Beaten for Being a Fan of Jesus

Acts 5:34 "Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

The Jewish people had lived in bondage under the Assyrians, the Babylonians, then the Greeks followed by the Seleucid's and then by the Romans. The Maccabee brothers had fought a revolution and established the Hasmonean Dynasty which had ruled Judah for one-hundred years until the Romans overthrew them in 63 BC. The Maccabees brought nationalism and the restoration of Judaism which the Seleucid's treated as nothing more than a governing organization.  Some claim that the Jewish War of Independence was little more than a civil war between civil and religious factions of Judaism; the Hellenists (Greek influenced) verses Judaism. In effect they allege that this was a war between the secular and  religion!

Now, what's this got to do with that? The Jews were equally expecting a Messiah. However, the Hellenists were expecting a king to win their independence while a few of the others were expecting God to come (the Messiah). As such, some were expecting their nation to be restored while others believed that Judaism would be strengthened, reducing the effect of Greek philosophy on the people.

Jesus is not what the Jews were expecting. He was certainly not a "General King" characteristic of John Maccabbee, and Jesus even failed to fit into the ideas of Judaism which had it's own power structure.

The Sanhedrin was the government of Judea and there were four parties of Jews: Saducees, Pharisees, Essenes, and Zealots (Zealotism).  All were Jewish philosophies influencing Jewish thought, both in government and religion! Jesus was "none of the above" although each expected Jesus to be what each was expecting him to be! Since no one was getting what they expected, Jesus was denied by most!

Now re-read the passages above. Stage right entered Gamaliel. He was a Pharisee. His party was the most aligned with Judaism becoming Rabbinical Judaism of later years. However, most people were just Jews without allegiance to any party. It was likely that common Jews were those with whom Jesus was the most effective. Even the Essenes of which some believe John the Baptist was a part, have no notoriety in scripture!

Some thought John the Baptist was the Messiah.

John 1:25 "And they (the Pharisees) asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?"

The Pharisees were in fact looking for a religious Messiah. They still are! (Thirteen Principles of Judaism).  They perceived that John the Baptist might be him. If not him, then Elijah or another prophet. They were in fact looking for prophecy to be fulfilled. Gamaliel knew that!

John was the first of many thought to be the Messiah. John denied his messiah-hood and directed the Pharisees toward Jesus as the true Messiah.

In many monarchies, there were always one or many contending for the throne. In Jesus time there were several "pretenders". There were several who the people thought were deliverers from bondage and were the long awaited Messiah. Among those were Theudas and Judas of Galilee. They were both Zealotists who were militant nationalists. To some they were the Messiah and as such stole glory from Jesus. A few, but not many followed these leaders. However, according to the numbers more died with them than did with Jesus (only one other who was a late convert and was a thief!)

Gamaliel warned the apostles of the previous failed attempts to establish a Messianic kingdom in Judea and they all failed! Being a Pharisee, his persuasion was not with a political war nor a war of independence. He had power in the existing structure and warned the apostles! He seemed to be a reasonable man because he argued in favor of cutting the apostles some slack. His message is "If you apostles get too zealous, you'll let yourselves be destroyed! Now continue on, but beware".

Gamaliel may have been just a little convinced, if not then, maybe later for he said (verse 39) "But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."

Gamaliel was persuaded to some extent, but not convinced. Part of this is knowing that the apostles were not teaching civil unrest, but were espousing prophecy from his own faith! His attitude was "Let's wait and see!" He was a skeptic and skepticism isn't a path to eternal life unless suceeded by faith. The thought "Maybe Jesus was the savior." is not faith enough. It must be "Jesus is the savior!"

Then we see that the apostles were beaten (of course) by open-minded authorities (sic). In their fairness they released them to proceed, but with a new rule: "... when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus." (verse 40).

They were censored (another case of "political correctness") and the only rule was to not speak "in the name of Jesus". It's the same political correctness we have today. "You can teach anything anywhere, but just don't say Jesus!" Why? Because there is power in Jesus' name! It's because Jesus' is love and truth and the world hates them both.

Because they, as are people now, dissuaded from teaching in Jesus' name, makes me more firm in my belief in Jesus. Persecution of Christ and Christians has always been the hate that makes the love of Jesus grow. If it weren't for evil unfair people Christianity would never have spread over the entire world!

After the apostles left the ruling counsel it is said "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." (verse 41). Imagine: they had just been humiliated, misaligned as rebels, beaten, and forbidden to teach truth, yet they rejoiced! I guess they were zealots. They were fanatics for Jesus!

Even today believers are referred to as "Christian fanatics" or "right wing Christians". It's a derogatory term, but one in which we should have pride. If we aren't being zealots for Jesus, then we're not being obedient. We are told to tell the world about him (The Great Commission), but yet most Christians remain silent. My writings are a feeble attempt to spread the gospel. I'm a zealot for Jesus, but not zealous enough.

Christians fear the thoughts of the world. They don't want to be zealots as Gamaliel believed the apostles to be. They fear to spread the doctrines of Jesus because the world says "Keep silent regarding Jesus!" Gamaliel hit the nail on the head: (verse 38) "...if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought...". Guess what. Gamaliel was a fair man. He recognized that mere men who proceeded Christ failed. There is little mention outside of Josephus of Theudas or Judas of Galilee, but the name of Jesus is recognized throughout the world.

Unless we too are Jesus fans (fanatics), the masses will be lost. It depends on us to spread the gospel even in the face of persecution. If we're not being persecuted we're being too silent! Imagine, some won't even tell a sibling about Jesus because "I don't want to get into an argument!"  Jesus offended the Pharisees; he offended the Sadducees; he offended the merchants in the temple; he offended the Sanhedrin. Jesus didn't  come to keep the peace!

Matthew 10:34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

Jesus came to make war with the world and defeat it! His sword is truth (Holy Scripture). For speaking truth Jesus knew that the world would never be the same. We are still at war with the world and religious independence will in fact come with a Messiah, but it will be when the real Messiah returns! (The Thousand Year Reign).

How do we compare: (verse 42) "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." Few Christians even teach their children about Jesus. "Not enough time!" The church doesn't either. "It might offend those who it teaches against!',  and certainly the government still coerces "It's intolerant and hateful!"

Maybe when we're beaten a little more soundly will we speak of Jesus more forthrightly. But by then it may be too late. There are just too many Sadducees, Pharisees, Sanhedrin, and even too many false messiahs out there! We can't offend Buddha. We can't offend Brahman; and we certainly can't offend Allah, can we?

Doubt

By faith Christians are "saved"!

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

Faith must be powerful! That's how a person is saved. Some believe that salvation is that moment in time when a person is "enlightened"; when a person understands what Jesus' death was all about; that he died in our place although we are the sinful ones! Although the moment that we're illuminated with this epiphany is important, "faith" is more than a moment. It's a lifestyle! It's enduring faith until the end of our lives!

Colossians 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

Therein lies the difference between mere belief (as even the demons have) and faith! Belief leads to faith, but faith is so much more! "Faith" is complete confidence in Jesus, confidence in him and trusting him to do what he says, accepting those precepts without tangible proof! What does he promise to the one who trusts? Salvation!

Therefore, it's belief which leads to faith which is the requirement for salvation. (i.e., if we have no faith; we are not saved. However, even with a "little faith" we are born-again, although vulnerable to attack).

Matthew 14:31 "And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him (Peter), and said unto him, O thou (Peter and the other apostles)  of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

Jesus defined "doubt" as "those of little faith". Hence, faith is variable. It wavers from time to time. The goal of the Christian, to please Christ, is to remain steadfast in trusting him. Peter's walking on water is an example of salvation. He knew that Jesus had the power to save him and he would not be swallowed in the bowels of the storm, he had faith to test the waters so to speak, but not enough faith to continue walking on the water even as he was doing it! His "faith failed him"! (Because he doubted!)

Peter had faith enough to turn his life over to Jesus, but not enough faith to sustain his walk. When he fell, Jesus caught him. Peter should have had faith enough, but he doubted! This brings us to today's point:

If we look at Figure #1 below I have "belief" on the vertical axis. On the horizontal axis is merely different people with different degrees of faith. Those who do not believe would fall into the red zone. There a person is damned (their choice). Above the line for those who even have a "little faith" are those who are saved. Note that I labeled the line as "confidence", of course, in Jesus. Extreme doubters have some degree of "confidence", but it's more empty than full!

