US Sports Net Today!


Live Play-by-Play, Updates, Highlights and More! on US Sports Network!
[Chrome Users-You may have to click on the play button twice to listen]
US Sports Network Powered By Beast Sports Nutrition!




US Sports Radio
The Las Vegas Raiders Play Here
Fitness and Sports Performance Info You Can Use!
The Scoreboard Mall
The Rock Almighty Shaker Of Heaven And Earth!
The Coolest Links In The Universe!
Showing posts with label spirit truth bible Jesus Father Son holy spirit Pastor Preacher God Prosperity Grace divorce relationships Creflo Dollar Joseph Prince Kenneth Copeland Jesse Duplantis Joyce meyer Joel Osteen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spirit truth bible Jesus Father Son holy spirit Pastor Preacher God Prosperity Grace divorce relationships Creflo Dollar Joseph Prince Kenneth Copeland Jesse Duplantis Joyce meyer Joel Osteen. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

The Rock Almighty - How Satan Deceives Humanity and New Year, New Fight!

 

 


  • Author Garfield Gregoire

God’s word – the holy Bible reveals there is a powerful, invisible spirit being - called Satan or the Devil, is in this world and is the cause or power that has been deceiving an unsuspecting humanity.

Angels existed Before the Creation of the Earth

The Bible reveals that the angels – including the one who became Satan, existed prior to the creation of the earth; Job 38:7 speaks of this time saying: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” The context of Job 38 shows God is supreme creator who created the earth and the angels; and if you notice, the scripture says, “… the morning stars sang together …” These morning stars are cherubims – who are of higher rank than the other angels that are called “sons of Gods.” Lucifer, whose name mean shining star of the dawn, is called “son of the morning” (Isaiah 14:12) and is also called the “… anointed cherub …” (Ezekiel 28:14). There are two other angels that are of such high rank; they are mentioned as Michael and Gabriel. In speaking of these cherubims, Psalm 99: 1 says God “… sitteth between the cherubims …” This means, the cherubims or these mighty morning stars, are at the very seat of power – symbolized by the fact that they were near the very throne of God; and this was the very reason why God told Moses to place two cherubs at each end of the throne of God when he (Moses) was given the pattern of the Ark of the covenant (see Exodus 25: 18 -20). Also remember that after Adam and Eve sinned, the Bible revealed cherubims were given the responsibility to keep man away from the tree of life (Gen 3:24).

Lucifer Rebelled Against the Government of God

The Bible reveals God created Lucifer with stunning beauty and wisdom – giving him great authority and power; in speaking of this, God says, “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God …” (Ezekiel 28:14). Lucifer covered the throne of God – meaning he was at the very seat of God’s government and had top flight position in that government - and along with another cherub (possibly Michael – the archangel) – who also covered the throne of God. In thinking about this, a person could consider that Lucifer was of great might and power that far excelled that of all the other ordinary angels, and may be regarded or viewed as the highest created being God had decided to create by fiat or instantaneous creation; and though we do not want to limit God, I suppose one could entertain the thought that Lucifer could be as close to being the very pinnacle means of God creative power to bring such a being into existence by such instantaneous creation; and notice that the Bible goes on to say: “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness …” (Ezekiel 28:17). Lucifer thought so much about himself; how powerful, beautiful and wise he was that it all went to his head; he became absorbed with himself that his great wisdom was corrupted by the thoughts that he could rival God or better govern the universe than God – which ultimately led or caused him to turn against God’s government in rebellion.

Most people may not be aware that this Lucifer was given a throne to sit on and to carry out the administration of God’s government over the earth – long before man had been created.

When God created the earth, the angels rejoiced because it was to the abode or home of possibly a third of the angels. Revelation 12:3,4 speaks of Satan as great red dragon whose tail drew “the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to earth …” Angels are spoken of as stars in the Bible; Satan had been given the rulership over the earth to administer God’s rule over the earth and the indication is that he ruled with at least a third of God’s angels under his command; this could have been millions of years before man was created. But somewhere during that time, Lucifer became discontented – as he wanted more power and control over the universe and over the rest of God’s holy angels in heaven, and so he began to work on the minds of the third of the angels under his control; he probably began to first work on the minds of those angels closest to him – sowing the seed of discord and discontent – by possibly complaining about the unfairness of God’s government – finding fault with God or that way of God’s governing was not right or fair; and is this not what dictators often do in this word of man? Do they not often try to overthrow governments by finding fault with it? This is exactly what Lucifer did.

God's government or way of life is based on love, cooperation, getting along with others – in which all peacefully and happily work together with joy and purpose, but Lucifer thought the very opposite of the way of God’s government; he reasoned that life was better or more stimulating if he could get rid of God’s way of life or the way of God’s government – by replacing it with selfishness, greed and vanity – which is the way of hostile competition, strife and taking away from others; and this way of Satan is quite evident in the world in which we live; it is this same spirit of Satan that has inspired mankind to be engaged in hostile competition and hostile Take-Overs and with men wanting to live the way of selfishness and greed – putting the self above the needs of others and taking all we can get for ourselves without any regard to the needs of others.

