Have you ever customized something? I'm sure you have. You probably have and don't even realize it. Think about it, to customize something means to take it and make it unique or to be what you like or want it to be. How about your house, or your room if you don't have a house, your clothing style or your car or truck? What about getting a tattoo? That's an extreme form of personal customization.
As we have moved into our new house, I now have my own office room. I can decorate it anyway I want to. I already have a few things in place. These are things that I like and that inspire me in writing and ministry. I used to watch the show Orange County Choppers. They custom built choppers with specific themes.
Did you know that God gave us the power to customize the earth? In a way, so to speak. In Genesis 1: 26-28 God gave Adam dominion and told him to subdue the earth. I know that is more of authority than customizing, but in a way Adam could customize the planet.
Almost anything and everything on this earth both man made and natural can be changed and customized to look and be whatever anyone wants it to be.
The crazy thing is that in our carnality and arrogance, we try to customize the one who customized us, God. People everywhere, everyday, try to customize God to fit their image and their likeness instead of conforming to fit and be in His image and likeness the way He intended and purposed.
What? No way. Yep, everyday. You see, as man has read and interpreted scripture over the years, Satan has done what he has done since the garden of Eden. Twisted the word of God in peoples minds. Satan started out with Eve saying "Hath God said ?", putting a question in Eve's mind about God's commands.
Hath God said you shouldn't look at that? Hath God said you shouldn't act that way? Hath God said they don't deserve it? Hath God said you should do this or do that even if it contradicts anything else God has already said? Hath God said you should look out for you and only you? I could go on and on.
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23
I don't think most of us fully grasp the simplicity of that scripture. I don't think most of us want to grasp the simplicity of that scripture. Jesus said if we are to follow him then we have to deny ourselves. Deny what we want. Deny our self love, pride, and wants.
Some people miss the deception that happens. Does God want us to be happy? Yes. Does God want us prosper? Yes. Does God want me to excel in all that I do? Yes.
Being a minister and a teacher, one thing that (just being honest) infuriates me with people is when they try to use God or His word to justify to themselves and to others, their own selfish wants. They say things like " God told me to do this " or they find a scripture they think justifies it when they no more heard God or read the word in it's truth than a man sitting on the moon eating cheese.
Now, don't get me wrong. I know people hear God and receive direction from Him and even are given scriptures from Him as confirmation to them of what He is directing them to do. However, there are those that it doesn't take a lot of spiritual sense to know they are fooling themselves and trying to fool you.
One thing I think could even be more wrong is when someone counsels another person based on their experiences which is often bad. They have not only customized their lives but that of someone else's.
My whole point is this. Become the man or woman that God intends for you to be by following Him. By listening to His voice. By reading the Word and discerning what it is saying to you. By being man enough and woman enough to admit when you aren't sure of or don't know the answer and be willing to seek Godly counsel. I may interject that just because a person is/claims to be a Christian doesn't mean they have Godly counsel.
When we grow up and learn how to eat spiritual meat along with drinking our spiritual milk and get self out of the way of what God wants to do with us and in us and allow Him to customize us then we will not make the mistake of trying to make Him our Custom Creator.
In Christ,
Kevin
Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Mine Enemy Moloch
I am surprised. Really surprised. I would think that something like this would be being talked about or discussed in the Christian circles. I could be wrong it may be some other place with some other people, but not where I usually read and keep up with stuff. Curious??
Let this hit you right between the eyes. I am talking about the astonishing numbers of children who are being killed. I have never in my 39 years heard or seen so many news stories and articles about the deaths of children. The most recent being that of 9 year old Savannah Hardin. Ran to death by her grandmother and stepmother for eating a candy bar when she wasn't supposed to. Whatever happened to a spanking and time out?
This child's story is just the latest. I have took note for at least the past five years of all the headlines concerning the deaths of children. School shootings, parents killing their children, accidental deaths of children. It is enough that caused me to wonder what was going on and believe that it is something spiritual.
The Ammonites were an ancient biblical people who worshiped a demon god named Moloch. The Ammonites sacrificed their children to this demon god. I am unclear as to what the sacrifice's purpose was, but knowing the usual reasons for sacrifice to a god would be simply blessings and favor from the god.
