Confab Remarks

Nothing New about Blind Politicians

noreply@blogger.com (Poorhouse Dad) — Fri, 28 May 2010 04:22:00 +0000

Reference: I Kings 20. For context, see

II Samuel 7
I Kings 11-12
When you read chapter 20, start at I Kings 16:23

God is pro-death penalty. In fact, God once pronounced the death penalty upon a politician when he made a treaty instead of executing a captured invader.

You can find more than one situation like this in the Bible, but today I focus on Ahab from my daily reading in I Kings 20. Ahab descended from a split and broken line of heretical politicians that started with Solomon.

All this rebellion, destruction, and death started with an interfaith marriage. King David had unified Israel and passed it along to his son Solomon in 1015 BC. We think the "fundamentalist" Mormon cults in the Rocky Mountain states are bad, but Solomon left them in the dust with his 700 wives and 300 concubines. God never explicitly judged anybody for having multiple wives -- perhaps He sees the resulting family conflicts as judgment enough. Polygamy -- more specifically, interfaith political marriages -- led to something far worse: apostasy, breaking up with God.

Solomon's wives, many being from other nations (one nation being Sidon) and other religions, convinced him to worship the gods of their homelands. I suppose a thousand of the most beautiful women in the known world could do that to the average guy. Way to man-up, Sol.

God responded to this spiritual adultery by filing for divorce. God could not remove Solomon from office because He had given His word to David that his son would sit on the throne after him. So the divorce came posthumously in -975 AD. Like a judge who gives the girls to the wife and the boys to the husband, God divided Israel.

Solomon's son Rehoboam got to keep the south while a rebel, Jeroboam, got to take the north. The area of one tribe, Judah, made up the south, while the areas of ten tribes made up the north. (The twelfth and priestly tribe of Levi dispersed among the other eleven tribes.) Naturally, Judah became known as... Judah; and the ten tribes got to keep the family name of Israel. In the successions of rulers, north and south, few learned their lessons.

Ahab had no excuse for not believing God. Ahab ("father's brother") grew up in the home of his idolatrous home of his father, but he also knew of the Torah and had exposure to the prophets of God. As we approach I Kings 20, we find three events that should have convinced anybody:

He had lived through a drought that the prophet Elijah had declared (I Kings 17:1).
In a competition between 850 prophets of idols and one prophet of God, he had seen Elijah pray down fire from God to devour water-drenched sacrifices (18:17-39).
He saw the drought end per Elijah's declaration (18:41-45).

But Ahab perfectly illustrated Jesus' saying in Luke 16:31,

If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

When Ahab married Jezebel, he followed Solomon's error by marrying into the family of the King of Sidon, the capitol of Phoenicia. Ahab had grown up in a house that worshiped foreign gods with fornication and sodomy among their sacraments. Mr. and Mrs. Ahab and Jezebel, however, topped this. They added Baal-worship with its sacrament of infant sacrifice to Israel's sins.

According to I Kings 19:1, after the second and third events listed above, Ahab went home and told Jezebel about the signs God had shown. Jezebel responded by putting out a hit on Elijah. Considering that Ahab had converted once for love's sake, what might have happened if Jezebel had said, "Surely, the Lord is God!" like all the witnesses to the fire did?

Wives, don't underestimate your influence over your husbands. Behind every successful man is.... Well, if you can make 'em, you can break 'em, too. He may one day give account for his leadership, but you will one day account for how you used your influence.

Meanwhile, back in today's reading (chapter 20), King Ahab finds himself quivering in his fortress as King Ben-Hadad ("son of Hadad," the Syrian sun-god) musters the army of Syria outside.

First Ben-Hadad orders Ahab to surrender all his silver, gold, wives, and children. Ahab agrees to comply.

Don't pretend shock. You already know that he practices infant sacrifice. In accordance with custom, Ben-Hadad would probably take the wives for his own and send the children to the best Syrian academies to eventually represent him in the conquered territory of Israel. With wives like Jezebel, Ahab probably thought he got the better end of that bargain. And winding up in the house of a mighty king like Ben-Hadad, Jezebel probably thought she was getting the better deal, too. It was a win-win-win.

