I have been thinking about the two candidates we have available to choose from in this current presidential election. Both of them are labeled as evil. We know one is evil, and we can see why. The other one is labeled evil for a variety of reasons, but most of them are not very credible. So, we have a choice of voting for one who is evil in a perverted way (right is wrong, truth is lies, etc.) and we have the other one who needs to put a guard over his mouth.
People say that they cannot vote for either one so they will either write in a candidate or not vote in this election. Either way, that guarantees the 'Greater of the two evils' to win.
Let's take some other situations that have come up that bring up questions and even cause divisions because of the way some Christians view the situations. I think of Living Waters, my favorite evangelism ministry out there. They have great tracts and wonderful, Biblical teaching on evangelism. I've learn quite a bit from them. Probably more than anywhere else, have I learned how to do the work of evangelism.
But Living Waters does something that some Christians think is ethically wrong. They have a television show called, 'The Way Of The Master" which depicts scenes of their doing evangelism and reaching the lost. The show is broadcast on a station called TBN. TBN is known for having Bible teachers who do not teach the Bible accurately. So, people have turned away from Living Waters because they are associated, in a sense, with TBN. What do you think? Should Living Waters be chastised for using TBN to broadcast their program, or, could there be a better good coming out from this way of doing things?
Another issue people seem divided on, and handle in different ways is the area of college. Some would say that Christians have no business going to college. We all know that colleges and universities have professors who gladly teach evolution. If you are a Christian who wants a degree in biology, let's say, you will either have to agree with evolution, or, at least answer the tests in the right way (meaning give the right answers that you know are really not right). In a sense, it is like lying your way through college to get the degree that you need to have. But is that really the case? Could this be part of a bigger picture?
How do you handle these types of situations? Could something appear to be an evil act, but in reality be something used to promote a greater good in the end? Can those who are in the body of Christ work together in unity in areas of disagreements when it comes to handling situations such as the ones in this article? I have seen situations where people unfriend people on Facebook because of such disagreements. I have also sadly seen where Christians resort to name calling other Christians because they do not agree on these issues. We are called to work together in unity and love, and work out our disagreements amicably.
Spiritual Warfare Prep
We Are In The Lord's Army
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Monday, August 8, 2016
Our Enemy; The Government Or Islam?
For a couple of months now, I have been totally puzzled. I have friends who actually believe that those who were killed at the Pulse nightclub a couple of months ago**, actually acted out the whole scene. All the cops involved as well as the emts, employees of Pulse, and those who supposedly got shot that night were all playing out an act. It didn't really happen, according to my friends and some places on the Internet.
So, after hearing a few people who actually did lose family members or friends, I wondered. Why would people believe this lie? One website said that it was to put fear of Islam into people. They also believed that it was the government that did it. Still, it makes very little sense.
I know that some people believe that 911 was a whole different scenario than what we saw. Some people would say that it was a government scheme and that Bush was behind it the whole time (ever hear those people who hate Bush? This could be one reason why).
After studying some websites on this Pulse theory, I conclude that there are people out there who believe that the government is totally spying on us, and that things that happen (like the situation at Pulse) are really caused by the government, not those who are Terrorists. Then, after all is said and done, the blame and focus goes to Terrorism and off the real culprit, the government.
Let's talk about the 'Shadow Government'. The Shadow Government is just what the name implies. There are people who are in the government who are puppets for Satan, doing his bidding without really being aware of what is going on. We know that and everyone can see that. For example, there are people who are part of the FDA and also involved in a large corporation called 'Monsanto'. Monsanto, as you may have heard, produces genetically modified seeds, which are designed to be protected from the weed killer also produced by the companies which support genetically modified organisms. The seeds are called, 'Round-up Ready' and they have been genetically modified to resist being killed by a weed killer called 'Roundup'. Monsanto has patented their seeds and no one can use their seeds or plants unless they buy the patent. So, what has happened is that some of the seeds gave off pollen, and infected plants grown by farmers who aren't using Monsanto's patented seeds, and their seeds were found by authorities, and the farmers are penalized. The farmers were innocent and did not intend to use those plants, but because the pollen spread or somehow their plants were infected with the genetically modified organisms from plants in nearby farms, they got in trouble legally and were penalized.
One of the chief heads of the FDA is Michael Taylor. Incidentally, Michael Taylor has also been an attorney who works for Monsanto. Those who support genetically modified plants stand up firm against those who have done research who found through their research that genetically modified plants and everything that goes with them is not all that Monsanto would like you to believe. But because the FDA and even Monsanto have governmental support, guess who wins?
What does this have to do with Shadow Government? If I understand correctly, I see the government as a big organization. It is filled with some good people and some bad people. Those who believe in conspiracy theories believe that the whole government is bad. There are top secrets in the government and the government is spying on you. Everyone in the government is working together to fulfill their plan of taking over the world by their creative plans using their technology. I do not see it that way. Although there are bad people in government, and those who are in groups backed by the government, the government itself is not scheming to control every single person around in this country.
Take also the situation with the CIA and mind control programming. If you can google it, find the interview that Carol Rutz has done. Carol Rutz was brought as a little girl to seemingly far away places where she didn't recognize. Her father took her to these places and she was left there. The people there would take these little children, and older ones too, and put mind control programming in them. They used torture on these children to make them comply. It was an unbelievably horrible situation that went on during the late 50s through the early 70s.
