Why I'm Note Renewing My Subscription to Relevant Magazine

    I got an email in my inbox today asking me to renew my subscription to Relevant magazine. I've had the subscription for nearly 2 years now, and originally only described because graphically, they are a pretty good magazine. However, over those two years, and the years I look back at them since they started, they're not what I want in a Christian magazine. They're nowhere near what I'd want in a Christian magazine that seeks to be...well, relevant.
     In their email, they stated that the goal of Relevant magazine has been to "provide you with a magazine that pushes boundaries, asks questions, spots trends and challenges worldviews—all while helping you pursue God in everyday life." However, for what I want in a magazine that helps me pursue God in everyday life, the magazine is no closer in doing this, than watching Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino.
    In fact, in a recent issue, they reviewed Gran Torino and had a lot to say about it. Okay, not really. The review stated that the movie "embodiment of the Eastwood mythos." As for the character Eastwood played, it states that you won't like him, but as he opens up, you'll respect him. For a magazine that desires to help you draw closer to God, the characteristic of being able to know the truth and tell, as seen from God's point of view would be helpful, but is sadly absent.
    I watched Gran Torino, much to my regret. I remember that I had wanted to see it in the theaters so much, but never got the chance. Then it came out to the local video store, or for me and most of America now, the Redbox, I had to walked by it for weeks before I could rent it. And during all this time I had not read a single review to prepare me for what was in store. Of course if I had read this review, I would have been even more excited than I was.
   This was not the case as I sat down with my wife, pushed the play button, and exposed myself to F-word after F-word, after....well, another F-word followed by a dozen other four-letter words, offensive language, and other words and phrases not socially attractive. In the 119 minutes of the film, we can find around 82 F-words, and over 100 profanities all together.
    Though the story contains many good points about redemption, friendship, etc, etc, the question still remain: Do you want to subject yourself to all of the baggage contained in the film just for a few glimmers of "life lessons" or whatever you want to call it? Sadly many would have no problem with it. That "many" though, should not include a magazine that desires to help you get closer to God. This is especially true in light of what God has said about words: Life and death are in the power of the tongue; But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man; You are snared by the words of your mouth.
    What is the price you pay for subjecting yourself to this, or anything else that is not spiritually healthy. The Bible tells us that "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." If faith comes by hearing God's Word, what comes in hearing other things, such as a tidal wave of profanity?
   My point is not to attack Gran Torino, or Relevant magazine, but a for a publication that says their goal is to help me get closer to God, their recommendation of such a movie does exactly the opposite.
  In the same issue, the cover story was titled, "The Inspired Life of Zooey Deschanel." However, in my reading it, there was not much inspiring about it. In fact, I've found that many of their cover stories, and stories in general talk a lot about spirituality, religion, but not so much about Jesus, Christ, the Holy Spirit, or things that would actually pull you closer to God. The only boundaries that I've seen pushed are the ones that ask the readers to follow their example in a life that may fight injustice around the world or talk about it at least, stand up for the environment, and tell you about "really cool music," but leaves you lack a deep, personal relationship with Christ that is guided by the Holy Spirit, as Jesus intended. 
   The latest issue I have in my hands has a cover story titles, "The Winding Spiritual Road of Jeff Tweedy & Wilco." While the article does look at Jeff Tweedy's "spiritual" life (like we all does not have on), not once does it look at his Christian life. That is  because he doesn't have one. While you can always catch a glimmer of spiritual nuggets from anything, a magazine that desires to get you closer with God uses something that does little of that.
     The Bible focuses on the righteous, the Godly to point out characteristics, traits, and examples of how to live our lives in a Godly, righteous manner that is pleasing to the Lord. However, this is not hoe Relevant does it, as most of their articles tries to "bridge" the gap between the Christian and non-Christian through focusing on culture, Hollywood stars, and those who have had spiritual experiences in life, or stood up for causes that they agree with. However the only thing that can bridge the gap between teh non-Christian and the Christian is Jesus Christ, yet he is absent from most pages on Relevant magazine that do not contain an advertisement.
    The way to get closer to God is not by showcasing those who have "tried" several religions or who have fought for causes you may agree with, or trying to put a new spin on faith, but by the tried and true methods Jesus demonstrated and talked about. Getting closer to God is as easy as studying your Bible-His message to you, His love letters to you, by fellowshipping with Him in prayer, and by praying and being led by the Holy Spirit--a doctrine that has become too taboo even in Christianity today.
   These are the things that need to be spoken on, not a sixteen point plan of how this worked for so and so, but how to listen to the voice of God so He can lead you. I'm not against Relevant, I'm for them so much, but I will not spend the money God has entrusted in me on a publication that goes against what I know to be correct from God's Word.   