An interesting thing about the sacrifices was this. The sacrifice idol had seven compartments (at least one version of it). A different sacrifice was placed in each compartment. Flour, Turtle-Doves, an Ewe, a Ram , a calf, an ox, and a child.
The idol was heated up red hot and each sacrificial element was burned. The child of course was burned alive. Some forms of the sacrifice idol had outstretched hands to which the children were placed and drums would be beaten loudly as to drowned out the screams of the children.
Now, what would this have so much to do with us today? What would be the connection or spiritual aspect of this?
The demon god Moloch is shown to be a half man, half bull creature. Remember the story of the Minotaur from Greek mythology where the children faced the half man half bull creature in the maze? Where do you think the story originated? More importantly to us, the stock market of today is run by men and it's symbol is the bull. The bible says the love of money is the root of all evil. If you think about it, the abuse or killing of a child is the most evil thing considered that a person can do.
I am not saying that every incident of an abused child or death of a child is about money. I am saying this demon god is demanding his sacrifice and the demonic influence to acquire it is permeating through our society.
Now, let's look at the other sacrificial elements. Flour, would represent food and nourishment. The spiritual feeding and nourishment of children has been taken away in our society and culture and most importantly homes. Parents are not and have not took care for their children's spiritual welfare and are thereby sacrificing them in the name of selfishness.
The next element is turtle-doves. Marriage, the marriage covenant between a man and a woman has been all but obliterated and the ones who were sacrificed for it are children. They pay the price for a broken marriage.
An ewe is the next element. The ewe is a female sheep. The female aspect of a flock or congregation. Now don't crucify me here. Women in church either have had to take the lead because the men haven't or they have been pushed and pressed down as God favored, God chosen, leaders. And who has suffered? The children. Young men in the church need to see what true women of God look like and act like. Young girls in the church need to see what true women of God look like and act like. They need spiritual mothers to lead and guide them and teach them how to become women of God themselves.
A ram is the next element. The ram represents the male sheep. The leaders of the flock. Again, don't crucify me. The male leadership in the church has been beat down, puffed up, and become and embarrassment. Who pays the price? The children. We need be strong, foundationally set, spiritual leaders of our homes and congregations. The big dog mentality needs to get a good rolled up paper whack on the nose. Being a true Godly man is what is desired, but becoming a wet noodle of hypocrisy is what has happened. Manhood and Christ likeness are synonymous.
The next element is a calf. Youth. Youth is celebrated and held aloft. Adults do stuff to try and recapture their youth. Women dress inappropriately. Men flirt inappropriately. There is nothing wrong with being young at heart and nothing wrong with doing and experiencing certain youthful things. The difference is mentality and motive. Who suffers? The children do because they never learn to be proper adults.
The next element is the ox. Work. We either work hard with out proper work ethics or don't work at all. This country is locked up over the free ride thought. We want the money, but don't want to work for it or make the proper sacrifices for it. Time and tithe. Some of us think we are owed it because of who we are and some of us want to take it because of who someone else is. Everything and anything of value was built and sacrificed for. God spoke this world into existence and then sacrificed for us. Aren't you worth it? Who suffers for the lack? The children. The learn to lie, cheat, and steal, to get what they want.
The last element is the child. The blood of the innocent. We sacrifice our children in the name of us. Selfishness. People don't understand that children are a gift. All gifts come with the responsibility of being taken care of. We allow society and culture to preach to our children a twisted gospel. We allow society and culture to influence and enable perversion. We allow fear and selfishness to dictate our lives. Who suffers? The children. Moloch is happy.
There is one more thing I want you to see. I believe a lot of spiritual connections and spiritual things are shown in the physical. I believe one way is through movies. I see spiritual aspects in a lot of movies. Now, I am not trying to ruin any fun or enjoyment of a movie but let's look at the new movie The Hunger Games. I have not seen this movie, and only know what I have read. I have seen the book for a while, but never knew what they were about. Feel free to correct any informational error I may make. I will be honest and correct it publicly. From what I have read the movie is about a future society in which there is a yearly "tribute" made. The tribute is a select child or several children. These children compete in a game and kill each other. I have read that there is concern over the portrayal of children killing each other.
