Fully Energized

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. (Gen.1:1)         

 IN THE BEGINNING, ENERGY EVOLVED INTO THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH…

                                    

 Our country has become fully energized…our mascot is now the Energizer Bunny, but the shades he wears are to cover his coal black eyes. Like the BEK phenomenon (black eyed kid), there is definitely a demonic thing going on. The two phrases above capture in essence the worldview shift that has occurred in our country. From the outset our country was founded on the notion that there is a Creator God—who gave us inalienable rights. Until about 80 years ago, there was a Christian consensus in our country—a biblical worldview was presupposed (often unconsciously), and at the heart of any worldview is the nature of God or ultimate reality. It was simply understood that a Creator God made the world and He is distinct from it. However, in the 1960’s, an eastern monistic worldview (all is one) began to gestate…after 30 years this monistic worldview was given birth in the 1990’s. While the term New Age may be passe’, the reality it pointed to is not. The prevailing worldview today is that Energy is ultimate reality. Someone wisely suggested that I write on examples of this worldview shift. We shall see how this new notion of ultimate reality has radically altered the spiritual landscape and made plausible a whole host of beliefs which were once unthinkable within a biblical worldview. It has trickled down from academia into mainstream, which is how ideas usually get changed.

BOOKS…The self-help books (still very much alive and kicking) have given way to a new genre known as self-empowerment—the topics are frequently the same as before, but with a focus on tapping into the energy source to attain this goal. Whereas a book may have been entitled 10 Steps to a Strong Self-Image, now it may be called Empowering Your Self Image. Of course, the divine within is not the Holy Spirit but the strand of cosmic energy that allegedly undulates through the entire cosmos. We made reference to the Energizer Bunny---keeps going, going, going…It is pretty electrifying and tantalizing to realize that we already have all it takes to live a completely fulfilled, successful, and integrated life by simply recognizing the inexhaustible resources at our disposal, which keep going-- you have infinite Energy at your disposal! Behold, Energy stands at the door and knocks….Reading books changes one’s worldview, and that is precisely what is occurring.

Please note this: Energy may be referred to in different ways: cosmic consciousness, Christ consciousness, universal awareness, cosmic spirit and so on. The danger of these books is twofold: the obliteration of the Creator/creature distinction—a monist worldview; and the inevitable invitation for you to merge with this Energy by tapping into it. Lurking and leering behind this worldview shift is the Prince of darkness and his minions, who are quite happy to empower you in an extraordinary way for a time, only to sink their claws deep within your psyche—and leading you away from the biblical Jesus/gospel. The autonomous self-help books are bad enough, but actively seeking to be empowered by what is in reality a demonic entity is a horse of a different color.  Demons are lawless and perverse—seeking the minimum it would take to have “permission” to creatively be invited to be a resident guest. Seeking a power source other than the Holy Spirit is taken as an engraved invitation by unclean spirits.

Reincarnation—I only mention this in passing here, but it is a logical extension of a monistic worldview, and is becoming increasingly popular here. In his best-selling books Conversations with God, Neale D Walsch said that god told him this was his 247^th reincarnation. The monistic worldview is what gave rise to the notion of reincarnation, and reincarnation gave rise to many modern techniques, such as past life regression. What troubles me is that during these sessions, WHO is revealing to this client their identities in the past? I saw on TV the other day a sliver of a show that featured an obese man, who had finally (after all else failed) found victory after tapping into the energy of a former self who had been a warrior centuries ago. This was discovered via past life-regression, and he adopted this warrior persona, which motivated him to lose weight and get in fighting shape. If he was NOT anyone else in the past, then who or what was he seeing during the regression? From my work with individuals who are under demonic attack, it is manifestly evident that unclean spirits may access our dream states. In the bible we see holy angels doing the same (eg both Josephs). It has become apparent that certain brain states make one more receptive to demonic influence. Past-life regression is merely one of many expressions of this worldview with Energy as ultimate reality…and tied into reincarnation.

