Archive for the ‘Rants & Raves’ Category
Thursday, July 28th, 2011 by Greg
What Does Worshipping the Image of the Beast (Revelation 13:15) Mean?
by Greg Loucks
Revelation 13:15 “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”
We today are bombarded by images everywhere. In one of my email accounts I get spam about X Rated links. Many of us do today! I choose not to click on them. But, if I did click on them and viewed the image. There is an emotional connection made to the image, when one views a pornographic image.
People need their emotions fulfilled. Some fill it with lust such as pornography. Some fill it with drugs and alcohol or cigarettes. Which, yes, I’m sorry, are another form of drug. Not everything may be a “drug” but everything and anything can be a drug to someone. Like pornography or sex.
We are also bombarded by ads everywhere. Subliminally they are proven to give us some form of emotional value to want to go buy the item. Movies and tv and music also have an emotional value. We are bombarded by images of violence, and sex and drug use, to name a few through movies and tv.
I believe the media has played a major role in the slow decline of our morality of our society. We are more accepting then we used to be of things. At one time in the 1960s, people had a fit that the tv show “I Dream of Genie” showed the main character’s belly button. In the tv show of the 1950s “I Dream of Genie” even though Desi and Lucy were married they slept in two different beds in the same bedroom.
I’m not saying we should go back to that, however tv shows and movies portray homosexuality as acceptable behavior, like “Will and Grace” and “Queer Eye For the Straight Guy” for example.
And it’s not just homosexuality we have embraced as a whole as a society, it is also many other numerous sins. Sex outside of marriage aka fornication, murder, lying, etc.
Many things, many, many, many things give us an emotional feeling, this is why so many things are popular today. And it has made us lose focus on things of God, things that really matter, that have eternal value. Our flesh is weak and our mortal bodies want to be fulfilled emotionally. Anything that has an emotional value to you, do you get pulled towards. I believe this is one of the ways in the future in Revelation and even now the enemy is using his schemes to trick us and lose our focus on God and the things of God. I also believe one day the anti-Christ will use the same tactics, but it is already happening today!
Posted in Bible, Current Events, Illuminati, Interesting Facts, Media, Movies, Music, New World Order, News, Prayer, Prophecy, Rants & Raves, Spiritual | No Comments »
Thursday, November 25th, 2010 by Greg
I decided I’m keeping my t.v. off today. It’s just going to make me more irritated and annoyed. Barack Obama being black has nothing or very little to do with anything!
Yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr Day.
He said: “I have a dream that one day people would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the conduct of their character.”
Hello people “not be judged by the color of their skin” Hello? Anyone home? Him being black (which he’s 50% or less) is judging him on that fact alone!
Hello people “but by the conduct of their character.” Hello? Anyone home? His character sucks!
I guess people don’t get it? The news, not even supposed “conservative news” Fox News gets it!
No, I’m sorry I don’t agree that this is a great day in American history in any regards!
Even politicians who I respect for the most part are saying it is!
No, I’m not racist. I’m not going to join in the American celebration today. If it makes me lose readers on my blog. I don’t care. I still have my freedom of speech rights. You don’t have to agree with me.
Barack Obama was voted the most liberal senator in Washington. It takes a lot to be voted with this title! His friends like Rev Wright and William Ayers and Tony Rezco are scary. His chief of staff Rham Emmanuel creeps me out and mailed a dead fish to a news anchor? I’ve heard he’s Palestinian too!
Barack Obama has supported abortion and partial abortion majorly in his short term as senator. He voted for partial birth abortion three times! He has also voted against a law that supports a baby who survives an abortion!
He has mocked the word of God. You can find this on YouTube! Originally on the news! He has very liberal stances in many regards!
I’m not celebrating today! I’m praying! I believe Barack Obama is not “hope” or “change” but God’s judgment on America! This is why I beleive he is there!