Vince McMahon Is An Idiot

    If you don't know who Vince McMahon is, then I don't blame you. He is the head of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). He is credited as being one of the smartest men in the wrestling industry. He took a small territorial company and turned into a world-wide business that has offices in a few different countries. Not too shabby, don't you say? However, In all my years of watching wrestling, which for the last almost ten years it has been off and on, I've noticed that wrestling has gone from wrestling entertainment to entertainment wrestling.
    Though McMahon has taken a company and made it one of the best small businesses in the country (ranked in Forbes' top 200), the product he delivers to people is lacking in....well....creativity. In the past 10-12 years the one thing I've noticed that wrestling has emphasized more vulgarity, sexuality, violence, and de-emphasized wrestling. Now I know you're thinking the violence part is an oxymoron, but instead of focusing on wrestling, they have gone to fighting. And it's not just fighting, but well, theatrical assault and battery.
    Wrestling has come from the sideshows and carnivals to returning to the sideshows on the television set. You have midgets wrestling normal people....wait. No, they're not wrestling. They're just running around trying to be caught like a leprechaun. You have the vixens showing off everything they possibly can without getting pulled from network TV, and then showing a little more on cable TV, and of course showing almost everything on pay-per-view. All this while marketing to kids as well. On Friday nights if you're not going out like normal people, you might sitting in front of TV watching soap operas that happen to mix a little bit of wrestling in with it.
    And all this is to do two things---make money and get ratings, which in turn, makes money. Anything that the simpleton mind can think of, the WWE will throw up on the TV. If it doesn't work (like killing of the boss), we'll just pretend it didn't happen. If people don't tune in to watch it, get rid of it. And that includes your own wrestlers. Who cares if it's not the wrestlers fault. After all, they're just following what the uncreative writers told them to do. And what would they do? Go against the writers and get fired for sure, or do what they say and flip a coin on whether or not they'll be there in a few weeks. Not like a contract means anything. You may have a contract, but that can always be torn up...just not by the wrestlers.    
    Who cares if you've been casts as a Muslim American (even if you're Italian) and told to go out and re-enact a beheading that is quite similar to those terrorists are doing on the next website over. Although, it will not be the writers fault, or the boss' fault, who even though he's a "genius" didn't see the crap about to hit the fan. And when it does, is it the writers fault? The bosses fault? Of course not. They're all geniuses. However, it is the wrestler's fault because he went out and did what he was told to do. And why? He likes to put food on the table.   
     But it's okay if a certain storyline doesn't work. Why? They'll just push a few half naked women out to "strut their stuff." And afterwards, before hand, or during, they can market to your kids and mine so they can watch the great programming on TV...or the half-naked women. Whatever you call it. This is the formula--half-naked women, silly story lines with oddities and other off the wall ideas, flashy and not so flashy wrestlers and other personalities who get on the microphone and talk a lot, oh, and some wrestling.
    I'm not against wrestling. I love wrestling. I loved wrestling. When I was a kid I used to sneak out of bed and watch it. I used to get up Saturday morning and watch WWF Superstars. But what I watched then was wrestling. And it was entertainment. What's on now is entertainment, along the lines of Jerry Springer, and some wrestling. Its ideas that are thrown together that people hope work. It's half-naked women that "creative writers" feel the show can't do without (and apparently are kid friendly). As Zell Miller said about the democratic party, "I didn't leave the democratic party. The democratic party left me." Real wrestling has left me. It's anything except well thought through, creative, imaginative ideas, put together rolled into a ball with wrestlers knowing what they do best and allowed to do it, to form a product that is creative and suitable for what it is being marketed as. It is not people with great ideas being shot down because you don't like that person or because there's some sort of "political motivation" behind it.
    It's not ideas like spending as much time developing and thinking on the "mid-card" segments as you do on the headliners, because God knows you can't have people that are popular on the mid-card. It's not ideas that actually make sense. It's not having to step so far out of reality you think that you have to disconnect from logic and reason to watch and believe.
    However, in a world of bulky "entertainers" and "superstars," not wrestlers; a place where we're asked to disconnect from reality for a little bit, one of the biggest things we're asked to believe is that Vince McMahon is a genius. A man who cannot sell some of the greatest wrestlers in the world to the world without having to throw in some sideshow attractions and some busty brunette busting out of her clothes, is not a genius. A man who does not realize that to make a great product you must concentrate on all the product, not just the most important parts, is not a genius. A man who markets near pornography to kids, who sells sex and violence and labels it "kid friendly" is not a genius. No, he is an idiot, in all sense of the word. And no matter how nice he may be, how many people kiss up to him, or hate him, or love him, or think he's great, or evil. Truth is truth, not mixed with politics or opinions, or the invitation to disconnect from reality. Vince McMahon is an idiot.  
    Note: There are great wrestlers out there. There are great writers out there. Most of them more than likely work for Vince McMahon. However, that still does not changethe fact that Vince McMahon is an idiot.  

The History Channel: Contradiction On Cable

The other day I was sitting around watching Cities of the Underworld on the History Channel, a station that I love and hate. On this episode they are looking at the underworld of Jerusalem. Now when it comes to religion, the History Channel is another one of those channels where you’d be wise to get your information somewhere else.
    The thing that is just so ’head scratching’ (I guess that would be a good word) is that they are looking at the underworld here and talking about archeology and all that kind of stuff. (I won’t note the thousands and thousands of archaeological evidence that they and tons of other people, channels, etc ignore when doing archaeological stuff on Biblical subjects....that’s not what this is about). What is amazing is that in the same conversation, the same talk, that they will question the Bible and it’s accuracy, yet at the same time use it as a reference for what they are discussing. And I don’t mean in the sense that "this is what the Bible says," but in the sense, "we know from the Bible that so and so had so and so."
     There’s even the nice line that Meggiddo and the battle of Armageddon is where "Jesus and Satan duke it out." Just so we all know, that is not what happens in Revelation or at the battle of Armageddon.
     This isn’t the only mistake that the History Channel makes when it comes to religion. On another show I watched just the other day, I do believe it was Battles of the Bible, they talk about the military strategies of Biblical battles. One ’battle’ they talk about is between the Egyptians and the Israelites when they left Egypt. (Just so we all know, there was no such battle. There was the Israelites leaving Egypt, guided by God, and the Egyptians chasing after them). Of course in this whole show not one time do they consider the possibility that God was with the Israelites and that there were supernatural forces working  in the midst of the two peoples.
    This just shows what God Himself has told us, the world does not know Him. In everything, they try to naturalize the works of God in whatever outlandish way possible as long  as they can erase the possibility that God is real and helping a people that are known first throughout the world as a people of God.

