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As this newsletter goes out Monday afternoon October 29th, hundreds of thousands of people on the East Coast of the United States are being affected by a raging hurricane, some say perhaps the largest storm ever to hit the U.S. Let us remember this situation in prayer, praying for those lives affected and praying that during this time, many would turn to the Lord for their help and protection and many would, through this, commit their lives to Jesus Christ. Also during this time, let us pray that there would be true repentance in the lives of Christians, particularly Christian pastors, authors, and leaders across North America. How can the world hear the Gospel when the bearers of the Gospel are in darkness themselves? *If you would like to print this newsletter, right click to open a menu and choose "Select All." Then click print, then choose the Selection option. This will print everything that is highlighted. If you have trouble printing the newsletter as stated above, you can copy and paste it into a new Word document, and there you can change font size and other elements. Note: Because we are a research ministry, we do post articles from various secular and Christian sources along with our own in-house articles if we believe our readers can benefit from the information. |
| Biblegateway Teaches Readers “Lectio Divina” – a Dangerous Gateway to a New Spiritual Outlook |
Biblegateway, “an online searchable Bible in dozens of versions and languages” is one of the most popular websites on the Internet today, ranking in the top 1000 sites in the world. Over 48,000 websites link to or recommend Biblegateway. Needless to say, their reach is substantial. Thus, it is with dismay to report that on their official blog this past September, Biblegateway introduced their readers to the contemplative practice of Lectio Divina in an article written by Brian Hardin called “Lectio Divina: Diving Reading.” The teaching on Lectio Divina on Biblegateway doesn’t come as a complete surprise to Lighthouse Trails. Two years ago, Lighthouse Trails released a special report titled “Bible Gateway Now Gateway to Heretical Authors – Could Point Millions to Emerging Teachings .” The article quoted Biblegateway’s site as saying:
In our article, John Lanagan pointed out how the Biblegateway online bookstore was selling books by figures such as Rob Bell, Brian McLaren, Thomas Merton, Doug Pagitt, and many other authors who come into conflict with “Christian values.” In preparing our special report, Lanagan contacted Biblegateway general manager, Rachel Barach, who told Lanagan that the choices of books in Biblegateway’s online store were not really up to her but rather third party databases. In the case of the blog, this would be a different matter, and there would be more control over content by those running it (Rachel and two others are the “contributors”). The recent article posted on the Biblegateway blog, teaching Lectio Divina, promises to have more articles of a similar nature. For those who do not understand exactly what Lectio Divina is, please refer to our article titled, “Lectio Divina: What it is, What it is Not, and Why it is a Dangerous Practice” where we discuss Lectio Divina in depth. In that article, we state:
At Lighthouse Trails, we believe Lectio Divina is a gateway practice into deep meditation exercises as it teaches participants to narrow down a passage of Scripture to a word or phrase that can be repeated in mantra-like fashion. As we are watching Lectio Divina entering the mainstream evangelical church at a now-rapid rate, we know it is just a matter of time before more outright eastern-style meditation practices will be heralded by leaders in the Christian church. The ground was prepared when Christian leaders started heavily promoting and quoting the mystics and promoting and teaching “spiritual formation.” Teaching Lectio Divina is the next big step toward full embracing of contemplative spirituality, which will lead to apostasy as never before seen by the Christian church with its interspiritual, panentheistic, and anti-atonement roots. In the Lighthouse Trails novel, Castles in the Sand, written by Canadian author Carolyn A. Greene (the only novel exposing the dangers of spiritual formation), the young girl in the story is enrolled in a Christian college and is introduced to Lectio Divina. In time, the girl encounters demonic activity because of practicing contemplative spirituality. While Castles in the Sand is a novel, it is based on the true story of what is happening in the church today. It should not be ignored by believers who wish to contend for the faith. Those who practice mystical meditation will, in time, change their spiritual outlook. They may convert to Catholicism, or they may start embracing Buddhist or Hindu views. But they will not gain an “appreciation for the Bible,” something Biblegateway says they hope will happen to people reading their blog. SOME PLACES YOU WILL FIND LECTIO DIVINA BEING TAUGHT AND/OR PROMOTED: 1. Multnomah (School of the Bible) University just finished a Lectio Divina Chapel on October 22nd. 3. Renovare (Richard Foster’s organization) 4. Willow Creek 5. Saddleback 7. Redeemer Presbyterian Church (Tim Keller) 9. Eugene Peterson’s “Bible” for kids 12. CCEL (Christian Classics Ethereal Library) Related Articles: When a Young Girl Meets a Mystic by Carolyn A. Greene New Age Pathways in the Church by Mike Oppenheimer
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| Letter to the Editor: Inquiring About California Baptist University – Answer Not Good |
To Lighthouse Trails: I am a graduating senior thinking about attending California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. I did not see this college on your list of emergent colleges. However, it was also not on the list of colleges that are safe to attend. I was just wondering what research you had about that college. Thank you, _____________ Our response: Hi ____________, Cal Baptist is one of those we were watching to see if they would indeed go in the direction of embracing contemplative/spiritual formation. After doing some current research because of your letter, we have decided they should be added to our list of schools that promote spiritual formation. This increase in their focus on that is at least partly due to their having membership through organizations that emphasize and encourage spiritual formation (such as CCCU – see our 2011 article: “An Epidemic of Apostasy – Christian Seminaries Must Incorporate “Spiritual Formation” to Become Accredited“). Another example of where CalBaptist is bringing it in is in their Intercultural Studies program where they are using textbooks by several contemplative/emerging figures: Richard Foster, Shane Claiborne, Dallas Willard, N.T. Wright, Kenneth Boa, and Madame Guyon – these would all be considered heavy weights in the contemplative/emerging movement). Cal Baptist also has had some connections with the “Christian” environmentalist movement (http://www.calbaptist.edu/uploadedfiles/news/green_awakenings.pdf), a movement that has the definite influences by emerging church figures (such as Shane Claiborne). These are just a few examples of why we say Cal Baptist is a Christian school that is promoting contemplative/spiritual formation. If you do attend this school, we hope you will read A Time of Departing, Faith Undone, and Castles in the Sand so you will be better prepared to spot this very dangerous deception. It is indeed there at Cal Baptist, and if it does what we have seen so many other schools do, it will only increase going in this direction with time. Schools that do not take an active biblical approach to keep it from coming in almost always succumb to it. Editors at Lighthouse Trails Note: On October 29th, 2012, Cal Baptist University was added to the Lighthouse Trails list of Christian schools that are promoting spiritual formation.