Children who came from homes where they were brought to these 'safe houses' as they would call them, are all now adults, and many of them are older adults with mental problems. If you talk to some of them, they will tell you the same thing about the government that those who believe and hold to conspiracy theories say. They believe that the CIA is totally corrupt and that it is part of the Shadow Government. But if you read Carol Rutz' interview, you will understand that in reality, only two people at the top level of the CIA knew about this. It was not a governmental scheme. It happened after Nazi doctors in Germany came (were invited) to America to relocate (because America feared that the Soviet Union would take these Nazi doctors and that would make them more powerful). It was the one man in charge of the CIA who is to blame, and no one else. It doesn't make the CIA bad because one man oversaw this evil and allowed it to continue.
My point is, there are evil people in the government, as there are evil people in every group. That is why we need to pray for our country. But some evil people being in an organization does not make the whole organization corrupt. Not everyone in the government is working in unison to destroy people or to spy on them.
We really do need to be praying for our country. The problems here are bigger than we are. We need to repent and turn back to God, individually, and as a nation.
I have noticed that some people involved in Satanic cults believe the Conspiracy Theories. On the one hand, you can understand why they would. After all, when they were children and at a vulnerable age, they were thrust into the care of Monster like 'doctors' who used them for experimentation and mind control programming. Because the main guy involved was the top guy in the CIA, in the eyes of a person victimized by one of these Nazi doctors, they didn't know that most of those in the government had no idea what was going on. Thank God for those who were aware of what was happening and who have come to the rescue.
The whole point of this article is simply that the Conspiracy Theorists believe that when a terrorist attack happens, it was well planned out as well as acted out by the government and those cooperating with the government. But this would take thousands of people who would have to agree to never let the secret out. Imagine some of these people going to an event like Pulse, leaving their houses without telling anyone where they were going that night. Unless even the households of the supposedly killed people were also cooperating with the top secret scheme, it would appear suspicious to many. Imagine the workers in a hospital who had to cooperate with the plan. Would everyone who works at those hospitals be on the same page to keep this a secret? Who could you trust? What about those who were not in on the scheme? Wouldn't they be suspicious as well? How would the police department keep everything top secret, and what if they chose to tell one of theirs about the plan, but he or she would not want to cooperate? Do you see how hard this would be to keep a secret? So many would have to be involved, and if one person changed their mind or had a slip of the tongue, then the secret would be out.
I think the whole problem with the Conspiracy Theory is that it is a theological issue. From what I can tell, those who hold to the Conspiracy Theory who believe the government can control people by spying on them or even destroying them and then blaming Islam, really do not believe that God is all powerful. They believe that the Enemy power is equal to God's power. They believe the Enemy is all-knowing. Don't get me wrong. Satan has power, even supernatural powers. He is way more powerful than we are, and will take advantage of us of we let him. But, compared to God, he is nothing. And he is very different than God is. God is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and holy. The devil is not. Plus, when Jesus died on the Cross, the devil and his workers were disarmed. So compared to God, the devil is nothing. Compared to people, the devil is much more powerful. But, God gives His power to His people to overcome the Enemy of our souls.
So, when someone comes out from being in a Satanic cult all their lives, they fear for their lives. They have seen other betrayers killed. They know it can really happen to them if they are caught. They are also assured that they will be found and killed if they betray the cult. The question is, is God big enough to protect them? The answer is obvious. God is able to keep people from being caught and killed by those who held them hostage all their lives.
Conclusion:
* There are bad people in government as well as good people.
* There is no unified, harmonic plan to spy on everyone and find whatever information is available on each person from the government.
* The government is not planning out evil activities and then making it look like an act of Islamic terrorism.
* God is all powerful; Satan is not, although he does have supernatural powers, greater than man does.
* Islamic Terrorists are a serious threat to the United States as well as the rest of the world.
* We need to be one step ahead of the Enemy to protect ourselves and our country.
* We need to pray for the church in America, and for our nation. May God have mercy on us and help us turn back to Him.
Remember, the ball is in our courts right now. All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Here is a recommended book. The book gives information on working with those who had been affected by the work of Nazi doctors on children in the 1950s - 1970s. This is an affiliate link. Thanks for your support.
**For information on the Pulse event that happened in Orlando in the middle of June, 2016, please go here: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/pulse-orlando-nightclub-shooting/os-orlando-pulse-nightclub-shooting-timeline-htmlstory.html
So, after hearing a few people who actually did lose family members or friends, I wondered. Why would people believe this lie? One website said that it was to put fear of Islam into people. They also believed that it was the government that did it. Still, it makes very little sense.
I know that some people believe that 911 was a whole different scenario than what we saw. Some people would say that it was a government scheme and that Bush was behind it the whole time (ever hear those people who hate Bush? This could be one reason why).
After studying some websites on this Pulse theory, I conclude that there are people out there who believe that the government is totally spying on us, and that things that happen (like the situation at Pulse) are really caused by the government, not those who are Terrorists. Then, after all is said and done, the blame and focus goes to Terrorism and off the real culprit, the government.