Spiritism or the belief in ghosts or trapped spirits makes perfect sense within this Energy-centric worldview…all the ingredients were there (mainly a truncated worldview) for this to take off like a rocket. Since earthbound spirits are allegedly comprised of energy, then the notion of ghosts fits had-in-glove with this energy as ultimate reality worldview. All of the ghost-hunting equipment—EMF detector, Mel Meter, full-spectrum and thermal recorders and so on—are designed to detect energy emissions. Language in the supernatural community has jettisoned evil and good, and speaks of spirits that are negative or positive energy…as if they were batteries and not humans. While trapped spirits may be at home in this false worldview, they 100 percent implausible in a biblical worldview—they are antithetical to it. The flow of recent history bears this out; it was not until after this Energy worldview had 30 years to trickle down to the mainstream that the notion of ghosts exploded overnight. That is why it is so important that we learn to think worldviewishly (which I teach in my book Seeing Ghosts through God’s Eyes)

HEALING—whether spiritual, physical, or emotional, it has become a common theme of this Energy--centric worldview to focus on healing. Acupuncture, Reiki…any method that seeks energy transfer from this cosmic energy to heal. As we noted last time, often there is dramatic healing—at a very high cost. There are simply too many to mention here.

Achievement. There are techniques designed to tap into this Energy in order to help you attain or achieve your desire, dream, or goals. Meditation, monistic style, has become perhaps the most common means of overcoming limitations and manifesting one’s dreams. Quantum jumping caught my eye awhile back. The belief is that, by meditative techniques one can visit your doppelganger in any of the infinite universes there are. Burt Goldman, the guru of all this, relies heavily on recent advances in physics which state that there exists an infinite number of universes. Shining bright with a veneer of scientific support, he makes the most extraordinary claims. We can go to whatever universe in which there is a me that excels at the thing we desire. Once we find this doppelganger, we then tap into their unique energy vibrations and sort of siphon some off. There is an actual conversation in which we express desire to merge with them. This is a horrible scenario for possession—which usually requires an invitation for a being outside of us to enter. We mistakenly think that it needs to be a conscious invitation to that which is demonic, but that is not the case.  Astral travel is similar in some respects.. So, what is happening and what are they seeing? Demons have the ability to project vivid, full-color movies into our minds which play out our fantasizes. Energy is at the heart of it all. 

THE AFTERLIFE--many of these beliefs and methods have ramifications in many areas, and not just one, so it was hard to categorize them. However, I think most would agree that the afterlife is perhaps the most important issue at stake, simply due to its eternal nature. The bible unequivocally teaches that physical death is determinative of eternal destiny—heaven or hell, depending upon our response to the gospel of Christ.

This is where the true evil of an Energy-centric worldview is most manifest. Remember, within this system there is no Creator/creature distinction—hence, there is NO place for a holy judge or an eternal judgment. The Day of Judgment has been replaced by energy returning to Energy (as in classical monism) or our pure energy selves continue on here, there, or somewhere…forever. Yes, we have become fully and eternally energized…or so we have deluded ourselves. 

Need to know it emerged out of a context…and unless we see that, then we won’t have a proper understanding of it nor will we be able to effectively persuade others of is falsity. My approach to issues has always been a presuppositional analysis—if we leave this out of the discussion then there is little hope of connecting on any deep level. Have you ever had the sense that you were talking past each other when in dialogue? As it stands now, with the prevailing worldview (which is unconscious in most people), the notion of ghosts makes perfect sense. I watch over and over and over again how the death of “so and so” has led to a haunting”.

Issue 90 – Long Island Psychic/Chip Coffey/"I Am Six" Book

By Kirby Robinson

We are pleased to announce that our forthcoming book that blows the lid off the "I Am Six" case, possibly the most controversial case of demonic possession in the past few years, is nearly done. Next week we'll unveil the book's cover. The book is being edited, the last few bits of information are being gathered and photos are being taken. The title we have settled on is: Never Mock God – An Unauthorized Investigation into the "I Am Six" Case

Our investigative team has traveled the country digging up the truth no one wanted you to know. We've visited Quincy, Illinois to speak to people firsthand. Additionally, we've gone to the states of Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia and Florida chasing down leads as they developed. We've uncovered long hidden secrets that will cause the reader to question everything they've been told about the case and those who took part in it.