He is a hypocrite doing everything he criticized Bush for. He wants to put us in about another trillion dollars in debt! By bailing out (governemnt taking over) more businesses and banks. This will weaken our dollar further! he hasd expressed raising taxes on some. This will destroy our already fragile economy!
And no I do not believe the Civil Rights movement is accomplished now! I believe this enhances “the black movement”. We are considered a racist just for not liking him! Give me a break?
What other supposed hate crimes are on the way, especially for Christians? This really concerns and bothers me! I feel grieved in my spirit about it!
If we want a black presidnet. Alan Keyes would have been a much better option! Who holds onto moral and biblical values!
No, I’m not a racist. But, just like Martin Luther King I’m not going to judge a man solely on their skin color but by the conduct of their character!
(If your a Christian and disappointed like I am just remember our promises we have in the word of God! and remember God is in control!)
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Sunday, November 21st, 2010 by Greg
“Everyone is a victim.” This is America’s newest motto. It was “In God We Trust” which was printed on our money! I still wonder which “god” that was inreference too!
But, now everyone is their own god. And they make up any rules they can anyway they can! As they go!
My mother taught me manners to say “yes ma’am” and “yes, sir” I said “yes ma’am” to a woman and she got offended! She said “I’m not old” Sorry but I’m not going back on my moral principles. You can offend anyone about anything. Why? Because the christian and traditional moral family values in our society are just abut gone. Even in “the church”
No one who goes to church on Sunday and who claims to be a Christian should have “Obama/Biden ‘08″ on their cars. I’m sorry but they shouldn’t! Divorce is about as high in the church as it is the world. Again this shouldn’t be so! God expects us to live in holiness and righteousness!
The difference between the church’s ways and the world’s ways are not obvious and apparent anymore! The differences are vague! church is a social club! In America the world has had more of a negative impact on the church then the church has had a positive impact on the world! We’ve let this happen!
This day and age it’s going to be harder to stand on morality and righteousness! We’ll see who the wheat is! We’ll see who is faithful to God rather then faithful to man soon! We’ll see who is not in the church and ministry for their own glory and honor, but for God. I think the remnant that will stand for God will do a lot behind the scenes and only their Father will see what they do in secret for the kingdom of heaven and not the kingdom of the world! God will also reward us in secret according to the word!
The word Christians use a lot in America “secular” comes from Latin “saeculum” meaning “generation”, “age”, “century”, “world”. It’s a root word for “Seclorum” printed on our money below the pyramid and the all-seeing eye. “Novus Ordo Seclorum” (New World Order) it’s been the devil’s plan and people who serve him like our political leaders to turn our country “secular” or “worldly” for awhile. They’ve accomplished this in many ways subtly over time including the media, which they own and run!
The greatest threat to the devil’s secular/worldly plan will be the true Christians. See they had to secularize this place to accomplish their goals and objectives. Every religion on earth is about man’s own works, except for Christianity!
Many ways has America been polluted! But, one of the biggest themes these days is a highly influenced “I’m a victim” mentality. Modern day blacks still beleive their victims, even though most today are too young to be slaves. They portray this in the news media too. It’s a great day for america because we have a black president! I had someone try to pull I’m a racist on me again simply because I don’t like barack Obama!
I said Martin Luther King said “I have a dream that oneday men will not be judged by the color of their skin but ‘by the conduct of their character’” I said they needed to read it again, maybe they’d get it!
what does him being black, white, yellow, green, red, have to do with anything? I don’t care! It’s his character. And besides he’s only half black. It’s this victim mentality among blacks. It really turns me off. Blacks that do this turn me off and their character conduct sucks too!
I’m not a racist, I never have been! I even have a good close black friend now! She doesn’t play this victim menatlity and some don’t. She is a Christian she has taken responsibility for her own actions. She realizes life sucks, life’s not fair.
Gays play victims too. They lost marriage rights this year, and they’ve began playing victims too! Everyone does it! I have a gay friend I’m being friendly too. I told him people hate me too and judge me too, because I’m a Christian. Or because they just don’t like me. People can find anything or anyway not to like you! And today in America people can sue anyone for any reason, because again don’t you know their victims? They often get away with it.
