Spotting a Counterfeit Part 3

My previous two blogposts discuss my struggles with looking for and talking about other people's errors. Errors and sin is everywhere, that really shouldn't need saying, should it? The New Testament says we are not to keep company with anyone who says they are a brother and lives sinfully (1 Corinthians 5:11, because those outside of the faith are not convicted by the Holy Spirit, but if they truly are of the faith they will feel convicted if we reject their company in response to living in open sinful rebellion. It really doesn't say to continually convince everyone of their errors, although there are a couple of passages that do mention how the church is to deal with unrepentant persons who claim to be believers, I do not see that as justification for continuously bringing up other people's wrongdoings.

image link

The above image link will take you to a blog entry that makes the case that John MacArthur made some grievous mistakes in how he addressed the topic of the excesses we have perhaps all seen replayed which occurred during some infamous "outpourings" that resulted in people barking like dogs, and other behaviours that were less than orderly at best, and perhaps might even be considered blasphemous. 

Excerpt from the link:

(quoting MacArthur):“Mostly this comes in the professing church from Pentecostals and Charismatics who feel they have free license to abuse the Holy Spirit and even blaspheme His holy name. And they do it constantly.
How do they do it? By attributing to the Holy Spirit words that He didn’t say, deeds that He didn’t do, and experiences that He didn’t produce, attributing to the Holy Spirit that which is not the work of the Holy Spirit. Endless human experiences, emotional experiences, bizarre experiences and demonic experiences are said to come from the Holy Spirit…visions, revelations, voices from heaven, messages from the Spirit through transcendental means, dreams, speaking in tongues, prophecies, out of body experiences, trips to heaven, anointings, miracles. All false, all lies, all deceptions attributed falsely to the Holy Spirit . . .

(and then the last hiker's thoughts on the MacArthur quote): Basically, John MacArthur said that I have blasphemed the Holy Spirit–the unpardonable sin. So according to John MacArthur, I am going to hell because my relationship with God involves me believing that He speaks to me. I don’t think he really means that we are going to hell, he can’t mean that, can he? But you can’t throw out the phrases blasphemy of the Holy Spirit without conveying that idea."

Regarding the Charismatic excesses, and those who have written and spoken against it, you can find plenty of information about it online, and I encourage you to do the research prayerfully with your Bible nearby to look up all the related Bible verses that are given by both sides, and study to show yourself approved regarding this, and all things that are important in our walk with the Lord. The above linked blog article is a good place to begin if you are unfamiliar with this topic, but be sure to read all the comments in the comments section as well... I did... there is much food for thought and prayer in that article AND in the comments as well.

You may agree or disagree with "the last hiker", but I wanted to mention a few things that were brought up about John MacArthur in the comments section of that blog article:

1.  John MacArthur said you can repent after taking the mark of the beast if you mistakenly take it during the great tribulation. (I disagree with him)

2. He said he couldn't recall ever repenting or being born of the Spirit, that he had always believed in God even as a small child. (God only knows if he is saved, some think this means he isn't born of the Spirit... as for me, I don't know so I'm leaving that one with Jesus)

3. When he talked about his great family heritage, and about his great grandfather being a pastor in Prince Edward Island, Canada, he failed to mention that his great grandfather was also a grand master in a Masonic lodge and held the 33rd degree. (If you are going to talk about great family heritage would it be good to mention the failings as well?... when talking about my grandmother I doubt I'd drag out her skeletons in the closet, but does that prove a lack of being born again? I personally don't think so)

When I look to men (and also when I focus on myself) I see shortcomings every time. That is why our focus should remain on Jesus and what He has done. When a man such as John MacArthur speaks things that are in agreement with the Bible, I will agree with him. When "the last hiker" says things that is right with what the Bible states, I am agreement with her. When John MacArthur boasts of himself or his family he speaks foolishly (according to the Apostle Paul 2 Corinthians 11:16-33). When "the last hiker".... or when I.... try to make excuses for things that require humble repenting, or try to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, we likewise speak foolishly. It is better to hold the tongue and take it to the Lord directly to see if that is the case.

But what this link also shows me is that no one changed their minds on this topic in this discussion. Those who thought MacArthur is right might have disagreed with the above-mentioned points, but still held their position when it came to what he had to say about "Strange Fire" and those who want to hold to signs and experiences having importance and value in a Christian's life, might concede that things such as Toronto Blessing was not appropriate and orderly church behaviour, but still held to their belief that signs, healings, miracles, tongues, etc, have an important place in a true Christian's life. I like the fact that the discussion was done in a civil manner, and it is important to talk about our differences, but if the goal is to change anyone's mind: If the Lord isn't doing it, it ain't gonna happen.

Regarding this topic of John MacArthur vs. the Charismatics I have my opinion, but getting into heated discussions about it won't enlighten anyone. I can pray for those that I perceive are being hurt or deceived, and I can avoid those who are willfully teaching and doing things that are contrary to what the Bible clearly teaches.
That's it.
Edit: well, that isn't quite "it", I posted more about it here


 1Corinthians 5:9-13
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:  Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.   But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Amen.


