Sarah Young's "Jesus Calling" book...readers beware!

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Cairparavel

Guest
#1
#1
Someone at my church told me a few months ago that i HAVE to get this awesome devotional book and it is SO good because it's like Jesus is talking right to you! So I went out and bought one and had to see what the fuss was all about. When i went to my local Christian store "Lifeway"," Young's book was plastered ALL over the store...in the kids and teens sections too...and calendars, gift sets, etc. So i'm like..this has gotta be a really good devotional book. Ok. And when i started to read it and found it interesting how she used certain New Agey terms, but i didn't really think anything of it at the time. And there were corresponding scriptures at the bottom of each page so i thought this has too be a good Biblical devotional, right?

But today i just read an article that opened my eyes to where this devo actually came from. The writer of the article is a new FB friend of mine and writes articles for CANA..which exposes New Age garbage that creeps into alot of Christian circles. I"m guessing she has prob written articles already on trendy evangelical stuff like "the Shack" and "Prayer of Jabez" that were so popular awhile back. She also has an interesting article about the Daniel Plan and how it's endorsed by New Agers and uses some occultic practices. So she exposes some red flags in the "Jesus is Calling" devotional I found very interesting to discover.

This gal Marcia really does her research complete with refrences following her articles. She's a former New Ager so she's "been there done that" and recognizes alot of falsehoods in stuff like this. Check out her article if you have time! Its very thought provoking. And if you are a big fan of Sarah Young...i encourage you to read the article as well...just so you have more facts where her "writings" actually come from.

Jesus Calling By Sarah Young: WUI (Writing Under the Influence)

I think I'll just keep sticking to the Bible and grow that way, thanks Sarah! I don't need no stinking devotional book anyway! (Ok, maybe i'll check out "Upmost for His Highest" sometime, but not right now) :)
 
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atwhatcost

Guest
#2
#2
Not a problem. I usually wait for the authors to be dead and still praised by others as worth reading, before I buy any Christian book.Most modern Christian books are garbage, (including Utmost for His Highest which tends to have an eastern religion meets Christianity spin to it.):D
 
L

ladylynn

Guest
#3
#3
atwhatcost said:
Not a problem. I usually wait for the authors to be dead and still praised by others as worth reading, before I buy any Christian book.Most modern Christian books are garbage, (including Utmost for His Highest which tends to have an eastern religion meets Christianity spin to it.):D
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Seriously?? Who would guess Ol Oswald Chambers had something to do with 'eastern religion meets Christianity' spin???? LOL. And Billy Graham is of the devil!! :rolleyes: For this reason and many others we must do a study on these people before being quick to mark them. And as far as Oswald goes., he is far from eastern religious types!! GOOD HEAVENS!!!!!!!!!
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#4
Nov 24, 2012
30,783
3,684
113
#4
Cairparavel said:
Someone at my church told me a few months ago that i HAVE to get this awesome devotional book and it is SO good because it's like Jesus is talking right to you! So I went out and bought one and had to see what the fuss was all about. When i went to my local Christian store "Lifeway"," Young's book was plastered ALL over the store...in the kids and teens sections too...and calendars, gift sets, etc. So i'm like..this has gotta be a really good devotional book. Ok. And when i started to read it and found it interesting how she used certain New Agey terms, but i didn't really think anything of it at the time. And there were corresponding scriptures at the bottom of each page so i thought this has too be a good Biblical devotional, right?

But today i just read an article that opened my eyes to where this devo actually came from. The writer of the article is a new FB friend of mine and writes articles for CANA..which exposes New Age garbage that creeps into alot of Christian circles. I"m guessing she has prob written articles already on trendy evangelical stuff like "the Shack" and "Prayer of Jabez" that were so popular awhile back. She also has an interesting article about the Daniel Plan and how it's endorsed by New Agers and uses some occultic practices. So she exposes some red flags in the "Jesus is Calling" devotional I found very interesting to discover.