Life isn’t fair for anyone. And everyone has been hurt. But, the people who forgive and overcome their past and hurts through christ, live much happier, healthier, succesful lives. I’ve had to forgive my family and others for a lot. I too have been through a lot, but I don’t play victim! Forgiveness is for us! Only through Christ can we truly forgive someone!
We have the word of our testimony for a reason to destroy the devil like Revelation says. It helps conquer others too! I’ve been through stuff, a lot so God turns it around and uses it! When people meet me they never guess I’d been through all of that, why do you think? The signs of hurt, etc aren’t that thanks to Jesus!
It’s much harder to argue what God has done for you, it’s easier for them to argue what God will do for them! Be friends with people establish that relationship with others! Christ did the same. and christ was tempted and hurt in this world as much or more then us! He took it up on the cross!
America is definitely secularized or worldly! It took awhile to get to this point, it’s been slow and steady for years! I don’t perceive America turning back nor do spirirtual mentors and friends I have. America as a whole won’t but lets win as many people as possible!
Christianity true Christianity will always be the greatest threat to secularization. You know why? The world’s ways is everyone is their own god, they run their own life and they are looking for their own way to heaven, with their own beliefs systems to do so, and it’s always works! Only Christianity true Christianity is we can’t do it, God did it for us! And it’s the only one that truly mkes sense, because we already messed it up. Only a loving God/creator can fix the damage the creation caused! No one wants to take responsiblity anymore in America for anything!
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Sunday, November 14th, 2010 by Greg
Big Bang Test in Europe. More scary stuff/science/technology man is experimenting with right now! I first heard about this a few months ago!
They’re basically trying to find manmade answers and try to recreate the supposed “Big Bang” theory on a smaller but harmful scale!
Man is so crazy these days, messing with God’s creation! It’s pretty scary! It’s like their going to blow up the earth and all it’s inhabitants, of course God is too loving and won’t allow it! He will stop man kind like He did at the Tower of Babel.
Apparently man is missing something huge and vital today, a part misissing, a void, their relationship with God through Jesus Christ! Many ways we see this today by atheists agendas, gay agendas, and scientistics who may blow up the earth, to try to recreate the Big Bang Theory! Christians are blessed to truly know God, we’re not looking for answers, we found the answer! Lets get the word out before it’s too late! We have the peace that passes all understanding the world longs for but is looking in all the wrong places! Goddoes desire a relationaship with His creation, man, not to destroy itself!
Triumph! Smooth start for ‘Big Bang’ test
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/triumph-smooth-start-for-big-bang-test-924755.html
Big Bang Test Set to Re-start
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2096446.ece
Will the Big Bang test end the world on Wednesday?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Will_the_Big_Bang_test_end_the_world_today/articleshow/3465831.cms
Legal bid to stop Big Bang test that may end the world
http://newsworldwide.wordpress.com/2008/09/08/legal-bid-to-stop-big-bang-test-that-may-end-the-world/
Legal bid to stop Big Bang test that may end the world
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24274368-5013016,00.html
Fears test will make Earth go out with a Big Bang
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/fears-test-will-make-earth-go-out-with-a-big-bang/1267982.aspx
How the big Bang Theory works
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/big-bang-6.jpg&imgrefurl=http://science.howstuffworks.com/big-bang-theory.htm/printable&usg=__PwzC1M8uL2uk0T6NG2bVUcu0Kcs=&h=267&w=400&sz=42&hl=en&start=12&um=1&tbnid=AA3fQJxNs7_xvM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbig%2Bbang%2Btest%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
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Sunday, November 7th, 2010 by Greg
Matthew 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Why am I posting about this stuff? Well, because most of my readers and subscribers are Christians. I don’t want my fellow brothers and sisters to be in the dark and to be prepared and start praying heavily! The body, the true body is going to need each other soon! If not now! We are going to really begin to find out (if we’re not already) who the true wheat are and who the tares are!
