Maturity in Christ Part 4 - Merry Christmas

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I have an early memory of being given a  Christmas tree ornament as a very young child. I remember it still, we were headed out the door visiting someone my parents knew, and she handed me a bright red round and shiny Christmas ball ornament.

 I was delighted and straight away bit into it to everyone's horror, and I remember crying....

A couple of years ago I asked my mom about this incident. I asked if she remembered it, and if I had to go to the hospital for cuts to my lips and mouth. She said...

Maturity in Christ Part 3

A very nice link

Luke 13:6-9 And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?'   And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.  Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"(ESV)

Is there a lesson in that parable for you? There was for me, many actually. Others looking onto my life may have been disappointed, for years, in seeing what was lacking in my life. And I may be looking for the right kind of fruit in others, and see none;  yet the Lord shows us what He can do aside from what that person is doing or not doing (because this isn't just talking about trees), and it could take many years.

 Something that I realized lately...

Maturity in Christ Part 2

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ

We all go through difficult times, it is a part of life. Even people "on top of the world" so to speak, who seem to have it all: fame, fortune, universal love and acceptance, etc, etc, etc... have problems, can't hold on to their spouses, go to rehab, or even kill themselves with booze, illegal mind altering substances, or sleeping pills.

Some people blame God for their inability to believe in Him because...

Maturity in Christ Part 1

 This is also part of the "Falling Away" series, so I have "apostasy" in the links below this post.

Since I brought up the topic in the last post, I think now is as good a time as any to dive in a little deeper into this aspect of the Christian's life.

In the scriptures (I'm talking about the Bible) there are many word pictures given (by Jesus and by Paul mainly) of what a Christian's spiritual relationship with our Heavenly Father and Redeemer is. Often the analogy that is presented is that of a plant/vine or a tree, and it gives us the understanding that it is living and growing. When we read of the wheat and tares, we see that they look very similar in the beginning, so similar in fact that, well....

Should We All Evangelize?

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This has been a dialogue that has gone on with me to Jesus since I was saved in 1988. At first it was "no" for me, because I wasn't ready, I was too immature in the faith and I knew that I would do more damage than good...or at least that is how I felt at the time, also going by the fact that not everyone is gifted with the same spiritual gifts...not everyone is an eye, an ear, or a mouth.

So are we supposed to all evangelize for Jesus? Should we all be shouting the news from the rooftops? Shouldn't we all be uber-concerned about saving people from the fate we all deserve? Or....do we just leave it up to God? He is all powerful, after all...isn't He? If He wants to save someone, He will do it. He proved that with the Apostle Paul/Saul of Tarsus. He chooses whomsoever He wills just as He chose Jacob over Esau.......and yet...

What of Christmas?

As a teenager my father "got religion", and his religion of choice was Seventh day Adventism. We were taught that Christmas had Roman Catholic beginnings which were rooted in paganism, and for proof we were taught that the passage in Jeremiah chapter 10 referred to the Christmas tree. Perhaps, perhaps not. It may be referring to how they carved wooden statues of their "gods" and "goddesses" even then, and that they decked them with gold and silver, much like Roman Catholics adorn statues of Mary today.

Last Sunday our pastor talked about his run ins with legalism regarding the Christmas holiday and it's pagan roots, and they seemed to be similar to the kinds of difficulties I had encountered regarding "dos and don'ts" of our worldly involvements. He summed his final thoughts about the subject in a way that I find consistent with the bottom line that the Apostle Paul gives. We shouldn't use our freedom for an occasion to sin, or to trouble our weaker brothers, however, this season can bring some people who otherwise might never think about Jesus, to contemplate the amazing fact that God came to earth to be adorned in flesh, to live like us and among us, to reveal Himself to us. Pastor Clark cautioned us to not "throw out the baby (Jesus) with the bath water". Pastor Clark told us: "I have no use for Christmas trees or Santa Clause, but I love every opportunity to tell others about Jesus". Amen, pastor, amen. :)

The Devils also Believe and Tremble...

Is it enough to "believe"? If one falls away did they truly believe to conversion? (see Isaiah 6:10)

It is one thing to "follow Jesus" for a while and even be fed by Him. There were many who did exactly that when Jesus was here in the flesh on earth...and then when He prodded them a little, and searched their heart to see the reason for their "fellowship" the truth came out, and many stopped following Him from that day on (John chapter 6). Does that mean that they were saved, and then became "unsaved"? Then we could blame God for the fact that He let those that "got away" slip through His less than able fingers...is that what happened? Really?

The Bible gives clear indication that there are many false ones who put on like they really are converted, but the truly converted remain converted. There is no back and forth with God. When He saves you, you stay saved.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

The faith that the saved, the truly saved, have is a living and growing faith. It is not a "said faith"...

Indoctrinated or Saved...What is the Difference?

In the previous post I bring up the conversation that I had with an atheist. He makes the claim that having faith as a Christian is the same thing as having been indoctrinated into any religion. My assertion is that the two aren't even apples and oranges, more like apples and rocks.

To give a very simple example of the difference lets examine the life of the Apostle Paul. Before he was saved he was indoctrinated as an orthodox Pharisaical Jew. After Jesus knocked him off his high horse

Conversation with an Atheist

Recently I got into a discussion in the comments section of this post. I wanted to post on it because I do think others who happen to wander here might benefit from it. I want to preface this conversation with the most excellent advice from the Bible that says to avoid all foolish arguments. To engage in a moral or theological discussion with an atheist most definitely falls in that category. We have no foundation for common ground where we can even attempt a reasonable discussion because he has completely different meanings for anything I have to say, thereby effectively placing a monkey wrench into the machinery of any useful dialogue. Pussy-footing around the facts isn't my style, if something needs to be said, I believe it should just be said without a lot of beating around the bush. That is what I enjoy about the writings of the Apostle Paul. Anyway, I do hope he eventually sees that he is headed for ultimate and eternal ruin, but it is beyond me how to get that across to him. Boomslang presents himself as a former or fallen away Christian. There's no such thing. Either he was never saved and he needs to become saved (if he ever hopes to avoid the thing he says he no longer believes in i.e. hell) or the Lord will eventually bring him back to the fold from where he has strayed.

Ok, here's the evidence for the Bible's wisdom in avoiding discussions with

Happy Thankful Giving :)

Contradictions??? or all just part of God's immense and perfect plan for the elect? God knows it all perfectly, we only see in part...(1 Corinthians 13:12)

A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,...

Can a Truly Saved Person Fall Away? Part 4 (last installment, I think)

Finally, I have to add to this series THE most important part, that I don't think I stressed enough...(I don't think I really stressed it all all, in fact)

The FACT that someone who is truly saved CANNOT fall away gives us the most hope. If the Lord has you in His sights it doesn't matter what you do or don't do, have done, or will do...because it is He who saves you, not we ourselves.

We can get derailed or temporarily deceived...we can say stupid things and be off doctrinally, and I'm not recommending that of course; it can bring harm to oneself and to others who can likewise become derailed by bad doctrine that gets passed along. And if you aren't saved yet (YET!!!) but the Lord has you in His sights and is working the means to draw you in, there is no escaping His love (and why would you want to!!???) If you truly do desire Him with your whole heart, it is He who put that desire into you, and He will see that to it's proper conclusion, not because you do anything so wonderful, but because HE IS THAT WONDERFUL.

