Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 "Tell the Israelites to turn back and
encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp
by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The
Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the
desert.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them.
Exodus 14:15
This was Gods idea
When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and
his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we
done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" 6 So
he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 7 He took six
hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of
Egypt, with officers over all of them. The LORD hardened the heart of
Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued after the Israelites, who were
marching out boldly. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up,
and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified
and cried out to the LORD.
Moses' silent prayers of faith prevailed more with God than Israel's
loud cries of fear. The pillar of cloud and fire came behind them, when
they needed a guard, God provided a wall of fire between them and their
enemies. This dividing barrier made it possible for Gods people to go
forward and conquer the new territory.
Let’s go forward claiming new opportunities, conquering doubts,
resisting temptation, defeating Satan, taking back what the enemy has
stolen from us, go forward giving God the praise, go forward and don’t
look back like, remember lots wife? She looked back and became a pillar
of salt. The angels warned them, Escape for your life! Do not look back,
and do not stay anywhere in the valley, escape to the mountains that
are higher than you or you will be swept away by the wrath of God.
Genesis 19:17.
Lot ran down the valley and up towards the mountain, his two
daughters ran close behind him, but his wife from behind look back and
she became a pillar of salt, she lagged, when she should have gone
forward much faster, she was weight down with the burden of the world,
caught in two minds, whether to stay or to go, she lost ground and could
not resist looking around. But if we keep our focus on Jesus, the
things of this world will become insignificant. The disobedience of
lots wife was a willful, and deliberate sin which led to her death, she
chooses to value in her heart the things of the world more than the
things of God.
Remember Lot’s wife. Luke 17:32
We today have received the similar warning to that which the angels
gave to the lot and his family, let us go forward, putting away the old
self-conscious feeling, and putting on the new life which is renewed in
the likeness of God. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not
leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life to those who
commit sins that do not lead to death. The image of Lots wife standing
watch over the dead Sea where no life exists is the graphic reminder to
us not to yearn for the things of the world. But to follow where Christ
lead without hesitation.
God calls us to a journey in faith
The word and providence of God have a black and dark side toward sin
and towards the sinners, but a bright and pleasant side toward the
people of the Lord. He, who divided between light and darkness, Gen 1:4,
allotted darkness to the Egyptians, and light to the Israelite's. There
was such a great difference there will be between the inheritance of
the saints in light and that utter darkness which will be the portion of
hypocrites forever. The time is now, God wants his people to have an
awareness of the need to move forward with the ministry, not retreat,
not looking back with hesitancy.
The king James authorise version. Pentecostal church messages
This is a
subject that the spirit of the Lord gave to me. This is my testimony,
and experience that I have had with the Lord, that was very unique in
that the fruit of the suffering that came out of this experience ,
allowed me to mature and grow in the Lord in such a way that now I can
truly proclaim that Jesus is Lord of my life.
Luke 15, we find a parable of the lost sheep, lost piece of silver
and a lost son. The lost sheep represent lost souls. Jesus is the
shepherd seeking out the lost sheep. He has called us to seek the lost.
We also have the woman who had ten but lost one piece of silver and
sweep her house diligently seeking to find the one lost piece of silver.
The shepherd went seeking the lost sheep just as the woman went seeking
for the silver. So it is that we must go seeking for the lost souls. We
have a great job before us seeking the lost.
The prodigal son is symbolic to the backslider. The backslider is
unique in that he is lost but he knows his way back home. We will see in
this illustration that the prodigal son knew how to get back home this
is ultimately what distinguishes the backslider from the lost. The lost
have never walked the path nor seen the light. The lost have never known
fellowship with Jesus, never hard his voice, never opened his heart to
him who knocks at the door.
The thought that I want to leave with you is "The Hog-pen
Experience". The prodigal son is a depiction of a deplorable condition.
The question is what will it take for me to awaken to my sinful
condition? What will it take for me to say yes Lord? For many of us much
of what we experience in life is the hand of God pulling at us in his
loving way, knocking at the door of our hearts. Many tragedies in our
life come only to bear witness that there is a better way. Much of the
hardship and suffering that we experience is merely the hand of God upon
our lives. If it were not for the trials and tribulation that come our
way, would we pray? Would we seek the face of God? We can ultimately
see the hand of God upon our lives drawing us closer to him from day to
day.
In this study of the prodigal son I can see my very own personal
testimony. Luke chapter 15:11-12, we find the family, two sons with
their father. In the world that we live in Satan’s greatest attack is
against the family. His desire is to divide, brake up and destroy or
kill out the family. From the very beginning Satan’s attack was against
the family, Adam and Eve the first family. Sin and death enter this
world through the first family. Today is no exception, if we look around
at our community, we’ll find the greatest ill in society to be the
breakdown of the family. When the family is destroyed you have no
inheritance, no community, the entity of husband and wife, sons and
daughters, when this institution is destroyed we destroy ourselves. For
this reason mirage is sacred, it is an institution that God himself has
created and ordained from the foundation of the world. Even today Satan
is attempting to destroy the family.
In verse 12 of Luke chapter 15, we find two sons but only one of them
desired to leave the family. The other son after having his goods and
his portion of inheritance given to him as well, he decided to stay at
home. He saw the benefits of staying at home, the quality of life. But
the other son saw a great opportunity before him, the world its glitter,
its fame, the lights, the friends.
