Christian

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: I now see

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I now understand the empathetic emotions that the prophets experienced as they tried to speak to Israel and make them aware that they were going down the wrong road. I see the anguish they must have felt at having those they talk to belittle and dismiss what they said.
I see those about me stating and strongly believing they are in good standing with God, then I see things like this last Sunday where all their worship and praise did not go to God, but to a group of men upon a field. The new gladiators of the modern era.
Now I know that we are to live our lives in moderation, but this is not moderate behavior. This is worship, this is praise, and this is glorification. They placed all their emotions into the event. They watched like it was a religious ceremony. Afraid to leave where they were, afraid they would miss something spectacular. Yet it was not the God they profess to service or honor, but other humans.
Yet to them God is great for a few minutes a day, but the rest of the day belongs to them and what they truly wish to worship. They pull out God when it is convenient for them, when they wish to show the world their goodness, their piety. They compartmentalize each part of their lives, only showing that which is important to them at that particular moment. Seeking for their own glory and reward in this temporal time and place.
As they do this they find it unpleasant when someone points out that this is not the true way to worship God. They get upset when they are shown it is not something they can walk away from at the drop of a hat like they do when it come to the things of God. All I can hear is 2 Peter going through my head.
2 Peter 2:18-22 (NLT)
18 They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. 19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. 20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”
And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.
People need to wake up and see where they are heading. In their minds they see salvation and glory, but their actions seek out the rewards and pleasures of the world. How truly saddening it is to have the eyes that see and the ears that hear.
May the true glory of God shine upon as many as possible that will see the true light and turn from the path into the darkness and back to the true light of eternal salvation and reward. Amen.

Confession of a screwed up middle aged man: the corner

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As I write this I had just left a situation where I made people feel cornered in their beliefs. I feared their response when I asked a question but included the statement of “yuck … football.”
This set them off for they could not accept that they thought more of a sport than they did of God. So they attacked as I knew they would.
I knew they were not ready for the truth. I sensed it, but they pushed. I told them twice later I warned them, but they were beyond listening at that point.
I was able to reprove, in a way rebuke and slightly able to exhort, but by then they had started using the “judging” card. Unaware of the true meaning of what “judging” really is as I feared would be the case.
By the time it is was done they had shut me down, but seeds were planted, for God wanted that to happen.

She understood

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When Jesus walked amongst us his mission was to offer the kingdom of God unto the people of Israel. Finally they reached a point when their acceptance was mandated, but they instead doubted and reject Him. Once this accrued Jesus stopped teaching in open teachings. Instead He switched over to teaching parables. These even the disciples sometimes didn’t understand.
Then one day He came into the area of Tyre and Sidon.
Here a Canaanite woman approached Him and asked Christ to cast a demon out of her daughter. He ignored her. He made a statement that He as there for Israel. Then He spoke a parable:
““It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
Now when He spoke other parables Jesus would say. “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
This took place in chapter 13 of Matthew
So here we have a Canaanite woman and Christ says unto her a parable and her response is to that parable that though gentiles are dogs do they not eat the crumbs of the bread that fall to the ground.
There is two things of import here. First that she had enough faith to know the words coming from Christ and understand them as well as know that He is the Messiah when she called Him the “Son of David. The second that she, a gentile and a woman, had exceeded those that Jesus had specifically come for. This is why He states that her faith is great, for it was.
There are two major factors we must understand in the last point. First being a gentile yet knowing Jesus is the Christ. The second being that she was female. This is why the disciples ask Jesus to send her away. Women were not thought of as they are today and being a pagan didn’t help. Yet she exceeded all of Israel in her believe in Jesus.
Matthew 15: 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Life is grey…. Really?

