Conspiracies

A "conspiracy" is when a group of people plan a harmful outcome on naive victims. There are many "conspiracy theories" out there: Freemasonry forming and operating this nation, that the U.S. destroyed the twin towers, that Lyndon Johnson had JFK assassinated and many others. These theories can be a driving force in people's lives. I am not a follower of any conspiracy theory, but still believe that conspiracies exist!

Many of the founding fathers were Freemasons. This nation was founded on many principles which obviously came from Freemasonry. Many aspects of our nation now parallel to Freemasonry. That organization does seem to have its fingers in all walks of life. I believe Freemasonry had a large effect on the founding of our nation because that organization came in vogue at the time people became enlightened, seeking freedom and liberty.

"The Age of Enlightenment" (aka, "The Age of Reason") came of age in the 1780s.  Reason, analysis and individualism replaced traditional lines of authority. Much of authority had come from the traditional church and much of the reason came from the scientific community and philosophy. This was an age when the influence of science exceeded that of the church.  In France, the traditional, mostly Roman Catholic Church, was replaced by the religion of "Reason" during the revolution there.

Freemasonry in the American colonies grew from 1715 and was formalized in 1781 when a "grand master" was appointed in North America. Because freemasonry was in vogue simultaneous with The Enlightenment is why Freemasonry had so much input on the formation of the United States, its leaders and its laws! Freemasonry doesn't seem to be a conspiracy, but a conspiracy was at work with Freemasonry when the United States was in formation! Let me explain the difference.

There is a general spiritual conspiracy. It consists of people, organizations, activities and even churches which promulgate evil. There is no particular evil which is propagated, but anything which works against the authority of God! Many people believe that President Obama is conspiring to reduce the status and success of this nation. I don't believe there is a conspiracy to do that! It would seem that the spiritual conspiracy includes evil things and Obama is the naive instrument used to create a New World Order!

The "New World Order" is a conspiracy theory without denial!  This "Order" is a totalitarian government with absolute powers, is world wide, secretive, authoritarian and anti-establishment, at least those which are traditional and Christian in nature. It's sometimes referred to as a "One World Government" and "globalism" is one of its initiatives. There are secular people who believe in this New World Order, but Christian people see this type of government in the apocalypse and the rule of the antichrist.

I've written much on Marxism. I believe that Marxism is the model for the New World Order and this government will gradually grow through the process of socialism, regarded by many as benign or even desirable. However, since many tenets of socialism employ losses of freedom and profit, many will resist! It's the response of socialist governments to enforce resisted laws and, as a consequence, those who favor keeping what's theirs, become an obstacle to the "good of the masses". Because of resistance to confiscatory laws, totalitarianism ensues. Socialism and communism become one and the same! Communism is the enforcement arm of Marxism while socialism is the cultural changes to which lead to the need for strong-arm tactics.

Since individualism is a primary aspect of enlightenment, it appears that with poetic justice, socialism is the end of enlightenment. What started as initiative on the part of the industrious and motivated, ends in despair with herd mentality and regulation.

It's obvious, based on his development and policies, that Obama is a Marxist! I know... Bill O'Reilly disagrees, but it seems that part of his disagreement is to separate himself from conspiracy theories. However, Marxism is not a conspiracy theory. It's a conspiracy only from the aspect of the broader picture. It's part of the plan of mankind! Yes, this conspiracy theory alludes to a plan. There is a battle going on and people are choosing sides! Non-discerning people are going with the conspiracy and the discerning are fighting it!

Are you part of the conspiracy? Here is a self-test:

• Are your beliefs moving away from what's traditional to what's in vogue?
• Do you believe that morality is relative?
• Do you accept science and philosophy over scripture?
• Do you change with the masses?
• For you is truth relative. Does it change with the times?
• For you is social justice paramount?
• Does the loss of freedom seem unimportant to you?
• Do you accept the premise that traditional beliefs are extremist in nature?
• Do you believe Christianity is intolerant and overly harsh?
• Is your belief system molded most by entertainment and media over study and research?
• Do you believe what is generally distributed in the news?
• Have you failed to compare the "truths" of today to the "truths" of your fathers?
• Do you fail to see the importance of freedom and Christianity as complementary?
• Do you believe that our Constitution repressive or outdated?
• Do you believe in income redistribution.
• Is the family still important to you?
• You believe that the government important to raising your children?
• Do you agree that Christians go overboard and that there are many fanatics?

If you believe how society believes, then you are unwittingly part of the conspiracy. Even our leaders, even pastors of churches, are unwitting pawns of this massive conspiracy. It's not directed by powerful people, but by mighty forces! I keep repeating myself with this scripture, but it IS THE CONSPIRACY:

Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

There are many conspiracies leading toward the one, but there is only one conspiracy!

Let's start with principalities. They are fallen angels, called demons, and Satan himself, called "the devil".  These are the same "folks" who came to challenge God and his relationship with Job:

Job 1:6 "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them."

These rulers had the power to overthrow Job. They could destroy his whole world as long as they allowed him to continue in life. That's what God allowed! They did all in their power to destroy Job's faith and they whittled away a little at a time, but took everything away, but his life!

Job is  a picture of us! All we have and all we believe is at stake. The demons and Satan whittles away at our property, our families and our beliefs, even our health, until we are impoverished physically and spiritually. At some point we have two places to turn: to God or to the Deceiver. Most will relent and Satan wins the war. He has conspired to enlist you in his New World Order and you slowly, but surely enlist. The "whittling away of you" are the items in the "self-test" above!

The rulers of darkness! Who are they? Darkness is opposed to the teachings of Christ who is the light of this world and is truth. Those who rule the darkness are false teachers with false beliefs. Progressive thought and modern churches represent two entities in darkness. The rulers of those institutions are "rulers of darkness". Is Obama the antichrist? Surely not! However, he is a ruler of darkness! It may not be by his own volition, but he is an instrument used by the powers of darkness.

Spiritual wickedness in high places? That's the leaders of the world, the shakers and movers, the educators and the religious leaders in apostasy who influence the masses. "Political Correctness" is a tool they use to intimidate and control. They use that method of propaganda to influence how you change with the items in the self-test. Even the church is contaminated and is the pawn of principalities. They believe that what they teach is truth, but it merely is what they wished were true!

Right now I won't go into the government of the apocalypse. It's authoritarian and the victims are the people. Freedom is lost and all is regulated. Penalties are harsh and compliance not easy. Especially Christians and those who will become Christians (Jews) are the victims. The leader has absolute global control and is revered as a god, as he proclaims himself to be God. He is The Antichrist!

That is the conspiracy! All others which exist are subject to this primary conspiracy. The one that shakes the foundation of the world and prepares the way for freedom to become a forgotten dream.

Survivor: Where is the Hidden Idol?

Part of the strategy of the television show Survivor is to find the "hiddened idol". It's an amulet which has powers to prevent the player from being voted out. It can be used any time the player feels that he is in jeopardy, or it can be passed along to save the another player in the alliance. The most ambitious players search diligently for the idol. It's normally hidden within an object which has strange or peculiar characteristics. If the wise player looks for a weird tree, log or rock, the idol is often found there. Finding the idol gives feelings of power and self-gratification. Players grin with pleasure knowing that they are "one up" on their fellow tribe members!

Let us now look for our hidden idol! Is it a statue of Buddha somewhere in your house? Perhaps it's a calf or sphinx out in the shed. Or is the hidden idol that money you have stashed away which few know about? An idol is anything cherished to the extreme by an individual. It can be material, but also cognitive, emotive, pecuniary, pleasurable, etc. You get the idea. It's basically something which has more emotional or spiritual value than its intrinsic worth! It's something so precious that the person edges God out and puts this entity on a pedestal! Where is your hidden idol?