This gal Marcia really does her research complete with refrences following her articles. She's a former New Ager so she's "been there done that" and recognizes alot of falsehoods in stuff like this. Check out her article if you have time! Its very thought provoking. And if you are a big fan of Sarah Young...i encourage you to read the article as well...just so you have more facts where her "writings" actually come from.

Jesus Calling By Sarah Young: WUI (Writing Under the Influence)

I think I'll just keep sticking to the Bible and grow that way, thanks Sarah! I don't need no stinking devotional book anyway! (Ok, maybe i'll check out "Upmost for His Highest" sometime, but not right now) :)
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you may like these people, they exposed Young's book long ago and how Thomas Nelson kept doctoring it up for "christian consumption ".

Lighthouse Trails Newsletter - August 10, 2015
 
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atwhatcost

Guest
#5
#5
ladylynn said:
Seriously?? Who would guess Ol Oswald Chambers had something to do with 'eastern religion meets Christianity' spin???? LOL. And Billy Graham is of the devil!! :rolleyes: For this reason and many others we must do a study on these people before being quick to mark them. And as far as Oswald goes., he is far from eastern religious types!! GOOD HEAVENS!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
You really should check out people before "being quick to mark them." You don't, but you should. I know exactly why it's like that. What Chambers evangelized for.

You're very quick on picking up the off-the-beaten-path folks and trusting them completely, aren't you?

Aren't you always the one preaching to any newbie that this site has factions that always pick on you? Hmmm, I wonder why you get that vibe. What you sow is what you reap. Please stop sowing bogus beliefs. All you're getting is bogus and more bogus.
 
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valiant

Senior Member
#6
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
126
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#6
atwhatcost said:
You really should check out people before "being quick to mark them." You don't, but you should. I know exactly why it's like that. What Chambers evangelized for.

You're very quick on picking up the off-the-beaten-path folks and trusting them completely, aren't you?

Aren't you always the one preaching to any newbie that this site has factions that always pick on you? Hmmm, I wonder why you get that vibe. What you sow is what you reap. Please stop sowing bogus beliefs. All you're getting is bogus and more bogus.
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But are there two Oswald Chambers? The one I know of has been dead for may years.
 
Angela53510

Angela53510

Senior Member
#7
Jan 24, 2011
11,786
2,958
113
#7
I read those books a few years back. They were recommended to me by a woman whose husband was a pastor. A Baptist pastor! So I thought they would be orthodox. I even gave one to my unsaved sister!

Well, I thought it was really weird to have Jesus speaking to me, but knowing that a modern woman wrote it. Not that I have anything against women, of course.

I could see the thread of Scriptures, but something kept creeping me out about it. As for my sister, she couldln't read it either. So much for witnessing via a book to her.

I was New Age before I got saved, but I confess I didn't see much New Age in it. But I just didn't like the book.

As for Oswald Chambers, I've read it several times, and reading it again right now. I've done two book studies with it, including an on-line one with pastors and missionaries. Sometimes I don't get what he is saying. Some times I don't totally agree. But I still get a lot from the book. I think you also have to remember he was writing out of deep depression. But certainly not New Age!
 
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valiant

Senior Member
#8
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
126
63
#8
valiant said:
But are there two Oswald Chambers? The one I know of has been dead for many years.
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98 years to be exact lol. His books (written posthumously) are made up of teaching taken from his ministry in Baptist churches, Bible college and Egypt YMCA etc. I would like to see evidence that demonstrates connection with eastern mysticism. I am not aware of any.

I really don't think he can be compared with Sarah Young.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#9
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
0
#9
atwhatcost said:
Not a problem. I usually wait for the authors to be dead and still praised by others as worth reading, before I buy any Christian book.Most modern Christian books are garbage, (including Utmost for His Highest which tends to have an eastern religion meets Christianity spin to it.):D
Click to expand...
ladylynn said:
Seriously?? Who would guess Ol Oswald Chambers had something to do with 'eastern religion meets Christianity' spin???? LOL. And Billy Graham is of the devil!! :rolleyes: For this reason and many others we must do a study on these people before being quick to mark them. And as far as Oswald goes., he is far from eastern religious types!! GOOD HEAVENS!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Just a FYI...... Oswald Chambers never wrote MUFHH. His wife compiled some of his writings after his death.
 
