Is the Great Tribulation Upon Us?

There’s an ancient Chinese curse that goes something like this: “May you live in interesting times”.

It seems like, we are living in “interesting” times, indeed.

There’s more than just a few people out there resurrecting the ghost of the post-tribulational rapture theory. This is more in response to current events than it is to biblical eschatology. As Dispensationalists, we must judge everything by the Word of God, rightly divided.

The Tribulation is described in the Word as something “such as has not happened from the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matt. 24:21). Again: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the sons of thy People [Israel]: and there shall be the great Tribulation, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time…” (Dan. 12:1). It is also referred to as: “… the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” (Jer. 30:27). All of these references come contextually from Scripture that concerns itself with Israel, not the Body of Christ.

The Great Tribulation is declared to be the Wrath of God: “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.” (Rev. 15:1), yet since the Body of Christ is delivered from that wrath: “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Rom. 5:9), why is it that so many professors insist upon dragging The Body into that wrath through the post-tribulation rapture theory?

WARNING!

Dangerous Truth Ahead.

Mankind is made up of Biblically-defined sinful creatures. There’s no denying it. The proof is in the pudding: everyone still dies and death, Biblically, is the wages of sin.

Sin corrupts everything it touches. It takes our very best intentions and turns them into filthy, stinking lies. ” Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Psalm 53:3).

“Every one of them …”. We are “them”. All of us. The Christian, a truly converted member of the Body is still one of “them”; with this single distinction, we have been declared righteous by virtue of the faith of Jesus Christ. And we are mostly alone because we have chosen to leave the “great house”, (II Tim. 2:20) and it’s “form of godliness” behind. We are persecuted by the religious system we have turned away from. They see us as weak and needy. Objects of ridicule and scorn. “All the brethren of a needy one do hate him: How much more do his friends withdraw from him? He seeketh words of friendship, But there are none.” (Prov. 19:7) Still, we have this comfort: “Yea, and all that desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted.” (II Tim. 3:12). Yes, that’s a comfort because it’s a conformation. We are comforted because we hold to the Head (Col. 2:19) and live in Christ.

So what does that have to do with the question of the Great Tribulation? Much, indeed. For, it separates us from those professors who are more concerned with this world and the things of this world than they are with God and the things of God. Matthew 24 was not addressed to the Body of Christ. It is addressed to the House of Israel, through the Twelve. It pertains to the coming earthly Kingdom which will be established as fulfillment of the promises made to Israel. All those things happen after the Body of Christ has been manifested with Christ in glory (Col. 3:4). We see events today which are pointing towards the Second Coming and the establishment of that Kingdom but, for us, the Body of Christ, we should continuing to “… press toward the mark unto the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.3:14). There’s no shout. No voice of an archangel. No trumpet peal here, as in 1Thess._4:16 (which was an event for Israel, had they repented). In this event, Christ Himself is manifested, silently and invisibly. He receives those running the race. That’s “the Rapture” for the members of the Body of Christ. It’s a resurrection from out from the dead. The Greek is: anastasis nekron, the “out-resurrection”. It’s as though the Body has been surrounded by the dead since it’s inception. This event removes it from the dead which has encompassed it for so long.

Let us join with the Apostle Paul in leaving the “great house” of man-made religion, religious tradition and imagination behind, forgetting it all, and pressing on to the mark.

“Let us therefore, as many as be mature, have this in mind: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal also this unto you. Nevertheless, to which point we have already come, let us walk by the same, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, become fellow-imitators of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for a pattern. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly [own self], and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our citizenship exists even now in the heavens; from which we eagerly wait for the Saviour also, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change the fashion of our body of humiliation, to be conformed unto the body of His glory, according to the working of His ability even to subject all things unto Himself. ” (Phil. 3:15-21).

Remember: “If ye then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Mind things above, not on things on the earth. For ye died, and your life has been laid up in store with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also be manifested with Him in glory.” (Col. 3:1-4).

Even so, come Lord Jesus. I can hardly wait! How about you?

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How the Power Behind Obama May Destroy the United States

It’s been quite along time since I wrote in this blog. The reason is that the events of the recent past have been moving at such breakneck speeds that it’s been virtually impossible to keep up.

What got me going today was this article posted on the on-line edition of USA Today for February 7. This excerpt is so telling:

On February 4, the Congressional Budget Office released new long-term economic projections. Over the next ten years, they envision millions of new jobs in a growing economy – but up to 2.5 million fewer full-time equivalent workers by 2024 compared with what would have been the case without the Affordable Care Act. This was decried by opponents of health reform as evidence that the law is a "job killer."

Quite the opposite is true. Health reform is undoing what is known as "job lock" – a reluctance to change jobs for fear of losing employer-sponsored health insurance. About three out of five full-time American workers get health insurance through their employers. Millions have experienced what experts call job lock. In a 2004 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, 27% of workers cited health insurance as the primary reason they would not change jobs or retire.

So, what does this all mean? On the surface, it looks like the Fabian Socialist/Progressive/Democrat/liberal Party is seeking, rather than giving people a hand-up, enabling them to raise themselves up and work to better their situations, instead, to expand government power by expanding the enslavement of more and more people to government largess through an appeal to a fictional fear of not having “health care”.

The line seems to be going: “Don’t worry about working three part-time jobs to secure your health care. You can work just one or two, if you want, and spend the extra time on leisure activities or tucking your children into bed and singing to them.”

Is that all there is to it? Is it just about power, money and fear over lost health care, or;is there something more behind it? Something deeper?Something more fundamental?

This is what God has said in Genesis 3: 16-19:

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee,saying,Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake;in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Since that day, the day of the First Rebellion, Mankind has fought against that curse,the fruit of their Rebellion. Today, we are seeing yet another attempt to overturn that which God has said. Feminism sought to overturn verse 16. It failed. So the tactics have been changed. A wider appeal to Mankind’s sin nature was needed. They may have found it in the trumped-up fear of losing one’s health care and the generalized attitude of entitlement and greed.

In other words, you don’t have to eat of the cursed ground any longer. Government will feed you. No more sorting through the thistles. No more dawn-to-dusk, back-breaking work; sweating to make ends meet.Government will comfort and relieve your sorrows by providing your health care. You can have a job, if you like. An easy job. No sweating required. Who knows? The Government may even overcome the last enemy: death.

This, it seems, is how the Power behind Obama & Company will destroy the United States of America. A country controlled and populated by corrupt people who believe in and embraces the above philosophy cannot serve as a shining light upon a hill to which the world looks for inspiration.

The land of the Free and the home of the Brave will have become a land of Looters.

The ground is nearly prepared for the total collapse of the United States: the last and best linchpin of Western Civilization, and the ascent and establishment of the anti-Christ world.

Revelation 14:15 records:

And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap;for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

Perhaps an event, similar to the future event therein described, is taking place in the realm of Heaven and we’ll soon realize just what Philippians 3:14 really means.

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We who have heard and believed God call it the Rapture. What comes after? The Great Tribulation; which is the subject of many prophecies and the subject of The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paraphrasing that final book:

The United States of America is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

Are we there yet? Not totally. Can we recover from this? Only if a majority of We the People reject the sinful alternative reality being offered up by Obama & Company. Only if we turn from these liars and turn to our God.

Will we?

I do not know.

I do not know.

