Friend or Faux

(We're All) Born This Way

2014-07-15T10:36:00.002-08:00

I was having a conversation with one of my younger nieces and was pleased at her Christian intelligence and insight. We talked about several things and, because, she has traveled to different places with other Christians to spread the gospel, I learned some things from her.

One of the topics we discussed was the hypocrisy that some Christians have when it comes to some types of sin.

Homosexuality is probably the biggest target of many Christian groups. Sometimes, as Christians, we forget that sin is sin - sexual sin, lying sin, the sin of coveting, etc.

The argument of many in the LGBT movement is that they are "born this way." I don't know for a facct if people are born feeling an attraction toward the same sex - or born feeling whatever sexual urges they do. I believe that it's possible because I know that I was born to grow up as someone who lies, cheats, hates, covets - you name it. If I haven't actually practiced a certain sin, I'm sure that it's been in my thoughts at one time or another.

My point is, we are born sinful but are saved through the love of Christ. I'm not going to criticize (anymore) the person who says they were born homosexual. Their sin is sin, and my sin is sin.

The only difference in sinners is that some choose not to honor their sin. I don't want others to make my sin "okay", or encourage me to celebrate it. I just want to be thankful that Christ paid for my sins. I wish others would take his gift.

Peace

Giving Heed Unaware

2014-06-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

This video is from some time back. I saw for the first time a few years ago. A lot of the references are quite old. The thing is, it's still a timely message.

Every time I watch this, I think of how we fall into listening to "doctrines of demons" only because we aren't being discerning. This is a good reminder for all of us to start paying more attention.

Kind of makes you realize that we need to think of our spiritual life the way we think about food we eat. We can eat a nutritious bowl of soup without realizing that there may be particles of poison or rat droppings added in - accidentally or on purpose. We have to start watching for the poison.

Peace

Timely Reminder (from Psalms)

2014-06-25T13:33:00.004-08:00

A buddy posted a Psalm on G+ today that I really need to keep in my heart. I will use both the NLT that she posted and the KJ version - both with my (underlined) emphasis:

I will sing of your love and justice, lord . I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride. I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me. I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence. My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the lord from their grip. Psalms 101:1-8 NLT

I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord. Psalms 101:1-8 KJV

Wow.

I am still working on so many of those things, but I am not as blind to my weaknesses as I was not many years ago. I am trying to see more of what has to be fixed in myself than in others. This reading was a right-on-time kind of thing. It reminds me that I am supposed to live my salvation as much as I proclaim it.

For so long, I was comfortable in my sins and failings. I'm not talking about before I was saved, but for a long time afterwards. And even, sometimes, right now. I learn that fire is hot from touching the flames. It's sad to admit, but I have always learned my best lessons by surviving something.

After reading this, I made a list of things I need to work on:

Not to look at someone who is hurting from the comfort of my own peace.
To think twice as much as I open my mouth to speak - especially when I am mad or hurt.
Learn to not only count my blessings but to also share them.
Stop making excuses for avoiding changes I need to make in my life.
Start doing the hardest things first.
Have more action than intentions.

Yeah, so I have some stuff to work on.

Peace

Listening & Hearing & Paying Attention

2014-06-23T12:07:00.002-08:00

In the middle of this huge and sudden move that I am making, I had a conversation with my roommate. We were discussing how we need to learn to trust God when we are trying to make important decisions.

My roommate said that she is trying to learn to hear God's voice in her life. She feels that it's hard to hear Him. I could only share what I have learned about listening for, hearing, and paying attention to God's voice. For me, they are three different scenarios.

Often times, when I am faced with a situation in my life, I will pray until I realize I don't want the right answer. What I usually want is the easy answer. In other words, I want what I want instead of what God wants for me. The right answers usually require my obedience in ways that I want to avoid.

When I got sick, I prayed for God's healing and guidance. Of course, part of my healing included taking the prescribed medicines and giving up some of my bad habits. I was like the You Tube character, Sweet Brown: "I ain't trying to hear that!"

Of course, I did finally listen and really hear what God was telling me. I paid attention and took the medicine that fought my sarcoidosis (but made me fat and sad); changed my diet (from fast and fried to greener and more nutritious); started getting more exercise (even though I had to join a gym to get through the winter months); and quit smoking a cigarettes (that I craved and would risk going into debt to buy).

It took months for the healing to began and, though I'm not out of the woods yet, I'm better than anyone expected so far.

