From: "suyento" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Your Trials And Difficulties Have Godly Value by Rick Warren
I recently read this letter from a college student to her parents: Dear Mom and Dad: I'm sorry to be so long in writing. Unfortunately, all my stationery was destroyed the night our dorm was set on fire by the demonstrators. I'm out of the hospital now, and the doctors say my eyesight should return -- sooner or later. The wonderful boy, Bill, who rescued me from the fire, kindly offered to share his little apartment with me until the dorm is rebuilt. He comes from a good family, so you won't be surprised when I tell you we're going to be married. In fact, since you've always wanted a grandchild, you'll be glad to know that you'll be grandparents next month. P.S. Please disregard the above practice for my class in English Composition. There was no fire, I haven't been in the hospital, I'm not pregnant and I don't even have a steady boyfriend. But I did get a D in French and an F in Chemistry, and I just wanted to be sure you received this news in the proper perspective. Your perspective makes all the difference in the world, and it influences how you respond to problems at work, problems at home, problems with your health. Paul says that as Christians we can rejoice even in tough times because we have hope and because we know that God is working in our lives. "We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance." (Romans 5:3, NIV) This gives us perspective. Suffering can be productive! It does accomplish something. Problems have a purpose. Your trials and difficulties have value. It's easier to handle suffering when you know there is a purpose in it, that it is not just in vain. I have had the privilege of assisting in the delivery of all three of my children. I want to tell you, I saw the pain on my wife's face, and I understand why they call it "labor." But I also saw the expression on her face when the nurse laid that newborn, bundled baby in her arms. Her expression revealed that the effort and pain were all worth it. They produced a new life! Now, what exactly does our suffering produce? First, Paul says our suffering produces perseverance (Romans 5:3). The Greek word for perseverance literally means "the ability to handle pressure." That's what perseverance is -- the ability to handle pressure, to hang in there, to never give up but to keep on keeping on. When we make it through a difficult time without giving up, our character and confidence are strengthened, enabling us to handle even more pressure when it comes in the future. Next, Paul says perseverance produces character (Romans 5:4). This word occurs only six or seven times in the Bible, and it means "proven reliable." God uses the problems in your life to produce perseverance and character. And internal character, not circumstances, produces joy. Then, Paul says, character produces hope (Romans 5:4). Remember, in the Bible, the word hope doesn't mean "I wish" or "I want." It means confidence in Christ's power. Instead of destroying our hope, problems are designed to increase our hope! No matter what it is, whether it is a problem you brought on yourself, or a problem other people brought on you or a problem from the devil, it's still a problem that God allowed. If you're a Christian, nothing comes into your life by accident. It's vitally important that we grasp this fact -- there is a purpose behind our problems -- but it's also important to understand that problems don't automatically produce perseverance and character and hope. You may know people who went through tough times, but difficulty and pain didn't produce any positive character in their lives. Instead they became bitter, angry and uptight. Perseverance, character and hope are produced in us only when we choose the right attitude. And what is the right attitude? Joy is the right attitude. When we learn to rejoice in the problem, not for but in the problem, then God uses it for good in our lives. James echoes Paul's teaching on this subject: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance" (James 1:2-3, NIV). Notice again, joy comes "because you know." It's always a matter of perspective. James continues, "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (v. 4). God says those problems in your life are meant to produce maturity. No study of Christian joy would be complete without mentioning the book of Philippians. If you want to understand joy, read Philippians. Nineteen times in this short letter Paul talks about rejoicing and having joy. Mark those verses and meditate on them. Memorize some of them so God can use them to produce joy in your life. By the way, do you know where Paul was when he wrote this joyful letter? He was in prison! We don't usually think of prison as a place of rejoicing, but Paul had learned to be content in any situation, and his joy did not depend on his circumstances. Christians can be joyful in tough times because there is always hope, and because God's purpose is always greater than any problem! Taken from www.pastors.com =============================================== From: "suyento" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Yoga Bertentangan dgn Kekristenan Is Yoga Really So Bad ? The truth behind this exercise sensation by Sarah E. Pavlik "Yoga has changed my life," my friend Beth gushed as she twisted her body into a gravity-defying pose. Her newfound agility impressed me. Beth continued, "Yoga's centered me; it's relieved a lot of stress. Just try one class with me." She did seem calmer, so my curiosity was piqued. Besides, I could use the exercise. And yoga classes seemed to be popping up everywhere-the local university, my gym, even at a couple local churches. One class couldn't hurt,I reasoned. So I decided to give yoga a try. Once in the class, I scanned the room, curious as to what type of people take yoga. The class was comprised of an unlikely bunch: hefty, construction crew-type men, white-haired grandmas, and people such as me, wearing Nikes and t-shirts. I didn't spot any lime-green hair, or a single pierced nose. Suddenly my attention was drawn to the front of the room. There she was, the instructor-a bit larger than I expected. She looked nothing like those leotard-clad yoga instructors on TV. Her wiry blonde hair blended with her wire-rimmed glasses, giving her an all-around bland appearance. She spoke softly but with intimidating authority. "Take