Prayer Is Listening Too

I'm guilty as guilty can be! I spew forth (at times) prayers to God riddled with cliches and adorned with acclamation where commas should be.  The prayers may be sincere but not reverent enough. I mean to get them over quickly to move on to whatever things seem more important at the time. Before prayer we should synchronous our demeanor with the holiness of the occasion! We need to set the mood for prayer.

Before I write this blog each day I sit at the keyboard and silently ask "What should it be today, Lord? Please give me words to comfort, admonish, reprove and magnify you." Then I sit back and wait for inspiration. Those moments of inspiration are when we are listening to God. However, inspiration is more than just listening, it is accepting and following. The Bible is said to be divinely inspired:

2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"

The part about "given by inspiration of God" really has two parts: God said it and man received it because it was "given" by God! Just think if one of these two things failed to happen: speaking and hearing. Either The Bible would not be God-breathed or man would never have received it. God's breathing is when we must listen!

 2 Peter 1:21 "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

People listened to Jesus as he spoke. That's the gospel message. It's when mankind learned about Jesus. Jesus was and did what men of old said he would do! Why? Because they listened to God who spoke through the Holy Spirit. We have scripture because inspired men listened... and then followed the leading. If the "follow" had not been obeyed, the "listening" would have been in vain, and God's speaking would have been in futility!

When I sit down to listen before I write, one of two things happens: 1) My thoughts are confounded by Satan as I endeavor to listen to God, or 2) God inspires me with the Holy Spirit. The closer that I am following the will of God, the better communication I have and the more that I'm inspired. If I sit down at the keyboard after committing some grievous sin, should I expect the Holy Spirit to do anything more than cause me guilt? Certainly not, and furthermore, a person being convicted by the Holy Spirit isn't in a state of sanctification.

John 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

 I see sanctification as "mentally standing on Holy Ground and praising God who consecrated it"! How does a person become sanctified? It's by LISTENING to God speaking truth! I set myself apart from the world by reading God's word, contemplating what he wills and then obeying his will. In disobedience communion doesn't happen.

John 8:47 "He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."

Hearing the words of God means that a person  must be in obedience to God. Being "of God" is more than believing, it's trusting what he says and obeying his will. That's a pre-requisite for hearing God. If we are listening and are not of God, it's not God we're hearing! That's where the devil jumps in and fills the void. That's when sinners get positive reinforcement that their personal sin is okay with God (sic).

With that said, I just introduced another facet of understanding. Listening requires two parties and we need to be sure that the party of the first part is truly God speaking! We can know whether that is true:

 Romans 12:2 (ESV) "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Having discernment is testing. The next question, since we're told to "test" what is the will of God, is how shall we test it? We turn to the operation manual for the truth. Our creator tells us what his will is by the word of those who listened to him in days of old. To "test" is to "discern what is truth" and that means comparing what we are listening to and thinking, to what scripture says! For instance, the Lord says "Thou shalt not take my name in vain" means just that! There are no exceptions, including extreme excitement nor carelessness.

Likewise, when God says "honor thy father and thy mother", there is not a list of exceptions. It means to honor even bad parents! Those who discern, read not only the words, but the intent. A parent'/child relationship is much the same as a God/us relationship. We are to love God because he created us and likewise, we are to love our earthly father because we are of him. The only difference is God is good and our parents may not be, but we love them just the same, and all that remains to show that love is "honor".

Discernment, too, consists of two parts: hearing and applying! Why listen and discern if we don't apply? Indeed, if we never apply, God may just quit talking, and our listening may be in vain!

Christians fail to change because they don't listen. People don't get prayers answered because they don't listen. God is not a genie who grants you your every wish. You must petition God and do what he wills as in "and your will be done". Those who fail to listen, fail to know what God wills!

There are obstacles to listening. It may be a baby crying, a television blaring, another distracting person, or even impure thoughts! When I was working with a group of non-Christians, I heard filth and swearing all day long. When I went to pray, rather than listening to God, I had those impure thoughts run through my head. Before I prayed, I had to clear my mind. I prayed to God to first remove those impure thoughts and then I listened to God. Scripture crossed my mind. That was God speaking! Then I prayed.

