Jemma Grace Tracey
Presented to this World on 10/05/2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
The Great Escape
Whenever someone mentions the country of France, my thoughts immediately jump to the two times I traveled there a few years ago. Paris, the City of Lights, was certainly the highlight of both trips with such amazing sights and attractions as the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Arc de Triomphe, along with strolls along the River Seine, just to name a few. Of course the French food and their traditional five-course dinners along with sampling some of the world's greatest wines were all parts of these treasured experiences. Personally, I believe that one cannot avoid developing a taste for both the Bordeaux and the Beaujolais wines, both of which I still prefer to this day.
Then there was the road trip to the rugged coastline on Northern France to the town of Etretat, best known for its awe inspiring cliffs, including its three natural arches. And, like many coastal towns along the Northern Coast, Etretat still holds onto many WWII military remnants & memories.
Then there was the road trip to the rugged coastline on Northern France to the town of Etretat, best known for its awe inspiring cliffs, including its three natural arches. And, like many coastal towns along the Northern Coast, Etretat still holds onto many WWII military remnants & memories. 
Many others believe as I that France is a beautiful country replete with history, charm and mystique all it's own and well worth any one's time and effort to visit. I would enjoy spending more of our time together here sharing with you other details and photographs of my adventures in France, but right now you are probably wondering what it was that recently triggered my memories of France and thus provided the motivation for this posting. Well, I'm glad that you asked!
For a select group of people, what I recently discovered is old news, but for me and perhaps for you, this is new news. You see, there is small town in Southern France, named Bugarach, population 200, that had previously captured the attention of UFO and alien encounter enthusiasts and now has now garnered the attention of end-of-the-world survivalists. Prior to this, Bugarach was noted for an unusual rocky outcrop, locally known as the "upside-down mountain" and for a measurable deviation in the Earth's gravitational magnetic field. Because of these nuances, a strange sect of believers is convinced that aliens live inside the mountain and it's their UFO crafts that are generating the Earth's magnetic field to deviate.
Now we find ourselves in the year 2011, following Harold Camping's recent (failed) prediction of the Church's Rapture, coupled with the fears that the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012, foretells the end of the world, interest in the small city of Bugarach has been resurrected again as the only place on Earth where one can escape Armageddon.
For your edification, below is a link to an article published by the Christian Post that should help you explore this story in greater detail. Please take a moment to read the article, and as I have offered in previous posts, I will patiently wait right here until you return!
http://www.christianpost.com/news/french-officials-concerned-about-towns-doomsday-safe-haven-reputation-52085/
Obviously you can perform Internet searches on "Bugarach" for more in depth articles, photos, and videos to really quench your curiosity. However, my interest here, and the impetus for this writing, is not specifically to focus on doomsday theories nor on the end of the world predictions, but rather to address what I consider an interesting paradox, that is, an apparent collapse of logic and reasoning shared by two completely diverse groups of thought and conviction.
In the first group, we have those that believe in man-made hysteria such as UFO's, Extraterrestrial life, evolution, man-made global warming, and world-ending predictions (i.e., Mayan calendar), to name a few. This group does not believe in God, nor any references from the Holy Bible, even though nothing above that they believe in has been substantiated scientifically, historically, or otherwise. Nonetheless, regardless of fact or fiction, they firmly believe in the inherent supremacy and intellect of man.
The second group, represented by the Harold Camping followers, are the total opposites from the first. This group professes belief in God, in creation through intelligent design, and in the absolute truth of God's Word. They are encouraged by knowing that the Holy Bible, although under continual scrutiny and challenge, has never been proven to be in error, historically, scientifically, or otherwise. They give God credit for everything in the universe, past, present, and future.
Now, one would never expect to find members of these groups in the same room at the same time, nor sharing the same philosophical mindset, and yet they share one common frailty - both groups placed their faith in the wrong place, that is, both trusted in man's word and not in God's Word!
It's still both tragic yet somewhat comical to know that some people believe they can avoid end-of-the-world tribulations by escaping to places such as Bugarach, France. Although I commend their choice of destinations, their great escapes will be short lived because when God's plan prevails and this world ceases to exist, there will be no place to hide or to run, that is except to Christ Jesus. This world, as we know it, will go away as we learn in Revelation 21:
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. "
Correct me if I am wrong, but no where did I see where Bugarach, France, gets a pass here. So, if you are still planning on escaping to Bugarach, or if you know of anyone contemplating that trip, I personally guarantee that you will eventually experience a conversion of the mind, body and spirit. Trust me when I tell you that you too will develop an eternal taste for both the Bordeaux and the Beaujolais wines!
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Sunday, May 29, 2011
Cult Mentality
Much attention has been generated around the world recently regarding Harold Camping's (Family Radio International) dire prediction that the rapture of Christians was to occur on May 21, 2011, thus leading to the end of the world six months later. Of course, here we are looking back after Harold Camping's second prophesy failed to come true (in 1994 he predicted his first doomsday scenario). In retrospect I guess we can now label Mr. Camping as a "false prophet" considering he is "O" for two! Even though scripture clearly states that only God knows when the world, as we know it, will end (Matt 24:36), Harold Camping appeared convinced that he "broke the code" and it was just due to some minor miscalculations that his prophesy missed its mark. Obviously, he was not being lead by the Holy Spirit else we would "all" now be in Heaven giving praise and glory to God our Father. You see, anyone can read what the Holy Bible says, but only the Holy Spirit can reveal to us what it means. Needless to say, Harold Camping's interpretation of Holy Scripture was not led by the Holy Spirit.
However, some good may have resulted during the days leading up to May 21, 2011. Both Christian and conventional secular media outlets of every technology type began discussing end-time theories, referencing the Holy Bible and openly debating Christian doctrine. Some news commentators even dared orating God's name and - yes - the name of Jesus Christ too. That alone is a miracle unto itself. At work places, in malls and in other public places, God's Word was being bantered about, although mostly butchered and battered, but none the less, the world was paying attention to God for a brief moment. Just imagine how many people who never gave God a second thought were now wondering if this end time prophesy "could be real"! Hopefully Harold's prophesy, albeit unfulfilled, led many to seek Christ for the first time although I feel the verdict is still undecided if this event gave a boost or booted the lay perspective towards Christianity.
It's understandable, at least to me, how individuals can become obsessed with a theory, a philosophy, a belief, or a passion that blindly leads them down a path that conflicts with truths, realities, and known conventional wisdom. Just focusing on Christianity alone, history is replete with movers and movements that defied rational thought yet marched headstrong along convinced within themselves that they were right and the "world" was wrong. Some for the betterment of mankind while others not so beneficial. For example, the Great Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation, was the European Christian reform movement led by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other early Protestants, whom protested against the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the dominant Catholic Church, which led over time to the creation of the current day Protestant churches. Many Christians today believe that the Reformation was worthy and righteous even though it appeared, at that time, to conflict with the present day religious tenets. Worthy and righteous, that is, unless of course one was aligned with the Catholic Church.
My focus here is not to discuss major theological movements hence I should start with a man named Jesus or perhaps even further back in history to Abraham with whom God established His Covenant and bloodline leading to man's redemption through the blood of the Son of God. Rather, I'm curious about individual mindsets that proclaim to know God's truth, and who certainly have the truth of God's Word available to them via the Holy Bible, yet still manage to convince themselves to follow man's words instead of God's Word. This phenomena I label "Cult Mentality" and the followers of Harold Camping and his May 21, 2011 prophesy are the most current expose of this cult mentality. However, we do not have to go back too far in American history to find other examples of famous cult mentalities - do you remember David Koresh and the Branch Davidians, Jim Jones and the People's Temple, or Marshall Applewhite and Heaven's Gate? Now, Harold Camping's movement was tame compared to the consequences met by the followers of the above movements, but none the less, each shared the common denominator that every cult member made a decision to follow man's words instead of God's Word.
Perhaps here we should define the word "cult" as presented within, and to preserve space and typing tedium, I've selected a web site that, to me, sufficiently defines "cult" for our purposes. I'll give you all the time you need to jump there, to peruse, and to return....
For clarification, I am not broad-brushing Harold Camping's movement as a cult, far from it, nor is my purpose to debate the definition of a cult but perhaps rather to lightly examine / discuss how this cult mentality can dominate rational biblical thought and carry it to an extreme, or just to very subtle deviations from God's Word.
Whereas wise parents, teachers, and other counselors usually encourage young adults to challenge the status quo, to develop individual mindsets, to objectively compare other teachings, and to build independent thought upon an open exposure to all fields of learning, cult organizations tend to restrict, discourage, and prohibit its members from material not published or controlled by them. Infiltrating and conquering cult mentality is certainly easier said than done. To me, followers of the Mormon Church or Jehovah Witnesses are classic examples of cult mentalities that are extremely difficult to witness or evangelize to. For this reason it's obvious why their church elders require them to travel in pairs when they come "knocking at your door".
But when it comes to cult mentalities, we Christians are not fully insulated from the temptation of following man's words instead of God's Word. To illustrate: If every Christian followed and obeyed God's Word, there would be but one body of believers following Christ instead of the hundreds of different denominations that exist today. Organized religion has disorganized the Christian community and it's simply (actually quite complicated) because many Christians are also following man's words instead of God's Word. Examples of a church's departure from God's Word is not always extreme as represented by the Mormon Church or by the Jehovah Witnesses, nor is always as subtle as Harold Camping's prophesies, but none the less, cult mentalities prevail throughout Christendom.
The subject is salvation:
We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 15:11);
...that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) (NLT Eph 2:5);
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. (NLT Eph 2:8).
There is no better illustration of God's love for us than believing that it is only through His Grace that we saved from from the penalty of sin and and that we are all promised eternal life through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, Christ Jesus. It is through Faith in Christ Jesus that we are set free and not through any of our works or deeds of our own. That calls for an AMEN!
And yet, just look how many denominational, and some non-denominational churches, feel the need to add man into the equation of God's salvation. Basically, for every different named denominational church, there is proposed something else that man must do (works) before one is even a candidate for salvation! It's as if "we" feel a need to participate, to earn salvation, else we are surely lost for eternity. It is precisely here where "cult mentality" permeates into the tenets of organized christian religion, where we follow mans words instead of God's Word! Let's look at how this works:
While Christians avow that through faith in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection we are promised our own eternal resurrection - and there should be a period (.) here - many denominations add at least one other criteria to God's Word, such as:
Baptism by water;
Asking for forgiveness of sins;
Speaking in tongues;
Tithing;
Attending church on on a certain day of the week;
Church attendance;
Receiving Sacraments;
Membership in the "true" church;
Living a holy life;
Absolution of sins before (or after) death.
There are other criteria imposed, I'm sure, but you get the idea. Maybe it's "human nature" that we feel the need to be in control to some level, or maybe it's the cult mentality wherein "we" don't even question church leaders as to why their tenets do not fully align with God's Word. More important, why do followers continue to follow man's words over God's Word? Satan certainly is playing a role here too!
So, before we Christians criticize or condemn Harold Camping or his devoted followers, perhaps some deep spiritual reflection is called for on our part; to pray that the Holy Spirit intervenes into our hearts to guide us through His discernment and perspective on where we are in relationship to God. Remember God loves us all and that... God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
However, if you still believe that you must do something, somehow, in some manner, perhaps through works, to receive salvation other than through God's Grace, then you should think twice the next time you are offered a drink of Kool-Aid.
.
However, some good may have resulted during the days leading up to May 21, 2011. Both Christian and conventional secular media outlets of every technology type began discussing end-time theories, referencing the Holy Bible and openly debating Christian doctrine. Some news commentators even dared orating God's name and - yes - the name of Jesus Christ too. That alone is a miracle unto itself. At work places, in malls and in other public places, God's Word was being bantered about, although mostly butchered and battered, but none the less, the world was paying attention to God for a brief moment. Just imagine how many people who never gave God a second thought were now wondering if this end time prophesy "could be real"! Hopefully Harold's prophesy, albeit unfulfilled, led many to seek Christ for the first time although I feel the verdict is still undecided if this event gave a boost or booted the lay perspective towards Christianity.
It's understandable, at least to me, how individuals can become obsessed with a theory, a philosophy, a belief, or a passion that blindly leads them down a path that conflicts with truths, realities, and known conventional wisdom. Just focusing on Christianity alone, history is replete with movers and movements that defied rational thought yet marched headstrong along convinced within themselves that they were right and the "world" was wrong. Some for the betterment of mankind while others not so beneficial. For example, the Great Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation, was the European Christian reform movement led by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other early Protestants, whom protested against the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the dominant Catholic Church, which led over time to the creation of the current day Protestant churches. Many Christians today believe that the Reformation was worthy and righteous even though it appeared, at that time, to conflict with the present day religious tenets. Worthy and righteous, that is, unless of course one was aligned with the Catholic Church.
My focus here is not to discuss major theological movements hence I should start with a man named Jesus or perhaps even further back in history to Abraham with whom God established His Covenant and bloodline leading to man's redemption through the blood of the Son of God. Rather, I'm curious about individual mindsets that proclaim to know God's truth, and who certainly have the truth of God's Word available to them via the Holy Bible, yet still manage to convince themselves to follow man's words instead of God's Word. This phenomena I label "Cult Mentality" and the followers of Harold Camping and his May 21, 2011 prophesy are the most current expose of this cult mentality. However, we do not have to go back too far in American history to find other examples of famous cult mentalities - do you remember David Koresh and the Branch Davidians, Jim Jones and the People's Temple, or Marshall Applewhite and Heaven's Gate? Now, Harold Camping's movement was tame compared to the consequences met by the followers of the above movements, but none the less, each shared the common denominator that every cult member made a decision to follow man's words instead of God's Word.
Perhaps here we should define the word "cult" as presented within, and to preserve space and typing tedium, I've selected a web site that, to me, sufficiently defines "cult" for our purposes. I'll give you all the time you need to jump there, to peruse, and to return....
For clarification, I am not broad-brushing Harold Camping's movement as a cult, far from it, nor is my purpose to debate the definition of a cult but perhaps rather to lightly examine / discuss how this cult mentality can dominate rational biblical thought and carry it to an extreme, or just to very subtle deviations from God's Word.
Whereas wise parents, teachers, and other counselors usually encourage young adults to challenge the status quo, to develop individual mindsets, to objectively compare other teachings, and to build independent thought upon an open exposure to all fields of learning, cult organizations tend to restrict, discourage, and prohibit its members from material not published or controlled by them. Infiltrating and conquering cult mentality is certainly easier said than done. To me, followers of the Mormon Church or Jehovah Witnesses are classic examples of cult mentalities that are extremely difficult to witness or evangelize to. For this reason it's obvious why their church elders require them to travel in pairs when they come "knocking at your door".
But when it comes to cult mentalities, we Christians are not fully insulated from the temptation of following man's words instead of God's Word. To illustrate: If every Christian followed and obeyed God's Word, there would be but one body of believers following Christ instead of the hundreds of different denominations that exist today. Organized religion has disorganized the Christian community and it's simply (actually quite complicated) because many Christians are also following man's words instead of God's Word. Examples of a church's departure from God's Word is not always extreme as represented by the Mormon Church or by the Jehovah Witnesses, nor is always as subtle as Harold Camping's prophesies, but none the less, cult mentalities prevail throughout Christendom.
The subject is salvation:
We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 15:11);
...that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) (NLT Eph 2:5);
God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. (NLT Eph 2:8).
There is no better illustration of God's love for us than believing that it is only through His Grace that we saved from from the penalty of sin and and that we are all promised eternal life through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, Christ Jesus. It is through Faith in Christ Jesus that we are set free and not through any of our works or deeds of our own. That calls for an AMEN!
And yet, just look how many denominational, and some non-denominational churches, feel the need to add man into the equation of God's salvation. Basically, for every different named denominational church, there is proposed something else that man must do (works) before one is even a candidate for salvation! It's as if "we" feel a need to participate, to earn salvation, else we are surely lost for eternity. It is precisely here where "cult mentality" permeates into the tenets of organized christian religion, where we follow mans words instead of God's Word! Let's look at how this works:
While Christians avow that through faith in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection we are promised our own eternal resurrection - and there should be a period (.) here - many denominations add at least one other criteria to God's Word, such as:
Baptism by water;
Asking for forgiveness of sins;
Speaking in tongues;
Tithing;
Attending church on on a certain day of the week;
Church attendance;
Receiving Sacraments;
Membership in the "true" church;
Living a holy life;
Absolution of sins before (or after) death.
There are other criteria imposed, I'm sure, but you get the idea. Maybe it's "human nature" that we feel the need to be in control to some level, or maybe it's the cult mentality wherein "we" don't even question church leaders as to why their tenets do not fully align with God's Word. More important, why do followers continue to follow man's words over God's Word? Satan certainly is playing a role here too!
So, before we Christians criticize or condemn Harold Camping or his devoted followers, perhaps some deep spiritual reflection is called for on our part; to pray that the Holy Spirit intervenes into our hearts to guide us through His discernment and perspective on where we are in relationship to God. Remember God loves us all and that... God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
However, if you still believe that you must do something, somehow, in some manner, perhaps through works, to receive salvation other than through God's Grace, then you should think twice the next time you are offered a drink of Kool-Aid.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Interesting
The word interesting is an interesting word, especially when you analyze it for when it is used, and why. Common definitions of the word (interesting) reveal...
- arousing curiosity or attention: arousing curiosity, attracting or holding attention, or provoking thought;
- not boring: enjoyable because of being varied, challenging, stimulating, or exciting.
However, the more "interesting" applications of this particular word are when we use the word to either mask our true opinion, so as not to offend, or to hide behind it, when not having an opinion at all. Consider ones individual interpretation of "The Arts" as probably one of the more prevalent scenarios of when "interesting" does not really mean "interesting".
Let's say, for example, when I find myself at an art gallery and I am exposed to various displays of, hmmm, Modern Abstract Art paintings. You know the kind of indescribable objects and displays one encounters at a modern art show. Let's be honest, do you actually understand or appreciate all that is presented before you as abstract art? No offense to artist Mark Lawrence for my lack of culture or "proper breeding" but the only word in my vocabulary that would be an appropriate response to the solicitation "what do you think" on that which is before me would be "interesting" - as I spontaneously nod my head up and down as if in some really deep interpretive thought. Some poetry produce the same impact to my inner consciousness as involuntarily expressed by the external blank reaction on my face.
To the New World
What eats through fibers, salt
And sting, our hands defeat.
We make our journey comforting—
Wood masts rot, or is it just
And sting, our hands defeat.
We make our journey comforting—
Wood masts rot, or is it just
That planks reflect the gutter light
Of daybreak? Dawns we wake
To smoke of rusted galley stoves.
From buckets, swabbing hieroglyphs,
Of daybreak? Dawns we wake
To smoke of rusted galley stoves.
From buckets, swabbing hieroglyphs,
The story going on the wall.
Our prayer: Consume
My heart away. The seaman's
Cough, the first mate shrill.
Our prayer: Consume
My heart away. The seaman's
Cough, the first mate shrill.
Brass canteen, directory and quills
Coursing under foam, holds
Stocked with flour, rosaries.
We keep the books. We keep
Coursing under foam, holds
Stocked with flour, rosaries.
We keep the books. We keep
And write it down, and look
For tell-tale signs.
An albatross. Whale whiteness
In the sky. The bleakness
For tell-tale signs.
An albatross. Whale whiteness
In the sky. The bleakness
Of our tarnished boat, the afterglows
Of beach. A voyage
We've been on so long.
But weren't we spoken to?
Of beach. A voyage
We've been on so long.
But weren't we spoken to?
These rocking waves, vast winds.
No laws. Not here.
No laws, no hearth, no heart,
No dowry dress, we mean no harm.
No laws. Not here.
No laws, no hearth, no heart,
No dowry dress, we mean no harm.
Again, no offense to poet Valerie Duff for my lack of culture or "proper breeding" but the only word in my vocabulary that would be an appropriate response to the solicitation "what do you think" on that which is before me would be "interesting" - as I spontaneously nod my head up and down as if in some really deep interpretive thought.
How about many theoretical discussions on cosmic dark matter theories, such as an introduction to WIMPs:
"Short for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, the ghostly WIMPs are predicted by theory but have so far eluded detection. With odd names like photino and masses of perhaps 10 to 100 times that of the proton, WIMPs could account for lots of dark matter if, as some theories predict, they are common in the universe. Cosmologists like cold-dark-matter WIMPs because they would be relatively heavy and thus move much slower than the speed of light. If so, they could have been the gravitational “seeds” around which regular matter congregated to form galaxies yet, because they don't interact with radiation, not affect the observed smoothness of the cosmic background radiation."
As before, no offense to professor Stephen Hawkins for my lack of culture or "proper breeding" but the only word in my vocabulary that would be an appropriate response to the solicitation "what do you think" on that which is before me would be "interesting" - as I spontaneously nod my head up and down as if in some really deep interpretive thought.
This is an interesting dilemma, is it not?
Now, going forward, when others respond to my solicitation of "what do you think" about this Blog posting that is before them, I will have to decide if I have provoked thought within them or if they are masking their true opinion when they respond with "interesting" - as they spontaneously nod their heads up and down as if in some really deep interpretive thought.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Judgement Day
Family Radio International, a Christian radio-based ministry, has been prophesying across the world that on May 21, 2011, God will render His Final Judgement and will "...destroy the world because of the sins of mankind." How they determined the exact date to be May 21, 2011, can be read in their website:
You can read it and decide for yourself! My purpose here is not to debate their prophesy because soon enough time will reveal the truth. For those of us now in the Body of Christ, we're always anticipating Christ's return as we try to live according to God's Will, so if Jesus is to return in a few weeks from this posting - Hallelujah !
Many of us have seen "End of the World" prophesies before along with many false prophets that claim to be the Christ or to have been given special dispensation from the Son of God. Heck, this has been going on for over the past 2,000 years. Even Holy Scripture warns us against false prophets.
You can read it and decide for yourself! My purpose here is not to debate their prophesy because soon enough time will reveal the truth. For those of us now in the Body of Christ, we're always anticipating Christ's return as we try to live according to God's Will, so if Jesus is to return in a few weeks from this posting - Hallelujah !
Many of us have seen "End of the World" prophesies before along with many false prophets that claim to be the Christ or to have been given special dispensation from the Son of God. Heck, this has been going on for over the past 2,000 years. Even Holy Scripture warns us against false prophets.
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."
1 John 4:1
And just for clarification, I am not accusing Family Radio International of false prophesy - how would I know? But because they have resurrected the issue of Judgement Day, there are two scenarios that should be considered:
Scenario 1: They, Family Radio International, are right - May 21, 2011, is God's Judgement Day?
Scenario 2: They are wrong?
May 22, 2011, will reveal the truth.
Seriously though, if May 21st is Judgement Day:
ARE YOU READY
and if not
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Once again, and as always, the Bible shows us the way to salvation:
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Romans 10:13:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
Ephesians 2:8
You see, even if Family Radio is wrong about May 21, 2011, eventually you will die! No one gets out of here alive! If not on May 21st, then when? No matter when or how we meet our demise, we will face our own individual Judgement Day, so the above questions are still pertinent - are you ready and if not, what are you doing about it?
Something else to consider about this Judgement Day prophesy. Repercussions! That is, if we all wake up on May 22nd, what will those that are not followers of Christ now say about Christianity? What about their expected accusations that the Holy Bible was and is wrong? Even now many atheist groups are planning Judgement Day parties in direct opposition to the Family Radio's message, and although Family Radio has a fall-back position, it appears to me that the Body of Christ would have been better served if we just continued proclaiming God's Word without putting a "drop-dead" date on it. Yes, I know that God is bigger than all of this and He can overcome any and all of our dilemmas, even if our intentions were good. Thank You God!
So where do we go from here - both literally and figuratively? Because God gave us "free will" we get to decide exactly where we go from here. We just don't get to know or decide WHEN!
Hey, if we are still around after all of this, maybe we can talk about the Mayan calendar next - ha!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Criminals
So why do you think that the the Gospel of Luke goes into detail about the remaining moments of these two other characters when surely our concern should entirely be on Jesus. Well, we will find that the focus is still on Jesus once we examine who these two criminals represent and what Jesus offers to them. You know - the Big Picture!
My interpretation of this scene is that these two criminals are not just two bad guys receiving their justice, but rather, in reality, they were not individuals at all but the collective representation of mankind - all of mankind, from Adam through the end of time. All of mankind is guilty of sin and the consequence of that sin is death. Hence, man's sinful nature, and the consequences thereof, were exemplified by the two criminals hanging next to Jesus.
Now, let's look at the individual characters of these two criminals. As with all in the world, both were guilty of sin and both surely died for their sins. But before we go there, let's momentarily return to Luke 23:39-42: Here we find that in the world there are only two kinds of people: those that are unrepentant of their sin and mock God and those that repent and look to Jesus for salvation. One criminal represents the former group (the lost) and the other criminal represents the latter group (the saved).
We Christians believe that even as sinners we can be rescued from our sins and anticipate life eternal with Jesus because, as we conclude in Luke 23:43, Jesus assures us, the repented, that we will be with Him in Paradise. Jesus, the One without sin, became our sin and died on the cross so that we would have the promise of salvation. It took a criminal to show us, the world, that if we repent of our sins and put our faith in Christ Jesus then we will be set free. Unfortunately, too many in the world elect to follow the other criminal and dismiss the One True God in favor of other worldly gods.
So, does it bother you that you are considered to be a criminal subject to death by crucifixion for your sins? Actually, the more important question to ask yourself is:
Which criminal are you?
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Mission Impossible
At the beginning of each episode of Mission Impossible, secret agent Jim Phelps received a package from his boss which, when activated, played a tape-recorded message that self-destructed after playing once. The recorded message, which always started as "Your mission Jim, should you decide to accept it ...." described what Jim's mission was, and of course secret agent Jim always accepted his given mission. Jim and his team always knew what their mission was and were given the tools, techniques and plans to achieve each and every mission. There was no doubt as to what Jim's mission was.
How great would it be if we could know exactly what our mission is, that is, what the definitive purpose is for our lives. God does not present us with a tape-recorded message that describes in detail what His plans are for us, or what our purpose is, or exactly how we are to achieve this even though He does provide us with the tools and techniques as written in Scripture and as exemplified through the life of Christ Jesus. But the question remains - what is His Grand Plan for our individual lives!
It appears to be easier for us to look at other Christians and deduct from their professions, actions, or through their relationships what we assume their God-given purpose is for them. Preachers are to preach God's Word, Pastors are to pastor the Church; Ministers are to minister to the people needs; Musicians and singers are to lead in Praise and Worship; Bible intellects are to conduct Bible studies; and so on! Seems obvious to the most casual observer even though we all know what it means to "assume".
But what about us, the you's and the me's of this world, where our life's purpose is not so clear or concise as we (again) assume we think others lives are so well defined and spelled out? How do we know if we are truly following God's plan for us? Most of us are not in the lime-light; we're not leaders of a church or even a small group; we listen to great ones such as Billy Graham knowing that we were not meant to be a Billy Graham; we try to lead "normal" lives to provide for our families while working and succumbing to all those mundane ideals that society puts on us as tests of our security and successes. Where is God's plan for us in all of that noise and commotion? Where does our purpose get defined and how do we know if we are succeeding if we don't have a recorded message from God?
The book "Purpose Driven Life" by Pastor Rick Warren is a phenomenal manifesto that goes through great lengths and presents many resources to help the readers to determine what on earth they are here for. Everyone should read that book often but please realize that this book alone may not be the key that unlocks the mystery of your life for you, and the truth is - we, as individuals, may never unlock that mystery!
The point is that we must trust in God and truly believe that He is working His plan through us even if we do not know or "feel" it. Trust God!
We all know that one day God will call us home; we just do not know how or when but we believe it will happen. It's called faith. Well, the same goes that one day we will fulfill God's purpose in us; we just may not know how or when. Again, it's called faith. But also know we are not left without plans or directions. Just like special agent Jim and his team were given the tools, techniques and plans to achieve each and every mission, we too were given all that we need to fulfill His purpose in us. Within God's Word we are given His Plan for mankind; We were given His Son as our sacrifice so that we are free to pursue God's Plan; and from Jesus we were told exactly what we need to do achieve Gods Plan:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)
Therefore, our life's purpose is to love others as God has loved us!
Now we know! And just like special agent Jim Phelps, we will successfully complete our mission just in time and right on time!
.
How great would it be if we could know exactly what our mission is, that is, what the definitive purpose is for our lives. God does not present us with a tape-recorded message that describes in detail what His plans are for us, or what our purpose is, or exactly how we are to achieve this even though He does provide us with the tools and techniques as written in Scripture and as exemplified through the life of Christ Jesus. But the question remains - what is His Grand Plan for our individual lives!
It appears to be easier for us to look at other Christians and deduct from their professions, actions, or through their relationships what we assume their God-given purpose is for them. Preachers are to preach God's Word, Pastors are to pastor the Church; Ministers are to minister to the people needs; Musicians and singers are to lead in Praise and Worship; Bible intellects are to conduct Bible studies; and so on! Seems obvious to the most casual observer even though we all know what it means to "assume".
But what about us, the you's and the me's of this world, where our life's purpose is not so clear or concise as we (again) assume we think others lives are so well defined and spelled out? How do we know if we are truly following God's plan for us? Most of us are not in the lime-light; we're not leaders of a church or even a small group; we listen to great ones such as Billy Graham knowing that we were not meant to be a Billy Graham; we try to lead "normal" lives to provide for our families while working and succumbing to all those mundane ideals that society puts on us as tests of our security and successes. Where is God's plan for us in all of that noise and commotion? Where does our purpose get defined and how do we know if we are succeeding if we don't have a recorded message from God?
The book "Purpose Driven Life" by Pastor Rick Warren is a phenomenal manifesto that goes through great lengths and presents many resources to help the readers to determine what on earth they are here for. Everyone should read that book often but please realize that this book alone may not be the key that unlocks the mystery of your life for you, and the truth is - we, as individuals, may never unlock that mystery!
The point is that we must trust in God and truly believe that He is working His plan through us even if we do not know or "feel" it. Trust God!
We all know that one day God will call us home; we just do not know how or when but we believe it will happen. It's called faith. Well, the same goes that one day we will fulfill God's purpose in us; we just may not know how or when. Again, it's called faith. But also know we are not left without plans or directions. Just like special agent Jim and his team were given the tools, techniques and plans to achieve each and every mission, we too were given all that we need to fulfill His purpose in us. Within God's Word we are given His Plan for mankind; We were given His Son as our sacrifice so that we are free to pursue God's Plan; and from Jesus we were told exactly what we need to do achieve Gods Plan:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)
Therefore, our life's purpose is to love others as God has loved us!
Now we know! And just like special agent Jim Phelps, we will successfully complete our mission just in time and right on time!
.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
GPS versus GOD
Do you trust your GPS (Global Positioning System) more than you trust GOD (GOD)? Perhaps if we compare the virtues of the two entities together we may be able to determine where your real faith lies. Of course, to make this analysis truly objective and fair, we must overlook for the time being that although man (homo sapiens) created the GPS it was GOD who created man. So, for this exercise we'll begin with the premise that both GPS and GOD are co-equals.
For starters, both GPS and GOD reside in the heavens. We look up skyward with our questions and the responses stream downward to us.
Both GPS and GOD provide us with directions: GPS can direct us from point A to point B based upon where we are now to where we want to go whereas GOD directs us from where we are now to where He wants us to go.
GPS's coverage is Global; GOD's coverage is Universal and then some.
GPS tells us which direction to travel, which way and when to turn, how far we have to go, and when we arrive at our destination. GOD gives us "free will" to travel as we elect.
If we deviate from its prescribed path, GPS will "recalculate", correct our wrong turns, and head us back in the intended direction. GOD forgives our transgressions.
GPS can only respond to what we tell it to do, whether our requests are right or wrong, whereas GOD responds to what is in our hearts.
GPS has to be updated frequently; is subject to blackouts due to various circumstances; must be recharged to maintain operational power; is subject to breakage; comes with a limited warranty and is eventually replaced with newer technologically advanced models.
GOD is All-Knowing, All-Powerful and All-Present. GOD is the Alpha and the Omega - no upgrades required.
In summary: If you are lost on the road by all means trust your GPS. But, if you are lost on the road to Salvation there is only one source to trust and it is not found in technology. AMEN to that!!
.
For starters, both GPS and GOD reside in the heavens. We look up skyward with our questions and the responses stream downward to us.
Both GPS and GOD provide us with directions: GPS can direct us from point A to point B based upon where we are now to where we want to go whereas GOD directs us from where we are now to where He wants us to go.
GPS's coverage is Global; GOD's coverage is Universal and then some.
GPS tells us which direction to travel, which way and when to turn, how far we have to go, and when we arrive at our destination. GOD gives us "free will" to travel as we elect.
If we deviate from its prescribed path, GPS will "recalculate", correct our wrong turns, and head us back in the intended direction. GOD forgives our transgressions.
GPS can only respond to what we tell it to do, whether our requests are right or wrong, whereas GOD responds to what is in our hearts.
GPS has to be updated frequently; is subject to blackouts due to various circumstances; must be recharged to maintain operational power; is subject to breakage; comes with a limited warranty and is eventually replaced with newer technologically advanced models.
GOD is All-Knowing, All-Powerful and All-Present. GOD is the Alpha and the Omega - no upgrades required.
