Today, I will be speaking at a funeral where Ben Nelson, a Navy veteran and Christian, requested only one song to be sung, and therefore my daughter, Katie will be singing it: “Onward Christian Soldiers.”
I don’t think I have ever been to a funeral where this song was sung. As a matter of fact, it has been a while since I have heard this song sung at all. So, believe it or not, Katie and I had to look up the words in order to practice it. When I did, unlike times in the past, the lyrics hit me like a kick in the gut.
The Fight
I know that using words like soldier, army, marching, and war, especially in a religious context, can make many people nervous, if not stir up the boiling vile surely to spew from the rabid atheists and God-haters.
However, whether we want to admit it or not, soldier is term for the Christian we cannot ignore.
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. – 2 Timothy 2:3-4 KJV
The difference between the way the modern militant Islamist and the apostle Paul use this word are of paramount importance. The first spills the blood of the conquered as they move onward, the second moves forward in battle for a Kingdom built on the once-for-all shed blood of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.
The Song
Some hymnals have removed it; others have reworded it. I’m all for rescuing this old song from the ash heaps of Hollywood stereotypes and parodies, especially the liberal, tree-hugging, non-confrontational types who want to trash it, and start singing it again withing the congregation.
“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” – Ephesians 6:12 NLT
Onward Christian Soldiers
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before. Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; Forward into battle see His banners go!
Refrain
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before.
At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise; Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.
Refrain
Like a mighty army moves the church of God; Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod. We are not divided, all one body we, One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
Refrain
What the saints established that I hold for true. What the saints believèd, that I believe too. Long as earth endureth, men the faith will hold, Kingdoms, nations, empires, in destruction rolled.
Refrain
Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane, But the church of Jesus constant will remain. Gates of hell can never gainst that church prevail; We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.
Refrain
Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng, Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song. Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the King, This through countless ages men and angels sing.
The world is in a state of turmoil. Pain and suffering are everywhere. Worry and fear are some of the more common emotions among men and women these days. In the midst of all this unforgiving stress, the hurting need comfort; yet, where are they to find it? I believe that comfort can be found in the belief that this world is not the result of an accident, but design. I believe that there is more to life than what we can see. I believe in a Creator. I believe in God. This belief gives me comfort in the midst of pain and suffering.
But…
Many (but not all) scientists, however, do not believe in a Creator, so they pursue meaning and purpose through the discovery of new things, improving mankind’s situation, and better anticipating the future of the universe. Even though great scientists of the past viewed science as a means to further understand God’s creation, leading them to give God praise for His magnificent design, many modern scientists see the universe through a naturalistic worldview. They tend to comfort themselves in the supposed fact that this universe, made of matter, is all that there is – nothing more. They reason that since life is just a natural process and that matter is all that there is, what does it matter (pun intended) if there is no purpose to life? To the naturalist (the typical scientist), it is all about the here-and-now, occasionally sprinkled with purposeless wonder and meaningless awe.
Science?