The "safe" are for those "born-again" and  is a gradient,, not that there is anything as more "saved" or less "saved", because you either are born-again or your not! However, those with greater faith are more "safe" than those with less, because they have more confidence in Jesus and less doubt, Doubters have less confidence and endanger their security.

When a person first believes with truth and sincerity, that person is a "babe in Christ" and has minimal faith. The person though is "safe", but that's when Satan attacks hardest! It's before the fruit matures that the Christian is more apt to lose confidence. Satan is self-employed, but his job assignment is two-fold: 1) prevent the lost from hearing and believing, and 2) attacking those with faith to destroy their confidence. The green gradient indicates that mature Christians are more "safe" than babes in Christ, although both are redeemed for the "hope of salvation" as Jesus redemption for us is described.

With faith and doubt compared, let's look at the authorities who came to bully:

Acts 5:24 "Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow."

The authorities saw the same events as all the others. They saw the number of Christians multiply through the work of the Holy Ghost. It would appear that they had a dilemma. They saw and believed, but they had doubt as to whether this movement would "catch on"! The English Standard Version uses the word "perplexed" in lieu of "doubt".   They didn't believe enough to have any trust in Jesus, but merely enough to worry about "what if I'm wrong"? Many Christians, even today, take out "fire insurance" so to speak. They get "saved" in spite of the their dilemma, not to live for Christ, but to be "safe" just in case their doubt is not right.

"Christians" who believe in Jesus are much like the demons. They are acutely aware of the likelihood of his existence, but aren't convinced enough to trust in him!

The authorities were perplexed I'm sure, because they knew prophecy. It was being fulfilled before their eyes. They probably knew it, but just weren't convinced. They were skeptical. Skepticism is a trait of doubters. Although they had seen the proof of Jesus' power, they did not accept it, because miracles don't fit into the realm of rational thought. Because faith is intangible, those who need hard evidence always remain in doubt! Their doubt was to the extreme that they were lost! We don't know at what point God is gracious enough to ignore our doubt and accept what faith we have, but Paul indicated that it's by grace that we even have faith. Faith is a gift, but it's one we must put to use!

"Doubt" is being uncertain or having a lack of confidence. In effect it's the variable measurement which is inversely proportional to faith (Figure #1). The authorities were confused. They saw what the others saw, they were afraid it might spread, but they had little faith that it would spread because they had no confidence in Jesus: "Oh, what are we to do? How must we handle this?"

Figure #1: Faith and Doubt

When we sin and neglect the "meat", then Satan places doubts in our minds: "Am I truly saved?" That doubt makes one less "safe" because part of God's hedge around those who are his is trimmed a bit, a little at a time.  That hedge is "trust". Satan makes us doubt by tempting us. When we sin, Satan says "Remember the things you did although God told you not too?" Satan uses memories of sin, to make us doubt our own safety, and even whether Christ's blood was sufficient.

It's when we have no confidence in Jesus' sacrifice that we have doubted to the extreme that we no longer believe ("we" being those who've left their first love). God knows when that is and the "Christian" does too, but even the most sinful Christian still has hope that God's grace is sufficient, but their confidence in that is clouded in doubt!

Satan whittles away at our faith by putting doubts in our minds. If we don't flee from Satan and the pleasures of the flesh, Satan will gradually whittle away at our faith until even doubt would look good! Finally, the Christian who continually ignores God's will will not even take the time to doubt. Hus faith has dried up and turned to unbelief!

Luke 22:32 "But I have prayed for thee (Simon Peter), that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

Peter was on a slippery slope. His faith was becoming clouded by doubt. He missed the point of Jesus' purpose: It was not to magnify them, but to make them servants to him and mankind! Peter had not realized the true kingdom of God, although from scripture, he knew about it, but hoped for something in it for him, other than being saved!

Faith can fail a person! Jesus said so! Faith can turn to doubt. Peter never doubted Jesus' existence, but his purpose. It's not only the man and God in whom we must believe, but it's his purpose of redeeming sinners! Peter lost track of the "purpose" although he was standing in front of the Man!

The devil lies to even the elect. He wants us to believe that the degree of faith we have is of no consequence; that the two-minutes when we first believed is enough! Faith is for a lifetime; it's not a mere cross-section in time. Sure we are "saved by faith", but faith is being there for the long haul. It's living steadfast and having confidence that our hope for salvation is concrete! It's maintaining confidence that Jesus will do what he says he will do and can do!

Even if we have doubt, we're still are saved! "Beyond a shadow of a doubt..." is improbable and wrong! Even firm steadfast Christians often have some degree of doubt, but the more one communes with God, the more in unity they are and are more "safe" with fewer doubts!

"Keep the faith, brother!" is more than a cliche'; it's a necessity!

Indignation and the PC Police

We're in the age of "political correctness". We have been since the origins of Christianity. Jesus Christ, representing truth, has become the enemy. You see God is not a "respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). The truth offends and God is truth! Let's take a look at the early "PC Police" (Political Correctness Police) in action:

Acts 5:17 "Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life."

The PC Police consisted of the high priest (religion) and the Sadducees (government). It was the  government and religion in collaboration to stifle truth! A corrupt church is as bad as a renegade government! Little has changed! Liberal churches today are allies of progressive ideology to stifle Christianity!

"Political Correctness" (my definition) is the belief that sensitivity to differences in people is paramount to truth. Criticism is always insensitive to someone and feelings are always hurt when truth is forthcoming. The Germans had a "Jewish Problem" and they had a "Final Solution". America has a Christian problem and PC Police are the "Solution". For example "All men have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) is insensitive because it "judges" the behaviors of others! What's worst is that Christ alone is the only way to heaven (Acts 4:12). As such, Christianity is by progressive definition "intolerant"! Government, stepping outside their authority, finds it imperative to stifle free speech so as to not offend.

(Note: I had a "New Ager" tell me that Christianity has to die because it's not inclusive!)

How do the PC Police respond to political incorrectness? They "were filled with indignation"! (passage above).  Indignation is "anger aroused by something unjust, unworthy, or mean"! (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The PC Police confronted the apostles and their attitude was that they were "being unfair and mean-spirited"! Does this sound familiar? Were Peter and company mean-spirited right-wing intolerant Christians? That's what the Jewish PC Police thought!

Now, let's look at who were truly the mean-spirited intolerant people: It was the priests and officials who dogged Jesus all the time because they sought to recast an innocent man into a criminal. Their law was so intolerant that no one was capable of keeping it and they were always there to catch Jesus breaking some silly rule made of men! The punishment never fit the crime. These tolerant Jews stoned women for fornicating! They were an equivalent to the Taliban of those days!

Those who are always throwing stones at mean-spirited intolerant Christians are always the most mean-spirited and intolerant. Isn't it ironic that the PC Police today are of the same party which stole the land from the Indians and enslaved human beings? Isn't it ironic that this party which calls people whose desire is to preserve life "intolerant", while they abort helpless babies? It's silly that the ones who are the most hate-filled are the most indignant. These indignant people get angry because other people aren't as mean as they are!

The anger of the mob caused them to lay hands on the apostles and put them in prison! Why? Because what the apostles were teaching was not acceptable to them. They policed their speech. It was only their free speech which was acceptable. (I suppose these priests and Sadducees must have went to the Princeton University of Jerusalem!).

The next thing that happened was a "criminal element"  intervened (sic). "The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth". This special angel broke them out of prison! I would guess that he was on JWHW News all night long with the authorities tracking him down! It is believed from scripture that "THE angel of the Lord" was THE one who brought the "Good News"! Jacob wrestled with "the angel of the Lord" centuries earlier. (Genesis 32:30b) " I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." Jacob wrestled with the pre-incarnate Jesus and was saved! It's the same "angel of God" who saved Shadrack, Meshak and Ebednego from the fiery furnace who opened the prison door an "let his people go"! Yes, Jesus saves!

Jesus has the ability to defy time and barriers. Walls could not contain him. He appeared to those on the Emmaus walk unrecognized. Jesus IS God and he does get out of the box in which man attempts to constrain  him. Jesus found it worthy to come help the apostles tell the world about him for he said "speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life"! What are the words of life? John 6:68 says it's Jesus who "hast the words of eternal life"! They were freed to fulfill the "Great Commission"; to tell the world about Jesus. To teach truth and justice! Wasn't that intolerant of Jesus (sic)? To want his people to teach about him to save people! That is true love yet the PC Police cannot tolerate love!

Oftentimes conflict arises between what authorities teach and what God's Law is all about. Rules and regulations can be unjust! The government can be unjust! When law conflicts with God's will Christians are to obey God:

 Acts 5:29 "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."

