“If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

Be blessed.

Those who support the theory of predestination combined with the false doctrine of eternal hell fire serve a pagan god different from the One presented in the infallible Scripture!!! A god of the likes of Baal and Zeus! Indeed by believing in these two doctrines you believe that God simply brings into existence certain innocent and choiceless creatures for the sole purpose of subjecting them to an eternal state of unbearable suffering and torture, to writhe through countless ages in the intense heat of undying flames! Blessed and highly favored indeed are the cattle and the dumb beast who have no soul that by chance might have been “chosen” to such a miserable eternal existence.

O dreadful blasphemy! Yeah what doctrine of devils! You take one passage and build a reasoning which ignores the entirety of Scripture to form a teaching of Divine salvivic elitism. Before I proceed I would caution you who so heroically defend this doctrine of predestination to carefully consider the words of Christ in Matthew 12:36, “I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they will give account thereof in the day of judgement.” On this topic it is preferable to conclude with a statement of “I’m still searching and open I’m to suggestions” rather than put your foot down and preach such a shaky theory. For indeed such teachings have turned millions of humble truth seekers into brazen infidels!

I wish those who confidently teach predestination from Romans chapter 9 would meditate upon verse 21-23 of this chapter. “What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory?” This statement alone makes it clear that Paul is by no means saying that he has a firm grasp on how God exercises His sovereignty. Perhaps God, though He wanted to and was going to punish the vessel of wrath, waited with much longsuffering to see if that unworthy vessel would turn from its wickedness and choose life. READ YOUR BIBLES CAREFULLY, and it would save you from coming to such grievous conclusions. Verse 21 employs the analogy of the Potter and the clay an analogy that Paul is pulling from Jeremiah 18:1-11. If you read that text in conjunction with Romans 9 you would have a more accurate glimpse into how God’s sovereignty works. From Jeremiah we can see that even the vessels prepared unto mercy if it be “marred in the hand of the Potter” can be made again into another vessel, even a vessel fitted to wrath.

“The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.” Jer 18: 7 – 10

The point the Bible is making concerning God’s sovereignty is that regardless of what choice we make God will ultimately “work all things together” to His glory. He will work the path of every choosing being to fit in perfectly to the climatic ending of the saga between good and evil, when “Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father”, then will all the saints sing in utmost conviction, “Just and True are all thy ways, Thou King of saints”. “A man’s heart plan’s his way, but the Lord directs His steps” (Proverbs 16:9). The Word of God is clear from Jeremiah, If we choose (or plan) a way of evil, God will ultimately direct our steps to calamity, showing in the disobedient His wrath. But if we trust in the Lord with all our hearts, and lean not on our own understanding, acknowledging Him in all our ways and plans, “He will direct our paths” to glory and honor (Proverbs 3:6). How this pattern works in every instance will be a mystery as long as we are on earth.

Now, I have yet to read a logical Biblical defense for this utterly foolish argument in comment #27:

“If God wants everyone to be saved then they would be saved and you’d have universal salvation (”Universalism”) because the Almighty God of the Holy Bible is a sovereign God. However if God wants everyone to be saved, but yet they are not saved, then He is not a sovereign God after all because His will can be thwarted by something outside of Himself.”

Can you not see that you are restricting God to your interpretation of what His sovereignty should be instead of accepting the Biblical interpretation of God’s sovereignty? Have you not read Isaiah 5, where God explains in the beginning of the chapter that He planted and watered a vineyard (Israel and Judah) with the intent of reaping good fruit but instead He found wild fruit? “What could I have done more to my vineyard that I have not done unto it, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.” (verse 4). Therefore He said He would “lay it waste” and not prune it or dig it. Have you not beheld our Lord weeping atop the Mount of Olives over a people who refused to accept His offer of love and protection? Were those tears of Christ just theatrics (the Greek word for such a thing is hypocrisy) or was it that He was weeping because His heart of justice coupled with His sovereignty would turn this city, intended to be something so beautiful for God, into a smoldering heap because of their poor choices? A vessel of mercy to a vessel of wrath? Why doesn’t your view of God’s sovereignty allow for Him to offer His creations a choice (for love cannot be sincere unless a person makes a choice to love out of their own free will) and if they choose contrary to His suggested path, does God not posses the power to still work all things together for His glory? And why is it that you are always pointing people to all these articles? Why not a link to Bible Gateway to defend from the Bible such a grave theory? Those external links are no good to you or to anyone else unless they enable the reader to describe their conclusions in a simple understandable way from the Bible.