In every single situation where I've followed my own voice, I've only found trouble - in relationships, finances and life in general. It's taken me years to figure out what I had been doing wrong: trying to build my own bridges and doorways.

In the past few years, I've gotten better at walking in faith. I no longer look at most problems without praying about them. And, when I pray, I try to listen for the right answers over the easiest ones.

While my roommate and I were having this conversation, I didn't have to heart to point out to her the most recent evidence of God making a way for me. Two Bible verses immediately came to mind:

First -

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

And then -

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

See, I would never be moving and getting an opportunity for a healthier and more affordable lifestyle if it wasn't for my roommate's temper. She got upset one day and said some things that were hurtful and caused us to end our co-living arrangement.

The thing that bothered me most was that I had been unhappy with our living situation for months, but didn't want to move out and leave her in a financial bind. I had put up with what looked like an ambush to my healthy changes; a lack of cleanliness and concern about the appearance of the home; and a few things I won't mention. I basically ended up paying half the rent to live in my bedroom. Then, when we had our spat, she didn't consider the position she was putting me into with no warning. Or maybe she did. She's not a mean person at heart, so I think it was more of a temper tantrum/take my ball and go home thing. At any rate, it added a lot of anxiety at a time when I had so many other things to worry about. I was already sick and the stress made things worse.

Once again, God took something meant for harm and turned it into a blessing. I'm glad that I am learning to listen to His voice.

(This is a song I'm listening to today. I hope you enjoy it):

"I Call Him Love" by Kathy Troccoli

(Today, I call Him "Answers")

Peace

Tribulation

2014-05-28T09:05:00.001-08:00

I was watching a set of old videos of the late Dr. Walter Martin wherein he teaches on the post-tribulation rapture.

All my life, I was taught the pre-tribulation theory. To be honest, I'd rather that theory be true but, after some study, I am leaning towards the post-trib teachings. It's not just my recent Bible studies that are leading my in this direction, but it's also from personal experience with the current world society.

I truly believe that every Christian, at some point in their life, will go through a sort of personal tribulation. I'm talking about the persecution and suffering that we have to endure just for our beliefs. Maybe I am being dramatic, but look at what we Christians right here in the western world have to face almost every day:

If we say that we are against homosexuality, adultery, or other social lifestyle sins, we stand to be cast out by friends and family and society in general. Look at what happened to the guy from "Duck Dynasty".
Maya Angelou died today. What do you think would happen if anyone questioned the contrast in her new age beliefs with her claimed Christianity?
When we point out all the sin that's around us (and accepted by society in general), we are thought to be hysterical, nagging, un-Christ-like. You know, because the same Christ who taught against sin must love everyone. Yes, he loves everyone, but he hates their sins.
Because there are unrepentant sinners (and sometimes just plain liars) in our pulpits and congregations, we are told we are all fake. Some people even use these false Christians to "prove" that Christianity itself is false.

There are the extreme cases of persecution that we can read about in the news, like the woman in the Sudan who is being targeted because of her conversion to Christianity. My point here is that, besides the extreme examples, there are many cases of believers who are having to fight battles that don't often make the news.

We live in a time of many false prophets and wolves in sheep's' clothing.

I used to wonder about the verse in Matthew 24:24 -

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

How, I wondered, could everyone risk being deceived? Then I thought of the Boiling Frog Syndrome:

The boiling frog story is a widespread anecdote describing a frog slowly being boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.

Every day a Christian lives on this earth, he lives in danger of tribulation.

Dr. Martin made a beautiful point about the pre-trib/post-trib debate among Christians. He reminds us that while we are arguing over when Jesus is coming back, the important message is that he is coming back. Amen to that.

Here are the videos:

Peace

Piercing the Darkness?

2014-05-24T08:32:00.002-08:00

Years ago, I read two novels by Frank E. Peretti: "Piercing the Darkness" and "This Present Darkness".

The other day, a story in the UK Daily Mail caught my eye that flashed me back to "Piercing the Darkness". (And, yes, I know the Daily Mail is a "trash rag", but it does reflect current society.)

