What does your god wear?

     "There's only one God Ma'am and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that!" -- Captain America from the Avengers movie

    It's odd that such a simple statement could be so packed with meaning in this day and age, especially coming from a comic book movie. We live in an age when so many religions are merely claim to be Christian including some that are actually regarded by the mainstream to be Churches. Churches that are presenting a "Jesus" that bares no resemblance to the Jesus of the Bible and yet people flock to these so called "churches" Many of the offending churches are some of the largest in the country or even the world! I'm pointed to a very applicable verse.

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear 2Timothy 4:3

    We are living in these times. Churches preach a Jesus of their own imagination to bring in multitudes of people (and piles of cash). So we all must ask our selves..."What does my Jesus wear" and more importantly What does he do and what is he going to do?

Then I saw #heaven opened, and behold, #a white horse! The one sitting on it is called #Faithful and True, and #in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12#His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are #many diadems, and he has #a name written that no one knows but himself. 13He is clothed in #a robe dipped in# blood, and the name by which he is called is #The Word of God. 14And the armies of heaven, #arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, #were following him on white horses. 15#From his mouth comes a sharp sword #with which to strike down the nations, and #he will rule them with a rod of iron. #He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh #he has a name written, #King of kings and Lord of lords.  Rev 19 11-16

Has your Jesus sacrificed himself to atone for sin? Is your Jesus returning to judge the living and the dead and rule for ever? Is your Jesus the Son of God that existed from all eternity yet humbled himself to become man? Did he rise to defeat sin, Satan and Death? If not it sounds like this is the Jesus you need!

5For #Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that #the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6But #the righteousness based on faith says, #"Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?"" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7or ""Who will descend into the #abyss?"" (that is, #to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? #"The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9because, if #you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and #believe in your heart #that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved Romans 8:5-10

How to save America!!! or not...

     How can we save America. The good old U.S. of A. The country that so many of us love and treasure. How do we save the greatest country in the world?  REPENT! Repent of our idolatry and all the other stuff that hacks God off. And I don't mean turn the Joel Osteen ,Rick Warren, Ed Young, Rob Bell, man centered Oprahfied non-sense. I mean return to the living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jesus Christ. REPENT....
     Ok, so that was the blog I originally had in my head but as I got busy with spending time with the wife and kiddo's the blog kept brewing and it changed and I had another thought. Ok first off lets all just agree that America needs saving. The liberals think that the country needs saving from the conservatives and we conservatives pretty much believe that the country needs saved from everybody.  Now don't get me wrong I think it would be great if the first part of this article happened ,but my thoughts went to Romans 13

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. Romans 13: 1-2

    No I know this chapter of scripture has been demonized by those in the so called "truth" or the conspiracy movements and the zeitgeist movement etc... particularity by those branches that are anti-christian. However those of us who are believers believe that all scripture is God breathed and profitable. (2 Tim3:16). I began to think what if America is falling and there isn't a thing we can do about it. Not because we're simply too far gone financially or the government is too large to scale down or because too many Americans are more interesting in "American Idol" or "Big Brother", but what if American can't be saved because it's God's will that America fall? 
      As far as I know there is no covenant between the founders and God for the creation of America. We exist simply by his grace. I can hear some of you now "What if the country goes through a great and true revival?" or "What if we have some God fearing leadership or another true Christian president?" or "Why would God want America to fail? We are a Christian nation. 
      Ok, I'm not God and I have had no "special revelation" these are just my thoughts and my thoughts lead me to a question "What if?"  However I do have some thoughts on the other questions many will have. 
       First what if we do get some God fearing leadership? Fantastic but again God is sovereign if he deems America falls, then we will fall but the next question is who? Mitt Romney? He's not a Christian, he is a mormon and by all Biblical standard that I know Mormonism is not a Christian denomination it is a pagan religion using biblical names and places and twists the Bible to suit it's mythologies. We did have some Christian candidates running yet they were quickly tossed to the side. 
         What if we have a great revival and we kick all the Osteens and Oprahs and Warrens and Bells to the curb? Again...I personally don't see that happening anytime soon but God does work miracles but again what if it's simply our time to fall. We started off as a primarily Christian nation in population at our founding yet we were never truly a Christian nation we have always been a secular nation who's inspirations were the scriptures. 
          And finally why would God want or will America to fail? Well (and again this is just a thought I've had I claim no special revelation or prophecy), our God is a jealous God and does not abide idols (see...pretty much all of the Old Testament) and we are a horribly idolatrous nation and I don't have a hard drive big enough to even start listing them all but maybe just maybe, and I've never heard anybody say this what if we have a 230 some odd Idol we call "The Constitution" or maybe we've got an even bigger Idol, a 3.79 million square mile idol....maybe we've made the country itself an idol, or maybe God could just have something else in mind to fulfill his will and prophecy. Again these are the ramblings my mind comes up with and yet still as desperate as situation as our country seems God could work a miracle and we could be a grand nation that lasts another 500 years or until the last trumpet sounds.

