CONSEQUENTIALISM IN ROMANS

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans 1:18(ESV)

Definition of CONSEQUENTIALISM
: the theory that the value and especially the moral value of an act should be judged by the value of its consequences

One of the amazing things about the word of God is it’s relevancy to “right now“, no matter what time in history “right now” is. His words are for all time. The book of Romans is no exception, it goes into detail about the consequences of dismissing our Creator. A Creator who grieves over His hard-hearted children; who longs to have a relationship with them, and for them to be a part of His glorious kingdom, right here, right now. Grievously, man has been deceived by sin, which blinds them and keeps them from the goodness and loving-kindness of the true and living God.

To get to the relevancy of Romans to our time, a little groundwork must be laid. First of all–why was man created? Mankind was created in the image and likeness of God, fearfully and wonderfully made, the crown of all that the Creator created, and given the opportunity to be an integral part of the Holy, Majestic, Everlasting Kingdom of God; to experience the indescribable love of God; to have a relationship with God, and to be a part of the expanding family of God. Taking why man was made into account, it would make sense that if men go the opposite direction of his purpose, then restlessness would set in; no peace or satisfaction for his soul, an emptiness…. When we go away from the Lord and act like He doesn‘t exist, we experience this restlessness in many ways. God will sometimes let us have what we think we want, which is to do our own thing and be our own Lord, or tragically follow a created God vs. the uncreated, uncontrollable God. The consequences of rejecting God is this; He turns us over to our own wicked hearts to help us to understand some things; that it’s His grace and power that held and holds us together; that it’s His grace and power that protects us from the vileness of our own hearts, which in turn, reveals our true dependency on Him. When we see the depths of our own personal darkness(individually and nationally), God wants us to humble ourselves; lay aside our wicked pride, and acknowledge that we are on the wrong path.

When God turns us over to our own hearts, it’s like He is saying to us, “Is this what you really want? I’ve been loving and blessing you though you were unaware, here, have what you want, have a taste of your own vileness. Foolishly reject the light, while darkness takes over your mind. See how you really are when you reject me.”

Our conscience, knowing right from wrong, takes note of how wrong we are and condemns us. We feel the guilt of our own iniquity, because deep down we all want to do good. That’s why the murderer and rapist shakes his head in disgust towards the child molester. That’s why children light up when you praise them for doing good. It’s a deep desire in all of us that can’t be truly attained without the grace and guidance of God‘s Holy Spirit through Jesus. God is crying out in His longsuffering and saying, “Taste of me and see that I’m good! There is only one way out; it’s perusing a relationship with Me. Otherwise, stay in the law of sin of death, bound up by your own fallen nature! True freedom is in the law of life IN Christ Jesus! The law of life in Christ Jesus is the only law that obliterates the law of sin and death!”

SUPPRESSING THE TRUTH

How, in our stubborn rebellion, do we stay in this darkness; how do we stay bound up in the law of sin and death?—- We suppress the truth. We can suppress the truth in such a way that we can provoke the wrath of God. I will cover a few of a myriad of ways that we suppress the truth, and the real reasons behind the accelerated deterioration that is happening in our nation.

EVOLUTION

One of the most wicked ways that modern man suppresses the truth is through the teaching of the “Theory of Evolution“. This false teaching suppresses the truth of the origin of creation, and says everyone and everything came about by a lucky random combination of chemicals. This theory is taught as fact in every public school even though it goes against proven scientific laws and truths. Many scientists who just want the truth, have much to say about this theory:

“At the core of evolutionary theory is the big assumption that life somehow arose from non-life, that by pure chance the right chemicals happened to be in the right place, in the right arrangement, at the right time, under the right conditions, and by some mysterious, unknown electrochemical process — POOF — life created itself! This assumption is completely contrary to a universally accepted and proven law of science, known as the second law of thermodynamics, which states that “All processes (left to themselves) go toward a greater state of disorder, disorganization, disarrangement and less complexity.”4

In other words, inanimate matter never increases its own order, organization or complexity–these always decrease! And even if the elements could arrange themselves into a certain definite pattern, as is necessary for life, they could not make themselves a living cell because LIFE is not a mere physical arrangement of chemicals! The likelihood of this happening is so far-fetches that Princeton University Professor of Biology Edwin Conklin has said: “The probability of life originating from accident is comparable to the probability of the unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a printing shop.” (Deeptruths.com)

“Evolutionists claim to rely only on natural forces, but natural forces cannot design and build new plants and animals. So they add magical thinking, the perfect description of the evolutionist mind.” (New Geology)

Also–

Zombie Science
“Although the classical ideal is that scientific theories are evaluated by a careful teasing-out of their internal logic and external implications, and checking whether these deductions and predictions are in-line-with old and new observations; the fact that so many vague, dumb or incoherent scientific theories are apparently believed by so many scientists for so many years is suggestive that this ideal does not necessarily reflect real world practice. In the real world it looks more like most scientists are quite willing to pursue wrong ideas for so long as they are rewarded with a better chance of achieving more grants, publications and status.”

To say “that the theory is phoney, and always was phoney, and this is why it so singularly fails to predict reality is regarded as simplistic, crass, merely a sign of lack of sophistication. And anyway, there are… the reputations of numerous scientists who are now successful and powerful on the back of the phoney theory, and who by now control the peer review process (including allocation of grants, publications and jobs) so there is a powerful disincentive against upsetting the apple cart.”

“Zombie science is science that is dead but will not lie down.” “Zombie science is supported because it is useful propaganda. Zombie science is deployed in arenas such as political rhetoric, public administration, management, public relations, marketing and the mass media generally. It persuades, it constructs taboos, it buttresses some kind of rhetorical attempt to shape mass opinion. Indeed, zombie science often comes across in the mass media as being more plausible than real science.”
Charlton, Bruce G. 2008. Zombie science: A sinister consequence of evaluating scientific theories purely on the basis of enlightened self-interest. Medical Hypotheses, Vol. 71, pp. 327-329.