It all began with a tribe of people living in a tropical paradise. Within paradise was a garden which had nourishment for all and an environment without death or disease. There were two tribes playing survivor. Their names were "Red Clay" and "Live and Breath". Rather than winning awards through challenges for their sustenance, everything was a gift! All they need to is win a challenge. There was only one challenge: "Live a life without disobedience." Like all good "challenge" competitions, there were obstacles, hurdles and opponents to overcome to win!

Let's look at the the setting Survivors in Paradise: Red Clay vs. Live and Breath. The contestants are Adam (Red Clay) and Eve (Live and Breath). Oh, yes, there is the moderator: Jeff Probst as the serpent! Here's the setting for that first challenge:

Genesis 3:1 "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Just as the program Survivor, there is a hidden idol! Can you find it? I'll give you a minute or two............................................... Have you found it yet?

Is the hidden idol in the tree or beneath it? Is it in the branches or in the ground? Old Jeff (the serpent is giving clues just as on Survivor).  What are the clues? Have you found them yet? Here they are!

• your eyes shall be opened
•  ye shall be as gods
• ye shall know good and evil
• the tree was good for food
• it was pleasant to the eyes
• it's a tree to be desired to make one wise

Which player found the idol? It was the team "Live and Breath" with participant Eve first finding the idol! Good for you, Eve. Women are as able as men! However, Jeff the serpent, led her in the direction of the idol. Unlike Survivor where the idol can "save", this idol "kills"! The writer of this episode just wanted a little suspense in the challenge. Thank you God for that twist!

So Eve has the idol! What is she to do with it? "I'll just share it with Adam!" she thinks. Tribe "Red Clay" gets into the action! Adam accepted the hidden idol which Eve had found and they, because of their alliance, shared in what otherwise would have been glory, but became the reason the torch is snuffed and the tribes' lives ended when the flame was extinguished!

But have you found the hidden idol? Adam and Eve did. They know what it is! Do you?

Let's have another clue: There are two idols, but the idol the two had was one. If there were more players, there would be many idols, but all the idols would be as one. 

Like Survivor, that's a piece of the puzzle, but an important piece. It's an abstract clue and only the wise would perceive it! It takes knowledge and reason to understand that clue. Now Adam and Eve had that reason. They were "false gods", being an imitation of God only! By the way, that was another clue to the hidden idol! Did you catch that?

How many now know the where the hidden idol is and what it is? Before you were saved, you had this idol and every day of your life, this idol demands attention, pleasure and worship. He wants to be the center of attention and often you kneel to this idol! Yes, YOU KNEEL to an idol!

Before this "tribal counsel ends" I'll tell you what the hidden idol is, what it is worth and who has it!  But before we do that stay tuned for next week's episode. It's called "Grace" and the tribes will be Christians and Principalities. Jeff the serpent will be replaced by Jesus Christ and alliances will be replaced with love. There will be no idol to save anyone, but grace will be given to all! It's all back on this network! Read it in advance. It's written down Word for Word! Back to this tribal counsel now.

Ready? The idol is you! It's "The Self". You all have it and it fails to keep you safe. It destroys and no one is immune from its destruction! It gives things which hurt you in the race and with the mystery. The rewards offered by the idol are the receipt of pleasure, reason and wealth. However, the things of the idol destroy, not offering immunity when the torch is put out. Every tribe, every player has knelt to their idol. They kneel to "The Self". Even kneeling to other idols is satisfying to  "The Self"! That idol is hidden. It's too shameful to bring out for all to see. It's hidden inside each player and each tribe has many idols, but they all are "Selfs". (Remember the clues!)

"The Self" can be defeated! It's lowered into deep water and washed clean. The new person which comes out is pure. That idol is dead and the person has been born again and is new. Grace did that. It offered immunity! Now hang onto that because the competition is mad. You better watch out, the serpent will steal it if he can!

By the way. The show has the same hidden idol. They all do what they do for "Self". They lie, cheat, are untrustworthy and even betray to pleasure their "Self"!

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 43 is entitled "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!" To be honest "at one time I hated poets... now I are one!" (grin).

Everybody has made an attempt to explain love. The most common are from the Greek: eros, philio and agape. With the exception of eros (sexual), people are to love one another with philio and agape-type love! Philio is brotherly love and agape is as the love only God can have, but we can have that type of love! If we love one another with mere brotherly love, we shortchange our brother! Our responsibility as Christians is to:

Mark 12:30 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

Agape and philio love are complementary.  Jesus, in one breath, gave people the "Greatest Commandment" and "The One Like unto It"! Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was and he answered with two commandments! Therefore, they are inseparable and loving one another has some connection to loving others. That connection is explained by:

1 John 5:1"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments."

I don't know if these are complementary or supplementary, but it's obvious that to love God we must love others and to love others fully we must love God. The combination of these two is how we should love others. It's more than loving the personhood of the other, but loving the very soul of that person! With that, it's imperative that we love to the extent that Christians have an unquenchable desire that the soul of the person who is loved is never damned to eternal hell, just as Christians themselves long to have their own souls saved from eternal destruction! There is an example of this type of love:

1 Samuel 18: 1 "And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. "

This is more than friendship although Jonathan and David were friends. This is philio and agape love. It's how we're to love everybody! Let me coin a new phrase for this type of love; one that combines the two: "Godly Love". It's what God intended, to love others as God loves us.

God knows that mankind is ignorant. We need a standard of measuring everything! The standard is comparison to ourselves. How much do we love our own self?  I love "me" to the extent that I don't want my soul to burn in hell! That's how much we are to love others! Does that sound familiar? It should: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. " which IS the "Second of the Greatest Commandments".

You might say, that some people have low esteem for themselves. Don't be fooled!

Ephesians 5:29 "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it..."

God blows lack off self-esteem sky high! Even the suicidal, in agreement with psychology, is  attempting to get attention, love or sympathy. The focus on suicide is to remove pain from the psyche of the person! Suicide is the way depressed people nourish and cherish their own flesh. Removing pain from the self is a wrong-mode attempt to save oneself from agony.

That might sound non-empathetic, but if we look at the flip-side, salvation is a Christian's attempt to save themselves from the pain of a second death. In effect the Christian seeks relief from their own agony, not because of Christ's agony! It's the forgiveness one gets and the obedience to love that demonstrates love and appreciation for the one who saves!

To demonstrate that concept, let's examine a real life situation: You are in a car wreck and it's in flames. The car doors are jammed shut and you're doomed for sure. Then a fireman comes along with the jaws of life. Just before the car goes up in an explosion, the door is opened and the fireman grabs your hand and tugs you with might. You are freed from death and a fiery outcome. You are saved from an agonizing death!"

Being born again is much the same! Jesus is the fireman. You understand who he is and what he can do, but he's a stranger. His role is to care for you, but yet, there is no strong attachment on your part. However, at some point you realize that your trapped. Your destiny is to burn unless someone comes to save. All you have to do is to reach out and touch the hand of Jesus and he pulls you free from sure death! You never loved the fireman when he came, but you loved him because he saved you. Likewise, you never loved Jesus before, but because you're saved your response is to love him! Why? He saved you!

Love is a cause and effect relationship. With no cause, little love for God is there, but with salvation there is a cause. Love is a reaction to mercy. If the person saved from the fire, has no feeling for the fireman, then his heart is hard. The saved person is obligated to love that fireman and if he doesn't, he better work on his empathy! That's the same with Christians. If we don't love God for saving us, we better work on it! That's a command.

How are we to love God? Our "work" is loving others. We're commanded to do that! Emotional love is a response to our senses. "Godly love" is an obligation and is a response to our gratitude! Grateful people love. We love enough that we obey God's commands. That's our thank you note! That "thank you" is the only way we have to show God that we mean business with our love.

Just as we love ourselves enough to protect our own souls from eternal death, that's how we're to love others! We want their souls saved from hell just as ours are! The "Great Commission" in effect is for us to tell others about Jesus to save their souls! An atheist once said (paraphrased) "If Christians were as sincere as they say they are, they wouldn't be able to sleep because others are not saved from hell!"

