Should we Embrace Positive Thinking?

For many years millions of people have flocked to any minister or evangelist who focusses their messages on positive thinking, and uses "faith" as the Christianize means for all our lofty dreams to come true.  Their central message is, if we just have enough faith, or the right kind of faith, and keep repeating certain verses (like a mantra), our lives will magically be transformed and all our dreams will come true.  We will have enough money to help people, we will be strong enough to do mighty things, and happy enough to attract the lost, and the list goes on.   

What many people don't realize is that the teaching of positive thinking as it is so often presented by televangelists, as one example, sounds good on the surface, but what is really behind it is a secular and humanistic belief system that, Biblically, can be proven to be another doctrine contrary to what Scripture teaches.  It can even be grouped as a false doctrine once you really take a close look at it and put it under the microscope of Scripture.  We need to be careful to study the roots of a movement or author of positive thinking books we are drawn to.  After doing some research on some popular positive thinking authors, whose books I had gobbled up years ago, I was shocked to discover they were using techniques like "imagery," the same techniques used by the New Age, and can be classified as sorcery.  They teach that faith itself (independent of God) is the tool that will reel in whatever we imagine we want.  It's interesting, also to note, that faith teachers, positive thinking gurus, and motivational speakers and authors make a lucrative living from their teaching.  After all, who doesn't want to hear positive sermons and not worry about things like personal conviction and repentance, and that a heart change is needed?  

Having said that, if someone told you that you are going to a church or are involved in a ministry that has another agenda, other than what is soundly Scriptural, would you think twice about attending there?  Yet, this is exactly what is happening today.  What is that agenda? If the message is all positive, and lacks the depth of conviction that the true teaching of repentance and salvation include, then beware! This church/ministry likely has another agenda, ever so subtle, and they are teaching another gospel that the Bible warns about.   

Gal 1:8    But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9    As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:10    For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Gal 1:11    But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

Gal 1:12    For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

Is the teaching pleasing to hear?  Beware, for Scripture says that the Gospel is a "stumbling block."  It will bring persecution and rejection. 

1Co 1:21    For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

1Co 1:22    For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

1Co 1:23    But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 1Co 1:24    But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

1Co 1:25    Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1Co 1:26    For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

1Co 1:27    But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:28    And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

1Co 1:29    That no flesh should glory in his presence. 

Is someone preaching that we must be well off financially in order to reach the lost?  Are they teaching that we must be healthy, wealthy and wise before God can really use us? Look at verse 26 - not many wise, mighty, noble are called.  We think that we need to be and look happy, or perhaps be successful in order to reach the lost.  But in verse 27, God chooses things that are foolish (they don't make sense to the world).  And in verse 28, he chooses things which are despised.   Notice the last verse 29, that no flesh should glory in His presence.  More like, He is able to use us when we are spent, weary, tired, exhausted all our own strength and resources, and come to the end of ourselves. 

We need to ask ourselves if the books we are reading merely entertain us, or draw us closer to Jesus.  Do they convict us and change our heart, or do they promise us a false and fabricated future if we merely focus on what we desire and then believe really hard that we will receive it?  I have read books that were so convicting, I only had to read them once and never forgot what they had written.  These types of books are heavily into teaching Scripture and sound doctrine, from authors like Watchman Nee, and a recent book by Dennis Bank, Sanctiprize.  Both of these authors had suffered great hardship to glean the deeper truths from the Bible, and they are known by their works.  Sometimes these types of books are difficult to read through, and yet these books are without a doubt, inspired and they are heart-changing.  You come away having digested the meat of the Word, and you do not have to read them over and over again like taking positive-thinking pills to keep you on a high.  Positive thinking books and materials, in most cases, have such a temporary effect that you have to keep reading them because they do not change our heart (which is deceitful above all things and wicked- see Jeremiah 17:9).  At least this has been true for me. 

Perhaps if we are seeking positive thinking, we are doing it for the wrong reasons.  We are seeking something for ourselves, so it becomes a pursuit for self, and not a godly thing.  Perhaps too often our focus is on self and not on Christ.  Jesus said: If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto Me (see John 12:32).  Are we pointed to Him and pointing others to Him or are we deceived into falsely pointing them to what they can get from Jesus and Christianity?  When they look at us they should see every evidence of the work of the cross in our lives (we have died to sin and self and are alive unto Christ).  When they look at Jesus they should see their own opportunity to repent and be saved, and know that they are loved as they are.  We are not salespeople, we are sinners saved by grace and our true salvation testimony is our greatest witness, not how happy we are because we are positive thinkers.  People want and need what is real, not what is fabricated. 

How are we to think positive in a right and trusted Biblical way?  We are to delight in The Lord, keep our heart pure, be thankful (stop grumbling and complaining), be content, fight the good fight of faith, stop focusing on self and get out there and lovingly help others, make witnessing a habit.  Paul beat his body into submission, realizing he was running a race (see I Cor.9:24-27).  We need to stop trying to weasel out of running this difficult race, and stop trying to find a comfortable place to soak up the presence of God.  Meanwhile we are letting the outside world remain lost in their sins, die without hope, and suffer in hell forever.  Let us be faithful to the cross and do our part, foregoing the fluff of positive thinking beliefs, and get to the enormous task at hand, as faithful and good servants of The Lord. 

NOTE:  When I researched this, there was so much material, I had to break it up into a series of blogs.  Please watch for my next blogs in this series about positive thinking.