However, Ben-Hadad changes the deal. He orders Ahab to let the Syrian soldiers pillage the city. Now, surrendering his money and his family is OK with Ahab, but surrendering his favorite stuff went just too dern far! Ahab ends the parley saying, "Let not one who puts on [as in donning armor for battle] boast like the one who takes [as in removing armor after successful battle]." In other words, don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

The king had put his foot in it. As shown in verse 14, he had no idea how he would defend against Ben-Hadad. God sends a prophet to Ahab to tell him that God will deliver the enemy into his hand, that Ahab may know that God is God.

At the prophet's direction, Ahab musters his little army of 7,000 men and marches out of the city to face Ben-Hadad's army of over 127,000. (How do I get that number? Ben-Hadad returned the following year with an equal number (vs. 24-25). More on that, later.)

In this battle, every Israelite "killed his man," so that's at least 7,000 Syrian foot soldiers. Then Ahab led an attack against Ben-Hadad's chariots, "and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter." Ben-Hadad and his army flee.

Things start to look up for Ahab. God fights on his side. Maybe he will start turning to God.

After the first battle, the prophet warns Ahab, get ready because they'll be back! Sure enough, spring comes and the prophecy holds true. Ben-Hadad returns, but with a new strategy.

The Syrian tacticians decide that the loss happened because God is a hillbilly. That's what you get when your tacticians worship heathen gods. Actually, chariots don't work well in hills country like that around Ahab's capital, and Israel's capitol gives them the high ground, so moving the battle to a plain makes a lot of sense. Once again, Ben-Hadad has vastly overwhelming numerical superiority. Enjoy the word picture:

Now the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, while the Syrians filled the countryside.

Military (or religious) tactics and numerical superiority do not stop God, however. A prophet tells Ahab,

Thus says the LORD: Because the Syrians have said, "The LORD is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys," therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.

The battle begins. The little army of Israel kills 100,000 foot soldiers (vs. 29), the rest flee, and God kills another 27,000 in an "accident" (vs. 30). That's where I got the 127,000 for the first battle.

Ahab has seen miracle after miracle. Do you think maybe this trip from doom to miraculous victory would crack open Ahab's heart? Not a chance. When Israel captures Ben-Hadad, he and Uncle Ahab call each other "brother" and make a treaty. 127,000 men dead and they just walk away.

God hates false religions and false gods to which people give honor that belongs to Him alone. False gods keep people condemned and separated from God. God delivers into Ahab's hands the ruler of a region that God had once given to Israel, a man that oppresses Israel, a man with the conceit to call himself the son of a god, a man who insults God... and Ahab lets him go.

A prophet calls him on it, saying,

Thus says the LORD: Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.

God signed Ben-Hadad's death warrant and Ahab failed to execute the sentence. Doing so, Ahab signed his own death warrant.

Of all the lessons in I Kings 20, this one stands out to me tonight: One day, our judges, the politicians who appointed them -- and the people who elected the politicians -- will answer to God for the murderers, rapists, and traitors they allowed to live and even released to repeat their crimes. The jurisdiction to exact justice lies with God, not us. But, whether in this life or in the next, they will pay.

Tom Cruise on Scientology

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:46:00 +0000

http://www.cinematical.com/2008/01/15/the-tom-cruise-recruitment-video-scientology-tried-to-hide/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol1I3E3-pHY

Sounds a lot like you could insert Christianity wherever they talk about scientology in most parts of this video. I'm sure Cruise leaves a lot out and I'm sure there's a lot they're not telling Cruise.

"In Spirit and In Truth": Something More to Share

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 20:53:00 +0000

"In Spirit and In Truth": Something More to Share

Languages of Versions of the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:07:00 +0000

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ConfessionsOfAnUnchurchedBeliever/~3/211888086/something-more-to-share.html

Some say the KJV is better because of its language. It is true that the modern English language seems to be going somewhat downhill with a lot of people - not that that's a bad thing completely - it's just that there won't be so much beauty to words and appreciation for words if the English language eventually turns into text message and IM language where words aren't fully spelled out.

