Mary June Suttle sings "Did I Mention?"
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Debbie Suddarth Song: "Your Life for Mine"
Enjoy this tribute from Debbie!
Story ot Two Women and Two Babies
Cousins, two women, were visiting up in the mountains. One was pregnant with the child of her husband, but the other, normally, would have been disgraced. She was pregnant and unmarried. As one women approached the other she felt the baby leap in the womb! Should the unmarried woman abort her child? Did the children recognize one another and speak some pre-born language or was it mere coincidence?
For you mothers have you ever noticed at the doctor's office that some of the literature laying around, telling you, that if your child is normal, what stage of development they are to be? Height, weight, doing things, etc.? These are Arnold Gesell's Growth Gradients and he wrote about patterns in child development. Gesell proposed, and it's accepted, that at all stages of development from conception, there are systems each growing, if normal, to complement and support each other. For instance the cardiovascular system and muscular system. For these two the heart and lungs must provide the air and nutrients that the muscles need to grow and develop. Likewise the diaphragm must be ample to support the lungs and breathing.
However, Gesell also proposed the system called the "personality". Babies aren't born with nothing, then kaboom, there is a personality! Any parent knows that when a baby is born the personality is there and is at the same stage as the other systems of the body, unless an abnormality occurs! Personalities, according to psychologists, are developed long before a baby is born by their surroundings and the parents interacting. As the embryo develops, the personality too is embryonic! As the heart begins to beat, blood circulates and oxygen fills the developing blood stream, the baby begins to sense its surroundings. It's nervous system is growing and responding, and while that is happening the personality is developing.
Babies are born screaming and crying. That's an emotion and part of the personality! However, they feel emotion before they crawl the few inches down the birth canal; it is only when the fluid is expelled that they can cry! Before that they do have a "silent scream". There are videos of pre-born babies reeling in terror at their habitat being invaded by medical instruments.
Once the babies are comfortable in their new environment they are content and smile. Joy fills them as the breast is offered for nourishment and they feel contact with an adoring mother! These emotions didn't explode during the "birth canal crawl", but were there all the time, developing at the same rate as the other body systems! In short, pre-born babies have emotions and are emotional even before they exit the womb.
Embryos and fetus's are not animal species nor tumors, so to speak. They are not parasites on the mother either. They are the embryonic and fetal stages of human development. Those the world calls "fetal tissue", and other deceitful names, are fully human with their own personalities, feelings and emotions! What is growing within their bodies are things unseen by science. They are living souls as innocent as they will ever be as a baby!
Back to the married woman's baby. It leaped for joy in her womb! That baby had an emotion and celebrated it. It's not fiction; it really happened:
Referring to marriage it is written:
From our Declaration of Independence we have God's Law declared:
What if Mary had aborted? John would never have been and that leap in the womb would have been merely deadness. John would never have been there to baptize others and the Holy Spirit would never have been placed on Jesus. If Jesus had been aborted, mankind would never have had the opportunity to be saved from eternal damnation! We need to thank Mary, Elisabeth, Joseph and Zacharias for supporting the sanctity of life created by God. Modern Mary's and Elisabeth's may have not had the same heart for their children nor for God.
Abortion IS evil! It's of Satan, yet today it seems that the most compassionate (sic) are those who sacrifice their children for the pleasure of the woman! Yes, in effect that's what abortion is. It's killing the child to make the woman's life easier. This is nothing new!
The government's role in the United States is to protect the life of everyone. Not only does our government fail to do that, but politicians encourage the killing of millions of babies, saying it's to be done for "compassion" to the mother! This is Orwellian by definition and is termed "doublespeak". Killing is not compassionate! The devil gives butchers positive words to detract from the hideousness of killing ones own!
The Democrat Party is the "Party of Death"! It's platform (statement of beliefs) supports abortion without regard to reason or development. Those in the Democrat Party portray pro-life Christians as kooks and extremists who are waging a "war one women". The war is not on women! The war is a Democrat "War on babies"! Democrats are the ultimate child-abusers and if a person votes for a Democrat or pro-abortion candidate of any party, that voter is an accomplice to murder! With that being said, the voter is the one who drags the living child to the fires of Molech and are an abomination to God. A lack of discernment to what they are supporting will never be accepted by God. Abortions and its supporters are an abomination to him!
That brings me to the chief executioner. Now, it's Obama. As a Illinois States Senator he even supported infanticide. Babies who were being aborted, yet lived, were legally allowed to be killed. Obama is the worst of the worst, but he has much company in the Democrat Party. Hilary Clinton perhaps. From the Associated Press:
Christians must have Christian principles! Millions of babies are destroyed each year because Christians vote Democrat! Hitler smiles and Satan smiles with him. If you're a Christian pray about what I've written. See the Light. Ask for God's will on earth! His will is that our babies not be sacrificed to Molech, and that's a certainty! Vote God's will.