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The Worship God Will Receive

After sitting through another "service" at the local Grange, AKA a church, I was reminded of one of the reasons I don’t care to do that anymore. Excessive decibels. My Tinnitus, you see is terribly aggravated by excessive racket.

Then I read the following from Bullinger’s "Great Cloud of Witnesses in Hebrews Eleven":

The Two Ways of Worship

The Faith of Abel shows that, beside the Two Ways of Access to God, there are Two Ways in the Worship of God.

Both are "by Faith;" In both, we see that faith cometh by hearing, and the hearing cometh from what God hath spoken.

As there are only Two Ways of Access, one the true way, and the other the false way, with many varieties, so there are only Two Ways of Worship; and the False way with as many varieties and differences, each claiming to be the right way.

It is as important for us therefore to learn the true Way of Worship, taught us by this aspect of Abel’s Faith, as it was to learn the lesson of the True Way of Access; especially in the present day when Ritual occupies such a large place in public opinion, and in the conflicts and controversies which rage between the opposing Religions, and clamoring Sects.

In both cases, believing, or not believing what God has spoken lies at the foundation of all.

As to the only way of Access, and the only offering that was to be brought, the command of God must have been the same for Abel and Cain then, as it was for Israel afterward when the law was put into writing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and the pen of Moses.

The Book of Leviticus (which is the book of worship) opens with the words, which give it its name in the Hebrew Canon.

"And Jehovah Called

and spake unto Moses out of the Tabernacle of the Congregation saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, IF ANY MAN of you bring an OFFERING UNTO JEHOVAH ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd and of the flock."

Observe, that the command was not that they should bring an offering, but that, if any man brought one, the command was as to what he should bring.

This agrees with, and explains Jer 7:22-24 :

"I spake not unto your fathers nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices;

"But this thing commanded I them, saying

Obey my Voice

and I will be your God, and ye shall be my People; and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But

"They Hearkened Not

nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward."

This is precisely what took place at the gates of Eden. There the Lord God spoke. Cain and Abel heard. Abel believed what he heard. Cain (like Israel afterward) hearkened not nor inclined his ear, but walked in the counsel and imagination of his own evil heart.

This is the essence of the whole matter.

God spoke. He spoke to Israel "out of the Tabernacle," to all who would approach Him there; and laid down, as He had a right to do, how he would be worshipped.

It is the same principle which prevails today.

Man himself acts on this principle. If any seek him, it is he who appoints the time and place and determines as to when and where he will be seen.

So, God laid it down from the first that, if any man would bring an offering to Him, it must be such and such an one, and it must be offered in such and such a way.

"And he (the offerer) shall put his hand upon the burnt offering: and IT SHALL BE ACCEPTED FOR HIM to make atonement for him" (Lev 1:4).

But Cain hearkened not to the voice of God; and, instead of bringing what God had appointed, he brought an offering out of "the counsel and imagination" of his own evil heart (Jer 7:24).

And, not only so. Not only was it something, other than what God had approved, but it was the product of that which God had laid under a curse: "cursed be the ground for thy sake" (Gen 3:17).

So that there was a double affront in Cain’s offering: and being not "of faith," it was "sin" (Rom 14:23).

Hence, it standeth written:

"Jehovah had respect

Unto Abel and his offering;

But unto Cain and his offering

He had not respect."

And to day, the Question comes to us:—

To what will Jehovah have respect?

What offering will He accept?

Not the blood of bulls and goats; for all these types have been fulfilled in the antitype. Now, Christ’s blood is that which speaketh better things than that of Abel; no one can be accepted but through its merits.

And as to worship: What is it that Jehovah now accepts? What voice do we hear coming from Him who tabernacled among men? What does the voice say which we are to obey? What are the words to which we are to hearken?

They come from the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. And God, who in times past spake unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by HIS SON: and the Son hath said:

‘God is spirit

 and they that worship Him

MUST

worship Him in spirit

and in truth.’

These are the words to which we are to hearken, as written down for us from the lips of the Son, in the Scriptures of Truth.

We have no liberty; no choice in this matter. It is useless to follow the counsels and imaginations of our own hearts. That one short word

"MUST"

settles every thing.

It tells us that God will not "have respect" to anything but what is spiritual in our worship of Himself.

The SON, who hath spoken from heaven has declared that "the flesh profiteth nothing" (Joh 6:63).

It is useless therefore for us to bring unto the Lord anything that is of the flesh; or anything that the flesh can do.

It must all be ‘spirit’!

The flesh is under the curse. "The mind of the flesh is death" (Rom 8:6).

To bring anything, therefore, of the flesh, or that the flesh can do, is to be exactly like Cain, when he brought the fruit of the ground, of which God had said: "cursed be the ground."

All the senses are of the flesh.

The mind of the flesh is sensual.

"The works of the flesh" are the opposite of "the fruit of the Spirit" (Gal 5:19-25).

"They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh, with its affections and desires."

Acceptable worship therefore, MUST be the "fruit of the Spirit" and not "the fruit of the ground": or in other words, not the works of that flesh, which is under the curse.

We cannot worship God, Who is spirit, with our eyes, by gazing on a sacrament or anything else.

We cannot worship God, Who is spirit, with our ears, by listening to music, however beautiful it may be, or whether "rendered" by ourselves or others.

We cannot worship God, Who is spirit, with our noses, by smelling incense, or anything else.

We cannot worship God, Who is spirit, with our throats by singing Hymns or Anthems, Solos, Quartets, or Choruses.

The only singing that goes beyond the ceiling or roof and enters heaven "MUST" be of the spirit, and from the heart.

The command is "singing and making melody

IN YOUR HEART

to the Lord."

Singing, not to one another, not to an audience, not to a congregation, but

"To the Lord."

What is needed in true worship is not "an ear for music," but a heart for music.

If we are "filled BY the Spirit," our singing will be of the Spirit, from the heart. For "that which is born (or produced) by the Spirit, is spirit." (Joh 3:6).

We shall say with Mary,

"My SOUL doth magnify the Lord

My SPIRIT hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."

Nothing short of this is the worship to which God will have respect.

All else is waste of time, waste of trouble, waste of money, waste of strength, waste of breath; and,

"It Profiteth Nothing."

It is useless for any one to say ‘I like such and such a service.’ ‘I like to hear, or to do, this or that.’ ‘It creates such nice feelings in me.’ Or, ‘I dislike this or that in Divine Service.’

It matters nothing whatever what any one may like or dislike, think, or feel. It is not a question of what I may like or dislike: The question is

WHAT does GOD LIKE?

What does God require?

To what will God "HAVE RESPECT"?

Divine Service is supposed to be, on the face of it, service or worship rendered to God.

It is for Him to say therefore what He desires.

Public Worship is not a Service offered to or for the public, but by the public, for or to God.

It does not matter, therefore, how beautifully a Solo, or an Anthem or a Hymn may be "rendered" (that is the correct expression); but it does matter whether God will "have respect", to it.

It does not matter how beautiful the voice may be to which we hearken, but it does matter whether we hearken to God’s voice, and whether we obey HIS voice.

The SON of God hath spoken (Joh 4:24). We have heard His words.

The one question is: Do we believe Him? Do we remember that "whatsoever is not of faith, is sin" (Rom 14:23).

Will We Obey?