And–

Darwin is liked by evolutionists because he liberated science from the straitjacket of observation and opened the door to storytellers. This gave professional evolutionists job security so they can wander through biology labs as if they belong there.
— David Coppedge
Speaking of Science, Creation Matters, May/June 2003

Why is this theory so wicked? Because creation is God’s handiwork and it reflects directly upon Him. It is a living testimony to all men of God’s greatness, majesty, power, and glory, and will naturally inspire and raise the heart of a man to seek the One behind this glorious creation. Paul eloquently states in Romans 1:19-20 and David states in Psalms 19:1-4 the truth.

19They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God..(ESV)

1The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
2Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
3They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
4Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world. (NLV)

Sadly, evolution is a Billy club that is used to beat down the truth; it is used to suppress the truth that this amazing creation was made by an amazing Creator and it all leads to Him. This suppression is very wicked in the eyes of God to the point of invoking His anger.

DEFINE BABY

Another diabolical way that the truth is suppressed deals with the definition of a human baby in the womb. Clearly, a fetus is without a shadow of doubt a unique, one of a kind, human baby, in his or her early stages of life. It’s without question a body within a women’s body. To say that the baby is just another part of the women’s body goes against unchanging empirical truth. The following is just one of a myriad of facts that a baby is not a part of a women’s body.
The most common however, is harm to the spine due to a traumatic accident. viagra in india online And no matter how hard some men might try, they see their male member as an extension generic levitra without prescription of their manhood. Trial and error treatments commander viagra click here for info may be expected for men who have undergone this. Shilajit & Gold combined together is a popular type of aphrodisiac that has been discount generic cialis efficiently done after intake of this solution.
An individual’s body parts all share the same genetic code. If the unborn child were actually a part of the mother’s body, the unborn’s cells would have the same genetic code as the cells of the mother. This is not the case. Every cell of the unborn’s body is genetically distinct from every cell in the mother’s body. Though it’s possible for someone to have a transplanted organ that does not share the same genetic code as the rest their body, that transplanted organ does match the genetic code of the original donor. The same can not be said of an unborn child. (Abort73.com)

A mother and father(many fathers have convinced mothers to abort their child) must suppress the truth to sooth their guilty conscience, otherwise, they must face the fact that they are murdering a human being in it’s most vulnerable state for the sake of convenience.

Suppressing the truth about abortion has helped mothers and fathers in America murder over 57 million innocent babies since it was legalized in 1973. God makes it clear that He hates the shedding of innocent blood.

16There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19

God also makes it clear that He loves us and Jesus paid the price for ALL of our sins which includes abortion. Anyone can be forgiven if they put their trust in Him and sincerely call upon His holy name.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10

DECEIVING OURSELVES

Although evolution and the fetus lie are two of the biggest attacks on truth in the West, I have to come back to evolution because the sickening roots of abortion can be found in evolution. Human reasoning may follow this path ,“If we are all here by accident mixed with some incredible luck, then what difference does it make if we eliminate a little life in the womb, there‘s no real purpose for it anyhow, it‘s just here. Since there is no Creator, we are not accountable to Him for destroying someone He loves.”

In America’s past, there has been tremendous Christian influence in all areas of life: from glorious Revivals, to sending missionaries to all over the world to preach the gospel. But as much as we may want to believe we are a Christian nation, there’s no way a Christian nation would teach its children that everything in nature evolved to what it is today instead of being created by a loving God. A child may leave school and barely be able to read, but in most cases they will know all about evolution.

CONSEQUENCES

Jesus is the truth; the truth is what sets us free; we must worship God in Spirit and truth. Truth brings goodness and life that our God wants us to be blessed with. If something tries to keep that truth from us, wouldn’t that, and shouldn’t that provoke the anger of God? Because of this suppression of truth by our sinfulness, God, in His holy righteousness is provoked. Romans 1:18 speaks of God’s wrath being revealed from Heaven against ungodly and unrighteous men who suppress the truth. If you skip down to verse 24, Paul reveals how God dealt with man’s(most likely pre-flood period) foolish decision to reject Him and the consequences that followed. There are three manifestations of God’s anger that Paul lists in Romans 1.

#1) 24 “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves….”.

“Lusts of their hearts to impurity” refers to all kinds of lewd sexual acts outside of marriage. Although all ages are sowing to impurity, kids are starting out young, deceiving themselves that certain sexual acts are okay as long as you don’t get pregnant. In reality, they are dishonoring their bodies by participating in immoral acts.

#2) 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

As a nation we are dealing with the ruling on same sex marriage. Christians are devastated that it has been passed by the Supreme Court and that all states must honor same sex marriage. Many proclaim that this ruling will destroy our nation. This is not the whole truth. Suppressing the truth of God through wickedness is destroying this nation! This ruling is no more than a symptom of the sin of rejecting God and His word. It is a result of people sinning and carrying on as if God doesn’t exist. The increase in people pursuing dishonorable passions is a reflection on the increase of men suppressing the truth about God! In His longsuffering and anger, God is handing more and more people over to their own vile and desperately wicked hearts. The hope is that people will see the depravity in their hearts; see the disintegration taking place in the land; cry out to God, and repent! God delights in showing mercy and wants to forgive and wash the rebellion and impurity and lawlessness away from us with the precious blood of Jesus!

#3) 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

The Merriam dictionary defines debase as:
1: to lower in status, esteem, quality, or character

The Holy Spirit goes even further and lists the lower character traits that God in His anger hands us over to.

29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

There’s really no need, unless you’ve been in a coma, to list how these lower character traits are accelerating in the hearts of people everywhere. Sadly, God is handing people over.

IN CONCLUSION

As devastating as it is for men to think they can tamper with the things of God like marriage and not face painful consequences, the root of this decision, and all ungodly decisions, is the suppression of truth by our wickedness. Evolution, abortion, are just two ways of how mankind has suppressed the truth of God for decades. The accumulating effect of all this suppression has provoked the wrath of God. The Lord, who is slow to anger and longsuffering, has come to a place where He is giving us up to, or handing us over to, our own mess in hope that we will despair, be appalled, and cry out to Him for forgiveness and deliverance. God delights in showing mercy and His grace is sufficient. He takes no delight in the punishment of the wicked. A cool bumper sticker sums things up:

NO GOD NO PEACE
KNOW GOD KNOW PEACE

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:37 NIV)

It’s not hard to see that this day and age is reflecting the wickedness of the days of Noah. Although these types of sins have always been around, the acceleration is truly a sign that Jesus is coming soon! Now’s the time to draw close to the Lord, find out what you are really suppose to be doing, then do it!