The word prodigal means to waste. It is a sad thing to waste not
merely the material things in life but to waste the essence of life,
life it’s self. To find that life is a vapor and the glory of life like
the grass that is green today and tomorrow it is withered away. So it is
in life that the world may hold you up high today but tomorrow they
want know you. As long as your money last you will be known and you will
be loved. It is sad to say but the Presidency of our Country literally
goes to the highest bidder. Money is power. You can be a man of great
virtue and intellect and be broke and you will find before you a great
challenge. But you have a little money and you can perpetrate your way
to the highest chair in the land. We see so much corruption behind money
and what people will do in the name of money. The Prince of this world
has created a system based on greed. This is the reason why the world is
so attractive because it comes to us in a lucrative way.
Luke 15:13, we find that the young man after receiving his share he
departed. I can see this young man headed for Los Angeles California
were the big lights are or perhaps New York City, were he would find
fine women and gambling Casinos. He gets there and he finds friends he
never known before because he has money that he never had before. The
prodigal wasted all that he had.
There is no way to hold on to the gift of life when you leave Jesus.
The prodigal son is symbolic to one who had known the father. He had
known the benefits of being in fellowship with God. After knowing the
father and his care, his everlasting provision, the son would say within
his heart "I want to go into the world". "I’m going to leave you
father, I’ve had enough of it all". To the young it is the experience of
the world that pulls at them, the experience of sin. But what I want to
share with you today is that sin is not a beautiful experience. "The
wages of sin is death", while you are in sin death is all around you. If
it were not for the grace of God upon your life the enemy would still
you. When you are whit the crowd you don’t see the adversary, you don’t
see his plan. How many of us have been to the funeral of a love one
that was out just having a good time. There are so many young people
dying today behind sin. The drug experience is something we do with our
so call friends only to find yourself left along with a habit that you
can’t pay for. The drug experience is what Jesus has come to save us
from. As agents of free will we must chose to be free from the bondage
of sin, from its power and dominion.
If we chose to experience sin then we must bear the consequence of
that choice. The living word of God has given us to know that "what so
ever a man sows that shall he also reap". The experience of sin always
comes with a harvest, not only in the life to come but in this life.
Somebody is concern about the hell to come but many are living in a
living hell right here on the face of this earth. We see our dear
brothers and sisters daily, minds disturbed, troubled, the marks of the
world on their face, many have chosen alternative lifestyles are facing
the judgment of God through social diseases.
Sin is to waste this precious gift of life that God has endowed each
one of us with. If we chose sin we are driven to death. The enemy steals
your life when you are in sin. We do not always see the deception of
sin. Just like the prodigal son looking for the beauty of this great
metropolis city that he would enter into, his money would allow doors to
be open that would ultimately be shut in his face. If we look at the
world today, it is a materialistic world that desires to have your soul.
One can get so caught up behind the pursuit of money that you are
unable to see nothing else. Money will rule your soul, the love of it.
It will be your God. "No man can serve two masters, you cannot serve God
and mammon", Matthew 6:24.
People will go to war over oil but no one is willing to fight so that
men can be free. We live in a day were the value of money is greater
than human life. The Prince of this world’s system is Satan and he does
not value life. Many decisions are made today on the basis of how much
money one can gain.
"And when he had spent all,"- Luke 15:14. Right now our Country is
facing a great debt on the floor of the congress debate is being waged
daily on what to cut. Who would have ever phantom that we would be
living in a day were Air-force and military bases would be shut down as a
result of the lack of money in our federal government. After all the
bureaucratic stealing, the government is at the point of shutting down.
Now we are suffering the consequences of a nation that is prodigal. Our
Country once knew what it was to be a nation under God, in fellowship
with God through prayer, communicating to a father who cares for his
own, through his provision and everlasting protection. We knew what it
was to reverence a living God in our schools and institutions to look to
him in all our ways and he would direct our path.
Today we look at a nation who is prodigal. A nation that has took
prayer out of the schools. Prayer is in the process of being removed
from all social activity. Certainly, if our forefathers of this great
nation were alive today, they would be appalled at what is happening in
society. The Constitution of the United States of America allows us to
have great freedom but not at the risk of destroying everything that we
value. Freedom without discipline is not the will of God. Our God is a
God of order; he is a God of design. There is a movement "The new Age"
that is coming to destroy all that has been created and ordained by God.
It is the mind of the antichrist. He is going forth in the land as
never before, on his great black horse, destroying and slaying every
institution and the Church is no exception. It is a sad day, but the
sadness is a result of leaving God. When you leave God you enter into
sin. Sin is a complete demise of the total person soul, mind and body.
We see the soul of our Country deteriorating, dying, and wasting
away. How long will we continue to walk as the prodigal son? Will we
return to God, the living word, the values and principles that the very
foundation of this Country was built upon, or will we continue to waste
away?
Right now we like the prodigal son find ourselves in a hog-pen.
Domestically speaking we’re in a hog-pen. As much money as many of us
make we are just surviving. Twenty years ago if we made the money we
make today we would be like a rich man. Our Country in a hog-pen wasting
away, this is a terrible experience. This is where you end up with sin.
We as a Nation have truly come from a long ways, but now we are looking
at the hog-pen, just like the prodigal son.