      However I'm not saying Christians shouldn't be politically active. We are the body of Christ doing his work. I am conflicted myself about this election, if you couldn't tell by the post.  
 Either way the the final call is Gods not mine.

Zombie Apocalypse Now!

     The scene opens, in the distance the sprawling layout of a suburban neighborhood. The camera focuses on the front of one of the many carbon copy houses. The door opens and out comes a robed man in his mid thirties or early forties who lazily saunters out to collect his Sunday news paper. He opens it up and begins scanning the headlines in the early morning sun when, what's that? The smell of smoke touches his nostrils
.   He lowers his paper and looks around. A pillar of smoke rises over the houses, several doors down. He slowly begins to notice all is not right. There are several cars in the road yet they are not moving. The windows are broken and some smeared with blood. There are no lights or sirens urgently rushing to fight the fire that brought him out of his morning fog. He begins to back slowly to his house his eyes wide with uncertainty. What could possibly be going on? Was there a terrorist attack or some sort of invasion and he slept through it?
       As he approaches his door he begins to hear noises off to one side. It's a moaning or a low growling. He quickly turns to open his door to the safety of his home but  to no avail, some how he's become locked out his own house he pounds on the door yelling for his wife or child to let him in. As he shouts, from around the side of his house the source of the noise begins to come in to sight. Several horrifying creatures covered in blood, their eyes milky and dead. Their cloths torn and stained. He realizes as the come close, they're his neighbors, moaning and growling coming closer towards him.
     He's startled by a smack at the window, he turns it's his wife, her eyes milky white in her hands a lump of raw flesh she's ravenously gnawing on. Finally the synapses in his brain fire, forming a coherent thought, probably his last one...."ZOMBIES!!!" he shouts. Yes, the zombie apocalypse has begun.
      If you've ever seen a one of the numerous zombie movies this scene probably sounds familiar. An unsuspected and seemingly uncaused outbreak of flesh eating zombies, ravage and take over the world. These movies have been both cult favorites and near blockbusters for decades and recently even a highly popular cable t.v. show.  Even recently their has been an outbreak of very zombie like activity, one man nearly died when a man high on synthetic drug commenced eating his face and would not stop till a cop put a bullet or three in him.
     What is our fascination with these cannibalistic, voracious, mindless, base, vile, nightmare creatures? Is it the fear or the gore factor? Simply a symptom of a declining society? I would say that's a good analysis as any. Maybe it's more sophisticated maybe there a dark artistic theme or social commentary on commercialism or racism or a commentary on our society's decline layered in to the gruesome stories?
I think it could be any of those depending on who's doing the writing however I think more over the stories are simply about us. The human race ,in general, in our natural state.  (Actually if you can take a look at Ted Dekker's "Circle" books he does an excellent job illustrating this)
      The apostle Paul writes in the letter to the Ephesian;
    
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body  and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Eph 2:1-3 esv 

      We are zombies! We are the walking dead, spiritually anyway. We are not born good or even neutral as the world claims, we are born with Adam's sin. We are the stillborn children of wrath and death by our father Satan.  We are enslaved to the passions of our flesh like mindless beasts. Doomed to Gods wrath and given over to our depraved and debased mind (Romans 1: 18-32) We are not even born free no matter where you are born, you are born a slave!
        And I think we know this.  I know we know this or we wouldn't have things like religion, self help, psychiatry, and mood altering drugs to try and make ourselves seem alive or try to try and work our way in to life with God or on to Gods good side. God even sent us the law to show us this. Gods law was never sent to save us or bring us to life. It was sent to show us that we were dead and sinful creature. The law cannot be kept in whole because if you break one law it is as if you have broken them all. (James2:10) And this is the essence of human nature. We aren't dead and heading towards death because we sin. We sin because we are dead and walking towards death.
        So what is to be done about this state of ours. What can bring us out of our slavery to sin and our walking death? 

