Contemplative Prayer (Part 3)
The Nation that Forgets God

Gurus of the Contemplative Prayer Movement

I have tried to discuss this with people in the past and sometimes it is hard for people to grasp why this movement is evil. There are a handful of theologians that have built bridges between the New Age religions and Christianity. Their foundation and belief system is grounded in New Age paganism, but they have learned how to customize the terminology so that Christians are not alarmed. As they persuade teachers to fall into the trap warned about in 2 Peter 2, these teachers then use their influence to entrap the church. If it was not such a powerful deception, the Bible would not spend so much time warning us of these coming wolves that look like sheep.

What the wolf says publicly often sounds innocent until you look deeper into it. One thing that often makes detection of heresy so difficult for the average believer is that the doctrine is filtered through respected teachers. A teacher such as Rick Warren or Beth Moore will quote people who are New Age followers. Unless you look up the person being quoted, you will not easily recognize the New Age doctrine being introduced. Let me give you an example. Beth Moore quotes Brennan Manning and says that his book ‘the Ragamuffin Gospel’ is “one of the most remarkable books she has ever read”. She also states that this ‘remarkable’ book is “a gift without parallel”.

I find it disturbing that her definition of the ‘Ragamuffin Gospel’ as being without parallel. Does this give it more honor than the scriptures? Perhaps this is why so many teachers have departed from biblical Christianity. They are spending little time in the word and gaining their doctrine from books. Since Beth quotes Manning, it is necessary to go to Manning in order to determine what she is promoting. In his writings, Manning acknowledges that he received his theology of contemplative prayer from Basil Pennington and quotes him in his books. Now you have to go to Pennington to find the source of this vile doctrine. He explains where he received his theology:

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 (Transcendental Meditation) and similar practices. (quote provided from A Time of Departing, 2nd ed., p.64)

In this quote, Brasil Pennington plainly states that he went to Eastern religious practices such as Yoga, Zen and Transcendental Meditation and ‘captured’ these practices for Christ. In other words, he took New Age religious practices and integrated them into Christianity. To do this, he has only taken Christian sounding words and used them to teach pagan religious practices. Brennan Manning then introduced them as part of the gospel message, Beth Moore learned from Manning and now she is trying to teach it to you through her teachings and the ‘Be Still’ DVD she and others are promoting. Is it an accident that false teachers create a rabbit trail that makes it so difficult for the average Christian to locate the source of their New Age philosophies?

In his book, ‘The Ragamuffin Gospel’, Manning also quotes several blatantly New Age authors including Carl Jung (Author of Tibetan book of the Dead), Anthony De Mello, Marcus Bork, Morton Kelsey, Gerald May, Henri Nouwen, Annie Dillard, Alan Jones, Eugene Peterson and Sue Monk Kidd. In his book, ‘Abba’s Child’, Brennan Manning says that Dr. Beatrice Bruteau is a “trustworthy guide to contemplative consciousness.” Since Manning has learned and trusted Bruteau as his guide to contemplative prayer (or consciousness), it is very important to go to the source and examine the root of this movement. In an interview titled, ‘A Song That Goes on Singing’, Beatrice Bruteau stated:

We have realized ourselves as the Self that says only I AM, with no predicate following, not “I am a this” or “I have that quality.” Only unlimited, absolute “I AM”

We used this quote earlier, but it fits into our discussion again. So you can hopefully see that our evangelical leaders are indirectly teaching new doctrines that come directly from the New Age movements. Contemplative prayer originates directly from occultic practices and from those very people who are claiming to be the great ‘I AM’ of scripture or God Almighty.

It is no accident that the deception is so convoluted. You have to chase doctrine down rabbit trails to find out where it is originating. The average Christian reads these books or watches this DVD and does not recognize that they are being subtly introduced to pagan practices and New Age meditation. In Eastern religions, these very same practices are used under the supervision of ‘masters’ in an attempt to prevent the subject from being vexed by the Kundalini awakening (or demon possession). In the West, our ‘Christian’ New Age gurus are throwing their followers to the wolves because they cannot reveal the dangers while denying the New Age connection. They are ignorant at best and uncaring at worst. I could spend dozens of more pages reciting anti-Christian quotes from the books of Rick Warren, David Jeremiah, Beth Moore and anyone who advocates Contemplative Prayer. If you have doubts, just begin to research for yourself and you will be shocked at how many trails lead back into Eastern religions. This is a relatively new phenomenon in the evangelical church; however, those who promote Eastern practices claim that they are getting back to the early church practices. The trail does lead back to the days of old, but this was never welcomed into the church; however, it was practiced by ancient pagan religions and the Gnostics that were confronted by the apostles of Christ.

