Life

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: The world is designed to distract

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So within the last month I was reminded just how much the world is setup to distract and confuse. I moved to another area at work where the use of a radio is not as big as an issue from my previous work area. The old did have radio usage time to time, but the new area it is constant, and blaring. It made it hard for me to follow Christ’s commandment to Love God with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind.
The music literally overwhelmed my senses to the point that to actually try to get beyond the music would leave me physically drained from the effort. I mentioned the loudness to a co-worker and he suggested not only ear plugs, which I had been using, but also ear muffs. Luckily my company does provide these for me and so I got some.
It was like night and day. Yes the music was still there to a degree, but I could easily filter it out and allow my mind to once again be God focused. The distraction of the world was gone. I could perform my duties and at the same time pray and comp tinplate God and the Bible. This enabled me to once again feel the Lord’s insight into His Holy Word and understanding resumed.
While I was being distracted I could see worldly things distract me in other areas and times in my life. It is through me using my hands in the making of an item of important use and thinking upon the wonders and glory of our Creator that I could focus myself upon my goal of attempting to be a true and accurate reflection of Christ.
It allowed me to see this very act of the influence that Satan has in the most minewt elements in the world that they turn us away from where we should be focused.
How jealous of us is he that causing the littlest of things to be used to keep us from where our sight should be looking upon. How weak our human nature is, even though our soul is born-again.
We must remember that when Jesus Himself made it clear that all sin comes from within us. Yes the world will distract. Yes the world will tempt, but ultimately it is our own actions, our own thoughts that are the ultimate stumbling block. For though we are saved we still live within a corrupt and evil body and so it shall remain until we are called up in the Rapture if we are so fortunate and then given our pure and incorruptible body. It will only be then that we can truly live a sin free live.
However, though we do live in a corrupt body, which does not give us the right to remain in sin. For the Bible makes it clear that we must repent. To turn away from our sins and strive to never live in sin again.

What is more important?

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Why did I pose this question?
It is very simple. I know several within Christendom that feels it is more important to add as many names to the book of life as is possible. They have the mentality of get them in the door and get them to accept Jesus. This is extremely prevalent in Baptist. For they are of this man-made doctrine of once saved always saved. Yet I have never found anything in the Bible to support this. Now I have found in John 15, in 2 Peter 2, and Revelation 3, where there are those that were once counted in the book of life, yet they have fallen away choosing the world over God, deciding to bear no fruit, and living a lukewarm existents. All of which is made very clear that these shall be spit out thrown into the fire and wishing they had never been saved at all.
It is a clear message. It is in the Bible. There is no way to mistranslate the meanings for they are clear:
You can lose your salvation.
So what is important?
It is not just adding people to “salvation.” It is teaching them TRUE salvation, so that they will be an image of Jesus Christ their Savior. Teach those that ask God into their lives. For it is better to teach them to fish than to hand them one.

A teacher in the faith

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In the Bible it is made clear that people have different tasks to do for God. This is one of those things that many have not given much effort into for several decades. As a result many wonder through their belief in God lost and rudderless at times. I knew soon after being born again that I was to be a teacher of the Bible, but due to how churches are structured and if you do not attend certain man-made institutions then you are not welcome to do the calling that God placed upon you.
This man-made mentality is actually something that goes against what God wants. Did these men that run these businesses call upon me to teach? No, it was God who called me. Who should I listen to? For too long I listened to the men, the creation of God.
As I studied the Bible more and more. Digging deeper into the meaning of the Bible I learned to add items to help me gain insight and knowledge of what is being taught with the books that are now called the Bible.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance launch me like I was upon a spring board deeper in the Word. Things become clearer. Then, my brother, also a born again Christian added to my growth with the New Testament Theological Dictionary, in its unabridged form it is ten volumes long. Again my insight into God grew exponentially, yet do I know everything? By all mean no, emphatically no.
Am I a better suited to be God given role? Maybe.
I have learned that men have not grown in their true understanding of God’s word. Many stuck in the dogma of this religious view verses that religious view. Some to the point of disliking the way one group thinks verses how another group thinks. An example, Catholics verse Protestants.
Most even today do not wish to truly acknowledge that Jesus added to the original Ten Commandments to make them twelve, thus matching the number of tribes of Israel.
Many do not realize that Christ ministry was to the Jews and the Jews alone. It was not until Jesus appeared to Saul who then become Paul the thirteen disciple that the teachings of the Bible expanded to the Gentiles and thus the true birth of Christianity took place at that time since most before this time were Messianic Jews.
Much of what the Bible has become watered down or twisted to allow those that go to churches to live their lives unchanged yet feel they has accomplished something for God. But this is not a reality.
The Bible clearly states that you can be a child of God through Christ, yet if you bear no fruit you can be broken off of the vine, given unto man and then cast into the fire. When Jesus speaks in this context to “fire” he is saying unto damnation, yet there are those that say this is not so, but this is what the Bible states and so is fact.
This is my job as a teacher to make people awaken to these facts and challenge them to through the Bible prove me wrong, and if I am I am fine with that. However man-made doctrines like “once saved always saved” need to end. For since John 15 clearly states that someone is of the vine of Christ, thus saved, and God sees no fruit from someone and so God Himself breaks them off and they are cast into the fire. Then there is only one conclusion, you can, once saved, become lost and damned. This is not a scare tactic as I once read by someone that believed the false man-made doctrine mentioned above, but Biblical fact. This helps to cause people to strive to becoming a better child of Christ. Is this bad to become more like Jesus? Per the Bible, the answer is no.
Do not allow man to dictate your life for Christ. Let Christ direct you.

