Showing posts with label cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cross. Show all posts

Saturday, February 16, 2008

My Hate Speech

This is my official proclamation on where I stand on other religions, beliefs and issues. Though I do not make fun of anyone, or slander anyone, you'll notice that my opinions are very pronounced. Since I do not believe that any human on this planet will EVER see heaven without first knowing God, through Jesus Christ as their Savior, well... You can call this my hate speech.


Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, etc.- All merely hold different views on our common beliefs. One Savior, born of a virgin, died as a sin sacrifice for all mankind, and rose again after three days in a tomb. He appeared to many people, eating with them even, and was taken up to Heaven in plain view of over a dozen witnesses. We believe He will return again in power and glory to take His people away prior to the destruction of the Earth. We believe that Jesus the Christ was the Son of God, and that the ONLY way to Heaven is through Christ.


Mormonism, Jehovah's Witness, Catholicism, etc.- All claim a form of Christ, but do not believe according to the Word of God.
Catholicism is really the only one that can swing both ways, as I know many proclaiming Catholics that truly do know Christ. However, I also know Catholics that do not know Christ as their Savior at all. They know Him as the figure on the cross and the traditions and religion make them feel they are doing something, makes them feel that they are earning their way to Heaven- It doesn't happen that way.

Catholics, Mary WAS NOT, IS NOT, and NEVER WILL BE holy, nor is she to be revered, nor is she to be deified. Her obedience should be admired, she was blessed certainly, and absolutely, she is a role model. But she is not the mother of God. She was the mother chosen by God. Saints are not meant to be worshiped, adored or prayed to. Icons are not meant to be revered, or worshiped.
These things are meant to be used, if you must, as aids of worship; Very much like a guitar, a hymnal or an organ. NOT to be revered. Frankly, they are going to hell if they do not trust Jesus Christ, ALONE, as their Lord and Savior.

Jehovah Witnesses are absolutely wrong in their beliefs. Great people, but dead wrong. There are so many issues I have with their beliefs, I really should not even begin right now. The idea that we are part of 44,000 JEWS is completely contradicted by the Bible. However, if we believe the literature of the Watch Tower, there are parts of the Bible that right, part of it that are wrong, and we are supposed to trust someone else to tell us which is which. Sadly, they are going to hell if they do not trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Mormonism is very much like Islam without the jihad. It was started by a drug addicted alcoholic who was having an ongoing affair on his wife. Only thing that didn't happen was the murderous rampage into the town that threw him out. However, to reduce Jesus to nothing more than a mortal who attained godhood is a slap in the face. To believe that MEN will eventually attain godhood also, provided that the right things are done, is foolish. To tell women that they are just as equal as men, when the actual belief states that women will spend the after life serving man-gods also makes all who recruit for this false religion liars.
The truth is, they are going to hell if they do not trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.


Islam is also a false belief. Something that political correctness refuses to do is tell the truth. Thus, I am being totally and completely politically incorrect when I say that they are misguided, misdirected and misinformed. It too was formed by a drug addicted alcoholic who had an affair with the wife of the towns ruler. Only difference here is that several years after being thrown out, this man came back and killed every member of the town except the wife- she he married.
There is no Allah, unless you are going with the literal translation which is "One God." Then, you would have to use it as a term in reference to Jesus Christ. However, they DO NOT consider Christ holy, merely a great prophet. They believe that Allah allowed His death upon the cross for attempting to claim godhood, and they do not believe He rose from the dead.
However, there is only ONE way to Heaven, it is Jesus Christ. You will not have 72 virgins, but you will have eternal life. There will never be a Heavenly reward for blowing oneself up. God hates murder, and wholesale murder is just not going to get around that.
I know a few Muslims, they are wonderful people, occasionally we talk, sometimes debate, religion, but they are going to hell if they do not trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.