A recent “scientific” study was conducted that shed some interesting light on the reasons why people choose to believe that there is a Designer of the universe, rather than purposeless existence after death. Just consider the title of the study: “Death and Science: The Existential Underpinnings of Belief in Intelligent Design and Discomfort with Evolution.” (Tracy, Hart, Martens) This study showed that when faced with the ultimate reality of death, most choose to find comfort in the belief that there is a design to everything, which would suggest purpose, rather than hold to Darwin’s theory of evolution. When faced with what was called “mortality salience,” even the unreligious tended to be “uncomfortable” with the theory of evolution. The conductors of the experiment were amazed (I found it perfectly logical), even indignant at times (which I thought was funny). Sadly, the researchers who conducted the study were obviously predisposed to atheism and the idea that the universe is un-designed. Surely they included themselves in the category of “certain individuals who are more deeply invested in the scientific worldview (e.g., scientists),” and, like Carl Sagan, viewed “naturalism as providing human life with meaning and purpose.” (Tracy, Hart and Martens 10)
Only a fool could look at a working machine that had every feature capable of performing a particular task and call that machine a random collection of atoms without purpose or meaning. Even the Psalmist said, “the fool hath said in his heart, [there is] no God.” On the other hand, the logical person would conclude, at some point, that the universe machine must have been designed by a Designer. To illustrate this, William Paley (1743-1805) used a pocket watch as an analogy to describe what one should conclude when he looks at the universe. Like a lone watch found on a beach, the universe should be to the observer an intricate work of art made for a purpose. People that are logical also see themselves as instruments of purpose, because they can recognize things that bear the marks of design. Why should it be a surprise to anyone, that when faced with death, the need for meaning would be important to the same, thoughtful, logical observer? “When we see evidence of intelligent design…we naturally assume that an intelligent designer was responsible for constructing the object.” (Phillips, Brown and Stonestreet 78)
Ten Words
The Christian can find his whole sense of purpose in the ten words that make up Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The Christian scientist can also read these words and find confirmation to his observations. It is the naturalistic scientist that looks at William Paley’s watch analogy (teleological argument) and comes to the illogical conclusion that “chance plus time” created a beautifully intricate machine out of nothing.
If the universe is Godless, and it was not designed for a purpose, then meaning is irrelevant. The thing that is designed for a purpose, even if only to amuse, has a purpose, which gives meaning to every aspect of its being. Something that was not designed, created, or brought about either in reality or in the abstract, exists, at best, by accident. There is no purpose inherent within an accident (accidents are by definition unplanned), unless, of course, the accident was caused. If an accident is caused, even if it was not purposeful, then it was at least caused, was it not? So, either way, it could be argued that whether the universe was designed or came about by accident, there was a Something that brought it about, for both are objects of a Creator, else neither would have existed.
Waxing Philosophical
In conclusion, I would now argue that if the universe was either designed or the result of an accident, and if both design and accident have to have a cause; and, since accidents usually don’t result in the promotion of life-sustaining details, but rather carnage; and, since the universe mirrors best an intricate machine full of life; therefore, it must be designed, not an accident. If, then, the universe was the product of a Designer, then there must be a purpose inherent in the design. In other words, there is a reason for everything we see. It may be hidden somewhere in the workings of this great machine. Or, it could be found in the revelation of the Designer – the Bible.
There is, according to Scripture, a purpose for everything. Even amidst all the turmoil of the Vietnam War era a song came out by a group call The Byrds entitled, “Turn, Turn, Turn.” The lyrics included a line from Ecclesiastes 3:1 which said, “a time to every PURPOSE (emphasis mine) under heaven.” To everything there is a purpose, even though it may not be plain to the observer. For example, unless they are meant to be a prank, buttons and levers on a machine usually have a purpose. Even if they don’t do anything, they had the purpose to illicit a response of some kind from the observer. That being understood, if there seems to be any design to the universe, wouldn’t it make the most sense to assume there was a Designer? If there was a Designer, then there was a purpose for the design. And the Bible says that the purpose, if for no other reason, was to cause “…all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him [the LORD]. For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast.” – Psa 33: 8-9 KJV
God made everything for a reason. You have a purpose. There IS hope in Jesus Christ.
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. – Psalm 31:24 KJV
Phillips, W. Gary, William E. Brown and John Stonestreet. Making Sense of Your World, A Biblical Worldview. Salem, Wisconsin: Sheffield Publishing Company, 2008.
Even though for so long I have believed that marriage is supposed to be the holy union of a man and a woman, as God designed, my opinions based on ancient texts must change. Otherwise, I will never be able to run a bakery, work at Home Depot, get preferential government bids, or dress up like a unicorn riding a rainbow (and you know how much I’ve wanted to do that).
Therefore, I am going to revamp my definition of marriage in order to fall in line with society at large. After all, love is all that matters, right? So……
Marriage, is not the union of of just one man and one woman, it is the union of two people, male or female, who love each other…wait, that can’t be right…that would be too narrow…let’s try again…
Marriage, is the union of however many people who love…wait…
Marriage, is the union of two…no, one person and one animal…wait…
Marriage, is the union of human to human or animal…DANG IT!…wait…
Marriage, is the union of human, animal, and/or plant that love each other…What?