It could have taken Lucifer a very long time – possibly thousands of years to convince the other angels to follow him in his rebellion against God; how he must have plotted, lied – deceiving the rest of the angels under his command to turn in rebellion against God and to take his (Lucifer’s) side; And having succeeded in this endeavor, Lucifer had come to the point where he was now in command of a great and fierce army of rebel angels who were now willing to follow him in his attempt to try and overthrow his maker. This army would have been fierce and destructive because their character had changed from God’s way of peace and love to one of hatred and hostility – in which their sole purpose was now bent on dethroning God – as their minds had been corrupted by Lucifer. In speaking of this attempt, Isaiah 14:13 says: “For thou (Lucifer) hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars (the other angels in heaven) of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.”

Here, it is made plain that Lucifer had a throne on earth in which he had to leave the earth with his rebel angels to ascend upward to heaven to try and dethrone God. But this hostile attempt to take over God’s throne was to end in failure – as Lucifer and his army was cast back down to the earth to which they are to this very day.

Lucifer Warfare Caused the Destruction of the Earth

Before continuing, I felt it should be important to point out that this war of Lucifer had actually caused the destruction of the earth that God had initially created at the beginning – as revealed in Genesis 1:1.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” In the Hebrew, the word heaven is plural – indicating God may have created the universe or the heavens and the earth at the very same time; and it was at this time that the angels – including Lucifer rejoiced to see the earth created. Now, God does not create things in bad or broken state because God is a God of beauty and purpose, and so, God would have created the earth in a state of beauty – making it a place of joy for the angels to live on. When God created the Garden of Eden, he made it a beautiful place for the man and the woman to live. But God also placed the man in the garden to “dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15).The word “DRESS” means to work, till, or labor, and the word “KEEP” means to preserve or to save – thus, indicating the human pair had work to do in preserving and tending to the garden; and so, the point here is that when the angels were placed on the earth, they too would have had some part in preserving or even working together to further bring out the glory of God’s creative work on the earth - by putting some degree of finishing touches to it and simply working on the earth – preserving and ever beautifying it to show forth the creative majesty of God. No doubt, these angels had a great purpose on earth as they administered the rule or government of God over the earth.

One can imagine that the earth must have been so beautiful that it must have had thick luxuriant foliage which provided food for possibly millions of creatures that were to eventually die out before man was created – for this could possibly be millions of years before Adam and Eve were created. But this earth and its beauty must have been spectacular – with all living in peace and harmony – with not one creature preying upon another or seeking to devour another – because as long as Lucifer obeyed God, the earth would have continued to be a place of serenity, peace and great happiness to all - until Lucifer’s rebellion brought worldwide cataclysmic destruction and death to all animal life on earth. Ezekiel 28:15, states Lucifer was perfect in his way until iniquity was found in him; the earth would have been in peace and harmony – as long as Lucifer obeyed God. But things became disjointed when Lucifer decided to wage warfare against God, and Genesis 1:2 expresses the shocking result of that warfare and how it impacted the earth; it says: “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the deep …” Did you notice anything strange in this verse? Did you notice that the beautiful earth God had created in Genesis 1:1 was now without form? It says, “without form and void.” Without form and void comes from a Hebrew word which refers to a state of utter destruction, state of waste and desolation.

God is a God of order and did not create the earth in state of waste or desolation; He created the earth to be inhabited (Isaiah 45:18). It was Lucifer’s war against God that caused the destruction of the earth and also impacting the universe; and this could be the very reason why the Moon has so many craters; the Moon is bleak and pocket by many craters. Those who study the moon, have even been known to says these craters were formed by impacts. Do you suppose these impacts were a result of Satan’s war against God? Certainly, God did not create his universe to be so bleak and in a state of desolation and waste – even as we see on Mars.

With Lucifer being cast down – failing to unseat God from the throne, God then decided He would place man upon the earth, but before doing that, God had to reshape the earth – making it habitable for man; He had to undo the damage done to earth by Lucifer and his rebel army of angels; and so God had to renew face of the earth; Psalm 104:30 confirms this – saying: “… and thou renewest the face of the earth.” Renew means to rebuild, renew or repair. For God to rebuild the earth meant that something of epic proportion had to have happened to the earth to have caused God to rebuild the earth. I would also like to mention that when God created the human pair of Adam and Eve, He told them to “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth …” (Gen. 1:28). The word “replenish” means to fill up again or to restore something – meaning that man was to grow in number – reproducing his kind (humankind) into the millions - so as to replace the sinning angels who turned in rebellion against God; man was to fill up the earth again – replacing the angels who populated the earth but are still living on it as rebellious invisible spirits.

Some may say but if God is all knowing why did He not stop Satan from rebelling – so as to stop all this evil and destruction? Of course, God could have chosen to know what Satan was doing and planning all along, but if God had suddenly intervened to stop Satan from thinking and planning to overthrow God, then Satan and the angels would have complained that God was a tyrant who would not allow them to demonstrate the freedom of thought; and so, God allowed Satan and his rebel angels to choose their selfish path to see for themselves, and also to testify to those other holy angels that remained faithful to God, that Satan’s way would produce nothing but unhappiness and sorrow. Furthermore, God gave them the freedom to decide for themselves, and they could have made the choice to not rebel. It is the same with Adam and Eve; God could have stopped the human pair from sinning, but since God gave them freedom of choice, He allowed or permitted the selfish ways of man to be tried and tested – so as to prevent God’s creatures from arguing or complaining that they had been denied to go their way or to exercise their own free will in doing what they wanted to do. God allowed man to go his own way so man could come to learn the harsh lessons of living the wrong way; and this is why when Jesus comes to reign on earth, He is now going to rule with a rod of iron over the nations (Revelation 2:27). Christ is going to rule with strength because God’s time has now come, and humanity is no longer going to be allowed to go their own sinful ways any longer.

