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YY Member
Joined: 2005/12/22 Posts: 17 California
| Heaven is so real - I'm confused | | I heard of this book through my pastor's wife. She has been reading it and was deeply touched. She formally preached about the book last Sunday, and will have everybody in the congregation purchase one copy and read it.
I haven't read the book yet, but was very troubled by what she'd quoted from it. There just seems to be quite a few contradictions to the Bible, and I don't think that they are minor ones. Then I read the first three pages from Amazon.com and all the reviews (good or bad), and also Choo Thomas's website promoting her book. Below are some quotes from her website. You can go there check it out yourself. www.choothomas.com "The book is our Lord Jesus end time book and He wants all Christians to read it..." "Remember, none of our salvations are secure until the end. We must do our best while we have a chance."
Still a bit troubled, I don't want to read it after reading what I'd read about. Consider myself not a mature and strong Christian, I'm afraid that I'd be even more confused.
The preaching of this book did do one thing good already. It urged me to read my Bible and search for scriptures for assurance of my salvation. I don't know what to do if my paster keep preaching this book. Shall I speak out my opinion? I know that I should pray more and ask Holy Spirit to reveal the Word.
Pleas share your thoughts if you have read the book. Thank you! |
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2005/12/22 13:52 | Profile |
ravin Member
Joined: 2004/5/6 Posts: 309 Washington st. u.S. A.
| Re: Heaven is so real - I'm confused | | if it isn't according to the word, then it is another gospel. remember if we are not saved by grace then we are not saved. only one way to the father and it is thru his son whom he sent. a book will not save us, it's knowing the son who came that all maybe saved. and not of works lest we boast. the early christains didn't have the Bible as we know it today they heard the word spoken to them and believe, it was there faith on Jesus Christ that saved them. "I HAVE GIVEN THEM THY WORD" is the all-sufficient assurance of the LORD Jesus Christ, speaking to the Father. He did NOT say 'I have given them Aids to devotion'. He did NOT say 'I have given them a Hymn-book,' or 'I have given them Thy Word AND something else.' He did NOT give anything instead of, or in addition to, that Word. And that being so, we are assured that the Word which He gave is all-sufficient, in itself, to accomplish all the purposes of God. "The Word that is preached" makes known the Written Word; the Word that is written makes known Christ the Living Word; and Christ makes known God our Father. |
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2005/12/22 15:08 | Profile |
_Disciple_ Member
Joined: 2004/10/29 Posts: 335 The Netherlands
| Re: Heaven is so real - I'm confused | | why is all the attention going to that book? i'm not in to debate right now. but why is it that that book gets so much attention?
why must we read that book?
we got One Book, the Bible, the Living Word! Haven't we got our hands full on just tasting the depths and riches of The Word? Isn't Gods Word enough? Must there be something added to it?
All books will burn one day, everything will pass away, except for The Word of God (1 Pet 1:25)
And Jesus is The Living Word i'd rather stick with Him and His Words.
maybe i'm writing this all in a bit of frustration, but i just had to let it out... _________________ William
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2005/12/22 15:08 | Profile |
crsschk Member
Joined: 2003/6/11 Posts: 9192 Santa Clara, CA
| Re: Heaven is so real - I'm confused | | Hi YY,
Think your own observations are very telling; Quote:
Still a bit troubled, I don't want to read it after reading what I'd read about. Consider myself not a mature and strong Christian, I'm afraid that I'd be even more confused.
More mature than you know but stating that... You are rightly discerning the issue by leaving it alone. Have found at certain times that even the best of books may not be appropriate to where ones 'head is at' or where the Lord would have you concentrating in certain seasons. I would go with what you have already stated.
Just as a reminder here to everyone, try and keep the threads and postings together when they are on the same topic as much as possible, it's a lot easier to follow.