God has pre-eminence over Caesar.  We are to give unto Caesar what is his and in God's will we should be! (Luke 20:25). This is the true "wall of separation of church and state"! It's rendering to God his will, but still obeying authority when it's not in conflict with God. The PC Police demanded that Christians put the government's will above God's (case in point Kim Davis, Court Clerk, Rowan Co., KY).

Then we have the PC Police arrive in their luxury sedans! Here's what PC Policewoman said about Christians here in Kentucky:

"Don't even say her (Kim Davis') name in this house... the lady who makes me embarrassed to be from Kentucky. All those people holding their crucifixes, which may as well be pitchforks, thinking they’re fighting the good fight. I grew up in Kentucky. I know how they are. I was raised a Republican, and can’t imagine supporting a party that doesn’t support women’s basic rights." (Vogue Magazine Interview, Jennifer Lawrence; parenthesis mine).

Kim Davis is being accused of being intolerant by Jennifer Lawrence. Then she becomes INDIGNANT! Her anger shows because she saw Davis as a mean-spirited Christian! Examine, if you will, her response: 1) she's embarrassed, 2) she's insulting to Davis and to Jesus, 3) she denigrates those who hold the cross dear, 4) she insulted Kentuckians just because they're not as sophisticated as she perceives herself to be, 5) and while she finds standing up for religious rights as evil, she favors "basic women's rights"! For us dumb Kentuckians to understand, she means "It's okay to kill babies so that elite spoiled women like me don't have to take any precautions as we prostitute ourselves!"

Solomon said "There is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes). Truly there is not. Judge Bunning was the priest and Gov. Beshear was the Sadducee! Little has changed! Even the church castigates Mrs. Davis for not believing  "We ought to obey God rather than men."

Astrology and Yoga... What?

I'm not going to "rattle" those who merely practice yoga, but to warn people about the covert entry of oriental religion into the western world presented as science, exercise or just plain fun. Yoga is meant to be the "shiny object" which gets the attention of those who either don't care for Christianity or commentary, or fail to understand the underpinnings of what they are doing!. After all we each have our own version of scripture don't we?

I actually make a strong attempt to avoid the LHV (Larry Herrin Version) of the Bible and use mostly a reliable one; the KJV.  When you read your version and no change results, perhaps your version needs reverse updating because truth NEVER changes!

For those who don't believe in any version, they are of course, in outward rebellion to God. That gets the person by for a time, but sooner or later, time will be over and the skeptic will be standing in front of an angry God making excuses! That's reminiscent of the first grader caught cheating, but the penalty will be more severe than sitting out recess; it'll be sitting out eternity tormented by isolation and misery so extreme that... well beyond anything imaginable!

New Age Philosophy:

We are in "The New Age". Those who have ushered in this age call it "the age of Aquarius", which we know quite well through the medley by the same name by  James Rado and Gerome Ragni and first heard in the Broadway play Hair. I actually like the melody! It's done quite well! However, the message scares me because those who classify themselves as "New Age" usher in the period scripture warns us about! The New Age is "a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture, with an interest in spirituality, mysticism, holism, and environmentalism." (Google).

Yes, it's replacing western culture with spirituality, mysticism, holism and environmentalism. Note, that Christians believe in these aspects, but not as practiced by those in the New Age. We must take care to magnify God, not the "self" or "mother earth" when dealing with the spiritual world!

The New Age doesn't have a defined doctrine which sets them apart from other religions, bu they do have their own savior. However, their God is "as they understand him" to be. Scripture defines God quite well and seldom do our imaginations reflect "The One True God"! What Christians fail to understand is that evil uses the notion of "God" as a means of deceiving!

Of course skeptics doubt the existence of Adam, Eve and the serpent, but like it or not; it's God's word and God says they were real people!

Genesis 3:3 "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?'".

Satan is symbolic of the angel named "Lucifer". Being an angel, Lucifer was capable of appearing in any form. The serpent may actually have been the devil which is how Godly people refer to this angel of death!  With that said, the serpent wasn't a skeptic! He believed in "the Lord God". When speaking with Eve he acclimated her by dropping God's name. Eve knew God, had probably communed with him and trusted God. She believed that there would be punishment for eating of the fruit, but the serpent dropped God's name into the conversation! He was crafty; that's his M.O.!

Guess what? God is the same as he always was (Hebrews 13:8) and so is the devil! His M.O. is still "craftiness". "The New Age Movement" is crafty too because it's all about the serpent!

Part of being "crafty" is this movement's self-description of "spiritual"  in lieu of "New Age". After all, Christians are spiritual beings aren't we. The problem lies in "whose spirit" do we commune!

Now let me throw out a little known fact: The Nazi's were unabashedly a part of "The New Age Movement"! Their movement was driven by the backbone of this New age, namely Theosophy! It was an early version of the Human Potential Movement with Aryans as the potential! Do you think that you cannot be fooled? Well 93% of the Germans were including most Christians!

ASTROLOGY

The New Age is based on astrology! It's the same sin as those who built the ziggarat at Babylon!

Genesis 11:4a "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name..."

Anthropology indicates that this tower built to the heavens was the practice of astrology. The people turned to the stars for wisdom instead of God. They never abandoned God, they merely didn't have faith enough in him to keep from trusting in him alone!

Deuteronomy 4:19 "And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven."

Astrology was one of the earliest forms of idolatry.  It was and still is "having another god besides me (God)". Of course astrology is just the idol which stands there representing the people's gods. It's out of rebellion that they turned to the cosmos. They were doing "what was right in their own eyes" (Deuteronomy 12:8) as they always did! They ignored God's will and did what they wanted to do. Astrology is a form of self-worship as are all idols!

Most Christians will say "Astrology is just entertainment!" or "No one takes it seriously!" Well, God takes it seriously and said not to do it, and Christians should never entertain themselves using forbidden religious practices. Astrology is a religious practice, but not of God. It's the devil's doing and you are doing what the serpent wants you to do! Even if you don't believe it's harmful, it's disrespectful of God. As Christians, we are to love and fear God (Deuteronomy 10:12) and part of that is reverence for him!

Having "fun" with whatever God is jealous of is dangerous. Providing pleasure to the god of self is what astrology truly is!  The Tower of Babel was the temple, the stars are the idols and the scattered people were the "other gods".

Astrology is NOT a religion; it's a "religious practice" in opposition to God. Just as "communion", the taking of the bread and wine in Christianity, is a religious practice, "consulting the stars" for guidance is spirituality and the one who does it is "communing with evil spirits" because it is not of God!

The argument "It's not a religion, so don't be confused!" is the way to confuse people into doing things contrary to God's will! Most teachers of yoga have the same M.O. as did the serpent back in the Garden "Don't be afraid to do it; yoga is not a religion!"

YOGA

True! Yoga is NOT a religion. It's a pagan religious PRACTICE! Yoga is DEMONIC! It's what the devil wants you to do to undermine God. It's a spiritual practice among many others of which God is jealous:

Exodus 20:5 "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God..."

Yoga is spiritually bowing down before other gods, but what's more it's even the physical bowing down!  Many are not confronted with the spiritual aspect of yoga at first. It's a mere physical bowing down. That's because there are different phases of yoga, starting with the physical and moving into the spiritual realm.

There are two purposes of yoga: 1) "hatha yoga" which is building both physical and mental strength and balance in seek of enlightenment. Enlightenment is an epiphany. "Spiritual enlightenment" is a Hindu spiritual experience which frees the individual from the cravings, suffering and rebirths resulting from karma. It frees the person's spirit from the cycle of rebirths and deaths. 2) " bhakti yoga" is the more eastern-practiced type of yoga and is an overt worship of Hindu gods.  Being that one yoga is overt, then by implication what Americans practice is covert!

As Jesus was being crucified and his executioners casting lots for his clothing a graceful Jesus said:

Luke 23:34 "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

I am not judging those who practice yoga. God does that, and frankly, he is much more merciful than what I am capable! Jesus sought forgiveness even for those who were killing him. That's grace for they were ignorant of what they were doing! If you have read this, and checked my use of scripture, then Jesus won't say that because "you will know what you are doing"!

Yes, most people do yoga because it's in vogue, is different, and are totally ignorant that they are not in God's will. Some use the excuse that they do it for health reasons! God is in the business of healing and he doesn't recommend yoga for that. He can't because yoga is a practice of bowing to other gods!