Can a Truly Saved Person Fall Away? Part 3

This has to do with the falling away of a person by means of mixing truth with untruth. This person truly believes he or she was saved but now gives in to doctrines of demons who mix truth with lies. This was the devil's trick from the beginning, wasn't it? He got Eve to believe his trickery and caused her to believe him over God the true Creator, making her think his ideas and temptation was more fair, more in line with what she truly deserved. And what did it lead to? It led to her and her husband's undoing.

Here is an article that I found which explains this more fully, and again examines the phenomenon we are seeing of this great falling away that is happening today:


 Excerpt:

If someone is not standing in biblical truth they are not standing in Christ and are not being sanctified unto God.

We therefore see that in the Last Days those not loving doctrinal truth really do not love Jesus Christ, as one is the barometer of the other. Such unsaved people will be easily taken in by the antichrist (as indeed they are already under the influence of what theologians and philosophers call by the German term the zeitgeist or 'spirit of the age' which is the spirit of anti Christ -1 John 2:15-18). But this text shows us that it also includes

Can a Truly Saved Person Fall Away Part 2

The abbreviated and direct answer is "no"

There is a remnant that is always talked about in the scriptures, and when reading the Bible the whole of it needs to be considered instead of dissecting it's parts and only taking what you want and throwing out the rest. However even if a person does THAT there are essentials that will always remain in the person who is born of the Spirit of God. The essentials:

1. God alone is true and everyone else is a liar (if you must chose between one or the other). We all err, no one gets it perfect here, so if there is error it would be on the side of man getting it wrong, not God.

2. Jesus came into this world, fully God made flesh, to die for our sins, and was resurrected from the dead on the third day. As He was resurrected so will He resurrect to eternal life those who are found in Him.

3. There is a hell which is eternal separation from God. We all were destined for it. God's grace provided one way to escape it. There is no other way except the way He has provided, Jesus sacrifice for our sins. Our sins would send us all to hell. His blood pays the ransom for that inevitable ending to be circumvented.

If anyone says they believed those 3 things above "at one time" but believe it no more, they never truly believed it. They may have thought they did, in a group think kind of way, by attending church, singing the songs, praying, REALLY PRAYING for forgiveness....however there is a surrender involved

LIHOP or MIHOP

I ran across those acronyms yesterday for the first time, so I had to Google it and found a nice breakdown of what it means here.

My position is "LIHOP plus". Some wonder why anyone would spend so much time talking and wondering about all this at all...

Predictive Programming

Interesting topic for me, Tom Secker does have some good things to say in regards to how the different medias often tell the news before it happens (not just with 9/11). About 30 minutes in they talk about something that I've been concerned about; that movies and television series often steer the viewer to root for the bad guy (as in "Prison Break" for an example), or make the hero of the story an amoral sociopath whose evil deeds of murder and mayhem have a justifiable reason behind them which justify the means of his otherwise unacceptable behavior.

Smells Like the Human Spirit

Some interesting conversations on this Youtube channel. I wouldn't say they are Christian, the topics that they talk about look at what is going on in the world from a humanistic perspective. I don't avoid all info that disagrees with what I think, or what I believe from the scriptures. I look at everything with my feet firmly planted on God's word. I do think it is good to hear what is going on here on this planet from various perspectives with God's omnipotence always in the forefront of our thinking. Some only want to hear these things with an idea of starting or joining some movement or coalition that can change things. I just look at this like I would look at a thermometer, to get a gauge of where we are at on God's timetable. Things will happen just as the Lord knew they would, just as He said they would. We need to be aware and pray and trust the Lord.

Smells Like the Human Spirit Channel

Fear, Faith, and Love

Proverbs 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.(KJV)

There are many misconceptions about our God. We want to make Him into our image, our ideas about what is loving and true, instead of coming to Him truly we still hold that little portion back that says "I know this better than He does".

What is "the FEAR of the Lord"? Why should we fear Him? He is SUPPOSED to be loving, so how can this be true at all?

The wisdom of the proverbs gives us that this fear is a beginning point.

Not Everyone Who Says "Lord, Lord"...

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.(KJV)


These are hard words. Does a "Loving God" reject those who come before Him and say: "Lord, Lord"? Apparently He will and He does, if you believe what Jesus says, and if you don't believe it and yet say you are saved, you are exactly the one He is talking about here, who is only speaking empty words, and pretends to love Him and believe Him, and yet loves himself and the things of this world more than His words, His love, His price at His terms. Those are the ones who say they love Him and yet Jesus can see into their hearts, He knows the truth, and if they confess the truth of their error, and truly submit to the truth of the fact that no one comes to the Father unless they have left all (their love of the things of this world that they loved more than God) to follow Jesus, then Jesus gives us a hundred fold of what we thought we had to give up.

But there are many who hang on to this world, who want to straddle the fence, and love this world and Jesus equally. Jesus said it cannot be done. He said "You cannot serve God and Mammon".

Luk 16:13  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luk 16:14  And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
Luk 16:15  And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. (KJV)

When Jesus taught the multitudes, many followed Him to get stuff, to get a healing, to get food, and Jesus understood that, and He provided, but when He confronted them about the truth of the selfishness of their seeking, many stopped following Him:

 Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (KJV)

Their hearts were not changed, they didn't actually see the true miracle of who Jesus was and is, but only wanted to satisfy their belly and their curiosity, and their flesh. Jesus then tells them about Himself being the bread of Life, (this passage is completely misunderstood by Roman Catholics, sorry), and then the Bible tells us:

Joh 6:61  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
Joh 6:62  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Joh 6:64  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
Joh 6:65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
(KJV)

Sobering words, it is a gift, and to say "That isn't loving" doesn't understand true love. He gives abundantly, but many reject it, and then blame Him for their rejection of Him. It is a gift, who throws a gift back at the giver and says "This isn't the kind of gift I wanted! This isn't the way I wanted it to be!"?

 His gift is given to all, but not all want it, in fact no one wants it, at first, because it is contrary to our flesh. But God will draw His own to Himself, and they won't be able to boast that they did anything, even the choosing of Him is done by Him, so we have nothing to boast before Him. He chooses the lowest, the beggars, also there are the Josephs of Arimethea (which aren't low beggars, but respected people in the community, but their heart is lowly and truly humble)...He sees our hearts, He knows who are His because He created us, He breathed life into us.

The ones who do boast:

Mat 7:22...."Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? "
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I struggled with this one because I knew that I could do nothing to attain it. I felt it was horrible that I was on the outside unable to come in of my own self, that it was only by God's invitation. I begged the Lord to save me. Even my begging seemed to go nowhere, and I knew that my heart was bad through and through, and that God could not listen to someone as selfish and evil as I, and I like the Caananite woman begged for crumbs from the master's table  (Matthew 15:22-28) or like the woman with the issue of blood who only sought to touch the hem of His garment (Matthew 9:20-22) and was persistent in my looking and seeking for that opening, that day that He would hear me, not because I was good or anything, but seeking His mercy (Luke 18:2-9)...