 

Powerfully Saved

So much has been happening in the news lately, of course the much anticipated Supreme Court decision is being talked about everywhere, many on Facebook are altering their profile pictures to show their support of the same sex marriage decision...I was considering altering my profile picture on Facebook to have a Bible or a cross or perhaps an open tomb, but decided to keep my profile pic the way it is. I don't want to cause people to jump to conclusions from a picture before hearing me out, and it all seems like a childish "whose side is bigger" game to me. It doesn't matter what people (including Supreme court justices) decide or do, it is what God has done, does, and will do that matters most.

Looking around on youtube on the topic of LGBT I found a wonderful testimony by a former lesbian activist. She has many insights into the "lifestyle" and the LGBT movement, how they infiltrate, the truth about LGBT tactics, and the difficulties that plague those caught in this way of life from behind the scenes, and how the Lord saved her and changed her "ministry".

Charlene is not a pastor, but she does mention a woman pastor that spoke words of life to her. I hope you won't get sidetracked on the woman pastor issue.  True that the office of pastoral leadership should not be held by women, however I also know from scripture that God can even use a donkey to keep a person from heading for destruction.

Also she mentions that it was her choice to allow Jesus to save her, yet she mentions  that the Lord saved her when she was 12 years old...the Lord obviously had a plan for Charlene's life and He brought it to completion. It doesn't matter if we think we chose Him, what makes anything we do real or not is if God ignites and infuses His Spirit into whatever decisions we make. Many think man's power to decide is what saves us and of course we can do nothing unless the Lord first grants us the ability to see that choice and then give us His power to choose the right thing. She might be a bit confused about who chose whom, but I can see that she has been powerfully saved by the Lord truly intervening in her life.

This video is about 25  minutes in length. Please have a very uplifting and inspirational coffee break time out with Charlene:

God's Timing, and God's Will Vs. Man's Will

 photo link

A recent discussion in the comments section of a blog post from a few months ago ....
 http://susanflutterbys.blogspot.ca/2015/03/another-post-on-hell.html
 had me marinating over the topic of God's will and man's will...again...I mean it is a topic that I often think about, and it had me go to that place once more.

The Bible likens the believer's relationship to a child and a Father. A child can demand all kinds of things at every whim or fancy, but does that obligate the father to give in to the child at that moment of the request? I think of the people that Jesus healed...some had been waiting for a healing for many years, begging that God would relieve their misery. Why didn't He? When Lazarus, beloved by Jesus, died, Lazarus's sister Mary complained that if Jesus had been a little bit sooner her brother would not have to have died. Why was He late? Or was He?

We have a timetable of when we think things should happen. There are many charlatans who will promise you that God will give you everything you want IMMEDIATELY and if He doesn't, it is because your faith is lacking, so show your faith by sending in all your money to the ministry....blahblahblahblahblah....

When looking for an image for this post, I found the one above, and interestingly, the story of the Doomsday Clock dovetails nicely with my thoughts about God's timing, God's will, and man's (and woman's...that is, mine included) impetuous nature. God answers when He does and the way He chooses to show us that it is His will, not ours, that causes what He does in our lives at the appropriate times, which often is not when we wanted it (immediately, whether it was yesterday, a week ago, or 20 years ago). Joseph had to wait in prison in Egypt MANY YEARS, having been falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. When he explained a dream to two fellow inmates the one who lived promised to tell Pharaoh about Joseph's plight, but then it wasn't until another 2 years passed before he remembered Joseph when Pharaoh had a dream. How mean of God to keep Joseph in jail all that time for a crime he did not commit!!! How dare He! What an evil God! No, actually, it ended up all being for good (if you know the rest of the story, I know you would agree with me). But God could have done things differently. Why did people have to suffer in order for God's good to have to come so late? Ahh, is it to teach us patience? Perseverance perhaps? Maybe...but it is for God to do what He does for the reasons He knows are the correct ones. We would only be guessing, but a good God who has the welfare of His chosen ever in mind, does what He does for those who love Him.

This is a quote I ran across yesterday, it sort of tells part of this equation:

" Now God sometimes allows people to treat us unjustly. Sometimes He even allows their actions to seriously affect our careers or our futures viewed on a human plane. But God never allows people to make decisions about us that undermine His plan for us. God is for us, we are His children, He delights in us (see Zephaniah 3:17). And the Scripture says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). We can put this down as a bedrock truth: God will never allow any action against you that is not in accord with His will for you. And His will is always directed to our good. "
Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts

The Bible says the fiery trials purge us and refine us like gold in fire. The book of Job explains it beautifully.  God has made available all these things: warnings, rebukes, admonishings, wisdom, explanations, comforting passages, praises, love, and much more, and we can foolishly find ways to discredit what He says to us, or we can take it to heart and pray for His timing in the performance of His will in our lives. His will is to save the lost. Are you lost?