Bicycling Idiots & My Right To Hit Them

Just last week in Tulsa, there was a woman that was hit and killed while riding her bicycle. On top of that, the man who hit her drove off. Thankfully the cops found before the night was over. I'm sure she was riding in accordance with the law and mean no disrespect to her or anyone else who has been injured or killed while properly riding their bicycle.
   However, in the past few weeks, I have seen more morons riding bicycles than ever before. This morning on the way to work I had an idiot, yes, an idiot decide that the "do not cross" sign meant everyone except him, as he continued down the sidewalk, and across the road where traffic was driving. That traffic was me-followed by many other larger, heavier vehicles.
   Common sense should tell one that in a battle of a 40lbs  vehicle (give or take) and a 2 ton+ vehicle, you don't want to challenge the 2 ton one if your on the 40 lbs one......and an idiot. But then, common sense is lacking in this breed of humanity.
   I do not understand it here. We have sidewalks all over, yet the bicyclist ride on the road. I do not know of any law prohibiting them from riding on the sidewalk. The other day I had to sit behind one such idiot as they thought they could go as fast as a car. Of course they were never proven wrong in a way they would understand-namely a car going faster than them in the same lane, in the same mass of space.
   I used to ride my bike all the time, especially in college. Of all the rules there were, I knew one very well. I'm a bike, you're a car. You win.  

News & Notes From Around The Web

I heard this morning on the local morning show that Ellen Degeneres is going to be the new judge for American Idol. I really don't care, I don't watch the show. If satan was the host then maybe I would care a little more. But then again, maybe he is. It is American IDOL. I kid. I kid.
However, this does make me wonder: If I was a homosexual, could I get a job as a judge on a top rated TV show. I mean, we all know it has nothing to do with her qualifications. And adding a homosexual does make the show a little more gay-friendly-especially since the contestants wait until the show is over to come out of the closet, thus destroying any hope of pulling in the gay demographic for that season.
Honestly though, look at the qualifications. Ellen has been a stand up comedian, had her own comedy show, come out of the closet, destroyed her own show because 'comedies can not survive on gay alone' (don't even bring up Will & Grace), then went on to have a successful daytime talk show. In none of her experience has she sung, been a music producer, started a band, or managed a singing act. But she hasn't missed an episode of the show since it came on. If that's what it takes to get on a show, I want to take Kutner's place on this season's House MD.
Honestly though, if business executives, store managers, sports team higher-ups, or anyone else in the employment field ever hired someone for a job on the same amount of lack of qualifications as American Idol has for Ellen, that person would find themselves looking for a new job. Why? Because the idiocy of hiring someone with no prior experience for something such as a music critique show, reeks of stupidity. Of course, if the only reason they did hire her was because she is gay, to draw the demographic, think of how well that would go over (if it is true). The homosexuals would be offended, well some, for a TV show just trying to 'buy' their viewership, and the rest of the world would be offended as well, or at least should be. It is illegal to fire someone almost solely on the basis of being a homosexual, but it sure is alright to hire one on it.
Elsewhere around the web Hugh Hefner is getting divorced. Didn't see that coming. Studies have actually shown that men who look at pornography alot find their wives, significant other, less attractive no matter how beautiful they are. But then again, any marriage built on sex, and between a 70 year old and a 20, maybe 30 doesn't really seem to stable to begin with. No telling how many people's lives Mr. Hefner has ruined with divorce, molestation, rape (all which studies have proven pornography can be tied to), but hey, at least we can stick it to him by ruining a few marriages.
That's all the time I have now. Next time-something more interesting....hopefully.

Technorati Tags: current affairs, news, gossip, entertainment, idol, hollywood, playboy, hefner, marriage

What I'm Doing At Work

    I just wanted to take a moment and let everyone know what's going on at my work, because I have a pretty good job. If you didn't know, I work at Randall Grier Ministries (www.randallgrier.org) located in Tulsa, Oklahoma (actually Broken Arrow). My job there is Director of Media and Communication. Most recently we just started a facebook page, (which you can be a fan of by searching for us on facebook).
    I am amazed though at the wide array of resources that we have at RGM, a fine example of what any ministry should have honestly. We have weekly podcasts, free study resources-Bible Studies, archival newsletters, various teachings, In Him Scriptures and other scripture references for prayer. We even have special downloads of full and complete messages, as well as specials on products that regularly change.
   But anyway, enough of plugging the site. However, I believe any good ministry needs to include such things, and even more. But we've just started our Facebook page a few weeks ago and have been using facebook for one reason and oen reason alone: To get the Word of God out to people. I know some people have a facebook page to keep connected with friends, family, etc, but we have one for the sole purpose of reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we do all that other stuff, great. But that's not why we're on facebook. We're not there to make money, yet we advertise our specials. We advertise our 'Escape From Hell' book for $5, shipping included, which usually sells for $8, plus shipping. Is it to sell that product? No. It's to get the Word of God out.
     Sometimes ministries forget that's why they're here. Many Christians forget that's why we're here. It's to get the Word of God out. Everything else is secondary. If we could remember that, thinsg would be a lot better. Now I know it takes money to get the Word out, but if we're following God and doing what He has directed us to do, the money will be no problem. 

Remembering The Dead

    Today is the memorial for Michael Jackson. Today many will remember him for all the "good" he's done in the world. By "good" I mean all the times of entertaining he's done. Fans will remember him as a great man, yet not really have known him past the records or CDs they've listened to, the music videos they've watched, or the concerts they've attended. They won't really have known him, just a small piece of joy, happiness, or uplifting, or a good time he's given him.
    At his service, the minister or whoever oversees it will say a few nice things about him. Hopefully they won't, as they say, "preach him into Heaven." But like most memorial services around the world, they'll try in some form or fashion. And like all of his fans around the world, they'll remember the good things he's done, while overlooking with blind joy the bad things. People will forget the allegations of child molestation, the fact that he paid off a little boy to be quiet, or the fact that he thought it was okay to sleep with little boys. People will forget this, mostly not to "tarnish the memory" of the king of pop.
    But the fact will remain, they will ignore the bad, focus on the good, and give fans, friends, family, a biased look at his life. They will ignore it all, as if it didn't happen, and celebrate him as if he was the greatest person in the world. They will ignore that he destroyed lives. He will be "preached into Heaven." But sadly, if his final moments were lived like the rest of his life, the preaching will be the closest he will get. The whole world will ignore the truth: that he caused pain, and that his eternal home is not in the wonderful place they think it is.
    He could be there now however, but if his last few moments were like the rest of his life, doubtful. But the world will not know that, because it prefers a biased, tarnished perspective that is filled with half-truths that are more appealing to their eyes, their ears, their flesh and desires, than the truth that might make them think, and act a little differently than they want to. Than their flesh wants to. And this is life.    