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dcontroversal

dcontroversal

Banned
#10
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,408
113
#10
I have always thought...why read a book about the bible when you can just read the bible...one is accompanied by the Holy Spirit of God...the other is not!
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#11
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
0
#11
To me, it is sometimes NOT my desire to select a book because people like it. It depends (to me) upon what "group" or "following" thinks the book is either good or bad. A negative critique by certain people COULD actually be a blessing upon the book, as far as I am concerned.
 
Angela53510

Angela53510

Senior Member
#12
Jan 24, 2011
11,786
2,958
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#12
I have learned a lot from reading commentaries and devotionals. Of course, we certainly have to check them against the Bible.

I remember reading Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God Day by Day." I highly recommend it! One thing I will always remember, is taking about Hezekiah, and how he prayed for God to heal him. And God did!

But after he was healed, he had Manassah, who become one of the longest reigning kings of Israel, and the most evil.

So that really made me rethink my theology. Because the nation of Israel and the Jewish people would have been far better off if Hezekiah had died before Manassah was conceived.

I had read my Bible 30 times before reading this, and never saw it. I did go back and read the relevant passages, and he was right about the times and dates.

Commentaries and devotions should never exceed what is written in Scripture. But they should illuminate Scripture, and help us understand the Bible better.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#13
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
0
#13
Angela53510 said:
I have learned a lot from reading commentaries and devotionals. Of course, we certainly have to check them against the Bible.

I remember reading Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God Day by Day." I highly recommend it! One thing I will always remember, is taking about Hezekiah, and how he prayed for God to heal him. And God did!

But after he was healed, he had Manassah, who become one of the longest reigning kings of Israel, and the most evil.

So that really made me rethink my theology. Because the nation of Israel and the Jewish people would have been far better off if Hezekiah had died before Manassah was conceived.

I had read my Bible 30 times before reading this, and never saw it. I did go back and read the relevant passages, and he was right about the times and dates.

Commentaries and devotions should never exceed what is written in Scripture. But they should illuminate Scripture, and help us understand the Bible better.
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Agreed. I learned a long, long time ago that I am nowhere near smart enough to see everything my eyes pass over in the Bible. If I had a hundred dollars for every time I saw something new (or that I had missed entirely) through someone else's study and research, I could buy a new airplane.
 
L

ladylynn

Guest
#14
#14
atwhatcost said:
You really should check out people before "being quick to mark them." You don't, but you should. I know exactly why it's like that. What Chambers evangelized for.

You're very quick on picking up the off-the-beaten-path folks and trusting them completely, aren't you?

Aren't you always the one preaching to any newbie that this site has factions that always pick on you? Hmmm, I wonder why you get that vibe. What you sow is what you reap. Please stop sowing bogus beliefs. All you're getting is bogus and more bogus.
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Ahhhhh Lynn, always a pleasure.... :rolleyes: Actually, I have no idea about this new book by Sarah Young but based on my experiences here on CC and how fast the word "heretic" gets thrown around, I would most certainly check it out myself before going by what people have heard on these threads.

I've read Oswald Chambers and would agree with Angela. The book My Utmost For His Highest in the new version and the old I've read and they are on my bookshelves somewhere. My xhusband very much enjoyed and understood him but I didn't get much from his way of writing,. Even in the new version. And I didn't always enjoy the way he presented his personal views on the Bible. But it was never based on false doctrine or anything like that. Just his way of relating with the Father. Not my cup of tea but for many Christians he is very much loved.