I’m not trying to scare anyone or desiring to do so. Jesus warned us about things to come in the Last Days. Not to scare us, but because He loved us He wanted us to be warned so we’d be ready.
Your mother warned you about not touching a burning stove when you were a kid or you’d get burned, why did she do this? Also Jesus spoke about hell more then anyone! Look it up that is fact!
Sadly what I’m talking about the televisions switch to digital, the coming judgment upon America, etc I’m sure few pastors are telling their congregation this! People are comfortable and asleep. Some of the holy spirit filled believers (non-just–church goers) are waking up and as I talk to them they’re getting the same thing in their spirit! We need to pray and get ready! And start uniting in the body and finding good Christian support groups and people!
I hope the pre-trib rapture is correct. But, if it’s not I know God is incontrol and loves us and will look out for us but He wants us to know and not be ignorant. Now is the time to need Him and most people are cursing Him in the world instead! Sad but true but that was prophesied in the word too!
I don’t want to believe terrible times are upon us but I still believe it is true. I want to believe everything is fine, but deep down inside I know it’s not! I’d rather know to know ahead of time when it hits however. And everyday I can’t shake the feeling in my spirit God’s judgment is upon this land. I just keep praying, I have some ideas what might happen! And I believe now only a small true remnant will stand for the truth of the Gospel! I want to be part of that remnant! The wheat will come together! Bye tares!
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Sunday, November 7th, 2010 by Greg
2 timothy 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
I was called rude today just for stating the truth of the gospel, and I thought I was loving I feel no conviction. It had to do with John Travolta being a Scientologist and how demonic it is. I feel bad his son died. It hurts when a parent loses a child. Kids die everyday however. We don’t hear about it unless we’re a celebrity. Then when your kid dies it’s different! See because in our society celebrities are on a higher pedestal!
The kid suffered from seizures. Seizures can often be demonic. And Scientology is definitely demonic! I’m sorry if someone doesn’t like that, that is still fact! John travolta is blind and deceived by the devil like so many are today. God may have allowed this to wake up John Travolta?
People hate the Gospel message today. Just turn on the news. I’m also so sick of people acting like disagreeing is hate. Disagreeing is not hate. They act like it is a hate crime because people in California voted down Proposition 8! Have they ever thought, maybe most people in America still hold to traditional marriage and family values? If something is voted down by the people, please get over it. They were having so many what I would consider hate (those hypocrites) protests and demonstrations right afterwards! The people spoke and voted it down, get over it!
I have gay friends. I don’t hate gays. Never have. I do believe it is a sin. But, so are a lot of things, and we’re all guilty of sin. I don’t like “real” hate crimes, like Chrisitans flagging “God hates fags” and such. Voting something down on the other? Wow!
But, it seems like especially this last year. Homosexuals, atheists, etc. They want to force their agendas down our throat! This is still a highly evangelical Christian nation with traditional values. They have lived here in America peacefully with others.
Why has the tide so dramatically shifted especially in the last year? If disagreeing really is hate, everyone must hate each other then, because no one agrees 100% of the time. I don’t, not even with other Christians. Sometimes I disagree with Christians a lot actually.
Not all anyone is alike. Gay friends I have do not all push their agendas on the people. And not all Christians flash “God hates fags” signs around. I don’t. I befriend sinners like Jesus did. Loving people leads people farther!
It does seem so strong to me that we’re in the last days. And Christianity is in most danger right now in America. Americans hate the Gospel message today! And they hate Christianity. Atheists had a hey day with this last Christmas. They’re having a hey day with Rick Warren speaking at Obama’s Inauguration! (which him doing that made me lose a lot of espect for him personally)
It is so clear generally Christians are just standing up for the bible and their own convictions and what they consider to be traditionally and morally correct. And the real hate mongers are the unbelievers. Atheists, gays, etc. (again there are exceptions I’m speaking generally what I saw a lot of 2008) Actions do speak louder then words! Look at their actions the past several months!
