Welcome to the East Coast

Being from Seattle, I am not really acquainted with in's and out's of catholicism, other than the fact I think it's a bit goofy. So, silly me I thought people celebrated Mardi Gras for the three B's beer, broads, and boobies. Luckily, I work with enough "religious" folks who told me about Mardi Gras, Lent, Ash Wednesday. After they told me, I did my best not to laugh, as I thought it to be the most absurd thing, it's right up there with praying to the Saints.
For it's worth here's my two cents...it your going to party like rock star for the other 325 days, what does it matter if you act pious during Lent. Last, I checked Amos had some stern words for this type of religous piety. As for the ash on the head, I pretty sure Jesus said that fasting should be done in private and not in an outward manner, so as not to draw attention to yourself. Who are these people fooling with their with the ash of a cigarette on their forehead? Perhaps, they should pick up a Bible and read about fellow named Jesus who died for their sins, and who doesn't demand some Pharisee type of living, but rather a life in full devotion to Him.
One good thing about this Lent bit is that most of them don't eat meat. So, now is the time to go to your favorite steakhouse.

Chew on This

"Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness? Is a man who chooses to be bad perhaps in some way better than a man who has the good imposed upon him?"

Unsynchromized Thoughts

Here's a couple of obscure thoughts to sink your noodle on...
If you watch a documentary on WWII and it's black and white you always think of those images in black and white, but if you talk to veteran whose was in the specific battle he remember those images in vivid color. Think on this...you both can talk about the same images to each other but you transmit the images to your head in black and white, while when the old vet talk about those images he sees them in color...

And for one more obscure thought...if you are a pre millennial pre trib type of dude and the Bible speaks of the Second Coming of Christ...well, if are a pre trib wouldn't you have to have 3rd coming of Christ...I put myself in the category of I'm saved and I'll go to Heaven and how I get there is of zero concern to me.

And one more Art Bellesque thought...since sound waves are constantly traveling and don't technically vanish into thin air...Would it not be scientifically possible to create some sort of device that could decode these waves and listen to conversations in the past?

For the sake of my 2 readers, I have not been drinking tonight...unless you count the pomegranate juice sitting forward of the mouse

Fear of Failure

While preparing to preach on February 17th, I've taken to reading various resources on the methodology of preaching. Needless to say, every time I read something I feel as though I'm not adequately prepared. Which leads to reading some more, and then having doubts, and then reading more, and so on and so forth.
Then it hit me one day, I can read every book, listen to every podcast, talk to every pastor, but unless I seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit I will be doomed for failure.
Before each reading, I've found it necessary to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. we can prepare for something as long and as hard as we can, but unless we can prayerfully seek guidance, we will sound foolish. And the message that was needed to be conveyed will be lost in our sin of pride.

Unsubstantiated Bantering

So, I'm flipping through the tube after another fine episode of The Wire, which is a fine show. Someone I stumbled across a show called Friends of God. Needless to say, I got suckered into watching it when I probably could've been sniffing glue or dipping my tongue in battery acid or some other more productive activity. It was what I expected, charismaniacs dancing like acid-tripping hippies of the 70's, capital "F" fundamentalists isolating themselves from the world like Randy Weaver in woods of Idaho, and then my favorite...those idiotic political nut jobs who somehow think Israel is code word for the United States. I find it amusing how people think if you are a Christian than somehow you are a part of an all inclusive gun-toting, navy-blue-suit-wearing, hang-an-atheist-for-fun club. It's almost as if they that if you don't vote Republican, God will smite your first born and cast you into the lake of fire for eternal damnation. The irony of all this is that I do typically vote for Republicans, and I do think liberals are a bit off their rocker...except when it comes to some of the details of "War on Terrorism". But that is for another time...

Fun with numbers

While preparing to speak on Jonah, I realized that one man cannot touch on everything in one day, unless of course I was at an apostolic church in the South. Than I would probably do everything in four hours I would be allotted. With all the running that takes place I would probably pull a hamstring and have be involved in a faith healing. Which would carry on the service for another couple hours. Anyway, here some interesting tidbits that for now have found their way to cutting board.
In Jonah, God gives Nineveh 40 days to repent. This number forty has been oft repeated in Scripture. Examples are Jesus' temptation, Moses on the Mount, Ezekiel's hand on his right side,
etc. I believe this number shows a time of testing that God used showing people his plan for their life, nation, etc.
Also in Jonah we find the number listed 3 as the days spent the belly of Sheol. The significance of this number shows the completeness of something. For example, Trinity is 3 parts all equaling One Triune God, Jesus' completeness was shown buried and rose again in an span of three days, and in Jonah we God's Mercy, Jonah's repentance, and his recognition that "salvation is of the Lord", while in the belly for three days.