In conclusion I cite a very important Bible text for such topics:
“The secret things belong to our God: but those things that are revealed belong unto us and our children forever…” Deuteronomy 29:29. The things that are revealed are plain: “It is the Father’s good will to give you the kingdom”(Luke 12:31), the Lord is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9, God would “have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” 1Timothy 2:4, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16. And with all that God is still finds a way to be sovereign. How He does it – that belongs to our God, and venturing into that territory amounts to wresting the Scripture to our own destruction.

Mysteries

“But blessed are your eyes for they see; and your ears for they hear.” {Matthew 13v16}.

Jesus spoke these words to His disciples and to all who would follow Him. Now many people today in the world find it very hard to understand and to accept God’s Word, some try to change it by bringing out different translations, but I believe that they who do such things are standing on very dangerous ground.

For I am reminded of God’s Word, “For I testify unto everyman that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” {Revelation 22 v 18 & 19}.

Yes indeed, blessed are our eyes, and our ears as Jesus said, now there are things in the scriptures which are hard to understand, but we must remember we are not always ready to receive such knowledge. The Word of God needs to mature in us, and then it will be ripe enough for us to eat, so the things you do not understand, really do not matter at all. For soon all things will be revealed to us. The Holy Ghost is in the process of making the mysteries of His Word known to you and me, for they have been hid from the past ages and generations, but are now made visible to God’s children in these last days. I believe that we will be amazed at the things that our Lord will show us in the ages to come, for we know that His knowledge is infinite, and we also know the greatest mystery of all, “which is Christ in you the hope of glory.” {Colossians 1 v 27}. May the Lord reveal more of His mysteries in Christ to us all, as we study His eternal and glorious Word.

Jesus said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: For He shall not speak of Himself but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: And He will show you things to come.”
{St John 16 v 12 & 13}.

I don’t remember judging you or conversing with you but thanks for reminding me that we should keep God’s word in our hearts and I pray to God that I can endure to the end.

“Error and Truth Travel the Same Highways”