Fighting Deception

I think everyone would agree that it’s no fun being deceived. Being a victim of deception can cut pretty deep and become a horrible ordeal. Unfortunately, deception seems to taint everything in this fallen world; from credit card companies offering to help, but having an ulterior motive of enslaving you economically, to con men ripping off the unsuspecting with all kinds of twisted schemes, to people using each other as stepping stones to fulfill their selfish ambitions. It’s ugly; it’s hurtful; it’s evil.

One of my pet peeves that involve deception are the demagogues who play on people’s emotions and prejudices rather than appealing to their rational side. They pollute the airwaves with a consistent drumbeat of twisted bias without any concern for the whole truth. Their hyperbole of everything is disgusting. These demagogue millionaires serve one wicked ulterior purpose; to keep people divided and to get paid(I guess that‘s two). For example, today’s hot topic has to do with the police and their approach towards the African American community. It is a bonanza for demagogues in all forms of the media. It’s easy to spot because the reporters or talking heads don’t balance the story and frame it fairly for all those involved. If the negative side of the police are talked about without referencing the thousands of arrest that have gone well, the utmost necessity and difficulty of their job, the many heroes in blue of all different races and backgrounds, and the uncertainty and danger of losing their life at any moment, then more then likely demagoguery is going on. If Black behavior is talked about negatively without the perspective of the world wide common behavior of those that are poor, oppressed, and voiceless, or the greatness of those dealing with and overcoming despite the historic systemic barriers placed in front of them, or the simple desire for fairness and real justice, then demagoguery is going on. One thing that has happened in our time is that technology has given the voiceless a voice. Video, as well as a ratings hunting media, has brought a spotlight on certain police practices. Whatever the case, people are waking up to the fact that our justice system treats people differently based upon their race and finances.

There’s another type of deception that takes place through leaders. Unlike demagogues that play on people’s emotions and stereotypes, “sycophants” tell people what they want to hear. A sycophant will use praise and flattery to get something from people, whether it is their approval or granted authority from a group. Probably the best example of sycophants are politicians. Those politicians that are best skilled at telling people what they want to hear have a high probability of being elected, especially if they have the most resources to get their message out there. Politicians will go into churches and whether they do or not, tell Christians how much they love the Lord. They usually will serve that up with a side dish of flattery. The next thing you know, they are in their elected office and they then kind of forget all the cool stuff they promised and end up doing what they really wanted to do.

However, I think it’s important that we study the spiritual father of these demagogues– Satan, “aka” the “Father of Lies” who is the number one sycophant in existence.

Sycophantic deception is what the devil rode in on to become the god(with a little “g“) of this fallen world. Lets take a look at the devil’s lies that helped put a wedge between mankind and his Creator, brought death and curses upon us all, and even cursed the land.

Gen 3:1-7
1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

So this crafty serpent approaches Eve and fires his first volley– Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’? He accomplished quite a bit with this seemingly innocent question. First, he hid himself from her by concealing his true intentions and focus(he was only focused on one tree and getting them to disobey God) by asking about ALL the trees. Secondly, he wanted to see how much she really understood about God’s command.

Eve responds, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Eve’s response confirms what the serpent suspects. When God gave instructions about the tree, He didn’t say anything about touching it; Eve added that. This shows that something wasn’t quite right in Eve’s thinking. It shows that there was some confusion or lack of understanding in Eve’s mind about the purpose of the tree.

Next, in response the serpent pounces and says, “You will not surely die. 5For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The serpent fills in her gaps of understanding with bald faced lies and flattering them with the thought that they have the potential to be God. With this statement the beast had gone all out, it was his atomic bomb. First, he said the opposite of what God said and proclaims that they will not die (both Adam and Eve were a little vulnerable towards the concept of death. They never witnessed anything dieing. They had absolutely no concept of spiritual death which is separation from God). Then he attacks God’s relationship with them and implies that God had purposely kept them in the dark about something. He follows with his number one attack upon God’s holy character—that God is keeping something good from them, that He doesn’t want them to be Gods just like Him(sorry mankind and Satan, there is only one God and Creator, your just creatures). It is such a gross lie, it’s not in God’s nature to hold anything good back, He gives generously, to the point of even giving His only begotten Son so that we can be a part of His loving family.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,” At this point the temptation is in full operation. The devil successfully stirred up desire in her through the exact same things our fallen nature is vulnerable to today, as 1 John 2:16 says: For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh(she saw that the tree was good for food), the lust of the eyes(it was a delight to her eyes), and the pride of life(the tree was to be desired to make one wise) —comes not from the Father but from the world.

“she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” There it is. The deception is full-grown. The temptation indulged. Grievously…. Death(separation from God) arrives.

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:15

If you find any abnormality like broken test leads or cracked cases, etc. it is advisable not to use it. overnight shipping of cialis It is the tested and proven treatment of ED in the positive manner even from the first day, you would be able to feel the heat when things go awry Stressful work, the fatigue of chasing targets, the worries and tensions of delays and missed deals – in the midst of all these, the body and mind pays, sometimes cialis professional uk dearly. Patients who have the following conditions should not sildenafil 100mg , as taking the drug could lead to complications with their existing conditions. Revitalizing the over at this drugstore levitra prescription cells of the body, it removes all the sexual disorders which a man faces in his life the one that is quite difficult to get over and are totally disturbing which includes ruining a man s life. It may seem that I am picking on Eve but we can’t forget about Adam, whose sin was the worse of the two. Eve was tricked, deceived, bamboozled, but Adam wasn’t. He knew exactly what he was doing. You see, with the arrival of Eve, Adam wasn’t alone anymore. He was blessed with this bombastic woman that blew his mind. She reflected another side of God, equal to himself, but wonderfully different . At that moment in time, his eyes were on her, and not on the one who made her possible. He didn’t want to drive a wedge between himself and Eve. Instead, he chose to disobey his Heavenly Father. Here are some scriptures to help understand what a devastating choice Adam made.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:37

“If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison–your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26(NLT)

You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

When Adam put his love for Eve before God, she became an idol in his life. He gave in to her and ultimately the beast–he turned his back to God. Disastrously, Adam failed God’s love test…

But let us rejoice, and thank God all the more for the second Adam, who did not fail! Thankfully, we shall become like Him!

45Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”, the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
1 Cor. 15:45-48(ESV)

In conclusion, there seems to be a pattern to deception. First, the deceiver clothes himself in a false innocence; a verbal disguise; like a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing, or an evil spirit disguised like a holy angel. He speaks to our desires and at this point, in order to stop the deception, a person must spiritually discern the voice or thought operating in us. The spirit will guide us if we ask to be kept from deception. Whether we are dealing with a snake in the grass or self deception, we need to walk away. Next, if undiscerned, a plausible lie is presented; it will usually say the exact opposite of the word of God and attack or exploit a vulnerable area in the victims thinking. Even if there is a vulnerable area, with the gift of discernment, a saint isn’t helpless and can shut it down by the grace of God. Next, the deception usually involves a desire in the persons heart. James 1:14 says, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed“. That desire will usually appeal to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life. Even at this point, all is not lost. If you find yourself falling into the enemy’s hands; call upon the name of the Lord, He will rescue you and show you a way out!

If we stubbornly don’t deal with the sin in our hearts we may find ourselves in an even worse place; we will actually look for false leaders to speak to the lustful desires in our own hearts. This is especially easy to do in our day and age; there’s all kinds of easy accessible movements in the land. Nevertheless, God holds us responsible for who we follow.

3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4(NIV)

As much as we may not want to face it, the bottom line is, we are deceived by the sinful desires in our own hearts; but thanks be unto God, that when we call upon His holy name and confess the sin in our hearts, He is faithful and just to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.

Iraqi Christians

While living in the west, it is easy to be ignorant of what our Christian brothers and sisters are going through in the Middle East. In the western media there is little news about Christians from the middle east, let alone Christians who are in Iraq. Most westerners are familiar with the fact that there is no separation of religion and state in most Islamic countries, unlike here in the west. The thought that God has always had a Christian remnant in Iraq, despite the laws of the land, probably hasn’t entered most westerner minds. In fact, not only has God had a remnant there, but their history traces back to two of the twelve Apostles from scripture. Wikipedia says:

“Christianity was brought to Iraq in the 1st century AD by the Apostles Thomas and Addai (Thaddaeus) and his pupils Aggagi and Mari. Thomas and Thaddeus belonged to the twelve Apostles.[6] Iraq’s Eastern Aramaic speaking Assyrian Christian communities are believed to be among the oldest in the world.
The Assyrian people adopted Christianity in the 1st century AD[5] and Assyria became the centre of Eastern Rite Christianity and Syriac literature from the 1st century AD until the Middle Ages.”

Let’s not stop with the New Testament, let’s also look at the Old Testament. Most Christians are familiar with the story of Jonah, but how many westerners have associated Jonah with Iraq? God guided that large fish with Jonah inside all the way back towards Nineveh, which is located across the river from Mosul, the second biggest city in Iraq. The following are quotes from “The End Time” blog:

“It was ‘an exceedingly great city’ some three days’ travel in breadth. Some historians calculate that as many as 250,000 lived in Nineveh. For several decades it was the largest city in the world. When Jonah preached, all the Ninevites repented, from the king on down to the lowliest peasant. All of them. It surely was a great move of God and a great shower of grace upon the many people of Nineveh.
God’s move was so powerful and so amazing that even till this day Eastern Orthodox churches of the Middle East commemorate the three days Jonah spent inside the fish during the “Fast of Nineveh”. There are streets named after Jonah in the Middle East and monuments to him. There are even several places claiming to be his tomb. He is known to Muslims as Nabi Yunus, and Prophet Jonah is mentioned in the Q’uran. Therefore we see that God’s move was SO GREAT that the vestigial memory of it rests in the hearts and minds of even the most blinded and spiritually distant from God.”

We can see that Iraq has an amazing, rich, past touching all followers of Christ. Americans, in such a young country, cannot relate to that kind of ancient history. God has done some wonderful things there that will be forever recorded in scripture. He loves believers in the West, but He loves Middle East people as well, and has kept a remnant in Iraq for thousands of years.

There has always been times of suffering by the Iraqi remnant, such as wars and great religious persecution, and yet, Iraqi Christians, and people of other faiths are now experiencing an attack that’s unprecedented. They are literally facing genocide, women are being raped and sold into slavery, heads are being chopped off, hundreds of thousands of Christians are being confronted with three choices from their brutal persecutors(Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-ISIS); the choice of converting to Islam, paying a “dhimmi” tax as subservient, submissive residents of the Islamic state, or being executed. In the words of ISIS itself, “We offer (Christians) three choices: Islam; the dhimma contract—involving payment of jizya; if they refuse this they will have nothing but the sword.”

Fleeing these ISIS vessels of death and destruction, Christians are evacuating their homes and headed to the mountains and surrounding regions with barely the clothes on their back, reminiscent of the future fleeing of Jews that Jesus talks about here:

Matt 24:15-21

15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
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19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.(KJV)

Iraqi Christians fleeing from persecution is yet another foreshadow of the last of the “last days” that will soon overtake us all.

Iraq is litarally being purged of Christians as Charismanews reports:

“Human-rights lawyer Nina Shea described the horror in Mosul to me: “(The Islamic State) took the Christians’ houses, took the cars they were driving to leave. They took all their money. One old woman had her life savings of $40,000, and she said, ‘Can I please have $100?’, and they said no. They took wedding rings off fingers, chopping off fingers if they couldn’t get the ring off.”

“We now have 5,000 destitute, homeless people with no future,” Shea said. “This is a crime against humanity.”

For the first time in 2,000 years, Mosul is devoid of Christians.

“This is ancient Nineveh we are talking about,” Shea explained. “They took down all the crosses. They blew up the tomb of the prophet Jonah. An orthodox cathedral has been turned into a mosque. … They are uprooting every vestige of Christianity.” University of Mosul professor Mahmoud Al ‘Asali, a Muslim, bravely spoke out against the Islamic State’s purging of Christians and was executed.”