Satanist, Wiccan, Witch, Pagan, etc. Hell is NOT a party. You will not drink the blood of Christians from their skulls. "Mother Nature" DID NOT create God, nor is it god. There IS NO GODDESS. Satan will not rise up and strike God down, nor will goddess Gaia strike down those who do not believe. You have no power but that which is given you. You are given it for as long as you are of use to Satan, and he WILL destroy you when you are of no further use. The ONLY way to stop this from happening is to renounce your sinful life and accept Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Renounce the dark lord, and make Him Lord of your life.
I have a few friends who fall into this category. Good people, but if you do not do this, you are going to hell.


Atheist, Maltheist, Hedonist, Agnostic, etc. There is a God and there is a Devil. There is a Heaven, and there is a Hell. You are not the end of all things, and you DO NOT control your own future. Granted, your decisions are your own, but they have already been seen by God, and have been planned on accordingly so His perfect will comes to pass. God IS NOT evil. He will allow hardship and tragedy but He IS NOT the source of the pain. He is a God of ORDER, not a God of CHAOS. Carnal pleasure IS NOT a means of worship, nor are any of your fleshly desires.
I know several folks who fit in this category and while I enjoy these people, they are going to hell if they do not trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.


Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual. You WERE NOT born this way. There are genes in each person that dictate whether a man will be more effeminate, and whether a woman will be more masculine, however- NO ONE IS BORN HOMOSEXUAL. This lifestyle is wrong, you are living in sin, and while God will take you where you are at, He WILL NEVER tell you it is all right to continue living this lifestyle. Anyone who HAS told you this has done you a disservice.
----->----->A Side-note to homosexual clergy: YOU ARE WRONG!!!! You are living in sin, you are leading your flocks into sin and you are damning yourselves and others. Listen carefully, you snakes and vipers- should you continue, and die in this transgression, THERE WILL BE NO MERCY FOR YOU on the day of judgment.
I have several gay friends and a couple of lesbian friends, as well as a few bi friends and family, and I love them all dearly. I have seen a couple turn from their wickedness, but sadly, the others are going to hell if they do not trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.


Democrat, Republican, Independent, etc. No, not one person will ever go to hell because of their party affiliation. However, you politicians. Your actions are watched and weighed and recorded. There will be a final day of reckoning for ALL mankind, and no diplomatic immunity, no political privilege, no special interest will bail you out. Even if you ARE a believer, you WILL have to answer for your decisions, because they SHAPED A COUNTRY.
YES, it matters if a politician has an affair. Yes, it matters if they are flamboyantly homosexual. (Barney Frank- Hell is paging.) Yes, it matters if he has had sex while on the job! (Bill Clinton? Seating for one in the lake of fire.)
---->---->Side-note to the President off the United States: Quite playing with fire, Mr. President. Israel is to be an ally at any cost. Look at the time line, sir, and tell me it isn't frightening that with each major departure from good standing with them, there is a corresponding natural disaster. You claim to be a Christian, and yet your actions of late have shown there to be little fruit. You claim a form of Christianity, Mr. President, and with all due respect, you will be one of the goats lest you change your ways. America will not go down because of you, sir, but America will watch your fall. It has already begun... Are you too blind to see it?
My examples, I'm sure, are nice people, with hopes and dreams for the future, and I'm sure we could find common ground. However, they are going to hell if they do not trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.


Pro-choice, Pro-abortion... Any who willingly and knowingly support abortion with the knowledge of what it truly is- YOU ARE MURDERERS. You kill innocent children; The most defenseless and frail humans on earth, and you destroy them for profit. Exorbitant profit. You claim that an abortion on a five month pregnant woman removes "tissue," yet if that same woman were killed by a drunk driver, he'd face two counts of negligent homicide. He did not intend to kill anyone, but you PLAN these out, scheduling them, deciding upon the best form of murder. You doctors are cold, merciless, serial killers. FACE THE TRUTH. CONFESS YOUR SIN. If you do not, you are going to hell.

