Lately I have been noticing that many health companies and health advocates are promoting something called "The Secret" and "The Law of Attraction" - which, in short, means that we are creators of our destiny....if you think positive thoughts, good things will come to you, and vice versa.
However, this idea is unbiblical - it is also not new and not true.
God Himself debunked the "law of attraction theory" over 4,000 years ago in the book of Job in the Old Testament. (That's a good book to read, but start at chapter 1 - before Job's friends get to philosophising about his miseries and calamities.)
In the New Testament, when people asked Jesus if a man was born blind because he or his parents had sinned, Jesus told them neither. (John 9:1-3)
The hypnotherapist that I wrote to you about believes in this "law of attraction" - and so does Oprah Winfrey and even certain "Christian" preachers of the "health and wealth" variety.
Having been in the health writing field since 1996 with www.fms-help.com, I have encountered many "new age," "holistic," health care practitioners, people who do "energy work," etc. God has shown me lately that this falls under "other gods" as in-- "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:3 - the first of the Ten Commandments).
When I mention "God" in my newsletters, I am referring to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ... the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ....not an impersonal energy force.
When I first began my FMS/CFIDS newsletter in 1996, I wrote solely about health and medicine. However, about 6 years ago, I "came out of the closet" about my Christian faith. This created a furor from many on my mailing list. I heard loud complaints primarily from those who practice lesbianism and those deeply involved in "new age" practices. They simply could not tolerate the mention of Christ in my newsletter, so a lot of these folks dropped out.
Well, the newsletter has continued and I believe that God has sent me primarily to comfort "those who mourn in Zion" - the "redeemed" - His "chosen" - who are suffering. This is why I include inspiration, as well as information in each issue.
"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." - Isaiah 61:3
Don't get confused or deceived by "new age" teachings, no matter how "popular" they are or who is spouting them. This "law of attraction" philosophy doesn't jive with reality either. Bad things do happen to good people. There is a lot more going on behind the scenes that only God knows.
We as "believers in Christ" take comfort in Jesus' words: "These things I have spoken unto you, that IN ME ye might have PEACE. In the world ye SHALL have tribulation: but BE OF GOOD CHEER; I have OVERCOME the world." (John 16:33)
For those who don't know too much about me, I majored in psychology and minored in philosophy at UCLA. A verse of caution was given to me during this time by a spiritually-minded friend--
"Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils." (I Corinthians 10: 21) It goes on to say: "Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?" (I Corinthians 10:22)
I have kept an open mind for many years about various health modalities and philosophies, but I also don't want to displease the Lord by participating with"other gods" or worse yet, leading any of my readers into spiritual confusion and darkness.
If God seems far away, then draw closer to Him. Get rid of anything in your home or mind that causes a compromise between you and Him. (I can think of some "new age" publications that are going into the trash right now!) God is the ONLY source for our life, peace and joy--
"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?.....Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded....Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." - James 4:4-10
Thanks for listening to what was on my heart today! To read more about why The Secret and The Law of Attraction are false, see http://www.equip.org/articles/the-secret-revealed/.
Your fibro friend,
Dominie Bush
www.fms-help.com
P.S. This letter is being sent to my fibro friends mailing list. If you have not yet subscribed to my weekly FMS/CFIDS newsletters, please visit www.fms-help.com/newsletters.htm. If you are already subscribed, I thank you for your support!