Yes, you can exercise, even stretch. However, you don't need to go to the witch doctors of yoga to do that! They are the priests of a deceitful religion. They use "god" in their sales pitch, but take God's word for it; yoga is not of God!

THE MARTIAL ARTS

The argument against yoga is the same argument against the martial arts. The focus and enlightenment of oriental concentration is the same as for yoga! God has power. David had the power of God in his sling. It was God who hurled the stone with accuracy and inertia to topple Goliath. It was God on whom David focused. It wasn't his inner self or power of the mind that is so effective. It's the same God who fell the walls of Jericho with music! God doesn't need any eastern religious practice to defeat the enemy and you don't either!

Philosophy and Psychology:

Philosophy is the father of psychology. What Socrates and Plato taught centuries ago has been integrated into every facet of daily life, even Christianity!  Philosophy is the "unknown God" of which Paul taught against in Athens:

Acts 17:23 "For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you."

The philosophers were seeking the meaning and life and the answer to the question "What is truth?" and they all had their own conflicting theories to explain God. For instance, the Stoics and the Epicureans with whom Paul debated, had opposite ideas to the question "Why do we exist?" Their God was "unknown". Paul defined the "unknown god" whom they sought. He is the Son of God, crucified and resurrected. Jesus is the answer to the philosopher's ruminations!

Psychology is the "study of the soul" and philosophy is "the love of wisdom". The former is seeking fulfillment and the latter is trying to be as God.  Psychology is a religion as it's defined and philosophy is the god of Reason;

Genesis 3:5a "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods..."

Philosophers attempt to be as wise as God and indeed their wisdom has entered into the life of every Christian because of their writings throughout time!

If one examines psychology, some have been honest about it. Thomas Szasz has exposed the fraudulent field of psychology, but not from a religious standpoint, but from a rational one. Even by their own admission, it has never been proven that any one with problems in living have been helped any more with counseling than without! It's snake oil and desperate people are those who are defrauded with little accountability on the part of the snake oil salesmen!

In any branches of psychology God  is presented as an imbalance in people's lives, all the way from the cause of repressive behaviors to the cause of dysfunctional guilt! God is irrational and being non-existent; an interference in our behaviors.  Rather than Christ being a means of healing, he blocks the way to mental health!

Sigmund Freud's psychotherapy implied that people are born in good mental health, but parents influence their children pathologically. Carl Jung, on the other hand, proposed that even our dead ancestors makes us psychologically what we are! God says that we are all born in sin and get worse unless healed by the power of the God using his Holy Spirit. It's faith in having eternal hope which heals! Jesus is the way to spiritual and consequently, psychological health!

Analytical psychology, the forte of Carl Jung was founded largely upon the influences of eastern mysticism (religions) and influence of those long dead! In fact what appears to be so benign, "The Briggs-Meyers  Personality Tests" are an outcome of Jung's Analytical Psychology, which by it's own admission, was influenced because of contact with the spirit world in a seance with a twelve-year-old dead girl!

If any field of psychology is examined, it's becomes obvious that all are at odds with scripture yet Christians depend on their wisdom to heal what God can heal through faith! Christians don't get healed because they rely on charlatans and not God! Psychologists often place their wisdom over God and even blame God for people's problems.  One of my courses in Family Counseling was taught by the Department Chairmen whose lectures were mostly minimizing Jesus while magnifying the various priests of the denominations of Psychology!

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

I actually had one person tell me that he had to go to a counselor because his marriage was failing and said the reason was  "because this one is too hard for God"!  The marriage is over. If God had been trusted, who knows? The odds are that if two people sincerely turn to God and have trust in him, the unity will remain intact! The counselor has no stake in a successful marriage. He gets paid either way. God has a stake in all marriages because they are holy matrimony. When a marriage fails the divorce is an infraction of what God wills!

With God all things are possible! You can's say that for  astrology, yoga and psychology. Remember, even Pharaoh's magicians could copy miracles and plagues, but it was God who even destroyed them! All these New Age ideas are warmed over old age shenanigans by the serpent in the tree. Men now, as then, are still beguiled by the slick words of the serpent!

Cleaning the Temple: A Power Cleaner!

 Jesus healed the sick. Surprise! Jesus still heals the sick!!!!! It's because Jesus is still with us. Because Peter was filled with the Holy Ghost he had power. We can see from the passages below that even his shadow had power. Go ahead and study these passages being sure to think about every word written because every word is divinely inspired:

Acts 5:12 "The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed."

It takes faith to heal! Regardless of who does the "healing" it's faith which heals. It's not Peter's faith which restores people, The "shadow" is symbolic of Jesus Christ. If you'll remember the woman with the blood issue ( Luke 8:43-48), she merely touched Jesus' garment and her bleeding stopped! " Jesus said, 'Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me'.” (verse 46). That "power" that came out of Jesus is the Holy Ghost for Jesus had already had received God's Spirit:

John 1:33 "And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'"

With the Baptism of John, Jesus was the only one who got the Holy Spirit and kept it. The others were baptized for repentance. In his life Jesus healed and the power to heal was by the Holy Spirit. Now, after the Holy Ghost filled Peter, the same power resided in him! Be sure, the healing was not by Peter, but by the Holy Ghost.  Just as the woman with the blood issue had faith in Jesus, those who sought the shadow of Peter had faith in Jesus as well! Being new Christians, they probably didn't understand the filling of the Holy Ghost, but they knew Jesus healed, and here was his representative. It was still by faith in Jesus that healed. Peter was merely the vessel and the Holy Spirit was the power!

Note that the "shiny object" which drew the people to salvation was the prospect of being blessed. They each wanted to either be healed or one of their family to be healed. It was by faith in Jesus that they sought healing because they believed they world be healed! They didn't accept Jesus out of love, but by what he promised! Because Jesus offers hope and fulfills his promises, people love him for restoring them!

Healing was not merely the sick, but also "those tormented by impure spirits". Jesus is the antidote against evil. All those who are spiritually sick can be healed too! Faith does that. The sick people who came for healing each had a soul which was home to evil spirits. Before the Holy Ghost resides in a person, the temple must be cleared of evil just as Jesus cleared the money changes out of the temple (Matthew 21:12)! Now you have it! The money changers being cleared by Jesus from the temple is symbolic of evil being cleared from the new Christian's temple; the souls of Christians!

The Jewish temple was ready for the presence of Jesus after it was cleared. Jesus cleaned it up! Now the Holy Ghost comes and resides in those temples which Jesus created in the souls of the Christians!

Faith is powerful! People were saved because they had faith and because of the power in their numbers the Holy Ghost worked wonders! It was still Jesus doing the healing. The Holy Ghost is the same "power" which Jesus had! Don't count Jesus out just yet because the Holy Spirit is Emmauel "God With Us"!

Two Sinners in the Hands of A Grieved God

Christians assume that because we do good, in effect, we even the score with God. Here is part of a great incident which happened early on in Christianity:

Acts 5:3 "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him."

Ananias and his wife, Sapphira sold some land. Apparently, the intention was to make it all a gift to God as the others had done who had generously given everything to the service of the Lord. (Note that the disciples didn't tithe of what they sold, but gave it all!). Rather than giving it all, they kept back some of the proceeds for themselves. One at a time, Ananias and Sapphira lied about the amount and both were struck dead by the Holy Ghost.

First off, the Holy Ghost's  purpose is "Comforter"!

John 14:26 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

It's shocking to me as it was to the other disciples that the one who came to "comfort" would punish so harshly! The people were truly afraid as verse 11 indicates "And great fear came upon all the church..." You see from John that the Comforter had another purpose; "he shall teach you all things"! What was it that the disciples were taught? That truth is a trait of a true Christian! Those who saw this learned that you are never to lie to God! The passage above tells of the lie and punishment for Ananias, but not shown is the same penalty for Sapphira.

The Holy Ghost is God just as Jesus is God! When Jesus left in body, immediately he returned in spirit:

John 16:7b "...if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you..." and John 14:26b :Whom the Father will send in my name..."

In effect Ananais and Sapphira lied to Jesus! They both gave up the "ghost" (Acts 5:5), meaning that the Holy Ghost snuffed out their life! We don't know if it was a sin of apostasy or not, but the punishment was their loss of physical life!

We think of God as the judge and executioner, but it's Jesus who not only loves us, but in the end, will judge and send us to our punishment! Why? Because Jesus is God. Unlike the gnostics who believe in an evil creator God, a demiurge, and a benevolent phantasm God, Jesus; the truth is that God is both the one who saves and one who punishes! They believe that the Creator God made evil material, hence Jesus, having substance, could not be good! Given that, they believed that Jesus didn't physically die on the cross, only the Holy Ghost did!