Shockingly, areas of Iraq are being purged of Christians after being the home for hundreds of thousand Christians for over 1900 years. We must take note of these matters and pray! Pray for our suffering brothers and sisters as they are going through unspeakable trauma that only those who have gone through wars, natural disasters, or homelessness can only begin to understand. Pray that the murderers will have a road to Damascus experience as Paul did when he was on his twisted mission to go kill Christians. Pray–without ceasing.

Luke 21:36
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (NIV)

Tiananmen Square Massacre 25th Anniversary

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13(ESV)

On June 3rd-4th, 1989, the Chinese people fought for something that people all over the world have been hungering for–democratic reform. Students were willing to lay down their lives through nonviolent protest to help their fellow citizens attain this dream. In turn, the government felt threatened, and like any government faced with loosing power, it acted like a mother bear who was about to lose her baby cub, it bared it’s political fangs and used martial law to keep things the “same as they always was”.

Wikipedia describes it this way–“The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, commonly known as the June Fourth Incident or more accurately ’89 Democracy Movement in Chinese, were student-led popular demonstrations in Beijing which took place in the spring of 1989 and received broad support from city residents, exposing deep splits within China’s political leadership. The protests were forcibly suppressed by hardline leaders who ordered the military to enforce martial law in the country’s capital. The crackdown that initiated on June 3–4 became known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre or the June 4 Massacre as troops with assault rifles and tanks inflicted casualties on unarmed civilians trying to block the military’s advance towards Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing, which student demonstrators had occupied for seven weeks.

The Chinese government condemned the protests as a “counter-revolutionary riot”, and has prohibited all forms of discussion or remembrance of the events since. Due to the lack of information from China, many aspects of the events remain unknown or unconfirmed. Estimates of the death toll range from a few hundred to a few thousand.”

The photograph of a man holding shopping bags standing in front of a column of tanks is the image most people the world over remember the event by. This man, now called “Tank Man“, walked over to a row of huge stampeding tanks, and with no regard for his life, stood directly in their path causing them to stop. He yells at the men in the tank, the lead tank eventually tries to go around him and he steps in front of it again. Like a mouse dancing with an elephant, the tank and Tank Man did a two step with neither party moving forward. Tank man then wanted to make sure they heard him, so he climbed up on the tank and had some words with the commander; he eventually got down and stood on the side of the tank. After a couple of minutes the tank starts to move forward, and Tank Man, once again jumps in front of it. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, some people, fearing for Tank Mans life, grabbed him from out of the front of the tanks and pulled him to safety.

This image became one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century. No one knows what happened to Tank Man, or even knew who he was, but his courageous stand will forever be remembered.

There’s something about standing and looking evil in the eye and saying “this is wrong, That’s It, NO MORE! As Christians we are called not only to face down evil in society but the evil in our own lives as well. Jesus faced and confronted every evil in existence. Although being very God and man, He knew that God was with Him. Every form of evil, from diseases, evil spirits, false religion, wrong societal norms, false religious and civil authorities, to the unrighteous laws of the land, our Lord said, “NO, This is wrong!” Every time, darkness had to flee in the presence and light of our Lord, every time!

In the spirit of Tank Man, let us confront and stare down the sin that so easily entangles us. Let us confront the evil spirits and demons that have taken us captive and say “NO MORE” in the name of Jesus for He said:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7(ESV)

Let us stand against wrong thoughts!

Eggs Eggs are ideal food sources for sperm http://appalachianmagazine.com/gb/ levitra on line motility and health. This cialis low cost would also be beneficial in helping in preventing it. One way they can then build upon their treasure trove of stolen emails and grow their list exponentially is by then sending a joke to the various people on the list, no matter what the man and his wife might feel cheap discount viagra they are sacrificing. It is important to understand that each and every of the said chakras can only be opened through meditation. appalachianmagazine.com sildenafil generic cheap We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

Let us stand against injustices in our world!

3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:3-11

We don’t know the faith of Tank Man, but I believe God was with him, because he courageously looked evil in its eyes, and by his actions said “NO MORE!” Surely, if God is with you, there will come a time when you will have to face darkness down–will you stand?

……..and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, …..Ephesians 6:13-14

 

DON’T WORRY, WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS

Is the world spinning out of control or what? We have corrupt governments saturated in bribery, destructive new weather patterns, traditional values being trampled on, technology invading every aspect of life, wars and rumors of wars, the elite rich are on the take and thirsting for more while the poor get poorer, evil is now considered good while good is now evil. It seems like the world is smoldering, on the verge of becoming a burning inferno. Truly, whatever you behold in these end times will either paralyze you with fear, or cause you to overcome with peace beyond all understanding.

Let’s look at the definition of control—the power to influence or direct peoples behavior or the course of events

Does God have the power to control this world, a world jam-packed with billions of little wills that our Lord chooses not to violate? The answer is a resounding YES! He controls with a power that we cannot fully comprehend or define. Beholding the indescribable power of our God can truly anchor our souls in whatever stormy seas this world throws at us, so let’s behold the eternal power of our God, He is;

Ominpotent–having unlimited power; able to do anything.
synonyms: all-powerful, almighty, supreme, preeminent, most high; invincible, unconquerable

Matthew 19:26 – But Jesus beheld [them], and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (KJV)

Romans 1:20 – For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Omniscience–knowing everything.
synonyms: all-knowing, all-wise, all-seeing

1 John 3:19-20 – By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

Psalm 147:5 – Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.

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widely or constantly encountered; common or widespread.
synonyms: ubiquitous, all-pervasive, everywhere; boundless, infinite; rife, pervasive, prevalent, far-reaching

Jeremiah 23:24 – Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

Proverbs 15:3 – The eyes of the LORD [are] in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

Of course I’m only touching the surface of our God’s infinite power. It’s impossible to cover every characteristic of our Lord. Narrowing things down to one of a myriad of characteristics of God that steadies our ship in these turbulent times is His Omniscience.

He has all knowledge, a perfect knowledge–before time as well after– perfect, unlimited knowledge of all existence, visible and invisible. One aspect of God’s all encompassing knowledge is His foreknowledge, or the Spirit of prophecy.

