It's been a while since I have posted. My last post was on the movie Noah, and here we go again. Many told me that I should not form an opinion about something that I had not seen. Some said that I was wrong to urge people to stay away, that they have their own choices to make. I even had a national "Christian" based organization tell me that I was wrong for speaking out against the movie, and then proceeded to send me video clips of many well know "preachers" or "speakers" telling us all how good the movie was.
Well I finally saw the movie. Let me give you the setting so you understand what has truly happened with this movie. I watched the movie with a couple of family members that are "young" Christians and don't know the bible real well, although they are learning and growing daily. It was an evening without major distraction in the comfort and privacy of my home. I did not contribute any money to the movie, or it's distributors.
As we are watching the movie I start to make comments about the biblical errors, I soon found myself talking so often that I was asked to be quiet and let everyone "just watch" the movie, then we could discuss it later. This proved to be a good idea, as if I had continued to point out biblical errors, I would have not shut up even once during the entire movie.
There is nothing biblical about the movie Noah, except the names of Noah and his three sons. Sorry follks but please read your bibles. Noah wasnt saving the animals, HE and HIS FAMILY were being saved by GOD. Noah wasn't ashamed of man, Noah preached to men to try to get them to repent and join him on the boat. Noah's grandfather isn't even mentioned during the times that the ark is being built, much less being a "wizard" of some sorts. Noah's sons, werent young, they were 100 years old or older. There were no babies born on the ark during the flood. No one snuck onto the ark and killed animals. Ham did not have twins. Oh, and it didn't start raining until Noah and his family were in the ark and GOD sealed it himself. OK, so now you have just some of the major lies that this movie tells.
Now let's talk about the message of the movie. This movie is an atheistic view of the world, and it's main purpose is not hard to understand - remove God and especially Jesus from the world view. A nice little evolution sequence is even thrown in during Noah's explanation of the creation to his family. Man against man, with no peace. Save the animals but kill the babies (hmm, that one sounds familiar in this world today does it not). I disagree with you my father so I'm just going to leave (modern view of alot of kids today). Twin babies which totally disrupts the biblical explanation of the beginning of tribes of the world. God is never once called God, only the creator. This movie as I had feared was a movie made by a devout atheist that had an agenda to promote the atheistic agenda, and do so by fooling so called Christians into funding it for him. The most discouraging situation surrounding the entire film, is how Christians companies and ministers/speakers/preachers jumped on board to promote this movie. If you think the anti-christ is coming as some super evil dude to harm the world, think again, he's coming just like this movie came at you, in a cloak of light with darkness at the core. I urge you as a believer to search God, his word, and the truth, and do not follow men, it doesn't matter how publicly respected they may be.
I also experienced an ironic moment over the weekend that is not related to the movie, but it truly drives home the point I am trying to make here. A friend of mine was telling me that his Pastor began teaching in the book of Exodus. After a couple of lessons, this friend was having conversation with one of his friends, and that person suggested that the Pastor had left out alot of information about Moses and the Jews in Egypt. After further discussion it was understood that the parts the Pastor had left out were the parts from the movie (10 Commandments), and NOT anything from the bible. I love the movie the 10 Commandments, it is very close to the bible, and the extras it adds in are storyline extra's - wherein those scenes tell the story that is surrounding the main events that the bible tells us. They don't change the bible, or the message, they give background information based on historical evidence. HOWEVER, this evidence is NOT int he bible, yet a brother believes that a Pastor left out part of the bible. Now ask yourself, how dangerous can a movie be when it is nothing but one big lie with an atheistic agenda? Ask yourself if perhaps when we are told to guard our hearts, it is for this reason.
For an atheist to spend 125 million dollars on something he doesn't believe in............just think about that. Back when we all had common sense, that statement alone would of been enough to keep followers of the truth, - God's people - away from the movie.
Yes the choice is yours to support the movie or not, so make an informed decision. I say let's not support this movie with our money and our time, let's question the Heaven Is Real movie for it's biblical truth, let's inform Hollywood that it's not OK to leave out key points of Jesus' life in the Son Of God movie, let's remember to read our bibles, to pray, to search for truth, to seek God, and to love one another.
My final thoughts on this are: What we allow into our minds can influence us, and can actually be a danger to us. When the bible speaks of even the "elect" being deceived, I worry. I worry for my brothers and sisters that believe in God but do nothing with it, and then become deceived. I worry for my brothers and sisters that don't get good root in their faith and then stumble across someone or something like a movie that is well thought out and carefully designed to deceive, without anyone knowing they are being deceived. I don't want to see anyone blindsided by the lies of the world and not know who Jesus is, and how much God loves them. Please understand I'm not "knocking a movie", I am trying to shed some light in a dark world and remind you all to follow God, read the bible, and be the difference for truth.
The Noah story begins at Gensis 5:32
125 million reasons we know there is a God = 125 million dollars to prove something doesn't exit. hmmm...
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Noah
Tomorrow the world changes once again. Tomorrow the movie Noah will be released. Tomorrow millions of people will line up to buy their tickets and popcorn, sit in their seats and donate two hours of their time to a silver screen. I fear tomorrow.
Am I being over-dramatic? Perhaps I am. Hopefully I am. However, I just don't think so.
This movie was directed by Darren Aronofsky who made the popular movies Black Swan and The Wrestler. I have not seen either of those movies, so I'm not basing these thoughts on his previous work. I am however taking into consideration that Mr. Aronofsky is of Jewish decent and is a self proclaimed atheist. Not sure how one creates a movie about something he doesn't believe in. I am also basing my thoughts partially on this quote from Mr. Aronofsky "this is the least biblical film ever made".
You see atheists love to argue how "impossible" a global flood is, and how the bible is in error when speaking of it, or how the bible supposedly stole the idea from other religious writings. It's one of their strongest points of argument. So for an atheist to make a movie out of an idea that is not supported or believed in by their peers, what angle must one take?
From what I've read this movie is about "saving the animals". Well that's pretty popular these days. It's about the struggle between good and evil. That's great, except where does the absolutes of good come from if one doesn't believe in the giver of all that is good. It's about standing up for what you believe in even if you go against popular opinion. That sounds like a good theme too, however it's exactly the argument that the gay agenda uses to get religion removed from every aspect of society that doesn't agree with their stance. So without seeing the movie, I can understand the "agenda" of the movie. Trailers, and reviews for the movie support this.
All of those ideas behind what this movie might stand for is not what actually scares me though. What scares me is how the "Christian" community is PROMOTING this movie. Not just supporting it, or even the idea of it, but actually PROMOTING it. The money machine has been turned on, and their all falling for it. You see if all Christians boycott this movie, that would cost millions of dollars, and if that were to happen some people with suits and ties would be very unhappy. So let's market this to the Christians, they will fall for it, they don't really know what they believe or why anyways. (another great point that atheists make).
Some folks don't spend two hours a week reading their bible, but they will pay money to sit in a seat and watch this film for two hours. Some folks don't really know the story of Noah, or how it is a foreshadow of Jesus. God's judgment is going to be very harsh, but his mercy is quite grand. Will this movie explain that? Not sure how it can when the word "God" isn't even spoken in the movie.
The young will see this movie and develop an idea in their minds that this is what the Noah story is really about, or worse, that this is how it happened. When music videos first became very popular, some of the larger music groups refused to make them, they didn't want the song to be so specific, they wanted people to be able to keep the idea of the meaning of the song in their heart, instead of in their head based on what their eyes saw. This to me is just one of the large problems with this movie. Now instead of allowing God to speak to us of what it might have been like, or what message he wants us to learn, we now have the visual, and our mind will re-program accordingly.
If this movie makes money, there will be more. Heck, there already have been. The Son Of God movie was just released a few weeks ago. And I can't leave out the incredibly insane idea of the rapture movies. Hollywood is working on redoing those rapture movies, Moses is due to hit the big screen very soon. It won't be long until you can watch a movie about everything in the bible, which means you won't have to even read the bible anymore. But it also means that now your ideas are based on what you saw, not what God showed you. You see there's a difference between viewing something and really seeing something. As this unfolds, the young will watch, the young will grow up, the young will share the stories based on what they know and remember, what they know and remember will be heavily influenced by these movies. These movies aren't biblically accurate, therefore their understanding of the bible lessons will not be biblically accurate. It's a dangerous game were playing with our young, and it's not a level playing field by any means.
You may argue that many Christians are supporting this movie. I will say I know, and it breaks my heart. You may argue that it at least brings the bible to people that don't know the bible. I will say that is OUR job. I will also ask, is it really the bible they are bringing to people? You may say that it's just entertainment. I would say yes it is, until it becomes something more than that, and this movie has already started a debate that makes it much more than just entertainment. You may say I've gone off the deep end and I'm making something out of nothing. I would say that there were only 8 people on the ark.
Tomorrow many will go see the movie. Tomorrow many will thank God for such a film. Tomorrow many will spend more time in a movie theatre than they do with their bible. Tomorrow many will think they have learned something. Tomorrow some will be disappointed. Tomorrow some will just stay home. Tomorrow some will protest with anger and signs outside of movie theatres. Tomorrow someone will make a lot of money. Tomorrow our world changes once again. Tomorrow we become one step closer to a society that is similar to the society of the days of Noah.
The Noah Story begins at Genesis 5:32.
Am I being over-dramatic? Perhaps I am. Hopefully I am. However, I just don't think so.
This movie was directed by Darren Aronofsky who made the popular movies Black Swan and The Wrestler. I have not seen either of those movies, so I'm not basing these thoughts on his previous work. I am however taking into consideration that Mr. Aronofsky is of Jewish decent and is a self proclaimed atheist. Not sure how one creates a movie about something he doesn't believe in. I am also basing my thoughts partially on this quote from Mr. Aronofsky "this is the least biblical film ever made".
You see atheists love to argue how "impossible" a global flood is, and how the bible is in error when speaking of it, or how the bible supposedly stole the idea from other religious writings. It's one of their strongest points of argument. So for an atheist to make a movie out of an idea that is not supported or believed in by their peers, what angle must one take?
From what I've read this movie is about "saving the animals". Well that's pretty popular these days. It's about the struggle between good and evil. That's great, except where does the absolutes of good come from if one doesn't believe in the giver of all that is good. It's about standing up for what you believe in even if you go against popular opinion. That sounds like a good theme too, however it's exactly the argument that the gay agenda uses to get religion removed from every aspect of society that doesn't agree with their stance. So without seeing the movie, I can understand the "agenda" of the movie. Trailers, and reviews for the movie support this.
All of those ideas behind what this movie might stand for is not what actually scares me though. What scares me is how the "Christian" community is PROMOTING this movie. Not just supporting it, or even the idea of it, but actually PROMOTING it. The money machine has been turned on, and their all falling for it. You see if all Christians boycott this movie, that would cost millions of dollars, and if that were to happen some people with suits and ties would be very unhappy. So let's market this to the Christians, they will fall for it, they don't really know what they believe or why anyways. (another great point that atheists make).
Some folks don't spend two hours a week reading their bible, but they will pay money to sit in a seat and watch this film for two hours. Some folks don't really know the story of Noah, or how it is a foreshadow of Jesus. God's judgment is going to be very harsh, but his mercy is quite grand. Will this movie explain that? Not sure how it can when the word "God" isn't even spoken in the movie.
The young will see this movie and develop an idea in their minds that this is what the Noah story is really about, or worse, that this is how it happened. When music videos first became very popular, some of the larger music groups refused to make them, they didn't want the song to be so specific, they wanted people to be able to keep the idea of the meaning of the song in their heart, instead of in their head based on what their eyes saw. This to me is just one of the large problems with this movie. Now instead of allowing God to speak to us of what it might have been like, or what message he wants us to learn, we now have the visual, and our mind will re-program accordingly.
If this movie makes money, there will be more. Heck, there already have been. The Son Of God movie was just released a few weeks ago. And I can't leave out the incredibly insane idea of the rapture movies. Hollywood is working on redoing those rapture movies, Moses is due to hit the big screen very soon. It won't be long until you can watch a movie about everything in the bible, which means you won't have to even read the bible anymore. But it also means that now your ideas are based on what you saw, not what God showed you. You see there's a difference between viewing something and really seeing something. As this unfolds, the young will watch, the young will grow up, the young will share the stories based on what they know and remember, what they know and remember will be heavily influenced by these movies. These movies aren't biblically accurate, therefore their understanding of the bible lessons will not be biblically accurate. It's a dangerous game were playing with our young, and it's not a level playing field by any means.
You may argue that many Christians are supporting this movie. I will say I know, and it breaks my heart. You may argue that it at least brings the bible to people that don't know the bible. I will say that is OUR job. I will also ask, is it really the bible they are bringing to people? You may say that it's just entertainment. I would say yes it is, until it becomes something more than that, and this movie has already started a debate that makes it much more than just entertainment. You may say I've gone off the deep end and I'm making something out of nothing. I would say that there were only 8 people on the ark.
