Get images out of the Church!

The second commandment states “You shall not make for yourself a carved image–any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;” (Exodus 20:4)

God in His infinite wisdom(1Cor.3:19) knew that the flesh can only create after itself,  and in doing such,  changes the nature of God into an image that is satisfying to the flesh. Our churches are full of images on their walls and in their literature.  I ask about this once and was told that by creating an image of the biblical heroes in our Sunday school literature we will cause interest in our children.

An example of this kind of error can be found in the images used to depict Samson in church art.  Most of us with gray hair, when we think of Samson, visualize Victure Mature from the 1949 classic “Samson and Delilah”. Those of you who are younger,  probably conjure up an image of a man built like Arnold Schwarzenegger from your Sunday School readers. The bible is silent about Samson’s looks and size because it was God who supplied his power not his biceps.

Think about it. If Samson looked like Arnold in the Terminator, why would the Philistines bribe Delilah to ask him where his power came from????  However if Samson was just your average  joe or even scrawny then their question would make sense.  The flesh thinks power comes from muscles, this is why God made Gideon send all but three hundred warriors home(Judges 7:2), and commanded us not to create worship related images.

Is Obama part of the WOF?

The current stimulus plan being debated in Washington and promoted by the new administration has the same logical flaws that follows the “hundred fold return” con-artists.  Right thinking people for years have ask the question of the WOF pimps, “if your hundred fold return works why don’t you send me a million dollars, then the hundred million you get back will meet your needs?” Huh?

In the same vein of thinking,  if 800 billion new printed dollars will stimulate our economy, why stop there? Why not print 800 trillion and we can all retire wealthy? Huh?  This spend your way to prosperity message makes me wonder if Obama isn’t a WOF’er at heart.

Are you married?

In the Bible when a man has sex with a woman she becomes one of three things.

1. His wife   (example Gen. 24:67)

2. His concubine  (example Judges 19:1)

3. A harlot  (example Gen. 38:15)

In all three cases the man is responsible to provide for her.  Marriage in the bible is consummated by sex,  and has nothing to do with  a certificate from the government or a ceremony performed by a licensed pastor or priest.  When a man sleeps with a woman, without a predetermined arrangement(payment), and simply sends her away afterwards,  he has abandoned his wife or cheated a prostitute.

Read the story of  Amnon and Tamar ( 2  Samuel 13).  In verse 16 Tamar said,  ”This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.”

For years in our culture and the church,  I have heard men and women proudly claim that they have never married,  however I have personally known several of them who have had live-ins and affairs.  Some how we have come to think that because a woman does not charge for sex she is morally superior to someone who does, or that a man who gets his sex for free is better than the one who hires a prostitute.

How many times have you heard someone describe a man and woman living together as, “living in sin”, when in fact their relationship may be more righteous than that of the person who is accusing? I personally knew a couple that were ask to leave a fellowship that I was a part of,  because they had not acquired a government certificate of marriage.

There is a lot of  noise in religious circles about protecting the institution of government marriages,  God forgive us!

Would the last believer at AOG please turn off the lights on their way out !

The general council meeting in August refused to allow a resolution calling for a return to “biblical integrity” to be considered at their meeting. Read the story here.

http://www.cephas-library.com/assembly_of_god/aog_allows.html

In the mean time,  AOG is advertising on several different media sources their “AOG Credit Union” (a full service credit union)  in Springfield Mo. That pesky bible can get in the way of commerce.

Paula White likes fruit?

I just checked out pretty Paula’s website, and see she is still milking the “First Fruits” thing. I read her whole explanation about this supposed “Godly principle” and about three quarters of the way thru she mentioned that Jesus was the end of the temple system. This rather important component of basic Christianity has not sunk into Paula’s one track mind. Does she even claim to be a Christian?  Shouldn’t a ministry be about something other than getting rich,  if it is to qualify for a tax exempt charter?

You are probably more likely to hear Jesus name mentioned at the local gym than you are in any of her teachings. Paula’s ministry is nothing more than Tony Robbins with tax exempt status. All that sin stuff and laying down of the flesh  can get in the way of selling her ”first fruits” heresay. I am asking each of you to send Paula your first tomato or cucumber this spring and await that special blessing. Paula loves fruit and is begging for more.

Check out her site and see if you can find anything about Jesus or the cross or any of the basics of the faith.

http://www.paulawhite.org/

Tithing yourself out of house and home?

With the free-fall of home prices and the rise in unemployment many people are being forced to consult with credit counselors. I ran across a link to an article in USATODAY over at ApostasyWatch! titled “Some Christians keep tithing even as they face foreclosure”. The jest of the piece was how credit counselors are running into people in default, who when ask to list their monthly expenses, are tithing to a church and refuse to quit even if it means losing their homes. This is so wrong on so many levels, I don’t know where to start. Shame on these churches that promote these beliefs. I would advise any credit counselors out there, that when this situation comes up, to suspend the credit counseling until proper bible counseling is completed.

Here’s the article

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-09-23-tithing-housing_N.htm

Crystal Cathedral needs cash!

If you check the website of Crystal Cathedral you will find that one of the reasons, if not the reason, for the forced resignation of Robert II is that donations the last couple of years have been flat while expenses have grown. The church is facing some tough financial times and is attempting to sell some assets to reduce debt. Some people claim that Robert II was forced out because he refused to share the pulpit with other better known fundraisers, while others think it is because he and Robert III had abandoned the “possibility thinking” message for a more biblical theme. The ministry website listed the reason as, ” a dispute over the vision of the church” ( the vision being, turning a profit).  Survival is more important than message.

The younger Schullers may have been edging closer to a more biblical message but neither had admitted the lack of scriptural adherence that the church had stood for. I personally hope the younger Schullers come to an understanding of the Holy Scripture and pursue it with all vigor, however if they do, they can join the rest of us and will find that the true gospel message is very rewarding, but not a money maker.

Praise God!

http://www.crystalcathedral.org/events_news/media/press_releases/press_112908.php

Public Prayer?

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men, Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” ” But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:5-6

I have been following all the chatter about Rick Warren being chosen to give a most public prayer at Obama’s inauguration. Everyone is weighing in about whether he should do so or not,  because of Obama’ position on abortion or gay rights, however no one is discussing the hypocisy of this very unambiguous admonition by Jesus.

This unscriptural and maybe sinful practice is so widely accepted in the public church(I am distinguishing between public and private church , which I won’t address here.) by people who boldly claim the inerrable nature of scripture, and rigorously hold to Holy scripture as the final authority in all matters, yet not a single word can I find on any of the ODM’s about this hypocrisy,  nor have I ever heard this scripture addressed or taken serious in the traditional church. Why is this ignored?

Public Church or Lottery?

Giving money to a public church is  like playing the lottery. They both advertise a chance for future gain. Both claim to contribute to the public good.  Both capitalize on the greed and covetous of man’ s sinful nature.

If you decide to gamble your money with the apostate public church,  instead of playing lotto,  or if you feel the need to “pay for your seat”,  for the entertainment they provide,  I would advise you, since they claim 501c charity status, to heed Jesus words in Matt. 6:3.

“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,”

Anonymous gambling at the public church will reduce the number of contacts from insurance agents, car salesmen, and Realtors, that hang around these gambling joints looking for customers.

Sinking Sand

Every time one of these hurricanes hits the southern United States I am reminded of the seventh chapter of Matthew.

“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”  verse 26,27

This simple wisdom has been around a long time, but we just keep ignoring it.