Some days...

...are harder than others. (^_^)

Some days have us striving in ways that can make us look silly or make us frustrated for lack of progress. Some days we get our hands caught in the cookie jar or maybe we make a clean getaway, only to feel guilty later. I’m sure this cute pup has been in those shoes before and will again, but I'm no better. While this picture is adorable to me, bringing up these light thoughts, it is also a deeper example of how people operate as well.

We desire and we act on those desires; this much we would all agree on, but would you agree that we ‘only’ act on desire? An action is a result of feeling; all action requires a motivation which is the driving reason behind the action. There are only then two types of motivations and these are selfish and selfless desire. We often think we understand this, but do we in a minute to minute, day to day, kind of way? Selfish acts do not deny self and selfless acts are when we act for another without personal gain, perhaps even personal loss. This is trickier than it seems which is why it is worth talking about. Is it selfless to give away what you don’t need? No, it is no personal loss to give that which has no true value to you. It is only truly selfless when it is a loss for you, so the point is that in a selfless act you have no interest in (or are seeking no benefit) to self. Is it selfless to “do the right thing”? Not if you’re doing the right thing so as to not feel guilty or to avoid the sin of apathy. This motivation is an internal benefit and is at the core of the decision, hardly selfless motivation.

The point to all this is that selfish people are hardly aware of the depths of their selfishness. I am with you all on this; the accuser is accused as well. Still, it is true and worth investigation as Christ-followers. What is our deep motivation behind each decision? How do we benefit from each act? Even in what seems like a loss are we still benefiting? I’m sure we can all name a person who acts and thinks like the pup above, but we fail to notice when we do the same because we aren’t doing it with a gadget, an outfit, or our finances. Ours is an unseen selfish…

Here are some thoughts on self-denial that are worth your consideration.
More can be found about Selflessness (Self-Denial) here.
-Selflessness requires a lack of benefit to self, even to personal loss.
-Selflessness is not such if no true loss is met; it is at best a kind act.
-Selflessness cannot come without self-denial.
-Selflessness (or self-denial) and Selfishness cannot exist at the same time; one negating the other totally.
-Self-denial does not occur to benefit self, but to benefit others.
-Self-denial does not come from personal desires, but from acting as God has commanded; for that namesake.

Searching the Light

Morning all, no crazy conversation here today; just an update and a small reflection. I finally got to see the opening day of our new service and I have to say, I am not all that pleased. Yea, I know, that isn't what I expected to say either, but nothing seemed to go right. Technical problems, musical problems, flow problems, and most of all their was no detectable movement of the Holy Spirit. The songs were the same ones that brought me tears the two weeks prior, but this week hardly moved me. I looked around and saw faces that were shall-we-say, uninspired. I too contributed to that mess, and I'm none-to-pleased about that fact.

So as I thought and talked about the rough morning, one worked so hard for and yet not seen to blossom, the mistake became very clear. One that stung a bit as I (and everyone else) knew better than to make the mistake our own. Truth is it's not about "our service", it's about worshiping Him. It's not about success or failure, but about following His direction with a proper heart. It's not about what we hope for, it's about trusting and hoping in Him for what He wants. Even though we started out with this understanding, the past few weeks have been so intense and hectic we got lost. We need to go back now, to the heart of worship ourselves. Sure the details need addressed, but not at the cost we are paying. So while I intend on continuing my contribution toward the service (and the youth), I am not honestly as concerned about it. What good will that do anyway; to be distraught over this.

A long time ago I told one of the youth involved, "...either God will use this for His glory or He will tear it down...all we can do is try and let Him do what needs done." It is as true now as it was then I suppose, but I did (at some point) find myself overly complicating that. Feeling stressed that it might not work out right away, or possibly ever. Funny because I'm okay with it not working, but I find myself not being okay when it comes to the details I think I can affect.

Breakdown on the Beltway

Been talking a good bit lately about how life changes on us in what seem to be unexpected ways. How things break down and wear out over time; things like our cars, our houses, our clothes, and our bodies. Thanks to "the fall" we are not under God's perfect and sustaining umbrella anymore. Sure He holds the world together by the power of His word, but that isn't supposed to mean all is supposed to be perfect right now. It's more like a partial punishment as opposed to an utter annihilation over what we did and still do.

