Jesus Scandal

Jesus was Scandalous from even before his birth

2019-01-13T10:41:00.000-05:00

Even before Jesus was born his life was racked with scandal.

His mother Mary was found pregnant before the Wedding.

Our Constitution was made ‘for a moral and religious people’ views from a Devoted Christian and a Devoted Atheist

2014-04-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

By Kirby Harris

This article is about what it means to be ‘a moral people’ and how it relates to the US Constitution and Individual Liberty. Here you will read a perspective from a devoted Christian and a devoted Atheist.

First as a gentleman, I will let my guest poster Phil Mccanless give his point of view from an devoted Atheist perspective :

I've often heard conservatives who "lean libertarian" quote or paraphrase the John Adams quote about how "our constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other" as a defense for anti-liberty laws which ban or prohibit drug use or consenting sex between adults.

As an atheist, I object to the insinuation that only the religious can be moral, but I couldn't agree more that our constitution was made for and can only be of benefit to moral people. Surprised?

You shouldn't be. But, here's where I diverge from those who would use this as an excuse to violate human rights: it isn't the morality of those who would use (certain, unpopular) drugs or have (socially unacceptable) sex, whether those acts be deemed "moral" or not, who are the reason our constitution is failing us. It isn't the peaceful person with a bad habit or the those who would explore the dark, unknown areas of human sexuality which can threaten a moral and free people.

The morality (or obvious lack thereof) of the individuals who would attempt (ironically, in the name of law and morality) to violate the rights of others by kidnapping and caging peaceful, honest adults is the problem. If the peaceful, honest actions of people with bad habits can be used as an excuse to violate human rights, then cannot ANY habit, any excuse, even other peaceful, honest behaviors, be used to justify such an infringement?

It has been suggested that the "immorality" of the drug user or sexually active person somehow justifies the decimation of the fourth amendment right to be safe in our homes from unreasonable searches and safe in the courts from unlawful evidence, but this begs the question: what on earth could a peaceful, honest drug user, seller or grower do; what could two or more people having consenting sex possibly do, that could threaten the liberty of others more than than the enforcement of immoral, anti-libertarian laws prohibiting peaceful, honest, behavior?

If using (certain) drugs and having sex with consenting adults is immoral and a threat to liberty, then how much of a threat to liberty is a person or group of people using the violence and coercive police powers of the state to kidnap and lock in cages peaceful, harmless people for merely pursuing their happiness in their own ways?

So, I concur fully with those politicians who suggest only a moral people can be free . . . and I suggest that they look in the mirror and face the immorality inherent in laws which prohibit peaceful and honest activities among adults. Immorality IS a threat to liberty, but it isn't the immorality of the people's actions, but of the politician's laws, which threaten both liberty and safety. Peace now!

Now here is my (Kirby Harris) perspective as a devoted Christian:

Let me start by saying what you read here about liberty, human nature and morality isn’t what you might normally hear from a lot of Christians, rather they be liberal or conservative.

I am a devoted Christian. And I say a devoted Christian because I don’t like the term ‘good’ our ‘devout’ Christian, because there is no such thing.

I say this because all Christians, including me, are sinners saved by grace, NOT of our (my) own good deeds. And because when saved we don’t loose our human nature that causes us to sin. That is why I and all others need Jesus to redeem us.

So now having said all that, I will go on to say NO Christian is any better than the drug addict, the homosexual, the thief, the murderer, ect., because again ALL Christians are still sinners and still sin because we are human. Just because God supernaturally saves us, doesn’t mean our human nature stops. So that means, just because I am a Christian, I don’t always automatically act morally, especially when I attack others for their sin.

Jesus did call sin sin, but he never attacked the sinner. Instead he loved people, told them what he thought of their actions, what he thought it meant for their life here and in eternity, but left it up to them to change said behavior. Also Jesus never tried to get the government to stop people from engaging in sin.

To the Christian I ask, am I excusing sin? NO, not in the least. Would you, my fellow Christians, tell Jesus he was excusing sin for handling the this the same way I am? No of course not! But that is exactly what the religious folks of Jesus day accused him of doing.

We are all responsible for recognizing what is sin or immoral and what is not, and rather we believe in God or not, and how to move on from there. And if our actions harm others directly and cause tangible harm, then we suffer the consequences with human authorities.

Now, most of the Christian Founders knew that being or becoming a Christian did NOT cure us of our human nature. That is why they set up the system they did, because they knew human nature was by nature selfish, and that unchecked without any moral training then we would take what we wanted from others. And that we needed to learn morals to fight the urge to be selfish and take forcefully form others what they had.