Via Wikipedia, here is a summary of the novel:

It follows the journey of Sally Beth Roe as she tries to escape her past and slowly overcomes her constant struggle to discern the Truth. Also told is the story of another small town, similar to that of This Present Darkness and called Bacon's Corner, and a resident named Tom Harris. His kids are ripped from his home by Child Services. Seeming to have no connection with other events at first, a young police officer, Ben Cole, is convinced what is being brushed off as a suicide is actually a murder, and ends up losing his job over the issue... which brings him to the side of the embattled Christian school. Caught in the crossfire is a little girl who's been forced into a curriculum of "meditation techniques" and "inner spiritual guides" that control her moods, attitudes, and actions, the little Amber Brandon, and her mother Lucy who realizes this lawsuit and the people who are "helping" her may be much, much more than she bargained for. Before the paths that Sally Roe and Tom Harris [and the others] are on collide, the Ashton Clarion editor and his wife, Marshall and Kate Hogan (from This Present Darkness), make a return appearance as veteran fighters in this war against the powers of darkness that threaten freedom of religion everywhere. As the story unfolds, the lawsuit and its participants are soon locked in a struggle of ethics versus non-ethics, absolutes versus relativism, right versus wrong, and those with interest in this battle are shown to be even in the highest places of government.

Here is a piecemeal-summary of what Daily Mail, USA Today, NY Daily News, and CBS (local) says about what allegedly happened to some girls in Connecticut:

High school teachers recruited students into a "cult". The students "started acting differently while attending the school, becoming "secretive," "reclusive," and "distant"; having "fantasies of suicidal ideation and martyrdom"; speaking in a strange language; and gathering at Wellesley College in Massachusetts with other girls to perform religious "whirling dervish" dances through the night.
There is a lawsuit ongoing which claims that Mastoloni (one of the teachers) and her peers taught: “… students religion and pseudoscience. Specifically, she taught her students to believe in superstition, magic, and a non-scientific, anti-intellectual worldview. She would discuss spirituality, numerology, astrology, dreams, mysticism, looking for ‘signs,’ angels, symbols, ‘synchronicity,’ ‘negativity,’ ‘seeking the truth’ and death. All of those topics are religious in nature, and none of those topics are included in the Avon School District curriculum.”
While I was reading the new stories, I kept thinking to myself that all this is going on while most schools are fighting tooth and nail to make sure that Christian activities are kept out of schools.

That this kind of thing happened doesn't really surprise me. This instance is just a more blatant form of what's been going on in schools (and even some churches) as people accept anything but Christianity.

Yoga (which I posted about the other day) is one way that some of this dangerous religious doctrine is sliding into the educational system and churches. Christians get soothed and lulled by the dangerous and seemingly rational persuasion of things like this article on Yoga in public schools posted on "Teaching Tolerance". Anyone arguing against wanting the "benefits" of Yoga listed there would look like a crazy, raving, intolerant maniac instead of what they really are: a Christian who has been commanded not to dabble in other religions.

And do please notice that that "Teaching Tolerance" is a project under the Southern Poverty Law Center. The SPLC is historically linked with poor people and minorities. I have come to notice how society often tries to link the issues of the poor and/or minority to any other group fighting for acceptance. For instance, whenever Christians who are poor or of a racial minority speak out against homosexuality, we are reminded of how we suffered under intolerance. I have two things to say to that: 1) The God I serve is not intolerant of color or race, He is intolerant to sin; and 2) As a Christian, I am suffer under as much intolerance now for my religion as my ancestors did for their color and race.

At any rate, this story of what went on in this one case is only news because of the lawsuit. Yoga, meditation, and other "religious" practices are going on in public schools everywhere. Except for Christian religious practices because, well, that just won't be tolerated.

I need to find out whatever happened in the case of this case in California dealing with Yoga being taught in schools. Maybe this is what happened. Someone at the LA Times had this viewpoint about it.

Mr. Peretti's books were fiction novels (written a while back) but, in my opinion, they are based on what really is happening all around us today.

I happened to see a graphic that is fitting to end this post with:

The ~~general public~~ average Christians doesn't know...

Peace

Not Crazy & Not a Fool

2014-05-23T08:14:00.002-08:00

Whenever I bring up to someone the idea that maybe, just maybe, there is something to all the talk about the evils of entertainment, I usually get an eye roll. That's best case. Worst case, I get laughed at or argued with. I once had someone question my sanity.

Maybe there isn't anything going on with all of hand-over-eye business:

So trendy. So original.

And I guess this is just, well, this:

Rock on?

Unless it's this:

Okay. Rock on.

Okay. I'm just seeing things.

Seeing lots of the same things.

I openly proclaim that I follow Jesus Christ. Some folks just sort of hint at who their master is

Where'd you get that from?

Oh, right. That's where.

At least this guy is honest about it

No, I'm not crazy, and I'm no fool.

