Trapped Spirits and the Loss of Hope

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

“Sir, your blood oxygen level is 74 %, which is very dangerously low…we have to get you to the hospital ASAP!” This was said to me two weeks ago when I visited my doctors office. I was struggling to breathe, and for good reason—I had pneumonia. It was the sickest I have ever been in my entire life, and I could easily have died, especially with my heart problems. I spent several miserable days in the hospital as they fought to control the infection and get oxygen in my system. I was scared, because it was so difficult to breathe and I felt like any second my heart would go into cardiac arrest (I have a pace/defib in my chest).

It was impossible to get comfortable, and as I said, I wrestled with fear—not of death, but the dying process...as well as I did not want to leave my children yet. The potential of death was thrust in my face, like never before. I have a strong assurance of my salvation—not based on my faith, but on the OBJECT of my faith—the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Hence, I do have hope, and it was deeper than any fear that I experienced.

It is impossible to exaggerate how crucial hope is to the biblical message of salvation. Faith, hope, and love…Hope is not to be understood as the word is commonly used today, as wishful thinking. No, biblical hope is certain faith applied to the future. Remember the spiritual “Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home...”? Certainty!   That is hope. We die in Christ, and then we immediately join Him in heaven. We are to be certain of that, because hope is soaked in the blood of the finished work of Christ.

The question I have is this: how is it possible to live with a solid, soul-comforting hope, if the prospect (no matter how remote) of being trapped here after death is hanging over your head? The notion of trapped spirits vitiates or destroys hope. You can’t have your hope-cake and eat it too. You cannot believe in trapped spirits and (if you are consistent), experience deep hope.

I have stated elsewhere that the notion of trapped spirits is hostile to every major biblical doctrine. If you are a Christian, how can you live with such a monstrosity?  This notion is a hope-robber, and that should raise a red flag. It kills, steals, and destroys hope.

Due to this close run in with death, I have lost patience with those who espouse trapped spirits but do not have the courage to acknowledge what is manifestly clear—we all should live in fear… if we are consistent with basic ghost formation theory. Unless you are excited or turned on about the prospect of being trapped in a paranormal gutter world, then the only logical position is fear, or hope-lessness. Hope—biblical hope—is impossible to enjoy if ghosts are real. It is as simple and profound as that.

One thing I admire about the atheistic, existentialists Camus and Sartre is that they had guts to be consistent. If God is not there, then life is utterly meaningless. Where is the same guts in the paranormal community? When is someone going to say,”Ya know, what we believe undercuts all hope.”? The notion of trapped spirits gets folks all jazzed because it allegedly proves an afterlife. Well, what about that after-life? If there is any element of violence (or whatever) in one’s death, then their entry into heaven will potentially be derailed into an indeterminate amount of time trapped here. That is a high price to pay for allegedly proving the after-life (which it doesn’t).

There is not one scrap of evidence that ghosts exist. NONE. There is a ton of real paranormal activity happening which is being mis-identified as ghostly, but it is demonic. If you will simply take the time to test the spirits you will see that this is factual. Which of you is messing with the spirit world and NOT having problems (like paranormal activity of your own)?

It has been said that one cannot live well until they are certain that they will die well.  That is, hope is needed in order to live with fullness of joy in the present. You may live in happy inconsistency with your beliefs. But if you become consistent, then you should become miserably insecure. Your hope is empty and groundless. If the only way you can live with your beliefs is by “side-stepping” it, then perhaps you should re-consider that belief…seems logical to me. But logic is a rare commodity in the paranormal community, when it comes to examining its core beliefs.

What of the eight year old child who was murdered in Boston? I have nothing but contempt for the notion of trapped spirits, because HE IS A PRIME PROSPECT (according to ghost theory). You say you believe in trapped spirits…you assert with confidence that a violent death is the cause of entrapment…congratulations, you just stripped the child’s parents of hope. Have the damn guts to apply your beliefs consistently. If this were done, then think of the millions of Americans who have died violent deaths through the centuries. The consequences would be unspeakably horrific.

Having almost died myself, I know how crucial hope is. My stay in the hospital would have been unbearably dark if I had harbored the smallest doubt about my soul getting stuck here. I have no patience for the miserable waffling in the paranormal community. Do you believe in ghosts? Then have the courage of your convictions and lament the death of hope. Better yet, repent of your rationalistic/autonomous thinking, and bow before the God of the bible—who will give you true hope.

Practicing the Presence of God

By Evangelist Stephen Piersall

God’s Preservation Ministry,  http://sfprs.org/  

Many of us growing up in school have had the opportunity to “practice” whether it was in sports, homework, etc. Practice makes us much better in doing something. We do many things in our daily lives repeatedly, either at school, work, church, or other activities. It comes right down to it that we are practicing. How much time do you practice with God?

