Of Gungor And Scripture And Discernment And...

I am perplexed. Baffled. Puzzled. Bewildered. Confounded. Utterly confused. I can’t seem to figure something out that is taking place in perceived Christianity.

I have been a champion for always being wary of what you are consuming, especially when it comes to the entertainment that you allow to enter your mind and affect you to the core. (See Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here and here. I have been aware of the namesake for the band Gungor’s recent remarks about his views against Biblical accuracy. I did not, however, look into exactly what his remarks were until today.

I first starting reading an article about Ken Ham, of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum, which he was addressing Gungor’s stance against Biblical accounts of creation and publicly calling Gungor to repent. I stopped reading shortly into the article because I wanted to read Michael Gungor’s actual words first, without having an opinion formed about what Gungor said, without reading what Gungor said. (Here is a post directly from Ken Ham)

Having never listened to Gungor, the only opinion I had formed about Gungor was based on people expressing how “great” the music was that the band had been producing. I have never heard a Gungor song, I have never heard Gungor talk even. I had a fresh slate, no kind of preconceived notions of what this man believes. As I read Michael Gungor’s words I began getting the feeling that the term “fundamentalist” was being used derogatorily and that Mr. Gungor harbored some animosity for those that might actually believe what the Bible says.

Gungor’s arguments seemed to match up with the world outside of perceived Christianity. From belittling those that believe the Biblical accounts of creation and Adam and Eve to be factual to likening the Bible’s account of Noah and the ark to an episode of Star Trek I was seeing that Gungor has been heavily influenced by this world’s lack of understanding of Scripture. (Original Gungor post - Followup post)

I will stop short of calling Michael Gungor a non-Christian, but I think that may be a real likely thing. Why is that? Can’t someone believe science trumps scripture and still be a Christian? Sure they can. How is that? Because there are a lot of Baby Christians out there who do not have the proper understanding of scripture and do not understand the Bible’s true nature. It is The Word of God. Period. The Bible is not simply a narrative of events, a collection of nifty stories or an outdated list of rules as Gungor and others would try to persuade. It is a reflection of the Nature of God. And with that statement I end up firmly on Gungor’s naughty list of Biblical Fundies.

I am praying that the Gungors take Ken Ham up on his invitation to visit the Creation Museum and to learn what the Biblical narrative really is. The scientists at the Creation Museum have volunteered to meet with the Gungors and show them how a ship could fit all of the animals that scripture says it did. They will be able to see where the water came from, the paths that it carved as it receded, the fossil beds that its aftermath left. If Michael Gungor visits the museum and is a Christian he certainly must change his understanding of what the Bible says and change his perceptions of Scripture as true and stop ridiculing those that actually believe what the Bible says.

Saying all of this I come to the real point of this post, the reason I am confused. Many a true believer have held the wrong understanding of the Biblical accounts as Michael Gungor holds. I would even venture to say that there are probably other mainstream CCM musicians that hold the same beliefs. What I find perplexing is the castigation of Gungor in light of this, the night and day perception of Gungor without actually trying to have a straight forward and heart to heart discussion with and to Michael Gungor. Michael Gungor has been accursed by a lot of people for his views and his words (rightfully so?). So why is that perplexing to me? Because other musical groups that blatantly and obviously believe and teach heretical doctrine are openly welcomed in Christian circles.

It is a sad state that a wrong view of the Bible, maybe caused by a lack of study or discipleship, sets someone outside the camp with folks washing their hands clean of Gungor while groups like Philips, Craig and Dean are defended, praised and lifted up as “brothers” when their view of God is blatantly heretical. PC&D not only believe heresy they also teach the heresy of Modalism with a kicker of a Prosperity gospel in the “churches” that they “pastor”.

Discernment is a rare commodity these days. False teachers/ prophets abound in our world today, smiling and telling you that your best life is now, that you can speak things into existence. False religions are being held as acceptable simply because the popular adherents hold the same political views as most Conservative Christians do (Glenn Beck, Mitt Romney). The ones that must be named get a free pass, while Gungor gets tied to the stake in mainstream circles. Rather ironic, I must say.

So, what to do? My suggestion is to see how Michael Gungor reacts to Ken Ham’s invitation. No preconceived narratives from me on what “might” happen or what Mr. Gungor “might” say or do with the invitation. I am fairly confident though, that if Michael Gungor accepts the invitation, sees the Christian view of Creation, with the scientific backing of Christian scientists, with PHDs, that he will change his view of Scripture and become a radical fundie, just like me.

What this boils down to, in my view, is that people are too heavily influenced by the musicians they like. Entertainment, music, musicians, movies, etc. are all chosen with what the flesh seems to enjoy. That is an alright thing, but that definitely doesn't trump Biblical accuracy and doing a little research into a band that catches your ear. We are to test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and I am really certain that music, which impacts your mind and spirit, must be investigated before "liking" it and adding it to your MP3 player. Christians must be diligent to always look beyond what their foot taps to and see what theology has laid the foundation for what you are consuming. If you know a band or singer has some questionable theology then you would be wise to avoid them at all costs. If the TV preacher teaches contrary to scripture then you must mark them as anathema and avoid them, not "chew up the meat and spit out the bones". 

Discernment is lacking greatly in all areas of Christianity. How is that remedied? By knowing what the Bible says, by studying scripture, by taking God at His Word and applying it to your life and letting it shape you (Romans 12:2, Philippians 2:5). Simply follow Christ and God's Word. Let God be your guide and not what is popular in the world or within Christian circles.

To The Breaking Point

I've seen it firsthand. Actually I am seeing it more readily now. The bending of morality to the point of breaking. Once a person's morals are weakened then it makes it easier for them to bend and break in other areas. So, what is the reason for this? Let's explore it together.

Any number of "bendings" may start the slide down the slippery slope, which is then followed by any other "bending". All are rooted in either personal gratification or an skewed view of humanity and the Aleister Crowley view of "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law". In other words, "If it feels good to you then no one else can say anything about it". You may also have heard this, seemingly harmless, put as "Live and let live". It does sound quite cushy and respective of others, but it can and is very damaging. Of course, this way of thinking is built around the post-modern thinks of "all truths are valid", which is self-contradictory and refutes itself in those 4 words.

Truth is a "static" thing; it doesn't move, it doesn't waver and it is fixed. Nothing can change a truth, nothing can prove a truth incorrect or invalid. Some people today would have you believe that "truth" is whatever you perceive as reality. This could go as far as saying 2+2=5 can be correct to you. Of course, anyone with a 1st grade education knows that 2+2=4 and that there is no wavering and no other correct answer. In that same vein, we know that reproduction of life is by one male and one female, that is a law of nature. Some would have you believe that it is perfectly "natural" for those of the same sex to have "relations" and to have the same relationship that heterosexuals do. In scripture it is called sin and an abomination to God, since He created man and woman to be one, not a perversion for sexual desires between same sex people. But some, even some that call themselves Christians, would say that the Word of God is incorrect, even try to make a mockery of God's Word by pulling in archaic verses out of context while saying, "If you think being gay is a sin, then so is eating shrimp or cutting your hair". Of course this is proof that this person doesn't know the Word of God and that they hold human desires above scripture. This is a very dangerous place to be for a person. It would be better if that person would just deny being a Christian, as their portrayal of being a follower of Jesus is actually blasphemous when they try to speak contrary to the Word of God.