--Peace

The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good. Psalms 14:1

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” Joseph Heller, Catch-22

The Social Network Diet (Needs Balance)

2014-05-22T18:30:00.000-08:00

Just this morning, I was putting up some funny pics on my blog. I also shared them on my ~groan~ Facebook timeline. When I was on Facebook, I was glancing through my other posts (about some news, social issues and, occasionally really important stuff - like, you know, the whole state of our souls). Like I often do when I post on social networks, I knew already that I would get more "hits" in one day for the funny photos than I will for a whole year for the other stuff.

Remember when the social networks were for sharing important news, or for discussing current events? Let's just forget social networks for a minute. Forget Twitter and Facebook and Google Plus. Remember when we used to have more conversations about what was going on in politics and education or lifestyles than we did about reality TV?

I've seriously been thinking that I just need to overhaul my network circles. I need to be "following" the timelines of people who are actually talking about something worth exercising my brain cells.

Am I alone here?

Maybe I'm just in a "mood", but I really am kind of tired of sharing commentary over postings only about pretty food, sexy bodies, the latest "ha-ha" or who looks good in what outfit. I'd really like to have some sincere discussion with people about things that actually matter and don't have a tabloid expiration date.

Just me? Is it? I hope not.

So, I'm going to stop thinking about overhauling my circles and just start doing it.

I'm going to be searching the communities and forums on the different soc-network platforms to find people interested in real life important issues.

This doesn't mean that I'm going to be dropping old buds like hot bacon, but I am going to have to find some online social realness to balance out the diet of social candy. There's a reason I dropped the MySpace account years ago...

Funny enough (haha), one of the pics I posted on Facebook is perfect for this post:

Stop making me LAUGH. I'm ready to THINK now!

Peace

To Be Hated

2014-05-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

How many of us Christians have been hated for our beliefs? How many friends have we lost because they thought we hated them when we refused to condone their sinfulness?

A few years ago, I said something about Yoga in response to a question my niece asked me via a social network page. One of her friends (who I've known since she was very, very young) immediately took offense - even though I was not talking to her about the subject because I've never heard her claim to be a Christian. I feel bad about that, but not so bad that I'm going to agree with her just to soothe her feelings. I still pray for her, just like there are people who pray for me.

When I saw this video yesterday, I flashed back to that ugly incident with my niece's friend. I thought about how Jesus said that Christians would be "hated by the world." It's kind of funny to me that I had just seen a graphic reminding us that nothing on earth is worth going to Hell for. Amen.

Here is the video I watched:

I had a few of my own thoughts I want to share:

Just like the young woman I told you about who defended her love of yoga - there are things I had to choose to give up. I didn't want to hear the truth about certain things about the world that I was (and, in some cases, still am) struggling to hang onto. I don't hate the people hanging on to the things that we are supposed to give up when we come to Christ; I am opposed to the sin.
I make excuses to myself about some of the sinful things I do. But I still know they are wrong, and I still struggle to give them up.
As far as Oprah being involved in any way with a show about Christian preachers, that makes no sense to me. Oprah has said, very strongly, that she does not believe that Jesus is the only way. Now that this show about preachers has been out for a while, I can see exactly why she's involved: the show does not promote what Christ taught for his disciples. (I'm not Hindu - or a follower of any other religion but Christianity - so I would have no reason to be involved in promoting those religions in any positive way.)
From what I saw of the show's trailer, I got the feeling that those preachers are as lost as anyone they claim to be "showing the way" to Christ.

And, by the way, for anyone who believes I'm just talking bad about Oprah, I'm not. I used to admire her like so many people still do. I did wonder about some of the ideas she was promoting, but I didn't really pay attention until this:

Peace

Like a Thief in the Night

2014-05-19T07:41:00.004-08:00

Just saw this over at the Candid Christianity community on Google Plus:

As Christians, we know this to be true, but we might not think about how it is true for every breath we take. Most of us will die a human death. My mother used to remind me to be thankful for life because I could die before I take the next breath. (Heart attack, car wreck, mystery illness, allergic reactions, victim of crime - age, race, color, status won't matter.)

It's normal, I think, for most people to never consider the fact that they will die. When people get a diagnosis of a terminal illness, they think a lot about what to do in their remaining time. Maybe if we gave our impending deaths some thought every day, we'd live better lives.

By the way, when I searched this image with Google so that I could apply credit to the original source, the only "best guesses" at a match that came up were interesting. The best guess matches were variations of the "Keep Calm Sh*t Happens" images. And that actually is what most people tell themselves instead of facing their immortality (or immorality). Sad.

