Worship at the “New Moon” I’m “ALL IN!”…NOT!

“And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.

But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.”~Paul

Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…

For more GodSpots – 37stories Enjoy!

Werewolves and “New Moon”

I really don’t want this to come off as some writing of a religious zealot.  I spend very little time chasing after the devil.  I figure he can find me without my looking for him.  I do chase after God via my God Spots.  It is a healthy fulfilling endeavor.  It is my hope others’ faith is encouraged by my sharing God Spots.

 

Let me say again, I don’t consider myself a religious zealot.  I just love God.  From this vantage point, I am really hacked!  I don’t care how inspired, creative or wonderful the movie “New Moon” is, it is bad.  There is absolutely nothing redeeming about a werewolf.  It is demonic.  Consider this…

 

“The werewolves”, writes Richard Verstegan (Restitution of Decayed Intelligence, 1628), are certayne sorcerers, who having annoynted their bodies with an ointment which they make by the instinct of the devil, and putting on a certayne inchaunted girdle, does not only unto the view of others seem as wolves, but to their own thinking have both the shape and nature of wolves, so long as they wear the said girdle. And they do dispose themselves as very wolves, in worrying and killing, and most of humane creatures.

 

So I don’t care how sweet and kind werewolves are depicted in a movie, it is not a good thing.  It is bad!  Anything that is not of God is of satan.  That is not the religious zealot coming out.  That is truth.

We allow our children and ourselves to be desensitized to the evil of the world through seemingly harmless venues such as this.  How many children will be sucked into acting out scenes from this seemingly harmless movie.  How many children will step over the line and find themselves on the dark side.

I’m told the creator of this movie had a dream and from this dream, the book/movie was created.  I think it highly unlikely this dream was birthed in the thoughts of Christ.

So as you pay money God has blessed you with and sit and watch a movie about satanic possession, don’t forget to thank God for the pain and suffering He and His Son did while bleeding to death on the cross.

Now go enjoy the movie….

Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…

For more GodSpots – 37stories Enjoy!

“Strength is for service, not status.”~Paul

"Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"~Paul

Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…

For more GodSpots – 37stories Enjoy!

“God is calling for a radical life-change.”~Paul

“God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he’s calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead.” ~Paul

 Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…

“If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin.”~Paul

My friend Rich Glenn posted this in his blog…  

 “Years ago, comedian Flip Wilson played a character who used to always say, “The devil made me do it!” Of course, it drew raucous laughter from the crowd. But not only is it not funny, it’s not true. No evil can make you sin. Evil merely tempts you to sin. When I sin it’s not the devil’s fault, it’s mine. I willingly gave in to whatever that sin was. In other words, sin was presented to me, I meditated on it, and I used my free will to give in to it. My fault. Not God’s, not the devil’s, but mine and mine alone.”~Truth From The Hip

I love the writings of Paul.  They are so rich and straightforward.  You don’t have to spend much time figuring things out.  He just says it like it is.  You choose to believe or not.  God tells us that when we are instructed and then ignore the instruction we are even worse off.  I wonder how many times today I will ignore God’s instruction through Paul.  I pray none, but as Paul says, “If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin.”

 Peace

Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…

“We humans learn best when in relationship with others who share a common practice.” ~Margaret Wheatley

Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…

My focus may be improving…

Have you ever seen God do anything? It’s not unusual for me to ask that question of friends or strangers alike. There was a time when God through Jesus did many miraculous things. In the Bible, John tells us, “The people realized that God was at work among them in what Jesus had just done. ” In Jesus ministry, His miracles often met people’s needs. He fed them and healed them. I think He hoped their faith would increase, but mostly they just enjoyed the show.

I love God Spots. I coined this phrase meaning, “A God Spot is when God periodically authenticates His presence and I get to blog about it.” In reading how Jesus performed miracles in person and the people who witnessed them just wanted more, concerns me. They were not any closer to Jesus before the show then after the show. I don’t want to be another spectator. I want to be a willing participate when God shows up.

I’ve recently been thinking about what it means to “focus on Jesus”. I’ve come to believe in part that a focus on Jesus is to see the world through His eyes. Might it be possible God Spots have become more prevalent, because my focus on Jesus is improving? How about yours?

Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…

Hey! I like your hair! huh?

I was hanging out on the Starbucks patio.  It was evening and I was waiting for Cora, as she was teaching Holy Yoga to her friends.  God always shows up on the mat and she looks forward to the opportunity.  If you are in San Antonio, you need to share in the Holy Yoga with her. 

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     Check it out at: http://holyyoga.wordpress.com.

 

Anyway, so much for the spider web I just wove. This guy hollers at me from an adjacent table. He says he likes my hair. Huh? Wants to join me at my table. I’m always looking for a God Spot so I say, “Sure”. He wants to smoke and wants to know if I mind. I say, “No” but I’m thinking I hate 2nd hand smoke. He asks me what business I’m in. I think perfect. My answer will put an end to whatever expectations he might have. I say I work at a church. He says, “Oh.”

 

My turn. I ask him when he quit going to church. I figure that is a safe assumption. The story unfolds he was saved and baptized at 21 years of age. He was old enough to know what he was doing. He says he quit going about 6-7 years, ago. I suspect longer. He said he became disillusioned because of the hypocrisy of the church. Also, that his mother has tithed her entire life and hasn’t had anyone visit her since before her husband died.

 

I asked if he would ever go back. He said probably not. He wasn’t willing to give up his lifestyle. As I was leaving, he said maybe someday he’d try it again. He needed a Fresh Connection.

Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…

Code Red! Only God…

I remember a time in my life when all hell broke loose.

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Life is not always easy.  In fact, is it ever easy?  It was in this bad time, I wondered if I would live or die.  I really didn’t know.  I think this time was as much for me as it was for you.  Without the dark time, it would be hard for me to understand the tough times in your life.

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I know how cheap it may sound for someone to say, “I’ll pray for you” and the pain doesn’t get any better.  I know what it’s like for someone to ask in passing how things are going and you start to tell them and they see someone else they’d rather talk to.  I know what it is like to see nothing but darkness.  I was there.

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I have earned the right to say and with expectations that you will listen, “There is hope!”  There is a God alive and well that loves you.  He is big enough for you to not need to pretend to be Holy.  He is there for you in the midst of your anger,  your pain, your embarrassment,  and your feeling of defeat.  God has a plan.

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Yes.  He really does.  God created you with a plan and purpose.  God chooses that you will worship Him in the good times and the bad.  What will you choose?  Will you tell God to go to hell or will you tell the evil one to go to hell?  In the midst of your pain, who will you choose?

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If you choose God, He will be there with you.  He will encourage you.  He will be with you in the fire.   He will save you.  I know this to be true because I have been there.  Turn to truth.   Turn to God.  This is your day!  Make it God’s day.

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If I can help, post a comment and let’s make a Fresh Connection.

“Change your life, not just your clothes.
Come back to God, your God. And here’s why: God is kind and merciful.
He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, This most patient God, extravagant in love,
always ready to cancel catastrophe.

Who knows? Maybe he’ll do it now,
maybe he’ll turn around and show pity. Maybe, when all’s said and done,
there’ll be blessings full and robust for your God!”~Bible

Is your Angel happy with you?

“Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood… Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!”

Surely, you agree there must be angels?  Ever wonder what an angel does with his day.  Does he wake up and wonder where yesterday went.  Does he count his scars from doing battle?  Is it possible that as God loves you, angels have a love for you? 

Might Angels live for the opportunity to bring God glory by their service in providing for your needs.  What if a bad angel tries to hurt you?  Does a good Angel step up and do battle for you?  When angels battle, do they get hurt?  If they get hurt, should you feel pain because they suffered because of you?

If you are a jerk of a believer: someone who knows God personally, but continues to offend and insult His Holiness.  Do you think the Angel goes into battle eagerly for you or do you think he might regretfully enter battle.   What if your treatment of God fuels or kills the Angels desire for battle?  What if your attitude is reflected in the Angels attitude? 

I like to think, my Angel is proud of me and would take another death blow in battle for me.  I like to imagine my Angel is always on guard, riding a white horse, always looking to my back in a protective stand.  I like to think my Angel’s white horse prances with pride to serve me.  I like to think the scars my Angel has doing battle for me are worn proudly. 

I like to imagine…