Christian hate in America sadly has just begun! It’s just getting started. I don’t even think we’ve seen what we’re about ready to see!
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Saturday, November 6th, 2010 by Greg
Be Careful how you represent Christ! I’ve been saved 10 years. Thank God for my close walk with Christ. Or things I’ve seen over the years countless times by “Christians” and churches would have turned me off from Christ and the Gospel countless times! And even things they’ve done to me! Wow! It never ceases to amaze me what “Christians” are capable of! I believe the greatest work the church sadly has to do is reverse people’s bad image of Christ and the church! That’s sad! I was turned off from church for over a year and didn’t go, but I still had my relationship with Christ. That might surprise several of you. When I lived in Cincinnati, Ohio prior to moving to Hot Springs, Arkansas several months ago I never went to church. I’ve seen some of the same stuff here in Hot Springs, I also saw it in my homestate of Arizona! I even went to a prophetic church in Phoenix, AZ for several months, the truth came out that the pastor who accurately prophesied over me was having adulterous sexual relationships with other women in the church! He was married! The Crusaders were “supposedly” representing Christ, the Nazis told the Jews they were killing them in the name of Jesus! Of course all lies! But, ask the founder of Jewish Voice Today Jonathan Bernis and he being raised Jewish will tell you that those two reasons are the biggest hinderances for Jews to acknolwedge Christ as their Loird and Savior, he has stated this several times on the television program Jewsish Voice Today! I don’t want to speak badly or poorly of people but what I’ve seen over and over and over again the church, wow! I won’t even tell you all that I’ve seen that’s between me and God I pray about it! I don’t want to give people and churches a bad name either, it might just be certain people in these churches! I don’t think there is a single Christian in America who doesn’t know what I’m talking about! I know from what I’ve been told over the years by many that I’m not alone in what people have experienced in church! It’s sad! I acknowledge some of those people are not christ’s to begin with! My biggest problem with the saying “once saved always saved” is this! “Once saved always saved” is not a bible verse it’s a phrase American evangelicals made up. Though there is some biblical truth in eternal security. (We can walk away from Him, but He said He will never leave nor forsake us) I do not believe this phrase is safe! It makes people think they’re really born-again who are not. It makes people just go through the motions of reciting the sinners prayer but go on living the way they always did! It makes us be deceived in thinking people who are God’s who really aren’t. Just because someone does something wrong and sins or sings against his/her brother/sister does not necessarily mean they’re not truly saved either, I’ll admit that. But, at least as far as America is concerned, we toss around the term “Christian” and “saved” everywhere! I believe in God’s eyes their is “once saved always saved” (though I still don’t like the danger of the phrase) and eternal security. He knows in the end who are His! Most know truthfully if they really are His too, though there are many deceived people today too!
Matthew 25:40-42 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
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Thursday, July 15th, 2010 by Greg
I’m seeing all kinds of stuff that irritates me in the body of Christ all-the time. So, I decided to break down some of Paul’s teachings to contradict some actions I’m seeing in the body. Paul was led by the holy spirit and He wrote most of the New Testament. So, His teachings should be looked upon.
The 10/40 Window 1 Corinthians 9:20 “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.”
This is one verse, but a lot can be said and learned here. The holy spirit is showing me that… Paul is saying you minister to different people different ways. Jews thought in the Old Testament and the book of Acts and some Messianic Jews today I meet think they are better then others. Baptists, think they’re better, Methodists think they’re better, Pentecostals think they’re better, etc, etc. People try to change others too. Messianics will try to make you stop eating pork, or celebrating Jewish festivals. These things are important, but trying to make someone do it? A Pentecostal will make the first gift you get from the holy spirit be speaking in tongues, etc, etc. The Pharisees told people and what Jesus to do too. Like He shouldn’t be healing on the Sabbath! Just like many in the church, “you shouldn’t this…”, “you shouldn’t that…”.