Our tentative plan, barring any further evidence coming in, is to have the book out by October 31.

Why Does Chip Coffey Do That?

We have to wonder why does Chip never tell his beloved fans on Facebook when he makes a public appearance on the radio? Why keep them in the dark?

And now back to more important news.

Theresa Caputo the Long Island Medium Should've Seen Ron Tebo Coming

We take our hats off to Ron Tebo and his crew over at SciFake for their efforts to expose her. At first I had no real problem with her outside of the normal issues I have with psychics. But as fame grows so does the ego …

Here are links to their great work:

http://scifake.com/watch-theresa-caputo-long-island-psychic-is-a-fake/

http://scifake.com/our-continuation-exposing-medium-theresa-caputo-but-first-heres-how-she-steals-your-money/

http://scifake.com/urgent-scifakes-continue-effort-to-expose-theresa-caputo/

http://scifake.com/theresa-caputo-and-tlc-promoting-borderline-child-abuse-and-fraud/

Stay safe this Halloween season and if you have black cats [or know of people who do], please keep them inside until after October 31 for their safety.

Keep current and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/eyeonparanormal

EARN EXTRA MONEY! If you have a website, forum or blog you can set up an Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link and sell the Kindle version of INVESTIGATING PARANORMAL STATE, PARANORMAL STATE EXPOSED and PARANORMAL TEACHINGS: THE BEST OF SHEDDING SOME LIGHT and earn money. You can also sell other books and products that Amazon offers. Here's the link https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/

Dalai Lama Quotes, Quotations, Sayings, Words, Wisdom

“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.”

“I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”

“I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness…”

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”

“Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.”

“I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.”

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”

“If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.”

“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.”

“If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.”

“If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.”

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

“As human beings we all want to be happy and free from misery… we have learned that the key to happiness is inner peace. The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion, while love and compassion and a sense of universal responsibility are the sources of peace and happiness.”

“In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.”

“Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.”

“It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives. If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to desist from harming them.”

“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness … the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.”

“It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.”

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.”

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”

“Be kind whenever possible.It is always possible.”

“Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day.”

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”

“Sleep is the best meditation.”

“Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.”

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”

“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.”

“The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis.”

“There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.”

“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.”

“Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.”

“We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.”

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”

“Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.”

“Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t appreciate kindness and compassion.”

“With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.”

Thank you to the Dalai Lama Renaissance documentary film for these wonderful quotes!

The Greatest Resource to the Supernatural

By V.K. Bronz

When it comes to the supernatural I have had some pretty freaky experiences. The main thing I have found in my 35 years of expel demons/ghosts is what is needed. I have heard some really strange and yes stupid things people say is needed. I am not stepping on cultural beliefs here because most have there basis in God the creator. I am referring to things modern day followers of the paranormal have made up. In the last fifteen: ever since Ghost Hunters came on the scene, there has been a desperate push to separate the supernatural from religion, you can’t, they are one and the same. The bottom line is what happens to you when you die? This push to separate has its basis in our refusal to except it is God that rules, not us.

Matter of fact this refusal to submit has always been here, when the prophet in biblical days told the leper to go wash in the river he became very indignant and asked “why should he wash in that river; the river in his country was better.” Obstinacy and arrogance seem to go hand in hand; the man was not willing to listen to what the lord told him through the prophet, even though he was the one that had sought out the prophet of God for his healing.  So it appears to me God was looking for the man to humble himself and listen to God.

Have you ever heard the story of the daughters of Zelophehad? It is one of my favorite stories. It’s on the surface a story about a families’ inheritance but you know how writers are they tell a surface story with a deep underlying truth.