Let's talk about the 'Shadow Government'. The Shadow Government is just what the name implies. There are people who are in the government who are puppets for Satan, doing his bidding without really being aware of what is going on. We know that and everyone can see that. For example, there are people who are part of the FDA and also involved in a large corporation called 'Monsanto'. Monsanto, as you may have heard, produces genetically modified seeds, which are designed to be protected from the weed killer also produced by the companies which support genetically modified organisms. The seeds are called, 'Round-up Ready' and they have been genetically modified to resist being killed by a weed killer called 'Roundup'. Monsanto has patented their seeds and no one can use their seeds or plants unless they buy the patent. So, what has happened is that some of the seeds gave off pollen, and infected plants grown by farmers who aren't using Monsanto's patented seeds, and their seeds were found by authorities, and the farmers are penalized. The farmers were innocent and did not intend to use those plants, but because the pollen spread or somehow their plants were infected with the genetically modified organisms from plants in nearby farms, they got in trouble legally and were penalized.
One of the chief heads of the FDA is Michael Taylor. Incidentally, Michael Taylor has also been an attorney who works for Monsanto. Those who support genetically modified plants stand up firm against those who have done research who found through their research that genetically modified plants and everything that goes with them is not all that Monsanto would like you to believe. But because the FDA and even Monsanto have governmental support, guess who wins?
What does this have to do with Shadow Government? If I understand correctly, I see the government as a big organization. It is filled with some good people and some bad people. Those who believe in conspiracy theories believe that the whole government is bad. There are top secrets in the government and the government is spying on you. Everyone in the government is working together to fulfill their plan of taking over the world by their creative plans using their technology. I do not see it that way. Although there are bad people in government, and those who are in groups backed by the government, the government itself is not scheming to control every single person around in this country.
Take also the situation with the CIA and mind control programming. If you can google it, find the interview that Carol Rutz has done. Carol Rutz was brought as a little girl to seemingly far away places where she didn't recognize. Her father took her to these places and she was left there. The people there would take these little children, and older ones too, and put mind control programming in them. They used torture on these children to make them comply. It was an unbelievably horrible situation that went on during the late 50s through the early 70s.
Children who came from homes where they were brought to these 'safe houses' as they would call them, are all now adults, and many of them are older adults with mental problems. If you talk to some of them, they will tell you the same thing about the government that those who believe and hold to conspiracy theories say. They believe that the CIA is totally corrupt and that it is part of the Shadow Government. But if you read Carol Rutz' interview, you will understand that in reality, only two people at the top level of the CIA knew about this. It was not a governmental scheme. It happened after Nazi doctors in Germany came (were invited) to America to relocate (because America feared that the Soviet Union would take these Nazi doctors and that would make them more powerful). It was the one man in charge of the CIA who is to blame, and no one else. It doesn't make the CIA bad because one man oversaw this evil and allowed it to continue.
My point is, there are evil people in the government, as there are evil people in every group. That is why we need to pray for our country. But some evil people being in an organization does not make the whole organization corrupt. Not everyone in the government is working in unison to destroy people or to spy on them.
We really do need to be praying for our country. The problems here are bigger than we are. We need to repent and turn back to God, individually, and as a nation.
I have noticed that some people involved in Satanic cults believe the Conspiracy Theories. On the one hand, you can understand why they would. After all, when they were children and at a vulnerable age, they were thrust into the care of Monster like 'doctors' who used them for experimentation and mind control programming. Because the main guy involved was the top guy in the CIA, in the eyes of a person victimized by one of these Nazi doctors, they didn't know that most of those in the government had no idea what was going on. Thank God for those who were aware of what was happening and who have come to the rescue.
The whole point of this article is simply that the Conspiracy Theorists believe that when a terrorist attack happens, it was well planned out as well as acted out by the government and those cooperating with the government. But this would take thousands of people who would have to agree to never let the secret out. Imagine some of these people going to an event like Pulse, leaving their houses without telling anyone where they were going that night. Unless even the households of the supposedly killed people were also cooperating with the top secret scheme, it would appear suspicious to many. Imagine the workers in a hospital who had to cooperate with the plan. Would everyone who works at those hospitals be on the same page to keep this a secret? Who could you trust? What about those who were not in on the scheme? Wouldn't they be suspicious as well? How would the police department keep everything top secret, and what if they chose to tell one of theirs about the plan, but he or she would not want to cooperate? Do you see how hard this would be to keep a secret? So many would have to be involved, and if one person changed their mind or had a slip of the tongue, then the secret would be out.
I think the whole problem with the Conspiracy Theory is that it is a theological issue. From what I can tell, those who hold to the Conspiracy Theory who believe the government can control people by spying on them or even destroying them and then blaming Islam, really do not believe that God is all powerful. They believe that the Enemy power is equal to God's power. They believe the Enemy is all-knowing. Don't get me wrong. Satan has power, even supernatural powers. He is way more powerful than we are, and will take advantage of us of we let him. But, compared to God, he is nothing. And he is very different than God is. God is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and holy. The devil is not. Plus, when Jesus died on the Cross, the devil and his workers were disarmed. So compared to God, the devil is nothing. Compared to people, the devil is much more powerful. But, God gives His power to His people to overcome the Enemy of our souls.
So, when someone comes out from being in a Satanic cult all their lives, they fear for their lives. They have seen other betrayers killed. They know it can really happen to them if they are caught. They are also assured that they will be found and killed if they betray the cult. The question is, is God big enough to protect them? The answer is obvious. God is able to keep people from being caught and killed by those who held them hostage all their lives.