So, the perception that lying is normal is one of the things that some people bend on. Others may be drunkenness, drugs, theft, hatred, gambling, sex outside of marriage, speeding, slothfulness, abortion and any number of other things that go against the Truths of God. Once you have bent and broken one, it is not hard to bend and break another, then another, then another and then end up in the mind state of "Live and let live. To each his own. Who am I to say something is wrong?" That is exactly why we, as the human race, need a solid foundation in which to put our trust - Jesus Christ.

God is unchanging (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), very unlike our human existence. Look at the rise and fall of societies, look at the short life of the U.S.A. for example. See how morality has declined in just the past 40 years. This may be due to the lack of reverence for God or the lack of reverence may just be an evidence of the human quest for independence from God, the view that "we" are god and "we" choose our path. Thing is that "path" is a path to destruction without God. Wavering on just one single fact that is plainly laid out in scripture will always lead to other errors. Laying aside known Truth will always end in destruction, which is where our country and our world is headed.

In 1973 Roe V Wade set the path for infanticide, which  has now led to a President and government that wants to force Christians to pay for this murdering of babies. This one court case, set into motion a series of events, a decline over 40 years that has culminated in 1.5 million baby murders per year, in the U.S.A alone. Our government not only allows these murders, but they promote and provide these murders.  Show me in scripture where killing babies is a "good thing". Show me where telling a lie is acceptable or there is room given to make excuses for telling a lie to try and change the outcome of something. Where in the Bible does it say that "all truths are valid"? None of that is in there and Scripture condemns all of that. So we can only conclude that anyone who promotes the things that God condemns cannot be a Christian at all, they are trying to make a mockery of God and His Word.

The breaking point is always within our reach. This is why we must always rely on and go to God's Word for EVERYTHING. While it may not lay out, in detail, the particular issues you may be facing, the principles are there. Do not try to bend God's Word to fit your stinkin' thinkin'. Turn your heart to the Word and allow your mind to be transformed by the Word

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Altar-ed Call

I've set through a lot of altar calls in my life. Some of these altar calls were bad, in the baddest sense, others were worse, but none worse than the one I set through last night. It was actually three altar calls strung together over about an hour and a half.

Being raised in a typical “American church” I grew up with altar calls after every service. It was just how the service progressed: Singing, prayer, preaching, altar call with soft music, proclamations of salvation, leave. Of course, I use the “preaching” and the “prayer” in loose terms as they were both usually man-centered. But hey, it's all I knew as a child and I was a fine product of the “modern gospel” for 30 years, believing I was saved because of an altar call. I was “held over hell on a corn stalk” being told how terrible hell was, literally having the hell scared out of me and driving me right to the altar to say the prayer. It was just “how it was” and that's all I knew.

Thirty years later, when I actually had an encounter with God He began to show me things. I had returned to the church of my youth and had heard the same messages, seen the same methods, witnessed the same results. People flocked to the altars to “get saved” or “rededicate” their lives to Christ. The altar call trip when I was 8 was my only one, but I would say 50% of the other altar calls I set through I was praying that prayer all over again. As a mater of fact my prayer before going to bed each night usually had some form of, “God, if I'm not really saved, please forgive me and don't send me to hell”.

The extended altar call last night really struck bad to me. I had just enjoyed a great concert from a Christian band that I really like. I made my way to the merch table to pick up a t-shirt and have the band sign my CD cover before I left. The guest “evangelist” began to speak and they shut down everything, no sales, everyone stop and pay attention. I was told that, “We can't sell anything now, this is why we put this on tonight, right here”, with a head nod to the stage area. The “evangelist” started out making fun of how a few girls had laughed at other events that he had been a part of. I would say that if any of those girls had been there they would not have been very flattered by the words he was saying. He was after laughs and he received laughs. I guess this was his ice breaker routine to grab attention of everyone. It worked, because my attention was fixed on him, wondering why he would be squandering this opportunity to share Christ with the crowd before him. He did speak a little about the bible, told how God's sheep hear His voice and then the altar call commenced.

“Do you want to hear God's voice?”

“Do you want to go to heaven when you die?”

That's about it in several different forms. By this time a brief shower had started falling, so he was rushing to get to the altar call and rushing, somewhat to get to “the prayer”. He asked everyone to bow their heads, raise their hand if they wanted to be able to hear God's voice an commenced the text book “sinner's prayer”. He then did the next thing in the “Altar Calls 101” play book and asked those that said the prayer to stand up, “nobody's looking” after all. Then after a few had made it to their feet began to tell them, “OK, now don't be ashamed, come on forward.” Typical psychological manipulation. I would guess that about 35 kids went forward and were passed off to the events counselors at the side of the stage.

The rain had stopped, so the second altar call commenced. This time it was geared at those that “have heard God's voice, but now listen to the voice of the world instead”. He was giving the altar call for people to rededicate their lives. This was filled with a story about scaring girls when he was younger and was played into “don't be scared to live for God”. Not much of a reaction to this part of his extended altar call. He ended it with “prayer” and handed the mic to the promoter.

I was ready to buy my t-shirt and hit the road for the hour drive back home. But, alas, the promoter must not have thought that the second altar call was good enough. He began with the same “don't be scared” ploy. This was followed by “we have to do....”, “why aren't you.....” and “If you don't.....”. This man was filling these people's heads with works and trying to lay guilt trips on everyone. At one point he said, “If you are not out evangelizing then you are sending people to hell”. My head was about to explode because I had yet to hear anything, in the three altar calls, about God's holiness, God's requirements, man's sinfulness and rebellion, Christ's perfect atonement, the blood of Christ that takes away all of our sins, the grace of God in even allowing us to have a breath because of our rebellion. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. No Gospel. No call to repentance. Nothing of the true Gospel whatsoever. Only a emotional call and guilt trip to garner decisions. I prayed during all of this that God would save despite the false message. He saved me despite the false teachings I was sitting under, so I know He does it.

If I were a confrontational person I would have been in a serious discussion with the promoter and staff last night. If there ever was a time I wanted to confront someone it was last night. It was probably for the best that I did, at that time, not say anything. But, I will probably say something if I ever happen to be at another event that this guy puts on. I know that this false gospel is sending millions to hell. I also think that most of these people mean well, but also that the “road to hell is paved with good intentions”. Unless someone repents and is born again they will not see the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus made it clear that you must follow Him, lay everything aside, even the love for your family is to seem like hate in comparison for your love for Him. The easy believism that permeates most “churches” and “Christian” events must be addressed and must be stopped. Then again, this may just be part of the judgment of God, giving man over to their own self centered desires and works mentality, trusting in themselves for salvation and not on Christ.

