Daughter of Wisdom

MY FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY

2011-10-08T05:17:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I have been here folks - almost one year. I must say that this has been one of the most exciting years for me in my spiritual walk and growth in the Lord. So much has happened for which I am truly thankful. I am posting today to unveil the five-fold ministry which God has inspired me with. It all surrounds the topic of my book, "Surviving a Global Economic Crisis: A Biblical Perspective." If you follow these five basic principles for living, your life will be filled with everlasting PEACE. I know, because I live them. Amen.

Below is a post from my facebook page, which was posted on October 7, 2011.

"In light of the ongoing economic crisis facing the world, I am posting my end time survival kit, or things we each can do to survive and even thrive in these difficult times.

1) PRACTICE SACRED LOVE - Sacred love is loving God and your fellow human beings (The Greatest and Second Commandments). Demonstrate compassion, care, and affection for each other. You cannot say you love God, yet do not show love for those around you. Share resources to help those in need. By the sharing of resources, you are helping others, and others are helping you to survive during rough times.

2) EXERCISE - Exercise for physical health and physical strength. You need health and strength to enjoy life, and create wealth. "But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth." (Deuteronomy 8:18). "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their STRENGTH; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

3) FOLLOW A SACRED DIET - Eat for health and strength. Follow a diet that does not deplete the natural resources of the Earth as much you can, as such a diet actually strengthens you (natural diets vs. processed foods, organic vs. conventional, etc).

4) PRACTICE FAITH BASED ECONOMICS - Follow spiritual financial principles laid out in my book, "SURVIVING A GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS: A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE." Learn how to avoid financial pitfalls and scams. Learn how God provides for your EVERY NEED, even in hard economic times. Understand what true prosperity is, and what is behind our sense of lack. My book will open your eyes to the spiritual workings controlling our finances, and how you can be released from the 'Babylon' mindset about finances, which is entrapping the world right now. A link for my book is provided below.

5) Finally, FOLLOW THE MIND OF CHRIST IN YOU! The mind of Christ within, is the kingdom of God within you. This mind of Christ allows you to see and process the world with a different mind set, with a different approach to life, which is different from the 'Babylon' mind set which is gripping the world in its vice. The mind of Christ frees you to enjoy life, and to reap the fruits of the Spirit such as love and joy, and gives you inner peace."

http://www.hillarydawes.com/

2012: The Start of a New Age?

2010-11-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

Matthew 24:3-8, NASB (Caps supplied for emphasis).

3As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the END OF THE AGE?"

4And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.
5"For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.
6"You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
7"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.
8"But all these things are merely the BEGINNING OF BIRTH PANGS.

The age-old question for over two thousand years has been, "When will Jesus return and when will the world come to an end?" This question was asked by Jesus' own disciples as they sat upon the Mt. of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. Naturally, they would have liked to know when He was coming back, especially since He left some unfinished business such as the restoration of the nation of Israel to a independent theocracy, free of Roman rule, undone. In the prophetic timeline of Matthew 24, Jesus led them through a series of events which must take place before He returned. It should be noted that the return of Christ was contingent upon the end of an old age, and the beginning of a new age. No, this is not new age teaching, but 100% Biblical stuff here folks. Many Bibles translate the Greek word "aion" to mean "world", but the word actually means "age" (Strong #165). So the disciples were not asking Jesus about the end of the world, but about the end of the age they were living in.

What age were the disciples living in? When was it supposed to have ended, and what age was to supposed to have gotten started? When that new age ended, and was there supposed to be another age after that? To answer those questions, one must understand something about time charting based upon astrological/astronomical signs. Astronomy and astrology were a big part of Jewish culture. Signs in the sky were important factors in prophecy as omens of impending changes upon the world scene. In Genesis 1:14 it says that God gave us the celestial bodies in the heavens for signs. ^"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for SIGNS, and for seasons, and for days, and years." The knowledge therefore as to how these celestial bodies act as sign posts is definitely essential for understanding time, and God's timing for doing certain things upon the earth. Before I go any further, let me just clarify the major difference between astrology and astronomy, because I will be using some astrological time concepts. Astrology is the study of stars and celestial bodies, and the reading of omens, with the purpose of studying the effect of the stars on the social/economic/political conditions on earth. This also implies a worship of the stars and planets as rulers over mankind. Astronomy is the study of stars and celestial bodies without any implication of worship of those celestial bodies. The sages of old practiced a form of astrology where God was recognized as the ruler of the stars and celestial bodies, who used the stars and heavenly bodies to warn us as to WHEN certain prophecies were to be fulfilled. Hence we have the prophecy of Balaam about the star of Jacob, and the wise men from the east following a star to see the Christ child (Numbers 24:17, Matthew 2:2). We see in the book of Isaiah where God turned back the course of the sun for king Hezekiah, as a SIGN of sure victory over the king of Assyria (Isaiah 38:4-8). The Bible is replete with references to celestial bodies, as they are not up there for our entertaiment and worship, but as signs from God to us. We have Joseph dreaming about "the eleven stars" with himself being the twelfth star, which is probably an allusion to the twelve signs of the Zodiac or the planets, and the book of Job is filled with lots of references to constellations and stars (Genesis 37:6-10; Job 38:31-33). Even Jesus spoke about watching the signs of the sun and moon to know when His appearance is near.

Matthew 24:25-27 (caps supplied for emphasis)

25And there shall be SIGNS IN THE SUN, AND IN THE MOON, AND IN THE STARS; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

So how long is an age? According to astrologists, an age is approximately 2,160 years. Personally, I am not sure of the name of the age in which the disciples lived because even astrologers disagree among themselves as to when certain ages started and ended. We however need not be confused as the Bible has given us clear guidelines as to when the age to which the disciples were referring was to end. Jesus tells us very plainly in Matthew 24:7-8 that the new age will start when nations start rising against nations, with famines in various places and earthquakes.

7"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

8"But all these things are merely the BEGINNING OF BIRTH PANGS.

Have we not seen, since Christ left the earth even more calamities and wars between nations than ever before? Starting with the Great Jewish rebellion in AD 66, the destruction of the Jewish temple in AD 70 by the Romans, the Roman conquest of Western and Eastern Europe as well as North Africa, the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Ottoman Empire, the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Colonialism and world wide slave trade, World War I and II, global wars against terrorism, and so on. What about the earthquakes and calamities we experienced quick succession in this year 2010? What about the shift of the earth on its axis after the Chilean earthquake this year? What about the global economic crisis and the shift to global finance and a world economy that is taking place? Expect more paragdigm shifts as we approach the end of the age in the political, social, economic, and religious realms as well as in nature.

Most astrologers agree that we are living in the age of Pisces. The Age of Pisces is set to end in the year 2150, but that is disputable as the Mayan calendar places the end of the our present age in 2012. So you see, this is all so confusing as even astrologers cannot agree among themselves, but one thing is certain. This age will end and a new age will be ushered in. Will it be an age of peace, brotherhood, and Christ consciousness? Or will it be a new age of clashing spiritual battles between religons? I think a little of both will be seen. With the spread of the gospel around the world, more people of various religious backgrounds will develop a sense of love for Christ, give their lives to Christ, and Christ consciousness will increase around the world. With that will also come rivalry from those who feel threatened by the rise of Christ consciousness, and the battle lines will be drawn over religion. This new age will be the one that will take us to the second coming of Christ! Are you ready for it?

ADDENDUM (10/8/11): I tend to go with the idea that the disciples lived in the age of Aries (the ram). Why do I believe that? Based upon Biblical markers, and Jesus' own words that His generation would live to see the end of the age, tells me that a new age started in the time of the disciples/apostles, with the destruction of the temple in 70 AD (Matthew 24:1,2,34). The new age which began, was the age of Pisces (the fish), and Aries was the preceding age to Pisces. I have other Biblical markers as well which seem to verify this, but I am open to other points of view.

What I Have Been Up To

2010-06-20T05:09:00.000-07:00

I know, it has been a month since I last posted anything to my blog. That is quite unusual, but I have been very busy on Facebook! You can follow me there, as I post almost daily there, and engage in lots of interesting conversations! In addition, I also left my last post up on purpose because of the remaining questions surrounding the oil spill going on in the Gulf Coast, and other man-made and natural castrophes going on around the world. I tell you, it is the time of the end, and the nearness of Christ's coming is at hand. We need to prepare our hearts and soul to receive Him when He comes. A lot of false theories are going to spring up about what is going on, and yet I see a softening of hearts during this latest oil spill. When this oil spill FIRST started, many people on Huffington Post mocked me for saying we should pray about it because, in my view, only God can help us to get out of this problem. I was mocked terribly, but I held my ground. Now, I am seeing greater acceptance by people on Huffington Post that prayer may be our only solution. Even self-called pagans are getting into the act! Please read this interesting article from Huffington Post and the responses of people. Here is another article from Huffington Post as well, about Gulf Spill Seeps Into Spiritual Life.

God has been good to us here in Florida. For weeks now we have been threatened by the oil, but praise God, not a drop of oil has touched our shores. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16)! Amen!

A New Earth

2010-05-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

No, this is not a review of Eckhart Tolle’s (New Age spiritual teacher) popular book, but what I am doing is trying to make sense and put into perspective the rapid succession of natural disasters that have plagued Earth since the beginning of this year. Who can forget the large earthquake in Haiti, which was followed afterwards by earthquakes in Chile, Turkey, Indonesia, and other countries around the world, all within the first six months of this year? What about the volcanic eruption in Iceland, which is still a threat to Europe, and which has caused the shutting down of airports and air travel within and to and from Europe? How about this latest oil ‘spill’ where man has tapped into an underwater resource of oil, which has gushed out of control? I tell you, none of these events are just happening by coincidence. In my mind, they are all a part of a larger picture – a new Earth.

In several places in the Bible, many references are made to a new Earth coming. We read in Isaiah 66:17, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Again, we read in Revelation 21:1, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” In order for God to create this new earth, the present earth must pass away – it must be done away it! Contrary to popular belief, God is not coming to take us to heaven for us to live there; rather, He is going to re-create this planet Earth we live on, for us to live here. Read what it says in Isaiah 66:22-23.

“For as the new heavens and the new earth which I shall make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that form one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the LORD.”

People will be actually living on this new earth, and living productive lives. It will not be a metaphysical environment where we will live as disembodied spirits floating around on clouds – all flesh, meaning people with bodies, will worship God in this new Earth (Isaiah 66:23). It will not even be a place where only those who are recipients of eternal life and salvation will live; rather, it will be place where all people – saved and sinners -will live out their lives under a new era and system of things. Isaiah gives us a glimpse of what life will be like in the new Earth.

“And they shall build houses, and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat (Isaiah 66:21-22a).”

The lifespan of man will be increased. The sinners will be live to be 100 years old, and the lifespan of the saved will be as “trees,” meaning, several hundred years old, perhaps I believe to 1,000 years (vss. 20, 22). Already we have seen that the lifespan of man has increased to 100 years, up from 70 years. I did a post about the lifespan of man here to document this change. It should be noted that the increase in life span is NOT due to better health care or modern medicine, for it is IMPOSSIBLE for one to increase one’s lifespan. The lifespan of man is a pre-determined limit of how long man is supposed to live, under FAVORABLE conditions. This is different from life expectancy, which takes into account variables such as health status, hygiene, sanitary practices, lifestyle choices, and the availability of health care, and hence can be less than the life span IF those variables are unfavorable.

I know we have been taught that when Jesus comes back we will live forever, and the sinners will suffer eternally in hell, and the saved will live forever in heaven. What I am describing in this article is not eternity, but a transitional stage, before eternity. The earth must go through this transitional stage before eternity, and like all transitions, it can be painful. The Earth is right now undergoing ‘growing pains’. Paul, the writer of the book of Romans, compares the Earth’s transitional status with the labour pains a woman experiences while giving birth. “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8;22). Jesus uses the same metaphor of pain and sorrow in describing this age we are living in. He says, “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8; John 16:21). Jeremiah writes that the Earth shall “mourn” in these last days.

“For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth MOURN, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it (Jeremiah 4:27-28, capitalized italics supplied).

Earth is under construction my friends. God is constructing and re-creating a new Earth right before our very eyes. As in construction, things have to be broken down, and torn apart to make room for the new; and so this world is being broken down, and torn apart to make room for the new Earth. The old things are passing away, so that we can experience the new (Revelation 21:4-5).

So, are you ready for the new Earth? A new era in time – a new age if you will? Where will you be in this new earth? Will you be one of the saved who lives in peace and harmony with your Creator in this new Earth? Or will you be among the unsaved who will live a shortened, accursed life in the new Earth (Isaiah 65:20)? To live successfully in this new Earth, change and transition must also start within you. You will need a new heart, or as Tolle puts it, a new level of consciousness, to enjoy the utopia of the new Earth. In any case, that new level of consciousness or new heart cannot be achieved by our own efforts. It must come from God. He wants to change our old stony hearts (the selfish, hard-hearted, egotistical self) and give us a new heart, or a new level of consciousness, that will be in harmony and at peace with Him, and the planet; because there is no way we can enjoy the new Earth, if we take with us our former ways of thinking and attitudes into it. It would just be more of the same heartache, anguish, despair, and distress, we are experiencing now in this dispensation, but only in a different setting. For utopia to be utopia, we have to learn how to relate to each other, and our planet, in a positive and loving way. God is willing to give us this new heart if we so desire to have it. Below, I have taken the liberty to amplify Ezekiel 36:26-28 to make it relevant to our modern way of thinking, as these verses speak very much to the necessity of us having a new heart, or new level of consciousness for a better world.

“A new heart [level of consciousness] also will I give you, and a new spirit [attitude] will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart [ego/selfishness/hard-heartedness] out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh [new level of consciousness]. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave your fathers [the new Earth]; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God” (Words in square brackets supplied).

So we see, a change of heart and attitude is essential for us to enjoy life in the new Earth, for it will be a time of great peace upon the Earth. Finally, the Earth will be at peace.

“They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like a bullock; and the dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 65:22-25).

More Earthquakes!

2010-05-06T03:54:00.000-07:00

Indonesia hit by an earthquake on Wednesday, May 5 2010 for the second time this year. Please see this blog post I did on March 6, for a running list of earthquakes for this year. I am trying to keep up. Not easy!

ADDENDUM: Okay, I have now given up on keeping a current list of natural disasters and earthquakes. Too many to list, and happening too fast! But at least we all have an idea of the times we are living in. Keep safe, and be blessed.

The Nature of Christ

2010-04-30T06:05:00.000-07:00

Last night on Facebook, a facebook friend shared information pertaining to his views on the nature of Christ before the incarnation. He was espousing that Christ was 'begotten' by God prior to creation, and that in Proverbs 8, Wisdom is none other than the person of Jesus Christ. Here are the verses from Proverbs 8 that he used to justify Christ being begotten by God before creation, and that Wisdom is here referring to Christ.

Proverbs 8:22-36:

22The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Below is my response:

Now let me share with you what God has revealed to me about this matter. Now I do not claim to have ALL the answers, because that of itself is impossibility, but I do hope you would at least give some thought to what I am presenting, as I have given to what you presented.

Wisdom as represented in the book of Proverbs is referred to in the female gender (Proverbs 3:13-18; Proverbs 8:1-3; Proverbs 9:1-3; and so on). Wisdom is also represented as being with God from the beginning, and as being “brought forth” from God (Proverbs 8:22-24). Wisdom is therefore a feminine attribute of God, and something which comes from only Him.

God is the embodiment of Wisdom. He is the “only wise God” (Jude 25). All these attributes of God are also to be found in Jesus, who being the Son of God, is also God (John 1:1). Therefore Jesus is correctly described as “the wisdom of God”, because ALL the attributes of God, such as wisdom, are contained in Him (1 Corinthians 1:24; Hebrews 1:2-3; Philliipians 2:7). “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).

God has revealed to us that He is one God with a triune nature – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7). In the beginning, God said “let US make man in our image; after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). We have one God who exists as three different entities. Jesus says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19).

Now here is what is revealed concerning the mystery of Christ. It is a little understood concept, but very important. It might be a little hard to grasp, and one will not get it by casual reading of the scriptures, but the author of the book of Hebrews made a very important point. Hebrews 2:5-9:

5For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
6But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
7Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
8Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

In verses 6 and 7 the author of Hebrews quoted Psalm 8:4-6 and applied that scripture as a prophecy about Christ. Did you notice that he referenced “son of man” in verse 6 of Hebrews 2 as being the same person as Jesus in verse 9 of Hebrews 2? Now this might seem a strange way to interpret Psalm 8, but for the first century Jews, this was not strange at all. In my study of Bible history, I have found that among the first century Jews, there was a sect called the Essenes. The Essenes believed in a coming Messiah who would be a Teacher of righteousness Essenes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Many of these Essenes were very accepting of Jesus as the Messiah, and many followed Him in His ministry. In the most famous Essenic document/scripture, the Book of Enoch, which by the way pre-dates the incarnation, that Messiah was called the Son of Man. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_Man#In_the_Apocrypha_and_Pseudepigrapha

Therefore, it makes perfect sense that Jesus, who was known as the Son of Man before His incarnation, by the first Century Essenic Jews, should be the Creator of man. We, mankind, were therefore created after, or patterned after the likeness of the Son of Man.

That’s all I have to say right now about the nature of Christ. There is more but this is basically the key element. The nature of Christ after the incarnation is another subject matter as well, and sometimes people confuse the nature of Christ before the incarnation with the nature of Christ after the incarnation. That’s for another time. Keep on searching the scriptures, for in them is life, and they testify of Christ (John 5:39). Blessings!

Catholic Sex Abuse Scandal - Part III

2010-04-27T04:31:00.000-07:00

And here is Part III, and I hope, the final part of this VERY interesting discussion.

Catholic Sex Scandals - Another Prophecy Comes True

2010-04-24T04:55:00.000-07:00

In light of the never-ending and escalating sex scandals plaguing the Roman Catholic Church, I would like to highlight a post a did last year, on October 24, entitled Controlling Sexual Desire. In the comment box of that post, I predicted that the Catholic views on sexuality would lead to an INCREASE, not a decrease in sexual perversity. Here is what I wrote in that comment box on November 1, 2009 to a Catholic commentator on my blog.

"Here is the consequence of your Catholic model. People would become so sexually repressed that they would start acting out in perverse ways. It would lead to an increase in sexual perversity and not a decrease, as people try to find an outlet for their sexual desires. I could give examples of men or women incarcerated in prisons....."( November 1, 2009: Controlling Sexual Desires, October 24, 2009)

How remarkable that I was able to predict an increase in sexual perversion several months before the scandals broke. I pray that people who are following Catholic sexuality will take a hard and serious look at those teachings, and see whether such teachings are in accordance with scripture or not. I am not against Catholics but what I am against is how they try to push their version of sexuality on the masses, without respecting the fact that there are those of us who hold to a more Biblical view of sexuality, which differs from the Catholic view.

ADDENDUM: An interesting conversation is going on here on this blog with me and some Catholic women about the sexual abuse scandal. For part I see here.

Re-inventing my Body

2010-04-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

I am a person who believes in keeping my body healthy and strong. I exercise a lot and I have a job where I am quite physical; however, I hate taking pictures of myself, because I am not pleased with the way my body looks. For someone who exercises as much as I do, it is sure hard to shake the fat, especially truncal fat. I know it has something to do with age and hormones, because since my unfortunate experience with run away female hormones (my body making too much estrogen), I've had trouble keeping my weight in check.

As of this week, I will be launching an all out battle to finally combat this weight issue. Yes, I have nicely toned legs and arms, and a great upright posture, but there is just too much weight sitting in my mid section. Yes, I am thankful that things could have been worse, because there is a familial tendency to be overweight, and I am doing a good job of keeping overt obesity at bay, but I think I can do better. I am now a size 14, which is down from my original size 16 two years ago. I can even fit in size 12 at times, depending on the cut of the outfit. My goal is to get to that perfect 10! That is only two dress sizes down! I think I can do this. I just need the discipline to stay the course, and God's help of course. Without Him, I can do nothing! Please pray for me as I embark on this journey.

The Truth About 2012/Mayan Calendar

2010-04-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally bought and watched that 2012 movie by Roland Emmerich, and starring John Cusack and Danny Glover. I tell you it was one fantastic movie! The special effects were thrilling, and I was holding on to my couch all the way through. Talk about exciting! What made this movie really special was that some of the things we are experiencing now in 2010 such as the numerous earthquakes around the world, are depicted in this movie! This movie is a must see for all people interested in the earth and astronomical phenomena.

Well, putting all the hype aside, let me say that this is still a work of fiction, because this is not the way the world is going to end, per the Bible. The most important thing about this movie is that it highlights the Mayan calendar which in truth predicts two things.

The year 2012 marks the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar, which will end on December 21, 2012 during the winter solstice, or alternately December 23(Wikipedia), and
"On the winter solstice in 2012, the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years. This means that "whatever energy typically streams to Earth from the center of the Milky Way will indeed be disrupted on 12/21/12 at 11:11 p.m. Universal Time," Joseph writes."(USA Today)

So what does this all mean? The Bible says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork" (Psalm 19:1). Therefore, anything which occurs in the heavens will tell us something about the glory of God. Jesus says in Luke 21:25-28 (emphasis in caps supplied):

And there shall be signs in the SUN, and in the MOON, and in the STARS; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; THE SEA AND THE WAVES ROARING; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the POWERS OF HEAVEN SHALL BE SHAKEN. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. AND WHEN THESE THINGS BEGIN TO COME TO PASS, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

The signs and occurrences in the celestial heavens are therefore signs to us of God's impending return, and the end of the world. Now, we have been hearing that the end of the world is near for over two thousand years now, and some people have even began to even doubt if that will ever happen. People have even begun to scoff at the idea that the world as we know it will end, and that God will usher in a new era and world system. God sends these signs therefore to REMIND us that the end is approaching, and that we should keep on being vigilant, and not fall asleep or get caught up in disbelief and complacency.