There are areas of Christian thought, and because of thought then also life, where likenesses and differences are so difficult to distinguish that we are often hard put to escape complete deception. So skilled is error at imitating truth that the two are constantly being mistaken for each other.
It is therefore critically important that the Christian take full advantage of every provision God has made to save him from delusion. These are prayer, faith, constant meditation on the scriptures, obedience, humility, hard serious thought and the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
These are the times that try men’s souls. The latter times are upon us and we cannot escape them; we must triumph in the midst of them. (1 Tim. 4:1-2)
Strange as it may seem, the danger today is greater for the fervent Christian than for the lukewarm and the self-satisfied. The seeker after God’s best things is eager to hear anyone who offers a way by which he can obtain them, particularly if it is presented by someone with an attractive personality and a reputation for superior godliness.
Now our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, has not left His flock to the mercy of the wolves. He has given us the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit and natural powers of observation. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good,” said Paul (1Thess. 5:21). “Beloved, believe not every spirit…” wrote John(1John 4:1). “Beware of false prophets…Ye shall know them by their fruits,” our Lord warnd (Matt 7:15-16)
For those who want a rule by which they can test everything I make available here a little secret by which I have tested my own spiritual experiences and religious impulses for many years.
Briefly stated the test is this: This new doctrine, this new religious habit, this new view of truth, this new spiritual experience-how has it affected my attitude toward and my relation to God, Christ, the Holy Scriptures, self, other Christians, the world and sin. By this seven fold test we may prove everything religious.
1. One vital test of all religious experience is how it affects our relation to God, our concept of God and our attitude toward Him. Any doctrine, any experience that serves to magnify Him is likely to be inspired by Him.
The heart of man is like a musical instrument and may be played upon by the Holy Spirit, by an evil spirit or by the spirit of man himself. Religious emotions are very much the same, no matter who the player may be. Many enjoyable feelings may be aroused within the soul by low or even idolatrous worship. The nun who kneels “breathless with adoration” before an image of the Vergin is having a genuine religious experience. She feels love, awe and reverence, all enjoyable emotions, as certainly as if she were adoring god. The mystical experiences of Hindus and Sufis cannot be brushed aside as mere pretence. Neither dare we dismiss the high religious flights of spiritists and other occultists as imagination. These may have and sometimes do have genuine encounters with something or someone beyond themselves. In the same manner Christians are sometimes led into emotional experiences that are beyond their power to comprehend. I have met such and they have inquired eagerly whether or not their experience was of God.
The big test is, What has this done to my relationship to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? (Rev. 4:11)
2. The next test is, How has this new experience affected my attitude toward the Lord Jesus Christ? Whatever place present-day religion may give to Christ, God give Him top place in earth and in heaven. He must stand at the center of all true doctrine, all acceptable practice and all genuine Christian experience. Christless Christianity sounds contradictory but it exists as a real phenomenon in our day.
Again, there are psychic experiences that thrill the seeker and lead him to believe that he has indeed met the Lord and been carried to the third heaven; but the true nature of the phenomenon is discovered later when the face of Christ begins to fade from the victim’s consciousness.
If on the other hand the new experience tends to make Christ indispensable, if it takes our interest off our feelings and places it in Christ, we are on the right track. What ever makes Christ dear to us is pretty sure to be from God. (Matt. 3:17, Acts 2:36, 4:12, John 14:6.)
3. Another revealing test is, How does it affect my attitude toward the Holy Scriptures? Did this new experience, this new view of truth, spring out of the Word of God itself? Whatever originates outside the scriptures should for that very reason be suspect until it can be shown to be in accord with them. However high the emotional content, no experience can be proved to be genuine unless we can find chapter and verse authority for it in the scriptures. (Isaiah 8:20)
Whatever is new or singular should also be viewed with a lot of caution. Over the last half century quite a number of unscriptural notions have gained acceptance among Christians by claiming that they were among the truths that were to be revealed in the last days. The truth is that the Bible does not teach that there will be new light and advanced spiritual experiences in the latter days; it teaches the exact opposite. Beware of any man who claims to be wiser than the apostles or holier than the martyers of the Early Church.
While true power lies not in the letter of the text but in the Spirit that inspired it, we should never underestimate the value of the letter. The text of truth has the same relation to truth as the honeycomb has to honey. One serves as a receptacle for the other. But there the analogy ends. The honey can be removed from the comb, but the Spirit of truth cannot and does not operate apart from the letter of the Holy Scriptures. For this reason a growing acquaintance with the Holy Spirit will always mean an increasing love for the Bible.
4. Again, we can prove the quality of religious experience by its effect on self-life. The Holy Spirit and the fallen human self are diametrically opposed to each other. (Gal 5:17) Before the Spirit of God can work creatively in our hearts He must have our full consent to displace our natural self with the Person of Christ. This displacement is carefully explained in Romans 6,7 and 8.
A good rule is this: If this experience has served to humble me and make me little and vile in my own eyes, it is of God, but if it has given me a feeling of self-satisfaction it is false and should be dismissed as emanating from self or the devil. Nothing that comes from God will minister to my pride or self-congradulation.
5. Our relation to and our attitude towrd our fellow Christians is another accurate test. Sometimes an earnest Christian will, after some remarkable spiritual encounter, withdraw himself from his fellow-believers and develop a spirit of faultfinding. He may be honestly convinced that he is now in an advanced state of grace, and that the “hoi polloi” in the church where he attends are but a mixed multitude. This is a dangerous state of mind, and the more dangerous because it can justify itself by the facts. The brother has had a remarkable experience. It is not that he is mistaken in his facts that proves him to be in error, but that his reaction to the facts is the flesh. His new spirituality has made him less charitable. Any religious experience that fails to deepen our love for our fellow Christians may safely be written off as spurious. (1 John 3:18-19, 4:7-8, 5:1, John 13:35)
6. Another certain test is this: Note how it affects our relation to and our attitude toward “the world.” I do not mean, of course, the beautiful order of nature. Neither do I mean the world of lost men. (John 3:16). Certainly any true touch of God in the soul will deepen our appreciation of anture and intensify our love for the lost. I refer here to the world of carnal enjoyments, of godless pleasures, of the pursuit of earthly riches and reputation and sinful happiness-in short, unregenerate human society romping on its way to hell, the exact opposite of the true Church of God. (1 John 2:15-17, 2 Cor. 6:14). Any spirit that permits compromise with the world is a false spirit. Any religious movement that imitates the world in any of its manifestations is false to the cross of Christ and on the side of the devil.
7. The last test of the genuineness of Christian experience is what it does to our attitude toward sin. What ever makes holiness more attractive and sin more intolerable may be accepted as genuine. (Tit. 2:11-13)
Jesus warned, “There shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect.” (Matt. 24:24) These words describe our day too well to be coincidental.
The farther we push into the sanctuary the greater becomes the danger of self-deception. The deeply religious man is far more vulnerable than the easy-going fellow who takes his religion lightly. This latter may be deceived but he is not likely to be self-deceived.
Most men, indeed, play at religion as they play at games, religion itself being of all games the one most universally played.
The unattended garden will soon be overrun with weeds; the heart that fails to cultivate truth and root out error will shortly be a theological wilderness.
A bit of healthy disbelief is sometimes as needful as faith to the welfare of our souls. It is no sin to doubt some things, but it may be fatal to believe everything. Faith never means gulliblity. Credulity never honors God. The gullible mentality is like the ostrich that will gulp down anything that looks interesting. I have met Christians with no more discrimination than the ostrich.
The healthy soul, like the healthy blood stream, has its proper proportion of white and red cells. The red corpuscles are like faith: they carry the life-giving oxygen to every part of the body. The white cells are like disbelief: they pounce upon dead and toxic matter and carry it out to the drain. Thus the two kinds of cells working together keep the tissues in good condition. In the healthy heart there must be provision for keeping dead and poisonous matter out of the life stream. This the credulous person never suspects. He is all for faith.
Along with our faith in God must go a healthy disbelief of everything occult and esoteric. Numerology, astrology, spiritism, and everything weird and strange that passes for religion must be rejected. All this is toxic matter and has no place in the life of a true Christian. He has Christ, and He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Please forgive any typo’s)

