Haters

Yes, there are still people who hate others for just being. Some even hate the obese, the deformed and the poor. Growing up in poverty, my family was exposed to hate because we were "dumb Kentuckians"! When my brother got married his future in-laws wouldn't come to the wedding because "she's marrying a Kentuckian". Being a Kentuckian at that time in Indiana was akin to being trash. Unfortunately, many of the Kentuckians who moved up north were the poorest of the poorest and were there to find work. (I might add that the government never helped them! They worked hard to advance themselves.)

Some confuse hate. Some "hate" is cultural. Because we are comfortable in our own culture we resent those from other cultures infringing on our own comfort. I'll be honest. I hate the rock music culture! Most of the musicians are politically opposite to what I am and are "in your face" with their own ideology. Most rock musicians disdain Christianity and its opposition to their pursuit of pleasure. I use "hate" here because it's perceived that way. I have no animosity toward the people, but only their beliefs and lifestyle. I'm intolerant of them because I have no need to tolerate their rantings! Since I'm a Christian I don't believe in what the world views as toleration, but what God teaches as obedience. The most intolerant "person" ever to exist is God, who just happens to be the most loving... pure love!

God's intolerance of sin is why the world hates Christians. Some don't believe in God. That's excusable because many Christians at one time didn't believe. However, some proclaim God, but yet don't believe what he says or approve of his authority. Mankind's problem as always been a failure to submit to God's authority and that lack of submission is because of pleasure which abounds outside authority. All men are born anarchists and only by the prevenient grace of God are we called to repentance and salvation!

Scripture tells us that those in the world who are not Christians are haters. As time rolls on this will become more common:

Luke 21:12 But before all these (heavenly signs), they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

The end is nearing. We must never place dates, but haters of Christ are multiplying like a virus in a petrie dish! Hate is in! It's in vogue and Christians are fair game! Everyday haters take pot shots at our beliefs and want us to be censored. Soon those verbal assaults will turn into government regulation, then into prison terms and then into open public abuse of believers. Open your eyes people!  Read some liberal blogs and see how violent their rhetoric is against us. It's so filthy and vile, it's not fit to be reprinted! Many of the quotes are from the Hollywood elite and liberal newscasters! Their hate comes off as political commentary, yet Christians continue to support their hateful views by going to their movies and even watching their awards shows!

I guess I just identified another group whose culture I hate: Hollywood! Between actors and singers, those two groups alone have brainwashed innocent young people in believing the lie!

John 15:18 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."

Christians are hated because the world hates Jesus. The one they should love the most; an innocent and modest man, is the one they hate the most! People hate Jesus because Jesus requires submission and hateful people just won't submit. Rather than having hope, they just hate the person who provides hope! Hate isn't ignorance. People hate because they are deceived. They have false knowledge and accept what's the wide gate to destruction as truth.

It is said about haters "They hate out of ignorance!" Not true. Even the most educated people hate, but it's not due to ignorance. It's due to narcissism! They hate because they want to control their own destiny, but in their hearts they know they can't. They hate because they seek pleasure and Christians tell them it's wrong! Haters do worship a God; the Unknown God, who is now revealed. Christians worship "Self" with the God of Reason at the helm and the harlot of Pleasure as a consort. Man's reason is an obstacle to submission because of wanting to be as God and control their own lives. Controlling their own lives is doing what's right in their own eyes:

Proverbs 21:2 "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart."

It's strange! Haters accuse others of hate because they hate Jesus. They're blind to their own hate! Let's say that tolerance matters to Jesus just as a talking point. Then haters should tolerate the belief of Christians, but they don't. Liberal haters are hypocrites and are deceived. They apply to others tolerance, but are the most intolerant of the intolerant.  What's worse than non-believers who hate Jesus and his disciples, are Christians who hate what Jesus proclaims. Jesus taught purity in thought and deed and liberal Christians are always ready to tolerate any sin, even condone and praise those who are in sin!

Confess, liberal churches! You have no use for the words of Jesus!  What he says are lies to your ears because liberal Christians follow the lies of the devil who is their master. Those churches which tolerate abortion, same-sex marriage, fornication and hate against true Christians are worse than the pagans who burned their own children in the fires of Molech! Liberal preachers, at the "Great White Throne Judgment" will fall short! Rather than "well done good and faithful servant" it will be "I never knew you"!  God doesn't know those who teach his words as lies. God doesn't know those who hate his precepts. God doesn't know those who are haters!