And yet, if I am sent to hell and it's fires and torments to be there for eternity, I would only be getting what I deserve. If I do find myself there it is just. What is unjust is His mercy. It is true what His enemies say "It is UNFAIR that some don't go to hell and many do"...however it is the upside-down of the fleshy reasoning. It isn't unfair that anyone goes to hell at all, we all deserve no more than hell. The unfair part is that any escape it at all, and that is GRACE.

Can a Truly Saved Person Fall Away?

This is a "once saved always saved" topic that has gotten me into lots of trouble in the past...and I must admit that I still do not fully have a firm handle on the truth about this. In my last post on "the great falling away" I bemoan the fact that I see many who at least call themselves "Christian" are falling away from the faith, and giving room to ideas that I cannot otherwise describe except to call them "doctrines of demons". So...can a person be saved, be transformed by the power of the Almighty God, be born of the Spirit (are all of these terms talking about the same or different aspects of what happens to a person?)....and then do a 180 and walk away from the Bible, from God, from everything that God reveals about Himself, and then turn to empty traditions and futile reasonings which add up to a whole lot of nothing?

As I said, I still don't have a firm grip on how this works, but I rest assured that the Lord fully knows and sees who are His, and He has promised that He will lose none of us.

Joh 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Joh 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Joh 6:39  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
Joh 6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.(KJV)

Whether those who are falling away were never saved to begin with (which is my suspicion) and only put on a show of being a Christian while it was fashionable to do so, or whether they are saved and will truly stand for the truth once the antichrist is revealed; their falling away being a temporary glitch in their walk with the Lord for the purpose of providing entry for the man of sin, is something we have yet to learn as we see it happen in the (near?) future.

In the meantime we need to pay attention to what is going on around us, and yet all-the-while keep our eyes on Jesus. The picture I have is of Peter, stepping out of the boat, and letting the scariness of the wind and the waves (which probably were extremely frightening at that moment in time) divert his attention away from Jesus. When Jesus caused Peter to turn his attention back on Him, Jesus took his hand, and all was well again. We don't have to be so afraid of the wind and the waves that we shut our eyes to everything.We just need to know that Jesus is right there with us, through it all, and that as we see these things unfold, remember that He has already told us that these things would happen.

"Once saved always saved"? Absolutely! Jesus said so, and I believe Him. :)

The Great Falling Away....

2Th 2:1  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 
 (KJV)


***************************



It has been a bit alarming for me to be seeing what is happening all around me. I see people who call themselves "Christian"  falling away from the faith, accepting their delusions for the truth, thinking that they in their own understanding could be wiser than God, more loving than God, and thinking themselves very capable of discerning the truth about God with their fleshy wisdom. I see them saying that what they see in the Bible are a bunch of contradictions which we are better off not knowing about, that "ignorance is bliss", and that the God of the Bible while claiming to be loving is in actuality very hateful and nothing at all like what is spoken about in 1 Corinthians 13. Wow, what arrogance. Talk about the pot saying to the potter: "It is all YOUR fault! You have designed everything this way! You have designed ME to fail!!!" Shaking the fist at God, although they probably do not realize this is what they are doing and saying. I have to remind myself of the wisdom spoken in the above passage, that I be not soon shaken in my mind because of what I see (or think that I see), and know that in the Lord I am protected from the strong delusion that is right now knocking people over left and right. People are setting themselves up as wise, instead of remembering that we are not anything without the life-spring that comes to us from above. We are dirt, and will return to dirt when we die.

The spark of life, that which animates us, is given by God, and can easily be manipulated and distorted by satan, and we are marred already by the effect of the original fall of Adam and Eve. Eve was much closer to the Lord than any of us are, much more innocent and had a stronger intimate relationship. She was in a daily communion with our Heavenly Father much moreso than any of us presently understand. I think we presently slip in and out of that kind of communion with the Holy Spirit, but our flesh takes over to try to dominate us. And even though Eve was so intimately communing with God, she fell for the devil's tricks.

But getting back to the topic of the falling away, does this current falling away signify that soon we will see "the man of sin"? I personally believe we will, and perhaps we already do see him but just haven't come to the full realization yet that he is "him". When this man of sin forces everyone to take the mark of the beast, that is  (I believe) the unmistakable sign that it is "him"... and that time may soon come.

Sometimes I do find these things alarming, and I do get "shaken in my mind", but then I remember that just by the fact that all these things are foretold about shows us that God is fully aware and in control of it. This fact strengthens me to understand that the Lord is capable to also see to it that even I can die a martyr's death, and continue to be strong to the end...but this is only possible by His strengthening. In my flesh I would not be able to do such a thing. I would "cry uncle" the moment the pain would get too uncomfortable. Just as the apostles asked "Who then is able to be saved" the answer comes from Jesus:

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Matthew 19:26 (ESV)

Happy Reformation Day! :)

October 31, 1517 Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on Wittenburg's door. It marked the beginning of The Reformation. A much nicer greeting is available to us on this day than the world gives on this day.

Check out this link:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/martin-luther-posts-95-theses

...and Happy Reformation Day!

A Little Bird Told Me....

Today as I approached the entrance to the hospital where I work, I noticed a tiny bird crouched near the doorway; on the ground. I thought that surely it would fly away as I approached, however it remained there, even letting me touch it's wings and stroke the top of it's tiny head, and touch it's tiny beak. She looked up at me as if to say, "Isn't it a lovely day? ...and  how are you today?" I thought perhaps it was injured or ill, and that someone might do something mean to it if I left it there, so I gently tried to scoop her up, and as I started to lift her off the ground she decided that our visit was over, and flew away.

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She looked quite a lot like this except she had some burnt-orange color on her breast.

This little encounter set the mood for my day, and my first patient, a tiny old woman who seemed so fragile and gentle and trusting, reminded me of my little bird friend. I treated her very gently, and then let her go on her way after we were done with her exam and might never see her again, just as I may never again see that tiny bird. Such tiny encounters that we can easily overlook for their humble insignificance, and yet, if we would stop, and look, and touch, and feel, and receive the blessing, it didn't cost us anything but a few moments of our time, and all the money in the world could not purchase the sweetness of those moments. How often do I overlook them? Everyday....several hundred times a day. Thank you Lord for helping me to see this one, this time.

Thinking it Over...and Over...and...

The last few weeks have been somewhat of a crisis period for me, in that I really had to stop, and think, and pray...

And the new perspective that I came out with is not really new, but it is more refined, having thrown out much of the superfluous junk that was bogging me down. What I mean is, even though I know that this world is full of horrible stuff, lying, conspiracies, evil people at the top, etc, etc, etc, it has always been that way from the beginning of this fallen creation, and it really doesn't do much good to keep dwelling on what is wrong with this world. I've known that all along, of course, and yet I still keep picking through the garbage. I still believe that it is good to be aware of my (our) surroundings, and to stay current with "the spirit of the age"...and yet, the greater focus always needs to be that Jesus has already overcome this world, and so have we if we are found in Christ.