It is not hard to see why so many people are now claiming to have supernatural experiences and are seeing visions that contradict the stated word of God. Keep in mind that the Bible says that “if an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). In spite of this clear warning, people are claiming to see visions and receive messages which are in contradiction to the scriptures. Lynn Reddick stated that he receives visions, writes them down and teaches them – even though they greatly contradict the scriptures. In fact, I was at a conference he conducted where he and his ‘prophetess’ wife reworded scriptures at will. Apparently their belief is that the Bible must be interpreted through their visions rather than their visions interpreted through the scriptures.

Since so many teachers have subjected themselves to demonic influences through contemplative prayer, they are now receiving instructions which show to be “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). It is not a coincidence that many teachers, preachers and so-called prophets suddenly begin receiving ‘revelations’ and visions after subjecting themselves to this meditation practice. This is one of the symptoms of the Kundalini Arousal. It is the scripture that must be the validation of any vision. Any vision or revelation that contradicts what God has already revealed is a lie and the spirit of antichrist (2 John 1:7, Galatians 1:8-9, 2 Thes 2:11-15, Matthew 24:24-25). The Bible clearly tells us that anyone who prophesies is subject to what the prophets have already revealed, for God is not the author of confusion and will not send a contradictory message. Look at 1 Corinthians 14:32-33   

³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.  ³³ For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.  

If a prophet speaks anything contrary to what has been revealed in scripture, it is not from the Spirit of God. God cannot bless a church or any individual Christian who practices anti-Christian religious beliefs. Many do this ignorantly but we will still be held accountable for we have in our possession the word of truth. It is your responsibility to know the word and put it into practice in your life. You do not need a ‘master’, guru or anointed leader to lead you. Open the word, study it and let the Holy Spirit teach you the truth of the scripture. The only true way to experience God is through knowing and obeying the word.

Evidence of God’s Judgment in the Church

The Bible warns that when God begins to judge the world, He will begin at the house of God. The reason is that the culture cannot decay until the church ceases to be an influence on the culture. Each time the Bible reveals God’s hand of judgment, it begins with many warning signs so that the people can repent. Today we are seeing the warning signs but the church is not listening.

David Spangler has written a book called, ‘Revelation: The Birth of a New Age’. In this book he explains that mankind is about to enter into a ‘new world order’ and that this will solve many of mankind’s problems and will offer many benefits. After foretelling about the future bliss that will come upon the earth in the new world order, he has a chapter entitled ‘Two Worlds’. In this chapter he foretells that each person will fall into one of two categories (or worlds). Those who have a ‘raised consciousness’ are those who are willing to enter into the New World Order. Those who resist have failed to evolve into a higher state of consciousness and are no longer worthy to live among those enlightened. Because the old world people are a threat to the New World Order, on page 60 Spangler states that these people “have no place in the new world”. After he explains this problem, he asks, “What will happen to those who cannot attune to the new? Where will they go?” He then explains that those who cannot attune with the new will be ‘withdrawn’ from the world and sent to an ‘upstairs room’ to be retrained for the New Age. He goes on to explain that they will remain ‘upstairs’ until they can be “released safely into physical embodiment again”.

In plain English, this means that David Spangler believes that if you are unwilling to enter into the New World Order (Described in the Bible in Revelation 13:11-18) you are a threat to the kingdom of the antichrist and will be killed. Your soul will be retrained and you will be reincarnated once you are ready to conform to the New Age belief system. Of course we know that we will not be reincarnated but will stand before the Lord. It is ironic that David Spangler’s belief system is exactly as the Bible foretold in Revelation. Revelation 13 foretells, “I saw another beast coming up out of the earth…he exercises all authority in the presence of the first beast…and he deceives those who dwell on the earth…and cause as many as will not worship the image of the beast to be killed. And he calls for all to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