Verse 15 of Luke chapter 15 "And he went and joined himself to a
citizen of that country; and he sent into his fields to feed
swine."After the prodigal son had spent all of his money, a famine arose
in the land and he began to seek for food and shelter. A citizen took
him in and sent him into the fields to feed the swine. Jerusalem is a
Holy City and the lowest thing that you can possibly do in Jerusalem is
handle the swine. Swine according to Old Testament law is not to be
consumed. Anytime you join yourself with worldly friends you are going
to end up in the hog-pen. If you are born again you do not have worldly
companionship. In the world you have to look out for yourself, it is the
survival of slickest. We must seek God to open our eyes and our mind to
discern true friendship, to see the darkness of the world as sin. To
understand how short time is. To hear the voice of Jesus calling "come
unto me all ye who are heavy laden and I’ll give you rest".
Luke Chapter 15 verse 16, we find that the prodigal son would have
gladly eat the fed that he was giving to the swine. During this period
of time just like today it does not matter how hungry a servant may be
if the servant begins to eat the food that he should be serving, the
servant could lose his job. So the prodigal son had to suffer hunger
until he could feed himself with what little he had.
Sin has brought the prodigal son to a condition that only God could
get him out of. He is desperately hungry, in the midst of a famine, away
from home. There is a famine right here in America. I know that many of
us are eating two and three times a day but there is still a famine in
this land. The famine is for the word of God and the move of his spirit
in this land today. After having spent all many are awakening to the
reality of having lost God to gain the world only to lose their soul.
After having filled your barn and God put his hands on your life and you
find "what will a man give in exchange for his soul"? What can you hold
before God in the face of death? What price will you give in exchange
for eternal life? There is only one price and that price has been paid
by the blood of Jesus. If his blood does not cover your life, than you
is not his purchased possession. For when we stand before God it is only
the blood of Jesus that will pay that price, in this life and in the
life to come. His name is the only salvation for humanity. His name is
the only salvation for America.
Verse 17 of Luke chapter 15 "And when he came to himself", this is
the question that I’d like to put to you today. What will it take for me
to come to myself? Many of us are standing in a hog-pen condition right
now. But even in the hog-pen Jesus desires to see you back home. Jesus
desires for you to make the step back to the path of righteousness, back
to home. There is a voice crying in your ear even in the hog-pen. In
the midst of your lowest moment Jesus is knocking at the door of your
heart. His arms are open; he desires to see you back home, while the
blood is yet running warm in your veins. You have an opportunity to come
on back home.
The prodigal son came to himself but how many of us will come to
ourselves? The grave is full of a multitude that fell to come to
themselves. Will you come to yourself right now, and realize that the
hog-pen is not the place to be. Rather a backslider or sinner there is a
way out. Jesus said "I am the way, the trueth, and the life; no man
cometh unto the father, but by me". Think God that before the creation
of the world a way out was made. His name is Jesus.
What will it take for me to come to myself? This is the only question
that matters. Not how serious the situation is, for it does not exceed
the grace of God. His grace is sufficient even in our weakest hour. If
we draw near to him, he will draw near unto us. If we come out and
sanctify ourselves he will be a father to us and we will be sons and
daughters to him. If we deny ourselves and take up the cross, he has
promised to give us his spirit dwelling in our hearts. By the spirit of
the living God we can cry Father, Father, Abba, Abba, has sons and
daughters of the living God. The family of God, a royal priesthood,
brought by the precious blood of Jesus, Kings and Priests called to rule
in this land, called to show forth righteousness and good works unto
the father. It is by the blood of Jesus, the work of Calvary’s Cross
that we have a way out.
I say unto to you, "who has believed our report? To whom has the arm
of the Lord been revealed"? Can you see the way out of the hog - pen. I
bring to you my testimony the hog – pen experience. After having
experienced all that the world has to offer, I believed the report. As a
result of believing the report; the arm of the Lord was revealed unto
me. In his everlasting arms I am leaning on to this present day. I’m
leaning on those arms that centuries of men and women have leaned upon,
the arm of the gospel that shows the light of the world.
Will you see the revelation? Will you see the door that stands open
to the way out? Will you hear the voice of the spirit of Jesus that
reaches out even now? The prodigal son represents the hog – pen
experience. What will it take for you to come out of the hog – pen?
I served has outreach Minister and Ordained Elder under
Pastor Jerome Lee. Bethel Tabernacle Christ Holy Sanctified Church of
America, Inc. 2121 Daniel Street, Fort Worth, Tx 76104. I served as
Sunday School Teacher,and Musician.
Max Washington Class 2021, out of Morgantown High School located in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Max is a shooting guard weighing in at 190 at six foot four inches.
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Nowadays,
if you are looking to get lean then the most effective method would be
doing speed and strength training. They are especially useful if you are
tying to get lean in a hurry. (Continued below.......)
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(.....Continued.......) Many people make a huge mistake when choosing good workouts to get
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you looking to prevent injuries then this type of training guarantees
results.
Here are a few workouts that represent speed and strength training, respectively, just to let you have an idea of what they are.
Speed Training
This type of training not only focuses on improving your speed,
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quicker whether it is your intention or not. Both; amateur and
professional athletes do speed training to improve their conditioning to
bring out the best of their abilities. Here are some examples:
Fartleks
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Interval Training
Tabata Sprints
Shuttle Runs
100m and 200m sprints
Strength Training
Strength training is used as the ultimate conditioning program, used
by pro athletes, amateurs, and even normal people to build muscle.
