A PC Gospel

Recently I came across a book called "Jesus Calling." Actually I've heard of this book a long time ago and while I was at the Christian book store I picked it up with the intention of possibly purchasing the book but as I went through the pages I felt uneasy, and so I put the book down. My mother in law brought up the book this past month and how much she loves it. So I decided to do some research. I found out that the author, Sarah Young was inspired by another book called, God calling. This book was written in the 1930's and is a known new age book. In the early version of the book, Jesus calling, Sarah Young said that she receives messages from God and writes them down. She also credits this book, God Calling,  for her inspiration. They have since edited the book and decided they better call it a prayer journal instead. They also removed the reference to the book God calling. She also uses the word Presence capitalized to refer to God over 80 times. God is never described in the Bible as the "Presence." Eckhart Tolle, a well known new ager (one of Oprah's favorites) uses the exact same word in his writings.  The list goes on and on with the problems the book presents. One of the problems that I had with it was that she writes like she is Jesus talking, she writes in the first person. Its pretty arrogant to begin with, then just sort of creepy. But if you skim through the pages of the book overall it sounds scriptural, and she references the scriptures with her writing. So what else is the problem? Then it dawned on me. The book paints a picture of Jesus that is incomplete and therefore inaccurate. She presents Jesus like a loving, kind, friend and he is, but he is so much more. Not only is he loving and kind, but he is the just and righteous judge that will come to judge the world. C.S. Lewis said, "Mercy, detached from Justice, grows unmerciful." Its sort of like eating junk food, when it goes down its delicious but it yields nothing good. Have you ever heard a Joel Osteen message on TV? It gives you that same feeling. Its all about you and it lacks correction, admonition, and truth! This book-Jesus Calling is the #1 bestselling devotional. I imagine that there are more people reading this little book, than the Bible.  This little book can actually love people straight to hell. I don't think that I am being dramatic either. 

Colossians 1:28 New American Standard Bible (NASB)28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

Admonishing is also translated to warn. So we are to warn, and teach others so that they will be complete. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

I remember when I was in my undergraduate program at a Christian College someone saying that they had never heard that there was a hell. All the while they were in a very large church for many years. How is this possible?! It happens all the time. So at some of these churches there are pagans sitting in the pew's and they have never heard a convicting message (I'm not saying its the church you go to) so they give their tithes, and they see their money going to good causes, they have many friends, they serve in the church,  so they think they are all good. But because they have never heard the true Jesus of the Gospel they are not saved. They are living their best life, I mean lie, now. And the Christians reading this junk food and watching many of the TBN shows and false teachers (Rob Bell, Crefto Dollar, Benny Hinn, Frederic Price Joyce Meyer, ETC!!)- this is leaven. It infects and permeates the whole person. Its like drinking alcohol, after too many drinks you start to feel numb, then you become senseless, and finally completely incapacitated.  False doctrine dulls the senses, and the truth of the Word of God so that when the Word of God is spoken, it sounds almost offensive. The truth does hurt and Jesus calls us to a higher standard. The wisdom of God is pure, its not mixed with garbage.

If you begin to study these false teachers you will notice they all have one thing in common; Pride. They want people to follow them, worship them, and serve them. Sounds like someone else we know? Satan?

I think that God wants us to be discerning about the things that we read, watch and listen to because it all has an impact on how we live our lives. So I just want to encourage you to be vigilant as we are living in the last days.

I love this quote;

"DISCERNMENT is NOT knowing the difference between RIGHT and WRONG. It is knowing the difference between RIGHT and ALMOST RIGHT." Spurgeon


Blessings! 

Here are some great links for more information on false teachers. 

http://standupforthetruth.com
http://www.goodfight.org/a_t_rob_bell.html