Patience Is No Longer A Virtue

I was driving to work this morning, listening to the radio, and on radio station there played this commercial with the tag: "Don't Wait For Tomorrow With Today Lending." I've been taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University, and if you know anything about Dave Ramsey, you know he is the arch-nemesis of debt and borrowing. So, partially my mind was already in this state or frame to focus in one things like this. At the same time, it's also just how I am. But this commercial, this business, is basically saying, "Why wait and save to get something? Have it now."
     Gone are the days when people took pride in what they had because of the sacrifice they put into getting it, not the sacrifice they put into paying it off. We don't realize that in America anymore. And that's truth as Dave Ramsey shows you when you take his classes. Not in the facts and figures of today, but looking at the history of our fathers, our grandfathers, and our great grandfathers--they would sacrifice not to borrow, to pay in full, in cash before they got whatever it is they wanted.   
     The same is true in the church world, our whole society. We are a microwave, we want it now, society. We can't be patient and wait on something.But that's how God is. Look up how much the Bible talks about "waiting on the Lord." In our culture today patience is no longer a virtue, it's an inconvenience. But it's still a virtue with God, it's still a good charter trait with Him, one that all of us need to learn--not just so we can move ourselves a way from the billion dollars of debt we Americans have (put on by ourselves, not the government), but also so we can put ourselves in a position to receive from God and fulfill our purpose in this life. 

The Church Today.....or yesterday actually.

       I went to a different church this past Sunday, not my usual. Actually, it was the church I used to go to, then God told me I needed to go somewhere else. As I went back to visit, I could see why the Lord moved me from that church. I'm not saying anything against this church, just that it's not where God wanted me to be. But I could see why. A wise man once told me there are two kinds of churches--1.) informational churches, and 2.) revelational churches. And you want to go to the revelational churches.
    But this past weekend I didn't. I went to an informational church. As I sat in service, with their guest speaker, apparently someone they approve of, otherwise he would not be given the ear of the entire congregation, I began to wonder if this man, who had good things to say, was even a Christian. Now why do I say that?
    He took the podium around 11:30 and not until 12:00, 12:05 did he quote his single scripture.  And that scripture was expounded on for less than seven minutes, to which he went back to talking on something else, and then closed. In this service though, the majority of what was talked about was what you'd expect at a motivational seminar or something of that sorts. He gave all sorts of statistics and psychological findings and opinions, but not until half an hour into his message did he even bring up the scriptures.
   This is what is wrong with the church today. We are too busy quoting so and so and spouting off statistics and what this and that has found instead of saying what the Word of God has to say on an issue. God is not against finding and statistics as long as the align up with the truth. But He is against those things taking precedence over the Word of God, which it did in this case. The only way that the church is going to get to where it needs to be, where God wants it to be, where we must be for the last day harvest of souls, is to put the Word of God first, to put obedience to the Holy Spirit first, and to put God first--not just in our church services, but in our everyday life.
    Now I'm sure the church I attended does not do this every week. I know they didn't when I went there every week. But it was one more opportunity that slipped through the fingers of the church to speak into the lives of those who came--some who might not come back again. And it's not statictics and psychological finds that get people saved and sets them free--it's the Word of God. 

Stupid Things Christians Say

Recently there was a discussion involving whether or not tattooing is a good thing or a bad thing, i.e. whether it is smiled upon or frowned upon by God. Now honestly, I think it’s not something God likes, but at the same time, you’re not going to Hell for it. God bless you if you get one, God bless you if you don’t get one.

However, there are more important issues in the body of Christ than tattooing. Although I do think tattooing falls into a category that is very important in the body of Christ, not tattooing, but the category.

During this “discussion of intellectuals” I saw many things brought out that were really frightening to me. This discussion was held among mostly Bible college students. The things said were from people that were learning to be ministers of the Gospels. I do think though that there were some in this discussion that were not Bible students, and as I looked back over what was said, I could see that. I could also see that these students were honest and sincere, yet either ignorant or stupid, whether by choice or not. Of course this was not all of them, but some. I didn’t want that to be a blanket statement because it’s not intended to be.

But as this discussion went on I noticed things popping out that just blew my mind(One of the things I covered in a previous blog, but I will cover it more so in this one). These things I wanted to cover in this blog and try to show you the error of what was said. Is this to show that the people that disagreed with me were stupid? No. Not at all. However, that might come out.

A lot of what was said was used to argue one person’s point or another. The problem that appeared is that the way the people argued was not logical, not reasonable, and not truthful. More so, where discussing and debating on the Bible, God, and truth, there are certain things that must be taken into account that are not required in other discussions/debates/etc. Here I want to chronicle some of them.

Of course I won’t be using anyone’s name if you wondered. Please remember that these statements were made online and thus can be short, non-formatted, and without proper grammar. Also remember that the issue being discussed is whether or not tattoos and tattooing is a sin or smiled upon or not by God.

The first one I want to mention is this one:

• I'm sorry for you . I'm sorry ur umcomfortable with an outward expression of someone individuality. Quoting the bible "for I bear the markings of Jesus Christ" well my markings or "ink" are another way for me to be able to reach someone for the kingdom

Two things on this one. First, don’t tell someone to their face (or online in a discussion) that “you’re sorry for them.” Another issue brought up later is whether or not someone was being judgmental. This short line is a smack in the face to whoever is on the other side. Nothing says, “I’m right. You’re wrong.” more than “I feel sorry for you.” Well, unless it’s “I’m right. You’re wrong.” That in itself will harden a person’s heart, mind, and ability to receive anything from the speaker.