The year 2010 started with "earthquakes in divers places" such as Haiti, Chile, Indonesia, Turkey, and so on. We even had volcanic eruption in Iceland. Please see this post for a running record of natural earthquakes for 2010 so far. Expect more natural phenomena from the celestial heavens people! As Christ's return draws closer and closer, we can surely expect more and more of these cataclysmic and apocalytic events happening. God's kindgom is at hand. WE WERE WARNED!

And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand (Luke 21:29-31).

Easter Celebrations

2010-04-04T04:52:00.000-07:00

At this time of year many Christians are conflicted as to whether they should celebrate Easter or not, as the holiday itself has some pagan roots, and many churches have opted to rename Easter Sunday to Resurrection Sunday. Let me level with you. It is not a sin to celebrate the season of Easter.

Easter, is a spring festival that celebrates the arrival of spring. In many cultures, this is observed by various spring festivals. About two weeks ago I attended a Japenese spring festival, and last week I welcomed spring by enjoying Brazilian samba percussion on the beach, under the moonlit spring sky. There is absolutely nothing wrong or pagan about celebrating spring. God is the one who created the seasons, and if we choose to give honor to Him for the seasons, then He is even more glorified as Creator.

Every year, the Jews celebrate a spring festival called Passover. Passover celebrations are not just about eating a passover seder of lamb, unleavened bread, and wine. Historically speaking, under the temple era, Jews were required to bring in a wave sheaf offering of the firstfruits (of early spring crops) before the Lord on the first Sunday following Passover.

Leviticus 23:9-11(emphasis in caps supplied):

9And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

10Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the MORROW AFTER THE SABBATH the priest shall wave it.

It was a time for the Jews to give thanks to God for providing food in the spring, after the winter.

Because as Christians we believe that Christ had become the passover lamb, we no longer celebrate the Jewish passover. We have replaced Jewish passover celebrations with Good Friday, as a day to remember Christ's suffering on the cross as our passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). Easter Sunday celebrations, or Resurrection Sunday, as it is now popularly called, have replaced the wave sheaf first fruit offering. The resurrection of Christ from the dead has fulfilled the requirement of the wave sheaf offering of firstfruits. We read, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Corinthians 15:20).

So Good Friday/Easter celebrations have become the new Christian spring festival, and yes, we are not required to keep them yearly, but those who do are only excercising their God-given right to worship God, according to the dictates of their conscience. I join with Christians worldwide in celebration of our risen Lord during this spring season, which is a time of God's renewal of the earth from the darkness and death of winter. Our Lord Jesus' life was renewed/resurrected in the spring too.

So today, instead of attending a sunrise service, I will be celebrating spring by going horseback riding through some nature trails, to enjoy the beauty of God's re-creation and re-newing of the earth this resurrection Sunday, and spring.

Happy Easter! Happy Resurrection Sunday! Happy Spring!

P.S Okay, so Easter has a name derived from paganism. Well, so does our days of the week and months of the year. It is not the name we celebrate, but the season, and the God who created this season.

Holy Week: The Passion of the Christ Day Eight/Sunday

2010-04-04T04:06:00.000-07:00

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him (Mark 16:1-6).

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Holy Week: The Passion of the Christ Day Seven/Saturday

2010-04-03T02:58:00.000-07:00

And they returned ... and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment (Luke 23:56).

Holy Week: The Passion of the Christ Day Six/Friday

2010-04-02T03:20:00.000-07:00

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken (Isaiah 53:7-8).

HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY!

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots (Matthew 27:35).

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children.
When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre (Matthew 27:45-51, 54-61).

Holy Week: The Passion of the Christ Day Six/Thursday Night

2010-04-01T18:48:00.000-07:00

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing (Luke 22:14-23).

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded (John 13:2-5).

And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray (Mark 14:32).
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22: 20-23).

Holy Week: The Passion of the Christ Day Five/Thursday

2010-04-01T03:08:00.000-07:00

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43, NKJV).

Holy Week: The Passion of the Christ Day Four/Wednesday

2010-03-31T02:38:00.000-07:00

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head (Mark 14:3, NKJV).

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil (John 12:3,NKJV).

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him (Matthew 26:14-16, NKJV).

Holy Week: The Passion of the Christ Day Three/Tuesday

2010-03-30T02:34:00.000-07:00

And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith (Mark 11:20-23).

The Passion of the Christ Day Two: Monday

2010-03-29T02:26:00.000-07:00

Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.
And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written:

" 'My house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching (Mark 11:13-18).

Holy Week: The Passion of the Christ Day One/Sunday

2010-03-28T02:19:00.000-07:00

"A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

"Hosanna to the Son of David!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Hosanna in the highest!"" (Matthew 21:8-9, NIV)

"Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."(Luke 19:39-44, NIV).

Holy Week: The Passion of the Christ /Sabbath

2010-03-27T04:41:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week in the Christian calendar. I will attempt to put up a series of posts in the coming week to highlight each day's event in the life of Christ up to the crucifixion and beyond to the resurrection. For me however, (you know I am always different, LOL!) holy week begins today! The Bible says that six days before passover, Jesus arrived in Bethany, which was the town of Mary and Martha, to visit Lazarus (John 11:1).

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead (John 12:1).

How significant that Jesus should visit the home of one who was dead, and was now resurrected, on the Sabbath, before His own death and resurrection.

Today, we will be celebrating Jesus' death and ministry with a foot washing and communion service. I can't wait!

Another Prophecy Comes True

2010-03-23T03:40:00.000-07:00

Last year, in a blog post about pregnancy and health care reform, I predicted that health care reform will come to pass. Now it has! On Sunday, March 21 2010, health care reform leglisation was passed.

Welcome Spring!

2010-03-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

Today, March 20 is the first day of Spring. Welcome Spring! From here on out, the daylight hours will get longer and longer until the Summer Solstice in June. Great opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy life! Below is a great article about this special season.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0320/Old-tradition-for-Spring-equinox-2010-burning-socks

I Will Be On the Radio

2010-03-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

Please join with me and lend your support on Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 1:30 pm EST, as I will be on the radio for a FIVE-MINUTE interview about my book Surviving a Global Economic Crisis: A Biblical Perspective. Please do not miss this, as the interview will only be for FIVE MINUTES! This represents a great opportunity given to me by the Lord to inform others on how they can survive financially and spiritually during tough economic times, using the principles of God's kingdom. Please click on the link for the website of the radio station http://www.wavs1170.com/aboutUs.html to hear me online.

God's blessings to all!

Sex Scandals Galore

2010-03-13T13:27:00.000-08:00

It seems like we are faced with a deluge of sex scandals this year. What with the John Edwards affair to Tiger Woods, and now the Vatican. I think that is one of the main reasons why God commissioned me to start writing about sacred sexuality last year, in preparation of the sex scandals to come. The main reason I think why people are having so many sexual struggles is because sex is highly misunderstood within our culture, and is treated with disdain and suspicion within certain mainline churches. It seems like the mantra of many churches is that sex is a necessary evil which we have to put up with for the sake of keeping the planet populated, and that the greatest level of spirituality can only be reached if one is single/celibate. What nonsense! It is attitudes like this keeps us from enjoying and benefitting from sex, as it was meant to be by God - a physical expression of God's love that creates a physical and spiritual union between a man and a woman.

See also a blog post I wrote on October 28, 2009 condemning celibacy as unnatural and unbiblical.

Chilean Earthquake Shifts Earth's Axis

2010-03-06T05:08:00.000-08:00

On January 9, 2010 I posted a blog article predicting an increase in earthquakes, and climate changes which will be caused by God, not man. You can read the post Unseasonably Cold Weather a Portent for Climate Change? for more details. This post was written just 4 days before the Haitian earthquake, and before the recent earthquake in Chile.

According to this article, the Chilean earthquake may have shortened the length of days on earth! It has also been reported that because of the Chilean earthquake, the figure axis of the earth has shifted. You can read the full article here.

As you know, the earth's climate does depend upon the rotation of the earth upon its axis. Any change in the axis or the rotation of the earth WILL AFFECT OUR CLIMATE. As I have said before, there is nothing man can do to change climate. Yes, we can affect the environment and local conditions to a limited extent, but we cannot change climate. CLIMATE IS ALL UNDER GOD'S CONTROL.

Groundhog Day

2010-02-27T00:45:00.000-08:00

Can hibernating creatures be used to predict the end of winter? Absolutely! Hibernating creatures such as the groundhog sleep throughout winter, and do not wake up until winter is over. Somehow they have an internal body clock that allows them to sleep all winter long, and wake up in spring. The groundhog is no exception to this, and is one of the hibernating animals used to predict when winter will end.

In the U.S, groundhog day is celebrated on February 2, which is a little over six weeks before the astronomical beginning of spring. Astronomically, spring occurs on the vernal equinox, which usually falls on March 20 or 21. February 2, which is groundhog day, therefore falls approximately six weeks before the vernal equinox. So, if you wake up a groundhog on February 2, there is going to be six more weeks of winter, whether he sees his shadow or not. Here is where it gets tricky. The arrival of spring, using groundhogs is based upon using local weather patterns to predict the arrival of early spring or late winter. For example, even though spring oficially starts with the vernal equinox, local weather patterns can 'shorten' or 'prolong' winter. We can have an unseasonably cold spring, and thus 'prolong' winter, or an unseasonably warm winter, and thus 'shorten' winter. If the groundhog is awakened on a day when it is cloudy, it will not go back to sleep, because cloudy weather indicates the arrival of spring weatherwise. If however he is awakened on a sunny day and sees his shadow, he will go back to sleep, because cold, sunny days are indicative of winter. Here is a great article by wikipedia about Groundhog day traditions.

It is amazing how God in His wisdom has given to us all of nature for our enlightenment. If we make it our business to really study nature, and the laws that govern it, then we will see God's hand working in the world He has given to us.

An Appeal to Married Couples From the Lord

2010-02-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife (1 Corinthians 7:10-11, NLT).

I write this post with tears in my eyes, because I have lived this from personal experience. The Lord has been good to me over the years in helping me get through a divorce, and I am a stronger person today because of it. One book which has helped me a great deal is Divorce:God's Will? by Stephen Gola. I pray that my personal experience with separation and eventually divorce will inspire and encourage Christians who are going through this right now.

Christendom is plagued with married couples separating and living single lives while still married. It is not uncommon to find in churches men and women who are in fact married, living separate lives with separate households and lifestyles. All this is done under the mistaken belief that as long as they do not divorce, it is okay. How we have deceived ourselves! God is highly displeased with this type of living arrangement, and it is a great sin upon those who commit this. I can understand in situations where there is spousal abuse or infidelity, but to leave just for selfish reasons or because you cannot get along, is not a good enough reason to separate. If both of you are truly Christians, then selfishness must be laid aside, and the Biblical model for marriage needs to be adhered to, which is based upon love in all it's forms - phileo, agapao, eros, and agape. How can you say you love God when you do not even love your husband or wife? If a person says that they love God and do not love their husband or wife, they have belied the faith, and the truth is not in him/her, for God is love, and everyone that loves is born of God, and knows God (1 John 4:7-8).

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters (1 John 4:20-21, NLT).

God hates separation. He says, For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously (Malachi 2:16). He wants married couples to live as one, not separated. This is counted as treachery in the sight of God, and He is not pleased with these kinds of living arrangements.

Look, the reality of life is this: People get married and sometimes they find out they cannot get along. All efforts should be made however to make the relationship work. If however it is impossible for the relationship to work, such as in abusive relationships, infidelity, neglect, and so on, then one should do the right thing and free the other party from the marriage - so they can be free to love again. Staying married and starting another relationship (while living singly/separated) is not the way to go. Jesus calls that adultery.

And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery (Matthew 19:9).

Staying married and not allowing for reconciliation is also wrong. You are condemning the other party to a life of singleness because of your refusal to reconcile or free the other person from the marriage. That's what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 7:11, But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. The one who forsakes the marital home must live singly because he/she is still married, even though they have left the home, or must try to 'patch things up' with their spouse. If however you are both unable to 'patch things up' because of hardness of heart, then one should not be held captive in a loveless marriage where God does not reside, but be given the freedom to love again.

Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned (1 Corinthians 7:27-28).

God's appeal to married couples is therefore this: Submit yourselves to each other in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:21), and practice the love which is of God. Do not follow after the worldly customs of love for selfish reasons, but practice the love which is of God.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NLT).

That is the type of love I strive for, by the grace of God.

Men of the Bible and the Black Women They Loved

2010-02-14T03:41:00.000-08:00

In recognition of Valentine's day and Black History Month, this post will be about Biblical men who fell in love with black women.

Joseph and Asenath (Genesis 41:45)
After Joseph interpreted Pharoah's dream, Pharoah gave Asenath, the daughter of the Egyptian priest Potipherah, as wife. It was the union of Joseph and Asenath that produced the two sons of Joseph - Ephraim and Manesseh. Both Ephraim and Manasseh were fully accepted into the nation of Israel, and were the patriarchs of two of the twelve tribes of Israel - the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.

Moses and Tharbis (Antiquities of the Jews 2.10.252-3; Numbers 12:1)
You may be unfamiliar with the name of this woman, but she was Moses first wife, before Zipporah. When Moses was a prince in Egypt, according to Josephus, he waged war against the Ethiopians. Tharbis was the daughter of the Ethiopian king, and when she saw Moses, she fell in love with him. They both got married, and consummated the marriage while in Ethiopia.

Solomon and Shulamite (Song of Solomon 6:13)
The whole book of the Song of Solomon is dedicated to the love between Solomon and his wife, whom is called Shulamite in chapter 6:13. This Shulamite describes herself as "black but comely" (Song of Solomon 1:5). She was black and beautiful, and very much so! Read all the loving descriptions of her in this book of Songs. According to 1 Kings 3:1 and Song of Solomon 7:1, Shulamite was an Egyptian princess.

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chronicles 9:1-12)
Contrary to popular belief, Sheba was NOT located in Arabia. Sheba was located in Ethiopia! It was the name of the royal city of Ethiopia at least since the time of Moses (Antiquities of the Jews 2.10.253).
Ethiopian historians has it that when the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon, they had sexual relations! This union produced a son, who was the progenitor of the present royal family of Ethiopia, to this day.

David and Bathsheba?(2 Samuel 11)
No one is really sure of Bathsheba's race. She was the daughter of Eliam, who was a Gilonite, and they lived in Israel (vs. 3). She was also married to Uriah the Hittite, who was a Canaanite(vs. 3). Since it was against the law for a daughter of Israel to marry a Canaanite, and since many Canaanites lived in Israel, one can safely assume that Bathsheba was Canaanite. This however is a big assumption, because the fact is that many of the Israelites were indeed breaking the law and marrying Canaanites. In addition, there is no historical evidence which I can find that shows that Canaanites were black people, although they were descendants of Ham. All the ancient drawings which I have seen, including a carving from the ceremonial cane of king Tut, shows a Canaanite having white skin. This does not mean they were Caucasian, it just means they were a white-skinned race, in much the same way Chinese and Japanese are considered white-skinned.

Jesus Christ
Finally, we cannot forget Jesus Christ - the Son of God. Although not a mere man, He did come to earth as a man, to live among men for a time. He is the ultimate Lover. He loves ALL WOMEN, whether they are black, white, red, yellow, or whatever race or ethnicity they may be. He is our eternal Bridegroom, with the church as His bride. In a marriage, the husband represents Christ, and the wife represents the church. It is because of His of love, self-sacrifice, and caring, all women can look to Him as their ultimate Husband. Women of all races can safely say of Christ:

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee (Song of Solomon 1:2-3).

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!!!!

Jesus - The God of Love

2010-02-08T04:11:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Valentines! My favorite movie of all time is Jesus Christ Superstar (2000 version), starring Glenn Carter as Jesus. In the movie, one of my favorite scenes is where Jesus and Mary Magdalene are having an intimate moment, in the clip "Everything's Alright," which is based loosely on John 12:1-8 and Matthew 26: 6-13. Now, my question is this: What is the real truth behind the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene? Were they in love with each other? Were they married? Were they an 'item'?

Also, John said that it was Mary of Bethany that anointed Jesus' feet. So is Mary of Bethany the same Mary Magdalene or are they two different persons? Any thoughts?

Our Prayers for Haiti are Working!

2010-02-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

Due to the earthquake disaster in Haiti, the IMF plans to cancel Haiti's debt. Please read full article here.

Thank you all for praying, and continue to pray for healing and restoration of all things good.
Blessings!

A Prayer for the People of Haiti

2010-02-01T04:35:00.000-08:00

And, finally, here is a prayer that has been offered for all people from Rabbi Naomi Levy, the author of To Begin Again and Talking to God (a pdf of this prayer is available for download at: http://www.jewishjournal.com/haiti/article/a_prayer_for_haiti_shabbat_download_20100121):

Prayer for the People of Haiti by Rabbi Naomi Levy :

We pray for Haiti.
Our hearts are breaking, God.
The human mind cannot grasp the enormity of the loss.
The cries echo through the universe.
Innocent blood is calling us
To rise up from our heartbreak and act.
We pray for Haiti.

Help us, God,
To understand that destruction can come in a moment
But healing may take a lifetime.
Teach us perseverance, teach us dedication.
We pray for Haiti.

God of the weak, God of the broken-hearted,
God of the living, God of the dead,
Send healing to Haiti.
Send hope to the children who are lost and alone,
Send strength and resilience to the wounded,
And comfort to the grieving.
Fill the leaders of Haiti with the wisdom to raise their country up.
Fill relief workers with resolve.
Bless the doctors and nurses with the power
And the skill to save as many lives as possible.
Open their eyes, steady their hands.
We pray for Haiti.

Bless us, God,
Work through us.
Remind us that every one of us is filled with the power to heal.
Do not let the passage of time lead us to indifference.
Open our hearts, open our hands.
We pray for Haiti.

Let all nations unite as one in a time of reconstruction and repair.
Raise up the people of Haiti, God, out of helplessness and despair.
Teach them to believe
That cities shall be rebuilt on their ruins
That the cries of the children will soon return to laughter.
Be with them, God, watch over them.
And gather the souls of the dead
Whose homes and schools became their graves
Into Your eternal shelter,
Let them find peace in Your presence, God.
We pray for Haiti.

Amen.

Prayer reprinted from blog by Anne Dilenschneider of Huffington Post.

A Prophetic Word Of Hope For Haiti

2010-01-30T05:16:00.000-08:00

In view of the ongoing crisis in Haiti, I would like to share some words of hope, with prophetic relevance, with the people of Haiti.

To the Haitians, Jesus is saying:

"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" (Luke 4:18).
I have heard your cries and moanings. For too long you have suffered under oppression, want and neglect. I have waited patiently all these years desiring a change in your circumstance, but to no avail. Your cries for help have largely gone unnoticed by the world, and thus I had no choice but to make an end to the systems in place which were the cause of your oppression. I know many have died, but those who have died in Me, are now saved and free. Those of you who have been spared death will live to see the glory of the Lord in the land of the living. I love you with an everlasting love, and only desire the best for you. Now is your chance to throw off the shackles of religious and political oppression and walk with renewed purpose in Me.
"In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer"(Isaiah 54:8). "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry" (Jeremiah 31:3,4).
Continue to put your trust in Me. Do not look at your circumstance, neither let not anyone despise your circumstance. Those who put their trust in Me will NEVER be ashamed. Look, I have sent all of heaven and earth to be your aid. Be strong, and continue to be courageous, and I will lift you up, says the Lord.

Sleep Challenge 2010

2010-01-23T16:07:00.000-08:00

Arianna Huffington, of the online newspaper Huffington Post, has issued a Sleep Challenge 2010, with the goal of getting 8 hours of sleep per night. Well, I have my own suggestions, which I think are pretty good. Personally, I have no problem sleeping, and I get 8 hours and even more per night! Here are some suggestions based on my professional experience as a Physical Therapist/Health Coach, and my own personal experience.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2).

God in His love for us has created our bodies to enjoy rest and repose, and a good nights' sleep. There are certain things which we can do that will either prevent that or enhance that. I am going to concentrate more on things to do that WILL ensure a good night's sleep.

1. Exercise
Exercise is a good way to ensure a good nights' sleep. Exercise causes the body to release hormones and neurotransmitters such as endorphins and serotonin respectively, which cause the mind and body to relax, and also produce an euphoric state. The key however is that you do exercises that are pleasurable to you. Forcing yourself to walk on the treadmill or ride a stationary bike will help your waistline, but will fail to release sufficient sleep-positive hormones, if you do not enjoy these exercises. Try different types of exercises until you find something that you enjoy. Personally, I enjoy dancing, zumba, yoga, and boot camp. These exercises I do enjoy, and I feel refreshed and energized afterwards, but not so fatigued that I cannot sleep. The release of endorphins and serotonin associated with these exercises put me in a good mood, and cause my mind and body to relax and feel rejuvenated.
The biggest mistake that people make with exercise is that they exercise themselves to exhaustion, thinking if they are exhausted, that they will fall asleep. The truth is that when we are exhausted, we have even more difficulty falling asleep, and we toss and turn all night trying to get comfortable. So, find exercises you like, preferably something aerobic, and do not exercise yourself to exhaustion. Your exercise routine should leave you feeling invigorated, and refreshed, and not tired and worn out.

