IN CASE YOU HADN'T HEARD, GOD IS NOW GREEN......

IN CASE YOU HADN'T HEARD, GOD IS NOW GREEN......

For years it's been creeping up behind us. Some of us were given grace to discern it's true nature and kept a watchful eye. Others couldn't or wouldn't see it. Now this ugly "green" monster is breathing down our necks and eventually we'll each have to decide just how much power we are going to allow it to have in our lives.

If you haven't guessed I'm talking about the new one world religion " global environmentalism". Is this the one world religious system that will unite mankind many of us have been watching for? I can't say for sure, but if not it's certainly a forerunner and integral part of it. While wars and rumours of wars divide the planet on just about every continent at the present time, environmentalism seems to be the one thing uniting people from most cultures and nationalities. Have you noticed since the year 2000 how the new language of global environmentalism has increasingly gained prominence in the media? Hardly a day goes by without our radio or T.V. news reporting on the latest findings of "climate change" scientists and what our governments are doing about it. In fact, words and phrases such as "climate change", "environmental footprint", "carbon emissions" and "greenhouse gases" are the catch phrases of the hour. What do they mean? Just ask any 10 year old because, thanks to our education experts, saving the planet has now become the main mission in life for most of our primary schoolers. ( By the way, there are many, many professional scientists who do not agree with the whole "global warming" theory, but you won't hear their opinions on the 6 p.m. news.)

At 8 p.m. on Saturday March 29 (Sydney time) thousands of homes, schools, businesses and government buildings will turn all their lights off for one hour to signify "Earth Hour". For that one hour, the lights on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House will also go out, and many people celebrating weddings or other events will celebrate by candle light. The Earth Hour event, which began in Sydney, Australia, just one year ago, will this year be celebrated in 24 of the world's major capital cities including San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Manila, and Copenhagen. Over 100 cities in the U.S.A. alone will participate, making Earth Hour 2008 turning what started as a "symbolic event into a global movement", according to the website: http://www.earthhour.org/ No doubt this "global movement" will attract even fuller participation in 2009 and years to come.

What's wrong with being environmentally conscious you may well ask? Nothing, if its kept in the right perspective and balance. My family and I recycle whatever we can and turn off unnecessary lights and appliances, and have done so for many years. We do this out of a sense of responsibility and cost saving, and were doing so long before being environmentally conscious became popular. I agree totally that responsible stewardship of, and care for, creation is something that should be part of the normal Christian lifestyle. But I am stirred in my spirit to sound an alarm about the seductive appeal this "green movement" is exerting over many churches and believers. Even just a cursory search of the internet will turn up articles with such statements as I have listed below:

*"GOD is green, and always has been, according to a parish in southern Sydney....."http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/where-being-green-goes-beyond-pieties/2008/03/27/1206207300940.html*"Community Christian Church in Tempe (USA) hosted a sermon during Lent on "Opening the Book of Nature," about the Christian tradition that nature could be considered another "book" of revelation." http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0322greeneaster0322.html*"Bishops call for "green’ Church": Salvation is not just for humankind but for all of creation, according to the annual Social Justice Sunday Statement by Australia’s bishops.....The bishops speak of a new "green’ Church that rejects the former understanding that God gave humankind dominion over the earth and its resources. The statement by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, which calls on Christians to treat the Earth and its resources “ethically”, is in line with Pope John Paul’s much-repeated call for “ecological conversion”. http://www.cathnews.com/news/209/79.php*"I see the environment as a portal to connect with the divine," (Ps.) Abele says. Why now? "I think it had to get to the crisis level, and that's where we are." Abele and her flock leave no stone unturned. Literally. An outdoor circle of stones, built by congregation members in 2003, is "a place to connect with the Earth's energy." Members are encouraged to walk the Sacred Earth Wheel often. Nearby is a labyrinth that members also traverse.Don Stevens of the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi even used feathers from a red-tail hawk to wave sage and tobacco smoke over members at the opening service in October. The "smudging" ceremony is an American Indian purification ritual to drive away evil spirits. This winter, the church's adult and children's programs will focus on environmental messages. The "green" theme has always been taught at an early age here. ASIG's children's program this winter is titled "The Sacred Environment — The Earth and Me." Hoping children will "fall in love with the earth they live on, we're teaching creation stories from the ancient myths to the big-bang theory," Caswell Burke says. "I think we're ahead of our time. The earth is woven into every service. There's a connection between the environmental and the spiritual."Each month a community member is invited by ASIG to talk about his or her passion for the planet. A beekeeper has spoken to the children, and Christopher Davis, who manages the 1,000 acres around ASIG, spoke over the weekend about the congregation's new "green building, how it works day to day." As for the sanctuary, Abele can't quite explain the spirit the new building houses. "It's beyond what I expected," she says. "I'm not sure what's happening, but it's all good." http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-01-06-green-church_N.htm?csp=34

