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Jesus particularly warned about the storm that would come at the end of time, not to be negative but to ensure that we would not be deceived, intimidated or frightened into questioning or compromising our faith. As Warren Smith so rightly says, when storms with the potential to kill are just offshore reasonable people make reasonable preparations. They don't party in the face of the impending danger. They don't sit on their front porches pretending that nothing is happening.
This is not a time for celebration. This is not a time for the church to be expecting some kind of a special blessing. This is a time to be sober and vigilant.. to watch and pray... to be spiritually prepared... to be warning your family and friends about what is happening in the world. In the words of the apostle Peter...
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
Note: The words demonic or demons Should not conjure up visions of horns, tails, and pitchforks - beings that are slightly more amusing than intimidating because, much to the contrary, the "masters" referred to here are very powerful and highly intelligent beings, against whom our only defense is God.
INDEX
PART I - Growth, Expansion & Diversification, Celebrity Endorsements
The New Age - a multi cultural, multi religious, spiritual and consciousness-raising movement is largely rooted in Eastern religions and the occult. Generally opposed to Christian 'narrow-mindedness’ it teaches that we are all gods capable of self-redemption.
Over the last several decades, unnoticed by all but a very few, the New Age has gradually and stealthily gathered momentum over the face of the earth. Blended with mind/body/self-help, much of its teaching is now appealing to a far more mainstream consumer who is interested in becoming not only more spiritually aware, but healthier and more successful. the New Age’s meteoric growth in popularity has been helped in no small part by the Internet and celebrity endorsements, particularly its self appointed guru - Oprah Winfrey. HERE
PART II - Evolutionary Godhood
‘Evolutionary Godhood’ is the first of two main doctrines that drives the New Age machine. Many New Agers believe that although every individual is part of the divine, man's problems and difficulties stem from the fact that he is 'unenlightened', ie. he is completely unaware of his own divinity or has just not experienced it.
Therefore, what he needs (perhaps more than anything else) is to raise his level of consciousness because the higher a it is and the more inner harmony he can achieve the closer he is to “enlightenment”. This makes me wonder whether this generation of "spiritual people" focused on themselves and whatever makes them happier and more successful are indulging in narcissistic spiritual entertainment, or are they clueless victims of an ancient con. HERE
PART III... Global Unity Global Unity is the second of the two main doctrines that drives the New Age machine. It refers to the belief that when humanity collectively accepts and experiences itself as being divine we will not only save ourselves but will save our world and enter the Age of Aquarius.
To be noted is that a large section of the New Age movement contends that this utopian age will only come about under the leadership and guidance of a world leader/teacher who will soon emerge on the world's stage and, by teaching us to live at peace and unity with each other, will save the world from sliding into chaos - thus ushering in the "new Age". However, knowing exactly what was coming, many hundreds of years the Scriptures clearly warned us about this person HERE
PART IV... New Age Beliefs Vs. What The Bible Teaches Although the New Age Movement professes a broad-minded openness to all religions, it strenuously contradicts almost all Christian beliefs. In spite of all the evidence to the contrary, many believe the Bible has been tampered with over the centuries - the victim of innumerable additions and deletions. As pastor Gregory Koukl put it "Christians are made to look like the local yokels that really don't know the truth and the truth is that the Bible is a bunch of malarky, myths and made-up stories to make us feel better about life after death - narrow-minded, provincial types, fundamentalists who just haven't caught up with twentieth century scholarship".
Much to the contrary, the Christian faith is a commitment based on evidence. The Judeo-Christian faith consistently stresses the importance of truth, and makes appeal to evidence to support its claims. HERE
Part V... Our Extreme Credulity & Gullibility Other than what the Scriptures told us, little was known about this so called 'great world leader' before people like Alice Bailey were approached by spooks that spouted great torrents of gobbledygook that passed itself off as "ancient wisdom". Believed to be "Ascended Masters", or "Masters of Wisdom. These beings who indulged in philosophical exchanges and communicated their messages - duly written down by their compliant minions who presented them to the world as "truth".
This done without one ounce of evidence that the spirit guide was who he claimed to be, or that his message could be trusted. It is accepted that these spirits are who they claim to be, and that the particulars they provide are unreservedly true. They speak and human beings fall over like ninepins, rushing to embrace whatever "wisdom" is being put forth.
And they call Christians “fools”. Seems to me the boot is firmly on the other foot HERE
Part VI... The New Age Infiltration of The Church While there is no doubt that there are a number of factors that contribute towards the increasing popularity of New Age beliefs, the church has to shoulder it's burden of responsibility. With more fiction than fact in it's teachings and liberal use of incomprehensible jargon, the church has almost completely lost the essentials and simplicity of the Gospel thus are thus unable to provide people with the answers they are looking for. (Is it any wonder that God first proclaimed his message of salvation to peasants tending their sheep).
With much assistance from the wolves inside the church who have aided and abetted Satan's deception by endorsing New Age beliefs and channeled works, many believers are either rocking themselves to sleep on the porch or have managed to get involved is mystical experiences and practices that are nothing less than occultism. HERE
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