There were five daughters born to Zelophehad; at the time, the law was, women could not inherit or own land. (Same as it use to be in the United States).  When it came time to divvy up the land amongst the MEN the daughters of Zelophehad stood up in front of the entire congregation (millions of people) and in front of all the Royal Leaders of the land and said: “Our father died in the wilderness, he was not in the company of them that gathered against the Lord in the company of Korah but died in his own sin, and had no sons. Why should the name of our father be done away with because he had no sons? Give unto us a possession among our brethren.”

Oh my word, millions of men must have fainted. They were saying their father was a righteous honorable man that didn’t have sons and had not turned his back on God; These five women had the courage to stand up in front of the most powerful leader in the land and tell them it wasn’t right to refuse them an inheritance because they were women. What they were actually saying was “what your father told you is wrong; what your grandfather told you is wrong; what you have been told all your lives is wrong.”
 
That isn’t even the best part, although it took an incredible amount of fearlessness to stand up in that male dominated land, considering this was in the Middle East, No the very best part is what the leader of all of them, Moses, said back to them. He didn’t say “this is the way we have done it for centuries,” he didn’t say “shut up and sit down how dare you come against what has been told to us and how we have done things;” No, this wonderful humble man of integrity and honor said; “let me inquire of the Lord” and he honestly did. He was interested in the truth as much or more then the daughters of Zelophehad were.  Guess what God said?  “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right!”

We all know what people are like; we want recognition, our 15 minutes of fame. We want people to look too us, it makes us feel important. Like silly fools we just take peoples' word for things with out really finding out, we see someone do something and we just run with it never even questioning it; how stupid is that. We let these people influence us and tell us what and how to do something without even researching it. What’s even worse is the incredible damage we can do to other peoples’ lives. We don’t see the harm we are doing because we are to busy being the important person

All we need do to find out what is in our heart is ask our self; could I be wrong? In asking ourselves this question we then “feel” the reaction or resistance and pride in our gut; that is what answers our question. Moses asked that question and got the shock of his life when God said the daughters speak right!

Whether it is a person or a house (they are both vessels) that is possessed what you need is the same, the name of Jesus; you wouldn’t sprinkle salt over a human being would you? Sounds pretty stupid doesn’t it then why would you do that in a house?

My sister and I took a woman to a friends’ house for prayer. This woman was so totally possessed she quoted the book of Romans word for word as we were dragging her kicking and screaming into the house. (She was diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenic) We sat her in a chair in the basement and began to pray; using the name of Jesus. We prayed for hours, and in the middle of the prayers she/Satan, just like in the movies, spoke in this raspy hideous voice to me, and said “do you remember when so and so happened to you?” “I did that to you,” and he began to laugh. He had repeated something that had happened to me many years before that no one knew.

We stopped praying and went home with no outward change in the woman. Weeks went by and I was in a church singing and out of the blue there she was. Before the prayers we couldn't get her in a church and here she was standing in the front row, how she got there and why is beyond me. (Probably so I could see a change had taken place).

A few more weeks went by and the Lord spoke to me and said she was going to die and come to be with him. To prove it to me she would be leaving me money. Now this woman wandered the streets homeless so I thought I was just hearing things and dismissed it.

True to his word two weeks later this woman died. Her social worker called and said she had not spent her check and she was sure she would have wanted my sister and I to have it! This woman was set free enough in her spirit by our prayers that day to accept Christ as her savior before her death.
 
So I ask again, do we really want the truth? There is no greater resource to the supernatural than the one who created it. We don’t need to be a holy roller running down the aisle of a church all we need to do is ask and mean it. If you don’t believe in God than what could it hurt if you ask: is he real? but ask really wanting to know the truth. Ask every day until he shows you the truth. He did say he would prove himself to us.

These supernatural experiences we seek can be in our own life. When I gave my life to the Lord, all of a sudden I could see demons and angels; scared the living daylights out of me; God has created some pretty freaky spiritual creatures. I then began having dreams and visions about people or things that were going to happen.

I am not saying every person that comes to the Lord will have the same thing happen but what I am saying is: we should not be as others so seeped in other people’s ways that we can’t even entertain the idea we may be wrong. Do we really want the truth or just gimmicks that make us look good. Just honestly ask “God are you real”…

What is a Demon?

