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As more eyewitness proof of heaven mounts, churches avoid subject

Stairway_To_Heaven_by_Tizz77I’m one who doesn’t buy into all accounts of near death experiences when people claim to have flatlined and were welcomed into heaven by God, especially when they use such testimony to claim that all people of all faiths make it in. But there are enough cases from people who are believers out there that give us proof that heaven exists and that one’s existence continues in the spiritual realm after death.

John Price, an Episcopal pastor, who avoided talking about heaven in his sermons and who dismissed all testimonies of people who died briefly, went to heaven, then came back experienced the shock of his life one Sunday. A woman walked up to him after a Sunday service with her 3-year-old girl in tow. She then told Price about her daughter’s near death experience. When her daughter was an infant, she died while her mom was feeding her. The woman rushed her to the ER where hospital personnel revived her. The infant had an upper respiratory infection.

Three years later as the two of them drove past the hospital that revived her, the little girl told her mom that the hospital was the place where “Jesus brought me back to you.” Her mother was totally stunned because she never spoke to the toddler about God, Jesus, or about rushing her to the hospital to revive her. So her mother took her to Price to relay the totally amazing story since it would have been impossible for an eight week old infant to remember the incident.

But John Blake of CNN did a story today where he investigated subjects covered by Christian seminaries and churches. He found that seminary professors and churches are avoiding the subject of heaven altogether. Yet another example of how the church is compromising its godly heritage because they are ashamed of the gospel. The article is an interesting read posted today at the CNN belief blog.

Harry A. Gaylord

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by Harry A. Gaylord on May 19, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Christianity, church, clergy, religion
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on May 19, 2013

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/as-more-eyewitness-proof-of-heaven-mounts-churches-avoid-subject/

The day God first revealed himself as Jehovah

Moses at the burning bushA close look at the Bible reveals that God sets aside different time periods to reveal different aspects to mankind about himself. This is why to the untrained, unsaved mind he seems to be more than one god and has falsely been accused of being so. One of the favorite attacks by unbelievers against Christianity is that the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament. Another favorite attack is that we aren’t genuinely monotheistic but serve three gods.

In Exodus 6:2-3 is a curious passage:

And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty [El Shaddai], but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them.

However, a look back at Genesis shows that the patriarchs did know that God’s name was JEHOVAH. In Genesis 22, after Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac, who was spared when God set up a ram to take Isaac’s place, Abraham called that place Jehovah-jireh. It meant “Jehovah shall be seen” or “Jehovah shall provide.” It’s the same spot where God’s temple was eventually built. So if Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob called the Lord by his name Jehovah, why did God tell Moses in Exodus 6 that he was “not known to them” as Jehovah?

God’s name Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word hayah, meaning “I am.” Jehovah means, “the Self-Existent One.” It has a multi-faceted, deeper spiritual meaning than El Shaddai or Elohim, but encompasses all of God’s other names. When God said he was not known as Jehovah until Moses and his fellow Israelites, he meant that the patriarchs did not have the experiences that God was about to reveal to them–experiences that would show them greater revelations of God than what the patriarchs had seen in the physical and in the spiritual realms. Yes, the patriarchs knew God’s name was Jehovah, but they did not know why his name was Jehovah. They just knew why his name was El Shaddai, God Almighty.

Abraham prophetically called part of Mt. Moriah Jehovah-jireh because he knew God would one day provide a greater revelation of himself to his descendants just like he provided a ram for Isaac even though Abraham was known to be God’s friend. When Moses came, it was the perfect opportunity for God to reveal himself as Jehovah because these were the darkest, most impossible days the Hebrews had ever experienced in their history up to that point. Here are a few ways God would show Moses and the Israelites why his name is Jehovah:

  • He fulfills his established covenants [Ex. 6:4, 8]. The covenant to give his people property that didn’t belong to them originally and property they didn’t deserve in order to honor his word, reveals the grace, mercy, longsuffering, love, and power encompassed in who Jehovah is. It shows how his covenants are unbreakable and that he is unchangeable and righteous even over hundreds of years, since he is from everlasting to everlasting. The patriarchs had not seen this covenant fulfilled.
  • He hears the cries and groans of his people in their darkest hour [Ex. 6:5]. Jehovah takes things to heart because of his compassion and takes note of the dire situations his people are in.
  • He delivers and redeems his people to keep his covenant [Ex. 6:5-7]. Jehovah has more power than any enemy (natural or spiritual) that would harm his people. Through his power of deliverance, he would show himself greater than the greatest world power of that time–Egypt. He would show himself greater than Egypt’s greatest gods through the 10 plagues, which mocked their gods. His deliverance and redemption of his people was not only from Egypt’s physical bondage, but also from the spiritual bondage of worshiping Egypt’s gods [Joshua 24:14]. He would demonstrate his power to move any type of physical obstacle that could keep his people from their deliverance at the Red Sea.
  • He wants a personal, intimate relationship with his people [Ex. 6:7]. In revealing himself as Jehovah, he showed his people they do not have the power to deliver themselves out of every danger like he does. They didn’t have the power in and of themselves to be accepted into his household. They had to rely on him and because of the covenant–based on his grace, mercy, and everlasting love–Jehovah proved he was reliable. His reliability was not bound by space, matter, or time.

Yet for all the greatness encompassed in the name Jehovah, God still had an even greater name with a greater plan under a greater covenant that would not be revealed until thousands of years after Moses. We who profess the name of the Lord Jesus have embraced it. But the name of Jesus is also not the end of the story. Revelation 3:12 says the Lord has yet a new name to be revealed at the time New Jerusalem is established on earth.

Harry A. Gaylord

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by Harry A. Gaylord on May 18, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Christianity, God, Moses, religion
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on May 18, 2013

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/the-day-god-first-revealed-himself-as-jehovah/

Texas cheerleaders win summary judgment for Bible verse banners

A Texas judge who awarded Texas high school cheerleaders a preliminary injunction several months ago, allowing them to display Bible verses at games, has ruled in favor of the cheerleaders in a summary judgment handed down today.

The case was set to go to trial on June 24. The Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) pressured the school board to make the cheerleaders stop the practice. But counsel for the cheerleaders, sponsored by the Liberty Institute, made the argument that their banners only displayed Bible verses as words of encouragement and weren’t telling people to believe in Jesus. When the school district saw an overwhelming response in favor of the cheerleaders, they backed off their decision and showed no willingness to have the case go to trial. So the judge today handed down his verdict summarily in favor of the cheerleaders, essentially ruling that the halting of the banners was a violation of their Constitutional right to free speech.

No word yet if the FFRF will try to appeal. However, it’s highly doubtful since they have basically been shown the door by the people of the Kountze, Texas, community who they mistakenly thought they could bully.

Source: Juan A. Lozano, Associated Press. Texas judge rules Kountze High cheerleaders can put Bible verses on banners. Dallas Morning News. www.dallasnews.com. May 8, 2013.

Harry A. Gaylord

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by Harry A. Gaylord on May 8, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on May 8, 2013

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/texas-cheerleaders-win-summary-judgment-for-bible-verse-banners/

Since atheists deceive themselves, they’ll deceive you too

behind the maskAs I’ve stated before in my writings, it is all too often assumed that atheists are truthful people. When atheists debate or question or mock Christianity, many people listening to them have this tendency to automatically assume that since it came from the mouth of an atheist, then they must have a valid point because they assume the atheist or agnostic is neutral. This couldn’t be further from the truth. When it comes to religious and moral issues and how they may relate to science or life in general, everyone has a bias or agenda, including the atheists and agnostics.

I know atheists and agnostics aren’t truthful based on what the Bible says. The Bible has shown itself to be trustworthy and sound in it’s historical facts, scientific facts, and spiritual facts. So when we are told in Romans 1:19-21 that God has placed the knowledge of his existence all around us and inside all of us, then the fact that a person calls themselves an atheist or agnostic lets us know they are lying to themselves. Why? Based on this scripture in Romans 1, there is no such thing as an atheist or agnostic.

This is the reason Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” If a person has built-in knowledge that God exists, yet they deny it and swear up and down it can’t be true, then they really are a fool. Denying God’s existence is like denying one’s own conscience. Oddly enough, that’s exactly what people are doing in our times of growing immorality. I refer again to Romans 1, which is like a primer on not only atheist and agnostic views, but on all sin.