How Satan Deceives Humanity

In the defeat of Satan and his rebel angels to take over the throne of God, Jesus said: “I Beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18). Satan failed and was cast back to earth with all those who took part in this attempted coup. II Peter 2: 4 also speak of this saying: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (Hell here comes from the Greek word Tartaroo – which refers to being in a state of restraint or deprived of the freedom these angels had when they obeyed God), and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement.” These angels or demons are here on earth - restrained by the power of God until the time of their judgement.

With Satan and his rebel angels cast back to earth, the Bible reveals that Satan is the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4); he is the god of this world because in rebelling against the government of God, Satan is still allowed to continue in his original position in which God had placed him as ruler over the earth; this position, now perverted by his rebellion, will remain until Jesus Christ comes to remove him; and this is why Jesus told Pilate – “My kingdom is not of this world …” (John 18:36). God’s kingdom is not of this world because this world is Satan’s world and not God’s world; if this world was God’s world or that which is ruled by God, then God would not be ruling in such an evil filled world - as such is contrary to his nature; and in addition, if this was God’s world, then Satan could never have been referred to as “the god of this world.” God and Satan do not share the rulership of this world together; God will be supreme world ruler when Satan is removed; it is only then that this world will become God’s world. You can read Revelation 11:15 and see that when Christ comes, He is then announced as the new world ruler – taking over the kingdoms of the world – meaning God will not begin to rule over all kingdoms on earth until Satan has been removed.

People do not tend to think of Satan as a world ruler sitting on throne, but he is in fact the ruler of this world and will remain world ruler until the second coming of Christ to remover and bound him for a thousand years.

The invisible Satan is the great mind and power behind the evils in the world; and he uses that mind to deceive humanity. For example, Satan has deceived humanity into thinking that it is man (Adam and Eve) who was the first sinner – when, in fact, it is Satan who is the first sinner. Jesus reminded us that it is Satan who is a murderer from the beginning and is the Father of lies (John 8:44).

Satan not only deceives people – by influencing them to believe God’s right way of life is wrong but that their wrong way is right; Proverbs 14:12 says, “… there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death …” People will act in ways which they think is right, but often times man’s right way is in conflict with God’s righteousness, and people do not even realize they are believing in and doing the wrong things; they think their self- righteous ways are right when in fact, it is wrong. Perhaps Proverbs 16:2 sums it up best when it says: “All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes …” Satan uses a self-righteous attitude to deceive humanity; to blind humanity to the wrongness of their own ways.

Satan is a great and powerful spirit being and is described as being dragon like in appearance (Revelation 12:3). We do not see Satan with our naked eyes because he is invisible to us – prompting some to believe Satan is myth or that he is not real. But the Bible reveals Satan does sit on the throne of the earth deceiving humanity – inciting the human mind to do evil or those things that are the very opposite of the holy and righteous ways of God. For example, the Bible refers to Satan as “… the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). Have you ever stopped to think and wonder why Satan is described as such - the prince of the power of the air? Let me explain: Have you ever tuned in to a radio station and hear music playing on that radio? Well, that means you have tuned into a radio frequency that causes you to hear the sound of that music; and with that music playing, your mind may get caught up in the song and soon you not only find yourself dancing to the beat of the music but will sing along - saying the words of the song that has so stirred you up. Similarly, Satan, being the prince of the power of the air (the airwaves), also broadcast in similar fashion, but his broadcast comes to your mind invisibly through the means of negative, moods and attitudes that can also incite or bring about a sudden strong urge or desire on the human mind to act or do that which is wrong. You know that a radio transmit sound through electromagnetic waves, well, Satan actually fills the air waves of this earth with his negative and destructive attitude, and if you allow his negative attitude of hate, resentment, bitterness, envy, jealousy, lust, greed to come into your mind and fester, then like the music on the radio that will stir you to dance and sing, even so will Satan’s broadcast get to your mind - because it means you would have tuned into his broadcast or frequency. This means Satan continually fills the airwaves of the earth with negative broadcasts - causing all the evils we see in the world – inciting wars and destruction. But people are unsuspecting – not realizing that this fit of rage, anger, lust, or hate that so easily come upon people is being generated in the human mind by Satan – whose ultimate goal is to deceive the individual to act upon those negative mood or attitude that he broadcasts all over this earth. How many times have you not heard someone convicted of a crime or some other acts of evil say they never meant to do what they did other than to give in to the rage or anger that incited their minds to resort to such action; who do you suppose is behind the rage and anger that can be so easily stirred up in the human heart? It is Satan, the prince of the power of the air - broadcasting his negative attitude in the minds of people; he has filled the entire earth with his broadcast. Satan is like a non- stop broadcaster broadcasting his sinful attitude in unseen negative mood and impulses - which will show its result after the person has given in or acted upon to those wrong impulses.