We are to pray to know to do God's will  as in "thy will be done"! That requires listening and listening is more than hearing. It's absorbing, understanding, evaluating and applying. Listening requires cognition. We process what God inspires and make changes accordingly. That cognition process is part of listening.

Now, back to prayer. Before we spray God with rote words and insincere aggrandizement, let's get serious!  There needs to be a mood. After all it's holy ground! Go to your prayer closet. That's where you're alone with God:

Matthew 6:6"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."

We are to be alone for two reasons: 1) To make certain that our prayer is to please God and not others (Matthew 6:5) and 2) to set apart (sanctify) ourselves so that it's between only us and God. That insures privacy, secrecy and minimizes distractions which come from the devil.

Then our words are to be sincere:

Matthew 6:7 "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words"

If we're conjuring up impressive words our ability to listen is deprived.  We speak to God just as we speak to anyone else, but with reverence. "Our Father who art in heaven" is pinpointing to whom we are praying and the person to whom we are prepared to listen by praying "your will be done".

In order to understand what I have just written, one must be listening. True I speak no words, but thoughts are shouted loud and clear in type. I present to you scripture, which is God's will, and in order to receive or reject with objectivity, one must "listen" to the thoughts I'm writing, and become inspired to heed the message. Most people reject without listening, but to reject with evidence, the reader must listen (and all the processes therewith). Then, if you are more discerning than I am, you certainly are at liberty to reject, but rejection without listening is foolhardy!

Starchildren

"Star People" are those who don't fit into society. They suffer a sense of isolation. 65% of star people are women and of course the rest are men. These people are claimed to be not fully of this earth! Some of the characteristics, in addition to feelings of isolation in this world are: prominent eyes and unique physical appearances, lower than normal body temperatures, a disconnect with their biological parents, sharp hearing and little sleep requirements, among many others. A characteristic of many is that they're deep in thought, have acute awareness, are workaholics and are oftentimes innovators. Many brilliant scientists fit many of these traits. Of course the secular world claims that "Star People" are descendants of aliens who came to earth to make it a better place, even providing technology for our benefit. Some scientists believe that, indeed, star people are descendants of those from another place and hence are "star children"!

As usual science takes years to catch up with God and what they teach is only partial understanding! Of course God never gets the credit for his creation and is even ridiculed that he provides the true answer which is the only explanation for the origins of the universe and mankind!

Many scientific facts are taught in The Bible hundreds, even thousands, of years before scientists were credited with the discovery! Among them are: 1) the earth is round (Isaiah 40:22), 2) the orbit of the earth (Ecclesiastes 1:15), 3) the hydrological cycle (ibid) and 4) wind streams (ibid) and nuclear energy (2 Peter 3:10). Many other scientific facts are concealed within the pages of parchment which remain hidden from the blinded eyes of mankind.

Perhaps another discovery has been made with the notion of "star children"! Of course it's false religion which gets the credit. I'm referring to those who fail to credit God with anything! The world believes those star people are children of interplanetary travelers who came to earth to advance us for some type of elevated awareness and the betterment of mankind. Their claims discredit God and mock the belief of Christian people. Citizens of the world are most often claimed to be randomly developed lifeforms from primordial seas, and now others are claimed to be from the vast seas from universes beyond!  As ludicrous as is their false belief is, that scientists accept the thought of alien life forms, and often the supernatural, but fail to see the supernatural world of God and is angels! God is not only natural, since he is the source of all nature, but he's supernatural, in that he is beyond scientific knowledge. In his omniscience he reigns supreme!

Isaiah 66:1 "Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool..."

This world where God IS, is called the kingdom of God! It's a physical world within a supernatural realm. Because we don't see it has little correlation with its existence. Only recently were the orbits of atoms seen with only powerful microscopes and instrumentation, but they were there all the time! Likewise, a method of "seeing" the kingdom of God has never been found, perhaps it's not God's will that the living communicate with the dead:

Deuteronomy 18:10 (ESV) "There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, 11 or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you."

There are many reasons we're not to seek the dead, and the most important is that evil spirits disguise themselves as loved ones and those admired here on earth for nefarious purposes! People seek the wisdom of the dead rather than trust in God. As a consequence, the netherworld is verboten  for us to seek! Seeking the knowledge of the heavens caused the world to be plagued with confusion at Babylon. It's just not God's will that we understand his full mystery until we rightfully deserve that knowledge by feeling the sting of death!