Tomorrow many will go see the movie. Tomorrow many will thank God for such a film. Tomorrow many will spend more time in a movie theatre than they do with their bible. Tomorrow many will think they have learned something. Tomorrow some will be disappointed. Tomorrow some will just stay home. Tomorrow some will protest with anger and signs outside of movie theatres. Tomorrow someone will make a lot of money. Tomorrow our world changes once again. Tomorrow we become one step closer to a society that is similar to the society of the days of Noah.
The Noah Story begins at Genesis 5:32.
Monday, January 13, 2014
21 Days
I have learned of a fast that is called the "Daniel Fast". Some folks at my church, including our two Pastors have decided to keep the Daniel Fast these last 21 days of January and challenged us to do the same. I decided to give it a try. Yes I said a "try", because well that is what I decided to do when I commited to this, was to "try" to do it. I suppose until the end of the 21 days, and the fast is completed, we are all "ONLY" trying, but that's not what I meant to myself when I approached this as something I would try. Well, I am 3 days in and I have learned a lot already, so I am going to "journal" this experience as I go along.
DAY 1 - Not so difficult today as we had to work on the projector at the church and then had a show later that night. Typically on show days, when I am working most of the day I eat very little anyways. I did seem to miss my "after show" meal which is usually a form of relaxation after a show. But so far so good.
Tidbit - This fast consists of only foods that come from the ground. Water to drink. I'm not a veggie fan, really I'm not. Other than potatoe's, tomato's, corn, and green beans (in bacon grease) there aren't alot of veggies that I enjoy.
DAY 2 - Sunday. Church day. OK, so the morning wasn't a problem as I don't usually eat before church. My wife made me a fruit smoothie to drink during church and that took care of the morning, but boy was I craving some crazy food after church was over. A nap helped with this craving.
Tidbit - I am realizing how fortunate I am to be able to eat what I want whenever I want. I don't have a weight problem, no weight illness that requires me to watch my diet. So today's lesson, was to be thankful that I can eat without many issues, and that when this fast is over to not take advantage of that and be more careful as to what I eat.
DAY 3 - Monday. Back to the routine. A little light headed today. Stay busy, and keep my mind off it. I just remind myself when I have a craving that I am doing this as a commitment to God, and not for any other reason. This helps me with my "try", it's becoming more of a mission. It's only day 3, but I really want to see this through.
DAY 4 - Tuesday. Wife made some soup beans and potato's. Almost felt guilty eating that as I love soup beans and potato's. Only having water reminded me that I was fasting.
Tidbit - Watched some bible study video's today and learned a lot. For example, who knew that one of the judgements of God is to leave us to our desires. He eventually quits calling and let's us alone. Thank God that I wasn't quite to that point in my life, and that the teachings of my youth kept coming back to me. It did make me ponder about our country however, and the way our laws are being written today and the things that we are doing, perhaps judgement in America has started and God is giving us exactly what we want.
DAY 5 - Sold my car today. That took a lot of time. Church at night. Didn't really have time to think about the idea of fasting, however I did hold true to the fast, and only ate "fast" food.
Tidbit - At church our Pastor spoke on exactly what I learned last night. It was funny because as he was teaching Proverbs I spoke up about a few verses in Romans, he cut me off and said that's funny Dave, cuz that is in my notes for later, so let's go there now. God always teaches me things 2 and 3 times, because I'm just that hard headed.
DAY 6 - Getting used to just being hungry and being OK with it. I do notice that I get tired earlier in the evenings though. I used to be the 2a.m. guy, but whew about 11pm and ready for the bed.
DAY 7 - Friday. It's been a week. I didn't think I'd make it this far when I started out, but here we are. The smoking thing isn't going quite as well, although I'm down to about 7 a day. We hosted the Rich Mullins movie RAGAMUFFIN at our church tonite, so it was another "show" night which kept me from thinking about food like a show night always does.
Tidbit - What a movie that Ragamuffin is. God has blessed that. There are so many story lines in that movie. Our relationship with God, with our parents, with our friends, a story line about the sad state of Christian music (and this was 20 years ago), a story line about money and how it can destroy some people. This movie has a lot to offer. I hope it gets picked up for major distribution, because everyone should see this movie. I'm sure it would upset some, but it still should be seen. David gave 3R radio an interview after the movie and we took questions from the audience, that was very cool. God has truly blessed this week for me.
DAY 8 - Saturday. Weird to not have anything to do today. Very relaxing day. The fast went well.
DAY 9 - Sunday again. Smoothing before church, and an amazing church service. There are about 20 some folks participating in the Daniel Fast at our church, and if today is any indication, God is blessing us already for what we are doing. I am proud of the fact that I have made it 9 days.
Tidbit - Funny tidbit. Our church had a dinner for the new folks that have been coming lately, now I just want to know what kind of church has a spaghetti dinner with cake, and pudding during a fast? Haha......only at ours, that's why I call it the "unchurch"
DAY 10 - Monday. My son has decided to jump in and fast with us for the remaining 14 days. I don't see him a lot so today since he was home I noticed that he is holding to it. Having "fast" food for lunch and dinner. I never even thought of doing a fast when I was 20 years old. I pray God blesses him for this.
DAY 11 - Tuesday. Starting to settle in, and get used to the food that is acceptable for this fast. My wife has come up with some pretty neat recipes. I've picked my favorite 3 so far and asked her to make them the final 3 days in order to make the end of the fast as "flavorable" as possible. (smile)
DAY 12 - Wednesday. Church today. Good to see others that are fasting. Helps to have the support.
DAY 13 - 8 days remain. Many say I have lost weight, however I wouldn't know. I was weighing myself the first few days but then our scale stopped working. I said, OK God, I get it, this isn't a diet, this is a fast.
DAY 14 - Friday again. Show day. Silencing Stones with Dustin Green. So honored that an entire youth group showed up for this show. So disappointed that no one from our church showed up. I went into this looking for direction, and I feel more confused now than ever.
DAY 15 - Saturday. Cold. A perfect day to set in the chair, watch TV and eat junk food. So.........Fred and I decided to go look at buildings that we may use as a venue. Last night has me thinking more and more that we need to take the concert ministry OUT of the church venues. Part of me says that costs money that I don't have. Either way it was good to not set home all day. Had a visit from a brother that plays drums in a local band, he stopped by to share a lesson that God has shown him. It was quite the honor to think he thinks enough of Fred and I to share this with us.
DAY 16 - Sunday. Church today. Got very light headed and dizzy while setting up the worship team for the service. Honestly thought I was going to pass out. Already had it in mind that I would eat some candy if I had to as I thought my sugar was low. But, after finishing my smoothy I felt much better and made it through another day.
DAY 17 - Monday. Another show today. Metal bands. First hardcore show we've done. Attendance was very lacking again, but at least this time I was expecting it to be, not to mention we had a threat of some very bad weather. Show days are the easiest. I stay busy and don't miss food so much, as even when not fasting I don't eat much on show days as I'm running around a lot. Very blessed by the bands that played. One was from Maryland (the state) and they were heading home right after the show, even with the weather threat. I was fortunate enough that I could bless them with some gas money.
Tidbit - Spoke at length with my Pastor today. He really wants to get the video ministry up and running. This will require ALOT of time if we do. Perhaps this is the direction I've been looking for.
DAY 18 - Tuesday. Cold, cold, and snow. In the house all day. Snacking wasn't an option, so today was a bit tough. Oh boy how I wanted some snacks while having cabin fever. I held firm though. Only 3 days to go. I think I might be able to do this.
DAY 19 - Had an inspection to do today, so while in Knoxville I picked up a new computer for the church. Fred and I later in the day went to the church and cleaned from Monday's show, then I set up the computer and moved the Mac into our associate Pastor's office and got it all set up. Good to stay busy. Even better to get out of the house and feel like I accomplished something.
Tidbit - Got a call today from a guy that wants us to help him promote metal concerts at a venue that holds up to 1000 folks. WOW. Another answer to prayer. Another venue. Was a great conversation. I hope to meet with him next Monday night and see where this goes. Looks like the direction I was looking for is starting to come together. This fast has taught me a lot. I will post final thoughts at the end. Only 2 days to go.
DAY 20 - Thursday again. I'm writing this a week later, after the fact, but looking back I remember it well. The lessons of this fast will stay with me, that is for sure. Thursday wasn't so hard as I knew the end was in sight. Similar to running a long distance race, when you see the end, and you've trained, you find something inside of you that pushes you to the end. Well I could see the end, and I for the first time realize that I CAN do this. Not to mention the eating has kind of become habitual, my wife says we will eat better from this point on. I think this is good, I must stay disciplined in this aspect as well, I don't always like to admit this, but I'm not getting any younger............
DAY 21 - Friday. Well this is it. My wife made the "Daniel Fast" spaghetti so that made this day quite easy to get through, as I loved the spaghetti that is Daniel Fast approved. We planned this out, so that we'd be able to handle the last day a bit easier, and as sort of a reward for making it this far. At midnight a couple of our friends came over, and we hung out til midnight, then we ate pizza and had (as they in the south) some coke. I had the Mt Dew flavored coke....haha. Half a can of the Dew and I felt a sugar rush that made me almost feel drunk, very strange indeed. The pizza tasted oh so good, but it sat in my gut like a pound of grease, very heavy, and very odd feeling. But, we made it. I just completed the first fast of my life. When I started this out, I was fired up, towards the middle, I wasn't sure I'd make it, now that I have, I am very grateful that I did. The shows really helped, it took like four days out of the 21 and made them "normal". God truly uses this music ministry in a lot of ways, and though it may be a bit selfish, the music helped me get through this fast. Jesus did so much more for me, those words helped keep me going too. I'm not a very religious person, actually I cannot stand religion, and I used to think of "fasting" as just another religious ritual, and perhaps in some ways it is, but sometimes you get out of something what you put into it. This was the case for me and this fast, I looked at it as an effort to serve God in a way that I had never attempted before, not as a religious activity, and in return I walk out of this feeling like I am closer to God, and in a strange way I feel like he is chuckling at me and my small efforts, but also realizing that to him it is as precious as a child in kindergarten bringing home his "Picasso" for Mom and Dad. If you've never fasted in any way, I would recommend it , but you have to do it in truth, and with a full heart, otherwise it's just a religious ritual. Not sure I'll do this again next year, can't even say, but I also cannot say I won't. Actually I hope to do some sort of fast every month this year, whether it's a day, or only simply giving something up for a period of time, I want to "feel" like I'm challenging myself, it's in my make up to do that, and I have now found a way to this biblically and relate it to my walk with God.
Tidbits - I've already stated a lot, however I will share what I asked God for when I went into this fast. Yes, it's personal, but you know when they took the roof off the place to lower the sick guy down into the room where Jesus was, they sure weren't shy about letting the world know they needed a touch from Jesus, so I will share. This blog was an attempt for me to remember this fast, and the life experience that it was as I go farther along, therefore by sharing my requests of my Father, I will also be able to look back and see how he worked in this fast, and afterwards.
I asked God for direction. I could go on about direction in my life for a long time, maybe that will be another blog, but I really want to do something for God, and I just want his direction. I have realized that we are ALL called, I also realize that God gives us talents that we should use for him. I also realize that God won't call a person into something that he is not capable of doing. I "think" God will use us in areas that we like, or that we enjoy doing............maybe...........some don't agree with that line of thinking............maybe I'm not capable of self sacrifice to the point that I would go out and do something for God that is uncomfortable - something that I don't like to do, but have to do. This is where I get in my own way, I want to do certain things for God, I have goals, but are they mine, or his? Are these my passions, or are they passions that God gave me because he wants me to go do this, and because he wants to use this? I do not know, so I asked God for direction during this fast. At this point I would say that what started out as a blindfold, now is more like blurred vision that I can almost see, but I'm just not quite there.
I also asked God for a touch in my parents life. God that is such a mess, and it's a mess that involves 2 (and more) people that KNOW God's word, say they believe in him, but just really screwed things up. I can hope for healing, but even more than that I PRAY earnestly for their eternal souls. God please break this situation down to whatever level is necessary to bring them back to you.
And finally I asked for God's touch on my son's life. 20 years old, and here comes the world. If anybody needs God it's todays young people, they have so much garbage shoved down their throats, I pray for my son to be able to puke out the garbage, and hide the truth in his heart. If we lose this generation, their kids will not even be told about God, I call it the return to the dark ages.
If you've read this, or any portions of it, I want to thank you. I hope to be able to post blogs that share the results of this fast, and my prayers, but God's timing is his timing, so it may be tomorrow, or it may be a long time from now. All I know for fact is that I feel closer to God than I think I ever have. My passions are burning hotter, and my understanding of just how much God loves me is deeper than ever. If that's what this was all about, I thank God, for the idea of being a child of the almighty creator of everything is sometimes mind blowing.
DAY 1 - Not so difficult today as we had to work on the projector at the church and then had a show later that night. Typically on show days, when I am working most of the day I eat very little anyways. I did seem to miss my "after show" meal which is usually a form of relaxation after a show. But so far so good.