At any rate I found a cute picture on AiG that depicts a poor guy on a treadmill struggling to get back into shape or maintain his figure. I and I'll bet many of us can relate, though most people laugh at me for saying so because I'm short and skinny, but my baggy shirts could easily hide a large gut for all they know.

This cartoon makes me think back to the diet that Adam and Eve once had. One that was far far healthier than ours today. Makes me think I aught to start eating fruits, veggies, and nuts while drinking only water. It would be so much healthier than what I generally do and it worked for Adam and Eve.

So yea, I like how the cartoon below notes that eating fruit, one of the healthier foods, is what brought on our various health issues.

Standing on Ancient Stone

The following is my response to a question raised by the Pastor about how to respond to people who call believers "close-minded" or "bigots".

To the ending question my reply would be, "What basis do they have to call us bigots if they have no absolute authority steering that claim?" If we are truly speaking the word of God then the answer is, "They have no basis!"

I think the world's claims of bigotry are quite hypocritical as 'everyone' has a foundation which rejects other foundations, making them biased and closed-minded towards something though hey don't often realize that. Specifically, each person has a closed-mind or an aversion to other views whether they recognize it as such or not and this levels the playing field 'for' us, removing the sting of such a claim. (The door swings both ways so-to-speak.)

I suggest, in patients and love, turning their very claim on them by showing that they have no foundation to make that call, no capacity to discern what is right and wrong while apart from God's word. Without God each man does as he pleases with truth and morality, but if that is so then he can't claim that 'we' or anyone is wrong! He believes it is subject to opinion (choosing as he goes) if he does not follow absolute authority and the only absolute is God! At this point the door has swung wide to explain how God 'is' absolute and the only authority,using the Word itself and the truth that their is not another option when it comes to these things.

Granted disbelief doesn't need a reason (in fact it requires a lack of reason), but the truth is everyone has a ruling power in their lives that narrows the persons view on topics like morality and truth. Pointing out things like this can really shake the foundation of unbelief; opening a crack in the foundation for the Word to work.

Now, I've been accused of many things in the past; brought on by claiming that the bible was true and consequently God's views on truth, morality, knowledge, life, love, etc. (Just last week someone called me a closed-minded religious zealot for believing in a global flood if you can believe it.) Since it isn't PC to be exclusive in any way we get blasted for our firm foundation in Christ, but it is to be expected really; we are at WAR with a world that utterly opposes God's authority. So when these claims come we can strap on the armor, sword, and shield provided us (Ephesians 6:10-17) and get to the fight with confidence in our King's authority.

Sad that He has had to face this in the heart of every individual since Adam, save for one, and that one (Jesus) had to face it head on, to the cross, calling us to follow along.

Tall tales & shady portrayals (Pt1)

Time for a big one because I was asked, on a few occasions of late, about updates on the supernatural encounters that sometimes roll through my life and so I figured I'd post something on it. It ended up being three posts in total, but only this post is about my encounters.

1. In the past three days I have encountered a moving shadow of sorts in my bedroom, twice. It doesn’t talk and it doesn’t take a defined form. Surprisingly it doesn’t even make me nervous.

2. The nightly whispers (not house creeks or noisy neighbors) have subsided in large part after a couple month stint of rather late nights. I'm thankful for this temporary reprieve as it makes for rough sleeping.

3. One night about a month ago, the night before going out door-to-door to talk about searchlight and worship (See post "Ding Dong Yo") I was visited by something unruly. The only reason the encounter stood out is that at one point, wide awake and watching cartoons, it blew a cold puff of air in my left ear. So much so that my hair moved; as if someone had leaned a few inches from my head and let a quick burst of breath out. I prayed and it moved back to the far side of the room for the remainder of the night.

These aside very few encounters have passed my way lately, but I couldn't tell you why. Certainly nothing as intense as the couch encounters that, come to think of it, I don't know if I ever wrote about...at least I can't find it if I did.