With that said, did God reveal to mankind the existence of  "star children" ? Let's take a look:

Genesis 6:1  "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose."

This appears that men from "another world", as sons of God, married earth women! The "other world" would be from that supernatural world that remains unseen: "the kingdom of God". Many theologians believe that fallen angels who are able to take on physical form, intermarried with daughters who descended from Adam and Eve. "That's preposterous!" you say. Only as preposterous as Adam rising from the dust a mature individual and Eve appearing from the flesh of his side! God is a god of miracles. With him anything can happen!

When Satan came to test Job this was said:

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

Here we can see that "sons of God" are fallen angels. Although angels do not marry and are without gender in the  realm of God, perhaps when they take on human form, as we know they do, that angels take on human characteristics. All things are possible with God!

Gen 6:4 "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown."

The giants of old were the Nephilim. Somehow their genes made it through the great flood of Noah's time, because giants existed in tribes after the flood! The "star children" (sic) described in Genesis "were of old, men of renown." That is, men who were in "a state of being widely acclaimed and highly honored", according to Meriam-Webster Dictionary. In context "renown" is men who are able to make great discoveries! These men would be leaders in industry and insight and provided leadership to the people.

"Men of renown" sound as if they are "star people", but the "star" is not another world, other than the place where God IS. It's a supernatural world!

Star people today do not have "giant" as part of their traits. Remembering that the Nephilim no longer exist as twelve feet tall men as they were in scripture, it would appear that the norm has changed over time. The gene for size has become non-consequential over time; the size of men becoming shorter for generations before time has changed the norm again. (I added 6" to the frame of my 1880s bed to fit me, a normal sized man).

There are those who say that biblical "giants" were merely those men of renown. Although they were peculiar human beings, scripture makes it clear that size was also a factor. Perhaps the "giant" characteristics translated into the "compelling eyes; unique and striking physical appearance" (Wikipedia) that they are reported to have, which many giants today have!

In summary what God created mankind slowly discovers, but fail to acknowledge the source of the finding! Star children may very well be "sons of God" and are from another world, which is in God's supernatural kingdom. Yes, "the kingdom of God" is a place of righteousness, but God has a place for evil where he allows the devil and his fallen angels to roam temporarily. He's still the ruler there, and there must be a separation of sorts, such that Christians have a place of solace, but somewhere out there exists a place from which some of mankind came long ago. Today there may be "star children" descended from the "sons of angels".

Hurting Inside

We all feel pain at times. I'm not speaking of physical pain, but that deep hurt inside which can lead to bad health. It's as if we have no place to turn. Usually it's a reaction to spoiled ideas. I like to use the term "when worlds collide".  Usually this feeling is accompanied by that burning acid in the depths of one's soul and manifested the same way in the pit's of our stomachs.

Negative thinking is often the catalyst for these feelings of despair. Irrational thinking irrigates the mind of hope and poisons the meadow of the spirit. Even rational negative thoughts fertilize the crab grass growing within. While people agonize over their own weedy crop, less fortunate people would feel blessed to be so fertile in fortune!

Like everyone else I too at times despair. It's a choice that we all make either sub-consciously or sublimely. In order to rise up and rewind we must make a decision. Is life worth the living feeling this bad, or is there a promise of better things to come? When I'm down and out today I have hope that tomorrow will be better, and if I hold onto optimism, negativity creeps into the dark shadows of shame.

Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

"All these things" are the things of the world: eat, drink and clothing are mentioned; but all our "things" will be met! That's a promise of God if we seek him. He will make things right!

At one time my world ended for me emotionally. I failed to care because the stock market became a cruel master who stole what little I had. Rather than gain for ten years, I had actually lost all, and what I had remaining is only what I had added to the account. When I first looked at the statement of loss, I felt severe pain, but nothing as painful as losing the one you love, whether by death or decree! As long as I had my life intact, God promised me that he would help me endure this temporary pain!

I never "loved" money, so it wasn't important really. However, love and life is important. My son had posted on his wall "A Family Is Forever"! I sat there reading that thought at the very time my daughter-in-law had chosen to divorce my son. I felt despair for him because he was in despair! He had lost the one he loved and "A Family Is Not Necessarily Forever", but it can be!