That is why they John Adam's said "our constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other". Did he mean don’t get high off drugs, get drunk off alcohol or have sex forbad in the Bible? Who knows? But I doubt he would have been for the “decimation of the fourth amendment right to be safe in our homes from unreasonable searches and safe in the courts from unlawful evidence” as my friend Phil Mccanless.

So do I believe doing drugs, getting drunk or homosexual sex is wrong and sinful? Yes. DO I believe Jesus or the most of the Founders thought so? Yes. DO I believe Jesus or most of the Founders would want government (at any level) to violate the 4th amendment rights and liberty of any human to basically be left alone unless they harmed another tangibly? NO! They didn’t want the 4th amendment rights of those guilty to be violated much less the accused person innocent of the crime.

Have done some deep soul searching and I Have come to the Conclusion That I am now an atheistic, macro evolution believing, manmade global warming believing, and a big government advocate. - REVISED April 2nd - April Fools!!

2014-04-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

by Kirby Harris - REVISED April 2nd - April Fools!!

As the title suggests I have done some deep soul searching. This has been a long time coming. I have fought it with all of my being. But I have come to a few conclusions:

1) That God is a fairy tale, to help man get through. I realized this has to be true, because many people who are smarter than me have said s, and these people would never say anything exists without hard evidence. And there is NO hard evidence for God’s existence. Again these very smart people would ever say something exists or may exist without proof. So I am sure they don’t believe in other unprovable nonsense like Multiple Universe Theory, Dark Matter Theory, belief in other dimensions and the like.

2) That Macro Evolution (the earth is billions of years old) is fact, and the evidence is overwhelming. The evidence is that many very smart people, smarter than me, say its true because they have come up with educated guesses (or theories) that MUST be true based on them looking at observable data. And we know that IF ALL scientists have come to the same conclusion, then it must be correct. Why would they lie or make this up?

3) That Global Warming is true, because there is No evidence to the contrary, and 97% of scientists agree that there is man-made global warming. 97% of scientists Can’t be wrong. That’s to many. Its not like the majority of people in the USA wanted slavery back in the day, because that many people can’t be wrong. So the 97% of scientists number can’t be wrong, and there is NO way that the 97% number could be fudged.

Besides NASA says its true, and there is NO way a government agency could be compromised or agenda driven. Only private corporations can be compromised (by greed) and have an agenda, not public corporations like the government. The government, with the right people, unlike Bush or Hitler, does care about us people. The Bush’s and Hitler’s were poisoned by private corporate mentalities.

4) And finally, I realized how silly conservatism and libertarianism is. How selfish it is. How it robs the poor of the things they deserve like internet access, cell phones, free birth control, free food, free housing, free healthcare, free transportation and anything else the greedy people have. Besides its not really those greedy rich people’s money, since it ALL belongs to the Federal Reserve, the US government’s own private bank. So what IF it is owned by nameless faceless 1%ers since they are some of the benevolent ones, like George Soros and Warren Buffet, who help the people through the government and aren’t greedy with their billions at all.

The government with the right people, who care, actually is good for us. Look at all the greedy, stupid things we the people do, and how we harm each other. The government can stop all that harm and greed, IF we just let it get big enough. And with the support of the GOOD 1%ers , then we can take what’s ours from these evil selfish greedy folks>

Government should make those other rich jerks take care of me and my children. Why should I or anyone work for this stuff our selves when these rich people and corporation shave enough money to take care of us all.

FINALLY, It was hard to come to this conclusion, but I had no choice, since its ONLY logical, and any other way of thinking is ignorant. And the people like I once was, are ignorant propaganda fed. None of us are smart enough to figure it out without ALL the great intellectuals out there.

Hope I haven’t shocked any of you who have known me for a very long time.

Love without limit -- Today's Devotion from Mike MacIntosh

2014-03-27T16:30:00.000-04:00

By Mike MacIntosh

From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.

But Jesus said to her, "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs." Then He said to her, "For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter." And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

Mark 7:24-30

In one short passage from the book of Mark, we see Jesus breaking all stereotypes and going to people that need to be loved. Jesus is in a hostile and foreign country just north of Israel (modern day Lebanon), a nation whose Greek people were considered "unclean." But it is no accident that this passage is placed right here in Mark. I mean, think about this; the previous incident shows Jesus wiping out all distinction between clean and unclean food, and now Jesus shows us that there is no distinction between clean and unclean people (the Jews and the Greeks). You see, in Jesus Christ we are all one people of God; all able to love Him, live for Him, and serve Him. And He loves us just the same. John tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever (even a Greek, Syro-Phoenician woman) believes in Him would have eternal life!