Despite the reason for that that muscle growth, stronger muscles help
prevent injuries and make you look good at the same time. Here are some
examples:
Resistance Training
Descending Pyramid Weight Reps
Ascending Pyramid Weight Reps, etc
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you if you want to gain both muscle and strength or, if you are happy
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In the
rampant rage of wide-spread devolution of humanity, particularly on the
shores of the U.S., the arrogance of ignorance spews its contagion in
diverse ways. By contentious condescension of intentional malevolence,
the spurting of non-stop stupidity intentionally contrives to wreck the
democratic processes. To save the republic, higher reaches of purposeful
wisdom with extraordinary ascensions of enlightenment requires a mature
intelligent population. Among this extrapolation of astonishing willful
insight, knowledge insists upon the development of exceptional personal
individuation. Acute inner analysis is crucial. (Continued below......)
(....Continued.....)With a list of adversarial disputations, opposing forces to the
right, freedom and reason of free speech endeavor to restrict essential
constitutional safeguards. In particular, aside from illicit and
dimwitted admonitions from the realms of academia, supernatural
ideologies attack and defame essential necessity of personal expression.
Among the antithesis of human liberation comes the terroristic
psychological and physical pillaging of freedom by extremist fundamental
occultic obsession. Led by the weak, the cowardly and the ignorant,
selfishness abounds.
Politics is but one arena where “anti-thinking” foments the specious
terrors of ignorance so grievous, that the viability of the American
republic hangs in the balance. For some, perhaps even a majority,
indulged in wonderment to consider the probably of eventual human
extinction. To that apocalyptic end, the political processes are but
elemental factor in an iceberg of societal selfishness. Closely aligned
is the cult of celebrity worship. The contemporary idiocy, from
Hollywood elitist to Washington politicians, promotes a dumber American
society.
Most often, actors, like so many across mainstream society, spew the
superficiality of their ignorance. Undereducated in so many aspects of
the real-world, their fictional fantasies blur the distinction between
the real and the surreal. All to often, such actions breach the
viability of free speech in such condemning ways, as to rebuke the
tenants of civility. Their divisive hate mongering tears at the basic
foundations of the revolutionary spirit of freedom. Given the gluttonous
satiation for selfishness, money, power, and control, prefers
ignorance. A few years, a British publication asserted the lunacy of the
“leftist elitist”. Building a case for the extremes of smug
self-righteousness is a trail of clues related to education versus
indoctrination.
With controversial engagements across the mainstream of society, some
analyst ponder the perceived notions regarding a decline in educational
ascendency. By contrast, a few agree that the American culture is
declining with consequences that indicate an eventual collapse. As
opposed to an enlightened constituency of well-educated, exceptionally
competent and mature people, a devolution seems more realistic.
Regardless of social strata, most of the population appears and acts in
very immature and child-like ways. Being ignorant became more
comfortable.
In accordance with the aforementioned sense of intellectual
dysfunction, one psychologist recently echoed a similar theme, by what
might be called “American dysfunction of anti-intellectualism”.
Asserting a kind of pathology of ignorance, the writer offered an
argument regarding the degradation of society by wide spread idiocy. By
absurd, foolish and immature behaviors, including stupid commentary by
elected officials, a deep sense of disappointment echoes among those
seeking solutions to serious social issues.
By neither social status nor college degree is there any guarantee of
extraordinary enlightenment. Likewise, regardless of educational
institution, graduation does not infer the capacity for saving the
planet, profound civil discourse or insistence upon the greater good. In
an earlier time, philosophical admonitions favored the necessity for
higher intellectual achievement beyond in formal system or communal
process. Creativity was an important element in pursuing the pioneering
spirit of innovation. Today, ingenuity finds few adherents.
In a post-modern context, disingenuous behaviors increasingly and
negatively exhibit a host of adversarial interactions. Divisive examples
are ever-present in news shows, as well as political forums. Emotional
reactivity is frequently the choice of actions rather than serious
analytic investigations. To insist upon a problem-solving venture by way
of critical thinking and logical analysis is not typically the path
chosen. A regressive tendency toward immature emotional responses
animates an inclination toward promoting conflict rather than
compromise.
While one person criticizes another for a posting in social media
that may violate “community standards”, another vicious torments others
for their political leanings. Intolerance for tolerance often depends on
whether or not the other person agrees with another’s opinion. In prior
times, open debate on controversial issues embraced the free spirit of
candid commentary. Now, the opposite seems more likely. Sensitivity to
everything shuts down the free exercise of alternative perspectives. At
the same time, emotional reactivity threatens factual authenticity.
For the purposes herein, the issues surrounding the conceptualization
of censorship relates to actions intended to suppress, restrict or
otherwise prohibit the dissemination of an artistic expression.
Primarily, the focus is toward social media, but not exclusively. As
such, the prohibitions, or attempted prohibitions, referred to include
restrictions on presentation or publication of various forms of
authorship. Writings of various kinds, articles, stories, books, novels
and so forth are examples. Additionally, consideration of creative works
likewise pertain to movies, films, photos, drawings and other related
works of art.
Whether an article on a controversial topic or an explicit depiction
of photographic art, the matter at hand is the intentional prohibition
of the art form. As an ongoing process of social and legal debate,
censorship in contemporary social media, including news media, suggests
an increasing antagonism toward innovative artistic endeavors. While the
First Amendment (U.S. Constitution) is the fundamental expression of
free speech, censoring an imaginative arty expression conjures debatable
implications in terms of legality, equity, and liberty.