 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  Eph 2: 4-10 esv


     The wages of sin is death and in the days of the old covenant God gave us the sacrifice of bulls and goats and pigeons to cover the sin of the people. A covering of death so that God would not look upon their sin. Even with this the people were still dead, still slaves too their sin.  However these were still not good enough to bring the people to life. The sacrifices did not remove the sin and remove the death. Still however the answer to our problem of death was death. The perfect death, or rather the death of the perfect one, the death of God
      The answer was and is Jesus Christ.  Jesus came not conceived by a man but by the Holy Spirit and he did live the perfect life and kept God's  law perfectly and as the the Godman, both fully God and Fully man, he was the innocent sacrifice by both Jews and Gentiles at his crucifixion. The sins of man past, present and future were laid on him. He overcame this curse of walking death and the wrath of God by rising again and he now sits at the right hand of God as our perfect high priest. 
      Through faith in him and by the grace of God given to us  we can die to our curse of death in sin and rise to life with him. We can die to our old slave master of our flesh and bestial mind and become adopted sons and servants of the Living God and be zombies no more. 
       Their is one problem though but the problem is not with God or is offer or his plan. The problem is with us. Most of us don't know we're zombies. Especially in the western world, we are told that we are free, that we are mostly good that all we need is to be just a little bit better or that we just need to accept our selves as we are. But acceptance never comes...the "just a little bit better" is a carrot on a stick. What we need is the Holy Spirit to drag us kicking and screaming in to light and life. Because truth be told we don't really want to go.
        There is one sober realization in all of this and it's death.  While we are all born spiritually dead one day, two things are going happen. You are going to be physically dead and Jesus Christ is going to return to Judge the living and the dead. If you are in Christ you will be welcomed in to eternal life with him or you will condemned to eternal death. 
        So are you ready for this? Do you know where you will spend eternity? 


 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.6 But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down)7 or "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Romans 10 :5-13 esv


 
      

The Time of the Gentiles

20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it,22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people.24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke21: 20-24 ESV
       
     This is a very poignant prophecy by Jesus Christ just days before his crucifixion. This was a prophecy both for his contemporaries and for the future. He foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and it's recovery by the Jews. The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple happened roughly forty years after his death and resurrection. The reclamation of Jerusalem happened forty five years or so ago during the "Six day war".  So if I read Jesus correctly, the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. So what's next? Jesus continues his prophecy


25 "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21: 25-28

     Ok, so the first section of verses is fairly clear. Jerusalem is going to be destroyed. The second group of verses is a little more vague and if you continue to read the NT seems that Jesus is giving a summation of the events of his second coming. Jesus does continue to give revelation to his disciples in the following years and they are passed down to us in the letters written to the early churches. Events such a great falling away in the church (which I believe we're seeing the beginnings of) and the revelation of the man of lawlessness,aka The Anti-Christ,. (2 Thessalonians 2:3) 
      Another thing that I believe will happen and I think you can support this from Biblical history will be the rebuilding of the temple. If you look back at the books of Ezra and Nehemiah one of the first things that the nation did when it returned was rebuilt the temple. I've heard arguments against this saying that it's not necessary, that the people don't really want it etc.... However  have been and are plans to do this, they are currently looking for a suitable site.(see www.templeinstitute.org and others)
        I know to the world and probably many in the Church I sound nuts, like I'm trying to set a date or I'm some sort of conspiracy theorist, but the signs are there. The clear sign from Jesus is that the time is drawing near. I don't know when, maybe in my life time, maybe in my children or grand children's lifetime but we are near.  


29 And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near.31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place.33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
 "But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."
37 And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet.38 And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.