Maybe you are a person that didn't have a dad or a mom, or your relationship with them was strained. Or maybe you've been struggling because you've never really received love from people. Well, you are just the prime candidate for the Lord to show you. He loves you! He loves the lovable and the unlovable. Do you see it here?

There are no geographical borders to God's love.

There are no religious things that you have to do in order to get God's love. Jesus Christ shattered all of that. Your relationship with the Lord, and His love for you, isn't about a religious activity; it's a relationship with Him. Jesus traveled miles to seek and to save those who were lost (Luke 19:10), and He's doing the same today. He is reaching out to you in love and compassion. It doesn't matter where you've been, where you're from, or what your social or economic status is. God loves you and is setting you free from your bondage. For whom the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36).

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed" (Luke 4:18).

An undefiled heart -- Today's Devotion from Mike MacIntosh

2014-03-26T15:00:00.000-04:00

by Mike MacIntosh

When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?" And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man."
Mark 7:17-23

Steeped in legalism and tradition, the Pharisees (and the disciples) had a difficult time understanding God's love and grace. You see, it's not what you eat or drink, or what rules and regulations you follow that make you a Christian.

Likewise, it's not the absence of any of these things that make you a better Christian. We can get so hung up on rules and regulations, on making sure others around us don't do this or that, that we lose all perspective of Jesus' words here: It's not the physical stuff in life that defiles us; it's our hearts. Your actions are merely a by-product of your heart.

The Pharisees were so caught up in their rules and regulations (a.k.a. playing church) that they totally ignored the things that really defiled their lives. I mean, look at the list Jesus gives of evil things that defile us: evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, stealing, coveting, wickedness, deceit, slandering another's character, pride, and foolishness. These are the things that we should be concerned about -- issues that begin in our hearts. This list was written over 2,000 years ago and it's more relevant than ever! If our hearts are in the wrong place, our actions will follow. Our hearts need to be focused on Jesus!

Maybe you're prone to watching soap operas or questionable prime-time shows where inevitably you see people undressing and making out. What do these shows do? They plant lustful thoughts in your mind. One way you can tone down the lustful thoughts is to get rid of the lustful books and magazines, and turn off the lewd television shows you once thought were so great. Instead of letting evil thoughts control you, "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). When thoughts come up that are lustful, sensual, and wicked, you need to say out loud, "Stop! Lord, I turn these thoughts to you." God will take those thoughts and He will bring them under control.

Don't let the enemy destroy your life, your marriage, or your relationship with your family.

Don't allow these things to defile you, all the while thinking that you're "a good person" because you don't smoke or drink or eat unhealthy foods. Don't get me wrong; it's important to take care of yourself and to be a good steward of the body that God has given you. But don't let that be your sole focus when there are so many things (as Jesus lists here) that you need to control. Have a heart that seeks after the things of the Lord.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled" (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).

Listen and understand -- Today's Devotion from Mike MacIntosh

2014-03-25T11:00:00.000-04:00

By Mike MacIntosh

When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.
Mark 7:14-15

We are all very busy people, pulled in many different directions by distractions that, at times, hinder our ability to hear the Lord. But despite all the distractions, Jesus is speaking to us.

Jesus says here two things that are so important for us to remember. First, He says, "Hear Me." In Mark 7:16, Jesus says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Jesus is talking to you and with you, so you need to be in a place where you can hear Him. He is there with you, right now, as you read this. Make it a priority to find that quiet place where you can just listen to Him.

The second thing Jesus says is, "Understand." Not only does Jesus want to be heard, but He wants you to understand what He's saying to you. He is communicating deep, rich, and important truths to you that will change your life. Not only do you want to be in a place to hear those things, but you need to understand them, take them to heart, and let them soak into you.

You may be involved in a lot of religious activities, and you may have bumper stickers that say so. But none of these things mean that you have a relationship with the Lord, or that you are listening to, and heeding, His words. Jesus is giving you words of comfort and encouragement. He is giving you words to help you through life. Listen to Him, and take to heart what He's saying.