The second thing is the use, or should I say misuse of scripture. When you quote scripture, make sure it is needed and in context. For Christians, a discussion with a atheist needs almost no scripture to begin with. Why? Because it’s something that they have totally abandoned as insignificant and full of lies. But when it comes to the point when you use it, make sure it is in context and relevant to the situation. I can’t quote you John 3:16 during a discussion of whether God thinks music in church is okay. It just doesn’t fit. In like manner, comparing the marking of Jesus—whip lashes, nail punctures—from someone who hated him and wanted him to die, to some ink that you willingly sat down and paid a lot of money to put on you, is not in context of the situation and is a terrible comparison. Though Jesus’ willingly allowed those who hated him to beat him, it still doesn’t fit.

• I believe if you have a Godly motive that's the important thing.

On the first glance this sounds good, like many things. However it’s not. Another word for motive is intentions. There’s a saying that goes that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Of course this here is God intentions, not good intentions. What’s the difference? A second ‘o.’ Don’t get me wrong. Godly motives are great, desirable, needed, and the Bible speaks good things of them. However, if you have good intentions (even God intentions) and still do a bad thing, especially after you have been told it’s bad (even if you don’t agree with it or have taken the time to think/pray on it), is it still okay? If I had the intention of glorifying God by killing some world leader who I thought was evil, say Kim Jung Ill (or however you pronounce it), would that be okay because my intention was good and motivated by my Godly desire to glorify God? Of course not. However, it might help just a little that glorifying God was my motive, but not much.

• If this is an interesting issue think of the Law of First Use and then go check on the origins of tattooing.

This one is interesting. In case you don’t know, The Law of First Use is something taught in Bible Interpretation. It states that if you want to know the meaning or use of something (such as a Hebrew word) go back to how it was first use (or it’s origin) and look at it there. This not only points the discussion (that is dealing with the Biblical and Godly applauding or booing of tattooing) back to the Bible, it also asks people to seek out more information for themselves. Good and bad things here. The good thing is that one issues of Biblical discussion you involve the Bible and Biblical principles (scripture would later be used in the discussion). This also asks people to seek more information themselves, the only problem—people are lazy bums. I don’t know how many times I have asked people to just look at the facts, and they can’t even do that because the facts are located at the library and not in their hands.

If people have to do things themselves, there is a likelihood that they won’t. Adolf Hitler once said, “What luck for rulers that men don’t think.” People are often too lazy to investigate what they believe, even Christians. How sad it will be on judgment day for many people when they realize that if they would have just spent a few hours reading one book of facts about Christianity that it would have changed their whole eternity. Greek historian Thucydides wrote “So little trouble do men take in their search after truth; so readily do they accept whatever comes first to hand.” Humans, Christian or non, tend to accept what is more pleasing to the flesh that what is truth. It is natural. The issue that we have to deal with is realize we are not natural, we are spiritual. We are a spirit, have a soul, and live in a natural body. Too many people won’t search out and investigate truth, and so many will get what Thomas Hobbes once said, “Hell is truth seen too late.”

• But does it really matter if just one tattoo on someone body gets just one person saved is it not worth it?

The reasoning on this one is just bad. If I kill you now, and some one comes to Christ because I murdered you, does that I mean I actually did a good deed? Does that make me a saint? No. God can use anything to bring a person to Christ, even sin. But the reasoning is flawed, and it's not Biblical. If you want to argument an issue over whether it is good for a Christian to do something or not, you have to use the Bible. The Law of First Use is Biblical, saying it gets someone saved is not. Paul became all things to all people to win them to the Lord, but that doesn't mean he became a pedophile to win pedophiles to Christ.

• Lev 19:28 - You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead nor print or tattoo any marks upon you; I am the Lord. (Amplified)

This was brought up as the scriptural point in the discussion. However it was then brought up that it was Old Testament and was under the Law and we are now under the New Covenant and under grace. This was the argument. However, it again fails to prove their point. We must understand that thought the Covenant changes, some things do not. For one, God never changes. Things like murder, homosexuality, lying, etc do not over night go from an abomination unto God to alrighty good to go. People have used this same argument with tithing. However tithing was introduced around 500 years before the Old Covenant was made by God. We must understand certain things don’t change. Grace may be grace, but sin is sin.

• When I see that scripture I interput it as no r.i.p. Tatts.

So no R.I.P. tatts, but Mickey Mouse is okay? Those three words are damned above all others. This one is just one you have to think one. Don’t be stupid in your arguments.

• i have never once felt convicted about my tatts so i guess to each his own.. i use my tatts to be a witness to other ppl and to get them to ask questions them so that i can possibly use those to win them to the lord.

The argument of “I have never once felt convicted” falls flatter than a pancake. There are many honest, sincere Christians who don’t believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and never once have they felt convicted. While these people are sincere, they just plain wrong according to the Bible, not a denomination. Some times conviction doesn’t come from the heart, it comes from the head (guilt, might be a better word for it then) and thus, we have to actually think or meditate on it, and a lot of us don’t do that. As for the other part, a t-shirt can’t do the same, without being in the debatable proper/improper question of a tattoo (or anything)?

• Yes there are a lot of ways to lead the next generation astray, I personally know of two youth pastors in my hometown, one is teaching that there is nothing wrong with consuming alcohol, the other is dating a 17 year old girl from his youth group, and he is 32. Now if you ask me, a tattoo seems a little meek compared to either one of those situations…

This statement here, if you can read into it, is the same argument many non-saved people use as their excuse to be going to Heaven when they died. I’m a good person. Define good. God is the one who defines good, and we define good by other’s evils. We may have cheated and lied, but we haven’t murdered anyone or raped anyone. In like manner, I may have this thing, but I don’t tell kids to get drunk or date 17 year olds. If you try to say something is okay by comparing it to something bad, you will fail. Something is good because it is good, not because it is better than something worse.


• Who are we to judge someone motives or heart?

This statement, along with many other saying how Christians shouldn’t judge, popped up numerous times. Many times you could hear something revolving around “judge not, lest ye be judged.” This was a big one for me, because the Bible has some seemingly conflicting things to say on it. It’s not conflicting, it just seems like it sometimes. First, let me say that the Bible says repeatedly that we are not to judge the motives of the heart. God is the judge. With that said, look at some other points with me.