For you mothers have you ever noticed at the doctor's office that some of the literature laying around, telling you, that if your child is normal, what stage of development they are to be? Height, weight, doing things, etc.? These are Arnold Gesell's Growth Gradients and he wrote about patterns in child development. Gesell proposed, and it's accepted, that at all stages of development from conception, there are systems each growing, if normal, to complement and support each other. For instance the cardiovascular system and muscular system. For these two the heart and lungs must provide the air and nutrients that the muscles need to grow and develop. Likewise the diaphragm must be ample to support the lungs and breathing.
However, Gesell also proposed the system called the "personality". Babies aren't born with nothing, then kaboom, there is a personality! Any parent knows that when a baby is born the personality is there and is at the same stage as the other systems of the body, unless an abnormality occurs! Personalities, according to psychologists, are developed long before a baby is born by their surroundings and the parents interacting. As the embryo develops, the personality too is embryonic! As the heart begins to beat, blood circulates and oxygen fills the developing blood stream, the baby begins to sense its surroundings. It's nervous system is growing and responding, and while that is happening the personality is developing.
Babies are born screaming and crying. That's an emotion and part of the personality! However, they feel emotion before they crawl the few inches down the birth canal; it is only when the fluid is expelled that they can cry! Before that they do have a "silent scream". There are videos of pre-born babies reeling in terror at their habitat being invaded by medical instruments.
Once the babies are comfortable in their new environment they are content and smile. Joy fills them as the breast is offered for nourishment and they feel contact with an adoring mother! These emotions didn't explode during the "birth canal crawl", but were there all the time, developing at the same rate as the other body systems! In short, pre-born babies have emotions and are emotional even before they exit the womb.
Embryos and fetus's are not animal species nor tumors, so to speak. They are not parasites on the mother either. They are the embryonic and fetal stages of human development. Those the world calls "fetal tissue", and other deceitful names, are fully human with their own personalities, feelings and emotions! What is growing within their bodies are things unseen by science. They are living souls as innocent as they will ever be as a baby!
Back to the married woman's baby. It leaped for joy in her womb! That baby had an emotion and celebrated it. It's not fiction; it really happened:
Luke 1:39 "And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy."Elisabeth is Mary's cousin and the wife of Zacharias. They are the expectant parents of John the Baptist. It was he who "leaped in her womb" at his first encounter with Jesus, who was at the same stage of development in Mary's womb! God timed these two babies' development for a reason! John was to announce the coming of the Messiah and Jesus is the Christ who he was to announce. Both babies had a purpose for being! Jesus came to save the world and John came to anoint him by baptism. The leaping in the womb was God's Holy Spirit uniting the two in a common bond!
Referring to marriage it is written:
Matthew 19:6 "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."Yes, Matthew was writing of marriage, but he generalized the command by saying "what". That applies to all things of God! All human beings were "joined together" as each system developed and grew. In humans the body, mind and soul joined together to make a human child. This "joining together" started at conception and at one time was protected by our law, which was based on natural, or God's Law!
From our Declaration of Independence we have God's Law declared:
"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.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...The first reason America was created was to guarantee the "Right to Life" and the government's job was "to secure these rights"! This supports natural law and reinforces God's Law: "Thou shalt not kill"! Not only are we to have the right to life, but also freedom and the ability to pursue happiness. With the death wand of evil-doers snuffing out innocent life, freedom can never be, and these unborn citizens can never pursue happiness! It's a sad day indeed for our Revolution and God, when life is not precious!
What if Mary had aborted? John would never have been and that leap in the womb would have been merely deadness. John would never have been there to baptize others and the Holy Spirit would never have been placed on Jesus. If Jesus had been aborted, mankind would never have had the opportunity to be saved from eternal damnation! We need to thank Mary, Elisabeth, Joseph and Zacharias for supporting the sanctity of life created by God. Modern Mary's and Elisabeth's may have not had the same heart for their children nor for God.
Abortion IS evil! It's of Satan, yet today it seems that the most compassionate (sic) are those who sacrifice their children for the pleasure of the woman! Yes, in effect that's what abortion is. It's killing the child to make the woman's life easier. This is nothing new!
Jeremiah 32:35 "And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin."In Jeremiah's time mothers killed their babies for pleasure. They took their children, in early development to appease Molech, and put them into the belly of an idol and burnt it alive. It was symbolic of the similar saline abortion of living children! Mother's sacrificed their infants so that the god's of pleasure would be appeased. That's no different than modern abortion! (Leviticus even offers the penalty for abortion!). Sacrificing infants is an abomination to the Lord. It's disgusting for human beings to kill their own children!
The government's role in the United States is to protect the life of everyone. Not only does our government fail to do that, but politicians encourage the killing of millions of babies, saying it's to be done for "compassion" to the mother! This is Orwellian by definition and is termed "doublespeak". Killing is not compassionate! The devil gives butchers positive words to detract from the hideousness of killing ones own!
The Democrat Party is the "Party of Death"! It's platform (statement of beliefs) supports abortion without regard to reason or development. Those in the Democrat Party portray pro-life Christians as kooks and extremists who are waging a "war one women". The war is not on women! The war is a Democrat "War on babies"! Democrats are the ultimate child-abusers and if a person votes for a Democrat or pro-abortion candidate of any party, that voter is an accomplice to murder! With that being said, the voter is the one who drags the living child to the fires of Molech and are an abomination to God. A lack of discernment to what they are supporting will never be accepted by God. Abortions and its supporters are an abomination to him!