Whatever, was in her mind that led to poor choices could be overcome!  The attraction of "things out there" and the lurk of "things at home" lead people to do things that's not in their best interest. It may alleviate pain for awhile, but stress is a worthy opponent. Stress is caused by an attack on hope and joy. It takes special weapons and reliable shields to win that "hopeless war". However, it can be won!

First off, before the battle begins, one must recognize who the enemy is! Who's will is it that people think negative thoughts and feel the stress until poor decisions are made. It's the person whose weapon of mass destruction is DECEIT and who uses the chemical weapon of HATE to win small battles to defeat. Those of us who dwell in painful thoughts are pawns. Satan puts us on the front line so that we will be destroyed, and we don't even put up a fight. Just as the Jews went passively to the gas chambers, negative thinkers carry their own asphyxiant. We kill ourselves because of subliminal suggestions of the deceitful one. God doesn't want you destroyed, so why not turn to God?

As with Job, if I lose my home, my possessions, my wealth, my spouse, my children and my health; I've still got Jesus! Why?  Because where I say "my" it's really "God's"! God wants HIS things to remain in my life and they will IF I turn to him!

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Anxiety is the malady which troubles our souls. Rather than giving in, we're to turn to God. We are to turn to him with a grateful heart, knowing that, if we're sincere, he will give us "peace"! The weapon, as you see, isn't what we have, but it's the peace provided by God. We replace irrational ideas with what's rational and negativity with hope! When we turn to Jesus with all our troubles, peace snuffs out the turmoil and chaos orchestrated by evil forces and provides healing tonic to the heart!

Negative things are not God's will, but may be used for his purpose. Just as Job was tested, so are we. Job came out stronger because he trusted the Lord and nearly all those things lost were returned to him. His broken heart was healed because he remained true! God gave him peace again.

Dwelling in the self is the worship of Self and negative thoughts are in effect saying prayers to the false God... "The Self". It's only when we look beyond our thin layer of epidermis that we find solace in the meat God has given us. It's the meat without flesh, because this flesh is of the world. The meat below is the sustenance served to us by the Lord's own sacrifice of himself for us!

Why dwell in what we don't have when we have so much? Within each of us lies the answer. We know, but do we do?

This Bothers Me!

The song When We All Get to Heaven by Eliza E. Hewett, 1898 has the refrain:

"When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!"

Whenever we sing that in church, it bothers me! Why? We ALL won't go to heaven. I know... she's referring to Christians, but yet my thoughts are on the REMAINDER OF ALL included in the ALL.

The song reminds me of those I love who aren't Christians. It reminds me of those who believe they are Christians, but aren't "born again". It reminds me of nominal Christians. It reminds me of those who seem to have inherited their Christianity, and it reminds me of those whose priority on Christ is zilch; and it reminds me of those who don't believe in Christ and those who hate him!

Hebrews 10:22a "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake..."

Yes, some people hate Christians just because they believe in Christ! Are they part of "when they ALL get to heaven"? That bothers me!

How many people are going to heaven? Very few? That bothers me!

Matthew 7:14 "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

"How many" is a "few". Look at the time of Jesus death. How many stayed with him to the end? FIVE! That's a small number.  Most people believe in Jesus, but fail to trust in him. Belief, by itself, is not enough:

James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."

Devils will be cast into the Lake of Fire, but they believe. Why? Although they fear God (because he is a just God), they don't trust him! They know that God CAN BE trusted, but their allegiance lies with pleasure, the reward to those who follow the devil. Christians must RELY on Jesus. That's the crucial difference. By relying on Jesus we have faith in him.

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

ALL those who fail to TRUST in Jesus are part of the ALL who aren't going to heaven.

In America most people purport to be Christians, but demonstrate little of the obedience and charity of Christ. As do the devils, they believe, but have not trusted Jesus for salvation. Most of them are not born-again. They are nominal Christians... CINO's (Christians In Name Only)!

Trust and faith go together. Scripture makes "faith" a metric. There are those who have "no faith", "doubt", "little faith", "faith of the grain of mustard seed", "faith of Abraham", "abiding faith", "secure in the faith" and "the faith of God"! Where is the faith of most? Answer: Most doubt! Doubt is "negative faith".

We have an assurance of our faith by our works:

Romans 2:6 "Who (God) will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath..."