Generally I steer clear of posting on this stuff for one reason. I leave these tales untold because it seems very few people have a biblical view of the supernatural and, because they do not interpret the world (both natural and super-natural) with such a biblical worldview, opinions vary greatly on whether the supernatural even exists let alone if my experiances are truth or not. Meaning that without a biblical worldview to guide understanding people get lost easily, being swayed by all manner of ideas. Consequently some disregard the supernatural entirely while others embrace it falsely.

If we are Christ-followers then let us not believe the tall tales the world has come up over the word of God. If we claim the bible is truth and that God is absolute in His determinations of reality, then let us not accept extra-biblical information when it conflicts. (e.g. ghosts, aliens, monsters, dimensional creatures, etc) Either God's claims are right or not, we can't have a bit of both when dealing with the thoughts of a perfect being. People generally miss-understand what the supernatural is, what is and isn't really going on, and having no background on how to interpret it, re-interpret what I might say to fit their favored ideas of the super-natural. This is why I avoid it in general conversation even though I enjoy the topic.

Tall tales & shady portrayals (Pt2)

So, what is a biblical view of potential supernatural encounters? I am no expert on these things, but here is the basic breakdown of what's real and not when it comes to supernatural encounters.

Things that do not exist:
-Ghosts are non-existent if one defines ghost as dead persons roaming the earth for any reasons. This is unscriptural and based on ancient mythology in non-Jewish or Christ-following cultures. These are demons not dead people as dead people do not "stick around" afterwards (Job 7:9-10) and they are adept at lying (2 Cor 11:14, 1 John 4:1).
-Aliens are non-existent as explained in three different ways in the post "Ufo-ology vs. Reality"; two of which are scriptural and one is naturalistic.
-Monsters are non-existent from a scripture standpoint as they can only be a part of creation because God never loosed supernatural monsters on us aside from the allowance of demons and "dark spirits". Then, being limited to natural creatures, they would have been created in the beginning at which point creation stopped and if they had been made then their would be a decent populace to behold by now. It could be said that creatures remain unfound in remote locations, but the concepts of vampires, werewolves, undead, the boogieman, and other urban legends/myths are all null and void when compared to scripture. Natural creatures (animals) are real, supernatural creatures ("monsters") are not.
-Dimensional beings are non-existent to any rational understanding. Primarily routed from scriptures and logic combined; the only one who created was God and He stopped at one point. This means if He created He did so in the 6 day period of creation. All of scripture shows how the focus is about the struggle of all creation (man and angel) to glorify God over itself. God does not give even a slight evidence of other dimensions OR creatures within. Consequently their is no scientific or scriptural basis for a rational conclusion that other dimensional creatures exist beyond what God has plainly created in those 6 days.

Things that do exist:
-"God" is both the creator and the keystone of our very existence (Genesis 1:1). He is the definition of supernatural (He exists beyond all natural understanding) though He defines (He has the authority to define what is real and true) and sustains the natural world as well (Colossians 1:16-17, Hebrews 1:3). He interacts with us in different ways (Romans 1:20, Romans 8:26, 1 Kings 19:12, etc), but His interactions can be defined as both natural and supernatural as He works in any way He chooses.
-"Angels" are messengers of God and an entirely separate creation from humans. (Hebrews 12:22-23) Angels do seem to have different classes as described in scripture. They can take different forms (Isaiah 6:2, Matthew 28:2-3) and while they are defined as messengers (Greek "aggelos", Hebrew "mal'ak") the message does vary depending on the way God intends to use them (Acts 7:53, Acts 8:23, Genesis 21:17, 1 Kings 19:7-8, Acts 27:23). The idea of a guardian angle is not scripturally sound and instead stems from new-age or so-called "Christian" mystic practices.
-"Demons" (plural) are the lesser creatures within the ranks of the Devils army and are also called "evil spirits" (Matthew 8:16, Luke 4:33-35). These hold no one physical form or method of maliciousness, but being as they stem from the father of lies (John 8:44) it is only fair to conclude that they too are exquisite liars, taking forms and approaches that suit the situation and best furthers their efforts. These, to my understanding, consist of the scores of angels that followed Satan’s lead and were cast down because of it. They, again to my understanding, are not bound to another realm (hell) and are so able to affect the world (Luke 8:2, Matthew 8:31-32).
-"Devil" (singular) is the original rebel (also known as Satan which means adversary or Lucifer which roughly means light-bearer or dawn-bearer) and leader of the rebellion against God. He is the angel that decided not to toe-the-line and chose to glorify himself over God. Because of this he was cast down and rules over hell with some power in the earthly realm as well. I do not know that he visits earth himself, only God would know that I think, but he doesn't need to with all the little helpers he has as mentioned above. (Ezekiel 28:12, Genesis 3:1, Revelation 12:9-10, Revelation 20:2)