That brings me to the chief executioner. Now, it's Obama. As a Illinois States Senator he even supported infanticide. Babies who were being aborted, yet lived, were legally allowed to be killed. Obama is the worst of the worst, but he has much company in the Democrat Party. Hilary Clinton perhaps. From the Associated Press:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton will be honored next month by EMILY's List, a Democratic fundraising powerhouse, as she considers a potential 2016 presidential campaign that could make her the first woman to win the White House.Emily's List is an acronym for " Early Money Is Like Yeast" (i.e, it raises dough). This is an extremist pro-abortion group which supports only extremist rabid feminists and pro-abortion candidates for office. Hilary is one of their favorites. They are pro-abortion for any reason and rejoice in the pro-abortion movement which in their Orwellian fashion is called "pro-choice". However, the baby shall never have the liberty (per the Declaration of Independence) to make a choice. The mother's choice is legitimately at the time of conception! Those who support "pro-choice" are biased toward death because that is the outcome of "choice".
Schriock said Clinton has "dedicated her life to bettering the lives of women and families and has inspired the next generation with a focus on increasing economic empowerment across the country and around the world."
The political action committee has been among the Democratic groups laying the groundwork for a Clinton campaign, holding events promoting the idea of electing the nation's first female president and commissioning polling on U.S. interest in sending a woman to the White House. Schriock, who has been mentioned as a potential senior campaign aide for Clinton, noted that the group has backed Clinton since her 2000 Senate election in New York.
Christians must have Christian principles! Millions of babies are destroyed each year because Christians vote Democrat! Hitler smiles and Satan smiles with him. If you're a Christian pray about what I've written. See the Light. Ask for God's will on earth! His will is that our babies not be sacrificed to Molech, and that's a certainty! Vote God's will.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Relativity:; ChristPoint Church
Albert Einstein changed the world with his "Theory of General Relativity"! It means many things, but the most important is that "spacetime" is inseparable. As a result of Einstein's theory the mass-energy equivalence equation came about. This equation is well known to many:
"Herrin's Theory of Relativity" is as follows:
Unfortunately different doctrines originate because people understand the same "truths" differently. "Truth" is the doctrine of Christ:
The four gospels are of the same Christ. No attempt was made by the biographers to divide Christ. Christ offers one truth and is the one way to salvation. That's why Paul asked "Is Christ divided?" No, he's not! What Jesus taught from beginning to end was harmonious and had continuity. Christ is not divided and neither should we divide Christ, but yet we're weak. We have not the omniscience of God. Even when Christ spoke, the apostles each understood differently and some even failed to understand until later!
In the apostolic age Christ was divided! Paul spoke against these dividers throughout his letters to the churches. They were "wolves in sheep's clothing", and were false prophets and teachers. The early church was divided and the false church were the gnostics. They taught a different gospel. They taught a different Christ! Rather than being an incarnate Man on the cross, Jesus was a mere phantasm. The divided Christ! Jesus as fully man, fully Spirit and fully God is the gospel truth, but yet truth was distorted until Christ and his sacrifice became a lie with gnosticism.
Doctrine is important! Doctrine is the truth about Christ, yet all denominations have different understandings of truth. Some doctrines are about ritual, practices, and symbolism. We should be able to live together in regards to them. We must never divide Christ because of non-essential doctrine and practices. However, those who understand the nature of Christ differently, are those with whom we must never compromise!
The ecumenicalmovement is the promotion of unity within the church. That is desirable! However, the key words are "within the church". "Church" is much more than organizations and their relationships. The "church" are those who follow the TRUTHS of Jesus and teach that he is who he said he is and that he is the Way and only Way to salvation. We should all be united as part of the "universal church". I accept the fact that there will be people from many denominations in heaven who, in spite of their denomination, believe the truths of Christ. We are all joined together in truth.
We can unite with other churches whose views are different than ours, but it cannot be with churches who deny the true nature of Christ nor ignore his teachings. We cannot unite with churches who allow that there are other ways to heaven and that we all worship the same God. That's not truth! Neither can we unite with churches which fail to follow the commands of God and are unrighteous. Those churches which are Nicolaitanes in practice are hated by God, yet many of those churches are part of the ecumenical movement! To the Church at Pergamos it is written:
In the eyes of that church and churches like them, truth is "relative". It's whatever they want it to be in opposition to God's eternal truths. To unite with false Christians, as they appear to be, is what God hates! However, ecumenicalism does just that! Ungodly churches come together in unity, but in doing so, divide Christ. The ecumenical movement is based on compromise. Christians just cannot compromise on essential doctrine because one or both churches which compromise accept lies! Join together two that are wrong and the result is one which is doubly wrong! That's doctrinal cancer and it's contagious!
The cancer which results is a result of churches which are in error accepting wrong doctrine with the false premise of uniting in truth. However, they actually become united under the cancer of lies and deceit. The malignant cancer we have today include organizations such as "The National Council of Churches". which are indeed "The National Cancer of Churches"! Revelation speaks of the Church of Laodicea which was neither hot nor cold. God will spew them out of his mouth. They are "The Great Whore Babylon" which will become the false church of the anti-christ!
