Herculean Reflections

WFW: Cultural Mandate?

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Shame on me. I haven't participated in Jean's great meme in ... forever. But then again, I also haven't been doing any blog work whatsoever, which means I have also neglected (for several weeks) my own meme, Founding Father's Quote Friday. I don't know if I will ever get back into the blogging saddle any time in the near future. So don't worry; my absence (total silence for that matter) doesn't necessarily mean that the USCC Facility has gotten me yet! ;) Soon, I hope to post a video for a future WFW, citing several portions of Scripture dealing with the state of the church in the Last Days.

Today, I would like to just write about something that I have been thinking about for a while, concerning one of the pieces of Scripture that is often called the "culture mandate." It is Matthew 5:13-16:

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

This passage, which states that Christians are the salt and light of the earth, is, as I have just said, referred to as the "culture mandate." Now, as we are so often prone to do, we accept such explanations concerning the Scripture, when such explanations sound good to us, and we take such claims for granted, and consider them to be true. This is what I did rather unconsciously until I found myself thinking through this "salt and light" passage again, particularly in light of its context. While this statement has been used to encourage Christian in the United States to "get out of the shaker" and take an active part in the political process, in education, and in media (and it is commendable that Christians take part in these things and propagate godly standards in those places of life), that is not the command that Christ is trying to give us here.

Notice that Jesus does not say "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt stays in the shaker, how shall the earth be seasoned?" Notice now, what He does say: "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?" The last clause may be read accurately both ways: "If the salt loses its flavor, how shall it [earth] be seasoned?" and "If the salt loses its flavor, how shall it [the salt] be seasoned?" The implied answer is, of course, nothing else can season the earth, because nothing else can season the salt of the earth.

Jesus is not telling us to go out into the world and change our culture for Him. I think that, compared to our Great Commission, which is preaching the Gospel to every creature and making disciples of every nation, is of far greater importance and urgency in God's eyes, than keeping the culture afloat.

This is the thing I think that many believers in America are missing. Polls reveal that American Christians find it easier to discuss politics than the Gospel, and that Christians are more associated with conservative political views than with the power of Christ that transforms lives. I think that we have so under-emphasized that Gospel, and that we are trying so hard to maintain the shell of a Christian culture, that was the product, and not the cause, of an active working of Christ and the message of the Gospel in our nation's past.

We forget that God's intent for America was not to bring democracy and prosperity to the nations of the world. It was to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the earth. We are missing that. All of us need to repent of this sin that we have committed, by putting country and patriotism before Christ, and in effect, taking from the reverence that our nation should hold for Him.

Rather than simply making the point of this post a correction of some wrong ideas, I would like to present a personal challenge to my readers (including myself -- didn't you know I read my own posts? :D): are we doing what we can to be salt and light? Are we tasteless? Do we hid beneath our baskets? Are we letting our good works shine before men, and if so, are we doing it so that our Father in heaven may receive the glory, or do we have other reasons for doing good works?

Word For Wednesday is hosted by akaGaGa at Yeah, Right ... Check out her blog for more information!

WFW: Why the Gospel Is Different from the Religions of the World

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:47:00 +0000

For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find them a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

I thank God -- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Romans 7:19 - 8:4

It seems that the prevailing message in our culture today is that all religions are the same, worship the same god, present the same basic message, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. I am surprised to hear, every now and then, that this view is tolerated, to some degree, by those with prominent standing in the 'evangelical Christian' community. How many times have you heard of distinguished evangelists and mega-church leaders ashamed to say that without Christ, an individual cannot be saved, no matter nobly sincere they may be in their religion? Examples of postmodernism becoming prevalent in the Western churches are frequently being pushed in our faces by the secular media, especially the news outlets, who wish to convince the world that Christianity has nothing significant to offer, since it is just like all other religions.

But I do not wish to simply combat more false views in the post. (It seems that the majority of what I write is an effort to convince the majority that the majority of what they believe is false. Not that combating error is a bad thing; but, there are other equally worthy, if not better, reasons for writing.) Here, I wish to bring out what makes the Gospel of Christ different from the religion of the world. I wish to remind myself and other Christians why we believe, because such reminders help us to be continually grateful to God, and to guard ourselves against the deceitfulness of sin, which is the foundation of the world's belief system.