This is the limit to what can be in that this is all that God claims to have created for us, with us, or concerning us. Again, if we are Christians then let us not believe the tall tales the world has come up with. (e.g. ghosts, aliens, monsters, dimensional creatures, etc) If we claim the bible is truth and that God is absolute in His determinations of reality, then let us not accept extra-biblical information when it conflicts.

Tall tales & shady portrayals (Pt3)

why three posts on such a strange topic? Why talk about something like this? Only because their is so much confusion about it. I am not by any means well versed on it, but I know enough to realize that nothing exists outside the realm of God's doing and that scripture provides the only basis for understanding the supernatural.

I can see as well as anyone that the media outlets and the imaginations of men have been building up ideas and "possibilities" of what the supernatural can be for thousands of years. This means that (as with the multitude of religions) their are scores of choices for people to sink their trust or hope in, but only one source can provide the truth.

I can also see how so many people, having adopted the naturalistic/materialistic worldview have decided that no supernatural event or thing is possible, or at least knowable. This is pure irrationality from the first claim (it is self-refuting), but people do believe it anyway just like they believe that ghosts and aliens are real.

The point is that if people are being led astray by the many options it is worth our time as Christians to sit down and define terms; to stop and say what is assumed and what isn't. To note that without an absolute source (one outside mans corruption) we are left making it all up as we go. Meanwhile their is a truth that can be known and answers to all our questions. In that, it is worth the time to think about these things and apply them to help lessen to confusion even slightly, both ours and anyone we talk to on these topics.

One might ask, "Why is a biblical basis required to understand the supernatural?" Implying that Christians can't just assume they are right any more than another person, but the problem is that when ideas conflict so utterly, only one truth exists. When compared and tested only the Christian worldview both survives its own claims and the insults hurled at it. God knows better than us and has given us enough information to know what to believe on most topics even though popular theory suggests otherwise.

A slice of Eden

Just a passing thought and a reminder of days we have not seen.

When I go over to my parents house their are dogs. When I go over to my uncles house their are cats. In weeks past I was struck by a thought as I sat with one of the puppies. She has a habit of being very afraid of strangers and yet once she welcomes you in she goes from dog-mode to cat-mode, rubbing the length of her side against you and leaning on you where you stand or sit. A very loving dog indeed. I sat with her outside for a few minutes as she sat down against me. That wasn't close enough of course so every few seconds she would shift her weight against me a bit more, thankfully she isn't a large dog. Her complete comfort-ability is what struck me at that moment. It stood in stark contrast to the rabbits and birds and other animals that flee at the mere sight of humans. It made me think for a minute, "Is this what Eden was like in terms of animals and people?" Maybe that isn't really important, but it was an interesting moment. We know that animals and man had no fear of each other, no aggression towards each other, in Eden. We also know that things are so very different out here in the world.

Anyway, tonight I'll leave work and as I pass the birds on the fence and in the rose bush they will fly away. The squirrels under the trees will bolt and climb to get away. This is what we see as normal and truly it is, but it wasn't always so. So next time you cuddle with your puppy or kitty remember their love for you and your love for them. It's a little slice of Eden... (^_^)

ilLogicaLinguistics

This is a quick-vent and a diagram of a problem I am seeing a lot in my travels. The problem is that people do not have a decent understanding of logic or how it works. This has come into play countless times in the past few years and is very hard to help people with.

I think the issue can be understood better by looking at language, any language. While it is true that people can learn to speak language by being around a language in use any person can recognize that their are many tiers within any language. Those who are uneducated in a language do not have as vast a vocabulary and do not understand what constitutes correct sentence structure. Those who study and practice the language will certainly have a better ability to apply the rules of grammar and will also know a larger vocabulary. This is how logic works as well...