How do we know if the dog that married the woman really wanted to go through with the vows? How can a dog vow anything? Or a horse? Or whatever? I don’t get that one.
Anyway…
Marriage, is the union of two or more living and breathing beings…Oh, good Lord!…WAIT!…
Marriage, is the union between two or more living and breathing beings, AND/OR amusement park rides…(Seriously? Yep.)…wait…just wait!!…
How do inanimate objects abide by a covenant, express love, raise a family, etc.? For that matter, how do animals and humans reproduce?
Good grief! All I am trying to do is be fair and open to all forms of love, you know? I mean, as a Christian I am not suppose to judge how other people express their understanding of love and marriage; I’m just supposed to accept them. Marriage, therefore, should be left up to whomever and whatever feels some form of attraction – and who am I to call it anything but pure?
However, the more I try to be open and inclusive, the more Pandora gets upset that I’m breaking the lid on her box. Once we open wide the redefinition of marriage, where to we stop? Who is to say another person’s opinion is wrong? Who is hypocritical enough to label someone else’s nuptial wishes perverted or insane?
So, let’s try this again…
Marriage, is the union between a man and/or a woman, and/or an animal, and/or, a piece of construction equipment, and/or a child…
WAIT!
A CHILD?!!
(They do it in Africa all the time. And who’s to judge the loving folks at NAMBLA? Who do we think we are, God?)
Marriage, is the union between a man and/or a woman, and/or an animal, and/or, a piece of construction equipment, and/or a child…wait…
What about those diagnosed with multiple personalities? What about family members who really, really love each other? My God! The possibilities are endless!
The ethical ramifications of all this are insane!
The way God intended – period.
Oh, I don’t know…maybe I should just go back to the way God designed it (Genesis 2:24). It sure would be a lot more simple, wouldn’t it?
Having been around the block a few times, I am certainly aware that any time a blogger says anything negative, or even questions the theory of evolution in any form, there is going to be a hateful backlash from atheists and agnostics. I certainly expect a few to say something after I post this commercial for the upcoming debate between Bill Nye (The Science Guy) and Ken Ham (Answers in Genesis).
I will be attending a live streaming of the debate at Bayside Baptist Church in Chattanooga. If you get to attend, come say “Hi!” However, find somewhere to watch this, even if it’s on your home computer.
Please be pray for Ken and Bill. Pray for those in the audience, along with those who will be watching elsewhere. Pray that eyes will be opened, hearts will be softened, and ears will be tuned in to the Truth.
I am not going to take a lot of time to address this story, especially when time is so short and the wife has a long list for me to accomplish before Christmas. However, I feel it is imperative that I at least say something.
Last night I spoke to my congregation about John the Baptist from Luke 1:17, which says:
“And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Before the well-known and beloved Luke 2 story that tells of the shepherds in the field and the birth of Jesus, Luke tells us of one who was to come before in the spirit of Elijah, preaching truth, not holding anything back, in order to prepare the people for the coming Messiah. John the Baptist was this man, the last of the Old Testament prophets, full of boldness and fire.
Therefore, it may only be a coincidence, but I find it completely ironic that just before Christmas, when our hearts should be prepared to celebrate the coming of God to earth in human flesh, we have a man (as John MacArthur described John the Baptist) “fearlessly and faithfully proclaim[ing] divine truth in the face of ruthless opposition.” And they’re wanting his head. His name is Phil Robertson.
Phil Robertson of “Duck Dynasty” fame, a committed Christian, is being blasted and hung out to dry by the media, vehemently attacked by the gay and lesbian groups, and treated like an ugly step-child by many in the church who wish to coddle the liberal left. But what I see in Phil Robertson is the rare spirit of Elijah that points its finger in the face of a degenerate culture and says, “thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD” (1 Kings 21:20).
