Pot calling the kettle black

I'm doing something I rarely do here. I'm copying my column from Studylight.org here on my blog. I do that when I feel very strongly about something. Early in January something happened that illustrates Satan's tactics against biblical principles.

Prejudice vilifying prejudice is the same as the pot calling the kettle black.

A man, former fire chief of Atlanta Kelvin Cochran, was fired from his job. He's black. He's a Christian. He wrote a book. Which one of those things do you think prompted the mayor to fire him?

Here in Mississippi a person can be fired for absolutely no reason at all. I know because I experienced that. Only God knows what the real reason was. I think it was because I was perceived as a threat to the passage of the sale of alcohol within the city limits (our county is a dry county). I stood my ground. I was quoted in the newspaper. I know the Bible does not teach against alcohol consumption, only against the gluttonous misuse of it. I know you cannot regulate moral values. The discussion was deeply complicated, however my point is that because of my biblical convictions I stood in someone's way. A person who wanted alcohol sales within city limits happened to be in a position to get me fired, which he did. Or it could have been because he hated Jesus in me. Only God knows.

Cochran wrote a book about his Christian views on marriage, the biblical principles of marriage. The mayor claimed that his views caused rifts and hardships, and strained relations with practicing homosexuals within the city's fire department and city personnel.

Let me share some of Cochran's thoughts about it

This experience has taught me that there are worldly consequences for publicly standing for righteousness. But I stand before you to say that the kingdom consequences are far greater and more glorious than the worldly consequences.

 To that end, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters in Christ, let me emphasize that this event is not just about Kelvin J. Cochran. This event is to raise attention and awareness to every American that freedom of speech and freedom of religion are under attack. As Christians we have to fight the good fight of faith to preserve these cherished protections. We cannot allow our divisions by denomination, race, political party, or geography to continue to weaken the collective voice of the body of Christ. The power that works within us can and will make a difference. You can see that video here.

Openly homosexual, city councilman Alex Wan said, When you're a city employee, and [your] thoughts, beliefs and opinions are different from the city's, you have to check them at the door.

How ironic that Mr. Wan said personal beliefs and opinions should be checked at the door, but was quite vocal in his approval of the firing of the Chief for the perceived belief that the Chief was causing strife within the ranks! This is classic example of Satan's tactics. Using prejudice to vilify supposed intolerance while expecting tolerance.

I'm outraged, but not surprised. It's only going to get worse brothers and sisters. We are facing the beginnings of persecutions. But the persecution is against Jesus and those who love Him, not against the  false religions of the world. Satan knows his time is short and the Bible warns us that his anger fans to white hot fury against Christians of this world. He'll use any means he can to circumvent God's plan.

Take heart. God is never thwarted. He is the Creator of the universe. Consequences will happen when we hold firm to our biblical principles, and when we speak out against society's version of truth and sin, which are blatant lies of the Father of Lies. God always wins and always receives the glory. It is our purpose. We reflect that glory right back at God Himself.

Something crucial bubbles to the top here. How many of us would have ever known the name of the fire chief of Atlanta if he 1) was not a Christian, and 2) did not write a Christian worldview book on marriage, and 3) did not get fired?

God's purpose is clear here. He uses good things and things Satan intends for evil to promote His truths.

How can Christians do any differently that Kelvin Cochran?

Something sadly wrong at Duke University

Political correctness gone amuck! So says Dr. Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church-Dallas
was interviewed today on Fox & Friends about this decision by Duke University to amplify and broadcast from the tower the Muslim call to prayer for three minutes each week.

Wait! I see red flags waving all over the place!

I think it is worse than that. This school was started by unashamed, unabashed Christians for Christian theological studies, and even now closely affiliated with the Methodist Church.

Now the officials of the school want to "accommodate trends in the national religious circles." Pooh! It is a complete lack of good judgment and sense. Satisfying trends is like trying to adopt all the goofy fashions that most designers try to faust off on unsuspecting and gullible people. There is a reason that the fashion world uses the word trends. It's a fad, it's a passing fancy. What's bought last year is out of date this year so one must go purchase what's trending this year. It's how people get people to buy into stupid stuff.

Political correctness is how the Muslim mosques rose in number from 11 to more than 1100 in England in a short decade. It is how there are now several No Go zones in Paris that are not safe at all for even policemen. It is how policemen in France were stripped of any kind of guns to protect themselves and law abiding citizens.