God, according to His wisdom, sometimes lifts the veil off the future and communicates it to us so that we can take comfort and believe. The bible records future events in perfect detail unlike anything else on the planet! Guess what? Our time is explained exactly as well, take a look at Matthew 24 when you get a chance. Now if our God is telling us stuff thousands of years before they happen, then who’s in control? Through the eyes of faith, this old world ain’t spinning nowhere! Hallelujah! Our God reigns!

And let me leave you with this–His power is ALWAYS motivated by LOVE! To behold how our God wields His wonderful power, study and behold the works of our King, JESUS!

 

 

 

Political Musings

I am about to write about two things that you are never suppose to talk about in a social setting: religion and politics. Two subjects so volatile that it’s best just to leave them alone. For better or worse, I just can’t. Because as a Christian, I know how vital it is to constantly work at aligning our worldview with what God reveals in His word and our lives. The wrong worldview can lead to unnecessary suffering and defeat, while the right worldview can equip us to deal with all that the kingdom of darkness can throw at us.

The passion involved when people talk about politicians and politics can be quite startling although understandable. The profound affect a politician’s decision can make on us can cause us to sit up and take notice. The question I muse about is this; how do Christians maneuver through this polarizing political climate?

First of all, I think it’s vital that all Christians have a good foundation to stand on. We know that Jesus is the rock and everything else is sinking sand. Our political outlook must be based on God‘s words.

When we talk about politics, we are really talking about government or Kingdoms. From the scriptures it is easy to deduce that Government didn’t originate with man but with God. It originated with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, the eternal God Head, the first government with no beginning and will be the last Kingdom with no ending. Our God is a God of law and order and since man is made in His image and likeness, government is written on our hearts.

At some point in eternity, God in His graciousness decided to expand His kingdom. Angels were first brought into God’s Kingdom and then man. The currency God chose for His Kingdom is faith, hope, and love. God knows, in His kingdom that a relationship with Him is the highest good for all of His creatures, and yet, He left it to the individual to embrace His revealed goodness or to reject it. Unfortunately, some angels and mankind rebelled against Him and doubted His goodness resulting in darkness and death.

All is not loss. According to His wisdom, God in His great mercy, unfolded a plan of redemption and salvation that culminated in His son Jesus Christ. When a man receives this gift of salvation, that man is born again and is baptized into the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom is not of this world, it is distinct from any other kingdom and is the highest of all Kingdoms. It is eternal, and the perfect King of this kingdom is God Himself. God in His infinite wisdom has allowed other kingdoms to coexist with His in this age, such as the kingdom of darkness and the kingdoms of this world, but in the end, after the dust has settled, His kingdom and His kingdom alone will rule and reign forever and ever. Daniel shows by interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar’s vision, what will happen to the most significant kingdoms in history, and the coming last kingdom of man signified by the iron and clay feet.

Daniel 2:31-35,44
31“Your Majesty, you had a vision. You saw a large statue. This statue was very bright. It stood in front of you, and it looked terrifying. 32 The head of this statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were made of silver. Its stomach and hips were made of bronze. 33 Its legs were made of iron. Its feet were made partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 While you were watching, a stone was cut out, but not by humans. It struck the statue’s iron-and-clay feet and smashed them. 35 Then all at once, the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were smashed. They became like husks on a threshing floor[a] in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain which filled the whole world.

44“At the time of those kings, the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed. No other people will be permitted to rule it. It will smash all the other kingdoms and put an end to them. But it will be established forever. 45 This is the stone that you saw cut out from a mountain, but not by humans. It smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God has told you what will happen in the future, Your Majesty. The dream is true, and you can trust that this is its meaning.”(GW)

What does all that have to do with our approach to politics? As Christians we can take comfort in knowing that this isn’t our home. This isn’t our kingdom.

Hebrews 13:14
For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. (ESV)

We can take comfort in knowing that the God we serve is so vast that He sees all nations as but drops in the bucket.

Isaiah 40:15
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. (NIV)

We can take comfort in knowing that the Kingdom of God is here right now, and that it is an expanding, large mountain, that is filling the world. To His glory, Christians have been given the awesome privilege to help expand God’s kingdom in this world.

Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”(ESV)

We can take heart in knowing that our King has already couquered this world and the kingdom of darkness. Amazingly, we have as Christians, an awesome privilege to help administer our King’s victory.
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John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”(NIV)

In conclusion, as far as the political scene, I will give unto Caesar what is Caesar‘s, and I will pray for those in authority as the word of God instructs.

1 Timothy 2
2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man[a] Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, (ESV)

Proverbs 21
21 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.(ESV)

In love, we also must speak truth, justice, and we must denounce immorality in all its various forms to those in authority, as John the Baptist did and many of our Christian brothers and sisters down through history.

I will do all these things but my passion, our passion, our allegiance must first be to the Kingdom of God while everything else takes a back seat. While many will continue to put their hope in this politician or that political party, I will put my hope in the only man that can handle it all, God in the flesh, Jesus Christ!

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.(ESV)

 

Detroit–Does God Care?

Does God care for the city of Detroit? Should this once thriving and prosperous city be shunned; left as an example of what not to do, abandoned to its own demise?

On July 18, Detroit, at one time the richest per capita city in America, filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history. A city that people once migrated to for a better life, just like people migrated to California for gold.

At the height of Detroit’s prosperous years the population consisted of close to 2 million people. Good paying jobs were basically the norm. Over 296,000 manufacturing jobs in the 50’s helped produce a thriving, booming middle class. But today, Detroit is tragically a vastly different story. The population has dropped down to a little over 700,000 people with less than 27,000 manufacturing jobs . A city that once was saturated with booming businesses everywhere now has 78,000 abandoned buildings. About one third of the city is either vacant or derelict. The poverty and unemployment levels are through the roof. One can go on and on about Detroit’s problems and devastating lack, as well as the spiritual and psychological blows that have accumulated over the years. Just like poor populations all over the world, Detroit has many deserted and disenfranchised people, you know, the ones that didn’t have the means to leave when the well ran dry. One can imagine the oppression, the sting of abandonment, the clouds of depression, hopelessness and despair that some of the people must be feeling. Detroit reflects on all of God’s people. Have we become a people that callously says, “you made your bed, now lie in it”? Are the poor living in Detroit aliens from another planet that should be quarantined, or are they imperfect people made in the image and likeness of  a Holy God? Does anyone care? Sure, people can list off all the steps of what should of been done–but where’s the love?