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On October 22, Multnomah University (formerly Multnomah School of the Bible) held a chapel service for their students titled Lectio Divina. The chapel was led by Dr. Roy Andrews of Multnomah, a Lighthouse Trails reader told us this past week. The Lighthouse Trails reader, who attended the service for observation purposes, was given a flyer at the service that explained what Lectio Divina wi. Thomas Aquinas, a contemplative mystic, was referred to in the service, and students were encouraged to “ask God to open [their minds]” using Lectio Divina. The following statement is posted on Multnomah’s website:
If you aren’t sure what Lectio Divina is, we encourage you to read our article “Lectio Divina: What it is, What it is Not, and Why it is a Dangerous Practice” to better understand this contemplative gateway practice. This excerpt from our article states:
October 22nd wasn’t the first time that Lectio Divina has been taught at a chapel service at Multnomah University. One was held earlier this year on May 8th with Stan Campbell leading. One was also held on September 18th with Stan Campbell, on October 2nd with Dr. Joseph Zichtermann, and three will be held in November: on November 1st of this year with Professor Greg Burch officiating, on November 12th, and on November 27th with Dr. Debi Miller facilitating. Incidentally, on Dr. Miller’s website, she states the following: “I love several Catholic writers—Henri Nouwen and Thomas Merton, to name two.” 1 This may explain why she was willing to lead a Lectio Divina service at Multnomah. But nevertheless, it is disheartening to know that Multnomah is using professors that “love” Catholic mystics, Nouwen and Merton being two of the most prolific and influential Catholic contemplatives in our modern day. Multnomah University is on the Lighthouse Trails “Contemplative Colleges” list as they have been promoting spiritual formation for some time. Just type in the term “spiritual formation” into the school search engine and over 500 entries come up. As we worked our way through the Multnomah website while researching for this article, we were dismayed as we saw just how integrated contemplative spirituality has become at Multnomah. One university donor officer at the school included Henri Nouwen, Brennan Manning, Parker Palmer, and John Eldredge (all contemplative advocates) in his list of “favorite authors.” A professor said Henri Nouwen was someone who “inspire[s]” him. For what it’s worth, on a Wikipedia page for Multnomah University, “notable” alumni students of Multnomah include emerging church author and pastor Dan Kimball. Interestingly, in the spring of 2011, the school held a high school “theology” retreat with Kimball as the keynote speaker. That’s a bit hard to swallow for those who know Kimball’s “theology” learned from his books, which include The Emerging Church and Emerging Worship. His books are discussed in Faith Undone by Roger Oakland and A Time of Departing by Ray Yungen; also, Lighthouse Trails has a book review on Kimball’s book ”They Like Jesus But Not the Church.” And an expose titled “Dan Kimball’s Emerging Church and Eastern Mysticism” describes Kimball’s “vintage Christianity.” In a radio interview titled “Beware the Bridgers,” Ingrid Schlueter discusses how emerging figures such as Kimball are being used as bridges between traditional Christianity and the emerging church. Seeing that Multnomah brought Kimball in to train high school students “theology” is, frankly, quite troubling. In reading all three of his books, we find his “theology” riddled with contemplative/emerging practices and would wish that no high school student would be introduced to these ideas. Oh, and by the way, in his book, The Emerging Church, Kimball encourages the practice of Lectio Divina. Lighthouse Trails has been talking and warning about the infiltration of contemplative spirituality into the church for ten years. The acceptance and embracing of Lectio Divina is going to help surge the movement fast forward because of its seemingly benign nature but in reality a very dangerous practice, and more and more Christians will be practicing contemplative prayer than ever before. Contemplatives, such as Richard Foster, will delight in knowing this. But for those who understand the nature of contemplative – that it is panentheistic, interspiritual, and ultimately anti-atonement – it will concern them deeply. Let us close with this statement by Ray Yungen. In reading this, it may help to explain why contemplative spirituality should not be entertained at Multnomah or any other Christian school:
Times have changed. If Lectio Divina had been introduced to an evangelical university in the 1980s, everyone would have been up in arms. But today it is considered perfectly normal and legitimate. We attribute much of this acceptance to the rise of general mysticism in the culture (e.g., yoga, Oprah Winfrey, and the popularity of Christian authors such as Brennan Manning who says in his book The Signature of Jesus that if you want to have the signature of Jesus on your prayer life you need to “Choose a single, sacred word . . . repeat the sacred word inwardly, slowly, and often” (p. 218) and says, “ the first step in faith is to stop thinking about God at the time of prayer” (p. 212). Notes: The quotes in the section from A Time of Departing are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen’s book, Thomas Merton: Contemplative Critic (San Francisco, CA: Harper & Row Publishers, 1991, Triumph Books Edition), pp. 3, 19, 20, 46, 71. Related Article: |
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| Letter to the Editor: Saddened at Lighthouse Trails’ Approach – “please do not reject all other traditions” | ||