 Oh, and regarding the Doomsday Clock article...it's an old article...the time has been moved up to 3 minutes to midnite. The closest it has ever been to midnite was when they put the time at 2 minutes to midnite, and then after the cold war it was reset to 17 minutes to midnite....but God knows what time it is by His timetable. The disciples in Jesus day thought that the end of the world would be in their lifetime, and look at the patient endurance of God who is waiting for more people to save. He is patient...but are you patient, to the saving of your soul, with Him?

Pride and Shame

Over the last few months I've been contemplating the complaints of atheists and "former Christians". Often their accusations against the Bible, God, and against Christianity come in the form of boasting that their way is the better way, that they have a right to claim the things that they do because Christians are stupid and brainwashed, don't use proper reasoning faculties, and are hypocrites. They are proud of the fact that in their own estimation of themselves they are so much smarter and not at all hypocritical.

It used to be (especially during the Victorian era) considered a sin to be prideful. Today it seems to be regarded as a strength...however pride is now separated into: arrogance and pride, arrogance being the evil and exaggerated form of pride and simple pride being the healthy form. I see that as another deception that has taken hold of many, even within "the Church".

Doing a word search using the search parameters the words "pride" "proud" and "shame" in the Bible brought forth many nuggets of truth.

Here's a sampling from the Proverbs (KJV):

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Proverbs 8:13

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. Proverbs 11:2

 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them. Proverbs 14:3

 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. Proverbs 16:5 (people even today join hand in hand to encourage each other in their pride)

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 16:18&19

A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. Proverbs 29:23

and from the New Testament:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
        the lust of the flesh,
        and the lust of the eyes,
        and the pride of life,
 is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away,
and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:15-17

I've also seen humility faked all over the place, by both Christians and non-Christians. Pride is a human trait, one that needs to be confessed before a holy God. If we pretend we have no sin, we lie (1 John 1:8). My husband sometimes jokes: "The minute you think you are humble, you aren't" and "I am proud that I can say I am humble". Indeed humility, true humility, comes from God. That is the lesson many fail because the hardships and struggles of this life should bring us to a point of humility before God. Instead today we see people fighting for their rights to have everything that they want, fighting anyone who stands in their way...including God. And then they feign their humility when they are told how wonderful and clever they are. How ridiculous.... however God will have the last laugh.


Posts that are related:

God's Righteousness vs Self-righteousness

The Worldly-Wise

and this from my other blog:

Argument with Ignorance 

Horticulture

Update on my garden: it is still blooming and looking wonderful.

Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd:
        and their soul shall be as a watered garden;
               and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
                          Jeremiah 31:12 (KJV)

I've been thinking about this verse. When I go outside to water, all the thirsty plants drink in the water and make me so glad and uplifted. Lately we've been getting some rain so I haven't had to water them as much. I just go out and enjoy their beauty.

Many of my annuals are forming seeds so I've been gathering them to try to start them from seed in the spring. I have some flowers that I haven't seen that particular color variety before so it'll be wonderful if I am successful.

I'm also experimenting with trying my hand at starting new plants from cuttings...

I started these about a week ago and they are still green...it's a good sign. :)

The packets next to the plants are all of my seed gatherings.

I've also been thinking about the parable of Jesus when He related hearers to four soils. If I wasn't around to have prepared the ground it would have been rocky and weedy and trampled by careless passersby,  and it wouldn't have gotten the water it needs. It makes me aware of the fact that I'm thankful the Lord prepared me to hear Him, and since that time I've continually sought Him to help keep the weeds at bay and water me in times of drought. There was a time I was very stubborn and thought I knew better for myself than anyone else. I am thankful that I was able to lay down that arrogance and self-pride. God showed me a much better way.

Hear the parable of the sower of the four soils:

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, 

Behold, a sower went forth to sow;   And when he sowed, 

some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?  

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:  

For this people's heart is waxed gross, 

and their ears are dull of hearing, 

and their eyes they have closed; 

lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.  

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

  

 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 

  

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Matthew 13:4-23 (KJV)

At one time or another I was all of the above soils. I had a praying grandmother when I was a small child, so perhaps this is why the Lord never gave up on me. I also remember hearing the parable of the four soils preached by our Seventh day Adventist pastor when I was about 11 years old, and I remember there coming a silent unspoken response in me, a thought that came to me that said: "I hope that I am that good soil, God please make me the good soil"...and I believe He heard my heart and began even then preparing my "ground". However I was still going to go through the other phases of poor soils and I still would mock those who believed in Jesus thinking myself so much more superior than those poor, silly, superstitious morons. I would still go through many terrible situations and if I would have died then I know I would have gone straight to hell, and yet I didn't die at that time, and believe me when I say that there were several times that I could have and absolutely should have, and yet somehow He kept me from killing myself through my blind stupidity. He prepared my soil during this time, answering the silent prayer of a little girl in a heretical "church" and yet He was able to get through to me in this church that taught heresies because He spoke to me through that portion of the sermon when the pastor read actual words from the Bible.

I'm not recommending this as a good procedure.
Not at all.
It just proves the fact that God can even use a talking donkey to do His work.
It wasn't overnight.
It took MANY years in developing.
He was faithful even when I wasn't.