If I do post on this (one of my two) blogs again (and I probably will, but maybe not as often as I was at it's inception) my goal is to have the main focus not be on the terrible things that we see all around us, but to stay on the finished work that we are in Christ, knowing that this world is passing away the evidence is too apparent to miss, and to report this fact with the happy news that this suffering will only last but a little while, and then the appearance of our true Savior will come and will shake the heavens and earth with the brightness of His appearing. We who are in Christ will rejoice, and those who reject Him will cry for the rocks to fall on them to hide them from His glory. The antichrist will first appear with his implantable 666 or what-have-you, and we who remain strong in the Lord won't fear death for rejecting his evil counterfeit plan to what God has done in marking His own with His seal on our foreheads and hands which only He sees. This seal secures us to be His through every trial and tribulation which won't touch our soul though it may kill our mortal flesh.

That has always been (since the Lord saved me) what I have known to be true, but my vision was a bit obscured by the wind and the waves which I allowed to take up too much of my perceptions. I pray that the Lord will keep our eyes wide open as we see all these things unfolding, and feel the strength of His hand upon us as we continue through this treacherous  world which is fraught with much evil and danger, knowing that He who is with us is greater than those who are against us.

True Conversion?

 While blog surfing a few days ago, I ran across a blogger who linked to the following article:

http://ipost.christianpost.com/news/former-victorias-secret-model-explains-why-she-suddenly-quit-industry-11306/

I couldn't tell you who that blogger was, and I've surfed quite a bit since that time, so trying to find that article back would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. That blogger voiced concerns about the validity of this woman's conversion, and I would have to admit that I agree with many of the things he (she?) mentioned as reasons to doubt this young woman. Be sure to watch the video clip. I think the interviewer asks some good questions, and the comments that she makes about being called a "fat cow" etc, are denied by those she said made the comments. I suppose it is possible the others are the ones that are less than truthful.

I'm not going to list why I don't believe her story, I just give the link so that you can judge it for yourself. If I am wrong about her, to God be the glory. If I am correct, I pray that the Lord does bring her to a point of true conversion in her life.

I will say, however, that the Bible warns about the love of mammon, and that people cannot love God and money, and that there will be many in the last days that will make merchandise of the gospel, but that we are to freely give what has been freely given to us.

I pray for our God-given discernment in these matters.

Charlotte Iserbyt

Yesterday I spent a little time going over some things, a review of what has happened to this world over the last hundred years, and revisited Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt. What a wonderful lady, stands strong by her principles no matter what the personal cost to herself. Charlotte worked as secretary of education under Ronald Reagan.

Whistleblowers today (well I guess they always have ) put themselves in extreme danger. Charlotte does, but doesn't care about her personal safety as she does about telling the truth about what goes on "behind closed doors". I know that things will grow worse and worse, and this world is not our home. We are just passin' through. It is good to know what is happening, to keep our eyes wide open to what is happening all around us, and to be faithful to tell the truth about the corruptions of this world, and the goodness of our Lord Jesus and what He has done to redeem us (chosen) out of it.

So What???

We've all been there right? At one time or another you (and I have too) thought "I'm number 1" and that your (my) opinion is better than most (if not all) others.

Once I was talking with a resident (a doctor in training) about this. She told me she believed in Islam. I asked her "Do you believe that what you believe is more correct than what other people believe? Do you think that when you disagree with others it is always you that is right and others that are wrong?" and she hesitated for a moment and then said "Well...yeah" ....and that thinking is also true of me (most of the time) like my opinions or ideas are the ones that have the most value somehow. That is the way of our flesh; it wants preeminence.

So these days when I see people going on and on about this new idea of theirs, or their opinion about this, that, or whatever other thing, I remember that we are but a vapor, and what we think means very little if it doesn't line up with what God says. If it doesn't bring glory to God, but still turns attention back on the person who is talking, I ask "Why?" and "So what?" Should we really care about all that hot air (vapor)?

It is good to think, and to share, and to care, if in the thinking and sharing and caring we remember it isn't about YOU or ME, but it is ALL ABOUT JESUS, and what He has done, and will continue to do for those whom He has been given by the Father out of this wicked and temporary and insane world. What He thinks matters, and He has given us His word. :)

"They're Here"

World's first GM babies born

by MICHAEL HANLON, Daily Mail

The world's first geneticallymodified humans have been created, it was revealed last night.
The disclosure that 30 healthy babies were born after a series of experiments in the United States provoked another furious debate about ethics.
So far, two of the babies have been tested and have been found to contain genes from three 'parents'.
Fifteen of the children were born in the past three years as a result of one experimental programme at the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science of St Barnabas in New Jersey.
The babies were born to women who had problems conceiving. Extra genes from a female donor were inserted into their eggs before they were fertilised in an attempt to enable them to conceive.

Genetic fingerprint tests on two one-year- old children confirm that they have inherited DNA from three adults --two women and one man.

The fact that the children have inherited the extra genes and incorporated them into their 'germline' means that they will, in turn, be able to pass them on to their own offspring.
Altering the human germline - in effect tinkering with the very make-up of our species - is a technique shunned by the vast majority of the world's scientists.
Geneticists fear that one day this method could be used to create new races of humans with extra, desired characteristics such as strength or high intelligence.
Writing in the journal Human Reproduction, the researchers, led by fertility pioneer Professor Jacques Cohen, say that this 'is the first case of human germline genetic modification resulting in normal healthy children'.
Some experts severely criticised the experiments. Lord Winston, of the Hammersmith Hospital in West London, told the BBC yesterday: 'Regarding the treat-ment of the infertile, there is no evidence that this technique is worth doing . . . I am very surprised that it was even carried out at this stage. It would certainly not be allowed in Britain.'
John Smeaton, national director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, said: 'One has tremendous sympathy for couples who suffer infertility problems. But this seems to be a further illustration of the fact that the whole process of in vitro fertilisation as a means of conceiving babies leads to babies being regarded as objects on a production line.
'It is a further and very worrying step down the wrong road for humanity.'

Professor Cohen and his colleagues diagnosed that the women were infertile because they had defects in tiny structures in their egg cells, called mitochondria.
They took eggs from donors and, using a fine needle, sucked some of the internal material - containing 'healthy' mitochondria - and injected it into eggs from the women wanting to conceive.
Because mitochondria contain genes, the babies resulting from the treatment have inherited DNA from both women. These genes can now be passed down the germline along the maternal line.
A spokesman for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which regulates 'assisted reproduction' technology in Britain, said that it would not license the technique here because it involved altering the germline.
Jacques Cohen is regarded as a brilliant but controversial scientist who has pushed the boundaries of assisted reproduction technologies.

He developed a technique which allows infertile men to have their own children, by injecting sperm DNA straight into the egg in the lab.

Prior to this, only infertile women were able to conceive using IVF. Last year, Professor Cohen said that his expertise would allow him to clone children --a prospect treated with horror by the mainstream scientific community.
'It would be an afternoon's work for one of my students,' he said, adding that he had been approached by 'at least three' individuals wishing to create a cloned child, but had turned down their requests.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-43767/Worlds-GM-babies-born.html#ixzz2dphIrriq
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The Fabian Society

Little clip about the Fabian socialists about six and a half minutes long.