I believe that proper English speech and grammar are very important and should have more importance in schools (even though I'm not the best at practicing them - I wish I were). This said, some people might prefer the KJV because they think of it as proper English and don't like the way newer versions are cutting down the text, like the NLT.

I appreciate the KJV even more for its language because it's part of history and I think the language is beautiful. Besides, I think that reading and interpreting (or gaining understanding from what you read) should not always be easy. If you have a harder time reading the KJV, maybe it will motivate you that much more to look for its meaning and search for God's purpose in it.

A version is not more or less accurate based on its language and whether or not it's more relative to the current day. Much of the Bible seems to be irrelevant to modern day, but it isn't (that's another topic in itself). What we should base the accuracy of a version on is its content. How much of it has been changed? How accurate are the changes? Is it translated or paraphrased? etc.

Have a Great Day!

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:38:00 +0000

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas - A funny Video

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 23:04:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8&eurl=http://simplysage.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-fun.html

Found this video here: http://simplysage.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-fun.html

Some great photos!

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 22:44:00 +0000

http://imac-photosfromthemindseye.blogspot.com/2007/12/norfolk-gardens-post-1.html

These are just absolutely beautiful and breath taking photos!

Ice

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:16:00 +0000

http://hoodphotography.blogspot.com/2007/12/v-is-for.html

OOOOOOOO!!!!! How beautiful! I love ice! I've posted some pics of ice on my blog but none as beautiful as this! I'll post some more of ice soon!

Christian Themes in Writing

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:19:00 +0000

http://writingright-martin.blogspot.com/2007/12/handling-spiritual-thread-in-christian.html

As a quick note I'd like to say that I have read and reviewed Gail's new book on Christian romance writing and I highly recommend it.

As far as her post goes, I highly agree that stories should not preach the Christian message to the point where it annoys the reader. This will push the reader away. Another thing that is important to me is that stories be realistic. We don't go around preaching in real life and people are not converted to Christianity in a short amount of time in real life. I just saw a Christmas program the other day that I did not like because after one song about the Christmas story everyone came to know Christ. The song was very powerful, but the ending ruined it for me, especially since everyone present was clapping and screaming throughout the song in "excitement and joy for God."

Homosexuality

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:36:00 +0000

http://msp31wannabe.blogspot.com/2007/12/something-fun-quiz.html

If you look at the comments on the post above, you'll see a discussion about homosexuality.

As far as homosexuality goes, I'm with Shalene. For certain reasons and for Biblical reasons I believe it is wrong, but I also believe that although Jesus would not have us embrace them as leaders in the church he would have us embrace them in love. I also believe that our sinful nature affects many things, including our chemical makeup. Although it may be proven that many are born with homosexuality, those born with it still have a choice. I know this from personal experience. I will always support equality of all people and I will always support gay people in love, even if I don't support their lifestyle. If I ever had a child who was a homosexual I would still love them. I would not feel like a failed parent because I know God is always in cotnrol and will work things out for His glory and in His way not for my glory or in my way.

A Bible Quiz

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:24:00 +0000

I found this quiz through http://msp31wannabe.blogspot.com/2007/12/something-fun-quiz.html

You know the Bible 98%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

Gail Martin

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:56:00 +0000

http://gailmartin.blogspot.com/2007/12/relationship-between-tears-and-laughter.html

It's fun to laugh at our stupid mistakes! I also always find great joy in remembering what it felt like to think everything was going wrong and then to be pulled out of the pit by God who is above all things.

Worship for men?

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 18:25:00 +0000

http://www.churchformen.com/leadstory.php

I like the premise of this article because it points out that there are differences in worship styles depending on sex, background, and personality (it focuses on sex). However, I don't like it's proposed solution to the problem (that churches are too feminised and men don't go to church because it means being sissy). It suggests that men should come first in everything at the church and that worship should be more directed towards men. I disagree. I believe the worship plan, among other things, should be balanced between female and male characteristics. The article says the women in churches that focus on men don't mind this change, but I believe that neither male nor female should be put above one or the other.