Nominal Christians (CINO's) are contentious, are disobedient to God and are unrighteous in their lifestyles. Their reward will be God's "indignation and wrath"!  They are part of the ALL who aren't going to heaven. That bothers me!

A refrain sang by most is "I've Been Good" (L. Herrin 1/3/2015):

"I think I'm going to heaven.
I've been good!
I do what I am in the mood.
Sin and fun is my leaven
Yes, I think I'm going there!
Why, I've been good!
Going because I think I should.
Living my life without a care!"

Why do those who "do good" come up short?

 Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags..." or as the New Testament says Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God..."

If a person has sinned even once, and that is YOU, then justice served by God is eternal hell, unless that person makes a DECISION to follow Jesus... "To trust and obey... there's no other way!" as the song says is an accurate song and a song which is clear! The saying "when we ALL get to heaven" is meant for only those "who trust and obey" for there is "no other way"!

Making a DECISION to trust and obey Jesus is being "born-again". It's a new birth and the reborn person is a "new creation". The old man is buried in the water of baptism and the new man arises a clean person, those sins symbolically washed away and the babe in Christ begins to change because that person is a new creature!

Are we ALL going to heaven? I am. Are you? Others can't measure your faith (it is measurable as I have shown), but you can! We're not to judge you, but you can for God will! How will you be judged? Will you be part of the ALL, or the few who fail to enter through the narrow gate?

Nominal Christians are damned fools! CINO's know in "in whom they have believed" and their belief is neither trust nor obedience. That, my friends, is what bothers me when I sing that refrain!

No Steak in Heaven?

We were discussing what heaven would be like after listening to Dr. David Jeremiah joking: that with perfect taste buds how good steak will be in heaven. I've never been there, hope to live there someday and piece together what heaven will be like. I don't believe that there will be any steak in heaven!

Before anyone turns their back on God, for many only look for a reason, for having no meat, not eating steak isn't a bad thing! While people are alive because of steak, others die because they eat too much steak.

Let's look at the purpose of heaven. It's life, it's hope and there will be no death. If anyone believes in eternal life, we all know that this applies to human beings, but does it apply to animals?

In the restored earth and New Jerusalem Isaiah had these words from God:

Isaiah 65:25 "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord."

Since heaven's purpose is to preserve life, that life includes the animals. There shall be peace within the animal kingdom and that includes us! In heaven, on God's holy mountain, none "shall hurt nor destroy"! Dr. Jeremiah might say that this applies to the Jews, but many commentators may disagree. There will be no death in heaven!

This is reinforced also by Hosea:

Hosea 2:18 “And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. “

The Garden of Eden is symbolic of Heaven. Both are paradises. Before man sinned the appetite was for herbs. Adam and Eve were the first vegans to be honest!

 Genesis 1:29 "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."

"Meat" was the King James era word for "food". Adam and Eve were given seed-bearing plants for food. Heaven will be like that. We shall have heavenly substance. Perhaps it will be God's bread... manna in heaven of which we shall never tire! It won't be steak.

Man's diet was plants; not containing life in a biblical sense, since plant's don't have blood nor nervous systems; until the earth was renewed in Noah's time after the flood:

Genesis 9:3 "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat (food) for you (man from Noah's time); even as the green herb have I given you all things."

God kept animals tame because he had a purpose! It was so that their docility would enable Noah to live with them in peace on the ark. They came on board willingly because God's people were not a threat at that time!  Perhaps they were tame to Noah because evil people were killing them! At any rate, after the flood their docile purpose had been served. They became legal food for God's people.

I do want to note that after they realized their nakedness and were embarrassed, Adam and Eve clothed themselves with fig leaves. They would never have dreamed of using skins because killing of animals at that time wasn't necessary and against God's will!

In summary, since heaven will be a paradise as was the Garden, then there will be no killing at all in heaven. Food will not be meat, but likely some heavenly food of the nature of manna. In heaven there will be animals, but they will not fear each other nor man! In short, man won't have steak to eat in heaven... and I'm sure Dr. Jeremiah will agree on that aside from his joke about it!

Finding Our Own Performance Standard

There are standards which we all are to meet, but in some systems standards differ for different people. In education the gamut runs from 0-100% or from an F to an A+. To pass there are acceptable standards. Less than 70% is usually failing. People squeak through high school with mere "gifts" of D- and some are so astounding that an A fails to describe their knowledge!