We are not "of this world" but it is good to understand our surroundings.  Their symbol is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

14 Year Old Girl Asked to be Raped by Guard....sigh....

An ongoing civil suit seeking damages against a prison guard and the Terrebonne Parish juvenile detention facility in Louisiana where he worked has sunk to a new low. Attorneys defending the Parish and facility are actually making the argument that a 14-year-old girl is responsible for being repeatedly raped by the prison guard in question.
ThinkProgress reports that the emotionally traumatized now 20-year-old woman is suing the facility and the Parish for not protecting her from former guard Angelo Vickers, who is now serving a seven-year sentence for molestation.

In an effort to shield the Parish and facility from liability in the case, lawyers are employing an outrageous argument. They claim the then 14-year-old girl wanted to be raped repeatedly by her 40-year-old prison guard/rapist.
Needless to say, child advocates and victims advocates are outraged that an attorney representing the local government would make such a claim, even though Louisiana law clearly states that anyone under the age of 17 cannot consent to sex. This ‘blaming the victim’ strategy resulted in child advocate and attorney, Carolyn McNabb, to fire off a letter to attorney Alexander Crighton, asking him to strike the accusation from the court record and drop the defense tactic entirely.

Read more here 

 

This needs to be filed under the "You've got to be kidding me!!!" heading. The comments of the readers somehow have made this all about being a Republican/conservative problem, which I don't understand. I think there are perverts and lawless men and women on both sides of the political isle.

The Idolatry of "Nice"

An alternate title might be

 "Am I a Shapeshifter?"


Shouldn't we be "nice"? What is WRONG with being "nice"? Didn't Jesus tell us to be "nice"?

Those are all good questions, and not easy ones to answer.

Are Mormons "nice"? Are Jehovah's Witnesses "nice"? What about Buddhists, and Catholics, and atheists? Aren't (most of them, anyway) they "nice"?

Let's start with

Shouldn't we be "nice"?:

Well, that depends on what is meant by "nice", doesn't it? If someone is being beaten up by a criminal, would it be "nice" to stay out of it? God will take care of it, won't He? Why should I get involved? I might get dirty or beaten up if I try to get involved. Why not leave it to God?

Does being "nice" mean "looking good to others"? ...or rather, looking good on the outside? Having a "form of godliness"? If someone tells me something that exposes a problem, should I change the outer behavior or appearance so that I can have a more "godly" appearance? Is that what it's all about? Then the Pharisees really would have been the best, and the "nicest" because they had that "godly appearance" down pat.

What's wrong with being "nice"?:

Again, that depends on what is meant when the word "nice" is used. Being polite and doing good, there is nothing wrong with that....UNLESS it is a manipulative tactic, and let's face it we are all so good at it that we can even fool ourselves. We cannot fool God into thinking we are "nice" by the "good works" that we do, because He can see underneath our outer facade. He knows the truth about how we really are.

Is that depressing?

Or does knowing the fact that Jesus is a loving and forgiving God make us joyful to know that He can see all that muck? Our outer image that we set before the world has nothing to do with the truth that God sees about us.* That* is the reason He came, was born into flesh, walked on the earth, broke bread, ate, healed the blind, the lepers and the demoniacs, and bled and died...and rose again. He didn't do it because He is "nice" or wanted us to have an appearance of "nice". He did it because He is God.

Doesn't Jesus want us to be "nice"?:

So by now, this question shouldn't be so difficult, should it? Does Jesus want us to be "nice" to others? Not if "nice" means not telling the truth because it might give an appearance of  not being "nice". Then the appearance of "nice", is that "form of godliness but denying His power" (which the Bible warns about), and God is not at all in favor of such manipulative behavior, in fact, it is a form of idolatry and self-worship. And this image of "nice" can change it's form to conform to what the world wants to see, so that to some you may have an "appearance" of not caring whether someone practices homosexual behavior, and then changes to have the "appearance" of being against it when in the company of someone who shows the deadly consequences of practicing things that should not be practiced.

We need to throw out all the false idols that keep us from accepting the truth of what Jesus REALLY said, and from fully realizing what Jesus died for and freed us from. We need to throw off the false image of "nice" and fully agree with Jesus that no one is good, only Jesus. That frees us to tell the truth to others, to tell them of sin, the consequences of sin, the eternal consequences for unrepented sin, and the truth about forgiveness, which comes from truly being honest before God and men, telling the truth about who we really are, and what we truly are without Jesus is not "nice" at all. And if we are in Christ, we aren't concerned about whether we appear "nice" to others or not. What we are concerned about is telling the truth so that others might find out the truth that will set them free. And that really IS "nice".

In Response to Anything Goes Sexuality

Now that EVERYONE is "coming out", there is a group in the UK which comes together as a support group, and a very "politically incorrect" group it is. Here is an excerpt from "Christianity" magazine:

After Steve Chalke and Rob Bell affirmed same-sex relationships earlier this year, Justin Brierley meets three evangelical church leaders who have decided to respond by going public about their sexuality.

In a basement under a church in London I’m meeting with three men who are in a support group. An unusual support group. ‘We were tempted to say that we meet in a nuclear bunker in an undisclosed location,’ says one of them with a wry smile.
They have been talking in private for a while, but believe now is the time for their voices and unique experience to be heard more widely. All three are evangelical church leaders who experience same-sex attraction, but all three describe themselves as either celibate or ‘post-gay’.
Earlier this year, Steve Chalke revealed a new (and much publicised) gay-affirming stance in February’s Christianity. Since then another well-known Christian figure, Rob Bell, has spoken out in favour of gay relationships. A recent poll by the Public Religious Research Institute in the USA showed that nearly half of young evangelicals there are in favour of gay marriage. If the headlines are to be believed, the Church is increasingly following society’s lead in affirming gay relationships.
None of the three men I’m speaking to claim to have the influence of Chalke or Bell, but they are hoping to redress the perceived liberalisation within the Church on this issue by speaking from their own countercultural experience. For two of them, same-sex attraction has been met with a commitment to remain celibate, while one of them experienced a change in his feelings that led to marriage with a woman. All three see the Bible’s prohibitions on same-sex relationships as nonnegotiable.

You can read the entire article here:
http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/Browse%20By%20Category/features/A%20different%20kind%20of%20coming%20out.aspx

Reading a Book....

Stumbled onto this book that is online, which I could have written (for the fact that the author(s?) say exactly what I've been thinking and seeing going on). Wow. Anyway, the author points to this being the end times "strong delusion" spoken of in 2nd Thessalonians and it being well under way. So, anyway, it is a long read (for those who would rather watch an hour of mind-numbing television, this might be too taxing), but for those who truly want to have many of the puzzle pieces lined up and be aware of the changes that are taking place before our very eyes..."in secret" yet right out in the open in plain sight, read the book at this link:

http://themurkynews.blogspot.com/

It is helping me to fill in a few more of the blanks in helping me to understand "The New World Order" and what many are choosing to remain blind to. Let us not be one of the foolish virgins that does not have oil in the lamp. Let us be alert and in prayer, as Jesus Himself cautioned us to "watch and pray"

 Matthew 26:40-41  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?   Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mark 13:33  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.