* 1 Corinthians 2:15, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” Of course this used in an argument is likely to receive a “you’re full of pride” rebuke. As well, this scripture by itself doesn’t say much.

* 2 Timothy 4:14-16, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.” This is Paul writing. Here Paul forgives this Alexander but he also keeps a not of what the man did to him so as he is not fooled again. In such a way, Paul judged this man as not being trustworthy.

* In one Bible translation 1 Corinthians 5:9 has as it’s heading Immorality Must Be Judged. Paul goes on to talk about casting those who are immoral out of the congregation of Believers.
* In 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 Paul says to judge those in the church, and expel the wicked man from among you.

* In 1 Corinthians 10:15 Paul tells believers to judge what he says. And in 11:31 he tells us to judge ourselves and we won’t be judged.

* In Hebrews 11:11, the Bible says that Sarah even judged God Himself.

Why do I share all of these? I do it so you can see that judging isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, if we change the words around that mean the same, we’d see that we judge all the time. When we put our trust, hope, and faith in God, we judge Him worthy or such a thing. I like manner, when we don’t do that we judge Him as unworthy for such a thing.

At one point in history John 3:16 was the most famous scripture. People around the world knew it. Things have changed. Now Matthew 7:1 is the most famous. What does it say? “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Judging others has become taboo in today’s culture. Yet are Christians not judging when they say homosexuals are sinning (besides being ‘intolerant’ that is)? I want us to read some more of this scripture to understand something.

Matthew 7:1-5 states, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the splinter that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the splinter out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.”

Again, too many people think we are not to judge, just like they think we are to be humble in the same manner as the world. Picking this scripture apart we can see some things. First, the criteria that you judge someone by will be the same you are judged by. The scripture tells us not to judge because all too often we like to judge others by standards we don’t like to place upon ourselves. The next part is to see that this scripture is talking a lot about hypocrisy. However, notice the last line-“ first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.” The Word here is telling us to get ourselves straight that we can help others get themselves straight. That is what people in leadership—ministers, do. Pastors and ministers are called to equip the saints. One way of doing so is calling sin sin and not glazing it over with sweet words. The intent is not to harm, but to help so the person can go on with God and be all He has called them to be and help others.

This is the last one (I know this has been a long one). This one too was stated over and over so I just put them together so you can get the full meaning.

• well this generation is a "live out loud" bunch group. i rather put what i believe on my body where it strikes a question…I dont think tat(ink) is OMG sooo evil and it shuldnt be so related with the WORD u knw its like a fashion statement in this Generation.. Thats dat individual....The negative stereotype of people with tattoos has changed; tattoos have become an exceptable form of self-expression for this generation.

Every one of these comments goes back to one thing—this generation. They are seeking approval, acceptance, and point to this generation for the person to justify them instead of God. You can tell these are young people, can’t you? Again, on issues such as this, Biblical questioning, the answer, the justification is not a generation, it is God. It might have become acceptable to this generation, but we aren't supposed to to decide things by this generation. This generation will not judge you when you draw your last breath. God will.

• if we can dress our church up to follow the trends of the world and christian music evolves as the worlds music evolves what wrong with us/the church change also…

Sadly, too many think this is how things should go, that we should try reaching the world by being like it in appearance and other areas. The problem is that we are not the world. God is not Satan. As one anointed teacher said, “If you look like the devil, and smell like the devil, and act like the devil. You is the devil.” But I don’t act like the devil. Well you got two out of three. Something’s wrong there. That same teacher said, “ I looked for the church and found it in the world. I looked for the world and to my dismay, I found it in the church.” At this many people get offended. They won’t take an honest look at things because they’ve become so emotionally attached, offended, or given into their flesh. Jesus Christ was relevant to the world and looked nothing like the world. In fact, as it has been said, the church has been most effective on the world when it has looked least like the world.

I’m sorry. But if you have miracle healings and the glory of God, fire falling from Heaven—you don’t need tattoos (not knocking them here), Christian “rock” music (not knocking it), or people dressed just like the world or anything else that comes close to resembling the world. And you don’t get the fullness of the glory of God by looking like the world. Look at Azusa Street. No one there looked like the world. They were too busy engulfed by the glory of God to try those things.

Some times in discussions like the ones I was in, people get so emotionally attached, so offended, their heart gets hardened or they get so convicted that nothing you can say can touch them because they are so focused on defending themselves and attacking you. It is at this point that you loose the purpose of the discussion, which is hopefully to show love to the other person (among other things depending on the topic).

Winston Churchill said that the most valuable thing in the world is truth. So valuable is it, that it has often been barricaded by a bodyguard of lies. And while many seek after truth, so do many give up when they see the bodyguard, mistaking it for the truth, not imagining that something greater, something better could be behind the larger than life bodyguard that stands between the seeker and the truth. It is the honest investigator that makes the best one. Many atheists who have taken an honest approach to Christianity have found the truth—J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, just to name a few.

I’ll leave with a comment one person stated. I hope this has helped, and has not seemed to much like an attack on the issue discussed, but more a help in discussing issues that can mean a person’s eternity.

If we want the greater glory, we have to walk in greater reverence. Dad Hagin was not one to call names, but I heard him in more than one large meeting state that we do not have to look, dress, smell or act like the world to reach the world. Love also instructs and does it's best to bring guidance and correction. We don't take the word of God and conform it to us, regardless of our generation. The word is the rock that we break on and let God mold us to. The things I used to do apart of salvation, I don't want to do. My "want to" changed, and as I continue on, it is still open to God for correction. Love opens doors to hearts, it will cross any line, any race, any age. If you that think getting a tatoo will reach people, any of us could be around those same people and see God's love pierce their heart. Bottom line is, there is a price to pay for the greater glory; coming out from the world's influences is one of the biggest ways to pay that price…. We don't have to preach about such things if our lifestyle leads in it. God cannot fully get the church in the world until he can fully get the world out of the church. While it is a process, hearts must be yielded to him for that process to work, we are to lay things down and put things off.

