Saturday, November 7, 2009

Book Review - O God - Oprah Spirituality

Due to our amazon Stand Firm in the Faith book reviews website has mysteriously been found missing from under the listings for Stand Firm in the Faith, (which has been there for years)  we are posting our review here until the problem can be resolved.
Posted: 11/6/09 in our book reviews -

A book that has a unique apologetic approach to addressing the Spirituality that is promoted by Oprah Winfrey and her many guests she's had over the years. The book is a dialogue of two women that are huge fans of Oprah and their journey to find the truth.

Pantheism and Eastern Spirituality has been steadily rising in the West, thanks in part to Oprah, and many of her guests, friends and book club books she promotes through her TV shows. New Age spiritualists keep coming with every New Season, promoting a new age spirituality and pluralism that many may not truly know what is being served up theologically and why these teachings are not consistent and contradict Christianity. If you are unfamiliar with how Oprah and her guests beliefs differ from orthodox Christian beliefs this book will give you some basics on the theology and doctrines being taught and how to Stand Firm in the Faith and discern the differences.

Books and Authors such as "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne's, James Ray, Elizabeth Gilbert author of "Eat,Pray,Love, Echhart Tolle author of "A New Earth", and Marianne Williamson, and others, literally were skyrocketed to fame with appearances on the Oprah Show, and their book sales are in the millions.

Oprah draws millions of followers due to her likeable personality, her generosity and down-to-earth charm. With it being reported in the news today of Oprah's possible consideration of a move of her program to Los Angeles, she may have more influence then ever. This is a good book to give to a friend that may be dabbling with New Age spirituality. There are also discussion questions in the back of the book which makes it great for study groups. After reading the book, there could not be enough said about discerning what Oprah Winfrey and her guests are promoting, and it is consistent with what the teaching found in Scripture says to do: 1 John 4:1 "Beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Competition and the Sin of Pride

Competition and the Sin of Pride

As Christians, we are not to be competing against each other, and belittling another Christian, (but we are to be supportive and help each other as we live out our lives by Faith in Christ in living the Christian life. The Apostle Paul gives this instruction as to how we can stand firm in the Faith with the same mind and purpose:

Phil 1:27 “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worth of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”

Believers are to build each other up, encouraging each other to grow in the faith and flourish in our spiritual gifts as we serve the Lord, supporting one another, and having a sincere love for one another, not only in words but in actions. (Phil 2:1-5, “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and compassion make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important then yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Having this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”)

But, when a Christian become competitive, challenging, and seeks to discredit another Christian’s witness, and work in ministry, this is due to selfish ambition and wrong motives that are driven by fleshly desires wanting to be seen as more important then others. These characteristics can be the fruit of Envy and Pride, they are called “the deeds of the flesh” in Gal. 5:19-21.

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

This behavior is not the fruit of the Spirit and can causes great harm, not only to the cause of Christ, but can also damage and destroy precious relationships. Why would someone who professes to be a Christian, filled with the Holy Spirit, and the love of God, want to do that?

Competition that has wrong-hearted motives can be common in the body of Christ, and is a painful reality that can be a menace to fellow believers and can cause faithful Christians to stumble, if it is not discerned and properly dealt with. Those who take this too lightly should not. What fate did Jesus warn about--to those who deliberately and knowingly, and cause a fellow Christian (male or female) to stumble:

Matthew 18:6 “but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Christ gave us the example of what our attitude should be (one of humility) and how we should treat one another. It is obvious that from the content of the Scriptures, our Lord is not talking about little children (physically or by age of a person) but He is talking about “Spiritual children” Christians. Jesus is speaking about moral and spiritual stumbling, that is sinning. The word “stumble” means “to cause to fall”. The Lord is speaking about “enticing, trapping, or influencing a believer in anyway that leads him into sin, or in anyway that makes it easier for him to sin.” When a person (believer or unbeliever) mistreats a Christian he mistreats Christ.

Competition becomes corrupt when a person holds an attitude of superiority over others and becomes contentious. This in turn can lead to actions of pride, jealousy, anger, and bitterness, when someone’s focus is on ‘out-doing’ another person, to defeat a brother or sister in Christ, the one they are competing against, rather then keeping their intention with right motives -- which is Christ-centered for God’s glory.

Competition can often lead to comparing yourself with others. There is a failure in the person competing to see that everyone has the same worth in God’s eyes. We are to help each other in our walk in Christ, look out for each other, not to be stumbling blocks, but to build each other up.

The Bible has many passages warning of how destructive pride can be because it has so much power to damage our relationships with others and if left unchecked eventually with God. Competing in the wrong way can create a foothold for envy, pride and jealousy. Pride can lead to a harden heart towards others, blinding the person to their own faults, and causing a person to become insensitive and completely disregard another persons feelings. Eventually, pride can harden your heart towards God.

Daniel 5:20  “But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him.”

Although doing our best is what we all should strive for, but being competitive to the point when it turns demeaning, bloodthirsty, and aggressive, and using that to passing judgment on a person’s salvation or worth in the body of Christ, clearly is sinning and does not align with what the Bible says about Christian conduct or the moral character that is expected of a Christian. That kind of Competing - to prove your superiority is wrong, and will disrupt and damage your relationships resulting in a loss of trust, and will if not corrected, cause a person to become envious and think they are entitled to something that someone else has. They may resort to acting in manipulative ways to get whatever it is they want. If this is happening, then our motives are wrong, and we are at risk of becoming proud. (Phil 1:15-17). It can also lead to self-deception. (Jeremiah 49:16). If you are practicing these behaviors, repent, pray, ask God to change your heart, and turn away from them, correct what is wrong, be reconciled with those you‘ve hurt, give trust time to build, instead of expecting it, and put on the fruits of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. “