Remember E=mc2 means ecumenicalism = massive x contagious x cancer and is "Herrin's Theory of Relativity". However, as Einstein never created spacetime, but merely explained it, I only explain ecumenicalism and its dangers. Don't blame me for what God inspired the apostles to write!
E=mc2 or Energy = mass x (speed of light) squaredI hope that the reader continues reading because this is not about quantum mechanics. It's about doctrine!
"Herrin's Theory of Relativity" is as follows:
E=mc2 or Ecumenicalism = massive x contagious x cancerEcumenicalism is a noble idea taken from the notion of church unity.
1 Corinthians 1:11 "For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"Paul's warning that we Christians, the universal church, are not to be contentious! We are not to get into arguments about the nature of Christ nor the church. Specifically, we are not to become separate sects following Paul, Apollos nor Cephas (Peter). Paul implied that we are to be one under the head of Christ! That is true, but in spite of what Paul taught, sects did arise and denominations now exist. The universal church divided over doctrine, practices and people.
Unfortunately different doctrines originate because people understand the same "truths" differently. "Truth" is the doctrine of Christ:
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."The four gospels are the "truth" because they are about Jesus. Each agrees with the other although written by different people. We accept the biographies of Christ as "the gospel truth". Jesus is the focal point of all four, three people wrote about Jesus from different angles and a group wrote about Jesus from multiple angles. This is the 4D view of Jesus of which I wrote about earlier. Matthew, Mark and Luke are the synoptic gospels providing a 3D view of Jesus and the Book of John provides a multi-layered look at Jesus as timeless.
The four gospels are of the same Christ. No attempt was made by the biographers to divide Christ. Christ offers one truth and is the one way to salvation. That's why Paul asked "Is Christ divided?" No, he's not! What Jesus taught from beginning to end was harmonious and had continuity. Christ is not divided and neither should we divide Christ, but yet we're weak. We have not the omniscience of God. Even when Christ spoke, the apostles each understood differently and some even failed to understand until later!
In the apostolic age Christ was divided! Paul spoke against these dividers throughout his letters to the churches. They were "wolves in sheep's clothing", and were false prophets and teachers. The early church was divided and the false church were the gnostics. They taught a different gospel. They taught a different Christ! Rather than being an incarnate Man on the cross, Jesus was a mere phantasm. The divided Christ! Jesus as fully man, fully Spirit and fully God is the gospel truth, but yet truth was distorted until Christ and his sacrifice became a lie with gnosticism.
Doctrine is important! Doctrine is the truth about Christ, yet all denominations have different understandings of truth. Some doctrines are about ritual, practices, and symbolism. We should be able to live together in regards to them. We must never divide Christ because of non-essential doctrine and practices. However, those who understand the nature of Christ differently, are those with whom we must never compromise!
The ecumenicalmovement is the promotion of unity within the church. That is desirable! However, the key words are "within the church". "Church" is much more than organizations and their relationships. The "church" are those who follow the TRUTHS of Jesus and teach that he is who he said he is and that he is the Way and only Way to salvation. We should all be united as part of the "universal church". I accept the fact that there will be people from many denominations in heaven who, in spite of their denomination, believe the truths of Christ. We are all joined together in truth.
We can unite with other churches whose views are different than ours, but it cannot be with churches who deny the true nature of Christ nor ignore his teachings. We cannot unite with churches who allow that there are other ways to heaven and that we all worship the same God. That's not truth! Neither can we unite with churches which fail to follow the commands of God and are unrighteous. Those churches which are Nicolaitanes in practice are hated by God, yet many of those churches are part of the ecumenical movement! To the Church at Pergamos it is written:
Revelation 2:14 "But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate."Balaam was what we know today as a "pimp". He brought adultery and lasciviousness into the church. Nicolas was an apostate in the apostolic age who did the same. His was a DOCTRINE of irreverence and sexual disobedience! Nicolas divided Christ, by accepting another "truth" (his doctrine). However, his was a distorted truth! Doctrine can either be changed by a lack of understanding or by those who try to keep the practices and pleasures of the world in the doctrine of religion! Many modern denominations have allowed homosexuality to reign unchecked and propagated in their churches. Just yesterday the GracePoint Church, a so-called evangelical church, issued a new position on homosexual acceptance within the church by accepting homosexuality marriage! The leaders and pastor of that church are Nicolaitans, the doctrine of whom God hates! We can never unite with Nicolaitans!
In the eyes of that church and churches like them, truth is "relative". It's whatever they want it to be in opposition to God's eternal truths. To unite with false Christians, as they appear to be, is what God hates! However, ecumenicalism does just that! Ungodly churches come together in unity, but in doing so, divide Christ. The ecumenical movement is based on compromise. Christians just cannot compromise on essential doctrine because one or both churches which compromise accept lies! Join together two that are wrong and the result is one which is doubly wrong! That's doctrinal cancer and it's contagious!
