... one of many Facebook posts that give credence to man-made gods
“I cast my demons out at the feet of Ganesh. Remove the obstacles bravely with grace.”
Ganesh is described as the lord of good fortune who is said to provide prosperity, fortune and success. He is referred to as the lord of beginnings and the remover of obstacles of both material and spiritual kinds. It is said that Ganesh was created by his mother using earth which she moulded into the shape of a boy.
He is only one of 33 million Hindu gods ...
Do not turn to idols or make gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:4)
Idols made by human hands have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see, ears, but cannot hear, nor do they have breath ... All who trust in them will be like them. (Psalm 135:15-18)
I am not throwing stones ... I was spiritually blind and spiritually compromised ... believing in life force energy and good luck charms and jinxes and karma, alongside God. But, you cannot drink from the cup of demons and still drink from the Lord’s cup.
(1 Corinthians 10:21)
You will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
(Deuteronomy 4:28-29)
Exodus 20:3 . . . You shall not make for yourself and image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them. (Exodus 20:4-5)
I based my previous beliefs on my feelings, human thoughts and popular practices. Now that I am in Christ, my faith in God comes from His Spirit, who lives in me. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
(1 Corinthians 2:12)
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. (1 Samuel 15:23)
The methods of divination and fortune-telling are endless. They are described as the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by occult or supernatural means.
Let no one be found among you … who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
(Deuteronomy 18:10-11)
Reiki.org describes Reiki as a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that, according to this site, also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. It suggests that when one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.
The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy." So Reiki is described as 'actually' "spiritually guided life force energy."
They capitalize 'God,' but this practice is not biblical.
Therefore, it is not of God.
The people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them.(Luke 4:40)
Miracles like this fill the pages of the Gospel, and are performed today - but not for the reasons and ways described in the practice of reiki. They are by the power of The Holy Spirit, that lives in faithful followers of Christ, and by God's mercy and grace, for His Glory, in Jesus name.
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25)
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
(Colossians 2:8)
Smudging is defined as a Sacred Smoke Bowl Blessing. It is said that this is a powerful spiritual cleansing technique which calls upon the supposed spirits of various sacred plants to drive away negative energy and to restore balance to an individual, a group, a space, or all three.
This is another pagan practice. It is of witchcraft and the occult. The 'spirits' called upon are not of God.
They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator — who is forever praised. Amen
(Romans 1;25)
“You carry Mother Earth within you. She is not outside of you. Mother Earth is not just your environment. In that insight of inter-being, it is possible to have real communication with the Earth, which is the highest form of prayer.” —Thich Nhat Hanh
God made the earth and everything on the earth. We are to pray to the Creator, not to His creation. It is possible to have real communication with Him, our Father, the Almighty God. He tells us to "Be still, and know that I am God ..."
Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
(Deuteronomy 4:15-19)
"There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan."
- C.S. Lewis
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)
John 8:44
“This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer,
who formed you in the womb:
I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself, who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense."
(Isaiah 44:24-25)
Some tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”
(Acts 19:13-15)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
"Looking … to rejuvenate my soul and fill my forced smiles with real happiness again. Working hard and trying my best doesn't seem to be good enough. Please help.”
Many caring, loving friends responded with words of love and concern, coupled with suggestions of self-help books and courses, to lets get together, travel and nature ...
only one recommended God.
“God can’t give us peace and happiness apart from Himself because there is no such thing.” – C.S. Lewis
Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
Have you ever wondered why we are here?
“You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense.” – Rick Warren
God is not a God of confusion … (1 Corinthians 14:33 ESV)
Not long ago, a faithful servant of God prayed over me. In that indescribable moment, I surrendered to God. Though unworthy, He poured out His grace through His Spirit, who overflowed me with the truth of my Father's existence and His gift of life (now and forever) in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit ignited in me a desire to know my creator with a fire that burns brighter every day. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
Though I have not seen Him, I love Him; and even though I do not see him now, I believe in Him and am filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
If I didn’t know this joy in Christ to be real …
why would I write these things?
“The day we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior is one of the greatest days of our lives. Not only are our sins washed away, but God puts His Sprit inside of us and gives us new desires." – Joyce Meyer
The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17)
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness ... (Galatians 5:22)
... the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
(Romans 8:6)
2 Corinthians 5 -17
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
(Colossians 3:2)
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
God has chosen to make known the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)
John 3:16 . . . Look to the one that holds your life in His hands ... Fix your eyes on Jesus Christ - and live!
Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:9-11)
Sadly, I lived apart from God for years - Thankfully, Jesus came for me ♥
If you are lost, reach out to Him - He is near ...
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock."
Jesus is knocking on the door to your heart - Open the door, let Him in ♥ (Revelation 3:20)
God is Love and He has loved you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)
1 Corinthians 13:4,6-7 . . . God, our Father, is patient with you - turn to Him and be healed ... He loves us so much, He gave us the gift of His His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the way and the truth ... believe in Him and live!
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (Luke 15:3-7)
Jesus is the good shepherd. (John 10:11-18)
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate. ’So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:11-24)
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.”
(Ecclesiastes 12:1)
Jesus tell us these things, so that in Him we may have peace. In this world we will have trouble. But take heart! He has overcome the world!
I recently visited a loved one in the hospital who denied prayer. He reasoned that death was the end ... and if he's wrong … well, he's a good person ...
How can you believe
since you accept glory from one another but do not
seek the glory that comes from the only God?
(John 5:44)
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God … For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Where is the wise person? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?(1 Corinthians 1:18-21)
John 8:44 . . . There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second is claimed by God and counterclaimed by satan.”― C. S. Lewis
But there were false prophets among the people,
just as there will be false teachers among you.
They introduce destructive heresies,
even denying the Sovereign Lord ...
These teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories.
Their condemnation has long been hanging over them,
and their destruction has not been sleeping ...
(2 Peter 2)
“The universe that we inhabit and our shared perception of it are the results of common karma. Likewise, the places that we will experience in future rebirths will be the outcome of the karma that we share with the other beings living there. The actions of each of us, human or nonhuman, have contributed to the world in which we live. We all have a common responsibility for our world and are connected with everything in it.” ―Dalai Lama
While they live they count themselves blessed … they will never again see the light of life. They lack understanding and are like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
(Psalm 49:18-20, 13)
“I believe the universe is one being; all its parts are different expressions of the same energy, and they are all in communication with each other, therefore parts of one organic whole ... The whole is in all its parts so beautiful, and is felt by me to be so intensely in earnest, that I am compelled to love it, and to think of it as divine. It seems to me that this whole alone is worthy of the deeper sort of love; and there is peace, freedom, I might say a kind of salvation, in turning one's affections outward toward this one God; rather than inwards on one's self, or on humanity, or on human imaginations and abstractions- the world of spirits.” ― Robinson Jeffers
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
(2 Timothy 4:3)
“All you may know of heaven or hell is within your own self.” ― Edgar Cayce
But ... the unbelieving … and all liars — will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.
(Revelation 21:8)
“I believe there is no heaven or hell. There are no devils or angels. No afterlife or salvation. My soul won't be incarnated or lost in the oblivion. One day, I will just stop existing... and that's it!” ― Bhavya Kaushik
Jesus said, "If anyone causes one of those who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea ...Woe to that person … "
(Matthew 18:6-8)
“If one shifts the center of gravity of life out of life into the “Beyond” – into nothingness – one has deprived life as such of its center of gravity. The great lie of personal immortality destroys all rationality, all naturalness of instinct, all that is salutary, all that is life-furthering.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
Jesus said, "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
(John 8:47)
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
(Ezekiel 18:32)
"I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own—a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotisms." ―Albert Einstein
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
(Galatians 6:7-8)
““We are gods but we are afraid of the ensuing responsibility; that's why we prefer to remain slaves. Only if we dared to rise up to the challenge and assume our divinity, we could perform most of the miracles we pray for.” ― Bangambiki Habyarimana
Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God ... And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
(Romans 8:8-9)
“I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” ― Stephen Hawking
Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ …
(1 John 2:22-23)
I like Muhammad a lot, because he’s like us more than anybody else. Jesus is just so exalted, and Buddha is just so exalted, it’s almost beyond our reach. ― Deepak Chopra
Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
(Proverbs 28:26)
“I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking." ― Carl Sagan
... do not rest your faith on human wisdom, but on God's power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
(1 Corinthians 2:5-6)
“Actually, the substitution of the reality-principle for the pleasure-principle denotes no dethronement of the pleasure-principle, but only a safeguarding of it. A momentary pleasure, uncertain in its results, is given up, but only in order to gain in the new way an assured pleasure coming later. But the end psychic impression made by this substitution has been so powerful that it is mirrored in a special religious myth. The doctrine of reward in a future life for the—voluntary or enforced—renunciation of earthly lusts is nothing but a mythical projection of this revolution in the mind. In logical pursuit of this prototype, religions have been able to effect the absolute renunciation of pleasure in this life by means of the promise of compensation in a future life; they have not, however, achieved a conquest of the pleasure-principle this way. It is science which comes nearest to succeeding in this conquest; science, however, also offers intellectual pleasure during its work and promises practical gain at the end.”― Sigmund Freud
Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
(Deuteronomy 4:2)
You shall have no other gods before me.
(Exodus 20:3)
“Yes I am (a Hindu), I am also a Muslim, a Christian, a Buddhist, and a Jew.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Matthew 22:37-39)
“Heaven and the afterlife were beyond human capacity to understand, and one should therefore concentrate instead on doing the right thing in this life." ― Confucius
“Being a Humanist means trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead.” ― Kurt Vonnegut
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
(Matthew 7:13)
"When all's said and done, all roads lead to the same end. So it's not so much which road you take, as how you take it." ― Charles de Lint
They will throw them into the blazing furnace,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(Matthew 13:42)
... where the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.
(Mark 9:48)
… the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.
There will be no rest day or night …
(Revelation 14:11)
“Go to Heaven for the climate, hell is for the company.” ―Mark Twain
“An intelligent hell would be better than a stupid paradise.” ― Victor Hugo
“Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.” ―John Milton
How long will you people turn God's glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions?
(Psalm 4:2)
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud.”(Psalm 40:4)
1 Timothy 1:15-17
For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God (Genesis 3:1-7), while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man (2 Corinthians 5:21). Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man deserves to be (on The Cross of Christ).― John Stott
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:19)
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
“As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10; 3:23) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
“For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 6:23)
For too many years, I was impressed by 'intelligence' and easily influenced by 'rational thought' or 'enlightenment' of man. Then my eyes were opened, and my ignorance was healed.
I seek only the divine wisdom of God.
Back to that hospital room...
The following day, a hospital employee entered the room,
“I have the heart of Jesus, and I come here in love …”
Even I was surprised as she blessed us. Without taking a vital sign or drop of blood, she left the room.
God's will be done!
♡ The gift of life in Christ is available to everyone, & is to be enjoyed now ♡
Jesus is calling each of us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
I urge you to pray Billy Graham's prayer of salvation in the blue footer
& invite you to explore the resources page on my website to assist your quest for truth.
"... everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:21)
Then, God will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you...
(Ezekiel 36:26)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
(Isaiah 55:8-9)
“The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.” (Revelation 3:5)
2 Corinthians 5:17
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."
(Luke 16:19-31)
"For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them."