Aside from legal ramifications, the implications of censorship are
manifold. Indirectly, one aspect entertained here is the notion that
censoring an online artistic genre speaks to an era of ignorance. As
intellectual capacity, along with a maturity for enlightened thinking,
diminishes over time, increased infantile reactivity is more likely. In
post-modern consideration, contemporary efforts by social media to
curtail selected expressions represent oppression. A “tyranny” of
intolerance pretending to be tolerant pervades social interactivity.
Another aspect suggests a devolving process of thinking that is
detrimental to human civilization. If, for instance, there is a
supposition that the human species is advancing, a counter argument
might infer the contrary. Contemporary sensitivity appears at an
all-time low in terms of overreaction to just about anything. As
controversy arises over criticism of an individual, an ideology, or a
flag, or baseball cap, a posting occurs on the net to demonstrate
outrage.
Extraordinary simplification, excessive rationalization and
contentious divisiveness degrade any semblance of a civilized society.
As such, there is a sense of arrogance in the ignorance. In an article
for a national newspaper, the online admonition of American society
focused on the commonplace “embracing of ignorance”. Accordingly, the
claim points to the current trend of glorifying ignorance and disdaining
intellectualism. While believing in something without facts or evidence
is one thing. It is quite another to make public policy based on
belief.
Someone might question which is worse, not having evidentiary
substantiation, or denying the reality of factual relevance and doing
something stupid. This is where a serious regard for rationality
searches carefully among the volumes of psychobabble to question the
nature of proof. Solvability of an issue invites the various aspects of
efforts directed toward provability. For most issues, many rely on
gossip, hearsay, opinion and superficial conjecture that says nothing
and does nothing. Frequently, this satiates an inner desire to make
idiotic notions valid.
Another headline from a different informational perspective asserted a
study that suggested people do not like their strongly held beliefs
questioned. Based on a limited research configuration form a major
private college, researchers sought to assess the knowledge base of the
average voter. As related to things like climate change, for instance,
overuse of information dissemination may case deeper controversies to
arise. Too much information leads to confusion among diverse parties to a
public debate, especially if the basis for knowing something is
limited.
A debasing conjecture might suggest that an entity or external
mechanism causes people to do one thing or another, but that is
dangerously misleading. Not only that, but also such specious notions
perpetuate an atmosphere of ignorance. Such things become a vicious
cycle of regressive tendencies for the sake of foolish excuses. As to
that, the commentary is often heard about how the “internet makes people
stupid”, or how “technology” or “social media” contributes to violence,
etc. Briefly, inanimate objects cannot make people do things.
Lifeless inert “entities” do not possess the power for such
influence. People intentionally and willfully make their own choices and
there are no excuses for their bad decisions. However, to ensure the
lofty status of ignorance, many will concoct all manner of mitigation.
By malice aforethought, premeditation and intention infliction, people
do all kinds of perpetrations. Once the blame went to demons, ghosts and
goblins. Today, it is just about anything external to the person that
receives blame for maladaptive behaviors. Not much difference than
demonic possession.
Regardless, such human antics do not elevate the species to an
advanced civilization by any stretch of the imagination. Grotesque and
undignified fallacies of inference permeate talk shows, talking head
news outlets, schoolrooms, legislative sessions, social media and the
list goes on. Subjective validation for the sake of cognitive bias,
absent facts and evidence, supplants in-depth critical analysis based on
vigorous inquiry. Instead, the modern malady of social discourse tends
to rely heavily on opinion in an appeal to inauthentic “authority”.
Such an appeal to the pretention of some source, or someone,
possessing the exceptionality of an authoritative perspective, is
potentially dangerous. The guru, the shaman, the spiritualist, or the
metaphysician, are likely to perpetrate grievous errors of self-centered
thinking. As alluded to earlier, in a stardom-fixated culture, the
incessant adoration surrenders to the opinion, gossip or rumors fomented
by popularity. Using fame and fortune as a benchmark for knowledge and
wisdom encourages a larger framework of social stupidity. Because
someone can play a part in a movie, perform on stage, or nominated for
an award, does not confer enlightenment.
Yet, repeatedly, “intellectual capacity” is erroneously ascribed to a
star personality, whether movie luminary or talk show host. Similarly,
as 24/7 cable network news sources slant toward personal opinion, the
greater the probability of shallow thinking. In reality, these could
actually be some of the most notoriously uninformed people on the
planet. A careful analysis of the contemporary rhetoric reveals a
serious failure of fact driven analysis. Evidence seems to have lost its
value and necessity in favor of personal opinion. Repeatedly, feelings
are valued more.
Continuing the commission of the decline of intellectual honesty, a
collegiate talk show interview of one researcher expressed
disappointment in politicians. Reminiscing the sage commentary of one of
the founding fathers, the republic is in danger when ignorance has an
expectation of freedom. To paraphrase, as stupid culture cannot hope for
a free society. In a frightening reflection on modern society, a
researcher points to the foolish discourse found in American politics.
Politicians often say the stupidest things.