Ouch! Were a few toes stepped on by that comment? C’mon, who practices in churches? The Pastor with his sermon, the choir, and musical director with any band instruments, etc. However, Practicing the Presence of God in your life takes time and work. Are we referring to how often you pray, read your Bible, or tithe, or… NO?!

Practicing the presence of God is an awareness of God that flows through our day the way blood circulates through the body, replacing it with nutrients and oxygen. You need that quiet time each day with God with his conscience that he may be speaking to us. His presence fills our lives, through thoughts, feelings, dreams, activities, and in-between moments.

Practicing God’s presence moves his company beyond church gatherings, before meal graces and study time of the Bible to expand our knowledge of his word. Keeping company with God this way changes tasks such as building familiarity into acts of worship because we know at whose feet, we will sit encircling the rest of our lives. This awareness of God’s presence is a part, of how we delight in God: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4)

If you are interested in continuing this quest, consider yourself an experimenter. As an examiner you are not out to impress anyone or achieve anything difficult, but to explore what it means to enjoy God’s presence. Take it slowly; do not rush for immediate results. This is God’s time; worship him. Reap all the wisdom, discernment, love, forgiveness, giving, etc. that you can. Consider asking God to show you if there are ways you already practice his presence without recognizing it. Perhaps you are sitting at a doctor’s office and just stop and reflect and start to pray for the others around you, the staff, and doctors. Sitting at a red light, and looking around and see other sad faces in other cars, or people walking with their heads down, pray for them all accordingly.

During this past week’s "Spiritual Growth Toolbox” class at church, I learned the following, and I hope you find it of great value to help you to Examine your Presence of God:

1. STILLNESS: Quiet your heart, and listen. In this moment, become present to Jesus.
2. GRATITUDE: Seeing through the lens of thanks, appreciate God’s gifts in each event of the day.
3. REFLECTION: Review your positive and negative feelings. Did you choose Jesus’ way in each situation?
4. JOY & SORROW: Rejoice in a success, or ask forgiveness for sin. If necessary, plan to make amends.
5. HOPE. Move toward expectation. Ask God to shine a light on tomorrow’s path. Resolve to grow.

Imagine what it must have been like for the disciples to ask Jesus to teach them to pray. What motivates you to Practicing the Presence of God in your life?

Practicing the Presence of God

By Stephen Piersall, God’s Preservation Ministry,  http://sfprs.org/  

Many of us growing up in school have had the opportunity to “practice” whether it was in sports, homework, etc. Practice makes us much better in doing something. We do many things in our daily lives repeatedly, either at school, work, church, or other activities. It comes right down to it that we are practicing. How much time do you practice with God?

Ouch! Were a few toes stepped on by that comment? C’mon, who practices in churches? The Pastor with his sermon, the choir, and musical director with any band instruments, etc. However, Practicing the Presence of God in your life takes time and work. Are we referring to how often you pray, read your Bible, or tithe, or… NO?!

Practicing the presence of God is an awareness of God that flows through our day the way blood circulates through the body, replacing it with nutrients and oxygen. You need that quiet time each day with God with his conscience that he may be speaking to us. His presence fills our lives, through thoughts, feelings, dreams, activities, and in-between moments.

Practicing God’s presence moves his company beyond church gatherings, before meal graces and study time of the Bible to expand our knowledge of his word. Keeping company with God this way changes tasks such as building familiarity into acts of worship because we know at whose feet, we will sit encircling the rest of our lives. This awareness of God’s presence is a part, of how we delight in God: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4)

If you are interested in continuing this quest, consider yourself an experimenter. As an examiner you are not out to impress anyone or achieve anything difficult, but to explore what it means to enjoy God’s presence. Take it slowly; do not rush for immediate results. This is God’s time; worship him. Reap all the wisdom, discernment, love, forgiveness, giving, etc. that you can. Consider asking God to show you if there are ways you already practice his presence without recognizing it. Perhaps you are sitting at a doctor’s office and just stop and reflect and start to pray for the others around you, the staff, and doctors. Sitting at a red light, and looking around and see other sad faces in other cars, or people walking with their heads down, pray for them all accordingly.

During this past week’s "Spiritual Growth Toolbox” class at church, I learned the following, and I hope you find it of great value to help you to Examine your Presence of God:

1. STILLNESS: Quiet your heart, and listen. In this moment, become present to Jesus.
2. GRATITUDE: Seeing through the lens of thanks, appreciate God’s gifts in each event of the day.
3. REFLECTION: Review your positive and negative feelings. Did you choose Jesus’ way in each situation?
4. JOY & SORROW: Rejoice in a success, or ask forgiveness for sin. If necessary, plan to make amends.
5. HOPE. Move toward expectation. Ask God to shine a light on tomorrow’s path. Resolve to grow.