Will we worship "by faith," as Abel did? or will we worship by works as Cain did?

Do we desire to obtain God’s approval with Abel? or, do we desire to hear God’s words to Cain "cursed art thou from the earth" (Gen 4:11).

When Cain saw that God "had not respect" to his offering, he was "very wroth." And there will be many who read these words, who will be also "very wroth"; and wroth with us for writing them.

For this cuts at the root all man’s accepted traditions, his cherished practices, and his boasted capabilities.

It cuts off from him the praise and applause of man. It writes folly on his vain counsels and imaginations. It makes an end of his attainments and ambitions.

He may, and doubtless will, go on in "the way of Cain," just the same. But it all counts for nothing. ‘It profiteth nothing’ It is ‘labour in vain.’

God has no respect to it.

It would be folly for us to dwell on the faith of Abel, without seeking to learn this great lesson which is thus "written for our learning" and stands on the very forefront of God’s revelation, in Gen 4:1-26.

If we learn not the "obedience of faith" in this matter, it is vain for us to go further with our studies of this subject of Faith. For it all turns on this:

Do We Believe God?

He hath "in these last days spoken unto us by His Son."

His Son hath said: "They that worship Him MUST worship Him truly in spirit."

Do we believe what He has said?

This is the one final question, the true answer to which does away with all that passes as "current money with the Ishmaelite merchantmen," who make a gain out of so-called, "public worship," today, just as the Ephesian silversmiths made theirs out of the shrines of their goddess Diana.

It puts an end to all the tricks and contrivances of the Christian "Religion," all the new fashions, and modern methods, bands and songs and solos, and orchestral services, cantatas, which are all to do with the "Flesh," and are all for the praise and glory of the choir; and no longer, as the simple worship of our fathers was—"to the praise and glory of God."

This is the lesson of Abel’s faith, as it touches on the one and only true way in the worship of God.

From: Great Cloud of Witnesses in Hebrews Eleven, E.W. Bullinger, pp 42-49.

Every time I read that section, I think Bullinger is writing about a contemporary issue. That tells me that it’s a serious problem, to have lasted so long, and it won’t be solved by ignoring it.

I make no secret that I loath Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). Superficial, repetitive lyrics (close to an Hindu mantra in many cases), loaded with ambiguous adjectives, absent of biblical doctrine, tunes pirated from the world, performed by hacks with little to no talent. Besides, anybody can discover with just a minimal amount of study that worship is much more than croaking out a bad song (or a good song, rendered perfectly, for that matter). Yeah, I’m mean. So what. Get over it.

Here’s the rub. What they do is carnal and worldly and so is my own reaction to it. Hey, I call them as I see them, even if I end-up condemning myself from time to time. That’s okay because TRUTH is the issue at hand. That’s what matters.

So, I have to ask myself some of the above questions, too.

Do I believe God?

Will I obey God?

Of course do and I will, but I can only do it to the best of my ability and understanding, and as God himself gives me the desire and the empowerment (Phil.2:13). So, when the Lord Jesus said "God is spirit  and they that worship Him MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth", I have to seriously consider the differences between the world, the flesh, and spirit and truth. How can I isolate and dispense with my worldly reaction to bad music? How can I eliminate my fondness for good music, skillfully performed, and still have anything left to give? Pragmatic as it sounds, there is a way that seems to work, for me at least.

My solution, which developed out of this conflict, was to adopt the practice of avoiding any sort of public worship activity, like corporate singing or playing any of the vast array of instruments I have skill with.

That means that I spend much of my time alone. My Christian walk, like Enoch’s and Caleb’s and Joshua’s, is a lonely walk, so far as man is concerned; but it is "with Him" here, and soon "with Him" there; and, meanwhile, my spirit’s abounding in joy, even now, in the midst of all the confusion and corruption this world has to throw at me. I know of many who frequent the Grange, who are most miserable, in spite of their abundance of fellowship and activity.

So, when I am alone, when there is no one to hear, save for the Lord and me, then I engage in musical worship. There is no one else to hear and no one for me to be critical of. That way, I am able to satisfy my desire to offer musical worship to the Lord that is motivated by my spirit, not by a desire to perform well for others. I select the piece, based upon the situation the original author was in, what was happening during that period in history, and how that represents what my spirit desires to offer to the Lord. I also control how it will be played, what instrument will be used and how it will be sung. Trusting that it is God who motivates me, I believe this removes as much of the "strange fire" as possible, from my musical worship.

Now, remember I said earlier there’s more to worship than meets the eye. Look at our English word: worship.

Wor – worth, worthy, etc.

ship – send, transport, etc.

Worship then is sending something of worth to the Lord, remembering that he has established the criteria for what is worthy and how it is to be sent. Spirit and truth. Is that what motivates? Studying to show yourself [to God, not men] approved [by God, not men], rightly dividing the word of truth. Is that worship? Facing down and judging my favorite traditions with the Word. Is that worship? Using the Word to demolish the strongholds of imagination and ferreting out the lies in my mind that make believing pagan ideas appealing. Is that worship? I think so. Joining Martin Luther in his response to the Inquisition at the Diet of Worms: "Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen." Is that worship? Yes, I do think it is.

Worship then is everything we do for the Lord [Faith – Rom.14:23], which comes as the result of being motivated and empowered by God [spirit – Phil.2:13] to accomplish his will [Truth].

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The Friends and Followers of Jesus

Well, it’s happened again. Someone calling themselves a “follower of Jesus” chose to follow me on Twitter. In case you hadn’t guessed by now, I really resent this sort of thing.

Understand that, since I can count my friends on the fingers of one hand, writing about this will, more likely than not, be very costly for me. It’s not pleasant being unwelcome in places where many Christians congregate; Being told, in no uncertain terms that your words are of no value. But, that’s okay. I believe that I’m in good company, as I read Hebrews 11, which teaches that, those who decide that following God is better than pleasing Man, are usually rejected and ostracized by almost everyone they know, even by those who profess to serve God.

So, let’s get on with it.

No, I don’t resent the Twitter followers. What I resent is the tag some of them have been hanging on themselves lately.

“Follower of Jesus.”

What does that mean? Are these “followers” like the “followers” we read of in John 6?

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” John 6:66 (KJV) [Look at that! I’ve never taken notice of that before. Is that possibly or coincidently, a characteristic of those who will become followers of the Beast?]

This happened after the worldly “followers” of the Lord Jesus found that the spiritual truth the Lord was trying to teach them was just a little more than they could swallow. “Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” John 6:60 (KJV).

And, what, pray tell, was this spiritual truth these “followers” found so distasteful? You may be asking.

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” John 6:53 (KJV).

These “followers” couldn’t, with their worldly eyes, recognize a spiritual metaphor.

Why? This is the first scripture which comes to my mind: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” I Cor. 2:14 (KJV).

So, those people in John 6 were so worldly-minded they were unable to grasp the metaphor the Lord Jesus was using. The only thing His words brought to their minds was cannibalism, which was scripturally forbidden. Gen. 9:2-6 (KJV). They were offended by His words, and turned away from the Lord of Life.

Fast-forward to 2012 A.D.

Being called a “Christian” has become politically incorrect. Secular society has, in the minds of many, successfully associated the word “Christian” with child molesters, right-wing radicals, the socially intolerant, the scientifically ignorant, and a host of other “nasties” that offend popular society. Sometimes, being a Christian, even in the West now, comes at a cost. That scares the Professors out there. Sadly, corrupt doctrine comes to their rescue, teaching that the Church needs to make accommodation for the world if it hopes to be relevant and reach the lost with the Gospel. (Actually, it’s so the Church Growth Movement hucksters can enlarge the borders of their tents and expand the capacity of their purses, but that’s another story altogether.) So now, the Professors have chosen to twist and ignore scripture. Compromising their faith to avoid what the Lord Jesus said would be one of the characteristics of a faithful Believer:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (KJV).

Compromising with the world, to gain wealth and avoid persecution. That’s the fruit of this corrupt neo-orthodox Christianity of the West. It’s a Christianity that requires nothing nor does it demand anything from it’s adherents.

So, what does all this have to do with the “friends” question above?

“And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Acts 11:26 (KJV)

The Bible, the complete, inspired, fully authoritative, inerrant, Word of God, is made-up of “words”. That should come as no surprise to anyone. What seems to escape a lot of Christians, especially those who are employed by Bible translation societies, is that the WORDS of the Bible were CHOSEN by GOD to communicate a particular message to those who were to read it. While changing those words to make the Bible support a particular theological, social, or political agenda, using texts found in some ancient archaeological trash bin, virtually guarantees the one committing the act, a one-way ticket to the Lake of Fire, Rev. 22:18-19, there is a deeper issue of Professing Believers IGNORING the CLEAR direction of the Word of God, because they”re offended by the Word or fearful of persecution because of the Word, and they’ve been given the “all clear” to do so by their “leaders”.

That is the problem I have with all these people running around calling themselves “friends” or “followers  of Jesus”.

The Word of God teaches that people who have become disciples of the Lord Jesus, are to be called “CHRISTIANS”. Not “followers” or “friends”, (that relationship is reserved for only a few of the original disciples, not everyone who claims the Name), of the Lord Jesus, but CHRISTIANS. The word was chosen by God to communicate a particular message. as were all the rest of those words. Just because that message offends the world:

“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” Mat. 24:9(KJV);

That does not mean we have the authority to change or alter either the context of the message, or the biblical designation of the messenger.

Some of you know me better than others. You know that, where Scripture is concerned, I am uncompromising, and I don’t care if feelings are hurt over it or not. I know, as Isaiah knew that “… I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips …”. I know that the world is full of false prophets; wolves in sheep’s clothing, who teach damnable doctrines of demons that can even deceive the Elect. So, when I am accused of being judgmental, because I am critical of those who treat the Word of God too lightly, I warn those accusers that they will be held responsible before God for the loose way they handled the Word of Truth; for their failure to rightly divide that same Word, thereby teaching and adhering to doctrines which arose from corrupt sources. My defense before God is that, to the best of my ability, I heard all that God had said, I believed all that God had said. I repented of my sinful life, and I trusted God for the rest of it. That’s the narrow gate, and adding to that, frequent self-examination, II Cor. 13:5, I John 5:15, I trust God to keep me on the narrow way. Matt. 7:14.

Are Professing Christians so ashamed of the Lord Jesus that they reject the title by which the Word states His disciples are to be known? How does that affect one’s unique relationship with the rest of the Body of Christ? I believe that such people are walking on deadly ground. I don’t believe these are actually saved (the “gospel” preached in most Western churches over the past 40-years or so, couldn’t save Green Stamps, let alone sinners and that’s what most Professors heard and believed). I do believe, however, that these Professors are running the risk of having their hearts hardened and their minds closed to the extent that they may never comprehend what God has said. That makes it difficult to comprehend and believe in the need for repentance unto salvation.

If you’re a Christian, embrace the title. God gave it to you. The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus made it possible for you to receive that righteous title and the salvation that goes along with it. Wear it in humility. You don’t deserve it. You didn’t earn it. It was a gift. It’s worth far more than any moniker you could invent out of your own imagination.

The Uniforms We Wear

On February 25th of this year, in Stanford, Florida, a suburb of Orlando, a young, unarmed black man, was shot and killed by a member of a neighborhood watch.

This post is not about the fact that the young man was black. It is not about the fact that he was not armed, or that the neighborhood watch member was. It is, rather, about the uniform he was wearing, and how it is possible that his uniform had just as much to do with his death as did a bullet.

Please understand, I am not, in any way, shape, or form, making an excuse for the man who did the shooting. Armed citizens must learn to operate well above the fray that surrounds them. They must learn to think first, before resorting to the weapon. Above all else, they need to obey the lawful orders of the police when they are issued. From all the publish accounts, the man from the neighborhood watch was wrong in what he did and he should be punished for it.

Okay. Now, before you, Gentle Reader, decide to go off on me for being "judgmental", remember that we all wear uniforms. It is a matter of choice. That choice is what I’m writing about. The biblical and even the societal prohibitions against judgment are really more concerned with the characteristics of a person that they have no control over. It is said that you can’t chose your parents, your color, or your national origin. That’s pretty obvious. Often, people will find themselves in different situations which they have no control over either. Financial difficulties can result from factors one has little or no control over, such as the homeless, displaced families of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Even our recent economic problems have left many out on the street, due to no fault of their own. Not judging a book by it’s cover refers to such situations. Our uniforms, the uniforms we freely, of our own volition, chose to hang on our bodies however, are a completely different story.

Let’s define just what a uniform is. Uniforms are the clothing, jewelery, and cosmetic attire which we, to one extent or another, all wear. We chose the components based upon need and desire. For example, if you work in an office environment, chances are that you wear some sort of a business suit. That’s your uniform. You wear it because, it’s the acceptable form of dress for the group you are trying to appeal to, fit in with, or emulate. Perhaps, you have to dress a certain way in order to keep your job. If you work in the trades, you will wear a uniform that provides the necessary protection for your skin, eyes, ears, and head. Clothing that fits in such a manner that it keeps you from being eaten alive by a piece of machinery. If you work outside, your uniform will change to suit the changing weather conditions. If you are a soldier, your uniform helps you avoid falling victim to friendly fire. If you work on a ranch, you know why pointed-toe boots, calfskin gloves, and cowboy hats are worn. Whatever the conditions or circumstances, everyone wears a uniform. You may not necessarily like it, but, you like that weekly paycheck enough from the fast-food joint to tolerate the rule that says you have to wear that silly chicken-hat while working.

Uniforms are also how we communicate who we are, and what we are, and what our intentions might be, to people we meet in the course of our day. For instance, you know there’s no need to fear the axe-wielding man who has just kicked in your front door because, he’s wearing the uniform of a Fireman. That shadowy silhouette approaching you out of the fog, on the dark, lonely street where your car has broken down, does not inspire fear in your heart because a nearby streetlight reveals that he’s wearing the uniform of a Policeman.

Those are just two examples of the messages communicated by the uniforms we wear. They are powerful messages and we need to understand that, before we either select for ourselves ourselves, or allow our children to select, a particular uniform to wear.

Children, being ignorant of the ways of the world, are very susceptible to mass-media manipulation, ad-campaigns, and peer-pressure.

An example from my own life may be instructive. When I was in High School, one of my favorite television programs was called "Then Came Bronson", starring Michael Parks. His character, a lone, troubled, individual who, after the death of his brother, traveled around the country on the brother’s motorcycle, which he had inherited. His costume consisted of a Navy watch cap, black tee-shirt, blue denim jeans, boots, a pack of Camel cigarettes rolled-up in his sleeve, and a Harley-Davidson Sportster (although, I chose the big-twin model myself). That appealed to me and so, those things, along with the persona of the character, became my uniform. Even before, I had been somewhat of a loner and that uniform served to isolate me even more from my peers, for whom I had little, if any, use. My uniform kept those noisy, troublesome, superficial, people away from me. Conversely, most people use their uniforms to identify with and to fit in with a particular crowd. That is where the greatest danger lies for young people.

Young boys are too easily misled into believing, for instance, that gang-banger attire is "cool". The rhythm of Rap makes them feel good and the Hip-Hop look gives them a tough, arrogant appearance. Young girls likewise, are conditioned by movies & television, magazines, and older girls, into believe that outrageous or skin-tight clothing, face make-up, outlandish hair styles, body piercings, tattoos and jewelry, attire that is more befitting a prostitute than a "tween" girl, make them look pretty. Tattoos and body piercings are also becoming epidemic among high school aged kids. So many of these kids do not realize where these clothing designs came from, let alone what the piercings and tattoos really represent, not only to the subculture from which they have been appropriated, but to the rest of the world as well. Some do, but that’s a different story altogether.

Today, it has become politically incorrect to guide our children in this area. Most parents, even professing Christian parents, have been duped by Progressive propaganda that dictates they must leave their children to dress any way they desire. It’s not supposed to matter. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.

It has been reported that, on the night he was killed, the young man I mentioned above, was wearing, as part of his uniform, a hooded sweatshirt, commonly called a "hoodie". Now, when you combine that item with other articles of clothing that most teenage boys wear, regardless of their family origin, you have a uniform that cries out to a vast majority of people: "gang banger", "hoodlum", "burglar", "vandal", "brawler", or "drug dealer".

We need to educate our children about this. They must be made to understand that such attire identifies them with, and will attract to them, the most base and undesirable elements of society. It will cause them to be perceived as the sort of person they are dressed like and their new-found associates will corrupt their ethics, virtue and morals.

I think that, in the dark and under the stress of the moment, the young fellow in question looked a bit like someone who might be one of the people responsible for some recent neighborhood troubles. The neighborhood watch volunteer followed the young man through the neighborhood, something he did against police directions, at some point, the two entered into an altercation and sadly, the young man was killed.

When something like this happens, you’re not suppose to be critical of the victims. It’s not supposed to be their fault. True as that may be, many times, the victim’s choice in attire should be considered as contributory negligence when it meets certain criteria. I am quite sure, from the reports I’ve read that the young man wasn’t a gang-banger or a drug dealer. I can’t believe that he would have gone out that night trying to look like any sort of criminal, either.

[Update. Apparently, someone witnessed the altercation between the two men and the young man was, according to the witness, on top of the armed man, beating him. So, one never really knows what a particular situation consists of until a complete investigation has been done.]

So why then was he wearing a uniform that indicated he was?

When young girls are kidnapped off the street and raped or murdered, why is it forbidden to assign contributory negligence to them, if it can be demonstrated that their attire was inappropriate? Why were they allowed to wear that uniform? Why did no one ever educate them concerning how men and boys are wired? Men and boys are sinners, just like the rest of us. They are wired to respond to what they SEE with their eyes. When girls push, tease, and tempt them beyond their limited ability to resist, many will lose control (because, in most cases today, self-control is neither taught nor is it practiced anymore), and the consequences are more often than not, disastrous. That doesn’t excuse the boys but, neither does it excuse the girls.

In this present situation, I find it unconscionable for a famous sport team to don the "hoodie" uniform and assume a sinister posture for a photo op, ostensibly in support of the young man’s family which inspired hundreds of others to do the same. They are going about it all the wrong way. What should be done is encourage young people to stop looking and behaving like criminals. The last thing we need is even more legitimization heaped upon a manner of dress and a style of behavior that is not necessary for any legitimate function in life. It’s a manner of dress that, I believe, contributed to this young man’s death.

Instead of trying to force society to accept any and all manner of behavior, dress or undress, regardless of how inappropriate it may be, or what sort of evil it brings to the mind of most people, why not instead, encourage our young people to attire themselves and behave in a way that is non-threatening? A way that does not cause the majority of the people to look upon them with suspicion.

For example, using the "logic" of the politically-correct crowd, I should be able to dress in a 1939-era Nazi uniform, and no one should open their mouth against it, no matter where I might go, even, if I went to a synagogue. Now, we all know that such behavior on my part, even on Halloween, just might result in me getting my backside beat to a pulp. Some things are just wrong, and everyone with a conscience knows it.

Modern, professing Christianity, has developed the most convoluted justification for adopting the attire of the world that I’ve ever encountered. Honestly, I’ve seen professing "Christian" kids who look and behave in manners that are far scarier than their lost, worldly counterparts. I’ve seen professing "Christian" adults, proudly behaving in ways that bring shame and disgrace upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, with the approval and encouragement of their church leaders.

Why do they do this?

Oh, it’s so they can better reach the lost world for Christ. At least, that’s their rationalization. What ever happened to being "in" the world, but not being "of" that world? What about Paul’s instruction about not bearing even the appearance of evil? From what I’ve seen and experienced, it’s just a way for some people to pretend they were something they never could have been, before they claimed the name of the Lord Jesus. It’s deception in the name of the Lord and I find it disgusting.

The lost recognize the hypocrisy of these people. In the case of, for instance, outlaw bikers, not only do they recognize the hypocrisy, they are repulsed by people who have not, in their eyes, earned the right to wear the uniform.

So, I say to the professing Christians, those upon whom this shoe fits, you need to repent. Witness to the lost? Absolutely! Just not hypocritically. If you want to witness to outlaw bikers; honestly, they will respond better to your message delivered in high water pants, button-down collars, wing-tips, and all, if that’s the real you, than to anything you say while wearing your uniform of deception. They may be a lot of things but they are not superficial people.

To those who do not believe, aside from encouraging you to consider at least hearing and considering what God has said, I would like to encourage you to take charge of your children, for their sake. Do not permit your sons to put on the uniform of the base, criminal elements of society, for it will only lead them into associating with the very people they are making an to appeal to by their attire. Do not allow your daughters to attire themselves like prostitutes. Teach them the difference between sensuality and beauty; how the former is external, while the latter comes from the inside and which one really matters and should be cultivated. Explain to them that inappropriate dress might endanger themselves and drive some man or boy to do something they would both regret. Come together with other parents and demand that the schools they attend adopt standard uniforms that are modest and appeal to mainstream society. Even if it cost a little more. Stand firmly against the permissive attitudes so prevalent today. Are your children not worth it?

The row I’ve been speaking of is very difficult to hoe. It is one I am all too familiar with. While, in my case, it could have ended-up much worse than it did, I do not consider myself to have been very successful. I felt all alone; me against the world (which it really was – the world, the flesh, and the devil,) that was conspiring against me; to destroy my family. And the world, while it didn’t win a total victory, it took way too much. I am convinced that it was God who erected a battlement which the world could not breach, my lack of faith and prayer not withstanding.

We are all concerned for the welfare of our children and whenever lives are lost to senseless violence, it affects us all. Still, when we can see the factors that contribute to these occurrences, and do nothing to change those factors, we’re failing our children. They look to us for guidance and instruction and, in spite of the Progressive propaganda of the government school to the contrary, we as parents, grandparents, family and friends, must act within the realm we have authority over. Assume our responsibility under God and take our children back from the darkness because, there is an even greater darkness, from which there is no return, into which they are in grave danger of falling.

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What’s On Your Mind?

This is a unique post (well, they all are unique; Aren’t they?). This post is being composed using a program called “BloGTK 2.0,” running on VectorLinux-7 with the Xfce desktop. I am trying to use tools that do not require KDE to function, especially because Bloglio doesn’t run on this iteration of KDE. While I will try and build Bibletime here, I may end-up using Xiphos, which uses Gnome libraries. We’ll see what happens.

I’m categorizing this under Technobabble because I’m testing new software with this post.

Facebook asks this question, so, I thought I’d respond.

This is what’s on my mind:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2 TIM 3:1-5, KJV)

You know it’s true. We all know that it’s true. It’s a description of modern society and the perverse culture we live in, and so long as we just live in it and do not become a part of it, we shall be preserved out of it before it’s judged.

From time to time, it’s nice to consider that there are others out there who live their lives subservient to God and his Word, and that, one day, we might have fellowship with them. But if not, it’s also good to remember that one person plus God is a majority and there will come a time for fellowship. If loneliness is the worse thing which should befall us, before the Lord comes for his Church, then we should consider ourselves fortunate above many others who suffer such terrible persecution; for it is to those that God has prepared special blessing.

Well, that’s what I posted on Facebook. There are so many professors who never give a second thought to what it is precisely that they believe.

What about you, dear reader? Have you considered your beliefs in light of what God has said? Self-examination is, not only a good idea, it’s a biblical-mandate.

Judgement of the Thankless Nation and other Musings

So many things have been going on lately it’s been nearly impossible to decide which are more important than the others so, here’s a few words about ones that have figured prominently in my mind recently.

It’s not long until Thanksgiving arrives and yet, if we were to determine approaching holidays by the sort of commercials airing on radio and T.V., one could come to believe that there is no such holiday called Thanksgiving in this country.

Is this an accident? Or, is it, perhaps, by design?

Romans 1:21 reads: "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

Is this a description of society today? Many people say they believe in God (even members of the professing church), but their lives do not reflect such belief and neither to they give glory to Him. There are others who profess a spirituality that cannot be named. Since one cannot attach a name to it, it’s impossible to determine who is being worshiped and if there are any requirements placed upon those worshiping by the one being worshiped. Pointing out such inconsistencies is, of course, politically incorrect which only leaves those worshipers lost in the deceptiveness of their own vanity. Talk about foolish hearts being darkened, consider how the great commercial holidays are fast becoming Halloween and Christmas. Not Christmas, as in a feast to celebrate the birth of the Savior, but the pagan celebration of the Saturnalia.

Numbers 32:23 reads in part: "… ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

The world of sport saw some of it’s idols fall. The Penn State football program was revealed to be a haunt for homosexual pedophiles this past week, and the school’s team lost it’s first game since the perversion was revealed. It seems like, once again, the Word of God is proven true.

While, it was revealed recently that the Ft. Hood murder’s cowardly superior officers, having been clearly corrupted by political correctness, refused to stop the Islamic lunatic from trying to infect fellow troopers with his hateful rhetoric, children in public schools are prohibited by political correctness from wearing patriotic apparel on foreign holidays, such as the Mexican holiday of the Fifth of May. It’s okay though. Right? Because, we’re just like you: we’re Mormons. Yeah, right.

This nation is fast becoming an asylum run by the inmates. Contradictions are the rule of the day.

Republican presidential candidates all talk about all the things they will do to fix the problems of the nation. All, except for how they promise to obey the law of the land. The only candidate who makes such a promise, Ron Paul, is made a laughing stock by the other candidates and even the "friendly" media; ex: Fox News. The Democrats, not to be outdone, proceed down their Progressive path with their candidate Obama, leading them like Lemmings to the seaside cliff. Speaking of Obama, since we no longer manufacture anything of significance in this country, how is free trade with Asia going to maximize our exports? How is that going to help create jobs in this country? If our own citizens won’t by Government Motors products, what makes him believe that the Asians will?

It all makes me think of the record of I Samuel 8:11-18, where God’s reply to the people of Israel, concerning what the leader they chose would do to them, is recorded. Personally, I think our globalist, Progressive presidents have run far beyond what Israelite kings ever did. The last verse seems to be our fate after each election: "And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day". I Samuel 8:18. What if we chose a president who would honor both the Constitution and the Lord?

I Timothy 6:10 reads: "For the love of money is the root of all evil". That root has certainly reared it’s ugly head all over the country as these Occupy Wall Street protests continue. Greed (on the part of the rich) and ignorance (on the part of the protesters) have combined with criminals, trade unionists and socialists in an effort to disrupt as much of everything disrupt-able as possible. Toss in a few rapes here and a murder or two over there, and we’re looking at closing out 2011 in a time of such spiritual darkness as the country has not seen in decades.

Still, Psalm 83 sits there, mostly ignored in the pages of the Bible. The Arab Spring lays the groundwork towards the fulfillment of that prophecy as the radical Islamic Brotherhood infects all of those nations, inciting them to rush headlong towards their destruction, and one scarcely hears a murmur about it. The stock market is going up today and down tomorrow. A couple of mothers have passed her children through the fire to Molech recently. Poor them. They are victims of something or other, no doubt. Too bad. We don’t really care because we’re all too busy hanging-up on stupid robo-calls from political candidates clamoring for more money because it’s money you see that wins elections, not votes.

These are indeed just like the days of Noah. Everyone is doing whatever feels right to them, and no one dares to restrain evil any longer. These conditions will continue, I’m afraid, "… until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled". Luke 21:24.

I cannot leave you with such a depressing thought, and neither did God.

"But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:28 NASB.

Come Lord Jesus; Come.

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How Facebook Damages the Family

Hi Folks! How’s that for a catchy title? I got your attention with it, I’m sure.

So, you’re probably asking, what’s this posting going to be about. Maybe it’ll be all about my misspellings and abuses of grammar? No, not this time, besides, Blogilo utilizes gtkspell, which underlines all words not in the system dictionary with these cute little red squiggly lines. All I have to do is insure that the dictionary is correct and not add misspelled words to it.

This post has a single Biblical reference: “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. ” Prov. 22:6 (KJV).

The post is about Facebook and how the naivety of the founder, operators, and policy-makers of that Internet phenomenon have contributed to endangering children all across the country with their mis-guided, anarchist-like pursuit of “freedom”.

First of all, there are some useful aspects to Facebook that I should point out. It can make it easy to find things to write about. For instance, the following little tidbit was found on a “Friend’s” posting:

“New Pledge of Allegiance”

Now I sit me down in school,

Where praying is against the rules

For this great nation under God,

Finds mention of Him very odd.

If scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow,

Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene.

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall,

 Might offend someone with no faith at all.

In silence alone we must meditate,

God’s name is prohibited by the state.

We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.

They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the ‘unwed daddy,’ our Senior King.

It’s ‘inappropriate’ to teach right from wrong,

We’re taught that such ‘judgments’ do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,

Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,

No word of God must reach this crowd.

It’s scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school’s a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen .

Now, I could comment upon that until the cows come home and never run out of material, but that’s not why I started writing this post.

You see, I’m baffled at how Facebook believes the “rights” of 13-year olds need to be protected. First, where did 13-year olds get “rights” to do anything other than follow the rules of their parents, teachers, and others in authority? Facebook seems to think the Federal Government has bestowed these “rights” upon them. Consequently, if your child, without your knowledge or permission, creates a Facebook account, affirming that they are at least 13-years of age, (weather they are or not doesn’t matter), at a friends house, or at the Public or school Library, using a Gmail or Yahoo email account created in the same rebellious manner, and then proceeds to use that Facebook account, with it’s real-time chat (instant messaging) facility to conspire with their friends to do things they know their parents would forbid them to do, apparently, that’s okay with Facebook because, should you discover this subterfuge, Facebook will not help you regain control of your child by removing the account. Even if you prove to them beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are the one responsible for the child, they will defend to the death the “right” of the child to have this secret way to communicate behind your back with “friends” or to permit strangers who do not have the best interest of the child at heart, to see suggestive and sensual photographs of your child. Children with cell phones equipped with cameras will often photograph themselves in suggestive poses and wearing sensual clothing. They post these photos on Facebook for all the world to see, especially when the child in question believes the more friends they have on Facebook, the more popular they are. I personally know of a 13-year old girl who “friended” almost six-hundred people who sent her friend requests, because she believed that would raise her status among the crowd she associated with in school. Most of these people she did not really know. Her parents did not know them, and she was unconcerned about the repercussions of making her personal contact information available to whomever asked. She even gave her user name and password away so other people could access her account.

That’s the sort of mentality Facebook believes needs to be protected from parental limitations.

Mark Zuckerberg must be a complete idiot if he believes that 13-year olds are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually mature enough to do anything that is beyond the reach and control of their parents. Well, one has to excuse him somewhat. After all, he attended Harvard (where Facebook first reared it’s ugly head), and he was born in 1984.

Look, I really don’t care what adults do with Facebook but Zuckerberg apparently didn’t take any early childhood development classes, (maybe they don’t offer such classes at Harvard), because he seems to be completely ignoring all the evidence indicating that a 13-year old child’s brain isn’t quite fully developed at that age, and what happens to them during this period of time can easily mess them up for life.

My thesis here is that Facebook contributes to the Progressive/Fabian Socialist belief that children should be reared by the State and the Family is irrelevant. That’s why they fall back on some imagined Federal Law prohibiting parents from accessing a child’s Facebook (or any other) account. They do this by giving tools to children as young as 13, which they can use to conspire against and evade the rules, limitations and the structure created by their parents. They place themselves in dangerous and compromising situations because they are ignorant, easily-manipulated, thrill-seeking, popularity-hunters. Believe me, children much younger than 13 are using these tools and for the same nefarious reasons I’ve mentioned. Should you, Gentle Parent, discover this has happened with your child and should you try putting a stop to it, Zuckerberg and Company will not help you. They will blame you, to be sure, but they will not help you.

But I will; At least, I’ll try.

Start by removing as much of your child’s presence on the Internet as you can.

If you have access to a computer your child uses to access Facebook, you at least have a chance to put a stop to their activities. I’ll assume that it’s a Windows-based system that you’re dealing with, at least initially.

First, install a keystroke logger program. I used one developed by Award Software. They are one of the companies who developed a lot of the BIOS firmware that starts-up every computer. Once installed, the key logger records every key typed on the keyboard and saves it in a file you can examine later. Mind you, the file and the program is hidden from plain view so your child has no idea what’s happening, unless you chose to enable a little splash that informs the user that their activities are being monitored. This file will contain the user name and password your child uses to access Facebook.

Having obtained this information, you can now take control of the account. Do it in this order. Change the contact email address to one your child does not know about. Be sure to delete any secondary addresses listed. Change the password. You’ll have to confirm this change by responding to a Facebook email sent to the email address you set for contact. Having done this, you can now disable the account. Once the account is disabled, proceed to request deletion. It’s important that once this has been done, do not log onto the account using the new information. That will reset the deletion request. The account must remain inactive for fourteen days, then it will be automatically deleted. The following is from the Facebook help center:

“If you deactivate your account from your Security Settings page, your profile and all information associated with it disappears from the Facebook service immediately. People on Facebook will not be able to search for you or view any of your information.

“In case you want to come back to Facebook at some point, we save your profile information (friends, photos, interests, etc.) so that your account will look just the way it did when you left. A lot of people deactivate their accounts for temporary reasons and expect their profiles to be there when they return to the service.

“If you do not think you will use Facebook again and would like your account deleted, keep in mind that you will not be able to reactivate your account or retrieve any of the content or information you have added. If you would like your account permanently deleted with no option for recovery, log in to your account and then submit your request here: http://www.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account”

The thing to remember is DO NOT use the account for fourteen days. That’s why we change the contact information to something only we know about.

Now, let’s say the fourteen days have expired and the account is gone, do you let your child use the Internet again?

Sure, but you have to go at it a little differently than before.

To really keep your child safe, you’ll need the cooperation of anyone, anywhere, who might make computers available for your child’s use. This includes schools, libraries, and the parents of their friends. What we intend to do is restrict the child’s access to the Internet to the home only. That’s where we can control it best. Assuming that’s possible, let’s move on.

Get a hold of another computer. This computer will not be Windows-based, but it will run the Linux operating system. This computer will be the one your child will use for all their computer work, especially, accessing the Internet. If you’re not familiar with Linux, contact a computer geek in your area who is. Ask them to install the Mageia 1 Linux distribution (which you can download and burn to a DVD), along with the Firewall Builder program, which you can also download. Whatever they ask for compensation will be well worth the price. Firewall Builder is program is what you’ll use to configure the computer to restrict Internet sites and the times when the Web browser will be able to function (let you friendly geek set it up initially, and show you how to manipulate the parameters later, if you think you will want to). Blocking access to or from sites like Facebook, MySpace, MyYearbook, etc. It may sound daunting at first but it’s easy, once you’ve been shown how. You can also restrict the Internet access times. Be as restrictive or generous as you like. As they get older, more and more children will need to access the Internet to complete homework assignments, so we need to be sensitive to their legitimate needs in that area. The tools mentioned make this possible.

So, why do we have to take all these precautions with the children of a Christian home? Because, like it or not, (remember: just because a mouse grows up in a cookie jar, doesn’t make him a cookie), our children are all sinners. They will remain sinners until they understand what Sin is, what it has done to them, and they recognize that they have a need for salvation. That’s the only way repentance will be realized in them and, because God is not mocked, repentance is a necessary prerequisite to salvation.

Now mind you, you’ll probably be unleashing a hornets nest if you do this, especially, if your child has become deeply involved in this manifestation of sin, but we have to persevere, for our children’s sake. You’re better off to implement this strategy before the problem develops. I knew a church pastor once who said that “Sin makes you stupid.” It does and it also makes you behave like a heroin addict when it’s taken away, so be prepared for some rough road ahead.