For the second time; you remind me somewhat of where I was some 38 years ago, so, it’s almost unfair in that I know where you’re going probably before you do.

For clarity only; I will address only those issues where you have identified me as having offended you, or, that I have mis-represented scripture, yada..yada..yada.

You sound as though I am in confederacy with those that you name in your last comments. Truth be told, I am probably less liked by them than you are right now. The difference between you and me is: I am perfectly comfortable standing on the Word of God and letting the proverbial chips fall where they may. The battle is not mine, it’s the Lord’s and I am secured in that fact.

If you think that you are speaking for God or He is speaking through you, then, you are in for one big rude awakening. You do not and have not, point blank. As you tried to get a jibe in with your:

“Charles D. how right you are NOT. …” comment, I know the effect you were trying to achieve with the little “hip-hop” slang on the end. But! What you actually achieve was letting everyone know that you still have a little “worldliness” in you, but I digress.

My response to you is as follows:

For you Charles, Jesus said in Paul, “foolish and unlearned questions AVOID…”

I am unable to find a Bible with a Book of Paul. Then, you had the temerity to follow-up with: “but whos pays attention to details? See, how simple it really is to point out your oversight Charles D.” Now see, that’s a remarkable example of [No manner of weapon formed against me shall prosper]. You certainly do not pay attention to details. You very truthfully say, albeit incorrectly that: “(as grammatically incorrect as my typing is)”

You would have been correct to say: as grammatically incorrect as my SPEAKING is” but by this time I’d had enough of being Mr. Nice Guy, so, when you followed up with: “…but I’m not at all rude,” my flip response was: nor are you smart, you butcher the English Language, and your punctuation could use some work.