We must stand on the Word of God alone. We must not water down the Message of Christ. We must not tickle the ears of others and tell them what they want to hear in order to get them to commit to a decision. We must not play people's emotions and instead preach the full council of God and allow the Holy Spirit to work in convicting them, God made it simple enough to trust in Him. Sell it all and follow Him. Do not give regard for the things of this life, but instead have the mind of a pilgrim, just passing through, making disciples, pointing to Christ in all that we do, exalting His Name, preaching the Gospel in season and out of season. Proclaiming The good News to this lost and dying world. Are you ready? Then Go!  

Creflo Dollar Is Guilty

Post Subtitle : Guilty of preaching a false gospel

Lots of talk the past few days about Word of Faith “preacher” Creflo Dollar. Seems that he is accused of battery and cruelty to children in an alleged attack on his 15 year old daughter. I will not go into the details of the alleged happening, but you can find it all over the internet at any news source. Also, you can find a scan of the actual police report here. My prayer is that this situation will be used to bring interest on Dollar and thus exposing his false gospel, regardless if what the criminal charges are.

First off, I did post the story on my Facebook page along with a comment that pretty much said Creflo was guilty. It is true that in this country we are innocent until proven guilty. So, for that I was wrong and not giving Creflo his due diligence in making his case before a judge and/ or jury. However, I do not believe this will reach that phase of the judicial process, so we may never know if he was guilty or not. Actually, does it really matter anyway? After all he has been abusing scripture and his listeners for decades and people still flock to him.

Dollar has a long history of being a Word of Faith teacher. This in itself is a heresy that has run rampant on the world for a few decades now, with other WoF (Word of Faith) preacher/ teachers like Oral Roberts, Jessie DuPlantis, Kenneth Copeland, T.D. Jakes, Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer being some of the more well known. Not that there are actually “bigger” heresies than others, but the more prominent in this movement are the “little gods” statements, name it and claim it speak, your faith is what can cure you, sow your seeds into “my” ministry to receive your blessings, if your not being healed then your faith isn’t strong enough and one I just came across today - that Jesus “grew” into His Sonship and “Godness”.

Actually, I have listened to a few of Dollar’s messages over the past few days, taken directly from his website so they wouldn’t be “out of context”. In those messages I found not one single solitary shred of the true Gospel of Christ. I heard a lot of prosperity and a lot of “me” and “I”, even saw Dollar do a “thus sayeth the lord” as he closed his eyes and proceeded to act as a direct oracle for God. So, what is Dollar’s message all about? It is all about self, to the core, through and through.

I’ll clear the air here. I am in no way against a pastor of God having money. I don’t think it is beyond belief that God could bless His children abundantly. Only thing is, Creflo’s not a minister of the Gospel. Creflo feeds his congregation steady doses of “me” and “I”. He even expounds when preaching and calls what he says THE gospel, but not a single word of the Jesus of scripture, not one word on His blood, not one word about sin, not one utterance of repentance, nothing about sanctification, nothing at all resembling the true Gospel of Christ. Admittedly I did not listen to each and every message the Dollar has preached over his career, but shouldn’t the primary reason to preach to people be to glorify God? I mean I heard a few verses ripped out of context, but other than that it was an all out motivational talk/ sales pitch.

It really saddens me that so many people are on their way to hell because of this type of message. This false gospel has man as its central point, what can God do for me type of attitude. I suppose that is why it is so popular. I know there are a few prominent Christian voices out there that are calling these carlatans out. Justin Peters, Voddie Baucham, Hank Hanegraaff, John MacArthur and rappers IV Hisson and Jovan Mackenzy all speak out against the heresies that are spewed from pulpits every Sunday morning. I praise God that these “voices in the wilderness” are there, but I also pray that all pastors and followers of Christ would also take a stand for the true Gospel and push to expose these workers of darkness and of a false gospel. These workers of iniquity are actually to be anathema/ accursed according to Galatians 1:8-9. Instead they have their wears and false messages peddled on TV networks like TBN and TCT, their books and study guides displayed on “Christian” bookstore shelves and people ingest their poison all the way to the grave. Why is that? It is the human nature of self, the greed factor, the lust of money, the lust of a comfortable lifestyle, the desire to be healthy above all else. It is the “perfect” anti-gospel, relayed by prosperity preachers who flaunt their millions to the poor people they are ripping off.

I get infuriated at the state of what people see as Christianity today. It is not really hard to see why so many people are turned off by what they see on TV and read about in the news about the “church”. The secular world sees the hypocrisy of what passes for the gospel these days. The even sadder fact is that when the True Gospel is proclaimed people shake their heads and want nothing of it. They think it is extreme to actually taking up your cross daily, serving those in need, preaching to others, witnessing to those in your life, talking about being a slave to Christ, actually doing what the bible says a true follower of Christ will do - FOLLOW HIM.

Probably the most troubling part of the current issue with Creflo Dollar is those professing Christians that are saying Dollar is a brother in Christ, a fellow Christian. They see the name “pastor” and see that he “preaches” but beyond that they are ignorant of what Dollar actually preaches. They come to his defense (judging ‘for’) and admonish those that are opposing dollar (judging ‘against’). As I stated, I did unfairly judge Dollar guilty of the crimes he is charged with. I apologize for that and learned I should not, but I will not apologize for using this newfound spotlight in the public eye for Dollar to expose his heretical preaching. I wait to see how this all plays out - who will rush to his defense in judging him not guilty, those that judge him guilty and those that use this as a catapult to expose his lies to the world and use it to proclaim the true Gospel of Christ.

I also would like for anyone that may happen upon this posting and says that Dollar is a true preacher of the Gospel to please leave a comment for why you think that. Please leave any link to any message that is the true Gospel. Please explain how he can preach a heresy so much and still be a true child of God. I am always open for correction and will admit if I am wrong.

God has shown His grace on me. After 30 years as a false convert, willing to call anything and everything “Christian” that professed to be, God opened my eyes to the false messages. God showed me how utterly sinful and how much under His wrath I was. He showed me the true Jesus Christ, His sacrifice, His atonement for my sins, His blood shed on Calvary for me, His death, burial and resurrection, being my Propitiation, my Advocate, my Savior! Know what else? He can be yours as well. All you must do is repent and believe in Him. Turn from your sins and to the Holy God. Cry out to Him and fall at His feet and follow Him, wherever He leads, however the road turns. See God as He is - Holy and how you are not - a sinner. Cling to Christ. Deny yourself. Leave all behind and follow Him.

A Damaged Testimony?

Have you ever damaged your testimony? You know, damaged your story of your walk with Christ? Do you even know what that means or have you never heard of damaging your testimony?

I used to hear that a lot growing up at my childhood church. It seems that was the appeal to the members of the church, don't do something that will make you look bad in front of others. Of course at the time it sounded really good, then again so did the idea of just saying a prayer and getting it “all taken care of”. Now, looking back, I can see why this was a popular saying in the realm of the “modern gospel”. It is directed at “self” just as the “gospel” was directed.

So, what is wrong with this? Why am I now, 30 something years later bringing this up? Because I had an epiphany today about “damaging my testimony”. I don't know why it popped into my head at work today, other than it lead me to write this blog and shed my thoughts on the matter. I've never really thought about damaging “my testimony” before, so this was kind of out of the blue as I was thinking back over how God has worked in my life, through childhood, my teen years, my young adult life and now my middle years. I can see how God has guided me through the years, even when I was not yet His child.