Romans 1 tells us why the atheist and agnostic choose not to believe in God and question his existence:

  • They prefer to exchange God’s perfect standards for corrupt images they conjure up in their own minds of how a god should be (v. 23).
  • God, being the gentleman that he is, allows them the free will to think and do the dishonorable things that contribute to their wicked ways (v. 24)
  • They would rather exchange God’s truth for men’s lies (v. 25)
  • Atheists and agnostics hold fast to human lies because they would rather worship the creature (themselves) instead of the Creator (v. 25)
  • Since they told God to get lost, he backed off and they went after every ungodly thing imaginable to please themselves, exalt themselves, and to take pleasure in others who do the wicked things that they enjoy (vv. 26-32). They question God’s existence because they think this gives them the freedom to do as they please and to deny that judgment is coming.

Refusing to retain God in their knowledge leads them to foolishness. If you read Proverbs, you’ll find that the atheist and agnostic has several character traits of the fool in many places where “fool” or “foolish” is mentioned. Here’s a sample:

  • The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7). The universe screams intelligent design by an extremely powerful Being who is outside of space, matter, and time–the system of created things, but they despise this wisdom and it takes them down the path of falsehoods like macroevolution.
  • He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool (Proverbs 10:18). They pretend not to hate people who aren’t as “enlightened” as they are, and they love to slander God and his people.
  • The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise (Proverbs 12:15).
  • …it is abomination to fools to depart from evil (Proverbs 13:19). They love their sin and think it’s utterly hateful for them to turn from it.
  •  A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident (Proverbs 14:16). The atheist and agnostic is confident in their wickedness and fiercely determined to stick with it.

These are the reasons why they need our loving prayers. Only God can soften their hearts.

Harry A. Gaylord

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by Harry A. Gaylord on April 30, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in atheism, Bible, Christianity, God, religion

Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on April 30, 2013

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/since-atheists-deceive-themselves-theyll-deceive-you-too/

Why God’s word is above his name

Throughout the Bible, God places the utmost importance on his word, whether his word is spoken or written. In fact, his word is so important that he has elevated it higher than his own name, including the name above every name–the Lord Jesus Christ. Here’s what Psalm 138:2 tells us:

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Now if we consider that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess (whether those knees or tongues are in the earth, under the earth or above the earth) that Jesus is Lord, and if we consider that at the name of Jesus devils are cast out and people are healed, then how much more powerful is God’s word, since it is more important than God’s name? So what could be so important about it that he magnifies it above all his names?

It boils down to two reasons that impact our relationship with him:

  1. God wants us to know everything included in the covenant relationship we have with him. His words are the terms of our contract to let us know what his character is and what we can expect from him in relation to what our character is and what he expects from us.
  2. God wants us to know that the terms of his contract  (his word, his testament) are irrefutable, immutable (they can’t change), and everlasting. We can count on what God told his people a thousand years ago in his word to still be in effect for his people today.

If it weren’t for the Lord magnifying his word so high, then we couldn’t rest assured in the whole host of benefits he promises whether it’s eternal life or his never leaving us nor forsaking us or his power to heal or our future resurrection. This is why Psalm 119:89 tells us “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” Many have taken this to mean that heaven is the only place where God’s flawless word can be found, so we have the license to make all kinds of Bible versions that use the language that suits us. But that isn’t what the context means at all. If you read the verses surrounding this verse, it is telling us that God is faithful to ensure that his words and the meaning of his words cannot be changed. They are established and protected so that even if someone on earth were to publish knock-offs of his words (by adding to them or taking away from them), his genuine words are  still accessible to those who seek them. It also means that the cheap knock-offs of his words that flood the marketplace cannot render null and void the true principles of his genuine words.

His words are the greatest treasure in heaven, “where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal…” If God’s word is so powerful that it is settled in heaven, we know it is settled on earth as well since God establishes his will on earth as he does in heaven. We as believers run into trouble and create problems when we fail to magnify God’s word as high as he does. Here are more verses that show us how high his word is magnified:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Isaiah 40:8

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. Mark 13:31

Harry A. Gaylord

 

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by Harry A. Gaylord on April 24, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on April 24, 2013

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/why-gods-word-is-above-his-name/

The crescent & the cross: why Chrislam just won’t work

Crescent moon symbol of IslamThese are some general facts to compare Jehovah with Allah and Christianity with Islam since some believe them to be the same God and recent attempts try to marry the two in the race toward one world religion (Islam was established about 600 years after Christianity):