What frustrates me is that people 'realize' that language is learned in tiers and yet not mastered by living within it, but they can't seem to understand how logic functions in the same way. I suppose that the answer is simple enough; they do not yet have the logical where-with-all to understand the logical contradiction itself. Instead an assumption is made in place of logic that what a person picks up along life’s journeys is what true logic is. Like a person with no type of real training in their chosen language might think that they speak properly and understand al that is necessary in that language.

Perhaps then, because of the circular nature of the problem, their poor logic is almost always followed by application of further poor logic; one overlapping the next. I can't count the number of times I've been accused of committing logical fallacies by people who are incapable of recognizing their own logic mistakes. On average the conversation dies because they don't understand what I am saying about logic or why it is important. Half the time they never conclude, even with help, that a fallacy has been committed on their part.

*If we were talking about Football or Pizza Shop or Cartoons logic wouldn't be as important, but in talking about the big questions it is of the utmost importance if one wants to find the truth.

Boney McGee

"The robust composite skeleton of a Neanderthal (L) is unmistakably different from that of a modern human (R) in this handout image from the American Museum of Natural History. Neanderthals, the stocky kin of modern humans, were far more widespread geographically than previously thought, with some trekking into southern Siberia before vanishing about 30,000 years ago, scientists said on October 1, 2007." -Reuters

You know where this is heading don't you? (^_^) The next sentence will have to do with some evolutionary justification. But do you see what I see? I see two distinctly human skeletons. One older and with slightly larger dimensions, but both are so very human. Note that their are no wings, no fins, no scales, no exo-skeleton, no gills, no extra arms/legs, and no tail. Without making an assumption a person can only conclude this is not a transitional form, but instead is a fully formed human.

Oh, but I can hear them now, (1)"But they have subtle differences in structure as you can see!" and (2)"It is a representation of transitions!" and (3)"This is an example of natural selection at work; that's why Neanderthals aren't alive today!"

1. Subtle differences are changes within a species; driven by mutations, adaptations, or natural selection. This does not give rationale to the conclusion that humans (or any other creatures) are a transitional form between species.

2. (See above.) Their is no evidence that each creature is simply at different stages of the evolutionary ladder. (This is a relatively recent grasp at straws by the evolutionary activists to side step issue of a lack of transitional forms which would be evidence for their beliefs essentially making them all transitional forms.) At some point one would still see a species change from one form to another and that has never been found in fossil records. (Also, See below.)

3. Yet natural selection is not a catalyst for new genetic information which is well known at this point in even secular scientific circles. That a species dies off means that any potential for genetic variation is lost with it. While the more suited do survive they are not being handed new genetic info with witch to drive evolution and transitional forms.

It's crazy to me that with the understanding we have on the subject today, this type of blatent propaganda is still infiltrating our society.

Bleed for something...

Yet another video purchased from Worship House Media for use in web-ministry. This one is about the importance of blood and none more so than the blood of Jesus shed on the cross to provide grace for us, the damned and the doomed. Why blood?

In the beginning, after the fall, God has deemed that only blood can atone for our sins; through sacrifices we gain some temporary form of cleanliness. Over several thousand years the blood of animals was made to be our hope, but the blood of animals can no more save than the blood of men. It is all imperfect and once we sin again we will just need more atonement. This is why we need to accept Jesus as Savior and King. His perfect blood is a permanent atonement.

Not to say that the blood of men isn't an important thing of course as it keeps us alive, but the blood that was shed for us is greater than our own while man and animal are dirty, impure. The blood of Jesus pours out for us as it seeks to remove shame and hopelessness. Can we accept that an innocent man (truly innocent) was made to die so that we might live? What's more can we ignore it?

It's not easy to imagine a perfect (sinless) life. It is not easy to imagine being guilty for the shear volume of crimes we have committed each day. It is not easy to comprehend how blood removed guilt; since it mixes the physical and metaphysical worlds together. It is enough to blow a mind, but with the Word of God in hand these things can be known. Seek and believe...