2. Massage
As someone who has given a lot of massages, I must say this really works! Massage works to relax tired and achy muscles and the human touch of another person has a very soothing quality to it - whether done by a professional or loved one. A good non sensual massage such as the Swedish massage is very relaxing to the mind and body. The movement of the massager hands over your body causes your body to release endorphins - those feel good hormones that relaxes you and puts you in a state of euphoria. This effect is multiplied even more when one is massaged in a quiet room, filled with soft music or nature sounds, with the lights dimmed.

3. Warmth
I have found in my profession that when I put a hot pack on a patient for pain, they invariably fall asleep. Heat is such a good facilitator of sleep, but the person receiving the heat must perceive that the heat is comfortable. If it is too hot, the person will feel discomfort and not sleep at all. In the same way, if the environment is too cold, one will have difficulty falling asleep. A room that is too warm/hot or too cold interferes with sleep. The sleep environment must therefore have enough warmth that is comfortable for sleep. Snuggling up in bed under the covers, and getting cozy and comfortable in bed, is a sure way of falling off to sleep peacefully.

4. Sexual activity
Sex is a good way to ensure a good nights' sleep. Sex which climaxes in orgasm causes the release of the hormone oxytocin, which relaxes you and causes you to sleep. It is that same hormone that causes your husband to just roll off you and fall asleep!

These are just a few of my tips for a good nights' sleep. Oh yes, there are other 'rules' to follow such as don't eat late at nights, don't stay up past midnight, take a warm bath or hot shower, and so on. The tips I have provided above are tips based upon my speciality - physical wellness/exercise. Let us all therefore try to get a good nights' sleep.

ADDENDUM (added 1/23/10 @ 2:49 am)

Well, how could I have forgotten to add these final two tips? These are so essential for a good nights' sleep, which by the way, I was awoken from to write this!

5. A Clear Conscience
One tends to sleep better if one has a clear conscience versus a troubled conscience. Many people lose sleep at night because they have done something or someone wrong, and the guilt from their conscience keeps them up at nights. The solution to this is not always simple, because sometimes the damage has been done and cannot be simply reversed; however, as the saying goes, "confession is good for the soul." If you have wronged anyone, the Bible says that you should confess your sins to the person whom you have wronged, so that you can be healed of your mental affliction, and possibly even some physical affliction caused from a guilty conscience (James 5:16).

6. Dependence upon God
This tip is very important, if not the most important tip of all. Jesus wants us to take all our problems, whether sleep problems, health problems, financial problems, and any other problems all to Him so He can solve these problems for us. Many times we look to ourselves and our own wisdom to solve our own problems, and are up at nights rehearsing our problems in our minds and robbing ourselves of sleep. Put your trust in Jesus, and trust Him to solve the problems that are keeping you up at night. Don't try to do this all on your own. You will just wear yourself out. Jesus can help, and you will end up getting a good nights' sleep!

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."(Matthew 11:28-30, NIV).

CNN Videos of Haiti

2010-01-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

As we continue to pray for Haiti and help whenever we can, we can get inspired by watching CNN videos of Haiti. Let us all do whatever we can to help Haiti overcome this crisis. It is the godly thing to do.

Romans 8:9-21, NIV:

9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality
.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.] Do not be conceited.

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.

18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord.

20On the contrary:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Avatar: The Movie

2010-01-17T16:41:00.000-08:00

Well, I went and watched this movie in the midst of controversy surrounding this movie, and I have nothing but high praise for this movie. Good job Mr. Cameron! Avatar is a feast of wonder for the eyes, and is well worth watching, especially in 3-D. The special effects and sounds all come alive in 3-D, and many times you felt as if you were transported to Pandora, the world of the Navi people.

The story line is especially touching and will resonate with people on many levels, for it is a re-telling of the story of the fight of native peoples against invading conquerors who seek to rape their land of valuable resources. As an ethnic minority myself, I was transported back into history to the time of place of my primitive ancestors, and their struggles against extermination by oppressive invaders, whose only goal was to rape the land of its resources.

Some however are offended by the overt nature-loving spirituality depicted in the movie, as in the case of the Vatican. We need to remember however that before the organized religion of civilized man, the religion of ancient, primitive man (before the flood) was nature-based. Even the followers of Yahweh adhered to a nature-based religion, with the only difference being that the followers of Yahweh studied nature to learn more about God and to worship Him, while the others studied and worshipped nature as God. This nature-based religion continued even after the flood, with the establishment of new civilizations, and was a big part of the Hebraic religions - Judaism and Christianity.

People are Suffering! This is Not the Time for Bad Theology!

2010-01-14T02:28:00.000-08:00

Pat Robertson has been reported to have said that the people of Haiti are suffering because they have made a pact with the devil.

MR. ROBERTS, NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR BAD THEOLOGY! YOU ARE WRONG! FYI, Haiti is a Christian country with 80% of the population being Roman Catholic and 16% Protestant as per wikipedia. Yes, some vodoo is practiced there, but Haiti is not the only place in the world where witchcraft is practiced. It is practiced right here in the U. S as well in many forms - psychics, tarot card readers, mediums, magicians, and so on. There is no pact with the devil in Haiti, and even if there were, the great majority of people are god-fearing people who would rather suffer affliction with God than serve the devil. You need to get your theology straight! As a representative of the Christian faith, you are doing of POOR JOB of representing God. Who appointed you as God's mouthpiece anyway? Concentrate on doing good and leave the matter of judging others to God.

Earthquake!

2010-01-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Nature is in turmoil. Haiti was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 today. Let us pray for their safety and that they will get all the help they need to recover from this calamity.

Unseasonably Cold Weather a Portent of Climate Change?

2010-01-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

I tell you these last couple of days have been really cold. Brrrrr! Here in Florida we are hunkering down for the winter. We have traded in our usual jeans and T-shirt garb for coats, jackets, sweater, gloves, mittens, boots, and scarves. I must say that I am having fun dressing up in winter clothing, which I rarely get to wear, but this is no fun for our neighbors in the upper 48.

All this unseasonably cold weather has gotten many people wondering if this unusually cold spell is a consequence of climate change. I must say, that I have been thinking about this too, but I have only one answer - NO! According to scripture, God does not do anything without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7). If there was going to be a climate change, then God would have informed us of this before it happens, and since no one was informed that we were going to have a unseasonably cold winter as a result of climate change, then this harsh cold weather we are having is in no way prophetic or related to climate change. This is not to say that there will not be climate change in the future, but whatever climate change we experience, will not be of our own doing, but will be the doing of God.

Biblically speaking, the last time the earth experienced a climate change was in the days of Noah's flood. Prior to the flood, the earth had a equitable climate, with no extremes in weather. The earth was protected from extremes in extraterrestial radiation by the "firmament", and the earth was watered not by rain, but by a dewy mist which emanated from the earth (Genesis 1:6-8; Genesis 2:5-6). In the pre-flood world, the earth orbited the sun in a perfect circle of 360 degrees, going around the sun 1 degree per day. A year therefore consisted of 360 days. I know this from various calculations of days and months found in the Bible. In Genesis 7:11 we read that the flood started on the 17th day of the second month, and the waters flooded the earth for 150 days before the waters began to abate on the 17th day of the seventh month (Genesis 8:4). Therefore, the flooding lasted for five months, and when you divide 150 days by 5, you get 30 days in a month. Since there are twelve months in a year, then 12 months would give you 360 days in a year.

After the flood, weather patterns changed drastically. For one, rain became a part of earth's weather/climate system. Another thing that changed was the institution of the seasons. We see in Genesis 8:21 where God promised Noah that He would never destroy every living thing off the face of the earth again, and that as long as the earth continues to exist, we would experience "seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22). Changes in the seasons are a natural part of God's plan, and we need not be alarmed, although conditions can get downright uncomfortable. However, I have always believed that everything is always done with a divine purpose, the wisdom of which that will be revealed to us.

Let me now revisit the concept of the length of year being 360 days before the flood and how it relates to climate change. As we all know, a year is 365 1/4 days long, yet before the flood it was 360 days long. How did this happen? How did the year go from being 360 days long to 365 1/4 days long? As was said before, God does not do anything without revealing it to His prophets. The earliest known recorded prophet we have in the Bible is Enoch, who lived prior to the flood. In Jude 14 we read, "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these." Not much is written about Enoch, but what we do know is very informative. Enoch lived to be 365 years old (Genesis 5:23). If we use the day-for-a-year principle of scripture (Numbers 14:34), then each year of Enoch's life would represent a day - the new number of days in the calendar year! God therefore used the life span of Enoch to prophesy to us of the coming change in the length of the year from 360 days to 365 days! If we take a look at the earth's orbit around the sun, we can see that the earth does not follow a circular path of 360 degrees but follows an elliptical path. In this elliptical path, the earth is higher up above the sun, during winter in the northern hemisphere, and lower down below the sun during summer in the northern hemisphere. The earth is at its peak height above the sun during the winter solistice and at its peak level below the sun during the summer solstice. The biggest factor however that determines the seasons is the tilt of the earth on its axis. The earth is tilted on its axis 23.4 degrees away from the vertical. As the earth orbits around the sun, the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun in summer, and away from the sun in winter. It is this tilt of the earth that determines whether we have summer or winter.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork" (Psalm 19:1).

We can therefore see that God affected climate change after the flood by tilting the earth on its axis, and putting the earth on an elliptic orbit relative to the sun, giving us our seasons. The question therefore is this: When will be the next climate change? What will it be? That is a whole other discussion, but suffice it to say, that we should expect increases in earthquakes, and hail storms, and celestial fires (Revelation 6:12-15; and Revelation 8). As God's coming approaches expect to see more portents of celestial wonders in the sky affecting the climate of earth.

Happy New Year

2010-01-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

Happy new year everyone!!! Sorry to be late with this, but I was offline for some time trying to update my internet service. I pray that this will be a happy, healthy, and prosperous year. I am feeling real good about this year. I see major developments happening in the spiritual sphere in the kingdom of God. It's time to get to know God even more guys! He is seeking a real, living, intimate relationship with each one of us, and not just a bookish Christianity based upon Biblical trivia knowledge. He is fed-up (can I say that?) with our meaningless rituals that have no bearing on reality. He is seeking to have a real, spiritual experience with us, in a very real way. He wants to be a part of our lives in every way. We need to stop treating Christ as if He was someone we read about in a book - a fairytale or folk hero. We need to experience Him every day as a living part of our lives.

This year you will see me digging and getting into more of the nitty-gritty of things in an even more spiritual way. I started this at the end of last year, and more is to come. I will not stop until Christ is seen and worshipped in spirit and truth.

Enjoy the Blessings of Winter

2009-12-28T12:25:00.000-08:00

As someone living in Florida, I have no concept of cold, snowy, winters. Every once in a while we get a "freeze" here of 32 degrees, where we wake up to find our car windshields frozen with ice, and some frosted windows in the early mornings, which all soon melt away with daylight. Winters however do have its special joys for which we can thank God for. Firstly, it brings relief from the oppressive heat of summer. Summers down here are no fun for the uninitiated. The heat and humidity can be quite unbearable for folks who are not used to high humdity, and yes, air conditioning is therefore a must. Without air conditioning, life here would be quite intolerable. I have heard it said that Florida owes its development to the advent of air conditioning, for without it, no one would ever think of relocating here. I tend to believe that!

Another blessing of winter are the plants that bloom only at this time of year. I especially look forward to the poinsettia plants. These are actually leafy plants, with red leaf-life flowers (I am not sure if it is a real flower or just leaves that have changed color). We also have pine trees here, and one of my favorite activities is to collect pine cones, and use them as decorations for the home. The next joy we have are all the imported evergreen trees (from out of state) that we purchase as Christmas trees. I just love the scent of a real tree. It gives the home such a nice smell. I do decorate the tree, but very sparsely with ornaments, as I do no want to hide the beauty of the tree itself with too many ornaments.

Special foods are another treat of winter. Because the cold months discourage food production/planting, much of the traditional foods of winter are preserved food! Here in South Florida we eat rum cake and dried fruit, and drink apple cider. Other preserved foods such as sorrel drink is a traditional Caribbean drink here. Hot drinks are also very popular, as it is everywhere in the country. Hot coffee and hot chocolate are the most favorite, but our coffee may come from a variety of places such as Brazil, Colombia, or Jamaica.

All this eating however can easily cause one to overeat, which reminds me that winter here is a good time to exercise. The freshness and coolness of the air makes it really enjoyable to exercise outdoors. It is a time to get out the house, and explore the landscape, and enjoy the wonderful world God has created.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

2009-12-27T05:23:00.000-08:00

Many of us are familiar with this traditional Christmas song, yet many of us are unaware of its significance to the church. In his essay, Dennis Bratcher explains the tradition of the twelve days of Christmas as it relates to the church. In the Western church, the twelve days of Christmas begins on Christmas day (December 25), and ends on January 5, the day before Epiphany (January 6). In some cultures, the twelve days are counted from December 26 and ends on January 6 to include Epiphany. Regardless of how the twelve days are counted, the fact remains that Christmas was celebrated as a season, and not just one day.

As a Spiritual teacher within the Christian faith, I have great admiration for traditions that honor our Lord - Jesus Christ; however, since my spiritual beliefs tend to be more nature-based than church-dictated, I prefer to start counting the twelve days of Christmas from December 21 (the winter solstice) and end it on January 1 (New Years day). The reason why I start on December 21 and not on December 25 is because I want to honor the God of winter - Jesus Christ- for bringing an end to the lengthening nights, and for the gradually increasing daylight throughout the winter months. I end the celebration on January 1, to give thanks for the new year which has started.

Biblically speaking, the new year really does not start on January 1, as January 1st , as the start of the new year, is a construct of the Roman/Gregorian calendar. The natural new year of nature, starts in the spring, which is the time when the earth is renewed and revived from the sleep and death of winter. The astronomical event - the vernal equinox- marks the beginning of Spring, and the start of the natural year and the religious calendar of the Bible. In the fall, another new year is celebrated and recognized by the Bible as well. The new year celebrations of the fall season, which was known as the Feast of Trumpets in the Bible, but is now called Rosh Hashanah by modern-day Jews, marks the beginning of the Biblical civil new year, and occurs around the time of the atumunal equinox, and the sighting of the new moon. I however also celebrate January 1 as the new year because we are following the Gregorian calendar, which is what we are using to count time in our secular world. Alas! I now have three calendars to keep abreast with - the Hebrew civil calendar, the Hebrew religious calendar/natural year calendar, and the Roman/Gregorian calendar! How do I keep it all together? It is not as hard as some may believe. The Hebrew religious calendar follows the natural cycle of the seasons of the year. It is based upon the natural cycles of the sun and moon in the counting of days, months, and years. The Hebrew civil calendar starts on the seventh month of the religious/natural calendar, and coincides with the religious celebration called the Feast of Trumpets in the Bible, or Rosh Hashanah by modern Jews. After that day, I am no more concerned about the Hebrew civil calendar until the next Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashannah, when the Biblical civil year starts all over again. The reason I am not concerned about the Hebrew civil calendar for the rest of the year is because it is not used for any civil purposes within our society. It was used by the Jews back then to mark time, but even for the Jews, the religious holy days and feast days were based upon the natural year/religious calendar. For my daily secular activities, I follow the Gregorian calendar, because that is what our society uses, and if I want to keep abreast of what is going on in our world, then I would be in peril to ignore it.

So, enjoy the twelve days of Christmas, any way you choose to celebrate them, as long as God is honored. Let there be peace on earth and goodwill to all men. Let us not just limit Christmas to a day, or even to a season, but let the hope, peace, and love of Christmas spread out throughout the coming year.

Happy Kwanza! Happy holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy New year!

Winter Solstice and Christmas

2009-12-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

Today is December 21, and is the official start of winter, and the day when the winter solstice occurs. The winter solistice is an astronomical event where the sun is at its lowest point relative to the earth, and in the northern hemisphere, the day of the winter solistice is the shortest day/longest night. This event marks the beginning of winter.

Around the world, cultures observe and celebrate the winter solstice, and give thanks for the year that is ending, with various rituals and celebrations, some of which are considered pagan. In our Christian culture, the winter solstice is celebrated by observing the birth of Christ. What better and more fitting way to give honor to God, than by worshipping and celebrating the birth of the one who created the winter solstice. The winter solstice is God's ongoing promise to us that the seasons will never end. As long as the earth remains, we will always have spring, summer, autumn, and winter. "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." (Genesis 8:22).

Man and Climate Change

2009-12-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

It was only just last week that the discussions on climate change began in Copenhagen by world leaders, in order to curb global warming and the supposed climate change that will result, if global warming is not curbed. Now I know this is a very touchy subject with strong feelings on both sides of the debate. There are those who deny global warming and its impact on our planet, and there are those who acknowledge global warming, and see it as a threat to the balance of life on this planet, and its potential impact on climate. In this blog post, I am going to give a spiritual viewpoint on global warming and climate change and really show that yes, we should be concerned about global warming, but not climate change. Sounds contradictory? Well continue reading to find out more.

Climate is a result of a complex set of conditions that governs our atmospheric temperature, humidity, precipitation, barometric pressure, wind factor and so on. It depends upon our relative position from the sun and moon, the tilt of the earth of its axis, the rotation of the earth on its axis, the rotation of the earth around the sun, the rotation of the moon around the earth, longitudes and lattitudes, ocean currents/flows, and climate zones. In our northern hemisphere, we experience a temperate climate which consists of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, each of which brings different types of weather and atmospheric conditions. None of these seasons are in any way under the control of man. There is nothing that we can do to stop spring, summer, autumn or winter from occuring. Nothing! No amount of carbon pollutants and toxic environmental pollutants can change the seasons or the climates. Precipitation, such as rain or snow is not dependent on how many trees there are, but on the ocean. That vast body of water, the ocean, is the major reserve of all of earth's water supply, as well as underground streams and polar caps. Yes, melting of the polar caps can potentially cause sea levels to rise, but the polar caps will not totally melt away, because of the position of the arctic and antaractic poles relative to the sun, and the tilt of the earth on its axis. Polar caps go through this cycle of melting and refreezing year after year after year. In summer, when it is hotter, the ice melts but not totally, and in winter the water freezes and there is more ice overall.

During the time of Noah's flood the earth was covered with water, but where did all that water come from? In Genesis 7:11 it says, "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." The waters came from the fountains of the ocean (the great deep) and from rain! Apparently, there are reserve storehouses of water beneath the earth separate from the ocean itself. This we know to be true because below the earth are myriads of underground fountains and rivers. Look, even here in Florida, in our state, we are floating on massive channels of underground water. That is why there are so many lakes here, and if you dig far enough, you will find water. One of the laws in Florida is that no one should build a swimming pool deeper than six feet, because below that there is no ground, but only water. The natural law of rivers and oceans tell us the same thing. Rivers spring from underground sources/fountains, but always return back the sea/ocean, completing the cycle. It was the same in Noah's day. After the earth was flooded by water from the underground springs and rain, the water returned back to its rightful place again. The underground springs received back its water, and the rain water evaporated off the ground and returned to the atmosphere and the oceans - all kept in store, never to flood the earth again. That is God's promise - that He will never destroy the earth again with water, and He has been keeping that promise all along since the time of Noah, and continues to keep that promise even today (Genesis 9:11). Everytime we see a rainbow in the sky, it is God's reminder to us that the earth will never be destroyed by a worldwide flood (vs. 13-14).

So now, since man is incapable of changing the climate, shall we then not be concerned about the environment and taking care of the earth? God forbid. This planet is God's gift to us, and we are called to be stewards of this planet, and take care of it. The toxic pollutants/chemicals and greenhouse gases, while they do not change the climate, do destroy the purity of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and food we eat. The cutting down of trees in forested areas destroy the delicate balance of the eco-system, and leaves the ground bare and unprotected from erosion. This can affect the quantity and quality of natural resources available to us on earth for our use, and food production. If we continue to destroy the earth, the earth might not be able to give to us of its resources. A judgment is coming upon those who use and abuse the earth in a careless manner. In Revelation 11:18 it says:

And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

So yes, while pollutants cannot change our climate, they can destroy the beauty and health of this planet, and make living conditions unbearable. How would you like to live in a world of acid rain, polluted streams, barren lands, and smog-filled air? That is where we are heading for if we do not do something to protect this planet.

Climate Change

2009-12-16T03:04:00.000-08:00

Lots of theories, speculation, and misconceptions surround the issue of climate change. I think it was last week that major world leaders met in Copehagen to discuss global warming and climate change. I do not have time now to delve into the details of that discussion, but I want to give a spiritual view of the whole matter of climate change. It is going to be real interesting. Just give me a few more days, as I am busy preparing for Christmas, and looking forward to the winter Solstice.

Tiger Scandal May Put a Damper on Dating

2009-12-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

The ongoing Tiger Wood scandal in my opinion will have major repercussions on the dating scene. For one, when men see the downfall of Tiger due to his cheating, many men will rethink cheating on their wives, for fear of their lives being destroyed. I mean, many men have a 'good thing" going on at home, and some do not even appreciate it or value it. They are always searching for more, and never satisfied with what they have. If there is any good that will come out of this Tiger Wood scandal, then it will be that men will learn how to appreciate their wives at home more.