No, I'm not "always the one preaching to any newbie that this site has factions that always pick on me" shhheeeessshhhh.
hardly. I do however know you have a problem with my way of thinking and sharing on these forums. Every so often you rear your head with a whiplash post and I've come to see it's just your 'sun-shinny" way. So if I give my opinion and the reaping of it is you and your occasional criticisms, I can take it Lynn :D Your not all that scary anymore.
 
Stephen63

Stephen63

Banned
#15
Aug 15, 2009
9,745
179
0
#15
ladylynn said:
Seriously?? Who would guess Ol Oswald Chambers had something to do with 'eastern religion meets Christianity' spin???? LOL. And Billy Graham is of the devil!! :rolleyes: For this reason and many others we must do a study on these people before being quick to mark them. And as far as Oswald goes., he is far from eastern religious types!! GOOD HEAVENS!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
You really ought to investigate Graham. He is soooo adored by the world..... yet Jesus said the world would hate christians & love their own. I believe Jesus.
 
E

Elysian

Guest
#16
#16
Cairparavel said:
Someone at my church told me a few months ago that i HAVE to get this awesome devotional book and it is SO good because it's like Jesus is talking right to you! So I went out and bought one and had to see what the fuss was all about. When i went to my local Christian store "Lifeway"," Young's book was plastered ALL over the store...in the kids and teens sections too...and calendars, gift sets, etc. So i'm like..this has gotta be a really good devotional book. Ok. And when i started to read it and found it interesting how she used certain New Agey terms, but i didn't really think anything of it at the time. And there were corresponding scriptures at the bottom of each page so i thought this has too be a good Biblical devotional, right?

But today i just read an article that opened my eyes to where this devo actually came from. The writer of the article is a new FB friend of mine and writes articles for CANA..which exposes New Age garbage that creeps into alot of Christian circles. I"m guessing she has prob written articles already on trendy evangelical stuff like "the Shack" and "Prayer of Jabez" that were so popular awhile back. She also has an interesting article about the Daniel Plan and how it's endorsed by New Agers and uses some occultic practices. So she exposes some red flags in the "Jesus is Calling" devotional I found very interesting to discover.

This gal Marcia really does her research complete with refrences following her articles. She's a former New Ager so she's "been there done that" and recognizes alot of falsehoods in stuff like this. Check out her article if you have time! Its very thought provoking. And if you are a big fan of Sarah Young...i encourage you to read the article as well...just so you have more facts where her "writings" actually come from.

Jesus Calling By Sarah Young: WUI (Writing Under the Influence)

I think I'll just keep sticking to the Bible and grow that way, thanks Sarah! I don't need no stinking devotional book anyway! (Ok, maybe i'll check out "Upmost for His Highest" sometime, but not right now) :)[/QUOTEYep

Yep, you are wise.:)
Click to expand...
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#17
Nov 24, 2012
30,783
3,684
113
#17
I don't think Graham would have been loved in pagan Rome, neither will he be loved in 30 years from now in the new pagan America (if the Lord tarrys).
 
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BarlyGurl

Guest
#18
#18
Thank you for posting this article Angela. I did read it and it "explained" the uneasiness I have regarding the practice of "journaling" as a form of "devotions". I know of MANY who do this and most of them are women.... who also seem to possess an air of spiritual superiority over their husbands... I do not think that is good. Now I have a clearer reason why.
 
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atwhatcost

Guest
#19
#19
Willie-T said:


Just a FYI...... Oswald Chambers never wrote MUFHH. His wife compiled some of his writings after his death.
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Interesting. (Really was, not a snide "interesting.") But if she compiled his writings, doesn't it still make it his book?
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#20
#20
dcontroversal said:
I have always thought...why read a book about the bible when you can just read the bible...one is accompanied by the Holy Spirit of God...the other is not!
Click to expand...
Because I'm a 20th century American who just happens to be living in the 21st century anyway and have absolutely no understanding of the geography, life, or culture of people who lived thousands of years ago. To this day, I don't get why people used to live in tents and still swept the floor when the floor was just dirt. :confused:
 
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