To Lighthouse Trails: I have browsed your web-page. Thank-you for the reminder to take the bible seriously I am however saddened at the approach you seem to take – dividing people into groups, particularly “sound/orthodox thinker” and “Heretics” (I paraphrase – but it is the impression given). Surely the reality is that we are all in the same boat as Christians. We all see “through a glass darkly” and struggle to grasp the depth of the love of God in Christ. So ALL writers and thinkers fail to communicate the whole truth (and reproducing words from the bible does not necessarily communicate truth). And in the same way God can communicate with us through all his creation – including Christians from different traditions. I think that we limit ourselves when we only embrace thinkers from our own tradition. A quote which you have on your web-site in a negative way is “The path of Jesus does not lead so much to assurance as to adventure and transformation.” [see note below] To me this is a very exciting thought. Jesus does not call us so that we can put our feet up and be assured that we are OK (and safe from eternal torment); He calls us to Life – which must involve Transformation and must involve Adventure (because we surrender to His Leadership). There seems to me a clear contrast between boring religion (adherence to formal doctrine) and living relationship (good relationships can not be tied down and defined). Brian McLaren and his friends may have something useful to say……. So I agree that the Bible is foundational – but please do not reject all other traditions – after all the religious people hung on to their traditions/religion and therefore did not recognise Jesus as the Messiah All good wishes _______________ Our comments: The author of the letter above suggests that Lighthouse Trails should not reject ”other traditions.” The quote he gave, from a webpage on our site, ”The path of Jesus does not lead so much to assurance as to adventure and transformation,” is from Dave Fleming’s book, The Seeker’s Way. He found this on our research page for Brian McLaren. McLaren endorses Fleming’s book, of which the basis for the book, according to Fleming, is centered around several key mystical/interspiritual/New Spirituality figures including Wayne Teasdale (an interspiritual activist), Alan Jones (who rejects substitutionary atonement in his book, Reimagining Christianity), Marcus Borg (rejects basic tenets of Christianity including the virgin birth and Jesus being God), and Joan Chittister (a Catholic contemplative nun). The author of the “Letter to the Editor” to us may not understand the reason we cannot embrace “other traditions.” It is because to embrace other traditions, such as those Fleming and McLaren embrace, is to deny the atonement and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Some of our readers may not have heard the 2006 interview with Brian McLaren where he refers to the doctrines of the Cross and Hell as ”false advertising for God.” McLaren rejects the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. He, and others with his mindset such as Alan Jones, believe that a loving God would never send His son to a violent death. Jesus’ death on the Cross was an example of servant leadership, they state, but to say He actually died for our sins in this brutal, cruel death could not be something God would sanction. We pray for those who may share the same views as Brian McLaren, Dave Fleming, Alan Jones, and Marcus Borg, that their spiritual eyes may be opened and that they might come to see that there is indeed only one path to God, a path that has been made accessible to whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13) and humbly acknowledge they need Him as a Savior from and for their sins. |
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| A Commentary to Consider: The Celebration of Halloween | ||
By Judith Ritchie Summer has ended and winter is fast approaching. For those of us in this modern society, we tend to forget that this is harvest time and that our very lives depend upon a good harvest to get us through this next year. But in every culture throughout the world, the time of harvest has always been crucial to their survival. In the early days in America, the settlers prayed throughout the winter for good weather for planting, plenty of sun and rain during the growing season, and for a good harvest in the autumn. Many prayed to the Christian God of the Bible, leaving their care and future in His hands. But throughout the history of the world, most people sought help from other gods; gods who demanded much more than just faith and prayer from the people. Halloween, known in ancient Briton and Ireland as Samhain* (“Summer’s End”), is a time of worship to the ancient god Cromm Cruaich, also known as the “Bloody Crescent.”** Unlike the God of the Bible, Cromm Cruaich did not accept simple prayers of faith for a good harvest; he demanded much more. Charles Squire records in his book Celtic Myth and Legend, an ancient poem concerning the god Cromm Cruaich. Here are some excerpts from it: “Here used to be A high idol with many fights, which was named the Cromm Cruaich; It made every tribe to be without peace. “T was a sad evil! Brave Gaels used to worship it… “He was their god, The withered Cromm with many mists… “To him without glory They would kill their piteous, wretched offspring With much wailing and peril, To pour their blood around CrommCruaich “Milk and corn They would ask from him speedily In return for one-third of their healthy issue; [their children] Great was the horror and the scare of him… “To him “They did evil…” Cromm Cruaich demanded human sacrifice. He was a demonic, bloodthirsty god described as being “withered,” cloaked in darkness by “many mists,” and whose violence terrified the people. He was merciless, evil and brought much sadness, making everyone “to be without peace.” His sacrifices were on the “high places” and under the cloak of darkness. Children and adults were sacrificed to him and to the twelve lesser gods, which were represented by “standing stones” that were placed in a circle around his golden idol. Multitudes were sacrificed all at once. Charles Squire explains, “The same authority also tells us that these sacrifices were made at ‘Hallowe’en’, [or] ‘Samhain’-“Summer’s End”- when the sun’s power waned, and the strength of the gods of darkness, winter, and the underworld grew great.” Later, St. Patrick took a sledge hammer and destroyed the golden idol of Cromm Cruaich. This, then, is the origin of Halloween. Unfortunately, we still honor this ancient celebration. And as we acknowledge and celebrate it, we are giving honor to a god who demanded the lives and blood of human beings. We are celebrating death, destruction, darkness, demons, violence, hatred, and evil. We are honoring a demon-god who used terror to control the people and whose demands caused strong, brave men to disgrace themselves. In contrast, Jesus demands nothing from us but asks us to trust Him. He doesn’t demand the lives of our children to appease Him. The only thing that pleases Him is our faith. He is not a God of darkness, but rather Jesus Himself is light. He is a God of love, not fear; of healing and restoration, not violence and destruction. Jesus gives comfort, not terror, to those who look to Him for help. The early settlers who prayed to Him rested in His peace, as we do today, for He is the Prince of Peace. Jesus is the God and Creator of Life, not death. Since there is no evil in Jesus, He never brings harm or disgrace to those who worship Him, and He does not intimidate or deal unjustly. And where Cromm Cruaich is a demon-god, Jesus is