First the phrase, My testimony, is directed at self. Just as the easy-believism message prominent in my childhood and which has grown to the “norm” now, so was this admonishment to not “damage your testimony”. This was said to those rebellious teenagers out on the weekends doing stuff they shouldn't be doing or the person cheating on their taxes or husband cheating on their wife. It addresses a great problem in the world of professing Christianity (churchianity): If you do not preach a message of repentance, new birth, faith, sanctification and holiness then you have to continually address a lifestyle of sin. Of course ,to those that are truly a child of God this idea seems foreign, to have to continually tell people NOT to sin, the same sins... over and over again. To try and reach a mind and conscience that doesn't grasp the idea of sin in the first place.

The cause of this message is the false gospel that creates false converts that give lip service to the name “Christian”. They said a prayer, walked an aisle, have been in church since they were born, their parents are Christians, or any other number of things that lead someone to believe they are “saved” but actually are still under the wrath of God. I have seen it a thousand times, people make emotional decisions, are pressured into saying a prayer, raising their hand, walking an aisle and their name is jotted on a decision card, they are paraded in front of the congregation and the “preacher” pronounces them saved. The emotionalism reaches its peak as the crowd erupts into applause, tears flow and another person has their fate of hell sealed under the guise of making a “public profession”. They are told to write the date in the back of their bible, and show the devil that page any time he comes sticking his nose in their business. Only thing is the devil never got his nose out of their business and was along side the congregation in applause for the false profession. As the days go by, the weeks add up things change. The elation of the applause was gone after shutting the car door in the parking lot. The handshakes and back slaps lasted a few services, but were quickly diminished. Life resumed as normal. The temporary halting of some sins halted itself and the sins came back, even greater than before. After all, you “got saved”, you live under grace now and all you have to do is ask for forgiveness and it's all taken care of.

When the lifestyle of sin rears its head once again, what is a preacher to do? Go back to the emotionalism once again. Set up a meeting with the one living in sin. Address the emotions once again, something along the lines of “Bubby, you know you shouldn't be doing those things. You can't hurt your testimony like that. What's your mama gonna think if she finds out you been drinking again? Does your wife know you've been dancing with those other women? Don't you feel bad about doing those things again?” Appeals to the emotions to not “damage/ hurt your testimony”, just as the emotional plea to “Come to Jesus. All you have to do is say this prayer”. It's a never ending cycle Why? Because it was a false gospel, by a false teacher, making a false convert.

A major issue with the statement “damaging your testimony” is the fact that you don't really have a testimony. A true believer has a testimony to God about what He has done to you, in you, through you. So how could you damage something that God has done in the first place? A Christian that does sin, who repents, will give testimony to how God, once again, graciously pulled them out of sin. It will not be focused on “me” or “my” anything, but on the One that actually did something, God. Which counteracts the whole message of the easy-believism message today.... It's all about ME. When the true Gospel is all about God.

The whole belief structure of easy-believism/ American gospel is based on self. This goes all the way through the life cycle of the false convert of this system. I say a prayer, I ask Jesus into my heart, I cleaned up my life, I stopped drinking, I stopped smoking, I started going to church every Sunday morning, I got baptized, I sang in the choir, I taught Sunday School, I went to Sunday School, I went on a mission trip, I, I, I. When it should be God saved me, God pulled me out of the mire and changed my heart, God took away my vices, God cleaned me up, God used me to teach other about Him, God, God , God. This mentality follows through when the false convert returns to sin and the leaders or friends see that something is wrong. It's often called “back sliding”, but honestly it is just a returning to the sin that never was washed away in the first place. But damage control has to start and the emotional appeals start again.

If the majority of “preachers” today would actually preach the Gospel then they wouldn't have to continually meet with people to appeal to them to stop sinning. Divorce rates would drop, if not completely go away among those professing Christianity. There would be no more “re-dedications”. There would be filled pews instead of only filled membership rolls. False conversions would be the exception instead of the norm. People would have testimonies of God's greatness instead of having “my testimony”. Sinners would repent. God would be glorified.

The remedy? The Gospel. God. Christ crucified. Repentance. Re-birth, a new creation. Sanctification. Faith. The Blood of Jesus.

Occupy Wall Street And Christianity Are A Match?

I'm sitting here in my hotel room, 800 miles from home and my loved ones, fending off sleep since I woke up at 3:15 this morning for the red-eye out of Paducah. So, what is a guy to do? Well, this guy decided to check out the broo-ha over the Occupy Wall Street movement going on across the U.S.
I've heard about this “movement” for a couple of weeks now, but admittedly haven't paid it much attention. Downtime away from home seems to allow for things done that I normally do not do, like search for information on “movements” of a worldly nature. “Why?” You may ask. Because I wanted to make an informed decision on my thoughts of what this is all about.

After looking at a few websites, even those that say they are “part” of the movement, I still don't know a lot about what these folks are trying to accomplish. Well, that is not exactly true, as they seem to be “for” being against a lot of things with “corporate greed” as a main focus. The first web-page I encountered was a demonstration that happened to have a video embedded within the page, so I indulged and watched it. I soon discovered what a “People's Microphone” is and also quickly discovered that the majority (99%) of those that I saw in the video and in several photos appeared to be modern hippies. I also saw that the “majority” in their open voting at the location liked to silence anyone that was outside of their “99%” mentality.

Let me explain the “99%” mentality. It is simply their assumption that 1% of America's richest run everything, while the other 99% have to deal with the repercussions. Alright, sounds good on the surface, but what about the meat of what this movement stands for. What exactly are the people involved in this trying to accomplish/ what are they against? Let me take a deep breath and list a few things for you:
Raise taxes on the rich
Raise taxes on corporations
End “corporate welfare”
Support of trade unions
“Protection” of Social Security/ Medicare in their current forms
Audit or elimination of the Federal Reserve
Affordable health care
Ending all wars
Elimination of student loan repayment
Peace (?)
And a unlimited number of other “issues”

Now, while I do agree with some of those demands, I do not agree with their thinking behind them. It appears to me, and many others, that this movement is made up of liberal freeloaders that want the government to be a socialized mess taking care of them indefinitely. Really? The way I see it is that the majority of those that I saw on the news sites, videos and pictures are of the younger age bracket that has been raised with entitlements ingrained into them. This is nothing new, but we are now seeing how the past several decades of government welfare has molded upcoming generations. I would say that it is no stretch to say that the majority of those involved are part of the 50% of Americans that pay 0 in income taxes and actually receive back more than they have paid in, thanks to our faulty tax codes (that is another issue).

One ironic side of this whole debacle is endorsements by the likes of Kanye West, Michael Moore, Roseanne Barr, Susan Surandon and Russel Simmons. All of these are multi-millionaires, by the way, with Simmons owning a debit card company that is one of the major industries behind “corporate greed”. Hmm.