Worship of all Types

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 18:10:00 +0000

http://locustsandhoney.blogspot.com/2006/11/men-and-contemporary-worship.html

I don't see feminization in the church, but I do believe that in general many men have different worship preferences compared to women because of their personalities and background. I believe that worship is about honoring God, but that doesn't mean we can't try to accomodate those people with different preferences. There are ways to do this that don't involve becoming sexist or ignoring God. You would still filter what you use in a service through the Bible. I would suggest that whats sex you are can affect your personality as well.
By the way, I'm female and I don't like more feely contemporary music very much. I feel pressured in that environment to become emotional. I'd much rather focus on the words of the songs and what they mean and what God is trying to teach to me, but seeing others dance about distracts me from this. I think I would be better off if churches that do have more contemprary music still included a traditional song here and there and liturical elements such as repsonsive readings every once in a while. I think a good church is about balance and most importantly about praising the Lord. It's hard for me to become part of a body and community when I feel like a church is excluding worship that fits my personality type.
ANother note, I used to be more judgmental of contemporary worship and traditional worship, but I'm slowing learning that what type of worship you prefer depends on your personality, not on doctrine.

Worship

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:59:00 +0000

Here are some good posts I found on another blog about worship:

http://www.founders.org/blog/2005/10/word-regulated-worship.html

http://www.founders.org/blog/2005/10/more-thoughts-on-worship.html

http://www.founders.org/blog/2005/10/authentic-worship.html

The Golden Compass and Atheists

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:09:00 +0000

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/december/12.36.html#related

I don't understand how you can say the world is just physical (atheist view) and say there are absolutes (such as the virtues mentioned in this article) at the same time. If the world is only physical, we live pointless existences and there are no absolute morals or virtues. In which case the main belief would focus on survival of fittest, doing what you want, and believing what you want. This would be a chaotic world. In this sort of world, only society determines what's right and wrong. What then, makes society right?

What's your form of worship?

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 01:43:00 +0000

http://www.sacchurch.org/action-steps/sacred_pathways.htm

Harmony -Based on your responses to the Sacred Pathways Assessment, your temperament favors a Naturalist approach to worship.

Intellectual

23

Contemplative

21

Enthusiast

18

Caregiver

19

Activist

13

Ascetic

24

Traditionalist

14

Sensate

17

Naturalist

28

The information contained in this online assessment has been borrowed from the following book:"Sacred Pathways" by Gary L. Thomas© Copyright Zondervan Publishing, 2002click here to purchase this and other books by Gary Thomas, from Amazon.com
Summary of spiritual temperaments:
Intellectual - Loving God with the Mind:These Christians live in the world of concepts. They may feel closest to God when they first understand something new about Him.

Contemplative - Loving God through Adoration:These Christians seek to love God with the purest, deepest, and brightest love imaginable. They want nothing more than some privacy and quiet to gaze upon the face of their heavenly Lover and give all of themselves to God.

Enthusiast - Loving God with Mystery & Celebration:Excitement and mystery in worship is the spiritual lifeblood of enthusiasts. They are inspired by joyful celebration; cheerleaders for God and the Christian life. They don't want to just know concepts, but to experience them, to feel them, and to be moved by them. They like to let go and experience God on the precipice of excitement and awe.

Caregiver - Loving God by Loving Others:Caregivers serve God by serving others. They often claim to see Christ in the poor and needy, and their faith is built up by interacting with other people. Caring for others recharges a caregiver's batteries.

Activist - Loving God Through Confrontation:These Christians define worship as standing against evil and calling sinners to repentance. They are energized more by interaction with others, even in conflict, than by being alone or in small groups. Activists are spiritually nourished through the battle.

Ascetic - Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity:Ascetics want nothing more than to be left alone in prayer. Let there be nothing to distract them--no pictures, no loud music--and leave them alone to pray in silence and simplicity.

Traditionalist - Loving God Through Ritual and Symbol:Traditionalists are fed by what are often termed the historic dimensions of faith: rituals, symbols, sacraments, and sacrifice. They tend to have a disciplined life of faith and have a need for ritual and structure.

Sensate - Loving God with the Senses:Sensate Christians want to be lost in the awe, beauty, and splendor of God. They are drawn particularly to the liturgical, the majestic, the grand. They want to be filled with sights, sounds, and smells that overwhelm them. The five senses are God's most effective inroad to their hearts.

