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#joker out#bojan cvjetićanin#kris guštin#jan peteh#nace jordan#jure maček#jo:g#mine#im so tired of editing the shitty light deleting the flashes etc all for a lil moving images on my blog on tumblr dot com#what am i doing with my life jesus christ we r truly at the bottom rn#maks is everyone's lil brother aw
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Sunday sermon
Sunday sermon
[Post below]
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[TODAY’S POST BEGINS HERE]
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Sunday sermon videos-
https://youtu.be/CEznhZchZDM
https://www.facebook.com/john.chiarello.5/videos/10204979692130228/
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhDhxIxWdzx-wW5mv
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1fesn8zmu3nly9k/11-4-18%20sunday%20sermon.mp4?dl=0
ON VIDEO [ This Sunday I spoke on the verses from the Mass as well as a few verses from Rock City Church]
.The commandments SHALL be in you
.Moses and Joshua also said the people would not keep them
.Why? Even though they were given the law- yet- until the time of Christ and the New Covenant- the law would only reveal their sin
.Jesus quotes Moses- and ‘adds’ to it- the great commandment- Love God- and man
.The 4 questions in Mark 12
.Of course- Jesus wins the debate- every time
.Overview of Paul in Acts
.How does Psalm 110 fit in today's reading?
.After Jesus silences the critics- the common people loved it- why?
.Jesus ‘broke’ the religious customs of his day- and showed the true nature of the kingdom
.Some church history-
.Luther and John Hus- how did Luther fulfil the prophecy of the swan? http://lutheranpress.com/the-swan/
.The Medici Popes and the Renaissance
.Erasmus- Zwingli- Calvin
Isaiah 31:4
For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
TEACHING [Past posts below]
This day I went to rock city church and taught on some of the verses from the Mass-
There was 1 verse that a girl talked about in her testimony at Rock city Church and I decided to use that verse for this teaching as well-
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
From the Mass we read-
Deuteronomy 6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
Deuteronomy 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deuteronomy 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
I focused on verse 6.
It is interesting when you read the Old Testament- there were many times where the people of God were told to keep the law-
Yet we also read that they could never really keep it?
These prophecies are all contained in the law itself.
We also read of promises God made to his people that there would be a day when the law would be written on their hearts-
English Standard Version For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jer. 31:33
Because of the work of Christ- his death and resurrection- the Spirit would come to all believers- and the work of the law- the actual character of God [of which the law was simply a glimpse] would then indeed be written upon our hearts.
Peter declares that we are partakers of God’s Divine nature-
2 Peter 1:4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
I tried to teach this a Little more on the video- but this is truly the message of the Cross- the whole study of Hebrews I have been doing these last few weeks.
The reading from Hebrews for this day [ Hebrews 7:23-28] fits the theme we have been focusing on the last few weeks as well-
I’ll simply add my past commentary on that chapter below.
I also Taught from Mark chapter 12- and hit on the 4 questions that were asked- starting in verse 14 through out the end of the chapter..
Jesus himself asks the last question [of the 4 I taught] and it is in the answer to this question that all else hinges upon-
Mark 12:35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?
Mark 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Mark 12:37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
Matthew’s gospel puts it this way-
42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. Matt, 22
Who is the Christ? How can he be the son of David- and David himself call him lord?
Of course we know the answer today- but for people in the first century- this was indeed a hard question to answer.
I’ll also add my past teaching below on Mark 12-
The conclusion is if we know Christ- the Son of the Living God- then the word- law of God is written upon our hearts.
The prophecies of Ezekiel and Jeremiah have now come true- we have been born of God- born from above-
And what the law could not do- Christ has done for us-
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8
Psalm 110:2
The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
PAST POSTS [These are links and parts of my past teachings that relate in some way to today’s post- Verses below]
https://ccoutreach87.com/protestant-reformation-luther/
https://ccoutreach87.com/mark-links/
https://ccoutreach87.com/hebrews-updated-2015/
https://ccoutreach87.com/christian-recovery-from-addiction-long-version/
https://ccoutreach87.com/acts-links/
https://ccoutreach87.com/john-complete-links-added/
MARK 12 Mark 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. Mark 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? Mark 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. https://youtu.be/VJBAPuroAUY Mark 12 https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/7-6-17-mark-12.zip https://ccoutreach87.com/7-6-17-mark-12/ ON VIDEO- .Sandia .Storehouse wisdom .Kingdom to the gentiles [church] .Vineyard- wisdom- tower .Song of the vineyard .Apostles .Leadership .7 dead brothers .Married in heaven? .We are the bride- he is the groom .Burning bush- I AM .Great commandment .Beware of the religious leaders .Jesus has a question too .The common people liked it
NEW- Jesus teaches the parable of the vineyard [or tenants]- it comes from the song of Isaiah chapter 5. The parable speaks about the Jewish people- and their rejection of Jesus as the promised Messiah.
A landowner plants a vineyard- puts a hedge around it- places a wine-press in it- and sets up a tower. He then leases it out to tenants.
The Lord of the vineyard leaves- and over time he sends his men back to collect the fruit. The people who have leased the land refuse to give the fruit.
They beat and stone those who are sent. And finally the landowner sends his son- and they kill him.
The meaning is clear- God sent his prophets to speak to his people [Israel] they rejected them over time- and finally kill the Son.
Remember- Jesus is teaching this- before he is crucified. He predicts his own death in the parable. Yet- at the end- he quotes Psalm 118- Psalm 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: Mark 12:11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? He predicts his Resurrection as well. The Son who was rejected and killed- becomes the head of the corner.
In this chapter Jesus will also quote Psalm 110- Mark 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. Psalm 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
He questions the religious leaders- He asks them Mark 12:35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? Yes- Jesus did indeed come from the line of David- but as the eternal logos- he was before David- John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The chapter ends with 2 stories- about widows. It’s important that we see them both.
Jesus rebukes the religious teachers for taking advantage of widows- for financial gain Mark 12:38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the market places, Mark 12:39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Mark 12:40 Which devour widows’ houses, Then he commends the poor widow for giving into the offering- Mark 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. Mark 12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: Mark 12:44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Over the years there have been many examples of religious leaders taking advantage of the poor- many have enriched themselves by abusing their office as teachers of the bible.
Jesus strongly condemns those who do this. Yet- he commends the poor widow for giving to God.
The rich were giving out of an abundance- it seems as if they actually learned the principle of abundance in their giving to God. Yet- he sees the woman giving out of her poverty- understand- she is still poor at the time she is commended.
Yet the others were rich- and giving.
Many in today’s church would look at the rich- who had an abundance- and say they prospered because they were giving- and had a lot.
And some would condemn the poor widow- because she obviously must be doing something wrong- because she gives- and is yet poor.
But Jesus did not see it that way. The woman gave sacrificially because of her love for God.
The rich gave- yet they did it out of their wealth. Jesus honors the poor widow- not because she learned some secret of giving to get a harvest- because she had no harvest. But she loved God- she gave for the work of God- as she understood it.
Her giving was not based on the return she would get- because as of now- she has not received a return [poor widow]. Yet in the eyes of Jesus- she indeed gave more.
There are a few other things in this chapter that I taught on the video. The challenge of the Sadducees- who do not believe in the resurrection. And Jesus rebuke- Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? I have taught this before- and will try and find those past posts and add them below. Jesus also gives us the great commandment in this chapter- Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
When the common people saw Jesus put the religious leaders to silence- the bible says they loved it- Mark 12:37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
The downtrodden of society were rejected by the religious leaders of the day. Their outward religion caused them to neglect true justice- true love of fellow man.
The same things that the song of Isaiah- which Jesus used in the parable- were being rebuked for- Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. The fruit the land owner wanted- was not simply religious works- It was what the other man in this chapter saw- Mark 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. The animal sacrifices and outward religion were the things that Jesus rebuked them for. Those who seemed to use religion in order to have an abundant wealthy life- were not seen in a good light by Jesus.
The tenants wanted an inheritance and their lust for the wealth of the vineyard [financial harvest] caused them to reject the actual Son of God himself- Mark 12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his well beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. Mark 12:7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our’s.
Yes- many in the modern church have tried to seize on some material inheritance and given out of an abundance and implemented many of the principles of the bible in order to prosper.
But in doing this- they have had to reject many of the plain things Jesus taught- New International Version “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matt. 6:24
Yes- in a way- they have killed the Son- and seized the wealth.
But Jesus saw the widow- the poor widow- the woman who seemed to have never gotten a hold of the wealth building principles of those who gave out of their abundance.
Yes Jesus saw her- And in the wisdom of God- She gave more than all the others combined-
And thus the chapter ends.
PAST POSTS- http://corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com/p/john-complete-links-added.html http://corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com/p/romans-2015-video-links-included-romans.html http://corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com/p/2015-video-linksincluded-hebrews-1-3.html https://ccoutreach87.com/further-talks-on-church-and-ministry/ https://ccoutreach87.com/house-of-prayer-or-den-of-thieves/ MARK- https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/02/28/jersey-city-ride-mark-1/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/02/mark-2-north-bergen/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/04/mark-3-isaiah-61/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/14/mark-4/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/03/27/mark-5/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/05/mark-6/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/16/mark-7/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/30/mark-8/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/05/14/mark-9/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/06/07/mark-10/ https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/06/22/mark-11/
I mentioned Bultmann and the Herodians on today’s video- below are some past teachings I did on them-
During the time of Jesus you had a divided people. In 1st century Palestine the Jewish people split into 4 basic sects. 2 of them are pretty well known- the Pharisees and Sadducees- they are mentioned often in scripture.
The other 2 are less well known- the Zealots and the Essenes. The Zealots are named in the bible- but only in passing. We have no references to the Essenes.
The Pharisees were sticklers for the Torah [Jewish bible] and the Sadducees centered their life around the Temple- they were more of a political/religious type group.
They stuck to the Torah alone. That is they only received the actual first 5 books of the Old Testament- which is the Torah [also the term is used to speak of the entire Old Testament] and that’s why the Sadducees rejected miracles and angels and stuff. Most of those stories are found in the other O.T. books.
The Zealots were a group of people who hated compromise- they were actually a 1st century ‘terrorist’ group- who carried out assassinations. Not on Rome- but on their own people!
The zealots hated those who compromised with Rome- and if they felt a leader was too chummy- they killed him.
The Essenes were a separatist group who lived in ‘the hills’ [Qumran community] they simply gave up completely on any political solutions for the day- and went and lived in the hills. These are the ones responsible for hiding the Dead Sea scrolls [old bible books found in the last century] in a cave.
It’s interesting to note that Jesus had both a Zealot on his team [Simon- not Peter who also went by that name] and Matthew- a Tax collector. Tax collectors were considered the biggest sell outs of all- they actually worked for Rome and scammed their own people- it must have been hard for Jesus to lead this group [the 12 disciples] who came from such opposite ends of the political spectrum.
Yet Jesus did lead them- he was even offered earthly rule a few times [once from satan- and once from the people who heard him] he rejected it both times. His kingdom was not ‘of this world’.
In the New Testament book of Philippians- the bible says that though Jesus was in the form of God [deity] yet he became a man and humbled himself to the death of the Cross- a shameful way to die.
We have one letter written in the N.T. by a ‘family’ member of Jesus- that’s the epistle of James.
Protestants believe that Mary had other kids after Jesus was born- our Catholic friends teach that she remained a Virgin her whole life. My purpose right now is not to get into that.
James was considered the ‘half brother’ of Jesus [Mary was the mom of both boys- Joseph was the dad of James- Jesus’ father was God]. Okay- James was slow to believe in his brother- but over time as Jesus was declaring himself to be the Messiah- I’m sure James had to wonder- you know- think back ‘gee- come to think of it- I can’t’ remember a time where my brother got in trouble’.
Wait- now I remember- yeah- that time when Jesus was 12- we all went to Jerusalem for the big feast- and Jesus stayed behind while we started the trip home. Yeah- we went 3 days before we realized he was gone. Boy was mom mad that day.
So we went all the way back to get him- and when we found him- he was sitting in the temple- asking these questions- I mean questions that only theologians knew- Jesus was still a kid.
Mom said to him ‘son- why did you stay behind- we were worried’! Yeah- she was mad- if there was ever a time my brother came close to getting in trouble- this was it. But Jesus said ‘why were you worried- didn’t you know I would be doing my Fathers business’ yeah- he sure seemed different- but the Messiah- come on.
So as the ministry years of Jesus role by- there are all these reports of miracles and healings- blind people seeing- dead people coming back from the grave.
Yeah- James has got to be wondering now- but no- he could not accept that his own brother was the promised Son of God- no- too much.
Then the day came- that terrible day where mom had to watch Jesus die on that rugged Cross- on Golgotha- man the hill looked like a skull.
Yeah- it was a strange site- I mean the sky got dark- an earthquake shook the place- and even the Roman soldier who witnessed my brother die said ‘surely this was the son of God’. Wow- too much- my bother has carried this thing too far- even in his death he won’t let this obsession go.
Then James hears some disturbing reports- his friends are saying that Jesus has come back- that he pulled it off- the greatest miracle ever- the one Houdini himself couldn’t do.
But are the reports true? I mean if anyone could tell if this guy walking around is really Jesus- James would know.
We don’t read of the account- but all we know is James became a believer- a believer that his brother was indeed the Messiah- the Son of God.
I guess it went something like this- Jesus sitting there with his men- James shows up and sees his brother- the perfect one- not a spot on his record. Maybe Jesus looked up- maybe he said ‘brother- do you now see’ and yeah- he saw.