Pro-life Those of you who block entrances, grab onto women, kill doctors and bomb clinics, listen to me: YOU ARE JUST AS EVIL AS THOSE YOU HARM! Being dragged away from a door does not make you a hero, but a fool. Being arrested for obstructing a women from her legal rights does NOT make you a martyr, but a moron. You who would kill doctors, you are not children of God, but of Satan. You who would bomb clinics, you are monsters- More so than those you bomb! God does NOT look with favor upon any of you! You do not glorify Him with your words or your actions, and as such you are shaming Him. REPENT!


Beastials, pedo- and necrophiliacs Not going into great detail here. Your actions are an abomination before the Lord, and those currently living this way- You are damned. Repent of your sin, seek accountability for your crimes... IT IS NOT TOO LATE to begin anew. Heed this warning, for you are going to hell if you do not trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.


Non-Christians, anti-Christians Take a lesson from Rome. The more Christians you kill, brutalize, terrorize, harass or persecute, the more converts will be added to our number. You cannot stop God, nor can you be successful against His people. You may cut one down, but there will be ten in their place. Heed the warning.

Christians Let's Get Off Our Butts! The world is not saving itself, and people are going to hell by the millions. Stop bellyaching. Stop procrastinating. Stop complaining. Get out there and DO! The worst they can do is take our life- But we gave our life to God, so we've got NOTHING TO LOSE. If we continue to make excuses, we've got something to lose, and God's got something He isn't pleased with. We must examine ourselves carefully should we feel hesitant to witness- Nothing should stop us from sharing His Gift.



I'm sure there will be more to follow this later, but for right now, I think I've pissed off enough people. I know many, many people who fit into all these categories, and while I'm very accepting of them as people, they ARE going to hell, if Christ is not their Lord and Savior. Tiptoeing around the Truth will only get them more lost and you and I into trouble with the Almighty.


I do welcome your thoughts.

Philao~
RETS

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Praying Through It

Ever had something that just nags at you and won't leave you alone? A fear? A doubt? How about sadness or anger? Despair?

Very often, I've had this happen. I'll have something such as the emotions and mindsets listed above pester me and refuse to leave me alone. Nothing I can do will stop it. No matter how I read, who I talk to or what I listen to, it just refuses to leave me alone.

There will be some people who'll tell you, in this situation, to take time for yourself. Others will tell you that now you need to lean on friends more than ever. Still others will tell you that you're not in the right place with God. They'll all tell you to pray.

Any of these groups could be right. Sometimes you need time alone, sometimes you need others support, and finally yes, you could have moved out of God's will for your life.
However, something that they all hint at is the need for prayer. The problem is, that prayer for this sort of thing is not meant to be a short prayer said over your Bible, meal or pillow. It calls for far more.

These nagging thoughts and feelings call for us to PRAY THROUGH.

Daniel had many instances where things came up and plagued his mind and the only way he was able to receive relief was through seeking God.

Praying something through. Sometimes, it requires us to get alone with God; Sometimes, it's best to involve others; Still other times, we should begin with fervent repentance.
Nevertheless, the key to it all is the will to stay upon our knees until the burden lifts or we are answered.

This means that we need to put out of our way anything and everything that requires our attention other than God. This is not the time for casual interaction- We are coming before the King of the universe with a passionate petition.

How heavy is your burden? Our Savior's was so great His sweat was as blood. Daniel's was over what he'd read. Their response was the same- Intense prayer. Daniel fasted and sat in sackcloth and ashes. Christ bled from His pores. Both Prayed until something happened.


We have become lax in this area. How often do we pray through our problems? How often do we pray until something happens- whether that be an angel's ministry, or a feeling of peace; An audible answer, or a timely word from another servant of the Lord, we need to learn again how to pray things through.

I have recently been learning to do this. It's different. It's frightening. It'll put you in a place where you have no control over your own life.
And it'll be the greatest feeling in the world. When God has control over every aspect within your life, things begin to take place. Healing in your own life and others. You'll have visions and dreams but most importantly- You'll feel free to be about what God tells you to do, because HE provides your every need.