The gay and lesbian advocacy group (GLAAD) has come out and said, “Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe…” But it is obvious that GLAAD has no idea what “true Christians” believe, nor do they understand the type of people Jesus himself held in high esteem, for it was John the Baptist of whom Jesus commented: “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist…” (Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:28).
So, if Jesus thought that much of John the Baptist, it would be safe to assume that Jesus, the loving Savior of the world, would have approved of John’s words. What then were some of the things John said?
“ In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying,Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 3:1-2
“For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.” – Mark 6:17-18
John was bold enough, just like Elijah before him, to declare that there is such a thing as sexual sin, to say it to the face of power, and to do it even in the face of execution. What did Phil Robertson say?
(Paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 6:9-10) “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers…they won’t inherit the kingdom of God.”
Sounds like old Phil is more in line with Elijah, John the Baptist, Paul the Apostle, and Jesus Christ than GLAAD would like to admit. And if Phil Robertson must suffer persecution because of his personal beliefs, he is better off in the long run, for sure.
“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” – Matthew 5:11-12 KJV
His reward will far exceed any paycheck Ahab&E is willing to pay.
Dear Friends, I don’t want to burst any bubbles or shatter any Christmas ornaments, but Christmas, at least the meaning of Christmas, might not be what you think it is. At least I know this, it is not what the President of the United States’ speech at the 2013 lighting of the National Christmas Tree made it out to be.
Why do I make such a bold and controversial statement? I say it because the message of Christmas is too important to have pluralists, universalists, and atheists redefine it – even if they occupy the White House.
Below is an excerpt from President Obama’s December 6th speech at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree. Please read it, then my comments.
Each Christmas, we celebrate the birth of a child who came into the world with only a stable’s roof to shelter Him. But through a life of humility and the ultimate sacrifice, a life guided by faith and kindness towards others, Christ assumed a mighty voice, teaching us lessons of compassion and charity that have lasted more than two millennia. He ministered to the poor. He embraced the outcast. He healed the sick. And in Him we see a living example of scripture that we ought to love others not only through our words, but also through our deeds.
It’s a message both timeless and universal — no matter what God you pray to, or if you pray to none at all — we all have a responsibility to ourselves and to each other to make a difference that is real and lasting. We are our brother’s keeper. We are our sister’s keeper.
When I recently shared my thoughts about this on Facebook, a friend of mine responded with the following words: “[The] president is simply making an appeal to shared values– that even if you don’t believe in God, that you still have the responsibility to make a positive influence in the lives of others– which is exactly what Jesus did.” Oh, I completely understand the reason why a national leader would want to make a universal appeal to “shared values” and the “responsibility to make a positive influence.” However, just for comparison’s sake, listen to what former President Ronald Reagan had to say.
Why don’t we look at the things Obama said about Christmas? Let’s see if we can square what he said with Scripture and try to determine if the President clearly defined the TRUE meaning of Christ’s birth – the “message” of Christmas.
“Each Christmas, we celebrate the birth of a child…” I know this may sound like grasping at straws, but Christmas is not about celebrating “a” child’s birth; it is about celebrating the birth of THE child of whom the prophets foretold…God in flesh, Emmanuel (Matthew 1:23).
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 KJV
“Christ assumed a mighty voice…”Christ did more than “assume a mighty voice” as a result of his life of humility, sacrifice, and kindness; Jesus did what he did to prove he was not only the Voice, but the literal Word of God made flesh.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14
“He ministered to the poor. He embraced the outcast. He healed the sick. And in Him we see a living example of scripture that we ought to love others not only through our words, but also through our deeds.” Yes, Virginia, there is a Jesus, and He did do all of these things. But why? A social gospel is wonderful, except when it leaves out the fact that Jesus did good works to fulfill Scripture (see Isaiah 61:1-2).
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” – Luke 4:18-19
“It’s a message both timeless and universal…” This is where we get into some serious, pluralistic territory. What, exactly, is the “message” that is “timeless and universal”? Obama said “It’s” a message. What’s a message? The birth and life of Christ? Christmas?