It is amazing that all New Age elitists are openly proclaiming their views that are plainly identical to what the Bible has foretold that would be introduced to the world in the kingdom of the antichrist. We have been forewarned in scripture that many false Christ’s will arise and deceive many and that the church will turn from the truth to follow doctrines of demons. If you don’t believe false Christ’s are already having an impact, look at the website of “Creciendo en Gracia”. This man was not taken seriously until his cult began to grow into a world-wide cult. Currently he boasts of having over 3 million members and 350 centers around the world. I first heard about him through a secular broadcast aired in Boston. His original webpage is in Spanish but he also has an English website at http://www.cegenglish.com/. He has posted several of the CNN and other news interviews on his website. Youtube has many other reports from various news stations. According to Jesus Miranda, he is the second coming of Jesus Christ. The fact that this man is able to persuade three million people to follow him shows that the world is ready for a false messiah as the Bible has foretold. He has even persuaded his followers to tattoo ‘666’ on their bodies.

Another high profile New Ager openly expressing beliefs that fulfill Bible prophecy is Barbara Marx Hubbard. Barbara is not your stereotypical New Age flake that is only found in occultist bookstores. She has been extremely active in the U.S. and the world and has held high political office. She was nominated as a candidate for Vice President in the 1984 Presidential race, she served as the American citizen ambassador to the Soviet Union, she worked in the White House to create a ‘peace room’ for New Age connections to the world, she co-founded two New Age groups intended to influence the US and the world to conform to New Age beliefs. The groups are the ‘World Future Society’ (www.wfs.org) and the ‘Global Association for New Global Thought’ (www.agnt.org). She has had direct influence in the White House, in politics, in education, in humanitarian projects, and in foreign relations. She has written 5 books and has been invited and delivered more than 80 keynote speeches around the US where she has propagated her New Age ideology. The reason I gave such a lengthy bio on Barbara is because the quote I am about to recite from one of her books is quite shocking. If it was merely a non-mainstream New Age author, it could be written off as another nutcase spewing non-sense, but this comes from a highly respected and influential leader in education, politics and religion. She has also gained acceptance indirectly in evangelical circles. Ken Blanchard shared the platform with Barbara in the third annual ‘Choices for the Future’ symposium. Her ideology has now been welcomed into the church through Ken Blanchard and Rick Warren.  In April 2005, Rick Warren announced that Ken Blanchard was signed on to Rick’s P.E.A.C.E. plan and will train the leaders of Saddleback church and would teach them how to train leaders around the world. To hear Rick Warren’s announcement, listen to his April 26, 2005 sermon by clicking here. The announcement is around the 35 minute mark.

Ken Blanchard has never hid his New Age beliefs and is famous for quotes like “Buddha points to the path and invites us to begin our journey to enlightenment” (foreword from his endorsement of the book, ‘What would Buddha Do?’). While Blanchard claims to have become a Christian, he continues to endorse New Age authors such as Deepak Chopra, Marc Lesser, Franz Metcalf, and Robert Scheinfeld and promotes New Age philosophies. Ken Blanchard, through his ‘New Age Christianity’ has created a pathway into evangelical, conservative Christian circles in which New Age teachers can make inroads. Rick Warren’s endorsement of Ken Blanchard and partnership with him has opened the door of acceptance that has allowed Emergent church and New Age philosophers to be welcomed into groups that would never have received this a few short years ago. Since Ken Blanchard has ties to Barbara Marx Hubbard and shares many of her viewpoints, Barbara’s beliefs should be a serious concern. Consider this quote from Barbara Marx Hubbard in her book, ‘The Book of Co-Creation’:

Out of the full spectrum of human personality, one-fourth is electing to transcend… One-fourth is destructive…they are defective seeds. In the past they were permitted to die a ‘natural death’. …Now as we approach the quantum shift from the creature-human to the co-creative human – the human who is an inheritor of god-like powers – the destructive one-fourth must be eliminated from the social body. …Fortunately, you are not responsible for this act, we are. We are in charge of God’s selection process for the planet Earth. He selects, we destroy. We are the riders of the pale horse, Death”.