These are just some of my observations...

Boondock Saints...

Strangely this is funny

Don't Be That Guy

While I have a few minutes in this chaotic world I will scribble, not really scribble since I am technically typing, down some thoughts on the "American" prophet Jonah. I use the term "American" because I believe it aptly fits Christians in America today. For a little more on that description I shall digress into the whale story. Though it's not really a whale story, but a story on the eternal grace, mercy, providence of God.
Jonah was called to preach to Nineveh, instead he tucked his tails between his legs, hopped on a boat, and made a vain attempt to flee 2500 miles to Tarshish, which is located in now modern day Spain. What happened in this attempted Houdini act is what I find similar to the Christians in cities all around us today. God calls us on a mission...we think think were hearing voices in our head...God gives us mercy by saving us in spite of ourselves...God provided a Big Fish(also a good movie) to keep Jonah on his mission...then we finally do get around to accomplishing the mission God sent us on,then we whine and complain, because we think God's mission wasn't what we had in mind...Jonah, after saving Nineveh from certain doom, seemingly sits on a hill overlooking Nineveh waiting for Sodom and Gomorrah part II(if anything he should have known that sequels aren't as good as the original). Instead of being thankful that many more came to know God, Jonah was ticked off that he didn't get a good fireworks display.
Don't be that dude who is on mission for God and himself. Only God know his divine plan. It is not up to us to decide whether certain acts of God of unjust or unjust. It is only our mission to follow God's will for our life, and be thankful that He was gracious enough to include us in on just a infinitesimal part of his Divine Plan.

Some random thoughts...if Hillary loses the nomination will she explode? Is it ironic that after the 'Skins beat the cowboys by 21, and thought Sean Taylor was with them(he's wore number 21), that they turn around and lose to the mighty, Super Bowl worthy Seahawks by....21? "It's a little to ironic, yeah, I really do think!"

Psalm 137:8-9 and other thoughts

While shooting the proverbial bull with a dude from church, he brought up Psalm 137:8-9 and asked me for my thoughts on the text(our topic of conversation revolved around whether or not man is justified in asking for the wrath of God on subjects that piss us off.) The text of this passage states:

O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,
blessed shall he be who repays you
with what you have done to us!
Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones
and dashes them against the rock.

Upon the first reading of this I thought, somebody must have been taking a few too many nips out of the new wine when he decided to scribble this psalm down. Since all scripture is inspired by God I thought I would take a closer look at this to determine contextually how this fits.
Thankfully, Al Gore's beautiful invention of the internet has allowed me to research this more thoroughly.
First and foremost, this verse was a prophecy that was later fulfilled in Isaiah 13:16 where it states,

"There in infants will be dashed in pieces before their eyes, their houses will be plundered and wives ravished."

Second, in a historic context, this was the way wars were fought back in the day. The old saying goes "Kick ass and takes names." Back then I believe that saying would fall under the category of " kick ass and don't take any names or women or children..." It was simply the way babylonians fought. In light of this, it was in the Psalmist's vision that what was exacted on them(Israel), was exactly what was going to be exacted on Babylon.

Last, this verse doesn't say to pray to God for the destruction of our enemies, as this psalm was a prophetic psalm. What it does show is that God's justice endures forever, and He does not forget those who have defiled His Name.


My next thought is quick one...I will blog on it later but due to the scourge of ADHD that plagues our society I will be brief.
I was flipping through Jonah the other day...I couldn't help but think how many of us are called on a mission and we duck and run. Here's a newsflash: every Christian is on a mission from God for Jesus. Whether you are old or young, rich or poor you are on mission....I'll expand on this later, but for now enjoy the day or night.
One more thought... is it fair to say that Hosea was a Pimp for Jesus:)

Perversity of Language or Perversity of the Heart?

The background of this entry is based on a couple of brief conversations I've had concerning the big "Christian" faux pas of dropping the "f" bomb. Among my circle of friends it is not uncommon for any of us to use this word in our conversation. It's usage is used mainly as an adjective, not an angry rhetorical remark meant to demean someone.