holy, righteous, and pure. The celebration of Halloween is quite obviously a celebration of darkness, death, fear, demons, hatred, violence, and evil. And yet, it’s one of the biggest celebrations of the year. What’s worse, without any thought to what they’re doing, many Christians celebrate it as well. It is interesting to note that the writers of the ancient Celtic poem referred to Comm Cruaich as having “many mists.” In the same way, 2 Peter 2:17 speaks of those who have turned away from God as “…springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.” This is the god of Halloween. This is whom we choose to ‘agree with’ when we participate, in any way at all, in this celebration. God equates our relationship with Him to that of a marriage relationship. Many times in the Old Testament He accuses the nation of Israel of adultery and harlotry because of their involvement with spiritual practices other than those He has ordained. The prophet Isaiah pleads with Israel, “Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” But in the next verse, God tells them that He has abandoned them “because they are filled with influences from the east.” Is. 2:5-6 We know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever and in the New Testament God continues to speak the same to us today:
* Celtic Myth and Legend by Charles Squire ** Celtic Myths and Legends by T.W. Rolleston ——————————————– Written by Judith Ritchie (c) 2011 Related Articles: Harry Potter and the Superconsciousness by Ray Yungen Movie/Book Warning: A warning concerning Stephanie Myer’s best-seller: Twilight by Berit Kjos
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| Progress Report: New Homes for Widows and Orphans in Kenya | ||
LTRP Note: Below Roger’s report on Kenya is a new slideshow, showing the progress that has been made in building new homes in Kenya for the widows and orphans who are part of the Bryce Homes for Children project in Kenya. By Roger Oakland It has been almost one year since my first trip to Kenya. One of the main reasons for going there was to investigate the possibility of expanding our Bryce Homes Program, which assists orphans, other needy children, and widows around the world in memory of our son Bryce. It was at that time that I met Pastor Achilla from Rongo. When I shared my vision with Pastor Achilla, he told me of the great need for such a program in his area. When I came home, I shared this need with our Understand The Times mailing list, and we committed to establish five homes. The objective to help was two-fold: to meet physical and spiritual needs and to proclaim the gospel in the name of Jesus Christ. Lighthouse Trails also got behind this vision with a special one-time Christmas offering which provided resources that helped launch the program. It was apparent that God’s people were touched by this effort to come alongside faithful Christian pastors in Kenya who had a desire to help brothers and sisters in Christ who were living in hopeless situations. Because of the response, we were able to expand the program beyond the original five homes to twelve. One of the homes, Bryce Home 12, was set up as a special home located in the Suna area for teenage girls who are all orphaned. Bryce Home 12 literally started off from ground zero. There were 12 orphaned girls who Pastor Achilla knew of who were in terrible living situations around that region. In order to establish this new Bryce Home in Suna, a dorm house, kitchen building, and bathroom building had to be build immediately. Bunk beds, mattresses, blankets, and pillows had to be purchased. One of the reasons Suna was picked for these girls was because there is a Christian school for girls (started by a missionary) in Suna. The girls were able to start school there. But the needs at Bryce 12 have been great: uniforms for school had to be made, shoes and other clothing, including jackets, had to be purchased, and a matron had to be hired to be a house mom to the girls. We are happy to report that nearly a year after Bryce Home 12 launched, these girls are growing in godly wisdom and virtue and are blossoming in their lives. In March of 2012, I made a second trip to Kenya accompanied by Pastor Byron Hardy to evaluate our Bryce Homes Kenya program. We visited all twelve homes and saw first-hand the fruit of the ministry. For a video update, which gives an overview of this trip, you can visit our Youtube site at http://www.youtube.com/user/rogeroaklandUTT?ob=0&feature=results_main . Upon our return, we increased the number of homes we were supporting to fifteen. We also deemed it necessary to financially assist the three main leaders who were implementing the program, Pastor Achilla, Pastor Nelson, and Walter (who handles bookkeeping and records). Besides providing food and basic living essentials, it was apparent that several of the homes needed to be completely replaced. Once again, there was response from our readers, and we have been able to provide five new homes with metal roofs. (See the before and after photos below – a former unlivable shack and a new home with metal roof). At least five more homes are desperately needed. The cost of building an entire home that will house a family of ten or more is approximately $1950.00. This includes: a) basic house with metal roof and three rooms, b)plastering on the outside and inside, including the floor, c) a metal cook stove with a chimney (something most of the Bryce homes didn’t have when we met the widows), d) miscellaneous costs associated with building a new house. We are grateful to those from around the world who have already supported the Bryce Homes Kenya Program. Your dollars are being used to make a huge difference in the lives of over 120 children and caretakers. The testimonies we have received verify the wonderful things God is doing in the Rongo-Suna area. The quality of lives is being improved while the gospel is being proclaimed, and people are discovering Jesus Christ as their Savior. Each week we receive numerous e-mails and letters from Christians around the world who tell us they have become disillusioned with their churches and pastors who have turned Christianity into big businesses obsessed with raising more and more funds dedicated towards the establishment of man-made carnal kingdoms. Many have told us they are looking for legitimate ways to invest in genuine mission programs dedicated to proclaiming the gospel and meeting the needs of orphans and widows. If you fit into this category, your support will be used for this purpose. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, (For more information about the Bryce Homes in Kenya or to donate, please click here. If you cannot view the slideshow below, please click here.