The above passage from Romans summarizes the whole essence of the Gospel. Man, upon observing the moral perfection of the law of God, agrees that it is good and right. Man's conscience, whether the individual ultimately cooperates with it or not, affirms what his intellect discerns as true and good. And yet in spite of all his good intentions to follow those standards, he finds that his natural desires hold a greater sway over his sense of duty.

The various religions and belief systems of the world are the responses that mankind has had to this obvious dilemma. Some religions set up a system of good works, religious rites, denial and/or abuse of the body, sacrifices to false deities, and so on. And then there is the secularist attempt to deal with the problem, by denying that it even exists; it disposes of the possibility of God's existence, and of a discoverable and universally absolute moral standard.

But the Gospel of Christ fixes the problem. It doesn't cover a dirty wall with a new coat of paint; it cleans the wall, repairs it, and then paints it. Christ's blood doesn't just cover our sins; His blood forgives us and cleanses us. He gives us new desires; He gives us a heart after His heart. We are then to walk according to the new spirit that He gives us through conversion. When we are converted, our spirit is changed; our flesh remains the same. But because our spirit is changed, we do the righteous works of God. The hope that we have, according to the Scripture, our body will be transformed also, when we are reunited with the Lord.

Herein lies the power of the Gospel. And if the Gospel were nothing, it would not change so many people. And if the Gospel were nothing, those who oppose it would not be so afraid or concerned about it.

Word For Wednesday is hosted by Yeah, Right ... Go there for more!

WFW: The Importance of Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:23:00 +0000

A recent and prominent theme in sermons at my church has been the importance of giving thanks to God, and remembering to always have an attitude of gratitude for His promises, blessings, and oversight, in good times, in bad times, and in difficult situations.

I recently maintained on my FFQF post that America is indebted to God and God alone for her existence, and her success. When our politicians eloquently praise the virtues of the people, and laud man's accomplishments in creating our country, and then perhaps give a little credit on the sidelines to God (and they insure that their identification of the Deity is amorphous and undefined -- can't offend anybody, you know), they are reflecting their own ingratitude, as well as the ingratitude of our nation in general. If you challenge that statement, all you have to do is look at the way the nation responds to God's standards, both moral and spiritual.

But I think that even we Christians can fall into ungratefulness; things don't go the way they should, or they way we want them to. We become wrapped up, so to speak, in our little problems, and we forget all about the One who is to be the center of our attention. And furthermore, we miss out on what God has in store for us, if we just humply called upon Him, and waited for His answer, and His provision.

As we are finding out in our investigation of the Scriptures, God intentionally places a great emphasis upon calling upon His name in the time of our troubles, for thanking Him in advance, and for thanking Him after we have seen the answer, taking no credit to ourselves. Here are some passages of Scripture that bring this truth out:

First of all, it tells us that it is because of the choice of men to be ungrateful to God that they have fallen away, and that God has given those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, when they should know better, up to unrighteousness:

Romans 1:18-23:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who supress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, beause, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man ..."

Next we see the importance of giving God thanks, from the beginning to the end of the day.

Psalm 92:1-2
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night ...

Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:1-4, 18-19
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. ...

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one anoter in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Read more about Word For Wednesday on Yeah, Right ....

WFW: What Does God Honor?

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:06:00 +0000

"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:23-24

"Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,"
Says the LORD.
"But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word."
Isaiah 66:1-2

For your listening enjoyment ...

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:27:00 +0000

A number of you saw and enjoyed the music video that I posted not too long ago. I would like to share with you a few more gems from the Tangle website. Enjoy!

Abide With Me - Libera

Be Still My Soul - Libera

Once in Royal David's City - Libera and Aled Jones

Gaudate - Libera

O Holy Night - Aled Jones and Libera

Te Lucis (Before the Ending)

And finally, I found this while searching for this wonderful Wesleyan hymn. I love the words.

