Hello and welcome to
"Behold the Lamb Presents."
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I'm Chris Shelton your
host and I want to extend
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a warm welcome to you
for tuning in with us today.
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Today's message is the
second and our final message
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on a widely controversial
subject that we have entitled,
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"Spiritual formation,
a blessing or a curse."
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During our first
program, I spoke to you
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briefly about the
origin of this movement
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and a bit of it
supposed purpose.
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I asked the question as to
whether or not this movement
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may be a wolf in
sheep's clothing.
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You know what I mean.
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Something very harmful
yet disguised in Christianity.
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Please allow me to share a quote
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from the website
www.gotquestions.org.
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"The spiritual formation
movement is very popular today.
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It is, however, in
many ways a move away
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from the truth of God's word to
a mystical form of Christianity.
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And it has
infiltrated, to some degree,
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nearly all
evangelical denominations.
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The idea of spiritual formation
is based on the premise
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that if we do certain practices,
we can be more like Jesus.
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Proponents of spiritual
formation erroneously teach
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that anyone can
practice these mystical rituals
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and find God within themselves.
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Too often,
adherents of the current
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spiritual formation movement
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believe the
spiritual disciplines
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transform the
speaker by his or her
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entering an altered state,
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an altered realm
of consciousness.
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The spiritual formation
movement is characterized
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by such things as
contemplative prayer,
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contemplative spirituality,
and Christian mysticism."
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What I've found in my
studies is that this movement
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has found no
boundaries in religious beliefs.
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In fact even though we are
dressing the problems facing
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our evangelical
churches who are promoting
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these new types of
practices you really don't even
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have to be Christian or a seeker
of truth in any form or fashion
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to experience
this altered state.
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The Bible on the other
hand promotes the thought--
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now listen carefully, that
we are to be seekers of truth
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and that our meditation is
to be upon Christ and His word.
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Whereas to experience this
ecstasy of spiritual formation,
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as some call it, you
are to learn to meditate
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by emptying the
mind and losing control
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of oneself to the God
within or spirit within.
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Friends, our only
hope is to be as Christ was
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and to fully trust in
the word as He did even
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when He was tempted by the enemy
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who had appeared
to Him, to Christ,
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disguised as an
angel of life from heaven.
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You know, Pastor Kenny he
has been studying this movement
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for quite sometime now and I am
sure that he has much to share
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to help us more fully understand
what spirit is behind this
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and just how to deal with it.
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But first, we are so blessed
to go to the 3ABN worship center
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and listen to a song entitled,
"Oh, I Want to Know You More"
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as sung by Christian Berdhal.
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Just the time I feel
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That I've been
caught in the mire of self
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Just the time I feel
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My mind's been
bought by worldly wealth
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That's when the
breeze begins to blow
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I know the Spirit's call
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And all my worldly wanderings
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Just melt into His love
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Oh, I want to know You more
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Deep within my
soul, I want to know You
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Oh, I want to know You
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To feel Your
heart and know Your mind
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Looking in Your
eyes stirs up within me
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Cries that say
I want to know You
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Oh, I want to know You more
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When my daily deeds
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Ordinarily lose life and song
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My heart begins to bleed
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Sensitivity to Him is gone
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I've run the race but set
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My own pace and
face a shattered soul
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Now the gentle
arms of Jesus warm
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My hunger to be whole
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Oh, I want to know You more
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Deep within my
soul, I want to know You
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Oh, I want to know You
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To feel Your
heart and know Your mind
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Looking in Your
eyes stirs up within me
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Cries that say
I want to know You
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Oh, I want to know You
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And I would give my final breath
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To know You in Your
death and resurrection
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Oh, I want to know You more
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Oh, I want to know You
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To know You more
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Oh, I want to know
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You more
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Thanks, for
joining us once again
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here at "Behold the Lamb."
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Have a very, very
important subject as you heard
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my wife mention, to talk
about spiritual formation.
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This is very--
this is very deadly
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and so we need to
approach it as such.
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Remember, folks, if we
are accepting air as truth
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many will be
lost because of that
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because the devil is
trying to pull us, what?
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Away from the pure word of God.
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There need to be
watchman on the walls of Zion.
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The devil is out to control
the mind and he doesn't mind
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using religious things,
so to speak, like prayer.
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Oh, I've heard a lot to talk
about prayer and people having,
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you know, a lot of meetings
and things going on with prayer
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but do they match
up with the word of God
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as how we'd
approach the throne of God.
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This is the issue.
'Cause it's not from God.
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It is from the enemy regardless
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of how you feel about it.
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Interesting quote in
"Desire of Ages," in 671.
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"It is through false theories
and traditions that Satan
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gains his power over the mind."
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Let's pray, shall we, together.
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The Holy Spirit
will help us as we study
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this most important subject.
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Pray with me, will you?
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Merciful Father, in heaven,
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we thank You for
Your precious word.
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We pray Your Holy Spirit will
enlighten us to these truths.
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You're warning
Your people today.
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Oh, Lord, help us to receive
that warning with thanksgiving.
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Bless now, we pray,
open the ears, the hearts,
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and the minds of
Your children regardless
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of what we've experience
and stick to the word of God.
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This is our chart.
This is our compass.
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Help us oh, Lord, we pray.
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If You said it in Your
word we can say, thank You Lord,
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praise God for it, and
be willing to be obedient.
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In Jesus name we pray,
and for His sake. Amen.
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Given the
importance of the subject
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as we're talking about
here-- so much material,
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so what we do is just--all
the material you can go through
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you have to condense it down
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in the little small
time that we have here.
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So always study to show
yourself approved unto God.
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All kind of information.
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So there will be
things that maybe left
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that you think ought to be
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if you have been a
studier of this subject.
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But just take--we're
looking for red flags.
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Red flags means it does not
correspond with the word of God
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and if it does not
it is from the enemy.
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Now we did our first part.
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Usually we take time
to go over what we cover--
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can't do that because of
the preciousness of time.
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But I might say this
that, you know, I realize it
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that names of
individuals could be used
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and we could drag them in.
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That's not our
purpose here of individuals.
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Our purpose is exposing
air or exposing the enemy.
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And so we ask it
through your prayers
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as we continue this study.
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Our hearts and
minds will be open.
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We're looking, what?
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To line up with the word of God.
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We need to be
careful how we handle, what?
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The word of God.
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God's looking for
men and women today
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who will be watchman
on the walls of Zion.
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There are dangers
that are coming in.
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And this right and
left-- it's like a flood
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that's coming into the church.
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And yet somehow
we don't sense it.
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We don't sense the
time that we're living.
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We're not sensing
that the enemy is throwing
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these arrows at
us-- and naturally
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what is he going--
Oh, blatant arrows. No.
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He's going to make it
seem like its spiritual.
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It's a feeling. It's an emotion.
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It's something that we
need and many people are,
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in the light of
sin-- I have a need
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of a closer walk
with Jesus. That's good.
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But it still must line
up with the words of God.
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We need people, men and
women, who will call, what?
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Sin, by its right name.
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Will you be one of those today?
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When you see air creeping
in, will you stand up and say,
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"That doesn't
correspond with the Bible."
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I read a little book
said, Reflecting Christ--
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now I'll just share
this with you quickly.
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32, said "There
is a constant need."
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What kind of need?
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"A constant need of earnest,
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decided messages of warning.
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God will have men
who are true to duty."
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Are you true to duty or are
you a wishy-washy Christian?
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Or is it, "Well, I
don't want to get involved."
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That had--other
people are getting involved.
00:11:58.52\00:12:01.70
And, friend, do
you realize now people
00:12:01.73\00:12:03.10
are getting
involved is going to be what?
00:12:03.13\00:12:04.58
Eternal life or damnation.
00:12:04.61\00:12:06.68
What is it going to be?
00:12:06.71\00:12:08.08
There's no such
saying as a harmonious air.
00:12:08.11\00:12:11.16
And so as we see this
creeping in all among us
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we need to realize this, those
who trust wholly in themselves--
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listen, those who
trust holy in themselves.
00:12:18.49\00:12:21.04
And this is what this
kind of spiritual formation
00:12:21.07\00:12:23.59
is all about,
really, is trusting self.
00:12:23.62\00:12:25.22
You know, we say we're
trusting in a higher power--
00:12:25.25\00:12:27.85
we'll see less and less of God.
00:12:27.88\00:12:29.38
Somebody listen,
"Those who trust," what?
00:12:29.41\00:12:32.59
"Wholly and themselves
will see less and less of God."
00:12:32.62\00:12:37.11
I know that you're
not one of those today.
00:12:37.14\00:12:39.77
And so as we talk
about spiritual formation
00:12:39.80\00:12:41.53
and get little bit more
into this exercise always and--
00:12:41.56\00:12:44.59
we'll have to repeat because
different kind of pattern
00:12:44.62\00:12:47.15
that we talk about here
00:12:47.18\00:12:48.55
that has lot of the
same things used in it.
00:12:48.58\00:12:50.90
So don't let--
'cause we're repeating.
00:12:50.93\00:12:53.16
Remember where
these sayings come from.
00:12:53.19\00:12:55.24
Is this what you've been
taught from the word of God
00:12:55.27\00:12:57.65
or is this something
new and strange and oh,
00:12:57.68\00:12:59.82
it gives us some
kind of a feeling
00:12:59.85\00:13:01.22
and so that
supersedes God's word? Never.
00:13:01.25\00:13:04.31
Air is air and the
devil is the author of that.
00:13:04.34\00:13:08.11
Spiritual formation
exercises affect the mind.
00:13:08.14\00:13:11.92
It is about the mind.
00:13:11.95\00:13:13.32
These experiences
are similar to hypnotism.
00:13:13.35\00:13:17.67
No one wants to be involved.
00:13:17.70\00:13:19.07
You know, you've
been warned for years.
00:13:19.10\00:13:20.47
Be careful
about letting somebody
00:13:20.50\00:13:21.87
hypnotize you, because, what?
00:13:21.90\00:13:23.27
They take control of your mind.
00:13:23.30\00:13:24.67
It's exactly what the
devil is trying to do.
00:13:24.70\00:13:27.26
Let me just name one--
maybe a red flag will go up
00:13:27.29\00:13:29.87
because you hear this mentioned
00:13:29.90\00:13:31.38
many times in
the Christian world.
00:13:31.41\00:13:33.53
They're called Centering Prayer.
00:13:33.56\00:13:35.62
So what is Centering Prayer?