When I read this, it was the final mark for me to write this article. A movie portraying children as sacrifices and killing each other. Personally I am not sure I will see this movie. It does scream loudly to me the spiritual events of our current time.
When I had my two girls, I determined they would grow up knowing their parents loved them. That is one thing other than believing in God that I did not want them to ever question. My heart aches every time I see the headlines of abused, and killed children.
I am not ashamed or embarrassed to say this. I am warrior. God has intended and destined me to be one since birth. I have had struggles and battles through out my life. Often I have wanted to walk away and give up. The battle for my children, any child, is one to which I gladly take up my sword and run to. I am not a children's minister or pastor but I do not have to be, nor do you. Satan is killing the seed through the fathers. If he can stop us, he can stop them. I speak to every mother and father who reads this. Get up, rise up, stand up, man up, woman up, father up, and mother up, and take responsibility for your children. I will forever seek to destroy Mine Enemy Moloch.
In Christ,
Kevin
Take The Day !!!
Let this hit you right between the eyes. I am talking about the astonishing numbers of children who are being killed. I have never in my 39 years heard or seen so many news stories and articles about the deaths of children. The most recent being that of 9 year old Savannah Hardin. Ran to death by her grandmother and stepmother for eating a candy bar when she wasn't supposed to. Whatever happened to a spanking and time out?
This child's story is just the latest. I have took note for at least the past five years of all the headlines concerning the deaths of children. School shootings, parents killing their children, accidental deaths of children. It is enough that caused me to wonder what was going on and believe that it is something spiritual.
The Ammonites were an ancient biblical people who worshiped a demon god named Moloch. The Ammonites sacrificed their children to this demon god. I am unclear as to what the sacrifice's purpose was, but knowing the usual reasons for sacrifice to a god would be simply blessings and favor from the god.
An interesting thing about the sacrifices was this. The sacrifice idol had seven compartments (at least one version of it). A different sacrifice was placed in each compartment. Flour, Turtle-Doves, an Ewe, a Ram , a calf, an ox, and a child.
The idol was heated up red hot and each sacrificial element was burned. The child of course was burned alive. Some forms of the sacrifice idol had outstretched hands to which the children were placed and drums would be beaten loudly as to drowned out the screams of the children.
Now, what would this have so much to do with us today? What would be the connection or spiritual aspect of this?
The demon god Moloch is shown to be a half man, half bull creature. Remember the story of the Minotaur from Greek mythology where the children faced the half man half bull creature in the maze? Where do you think the story originated? More importantly to us, the stock market of today is run by men and it's symbol is the bull. The bible says the love of money is the root of all evil. If you think about it, the abuse or killing of a child is the most evil thing considered that a person can do.
I am not saying that every incident of an abused child or death of a child is about money. I am saying this demon god is demanding his sacrifice and the demonic influence to acquire it is permeating through our society.
Now, let's look at the other sacrificial elements. Flour, would represent food and nourishment. The spiritual feeding and nourishment of children has been taken away in our society and culture and most importantly homes. Parents are not and have not took care for their children's spiritual welfare and are thereby sacrificing them in the name of selfishness.
The next element is turtle-doves. Marriage, the marriage covenant between a man and a woman has been all but obliterated and the ones who were sacrificed for it are children. They pay the price for a broken marriage.
An ewe is the next element. The ewe is a female sheep. The female aspect of a flock or congregation. Now don't crucify me here. Women in church either have had to take the lead because the men haven't or they have been pushed and pressed down as God favored, God chosen, leaders. And who has suffered? The children. Young men in the church need to see what true women of God look like and act like. Young girls in the church need to see what true women of God look like and act like. They need spiritual mothers to lead and guide them and teach them how to become women of God themselves.