Jesus, Lover of My Soul - Aled Jones

WFW: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:54:00 +0000

(Sorry that this post is a day late, Jean. :( But, better late than never, I suppose!).

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Notice here that Paul does NOT say that he does not examine himself; in fact, he penned the following instruction in his second Corinthian epistle under the inspiration of the Spirit:

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Notice that Paul addressed the above to Christians, not to unbelievers. He is telling them to examine themselves, to see if they are in The Faith, if Jesus Christ is in them. If the answer is "yes," then all we need to do is keep our eyes on Jesus. We are His stewards commissioned to do His service; therefore, He is the one who decides if our service is sufficient. If we need to amend, He has His ways of letting us know.

If we are continually "judging ourselves," we begin to think and live self-centeredly (what? that's not a word?). We take our eyes of Jesus, and we lose sight of our goal -- staying focused on Him, believing what He says even when we don't see it with our eyes, and doing what He says. Like Peter, we become concerned about the wind and waves around us, and we foolishly worry about our ability to walk on stormy waters; when in fact, it is through Christ that we walk on water.

We must keep our eyes on Him. We should not seek the approval of others, or even of ourselves. We should seek HIS. And the Scriptures make it clear what is necessary to be pleasing in His sight.

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

The Word for Wednesday meme has moved to Jean's blog, "Yeah, Right ..." Please visit to see who else has participated!

TWFW: A Heavenly Country

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:43:00 +0000

With the signs of the end of the age coming closer and closer at hand, this Scripture from Hebrews 11 has been recurring to me, and for this week, I intended to post it. It just so happens that my family and I read this passage together during our devotions for this Wednesday morning:

By faith he [Abraham] dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ... These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:9,13-16

Having this on my mind, I often find myself humming the last stanza of the British patriotic hymn, "I Vow to Thee My Country." The first two stanzas sing the praises of the author's country (which would be England), and I think that it's taken a bit too far. However, the last verse speaks of the Heavenly Country, the one which far surpasses any of the pitiful glories of our earthly habitation:

And there's another country I've heard of long ago,
Most great to them that love it, most dear to them that know;
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
And soul by soul, and silently, her shining bounds increase,
And her ways are ways of gentleness,
And all her paths are PEACE.

The melody to this hymn comes from a portion of Gustav Holst's rousing composition, "Jupiter" from his work, "The Planet Suite." You can play or download it here, courtesy of FreePlayMusic.com. At 3 minutes and 15 seconds into the music is the melody to this verse. Please listen, and sing along!

TWFW: Change of Heart = Conversion

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:49:00 +0000

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind [that is, your intellect and will], that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Matthew 15:18-19
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
(Notice here that what Jesus just listed the things forbidden in the Ten Commandments. Notice also that He listed "evil thoughts" first. The evil contents of man's heart produce evil desires and evil thoughts in him, and from that starting point comes the commission of the crimes.)

Luke 6:45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Conversion is more than a change of opinion. Conversion is a change of heart, for according to the above Scriptures, the heart is the spring of action, and the spring of man's nature. Being a Christian does not mean that we sin, only our sins are forgiven forever. No; being a Christian means being fundamentally changed. Your nature is substituted for God's, and the things we practice in our meditations, words, and actions reveal the extent to which God has changed us.

Why didn't Ron Paul win the election??

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:29:00 +0000

Why oh why oh why???? Maybe it wouldn't have saved our country from its inevitable downfall, but at least we wouldn't have the Federal Reserve ripping us to bits.

Instead, we voted in a guy who carried with him nothing good but good slogans. We had absolutely no idea what they meant, but by gar they sure sounded good! We had a whole generation that just graduated from the government indoctrination camps, and they did their patriotic duty to vote the government into government again. They always know what they're doing, right? They always know how to fix the problems, right?

OK, here is the meaning behind those popular slogans:

HOPE -- Hope that you keep your job so you can pay the taxes and pay the bankers and pay the Fed and pay your social security. If you don't, we'll bail out the bad bankers who gave you bad loans.