James would go on to be one of the leaders/Pastors of the church at Jerusalem- we read about him in Acts chapter 15. Most scholars believe this was the same James who penned the short letter we find in the N.T. that bears his name.
One thing James hits on a lot in his letter- is he defends the poor- the downtrodden- and he rips into the rich- the elite of the day. He warns us not to be biased- not to use ‘uneven scales’ when dealing with people.
James hit on social justice issues- he picked them up from his brother.
We need to be concerned about the world- if a raped woman is forced to marry her rapist- then we ought not say ‘she was pardoned’. When we critique one person for past failures- then we must do that to all.
But at the end of the day- Jesus never took the earthly crown- he did not see the solution to be a political one- he brought Simon and Matthew together on the same team- and he showed them what it means to lay your life down for others- to live without the praise of men- the earthly standard of success- he chose another way- and he left that path for us.
http://www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com
[1622] ARE THE JAPANESE DISPROVING FREUD? One of the narratives coming from the Japan disaster is the response of the Japanese people. In contrast to our Katrina tragedy the Japanese are very self reliant. Jack Cafferty [CNN] read an email from some elderly lady who contrasted the 2 responses. She called the Louisiana residents who looted, killed, complained and wined- she said ‘those scumbags’ [ouch!] What are we seeing in the Japanese people? The media are referring to them as Stoic’s- the philosophy [ancient Greek- one of only 2 philosophies mentioned by name in the bible- Acts chapter 17 mentions the Stoic’s and Epicureanism] that said the secret to life is living on an even plane. Don’t get too ‘up’ or too down- just ride the wave of life as moderately as you can. The other side of the coin is Hedonism- the philosophy of men like Freud- who taught that the problem with man is that he is taught to restrain himself [by religion] and that this restraint is itself a product of neurosis. Freud was a strange fellow, the father of modern Psychoanalysis; his ideas were actually quite weird. As a Jew [non practicing] he embraced the higher criticism of his day [a way of interpreting the bible as not being actually true- just good stories] and he sought to come up with an explanation for mans religious bent. So he came up with the idea of the Oedipal Complex- a strange view of man that said the real problems of man are they have this view of love and hate for the father figure- and the ‘real’ story of Moses and the children of Israel was the Jews killed Moses in the wilderness [hatred for the father figure] they then felt guilty about it- and out of this guilt they would eventually develop a ‘religion of the Son’ [Christianity] and Walla- that’s the real story. You would be surprised how many people hear silly stuff like this in life [or college!] and they never give it a second thought. Like Pope Benedict says in ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ [1st book of a trilogy on the life of Christ] he mentions the theories of the critics [men like Bultmann] and he then responds ‘and how do you know this’? Bultmann [one of the famous liberal theologians of the day] would come up with ideas like this- and he would just espouse them. The funny thing about these critics was they were trying to challenge the historical accuracy of the bible- are the gospels true- stuff like that. And in their challenge they would ‘make up’ their own stuff [Oedipal complex] and simply expect everyone to believe it. So Freud taught that we need to free man from this neurosis of religion- this thing in society that says ‘restrain yourself’ and if we teach man to do and be all that he feels like doing- then we will have healed him of this destructive religious belief that developed out of a secret love/hate relationship of father. Wow. I can think of no greater philosophy to not live your life by than that. How did the Freudian experiment turn out? It was/is a disaster- I’m not just saying this as a Christian who rejects Freud’s atheism- but many of his ideas have also been roundly rejected by the psychologists of the modern day. Freud actually taught that when you counsel a person [yes- he was the originator of the idea of the patient lying on the couch while the counselor listens] that the patient is ‘transmitting’ psychic energy from himself to the doctor- and that’s what makes him better. Freud wrote Moses and Monotheism [his fictional account of the origins of Judaism/Christianity] Totem and Taboo- the fictional idea of the primitive religion of man- and Civilization and it’s Discontents, his explanation of the conflict between mans psychic life and the demands of society. The basic view of Freud [Hedonism] is a failed system that does not work in the real world. To live your life based on the philosophy of ‘if it feels good- do it’ does not work in any area of life- for the long term. In food, shopping, family life, marriage, sexual expression- the basic principle of self restraint and discipline [the Japanese response] is in great contrast to the ‘unrestrained’ view of life [as seen in some of the Katrina response- many of the looters and rioters were raised with a welfare mentality- they were dependant on the state/govt. to do things for them. When things went bad- they blamed the govt. for it]. In the end of the day- the society that practices self discipline- that teaches their children to be self reliant- those are the ones who have the most successful lives. Those who practice Hedonism blame stuff on everyone else.
http://www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com
VERSES- New International Version As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. John 8:40 10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. Heb. 13 KJ21 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel” (which being interpreted is, “God with us”). Matt. 1:23 Proverbs 21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations 1 Peter 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. Heb. 6
Mark 12:1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. Mark 12:2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. Mark 12:3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. Mark 12:4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. Mark 12:5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Mark 12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. Mark 12:7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our’s. Mark 12:8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. Mark 12:9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: Mark 12:11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Mark 12:12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. Mark 12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. Mark 12:14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Mark 12:15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. Mark 12:16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s. Mark 12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him. Mark 12:18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Mark 12:19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Mark 12:20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. Mark 12:21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. Mark 12:22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. Mark 12:23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? Mark 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. Mark 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? Mark 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. Mark 12:35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? Mark 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. Mark 12:37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. Mark 12:38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, Mark 12:39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Mark 12:40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. Mark 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. Mark 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. Mark 12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: Mark 12:44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Isaiah 5:1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: Isaiah 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. Isaiah 5:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. Isaiah 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? Isaiah 5:5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: Isaiah 5:6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
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Sunday sermon
Sunday sermon 10-28-18
Sunday sermon 10-21-18
HEBREWS 7-9
https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/5-7-15-hebrews-7-9.zip
[note- some of the posts are too long to post on facebook-so if you just see the video- you can go to the blog and read the post- thanks].
END NOTES OF POST BELOW-
WHAT ARE THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS?
OCTAVIAN- A GOD?
CICERO- MARK ANTONY [or Anthony if you like].
WHO WERE THE ESSENES?
DID THE CHURCH ENGAGE IN A GRAND CONSPIRACY?
NOTE- On the video I said that Herod the Great had 4 sons who ruled areas at the time of Christ- actually there were 3.
Archelaus- Ethnarch of Judea. Antipas- tetrarch of Galilee [I did get this right] and Philip- tetrarch of regions east of the Jordan.
CHAPTER 7:
NEW NOTES-
MELCHIZEDEK/JESUS NEVER DIES.
NEW PRIEST- NEW LAW.
‘For this Melchisedek, king of Salem [Jerusalem], priest of the most high God…to whom Abraham gave a tent part of all…without father or mother [no record in scripture!] having neither beginning of days nor end of life [no record of his death or birth] but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually’ first, Paul is showing the superiority of the New covenant over the Old. These verses are often used to teach tithing to gentile believers, they really teach the opposite! In context they are showing that the New Covenant is greater than the law, therefore the law [represented as Levi being in the loins of Abraham] submitted to Grace [The priesthood of Melchisedek/Jesus] and showing how grace is better than law. Paul’s point is to once again use the Melchisedek figure as a type of Christ. Jesus is called a high priest forever after this order, Paul says in essence ‘this order has priests who have no beginning of days or end of life, the priests in this order have a forever priesthood’. It really is amazing how Paul gets all this from the few verses of scripture that speak of Melchisedek. Many theologians today question even the most obvious truths. Some good ones will say there isn’t enough evidence for certain doctrines. Even though the evidence is 100 times more than what Paul used in his teaching on Melchisedek! I find it interesting how Paul continually sees Jesus thru every story! The man was a true ‘Jesus freak’.
‘Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham gave the tenth…they that are of the sons of Levi have a commandment to TAKE TITHES OF THE PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THE LAW’ Lets settle this once and for all. To all my friends who teach tithing is for Christians today, many of them justify it by saying ‘tithing was before the law [true] in the law and after the law’ I have tried to explain this many times before. This verse shows tithing to be part of the law, specifically, not just ‘during it’. Also, the whole point of the argument here is that Grace and the New Covenant are better than the law. The tithe here is mentioned in a way that shows the superiority of the new covenant over the Old. ‘Levi also paid tithes in Abraham, for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedek met him, if THEREFORE perfection were under the Levitical priesthood, what further need was there that a priest should rise after the order of Melchisedek, and not after Aaron? FOR THE PRIESTHOOD BEING CHANGED, THERE IS A NECESSITY FOR A CHANGE OF THE LAW’.
The ‘therefore’s’ are real important. They show you the main reason for the argument. If Paul can prove that God raised up Jesus from another priesthood, then there must also be ‘another covenant’. For this reason [therefore] you [Jew] should move on from the Old one and into the New! ‘For it is evident that out Lord sprang [root out of dry ground!]out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood…who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life, for he says “thou art a priest FOREVER after the order of Melchisedek”. Again Paul gets all he can from the ‘Melchisedek verse’. Because this single text of scripture says ‘Jesus is a priest forever’ therefore God knew all along that he would raise up a priest with an endless life. Wow, Paul even gets the resurrection from this verse!
As Paul was learning all these things in a new way after his conversion, it was blowing his mind. He saw all these ‘hidden’ nuggets of wisdom that Israel had all along in hidden form contained in their law. Paul is doing his best to present his case from their own ‘bible’ if you will… ‘For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by which we draw nigh unto God…and they truly were many priests, because they were not permitted to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. WHEREFORE he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him’. Now, we usually read this ‘the guttermost’ but it means something a little different. It means because Jesus has an endless life, he is ‘always’ interceding on our behalf. His very presence continually before the throne is what ‘keeps saving us continually all the time’. It is more along the lines of ‘Jesus never will die; therefore we will continually be saved’.
Paul compares this to the insufficiency of the priesthood of the law. Those priest’s ‘meant well’ but the poor brothers kept dying! This showed the total inability of those priests to effectively stand in on our behalf, even though they did all they could do. Jesus, on the other hand, will never die. Who would you prefer to have on your prayer team? Someone who will forget to pray for you down the road, who will last so long? Or someone who will pray for you forever? I know this is a crude way to look at it, but for our gentile minds it gets the point across. ‘For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens’ Paul describes the character of Jesus as ‘harmless’ as someone who would never ‘get even’ who is always pure, the perfect intercessor!
There are times in our lives, as well as all ‘natural priests’ that we are not pure, holy or harmless. During these days our prayers can’t get thru. If people are depending on us for true intercession, we let them down. There is never a day where our ‘chief intercessor’ lets us down. There are days when we feel useless, we have failed. Our own agendas get in the way. Days when we are not ‘harmless’. Thank God that our ‘prayer warrior’ is always on the job on our behalf. This is what it means when it says ‘he is able to save to the uttermost that come to God by him’. All you have to do on those down days is ‘come’.
‘Who needeth not daily to offer for sins… he did this once and for all when he offered up himself’ Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, there will never be another! ‘For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity, but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated forevermore’ Paul takes the verse again where it says ‘thou art a priest forever’ and compares it to the law. He says ‘the oath that God swore when he made Jesus a priest forever, came after the giving of the law. Therefore it supersedes the law. The law made priests that were failing, the oath made a priest who would last forever’ it really is amazing how much use Paul gets from this one verse. He in essence is saying ‘because Jesus was made a priest by this later oath, therefore the former making of priests is no longer in operation. You must leave the Levitical priesthood [law] and enter into the new one made by the oath’ [New Covenant] all the arguments that Paul makes in this letter are always pointing to Jesus as the final word from God. A better covenant with better promises. This is the whole context of Hebrews, for the people to come out of the law and into Christ!
NEW NOTES-
MELCHIZEDEK/JESUS NEVER DIES.
NEW PRIEST- NEW LAW.
Ok- we see the Melchizedek figure a bit more here-
The writer is saying ‘look- my Jewish brothers- in Psalms 110- King David- a prophet- spoke about another Priesthood.
This priesthood is not from the tribe that priests from the law come from [Levi].
But the promise/oath made about this priest [Jesus] says ‘you are a priest FOREVER’.
How can this be?
The writer says this must mean that David was talking about some future priest- who would have an endless life-
How else could anyone be a priest FOREVER?
So- David spoke about another priesthood- outside of the law.
And this priest is superior to the ‘law’ priests- because those guys died- but this one lives.
He also says ‘there must then be a change of the law [Old Covenant] too- because if we have a new priest- then there must be a new TESTAMENT/COVENANT as well’.
The whole argument is showing the superiority of what Jesus has done for us- versus the requirements of the Old Law.
The writer says ‘see- Abraham our forefather paid tithes to him- and Abraham had the tribe of Levi ‘still in him’ [Abraham was the father of Isaac- Isaac was the father of Jacob [named Israel] and he was the father of the 12 tribes].
Levi being one of those sons/tribes.
The point being that this example of Abraham paying tithes to Melchisedek- shows that he [and the priestly line that would follow- Jesus] was superior to the old law/priesthood- because Abraham was blessed by him- and truly ‘the lesser is blessed by the greater’.
Once again- this whole argument only makes sense to the 1st century Jew in transition- it has no real relevance to a new- first century- gentile church.
Notice how much the writer is ‘getting’ out of this obscure reference in the book of Psalms-
We really don’t have a whole lot of stuff in the bible about Melchizedek- but what we do have- is enough.
Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Hebrews 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Hebrews 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Hebrews 7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
Hebrews 7:6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Hebrews 7:7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
Hebrews 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
Hebrews 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
Hebrews 7:10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Hebrews 7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Hebrews 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Hebrews 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
Hebrews 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Hebrews 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Hebrews 7:20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
Hebrews 7:21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Hebrews 7:23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
Hebrews 7:24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Hebrews 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Genesis 14:17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.
Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Genesis 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
Genesis 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
THE WELL- John 4 [and Brexit too] John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. TODAY’S VIDEOS- https://youtu.be/qaD4EfJLH_g Media [Brexit] https://youtu.be/n2l2UuWbiVw The Well- John 4 https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/6-23-16-the-well.zip https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/amos-5/
MY LINKS- https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/the-great-building-of-god/
ON VIDEO .Are people afraid to report possible Muslim suspicious activity? .Look at the boy with the ‘clock’ story. .Big money politics. .Polls? .My big sin confession- yes folks- this might be the bombshell you have been waiting for! [what is it John- can’t you just write it? No- you have to watch] .Was big money behind the Iran Nuke deal? .The Boeing plane contract- to Iran. .Iraq debacle. .Media slams Trump- because he only raised 1 million- and used 50 million of his own money. .Sanders raised most of his money from small donations. .Hillary raised 25 million- from corporations and Wall street [the only corrupt money candidate out of the 3] and one of her main campaign points is ‘we need to get wall street out of politics’- Maybe you should start by getting out too? .And the media praised her for it- huh? .5 fold ministry [apostles- prophets- teachers- etc.] .AA sponsors- watch till the end- this might be the day you have been waiting for? .AA or the Church? [verses below] On THE WELL video [2 more articles below] Jesus has a long dialogue with a woman from Samaria- he speaks to her all alone- and she’s also from a region that the ‘Jews’ don’t associate with. Yet- he breaks the rules- and asks her to draw him water from Jacob’s well. She say’s ‘our father Jacob drank from it- his kids- and his cattle too’! The well was a source- not just for Jacob’s kids- but for him too. Meaning- when God grants us a ‘well’ [a source of communication for the truths of God] we too partake of it- like King David in the bible- he went to the house of God when he was on the run from Saul- and ate of the showbread- and gave it to his men. Paul tells Timothy ‘preach the word- in doing this you will SAVE yourself- and those that hear thee’. And when Jesus broke bread with his men- he too ate. The principle is- ministers- Pastors- 5 fold- You’re not the source- but God is speaking thru you [hopefully] and the things ‘coming out of you’ are for your sustenance too- get it? Now- the woman has been waiting for the Messiah her whole life- she says ‘we know he is coming’ and she says ‘the way we will identify him- is he will TELL US EVERYTHING WE DID’. Hmm? Everything? Ok- as he talks to her- he tells her he has some living water [the Spirit] and if she asks him- she will get the water that never runs dry. So- she asks. Jesus says ‘go get your husband’ . Her answer ‘I don’t have one’ [true] Jesus says ‘your right- you have had 5- the guy you are with now is not your husband- so yeah- that’s true’. Ok- she’s caught- and says ‘I perceive you are a prophet’ Remember- she is waiting for Messiah- and when he comes- he will TELL HER all that she did- she herself already said this. The conversation goes on- and Jesus says ‘ I AM HE’. Now- she clicks- has an epiphany ‘wow- that’s right- you did tell me my past- you did expose my sin- and now I’m able to access the well’. She goes on and tells her town about Jesus- ‘Come see a man that told me everything I did’. Actually- he did not tell her everything she ever did- but he did tell her enough- that she knew he was the one. Sometimes in life- we are seeking the miracles- we want to see God do something- and when the opportunity comes around- we miss out. Why? Because of our pride- on a recent video [link above- Amos 5] I told a story about a friend who was into the prophetic ministry- following ‘on-line’ prophets and all. He had stories of when he ran our of gas- somebody gave him gas- and he ‘turned’ that simple encounter- into an angel must have given him the gas. Fine. He went on to tell other stories just as ‘miraculous’ as the angel and the gas can. Then I told him the story of when I prayed over a dead boy- and God raised him from the dead. And how the Kingsville record ran a front page story ‘child says he saw the Lord’. And the whole city was rocked- the testimony of God went forth- the paper even said ‘Chiarello was in the room praying’. Ok- if your looking for ‘the well-‘ conjuring up stories about gas cans and angels- this is a pretty good one- you don’t even have to go on-line to find it. Yet- my friend said ‘oh- that just a resuscitation’. Sometimes God brings you the signs you have been waiting for your whole life [like the woman at the well] And because of pride- we miss it. Be attentive to the prophetic things happening around you- Paul told Timothy ‘wage a good war by the prophecies that were given over you’. Yes- God still speaks today- the well is for you- and for those who hear you. Just be careful- because Jesus was passing thru Samaria on that special day- and the woman almost missed it.
On the video MEDIA- I talk about the American media coverage of the Brexit [Britain leaving the E.U.] The 30 minute news went like this- 1 Trump on a golf course- with Nazi golf balls [thrown by a protestor] 2 Then the reasons why [the media said] they left- ‘racists- bigots- hatred- right wing Christians who want to enslave the younger generation- anti Muslim ignorance’ [they claimed it was only the older bigots who voted to leave] 3 Then they showed a Trump sign that was vandalized- and it said ‘Trump- make America WHITE again’. 4 Then an interview with a Scottish business man who said ‘trump is a nut- we can’t let him have Nukes’! [world news mind you- gave this guy a worldwide platform] 4 A story about a boy who ‘came out’ as gay- in honor of the victims of the mass shooting in Orlando 5 Then him and his mother saying he risked his life by coming out as gay [huh?] 6 Then they showed a picture of a Christian church- and said because they live in the south- his life is now in danger from Christians who might try to murder him. 7 They never mentioned the fact that it was a radical Muslim who killed the actual victims he was ‘coming out’ for. [note- The image of golf balls with swastikas- the Trump poster that said ‘Trump- make America White again’- then the young gay man- who feared for his life because Christians in the south might murder him- then the image of a southern church- images are powerful- the media knows this- and the average person might think ‘I’m not that dumb to fall for it’- but it’s subliminal- and that’s how all advertising works- even if you don’t think you’re ‘falling for it’] At the end of the 30 minute news- they associated Trump- conservatives- and Christians as a great danger to society- and those who voted for the Brexit were motivated by ignorance and racism.
Then I watched an interview with a Brit- a young Socialist [meaning- he was not a conservative] he said it would be very wrong to view those who voted to leave as racists- bigots- and ignorant. This liberal kid from Britain said there were many young progressives- and workers who voted to leave- who had very honest- non racist reasons. That’s what I said on the video- that the American media did a great disservice by spinning the whole thing as a racist- conservative- Trump- Nazi- anti freedom vote. And it took a young- liberal socialist- from Britain- to say the same thing. WHY SO MAD? An honest look at what happened in Britain would be a discussion that the Western world has been having for the past 10 years. The rise of radical Islam has caused many in the Western world to re-evaluate what it actually means to become a citizen of their countries. In Britain for many years it was just assumed that both Muslim immigrants and ‘home grown’ could live their lives and hold to their religious beliefs- and sort of be on their own. Then you had the rise of many isolated communities of whom a great number of the younger Muslims hold to extreme beliefs- even though they are citizens of Britain. This caused many brits to ask the question ‘should we have been more honest- forceful- in what it means to actually be a Brit’. They failed to ask the big questions- ‘if you want to be a part of us- and you are Muslim- that’s your belief- we get it- but if your actual belief includes the acceptance of executing gay people- and the hope of the establishing of Sharia law and courts- then those ideals will not be tolerated among true Brits’. The same questions we should ask all U.S. citizens- not a religious ‘test’- but an ideological one. Meaning- if you hold to the belief that Hitler was a great man-o k- I disagree with you- but if that belief includes you wanting to implement his anti-Semitic beliefs- and put them into practice [gassing Jews] than that’s more than simply a ‘religious belief’- you have crossed a line that is not acceptable if you want to become an American citizen. That’s an ideal that must be challenged. And Obamas belief that we need to distinguish between the radicals and the more moderate- I understand. But- he seems unable to admit that their is a huge percentage of ‘moderate’ Muslims who still hold to the honest belief that gay people should be executed under a ‘just’ system of Sharia law. That’s a problem- that’s not American. It’s not just a problem because it’s a ‘belief’ but it’s a problem that many who want to be part of a society [Britain- Europe- the U.S.] think it’s ok to have those beliefs- and to advocate and try to implement them- and it’s simply not acceptable- and if you want to be a part of a society- we will not reject you based on your belief about God- but we will make you say an oath- pledge to the new society you are coming to- which includes the acceptance of the values of that country- that’s what immigration means. That’s a ‘test’ of a radical unacceptable view- that’s should not be tolerated. Now- In Britain’s vote to leave the E.U. The European Union started after WW2- about 28 nations formed a union for strength and unity. Later on they had the Euro- about 20 nations joined in a common currency and formed the largest single trading block in the world. Ove the past 10 years Europe has faced many challenges- and the countries [Greece] that are on the verge of bankruptcy- began looking to the more stable ones as a sort of bailout neighbor [Germany being one of the more stable]. The Brits began asking if it was better for them to be under this 28 nation union [EU] and to have over regulation coming out of Brussels [the headquarters for the E.U]many sincere brits- not out of racism- but out of honest questions- decided it was better to leave the E.U. and not be under the ‘federal’ regulations of an outside body. Just like many Americans value their independence- and resent our own federal government having too many regulations. Ok- this was- is- an honest reason for the Brits to do their Brexit. But the media portrayed the vote as a bunch of ignorant- older- anti Muslim racists who bought into the ‘hatred’ of the Muslim world and voted out of ignorance. That’s not what happened- and this narrative is dangerous in my view. Why? I mentioned on the video [MEDIA] that they even talked to the businessman who Trump had dealings with over his golf course in Scotland. They gave this guy a platform to the world- to say Trump is unstable and will possibly hit the ‘Nuke’ button if he became president. But the real story over the past few years is many intelligent analysts have said the present course the Obama administration is on- is actually pushing Russia close to a hot war. Both liberals and conservative thinkers have said this. The threat of NATO- and Obamas willingness to sanction Russia- and to put more troops on the Russian/European border- is bringing the world to the brink of a real ‘Nuke Button’- not some golf course guy spewing off the top of his head about Trump.https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/russia-u-s-world-events/ Even Germany said it a few weeks ago- that NATO is war mongering- pushing Putin to the brink. A serious analysis should ask these questions- A real ‘news story’ should ask if It’s acceptable that about 50 percent of the Muslim world [not just radicals] think sharia law should be instituted- and if so- the execution of gays is a good thing. Now- that percentage is too high. You might have less than 1 percent of fundamentalist Christians who hold to an extreme view [maybe less] but the great majority of Christians absolutely reject the idea that gay people should actually be executed- because they are gay. Yet- a majority of Muslims world wide- believe this is ok. No- it’s not- and for Obama- or the media- to act like the problem is with the Christian- or the ‘ignorant- anti immigrant/Muslim bigots of Britain’ who voted to leave the E.U.- When they give you this narrative- they are doing a disservice. Britain left the EU- that was their democratic choice. Many brits have real problems with the Muslim communities in their country who still hold to these wrong views. These Brits should not be portrayed as ignorant right wing bigots- because the views they are rejecting by many Muslims in their country- are the radical- bigoted views- that all religions should reject. The threat of a real nuclear war has to do with decisions we are making right now- and our refusal to re-evaluate NATO [which Trump also got criticized for saying we need to do]. But the media preferred the analysis of some guy who did a business deal for a golf course in Scotland- and gave him world airtime to say how ‘Trump might hit the Nuke Button’- when in reality ‘the button’ might actually be hit- but it has nothing to do with Trump. VERSES- [news links below] John 4:1 When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, John 4:2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) John 4:3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. John 4:4 And he must needs go through Samaria. John 4:5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. John 4:6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. John 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. John 4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) John 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. John 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? John 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? John 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. John 4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. John 4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: John 4:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. John 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. John 4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? John 4:30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. John 4:31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. John 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. John 4:33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. John 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. John 4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. John 4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. John 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. John 4:40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. John 4:41 And many more believed because of his own word; John 4:42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. John 4:43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. John 4:44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. John 4:45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. John 4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. John 4:47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. John 4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. John 4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. John 4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. John 4:52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. John 4:53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. John 4:54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee. 1Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. NEWS LINKS- http://www.kristv.com/story/32298748/eu-leaders-say-britain-will-stay-member-for-now http://www.kristv.com/story/32304103/britains-departure-from-eu-impacts-americans http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/19/us/oakland-police-scandals/index.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3658258/White-House-crisis-talks-Britain-DEFIES-Obama-quit-European-Union-plunge-world-markets-shock.html http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/683224/END-OF-THE-EU-Germany-France-Austria-Hungary-Finland-Netherlands-Europe-Brexit
http://www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com facebook.com/john.chiarello.5 https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ4GsqTEVWRm0HxQTLsifvg
https://plus.google.com/108013627259688810902/posts Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. I deal with issues at times that it would be beneficial for some of you to download and save the file from the Word Press link. This creates a permanent record. The on-line videos are only good if sites are not hacked- which has happened in the past. Thanks- John.#
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Sunday sermon 9-30-18
[1770] TREASURY OF MERIT
Let’s pick up where we left off 2 posts back. We were talking about Martin Luther and the events that led up to the Protestant Reformation.
In order to understand the key act that caused the protest- we will have to teach some Catholic history/doctrine.
In the 16th century Pope Julius began the effort to build St. Peters basilica in Rome. He got as far as laying the foundation and died. Pope Leo the 10th would pick up after him.
The church needed to raise money for the project- and the German prince- Albert- would play a major role.
