A Country In Mourning

I continue to mourn the lives lost of so many many children. What a horrific thing to lose so many children so brutally. My heart weeps each time I hear of their young lives snuffed out so quickly. No hope of defense. No hope of safety.

With the events this past week in Connecticut my heart is very heavy. My eyes well with tears thinking of this each time I hear a news report, each time a person mentions it. I can't imagine the horrors these children faced. I've fought myself on drawing a contrast to abortion and up until now have been successful. I've not said anything because these families, in grief, lost their dear children in a very different way than abortion.

These families got to know their children. They saw that these lives are viable and that the embryo that grew within the mother's womb was a life. A living person was conceived and was born, lived, and was taken, brutally. Abortion is the same, except the mother, father and the rest of the family never got a chance to know that dear child. They never had the opportunity to kiss their cheek, they never got to hear them cry because their diaper was full, they never got the chance to watch them play soccer, they never got the chance to hear them sing or to even see them smile. Their precious lives were snuffed before any opportunity of life.

 How great the horrors of Sandy Hook and how great the horrors of the abortion clinics across the United States. 20 children were heartlessly gunned down Friday and the nation cried together. Our President gave, what I believe to be, a heartfelt speech on the atrocities of that day. For once, since President Obama was elected, I saw a commonality with him. We cried together.

/>Thinking of that day and the days since, the memorials, the tears, the news stories, I hear wounded people searching. What I don't see is the same wounds for those that never even got the chance to attend school. Since Roe v. Wade America has grown callous toward human life. In the name of convenience or any other false rationale we murder children by the millions. The difference? That killing children by a medical procedure is "legal". I do not want to discount or even remotely lessen the crimes at Sandy Hook, but want to use that to emphasize how depraved our society has become. It is so hard to not see the hypocrisy of our President, of the media and of the others that rightfully condemn the actions of the gunman, but turn around and say killing other children is a choice. It's just doesn't make sense. A few years earlier the media that condemns this shooting would have championed the "healthcare choice" of the mother to kill this same child in the womb. Can they not see the irony in that?

What it comes down to is a need for the Gospel. Just as everything else in this world does. Christians need to stand up for life, they need to proclaim the Gospel and they need to be the voice for the voiceless. In a place in time that humanity has so collectively turned their backs on God there still is Hope. God is longsuffering with us. He knows how black our hearts are and He waits for us. But, He will not wait forever, He is returning one day (soon hopefully) and Christians need to be diligent in proclaiming His Name to all they come into contact with. God can and will use people to make a difference, that is His mode of operation that He chooses more than any other. He has commanded Christians to be the salt and light in this dying world and we must do that.... daily.... every minute.

Rise up followers of Christ and proclaim His Name. Shower this dark world with His light that He shines through you, the Light, the Christ.

Day 198: Christmas In January

The Christmas program was delayed at church in December due to inclimate weather and was instead held this evening. Why not? We should be celebrating the birth of our Savior daily, along with His life and His redemptive work on our behalf. These all are integral parts of the gospel and we often only focus on any one of those aspects at a given time.

When Christmas is thought of it always is about he birth of Christ. Not much is thought about the other aspects of the life of Christ. Then we have Easter where His death and resurrection are thought of. Then, for the remainder of the year, most people go into church hibernation and only show up occasionally. Sad thing is that most of these people claim to be Christians. Fact is they are probably not.

I suggest that celebrations of Christ be full. Include each aspect, tell of Christ's redeeming work on Calvary during Christmas. Tell of Christ's birth and sinless life at Easter. Tell of all His goodness each and every day of your life. Never pass on an opportunity to share Jesus with someone. Sow seeds constantly and watch for the opportunities to do so daily. God gives us those chances, but most of the time we are so focused inwardly and just going about normal life that we miss them. Get in tune with the Lord and ask Him to allow you to recognize what He lays before you. I am fairly sure He will and you will be used.

It is as simple as making yourself available. Be in constant submission to His leadership and I promise you will be used of God.

Day 170: Lights All Around

Sorry the picture is a little blurry today. I was taking it as I was stopping my vehicle. Just a random house on the road near my church, nothing "special" about the house itself. It did get me wondering about the reasons for the different decorations throughout the Christmas Season.

I have been told a few times lately that the Christmas tree is from a pagan ritual outlined in Jeremiah 10. I do not believe it, although it does bare some similarities. The biggest argument against that assertion is Jeremiah was written about some pagan practices long before Christmas trees were used. But, what about the lights, the garland, reds and greens, stockings by the fireplace, etc. Do all of these customs have pagan roots? Do they in any way convey what Christmas is supposed to represent?

I am well aware of the Winter Solstice pagan holiday that the early church wanted to draw their members away from. I am not sure though how much of that festival still has impact on Christmas traditions. I guess this blog post is the beginning of my investigation as my curiosity has been piqued.