Satan is very cunning, and humanity is unaware of this Satan and how he works, and it is no wonder, the Bible say he “… deceiveth the whole world …” (Revelation 12:9). This whole world of humanity is deceived because they simply do not grasp the magnitude of the power of the one who is deceiving them; they do not realize how he works on their mind; it is no wonder the Bible speaks of evil as “… the mystery of iniquity…” (II Thess. 2:7); it is mystery because people do not know what Satan is doing to them; they are not aware of his cunning or his devices (II Cor. 2:11).

The only way of overcoming Satan is for the Christian to stay close to God – relying upon the power of God to be able to withstand Satan and his evil angels. James 4:7 gives this admonition: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” God is the only sure source of strength in resisting and overcoming Satan – as we cannot overcome Satan on our strength or power, but by placing reliance on God – who is far greater than Satan. Thankfully, when Christ comes, Satan is going to be taken off the throne of this earth and be bound for one thousand years. Think of it: humanity is going to be free of Satan for all this time; Satan will not be around to deceive humanity, and people will then come to understand more fully just how Satan had been deceiving them; they will come to see how different the world is going to be when there is no Satan around to broadcast his harmful mood and impulses into their minds. May God speed up that day.

https://www.amazon.com/America-Prophecy-Israel-people-consider-ebook/dp/B0C4M8R77J

I am an old man who has, long ago, came to the realization that this professing Christian world – with all its Mega Churches and various denominations do not proclaim the true teaching of the Bible - as they fail to correctly teach many vitally important doctrinal truths of the Bible.

Friday, December 27, 2024

The Rock Almighty. New Year’s Resolution and New Year's Revolution!

 

New Year’s Resolution

  • Author Arindam Dey

A New Year's resolution is a tradition in which a person resolves to continue good habits, change an undesirable trait or behavior, achieve a personal goal, or otherwise improve their life at the start of a new year. It is most common in the Western World, but it can also be found in the Eastern World Every January, thousands of people all around the world set a goal to help them start the new year off right. But how did this tradition begin? We look at the history of New Year’s resolutions.

Some 4,000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians are thought to have been the first to establish New Year's resolutions. They were the first to have recorded New Year's Eve celebrations. For them, the year began in mid-March, when the crops were planted, rather than in January. They promised the Gods that they would pay their debts and return any borrowed items. These commitments could be seen as a precursor to our New Year's resolutions. In ancient Rome, the tradition of making New Year's resolutions endured. In 46 B.C., Emperor Julius Caesar introduced a "calendar," declaring January 1st to be the start of the new year. Janus would be honored with sacrifices and pledges of good behavior for the coming year. In the Middle Ages, people set New Year's resolutions as well. By putting their hands on a live or roasted peacock, knights would renew their commitment to chivalry.

The first day of the new year became a traditional occasion for early Christians to reflect on their past mistakes and resolve to do and be better in the future. By the 17th century, New Year's resolutions appeared to be commonplace. In 1740, the English clergyman John Wesley, founder of Methodism, created the Covenant Renewal Service, most commonly held on New Year’s Eve. also known as "watch night services". Watch night services on New Year's Eve are now common among conservative churches, particularly African American denominations and communities, and are often spent praying and setting resolutions for the next year. Despite the religious origins of the tradition, New Year's resolutions are now primarily a secular ritual. Instead of making commitments to the gods, most individuals make goals for themselves, with the sole purpose of improving themselves.

Why do people make New Year’s resolutions? New Year’s Day is the most popular time of the year for people to hit the proverbial “reset button.” Eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight, save more money, learn a new skill, read more, watch less TV or mobile, travel more, quit smoking, get a new job, spend more time with family and friends, and so on are the most popular resolutions. Most people, I believe, want to have a second chance to improve their lives. The New Year presents a clean slate, an opportunity to start again. When we make New Year's goals, we're using a notion called self-efficacy, which says, "I have a sense of control over what's going on in my life by aspiring to a goal and following through on it."

The annual ritual of making resolutions does not have to be a failure. Sometimes the difference between success and failure comes down to picking the proper goal and following the correct approach to get there. Above all, remember to be kind and flexible with yourself, and to acknowledge and applaud any and all progress. It's not only about achieving the end objective; it's also about enjoying the adventure along the way.

Thank you.

[1] “New Year's resolution”, Wikipedia

[2] “Exploring the history behind New Year’s resolutions”, The Real World from Trafalgar

[3] “Why do people make New Year’s resolutions?”, Piedmont

[4] “How to keep your new year’s resolutions”, verywell mind

Article source: https://articlebiz.com

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

The Rock Almighty: Born To Die?

 Ultimate Christmas Countdown – Friday, December 8, 2017 | From the Capn's  Pen

Born To Die

  • Author Onyekachukwu Ukeje

You may want to give this a moment’s thought: everyone is born to live but only Jesus Christ was born to die. It was God’s will for Him. And that was because of you and me. ‘We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all….Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.’ - Isaiah 53:6 and 10(NIV). ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ - John 3:16(NIV).

I tell people that what made God leave his throne, become man to die on the cross, and channel the best of resources in heaven and earth, using every possible means available and creating more, to further the good news of salvation for mankind must be very serious and should never be taken lightly. That’s the reason we celebrate Christmas. Christ birth was not just another birth of another human being. It was the day God brought into the world His son through whose death He would put an end to sin and its consequences over mankind, ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ - Romans 6:23(NIV). Whatever can be called death in your life Christ has paid for that you may truly live a victorious life, having victory over sin, sickness, poverty, failure, destruction and any thing that stands contrary to eternal life which God purposed for you from the very beginning. He wants the best for you. That was why he gave His best (Jesus Christ) to die in your place so that you are not eternally lost. And assuming He paid the price of His life for the all mankind and it remained just you He is willing to go through the same ordeal again just for you. That’s the extent of His love for you.

