Is there any truth to “The Secret”? Is there any validity to the law of attraction? As with most other popular ideas, “The Secret” has a nugget of truth that is expanded to unbiblical and illogical extremes. For example, a thesis of the law of attraction is that our physical health is determined by our thoughts and feelings. It has been medically proven that stress and worry are harmful to the body, while joy and peace actually aid in the healing process. The Bible agrees, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones” (Proverbs 15:30). As David was struggling with the guilt of his unconfessed, evil actions, he declared, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long” (Psalm 32:3). Our thoughts and feelings do have an impact on our physical well-being. However, this is due to how God designed our bodies…not because of our connection with a universal energy force and our negativity or positivity attracting negative or positive physical symptoms.
The Secret – www.thesecret.tv – also known as the “law of attraction,” is the idea that because of our connection with a “universal energy force,” our thoughts and feelings have the ability to manipulate this energy force to our liking. According to “The Secret,” our thoughts and feelings attract a corresponding energy to ourselves. If our thoughts are negative, we attract negative things. If our feelings are positive, we attract positive things. The essential message of “The Secret” is that we all have the power to determine our own destiny. We can all create our own reality. Through fully and consistently applying the “law of attraction,” we can be who we want to be and have everything we want to have. Is there any truth to “The Secret”? Is there any validity to the law of attraction? As with most other popular ideas, “The Secret” has a nugget of truth that is expanded to unbiblical and illogical extremes. For example, a thesis of the law of attraction is that our physical health is determined by our thoughts and feelings. It has been medically proven that stress and worry are harmful to the body, while joy and peace actually aid in the healing process. The Bible agrees, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones” (Proverbs 15:30). As David was struggling with the guilt of his unconfessed, evil actions, he declared, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long” (Psalm 32:3). Our thoughts and feelings do have an impact on our physical well-being. However, this is due to how God designed our bodies…not because of our connection with a universal energy force and our negativity or positivity attracting negative or positive physical symptoms. A second error in the “law of attraction” is its emphasis on money and wealth. The Bible has much to say regarding wealth and the management of money and resources. Proverbs 13:11 exclaims, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” Similarly, Proverbs 17:16 proclaims, “Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?” Our financial success is determined by our decisions, our hard work, and our wise stewardship of what we have. No matter how positive our thoughts and how focused our mind is on wealth, if we have built mountains of debt, the bills will continue to come (Proverbs 22:7). The only impact the secret of “positive thinking” can have on our financial situation is in motivating us to work harder and spend more wisely. The Secret—and its focus on achieving wealth—goes directly against the teachings of the Bible. Solomon, the wisest and richest man in the Bible, observed, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). Jesus, who possessed everything, warned us, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). First Timothy 6:10 could not say it any more clearly, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” ... continue reading >>http://www.gotquestions.org/secret-law-attraction.html
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Polygyny in Scripture There are some things that Elohim (God) is definitely for in both the Tanak and the Messianic Scriptures. He is for loving Elohim with all one's spirit, soul, mind and strength. He is for living by the Word of Elohim. There are other things He is definitely against in both the Tanak and the Messianic Scriptures. He is against adultery. He is against murder. He is against covetousness. Then there are things that were allowed under the Old Covenant, but it isn't quite as clear whether they are still allowed under the New Covenant. Such is the case with polygyny. Quite often, people read into Scripture what their tradition says or what they think Scripture should say, rather than what it actually says. Polygyny is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language as "the condition or practice of having more than one wife at a single time". In Biblical terms, it is simply when two or more women are married simultaneously to one man. When we look at the Scriptures, we find that Lamech had two wives, Adah and Zillah (Genesis 4:19). Abraham had three wives, Sarah (Genesis 11:29), Hagar (Genesis 16:3) and Keturah (Genesis 25:1). Esau had five wives, Judith and Basemath (Genesis 26:34), Mahalath (Genesis 28:9), and Adah and Aholibamah (Genesis 36:2). Jacob had four wives, Leah (Genesis 29:23), Rachel (Genesis 29:28), Bilhah (Genesis 30:4), and Zilpah (Genesis 30:9). Moses, through whom Elohim gave the Torah, had two wives, Zipporah (Exodus 2:21) and the Ethiopian woman (Numbers 12:1). David had several wives, including Micah (1 Samuel 18:27), Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital and Eglah (2 Samuel 3:2-5). Of course, Bathsheba was not rightfully his. But Elohim said through the prophet Nathan that He gave him his master's wives (see 2 Samuel 12:8).... continue reading>> http://www.righteouswarriors.com/controversial/article5.html Links to more perspectives: http://nccg.org/polygamy.html http://www.docstoc.com/docs/110446499/Polygyny-and-the-Law---Biblical-Families http://www.docstoc.com/docs/106376426/A-Scriptural-Reply-to-Polygyny---Is-It-Scriptural-Addressing In the Ancient Science of Love, Nasi Yashuvel speaks about the duties of a husband/wife in a marriage, things to do to keep the fire lit in a relationship, how to mend a damaged union and how to find a potential mate. He uses creative stories, personal anecdotes and relative references such as historical sacred texts and writings. This book will inspire you to work hard at improving your relationship and give you keys to a successful marriage. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (AMP) And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love. ~ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (kjv)~ CHARITY: Represents Benevolence and Generosity. Corresponding Vice : GREED In Christian theology, Charity (or Love) is the greatest of the three Theological Virtues, the other two being Faith and Hope. Charity stands for the willingness to go out of your way to help others, even at the cost of your own self. This is the purest form of love, and is the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, as it is considered to reflect the nature of God. This love is self-sacrificial and is essential for salvation. Theological virtues - in theology and Christian philosophy, are the character qualities associated with salvation, resulting from the grace of God, which enlightens the human mind. The three theological virtues are:
The King James Version (1611) and the Challoner Douay Rheims Bible (1752) prefer the more theological term charity. The New Testament, which was written in Greek, only used two Greek words for love: agapē and philia. However, there are several Greek words for love.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. “Righteousness is on your side, O Lord, but open shame, as at this day, falls on us, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. Open shame, O Lord, falls on us, our kings, our officials, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. “All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. So the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against you. Jesus preaches in Galilee Mark 1:14-15 (NRSV) The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news. (Matt 4:12-17; Luke 4:14,15; John 4:43-45) What is the good news of the kingdom of God? These first words spoken by Jesus in Mark give the core of his teaching that the long-awaited Messiah has come to break the power of sin and begin God's personal reign on earth. Most of the people who heard this message were oppressed, poor, and without hope. Jesus' words were good news because they offered freedom, justice, and hope. The Example of Jesus Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children-- “My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.” Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Be Faithful to Ask for God's Direction in the Challenges You Face Many people think prosperity is based on power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He told Joshua that to succeed he must: (1) be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy. (2) obey God's law, and (3) constantly read and study God's Word. To be successful, follow God's words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world's standards, but you will be a success in God's eyes, and His opinion lasts forever.
How strange to equate success with obedience. For many, success is controlling others; for Joshua it meant being controlled by God. God told Joshua that to succeed he must obey the rules for living found in God's law. Often we can't see what the results or future benefits of following God will be. When we are not certain what to do, obedience to what God has revealed in the Scriptures is the only sure step we can take. Resolve to set aside time each day to read and think about God's Word. Remind yourself of God's words day and night. Act today on what you know God has said, and God will assure your success in carrying out His purposes. |
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