Tidbit - This fast consists of only foods that come from the ground. Water to drink. I'm not a veggie fan, really I'm not. Other than potatoe's, tomato's, corn, and green beans (in bacon grease) there aren't alot of veggies that I enjoy.
DAY 2 - Sunday. Church day. OK, so the morning wasn't a problem as I don't usually eat before church. My wife made me a fruit smoothie to drink during church and that took care of the morning, but boy was I craving some crazy food after church was over. A nap helped with this craving.
Tidbit - I am realizing how fortunate I am to be able to eat what I want whenever I want. I don't have a weight problem, no weight illness that requires me to watch my diet. So today's lesson, was to be thankful that I can eat without many issues, and that when this fast is over to not take advantage of that and be more careful as to what I eat.
DAY 3 - Monday. Back to the routine. A little light headed today. Stay busy, and keep my mind off it. I just remind myself when I have a craving that I am doing this as a commitment to God, and not for any other reason. This helps me with my "try", it's becoming more of a mission. It's only day 3, but I really want to see this through.
DAY 4 - Tuesday. Wife made some soup beans and potato's. Almost felt guilty eating that as I love soup beans and potato's. Only having water reminded me that I was fasting.
Tidbit - Watched some bible study video's today and learned a lot. For example, who knew that one of the judgements of God is to leave us to our desires. He eventually quits calling and let's us alone. Thank God that I wasn't quite to that point in my life, and that the teachings of my youth kept coming back to me. It did make me ponder about our country however, and the way our laws are being written today and the things that we are doing, perhaps judgement in America has started and God is giving us exactly what we want.
DAY 5 - Sold my car today. That took a lot of time. Church at night. Didn't really have time to think about the idea of fasting, however I did hold true to the fast, and only ate "fast" food.
Tidbit - At church our Pastor spoke on exactly what I learned last night. It was funny because as he was teaching Proverbs I spoke up about a few verses in Romans, he cut me off and said that's funny Dave, cuz that is in my notes for later, so let's go there now. God always teaches me things 2 and 3 times, because I'm just that hard headed.
DAY 6 - Getting used to just being hungry and being OK with it. I do notice that I get tired earlier in the evenings though. I used to be the 2a.m. guy, but whew about 11pm and ready for the bed.
DAY 7 - Friday. It's been a week. I didn't think I'd make it this far when I started out, but here we are. The smoking thing isn't going quite as well, although I'm down to about 7 a day. We hosted the Rich Mullins movie RAGAMUFFIN at our church tonite, so it was another "show" night which kept me from thinking about food like a show night always does.
Tidbit - What a movie that Ragamuffin is. God has blessed that. There are so many story lines in that movie. Our relationship with God, with our parents, with our friends, a story line about the sad state of Christian music (and this was 20 years ago), a story line about money and how it can destroy some people. This movie has a lot to offer. I hope it gets picked up for major distribution, because everyone should see this movie. I'm sure it would upset some, but it still should be seen. David gave 3R radio an interview after the movie and we took questions from the audience, that was very cool. God has truly blessed this week for me.
DAY 8 - Saturday. Weird to not have anything to do today. Very relaxing day. The fast went well.
DAY 9 - Sunday again. Smoothing before church, and an amazing church service. There are about 20 some folks participating in the Daniel Fast at our church, and if today is any indication, God is blessing us already for what we are doing. I am proud of the fact that I have made it 9 days.
Tidbit - Funny tidbit. Our church had a dinner for the new folks that have been coming lately, now I just want to know what kind of church has a spaghetti dinner with cake, and pudding during a fast? Haha......only at ours, that's why I call it the "unchurch"
DAY 10 - Monday. My son has decided to jump in and fast with us for the remaining 14 days. I don't see him a lot so today since he was home I noticed that he is holding to it. Having "fast" food for lunch and dinner. I never even thought of doing a fast when I was 20 years old. I pray God blesses him for this.
DAY 11 - Tuesday. Starting to settle in, and get used to the food that is acceptable for this fast. My wife has come up with some pretty neat recipes. I've picked my favorite 3 so far and asked her to make them the final 3 days in order to make the end of the fast as "flavorable" as possible. (smile)
DAY 12 - Wednesday. Church today. Good to see others that are fasting. Helps to have the support.
DAY 13 - 8 days remain. Many say I have lost weight, however I wouldn't know. I was weighing myself the first few days but then our scale stopped working. I said, OK God, I get it, this isn't a diet, this is a fast.
DAY 14 - Friday again. Show day. Silencing Stones with Dustin Green. So honored that an entire youth group showed up for this show. So disappointed that no one from our church showed up. I went into this looking for direction, and I feel more confused now than ever.
DAY 15 - Saturday. Cold. A perfect day to set in the chair, watch TV and eat junk food. So.........Fred and I decided to go look at buildings that we may use as a venue. Last night has me thinking more and more that we need to take the concert ministry OUT of the church venues. Part of me says that costs money that I don't have. Either way it was good to not set home all day. Had a visit from a brother that plays drums in a local band, he stopped by to share a lesson that God has shown him. It was quite the honor to think he thinks enough of Fred and I to share this with us.
DAY 16 - Sunday. Church today. Got very light headed and dizzy while setting up the worship team for the service. Honestly thought I was going to pass out. Already had it in mind that I would eat some candy if I had to as I thought my sugar was low. But, after finishing my smoothy I felt much better and made it through another day.
DAY 17 - Monday. Another show today. Metal bands. First hardcore show we've done. Attendance was very lacking again, but at least this time I was expecting it to be, not to mention we had a threat of some very bad weather. Show days are the easiest. I stay busy and don't miss food so much, as even when not fasting I don't eat much on show days as I'm running around a lot. Very blessed by the bands that played. One was from Maryland (the state) and they were heading home right after the show, even with the weather threat. I was fortunate enough that I could bless them with some gas money.
Tidbit - Spoke at length with my Pastor today. He really wants to get the video ministry up and running. This will require ALOT of time if we do. Perhaps this is the direction I've been looking for.
DAY 18 - Tuesday. Cold, cold, and snow. In the house all day. Snacking wasn't an option, so today was a bit tough. Oh boy how I wanted some snacks while having cabin fever. I held firm though. Only 3 days to go. I think I might be able to do this.
DAY 19 - Had an inspection to do today, so while in Knoxville I picked up a new computer for the church. Fred and I later in the day went to the church and cleaned from Monday's show, then I set up the computer and moved the Mac into our associate Pastor's office and got it all set up. Good to stay busy. Even better to get out of the house and feel like I accomplished something.
Tidbit - Got a call today from a guy that wants us to help him promote metal concerts at a venue that holds up to 1000 folks. WOW. Another answer to prayer. Another venue. Was a great conversation. I hope to meet with him next Monday night and see where this goes. Looks like the direction I was looking for is starting to come together. This fast has taught me a lot. I will post final thoughts at the end. Only 2 days to go.
DAY 20 - Thursday again. I'm writing this a week later, after the fact, but looking back I remember it well. The lessons of this fast will stay with me, that is for sure. Thursday wasn't so hard as I knew the end was in sight. Similar to running a long distance race, when you see the end, and you've trained, you find something inside of you that pushes you to the end. Well I could see the end, and I for the first time realize that I CAN do this. Not to mention the eating has kind of become habitual, my wife says we will eat better from this point on. I think this is good, I must stay disciplined in this aspect as well, I don't always like to admit this, but I'm not getting any younger............
DAY 21 - Friday. Well this is it. My wife made the "Daniel Fast" spaghetti so that made this day quite easy to get through, as I loved the spaghetti that is Daniel Fast approved. We planned this out, so that we'd be able to handle the last day a bit easier, and as sort of a reward for making it this far. At midnight a couple of our friends came over, and we hung out til midnight, then we ate pizza and had (as they in the south) some coke. I had the Mt Dew flavored coke....haha. Half a can of the Dew and I felt a sugar rush that made me almost feel drunk, very strange indeed. The pizza tasted oh so good, but it sat in my gut like a pound of grease, very heavy, and very odd feeling. But, we made it. I just completed the first fast of my life. When I started this out, I was fired up, towards the middle, I wasn't sure I'd make it, now that I have, I am very grateful that I did. The shows really helped, it took like four days out of the 21 and made them "normal". God truly uses this music ministry in a lot of ways, and though it may be a bit selfish, the music helped me get through this fast. Jesus did so much more for me, those words helped keep me going too. I'm not a very religious person, actually I cannot stand religion, and I used to think of "fasting" as just another religious ritual, and perhaps in some ways it is, but sometimes you get out of something what you put into it. This was the case for me and this fast, I looked at it as an effort to serve God in a way that I had never attempted before, not as a religious activity, and in return I walk out of this feeling like I am closer to God, and in a strange way I feel like he is chuckling at me and my small efforts, but also realizing that to him it is as precious as a child in kindergarten bringing home his "Picasso" for Mom and Dad. If you've never fasted in any way, I would recommend it , but you have to do it in truth, and with a full heart, otherwise it's just a religious ritual. Not sure I'll do this again next year, can't even say, but I also cannot say I won't. Actually I hope to do some sort of fast every month this year, whether it's a day, or only simply giving something up for a period of time, I want to "feel" like I'm challenging myself, it's in my make up to do that, and I have now found a way to this biblically and relate it to my walk with God.
Tidbits - I've already stated a lot, however I will share what I asked God for when I went into this fast. Yes, it's personal, but you know when they took the roof off the place to lower the sick guy down into the room where Jesus was, they sure weren't shy about letting the world know they needed a touch from Jesus, so I will share. This blog was an attempt for me to remember this fast, and the life experience that it was as I go farther along, therefore by sharing my requests of my Father, I will also be able to look back and see how he worked in this fast, and afterwards.
I asked God for direction. I could go on about direction in my life for a long time, maybe that will be another blog, but I really want to do something for God, and I just want his direction. I have realized that we are ALL called, I also realize that God gives us talents that we should use for him. I also realize that God won't call a person into something that he is not capable of doing. I "think" God will use us in areas that we like, or that we enjoy doing............maybe...........some don't agree with that line of thinking............maybe I'm not capable of self sacrifice to the point that I would go out and do something for God that is uncomfortable - something that I don't like to do, but have to do. This is where I get in my own way, I want to do certain things for God, I have goals, but are they mine, or his? Are these my passions, or are they passions that God gave me because he wants me to go do this, and because he wants to use this? I do not know, so I asked God for direction during this fast. At this point I would say that what started out as a blindfold, now is more like blurred vision that I can almost see, but I'm just not quite there.
I also asked God for a touch in my parents life. God that is such a mess, and it's a mess that involves 2 (and more) people that KNOW God's word, say they believe in him, but just really screwed things up. I can hope for healing, but even more than that I PRAY earnestly for their eternal souls. God please break this situation down to whatever level is necessary to bring them back to you.
And finally I asked for God's touch on my son's life. 20 years old, and here comes the world. If anybody needs God it's todays young people, they have so much garbage shoved down their throats, I pray for my son to be able to puke out the garbage, and hide the truth in his heart. If we lose this generation, their kids will not even be told about God, I call it the return to the dark ages.
If you've read this, or any portions of it, I want to thank you. I hope to be able to post blogs that share the results of this fast, and my prayers, but God's timing is his timing, so it may be tomorrow, or it may be a long time from now. All I know for fact is that I feel closer to God than I think I ever have. My passions are burning hotter, and my understanding of just how much God loves me is deeper than ever. If that's what this was all about, I thank God, for the idea of being a child of the almighty creator of everything is sometimes mind blowing.
Monday, September 23, 2013
The quandary of Christianity
If I pray for my football team to win because our quarterback is a Christian, and you pray for your team to win because the coach is a Christian, which prayer should God answer?
If my team ends up winning, does that mean God heard my prayer and not yours? Does that mean I had more faith than you?
Maybe the best thing that could happen would be the game end in a tie. Now that would be funny.
If I ask for a discount for something because it's for the church, isn't that the same as using God's name in vain? Why would you want a discount "JUST" because your a church?
When a church calls and says we need such and such for an event but we don't want to pay because we are a church, what should the answer be?
Does that answer change if the church is a multi million dollar building?
Does that answer change if the church has over 1000 members?
Does that answer change if each pastor is driving a Cadillac?
If you and I agree that it is God's will for us to work together on something, but then you think God tells you to go south, and I think he tells me to go north, which one of us is willing to not follow God's will? (Probably the one of us with the weaker personal will, that person will succumb to the other and everyone will call it good in the end).
So if God is telling you to do something that is going to cause anger, hurt, pain, grief, or even just some disappointment is that really God's will?
How does one really know God's will? That little voice? What if that little voice is the angel of light (satan) whispering in your ear, and what your hearing is something that will cause pain, destruction, and division? Still think that's God's will? (cue: Steve Taylor - Guilty By Association).
Do you truly think that giving God your last 200 bucks is going to earn you riches? If you do then giving it away is sinful in the first place, because your not really giving anything, your only expecting something as a result of your action.