00:13:35.65\00:13:38.00
It's basically a form,
listen, of self hypnosis.
00:13:38.03\00:13:42.56
A self--you can
hypnotize yourself.
00:13:42.59\00:13:45.00
Now, how does it go?
00:13:45.03\00:13:46.48
It calls for a person
to go, now notice this,
00:13:46.51\00:13:48.95
automatically--it ought to be
a flag, red flag to a Christian
00:13:48.98\00:13:51.99
when it says, you need
to go deep within yourself.
00:13:52.02\00:13:55.71
You get yourself in
trouble that way, won't you?
00:13:55.74\00:13:58.59
Deep within yourself and then
you need to concentrate here
00:13:58.62\00:14:03.17
on just one
thing and nothing else.
00:14:03.20\00:14:05.99
And the mind then is free.
00:14:06.02\00:14:09.02
But as it is free
it's open to suggestions.
00:14:09.05\00:14:14.20
But our counselor
from the word of God,
00:14:14.23\00:14:16.06
the Spirit of
Prophecy is always--listen,
00:14:16.09\00:14:18.77
the mind should
never be left to do, what?
00:14:18.80\00:14:21.13
To drift on its
own. You know why?
00:14:21.16\00:14:23.45
'Cause you'll get
yourself in trouble.
00:14:23.48\00:14:24.85
Those of you who
are mind drifted,
00:14:24.88\00:14:26.25
you know what I'm talking about.
00:14:26.28\00:14:27.65
The mind should never
ever be left to wander.
00:14:27.68\00:14:32.14
There should be
some direction to it.
00:14:32.17\00:14:34.47
The mind should never be
left--listen, uncontrolled.
00:14:34.50\00:14:39.33
Because you know
that's why you're putting
00:14:39.36\00:14:40.73
the words of God, what?
00:14:40.76\00:14:42.13
The verse that, "thy words if
I hid in my heart, mind," what?
00:14:42.16\00:14:45.42
Well, I might not
stand against you.
00:14:45.45\00:14:47.76
But if you let that go
and you have nothing up there
00:14:47.79\00:14:51.01
what is your defense?
00:14:51.04\00:14:52.62
Your defense is knowing
what is right and wrong.
00:14:52.65\00:14:55.25
I mean, this is
right, the word of God.
00:14:55.28\00:14:58.80
Its very interesting--
the Centering Prayer.
00:14:58.83\00:15:01.47
Here's what people do when they
talk about Centering Prayer.
00:15:01.50\00:15:03.59
I know there's a lot of people
out there, the good people,
00:15:03.62\00:15:05.39
maybe they're misinformed,
maybe a little bit confused.
00:15:05.42\00:15:09.20
But, man, they're leading
a lot of people down a path--
00:15:09.23\00:15:11.29
I don't think
they will ever return,
00:15:11.32\00:15:12.69
only by a miracle of God.
00:15:12.72\00:15:15.17
Remember when
somebody says, you know,
00:15:15.20\00:15:16.76
you feel like your relationship
with God has just all crumbled
00:15:16.79\00:15:19.53
and you're cold and you're
life in--you want some new life
00:15:19.56\00:15:22.28
and you want to, you
do something more for God.
00:15:22.31\00:15:24.44
You want to be energized.
00:15:24.47\00:15:25.84
You want to be able to feel it?
00:15:25.87\00:15:28.74
This is what
Centering Prayer is all about.
00:15:28.77\00:15:31.12
They say well here's how
you can get close to God.
00:15:31.15\00:15:34.00
And really as a Christian
somebody says, "Brother Kenny,
00:15:34.03\00:15:36.86
this is how you
can get closer to God."
00:15:36.89\00:15:38.35
I'll say, "How?"
00:15:38.38\00:15:40.44
And so it opens a door
here but then we keep our ears
00:15:40.47\00:15:42.95
and mind open and they will say
00:15:42.98\00:15:44.44
well I've experienced this
and you need to experience it.
00:15:44.47\00:15:47.40
Oh, it's going to
be good. You need it?
00:15:47.43\00:15:49.34
You need to listen
to what I have to say.
00:15:49.37\00:15:51.02
You see how God is
gonna work through you.
00:15:51.05\00:15:53.64
Close to God. And they say--
00:15:53.67\00:15:55.53
and how you can
just open your heart
00:15:55.56\00:15:57.18
and be--and be free. Wow.
00:15:57.21\00:16:00.42
Give your heart
and your mind to God.
00:16:00.45\00:16:02.61
If you've never done
that, what an experience.
00:16:02.64\00:16:04.32
And it's true if we're
following the word of God.
00:16:04.35\00:16:07.24
But remember for
every truth there's a what?
00:16:07.27\00:16:08.89
Good
counterfeit. How's this done?
00:16:08.92\00:16:11.60
You say, "well,
okay, I want to be--
00:16:11.63\00:16:13.19
I'm interested in Centering
Prayer. How it is done?"
00:16:13.22\00:16:15.23
All you do, you
pick a prayer word.
00:16:15.26\00:16:17.76
Just pick one word out.
00:16:17.79\00:16:19.51
You repeat that word
over and over and over.
00:16:19.54\00:16:22.54
I tell you--I don't think
I'll get into that already,
00:16:22.57\00:16:24.73
I want to be honest with you.
00:16:24.76\00:16:26.64
You pick a word and you
repeat it over and over and over
00:16:26.67\00:16:30.78
and then-- now
remember they'll say,
00:16:30.81\00:16:32.91
"oh, no, no, no
don't do it out loud.
00:16:32.94\00:16:34.75
Do it within
yourself. Think about it.
00:16:34.78\00:16:38.62
And then don't think
about what it means."
00:16:38.65\00:16:42.99
Now I'll be kind of afraid
if I were you to be--pick a word
00:16:43.02\00:16:46.13
and then not worry
about what it means.
00:16:46.16\00:16:48.90
As a Christian that's
the one of first thing
00:16:48.93\00:16:50.30
I'm reading the word of God
I want to know what it means.
00:16:50.33\00:16:53.46
There's a thought
pattern and process that goes on
00:16:53.49\00:16:56.31
but then they say, on Centering
Prayer, just let your mind go.
00:16:56.34\00:17:01.06
Let it become-- they
use the word "blank."
00:17:01.09\00:17:03.57
Man, red flag is a blank.
00:17:03.60\00:17:05.41
Let your mind
become open and empty.
00:17:05.44\00:17:08.86
Remember, anytime your
mind becomes open and empty,
00:17:08.89\00:17:11.66
as it were, and there's nothing
there the enemy will come in.
00:17:11.69\00:17:15.43
Don't fool yourself.
00:17:15.46\00:17:18.24
And to me it doesn't
matter if you think, "well,
00:17:18.27\00:17:19.79
I'll tell you when I had
this, this experience happened
00:17:19.82\00:17:22.14
I was floating
around up in air."
00:17:22.17\00:17:23.91
Doesn't matter. I
want you to listen.
00:17:23.94\00:17:26.18
It doesn't matter
if it's not following
00:17:26.21\00:17:28.66
what God said in His word.
00:17:28.69\00:17:30.62
God never talks
like this in His word.
00:17:30.65\00:17:33.19
Never one time have I read in
scripture where we take a word
00:17:33.22\00:17:35.46
and just repeat
over and over and over
00:17:35.49\00:17:36.86
and empty my mind. Never.
00:17:36.89\00:17:38.76
So why is it so religious?
00:17:38.79\00:17:40.16
Why is it--it's so open
and people are grabbing it
00:17:40.19\00:17:43.55
by the hundreds and thousands
00:17:43.58\00:17:44.95
saying this is a
wonderful experience.
00:17:44.98\00:17:47.40
How dangerous to empty
your mind to silence the voice
00:17:47.43\00:17:51.03
of the Holy Spirit, to
silence the voice of conscious,
00:17:51.06\00:17:55.30
to separate ourselves from God.
00:17:55.33\00:17:57.44
How dangerous that is.
00:17:57.47\00:18:00.48
And then we can find out this.
00:18:00.51\00:18:02.68
It's very, very,
very closely connected--
00:18:02.71\00:18:06.13
remember these principles
I've just talked about
00:18:06.16\00:18:08.24
closely resembles
that of eastern meditation
00:18:08.27\00:18:11.52
and as a Christian you say,
00:18:11.55\00:18:12.92
"well, I don't want
anything to do with that."
00:18:12.95\00:18:14.59
You say, "What?
Eastern meditation?"
00:18:14.62\00:18:16.36
Oh, such as what? Yoga.
You hear it all the time.
00:18:16.39\00:18:19.56
Mind emptying techniques,
you sit a certain way,
00:18:19.59\00:18:21.54
you don't think of
things, it's mind clearing.
00:18:21.57\00:18:23.98
Hinduism and Zen
transcendental meditation.
00:18:24.01\00:18:27.42
We realize this but
everyone of these, listen,
00:18:27.45\00:18:29.79
what I just mentioned, everyone
of these group of people say,
00:18:29.82\00:18:32.95
"oh, it's a--we're looking
for a deeper spiritual meaning.
00:18:32.98\00:18:38.24
We're trying to find maybe
God or we're trying to find
00:18:38.27\00:18:40.64
some special
application to something.
00:18:40.67\00:18:44.47
Then we need to be
careful about all of this
00:18:44.50\00:18:46.14
and we need to be careful
also about meditative prayer.
00:18:46.17\00:18:49.36
Do I believe we
need to meditate?
00:18:49.39\00:18:50.76
You better believe it.
00:18:50.79\00:18:52.16
Based upon the word of God
00:18:52.19\00:18:53.56
we're told
exactly how we do that.
00:18:53.59\00:18:55.76
Meditative
prayer, is where a person
00:18:55.79\00:18:58.61
sits quite in time of silence.
00:18:58.64\00:19:02.13
No one is around.
It's a passive type thing.
00:19:02.16\00:19:05.98
In other words there's
nothing to bother you--
00:19:06.01\00:19:07.64
no matter what's
going around you,
00:19:07.67\00:19:09.04
you don't let
anything bother you
00:19:09.07\00:19:11.35
because what you're
now centering on--listen,
00:19:11.38\00:19:13.47
instead of the God of heaven
you're centering on yourself.
00:19:13.50\00:19:18.01
What kind of-- well,
how religious can that be?
00:19:18.04\00:19:20.72
How godly can that be when
you start centering on yourself?
00:19:20.75\00:19:24.21
That's the problem
with the world today.