Naturalist - Loving God Out of Doors:The naturalist seeks to leave the formal architecture and the padded pews to enter an entirely new "cathedral", a place that God himself has built: the out-of-doors.

Dumbledore is Gay

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 16:26:00 +0000

http://hogwartsprofessor.com/?p=196#more-196

J.K. Rowling has officially announced that her Harry Potter books are based on a Christian worldview. However, I also ran into the following article:

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071020/ap_en_ot/books_harry_potter

That's right, Dubledore is gay. At first it kind of ruined my good opinion of the books, but then I started to think about it. Rowling says it was love that broke Dumbledore's heart, so I like to think that he realized his mistake and turned from it. Rowling also said that she was trying to promote tolerance of gay people. I like to think that she meant that gay people should not be discriminated against, but it's still a sin to be gay. I'm not against gay people. I'm against their actions, but I won't let that keep me from treating them like human beings. I don't know. I'm tending to think that Rowling is one of those, it's not a sin to be gay, people who think gay people have their rightful place in the church without repentence.

There is a God

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 02:24:00 +0000

http://lancessoulsearching.blogspot.com/

Pavarotti Dies

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:57:00 +0000

I'm depressed!

http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615637110x4311772157x4298164926/aol?redir=http%3A//news.aol.com/entertainment/music/story/ar/_a/luciano-pavarotti-has-died-says-manager/20070905142309990001%3Fncid%3DNWS00010000000001

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070906/ap_en_mu/pavarotti_reax

http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615637110x4311772157x4298164926/aol?redir=http%3A//news.aol.com/entertainment/music/story/ar/_a/luciano-pavarotti-has-died-says-manager/20070905142309990001%3Fncid%3DNWS00010000000001

New Blog, Again

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 23:39:00 +0000

I've started a new blog because it's an assignment for my computers class. The description is below. http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/

The name of this blog is "Segway'n Through College." I've given it this name because I own a segway which I have named Brooklyn. I bought the segway as a means of transportation for college as well as a means of stress relief. Right now I am taking a computers class which requires me to start a new blog as an assignment, so here is my new blog!!! I already have three other blogs at http://atthestudy.blogspot.com/ http://declarationphotos.blogspot.com/ and http://confabremarks.blogspot.com/. I will often post the same stuff on this blog that I will post on my other blogs. Still, this blogs has a specific purpose and that is college life, so I will be focusing on my segway adventures and my college experiences. I will often post devotionals and things I write for classes. Since my computers class also deals with ethics I will post my views and opinions on current events and popular trends and well as on my own interests.I'd like to start with a devotional I wrote as I entered college. I also thought it appropriate because it starts out talking about computers.

Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 13:12:00 +0000

http://freedomofthespirit.blogspot.com/2007/08/practicing-presence-by-max-lucado.html

I love Max Lucado. He always has so much to say that reminds me of God's love and what God requires of me. Thanks for posting this. It's a great reminder for me. I'm not very good at praying out loud, in fact, I don't like praying in front of others. I feel fake about it. But when I'm alone with God I feel genuine. THe only problem is I don't pray too often. I forget to pray in the morning and in the night and during the day. When I remember to pray my thoughts often trail off to other places. I guess I'll just have to make more of an effort and pray that God will help me in my prayer efforts and make my prayers genuine.

Unconformity

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 13:03:00 +0000

http://confessionsofanunchurchedbeliever.blogspot.com/2007/08/unconformity.html

I suppose I should take your advice when it comes to college. I just started on Monday and will probably get used to a certain kind of schedule of studying. But I'll have to remember to take time out for God still and to take time out for myself to relax every once in a while as well.

Cross Country Trip

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:00:00 +0000

Well I'm at college now. I drove cross country and took LOTS of pictures. I'll be posting them on and off over the next month or so. I've been taking lots of pictures and will be posting them at my photo blog: http://declarationphotos.blogspot.com/

On my Way

noreply@blogger.com (NYCindividual) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:03:00 +0000

I'm on my way to college this week, so I won't be posting very often. Feel free to check out older posts.