I am sometimes consumed by the quandary of Christianity. I am often times amused as to what people call God's will. I am always afraid of the results of how any of these situations turn out.
We throw these phrases around and don't really know what any of it means. We get stubborn and stick to our guns, because WE JUST KNOW that God told us something, even though in the background things are getting sticky. We don't have the courage to say, this is MY WILL, and I want to do things this way, oh no, that's way too non-Christian like, when in reality it would be more Christian like, because it would be the truth.
Some use God as their rock, other use the rock to hide under and call it God. I'm not judging here, I post this today because this used to really bother me. These situations drove me away from God, church, etc for many many years, it became a huge source of my doubts. I have finally come to grips with we are ALL fallen, and I let it slide by me, and hope that my transgressions will slide by you. However I do fear for those that aren't quite there yet, for those that are where I was 10 years ago. I fear that they will see this "quandary" and it will DRIVE them away. I beg of you to not allow that to happen. Remember we are to follow God first, and just because someone says God this, or God that, does not mean it's really God talking.
I only have one answer to any of these questions, however I'd love to hear any comments or offerings you may have on the subject. My answer is this - A Man Leaves His Darkness When He Follows The Son! Now what is yours.
If my team ends up winning, does that mean God heard my prayer and not yours? Does that mean I had more faith than you?
Maybe the best thing that could happen would be the game end in a tie. Now that would be funny.
If I ask for a discount for something because it's for the church, isn't that the same as using God's name in vain? Why would you want a discount "JUST" because your a church?
When a church calls and says we need such and such for an event but we don't want to pay because we are a church, what should the answer be?
Does that answer change if the church is a multi million dollar building?
Does that answer change if the church has over 1000 members?
Does that answer change if each pastor is driving a Cadillac?
If you and I agree that it is God's will for us to work together on something, but then you think God tells you to go south, and I think he tells me to go north, which one of us is willing to not follow God's will? (Probably the one of us with the weaker personal will, that person will succumb to the other and everyone will call it good in the end).
So if God is telling you to do something that is going to cause anger, hurt, pain, grief, or even just some disappointment is that really God's will?
How does one really know God's will? That little voice? What if that little voice is the angel of light (satan) whispering in your ear, and what your hearing is something that will cause pain, destruction, and division? Still think that's God's will? (cue: Steve Taylor - Guilty By Association).
Do you truly think that giving God your last 200 bucks is going to earn you riches? If you do then giving it away is sinful in the first place, because your not really giving anything, your only expecting something as a result of your action.
I am sometimes consumed by the quandary of Christianity. I am often times amused as to what people call God's will. I am always afraid of the results of how any of these situations turn out.
We throw these phrases around and don't really know what any of it means. We get stubborn and stick to our guns, because WE JUST KNOW that God told us something, even though in the background things are getting sticky. We don't have the courage to say, this is MY WILL, and I want to do things this way, oh no, that's way too non-Christian like, when in reality it would be more Christian like, because it would be the truth.
Some use God as their rock, other use the rock to hide under and call it God. I'm not judging here, I post this today because this used to really bother me. These situations drove me away from God, church, etc for many many years, it became a huge source of my doubts. I have finally come to grips with we are ALL fallen, and I let it slide by me, and hope that my transgressions will slide by you. However I do fear for those that aren't quite there yet, for those that are where I was 10 years ago. I fear that they will see this "quandary" and it will DRIVE them away. I beg of you to not allow that to happen. Remember we are to follow God first, and just because someone says God this, or God that, does not mean it's really God talking.
I only have one answer to any of these questions, however I'd love to hear any comments or offerings you may have on the subject. My answer is this - A Man Leaves His Darkness When He Follows The Son! Now what is yours.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
When I first watched this video clip, I thought "ah, here we go, another person trying to disprove, and knock down Jesus". I mean after all it's becoming so common these days you see it, or hear it almost daily.
Then I watched it again, and I paid a little closer attention to some of the things Reza says and I began to think. (and we all know where that leads..............).
First off we must consider that the Romans didn't actually condemn Jesus to crucifixion. The Jewish people, or more specifically the RELIGIOUS leaders of the Jewish people condemned Jesus to crucifixion. At the time they were under Roman rule, so they had to have the Romans perform the crucifixion, but even Pilate is quoted in the bible as stating "I find no fault in this man". (John 19:6).
Next let's consider that it is believed by most that Mathew actually wrote Mathew. John wrote John, along with I John, II John, and Revelations. Mathew was a tax collector, I highly doubt he was illiterate. As for Mark and Luke I'm haven't done the full research on that, so I won't question the statements on those two books. We also know that Peter wrote I Peter, and II Peter, and Peter was with Jesus during his life. Peter was the "rock" that Jesus said he would build his church upon. I don't mind facts being thrown at me to question my beliefs, I welcome the challenges of my belief, however please give me facts that are true, and not opinion.
Now let's consider Reza's statement about Jesus being an American icon. Whoa.............I've been saying this for a very long time. The Americanization of the Christian religion is probably the number one reason that people don't believe in Jesus or God. In American we equate "righteousness" with church attendance, we equate "holiness" with the good deeds we do or don't do, we equate the growth of our religion by the numbers in our offering plates or butts in our pews. This isn't what Jesus was about at any point in any scripture. It is unfortunate that many conform to "Christianity" and forget about the Christ along the way. Why do some people do what we call "backslide"? Well maybe they never "forward slide" in the first place. Having a personal relationship with God, and following his Son is totally different from finding "religion". In America we don't always teach this, in America this is something that is very unclear. In America this leads to people falling away and writing books like Reza's. In America this is a tragedy, and one that I hope we soon learn from. Our religion is failing us daily, the things we call sin are creeping into society more and more every day even though us religious people are calling it evil. In America I would hope that missionaries from lands far away come to teach us what it is really about to die to ourselves, surrender our lives, money, and actions to follow Jesus.
When Reza mentions that he doesn't care about the people he upsets in writing his book, I sense a bit of arrogance. Arrogance is not a Christian trait, however when we have searched for answers from Man, we tend to be arrogant about what we learn. In comparison, when we search for answers from God we tend to be humble.
I also enjoyed the bible not being literal portion of the interview. This is what most people say when they are arguing about the bible and it's meaning, or truth. I just saw on TV a scientist talking about King David not being a real person, then on Monday I see a news article from Israel that states archaeologists have found one of King David's palaces. The bible is literal, but there are also other levels to the bible that aren't quite as literal, it's really what makes the bible the most unique and compelling book ever written. It's been studied for thousands of years, and yet it can't all be understood, but it can be understood on some level at the same time. The Pharisees and priests of the Jesus' day tried to trip him up with literal translations of the bible, so yes they read the bible literally.
His late comment on interfaith relationships is quite intriguing as well. To me I would hope that faith based relationships would end all together. Our divorce rate is well over 50 percent, so obviously that doesn't work. As for interfaith, I think what he's saying there is inter-religious, or even non religious. If you take all the religion out of your life, follow God, and marry the woman/man of your dreams that is a good path to a great life. My point being, religion always fails. Always.
You see religion is man's attempt at being good, at establishing guidelines as to how to live a good (by our own standards) life, and to get to God. Jesus (salvation, the Gospel, the good word) is God's way of getting to man. It's easy to be perfect when you establish your own definition of perfect, it's not so easy when you are trying to compare yourself to a sovereign God. No worries there though, God knows we aren't perfect, that's why he died for us, so he could have the relationship with us that he desires, and hopefully that we desire.
It amuses me that these things hit the media, when there are just as many intelligent men and women, some of them scientists even that can prove the theories of Jesus, God, creation, etc. However those people and those arguments never seem to make main stream media. I guess it's just not as shocking, or not as popular. When you do stop and consider that the God of all creation cares about you enough to want to have a relationship with you, well I think that's pretty shocking and amazing.
So if you listened to the video, and read this post you probably have ideas and opinions of your own. I would hope so anyways. Feel free to leave comments even. I would also hope that you would understand the difference between religion and relationship, between science and belief, between knowing and thinking you know, and mostly between Jesus as the man that walked the earth, and Jesus as the Son of God. My answer to the video in 3 and a half minutes would be the video posted below.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Divide and Be Conquered
Divide and conquer. It's the oldest trick in the book. Adam blamed Eve and the division began, it was part of the fall. Today we have left vs right, husbands vs wives, parents vs kids, gays vs straights, and churches vs churches. If we are divided we will fall...........it's a basic principle of human existence and it's been true since the fall.
President Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying "together we stand, divided we fall". I'm sure someone said it before him, but hey that guy wasn't Lincoln so the credit goes where it goes. But wait a minute.............doesn't the Bible say something along those same lines?
Let's see, 1st Corinthians chapter 1, verses 10 through 13. Since your probably not going to go read that right at this moment, let me share it with you.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them [which are of the house] of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
OK, so I guess it does. And for good reason too. It is soooo important. This has really been on my mind for oh the past like 5 months. When I walked out of the store that day, looked at the mountains and said something like "yeah, OK, you are real, and you won't leave me alone for some strange reason, you've blessed me beyond what I deserve and I want to give back to you, please show me the way" Then late that day I thought about what I had just said to God and remembered all the reasons I hated church and christians............I had to make myself a promise.........."PEOPLE WILL NOT STOP ME FROM DOING THIS!". This aint' about who anymore, I let it be for so many years, it's about God and just giving it all to him because of what all he has given for me.
So back to the united part. I'm a little bit on the angry side today and it led me to write this, (you know, channell your anger type of thing)...........it may or may not make any sense to anyone that reads it, but it sure is calming me down.
You see the world watches Christians.........better yet Christians watch Christians...........and what they see is a bunch of buildings on every street corner in America. They think the big ones are the ones that are doing something right. The small ones, well they must be poor or old fashioned cuz they never grew up. The old ones......well must be a family church but I bet the acoustics are amazing. And that's just what the Christians all think. The world just looks at it like a place to avoid especially on Sunday mornings.
Then there's the people that go to those church buildings. The big ones have the nicer cars in the parking lots so there's money there. The small ones usually has a big ole Cadillac in the parking lot, must be the old time preacher. The old ones, the cars are all dirty and there's only a few, but that's OK cuz they all know each other anyways. The world doesnt really see any of those cars cuz they stay away........especially on Sunday mornings.
My point here is this: we judge, we divide, we assume, we gossip, we divide, we don't support, and eventually we will fail. Actually we are already failing. It's kind of hard to convince someone that Jesus loves them when we don't love each other. How are we supposed to be the light if we keep our light hidden under our very own roof and never let it shine anywhere else.
Why does a brother judge a brother? Why can't one church promote a special event or happening at another church. Why don't we ever come together to support each other. Why do we gossip about what's going on at the other church? We are a divided body. Some of us are following Paul, some Apollos, and others Cephas, when we ouhgta be following Jesus.
Well their music is too loud, or their preacher is too boring, or their kid ministry is too lame. OK, those are great reasons to be or not to be a "regular" attendee at a particular church. But that is NOT a reason to not support that church, or to take it a step further and discourage the support of that church.
We all have different tastes and likes and that is a positive reason for having options when it comes to going to church BUT, we are all part of the same body of Christ.
If we can't all stand together, we sure can all fall together. If we are so afraid of members going to another church for a visit and then never coming back, we might want to look in the mirror and see why they'd want to leave in the first place, cuz I promise you, no Christmas program is that good. If we decide that we are following God's plan for our church and a member decides to leave, then maybe that person's plan from God wasn't the same as our churches plans. It doesn't make one right and one wrong, it doesn't mean that we "lost" anyone. It should mean that God's plan is being followed by all parties and in that we support and love each other. It should mean that we have now extended our ministry of our church beyond our own doors and God's will is being done because of it.
I found a church that made me feel welcome like a lifetime member after only being there a couple of times. I sensed the love, I felt the fire for God, and the judgement part that typically comes with a church environment seems to be missing. Oh, it's not perfect, and I'm sure things will pop up, but if I keep my eyes on the leader (not the pastor, but God) then those things will roll away like water under a bridge. That doesn't mean I won't visit other churches, or support other churches. The work I do allows me to be blessed by serving with other ministries and churches, and I love that. I wish some of these places had services or events on weird days like Mondays, or Saturday mornings so I could go back and be part of them more often. (that's a subject for another blog........)
Eliminating divisions among God's people is a burning fire deep inside me. I have seen these divisions keep some people that I truly love away from church altogether, and unfortunately because in America we so associate church attendance with God following, these people also turn away from even trying to follow God. The truth is there is NOT a single church in the world that will get you to God. If they say they are you best run away.............fast. And the other truth is you don't need church to be a child of God. You don't need church to get to heaven. You don't really need church for anything. It is nice to have a place to go that supports you in your work efforts for Jesus. It is nice to have a place to go to and be around like minded people. It is nice to have a place to go and be taught about God's word and to discuss it. But these things are benefits of being a "Christian", they are not requirements to being one of Gods children. And if we are a part of one group of folks for a long period of time, without expanding those boundaries, then we have become isolated.............it's pretty dern hard to "go into the world" when your stuck in isolation.