I will agree with Mr. Obama on this one thing, that is certainly our responsibility “to ourselves and to each other to make a difference that is real and lasting.” The fact that we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers is most certainly a “timeless and universal” message, regardless whether or not we are pagans or atheists. But is this the message of Christmas? Is caring for others the message of Christmas? Simply put, no. It’s so much more than that.
The reason we celebrate Christmas with generosity, usually expressed with the giving of gifts, is because on that morning of which the angels sang (Luke 2) the most extravagant gift ever bestowed upon mankind was delivered, wrapped in the same cloth used to coddle newly-born sacrificial lambs, and laid in a manger. It was the Gift of God to desperate souls. THIS is the reason why we should “love one another.”
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” – 1 John 4:9-11
In Luke 19:10 Jesus stated that the whole reason he came was not to set an example, be a good role model, or even start a religion…he came to save sinful men and women, boys and girls.
“And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” – Luke 19:9-10
Truly, the real message is meant for all, for God so loved the world (John 3:16). So, if President Obama wants to call that “universal,” then so be it. But the message of Christ coming to save the lost is NOT “one of many ways to God,” or one of many ways to unite the brotherhood of man. No, the message of Christmas is that Jesus came because there was no other way. The message of Christmas is exclusive to the core (which is the real reason why so many want all vestiges of it removed from public life).
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – John 14:6
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” – Acts 4:12
America is a nation that accepts people from all walks of life and from every religious background. With rare exception, Lady Liberty will turn no one away (the Department of Immigration is another story). So, the “spirit of Christmas,” that common feeling of generosity and good will we all enjoy this time of year, should be a blessing enjoyed by all. But let us be careful, Mr. President, when we define the Reason for the season as anything other than what the Scripture says.
It might come as a surprise to some of you, but I have a sense of humor – and I don’t mind showing it. Yes, I understand it can be uncomfortable, especially for deacons and seminary professors, and hard to understand, but humor is a gift from God.
Therefore, I hope it does not shock you to see me dressed as a green-haired elf. Before I drove my afternoon route, I put on a wig and vest I bought at Target, along with the little red collars we had on our dogs. Needless to say, I got more than a few looks.
Different Reactions
As you can imagine, a lot of people, especially little children, got a kick out of my outfit. But some of the reactions sorta surprised me.
The elementary-age children acted pretty much the way I expected.
“Why are you dressed like a clown?” I’m not a clown…I’m an elf!
“Why don’t you have pointy ears?”
“Where are your shoes?”
What do you mean? These are my shoes!
“Can I touch your hair?”
Why? Do I ever ask to touch your hair?
Adults were a mixed bag.
“I like your vest,” said a lady at the McDonald’s drive-through.
“Did you make that?” I asked, “Is that a positive or a negative?”
But it was the teenagers that really amazed me. They epitomized our multi-cultural, politically correct society by never saying a single word. They said nothing.
As a matter of fact, most would only glance in my direction, trying not to be noticed.
Fearful Acceptance
There used to be a day when a green-haired, red-cuffed individual would be stopped by the police. There used to be a day when kids would laugh at a person dressed the way I was. There used to be a day when grown men and women would simply ask, “What in the world are you doing dressing like a fool this early in December?”
Now-a-days, strange is normal. And what is worse, society has made every one so afraid of saying anything that no one will say what most people think: “You look like an idiot!” Free speech has been silenced in the face of weird.
“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.”
“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” – Luke 18:11, 13
Looking for a Pastor
Imagine that instead of the temple, a Pharisee and a publican walked into a pastoral search committee meeting (like we have in the Baptist denomination). They walk in, introduce themselves, compare resumes, and one gets the job.
Which one do you think would be hired? Answer (typically): The one that fits the picture of what every Christian fit for service should be – perfect.