Question: Dear Father Fortea, can you explain what exactly is a demon? Do they have bodies? Where did they come from?

Answer: A demon is a spiritual being of an angelic nature that has been condemned for eternity due to his rebellion against God. As pure spirits, demons are not made up of matter. Because they do not have bodies, demons are not inclined to any “sins of the flesh” (i.e., it is impossible for them to commit the sins of lust or gluttony). The sins of demons are exclusively spiritual. But they can tempt human beings to sin in matters of the flesh.

Demons were not created evil. (In fact, it is impossible for God, who is Goodness itself, to create anything evil.) Remember: demons are just “bad angels.” After God created the angels, He tested their fidelity to Him before admitting them to the Beatific Vision, the sight of His very essence. For purely spiritual beings, this “seeing” of God’s essence would be a purely intellectual vision. Some angels obeyed the divine test; others did not. Those who disobeyed were irreversibly transformed into demons and cast out of heaven.

It may seem surprising that some angels would choose to hate God. But we need to understand that those who rebelled saw God no longer as a good—as the Good—but as the oppressor of their freedom. Hate was born as their wills resisted the call of God and held fast to the decision to leave the Father’s house.

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Rv 12:7-9).

How can purely spiritual beings fight among themselves? What weapons do they use? Angels are spirits, so their battles must be purely intellectual. The only weapons that they can use are intellectual arguments. The angels gave reasons to the rebels for why they should return to obedience to God. The rebel angels countered with their reasons to support their position and spread their rebellion among the faithful angels. In this epic angelic battle, some who were inclined to rebel returned to obedience, while some of the faithful angels were seduced by the evil arguments of the rebels.

In art, demons are depicted as deformed and grotesque beings. This would seem appropriate given that demons have definitively decided on a destiny far from God. The interior loneliness in which they find themselves forever and their envy of the faithful who enjoy the Beatific Vision continually bring them face-to-face with their sins. They hate God, themselves, and all those who seek to serve God.

But not all suffer the same pains. Some angels were deformed more than others in the battle. Those who were more deformed suffer more; the least deformed suffer less. The intellects of the rebellious angels were deformed and darkened by the very reasons they used to justify the rebellion of their wills against God.

Their plight is similar to the moral debasement that humans can suffer through sin. We need to remember that we are composite creatures made up of soul and body. Aside from the sins that are proper to the body, the internal psychological process that leads a good person to end up in the Mafia or as a guard in a concentration camp or a terrorist is essentially the same as the sequence of acts of intellect and will that led to the fall of the bad angels.

Though we are body-soul composites, we as humans have only to look into our own interior life to understand how we can fall into sin. In this light, the sin of the angels becomes more easily understood.

To learn more about spiritual warfare and demonology, Catholic Spiritual Direction recommends Fr. Fortea’s excellent book, Interview With An Exorcist – An Insider’s Look at the Devil, Demonic Possession, and the Path to Deliverance.

This article is provided by the website: Catholic Spiritual Direction. Here is a link to the original article

Forgiveness

By Stephen Piersall 

Deliverance Personal Ministry, Central NY                                                                     

Years ago my oldest son got involved with drugs/alcohol and a life of crime. I hated what he was doing but my love for him never wavered. The same can be said about God who loves us deeply, but hates the sin we do in our daily lives. Forgiveness and reconciliation is the most important part of the gospel and without forgiveness of our sins, we will face greater consequences from God. When we die, we ALL go before Him and have our life reviewed before our eyes. If you have already accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, you will enter Heaven and for those who have rejected God they will be sent to Hell a place where there is no relief from the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15).

Now when a person sins against us, Satan loves it when we place a wall up against that person. Our way of loving that person as Christ loved us is through forgiveness. Jesus died to tear down the roadblocks caused by our sin between God, and us and we are required to do the same to those who wrong us (Matthew 6:15)”But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions”. There may be times when we need to try to restore a broken relationship with another person. Jesus told us to love one another as Christ has loved us, and sometimes this may involve going to the person and telling them that you regret what you have done. (Matthew 5:23-24) ”Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering”.

