Answering "spiritually" sounding e-mails

Every now and then I get an e-mail forwarded to me that to some may sound very "spiritual" and very nice. The e-mail may even use the word god and talk of praying and being nice to each other.

I used to just read the subject line and then delete them. One day I read one and thought that it sure did sound nice and "spiritual," but I knew that it was not. So I deleted it. I then would continue to get them and I would read them more closely to specifically determine what was wrong with them.

Once I realized what these e-mails were really about, what they were really saying, I got upset. Then I decided to start replying to them. I don't know how many I have replied to so far, I know its been a lot. But I have saved two of them, not because they are the best examples, but only because they are the last two that I got and I deleted the others.

My purpose in showing them here is threefold: Fist, is to encourage you to not just blindly forward e-mails like this. Second, is to encourage you read them and reply to them conscientiously, carefully, and, most of all Biblically. And thirdly, I am showing them here to show you how I have replied to them.

Below is the first e-mail. It was written as if it was a memo from God. As I was reading it I actually thought that it sounded very nice, very "spiritual." Then, when I got to the end, that changed.

So Here is the first e-mail with my reply immediately following.

Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. It will be addressed in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege. Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years. Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return. Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children. Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk. Should you notice a new grey hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine. Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity. Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!!

Should you decide to send this to a friend; You might brighten someone's day! You have been Tagged!!! Which means you are a great friend!! You will Have Good Luck For Two Years if you send this to 8 people or more and if this is sent back to you then you know that you are a true friend...... You must send it in 5 minutes or your good luck will be broken!!! If this is sent to you it means you are a good friend!!!!!

What's wrong with this message? Is this an e-mail that God would send? No. This message mentions "God" but the capitol G spelling of god is reserved for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Yahweh. Is this message asking you to seek Yahweh, the father of Jesus Christ? No.

This is in fact a very dangerous e-mail and here is why.

It starts out saying a very good, and true thing. Yes, we are to give our problems to God. Here is what the Bible says about that:

1 John 5:13-15 "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."

Next this e-mail urges you to compare your state of happiness with those of others as if saying we "ought" to be happy because things could be worse. If you do not believe in God, then comparing your life with the lives of others might make you feel better. However, that is some small comfort. As for me, I will rejoice in the Lord. Why?

Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

John 3:14-18 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

That is why I rejoice! And what about the times I am week and stressed?

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Finally, the e-mail's conclusion is this: "If you want a chance (luck is chance; it is not of God) of some good things happening to you for two years then before 5 minutes have elapsed send this message to 8 people."

Is this person saying that the prerequisite for this god they worship to bless them is to forward this e-mail, and then you have the possibility of something fortunate happening? I'm glad I don't worship that god. I'd like to know what book they got this out of. I wonder if it says I'll have luck for only 1 year if I send it to only 4 people? What if I wait 6 minutes to send it?

The author of this message has not accepted Jesus Christ as his or her savior and anyone who forwards this e-mail telling people that they will have luck for doing these things is deceiving and misleading people and this is the work of Satan--the author of lies.

The Bible says that God, our heavenly Father, wants to bless us, but because of our sin we may approach Him only through His son Jesus. Without Him we are not heard.

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Do you want blessings? Here is what God's word says about that:

Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

So what message are you sending people when you forward such an e-mail? A message that can only separate people from the One True God. I would not want to have to explain to God some day why I was spreading anti-Christ literature.

Mark 9:42 "And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea."

Joshua 24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Just something to think about.

- vbMark

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Well, that was the first e-mail. The next e-mail came from a different angle but was still attempting to sound nice and "spiritual" by focusing on prayer. You will notice that I use some of the same techniques for replying to this one as I did for the last. Here it is:

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REMEMBER to make a wish before you read the poem. That's all you have to do. There is nothing attached.

This is a powerful novena.

Just send this to four people and let me know what happens on the fourth day....

Do not break this, please. Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of reward.

Let's continue praying for one another....

(Did you make a wish?) if you don't make a wish, it won't come true.

Last Chance to Make a Wish

Send This to 7 People within the next 5 mins and your wish will come true

What wrong with this message? At first it appears "spiritually" appealing and positive, and maybe to some harmless. But is this message harmless? No. I think it is very dangerous and here is why.

First it starts out stating that you should, "...make a wish..." Now what do people think of when they make a wish? Perhaps a genie, a fabled magical spirit who lives in a gold lamp. Is this who they think will grant their wish? Do you know that Satan can grant wishes too? Perhaps they've never really thought of who would be doing the granting. Or, perhaps as this message states, they believe they are sending a wish request to "...your highest power..."

This message mentions "God". The capitol G spelling of god is reserved for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Yahweh. But is this message asking you to seek Yahweh, the father of Jesus Christ? No.

Why do I say this? For one reason, the last line of the message states, "Send This to 7 People within the next 5 mins and your wish will come true." Is this person saying that the prerequisite for this god to answer prayer is to forward an e-mail? What an absurdity!

The author of this message has not accepted Jesus Christ as his or her savior! And anyone who forwards this e-mail telling people that their wish will come true is deceiving and misleading people and this is the work of Satan--the author of lies.

The Bible says that God wants to hear our petitions but because of our sin we may only do so through His son Jesus. Without Him no prayers or "wishes" are heard. John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

So what message are you sending people when you forward such an e-mail? A message that can only separate people from the One True God. I would not want to have to explain to God some day why I was spreading anti-Christ literature.

Mark 9:42 "And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea."

Just something to think about.

- vbMark

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The first time I read that last one I asked, "What is a novena?" I'd never heard that word before. Just in case, like me, you've never heard this word it means, "A recitation of prayers and devotions for a special purpose during nine consecutive days." I wonder why nine days?

Well, anyway, I hope that you get the idea of what I'm doing here and hope that you will join the fight.

And remember: Colossians 4:6 "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

Just something to think about.

- vbMark