Also the birth of Jesus is the day God brought into the world His Son through whose resurrection from the dead the rest of mankind could have eternal life if they would just truly believe and behave accordingly. Now is the time to believe because this is the hour of salvation. The time is coming when it will be too late and nobody can do anything about it, not even God Himself because it will be the hour of judgment. God has done all He can do for you and is doing what remains in this hour of salvation for you to be saved. Do not turn down this so great a salvation for you would be the one losing, for what shall it profit a man to lose his soul. Remember He is a righteous judge.

If you want to take advantage of this hour of salvation and be saved from sin and destruction pray this prayer of salvation: Lord Jesus I come to You this day. I thank You for bringing Your word my way this day. I acknowledge and confess my sins to You. I recognize that God raised You from the dead that I might have life. Have mercy on me. Lord Jesus I welcome you into my life today. I confess You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for having mercy on me. Thank You for saving me today from sin, from destruction and from all works of Satan. I am now a child of God. Thank You Lord.

LOVE NOTE

If you have prayed that prayer from the bottom of your heart, believing that God raised Jesus from the dead you are now a child of God. And now that you are saved there are few things you must do to grow in God.

  1. You must read your bible and pray to God every day in the name of Jesus. The book Joshua 1:8 says not to let the word of God depart out of our mouth but to meditate on it always so that we may carefully do all God requires of us to be successful and prosperous 2. You must worship with other believers in a bible believing church or assembly. Hebrews 10:25 says ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching.’- (NIV), and 3. As the opportunity comes on share the good news of this new life with someone and as they are willing lead them to Christ.

Enjoy your life in Christ now that you are a new creation in Him - 2 Corinthians 5:17.

● Onyekachukwu Ukeje is an itinerant preacher based in Enugu, Nigeria and can be reached through e-mail: onyekachukwu_ukeje@yahoo.co.uk. For more articles and ebook(s) by this writer please visit http://www.faithwriters.com, and http://www.onyekachukwuukeje.com/ebook.htm.

Saturday, December 21, 2024

The Rock Almighty. The Dysfunctional Family of Jesus? And The Rock Almighty Weekend On The Rocks Feat. Bloodgood



 HOME | Bloodgood Metal Music Ministry

The Dysfunctional Family of Jesus?

  • Author Rev. David B. Smith

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

‘For he was our childhood pattern

Day by day like us He grew;

He was little, weak, and helpless;

Tears and smiles like us he knew; …

Christian children all must be

Mild, obedient, good as He.

(Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848)

It's the first Sunday after Christmas - the ‘Feast of the Holy Family’. That’s how this Sunday is remembered in the Catholic church at any rate, and our Gospel reading this morning does also give us a depiction of the earthly family of Jesus during his childhood such that it seems appropriate for us too to remember the Holy Family today.

We are of course in the midst of a series of traditional feast days so far as Christians around the world are concerned. Two days ago we celebrated the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. Yesterday was the day after Christmas, known commonly as ‘Boxing Day’, though as my father always used to remind me it was also ‘St Stephen’s Day’ - the feast that commemorates the brutal death of the first Christian martyr, St Stephen. And Tomorrow is the ‘Feast of the Holy Innocents’, where we remember Herod’s horrendous murder of the children of Bethlehem as he attempted to kill Jesus as a young child.

Tomorrow is also, interestingly, the Islamic feast of ‘Ashura’, which remembers the martyrdom of the prophet Mohammed’s grandson and his family and friends. It is curious, I think, that this Christmas season has become such a time of remembering so much brutality, and yet right here in the middle of all the bloodshed is the Feast of the Holy Family‘ where we focus on the joys of the family home - presumably the last place we would expect to find violence.

In truth, this does seem to me like an odd time to remember ‘The Family’ for a number of reasons, and not only because of the way this remembrance day is sandwiched in between the memories of so many martyrdoms. Indeed, what struck me as most peculiar about this particular family day is that it is the only day of the year devoted to a focus on the family, and even then only in the Catholic end of the church. For you get the impression from a lot of Protestant churches in particular that the family is basically what Christianity is all about!

Take a look at just about any Protestant church building in this country and you’ll find that their main Sunday service is promoted as the ‘Family Service’. The Church indeed is generally recognised as the key institution that elevates and upholds the significance of the family, and in Western society at large ‘Christian values’ and ‘family values’ are taken to be almost synonymous.

Go to the homepage of Fred Nile’s ‘Christian Democratic Party’ and what does it say right at the top of the page? "Promoting Family Values for over 28 Years"! This is fundamental to what it means to be Christian, is it not - to uphold the place of the family in society? And that’s why Fred urges us to resist all suggestions of the legalising of same-sex marriages. For the god-given institution of the family must be persevered!

In truth, ‘Christian Family Values’ are generally advocated particularly by those who are most voacl about sticking to what the Bible says though the irony is that the Bible actually has very little to say about the significance of the human family, and in terms of the childhood family of Jesus, this snippet from Luke chapter 2 is all that we get!

