A Note from Pastor Jeff – “Tickle Me NoMo” –
2 Timothy 4:3, “The time will come when many will not tolerate sound doctrine, but will want their ears tickled in accordance with their own desires.”
The Spiritual Formation Movement is very popular today, but in reality it is a move away from the Truth of the Bible toward a mystical form of Christianity. This movement has infiltrated almost every American denomination. This idea of spiritual formation is based on the premise that if we do certain practices, we can be more like Jesus. At its worst, this movement teaches that anyone can have a “God encounter” within themselves if they practice mystical rituals. Practices such as meditation, contemplative prayer, fasting, visioning, silence, and the like are taught as paths to God via an altered consciousness. The Bible teaches that transformation is only available to those who have come to Christ in repentance for forgiveness of sins. True biblical transformation is ours only as we yield ourselves as God’s children to His Word, and the transforming power comes from the Holy Spirit, not from ourselves. Transformation that is acceptable to God involves living a life that is pleasing to Him according to Scripture; it doesn’t involve an altered consciousness, but a changed way of living. Satan is still telling people the same lie he told Eve in the Garden, “You will be like God.” His lie was that we can be like God…without God! The aim of transformation that is pleasing to God is transformation into the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Titus 3:3-7) via the means clearly taught in Scripture. Transformation is being renewed and reformed in our living from self-centered passions and lusts, to living for God and being like Jesus. So, watch out for “tickling teaching!”