I encourage you all to take the first step in this life of complete and utter dependence on the Lord... Pray through your issues and problems, the ones that plague you- And see what happens.


Philao~
Andrew

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Denominations: Not Divisions, But Organs In The Body Of Christ

God is far too complex for us to be able to comprehend a full revelation of who He is. Thus, he has allowed different aspects of Him to be seen by different people. Also, as humans, we are so varied that what helps me get into the throne room of God may not work for the person next to me.

I may enjoy lifting my hands and shouting praises to the rafters, whereas they may be much more focused on God if they are holding a hymnal and singing in a reverent tone. The other gentleman next to me might be the sort of willing vessel to jump and whirl when the Spirit comes upon him, while the woman next to him, because of her past, would not feel safe in anything but a carefully ordered service.

Thus, we have denominations, which are really only single words or phrases that sum up that church's approach to worship, Bible study, and prayer. Some of these are spawned due to rebellion, but some are very much acting upon a true revelation of God.

Very often, even those that originally began in rebellion have been blessed once that sin has been confessed.... Martin Luther rebelled against the "church" of his time because of a revelation of God and the meaning of His word.
Was the rebellion necessary? Only he and God know for certain, but the fact remains that it is because of him that many of us now know how to truly read and understand the Word of God.

As people come to know Christ, depending upon their prior lifestyle, God moves them into flocks that will minister best to their individual needs.

Someone who was an atheist for example, may not be able to get into the "Holy Spirit thing" right away, and thus God places him in a body that focuses more on the Word.
As he grows spiritually and develops, perhaps God will lead him into a new body, an new denomination even. Then again, perhaps not. His calling may keep him in that place, meant to instruct those who follow after him.

Or perhaps a former witch comes to knowledge of the Lord because of the Spirit she can feel around the Witness. She would, perhaps, be led to a Spirit manifesting church... One in which the Spirit that drew her can continue to love on her.
As she matures, perhaps she'll be led to another church or denomination, one that focuses more on the Word and it's study. Perhaps not. It may be her calling to become so filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, that she can simply enter a room and clear it, thus being able to witness to those in it unimpeded.

Either way, simply because someone hops, runs, walks, crawls or shuffles down the Straight and Narrow, the major thing that matters is that they are moving forward along it. If they are not moving, or not moving forward at all, then yes, there is a problem there.
If they have stalled, then there's a chance God is doing some major repair work. If they are falling, get out of the way, and take as many true believers with you as possible.

Some may feel that last part was too heavy handed, but let me be clear. When a church body is pronounced dead and lifeless by God Himself, it is time to leave. Period. Anyone staying will indeed be brought down with the ship- they either are too blinded, or they've got something to lose.

I've found this test to be true- The Word says to test the spirit with Spirit. Thus, ask the Lord to reveal if this particular church body is within His will. Because when it comes down to it, it's really not the entire denomination that's wacky, it's the individual bodies.



This was all brought about by a verse in the Bible, actually, in Acts...
I believe it was Gamaleil who stated that if this thing is not of the Lord, it will fail, but if it IS of the Lord, then we are powerless to stop it.
And there have been denominations who have fizzled into nothingness. And there are churches that have done the same.

So after reading that, I got this vision of the human body, and how all the organs are supplied blood, and they all work together. If one organ stops allowing the blood to leave it, it ceases to function correctly, causing the Body to weaken. This also will eventually cause the blood to stop flowing to it, which will cause a hemorrhage if left untreated.

So too the Body of Christ has many different parts that do many different things, but we all operate within the Body of Christ, and thus, MUST work together.

Friday, June 29, 2007

The I.C.C.

Inescapable Christian Cowards.

We are not like the world. We run from anything that could get us into trouble, but would be a lot of fun to do. What cowards we are.
There are so many things that we DON'T do, and so many thing that we DO, that the world in general looks at us and utters a collective, "Huh?!"