    In this next section Jesus tells us to watch for the signs of his second coming and he says this generation will not pass away till it all has taken place. Now this is a highly disputed segment. The Preterists (those that think Jesus's prophecies are applying to the first century church) believe that he's talking for his disciples and those listening however is you follow the context he's not. He's clearly talking about the generation that is alive after the time of the gentiles ends (He's God he can do that) and clearly the time of the gentiles doesn't end until Jerusalem is in the hands of the Jews. 
     But I digress, This next group of verses is warning us to watch for the signs and be prepared for his coming. I'm not going to make any real predictions. I don't know when Jesus is coming back but by looking at his own words, it's going to be soon, real soon. When the signs in the moon and the sun and the stars begin happening I don't believe there is going to be any doubt for the vigilant believer about what is happening and there will be no doubt when the Son of Man comes again. 

 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed,21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."t
22 And he said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.23 And they will say to you, 'Look, there!' or 'Look, here!' Do not go out or follow them.24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.t 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.32 Remember Lot's wife.33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.34 I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left.35 There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left."t 37 And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."  Luke 17 20 - 37

      So are you ready for the second coming of the Son of Man? Again I don't know when it's going to happen, nobody but God does. But whether it by the second coming or by natural causes we will all stand before Jesus Christ. Are you ready?


    
      
     

     

Some thoughts on the Book of Revelation

 

The Bibles book of Revelation is one of the if not the most enigmatic books in the Bible. Indeed it is a book that has fascinated me pretty much my entire life. I have read it more times than any other book in the Bible or otherwise. It is a book that has gained world wide fascination, there have been books, movies, television shows, and much much discussion about this book.

Why? Why is this particular book such a book of such fascination? Well lots of reasons. The Subject matter for one, is a controversial one. It's about the return of Jesus Christ, his judgement on the current fallen world and the collection of the church. The way it is written is another, it's piled with symbolism and poetic language. It's riddled with heavenly and hellish imagery, death and destruction, hope and completion. As well I am not convinced that anybody from any of the four predominant interpretations of the book have a complete and satisfactory explanation of the book.

The four predominant explanations of the book are historical, futurist, allegorical and partially historical. I personally do not believe that any of the views completely explain the book. This is my personal opinion, I am not a Bible scholar but just a believer. I have however have my own view of the book. Perhaps some would say my view is a cop out from someone who doesn't understand it or who isn't schooled in Biblical hermeneutics, but my view is a little bit of all of them. My view of the Book of Revelation is historical, allegorical, futurist and literal. You might call it a layered view.

Layers and layers of prophecy and fulfillment, type and shadow cycling until a final fulfillment of prophecy and judgement resulting in a final time of prophecy fulfillment and the return of Jesus Christ. I think this can be defended by taking the Bible as a whole rather than slicing up the layers.

One of the big problems with the historical views and the allegorical views is Revelation 20. I think that this is a chapter that has stuck many and as such many have firmly put it in the "it's obviously symbolic" category.


"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pitt and a great chain.2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years." Rev 20


I have heard this interpreted three ways though I'm sure there are other. That this is a actual 1000 year reign, that we are currently in the symbolic 1000 years and this this is completely symbolic for eternity. Now I'm not saying I have the answer where other highly educated scholars do not but I stick firmly in the, this is an actual 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth and I'll tell you why. Because it makes sense. To say this is an allegory for the resurrection and the eternal reign of Christ is actually saying the same thing as that we are in the 1000 years meaning that right now Satan is bound in the abyss and not able to effect us. Unless I've completely misunderstood those who have said this I actually find this completely unbelievable As well it takes it out of its own context. The context being that Jesus Christ is going to physically reign on this Earth for 1000 years while Satan is bound.


This view naturally lends itself to a futurist view though it doesn't discount a layered historical view of the Book. As it specifically mentions those who did not take the mark and were beheaded for their faithfulness. The mark of the Beast being a layered an mysterious thing in and of itself. It is probably the most debated part of the book.


The "Mark of the Beast" is given to us as a number, 666 or reportedly in some manuscripts as 616.


.16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,t to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.t Rev 13 16-19

 It being the beast of out of the sea causes all to take his mark. Now I'm going to ask a question that the historists like to ask. Does all mean all or does all just mean those under the rule of Nero as the preterist like to assume. What about those in 1st century China or India or the Native Americans? Did they they too bow to Nero or Domitian, no. To say that the prophecies of the Book of Revelation were all fulfilled in 70ad I believe reveals, not to be insulting or denigrating, but a narrow view of the Bible.