The cancer which results is a result of churches which are in error accepting wrong doctrine with the false premise of uniting in truth. However, they actually become united under the cancer of lies and deceit. The malignant cancer we have today include organizations such as "The National Council of Churches". which are indeed "The National Cancer of Churches"! Revelation speaks of the Church of Laodicea which was neither hot nor cold. God will spew them out of his mouth. They are "The Great Whore Babylon" which will become the false church of the anti-christ!
Remember E=mc2 means ecumenicalism = massive x contagious x cancer and is "Herrin's Theory of Relativity". However, as Einstein never created spacetime, but merely explained it, I only explain ecumenicalism and its dangers. Don't blame me for what God inspired the apostles to write!
Monday, February 2, 2015
Why Five?
"Give me five!" is a common expression today, but why five? For us, it's because we have five appendages on each hand. We've got five so five is what we get!
God could have killed Goliath without David. The only thing that God needed David for was a purpose! David was divinely anointed to be king and the ancestor and "picture" of Jesus Christ. Jesus was called "Son of David". That's how important David was at the time of Christ!
So why five stones and two weapons? If it was necessary for David to defeat the giant, with his faith in God, he could have just walked out there and prevailed bare-handed. God didn't tell David to do that. In fact, God didn't tell David to kill Goliath. God is the "Lord of Hosts"! He is "God Almighty" and as such he is the leader of heavenly armies! His angelic forces could have done battle, but God wanted David to shine! David did shine, but he shined along with the Light of God. David battled at his own initiative for the sake of the Jews. David was pre-ordained by God to win! He was God's tool! That's because God pre-ordained the Jews to have Canaanland, but David still took the initiative. Why take the risk? He had faith in the Lord! David had faith, but he was pragmatic! Having faith doesn't mean being stupid!
At another time God instructed Gideon, before the battle with the Midianites, not to take 22,000 men to battle, not even 10,000. The "test" God arranged was that the men who drank water from the cup of their hand were the ones to do battle. Their number was 300. The Midianites, numbering 135,000 were defeated by God's army of 300. God could have done it alone, but it was necessary to have a few do battle for a demonstration just for us! If God had done it alone, people would say "It was a terrible storm!" or something to that effect. However, when 300 men defeated 135,000 it's obvious that they were truly an army of God!
The same situation existed for David. If God had suddenly took Goliath, the people would have said "It was his heart!" or something to that effect. However, when a young man, David, with one stone dropped the giant, to this day it is credited to the Lord!
Still, why five stones? Was it a lack of faith? Perhaps it was to make Goliath overly confident. He would see David with his five stones and think "David knows he's going to miss four times, so he took five!" Five stones made Goliath doubt the power of the Lord, but David had confidence in the one which killed because it was God's doing... not the stone's nor his!
On the other hand, David was human. As such, we're to be practical. We're to have plan B and C and D, etc. We may be certain that Plan A will work, but only stupidity would be to fail to have a backup plan. God is the author of wisdom. He doesn't want his soldiers doing stupid things! Most of Gideon's army drank from the water by lapping with their tongue. That's not smart if you think about it! How does a person float off impurities when they lap directly? The smart ones did it with cupped hands. God didn't need men with diarrhea in battle. He just wanted the smart ones who were careful!
David was a wise king to be! He knew one stone would do the job with God's power, but the wisdom of God spoke to David, I'm sure this was the thought: "David... you're not me. I don't need any stone, but you take five just in case your aim fails, not because your faith does!" That's pragmatic!
Have you played basketball? With the score tied, you need one free throw to win the game. You have two. However, the confident person knowing full well he has two chances, still hits the mark with the first one! It would be stupid to tell the referee "I don't need two because I can do it with one!" The wise player just takes the two "free throws", uses the first one wisely, but has the second just in case his body isn't as keen as his confidence!
What was in David's heart? Did he have faith in God or was it in his own prowess and initiative? Here's the answer:
While we're here, consider this! God's Word, or his voice, IS Jesus. It was always Emmanuel who spoke to men. He was the Word from the beginning. Jesus was David's confidence and is where his faith was. Do you suppose that David, a man after God's own heart, knew that the One to whom he listened was destined to become of his own seed (and God's)? He spoke with God and knew God! I wonder, just what did David know to be after God's own heart! He never had need to doubt, because he knew! He knew the first stone he slung was God's aim, but he was wise enough to plan in case he failed God. Yes, we can fail God, but God never fails:
1 Samuel 17:23b "... the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke ...24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 33 And Saul said to David, 'You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.' 37 And David said, 'The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' 40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. 45 Then David said to the Philistine, 'You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts...' 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it."Goliath said "give me five" by his belligerency, but he got one! Many people have asked "Since David had so much faith in the Lord, why did he show a lack of faith by choosing five stones when it only took one to kill the giant?" That's a very good question! However, not only did David choose five stones, but he had a staff as well. Staff's were multi-purposed. They were used to assist in walking, guiding the sheep and fending off prey. Staffs were used for "stick fighting". His staff was a weapon, albeit not the likes of a javelin or a sword which Goliath had!
God could have killed Goliath without David. The only thing that God needed David for was a purpose! David was divinely anointed to be king and the ancestor and "picture" of Jesus Christ. Jesus was called "Son of David". That's how important David was at the time of Christ!