It should be noted that both Catholic and Protestant scholars agree that the Popes of the day were pretty corrupt. They came from what we call the Medici line of Popes.
If you remember last month I wrote a post on the Renaissance- I talked about the Medici family and how they played a major role in supporting the Renaissance that took place in the 13th century in Florence Italy that would spread to the region.
Well this very influential family also played a big role in who would get top positions in the church.
At the time of Luther and prince Albert- if you had the right connections and the money- you could literally buy a position in the church.
Albert already held 2 Bishop seats- and there was an opening for an Archbishops seat in Mainz [Germany] and he wanted that one too.
It should be noted that official Canon law [church law] said you could only hold one seat at a time- Albert was bidding on his 3rd one! And he was too young for all of them.
So even the Pope and the officials held little respect for what the church actually taught at the time.
So Albert opens up negotiations with Leo- and the bidding starts AT 12,000 Duckets [money] Albert counters with 7,000- and they agree on 10,000. How did they justify the numbers? 12- The number of Apostles. 7- The 7 deadly sins. 10- The 10 commandments.
Yes- the church was pretty corrupt at the time.
So Albert works out a plan with Leo- he will borrow the money from the German banks- and pay the banks off by the Pope giving Albert the right to sell Indulgences.
What’s an Indulgence?
Okay- this is where it gets tricky.
The ancient church taught a system called The Treasury of Merit. This was a sort of spiritual bank account that ‘stored up’ the good deeds of others over the years.
You had the good deeds of Jesus at the top- but you also had Mary and Joseph- the 12 Apostles- and other various saints thru out time.
The way the ‘bank’ worked was you could tap into the account by getting a Papal indulgence- a sort of I.O.U. that had the Popes guarantee that it would get so much time out of Purgatory for a loved one.
The actual sacrament that accesses the account is called Penance [confession].
When a penitent does penance- he confesses his sin to the priest- and he is absolved by the authority of the church that the priest has. The priest usually tells the person ‘say so many Hail Mary’s- Our Father’s’ and that’s a form of penance.
One of the other things the church practiced was called Alms Deeds. This term is found in the bible and it means giving your money to the poor- it is a noble act that Jesus himself taught.
In theory- part of the sacrament of penance was tied into Alms Deeds- you can access the account thru the practice of giving to the poor- which also meant giving to the church that helps the poor- and in the hands of the Medici line of Popes- meant outright giving money to the Pope.
So now you see how the abuse worked its way into the pockets of the faithful.
Albert now had the permission from Leo to sell these indulgences in Germany- and he would pick a certain corrupt priest to sell them in a place called Saxony- the region where Luther operated out of.
It should be noted that the Catholic Church never taught the crass act of ‘buying your way out of Purgatory’. The practice of including giving money as a part of the sacrament of penance was tied into the biblical principle of giving to the poor- a good thing.
But Tetzel and others abused the official meaning of the indulgence- and did make it sound like you could by your way out of Purgatory [in theory- a loved one might be in Purgatory for so many years- and through the indulgence you are actually getting time off for them- because the good deeds of others are now applied to the account].
The money Albert would raise- half would go to Rome for the building of St. peters- and half would go to pay off the banks in Germany- it was a sad system- and a sad time for the church as a whole.
It would be wrong to judge the entire church at the time as being corrupt- you did have many sincere Priests and Catholic men and women who saw the abuses and did not take part in them.
But there was corruption at the top- and this would eventually lead to the breakup of the church- and the launching of what we now call the Protestant Movement.
As a side note- it should be said that many Catholics and Protestants are not aware of the whole treasury of merit system- and the church never officially changed her position on the doctrine.
There were 3 Church councils since the time [Trent- 1500’s, Vatican 1- 1800’s and Vatican 2- 1962-65]. The Treasury of Merit never came up for change.
Obviously Protestants don’t believe in Purgatory- and it’s not my purpose in these posts to change Catholics into Protestants or vice versa- but to give all sides a clear view of the issues that divided us- and to try and be honest- and respectful during the process.
Does the bible teach anything like a Treasury of Merit? Well actually it does. The bible teaches that the righteousness of Christ is the treasury that people can access- by faith- and become righteous in the sight if God.
The idea- applied to Christ- is good.
But in the hands of the Medici Popes- and the ambitious prince of Germany- it would lead to disaster.
www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com
Note- Do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. Thanks- John
[1768] LUTHER- THE TOWER EXPERIENCE
Let’s start with some church history. In the last post I covered the early years of Martin Luther- probably the most significant figure of the Protestant Reformation.
Luther studied for the priesthood in Erfurt, Germany. He would eventually wind up in Wittenberg- one of the major university cities of the Reformation. Wittenberg was actually a small insignificant town- but the political leader over the region- Frederick the Wise- sought to put it on the map.
He wanted to turn Wittenberg into a German ‘Rome’. He wanted it to become a major Pilgrimage city where Christians would see Wittenberg as a destination- just like they saw Rome.
So Frederick embarked on this plan and he searched thru all the Catholic learning centers of the time and finally recruited 3 top scholars to teach out of the university at Wittenberg- Luther was one of the 3.
Just as a side note- Frederick would succeed at making Wittenberg a major catholic center. He would eventually obtain over 19,000 Relics for the Cathedral church there [Relics were used in the ancient system of buying indulgences and making special pilgrimage trips to important Churches. If the church/city that your making the Pilgrimage to has a lot of Relics- bones or other famous material objects from church history- then the value of the Pilgrimage was high. In theory Frederick collected so many that if you added up all the ‘time off’ from Purgatory- you would get 1 million, 900 thousand years off! Some of the famous relics at Wittenberg were a hair from the beard of Jesus- straw from the manger Jesus was born in- and even a branch from the famous burning bush of Moses! As you can see- there was a lot of commercializing going on- even back then].
When Luther arrived in Wittenberg- he made a name for himself as a top scholar. Many protestants- who revere Luther- usually are not aware that he was a master Linguist [sort of like Rick Perry!]
Yes Luther mastered language- and he showed it in his teaching on the book of Psalms.
In 1515 he began his famous study on the book of Romans and as he went thru the very first chapter- something shook him. He came across the passage that says the Just shall live by faith. This verse first appears in the O.T. book of Habakkuk- and is quoted 3 more times in the N.T.
Luther was very aware of the concept of the righteousness of God- he struggled for many years trying to reconcile his own sinful nature with Gods holiness- but he never really ‘saw’ the biblical concept of righteousness as a free gift that God ‘imputes’ to the sinner.
Yes- for the 1st time in Luther’s life- after his years training for the priesthood- the pilgrimage he made to Rome- the thousands of hours he spent confessing his sins while a monk in Erfurt- he never really understood that the righteousness of God was a free gift given to those who have faith.
It was a giant weight lifted from his shoulders- Luther did not need to try any more to live up to the standards of God- in a way that would earn for him forgiveness- but he would simply believe- and the righteousness of God would be counted to him as a gift.
Luther would go on to call this an Alien Righteousness- that is it is not found within the person who tries to do all the church works he can- or buying all the indulgences- or any other of the many religious actions he was practicing- but this free gift of being right with God- it came to those who had faith- the Just shall live by Faith- this was indeed good news for the scholar.
As time went on- Germany would get embroiled in the political machinations of the day- Luther’s top political cover was Frederick the Wise- hardly a Protestant Reformer! He spent lots of time trying to make Wittenberg the major Catholic center in Germany.
But at the time there was a political fight raging between Rome and some of the other nation/states. There was a figure head office called the Holy Roman Emperor. This office was really in name only- but it rose up during the first Millennium of Christian history and sought to replace the influence that Rome was losing.
So you had France, Spain and England all vying for the title. Eventually it would go to King Charles of Spain- but the Pope- who played a major role in nominating the person- he did not want any of these top 3 to get the position. Henry the Eighth was the king of England at the time- and these ‘3 kings’ were sort of in competition with Rome- so the Pope tried to get Fredrick the Wise to throw his hat into the ring.
Frederick just happened to be one of the Electors of this position.
His actual title was The Elector of Saxony.
So Fredrick had lots of influence- and as Rome would eventually but heads with the stubborn bull of Wittenberg [Luther] Frederick would become the major protector of Luther.
Okay- I think we’ll stop here for today. The experience that Luther had- the enlightenment that came to him while teaching the book of Romans- this is often called The Tower experience of Luther- it took place in the year 1515.
[parts]
Being I already mentioned Italy- let me finish with some history/philosophy that might be relevant.
In the last post I mentioned saint Thomas Aquinas- and after Augustine [and Anselm- 11th century] he is the next main character I wanted to cover [in our ongoing philosophy study].
Aquinas is referred to as the Doctor Angelicas [angelic doctor] by the catholic church. Aquinas lived during the time of a cultural/philosophical reawakening that was beginning to take place in the Western world- the Renaissance.
Renaissance means ‘re-birth’. It was a rebirth of the ancient Poets and philosophers of days gone by. Men like Cicero and Aristotle were once again brought to the fore front of many thinkers and lovers of culture.
The catch phrase for the Renaissance was Ad Fontes- which meant ‘back to the sources’ [source- Fountain- Fontes]. In the 14th century a famous and influential Catholic family- the Medici’s- were a catalyst for mixing this cultural movement in with the church.
The Renaissance sort of challenged the historic view of education- up until this time most learning was done thru the prism of the church. In the universities of the day Theology [study of God] was called the Queen of the sciences- and philosophy was referred to as her Handmaiden.
Well the Renaissance thinkers said they wanted to study things for what they are- they did not want to see everything thru the lens of the church.
Eventually the theme of the movement [back to the original sources] would play a major role in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Men like Erasmus [the famous 16th century Catholic Humanist] would re discover the original Greek New testament- and it was thru the study of the Greek text that many of the Reformers made their case to get ‘back to the bible’ and eventually break from Rome.
This was also the beginning period of modern capitalism. Recently when Libya had her ‘civil war’ and the new leaders started talking about a new constitution- one of the interesting things that came up was they wanted to do away with interest on loans.
Why? Well Muslims teach that interest itself is a bad thing. ‘Gee- wonder where they get that idea from John’ Oh- from a little book- called the bible.
Yes- to the surprise of some- this is very much taught in the Old Testament. Now- it was God’s law governing the nation of Israel- but they were forbidden to charge interest.
‘So John- is it wrong for us today to make interest’? Not really- Jesus used interest [usury] as an example in some of his parables- and overall- we as believers are not under the Old Testament laws that govern natural Israel.
But- for many centuries- the world did not see interest on money as a legitimate way to earn a living. So during the Renaissance you also had the rise of exploration- and explorers like Columbus would go on their voyages with the financial backing of investors.
The normal rate for these voyages was a 75/25% cut. When the explorer returned- the investor [Spain- or whoever] got 75% of the goods- and the explorer kept 25.
So there were a lot of changes taking place in the world at the time- and the rise of modern capitalism was one of them- money of course existed way before this time- but as a commodity- this was a new way of viewing the world.
Okay- just thought I would throw in a little history along with the current events of the day. As we see the current turmoil in the Italian markets [the original renaissance started in Florence- Italy] maybe seeing money/interest as a commodity- and ‘usury’ as a major way to increase ones wealth- well maybe that’s not such a smart way to do things after all.
When Jon Corzine's global investment firm went bust the other day- it was a direct result of taking a gamble on the ‘gullibility’ of the common man.
What his firm did was they took a huge risk by investing in European bonds- bonds from Greece that everyone knew was a terrible 'bet’. Then why did he do it?
The risk was so high- that the interest [usury] on the bonds was also high- you would make lots of money- if you got your money back.
But how would you get the money back- if the company [or nation- or bank] is in such bad shape that they might go bust? Your basically betting that the other nations around them [and the 1% crowd] would never let this happen [too big to fail] and when the nation [or company] gets ‘bailed out’ well then you get the money back- at a huge gain- all at the expense of the ‘99’ %.
‘Gee John- that doesn’t seem right to me’. That doesn’t seem right to me either- and to the legitimate ‘occupy Wall st. guys’ that’s not right to them as well.
Basically Corzine did the exact same thing that the big banks did during our 2008 bail out crisis- the banks can’t do that anymore- we did pass regulations that forbid this. But private investment firms can- they take a risk if they do- but that’s their choice.
Corzine took the risk- and lost [besides the fact the there is also about 600 million dollars ‘missing’ from private investors money!].
Okay- that’s it for now. We will keep an eye on Italy for the next few days [Germany is already talking about bailing out of the Euro Zone] and if things keep going downhill like this- well we might all be better off if we moved our money into less interest bearing accounts- safe places to ‘park’ your money- and after the dust settles- then maybe get back into the market.
But right now- I would trust getting a bigger return from a Columbus voyage than the market- yes- maybe ‘usury’ is not all that’s it’s cracked up to be- maybe the Libyans are right [and the Old Testament]. Yeah- maybe they know something we don’t.
[parts]
Okay- being I already wasted all this space- let me hit a few short things. I just finished the book of Proverbs again [reading it slowly over a few weeks] and there were a lot of points I wanted to hit- maybe the next week or 2 I’ll get to some. I just started a new book on Philosophy- I picked it up a few months ago at half price books and never looked at it until last night- I like it a lot. I know the subject is controversial- many Christians shy away from it- but if you study history [like I do a lot] you will see the strong connection between philosophy and theology [study of God]. In the ancient universities [Paris- etc.] these were referred to as the main subjects- Theology was the Queen of learning and philosophy was her handmaid.