Conclusion:
* There are bad people in government as well as good people.
* There is no unified, harmonic plan to spy on everyone and find whatever information is available on each person from the government.
* The government is not planning out evil activities and then making it look like an act of Islamic terrorism.
* God is all powerful; Satan is not, although he does have supernatural powers, greater than man does.
* Islamic Terrorists are a serious threat to the United States as well as the rest of the world.
* We need to be one step ahead of the Enemy to protect ourselves and our country.
* We need to pray for the church in America, and for our nation. May God have mercy on us and help us turn back to Him.
Remember, the ball is in our courts right now. All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Here is a recommended book. The book gives information on working with those who had been affected by the work of Nazi doctors on children in the 1950s - 1970s. This is an affiliate link. Thanks for your support.
**For information on the Pulse event that happened in Orlando in the middle of June, 2016, please go here: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/pulse-orlando-nightclub-shooting/os-orlando-pulse-nightclub-shooting-timeline-htmlstory.html
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Some Thoughts On Homosexuality
Without wanting to sound like I am humiliating or judging homosexuals, I do want to ask some questions. I have some thoughts and would like to know how homosexuals think on these issues.
I also understand that there are differing homosexuals. Some are gay activists, while others struggle with same sex attraction. I'm sure it feels normal to homosexuals to have same sex attraction desires. At the same time, there are upcoming groups of professing Christians who are now admitting being gay. It is mainly this group that I would like to understand where they are coming from.
The atheist or post-modernist who is gay doesn't surprise or puzzle me. Atheists can be people who have turned their backs on God completely, and where there is no remedy for them. Post-modernists pretty much believe whatever they want to. They believe in whatever is 'right for them'. But I have seen Scriptures taken out of their contexts to make them sound pretty much the opposite of what they really mean, by those who are professing Christians who are gay.
But all that aside, I am wondering what a homosexual thinks about God's creating one man and one woman to have a relationship where they can procreate? What I am really wondering is where is it found in Scripture that God created some people with a same-sex orientation while others are created heterosexual? If God created some people with this special sexual orientation where the person is sexually attracted to someone of the same sex, what is God's purpose for that? Why are there no directives in the Bible for same-sex relationships, like there are for marriage relationships? How are children to relate to families where there are 2 dads and 0 moms? Why can't we find any information on this in the Bible?
If you or someone you know is gay, and is struggling with same-sex attraction, please understand that I know this is a hard, very difficult thing to be struggling with. If you want help to be able to begin the process of change, first of all, pray about it. Pray for God to help you find someone who can help you with this struggle. Sadly, much of the church is in ignorance about how to help people struggling with same-sex attraction and it can be a challenge to find someone you can trust to open up your heart to. Be honest with yourself. Don't play games with this issue. There is hope. It is the same hope offered to people who are not homosexuals. The hope of the Gospel is for every person, whether they understand their desperate need for a Savior or not. God can save and change the hardest person's heart. God can do the impossible because of the death of His Son, around 2,000 years ago.
For more information on this, please go to; http://thegospelconversation.blogspot.com
I also understand that there are differing homosexuals. Some are gay activists, while others struggle with same sex attraction. I'm sure it feels normal to homosexuals to have same sex attraction desires. At the same time, there are upcoming groups of professing Christians who are now admitting being gay. It is mainly this group that I would like to understand where they are coming from.
The atheist or post-modernist who is gay doesn't surprise or puzzle me. Atheists can be people who have turned their backs on God completely, and where there is no remedy for them. Post-modernists pretty much believe whatever they want to. They believe in whatever is 'right for them'. But I have seen Scriptures taken out of their contexts to make them sound pretty much the opposite of what they really mean, by those who are professing Christians who are gay.
But all that aside, I am wondering what a homosexual thinks about God's creating one man and one woman to have a relationship where they can procreate? What I am really wondering is where is it found in Scripture that God created some people with a same-sex orientation while others are created heterosexual? If God created some people with this special sexual orientation where the person is sexually attracted to someone of the same sex, what is God's purpose for that? Why are there no directives in the Bible for same-sex relationships, like there are for marriage relationships? How are children to relate to families where there are 2 dads and 0 moms? Why can't we find any information on this in the Bible?
If you or someone you know is gay, and is struggling with same-sex attraction, please understand that I know this is a hard, very difficult thing to be struggling with. If you want help to be able to begin the process of change, first of all, pray about it. Pray for God to help you find someone who can help you with this struggle. Sadly, much of the church is in ignorance about how to help people struggling with same-sex attraction and it can be a challenge to find someone you can trust to open up your heart to. Be honest with yourself. Don't play games with this issue. There is hope. It is the same hope offered to people who are not homosexuals. The hope of the Gospel is for every person, whether they understand their desperate need for a Savior or not. God can save and change the hardest person's heart. God can do the impossible because of the death of His Son, around 2,000 years ago.
For more information on this, please go to; http://thegospelconversation.blogspot.com
Monday, July 18, 2016
Are You Praying For Me Or Are You Rebuking Me?
Are you praying for me or rebuking me? The answer is important, for, however you answer could show if you are under legalism or grace.
In our relationships with those whom we are close to, we can become critical of them if they don't reach our expectations, especially if we are able to reach a certain standard ourselves.