CHANGE -- Changing the value of change, forcing our country to give up its own currency, and adopt a UN global currency instead. After all, there's no better way to solve a crisis than creating a crisis to solve!

BRIGHT FUTURE -- Kablooey.

SUNSHINE --

Be Still For the Presence of the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:35:00 +0000

I found this beautiful rendition of the great song, "Be Still for the Presence of the Lord," sung by Aled Jones. The choir in the background is the amazing soprano boy choir, Libera.

I wish I could find more on the history of this hymn. It's one of my favorites!

Word for Wednesday: Philippians 1:3-11

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:34:00 +0000

Philippians 1:3-11 may sound like a formal greeting to the Philippian Christians, but it is so full of the Gospel:

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Word For Wednesday: The Just Shall Live By Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:43:00 +0000

This statement in Scripture, repeated throughout the Bible, has been recurring to me lately. I thought I'd share it with you all:

Habakkuk 2:2-4:
Then the LORD answered me and said:
"Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith."

Romans 1:16-17:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Galatians 3:10-14:
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Hebrews 10:35-39:
Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
"For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him."
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

"All them preachers want is yer money" ...

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:41:00 +0000

Do you have any friends or relatives who refuse to read the Bible or go to church every time you nag them, and their biggest excuse is, "Preachers just want your money, and that's it. They are greedy for your money."

Someone once told me that the next time she was offered that lame excuse, she was going to question them about their doctor's bill. "When you go to see the doctor because your head hurts, does he ASK for a kindly donation for his services, or does he DEMAND that you pay the hefty bill for telling you that you just had a bad headache?" If anyone has ever watched televangelists or been to church, there is no bill, or demand to pay up. At most, they politely ask for donations, and willingly receive gifts. You are not stopped at the door and forced to empty your pockets.

Well, if Ray Comfort accepted Richard Dawkins' invitation to debate him, he'd have to pay more than your expensive doctor's bill. Dawkins wants Ray Comfort to "donate" a whopping $100,000 to debate with him.

Dawkins has lost the debate before it has even started. So, he may as well get his money's worth off of Comfort, he reasons.

But Comfort is taking it all in stride. He offers $20,000 for the privilege of debating with him.

You can read the rest of this story here, at World Net Daily. I got the link to this story at Ray Comfort's old but running blog.

Pass this one on to all your skeptic friends. :) All them atheists want in yer money.

Word for Wednesday: 1 John 2:3-11

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:55:00 +0000

I have been going through the three epistles of John, and have been meditating on them lately. The permeating theme in these letters is "love" -- that is, God's definition, and not the world's. Love is the nature of God. All of His justice, mercy, glory -- all of these atributes spring from His perfect love.

Since God is love, we, having been born again to Him are to partake of His nature. God wants us to be perfected in love. Love is the mark of the true believer, for it cannot be counterfeited or faked for long, especially in the hour of trial. God tests the hearts, and He knows how much we truly love Him and love those who have fellowship with Him.

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Word For Wednesday: Isaiah 55

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:51:00 +0000

I read this chapter recently.

Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you --
The sure mercies of David. ...

Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55: 1-3, 5-11

Please visit Jean at Mohawk Valley Christians to learn more about the "Word for Wednesday" meme.

Word For Wednesday: 2 Peter 1:2-11

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:11:00 +0000

I read this yesterday, and wanted to share it with you all, as I participate in Jean's meme, Word for Wednesday.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I put the phrase "for this very reason" in bold, to bring out a fact that can be so easily missed as we read this verse. Peter charges us to add to our faith virtue, and so on and so forth. It is the human tendency to suddenly take such charges as some sort of legalistic charge, to work something up that we don't have, that we may gain something from God. But according to the context -- specifically, the first portion of the chapter, Jesus Christ, by His glory and power has already given these things to those who have put their faith in Him (after all, don't virtue, knowledge, self-control, etc. pertain to "life and godliness"?). This fact makes sense when we also notice that Peter says to add to our faith.

Of course, these things must be exercised diligently, as this passage exhorts us. We do not simply wait for a lightning bolt from the sky, and *BANG!* we are filled with everything from virtue to brotherly love.