Hello? Are the alarms sounding for you as loud as they are for me? These quotes are just a handful of thousands that can be found on the internet by supposedly Christian believers and leaders. If you would like even more research links on this subject just go to a site called "ecofaith" where, according to the founder "you will be helped to ground your faith story in the new creation stories being uncovered by evolutionists, ecologists and cosmologists. Here also you will be able to "measure the ecological footprint of your (fellowship's) worship service" and find "a growing collection of evolution affirming worship resources: hymns, sermons, rituals, prayers etc" Here is one of the hymns, a rewording of "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory":

MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF AN EVOLVING UNIVERSE ;To the tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic, Jason John 2007

Mine eyes have seen the glory of_the evolving universeSure it isn’t perfect but you know it could be worse!There is lots of fighting, but there’s love: now that’s a firstGod’s love is flowing forth!Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! God’s love is flowing forth.

I have seen God in the twinkle of a zillion zillion starsThere may be life out there but its very very farGod loves us and ours- just like God loves them and tharsAnd we are loving back!Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Yes we are loving back.

Now we stand upon the threshold of 2008Christ may be coming back but now he’s getting rather late.We’ll leave it to the cults to try and pick his return dateFor the Spirit lives on in us.Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Yes the Spirit lives on in us!

God has given us the strength to change all the things we shouldThe serenity to leave the things we only wish we couldIf everybody gets involved the world could turn out good!When love comes flowing forth!Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our love is flowing forth!

We are the hands and feet of God, the forests are the lungsThe rivers are God’s lifeblood and the microbes are God’s bumGod is more than all of that but also in each one. God's glory is all around Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! See God's glory all around!Well, we all want the world to turn out good, don't we? Or check out a new way to do Christian (?) "baptism" at http://ecofaith.org/ecofaithcommunity/green_christian_baptism.html

The purpose of this article is not to ridicule or cast criticism towards individuals who may have a different viewpoint to mine. Its purpose is to clearly state, whatever your stand on the environmental issues, beware, Christian, this green church movement, is PREACHING A DIFFERENT GOSPEL We can expect the world to be the world, but when the church becomes inextinguishable from the world, we have every right to ask some serious questions. The gospel coming out of this 'green church movement', is seductive, deceptive and worst of all, it sounds really "good". Its appeal as a "good work" is almost irresistible. But it's not Christ and it's not consistent with either His Word or His Spirit. Jesus has set up His church on this earth as witness of the manifold wisdom of God to the powers and principalities in the heavenly places (Eph. 3:10). He has called His church to "the ends of the earth" to preach the good news to all creation - the news being that man is reconciled to God and saved from death through the Blood of His Cross, and not that if we reduce our carbon emissions we will save the planet. The church is not called to measure our "ecological footprint" but to grow into the full measure of the stature of Christ (Eph. 4:13). And creation, which was subjected to bondage through sin, will continue groaning until the true sons of God are revealed. Creation's only hope is in Christ, as is ours. (Rom. 8:19-25).

If you're thinking about showing your support for "Earth Hour" I urge you to think again. If you think there's no harm in it, you're not watching and waiting until His return (Mark 13:35-37). This is worship of mother earth at its most seductive. It should not surprise us at all that one of the fruits of "global environmentalism" is to cover the earth with as much literal darkness as possible during Earth Hour. I don't know about you, but my house will be easy to find on the evening of Saturday 29th June. It will be one with every light on."You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober." 1 Thess 5:5-6

Loving His Appearing,
Cheryl McGrathhttp://www.greatsouthland.org/