So I urge you to support one another. Pray for each other, show up at a different church once and awhile and hug a person or two, let your congregation know about the happenings at other congregations, love one another. Paul said that he "beseeches" in "the name of our lord Jesus Christ that there be no divisions among you". Think about that..........he declared something in Jesus' name. Ya think he was serious there? I do. I think he saw then what we see now. Trust me when I say your church is nothing more than a building, and if you think for one moment you have any more importance than that, then you've missed the boat. God doesn't need you (but he does want you). God doesnt care how big, small, or great sounding your church is. God doesn't care what church you go to. God doesn't move in some churches and not others, he moves when people allow him to move within themselves. I hope you allow God to move within you, and in doing so you just stop this church game. Love one another, support one another, the world (and Christians) are watching you.
Finally, if you read this and your thinking..........."yep, that's why I stay away from church". Well first off, let me tell ya, churches are made up of people, and people are people.........we all do some pretty dumb stuff while thinking we got it all figured out. If you let people be the reason that you don't go to church, I'm ok with that. People can be very hurtful, prideful, arrogant, rude, obnoxious, and all those other things that just bug ya. But if you let people be the reason you don't believe in God, or dont' follow God, then let me beg of you to reconsider. God loves you (and us crazy christians too) despite ourselves. He wants to change you, he wants to be real in your life, he wants to bring people into your life that have a real love of God in them, even if they ain't perfect. He wants to love you just the way you are with all of your imperfections. See that's why Christians aren't perfect, cuz God loves us just the way we are, he doesn't wait on us to get our act together to welcome us home, he welcomes us home and then quietly helps us get our act together. The forgiveness is there, we just have to accept it. If you'd like to accept it or even just chat about it, email me or leave a comment.
I have a burning desire to be used by God to bring Christians together, I'm not a prophet but I think the time is coming when churches will be persecuted to the point of most of them going away.....but even if I'm wrong, I still want to see us join together for the good of God, in this the world will know that we are God's people.
Love one another................
dP
President Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying "together we stand, divided we fall". I'm sure someone said it before him, but hey that guy wasn't Lincoln so the credit goes where it goes. But wait a minute.............doesn't the Bible say something along those same lines?
Let's see, 1st Corinthians chapter 1, verses 10 through 13. Since your probably not going to go read that right at this moment, let me share it with you.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them [which are of the house] of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
OK, so I guess it does. And for good reason too. It is soooo important. This has really been on my mind for oh the past like 5 months. When I walked out of the store that day, looked at the mountains and said something like "yeah, OK, you are real, and you won't leave me alone for some strange reason, you've blessed me beyond what I deserve and I want to give back to you, please show me the way" Then late that day I thought about what I had just said to God and remembered all the reasons I hated church and christians............I had to make myself a promise.........."PEOPLE WILL NOT STOP ME FROM DOING THIS!". This aint' about who anymore, I let it be for so many years, it's about God and just giving it all to him because of what all he has given for me.
So back to the united part. I'm a little bit on the angry side today and it led me to write this, (you know, channell your anger type of thing)...........it may or may not make any sense to anyone that reads it, but it sure is calming me down.
You see the world watches Christians.........better yet Christians watch Christians...........and what they see is a bunch of buildings on every street corner in America. They think the big ones are the ones that are doing something right. The small ones, well they must be poor or old fashioned cuz they never grew up. The old ones......well must be a family church but I bet the acoustics are amazing. And that's just what the Christians all think. The world just looks at it like a place to avoid especially on Sunday mornings.
Then there's the people that go to those church buildings. The big ones have the nicer cars in the parking lots so there's money there. The small ones usually has a big ole Cadillac in the parking lot, must be the old time preacher. The old ones, the cars are all dirty and there's only a few, but that's OK cuz they all know each other anyways. The world doesnt really see any of those cars cuz they stay away........especially on Sunday mornings.
My point here is this: we judge, we divide, we assume, we gossip, we divide, we don't support, and eventually we will fail. Actually we are already failing. It's kind of hard to convince someone that Jesus loves them when we don't love each other. How are we supposed to be the light if we keep our light hidden under our very own roof and never let it shine anywhere else.
Why does a brother judge a brother? Why can't one church promote a special event or happening at another church. Why don't we ever come together to support each other. Why do we gossip about what's going on at the other church? We are a divided body. Some of us are following Paul, some Apollos, and others Cephas, when we ouhgta be following Jesus.
Well their music is too loud, or their preacher is too boring, or their kid ministry is too lame. OK, those are great reasons to be or not to be a "regular" attendee at a particular church. But that is NOT a reason to not support that church, or to take it a step further and discourage the support of that church.
We all have different tastes and likes and that is a positive reason for having options when it comes to going to church BUT, we are all part of the same body of Christ.
If we can't all stand together, we sure can all fall together. If we are so afraid of members going to another church for a visit and then never coming back, we might want to look in the mirror and see why they'd want to leave in the first place, cuz I promise you, no Christmas program is that good. If we decide that we are following God's plan for our church and a member decides to leave, then maybe that person's plan from God wasn't the same as our churches plans. It doesn't make one right and one wrong, it doesn't mean that we "lost" anyone. It should mean that God's plan is being followed by all parties and in that we support and love each other. It should mean that we have now extended our ministry of our church beyond our own doors and God's will is being done because of it.
I found a church that made me feel welcome like a lifetime member after only being there a couple of times. I sensed the love, I felt the fire for God, and the judgement part that typically comes with a church environment seems to be missing. Oh, it's not perfect, and I'm sure things will pop up, but if I keep my eyes on the leader (not the pastor, but God) then those things will roll away like water under a bridge. That doesn't mean I won't visit other churches, or support other churches. The work I do allows me to be blessed by serving with other ministries and churches, and I love that. I wish some of these places had services or events on weird days like Mondays, or Saturday mornings so I could go back and be part of them more often. (that's a subject for another blog........)
Eliminating divisions among God's people is a burning fire deep inside me. I have seen these divisions keep some people that I truly love away from church altogether, and unfortunately because in America we so associate church attendance with God following, these people also turn away from even trying to follow God. The truth is there is NOT a single church in the world that will get you to God. If they say they are you best run away.............fast. And the other truth is you don't need church to be a child of God. You don't need church to get to heaven. You don't really need church for anything. It is nice to have a place to go that supports you in your work efforts for Jesus. It is nice to have a place to go to and be around like minded people. It is nice to have a place to go and be taught about God's word and to discuss it. But these things are benefits of being a "Christian", they are not requirements to being one of Gods children. And if we are a part of one group of folks for a long period of time, without expanding those boundaries, then we have become isolated.............it's pretty dern hard to "go into the world" when your stuck in isolation.
So I urge you to support one another. Pray for each other, show up at a different church once and awhile and hug a person or two, let your congregation know about the happenings at other congregations, love one another. Paul said that he "beseeches" in "the name of our lord Jesus Christ that there be no divisions among you". Think about that..........he declared something in Jesus' name. Ya think he was serious there? I do. I think he saw then what we see now. Trust me when I say your church is nothing more than a building, and if you think for one moment you have any more importance than that, then you've missed the boat. God doesn't need you (but he does want you). God doesnt care how big, small, or great sounding your church is. God doesn't care what church you go to. God doesn't move in some churches and not others, he moves when people allow him to move within themselves. I hope you allow God to move within you, and in doing so you just stop this church game. Love one another, support one another, the world (and Christians) are watching you.
Finally, if you read this and your thinking..........."yep, that's why I stay away from church". Well first off, let me tell ya, churches are made up of people, and people are people.........we all do some pretty dumb stuff while thinking we got it all figured out. If you let people be the reason that you don't go to church, I'm ok with that. People can be very hurtful, prideful, arrogant, rude, obnoxious, and all those other things that just bug ya. But if you let people be the reason you don't believe in God, or dont' follow God, then let me beg of you to reconsider. God loves you (and us crazy christians too) despite ourselves. He wants to change you, he wants to be real in your life, he wants to bring people into your life that have a real love of God in them, even if they ain't perfect. He wants to love you just the way you are with all of your imperfections. See that's why Christians aren't perfect, cuz God loves us just the way we are, he doesn't wait on us to get our act together to welcome us home, he welcomes us home and then quietly helps us get our act together. The forgiveness is there, we just have to accept it. If you'd like to accept it or even just chat about it, email me or leave a comment.
I have a burning desire to be used by God to bring Christians together, I'm not a prophet but I think the time is coming when churches will be persecuted to the point of most of them going away.....but even if I'm wrong, I still want to see us join together for the good of God, in this the world will know that we are God's people.
Love one another................
dP
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Who loves like that?
Gotta get this out.
In the middle of the ultimate betrayal I hear the words......."I still love (insert name or pronoun here)". How does one love like that?
With anger brewing from the heart and the mind meddled in madness the thought of still loving is what comes out of the mouth. How does that happen?
In the middle of the confusion and in the confusion of all the questions the feeling of forgiveness is felt within every word that is spoken. Who is able to express such a feeling at such the time?
During the questioning as to why a choice or lack of choice was made, understanding is expressed and no accusations are made. Who is able to have that depth of forgiveness?
The pain has to be unbearable. The betrayal is extreme. When one that you trust to never betray you is the one that betrays you, this my friend is the ultimate form of betrayal. How does one submiss anger at such a time?
A single action of betrayal can cause a lifetime of hurt, so what does a lifetime of betrayal cause? How does one not instantly seek revenge?
The selfishness that has existed has caused pain to many, anguish to some, and hurt to all. How does one not be selfish at this time? How is not getting even make things equal?
When turning the other cheek is only going to bring more pain, who turns the other cheek?
I know the answer to all of these questions. And I have discovered a love that I have always known but never in the way that I came to know it today.
I only hope that somewhere, sometime, in someway I am able to love like that.
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My anger consumes me. My frustration weakens me. My pain causes numbness. My confusion leads me to even more frustration. My hurt is deep, it's a knife that is cutting through the foundations of everything I've ever known or believed. The sense of betrayal shuts my mind down because isolation is the only place of solace. I seek refuge in music but the songs are too simple. I seek refuge in seclusion but the voices in my mind are too loud. I seek refuge in my anger but the heat from within is a flame that I cannot control.
.......................................................................then I think of the love I've seen today and I release a long breath of air that I did not consume. That love takes nothing away from my being, but it makes everything well within my being.
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I will be strong
I will be patient
I will be angry
I will be hurt
I will love
I will wait
I will pray
I cannot stop any of these from happening. The circumstance demands that they all have to happen. I will allow them to happen, and I will ponder the love that I have seen today.
-dP-
In the middle of the ultimate betrayal I hear the words......."I still love (insert name or pronoun here)". How does one love like that?
With anger brewing from the heart and the mind meddled in madness the thought of still loving is what comes out of the mouth. How does that happen?
In the middle of the confusion and in the confusion of all the questions the feeling of forgiveness is felt within every word that is spoken. Who is able to express such a feeling at such the time?
During the questioning as to why a choice or lack of choice was made, understanding is expressed and no accusations are made. Who is able to have that depth of forgiveness?
The pain has to be unbearable. The betrayal is extreme. When one that you trust to never betray you is the one that betrays you, this my friend is the ultimate form of betrayal. How does one submiss anger at such a time?
A single action of betrayal can cause a lifetime of hurt, so what does a lifetime of betrayal cause? How does one not instantly seek revenge?
The selfishness that has existed has caused pain to many, anguish to some, and hurt to all. How does one not be selfish at this time? How is not getting even make things equal?
When turning the other cheek is only going to bring more pain, who turns the other cheek?
I know the answer to all of these questions. And I have discovered a love that I have always known but never in the way that I came to know it today.
I only hope that somewhere, sometime, in someway I am able to love like that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My anger consumes me. My frustration weakens me. My pain causes numbness. My confusion leads me to even more frustration. My hurt is deep, it's a knife that is cutting through the foundations of everything I've ever known or believed. The sense of betrayal shuts my mind down because isolation is the only place of solace. I seek refuge in music but the songs are too simple. I seek refuge in seclusion but the voices in my mind are too loud. I seek refuge in my anger but the heat from within is a flame that I cannot control.
.......................................................................then I think of the love I've seen today and I release a long breath of air that I did not consume. That love takes nothing away from my being, but it makes everything well within my being.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I will be strong
I will be patient
I will be angry
I will be hurt
I will love
I will wait
I will pray
I cannot stop any of these from happening. The circumstance demands that they all have to happen. I will allow them to happen, and I will ponder the love that I have seen today.
-dP-
Monday, March 18, 2013
Monday Moanin' (4)
- Bone Prophet show was amazing. Very polished band. Good energy. Very professional. Not alot of message time, but the message they gave was simple and direct. If you missed this show you need to find a way to see them live. Truly one of the best bands around, signed or unsigned.
- Ready to retire the shokjok name. It's lived it's course, died, came back, died again, and has just gotten beyond meaning...................need a new dj name.