off your shoes and socks," she said with a whisper. Reluctantly I removed them, hoping nobody else in the room could smell my feet. She explained that we needed to be barefoot so we could sink our feet into the earth. Funny, this earth looked a lot like carpet to me. But I complied, imagining my feet squishing into the soft, fertile ground. "Now we need to get acquainted with our breath. Americans generally breathe through their mouths and miss the benefits of breathing fully," she informed us. I forced the air in and out, trying to make friends with my breath. It felt good. "Yoga is thousands of years old, and as of late, has been accepted by modern medicine as a remedy for back pain and stress reduction," she said between breaths. Thousands of years old? Accepted by the medical community? It must be a good thing, I rationalized as I prepared to stretch. We moved quickly into what she termed poses. First I was a tree. Then she coaxed us into bending our limbs and planting our right foot onto our inner thigh. That wasn't all that difficult until she asked us to squat and twist our torso 90 degrees. She called it the "twisted chair." How appropriate. I looked like a pretzel in blue sweatpants. Next we began "sun salutations." With our hands raised over our heads, we quickly dropped them to our feet. Finally, we brought our entire bodies to the floor, prostrate. It was obvious this was an ancient form of sun worship. Now not only was my body contorting, my mind was too. God's first commandment to not have any other gods before him sprang to mind. I was getting uncomfortable. After several repetitions of sun salutations, she brought us back into "mountain pose." I glanced at the clock and was shocked to see all but five minutes of the hour-long class had slipped by. It was time for the relaxation exercise. My muscles were ready, but my spirit was a bit more cautious. I lay down on the carpeted earth. She encouraged us to shut our eyes and go to our quiet place. Being a mother of two boys, I wasn't sure if such a place existed, so I decided heaven would be my quiet place. "It's time to let go of the stresses of the world, your job, your home, your deadlines, and just be at peace," the instructor said soothingly. The twing-twang of the music seemed to blend with everyone's breathing. Then she instructed us to start squeezing the muscles in our toes, then our feet, on up our legs, abdomen, and finally our faces. What a sight we all must have been lying there, our bodies rigid and our faces forced into Jim Carrey-like contortions. "Now fall back into the earth," our instructor commanded. We repeated this bizarre exercise about three times, and then, the instructor told us to come back into our body. It was not a happy reunion. My body ached from the wicked chair-or was is it the twisted chair? And my spirit was out of sorts. Scenes of saluting the sun and leaving my body played in my mind as I drove home. Would I be able to stay in yoga without compromising my Christian beliefs? I wondered. Yoga's Hidden Agenda I did some research before I attended another class. I learned that yoga, practiced predominantly by Buddhists and Hindus, has become one of America's hottest trends. While the variations of yoga are endless, one overriding principle pervades them all: the goal of obtaining oneness with the Universal Soul, known in Hinduism as Brahman, or in Buddhism as Nirvana. Every thought, every muscle movement, every breath I took in that class was designed to bring me to the feet of a false god. Yoga actually means "union with god" or "to yoke." This union is accomplished by disciplining the flesh through difficult postures and the mind through meditation. Even chanting "Om" during meditation is meant to unite your spirit with the Universal Soul; "Om" is a sacred Hindu sound symbolizing the "Absolute." According to eastern religious thought, once you've mastered these elements, your spirit's no longer bound to your body; it's free to roam the netherworld, guided by a spiritual entity. It's then, according to cult expert Bob Larson, that practitioners believe they "possess all powers, psychic abilities, and sinless perfection." The breathing exercises (pranayamas) are also said to promote psychic abilities. In light of such findings, I realized yoga was more than a harmless exercise regime. I also was troubled by the fact Beth decided to become a Buddhist after only three months of her hatha yoga class, one of the most commonly taught forms of yoga touted by yoga teachers and many physicians as the least religious variation. I wasn't surprised by Beth's decision when I considered what one of today's most influential yoga leaders has to say. According to Swami Vishudevanadar, hatha yoga "prescribes physical methods to begin . so that the student can manipulate the mind more easily as he advances, attaining communication with one's higher self." Regardless of Beth's original intent, yoga had designs on her spiritual life the moment she removed her shoes. The more I researched it, the more it became obvious yoga is a false gospel, claiming mental and physical disciplines bring about union with God. Just read what Yogi Maharishi Mahesh says about sin and redemption: "[Meditation] brings us more ability for achieving something through right means, and very easily a sinner comes out of the field of sin and becomes a virtuous man." But the true gospel tells a different story: "Since we have now been justified by [Jesus'] blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him" (Romans 5:9). The only union with God we can ever experience is through the saving blood of Jesus. The Lure of De-stressing Like many, I was originally intrigued by yoga's promise to manage the overwhelming stresses of my life. That's how my friend Michael's three-year struggle with yoga began. When I met Michael, he was a devoted Christian and Bible study teacher. On the advice of a physician, he began a yoga class to relieve the stress of his high-pressure job. One evening, Michael shared with my husband and me his passion for yoga. "With each class I feel as if a new burden's lifted, a new muscle's softened. I don't know how I lived without yoga." But his wife, Leigh, shared the other side of the story with me. Michael's once-a-week class had turned into an everyday obsession, and their conversations had grown strangely mystical. "He keeps saying he can reach the God of the Bible through the body positions