That's how much we are to love! That's "Godly love". It's a love of the person and the love of the soul of another. It's a profound love. It's the love between Jonathan and David!

What's the Old Testament have to do with Jesus? In this case, it's a lesson on how Jesus expects us to "love one another". It's loving the soul of everybody and showing our love to Jesus by doing that!

The Bachelor

The Bachelor, starring 25-30 desperate or fame-seeking young women and one man, either attractive or uglier than sin, the girls don't seem to care! This television reality program is entertaining, not for their ability to find "true love", but for the ridiculous proposition that this type of romance has much chance of success! The "women can be fickle too" version is called The Bachelorette and features a beautiful woman (always) and 25-30 men whose main attributes are a six-pack, a tan and machismo!

How many couples have found true love and marriage? Of 28 combined seasons of the two programs four couples have been married. That's 14% of the couples who found "true love" that consummated it with marriage! Of the individuals that's a paltry 0.5% chance of finding love on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette !

What's wrong with this scenario? Imagine if you will the basic premise of the program: One man "dates" 25-30 women. Most often the bachelor is romancing with affection five to ten women at the same time. Three or four of the women and the bachelor are having passionate romance!

Flash forward: The bachelor picks the woman of his dreams and the two become engaged. Immediately what do they have to face? The reality television show The Bachelor! The "winner" of the contest sits back with a cold one and her fiance, tune in to to ABC Network and watch the bachelor make his moves! It appears he woos each finalist with the same words and seals each romance with a passionate kiss... just like he did his new fiance! What could be more conducive to the engagement than watching a fiance plunging his tongue down another woman's throat, to be blunt! This activity is the recipe for failure!

Jealousy often ensues. A jealous fiance is most often a contentious woman:

Proverbs 21:19 "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman."

A contentious woman is one who wearily quarrels at the smallest provocation or suspicion! For further on this subject read more on my blog (Herrin Daily Thought: Jealousy: November 1, 2013) [http://kentuckyherrin.blogspot.com/2013/11/jealousy.html].

Besides the passionate kiss there is what I call "the leg hug"! This is when an overexcited prospect is so happy to see the guy that she just met, that she runs toward him, leaps in the air and wraps both legs around his torso! Teenage boys in my generation had a term for this, but it's too provocative to share with civilized people.

What about the kisses? It seems that lip to lip contact isn't enough for the game. Each couple does "the pretzel" while kissing. That's where they wrap each others legs about the other in simulation of  what only married people are rightfully to do... and in the privacy of a bedroom, not on public television where millions of people, those without a life, dream of being "used" by this handsome stud!

Some of the girls try sleaze. Some skinny dip. Others get drunk. Now if I was looking for a wife, I think those drunk and swimming nude on public television just might not be wife material! Call me selfish, but I want my wife devoted to me and only me! Let the other men get their own peep show. My peep show should be only mine!

Nothing ever happens without a cocktail or wine glass in hand. Does everyone drink alcohol? It seems that for people to fit in, they must be choking a long stemmed glass. Shallow Hal would like that! Wife material? You can have it!

Serial dating, which is what The Bachelor is, is "practice for divorce". Dating and breakups one after another makes it even easier each time it's done. Serial dating is not a great qualification for marriage!

What The Bachelor is all about is infatuation. Relationships are based on lust, not love. There is no talk of politics, religion, kids, or any other significant subject matter which does make a difference in a serious relationship! There is a huge difference between lust and love. Love is a sexually oriented emotion and love a commitment and devotion grown with time. See my blog on love (Herrin Daily Thoughts:Christians Don't Love God;  Friday, March 6, 2015). [http://kentuckyherrin.blogspot.com/2015/03/christians-dont-love-god.html].

Most of the action in The Bachelor is erotic. We are expected to control what we feel!

 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (ESV) "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; "

Colossians 3:5 (ESV) "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. "

The last straw is the "overnight date" in the "fantasy suite". This is where the last few couples can elect, and most do, to have an overnight sleep over. They become boy scouts and brownies pitching their tents together! As with most normal men, "sleep" has little to do with sleep, but as the camera fades and the light dims, most often the couple are again linked in a pretzel lock on the bed, lips engaged and bodies squirming. Surely they study the pros and cons of marriage at this time perhaps using the "Kepner-Tregoe Approach to Problem-solving" or some other scientific and practical way of deciding which one of these fickle women to marry!

I doubt that the passion of a kiss, the envelope in which he's embraced, the milieu created by the director, the bottle of wine which removes inhibitions, or any other of their props is substantial enough to answer the question "Is this wife material?" It does  seem that those women who are youngest and have the skimpiest swimsuit do have a great advantage! If all else fails the "one with the big boobs" may make the best wife!

Occasionally, we have a girl with principle. Some have been virgins and told the world that! However, their action seems to be as passionate as the "rounders" who've rumpled many beds!  Many of the girls "with principle" wait until they have serious conversations before bedding down or declaring their love, whichever may happen. Even the most chaste of the girls eventually give in to the bachelors magnetic charm. One bachelor talked an inhibited date to bare it all for camera. Dad must be proud!

Marriage is a divine institution. (Herrin Daily Thoughts: Marriage, Divorce and Adultery;  Friday, January 23, 2015). [http://kentuckyherrin.blogspot.com/2015/01/marriage-divorce-and-adultery.html]. As God ordained marriage and engagement as a picture of his relationship to us, marriage ought to be treated in the vein it was intended to be. The Bachelor is a picture of what causes marriages to fail!

Why do people watch The Bachelor and programs like it? There are various reasons: boring lives, nothing else to watch, living the fantasy, finding relationships interesting, or just to see girls in bikinis or guys with rippling muscles. Regardless, the root reason is to tantalize! Most people enjoy living the life of luxury and intrigue when little luxury and intrigue is in ours! Watching others is a vicarious way to be something else than the boring people we are!

There are better things to do! We all fall victim to what the entertainment world offers and what they offer more and more of, is sleaze.  There is human interest interspersed with what has been discussed and that's understandable. However, the naive and immature, those young people who watch this stuff, have little discernment and society tends to copy what the flesh offers.

We will leave this stuff behind, if not now someday. I see no need to have my coffin equipped with HDTV nor surround sound. This stuff isn't going where I'm planning on being. There lies no hope in reality. My hope is in what I have yet to see!

Survivor!

The hit television show Survivor has been around for 30 seasons. I watch it most of the time. I must admit, I have "homodisgustia" and when the program focus's on those individuals or relationships, I turn it off for the season. Not only is my belief based on God's Word, but I'm pragmatic. I believe it's business's (or show's) role to make money; not to guide social direction. Maybe they feel the same because the pulse of the nation is favorable to the homosexual agenda! However, therein lies the "chicken/egg" question: "Does the media drive moral direction or does moral attitude drive the media?"  Perhaps it's both. Maybe the egg lays the chicken!

:"Homodisgustia" is the obvious "disease" that Christians are to have regarding homosexuality. It's certainly not a "phobia", for most people don't "fear" homosexuals. It's "disgust" with the act and the political movement. However, being a loving person, I'm not to judge! I do treat all people with the respect they deserve and the love due them! On the other hand, God does and will judge, so I turn to his word to see what his position is on every issue. I have faith in what God says. I'm not the standard bearer, but am merely the messenger. Please don't get angry with Christians who propagate what God says, and it's obvious and often enough that interpretation is not an issue:

We find the issue in God's word many times, but they all agree with this one:

Leviticus 18:22 "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."

Since "abomination" means "disgusting", God finds that act as such. Furthermore, that's how I coined the word "homodisgustia".

 Romans 1:26 For this cause (believing the lie) God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient..."

Homosexuality is a serious offense against God. So much so that they can be reprobate! This is a condition of the soul and mind where one is so engaged in and acclimated to their sin, that they damn themselves. There is no hope for salvation because their hearts are hardened! Of course God can forgive any sin, but first, the sinner must feel sorrow and repent. It seems that homosexuals feel no sorrow for their sin because society and the modern church is so accepting of their behavior! Without sorrow, repentance is impossible and forgiveness not forthcoming!