She is quoting a plague of judgment in Revelation and identifying herself and the leaders around her as the carriers of this plague. Does it concern you that two prominent New Age leaders have written books calling for the deaths of those who will not conform to the New Age thought? You should find it even more disconcerting that both of these leaders are gaining influence in the church and working to set its future direction. Is it a coincidence that as New Age leaders gain influence ‘new’ practices such as Contemplative Prayer are also gaining influence? Consider this passage from Revelation 6:9-11   

⁹ When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.  ¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"  ¹¹ Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
…
Revelation 7: ¹³ Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"  ¹⁴ And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Jesus also spoke of this in Matthew 10:16-22   

¹⁶ " Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  ¹⁷ "But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.  ¹⁸ "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.  ¹⁹ "But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;  ²⁰ "for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.  ²¹ "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  ²² "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Jesus even stated that there would be a time when those who kill His disciples will think that they are doing God a service (John 16:2). Is this not what Barbara Marx Hubbard is saying? David Spangler said the exact same thing. If you have any doubt about David Spangler, his description of Lucifer being the light of truth should clarify things very well:

“The true light of this great being can only be recognized when one's own eyes can see with the light of the Christ, the light of the inner sun. Lucifer works within each of us to bring us to wholeness, and as we move into the New Age, which is the age of man's wholeness, each of us is brought to that point which I term the Luciferic Initiation, the particular doorway through which the individual must pass if he is to come fully into the presence of his light and his wholeness.

Lucifer comes to give us the final gift of wholeness. If we accept it, then he is free and we are free, that is the Luciferic Initiation. It is one that many people now, and in the days ahead, will be facing, for it is an initiation into the New Age. (David Spangler, Reflections on the Christ, Findhorn Lecture Series, 3rd ed., 1981; p. 45)

Leonard Sweet is listed as being in the top ten most influential evangelical leaders and he quotes David Spangler in his book ‘Soul Tsunami’. In this book, Sweet states:

I am grateful to David Spangler for his help in formulating this “new cell” understanding of New Light leadership.”

Rick Warren wrote an endorsement on the front and back cover of ‘Soul Tsunami’ and has done joint radio broadcasts with Leonard Sweet.  Leonard Sweet makes a statement that sounds remarkably like Spanglers:

"Postmodern culture is a change-or-be changed world," he continues. "Reinvent yourself for the 21st century or die. Some would rather die than change” (Leonard Sweet, Soul Tsunami, pages 17, 34,74-75.)

Not only did Rick Warren endorse Leonard Sweet’s book that quotes David Spangler who states that those who will not change must die and then states himself that people in the 21^st century must change or die, but Rick made the exact same statement on his pastors.com website:

“I’m saying some people are going to have to die or leave. Moses had to wander around the desert for 40 years while God killed off a million people before he let them go into the Promised Land. That may be brutally blunt, but it’s true. There may be people in your church who love God sincerely, but who will never, ever change” (Rick Warren’s “Ministry Toolbox,” No. 263, 6/14/06).

Here we have seen that four people that are now accepted and quoted within evangelical circles have stated that we must change or die. Two of those people have openly stated that this death will be conducted at the hands of the New Age leaders who will weed out those who will not change. If you do not find this alarming, you are asleep at the wheel. It should really hit home when the most influential leaders in the church today are saying this and indorsing those who do. Rick Warren and Leonard Sweet are both listed as two of the most influential leaders in the world. Both have endorsed the very people who are calling for the destruction of those who oppose the New World Order. The words of 1 Peter 4:17-19 are being fulfilled before our very eyes:

¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?  ¹⁸ Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?"  ¹⁹ Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

Signs of Judgment to the Nation

Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.

As the church goes, so goes the culture and the nation with it. As a nation forgets God, signs of judgment begin to be revealed. God gives us ample time to repent, but if a nation refuses to repent, judgment will increase. The scriptures reveal this truth in the history of Israel. As Israel began to follow other gods and turn from the scriptures, God first began to raise up adversaries, then enemies and then complete destruction. As we have seen from the Contemplative Prayer examination, the church has also begun to do as Israel did – turn to other gods. One by one the leaders of the church are transferring their allegiance to the New Age. Israel did the same thing. They began by accepting those who brought in other gods, then they began integrating pagan practices into their worship of God and finally they forgot God completely and even rejected anyone who spoke against turning away from truth.

The assault on truth occurs on two fronts – the church and the culture around us. If the church departs from the truth, the culture will decay very quickly and this is what we are seeing today. As the culture decays, it declares a war on God. A culture thrives in the light shed by the truth of the gospel; however, once that light has been removed it is very difficult to reintroduce the light without severe resistance. Consider being in a very dark room for a while. What happens when someone turns on a bright light? Back in 1987 an Italian man set the world record for staying in a cave over 200 days. When he emerged from the darkness he was not able to tolerate the light until he got used to the light again. This is the effect the Christian has on the culture. The culture is dwelling in darkness and when we shine the light of the gospel, the culture that has grown accustomed to dwelling in darkness rejects the light. In fact, the culture that has fallen in love with darkness will hate the light and do everything within its power to stamp out the light.