One of the interesting things about God is that He always wants the submission of the will of man. He is not satisfied with outward works, with grudging concessions; rather, he wants the will and the heart of man. It is even more interesting to think along this line, keeping in mind that God created man as a "free-will creature." The original purpose, it seems, for the creation of man, was the voluntary service and willing worship of beings fully capable of reason, of choice, and of love.

And as we see in this passage, love is the end and aim of all things.

"Love is the fulfillment of the law." Romans 13:10

"Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." 1 John 4:7-8

Well, there is your Word for Wednesday!

Al Gore actually put on his mittens today ...

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:34:00 +0000

when he spoke at this conference:

Hat-tip to Patriot Humor. Their caption for this image is:

Despite the severe winter storm warnings, these demonstrators are making ready for Al Gore's appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday morning to testify on the "urgent need" to combat global warming.

ROFL!!! I guess they are combating it pretty well!

The only thing I find strange, is that the northeastern states are supposed to be those most sympathetic to ultra-liberal, whiny hanky-wavers like Al Gore. But how can we be that stupid?!?! (I'm excluding myself, of course.) Here in New York, our temperatures plummet below the ordinary winters temps of Alaska!

At this point, my toes are literally numb, and I'm stuck trying to figure out how "global warming" can make sense to my local New Yorkers! Oh wait ... they all work for the school board and the government. That means they get paid winter vacations to Florida. That means they probably don't freeze their toes off. That accounts for their shameful ignorance.

Problem solved! I always knew that my blogging helped somebody think around here, even me.

Keep fighting the good fight, fellow New-Yorkers! Don't let the cold take your toes in the name of global freezing!

Your Not-So-Typical Sunday Sermon

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 04:41:00 +0000

This is not preaching that is popular on TBN, or even in most churches in America today. But it is the message that Christ preached. He attracted large crowds, but now we now why He also did and still does attract the hatred of a sinful world.

I hope these sermons bless and encourage all who hear them.

Word For Wednesday: Matthew 7:13-27

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:32:00 +0000

Today, my friend Jean over at Yeah, Right ... has announced that she has started a great Bible meme today, called "Word for Wednesday." Instead of a meme that has only a picture for a post and no words, she has decided to replace the Word of God with images -- a good policy :).

So, I have decided to participate. Any Christian blogger can participate. Simply select a text of Scripture, and post it on your blog. And be sure to check back with jean at her great blog Mohawk Valley Christians, and leave a comment on her meme post for Wednesday, with a link to your post.

The verse I would like to share today is one that has never ceased to amaze me. These are the words of Jesus, from Matthew 7:13-27:

(13-14) Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Many of us are familiar with this verse; many of us, no doubt, have used this verse, reciting it from memory, for evangelism. However, I think that many of our distinguished evangelists today have forgotten it.

I am amazed that some of the most acclaimed ministers in the Christian evangelical community, when challenged about their views on Jesus, heaven, hell, and who will end up where, out of one side of their mouth they say they whole-heartedly agree with the scripture where Jesus declares that "no one comes to the Father except through Me," but out of the other side of their mouth, they openly assert that God may allow those who do not repent and believe the Gospel (it is Jews and Muslims who are usually named) may very well be admitted into heaven! Their explanation? "I cannot judge their heart, only God can; therefore, I cannot decide who will and who won't enter heaven, because only God knows their heart."

What?!?!?!? Just because you can't judge their heart means that God might make some exceptions to His sacred word?? Is it not impossible for Him to lie? God does not judge people by their intentions (it seems that "heart" in our modern vocabulary is synonymous with "good intentions" -- that definition is grossly contrary to Scripture). He judges us by our fruits.

Grand coincidence! Guess what Jesus says next?

(15-19) Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

No, we are not just poor ol' sinners saved by grace, who go to heaven because God knows that we had good intentions. Good intentions were not an issue to Jesus when He said that "every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

This raises the question, "What exactly are the fruits that are evidence of being a 'good tree'?" If Jesus asks us to judge the good from the bad (good and false teachers in this case), what kind of fruits is Jesus pleased with?