I write this because one pitiful hater doesn't like my speech. Because we have divergent views he hates me! I don't wish him ill will, but my desire for him is that he consider Jesus; the one who loves him without condition, but the one who will have to allow him to suffer the consequences of his own rebellion. Those who hate me for my views should appreciate me for wanting them to also have eternal life! A Christian's duty is to spread "The Good News"! God sacrificed his own son for this one Christ-hater. He loved him that much! The next step is that he water that seed and discover the love of Jesus and what is perceived as "hate" is what Jesus taught. That's just a false perception (deception; false knowledge) of those who don't know God.

Genetic vs. Behavioral: Sin

The pagan singer "Lady Gaga" sang "Born That Way" to support the homosexual lifestyle. Ann Landers has often said that those who engage in same-sex acts are born that way. Progressives tell us that we are to be more tolerant of those who can't help how they were born. However, three things oppose this liberal false dogma; propaganda actually!

Firstly, there is not now nor has there ever been any research showing that infants are born inclined to be homosexual. The only research shows that there may be a difference in brain patterns in homosexuality (Swedish study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Journal), but it has not been declared that different brain patterns (genetics) causes homosexuality versus homosexuals who have different brain patterns. That's significant. Likewise, if there are different brain patterns, sexual desire may not even be associated with it! (Since brains of corpses were compared the difference may lie in behaviors or conditions which led to death.)

Furthermore, we must be careful regarding methodology. In my own experiments in engineering I'm guilty of making my research methods tilt toward my desired outcome. That's human nature and is called "research bias". Since the aforementioned study was done in an ungodly socialistic humanist Sweden it has no credibility for rational people. In fact if this same study had been done in the United States today popular opinion would bias the results toward "biological" because that's what progressives have already determined. It's also obvious that "research" cannot disagree with what the powers have dictated as truth and can never oppose any abnormal lifestyle because to do so would be "hateful". That said in other words: "Never trust a scientist!" We must never accept any research as conclusive because an honest scientist will never say "We proved that ___________".  An hypothesis is never "proved". A study can only fail to disprove and as such it takes faith to rely on a study!

Homosexuality is not a result of  genetics! The scientist Lady Gaga is biased! Homosexuals who perform research are biased. Those who believe in unlimited personal freedom are biased. Hence, most of society is either biased or have been deceived by those who want to make wrong appear to be right. They teach that if you disagree with progressive opinion that you are hate-filled. No one likes a hater. However, acknowledging truth is not hate!  Just as scientists finally admit that there are genetic differences between the races, that doesn't mean that knowing that we're different causes hate! That's demagoguery!

Because we have emotions doesn't mean that those emotions are acceptable. Emotions result in behaviors! It's not the emotion which is criticized, but the behavior. Many grown men have been attracted to minor-aged girls. That's emotion. If they act on those emotions that's wrong. You see that just because a person has certain feelings doesn't make those feelings legitimate! That emotion is a remnant of our antecedents and is in our genes. We all have a genetic tendency to do wrong. That's called "inborn sin" and comes from "original sin".

Romans 5:12 " Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned..."

 Thus, sin IS genetic. We're all born to sin and we all desire to sin. It's for pleasure; to serve ourselves! Desire is not a sin. That's temptation. However, acting upon our desires IS sin. Those who love truth understand that it takes a considerable amount of self-control to control desire!

James 1:15 "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

 From a Christian perspective, truth as we see it, homosexuality is a behavior. Acting upon temptation results in bad behaviors and bad behaviors are what's called sin. Everyone is born with some type of rebellion in their hearts. That's genetics! Those who desire alcohol are prone to alcoholism, those who are born with a propensity to steal are thieves and those who are born with a propensity for aberrant sexual behavior perform homosexual acts. They are all sins, but some are "abominations". Homosexuality is "disgusting" in the eyes of God!

Because something is disgusting doesn't give a Christian a ticket to hate. If we judge that way so we will be judged by the same measure. We're to love the sinner! It's God's will that the sin is not to be tolerated, but rebuked and when one reproves another engaged in sin, that's the epitome of love. It takes courage!  In fact if we truly love a homosexual (or any sinner) we will tell them how God feels about their sin. It's better to take the chance of hurting feelings, and save them from eternal death. In fact tolerating homosexuality is a damning position and the one not to be offended is the one being hurt!