So let me just give a short quote- Socrates said ‘the unexamined life is not worth living’. Philosophy- as a system- started around 6oo years before Christ in Greek society. The popular guys we hear about- Socrates, Plato and Aristotle- they lived around 3-350 years before Christ. Christian teachers have taken different stances for and against philosophy. The church father Tertullian said ‘what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem’ meaning philosophy and Christian teaching don’t go together. Yet the great Swiss reformer- Ulrich Zwingli [16th century] was a well schooled theologian- learned in many of the subjects of his day- like the great Catholic scholar Erasmus. These guys were a little more refined [though Zwingli was actually a warrior- killed for the cause] and they saw the Greek philosophers as precursors to Christ- Zwingli believed he would see the great Greek philosophers in heaven some day. So as you see the church has taken different stances on the subject. It’s hard to say that philosophy had no role on Christian thought- many Christians don’t realize that the apostle John almost quoted verbatim from Greek philosophy when he used the phrase ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God’ [John’s gospel- chapter 1]. In Greek philosophy there was what was considered this ultimate unified principle- that would bring all learning together as one giant truth- this was called Logos- the Word. Greek philosophy had been looking for the Word [Logos] for years- trying to find the one key truth that would tie all other truth together- John was simply saying to Greek society ‘Look- we have found the Truth- the Divine principle that you have been looking for’. So for John to quote this in his gospel was not plagiarism [as some atheists contend] but wisdom- he was speaking to the people in ways that would connect with them. Yes- because scripture is Divine- Inspired- we believe Jesus is very much The Word- the one who proceeds from God- but we also realize that in a sense John borrowed this form of words from the Greek philosophers- nothing wrong with it.
Okay- that’s it for today- I hope you guys always pick something up that sticks with you- you know a little nugget of wisdom that in 30 years from now if I see some of you at an old school reunion you can walk up to me and say ‘John- Jesus is the Word of God’ something that I will be proud about. O wait- just had a thought- if someone walks up and says ‘John- I hear you like Hanson’ I will respond ‘Who’s John?’
VERSES [These are the verses I either quoted or taught from on today’s post- Other videos below]
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 152
Reading 1
DT 6:2-6
Moses spoke to the people, saying: "Fear the LORD, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life. Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey. "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today."
Responsorial Psalm
PS 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
R. (2) I love you, Lord, my strength. I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. R. I love you, Lord, my strength. My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! Praised be the LORD, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies. R. I love you, Lord, my strength. The LORD lives! And blessed be my rock! Extolled be God my savior. You who gave great victories to your king and showed kindness to your anointed. R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
Reading 2
HEB 7:23-28
Brothers and sisters: The levitical priests were many because they were prevented by death from remaining in office, but Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.
Alleluia
JN 14:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my father will love him and we will come to him. R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
MK 12:28B-34
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" Jesus replied, "The first is this: Hear, O Israel!The Lord our God is Lord alone!You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,with all your soul, with all your mind,and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and there is no other than he.' And 'to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself' is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Psalm 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Psalm 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Psalm 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
Psalm 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Psalm 110:5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
Psalm 110:6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
Psalm 110:7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
OTHER VIDEOS [These are the videos I post nightly to my various sites- Links to all my sites below]
3-30-20 Siloam- A teaching [Talked about the Covid 19 crisis]
https://youtu.be/GFhd5VcNzDQ
https://www.facebook.com/john.chiarello.5/videos/10206962758625651/
Fatima https://vk.com/video533663718_456239699
12-23-18 Sunday sermon https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMiAorylDLvJ2sh_Nz
Ephesians 3 https://www.dropbox.com/s/iv9uxkj7s25q1sb/1-2-18%20Ephesians%203.mp4?dl=0
The bright and morning star https://youtu.be/tEXDjNf1xAk
Homeless friends https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh2AVJd2MQmy-43z0
Friends https://youtu.be/D0XakSC5Djs
9-23-18 Sunday sermon https://www.dropbox.com/s/7xzgx18i002w25a/9-23-18%20Sunday%20sermon.mp4?dl=0
Gideon https://www.bitchute.com/video/8VBvF4K40Wbt/
Homeless friends https://youtu.be/4Tk7faf516E
Hebrews 13 https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh2IMG9b49q8XQaro
The Cross- 2 https://youtu.be/uWcGl9nPYsE
2nd Samuel 19 https://www.dropbox.com/s/xes5h6ecapn23gs/2-15-17%202nd%20Samuel%2019.mp4?dl=0
Galatians 6 https://flic.kr/p/2iyBiNj
9-30-18 Sunday sermon https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh15tnMpfhlcTiy2P
Ephesians 2 https://www.dropbox.com/s/dcterll6r8stc28/12-9-17%20Ephesians%202.mp4?dl=0
John 14 https://dai.ly/x7luxno
Kings 21 https://youtu.be/3VvtYYop1ho
House of prayer https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh2FDIx2Dx13uYuK4
2nd Samuel 3- homeless friends https://vk.com/video533663718_456239692
10-7-18 Sunday sermon https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhBUiR6L41iuTNeTI
The Cross https://youtu.be/v85WoYe1Fkk
Ephesians 1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/uve5l1dh546zxcp/11-21-17%20Ephesians-%20Intro-%20chapter%201.mp4?dl=0
Mark 10 https://www.bitchute.com/video/6ETd2cs0559o/https://www.bitchute.com/video/6ETd2cs0559o/
The cup- NYC view https://www.dropbox.com/s/g1tclu3tc7ouezi/2-14-17%20The%20Cup%20%5BNYC%20view%5D.mp4?dl=0
The Capstone https://youtu.be/6J_o4xZlhg8
Sons of Thunder https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh12homyBoP_G01OR
Friends https://youtu.be/hzD_HSZJzXs
Mary’s prayer https://www.dropbox.com/s/augfx8qsisrm10f/2-14-16%20Mary%27s%20prayer.mp4?dl=0
10-21-18 Sunday sermon https://www.dropbox.com/s/6vblfo15tkwii4b/10-21-18%20Sunday%20sermon%20%5BTree%20of%20Life%5D.mp4?dl=0
8-20-17 Sunday sermon https://dai.ly/x7luxnp
Romans 4-7 https://flic.kr/p/2ix77DX
Teaching https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMjCvzvCQvXp6YbzvG
New wine https://youtu.be/kBGeb1V6mTI
Talking church https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMh18DcYFCCf6A2_9w
In the image of God https://youtu.be/If5GrqzO3O4
Waters cover the sea https://www.dropbox.com/s/60w5qgw819xnkhv/2-13-16%20Waters%20cover%20sea.mp4?dl=0
GW bridge- NYC https://vk.com/video533663718_456239694
10-28-18 Sunday sermon https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhAmiIi_CNnIIiGKw
Galatians 6 https://www.dropbox.com/s/8p7q3cc47gtv6gb/1-31-17%20Galatians%206%20%5BConc.%5D.mp4?dl=0
James 2 https://www.bitchute.com/video/j8Hfn0STQ917/
Rick https://youtu.be/K2GIiKEDyag
9-3-17 Sunday sermon https://www.dropbox.com/s/xac233r5bq5722e/9-3-17%20Sunday%20sermon.mp4?dl=0
Spiritual Rock https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhHfonsWslTrmE8-c
Sartre https://youtu.be/Y2PTFBPxLes
Hebrews 8-9 https://dai.ly/x7lt05x
Matthew 23 https://flic.kr/p/2ivUnkt
11-4-18 Sunday sermon https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMhDhxIxWdzx-wW5mv
Update- https://youtu.be/MAmzq3mgoWk Friends- https://youtu.be/YZhLGWjTIEM [I made these 2 yesterday- 1-31-18- the 2 below were from this week]
The professor- Frankie too https://youtu.be/BJUtJGC-vRw LinkedIn Trump n more https://youtu.be/75eYBHTVkpU
Scriptures fulfilled https://youtu.be/kH6QifEBXsw Pops candle https://my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZS6Rz7ZrClSfoXYPQBTLt1uqgtCEHSOt9tV Ephesians 3 https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMbmJ7N-LFNKVN2n0 James [filmed in Fairview- New Jersey 2017] https://youtu.be/s4gmugL2nsU
11-8-18 Teaching with homeless friend- https://www.facebook.com/john.chiarello.5/videos/10204992659494404/
https://youtu.be/htO6KyOb954
Times up https://youtu.be/4AdHpOklfGM
Slow train comin’ https://trello.com/c/FA9Kys97/248-3-23-16-slow-train-cominmp4
The keys https://youtu.be/Tg4jm8lXe0g
Acts 10 https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aocp2PkNEAGMghkgkNaWyrqc8D_m
Sunday sermon https://bit.tube/play?hash=QmbQJSAVS8TGXEJwuhjB9XrxVUq1V5fFveuPCwL2TXY4RV&channel=160276
Revelation 11 https://youtu.be/mXaBqHOO81Q
9-30-18 Sunday sermon https://dai.ly/x6weyw3
Teaching with friends https://youtu.be/lL_eLyz_3Ac
Acts 1 https://flic.kr/p/2crTth3
The loft- the windmill- the grave https://dai.ly/x6wgu4z
Mark 8 https://youtu.be/plWlLNg0bbU
The flood https://youtu.be/orHTqd1qis0
9-23-18 Sunday sermon https://dai.ly/x6wke7s
Kings 5 https://youtu.be/jQLv8K8qWrU
The roof https://youtu.be/2kjfAyYEdG8
Bus ride from new Jersey to NYC https://bit.tube/play?hash=QmVFJkXZYygCjAHaFin4uak8mR8hdnGzww8nywDQYqDKtq&channel=160276
Redeeming the time https://dai.ly/x6wm28d
Colossians 4 https://youtu.be/rcElEm46kp8
Friends https://youtu.be/oAKSn6cf2T0
No mail today https://trello.com/c/kmHSA2Qp/256-3-29-16-no-mail-todaymp4
Christian- Muslim dialogue https://flic.kr/p/QugJ6j
Trump tower- 5th ave. NYC https://bit.tube/play?hash=QmUaLbuKJYV7DpTFUeWZ3E9ok8JtqcX3ZnfQ2PK5mHmSkb&channel=160276
Acts 10 https://youtu.be/lAs4sZY-mDg
11-4-18 Sunday sermon https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=CweLT_1541780779
https://peertube.video/videos/watch/315d5df6-e4b3-4d84-b2e5-2c352b03443b
https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/11/08/colossians-1-2/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/11/09/colossians-2-2/
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These are some of the first posts ever made, I hope to share some of them over time in between my regular studies. Of course they are ‘dated’- and it would be too difficult to edit each post. Some have old news comments in them, but if I also taught on the posts, I’ll post them ‘as is’. Hopefully they will be a benefit in some way- John.
All past posts can be found here- https://corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com/p/links-to-past-posts-up-to-12-2017.html
Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on- Copy text- download video links- make complete copies of my books/studies and posts- everything is copyrighted by me- I give permission for all to copy and share as much as you like- I just ask that nothing be sold. We live in an online world- yet- there is only one internet- meaning if it ever goes down- the only access to the teachings are what others have copied or downloaded- so feel free to copy and download as much as you want- it’s all free-
Note- I have many web sites- at times some question whether I’m a ‘bot’ because I do post a lot.
I am not a ‘bot’- I’m John- so please- if you are on the verge of deleting something- my contact email is [email protected] - contact me first- thank you- John
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JKL I cannot stress this enough. ANSWER ALL OF THEM.
Heh. Why pick when you can just request all of them, right?Here we go, then (and thanks for the asks!)
Slightly Invasive Gay Asks
1. What’s your gender?
Hmm … Since I find the idea ofconceptual genders rather poetic (not recognized terms, but abstractdescriptions), I’ll give one of those: quirky and enthusiasticlanguage-literature-writing teacher who unironically uses a lot of Uncle Irohgifs and giggles like Scooby-Doo when someone make a particularly potent pun. Also, I’m a cis man with inclinations more towards non-toxic masculinity.
2. What are your pronouns?
He/His Grace, preferably, thoughI’ve no problem with people using Him or They/Them, I suppose.
3. Is your family accepting?
I’m fortunate enough to say theyare. Mom’s still worried about my spiritual and emotional well-being—about mefinding happiness, and worrying it might not happen like this—but that’s justwhat moms do.
4. What do you wish you could tell your past self?
Righteousness and Wickedness aresocial constructs propagated and perpetuated by authority figures to maintainan ideology which benefits them. So is “God the Father” (and Jesus Christ andthe Holy Ghost) as you conceive of them, or as anyone else ever conceives ofthem. You are *free* to do *whatever you want* so long as it doesn’t infringeon the freedom of others.
This means, boyo, that being gay isn’t a sin.Which is good, because you are gayer than a fruit bat. Just embrace it already,and you’ll be a lot more at peace with yourself and the universe.
5. What is your sexuality?
Hella gay,my dudes. Hella gay.If I wanted to expand further,I’d add placiosexual (I get off on pleasuring other people more than being pleasured).
6. Favorite color?
A deep and rich purple, like Tyrianor Imperial purple. Though I am increasingly fond of light pinks. And black is always in season.It’s funny, but as a kid I’d always say dark blue because I didn’t want peopleto think I was gay. Naturally, purple was the gay color, while blue was a safe“boy’s color” … for reasons … Isn’t heteronormativity absolutely silly?
7. Sun Gay or Moon Gay?
Moon, I guess? The sun is sogarishly bright. Even harshly so. But the moon is tastefully understated—just reallyelegant, y’know?—and also gentle and cyclical.