The issue of homosexuality is one of the main wrongs of Survivor, but there are many more! Dishonesty is a major maneuver in winning the game. The players are not only accepted for their dishonesty, but the entire premise of the game encourages it! Even religious players, after a spell of remaining noble, must get into the action to win the $1,000,000!

The players strive to remain in the game. Each week one player is voted out by the other players who are vulnerable that week, having lost their immunity by losing the "challenge". The challenge is a mental, physical or combination activity which team members must win to be immune from their flame being extinguished. Along as their torch remains lighted, they are still in the game and have life. The flame represents "life".

To remain in the game each "tribe" interacts. Each individual player forms alliances with others so they can have a stronger vote in who stays. To create strong alliances players must befriend and gain the trust of other players. Each person jockeys for acceptance with others and 3 or more players who bond create an alliance. That alliance, if in the majority, can vote out those outside the alliance.

When a person who is in the majority alliance is voted out and their torch extinguished, they are out of the game.  When that happens it's called a "blindside". The person in the alliance, in surprise, is voted out. Why are they surprised? Because they trusted their fellow alliance members. When a person is blindsided, it's most likely that their alliance members lied to them or cheated on them somehow. The best liars and cheats remain in the game! Thus, Survivor encourages and teaches dishonesty as a tactic.

"It's only for the game!" the players say! Sound familiar? That's rationalizing dishonesty and is an infantile tactic.  Let's look at a few more "convenient" ways to be reprobate:

Romans 1:29 "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 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."

For your convenience I have highlighted in bold the "the things which are not convenient" to righteousness, but are convenient to winning! So far there have been no murders in Survivor, but if one hates another, in their heart, they have committed murder! Some of these inconvenient things done on the show, and for those who do them best, makes the winner and the winner(s) are rewarded for their inconvenience activities!

The most often used tactics among those used on the show are: covetousness (wanting the idol badly for immunity from being voted out), maliciousness (setting people up for disfavor and portraying them in a bad light), whisperers (gossiping to malign another player), backbiters (knit-picking others game), despiteful (things like throwing away food to get even with tribe members), proud (believing that each should be the leader because each believes they are best), boasters (short interviews where players brag about how they deceived the team),  inventors (think up new things to disparage other players), disobedient (not to parents, but to the team leader and the team), without natural affection (discussed under homosexuality), implacable (self-centered players are never satisfied with others roles), and unmerciful (they rationalize all these things for the one-million dollars and will hurt to win it!). Fornication is often the tool of the younger set to gain alliances!

Romans 1:29-32 are Survivor  tools for staying in and winning the game and a million dollars!  Remember, this is only a game! However, people believe that to survive in this world these same tools are to be used to win! What is it people win in life? Here's a partial list: pleasure, wealth, prestige, acceptance, love, comfort, power, ad nauseum. The winners of Survivor in Real Life, use all these tools and think they are winners. It's not a game!

Survivor teaches and promotes things which are not in the best interest of those who are malleable to subliminal  influences. People think they remain in control, but deceit is a tactic of the devil. We are what we read, watch, and are entertained by! That's why advertisers spend millions of dollars for television commercials! They want you to buy what they are selling!

Likewise, the producers of television shows want you to buy what they're selling! It's not a conspiracy thing necessarily, but the writers and producers do write and make things which propagate their own belief system, making money off those who even oppose what they produce!

Oh, what is a Christian to do? Be discerning!

Hebrews 5:14 "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Mature Christians are able to partake of "strong meat".  The strength lies within the might of God's word. Christian use their reason (applied to scripture) and exercise all their abilities to know what's right and what's wrong. All things are tested using God's scripture.

By discernment, Satan cannot fool the mature Christian! I hope that's you!

Debbie Suddarth sings Mercy Tree

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUy6xGt9gRA

Click above to watch the video "Mercy Tree"

Job and Jesus?

The Book of Job is alleged to have been written before any book in The Bible. Yes, even before Moses wrote Genesis. However, it's obvious that the story of Job wasn't before the advent of the world, but some early prophet thought it important enough to write it down! Some theologians say that an unknown author wrote the book before "The Flood" (ante-duluvian times)!  (Dating the Book of Job, G. L. Bartholomew).

The book has a purpose! It's not in the Old Testament (OT) as entertainment, mere history nor to tell the struggles of an early ancestor of mankind. It's there to point toward Jesus, following my contention that all the OT  is about Jesus and was from that first day in the Garden of Eden! Furthermore, my instruction to the reader of the OT is to always ask oneself the question "What does this have to do with Jesus?"  Since, I propose that Christianity pre-dated Judaism it then follows that the OT is all about Christ.

As John the Baptist came to introduce Christ to the apostolic world prior to his incarnation, the OT came to introduce Jesus to the pre-apostolic and apostolic world as well! He was yet to be known as Jesus, but was "The Angel of God", "The Word", "The Voice", "The Burning Bush", "The Man who Wrestled with Jacob", Melchizedech and so on! What's more he was the "Fourth Person" in the fiery furnace who saved Shadrack, Meshack and Ebednego!  I contend that although The Book of Job has several messages to the future, it is mainly a message to the patriarchs corresponding to their interaction with The Word, Jesus!

Job :1 "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought (nothing)?
10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. (my note: tempt and he will sin)
12a And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand.
42:10b ... the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 12a So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning..."

Let's look at the scenario: Job was credited by God as being "perfect and upright". He turned his back on  evil! God "spoke" to Satan and "The Word" is the pre-incarnate Jesus. I contend that Job had a first hand friendship with Jesus and knew what Jesus would do someday! His faith was profound because Jesus' death and the shedding of God's own blood was to be profound.

Unlike post-apostolic Christians who saw God in the flesh and still read about Jesus, Job was closer than we are. He conversed directly with Jesus and heard him speak! I'm certain that "The Word"  identified himself to Job and told him of his death and resurrection. That should be intuitively obvious because Job's faith was so great that he suffered greatly for God and was willing to die. Men aren't that faithful because of an archaic belief, but because God was with him and spoke to him. He is a living God!

There is a meeting taking place. It's principalities versus God and Job!

Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

 The "ruler of darkness" at this meeting was whom? If you said "Satan", then good for you! Who else was there? It's not as obvious, but "the sons of God" are fallen angels called "demons". Josephus and many Jewish scholars believe that fallen angels, attracted by earthly women, intermarried and produced a race of giants called "Nephilim". It were these half-human half-demon creatures which were destroyed, for the most part, in the flood, but their genes lived on!

Job was there. He was a mere man who feared God, but he was perfect in God's eyes.

John 17:22 "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I (Jesus) in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."

All men have sinned (Romans 5:12), so no one is without sin! But Job was perfect and without sin. How can this be? Jesus made Job perfect, not in behavior and thought, but by mercy and grace! Since Job surely loved and feared the Lord (Jesus) with whom he spoke, Jesus made him "perfect" for his faith (trust) in him! It wasn't Job's work, but God's gift which made him perfect because of his faith!

Satan told God, basically: "Job's faith is merely because you have blessed him and his house."  Satan accused Job of being faithful because God bribed him to be so!  Job, according to Satan, is perfect because God "has put a hedge about him". Satan diminished the faith Job had in God  because he alleged that Job's faith was because God had put up a spiritual protective shield around Job. Job didn't sin because God didn't allow temptation inside the shield. Satan believed that if the shield was removed and temptation be allowed to enter, then Job would surely abandon God!