Is Yelling the New Spanking for Parents? 5 Tips for Screaming-Prone Moms and Dads

2014-03-24T10:07:00.001-04:00

by Jim Daly

Parenting children at any stage can be a real challenge. From the toddler who throws a lay-flat-on-the-floor-and-cry tantrum to the school-age brother and sister who won’t stop fighting, parents regularly navigate a wide array of situations that require dealing with unacceptable behavior.

The Today Show recently ran an interesting post exploring a growing trend among parents to manage these discipline issues through screaming rather than spanking. Maybe this tendency is due to a growing reluctance among some moms and dads to use spanking as a tool of discipline. Maybe it’s because our lives are becoming more hectic and fast-paced, so we have less patience with our kids.

Whatever the reason, most moms and dads will agree that constant yelling is no fun – it’s not what parents prefer to do, and it’s not what kids need. It’s not even an effective parenting strategy.

That begs the question: how can parents curtail the yelling habit? Here’s some advice from Focus’ parenting experts.

To Read the Five Advice Tips Click Here

Is your faith lacking?

2014-03-22T14:00:00.000-04:00

Developing a Life of Prayer

Do you ever struggle with "a lack of faith"? Faith is not something we merely have or do not have. It involves a process of ups and downs, victories and setbacks, triumphs and disappointments with every passing day. That's because faith is an aspect of our relationship with God—a product of our walk with Christ and the constant, gentle influence of His indwelling Holy Spirit.

Every Christian has to wrestle with doubt, fear, failure and inconsistency. In a certain sense, this is the only reliable road to a true and lasting faith that can weather the storms of life. Even the disciples of Jesus ("men of little faith" in the Lord's affectionate phrase) had to find their way through this dark, discouraging tunnel. Just at that moment when belief should have come easiest to them—when the Risen Christ Himself stood before them on a mountaintop in Galilee—Matthew records that "some doubted" (Matthew 28:17).

So if you sometimes question, know that you're not alone; as a matter of fact, you're in very good company. Meanwhile, you can take courage in the thought that even the merest shred of faith—faith as tiny as a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20)—is all that it takes to elicit an approving smile from your heavenly Father (Hebrews 11:6).

Do you see people as Jesus sees them? -- Today's Devotion from Mike MacIntosh

2014-03-21T13:51:00.001-04:00

By Mike MacIntosh

But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.
Mark 6:33-34

Isn't it wonderful to know that Jesus is full of compassion? This is one of the things that makes our Lord distinct from the religions in our world. God is not angry with you, nor does He desire you to accomplish works in hopes that you will appease and please Him. He sees you and has compassion on you.

The Greek word for compassion is very strong. It has to do with the emotion you feel way down deep in your gut. Have you ever had butterflies in your stomach? Or have you ever felt so much pain or stress that you could hardly breathe? When you're emotional to the extreme, your whole physical being feels it. And that's the kind of compassion Jesus had; when He saw the people who desperately needed Him, He was moved through His whole being. This is how much Jesus loves you. He has so much compassion for you.

And imagine what it would be like if we showed just an ounce of this kind of compassion for others.

When you see people, do you see them as Jesus sees them? Or do you judge them and criticize them for not being like you? Jesus saw their need and, from His entire being, felt compassion for them.

But it just wasn't a feeling; He did something about it! So, how are you showing Christ-like compassion to others?

"But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth" (Psalm 86:15).

"The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy" (Psalm 145:8).

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous" (1 Peter 3:8).

Scandal: Who Is Jesus? How to know God Personally!

2014-02-20T11:57:00.001-05:00

You were created to know God in a personal way—to have a relationship with Him, through His Son, Jesus Christ. How do you start a relationship with God?

Realize that you are a sinner.

No matter how good a life we try to live, we still fall miserably short of being a good person. That is because we are all sinners. The Bible says, "No one is good—not even one." We cannot become who we are supposed to be without Jesus Christ.

Recognize that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you.

The Bible tells us that "God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while were still sinners." This is the Good News, that God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die in our place when we least deserved it.

Repent of your sin.

The Bible tells us, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away." The word repent means to change our direction in life. Instead of running from God, we can run toward Him.

Receive Jesus Christ into your life.

Becoming a Christian is not merely believing some creed or going to church. It is having Christ Himself take residence in your life and heart. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in . . ." If you would like to have a relationship with Christ, simply pray this prayer and mean it in your heart:

"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen."

If you said above prayer and want to know more then:

Click Here for more information and guidance

*Above Excerpt From Harvest.org

Click Here to Learn more about Jesus, Knowing God and Salvation