  • Allah, worshipped in pre-Islamic Arabia, is the god Muhammad’s Quraysh tribe worshipped.  Allah was the moon god who was married to the sun goddess and they had three daughters–Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat.  This is why we see the crescent moon symbol in conjunction with Islam.
  • Jehovah created the heavens (including the sun, moon, and stars) and the earth.  He has always existed and clearly prohibits the worship of the moon and sun (see Deuteronomy 17:2-5).
  • The prophet Mohammed gives conflicting accounts of how he received the Koran (Quran). In one account he says Allah came to him as a man who he saw with his own eyes to give him the Quran [Suras 53:2-18; 81:19-24]. In another account, Mohammed said the holy Spirit gave him the Quran [Suras 16:102; 26:192-194]. But he also said a group of angels gave him the Quran [Sura 15:8]. And, of course, he also said Gabriel the angel gave him the Quran [Sura 2:97].
  • The Bible tells us “20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,” 2 Peter 1. The whole Bible teaches non-contradictory doctrines by many men of God over thousands of years because God originated it. The Koran and the Hadiths that uphold it are private interpretations by man’s will, which contradicts how God operates. Furthermore, we are clearly told in Galatians 1:9, “As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” And the teachings of the Quran contradict the Bible, making it another gospel.
  • Allah, according to Muhammad, is not trinitarian (Sura 5:73).
  • Jehovah is one God manifested in three persons.
  • Muhammad, who in his foolishness could not understand how God could physically have a son, denies Christ is the Son of God (Suras 6:100-101; 10:68; 19:35).
  • God’s word says Christ is the Son of God and was conceived in Mary, a virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 John 2:23 says, “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”
  • The Koran says only white people will be saved on judgment day and black people will go to hell (Sura 3:106-107). The Hadiths, on which all Islamic laws and customs are based, portray Muhammad as a racist who hates blacks. He calls them “raisin heads” in Hadith vol. 1, no. 662 and vol. 9, no. 256. Muhammad said if one sees a black woman in his dreams, it is an evil omen in Hadith vol. 9, nos. 162 and 163.
  • The Bible says heaven has people of all nations, that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is saved, and God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35; Revelation 5:9).
  • The Koran promotes violence against everyone who does not follow Allah (Sura 4:74, 89, 91).
  • Jesus told us to love our enemies and spoke against violence (Matthew 5:43-44; John 18:36).
  • The Koran says Muslims should stay away from people who don’t believe in their religion (Sura 4:89).
  • Jesus taught us to help our neighbors without regard for their background (Luke 10:27-37) and Paul implied it was ridiculous for Christians to snub unbelievers (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).
  • The false prophet Muhammad established the doctrine of “al-Taqiyya”, or “al Takeyya”, which is the idea of “concealing or disguising one’s beliefs, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and/or strategies at a time of eminent danger, whether now or later in time, to save oneself from physical and/or mental injury.”  This is the idea that it is okay to put on a false face or lie to your enemies as long as your heart does not change in devotion to Allah.  The tactic is used when Islamists want to present themselves as innocent and peaceful to their enemies in public, by doing social/cultural things accepted by their “enemies,” while in secret they are plotting the furtherance of Islam by various means, including violence or attempts to change cultures and laws of non-Muslims in plotting their downfall.  Even if they were to swear on a stack of Korans to do one thing, they are free to do the total opposite if it strengthens Islam.  The doctrine is taken from Sura 16:106–”He who disbelieves in Allah after his having believed, not he who is compelled while his heart is at rest on account of faith, but he who opens (his) breast to disbelief — on these is the wrath of Allah, and they shall have a grievous chastisement.,” (emphasis mine).  So they believe as long as your heart doesn’t change toward Allah, outwardly you can say or do anything to deceive your enemy.
  • Proverbs 6 tells us that Jehovah hates a lying tongue and false witnesses who speak lies.  Ephesians 4 commands Christians not to lie and to tell the truth to our neighbors.  Although there are places in the Bible where people of God mislead others, it is only done to preserve lives, not to destroy lives or violate human rights as is done in Islam.

If you would like more information about Islam, but don’t want to read the Koran, you can CLICK HERE and HERE for information compiled from various sources on Islamic doctrines and also an explanation of why Islamic leaders are so cozy with the Vatican.  Islam, whether considered “extreme” or not, is idolatry and is therefore evil.