On an IQ test there is no pass/fail, but a normal distribution of intelligence. The distribution of scores, if it's a good test of intelligence, is a bell-shaped curve. Most people, if the test is designed correctly, will have an "Intelligence Quotient" (IQ) of 100. Many of us were tested with the Stanford-Binet Tool.  The classification for normalcy is between 90-109 as are many of the other tools. On the low end 40-54 is moderately impaired or delayed. Scores of 145-160 (the top of the range) is very gifted or highly advanced. It would appear that scores below 40 are meaningless because the person tested is beyond the understanding of the basics. Scores in excess of 160 are rare and for those above 132 they are Mensa material!  A person can be considered as a genius with an IQ score as low as 125 providing "special factors" are considered. Charles Spearman, in 1927 wrote:

 "Every normal man, woman, and child is, then, a genius at something, as well as an idiot at something."

My neighbor was probably a genius. He was the Chief Surgeon and Department head at a large hospital, but he couldn't light his furnace nor repair a sprinkler head. His daughter asked me to help her with any practical applications which came up. He was surely much smarter than I am, but he was "an idiot at something"! Likewise, keep me out of surgery because that's my own idiocy!

We are all a  "genius at something" said Spearman. I have special "inventions" used widely by General Motors and designed a compact blank washer for Ford Motor Company with quick-change cleaner rollers. One of my complicated inventions was truly genius because the manufacturer failed to build what I built, and mine worked while theirs didn't (Yoder cut-off and pierce on the fly machine). However, in my first two years of college, I worked at a mediocre level in spite of my IQ. (I failed to go to a top-notch high school).

My greatest idiocy is in foreign languages. Even simple Spanish is "Greek to me"!  In language class a teacher could surely say with confidence "Larry is an idiot". I believe my music teacher did call me that under her breath one day!

My point is that we all have things in which we excel and others in which we fail. We have different aptitudes! That's a talent or the ability to excel in certain things. It's not what we learn, but the faculty with which we're born. It's an innate ability.

I have just discussed two standards of measurement: IQ and aptitude. Our IQ can be measured by various tests and so can aptitudes. However, as we all can be idiots or genii, we all have aptitudes. A friend of mine can neither read nor write beyond an 8th grade level, but his cabinet work is immaculate! He is stupid from an IQ standpoint, but a genius in aptitude!

Who cares about this stuff? Why does it matter? We can use both our aptitude and IQ, whatever they are, if we know what they are, for the work of God. In my case, I can't sing and God has little need for automation systems, so I write. Why do I write? Because my gift from God is scriptural discernment. I understand the message God is giving to mankind. Like you, it's tough applying truth because of temptation, but on most issues I have no doubt what God desires me to do, I write so that I can share that incite. You may reject it, but I offer the thought!

Am I a genius at writing a Christian blog? Certainly not. I'm merely "satisfactory" or as the teacher excuses my weaknesses "Larry tries hard"! On the scale of 40-160 IQ we all don't have to be above 100 in all things. We have areas that we are 50 (idiots) in and areas we excel 150 (genii). We can couple our IQ with our aptitude to discover how we can work for God!

I've seen people with a low degree of musical talent "screech to the Lord". Although the Lord appreciates the well-intended screech, perhaps the screech owl has better talents! It's the Christian's obligation in serving the Lord to find that talent! You aren't good at anything? That's not an excuse. Performance level grows as one does! Before one can excel at anything they must first make an attempt to do it.

Jesus found three fisherman who failed to catch fish. He made them fishers of men! Jesus found a zealous killer who was a tent maker to tell the world about him! God found a doctor to tell the world about someone who heals better. There are things that you do well. God doesn't always throw out the fish net to make you a fisherman, but scripture, prayer and the desire to serve will unfurl hidden talents.

If there is nothing else you discover, we all can be friendly and love one another! Your aptitude may not have a scale on which to register a score beyond the size of your heart and the width of your smile! People come to church for several reasons, but friendship is at the top. If you are truly a Christian there exists in your heart already the inherent ability to love others. It's more than an emotion. It's a work commanded by God. Use that love to welcome people as they enter the building, as well as when you meet them on the street. If you have the aptitude of commerce with mankind, it doesn't matter that you can't sing! You are a genius at loving people. Use that to grow the church and the Church.