I think it has become popular in the mainstream American Christian community to judge ministers and teachers by their "success" rate (i. e., how many people attend their church, etc.), or by the wonders and supernatural manifestations that are evident in their minstry. While these things are important in their proper place, this is not the method by which we are to judge others or ourselves, according to Jesus. And if we think about it, it is a dangerous way to judge, misleading people into heresy, and possibly, eternal damnation. Harken to the next statement by Jesus:

Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord," have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

Youch. Scary.

There is a general cry among Christians in America for revival. When we picture revival, we picture one or two things: large crowds on their knees asking Jesus into their hearts, and/or supernatural manifestations of power and healing. To us, this is our picture of revival, and it seems that we have put every means in our power to generate these kinds of outcomes.

But if we are really honest with ourselves, we realize that all of our attempts to work up revival have done very little to change the face of our nation. The Church in America still wallows in the mire of immorality and of the humanism that produced it, and the rest of us can't seem to find the emotional booster to get us excited about the things of God.

And then we look at the passage above, and realize that not even the wonder-workers can get into Heaven on account of their miraculous works. Heck, these people prophesied! They cast out demons, et cetera, et cetera! Isn't that the common perception of the highest degree of spirituality among so many Christians today?

Many preachers whose ministries have revolved around signs and wonders have come and gone, without leaving revival in their wake. Many of these ministers, I am regretful to say, did not lead holy lives, and when their depravity was made known to the world, their so-called "revivals" came to a screeching halt, and once again, the name of Christ was blasphemed among the ungodly. Signs and wonders do not bring revival. Signs and wonders are not always a sure proof that God is working, because the Scriptures speak of a time when there will be a great apostasy, that is, a falling away, in which even God's elect will be in danger of being deceived, by the false signs and wonders which "the beast of Revelation" will perform in the eyes of the world (2 Thessalonians 2).

You want to know what God is looking for? Do you want to know what His will is? Here is a big part of it, that the Christian Church in our country would do well to heed:

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. ... For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
1 Peter 2:11-12, 15-16

Why has the American Churh miserably failed to do this? A big part of it is that we have believed and preached a false Gospel, and many who call themselves Christians are not genuine Christians. I will not expound on the particulars here, but I will recommend a sermon by Paul Washer from seven years back, in 2002, preached on this very selection from Matthew. Using Scirpture and plain common sense, he makes havock of the modern method of evangelism, saying that all it involves is a little prayer, but no repentance, no change of heart.

It is not enough to "believe" in Jesus. In fact, I think that we have the wrong definition of "believe" to begin with. The Bible commands us to believe, but it's definition of believe is much different than ours. According to the Bible, real belief (James would call it "living faith," as opposed to dead faith, which is no more faith than a dead body is a human being) produces action. The modern concept of "belief" and "faith" is simply mental assent. To agree that Jesus is God, died for sin, rose from the dead, etc., is not enough to make one a Christian. Heck, the devil knows all those things for a sure fact! But he is not saved anymore than the person who refuses to repent from sin, and seek to know God.

That was the complaint of Christ on the last day, against those who thought they were saved: "I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity."

If we do not know Christ (and if we know Christ, we will not practice iniquity), than we are not fit to be in the place where He is. Knowing Him is what Jesus says constitutes eternal life. "And this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." John 17:3

If we truly believe in Jesus, we will do what He says. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments.

(24-27) Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that hous; and it fell. And great was its fall.

Do you know Him? Are you seeking to know Him more? Do you love his holiness? Do you walk in His ways?

"Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity ..." Jeremiah 29:12-14

The Exhortation of Scripture

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:53:00 +0000

"Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the LORD, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,"
Says the LORD of hosts.

"But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner's fire
And like launderers' soap.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness.

Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the LORD,
As in the days of old,
As in former years."

... "Your words have been harsh against Me,"
Says the LORD,
"Yet you say,
'What have we spoken against You?'
You have said,
'It is useless to serve God;
What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance,
And that we have walked as mourners
Before the LORD of hosts?
So now we call the proud blessed,
For those who do wickedness are raise up;
They even tempt God and go free.'"
Malachi 3:1-4, 13-15

"‘And it shall come to pass in all the land,’ says the LORD, ‘that two thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, "This is My people," and each one will say "The LORD is my God.’"
Zechariah 13:8-9

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

"My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives."