00:19:24.24\00:19:26.10
We're centering, what?
On ourselves all the time.
00:19:26.13\00:19:28.02
Me, my and I.
00:19:28.05\00:19:29.42
That's a big
problem right there.
00:19:29.45\00:19:31.48
And on centering on
self we begin to use imagery
00:19:31.51\00:19:34.63
or our imaginations
and we begin to visualize
00:19:34.66\00:19:38.38
and sometimes people say--
and they try to make it real
00:19:38.41\00:19:40.56
like holy and what, or
visualize about Christ.
00:19:40.59\00:19:43.96
Well, have we did
it in the right way,
00:19:43.99\00:19:45.94
the way scripture says?
00:19:45.97\00:19:47.34
Would it take that
thoughtful hour to meditate
00:19:47.37\00:19:49.52
on the last hours of Christ.
00:19:49.55\00:19:51.02
You know, while
he was here on earth.
00:19:51.05\00:19:52.49
These are, these are, these are
good but they have to line up
00:19:52.52\00:19:55.04
with scripture because the
devil is closely right there.
00:19:55.07\00:19:57.72
Truth and air lies
close together, remember.
00:19:57.75\00:20:00.68
And so you begin to concentrate.
00:20:00.71\00:20:03.40
And then, when you get to that
point you want to concentrate
00:20:03.43\00:20:06.49
on certain way that you breathe.
00:20:06.52\00:20:11.07
There's something going on here.
00:20:11.10\00:20:12.94
You realize the
breathing techniques,
00:20:12.97\00:20:14.96
how close that lies
with new age movement
00:20:14.99\00:20:18.01
and the eastern technique.
00:20:18.04\00:20:21.41
So what--why would we
want to get involved with
00:20:21.44\00:20:23.33
that when we know
where it originated
00:20:23.36\00:20:24.84
and what's going on and, ooh,
00:20:24.87\00:20:26.35
and what kind of
spirits they're calling up?
00:20:26.38\00:20:29.58
You can change it,
you could baptize it,
00:20:29.61\00:20:31.33
you can whitewash
it if you want to.
00:20:31.36\00:20:33.01
You can call it Christian
if you want to. It's not.
00:20:33.04\00:20:35.67
Because it's not based
on the word of--I have never
00:20:35.70\00:20:38.48
read in the Bible where it says
00:20:38.51\00:20:39.88
I need to
concentrate on my breathing.
00:20:39.91\00:20:43.28
In fact, God kind of
put that in us, didn't he?
00:20:43.31\00:20:44.95
Where we kind of
breathe on our own.
00:20:44.98\00:20:46.35
I don't have to think about it.
00:20:46.38\00:20:47.75
Somebody is not
going to be with me on it,
00:20:47.78\00:20:49.15
but you know what
I'm talking about.
00:20:49.18\00:20:51.35
So there's
something going on here.
00:20:51.38\00:20:52.75
We need to be careful.
00:20:52.78\00:20:54.62
And then people
will say "oh, mantra."
00:20:54.65\00:20:57.01
What is that really?
00:20:57.04\00:20:58.41
That's just taking a
word or a prayer word
00:20:58.44\00:21:00.77
and just saying
it over and over.
00:21:00.80\00:21:03.71
You heard these
people in different country,
00:21:03.74\00:21:05.11
different ones who, you know,
00:21:05.14\00:21:06.51
I must say worship
the heathen--the devil.
00:21:06.54\00:21:08.96
They say--they repeat
over and over and over.
00:21:08.99\00:21:13.77
Interesting, 'cause
they're calling the spirits.
00:21:13.80\00:21:16.53
You be careful what
spirit we're calling up here,
00:21:16.56\00:21:19.06
over and over.
00:21:19.09\00:21:20.46
And when you do
this it allows the mind
00:21:20.49\00:21:21.86
not to think of anything else.
00:21:21.89\00:21:23.26
Once again focus is on,
what? Basically nothing.
00:21:23.29\00:21:25.41
You clear out the thought,
you clear out the emotions,
00:21:25.44\00:21:27.86
you clear out right and
wrong and then you're open.
00:21:27.89\00:21:32.90
And once again I
must say that, what?
00:21:32.93\00:21:34.62
We have no
defense against the enemy.
00:21:34.65\00:21:36.12
When you do this--I know
it'll be in a spiritual setting.
00:21:36.15\00:21:39.24
I know it'll be people saying,
"oh, this is a wonderful thing."
00:21:39.27\00:21:41.96
If it doesn't line up with
the word of God it's wrong.
00:21:41.99\00:21:46.37
That's all that we
have is the word of God
00:21:46.40\00:21:49.06
that helps guide us into, what?
00:21:49.09\00:21:50.46
All truth. Regardless of all
of our feelings and our emotions
00:21:50.49\00:21:55.43
and what we say
that we've experienced.
00:21:55.46\00:21:58.88
No defense against the enemy.
00:21:58.91\00:22:01.02
Remember, I said the word no
conscience, no right and wrong.
00:22:01.05\00:22:06.45
The Bible said,
the only way the Satan
00:22:06.48\00:22:07.95
can get to you is
through, what? Through the mind.
00:22:07.98\00:22:09.83
And now he's using prayer
or a counterfeit prayer time.
00:22:09.86\00:22:13.67
And, boy, I hear lot
of people talking about
00:22:13.70\00:22:15.41
prayer time and how we need it.
00:22:15.44\00:22:18.48
But it's a right kind of prayer.
00:22:18.51\00:22:21.27
Friend, I'm under the
impression, I'm afraid
00:22:21.30\00:22:22.88
we don't have
enough time to get through.
00:22:22.91\00:22:24.28
I have so much material here.
00:22:24.31\00:22:25.68
But, you know, God said
bring your petitions to him,
00:22:25.71\00:22:29.83
your thoughts and your feelings
and your desires of your heart.
00:22:29.86\00:22:32.60
I can't just say one word
over and over and over and over
00:22:32.63\00:22:35.01
until I sit so you get
some kind of a feeling.
00:22:35.04\00:22:37.77
I need somebody I can talk to.
00:22:37.80\00:22:39.29
I need somebody I can relate to.
00:22:39.32\00:22:40.95
And that's the kind of God
that we have in His word here.
00:22:40.98\00:22:43.78
And I'm concerned that
many people are just, what,
00:22:43.81\00:22:45.85
going way away from
the word of God. Why?
00:22:45.88\00:22:49.39
Because many today are
desiring a new experience.
00:22:49.42\00:22:53.51
They don't like the old
experience, they fall apart.
00:22:53.54\00:22:55.87
They don't know what's
happen but they're die.
00:22:55.90\00:22:58.59
I heard people say, "you know,
I'm looking for peace with God."
00:22:58.62\00:23:01.33
Oh, that's good.
Looking for a new experience.
00:23:01.36\00:23:03.48
Oh, that's good.
00:23:03.51\00:23:05.05
Some people say, "I'm
trying to reach a higher plane."
00:23:05.08\00:23:07.33
I'm starting-- my flag's--what?
00:23:07.36\00:23:09.37
Oh, we need to reach
higher and higher, dear friends,
00:23:09.40\00:23:11.44
by the grace and
spirit and power of God
00:23:11.47\00:23:14.14
but not through this thing
00:23:14.17\00:23:15.54
that the devil
has, this counterfeit,
00:23:15.57\00:23:18.43
spiritual formation exercises.
00:23:18.46\00:23:21.43
The reality of that is
it opens the mind to, who?
00:23:21.46\00:23:24.57
Good, to Satan. Why?
00:23:24.60\00:23:27.15
Because we've
given our minds to him.
00:23:27.18\00:23:30.53
Never clear your mind.
00:23:30.56\00:23:31.99
Don't be going
to people who say,
00:23:32.02\00:23:33.39
"Oh, we're gonna hypnotize you
00:23:33.42\00:23:34.79
and we are gonna
do--" No, never do that.
00:23:34.82\00:23:37.80
Bible simply tells
this in Philippians 2:4.
00:23:37.83\00:23:40.22
Is that we need to
have the mind of, what?
00:23:40.25\00:23:43.39
Philippians 2:5, we need
to have the mind of, what?
00:23:43.42\00:23:45.79
The mind of Christ.
00:23:45.82\00:23:47.33
Do you think He ever sat
down and chat--took a word
00:23:47.36\00:23:50.27
and just begin to say that word
over and over and over, breathe.
00:23:50.30\00:23:54.32
Somebody is not getting this.
00:23:54.35\00:23:56.14
Did you ever see
that in the Bible?
00:23:56.17\00:23:58.01
Then why? Why
are we believing it?
00:23:58.04\00:24:01.41
Why is it a movement?
00:24:01.44\00:24:02.96
Why are people
become hoodwinked by it?
00:24:02.99\00:24:04.96
It's not even
close to the truth.
00:24:04.99\00:24:08.17
It could have been because
we're so dark spiritually.
00:24:08.20\00:24:10.11
Because we
just-- we lack so much.
00:24:10.14\00:24:12.65
Something is happening in
our life that we reach out
00:24:12.68\00:24:14.42
and grasp something like this?
00:24:14.45\00:24:17.66
If a person voluntarily give
their mind open to the enemy
00:24:17.69\00:24:21.51
don't think he's
not going to come in.
00:24:21.54\00:24:24.52
Because the enemy
comes in and he--oh, listen
00:24:24.55\00:24:27.01
he wants you to think
that you're living for God
00:24:27.04\00:24:30.50
when you're living for
him. The devil doesn't care.
00:24:30.53\00:24:32.44
He can say, "oh,
yeah, the God's been good."
00:24:32.47\00:24:33.86
But he doesn't care.
We're living for the enemy.
00:24:33.89\00:24:40.63
Now let's talk about this power.
00:24:40.66\00:24:43.63
Power of the enemy
comes in and takes control
00:24:43.66\00:24:45.92
and we begin to
feel good about our self.
00:24:45.95\00:24:47.97
We have no need of a change.
00:24:48.00\00:24:49.37
We have no need
of gaining victories.
00:24:49.40\00:24:50.95
We have no need of
doing anything else
00:24:50.98\00:24:52.54
because we're right with God.
00:24:52.57\00:24:54.40
Sin doesn't feel like it used to
or it used to be condemning it.
00:24:54.43\00:24:57.89
Sin was all bad and it is.
00:24:57.92\00:24:59.29
We understand, dear
friend, but listen to me.