As Jesus is God, he too is the Holy Ghost and vice-versa.

Ananias and Sapphira who claimed Jesus as their savior lied to Jesus! They lied to the one who died for them. They disgruntled the Comforter. The Holy Ghost, just as would a good father, could not let sin go unpunished. The example had to be made to the church or there would be others who lie to God, steal from God and make Christianity just another den of thieves!

That too must be an example to us modern Christians. God is serious about his rules. We aren't at liberty to ignore God's will! We may not lose our souls, but we can lose our life. There are consequences to sin! One consequence is that Ananias and Sapphira grieved the Holy Ghost!

Ephesians 4:30 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

Jesus blood "seals" Christians unto him. When the King issues a decree, no one can removed that seal... except the King himself or the recipient. Since God "will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5), that leaves YOU!  You can break that seal. Just as the Abrahamic Covenant was sealed by circumcision and only Abraham and the Jews could break the covenant, the Christian is the only one who can break the Covenant of Grace!

It's serious business, lying to the Holy Ghost. It's denying Jesus and why he died! Ananias and Sapphira were to make a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1), but they brought instead, the sacrifice of Cain!

Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain..."

Cain lived, but was cursed! Ananias and Sapphira died immediately! There are consequences to sin and we're not to deceive the Holy Ghost! That's a denial of Jesus himself.

Ananias and Sapphira were worshiping another god besides God. Which God was it?  The "Self" for them both! They gave a portion of their sacrifice to their own idol; withheld a portion of what was God's and put it toward the pleasure of their own idols. Then they lied about it! They had selfish hearts and lied to the Holy Ghost (by lying to Peter).

Many Christians still lie! No, they haven't lost their life yet, but they do lie. Lies are to protect or magnify their own idol, just as Ananias did! Lying is to pleasure and protect the pleasures of the "Self". Ananias may have deceived Peter, but it appears that he didn't, but regardless, Ananias could never deceive an omniscient God!

When Christians lie to others, especially about their relationship with God, the others may not know it, but the Holy Ghost does! When a person is protecting their own interests by lying, especially to appear to men as righteous, they are in danger of severe punishment. God won't let them get by because if he did, others would follow suit!

With that said, not only must I confess, but most Christians must repent as well! Ananias and Sapphira lied, but didn't repent. God is gracious and that would have covered it all! They furthered the lie without remorse. We must be honest with God. We must feel sorrow for our wrongs and repent! Grieving the Holy Ghost removes the "safety" we have in Christ, and to remain "safe" continual repentance is expedient.

My confession is this: At times I have been dishonest in my worship. There have been times that I withheld my tithe and failed to give Jesus my time. I have appeared to be all caught up with my repentance when some sins remained without repentance. I have thought evil things of other Christians and never gave them the benefit of the doubt. And I could go on and on...

I know how evil my heart has been at times. Just like Paul, I am "the chiefest of sinners". We all can't be, but we're all pretty bad! The "good" that Ananias and Sapphira did, and giving of their land was "good", was as filthy rags in the eyes of God! You see, doing one "good" to cover one "bad" is not how Christianity works! That's Hinduism and the removal of bad Karma. That's Islam and impressing God by works. It's by grace we're saved and it's because we're honest with God that he's graceful!

The "good" that you do is as rags as well. We all must repent. We must all stay on top of our iniquities, confessing them and asking for mercy!

I don't know if when Ananias and Sapphira gave up the "ghost", whether they gave up the Holy Ghost or not, but their hearts may not have belonged to God. That's a dangerous thing on which to gamble! This is an example of Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God! (read Jonathan Edward's sermon). We must never assume that we can lie to God and withhold our sacrifice (of self) and still be on good terms with God!

Acts of the Spirit: Socialism?

Almost any heresy can be defined by taking scripture out of context! It would appear that the first things Christians did upon being filled with the Holy Ghost is to turn "socialist"just as Jesus was a socialist (sic), or was he?

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. 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. 36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet."

Let's look at the "masses" here, using socialist terminology:

• The Jews assembled. (verse 31)
• They prayed (verse 31)
• There was a reaction to their prayer. (verse 31) . The place was shaken.
• They were filled with the Holy Ghost (verse 31).
• They spoke scripture (verse 31)
• Those who believed were of one heart and one soul (verse 32).
• They became generous. Their possessions were no longer theirs, but God's (verse 32).
• They shared what had been in their possession (verse 32).
• Because of their generosity the apostles were empowered in their speech (verse 33)
• Great grace came upon them all (verse 33).
• Wealth was redistributed (verse 34).
• Redistribution was based on need (verse 35).
• Joses sold his property and presented it to the apostles (verse 37).

Let's take a look at a few tenants of socialism:

• "Between capitalist and communist society there lies the period of the revolutionary transformation of the one into the other.(Marx." Critique of the Gotha Program, 1875).
• "Under private property ... Each tries to establish over the other an alien power, so as thereby to find satisfaction of his own selfish need." (Marx, Human Requirements and Division of Labour , 1844).
• "...the proletarian can free himself only by abolishing private property in general." (Engels, Principles of Communism, 1847).
• "The bourgeoisie is just as necessary a precondition for the socialist revolution as is the proletariat itself. (Marx, On Social Relations in Russia , 1874).
• "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs!" (Marx, Critique of the Gotha Program, 1875).
• "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people." (Marx, Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right. Introduction , 1843).

First off, one must relieve himself of the notion that socialism and communism are different! People use the word "socialist' to mellow the concept of slavery to the government, not only in economic issues, but in daily living! Socialism is a milestone to communism. After those who have shared their possessions through government regulation become rebellious, then force becomes the tool for confiscation. For those who reject government control vehemently, incarceration and even death is used! The main difference between socialism and communism is the type and degree of force used to steal from those who have, and give to those with less. Socialism "levels the playing field" with regulation. Communism levels it with despotism.

Trenches filled with dead bodies is the trademark of communist despots who camouflage their existence under the pretense of humanitarian socialism. Marx himself equates the two throughout his writings! After all, socialism is sharing and sharing is the trademark of Christianity is it not? (sic).

Even children know that sharing has two implications! One child has something good. Out of generosity the child who has, freely gives to the other child who hasn't any. On the other hand, this child worked hard for the goodie in hand, but the mother makes the one who has, give half to the one who has none. The former is called "charity" and the latter "socialism". The difference between the two is a loss of freedom. With the former there is love and with the latter hate! One characteristic if socialism is that it divides people. Scripture teaches unity, as in "they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God..." (Acts 4:24).

Between Christianity and socialism there are several differences: Jesus, love, hard work, stewardship of what's God's, and love; both of God and others! You guess which is which!

Looking at just a few of the principles from above, let's examine communism. It has three phases: 1) capitalism, 2) socialism and 3) communism. It takes capital to redistribute. Before socialism can be,vhard work must have been done. Hard work is a tenet of God. Mankind is to toil for what he has (Genesis 3:17-19). 

2 Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living."

Compare this to Marxism:  ."From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs!"  Does what Marx says jibe with what Paul says? They are exact opposites! Marx says nothing about who does the work, but it's who has and who doesn't! Sure he supports the low level worker, but at the expense of the successful worker. In effect socialism would pay the laborer the same as the one who owns the company without delineating the amount of stress, amount of work, investment nor sacrifice that it took to succeed to create the capital to pay anybody!

In other words, capitalists who make the pie are considered selfish, and the government who steals the pie is seen as charitable. The winner is the man who eats the pie whose work wasn't in making the pie, or was, but a much lesser amount than the baker himself!

The key difference between success and failure is motivation. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 is the passage which should motivate people to work hard, and in effect, become capitalists!

If we look at the story of Ruth and Boaz, there is a good example which illustrates the difference between charity and socialism. (Book of Ruth). Boaz is he capitalist. He has and Ruth has not. Boaz had workers who farmed and harvested grain. Grain was capital.

Boaz could have given Ruth much grain because he had much. It would have been generous of him to do so. Or Boaz could have kept his grain until the authorities took it and gave some to Ruth. However, Boaz told his workers to be a little sloppy with their harvesting. They were to leave some grain on the ground so that Ruth could follow behind, harvest her own and provide for her family. Boaz was free to decide what to do without coercion, but because he was Godly, he had charity and allowed Ruth to work for some grain to meet her needs! This is what Christianity is all about. This is not prototypical of socialism!