I can say all of that and still profess to love my God (and I do), because none of those things are sins unto death. Thing is, on your best day, when it comes to things of the Bible, you’re left wanting.

“When we all stand before the Lord to give account for EVERY IDLE WORD that we have spoken, we’ll all see Charles D. how right you are NOT. …Then you all (that re-define God’s Word) will understand that it is God’s Word that He has been sowing in my heart for years…and for Eden H., …I left all the false doctrine of those I once followed years ago.”

Can you hear the self-willed pride in your aspirations? Being proven right is more important to you than saving souls, or, wishing fellow believers well. Why would you want to appear righteous before God, while any believer might be condemned? Don’t you know that a liar cannot tarry in the sight of God? Do you think you can pull a fast one on God? Don’t you know that since the dawn of creation He knew that I would be writing these very words to you, here and now? Wake-up,!! Please!!!

Then you ask: “So, how can you (C.D.) call me “brother” in one breath, and the next call what I (Niles) speak “damning hereseys”, then say that you’ll pray for me (I’ve been praying for the Church, the body of Christ since 1980,..)” Okay, last things first. If you’ve been praying since 1980, then you’re slow! Either that or your prayers are lagging, lacking, or both. I can call you brother because I care. I can call what you speak damnable heresies, because they are and that proves I care even more so. If I didn’t care I could give a hoot whether you go to hell in a hand basket or whatever.

The questions you have to ask yourself are: Are you right? No. Do you make mistakes about scriptures and life in general: absolutely. Are you saved? That is my concern, but, none of my business. It is between you and God, exclusively. Can you do things now, to enhance your chances of being saved according to what you have demonstrated on these pages? You betcha!

In Christ,

Charles

Why write a martyrs durge?
I have not twisted your words or scripture, I just refuse to conform to your way of communicating. I will not talk at you with scripture to try to prove something.

Only proud people call themselves humble. Didn’t you know that? They say things like “I was really humbled by that experience.” But it is a false humility that reveals a prideful nature.
What kind of spiritual abuse did you endure? Your words speak personal pain, and your references to final judgement speak of final vindication. There is tenderness in God, and healing for all pain and tears shed. All I am saying is to shake off the dust of the last remaining strongholds over you from your early church experience. Remove your sandals, take a seat, and let others wash your feet. Others will long to have deeper fellowship with you, and share the love that God has shared with them.
Do not be afraid. I am not against you, nor do I want to sway you into any thing untrue. I have simply reached out my hand in fellowship to you. Thank you for speaking more clearly in your last post, I appreciate it. It is personally offensive to me when someone speaks in biblical sentences and then puts the verses in brackets. It is offensive because it offers no real fellowship or love, only a wall of paper and ink.

Colossians 3:12-14

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

For you Charles, Jesus said in Paul, “foolish and unlearned questions AVOID… Moreover, I gave you Jim Brown’s web address more than once…but whos pays attention to details? See, how simple it really is to point out your oversight Charles D. (as grammatically incorrect as my typing is)…but I’m not at all rude, when it comes to the knowledge of God’s Word… When we all stand before the Lord to give account for EVERY IDLE WORD that we have spoken, we’ll all see Charles D. how right you are NOT. …Then you all (that re-define God’s Word) will understand that it is God’s Word that He has been sowing in my heart for years…and for Eden H., …I left all the false doctrine of those I once followed years ago.

You can listen to, read the books of, watch on T.V., the preachers of today (who mix truth with lies, and taught you to do the same…

…I will continue to read the bible – only. …We’ll see who endures to the end.

Jesus said, My mother, brothers, sisters are those that DO the will (the Word of God) of My Father which is in heaven. And II John 9-10 says that WHOSOEVER transgress and ABIDES NOT in the doctring of Christ, has NOT the Father, and the Son…. So, how can you (C.D.) call me “brother” in one breath, and the next call what I (Niles) speak “damning hereseys”, then say that you’ll pray for me(I’ve been praying for the Church, the body of Christ since 1980, so IF you a member (I Cor. 12) then I’ve been praying for you a lot longer. … When Paul the apostle said: in Titus… an heritic after the first, and second adminition reject. Not even my natural mother, brothers, and sister are my “brethern, family” unless they obey the Lord.