There is another aspect requiring examination: We can be pragmatic. That's honesty without being accused of being a hateful (sic) Christian! Pragmatism is recognizing that homosexuality is not a normal behavior in the animal kingdom nor with mankind. It has always been an aberration!  Likewise, if one's pragmatic it's obvious to see that today there are more homosexuals because the act is tolerated. People are more free to follow there desires without condemnation!

I'm not a proponent of "Girls Gone Wild", but it's obvious that the girls perform lesbian acts in front of a crowd, not because they're born that way, but that they are seeking attention and pleasure. "Wrong" increases with doing each wrong. Each time a taboo is broached it becomes easier to go further for even more excitement!  Anyone who believes that "girls go wild" with lesbianism are "born that way" are fools. That's behavior. That's what God calls sin! It's amazing how pragmatic God is!

Some say that "They must be born that way. Nobody would choose to be homosexuals!" That's an inherently bad hypothesis and is naive. Who would choose to have a foot fetish? Who would choose to have a defecation fetish? Who would choose to desire bestiality? People don't choose to do wrong! They are so caught up in self-pleasure that their choices are clouded! Studies have shown that most people would inflict increased pain on another after they have done so once. (Milgram Experiment). Yes, people are willing to inflict extreme pain on another! Are they acting on genetics or is that a behavior? They truly are ignoring choice and inflicting pain because people fail to resist desire!

Churches and Christians are to welcome homosexuals to the church. However, we're not to condone the behavior, but lovingly rebuke that behavior just as we would any sin. Those churches who allow homosexuals to be active in the church and unrepentant is heretical. Modern churches are as much in sin as the sinners were in the early churches. Churches which have homosexual leaders or perform same-sex marriages or civil unions are part of Satan's den. Those preachers will be flailing in the fires of hell just as those sinners that they have misled!

God's grace is without bound! Psychologists say that it's unethical to treat homosexuality. Grace is positive. There is no sin too great for God! His grace is without bound. Pray for those friends and relatives who rationalize their behavior to accept Jesus and let Him heal! For those friends and family members who are deceived, Lord, open their eyes to your will!

Mighty Stacy Has Stuck It Out

I was thinking of the Teen Revival for the youth a Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church near Portland, Tennessee and used "Might Casey at the Bat" for inspiration. Although, Mighty Casey struck out, Mighty Stacy stuck it out!

Things were looking dim for the Portland teens that day:
The evil forces were ahead, but with little time left that day,
And then when Cody sinned first, and Harold did the same,
An eery silence fell upon the Angel who always takes the blame!

A struggling few got up to get out of there. The best
Clung to the hope which springs supernal when humans pass the test;
They thought, “If only Stacy could stand the heat of that -
We'd put up a strong defense with Stacy standing pat.”

But Jenn was tested before Stacy, as was Johnny Tate,
And the former smoked hash, while the latter was a fake;
So upon the hopeful angels the grim reaper spat,
For there seemed but little chance of Stacy standing pat.

But Jenn failed to be swindled, and didn't take the fall,
And Tate, so much despised, surprised the rest and stood really tall;
And when the last test had shifted, and true men saw their nerve;
There was Johnny saved in a second and Gwynn hugging the nerd!

Then from five-thousand angels or more there rose a joyful yell;
It reverberated through the shadows and rattled those in hell;
It astounded those at the fountain and foiled the dirty rat,
For Stacy, faithful Stacy, was standing firm for those who only sat.

There was a glow in Stacy's banter as she stepped on the devil's space;
There was a stride in Stacy's not fearing what she was about to face.
And when, responding to dark angels jeers, her heart was really glad,
All doubt subsided from the crowd, 'twas Stacy standing pat!

Ten thousand angels eyes were with her, as she washed her hands from dirt;
Five thousand tongues professed His name as her eyes beamed alert;
Then while the writhing letcher let another lie thus slip,
Confidence reigned in Stacy's eye, as Jesus provided the extra pep.

And now the threat of death hovering came suddenly from the air,
And Stacy stood by watching in holy confidence there.
Close by the sturdy Christian for whom our Savior bled -
“That's for my sin,” said Stacy. “Good one!” the angel said.

From the stenches of sinful people, there went up a billowed roar,
Like the swearing of spirits who at Jesus the Savior swore;
“Kill him! Kill the imposter! All had shouted as they went about their plans.
And they killed him in spite of Pilat who before had washed his hands.