Peace

Things I Did Not Know

2014-05-16T13:30:00.000-08:00

There are many things I did not know about the new Bible versions that I learned from watching a video by The Underground Christian Network and a woman named Gail Riplinger. I'm still going to do some fact-checking as a follow-up, but I wanted to throw some of this out there for you (and post the videos):

The Catholic Bible deletes many verses (and some books) that are in the King James.
Jehovah Witnesses don't view Jesus the same way most (KJV) Bible-believing Christians do.
The movie "The Passion of the Christ" is not based on the Bible (but on a nun's trance-state vision).
There may be a reason for the way the newer version Bibles have changed The Lord's Prayer.

Basically, I didn't know (and never thought much about) the sources behind the newer versions of the Bible.

Right now, on my nightstand, I have a copy of the NASB Study Bible. I also have copies somewhere in my possession of the NIV Bible and The Message Bible. Many years ago, I started gifting my nieces and nephews with a Bible for Christmas. Those kids are all grown up now but, when I saw some of the cool-looking new Bible versions for young people, I found myself hoping that people were buying these as gifts.

I suppose the reason I am concerned about these various versions of the Bible is that, as a Christian, I like to be ready with an answer for my faith - with words from the Scriptures.

Please watch either (or both) of the following videos and do some research of your own.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 1 Peter 3:15

Peace

My Mouth, My Words...

2014-05-09T20:12:00.002-08:00

As a Christian, I still have some bad habits. I quit smoking over a year ago, but I can still shoot flames with the foul words that I use.

I'm getting better at not cursing, but I really struggle with it. And, like anyone giving up something in their life, I can get pretty sanctimonious about other people who still use bad language! Being on so many social networks, I get to see a lot of bad words. It's as if we don't know how to communicate without throwing a foul word or two into the simplest sentence.

I know that words are, well, just words, but the more I give up using the "dirty" ones, the more I realize how offensive they are.

When I growing up, I never cursed. NEVER. If I had, my mother would have knocked my teeth back into my gums. Mama taught me so many things by her comments about foul language:

People who curse are too lazy or ignorant to use better language.
It's disrespectful to curse in front of others because you're assuming they don't deserve your respect.
Christians should use words in their everyday conversations that they would want to use in Heaven.
Cursing doesn't make young people look grown, it makes them look as if they aren't ready to be adults.
If cursing feels good, you should ask yourself why that is.
If cursing doesn't feel good, you should ask yourself why that is.
Some people curse occasionally - out of pain, anger, surprise or fear. That's not good.
Some people go out of their way to curse. That's just plain sad.
The more you curse, the better you'll get at it. That should not be a life goal.

Mama was right on all points.

When I see people on my social pages using bad language, I notice that they are making it into an art. There's even a kind of shorthand for "cussin'". (If you've seen people type "Da fuq", you know what I mean.) There's one person on a network who uses a curse word almost every time they post or comment - and this is a really otherwise sweet and intelligent-seeming person.

For myself, I had become almost a master at "cussing." I mean, I could hold my own Throwdown at the Cussdown! It got to the point where I would use the foulest words in the most casual way. I've recently realized that, like every other bad habit or sin, the more I practiced cursing, the less I thought about it. When anyone would remark on my bad language (mainly my sister), I thought they were being too critical. I don't even think I was really hearing myself anymore.

That's all kind of sad. But I am working to be better because I'm saved and I want to have a clean heart. How can I clean up my heart if I can't even clean up my language?

So.

I'm catching myself every time I get ready to use foul language. My goal is to think more before I speak (which is a big job all by itself!), and to find another way to express myself. As I work at this, I've noticed a funny thing: the more I clean up my language, the more I clean up my thoughts. I'm almost being trained in one of the first things Mama taught me about talking: if I can't say anything nice, I shouldn't say anything at all. And that's just the truth.

Just imagine getting a text message from God the next time you start cussing:

Peace

Just My Imagination

2014-05-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

To make people look like nuts with too much time on their hands has got to be another of Satan's great tricks. Just try talking to young people (or even old people) about the dark element in music and see what they do. Probably, like I did the first time, they will scoff at the idea. I not only scoffed, but I actually started to question whether or not my friend was a little bit crazy. That was many years ago. When I did start paying attention to things being said about music and the music industry, I was pretty shocked. This phenomenon of evil in entertainment is not new, it's just getting more attention these days.

baphomet? really?

yes, really

The baphomet symbol in the news. Wikipedia on the subject.