So, what does this have to do with me? Why am I writing about this on this Christian blog? Because it seems that a group called “The Protest Chaplains” has jumped into the fray, claiming to be Christians and thereby saying that they represent the Body of Christ. With this I take offense and if you are a Christian so should you. I invite you to check out their website and to read their “What We've Learned So Far” list. This list is actually a set of guidelines for people to participate as “chaplains”, but as acting as chaplains they are to totally set aside their Christian faith and stand opposed to Jesus Christ and the Bible. Among these guidelines are; Interfaith “spirituality”, learn from the Occupy Wall Street movement instead of the movement learning from Christianity, Don't defend your religion because it is not your job to, practice nonviolent communication and active listening, do not proselytize (evangelize because it is obnoxious and detrimental to the movement), be a resource (do, do, do, work, work, work), encourage YOGA, meditation, Muslim prayers and let what happens happen and the ever popular “uncreate division”.

Whew, that sounds an awful lot like Christianity, huh? Not! It is the exact polar opposite and stands contrary to everything in scripture. So, yeah! I am offended because this group of “chaplains” that claim faith in Christ, trying to pass themselves off as members of His Body, want Christians to endorse other religions, learn from a worldly movement and totally ignore the great commission and shun evangelizing these lost and perverted members of society. Why must groups like this bring Christ into this ungodly movement centered in worldliness? Why try to say that Jesus would want us to accept what is going on?

What I see with these misguided people, is that they do not understand Christianity and do not truly know Jesus Christ. They have a very distorted view of the Word of God and sadly have fallen into an ecumenical mindset that believes all roads lead to God. Why take principles of scripture and try to relate them to this mammon driven movement? Why take the “golden calf” of Wall Street and use it to say that Jesus has compassion on these people that are actually guilty of idolatry as well, saying how much they deserve the money over Wall Street and Corporate America. Just “spread the wealth” instead of it going to the companies that are making the money. I can't stand the entitlement/ victim mentality that seems to have attached itself to all those involved in this movement.

I am not part of what they call the 99%. I am not part of the 1% that they say runs the U.S. I am a middle class American that works hard, pays my taxes, pays my bills, loves Jesus and wants everyone else to come to a saving faith in Christ. That all flows from my relationship with Jesus and I will not compromise any of that because of any movement. Scripture paints it clear that if you deny Christ that He will deny you. If you compromise the Gospel, enter into interfaith communion and think Christians can learn from a misguided movement of liberals then you are very far gone and need to seriously examine your faith. I will say, without a doubt, that if you are following the guidelines of the “Protest Chaplains” you are not a true Christian. If you disagree show me scripture that supports the things I quoted from their website. If you can I will give a humble apology and write a retraction. I am 100% certain you can not find anything, in context to support the things they stand for/ against. But I am always willing to be proven wrong.

FYI – Saying that I am a left-wing, conservative, Fox News watching, Rush Limbaugh listening Pharisee is not proving anything except you are childish.

The Heat Of The Battle

Day 340 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

"Is it hot enough for ya?" That's a common question these day around here in Paducah and I would also assume across much of the United States. Temperatures have been above 90 since May 29 here, which is about 10 degrees higher than "average". Of course Al Gore is looking pretty good to some people right now, but then again he claimed that the below average temperatures and increased snowfall this past winter were caused by Global Warming as well. Go figure.

The forecast has us remaining in the 90s at least until next Thursday, with the exception of 2 days that they are saying will be a chilling 88 and 89. All I can say is, "I'm glad I have a job that lands me in front of a computer the majority of my work day." I have, however, worked in the heat like this on my works factory floor and it is rather warm, especially with all of the welding that takes place. Many steps have been taken to alleviate the heat for the workers, extra fans, extended break times, free Gatorade, etc. are all beneficial to my co-workers, but it is still hot any way you slice it.

It does seem that we are having a lot of "strange" weather. Maybe strange is not the correct word to use, maybe "extreme" would be a better adjective. We have seen numerous tornadoes rip across the U.S., my area of the country is still recovering from the worst flooding in almost 100 years, the North East saw a rare tornado in their region over the past few day. This is not to mention the earthquakes and volcanic activity lately too. I stop short of saying it is of "biblical proportions" because I know that God is still holding nature at bay and is still long-suffering. The Earth is showing its pangs as Romans 8:22 tells us.

The coming of the Lord is eminent and many people are eluding to that fact. Many say it, but don't really believe it though. They say, "You better get right with God, because He's coming back soon. Just look at the weather". Which may very well be true, but most that say this are not "right with God" in the first place. They are "right with" their false theology and easy believism mentality. If we truly believed Christ's Earthly return was upon us, any day now, would we be so lax in our evangelism? Would we sit idly by knowing that our friends, family members and co-workers are headed to hell? Would we remain silent and hope that someone else tells them the true Gospel? I think not. It just shows the state of the Church today. We have fallen asleep and become lukewarm. Does that sound familiar?

I pray that I, foremost, along with the rest of the Body of Christ awaken from the slumber. May God grant us revival in our hearts so that we can be faithful and true witnesses for Him. May He be gracious to us, even though we do not deserve it so we can bring glory to Him and magnify His Name above all. How awesome it would be if the Church would actually be the Church instead of being quiet in slumber, allowing the junk that passes for Christianity to run rampant, without so much as a peep from anyone except "judge not lest thou be judged". I say that if we remain silent and allow heresy and blasphemy that has defined the modern "church" we are part of it ourselves and stand in the judgment of God. We need to take Proverbs 17:15 to heart:
Proverbs 17:15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

So where do you stand in these last days? For the Lord or for the harlot that passes itself off as the Bride of Christ? I stand for Christ and by His grace I will glorify His Name. How about you?

Healthy Junkfood? Yes!

Day 323 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

WhoNu? Or actually here in Kentucky it should be "Whowuldathinkit?" Cookies that are supposed to be healthy for you to eat. This new brand of cookie, WhoNu, is probably the first of what will be the fad of the moment to make junk food healthy. Really? Do we really need cookies with vitamins and minerals? Really? Can't people just stop eating things that they shouldn't and replace them with things that are natural and full of wholesome goodness already?

It's just like America to do something like this though. The most obese nation on earth according to Nationmaster.com is the United States, so at least we are leading in something. Right? I will readily admit that I have a weight problem. I will take it a step further and say it is because I eat things like cookies, Little Debbie snack cakes, pizza, cake, chips and so much more that I knew was going to pack on the pounds. If I had the mentality of the consumers that will be grabbing these off the shelves it would be in this line of thinking, "Wow, I am unhealthy. I need to start making healthier choices for my diet. Hey, look at that. Healthy cookies. Now I can eat healthier and still eat my junk food." Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

The back side of the packaging states the following:
As much fiber as a bowl of oatmeal
As much calcium and vitamin D as a 8 oz. glass of milk
As much vitamin C as a cup of blueberries
As much vitamin A as a cup of tomato juice
As much vitamin E as 2 cups of carrot juice
As much iron as a cup of spinach

That is actually quite impressive and would lead anyone to think this is a healthy alternative to an Oreo or ten. Keep reading the label on the nutrition side of the package. You will start to see that 3 cookies also contain 150-170 calories depending on the particular flavor you are looking at. There are also 25g of carbs, 150mg of sodium and 7g of fat. Now, that doesn't seem too healthy to me. I am not a nutritionist after all, but I think I can see a little deception in this.