God bless.

Krist

The Purpose of Discussion

The other day I had the utter pleasure of joining in on a ‘discussion’ on a certain topic. Of course I’m being sarcastic. Utter pleasure is definitely not the word I would choose unless I wanted to be sarcastic.

Halfway through this exchange of ideas it came to me, “What is the purpose of all of this”? Why am I involving so much of my time, of my energy, and of myself? A few weeks ago God brought this to my attention when it came to designing graphics. What is the purpose of doing this design, besides just doing it? It hit me that there was no purpose except for fun, and just to do it. In light of everything else I could be doing and should be doing, this repetitive activity passed into the shadows of my desire.

In like manner, the purpose of this conversation suddenly dropped to the bottom of my list of priorities. Why? There was nothing at stake in this conversation because all that were involved were too emotionally invested, too blind to truth, and too hard-hearted to see anything beyond their own preference, own option, and own desires.

This discussion was based on whether or not a certain activity was smiled or frowned upon by God. And sad to say, the conversation looked more like a discussion between enemies than family, as I’m sure all who were involved were. This all made me think, what is the purpose of a discussion.

As Christians, discussion, the exchange of ideas, can ultimately be one of the greatest ways to allow someone to see the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course living your life like you should would be right up there with it, if not more so. So in a discussion, what does the purpose become.

In the one like I participated in, it was became (it was not originally intended however) to show which point-of-view was the right one of a certain issue. When that purpose has been lost of it becomes clear the purpose can no longer be achieved, there is no point in the discussion, and thus you are wasting your time.

Years ago my pastor was living as a missionary overseas and one day two Jehovah Witnesses came to his door to proselytize. They asked to speak to him about their faith. My pastor ablidged because he realized something. If you give someone time to speak their mind and their side of an issue, proper etiquette demands that that person give you time to speak your side. He did and they did. The time was late and the discussion was getting nowhere, mostly because they two gentlemen that came to his door were young and stubborn. They asked if they could come back and bring their superior. My pastor agreed.

When they returned the discussion continued with my pastor as he blasted ever point, comment, opinion, and witness manual-fed argument full of wholes. Yet no matter how factual, how reasonable, or how honest he could be with these three gentlemen, they would not relent on the thought that they were right. Finally, frustrated and tired of hearing the same thing over and over, he decided to ask them to leave. “We’re getting nowhere,” he told them.

And they left. Even though facts and truth stared them straight in the face, they held strong to their opinions no matter how much they didn’t agree with logic, reason, fact, or truth. Sadly, this happens more often than not, especially in discussions of truth. And that is when we have to realize that the purpose of the discussion has been lost, and we must abandon the time-absorbing activity in exchange for something else. Of course if it is a discussion of truth, the “something else” to replace our time waster would be prayer. At least that would be the best option.

Too often though, conversations on the Bible, religion, the truth, are taken up by people that lack the ability to ponder “Maybe I Could Be Wrong”—Christians included. Whether it’s on the validity of the Bible, the existence of a God, or whether a certain thing is acceptable by God. Too many times do people come into a discussion with their minds already made up, and thus, the discussion was over before it began, and you have just wasted your time, your energy, your words, your life. All that wasted on something that wasn’t even up for discussion in the first place, even if someone said it was.

So I ask us, as people, as Christians, open yourselves up to the possibility that you might just be wrong. On an issue like the existence of God, just opening up to the thought of God not being there will do nothing more than strengthen your belief and reliance on Him (if He’s there). For issues like the one I was involved with, the thought that you could be wrong could open you up many things. It could open you up to a deeper relationship with God, a reverence for a Holy God, the freedom in Christ, the forgiveness of a holy God. It could open you up to the truth. And it is the truth that will make you free.

The New Ipod Shuffle: Keep Your Old One

I had to grab a link from apple earlier for a website I was working on and notices that Apple has come out with a new iPod shuffle, which I had no clue about. Now don't jump me if it's been out a week, I had no clue. I love apple, I loved my iPod when it worked. Still love it, I'd just love it more if it worked.
But I saw that they had the video guided tour so I decided to take a look at the new iPod Shuffle and after seeing it, I have to say-stick with your old one. The only really good improvement I saw was the increased storage space. That's great. Other than that, it's a glorified piece of junk that made to take your money.
How so? How can someone who loves Apple so much, and if you know me you know I do, say something like that. Well, quite simple, I'm an honest guy. I watched the tour and here's the issues I've found.
The controls for the iPod have been moved from the iPod itself to the new headphones. This is great except for one thing, I've never liked the headphones that have come with an mp3 player, especially iPods. The people that I talk to don't like them either. Some do, don't get me wrong, but a lot of people I know, just don't like them. It's the whole earbud thing.
You may not have this problem, but the people I talk to do-every time you put the buds in, it's only a mater of time before they fall out. That is, unless you push them so far into your ear that they begin to assimilate into your skull. But that's only the beginning.
Besides that, Apple has now decided that the new iPod shuffle shall not just be the metal (or plastic) piece of technology that you clip on your pocket, but it shall be the headphones you try to keep in your ear. The controls for the new iPod are not on the actual iPod as they have been, but they are all on the headphones. You could previously get headphones that had controls on them(and not just for the iPod), but they were not self contained in the headphones. You always had something on the actual iPod. This has changed.
So what does this mean? It means that when a wire shorts out on your headphones that you didn't just loose your headphones, you just lost your iPod. And now you get to go fork over thirty bucks at the Apple store just to get to hear your music. You can imagine while all the smart guys were sitting around the table in Silicon Valley trying to come up with the next best iPod, the thought had to cross their minds-how can we make even more money? And course the idea of putting the controls on the headphones seemed like a winner. Of course they don't market it that way, they market it as a cool, new thing.
That's the big thing that gets me, because I've always had to go back and buy accessories for my Apple stuff, not the actual product but necessary accessories-like headphones, or power adapters, or even the cable that goes from the iPod to the computer, which died long before my iPod did the first time.
The other things are small really. Small, just like the size. I know America has an issue with small things when it comes to technology, but it just seems some things are unnecessary. The new iPod shuffle is about the size of your pinkie. Which of course means-a lot easier to lose. Fitting technology into smaller areas is great, but what do you lose by doing it? Maybe the technology itself. First try in the couch cushions.
What else is there? Apparently when skipping through songs, if you pass one you wanted, you have to go all the way through your list to get back to it. However this could just a small over sight the video didn't cover, but if not, just another reason to pass on Apple's newest iPod gift to the world.
Finally, this iPod shuffle is being billed as the first mp3 player that talks to you. That would be great except for the fact that it still sounds like a computer. This would be different if Apple had done something new with voice technology that made the robotic voice in your years sound more....human. But they haven't. So you still get to hear a robot tell you what you're listening to. However, I guess this is better than not knowing what you're listening to at all, except it is your music, you should know.
But even without the last things mentioned, the added bonus of having to buy new, crappy headphones (in my opinion) if and when they break just seals the deal on keeping my old mp3 player. Apple's marketing team might be good and highlighting the positive points of the new shuffle, but hopefully the teenagers and the other consumers out there with the cash will see that the new iPod shuffle will is nothing more than a glorified step down from previous generations.