One point of view on this matter of egregious ignorance in political
commentary, relates to how such fallacies mirror society. Whether by
partisan bias, political expediency, or contrived selfishness for power
and control, the lack of intellectual curiosity and analytic reasoning
undermine the principles of a democratic republic. Worrisome is the
notion as to the trend toward anti-rationality, or the ability to ensure
constructive reason in logical analysis.
That coupled with the arrogance of embracing ignorance ought to be
the warning signs of a collapsing culture. A few would argue the
disastrous consequences for the human species. Others aligned with the
fear of eventual human extinction would accept the idea that this is the
dawn of the “zombie apocalypse”. The debasing nature of stupid
thinking, or as some would prefer, “magical thinking”, portrays an era
of conceited preference for being uninformed. To exploit that with
emotional reactivity and cultural advancement devolves to regressive
depths.
Meanwhile in academia, the bastion of knowledge and wisdom, a
presupposition asserts the posture that high levels of intelligence
mount the precipice of human advancement. When the laughter dies down,
some argue there is no guarantee of vast realms of enlightenment within
the hallowed halls of ivy towers. According to some educators, just the
opposite is the reality. One college professor offers an assessment of
the “dumbest generation”. By way of little or no mature leadership,
trendy vulgarity, simplistic thinking and a host of other intellectual
maladies, younger generations insist upon a devolving mediocrity of
infantile narcissism.
In addition, the contentions, as to a devolving state of arrogant
ignorance, falls upon lazy self-righteousness smugly neglecting the
rigors of human advancement. A failure to ascend beyond adolescence and
insist upon a mature grown world condemns society to eventual collapse.
According to some, a small niche of serious minded mature individuals,
the “dumbest generation” or generations, do possess sufficient capacity
to deal with future societal problems. A fundamental deficit of critical
knowledge in areas of commerce, industry, government and educational
institutions hastens the regressive deterioration of a democratic
republic.
One may or may not want to transpose “knowledge deficit” with
stupidity. Applying a stupidity factor might hurt the sensitivities of
those desiring to remain adolescent into adulthood. Nonetheless, a
serious shortfall in socio-economic and political astuteness traversing
rampant throughout mainstream society is dangerous. Added to that
burdensome responsibility of being generally smarter than average, are
the woefully scarce levels of historical ignorance. As earlier writers
warned, failing to learn from history is the vital lesson of history.
Coupled with educational narrowmindedness, particularly in collegiate
settings, along with ideological agendas, the perpetration of “dumbing
down” continues to erode the higher prospects of intellectualism.
Assuming an exceptionality principle from the realms of real science,
there are always noteworthy exemptions from sweeping generalities.
However, when it comes to humankind and the maladaptive intentions of
foolish behaviors exceptions few. With the political arena for instance,
there are very few exceptions of extraordinary intellect, with wise and
mature exhibitions of serious leadership ability. As younger
generations run for public office, let us say those under 40 years old,
where most millennials reside, the prospects get scary. The arrogance in
ignorance expands astronomically among the younglings attempting to
manage governmental organizations. At the national level, stupidity in
spite of alleged college education is frightening.
In pursuit of the warn paths of least resistance, asserting the
nebulous notions of pretentious offense, the ignorance of the many
fixate on the “selfieness” of selfish promotion. Once the unimaginative
protest proclaims self-defeat, the unlabored ignorance relishes in the
satiation of less strenuous mediocrity. Criticisms rage the hallow
failures of critical thinking for the amative excitement of myth, magic
and metaphor. Refuge finds company in the shallow fluff of forsaking
reality for immediate gratification. Blustering blather endangers the
republic.
For the gushing eroticism of quick release, the fatted bellows
bemoaning the logic and reason of serious thought spew impotent
conjecture. As to the perpetration of tired ideologies, reinvented by
venal strains of limp minded arrogance, fear of evidentiary
substantiation perpetrates the replacement of facts with fictions.
Haughtiness of unintelligent, uninformed and uneducated self-imposed
offensiveness, breed the illicit dangers that threaten cultural
ascendency. Within that framework, the absence of profound creativity
stifles the advance of enlightenment.
Acting “anti-social”, a word used too frequently in an ill-informed
society, portrays an easily chosen means to get what one wants at the
expense of others. Given the options, people will always act in their
self-interests, which could beneficial or not. Excuses for stupid
behaviors have run the deceptive and manipulative gambits philosophies
as “science”, to political commentary as fact. Fictions promulgate the
deceptive intentions of ill-intentioned adherents, presupposing their
ignorance remain unchallenged. As to a majority that follow the
superstitions of misguided dogma, the doctrines of illicit ideologies
forsake the viability of social advancement.
For some, there are UFOs in every mysterious movement in the sky.
Others delve into the phantoms of phantasm, where ghosts, goblins and
gremlins lurk. From there, the adventure skirts the outer regions of
mindful ideations to chase the mysterious manifestations of social
dysfunction. In that, the instigators provoke the terror of monsters
from the Id. From illusions thought real, which fail the proof of real
scientific validation. As gullibility runs amuck, the believability
leaps to faithful allegiance to chemical therapies for hidden demonic
forces.
To perpetuate an industry of “mind-body-illness-wellness” forsakes
the liberation of individuality to promote the feeble excuses of the
many. From invisible “addictions” to superstitious flirtations,
inflictions unfold that oppress and enslave as many as possible. In
part, such antics promote the anti-intellectualism rising in
contemporary context. As a result, some fear the arrogance of ignorance
is one of the most deadly threats to modern society.