Hey guys! You are married to the woman. Spend some time building that relationship and make it the best relationship there is. If you are a born-again Christian man, then there should be NO PLACE FOR HATE in your heart. Do not even entertain the thought that you do not love your wife. God is love, and he who hates his brother, or wife does not have the love of God in him. How can you say that you love God, whom you have not seen, but do not love your wife, whom you can see? If you say you love God, and do not love your wife, then you make yourself a liar, and have betrayed the faith. Practice sacred Biblical sexuality with your wife, and reap the rewards - deepening love and fidelity, and a sacred bond of love that will last for all eternity.

P.S. Marriage does not last forever "until death do we part" but love lasts forever.

Why Do Men Cheat?

2009-12-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

¹My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
²That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
³For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
⁴But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
⁵Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
⁶Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
⁷Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
⁸Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
⁹Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
¹⁰Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
¹¹And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
¹²And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
¹³And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
¹⁴I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
¹⁵Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
¹⁶Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
¹⁷Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
¹⁸Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
¹⁹Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
²⁰And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
²¹For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
²²His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
²³He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. (Proverbs 5, King James Version)

The ongoing Tiger Woods scandal has got us talking again about adultery, marriage, and money, and asking the age-old question: Why do people cheat on their spouses?

I cannot help but feel bad for Tiger and his wife, and I am sure they are both going through a rough time right now. I do not know why he cheated, or if there is a really a real reason for cheating, except for lust. Oh yes, that four-letter word called lust, which is the root of all our sin problems. Lust, by definition, is an evil desire, or a desire for something you ought not to have. Apparently, Tiger's lust got the better of him, and he not only desired what he ought not to have, but also indulged in what he ought not to have. I tell you, when lust gets a hold upon you, it is very hard to resist. Sometimes the only way out of the hold of lust, is prayer, for the desires of lust can be extremely strong, and can hold you captive. Now I am not making any excuses for Tiger, but I am just showing how lust, when played out, can lead to devastating results.

It was only a few weeks ago that I was writing extensively on sacred Biblical sexuality. Some people probably thought it was inappropriate, but what has happened to Tiger has proved to me, more than ever, the importance of sacred Biblical sexuality. In sacred sex, each person in the union is held as special, and everything is done as a way of honoring the body, soul, and spirit of your mate. When one holds such a high regard for one's mate, there will be little to no opportunituy for lust to find a place in your marriage.

Make Your Home a Haven That Excites the Senses

2009-11-29T09:23:00.000-08:00

You know, the holidays are special to me because they provide the opportunity for me to enjoy my home when otherwise I would be dashing in and out being pre-occupied with other things- whether it is dashing off to work, or on errands, or sitting in front of this computer working for endless hours - I sometimes do not even notice my home. I do however try to create a haven of rest and relaxation in my home that tends to calm or excite the senses, and that takes my mind off the 'hot topic' of the day. For this Thanksgiving season , I was a little late with my decorating, but I got it all done on Thanksgiving Day, before the guests arrived! I created an ambience of the season of fall. You know, down here in Florida we don't experience the fall season like many of our neighbors up north. There are no leaves changing color, and very little by way of cold weather, unless of course you came to my house! In my house I had real leaves of different fall hues (purchased at the grocery store of course!), dried floral arrangements, scented pine cones (I purchased some, but I picked up some unscented ones for free at the park this weekend!), and scented cinnamon broom. The home smelled of apples and cinnamon, and I completed the effect with a large burning scented candle, and some Christmas lights on a artificial palm tree as a back drop. I also had miniature indian corns and miniature squashes as all part of the decoration. I opened the back windows, and let the fresh air from outside cool the outer den, and inside we sat in air conditioned comfort (sorry, I could not open my other windows as they were stuck from years of being too old!).

I think I am beginning to love this old home which I bought. At first, I was so disappointed that I missed out on purchasing a newer home because of the run on real estate a couple of years ago, and I really hated this house. I bought out of necessity because we needed a place where my husband could work on cars without interference from neighbors or the city, in our own garage. We were living previously in an apartment and if our cars broke down, he had nowhere to work on them. Now I have grown to love this house. It has become a place of comfort and solace. I feel comfy here. It is quiet, I have greenery all around me on the outside, and inside it's a haven. Many times I feel the presence of God within these walls bringing me peace and joy.

I pray that everyone will make their home a haven - a place where the love of God, and His peace rests, and where you can enjoy all the good things God has given you.

Black Friday

2009-11-26T19:49:00.000-08:00

Now that Thanksgiving is ending, it is time to get ready for Black Friday! Yeah, the long-anticipated Black Friday is just a few hours away, and people are gearing up to swoop down on the stores early in the morning, to catch some deep discounts. As for myself, I will not be venturing out in the morning, but I wish everyone success in getting what they want. You know, nothing gives quite such a rush as bargain shopping. You get the same level of excitement and adrenalin rush just as you would in any sport. It can even get rough and aggressive too. What out for the little old ladies with shopping carts! They will run you right over if you are not paying attention. And what about that mad dash and sprint we do when we see the last item on the shelf and someone else tries to beat us to it. Don't you feel good when you get there first?

Enjoy the shopping and enjoy the bargains. Remember to be courteous to your fellow shopper although some can be downright rude. Show Christian charity. Hey, it's not the end of the world if you don't get that discount. Thank God for what you do have, and for what He is going to allow you to have. Bless others with your shopping, and remember to also buy gifts for people who cannot buy a gift for you in return.

Happy shopping!

Now It's Cervical Cancer!

2009-11-20T07:58:00.000-08:00

I just heard this morning that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is recommending that women should start cervical cancer screening at age 21, and not sooner, as it now is. Originally, Pap smear tests were recommended for teenagers who were sexually active, but that is no longer recommended. This comes upon the heels of the controversial mammogram guidelines. To read the full article please click on the following link Cervical Cancer Guideline Changes.

I must say I was surprised by this one, as cervical cancer poses a real threat to sexually active women. Cervical cancer is caused from the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Infection from this virus can lead to cervical cancer in sexually active women. In non-sexually active women, the body's immune system is usually sufficient enough to conteract the effects of this virus.

Here is the thing. Those of us who practice sacred Biblical sexuality have little to fear from HPV. The typical profile of a person with cervical cancer is one who is female, sexually active with multiple partners, and who may have started to have sex at a relatively young age, such as in their teens. Biblical sexuality condemns 'harlotry', and by harlotry I do not mean being a prostitute. In the Bible, harlotry means someone who sleeps around with many lovers, "but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers"(Jeremiah 3:1).

The reality is that we cannot totally depend upon health insurance or the health care system to bail us out of our many ailments. There are times when health insurance simply just does not want to pay, and my suspicion is that there is a fear that with 'free health insurance' people will not want to take responsibility for their own health. Ahh... the politics of it all. At any rate, depending on health care providers to keep you healthy when you can help yourself does, and can overwhelm the system. As a health care provider myself, I DO make a living when people are sick, but sometimes people come into the hospital with medical conditions that are incurable, because they did not take the appropriate measures when the disease was curable or manageable, and some illnesses are highly preventable, such as cervical cancer.

If we follow the Biblical guidelines for sexuality, we will reap the rewards of good health and long life, and a satisfying relationship with our mate and God.

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee (Proverbs 3:1-2).

New Mammogram Guidelines

2009-11-18T06:16:00.000-08:00

The new mammogram guidelines have just come out this week, and the new guidelines call for annual mammogram screening starting at age 50, instead of 40, as in the present guidelines. The new guidelines also call for women to cease self-breast examinations as well. Not surprisingly then, these guidelines are causing major uproar among women and breast health providers, as many feel that these guidelines will do NOTHING to prevent or decrease death from breast cancer, but may INCREASE the number of deaths from breast cancer, due to late detection.

It is a known fact that breast cancer, when caught early is highly 'curable.' I put 'curable' in quotes because the treatments which we have for breast cancer are not really cures, but treatments and procedures to remove malignancy. The later the diagnosis for breast cancer, the poorer the prognosis, and the increase risk of death by breast cancer. As a physical therapist, I have worked with many patients with breast cancer, and I have even had opportunity to work with post-mastectomy patients in order to heal them of post-mastectomy lymphedema. I have also worked with women who had suffered from breast contusions/swellings of traumatic origin. I have found that the longer one waits to make a diagnosis and start treatment, the greater the level of medical involvement that is needed to cure the breast cancer. While a simple lump can be handled by a lumpectomy, more larger lumps may need mastectomy, in addition to radiation/chemotherapy. If the cancer metastasizes, then the patient will need extensive chemotherapy. Needing extensive chemotherapy suggests a very bad prognosis, and many breast cancer patients with metastatic lesions die, in spite of chemotherapy. When you think of the increased medical costs and loss of life associated with late detection and treatment of breast cancer, it just does not make any sense why the government would endorse a program that would promote late detection. Below are my ideas about the new guidelines

Eliminate Monthly Breast Exams: I wholeheartedly agree with this one. Monthly breast exams in my estimation are useless, and should be eliminated, however I do not endorse the view that breast exams should not be done at all! Women instead should do daily breast self-caresses. The breast represents that part of the woman concerned with nurturing. The breasts were made to nurture a baby. It says in Psalm 22:9, "thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts." The breasts were also made to be nurtured by your spouse as well!

"Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love" (Proverbs 5:18-19).

Loving caresses of your breasts by your spouse will go a long way towards detection than any random, once-a-month self-exam. For the pre-menopausal woman, breast tissues change throughout the month. Sometimes your breast is more lumpy and more tender than usual. That's normal! For you to know when a lump is unusual, you have to know your breast! Practice daily self caresses to your breasts, and as an added bonus, let your spouse know your breasts too, in a loving way. He too can be your ally in keeping your breasts healthy for your good health, and his pleasure!

Mammograms after 50 instead of 40: In this I have no expertise. Maybe there is something to women getting too much radiation exposure, however, if a woman under 50 finds an unusual lump in her breast, then mammograms are great for diagnosis! The key however is to know your breasts! I am a woman over 40, and it has been 2 years since my last mammogram. My first mammogram caused a lot of anxiety for me because they found an unusual spot in one of my breasts. I was then subjected to a breast ultrasound, and then told to 'watch it.' I then went for a follow-up the next year, and that spot had disappeared! Miracle of God, or false postive? I do not know, but one thing I do know, it is important to know your breasts!

I pray that each and every woman becomes more active in their health and in knowing their body, and for heaven's sake, Get to know your breasts!

Pregnancy is Not a Disease

2009-11-15T09:06:00.000-08:00

Don't let the title of this blog throw you off! In this post I will be writing  about the spiritual aspects of money being spent on abortions, as a procedure to terminate pregnancies.

Today I am going to weigh in on the health care debate. As you know, Congress recently passed a health care reform bill that provides no funding for abortion. This has sparked controversy nationwide and has pitted the anti-abortionists against the pro-abortionists, as each try to jockey to have the Stupak amendment either removed, or kept, as the bill goes to the Senate. In this post, I will try to steer clear away from the politics of it all, and let the powers that be come up with the right solution. It is my belief that Health Care Reform is something that IS TO COME, and nothing we can really do is going to stop it from coming, HOWEVER, the details of what is contained in any health reform bill is really UP TO US. This is our opportunity to do the right and moral thing for this country. This is the time for us to make decisions not based upon selfish goals and ambitions, but upon doing what is right for others, with an attitude of service to others. The decisions we make in this health care bill will have ramifications of great consequence, not only for this world, but also for the world to come, as God is our judge.

One of the biggest debate surrounding the present health care reform bill is the funding of abortions.   Anti-abortion advocates have successfully lobbied congress to exclude any funding for abortions, while pro-abortionists are now lobbying the Senate to include funding for abortions. Anti-abortionists do not want government-sponsored abortions included because abortion is a moral sin that takes the life of the unborn. I totally agree with them. Why should the government become a co-party to one's sexual indiscretions and help that person cover up or get rid of the fruit of their indiscretions? What business is it of government to help us hide our sins? I thought the role of government was to expose sin and punish it -not hide it (Romans 13:1-5). In addition, in matters of conscience, where the government has NO ROLE, government has no business helping the guilty, the hard-hearted, and the selfish in their mission. Okay, okay, I have heard about families that cannot afford to feed one more mouth maybe considering abortion as the solution to their financial problem. To those families I say, you have a real problem because your finances are not allowing you to properly take care of the children you already have, and you feel you cannot handle any more children financially. What those families need is not an abortion but help. They need help in learning how to gain mastery over their sexual encounters. They need help in raising their children. They need help in getting through the pregnancy. This is where families, churches and the community at large can help. Children are a heritage from God, thus if we give aid and help to children, we are actually doing for them as unto Christ (Psalm 127:3, Matthew 18:5; Matthew 25:40).

One of the arguments used by pro-abortionists is that abortion is a medical procedure, and thus should be covered as a health care service. I say, totally wrong! Many medical procedures are performed by doctors today, that are not covered as health care. For example, face lifts, breast augmentations, tummy tucks, and so on. The reason why those procedures are not covered is because they are not done to treat any type of disease. Now tell me, what disease is abortion treating? The last time I looked, pregnancy was not listed as a disease. Pregnancy is not even a medical condition. Pregnancy is a natural consequence of the sperm of the male uniting with and fertilizing the egg of a female. What develops is a new life which needs to be cared for and protected while in the womb. During pregnancy, the mother needs to practice healthy lifestyle choices to care for herself and her unborn child. It is one of the rare opportunities we have to be co-partner with God in the creation process. It is a life-giving process which brings in new life, which contrasts so vastly with a disease. Disease tends to the diminishment of life, and it destroys, and kills. Pregnancy, on the other hand, gives new life and renews. Pregnancy is therefore not a disease to be treated, but a process by which we honor the body as a living temple, that is capable of bringing forth new life.

Do you know that God considers the unborn to be a person, and not just a 'potential life' as some would like us to think? If you don't believe me, please read the following scriptures (emphasis supplied).

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being UNPERFECT and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was NONE of them" (Psalm 139:14-16).

"Before I formed thee in the belly I KNEW thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I SANCTIFIED thee, and I ORDAINED thee a prophet unto the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5).

"Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself" (Isaiah 44:24).

So we see that the unborn is really a person that is being developed and formed in the womb. It is the most natural thing to happen and is a part of life. It is therefore not a disease that needs to be cured or treated. It is a process that needs to be facilitated along a healthy path - not stopped or thwarted. In my previous post Sacred Reproduction, I wrote about the sacredness of reproduction, and how it is a power God has given to us to use for His glory. Destroying a life that is growing within is not a sacred right of reproduction!

Economically speaking, should government finance abortions? NO! That money would be better spent on helping pregnant mothers to have safe and healthy pregnancies. No good government helps its citizens by destroying its own citizens, which include the unborn citizens. The unborn child is here already, so let him/her come. Do not become a stumbling block to that process. Jesus warns us to "take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven" because it not God's will "that one of these little ones should perish (Matthew 18:10; 14). Government has no place funding the destruction of its own people.

God is seeking after godly seed (Malachi 2:15), and who knows which of these unborn children will grow up to be a man or woman of God, and a light to this world? Hey, if the mothers of some of the greatest people on earth thought about their pregnancies as conditions that needed to be corrected, where would we be today? We would have lost out on some of the greatest minds in the world.  The circumstances surrounding the conception of a child is of less consequence than that the child is conceived. A new life means someone new to love, regardless of the surrounding circumstances. Let us not use the child as the sacrifical lamb, to cover up our mistakes and indiscretions. Let us treat each child, whether born or unborn, as valuable gifts given to us from God.

Have you had an abortion? Yes, what you did was wrong, but God will forgive you if you repent.  Yes, it is too late for your unborn child to make it alive in this world, but it is not too late for you to turn your life around. God in His mercies will change your heart, so that you can give and receive love.

For mothers considering abortion, your money is better spent on caring for yourself and your unborn child through this time of pregnancy. If your financial circumstances are not that great, then now is the time to seek God's help by FAITH, to provide for you, in whatever way He chooses - whether through friends, family, charitable organizations, churches, social services, or miraculously. May you find the faith you need to trust Him completely.

The Two Economies

2009-11-11T17:30:00.000-08:00

Today I begin my series on economics and spirituality. From time to time, as a Spiritual teacher, I delve into various topics as the Lord leads and as He sees fit. Although my expertise is in health and wellness, the Lord has seen it fit to give me instructions pertaining to spirituality and economics, as every believer needs to know some basic facts about economics as it relates to their spirituality. What I will be presenting here in this series of posts is the spiritual side to economics, and how the Biblical model of economics can be applied to our lives today, with GREAT results!

According to the leading economists of the day, the economic crisis is over, but yet, many Americans are still struggling to make ends meet. Many Christians as well as non Christians are struggling in this tough economy, and many are in despair, and are giving up hope for a brighter future. Some have even linked this economic downturn as a sign of an apocalyptic event, and many are terrified of what is to be. Mayan 2012 end-of-world hysteria is sweeping the nation, and the prospect of 'socialized medicine' is frightening to many. What I am going to present is the reality of the economic system from a spiritual stand-point, and show that God's people have NOTHING to worry about, regardless of what the economy does.

Few people realize it, but in the world, there are always two economies operating at the same time - the world's economy and God's economy. Both economics co-exist at the same time, but they run parallel to each other. The world's economy is based upon the economic models and systems of the world, and may employ one or more of the following economic systems such as capitalism, socialism, communism, and so on. The world's economic system is based upon money, and the assigned values placed upon material goods such as gold, silver, oil, precious stones, food, textile, and so on. The world's economy is heavily dependent upon the availabilty of material resources, and wealth is determined by who can amass the most of this world's resources and control it. It is a system based upon greed, and how much one can acquire.

As Christians, we partake of this world's economy. We have jobs, businesses, and buy goods and services, as all a part of living in this world. We cannot help but be a part of this world's economy, and there is no escaping it. When there is a drought, we are affected. If there is a famine or food shortages, we are also affected. When the economy is good, we benefit. When the economy is bad, we suffer the effects of that too. The mistake that many Christians make however, is to think that somehow they will be exempt from being affected when the economy is bad. They think that somehow God is going to exempt them from any suffering, just because they are Christians. How wrong they have been! Many Christians can attest to the fact that this economy has caused them to be in dire financial straits, with job losses, business losses, and investment losses. Consequently, they despair and think somehow that they have done something wrong, or that God is punishing them, or bringing them or the country under judgment.

My dear friends, in my opinion, I think the current economic crisis the world is facing is not a result of God's doing, but man's doing. God had very little to do with the economic crash on Wall Street, or the banks. These crashes were the result of the world's economic system gone awry. What people have failed to realize is that God has an economic system, which is based in the Bible, that contrasts with the present world economic system. It is an economic system that kept ancient Israel a prosperous country, without Israel having to attack or invade other countries for resources. If we took the time to learn about God's economic system, we would be surprised at how simple, yet effective it was for ancient Israel. A word of warning though - the ancient Biblical system can only be practiced by those of us of faith, who have faith in the power of God to cause an increase in prosperity. I will call this Biblical system faith-based economics, because it is an economic system that is dependent on faith in God to provide and prosper.

Faith-based economics is an economic system in which man becomes a co-worker with God, and where man puts in the effort, but God provides the increase in prosperity. It works like this: We work in faith, believing that God will prosper our work and efforts, and He rewards us by prospering our efforts. We believe that He will make us prosperous in all that we do, and that He will provide the resources we need to do our jobs and to live. It is a faith that believes not in the power of self to prosper, but in the power of God to make us prosper. In 1 Corinthians 3:6,7 we read, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow" (NIV). In this faith-based economy, the power to obtain wealth comes from God and not just from our own efforts or ingenuity. We read in Deuteronomy 8:18, that it is God who "giveth thee power to get wealth." People who practice faith-based economics will totally rely upon God to open doors of opportunity for wealth creation. God will prosper them with creative and imaginative thoughts and ideas. He will bring into their lives the right people at the right time. God will give them the strength and wisdom they need to excel in every area of life that He has called them to excel in. Such people rely upon God for strength, and not self, and they approach life being confident in God's strength. Instead of looking to or depending upon their own natural-born strength and abilities, faith-based practitioners draw heavily upon the immeasurable grace and power of God to succeed in life. They constantly say to themselves, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phillipians 4:13).

One of the beauties of practicing faith-based economics is that regardless of what the economy does, whether it is good or bad, God can overrule economic situations in your personal favor. I can think of two persons in the Bible, whom God overruled the then current bad economic situation of the land, in their favor - the widow of 2 Kings 4:1-7 and the widow of 1 Kings 17:1-16. In both of these situations, there was a famine in the land of Israel, and God sent economic relief for both of these women. God overruled the tough economic situation in their favor, so that they obtained relief, in spite of the ongoing hardships all around them. God helped these two women, who had no means of support, and nothing but their faith in God. He helped them get through a tough economy, and He will do the same for us today. He will do the same for you. All you have to do is trust Him, and put your faith in Him that He will carry you through these tough times.

On a personal note, I have experienced the blessings of God in my life just from practicing faith-based economics. I remember several years ago I had to give up a very good-paying job, in order to be faithful to the commands of God. To my co-workers, what I had done was foolish, but I willingly took a demotion from my job, so that I would not have to compromise my faith. It has been several years now since that incident, but I can say, thank God I followed my faith! I am now in a much more financially secure job today, and in my job I can practice my faith without hindrance. Not only that, but one of my past fellow co-worker, who had clinged unto her old job, had recently expressed to me a desire to leave her job. I, who once looked so foolish for leaving, am now seen as someone wise. I tell you, when you follow your faith, and trust God to provide for you, He really will!