- When I started djing you came up with a radio friendly name. Like Arthur P, or Kid Costan, or Doug Podell. Then later the dj so and so stuff came along, such as dj beatmixer or dj funtime. Never understood the dj before the name part, I mean if your djing they obviously they know your a dj. So should I go back to a stage name. (way back when -high school days- I used Dave Jacobs)(get it? initals are d and j...haha) or should I come up a new dj so and so name? I shall ponder and then have a retirement party online.........to finally lay the dj shokjok name to rest.
- Never really "loved" the shokjok name, but it was kind of handed to me and I came up with some pretty good marketing themes for it. My favorite was to yell out it's the "shokjok with a little bit of Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiidddddddddddddd Rooooooooccccccccckkkkkkk!" (those were fun times). But if I need anymore proof that it's time to retire the name, Kid Rock is country now...
- So is it Dave Jacobs? Or DJ Clarus? (as in Clarus Promotions)
- Clarus - did you know that the word clarus in latin means clear, bright / renowned, famous, illustrious. Just like I like the music to be, clear, bright, renowned and illustrious. (the famous part isnt so important but it is fitting for a promotions company). In Roman times it was the name used by many saints. So I feel I have the perfect sound production, audio entertainment, and promotions name. (but that's just me.................) Most people say "huh?" what's the name again?" how do you spell that?"
- DJ Grand Mill playing a show in Kingston TN tomorrow, I think I'm going.
- Evolution vs creation debate is a very tiresome debate. They've got science I've got faith. Science changes over the years, faith doesn't. They don't see that science changes though, they look at is as we've advanced. But if we've advanced to the point of knowing it all then we will quit advancing, thus the end is near. Faith tells ya that if you look at the shape of the world today the end is near..........so maybe we're not all that different in that area. Wonder what science will tell us is fact in 100 years. I mean there was a time that the world was flat, the sun went around the earth, Pluto was a planet, and dinosaurs we're "believed" to have existed. Science can't prove or disprove God, it still takes faith even in this highly technological advanced world that we exist in.
- I have my first paid writing gig coming up this weekend. Kind of excited, kind of nervous.
- Do you ever pray and NOT ask for something?
- If you charge a fee for your ministry, such as an appearance fee, is it a ministry or your job?
- If you ask for a donation you're thought of as having ulterior motives. So where's the balance? I don't know, just wondering. Your comments are always welcome.
- And God's lesson to me for this week has been about fear. Fear can conquer us if we let it. Fear can stop us before we get started, or stop us in our tracks. I need to learn to overcome fear, because that is how my faith will grow. One goes hand in hand with the other. More faith equals less fear, less fear REQUIRES more faith.
-dP-
Monday, March 11, 2013
Out Of My Mind On a Monday Mornin' (3)
- Was fortunate to see one of the most "real" live shows ever. The Shine Effect and DJ Grand Mill. Just really "real" people. Yes they were performing but you could just feel that the performance wasn't about the "show" but about what was "real". One of those moments when you just think, "wow, I'm happy to be right here, right now".
- Kinda like that new song by Plumb. Need You Now.
- I think that God knew he was going to die for us BEFORE he ever created us, yet he created us anyway because he knew he loved us BEFORE he created us.
- I also think that God wanted to have a relationship with us, and that is the reason he allowed us to fall, so that we could have a relationship with him through his son, Jesus. He knew that was the only way to have a true relationship with us, and break down the barrier between the Creator and the created.
- Humans cannot have relationships with their creations. Oh, we can interact with our computers, and our devices, but those devices cannot do or give anything back to us unless we tell it to. Our devices have ZERO choice in the matter. Us humans have a choice in the matter, and that choice through Jesus allows to have a relationship with our creator.
- Maybe those things are simple to you, but to me they amaze me to consider everytime I think about it.
- Atheism is a religion, no different than christianity, muslim, deity, etc., etc. An absence of god is the God. As Bob Dylan once said "You Gotta Serve Somebody". The choice to believe or not believe in God is given to you by God, which is the strangest kind of love that I can imagine, but nonetheless it is a love that we should all strive for. Yes God does love the atheist.
- Ever notice how greed and ego seem to go hand in hand?
- I don't think the U.S.A. is the most hated country in the world because of who or what we are, I think it's because we support Israel. Israel is the most hated country in the world. Always has been, always will be. It's God's chosen people, of course the world and it's ruler is going to hate it.
- For some this is reason enough to petition our leaders to stop supporting Israel. Wouldn't you rather be hated for supporting God's people than accepted for not?
- I think I'm one of the last people in the world that does not have an Itunes account. I think I'm going to have to finally give in and obtain one. Why one company controls so much of the music, or at least the distribution of the music seems unfair to me, but it is what it is and if I want to get my hands on some of this new stuff coming out, I'm going to need an Itunes account................pity me...........I feel very sad about this.
dP
Friday, March 08, 2013
God Loves Atheists
I must admit I hate atheism. Before I go any futher, it's not the atheist I hate but the idea that a human being could not believe in God. I have a deep caring for atheists, I just hate the atheist religion. (yes it's a religion.......the same way all religions are religions)
First off, how can someone believe that there is no God? How can you look at a newborn baby and not even think about God? How can you stand on a mountaintop and not at least consider God? How can one stand on the seashore and not gaze in wonderment at how that came to be? How can anyone not believe in God?
I guess the first answer that is religion. Religion sometimes makes me question God, but then all I have to do is reconsider the amazement of the universe and those thoughts quietly fade.
There is a news article on Google news today about an atheist church in Britain that is growing so fast they have already outgrew their building. OK, let's consider this. First off it's Britain, a historically very christian country. Then let's consider that this made the main page of Google news. When is the last time a christian church made the main page of Google news? When Pat Robertson said something "out there", when a pastor embezzles millions from his congregation, or when a church sues another church over it's name? Yep, that's pretty much what the world sees in christianity, and the christians so called belief in God. Kind of makes it easy to understand why one would not believe in God.
Atheists often state that they have morals, and they are "good" people, they just don't need to believe in God. Well to that I say hogwash. If you take away the bible, you take away the morals. Morals of man change over time. Consider that it was once OK to have slaves, consider that homosexuality used to be considered a disease. Yes Mr. Atheist, you can have morals and thank God that still yet today man's morals state that it's not OK to kill, steal, or hate, however morals change with time unless you follow the morals of God. Scientists have suggested that a pedophile is not much different from a homosexual person. Kids is their "turn on", just like gay men are turned on by men. (I'll post the news link at the bottom). 30 years ago when I was a child, being gay was considered wrong by the majority, today it's widely accepted and even Pastors and church leaders are gay, I wonder if 30 years from now it will be OK for an adult to date, marry, or have sex with children. Before you say that's ludacris, consider what I just said about the homosexual lifestyle from 30 years ago. My point is, that man's morals change over time, and they will always change AWAY from God, if we aren't believing in, or following God.
Life itself. If life is not a gift from God the creator then life has no meaning. You can do all the good in the world that you want, but when you are dead, you are just dead. If life has no purpose other than to "get through it", then how is life precious. If life is not a gift from God, and it just happened, then nothing matters, it just happens. We could blow ourselves up tomorrow and destroy everything, it's OK though because it was all a random mistake anyways.
I would think that being an atheist would be a lonely and depressing choice of living. Most atheists say that is not true, that they are quite happy. Well I'm the happiest too when I choose to ignore my responsiblites and act as if life was as simple as when I was a 6 year old kid. If you don't have a right or a wrong, there is alot of freedom in that. If you have only heard the "thou shalts" and the "thou shalt not" from religion, well there is a lot of bondage and baggage that goes along with that.
If you have heard that God loves you. That God IS love. That God loved you so much he MADE you. That God loves you no matter what you have done, or what you might do, well that changes things a bit. If you can accept that love, and then love in return, your man made morals no longer matter, now you have a purpose for everything. You live a good life because you love he who loved you first, because you want to. No different than when you fall in love with your life mate. You love him/her so you live your life according to a way in which reflects the love that you have. It's hard to love someone that you don't belive in, I understand that. But God says it's OK to try him, to test him, (1 John 4:1) why does he say that? Well probably because he knows that you too will come to an understanding that he is real, and that will cause faith and faith is what it's all about. Believe in God, love him that loves you and the whole world, scratch that, the whole universe changes.
I've heard christians say about atheism, "well if I'm right I'm OK, if they are right I'm still OK". What kind of attitude is that? I mean no wonder there are atheists if that's the view we take. Jesus said to love one another. He said it many many times, over and over again. I think he might of meant that. If we loved each other with the love of Christ, I think it would be the God churches that would be over flowing and the atheist churches that are emptly on Sunday mornings.
If you don't believe in God, in my mind that's OK, but only if you take the time to really consider the other option. (that there is a God). I spend my fair share of time thinking on both sides of the subject, so I'm not asking anything of you that I don't already do. Remember you can be the best person in the world and not ever meet God, the only sin that sends you to hell is the sin of rejecting God. God loves you so much he cannot stand the rejection and he will cast you away. The same way you would send someone away that broke your heart so many times that you just couldn't take it anymore.
Look at the mountains, look at the babies, look at the perfection of Earth and the way that life exists and can only exist the way that it does, and then consider for just a moment..............God. Then stop and think how God loved you so much that he knew he was going to die for you before he even made you.
link to news article: http://gospelsower.com/ (scroll down to about the middle of the page)
dP
First off, how can someone believe that there is no God? How can you look at a newborn baby and not even think about God? How can you stand on a mountaintop and not at least consider God? How can one stand on the seashore and not gaze in wonderment at how that came to be? How can anyone not believe in God?
I guess the first answer that is religion. Religion sometimes makes me question God, but then all I have to do is reconsider the amazement of the universe and those thoughts quietly fade.
There is a news article on Google news today about an atheist church in Britain that is growing so fast they have already outgrew their building. OK, let's consider this. First off it's Britain, a historically very christian country. Then let's consider that this made the main page of Google news. When is the last time a christian church made the main page of Google news? When Pat Robertson said something "out there", when a pastor embezzles millions from his congregation, or when a church sues another church over it's name? Yep, that's pretty much what the world sees in christianity, and the christians so called belief in God. Kind of makes it easy to understand why one would not believe in God.
Atheists often state that they have morals, and they are "good" people, they just don't need to believe in God. Well to that I say hogwash. If you take away the bible, you take away the morals. Morals of man change over time. Consider that it was once OK to have slaves, consider that homosexuality used to be considered a disease. Yes Mr. Atheist, you can have morals and thank God that still yet today man's morals state that it's not OK to kill, steal, or hate, however morals change with time unless you follow the morals of God. Scientists have suggested that a pedophile is not much different from a homosexual person. Kids is their "turn on", just like gay men are turned on by men. (I'll post the news link at the bottom). 30 years ago when I was a child, being gay was considered wrong by the majority, today it's widely accepted and even Pastors and church leaders are gay, I wonder if 30 years from now it will be OK for an adult to date, marry, or have sex with children. Before you say that's ludacris, consider what I just said about the homosexual lifestyle from 30 years ago. My point is, that man's morals change over time, and they will always change AWAY from God, if we aren't believing in, or following God.
Life itself. If life is not a gift from God the creator then life has no meaning. You can do all the good in the world that you want, but when you are dead, you are just dead. If life has no purpose other than to "get through it", then how is life precious. If life is not a gift from God, and it just happened, then nothing matters, it just happens. We could blow ourselves up tomorrow and destroy everything, it's OK though because it was all a random mistake anyways.
I would think that being an atheist would be a lonely and depressing choice of living. Most atheists say that is not true, that they are quite happy. Well I'm the happiest too when I choose to ignore my responsiblites and act as if life was as simple as when I was a 6 year old kid. If you don't have a right or a wrong, there is alot of freedom in that. If you have only heard the "thou shalts" and the "thou shalt not" from religion, well there is a lot of bondage and baggage that goes along with that.
If you have heard that God loves you. That God IS love. That God loved you so much he MADE you. That God loves you no matter what you have done, or what you might do, well that changes things a bit. If you can accept that love, and then love in return, your man made morals no longer matter, now you have a purpose for everything. You live a good life because you love he who loved you first, because you want to. No different than when you fall in love with your life mate. You love him/her so you live your life according to a way in which reflects the love that you have. It's hard to love someone that you don't belive in, I understand that. But God says it's OK to try him, to test him, (1 John 4:1) why does he say that? Well probably because he knows that you too will come to an understanding that he is real, and that will cause faith and faith is what it's all about. Believe in God, love him that loves you and the whole world, scratch that, the whole universe changes.
I've heard christians say about atheism, "well if I'm right I'm OK, if they are right I'm still OK". What kind of attitude is that? I mean no wonder there are atheists if that's the view we take. Jesus said to love one another. He said it many many times, over and over again. I think he might of meant that. If we loved each other with the love of Christ, I think it would be the God churches that would be over flowing and the atheist churches that are emptly on Sunday mornings.