God picked people to be apostles with various and sundry intelligence ranges and aptitudes. Timothy, a teacher, had to be taught by laymen regarding the knowledge of God before he could preach! He was a novice, but one must start somewhere!

What standard can we meet? We (Christians) are all part of The Great Commission, and we are all of "The Royal Priesthood"! With that said we are all God appointed ministers in some manner! Now to find the manner is the task ahead.

The First Feminist

Who was the first feminist? Was it Susan B. Anthony, Margaret Sanger, Jennie Churchill, Betty Friedon, or perhaps someone else? Women are beguiled by feminism because it offers promise. Strong women are said the have "broken the glass ceiling".That's the invisible barrier they claim which prevents them from succeeding.  That sounds good and right, doesn't it?

Feminism teaches equality, but their goal is superiority. Just as America has "white supremist" groups, it also has "Ms. extremists". (I can't say "woman extremist" because to them that's derogatory). "Ms.", of course, is a modern title to conceal the marital status of the woman, and to eliminate the tie between a woman and a man! You see, feminism is not only am ideology to become supreme, but one which destroys the family as well. Feminism and the elimination of the nuclear family has two things in common: 1) they are both Marxist initiatives and 2) they are both ungodly sins!

Feminists have been accused of radicalism and Marxism, but few recognize the ungodliness of this rebellious system of activism. Who was he first feminist? The feminists would have you believe that Lilith was! Some within the Hebrew faith and feminism contend that Lilith was the contentious first wife of Adam who fled their marriage because of he dominance of man! This false conception is evil itself! It claims that there were two females created because of the two creation stories:

Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.", then again in:

Genesis 2:22 "And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man."

First off, Satan would have you believe that these are two separate events! The first is a statement of what God did, and the second is how he did it! There were not two creations!

There are various stories on the "first creation" (sic), but one is the story of Lilith. That name means "night creature", "night monster", "night hag", or "screech owl" (Wikipedia).  The Dead Sea Scrolls, specifically,   Great Isaiah Scroll calls a creature as "liliyyoth". Scripture refers to "Lilith" as:

Isa 34:14 "The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr [Lilith] shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest." (brackets  mine).

There are three things of truth: 1) There were not two creations; only one, 2) Lilith is biblical and she is a monster of some type, and 3) there is no claim by scripture that Lilith the monster was ever a wife of any man, let alone Adam! It's mythology and remains in the realm of fiction.

 Lady [Lilith]...represents a Modern Lilith combing out her abundant golden hair and gazing on herself in the glass with that self-absorption by whose strange fascination such natures draw others within their own circle. (Rossetti, W. M.; 1870)

From the web page Feminism and Women's Studies this description title is used:

"Changing Literary Representations of Lilith and the Evolution of a Mythical Heroine: Scerba traces the development of the mythical figure Lilith from early Jewish texts through the Romantic period. This study culminates in a discussion of how Dante Gabriel Rossetti aided in Lilith's transformation from a demoness to a feminist heroine."

Lilith is a feminist heroine. Even IF she was truly a biblical character, she was an evil one at that! Rossetti used the demon "woman" as truly the first feminist. One needs to ask the question: "Why do feminists look toward evil for a model for feminism?" It's because feminism is evil! The woman Lilith is mythology. She's a lie from the serpent. Who was, then, the first feminist?

I contend that Eve was! How so" It's easiest to summarize the chain of events from Genesis:

• God created man (Genesis 2:7)
• Man was to have dominion over everything.(Gen 1:26)
• God gave Adam the first commandment "do not eat of the tree". (Gen 2:16-17)
• God created a helper for Adam. (Gen 2:22)
• The serpent tempted Eve and she spoke with the the serpent. (Gen 3:1-6)
• Eve sinned. (Gen 3:6a)
• Adam was deceived by Eve.(Gen 3:6b)
• Adam sinned. (Gen 3:6b)