Wouldn't it be more helpful if we prayed for those around us instead of criticizing them? If your child continually struggles with a bad habit, instead of rebuking him for his wrongdoing, how about praying for him? Let's say that your husband struggles with using coarse language, and he knows its wrong and seems to not want to do it again, how about praying for him instead of correcting him every time he opens his mouth like that?
There are thousands of areas where we can be praying for our spouses, children, relatives, and friends. Many of those we have relationships or friendships with will have weaknesses that will drive us crazy. Yes, there is a time for rebuking. There are times for correcting. But there are also times for praying for one another instead of offering criticism.
Most of the time, those who we would criticize know that their weaknesses are there and would change them if they could. Sometimes, they are not aware of their weaknesses though, and we can bring those gracefully to their attention.
I am not talking about outright rebellion where they opposing person does not care. I am referring to those kinds of relationships where we are growing in love with one another.
How about the next time your wife doesn't have dinner ready on time, or the wash done when you need clean clothes, instead of showing irritation or anger toward her, pray for her. Pray that God will help her get the housework done or wash the clothes you need for work. God can help her in a way that your criticism can't.
One final thought; when we dole out criticism instead of praying, it could mean that we ourselves are under the bondage of legalism. We could be placing our children or spouses under that same standard. They could even already be free in Christ, yet we are putting a yoke upon them when we heap harsh remarks due to their failure to meet our desired standard. Are we helping or hindering them as we react to their weaknesses or even their sin?
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24 ESV
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV
In our relationships with those whom we are close to, we can become critical of them if they don't reach our expectations, especially if we are able to reach a certain standard ourselves.
Wouldn't it be more helpful if we prayed for those around us instead of criticizing them? If your child continually struggles with a bad habit, instead of rebuking him for his wrongdoing, how about praying for him? Let's say that your husband struggles with using coarse language, and he knows its wrong and seems to not want to do it again, how about praying for him instead of correcting him every time he opens his mouth like that?
There are thousands of areas where we can be praying for our spouses, children, relatives, and friends. Many of those we have relationships or friendships with will have weaknesses that will drive us crazy. Yes, there is a time for rebuking. There are times for correcting. But there are also times for praying for one another instead of offering criticism.
Most of the time, those who we would criticize know that their weaknesses are there and would change them if they could. Sometimes, they are not aware of their weaknesses though, and we can bring those gracefully to their attention.
I am not talking about outright rebellion where they opposing person does not care. I am referring to those kinds of relationships where we are growing in love with one another.
How about the next time your wife doesn't have dinner ready on time, or the wash done when you need clean clothes, instead of showing irritation or anger toward her, pray for her. Pray that God will help her get the housework done or wash the clothes you need for work. God can help her in a way that your criticism can't.
One final thought; when we dole out criticism instead of praying, it could mean that we ourselves are under the bondage of legalism. We could be placing our children or spouses under that same standard. They could even already be free in Christ, yet we are putting a yoke upon them when we heap harsh remarks due to their failure to meet our desired standard. Are we helping or hindering them as we react to their weaknesses or even their sin?
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24 ESV
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV
Thursday, June 30, 2016
The Orlando Shooting Was A Hoax?
I am just puzzled. Don't even know which blog to post this on.
It started when I read a post posted from a Facebook friend. I see so much slander on Facebook, and I had to wonder if this was slander or just plain craziness.
A couple of weeks ago, there were 49 people who were killed in a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. This was one of the worst criminal activities committed in American History. People are very sad in Central Florida right now. I also know that those who have liberal political views will take advantage of this trying to persuade people to have strict gun control.
The post had a link to a page that was called 'Top 13 Holes In The Official Orlando Narrative"
https://www.intellihub.com/151961-2/
This article completely wipes out any idea that 49 people were killed by a gunman on that fateful June morning in Orlando, Florida. The article claims that all the people who were shot were actors, acting out the part of being harmed or killed. The article even said that some got up and walked after they were being carried out.
I can't wrap my head around this. But hey, didn't this happen another time? I can't believe that people don't believe that the Holocaust ever happened. Try telling that to a Holocaust survivor though. Unfortunately for that situation, there are almost no surviving people who were involved in the Holocaust today.
Here is a link listing the names of those who died at the Pulse that morning.
https://mic.com/articles/146017/names-of-victims-of-pulse-nightclub-shooting-these-are-the-people-who-died-on-sunday#.83uHNHh6P
https://mic.com/articles/146017/names-of-victims-of-pulse-nightclub-shooting-these-are-the-people-who-died-on-sunday#.83uHNHh6P
I picked one of the names, did a search, and found info on him, and here is a tribute to him:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/pulse-orlando-nightclub-shooting/victims/os-orlando-mass-shooting-juan-chevez-martinez-20160613-story.html
Here is an excerpt on the page I am describing. The article was written by someone who believes that this whole event was staged:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/pulse-orlando-nightclub-shooting/victims/os-orlando-mass-shooting-juan-chevez-martinez-20160613-story.html
Here is an excerpt on the page I am describing. The article was written by someone who believes that this whole event was staged:
Orlando Narrative Hole #6: No Bodies, No Blood
"We were told that Mateen supposedly killed 50 and injured 53, yet we were not shown any real bodies or blood of the incident. We were however shown scenes of people carrying “victims” … who could suddenly walk normally again right after they thought they were off camera."