I’m not an eloquent speaker, obviously not as skilled as Eden H., or Charles D., and of course Job and all of you from what I can read communicate very well…but I Cor. 2 comforts me in this matter. (maybe you should read it some time – E.H.) Oh, the Lord Jesus in (I Peter 1:11) Isaiah the prophet has something to say to all of you…PLEASE READ ALOUD/BOLDLY ALL 66 CHAPTERS of Isaish TO SEE WHAT THE LORD HAS SAID ABOUT THE STATE THE CHURCH IS PRESENTLY IN. …then you can argue with him (or, just IGNORE: Isa., Eze., Jer., the Word of God).

And what I said C.D. is that God that leads a man, or woman to repentance. He put the desire to repent and draw near to Him in a lost sheeps heart (and of course their full of sin), but of God doesn’t put that deep desire to repent in one’s heart, no matter who they are, repentance will never occur. …Jesus said, NO MAN comes to the Father, but by Me. Jesus also said, that NO man knows the Father except the Son, and NO man knows the Son except the Father, AND whosoever the Son REVEALS Him (the Father) too.

Not any of us choose WHO our natural father, or mother would be…that was God’s choice – alone.
So it is with His family in heaven… God knows everything, moreover His planned everything that has, and ever will happen… to us all. God’s not almighty, everywhere present, and all-powerful for no reason…I Thess. 5:17, Eph. 5:20.

Believe it or not (and you don’t) I’m a humble man, I know that I am nothing – at all, but a worm, dust, in my flesh dwells no goog thing – at all. At the same time, I’m not ashamed of the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Jesus, raised from the dead…Heb.7:25), God having opened the eyes of my understanding… I’ll continue to serve the God of all the apostles, and prophets of the holy scripture…

And concerning any issue brought up by Eden H. or the others that have spoken to me…I descided to stop right here…because I’ve learned that the only thing you (C.D., Eden H., Djenk23, Diane, are interested in is TWISTing my words, as you also do the holy scriptures…II Peter 3:15-16, Prov. 30:5-6, Rev. 22:18-19…

Lest you like I don’t pay close attention: PSALM 68:11 …doesn’t have the word “women” in it…
IT DOES SAY THE FOLLOWING: THE LORD GAVE THE WORD; GREAT WAS THE COMPANY OF THOSE (“OF THOSE”, so why did Diane/#67 “CHANGE” the words?? I know she didn’t originaly, more likely it’s another translation – apparently… It’s still wrong…as least in the KJV.

But I’m sure that mis-translations, that CHANGE the true/original text of God Word, doesn’t concern you very must…of course not.

I fear the Lord… And humility is towards the Lord, not man. The Lord Jesus, and all God true serveant are perfect examples of my claim.

We will SEE who stands during the 7 year Tribulation to the end…..(that is who will be saved, Jesus said)….???

As much as within me is, I will be at peace with all men.

I hope you all are praying the Psalms – aloud, continuously… In others words PLEASE sow God’s Word in your hearts…before it’s to late…

…a little leaven (lies, false doctrine ), leavens the whole lump (the truth of God’s Word).

Niles

You are right, there are excesses. That is why the Bible says not to turn aside to the right or to the left. I suppose that mixing Christianity with false religions is going to the right, and being a hateful fearful hypocritical false accuser is going to the left.

I totally agree about the new age concerns, but as soon as a commenter would post a comment, on some of these websites, saying they “meditate on the Word of God” they would be branded. They would even quote from AW Tozer (one of my favorite preachers), and I would begin to laugh to myself because the kind of prayer life that he had would scare them. Tozer must definitely believed in contemplating and meditating on the Word of God. If a worship song repeated the chorus, then that would be considered “chanting”. A woman was a guest on the radio show saying “I started to hear the young man play the drums…” the foolishness of “drums are evil”, “they played Kum Ba Ya My Lord on the bongos”, “there’s no hymnals”. I laughed a lot but the paranoia was extreme.