But what about Nero or Domitian ,depending on when the book was written, Didn't they have a mark and demand to be worshiped as a god? Well yes and I can ask the question, What about Hitler? Wasn't he essentially worshiped as a god, Didn't he persecute and desecrate and demolish the population of the Church (those that didn't go apostate) and the Jews? Could he not be call a "Beast" or and Anti-Christ as well did he not have a mark? Did any of these rally 200 million on the plain of Meggido to fight against Jesus Christ come again? If so then we're currently on the new earth...if that's the case than we worship a deficient god. The case those of us who worship the Living God don't worship a deficient god. We worship the perfect and almighty Creator who has told us what his new earth is going to be like and this isn't it. (see Revelations and Isaiah)


Again I'm not sure my ideas are even sufficient to explain fully the images and prophecies and these are just a couple of examples of where I believe the historical views of the Book of Revelation fall short. I will probably this with a couple more posts but I hope this at least provokes some thought.

The Singularity?

 
     What is "The Singularity"? Have you ever heard of the "The Singularity"?  I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't. I actually first heard about it a few years ago but didn't have a name for it.  The easiest way that I can describe this is as one of it's biggest proponents put it  "The Singularity is the the point when humanity transcends biology".
     Still not clear? Basically it's the point where we've developed computer and artificial intelligence technology to the point where humans will either have to merge with machines or die out, essentially.  This isn't a new idea, anyone who is a fan of  science fiction has ran in to this idea many times and probably didn't realize it, The Matrix and The Terminator are probably the most recognizable in pop culture.
     The idea itself sounds like science fiction, but I propose that where we realize it or not it's a goal that's been slowly invading our culture. Recent technological advancements such as micro chips that can be implanted in to living being, the xbox kinect, cybernetic implants that restore sight, smart phones that are continually connected to the internet, google glasses and even tattoo that are functional microchips, while individually seem to have little relation to each other but together are building to a world that is continually connected by an ever growing network and not just connecting computers but humans being connected to the network as well.
      So let's summarize, simplify and flip this around. The Singularity is where human's have created their own super intelligent technological gods and are ourselves attempting to gain immortality through the use of cybernetics and nano-technology. Is this in reality going to happen? Probably not, not the way the proponents want it too, through the downloading of our conciseness into computers, robots or whatever. This is a real goal. This isn't a conspiracy theory. There are people actively working towards this goal! (The Singularity institute)
    But what does this mean? Could this type of technology be the instrument used to create the "One World Government " that many  (including me) believe the governments of the world are working toward and that many believe is prophesied in the Book of Revelation?  Could be.  Could this be the technology that is used in implementing a physical "Mark of the Beast" Maybe.

      I don't know the answers to these questions but this is something that is happening. We are moving closer and closer to being to connected all the time look at Facebook and Twitter. Even look at our video games, and our phones and even our T.V.'s all connected to the internet. Information on where you are and what you are doing being constantly collected and we don't realize it, think about it and I'm sure their are a lot of us who don't even know this is going on!
     So again what is this? What does this mean? What does this mean to the Christian? Is technology the new tower of Babel?  I'm not sure I have a sufficient answer. Technology is a tool. Internet technology has allowed the Gospel to be spread 24/7 365 all around the world but it has also allowed evil to be spread 24/7 365 all around the world.
    I do not believe technology in itself is evil. I quite enjoy technology myself always have but it we must we vigilant that it does not become an Idol. We must push back and realize that as powerful and advance as it has become that we do not elevate it above God. We must be aware that many out their believe that because we have these marvels we have no more need for God. But the truth is as liberating as technology can be in the helping and healing of those who are sick or injured or connecting loved ones around the world. It can also be a prison. It can be a prison of pride.  The same pride we saw in Nimrod. And the same temptations offered to Adam and Eve that the knowledge we have can make us like God. I could go on about the sin and dangers that are promoted throughout the internet and the pride and idolatry that is in the scientific community but I don't think it's necessary.
     I think what I'm really saying here is be vigilant their are people who will abuse what ever they can.

Chrislam?

Chrislam...really? I first heard about this a couple of years ago. This is dangerous. No good can come from this. Islam and Christianity do not worship the same god. Allah has no son -- Suras 72 and Jesus of Nazereth is the Son of God and the second member of the trinity.

