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Making our job disconnected from the aftermath of the industry does not make us innocent.
Just Doing My Job
When I posted the last blog on the unethical monetary system that the government has forced upon us by federal law, I knew I was not finished on the topic. I addressed the theft of the Federal Reserve banking system of “loaning” money that they did not have and charging interest on non existent funds. My point was that we, the American people, do not owe this 14 trillion dollar debt, and that we should deny it and refuse to pay it. What I need to finish is our individual responsibility towards God to live ethically and not to participate in an unethical system, even though we are compelled by “law” to do so.
In a recent broadcast of the Katherine Albrecht show, Dr Marc Edwards shared how he had exposed the cover up of lead in the water of the Washington DC water supply by the CDC and EPA. Dr. Albrecht asked him how they could try cover up the contamination of the water which poisons the people of DC? His answer showed great compassion. These bureaucracies are staffed with people whose jobs are compartmentalized and separated from one another. Each person was just doing their job which did not reveal to them the big picture of the consequences of their job. His answer made me realize that atrocities over the world occur because of the multitude of people who are “just doing their jobs” without knowing what the ultimate consequence of their jobs are causing.
I had always wondered how a “Christian” nation such as Germany could allow the holocaust and World War II to devastate Europe. There were notable exceptions, of course, such as the family of Anne Frank and Raoul Wallenberg, who defied the laws of the land by harboring and safeguarding Jews from the Nazi’s. But the majority of Germans who called themselves Christians obeyed the “laws” of the land. They may have objected to the atrocities that they knew about, but did nothing to resist it because they were not directly responsible for those atrocities. Instead, they were good tax paying Germans who only were doing their jobs. And from their point of view, their jobs were not harming anyone. Read the rest of this entry →
This won’t last long because it is embedded. They may take this offline. But this video shows how much of a formula is used to conduct a church service. Does this bring you to God, or are people simply being manipulated in their feelings?
As the commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.
Josh 5:13-15
13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
14 ”Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”
15 The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (NIV)
Joshua asked the natural question when he encountered the angel of the Lord before beginning his campaign against the Ammorites. We ask the same question as the Church whether someone is liberal or conservative, pro-life or pro-abortion, for big government or free enterprise. But this is the wrong question for the Church to ask. It is the same mistake that Joshua made.
In the same chapter Joshua was commanded by God to circumcise the Israelis since a new generation had grown to replace the generation that died in the wilderness with Moses. The circumcision was the renewal of their covenant with God. They were now in covenant again. But they, like so many of us in the Church, thought that God was now on their side.
It is believed by many, and I am one, that this is a Christophany of Jesus before His incarnation. Jesus is the Captain of the Host. His reply set Joshua back on track: God is not serving Israel, but Israel is serving God. Jesus is not serving the Church, but we are serving Him.
Many who have left organized religion disdain to call themselves Christians. Instead they prefer, “Christ follower.” I don’t think it is necessary to drop the name Christian, but I do agree with their intention. We are not to follow organized religion, but only Jesus. Which means we do not take either the side of organized religion or the world. We follow Truth, of which Jesus is the source. Read the rest of this entry →
I bought this picture while a student at Christ for the Nations. It is still hanging over my fireplace as a reminder of the love God has for the Jewish people. As a student at CFNI I earned a Jewish Studies Minor degree. The degree program required that I go to Israel during the summer, where I lived on a kibbutz for 3 months at Ramat Rachel. The kibbutz is between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. In the early morning hours I would sit in the ruins on Ramat Rachel which overlook the Temple Mount for prayer. I had been to the Wailing Wall on several occasions since Jerusalem was in walking distance from the kibbutz.
The Jewish people have had a profound influence in my life. When I was in 7th grade I was drawn to two Jewish girls, Laurie Lieberman and Leslie Snyder, although I was too immature to have a relationship with them. In high school I lived with my best friend, Daniel Benveniste and his family for 1 school year. The Benvenistes are Sephardic Jews from Spain many generations back. I was drawn to Dan because of his innate since of morality. I was not a Christian then. I was raised in a secular atheist family who believed in evolution. I love their family and Dan’s parents gave me the first example of a loving husband and wife since my own parents were divorced. I love Paul Wilbur and messianic worship. I love Jewish humor.
A Messianic Jew led me to Christ when I was 32. Igor was an Ashkenazi Jew. As a brand new Christian I worked at the Jewish Community Center while I read the Old Testament. Since I had no religious background, the practices of the Christian Church at large seemed unbiblical (and still is), so I naturally gravitated towards messianic congregations, although I found the prancing around with the Torah scroll to seem a bit idolatrous. My draw towards a Judaic expression of Christianity ended while I was working on the kibbutz. The Lord spoke to me suddenly, and said, “Stop it, you’re not Jewish.” Read the rest of this entry →
Happy Holidays is becoming a sore point for many Christians. They cite this as another attempt to undermine Christianity by the secular world. Christmas for many Christians is a sacred time of remembering the birth of Christ. The sentimentality of the manger scene and Christmas songs are held as sacred to many believers. These ancient songs are a testament to faith in their minds.
I love Christmas songs, so I am not taking the position of the Grinch who Stole Christmas. But, as a late comer to Christianity (Christ came into my heart when I was 32 and I was raised as an atheist with no church background), I have had to become a student of church history to catch up.
From my studies I have found that Christmas songs, for the most part, only date to the 19th century. To be sure there are several songs that go back in history, but the majority of the songs we sing are from the 19th and 20th centuries.