We have already looked at a few disturbing quotes such as the one by Barbara Marx Hubbard who believes one-fourth of the population must be eliminated. Who do you think are included in that group? Why is it illegal for Muslims to turn to Christianity? Why are Hindu countries making news for the increasing number of violent attacks on Christians? In the past, it has been third world countries that sought to snuff out the light of the gospel, but now we see this attack developing in the countries that once embraced the gospel. As the truth is abandoned, the darkness grows. As the darkness grows, those who hold up the light of truth will be hated. This should be no surprise for Jesus explained this principle to us in John 15.

It is easy to see the culture turning against God by simply observing the news. Consider HR Bill 254 that has been introduced in committee and is expected to soon be introduced for a vote in Congress. This bill makes it a hate crime to say anything religious in nature that would make others feel uncomfortable. While the bill is introduced as an attempt to protect homosexuals from hate crimes, the language of the bill gives the State power to “prevent and respond to alleged violations”. A red flag has been raised warning the public that the language of this bill gives the government power to prosecute those whose speech is considered offensive to protected groups. As we have seen in other countries such as Australia, public reading of scriptures can be prosecuted as hate speech.

If this seems far fetched in this country, consider the cases of Lynda Beckman and Arlene Elshinnawy. These two women, ages 70 and 75 were arrested in Pennsylvania for ‘hate crimes violations’ based on state law that is very similar to HR 254. These two elderly women were sharing the gospel in public when they were arrested and could face up to 47 years in prison based on state law. The Pennsylvania state law allows prosecution for hate crimes if the authorities determine the person is guilty of ‘harassment by communication’.  In other words, speaking the truth, if it offends, is considered harassment and is punishable by jail time. Taking this law into the local church building is only one step away.

Each Christmas you can see a flurry of lawsuits filed against any public display of Christianity, monuments are being taken down, state seals are being forced to remove Christian symbols that have been present since the state charter. The pledge has been deemed unconstitutional because it mentions God and based on this rational, even the Constitution should be declared unconstitutional. The US Supreme court has the 10 commandments on a wall behind the courtroom but a photograph published has the words blurred out so it cannot be read, as though it were profane.  The wall behind these justices is a mural of the 10 commandments. Recently a government adoption agency declared that they considered those with biblical beliefs unfit for adoption because the child may turn out to be gay and will be discriminated against. Christian values are challenged and hated. More than once it has been stated that the Bible should be banned because it goes against our culture. One official even stated that a family’s religious beliefs should be brought into alignment with those of the state.

We can clearly see the warning signs in the government, but there are equally evident in the culture itself. Consider the example of Solomon found in scripture. Solomon allowed his heart to depart from the commandments of God and allowed other gods to be worshipped in his presence. Eventually his heart was led away and he began mixing pagan practices with biblical ones. God judged him by declaring that the kingdom would be stripped from his son. Because God promised King David that his son would sit on the throne and would not be removed, God honored His promise and did not bring judgment until Solomon’s son took the throne. Solomon’s disobedience began a string of pagan kings that eventually resulted in the complete scattering of Israel.

Even while Solomon sat on the throne, problems in the kingdom began to arise and God made it clear that He was the author of this judgment. Look at these passages:

1 Kings 11:14 Now the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the king in Edom.

1 Kings 11:23-24   ²³ And God raised up another adversary against him, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who had fled from his lord, Hadadezer king of Zobah.  ²⁴ So he gathered men to him and became captain over a band of raiders, when David killed those of Zobah. And they went to Damascus and dwelt there, and reigned in Damascus.

God declared that He raised up adversaries to trouble Israel because of their departure from the faith. Bands of raiders came in, cities were attacked and problems began to arise throughout Israel. Still Israel did not repent but sank farther into sin. Israel would plant vineyards and crops but raiders would come in and take what they worked for. In Amos 5, God said that He was the cause of this trouble. Yet Israel did not repent. In Joel 2, God declared that the consuming locusts and all the destructive pestilence that took Israel’s prosperity was the great army that He sent among them. Why did God send an army of pestilence and destruction? To bring repentance to Israel. Still they did not repent. God then allowed the Syrians to destroy Israel to the brink of annihilation, but then Hezekiah turned to the Lord and sought Him. God delivered Israel and gave them peace. Soon Israel departed again and problems began to arise again.