With a gleam of holy charity humble Stacy stood alone;
Her faith stilling the tumult; her love of God greatly shone;
She motioned to the letcher and once more the epithets flew;
But Stacy still ignored it all and the angel said “Good for you!”

“Fraud” screamed the rebellious angels still so awfully proud!
But one verse from the Book and she the others awed.
They saw her face grow warm and bold, they saw her spirit strain,
And they knew that Stacy would stand up to evil again!

The fear had gone from Stacys' grip, she hated that deserving hate,
She abounds with vibrance as she feels all fear abate;
And now the letcher hopes she falls, and another lie he lets go,
And now the evil is shattered by the faith that only God bestows.

Oh, everywhere in this favored land God's Son is shining bright,
The angels are playing out there, and in heaven hearts are light;
And out there men are laughing, and everywhere God's children shout,
And there is joy in Portland --- for faithful Stacy has stuck it out!

Who's Hated the Most?

There is so much hate in the world! It gets worse every day. Hating someone is having  feelings of dislike and even hostility. The hostility is sometimes so extreme that the hater wants to administer extreme pain on the person hated. Bullies hate often for no reason at all!

The world is full of bullies. It has always been! However, at the present time bullying has hit an all time high. Unfortunately, it's those who are perceived as weak who're bullied the most. Christians, at least those who practice love, are perceived as weak. Consequently, Christians are bullied! Because of the pacifist teachings of Christ and loving our enemy, Christians cannot with good conscience strike out at those who hate us! Some believe we should, but the Bible tells us differently... turn the other cheek... Allow God to heap hot coals on their heads... etc.

 John 7:6 "Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. 7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil."

I say this without reservation: Jesus is the most hated person to ever have existed!  He's even hated more than Hitler; whose atrocities are in the process of slowly being minimized, even forgotten! However, those endeavoring to follow the lifestyle of Christ are open to disdain. Why? Because with Christ comes rules! Rules people still wish not to follow! Mankind never changes, we've always been in rebellion and we always will be. Christianity is about submitting and submit we won't!

The world hates Christ because he testifies to the evil of the world. He said so in the verse above.  Those who have desires of the flesh place pleasure above obedience and rebellion results. "I won't follow a bunch of rules because I want to enjoy life!"  "I'll do as I want right now and ask for forgiveness later!" That's just not the way it works with Jesus, but somehow we're smarter than God!

We are of the world, so the world hates us very little! Although we are disciples of Christ, we're poor disciples! We are forgiven, but sin has made its mark. We still follow our own desires, and for the most part the world does not hate us for our actions, but because the world hates Christ!  If we stand down the world leaves us alone, but if we stand up for Christ, we're hated!  When a Christian says something that's judgmental against the evils of the world, that person is ostracized. To get along, an apology often follows. While we're consorting with those who hate Jesus and trying to appease them, Jesus never ever apologized! He was right and made no excuses for it. However, we conform to the world and that's not a good thing:

Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

If we're transformed, we too will be hated:

2 Corinthians 4:8 "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed..."

If we are righteous we will be persecuted! That's just a condition of being a priest for Christ. If we are righteous for his name's sake, we will be hated! If it hadn't been for hate and persecution Christianity would never have spread throughout the world. God has little regard for this life since life itself is subject to him. God provides eternal life and suffering in this life is worth living forever!

Right now Christianity is persecuted. While the western world once held God in high esteem, God has now been redefined. God has become no more than the practice of social justice. No one can be judged. No one can be rebuked, all behaviors and beliefs are copacetic, and even endeavoring to fulfill "The Great Commission" by proselytizing is called "intolerant" by the thought police! Christianity is a victim. Christianity is being bullied by the world; by those who hate what Christ stands for!

Don't be bullied! Stand up for Christ and his teachings without apology! When God calls something "an abomination", disgusting it is!" When God says to "love others" love we do! When God says "be obedient", obey we must!  When God says to "stand up for truth", truth it is! When God says to "pattern our life after Christ", we make Jesus our model. We do all this in the face of persecution, just as Peter and Paul did! They died for Christ's sake and that death was not caused by the hate of the apostles, but for the hate of Christ. We're to bear the same battle scars as Jesus did! Stand up for America? No stand up for Jesus and America will follow!

A Great and Dreadful Day

Malachi wraps up the period between the Old Testament and the New. I tells two stories: 1) The destruction of Jerusalem and 2) a prophecy of the end of time!  Between this time and the time of John the Baptist is 400 years. God revealed nothing new to man in between.