Boaz had grace! From Acts 4:33 above "great grace was upon them all"! The Jews in Acts got a little dose of Boazism, not Marxism. Boazism is grace. Marxism is stealing!

What brought the generosity on was grace, not the law. You see, the Law requires love... grace is the freedom to love. The Law doesn't preserve.  Grace is an eternal preservative. Just as God has grace for us, making the ultimate sacrifice (himself), we are to sacrifice of our selves in like manner!

The Holy Spirit came and left his fruit. It was okay to touch this tree and to eat of its fruit:

Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Revelation 22:2 indicates there are twelve fruits. Here are merely nine? What manner of fruit are the other three? Let me propose charity. grace and sacrifice!

You may say "But sacrifice and charity are the same!"  Not true! One can be charitable of their wealth, but wealth can be so  great that to give is not sacrificial. Those Christians who sold what they had and gave it to others, did so sacrificially. Even those with little shared out of love. "Love" can't be legislated. It's a gift of the Holy Spirit. However, gifts are to be used. Loving others is a work made easy by the Holy Spirit, if it's by the Spirit people love.

In essence since God made all, God is the one who distributes wealth.

When the Christians got the Holy Ghost, these are the things they did immediately! Verse 32 says that what they had was not their own. It all belonged to God! They shared with others what God had allowed each if them to borrow for  time. The Holy Ghost confronted them with truth. "It's not yours to have, but it is yours to share!"

Totalitarian governments are not benevolent. They can't be generous because they have nothing to give. What they have belongs to God and it's God who redistributes. However, God never uses force! He puts the desire in malleable hearts to be generous, unlike dictates into the minds of the brainwashed, as in socialism!

The manner in which the Holy Spirit works is through unity. They were all of one heart and one soul (verse 32). They were uniform in their generosity. There were no selfish interests involved. There were no entitlements. There was no "I deserve this!" Their outlook was "What we have is God's. Let's share what isn't ours in the first place!" They were suddenly enlightened, not brainwashed!

In verse 35 we see that distribution was based on need.  In socialism, distribution is based on class. Government divides society based on secular aspects and distributes accordingly. Because one group had ancestors who suffered, they DESERVE more. Because women were treated unfairly they DESERVE more. Because the laborer (proletariat) does manual labor they DESERVE more. Because bureaucrats look out for the welfare of the masses, they DESERVE more. Socialism is no more than taking a proletariat and making him think he's bourgoise at the expense of truly making the bourgoise a proletariat! People don't DESERVE anything for everything we have is a gift of God. It's his for us to use. He desires that we share it. It's not forced upon us. It's an inspiration!

Compare what the apostles did on their own through the inpiration of the Holy Ghost and what Marx and Engles proposed. The biggest difference is the role of God in a just society. In the Utopia of Socialism religion is a myth that enables people to cope with hardship. In scripture Christianity is a hope for things better and that the ultimate hardship shall never come about; eternal damnation.

In socialism the government is the savior. In Christianity it's Jesus who saves! While Jesus shed his blood to redeem mankind, socialism sheds the blood of others, to enslave mankind!

Socialism is the "ism" which breaks all the commandments, from dishonoring God, to lying, stealing, coveting, and even murdering! The idols of socialism is Hegel, Lenin, Marx and even Stalin. Some even idoled Hitler. Their idols were worshiped for what their own god would get in return. Yes, it all boils down to "What's in it for me?" Socialism is the way to appease the gods of the masses, their corporate "selves"!

Right now it's likely that you're not worried about socialism. You've been acclimated to it's initiatives. That's "creeping socialism". It doesn't hurry to remold you. It's by gradual change so that you can't even sense it! However, one day, when you realize it, then the hammer will fall and the sickle will slice. The government you loved will come down on you. It wants what you have and it's not going to be to level the playing field. It will be to empower those who control things. The leaders of the revolution have a different concept of Utopia than what yours is. Whereas, you envision heaven on earth, their vision is to Lord over you. It won't be Paradise. It will be Hell!

Do you know the platform which they publicly acknowledge? From (Karl Marx, The Ten Planks of the  Communist Manifesto, 1848) :

1. Abolition of private property in land and application of all rents of land to public purpose.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels (My note: Discerning Christians!).
5. Centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transportation in the hands of the state.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal obligation of all to work.  Establishment of Industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.
10. Free education for all children in government schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc. etc.

Welcome to the USSA! (United States of Socialist America). Yes, we are a socialist nation except for two planks which splintered hard as a side-effect of socialism. Although, socialism says that all shall have an "equal obligation to work" to gain power, freebies are given to many who could work, but don't! Likewise, socialism intends to redistribute the population, but freebies have driven rural people to urban centers in spite of the plank of socialists!

There are things Marxists believe which they conveniently leave out of their planks. Find it in The Communist Manifesto or read my earlier commentary SOCIALISM: IS IT COMPATIBLE WITH CHRISTIANITY?  

Families are in danger as is marriage. Education is the remolding from infancy onward. A war is propagated pitting women against men. Class warfare creates chaos and hate. Elimination of boundaries makes patriotism unnecessary. Read it yourselves!

Alfred E. Newman ifnMad Magazine had a motto; "What? Me Worry?" Why worry about this socialist stuff? It's mankind's attempt at being "good" is it not? No! It's Satan's way to deceive those who care! 

Charity is driven by the Holy Ghost, we found in Acts! There is no motivation or gift of grace in socialism. It's man's attempt to love without the author of love. Yes, socialists actually do have "good" intentions, but those intentions are placed in pliable minds by the author of confusion. It's Satan waging war on mankind! Socialism undermines God. That makes Satan smile!  It's God that does "good". Jesus said that "only God is good".

Christians should depend on love to provide our hope. Sure, we'll always have the poor, but if we focus on Jesus, the meek shall soon inherit the earth. Riches will abound if we're patient. 

Just think... If all the wealthy people got the Holy Ghost, hearts would be right and poverty would be eliminated! However, Jesus knew and said "You'll always have the poor!" because he knew men's hearts are toward themselves! Socialists too, by the way!

Love Makes the World Go 'Round: Hate Throws a Wrench in It's Spokes

PRELUDE:

This morning I was inspired. It just occurred to me out of the blue that love is what life is all about. Flashing through my mind was "love going around" and it's distribution outward to others as if by spokes in a wheel! I then wrote my inspired thoughts, but due to time, I didn't make what I'd written public.

Then the preacher during morning service likened a bicycle's wobbling wheels to an unsteady Christian life! I thought."That's what I wrote about! Had he read my commentary?" I remembered that I had yet to make it public. It appears that the preacher and I were thinking the same thoughts at the same time! Since I wrote much more than he said, here is my commentary:


Love is the focal point or an "in the wheel of life". The hub is God.

1 John 4:16 "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." 

I've written on the four types of "love' just recently All About Love. God, as "the hub of "love" is that agape-type of love of which I wrote. That's unbounded love and love without condition. It's the type of love God has for us and the type he expects from us. Not only for him, but others! God is the "hub"around which love abounds.

Around God's love are spokes. This love is an addendum to God's love. The spokes of that love radiate outward from the focal point, or locus, of the love. It's a point at the center of the hub whcih appears to be unoccupied. Jesus describes the relationship between the hub and the spokes:

Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said..., 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself''."

"Neighbour" is plural in context. In the Greek it is "those around you"! Those around us are the spokes. Thus, we almost have a "wheel" with God as the hub and others as the spokes. Since all the spokes are to love God and each other, this relationship is unity, but to keep the spokes in relation to God and in harmony, something else is required! Visualize a wheel with a hub and spokes only. As it rolls the spokes are tied together at the hub (God), but they wobble about their own secondary axes. They are in harmony with God, but not each other!

Those inward end of the  spokes always move in the direction God is going, but the outward ends are wobbling about! The hub is a ring (of love if you will think that way) which bonds Christians to God. That ring is "completion". It's the whole. It's God, his Son and his Spirit. The hub end of the spokes can only move with God because God is the right path. We endeavor to be righteous with God, but because of rocky roads, the outward ends of the spokes, wobble horribly. It's the influence of the world on the instability of loose spokes!

That inner ring of the hub is God's love. It's what binds us to him. Grace is the "shock absorber" on each wheel to keep it running smoothly. "The axle" is made of grace. It moves along in the world and takes the impact for the spokes. It's grace that  takes the bumps in the road and smooths them out because God is at the center absorbing the shocks for us! If we depend on him to Comfort us, then those shocks are barely felt by the spokes.