I believe Paul is saying you minister and lead people better by relating to others and showing them love. The message is the same, the words may be different.
For instance…
Matthew 4:17-19 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” The Calling of the First Disciples As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
Why would Jesus use the term “fishers of men”? It says why, Peter and Andrew were fishermen! Later on when He calls other disciples like Matthew He does not use this term “fishers of men” again. Why? Because for instance Matthew was a tax collector, it wouldn’t make sense to say “fishers of men”! But He still called Him to be one of His disciples.
I believe too many people in the body, the church. No matter what denomination they are, are using the same tactics to minister to different people. This does not work, the whole point of Paul’s lesson in 1 Corinthians 9:20!
We use John 3:16 (which we all pretty much know) a lot here in America as a basic scripture commonly used to minister to people. In America I guess people need to know God loves them, they need love. I met a missionary that said they used another verse as a common verse to minister to a culture, the culture related to it more. I also heard about a missionary who ministered to a culture in an area of the world where it never snowed! When they translated the bible into this cultures language all references to snow were changed to something they could relate to more! The meaning behind the verses however were kept!
As you read Jesus’ red letters in the four Gospels you see His message He carried was always the same, He didn’t always do the same things or say the same things, however. Sometimes you even read Him laying hands on the blind and their sight was restored, other times you read where He had the blind put mud on their eyelids and wash their face. Why different tactics?
What Jesus did during His ministry is He got to know the people, and you read He could read their hearts and minds on many occasions. As He went He carried His message, the same message, but He paid attention to the person’s greatest need and spoke what that particular individual needed! Read it, it’s there! Jesus was led by the holy spirit this is how He accomplished this.
So, Paul became like a Jew to the Jew. How? He was already Jewish, well studied and versed in the Old Testament too, because He was a Pharisee. Paul is saying He used Jewish terms and the Jewish culture to minister to the Jewish people. Would this same thing work on the Gentiles, non-Jews? No of course not! Most Jewish stuff would go right over their heads. So would He force the gentiles to become Jews? No. Our cultural identities stay the same accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior! We become forgiven by sins through Christ, He calls us to change their in our hearts! Our personality and culture can and does stay the same!
When Paul ministered in the Greek minor region, Thessalonica more specifically (the gentiles, nations, non-Jews) He even quoted Greek writings/philosophy! Which they would know. Why would He do this? Read it…
Acts 17:18-20 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
They simply were confused by Jewish ideologies, Paul was using even without knowing it, it was what He knew, He was a Jewish Pharisee. These ideas seemed strange and foreign to these people. They wouldn’t know about the promise of the coming Messiah in the Old Testament even and those prophecies. So Paul answers…
Acts 17:22-28 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.
Paul continues…
Acts 17:24-28 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“…’for in him we live and move and have our being.’
As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ “
(Acts 16:28)
Here Paul quotes the Greek poet Epimenides (500BC) and Aratus (300 BC). He knew these poets and philisophers they would know. And you find some truth in all religions of the world, so He used that truth. Example…
Paul quotes the Greek Philosopher Aratus in Titus 1:12. He says “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” Many Greek philosophers were counter cultural in the best sense of the word and Paul acknowledges that. Socrates was put to death for not caving into the moral degradation of the day. Aristotle rejected the multi Gods. Plato went against the moral degradation of his day and spoke about moral absolutes. Paul often talks to the Jews and Greeks in his midst together. (Romans 10:12, Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11). You find Paul doing this to the Romans, The Galatians and the Colossians!
Paul used different tactics to minister to different people groups as He was led by the holy spirit. More believers need to do the same! Too many believers are one dimensional and are not being influenced by the holy spirit. And their tactics ministering to different people stays the same.
