The parable of the happy religious shopper.

• The simple (naive; undiscerning) believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.” Proverbs 14:15
• “Prove (test) all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21
• “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1

It has to be bigger and better

When you go shopping you naturally look for the best supermarket to buy your goods.  Recently a local supermarket moved across the road. The building had to  be bigger and better than everyone else around the county.  The first time I went in they were handing out leaflets informing people where to find things.  My first impression was that I needed a compass and three days provisions.  In time you got used to where everything was.  So now it does not appear so big.

The experience

When you enter more than likely you will obtain a trolley.  You will have some idea as to what you want.  You might even have a list of groceries which you need to obtain.

The shopping list:  Bread  Fruit  vegetables Milk   tins etc.

As you wander around the shop you begin to place items into your trolley.  Until finally you approach the check out.  This is where you have to pay the shop for the products you want.   There is always a price to pay for shopping.

Like all supermarkets the forces of commerce demands competition.  Products can be on offer.  Some goods are deliberately made lower others are higher.  As you wander around the store overhead music is piped into the place to make you shopping more pleasurable.  We are therefore driven as consumers to become shoppers.  Like it or not we are all caught up in this shopping experience.

So what does going shopping have to do with Christianity?

For many years I  have noticed that religion and especially Christianity has become a mecca of shopping in so called  religious superstores.  We have seen many enter into a religious superstore and place religious ideas and practices into their trolleys.  So that your religion becomes whatever you want it to be.  By the time you have checked out of this religious supermarket you have a religion which is unique to you.

Bag of Hinduism.

Tin packed with transcendental meditation

Packet of mysticism

Smattering of sweetie Christianity

Angelic worship for extras.

Topped with a few electrifying goodies

To back it all up you need something which you can hold.  Glitter, gems, crystals visions, encounters of the supernatural kind.  A few feathers which you can pass of as angelic.

Now these are just some of the many price cut religious practices which are on sale.  Book shops both new age and Christian are full of religious ideas.  The books might cost, but the philosophies which they contain cost little to practice.

• 2 Tim 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

The Bible says study to show thyself approved a workman that should not be ashamed.

This is NOT your ready meal, micro waved and placed ON THE TABLE TYPE OF RELIGION. We are called to study to show ourselves approved.  This is the type where you have to grow your own food wait until it matures, pluck it prepare it , cook it and then serve it up.  Study requires thoughtful application.  It is time consuming and requires us to apply ourselves.  For some this can take years  od seeking God and to come to an understanding.  Now to the person who applies themselves to understanding Gods word more understanding will be given to him.

Repackaging and relabelling

How many can be bothered In a world where religious supermarkets abound with ready to buy goods. Few can even be bothered to understand what the Bible teaches. They will travel to find the right bargain.  It will not matter that the goods in question has a false label on it.  It will not matter that the label says peas when it actually fact it has bake beans in it.  In the say way the label might say Christianity on the packet but in fact it should read occult.

People are being driven to this religious superstore for religious experiences.  Today this need has grown substantially.  People are looking for a cheap bargain in which they can call their religion.    People want religious experiences which appear fresh, which will allow them to enter into an experience there and then which they can call their religion.  People want a religious experience and they often don’t really care where it has come from.   What they want is ready made cook meal, in the microwave and on the table.  No fuss, no effort and especially no labour involved in making it.

Now today many even advertise that the old Biblical proven methods don’t work anymore.  We need a new approach.  We have to relabel Christianity as FUN FUN FUN.   Then stick in a few Bible verses for good measure.  Pop the think in the microwave.  By saying the right words.  Have someone pronounce you as one of the chosen, and there on the table you have a ready cooked meal.  No repentance, no real seeking God and especially no effort.   Before long you have a big congregation, but your hall will be packed with lives which have never been changed by the Holy Spirit.

Soaking

This practice has become quite popular recently.  This is a typical example of repackaging.   What it should read is transcendental meditation.   The practice has simply been labelled for the naïve as a new Christian practice.  There is nothing new and nothing Christian about it.

Here is an official site and what they say SOAKING is.  Note carefully the description.  First is the description on Soaking and then what Trancendental Meditation says (TM)

• “SOAKING IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT, but we are rediscovering it after so much of the modern life and contemporary noise has invaded our church meetings and our church life. Over the past 10 years or so, our modern definition of Christianity has finally turned from works and performance, to worship and intimacy.