1 Corinthians 8 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.(NLV)

1 John 3:17 But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won’t help him–how can God’s love be within him ? 18 Little children, let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions. 19 Then we will know for sure, by our actions, that we are on God’s side, and our consciences will be clear, even when we stand before the Lord.(NLV)

YES GOD CARES!

Prov. 14:31 Anyone who oppresses the poor is insulting God who made them. To help the poor is to honor God. (NLV)

Prov. 21:13 He who shuts his ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in his own time of need. (NLV)

Prov. 28:27 If you give to the poor, your needs will be supplied! But a curse upon those who close their eyes to poverty.

These scriptures are a bright light in a dark world. God’s heart is in direct conflict with this world’s constant drumbeat of exploiting and condemning the poor while being unconscious of the “taken for granted help” they themselves have received. Everybody, some time or the other, needs a shoulder to lean on.

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BASKETBALL: What we can Learn from it and Athletics in General

If you happen to be a basketball fan, you’ve probably watched or played a lot of basketball the last three or four months and enjoyed every minute of it! Starting with the national treasure called “March Madness” that causes work productivity to go down because everyone is trying to follow their teams, to the jaw dropping athletes of the NBA and WNBA playing in many super intense basketball chess matches. Basketball has become a favorite national past time here in America as well as internationally.

Basketball is one of the most demanding sports out there. To get really good at it, just like any other discipline, it takes an all encompassing, whole hearted effort. It takes all that, and then some, to master the subtle intricacies of the game, that challenges both mind and body. Basketball, a game that has delighted millions of people over this past century has become the hallmark of good sportsmanship and the epitome of teamwork.

There are many reasons why basketball, and sports in general, are so important. One of the reasons that sports are so popular among men in particular, is how sports taps into a man’s God given desire to protect one’s family and community. Playing sports for men is just like two young lions wrestling while their parents look on approvingly. The play wrestling and biting prepares theses two young cubs for when they will have to fight and hunt for real. Likewise, sports can prepare men to be that protector and provider for his family as well as society.

The competitive nature in men(as well as women) brings out the best in both opponents. As the bible says:

Proverbs 27:17*
Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.

Controlled sports can help develop quick thinking, agility, and strength in a man that can easily transfer to the battlefield as well as protecting one’s home. Although severe injuries sometimes happen, controlled sports can safely simulate some of the emotions and circumstances that can arise in battle.

Secondly, there’s teamwork! There is nothing more exhilarating than accurately assessing an individual’s strengths and weaknesses, taking these individuals and forming a formidable team, fighting as one, with one goal in mind. Sports teach the value of what it is to work together with others to obtain a common goal. God makes it clear in His word how much He loves team work!

Amos 3:3

Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?

Matthew 12:25

A house divided against itself shall not stand”.

Deuteronomy 32:30

One can chase a thousand, and two can put ten thousand to flight.”

Probably the most important benefit of playing basketball and sports is the development of discipline.

Since discipline and disciple both have the same root word, and Jesus commands the church to go and make disciples, it’s vital that the followers of Christ learn discipline! Here’s the definition of discipline:

1
: to punish or penalize for the sake of enforcing obedience and perfecting moral character
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: to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control
3
a : to bring (a group) under control <discipline troops>
b : to impose order upon <serious writers discipline and refine their writing styles>

World class athletes have world class discipline. To get a taste of their world, here is a complaint from track star, Lolo Jones, who struggled in the Olympics and was being criticized by some in the media that said her stardom has more to do with marketing instead of her accomplishments on the track. “I think it was crazy just because it was two days before I competed, and then the fact that it was from a U.S. media (outlet),” Jones said. “They should be supporting our U.S. Olympic athletes, and instead they just ripped me to shreds. I thought that was crazy because I work six days a week, every day, for four years for a 12-second race.” ESPN.com news services

She works six days a week, everyday, for a race that only comes once every four years. Sure, she may run other smaller races during those four years, but only to prepare for THE race. A race that will last a total of all but twelve seconds. A race that has the added pressure of the whole world looking on. It takes an incredibly disciplined athlete like Lolo to partake in the Olympics.

World class athletes are some of the most disciplined and exalted people on the planet and yet, what does the bible say about all this.

1 Timothy 4:7-10
7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive,[b] because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
Paul as led by the Spirit makes it clear that despite all the wonderful benefits of physical training. it is of just SOME value. Of all the things that people do and partake that has hardly none or little value, for the word of God to say that it has some value, then physical training is important. Playing and training for basketball is important, and yet, what is of more importance, this life or the life to come? I would say the life to come, at that point you have stepped into eternity. The bible goes one further and says that Godliness is of value in every way for THIS life AND the life to come!

Has God called us all to physical training? For those who are able, I would say yes! The medical profession has a list that goes on and on about the benefits of physical training. We may not all be world class athletes, but we all can train for something. The following scriptures expound on us taking care of our bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 9:27
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

In conclusion, when an athlete takes the training he or she has learned from sports, and applies that discipline to becoming Godly– Look Out! They are on their way to becoming powerful Christians in the hands of an all powerful God.

Many of us are not athletes, what are we to do? Our flesh holds us back and doesn’t want to train. Let the weak Christian say I’m strong, Why?– because their help isn’t weak but all powerful. Their help comes from above. Being faithful in prayer is the key, for our Lord can give you motivation when you don’t have any. He can help you with your discipline. For our Lord put that undisciplined flesh to death on the cross, Halleluiah! By faith He made a way for us. We can now proclaim that Jesus put that undisciplined flesh to death and gave us a New Man! We can call upon Him until we know that the Spirit is leading us and we are clothed in the New with “self control“, one of the fruits of the Spirit. Praise God Saints, we have the victory!

1 Corinthians 9:21
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

* All scriptures are quoted from the ESV bible

 

Catholic Church and Evolving

While sitting here reflecting on the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI(a man who dared to break tradition by stepping down from the highest position in the Catholic church), one can imagine the mental and spiritual wrestling that took place behind the scenes before his decision. He decided to evolve past tradition and take on a new course(might as well be new, last time it happened was over 600 yrs. ago), a course that has directly impacted over a billion people. Does God require a Pope to stay on until death? No mention of it in the bible. He did what he felt he needed to do despite how difficult it was. You have to admire and respect that in a person whether you support their decision or not.