I just hope I am half as good a gardener as the Lord is (even that I think would be exceedingly abounding), and can grow a successful garden next year from my cuttings and seedlings. 

<3

Regarding Honesty and Openness

It has been requested of me (more than once) to share my testimony. Portions of how the Lord has intervened on my behalf can be found here and there on this blog amongst a few separate blog posts however I have yet to write out a formal testimony of my conversion to the God of the Bible, Who is the only true God.

It isn't that I'm embarrassed or afraid of anyone's disapproval or rejection in this matter. 

That is never a consideration when doing anything truly for God, nor should it be; self-congratulations and self anything have no place in it therefore if everyone except God rejected me for it I would still be on the side of the majority of the only One who matters. I have little patience nor respect for cowards who shirk from doing what is right because those who are wrong seem to be the majority and then these likewise shrink from the side of right to submit to the seemingly popular wrong (perhaps they are only more vocal and boisterous?) to gain popularity and acceptance.

I've been wanting to make a few changes to this blogsite before writing out my testimony and I hope to get to these matters soon, all in God's time, eh?! (slowly but surely, remember that it was the tortoise and not the hare that won the race)

Blessings, and I pray that Jesus gives each person reading here a boldness in Him, not in selfish endeavors that focus only on yourself and your own ideas of what you think best, but what is truly good, holy and pure and the only outcome that is truly a blessed one. 

I pray that when I do share what God has done for me in my testimony, that it will be for blessing others not for the purpose elevating myself, and ultimately only for bringing blessing to Whom all blessings belong in the first place, 

from Whom all blessings flow: 

Jesus our Lord and Saviour, Almighty God

" Is eternal torment a just punishment for being wrong? "

I cannot for a moment expect to convince anyone (including myself) that I know everything about heaven and hell and exactly what that will be like, however I do have a trust that the One who has created these as well as so much more that I do not know about has a full understanding of them, and of us and our ways of justifying ourselves when we go against the One who made us.

When God originally created us He made us to be without death. There is a portion or element (that isn't exactly right either, but how to word it???) in us that God created to be like (having similarity to) Himself. Many think that our reasoning ability or our creative ability is that quality, and many think it might also include our physical appearance having qualities that have a likeness to God's physical appearance, which does agree with Jesus being God and Him having those physical and reasoning/creative qualities.

A long time ago when I only saw God as a figment of man's religious imaginings and also viewed each religion having good things to offer, I wondered why the Christian's God would knowingly create a devil and people that He knew would screw up and send us into a situation that would end up with MANY people going to a place of eternal torment. How could that be loving? Why would He do that? The problem of course is that I look at these things from fallen mankind's point of view. When I surrendered to Christ I submitted myself to wanting to understand it from His point of view, and that is obtained by seeking Him out sincerely in His word to us and through the confirmation He gives through His Holy Spirit of what is true and what is false.

Jesus gave us many parables of what the Kingdom of heaven is like. Why didn't God just come right out and show us all directly? Why do we have to work so hard at this and why must it include having a trust in a God that we cannot all see with our physical eyes in our mortality? Why did Jesus have to die and leave so that we would receive the Holy Spirit to have to rely on? Many, many unending questions and God simply says "trust Me", but how? How does one trust anyone? You learn about Him over time and He does promise to reveal Himself to those who honestly seek Him out with passion and conviction of knowing and confessing our weaknesses and shortcomings.

The question "Is eternal torment a just punishment for being wrong?" is a question that I've asked myself prior to being saved and have struggled with after being saved. The difference is that prior to my salvation I thought that my reasonings on this were just as qualified and justifiable as any other on any topic and that everyone has a right to their own opinions on this and anything else, and that would be true if God indeed is a product of mankind's imagination. But then if there is no God, why is there a deep down desire in us to worship (setting aside all of the holes in the theory of evolution and that whole mess, let's just focus on our spiritual inclinations or the opposing spiritual revulsions we as human beings have)? I've heard it said, and I wholeheartedly agree that we all worship something whether it be the God of the Bible, or things in this world, people we admire and set up as idols, the world itself as Gaea the "earth mother", money and the things that it can provide us with, or ultimately we worship ourselves and elevate what we ourselves want to think and want to believe as the highest of what is to be worshiped.

So is THAT a just punishment for being wrong? Eternal hell? Really?

According to what I've learned from the Bible, the premise for that question is incorrect. Going back to the fact that we have inside of us a quality that is like God, a spiritual quality, an eternal quality, then it is reasonable to understand that this quality will continue on without end. If God is the ultimate good, then anything that stands opposed to the ultimate good is evil. The devil was once "good" and then for whatever reason (the Bible said he desired to put himself above God, and I can see this as perfectly logical) he turned against God and took a third of the angels of heaven to be on his side. When God created this devil didn't He know that this creature should not be created? Why did He? We can ask why questions all day long as a petulant child could wear out a parent with incessant "why" questions, and in the end it truly is "Because God said so".