Imagine what it must have been like for the disciples to ask Jesus to teach them to pray. What motivates you to Practicing the Presence of God in your life?

Trapped Spirits and the Loss of Hope

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

“Sir, your blood oxygen level is 74 %, which is very dangerously low…we have to get you to the hospital ASAP!” This was said to me two weeks ago when I visited my doctors office. I was struggling to breathe, and for good reason—I had pneumonia. It was the sickest I have ever been in my entire life, and I could easily have died, especially with my heart problems. I spent several miserable days in the hospital as they fought to control the infection and get oxygen in my system. I was scared, because it was so difficult to breathe and I felt like any second my heart would go into cardiac arrest (I have a pace/defib in my chest).

It was impossible to get comfortable, and as I said, I wrestled with fear—not of death, but the dying process...as well as I did not want to leave my children yet. The potential of death was thrust in my face, like never before. I have a strong assurance of my salvation—not based on my faith, but on the OBJECT of my faith—the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Hence, I do have hope, and it was deeper than any fear that I experienced.

It is impossible to exaggerate how crucial hope is to the biblical message of salvation.Faith, hope, and love…Hope is not to be understood as the word is commonly used today, as wishful thinking. No, biblical hope is certain faith applied to the future. Remember the spiritual “Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home...”? Certainty!   That is hope. We die in Christ, and then we immediately join Him in heaven. We are to be certain of that, because hope is soaked in the blood of the finished work of Christ.

The question I have is this: how is it possible to live with a solid, soul-comforting hope, if the prospect (no matter how remote) of being trapped here after death is hanging over your head? The notion of trapped spirits vitiates or destroys hope. You can’t have your hope-cake and eat it too. You cannot believe in trapped spirits and (if you are consistent), experience deep hope.

I have stated elsewhere that the notion of trapped spirits is hostile to every major biblical doctrine. If you are a Christian, how can you live with such a monstrosity?  This notion is a hope-robber, and that should raise a red flag. It kills, steals, and destroys hope.

Due to this close run in with death, I have lost patience with those who espouse trapped spirits but do not have the courage to acknowledge what is manifestly clear—we all should live in fear… if we are consistent with basic ghost formation theory. Unless you are excited or turned on about the prospect of being trapped in a paranormal gutter world, then the only logical position is fear, or hope-lessness. Hope—biblical hope—is impossible to enjoy if ghosts are real. It is as simple and profound as that.

One thing I admire about the atheistic, existentialists Camus and Sartre is that they had guts to be consistent. If God is not there, then life is utterly meaningless. Where is the same guts in the paranormal community? When is someone going to say,”Ya know, what we believe undercuts all hope.”? The notion of trapped spirits gets folks all jazzed because it allegedly proves an afterlife. Well, what about that after-life? If there is any element of violence (or whatever) in one’s death, then their entry into heaven will potentially be derailed into an indeterminate amount of time trapped here. That is a high price to pay for allegedly proving the after-life (which it doesn’t).

There is not one scrap of evidence that ghosts exist. NONE. There is a ton of real paranormal activity happening which is being mis-identified as ghostly, but it is demonic. If you will simply take the time to test the spirits you will see that this is factual. Which of you is messing with the spirit world and NOT having problems (like paranormal activity of your own)?

It has been said that one cannot live well until they are certain that they will die well.  That is, hope is needed in order to live with fullness of joy in the present. You may live in happy inconsistency with your beliefs. But if you become consistent, then you should become miserably insecure. Your hope is empty and groundless. If the only way you can live with your beliefs is by “side-stepping” it, then perhaps you should re-consider that belief…seems logical to me. But logic is a rare commodity in the paranormal community, when it comes to examining its core beliefs.

What of the eight year old child who was murdered in Boston? I have nothing but contempt for the notion of trapped spirits, because HE IS A PRIME PROSPECT (according to ghost theory). You say you believe in trapped spirits…you assert with confidence that a violent death is the cause of entrapment…congratulations, you just stripped the child’s parents of hope. Have the damn guts to apply your beliefs consistently. If this were done, then think of the millions of Americans who have died violent deaths through the centuries. The consequences would be unspeakably horrific.

Having almost died myself, I know how crucial hope is. My stay in the hospital would have been unbearably dark if I had harbored the smallest doubt about my soul getting stuck here. I have no patience for the miserable waffling in the paranormal community. Do you believe in ghosts? Then have the courage of your convictions and lament the death of hope. Better yet, repent of your rationalistic/autonomous thinking, and bow before the God of the bible—who will give you true hope.