If you don't believe in God, in my mind that's OK, but only if you take the time to really consider the other option. (that there is a God). I spend my fair share of time thinking on both sides of the subject, so I'm not asking anything of you that I don't already do. Remember you can be the best person in the world and not ever meet God, the only sin that sends you to hell is the sin of rejecting God. God loves you so much he cannot stand the rejection and he will cast you away. The same way you would send someone away that broke your heart so many times that you just couldn't take it anymore.
Look at the mountains, look at the babies, look at the perfection of Earth and the way that life exists and can only exist the way that it does, and then consider for just a moment..............God. Then stop and think how God loved you so much that he knew he was going to die for you before he even made you.
link to news article: http://gospelsower.com/ (scroll down to about the middle of the page)
dP
Monday, March 04, 2013
Outta My Mind On A Monday Moanin' (2)
Let's start out today with some thoughts and observations from the debut of last nights TV show "The Bible".
Ok, so today's blog ended up being mostly about the TV show "The Bible" from last night, but then again I did watch the show, it got me thinking, and I think someone needed to fill in the blanks. Thanks for reading, now go read Genesis. You will be amazed at how much information is in that book. History, life lessons, and answers to so many questions which science has never been able to disprove.
dP
- I thought the show was going to be epic. I was a bit disappointed
- The special effects were a bit disappointing as well
- After I got over the fact that this was a story book type of show, and there was not going to be any true meaning revealed, I found myself paying attention to the story. I realized that they left a few details out
- An angel yelled out to Abraham before he was about to sacrifice his son, he didn't just appear on the mountain. Also, Abraham took two men with him as he made his way out to the mountain to prepare the sacrifice of his only son.
- The Israelites walked across the Red Sea on DRY land, it's only stated like 3 times in the bible. I think God really wants us to understand it was DRY land, not the mud on the TV show. (CC DeMille got it so much better.......and that was over 50 years ago)
- No mention of the golden calf at all. Weird because Moses broke the tablets and ended up having to go back up the mountain and get them from God a second time.
- They did touch on Joshua being the one to finally lead the Israelites into the promised land, but they failed to show why it happened that way. Moses disobeyed God, and God punished him by not allowing him to make it to the promised land. However God did show Moses the promised land so that Moses would die knowing that they had made it and that God had kept his word.
- The angels that appeared to Lot? What in the world was up with that? I didn't know they we're even supposed to be angels until after that entire scene was over. An Asian and and African as angels? I mean angels arent any race, I mean like they are angels. But I guess if your going to portray them as people, somehow you have to include it in the story that these are angels so we know. Imagine someone watching that who has no idea of that story.
- What happened to Lot after the burning of the city of Sodom they did not show. Probably too graphic for "family" television, but it's in the bible if you want to look it up. (Yes I just said the bible might be too graphic for "family" television")
- I pondered if maybe God didn't just use the plagues to convince Pharoah to let his people go, but also to SHOW the Israelites that indeed he IS God, and indeed he is going to set them free, so that they would believe.
- And isn't it funny how God is only as real to us as the last miracle or experience we felt. Just like the Israelites thinking that God had brought them out of Egypt only to let them die at the banks of the Red Sea, sometimes we think that God just forgets about us and that he has left us hanging......................but in the end.................if we are patient.............and pay attention...........the Red Sea will open for us too.
- I also was bummed that they didn't show the manna from heaven. God provided daily. He told them to only take enough for a day at a time, and for two days on Saturday. (I say Saturday to keep it simple, but the day before the sabbath, God gave food for two days because he didn't send the manna on the sabbath). It makes me think that God doesnt cook on Sundays.........
- Just like us regular folks of today, some of the Israelites would gather up more food than they needed...........and what happened to it? It spoiled, and stunk up the whole camp.
- Maybe we don't need savings accounts, and financial advisors, maybe we really should live day to day and learn to truly trust God. I bet we'd see more miracles, because I know we'd all learn to have more faith.
- I think the Egyptians felt that the water in the Red Sea had stayed back long enough that it was an act of mother nature, and it was OK that they tried to cross too, about that time God reminded them that he did it. I think we often forget that "mother nature" is God's hands at work.
- Does anyone else see the irony in the fact that Ihsmael and Hagar left Abraham and went to Egypt? The same Egypt that years later would enslave the Israelites (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's descendants) for 400 years. There's a lesson there, I will be studying it.
- One lesson to learn, when God tells you he's gonna do something, don't force the issue. (see: Abraham and Sara agreeing that Abraham should just have a son with the maid since Sara was getting old and they were tired of waiting).
Ok, so today's blog ended up being mostly about the TV show "The Bible" from last night, but then again I did watch the show, it got me thinking, and I think someone needed to fill in the blanks. Thanks for reading, now go read Genesis. You will be amazed at how much information is in that book. History, life lessons, and answers to so many questions which science has never been able to disprove.
dP
Friday, March 01, 2013
Question Everything
Would you go to jail for your faith?
Out of 12 disciples, 1 committed suicide (the betrayer Judas), 1 died of old age (John the revelator) and 11 were killed for their faith and their ministry. Would you die for God?
The masses followed him from place to place listening to his message, then the masses later on yelled out "crucify him". Do you follow the crowd?
Did you ever pay attention in the bible where Jesus was talking to his disciples and explaining to them about his upcoming death, and told them, no demanded to them that they obey his commandments; then at the end of that speech he gave them the commandment: "love one another". Do you love like that?
Why have I never heard anyone preach or try to explain the part of the bible where it tells of the saints being resurrected at Jesus' death and going into the land? What is that supposed to teach me? I want to learn about that.
Was Jesus homeless? I mean in an earthly sense? Does the bible talk about his "house" or "home". Would you listen to a homeless man on the corner talking about love and sacrifice and being a servant? Would you give him the time of day?
How does a church report 6 million dollars in donations and only 500k in missionary work, or 200k towards feeding the hungry. What happened to the other 5.3 million? Are you posting this because your proud of your work? What about the verse that says give everything to the poor and go into the land? Do you think God cares about your annual report? I mean how do we miss the point so badly?
Maybe no one follows christianity because christianity is just as wrong and foolish as any or all of the other religions. Do you follow your church? Or do you follow God?
Why are there so many churches? With half of them empty?
Is a big church a better church? Does size mean anything more than just size?
If your thinking right now that I have an issue with churches, it's because I do. Jesus didn't tell us to meet up once a week at our little country club, he told us to go into the world. Well I'm not a real smart guy but as far as I know it's very difficult to pick up a building and move it around into the world. Don't get me wrong church has it's place, it's our hospital, our fueling station, our way to hang out with other sinners just like us and be loved while we love, but if church is about size, numbers, or anything OTHER than the advancement of the gospel...............we've missed the mark.
Why are angels and UFO's and paranormal activity shows so prevalent on TV these days?
Why in the 70's were dinosaurs still up for debate?
Has anyone found Bigfoot yet?
Why do most near death experiences report seeing a bright light? Ever read that scripture that says the devil is an angel of light? Does that worry you? (kinda hoping I don't see a light when I die)
How is it that evolution is still taught, when science has basically proven that it can't happen that way.
How is it we know the earth is 6 billion years old or so, but we can't figure out how old the Shroud of Turin is?
Why do we even care about the shroud of Turin? IF it is Jesus, it still won't make the world believers, they'd just all go and worship the shroud instead. (I only bring this up because there was a Discovery channell show on about it the other day.............the show made for a very good nap.)
Ever think of the irony in the fact that scientists have spent gazillions of dollars looking for the god particle? Does it remind you of the tower of Babel? (Nothing really changes..................)
If you would like to ask some questions or provide some insights..........feel free to comment. I do not ask these questions to cause doubt, division, or because I think I know anything. I ask these questions because the answers are in the bible and hopefully you will be challenged to seek the answers for yourself.
And thanks Dad for teaching me to question everything. It really messes up the comfort zone sometimes, but it does help me to discern between truth and accepted truth.
Out of 12 disciples, 1 committed suicide (the betrayer Judas), 1 died of old age (John the revelator) and 11 were killed for their faith and their ministry. Would you die for God?
The masses followed him from place to place listening to his message, then the masses later on yelled out "crucify him". Do you follow the crowd?
Did you ever pay attention in the bible where Jesus was talking to his disciples and explaining to them about his upcoming death, and told them, no demanded to them that they obey his commandments; then at the end of that speech he gave them the commandment: "love one another". Do you love like that?
Why have I never heard anyone preach or try to explain the part of the bible where it tells of the saints being resurrected at Jesus' death and going into the land? What is that supposed to teach me? I want to learn about that.
Was Jesus homeless? I mean in an earthly sense? Does the bible talk about his "house" or "home". Would you listen to a homeless man on the corner talking about love and sacrifice and being a servant? Would you give him the time of day?
How does a church report 6 million dollars in donations and only 500k in missionary work, or 200k towards feeding the hungry. What happened to the other 5.3 million? Are you posting this because your proud of your work? What about the verse that says give everything to the poor and go into the land? Do you think God cares about your annual report? I mean how do we miss the point so badly?
Maybe no one follows christianity because christianity is just as wrong and foolish as any or all of the other religions. Do you follow your church? Or do you follow God?
Why are there so many churches? With half of them empty?
Is a big church a better church? Does size mean anything more than just size?
If your thinking right now that I have an issue with churches, it's because I do. Jesus didn't tell us to meet up once a week at our little country club, he told us to go into the world. Well I'm not a real smart guy but as far as I know it's very difficult to pick up a building and move it around into the world. Don't get me wrong church has it's place, it's our hospital, our fueling station, our way to hang out with other sinners just like us and be loved while we love, but if church is about size, numbers, or anything OTHER than the advancement of the gospel...............we've missed the mark.
Why are angels and UFO's and paranormal activity shows so prevalent on TV these days?
Why in the 70's were dinosaurs still up for debate?
Has anyone found Bigfoot yet?
Why do most near death experiences report seeing a bright light? Ever read that scripture that says the devil is an angel of light? Does that worry you? (kinda hoping I don't see a light when I die)
How is it that evolution is still taught, when science has basically proven that it can't happen that way.
How is it we know the earth is 6 billion years old or so, but we can't figure out how old the Shroud of Turin is?
Why do we even care about the shroud of Turin? IF it is Jesus, it still won't make the world believers, they'd just all go and worship the shroud instead. (I only bring this up because there was a Discovery channell show on about it the other day.............the show made for a very good nap.)
Ever think of the irony in the fact that scientists have spent gazillions of dollars looking for the god particle? Does it remind you of the tower of Babel? (Nothing really changes..................)
If you would like to ask some questions or provide some insights..........feel free to comment. I do not ask these questions to cause doubt, division, or because I think I know anything. I ask these questions because the answers are in the bible and hopefully you will be challenged to seek the answers for yourself.
And thanks Dad for teaching me to question everything. It really messes up the comfort zone sometimes, but it does help me to discern between truth and accepted truth.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday Moanin'
Bob Talbert was a writer for the Detroit News back when I was a kid and delivered papers. He used to write a column on Monday mornings, called "Monday Moanin". In it he would just write random lines about random things. Kind of like a week of Facebook posts in one column (except this was decades before Facebook). It was typically the only thing in the paper that I would read besides the sports section.
Here is my first installment of out of my mind on a Monday Moanin'. (with all respect to Mr. Talbert)
Here is my first installment of out of my mind on a Monday Moanin'. (with all respect to Mr. Talbert)
- I have been amazed each time this past week that I have read that Danica Patrick is a role model for young women. The type of amazed where you shake your head in disbelief as to what you just read or saw.
- It's not really about gun control it's about the taking away of our rights. This is when people say well they aren't taking away the rights to own guns, just the really bad ones. I then say when did our government become our judge? Who are they to say what is a good gun and what is a bad gun. At that point I note, once a portion of one right is taken the away the seal has been broken and more and more rights or even portions of rights can then be taken away much easier, with less and less of a fight.
- Overhead an elderly lady standing in a check out line describing what her health care has become. She called it "euthanasia". I hung my head and thought about how much that has to be a burden to her. How she might be feeling too old to be relevant, and that her government agrees so they are getting rid of her and her type slowly. Then I thought about my parents.......................
- Question your government, or your government will act without question.
- My favorite tweet of this past weeks was: Don't go to church, BE the church.
- Too many churches are like clubs, if you don't fit the profile you don't belong. Thank God EVERONE belongs in Jesus' church.
- Watching Mike Murdoch is like watching a train wreck. It is SO bad, yet I can't seem to stop watching. I wonder if the audience is paid to set there and look like they believe the stuff.
- Is there anything more wonderful than young people doing things for God? Is there a faith that is any more pure than that of a young person. (reminds me of Jesus saying that we all need to be as children to enter the kingdom of God).
- Isn't it ironic that once the major companies bought up all the christian record companies that christian music became so much more main stream, and widely accepted?
- Does anyone write protest songs anymore?
- Does anyone protest anymore? Or do we all just call talk shows and complain?