WHY don't Christians participate in certain activities- seances, orgies, Mardi Gras?!
WHY when they finally DO something fun, do Christians ask forgiveness from people around them- And then from thin air?!
WHY, WHY, WHY do Christians get so worked up over gay marriage, prostitution, drugs, etc.?

These things are all harmless fun when done in the right manner! Gay deserve to be able to marry- Why are Christians so afraid of change?
Why shouldn't prostitution be legal- at least in some places? If it's what they want to do, if they have fun doing it, and if others are getting use from it, why not?
Why shouldn't Weed be legalized? It relaxes you, it calms you down... And if you want to go with a Christian argument, God created everything, right? So... Why not?

These are arguments I, and I'm sure you as well, have heard before. The fact that we oppose these things marks us a wimps, or cowards. We are "afraid" of change, "afraid" of fun, and "afraid" of all the "good" things in life.

For instance:

*We Flee Temptation
Drinking, smoking, promiscuity, pornography... All "good" things, and all things that we openly and loudly decry as wrong. These are things that we run from.
There are other things that are more personalized, such as dancing, certain music, films, etc. Personal preference issues that all add up to being completely and totally wimpy.

*Fear Of Change
Gay marriage? Abortion? Legalized prostitution?
All issues that we, again, loudly and strongly oppose. To see these issues come back so often and with so much support often makes us publicly wonder what is happening to our country. When these issues are brought up again and again, we question the moral fabric of the citizenry as a whole.
Our apparent "judgmental attitude" comes across as the fear of change, and there are examples throughout history tossed in our faces to illustrate that point. Salem Witch Trials, anyone?

*Fear Of Consequences
Whenever we fail our standards, we ask forgiveness from God. They see us praying and wonder why. What we did was merely fun, and we only live once- So why regret?
I have a few regrets, yes. But for the most part, I do not regret anything. All that I have gone through has molded me into who I am today, and I am a better man because of my own mistakes, and the consequences I have suffered.
However, the world sees our conviction from the Holy Ghost as guilt or regret. They don't understand this, in many cases.
Consequences are part of the natural order, but it shouldn't keep you from trying new things, in their minds. Plus, our insistence that there is much more to fear then what we receive on this planet is often viewed as a paranoid delusion formed to fortify our own fear.

Gentle As A Lamb, Wily As A Snake.
Often, our calling to be meek and gentle is misinterpreted as cowardice. Our calling to be smart and strategic is seen as subversive.
The world does not understand the concept of "turn the other cheek" in the same manner as we do. While many Christians take this expression to a wholly different extreme, our understanding is very much the same.
The Golden Rule only remains in effect until someone is in the wrong- then it is replaced with "an eye for an eye."
Our understanding is that when someone wrongs us, we forgive, and move on- If at all possible, treating the offending party no differently. If not possible, we take this rule to mean that we speak no evil against them, and pray for them.
Still, the world in general does not understand how we can wish good for someone who has done us wrong.
Our call to be "wily as a snake" often puts us at odds with governments that attempt to stop the spread of the Gospel. When we smuggle Bibles, walk backwards through the snow, meet as a church body, in worship, when the law specifically states otherwise, we are viewed as subversive. This is also a form of cowardice, in the eyes of many.


These are the reasons we are known as cowards. Cowards that walk up to complete strangers, telling them about the Love of an Almighty God, about Hell, and about the Salvation Story.

I am indeed a coward, because I refuse to deal with the consequences of NOT obeying my God.

This is why the world is so stunned when we Jesus Freaks are so passionate in our persecution. When we Freaks are mutilated, tortured, starved, imprisoned and/or murdered.
We are so "cowardly" in other areas of life, why, HOW, can we suddenly bear these horrors and NOT curse our tormentors; Not deny our beliefs; not do ANYTHING that would ease our suffering.

It is at this time, in this instant of ultimate courage in the midst of ultimate torment, that they begin to see our cowardice as courage- And all that we have said suddenly begins to make sense.


Are you among the ranks of the ICC?