This does also remind me of most peoples view of Christianity. They may go to church or crusade or concert and expect to hear about God. They may actually be wanting to hear about God in a more personal way. God may be drawing them to Him and they may be on that path. Then when they get to the church service or other gathering, they hear a message that is kind of like these cookies. The message appears good to the hearer, but only because it sounds familiar, like the other messages they have always heard. They hear a false presentation of what salvation is, but the preacher makes it sound so appealing, "Come to Jesus and He will give you purpose" or how about God has a wonderful plan for your life and all you have to do is accept it". They entice the hearer with selfishness and the "What can God do for me" mentality. They are showing them something they desire (salvation) but then they try to talk them into it with things that are not part of the gospel. Of course people will respond when they are the focus of something, they love themselves and are quite sure they need to be happier, have more money, be kept from going to hell or have their marraige healed. Thing is these are all focused on "ME".

Unless the message you are hearing is focused on God it is a false gospel.

Can I Get A Witness?

Day 302 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

I had the opportunity to talk to a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses today in my front yard. It was an experience that I will definitely use to grow in my understanding of scriptures. These two guys were semi-well versed in the JW apologetics department, but still I gave them the gospel and what a true follower of Christ is.

It is amazing how their religion takes scripture and twists it, even changes words and adds words to make them fit into their belief structure. Although they (the Jehovah's Witnesses) are similar to the Mormon religion, they do have some very strong distinctiveness. I have been in contact with a Mormon for about 2 years now and I think I know a lot of their beliefs, but the JWs today did catch me off guard with a few questions and thought processes. I actually thought at some points they were trying to confuse me to get my footing off so they could pour their false doctrines down my throat. I was in prayer the whole 2 hour conversation as king for God to direct me through the conversation. And He did.

One point they were trying to hound into me was there was no hell. I couldn't help but think of Rob Bell, even though the JWs and Bell have different thoughts to dissuade people from believing. They kept speaking of destruction in the sense of obliteration, the second death as just being totally destroyed. We did go to the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16 and I think that got them thinking a little bit harder. They did have an "answer", albeit a flimsy one that they didn't seem to confident in. The just of it was that "Abraham's Bosom" was just an analogy to the Kingdom, so speaking of eternal torment was also just an analogy. We did come back to this story a time or two through the conversation and they kept saying they would have to "study" it more, which I took as "take back to someone higher up that can tell me how to refute this".

They left after standing outside for 2 hours, sometimes with small rain showers coming down, so they were at least dedicated to the conversation and I was dedicated to not asking them inside my home. I had my MacArthur Study Bible in hand as I wanted to show them the differences in their NWT and a different one that they are not allowed to read from. I did get the more outspoken one's phone # with the agreement I would call him to set up another meeting, with the caveat that I would give him a topic for discussion as well. The other young man was really the one that I sensed was questioning some things in his own head, he nodded some as I was refuting some of their claims and said on more than one occasion that he would "look into it".

I know God is able to pull any of these deceived people from this false religion, He pulled me from a false religion that I was perfectly content in believing as well. Deception is a wicked thing and those embroiled in it do not realize they are deceived, they simply follow along and believe everything that is pumped into them. God can change that though and that is why I am not fretting over the "I should have said ...." and relying on Him to work in these two young men as He sees fit. I do ask that you pray for Andrew and Nick that they will be exposed to some true theology in places other than my house. Pray that any seeds sown today may take root and sprout into fruit that God will use to break these guys from their bondage. I have the highest faith that God can do this, just as I know that He can save my children and the lost friends and family members I have, even the ones that profess Christ but do not know the True Christ.

What's The Point?

Day 279 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

I've been saving Coke points for a while now. I've also been using them for a while too. Over the years we have gotten tickets for the family to Six Flags, A cool Diet Coke director's chair, several 12-pack coupons, a couple pair of Skull Candy ear buds, a die cast truck and other things that slip my mind right now.

The caps pictured are worth 3 points each, 12 packs are 10 points each, cases of 24 cans are 20 points and the 32 packs from Sam's Club are 25 points each. Right now my point level is a little over 6,100 and this is after getting all of the things I listed earlier. Thing is that right now there is not a lot of offering in the reward store. So, I must keep collecting points looking forward to something "better". Actually I am looking for something that "better" suits my likes but is not necessarily better.


That's how we often look at a lot of things through life, the "something better" out on the horizon that we can't quite make out yet. We just know that what we have before us is not satisfying enough, so we long for something "better". That is, until we meet the One that satisfies every longing our souls have ever had. When you come face to face with Christ everything else pales in comparison to Him. Not that we will not have any other "wants" in life, but our "wants" will be radically changed because of Him. This is what Psalms 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart". This does not mean a new Escalade or 3,000 square foot house, but that your heart will be changed and He will change your desires to things that glorify Him. Now that is awesome, but contrary to a lot of the messages from pulpits today.

Has God given you new desires? Do you still walk with "self" as your focus or is Christ your focus? Are your steps ordered by the Living God or do you wander aimlessly through life kicking dust and wasting your life? Is your "wants" greater than what scripture says your wants should be a child of God? If yes, then you probably need to do some deep soul searching and long communing with God to see if you are His child or not. Certain things scripture says will be evidenced in your life as a Christian and if they are missing then you are proven not to be His. At this link is a transcript of a sermon by Bro. Paul Washer that shows a lot better than my feeble words can even start to. Please read through it and pray as you do for God to open up your true state before Him.

Trees, Seeds, Soil And The Gospel

Day 278 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

While looking out our back window earlier I was admiring the trees standing across our property. Some of the trees still hold limbs that were snapped during the ice storm 2 years ago, dangling in the breeze. Other new limbs have sprouted out of some of the trees and leaves are starting to bud out from the limbs. One majestic oak stands in the background, limbs like huge arms extending across the sky. Some of the trees were very damaged in the storm and are only dead stick protruding through the ground, lifeless, biding their time until they decompose enough to snap and fall to the ground.

All of these trees have similar beginning, roots if you will. They started from seeds, deposited in the ground from another tree. Some of these trees are 100 years old or older and some are only a few years old, but they all started with a seed. That is the law of nature, seeds go into the ground and life springs forth.

This reminds me of the parable of the soil types found in 3 of the gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. There are 4 soil types that the Lord tells us about, 1) Hardened soil that totally rejects the seed (Gospel) 2) Rocky soil that bears fruit for a moment and then burn up for lack of root depth 3) Thorny soil that springs up, but is killed by the thorn bushes around it and finally 4) The good soil, that produces much fruit. Of the 4 only the last is someone truly converted, the others 2 showed momentary hope and died and the other no hope at all. What stayed the same was the seed that was sown, the Gospel. It was not tailored to each individual soil to make it more palatable, but was sown as the Lord commands. The difference in the types of soil can be seen easily as 1) people that are totally resistant to anything of God 2) those that initially show signs of repentance, but quickly get jaded. Most of the time it is those that are looking for temporary circumstances to be "fixed" so they "try" Christianity, which does not work for them since it was not true faith 3) Like the 2nd shows initial hope of true repentance, but is quickly smothered out by people and circumstances.