It is a lot easier to forgive somebody when they come to us and confess their wicked deed. When you go to somebody and ask him or her for their forgiveness, what you are doing is also helping them to break down the roadblock that Satan may have put in their way of loving you as Christ loved them. I am not saying that we must go back to everybody we have wronged and apologize for everything we have ever done wrong. What I am saying is that there may be times when you may have damaged a relationship with somebody, and it is important to restore it but you just cannot remember every single instance in your past life. Pray and listen to the Holy Spirit for guidance, you may have wronged someone ten years ago you dated and now that person is happily married and has children and you trying to contact them could do more damage than good to that person.

 (1 John 1:9-10) “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us”. In order for us to receive forgiveness, first we must recognize that we have sinned, confess our sins, and then put our faith in Jesus after all He died on the cross so that we might be forgiven. (Matthew 26:28). Repentance includes turning from our sins, and not continuing to do them and know Satan knows this weakness and may and will tempt you. If you seem to struggle with compulsive sinful habits, you may need to be free from a demonic influence. It may be necessary to renounce your sins aloud, and command them to leave.

I know for myself that forgiving “ME” is the hardest thing to do. It is often harder to forgive ourselves then to forgive others. However, what we must focus on is when God has forgiven us; we are CLEAN. (Psalms 103:12) “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us“. Sometimes we blame ourselves for not being good enough, and we must accept the fact that our sins have been forgiven. (1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. The Devil is notorious for putting guilt on people, and is the accuser of the brethren. (Revelation 12:10) “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night”. Guilt can serve two purposes, it can show us the problem so that we might repent and receive forgiveness, or it can rub our mistake in our faces and make us feel hopeless. How can you tell the difference between condemnation (bad for us) and conviction (good for us)?

Start asking yourself, "Why am I feeling guilty? What is the purpose of this guilt?" You are feeling guilty because you have probably done something wrong, but there is a reason why you are feeling guilty. There is a source of your guilt; it could be God or it could be the Devil. God uses guilt to convict us (conviction) of our sins so that we make changes and make things better (receive forgiveness), while Satan uses guilt to burden us to feel hopeless about what we have done. When God convicts us, it is so that we might recognize the problem, and work on fixing it. Therefore, ask yourself "Is this guilt trying to bring me to repentance, or is it trying to tell me what a failure I am?" God does not tell us what a failure we are, His desire is reasonably that we may be reconciled with Him and receive forgiveness from our sins. If you have sins that you have not repented from, then by all means, repent and turn from your wicked ways. Do not try to blame your guilt on Satan or someone else if you know you are guilty and you have not repented of your sins.

If your sins are forgiven (1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. Then Satan is burdening you down with guilt, you may have to renounce the spirit of guilt, and command it to leave. In addition, resist the Devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7) “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you“. It is God's aspiration for us to believe in His Son Jesus for the dwindling of our sins, and to have a clear sense of right and wrong that has been cut off from our past guilt (Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 10:2, Hebrews 10:22). He wants to forgive us of our sins for HIS sake (1 John 2:12) and He even chooses not to remember our sins (Isaiah 43:25). What a loving God we have to show us the way to walk the straight and narrow.

The Problems With Believing That Energy Is Ultimate

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

“Come this way, please.” The life coach and wellness expert pleasantly coaxed his client into his office. “Our goal today is to teach you how to raise your vibrational levels…this will relieve stress, enhance overall health, build confidence, and make you more successful in every area of your life. Just think, you will be tapping into the same cosmic energy that surges through our galaxy —synchronicity! I can guarantee you that your public speaking as well as your love life will take a quantum leap forward!” Sounds enticing, does it not? And no holy God that we have to be accountable to…yeeaay!