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I just love when I hear someone say that life is grey and not black and white. By the way that was sarcasm. In actuality it saddens me when I hear these words. Once again it speaks to the lack of Biblical teaching parents are instructed to do within the Bible to their children.
It is this mentality that all is grey that opens the door to sin and the acceptance of sin. I think this is one reason Jesus Himself says that it is worse for those that are lukewarm than it is for those that are cold to Him.
More and more I hear this, and it is even sadder when I hear it come from the mouth of clergy. Those that are to be our mentors, our teachers and our Sheppard.
Now it is every individual’s right to either accept or deny there is a God, but what is more important is that the choice they make be an informed decision. If they do not understand that “if” there is a God that they have the right to understand what their choice will mean on an eternal level. Now I used quotation marks because I have no doubt there is a God, but there will be those that do not believe this because of how they were taught.
Jesus knew this. This is why he taught His disciples how to do things when it came to teaching of God.
The Jewish people knew there was a God, but they lacked in true understanding and knowledge of the Torah. If they had they would not have rejected Him, but they did. This is how it is for those that profess to be Christian today. They have no true understanding of the Bible and what the meaning of our lives are; not only now in this temporal life but in the eternal life to come.
It is when I hear people say that life is grey that I know it is not the right mentality they are living their life under. It is more for their own glorification and not God’s glorification.
It is from this selfishness that Jesus is referring to when He states that all evil comes from within our hearts, for it is true. This is why we need to leave this mentality that the world is grey and return to what we have been told it truly is. Black and white.
Revelation 3: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Extremist

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I heard this word today and so I decided to seek clarification for all about this word. So I will start with the definition and go from there.
Extremist – 1. a person who goes to extremes, especially in political matters.
2. a supporter or advocate of extreme doctrines or practices.
Extremism – belief in and support for ideas that are very far from what most people consider correct or reasonable
Extreme – : very great in degree
: very serious or severe
: very far from agreeing with the opinions of most people : not moderate
The key in these definitions is the words “most” and “moderate.”
As I look over these definitions what I see as important to realize is what if someone that is not amongst most that are moderate and sees someone of an opposing view point. To them since they themselves are not moderate would see someone on the other side as extreme.
But what is moderate?
That is the big question these days. I can actually see both sides of this issue and I understand why there is confusion. Here is the dilemma.
As of 2014 per http://www.gallup.com/poll/180452/liberals-record-trail-conservatives.aspx moderates form 38 % of the population, 34 % are conservative, and 24 percent are liberal. This has been changing due to actions by those in power and in the education of our college students since the 1960s.
Still only 24% of the population is liberal but many of these are in important parts of the government, business, and especially education. These in reality would be those that should be call “extremist.” Why? Because of the founding principles of this nation:
1) Rights come from God, not government
2) All political power emanate from the people
3) A limited representative republic
4) A written constitution
5) Protection of private property
These are conservative, but are the foundation of this nation. This is why those that are liberal could be considered extremist, because for one they do not fall into the boundaries of the majority that being the moderate and conservative combined. Then for the other reason have no desire to attempt to conform to what is moderate and wish to discount God, remove the political power from the people, have the government control all; remove the constitution (since is it is antiquated) and wish none to own anything but have it all owned by everyone (everyone being those like themselves since they know what is best for all). But should we call them that? No we should not. In fact I feel no one should be called extremist within the borders of the United States at this time.
A true example of extremism is those that flock to ISIS, in which it is their belief that only they are perfect and all others are inferior. That women are not equals. That homosexuals should be killed. That slavery is the natural order for those that are inferior to them for they are not human. That behead those that do not agree with them.
That is a true example of extremism.
But back to the U.S. So when I hear someone use the term extremist it tells me that someone is not looking correctly at this nation and it works and need to awaken to that fact that they actually have it good here.
Simply the moment someone says that someone is an “extremist” they need to be called out and told that is a word you should not throw about so loosely. It is a word that shows the user is prejudice and needs to be educated in the hate they are causing and spreading.