Torn From The Headlines

To understand what this is about, check out this link here. It's a news story that was on yahoo news earlier this morning, maybe still up there depending on when you read it, but doubtful because yahoo changes its news stories so much (except that one on Bill O'Reilly I talked about last time). What has happened in this news story in case you don't want to watch it, or if they pull it before you can?
It is a news story out of California of a woman whose husband passed away in the past year or so (I believe that is when it was, just recently). And since his passing she has gotten a facebook account. Of course she's upset because in the relationship status identifier, it doesn't have anything for widow. Of course it has something for single, which technically is what she is. In traditional weddings, which I don't know if she had, it states you are married until death do you part. So this woman has started a campaign and even joined a group to get facebook to change that status and add an option for widow.
Now why do I bring this up besides the fact that this woman seems like a complete idiot to me? Okay, maybe not an idiot, but a fool no doubt. But why? Because this woman has taken something that is meant to be fun, a helpful tool, a communication device, and let it define her. Does it matter that 5 million people that DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU know that you're a widow? No it doesn't. And if it does matter to her that much, she has more problems than facebook not having widow on their options.
How does this relation to you however? We, as humans, and more so, as Christians, do the same thing all the time. When the time is drawing closer and closer of Christ's return, time is running out to reach the lost, we fill our time with stupid, needless, time-devouring things that have no meaning or baring on the earth. We play video games all day long for the entire weekend, we get rolled up in dating this girl or that girl or this boy or that boy, we fill our times with TV, books, and all sorts of stuff that makes no difference one way or another in light of eternity.
Now are these things wrong? No, not necessarily. But like most other things, they have their place. They have their time limits and they have their prioritized level of importance that many of us remove from their spot and put higher up on the 'food chain' if you will, in exchange for moving God, prayer, and studying the Word down a few notches.
Now when I first saw this story on this woman, I thought, "what a complete moron." But sitting back and reviewing it, I see many of us are the same way and my first reaction, like most, was the wrong reaction. Was it true? Yeah, she's stupid for allowing something so dumb to take so much of her time, but we're stupid for allowing the same thing, whether it be facebook or something else.
I'm Krist Adams, and now you know the rest of the story.

Torn From The Headlines

I was on yahoo earlier today, and actually this has been up there all day, there was an article with the Headline that read something like, "The one actor Bill O'Reilly Won't Watch." I thought it was odd that the newsday was so slow that Bill O'Reilly was on yahoo news, yahoo's homepage all day long.
The main thing though is that the article is a pretty descent sized interview with Mr. O'Reilly and of that entire interview, only about 3-4 lines are given to the actor he won't watch. It's Sean Penn by the way, understandable. But of all the things that were said, the sensationable, not the newsworthy was placed as the header for all to see.
In case you didn't know it, the news media isn't out to sell you news. It's out to sell you papers, advertisements, time, thousands of other things, and don't forget, a point-of-view. The last thing on the list is the actual news. Remember that when the anchor man comes on to tell you about what great things President Obama has done today, or what this politician has to say, or what is hot in Hollywood.
The truth is something that is far from the newsroom nowadays, no matter what your point-of-view may be, right or left. It seems that in the mass majority of mass media, our only hope is either how close to the truth we can get, or which viewpoint we prefer.
Hitler once said, "what luck for rulers that men don't think." God bless. And don't be an automaton.

Your Faith, Your Confession

Faith and Confession

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
(Mark 11:22-24)

I was praying earlier and God just directed me to some scriptures on faith and confession. I graduated from RHEMA Bible Training Center-a school ordained by God and spoken into existence through the faith-filled words of Kenneth E Hagin. The ministry of Kenneth E Hagin and RHEMA was built upon the scriptures above. Those were the words given by God to Brother Hagin when he was laying on his death bed. And those were the words that raised him up from that death bed so he could fulfill all that God had called him to do.
Those words-believe that which you speak, that which you pray, believe you receive them as you speak, and they will be yours--should be the foundation of any Christians life. God has told us that we are to walk by faith and not by site. He wasn't just saying that to put a few more words in a book. Those are to be foundational principles to live ones life as a Christian.
We are to walk by faith. And faith speaks. The confession of faith is prominent in the Bible, though most of which the church world hears is about the confession of sins.
If we are to live our lives as God intended, to live victorious in this life as we make our way to the next, we must follow God's principles for it.
1.) Get in the Word of God and find out what He has promised. Built your faith on those scriptures.
2.) Continually confess those promises over your life-day and night. (Joshua 1:8)
3.) Believe you receive whatever you need when you pray the first time. All other times you speak out the situation, either confess the Word over it or give thanks to God that it is already done.
4.) Continually strengthen your faith with the Word on the situation and watch God deliver you.

-Krist