The Internet is a wonderful tool, but it’s also like a loaded gun and you, Dear Parent Reader, would do well to treat it as such. You wouldn’t let your child play with a loaded gun. Would you? Of course not, so don’t let them stray into Internet traffic un-escorted. Be their pedagog, as that is one of your responsibilities towards your children. It’s part of training them up in the way that they should go.

Having taken the reins of control back from your child, let Mr. Zuckerberg know what you’ve had to go through and politely ask him to reconsider his position on the matter. The age of Internet majority should be at least 18, as it is for most all other things. Schools, libraries and all places that permit public access to computers or have WiFi access should demand ID from people who look very young, just as they do for cigarette and alcohol purchases. A parent should be able to access and delete if necessary anything their child has created on an Internet site. Sites like Facebook need to develop ways to verify the age of the people who desire to use their site, and they must make it clear from the get-go that the accounts of users under 18 are accessible to their parents and/or guardians who are responsible for them.

Before I go, I would like to suggest that, if you have given your child a cell phone, take it back. Hundreds of generations of people have lived quite successful lives without the questionable “benefits” of cell phone usage. Children, and by “children”, I am referring to anyone under the age of 18, do not need to have a cell phone. Don’t cave into the world’s propaganda. Explain to your child that they are being manipulated by evil propagandists, (Madison Avenue marketing trolls), into desiring to have a cell phone and that no good will come of it.

It’s an evil, wicked world out there folks. Stand your ground. Defend your family. You’ll not regret that decision.

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My Middle East Land-for-Peace Plan

Why don’t we fix the “Palestinian Problem” properly? My land-for-peace suggestion involves flipping the half butterfly-wing of the West Bank over to the east into Jordan. Then the Palestinians can butt heads with the Jordanians over who will control Amman. Okay, so it doesn’t line-up perfectly, but hey; The Palestinians have to fight with someone. Right? Why not their great-great grandparents in Jordan? Next, let’s flip the Gaza Strip down to the southwest. The Palestinians of Gaza can then build their own towns in the “hanging chad” extending into Egypt. Sorry Syrians but you don’t get to build your missile launchers on the Golan Heights.
Were it not for the fact that the Arabs hate the Jews, something like my land-for-peace plan would work. Look at the areas I described on Google Earth. Nobody lives there, for the most part. Plenty of room for the Palestinians to live peacefully, if they really wanted peace.
It seems that Obama has the same desire to see the end of Israel as the Arabs do. Why else would he advocate Israel returning to the pre-1967 war borders as the way to implement Middle East peace? I don’t know. Maybe he’s just an idiot. One thing for sure is, he didn’t learn a thing from George Bush’s siding with Arabs against Israel back in 2005. Remember when George pressured Ariel Sharon to withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank? For that, God slapped President Bush with Hurricane Katrina. For Obama’s folly, he gets EF-5 tornadoes in the Great Plains.
I think the only reason these disasters don’t land on Washington, D.C., is that moral, honorable people still pray for the safety of our leaders. God bless them. Nobody else will, that’s for sure.

Harold Camping: False Prophet

It’s Sunday, May 22, 2011. This is the day of the “Great Disappointment of 2011” for FamilyRadio.com, Harold Camping, and his devoted followers. I am so confident that the Lord Jesus will not rapture the Church on May 21, that I started writing this on May 19. There is one thing, however, that may eventually make all of us wish that Camping would have been right. For on May 19, 2011, President Obama, President Barack Hussein Obama, openly and proudly invited the wrath of God upon our nation by his arrogant siding with the sons of Ishmael (the ARABS) against Israel. We’ll get to that later. Now, I’m not one to gloat but Harold Camping was wrong (again) about the Rapture and the judgment to come. No matter how strongly you believe a thing, if it is not in accordance with God’s will, it’s not going to happen. God cannot be manipulated by human will. Here in Spokane, Washington, where I live, we saw manifested our share of Camping’s deceived followers. Though not a large number, they were quite convinced in their belief. They walked through large parks, shopping malls and stood on street corners passing out fliers. They drove up and down the streets in their cars, bedecked with announcements of Camping’s prophecy. I cannot help but wonder what they are doing today, after their version of the “Great Disappointment” has come to pass? For those of you who don’t know, the “Great Disappointment” refers to the failed “prophecy” of the Rapture and the end of the world as told by William Miller in 1843. Miller, who split off from the Baptists in the early 1800s, was a seminal element behind the Seventh Day Adventist movement. Many of the “Millerites,” as they were called, quit their jobs, sold their possessions, donned white “Ascension Robes, ” and stood upon their roofs awaiting the fulfillment of their dream. When it didn’t happen, Miller made the expected excuses and set a new date: October 22, 1844. That day became known as the “Great Disappointment of 1844.” Needless to say, Miller’s followers were disappointed and confused after both of his prophecies failed. Eventually, the Millerites disbanded and formed three different groups, one of which became the Seventh Day Adventests. Jehovah’s Witnesses taught that the second coming of Christ took place in 1914. More recently, Edgar Whisenant wrote a book entitled, 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1988. Of course, the Lord did not come in 1988. Not to be outdone by the initial failure, he presented his new theory: 89 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Take Place in 1989. It was humorously surmised that the added reason given in the new book might be this: "Reason #89—Because He did not come in 1988." Even the Catholics are not immune. I do not know what will become of FamilyRadio.com, Harold Camping, or his followers. I sincerely hope and pray that Camping’s disciples will recognize that their leader is a false prophet and will seek the Truth from the Lord through His Word, instead of listening to the imaginations of men like Harold Camping. My prayer for Camping is that he would repent quickly, for God frowns upon those who lead his children astray (Matt. 18:6). This should serve as a lesson to everyone who claims the Name of Christ. Hear what God has said and just believe it. You may not understand everything initially but, the danger of seeking out other sinful men to explain it to you is more dreadful than you can imagine. Man can help you with translating the words and with the history and cluture. Those elements, combined with a consistent set of rules for interpretation, will allow you, with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit (assuming that you believed God and are born again, of course), to understand that God says what he means and means what He says. You don’t need priests, pastors, popes, ministers, or professors to tell you what the Bible means. You don’t need college degrees in this-ology or that-ology; those "ologies" being nothing more than the imaginations of men who should have spent more time studying their Bibles and less time striving to have "ologies" named after themselves. Think about it for a moment. God wrote the book. Don’t you think that He’s the most qualified to explain it to you? Yes, I know. Sometimes God uses men to accomplish His will. Did you get that last part? “… accomplish His will.” I don’t believe that all the different denominations of Christianity, to say noting for all the different religions, work to accomplish God’s will. God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). This plethora beliefs do the exact opposite. Leaving believers and non-believers alike trying to sort-out the morass of contradictory doctrines, deceptive teachings, and corrupt organizations. Too many believers ignore the problems, preferring the social life and their friends and associates at church to embracing and being embraced by the Truth. Non-believers aren’t really interested in hearing what “we” have to say. They are happy not to be entangled in that mess. Now, all of us who have heard and believed God have to contend with the fallout of another person who set-out, in folly and bald-faced defiance of God’s written Word, to set a date for the up-ward call (Phil 3:14), thereby bringing even more ridicule upon the Body of Christ than we have suffered in the past. If you, Dear Reader, are one of Camping’s disciples, please don’t do something foolish. This event did not catch God unawares. He knew this would happen. He can help you get back on the Biblical rails, which lead to Truth, if you will but trust Him.