Mixed signals

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As we approach the first primary to show that Christendom has awakened all I see about me is mixed signals. I see an uproar from many, but it is an uproar that in many aspects reminds me of the 2008 campaign that shot Obama into the spotlight and stated the systematic break down of this nation by those that we are told to mark and avoid within the Bible itself.
Romans 16:17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. 18 Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.
Many are now awake to this, but many more are not. Those that should see the division being caused by Trump, Clinton and Sanders still clamor and shout their praises of these charlatans. Many are still blind and those that claim not to be blind are. Example: Jerry Farwell Jr. giving support for someone who does not even know the Bible to the point of saying “Two Corinthians” not “2nd Corinthians.”
Cruz is more Christian than Trump, but I worry over him. He does not show true humility.
Matthew 20:26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,…
I see more of this from Paul and Carson. Yet if Carson is a Seventh Day Adventist I have my concerns over his values.
Out of all the truest “moderate” is Paul. He has ideas that are truly in the middle and will fix this nation yet the media down play and hide him. To me this is something that marks him as worthwhile. Someone to learn more about.
But still there are mixed signals. Why? Because even though many have awaken to the failings within the Christian community in the nation. Most still would rather talk about and watch sports, celebrities and that which divides us more than to pursue God.
God has sent us a wakeup call in Obama. God has declared a judgment against this nation and this man is His tool to make us either awaken to our sins or to fall deeper into damnation.
This election is the line in the sand from the Lord God Almighty. Will those living in confusion truly awaken to the reality of our Creator and will this nation continue it’s down spiral into destruction.

God is not neutral

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I ran into a post on Facebook last night that caused me to read a linked article. I would love to include this in the post, but it appears the person posting it didn’t like my response and so I cannot find it again to allow you to read it.
What the article implied is that “Christians” need to make themselves more appealing to the masses to bring more into “Christianity.”
Here was the first problem. Christians are told to be a reflection of Christ. Does this mean to be kind, loving and caring? By all means yes, but the person writing the article had issues with those that show where the Bible says we should not tell people not to sin because this infringes on this person’s right to live as they wish.
Here was the kicker for me though. The person writing the post said God does not take sides for God is just God. The implication was that God is neutral. A being that sits above looking down and does not interact with His creation. This in itself would negate the need for Jesus to have come into this reality and to have died upon the cross for our sins.
Here is the point I want to get across. God is not neutral. He is already on a “side.” For the Bible tells us clearly that it is we the humans that must choose a side. This is why we have free will. The person writing the article stated that God does not belong to any party, not to disagree but that is not true, as I stated in my reply to this post in Facebook was that officially per the Bible, God was not a democrat. This is true. For democrats support things within the Bible that are called sins. Sins are of the world and are on the opposite side of God. For the Bible clearly states that if humans befriend the world they are the ENEMIES of God. In another post I re-posted a few days ago and showed several key elements within the Democratic Party that shows them to be the enemies of God. As Jesus said Himself a house divided cannot stand. So since God cannot be His own enemy those that befriend and live in the world and support sin and even encourage sin are on the opposite side of God.
Those that come to know that God is real and accept Jesus Christ are their Savior know that they must strive daily to become more and more like Jesus. When doing this they know they are getting closer and closer to the light, the good and the glorious. For this is the side that God has always been on. Any that say we must make “Christianity” more appealing to the masses have no true concept of what it means to be a child of God, and I truly am sorry for them and pray that they may one day see the light before it is too late, but time is running out in that department for all.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

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.

Whose timing do you work under?

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People speed about going faster than the speed limit. People yell at the baggage claims person standing outside in the cool fearing their luggage will not make it on to the plane in time. Why? Because they waited to the last minute to get to the airport. These are examples of things I have actually witnessed in my life. Whose timing are these people following? Is it God? The answer is obvious to that. No, they are not.
When people say they are turning over their lives  to God they seem to forget little important aspects of their lives.
You see the first two commandants given to us by Jesus Christ Himself cover a LOT of territory when it comes to a Godly relationship. The First being to love God with all your heart, mind and soul. Simply place God first in EVERY thing you do. From getting to work, appointments, to personal interaction with people you encounter every day.
The second commandant is to treat everyone as you would treat yourself. Simply the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” This actually means to be kind to all. For would you treat yourself unkindly? No you would not. So go to bed sooner, leave earlier, arrive on time or before time, but do it in a way that allows you to work within the confines of human interaction. Simply go the speed limit, share the road. Open a door for someone. Say please and thank you. Smile.
What causes people not to do these things is one thing. Themselves. They are selfish and self-serving, which is counter to the Bible. For we are to humble ourselves and place others before us. We don’t need to be first. We do not need to win. We do not speed to endanger others because we feel they are an inconvenience, because they are blocking us, because they are in front of you.
So whose timing do most people follow? Their own. Does this make them right with God? Very doubtful. As long as people continue to not follow the Bible the doubt grows, their place in the eternal life to come becomes suspect. The need to stand before God in the Great White Throne Judgement guaranteed.