That itself is surely surprising! Why do the Gospels say so little about the childhood of Jesus? Why is there only one story in one Gospel giving us any idea of what Jesus was like when He was growing up?

Of course I’m not including the stories that proliferated in apocryphal literature, composed centuries after the earthly life of Jesus. Those who have read the Gospel of Thomas - a book attributed to the Apostle Thomas, but which is generally believed to have been written in the 3rd Century - will remember the highly entertaining stories from the boyhood of Jesus that are recorded there:.

At age 10 the boy Jesus supposedly saves his parents from an attack by a lion, and at age 8 there’s the famous clay pigeons episode where the model pigeons the boy Jesus was fashioning out of clay suddenly turned into real pigeons and flew away!

Then there’s the story of the boy Jesus who is playing by etching some channels in the mud and another boy comes along and mucks up the channels with his hand. Immediately the boy’s hand withers. Another boy plays a joke on the 6-year old Jesus by jumping on his back and he immediately drops dead. Of course the dead boy is raised and the withered hand is restored.

While these stories are no doubt the product of fanciful human imaginations, their very existence highlights the paucity of the genuine material that actually exists. Human imagination had to fill in the blanks!

This lack of historical material is surprising enough, but what is even more surprising is that the one genuine story that we get of the Holy Family hardly leaves us with a pattern that we would want Christian families to emulate!

We read it this morning in Luke chapter two. The 12-year-old Jesus and His family are in Jerusalem. Jesus’ parents head for home, presumably as part of a larger caravan where the boy Jesus had been left with the other children of His own age. A day’s journey from Jerusalem they eventually realise that Jesus, for some inexplicable reason, had decided to stay behind!

When Joseph and Mary get back to Jerusalem they search high and low, eventually finding the boy Jesus in the temple three days later, dialoguing with the academics. When Mary confronts Jesus with his behaviour and the amount of distress that he has caused to both her and Joseph, Jesus says to her, ‘What did you expect?’ "Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?"

"Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as He", says the songwriter. Well .. It’s not for me to judge Jesus' behaviour, but if that incident is typical of His childhood, mild and obedient He apparently was not!

And we needn’t pretend that this ambiguous relationship between Jesus and His earthly parents somehow resolved itself happily as He got older, for indeed, the examples we see of Jesus with his mother and siblings in later life suggest that His relationship with His human family continued to be strained

According to the story recorded in Matthew 12 and elsewhere, where Jesus’ mother and brothers came looking for him, Jesus practically disowned them!

"Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Jesus says. "And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he says, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12:48-50)

Further, Jesus’ statements about the importance of family and family unity hardly square with those who proclaim ‘family values’:

"For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (Matthew 10:35)

And then there’s Jesus’ notorious statement recorded in Luke chapter 12:

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26).

Now I know these verses are all open to interpretation and I don’t believe Jesus ever really requires of us that we hate our human families YET it has to be said that dear old Fred and his mates who represent those Christian groups upholding ‘family values’ are going to have a tough time showing that those values can be in any way grounded in the teachings of Jesus.

So what do we learn from the ‘Holy Family’ on this surprising feast day? What we seem to learn from the Holy Family in our Gospel reading is that there’s nothing particularly holy about the nuclear family concept as such!

I don’t know whether modern-day analysts would label the Holy Family as ‘dysfunctional’ or not, but we do need to accept, I think, that the relationships there were complex, strained and regularly uncomfortable.

Jesus was indeed a part of a human family and we have no reason to believe that childhood for Him was not still a beautiful experience, filled with all the joys and wonders we might hope to find in a family home. Even so, Jesus, we know, was not constrained by His human family, and His ultimately loyalties were not to his earthly parents.

What sort of childhood pattern this leaves our children, and what sort of parental pattern this leaves for us who would raise children I do not know, but I do see in this depiction of the Holy Family a de-emphasising of the ultimate significance of the human family unit and a recognition of the fact that however powerful the relationship might be between parent and child, it is not the most important relationship in life for either parent or child!

In the end our children must learn to deal with God on their own terms just as we who are parents have to. In the end, no matter who we are and no matter how closely we are bonded to our earthly families, we each need to recognise first the Parenthood of God and the ultimate claim of God upon our lives.

This all sounds rather negative and family unfriendly and frankly un-Christian! Even so, while the de-emphasising of the nuclear family may be painful, the flip-side of this is an emphasis on the all-encompassing Parenthood of God that makes us a part of a far greater and more inclusive family - one that includes all sorts of persons to whom we are not related by blood but with whom we are nonetheless united through our spiritual bond through of our Heavenly Father.

This is the family of faith that ultimately transcends our earthly families as the place where we find our true identity and spiritual home - a family that includes peoples of all races, cultures and languages, a community where we can reach out to one another and embrace each other truly as sisters and brothers, whether we be black or white or male or female or rich or poor or young or old or gay or straight or righteous or unrighteous.

This is the new holy family that God is forming - a truly inclusive family where all are accepted, all are appreciated for their uniqueness, and all are loved, just as our Heavenly parent loves each one of us.

"For He was our childhood pattern", yet in truth, it is a difficult pattern for us to emulate either as children or as adults. For from the first, what Jesus models for us is a refusal to be constrained by conventional family concepts and values as He follows God. Dare we follow this pattern? Dare we expose our children to this pattern? It could mean the end of any quiet, happy family life, though of course it could also be the start of something far more exciting?