Abandoning God is called apostasy or "falling away". Calvinists believe that shield is always there, is never removed, and God will never allow them to fall. That's called "preservation of the saints" or "eternal security". In the example of Job, he didn't fall away, but he could have! That's what the test was all about. Did Job have the faith to remain true to God. He did! That's what's called perseverance:

1 Corinthians 15:1 "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures..."

First off, Paul was speaking of "according to the scriptures". Since the New Testament (NT) had yet to be written, it was the Old Testament (OT) and the prophets to which Paul was speaking. The OT taught about that "Christ died for our sins"! Job knew that! When he was tempted of Satan, and he and his demons are the ones who tempt, Job thought about Jesus and what "The Word" had revealed to him. I suppose that The Word told Job how to remain steadfast.

"Believing in vain" is the same context as when Satan accused Job of "Doth Job fear God for nought?"  You see the internal consistency between the story of Job and the NT?

God had removed a hedge, if there was one, which he is merely accused of having erected! With his faith Job had he put on invisible armor:

Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

Let's be clear! God didn't keep Job from temptation, but he provided the armor to protect Job from sinning. That same armor is available to every Christian. It needs only to be put on the Christian. Job depended on his faith in Jesus to sustain him in battle! Like Job, Christians must depend on God. That armor is called out:

Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."

Let's review for a moment: Paul saw and spoke with Jesus who told him many things! The full armor of God was one of the things Jesus spoke to Paul about. Furthermore, Jesus told Paul "the mystery of the gospel". Basically, that mystery is this "salvation was always by the grace of Jesus and it is for all mankind"! Just as Jesus spoke to Paul and told him  how to fight the good fight, he surely shared the same defense with Job. Job depended on "the Spirit" of God as his sword, just as Paul told of doing!

The full armor is named:

• Truth girded about his loins
• Breastplate of righteousness
• wearing shoes of the gospel of Jesus
• holding up the shield of faith
• wearing the helmet of his salvation
• wielding the sword of the Spirit (heeding the words of God)
• praying continually
• looking at the prophets and their faith
• being bold in speaking the word of Jesus

Job knew to do these things just as we do! Job was "safe" in that he had the "hope of salvation"! Job knew that, if he remained faithful, there was a reward coming, more so than doubling what he had, but an eternal reward: Paul spoke again of that armor of God:

1 Thessalonians 5:8 "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation."

No, Job wasn't "saved", but he had faith and love for Jesus with whom he was in communion! He was "safe" because he wore the full armor of God. He had "the hope of salvation". We can't be saved from being killed until we are about to be killed. We may stay away from harm in which case we are "safe", but salvation is the instant that we're delivered from harm! Likewise, salvation is the instant that we're delivered from the second death and until that time, we're "safe"; protected by the whole armor of God!

In the end Job was "saved": "the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning". In the beginning what did Job have? Wealth, family, comfort, health and a contented life! What did Job have after he persevered against Satan and his demons? He was blessed! He had more than he ever had. Job now resides in heaven! His "hope of salvation" has now born fruit. Job's reward is that he moved from "save" to "saved". He had surely more than he had in the beginning!

What does the OT  have to do with Jesus? Everything! It reveals the "mystery of Christ" and that mystery is that Jesus is always there and always has been! Job knew Jesus and had faith! Job was saved by faith in Jesus, which the NT  tells us is the only Way to be saved!

Some speak of "The Full Gospel" meaning that they focus on the gifts of the Spirit as written in Acts.  However, "The Full Gospel" is sharing the "mystery of Christ". It's seeing Christ in the faith of the patriarchs. It's seeing Jesus walking in the Garden of Eden. It's seeing Jesus in the fiery furnace.

John 1:1 " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14a  And the Word was made flesh..."

Only the Book of John has this scripture. It's the key to the "mystery of Christ"!  Salvation was always by Jesus and it is for anyone who believes! Job believed and trusted! Job had "the hope of salvation". God said to him "well done good and faithful servant"! (Matthew 25:21). Let Job and his faith be a lesson for us. We must put on the full armor of God to win the war! What war? The battle for our souls!

I Fought God and I Won!

Genesis 32:24  "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he (the man) saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

I've heard Calvinists preach that when a person first gets the idea to seek salvation, the person becomes "saved" at that very moment! It would appear that the sorrow, repentance, and forgiveness is done in one swoop! God in essence forgives without the repentance!  This is at odds with  what Jesus said

 "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Matthew 9:13b).

Repentance is a process! Processes are things that are to be DONE by the person called: 1) Feeling sorrow for failing to do God's will and 2) seeking to make it right with God.

As in any process there are confounds. If one even examines the act of tying one's shoes, look at the things which can confound a bad tie:

• lack of nimbleness
• distraction
• arthritis
• cheap laces
• hard to find shoe eyes
• grease or grime on the fingers or laces
• missing end pieces
• ridicule
• poor knowledge
• ad nauseum

 People know and can feel a well-tied shoe, but there are many obstacles that can impede the process of well-tied shoes! The process of "tying shoes" obviously secure enough that they are comfortable, snug and won't fall off. Even the simple process of shoe-tying has many possible confounds. Then, then, all the confounds of repentance!

When a person endeavors to tie one's shoes, most often no one cares at all whether your shoes get tied or not! People are apathetic whether your shoes are comfortable, snug and won't fall off. However, repentance is a different story. Someone cares about your salvation! Two people as a matter of fact: Satan and Jesus. Jesus, through God's Holy Spirit calls a person to get saved:

John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."

[Before I discuss the "drawing" of Jesus, let me first point out that the sinner is drawn to God and as such belongs to the kingdom of God.  The born-again person becomes a "green card" holder in that kingdom until the time of death. All the while, as a subject of God, the born-again person is "safe" in that God puts a hedge around the person. As with Job, Satan has certain leeway to convince the born-again person to deny God, but Satan can't force him to do that. Free will is still man's gift (or curse), where citizenship can be kept in God's Kingdom or relinquished to Satan, ruler of the flesh. Actual salvation occurs as Jesus said "I will raise him up at the last day!" That's when a "safe"  citizenship gives way to full-citizenship and the regenerated person is "saved" from the wrath called hell.]

That is incidental to my point, however. It is Jesus who administer's the calling from God by obedience to the Holy Spirit, since Jesus' presence is no longer here. Therefore, point 1 is made. Jesus is one of the two persons involved in your call to repentance. It's him that does the calling and him from whom you seek forgiveness!

The other party is Satan. He's there too!

2 Corinthians 11:3 "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

I short, Satan is there to make simple grace complicated!  The person who repents is deceived by Satan and the mind corrupted! Satan is the author of all the confounds in the process of repentance.

Look at all the confounds in the process of repentance:

• The devil prowls on you to devour (1 Peter 5:8)
• You have been acclimated to sin. You don't want to quit because that's what you have always done! (1 John 3:8) 
• Satan disguises himself as an angel to trick you. (2 Corinthians 11:14)
• Your foster parent is the devil and you listen to him. (John 8:44)
• Your thoughts will be led from purity and truth (2 Corinthians 11:13)
• The devil comes to kill and destroy. (John 10:10)
• The devil will be hard to resist because he offers the world. (James 4:7)
• The devil has blinded unbelievers to truth. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
• The devil schemes against you for what you're about to do. (Ephesians 6:11)
• Satan hinders you by any way he can! (Matthew 16:23)
• He has power over the unbeliever. (1 John 5:19)
• Satan demands that you stay his! (Luke 22:31)
• The devil will pretend he is God. (Isaiah 14:15)
• again, ad nauseum!

Satan has a whole arsenal of weapons and you have yet to put on the full armor of God! Think on this: Jesus is calling! You feel remorse and want relief from guilt. As you begin to respond, Satan pulls out all his tricks! Repenting is not merely a thought of turning to God, it's a battle and you are in a wrestling match. It's Satan's side you're on,so you wrestle, in effect with Jesus; just as Jacob did!