–Harry A. Gaylord–

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by Harry A. Gaylord on April 20, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on April 20, 2013

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/the-crescent-the-cross-why-chrislam-just-wont-work/

All God’s children got a crown

gold crownThe idea of working and striving to achieve rewards is an integral part of the gospel. The Lord lets us know several times in scripture that once we receive the free gift of salvation by God’s unmerited, unearned favor toward us, he is expecting a proper return on his investment from us.

And the encouraging thing is that we can accomplish great works that result from our salvation because his Holy Spirit is partnering with us as we work. He also has other believers working with us on those endeavors. It’s a team effort that ultimately rewards us as individuals. Among the individual rewards we will receive for our efforts are a collection of crowns. How many of these crowns we receive will be up to us. Those crowns include the following:

The crown incorruptible

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Corinthians 9

This crown is received when we run the Christian race with integrity and self-control that backs up our sharing the gospel with others. When our works are done with genuine faith and godly love, they last forever, just like this crown. The crown incorruptible is not only a single crown, but it is a class of crowns which include the other crowns below.

Crown of rejoicing

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20 For ye are our glory and joy. 1 Thessalonians 2

When we do the works mentioned above for the crown incorruptible and the people we witness to become true believers that endure to the end, then we will one day rejoice over them when we see them in the presence of the Lord. Not only are they the personification and means by which we can have hope, joy, and a crown of rejoicing, but our hope, joy, and crown of rejoicing are what we possess independently of them through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Crown of righteousness

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Timothy 4

The Lord Jesus made us new not only so we could be lovers, but fighters as well. Our good fight is against our fleshly nature, the world, and against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. When we stay the course to the end to finish the works God calls us to do and when we look forward to him appearing, we will receive this crown.

Crown of life

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1

10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10

When we stay faithful to the Lord through earthly trials, even to the point of forfeiting our lives for his sake, we receive this crown.

Crown of glory

4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 1 Peter 5

1 Peter 5 talks about those who lead God’s flock as faithful pastors or bishops or elders. This crown will be their reward. We also have Christ’s word in Matthew 10:41 that those who receive such believers and welcome them will receive the same rewards they will receive, including this crown.

Crown of victory or crown of the elders

4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. Revelation 4

A group of 24 elders from God’s redeemed will be selected to fill these seats and while they do, they will be given golden crowns. They represent those who are washed in the blood from every kindred, tongue, people, and nation (Revelation 5:9). Only God knows who they will be. I find it interesting that John, who recognized Elijah and Moses at the mount of transfiguration and knew the other 11 disciples, doesn’t recognize these elders.

I’m excited about one day receiving my collection of crowns so help me, Lord, stay focused on your will.

Harry A. Gaylord

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by Harry A. Gaylord on April 11, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on April 11, 2013

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A laziness gene? Really?

ReclinerIs laziness a sin or a genetic defect? According to a team of scientists at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, it’s probably a genetic predisposition for certain people to be lazy. How did they find this out? They used selective breeding to mate more active lab rats with other active lab rats and mated less active lab rats with other lab rats that were less active. Ten generations later they found that each group displayed the more active or less active traits of the earlier generations.

They examined each group at the genetic level and found that there may be about 36 genes that possibly play a role in determining if rats will be very active or lazy. This led the scientists to conclude that this must be true for humans as well. Now that they have isolated this possibility, they are encouraged to do more research on those specific genes. In other words, now that they made this brilliant discovery, they can go to their benefactors and ask for more money to do more research to see if there are humans who have the gene for being lazy.

These scientists reflect a mentality that is prevalent in Western thinking in our postmodern era. Every bad habit of humans has to have some scientific explanation for why people are the way they are. It’s basically just their continued attempts to get around the fact God exists, that he created us, and that he as our Creator has given us a manual that reveals what makes mankind tick, for better or worse–a manual called the Bible. Their obsession with scientism (all assumptions and methods for research for every field or subject must begin with science) has given us the ideas that adultery, violent behavior, drunkenness, and other evil practices are simply a genetic code and people who do such things can’t help themselves.

Such people who hold to these ideas tend to forget there are moral and ethical factors that are part of this life we live. We as humans make choices regarding the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do and we must take responsibility for those choices, not blame them on genes. That is why we have law enforcers and court systems.