I was also venture to say that most of the professing Christians today fall into the 2nd and 3rd soil types. They made a momentary profession of faith, but have since fallen or never even showed the fruit of a true child of God. The thing is is that the modern "Gospel" message that permeates church buildings and crusades today is perfectly fine with these types of professions and readily calls these folks Christians. They give the hope needed in these poor souls that they are "OK" now and have "taken care of it", as long as they "really, really meant it. Really". These people hope lies in faith in a prayer, a proclamation by an alter worker, a walk down an aisle, signing a card stating they "accepted Jesus", but not actually in Jesus. Their faith is in their faith or the words of a man. All of these lead to hell and many are being sent there because of these heresies.

These people are who my heart breaks for. I was one of them for 30 years as I had faith in my faith and in the acknowledgment of a man. False converts are deceived, they believe a lie as truth and are therefore unwilling to believe the truth as the truth. That is why God has to change someone. He changed me, changed my perception of the lies and actually saved me from me, hell and my dishonoring life of sin. These people need much prayer and also need the seed of the True Gospel sown in their hearts, so God can make it take root and sprout in the good soil that He prepares.

Please pray for eyes to be opened. Pray that you are made aware of those around you that are lost and deceived so you can till their hearts with the Good News. Cast the Seed far and wide and leave the results to God. Do not expect yourself to be able to change someone's mind or heart, that's God's job. Just be a mouthpiece for what God has done for you and to you, share the Gospel of scripture then watch God work.

Right On Tract

Day 251 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

The guys over at Custom Tract Source have just came out with a really cool looking tract. It is actually perfect for an area local festival that heavily leans on the Confederate history in its festivities. Well, not really the festivities as much as the ones that attend like to wave Confederate flags and such. This makes this festival perfect for these tracts, or vice-versa in that these tracts are perfect for the festival.

The festival? Tater Day. The place? Benton KY. The time? First Monday in April, along with the weekend before. How many times I have been? Almost every year that I can remember, but mostly and lately the weekend before and not the actual Monday of Tater Day. Reason for going? The flea market now, to run around like a heathen when I was younger. So, I am really familiar with what is there, what happens there and what type of people attend the happenings. This is how I know that these tracts are a perfect fit and that, prayerfully, they will be used to further the Kingdom and glorify God. The hopes are to be able to use these tracts as ice breakers to share what God has done in our lives and to share the Gospel with as many people as possible. Of course, the message on the reverse of the tract is not going to be that well received by the majority, but in being obedient we know that God will use this time to glorify Himself.

As Sons of God we are commanded to share the Gospel and to make disciples. Are we doing this as a body? I would say not as we should be. We, as Christians, need to start following out he great commission in our hometown, our local area, our state and this world. We barely, if ever, even share the gospel within the confines of our own home or at our job. Why is that? Do we think someone else is supposed to be doing this, or that all we need to do is invite people to go to church with us? Never sharing what God has done for us, too ashamed to bow our head before our meal at work, not bat an eyelash when someone uses the Name of God as a curse word and then expect everyone to just kind of assimilate what we "believe"? That's not how it operates, my friends. As God is our Lord, we are to follow His commands, striving for His acceptance and not the false acceptance of those around us. We should not give second thought about someone being offended at our proclamation of Jesus IS Lord.

I do understand that this mentality is not readily accepted and goes against the teaching of most churches. They say accept everyone, never be offensive, always "love" the sinner and hate the sin. Hog wash! (To use a Tater Day term). Show me in the Word where we are to do any of those things and I will happily apologize and recant my words here. We are to be salt and light to this dark and dying world, not just happy-go-lucky people walking around with smiles and t-shirts with ICHTHUS on them. The most loving thing you could ever do to a person is tell them their need of the Savior. Explain to them their sinful and wretched sate before the Holy God and then tell them the grace of God through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. That is and should be the message of EVERY Christian and if it is not then you may seriously need to examine your own standing before God. If the Gospel doesn't resonate in your heart then God does not know you and has not converted you. You, my friend, still have the wrath of God on your head. Turn to Him, turn from your sin, cry out to God to save you not because of what you have done but only for what Christ has done. Repent and believe is all you can do and pray for the mercy of God to be bestowed on you. Until God changes you into a new creation, then you are still on the path of destruction and not on the narrow path to His Kingdom.

What A Cat-astrophe

Day 250 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

So, it's been a while since I complained, uh, wrote about my wife's cats. You may be asking me in your mind right now, "So Jeff, do you like the cats now? Finally?" The answer to that would be a no. Not a cat person, never will be.

Just because I am not a cat person doesn't mean these little critters have not become fans of mine. They seem to like to follow me around some. The one pictured will jump up on the couch with me sometimes and lay on my leg. The other cat likes to sleep right beside my leg at night. Although I do not like cats, I am not mean to them either. They can't help it because they're stinkin' cats after all.

God instilled into me at an early age a broad love for animals. Even though I do not personally like some of the species that God has created, doesn't mean that I want anything bad to happen to them. Well, other than the moles in the yard that like to create obstacle courses for me to mow over. And even the moles that I really, really do not like I don't want to cause any harm to. I just want hem gone out of our yard.

Compassion for animals came natural to me, but compassion for individuals is sometimes a struggle for me. Animals pretty much act out of instinct, so they have an excuse for the things they do. People, on the other hand, have God given decision making capacities as well as a God given conscience to guide them through life. This is true for the lost as well as the converted. When people go against their better judgment and their conscience is when bad things start to happen, namely sin. We all know right from wrong very early in life and we all seem to want to veer toward the wrong instead of the right. That is our nature, to sin.

Some people's depravity though seems to be very far from the "normal" depravity of the general population. Maybe these people are actually demon possessed instead of having any number of mental illnesses often attributed to these days. I say they are sinners in need of God and that if they ever put their faith in God they would start to be more "normal" compared to this ages standards. I'll offer Jeffrey Dahmer as a example. He murdered and cannibalized at least 17 other humans before his arrest and conviction. While in prison he professed faith in Christ and seemingly "became" a new person. Was he truly converted? I have no idea, but the signs point toward yes. He was killed while protecting another inmate from being beaten by another inmate, the ultimate sacrifice a human could make, putting your life down for another. Now, that in itself is not proof of his conversion, but it would make a strong point in favor. Possibly Dahmer was demon possessed and showed the mental instability as the lashing out of that manifestation, then after God converted him the demon would no longer be able to have reign over him.