Published multi-genre author, 35 plus years field of criminal justice and law enforcement; college professor in criminology;
Self Defense Legal Issues - Can You Be Prosecuted For Self Defense?
Author
Jerry Wilkins
He was hiking up a trail in Coconino County Arizona in 2004 when
suddenly a growling dog charged down the path running straight towards
him. He quickly pulled his handgun and fired a round in the ground. The
dog then retreated to safety, suddenly an angry man came running down
the trail waiving his arms threatening to kill him. Claiming self
defense he fired three shots killing the attacking man.
This case received national attention, since carrying a handgun is
not illegal in Arizona many viewed this as a text book legal use of
deadly force. However, prosecutors disagreed and charged the shooter
with 2nd degree murder. He was later convicted and sentenced to 10 years
in prison. This is a common misunderstanding. The vast majority of
Americans does not understand the legal issues involved in the use of
force for self defense.
There have been thousands prosecuted for unwarranted force used in
their self defense. Most were completely shocked when they were charged
with a crime. Even if they were not convicted, the cost from their legal
expenses and the trauma from prosecution leave many bitter and
resentful of our legal system. This is a complex legal issue that very
few not trained in the law comprehend, even trained Police Officers have
been charged with the unnecessary use of force, and some are in jail.
A friend of mine recently explained that if someone attempted to
climb in his window in daytime or night. he would shoot them. I
explained to him that even soldiers in combat have rules of engagement.
It is foolhardy to assume that civilians have carte blanch permission to
use any means of self defense. It is important that we realize that
the threat of danger or preventing crimes do not necessarily legally
warrant the use of deadly force. Legally, the use of lethal force in an
unlawful situation is a reason for prosecution. It doesn't matter if the
person actually dies.
Legal Use of Deadly Force
Although the laws in your state may not be exactly the same basically
most are unified in this fundamental concept. You can only use deadly
force in self defense for protection from serious bodily harm or death.
This law also would provide for the protection of others. If someone
attacked you with a lethal weapon you can use deadly force, on the other
hand, if someone attacks you with their hands only in rare occasions
would you be allowed to use deadly force. For example, you are beaten
badly, and the assailant refuses to stop.
Legal Use of Non Lethal Force
Using non lethal self defense weapons for protection are the more
reasonable approach in most situations. It is highly unlikely you will
ever be charged with any crime if you use them in your defense, this
includes in the few states where they are banned. The only exception
might be if you started an altercation and used the weapon. However, if
you did not initiate the attack, using non lethal self defense weapons
would be most likely allowed. So if you want to stay out of jail the
wise choice would be to use nonlethal weapons, unless protecting
yourself or others from serious injury or death.
Jerome Wilkins is a former decorated Baltimore City Police
Officer. He is presently a Security Consultant and owner of DefendMax
LLC. Visit his self defense weapons
site at and receive a 10% discount on your 1st order by using code
fv100 at checkout. We also have further information on legal issues and
self defense.
There are so many Reasons Today Why we need to Pray
Author
Douglas Iwanicki
Why pray
and how do you pray? The succeeding Why Do We Pray To God article will
bring enlightenment on the significance and purpose of prayer.
God is deeply longing for His beloved to seek His face, not His hands
and to seek His ways, not His moves. Since creation past, our Heavenly
Father has been lavishly pouring out His heart and intention for mankind
and the world. God longs for an intimate and mutual love relationship
with man. Every moment, His heart beats for us to respond to him in awe
and wonder as we behold His magnificence while contemplating on His
statutes, bowing down to his holiness, and becoming aware of Him like a
man to his wife.
Though God is the Supreme Being and divine ruler of the world and all
the universes beyond, He is the God in three persons (Father, Son Jesus
Christ and Holy Spirit) having a personality. Unlike a watchmaker
leaving behind its invention once created, God is a spiritual being
demanding and requiring in love a divine connection with us. As such, we
ought to relate with Him spirit-to-Spirit through a two-way
communication called Prayer. / Because of that, it is of utmost
importance to develop a spiritual contact with Him through what we call
Prayer. Prayer is from the Latin word precare which means "to beg or
entreat".
Why Pray? Primarily, because God institutionalized prayer and
instructed His people to pray continually (1 Thess. 5:17) and pursue
Him. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Since the Old Testament times, Bible characters discovered God in
prayer and recognized ways to pray. God moved in their behalf as they
lifted up the praying hands. Abraham interceded for his relative Lot
along with his family and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah before its
destruction (Gen. 18:16-33) and the same way with Moses who stood in the
gap for the Jewish people in the desert as they disobey and complain
against God (Numbers 14:11-20).
Out of perseverance in prayer, Hannah did not waver in asking God for
a child and fulfilling her commitment (1 Samuel 1:1-2:11) and the said
child Samuel persistently prayed for his nation and people amidst
blatant rebellion and obstinacy. (1 Samuel 7:5-13) By praise and
adoration, David composed and sang Psalms while Hezekiah prayed as he is
concerned with the name and glory of God (1 Kings 19:14-20).
Prophet Daniel experienced a continual feast of fellowship with God
through prayer and fasting (Daniel 9:3-19) while the cupbearer Nehemiah
sought God's perfect will regarding his intentions to build the wall of
Jerusalem for 4 months of fasting and prayer. (Nehemiah 1:10)
In the New Testament, Jesus lived a lifestyle of fasting and prayer
(e.g. 40 days in the wilderness, rose up early to pray, prayed all
night, prayed in Gethsemane) and taught His disciples how to pray and
what to pray for as in the Lord's Prayer.