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| Why the Catholic (and Emerging Church) “Eucharist” Does Not Line Up With Scripture | ||
By Roger Oakland The Catholic Church teaches that once a Catholic priest has consecrated the wafer of bread during Communion, the wafer turns into the literal and real body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.1 Therefore, the Communion Host is no longer bread but Jesus, under the appearance of bread and is therefore worthy of adoration and worship. The Catholic Catechism states succinctly:
What Does the Bible Teach About the Lord’s Supper? We have documented [in Another Jesus] what the Catholic Church teaches concerning the Eucharist. But what does the Bible teach? The Bible encourages believers to study “all the counsel of God”(Acts 20:27) and to “[p]rove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thessalonians 5:21). And as believers, we are admonished to:
With these instructions in mind, let us search the Scriptures to determine what the Bible teaches concerning the Lord’s supper. The Last Supper was celebrated by first century Christians in obedience to Jesus’ words “this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). This observance was established by the Lord at the Last Supper when He symbolically offered Himself as the Paschal Lamb of atonement. His actual death the next day fulfilled the prophecy. Only Paul uses the phrase “Lord’s supper” (I Corinthians 11:20), while the Church fathers began to call the occasion the Eucharist meaning thanksgiving from the blessing pronounced over the bread and wine after about A.D. 100. Christians have celebrated the Lord’s Supper regularly as a sign of the new covenant sealed by Christ’s death and resurrection.4 Today, the Eucharist means far more than simply thanksgiving. This is My Body To what exactly did Jesus ordain during the Last Supper? The Bible states:
Proponents of the Catholic Eucharist point to Jesus’ words recorded in John 6. Though this chapter does not deal with the Last Supper, Jesus’ words, which are taken to relate to the Communion meal, are as follows:
Just what do these Scriptures mean? The answer to that can be found in our examination of the Word of God itself.5 Metaphors and Similes Throughout the Bible, context determines meaning. Bible-believing Christians know to take the Bible literally, unless the context demands a figurative or symbolic interpretation. Before exploring Jesus’ words in John chapter 6 and elsewhere, let’s review a few examples of symbolism in the Scriptures. All scholars would agree that the following verses are metaphorical. An explanation follows each verse:
And I could go on and on with one example after the next. At one point Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). The Jews thought He spoke of the literal temple in Jerusalem, but if we keep reading, we find that Jesus was referring to His body (John 2:20-21). On another occasion, Jesus said, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). Of course, we know that Jesus did not mean that He was a literal grape vine twisting around a post. When the Bible says God hides us under His wings (Psalm 91:4), we know that God is not a bird with feathers. God is the source of all life and our provider and protector, and these figures vividly illustrate this. Throughout the Bible, figurative language is used to compare one thing to another so that the listeners can easily understand. In fact, the Bible tells us that Jesus regularly used parables to figuratively describe one thing as something else (Matthew 13:34).Jesus Himself stated, “These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs” (John 16:25). The Bible should always be interpreted literally unless the context demands a symbolic explanation. So what does the context of John’s Gospel and the other Gospels demand? John Chapter 6: The Bread of Heaven If we read the entire sixth chapter of John’s Gospel, we not only get the context, but also some startling insights into what Jesus meant when He said we must eat His flesh and drink His blood. John 6 begins with the account of Jesus feeding five thousand, followed by the account of Jesus walking on water. On the following day, people were seeking Jesus for the wrong reasons, which we understand from Jesus’ words in verses 26 and 27:
These verses begin to frame the context of the verses that follow, specifically, that Jesus emphasized the need for them to seek eternal life. Jesus goes on to explain to them how to obtain eternal life. And in verse 28, when the people ask Jesus, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Jesus replies, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (vs. 29). Here Jesus specifies only one work that pleases God, namely, belief in Jesus. Jesus reemphasizes this in verse 35 when he states: “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Notice the imperative is to “cometh to me” and “believeth on me.” Jesus repeats the thrust of His message in verse 40 where He states:
Jesus could not be clearer—by coming to Him and trusting in Him, we will receive eternal life. At this point in the narrative, the Jews complained about Him because He said: “I am the bread which came down from heaven” (vs. 41). Jesus responds to their murmuring when He states that He is indeed the “living bread” and that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood to obtain eternal life (vs. 42-58). However, let’s remember the context of this statement. First, Jesus contrasts Himself with the manna that rained down on their fathers and sustained them for their journey. But their fathers have since died. But Jesus now offers Himself as the living, heavenly bread, causing those who eat of Him to live forever. Jesus is not the perishable manna that their descendants ate in the wilderness—He is the eternal bread of life that lives forever. Only by partaking in His everlasting life can we hope to live with Him forever. This contrast strengthens His main message, where Jesus says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (vs. 47). Notice, Jesus said that as soon as we believe in Him we have—present tense—eternal life. It is not something we aim at or hope we might attain in the future, but rather, something we receive immediately upon accepting Him by faith. When Jesus said these words, He was in the synagogue in Capernaum, and He had neither bread nor wine. Therefore Jesus was either commanding cannibalism, or He was speaking figuratively. If He was speaking literally, then He would be directly contradicting God the Father: “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat” (Genesis 9:4). Therefore, because Jesus Himself said, “[T]he scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35), He must be speaking metaphorically. And that is exactly how He explains His own words in the subsequent verses. The Flesh Profits Nothing After this, in verse 60 (of John 6), we find that many of His disciples said: “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” Jesus was aware of their complaints and He responded saying:
Wait a minute, the flesh profits nothing! I thought Jesus said we must eat His flesh? Yet, if the flesh profits nothing, Jesus must be speaking in spiritual terms. And that is what He says: “[T]he words that I speak unto you, they are spirit.” Jesus uses the exact same Greek word for flesh (sarx) as He did in the preceding verses. Therefore, He is emphatically stating that eating His literal flesh profits nothing! If the Lord Himself sets the context of the dialogue, we would do well to hear Him. He said that the words He speaks are spirit and that the flesh profits nothing. In other words, Jesus has just told us He has spoken in a metaphor, so we need not guess at it. If that isn’t clear enough, Peter’s words add further clarity. Immediately following the dialogue with the Jews, in which some disciples left, Jesus said to the remaining twelve apostles, “Will ye also go away? ” (vs. 67). Peter’s response is profound:
Amazing! Peter did not say we have come to believe that we must eat Your flesh to live. He said that we know You are the Christ, and we have come to believe in You as the Christ. This is the confession of faith that leads to eternal life, not eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood. It also agrees with the totality of Scripture.
To understand more fully the Catholic Eucharist versus biblical communion and salvation, read Roger Oakland’s book, Another Jesus. Related Articles: The Missionary Goal of the Catholic Church Mrs. Prest – She Said No to Apostasy and Became a Martyr The New Evangelization and the Coming Reign of the Eucharist Christ
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| “Darkness at Vught Concentration Camp” by Holocaust Resistance Worker, Diet Eman | ||
LTRP Note: A few days ago, we were told about a YouTube video recently posted of Lighthouse Trails author Diet Eman, telling the story of when she was in the Christian resistance movement in Holland during WWII. The following is a chapter from her book, Things We Couldn’t Say. We first published this book in 2008 (in special contract with the original publisher and are going back to press this month for another printing. If you have not read this incredible story, we urge you to do so. Lessons to be learned and a story that will grip your heart. The chapter below is about when Diet, in her twenties at the time, had been arrested for her work hiding Jewish people and sent to Vught. It was at this prison that she came to meet Corrie and Betsy ten Boom (of The Hiding Place) told in a previous chapter of Diet’s book. * As with all of our articles, if you highlight just the text, then choose “Selection” in your print box, it will print the article and nothing else. Or you can highlight, copy, and paste the article into a Word document, format the text the way you want it (size, font, etc.), then print it. Or you can use this PDF of chapter 14 and print that. Diet Eman received the Righteous Among the Nations medal in 1998 in recognition of her aid to Jewish people during the war. Today, at 92, she still speaks to groups about her experience. By Diet Eman At Vught Camp our barrack was the only one that specifically held female prisoners who hadn’t had their hearings. Sporadically, one by one, we were called out to face our interrogators. We were always nervous and scared. Three months passed, and through all that time God gave me the opportunity to go over my story—over and over—to learn it perfectly. From the night in Scheveningen when I’d talked to Trix about what I should say, and all through my months at Vught Camp, I worked very hard to restrain my thoughts from remembering the people I loved. Instead, I worked at creating a whole new life, a new identity for myself as this woman named Willie Laarman, a maid born in Paramaribo whose parents were now both dead. It was very tempting to reminisce about those I loved because that was what my mind wanted to do—to relive the good times. It would have been so great to be able to think about Hein. But I wouldn’t allow myself that pleasure because I still had to face my hearing armed to the teeth with a plausible story so deeply set in my brain that I wouldn’t flinch for a moment when telling it. Maybe it was partially because of the rigid self-discipline I made myself live with. When I went to my bed after a long day in camp, it would be so tempting to start thinking of Hein and my parents, my brothers and sister. I prayed for them every night, of course. I knew Hein was in the prison at Amersfoort, and Amersfoort had a horrible reputation. But other than praying, I would not allow myself even a thought of the people I loved and missed so dearly for at least the last hour or so that I stayed awake. “You are Willie Laarman. You were born in Paramaribo. You are an orphan. Your parents have died.” That’s what I told myself, over and over again. I wanted no ballast when the time came for me to have my hearing; I wanted to have the whole story of my false life down to the last detail. If I were to tell my interrogators that my parents were dead, I knew I would have to explain their deaths, give dates, and be able to remember perfectly what I’d said if asked to repeat the facts again. I spent hours at night going over the whole story, trying to keep it as bare bones as I could: just me and my parents, and they were dead, and I didn’t have much to say at all about life in general. I made sure those were my last thoughts before I slept. I did not want to be caught off guard if they called me at two or three in the dark of night—which they regularly did. If they were to wake me from a deep sleep and start bombarding me with questions, I wanted to have Willie on my mind, not Hein. So I tried to put him out of my head completely, as completely as I could. I knew our whole operation was at stake. Today, sometimes, I think that perhaps what I did to brainwash myself during those years was too much, I don’t know if it was wise, but it was safest. Our minds are strange things. During that time, I always tried to keep my eye on the others, in silence, of course. I observed how one woman especially, a woman named Hanny, who was not very pretty—had horrible teeth and especially greasy hair—was called up for hearings two or three times a week. I wondered what she had done that they were calling her out so often. You learn things when you watch as closely as I did. Most women would be shattered when they returned from their hearings; but Hanny did not come back broken like so many of them. Also, unlike many of us, who were called at any hour of the day or night—often in the middle of the night—she was called out quite often at 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon. And she was never nervous or scared. When she returned, she looked almost tanned, as if she’d been in the sun; and often she was even talkative, as if she’d had a beer or two. Click here to continue reading this.