This inch-by-inch encroachment is subtle. Soon America will have Islamic No Go zones, we already have more than enough mosques. We are now on the precipice of a terrible, slippery slope. A good gust of wind will knock us over the edge. It may just been an amplified call to prayer to a demon god disguised as the Father of Lights. Beware America, beware!

Addendum: Late yesterday afternoon Duke University retracted their plan to amplify the call to prayer once a week. It seems they suddenly realized how insensitive it was to "celebrate" Muslim at the time France is reeling from the Islam terrorist attack.

Discovery Channel's "Naked and Afraid"

I used to watch Discovery Channel all the time, and I thought it was very educational. My nephew preferred watching it over cartoons when he was 7 years old! He learned a lot and taught me a lot. I was banned to the bedroom TV when I wanted to watch it when football was on.

But today, I don't watch that channel. One show in particular that is offensive is Naked and Afraid.

This show has two people stripped of any clothing dropped into some wilderness and they have to survive without clothing, food, or other gear for days. Discovery Channel thinks this is good fare to be shown in late afternoon rather than delegated to an older viewership after 9PM. Showing this much skin in this kind of desperate, survival situation is soft porn, and should be recognized as such by all parents.

What are they thinking? It's bad enough that other nations around the world think nothing of foul language and soft porn in their TV viewing as well as commercials, but why does America have to follow suit? Where is our sense of decency these days? We have become a broken bridge for our children!

Paul told Timothy that in the end times people would be addicted to lust and allergic to God, and that is exactly what is happening. When I think things couldn't possibly get worse, they do. Things get worse in such sick, graphic, and smutty ways.

Christians have become desensitized to foulness. The problem is that there is no way to give back a child's innocence when it is taken away by shows such as this. Will we every wake up?

I cry out to God, "How long, Lord? How long must we sit in this squalor that has become our once proud, Christian nation?"

$42.5 million goes to Colorado State for stem cell research

The story does not explain what kind of stem cells. If it is from the umbilical cords, then hip-hip-hoorah. But if it is those essential stem cells that are procured from embryos, then they are the biggest losers of all time.

 

This is my granddaughter's heartbeat at barely 4 weeks.

 

To harvest a stem cell from an embryo, one must murder the embryo. According to Prolife Physicians.org, the classification of what makes life had to be defined, categorized and agreed upon in order to know if life—or the evidence of it—was found on another planet. According to the elementary definition of life (found at the link provided), this categorizes embryos as Life and harvesting the stem cells from the embryos is then categorized as murder.

To date there have been zero, nada, no cures developed from embryonic stem cell research. However, President Barack Obama revoked Bush’s order  in 2009. It is sad that the words “responsible” and “human embryo stem cell research” are in this Executive Order which negates what Bush did. Now  the FDA approves embryonic stem cell treatment for spinal injury.

The problem with this is that treatment for spinal cord injuries that have proven somewhat effective are from bone marrow stem cells not embryonic stem cells.
Stem cell treatment, using Beike’s cord mesenchymal stem cells and protocols for spinal cord injuries, is available at various hospitals in China and one in Thailand. Generally, many patients have reported improvements soon after treatment, and continue to notice more improvements for up to 12 months following the stem cell transplants.

Back in 2005 Byron Spice of the Pittsburg Gazette reported that scientists have now found cells that are “strikingly similar to embryonic stem cells in their ability to regenerate a wide variety of tissues.” They are cells found in the placenta. Since then stem cells have been found in the umbilical cord. Why must we use embryo stem cells? What makes them so much better than these other stem cells? The cells, called amniotic epithelial cells, (try pronouncing that, I dare you)potentially could be used to produce new liver cells to treat liver failure, or new pancreatic islet cells to cure diabetes or new neurons to treat Parkinson's disease. – Pittsburg Gazette, 2005

I am going to try not to sound sarcastic here. If anyone had bothered to ask me several years ago, I would have told them that there is no way God would have created a cure for anything that would require the death of another human. God just does not work that way, except only once and that was the death of His only Son to secure the life of all Believers which was on a Spiritually higher plane than mere physical healing. Other than that one instance, God does not take the lives of innocents to save other human lives. Therefore He would not grant a cure for any disease at the sacrifice of a human being's life.

Struggling with wickedness

Ever wonder why the wicked seem to prosper so well while we struggle with all kinds of things?

I did.

Jeremiah did, too, he writes 12:1  Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?  It is a terrible question. Can you imagine what it would be like to have God far from your reins? We don't have to look very far to see examples of what happens when authority and restraint are far from our reins.