Rev. David B. Smith

(The 'Fighting Father')

Parish priest, community worker, martial arts master, pro boxer, author, father of three

www.fatherdave.org

Get a free preview copy of Dave's book, Sex, the Ring & the Eucharist when you sign up for his free newsletter at www.fatherdave.org.

Monday, December 16, 2024

The Rock Almighty Love Is Not Love: Rediscovering True Love in a World of Confusion

Glen Kelly

Introduction: The Misunderstanding of Love in Modern Society

What is love? The dictionary defines it as a “strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, attraction based on sexual desire, or affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests.” But is that all love is? In today’s world, love has been reduced to a feeling—a fleeting emotion that often leads to self-gratification, greed, and selfishness. This shallow understanding has skewed our perception, leaving many to pursue what feels good rather than what is true. As society echoes the mantra “love is love,” it’s time to ask: what does love really mean?

  1. Society’s Shallow View of Love: A Path to Self-Destruction

The phrase “love is love” is commonly used to promote the idea that any form of love is valid, usually about the freedom to pursue personal desires without judgment. This modern take on love often glorifies lust, pride, and self-centeredness. But is this kind of love sustainable, or does it lead us further away from true fulfillment? This perspective encourages a love driven by self-interest rather than a genuine commitment to others, distorting the true meaning of love and leading to broken relationships and empty pursuits.

  1. Biblical Love: A Radical Contrast to Society’s Version

In stark contrast, the Bible presents a love that is selfless, enduring, and rooted in truth. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 describes this kind of love in powerful terms:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

This biblical description highlights a love that is not driven by emotions or desires but by a deep, unwavering commitment to others. It is a love that seeks the good of the other person, even at a cost to oneself—a far cry from the self-centered love celebrated in today’s culture.

  1. The Four Types of Love: Understanding the Differences

C.S. Lewis, a renowned Christian author, outlined four types of love: affection (storge), friendship (philia), romance (eros), and charity (agape). Every kind of love serves a unique purpose:

• Storge (Affection): A familiar love, often for things like personal belongings, pets, or cherished memories. It is a comforting but often shallow love.

• Philia (Friendship): The love of true friendship, marked by deep bonds, loyalty, and shared values. This is the love between close friends who support and challenge each other.

• Eros (Romance): The passionate, often physical love that fuels romantic relationships. While beautiful in its rightful place, it is frequently misunderstood and idolized in today’s society.

• Agape (Unconditional Love): The highest form of love, exemplified by God’s love for humanity. Agape is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional—a love that seeks nothing in return and reflects God’s heart.

  1. Why Agape Love Is the Ultimate Standard

Of all the types of love, agape stands out as the most profound and transformative. This is the love that God offers to us through Jesus Christ—a love that remains steadfast despite our flaws and failures. 1 John 2:15-17 warns us:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him… the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life are not from the Father but from the world.”

These verses challenge us to seek a love that transcends the shallow, prideful loves of the world. Agape love teaches us to look beyond ourselves, to serve others, and to live in a way that honors God.

  1. The Danger of Redefining Love

When love is redefined to suit personal desires, it loses its true meaning. The popular narrative of “love is love” can lead to moral confusion, the erosion of values, and a culture that prioritizes self above all else. The biblical perspective calls us back to a love that is selfless, purposeful, and aligned with God’s truth—a love that builds up rather than tears down.

Conclusion: Choosing Love That Lasts

Love is not just love; it’s a profound gift that, when understood through the lens of biblical truth, can transform lives. In a world that often misguides us about what it means to truly love, we are invited to embrace a love that reflects the heart of God—a love that is patient, kind, and enduring. Let us strive to embody this kind of love in our daily lives, rejecting the shallow imitations and seeking a love that truly satisfies.

Click HERE

I'm a single father who just got into writing. I attended three different colleges and wrote many essays, so, I decided to give it a go. I also design Christian T-Shirts.

Friday, December 13, 2024

The Rock Almighty. Sweet Land of Liberty



 


0:00 / 0:00

15 seconds

15 seconds

  • Author Linda Weaver Clarke

Freedom is the most precious gift given to all of us. It isn’t free, but it’s fought for. Have you ever wondered why tears so freely come to our eyes when we hear the Star Spangled Banner as our flag waves in the distance? Why do we value our freedom and hold it so close to our hearts?

Our freedom was a God-given gift given to those who so valiantly fought for this liberty. These brave patriots hungered for freedom of choice, for their rights, and to worship according to the dictates of their own heart. The patriots fought with every fiber of strength they had, both bond and free.

When we pledge allegiance to our flag, what does that mean to us? Do we take our freedom for granted? Many countries have no rights and are not at liberty to say what they feel or to worship as they please. In some countries, Christianity cannot be preached among the people. Newspapers, media, and even the Internet are all government controlled. Do we think of the freedom we possess? Have you ever thought about the patriots who fought for the liberty that we enjoy? These brave men desired to live in a free land, not ruled by a monarchy.

Why do we celebrate the fourth of July? On July 4, 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote the "Declaration of Independence." This document inspired every patriot to fight for his liberty. As General George Washington stood before the Continental Army with the document in his hand, he took a look at the weary men before him in their tattered clothes, and he realized they had not eaten a decent meal for months. These underfed men were a sight! Washington knew his men needed to be inspired and this document would do the trick.