The Deception of Movements

In my last blog, Are You a Movement Junkie?  I discussed how to tell if you are addicted to movements within the Christian context.  Since then, I have had much further insight into the deception of movements that I feel compelled to share.  Please read it through and consider sharing it with your friends and contacts, or anyone else you know that is caught up in a movement that is not God-centered, or soundly Biblical. 

I decided to research a little deeper about current movements, and found one that I was particularly drawn to.  This one kept using the word "unity."  I shuddered when I read this because all the years I witnessed to friends, co-workers, and many others God had placed in my path who were involved in a false cult or worldly religion always used that same word.  And it was never used properly within the context intended in the Bible back then, and, not surprisingly, it is not used properly now within this movement.  Look at the following: 

Eph 4:1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Eph 4:2  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Eph 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  

In this context, notice the words walk worthy (conduct ourselves befitting of the sacred Gospel and holiness - honor God and His Word).  Lowliness and meekness (consider that we are unworthy, weak, and apt to fall), longsuffering - be patient with one another.  In verse 3, keep the unity in the bond of peace means that when disagreements occur, resolve it until peace is restored. It does not mean to break away in a spirit of bitterness and unforgiveness.  These verses that speak of unity are hardly within a context of breaking up a fellowship and starting up a movement independent of the local church. 

Jesus said He came to bring a sword, and His truth will actually divide us when we properly use it.  Even and especially, families will be at variance. 

Mat 10:34    Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Mat 10:35    For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Mat 10:36    And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

Mat 10:37    He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

 That sword that Jesus is referring to in verse 34 is the Truth, the Word of God, and the Bible.  In Scripture it is referred to as a two-edged Sword. 

Heb 4:12    For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

There are many hardships in being a follower of Jesus, and it is never easy.  Yet movements seem to try and find an easy way out of these hardships, without counting the cost.  Jesus talks about the cost of being His disciple. We must forsake all to follow Him.   

Mat 10:38    And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 

What does it mean to take up our cross and follow Him?  Where did Jesus go?  He went to the cross, was beaten and crucified, mocked and hated, and finally He died in our place.  He rose again three days later.  Then He ministered to those in need and did so in a pure spirit of truth, humility, love and obedience.  We must do the same, die to self.  Jesus was not ever popular and for the majority of the world, He is not popular today.  Neither should we expect to be. When we are sincerely following Him and our heart's desire is to serve Him and minister to others, we will be under a constant attack and we should expect this.  When we are experiencing rejection and hardship, we know we are on the right track, because this is what Jesus experienced. 

This is in stark contrast to the goal of movements that many times, are looking for the supernatural experience, and the pie in the sky religion that makes them feel good.  As I read this one particular movement's beliefs and posts, I couldn't help but notice that it was all centered on exactly what I talked about in the last blog, "What can I get from this?” rather than having a humble servanthood attitude of, "What can I humbly offer God, and how can I be used to serve Him in whatever capacity is needed?"  

John 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease. 

Our attitude should be, What can I give God that is pleasing to Him?  The Bible says that the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart.  

Psa 51:16    For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

Psa 51:17    The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 

Isa 57:15    For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

We think of the word obedience and the story of Saul and his disobedience.  Samuel rebuked him for disobeying God and said:   

1Sa 15:23    For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king." 

 As soon as we want things our way, we are in rebellion against God. 

Also, as I researched, I noticed that the words "repentance" and "salvation" were not once mentioned.  Also void was the word "outreach."  There was absolutely no mention of any plan to go out and witness to the lost.  The only inference I noticed was that if you go to enough of these meetings and "soak" up the presence of God, you will be happy and smiley and people will notice you are different. And we all know how short-lived that temporary feeling is! Although it does command it in the Bible that we should love one another, and others will know you by the love you have for one another, that love is a costly one, not a touchy-feely one. 

Joh 13:34    A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Joh 13:35    By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 

Notice that there is stipulation to the kind of love He expects:  Jesus said that we should love one other as He has loved us.  How is this done? Does He mask the truth? You will not find this in Scripture.  Agape love means to lay down your life for one another.  It is not self-serving (see I Corinthians 13), it rejoices in the truth (yes, this means you also rebuke your brother or sister in The Lord when they err).  It means a deliberate and visible dying to self.  There is nothing artificial about it - it all ties in with the unity mumbo-jumbo they talk about.  We are only one in a spiritual sense (positionally), but this must be worked out on a case-by-case basis - repentance and forgiveness.  It is not a cover-up for our sin, but true love exposes our sin.  

Pro 27:5    Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Pro 27:6    Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 

How are other ways we discern truth from error? You shall know them by their fruits. 

Mat 7:16    Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Mat 7:17    Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Mat 7:18    A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Mat 7:19    Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Mat 7:20    Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

When people come into your church and create a stir and a discontentment, then try to draw you away and then split the church, beware.  They are wolves in sheep's clothing.  Then in the next breath they talk about unity.  If it was really unity, why would they split up the church? They would have stayed and humbly tried to work it out according to the methods outlined in Scripture.  Without repentance and humility, there is no unity and never will be.  Nor do they really love you as Christ loves you, because they have not laid down their life for you in a Christ-like way.  So if a movement is started as a result of a break-off from a church, then the seeds of that movement are rebellion and witchcraft.  Nothing good can ever come from that, and God will never endorse it or bless it. 

Today if you are involved in a movement that you have even the tiniest doubt about, please pray and ask God to reveal His Word to you and open up His truth in ways to you that will clearly show you the next step you need to take. And like I requested earlier, please do not be shy about sharing this blog with your circle of contacts.  We must keep Jesus front, center and our all-in-all.