So why five stones and two weapons? If it was necessary for David to defeat the giant, with his faith in God, he could have just walked out there and prevailed bare-handed. God didn't tell David to do that. In fact, God didn't tell David to kill Goliath. God is the "Lord of Hosts"! He is "God Almighty" and as such he is the leader of heavenly armies! His angelic forces could have done battle, but God wanted David to shine! David did shine, but he shined along with the Light of God. David battled at his own initiative for the sake of the Jews. David was pre-ordained by God to win! He was God's tool! That's because God pre-ordained the Jews to have Canaanland, but David still took the initiative. Why take the risk? He had faith in the Lord! David had faith, but he was pragmatic! Having faith doesn't mean being stupid!
At another time God instructed Gideon, before the battle with the Midianites, not to take 22,000 men to battle, not even 10,000. The "test" God arranged was that the men who drank water from the cup of their hand were the ones to do battle. Their number was 300. The Midianites, numbering 135,000 were defeated by God's army of 300. God could have done it alone, but it was necessary to have a few do battle for a demonstration just for us! If God had done it alone, people would say "It was a terrible storm!" or something to that effect. However, when 300 men defeated 135,000 it's obvious that they were truly an army of God!
The same situation existed for David. If God had suddenly took Goliath, the people would have said "It was his heart!" or something to that effect. However, when a young man, David, with one stone dropped the giant, to this day it is credited to the Lord!
Still, why five stones? Was it a lack of faith? Perhaps it was to make Goliath overly confident. He would see David with his five stones and think "David knows he's going to miss four times, so he took five!" Five stones made Goliath doubt the power of the Lord, but David had confidence in the one which killed because it was God's doing... not the stone's nor his!
On the other hand, David was human. As such, we're to be practical. We're to have plan B and C and D, etc. We may be certain that Plan A will work, but only stupidity would be to fail to have a backup plan. God is the author of wisdom. He doesn't want his soldiers doing stupid things! Most of Gideon's army drank from the water by lapping with their tongue. That's not smart if you think about it! How does a person float off impurities when they lap directly? The smart ones did it with cupped hands. God didn't need men with diarrhea in battle. He just wanted the smart ones who were careful!
David was a wise king to be! He knew one stone would do the job with God's power, but the wisdom of God spoke to David, I'm sure this was the thought: "David... you're not me. I don't need any stone, but you take five just in case your aim fails, not because your faith does!" That's pragmatic!
Have you played basketball? With the score tied, you need one free throw to win the game. You have two. However, the confident person knowing full well he has two chances, still hits the mark with the first one! It would be stupid to tell the referee "I don't need two because I can do it with one!" The wise player just takes the two "free throws", uses the first one wisely, but has the second just in case his body isn't as keen as his confidence!
What was in David's heart? Did he have faith in God or was it in his own prowess and initiative? Here's the answer:
1 Samuel 16:7 "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."Goliath looked at the boy with rudimentary weapons. He had his stick and his sling-shot. Goliath was reeeaalllly scared! He made fun at David because he saw a small and immature boy without countenance. God saw inside David! He looked at David's heart and what was found there? Faith and trust in the Lord of Hosts! David became a warrior in God's army! He followed the generalship of the Lord of the Army.
While we're here, consider this! God's Word, or his voice, IS Jesus. It was always Emmanuel who spoke to men. He was the Word from the beginning. Jesus was David's confidence and is where his faith was. Do you suppose that David, a man after God's own heart, knew that the One to whom he listened was destined to become of his own seed (and God's)? He spoke with God and knew God! I wonder, just what did David know to be after God's own heart! He never had need to doubt, because he knew! He knew the first stone he slung was God's aim, but he was wise enough to plan in case he failed God. Yes, we can fail God, but God never fails:
Hebrews 13:5b "For God has said,"I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."One stone would do! God was there! However, if David slipped, God was still there. If not the first stone, then the second, etc. We act, but God allows... in his own time! Did God want David downed with one stone or was he going to make it two? God didn't tell David which stone. God depended on David to do what God's will was to be! He strengthens his people, but he doesn't make them infallible! No, it wasn't doubt. It was wisdom David had with five stones! Then he had four more to give later to his sons!
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Music Molds Our Minds
I made the comment to a friend "There will be no rock music in heaven!" Whereas, I look forward to the day when the rock genre is not even a memory, others live for it. I'm not even sure there will be secular music in heaven, let alone rock! This Christian became angry with me!
Before the reader is offended and stops, consider that what I write is not just an opinion, but what I discern from scripture. Because so many listen to rock it would be my wish that it be appropriate music, but little of it is. I don't listen to rock music and never was a fan because there was a conflict with what I believe. Also note that "rock" has a wide definition and I make no attempt to define exactly what it is. It is a dynamic definition. Of what I speak is traditional "rock" and not contemporary music in general. My comment is based on what part of the rock genre is stereotypical.