As he read the declaration out loud, not a sound was heard as the men listened. They were touched when he came to the part, "…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

As these patriots listened to every word, they were buoyed up, inspired, ready to fight for their freedom against the tyranny placed upon them. The fire inside them grew and no one could stop the need they felt for liberty. The "Declaration of Independence" was inspired of God.

Many of these patriots were willing to die for freedom. Nathan Hale, a 23-year-old artist and schoolteacher, felt the conviction of his beliefs so strongly that he agreed to go on a dangerous mission for George Washington. He was caught with sketches of British gun emplacements and the penalty for being a spy was to be hanged. As he marched up the steps of the gallows, he held his head high. When he turned to face the people, he declared boldly, "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country."

Many of these brave men were even willing to die for their liberty, for their family, for peace and equality. The Continental Army consisted of farmers and merchants, not learned in the way of combat. Many were barefoot and in tattered clothes. They lacked enough food for everyone and many times went hungry but yet they still fought for what they believed in. The patriots knew the value of freedom and were willing to pay the price.

When Thomas Paine saw the sad condition of the Continental Army, he wrote, "These are the times that try men’s souls…Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: ‘Tis dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to set a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as Freedom should not be highly rated."

They lost many battles but won the battles that made a difference. The crossing of the Delaware will never be forgotten. Many were sick, fatigued, and their feet were wrapped with cloth to protect them from freezing weather. George Washington knew the Continental Army was outnumbered, but he was inspired to take his army across the Delaware in a terrible blizzard. He suspected the Hessians would be drunk from the Christmas festivities.

In the early hours of the morning, the surprise attack was a never-forgotten battle of victory that shocked the Hessians, who were German mercenaries, skilled fighters, paid by the British to cut down the patriots. After a count was taken, it was discovered that not one patriot had been killed in that battle. This victory turned the war around.

The British were stunned at what had happened. They looked down their noses at the Americans and considered them as untrained and uneducated rabble. When they found the Continental Army to be so strong and stubborn, they changed tactics. They moved a part of their forces to the south with the idea of moving northward, capturing one state at a time.

In August of 1780 in South Carolina, a great and terrible battle took place. The British were gaining an advantage. When all seemed lost, General de Kalb and his men continued to valiantly fight for freedom. He believed in the cause of liberty so much that he refused to give up even though he knew they had lost the battle. He received eleven wounds, both musket ball and bayonet, before he collapsed and fell to the ground. British General Cornwallis had been watching from a distance and when he saw the courageous General finally fall to the ground, he sent his aides to retrieve him with a stretcher. Three days later he died in the name of freedom. General Jean de Kalb was the most courageous and valiant man Cornwallis had ever seen in the face of battle, fighting until he dropped, not giving up his cause for liberty. Even though he was the enemy, Cornwallis paid him the highest military honor at his burial.

Most of the victories in the south came from Francis Marion and his men because the northern armies were not familiar with the territory. Colonial Francis Marion knew how to deal with the enemy in his own homeland. He was known as the Swamp Fox and had the deadliest fighting command in the whole revolution. He had trained his men to disappear into the thick forest and swamps of South Carolina without a sound. Hidden from sight, they would strike and then quickly move through the woods like silent shadows, fading into the forest and undergrowth. Francis Marion and his men tormented the British army with one ambush after another. This frustrated the British officers because they were helpless in the woods and swamps.

After eight long years, the patriots beat the greatest military power in the world. Have we ever thought about the tremendous price these men paid for our freedom? The next time we look at our flag, remember the cost as you pledge your allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and remember that we are "one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all." That’s what helps us stand out as a great nation. Without God’s help, we would never have won the war.

Alexis de Toqueville, a French Statesman, visited our country in the early 1800s. He said that he looked for the "greatness of America." It was not until he witnessed the faith of the American people in their churches that he found the true greatness here. He said, "America is great because she is good. If America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

Samuel F. Smith wrote, "My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims’ pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring! Our fathers’ God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing; Long may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light. Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King!"

Written by Linda Weaver Clarke, author of the mystery series The Adventures of John and Julia Evans: Anasazi Intrigue, Mayan Intrigue, and Montezuma Intrigue. Visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

The Rock Almighty. Unto Us A Child Tells the Story.......

 

Listen on Apple Music

Good day Warriors Of Light.
This Christmas story, one of the greatest in the history of Earth and beyond, is greatly told by the youngsters once again on today's show. Let's Rock!

Support the show & Get the tunes that you hear on the show and swag that show that you rock for the King!
@ Apple Music - https://apple.co/3R0qwH4
@ Amazon Music - https://amzn.to/3S6Kcub
It would be awesome for you to share, like, rumble, comment and give a thumbs up (or down to) this video!
Your donations are always appreciated. A portion of your donations will be given to Christ-centered ministries and organizations doing the Lord's work in these last days. May God richly bless you!
Donate here:
https://bit.ly/3RWo4mg
It would be an honor to have to have you Like, (Rumble) and Subscribe to this channel. We pray it's an inspiration to you and fam".

4 hours of Christ-centered Rock 'n' Roll for your soul!
Catch The Rock Almighty twice daily on US Sports Radio
http://www.USSportsRadio.net
https://tinyurl.com/USSportsRadioToday0824