If anyone knows the reasons for decorating your house with lights, kissing under the mistletoe or any of the other things I mentioned are, please leave a comment on this blog and enlighten us. Also, please leave any links that may also help with a better understanding. I will also look and do some investigating and will either add to this blog post or comment myself. I'd just like to know why people do certain things. Why are so many seemingly non-Christ focused held in such esteem and why they are even a part of what should be a Christian Holiday. Why the extra "baggage" of these things and why not the call to focus on the Savior?

Oh, Santa Clause information is not needed unless it pertains to some other decoration or helps understanding of one of the things I listed. I did the "Santa thing" throughout my life, but I was unconverted the whole time. At this point I do not think I would subject any kids to the persona of Santa.

Day 109: Cat Man Don't

Have I ever said on a blog post that I don't like cats? Well, if I haven't - I don't like cats. Not that I wish any harm to the little critters, I just don't like them in my house.

So, thanks to my sweet wife, she has allowed 2 cats to come into our home. They seem to really like me, but like I said, I am not very fond of them. I think I featured this cat back in the beginning of my "Year In my Life Through Pictures" series and since then he hasn't grown on me any. He thinks he has because he likes to perch next to me and lay nuzzled up to my legs at night. But, I still wouldn't shed any teas if he had a new home.

I probably sound cruel to some people, but I'm not. I just never wanted animals in the house, in my care. I am not evil, just not wanting my life to revolve around cleaning up after them, taking them out, not being able to go on vacation because of them, extra expenses for food and so on. My belief is that if they never would have been know to the household, they would never have been gotten attached to by Chandra and the boys.

I use that same rationalization for other things as well. Music being one of my favorites to say that about. If you do not listen to it, then you will not like it. Movies, TV shows and certain books also fit into this category. So, actually any type of entertainment that is geared towards having people purchase their products is right there with cats/ pets. You must always be on guard for what is being ingrained in your mind and psyche. Just as what you consume physically has bearing on your body, what you consume mentally has effect on your thoughts and ultimately your spiritual condition.

Justifying things is the next step after a person likes something not very good for a Christian to partake of. Excuses is the more operative word and the main argument is "I am strong enough that it doesn't effect me". This is closely followed by a hyperbolic statement such as, "At least it isn't (insert your more blatant sin here)". That one really gets my ire, as something is ungodly if you compare it something more ungodly or not. I've seen mass murderers use this same logic when saying, "I'm not that bad, at least I'm not like Jeffrey Dahmer who ate boys. I just killed a few people."

This type of justification is very dangerous to Christians. It also teaches others to bend their convictions. I see this a lot with "Christian" music artists as they wear their mainstream music group t-shirts. I have seen Third Day wear Guns 'N' Roses shirts and hearken back to yesteryear with their "fond memories" of listening to G'N'R. Is that something that really should be put out there by prominent Christian artists? Not at all. Of course there are other, more hardcore groups that promote other ungodly groups like The Misfits, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Slayer and even a "Christian" author has written a book on how to glean from the music of Metallica.

It is a very sad state of Christendom. There must be voices to cry out for a return to biblical standards and practices. Being like the world is of Satan. For a "church" or mainstream "Christian" musicians to endorse the antiChrist values to the youth is an abomination. Where are the church leaders that take a stand against this type of worldly promotion? They are often relegated to "crazy" status by everyone. I think those that promote this mind of satanic influence would do well to read Proverbs 17:15 Proverbs 17:15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

Day 56: Child's Play or Tool of the Enemy?

Man, I really don't like Harry Potter. Never seen any of the movies, never read any of the books and couldn't tell you much about the story line. I have read articles in the past about how it glorifies witchcraft and other forms of the occult, so that is my main gripe with it. Not that it is a small thing to glorify what scripture says is from Satan and should be avoided.

My second gripe, but could actually be a 1a, is that it is targeted at children and is pulling them in by the millions. Parents seem oblivious to what this series stands for and focus, instead, on the characters doing "good magic", as if there is a "good" kind of sorcery from the devil. Now the video game in conjunction with Lego is out for consumption. Another piece in a puzzle of sin that is plaguing our youth.

I really wish parents would wake up to this mess, along with all of the other garbage they are not only allowing their kids to consume, but that they actually pay for. To top it off some of these parents call themselves Christians. My question to them, If God has given you a new heart, made you a new creation in Christ, washed you clean and you look to Him for everything, how can you give this junk to your children? Well, junk and garbage are probably too clean of terms to use, since these types of things are straight from the depths of hell. These are spiritual weapons that are destroying our youth and parents are buying their kids ways to hell with it.

Parents wake up! Stop this nonsense now. Get rid of anything having to do with spells, incantations, wizards, warlocks, vampires, werewolves or any other tool of the occult. Cleanse your house and make sure you let your kids know why.