Economic Crisis

2009-11-11T03:07:00.000-08:00

In light of the ongoing economic crisis, and the struggles of many people to survive, I think I will be doing a series of blogs that will help people find inner peace and solutions that will help them survive and thrive through any type of economic turmoil. In the next couple of days, I will be writing posts in a non political, but definitely Biblical fashion, so don't go away - keep in touch. You will be blessed beyond all measure!

Psalm 63

2009-11-08T16:15:00.000-08:00

And now to wrap up this discussion on human sexuality, I will post Psalm 63, from the New Living Translation. Remember folks, God is to be our ultimate Desire in life. He will satisfy every longing, every need, and every desire. "And I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts" (Haggai 2:7).

1 O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.

3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!

4 I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.

6 I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.

7 Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

8 I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.

9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
They will go down into the depths of the earth.

10 They will die by the sword
and become the food of jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God.
All who trust in him will praise him,
while liars will be silenced.

(Psalm 63, New Living Translation )

Myth #4: Sex is Licit for Post-Menopausal Women Only if They Are Open to the Possibility That Pregnancy Might Occur

2009-11-06T16:56:00.000-08:00

The idea of grandma and grandpa having sex in nursing homes gets a reaction of ugh! from many people, yet it is precisely this vision of sex in old age that the above myth seeks to control. I have found that among the sex for procreation only crowd that some believe that sex should stop once a woman is beyond childbearing years. Others believe that sex in the post menopausal years is good, only if the couple is open to the idea that God might work a miracle to cause pregnancy. We can see from this myth how people have taken what God has not forbidden and made a prohibition out of it. Then, in order to wiggle themselves out of the trap and snare they have created for themselves, they come up with this "open to life" option which in their minds make sex in the postmenopausal years licit. When I read and hear these wranglings, I just quietly laugh within myself, because nothing in scripture stops post menopausal women from engaging in sex - nothing!

Elizabeth and Zacharias, the parents of John the Baptist, were having sex in their old age, well past menopause, without giving any thought to the possibility that Elizabeth could get pregnant. I know this is so because the Bible says that Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.

"And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years (Luke 1:6-7)."

God wanted to bless their sexual union with a son, and so God sent the angel Gabriel with the message that Elizabeth would become pregnant. Zecharias totally disbelieved Gabriel because both he and his wife were well past childbearing age. We read, "And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years (Luke 1:18). Because of his disbelief, Zecharias was struck dumb by God. It says here:

"And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season" (Luke 1:19-20).

Was Zecharias commiting a sin when he had sex with his wife even though he did not believe she could get pregnant? Absolutely not! God blessed their union, even though Zecharias was not "open to life" during sex.

Look, unless God personally tells you Himself that you will get pregnant in your post-menopausal years, don't even try to waste time worrying whether or not you have committed a sin by engaging in sex with your spouse without being "open to life." People who preach this "open to life' doctrine are only fooling themselves, because according to the laws of nature, it is impossible for a post menopausal woman to get pregnant without miraculous, divine intervention. To which of us millions/billions of women did God promise children in old age? Was He not the one who created the laws of nature to stop childbearing in the post menopausal years? From what I understand in the Bible, God does not just perform a miracle for the sake of performing miracles, in order to please our whims and fancies. He always perform a miracle for a divine purpose, and in the case of Elizabeth and Zecharias, it was to make them the parents of the forerunner of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Let me conclude by saying that we do not have to worry at all if grandma and grandpa are still enjoying sex. As long as they are physically able, and are healthy enough to enjoy it, then they should go right ahead! God's word gives them permission.

Sacred Reproduction

2009-11-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

I would now like to interject in this conversation the concept of sacred reproduction. In my previous posts, I had taken the time to bust myths pertaining to human sexuality, but I would be amiss if I did not deal with reproduction as well. Reproduction is the production of offspring, and is a by-product of sex. The ability to reproduce is a gift from God, and represents a God-given power to bring new life into the world. In the sacred sexuality of the Bible, reproduction is recognized as the "fruit of the womb" or "fruit of the body," and being able to reproduce is seen as a blessing from God (Psalm 127:3; Deuteronomy 28:4).

Like all gifts from God, reproduction can be a power for good in this world, or misused, and become a power for evil. The whole purpose of reproduction in sacred sexuality is to raise godly seed, or offspring for the kingdom of God. In 1 Peter 2:9 we read, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." For the people of God to be a "holy nation" we must therefore raise up godly seed or offspring, who love God and worship God. In his counsel to believers who were married to unbelievers, Paul pointed out that the children from such unions were holy because at least one parent was holy. He says, "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy" (1 Corinthians 7:14). We are commanded to "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). In Ezra 9:4 the Jews and their children were described as "holy seed" and in Deuteronomy 7:6, they were described as "an holy people unto the LORD thy God" because God had chosen them to be "a special people unto himself, above all people." They too were expected to bring up godly children for the kingdom of God - children who loved and followed God. By raising up godly children, our reproduction can be a force of good in this world.

Many people however do not view reproduction this way. People reproduce for various reasons that do not include raising godly children. Some of the reasons given for having children include:
1. To fulfill oneself
2. To create a lineage or dynasty
3. To have someone to care for us in our old age
4. To have extra hands to help out around the home or business
5. To become powerful and influential in the community
6. To fulfill an obligation or duty
7. To demonstrate virility
8. To show off one's fertility

Some may see children as an inconvenient reality to incontinence in sexuality, and after the children are conceived, may try to destroy them, either in the womb or outside of the womb when they are born. Therefore it is not surprising when we hear of the numerous cases of child abuse and neglect that is plaguing families and societies around the world. I cannot help but wonder about the many children who live in garbage slums, and in unsanitary conditions around the world, and even here in the States, who are victims of post birth child abuse. Not to mention the numerous abortions performed to cover up sexual indiscretions.

In sacred sexuality, God has given us power over our own bodies, not to do whatever we want with it, but to live responsibly in His sight. He holds us accountable according to the amount of self-control that we exercise over our bodies. Paul says, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Corinthians 9:27). This self-control also extends to sexuality and reproduction as well, as reproduction involves the use of two bodies to produce a new body. Responsible reproduction is therefore a key principle in godly self-discipline and control. In responsible reproduction, one respects the body as the means through which new life comes to earth. The body becomes the medium through which the creative act of God is carried out. Consequently, anything that is conceived within is loved and cherished as a special blessing from God.

Responsible reproduction also involves taking responsibity for one's sexual actions, and exercising authority and control over one's sexual actions. It involves a sexual consciousness, where a couple can decide whether they want to engage in sexual relations with the intent of reproducing, or engage in sexual relations with the intent not to reproduce. Both decisions involve exercising control over the sex act. Control over one's sexuality is no less a fruit of the Spirit than control over other actions, for the one who exercises self-control in sexual matters, has gained a significant control over reckless and indiscriminate passion.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:22-24).

To conclude, let us love our bodies and honor it as a sacred vessel of love, from which can grow the fruit of love. Let us use that power within our bodies responsibly during the sex act. We need to recognize the sacred responsibility given to us when we reproduce, which is to raise godly children for the kingdom of God, who know God and love God - the Giver of life.

Myth #3: Sex for Pleasure Only is Wrong

2009-10-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

Continuing in my series of busting myths about human sexuality, I would now like to deal with whether sex can be engaged in just for pleasure, without procreation. Many people seem to be of the belief that sex is only for reproduction, and that it is a sin to engage in sex for pleasure only. First, I would like to ask them where they found such a doctrine in the Bible, because it is not there! On the contrary, the Bible does endorse sex for pleasure and has dedicated a whole book to that, called Songs of Solomon.

Seeing that marriage is a reflection of our heavenly marriage to Christ, then sex must also have a spiritual counterpart in our spiritual relation with Christ. Going back to Matthew 19 (oh how I love this chapter!), Jesus gave a resounding affirmation of the sex act when He said:

"And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:4-6).

The sex act is described as the physical union between a man and woman, where two bodies join together and become "one flesh." No one should go and try to destroy this unity which God has ordained. Sex is a sacred, God-ordained act, "what therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder" (vs. 6).

So how is it that we now have people trying to tell us when a husband and wife should and should not have sex? Where did they get their doctrine that sex is only for procreation? Absolutely nothing in scripture speaks of this. As a matter of fact, the Bible encourages us to have sex as often as we want, and to take pleasure in it. The only restriction is when a woman is having her period, because of sanitary hazards, and also some time after childbirth so her body can recover (Leviticus 15:19; Leviticus 12:2-6). The following are scriptures that endorse sex for pleasure. Emphasis is supplied where appropriate.

"Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love" (Proverbs 5:18-19).

"How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!" (Song of Solomon 4:10).

His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem" (Song of Solomon 5:16).

"I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves" (Song of Solomon 7:10-12).

"The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control" ( 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, NLT).

The scriptures speak for themselves. I have yet to find a scripture that tells me that sex purely for pleasure is wrong.

Myth #2: The Practice of Celibacy is Endorsed By Scripture

2009-10-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

Today I am going to touch on a very controversial topic, which is the question of celibacy. Is celibacy God's ideal? Does the Bible teach celibacy and endorses it? The answer to those questions is a resounding NO!
Let me now go into the explanation and give the Biblical facts.

Celibacy by definition is the disavowal of marriage, thus celibate persons have chosen not to marry. Nothing in this definition speaks to abstinence, and so therefore a celibate person can be sexually active outside of marriage. Usually however, religious celibates, also take vows of chastity, where they promise to abstain from sex as well. Please see http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/celibacy. Many people have used the passage in Matthew 19:12 to teach that Jesus endorses celibacy, and we read:

For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it (Matthew 19:12).

Some have said that Jesus was teaching celibacy here, however if you read the preceding two verses, you will see that Jesus was in fact not teaching celibacy, but disagreeing with it on principle. Jesus was having a discussion with the Pharisees about marriage and divorce, and after the discussion His disciples said, "If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry" (vs. 10). To which Jesus replied, " All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given" (vs. 11). What Jesus was saying was that only certain people can be celibate, and he named three catergories of people, who were all eunuchs! In verse 12 He named:

Natural-born eunuchs: People born with low lido/sex drive
Surgically induced enuchs: People who were castrated and hence had low libido/sex drive, and
Spiritual enuchs: People who have lost the desire for sex due to a sense of spiritual fulfillment and wholeness.

As can be seen from the above list, only eunuchs can be celibate. If you are not a eunuch, then you cannot be celibate, and you should marry and have sex!

The practice of making people take vows of celibacy is unnatural. A normal person with normal libido should not swear off sex. They are putting themselves in danger of falling into sin and sexual immorality. A couple months ago, a former Catholic priest was ousted because he was found to be in a relationship with a woman. He could not practice as a Catholic priest and still keep his girlfriend, therefore he left the Catholic priesthood and became an Episcopalian priest. For more on Father Cutie please read http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1896581,00.html . Nowhere in the Bible does God encourage His people to be celibate. He may encourage abstinence for short periods of time such as for "prayer and fasting" but He then says, "Come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency" (1 Corinthians 7:5). This is tantamount to a command to have sex, and lots of it.

Some have even tried to use 1 Corinthians 7:8 to justify celibacy, where Paul says, "I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I." They assume that Paul was encouraging unmarried people and widows to remain single because he was single. Nothing is further from the truth! Paul was not encouraging singleness in this verse, because he himself was married! We read in Eusebius Ecclesiastical History that Paul was married, but did not take his wife along with him on missionary trips. We also read in 1 Corithians 9: 5 where Paul asked the Corinthian church: "Don’t we have the right to bring a Christian wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does?" (NLT). Why would Paul ask about taking his wife with him if he did not have a wife! We see in Phillipians 4:3 where Paul references his wife by calling her his "true partner" in NLT ( or "true yoke-fellow" in KJV). Starting from verse 2 we read, "Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. " (Phillipians 4:2-3, NLT). Here Paul was asking his wife to negotiate a quarrel between two women - Euodia and Syntyche. Paul was therefore not teaching that the unmarried and widows should be celibate, but that they should practice abstinence due to lack of a mate, just as he had to practice abstinence being away from his wife. There is no reason to believe that Paul did not resume normal relations with his wife when he went home to see his wife.

So what about those spiritual eunuchs? So what about them. As was said before, spiritual eunuchs have low sex drive because of a sense of spiritual fulfillment and wholeness without a sexual partner. Generally speaking, spiritual eunuchs are normal people with normal libido but due to their high level of spiritual involvement in the pursuit of spiritual things, they may temporarily have a low sex drive or low libido. They are so caught up in the things of God, that sex and marriage becomes the least of their concerns. Such persons are actually practicing a form of sacred sexuality, where God, and not a person gives them complete fulfillment. God fills their hearts with joy, peace, happiness, ectasy, and love that even surpasses the love of a spouse. For those unable to find a suitable spouse, this condition of being a spiritual eunuch may be permanent. For those who are able to find a suitable spouse, this condition may be temporary, but they will continue to receive God's love either directly, or indirectly through their spouse. "For the Scriptures say, 'The two are united into one.' But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him ( 1 Corinthians 6:16b-17, NLT). As Christians we are all married to our heavenly Spouse, Jesus Christ. He is our Spouse, and earthly marriages are just a reflection of our marriage to Him. So whether we are married to someone, or single, we can all enjoy the privileges of being married to our heavenly Spouse.

So we can see that celibacy is totally unbiblical, but is a condition that can only be maintained by eunuchs! Spiritual eunuchs are really not celibate at all, but are practitioners of sacred sexuality, where God fills their lives with joy and ectasy, and a love that far surpasses the love of a spouse.

ADDENDUM: Jesus said, "and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake" in Matthew 19:12. We can also include in this category people who have voluntarily undergone procedures to decrease their sex drive, as a way of controlling their sex drive and to maintain sexual purity. I can think of pedophiles, who have a high sex drive for children, and who do not respond to behavior management/training, that might undergo castration. People who do this are opting for entering into eternal life "maimed" than to go to hell with all their body parts intact (Mark (9:43). Personally, I do not endorse castration, because I believe the Holy Spirit has the power the change the sexual desires of the sexually depraved. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to access the power of the Holy Spirit.

Controlling Sexual Desire

2009-10-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

Let me just insert in this discussion the aspect of controlling our sexual desires. In my previous post I stated that sexual desire is a God-given, natural desire, that is necessary for us to seek out a mate for the purpose of marriage. I just want to delve a little further into sexual desire and how it can turn into lust, which is what we are to avoid.

As stated before, lust is an evil desire or a desire for something which we have no right to have. Sex is something good given to us by God and is therefore not evil; but sex with someone we have no right to be having sex with is wrong. The question is, how do we control our sexual desires so that it does not turn into lust? That question is best answered by using food as an analogy. Food was created by God to satisfy our need for nutrition. Hunger, which creates a desire for food, is the driving force that motivates us to seek food. Ideally, we eat when we are hungry. Having a desire for food is not wrong when we are hungry, but having a desire for food when we are not hungry is not good. Desiring food when we are not hungry is called greed (food cravings), and when we eat when we are not hungry, it is called gluttony. I know many of us have been guilty of gluttony, myself included, but this example shows you how a normal desire such as hunger for food can become abnormal, if we do not properly control our desire for food. It is the same way with sexual desire and lust. Sexual desire is a normal desire, but when our sexual desire becomes the overriding factor in our dating relationships, and in our thoughts with real or imaginary persons, including pornography, then we have stepped over the line. Some people are so 'horny' that they cannot even bear to be in the same room with a member of the opposite sex without thinking sexual thoughts towards that person. Their desire is not really for that person. Their desire is really for sex, and they are going to get some, no matter with whom. When you find that your desire is for sex alone that does not include the well-being of the other person, then you know that you have crossed the line from sexual desire to lust.

Here is what God wants. He wants us our desire for the well-being of the other person to override and control our actions and desires, even our sexual desires. We have to learn how to bring our bodies under subjection to the will of the mind through the power of God (1 Corinthians 9:27). We must learn how to hold back on our sexual desires and deny ourselves, so that true love will grow. Here is what Paul had to say about controlling our sexual desires during courtship, "Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well (1 Corinthians 7:37). If a man with a girlfriend (virgin) exercises self-control over his own will to be sexually active with his girlfriend, then he is doing well! Sounds impossible in this day and age, but with God all things are possible. The apostle John was in just such a relationship with a woman, where he had to control his sexual desires for the sake of true love. We read in 2 John 1, The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth. In this verse, John expresses a general love for this lady and her children that is non sexual. Further in this epistle however, he makes a date to see the woman, so that their "joy may be full." He says, Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full (2 John 12). It is quite obvious that John was writing a personal letter to a lady friend, whose company gave him great joy and love.

Are you sexually attracted to someone? Ask God to help you to see the person for who he/she is and not for what you can possibly get from that person to satisfy your own sexual desires. Meditate on God's goodness and love, and show that to others. Show kindness and affection where appropriate. Consult God's law to see which relationships are sanctioned by scripture, and which are considered unholy. Being a good, trustworthy, and caring friend to your potential mate will go a long way to increase your sexual desire for that person, if that is the right person for you. If that person is not the right person, your sexual desire will decrease - trust me on this one! The sexual desire therefore becomes a monitor of how the relationship is progressing. Increased love and steady sexual desire - good for marriage. Increased love but decreasing sexual desire, with the person becoming more like a sibling or friend - bad for marriage. Decreased love and disliking the person - bad for marriage. So we see that sexual desire coupled with love is the basis for marriage. Remember, marriage is about both physical and spiritual union. Physical union without spiritual union is incomplete. Spiritual union without physical union is also incomplete. The physical union is what is needed to catapult the marriage relationship to a higher spiritual plane, which is not possible when couples are celibate.

In conclusion, let us not be afraid to use our sexual desires appropriately when we are in a non married relationship. We need to learn how to control them so that love can grow and deepen, before we express those sexual desires physically in marriage through sex.

I will continue debunking more myths about human sexuality in my next set of posts. My next post will be Myth #2: The Practice of Celibacy Is Endorsed By Scripture.

Myth # 1 - Lust is the Same as Sexual Desire

2009-10-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

Today I start busting myths pertaining to human sexuality that are so prevelant in the church, and that keeps us in bondage, and prevents us from enjoying the freedom we have in Christ. Many of the myths which I will explore are man-made doctrines designed to keep the body of Christ under the control of the whims of men, instead of the control of God. By following these man-made doctrines, many have actually erred from the faith, and have fallen into snares and traps designed to entangle their souls in sin. Please read carefully, and check out the facts which I will present in this series of posts, and see whether the views expressed here stand up to the word of God. Do not just take my word for it, but search for yourselves to find the truth.

The first myth I am going to deal with is the one about sexual desire being the same as lust. The sex drive, or sexual desire is a natural, God-given desire that our Creator has given us to start the process of seeking out a mate for marriage. Without this sex drive, many of us would not even bother. I am sure many of you know of people who have low libido. These people show absolutely no interest in members of the opposite sex, because they have a low sex drive. The Bible refers to such people as eunuchs. In Matthew 19:12, Jesus describes three types of eunuchs:

For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.

Eunuchs are people with low sex drive who were either born that way or became eunuchs through surgical castration. Removal of the testicles in males results in low sex drive and hence diminished to non-existent desire for sex. Such people have no sexual desire and as such are not attracted to the opposite sex, and therefore will not seek out a mate for marriage. For more informaton on eunuchs please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunuch_(court_official).

Since sexual desire is God-given, and serves the purpose of motivating us to seek out a mate for marriage, then why is it that sexual desire is so greatly condemned and viewed with suspicion within the Christian community? The reason why sexual desire is viewed with suspicion is that many mistake sexual desire to be the same as lust. I remember once reading an article online in a Christian forum and the writer expressed frustration that she practices abstinence but she still has a problem with lust. I feel sorry for her because she is probably confusing sexual desire with lust, or she does have a problem with lust and do not how to deal with it. One of the most liberating things about knowing the difference between sexual desire and lust is that if frees you from the guilt of sin, and channels your behavior into that which is moral and right.

By definition, lust is an evil desire or desiring something which you have no right to have, and is also known as covetousness. According to James 1:14-15, lust is something that tempts and entices. It says, But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. In the decalogue as well, we are commanded to not covet (lust) after that which belongs to others, whether it be someone else's wife, or possessions. We are commanded, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's (Exodus 20:17). Lust will cause you to want things that you should not have such as sexual relations with someone else's spouse, or with an underage child. It will cause you to commit sexually immoral acts to fulfill your sexual desires. Jesus says, But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5:28). Lust drives you to mentally take delight in that which is wrong, and make you crave for it. Lust causes you crave for things that are wrong for you and wrong for others, and causes you to sin against God. Lust is therefore a desire for something you should not have.

Since God is the creator of sex, and sex is His gift to us, then the desire to have sex is not wrong. What is wrong is the desire to have it with someone you should not be having it with. That is the sin which is sexually immoral. I will use the animal world as an example of how God programs sexual desire within nature itself for a purpose. In animals, sexual desire peaks in mating season, when the female is fertile. It is then and only then that the males sexually desire the females. This sexual desire causes the males to seek out a female for copulation/mating which hopefully should result in pregnancy. Without this sexual desire, the males would not seek out females, and mating would not occur. In humans, our sexual desires do not depend upon any season. We have those desires whether the female is fertile or not. Those desires are essential for us to seek out members of the opposite sex for marriage with the purpose of mating. No sexual desire therefore means no seeking for a mate, and no seeking for a mate means no marriages. No mating, then no children. The world would quickly become a desolate and empty place.