More significantly, Protestants did not celebrate Christ-mass until the 19th century for several reasons. The many pagan roots and the winter solstice are supporting reasons, but not the main reason. The main reason for not celebrating the Catholic Christ-mass is because the Mass itself is an abomination to the Reformation Protestant mind. We have forgotten its significance. Read the rest of this entry →
Sharing Reformation Day to Christians is like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin
It has been for many years that I have shared with Christians, pastors and anyone who will listen that there is no need to celebrate Fall Festivals as an alternative to Halloween. We have a real HolyDay to celebrate every October 31st. That is Reformation Day. On this day in 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis on the Wittenberg Chapel door protesting the sales of indulgences. This singular act sparked the Protestant Reformation which brought the gospel of Jesus Christ to millions of Europeans with the new birth and millions more world wide.
The Lutherans are the only denomination that still celebrates Reformation Day. Why on Earth would any believer substitute a generic celebration, Fall Festival (which is no better than Gaia worship) when we have a true Holyday to celebrate? It beats me. People smile and say that is nice yet continue on with the meaningless Fall Festival instead. I am beginning to feel like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin.
Join me in celebrating this singular event which will have its 500th anniversary in 2017. Stop celebrating nonsense.
Unless the Lord joins people together, there is no complete assembly.
An associate of mine, Art Nelson, through several social networks provided an outstanding explanation on the meaning Hebrews 10:25. This verse is the main gun pointed at those who leave the paid clergy system. He provides many outstanding points that are worth meditating upon.
by Art Nelson
Let’s look at the Greek word [in Heb 10:25] for “assembling”–episunagoge (Strong’s # G1997). This is the only occasion that it is used in connection with the translation “assemble” (there are other Greek words that are normally used for “meeting”). The only other place that this particular Greek word is used in in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, which refers to our gathering together with the Lord at His return.
[Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (II Th 2:1 KJV) -episunagoge]
The original Greek word comes from episunago (Strong’s #G1996) and means “a complete collection”. Its root is in two other Greek words—Strong’s numbers G1909 and G4863, which mean “to collect upon the same place; gather”. Putting all of this together, we get “to collect upon the same place to complete collection (assemble).” Based on this, it appears evident that the way we have been using “assemble” falls far short of its true meaning. To assemble together is more that meeting together. The parts of the Body are collected together upon the same place to complete the assembly. Read the rest of this entry →
Rejecting Christ is the abomination that makes desolation
A dear friend of mine sent this to someone and asked to remain anonymous. I asked for permission to reprint this and was granted permission. I agree with most of what was said. I have edited what was said to address the main points of my interest. It was originally titled, “Flee Judea”.
Hello, T~
Some few weeks ago I had it in mind to answer your question about finding the church. …. First I will back up a bit to cover some ground we’ve been on. People talk a lot these days about what’s wrong with the church or about finding the church. That may be a stage we just have to go through, but that is not what we should actually seek. We should seek the Lord. [Emphasis added] We are told to seek the Lord, not the church, with all our heart. We are told that if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (not the church), all else will be added to us.
There is an understandable desire to see the church or to see the real church because of the account of the church in Jerusalem in the book of Acts. It’s quite impressive with all the miracles, sharing, and hoopla. However, this is not the story of the New Testament church; it is the story of the church in one city and for only a short time. We know that there was much dissension in the NT church (witness “Corinthians”) and those who fell away from the faith (2 Tim. 4:10). We are also told about the wolves who would come in (Acts 20:29). This business of being ripped apart by gainsayers, gossips, and false prophets is part and parcel to the church at large and always has been. The history of the organized church is braided together with the history of the spiritual church in many places.
There is a lot of talk about “when the Lord puts His church in order” and things like that. Too many are looking over their shoulders after they’ve left the organized churches, still having a mental preoccupation with all the believers in those places — “If only they’d come out.” Somehow they still see these places as holding the real church in captivity. That, plus the picture in their minds of what the Early Church looked like (house churches) in unity and power, etc. They want to go back to something former, but is this good?
The institutional church as an arm of the government
In the book by Kurt Vonnegut, “Mother Night,” American Joseph Campbell moves to Germany shortly after World War I. He made a name for himself in Germany as a writer and is recruited by the Nazis to write propaganda for their regime. Soon after he was contacted by the United States to act as a double agent spy on the Nazis for the American military. Campbell becomes a buffoon dressing up in this ridiculous costume mixing American patriotism with Nazi ideology symbols. He is captured at the end of the war and is tried for war crimes. The tragedy of the story is that he had become so confused as a double agent that he can not defend himself as an American spy for he began to believe the propaganda that he was spouting for the Nazis.
Michael Spencer is the author of a blog called, “The Internet Monk,” and had written a series of posts on the “Coming Evangelical Collapse” which was picked up by the Christian Science Monitor and has sparked considerable debate. Spencer is not claiming an end to evangelical Christianity, but rather a collapse of biblical moorings confused by the culture war of causes. He goes into great detail and I encourage all serious believers to read those posts.
The embrace of the “culture war” by the evangelicals has greatly undermined their faith in Christ. When I began this website I did so because I saw the evangelical efforts in the culture war as failing. I was greatly discouraged by the Republican party which I was led to believe stood for the constitutional republic and, indirectly, Christianity. The Bush administration increased the government and its unconstitutional activities. Read the rest of this entry →
In my last post I made the point that we are accountable to God to whom we give our money. We are not giving God our money, but the service of the ministry that our money has bought. We are confused because organized religion tries to pass themselves off as God’s substitute. But they are not.
The more I thought about my last post, I realized that we are all suffering from a mistaken identity as the church. Even individually we like to think that we are God’s substitute on Earth. And, in truth, we are called Ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). But notice that it does not say that we are ambassadors of God. The verse further states that we are given the ministry of reconciliation. That means that the church does not represent God but the Lamb of God. And the ministry of reconciliation is laying down our lives for others as Christ laid down His life for us. Read the rest of this entry →