• Through the Renewal came to us a fresh revelation of the Father’s Heart of God and the 20th century Church has been impacted forever. And so WE HAVE LEARNED TO JUST STAY PUT, OPEN OUR HANDS, CLOSE OUR EYES, AND RECEIVE PRAYER, experiencing the most amazing manifestations and the deepest changes: forgiveness, healing, renewed strength, visions, commissions, confirmations, affirmation from the Father…

• “Many meditations use some sort of HAND POSTURE that represents something. “ (™)

So does soaking!

• TAKING TIME TO SIMPLY BE QUIET FOR A FEW MINUTES in a day could demand planning and discipline. But what if we would simply “show up” and be silent before God, letting Him pour over us His affection, letting Him reveal our own hearts to ourselves, and as we do, finally learn to become familiar with God’s language? In turn, we could just respond by whispering, “Yes Father, I receive, I let go, I give you, I will do, work in me, heal, save, restore…”

• ALL MEDITATIONS CAN BE USED TO CALM YOURSELF AND TO ALLOW YOUR BODY TO RELAX, which is one of the goals of meditation. To begin with the actual meditation now, this can be done anywhere, at work, at home, out in public. All you will need is a quiet spot to sit down. When you’ve found your quiet spot, close your eyes and breathe deeply, inhale, and exhale. While doing this feel all of the stress evaporate away, and feel a deep calm come over you. After doing this for about 5 or 10 minutes you will find that your stress level has been greatly lowered and if you happen to check your blood pressure if you’re at home or at a store you will see that it has been lowered as well. (™)

So does Soaking!

• In the wake of the Renewal, for a couple of years now we have coined the term “SOAKING” as being that which we do when we lay down before the Lord, with no other agenda than to meet with Him, people PRAYING OVER US IN A NON-INTERFERING WAY, THE SOUND OF SOOTHING MUSIC pouring over the room as anointing is being released and experienced.” by Soaking.Net

• What we hear during meditation also affects our meditation. That’s why many look for meditation music. However it’s difficult trying to find free meditation music. Meditation music can be anything, instrumental or natural sounds. What ever gets you to a meditative state. (TM)

So does soaking!

Because music plays a bit part in this ritual it has to be a certain type of meditating style music. This is something which is never taught or encouraged in the scriptures.  Can anyone imagine any of the apostles practicing it?

“Soaking can be compared to making pickles. There is a classical Greek word study on the Greek words bapto, meaning to dip, and baptidzo, meaning to immerse. Making pickles is a good way to illustrate soaking prayer. The recipe called for the raw fruit to be dipped in boiling water to blanch or sterilize the cucumber, using the word bapto which means “to dip in and out quickly.” Then it called for the cucumber to be immersed, using the word baptidzo, and soaked in the brine and the pickling solution for several weeks. What happens during this soaking time is that the marinade or the pickling solution soaks deep into the flesh of the cucumber until it takes on the flavor of the pickling solution so that it no longer tastes like a raw cucumber. This is what we mean by soaking. May you be so marinated in the presence of the Holy Spirit, soaking in the River of God, that you no longer “taste” like your old, raw nature any longer, but you have taken on the flavor of the Holy Spirit. “Pickle us, Lord, in the marinade of the Holy Spirit. Soak us in your wonderful presence until we become more and more like You.”

• What is the Transcendental Meditation^® technique?(TM)
• The Transcendental Meditation technique is a simple, natural, effortless process practiced 15–20 minutes twice daily while sitting comfortably with eyes closed. It is unique among techniques of meditation, distinguished by its effortlessness, naturalness and profound effectiveness.
• The TM^® technique allows your mind to settle inward, beyond thought, to experience the silent reservoir of energy, creativity and intelligence found within everyone—a natural state of restful alertness. During the practice, your brain functions with significantly greater coherence and your body gains deep rest.

The only difference is that someone puts a Christian label to what they are doing, But it is still TM

John Arnott says in an article titled “let’s get back to supernatural Church”

• ” If we are going to reach this world for Jesus, we need a completely new model of doing church …”

Repackaging of Christianity. The church has always been a supernatural entity.  To advertise that we need to get back beggars the question what sort of Christianity does Arnott have?  The church has never been anything other than a supernatural reality.