Mark 14:38  Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.


Luke 21:35-36  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. 

These are talking about being sober minded and being able to perceive the truth of what is going on around us, and not allowing ourselves to be duped by the sleight of hand of this world. If you read this book and haven't really been paying much attention and accepting the "news" in the way they want you to by believing the propaganda as it is spoon-fed to a willing audience, prepare to have your rose-colored glasses blown off you. The devil has been hard at work, things are going as foretold centuries ago.

 http://themurkynews.blogspot.com/

Witchcraft in the Church?

This is "one of those things" that you don't need to know every detail about. I personally think it is good to listen to a good presentation given by a godly pastor, to help to understand what is creeping into the church, and to be able to reach out to those caught in it's bondage.

Of course one can "just pray" for people; "the effectual prayers of a righteous man (person) availeth much" James 5:16.  

The Bible also says:
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,   Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference:  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Jude 1:20-23


"Pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh" sounds to me like a forceful action that is taken to grab people and yank them out while there is time to help them escape. I've been helped much by ministries that expose what is wrong with this world....and I understand that they only scratch the surface of what is wrong.

This video exposes the subtleties of the seductions that have entered into the church. Years ago those who claimed the name of Jesus were more discerning than to accept  this blatantly satanic stuff into their midst. The church today is not so discerning. I think it is good to get the wake up call and see just how far the apostasy has spread. This is just one litmus test. Pray before viewing, during viewing and after viewing, that it might help you to yank others from this "strange fire".

The original video I had here was removed, unfortunately. It had many clips of Ms. Rowlings saying that her books are "Christian" and "moral", and yet admitting that according to herself about 1/3 of the witchcraft in her books is accurately portrayed when compared to witchcraft the religion.  It also showed many "Christian" pastors and leaders saying there is nothing wrong with the books and films. It also made connections with some modern "Christian" beliefs and practices showing that they have much in common with witchcraft and the occult.

This one just shows the witchcraft and seduction of the Harry Potter books and films:
 

Self Righteousness vs. God's Righteousness

Self righteousness can take many forms. The devil is a crafty shape-shifter who can even disguise himself as "an angel of light". I've been thinking about the many shapes that self righteousness can take, and I can tell you that I've been guilty of these (and continue to be, God alone is righteous, and anyone who says otherwise is a lying Pharisee, to be honest). Here are a few examples:



1. Phariseeism:

This form says "look at me! I am righteous! Look at the good that I do! I even mention God's name once in a while and give my tithes, that proves I am holy. And I pray too!"

 Phariseeism is also in all of the subsequent examples, just disguised so it is harder to detect. We are all guilty of these things, better to confess it and ask the Lord to help us not continue in such false worship and idolatry.


2. Mother Theresa:

 "I am so humble and much better than I used to be" 
(she didn't actually say this---that I know of---but her life brought much attention to her "goodness")

still putting attention on self, not actually on the Lord, and then throwing Him some crumbs by saying "God made me this humble and wonderful and etc". This is a tough one. The first one is obviously wrong and very easy to point out. This second one is one we can even fool ourselves with, while we fool others in this self directing tactic. It still makes self worship the ultimate goal (although we continue to convince everyone around us that isn't true). We want others to agree how good, talented, humble, qualified, encouraging, "loving", etc, we are, instead of attributing all that to only God, and if it (goodness) appears in us at all in actual truth, it is only because He is in us, and has put it there, no credit to be had for ourselves at all, not even the "awe shucks" false humility.

3. Benny Hinn:

"God gave me a gift that is different from your gift, why judge me? I am doing great things too! God loves me just as much as you so get the beam out of your own eye before jabbing my eyes for my splinters" 
(Benny Hinn did accuse those with logs in their eyes looking for the tiny splinters in his own, perhaps not these exact words, but very very close).  

Benny teaches false doctrines and has false "healings" and fake "Holy Spirit" revivals, but hey, who are you to judge??? Jesus in His word says He wants us to use correct judgment, and when things are wrong the Bible says we are to EXPOSE THEM.
Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
This speaks of the fruit of the Spirit, which is of God, not ourselves, and nothing to get ourselves thinking we are the one who is "good". Jesus Himself said only God is good and every man is a liar. True words. We need Him every day and that is no boast.

4. The Pope:

"I am in charge because God gave me this responsibility. I have to look good because others need to have my good example"
 (again, no pope has ever said this---to my knowledge---except maybe in secret) 

The pope seems like a nice guy, and "since Jesus isn't here in the flesh anymore" these guys want us to believe that we need a person in that spiritual leadership role to guide the sheep. There are also pastors who have this same mistaken identity problem as the pope. Jesus is still here with us. We do not call any man our "father" in the spiritual sense. We have one mediator and that is Jesus, and we have the Holy Spirit which bears witness to Him (Jesus) alone.

5. Beth Moore:

"I am a good Christian and good wife and mother and I only teach to women, although men come to my classes, but I don't tell them to come and I can't keep them out if they want to be with wonderful little ole' me and I do all this because I LOVE Jesus SO MUCH!!!"  
(definitely a paraphrase of what I have seen Beth Moore say, she has said all those things, not all in one sentence)

There are many Beth Moores and I also lapse into this hideousness wrapped up in lovely country silliness that self-deprecates into "I'm just a silly beautiful blonde and can be silly about how I love the Lord". It is still all about self. If you go to her website, Beth Moore's name is emblazoned upon it in huge script with her beautifully made up face smiling down on you. Her doctrine is mostly self help for women. Once in a blue moon she will mention the name of Jesus to give the impression that it really is all about Him although really it's all about Beth Moore. She is "SO SWEET"...and her doctrine? She buys into the meditation stuff that comes straight out of New Age mysticism, emptying yourself hogwash. Sigh. And her followers are, just that "her" followers, and will attack you and call you a gossip if you say anything "bad" about her.  Fluff and nonsense.

J.K. Rowling:

"I am not a witch. I am a Christian and a writer who just writes good fiction. Fundamentalists are stupid"
  (I have seen J.K. Rowling say these things in defense of her satanic books that are filled with witchcraft and which is turning many young people to desire to participate in witchcraft)

This lady claims to be a Christian, but otherwise there is absolutely no evidence for that supposed fact in the writings she has made millions from. Likewise there are many churches that claim the name of Jesus that are buying her books and even making Bible lessons out of some of her teachings. They claim to know Jesus well enough that teaching from satanic books is ok with Him, because, after all, Jesus is a loving God, and these books teach about "good and evil", which is exactly what Jesus teaches us about.

All of the above examples prove that we need correct doctrine. I myself am guilty of lapsing into any of the above false positions at any given time. It is by the grace of God that I am saved, not through my "goodness" (which would give a false impression). That is why it is important to state that truth often, to remind others as well as myself of the truth of the fact. God alone is good, God alone gets the praise, God alone and no other.

 Rom 15:17  I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.
Rom 15:18  For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
Rom 15:19  Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.