Talk about putting a ring on it.

she's doubly okay with it

that's a lot of posing there

just a symbol of his biz, right?

I mean, just a symbol, right?

Oh, yeah. Just that symbol...

St Peter's cross, she says. Okay. Just like the swastika used to stand for something other than Nazism.

Is it just imagination or is there something going on here?

more copycat poses

And more of the hand thing...

Wait.
What?

what's that, Em?

Oh, that. Uh huh. I see now

That's a lot of "imagination".

(Speaking of The Beatles, I plan to do a post on them shortly...)

So, what do you think? What's up with these performers? What message are they trying to convey with the clothing they wear and the hand signals the make? Notice it's not just entertainers who are doing this; there are quite a few other recognizable folks using the gestures.

Next time, I'll be posting some information I've found regarding these gestures and such.

Peace

Even the Elect?

2014-05-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

I have to do some study on what the Bible says about even some of the elect falling away in the last days. Once I do study that passage, I will update this post. For now, I have some thoughts that came to me when I was sharing a video by Good Fight Ministries.

It's such a common thing that when I post anything on my social networks about the Lord or Christianity, I get very little feedback and almost no support. The other day one of my "play" aunties posted this pic:

Cussing = 100 "Likes"
Praising = 1 "Like"

I'm guilty of this sometimes, and I notice that I get way more response from my cursing than from my praying. What does that tell you? (And, of course, we all want to be "liked" in our social network circles, so...)

What I was thinking about some of us falling away is that it will happen not because we openly deny the Lord. I believe that most of us will refuse to heed what we know is true. Atheists will be lost for not believing, Christians will be lost because of willful stubbornness to ignore the truth.

We don't want to hear something that will cause us to stop listening to music or going to movies we like. We sure don't want to hear anything that will make us be more modest and pure in our physical relationships.

The music lie, sex lie, friend lie...

We don't want to agree with certain truths because we don't want to lose friends. We don't want to look "close-minded" or "goody-goody".

With all the talk about intolerance and bullying, we have been ignoring the fact that we, as Christians, are those one suffering most from both of these social scars. We are not tolerated, we are laughed at and mocked, we can be fired for expressing our beliefs.

I read the other day where some actress made the statement about love being the thing most worth fighting for. She was speaking in defense of gay marriage. Why aren't Christians allowed to feel the same way about their love for God?

Black people can't speak out against homosexuality without being reminded that we were once victims of similar "hate". Women get the same chastisement. God never said that being black or female was an "abomination" in His eyes. We get shouted down (and bullied) before we ever get to make that response.

This has happened to me (via OnlyJesusSaves)

The script has been flipped, people.

So, the next time I mention to someone that certain entertainment (and entertainers) might not be good for a Christian's spiritual growth, I'm going to think about "even some of the elect".

Peace

Praise Break "I Have Decided" (Elevation Worship)

2014-05-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? Matthew 16:24-26

Noah (the movie)

2014-05-03T13:25:00.001-08:00

I'll just say a couple of things here:

Why on earth would I let Russel Crowe interpret the Scriptures for me?
Why is Crowe (and the others) telling us about the traits of a biblical figure they claim not to believe ever existed?
How many Christians are going to see this movie without studying the Scriptures for themselves?

Pray for all of the folks who were involved in this movie. As followers of Jesus, we shouldn't want anyone to be lost to this world or their own arrogant ignorance.

Good Fight Ministries posted a video to explore more on this topic:

GFM can be found here.

Peace

UPDATED Entertainment Assault: "House, M.D."

2014-05-01T11:11:00.000-08:00

***When I say that I love watching this show, I have to admit that I am fast changing my mind. I recently started watching an episode and realized that the show, while plotted well, is a one-trick/on-track kind of phenom. The show can be summarized by looking at the title character:

He is brilliant
He is miserable
He hates all things Godly (or even hopeful)
He hates "light" of any kind, even when it tries to emanate from his own feelings
He prefers others to be like himself
He's an addict (and happily so)
He's manipulative (and pleased about it)
He's selfish (happily so)
He's weak (whether he realizes it or not)
He's a sad human being
He's a bit psychotic or sociopathic (or some form of crazy); and infantile in his emotions
He's almost always right (especially if being wrong could prove the existence of Someone or anyone greater than himself)
His patients and colleagues are not as "enlightened" as he is and are burdened/weakened by their differences from him; they are pawns for his entertainment
Other than his medical skills, he's a wasted life

The show could be great if it weren't so predictable. If the writers could have focused on the Sherlock-like deductions of House without cramming his atheism down our throats, this show would have been amazing. House's likeness to Sherlock Holmes (in his methods) is what kept me watching for 3 seasons worth. The continual "preaching" from the anti-God pulpit is what is going to keep me away.***

I'm going to start this post by saying that I love watching the TV show "House". Because I only watch shows via internet, I didn't start watching this particular show until about a month ago. I just found out that it's been off the air since 2012.