For the purposes of what that stereotype is, let me define that stereotype:
It's what originally was called "rock and roll". and came from a combination of African-American music consisting of blues, boogie woogie, jump blues, jazz, and gospel music, together with Western swing and country music. (Wikipedia). This genre evolved into "rock music" and is not only musical, but cultural as well. Wikipedia goes on to say
God deals with that conflict by making things once pleasurable no longer a priority. Some things God puts in the Christian heart is hate for what one once loved. To become new creatures in Christ, we are to put away the old and take up the new, but the Holy Spirit assists us in getting new desires. Christians must cooperate!
I have lived a full life! I have not missed anything and I never was a listener to rock music. It isn't necessary for happiness and I am quite jubilant without it! The most negative things I have seen in rock music is influencing young minds to be like the "artists" who write and sing it!
In regard to "rock and roll", it can't ever have a place in heaven! Those who plan on going to paradise should consider; it's a paradise without "rock and roll"! How do I know that?
Heaven is a righteous place. We're to prepare ourselves for our reward by being righteous!
Not doing these things is righteousness, but there are things we are to do as well:
We become vulnerable to the deception of the devil when we fail to resist what he offers. The message presented by much of rock music is what they say it is:
What is the message propagated in much rock music today? It runs the gamut from rebellion against authority to Satanism. From lost love to suicide. From apathy to insurrection. From respect to anarchy. From casual sex to the licentious. Most of it weighs on the end biased toward evil because the message "artists" espouse for the most part are hedonistic. Rock music seems to be a platform for rejection; rejection of what's right in God's eyes! If someone is selling a product why do they create a catchy jingle? It's to lure the spender! It's so you want what they have! Why do rappers dispense hate and rebellion? They want you to hate and rebel! And you think you're not influenced? Advertisers spend billions of dollars because they KNOW that you indeed are influenced by the music you hear!
Some Christians use rock music as a means of attracting the young into the church. While that may be a noble endeavor, we're not to take the church to the world, but bring the world to the church. Sometimes the type of music played in churches prove that the performers are spending much time in the music of the world. They may play Jesus music on Sunday, but who's music is it that captivates them the rest of the week?
How far should we compromise the church in entreating the world? There are strippers for Christ! Is that too far? There are bars and beer for Christ? Is that too far? Church is not about entertaining us; it's about magnifying Jesus. Why then is it us who needs the entertainment? Furthermore, why is it that we need to be entertained on Sunday when that's what we get all week long? Perhaps we best allow Sunday to be the Lord's Day!
If one examines "rock and roll" and asks one question: "Is this artist a born-again Christian?", it is readily seen that few, almost nil, claim to be "born-again" and just a few even claim to be Christians. The message that we get is then "non-Christian", so why do Christians love rock music so? My belief is that they care little for what God says about purity!
It's okay! Write me off as a man of extreme positions, but when you do, remember that God is more extreme than what I ever will be because I know that I too am sinful.
Before the reader is offended and stops, consider that what I write is not just an opinion, but what I discern from scripture. Because so many listen to rock it would be my wish that it be appropriate music, but little of it is. I don't listen to rock music and never was a fan because there was a conflict with what I believe. Also note that "rock" has a wide definition and I make no attempt to define exactly what it is. It is a dynamic definition. Of what I speak is traditional "rock" and not contemporary music in general. My comment is based on what part of the rock genre is stereotypical.
For the purposes of what that stereotype is, let me define that stereotype:
It's what originally was called "rock and roll". and came from a combination of African-American music consisting of blues, boogie woogie, jump blues, jazz, and gospel music, together with Western swing and country music. (Wikipedia). This genre evolved into "rock music" and is not only musical, but cultural as well. Wikipedia goes on to say
"The phrase 'rocking and rolling' originally described the movement of a ship on the ocean, but was used by the early twentieth century, both to describe the spiritual fervor of black church rituals and as a sexual analogy."In plain English "rock and roll" was used as a euphemism for "back seat sex". As a teenager I knew what "rock and roll" was, not because I'm a wizard, but because before I participate in things, I want to know more about them! Because I was a Christian in my youth I believed it was against the nature of God to listen to rock music. There is a reason for that; it's called "discernment". It's being sensitive to things and knowing the will of God. Sometimes I just wished that God had left me alone so I could do "my thing", but that's not God's will! The "thing" that God wants is righteousness, and that most often conflicts with things pleasurable.
God deals with that conflict by making things once pleasurable no longer a priority. Some things God puts in the Christian heart is hate for what one once loved. To become new creatures in Christ, we are to put away the old and take up the new, but the Holy Spirit assists us in getting new desires. Christians must cooperate!
I have lived a full life! I have not missed anything and I never was a listener to rock music. It isn't necessary for happiness and I am quite jubilant without it! The most negative things I have seen in rock music is influencing young minds to be like the "artists" who write and sing it!
In regard to "rock and roll", it can't ever have a place in heaven! Those who plan on going to paradise should consider; it's a paradise without "rock and roll"! How do I know that?