8. When did you find out your sexuality?
This is a rather difficult questionto tackle thanks to the cognitive dissonance imposed by heteronormativity …
Onsome level, I *had* to have known since I started masturbating regularly (atage 13 or 14), because I only ever fantasized about other boys and guys. And I *was*aware of this on some level. However, the very idea of being gay was soinconceivable for a mormon boy (and socially stigmatized thanks to thepejorative use of the word “gay” to mean basically “stupid” from elementarythrough high school), that I refused to recognize it for years. Like, I was soinvested in being a good, mormon boy that I truly fully planned to follow themormon track of serving a religious mission for 2 years, marrying a woman inthe temple (big thing for mormons, that temple marriage), and probablyeventually having a kid or two (though I’ve never actually wanted to havechildren).
Ergo, it wasn’t until I was 19 and on a mission in France, working and livingnonstop with other guys (most of whom were quite good-looking AND had notrouble lounging around in their underwear when we were at home), that I couldno longer lie to myself. That was when I consciously recognized and consciouslybegan to struggle against “the burden of Same Sex Attraction” (as mormons insiston calling it) through “the power of faith” in Ja-eeee-sus Chrys’theLORD.
You can extrapolate from the present-day contents of my blog (and the abovesarcasm) how successful that was. Honestly, I’m rather surprised thepsychological distress such internalized and slow-toxic homophobia caused neverdrove me to take a leap of faith off a building at some point between ages 20and 25.
But those dark days were over when, at 25, I fell in love for the first time,and decided that there wasn’t much sense in being miserable, self-loathing, andlonely anymore. That’s when I started the process of coming out.
So … take your pick, I guess: it’s 13, 19, or 25.
9. How was your day?
Apart from sleep deprivationweighing me down (which is my own fault, as I stayed up late writing, then hadto get up early to lesson plan), it was grand! Went to work in the afternoonand got a good workout there moving freight, then went to teach my French classin the evening and had a ball while doing it!
10. Do you have any gay friends?
Bitch, at this point, I’m wonderingif I have any *straight* friends.Seriously, though, I do have some straight friends. But my closest friends areall openly queer in one way or another.
11. What’s your favorite hobby?
Taekwon-Doand writing.
12. Who’s the best gay icon in your opinion?
Garnet, anthropomorphicrepresentation of a now-married, WLW couple WHO KICKS ALL OF THE ASS BECAUSESHE IS MADE OF LOVE A N D I T I S S T R O N G E R T H A N Y O U, J A S P E R!
13. Which Pride flags do you like the most design/colorwise?
Hard not to love the classic Gay Priderainbow, since it accessorizes with everything, though I prefer one thatexplicitly makes sure to include PoC, such as this one:
(Does anyone know who made this one?I saved a copy when I first saw it, because it’s fantabulous,but have never seen the post for it again.)
For the colors, the Bi and theTrans flags are quite lovely combinations, too.
14. Are you openly out?
You tellme:
Yeah, I wear this everyday becauseI got tired of people even contemplating the possibility that I might bestraight.
15. Are you comfortable with yourself?
More-or-less, and I think more thanless as time goes on. There are still bad days, but … once I understood thatbeing kind to people *also* means being kind to *myself*, it became a loteasier to become comfortable with myself. AND also easier to actually recognizeand work constructively on the parts of me I wished to improve.
16. Bottom or Top?
As a matter of principle, I striveto at least *be willing* to be verse—strive to never ask for anything I’m notwilling to give back, but … I definitely prefer to take charge and Top (evenwhen, or especially when, still giving manual or oral pleasure).Who knows, though? Maybe I just haven’t been topped right.
17. Femme or Butch?
Bold of you to assume I have aconsistent style.Seriously, though, im be Butch, I guess? I don’t really seek to present in afeminine way, so by default that make me Butch … Right? I dunno.
18. Do you bind?
Only myroot foot to strengthen it against a lingering ankle injury when I go to work.
19. Do you shave?
Only when I have to tidy up mybeard. No one shall see all of my face EVER AGAIN!
20. If you could date anyone you wanted, who would it be?
Right now, it’d be a coworker ofmine named Justin. He’s just … such an adorkable nerd with a really upbeatpersonality, and I find him very cute. And physically attractive, too. Like,damn, have you *seen* his assets? (obviously you haven’t, but trust me, they’requite pleasing assthetically)Unfortunately, he’s already married to another guy, who I hope knows he’sdamned lucky.
21. Do you have a partner (s)?
Alas, I donot. I’ve been somewhat unlucky in love.
22. Describe your partner (s)?
Hidden from me—hidden somewhere outthere, hopefully searching for me as I search for him … hopefully soon to crossmy path …
23. Have you ever dated anyone of the same sex?
I thinkabout 10 different guys. Obviously, none of them worked out.Some of them might have, but Iwasn’t ready at the time, and now it’s too late … Oh well. Life goes on.
24. Anyone of another sex?
Technically, I suppose I’ve been ontwo dates with women. For the first (a double date) we were theoretically goingto a high school dance … but none of us were really into that when we gotthere, so instead we just drove around in her truck and made her stuffedpenguin heckle other drivers. The second was a few years later, and we went to a young, single adults gameevening after having dinner with her family. Annnnnd … that’s it.
25. Pastel Gay or Goth Gay?
I ain’tgoth, that’s for sure. But I’m not sure I’m pastel, either …
26. Favorite dad in Dream Daddies?
While I’ve never played the game,the most physically attractive one to me is the redheaded bear. Mostly becauseanyone else who might be physically attractive to me ruins the effect with amustache (THEY HAVEN’T BEEN STYLISH SINCE THE 70s, AND EVEN THEN THEY LOOKEDSTUPID!) or by being unrealistically sculpted (and I am *not* into that; I likemy men to look like they actually exist in the real world).
27. Tell me a random fact about yourself.
I have, like, over 20 neckties leftover from my mission days. I hardly ever use them anymore because I loathedressing up … but I have used them for some fun with other guys, and hope I getto do so again, soon.
28. Do you own any Pride flags/merch?
Just the rainbow bracelets picturedabove … and also a pair of rainbow socks, though those were actually procuredfor (not by) me … so I could officiate a *straight* couple’s marriage,ironically.
29. Have you ever been to a Pride Parade?
I’ve been to three. The first twowere … alright, I guess. Like, it was exciting to go to something so openlyqueer—so loud and proud—the first time (even if I had to hurry home for churchstuff for my little brother’s mission homecoming … let me tell you, that was a dayof extremes). And fun to go with my then boyfriend for the second.But … I dunno … There was a big crowd, and a lot of noise and heat (what withit being the middle of June). Introverted ol’ me wanted to go home—or at leastsomeplace quiet an cool—after about an hour, because the novelty had worn offby then.
The third, however …I was visiting my aunt in Washington D.C. That Sunday morning, we were walking tosome of the Smithsonian museums when we just happened, entirely by accident, tocross paths with the advancing Pride Parade. So we stopped and watched it for,like, half an hour … I suppose it was more of a March than a Parade,technically, which might be why it resonated with me more than the other twohad. But all the same …Here’s more on that event: http://jkl-fff.tumblr.com/post/161753611614/dc-pride
30. Any advice to someone who isn’t out, or who is exploringthemselves?
Two things: Go with what feels right for you. Your labels might or might not change, butyour understanding of what they mean for you definitely will develop and deepenover time (this is part of what “gender is fluid” means; it isn’t fixed and unchangeable,because *your identity* is neither fixed nor unchangeable). Be truthful enough withyourself to let it happen. Because in the end, the only wrong answer … is adishonest one.
Also, learn as much sympathy, empathy, compassion, and compersion as you canfrom your negative experiences. Like, it is inevitable that you will suffer inlife, so learn how to be aware of and kind towards the suffering of others.Exclusionists absolutely disgust me, because after suffering discrimination andoppression … they decide to put others through the same kind of needless pain.Gods above, life is hard enough as it is, so don’t go out of your way to makeit harder for others. Let your negative experiences motivate you to make sureno one else has to go through such bullshit ever again.
Thanks again! These were a lot of fun!
#my life#life lessons#Thoughts#SO gay#obviously gay#obviously#gay#gay pride#queer#queer representation#lgbtq representation#lgbtq
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Imagine Bucky is an employee at Stark Industries and one day he has to bring his child in. And of course child somehow gets lost and ends up in Tony's office where tony is completely charmed.
No Job Too Small
“Okay,Wanda,” Bucky said, directing his child toward the guest-chair in his office.He had to clear a stack of papers off it before she could sit; Bucky’s officewas nothing short of a disaster, something his supervisor liked to complainabout. “You get to sit in this chair, and Piet--” Crap, where was Pietro again?Bucky could swear that kid was quicksilver, he disappeared every single timeBucky didn’t have eyes on him for three seconds, tops.
Under his desk, Bucky heard a faintscrape. “There you are!”
In his fantasies, Bucky was goingto strangle Pepper Potts. Last year -- and all the years between last year andwhen the twins were born -- the Bring Your Kid to Work day had been on a schoolday, and even though his kids had just started first grade, he had themenrolled in an advanced day care center practically when his ex had presentedhim with her testing kit and the two little pink lines.
This year, however, Potts hadrescheduled so that the company event was on one of the few bank holidays thatthe school was closed, but Stark Industries was not.
(Not that Bucky, as a member of theIT security department, got bank holidays off. Operations was too vital forthings like President’s Day. And today had proved that for sure; he’d had topush his kids into Darcy Lewis’s tender care for the first few hours of theday, when there was a massive DDOS attack against their servers. Fortunately,that had only taken about an hour to divert the incoming attacks to the dummyproxy VR farm that Bucky’d been tinkering with as a side project for a while.He was just patting himself smugly on the back when Darcy had thrust Wanda athim and told him “take your little witch and get out of my life.”)
“I found a nickel,” Piet informedBucky, holding out the black and dingy coin.
“Good for you,” Bucky said as Pietput it in his pocket. “Stop prospectin’ under my desk and go sit with yoursister.”
Piet’s lower lip pooched out.“She’s gonna bite me.”
“She’s not going to bite you,”Bucky said. That may or may not have been a lie. Wanda’d gone through a fewbiting phases, and Piet had borne the worst of it. He was pretty sure she wasover it -- the last few times she’d bitten anyone, she’d lost televisionprivileges for a week -- but putting the twins in any sort of new situationoften flared up their various behavioral problems.
“I am going to bite him,” Wandareported, looking up from Bucky’s phone where she was gleefully blowing up pigsin Angry Birds. “If he pokes me. Or wiggles too much. Or looksat me. He deserves it.”
Bucky rubbed his hand over hisface. “No one’s biting anyone.”
“Says you,” Wanda said.
“Yes, I did. No biting, younglady,” Bucky said. Damn, he wished Nat was here. She could get the kids tobehave. Of course, the fact that the kids only saw their mother in person abouttwice a year had a lot to do with that. Piet in particular had come to theconclusion that if he misbehaved around Nat, she’d just leave and never comeback.
“But--”
“No buts,” Bucky said. He kneltdown in front of the chair. “Do we need to talk about why you shouldn’t hurtpeople, again?”
Wanda wriggled a bit, putting herfinger to the side of her mouth like she was considering it. Bucky wasn’t sureif she was deciding if she wanted the lecture, or if she wanted to bite herbrother, but he let her think it through.
“I won’t bite Piet,” she said,finally.
“Thank you, kiddo,” Bucky said.
“He’s not here to bite anyway,”Wanda pointed out.
Oh. Oh, god.
(mobile readers, more below the cut)
The nice thing about being TonyStark was that no one actually expected to find him in his top-floor fishbowlstyle office.
He was usually found showing upexactly where his employees didn’t want him -- Maria Hill had been utterlyscandalized the one time she’d found Tony on his back, under the floor panels,helping with a rack power grid installation, covered with dirt. The poorelectricians who’d let him assist had no idea who he was, and they wereterrified they were going to lose their jobs. Tony’d promoted Scott Langimmediately, and his assistant a few months after that, and Tony dropped in onthem at lunch from time to time. Scott had used one of his bonuses to buy theelectricians under his command a shiny new espresso machine, which Tony foundas a convenient excuse to drop in.
Or, he was in the labs andworkshops, chasing R&D out of their moleholes, helping with ideas, workingthe Stark magic.
So when he was all fucking peopledout from a terrible board meeting, a shitty press conference about the DDOSattacks on Stark Industries and the possibility of compromised information, thestand-up with Cyber Security team leads, and the loss of one of their bestresearchers -- Tony still wasn’t sure why Parker had left to work for Oscorps,the man had never indicated that he was unsatisfied with his work at SI -- heretreated to his office.
Where no one was going to look forhim.
Tony kicked off his expensive, butnot particularly comfortable shoes and loosened his tie as soon as he walkedinto the office. Hung his jacket on the back of the door and cuffed his shirtsleeves.
He considered the decanter ofbourbon that, even now, he kept under the sideboard cabinet. Everyone knew TonyStark had an alcohol problem; very few people knew that he’d managed to kick itto the curb. So he still kept the bottle, offered a drink to high-end clientsor peers, but also as a symbol of the thing that he’d beaten. Which also meantthat whenever he had a shit day, he had to deal with that temptation, goldenand gleaming.
Tony threw himself into his leatherdesk chair, stretching his arms over his head and extending his feet--
Into a soft shape that squeaked.
“What the actual fuck?”
“You kicked me!” an indignant voicecomplained.
Tony rolled his tongue around inhis mouth for a moment, utterly at a loss. “You’re under my desk,” he pointedout, “which is where my feet go.”
“You weren’t here,” the voicecontinued.
Tony almost -- almost -- slouchedin his chair to peer under his desk, but then, it was his desk, after all.“Come out here where I can look at you.”