00:24:59.32\00:25:01.28
All of a sudden this just
really doesn't matter anymore
00:25:01.31\00:25:03.41
because God has taken all
of these things and, you know,
00:25:03.44\00:25:06.98
I can't wait for
the next meeting.
00:25:07.01\00:25:08.38
We come together
and it's just like
00:25:08.41\00:25:09.78
a something just
feels like a spiritual high.
00:25:09.81\00:25:11.58
What are you talking about here?
00:25:11.61\00:25:15.41
Jesus went to pray the
heavenly Father, you know,
00:25:15.44\00:25:17.57
and He said He shed tears.
00:25:17.60\00:25:20.32
He talked to
His heavenly Father.
00:25:20.35\00:25:23.46
He didn't repeat over
and do breathing exercise
00:25:23.49\00:25:25.43
and sit a certain way.
00:25:25.46\00:25:27.63
Oh, friend, we need
to be praying about this.
00:25:27.66\00:25:30.82
We talked about mantra,
00:25:30.85\00:25:32.22
we talked about
repeating things.
00:25:32.25\00:25:33.85
You know, just take a word
and go over and over and over.
00:25:33.88\00:25:35.89
And I looked at
them in the dictionary.
00:25:35.92\00:25:37.29
I thought it was very
interesting because mantra
00:25:37.32\00:25:38.69
is very close to mantis.
00:25:38.72\00:25:40.36
And let me just
share this with you.
00:25:40.39\00:25:41.76
In the Greek mantis means--
it means a prophet or a seer
00:25:41.79\00:25:44.94
but in English
it means an insect.
00:25:44.97\00:25:48.62
By this spiritually,
friends, some of you'll get it,
00:25:48.65\00:25:50.60
bless your heart,
and some of you won't,
00:25:50.63\00:25:52.00
some of you won't care.
00:25:52.03\00:25:53.66
It's very interesting here,
the praying mantis does, what?
00:25:53.69\00:25:56.49
It folds its
legs like its praying.
00:25:56.52\00:25:59.44
But then it does what?
00:25:59.47\00:26:00.84
It feeds on other insect.
00:26:00.87\00:26:04.28
Could it be--as
Christian we think we're doing
00:26:04.31\00:26:06.00
the right thing for someone else
00:26:06.03\00:26:07.40
but yet we're
actually destroying them?
00:26:07.43\00:26:09.20
And maybe we don't
even know the difference?
00:26:09.23\00:26:10.79
But we would if we
would stay in the word of God.
00:26:10.82\00:26:14.45
Because it reveals spiritual
formation is dangerous.
00:26:14.48\00:26:17.81
Two quick errors, always,
00:26:17.84\00:26:19.21
and we'll repeat
them as we go on.
00:26:19.24\00:26:20.61
Number one, it's
always, remember, mind emptying.
00:26:20.64\00:26:24.70
Number two, you hear
lot about disciplining.
00:26:24.73\00:26:28.00
Should we disciple, "oh, yes."
00:26:28.03\00:26:30.44
But there again, for every
truth there's a counterfeit.
00:26:30.47\00:26:32.92
I'm always
cautious-- somebody's always
00:26:32.95\00:26:34.95
talking about
disciplining somebody.
00:26:34.98\00:26:36.78
Always having
control over that person
00:26:36.81\00:26:38.95
or them looking to you
rather than looking to God.
00:26:38.98\00:26:42.70
Does people need
help? He said, "yes."
00:26:42.73\00:26:44.69
But is it according to
scripture in the right way.
00:26:44.72\00:26:48.03
So we have to be careful
when we disciple someone else.
00:26:48.06\00:26:50.37
If we stepped out in
this spiritual formation
00:26:50.40\00:26:53.14
and we let the--empty
our mind, the enemy comes in
00:26:53.17\00:26:55.54
then we start disciplining
somebody else, what?
00:26:55.57\00:26:57.84
We're gonna lead them
down the wrong path too
00:26:57.87\00:26:59.66
and the enemy can get
through them, through you.
00:26:59.69\00:27:01.32
You don't want
that. I don't want that.
00:27:01.35\00:27:04.80
Friend, we need to
be very, very careful
00:27:04.83\00:27:07.27
about contemplative prayer.
00:27:07.30\00:27:09.91
Oh, I know you heard that term.
00:27:09.94\00:27:12.77
But you realize
contemplative prayer
00:27:12.80\00:27:14.54
is not really prayer at all.
00:27:14.57\00:27:18.36
Once again it is another
technique of mind emptying.
00:27:18.39\00:27:22.15
It's a state where the brain
00:27:22.18\00:27:24.23
does not put up a
fight against evil.
00:27:24.26\00:27:29.84
Bible is all about fighting
the good fight of faith, resist.
00:27:29.87\00:27:34.11
But here you just
don't fight the enemy
00:27:34.14\00:27:39.02
because this person who
uses this contemplative prayer--
00:27:39.05\00:27:42.19
let's just
expose them, shall we?
00:27:42.22\00:27:43.88
They sit very
quietly, empty everything
00:27:43.91\00:27:47.53
they can in their mind.
00:27:47.56\00:27:49.77
It's called a time of
silence or a time of stillness.
00:27:49.80\00:27:54.47
Do you realize again
this is a system used
00:27:54.50\00:27:56.54
in mystical practices,
ancient mystical practices
00:27:56.57\00:27:59.36
which you don't want anything
to with or I don't either.
00:27:59.39\00:28:02.57
And what happens now?
00:28:02.60\00:28:03.97
The mind becomes
empty, Satan begins to work.
00:28:04.00\00:28:07.33
That's very clear in the
word of God, "Evangelism,"
00:28:07.36\00:28:09.33
page 681, notice this statement.
00:28:09.36\00:28:11.42
He said, "It is
necessary to guard
00:28:11.45\00:28:13.40
the thought" did you get it?
00:28:13.43\00:28:15.44
"Guard the
thoughts, to fence the soul
00:28:15.47\00:28:18.52
about with the
injunctions of God's word.
00:28:18.55\00:28:21.34
We're to be fenced around what?
00:28:21.37\00:28:22.79
Protection, again what?
00:28:22.82\00:28:24.19
Of Gods words around
us so we will understand
00:28:24.22\00:28:26.24
what evil is and
what is right and wrong.
00:28:26.27\00:28:28.99
"Be careful in every
thought, word and action."
00:28:29.02\00:28:33.02
Here it's not
talking about thought.
00:28:33.05\00:28:35.00
It's not talking
about word and action.
00:28:35.03\00:28:36.82
It's mind emptying so the devil
00:28:36.85\00:28:38.54
can come in and
make you feel good.
00:28:38.57\00:28:42.11
Well, somebody say
the other day, said,
00:28:42.14\00:28:43.51
"well, what did
you do about election?"
00:28:43.54\00:28:44.91
So I said, I said,
I just didn't feel it.
00:28:44.94\00:28:48.39
You know, how sometime we
feel, we just don't feel it.
00:28:48.42\00:28:51.51
And lot of Christians today are
not feeling the real Holy Spirit
00:28:51.54\00:28:54.59
and they're taking a
counterfeit and counterfeit
00:28:54.62\00:28:57.55
measures to have a
different experience.
00:28:57.58\00:28:59.18
Listen, I believe
in real meditation.
00:28:59.21\00:29:02.81
And real meditation,
dear friends, it involves
00:29:02.84\00:29:06.10
a thought
process, a thought process.
00:29:06.13\00:29:09.89
It's a conscious mind.
00:29:09.92\00:29:12.53
It's weighing
out the word of God,
00:29:12.56\00:29:14.85
studying the word
of God as we pray,
00:29:14.88\00:29:17.36
as we live out His word in us.
00:29:17.39\00:29:20.76
We resist
temptation through the what?
00:29:20.79\00:29:22.55
The word and the power of
the Holy Spirit, James 4:17.
00:29:22.58\00:29:26.35
But in order to
resist-- here's the point,
00:29:26.38\00:29:28.63
in order to resist the
enemy we must use our minds.
00:29:28.66\00:29:34.70
And I'm going to be careful.
00:29:34.73\00:29:37.20
We have to use our minds.
00:29:37.23\00:29:39.15
They must be
active and they must stay
00:29:39.18\00:29:42.16
in constant
contact with God and what?
00:29:42.19\00:29:45.69
And we must stay fully
committed to Him at all times.
00:29:45.72\00:29:50.99
Of course I must--I need
to mention here when using
00:29:51.02\00:29:54.22
these spiritual formation
exercise here, it deals with--
00:29:54.25\00:29:58.44
we've been talking
about a lot, feelings.
00:29:58.47\00:30:00.54
A feeling of a new experience.
00:30:00.64\00:30:04.05
And what? Satan can do what?
00:30:04.08\00:30:06.47
He can affect the mind.
00:30:06.50\00:30:09.29
He makes it appear as
though it's a marvelous
00:30:09.32\00:30:12.41
and it's a feel
good, it's a brand new.
00:30:12.44\00:30:14.81
Some say what?
Born again experience.
00:30:14.84\00:30:17.09
They say we never had
anything like it before.
00:30:17.12\00:30:19.04
We've been
Christian for umpteen years
00:30:19.07\00:30:21.29
and now all of a
suddenly we've experience this.
00:30:21.32\00:30:23.85
And what as we've
experience this thing I hear,
00:30:23.88\00:30:26.21
"Oh, our lives and
hearts have changed." Have they?
00:30:26.24\00:30:28.89
The truth changes your
heart and mind, not an air.
00:30:28.92\00:30:34.69
You may see some of these things
00:30:34.72\00:30:36.09
going on in your
church where you attend.
00:30:36.12\00:30:39.91
Now this is a fact. This is--
00:30:39.94\00:30:42.09
Listen carefully, if this
is going on in your church
00:30:42.12\00:30:45.58
and it's not being scotched--
00:30:45.61\00:30:49.23
probably need to find
another pastor, number one.
00:30:49.26\00:30:51.41
I know people hate to
hear it but that's true.
00:30:51.44\00:30:54.85
But, you know, in that
church you were almost dead--
00:30:54.88\00:30:57.47
99.9% and I'll say
100% the law of God
00:30:57.50\00:31:01.47
is no longer
preached from the pulpit.
00:31:01.50\00:31:03.87
And when the law of
God is no longer preached
00:31:03.90\00:31:05.80
from the pulpit
the people will lose
00:31:05.83\00:31:08.10
their spiritual discernment
and they are gonna sink
00:31:08.13\00:31:11.63
lower and lower
into worldly activities
00:31:11.66\00:31:14.76
when the Bible said 1
John 2:15, "Love not the world,
00:31:14.79\00:31:18.61
neither the things
that are in the world."
00:31:18.64\00:31:21.39
There's one simple key here,
00:31:21.42\00:31:23.84
wherever the law of God is
not preached from the pulpit.
00:31:23.87\00:31:27.25
In other words, no real
definite rights or wrongs
00:31:27.28\00:31:29.75
the people begin to
sink lower and lower.
00:31:29.78\00:31:32.38
I've heard people say,
"Oh, this is new light."
00:31:32.41\00:31:36.11
Well, praise
God, if its new light
00:31:36.14\00:31:37.51
I'm sure it's gonna harmonize
with scripture, isn't it?
00:31:37.54\00:31:40.15
If it's new light then what?
00:31:40.18\00:31:41.65
It's old light
that's always been here,
00:31:41.68\00:31:43.34
maybe just
discovered so you thought
00:31:43.37\00:31:44.75
it's the
foundation you can find out.
00:31:44.78\00:31:48.36
Come on and join
in, I'll tell you
00:31:48.39\00:31:49.94
here's a something's
going on, it's a new experience.
00:31:49.97\00:31:53.07
Friend, let me tell you,
00:31:53.10\00:31:54.47
if you want a true
revival you want more life,
00:31:54.50\00:31:56.09
you want an
experience, you want to be,
00:31:56.12\00:31:57.90
well, ready for the
coming of Jesus right here
00:31:57.93\00:32:00.26
we need to go back
to the word of God.
00:32:00.29\00:32:02.51
Did you get it?
00:32:02.54\00:32:03.91
We need to go back
to the word of God.
00:32:03.94\00:32:05.90
We need to get down on our knees
00:32:05.93\00:32:07.57
and we need to
stay there until we know
00:32:07.60\00:32:09.23
that we've been born again.
00:32:09.26\00:32:10.68
We need to be pleading for
the power of the Holy Spirit
00:32:10.71\00:32:14.72
instead of
looking for something new
00:32:14.75\00:32:16.20
and something that is exciting
00:32:16.23\00:32:17.60
rather than
worry about the pillars
00:32:17.63\00:32:19.00
that have always been there
00:32:19.03\00:32:20.40
that will not
move, will not change.
00:32:20.43\00:32:22.41
Say something-- and they'll say,
00:32:22.44\00:32:24.48
"there's something
missing in my life."
00:32:24.51\00:32:27.69
Do you realize the
enemy hears you say that--
00:32:27.72\00:32:29.60
every time as a Christian
you say something's missing?
00:32:29.63\00:32:33.70
When you say
something's missing--
00:32:33.73\00:32:36.39
what do you think
that the enemy is gonna do?
00:32:36.42\00:32:41.52
I almost said the
enemy is not a dummy
00:32:41.55\00:32:43.00
but I'm not going to say that.
00:32:43.03\00:32:47.18
He, hears what you
say and he lays a snare.
00:32:47.21\00:32:52.49
Do you realize
this is been going--
00:32:52.52\00:32:54.42
this is been going
on since the beginning
00:32:54.45\00:32:55.94
of time with Adam and Eve.
00:32:55.97\00:32:57.34
Let me share something with you.
00:32:57.37\00:32:59.56
Beginning of time--
00:32:59.59\00:33:01.38
Adam and Eve,
when they first sinned,
00:33:01.41\00:33:03.95
check this out,
when the first sinned--
00:33:03.98\00:33:05.92
"Patriarchs and
Prophets," page 56 says this.
00:33:05.95\00:33:08.75
Talking about Adam and
Eve and their first sin.
00:33:08.78\00:33:10.54
Notice this. "They had entered,"
00:33:10.57\00:33:13.66
here's what Adam and Eve said.
00:33:13.69\00:33:15.60
"We have entered
into a higher experience--
00:33:15.63\00:33:18.87
state of existence.
00:33:18.90\00:33:20.92
In a state of
strange unnatural excitement,
00:33:20.95\00:33:25.76
exhilarating influence,
00:33:25.79\00:33:28.27
thrilling every
faculty with new life."
00:33:28.30\00:33:32.76
Adam and Eve had just
sinned, put the world in a mess.
00:33:32.79\00:33:35.87
And they said, "We-- it
feels good, exhilarating."
00:33:35.90\00:33:41.21
It's unnatural--
we haven't experienced
00:33:41.24\00:33:43.02
anything like
this, this excitement.
00:33:43.05\00:33:44.76
You think that the devil
gave it to them, didn't you?
00:33:44.79\00:33:47.00
Get it?
00:33:47.03\00:33:48.40
Do you realize what
Satan used here? Symbolist.
00:33:51.87\00:33:55.16
He used hypnotism.
A form of hypnotism.
00:33:55.19\00:33:59.71
We're using it today in
our, we call prayer life.
00:33:59.74\00:34:06.51
And we realize
the world was lost.
00:34:06.54\00:34:08.86
What led to Adam and Eve's fall?
00:34:08.89\00:34:11.27
They believed a lie
and they doubted God
00:34:11.30\00:34:14.01
and they looked
for something more
00:34:14.04\00:34:15.49
and something new
and something different.
00:34:15.52\00:34:18.43
You're looking for
something different,
00:34:18.46\00:34:19.83
the devil will give it to you.
00:34:19.86\00:34:21.23
Make sure it matches
up with the word of God.
00:34:21.26\00:34:24.16
Meaning remember,
repeating a word over and over
00:34:24.19\00:34:27.58
and emptying the
mind is just wrong.
00:34:27.61\00:34:30.74
Your mind is your only
defense against the enemy.
00:34:30.77\00:34:36.93
Did you-- you know this.
00:34:36.96\00:34:38.96
Even sound affects the mind.
00:34:38.99\00:34:42.71
Sound affects
the body's chemistry.
00:34:42.74\00:34:45.91
Let me just
read something to you
00:34:45.94\00:34:47.31
found in "Focal Point"
at yoga.com tells us this.
00:34:47.34\00:34:52.33
It says, "Sound is
able to affect the chemistry
00:34:52.36\00:34:56.14
of the body and the mind."
00:34:56.17\00:34:58.78
Someone will say,
"Well, it doesn't affect me."
00:34:58.81\00:35:00.71
I don't know,
every once in a while
00:35:00.74\00:35:02.11
I hear some nice
good Christian music
00:35:02.14\00:35:03.51
sometime my feet
wants to tap a little bit.
00:35:03.54\00:35:05.75
Something is affecting
me. I hope you get it now.
00:35:05.78\00:35:09.14
"And it also affects--
alters the thought pattern."
00:35:09.17\00:35:13.78
And then they go on to say,
00:35:13.81\00:35:15.18
"Mantra meditation is a
very powerful technique."
00:35:15.21\00:35:21.09
You see the sources
that we're looking here
00:35:21.12\00:35:22.68
saying this is a good thing.
00:35:22.71\00:35:25.34
It's not a good
thing in the word of God.
00:35:25.37\00:35:27.47
"Message to Young
People," says this, page 42,
00:35:27.50\00:35:30.31
"To those who
let the mind drift."
00:35:30.34\00:35:32.97
Are you letting it drift?
00:35:33.00\00:35:34.44
"Where it will
drift if not guarded,
00:35:34.47\00:35:37.67
Satan makes suggestions
which they fill the mind
00:35:37.70\00:35:41.45
that they are
trained in the army
00:35:41.48\00:35:43.84
to decoy other souls."
00:35:43.87\00:35:47.56
So if you let the mind
drift, the enemy will come in,
00:35:47.59\00:35:49.76
get your mind, and
then he'll use you to, what?
00:35:49.79\00:35:52.93
Decoy somebody else.
And that's what people do.
00:35:52.96\00:35:55.91
They come and they find--
00:35:55.94\00:35:57.31
instead of going
along with the word of God--
00:35:57.34\00:35:58.71
but it's an
experience, it's a feeling,
00:35:58.74\00:36:00.11
and we go out and try to
get somebody else involved,
00:36:00.14\00:36:02.42
and we do it with such
enthusiasm, such excitement,
00:36:02.45\00:36:04.64
and all of these
people have been dead
00:36:04.67\00:36:06.24
for so long, their eyes closed.
00:36:06.27\00:36:08.85
And they say, "Well, I
might as well try that."
00:36:08.88\00:36:11.45
Friend, make it match
up with the word of God.
00:36:11.48\00:36:15.19
The object of
spiritual formation,
00:36:15.22\00:36:17.38
dear friends, it's dangerous.
00:36:17.41\00:36:20.67
Because in that a
person is trying to realize,
00:36:20.70\00:36:23.27
listen carefully,
their oneness with God.
00:36:23.30\00:36:26.70
Do we need that? Yes,
00:36:26.73\00:36:28.53
based upon the Bible
not eastern techniques.
00:36:28.56\00:36:32.89
Oneness with God or
some say if you continue
00:36:32.92\00:36:35.97
to go through it you'll
become fully one with God.
00:36:36.00\00:36:39.48
Wow, pagan
practices, heathen practices.
00:36:39.51\00:36:42.68
Yes, where it come from?
00:36:42.71\00:36:45.53
So if you plan on emptying
the mind of thought it becomes--
00:36:45.56\00:36:50.60
listen, 'cause you'll say,
00:36:50.63\00:36:52.00
"well, I never
put myself on play."
00:36:52.03\00:36:53.48
You empty your
mind it is much easier
00:36:53.51\00:36:56.10
to begin to think that what?
00:36:56.13\00:36:58.04
I can become God or
a God. One with God.
00:36:58.07\00:37:02.54
Do you realize what this is?
00:37:02.57\00:37:04.45
This is
spiritualism rampant here
00:37:04.48\00:37:07.06
in the last days
before the coming of Jesus.
00:37:07.09\00:37:10.89
Remember, Satan told
Adam and Eve in the garden
00:37:10.92\00:37:15.65
and he tells us today,
"Don't worry about sin.
00:37:15.68\00:37:20.13
You can have your own standard."
00:37:20.16\00:37:22.89
Listen, since we
are our own God--
00:37:22.92\00:37:25.48
I think you can get
it there as you just read
00:37:25.51\00:37:27.20
Genesis chapter 3
especially in 15 or 5, 3:5.
00:37:27.23\00:37:31.19
You can kind of
become your own God.