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| Book Alert: Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson Used by Many Christians |
The book was first released in 1995. Henri Nouwen was still alive, and he wrote the foreword, saying that Soul Feast is “the fruit of Marjorie’s personal practice, her solid studies, and long experience in spiritual formation. It brings together in a clear, concise way the essence of her ministry.” Nouwen would agree that if someone wanted to know what Thompson really believed, this book would provide the “essence” of those beliefs. In the book, Thompson gets right to the point when she makes the following statements in the prologue:
Thompson, an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church USA, 1 is a director for The Pathways Center (part of the Upper Room Ministries)2. Upper Room is a religious organization that promotes Eastern style meditation and is the creator of the popular, meditation tool Walk to Emmaus. In Soul Feast, Thompson’s “Annotated Bibliography” (of books she favors) is a who’s who of pantheistic contemplatives including: Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, Anthony de Mello, Richard Foster, Tilden Edwards, Edward Hays, Morton Kelsey, and Parker Palmer. Jesuit priest De Mello, author of Sadhana: A Way To God, says this of meditation:
Soul Feast is peppered with quotes by and references to staunch New Agers like Matthew Fox, Gerald May, and M. Scott Peck. Others in the book are Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, and Brother Lawrence (see our research site for detailed information on these teachers). All of these named have one thing in common -they believe in the silent altered state that is induced through contemplative prayer. One of the mystics Thompson refers to is Thomas Keating, a father of the modern day contemplative prayer movement. In referring to Keating’s philosophy, Thompson states:
Most likely Thompson read Keating’s statement in a book he wrote the foreword to (Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality) where he said that Kundalini (an occultic meditation) and Christian contemplative prayer were one in the same. Keating knew this was true – Thompson must also for her to write as she does. Encouraging the practice of lectio divina and breath prayers, Thompson tells readers to find your own prayer words, then “repeat the phrase gently in your mind for several minutes” (p. 52). She adds: “Over time, the repetition creates a space in which words fall away and we become more aware of the Presence they point to.” Brother Lawrence recognized this presence. In his book The Practice of the Presence of God it says he “danced violently like a mad man” when he practiced going into the presence.(see ATOD, p. 147) While anyone who has researched the contemplative prayer/spiritual formation movement would expect to find names like Richard Foster and Dallas Willard connected with this book (because of their similar spiritual proclivities to Thompson), it is disquieting to learn just how many Christians are resonating with Thompson. For instance, in the Harvest House release, Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, by author Mary E. DeMuth, DeMuth favorably references Thompson in three different chapters. James Emery White 3, quotes Thompson twice in his book, Serious Times. He says: “The spiritual life is ‘the increasing vitality and sway of God’s spirit in us,’ writes Marjorie Thompson” (p. 75). White likens this “spiritual life” to Thomas Merton’s view. Willow Creek did a women’s study of the book 4, and North Park Theological Seminary uses it as “required text.” 5. ATS (Association of Theological Schools ) referenced Soul Feast twice in a “Curriculum Revision” report. In view of the fact that ATS is a Christian school accreditation organization, that is troubling to know Soul Feast is included in that report.6 Many, many other Christian leaders and groups are using Thompson’s book. The book is recommended by leaders in several denominations: Nazarene, Wesleyan, Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ, Church of God, and Southern Baptist. LifeWay Stores (Southern Baptist) used to offer the book to patrons in their Christian Living section, but now they offer a more recent book of hers, The Way of Scripture. 7 Saddleback doesn’t offer Soul Feast, but they have offered Adele Ahlberg Calhoun’s book, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, for years, and in that book, Soul Feast is given a thumbs up. 8 Unfortunately, if Thompson’s spirituality becomes indicative of “Christian living,” the words of mystic Karl Rahner will ring true when he said the Christian of the future will be a mystic on not one at all. It is clear that Thompson shares a spiritual kinship with New Age mystics. That is why she references people like Matthew Fox. Fox believes that all people (and all creation) have a christ-consciousness. He believes Jesus also had this christ-awareness but was not God in the flesh. We can all be just like Him. Chances are your church may carry a copy of Soul Feast in their bookstore or on their library bookshelves. If so, your friends, loved ones, and family members have been put in harm’s way. We hope you will warn them. |
| Video: The Big Picture by Warren B. Smith |
The following is a 10 minute preview of Warren B. Smith speaking about the “New” Spirituality that has entered the church. This is part of the Quantum Lie DVD lecture series. To read articles by Warren B. Smith, click here. If you cannot view this video, click here.