Sexual desire is therefore A GOOD THING. What we need to do is control it in such a way that it motivates us to get to know a person first, before we enter into marriage, and by "know a person" I mean get to know that person's character, attitudes, feelings, and longings. That initial attraction is what draws us to others where we would want to get to know them. Unfortunately, many commit their bodies to total strangers to satisfy their sexual desires before knowing such persons. Their sexual desires cause them to go after sex instead of going after the person. Going after sex is not the thing, but going after the person is what God wants. The sexual desire is the motivating factor that drives us to want to know more about that person, so that love can grow and develop in the relationship. Once love has grown, the next natural step is sexual intimacy that fulfills a spiritual union - marriage. Here is what the apostle Paul, of all persons, says about dating relationships!

But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry (1 Corinthians 7:36).

Let me translate here: If a man has a girlfriend (virgin) and starts to make sexual advances to her, and if she is of legal age to marry, then he has not sinned by marrying her. From this example we can see that sexual desire is the motivating force which drives the man to want to marry his virgin (girlfriend). If he had no sexual desire towards her, then he would not even think of marrying her. Desire is therefore needed to get the ball rolling towards marriage.

In conclusion then, we can safely say that sexual desire is not wrong, but is good, and is not the same as lust. Lust is the desire for something evil or for something which is wrong for us to have. God gave us sexual desires so that we would be motivated to find a mate, for the purpose of marriage.

ADDENDUM AND WORD OF WARNING: Many modern translations of the Bible translate the word lust as desire. THIS IS AN INCORRECT OR INACCURATE TRANSLATION OF THE WORD. The word lust denotes an evil desire or craving, while the word desire denotes a longing for something that could either be good or bad.

Debunking Myths about Human Sexuality

2009-10-22T03:33:00.000-07:00

I am working on putting together my thoughts and scriptures. This is going to be big and mind-challenging. Stay tuned as I broach topics such as celibacy, and non procreative sex.

Is celibacy really scriptural? Is non reproductive sex a sin? Is lust the same as sexual desire? Is lusting for your spouse a sin?

All those and more coming.

An Appeal to the Sacred

2009-10-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

In my last two posts I have been dealing with sacred sexuality as a God-ordained principle, and comparing sacred biblical sexuality with other forms of sexuality. In this post I will continue to do so, and at a deeper level, so that we can see where we are sexually, and where we need to be.

According to statistics, 50% of all marriages will end in divorce. A chilling reminder of how fragile marriage is, and how couples can go from being in love to divorce, and sometimes in a very short time. According to many Christian publications, the divorce rate among Christians is no better than that of the general public, and this too is alarming. One would think that spiritually-minded people would have better marriages or at least have less incidences of divorce, but this is not the case. In my opinion, I think the high rate of divorce among Christians is caused from misconceptions and pre-conceived biases against sex that has been instilled through erroneous church teachings, and limited understanding about sacred biblical sexuality. Many Christians who are experiencing maritial problems do so because of ignorance in the practice of sacred biblical sexuality. The typical approach to religion is usually one of prayer, church attendance, family worship, and lifestyle changes, but sexuality is an enigma that still brings embarrassment and blushes to even married folks, and when practiced, it is done at the non spiritual level - perhaps as a duty or obligation, or perhaps as a ‘legal’ way to satisfy the demands of the flesh. It is my belief however that this non spiritual approach to sex is the cause of the many family problems afflicting the church such as divorce, pre-marital sex, adultery, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, single parenthood, spousal abuse, family neglect, teenage sex/pregnancy, child molestation, and so on. A comparision between biblcal sexuality and the other types of sexuality will give a clear picture of how far we have strayed from the holy path, and will help to bring us back to God’s ideal for us. I have included modern tantric sexuality in the comparision because some people are going down that path as an alternative spiritual path, and I want to show the differences between that path and sacred biblical sexuality.

FORCE OF ATTRACTION

Sacred biblical sexuality: Soul to soul attraction; inner beauty
Modern tantric sexuality: Body to body attraction
Non spiritual sexuality: Physical attraction; outer beauty; bodily attraction

MOTIVATING FORCE

Sacred biblical sexuality: Love; sexual desires
Modern tantric sexuality: Love; lust; sexual desires
Non spiritual sexuality: Lust; sexual desires

OBJECT OF WORSHIP

Sacred biblical sexuality: God (monotheism)
Modern tantric sexuality:   The self and one's sexual partner(s); sex ; (idolatry)
Non spiritual sexuality: Sex (idolatry)

DEFINITION OF GOD

Sacred biblical sexuality: Spiritual Being and Creator who exists outside of self and also within the body temple.
Modern tantric sexuality: The human self is a part of the essence of God; we are gods.
Non spiritual sexuality: A Spiritual Being who lives somewhere out there in heaven, but has no input in  human sexuality(deistic); Does not exist (atheistic).

SEXUAL PLEASURE

Sacred biblical sexuality: A good thing
Modern tantric sexuality: A good thing
Non spiritual sexuality: Good but 'dirty'. Do the 'nasty.' Dirty words to describe the act.

AROUSAL STATES

Sacred biblical sexuality:  Almost constant state of orgasmic bliss independent of arousal, that increases more when one is sexually aroused.
Modern tantric sexuality: Practices to stimulate arousal states and orgasmic bliss.
Non spiritual sexuality: Anywhere from a constant state of arousal to frigidity. From the need to ‘satisfy  an urge’ to complete sexual apathy, and ‘faking’ orgasms.

SEXUAL GUILT

Sacred biblical sexuality: Guilt free
Modern tantric sexuality: Practices to negate guilt and shame; glory in shameful acts
Non spiritual sexuality: Guilty pleasures; shame and guilt; glory in shameful acts

SEXUAL CONTINENCY*

Sacred biblical sexuality: Encouraged
Modern tantric sexuality: A goal to be achieved, especially during lovemaking.
Non spiritual sexuality: Poor sexual continence; out of control.

*Sexual continence is traditionally defined as refraining from sexual activity even during marriage. It is also defined as “a total awareness and control during lovemaking. This implies that the couple will experience complete union with the possibility of reaching many orgasms. This kind of love fusion does not end with ejaculation for men nor an explosive discharge of sexual fluids for women" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_continence) .

REPRODUCTION

Sacred biblical sexuality: No restrictions; controlled by the couple with input from God; children a blessing from the Lord.
Modern tantric sexuality: Reproduction not a goal; controlled by the couple.
Non spiritual sexuality: Unwanted by-product of sex; out of control sexual continence resulting in multiple unplanned pregnancies and births, and/or abortive methods to control birth; children a burden.

DEVIANT SEXUAL PRACTICES AS DEFINED BY THE BIBLE

Sacred biblical sexuality: Forbidden
Modern tantric sexuality: Some are included as okay.
Non spiritual sexuality: Anything goes!

In conclusion, it can be seen that the adoption of non spiritual sexual practices will lead to the breakdown of marriages and homes, and society at large. I pray that we make a change and adopt the path of sacred biblical sexuality.

In my next post I will try to bust some myths pertaining to human sexuality.

In Search of the Sacred

2009-10-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

In my last post I touched on spiritual sexuality by giving some definitions of biblical sacred sexualty versus tantric sex, and non spiritual sex. In view of the lack of material available that deals with this idea of spiritual sexuality adequately, in this post I am going to expound further on this concept, and show the sacred aspects of sex as it relates to biblical sexuality. I will also compare this biblical sexuality with a popular form of spiritual sexuality which is being promoted today, called modern tantra.

As was stated in my last post, sacred biblical sexuality is defined as a physical expression of God’s love towards mankind, that is often manifested indirectly through the physical union of husband and wife. “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me” (Song of Solomon 7:10). In biblical sexuality, the sexual union serves as a means to achieve spiritual unity, bonding, intimacy, and affection between a husband and wife. It is God's way of making two distinct individual persons become united in mind and purpose, so that they act as a harmonious unit, with love and affection for each other. This bond of love should be so strong that it can withstand the pressures and outside forces that should come against it.

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned" (Song of Solomon 8:6-7, NIV).

The beauty of biblical sexuality is that its goals can be achieved even outside of sex. Therefore, for the unmarried or single person, this is great relief, because it releases one from the pressure of having to find a mate or 'perform' sexually in order to achieve harmony, love and affection for others. The euphoric states of joy and ecstasy, which are experienced in the sexual union, are also available for the single individual who is not sexually involved, but who has achieved a level of spiritual union with God. Such a feeling of love can be so strong that it supercedes any feelings of love that we can have for a physical mate. In 2 Samuel 1:26 it says, "Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women"(or men for us women). It says in 1Peter 1:8 that our love for Christ causes us to rejoice with "joy unspeakable and full of glory" which denotes an ectastic state of joy, and this idea of joy being similar to that in the marriage union is further conveyed in Isaiah 62:5 where it says, "And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." Biblical sexuality therefore allows one to experience complete fulfillment or joy, whether one is married or single.

Below are some comparisions between biblical sexuality, tantric sexuality, and non spiritual sexuality. Remember, I am using modern tantra as my basis, as I do not know much about ancient tantra as practiced by Hindus and Buddhists. I try to be as fair-minded and objective as I possibly can, so as to give an honest asssessment.

GOAL OF SEX
Sacred biblical sexuality: To achieve spiritual union with God and to deepen the bond between God and man. To foster a spiritual union between husband and wife.
Modern tantric sexuality: To achieve spiritual and physical union between man and the gods/God
Non spiritual sexuality: Physical union between two people.

THE BODY
Sacred biblical sexuality: The body is the Temple of God. The body belongs to God and I do with the body only what is pleasing to God.
Modern tantric sexuality: The body is the temple and body of God. The body belongs to self who is a god. It is my body and I can indulge it in pleasure to please myself and my lover(s).
Non spiritual sexuality: The body is a created object given to us by God but He has no interest in the body (deistic view); the body is an evolved object which we can use however we see fit (atheistic view); the body belongs to self, “It is my body and I can do whatever I want with it.”

BODY IMAGE
Sacred biblical sexuality: Good body image; unashamed of the body.
Modern tantric sexuality: Egotistical view of the body (body of a god); unashamed of the body.
Non spiritual sexuality: Poor body image; ashamed of the body; 'dirty' words to describe genitals.

CARE OF BODY
Sacred biblical sexuality: High levels of self-care; health consciousness.
Modern tantric sexuality: High level of self-care to bodily abuse; health consciousness that is frustrated by disease, risky behavior.
Non spiritual sexuality: Neglect of the body; bodily abuse; poor sense of health consciousness; risky behavior; disease.

FEELINGS OF SELF-WORTH
Sacred biblical sexuality: High feelings of value and self-worth with or without a sexual partner; feelings of well-being and wholeness; high self-esteem and self-love.
Modern tantric sexuality: Some level of self-worth without a partner; self-pride; struggle between self-love and self-hate. Needs a sexual partner to fulfill highest ideals of self-worth/self-divinity.
Non spiritual sexuality: Poor self-esteem; self-hate; feelings of inadequacy; feelings of sexual power and dominance; sexual abuse; narcissism; selfishness.

I will stop here now with this comparison, as a lot has been said, and needs to be absorbed before I continue. I will continue with the comparisons on my next post, so watch out for that. I hope so far you can see how far we have strayed from true biblical sexuality, and what has resulted from us straying from this holy path.

Spiritual Sexuality: The New Sexual Revolution

2009-10-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

The sexual revolution of the 60’s is over, but America and the world are now embracing a new form of sexual revolution, based on spirituality, called tantric sex. Let me first say, that tantric sex is nothing new. It is an ancient form of sacred sexuality of Eastern origin, based upon Hindu and Buddhist teachings. Tantric sex is therefore not Christian in origin, but represents a level of spiritual sexuality, where the sex act is seen as a spiritual and sacred act of worship. What we have done in the West, in the modern tantric movement, is to adapt tantric beliefs and practices into our sexual practices, to give our sexual practices a level of sanctity. On the surface, this sounds all so good, but a deeper examination of tantric sex practices, and how it is practiced in the West, is nothing more than sexual immorality disguised as sacred spirituality. I am not totally against tantric sex, because there are a lot of good teachings in it, but what I am knocking is the combination of sinful practices with holy practices and calling it sacred.

Our growing attraction for tantric sex stems from a need to feel good about our sexuality. For too long, sex has been a controversial topic that has been drawn through the mud, and is highly misunderstood within our culture. We can see that with the ongoing controversy surrounding sex education in schools, the persistent negative image of sex as being ‘dirty’, increased divorce rates, sexual dysfunctions, sexual abuse, sexual crimes, abortions, fatherless children, broken homes, and the list goes on and on. What should have been a source of joy is a source of pain and problem upon the human race. The solution to our sexual problems lies not however in putting a seal of approval on perverse sexual acts, but by embracing true spiritual sexuality.

The path that I have chosen to embrace in the pursuit of true spiritual sexuality is the Judeo-Christian path. This may sound shocking to some, but the Bible is really a book about sacred sexuality. Do you think God was using idle words when He spoke of Himself as being our Husband, and the church as His bride? All these are metaphors employed by God to teach us about human sexuality, and our relation with Him. He uses sex to teach us about Himself, and therefore there are lessons that we need to learn in order to properly fulfill this sacred privilege. What better teacher is there to teach us about sex, than the Creator of sex, God Himself?

To best illustrate, the differences between sacred Biblical sexuality, tantric sexuality, and just plain old non spiritual sex, I have prepared a some definitions below, which are based upon my research and observations on this topic, and also the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

Biblical sacred sex – A physical expression of God’s love towards mankind, that is often manifested indirectly through the physical union of husband and wife. “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me” (Song of Solomon 7:10).

Tantra – “The approximate Sanskrit definition of "Tantra" is "web" or a union of opposites that, when united, becomes one with everything in the universe. Tantric practice unifies the many contradictory aspects of the self (e.g., masculine and feminine, spirit and matter, dark and light) into a harmonious whole” (Tantra.com).

Tantric sex – “Tantric Sex is meditative, spontaneous and intimate lovemaking Through it you learn to prolong the act of making love and to channel, rather than dissipate potent orgasmic energies moving through you, thereby raising the level of your consciousness. Tantra transports your sexuality from the plane of doing to the place of being. There is no goal in Tantric sex, only the present moment of perfect and harmonious union. Tantra teaches you to revere your sexual partner and to transform the act of sex into a sacrament of love” (Tantra.com).

Non- spiritual sex – Sex done without any spiritual consciousness, which is performed to satisfy fleshly desires and needs, or as a duty/obligation (My definition!).

From the above definitions you can see that tantric sex very closely approximates Biblical sex, and yet they are not the same, for the focus of worship is different between the two. While the focus of worship in sacred Biblical sexuality is God, in tantric sex, the focus of worship is the self, the gods, and God (as defined by Hindu and Taoist religions). The big difference lies in the fact on how each is practiced, and what is forbidden in one (Biblical) may be allowed in the other (tantric). For example, having multiple sexual partners is forbidden in scripture, especially in the New Testament. In tantra, as an ancient practice, multiple sexual partners are not forbidden, and mirrors the polygamy so frequently seen in the Old Testament, which was outlawed by the time we got to the New Testament. Modern tantric sexual practices not only seeks to bring back polygamous relationships, but also endorses pre-marital sex, and multi-partner sexual ecounters, whether heterosexual or homosexual. Consequently, we see a greater variety of spiritual and practicing diversity in Tantra versus Biblical sacred sexuality. Next, I will try to post a comparison between the three forms of sexuality - Biblical, tantric, and non spiritual - if I can figure out how to post a table!

I hope this post proves to be eye-opening as well as informative. From time to time in subsequent blogs I will deal with these issues of human sexuality, based upon the above definitions.

Moon Struck

2009-10-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

On October 9, 2009 the moon was struck by a NASA spacecraft in order to find water on the moon. Has man gone too far in reaching beyond earth for resources? Are the celestial bodies also under our dominion, as earth is, or are they off limits to man? How far is too far when dealing with the celestial heavens? See below video of the mission, and judge for yourself.

Worship God With Body, Soul, and Spirit - Part Three

2009-10-06T05:09:00.000-07:00

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1, NIV)

This is the final in the three-part series dealing with worship. Today we will examine how our bodies play a vital part in worship, and how this can be done with specific examples.

In the body, soul, and spirit triad of Christianity, the body is often the most misunderstood and neglected part of worship, and also controversial. Many Christians are deists when it comes on to the body. Many believe that God created the body, and that it is His gift to us, but that God is not interested in the body, only the soul. They point to scriptures that speak about 'sinful flesh' and 'corruptible' bodies as evidence that the body is corrupt and unworthy. Ideas about the immortality of the soul also feed into this idea that the body is corrupted, but that the soul lives on forever in immortality. No wonder we have a negative view of the body!

The body however is very important to God, because without a body we just could not worship God. The fact of the matter is that the soul and spirit needs a body to function. No body= no active soul/spirit. Let me show you Biblically how this works.

This idea of a non-functioning soul/spirit without a body is best depicted in Revelation 6, under the fifth seal.

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should REST yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled (Revelation 6:9-11, caps supplied).

In this vision, the souls of the slain saints are crying out to God for vengeance. These souls are not seen in heaven enjoying bliss, but are 'under the altar.' Under the Old Testament sacrificial system, the altar was the place where the sacrifice was killed, and the blood would be sprinkled under the altar (Leviticus 1:3-5). In the above vision, the souls are neither active in the affairs of men nor of God, but are resting from their labors, until the number of their fellow martyrs is completed. Their work on earth is complete, but they are now resting by awaiting the return of Christ, who will reward them for their sacrificial deeds.

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them"(Revelation 14:13).

So we see that souls existing without a body are basically dormant and not active in neither the affairs of earth nor heaven. Therefore, it is only when the soul meets the body that there is life - an active life. Nowhere is this shown more vividly than in the Old Testament account of Elijah and the widow whose son had died.

And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth (1 Kings 17:20-23).

The body is therefore important to the worship experience. Without a body there is no life, and the spirit and soul are left without a vehicle of worship. Our bodies belong to God and our bodies are God's temple ( 1 Corinthians 6:13-20). God lives within our bodies as a Spirit, and therefore our bodies are sacred temples of God's infinite presence. It therefore behooves us to honor our bodies, and to glorify God in our bodies, by our worship. Below are a few examples of effective body worship. Be creative and come up with some of your own and have fun with it!

Verbal expression - Singing, preaching, teaching, testimonials, praising God, praying.

Mental expression - Meditation, positive thoughts.

Physical expression

Body language - Lifting up hands in worship, dancing before the Lord, kneeling, bowing, closing the eyes, clasping the hands, deep breathing, being still before the Lord.

Physical artistic creativity - Dancing, theatrics, performances, religious art, writing, drawing.

Sacred sexuality - Physical expression of God's love shared between husband and wife, that results in a spiritual union with God (I will deal with this topic on subsequent blogs to show the spiritual aspects of sex as a sacred act).

Fasting - denying the body food or certain pleasures for a short time to achieve spiritual connection with God.

Here ends my little series on worship. I hope this helps each and every one of you to have a more fulfilling worship experience, using all three parts of our being, by engaging the whole person - body, soul, and spirit.

Worship God With Body, Soul, and Spirit - Part Two

2009-10-03T17:45:00.000-07:00

Soul Worship

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

Continuing on this topic of worship, I will now deal with the soul and how we worship God with our souls. The soul is that part of our being that is the source of deep-seated emotions and desires. It is with our souls that we feel inner pain or joy and a whole host of emotions in between. How we respond to any given situation in life is largely determined by how we feel internally, and the preconceived attitudes/biases we have developed over time. Therefore, our attitudes toward God and the Christian life is largely determined by how we feel about them. If our souls are connected to God, then we will have a positive attitude towards God. If our souls are disconnected from God, or only connected periodically, then we will have either a negative or an disinterested attitude respectively about God. True worship requires connectedness, without which, we cannot truly worship God. Without this connectedness, we would only be faking it.

The soul is also the seat of our deepest desires. It is that place of your deepest longings, yearnings, and wants. We tend to seek out that which we desire and want, and if your deepest desire is to seek to worship God, then you will do that with all earnestness. A common problem among believers is that God, while they desire to know Him, He is not one of their deepest desires. All other desires sometimes takes precedence such as money, marriage, and material possessions. God is often neglected while we pursue our worldly goals, or we may only pay lip-service to God when attending church services and participating in corporate worship, because it is the 'Christian' thing to do.

True soul worship therefore means that God is first, and last, and everything in all that we do and are. He takes first place in our lives and whatever we do is always based upon that relationship. Soul worship is essential to deepening that relationship we have with God. It establishes and maintains intimacy in our relationship with God. Let us not therefore neglect this very important part of worship.

2009-10-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

^{Luke 7:18-23

18}And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

¹⁹And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

²⁰When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

²¹And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

²²Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

²³And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Are you embarrassed about being a Christian? Many people are. Based upon their behavior and lifestyles you sometimes cannot tell whether they are Christians or not. They hide their Christianity before the world but in secret claim to be followers of Christ. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a secret Christian, because Christianity is a lifestyle, not just a set of beliefs that one assents to. It is not just dogmas, doctrines, or creeds. It is a life where the evidence of your Christianity is reflected in the life you live, and the works you do. People should be able to tell by your actions who you are, and the type of faith you have. Very little good works=very little faith. Life filled with good works=life of faith. So, are you a Christian? If you are then show it!

Worship God with Body, Soul, and Spirit- Part 1

2009-09-30T03:12:00.000-07:00

Worship is such an important aspect of making a spiritual connection with God. It is through our worship that we can experience His prescence in our lives, thus it is important that we learn how to truly worship with all of our being - body, soul and spirit.

Spirit Worship

Spirit worship forms the basis of all kinds of worship. In John 4:24 we read, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." True spirit worship involves the intellect as well as our level of understanding and faith. When we read or hear something, it first goes to our intellect where we become aware of the knowledge that is being passed on to us. The second step is understanding, where we interpret that knowledge based upon our level of understanding, and the third step is faith, where we choose to either believe or disbelieve. In spirit worship, God prepares our intellect where we can receive the written or oral word. He then sharpens our understanding so that we can get meaning from what is being read or said. He then gives us faith to discern truth or non-truth, and to believe or reject what is being said or read, based upon faith, as our faith is inspired by what we read or hear.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:13-17).

I tell you, many of us falter at spirit worship because we allow ourselves to become distracted while reading or hearing the Word. How many times has your mind wandered off while listening to a sermon or reading a passage of scripture? We allow the distractions of this world to enter in our mind and cause us to drift mentally. When we do allow ourselves to settle down and listen, our level of understanding prevents us from fully appreciating all that is being said, and we might even misinterpret what is being said or read. Based upon our level of understanding, our faith is inspired as we attempt to discern truth, and if we feel what is being said cannot work, or it is not for us, or it is something we do not want, then we reject. If we feel that what is being said or read is possible, and is truth, and that it will work for us, then we accept. This is one of the biggest reasons why so many diverse doctrines and scriptural interpretations abound. All persons claim to have the Holy Spirit, and claim to be interpreting scripture according to the Holy Spirit, and yet we get diverse views. We get diverse views because somewhere down the line in our receipt of truth, there is some weakness in the process. Trust me, the weakness is not the Holy Spirit. The problem really lies with us, based upon our level of understanding, motives, and willingness to open our minds to learn. Many people make the mistake of thinking that if something in scripture does not agree with their preconceived views, then there must be an error in the scripture, and the text is somehow corrupted or tampered with. How far from the truth.! All scripture is not only given by inspiration of God, but all scripture is in total harmony (2 Timothy 3:16). Just because you do not understand a given part of scripture does not mean that there is something wrong with the scripture. It just simply means that you do not understand - that's all! When we humble ourselves before God, and confess to Him that our knowledge is finite and limited, and that our level of understanding is inferior to His, we can be assured that He will open up our minds and understanding so that we can come into His understanding, His knowledge, and His wisdom. He says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5). Once we allow God to mold our understanding and give us wisdom, we enter into the realm of true spirit worship, where our minds unite with His mind, and we become one with our Creator.

Next post will deal with soul worship.

A Spiritual Journey with God Through Fasting

2009-09-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

We have entered in the season of fasting. Last week saw the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan by Moslems. Today at sunset, the Jews will enter into a 24-hour fast for Yom Kippur. Even my church had a special fasting service today to seek God's guidance, in acquiring a building of our own.

Fasting is one of the oldest spiritual exercises of the world, and is quite universal across religions. It is a way for people to connect intimately with God, in a way plain prayer cannot do. When we fast, we put away all worldly desires, even the desire for food, and just focus upon God and His power. People who are uninitiated in fasting often ask, "Don't you get hungry?" The answer is NO! Fasting that is done properly, where the focus is totally on God, does not produce hunger. That is the major difference between fasting and a hunger strike. In a hunger strike, people do feel hungry, but they ignore their hunger for some greater good. In a fast, one might have fleeting moments of hunger, but that feeling soon dissipates when one re-focuses one's mind back on God.

In our American culture, there is an inbuilt fear of fasting. We are so afraid of feeling hungry, that we conjure up in our imaginations that bad things will happen to our bodies if we fast. This is so far from the truth. As a matter of fact, it is the constant consumption of food that tends more towards disease and weakness than anything else. Constantly eating and not allowing the body to rest overburdens the digestive system and weakens it. The body becomes filled with waste matter from too much eating, and if the waste matter is allowed to remain in the system, it can become toxic to the system. Fasting allows the body's digestive system to rest, and allows the body to clean itself of the build-up of waste matter. While your body is being healed in this manner, your mind is also being healed as your focus is shifted from the earthly to the heavenly.

Fasting that is combined with meditation is most effective in accomplishing healing and spiritual wellness. When you meditate, you reflect upon God's goodness, and in those quiet times, you can sometimes hear the voice of God speaking to your heart. You can feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and you learn how to be still and listen to the wisdom that is from above. It then becomes a truly spiritual experience, where heaven meets with earth, where God meets with man, where the Immortal meets with the mortal. You will feel refreshed, revived, and invigorated, and ready to face the challenges of the day.

Let us therefore learn how to make fasting not just a ritual we do, but a spiritual exercise and experience where we can draw closer to God.

Week of Miracles

2009-09-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

This has been a week of miracles. They now have vaccines for the H1N1 'swine flu' virus, and they have also discovered a potiential vaccine against HIV, which is the virus that causes AIDS. These new developments however should not let us drop our guard and think everything is okay. We still have a long way to go to find actual cures for both of these diseases. Outbreaks of swine flu continues to rise, and there seem to be no stopping it. HIV-AIDS continue to devastate the world, and there is no cure as well. Following the principles of good Biblical health in both hygiene and sexuality is the only real solution to preventing the spread of these diseases. Even if everyone were vaccinated tomorrow against HIV-AIDS and H1N1, I am certain that new diseases will spring up to take their place. Let us then continue to practice good hygiene and healthy habits, so that we do not fall victim to disease.

Devotional of the Week September 27-October 3

2009-09-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel 34:11-16

11For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
16I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

Are you going through some difficult times right now? God will take care of you. He will search you out and come and find you wherever you are. He will heal you of your brokenness, and give you the courage to go on. You just need to trust Him and put your life in His hands.

Devotional of the Week September 20-26

2009-09-20T03:35:00.001-07:00

Isaiah 62:1-7

1For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
2And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
3Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
4Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
5For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
6I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
7And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Oh, how God longed to establish the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem as "a praise in the earth" (vs. 7). The current and ongoing Middle East conflicts show that Israel continues to be a controversial place in the world scene. Many are the enemies of Israel, and lasting peace within that region seems hopeless. A time will come however when Israel will find lasting peace, and all nations will exalt the city of Jerusalem. When will this peace occur? According to the above passage, it will occur when the land becomes "married" (vs. 4).

A spiritual wedding is going to take place, where God is going to marry off the spiritual bride to His Son. We are all invited to the marriage of the Lamb, and the wedding supper of the Lamb. At this wedding, Christ will marry His bride, the Church, in the New Jerusalem which is coming down from heaven, from God.

The Seasons of Time

2009-09-14T16:12:00.001-07:00

Click on image for full view http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

The Biblical year, based on the Hebrew calendar is drawing to a close. On September 18, 2009 Jews around the world will say goodbye to this Biblical year, and welcome in the New Year, based upon the Hebrew calendar. The significance of this to Christians is that Time, as measured in the Bible, is based upon the Hebrew calendar, and not the Gregorian calendar, which came to us from Rome.

I am certainly excited about welcoming in the new Biblical year as well, because the Biblical year forms the basis of the seven-year Biblical economic cycle. Last year I spent many nights watching for the crescent moon in order to welcome in the new seven year cycle on October 1, 2008. The official date set by the Jews on their calendar by calculation was September 29, 2009 but the new moon did not actually appear until October 1. Ironically, it was that same night that the Senate passed the $700 billion bail out bill! I used that information to predict a delayed economic recovery for the year 2009, and I was right! In addition, I also predicted at least seven years of prosperity. Only time will tell if my predictions will all come through ( I am putting myself out on a limb here).

The Bible frequently tells us to observe the signs in the sky and heavens for information. This is not astrology my friends. This is God making an imprint upon the affairs of the world through the use of the celestial bodies He had created. God gave us the sun, moon, and stars to " serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years" (Genesis 1:14). In addition, the signs in the sky also tell us what God is doing in the universe. Jesus tells us to watch the signs of the sun, moon and stars in order to know what is going on in the world, and to know when His coming is near.

"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:25-28, NIV).

Ancient man had always used the signs in the heavens as portents or omens of things to come. Halley's comet, the Star of Bethlehem, and so on. This is probably a lost art these days, but nonetheless a valuable one. Let us therefore learn to look up at the heavens for hope and redemption, instead of looking down here on earth at our troubles.

The Theology of Sex

2009-09-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Mokgadi Caster Semenya (born 7 January 1991) is a South African middle-distance runner and world champion.[1][2] Semenya won gold in the 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics with a time of 1:55.45 in the final.
Following Semenya's victory at the 2009 World Championships, questions about her eligibility to compete as a woman in athletics events were raised.[2][3][4][5]

(Excerpt and photo taken from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caster_Semenya#Gender_controversy)

Some of you have probably heard about the controversy surrounding Caster Semenya, the young South African runner who won gold at the 2009 World Championship game. The controversy surrounding her stems from the fact that her physical features are more male-like than female, and she has been accused of being a man, pretending to be a woman, in order to win the race. Authorities subjected her to gender testing, and today results determined that she has 3x more testosterone than an average female. How could this be? Apparently, her body makes more testosterone than the average female, and causes her to develop a male-like physical appearance. She is classifed in that little known gender category of intersex.

The topic of intersexuality is a very complex one, but intersex people can range from hermaphodites (people having both male and female organs) to chromosomal abnormalities, hormonal abnormalities and gender ambiguity. I have provided a link where this topic can be read about. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex.

One of the reasons why I brought this topic up is to show how each one of us has both genders within us, but how those gender characteristics get separated, and determine whether we are male or female. Human gender can all be traced back to the garden of Eden. In the beginning it says that God made mankind into His image, both male and female (Genesis 1:26-27). Genesis 2 details how mankind was created:

7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul...

18And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him...

21And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Based on the above account, it would seem that the female sex is derived from the male. In verse 23 we see Adam declaring that Eve was taken out of the male. The Hebrew word translated man in verses 23 and 24 is the word iysh, which means male. In verses 7, 18,22, and 25 the word translated man is the Hebrew word adam, which means mankind, which is also the name of the first man! From this we can then conclude that the male was created with both male and female characteristics, from which God separated into male and female with the creation of Eve. Adam got the major male characteristics and Eve got the major female characteristics. As a matter of fact, medical science bears this out. Both male and female each have male and female hormones. Men have estrogen (a female hormone) and women have testosterone (a male hormone). The quantity of estrogen in men is low compared to women, and the quantity of testosterone in women is low when compared to men. Any upset in hormonal levels can have dramatic results. Men with high estrogen levels may appear more feminine, and women with high testosterone levels may appear more male-like. The changes however are not just hormonal, but also influences the development of the gonads as well. This can cause the development of both sex organs in one person, called hermaphroditism. Chromosomal anomalies such as reverse sex can come into play as well, as our sex chromosomes determines our gender. Here is another good article about the human sex genome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_determination_and_differentiation_(human).

It will be interesting to see what the test results of gender testing will yield for Semenya, and how it will affect her ability to participate in sports in the future. We all need to remember that we all have male-female inside of us, and that our sex is determined by that which is most dominant in us. Let us continue to pray for her, and hope that a solution will be reached that is fair, and does not cause her any embarrassment and psychological distress.

Devotional of the Week September 13-19

2009-09-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

Psalm 32:1-5

1Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

We Are Created in God's Image

2009-09-10T17:29:00.000-07:00

In my last post I wrote about self-love and that we love ourselves because God loves us, and that we are valuable in His sight. We are valuable in His sight because we were created to reflect His image - His love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, patience, meekness, and temperance (Ephesians 5:22-23). In Genesis 1:26 we read:

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:26-27).

Both male and female are created in God's image. The man reflects God's image, and the woman reflects God's image. We should feel good knowing that God has called us to reflect His image. The tendency these days is for us to belittle ourselves as human beings, as something just a little better than the animals. Sometimes our behavior belies our humanity, and sometimes we behave worse than animals. No, no no. God has called us to an elevated position, and He has sent His Son to restore us to that position.

Psalm 8:4-6

4What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.

God has made us" a little lower than the angels" in heaven (Psalm 8:4). We have an exalted position within God's created world and we are crowned with "glory and honor" (vs. 5). We need to recognize that we are created in God's image, and we need to truly live a life that honors God as our Creator and the Creator of the world, and value that. We are made in His image.

Self-Love as A Spiritual Act of Worship

2009-09-05T17:40:00.000-07:00

What a busy week this has been in the news! This week we saw the comeback of Whitney Houston and the burial of Michael Jackson (finally!). Both are tragic figures, with both being victims to drugs and bad marriages. I pray that Whitney will finally get her act together and redeem what is left of her life, because it is too late for Michael now. For too long they have both suffered from the ravishes of a life poorly lived, but there is still hope, at least for Whitney.

Why is it that the rich and famous sometimes fall victim to poor lifestyle choices? As we can see, poor lifestyle choices are no respecter of persons and not because one is rich means that one will escape the consequences of such choices. What is it, however, that causes people in general to make poor lifestyle choices? Is it just stupidity or hard-headedness? Or is it more than that? My assessment is that people make poor lifestyle choices because of lack of self-love.

The topic of self-love is a controversial one in Christian circles. When you talk about self-love in Christian circles, people become uneasy as they usually equate self-love with selfishness, and selfishness is a sin. One of the scripture passages used to 'prove' that self-love is a sin is found in Mark 8:34,35:

"And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. "

The call of God is one of self-denial but not one of self-hate. In denying self, one might forgo certain pleasures for the good of others or for the kingdom of God. One may even sacrifice his or her own life for some greater good. This is different from self-hate. Self-hate is a product of low self-worth, and belittling one's value as a human being. Self-hate says, "I am worthless and not deserving of anything good." Self-love says, "I have behaved unworthily and fallen short of God's standard for me, but by God's grace I can attain to all that's good." You see the difference? The self-hating person already has a negative self-image, and even if they are offered redemption, they refuse it because they think it is for someone else, not them. Have you not met people whom you try to show them a better way to live but they refuse thinking it is impossible for them to rise above their circumstances? They give in to their circumstances and try to decrease their hurt by turning to some type of escapist activity such as drugs, alcohol, food, or pornography. They never really address their problems. They hope somehow that their problem will go away if they ignore or medicate it. After a while, they become dependent on the very thing which they had turned to in order to escape their problems, and then those things become a problem themselves - and so that person develops new problems such as drug addiction, alcoholism, food addictions or aversions, sexual dysfunction, and so on, on top of their other problems.

True and Biblical self-love appreciates the fact that our bodies are God's temple. (1 Corinthians 6:19). As a temple of God we have true value in God's sight, and therefore we are called to walk "worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" (Ephesians 4:1). We understand that God is to be glorified in our bodies, as our bodies were bought by the life of God's Son. "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthian 6:20). Our spiritual act of worship therefore is to present our bodies as a "living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). Do you hear that? Giving our bodies over to the control of God is the reasonable service expected of Christians. We are no longer our own, but are now dear children of God, who have now merited eternal rewards and blessings, through the grace of God.

God has placed a value upon you. If He did not value you, He would not have sent His Son to die for your sins. We in turn need to value our lives, especially now that we have been redeemed, and honor God in our bodies, soul, and spirit. We love ourselves and who we are as people, because God first loved us.

So will self-love cause us to be selfish? The answer is no! Healthy self-love recognizes our worth as human beings, and is based upon the love of God for the human race. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10). If we realize that Jesus died to redeem sinful mankind and not just a special few, then we will develop love for others, as we recognize their value in God's sight. Therefore, we live by the golden rule which is to treat others the way in which we would like to be treated, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (James 2:8; Leviticus19:18; Matthew 22:39; Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31). If we really understand what loving ourselves means, then we will understand what it is to love others. John puts it nicely in his epistle, "Beloved, if God so loved us [me and you], we ought also to love one another[each other]" (1 John 4:11, words in square brackets supplied). Our love for self and others is therefore based upon the fact that God loves us.

Devotional of the Week September 6-12

2009-09-05T17:26:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord

Have you ever noticed and wondered why there are not more famous people practicing the Christian faith? It would seem logical that people who are especially gifted and talented, and who have been blessed financially in all the good things on earth, would be the first to give their lives in honor and service to God, but this however is far from being the case. As a general rule, people who are highly gifted tend not to make a public show of faith, and even if they are believers, concerns about their public image usually take center stage.

God is wise in not letting the rich and famous dominate in the spread of His gospel. People have a tendency to worship celebrities, and having famous people promote the gospel would prove to be a source of distraction from the gospel. God instead chooses humble people of low worldly esteem to promote His gospel. Such people are more concerned about bringing honor and glory to God than to themselves. Yes, some of us get famous by virtue of giving glory to God as our life work, but the glory we get is not of the selfish kind where self is elevated above God, but the glory we receive is given to us by God Himself.

Debunking End Time Myths: A Source of Unnecessary Worry For Christians, Myth #3

2009-08-31T14:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have more. Since I started this thing, I might as well finish the job. My next myth to debunk is the one to do with the battle of Armageddon.

Myth #3 Russia and Iran will Attack Israel and cause the Battle of Armageddon

This is a very popular myth, especially in Christian political circles. The fact of the matter is that the above statement is misleading, and the popular view held is not supported by scripture. People who support this view like to quote Ezekiel 38 to 'prove' their point. I have placed in bold type the verse most often used to 'prove' this point.

Ezekiel 38, NIV (emphasis supplied):

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him 3 and say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. 5 Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.
7 " 'Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. 8 After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. 9 You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.
10 " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. 11 You will say, "I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. 12 I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land." 13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, "Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?" '
14 "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? 15 You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. 16 You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.
17 " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Are you not the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel? At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. 18 This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. 19 In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 20 The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man's sword will be against his brother. 22 I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. 23 And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.'

Modern prophetic commentators would have us believe that the current global animosities between Israel and Iran is going to eventually lead the world into Armageddon. While it is true that there will be a battle of Armageddon in the future, what these modern commentators have failed to show is WHEN this battle will take place. Is this battle going to take place before the second coming of Jesus, or after the second coming of Jesus? Is this battle going to take place before the millenial kingdom of Jesus is established on earth, or after the millenial kingdom? The answer to these questions lies in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 20:6-10,NIV (emphasis supplied):

6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

So we can see, from verse 7, that the famous battle of Gog and Magog (which people mistakenly call the battle of Armageddon) takes place AFTER the 1,000-year reign of Christ is completed, not before. So the book of Revelation totally debunks the view that modern animosities between Israel and Iran will cause Armageddon - it is simply NOT TRUE.

While we should continue to pray for peace in the Mideast, we can rest assured that the great and terrible battle of Gog and Magog will not occur before Christ comes back to set up His kingdom on earth.

Debunking End Time Myths: A Source of Unnecessary Worry For Christians, Myth #2

2009-08-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

I am on a roll now. Information is just pouring out of me! Some of these things may be new to some of you, and little hard to swallow, as it goes against popular theology, but I am not here for popular theology. I am here to speak the truth as is in the Bible, so people can have correct information to make correct and informed choices. Please read myth #1 in the previous post before proceeding.

Myth #2 One World Government

The doctrine of a one-world Government has been around for a long time, and has been a source of anxiety among Christians. With the rise and fall of various world empires and governments, and every present threat of another world war, people are just waiting with bated breath to see when this one-world government is going to be, and how to oppose it.

This is a tricky one. While the concept of a one-world government appears to be alluded to in the book of Revelation, esp. Revelation 13, that theory is totally debunked in the book of Daniel. Understandingly, verses such as Revelation 13:7,16-17, can cause people to believe that the AntiChrist will be a political power.

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations (Revelation 13:7).

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name (Revelation 13:16,17).

It is however VERY CLEAR from Daniel 2 that THERE WILL BE NO WORLDWIDE POLITICAL POWER AFTER ROME. While it is beyond the scope of this blog to prove the identity of the four earthly kingdoms of the Daniel 2, let it suffice it to say that the image in Daniel 2 represents the worldwide earthly kingdoms which will be established on earth, before Christ establishes His millenial kingdom on earth. The kingdoms are:

Head of gold: Babylonian empire (vs. 38)
Breast and arms of silver: Medo-Persian empire (vs. 39, Daniel 5:28)
Belly and thighs of brass: Greek empire (Daniel 2:39; Daniel 10:20)
Legs of iron: Rome (Daniel 2:40; Luke 2:1)
Feet of iron and clay: Roman empire broken up and divided among the nations (Daniel 2:41-43)
Rock: The kingdom of Christ (Daniel 2:44-45)

We are now living in the time of the feet of iron and clay, where the world is divided into nation-states. Yes, we have had many empires since the fall of Rome, but none of those empires had worldwide control, and none ever will. As a matter of fact, none of the empires of Daniel 2 had worldwide control either. They were world powers in that they ruled the then known civilized world, but their reach was geographically limited. So what is going to happen on the world stage so that Revelation 13 is fulfilled?

Like the kingdoms of Daniel 2, the beast of Revelation 13 represents a world power, but unlike Daniel 2, the beast of Revelation 13 does not represent a political power. As was said before in the previous post, the beast of Revelation 13 represents a fallen angel that rules through the office of a world leader. This world leader however is not a political leader, but a religious power who wants to be worshipped as God. A false Messiah if you will. I know this is true because the dragon, which is Satan, turned over his power and seat over to the beast, and people not only worshipped the dragon, but also the beast! (Revelation 13:2-4,12). To 'prove' that he is God, this false Messiah will do great wonders, miracles, and signs, cause fire to come down from heaven, and fake a resurrection from the dead (Revelation 13:3, 13-14).

So there we have it, a religious power that is backed by world governments, that gets all peoples to obey a religious law, that is in opposition to God's law. Worship the beast or be killed. Worship the beast or face economic sanctions. What will your choice be?

So are we going to have a one-world government? No, but we are going to have a one-world religion that will be enforced by government.

Debunking End Time Myths: A Source of Unnecessary Worry For Christians, Myth #1

2009-08-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

Many Christians are literally in a state of panic and fear about what they think is being fulfilled in terms of prophecy in the world. This post will seek to address some of these fears and debunk those that are untrue. My purpose of doing this is not to promote some political agenda, but to present a true teaching of what the Bible really says.

Myth #1 President Obama is the AntiChrist

This is a very popular myth being circulated around the internet and on youtube, based upon someone's interpretation of Biblical prophecy. The book of Revelation speaks of a 'beast' with the number 666 which will prevent people from engaging in commericial activity unless they have the 'mark of the beast.' Some see the government take-over of major industries such as banking, the auto industry, and possibly health care as signs of this beastly power. So the question is this: Is President Obama the AntiChrist, or is it someone else? What does the Bible really say?

Revelation 13:1-4, NIV:

And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"

I must say, as a child when I first read the above passage, it scared the hell out of me. I imagined end-time beasts and monsters attacking the earth, before Jesus returns. Now I am an adult, with over 19 years of Christian experience under my belt, I now have a more accurate interpretation of the passage, and boy, what I have found is probably even more scary, because it is so real!

Highly symbolic language is often used throughout the book of Revelation to convey a message to God's people, without 'tipping off' the adversaries of God's people. If one can decipher the covert message, then one can understand what message God is trying to convey to His saints. Deciphering this message is not as hard as many people think, but it requires discipline and patience, rejecting one's preconceived ideas, and approaching it with an open mind that is ready to listen to the wisdom of God's Spirit.

Let me first begin by deciphering what is meant by the word 'beast.' In Revelation 13, the AntiChrist is described as a 'beast.' In Revelation 4,5 & 6 the four angels that stand around the throne of God are also described as 'beasts.'

And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 4:6-8).

If the angels that surround God's throne are 'beasts' and the AntiChrist is a 'beast' then it follows that the AntiChrist is a spiritual being, or fallen angel. But wait! There is so much more to this. In Daniel 7 is recorded a vision by the prophet Daniel of four 'beasts' which arose out of the sea (vs. 2). According to the interpretation given to Daniel, the beasts represent kings/kingdoms upon the earth. "These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth," and " thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth" (Daniel 7:17, 23). It should be noted that 'king' represents the office of the king, and not a particular king. Daniel was alive during the time of the Babylonian empire and at the beginning of the take over of Bablyon by the Medo-Persian empire. Both of these empires had several kings throughout their existence, so therefore the word 'king' does not refer to any specific king, but to the office of the king. So what we have now are prophecies in which 'beasts' represent fallen angels, the office of the kings, and kingdoms. It would seem then from Daniel 7, that the kingdoms represented in the prophecy, were under the control of demonic powers, through the office of the king.

To say that Obama is AntiChrist, is therefore to say that the office of the Presidency of the United States of America, is under the control of demonic forces. That would not only implicate Obama, but would also implicate any President that holds that office, for the control is not specific to a particular person, but only to whoever holds that office. I don't think the prophecy of either Daniel 7 or Revelation 13 is referring to America at all, and if it is not referring to America, then it does not apply! It is time to stop worrying about Obama being the AntiChrist.

Daniel 7 is referring to the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, and Revelation 13 is referring to a worldwide religio-political system, which will be something new upon the earth (never existed before). Stay tuned for more as I next talk about the much talked about One World Government.

Devotional of the Week August 30-September 5

2009-08-29T17:09:00.000-07:00

1 Timothy 2

1I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time

Sometimes we think that people in high places such as politicians and government officials are beyond salvation because of their worldly office. Sometimes we think of people in political office as 'them' and ourselves as 'us.' We develop an adversarial attitude towards government leaders, and so it is an 'us' versus 'them' mentality at times. One the greatest tools we have on hand, which is so underutilized, is prayer. Prayer is not a passive activity or a copt out as people like to think, but is a powerful adjunct in effecting positive change.

Not only must we work for change, but we must also pray for change. Work and pray, work and pray -the two go together. We work for the salvation of others and we pray for the salvation of others. We pray, and God provides the opportunities and resources so that we can do the work we need to do. Praying and working however requires faith, for we must work with the belief that our prayers will be answered. Now that takes faith! Let us then continue to pray for each other, and do the work necessary for the saving of souls.

Music That's Good for the Soul

2009-08-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to a lot of music lately, and scripture on CD. These days I am filling my mind with the things of God more than ever. In the morning, I put on Christian radio and listen to uplifting music while I get ready for work. In the car, more Christian music. During lunch I chill out with hot aromatic teas, and take a short walk outside to get some of those beneficial rays of the sun. In the evening, I put on my scripture CDs, and on weekends I relax with nature CDs. It's all about uplifting the soul beyond the mundane. It's about staying above and beyond the fray. It's about being thankful to God for all His benefits and the good things He has given to us to enjoy.

God's Care and Provision

2009-08-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

Today something happened to me which showed me God's continued care and provision for me. I hope this will inspire and give faith to those who read, that God will take care of you.

Today I was stranded. I had just completed my last errand, when my car stalled and died. I thought, Oh no, this is going to be an expensive repair job. I am going to miss work tomorrow, and lose time. Why did this have to happen now that I am completely debt free except for my mortgage? Those were some of the negative thoughts that went through my mind, but then I thought, God will provide a way out for me.

So I took a chance. I called my neighbor, hoping against hope that he would be at home, and that he would be able to come to my rescue. I called, and yes, he was home! Not only was he at home, but it was his day off!

In about 1/2 hour my neighbor came to help me. Oh yes, I thought, now my troubles are over. What happened next however was more than I bargained for. My neighbor could not get the car to start! At that point I could not help but feel a little doomed, but we tried and tried and could not get it to start. Suddenly, out of the blue, a man walking his dog saw us, and started to shout out instructions on how to get my car started. To be honest, I was a little annoyed, because the advice he was giving was not producing results! I however thanked the man, and he offered to return back with a more powerful jumper cable to start my car. Well, I was not sure if he was going to return, but I kept praying, Lord Jesus, please let this car start. Well to my surprise, the man did come back with his jumper cable, and hooked up my car with not one, but with two cables! He then told me to go and start my car. I thought to myself, Wow! He really came back! This person must have been sent by God to help us! I went in my car, turned the key in the ignition, and voila! The car sputtered to life!

I am thankful to my neighbor who came, and the strange man who helped us. God sent to me the kindness of friends and strangers to help in a time of need. We can always put our trust in God to be there for us, in every situation.

Devotional of the Week August 23-29

2009-08-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Joshua 24:14-24

14Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
16And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
17For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:
18And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.
19And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
20If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.
21And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
22And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
23Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
24And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.

Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day in which we choose life over death, love over hate, war over peace. Today is the day of choices, and represents a new opportunity to start over - fresh. Yesterday is gone, and tommorrow is not promised to any of us, but today we do have. Let us use today and value today.

Be Angry and Sin Not - The Key to Conflict Resolution

2009-08-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

Be angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26).

As Christians, how we deal with conflict show the type of faith we have, and the type of persons we are. Conflict resolution and anger management is key to how we live here on earth with others, especially with those we are in disagreement with, or who are antagonistic against us.

Let me first begin by saying that anger as an emotion, is not a sin. Anger is a valid response when wrongful acts are committed. We all remember the account of when Jesus drove out the money changers out of the temple in Jerusalem in anger (Matthew 21:12-13). He expressed what is called righteous indignation against the acts of thievery that were being committed in the house of God. Righteous indignation is anger that stirs you up to do something about something. It motivates us into action. The problem that most us have with anger however, is that many times our expression of anger leads us into sin.

Anger that causes you to commit a sinful act is wrong. Anger that causes you to commit an illegal act contrary to the law of God is wrong. Anger that causes you to hate is wrong. Anger that causes you to pay back evil with evil is wrong. Anger that causes you to lose control of yourself, and say and do things that you will regret later, is wrong. How then can we use anger in a postive way that does not cause us to sin? How can we channel that anger into something good and productive?

The answer to the above questions all lie with motive. What motives you to do what you do? That is the question to ask. Is your anger being motivated by love or by hate? Is your anger being motivated by the desire for what is right, or by fear of being wrong? Are you quick to fly off the handle, or do you weigh the facts before becoming upset? Is your anger all about controlling others or is it because you have a fear of being controlled? Do you take matters into your own hands because you do not trust 'the system' to do what is right, or do you defer to 'the system'? I tell you, anger that is motivated by hate, fear, lack of trust, impatience, spite, insubordination, and so on will result in negative consequences. A quiet anger that is slow and not hasty, that weighs the facts, that is motivated by love, and that acts within the scope of its authority will produce good results. When Jesus drove out the money changers, it was not just something that He suddenly decided to do on the spur of the moment. The thievery had been going on for a long time - for years. He had been preaching about righteous living for three-and-one-half years now, but apparently, His message had no impact on the temple merchants. He therefore acted within His authority as the One who created the Temple system of worship, to clean up the Temple system of worship. Because of this one act, many churches, even today, are reluctant to have any type of buying/selling or commerce within their sanctuary walls.

To conclude then, let us learn to control our anger and not let our anger control us. Be angry and sin not!

Follow Up to Antidote to Stress and Message of Hope

2009-08-20T03:29:00.000-07:00

True to my intuitive feelings, this week has turned out to be a dangerous one on the world scene. What with the heightened violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, the threat of Hurricane Bill to the Florida coast, the continued heightened state of threats from both sides of the health care debate, plus other going ons worldwide too numerous to mention.

I think now is our time as Christians to show leadership in how to deal with problems in a positive way. Many times we give in to despair and fear when facing problems or potiential problems, instead of facing them with faith. We Christians have a long history of facing fear with faith, and yet somehow we seemed to have lost that skill. It is time for us to find again and exercise our God-given gifts for conflict resolution. We need to learn how to face life challenges with love, faith, hope, and perserverance, and not give in to despair.

A Message of Hope

2009-08-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (1 Timothy 1:7).

This is the message God wanted me to share these past few weeks, to all you readers here to my blog. May we learn to rest in His love, because "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18, NKJV). We have so much to fear in this world. Fear of the known, and fear of the unknown. Some of our fears are real, and some are imaginary. In any case, fear causes great distress. On the other hand, love is motivating and calls to action. Love strengthens us even if we feel weak. Therefore, as we go about this week, let our actions, words, and thoughts be dictated by love, and not fear.

The Antidote to Stress

2009-08-15T19:47:00.000-07:00

Mostly recently I have been feeling quite stressed out. In the last couple of weeks, I have lost some of my calm and balanced demeanor, and am filled with a sense of impending changes that tend to negativity. Honestly, I do not think it has anything to do with me personally. Nothing in my life has changed for the worse, and everything is still good - but I just can't shake that feeling...

I guess I'm not the only one feeling this way. It is quite difficult to keep positive these days. Everytime one turns on the TV or radio, one is beseiged with an excessive amount of negative reporting. One solution would be to just turn it all off and ignore it, but that would not a good course of action, as what goes on the world DOES affects us, whether we know it or not. Maybe this is God's way of making me face certain situations and getting more involved. Maybe there is a need right now for me to take my message further.

Sometimes I feel as if humanity right now is just falling into an abyss of hopelessness, and that we are all just stabbing in the dark. I believe however that the time has come for a clearer direction, as people are searching for the light and cannot find it. I believe the time has come for us to focus on what is really true and meaningful, and put our hopes in the things that will last for all eternity. Let us then not get bogged down with the cares of this world, which produces STRESS, but instead fill our minds with good and positive things, and open our hearts to receive the love of God. We need to learn how to deal with our problems in a positive way, instead of indulging in negativity.

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Phillipians 4:4-8)

Devotional of the Week August 16-22

2009-08-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 2:1-11

1My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
9Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
10When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
11Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.

Adam's Rib

2009-08-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

Genesis 2:18-23

18And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
19And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
20And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
21And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Many of us are familiar with the Biblical account of the creation of Eve from the rib of Adam. In this account, God uses genetic material from Adam to create a genetically matched female partner for Adam. Mention of this rib in scripture has lead men to investigate whether or not men have one less rib than women. Much to their disappointment however, it was found that men and women have exactly the same number of ribs - twenty four. So what happened? Did Adam have 25 ribs and God used one to make 24 ribs for Eve? The answer to that question may be very surprising, and is a known occurrence within the medical community.

About 1 in 500 people, approximately 0.2% of people are born with an extra short rib found in the neck, called a cervical rib (1). This cervical rib is considered an abnormality, because ribs are not normally found in neck region of the spine, and it is one cause of the medical condition called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (2)(3). Thoracic outlet syndrome causes pain in the shoulder region and numbness/tingling in the hand due to the compression of the blood vessels and nerves leaving the neck(4)(5).

So is this cervical rib the evidence of Adam's rib? Did Adam genetically pass on this feature to some members of the human race? It seems like the more we study science and the more we study the Bible, that we can see the truth of God, even in nature.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervical_rib

(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervical_rib

(3) Richardson JK, Iglarsh ZA. Clinical Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. Philadelphia, PA: W.B Saunders Company, 1994.

(4) Richardson JK, Iglarsh ZA. Clinical Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. Philadelphia, PA: W.B Saunders Company, 1994.

(5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervical_rib

Devotional of the Week August 9-15

2009-08-08T16:52:00.000-07:00

Psalm 95

1O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
5The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
6O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
7For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
8Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
10Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
11Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

Devotional of the Week August 2-8

2009-08-02T08:43:00.000-07:00

Psalm 78:5-17 (King James Version)

5For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
9The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
10They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
12Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
14In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
16He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

Miracles had become common-place in Israel. People were so used to seeing miracles that they were taking them for granted. The miracles did nothing to increase their faith in God, but only served to make them believe that God would do anything for them, even while living in disobedience. They kept pushing the proverbial envelop more and more to see how much God would allow before He became angry with them.

We too sometimes act the same way as these ancient Israelites. God keeps providing for us in miraculous ways everyday, and yet we still doubt His ability to take care of us. We keep complaining about how times are hard and difficult, and yet, very rarely do we stop and give thanks for all that we do have. Do you know that here in America we are among the top 10% richest people in the world? Then why is it that we are so dissatisfied with life? In other countries, where people have much less than what we have, they have learnt to be content with what they have, and to find satisfaction in life, even in the midst of harsh economical and political climates. What is their secret? Trusting God and being thankful for all His blessings.

The Sin of Onan: A Case Against Contraception?

2009-08-01T04:33:00.000-07:00

Most recently I was on another blog http://pilgrimsdaughter.blogspot.com/ discussing reproductive issues as it relates to Christianity with fellow Catholic and Protestant believer friends. The question of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) came up, and a Catholic blogger was against IVF because it dissociates the unitive aspect of reproduction (copulation) from procreation, which is a sin for Catholics. For Catholics, sex and procreation go together, and must not be separate. One blogger who was not Catholic, cited the passage in Genesis 38 as proof that copulation without procreation was forbidden in scripture - the sin of Onan. Below is the scriptural account:

Genesis 38:6-10, NIV:

6 Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death.
8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother." 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight; so he put him to death also.

My question is this: Did God strike down Onan because he practiced contraception (withdrawal method) or did God strike him down because he disobeyed the law regarding raising up seed for the dead? What are your thoughts?

Health Care Reform

2009-07-25T02:00:00.000-07:00

Health Care Reform is now the new buzz in the news. As the President and Congress try to hash out a health care proposal for the country to get those 47 million uninsured Americans covered, part of the savings in the health care costs is supposed to come from decreased utilization of services due to increased health. Health and wellness is supposed to be a big part of the new health care initiative, as healthy people do not use health care services that much. I myself am a good example of that. I only go to the doctor for check ups: Physicals, mamograms, and Pap smears. I do suffer from some minor chronic ailments such as acne, which I controll naturally with diet, good hygiene, facials, and plant-based topicals. I am a big believer in the natural healing arts, and I do believe that if the natural healing arts are allowed to flourish under the new health care initiative, then the country will definitely see huge health care savings.

In theory, health care costs WILL BE REDUCED if people follow preventative care. The question however is: Will people do what it takes to remain healthy? From my experience of dealing with sick people, I find that many are not willing to make the sacrifice needed for good health. Some become motivated to get healthy after a major life-threatening illness, but many still continue with their old bad habits even after they have been educated. It seems like it takes more than sheer will power for some to change their health habits. I know for myself, that it was VERY HARD for me to change some of my bad eating habits, and it is still a work in progress, although with excellent progress. I do not think I could have done it without the help of God.

The health and wellness program that I adhere to is found within the pages of the Bible. I think this is the BEST health prevention program ever. I am a follower of the health principles from the Bible as taught by Jordan Rubin in his book The Maker's Diet (http://www.jordanrubin.com/). As a Physical Therapist, I am a professional health care specialist in the science of movement, body functionality, and exercise. I am also a Spiritual teacher with a prophetic edge. I am able to take Biblical teachings and make current day applications for the present time, while laying a foundation for future time (this is classically what prophets do). Many times I post entries on this blog, and then I hear them talking about the same things on the news a few days later. Even some of the things I have written in my book I hear them talking about those very same things in the media and over the airwaves, as if they were new ideas. Coincidence? Or prophetic insight? You be the judge.

Health care reform is definitely needed in this country to increase access to good health care. My prayer is that alternative practitioners as myself will be allowed to practice the healing arts, that have worked for thousands of years.

Devotional of the Week July 26-August 1

2009-07-25T01:48:00.000-07:00

Psalm 142 (King James Version)

1I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
2I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
4I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
5I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
6Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
7Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

Devotional of the Week July 19-25

2009-07-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

Matthew 18:21-35 (King James Version)

21Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Christian love and charity calls upon us to not only forgive others of the wrongs they have done to us, but also to forgive others of monies owed to us in debt. This is not a call to let people use you and abuse you, but a call for mercy. Many times people owe us money which they had all intention of repaying, but unexpected mishaps occur, such as loss of a job, or loss of the family breadwinner, or major illness, that renders the person incapable of repaying their debt. In situations like these we ought to show brotherly love, and not add any more stress to someone who is already under great duress.

When we think of all that Christ has done for us, the things He has given freely to us, why can we not show love and mercy to others who may be worse off than we are? Life is more than about amassing great wealth for ourselves. It is about living a life that is pleasing to God, and living in love with our fellow man. Hey, you don't have to be a rich person to forgive debts. Forgiving debts has nothing to do with how much you have. It is all about how much you are willing to give. Let us show some brotherly love in a practical way, and help out a brother in need.

Our Health, The Economy, and the End Times

2009-07-17T03:36:00.000-07:00

People sometimes wonder why is it that I post so much about health. What has health got to do with salvation anyhow? God came to save our souls, not our bodies, right? In this post, I am going to look at the impact of our health in the end times and how that is going to affect our faithfulness to God. It is not as far-fetched as you think.

Revelation 13 speaks of a time when people will not be allowed to buy or sell unless they receive the mark of the Beast.

"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name" (Revelation 13:16-17, NIV).

What this means is that NO BUSINESS TRANSACTION will be allowed to take place unless one has the mark of the Beast. You will not be able to buy groceries, pay your mortgage, buy a car, buy gas, ride on public transportation, purchase or use your cell phone, pay your utility bills, take vacations, receive a pay check, or pay for medical care, and so on. At that time Christians will be required to put their full trust in God to make it through, trusting Him to keep and provide for them. Christians who are suffering from illnesses requiring medication might be tempted to take the mark of the Beast in order to purchase their drugs or to receive medical care. If they are weak in faith, they might choose to take the mark of the Beast rather than suffer or die of their illnesses. They might be hesitant about trusting God to keep them healthy or alive. People who have learned NOW how to put their health in God's hand by following His health principles, and trusting in Him in situations when doctors have no cure, WILL be able to endure the health test during the time of trouble. We know from scriptures that if we do not receive a full cure here, God will restore our health in His eternal kingdom. In Isaiah 35:3-6 (NIV) it says:

"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. "

Here is the thing: ALL Christians will be under extreme duress during that time, whether ill or healthy. It will be a time when we will have to make a conscious choice between being faithful to God or taking the mark of the Beast, to avoid being killed by the Beast. Some of us are depending upon the rapture to avoid facing this situation, but there is no evidence that Christians will be raptured away before this event takes place. As a matter of fact, Christians will be around during that time. The "saints" referred here in this passage are regular Christians and not some special canonized saints. Speaking of the Beast:

"He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. He who has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints" (Revelation 13:7-10).

My friends, do not be alarmed. If you are trusting in God now, and have learned how to trust Him, then when the time of testing comes, you will be strong. If you have never learned how to trust Him, then when the time of testing comes you will fail. In the book of James it says, "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience" (James 1: 2-3). He also said, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him" (James 1:12).

The everyday trials we face in everyday life are not pleasant by any means, but it is God's purpose that we use those trials as opportunities for getting stronger in the faith. Nothing feels better than having victory over trials and temptations. The trials and tribulations of today, will strengthen our faith for tomorrow.

By the way, the time of the mark of the Beast is not here yet. When that time comes you will know, without a shadow of a doubt (and I will warn you too ahead of time). For now, we just got to keep trusting and living for God, and allow Him to strengthen our faith day by day.