I believe from what I see in the Bible that when God created everything He created it "good" but not "perfect" because only He is perfect. If I were to liken it to a parable that has meaning in our human life it would be that I can create paintings and sculptures etc, but these will never be the equal of what I am and have all the qualities that I have as God created me to be. So God created good things that had a potential inherent in it to be able to go bad. When I create something that turns out to be (in my estimation) a failure, I scrap it, out it goes into the rubbish with all other rubbish. God created us as good with a quality that has a likeness to Himself, and according to the Bible, that likeness includes an eternal spiritual element or quality.

When Jesus died He was on a cross that was just over a giant trash heap that was always burning which was named Gehenna. Everything that happens and is retold of in the Bible has a reason for being so. The pagan symbolism that many might equate with this Christian narrative might be of a phoenix rising up out of it's own fiery ashes of it's destruction. But that isn't the complete story of what is being represented with this occurrence in the life of Christ. The trash heap is a result of the trash that is made by us, by mankind, one of the physical consequences of our decline into spiritual depravity. He provided a way that takes us from this trash, to pay the ransom price that releases us from what our destiny is. Because of the fall we are all destined for that eternally burning trashpile because we are horribly disfigured spiritually by the rebellion against God. God has made a way---only one (like a governor's pardon for a death row inmate) way to be released from a destiny that is absolutely the one we are all justly headed for, and if we do not accept it, it is our one and only ticket out of that certain destination.

So then the answer to the question "Is eternal torment a just punishment for being wrong?" is "yes", and the answer to "why?" is:
               "Because God said so".

If that isn't good enough for you, you worship your own way more than you worship God's way, and you will have no excuse.

Force Feeding a Cat

When I was first saved (a long, long time ago) I got the notion that it was my duty to now save EVERYONE. I talk about a dream that I had way back then on this blog post (toward the bottom of the post). About that time a young man told me that it was no good that I try to be the Holy Spirit for people, that I was trying to force people to "get it" and that doing so was like trying to force feed a cat.

image link

Yeah, something like that, and I can get almost that determined too. But a kitty (even one that is a more common housecat variety) would have to be pretty near starving to death to require that kind of intervention, however, I had somehow decided people didn't realize they were headed to hell (rightly) and that spiritually speaking they truly are starving to death and that this required immediate action on my part. Yes, yes, and no.

Fast forward to today... I've accepted that your normal garden-variety hateful and hate-filled atheist is going to hell, period. Well, true that the Lord can supernaturally intervene in that person's life like He did with Saul/Paul, but anyway, I realize that for me it would be a hopeless cause. And I also understand that those who have a hunger to understand (like the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts ch 8) the Lord will make sure someone will help out. But what about those who are starving, and so near dying of starvation, and who think they are "just fine"??? I surely need to give them some immediate and direct intervenous assistance to save them from what they are just too happy to suffer, and because they are mere inches from a fate worse than death down their "road of life"??? Surely God requires due diligence of me; someone who clearly sees what is going on here???

Well....again that would presuppose that the Lord doesn't have a handle on each person's individual situation, and He does, no matter how much they hate Him, or insist that they know more about Him than the average stupid Christian does, or what have you, He knows everything, He knows IT ALL! The imagery about us being His hands and His feet on earth is a nice story, and He does use us to do His will from time to time, but He doesn't always require it. Besides, the best thing we can do for others in spiritual dire straights is pray. We see Moses doing it for those wayward Israelites time and time again, some of those Israelites were beyond that "point of no return" and some learned the lesson from what they see happen to them...

Moses and Korah

Yeah, the situation with Korah got him into alot of trouble with God, for sure, and even though Moses tried to intervene, well, the rest of the people were pretty shaken up about it but I think God got through...

To summarize this: I still struggle with trying to force feed a cat, when instead I just need to stay steady on the course to finish the race the Lord set before me. If I were in a race, and I tried dragging unwilling "would-be participants" who really don't want to be in that race, dragging them kicking and screaming, is that really accomplishing ANYTHING? And yet I continually try to do just that.

Heb 12:1-3 (ESV)

Therefore, 
since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses, 
let us also lay aside every weight, 
and sin 
which clings so closely, 
and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us,   
looking to Jesus, 
the founder and perfecter of our faith, 
who for the joy that was set before him 
endured the cross, 
despising the shame, 
and is seated 
at the right hand of the throne of God.   
Consider him 
who endured from sinners

such hostility

against himself, 
so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.


So true, and amen.

A New Chapter

 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: 

we spend our years as a tale that is told.  

 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; 

and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, 

yet is their strength labour and sorrow; 

for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.  

Who knoweth the power of thine anger?

 even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.   

So teach us to number our days, 

that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 

  Psalm 90:9-12 (KJV)

Last month was an ending of one chapter and the beginning of a new one for me. The difficulties I had to endure during the previous chapter prepared me for the life I now live, and at the time I was going through the greatest trials of that previous chapter, I was unable to see anything other than the trials. Now, in hindsight, I understand how the Lord used these things to strengthen me and shape me into the character that I am today.