The Bible as well reveals to us God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit but again this is NOT Allah. Allah is only one. (Quran 17:11)

I know that Christ is already the victor but as this spread it does nothing but dilute the message of Christ in the visible church. This is part of Jihad! If they can not destroy us militarily then they will infiltrate us socially, politically and religiously. We must acknowledge this is happening so that we can speak against it. Christianity wishes to spread the word and it is God's will that all might be saved it is not the goal of the Church to well...take over the world. It it the goal of Islam that whether by
the sword or any other method that the whole world come under the rule of Islam under the control of the Mahdi, the Islamic savior.

We as Christians must become literate in our own faith and in God's word so that this type of infiltration can become exposed and removed from the visible church.

However with this being said, we must not (as the movie says) give in to hate. While the Muslim is not a brother or sister in Christ we are called by Christ to love both our neighbor and our enemy and a Muslim can be either or both.  

Sola Fide
Sola Scriptura
Sola Gracia
Sola Christo
Soli Deo Gloria

Christmas Part 3

So...the why of Christmas. Why is the birth of this Jesus something to celebrate?  Why do we celebrate on December 25th?  These are some pretty common and reasonable why question. Why why do we have this holiday that is pretty much a worldwide phenomenon and why is it in the middle of winter, for at least half of us?

I'll look at the second question first. Why December 25th? Do don't have to look very hard  on the internet to hear somebody claiming that Jesus Christ is a mythological copy cat of the vast array that they will claim were born on or around December 25th or the winter solstice.  Well to dispel this myth first. The man we call Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth  was not actually born on the 25th of December. In fact we actually don't know the exact date when he was born and as far as I've read the best guess would actually put his birth sometime in the spring. ( this seems like a pretty good article and this one guesses it to be sometime in September)

So why do we celebrate Christmas in December? This is actually something that I'm finding to be quite easy to find as well and to be honest the reason all boils down to recognition.  December 25th and the days preceding it ,especially the Winter solstice have been for centuries already established pagan holidays.   Yule, Saturnalia, Larentalia, feast of the new sun, the winter solstice itself, and I'm sure I could find others were all already established holidays.  So the Catholic church that ruled Christendom and eventually Rome decided that since there was no feast to celebrate the birth of Jesus they would  appropriate one of the already established Pagan feast days. And thus we have Christmas or the Feast of Christ.  Because of this, after the reformation many protestant Christians didn't actually celebrate Christmas due to it's day being historically a pagan feast day. In fact it was illegal in many states until the 19th century.

Ok so we've figured out that Christmas is a holiday stolen from the Pagans to worship a man named Jesus who was born 2000 years ago.  So what makes this guy so special that we still have a near worldwide holiday for him? Why does this guy deserve a holiday to begin with?

 As many times as we hear it I that we've become so accustomed to hearing it that it doesn't register like it should any more but the reason that we celebrate the day of the man Jesus's birth is that he is the only begotten son of the living God. Think about that. Not only that but Jesus himself said that he and the father are one. He is God made flesh. He is the God that spoke this entire universe into creation become one of us. Both fully man and fully God...here on earth living as a poor carpenter.  When I sit and just think on that I am awestruck!  Jesus Christ both man and God!  He gave up his majesty his riches in his kingdom, to slum it with us so that we would know him! He did not just live with us, he died as one of us. He was subjected to one of the most humiliating, painful deaths imaginable not just as one of us, but for us! All so that we might know how much he loves us. So that we would believe in him and not suffer his wrath and the Fathers wrath because of the sin of the world! THIS is why we celebrate this man's birth 2000 years later. This one day a year, whether they know it or not, whether they like it or not, whether they acknowledges it or not all eyes turn to this man, the only son of the living God, the son begotten not made, the second member of the holy trinity, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ.

None go to the Father except the go to the Son. Have you Gone to the Son? Do you know Jesus Chist as Lord and Savior?

Christmas part 2

     So, from Christmas Part 1 post we've seen that the meaning of Christmas is literally Christ. So what about Christ? What about Christ specifically does Christmas celebrate?  It celebrates the birth of Christ.
It celebrates the long prophesied, coming of the messiah, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords!  The one prophesied even in Genesis!

How did he come? Did he come like a king? Did he come in glory and majesty with trumpets and soldiers proclaiming his arrival? No, Gods only begotten son came humbly. As a servant.  He wasn't born in a castle or a palace or even a decent Roman hut or hotel, he was born in a barn.  His bed that first night, was the feed trough for the animals. His parents weren't royalty. His mom was teenage virgin and his step-dad a carpenter. And those who came to pay homage the night of his birth, not foreign royalty but shepherds.