Why Pray I pray, is it the right way? If Jesus being the Son of God
never failed to pray every single day of his life to overcome trials,
rebuke devils, heal the afflicted, resurrect dead people, preach the
Good News of salvation, operate in the supernatural, release those in
bondage, and heal the brokenhearted, how much more should Christians?
All those stricken by infirmities approached Jesus in a healing prayer
to minister deliverance and restoration to their lives.
Our Heavenly Daddy reiterates in the Bible that we can humbly,
boldly, and confidently come to Him for our every need-just pursue,
pray, request, call on, look for, and be in Him as He promised to answer
all those who seek Him with their entire being.
Why Pray Many times in the Scriptures, God's command to pray
reverberates especially for those who will believe as whatever they ask
for in prayer will happen and He will do whatever they ask in Jesus'
name. God delights to grant petitions of the saints through their
prayer, thanksgiving, intercession, and requests.
Perhaps you have asked yourself these questions: Why prayers aren't
answered even if I pray to God? How do I pray now? Can anyone pray for
me?
Why Pray More than just merely changing situations, prayer can and
will transform our hearts and revive our love-relationship with our
Maker and our neighbors. The best prayer we can pray to God is not when
we make requests to intercede for others, resolve problems, heal
sicknesses, vindicate from enemies, protect from evil or even turn the
world upside down, it is prayer when we just close our eyes, bend down
our knees, silence our hearts, cry out to Him without any agenda except
to hear His voice, see His face and know Him in spirit and in truth.
If you decide to be in this posture all the days of your life and
practice how to pray to God, He will definitely reveal Himself to you,
show you His heart and saturate you with His loving kindness and bring
restoration to your soul more than your wildest dreams and imagination.
Why do we pray to God? With prayer, we can appreciate God and comprehend His ways then find complete satisfaction in Him alone.
Lately
there has been a rash of Christians falling for this dangerous bible
teaching called the Post Tribulation Rapture. The thing is that more and
more people are caring less and less what the bible actually says these
days.
The Post-Tribulation Rapture philosophy also leads to other false
doctrines. Colossians 2:8 is God's warning concerning false teachers,
"Beware lest any man spoil you through PHILOSOPHY and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not
after Christ." (Colossians 2:8)
If Post-Tribulation Rapture were true; then, the last generation
alive would be the only generation in over 2,000 years since the Church
Age began to have to go through the Tribulation. Then, we would have to
conclude that God is not a fair God. There are flaws to that post
Post-Tribulation Rapture theory or the second coming of Jesus after the
time of Jacobs trouble.
If Post-Tribulation Rapture were true; then, the last generation
alive would be the only generation in over 2,000 years since the Church
Age began to have to go through the Tribulation. Then, we would have to
conclude that God is not a fair God.
Does the Bible plainly say that the Church will be raptured when
Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation? and second, If we adopt
that position, how will it affect other events clearly foretold in
Scripture? for "no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation" (2 Peter 1:20).
We must understand that the Rapture relates exclusively to Church-age
saints. It does not include Old Testament saints who were raised when
Christ rose and took paradise to heaven (Matthew 27:50-53; Ephesians
4:8-10; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4).
Also, the Rapture described in 1Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1
Corinthians 15:51-54 is for those who are "in Christ", which uniquely
describes all believers since Pentecost. These have been baptized by the
Spirit into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), and it is obvious
that IF the Rapture of the Church were to occur at the end of the
Tribulation there would be a serious conflict with other Scriptures.
Are there any Scriptures which speak of a resurrection of Church-age
saints, both living and dead, when Christ returns at the end of the
Tribulation?
The answer is, No. There is a resurrection of saints at the Second
Coming (Revelation 20:4) but it is only for martyrs at the hands of
Antichrist during the 7- years of Great Tribulation
Elsewhere we read that when Christ returns the saints come WITH Him,
which requires that they be previously taken to heaven (Jude 14;
Zechariah 14: 5; 1 Thessalonians 3:13). At the Rapture, however, Christ
comes exclusively FOR His Church, which cannot include Old Testament
saints or Tribulation saints. The saints who are alive on earth at the
Second Coming are not resurrected but go alive into the kingdom
(Zechariah 14:16-21)
TEST NO.2: The Post-Tribulation Rapture theory is in conflict with the main sequence of events in the last days.
We know that the "end of the age" will be a short period of 7 years
called the Great Tribulation or "the time of Jacob’s (Israel’s) trouble"
(Jeremiah 30:7), after which Christ will come. Matthew wrote
Does a fish know it is wet? For one thing when the final event
happens and it sure will end the Pre trib post trib rapture debate real
quick. Maybe it is time for Christians to stop and think that they are
being poisoned by philosophy.
William Jaroske is Certified cash flow specialist of
Charter Financial. A marketing trainer, Consultant, leader and mentor
that unlocks the shackles of poverty into a empowered mindset. His
website is https://www.dumbexperts.com
National Football Editor Zack Poff takes a look at the Top 10 quarterbacks from the Class of 2021 and Gonzaga's (DC) 5-star Caleb Williams checks in at No. 1.
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