A more explicit example is found in Romans 1:18-32.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

I shudder at those verses. What would it be like for God to just let go and let you have your own way? Just like children need boundaries, and actually beg for boundaries, so do we Christians. It is how we stay sane, how we stay close to God, how we stay clean. God created order from chaos which gives us our equilibrium.

The wicked may prosper but nothing is done in the dark that will not be found out. God has blessed me by letting me see the wicked be found out. Oh, not all of them, just a few, but enough for me to know that they do not prosper forever.

So what if the wicked prosper until they die? They will not prosper after death. Some of us will just have to wait until the Day of Judgment to see some of the wicked receive justice. That will be so horrendous, though, it will mean that they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. I don't care what anyone has done to me... fired me... manufactured evidence against me... betrayed me with other women... thrown me out of house and home... rejected me... spit upon me... called me all manner of things and even prayed to God for evil to befall me... None of that is worth eternal torment. I would not wish that on any person.

Have mercy, Lord. Have mercy on me and on those who revile me and reject me. Draw them close Father and pour Your Spirit over them, Father for they know not what they do. Open their eyes, Father to what they do. Make them see. Give them compassion, for they shall surely die without You.

All of that wickedness is merely temporary. The sting of losing a job only lasted until I was employed again. Admittedly, it took a lot longer to forgive my husband who betrayed me, but I don’t grind my teeth at night anymore. The other things were sword stabs, and they wounded, but not mortally. God is the great Healer. When all the attacks against our person and our spirit from wickedness whether from Satan or from other Christians are measured against how huge God is, the seeming mountain becomes a mole hill. They last no longer than the time it takes for water to pour out of the hand.

Thank goodness God is in control of believers’ lives. Why should we want Him in complete control?

Job 38 has a huge list of things that God did.

Job 38:4 Where were you when I founded the earth? Declare if you know understanding. 

Not even a twinkle in my daddy's eye! I do not understand how God spoke and brought the universe from nothing.

Job 38:5 Who has set its dimensions, do you know? Or who has stretched a line on it? 

Oh... yes! God stretched a line around the earth's middle and we can see it from space. Job didn't have the faintest notion what the line meant. He could not see the "big picture" that we can see by turning on NASA channel.

Job 38:6 On what were its bases sunk? Or who cast its cornerstone, 7 when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 

Ummm... Nothing? Well, not exactly nothing. We know all about gravity and how it interacts with mass and how motion has a lot to do with positioning in space. Job was a herdsman, albeit very rich, but he did not have a PhD from MIT. We humans know the answer to this question, even learned it in 11th grade science class or in physics class, but knowing it doesn't give us greater insight to God's personality.

Job 38:8  Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst out; it came forth from the womb? 

Lots of archeology evidence of the Great Flood. Lots of historical accounts of it dating before Moses. So, therefore, Moses must have copied the story from other sources, right? No, not, nada.

Job 38:9  When I made the clouds to clothe it, and darkness its navel-band; 10  and I broke My limit on it and set bars and doors; 11  and I said, You shall come to here, but no further; and here your proud waves shall be set?

Tides, ebbs, moon's gravitational pull. Science explains to us what God means by bars and doors and waves being set. It is only from other forces such as earthquakes that the waves set is pushed back beyond the normal high tide. But there is a door and a bar where the water cannot go beyond. Only God did that.

Job 38:12  Have you commanded the morning from your days, and caused the dawn to know its place, 

We have pictures from space of the dawn/dusk boundaries, and the boundaries of the seas, the cloud covering, the "navel-band" of darkness. But not even the strength of every living soul on earth can keep the sun from rising or the earth from rotating.

We have pictures from 4 miles under the ocean's surface that depict mountains and trenches of the seabed, and indeed man has walked the ocean's depths... but only recently.

We still cannot comprehend the hugeness of earth. We compare how "small" it is compared to how "large" Saturn and Jupiter are, and we compare how "small" they are to the vastness of the Sun. Can we truly comprehend how big earth is?

In the pictures from space only 200 miles from the earth's surface, a human being cannot be discerned, and cities look like splashes of light.

And yet, of all the things God created, He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believed on Him would never perish, but would have life eternal. Since Man is like the grass of the field, green and lush today then dry and burned tomorrow, the wicked only prosper for a flash of time. Too bad they cannot store their riches in Heaven where it will neither rust nor dissipate like fog.

5 Ways to Give Mercy

How often have you thought today: "Jesus really, truly, and deeply loves me! Little ole, human me!"