I have a friend who told me that her second cousin was one who was killed during the shooting. How can someone think this was staged when there really were people who died?
I talked with someone who works at a hospital in Orlando, and asked him about it. The hospital which took care of most of the victims was ORMC, but Florida Hospital did take care of 10 of those patients. He couldn't speak for ORMC, since he worked for Florida Hospital, but he was aware of those who were being treated at Florida Hospital.
What is wrong with this picture? This article is written to make people think that there is a conspiracy behind the shootings, and it is not necessarily brought on by Islam. Here is another excerpt from the article:
"The official Orlando narrative spun by the MSM (Mainstream Media) on behalf of the US Government is yet another brazen piece of propaganda designed to fool casual onlookers who haven’t investigated the matter fully. Now that it has been over 2 weeks since the incident and the dust has somewhat settled, it’s clear to see that Orlando was another blueprint false flag operation to spread fear, stokeIslamophobia, promote gun control and strip your rights. Orlando was the latest in a long string of false flag operations that have gained significant publicity in recent times, starting with 9/11 (the grand daddy false flag attack) and including the Aurora Batman shooting, Sandy Hook, the Boston Marathon bombing, Paris I, Paris II and San Bernardino among others. "
What is puzzling to me is, who do they think is the culprit behind all these episodes? The answer is, in their minds, the government. Everyone in the government is working together to secretly destroy our nation and take our freedoms away. I will admit that there are obviously those in the government who are doing this, but, it is not the government, per se, that is behind this crime. This is something I think we need to be aware of because if we don't, we will start giving more power and credit to our government, whether it is due to them or not.
The government is not like God. The government is an agency appointed by God to protect us. Unfortunately, our nation has turned away from God, and wants to live life apart from God. God is sovereign over the government and we are beginning to reap what we have sown. But the government is not where the problem lies. The problem lies in the hearts of wicked men and women, and sometimes these wicked people are those who are leading our country. They are trying hard to strip us of our freedoms. Many in the government are simply puppets for Satan. Those who are perverted will be used by the devil for his plans.
My point is, though, that if we want to be credible, we have to write credible articles. If we write articles that are based upon conspiracy theories, and if we present them as if they are true, how will people believe us when we try to share the Gospel with them?
If there are documented people who died, how can someone say that the event was staged? This was a very sad time for people who live in Orlando. They are suffering great loss. Yet, there is someone who wants everyone to believe that those deaths never took place. How cruel to think that people who are grieving are looked at as if their son or daughter never went through the horror that they did.
What can we do in response to this tragedy? We can pray. We can also pray that God will reveal His truth and will use His word to minister to many who are affected by this sad situation.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Can God Save People Like Obama And Trump?
Today, I am really troubled by some posts people make on FB or Twitter, or whatever means of communicating on the Internet one has.
I am talking specifically about the observation that certain people are evil. The Bible does say that we all are evil. But what I am seeing is a trend that seems to divide up people into different groups of evil.
For instance, some would think that Trump is evil. According to the Bible, Trump is evil. But according to the Bible, I also have an evil heart, left to myself.
The question really isn't 'are we evil?'. We already know the answer to that question. Instead, it should be, have we responded to the Gospel? Have we received a new heart from God? Did we truly come to Christ?
What I notice about this response that Trump or Obama being evil, is that it seems to imply that we aren't evil. Didn't Jesus die for evil people? Or did Jesus only die for people who were a little bad?
Does Trump need God's grace? Can we extend God's grace to him? Some would say that Trump doesn't deserve God's grace. Do you and I deserve God's grace? Or did God look down on us and see how hard we were trying to reach Him and credit us with that?
The Bible says that no one seeks God on his or her own. The reason we came to Christ, if we do indeed know Him, is because He revealed Himself to us, and we saw our sins in the light of God's holiness, which resulted in our seeing a need for a Savior. We turned to Him in repentance and faith, and He saved us.
If we came to know the Lord on the basis of our sins being like mistakes, or if we really do not think that we are not that bad, then we need to be concerned. Did we really understand the Gospel message? Did we truly see the seriousness of our sin before a holy God? Do we really believe God can save those who are terrible sinners, or do we think that people have to prove themselves to God before He will accept them and give them His grace?
Think about this please. If you think that Obama is too hard for God to redeem, please consider the fact that, in God's eyes, you and I are just as hard for God to save. If Jesus died only for those who were not bad sinners, then there would be little hope for those who are in the depths of sin. Grace would not be amazing to us, and we would be hypocrites for singing 'Amazing Grace' in our church services (or anywhere else). If we are little sinners, and Jesus paid an extremely high price to pay for our sins, do we credit ourselves partly for our salvation?
One last thought: If Trump did have a genuine conversion in his life, he will bear fruit for God's glory. But remember, bearing fruit is not necessarily something we see in great proportions immediately. If he did come to Christ, we will begin to see evidence of it, over a period of time. He will not be perfect though, and will probably make decisions we won't agree with.
We look at people like Trump and Obama and doubt that they would ever be saved. Well, they will never come to Christ on their own. But is God's arm too short for Him to save wretch, wicked people like Obama or Trump (or you and I, for that matter)? Maybe if we prayed for people to come to Christ, God would save more people. But even more than that, we need to have faith and believe that God can save wicked people and stop doubting what God can do, especially in situations that look impossible to us. We need to stop believing that wicked people will never get saved.