God then sent Nebuchadnezzar to trouble and then completely overthrow Israel. Even though Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan king, God made this declaration in Jeremiah 25:9   

⁹ 'behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' says the LORD, 'and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations.

Three times in Jeremiah God calls the pagan king, Nebuchadnezzar, God’s servant. God even declares that He will reward Nebuchadnezzar for his service. In Ezekiel 29, God promises to give Nebuchadnezzar wages for his service. The false prophets declared that God would break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar and return Israel to glory, but the prophets of God declared otherwise. Since Israel refused to repent, all the prophesying of good things had no value and the word of the Lord proved true.

To drive home the point to Israel, God sent the captain of the guard from Nebuchadnezzar to free Jeremiah and proclaim the reason for their attack on Jerusalem. Look at Jeremiah 40:2-4   

² And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him: "The LORD your God has pronounced this doom on this place.  ³ "Now the LORD has brought it, and has done just as He said. Because you people have sinned against the LORD, and not obeyed His voice, therefore this thing has come upon you.  ⁴ "And now look, I free you this day from the chains that were on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. But if it seems wrong for you to come with me to Babylon, remain here. See, all the land is before you; wherever it seems good and convenient for you to go, go there."

While the nation was being plundered and its inhabitants taken captive, the king of Babylon sent his captain to free Jeremiah. According to the promise God gave Jeremiah, the pagan king did not destroy Jeremiah but set him free and gave him provisions and gifts. Equally important is the fact that the pagan world was more aware of God’s judgment than God’s own people.

Has God raised up adversaries against us for our sins and departure from the truth? Consider the fact that the US was once respected around the world, but now we are hated by every nation. In the early 1960’s, our courts made a decree that removed Christianity from our schools and soon would be applied to all public displays of faith in Christ. Suddenly our nation plummeted into a drug culture of rebellion and public immorality. We began to gain adversaries in the 70’s as our government workers were taken hostage and held for over a year in Iran. In the 70’s many radical groups troubled our land and the members of these groups have taken root in business and government as they continue to boldly spread their ungodly beliefs. The president of Mexico is directing millions across our borders and the economic impact has yet to be understood. In states bordering Mexico the health care and social services are strained to the point of bankruptcy. President Chavez of Venezuela has stood on American soil and called for the destruction of America. He has openly stated that his goal is the fall of America and his government owned company (Citgo) is funding his assault on America. We as Americans are funding the very people who are openly enemies of our nation.

In 1993 an adversary raised up and attempted to blow up the World Trade Center with a car bomb in the basement of the building that killed 6 and injured 1,042 people. In 1995 our own citizens planned and carried out what was then the worst attack on US soil when they blew up the Oklahoma Federal Building. The primary target was a daycare within the facility. Still America did not show any signs of repentance. In the infamous 9/11 bombings, we lost our two most strategic financial centers and just under 3000 people lost their lives. The two buildings that were the glory of America were destroyed in less than an hour. Was there repentance? For about two weeks America showed signs of repentance but by the time we had our ‘national day of prayer’ our focus had shifted from God to gods. Every god was honored but the God of the Bible. Within weeks there were more signs of godlessness than ever before.

In 2005, the US received the worst hurricane season in recorded history. Seven major hurricanes pounded the US one after another for the entire hurricane season. According to Wikipedia, 2,280 deaths resulted and 100 billion dollars in damage including the destruction of the city of New Orleans.

Even as I write, a fungus called Phytophthora ramorum or Sudden Oak Death fungus is making its way across the United States. It first surfaced in California in 1995 and is now spreading across the US. The economic and ecological impact will be severe. It threatens to do to the oak tree population what a blight did to the chestnut tree some time back, making them extinct. Considering oak wood has such value to the economy and acorns provide food for many types of animals, the impact could be devastating. You can read about this blight at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/pest_al/sodeast/sodeast.htm.

Earlier this year the orange crop in California was destroyed by record freezing temperatures on the west coast of the U.S. Now, three months later the east coast of the U.S. was hit with a record April freeze that has now destroyed the apple and peach crops in Georgia and have severely damaged strawberry and other fruit crops across the Southeast. Could God be trying to get the attention of His people? When Israel began departing from the Lord, God began to send hardships, enemies and pestilence. The judgment was for a purpose. Look at Haggai 2:17  

¹⁷ 'I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,' says the LORD.