There is one difference: Jacob playfully wrestled with God. He already had a good relationship with God and sought a blessing. The sinner, however, has only a relationship with the devil, but seeks a blessing from Jesus. The sinner wants to be saved from the punishment he deserves, but rather than humbly accepting God's gift, his nature, inclined to sin and following Satan, causes him to wrestle with Jesus. When Jesus knocks at his soul's door, the devil jumps in front of it to keep it from being answered. As the sinner stands there undecided, there is a wrestling match going on in his mind. Shall I submit to Jesus or stay in the comfort and joys of the flesh? Your master has been the devil Your desire is to stay with him! That must be overcome, but you're not alone.

My own wrestling match with Jesus, and it was Jesus, with whom Jacob was wrestling, took weeks! "I fought God and I won!" No it wasn't me the sinner who was the winner, but me who became blessed who won. I wrestled for Satan against Jesus for two weeks or so, but Jesus touched my thigh and I submitted. I felt his power and believed his promise! Because God is strong he empowered me, still a sinner, to wrestle long until I asked for the blessing. All I had to do is tire of it all and submit, but it wasn't simple!

Yes, I wrestled long against Jesus, but I won! "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." I would have been a loser if I had stayed with Satan, but I went with Jesus. He's my man! I had wrestled with the man who was on my side!

Fantasyland

Fantasy helps people cope! Fantasy is something we do in our imaginations which we can't in reality. It may be something impossible, forbidden or disreputable. We all have fantasy's of some sort at times, but some people live in Fantasyland.

Fantasyland is an existence somewhere between reality and insanity. Perhaps it's a mechanism to escape reality and yet not be insane!  The earliest philosophers have always pondered "What is reality?" in effect by asking "What is truth?' These two thoughts are interconnected because truth must be in congruent to reality.

Let's look at some fantasies of many people:

• Being discovered for their talent.
• Winning the lottery, becoming wealthy.
• Marrying the person of their dreams.
• Their children being obedient and successful.
• Playing a professional sport.
• Becoming a rock star.
• ad nauseum

Most of these, if not all, are in fact achievable! However, some are more possible than others. People are often "discovered" for their talent. It may not be by Hollywood, but employers discover fine employees every day.

Playing a professional support is much more of a fantasy, but many high school athletes dream of that.  One of my students in Sunday School, age 19, said that he was going to play professional football, notwithstanding that he had played in a county school and was now working at serving fast food. When I asked "And what college do you now play for?", he only looked bewildered. His fantasy was unrealistic because he had not yet been discovered and was in no situation to be discovered! He likely never had the qualifications or skill to be what he fantasized!

When I attended "open meeting" at the drug rehab, most of the teens had one thing in common: their goals in life were to become rock stars, and it appears that most of them believed the first step to stardom was getting high. Why did they think that way? That's what rock stars do! I guess they thought that someone like Simon Cowell would step in the high school restroom where they were loving on Maryjane, grab them by their long sissified hair and take them to the recording studio where they could borrow a guitar and some talent;  then screech into the microphone.

Fantasy's are possible, but unlikely. However, "possible fantasies" are what's called "hope". I hoped, when I was young, that I would be successful! At the time it was a mere fantasy because I was a youth with no skills and had a very narrow road to accomplishment.

I have a fantasy right now! My desire is to go to heaven. I don't deserve to go there, many people say it's not real, and hence, is unattainable. Their is no tangible evidence that anyone ever went to heaven! Is heaven a mere fantasy?

We can't see heaven, no one knows where it is, and scientists can't detect it. Most people would say "Heaven is not for real!", but I know that "Heaven Is For Real"!  Scientifically and objectively heaven is not there. It's a mere fantasy in the minds of those who fear death. Their fantasy is that they will never die, but live on! Not a bad fantasy, I would say! The Bible describes this fantasy:

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

It would appear that my fantasy has purpose! It's called faith! My fantasy is what I hope for and it's going to a place where things can't be seen; from here anyhow!

Remember, I said some fantasies are possible! That's "hope" and "faith" is my trust that what I hope for meets objective reality! It would be futile to fantasize heaven and then heaven is proven to be not real. There are things out there somewhere that we just don't know about from a scientific standpoint, but are there regardless of popular thought.

In the courtroom forsenic and corroborating evidence is allowed to prove innocence or guilt. Forsenic evidence is what's scientific. Corroborating evidence is testimony by reliable witnesses. Given that forsenic evidence is not available for heaven, we must rely on the testimony of witnesses.

Acts 1:1 "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he (Jesus) was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight."

• The ascension was documented by Luke, the author of Acts. 
• Luke gave Theophilus a first hand account of the ascension.
• The apostles all saw the ascension.
• They all saw him after he was crucified and resurrected.
• It was by "infallible proofs" that he was there after his death.
• He assembled with the apostles although he had died.
• He spoke to others after his death.
• The apostles saw him taken up into the heavens.

Therein lies the corroborating evidence by trustworthy people who wrote what would be "legal dispositions" that Jesus died, yet lived afterwards, and that he ascended into the clouds and has yet to return. Where is Jesus now? He went to his Father was his own first hand testimony and where he went it was not yet time for them to go!

My fantasy had possibilities! I admit that it's only faith right now, but it is a fantasy actually experienced by another. Therefore, it is a tangible fantasy!

Without this hope or tangible fantasy there would be little reason for living and it would be extremely hard to cope! However, heaven and Jesus is are from a coping mechanism, is more real than a fantasy, and I can do something to make it more likely: to move it from the fantasy realm into a trustworthy hope. I can believe and have faith!

So you have little faith? Then where is your hope? Who is better off; those who fantasize on the trivial unlikely things which are certain not to happen, or the few of us who put our hope in Jesus? For dreamers there is no salvation. For doubters there is none, but for those with faith our hope will come true! The objective evidence points that way! After all, if Jesus didn't ascend into heaven where is he? Where does he lie in the grave?

Not A Good Listener: Hearing But Not Processing

I'm not a good listener! Being hearing impaired with tinnitus, it reduces my hearing level 60% or so. However, I have a major problem in addition to that: When people are speaking intelligent thoughts I am busy processing what I hear and my cognitive activity interferes with new transmissions. I'm a poor listener because I analyze what the speaker is saying and get caught up in the trappings of my own mind!

Likewise, when people are merely chatting for fellowship on non-value added things, my mind is off in some dusty filing system pulling out things I've read which I deem more important to share with the people I'm with. This is rude and I endeavor to leave dusty things filed away! For instance, if someone mentions "surgery" in a conversation, my mind automatically goes back to the first abdominal surgery performed by Ephraim McDowell in Green County, Kentucky in 1809. When I do that, I miss the next topic of conversation and people think "He didn't hear me!". I didn't hear because I failed to listen. I was caught up in thought.

This is a good thing and a bad thing. I'm a minor league "Walter Mitty" and that's bad. However, the good things about thinking deeply about what one hears is that the conversation has meaning, and if both parties are thinking and sharing, both can readily learn from each other!

Mark 4:9 "And he (Jesus) said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

When speaking in parables Jesus said this often! Parables are life events that could happen and Jesus use them to make a spiritual or moral point. People listened to parables and heard the words, but they failed to draw the parallel Jesus was making. They were not getting any spiritual lessons from the short story being told. Therefore, what Jesus meant was "You have ears that hear, but you fail to consider what you're hearing!"

Shallow people can hear everything, but still fail to put the puzzle together because they are lackadaisical thinkers. One of my own favorite sayings is "Words mean things!" That's why words are spoken. Most people are eager hearers, but lazy thinkers. "Watter's World" on FOXNEWS is an example of these type of people! The people he interviews surely heard, maybe many times, current events or history. However, they never thought about what they heard! Why? Likely they didn't care and it failed to register because their minds were occupied on other things. Most of the time it's recreation and entertainment which fills the void where learning should be!

Often people who saturate their thoughts with entertainment fail to heed much of significance. When I see people with headphones on while running, relaxing, driving or whatever; I think: "Give your mind a break! Think on things of importance!"