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection tot the Father of spirits and live?

For indeed for a few days they chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiles; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Hebrews 12:1-17

You have dealt well with Your servant,
O LORD, according to Your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.
Psalm 119:64-72

"Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,
And the LORD listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the LORD
And who meditate on His name.

'They shall be Mine,' says the LORD of hosts,
'On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him."
Then you shall again discern
Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between the one who serves God
And one who does not serve Him.
Malachi 3:16-18

Ten Shekels and a Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:13:00 +0000

For those of you who may have taken the time (about 30 minutes) to watch the video I posted a while back ago, you may remember that I pointed out that one of the speakers heard from was Paris Reidhead, who in his younger years, served as a missionary to the African nation of Sudan, in the early half of the 20th century. The selection in the video (which is called "The Revival Hymn") was from his most famous sermon "Ten Shekels and a Shirt," preached in the mid-1960s at Bethany Fellowship Summer Conference. He himself described how he was led to preach what he preached:

I remember praying, "This morning I am utterly cast upon You because I am not really prepared." In my heart I seemed to hear His response, "Well is that so bad, already" (being from New York City it was given in a idiom I would understand.)

I delivered the message and gave an invitation. Shortly the altar across the front of the auditorium was filled with broken people seeking God.

The summer conference was soon over and I returned to New York City and the ministry there.

About ten years later, one of the Bethany Fellowship staff was in Washington, D.C., where we had moved and from where we still minister. His word was, "Paris, I want to tell you that God has repeatedly used your messages, but the exact message itself was preached only that once.

A week or two later Harry Conn from Rockford, Illinois was in Washington. He invited me to have dinner with him. In the course of the meal he said, "I buy that message of yours 'Ten Shekels and a Shirt' by the dozen to give people. God is really using it in lives." My response was that if you have a copy, I would like to have it sent to me so that I can find out what it is I have said. In a few days the cassette arrived.

Since I don't have a tape player in my office, I put the tape into the Sony dictating machine on my desk and listened through the little playback on the hand-held microphone. The element of distance in terms of time, and the distorted sound through the miniature speaker, let me listen to the message with no real awareness of who was speaking. From time to time I felt like exclaiming, "That's right! I wish I had said that!"

Then it dawned on me that it was my voice, but God was speaking through me. I realized that on a Tuesday morning during a summer conference, God had been able to get His message across because of my utter and complete helplessness. Here it is, just as the Lord gave it.
Paris Reidhead (How Ten Shekels and a Shirt Came to Be)

I would encourage you to listen to the full audio of this sermon, or to read the text. He preached it forty years ago, but it is still all too relevant today. God is speaking to the Church of Christ in America today -- by and large, it is the message that He gave to the Church in Laodicea -- and His message hasn't changed.

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

"These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

'I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' -- and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked -- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and while garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock.If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Revelation 3:14-22

The history of Laodicea sheds considerable light on this passage. It was one of the most wealthy and prosperous cities in the Lycus Valley of Asia Minor (Turkey). The prosperous trades of banking, textile manufactures, and eye salve had made the city dwellers feel secure in their wealth and prosperity. The Church in Laodicea had also settled into the apethy of momentary material security, as this letter to the church indicates. How notable it is, that of the seven churches whom Jesus addressed in this first portion of Revelation, Laodicea receives no praise from Christ in any way. They had become so secure in their wealth, and so distracted by pleasure, that Christ no longer meant anything to them, other than as a religious appendage to their lives.

While not all churches in America fall under this description, many American "Christians" do. It is the only thing that can account for the fact that 86% of the American population professes Christianity (only an 13% difference from the profession of the American population in 1776) but our country has become a byword among other nations for its flagrant immorality.