In summary: If you are lost on the road by all means trust your GPS. But, if you are lost on the road to Salvation there is only one source to trust and it is not found in technology. AMEN to that!!
.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Stuffing
I got this thing about the word "thing". It's something, anything and everything, or nothing, about this one thing called "thing". You see, the word "thing" is really a un-word because it has no meaning / definition / description of its own. Go ahead and look up the word "thing" in a dictionary - it's OK, I'll wait. See what I mean? The dictionary tries to define "thing" by listing other words that the word thing could refer to, but there is no specific description for the word thing. Maybe you can call it a "filler" word because it's used to fill-in, or replace, another word; but by itself it's an un-word.
What "gets me" is not specifically the word "thing" itself but how, or why, it's used by its author in oral or in written word. Next time you listen, or read, to a presentation pay attention for the injection of the word "thing". When used, it forces you, the audience, to mentally translate / decipher / determine what word, phrase, feeling or thought the author intended to portray but instead took the easy way out and injected the "thing" in place of real words or descriptions. To me, ones who elect to replace their real intentions with the word "thing" are lazy, illiterate, or are severely verbally-challenged (to be politically correct). In the end, they do an injustice to their work and disrespect their audience because both are deprived of the opportunity for illustrative verbalization.
Another word that falls into this category of un-words is the word "stuff" when used as a noun. Stuff, like thing, has no meaning of its own; it's used in place of real descriptive words. Go ahead, look this up too. As before, I'll wait.
Are you convinced yet? It's interesting to note that when the words "stuff" and "thing" are combined, we get the resultant word "stuffing". Not only interesting but perhaps even ironic, that joining these two non-descriptive words actually describes a substance that is typically indescribable. Confused? Think back again, this time to a Thanksgiving meal which included stuffing on the menu. Everyone knows it's called "stuffing" but what contents are used to create that stuffing are usually just described to as "stuffing". We really don't know what's in that stuffing! Perhaps I should take my mother's advise and never eat if I don't know what it is I am about to eat!
Pay attention please, I am almost done. I only have one more thing to say about this stuff!
OK. What is this rambling really all about? Well, I am known to preach that "words have meanings", or at least they should have meaning. Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you use "thing" or "stuff" then not only does your audience not know what you really mean but you also let the audience determine what you mean which probably is not what you meant to mean. Got it! Well, enough of this! If you don't like this thing I'm writing, then "stuff it"! HA!
.
What "gets me" is not specifically the word "thing" itself but how, or why, it's used by its author in oral or in written word. Next time you listen, or read, to a presentation pay attention for the injection of the word "thing". When used, it forces you, the audience, to mentally translate / decipher / determine what word, phrase, feeling or thought the author intended to portray but instead took the easy way out and injected the "thing" in place of real words or descriptions. To me, ones who elect to replace their real intentions with the word "thing" are lazy, illiterate, or are severely verbally-challenged (to be politically correct). In the end, they do an injustice to their work and disrespect their audience because both are deprived of the opportunity for illustrative verbalization.
An ah-ha moment: 
For those of you that may remember, there is one instance when the word "thing" meant "thing"! Think back to the 1970's when Honda released it's Thing:
For those of you that may remember, there is one instance when the word "thing" meant "thing"! Think back to the 1970's when Honda released it's Thing: Are you convinced yet? It's interesting to note that when the words "stuff" and "thing" are combined, we get the resultant word "stuffing". Not only interesting but perhaps even ironic, that joining these two non-descriptive words actually describes a substance that is typically indescribable. Confused? Think back again, this time to a Thanksgiving meal which included stuffing on the menu. Everyone knows it's called "stuffing" but what contents are used to create that stuffing are usually just described to as "stuffing". We really don't know what's in that stuffing! Perhaps I should take my mother's advise and never eat if I don't know what it is I am about to eat!
Pay attention please, I am almost done. I only have one more thing to say about this stuff!
OK. What is this rambling really all about? Well, I am known to preach that "words have meanings", or at least they should have meaning. Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you use "thing" or "stuff" then not only does your audience not know what you really mean but you also let the audience determine what you mean which probably is not what you meant to mean. Got it! Well, enough of this! If you don't like this thing I'm writing, then "stuff it"! HA!
.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Thank You
Thank you Jesus for the Cross:
For through Your Crucifixian I am justified before God.
Thank you Lord for your Death:
Because of Your Death I know that I too must experience physical death before receiving eternal life with You.
Thank you Christ for your Resurrection:
Without Your Resurrection, I could not look forward to my own personal resurrection.
Thank you God for your Grace:
For only through Your Grace do I gain eternal Salvation in Your presence.
.
For through Your Crucifixian I am justified before God.
Thank you Lord for your Death:
Because of Your Death I know that I too must experience physical death before receiving eternal life with You.
Thank you Christ for your Resurrection:
Without Your Resurrection, I could not look forward to my own personal resurrection.
Thank you God for your Grace:
For only through Your Grace do I gain eternal Salvation in Your presence.
.
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