Revelation 21:27 (ESV) "But nothing unclean will ever enter it (heaven), nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life."The criteria for things allowed in heaven, are those things which are clean! Is "rock and roll" unclean. Nothwithstanding that "rock and roll" means "back seat sex", which is unclean, think on the all the other activities and behaviors associated with rock music! God is not a fan of evil. I suppose that he meant what he said are those things to which he wants to be exposed:
Habakkuk 1:13a (ESV) "You (God) who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong..."God can see evil! That's how he's able to judge, but his DESIRE is never to see that evil. His will is that things be pure just as he is pure! God would never welcome evil into heaven and in fact evil (from Revelation above) is not allowed in! "Back seat sex"and those things which complement it, is unwelcome in heaven and it's my guess that whatever represents "back seat sex" is equally wrong in God's eyes! I truly believe that "There will be no rock music in heaven!" (That part is my opinion based on God's word).
Heaven is a righteous place. We're to prepare ourselves for our reward by being righteous!
Matthew 6:33 (ESV) "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness..."In order to do "right" it needs to be clear what is "right" in God's kingdom. Here's some things "right " is not:
Colossians 3:5 (ESV) "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry."Doing evil is idolatry. That's placing desire before God. The list above is what MOST (of course not ALL) rock music is about! Even the casual listener can hear all these things in a large portion of popular rock music. We can deny it all day, but it's still there, and incidences of it can be counted!
Not doing these things is righteousness, but there are things we are to do as well:
Philippians 4:8 (ESV) "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."Before one can understand the necessity of "putting to death... what is earthly in you" a person must understand what "is" and "why". "Earthly" are the things not of God. It's what's important to the carnality of the flesh. The "whys" are mainly two" 1) out of love, respect and submission to God and 2) to resist the devil (James 4:7).
We become vulnerable to the deception of the devil when we fail to resist what he offers. The message presented by much of rock music is what they say it is:
Rock music has a giant cultural impact! "Rock and roll influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, and language." (G. C. Altschuler, All shook up: how rock 'n' roll changed America (Oxford: Oxford University Press US, 2003), p. 121.
"Topics such as sex that had generally been considered taboo began to appear in rock and roll lyrics. This new music tried to break boundaries and express emotions that people were actually feeling but had not talked about. An awakening began to take place in American youth culture." (Schafer, William J. Rock Music: Where It's Been, What It Means, Where It's Going. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1972.The American youth has been awakened! There now exists a different culture than what existed before the advent of rock music. Is it for the betterment or the detriment? For God rock music ushered in a rebellious time; rebellion against societal norms, global relations, civil institutions and against Christianity. The reason for Christ has been obscured by the desire to be entertained. Jesus has lost out to Jimi Hendrix. What a shame!
"Songs with violent lyrics increase aggression related thoughts and emotions and this effect is directly related to the violence in the lyrics, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association (APA)."Even the liberal APA says that violent lyrics increase aggression. Aggression against others is hateful and destructive. If music can lead to rebellious anger, can it not lead to other societal maladies and sin: promiscuity, perversions, improprieties, drug use, political extremism, hate, and other negative influences? Psychologists agree that music influences! Others agree. Music has been used in the civil rights movement, anti-war messages, advertising, politics, and the list goes on. People write music to influence. They have messages to pass along and the listener gets the messages without even thinking about it! Music is pervasive and insidious. That's "why" its the best tool for propaganda!
What is the message propagated in much rock music today? It runs the gamut from rebellion against authority to Satanism. From lost love to suicide. From apathy to insurrection. From respect to anarchy. From casual sex to the licentious. Most of it weighs on the end biased toward evil because the message "artists" espouse for the most part are hedonistic. Rock music seems to be a platform for rejection; rejection of what's right in God's eyes! If someone is selling a product why do they create a catchy jingle? It's to lure the spender! It's so you want what they have! Why do rappers dispense hate and rebellion? They want you to hate and rebel! And you think you're not influenced? Advertisers spend billions of dollars because they KNOW that you indeed are influenced by the music you hear!
Some Christians use rock music as a means of attracting the young into the church. While that may be a noble endeavor, we're not to take the church to the world, but bring the world to the church. Sometimes the type of music played in churches prove that the performers are spending much time in the music of the world. They may play Jesus music on Sunday, but who's music is it that captivates them the rest of the week?
How far should we compromise the church in entreating the world? There are strippers for Christ! Is that too far? There are bars and beer for Christ? Is that too far? Church is not about entertaining us; it's about magnifying Jesus. Why then is it us who needs the entertainment? Furthermore, why is it that we need to be entertained on Sunday when that's what we get all week long? Perhaps we best allow Sunday to be the Lord's Day!
If one examines "rock and roll" and asks one question: "Is this artist a born-again Christian?", it is readily seen that few, almost nil, claim to be "born-again" and just a few even claim to be Christians. The message that we get is then "non-Christian", so why do Christians love rock music so? My belief is that they care little for what God says about purity!
Habakkuk said "You (God) who are of purer eyes..."says that our eyes are impure. We're to be like God and that includes purity. How can we listen to what people hear yet remain pure? It's not possible. Impurity interferes with God because sin can't be in his presence. How can people listen to songs rebellious to God then go praise God? They deceive themselves and Satan smiles!
It's okay! Write me off as a man of extreme positions, but when you do, remember that God is more extreme than what I ever will be because I know that I too am sinful.
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