prayer is actually all about getting to that divine center that mystics believe is in every human being and all of creation.

We stated in this article that centering prayer stands on the same ground as occultism. With that in mind, it is important to discover that both Thomas Keating and Basil Pennington enthusiastically endorsed a book titled Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey in Christian Hermeticism.It is important to note here that fortune-telling Tarot cards are one of the major tools for divination in occultism. And Hermeticism is a set of ancient esoteric occultic beliefs based on the writings of Hermes Trismegistus, the one who coined the term “as above so below.” Keating said the book was one of the ”great spiritual classics of this century,” and Pennington said, “It is without doubt the most extraordinary work I have ever read.” We’re talking about outright occultism here – there’s no room for doubt.

When you consider that Keating and Pennington’s spirituality is being whole-heartedly embraced by an increasing number of Christians, including many Christian leaders and pastors, the information this article has presented should be sobering and life-changing.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first. 2 Thessalonians 2:3

American Family Association, who sponsored Rick Perry’s ecumenical ‘The Response’ prayer rally, has threatened Todd Friel, of Wretched Radio and John Loeffler, of Steel on Steel Radio because they both participate in Brannon Howse’s Wordview Weekend.  AFA says they will pull their radio programs if Friel and Loeffler continue supporting Brannon Howse; pick a side.

Before the Response prayer rally, Howse was critical of AFA’s endorsement of the rally because many of the
‘Christian leaders’ involved are heretical, i.e. Cindy Jacobs, C. Peter Wagner, and Mike Bickel.  Howse was careful not to speak personally about these folks, but compared their teachings to Scripture, as Christians are called to do (Eph. 5:11).  As a result, as he predicted, he is now being marginalized for standing for the Truth of the Bible.

Apparently, Todd Friel has sided with AFR, which disappoints me, but John Loeffler has decided to take the hit. Brannon has spoken to both men at length and understands Friel’s choice saying they will remain friends and in contact.

Articles speaking about this issue:

http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-radio/episode.php?episodeid=19737

http://wthrockmorton.com/2011/10/03/american-family-association-takes-aim-at-critic-of-the-response/

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/afa-threatens-fire-any-host-who-partners-nar-critic

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/09/30/1021672/-Critics-of-dominionism-no-longer-welcome-at-American-Family-Association

UPDATE:   (10/5/11)

Todd Friel and the Wretched gang have posted an explanation.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/wretched/our-response-to-the-controversy/10150400371450056

His response seem pragmatic and illogical to me.  Maybe I’ll write more about that later.  For now…

While reading the comments on the Facebook page I discovered another issue that is quite disturbing and puts this entire issue into a different light.  As I read comments from ‘Paula Coyle’, I realized that there were/are other things going on that directly relate.  Case in point with a bit of history:

Years ago while researching Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven gobbledygook, I came across a blog called ‘Slice of Laodicea’.  It was hosted by Ingrid Schlueter.  She also was a radio talk show host on ‘Crosstalk’ on the VCY America radio ministry.  For years I read her blog, listened to her radio program and was blessed by her discernment.  Through these two ministries I was introduced to Brannon Howse, Ken Silva and a number of other discernment folks.  Unfortunately, things got ugly on her blog so she shut it down.  A few years after that, she left Crosstalk because of serious family issues (her father, Vic Eliason, runs VCY).    Fast forward to yesterday…

As I was putting some pieces together online, I discovered that Brannon Howse has totally erased all of Ingrid’s articles from his website.  He did this without any communication with Ingrid or without saving them for her.

http://ingridschlueter.wordpress.com/2011/09/17/update-on-the-hope-blog/#comments

Also, apparently a fellow named Jim DeArras, who posted some comments/questions on Brannon’s Facebook page that Brannon took as libelous, was threatened with legal action by Brannon.   Not very Christian-like, is it?

http://www.purposedrivel.com/2011/09/where-did-ingrids-articles-go-brannon.html

So, it seems to me that considering Brannon’s radio program is still on VCY America despite how badly Ingrid was treated by her own father, and Brannon has apparently treated Ingrid in a less-than-Christian-like manner with regards to her articles, I am getting a clearer picture of how pragmatism is the flavor of the day for these two men.  It also makes me wonder if Vic Eliason gave Brannon the same ultimatum: remove Ingrid’s articles, distance yourself from her totally or we’ll drop your program.  That’s total speculation on my part, but why did he do that and why now?

I am not exactly sure what to do with all this except to pray and remember the Lord’s Words that remind us not to trust in men.

UPDATE:  (10/7/11)

Brannon Howse has posted a Facebook statement about the incident with Ingrid Schlueter.

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=209178102481886&id=145728538826843

His perspective on this seems odd to me.  The way he tells the story it was simply a dispute between two Christians with one of those Christians being guilty of publicly mishandling the issue.  The fact of the matter is so much more, however, when you consider the abuse of a father towards his daughter that Ingrid described on her blog; not to mention an employer abusing his employee.

This still smacks of pragmatism on Brannon’s part.  His ministry would have taken a serious blow had he pulled out of VCY’s airtime for his radio program.  Also, instead of ‘quiety [sic] pull[ing] the articles of a long-standing columnist’ why didn’t he quietly approach this ‘long-standing’ co-worker in the Lord and seek reconciliation for the two Christian’s involved?  That’s what Brannon spoke about on his radio program earlier this week.  There was clearly sin on both sides yet he was silent until someone on Facebook mentioned the issue.

Very sad…

UPDATE: (10/13/11)

Ingrid has responded to Brannon’s Facebook statement:

http://familytruthmatters.blogspot.com/2011/10/truth-matters-brannon.html

 

 

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This is the final update.  It is in the hands of the Lord. 

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HT: Walid Shoebat