I pray you are kidding about yoga.
(facebook message written to friend)
Perhaps you are blinded by your culture into going the way of the world and practicing other religions. I pray God open your eyes! Why not stretch apart from yoga? Those are prayer poses. Read chapters 1,2 and 3 of Revelations.
Devote yourself to the one God Jesus and stand firm against false doctrine and alternate religious practices. Enjoy Indian people (Chinese people, Kenyan people, Musicians, Gay people, construction workers...) but not foreign gods. Do not speak of karma....
While consequences of actions are biblical... Reaping what you sow.... Jesus says you do not get what you deserve, which is hell. Repentance and faith in Jesus brings a reward you could never earn by good actions and its from God's divine favor. Things like horoscopes, fortune cookies, eight ball, good luck, ying yang, masonry, chanting, etc are open doors to demonic and feed your flesh and destroy your spirit.
That is basic Christianity-- to avoid other religions or gods or idols-- yet America is adopting yoga with embrace. I adore and worship Jesus and it is my joy to abstain from many things as His Bride. I am worldly enough and sinful enough as it is-- why look to other religions or cultures and dabble there? No, I lay my life down and serve other people ..... Like tax collectors n prostitutes.... But I do not adopt their ways in order to gain their trust.
(Oh, I am so frustrated that Christians defend their practices by saying they do this, that, or the other in order to be evangelical. Do you get fruit from that? People who whole-heartedly leave their way of life, repent and serve Jesus alone as a result of your worldly communion with them?)
If you are using yoga as a quiet time for prayer already, I beg you to repent. Would you bring another man into your wife? Be faithful. Have nothing to do with yoga. You knew how to stretch or relax before you ever heard of yoga-- but if you cling to it--- realize you want "health" "relaxation" or even "prayer" more than Jesus. Please don't insist on your rights or your freedom. Die daily and let Jesus live through you and gain real life.
I am so troubled and grieved that sooooo many Christians do yoga and brag of it and think they are good because the world approves! Just depends on whose approval you prefer. I get no approval when I rebuke my brothers n sisters (How many Christians will defend their practices as just "exercise?") I would rather be anxious, prayerless and diseased than look to another religion to meet with Jesus or to get fit. Health is an American idol (Along with greed, materialism, media, prosperity and medical treatment.)
Let me remind you--- every single person will die. If u bought yourself 20 extra years (I am referring to exercising by doing yoga in order to be fit and healthy and productive or whatever the excuse might be....meet people?) --what difference is that to eternity? Use your time for Him, not to just improve yourself although I am not in any way speaking against healthy lifestyle or good God-given physical activity. But do you do these improve to your heavenly treasure? Or are you just investing in your flesh? Your self life?
Consider how much time and money you spend to be healthy.
Guilty:
I personally spend a lot of time and money on supplements, doc visits, exercise equip, etc so i might be in the wrong, too, by going overboard. I am not just pointing the finger at you here---the finger is pointed at yoga and any other idolatry or sin. LET US NEVER DEFEND SIN! I don't want to be foolish and become a burden unnecessarily but even that could be pride. God sees nothing wrong with a life of handicapped dependency but I abhor that! So I am working by faith to not abuse myself foolishly due to my bad appetites but trying not to make life (or great food) be my goal. I am ready to die for Jesus at anytime, I pray. But I would rather die giving my life time money and health to the mission field and Gods Kingdom.
So ....
I beg you to abstain from yoga unless according to Romans 14--- you are SURE that you only do this by faith in Jesus and in faith you are pleasing Him.
Or it is sin.
And what would be the rationale for just going shead and doing something you CAN stop??
Unlike those sins we fall in so quickly like anger or fear or pride or unbelief. Those take consecration and spiritual discipline and learning to follow after the Spirit instead of the flesh. We are justified at salvation but sanctification is lifelong. So avoid all actions which are voluntary and grow in virtues until they come supernaturally.
Maybe I should link to someone else's explanation, although I believe that practicing yoga is unbiblical because I read the Bible.
http://carm.org/should-christians-practice-yoga
so I cannot think of where it is in the Bible except that here is a reference to
"avoiding stepping on the threshold"
1 Sam 5:5.
In some other verse somewhere, God is angry with people who do things like adopting certain clothing of other cultures (perhaps like wearing ying yang symbols) and against people jumping over the threshold. That might also be like not crossing the path of a black cat or not opening an umbrella inside. I don't know. I don't worry myself over it because I definitely attempt to locate and stop all superstitious activities in my heart and mind and especially in my physical actions, where it is easier to catch and realize by the Holy Spirit what you have just done.
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,
which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world
rather than on Christ.
Colossians is a really good book to focus on JESUS as Center and ONLY.
and
2 Corinthians 10
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Please worship Jesus and Jesus alone--make every effort to make your obedience complete!
Not because of the law, but because the Spirit is alive in you!
If you are dead, then Christ reigns in you. You have no business with the things of the world. Jesus is faithful to teach you these things, if you desire Him above all else. It means you will go without so much but you will never FEEL that you are going without when you are looking at Jesus and gaining Christ! SO MUCH MORE TREASURE THAN THIS WORLD HAS TO OFFER!
and everything you desire is in Him and available to you.
we have everything we need for life and godliness.
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2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us
everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who
called us by his own glory and goodness.
going on in verse 4 to say:
4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
and Jesus promises so many things.
He will never leave us.
We are more than conquerors.
He daily bears our burdens.
a bruised reed He does not break and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.
(He is gentle when you are hurt or broken and will comfort you.)
I will give you rest.
When I called on Him, He made me bold and stouthearted.
We are a new creation.
When we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
shoot....there are so many.
I'll stop here.
Psalm 103
Praise the Lord oh my soul and forget not all His benefits
who forgives all my sins,
who heals all your diseases, who satisfies your desires with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
I think 107
He says I am the God who heals you.
Isaiah:
He says, HE was wounded for our transgressions.
the punishment that brought us peace, was upon Him.
In Him we live and move and have our being.
We are Christ's ambassadors saying Be reconciled to God!
He has given us authority over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall in any way harm us.
Dont' fear him who kills the body, rather, fear Him who after killing the body has the ability to throw the soul in hell. (This reminds me not to be afraid of people and persecution nor to flee danger in the work for Jesus.)
I hope this galvanizes your heart to worship and adore your beautiful Savior who is glorious and splendid. He is faithful and True! He is coming again. Be ready! Have your lamp ready! Let your light shine! Repent and humble yourself. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up!
This is His promise to you!
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