God is the hub  and it's of three parts. It has an  inner core having existence and purpose, but it can't be seen. It's the surroundings of the axle (grace). It's what bonds everything together. This is God the Father. The material part of the hub, the one to which the spokes are clustered, is Jesus Christ. He is the visible part of the hub and appears to be made of the same material as the spokes are made. Of course the spokes are made in the image of the ring or outer hub. What can be seen is material just like Jesus, but within our spokes, unseen, is unison with God. There is a communion between the spokes and the hub. They are one. If red-stained liquid is pumped from the hub, it would dissipate out of the end of the spokes. Not only are the spokes and hub ring material, but they are intrinsically the same!

The axle has a route. It moves through life controlled by the hub, but influenced by the surface on which the wheel rolls. It goes where the hub takes it, but it's influenced by the world. The axle is our road through life. If the hub isn't a good fit, the path is treacherous. Faith is allowing the hub to fit the axle perfectly such that the spokes don't disengage from the hub. It's when the wheel stays intact without regard to how rough the road becomes!

The Holy Spirit is the grease that allows the hub to move freely about the axis. Because it's there, the spokes have a more gentle ride. The world throws grit and dirt at the hub, but the grease, being inside, the hub, allows the wheel to ride smoothly!

So far, we have a nice wheel, but the carriage (our world) wobbles. It takes something more to smooth the ride. There must be an outward ring to keep the spokes in harmony and unity. That's the ring which meets the road. It ties the spokes and spaces them evenly and at the same distance from the hub. Each spoke may have differences, but those differences are equalized by that circular ring. The significance of a "circle" is sharing, common interests, unity in movement and continuity. That outer ring is the "true church". Is the agape love each neighbor has for the other!

Philippians 2:2 (ESV)  "Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind."

Unity is the outer ring, or rim, of the wheel which holds the spokes together. Better yet, righteous spokes create a beautiful continuous ring. It can't be seen,  but it's there. It's unison in God! That outer invisible ring is everywhere parallel to the hub which is symbolic of God!

Satan's job is to deceive others in undermining the wheel. The "Wheel" is true Christians in harmony with God. It's the true church!

Satan doesn't destroy anything himself! Why should he? He has others to do it for him!

The last resort is to make the spokes wobble within the rim. Satan breaks maybe one spoke through temptation. It may not get completely broken, but warped by inclimate weather. Once one spoke starts to wobble in the rim, it may soon detach at the if it doesn't persevere the trip. It may take a while, but the spoke may eventually detach from the hub completely! From the time the "Wheel" was made at Antioch, Satan has been loosening spokes. He doesn't even have to worry about the spoke until it's actually part of the wheel. It's then that the spoke is truly in danger, but that ring made of agape, is what holds the wheel together!

If one spoke deviates in any manner, it causes the whole to be out of balance. We've all felt the results of a wheel out of balance on our car! It's the same with our spiritual wheel. The whole church is out of balance when one member is, and as time goes by each spoke becomes untrue and causes more imbalance. Satan's method is to create a faulty wheel which is of no use for it's intended purpose. What is the purpose of the wheel? It's to please God in it's smoothness and right moving. A faulty wheel isn't pleasing to God.  What Satan wants is a wobbly wheel if not broken. He wants that axle flatly on the world, and not held up by the hub!

Satan throws things at the spokes, trying to break, hinder or distort one or more! In fact, Satan hurls great stones at all the spokes all the time! Sometimes a spoke is harmed. It's then that the hub holds it until it's repaired. That grace which is the axle, flows through the hub and up the spoke and signals: "something is wrong". I'm out of unison with the hub!' The spoke uses that grace to readjust itself among the others and off the carriage moves again!

Sometimes it's necessary to rebalance the wheel. There is a manual for that. It's scripture and is all about the hub. It tells the spokes how to realign with  the hub so things are made right again. When this happens the wheel becomes in balance again! Like a wheel, there is never perfect balance, but the technician tries to come close. We are our own technicians,  but we have a technical guide to continuity. It's the Bible! Every carriage should carry a Bible and the "Wheel's" job is to make sure the spokes know of it. How else would they know unless the "church" tells them?

The stones thrown at the axle by Satan's representatives wage war on the wheel. The road is muddied and beneath those murky waters are evil beings unseen who cause the damage. Just as God is love and there is no other way to heaven than by Jesus, Satan is hate and hate is how he destroys! Even one spoke smitten by hate can destroy the whole wheel! It spreads to others because the rim (the outer ring) becomes flawed. It's when the virus of anti-love "unfriendship" stalks the aisle in church where love should abound!

Those stones thrown at other spokes loosen the rim. The spokes begin to wobble, then fallout. Sometimes the spokes are gone and the wheel is no longer a wheel. The attachment to the hub is strained and before long the wheel is no longer a wheel. Satan smiles as his commands are heeded and it's Christians, the spokes, who do his bidding!

Rather than throwing stones at the rim end of the spokes, Satan can throw grime where the spokes join the hub. It's heresy which destroys those connections and it's pride which is the grit that wears it down! You see, each spoke thinks it's the tie which bonds, and removes itself because of pride. The wheel needs this spoke, but one spoke will destroy the wheel because it's thinks that it's the most important spoke! Too many spokes think that way. The spokes damage the hub by losing the rim in the murk!

There is one thing wrong with the wheel. It lacks the integrity of the builder by which it was built! It's love which makes the wheel go round, and it's love that keeps the wheel intact. Love smooths the rim and lubes the axle. Without love, the wheel is just a creaky rusty facade trying to hold the spokes together on it's own. Love makes the world go 'round, but hate destroys the spokes and eventually the wheel!

Are there three or four loose spokes in your church?  If so, it's only a matter of time before it wobbles and may disintegrate! Are you a loose spoke? Tighten that spoke through adjustment! Use scripture to see how the wheel should roll! Then, apply some bond where the loose spoke attaches. Let the grease at the hub smooth the ride! Satan hates a smooth ride. Throw him off the carriage!

Remember, "friendship" is the demonstration of love. Being a "non-friend" is the admission of having hate! Hate is the grime which destroys the wheel. Disunity is the imbalance caused by the hate of even one in the wheel of unity!

Unfriending is the act of showing another the degree of hate one has! Not befriending is the way to loosen spokes and destroying the whole wheel. One out of balance spoke can do that all by itself while even blaming good spokes for the miscarriage! Oh, the humans who are in denial! We say that we love, but the show of love is hidden behind the shield of hard hearts!

Forgiveness is the erasure of animosity and the restoration of love. To forgive, but not to love, is the cornerstone of disobedience.!

Gone A Fishing

There are four ways to fish. The first is to merely observe and enjoy fish swimming in clear water. Aquariums come to mind, but I've watched the big fish swim when I'm at the creek. Sometimes I throw them a morsel so I can see them swim so silently and swiftly! I love to watch them jump from the water in anticipation of a sweet bite of whatever. This type of fishing is mutual friendship between the fish and the watcher. The food or bait is a way of communion between us and them!

The second way to fish is to put the morsel on the hook. There is a thrill to feeling the tug of the line and the joy of catching that big one. Sometimes we're satisfied with quality over quantity and admire the rare fish on the line. It isn't big, but it sure is beautiful! Either way, the sport is when the fish and the fisherman make a connection. The fisherman looks longingly at the fish, but wishing no harm, throws it back to be either caught again or to enjoy aquatic freedom. It's not the fisherman's intent to keep the fish, but merely to enjoy its existence in tranquil waters. Some fishermen would never dream of eating his marine buddy! Neither does the fish have pain unless the fisherman uses the wrong hook or plays the pulling game too hard.

The third way to fish is to use a hook with the intent of keeping the fish. Unless the fish is a reject or not legal, the fish will be kept and will soon be in a frying pan! The fisherman can taste the mildness of the meat long before it meets his mouth. The ultimate fisherman has protein needs and fish are protein. It would be stupid to spare this legal and fine fish from his taste buds!

The last example is fishing with a net or using an explosive to shock. These methods catch many fish, but may be illegal in some places. The greedy fisherman may use these techniques, or it may be that those whose vocation is fishing may use the net to be able to live himself. The greedy fisherman just has fun catching fish. He cares little about harming the fish or getting more than his share. The vocational fisherman takes only what he can sell to others and maybe a few for himself. He needs the fish, takes them, but doesn't abuse his power.