00:37:31.22\00:37:33.58
You could know more, you
know, you don't have to follow
00:37:33.61\00:37:35.67
what Gods plan--
don't worry about sin.
00:37:35.70\00:37:38.44
Realize that
churches are not teaching
00:37:38.47\00:37:40.06
the commandments of God,
you're saying the same thing.
00:37:40.09\00:37:42.29
"Pastor you're
saying the same thing."
00:37:42.32\00:37:43.69
You say, you don't
have to keep the law of God
00:37:43.72\00:37:45.53
by Gods grace and Gods strength.
00:37:45.56\00:37:47.17
You're telling that I can be
own God don't worry about sin?
00:37:47.20\00:37:50.55
That's what the devil said.
00:37:50.58\00:37:51.95
Now you don't
want to be the devil.
00:37:51.98\00:37:54.17
Mentioned before
we talk about Hindu
00:37:54.20\00:37:56.04
and Buddhist and Zen practices,
00:37:56.07\00:37:58.59
spiritual formation
will take you to the point--
00:37:58.62\00:38:03.43
If you get
involved, it will take you
00:38:03.46\00:38:05.17
to the point that
you are fully God.
00:38:05.20\00:38:09.40
Zen, for
instance here, detaches--
00:38:09.43\00:38:12.82
they teach us that you
must detach from oneself.
00:38:12.85\00:38:18.13
And you detach from
the process of thinking.
00:38:18.16\00:38:23.20
Wow, do we really want
to detach from our mind
00:38:23.23\00:38:27.05
and our thinking and
let some other kind of--
00:38:27.08\00:38:29.10
remember one spirit or the other
00:38:29.13\00:38:30.50
is gonna fill
the mind and heart.
00:38:30.53\00:38:33.69
So I really believe that
we have to kind of conclude
00:38:33.72\00:38:35.83
as we're looking
at the techniques
00:38:35.86\00:38:37.62
used here in Christian--
they call Christian meditation.
00:38:37.65\00:38:41.45
They are the same
techniques used in what?
00:38:41.48\00:38:44.60
The new age and
eastern mystic meditation.
00:38:44.63\00:38:48.27
If it is we don't want anything
to do with it but listen if--
00:38:48.30\00:38:51.36
if it has the same
techniques used in it
00:38:51.39\00:38:53.94
how can we turn
around and say okay,
00:38:53.97\00:38:55.87
it's Christian when we know
00:38:55.90\00:38:57.27
where it came
from a pagan origin.
00:38:57.30\00:39:00.58
It came from
there and everything
00:39:00.61\00:39:01.99
that you do is from paganism.
00:39:02.02\00:39:03.39
How can you say
that is Christian?
00:39:03.42\00:39:05.14
Because it feels good.
00:39:05.17\00:39:08.08
Well, how can we--
how can we be so blinded?
00:39:08.11\00:39:11.57
How can we be so
dull of spiritual things?
00:39:11.60\00:39:14.15
God help us.
00:39:14.18\00:39:16.95
We live in that
hour where our minds--
00:39:16.98\00:39:18.62
well, we need our
minds more than ever before
00:39:18.65\00:39:20.58
we don't want to give it up.
00:39:20.61\00:39:22.10
He's saying if we
use-- just think about it,
00:39:25.90\00:39:28.55
if we use these same techniques
00:39:28.58\00:39:30.77
that the eastern
religions and pagans
00:39:30.80\00:39:33.05
and heathens they all used,
00:39:33.08\00:39:35.69
wouldn't it-- what
did they used them for?
00:39:35.72\00:39:39.00
They wanted to call up,
00:39:39.03\00:39:40.40
somebody help me
here, evil spirits.
00:39:40.43\00:39:43.45
In fact the Bible says, and
I'm talking about Isaiah 8:19,
00:39:43.48\00:39:46.02
it says they called up
the, ooh, the wizards that peep.
00:39:46.05\00:39:50.54
The wizards
that peep and mutter.
00:39:50.57\00:39:54.49
So you all, they are calling up
00:39:54.52\00:39:56.22
if you're using these techniques
00:39:56.25\00:39:57.62
you're calling
up the wrong sprit
00:39:57.65\00:39:59.02
and you don't even know it.
00:39:59.05\00:40:00.63
You should know it because
it's not based on Gods word.
00:40:00.66\00:40:05.81
And something to think about,
00:40:05.84\00:40:07.38
if we focus on it we've talked
00:40:07.41\00:40:08.87
a little bit
about it, breathing.
00:40:08.90\00:40:11.79
Say one or two
words over and over.
00:40:11.82\00:40:14.20
Try not to work our brains.
00:40:14.23\00:40:17.33
Try not to
think. Empty the mind.
00:40:17.36\00:40:20.44
Close things off. Right?
00:40:20.47\00:40:23.23
Don't really think
about what's going on.
00:40:23.26\00:40:25.25
Stare at one object for a while.
00:40:25.28\00:40:28.10
If a person-- I'm a
bit careful with this
00:40:28.13\00:40:30.18
but if a person empties
their mind you become mindless.
00:40:30.21\00:40:34.60
It's just that simple.
00:40:34.63\00:40:37.06
If we put
ourselves in that state
00:40:37.09\00:40:39.54
it is a form of self hypnosis.
00:40:39.57\00:40:42.73
It might shock many,
but this is taking place
00:40:42.76\00:40:45.54
as in many churches today
and there's not even a squeal--
00:40:45.57\00:40:48.12
there's not a
sound of a trumpet.
00:40:48.15\00:40:50.18
People don't know
what to think about it.
00:40:50.21\00:40:51.64
If you knew the
word of God you will.
00:40:51.67\00:40:54.50
Spiritual formation,
discipleship programs
00:40:54.53\00:40:59.46
have long roots in Catholicism,
00:40:59.49\00:41:02.88
Buddhism, and
Hinduism, and Paganism.
00:41:02.91\00:41:05.93
There's no doubt about it.
00:41:05.96\00:41:07.51
Is there a right way? Yes.
00:41:07.54\00:41:09.53
But you know what, we're
not taking the right way.
00:41:09.56\00:41:11.40
What they're
trying to take a shortcut.
00:41:11.43\00:41:12.80
And there is no shortcut.
00:41:12.83\00:41:15.85
Well, I may say the object
of this study is not to make--
00:41:15.88\00:41:20.49
this is to make
people aware of things
00:41:20.52\00:41:23.74
that's going on all around
us and that it does matter.
00:41:23.77\00:41:27.29
If you love your
brothers and your sister
00:41:27.32\00:41:28.81
you will not remain
silent and you will be cautious
00:41:28.84\00:41:31.67
when you're approached
with some of these things.
00:41:31.70\00:41:34.30
You know why?
00:41:34.33\00:41:36.29
Because there are meetings
00:41:36.32\00:41:37.84
that are being
held all over the world.
00:41:37.87\00:41:41.72
Meetings maybe in
homes where you think
00:41:41.75\00:41:44.01
oh, this is all got to be good
00:41:44.04\00:41:45.41
because there's mom and
dad and these different people
00:41:45.44\00:41:47.35
and, man, they seem
like real spiritual.
00:41:47.38\00:41:50.15
Public meetings,
private meetings,
00:41:50.18\00:41:52.45
invitations are given,
00:41:52.48\00:41:54.76
and books of a new
order are being distributed.
00:41:54.79\00:42:00.60
And we are asked to
read books of people,
00:42:00.63\00:42:03.94
even heathen and Pagan books.
00:42:03.97\00:42:06.41
People don't know the
truth to learn these techniques.
00:42:06.44\00:42:09.63
Why would you walk
to read the word of God,
00:42:09.66\00:42:11.89
my bother and sister?
00:42:11.92\00:42:13.39
These books are in
some well known stores.
00:42:17.01\00:42:18.60
God help us.
00:42:18.63\00:42:20.58
They promote spiritualism
and it does in different way
00:42:20.61\00:42:25.97
for some
because it's difficult--
00:42:26.00\00:42:27.73
what I can't really see this,
I really can't understand this.
00:42:27.76\00:42:31.59
Let me just kind of give
you just one example here,
00:42:31.62\00:42:33.86
maybe this will help you.
00:42:33.89\00:42:35.26
And again we're not
calling names out here
00:42:35.29\00:42:36.66
but I think we can use things,
00:42:36.69\00:42:38.25
you know, out of
the book that they quote
00:42:38.28\00:42:39.65
about
themselves, don't you think?
00:42:39.68\00:42:42.23
One such Christian,
that you would know the name,
00:42:42.26\00:42:44.82
well, many of you,
if I would mention it.
00:42:44.85\00:42:49.02
Satan writes
about his own experience
00:42:49.05\00:42:52.95
and he says if
anybody lacks something.
00:42:52.98\00:42:56.17
If you're lacking
something and if you're open
00:42:56.20\00:43:00.94
and that you want
something to happen in your life
00:43:00.97\00:43:03.11
and you wanting
something to be renewed
00:43:03.14\00:43:05.60
and you're wanting to live
me little different concept
00:43:05.63\00:43:07.86
and you want to go in
a different direction--
00:43:07.89\00:43:10.29
very important
because the information
00:43:10.32\00:43:13.27
on the little
book that he wrote.
00:43:13.30\00:43:14.89
I'm gonna quote something
from it so you can get this.
00:43:14.92\00:43:17.86
Says from book, it was promoted,
00:43:17.89\00:43:20.44
it was given to many
leaders and ministers
00:43:20.47\00:43:23.15
so that they can
help deliver this message.
00:43:23.18\00:43:25.68
Here's what it said
in the back of that book.
00:43:25.71\00:43:28.72
Goes on it says, "Well,
there is a hunger within us."
00:43:28.75\00:43:31.26
Well, praise
God, there should be
00:43:31.29\00:43:32.66
a hunger with us
but the right hunger.
00:43:32.69\00:43:34.63
Listen, you're
hungering for the word of God.
00:43:34.66\00:43:36.71
You're hungering
for a closer grip
00:43:36.74\00:43:38.11
on Jesus Christ
following the Bible.
00:43:38.14\00:43:40.33
Notice, "There's
a hungry within us.
00:43:40.36\00:43:42.59
A longing for something more.
00:43:42.62\00:43:44.98
Something we
can't quite describe.
00:43:45.01\00:43:48.63
Something has been
missing, this is it."