To the world this is absolutely ridiculous. What kind of second rate king or deity actually would subject his offspring to this type of entrance to the world? Or for that matter what kind of horrible person in this day and age would let their kid even be born at home with out the attendance of trained professionals?  This is definitely not what the Jews expected when reading Isaiah.

Paul wrote in the new testament that God makes the wise of the world foolish. This is part of the story of Jesus birth. Those who consider themselves very wise tend to consider this story foolishness. The story not only showing that Jesus first coming he come in humility and service but is a parody of the world. When Jesus returns the rulers of this world will bow to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who entered into his time on this earth in the most humble way possible.

Is Magic(k) real?

Is magic(k) real?  This is something I don't hear much discussion of, but in this pluralistic age where getting information or instruction on the subject of magick is as easy as going to Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com I felt the need to discuss it a little. I'm going to use the term Magick, with a k to differentiate from David Copperfield type stage magic. I'm talking about "spiritual" magick. According to the 19th/20th century occultist Aliester Crowley the definition of this type of magick

"The art and science of creating change in accordance with your will"

This, as far as I can tell from their own literature, is not completely accurate. Not to mention this is completely vague. So...what is "magick"? Magick falls in to four general categories, spells, spirits, divination and "spiritual evolution". All four of these take various forms ranging from the obvious to the covert and they're sometimes used in different combinations. I'll continue with short overviews of all these categories.

Spells short rituals or ceremonies using chants, candles, ribbons and various other implements ranging from the mundane to the exotic. Spells can be used for anything from enticing a "deity",spirit or demon to answer a request or command, to affecting somebodies actions or feelings ie...love spells or even darker uses such as hexes or curses.

In magick spirits abound. People attempt to contact spirits for all different reason, for information, servitude, worship, guidance, protection, and even in some traditions to be possessed by. This can be done by various ways, ceremonies and rituals, the use of mirrors, Ouija boards, dances, chants and meditations. 

Divination  is a description of the methods used to try and know the future or prophesying. This as well has several methods. Tarot, Astrology, crystal gazing, palm reading, tea leaves and runes (stones, bones pieces of wood with symbols carved or drawn on them) are probably the most well know and most popular. There are other methods such as Mirror gazing, fire gazing, Geomancy ( a method of drawing random dots in the earth and reading them) and even sometimes spirit contact is used for this.

The last but not least category is "spiritual evolution". This is the attempt to become a god or god like. All of the above mentioned can be used for the attempt at this goal. As well as the addition of lengthy meditations, lengthy  and elaborate ceremonies in the attempt to reach altered states of consciousness

Ok so all of this stuff is nonsense and superstition right? . Remnants from a primitive and less enlightened period of our history made popular for a short time by hippy thowbacks and emo kids who suck at video games right and can't play guitar right?  I don't think so. This the phenomenon of  the occult  and magick in our culture is not something that just popped up overnight. This is something that has been throughout the history of the world and continues today.

Is it real? The Bible certainly treats it as such. A quick search of references to magick in the Bible found 55 verses many read similar to Revelation 21:8

 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death

Magick and sorcery as it's often call in the Bible is taken very seriously and no where is it indicated that it's not real or simply superstition, Another example in the Book of Ezekiel.

Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive?19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death souls who should not die and keeping alive souls who should not live, by your lying to my people, who listen to lies.
20 "Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds

As I said before it's not treated as mere superstition or fancy. It is spoken harshly against and given the harshest punishment, death and hell.  So should Christians worry about magick?  No, we shouldn't worry about magick,  However we should be on our guard. Jesus said that Satan is a liar seeking to deceive even the elect if he can. Many of the things that I've listed do not always come in nice packages that have "Magick" or "Occult" printed in big letters on the outside. In fact many come in the guise of a supposed form Christianity. Though many more come disguised as self help or displayed as harmless by pop- culture figures.

So my conclusion?  Yes magick is real. It is the power displayed by Satan as a counterfeit of Gods. As God uses man to carry out his will on earth Satan will do the same through the false prophecy, miracles, and signs that is more simply called magick. 


I may do another on how these things have wormed their way in to our culture and even our churches and many are none the wiser but that will be another time