and meditations he's learning in class. He says God is somewhere on earth today as an avatar." The Sanskrit word "avatar" means "the descent to earth of a diety." According to the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text, and other eastern holy books, God comes to earth and dwells in human form once every age. Buddha, Muhammad, Christ, and Krishna are all considered avatars. In an effort to justify his increasing involvement in yoga, Michael began to mix biblical truths with eastern philosophies-behavior God doesn't tolerate. In the book of James, God makes it clear both fresh and salt water cannot flow from the same spring (3:11-12). Neither can Christians follow God's teaching while following other religious beliefs. Biblical Alternatives to Yoga Thankfully, I discovered some biblical alternatives to yoga, which I gladly passed to Michael. Once he modified my suggestions to fit his personality and advanced stretching skills, he discovered all the stress-reducing benefits of yoga could be achieved through his relationship with God. Relaxing with God. God showed me yoga doesn't have a monopoly on relaxation techniques. I now set my alarm an hour early so I can spend time alone with God. Before I go to bed, I choose a Bible verse, then write it on an index card. I use a Bible concordance to help me search for a subject relevant to my life. For example, when my husband opened his own business this year, I exhausted all the verses under the heading "fear." Each morning I immerse myself in the verse during a simple 15-minute stretching routine I adapted from the yoga class. While I stretch, I ask myself these questions: What is the main point of this passage? What does God want me to learn from it? How can I apply it to my life today? I try to keep the stretches simple-no more pretzels for me. I start by focusing on the most troublesome areas, specifically tight or painful muscles. Experts suggest you include at least one stretch for each major muscle group-the arms, shoulders, neck, back, abdomen, lower back, buttocks, and legs. You'll want to keep the following points in mind as you develop your personal routine: . Always warm up a few minutes before you stretch. . Never push the stretch to the point of pain. . Hold each stretch for 10-20 seconds. . Complete 1-3 repetitions per stretch. If you don't feel comfortable putting together your own routine, check with your local church. Many now offer stretching classes. Just make sure they're not influenced by eastern religions. Simply ask the instructor which program they base their class on. If their answer is yoga or tai chi, for example, you'll want to find another class. Exercising with God. Once I'm done stretching, I spend the rest of the hour in what I term "prayerful exercise." Exercise is a perfect time to pray if you choose activities such as walking, biking, jogging, or hiking. I like to start with a worship CD to get my praise juices flowing. Listening to the lyrics prepares my spirit to connect with God. Sometimes I find it helpful to bring a list of prayer requests to refresh my memory, but usually the praise music, time alone, and natural surroundings are sufficient inspiration. Regardless of the exercise I choose, my time alone with God renews my mind and the exercise fuels me for another busy day. Meditating God's way. Aside from stretching, another one of yoga's primary promises is to calm your mind through meditation. The difference between yoga meditation and the type God commands in Scripture is twofold: the object of our meditation and the result. Yogi philosophers urge followers to empty their mind. This empty mind, they claim, is the doorway to communion with the Universal Soul. But cult expert Bob Larson warns that yoga mediators "should not be deceived into thinking they have communed with the Lord." What they have done instead is "left [their] mind open to an evil invasion by the spirit being associated with the particular discipline employed." God, on the other hand, should always be at the center of true meditation. While prayer and Bible study tend to be proactive, meditation is your time to listen to God. I meditate by focusing on a single verse. You may prefer meditating on one of God's characteristics, one of his names, or an aspect of his creation. As you do this, over time you'll grow closer to God, because you'll have learned how to "cast all your anxiety on him" (1 Peter 5:7). Looking back, I'm amazed at how God used my yoga experience to teach me to be more discerning. The apostle John warns, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God" (1 John 4:1). It wasn't until after my yoga adventure that I began practicing this advice. Now I use my Bible to test whether the latest trends, personal habits, or beliefs truly belong to God. Characteristically, God took what was meant for evil and turned it into good (Genesis 50:20). He also used the yoga class to introduce me to Christian meditation. Through this practice, I'm getting to know him more intimately. I'm learning to rely on him when I'm anxious, and to be quiet so I can hear him speak. For the first time I understand what it means to be still and know that he is God (Psalm 46:10). Besides my personal spiritual growth, I also have more energy and feel healthier. Like many Christians, I was ignorant of yoga's underlying force. What appeared to be a healthy exercise alternative really harbored a more insidious agenda. Yoga is designed to lead you into the arms of a false god. The question every Christian considering yoga must ask is: Can I still worship the true God if my body's reaching toward another? Sarah E. Pavlik, a freelance writer, lives in Alabama. Copyright � 2001 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today's Christian Woman magazine. Click here for reprint information on Today's Christian Woman. September/October 2001, Vol. 23, No. 5, Page 50 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/IYOolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Mailing List Jesus-Net Ministry Indonesia - JNM - Daftar : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Keluar : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Posting: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bantuan Moderator : [EMAIL PROTECTED] WebSite: http://jnm.clear-net.com (Webmaster wanted!) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jesus-net/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