There is a point to this fish story. I'm not going to reveal that I caught a huge fish that got away. Indeed, I caught a nice fish and kept her. My fish is my wife and I went fishing one day for her. I used bait to catch her. When I first spied her swimming through life, I thought "What a beautiful fish. I wish I had her for me!" Since I was fishing for a catch to keep, I had to be careful not to hurt her as I pulled her in! I was fishing for a keeper, not one to admire and throw back. I had done that before, but now was the time to have a relationship with my fish. It was no longer for sport, but to meet my needs!  Above the stratum of basic needs is the need to be loved! I wanted my fish to love me!

What bait to use? An artificial bait was sure to be detected! I've used artificial bait before and had little luck. What I presented was genuine bait. My bait had been around awhile, but it was still live bait. I decided to use my true self to catch that beautiful fish! I came to pick her up in a junker car wearing pitiful clothes. I did take her out to dinner and to a movie, but my bait was relatively inexpensive. I revealed to her that I had no money and a few bills to pay. I gave her the best smile that I could muster and took her to my friend's house to swim in a school of nice people. She took my bait, and this quality fish is now my trophy. She's my trophy wife!

I was fisherman No. 3. I fished to catch and keep! I'm glad I did because that fish has fed me for life! I don't even fish any more.

Before I dated her, most often I merely enjoyed the fish. I didn't fish to keep them, but watched them in the water. The most beautiful fish played games with my bait and never got near the hook. I don't believe that I wanted to catch any of them because by reflex I jerked the bait away about the time the fish tired of swimming around and around me. I wanted a beautiful fish, and by waiting on God's timing, I got a beautiful keeper! God kept those playful fish from getting too near my bait, and he told me to keep the bait away from a fish I would be sorry if caught it! I quit fishing for awhile because I needed  keeper! God showed me clearer waters. He messed with my health to get me to change ponds. I found a pond with several fish, but one that was of high quality.She's the one that I caught!

Some of these fish where I never baited the hook or kept it at a distance, resulted in some really nice fish friends. Because those fish were ones I liked, but didn't love, I kept them for friends. I still see them in the waters at times, smile as I enjoy their friendship, but thank God that none got near my bait! These fish are mine forever. Even when I don't see them, they will always be with me. These fish are keepers, but not trophies. Even when they die, my memories live on. I still have memories of those little fish back in school where I learned to fish. They weren't big enough to fry so I left them in the pond!

Some of the other fish, were caught by method 2. I enjoyed the day of fishing, caught a few, but threw them back. They were merely game fish and were fine for the day. Game fish seem to have some flaws. They may be too small, too large, linger in muddy waters, eat poor things off the bottom from the mud, or are just not very pretty fish. Some are colorful and shine in the sun, but inside the meat is dark or the taste putrid. Many of these fish have a fishy taste. Beware of those. They can make a man sick!

Some of these fish I kept for a few days, but their odor became more of a stench. I soon had no desire to keep those fish, and with time, threw them back in the pond. Some hated that this poor fisherman snagged their eye when they had no desire for my bait. They quickly swam away from this fisherman to another that they thought were better fisherman!

Not only does the fisherman use bait, but for a fish to catch the right fisherman, she must use bait as well. It's the most beautiful fish that catch the fisherman's eye. Some are too small so pad themselves to appear a significant catch. Others apply pretty colors and amplify their intense eyes. They go into waters reflecting just the right amount of sun to project their hidden beauty.

Other fish swim slowly and graceful. The fisherman says to himself "I might catch that one,." as he finds the right bait from his tackle box.

There are many baits fish use to catch a fisherman, but the fisherman must beware that the bait isn't tainted. Some fish have been hurt before and appear to be what they're not! Be careful of beautiful fish whose flaws are on the underside.

I never covered the fisherman example four. This fisherman becomes a gatherer without regard to quality nor quantity. He doesn't care what bait is used nor whether he fools the fish with a huge net. He brags on the beauty of some and the quantity he caught, but he has no love for the fish. He just enjoys the catch and it doesn't matter by what means! Many old fisherman use for bait, large quantities of dough. Most of the fish don't care whether the fisherman is genuine or not; it's the dough they want!

In order to beguile this type of fisherman, some fish put on airs. They swing that dorsel and wave those fins to tease the eye of the fisherman. They don't care whether they're caught or not, they merely want to tantalize the fisherman! They swim in deceptive waters. Thinking the water is shallow, the unequipped fisherman steps into deep murky waters and falls. The tantalizing fish are entertained. They know how much the fisherman wants them, but they can't be had! Those fish are hybrids: half Bathshebas and half Jezebels. Rahab may have taught them how to bait the fisherman!

Method 1 of fishing is friendship. Friends merely enjoy the "water" together. There is no intent on "catching' or being "caught". Most often friends are of the same gender. Less often there are cross gender friendships. Many romances evolve from friendships. Hence, when one stands back and merely throws out charm, that charm may in time be the bait. You don't put it on the hook, but the fish lunges out of the water and takes the bait, even when the fisherman is merely enjoying the fish! This type of romance often results in godly marriages because it's based on friendships rather than lust.

Method 2 of fishing is enjoying each others company both realizing that one isn't the right fish and the other is the wrong fisherman. The fisherman actually baits the hook, but most often hopes he doesn't catch. He's not yet ready to prepare the fish, but merely brag on the catch. These are men who use the woman until the right one comes along. Many people, both men and women, use bait with little intention of catching, and if they do catch, they have no plans to keep. These men and women show little or no commitment because they aren't ready to be in the frying pan with anyone!

On some occasions, this type of fishing results in the fish and the man being in the frying pan. It's not a planned meal, but it just happens! This method of fishing is the most stressful and most often the fire dies before the fish is fried. The fisherman dumps out the ill-prepared fish or either the fish slithers out of the pan!

Method 3 is fishing for keeps. The fisherman is selective and uses real genuine God-grown bait. Non-hybrid fish are what he seeks and the pure-blood fish is what she seems to be. There are no pretenses and as the fisherman knows for what he fishes, the fish understands the desire and intentions of the fisherman. This fish is wowed that the fisherman wants her, and the fisherman is wowed by the fish taking the bait. Rather than the frying pan, the fisherman preserves the fish so it remains ample, pure and unspoiled. He cherishes that fish and prepares it well and relishes it! This type of fishing method is Holy Matrimony because the fish ad fisherman are committed to each other and realize that it was God's pond where the fish and fisherman became one!

Method 4 of fishing is using the devil's bait. The net the fisherman uses is no more than a trap and the fish swam right into it. The fisherman used the fish, but when he was through, he merely discarded most of them. He may keep one or two of the prettier ones, but usually the most beautiful fish is what's tainted throughout. This fish has a foul smell when pulled from the water. It can be used to impress other fisherman, even made into a trophy, but such fish may be poisoned by Mercurial waters. The poisoned fisherman gets what he deserves!

Some of these fisherman already have a fish. He may have found one that was as beautiful on the inside as the sun beaming on it's rainbow skin. This fish may be too good for such a dirty fisherman, but she remains loyal anyway. She's a fresh water fish, but lives in salt water, so to speak.

While she's spawning or merely swimming in distant waters, the fisherman may go out to fish again. This time it's the fisherman who has the stench and the fish just acclimates to putrid water. This type of fishing is described :

Proverbs 6:24-29 (ESV)  "To preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life."

The woman is the fish. Her bait is suavity, beauty, and her provocativeness. This fish uses her female wiles to entrap the fisherman in those murky waters. It's the flutter of lashes which mesmerizes the fisherman!  If he's caught by her, then he drowns in those deep cold waters. It would have been better if he had submitted to the fish in turbulent waters, He would have stumbled but not have drowned! The bait for that is cheap too! The gullible fisherman lured by the beautiful fish does so at his own peril!

If method 3 of fishing is used, it has the best results:

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 (ESV) "Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. .."

The genuine fisherman who uses true bait to lure his fish would be tempted by not only beauty, but goodness. It's that relationship between fish and fisherman that makes them one. God provided the waters for the pond. The water is holy and in fishing and being fished, the intent is to end up together. When the fisherman catches that special fish, his eye is on what he caught. He no longer goes down to the waters fishing for better fish because the one he has is his pride. They savor each other and love even the fishy odor sometimes on the fish and at others on the fisherman.

God made the fish for the fisherman because he knew that the fisherman has the instinct to fish! Fishing is God's plan and if fishermen are patient and wait, God will guide the right fish to swim right to the bait. The best bait to catch the ideal fish is truth, charity, genuineness, self-control, motivation and friendship all bound together in a ball of love!  Got fish? I do!