A new beginning...a new year has just begun, winter is almost over and spring is just around the corner...it all feels so fresh and new and alive.

This situation has me pondering how our life today prepares us for the life after this life, a new beginning in a new land, and this life that I am living now will be "the previous chapter" in that new land and all that is right now will have disappeared from my consciousness, just as my previous 50+ years are just  memories which have laid a groundwork for where I am today.

In my Bible reading I am at the point in the book of Numbers where Joshua and Caleb were the 2 out of the 12 which gave a good report of the promised land which lay before them. The other 10 spoke of giants that would eat them alive. These 10 were successful in striking fear and doubts into the hearts of the rest of the Israelites, which then caused them to be stuck in their "chapter" of wandering in the wilderness for another 40 years before they could finally reach that land flowing with milk and honey, their next chapter.

Before coming to this point of where I am, I had doubts and fears about what will be expected of me, and how it all will turn out. I'm thankful that the Lord provides me with the strength to overcome the challenges which seem to threaten me and stand in my way. He helps me today, into this new chapter which will give me new challenges to overcome.

Conspiracy Theories and Where I am Now...

For quite a while I really "was into" reading, watching Youtube videos, listening to audio interviews etc, on anything that could be lumped into the category of "conspiracy theory". I say "was" like in "time past" AND however, I still agree that the "official version" of what happened to JFK and 9/11 is probably not "what really happened", and after watching hours of videos of the evidence for and against the U.S. landing on the moon, I still think we ( and by "we" here I mean a human being) never set foot on the moon.

 Well, can't say I ever went *that* far lol...

 image link

But be that as it may (I may or may not be right about any or all of that) it REALLY DOESN'T MATTER in the eternal sense of who I am in Christ. This world is going to hell in a handbasket, and I think anyone who has his head screwed on straight should know that by now, so knowing what the Bildebergers say behind closed doors, or knowing who belongs to the Illuminati club, really doesn't add or subtract from the plans God has for those who love Him.
*We (and by "we" here I mean those who are in Christ Jesus, washed and regenerated by His blood) are not of this world, and nothing that this world can do to us can thwart what God has in store for us, nothing.
*We will all die here ....

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.

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

Being Faithful Today

Wow, this was posted on my friend Lyn's Blog, and it resonates, hard to find such solid teaching today that cuts to the heart, and is a message that is much needed for our healing today. If we do not feel sorrow when we see these things all around us, if we do not feel compassion and a desire to pull a few out of the fire from these things, or to warn anyone and everyone possible of the progression of this condition, the blight, in our land, it makes me sad that the church has become that luke-warm and uncaring, and only concerned about self instead of wanting to sound the alarm.

I hope anyone who stumbles onto my little blog will take the time to listen to the warning, hear what the Spirit says, and carry the message to a nation that is in it's death throws:


Sermon on Romans 1:28-32

The pastor mentions that today we cannot be a faithful Christian without being called "hateful" or "homophobe" or "ignorant" (I forget the exact labels he gives that we get labeled, but you get the idea). How true. We would much rather be called "loving" and "everyone's friend" etc, because then we can "feel good about ourselves"... but is that what Jesus called us to? Didn't He say that we would be hated, and that people would want to kill us and think they were doing a good thing for God?

We need to sound the alarm, send that life preserver out to anyone who might be listening.

Eze 3:17  Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
Eze 3:18  When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:19  Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Eze 3:20  Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:21  Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. 

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

Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Is it a sin to want only to accept praise and not want to "make waves"? To isolate ourselves and pretend that "he is not my brother, God will do what He will" and wash our hands of it, and pretend it doesn't touch us?  I pray that the Lord will strengthen us each one to the task of praising the Lord in the midst of adversity, speaking of His healing and cleansing blood, in a violent and ugly world that is bent on destruction. Let us not remain quiet and seemingly approve of the things that should have us say something, anything, that will warn, convict, bring godly sorrow. Otherwise our hands will have the blood on them of those who could have been warned by us.

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.

I have been guilty of joking about things that shouldn't be joked about, things that are shameful, that should bring sorrow, not joking. I pray for the strength and wisdom to not only not joke about such things, but to speak up about what is right, and what is wrong, and to hold high the standard so others see the light, not keep His light covered, so that my own light of "self-righteousness" (and receive people's approval, but not God's approval)  seems brighter to others. I pray this for others as well. May the Lord shine His light through us even if (and especially when) it makes us look unpleasant in the eyes of others. Speak the truth, in love, out of concern for a lost and dying world who hate what is true.

 The truth reveals our stubborn vanity which is our desire to do only what is pleasing to our flesh, and will gain us man's approval and false "love". Let us seek to do what God wills to the denying of our flesh. Let your light shine before men so that men will praise God, not you or me or our "goodness", which is nothing, it is false, it is a facade. Only God's goodness counts. His goodness cleanses and heals a lost and dying world to the forgiveness of sins. This world will pass away. He will save a few out of it. Let us rejoice if we ourselves might have been used by a holy God to cause even one to repent and turn from the evil of this world. I pray in Jesus name, and for HIS sake, amen.