More than ever Christians must live as Christians

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Now as I posted the other day. Many that live in the United States and go to church believing themselves to be Christian. As I pointed out this is not the case. It is time for those that truly know what is required and honestly go through the daily endeavor to strive ever forward toward being a true reflection of Jesus Christ to no longer hide in the shadows.
You sit in the shadows, due to how those in these churches that say they are Christian react to you. Yet would rather talk about the football games later in the day, or the horrify mini-series they have been watching, or even more important the titillating tale about this celebrity or that celebrity.
They are showing that they are not saved or if they were once saved have instead chosen the world over God, they are sinners. Yet we are the ones made to feel uncomfortable. This is how it has been for decades and the now rotten fruit is bearing ever worse fruit.
It is time for those that truly know Christ to make a stand. Let it be known that the true way to Christ is not through the idol worship of sports, TV and celebrities, but through standing by the Bible.
Will this lead to ostracization? Most likely.
Will this lead to leaving your church? Possibly, it led me to leave mine.
Will it cause you to look differently at people in politics? Most definitely. Like myself Franklin Graham has left the Republican Party and call ourselves unaffiliated or independent. Why? Because we see the sin running rampant in this nation.
God is already punishing this nation for turning its back upon Him.
Do you think it is by accident that a person came into the presidency that has almost singlehandedly destroyed our international relationship and our internal cultural relationships? No. This is a judgment from the All Mighty. He did this to Israel more than once. Are we any different when our ancestors professed to being true servants of Christ?
This is what people need to awaken and realize. God is real. God does punish those that disobey Him, ESPECIALLY when they still have a purpose to Him in His grand design.
This nation, formed by those that wished to honor God. Whose basic governmental design came from a Quaker clearly shows that this is a truly Christian nation, brought into existence under the grace and blessings of the Lord God All Mighty.
Any that challenge this have turned their back upon God and wish for man to rule man, which only leads to destruction and disaster.
Those of us that are truly children of God must stand up and say with a loud clear voice. That ONLY through Jesus Christ can we accomplish God’s glory for this nation. Only through standing upon the principals that are taught within the Bible and teaching them to those that have an ear to hear will we once again restore this nation.
If we fail to stand up and make ourselves known and heard then this nation will continue in its downward spiral to destruction. If that is the case we must be willing to at the very least stand for God when it comes time to choose if we shall live or die, for it shall come to that point.
Since we failed to stand for God now, we must stand for God when they ask us to renounce our faith and when we do not we will shortly be standing before the All Mighty under the altar before Him.

Tis the season for avarice and hypocrisy

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“Such a blunt title from a Christian,” some are saying or thinking as they ignore this post and move on.
Well let’s break down what we are truly teaching our children as we place presents under a tree and ignore the real and true reason what this celebration was about.
Avarice is defined as a strong desire to have or get money, or material possessions. This is becoming more and more prevalent than honoring the birth of God in human form.
Stores started selling Christmas items before Halloween this year and that in itself is pathetic, but what is worse is that people actually went ahead and started buying things.
I have a step-daughter who makes statements like wanting a half a million dollar car is no big deal, and that wanting to gather more and more personal items is more important than anything else. She even thought that her personal possessions would go with her into heaven. We shot that down really fast.
Her mother and I try to get her to understand that this is not the correct way to think. However, in today’s society that is difficult when one day people look down upon Miley Cyrus for gyrating on stages with a blow up phallus, then go back to liking her music, then she proceeds to degrade Christians then makes the song “Silent Night” and again everyone praises her. That is hypocrisy.
It is this mentality of accepting things as they are that is in itself a sin against God. The person we are supposed to be honoring on December 25th. Is it really Christ’s birth day? No one truly knows the answer to this, but what is important is that we do celebrate Him coming into this realm of existence to die upon the cross for each and every person’s sins that is willing to ask Him into their heart.
Is this what we are teaching our children? I know the answer to this is no. First hand I know this.
In my mind I said we will let the presents and Santa go for a few years since they were little and then really explain to them about Jesus and what He has done for us, but did that come out as planned? No.
Now both my adult children are a mess. Am I partly to blame? Yes I am.
That is why it is extremely important to teach them of Christ ever single chance you get, and when is the greatest chance? Now in this season that should be exclusively His and His alone.
It is time to restore what one culture did long ago, so long ago I forget which one it was, but when they placed presents under the tree they would place one there that was not for any but Jesus Himself. Then after they did their own presents they would then go out and find a stranger and hand that present over to them and say that Christ wished them to have it on His birthday.
Now that is a way to honor and teach a little about the sacrifice that Christ Himself made for us all that Passover day upon the cross.
So will you return those presents not under the tree yet? Will you tell the true story of Christmas and the virgin birth?

