I came across two videos on YouTube that show an atheist hypnotist in action, "converting" people to a belief in God based on what they feel and what happens to them at his gathering. It is in two parts. You need to watch them in order.

I am sharing these for consideration. Many have come to accept whatever happens in a church service as being from God. That is not so. We are told to try the spirits and to use discernment.

These videos are a good example of how people can be manipulated (in this instance through hypnosis or the power of suggestion) and then think something was from God, when in fact it was not. There's a lot that happens in some church gatherings that is far from being of God, yet is readily accepted as such.

The first is at:


The second is at:


If this man can do this, and it obviously isn't God touching these people, then we need to take care in not blindly accepting anything that happens in a church gathering.

Lois

For those who may yet be struggling with all the rules which are often passed off as representative of holiness, I wanted to share and encourage you to sit down and read through the book of Galatians. Perhaps do this several times and with different Bible versions. In another writing, Does Salvation Come And Go?, this line of thinking was mentioned.

How these are taught varies greatly from church to church. What really distresses me is when I will see people write on various boards that "it's better to be safe than sorry" in regards to outward standards.

What this says is that they don't know for sure if these things are salvational, so they want to do them to be on the safe side, because it would be better to do them and make it to heaven than to not do them and find they were needed in order to make it into heaven and thus be lost.

That is so sad. People are believing that perhaps God may be hiding something salvational from them and so they'd best be safe and do whatever is taught, even though they obviously don't see it.

I mention reading Galatians for this because Paul addresses the problem of people starting out their walk with God by faith and then later becoming entangled with works and then trusting in those works to make them right before God.

I want you to think about what I am going to share and let it sink in. This is what some do who elevate what is often termed as 'holiness standards.'

How would you feel if you found out your child (or sibling, or anyone else you loved) was doing certain things because they felt that by doing so they would gain your favor and love? They feel they must perform just right in order to have your love. By cleaning their room, taking out the trash or doing well at school (or put just about anything in here), they think these things could bring them in right standing with you and you'd love them or would love them more. They feel if they don't do them, you might harm them or kick them out of your life.

They don't understand they have your love already- with or without these acts. These acts don't cause you to love your child more. While you may be glad or thankful that they obeyed you or excelled at something, your love for them doesn't hinge on these things or cause you to want your child more.

Now tie this same thought to our walk with God. How it must pain the Lord to see his children trying to earn His love and favor. He *already* loves them and *already* accepts them. Can you imagine how He feels when he sees believers trying to get Him to love or accept them based upon their rule following when His love and acceptance already is there? When He sees people trying to earn what He has already freely given them? When he sees that believers feel he will harm them or cast them into hell if they don't follow a rule because they feel there may somehow be 'fine...

Lois