Thanks _________________ Mike Balog
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2005/12/22 15:22 | Profile |
philologos Member
Joined: 2003/7/18 Posts: 6566 Reading, UK
| Re: | | Quote:
Have found at certain times that even the best of books may not be appropriate to where ones 'head is at' or where the Lord would have you concentrating in certain seasons.
Just wanted to make sure everyone had a second chance of hearing this wise advice. :-) _________________ Ron Bailey
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2005/12/22 18:01 | Profile |
YY Member
Joined: 2005/12/22 Posts: 17 California
| Re: Thanks to eveybody who read and responded! | | crsschk has made a very helpful point, as noticed by phiologos.
Well, I would not seek those kind of "vision" books myself, but this one was preached and recommended by my pastor's wife. I agree that it should not get so much attention. Actually I was wondering why some pastors and leader are raving about it. My pastor and his wife have been following the Lord for 30 years. I thought that they should know better.
I used to simply trust the pastor's preaching and "submit to their spiritual authority" as they put it. Now this troubling preaching has forced me to take my Bible reading and thinking more seriously. |
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2005/12/23 2:07 | Profile |
Warrior4Jah Member
Joined: 2005/7/5 Posts: 382 The Netherlands
| Re: | | That seems like a good thing to me! It was really confusing me when I heard of that book and some of the things it contained. Unless the Lord leads me to it I won't read it.
There is no loss in it, as you do read the Bible. But its hard to go in against the flow. Keep looking at the Lord, His Word. I can't give you any advice, but I will pray for you. :-)
Quote:
YY wrote: I used to simply trust the pastor's preaching and "submit to their spiritual authority" as they put it. Now this troubling preaching has forced me to take my Bible reading and thinking more seriously.
_________________ Jonathan Veldhuis
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2005/12/23 4:16 | Profile |
ginnyrose Member
Joined: 2004/7/7 Posts: 7534 Mississippi
| Re: Heaven is so real - I'm confused | | You got a lot of good advice on this thread about this issue, IMHO.
There are two other books very popular right now written by Mary K. Baxter. One deals with a vision she supposedly saw of Hell and the other about heaven. I read the one about hell but not the one about heaven. My advice to you is to not read them. They are too fanciful, IMHO.
I love to read books written by people who have seen into heaven -hey, it has happened! - but the question comes: how can I tell which ones are authentic? I have done a search on the web into this subject and found some very 'interesting' readings, most of which I would classify as fiction. The incidents that are true will have the bearer always coming back with a message of calling people to repentence. This alone will not prove the authenticity of the vision but will go a long way. Another thing: how is the writing marketed? are they making lots of money off of it? Nothing wrong with making money, but there seems to be something amiss when the works become bestsellers.
The bottom line is to stick with the Word of God as revealed in the Bible and then ask the Holy Spirit for discernment about these books. If you do so and obey, you will protect yourself from deception.
Blessings, ginnyrose _________________ Sandra Miller
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2005/12/23 11:53 | Profile |
Marieke Member
Joined: 2005/11/25 Posts: 7
| Re: | | Well, I have read the book. I've already posted it somewhere but I can't find it back...
For me it was an excellent book. It made me look at myself and concluded that I didn't really was very busy with His Word and obeying Him.
I still can't find things in her book that goes straight against the Bible...Somethings bring questions but is that wrong? The bible gives questions in reading also! In my surroundings people are touched by the book and are very busy reading the Bible after this. The really want to obey and honour the Lord!
That's for me a very important thing to check: does it lead you to the Lord of does it lead to 'self-help' or occult stuff.
About this book I can be very short: in my life, even the life of my kids, has come a deep love and expecting for His second coming and prayers are being sent up from our house almost whole day long :-)
About money: the Bible is not for free either, remember! What money would have been made by selling the Bible, from the beginning till now on?
Everybody can see for him/herself what to read. But to warn for Choo's book is really 5 steps too far in my humble opinion ;-) |
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2005/12/23 13:11 | Profile |