00:43:48.66\00:43:52.61
Now the author goes on
and leads us to believe
00:43:52.64\00:43:54.65
that we are taking a
little journey with him
00:43:54.68\00:43:57.91
and he's talking about certain--
00:43:57.94\00:43:59.50
and again and we find the
journey that we're taking,
00:43:59.53\00:44:01.79
he's taking parts of the eastern
mysticism here or meditation.
00:44:01.82\00:44:05.64
He's taking these
practices and trying to make--
00:44:05.67\00:44:07.69
whitewashed him and
say they are Christian now.
00:44:07.72\00:44:11.32
He says you can bring in that
these things in to Christianity.
00:44:11.35\00:44:14.75
Can you? Oh, they're dangerous.
00:44:14.78\00:44:19.40
And he said we can
bring these things in
00:44:19.43\00:44:21.04
and it will enrich our
spiritual life. Really?
00:44:21.07\00:44:23.82
Again, listen,
the author goes on.
00:44:23.85\00:44:26.73
Here's what he says to do.
00:44:26.76\00:44:29.54
He says, tells us to repeat
a simple line of scripture.
00:44:29.57\00:44:35.65
If there's too many
words just shorten it.
00:44:35.68\00:44:41.17
It's okay to read scripture
00:44:41.20\00:44:42.59
and to repeat it
and put it to memory.
00:44:42.62\00:44:44.40
We should be doing that.
00:44:44.43\00:44:45.80
Friend, but listen,
listen, don't give up. Do what?
00:44:45.83\00:44:48.91
Take a simple line
scripture and repeat it
00:44:48.94\00:44:52.69
but there's too many
words just eliminate some words.
00:44:52.72\00:44:54.93
I guess we can
eliminate whatever
00:44:54.96\00:44:56.33
we want to eliminate, huh? No.
00:44:56.36\00:44:59.05
Add whatever we want to add? No.
00:44:59.08\00:45:00.75
Just shorten it, doesn't matter.
00:45:00.78\00:45:03.39
And notice what he
says, and we use breathing
00:45:03.42\00:45:10.41
as a means of
bringing in the Holy Spirit.
00:45:10.44\00:45:14.02
Have you ever
read that in the book?
00:45:14.05\00:45:18.08
Breathing brings
in the Holy Spirit?
00:45:18.11\00:45:21.13
I thought we
had to beg and plead
00:45:21.16\00:45:22.53
and ask God to come in
and give us the Holy Spirit.
00:45:22.56\00:45:27.59
This is what
this author is saying,
00:45:27.62\00:45:29.51
means of brining
in the Holy Spirit.
00:45:29.54\00:45:31.98
Let me give you somewhere
he says use these words.
00:45:32.01\00:45:33.68
Here's an example that he uses.
00:45:33.71\00:45:35.56
The author says the way
I use the prayer for myself
00:45:35.59\00:45:41.61
is to pray for the
infilling of the Holy Spirit.
00:45:41.64\00:45:45.37
See when you say
that a lot of people say,
00:45:45.40\00:45:46.77
"Well, I can't argue
with that." No, pray.
00:45:46.80\00:45:48.35
We need to pray for the
infilling of the Holy Spirit.
00:45:48.38\00:45:50.84
Oh, God, give me
more of Your spirit.
00:45:50.87\00:45:52.35
But here's what he says.
00:45:52.38\00:45:53.75
I simply say as I inhale,
00:45:53.78\00:45:59.38
"Spirit of the living God,"
00:45:59.41\00:46:02.39
And as I exhale,
"Fall afresh on me."
00:46:02.42\00:46:08.86
Why?
00:46:08.89\00:46:10.96
Friend, don't we
know any better than this?
00:46:10.99\00:46:14.64
I want to call them shenanigan.
00:46:14.67\00:46:16.50
I'm going to do it anyway.
00:46:16.53\00:46:18.12
Is that supposed to do
something or is it maybe
00:46:22.23\00:46:24.22
they are inferring
something inside of you?
00:46:24.25\00:46:27.05
And then it goes on.
00:46:27.08\00:46:28.77
He says, "I finish
the combination of words
00:46:28.80\00:46:33.44
with my breathing, or my
breath, and it's very powerful."
00:46:33.47\00:46:40.52
Really? I need the Holy
Spirit to be breathing on me.
00:46:40.55\00:46:43.84
I don't know about you.
I don't need my own breath.
00:46:43.87\00:46:46.58
Somebody help me out of here.
00:46:46.61\00:46:48.62
Then he goes on to
say, "Oh, well, we can pray
00:46:48.65\00:46:53.53
a shorter prayer if we want to."
00:46:53.56\00:46:55.74
I was like, "That's too long?"
00:46:55.77\00:46:57.74
Like, as you say this,
as you, again, breathing,
00:46:57.77\00:47:04.70
as you inhale again you
can say, "Lord Jesus Christ"
00:47:04.73\00:47:11.16
and as you exhale,
"Have mercy on me."
00:47:11.19\00:47:16.75
Can't you see
where this is headed?
00:47:22.24\00:47:26.15
Doesn't this
make void the reason
00:47:26.18\00:47:28.74
that why we are here
as Gods last day people.
00:47:28.77\00:47:31.13
God wants to raises up a people.
00:47:31.16\00:47:35.42
He's wanting a people right
with a conscious of affect,
00:47:35.45\00:47:38.33
consciously to be able
by His greater strength
00:47:38.36\00:47:40.63
to put away sin in our lives.
00:47:40.66\00:47:45.40
He's raising up a people
giving the end time message.
00:47:45.43\00:47:49.09
We need communication with God.
00:47:49.12\00:47:50.52
We need to talk
things over with Him.
00:47:50.55\00:47:54.17
We need the power of
the Holy Spirit to resist
00:47:54.20\00:47:55.88
and say we had nothing
inside of us without him.
00:47:55.91\00:48:00.53
He's called the
people here in His last days
00:48:00.56\00:48:03.25
to gain complete
victory over sin.
00:48:03.28\00:48:10.58
Obedience, law, grace,
00:48:10.61\00:48:14.49
the need to
study the word of God.
00:48:14.52\00:48:18.44
Instead here we find
some of the leadership
00:48:18.47\00:48:21.65
encouraging us to
slow the body down
00:48:21.68\00:48:27.93
using motions and
thoughts and focus on breathing
00:48:27.96\00:48:31.74
and staying still and
staying quite to sit--
00:48:31.77\00:48:37.20
Listen, some even say
sit with your legs crossed
00:48:37.23\00:48:41.05
in a straight back chair with
the feet flat on the ground.
00:48:41.08\00:48:46.82
Meditation,
visualization, silence,
00:48:46.85\00:48:51.92
reading of certain books.
00:48:51.95\00:48:56.00
Isn't that all the opposite
00:48:56.03\00:48:58.58
of what scripture
tells us about prayer?
00:48:58.61\00:49:03.16
Once again, when the
disciple said to Jesus,
00:49:03.19\00:49:05.76
"Lord, teach us to pray."
00:49:05.79\00:49:08.35
You know what
Jesus said, you know--
00:49:08.38\00:49:09.79
that's what Jesus--
he didn't say pick a word
00:49:09.82\00:49:12.59
and repeat it over
and over and breathe
00:49:12.62\00:49:14.45
and sit and cross
your legs or don't...
00:49:14.48\00:49:20.47
Red flags, dear friends.
00:49:20.50\00:49:22.08
When you think about
spiritual discipleship,
00:49:22.11\00:49:26.22
spiritual
exercises, spiritual formation
00:49:26.25\00:49:31.99
or copying or modeling
yourself after a man or a,
00:49:32.02\00:49:36.56
you know, a church member
or becoming a spiritual father.
00:49:36.59\00:49:44.26
I'll say, well,
I'm a spiritual father.
00:49:44.29\00:49:46.00
Do we not realize
what's going on here?
00:49:46.03\00:49:50.41
When you say I'm
a spiritual father
00:49:50.44\00:49:51.81
this is a Jesuit
practice from ancient times.
00:49:51.84\00:49:57.41
And I think you
ought to be careful
00:49:59.87\00:50:01.24
of few things, my
brother and sister.
00:50:01.27\00:50:03.30
Be careful of those--
and I know this is good.
00:50:03.33\00:50:05.23
We need to be careful of those
who always want to nurture.
00:50:05.26\00:50:09.57
Now I know there is
good, back there, all jump up
00:50:09.60\00:50:11.84
and start screaming the heart.
00:50:11.87\00:50:13.24
It must be
according to scripture
00:50:13.27\00:50:15.52
how you nurturing someone what?
00:50:15.55\00:50:17.10
You always point them to
Jesus not certain exercises
00:50:17.13\00:50:19.52
you can gain
some merit with Jesus.
00:50:19.55\00:50:21.92
He wants you to
give your life to him.
00:50:21.95\00:50:26.03
Any deviation from
scripture is dangerous.
00:50:26.06\00:50:31.71
Lord, teach us to pray.
Are we really praying that?
00:50:31.74\00:50:36.12
Are we really
seeking Lord teach me how?
00:50:36.15\00:50:38.94
How deep is this
spiritual formation among us?
00:50:38.97\00:50:42.84
How many does it have today
00:50:42.87\00:50:44.35
because no one
sounded the warning?
00:50:44.38\00:50:46.71
And how much deeper
it's getting day by day?
00:50:46.74\00:50:50.80
Let me give you
little more food for thought.
00:50:50.83\00:50:53.59
May have not thought
about it, maybe you have.
00:50:53.62\00:50:56.09
But, you know, many
theology students and pastors
00:50:56.12\00:51:01.31
are encouraged to
get involved in some--
00:51:01.34\00:51:04.02
ohh, involved in some kind
00:51:04.05\00:51:06.02
of spiritual discernment
or guidance programs.
00:51:06.05\00:51:12.01
They are encouraged to sit
underneath a spiritual guide,
00:51:12.04\00:51:15.90
a spiritual friend
and they are encouraged
00:51:15.93\00:51:20.20
to go to other Protestant
or Catholic or Mystics
00:51:20.23\00:51:24.68
to find spiritual direction,
00:51:24.71\00:51:29.58
which everything
we've talked about it
00:51:29.61\00:51:30.98
almost all of it originated
00:51:31.01\00:51:33.16
in the Jesuit
training centers of Europe.
00:51:33.19\00:51:37.27
And yet we still
think it's okay to use it
00:51:37.30\00:51:39.27
because they'll give us a better
experience with Jesus Christ.
00:51:39.30\00:51:41.73
No. Pagan's
Pagan, wrong is wrong.