So you awaken to a new day

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When you turn to God, if you turn to God. What do you say?
Do you say: “Thank you Lord for you have given me another day.” Or do you say something along these lines?
Well that folks is the wrong statement.
That is you centered. Are we not to be God centered?
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.
Hmm.. Appears to be the correct answer.
Then should you not be saying to God:

“Lord, I have awaken to a new day. Guide me toward that which you wish me to do, for I as of yet have not accomplished your goal for my life.”

People use the word “Christian” without understanding what it means

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Being raised in a society that has its roots in the “Christian” faith does not make someone a “Christian.”
Going to church does not make someone “Christian.”
It is in their behavior and their actions. If they reflect God they will honor God and they must work within the boundaries of the Bible.
It is by asking Jesus to be your savior and committing your life to following all the teachings of the Bible.
It is saying that a sin is a sin and willing to repent, meaning abandon this sin for the glory of God.
That is what it means to be a “Christian.”
When someone says they are “Christian” and would rather gain wealth, rather talk about sports and the latest gossip going on with celebrities. That is called hypocrisy, a sin against God and actually the ultimate insult to Him.
Christ hates it so much he had this to about it:
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.

True faith in God = support for Israel

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The bride of God is how Israel is described. The bride of Jesus is how Christianity is described.
The other day I had an encounter with an agnostic Jew.
This person was under the impression, self-imposed, that I was trying to convert them to Christianity.
First off, I wish to make an important understanding. If God allows a Jewish person to see the truth and in so doing they become a Messianic Jew that is a cause for joy and celebration, but at this time it is not something that is required of the Jewish people.
Their time for realization will come when it is time for them to see and even then not all will see.
This person I was talking to was proud that they had left their belief in God, which is sad to say at the least, but it is typical of today’s atmosphere, especially in academic circles.
Here is one thing that they themselves can realize just by saying they are “Jewish.” No other culture has existed for as long as those that are the descendants of Jacob. They, for the most part can trace their ancestors to this son of Abraham who lived in the 900s BC. This is six to seven hundred years before the formation of the Chinese empire. That is a culture that has existed for approximately three thousand years. No other culture has existed as long.
This one mere fact shows that there is a God. Yet this is not enough for most to accept or even think upon this simplest of facts.
Yes they lost their nation, but they have lost it more than once and still came out of it as one culture with one core language. Many Catholics do not even know Latin. There are three dialects in China. Yet Judaism knows languages throughout the world, but at their base most know Hebrew.
So armed with this mere fact and what is taught of the nation of Israel within the Bible those that truly profess Christianity must be with and support Israel. For not to stand beside them is not to acknowledge God, which anyone that claims to be a Christian could not do. If they can then they need to re-examine their beliefs and the Bible.