Growing up working on a farm, I heard one thing most of the day: the roar of a tractor engine! That's wasn't a pleasant sound so I filled it with wonder! "I wonder why I'm here." "I wonder how God created the universe" and my most profound thought as a teenage "How far does nothing go out there beyond the cosmos?" I want to know these things! I care little for what others think, but cherish what God says about things. I seek truth. Scientists seek truth as well, but in seeking truth, they rule our Truth. By slighting God, most scientific thought will never paint an accurate picture because God is a big part of the picture!

This is rambling and I know it! However all my rambling leads to a point: When reading scripture, one must do more than mentally hear the words, but let the mind cogitate on the thought behind the words before moving on. Specifically, when reading the Bible, especially the Old Testament, continually ask yourself this question: "What has this got to do with Jesus?' It has everything to do with Jesus, and that thought process supplies the clues to answering what is "The Mystery of God"!

The Voice: Music to My Ears!

The Voice is a television show about discovering talent. It's a television competition series. Contestants come from all walks of life and the talent is judged in four stages by judges from the entertainment community who are artists themselves. The winner of the competition is just about guaranteed success in the music industry, unless of course, careers are cut short by drugs and fame.

There is another "Voice". This voice is part of "The Mystery of God" has much more importance than those merely singing! THE VOICE is mentioned casually early on, in scripture, but let's look first at a peculiar gospel.

Matthew, Mark and Luke are synoptic gospels. They tell pretty much the same story of Jesus' birth,  ministry, death and resurrection. However, the Book of John is a little different. It is a multi-layered, possibly a collusion of facts about Jesus. This gospel gives an account of the "spiritual" Jesus before he was embodied! Let's look at a few verses:

John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." 

In John, it seems that Jesus' story introduced John's ministry, whereas in the other gospels, John came to introduce the world to Jesus! To be sure, Jesus' pre-existence is why John came to introduce Jesus who was here before John; long before! That is unique and that book.

This verse is key to another mystery of God! The Book of John explains the origins of Jesus! He always was. He was always at the side of God. He is God. He is the part of God who was made flesh, and he is the one CALLED Jesus. His purpose before his advent was to declare the things of the Father (God).

First off, Jesus was not the Christ's name. Jesus was his Name to us. Luke 2:21 says " his name was called Jesus". He WAS and IS God. He was also called "Christ" and "Emmanuel" which is "God with us".  On the cross he was called "King of the Jews", but by whatever name he was called, he IS God. John ensures the reader understands that Jesus always WAS before he was called anything. He was "the messenger of God" called often "The Angel of God" in not only the Old Testament (OT), but in the New Testament (NT) as well!

"Angel" mans "messenger". Messengers have messages consisting of words. Hence, messengers speak words, and in the Bible, it's the words of God. "The Angel of God" is a particular messenger. He speaks THE WORD. Our church fathers knew that "The Angel of God" is "THE WORD" and the WORD was made flesh and IS Jesus! Hence, any OT reference to "The Angel of God", "Voice", "God said...", etc. was The Messiah speaking. Jesus is throughout the entire OT! The OT is all about Jesus!

The purpose of Jesus is to save mankind from eternal damnation. That's the physical reason for Jesus. He came as the Son of Man (Mary) to save man! Jesus came to save by being the living sacrifice for mankind!

"The Word" had another purpose. His call was to declare what God wanted to told. Since he was God, it was not a sharing of thoughts from God he was to bring to mankind, but since he is God, he knew God's will first hand. The Word spoke God's direct Word. There was no need to reiterate the message and lose content!

Then all that remains is "What did The Word come to declare?" The Word came to tell mankind and the patriarchs "the mystery of God"!

Revelation 10:7 "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets."

What did The Word tell the prophets? "He hath declared (as did the seventh angel) the mystery of God" (aka "The Mystery of Christ"). Hence, The Word came to tell the prophets of the OT about Jesus!  Is then, the mystery of God, the story of Jesus?

Colossians 1:25 "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"

There are two parts to the passage: 1) Salvation is for all, not just the Jews, and 2) salvation is by Christ as Jesus was also "called".  Conclusion: The prophets knew about Jesus all along and their belief in Jesus is what saved them! Hence, the "Dispensation of Grace" was there from the beginning as it still is!

Throughout the entire Bible, OT and NT, whenever God spoke, it was "The Word" who was to become Jesus! Abraham had great faith because he spoke to the "person" who took on flesh and became Jesus. The Word told him all about salvation. The Word told Abraham how he was to die to save mankind! How do I know that? Because Abraham did symbolically after speaking with The Word, what Jesus did in reality! Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his own son demonstrated that he knew what God would someday do himself!

So "Jesus" spoke with Abraham. Does that make sense? Yes, it does for how else did he know to play the part of God and the Isaac play the Son? Not only did Abraham know about Jesus and speak with him, but even Adam and Eve conversed with the Savior! "The Word" and "The Voice" are one and the same!

Genesis 3:8 "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden."

John speaks of Jesus from the beginning! Well since he was there, just where was he? Jesus was walking in the garden in the cool of the evening! "The Voice" they heard was "The Word" who later took on flesh and became Jesus!  Therefore, the Bible is about Christianity, not about Judaism. Salvation was always by The Word. He told them, not what to DO, but in whom to have FAITH.

This logic correspondents to "The Mystery of God" which is that salvation was always for everyone, not just the Jews, although the Jews were given special opportunities since they were God's "chosen" people: This is based on the scripture

Colossians 1:27 "God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles..." from the aforementioned quoted scripture.

Mystery Part 1 solved! The plan of salvation was always by faith in Jesus, either is coming or his going! Mystery Part 2 solved. Salvation was always open to everyone. The Jews were chosen people because Christ wore Jewish flesh! However, that Jewish flesh was shed for Jew and Gentile.

John 1:18a says "No man hath seen God at any time..."

Who, then did Moses peak to on the mountain? Who was it he saw?

 Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: 4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I."

This speaks volumes! "The Angel of the Lord" APPEARED to Moses, although scripture cannot contradict itself when John wrote that "no man has seen God at any time" (John 1:18a). THE Angel of the Lord "called unto him (Moses)". That calling was "The Voice", also known as "The Word". It was Jesus who spoke to Moses! You see, this is all a part of the "Mystery of Christ"! Or as Paul wrote in the letter to Colossians:

(1:26) "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:"

The Messiah (Christ) when born incarnate was CALLED Emmanuel. He was CALLED Jesus. He IS God! What is His name?

Exodus 3:13 "And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

God said. The Voice said. The Word said. Jesus said: "I AM" is his name! This is validated by Jesus when he was walking on water!

Matthew 14:26 "And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.."

This is transliterated from the Greek to English "it is I". More accurately, according to linguists, Jesus said "I AM", thus reinforcing that it IS God who is walking on the water and has appeared to them, and that Jesus of the NT is the same as "The Voice" at the burning bush!

The beauty of the Bible is that it's internally consistent. It never contradicts itself and God, according to his own words, never changes! According to Jesus, he is God incarnate, and there is one salvation.

Ephesians 4:4 "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

There wasn't one way to be saved in the OT and another in the NT. Salvation was ALWAYS  by faith in Jesus's grace. For the prophets faith in what HE WILL DO and for the saints, faith in what HE DID. Salvation has always been by the blood of Jesus!

Hebrews 9:18 "Whereupon neither the first testament (OT) was dedicated without blood. 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

The shedding of the blood of animals in the OT was a substitute for the shedding of the blood of Jesus, who was to come and whose coming was accepted by faith.; and who had not yet been incarnated. When the priests made the blood sacrifice on an altar dedicated to God, it pointed toward the shedding of Jesus's blood. They knew this THEN because The Word (Jesus pre-incarnate) told them that THEN!

That "Voice" they heard in the time of the prophets is the same "Voice" that I hear. It says:

Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Listen to those Words of Jesus. Listen to that "Voice"! That's the "Voice" that I hear and the same "Voice" that the prophets heard! That's a perfect and true voice. That is a champion Voice. That is the victor's Voice and that is the Savior's Voice. It's a sweet sound that we hear! It's music to my ears!