Even in judgment, God gives hope and promises to His people. Look at Psalm 81:11-16   

¹¹ "But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me.  ¹² So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels.  ¹³ "Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!  ¹⁴ I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries.  ¹⁵ The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever.  ¹⁶ He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you."

God does not change; how He dealt with Israel is how He deals with the Christian. Our health risks have been growing in danger each year in this country that has once been exempted from most of the pestilence that has plagued the world. West Nile virus was once unheard of, but each year becomes a greater problem. Aids has reached epidemic proportions. A new warning was just issued by the US Disease Control warning that Chagas has been found in our American blood supply and has been infecting patients. Chagas was once found only in Latin American countries but has been recently introduced into the US and can cause life threatening infections.

The honey bee population is now suffering the worst loss of worker bees in known history. This year alone the bee population dropped over 70% according to the Department of Agriculture. Entire hives are being wiped out without any known cause. The loss of honey is the least of the concern. Over 90% of our orchards and farm crops are pollinated by honey bees. Without the bees, the pollination cannot occur and will cause losses in produce. Even before this loss, the U.S. has lost over half its honey bee population since 1971. With the 70% population drop over the last several months, many reports are readily available under CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) or VBS (Vanishing Bee Syndrome). Consider both the promise and the warning of Jeremiah 18:7-10   

⁷ "The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,  ⁸ "if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.  ⁹ "And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,  ¹⁰ "if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

Do we see adversaries and pestilence beginning to warn us that we are departing from the God who established us? If you watch the news, every day there is a new threat, a new adversary, a new pestilence that should reveal to us that God’s hand of protection is being lifted. This should call us to repentance. The deliverance of the nation has been placed in the hand of God’s people – not the culture. This nation was founded by God and our founding fathers put acknowledgment of this fact in almost every official document. Since God founded this nation, what happens if we revolt against our Creator? God founded Israel, what happened when they revolted against Him?

Can our nation forget God and still expect His Divine protection and blessings of prosperity? Consider again our primary scripture:

Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.

It is worse to have known God and forget Him than to never have known Him at all. Is God’s word true? The power of repentance belongs to the church. The culture is not capable of turning to God without the church first submitting itself to God’s will. Consider this passage that we love to quote but do not obey:

2 Chronicles 7:14 "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

The healing of the nation comes through the people of God. As long as the church is turning away from the truth and worshipping other gods, you will never see the nation in repentance. Look at this passage carefully. You must first humble yourself as must your local body of believers, get on your knees and pray, seek God’s face and turn from your wicked ways. This includes repenting of contemplative prayer and anything that is contrary to the word. The church has lost its moral compass because the individual believer has lost sight of the scriptures. God makes it clear in Isaiah 58 that God does not care about our fasting or sacrifices until we are in obedience. Once we are in obedience God has promised that He will raise up from among you, the church, those who will rebuild the wasted places and restore the streets to dwell in. If you never obey, God will never raise up deliverance. The people we raise up are not our deliverers but tools in the hand of God. Our dependence is not in man, but in God alone as we submit to obey His commandments.

I get frustrated listening to ‘grass roots’ religious organizations that are looking to politics for our salvation. We have groups like the Christian Coalition, Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America and other groups that have become so political that they have lost sight of the only hope of American – a church that seeks God through repentance and obedience. The now defunct Moral Majority organization founded by Jerry Falwell is a stunning example of the loss of a moral compass by the church. While claiming to be a fundamentalist, Bible believing, old time preacher who doesn’t compromise the truth, he is in partnership with someone who is completely opposed to Jesus Christ.

After falling into financial trouble and tax trouble through his dealings with the Moral Majority political organization, Liberty University appeared destined for bankruptcy. Soon Jerry Falwell announced that he had two evangelical donors that were going to save the university he founded from financial ruin. This was not a true statement. There were three donors, but one donor was someone who claimed to be the Messiah – Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Moonies cult. Apparently Jerry Falwell flew to Korea to work out a deal with Moon and 3.5 million dollars was donated to save Liberty. Not only did Falwell hide this donation from the public, but the money was also donated in a way that was intended to disguise its source. Moon donated the money to ‘The Women's Federation for World Peace’ who then donated it to Liberty University. One of Moon’s publishing companies also provided $400,000 to Liberty University. Since this bailout, Jerry Falwell has attended three different political conferences with Moon. Here is a happy photoshoot between Falwell and Moon published in the Unification Church Magazine (the magazine of the Moonies cult).