I do believe anyone is within the saving grace of God. He saved me after all, even after I thought that I had it all taken care of when I was a kid. I felt like I already had God, so I wasn't in the least bit interested in growing in holiness and didn't even know what sanctification was. I was good to go, took care of it and living the American Gospel message of a backslidden "Christian. I may be living like the world I loved so much, but inside I was good. I was "saved" from hell in my own mind, but not from a life of rebellion to God. For whatever reason God decided to shine His mercy down on me and expose my false profession and depravity. That is when He truly saved me and He has been saving me ever since. Without Him I would be just as big a sinner as Dahmer was. God in His mercy saved me and I haven't gotten over it yet. Since He saved me, He also has been sanctifying me, purging me of this world and conforming me to the likeness of Christ. I know I will not attain that level, but I still strive.

Thank God He still saves from the American gospel and false professions of faith.

Tag! You're It

Day 233 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

Trying to figure this one out. It seems to be a non essential tag. It came off of a shirt, some company took the time and money to have it sewn in only to tell you to remove it before you wash or wear it. Why? I am guessing that it is an anti-theft device (aka mark of the Beast - just kidding, maybe). These are similar to the anti-theft devices in everything from razors to iPods to let workers in retail know that something is leaving the store that hasn't had its tag deactivated. They are more hassle to the consumer, because we've all set the alarm off at least once.

These tags are evolving though. Wal-Mart is set to use these tags as tracking devices to see how their customers travel throughout the store as they shop. Doing this will allow them to crunch the data and see how to better lay out the store so you have to walk around more products that you might buy on a whim. They already out the milk in the back of the store to make you walk all the way back there and spot the other snacks and cookies that will go with your milk.

The tags can also be used by the government to track people. Embedded in drivers license that one must carry can be chips that can track where you've been, how long you've been in a particular place and who you're with. Sounds real big brotherish to me, but it is a precursor to the mark of the Beast that I alluded to earlier. Maybe an implanted chip that will store all of your personal information and that no one can steal from you. It would be used in place of drivers licenses, credit cards, to store your medical records, etc. The push is happening as society gets more and more scared to be robbed or of having their identity stolen. It is all going to happen in the name of safety and security.

Not to sound all "Left Behind" or anything, but Christians need to be aware of what's going on. We all need to start preparing for the days ahead. I've never been a conspiracy theorist and I am just now under a pastor that is preaching through the end times faithfully to scripture, so I am still trying to figure out the scenario anyway. My eschatology is very skewed, as was all of my other theology from a lifetime upbringing in the American church and its easy believism/ man centered messages. I do know that Christian persecution is happening now and will only progress. The religion of Islam is on the rise and all kinds of false teachers and false prophets litter the airwaves and pulpits across the globe.

Stand strong Christian and know that God is still on His throne. Nothing is a surprise to Him and He will see His children through to His glory. Stay strong and keep your gaze on Christ and allow Him to direct your path. Be strong, be vigilant and keep proclaiming the truth.

(Also keep tearing out those tags from your clothes. Especially GAP, Old Navy and any of the other off shoots of that company as they embed the tracking chips in their regular tags)

Everything Has Its Time

Day 232 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

I used a picture of these same flowers on Valentines day. These I gave to Chandra since they are her favorite flower. They are holding up quite nicely, a lot longer than I though they would. But, they are also starting to turn different colors and the leaves are beginning to dry out. They are showing that they are dying, as all things living will one day do.

As humans we are always dying, physically. It is a truth of nature that God set into place. Albeit, we are not living as we were intended because of the effects of sin in our lives. Our skin is continually dying as well as every other cell in our bodies. I recently heard that every 1-3 years our bodies are actually replaced by new cells, so we have new bodies that often. But, physically we are dying as our bodies become weaker with age. There is no way around it, we are all part of the ultimate statistic - 10 out of 10 will die.

The important part is what happens after you die. Physically our bodies will turn to dust, as the tulips I pictured today. But what about you? The you that makes your body a living, breathing being? You will go on after your earthly existence is over and there is no way around that. The question is where will you spend eternity? It will be in one of two places and the determining factor is if you trusted in Jesus to save you, if you put your faith in Him to cleanse you of all unrighteousness and gave your life to Him willingly. Acts 4:12 says that Christ is the only Way of salvation.

Many people are deceived in what actual salvation is, though. Many are in the belief that if you just ask Jesus into your heart, say a prayer, are baptized, attend church or do good that you are a Christian and are "saved". They continue to live their lives as they always did, without showing the signs that the New Birth will produce. They cling to a false profession and false affirmations by preachers and Sunday School teachers, but not in Christ. Being saved is much more than being saved from Hell, it is more importantly, being saved from a life that dishonors God and actually repulses Him because of your sinfulness. Only when Jesus' righteousness is imputed on your account are you saved. With that righteousness and justification comes a continual life of sanctification in which God conforms you into the image of His Son. There are no exceptions. When God changes someone, He changes them.

Have you been changed? Or are you living in deception? Have you never heard of the sacrifice of Christ? I would be happy to talk to you about Jesus and point you to Him. I will not ask you to recite a prayer, but will point you to how you may seek God for salvation.

A Study In The Book Of Revelation

Day 205 in my "Year In mY Life Through Pictures" Series.

Tonight we started a study through the book of Revelation at church, for Sunday evening service. This should be really good for me, as all I know is what I was told as a child and what I read in the Left Behind series of books. Now that I know most of my theology was very skewed and mostly incorrect, I really desire to have a true understanding of the revealing to us by the Lord in His Word.

This study will probably end up taking a few months. Tonight was just the introduction and we received a brief overview and exactly how this book needs to be read and digested. Just as any other book of the Bible. We must look at whom it was first written, why it was written, what it meant for them and what it means for us and future generations. So many people want to totally forget about the context of when and who it was written to and thereby having the need to build things into the book that aren't there.

All I know is that God included this book in His Word for us. He meant it for us to apply to our lives and to bring Him glory. To have a correct understanding is not only desirous, but also a necessity. So much of my life I only had what the American church told me and because of that would have went to hell from the lies that I believed. When a supposed "man of God" deems you 'SAVED' why would you question it? Why would I need to? I was good to go. Done it. Was on my way to heaven. Or at least that is what I was told and what was continually fed to me. Just say this prayer was very common to hear during the altar call. "It only takes a few minutes". So much deception in many church buildings and so many deceived people going to hell.

True children of God must stand up against this. To remain silent is actually condoning the behavior. This is not an Arminian vs. Calvinism thing either, this is a spiritual war. We must proclaim the Word in truth and righteousness, not mincing words and apologizing for the Gospel, but loudly proclaiming the true Gospel to every creature. Look for the opportunities in your day that God puts there for you to share His Word and His Good News. Do not be afraid to take up your cross and lay down your life to share the Gospel with a friend, family member, co-worker or worker at the counter in McDonalds.

It is high time that the people of God do what we are commanded to do. Please seek God in His Word and through prayer for understanding in your role as part of the body is. We are all commanded to spread the good news and make disciples, so lets go. We have our first directive, now do it. Await further guidance and faithfully do what you already know you are supposed to do. If Christians really believed God on the effects of sin then we would be more diligent in our command. If we thought about our families spending eternity in hell we would definitley tell them about God more earnestly. One fear casts out another, think of that when you get a little sweaty in anticipation of talking to someone close to you. Do you fear a little ridicule or disdain more than you fear for them being hell forever?

In one short word are we commanded. GO!