Gay Pride Week

This week was "Gay Pride Week", and it began last Sunday, which coincidentally was Pentacost, the anniversary of the birth of the Church. I don't believe in coincidences, actually. I believe that there are people who deliberately chose Pentacost as the day to begin "Gay Pride Week". Pride is the wickedest of sins because it blinds us from seeing how truly repulsive our sins are before a holy God. God hates pride. So to have pride in behaving in truly abominable perversion and to openly and brazenly throw it in God's face on Pentacost is truly hateful as well as stupid. Do you think our nation deserves a spanking for such things? Do you think any of us are "innocent", truly? We all need forgiveness on a daily basis. Pride has no place in any of our lives, for anything that we do, unless our pride is in what Jesus does, and then it isn't really pride, it is thankful humility that does not need parading.

Tomorrow (Saturday) is Gay Day at Disney World in Orlando Florida. I pray that God will prick hearts tomorrow toward truly repenting and sorrowing over all sins being flaunted in His face. I pray for the courage and strength and conviction needed to speak up as God gives me wisdom.

Be Ready and Strong in the Lord

Verichip identification coming soon...the logo is very creepy ...and new info on DARPA's work with cyborg technology:

Toward the end they encourage people to stand against it, to change the outcome, to stop it...well, I personally don't think it will be stopped until Jesus comes back, but I do think we need to be ready to resist it, not to change it, to be ready to die because I do believe that many are going to die. I agree with the woman at about the 6 minute mark (show her under the London Tower Bridge) who says it will change everything, everyone will be made into a slave of the new system. We need to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might, to endure what is surely going to come, and to resist unto death.

The Evil We See... and God's Love

Yesterday morning, just before waking I had this dream:

There are terrible creatures, hideous, somewhat reptile-like, somewhat human-like. They are destroying everything and everyone in their path. The people they encounter are torn apart, or squeezed to death, blood is everywhere. One looks right at me as I am looking at this terrible horrible scene. He rushes to me but I have a force field in front of me. He hits it really hard, and I can see a large crack in the shield but it remains firmly in place before me. He loses interest in me and continues killing and destroying in other directions, as I look passively on. I recognize that I am looking at all of this and have no feelings about it at all. I see death and mayhem and blood everywhere, and have no compassion, or sorrow. I see that even though I am not doing the killing, that I am no better than the demons that are doing the ruthless slaughter. I just like them, feel no love for those being senselessly slaughtered. I am cold and heartless....and then I awaken, and think about what I just dreamed...


What comes to mind first of all, is that this is truly happening in the realm of the spirit. Demons are seeking whom they can destroy, and they are having a field day, wreaking havoc on this fallen world. God protects His own, and the devil cannot touch them (me included)...but because I am not being hurt, I can be cold and unfeeling about the people who are being hurt, and destroyed, by the devil's very ill behaviour. Even though I could clearly see the perilousness of the situation, the disgusting, violent, and senseless destruction, I have no sense of pity or horror, UNTIL I think it is tainting me by making me look bad (just as evil as the demons) to not have the correct pity towards the afflicted. And this is true about me. I do not have enough of a sense of urgency for the lost and dying. I do not make use of what I know about Jesus to try to help those in the devil's clutches. God selects whomsoever He will, but He chooses to use His elect to reach others. But many of His elect are like me. We see the sin, the evil, and if it doesn't touch us directly...
 we can choose to watch....
or choose to look away....

...but how often do we choose in God's strength and through prayer, to intervene?

Zec 4:6  Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
Zec 4:7  Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'"
Zec 4:8  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Zec 4:9  "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
Zec 4:10  For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. "These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth."





I know that in my own strength and by my own ability I cannot accomplish anything worth anything in eternity...and then it is only (usually) to bring glory to myself for my heroic deeds. But in Christ I can do anything


Php 4:10  I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.
Php 4:11  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
Php 4:12  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
Php 4:13  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Php 4:14  Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 

Perhaps it is partly because of "the spirit of the age" that I have become numbed to the horrors of what is going on today. I can simply turn off the television and then go on about my own business, and as long as I feel good about myself, everything is good. The rest of the world can "go to hell in a hand-basket" but if it doesn't touch me, why worry about it? It's going to happen anyway, right? Or should I still wrestle in the spirit about it, and pray for understanding, and strength and compassion to at least attempt to do some small thing for the Lord that might be used by Him to save a lost soul? Can I look on what is happening with compassion, angst, the love of Christ, instead of looking away so I can be "at peace"? So I can feel good about myself? What did Jesus do? If I do not feel for the lost, am I just as cold and unfeeling as the demons that are ripping the unsaved to shreds? Yes, I believe that I am just that cold and unfeeling, at times, and only by God's grace and His help is there any hope for me to reach his lost ones through me in this decaying and tormented world.


Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

When to Keep Silent

link to picture

Let me just say right off the bat that I have a problem with keeping my mouth shut when it is probably best that I do. Is my saying something every time I feel the urge to do so really that important to God? Speaking the truth in love, even when it seems unloving to the world is certainly important and necessary, is it not? Yes, AND, however, the Lord also wants us to do so with wisdom and compassion and love with the eternal consequences ever before us.