This year of turmoil

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As we come to the close of another years, and as we approach the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. I wish to reflect upon what has transpired in the United States in this last year.
As was made clear to Nebuchadnezzar as God placed him through trails and tribulation until he came to the point of saying without a doubt that Daniel’s God was the one and only true God. But not only that, but that any person in political power truly and only is placed there by God allowing them to be there. We must remember that this is true for governments throughout all the ages of man.
That being said, we must come to realize that our current President who through his actions or inactions has nearly single handedly destroyed this once proud nation, has done so not by his hand as I feel he truly believes to be so, but by God’s will.
“Why?” Many that have just read my above words are shouting in anger.
Because God is punishing those that live in this nations for forgetting where our “pride” came from. It was in the belief in God. That we as a nation severed and honored God. There will be those that shout out that this nation caused slavery is that by God? The answer is no that was by human greed and avarice. It was by the actions of the believe in God that actually caused the end of slavery, but due to the sins of humanity that had caused slavery a blood offering was required and so we had the Civil War as a result. Did that end human’s mistreatment to other humans? No, for as long as humanity lives within a corrupt body we will, especially when not taught correctly, hurt other humans.
But it was due to our faith in God that empowered and enabled us to end Hitler who was slaughtering millions just for the belief that a select few were better than the majority. This same mentality was seen in the U.S.S.R. and is South Africa, and it was through our belief and faith in God that helped us to achieve these goals of causing change to the former Soviet Union and in the government of South Africa.
But in this year we have seen the fruits for turning from God ripen and bear corrupt fruit. For God is now yelling at us to return to Him. To acknowledge Him as Lord over all that we do and say, but humanity has forgotten the true meaning of the Bible within the borders of this once proud nation. Now we are the laughing stock to the entire world and those that once feared us due to our faith and believe in the one true God have risen up. For when no strength is seen is when those that are petty selfish, and self-serving come into the light. Not only in violence but in a totally disregard for what is morally right in the eyes of God. It is when the “bullies” come out to play and shove around those they see as weak and ignorant.
They see Christianity as weak so they seek to force it out. They see the populous is weak for they allow those that are abusing the law to do as they so please even though what they are doing is against the law. But since the “bullies” shout and stare those down that challenge them, what was the law is no more. What was good in the sight of God is now seen as corrupt and ugly, and those the sit in their homes complaining yet have not raised a hand or a voice to stop the “bullies” are labeling themselves as what they truly are. Traitors to the Creator of all there was, is, and ever will be.
As we look about at all the bloodshed that has passed this last year. More blood than has been spilled since the Vietnam War, and more innocent blood then has been shed since World War II, who is to truly blame for the hardships this nation is not suffering?
Only those that do not stand up for the Creator. Only those that do not stand in the middle of the street and shout at the top of their lungs: “NO MORE!”
Only when those that say a sin is a sin and you must leave sin behind or suffer eternal torment, actually say it to the face of those that truly live in sin.
Once that occurs then, just maybe, just maybe God may save us from ourselves.
End Political Correctness for it is not correct and is a sin against God.
Remove those that wish to remove God from our Nation. For the First amendment says that the government cannot make religion, but it also says they cannot stop you from freely practicing your believe in God. So by removing the Ten Commandments from public property, by removing God from school. The government is in violation of the constitution and as the people of this nation we have the duty, not the right, but the duty to end the tyranny that is now within the United States Government.
And it is our duty to remove from office, any that denies there is a God, encourages sin against God and are professed liars. For all these things are a sin against God and per the Bible any that support a sin commit this same sin and must answer for it before God Himself.
So remember, all these horrors we have seen in this nation this year are our own faults and only by returning to God can we end this horror, which will only get worse if we do not beg forgiveness from the Maker of the universe, God through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

The sins list in the book of Mark explored

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So to round out this look into the sins listed in Galatians, 1 Corinthians, we now move into to the seventh chapter of Mark. Here Christ makes it clear that all sins come from within each and every person. As was covered in the letter to the Galatians our heart or our human nature is in rivalry against the Holy Spirit and since we as Christians are called upon to “walk in the Spirit” we are to call upon Jesus who through the Holy Spirit will allow us victory over ourselves when our base human nature gets the best of us.
What is the most important thing to remember is to do as the Bible asks us to do by walking in the Holy Spirit which will enable us to repent and overcome our humanity.
But since the opening statement is compete on with the list of sins that plagued the Jewish people for the most part:
Mark 7:20 – And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Again we encounter Adulteries, fornications, lasciviousness, murders, thefts and covetousness, please see the two preceding posts for details into these. Please note an important aspect here that you will see common in Corinth and Galatia. That being idolatry, notice that in the Jewish community this is absent. This is due to what happened about six to seven hundred years before hand, which resulted in the destruction of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. The Jewish people had fallen into idolatry, as is witnessed here, they learned their lesson.
This also tells us that we can overcome our sins, but many, as myself have learned firsthand, we may have to suffer greatly and at great loss to awaken to the truth and not go down the road to sin.
Wickedness – poneria – iniquities – gross injustice – I find it interesting that this one shows up here Christ talking to the Jewish people. For they shall impose a great injustice upon Him by causing His death, as you can see He knew they would do it, but they could not see that they would.
Deceit – dolos – guile, treachery
An evil eye – a) evil – poneros – bad, wicked, malicious, slothful

b) eye – ophthalmos – the eye; fig: the mind’s eye
Simply looking angrily at someone.
Blasphemy – blasphemia – abusive or scurrilous language, blasphemy (cursing)
Pride – huperephania – arrogance, disdain, and haughtiness (thinking one selves better than others)
Foolishness – aphrosune – want of sense, impiety, wickedness – impiety – lack of respect for God: the quality or state of being impious
These sins that I have broken down are sins that many in today’s “churches” suffer from. It is from this mentality that has led to the great falling away from the belief in God. What is worse is that those that fall away maintain these same attitudes that leads them deeper and deeper in their ignorance of God and what He has to offer through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is up to those that see these errors and approach people in humility that can help to change this perspective. But the damage is already done for the most part and only great tragedies are left for many to learn the hard way.