Essentially, trying to discover lazy genes is a waste of time and money. Laziness is a choice stemming from man’s sinful nature from our spiritual side as attested to in these scriptures:

30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth; and thy want [lack] as an armed man. Proverbs 24

14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. Proverbs 26

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord… Romans 12

 

 

Source: Couch Potatoes May Be Genetically Predisposed to Being Lazy, Rat Study Suggests. Science Daily. Sciencedaily.com. April 8, 2013.

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by Harry A. Gaylord on April 9, 2013  •  Permalink
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Jesus Seminar creates counterfeit New Testament

According to Psalm 138:2, God has magnified his word above his name. He considers what he said, as recorded in the Bible, as more important than his very name. And he backs this up with several warnings throughout the scripture not to add to or take away from what he’s said and to beware of different gospels that preach a different Christ. Tied to those warnings is the guarantee that those who do such things will face severe consequences, including curses.

However, this hasn’t stopped the Jesus Seminar people from compiling extra-biblical books that have been rejected for centuries by genuine Christians and placing them in a volume they named “The New New Testament.” It shows how puffed up and arrogant they are. Their purpose for the book? As stated in the Washington Post, they want “to add a different historical and spiritual context to the Christian scripture.” [emphases mine]

Now for any Christian who knows God and his word well enough, that statement should raise a red flag and set off blaring sirens in one’s spirit. They admit they want to add to God’s words to add a different spirit. And this spirit isn’t the Holy Spirit. The committee who put this accursed thing together comes from a variety of religious backgrounds, including Roman Catholic (no surprise there), Buddhism, Hinduism, Jewish rabbis, United Church of Christ, United Methodist, Episcopalian, and Lutheran. The 19 people on this committee call themselves biblical scholars.

The writings that make up this work are the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, the Prayer of the Apostle Paul, the Secret Revelation of John, and 6 others. The thing they all have in common is they promote gnosticism. Among the false doctrines within gnostic beliefs is the idea that God is unknowable and the idea that all matter is evil. Since matter is evil, then the unknowable God would not come in human flesh. And if material beings want to ascend beyond the evil world of matter, they must have special knowledge from the unknowable God to become a demigod themselves (i.e. this is Nicolaitinism, putting certain people like clergy or scholars with their “special knowledge” on pedestals as worthy of special exaltation).

These fake scholars may deem this book as a New New Testament, but it has nothing to do with God’s new testament, ushered in by the precious blood of our sinless Lord Jesus. It’s a revamped satanic testament that asks the devil’s age-old question, “yea, hath God said…?” and then gives the false promise that if one establishes a covenant, or testament, with the devil, he will give them great intellect and power.

These people hate the real Jesus because he reveals that they need to repent of their sin so they attempt to create a false Jesus that winks at their sins and encourages their pride.

5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Proverbs 30

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 2 Corinthians 11

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another… 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1

Sources:

Daniel B. Wallace. A New New Testament: Are You Serious? danielbwallace.com. March 17, 2013.

Caleb Bell. Scholars piece together a ‘new’ New Testament. Washington Post. washingtonpost.com. Thursday, March 28, 2013.

Harry A. Gaylord

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by Harry A. Gaylord on March 28, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in apostasy, Bible, Christianity, church, clergy, End times, heresy, Jesus Christ, New Testament, religion
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Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on March 28, 2013

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/jesus-seminar-creates-counterfeit-new-testament/

The eternal truths symbolized in the cross of Christ

Cross-on-a-HillAs we enter the week commemorating the sacrifice the Lord Jesus made for us, Pastor Mark Creech has shared some wise words online that can help remind us of the significance of what Christ showed us by willingly enduring the shame and suffering on the cross 2,000 years ago. Here is a summary of Mark Creech’s “Seven ways the cross speaks”:

  1. The cross points to our sinful condition.
  2. The cross speaks of God’s incredible love and amazing grace.
  3. The cross shows how much God hates sin.
  4. The cross speaks of the putting away of guilt.
  5. The cross indicts the wisdom of men.
  6. The cross speaks of the way we should live.
  7. The cross promises tragedy can be turned to triumph.

For each of his seven points, Creech gives a brief synopsis that I found to be a blessing, so if you have time, I think reading it at this link will provide some inspiration and encouragement.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

Harry A. Gaylord

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by Harry A. Gaylord on March 24, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Christianity, encouragement, faith, Jesus Christ, life, religion

Posted by Harry A. Gaylord on March 24, 2013

http://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/the-eternal-truths-symbolized-in-the-cross-of-christ/

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