I am talking specifically about the observation that certain people are evil. The Bible does say that we all are evil. But what I am seeing is a trend that seems to divide up people into different groups of evil.
For instance, some would think that Trump is evil. According to the Bible, Trump is evil. But according to the Bible, I also have an evil heart, left to myself.
The question really isn't 'are we evil?'. We already know the answer to that question. Instead, it should be, have we responded to the Gospel? Have we received a new heart from God? Did we truly come to Christ?
What I notice about this response that Trump or Obama being evil, is that it seems to imply that we aren't evil. Didn't Jesus die for evil people? Or did Jesus only die for people who were a little bad?
Does Trump need God's grace? Can we extend God's grace to him? Some would say that Trump doesn't deserve God's grace. Do you and I deserve God's grace? Or did God look down on us and see how hard we were trying to reach Him and credit us with that?
The Bible says that no one seeks God on his or her own. The reason we came to Christ, if we do indeed know Him, is because He revealed Himself to us, and we saw our sins in the light of God's holiness, which resulted in our seeing a need for a Savior. We turned to Him in repentance and faith, and He saved us.
If we came to know the Lord on the basis of our sins being like mistakes, or if we really do not think that we are not that bad, then we need to be concerned. Did we really understand the Gospel message? Did we truly see the seriousness of our sin before a holy God? Do we really believe God can save those who are terrible sinners, or do we think that people have to prove themselves to God before He will accept them and give them His grace?
Think about this please. If you think that Obama is too hard for God to redeem, please consider the fact that, in God's eyes, you and I are just as hard for God to save. If Jesus died only for those who were not bad sinners, then there would be little hope for those who are in the depths of sin. Grace would not be amazing to us, and we would be hypocrites for singing 'Amazing Grace' in our church services (or anywhere else). If we are little sinners, and Jesus paid an extremely high price to pay for our sins, do we credit ourselves partly for our salvation?
One last thought: If Trump did have a genuine conversion in his life, he will bear fruit for God's glory. But remember, bearing fruit is not necessarily something we see in great proportions immediately. If he did come to Christ, we will begin to see evidence of it, over a period of time. He will not be perfect though, and will probably make decisions we won't agree with.
We look at people like Trump and Obama and doubt that they would ever be saved. Well, they will never come to Christ on their own. But is God's arm too short for Him to save wretch, wicked people like Obama or Trump (or you and I, for that matter)? Maybe if we prayed for people to come to Christ, God would save more people. But even more than that, we need to have faith and believe that God can save wicked people and stop doubting what God can do, especially in situations that look impossible to us. We need to stop believing that wicked people will never get saved.
Monday, June 6, 2016
Questions and Insights Into the Body of Christ Today - The Activation Of The Holy Spirit In Our Hearts
I have been involved with social media for the past 6 years or so, and have learned a lot. I have collected a lot of new recipes. I have learned how to take care of animals and plants. Added up together, I may have even had access to learning as much as if I went to college (if I had the time to do all the research on my studies!) In fact, I did go to school and took college credit classes.
Not everything has been good though, that I have learned. One thing that I constantly see is professing Christians tearing others down. It is one thing to expose false teachers when we see them. They are dangerous, and need to be exposed. But it needs to be done properly, if it is going to be effective.
The other concerning thing I see is professing Christians who limit the power of God. It kind of ties in with the activity of those professing Christians who are on a hunt to catch the false teachers. Many of those who are exposing false teachers, also are those who seem to limit the potential for God interacting in the lives of His people today.
While we have to expose false teachers as the opportunity presents itself, the Bible does not actually talk very much about this. We find Paul mentioning the names of a few, but the Bible does not put a strong emphasis on doing this. We are to expose the works of darkness, and furthermore, we are to bring light and truth to those in darkness.
One thing we can do, is to spend our time teaching people how to be discerning. But instead, we are trying to do the discernment for them, ourselves. We do this by picking out a person we don't like (Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, Beth Moore, for examples) and we tear them apart on Facebook or Twitter, thinking we are doing a service for others, when in reality, we are practicing sanctified slander. We think it is justifiable to slander people we don't agree with and we call it, 'warning' people about their evil.
The other problem that ties in with this is that many of these people who slander other well-known Christians, is that they (not all though) are also practicing Christian Deists. What I mean by that is simply that these people are the same ones who do not believe God can speak to our hearts today. They accuse Pentecostals and Charismatics of hearing God's voice outside of the Bible. This is just not true though. When God speaks to our hearts, everything He says will be based upon His word.
The spiritual gifts are for today, and they are not adding to Scripture when they are in use properly. But if we believe that God's power is not available today for us, or that God does not work through the gifts anymore today, (even though God always showed His power in the Old Testament and at the beginning of the church age, as well as in eternity), we are going to be powerless Christians and will end up defeated or deceived. Christians can be deceived as well as those who don't know the Lord. If we put God in a box, (a box of our own making and belief system) then when He is at work, we will miss Him because He does not fit into our ideas of who He is. We don't even know how to interpret His word, because that takes the revelation of the Holy Spirit, and that is considered, by many, to be extra Biblical.