Malachi 4:5 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

The destruction of Jerusalem was in 70 A.D., but much happened in between! Firstly, "Elijah" came:

 Matthew 11:10 "For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias (Elijah), which was for to come."

Forthwith the return of Elijah, Malachi's prophecy is to come. Was John the Baptist Elijah? Certainly not! The Bible teaches "resurrection", not "reincarnation". There's a big difference! "Resurrection" is when the same body is restored to its original form. "Reincarnation" is the falsehood that the soul is "restored" in another body.  As Jesus was resurrected (the same body even with the scars of death), we too will be resurrected. Our ashes will be gathered, as was Adam's, from the ground, and we'll be reassembled perfect, alive and with mind, body and spirit intact!

If we look further we find that John the Baptist was not Elijah!

John 1:19 "And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias (Elijah)? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No."

Since John himself confessed that he is not Elijah, then Elijah was certainly not reincarnated, but why did Matthew say that John is Elijah? "Pictures" are of extreme importance in the Bible!  John the Baptist was a type of Elijah or looking at it from the other direction, Elijah was a picture of John the Baptist.

First off Elijah was described as such:

2 Kings 1: 8 "They answered him, “He was a hairy man with a leather girdle 2bound about his loins.” And he said, 'It is Elijah the Tishbite.'"

And look at how John the Baptist was described:

Matthew 3:4 "And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey."

The same reference is used to describe Elijah and John. Based on appearance, John was a type of Elijah. However, a stronger picture was that Elijah vanished in a whirlwind without dying as his ministry ended. His ministry was carried on by Elisha who was ordained by God and appointed by Elijah. Likewise, John the Baptist prophesied another one coming even more powerful than himself:

Luke 3:16 "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier (Jesus) than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire..."

After "Elijah" (John the Baptist) came, then came Jesus. The Temple of his body was destroyed yet he was resurrected. Likewise, the Romans destroyed the Herod's Temple in 70 A.D., but the remnant of Christ lived on!  Christianity has spread to the entire world! Not only does Christ live on, but the Spirit of Christ flourishes to this day.  However, just as the "the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" came with the destruction of Herod's Temple, then also Jesus second coming is the same "day of the Lord". Although some of the remnant will be saved (ala the destruction of Jerusalem) most will perish on "the day of the Lord". It will be a "dreadful day" for many when that time comes!

The ministry of Jesus is salvation so that those who believe are saved from that "dreadful day of the Lord". Jesus came not only to save, but to judge the wicked. He sends nobody to heaven, but by wrong choices most will choose eternal death. They shall perish of their own accord!  That will certainly be a dreadful day! Malachi saw it coming! Do you?  Malachi also calls it "coming of the great day of the Lord". How great it shall be for the redeemed when they are told "Well done good and faithful servant!" (Matthew 25:21) And what must we do to be called "good"?

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Those who choose to perish fail to accept this! The wise are saved and this they believe. A simple act of faith saves and eternity of punishment. Avoid that dreadful damning day of destruction. Just "believe"!

What is your Purpose in Life?

On an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond" the young daughter's question was "Why are we here?" That confounded Raymond. He had no idea!

Anything of any value has utility. Humans are to be useful. Our usefulness is our purpose! Why am I here? Why are you here?

Trying to set an example, I picked up Timothy and Anthony to take them to work with me to learn a little bit. On the way, Anthony said "Timothy is lazy!" to which Timothy responded "I'm not lazy!!!!  I just don't like to work!"  Tim's purpose in life was living the life of a sloth. Sloths are animals which do little more than eat tree leaves and literally hang around. They are pretty much parasitical to foliage! We have a purpose in life, but as Timothy, that purpose is not realized.

Hebrews 6:11 "And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

We're to do things that the righteous do!   What do they do? As the disciples have faith and worship so are we. Is that our purpose in life?

1 Corinthians 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

I believe we are getting close here!  We are here to glorify God. We're to love, honor and lift up God. We are to do that because we owe God. Glorifying God is what we do in return for his gift of eternal life for us which was bought by his own death on the Cross. That's called "works". That's what we do to pay the debt of thanksgiving to Jesus for dying in our place! I see many who claim salvation, but I really don't see much glorification in thanks. Are we fulfilling our purpose in life?

Our "purpose" is identified in terms of magnifying Christ in the dispensation of grace. What was our purpose when under the first dispensations? We look to the "dispensation of innocence" for that answer:

Genesis 2:15 "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."