How is this man going to fulfil his new vision to take the gospel to the sin sick world?

• “I believe the vision God gave us here in Toronto for Soaking Prayer Centers all over the world is a great response to the Great Commission. In just over one year, we have had over 4,000 people order our ‘Soaking Kit‘ and begin a small group of ‘called out ones’ in their homes….
• “Why the interest? Because it is a quick, simple way to get involved into the supernatural ministry of Jesus and start helping people receive healing, deliverance and freedom, to come into the joy of the Lord and be filled with the Spirit. The Soaking Kit includes all the basic information you need to start your own ‘soaking center’ in your home or business.”

Send them SOAKING KITS, wow.  No evangelism, no preaching of the word, No Bible studies.  Just send them a soaking kit.  Microwavable meals.  Why?  Arnott says it himself.  IT IS QUICK AND SIMPLE.  This sums up this new religious trend.  The shopping has to be easy.  This turns the Christian walk into a lying down job.  No striving with sin, crucifying the flesh repentance obedience and knowing your Bible.

A religion that requires no effort, all you do is sit or lie down and listen to music.  Boy did the Apostles miss out on this one. Did Paul make any reference to this method in Corinthians?

I am sure what Paul would say to this idea.  “It is another spirit”

• Psalms 51: 2-3 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me.”
• Psalm 51: 6  “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden [part] thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”
• Rom 9:21”Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”
• 2 Tim 2:21 “ If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, [and] prepared unto every good work.

You will not achieve that listening to music.

• 2 Timothy 2:19-21 “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man

Therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Arnott goes on to say on this subject of soaking

• To ‘soak’ in God’s presence is to rest in His love rather than to ‘strive’ in prayer. As the person receiving a touch from God begins to connect with the reality of the Holy Spirit’s presence, he often responds by falling or simply lying on the floor. As he rests expectantly in God’s presence, often the HOLY SPIRIT HOVERS OVER THE PERSON TO REVEAL MORE OF GOD’S LOVE and to renew and repair areas of a person’s life. As the believer soaks in God’s presence, the Lord takes control and begins to draw his attention to God’s word either in the scriptures or through internal audible impressions or pictures he sees in his mind’s eye….

“HOLY SPIRIT HOVERS OVER THE PERSON TO REVEAL MORE OF GOD’S LOVE”

Does the Holy Spirit hover over the person to reveal more of God?  This is absolute rubbish!

• Rom 8:9 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if SO BE THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELL IN YOU. NOW IF ANY MAN HAVE NOT THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NONE OF HIS.”

The Holy Spirit does not hover over the believer but abides within.  The whole idea of wafting the Spirit over people has no Biblical support.  If he hovers above and does not reside within then the person is not saved.  It is only as he resides within does he makes Gods love real to us.  Not from without  but from a relationship within.

If a person can actually waft God by his hands then he can in fact control God.  That again is not what scriptures tell us.

• 1 Cor 12:11 “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man SEVERALLY AS HE WILL.”

The Holy Spirit cannot be controlled by man, manipulated, or come running when someone calls.

Now what can the Holy Spirit do outside which he cannot do inside?

• People experience Him in many ways: a weight upon your body, an electric tingling upon your hands or face, or a warm sensation of love going through your heart which connects you to Him. …This is how you grow to love anyone, by a series of several encounters that bond you together….John Arnott
• Can I Trust That It Is The Holy Spirit Working? Yes you can. Remember, everything we receive from God we receive by faith. Faith must be positive and focused on God….”

This is no where mentioned or taught in scripture.  What do we have sensation, electric tingling, or a warm sensation?   To the question how do we know it is the Holy Spirit working?  “Faith that is positive and focused on God” is that what scriptures teach?  Blind faith based on being positive.  What about such aspects like IS IT BIBLICAL?   We have already proven that it is not.