A long while back, a friend in the Lord gave me this illustration to help me understand what I was doing wrong. He said:

Say you have a cat. This cat loves fresh salmon. One day you put down a dish of fresh, yummy salmon for your cat, and your cat decided, for whatever reason, that he wasn't hungry yet. You, on the other hand, decide that it is time for the cat to eat the salmon you have placed before him, and you want him to eat it NOW. So you take the cat by the scruff of the neck and start jamming this yummy salmon down the cat's throat. This cat might never want to eat salmon again, especially if it is coming from you. 

Sigh. Wise words.

James 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Now having said that, I don't want to confuse the saying or not saying with something that is similar but ever so different. I also see this being done today, and it is just as wrong as saying things that need to be left to the Holy Spirit to convict the person of in His own time. What I mean is, it is also wrong to not say something because one wants to feign being "loving" but it comes out of a fear of losing the other person's affection. We are to speak the truth in love. That doesn't mean going on and on about something when the person stopped listening hours ago. It also doesn't mean not saying anything at all. It is somewhere in the middle. We need to have the wisdom to speak the truth in love, once, maybe twice AT MOST, and then leave it with the Lord to do His work in the life of that person, and just show that person how much you love him in the Lord.

Have I perfected this? No. It is still something the Lord is working with me on, to develop that wisdom of when to speak, and when to STOP IT and let Him do His work...this is difficult for me, extremely so. I go from one extreme (to go on and on about something) to the other (to not say anything at all, and do a "loving act" phoney as can be).

Thankfully, the Lord knows what to do with a few measly loaves and fishes (my feeble and much less than  perfect offerings), and make them abound with His good nourishment for the soul. :)

Who is Kony?

 (edited to add links at the bottom of this post)

Who Is Kony? And Is He Worth Losing Our Civil Liberties Over?

I was roaming around the internet looking at other people's thoughts on various blogs, and came across some comments about Kony 2012 and how we need to get rid of Kony who according to the person's blog that I was reading, was equivalent to the antichrist (or almost). So I did some looking around...and found out some things.

This young lady is from Uganda, and although she lives outside of Uganda, she states that she still visits there regularly. She says the campaign against Kony is a bunch of B.S. So I had to wonder: "Then what is going on?" Please watch what she has to say, and then consider Alex Jones comments to follow:

 

Some might not like Alex Jones....I agree with him much of the time (not all, but I do agree with him on this one)...the clip in the beginning shows Obama talking, saying:

"Do I think our actions in any way VIOLATE the war powers resolution? (please check link, and yes he does violate the war powers resolution) The answer is "no". So I don't even have to get to the Constitutional question."

...um, wait, look at that comment again...wasn't his oath to UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA????????????? what is he talking about? Watch this video carefully, and watch what Leon Panetta at the very start of this clip says about sidestepping Congress and the response "What I hear you saying is we are going to seek international approval and then tell the Congress what we are going to do"....wow...

Please I hope you are paying attention and see what is happening to our country:

 

Links:

 http://materread.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/slick-hollywood-kona-psyop-twists-peace-into-war-cry-that-is-so-sick/#comment-296

 http://www.princesswarriorlessons.com/2012/03/kony-2012-what-if-it-was-your-child.html

 http://www.shandaoakleyinspires.com/2012/03/should-christians-give-to-kony-2012.html

Christian Zionism

Please prayerfully consider the sobering words in this video, it's an hour long, and it can be listened to while doing other things because it is an audio with pictures, if you can at least listen to what is said, it is well worth your consideration. There are many tricks up the devil's sleeve, and who does he want to misdirect most if not the church? If he can get church attenders to do things "in Jesus name" that are completely against the golden rule of "Love God above all and your neighbor as yourself" and to "Pray for Israel" and "Pray for your enemies" by thinking it is perfectly Christian to bomb our perceived enemies and support policies which state such, are we not making the truth of God evil spoken of?

The Roots of Christian Zionism: How Scofield Sowed Seeds of Apostasy from WHTT on Vimeo.

The Gospel

2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power

 This is one of those "trouble passages" for a TULIP Calvinist like me, and one that Arminians love to "use against me". With the word "obey" right there "in my face", how can I say that being saved does not involve something that I do and keep on doing to keep myself there? Hmmm....?

"Obey not THE GOSPEL"....

What is the gospel? What is the "good news" and how do we "obey" it?

From what Jesus has taught me in His word, THE GOSPEL is the good news that He paid the price for my sin, and I am to trust in Him and His finished work. I am supposed to REST IN JESUS, but without His help in this, it is something I cannot do...and I confess that I cannot do it, and REST in the fact that Jesus can, and does, and already did everything to secure that for me, and that is GOOD NEWS (gospel) indeed!

EDITED TO ADD

Gregg at Gospel Driven Disciples has the word GOSPEL for his A to Z challenge word for today. He has some excellent info on that excellent word here