The Secret:
A Pathway to Destruction
Many people say they aren’t religious, but spiritual. What that means is anyone’s guess because God and Satan are
both spiritual, and neither is religious. Jesus is a holy God and Satan is an evil fallen angel.
Many also say that they don’t believe in God or Satan, that they live their life for them and only for them. Sorry folk’s, that’s not how it works. We are created beings, we have no power or control, all we have is the freewill that God has given us.
That freewill doesn’t say we can ignore God and Satan, that freewill allows us to decide which one we want to service.
He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth (Lk 11:23).
God wants us to be prosperous, but through Him. There is nothing that we can do without His help or His approval, he is in charge of everything. The devil can’t even doing anything without God allowing it. Your success comes from God or the devil, it’s your choice which one, but the successes through the devil are short lived.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the yes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever (1 Jn 15-17).
As I had said, God controls everything, including money, this is what Moses said:
But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth that he may establish his covenant which he swear unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God (Deut 8:18-20).
The Secret tells you to just wish for things, to imagine things, and you will have them. That defies God and by going by that book you’re worshipping the devil whether you want to or not (if you think I’m just talking to talk you must be on crack or something). 
Anything against God is the work of the devil. You may not believe you’re worshipping the devil, but in God’s eyes you are. As the law says, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse,” same with God because He has written His ways in our hearts (2 Cor 3:2-3).
God is very clear about believing in anything other than Him:
And God spake all these words, saying,
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness or anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me (Ex 20: 1, 3-5).
The book is titled correctly because it tells you to believe in yourself as it secretly implies that you don’t need God. The author (Rhonda Byrne) was bamboozled by the devil to believe such nonsense. Can’t you see how intelligent and sneaky Satan is? The devil is no fool, other than the fact that he thought he could over power God (Is 14:12-27 and Eze 28:1-19), those that follow his ways are the fools.
The secret is nothing new, just a different name; it existed centuries before Jesus was even born. King Nebuchadnezzar believed in God whole heartedly, but he was also tricked into the Secret. God tells us to trust in Him, nothing else.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil (Prov 3:5-7).
Why would God say that? He’s not trying to trick us or control us, He is God so He can control at will. He created us so He’s much smarter than we are. He gives us those words because He gives us freewill and He is warning us to beware of the devil.
God is a loving God and he abhors evil. He loves us and tries to raise us proper like any good parent would. He’ll forgive our sins as long as we ask for forgiveness and cease from committing them willingly. Take a look at what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar when he fell into The Secret’s trap:
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
How great are his signs! And how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
The leaves thereof were fair and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven;
He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:
Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?
While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honor and brightness returned unto me; and my counselors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. (Den 4:1-5, 10-16, and 30-37).
King Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t the only one that got caught up in the things of the world, his son, King Belshazzar was another, but he didn’t come out as good as his dad did.
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
And I have heard of thee that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor:
And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.
But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.
TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
Then commanded Belshazzar and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. (Dan 5:1-8 and 13-31).
You can believe what you want and think what you want, but the bottom line is that those that don’t accept Jesus and go His way will find themselves in Hell for eternity.
Many say God won’t do that because He’s a loving God, they’re wrong. God gives us freewill to spend eternity in heaven with Him or in hell with the devil. God doesn’t want to live with a bunch of liars, thieves, crooks, perverts, and whatnot. But if you walk with Jesus life is fantastic!
Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matt 7:21-23).
Many people don’t believe that the Old Testament pertains to us because it happened before Jesus was born. What nonsense, who do you think created the earth and everything?
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every created:
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (Col 1:15-17).
Now if you aren’t happy with the above stories since they’re Old Testament stories, then listen to what Jesus Himself has to say:
And he spake a parable unto them saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou has much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou has provided?
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God (Lk 12:16-21).
As I had said, Jesus wants us to be prosperous, but through Him, not by imagining that whatever we want will come to us.
Yet, if you get something by your own imagination know that it didn’t come from God because all good things come from Him (Jas 1:17; Jn 3:27), and if it doesn’t come from God know that you don’t have the power to create it so it came from the devil.
You disagree? You think you are Houdini? You may be because all that Houdini did was a trick which is exactly what the devil will give you.
You can’t go to church and worship God and also see psychics or read The Secret.
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matt 6:24).
Jesus wants you to trust in Him, to love Him as He loves you. Look to Him for guidance, not your own imagination because when you wander within your own mind you also open the front door inviting the devil in.
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (Matt 6:25-33).
So are you wondering what the kingdom of God is? Know that is isn’t what The Secret tells you to obtain.
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink: but righteousness; and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom 14:17).
Generosity: How God’s Radical Grace Makes Us Givers DVD
By Hendrickson Publishers
According to the Bible, generosity is so much more than just being generous with your money. The source of generosity that is truly radical is a gospel-transformed heart that has received the costly grace of God. In this sermon series originally preached at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Tim Keller and Abraham Cho look at what it means to be generous through service, through relationships, through hospitality, through the privileges and power we hold, and lastly, through our wealth.
This resource can be used with the seven-session study guide Generosity: Responding to God’s Radical Grace in Community (9781944549008). There is also a 20-day devotional booklet which may be used to supplement this series called Generosity: How God’s Radical Grace Changes Our Perspective on Money & Possessions (9781944549015).
Disc 1
1. Generosity and God’s Grace – Timothy Keller – 33 minutes
2. Generosity and Relationships – Timothy Keller – 39 minutes
3. Hospitality and God’s Grace – Timothy Keller – 38 minutes
4. Generosity and Ministry – Timothy Keller – 32 minutes
Disc 2
5. Generosity and Wealth, Part 1 – Abraham Cho – 32 minutes
6. Generosity and Wealth, Part 2 – Timothy Keller – 33 minutes
7. Generosity and Power – Timothy Keller – 38 minutes
By Thomas Nelson
In the ten lessons of Ministering Through Spiritual Gifts, Dr. Charles Stanley encourages you to pinpoint your God-given strengths by exploring the seven gifts in Romans 12. He then challenges you to consciously develop your gifts- not for your own personal gain, but to minister to others and to ultimately bring glory to God.
Dr. Charles Stanley’s Bible study guides feature the insights and wisdom of this beloved pastor and author. Small groups and individuals who want a Bible study that’s spiritually-sound and practical will find a wealth of ideas to help them understand and apply the Scriptures to the real world. Each title takes a unique four-fold approach to get the most out of Bible study time-emphasizing personal identification with the Scripture passage, recognition of your emotional response, reflection of the passage’s meaning and application, and taking steps to apply what’s been learned. This is a sound way to explore the Word of God.