Some people need food, some need clothes, some need a place to stay, some need to be shown love, some need deliverance from demons and/or addictions, some need a friend, some need to be shown what a Heavenly father is like because they’re earthly father was bad, some need a helping hand, some need a miracle, some need a job, some need hope, etc, etc. Why do you think former prostitutes do the best ministering to prostitutes? Former drug addicts to drug addicts, etc, etc. There you go!
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Thursday, July 15th, 2010 by Greg
I’m sure you all remember the once popular “Where’s Waldo?” books?
You had to find the image of Waldo:
In a picture of a crowd of people:
My kids dentist I went to as a kid had these books in his dental office, Dr. Doxsey in Phoenix, Arizona. As we waited to be tormented in the dental chair as we thought was going to happen, we sat in bean bag chairs in the lobby and these books and Etch-A-Sketch’s and other games and books were there to relax us kids. I’d sit and try to find Waldo. after we went into one of the dental chairs in one of the offices, there wewre pictures all over the walls of animals, funny pictures, airplane pictures, they covered the walls. As the chair went back to be “tormented” we stared at images on the ceilings too and model planes hanging from the ceiling.
Anyways where’s Waldo books soothed me as a kid and made me lose my imagination for awhile and let it soar. They prepared me for something that wasn’t as bad as I intacipated!
For a couple years I helped out in the inner-city of Phoenix, Arizona for a youth ministry called Aim Right Ministries. I helped out there and they helped me out with a room. I lived in the intern church house next door. It was ministry all the time pretty much if I kept open to it! My friend and roommate Steven Dunham an elder of our church had a book called “Where’s Elvis”? It was like “Where’s Waldo?” but it was real pictures of Elvis Impersonators in big crowd scenes. It too was fun to drift off into space with! And relax with! I have a lot of good memories of my experience with Aim Right. Now that I look back! I’m now asking “Where’s Jesus”
Stare at the picture for a few minutes…
Did you find Him?
How about here?:
You might have been looking for someone that sort of looks like this?:
Yes, that’s similar to most depictions of Jesus.
Was Jesus really in those pictures?
Yes He was! How about This Picture?:
How About This One?:
How About This One?:
Or Here?:
Or Here?:
(This is my half-brother Jason Mitchener who was born with a rare disease,lives in a nursing home needing 24 hour care, and is confined to a wheelchair and breathes on a ventilator.) How About Here?:
How About Here?:
Here?:
Here?:
Here?:
(Jeffrey Dahmer accused homosexual, serial killer, cannibal, etc. I think he could have been. something went terribly wrong somewhere! Devil and occult probably!) Here?:
(Ted Bundy accused serial rapist and murderer! I think he could have been. something went terribly wrong somewhere! Again!) I don’t believe God makes crazy people, hurting and wounded people, homeless people, psychotic people, people that hurt other people, etc. The devil does though!
Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
Bundy was executioned by electric chair, Dahmer had a life sentence, several but was killed in prison by another inmate! (Yes I do believe in the death penalty! So does scripture! Not discussed in this blofg though, different subject.)
We’re made in God’s image…
Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
What if the guy doesn’t look right or smell right?:
1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Matthew 31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’”He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
1 Corinthians 12:12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
Maybe you will recognize Jesus next time!
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
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Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 by Greg
I haven’t released this fully in public yet, but yes I do infact have a girlfriend, my first ever “real” girlfriend. I’ve liked girls or girls like me it was always one not mutual. Today we’ve been together two months. I asked her to be my girlfriend on June 20th. She loves me and I love her. We are so much alike, it’s like we are made for each other! We believe God wants us together! If he does nothing will stop it! I’ve never had someone that loves me for me not someone I have to be! This girl is incredible in every way! She’s beautiful inside and outside! It’s an awesome amazing story how God even brought us together! God is writing our love story for us! Her name is Mandy. I almost missed her! More later I’ll go in more detail and write more of my testimony and what God has been doing soon, been kind of busy! God bless!
Read more: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.viewcustom&friendId=55485155&blogId=301560925&swapped=true#ixzz0tj5moTC0
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