Now don't get me wrong. Material prosperity is not evil. The tendency of human nature to worship blessings and not the Giver is where the sin lies. However, we Christians have no excuse. First of all, as Christians, we are supposed to be saved from our sinful nature, by the blood of Jesus, and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Second of all, we have all of human history behind us to give us repeated warning of the dangers of such complacency. But we have ignored the Holy Spirit and history in our churches for so long.

Perhaps it is not too late, but God must refine us like silver.

(See my next post for Scriptures which apply).

Good Question

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 03:08:00 +0000

I think some atheists are asking to be the subject of comedy.

OK, OK. I was having fun. :D

Paul Washer speaks about America's future

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 20:13:00 +0000

Not long back, I found these two brief but excellent videos of Paul Washer speaking about America's future -- and in particular, the future of the American Church -- and the right relationship of a Christian to government. I would really like to share them with all of my readers. Your thoughts are invited.

Paul Washer: Persecution or a Great Awakening?

Paul Washer: Obeying the Government

Reflections on Revival

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:20:00 +0000

I've been dwelling on the subject of revival lately, and on the future of America, and particularly the American church. I think that many of us pray for revival, but we must realize that when God revives a country, or a people group, He usually doesn't start with the sinners. Why? Because the fact that so many sinners are not saved, is not His fault. It is largely the responsibility of we who claim to be believers. God works mightily, but He created man so that He might use man as a tool through which to do His work.

The Church of America has fallen asleep, and many who sit in its pews, and wear its T-shirts, and hand out its tracts, and sing in its choirs, are spiritually dead. They have no desire to serve God, apart from gain, or a feeling of acceptance among their Christian peers. But most others have never been challenged to completely surrender themselves and their all to God, and they do not know that there is more to being a Christian than being accepted in Christian circles. They do not know what God requires of all of us. I like the statement Paul Washer once made. At a recent conference, he said, "This country is not Gospel-hardened. It is Gospel-ignorant." It has not heard enough of the Gospel, in black-and-white, to be Gospel-hardened.

The Church, many years ago, began to be influenced and infiltrated by humanism. But unfortunately, that influence of humanism has not stopped with "liberal theologians" or churches that compromise on issues like evolution or biblical literacy. It has disguised itself in such a way as to deceive the "fundamentalists"(*gasp!*)

Why has humanism been so pervasive? Because it is human nature to look at and focus upon self. This is one of the great reasons why sanctification and holiness need to be taught and emphasized in America's Christian churches and teachings again, because it is through sanctification that we learn how to be true and consistent followers of God -- our nature is exchanged for His, by the power of His Holy Spirit working in us.

Below is a video I found some time ago on GodTube. It is a very harmonious conglomeration of the teachings of various "revival leaders" (if such is a proper term to use in God's kingdom, because HE is the "revival leader"!). It is eye-opening.

One of the sermons from which you will hear often, is the once-famous "Ten Shekels and a Shirt," by Paris Reidhead, who became a missionary to Africa in the 1940s. Sometime, I intend to include these, and discuss them, in a near-future post here. The sermon is worth a post (or two) of its own. To get a head-start, you may listen to the audio here, or read the text here.

In the meantime, please watch the video. May God move you through it.

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Herky Humor

noreply@blogger.com (Hercules Mulligan) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:01:00 +0000

OK, I have a confession to make. Today, I had a little bit of a lax in my schedule. So I decided that today would be a good day to update my blogs. And do they need it! The only one I have been updating lately has been my blog Meet the Founding Fathers (did I mention it's only one of my five blogs?), because of my weekly meme, Founding Fathers' Quote Friday. By the way, stay tuned for my newest post there tomorrow, because it begins our next monthly theme of VIRTUE. If you have a blog (it doesn't have to be a history blog), and if you know the words of the Founders, feel free to join my meme! Be sure to leave a comment, so I can bring readers' attention to your FFQF posts!

And now you are impatiently awaiting my confession. OK, here it goes. Somehow, I got distracted with a little "toy" I found at www.despair.com. It's pretty much a mockery of motivational gear, and of the relationships in the workplace between employer/employee. But they let you make some of your own "de-motivators," and I couldn't help but make a few. Here they are: