Imagination

The imagination, given to man by God who created him, is a mysterious thing. Residing somewhere within the mind...somewhere in the intangible and intelligent vaporous part of every  human being, it holds and reflects the essence of who and what a person is, and yet it is not all they are, nor all they think.  Within it's walls is a reflection of the world at large, a reflection of who the individual is, or who they imagine themselves to be, or not to be....  The imagination is seemingly a world all of its own, a region far beyond our cognitive grasp.

The imagination.... It’s a special place to dream, to delight, do and discover so many things where, unhindered by the physical limitations of the real world, one is, or rather, can be truly free, this even despite outward circumstances. It is a vast realm of interesting wonders.  For some it is magical, for others it is divine, and for some it can be a frightening place, somewhere they fear to read, not knowing where it might lead them in the end.  The imagination can be a lonely fearful place... almost like hell, or it can be heavenly.

We carry it with us, and like a trunk, or maybe suitcase it goes with us everywhere we go...  uing it to contain and or store for a rainy day all the baggage of our life's play and work, the things we see, the things we know and learn, the things we think about, remember... the things we would like to remember, or wish that we would forget, but can't  It is a sacred space, a personal place, that manifests itself in the world as a reflection of who were are, what we know and believe and how we see ourselves and the world around us.  We fill it like we fill our heart, with love as well as pain, with thoughts...  desires....aspirations; and it is here too that we human beings find ourselves searching for something greater than who we are, something greater that the world outside of us; we grope about like blindmen, in hopes of finding our source of being, God.

Imagination is powerful.  It is the fuel which gives humans the power to create, to visualize what will or will not be..  With it we soar to heights beyond the physical, building mental facsimiles in a far off place and bringing them back into the world...our grand ideas... electricity, machines, technologies, things that have the potential to change us and our world.   With our imagination we cross boundaries of human limitation every day... we conquered time and space, and make a plan to recreate the world, to our own liking and comfort.

Then, like everything else in the world, the human being dies. Once vibrant, energetic, thoughtful, creative, ingenious, takes it's place  among the fallen leaves of autumn beneath the earth.  With all we know and dream about it life, it seems death, like life, is real and cannot be imagined away. 

Philippians 4:8 says, “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.” The writer of such words mut have known that to do so as a human being, would bring us closer to the reality of what we seek and need to know, bring us closer unto God, for God is all these things.

In the vastness of human imagination, do you believe?  Do you believe in God?Do you leave room for the possibility that he is real and that he exists, much the way you do?

We get glimpses of God everywhere in the world.  The sea, the stars, all life on earth tells os of his glory (Psalm 19) The bible says that there is no speech or language where their voice is not heard,   We humans, discover, contemplate, examine, and analyze... life, the universe and everything as we grope about the world, looking at life in our own ways, hoping to be wiser, to unravel the great mystery of life, find our meaning and purpose... the reasons for it all and where life on this swirling whirling planet came from, once upon a time, long ago and far far far away.  We proudly imagine ourselves to be somehow co-creators of it all and think we know all the answers, if we are smart, if not smart enough to know, we become superstitious, and this as we grope about not knowing who or what or why we are alive at all.  In God's grace, what we need the most is truth.... for truth sets us free from all delusion..

Truth?  What is truth?.

In the beginning, God created man in his image, then through sin, man was changed. He lost something, innocence perhaps, the consequence of disobeying God. No longer in Edenic paradise,  we long for, we imagine what heaven must be like, either that or we make this fallen world our only home.  Paradise was lost, but not without the promise of redemption.  Man's condition is abase, his heart and mind obscured and marred, his spirit wanting and God has sanctioned it to be so because of sin. Made in His image, fallen now, released from heaven's doorstep into darkness,throughout time and history, the imagination of man has been filled with many things.

The imagination has been the playground for psychiatrists and psychologists, the drawing board of inventors and artists, the fanciful dream of explorers and conquerors, and the inspirational powerhouse behind both madmen and kings. With it, we humans can do almost anything we think of, and without it, there is no way we could ever do anything at all.  Indispensable to our being human, or humane, the mind is the very place that we can even begin and end to fathom the reality of God, and there is only one way to let God come back into our personal realities, Jesus Christ, the one sent to redeem mankind from heaven, Jesus, because he lived and died and rose again, as only God can do, Jesus, because he is God.



It is only in our imagination that we see things in life with perfect vision, know what things are and will be, or thing that all is well on planet earth, and as such we humans tell ourselves the lie,  'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But this is foolishness.  We are lost, dead in sin and spiritual darkness... and yet physically alive, simply because God gave us life and because he promised to redeem us, if only we believe in Him.  We have no hope of ever reaching heaven until the walls of pride, arrogance and self-sufficiency that we cling to in our vain imaginations are broken by the truth.  If we retain the knowledge of God, somewhere in our heart and minds, if we believe in God with our imaginations, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear, and understand that we are imperfect people, spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked, we only need to call on him. (Revelation 3:17)


The earth itself, the fish of the sea and the sky, even the animals, know who is God, but mankind lost and in sin, thinks to kill wisdom, thinking himself wise, not realizing he is but a fool.  Making up his own mind, making up his own world his own laws and his own idea of right and wrong in his vain imagination, he will only die... and be forever, this side of Eden.

But God is at work, forming a nation. Wisdom is calling from the high places of the city... you can hear her in the streets, and people are confessing their sin and turning to God... and God saves!

There is a nation rising...a nation of people, his own purchased possession...
people washed of sin,
cleansed by the blood of the Lamb,
people born of water and of spirit,
reborn,
lead by the Holy Spirit of Almighty God,

Can you imagine?  Do you believe? Do you know that God is love and he loves and died for you?

One day, we shall all be changed, and the world around us will be transformed, but not the way people plan it in their vanity.  One day, one glorious day the earth will be renewed and a new heaven and a new earth will stand forever, the way God intended life, the way that he created life to be from the very beginning, and it will stand forever, it will stand for eternity.


It will happen, not because humanity evolved, (evolution) or obtained any secret power of the mind to make it so, nor because we used positive thinking, and made it happen because we imagined it to be that way.  It will happen simply because God said so, and because to make it so he gave his word, the seed of promise and a broken earthen vessel of clay, like earth itself, received it.

Yes, those who are dead in Christ will be raised from death to life, just as Jesus was; this is our hope and God's promise. Living in his light, we will rise to a world filled with true and everlasting righteousness and peace. It will be more incredible, more beautiful, more peaceful, more lovely and perfect, than we humans will, (even collectively) in our wonderfully creative, seemingly limitless imaginative minds ever imagine on our own.  It will be a New Day, He will be our Light and in that Day, we shall be like him and see Him as He is.


Truth is, it is God who in his infinite wisdom made everything. God created the world, the animals and oceans, designed systems to support life, hang the planets, moons, and stars in orbit out in space on  nothing.  He created it all, with but a Word and he fulfilled his Promise.  He who began a good work, is faithful and true and He will be faithful to complete it,

and he can...

He is God.

We are not.

And truth, is sometimes stranger than fiction.




 “No eye has seen, no mind has comprehended what God has planned... (1 Corinthians 2:9)  We could never imagine, but we can believe and then God will fill us with Him..


"
And so Paul wrote: (Ephesians 3: 14-21) For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God."

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Yes, God can do so much more, much more, than we...especially without him, could ever imagine..

Helena Blavatsky

Helena Blavatsky (1831-1891) or Madame Blavatsky (or HPB as she is sometimes referred to) was the first Russian Woman ever to gain United States citizenship, but that is not what she is best known for. Her name is notable because much of occultism in the world today can be traced back to her.

It was 1875 in New York when a group called “the Miracle Club” began to meet regularly and one of those people was Helena Blavatsky.  It was a group that met to perform seances and talk to the dead, mostly because it was a curious thing to do in that day and age and the people in the group were anti-materialist, perhaps even looking for a way to create the perfect world.  There were about 20 people, originally member of this group who later forms another group, the Theosophical Society, a group headed by Blavatsky and dedicated to the study of the spiritual... aka, occult. They named the group theosophy, or .“theos” “sophia,” meaning, wisdom of God. Eventually this group disbanded, because of the lack of intereting things taking place in the meetings, except for Blavatsky and a man named Henry S Olcott.

In 1879 the two traveled to India to delve more into the spirituality they thought they had discovered, and three years later, in 1882 they established the International headquarters of the Theosophical society in India.  They began publishing information about the occult and it wasn't long before the Theosophical Society became popular, because people were easily fascinated by the mysterious concepts, attracted to it were some of the wealthier types who thought it all to be quite fashionable.

Blavatsky, according to Marion Meade, her biographer, rejected orthodox Christianity all her life, beginning at an early age. Blavatsky had what Marion (who was not a theosophist,) called "a venomous hatred of Christianity."  She was also a prolific writer and  published many works including, Isis Unveiled, (1877); The Key to Theosophy, (1889); The Voice of the Silence, (1899); Nightmare Tales, (1892); and The Theosophical Glossary, (1892)

Blavatsky most recognized work is called the Secret Doctrine. (1888.) It is a two-volume collection of fragments of information about cosmic, planetary, and human evolution, as well as science, religion, and mythology. The information it contains is supposedly from another source, a book called the Stanzas of Dzyan that was 'shown' to her in the air before her eyes as the Akashic Records. (Dzyan means mystic meditation.) In other words, Blavasky, like so many others got her “wisdom” and information from occult sources.

The Theosophy Society today boasts that famed people such as Mohandas Gandhi, George Bernard Shaw, Annie Besant, Jawaharlal Nehru, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Alice Bailey, William Butler Yeats, L. Frank Baum, Aleister Crowley, Guy Ballard, Rudolf Steiner took an interest in the group at one time or another. It has made it’s way into many minds around the world. Even Sirhan Sirhan, the convicted assassin of Robert Kennedy, reportedly requested to read Blavasky’s books in prison.

A man named C W Leadbeater reworked Blavatsky’s concepts into what became known as called the .“Adyar-Theosophy” Another man, Rudolph Steiner, also influenced by her began his Anthroposophical Society and Waldorf Schools. One couple, Guy and Edna Ballard left Theosophy and started their “I Am” Mt. Shasta Religious Activity group. Theosophical Society was not an obscure group, it was quite well known and had far reaching tentacles that left Blavasky's mark upon the religious world, and one of those marks is the belief in a mystical place called Thule and Vril  that she made known to the world.


Thule, or Ultima Thule is supposedly a place beyond the known world where it is rumored that a race of giant supermen live. Lore says that these beings, (through magical powers and their special occult knowledge) could create a new super race. Blavatsky called them Atlanteans, which sounds like they may have been associated with Atlantis, the legendary city that disappeared into the bottom of the sea long ago. But most importantly we know that it is this Society, this brotherhood and the legend of Thule that birthed Nazism and the belief of an Aryan peoples into the world.

Hitler, though not on the Theosophical Societies official Roster, was very much interested in it. He, and his associates, Deitrich Eckart, Rudolph Hess, Wilhelm Frick and other well-known Nazi leaders like Alfred Rosenberg were rumored to be “members” in Thule, Blavasky's secret society, and it's no surprise since the concept of such a place held promise of a master race, which to the Nazi’s, aka Hitler and friends, were the equivalent of  what they commonly called  “Aryans.”

Thulists may have met secretly, but it was also no secret that Hitler condemned the orthodox beliefs of Protestant and Catholic churches, just like Blavatsky did.   Anyone who has lived through or studied German history and the life of Adolph Hitler knows that the primary struggle of this supposed super Aryan race was against Judaism, the God they embraced (and what Hitler,) even though he had been raised to believe in God as he was "Catholic," called “negative Christianity.”

Blavatsky is not alone in her thinking, experimentations and spiritual hunger or beliefs.Today we see people all over the world not only infatuated with Hinduism and Buddhism, mysticism and magic but every sort of occult practice.  The not only think nothing of it, but they sell it to others.  We also see a lot of what is commonly thought of as "positive Christianity" (not the NEGATIVE kind) We see, "positive thinking" movements, people looking at things like life in a “positive” light and know it or not they are following blissfully in the footsteps of Blavatsky, Crowley Levey, Stiener, and Besant, even Hitler.  Many people today even think that Anton Levey and his brand of Satanism is “cool.”

We see New Spirituality emerging on the planet along with every form of occult practices, and they are even being done is what is called, the Church.  There seems to be a lack in of faith, a rebellion of the old, a discarding of the truth and a hatred for someone, or something known down through the ages as God.

Parents embrace the strange notion that their difficult children might Indigo, as they come home from work and practice transcendental meditation in the living room channel spirits that tell them to soul travel into “other dimensions” or perform macabre rituals in the dark hoping to connect with, or to become rulers of their own universes.  Some even think that they are “God”.  It’s a New Age, NEw World, an “all-inclusive” spiritual brotherhood of occultic proportion that claims it will give us earthlings “peace.” Unfortunately it all has little or nothing in common with the true and living God.

There is a simple equation that goes like this: Know Jesus, Know Peace; No Jesus, No Peace. 
PEACE on Earth?
The only answer to peace on earth, good will to men, is Jesus.

Indigo

Have you heard of “Indigo children?” They are being touted as the newest editions to the human family, at least on the evolutionary front. This information is being distributed mostly among advocates of the New Age, who endorse occult practices.  They say that the evolutionary feature of this more highly evolved human way of being is that these children, the New Children, (also labeled Indigo and Christalline) are “prone to psychic abilities." But the mainstream media has picked up on it too, even   ABC News did a special report with Diane Sawyer on the subject, of psychic children, Sept 25, 2006.

Not only do these "Indigos" have psychic experiences, they are also said to be troubled with having to deal with uptight adults concerned over their “misunderstood” emotional outbursts. They are said to act like royalty, have difficulty with absolute authority, (unless given "choices" or explanations" for the why's of doing things not their own way, and they tend to get really frustrated at things like waiting in line.  They are non-conformist, seemingly anti-social and this is probably because they prefer to be with their own kind... Indigos.  Surprisingly, "They are here to create a whole new world."

Literature from "the experts" on such things tells reader that many of these indigos can have social difficulties in school. They also tell parents not to worry, and inform the rest of the world that parenting and teaching such children is an “incredible privilege” in this time of “change.”  However, they caustion that parents and teachers should be extremely careful not to hinder the psychic needs of these special children and to remember that it ids the  parents’ duty to ensure that the needs of these children be fully met, after all, they are raising the next generation of highly evolved humans who will lead humanity into the future. Indigos and Christalline children and their enthusiastic trainers want you to know how to help the Indigos fulfill  their mission in the world.  There is a lot to know about Indigos and their history, so, be aware!

Indigos are alittle different than those who are labeled  “Crystalline.”  Reports say that Chrystallines are psychic like Indigos, but not as “dark and angry.” They also have a stronger connection to nature. They also say, don’t worry if you have an Indigo and not a Crystalline, because both Indigos and Chrystalline are considered (by these promoters of such things) as "divine."  Think yourself "lucky"

The concept of these special children, arriving in the world was first popularized into society by servel New Age sources, one major one being the books The Indigo Children, (1999) and subsequently The Indigo Celebration, (2001) written by Lee Carroll and Jan Tober. Carroll, who wrote the book with his wife Jan, says he is as a channeler for 'Kryon,' a spiritual entity who predicted the coming of the Indigo Children to the human race.  Since that time the Indigo children have been being "Recognized as a phenomena, with parents consulting Lee and Jan in how to raise their kids.

Lee says that since 1995 the Society for Enlightenment and Transformation (SEAT) at the United Nations building in New York City has been inviting him to channel Kyon for them.   SEAT is part of the United Nations Staff Recreational Council (UNSRC). This is a group of clubs that is sanctioned by the UN for members, guests, employees and delegates of the United Nations. Apparently Lee and friends have some high governmental influence and connections "Indigo children" like Severn Suzuki, are speaking out, (Earth Summit, 1992) and speaking out on  You Tube.  There you will meet children, shown off to the world as Indigo, like Akiane and Boris (from Mars.) Jessica Schab (who is 22 years old,) and Tom Milsom.

You know, a parent can spend a lot of money learning from them how to parent an Indigo miracle child, after all to have birthed divinity int ot he world does tend to stimulates a sort of pride in their offspring.  Indigos and Crystals are special we are told, and as such they have speacial needs.Not only is indigoe such a pretty color and a fine sounding concept, much better than to deal with the typical diagnoses of any disorder or syndrom or being labeld something negative like, "a spoiled brat," "undisciplined" or "unruly.  They seem to forget that every child is special... and babies are incredibly intelligent being

The spiritual aspect to it all is astounding as the individuals talk about God, and spiritual enthusiasts like  James Twyman, Neale Donald Walsch, and Stephen Simon promote it as the New Age now coming up the earth... and believe something positive is happening to the breeding on planet earth causing these Indigos some sort of new kind of human to emerge.  Like others supporters of

New Age ideas, they believe that Indigo and Crystalline children should be exposed to and allowed to explore and learn all the paranormal things they can.

The philosophy of raising an indigo is that these kids know more than their parents, or teachers. They are not on Earth to learn, but to teach,  and they are labeled  “christal” which  means, according to New Agers,  they are “Christed” with energy, like "Jesus" was.  Children like Akiane, who in the past were thought of as prodigy's can easily get labeled "Indigo" instead.

New Ager Celia Fenn, in a web article titled, A Message of the New Children, A Message of the Heart at starchildglobal.com describes the Indigo child as “right-brained, artistic, creative, and spiritual by nature.” She says that indigos love meditation and yoga and working with crystals. She says that they are “group beings, and they enjoying being part of a group.”However, “part of a group,” does not necessarily mean family (in the traditional sense.)

She talks about what Indigos are like to be around, and tells us why "they" are here:  "Their message and their mission {is}to show their society that they had become locked into systems that were no longer supportive of human growth…. They refused to accept the control and power structures of the typical nuclear family where dad was boss and everyone did what they were told. In fact they refused to accept domination and control in any form. Many families were shattered as Indigos held up the mirror which showed the ugly and destructive side of traditional nuclear family life.”

Fenn, who holds two college degrees, an MA and a Ph.D. is known for working with the Archangel Michael. She says the Indigo or Crystalline children, “have come at this time on "special assignment" to assist Earth and her inhabitants with their transition and rebirth as a higher dimensional ‘New Earth."

In the days ahead you may hear about these Crystalline children, the Indigo Child , about The New Children, The Masters, Ascending Children, Star Children, or the Super Psychic Children, but what will you believe?

Believe JEsus Christ.

Jesus said, " Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:3)  and  "I am the way the truth and the life... no one comes to the father but by me." John 14:6)

Tolstoy said, "I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives." 

The scriptures exhort us:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Matthew 24:21-24 

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 

But you be watchful in all things..."  2 Timothy 4:2-5

Anton Levey (LaVey)

Born Howard Stanton Levey, Anton LaVey (1930- 1997) became a legend in 1966 when  he and his first wife Diane founded the Church of Satan.  It was a mimicry of the traditional church in America, except it was “Satanic.” It was even called the world's first Satanic "Church.”

It was like the church in that they held, “Satanic weddings, ” performed a baptism (for their daughter Zeena) and even had a Satanic funeral, and LaVey got a lot of notoriety from the media. Magazines like Time, Look, Newsweek and McCalls did stories on the man. Talk show hosts like Phil Donahue and Johnny Carson, made him a public figure. He had close associations with various celebrities including, Jayne Mansfield, Sammy Davis Jr., Elke Sommers, John Travolta, and Robert Fuest. 
He is also the author of what was published (by a group known as Avon Publishers) as the Satanic Bible.

The publicity from appearances on TV shows, articles in  magazines and reports of celebrity parties and multiple media blitzes generated a growth in church membership and made LaVey famous for his balsphemic renunciation of everything having to do with “God.”  He studied the works of Aleister Crowley, a well known religious non conformist who lived before his time, and when asked about his religion would tell people that he  had no special revelation for his religion and that he thought of his practices as  more as a way of “unreligion."

People who have chosen to join Levey’s religious thinking, do often call themselves “Satanists” and they claim that they do not subscribe to the idea of an all-encompassing deity who is worthy of worship. Instead of believing in God the Satanist actively renounces God’s existence or God’s power over himself.

What does LeVay have to say about Satan?

"Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates."
“Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek!”
"Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification."

LaVey died in 1997 at the age of 67.

Silvania Machado

Silvania Machado is a Brazilian woman who some suggest has been used mightily by God to start a “revival” among God’s people. It is a  most unusual "revival" in that it is centered on gold dust. 

According to her own testimony, a miraculous oil oozes from her skin and gold dust appears on her arms and her hands, and even falls from her hair... a couple of handfuls...  (she says) during the day. She believes these appearances of gold dust on her body are a miracle from God.


Silvania, speaking Spanish to the crowds that gather to hear her tell her story, gives a very passionate testimony of healing that took place in her body that she says was wrecked with disease and pain. Speaking though her interpreter, pastor and personal friend, Ruth Heflin, Silvania claims that it was Jesus who healed her and set her free.Her husband too gives testimony saying that Silvania asked the Lord for a sign and even he was surprised that the sign he gave to her was that she excreted a mysterious oil from her body.

At first they did not believe that it was God made this “miracle,” so they asked God for another sign and the sign he gave was that gold dust covered her body. They tell the story of how Silvania was then covered in gold for forty days. Then they took to traveling around to tell people about the wonderful revival that God is doing and how Jesus healed her from the terrible things she was going through. She claims that  God healed her and gave her these miraculous signs and in order to bring revival to the dead church.

Such wondrous miracles and testimonies do get people very excited that God is being seen and felt and doing things in their midst.  Many believe that they are seeing proof of God working when they see such things as this.  Sylvania has visited churches in Canada and all across the USA and people were amazed as gold oozed from her pores and gold dust sprinkled from her hair onto their Bibles, ending up all over the floor.  People even reported that sometimes gold  in the form of filings miraculously appeared in their dental work.

On circuit in the late 1990’s, visiting many churches, including the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship in Ontario Canada, (home of the Toronto Blessing and John Arnott.) reports abounded that many people were renewed in their faith because of it. God was doing a new thing.  People draw it with their own eyes, and it was exciting. However, something about it all was all quite strange.  First of all, if she had been blessed with all this gold, why did they need to pass the collection plate?  Some people were just a little bit suspicious.

Then on March 30, 1999, Christian Week, (a Canadian Newspaper,) reported that more than three hundred people at one of these functions had made a “claim that they had received gold or silver fillings or gold caps on their teeth.” It was quite a stir.  Immediately experts were brought in to see if the claims were for real. When experts analyzed the gold, it was found to be plastic. It was fake.

The apostle Peter didn’t have gold dust to sprinkle around and get attention. It was even he who said to the lame man, begging at the beautiful gate, “Silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give thee, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" (Acts 3:6) The healing was not about gold, it was about God, even though gold was perhaps the thing the man would have wanted to see. Peter didn’t pretend to have something he did not and neither did God; the healing from God through Peter was real.

Christians are told that in the end times, incredible sign’s, miracles, and wonders (Matthew 24:24) will be done with the intent of deceiving us all, everyone on earth,  and it will be easy for anyone to be deceived.  IT's not always easy to know the difference between gold and plastic when they both look the same. 

How does a person discern what is real from what is fake?  Well, first you have to know the real thing, in the case of God, you have to know the truth about God. It was Jesus who said something about truth being the things that will set you free, it is the only thing that will free one from lies and deception. 

 Seeing is not always reliable when it comes to believing, and all that glistens, is not really gold. 


Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson is famous for the movie Passion of the Christ (2004) and other films too,  like: Mad Max, (1979); Road Warrior, (1981); Lethal Weapon (1987) ; Hamlet, (1990) Braveheart,(1995) Conspiracy Theory, (1997) Payback.(1999)and The Patriot. (2000) All these films are violent and rated “R.” Even his movie, Passion of the Christ, hit the big screen with an “R” rating for violence, but this film stands out from the rest, not only because it was shown in churches., but because Gibson made the movie happen, all on his own.   He personally financed the film.

His religious convictions earned Gibson $678 million dollars which was more than he needed to pay for making the film and pay for his newly established business, Icon Productions. He did so well at the box office with this movie that Forbes magazine titled him the “most powerful celebrity in the world."

The story is that no one would help Gibson finance the project, and he decided it was too important not to do, so even though the decision to do it was a huge financial risk to him he had enough faith to make it happen.  In the end, it was a risk that paid off pretty well, because it was well-marketed and well-received, by the Christian community.

Christians everywhere and of all denominations applauded him for his efforts especially those who loved previous Gibson movies. Many movie goers had no qualms about the “R “rating, and most believed that with Mel Gibson’s experience and expertise in movie making, anything he made would have to be good; and since it came from the Bible,  in the minds of many, Gibson could do no wrong.

Mel Gibson co-wrote, directed and produced the Passion of the Christ. He even appeared in the film as the hands that nailed Jesus to the wooden beam of the cross in the film, saying that this part was particularly significant to him, because he is a Christian and knows that it was his own sins that put Jesus on the tree. He believe the film was a testimony to his faith.

Gibson calls himself a “devout Roman Catholic” and took seriously producing the film from a Catholic perspective.  It opened on the Catholic holy day of Ash Wednesday, it contained a visual  of The Stations of The Cross, and Gibson creatively added to what was in the scriptures with the work of Catholic mystic, Anne Catherine Emmerich.  Gibson's Cathodic faith was very much a part of the production; just the same, Protestant churches supported the film, endorsed it and called it Biblical.
This was a little surprising. 

As anyone who studies religions of the world knows, there are some similarities Catholics and Protestants share, but there are also many distinctions between the two aspects of Christianity, some variations in what they do and what they profess, even what they read and look to for definition of the truth.  Gibson, himself being Roman Catholic, personally espouses the idea that anyone who does not accept the authority of the pope on all matters of faith and practice will go to hell, regardless if they believe in Jesus Christ or not; something that generally refers directly to Protestants and to protestants more than people of other religions.

In a 2003 interview that appeared in both the New Yorker and the Arizona Republic newspapers, as well as a portion on MSNBC, Gibson was asked if he believed that Protestants are denied eternal salvation. Gibson, using his wife as an example replied, “My wife is a saint. She’s a much better person than I am. She’s Episcopalian, Church of England. She prays, she believes in God, she knows Jesus, she believes in that stuff. And it’s just not fair if she doesn’t make it, she’s better than I am. But that is a pronouncement from the Chair. I go with it."

According to Gibson, his own wife will be going to hell, not because she doesn’t believe in Jesus, not because she is a particularly BAD person, but because she is "Episcopalian" and as such, she does not claim to submit to the absolute monarchy of the Roman Pontiff.  Gibson's comments didn't keep Epicopalians or any other denominations from going to see the film.  In fact, theaters were packed.

Pastors everywhere bused or simply urged their congregations to see the “Biblically accurate” self financed by Mel, Mel Gibsomn, Christian film. They were also impressed that Gibson would use his own money to get "the message of the gospel" out to the world.

And what is that Gospel message?  For bother Catholics and Protestants it is centered on the person of Jesus and his death and resurrection, and the subsequent grace and mercy of God as it is applied to the repentant sinner.  The application of that grace however can be a point of contention between the two denominations.   Both will agree, that the Christian faith is about Jesus and the forgiveness God offers unto mankind through the sinless life of Jesus Christ and Who he is, as well as his death and resurrection from the dead, according to the scriptures.

The truth is that what Jesus has done for sinful man is not something we could ever do for ourselves, no matter how hard we tried; the reason being we are sinners.  Christians believe that it is because of him that we who are sinners can stand before God at all, and to stand before God in judgement for sin, people must have their sins atoned for... Jesus is for Christians, the one who did just that, and so Christians attempt to follow Jesus and do what he said and did.  They believe that in order to be saved, one must repent of sin, confess that they believe on the one whom God sent... Jesus Christ, for their salvation and mature in the same spirit, the spirit of God.   



God has a demonstrated his love for us; in that while we were yet sinners, Christ, died for us (Romans 5:8) and that is something upon which all Christians, Catholic or Protestant should and can agree... and while they might not always agree about everything, they can and do also agree, Mel Gibsons Passion movie was about the death of Jesus Christ.

“Apples Trees, Honeybees and Snow-White Turtledoves”

“Apples trees, honeybees and snow-white turtledoves” are lyrics from an old Coca-Cola commercial whose lyrics are written by four people: Bill Backer, Billy Davis, Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. The song is about teaching “the world to sing in perfect harmony,” and it went like this: “I'd like to build the world a home, and furnish it with love…grow apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves… I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, I’d like to hold it in my arms and keep it company… I'd like to see the world for once, all standing hand in hand, and hear them echo through the hills, for peace throughout the land.”

Digital Angel

In the year 2000, Worldnet Daily news reported that Digital Angel, a minuscule, subdermal microchip implant designed for widespread, worldwide use in tracking human beings, had been unveiled. Since that time other such devices, such as the Verichip, have been approved by the FDA and marketed mainly for medical applications.

The implanted microchip works like a UPC code we see on products but it has special features. It can relay important personal medical information in an emergency, or even perhaps while a person is at a routine visit to a doctor. In an instant you could give someone access to your name, emergency contact, medications being taken, blood type, any recent medical proceedures or needs.  Such an item could be used at the bank to transfer funds, purchase grocery store or check out library items as well. It’s a simple procedure to insert the chip and for many people, it seems to have practical applications. Some people see it as the passport of the future.

The microchip is gaining popularity for use in livestock, and microchip implants have become almost routine in vet clinics and puppy pounds. It is not science fiction from an Orwellian tale to think about using these devices on human beings as they could be effectively used as a means of identification or financial transaction; and they are already being used in various capacities.

The scripture writer, John, banished to the island of Pathmos had written a long, long, long time ago, these words: “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man and his number is Six hundred, threescore and six. "(Revelation 13:16-18) Such forthtelling of future events, of a mark used for buying and selling, could refer to something as simple as a tattoo, to as sophisticated as a micro chip implant.  We do not know exactly what it is or will be, but we know that it has been forthtold by God that this is how it will someday be. 

As for the microchip being used as a mark in the hand or on the forehead and being unable to buy or sell without it, many Christians speculate that this description sounds remarkably akin to these new microchip implants.

Jesuits

An article by Malcome Gladwell appeared in New Yorker magazine, Sept 12, 2005 and appeared posted at the pastors.com website too.  Peter Drucker, a close friend of Warren, is quoted in the article as saying of Rick Warren, “He's building an army, like the Jesuits.'"

“Like the Jesuits?” Who or what are the Jesuits?

The Jesuits are a religious order of monks said to be started by Ignatius Loyola, in 1540. The Jesuits, also called the Society of Jesus, became eventually known as an army created with the purpose of overthrowing the reformation started by Martin Luther, (which the pope declared to be heresy.) Jesuits, then and now must make take oaths and vows when considering being part of the order, they make vows of poverty, chastity, and strict obedience to the hierarchy of the Church. Ignatius is known to have written: "I will believe that the white that I see is black if the hierarchical Church so defines it."

Still  headquartered in Rome, still sworn by oaths and vows, the Jesuits are still fulfilling their mission in the world, and they are commonly considered to be the “foot soldiers of the Pope” his army.

In addition to strict allegience and the carying out of missions, the Jesuit Order  is trained to carry out the daily practices of  the “spiritual exercises” of Ignatius, (a program of meditations, prayers, considerations, and contemplative practices that exercise mind memory and imagination.) This is because Ignatius desired to make this style of contemplative mysticism a part of everyday church life and to use it as a way of rebuilding the Church after the reformation.

Jesuits pursue high level education. They are consecrated to the Blessed Virgin under the name, Madonna Della Strada and are considered the largest religious order in the Catholic Church. They are historically said to be the ones who carried out the pope’s orders during the Inquisition to "dispel heretics."

In their pursuit of education, they often subsequently serve as educators  and many famous colleges and universities in the United States are founded and run by Jesuits. In the US these include, Loyola Marymount University, University of San Francisco, Loyola University Chicago, (and other Loyola named Universities,) the Boston College, Wheeling University, Rockherst University, Seattle University, Gonzaga University, Georgetown University and Marquette University, to name a few.


Rick Warren says he is building healthy churches the result of which will be "an army of people serving God," fulfilling his purposes... going on a mission to rid the earth of all it's evil... mainly poverty and disease. Jesuits do that too...so maybe they have something in common.

It is not just the Rick Warren devotees or the Jesuits who have cornered the market on doing good in the world, either.  People do good works every day, people of every religion, Christians of every denomination give their life in service.. not serving the world, but Jesus.  Jesus said,  "the poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me."

Some insist on believing that the Kingdom of God is of this earth, and they will do anything to justify it, and take dominion of it.  Believing that the  "the end justifies the means," they attempt to accomplish good here on Earth by force and by violence, or so the scriptures say.

This should not be.

God doesn't need an army, he has one, and it stands while God does all the work.  IT stands throughout time and eternity built on love, His love for us.  The gates of hell cannot prevail over it either.  Jesus didn't need an army...  He even once told Peter to put away his sword, and this he did as he healed the ear that Peter cut off from a man during Jesus' arrest.  He reattached the ear, completely.

God takes nothing by force.  He lays his life down.  He is kind and gentle, lowly and meek.

God  is God; and as God who can do anything, he has nothing to prove.  He has no reputation to defend.  He simply is and was, and is to come, and God is Love.

The Journey of a Lifetime

Rick Warren's " 40 Days of Purpose" is not exactly what is advertised; it is much more than a 40-day deal.  Promotional materials would have you understand that the forty day program is a "movement of God" a means to fulfilling God's "agenda" in the world.  Even more than that, they tell you and me that the 40 days of purpose is the “journey of a lifetime.”

Warren's  40 Days of Purpose materials declares, "This campaign is all about the Kingdom of God, fulfilling his agenda in His world. Nothing brings more glory to God than having his churches, small groups, and his people fulfilling His Purposes. Because 40 Days of Purpose is about God's Kingdom, it is much bigger than any individual, church or denomination. We must work together "to serve God's purpose in our generation. (Acts. 13:36). I hope and pray that your church won't miss out on this movement of God. I invite you to join us. We're waiting to partner with you on the journey of a lifetime!"

Wow...is that interesting?  Nothing brings more glory to God than... what is being offered by this program ...  the program where God's churches, small groups and people, all learn to fulfill their purposes.  This is "the journey of a lifetime?"

Rick says that it's a "Movement of God,"  Wow, those are some strong words: "Movement of God"...Rick would have the person on the other end of the words here believing that this program was sent to them through him, direct from God.


It is true?  If it is a movement of God and I am not on board, won;t I kinda miss the boat? Kinda like Noah's Ark... he told the people to get aboard his program too.  With statment like this being presented, one cannot afford not to get with the program, such a thing could mean the difference between being healthy or unhealthy, or rather, life and death.  But are these statements true?

How does one know if the inspiration for the Purpose Driven EVERYTHING is direct from God to the the church and is now being delivered to everyone in every denomination all over the world though Rick, or not?  Is it possible that such terminology is simply promotional copy, Rick's way, or rather Zondervan's way of slickly marketing these books to the church hoping to make some money, intended to do what slick advertising does... sell books?  Determining the truth of these, and any other such unequivocal claims, seems only prudent.   It's hard to know sometimes.  What is a Christian to do?

Well, there is a couple things.. first of all, remember the words of the good shepherd...Jesus.  Obey the shepherd and do exactly what he says to do.  And remember, you cannot judge a book by it's cover, sometimes you have to take a look inside...kinda the way you cannot always be so sure that you are looking at a sheep, just because you see a little wool.  Jesus did warn his followers saying, "Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing,  but inwardly are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:15)

Is this movement of God congruent with what the Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd teaches?  And what does Rick say, what does Rick believe?

You should be able to believe someone who says he is a Christian pastor, one that has been teaching the Bible for 25 years.  Paul the Apostle  made note of the Bereans of his day, who "received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."  This too is what we as Christians should do, especially in regard to someone who wants to pastor them, to let them eat from their hands, who like Rick Warren,  says that their product and their teaching is  "a movement of God."  This is simply what one with readiness of mind to hear from the Lord, would want to do.

Rick Warren is not only labeled, "America's Pastor," he is the Pastor of Saddleback Church,and he has a lot of accomplishments that give him a lot of fame.  He seems like a person who know what he talks about and he also makes it a point to point to the bible, left and right....and he says that his 40 days of Purpose is the "journey of a lifetime," and that it is "a movement of God."   He is either right or wrong on the issue, so, as he is preaching and teaching we who are listening with readiness of mind, should consider what he says in light of scripture.  It is what Paul commended the Beareans for and it is what we who "follow Paul as he follows Jesus Christ," should want to do.

Rick says a lot of things to lot of people.  He has spoken at a lot of places like the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, the African Union and the Council on Human Relations and he gives a lot of  people things to think about.  He even has a plan, one he calls the PEACE Plan that he has unveiled to the world and he believes his PEACE plan will change the world. 

But what is this PEACE Plan?  It is Warren's idea that will to bring all the segments of society – like a stool with three legs... government, business and church together to solve the problems of the world, (like HIV/AIDS) he says, “Both a one-legged and a two-legged stool will fall over, but a three-legged stool will stand,” and when he combines the efforts of the church with buisness and govenment to change the world in his plan, he is not just talking about Christian churches, but the entire "faith sector" aka, every religious entity and creed, what he identifies as "churches and houses of worship."  This not only includes Christians denominations of every kind, but every religion on the planet, working together, hand in hand, like a three legged foot stool working together to uphold the same values, to tackle the five evil giants in the land.  This is all a part of Warren's PEACE Plan.

He has been quoted saying, "A three legged stool will have stability.  So I am going from country to country teaching buisness its role, teaching the church it's role and teaching government leaders their role-- you've got to work together!  You cannot solve the problem in your country, or in the world if we won't work together." (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net)

The day Rick Warren unveiled his P.E.A.C.E. Plan to his congregation in 2003, he preached a special message to his congregation, saying this, “You’ve heard me say many times that the greatest thing you can do with your life is tell somebody about Jesus … if you help somebody secure their eternal destiny, that they spend the rest of their life in Heaven not Hell …your life counts, your life matters because nothing matters more than helping get a person and their eternal destiny settled. They will be forever eternally grateful….And I’ve always said that that was the greatest thing you can do with your life. I was wrong. There is one thing you can do greater than share Jesus Christ with somebody, and it is help start a church.” 

(Seriously Rick... You "were wrong?"For twenty five years, you were wrong about leading other people to believe in Jesus Christ so that they could be saved from hell?  Seriously? )

Is that in the bible?

And Rick, could you elaborate also on what you believe is to be the foundation of the church?  In other words, "What exactly is the cornerstone you are building upon when you are "starting," or  building, or growing... a church, if it is not this concept of securing one's "eternal destiny" the "foundational belief," that it takes faith, faith  in the saving work and personal knowledge of Jesus Christ one's Savior to be a part of the church of God?

Rick says, "Healthy churches are built on purpose!"

Is that in the Bible?

My bible tells me  how and upon what the true church is built and it says nothing of it being built upon five purposes... but it does have pillars.  The bible tells me Jesus told to Peter upon what this church is built... "And I say to thee. thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)


My  Bible says nothing about the church being "built on Purpose," and it tells who exactly will be doing the building when it is built... Jesus, aka God.    


I read in my Bible, that Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God, and that he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. I am reminded also of his servant, David, who did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." 
  
It appears that this is exactly what the Lord is doing.  

God is the potter and we are the clay... " God has a purpose for your life," it is true.  But Mr. Rick fails to tell you, is that the potter has power over his clay, of the same lump he has the power to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour.  Every vessel has a purpose.  

What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known , endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, but then they refuse his gift, or his children simply do not listen or obey?   (Romans 9:21-23 or so...) What if without thinking, those vessels, because they are disobedient, hear someone telling them something and think it sounds pretty good?  What if, instead of listening to the voice of dear old dad, they listen to one who is but "a hireling," and, what is this hirelings intent in walking off with someone elses vessels anyhow?  

But wait, there is more...


What if this stranger then invites those vessels to climb aboard his peace train, promising them that they will, (if they listen to him,)  be filled with purpose, and have the  "journey of a lifetime," (this instead of being filled with the Holy Spirit, who will lead them and guide them, because they put their hope and faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.) The next thing you know those vessels start looking and acting a little unusual, and they do not even read their bibles like they used to anymore.


It's a little like the fairy tale story of Pinocchio  don't you agree?

 Someone once said, "You cannot believe everything you hear."  No you can't, which by the way, is why you must be like those Bereans; If you are to be a nobleman, then you have to know which half of what you hear you can believe.  Pinocchio, if you remember, learned the importance of obedience and the power of his father Gepetto's love.

Ultimately we who are Christian, set apart for his choice of use, have to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and lean not on our own understanding.  We rest in his promises and believe Him, take him at his word.  In all our ways we are to acknowledge him, knowing that he will lead us, guide us....like a good shepherd... (not drive us,) but gentle and truthfully direct, our paths.

Preachers Preaching

Rick Warren believes, or wants you to believe, that  he knows more than most pastors. He proudly boasted, “I probably have the largest library of books on preaching in America. I've read over 500 books on preaching. Maybe some seminary might come close to that, but I am sure that no pastor comes close to 500 books on preaching. And as I've read them, the vast majority doesn't really understand that preaching is about transformation, not information.” (Purpose-Driven Preaching: An Interview with Rick Warren by Michael Duduit.)

Sadly, Rick probably believes he understands more about preaching than the “vast majority” of pastors, he says that he is certain that “no pastor” has or has read as many books as he has or does on "preaching." He believes it so much he offers to teach all the pastors in the world from his own expertise and boasts that he has trained over 300,000 pastors worldwide.

Let's Talk about "Unschooled Ordinary Men"

This is a post about Rick Warren.

Proper seminary training, according to Rick Warren, is an one essential ingredient he believes is missing from the church. In 2003, he began saying, “In the developing world there are 2.1 million pastors and church leaders. Of those, 1.9 million have never had any training at all. Not only have these leaders not gone to seminary or Bible school, they haven’t even gone to high school or primary school. They have no training whatsoever -- and yet they lead the church. This must be remedied.” (Facing the World's Five Evil Giants! Rick and Kay Warren )  Saying such a thing is simply umbilical.

Rick is not the only one astonished that so many “pastors” have the authority that they do. The high priests of Peter’s day were astonished with Peter and John too. Like Rick they probably would have loved to rid the world of these unschooled and ordinary men who had nothing but big mouths and wouldn’t shut up about the scriptures or that Jesus guy they used to hang with, you know, the one who healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and even was himself raised from the dead.

Acts 4:13 says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled.”Rick, doesn;t just marvel, he says they are one of the five great evil giants in the world.

Amputation

This post is about Rick Waren and his constant use of this term "amputation" in relation to the Christian Church.

To undergo an amputation means that some extremity of the body has been removed.  When a part is amputated, the once usable limb is forever unavailable for use. Amputation can occur accidentally through a traumatic event, but sometimes it is done strategically to save the life of a person suffering from disease or serious injury.

Warren likes to talk about amputation in relation to the Christian church.   In a USA Today article, A Model of Faith, June 2006, Rick Warren said, “The New Testament says the church is the body of Christ, but for the last 100 years, the hands and feet have been amputated, and the church has just been a mouth. And mostly, it's been known for what it's against. ... I'm so tired of Christians being known for what they're against." 

He repeatedly comments this way, suggesting that Jesus' body, the Church, is without arms and legs, and like to make the accusation that the Church, particularly the "self serving" American Church is a failure, having done nothing constructive for the world, “for the last 100 years.” He has also said, “We have become one big mouth that only stands against things. I am tired of being associated with people who only stand against things.”(Rick Warren, Willow Creek Association’s Leadership Summit, Day One, August 11, 2005)

On CNN’s LARRY KING LIVE, Interview With Rick Warren, that aired March 22, 2005, Warren repeated his mantra.  He remarked, “I believe the church is ready for what I call, a second reaffirmation… The Bible calls the church, the body of Christ. And for too long the church has had two hands and arms amputated, and it's just been a big mouth. And too often the church has been known for what it's against, rather than what it's for. And I hope to make a change in that along with a lot of another people. That we need to reattach the hands and arms, that's why I was in Africa.”

The overuse of this phrase is notable.  Warren is ready to fix the body of Jesus, reattach the body parts that are not there and get the church to stop being a mouth to the world.  He says he is tired of it, a long with a lot of other people, but he doesn't seem to mind, if he is the one doing all the talking.

Is the Church nothing but a “big mouth?”

Better yet, is a "big mouth" a bad thing for the church to be?

Think about the prophets.  These men were big mouths.  They were , if you will, “mouths” for God. They were spokesmen, who as prophets, declared the Word of the Lord to the people. They warned people of the consequences of sin. They revealed the truth of God. Today we call such men of faith who have big mouths and preach about Jesus, “preachers.”

And what does a preacher do?  Their job is to actually use their mouth and preach, as Paul wrote to Timothy, , “in season and out.” (2 Tim 4:2)  The church cannot be silent.... Jesus himself said that if all the human tongues were still, the rocks and stones would cry out. In other words, if people do not open their mouths and speak, the rocks will. 

Rick also says, "And too often the church has been known for what it's against, rather than what it's for?"

What exactly does the church stand for and against in the world?

It is no secret.  The church stands undoubtedly for faith in God and Jesus... you can ask most anyone on the street, they will have heard.  And yes, someone in the world has to speak out against atrocity and sin. The mandate of the church is to SPEAK the truth, love.... love for JEsus and for people, and for Christians that means in love for one another.  The darkness hates the light and the darkness hates to hear the word of God being preached.Why would a Christian pastor be tired of peple talking about God?  What exactly is the "big mouth" church saying that Pastor Rick is offended by? 

He is working,  as he said on Larry King's show, "to  make a change in that along with a lot of another people," he has a plan to " reattach the {amputated} hands and arms.  Metaphrocally speaking, it sounds more like he is creating a monster.

Surprisingly, Rick Warren does not think that the biggest problems in the world today, is murder, greed and other sins, he is worried about really evil things, like illiteracy and poverty.Worse of all, he forgets that it is often the Christians in America that dare to speak up for the poor and the fatherless and the orphans, he forgets that the Christian church, for the last hundred years in fact, has taken stands against the things God says are truely evil. 

Meanwhile, Rick Warren continues to preach  his message all over the media and airwaves,.  He talks about the Bible, about the gospel, the good news, and his own church, Saddleback Church in California, and yet he spends a lot of time finding fault with "self-serving" American Christians and the "big mouth" Christian Church, making sure he get's his "purpose driven" message out. Out of his mouth come both blessing and cursing, and somehow, this should just not be!

From the book of James, Chapter 3
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.  (NIV)

Not U or Knot You

“It’s not about you…It’s all about God,” is one thing Rick Warren likes to say. He has made it his ministry to get people, mostly those who profess to be Christians, thinking about serving, getting their focus redirected.  He says repeatedly, I want to tell you, it is "NOT about YOU."


The Dallas Morning News, October 2, 2006, did an article in which reporter Michael Young asked Warren a lot of questions. At one point, Warren said, “I'm trying to move the American church from self-centered consumerism, where it's all about me, to unselfish contribution, where it's all about God and serving God by serving other people.”

Oh,  It is not all about you, it's all about God.  That makes sense now...since God is obviously the one I am to worship as a Christian... not myself.   But,  but  why doesn't he just say it is all about Jesus?  Why does he always answers obscurely using the term “God.” As a pastor, a Christian pastor, Rick Warren should have the clear understanding that any person of most any religious affiliation can assert that their religion is “all about God.” But I wonder too, why he continually berates the American Church, calling Christians self-serving, and says,  "It.'s not about you."?

Has he not read his Bible?

It’s interesting to note that  in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus spoke the words, “I say unto YOU,” fifty-nine times.   Christian's often tell someone who is not Christian, how the Lord Jesus died for them.... or that God loves them....  If "IT," whatever it is, is not about the person listening, then who is it about?  If not about the person who can receive Christ as Lord and Savior by laying down their will to the will of God the Father, and believing on Jesus for their own salvation… then who is it for?



Someone else besides you?  And if it is all about God; does God really desire that everything be about Him?

Are you certain that IT is not about you?

When Jesus broke the break and gave it to his disciples, he said, “This is my body, which is given for YOU.” By the mere act of communion we remember, Him and how his body was broken and his blood poured out for someone.

Was it you? 

It is not entirely true to say, "it’s not about you, its about God." Truth is, it is about you and about God, your relationship with Him.  It's about YOU being yoked to Jesus, YOU knowing he is God and trusting Him, entering his rest and remaining in Him, so he can remain in YOU.

Then YOU can know the truth and the truth can set YOU free.

Fidel Castro

Rick Warren, in his 2003 letter announcing his Peace Plan, happily boasted that Fidel Castro had requested an autographed copy the “Purpose Driven Life” book. HE obviously believes this book changes peoples life for the better and he wants to be sure we all know who is reading it, you know all the great names and people who's lives are changed, so we will all want to be just like them...

Rick Warren wrote, “The influence of the book [Purpose Driven Life] keeps amazing me everyday as I get requests for autographed copies. In today's stack: I signed books for 1) All the Supreme Court Justices 2) One for Fidel Castro 3) One for the President of Peru, these last 2 were Spanish editions,(note, he wants to tell us the book is EVEN translated into Spanish), and I recently got a note saying that everyone on Air Force One was reading the book recently. But all this is not about us. God's intention is much bigger than the book.” (Quoted from what is known as the "Peace Plan Letter" by Rick Warren, a letter sent to his congregation, Saddleback Church in 2003.)


But who is Fidel Castro? I do not hear too much about him these days, not aas much as I did growing up, but for a long time he was quite a political figure.  Just so you know, he has had a reputation as a "bad guy," a notorious, communist, dictator of Cuba.

Coming to power in 1959, Castro and his Communist regime transformed the tiny island nation of Cuba into the first communist state in the west. He ruled as a dictator and tens of thousands of political opponents and dissidents have been reported killed by him and while it probably is not very much talked about these days... the reality is that for years the whole world knew this was the case and many people were outraged.  They denounced his state sponsored threats to life, the violence, and the political oppression that has taken place in Cuba under Castro’s leadership. 

There are few who dare to question Castro's absolute rule and wisdom, few who dare to think outside the box in which they are allowed to think or live. Few even know the outside world is any different... they are told the way things are and aren't told what to believe.   There are not many willing to overcome the fear of the death threats or harsh imprisonment in Cuban prisons that they will face if they dare to disagree.  Few stand up against such oppression, few ever have a voice of their own, and there are fewer still who try to flee from it that ever escape alive. 

From those who do escape, we hear their stories, stories of the fear, oppression and economic slavery that come from living under a totalitarian , communist regime. Research such things for yourself and see.  Life in a communist country is seldom sweet and rosy, there is no such things as freedom...nor individualism.... you simply must conform, or die.  Life there is often hard and oppressive.  People do not leave  Cuba, they escape.  They try to escape, something commonly known as communism.


Communism, (according to Frontline’s website China in the Red, a glossary for teachers 2006,) is defined as: “A system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single, often authoritarian party, holds power, claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people." And make no mistake, Castro is that "authoritarian," Communist leader, or has been until lately as his ailing health as failed.  One thing you can be sure of,  Communism hates Capitalism... free enterprise, and individual freedom.

The central idea of communism is that private property is to be eliminated, followed by an equitable distribution of wealth to all the people. It seems like it would be ideal because theoretically you'd have no "middle class," as well as eliminate the extremely wealthy, best of all, no people who are poor.  But in practice this is not what communism is.

A commonly held principal of Communism is "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need" (This is a quote from famous Communist, Karl Marx.) It perhaps sounds a bit fair, that of giving to each benevolently what he deserves, and what he needs.  It's Utopian, and Communism’s imperialistic “conformity without question” is always required to make such a perfect system of community, with fairness and justice for all, work.

In Communism, non-conformity, even to the seemingly little things, is often punishable by death, as we have seen in communist societies of the past and present. Rules and regulations of the state are typically enforced by force, to the point that even thought must be controlled...  Every aspect of public and private behavior is suspect, every aspect of life is to be under complete and total state control, and for this to happen, the person... or group entity, or mob...who can evoke the most force, or fear, ultimately gains control.


Living in a totalitarian state means not having freedom to choose occupation, place of residence, or even express ideas that are contrary to the political climate, (or the leader) of the state. One must always be politically correct in everything they do. There is no such thing as a peaceful protest in a totalitarian communist government, because protesting is not an option, protestors are met with brutality and force, as was witnessed by the world at Tiananmen Square in 1989.  Few dare to stand up to the opposition, but some do. 

Totalitarian leaders demand total control of the people, they have no mercy, no respect for himan life and dignity... there is no freedom of religion, no freedom of speech, no freedom of the press, no freedom of words, and they who ascribe to controlling the "state" he creates for him and his subjects are not afraid to make anyone an example of what happens if one disobeys his personal rule of law.  The Italian dictator Mussolini described it like this: “All within the state, nothing outside the state, and nothing against the state.” That is totalitarian.

Mussolini, Hitler, Castro... these men are totalitarian

Castro was taught in Roman Catholic (specifically Jesuit) schools, but according to Wikipedia, he is an atheist, not Catholic.  In fact he was excommunicated in 1962 by the Pope, (leader of the Roman Catholic Church)  for being a Communist. In return of that favor, Castro has never allowed anyone with catholic ties to be members of his Communist Party. 

Recently however, Castro has had a change of heart... and if what Rick Warren says is true, Castro is not only reading Warren's Purpose Driven life, but now surprisingly allows church-going Catholics to join the Cuban Communist Party.  Word on the street is that he even tolerates Christmas parties, something the excommunicated, communist, atheist man has never done before.

Change is taking place... and Castro has been through some changes.

For example, in 1988 he  “allowed” the Pope to visit him on Cuban soil. That was a "first." 

Then when Pope John Paul II died, Castro was seen attending Catholic mass at Havana’s cathedral, this he did simply to honor him.  Now, as reported by Rick Warren, Castro has even asked for an autographed copy of the Purpose Driven Life book! Imagine that! THe totalitaiand man is finally going to learn how to be, "Purpose Driven!"

Maybe Castro isn’t the hard-line Communist, ruthless person he used to be.
(That would be a praise!)

These ties with religion, this softness of heart...  is for many, much the way the early Christians felt about Paul... and his conversion to Christianity.  It s little suspicious. Unlike Paul however, there has not really been any official words or actions that would demonstrate to the world that Castro converted to Christianity, that the man believes in God, believes in Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior, or has admitted any guilt regarding any murders or crimes against humanity.... but many people in the press are all ears.

On August 13, 2005, (two years after asking Rick Warren for an autographed copy of his book) the Christian Post reported that the World Council of Churches made a public announcement about Cuba. Apparently, after a four-day visit and meeting with Castro in Cuba by their secretary general, they were happy to announce that “Cuban President Fidel Castro will provide facilities to help Evangelical Churches build new churches and develop their pastoral mission.”

Maybe he is a Christian?This would be a change for sure, because men like Amondo Valladares who spent 22 years in Cuban prison because he refused to put a slogan supporting Castro and communism on his desk at work, tells the world, "During those years, (in prison) with the purpose of forcing us to abandon our religious beliefs and to demoralize us."

Valladares also reports that during those years,  "...the Cuban Communist indoctrinators repeatedly used the statements made by some representatives of the American Christian churches. Every time a pamphlet was published in U.S., every time a clergyman would write an article in support of Cuba’s dictatorship, a translation would be given to us, and that was far worse for the Christian political prisoners than the beatings or the hunger. Incomprehensible to us, while we waited for the embrace of solidarity from our brothers in Christ, those who were embraced were our tormentors.” Today's Cuba, with Fidel's ailing health, is being lead by Fidel's brother, Raul, who, since "Fidel had grown in respect for religion and appreciation for the Church, " now shakes hands and rubs elbows with religious dignitaries.

Who knows, maybe things in Cuba are improving?  This, despite the Crackdown in Cuba (PBS, 2003) on people who disagree with the Communist regime.

It kinda makes one wonder how it feels to be a Christian in Cuban Prison, as the Vatican delegates  embrace the Castro brothers and Rick Warren boasts that Fidel Castro, is requesting signed copies of his Best Selling Christian book.  The world looks on and smiles, meanwhile men and women are doing time in prison, for believing in God, for refusing to support with a placard on a desk, the only possible candidate for office, and who, according to Valladares will stand before firing squads saying, "Long live Christ the King, Down with Communism!" 

But hey, the Lord can change hardened hearts, he has been known to change a few people, and Fidel Castro is vulnerable to change, like everyone else.  Besides , the Bible has many examples of converts including Saul who became Paul the apostle.  He too, a much of a law-keeper as he was, repented of his sin against Almighty God, and God forgave him, then He used him to spread the gospel of God's love and mercy to the world.  If you remember from the bible, he used to murder Christians.

But are the Castro brothers, Raul and Fidel now, after all these years, changing their ways of doing things in their communist country?  Have they had a change of heart, confessed their sin, and turned to God?  Are they Christian?

This is something that as of yet, remains to be seen,

Even Paul had a reputation to combat, and he did so for many years after he finally came face to face with the reality of his sin and his faith in God.