But God doesn’t use perfect people; He uses REAL people. Yet sadly, within the church, there are many men and women who have felt inferior and useless because of sinful and broken pasts. They are the people who sit on the pews, week after week, doing all they can to be faithful in life, but are forbidden to hold positions in the church. They are much like the Publican, men and women who know they have failed before, but want to be forgiven and start new. They are not the ones that look down on others for mistakes they’ve made.
Genesis of Dysfunction
A while back I read through the book of Genesis in a couple of sittings. Reading a book of the Bible that way, especially in a different translation, can help you see the story from a new perspective. This time I was just astounded at how messed up these people really were! There was so much “stuff” going on that if it were today, it would make an episode of Jerry Springer look tame!
Consider, if nothing else, the sad story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel. This was a seriously messed up family with real marital problems. At one point, Leah and Rachel get into a jealous argument over a son’s mandrakes. Just imagine you were a marriage counselor and listened in to the following story…
Reuben went out during the wheat harvest and found some mandrakes in the field. When he brought them to his mother, Leah, Rachel asked, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” But Leah replied to her, Isn’t it enough that you have taken my husband? Now you also want my son’s mandrakes?”
“Well,” Rachel said, “you can sleep with him tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So Jacob slept with her that night.– Geneses 30:14:16 HCSB
Check this out…
Twice Abraham told other people that his wife, Sarah, was his sister so that he would not be harmed.
Joseph’s brothers hated him and sold him to traveling salesmen.
Jacob and Esau were seriously at odds.
Leah, poor thing, kept trying to have children so that her husband, Jacob would love her.
And there’s more!
Jacob’s father-in-law, Laban, got him drunk on his wedding night and gave him the wrong wife – on purpose.
The son’s of Jacob (founders of ten of the tribes of Israel) lied to a bunch of men about making a covenant, then proceeded to slaughter all of them after they had convinced them to be circumcised.
It just goes on and on. Messed up, I am telling you! MESSED UP!
Nevertheless,
God told Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3: “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” How is this even possible?
If God can use Abraham and his family with all their problems to bless the nations, then He can use ANYBODY!
I hate Halloween. But if you are a big fan, one who looks forward to the glorification of death, evil, and the grotesque, then ghoul for you. My minimal desire for bags of candy and apples bobbed for in spit-filled water is not enough to make me dress up like a satanic mass murderer, which is what most costumes seem to portray.
Actually, this time of year gets on my nerves, and one of the biggest reasons is the proliferation of horror movies. Horror movies don’t scare me that much; they tick me off! They are always full of idiots walking into the dark asking, “Buffy, is that you?” And what’s worse, so many of today’s horror flicks involve ghostly, demonic hauntings by creepy dead kids. HINT: if a soaking-wet dead girl crawls out of a well and starts climbing through your TV, change the channel (preferably to a Christian station).
On a side note, has it ever occurred to anyone that all the demonic activity pictured in horror movies is nothing more than an attempt to convince us that the spiritual realm is real?
Really, I hate Halloween. I find no pleasure celebrating the very Enemy taking my friends and loved ones to hell.
The Undead
But what I really don’t get is the “undead”…zombies…Michael Jackson’s dance partners. Can somebody help me understand the logic behind the capabilities and actions of walking corpses?
English: A participant of a Zombie walk, Asbury Park NJ, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There has been so much talk about zombies, lately. There have been a lot of movies and television programs devoted to grossing us out with their nastiness and appetite for human flesh. What’s the deal? Is it just an attempt to shift our attention away from the spiritual to the natural or animalistic? Who knows?
All I know is that the walking dead make no sense. Consider the following:
Health. Why is it that when I have the flu I feel as good as dead, yet when a zombie is dead he feels more alive than me? If I break a bone I can’t function, but a zombie can have all his bones broken and break into an armored car! Have you seen what people die from? Why is it they have more energy once they’ve rotted away than when they were still exfoliating?
Appetite. Why is it that the walking dead never seem to recognize that their fellow walkers are also human, and edible? And why are humans the only meat worth eating? Why don’t the walking dead break into grocery stores, butcher shops, and kennels? Seriously, don’t the dead understand that there is far more meat and brains in a cow?! Why eat the farmer???
