Recently I have encountered several people who are into “The Secret”. The Secret is a positive mental attitude motivation theory around “the law of attraction” mixed with spirituality (not scriptural Christianity) that  sparked a lot of interest by a book, DVD and an Oprah appearance. I am extremely disappointed in the pastors and believers who have bought into this erroneous teaching. This is new age teaching and incongruent with the scriptures.

I am not against individuals having a positive mental attitude (PMA). In fact we should all work to be positive but as believers the influences that we embrace to shape our lives must be grounded in the scriptures. PMA can not change your circumstances, doesn’t have divine power and can not be maintained without external stimuli. Evangelicals, main line denominations and Pentecostals all agree that we rely on the power of God to shape us not some popular self help book.

Faith on the other hand is the power of God in our lives. When we exercise faith we have the opportunity as believers in the Creator of the Universe to place our situations, issues and concerns in the hand of God who personally cares for us and is moving on our behalf as a fulfillment of His covenant to us. When we live by faith, walk by faith and move by faith we are living counter cultural to popular society. This should be our daily walk with the Lord not an event that is confined to when we have crisis in our lives. When we operate in faith God’s favor “attracts” people to us because of God’s power flowing through us not because we positively thought the attraction of these individuals into our lives.

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all of the ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.
Proverbs 3:5-6

This demands that our heart relationship with God be in alignment with God not things that we can figure out. Our life experiences while trusting God will not always be cheerful and fun but it will build your faith in the good times and in the bad times to know that God is there with you no matter what the circumstance is.

When you listen and follow new age spiritualist masquerading as having the answer for your life you dissipate the power of God moving in your life. God wants us to be faithful to Him alone. I am especially frustrated with the number of Christians who are being hoodwinked. They are in adulterous relationship with foreign gods and then they bring these teaching back to the church as if the Bible supports their false teaching. One reason that so many good church people are being sucked in by the dark side of the force is because they suffer from FDD. (Faith Deficiency Dysorder)

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17

If people who are reading the Secret were to put it down and invest the same amount of time in studying and applying scriptures their positive mental attitude problems would be solved because they would be increasing their faith and watching God move on their behalf. This would cure FDD. In fact attitudes would change, circumstances will be affected, out look will be different and the daily conversations with God through prayer would take on a greater significance.

Paul gives the greatest and most powerful positive mental attitude speech in the scriptures

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:1-11

Paul concludes his lesson on attitude motivation

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.
Philippians 4:8

Nuff Said!