The way this works is that God reveals Himself to us through His Holy Spirit. The word of God comes alive in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. God opens up our hearts and minds to the Scriptures by revelation of the Holy Spirit. God quickens our dead souls and makes them come alive by the power of the Holy Spirit. He guides us into all truth by the Holy Spirit. By God's Holy Spirit, we can learn to separate the truth from the lies. We can grow in discernment. This is where the crux of the matter is, I believe.
Bottom line is, at least from what I see, is that we are tending to replace the work of the Holy Spirit, by our own understanding (or what we think we know about) of the Scriptures. We are rendering God powerless and we are not experiencing the relationship with Him that He desires, simply because we are trying to find everything personal (if there is anything) right out of the Scriptures. Everything God is, is written in Scriptures, but you will not find your name in the Bible! The Bible tells about who God is in relation to who man is, and how man can be reconciled back to God, and how people can have a growing relationship with Him. But it is not a step by step instruction book for that with our names in it. That is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. The Holy Spirit activates God's word in our hearts and makes God real to us. The Holy Spirit makes the word of God alive to us. The Holy Spirit reveals the power of the Cross to us, and helps us to overcome the enemies we have (sin, the world, the devil, evil).
We cannot just learn the word of God and think we have arrived. We put our trust in our theological understanding and knowledge, but the Holy Spirit helps us apply God's word to our hearts. If we don't apply God's word to our hearts by the Holy Spirit, we are useless in the kingdom of God. When the word of God is only knowledge to us, and not applied to our hearts, we will be defeated and deceived! (Of course, if we are deceived, we will not know it because that is the nature of deception)!
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
"What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:11, 12 ESV
Not everything has been good though, that I have learned. One thing that I constantly see is professing Christians tearing others down. It is one thing to expose false teachers when we see them. They are dangerous, and need to be exposed. But it needs to be done properly, if it is going to be effective.
The other concerning thing I see is professing Christians who limit the power of God. It kind of ties in with the activity of those professing Christians who are on a hunt to catch the false teachers. Many of those who are exposing false teachers, also are those who seem to limit the potential for God interacting in the lives of His people today.
While we have to expose false teachers as the opportunity presents itself, the Bible does not actually talk very much about this. We find Paul mentioning the names of a few, but the Bible does not put a strong emphasis on doing this. We are to expose the works of darkness, and furthermore, we are to bring light and truth to those in darkness.
One thing we can do, is to spend our time teaching people how to be discerning. But instead, we are trying to do the discernment for them, ourselves. We do this by picking out a person we don't like (Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, Beth Moore, for examples) and we tear them apart on Facebook or Twitter, thinking we are doing a service for others, when in reality, we are practicing sanctified slander. We think it is justifiable to slander people we don't agree with and we call it, 'warning' people about their evil.
The other problem that ties in with this is that many of these people who slander other well-known Christians, is that they (not all though) are also practicing Christian Deists. What I mean by that is simply that these people are the same ones who do not believe God can speak to our hearts today. They accuse Pentecostals and Charismatics of hearing God's voice outside of the Bible. This is just not true though. When God speaks to our hearts, everything He says will be based upon His word.
The spiritual gifts are for today, and they are not adding to Scripture when they are in use properly. But if we believe that God's power is not available today for us, or that God does not work through the gifts anymore today, (even though God always showed His power in the Old Testament and at the beginning of the church age, as well as in eternity), we are going to be powerless Christians and will end up defeated or deceived. Christians can be deceived as well as those who don't know the Lord. If we put God in a box, (a box of our own making and belief system) then when He is at work, we will miss Him because He does not fit into our ideas of who He is. We don't even know how to interpret His word, because that takes the revelation of the Holy Spirit, and that is considered, by many, to be extra Biblical.
The way this works is that God reveals Himself to us through His Holy Spirit. The word of God comes alive in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. God opens up our hearts and minds to the Scriptures by revelation of the Holy Spirit. God quickens our dead souls and makes them come alive by the power of the Holy Spirit. He guides us into all truth by the Holy Spirit. By God's Holy Spirit, we can learn to separate the truth from the lies. We can grow in discernment. This is where the crux of the matter is, I believe.
Bottom line is, at least from what I see, is that we are tending to replace the work of the Holy Spirit, by our own understanding (or what we think we know about) of the Scriptures. We are rendering God powerless and we are not experiencing the relationship with Him that He desires, simply because we are trying to find everything personal (if there is anything) right out of the Scriptures. Everything God is, is written in Scriptures, but you will not find your name in the Bible! The Bible tells about who God is in relation to who man is, and how man can be reconciled back to God, and how people can have a growing relationship with Him. But it is not a step by step instruction book for that with our names in it. That is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. The Holy Spirit activates God's word in our hearts and makes God real to us. The Holy Spirit makes the word of God alive to us. The Holy Spirit reveals the power of the Cross to us, and helps us to overcome the enemies we have (sin, the world, the devil, evil).
We cannot just learn the word of God and think we have arrived. We put our trust in our theological understanding and knowledge, but the Holy Spirit helps us apply God's word to our hearts. If we don't apply God's word to our hearts by the Holy Spirit, we are useless in the kingdom of God. When the word of God is only knowledge to us, and not applied to our hearts, we will be defeated and deceived! (Of course, if we are deceived, we will not know it because that is the nature of deception)!
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
James 1:22-25 ESV
Just remember; the same power that rose Jesus from the dead lives in us! He can be trusted.
Luke 11:11, 12 ESV
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)