Point 1: God made Adam over his entire creation! He was to have dominion over everything including Eve who was yet to be. Part of his dominion was to be leader of the home and head of worship. Adam was to be the spiritual leader. Adam was to be mankind's spokesmen to God and the priest. All religious affairs would belong to him.
Point 2: God gave Adam the "first commandment" before Eve was ever created. God commanded to Adam the instructions for obedience. Eve never heard them from God at all. It was Adam's role to teach Eve the will of God and either 1) he failed to do that, 2) didn't do it well or 3) Eve didn't heed Adam. It would appear from her conversation with the serpent that Eve knew the law, put words in God's mouth which God didn't say and disobeyed anyway. There were multiple sins Eve committed:

• Just as God's anointed, King Saul, assumed the roles of Samuel, the Priest of God, he lost his anointing because of his presumption (pride in this case). Saul was king, not priest, but he took upon himself to be priest, thereby offending God. Likewise, Eve assumed the role of leader and priest when it belonged to Adam. She spoke of spiritual matters with the serpent. That was Adam's job (which he failed to do!). Eve had no business talking with the serpent about things which she had only second-hand knowledge.
• Eve's place was to get allow Adam to fend for her and use the insight from God to repulse the serpent. She failed to see that she was the helper of Adam, not the other way around! Adam never instructed her to fend for the family, but she did it on her own. She broke the first "glass ceiling", so to speak!
• The serpent didn't try to deceive Adam. It was easier to deceive Eve because her knowledge of the "first commandment" was from Adam. It was second hand. God had not entrusted her to rule (lead in the discharge of obedience, but she did it anyway!
• The serpent knew that Adam was stronger than Eve. He knew that logic would allow Adam to remain faithful to God, so he used emotion on Eve. "It's pleasurable. It's good to eat. It'll make you like God, perhaps wiser than Adam!"  Eve sinned because she was easy to deceive, but felt herself capable. Adam sinned because he failed to be the leader! Adam's sin was made easy because he failed to the persuasion of a woman.
• Although Eve sinned first and her chiefest sin was "taking a leadership" role because her job assignment was to be "helper". Adam's chiefest sin was allowing Eve to become leader of him and the priest. Both of them sinned too by disobeying and dishonoring God, which, by the way, he knew they would do! God knew when he created Eve that what she do and she did it!

Feminism is not only equality with men, whereas she is to be a "helper", but superiority to men. Their gain is based on the losses to men, things which some men deserve. "Equal pay for equal work" is a good slogan, but like it's "good for food", that is a trick to create chaos. What feminists practice is not equal pay, but an host of deceptions: 1) equal or better pay, 2) special incentives, 3) sexual leadership role, 4) become the bread-winner, 5) stay at home dads, 6) break up of the family through care of children turned over to others, 7) demasculination of men, 8) masculination of women, 9) sexual freedom, 10) liberty to disrespect their own bodies, 11) freedom to kill their own offspring with no input from the father, 12) lesbianism , 13) division, 14) minimizing the role of marriage in society, and 15) even pagan-type worship instead of respect and love of God!

I could go on, but these make my point! Feminism is part of "original sin". It's wrong in God's eyes and destructive to the world! It even minimizes God's command "to multiply" and destroys the God sanctioned marriage institution. What's more, feminism teaches women that men are "an option". Men are not even needed to love and reproduce. Women don't need men. They can do it on their own!

Eve was the author of those ideals. Lilith didn't exist. Rather than feminists giving credit where credit was due (original sin) they turn to mythology for their heroines (a sexist word of course)! Feminists have even neutered God and at most of the time claim that God is a woman. That's the role Eve desired, but failed to achieve!

Women even fail to admit gender differences and strive to obliterate those differences wherever they can, except for the Jezebels who seek sexual freedom. It seems that feminists want to use what they claim to despise for gender gain. They turn their androgynous heads at sex symbols in entertainment because they know that just as Sheba defeated Samson by lust, women can defeat men today by attacking the weakness of men!

"What's this go to do with socialism?" you ask. "Feminism" is a stated objective of Marxism to destroy traditional institutions. I submit that women who fall for the deceit of Marx (a serpent) are a victim just as Eve was a victim of the serpent himself. I believe that men who fail to fight for their gender assigned role in life are weak-kneed and have been beguiled by modern Eves! Whereas Eve was the first feminist, Adam was the first "woos"! "Nancies", stand up for yourself! Never let the women beguile you by strums of "equality" when "superiority" is their song! Women, try being women! You'll both see that God will bless you both when both are godly!