00:51:41.76\00:51:45.98
Let no man, I mean what,
00:51:46.01\00:51:47.38
let no man act as you conscious.
00:51:47.41\00:51:48.78
This is dangerous.
00:51:48.81\00:51:50.94
I never thought at least
many or about three quarters
00:51:50.97\00:51:54.41
of all who take
this course, listen--
00:51:54.44\00:51:57.52
oh, boy I wished I
didn't have to say it,
00:51:57.55\00:51:59.70
are involved in
some kind of ministry
00:51:59.73\00:52:02.46
to where they are out there
00:52:02.49\00:52:03.86
and they can what,
spread it like wild fire.
00:52:03.89\00:52:09.41
And those who are involved--
00:52:09.44\00:52:10.81
don't fool yourself, they
seem to be born again leaders.
00:52:10.84\00:52:13.68
Seem to have a sweet spirit
00:52:13.71\00:52:15.08
and you seem to
be drawn to them.
00:52:15.11\00:52:16.83
You like to be around
them, they look with the glow.
00:52:16.86\00:52:18.90
Maybe they seem to be sincere,
00:52:18.93\00:52:20.54
honest and
caring but that's not--
00:52:20.57\00:52:23.57
that's how a
Christian really should be
00:52:23.60\00:52:24.97
but this is not
what's going, but
00:52:25.00\00:52:26.83
the real test, the real test--
00:52:26.86\00:52:29.18
not how they look
and how it seems to you.
00:52:29.21\00:52:30.65
The real test, do they
really follow the Bible
00:52:30.68\00:52:33.82
teaching on prayer
and on spiritual growth.
00:52:33.85\00:52:39.29
Or do they refer you to
read other books of a new order
00:52:39.32\00:52:46.57
and to use all
kind of new terminology.
00:52:46.60\00:52:52.04
The kind of blow the mind
we're not sure what--one liners.
00:52:52.07\00:52:56.06
We got some people who
really good at one liners.
00:52:56.09\00:52:59.81
People say,
clearing the mind and silence
00:52:59.84\00:53:01.68
and sit a certain way
and have a spiritual guide.
00:53:01.71\00:53:04.50
Listen, spiritual guidance--
00:53:04.53\00:53:06.02
it's nice to have somebody
there that you can count on,
00:53:06.05\00:53:07.80
you can pray with, it's
all good and good and well.
00:53:07.83\00:53:09.68
But when we talk
here it comes to the point
00:53:09.71\00:53:12.37
that where you
have the spiritual guide
00:53:12.40\00:53:14.34
and you're working with him
00:53:14.37\00:53:15.74
and you begin to feel so close
to this person that you listen,
00:53:15.77\00:53:18.29
you begin to
confess your sins to them.
00:53:18.32\00:53:23.50
Documented stuff.
You feel confident.
00:53:23.53\00:53:26.65
There's only one mediator
00:53:26.68\00:53:28.05
between God and
man and who is that?
00:53:28.08\00:53:29.45
That's Jesus Christ.
00:53:29.48\00:53:30.85
You don't confess
your sins to some priest
00:53:30.88\00:53:33.41
or pastor or
evangelist, spiritual guide.
00:53:33.44\00:53:40.27
Be careful, my
brothers and sisters,
00:53:40.30\00:53:41.85
of anything like hypnosis.
00:53:41.88\00:53:43.41
Careful of anything, even
some professional counselors--
00:53:43.44\00:53:46.68
our time is running out here.
00:53:46.71\00:53:48.09
Those inside colleges and
psychiatrists--you know why?
00:53:48.12\00:53:50.97
They all have to
take courses in hypnotism.
00:53:51.00\00:53:54.40
Most every one of them
does so they could hypnotize.
00:53:54.43\00:53:57.17
Friend, these are things we
need to be praying about here.
00:53:57.20\00:54:00.58
Spiritual formation has
entered in among us for years.
00:54:00.61\00:54:03.52
It's deadly, stay away from it.
00:54:03.55\00:54:06.94
And you know what happens?
00:54:06.97\00:54:08.34
That comes in because
we've laid aside the Bible
00:54:08.37\00:54:10.30
and the spirit of prophecy.
00:54:10.33\00:54:11.85
We've nulled it
out, threw it out,
00:54:11.88\00:54:13.25
put in a trash can and
we're looking for something new.
00:54:13.28\00:54:15.13
You can't find a thing--
00:54:15.16\00:54:16.53
we need to get
back to the word of God.
00:54:16.56\00:54:17.93
Wouldn't you say that?
00:54:17.96\00:54:19.33
Do not deviate from Gods words.
00:54:19.36\00:54:20.73
Spiritual
formation is just plain
00:54:20.76\00:54:22.87
wrong based upon scripture.
00:54:22.90\00:54:24.27
Let's pray about it,
shall we? As we close here.
00:54:24.30\00:54:26.28
May God help us to see
regardless of what you felt,
00:54:26.31\00:54:28.48
maybe you've experienced,
00:54:28.51\00:54:30.16
it must line up
with the word of God.
00:54:30.19\00:54:31.71
Let's pray, shall we?
00:54:31.74\00:54:33.74
Loving Father in heaven,
00:54:33.77\00:54:35.14
we thank You for
Your precious word.
00:54:35.17\00:54:36.54
A lot of
material has been covered.
00:54:36.57\00:54:37.94
Your Holy Spirit is only one
00:54:37.97\00:54:39.34
that can take it
and make it clear.
00:54:39.37\00:54:40.74
We're giving you the mess
that I always make with it
00:54:40.77\00:54:42.26
but I'm
confident, I'm sure you said
00:54:42.29\00:54:44.11
the word that not return void.
00:54:44.14\00:54:45.51
And I thank You for that.
00:54:45.54\00:54:46.91
Open the ears, the hearts,
and minds of your children
00:54:46.94\00:54:48.91
and may it be a
warning to each one of us today
00:54:48.94\00:54:50.66
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:54:50.69\00:54:53.99
We sure thank you
for joining in with us
00:54:54.02\00:54:56.89
every time that we're on.
00:54:56.92\00:54:58.30
And we want you
continue pray for us
00:54:58.33\00:55:00.21
and realize that we are here
and we continue to bring these
00:55:00.24\00:55:02.97
most of timely
important messages to you
00:55:03.00\00:55:05.67
and as by your free well
offerings you make it possible.
00:55:05.70\00:55:07.89
We love you. We love
spending time with you
00:55:07.92\00:55:10.13
and we will see you next time.
00:55:10.16\00:55:12.69
Hello again and welcome back.
00:55:14.78\00:55:17.43
Friends, as never before
we must discipline ourselves
00:55:17.46\00:55:22.18
to be students of the word.
00:55:22.21\00:55:24.24
So many people
desire a living relationship
00:55:24.27\00:55:27.06
with our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
00:55:27.09\00:55:29.53
Yet, like most
everything else in their lives
00:55:29.56\00:55:32.10
they don't want to
spend the necessary time
00:55:32.13\00:55:35.57
it takes to learn what truth is
00:55:35.60\00:55:38.43
and in turn get to know Christ
and to love and to serve Him.
00:55:38.46\00:55:42.39
It's like
striving for better health.
00:55:42.42\00:55:44.57
We all want to be
healthy but not to the point
00:55:44.60\00:55:47.66
that we
actually have to exercise
00:55:47.69\00:55:49.84
or actually have to eat right.
00:55:49.87\00:55:51.77
That takes too much
effort, takes too much time.
00:55:51.80\00:55:55.08
Many want good health but
only if it comes in pure form.
00:55:55.11\00:55:59.52
However that's just
not the way it works
00:55:59.55\00:56:03.21
and that is somewhat how I see
00:56:03.24\00:56:05.19
the spiritual
formation movement.
00:56:05.22\00:56:07.46
In fact I see it as spiritualism
finding another entrance
00:56:07.49\00:56:11.73
into our churches
and into our lives.
00:56:11.76\00:56:14.61
Many people have the
idea that this process
00:56:14.64\00:56:17.32
of spiritual
formation is our quick answer
00:56:17.35\00:56:19.89
to becoming of spiritual
being and becoming like God.
00:56:19.92\00:56:23.59
Indeed it is a
spiritual experience.
00:56:23.62\00:56:26.96
One I believe in many ways
00:56:26.99\00:56:28.75
is just like the one Eve
had in the Garden of Eden.
00:56:28.78\00:56:32.50
Just after accepting and eating
00:56:32.53\00:56:34.92
that forbidden
fruit the deceptions
00:56:34.95\00:56:37.53
of the enemy really
haven't changed all that much.
00:56:37.56\00:56:41.39
But rather evolved
and clothed themselves
00:56:41.42\00:56:44.73
in today's Christianity
so as to fool the unprepared.
00:56:44.76\00:56:50.12
So I'm sure you're going to want
00:56:50.15\00:56:51.91
this set of messages to view
00:56:51.94\00:56:53.95
and to study this
topic over and over again.
00:56:53.98\00:56:57.44
And it is our
sincere prayer here
00:56:57.47\00:56:59.73
at "Behold the Lamb Ministries"
00:56:59.76\00:57:01.13
that these messages
will be used by you,
00:57:01.16\00:57:04.26
Gods people, to help
yourself to help others
00:57:04.29\00:57:07.63
from falling into yet
another snare of the enemy.
00:57:07.66\00:57:11.06
Therefore we have made
this two part series entitled
00:57:11.09\00:57:14.32
"Spiritual Formation,
of Blessing or a Curse"
00:57:14.35\00:57:17.59
parts one and two
available to you for suggestion
00:57:17.62\00:57:21.30
love gift of just $15 or more.
00:57:21.33\00:57:24.73
All you need to do is call
us here in the United States
00:57:24.76\00:57:27.97
at 618-942-5044
central standard time
00:57:28.00\00:57:33.60
or write to Behold
the Lamb Ministries,
00:57:33.63\00:57:36.56
PO Box 2030, Herrin, IL 62948.
00:57:36.59\00:57:41.34
As always you may email us
00:57:41.37\00:57:43.28
at beholdthelambministries
@yahoo.com
00:57:43.31\00:57:46.90
and you may also
order on our website
00:57:46.93\00:57:49.26
at www.beholdthelambministries.
com.
00:57:49.29\00:57:54.62
Untill next time,
friends, may our precious Lord
00:57:54.65\00:57:58.43
continue to richly
bless you and yours.
00:57:58.46\00:58:02.56