"Sunday! Sunday" Goes the Song

The pop song Sunday Sunday by Steven Alexander James, David Alexander de Horne Rowntree speaks of tidy attire, the TV Guide, dreaming, food, sleeping late, family time, a walk in the park, people, patriotism, songs and singing, regret, pride, going out and finally sleeping in! That's what many people do! All but what thy should do!

Most people say "I don't need to go to church. I can worship God anywhere!" That's not wrong. Anyone CAN worship God anywhere, but the question remains "Do most people worship God anywhere?" Do you?

Remember, worshiping God is much more than enjoying what he created! And most Christians don't even truly believe God created it. How do we know he did? He said so! Is God a liar? It will appear that mankind questions the integrity of God. With those who don't believe in Truth, how are they to believe what God says?

Romans 1:20 "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"

The heathen who never heard the name of Jesus are without excuse! They are to seek him out. It seems that belief in what's not seen (God) is evidenced by what a person can clearly see! We see "the things that are made" and that validates that there is a God! If not God, who created what we see? There is no other explanation. Science can never explain that because that's Truth! With that said, all men "are without excuse". If we don't know God and never heard about Jesus, our first and most important assignment from God for you is "Find Truth. Find God!"

Truth is not found at the breakfast table, walking the park, golfing, fishing, or spending time with the family. Truth is found learning about God. The Learner's Handbook is Holy Scripture, together called The Bible.

Church is the place to learn about God. A bible-based church is there if one seeks it out. It's full of sinners, hypocrites, gaudy dressers, hillbillies, the elite, rude people, haters and several loving people! It has an imperfect minister, but one that endeavors to teach what God said and will do for you. You can find all that in the park, but there is another reason to go to church: to praise God and he wants us to do it as a "church", a gathering of his disciples.

Acts 4:31 "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."

Acts 11:26 "And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."

We see here several reasons to assemble as we do on Sundays:

• For prayer (communicating with God) 
• Receiving the Holy Ghost
• Speaking bold scripture
• Teaching
• Fellowship
• Unity

How often does a person see this worship in the park or on the golf course? Do people assemble and praise God this way at home; at least those who don't go to church? I think not!

"Sunday! Sunday!" is the refrain! Sing that song on the way to church. That's okay. We should all be joyous in the Lord. However, Sunday Sunday is the Lord's Day! Give it back to him to whom it belongs. Sunday Sunday is his!

Adoption

"We are all children of God!" Right? That's what most people say when confronted with aberrant lifestyles.  Wrong!

Because we're human and all descendants of Adam, we belong to Satan:

John 8:44 "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do."

Although all men are created by God, once breath flows into our lungs and our mind reasons, we become a child of the devil.

What happens to children of the devil if they die before they know right from wrong? What happens to those who are mentally handicapped? Remember, "God is a merciful God!" (Deuteronomy 4:31).

There is no "age of accountability" although Jews reckon it to be twelve. There is no supporting scripture for that, but since God is graceful, it stands to reason that his mercy extends to those who yet do not understand his will. It's not a particular age, but it is at an age of understanding, different for each person. The Jews, when in sin, like the pagans, ritually burned infants to the god Moloch in the belly of the idol. Here that god, a Baal is the heathen god to whom the sacrifice was made:

Jeremiah 19:4 "...they ((people of Jerusalem) have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents; 5a They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not..."

Infants, as can be seen here were deemed "innocents". They were not guilty of sin. They were not yet old enough to understand The Law!

Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.)"

"Imputed" is when something is "credited to" or "blamed" on a person. Since children are not old enough to understand legality nor salvation, then it stands to reason, that they are not blamed for sin, although everyone is born with "original sin", which is our propensity to do wrong because we are of the line of Adam.

On the other hand, righteousness may be "imputed". Jesus had not yet been incarnated, let alone sacrificed, but Abraham believed that would happen:

Romans 4:20 "He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

Abraham, instructed by The Word (Jesus) was willing to sacrifice his son for his own sins! Because of that faith in the coming Jesus, God imputed (credited) Abraham with righteousness. Although Christ had yet to be born, Abraham was a Christian!

Like Abraham, who was innocent because of faith, God can impute righteousness to "the innocents" because of their inability to understand right from wrong, thus are not held accountable for their sins! God is gracious indeed! It would be horrible if newborn babies went to hell for nothing other than because they "are". However, God imputes righteousness to them. He likens adult belief unto that of "little children":

Luke 18:16 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."

It's apparent that little children, innocents, were coming to Jesus, not because they understood the call of salvation, but just because they saw Jesus in a loving light! That's grace in action! Jesus told the adults to do the same!

Recapitulating, mankind are children of the devil the instant they are born. Their tendency is always to sin, but because they haven't the capacity to understand, they are temporarily "adopted" by God, until sin is imputed to them. That's not at any given age, but is when they realize right from wrong! Whenever that time occurs, Satan assumes custody of the young person. He becomes their father and master, since he is temporary ruler of their world. They follow him:

 Ephesians 2:2 "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience..."

This scripture says much. It appears that innocent children, when sin becomes imputed to them (blamed), they become foster children of Satan. They have "a spirit of disobedience" and do the will of Satan rather than the will of God!  They are slaves to Satan in effect! What needs to be done? A loving Father needs to find them a home! Jesus goes to the door of that orphan child and knocks. If the child answers that door, then righteousness is imputed (credited) to him (or her). Jesus adopts the person has his own!

Galatians 4:5 "(Jesus) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

This scripture is powerful! Not only have you found a new Father when you answer his knock, but you become his prodigal son, the wayward son who has returned! Now you are part of the family of God and have a new spirit. In effect, you are "born again" through faith! It's a new start! Not only have you a new Father, but you are no longer a slave to your old master. The orphan you has been adopted. You are no longer a foster child working tirelessly for an evil parent.

The adoption is not a formal ritual. You merely follow Jesus: Since Jesus is "good" he gives you a gift. That gift is grace. He loves you even though your master is his enemy and is willing to take you into his home with only one condition:

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"

There is something you must do to be adopted! You must put yourself up for adoption. You must want to become part of the family and have a new Father! You're tired of your dysfunctional family and seek solace in the Holy Spirit who can comfort you. In short, you trust in Jesus to calm your soul and save you from the evil foster parent. He will do that. It's his gift to you and Jesus bought that gift by his own sacrifice. Do you believe that Jesus died on the Cross in your place? Do you trust in him and realize that he is the Way and only Way to salvation? If you believe this and trust in Jesus, then you have just been adopted!

Normally orphans, when they find a happy  home, are joyous! They want to tell everybody about how happy they are in their new family. How shall they tell the world about their new birth, their adoption into the family of God? They get baptized. The dirt from the foster parents and slave-master is washed clean as they are immersed, and they arise from the water a new person. Baptism is the affirmation that the orphan appreciates the new family with Jesus at the head! The "orphan" is no longer the same slave, but becomes free and a happy child of God!

Romans 6:3 "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him(Jesus) by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:"

This baptism describes our adoption unto Christ. Adopted children "have a new life"! We no longer "should serve sin". Baptism is our pledge to be a good child. A prodigal son redeemed by the Father! As an adopted child, saved from a wretched foster parent, "we also should live with him (Christ)!

Adopted children, when taken into a "good" home to show affection for the adopted Father who saved them from slavery, show love for the Father. How is that done?

John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

With adoption your life is not over; it has just begun. You belong now to a functional and loving family with a just patriarch! You are obligated and willing to show that love by obeying the Father who saved your from the old mean foster parent and slave-master. Because you're saved from the evil parent's destruction, you are to love the loving Father! To show that love, you do his will. It becomes more than an obligation, but with the assistance of the family (the Holy Spirit) your love comes easy if you're truly thankful!

That's adoption! I'm adopted. I'm grateful.  I try to show my love to my Father by doing his will. Sometimes, often, I fail him, but my Father understands! He's one of us and God too!