• 2 Cor 1:22 “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”
• John 14:16-17 “ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may ABIDE WITH YOU FOR EVER. [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; FOR HE DWELLETH WITH YOU, AND SHALL BE IN YOU.   ”

From the moment a believer is saved he has the spirit residing within.  There is no need to practice some weird form of meditation to experience the Holy Spirit.  The Bible declares it and we accept it by faith.    We don’t have to experience anything to know that the Holy Spirit is present.  Nor indulge is some strange practice in order to get God to work in the believer.  The Holy Spirit constantly works in the believer.  To say He has to wait until we indulge in some  practice before he can do a work is foolishness.

1. Practice is Unscriptural
2. Doctrinally the practice is unscriptural;
3. Mythology is unscriptural

As we have seen the practice is totally unbiblical but rather is based on eastern philosophies.  So why would God bother to indulge people who are not obedient to his word.

“If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustiest, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” Jeremiah 12:5

Emergent religion

Now in any shop you have to watch out that goods are still in date.  No one wants to buy something that has gone off.

Like the name implies this is a movement which has emerged from somewhere.  It tries to appeal to the religious shopper as new and energetic realism for today.  But this new is actually old and totally out of date.  , smells, bells, music and mystical trances which have their origin is some crazy Roman Catholic Mystics.  They failed then and they will fail now.  Now the emergent likes to appeal to those shoppers that are unskilled and hope that the overhead music will fool them into buying this product.  But when you get it home and open it.  You can tell immediately it’s off.  The emergent manufactures will bill themselves as Christian but in reality they neither know their Bible nor even agree about what it is they believe in.  Maybe in ten or twenty year’s time they might get around to actually labelling their product.  So in the mean time what you are buying remains a bit of a mystery.

Emergent label carries with it SOME STRANGE ingredients.  Some more palpable than others.  Mysticism is what they like to be known by, but that can also apply to just about any weird stuff.  They call this relabelling.  Stick a new label saying Christianity made in the Bible, but the product is everything but Christianity.

This particular package should be labelled UNBELIEF.

Happy shopper will often go to an assistant for help on a certain product.  In the same way many of these religious happy shoppers will go from one teacher, minister to another seeking quick answers.  This shopper has no time to search scriptures or God.  They want quick and convenient answers.  They want a practice which allows them to be happy and wealthy.  I have seen many run to and fro seeking someone whom they can get answers from.  It is not wrong to seek advice but the advice should always lead the believer or seeks to Christ.  When it leads to the person and only to him then his motives should be questioned.  If he is teaching methodology that is unscriptural get out of his prescience.

Mysticism draws on the practices of Ignatius Loyola, Madame Guyon, Carl Jung, Richard Foster  Mother Teresa, Rick Warren, Brian McLaren, Leonard Sweet, and other deceivers of the Emerging Church.  Both modern and ancient practices are all meshed together.    They all draw from products from a myriad of religious stalls.

True supernatural believers

The thing that ties many of these teachers is a religion that is experience orientated.  Now for the Christian experiences is a part of the Christian life.  Such thinks as peace, joy, assurance, are all part of what we experience.  But they are not what we seek.  They are not our primary goal.  Having Joy or sadness does not change the reality of what and who we are in God.  But for the religious shopper it’s everything.  This is his proof that God is in his life.  Now another thing Christian experience is conviction or chastisement something which the happy shopper does not want to place in his shopping basket.  Now peace and joy are the result of obedience to God and not the basis upon which we seek.     Other wise we don’t seek a peace to prove God loves me, we know it because the Bible says so and that is true faith.    To look for some form of Goosebumps as proof is not Biblical faith. The happy shopper becomes someone who becomes addicted to their feelings.  His faith is in what they feel and this becomes his plum line.  This is again is not Biblical faith. For when persecution trials and pain arrive the happy shopper is left distraught.  His faith which was never based upon true Biblical teaching but feelings is suddenly adrift.   The true believer faith is based upon  trusting in God come what may.   True faith says whatever happens I can trust.  Through the darkness and into the light I will commit my soul to the one who is able to save.  But the happy shopper continues their quest for the right shop and the right product to place in his trolley.

For many religious people today it’s down at the bargain basement experience they seek.  

• Eph 4:14 “That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”
• John 4:10 “ Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”

If you have to go looking for the new thing, maybe it is because you have not found the real thing.  When you have found Jesus your shopping days are over.  Your wandering is at an end.  At his feet is satisfaction for evermore.