Share the post "Affirmation of God: The Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God the Father give me eternal comfort and a wonderful hope."
I was reminded yesterday of a large reason why I have found my purpose in these affirmations. I have been given another set of cd’s from a self help guru who espouses the creation of your dream life through affirmations. After all, that is how I was drawn into this life view some twenty years ago. First of all let me tell you that I am a believer.
I am a believer that thoughts become things. That if you can dream it and vividly imagine things that you can achieve great things. I am also a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as described in the written Holy Scriptures and the God of my family’s traditions.
I know there are some who feel they have enlightenment or an intelligence that takes them down the paths of spiritual and universal superiority to this Jesus “myth”. Many tapes, many seminars and many fortunes have been created with this hope. It is fun isn’t it to dream big dreams and be able to affirm things and have them develop. AND THEY DO. Have now doubt that there is truth in the “think and grow rich”, “laws of attraction”, and “secrets”. In my life time I have lived it and done it. I have named it and claimed it.
BUT, here is my conflict and your conflict. The Spirit inside of me screams at me that there is evil in these spiritual laws and these self serving, self deity of these quests. The particular cd’s I was listening to yesterday hurt my soul but I am compelled to listen to be a voice for God’s Affirmations in all of this. These spiritualists or mystics that bring us hocus pocus success stories of positive affirmations; in many instances have good intentions. Again, they are not wrong in the process as it is as real as you and I sitting here now but they are wrong in who God is. It pains me to say this and almost makes me nauseous but some feel they are equal creators with the almighty. One with the universe, one with God, one with the spirit, just THE one.
Sorry, that is where I just know that I know that this is wrong. The only thought I have today is that this is pure rebellion. We are a self centered and rebellious people. If we do not understand things we will create something of our understanding. Yes we can and we will create. If we can not see God we will build a golden calf.
These highly enlightened ones will pity my perspective but as I read 2 Thessalonians 2:4 this morning I am reminded that these of such advanced intellect and spiritual enlightenment are not advanced at all but just right where God told us they would be. They HAD to be. “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” (NIV)
There are those who will proclaim themselves to be God. Does it sound as if these people have come up with a new “secret”? There is nothing new about man trying to place himself in the place of God. There are laws of attraction. But if we place ourselves as the center of the universe then we see that we can attract all things to us. We can send out positive thoughts out into the universe and it will bring positive things back. Is that true? Yes, there is a measure of truth but beware. The real truth the real promise is when a God much bigger and much wiser than what the human spirit can fathom is the center of the universe you see a much larger law of attraction.
He is the truth and He is the center and when HE sends out His law of attraction and those who are called by His name are drawn to Him there is a comfort and a wonderful hope that only comes from Him. 2 Thessalonians 2:16 the source of today’s affirmation: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope,” (NLT).
Do you feel more eternal comfort and a wonderful hope in THE creator God? THE God of the universe or the little God or your understanding? Oh, yeh there is this thing in verse 8 that says “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (NKJ)
So, choose your God. Is it God or is it you? Are you really the creator? Be careful what you believe. A day is coming when the truth will be revealed. Be very careful of leaning on your own understanding.
Tom Raines
Christian Affirmations 4 Life
The occult taught me that I controlled my own destiny. It taught me that I was not subject to the myths about that “thorn-headed bastard carpenter from Nazareth” like so many folks were. It taught me that there was indeed a being named Satan, but he was of no consequence to me. Actually, he was an empathetic character in the lie I was living. I understood his anger at being told what to do all the time.
I mention this because of Jesus Christ, and Who He is to me today, so many years later.
At one time I reviled Him, hated Him, mocked Him and His “Christians”. I boasted against Heaven itself, and I took great pleasure in using His Name as a conjugated profanity. And all the while, He was listening, watching, and waiting….but saying nothing. His silence in defending Himself to me only bolstered my arrogance and impudence. Until…
When He revealed Himself to me, it was not pretty. His holy love for me, while it ministered to my broken heart and filled my empty spirit, also served as a beat-down. Does this sound odd to say? Well, essentially He broke into my life, and He also broke me.
I thoroughly enjoy testimonies of how The LORD shows Himself to others as a loving Father, a gracious Savior, and as One who truly understands pain and grief. I think this is awesome and only something He can do in His own ways.
But I would pray, right now, that for those of you who would seek to mock Jesus or entreat Him like a joke, that His Holy Spirit would begin to break you and crush you and show you the Truth that He is not to be mocked. Ever.
This sounds harsh, I am sure. But I would be remiss if I said that everything in The Kingdom was roses and apple pie. Sometimes a good butt-whippin’ is just what people need to receive. I know I needed it and it worked on me.
Jesus is The Son of God. God is Love. Jesus did indeed take on ALL the sins of The World, including mine and yours, and ever looks at us through the eyes of His New Covenant. But God is also God. He is Holy. He is fire, power, Sovereignty, and He is Eternity itself (I Am the Alpha and The Omega.).
If the image of Jesus as a lamb isn’t cool enough for you, please know that He is also The Lion from the Tribe of Judah. And He is Majestic, Powerful, Righteous, All-Consuming, and Absolute.
I pray, in His Name, that you would have your spiritual eyes opened to Him. Trust me, He is not some weak pushover who wears khakis, has a “Christians aren’t perfect- They’re just forgiven!” bumper sticker on His Subaru Outback, drinks Starbucks coffee, and carries a Bible around with Him. He is God.
Donald in Bethel, CT
Donald, there is a battle. And yes, I am thankful that God broke me too. We sometimes forget about the occultic practices of the world and how they are out to seek and destroy. They use enough of the truth to fool others and to promise wealth and happiness while convincing, like the serpant, that somehow we can be God. Thanks for sharing your story and your reminder of the power of God.