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| “Parents considering legal action over school yoga” |
LTRP Note: We are posting this for informational and research purposes, not as an endorsement for the news source. Please also see related information below to better understand the risk children are at today. It is important to realize that children are being targeted with the “new” spirituality/New Age in their schools, in their churches, in the media, and even in their homes. The Associated Press ENCINITAS, Calif. —A group of parents is bent out of shape by free yoga classes at schools in this San Diego County beachside community, fearing they are indoctrinating youngsters in eastern religion. “There’s a deep concern that the Encinitas Union School District is using taxpayer resources to promote Ashtanga yoga and Hinduism, a religion system of beliefs and practices,” the parents’ attorney, Dean Broyles, told the North County Times (http://bit.ly/RUMM4T ). In an Oct. 12 email to district Superintendent Tim Baird, Broyles called the yoga program unconstitutional and said he may take unspecified legal action unless the classes stop. The lessons are funded by a $533,000, three-year grant from the Jois Foundation, a nonprofit group that promotes Asthanga yoga. Some schools began classes last month and others will begin holding them in January. Click here to continue reading. Related Information: PARENTS BEWARE: American Girl Doll Company Recommends Yoga, Mantras, Meditation, and Breath Prayers CNN reports, “Hundreds of studios across country teach yoga to children” Christian Parents Beware: Sesame Street Will Teach Your Children Yoga Little Wave and Old Swell (A Course in Miracles for Children with a Foreword by Ken Blanchard) |
| The Warning |
by Roger Oakland There is a pattern we find throughout the Word of God. God always warns before He brings judgment on sinful man. God is merciful and never reacts quickly without giving sinners a chance to repent. While He hates sin, He has often allowed men to carry on even if they do not respond. However there are always consequences of sin. The Bible states that the wages of sin is death. Often sin is exposed publically, and others are reminded to get right with God. As we read through the Bible, we see how God has always raised up men and women to warn the people of coming judgments. The first time this occurred in history was before the great flood of Noah. Very few listened to Noah. God used Noah to warn, and then the judgment came. For the majority who refused to listen, they were wiped out in a global catastrophe. Of all the prophets, Jeremiah is the one who seemed to have the toughest job. Virtually no one would listen to him as he was trying to warn the leaders of Israel about the judgment they were going to face. They had turned away from God and were following their forefathers who had turned to the gods. God used Jeremiah to warn the people and then judged the children of Israel by sending them into exile where they were forced to live in a society that was totally pagan. If history repeats itself as the Bible states, then it would be reasonable to predict the same pattern would be repeated today. People who profess to be followers of God end up following men who follow the devil who then become Satan’s pawns. As Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun. A brief overview of what we call the “new” evangelical movement provides a good example of what is happening today. According to Bible prophecy, the Last Days will see the implementation of a global One World Religion that prepares the way for the antichrist. This would mean that we will see all religions coming together for the cause of peace. Not only will the religions of the world join up in an ecumenical unity, but so will the majority of those who call themselves Christian. We have been watching this trend happen for over two decades. Without knowing it “Protestant evangelicals” have been seduced so that they are neither Protestant nor evangelical. Many churches and denominations have been led astray by the pied pipers of the Purpose Driven emerging church movement, which clearly embraces a false hope centered on a P.E.A.C.E. Plan that is supposed to unite all religions of the world to do good. This plan is fueled by the belief that we can get closer to God through various contemplative eastern practices like Yoga and contemplative prayer. Christ is mentioned in name, but the “Jesus” and the “gospel” is not the Jesus Christ and the gospel that is supported by the Scriptures. Click here to continue reading. |
5 FREE THINGS FROM LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS, INCLUDING NEW PDF ARTICLES |
1. FREE CATALOG: Fill out our short form to receive a free catalog. Click here to access form. Our new 2012 catalog will be coming out in March. 2. FREE SAMPLE CHAPTERS OF LT BOOKS: http://www.lighthousetrails.com/chaptersamples.htm. 3. FREE E-NEWSLETTER & ALERTS: Sign up for our free e-newsletter and press alerts: Click here. 4. FREE BIBLE VERSE TEA SAMPLES: Check it out here. This is our own "tent-making" company to help support Lighthouse Trails. Our customers tell us the tea is delicious, and they love the KJV Bible verses, one on each tea tag. Remember, each week we draw one name from those who request samples, and that person wins a free box of tea. Click here to see what some of our readers are saying about our Shepherd's Bible Verse Tea. You may be pleasantly surprised. This is no ordinary tea. 5. NEW! FREE PDF ARTICLES: These are articles we have written that are formatted in an easy to read, easy to print PDF. We will be adding more to this page as time goes on so be sure to bookmark this page. |
10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OFFER - FLAT RATE SHIPPING INDEFINITELY EXTENDED |
FREE BIBLE VERSE TEA SAMPLES WITH EVERY ORDER! In March of 2002, we began Lighthouse Trails as a publishing company. Later, in 2004, we added Lighthouse Trails Research Project and this newsletter as a way to get free information out to those who were reading our books. As a way to say thank you to our readers and customers of our catalog and online store, we are offering, indefinitely, to our U.S.A. customers a $5 flat rate shipping on all orders (you can choose a lesser rate for smaller orders). When you get to the third step at check out, just choose the FLAT RATE shipping option. For our Canadian and other international customers, use code 10-OFF to get 10% off your order to help compensate for your shipping charges. To all our customers and Lighthouse Trails readers, we want to say thank you for supporting us these past ten years.. We hope we have been as much a blessing to you and your families as you have been to us. Click here to enter store. FREE BIBLE VERSE TEA SAMPLES WITH EVERY ORDER! |