A shock of nearly white hairemerged and Tony had just enough time to wonder if his office had been invadedby hobbits or something, when the kid looked up, and it was a kid, under thatstrange, white-silver hair. Probably old enough to be in school, but obviously not inschool today, with piercing blue eyes and a truly impressive scowl.
“You’ve seen me,” the kid said.
“So I have,” Tony said. “Who do youbelong to?”
“I don’t belong toanyone,” the kid said. “You don’t own people.”
Tony laughed, twitching his handover his mouth. “Well, true enough, but… who’s your mom?”
The kid stared at him. “That’sclassified.”
Tony about choked. “What?”
“She works for the President,” theboy reported. “She’s very important. I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”
Ooookay. Try again. Tony rolled his eyes. “Well, my name is Tony Stark. What’syours?”
“Pietro Maximoff Romanov-Barnes,”the kid said.
Jesus Christ, the kid’s name waslonger than he was. Tony brought up his computer with a wave of his hand; thelightscreen keyboard hovering midair. He accessed personnel. No Romanovs orRomanov-Barnes in the roster. And there were fifteen freaking Barnes. “Nowwe’re not strangers anymore.”
The kid looked dubious, which wasokay. Tony was pretty damned dubious himself.
Also, while he was in there, he checkedhis email, and discovered that it was bring your kid to work day, whichexplained why there was a kid here, in the building here, and not at all whythere was a kid here, in his office here.
“Which parent brought you in here,today?”
“Dad.”
“And what’s his name?”
“Bucky.”
Tony checked the roster. There wasabsolutely no Bucky Barnes on his list of employees.
“So, where’s your dad?”
“Dunno,” Pietro said. “I ran offwhen Wanda blew up the copier.”
Tony raised an eyebrow. “Who’sWanda?”
The kid jutted out his jaw.“Sister. Younger sister. Twelve minutes.”
Twins. Great. Tony tapped in a fewkeys, accessing-- oh, here it was, maintenance called to repair a copier downin CSF. “Okay, well, come on, let’s see if we can find your father, hmmm?”
“Can’t I stay here?”
Tony blinked. “Why would you wantto?”
Pietro looked around from hishiding place, leaning against Tony’s knee. “No sisters.”
“Oh, well, I can see that as beingan advantage,” Tony said. “On the other hand, I bet your dad’s worried aboutyou.”
“He’s prolly still cleaning upafter Wanda,” Pietro pointed out.
“Still…” Tony pushed his desk chairback, stood up and offered the kid a hand. “Let’s go see if we can find him.”
There were only so many placesPietro could have gotten to, without having a badge (and Bucky had checked --twice! -- to make sure his son hadn’t snatched his badge when he wasdistracted) unless people weren’t paying attention and let a six year oldfollow them through restricted doors.
He wasn’t up to panic yet; panicabout Pietro disappearing had stopped happening around the time he was four,and had disappeared at least once a week for the last year and a half. Now hewas just resigned. If he didn’t find his son in the next hour or so, he’dprobably work himself up to panicking again.
Pietro had been found any number ofplaces: asleep under a rack of coats at JC Penney’s, inside the ice-cream caseat the local grocer’s, in the narrow gap between the sofa and the wall (thathad been the one time Nat had actually called the police because the front doorof their apartment had also been left open). One time he’d even torn open thebottom of the king-sized box spring in Bucky’s bedroom and hidden inside it.
The first time he’d gone a quicksweep of the floor to see if he could locate his wayward son, Wanda had slippedout of his office and managed to blow up the copier. Literally. She was coveredin printer toner in a variety of colors that weren’t usually found in nature.So, she was on her leash, clipped to Bucky’s wrist while he searched.
Cafeteria and vendateria were bothchild-free (well, free of his child, at any rate). He’d checked with security;no unattended children had left the building, so that was good, at least. Hechecked the common areas -- two employee lounges; freed Wanda from her clip tocheck the ladies’ room, while he scoped out the men’s rooms. No Pietro.
He was just headed back up theelevator to see if the kid had managed to get to the public shop floors, wherethere were two coffee shops, a tea shop, a massage spa, a bistro and a fewother places that weren’t strictly Stark Industries, but occupied the firstfloor.
“Good morning, James,” Pepper Pottssaid. The look on her face gave Bucky the heads up that her goodwas sarcastic.
“Ms. Potts,” Bucky said. He verymuch did not want to see her face as she looked past him at his multi-coloredchild behind him.
“Mr. Stark is in your office,” shesaid, her mouth twitching. “He’d like to see you, if you don’t mind.”
Fuck.
Seeing Tony Stark (Tony Stark!) in hisoffice was surreal. Sure, Bucky knew who the guy was; it was impossible to workin the building and not know who he was. Not to mention that the CEO of StarkIndustries was on the cover of Time Magazine more than once (and featured insleazy tabloids much more than once). There was an enormous portrait of him inthe main lobby and some more tasteful, smaller ones, scattered around thebuilding.
Seeing him sitting behind Bucky’sdamn desk, tapping away at Bucky’s aging laptop, with Bucky’s damn son in hisfucking lap was crazy. He was also handsomely disheveled, hair messed up, histie open and dangling around his throat, a few buttons of his shirt undone, andhis sleeves rolled up. He was also in sock-feet.
Bucky swallowed hard. He knew thatStark was a good-looking man. Four on the top ten most eligible bachelor’slist. His casual noticing that Stark was good looking grabbed water andsunlight and blossomed into a goddamn crush while Stark was just sitting there.
Fuck.
I am so, so fucking fired.
He didn’t even know what he’d done(aside from dare to try to have a normal life with his wife and kids, and thenhis wife had decided she wasn’t done with the game, and had left him to go backto D.C.) but he was going to be fired.
And not just fired, but spectacularlyfired. Making the tabloids himself levels of fired.
“Mr. Stark,” Bucky said, standingin the doorway of his office and trying not to cringe.
“Dad!” Piet chirped from his seaton Stark’s lap. “This is my new friend, Tony.”
“Mr. Stark,” Bucky repeated, thistime correcting his son.
“Tony’s fine,” the man himselfsaid, waving a hand. “Come in, sit down, this was you?” He pointed at thelaptop.
“Wha-- oh, the DDOS solution? Yes,sir. We deployed it this morning.”
“You coded the most efficientsolution I’ve ever seen… how long--”
“I’ve been working with the ideafor a while, sir,” Bucky said, blinking. What the hell were they talking aboutthis for? “It just got urgent, today.”
“I’ll say,” Stark said. “What areyou doing down here?”
“Huh? I mean, I was looking forPiet-- did you… was he in here--”
“No, I found him under my desk,actually,” Stark said. “Beside the point. You left your laptop open, and Ihelped myself. I do have a master-command code, you know. This is brilliant,I’m… look, here. I have another board meeting about the DDOS this afternoon,and I’d like you to come with me. Show your solution to the board, I’m veryimpressed. And grateful. The attack was bad, but it could have been so muchworse and I’d like to talk with you about the direction of your career. Yourson tells me that you used to work in cyber security at the White House?”
Bucky nodded. “Yes, sir, underSenator Pierce. Until--”
“Until you had an affair with oneof the Secret Service agents,” Tony said. “Yes, I looked over your personnelfile while I was waiting. Lost your job. She went into retirement for a while,you two tried the picket fence and two point five kids thing for about twoyears--”
“She left us,” Wanda reported,peering around Bucky’s leg, “for her job. An’--”
“Honey, that’s personal,” Buckysaid. Godddamnit, he hated that his kids felt so damn abandoned. “But it wasmore than that, you know that, right Wanda? Your mom, she just wasn’t happyhere. She… likes protecting people. That’s what she does.”
“Dad, c’n Tony come over an’ watchSuperfriends with us, this weekend?” Piet asked.
Bucky blinked. What? Huh? “Uh, I’msure Mr. Stark--”
“--Would love to,” Starkinterrupted.
Bucky pinched himself. Surely thishad to be some sort of wild nightmare/dream and the alarm was getting ready togo off and he’d have to drag himself through another day at work and--
“Great, sure,” Bucky said, becausewhat the utter fucking hell was he supposed to say.
“Great,” Stark repeated. “Okay,look, I’ll get Ms. Potts to find you someone to look after the twins -- cute asthey are, I don’t think the board would find it at all as charming as I do.And… I’ll see you in Stateroom 2, at four o’clock. Don’t be late. We’ll discussour weekend outing. After? Okay? Ok, kid, I gotta go be bossy for a while now.But I’ll see you soon.”
And then Tony was handing overBucky’s son with a quick pat on the shoulder and gone in a swirl of expensivecologne.
Bucky walked over to his deskchair, sat down hard. “What… what just happened?”
“You have a playdate with Mr. Tonythis weekend,” his son informed him crisply.
Bucky rolled his tongue around inhis mouth for a moment. “Okay, then.”
“I like him, he’s nice,” Piet said.
“And cute,” Wanda piped up. “Can wekeep him?”
Bucky blinked. “He’s my boss. He’snot even my boss, he’s like my boss’s boss’s boss’s boss.”
Who was coming over to his… house.To watch cartoons? With his son. What even was his life?
Bucky continued to stand there,stunned.
“Don’t forget your meeting,” Wandasaid, helpfully.
Bucky took a deep breath. He coulddo this; present his DDOS solution to a board meeting. Right. In his tee andjeans, because the lower floors of SI didn’t have a dress code beyond “yes,please wear clothes.” That were covered with Wanda’s inky handprints.
There was nothing for it; if Starkwas going to actually bring him to a board meeting, he wasn’t likely to getfired for looking like he had personally engaged in gladiatorial combat withthe office printer.
Two hours later, Ms. Potts wastaking his kids off to get an ice-cream and Bucky was wearing a jacket that shepresented to him with a quick smile. He hesitated in front of Stateroom two,and then opened the door. Bucky clutched his thumb drive with his slide deckcarefully saved on it.
He could do this.
Two months later
“You look��� nice.”
“Always the tone of surprise, Nat,”Bucky said. He glanced in the mirror, tucked his flyaway hair back into themessy little bun at the base of his neck.
“Tell me you didn’t get all dressedup for me,” she said, balancing Wanda on her hip.
“He didn’t,” Piet informed her.“Daddy’s got a date! We’re having mommy time tonight.”
Nat blinked. “Oh. You’re datingagain?”
“Yes.” Bucky hadn’t bothered toshare that little detail with her, although he’d been delighted to tell herabout his sudden -- meteoric, really -- promotion and pay raise.
“That’s good, James,” Nat said.“That’s really… I’m glad to hear it.”
The doorbell rang.
“That’s him!” Piet yelled, runningoff down the hall. Wanda squirmed to be put down and chased after her twin.
“Him?” Nat’s eyebrow went up. “Andthe kids--”
“Wanda and Piet love Tony,” Buckysaid. “It’s… honestly, it’s because of them that we got together in the firstplace.”
“I can see we’ll have some catchingup to do.”
“After,” Bucky said. “You, erm, youdon’t mind, do you?”
“It’s not babysitting,” Nat said.“They are my children, too.”
Bucky nodded. “Okay.”
Tony was in the hall, Bucky couldhear him talking earnestly with Wanda, who was telling him all about a dreamshe had the day before. “... but was it a seedless grape?”
And there he was, Tony, dressed tothe nines.
“--and this is our mom,” Pietinformed him.
“Ms. Romanov,” Tony greeted her,looking every inch the perfect gentleman. (He wasn’t. Which Bucky had every reasonto know, and was delighted by.)
Nat blinked. “Tony Stark.” Shewhirled on Bucky. “You’re dating TonyStark?”
Tony threaded his hand withBucky’s, lacing their fingers together. “Yes, yes he is. And he’s running late,so, if you don’t mind, I’m going to steal him now.”
Nat made her little wave, fingerswriggling. “By all means…”
Bucky hugged and kissed his kidsgoodnight, gave Nat a brief peck on the cheek and pretended not to be affectedwhen Wanda and Piet both insisted on goodnight kisses from Tony as well. Puthis arm around his boyfriend’s waist. And reminded himself to send Pepper Pottsa gift, for insisting on Bring Your Kids to Work day.
#winteriron#tony x bucky#tony stark#bucky barnes#past bucky/nat#wanda & pietro#take your kid to work day#prompts#tisfan#Anonymous
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Reflection
In just a couple of days I will have moved back to my childhood home from Idaho 1 year ago. This has me thinking about the 6 incredible years that I was blessed with to live in Idaho on faith. Now, when I use the term incredible, I’m not going to suggest that it was all unicorns, rainbows, pixie dust and butterflies. This time in my life I faced some of the most difficult things that I have ever experienced, not to mentioned I almost died there. This also has me thinking about this last year, moving back to California, and how I have tried to cope with it.
Shortly after graduating high school, I was looking at colleges to go to. I initially wanted to go straight to a 4 year university, but couldn’t afford it, so I had enrolled in a local junior college. During those three years (3 years at a 2 year school, but I graduated with 2 AA degrees), it gave me time to really try to see where I would want to go to school. I didn’t know where at first, but I wanted the experience of living somewhere else. I was born and raised in California, in the same 980 sqft house, and I wanted to see more of what it was like outside of the world of California that I knew.
After prayer, and many different options, I ended up applying only to one school: Northwest Nazarene University. There was a master’s degree program I wanted to take (and almost 10 years later I still do), and I wanted to major in ministry somehow. For different reasons, (that I will not name), I couldn’t major in ministry. (It didn’t have anything to do with the school). So, a workaround, I became a Communication Science major, with a minor in Bible. And it turns out, this path was better for me, than had I become a ministry major. During my time at NNU, I was called by God to become a pastor. (This was to add to my call from 10 years previous, which I had misunderstood.) I was a terrible speaker, not just because of fear, but because under pressure, I would stutter. It wasn’t severe, but it was enough to drive me crazy. Plus, growing up I had problems pronouncing two letters of the alphabet: L’s and R’s. I still sometimes get tongue twisted.