Here we have man's purpose: It was to dress and keep the garden. That's why Adam was created and why we live! We're to dress and keep the garden. No, that doesn't mean that we glorify God by tilling the soil. It must have a deeper meaning. How can we tend the garden? We must look at what was in the garden:

Genesis 2:9 "And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil."

We can see if we read the passages which precede these that God provided the soil, light, water and everything to nourish the whole garden, but in these verses he specifically mentioned two trees in the midst of the garden. One tree was to just to be left alone, not even eating of that tree, but the other must have been for dressing and keeping it!  Man was created to tend the "Tree of Life" since God took care of all the others and focused on this tree in the midst, being the center of the Garden!

We know that God is the alpha and omega. He is unchanging. All dispensations are actually of grace. Since "The Word" (Jesus) was there in the beginning, so was grace!

Revelayion 2:7b "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

That tree in the midst of the garden, being a metaphor, is Jesus. Adam and Eve were to tend to Jesus. They were to "dress him and keep him".   Since God is unchanging, Jesus is the Word and he was with God in the beginning, and Jesus is the Tree of Life; just as Adam's purpose was to tend to that Garden (Jesus) so are we! We have the same purpose in life as did Adam, our antecedents and our descendants. We are to tend to Jesus!

How are we to tend to the "Tree of Life? We are to glorify it (him)! That's what Paul tells us when he said "glorify God in your body, and in your spirit".. We dress and keep the Tree by glorifying Jesus! That's why we're here!

Are you tending to the Garden? Are you a servant to Jesus, taking care of making that Tree honored and praised. Are you glorifying Jesus as your purpose?

Most of us are slothful. Rather than providing for ourselves, we take the delicious leaves of that Tree, but fail to honor what we've partaken of. Just as sloths eat of tree leaves and move on after the tree is stripped bare, we accept Jesus, but fail to thank him for his grace by becoming a servant to him. We just fail our purpose in life. We don't tend the Garden!

The Great Commission is the best way to glorify Jesus. We dress and keep the Tree by telling of it's beauty so that others can glorify it's beauty:

Matthew 28:16 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..."

There's how we're to implement "our purpose in life". We're to tell others about Jesus! That's how we "dress and keep" that Tree in the midst of the Garden!  We can tell if we're serving our purpose in life by how much fruit that Tree bears. By glorifying that tree we fertilize the seed from Adam and cause it to bear fruit for Jesus. Our purpose in life is telling others about the grace of Jesus! That's man's purpose from the beginning and that's why we're here!

Freedom... Where has it gone?

I was thinking of the freedom many of my ancestors fought for and where that freedom has gone. I felt strongly enough about this to write a letter to the editor of the Bowling Green Daily News. Here's the content:

Was the war for independence wasted? The "Declaration" states "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." What men died for our government holds in disdain!

Truth is now relativistic. Within the current administration it's a joke. Jay Carney is the "Liar in Chief". Accountability is a farce!

Hate laws, quotas and the administration makes some "more equal" than others. Lady Justice is permanently tipped toward bias. Those created slightly less "desirable" are murdered in the womb. Equality is for the fittest.

The Creator is a magical spark of energy which turned into the universe. God has become a demiurge spewing hate and intolerance. In spite of his love we can't worship him freely. An omnipotent God isn't even viable theory! The rights of those who worship him are more in jeopardy daily.

"Rights" are whatever the liberal elite chooses to allow. If we fail to think according to correct thought, those everywhere run in fear. Rights are an illusion. The apathetic watch as rights are eroded until it's too late to protect their own!

Among those rights "Life" is a joke! Babies are murdered in the womb and the Courts hold the knife. What once was cherished as gifts of God have become fetal tissue. Potential leaders have been destroyed in the womb. Planned Parenthood, the wicked witch, is worshiped as goddess of sexual freedom.

Liberty is snuffed out by the Democrats and abused by the Libertarians; evil twins walking different roads to the same destruction. The goddess of Liberty they worship is a two-headed dragon!

Happiness is the sole extent of our what's left. People live for pleasure, a cancer leading to the destruction of the nation. Pleasure in the absence of the Creator is hedonistic, a life-style which has destroyed the greatest nations!

The main culprits are the courts abetted by the deceitful president. Each are guilty of crimes against freedom! Voters clean the dirty knife of stupidity!