Gain knowledge

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One thing the Bible states is to teach your children the Bible so that they will be able to discern what is good and bad within the world. Now this also means that they must also understand what is going on in the world and you can only do that by being fully informed of what is going on.
At this time not only is knowledge of the Bible lacking but also an understanding of what is going on about us. Today’s society within the United States of America has become a blurb of words here or a picture there and that is all that any requires to know and understand. This is actually a form of ignorance. This is also the surrendering the very control of your life to someone other than yourself. Yet millions of people embrace this mentality. To a large degree it is due to the world moving so fast. Not only in transportation, but in forms of media as well. This is one reason why newspaper companies have diminished and many are not shifting to the internet rather than to actually print a newspaper.
This has also opened the door to false messages being sent out and none really challenge them. As children grow into adults they get to a point where they rebel against the parents. They no longer wish to listen to them and so they substitute one type of authority figure for another. Now if they were taught the Bible as we are told to do they know that the true authority is God and so the Bible is that source for insight and knowledge. This is no longer the case in most young adults’ lives now. So they go off to college and gain their freedom only to be ensnared into dogmas and doctrines that seek to cause chaos and anarchy within this nation.
Do you know that most young adults that go to colleges and universities come out atheist, liberal and haters of the very nation they live within? That is because they have switched from listening to their parent to listening to those they see as more knowledgeable than themselves, their professors, most of which are socialist and atheist.
So who is to blame for this? Their parents to a degree for not instill the word of God into their lives as the Bible instructs them to do. Also not truly researching the school they are sending their young adult off to. This why this nation is in such a poor situation and going downhill more and more every day.
Christians need to get out of their homes and out of their everyday lives and get involved with teaching God, Jesus and the Bible unto to all that are willing to listen. For soon things will get worse, but what is really worse is these young adults may find themselves cut off from God and that is a horror and shame that none should have to suffer. What many do not realize is that God most likely will hold people accountable for their lack of action in this department. Most likely covered under the sin of ignorance, but since you have just read this and you still do nothing there goes that excuse and it will be worse for you when the time comes if you did not make the Rapture, which is why far viewer will disappear from this planet upon this day.
So gain the knowledge of the Bible and spread it to all so that they will gain the knowledge and they too will pass it on and they will rejoice when they can freely stand before God their blemishes removed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

It is hard listening to the blind

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One of the saddest thinks for someone that is true to the Bible, Jesus Christ and His Father: God, is to hear the blind spouting out their words and hearing the echo of someone else coming from their mouth.
You know the source of the lie, you see the lie, yet the blind parrot the words nearly exactly. They so wish to have others do their thinking for them that they dare not listen to someone that holds the truth before them.
It would be like saying I have found Bigfoot and here he is as you point to the furring smelly man-ape beside you and they would insist it is someone in make-up. This is how it is for many that are true to God.
It is worse though when they see many that they call their friends and loved ones that still hold on to ideals and believes that have been proven to be falsehoods and lies, yet they are so entrenched in their comfortable world of lies they would rather reject you then to accept what is true. In many cases it must take something drastic to happen in their lives to even give you a second chance to try and explain what is true and real within the Bible.
They would rather call you judgmental then to understand that you are merely following the true teachings within the Bible that say we are to reprove, rebuke and then to exhort them to hear and understand.
So many sit upon the shoulder of those other humans they worship, Parroting over and over again the lies they are told. Eating upon the scraps that those they worship my toss by chance their way.
Our forefathers of this vary nation saw just how humanity was during their lifetimes. They saw those that would think for themselves and challenged the status quo and in so doing created a new nation. They also saw how easily many others were corrupted by greed and power and so within our very own governmental design placed within the ability to keep other powers in check. Their fear was the career politician. Their fear was a president that would think himself a king. Their fear was a supreme court that would try to govern through laws instead of allowing and supporting the laws created by the legislature.
Yet that is the world we live within today. All three branches corrupt and conspiring with each other. Each gaining more power as the common human just tries to stay alive. Most of which blindly echo the words of those in power that strive to remove the true authority over mankind as they seek to supplant God Himself. Not realizing there are condemning themselves as they do so as the lemmings blindly follow them into damnation.