For me to really go after God’s call, I knew that there were things I needed to improve, and public speaking was one of them. By the time I graduated, and presented my thesis presentation to my advisor and other professors in the communication department, they were very proud of how well I had improved from the first day when I arrived. (I even made my advisor cry, which I was told was saying something.) Then after I graduated, I had an opportunity to work for a Deaf ministry, as their Administrative Assistant, and also continue my volunteer work as their Deaf Adoptions Coordinator. (During the 4 years or so I was the DAC, there were 18 deaf and hard of hearing children that were adopted that had been on our website. (I didn’t have a direct link to them, I just helped different adoption agencies find forever homes and advocate for children I never met.)
The church I was a part of at the time, Euclid Avenue Church of the Nazarene, also saw something in me and I was approved to be a local pastor within that church, and so I became a children’s minister. And after a couple of years, and more online classes (the Nazarene’s take education very seriously for their pastors), I was approved for a year as a district licensed minister. I still have it framed in my bedroom.
During that time as well, I was working, and volunteering, to the point where I was on the verge of burnout. And not to mention I became sick. At first it was pneumonia, then colds here and there. Then intense pain that would cause me to scream, hardly being able to function or even get out of bed, which lead to several ER and urgent care visits to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, and I was placed on medication to help make it manageable. (I wouldn’t wish that on any of my worst enemies.) It took about 6 months to manage well enough I could do things properly again, but I had to back out of a lot of the ministry things and stuff I was doing--it was heartbreaking.
Then I became sick again, there were times I couldn’t hold down food, I had pain in my right side that would travel all the way to the back (with my Fibro, it intensified the pain) and I felt just horrible, like a horrible flu that wouldn’t go away.) After more urgent care and ER visits, I was told on my 27th birthday I had gallstones in my gallbladder and that I had two options, get my gallbladder removed the following day on December 10th, or December 28th. It would mean at least 1 week out of work, as an outpatient procedure. My job was very uptight about it and I wouldn’t have been able to get everything set up (since it was my day off) and I could have been fired, so I opted for December 28th. I was told I would feel like crap, but I was given medicine to help keep the pain and nausea down. Between that visit and Christmas Eve I was in the ER and Urgent care 5 times. On the 4th visit (December 22nd I was told there were beginning signs of infection. However, because of how slowly it was progressing, it shouldn’t be a problem and I probably could wait until my surgery date, but if I felt worse or had other symptoms, I was told to go straight to a hospital.
Only two days later, I felt incredibly sick, more than any other time (which I didn’t think was possible.) I couldn’t even drive the 1 mile to the hospital and I had a friend drive me, remember this is Christmas Eve at 6pm.
We get to the ER, I explain what is happening and I am taken straight back, and I was given bloodwork, so they could check for infections. And sure enough, my galbladder was severely infected. The doctor told me, “You wouldn’t have made it to your surgery date. This needs to come out tonight.” Every time I think about this, it brings tears to my eyes. I was far from home, no family who could come on such short notice. I only had my friend there. I never asked her to stay, but she did. She stayed until about 2:15am, when the surgery was completed and she was told I was going to be okay. She called my parents to keep them updated, I’m sure they didn’t get any sleep that night. The outpatient procedure and no hospital stay turned into a 48 hour hospital stay, they wanted to make sure that the infection hadn’t spread anywhere else, so they sent me home. (I went back a week later on December 31st, because of continued problems, and there was a bit of infection in another place in my body, and was given antibiotics to clear it up.)
A little over two months later, still healing from surgery, I threw a disk out in my back, by standing up in an office chair. (I was born premature, with my twin sister--we both have spina bifida occulta, which is a spine disorder that in our case, makes the spine weak at the bottom because it’s not fused where it should be, making us more prone to slipping disks--and we did not know we even had this problem until we were 18, so we survived childhood.) I spent three days in the hospital learning how to walk. I had lost 80% of the feeling and strength in my legs (very hard for a curvy girl, since there’s more weight to me than a fit person.)
I guess to say, in all of that, is that the good with the bad, there were opportunities and things that I experienced and was able to do that I wouldn’t have been able to do. I also met and built friendships with people I would have never known otherwise. And when I think about each person, that really puts a smile on my face. If someone told me when I was moving all the stuff that I would have encountered on the way, I wouldn’t have done it. And my life would probably be very different.
Paul talks a lot about faith in the New Testament. And he talks about faith to the Romans, in one of the passages that is probably very well known.
In Romans 3:21-31, Paul writes,
21: But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22: We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. 23: For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24: Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25: For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being faith when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26: for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is faithful and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
27: Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28: So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. 29: After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30: There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself, only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31: Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
Romans 5
1: Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2: Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 3: We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4: And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5: And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love.
6: When we are utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7: Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8: But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9: And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10: For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11: So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
After saying all of this, and with everything I was able to experience in Idaho, and knowing now what I didn’t know when I moved, I would still do it again in a heartbeat. Even though I went through a lot (I moved 5 times in 6 years on top of everything else, and living in one house 3 of those 6 years), I have never felt closer to God because of this experience. There were times where faith was all I had left and God delivered me through and He can do the same for you.
No matter what you are going through, have faith. God will see you through. <3
Peace and Blessings,
Cody Marie
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The Addict and the Christian Man
All Men Are Desperate Whether They Admit It or Not opens with a number of sobering statistics about ‘man issues’ in the U.S. That is followed by the introduction of five desperate men with whom you will connect or identify in some way as their stories unfold. As I always say when introducing such ‘numbing’ numbers, you must read them as names, not numbers. Insert your name, names of your sons, father, brothers, fraternity brothers, golf or hunting buddies. Only then will such statistics hold your attention.
The focus of this lesson is addiction, so I decided to share just one of these staggering numbers.
More than 11,000,000 men in the U.S. battle alcohol, drug, pornography, and other addictions.
To put this in perspective, that is more than the combined populations of New York City and Chicago!
Many men struggle with these demons in secret. All of us know men among these numbers. Some of us have been there or fight that battle now. Other men live in denial.
The Lesson Title. What do I mean when I assert, “the addict is the Christian man”? It does not take much of a web search to find highly discouraging statistics to support this. That is how I came across the following grim pornography statistics on Christian men.
50% of men viewed pornography within one week of attending a Promise Keepers event.
54% of pastors said they viewed porn within the past year in a Pastors.com survey
Focus on the Family poll (2003) revealed 47% of respondents said porn is a problem in their home.
These are old stats that have only worsened since these surveys were taken. Because men are prone to hide or cover up these sins, the numbers are typically lower than reality. These facts also cover only one of many issues that hook, ensnare, and trap men—leading us into desperate places.
Divine appointments. A couple of weeks ago, I met with two strong men of God who, like me, are passionate about ministry to men. One is senior pastor of a mega church; the other the men’s pastor at a large, highly diverse church. Both men, and their ministries, have big hearts for broken men who have taken hard falls from the favor of men, but not the grace of God.
The common thread of both pastors is each has his own desperate man story-the results of which often lead men into addiction. In my own menistry, I have seen God use two types of desperate men to reach other men searching for help, healing, and hope that can only be found in a right relationship with Jesus Christ.
(1) Men who recognized the deadly path they were on in time to turn around or get help. Or
(2) Men who have themselves been restored from the stronghold of addiction.
Uncommon Denominators - Identifying with the Addict. James is the first young man introduced in the book. He is one of too many kids from the ‘hood’, born to a crack-mom with no dad in sight. This horrible home life (if you can call it that), and desire to please people at all costs, led him into gang life, the recreational use of drugs, selling them to support his ever-increasing need, and, ultimately, addiction. So many bad decisions, born of a young mind that had no role model or mentor to guide or influence his life.
I developed the character, James, in part, because his life is in such stark contrast to ours. I wanted readers to say, “I feel bad for those kids, but we have nothing in common, and I cannot identify with them at all.” Certainly, most men reading this did not come from crack houses or ‘hoods’ like James. We cannot identify with his journey. But that does not mean we are not more like him than we will admit.
Addiction comes in many forms. The most typical forms that come to mind are drugs and alcohol. Historically, they dominated the addiction landscape. Perhaps a better image is that of carnage strewn across a battlefield. Broken, wounded men like the walking dead, lost or going aimlessly through life, without direction or hope. Some carefully try to hide their issues; others have reached a point where they do not care anymore. I hear their stories at the rescue mission or from men in prison or aftercare.
But wait. I also hear stories that begin differently but end up in the same place (addiction) from broken, wounded pastors and other Christian men. Most were once highly regarded in their churches, workplaces, and communities. Such men are much more likely to try to hide, mask, or deny their issues—too embarrassed to come out of the closet of shame and admit their issues. This denial group led to the title of the book. The men I meet and work with at the mission or prison are desperate and admit it.
Too many Christian pastors and businessmen are afraid to admit their issues, nor do they want to talk about them…until it is too late.
By then, they have bottomed out. Sadly, only men who admit they have issues seek the help they need to climb out of the hole Satan so agreeably helped them dig.
There is also a set of what some consider “lesser addictions”. Men battle addictions to work, money, power, food, gambling, the Internet, anger, and even coffee (among the top ten). They may be lesser compared to the effects caused by drugs and alcohol, but many of these addictions have devastating effects on families and work lives. Marriages are severed, families crushed, jobs lost. And there are known ‘generational’ effects on children.
Addiction results from continuous attempts to fill a hole in your soul or heart with something that cannot satisfy the true need. Jesus alone can do that.
The harder we try, the more likely we are to replace Him with something chemical, physical, or visual that only leads down darker paths into even more desperate places. It is a vicious cycle—one that Satan delights in as God’s army of Christian men are rendered impotent and removed from battle, often falling on our own swords.
Drilling Deep into the Well of Encouragement.
God has answers. Because too many Christians today can be guilty of hyper-spiritualizing answers to the problems of other people, I gave considerable thought to writing something as simple, yet profound as “God has answers.” He does. But telling someone that or suggesting they just pray about it, and it will go away is, at best, half-hearted and, at worst. blowing them off. Funny how we do not want to hear that when the issues belong to us.
I do not know about you, but when I have a problem that needs fixing or a solution, I do not want you to sympathize with me, nor do I want you to tell me about how you once had that or something worse. I want you to tell me how or where to find relief now! You do not put a band-aid on a bleeding cut. You first help stop the bleeding. Neither do you tell someone with poison ivy to keep scratching. You help them find a salvo or med that gets to the root of the problem.
When God healed people in the Old Testament, directly or through a prophet, we always find the one with the issue in a desperate place with nowhere else to go AND humbly turning to God for the answer no one else could provide.
In each situation, God gave the person (or people) instructions on what they had to do to receive the healing. It involved faith and their acting on that faith.
Jesus heals people with addictions. Likewise, Jesus healed in the same way His Father did.
“Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4: 23 NASB)
Jesus heard the pleas for healing and (almost) always gave the person instructions to receive it. “Stretch out your hand”, “Rise up and walk”, “Go wash…”, “Come out of that tomb”. He closed most of those encounters with powerful words we need to lock onto. “Your faith has made you well.” Faith is the key to our healing whether swift or a long arduous process that encounters set-backs along the way.
The Bible is full of the stories of desperate men. The truth is all men all have a story because we are all desperate. The question is will we realize our desperate place and look to the only One who can heal us?
I take some comfort and solace when I read the stories of biblical men of God who had issues just like me. As we begin to put a wrap on this lesson, consider a truly great man of God, the Apostle Paul, and his well-known, introspective dialog recorded in Romans 7. Consider these excerpts.
“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.... For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing… (Romans 7: 15, 18b,19 ESV)
Desperate man indeed! The great Apostle was talking about sin in his life that he could not or over which he had no control. That by definition is addiction. I love it when he cries out,
“Wretched man that I am!. Who can set me free…?” (Romans 7: 24 ESV)
Most of us have done that at some desperate point in our lives. Paul answers his own question by giving thanks to God because he knew his only hope for deliverance was Jesus his Savior.
You may be amazed to find that the culture of Jesus’ time under Roman rule was as sinful and full of evil as ours. That’s easy to explain—same enemy (Satan). The Apostle Peter hit head-on the issue of cultural sin that makes “feel good” promises that lead only to addiction.
“They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a (man), to that he is enslaved.” (2 Peter 2: 19 ESV)
Words of Warning
My dear brother, if you are flirting with addiction, living on the edge, thinking you have it all under control, God has a word for you.
“Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10: 12 ESV)
You know verses that warn of the sin of pride and the resultant falls—often hard and deep. Look yourself in the mirror and admit you need to make changes in your life. Find someone to hold you accountable.
Words of Encouragement
My dear brother, if you are in bondage to some form of addiction, my telling you the truth and pointing you to the Truth will not get you where you need to be unless you do like so many who ran to Jesus for help and healing. You need to take action. Step out in faith, not in yourself, but in Christ alone and get help. God has provided many Christian resources to help you overcome addiction and reclaim your life. He has a place of service with your name on it!
Addiction is a war without end. But I have great news for you. We never go into battle alone.
If you are in Christ, God is our Unrelenting Father, Who...
meets us right where we are
loves us unconditionally
covers my sin with unfathomable grace
extends to us unfailing mercy
forever remains our source of unquenchable hope.
Come now, brothers. Stretch out your hand, rise up and walk, or come out of that tomb−whatever you need to do to receive your healing from Christ Jesus our Lord. Do it today.
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