Monday, October 26, 2015

End the Foolishness!

   I never thought I'd have to say this, but, THE EARTH IS ROUND! There are those in the Church who are actually preaching such abject foolishness as a flat earth and a geo-centric universe. I have been a Christian for forty years now, a member of at least four churches, and at no time have I ever believed, taught or been taught the earth was flat, or the center of the solar system.
   There is absolutely nothing in the Bible that conflicts with what we know about our planet's shape and orbit! And anyone saying anything different needs to shut up! I won't even say, "And wise up", because nobody could really be that stupid. Let me make myself perfectly clear where I, and every church I've ever been part of stands: Copernicus was right, and Columbus was right! The earth is a sphere that revolves around the sun. Period!
   Why must I take the time to affirm what everyone knows naturally, rather than preaching the love and power of our risen Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ? There are those among us who clearly wish to destroy whatever shred of credibility the Church might have left in this world! I cannot and will not believe that any born-again, Spirit-filled child of God would proclaim such outright folly that neither his fathers, nor his fathers' fathers believed.
   But we are living in the days when false Christians and false ministers have infiltrated the Church, bringing in damnable heresies, compromise, false doctrine, false worship, worldliness, and now downright stupidity to the Body of Christ. "They went out from us, but were not of us" the Apostle John wrote. These are the seed of the Wicked One, come to destroy the Church from within.
   How can we possibly have a discussion with the unbelievers about creation and evolution, the beginning of life, or any other important subject when we're seen as ignorant, narrow-minded buffoons?  To all my non-Christian friends and acquaintances, I want you to know, I do not stand with teachers or churches proclaiming a flat earth! They are imposters whose purpose is to discredit us! (Just like these clowns who predict the end of the world every six months.)
 To all my Christian brothers & sisters: don't tolerate such teaching. End the foolishness!

 

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Why Does the World Hate Columbus?

  The Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria! When I was a kid, Columbus was a hero, honored with his own day (somehow associated with White Sales). In school we learned of this man who resisted the conventional wisdom of his day and boldly ventured out into the unknown! The great explorer and discoverer acclaimed by both the Italians and the Spanish! A great lighthouse, El Faro al Colon', stands to honor him in Santo Domingo.
   But in these days, he is villified as an intruder who spoiled Paradise, the very symbol of greed and exploitation. Like he came uninvited to the Western Hemisphere and ruined all the beauty, harmony, and innocence of the native cultures.But why hate on Columbus? Why not mention Pizarro, Cortez, De Leon and the others? It's always Columbus they bash & trash.

   Though there is no prophecy specifically about him, Christopher Columbus helped to bring about the fulfillment of two separate prophesies in the Bible. The first is a tiny little prediction tucked away in Genesis as Noah foretells the destinies of his sons' descendants. The second concerns the fulfillment of the Great Commission and the End Times!
   The first prophecy in Genesis 9:27 is only four little words: "God shall enlarge Japheth". After the flood, Japheth's children settled what is now Europe. In Acts 17:26, Paul informs the men of Athens that God "has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation." According to the Amplified Bible, "...having definitely determined [their] allotted periods of time and the fixed boundaries of their habitation (their settlements, lands, and abodes)."
   So, God decided long ago who was going to live where and when!  Well, the day came to make good on the promise to enlarge Japheth (beyond Europe), and thanks to Columbus' discovery, the road was cleared for the British, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese to colonize the New World. Now the Devil would be perfectly happy if everyone believed Noah was just a myth, but since Noah's prophecy came true.....!
   Yet there is a far more important prophecy which Columbus' voyage made possible, namely that the Gospel, and the church of Jesus Christ, would reach unto the uttermost parts of the earth, touching every nation, tribe, and tongue. Passages include Psalm 2:8, Matthew 24:14,  Acts 1:8, Romans 9:25-26, and of course, Revelation 5:9. Without Columbus' arrival on the land of the Taino people (present day Haiti/Domincan Republic), millions would have continued in the darkness of life without Christ.
    
   Why does the world hate Columbus?  Because God made him "...a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6)  And the world loves darkness.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

What Did Jesus"Say" About Gays?

   The logic being pushed by gay Christians is that, since Jesus didn't openly condemn homosexuality, He must therefore be OK with it. Which is kinda like little Johnny cutting off his sister's ponytail, and justifying himself by stating," Mommy didn't say I couldn't." Now I'm not a big fan of arguing from silence (obviously the Gospel writers didn't record every single word our Lord uttered), but if ya really wanna go there, I'm up for it!
   So let's take a minute to look at what Jesus did say, then we'll go back to what He didn't say.  First, what was His attitude toward the Old Testament? Clearly, Christ regarded the Law and the Prophets as the Word of God. Whenever ethical questions arose, Jesus always referred back to the Scriptues, saying, "What is written in your law? How do you read?" (Luke 10:26) Again, He told the masses, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you, that observe and do...."  (Matthew 23:1-2) Does this sound like He has a problem with the Mosaic Law?
   So just what did Moses say? Leviticus 18:22 reads, Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."  The very next verse forbids bestiality. Pretty clear, black-and-white, no grey area; but in case anyone missed it, Moses reiterates in 20:13, "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death, their blood shall be upon them."
   The fact that Jesus said nothing directly about homosexuality doesn't help the gays' case. If you wanna talk about what Jesus didn't say, He didn't say, "well Moses was just an old insecure homophobe anyway, so don't listen to him. God's positiion on homosexuality is evolving." What Christ did say is, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill."  Matthew 5:17. Now if Jesus had a problem with the scribes and Pharisees' interpretation or applcation of the Leviticus sexual morality laws, would not He have called them out on this? But He never challenged them on this issue.
   OK, what about the NewTestament? What was Christ's view of the Apostles' writings?  "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgement, than for that city"  Matthew 10:14-15  And in Luke 10:16, "He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despises you despise Me; and he that despises Me despises Him that sent Me"
   So the person who rejects the message of the Apostles rejects Jesus Christ, and the Father as well.
   Well, what did the Apostles say about homosexuality? The Apostles to the Jews didn't need to say anything, as Moses had already given us God's word on the matter. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, taught the church at Corinth, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."  1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
    And what did Jesus Christ have to say about ol' Paul? Only, "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace for I am with thee."  Acts 18:9-10. What He didn't say? "My Apostles have issues....don't worry about their homophobic rules." No! He told His Apostles, "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained."  in John 20:23.
   So, you wanna argue from what Jesus didn't say? He didn't say Moses was wrong, and He didn't say Paul was wrong. He stood up for both of these men. And I'm not going to hold my peace either, 'cause I know from experience: if push comes to shove, He'll stand up for me, too.
Amen.