Energy…our country has become fixated with it. The scene above, with ten-thousand variations, is played out in similar fashion everyday across our country. We saw last time that the notion of ghosts did not just pop out of thin air; it is no coincidence that the birth of the New Age (around 1990) occurred at generally the same time that the notion of ghosts started taking off in popularity—moving from a few fringe groups to where CBS says that now one-half of Americans believe in trapped spirits. I personally do not know of another significant belief that has grown this quickly in such a short period of time. The point is that the belief in ghosts is under the extensive umbrella of what we call New Age…or occult/pagan. First is the worldview shift—energy displaces God as ultimate reality—then aberrant beliefs (such as trapped spirits) start mushrooming across the landscape of our culture. Very few in the supernatural community seem to be aware of the causal connection between the two. And frankly, many don’t want to know because they simply have too much personally vested in the notion of ghosts.

The energy worldview is monism or one-ism. We saw last time that Energy has displaced the infinite/personal God of the bible as our concept of ultimate reality. Dr. Peter Jones has suggested that we think in terms of One-ism and Two-ism to describe the two fundamentally opposed worldviews. There is such a bewildering array of different beliefs and techniques that express this shift, that it is helpful to have some way of organizing all the data. (Peter was desk-mates for several years with John Lennon in Liverpool). John went on to be one of the most influential one-ist proponents ever, and his pal Peter one its biggest opponents.

One-ism is the belief that all reality is one…in this case, there is a divine energy that undulates throughout all the cosmos—making everything an expression of Energy—and by raising our energy vibrations to match that of the world around us, we begin to fire on all cylinders. You should note that, at the very heart of one-ism, is the obliteration of the distinction between Creator and creature. Energy is ultimate reality, but since everything is infused with this energy, then everything is one—all we have to do is have a spiritual chiropractic adjustment in order to maximally experience this divine energy. Sin and salvation take on an entirely different meaning in this worldview. Instead of us being saved from the clear and present danger of God’s holy wrath due to our trespasses against Him, instead our basic need is to be released from our ignorance regarding our divine nature and this is achieved via enlightened teaching or direct experience.

Two-ism is shorthand for designating the biblical worldview…there are two kind of reality: primary (the Creator) and derived (the creation). The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is primary or ultimate reality, and He is distinct from His creation, which derives its very existence from Him. He created it out of nothing (ex nihilo…Gen.1:1), and He continues to sustain and uphold its existence (Col.1:16). The two-ist or biblical worldview upholds the Creator/creature distinction…two utterly distinct kinds of reality. (Do you see why a depth awareness of God’s holiness is so crucial?).

The one-ist worldview, (New Age or pagan/occult Energy) overhaul of our culture is so comprehensive and diverse, that it is easy to miss the forest for all the trees…the forest being a one-ist worldview, and the trees being the innumerable beliefs, methods, and techniques that are expressive of a one-ist paradigm. Whether it be Reiki, incarnation, astral travel, quantum jumping, acupuncture, the chakras in yoga, and so on—all are one-ist trees—that comprise the one-ist forest or mindset/worldview. That is what drew me to Dr. Jones simplified means of making sense of all this mind-boggling variety…it explains so much: Energy as ultimate reality is the one-ist worldview which is in vogue today. But as I mentioned last time, it is not without its problems..

In classical philosophy there is epistemology (theory of knowledge), metaphysics, ethics, logic, and aesthetics. Few of us are philosophers in the technical sense of that being our academic specialty. However, we are all philosophers in the sense that we all have a worldview (albeit usually unconscious) through which we interpret the world. In this series, I wish to show the epistemological, metaphysical, and ethical necessity of the infinite/personal God really being there and having spoken to us. Often, Christian leaders despise philosophy and discourage any interaction with it. This is sad because the questions philosophers have asked for millennia, can only be answered satisfactorily by biblical Christianity—philosophy and biblical theology fit like hand in glove—and for this, I bow before the Lord in worship. It isn’t just that biblical Christianity has the best answers; it has the ONLY satisfactory answer.