A ram is the next element. The ram represents the male sheep. The leaders of the flock. Again, don't crucify me. The male leadership in the church has been beat down, puffed up, and become and embarrassment. Who pays the price? The children. We need be strong, foundationally set, spiritual leaders of our homes and congregations. The big dog mentality needs to get a good rolled up paper whack on the nose. Being a true Godly man is what is desired, but becoming a wet noodle of hypocrisy is what has happened. Manhood and Christ likeness are synonymous.
The next element is a calf. Youth. Youth is celebrated and held aloft. Adults do stuff to try and recapture their youth. Women dress inappropriately. Men flirt inappropriately. There is nothing wrong with being young at heart and nothing wrong with doing and experiencing certain youthful things. The difference is mentality and motive. Who suffers? The children do because they never learn to be proper adults.
The next element is the ox. Work. We either work hard with out proper work ethics or don't work at all. This country is locked up over the free ride thought. We want the money, but don't want to work for it or make the proper sacrifices for it. Time and tithe. Some of us think we are owed it because of who we are and some of us want to take it because of who someone else is. Everything and anything of value was built and sacrificed for. God spoke this world into existence and then sacrificed for us. Aren't you worth it? Who suffers for the lack? The children. The learn to lie, cheat, and steal, to get what they want.
The last element is the child. The blood of the innocent. We sacrifice our children in the name of us. Selfishness. People don't understand that children are a gift. All gifts come with the responsibility of being taken care of. We allow society and culture to preach to our children a twisted gospel. We allow society and culture to influence and enable perversion. We allow fear and selfishness to dictate our lives. Who suffers? The children. Moloch is happy.
There is one more thing I want you to see. I believe a lot of spiritual connections and spiritual things are shown in the physical. I believe one way is through movies. I see spiritual aspects in a lot of movies. Now, I am not trying to ruin any fun or enjoyment of a movie but let's look at the new movie The Hunger Games. I have not seen this movie, and only know what I have read. I have seen the book for a while, but never knew what they were about. Feel free to correct any informational error I may make. I will be honest and correct it publicly. From what I have read the movie is about a future society in which there is a yearly "tribute" made. The tribute is a select child or several children. These children compete in a game and kill each other. I have read that there is concern over the portrayal of children killing each other.
When I read this, it was the final mark for me to write this article. A movie portraying children as sacrifices and killing each other. Personally I am not sure I will see this movie. It does scream loudly to me the spiritual events of our current time.
When I had my two girls, I determined they would grow up knowing their parents loved them. That is one thing other than believing in God that I did not want them to ever question. My heart aches every time I see the headlines of abused, and killed children.
I am not ashamed or embarrassed to say this. I am warrior. God has intended and destined me to be one since birth. I have had struggles and battles through out my life. Often I have wanted to walk away and give up. The battle for my children, any child, is one to which I gladly take up my sword and run to. I am not a children's minister or pastor but I do not have to be, nor do you. Satan is killing the seed through the fathers. If he can stop us, he can stop them. I speak to every mother and father who reads this. Get up, rise up, stand up, man up, woman up, father up, and mother up, and take responsibility for your children. I will forever seek to destroy Mine Enemy Moloch.
In Christ,
Kevin
Take The Day !!!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Of Time Travel and Reality
This is an article I wrote in 2009 for IMPULSE, a newsletter for those who are involved with research on Myasthenia Gravis. I thought it would be a good word of encouragement for the first day of this new year of 2012.
We’ve all said it, or at least thought it, that old phrase, “If I could go back in time and….? “. I have longed for those golden days of yore that were my youth. But would I really go back if I had the chance?
Man’s curiosity for reliving the past via time travel seems to show up quite a bit. Movies like The Butterfly Effect, Back To The Future, and The Time Machine. One thing seems to stick out in every story of time travel. Something always goes bad. It takes numerous trips through time to fix the bad situations and nothing is truly back to normal. That should tell us something. Man was not meant to relive his past but, we do it all the time.
When we don’t let go of hurts and the wrongs done to us, when we choose not to forgive, we relive the wrong done to us over and over. Every time we speak of it and the memories of it enter our minds, our emotions react as if the situation has just happened. That is why we cry over it again. That is why we get angry all over again. As far as our emotions are concerned it just happened. We need to talk to get it out, but in a good way.