Blood. I’ve had too much experience in funeral homes to buy the idea that zombies coming out of graves have bright, red, flowing blood. How many walking dead have you seen dripping embalming fluid? Hmmm?
Speed. Why can’t healthy people, including clumsy women in high heels, outrun people with muscles falling off the bone? Bones don’t work alone to cause movement; limbs need muscles to function. Even if one tripped over every blade of grass in an attempt to flee a rotting granny, how fast could granny be?
Practicalities. If old people become zombies, do they have to keep their false teeth in order to chew their neighbor? Also, what is the life expectancy of something that is already dead? Oh, and when a zombie eats a human, where does the meat go? Do zombies poop?
The Real Undead
To be very honest, I am more afraid of my own stinking flesh than some dancer from Thriller.
“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24)
I must crucify it on a daily basis and live in the life of Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14). For if I live in the power of my own zombie-like self, I will die: but if through the Spirit I put to death the deeds of this stinking body, I shall live (Romans 8:13).
You may be asking, “So, Anthony, what’s with the crazy title?” Well, I’m glad you asked. I will get to that in a moment, but first you have to hear the story.
Angry Bunnies
In a recent news story, a former Playboy model was defending a more recent Playboy model for getting buck naked before she became a school teacher. To be more specific, the former lust promoter was defending the recent lust promoter after the recently undressed exhibitionist was fired from her teaching job.
Here, just read the opening part of this story for yourself…
Students and parents at a Dallas, Texas high school were up in arms after their Spanish teacher, Cristy Nicole Deweese, was reportedly fired because she posed nude for Playboy.
And they’re not alone. We talked to Deweese’s friend, Liz Ashley, another Texas resident who has posed for Playboy, and who has also started a Facebook support page for Deweese called Support Cristy Nicole Deweese.
“Her modeling nude was not a crime and was in no way illegal,” Ashley told FOX411.
Essentially, Liz supports Cristy (bunny advocacy) and has no problem with Cristy’s self-exposure, and she furthermore thinks the school should have never fired the newbie bunny, because “modeling nude was not a crime.”
But Liz the bunny buddy goes on to say something else that was quite intriguing. Unless she was misquoted by Fox411, or unless there was an error in editing, the older Texas tart told reporters…
“She committed no crimes with her students or did anything amoral [emphasis added] with her students while on the job, so why is her previous modeling career relevant?
Really? Did you catch that? Let me repeat the key part: “She…did [nothing] amoralwith her students…”
Word Choice
Now, I am not going to sit here at my computer and judge the intelligence of a boob-flashing Hefner stooge. She may have misspoke when she used the word “amoral” in her description of young Cristy’s teaching career. Maybe she was just confused over the definition of the word and meant to use another, like “immoral,” or “moral.” Which was it?
According to Lay-me-down Liz, the defrocked Deweese did nothing “amoral,” so that only leaves moral or immoral, right? The truth is that there’s little taught that is void of a moral context of some sort (which would include one’s worldview).
Distracted
Liz Ashley asked, “…why is her previous modeling career relevant?” The answer is simple: boys will be boys.
The reason for the firing of bunny-turned-educator Cristy Nicole Deweese was not the fact that she posed nude, which is legal, just after she turned 18 (her parents must have been proud). The reason for her firing was that boys in her class, after finding out what she had done (who told them?), were [G]oogling her “spread” on their smartphones while in class!
It seems that school officials determined a teacher is to provide an education, but only in the field for which she is hired. On top of that, it may have been that too many hormonal young men were wanting to stay after class far too often.
So, Liz was correct in her choice of words, after all. Cristy was responsible for nothing “amoral” going on while she taught. Good job, Ms. Deweese!
I don’t think I have ever been to a funeral where this song was sung. As a matter of fact, it has been a while since I have heard this song sung at all. So, believe it or not, Katie and I had to look up the words in order to practice it. When I did, unlike times in the past, the lyrics hit me like a kick in the gut.
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The Recovering Legalist 