One of the reasons I initially liked this show was that the title character is so interesting. After I'd watched the first season, I realized just how interesting the character (and the show) really is.

Not only is Dr. House an atheist, but the whole show is designed to be a be an assault on all things religious. I'm not just talking about the overt assault of tearing down a belief in God or faith in anything but the brilliance of man. There is a lulling assault throughout the story lines meant to through questions at anyone leaning toward a belief in God.

I once heard a pastor break down the word "entertainment" in a way that shocked me. I can't recall his exact teaching, but I found the same information online from other sources. Let's look at what a couple of those sources have to say about what "entertainment" means:

Wow.

When most of us think of entertainment, we accept the basic and common definition - like this one - and never stop to really think of the deeper meaning. (If you read the whole section at that link, you will see how the list of "related" words do go deeper.)

When I watch "House" now, I can see all the little assaults the show makes on my personal beliefs. I don't think there is one television show that doesn't assault my Christian faith in some way.

The other day, I did a post on my other blog about being "actively ignorant". As I grow and mature in my faith, I am trying to be actively observant of the attacks on God. Where "House" is designed to attack not just "religion", but real faith of individuals, all it's done is reinforce my beliefs. If there is no God, why is there such an attack on Him by the world?

By the way, the actor who plays Dr. House, Hugh Laurie, is an atheist and is associated with the atheist actor Stephen Fry. Most of us never even realize that we are being "entertained" (or being kept in a "certain frame of mind") by celebrities with atheist beliefs. I'm not saying that these are all "bad" people (just as all Christians are not "good" people), but they have beliefs contrary to our own. (By the way, I had to renounce my celebrity crush on Keanu! LOL)

Peace

Spiritual Inventory

2014-04-26T13:32:00.002-08:00

Every Christian is born to a new way of life. As we grow in our faith, we sometimes forget to re-evaluate our daily lives and habits. A lot of how I speak and act is so contrary to the image of a "good Christian" that I remind people that I am saved, not perfect. I also have to remind myself that I am being perfected - or else I will always look more like an unsaved person than a saved person.

Back to the main subject:

I have been a "growing" Christian for many, many years. I keep getting older in years but, in my ways and habits, I regress to infancy as a Christian so often that I can barely walk without help. Lots of help.

As usual, it's when something troubling happens in my life that I review my faith. When relationships fail or I get sick, or when death comes sniffing around my circle of loved ones. These are the times when I pay most attention to my eternal fate. What a shame that trouble in my life is what best gets my attention.

Recently - because of a lot of different struggles - I have been doing my self-evaluation. I know that I am not living as well as I can in honor of God. For instance, I have been spending too much time and attention on things that please the world. Some of these things aren't even pleasing to me.

I am making notes of things that I need to keep from controlling my life and my time:

Horoscopes: I backslide with this a lot. I know that I'm not to look to the stars for my fate, but I get all caught up in what it means to be "born under the sign of Cancer." I was reminded that we are not to be enslaved by human wisdom. Maybe a video reminder is what I needed.
Music: This is something I have struggled with all my life. The fact that I do struggle with it is what made me take a closer look at my preoccupation. I have started to realize that a lot of the music I listen to, I listen to in ignorance. Music is powerful. Anything with power can be dangerous. Besides, most of the music I listen to is in praise of everything but God. I watched part of this video of a teaching on the subject.
Casual information: This is that I absorb without really thinking. That is another dangerous situation because information that we take in can mold our thinking. For instance, I was scrolling through a list of quotes intended to inspire creative people and saw one by Charles Bukowski: "Find what you love and let it kill you." My first thought (as someone who aspires to be a writer) was, "Wow. Cool." But, if I really take time to think about that quote, it's not healthy. I interpreted it to mean one should give themselves over to whatever it is they love - like, maybe writing?

That's just a start to my thoughts as a do a sort of spiritual inventory.