When we have certain traumatic things happen to us, it’s hard to just get over it. When things happen that hurt us and damage our emotions, those things seem to never end. I can speak from experience. When I got my first real girlfriend, I mean one that I had for more than a month or two, I thought I had found the one for me. Within two weeks of seeing each other I was professing my love for her. She told me she loved me too, but when I think about it she didn’t. She was just saying it because I did. She inevitably ended up breaking my heart tremendously. It was the most devastating thing I thought I would ever go through and at the time I thought it would never end. I was an emotional wreck. I even lost a job due to my out of control emotions. I did, however, find that time truly heals all wounds if you allow it to.
I wanted to be healed and free from the pain so bad that I did the only thing I knew to do. Take it to God. Through forgiveness and persistent prayer my heart was healed. The broken relationship was mended. We both married other people, but we are on good ground with each other.
The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13 and 14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (KJV). In a nutshell, Paul was saying what’s done is done and what’s past is just that, the past. I have more important things to do. If we took this kind of attitude about our past, what could we accomplish?
It’s not wrong to reminisce about old times or drive down memory lane. Just don’t set up residence and live there. Would I really go back if I had the chance? Even for the good times? Not when I think about my wife who stands beside me and my two wonderful baby girls who fill my here and now. Not a chance. Sorry, Yesteryear, I’ll visit every once in awhile.
Let me encourage you. Don’t live in the past. Allow God to heal whatever hurts you may have. Forgive those who did the hurting. As difficult as it may be, it is possible. Christ died for them, too. Cherish your memories, enjoy your present, and live for the future.
In Christ,
Kevin
We’ve all said it, or at least thought it, that old phrase, “If I could go back in time and….? “. I have longed for those golden days of yore that were my youth. But would I really go back if I had the chance?
Man’s curiosity for reliving the past via time travel seems to show up quite a bit. Movies like The Butterfly Effect, Back To The Future, and The Time Machine. One thing seems to stick out in every story of time travel. Something always goes bad. It takes numerous trips through time to fix the bad situations and nothing is truly back to normal. That should tell us something. Man was not meant to relive his past but, we do it all the time.
When we don’t let go of hurts and the wrongs done to us, when we choose not to forgive, we relive the wrong done to us over and over. Every time we speak of it and the memories of it enter our minds, our emotions react as if the situation has just happened. That is why we cry over it again. That is why we get angry all over again. As far as our emotions are concerned it just happened. We need to talk to get it out, but in a good way.
When we have certain traumatic things happen to us, it’s hard to just get over it. When things happen that hurt us and damage our emotions, those things seem to never end. I can speak from experience. When I got my first real girlfriend, I mean one that I had for more than a month or two, I thought I had found the one for me. Within two weeks of seeing each other I was professing my love for her. She told me she loved me too, but when I think about it she didn’t. She was just saying it because I did. She inevitably ended up breaking my heart tremendously. It was the most devastating thing I thought I would ever go through and at the time I thought it would never end. I was an emotional wreck. I even lost a job due to my out of control emotions. I did, however, find that time truly heals all wounds if you allow it to.
I wanted to be healed and free from the pain so bad that I did the only thing I knew to do. Take it to God. Through forgiveness and persistent prayer my heart was healed. The broken relationship was mended. We both married other people, but we are on good ground with each other.
The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13 and 14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (KJV). In a nutshell, Paul was saying what’s done is done and what’s past is just that, the past. I have more important things to do. If we took this kind of attitude about our past, what could we accomplish?
It’s not wrong to reminisce about old times or drive down memory lane. Just don’t set up residence and live there. Would I really go back if I had the chance? Even for the good times? Not when I think about my wife who stands beside me and my two wonderful baby girls who fill my here and now. Not a chance. Sorry, Yesteryear, I’ll visit every once in awhile.
Let me encourage you. Don’t live in the past. Allow God to heal whatever hurts you may have. Forgive those who did the hurting. As difficult as it may be, it is possible. Christ died for them, too. Cherish your memories, enjoy your present, and live for the future.
In Christ,
Kevin
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