Another Catholic, Britain’s most senior Catholic Cardinal Keith O’Brien, made news recently by saying that Catholic priests should be allowed to get married and raise a family.

Although the Cardinal is in the midst of scandal, he boldly spoke against tradition when he said the requirement for priestly celibacy is “not of divine origin” and could be reconsidered. He told the BBC that “the celibacy of the clergy, whether priests should marry – Jesus didn’t say that.”

He also said that “many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy,” and while he had never considered marriage himself, “I would be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether or not they could or should get married.” –Huff Post Religion

Two men, on their personal journey to know and serve God, took action or spoke out against traditional practices that most have never considered. Which one is right? Which one is wrong? Is it possible that they are both right in their journey with God? Can the ways of God be contained in one man, two? Can He be contained in one family, how about one denomination, state, or nation? Is there anything manmade or created that can contain the “Ancient of Days”?

(ESV) 2 Chronicles 2:6

But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him?

Last but not least, a third Catholic leader is evolving while on his personal and public journey with God. Jorge Bergoglio has just made history. He has been chosen as the first non-European pope of the modern era. Not only that, he is the first Latino, the first Jesuit and the first to assume the name Francis.

CNN reports that “the new pope then quickly made another kind of history, breaking with tradition in his first public act before the 150,000 people packed into St. Peter’s Square. Rather than bless the crowd first, he asked them to pray for him.
“Let us say this prayer, your prayer for me, in silence,” he told the cheering crowd.

The willingness by Francis to dispense with tradition was interpreted by a Vatican spokesman as a sign he will be willing to chart his own path in other ways.

“We have a pope who probably upset some people tonight by not following the formula,” the Rev. Tom Rosica said.
The pontiff also broke with another tradition by refusing to use a platform to elevate himself above the cardinals standing with him as he was introduced to the world as Pope Francis.
“He said I’ll stay down here,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York and the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “He met each of us on our own level.”—CNN

The new Pope seems to have an unprecedented humility. Not only does he have a heart for the poor, which is where God’s heart is, but he lives with the poor, bypassing the privileges that a man in his position could have easily indulged in. Our Lord Jesus set the example, although being the sustainer and creator of all life, He came to this earth born in a lowly stable. The new Pope seems set on evolving the Catholic church to walk on a more scriptural path.

IUI isn’t recommended if viagra sale http://downtownsault.org/second-childhood/ both your tubes have adhesions or scarring that might stop an egg traveling from the ovary to your uterus. acquisition de viagra It is therefore required to act on time and should not delay in the treatment. levitra on line http://downtownsault.org/category/shopping-downtown/home-furnishings-hardware/ The old age ED patients mostly liked these drugs as they can easily have the treatment. Best herbal semen volume enhancer supplement can tadalafil online in uk be described as the safe, effective and inexpensive way for treating loss of libido among women. The Pope is already having an impact on unbelievers as shown in this comment on the CNN story:

Adam Boatz Laughing__Man • a day ago −

Hmmmm…I don’t think birth control is necessarily the most pressing issue when it comes to religion and relevancy in the 21st century.

Considering the strife around the world, much of it coming from the poor rebelling against the wealthy (in all forms), a Pope that speaks on behalf of the poor and is concerned with their plight would go a long way toward reinvigorating the Church.

I’m agnostic, and don’t agree with much in the Catholic Church including its stance on birth control…but I’d much rather a Pope who’s against birth control but in favor of worker’s rights, and the rights and respects of those less well off, than a Pope who’s in favor of birth control and continuing the business as usual aspect of promoting the Church to the wealthy and ignoring those who need help the most.

We need to pray for these men and their faith. They may have an impact on Catholicism evolving in the same vein that Martin Luther, as led by the Holy Spirit, had on evolving the church to the great Protestant Reformation.

Questions we need to ask on this evolving journey with God is–What is more true?–What is more Godly?–What should I embrace?–What should I let go?–What is bearing fruit?–What isn’t? We come into this old world and our wonderful journey starts. And yet, we are but a mist, here today and gone tomorrow. In this short time on this planet we must find our way. On our journey we may find that certain conditions and traits are far more desirable and superior to others. We may find that good is more desirable than evil–truth more so than lies– love more than hate–giving more so than taking–peace far greater than strife–forgiveness more so than bitterness–mercy more than wrath. Although we know right from wrong, without fail, on this journey we find ourselves trapped in wrong.

A wonderful man walked the earth who split in two mankind’s tumultuous history. He impacted the world like never before or since. He did well documented miracles and precisely told of things to come. He said and proclaimed that He is the embodiment of all these desirable conditions and traits in the previously mentioned paragraph. He said that HE is good and THE truth. He said He is love. He said He is the GIFT of life. He said He IS the Prince of Peace. He said HE is the sacrifice for our forgiveness. Jesus, God in the flesh, the way, the truth, and the life, are all these traits personified and far more. Those who call upon His holy name will be saved from all past and future wrongs. This wonderful Jesus also prayed this profound prayer for all of His children:

(ESV)John 17:20-23

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

He prayed that we would be one with Him and each other. Let those who are in Christ, born of the Spirit, just like these Catholic leaders, evolve and lay aside our petty differences with each other. Let us gather around the King of kings until we all love and walk as Catholics as defined here–

cath·o·lic

b. Of or relating to the universal Christian church. TheFreeDictionary—

 

Sexual Immorality

Sexual Immorality

By Charles Holmes

(A recent report listed an astonishing rate of STDs among Americans, likening it to a severe epidemic. Science clearly confirms one more negative consequence of sexual immorality.)

While on an ever changing slippery slope of morality, society has a way of imagining that God is winking at everything He has clearly said not to do. We delude ourselves and believe that there are no real consequences for all this immorality. Since everyone is now doing this or that, it has to be all good. We can’t listen to the radio or turn on the TV without being bombarded by situations that are contrary to what God intended for us. There are as many opinions as there are people of what is acceptable and how we should look at sexuality. Can opinions of creatures triumph over the unchanging word of the Creator?

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