One thing I do know is that, as soon as some people read this post, they will have negative reactions. I'm used to people thinking of Christians as over-zealous and stiff-minded. I'd sure like for those people to realize that they are often just as zealous and faithful to what they believe as I am.

Peace

The Devil's Greatest Trick?

2014-04-25T14:41:00.000-08:00

There's a quote about Satan's greatest trick being to convince us that he does not exist.

quoted in movies and all over the internet

I think The Lost One has a few more good tricks for distracting us from growing as believers:

To make us look only at the flaws of people trying to teach us something. We will look at a teacher's sins and bad habits instead of hearing their warnings about sins and bad habits.
We ridicule people who glorify Jesus and Christianity, but we celebrate those who sing and dance and act in the glorification of everything else.
We spend more time on TV and music and beautifying ourselves than we do on prayer, reflection and repentance.
We get caught up in discussion over race, sex, color, hair, jobs, school, sports, status, android vs Apple while we have no idea of the battle over our souls.
We are ineffective in discussing truth because we are encouraged to stay so afraid of being bullied; being made to look stupid; getting laughed out; getting beaten or embarrassed; losing social network followings and real-life friends; and just not being comfortable in society.
Whenever we find resolve to discuss our faith, we are reminded of our sins and secrets.

In this great "age of communication," a lot of the faithful are crippled with fear and anxiety when it comes to spreading the message of Salvation.

We all need to armor up.

Peace

Eyes Wide Shut to Music?

2014-04-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

If you've ever wondered about the subject of music being a tool. I sent this list of videos to family and friends. I don't know if they ever watched them, but I gained a lot to think about. (My notes are from the email I sent out.)

I didn't think I’d learn anything new, but I did. I didn't understand why so many songs (lyrics) included the words “rain man” (even some of the old folks songs I liked). I also learned that when I have watched videos, I haven’t really paid enough attention to what’s going on in them. (You guys KNOW how bad I am with words to songs! I’m apparently just too easily distracted...)

This one kind of blew my mind. Mike & I were a little chilled at the “bone-breaking” dancers. That was eerie.

I was previously very into Les Twins as dancers.

This is a link to a list of videos focused on the first person who got my attention with all this mess a few years back. While he makes a lot of sense, he does have a nasty (and childish) way of talking about homosexuals. They are living in sin, but he is a preacher & should be able to talk about that without making himself look petty. Reminds me a lot of a guy I used to work with.
. I really like the videos from this woman, mainly because she has past experience with the music business. Because of my problems with many members of the COGIC church I grew up in back in Texas, I made a note to my family about her speaking in tongues during some of her prayers. This is a lady who goes by the handle of “Holly Hood” & once worked in the music business. I like most of her videos because you can tell that she really cares for people.

If you don't agree with any of this, that's fine. As with anything we have strong feelings for or against something, we should ask ourselves why we do agree or disagree.

Peace

What Are You Celebrating Today?

2014-04-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

Today is Easter here in the U.S. Today is also 4/20.

Some of us are reflecting on the fact that Jesus died and rose to offer this world salvation. Some of us are celebrating the use of marijuana. I won't even speak on the 420 thing.

A couple of points:

I don't think that Christians who celebrate Easter with eggs and baskets realize that they are not celebrating Jesus's ressurection. I think they are just celebrating out of secular social tradition.
I think that we Christians need to think about what we are doing when we just follow secular social traditions.

I like the way The Pacifica Current speaks on it.

Here is a teaching about Easter and other holidays considered Christian.

For myself, I use Easter to reflect on what Jesus did for me.

As always, use your Bibles and prayer for reflection on any teaching.

Friend or Faux

(We're All) Born This Way

Giving Heed Unaware

Timely Reminder (from Psalms)

Listening & Hearing & Paying Attention

Tribulation

Piercing the Darkness?

Not Crazy & Not a Fool

The Social Network Diet (Needs Balance)

To Be Hated

Like a Thief in the Night

Things I Did Not Know

My Mouth, My Words...

Just My Imagination

Even the Elect?

***Praise Break*** "I Have Decided" (Elevation Worship)

Noah (the movie)

***UPDATED*** Entertainment Assault: "House, M.D."

Spiritual Inventory

The Devil's Greatest Trick?

Eyes Wide Shut to Music?

What Are You Celebrating Today?

Praise Break "I Have Decided" (Elevation Worship)

UPDATED Entertainment Assault: "House, M.D."