Have you recently thought about the depth and breadth of mercy that Jesus poured over us dirty, filthy sinners by loving us so much He went to the cross? He loved us first, even the stubborn ones who hang on to the mistaken belief that trusting God is like facing a raging grizzly -- a life full of unpredictable danger and strife.

That is exactly what life is like without God's mercy and grace.

Matthew 12:6-8 But I say to you, One greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what this is, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice," you would not have condemned the guiltless.

We like to watch a show called Forensic Files. The other day I was very surprised that a fellow who had killed a woman's daughter was spared the death sentence because the mother had pleaded for his life. She said that as long as there was life there was hope for him to repent. That kind of mercy is rare between and among humans.

Often times the victim's family cry out for vengeance not mercy.

What about that sacrifice part?

What good does that do? Not one slender whit, which happens to be much smaller than a splinter, by the way.

Mercy and forgiveness is valued by God much greater than sacrifice is. If the Hebrews had learned this, if the Jews had learned this, then they would never have turned away from Jesus. They never understood that Jesus, a completely sinless person, had to take all the sin of the world upon Himself so that we humans could be free of sin. Well, at least those humans that believe Him. Jesus said from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!”

Mercy is that thing that God gave us while we were still sinners. Forgiveness is what He gave us as He watched His Son go to the cross. According to the worldly thinking, that is impossible. I look around and see so much hate and so much unforgiveness and bitterness. What is so sad is that most people cannot see unforgiveness for the cancer it is. How much energy is wasted by harboring hatred and unforgiveness? It does not mean that we have to fraternize with those who have hurt us, nor do we have to allow them the opportunity to do it to us again. Jesus said to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16).

How do we do that?

1. Be willing to let go of the hurt. If we keep rolling that hurt around in our minds, nurturing the anger, nursing the hurt, reveling in the injustice of it all, we are merely playing into Satan's hands and opening our armor for the fiery dart of bitterness. Make no mistake, we can hide our feelings from friends and loved ones, but we cannot hide them from Satan. He knows our weakness and exploits it to the hilt of that dart. There is the sting. It is not the hurt from the betrayal or the hurtful words or the lack of support which deeply hurts. Of course it does. But time does heal wounds from the outside. Those self-inflicted wounds of anger kept alive, and bitterness which we keep open and bleeding by continuous poking and prodding turn to stinging cancer.

Examine that and see if it is really as bad as it feels. Sometimes, we blow things out of proportion and add importance to nit-picky things. Oh, come on, you can think of at least one time when you did that. I can think of a dozen. I am not belittling that really huge thing like infidelity. Been there, too. That kind of anger takes several years to work through. But, oh how great freedom felt when I finally let that last bit of anger go.

2. Decide to give mercy and to forgive. It absolutely is a decision. Just like deciding to lose weight or quit smoking or deciding on a worship lifestyle instead of a worldly lifestyle.

3. Understand it will take lots of time. We have the Holy Spirit inside us and we have the mind of Christ, but we are not God. It takes a lot longer for us because we've got so much more to influence us. The world, our friends and acquaintances who, sad to say, "egg" us on.

4. Set the thoughts of anger aside. Paul said to get angry but do not sin. That kind of anger is over some injustice. God does not hurt us. Nothing hurts a child of God that is a just hurt. He may discipline us and chastise us for our unruly behavior, but He will never harm us or hurt us. It is our pride that gets hurt so often, and when it is bruised, it is painful. So setting aside the thoughts also includes setting aside pride. It only gets in the way of forgiveness and gives fuel to the flame to anger. God does not like it when someone messes with His kid. His vengeance is so much wiser and so much better than ours ever could be. The question here is how can we expect mercy and forgiveness from God when we harbor unforgiveness toward a brother or sister in Christ?

5. Obey God’s command. It is commanded that we forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ anything. That hard verse comes to mind. Forgive or your Father in Heaven will not forgive you. However, giving mercy truly expresses God's heart. Doing that we begin to truly look like Him.

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and in no way be judged. Do not condemn, and in no way you will be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and good measure will be given to you, pressed down and shaken together, and running over, they will give into your bosom. For the same measure which you measure, it will be measured back to you.

If that isn't "What goes around comes around," I don't know what is. Not that karma stuff, but truly as we pour out blessings on others, God pours more and more blessings on us. We cannot out give God.

“But what about unbelievers?” Good, no, excellent question. Have you ever noticed how Jesus so often answered a question with a question?