- Have you ever pondered the thought of Jesus as a boy? Did he play ball? Did little girls flirt with him? Did he skip rocks across the river? Did he climb trees? God became human, Jesus didn't go from the manger to 30 years old over night. The bible doesn't talk alot about it, but Jesus spent time as a little boy. Isn't that an amazing thing to think about? Listen to Rich Mullins' song Boy Like Me, Man Like You.
- Can you imagine Jesus having the scriptures read to him as a boy? The same scriptures that he helped to write. Wonder what he thought?
- Why is the devil red? Why are angels usually babies? Why does Jesus look like a white guy with long hair. Why does Jesus have a piece of cloth around his mid section in pictures of the crucifixion? Western images that block out reality.
- And I leave you with this: ACTS 14:8 (NIV) In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. {That man had faith, I want to have faith like that}.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
You aint' nothin without love......
God has been speaking to me about love lately.
Like love your enemies, love strangers, love when your crabby, and love when your just not feeling it.
That all sounds so cliche, but I've been thinking about it in a different light lately. We all like to think that we love. But then again we all have our ego's that protect us from the truth about ourselves. When is the last time I smiled at someone just because? When is the last time I gave money to a homeless guy on the street, even if I felt they we're going to use it on alcohol or drugs? It's not my place to judge what they do with the money, or justify not giving it to them because they might use it for bad, it is my responsibility to love. How bout handing them a 5 spot and then asking them if I could pray for them? A stranger? Right there on the street...........a guy that smells and is dirty? Hand him a 5 spot (or more) and then ask him if I can pray for him? Me? I should do that? Well in a short answer..........YES.
Isn't that what we are commanded to do? Isn't that the only thing Jesus said we should worry about? Loving others. Feeding the poor and the hungry.........
I spend more on cable TV than I give to homeless charities. I spend more on cable TV than I give to hungry people.
As members of the club USA we have it pretty nice. Even our minimum wage workers make more money than most do in third world countries. Times are tough all over, that is a true statement, however loving doesn't cost a dime. I've been feeling like I want to do more for God, when in reality anything is more than what I'm currently doing.
I've been learning to be nicer to people, this is a tougher thing to do than some would imagine. I grew up in the cold hard life of Detroit Michigan, where people just aren't typically very nice and if they are you wonder what they are up to. It's not just the living in the south thing, it's a heaviness that has been upon my heart lately that I should love more. Smile to strangers, talk to strangers (very tough for me, as I'm quite a private person). Give more to those that need, and just love. Not preach, not argue, not question.....................just love.
I'm inviting anyone that may read this to do the same. If God is Love........(according to the bible), then when we love we share a piece of God with that person. Some take great pride in the number of souls that answer their altar calls, some take great pride in the songs they write and sing, some take great pride in the "work" they do for the church, but God said to love. Just love and he takes care of the rest.
What is it that most athiests say? Don't tell me or teach me that there is a god, SHOW ME! How do you show? You LOVE!
..........dP
(You can be a righteous rocker, or a holy roller, you can be most anything......but without love you are nothing, you are nothing without love) - Larry Norman
Like love your enemies, love strangers, love when your crabby, and love when your just not feeling it.
That all sounds so cliche, but I've been thinking about it in a different light lately. We all like to think that we love. But then again we all have our ego's that protect us from the truth about ourselves. When is the last time I smiled at someone just because? When is the last time I gave money to a homeless guy on the street, even if I felt they we're going to use it on alcohol or drugs? It's not my place to judge what they do with the money, or justify not giving it to them because they might use it for bad, it is my responsibility to love. How bout handing them a 5 spot and then asking them if I could pray for them? A stranger? Right there on the street...........a guy that smells and is dirty? Hand him a 5 spot (or more) and then ask him if I can pray for him? Me? I should do that? Well in a short answer..........YES.
Isn't that what we are commanded to do? Isn't that the only thing Jesus said we should worry about? Loving others. Feeding the poor and the hungry.........
I spend more on cable TV than I give to homeless charities. I spend more on cable TV than I give to hungry people.
As members of the club USA we have it pretty nice. Even our minimum wage workers make more money than most do in third world countries. Times are tough all over, that is a true statement, however loving doesn't cost a dime. I've been feeling like I want to do more for God, when in reality anything is more than what I'm currently doing.
I've been learning to be nicer to people, this is a tougher thing to do than some would imagine. I grew up in the cold hard life of Detroit Michigan, where people just aren't typically very nice and if they are you wonder what they are up to. It's not just the living in the south thing, it's a heaviness that has been upon my heart lately that I should love more. Smile to strangers, talk to strangers (very tough for me, as I'm quite a private person). Give more to those that need, and just love. Not preach, not argue, not question.....................just love.
I'm inviting anyone that may read this to do the same. If God is Love........(according to the bible), then when we love we share a piece of God with that person. Some take great pride in the number of souls that answer their altar calls, some take great pride in the songs they write and sing, some take great pride in the "work" they do for the church, but God said to love. Just love and he takes care of the rest.
What is it that most athiests say? Don't tell me or teach me that there is a god, SHOW ME! How do you show? You LOVE!
..........dP
(You can be a righteous rocker, or a holy roller, you can be most anything......but without love you are nothing, you are nothing without love) - Larry Norman
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
My First Visit to New Orleans
I was fortunate to be able to visit the city of New Orleans over the past weekend. I was invited down to dj a wedding for a friend, and while that was the main reason for traveling to New Orleans I was also able to take in a bit of what the city has to offer and to see. Here are some random thoughts on my first visit to New Orleans, Louisianna.
- Traveling to Louisianna through Mississippi from Tennessee is a very long and steady decline. I knew that parts of New Orleans is actually below sea level, but traveling on the roads and experiencing the steady decline was a eye opening experience.
- The landscape is very flat and very wet. Swamps are just for the TV shows, they have alot of swamp area, and weltands
- Shell oil company has quite a few oil pipelines running along the shore lines of the southern tip of Louisianna. We all think about the oil we get from the middle east, but we pump alot of oil from the gulf of Mexico.
- You would think with the Shell oil pipelines that gas would be a bit cheaper than in other parts of the country, however the opposite is true. Gas for the most part was consistently the same price through out the entire road trip, with Tennesse having the cheapest gas that I purchased. Shell gas stations all seemed to actually be HIGHER in price than most other gas stations. On one corner I observed that a Shell station was selling gas for 16 cents MORE than the Exxon station right across the street.
- People build their houses along the coast with some major stilts. But then again some don't. I was wondering why some would and others would not, how would that make sense?
- We as Americans may be in a recession, but you would never know it when you pass by the shops in New Orleans and walk Burboun street at night. People everywhere spending money.
- Katrina still has marks on the city. Most of the "affluent" areas have been rebuilt and they all look new and pretty, but the "inner city" is still quite devasted. We even saw a childs play set still lodged in a tree top (it's been over 7 years).
- The highways that we're taken out are new and rebuilt, so for the most part New Orleans has some very nice road ways.
- The road over Lake Pontchartrain is quite an engineering miracle. How they do that I will never understand.
- Beads are everywhere. People decorate their porches with them, place them on tombs in the cemetaries, and even decorate the trees with them.
- It's amazing that there are stores that just sell beads.
- A tour guide informed us, that beads have no spiritual or historical relevance, that they are used for what we all know as Mardi Gras, or for placing in random places as decorations, and they are mostly made in China is sweat shops..........................
- So these folks in China make beads in sweat shops so we can get drunk and throw them at people............................
- Alcohol is everywhere, it's got to be one of the biggest economical currencies because it is everywhere. It's even legal to walk the streets with a drink in your hand as long as it's in a plastic container. You can take your drinks from bar to bar, this is very strange to someone that grew up in Michigan where alcohol is controlled like it's some big government gift to the people.
- The cemetaries are very interesting. They bury their dead in above ground tombs. The dead are there for 366 days and then the next dead person is placed in the tomb. The 366 days is so that your remains are not disturbed on the day that you died. I was told that the tombs become like an oven in the Louisianna heat, bascially making for a long slow cremation. When the tombs are opened after the 366 days the only remains are typically that of dust and dirt. This causes one to remember that we start out as nothing, and when we are gone we become nothing but dust. One more reason to take care of the spirit inside of us all, our bodies are just dirt walking.
- The reason for being buried in tombs are twofold. Some say it's because of the water tablet in the area and "flooding". If the graves all flooded there would be bodies everywhere. The other reason given is that it was brought over by the Irish and French. In doing some quick research I found that both reasons are fully supported, so the real reason is probaby a combination of both.
- Voodoo looms large in the area. The voodoo priestess Marie Laveau is supposedly buried in a tomb in cemetary #1. People leave her beads, rocks, coins, and Jameson bottles ( I assume she was Irish). People also put three (xxx) x'es on her tomb in hopes that she will grant them a wish. It's crazy to me that people have no problem believing this but question God.
- The Superdome seems (ie looks) smaller than the Silverdome, but I was told it's not. .
- New Orleans was quite clean considering how many people there are, and that visit. Cops we're very noticeable so you felt safe. Not many beggars in the french quarter (I'm sure that's on purpose).
- Cab drivers are quick. They don't like to go to the south bank of the river, but they will if you tip well. Crossing the Mississippi river on a ferry is much more fun than in the back of a cab.
- I was a bit dissapointed that there wasnt more street music, and only two bars (that I found) playing the New Orleans style of music. We mostly heard classic rock cover bands, while I was hoping for some Louie Armstrong and Fats Domino. But then we weren't there during Mardi Gras and we we're told that you see more of it during that time.
- The ride home saw us taking a ride along the gulf coast. I had never seen the gulf before, so this was a ride with a purpose. I was able to walk on the white sand beaches and stick my finger in the water. Gathered a few sea shells and took lots of pictures. The only surprsing thing to me during this portion of the trip was the amount of casino's in Mississippi along the gulf coast. I mean I'm talking like a casino every 3 or 4 miles. It's like Vegas on the water. Weird, neat, and interesting we're the words that kept coming to mind. I also wondered why I don't hear more about this, like we do Vegas.
Monday, February 11, 2013
The Top Christian Rock Songs Of All Time
Stealing this from the Righteous Rock Radio website, since they are taking it down to begin their weekly countdowns.
TOP CHRISTIAN ROCK SONGS OF ALL TIME
- 25 - I Need A Miracle - Third Day (it's too new to be any higher, but someday I think it will
- 24 - To Hell With The Devil - Stryper (they infiltrated the other side with this song)
- 23 - Light Your Candle - Steve Camp (summarizes what his music and ministry is about)
- 22 - Shotgun Angel - Daniel Amos (just a great country driving song)
- 21 - Addey - DeGarmo and Key (one of those story songs that could of been written by Dylan or the Eagles)
- 20 - In The Kingdom - Whitecross (the definitve song for the genre)
- 19 - Judas Kiss - Petra (why are you looking for the devil when you should be looking for the Lord?)
- 18 - Built For Glory - Lost Dogs (great coffee shop type song that keeps it all in perspective)
- 17 - We Were All So Young - Randy Stonehill (song about the Jesus Music movement, w/ Larry, Keaggy, and more)
- 16 - I Love - Malcolm and Alwynn (how can you not be happy when you listen to this one?)
- 15 - Great American Novel - Larry Norman (how does one write a dated song that is relevant 30 yrs later?)
- 14 - The Vow - Geoff Moore (a serious song about a serious subject done so softly)
- 13 - God Gave Rock N Roll To You - Petra (even Kiss likes this song)
- 12 - Hero - Steve Taylo (can't put the whole album on here, but it was a first of its kind)
- 11 - Six Sixty Six - Larry Norman (prophetic or poetic or both?)
- 10 - Shine - Newsboys (make em think somthing's up)
- 09 - Best Thing - Big Tent Revival (powerful)
- 08 - Six Six Six - DeGarmon and Key (wastn good enough for MTV, but it's good enough for me)
- 07 - Flood - Jars Of Clay (has there ever been a bigger cross over hit?)
- 06 - He Will Listen To You - Mark Heard (from the first lick this song captures you)
- 05 - I Believe In You - Bob Dylan (a beautiful proclamation of faith)
- 04 - Keep Me Runnin - Randy Stonehill (if theres ever been a perfectly produced song this is it)
- 03 - Jesus Freak - DC Talk (in you face, grunge, rap, rock, a message, they took over the genre with this one)
- 02 - Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music - Larry Norman (arent we all glad this was asked)
- 01 - The Outlaw - Larry Norman (one of the best descriptions of Jesus' life ever put to paper)
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
New Vinyl
I found the creme de la creme when it comes to christian rock records online at Ebay. Randy Stonhill's Born Twice. Rumored that only about 400 copies were ever made. I was able to purchase one with a "promotional use" only stamp on the cover. Then just yesterday I found one of the most rare Larry Norman albums, "Street Level". Before Larry re-issued this album on CD, it used to trade among collectors in the hundreds of dollars (now you can find it for around 35 bucks). I was fortunate to find it in a record store for 7 bucks. I'll be converting both of these albums to digital for some airplay time. Just mentioning this because before the age of the internet, these albums we're very difficult to come by............and I'm feeling fortunate to have both in my collection now.
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