Sun Myung Moon claims to be the Messiah who has come to finish the work that Jesus did not complete. He began a campaign in 2003 to remove the cross as the symbol of Christianity because it is a division between Christians and people of other faiths. He had a burial ceremony where the cross was replaced with a crown. If anyone has doubts about Moon, consider these quotes from him:

"The whole world is in my hand, and I will conquer and subjugate the world."

"So from this time of peak every people or every organization that goes against the Unification Church will gradually come down or drastically come down and die. Many people will die -- those who go against our movement."

"The true sovereign is not the American president nor the English king, but the Lord of the Second Advent." (Which, by the way, is the title Rev. Moon claims for himself).

(Here is a supposed divine revelation given to Moon from Christ)
"Bring in the flocks. Bring in the sheep and bring them to the throne of your True Parents. Bring them to the throne of our True Parents, the mighty throne of heaven. And I will place the Crown of Glory on our True Parents' head. I will lead them. I will show them that the Lord of Lords and the Kings of Kings and the King of Glory is our precious Lord Sun Myung Moon and his beloved bride Hak Ja Han. They reign as king and queen of the entire universe. And that I, Jesus of Nazareth, known as the Christ, bow in humility before them. I bow before them. Any who will follow me must do the same. I bow before the name of True Parents. I bow before our precious Lords, our True Parents, Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han."

How can anyone who names the name of Christ partner with someone who claims that Jesus will humbly bow before him? A Fundamentalist Baptist preacher has joined forces with someone who claims to be the King of Glory and the King of the universe? Is it any wonder why the church has lost its power and influence in the culture? God cannot use a church that partners with New Age cults and false messiahs. God never honors hypocrisy. While your preachers are preaching the ‘Old Time Gospel Hour’, they are secretly bringing in destructive heresies and turning from the truth.

Instead of putting their energy on equipping leaders to teach others to follow all that Christ has commanded and influencing churches to stand firm on obedience and submission to Christ, ‘Christian organizations’ have become political organizations. Each election season we hear the same mantra, vote for this candidate in order to turn our nation around. While each Christian has the responsibility to be active in their community (including voting), our primary call comes from Christ: “Go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”. If the church fails in this basic command, nothing else matters.

Consider the following facts. Republicans have always been considered the ‘moral majority’. It was argued for years that if the republicans were in charge, the nation would be turned around and be restored to greatness. Eight years ago, the republicans won a majority in the House, Senate and then Republicans took the Presidency. For the first time in my remembrance, the Republican Party was in charge of the government. Has our nation returned to its glory? Economic groups are warning that our nation is heading for bankruptcy, the borders have been left wide open for anyone and everyone to cross, we have lost more individual freedom than at any point in history and our nation continues to slide down the same slope. I cannot point to one thing that has turned around. The reason is found in Psalm 127:1-2  

Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.  ² It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.

And also look at Proverbs 28:2

Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; But by a man of understanding and knowledge Right will be prolonged.

Only the Lord can build a nation, protect the city and rebuild what has been broken down. It is vain for us to put our focus on political leaders while leaving our spiritual condition neglected. It is His beloved that get rest. Who are His beloved? Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do whatever I command you”. We are working in vain to build what God has began to judge. There must be repentance. To have repentance, there must be an acknowledgement of sin, but our churches and nation have forgotten how to mourn over sin. Consider this passage from Jeremiah 6:15   

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down," says the LORD.

The church has fallen exactly as the nation of Israel has. No longer are we shocked at sin nor do we blush when sin is exposed. We have become accustomed to it and no longer care if our people sin. Look what happened when Ted Haggard fell. Here was a man that made a name for himself by opposing homosexuality and rallying against gay marriages, yet earlier this year he was exposed in a gay sex scandal where he paid a male prostitute on a regular basis. Did the church seek God’s face? Did they get on their knees and mourn over this sin? No, not in the least. The church conducted several comedy nights and laughed their concerns away. There is a time for laughter but also a time for mourning. Look at how God judges apathy in Ezekiel 9:4-6   

⁴ and the LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it."  ⁵ To the others He said in my hearing, "Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.  ⁶ "Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were before the temple.

Eddie Snipes
Exchanged Life Outreach
http://www.exchangedlife.com

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