I was raised in fairly conservative home, where that type of language was rarely heard. Growing up it always puzzled why some words like "fuck", "shit", "damn" were condemned, but if you said "Gosh darn it" or "jiminy christmas" it was seemingly ok(in my house even these euphemisms were frowned on, but didn't quite elicit the beating as dropping one of George Carlin's 7 dirty words). I know that if my parent's said not to say these words it was a sin because I was disobeying my parent's rules. Now that I am a parent and not under the rule of mom and dad is it still a sin for me to use any of these words? In order to better answer this question I will consult a little used text in America to find these answers, the Bible.
Matthew 15:17 states, ".Do you no know whatever goes into mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?" The Greek for expelled is into the latrine, so would it make a difference if the verse used expelled into the shitter. After all the use of word shit is traced back to the Old Norse word "skita" meaning to defecate from which we derive the word feces. Used in it's context the word shit has no inherently evil usage.
If I were to use the phrase absofuckinlutely or my personal favorite wtf or what the fuck, are these words the vulgar things spoke of in the Bible or is it just a image created by our culture that makes it bad.
James 3 speaks of controlling the tongue throughout the whole chapter it is said to be of deadly poison, an object that is can both bless and curse. Too many times people take the liberty of saying that the word "curse" in the Bible is the same as a "curse" word in our culture today. When in fact to curse someone in the Bible would be to slander, speak ill will, or be vile in your mannerisms toward someone. In fact, the only specific type of language that is frowned upon is taking the lord's name in vain and taking an oath by heaven (Matthew 5:33-34).
Where the Bible speaks on vulgar language it is speaking of the language that defiles a man.
Language was meant to be used to glorify God not to tear down the images of God. Which is why vulgar language is not to be used as it tears the man created in God's image.
Contextually, theses words can either be sin or no sin. When used to degrade people or rip them apart it doesn't matter whether we call someone an stupid idiot or dumb son of a bitch they are both sin. It is very difficult for me believe if I drop the "f" bomb in the presence of friends who aren't offended that I have committed an evil, reprehensible sin.
Finally, this subject wasn't meant to be an exegetical argument for the justification of using any type of language at any time. It is merely to point out uses of words aren't evil, it is the intent of the heart when using the words that make it evil.

Compassion of Jesus or F$#^ the sinner?

I had originally intended to blog on different subject for my initial post, but instead my noggin was off in a different direction. So, I will blog on some recent events that occurred in my former 'hood.
The headlines scream everyday death, destruction, and debauchery. In the past day a family of
6 was killed on X-mas eve in Carnation, WA, in Pakistan a former PM and 20 others were blasted into eternity by a Jesus-starved homicide bomber. When I read these headlines two things came to mind...1. "I'm sure glad I don't live near any Islamitics 2. How can anybody kill a family of 6, including a 6 yr old and 3 yr old?" Having kids myself, I thought if anybody did that to my family I would probably jump into the lunatic fringe and beat them to death and probably enjoy it. Then rationality set in and I thought to myself by being angry would I not be giving a foothold to Satan in my life?
Too often as Christians, our first reaction to anything grievous and perverted is to think or say "Wtf I hope they burn in hell? Alas, this completely contrary to what the Bible teaches. I know I'm guilty of doing exactly what I'm writing about...so this is a lesson for you as well for me.
Within the Bible are many examples of what Jesus did...which is the complete opposite of what we do...for the sake of time and fact I'm tired and starting to see things I will keep it like fruit of the loom...brief.

Mark 6:34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Instead, of whining and complaining, Jesus knew they needed salvation, so he too it upon himself to speak to them. It didn't matter if they were sinners or saints, Jesus treated them all equally.

Luke 7:48, 50 [48] Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." [50] Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

With the prostitute he didn't run away from because he afraid he would contract an std, instead he lovingly spoke with her.
Finally, as Christians we can do one of two things we can say "F*&% the sinner" or we can follow the example of Jesus and seek to help the lost. We must always remember all of us are depraved sinners, not just a select few. Everybody needs prayer, not just friends and family. The next time you're skimming the paper and you come across tragedy don't just pray for the afflicted...Pray for afflictor...They need Jesus, too.
I'll leave with a final verse that should remind to act accordingly as a Christian.

1 John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did

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