Can a believer nurture anger and bitterness toward someone not a believer and still have room in his heart for God? How does that draw more lost to God?

Sgt. Tahmooressi ordered RELEASED!

Marine Sgt. Tahmooressi Just Ordered to Be Immediately Released From Mexican Jail by Judge Marine veteran Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi has been ordered to be immediately released from a Tijuana jail, following a Mexican federal judge's ruling late Friday. Tahmooressi, who moved to San Diego to receive treatment for Post Traumatic St... Read more…

Millennials and Their Bibles

Recent study from George Barna reports some not so surprising news...

"However, these practices aren't always appreciated by others in their generation. While many Christians might hope that Bible-based films or sharing Scripture online would reach non-Christians, our research suggests the opposite. Non-Christians tend to be more skeptical of biblical films and often feel turned off or alienated by seeing Scripture shared via social media. On the other hand, in the rare cases when non-Christians have increased their Bible reading in the past year, they often did so as a result of seeing how Scripture changed someone they knew. Such responses emphasize the importance of meaningful relationships and evidence of life transformation.

"Finally, for non-Christian Millennials, the ‘brand' of the Bible is a negative one," Kinnaman continues. "The depth and range of these perceptions signal difficult challenges for younger adults who still believe in the Bible. As Bible skepticism increases in their generation, Christian Millennials will have to face those criticisms head on and wrestle with the implications for their own beliefs. Yet when it comes to the Bible—more than many other areas of their faith—Millennial Christians are starting off on comparatively solid ground."

Unbelieving Millennials don't get saved by reading Christian fiction books or by watching Christian movies. Is that a big surprise to anyone?

How does anyone get saved these days? Only through the conviction of the Holy Spirit. However, I am still saddened that Millennials have dropped away from the church. They say they want to use their gifts and their skills right away and not wait year upon year to grow into a position when someone dies.

This is why we really need to make sure we use the whole body and not just pieces parts of it. Otherwise those parts not used will atrophy. Does that surprise anyone?

Genesis...

Can you name what was created on which day... the first chapter of Genesis?

I could not. I thought I could, but I didn't remember them in the right order and I completely forgot about the little creepy crawlies. Living in South Mississippi, which is full of them, I just as soon forget them and prefer they never invade my living space.

In a Sunday school class one Sunday morning, we shut our Bibles and tried to name each thing that God created and which day He created it. Can you name them all?

Even with 12 minds and hearts put together we discovered that we didn't know them so well. [Insert shocked look] I did not cheat, either. When I studied the lesson the morning before I tried to name everything in order and couldn't so I figured that would be a good way to study the first chapter of Genesis. The ladies in my class were intrigued by looking between the lines of each 24-hour period.

Here we see a remarkable thing. God created something from nothing, because it was void, empty, nothing. Anyone who believes in the Big Bang, has to have a huge amount of faith because they believe something was there to begin with. But where did that something come from? Where did gravity originate? How could the law of gravity suddenly happen?

So we opened our Bibles, and looked really closely at each verse... looked at the different things between the lines... Like the fact God created things old and ready to seed and bearing fruit. He had to do that because it was what Adam and Eve would be eating, not to mention every beast of the field, all the cattle and other creepy crawlies. I firmly believe that when God said it was morning and it was evening of the first day, that meant He had created time, 24 hours meant a day, a yom. He didn't mean it was an era of time. That would be ridiculous to have an era of light and dark, and then an era of waters and firmament, then an era of grass and seeds and trees that fruit, and then an era of separation of lights of the day and lights of the dark on the fourth day. How could grass and trees survive without the sun's light? It had to be 24 hours lest they wither and die in the era of darkness.

There is something to make you go hmmmmm

God created the things of the earth old. He created it all for humans lest they starve waiting for a tree to grow big enough to bear fruit.

Then we see that God created all things vegetarian. The food chain was herbs and seeds and fruits, not large animals eating small animals, or humans eating small animals. The first recorded death in the Bible is the animals God slew to cover Adam and Eve after their disobedience. Sin brought violence into the world and it brought carnivores.

But, God let down a sheet for Peter to study, and He told Peter to rise up, kill and eat. That sheet had everything on it that was not "clean" according to Jewish law. Otherwise Peter would not have told the LORD, "No, I haven't ever eaten anything unclean, Lord. I won't start now."

God said, "What I have called clean, is clean and let no man call unclean."

Only God can create something from nothing.

Only God can cleanse.

Only God can make us holy.

From one man came sin and violence into the world and through one Man we are clean and holy. Amen.