Today there is not so much a generation gap, as there is an epistemological gap…we view truth differently... Epistemology is that branch of philosophy that deals with how we acquire knowledge, whether it is of the natural or the supernatural. This where we must start, especially when it comes to this notion of Energy as ultimate reality.  I would gently insist that without the God of the bible, and the bible of God, we have no sufficient basis for knowing anything. I have a friend (call her Laura) who is well known in paranormal (whoops…I said it!) circles, she has written a book and has been investigating the supernatural for over 35 years…specializing in what she refers to as hostile haunts. Laura was deeply angered at me after reading my book and told me so. Thought I was too narrow…siiigh. She explicitly states that she does not believe in religious absolutes, and incredibly, after many hundreds of investigations of active houses, she says that she has never run into a demon! Never…

I mention this as an illustration of the paramount importance of epistemology. The starting point for her in analyzing the supernatural is, well, herself…not any beliefs external to her. The fact that she is convinced she has never once happened upon a demon is terrifying to me, and it surely shows that 35 years of operating on a false presupposition, will only lead one ever deeper into darkness and folly (Rom.1:18ff). Consider this verse I happened upon in my quiet time yesterday, “And the angel…who swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay.” (Rev.10:6 emph. added) The Greek word for heavens (ouranos) can mean the sky, the place where God dwells, and the supernatural realm. Regardless, John is emphatic and explicit in noting that it is the Lord who created the different realms and (this is key) what is in them. Since God is the Creator of the inhabitants of the supernatural realm, we must see reality through His eyes if we are to identify His creation accurately. His word is the necessary epistemological foundation for gaining true and accurate knowledge of the supernatural realm and its inhabitants… as they really are. On the contrary, the more experience and time one has spent analyzing the supernatural without reference to He who created it, will only lead to an intensification of ignorance and foolish conjecture.

The one-ist worldview states: In the beginning, there has always been impersonal energy, and this impersonal energy + time + chance = the current complexity of the heavens and the earth. That has many ramifications, but the epistemological are most fundamental. How do we acquire knowledge of the world?  Now, please consider this: suppose you are doing your thing (which is not God’s thing) and investigating the supernatural. You are observing with your five senses, while also using instruments…the observer and the thing being observed. If ultimate reality is impersonal energy, then you as observer are the result of: impersonal beginning billions of years ago + time + chance. Specifically, your eyes and your brain are the result of an impersonal beginning, plus time, plus chance (that is how evolution rolls). I gently insist that you do not import any notion of intentionality or design because that is being inconsistent (You can’t have your autonomous cake and eat it too).

In this scheme, you have no intellectual basis for claiming that what is coming to you is data. Call it blah, blah, but you have no epistemological basis for saying that you are receiving data. Why do I say that? How can you trust your brain which is a bunch of chemicals and billions of firing synapses? How can this process kick up a brain which conveniently has categories which corresponds with external reality? Your eyes…again, nothing but energy in motion, configured by chance. How do you know that what you perceive as a red apple is really red in color, and is really shaped as you perceive it? It was Immanuel Kant who dropped this bombshell on the philosophical playground about 200 years ago. To make matters more complex, in this scheme (impersonal energy is ultimate reality) how can you trust the information transfer from eyes to brain? How can we be sure that we are acquiring accurate knowledge regarding anything? What is the basis for believing in the basic reliability of our senses?

I have briefly sketched the epistemological problem of the one-ist worldview of Energy, which is the root of this explosive rise of interest in spirit beings/ghosts. I want to close with showing how biblical Christianity alone supplies the answer to the epistemological problem. God is infinite and personal, and we are finite and personal. When it comes to His infinity, God is utterly dissimilar to us…and all of creation (this is the essence of two-ist thinking), but when it comes to God being personal, then we are similar to God—we are made in His image. The same God who formed the external world for our enjoyment, also created our five senses to operate or function in this environment: do you see how massive this is epistemologically? A personal God of reason made our reason; a God who hears prayer made our ears to hear; the Creator who sees all and knows all created both our eyes and our minds—with categories which correspond to what is out there. We have a sufficient basis for knowing that what appears to be a red apple is precisely that. We have a sufficient basis for trusting in the basic reliability of our five senses. When it comes to the problems of this worldview now in vogue (energy is ultimate reality), we see that only the God of the bible, and the bible of God, provide the only solution.