September 22, 2015 Steps to Life Newsletter

Dear STL Supporter

We Are What We Think

So who controls our thoughts? Are we conscious of the cultural assumptions that make up our thinking? What and who influence our sub-conscious values, beliefs and behaviours? Why is there a mega paradigm change happening in the community's acceptance of religious and social values? Why is there so much out of control and perverse behaviour?

The Wise Man says that our thinking determines who we are and what we do. (Proverbs 23: 7 says - For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:...) Then, if this is the case, what thought shaping processes are happening? Some of them are pretty obvious - books, films, TV, advertising. But look a bit deeper and there is more to see.

Creation Ministries International in their March, 2015 Newsletter ran an article by Lita Cosner, entitled They Want To Convert Your Children. Her opening paragraph reads - You've likely heard the statistics that around 2/3 of children who grew up in Christian homes are leaving the church. And now there are 'Christian' organizations trying to 'deconvert' our children by causing them to stop trusting the Bible. She continues- ...but the danger of the rank unbelief promoted by the increasingly popular 'Christian BioLogos' is simply not Christianity at all, but evolutionary syncretism. One of their founder's assertions is that there was no historic first human pair. They are actively trying to evangelize Christians into their understanding of evolution and billions of years...

The process of 'deconverting' is aimed at both adults and children. It often starts with the children in areas that extend beyond the attack on creation. Look at what is taught or not taught, with regard to responsible sexuality, abortion, monogamous relationships, harm minimization, involvement with the occult, the values associated with striving to win, self esteem, heroes of film and literature, the overruling 'me first' ethos of sport, etc. Look at how these social values are taught.

Further, with regard to the attack on creation, Lita Cosner states - Please realize that they want to reach your children, your pastor, and your church. They are out to extinguish biblical creation. The problem is, biblical creation, a historical Adam and Eve, and a literal Fall of mankind are foundational for any sort of a traditional view of what Christ actually accomplished in His ministry, death, and resurrection.

She then goes on to quote leading evolutionist, humanist and atheist Richard Dawkins - The original sin is supposed to have been committed by Adam, who as we now know, never existed. So we now have the preposterous idea that Jesus was sacrificed, the scapegoat was sacrificed, for the sin of a non-existent forebear. (Underscore added for emphasis). Please note: It's Satan, not Jesus, who is the scapegoat, and the scapegoat was never sacrificed!

So the cultural underpinnings of secular and religious thinking are now becoming no creation, no Adam and Eve, no original sin, no God ordained gender roles, no God ordained marriage model, no need for an atoning sacrifice, no role for a High Priest in the Sanctuary, no absolutes, no judgment, no accountability, no ultimate justice, and definitely no Second Coming of Jesus. There is a strong inverse relationship between abandonment of the foundations of belief in Genesis and the anarchy ruling around the world. The unstated maxim has become - If you can get away with it, do it! Or the evolutionary principle of survival of the fittest.

The process of 'deconverting' develops from being a tool to undermine the account of biblical creation to an attack on all those beliefs following from it. 'Deconverting' becomes a strategic weapon against rule of law and the standards, which flow from the Ten Commandments. 'Deconverting' becomes a process for dismantling pillars of faith. Can you think of any being dismantled at present in your church? I hope not, but watch out because Satan will try.

Interestingly, the 'deconverting' did not start with the theory of evolution. It started with the first lie recorded in the Bible Gen 3: 4, 5 - And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Here mankind's thinking was encouraged to believe that 'god-ship' is possible for the created as well as the Creator. The first lie accepted a belief in God, but subverted this belief to one saying that because God created us we have God in us, therefore we must be as gods knowing good and evil. It tries to bring God down to us, instead of allowing God to lift us up to Him. Can we really 'bring God into the silence' as a meditative practice? Or is this blasphemy? There is a suggestion here that in knowing good and evil we can then determine right and wrong for ourselves. This has broad implication across the spectrum of what we choose to believe, how we work, play, our relationships, moral and civil codes, freedoms and how we worship.

Isaiah 55: 7 to 9 keeps our feet on the ground - Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Thank God that He has mercy on us and abundantly pardons!!

Expressions of Interest Invited

The present management of Steps to Life are of the opinion that it is time for them to start planning for a transition in the daily operation of the ministry of STL, possibly over the next twelve months. If you think God may be leading you to be involved in the management of a

ministry such as STL we invite you to send us an email telling us about yourself, your passion for 'Present Truth', your skills and abilities, previous work history and why you think God may be leading you to express your interest. Emails should be sent to admin@steps.org.au with the subject line entered with the words 'Expression of Interest'. Please include your name, church of membership, contact phone number and preferred return email address.

Yip Kok Tho on STL Facebook

Have you visited STL Facebook? Go to www.facebook.com/steps2lifeaust. Amongst many postings, there are two short free videos from Kok Tho on the topic of meditation. Kok Tho, a former Zen Meditator talks about the difference between True Biblical Meditation and Eastern Meditation. We can highly recommend both short videos.

Next Sunday Health Seminar - October 18 - Kaye and Peter Sehm: "Attacked and Bombarded"

Kaye and Peter will be speaking on the many avenues from which our body is attacked. Areas such as foods,

food additives, chemicals, electromagnetic radiation (from phones, wifi etc), vaccinations, and more. There will be a cooking demonstration of nutritious gluten free recipes as part of the day's program.

Now Available: Oscar Sande's Weight Connection Sunday Health Seminar DVDs

The DVDs from Oscar's Weight Connection seminar are now available from STL. They are a valuable source of information, including practical tips on how we can achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Click here to order them.

Pastor David and Becky Gates - November Seminar Series

See the attached/enclosed advertising for the seminar program series.

Christian greetings from Cherryl and the Steps to Life team.

Brian Way/Programs Coordinator