Jesus alone gets the glory. If others want to say I am "good" I correct them and tell them I am not, but that God in His mercy decided to save me anyway.  That is the gospel, that though we were yet sinners God loved us and saved us from our sins. Where is the boasting? And we need to tell the truth, which inevitably exposes the liars.

Doctrine is important, and it is very loving to tell the truth about the matter, rightly exposing the error and rightly confessing that we ourselves are prone to errors, and apart from God are nothing. No fake humility. No cutesy "Shucks I know I'm cute and it's all about me, and isn't Jesus wonderful" . It's all about Jesus. Let's not give Him lipservice and then get others to agree with such behavior. Let's tell the real honest to God truth instead.

The truth is we are all sinners, and God forgives repentant sinners of which I am chief.

Privacy? or Sneakiness?

There is a difference. I understand the desire for privacy. My dear hubby hates his photograph being taken, let alone having it published on the social media websites (!!!). His reasoning is somewhat unreasonable to me, but I respect it because I know it is not out of a sense of wanting to hide something.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, their first reaction was to cover themselves. They did not want what they did to be in full view. That is why they made fig leaved aprons for themselves. There was a slight difference between Adam and Eve's situation and our own situation today. Adam and Eve were not in the midst of a sinful (sin-filled) culture, but were alone with only animals and plants...and the Lord...I personally don't believe they were trying to hide their sin from the plants and animals, so the only One they were trying to keep from finding out about their sin was God. God did not accept THEIR MEANS of covering themselves but instead provided them with a skin of an animal (something had to die as a result of their sin) and HE PROVIDED the proper way to be covered.

Are we so different from our first parents? We too try to cover the wrongs that we do in ways that perhaps we think will make them appear less bad, or make ourselves look good (in our own eyes, at least). Is that the correct way? Of course not. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but THROUGH HIM. Those are not just pretty words. They are the truth that sets us free from having to cover ourselves with our own ways of trying to "look good", or hiding altogether from others. I have been to websites where the blogger cleverly hides everything about what they really are about. The website is pretty, pretty pictures, pretty (but empty) words, things that inspire others to want to know more about this family and this blogger, and this blogger always, ALWAYS, had me wondering about what they really stood for, and why it was not openly proclaimed. Why hide? Privacy? Then why blog? And if we truly are in Jesus, why not proclaim it in everything, truly showing that we have HIS covering over OUR SIN, which is something we as Christians are to proclaim, especially in a time such as this....

And yet, instead, there are excuses, and charming alternatives that Jesus "must also bless" because He is a loving God after all, isn't He? Yes. He is a loving God. And like a truly loving Parent, He won't allow for self-deception, especially self-deception in Christians (or those who when pressed will say they are) who have as their main self-interest the desire to gain other people's praise for themselves, instead of where it rightly belongs, with God alone. Then it is still our own works, fig-leaves, that we want others to be impressed with. When we truly love our loving God, we only find comfort in desiring that others know how Jesus alone gets all the glory..... if there is any good to be found in me, it is ONLY because of Him. Is that something that I should keep hidden? Will God be "ok" with my attempts at making Him a hidden "side-kick" of mine that I once in a while bring out so that I can show myself to be a "good Christian"? What can we learn from our first parents regarding such behavior?

This is something that I've been wondering about with all the "big brother surveillance" lately. Many want to do away with such surveillance and I agree in part that it is again the way this world operates, it wants to replace God, to make itself God, watching over us. But do we need to hide ourselves? Do we need fig leaves to make ourselves appear good to others? Or can our lights shine all the brighter when those in the world are calling evil "good" and calling good "evil"? Do we hide our light under a bushel when it is unpopular to be a Christian and only display it for self gratification? Or must we proclaim it even if it gets us, like the early disciples, killed?

Time will tell who the "real Christians" truly are. We have nothing to hide, because we have an Advocate to the Father. :)

False Teachers: Joel Osteen

Joel Osteen leads a megachurch. Many think that if many people agree then the message must be true....is that what the Bible says? Is that what happened when Moses went up on the Mount, and then all the people were dancing around a golden calf?

"But Joel talks about Jesus and forgiveness, and he's just trying his best to bring a positive message. Why be so negative. He's a nice guy, really, and he and his wife are such a beautiful couple, and they encourage people. Let up a little. Quit picking at his splinter while you have a whole tree in your own eye, you hypocrites!" (I've actually heard people say things like this!")

If you truly want to know the truth about this type of preaching, if you truly want the Lord, and not the charlatans, not the deceivers who are fleecing your pocketbook, then watch and listen to the following and compare the teachings with what the Bible actually does say, when you read the few verses they "preach" on in their proper context:

Has God Abandoned America?

According to what the Bible says, the answer is yes.

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Tony Miano is a street preacher. He recently preached in England, during the tennis matches at Wimbledon. A woman decided to have Tony arrested because she didn't like what he preached, because he preached repentance.

In this video he states that people have created their own "god" by only wanting the verses in the Bible that they like, and then saying "that is the god I worship", while ignoring other parts of the Bible. He bluntly states that is idolatry, and I have to agree with him. It is idolatry, false worship. And I really have to wonder about those who claim to love Jesus, never talk about Him, cling to only a small portion of their favorite "feel good" verses, ignoring the rest and then claiming that they "love" Jesus. Really?

This video is just under 30 mins, about the same amount of time many people will waste watching their favorite sit-com. Hope you really do love Jesus enough to spend at least as much time watching this and skipping the sit-com just this once:

Friendship

This is something I have been wrestling with, and am still wrestling with it...

James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

What is friendship? Was Jesus EVERYONE'S friend? What is it to be a "friend of the world"?

Jesus said:

Matthew 10:37 -39  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.   He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 

It is so much easier to compromise, isn't it? "Can't we all just get along?" was the question Rodney King asked after he got a million dollars for being beaten by the LAPD officers for resisting arrest. Well, can we? What does it mean? To be loved by those who don't love Jesus? Isn't that a sign that we ourselves are not right with God? Jesus said if we truly follow Him we would be hated by the world, didn't He? Was He telling the truth?

 John 17:14  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  

When people start paying me compliments I know something isn't quite right. The world loves it's own, so if it loves me something is off. Likewise when I see others seeking the love of the world and do not want to speak out against what is sinful and wrong, and say things that are contrary to God's word in how we are to respond to the world, it makes me uncomfortable and suspicious. Didn't the Israelites get into trouble for doing that? What lessons are to be found there for our learning?

I know it is easier to "just get along" and to have everyone "love" us...but is that really love? And if we see "Christians" desire to have a "love" for the world that doesn't speak out against sin with a call to repentance, are we to support this type of "Christianity"?

Just some things that have been very heavy on my mind and heart lately....sigh....praying to the Lord that He reveals what He desires of us, and that we trust Him to supply us the strength to do even those things that are not easy and go against our fleshy desire for comfort and "loving compliments".

The Harbinger Revisited

On Coast to Coast:

(Disclaimer: I don't always agree with topics discussed on "Coast to Coast")

In this Coast to Coast broadcast Rabbi Jonathan Cahn discusses the  many coincidences that occured with regards to things surrounding 9/11 events and the judgment he sees coming to America. This broadcast includes some aspects that were not included in his " The Harbinger" movie:





Toward the end of this interview the rabbi answers a few callers questions. He is asked by a caller if America can possibly change the outcome of her coming judgment through prayer. Rabbi Cahn answers with scripture. He hesitates when saying "yes" stating that  we  must pray according to God's will, and prayer might not get a "yes" answer if that would go against His will. However, he adds that prayer CAN change things and reminds us of

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

but he should have included the first part which gives more specifics:

2Ch 7:13  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain,
 or if I command the locusts to devour the land, 
or if I send pestilence among my people; 

These are: drought; famine; and disease

Saving the country from losing super-power status or wealth and economic stability is not mentioned here in things God would turn around..

Link to previous post which has the free movie "The Harbinger":
 The Warning of the Sycamore Tree

Ray Comfort on Sabbath Keeping

Is Saturday Sabbath an Obligation?

No, for at least three reasons.

Firstly, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ nowhere in the NT is the early church recorded as affirming the Saturday Sabbath. Quite contrary the early followers of Christ are recorded as gathering on the first day of the week "Sunday."

Secondly, only 9 of the "10 Commandments" are repeated in Scripture after Christ's finished work on cross in Whom we have the ultimate rest, restoration and liberation from sin! Can you take a guess which one is not repeated? Jesus Christ did not do away with the 4th Commandment, rather He is the fulfillment and One we have eternal rest in!

Thirdly, If you only hang onto one of these reasons let it be this one here! Again, if you are ever challenged to "given an answer" remember the following!  Two places in Scripture Paul clearly spelled out that we are not to let anyone judge us regarding Sabbath keeping and let every man be fully convinced in his own mind as to whether we esteem one day above another or all the same (Col. 2:16; Rom. 14:5).

You better memorize those two Scriptures! You will be confronted with this in street evangelism, you will call upon these Scriptures, and you will be happy that you learned them!

DOMA Decision

I cannot even begin to express how sickened I feel by the Supreme Court decision on the Defense of Marriage Act. I know I shouldn't be surprised, and yet I still am, and truth be told I am horrified. Dr. James White had a few words to say a few months ago which I find fitting. We are living in perilous times, no doubt about it. I hope and pray that "the church" wakes up. We need to be praying for our nation, praying for repentance and praying for the church to valiantly proclaim the truth in a world that hates the truth.

Street Preacher -- UK

I love how he is able (only possible by the strength and Spirit of God) to maintain his composure and can continue on speaking the truth. I would have lost my ability to keep a train of thought steady with this kind of interruption and heckling:

Edward Snowden

Ron Paul sounds out about Edward Snowden. I am just an observer. I look on what is happening to this country and ask the Lord for wisdom and prudence and to be an observer of the times, understanding the times in which we live:

Kirk Cameron

I like Kirk Cameron. I think his heart is in the right place, he wants to share the truth, to tell people about sin, and Jesus, and the Bible, and etc...


and he is bold in standing up for calling sin wrong, and that God hates sin, but that God forgives


but Kirk is a human being, and his focus (I believe) is a bit off...he thinks we can turn things around:


....and indeed the Bible does say

2Ch 7:13  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.



...and the Lord saved the Ninevites when they heard the words from Jonah after all, didn't He? Yes, that is true. I don't fault Kirk for desiring that at all, but we need to beware of becoming a theocracy, like that which Constantine and Charlemagne brought about. Perhaps they too had noble things in mind when they set up enforced Christianization, and I tend to think that as a result there were people who did honestly come to Jesus during that time, perhaps even as a result of what Constantine or Charlemagne did, just as perhaps there were Jews who became saved during their tribulations by Nazis. And also we are, as Kirk mentions, at a point where the corruption of our nation may succumb (as history has shown us through this cycle showing up again and again) to a very corrupt and evil tyrant who will inflict persecution so terrible that we will wish that we could have turned it from such an outcome. True. But there will come a time where all of this will culminate into a time of trouble such as the world has never seen, and it will happen, Jesus said so. I personally think to say "Oh God forbid it! Let it not be so!!" would repeat the error of Peter when He told Jesus the same when Jesus warned them of His impending doom (Matthew 16:23)

Our focus is not this world. We are ambassadors of a world that is yet to come. Our focus is Jesus, and what He has done, and that we are not of this world, but are in this world to be that light in a dark place, Jesus said He was eventually going to destroy this one and make a new heaven and new earth because this would ALL pass away.

However, I am glad that Kirk speaks up his mind and tells the truth, albeit imperfectly (and who does it perfectly anyway? I love John MacArthur yet there are points that I disagree with him as well, but I'm glad that he preaches God's word) and all the while, we need to watch and pray, and ourselves speak when the Holy Spirit gives us the utterance, to be salt and light in a dark world, as a testimony to the truth of who we are in Christ, and do it gladly out of our thanksgiving, and do it for His sake.

John MacArthur on the Papacy

I just finished listening to this series, and, wow. I am amazed and saddened and stupified at what he brings up in this series. One thing that he brings up (in the 8th section) is the authority to open and shut (what the Romish "church" says only the pope can do) is given to all true believers. He also says that the papacy is the biggest hoax ever foisted on mankind. I think so too.

Part one:






Playlist for the entire series:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpWDUt89t2g&list=PL94B12F6F42549C4C

Compromising with the World

This is a tough subject. We are to be "in the world" yet "not of the world". How does that look in real life?

That is something I have been confronting in the last few months, well, to be honest, I have been confronting it since my Christian conversion back in the 80's, however it seems to be revving up these last few months.

The following video was very helpful for me, in that it brought some of the areas I was still unclear on into greater focus and clarity. Is it our job to be everyone's "friend"? Should we "let our light shine" by just buddying up to everyone regardless of "lifestyle choices", religious affiliations, or heretical teachings? It is true that Jesus will draw His own to Himself and that it "isn't our job" to whack people over the head with our convictions, yet:

  Where do we draw the line?

Something that is striking in this video is the portions where it shows Rick Warren straight out lying about his affiliations and his stance on God, salvation, influence from and/or on other pastors that he doesn't want to reveal any association with, etc, and then I realize that I have also tried to distance myself from such when I am "called out" on something that doesn't quite sit well with me....so how is he any different from myself and my own failings? Am I a "pharisee" when I point out other people's errors? Not if I admit that I have them too, and that it isn't about me, or about Rick Warren (he says it isn't about him; and then goes on and on and on about all the good things he and his wife do), but it IS about the truth, about Jesus, and about telling the Gospel correctly, and the true grace that comes from Jesus, not from ourselves and "our goodness" which is a sham.

Today we see all kinds of things being taught as "The Gospel", and they aren't the Gospel at all. They are all part of the "new world order religion" which embraces everything so that we can all be singing and locking arms together in a world of unity. It is a "social gospel" that isn't the truth at all, but a mixture of religion, philosophy and pop psychology.

Hope you take the full 2 hours to see this, and perhaps you can truly join Jesus, but be ready to be hated by "the world":