Depression and Being Thankful

"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving"-Psalm 69:30


Another holiday has passed, Families have met, imbibed on the traditional dinner, adding extra cholesterol to their diet. and a few pounds to their stature. A time for food, and family, football and fellowship, at least for most.

For some people this is the beginning of a very depressing time. A time of financial worry, elevated by the holiday season, can be particularly depressing. And in light of our current Employment situation, as a country, that depression can be significantly heightened. Combine that with the corporate greed and the "gimme gimme" consumer mentality that the holidays have evolved into, and you have a nice sewer of excuses to to ruin what was meant to be a joyous celebration of gratefulness to God for His Bounty, and the Birth of Jesus Christ.

As a child I remember when Halloween and Christmas were separated by the holiday of Thanksgiving. Advertisements and decorations for the stores, and the city, generally went up on the first of December. Carols were played on the radio, or sang by carolers in the square, you could hear them throughout the streets, as people window shopped and made plans on what to buy for the holidays. Snow would gently fall, and there was "magic in the air," as the church bells rang ... And Oh! Many of the carols were actually about the birth of Christ.

Today, the magic is gone...."Christmas" decorations are hauled out before Halloween decorations are even pulled off the shelves... Credit card commercials, as well as their credit management counterparts, increase on the television. Stores rearrange their aisles, adding more merchandise to the shelves, and corporate makes plans to slash prices for the most important holiday of the year. Thanksgiving? No. Christmas? Not that either...

Black Friday

.....BLACK FRIDAY!!! The infamous "day-after" where people, still bloated from a meal, not quite fully digested, (and that they weren't truly thankful for) brave the early morning rush, to beat the horde to the nearest holiday sale.
Once there they will bicker and fight for available parking, and stand in ever lengthening lines, pressing the doors like fans at a rock concert. Woe be to the employees who must unlock the doors, and release the feeding frenzy, as half insane shoppers press in for the latest heavily advertised toy or electronic gadget. Woe, more so, as supply succumbs to demand and fights break our over the few remaining articles available.

Oh, the joyous holiday sounds as Christ-less "seasonal songs" gently play over the intercom, often interrupted by undisciplined children screaming for a toy that will go unpurchased by their parents.
And as the checkout lines form, tired and frustrated cashiers tally the purchases and collect what is due...Cash better spent, or cards from which the purchaser has no ability, or intention of "paying off." On completion of the purchase, the more pleasant cashier will often be forced say, "Happy Holidays," for fear of loosing her job at the mere mention of Jesus Christ.

Yet it doesn't end there, for the parking lot, now filled to capacity, is teeming with cruisers trying desperately to get a spot, so that they can have their shot at the insanity. Thieves also are walking from car to car intent on relieving someone of their holiday purchases. Cars struggle and dodge through parking lot traffic, and onto the equally crowded roads that lead to there home...

Mission accomplished.

And this, for a gift to be opened on Christmas day.... and exchanged the day after... while the giver is left struggling to recover his finances.

Small wonder people are depressed.

At this time of the year, or for any time that the "Deep Blue Funk" might set in, I am reminded of a dear sister in Christ who gave me something so simple, that if done properly, will work wonders for the individual who heeds the advice... It requires a pencil or pen, some paper, and something few Christians take time for... Quiet time with our Heavenly Father.

Step one... Find a place of quiet solitude, wherever it may be. Even if it requires leaving the home and family for awhile.

Step two... When you get to your place of solitude, take your piece of paper, and pencil/pen, and number the paper in a column from one to fifteen.

Step three... Clear you mind from all distractions, from within and without. Focus on this one thing above everything else.... "What do I have to be grateful for?" Surely 15 things to be grateful for would not be hard to find... perhaps in prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart, if you find this difficult.

Step four... Write down everything that comes to mind, no mater how small and insignificant. Search your heart, be honest with yourself. Perhaps you can be open enough to find a blessing somewhere, that you never realized. (For example... you have a job you absolutely hate, but at least you are employed.)

Step Five... Have you reached fifteen? Add to the list if there is more, as fifteen was just a marker. Pray and think it through, until you are feel satisfied that there is nothing you can add to your list.

Step six... Look at your list, and as you look at each one, realize that each is a blessing from God. Come before our Heavenly Father, and thank Him for each blessing, and beg His forgiveness for not seeing the reasons to be grateful this holiday reason.

The Final step. Take this list put it in your pocket or purse, and refer to it anytime you feel depressed, and also at least once a day in prayer. Add things to it as you see them. Pray to the Father about those things that can be improved. (example: The job mentioned earlier.) Update it as you feel led.

And while your at it, there are other things you can list:

• 15 People who are lost, and need to hear the gospel.
  

• 15 People who need intercession, (sick, needy, depressed).
  

• 15 sins to confess, and forsake- (you will likely find more if you are honest to God and with yourself).

• 15 ways to be a Blessing, and a Christian example to others.

• 15 personal petitions.
  

Add all of them together, and what'cha know... You have a prayer list. (remember fifteen is just a marker.)

Now you have a list of things to take before God in worship and prayer. Prayer and Fellowship with our God is a sure cure for depression.

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; "- 1Timothy 2:1

The Worship Music Battle Of The Bands IV

Guess what time it is folks! It's time to waste a few minutes of your life and listen to the Fourth installment of the Worship music BATTLE OF THE BANDS...

Today we have videos from a couple of real pros. both taken From public access Channels... and you know what kind of freak shows come from public access...

So 'ere we go!

Contestant number one is John Daker, An amateur singer from Peoria Illinois , Who apparently stood in for the pastor of The First United Methodist church. He is accompanied by the charming Rena Unsicker (who has since passed on to be with The Lord.) This video has become extremely popular on the Internet, as people have created many remixes, and spoofs... He has t-shirts available and even appeared on The first cycle of the VH1 T.V. show "Web Junk 20." So without further delay, John Daker, with his video hit "Christ The Lord Is Risen Today/That's Amore!
I am gonna be dead honest with you... I LOVE THIS VIDEO! Mr. Daker is a blessing, if for no other reason, than that I laugh myself sick every time I listen to this . You think that Rena's 55 years of teaching could include a few minutes of teaching lyrics? Hmmmm... Either John had a serious brain lapse, or he did not know the lyrics to the songs...But the fact that He slugged it out without not so much as a blush shows he is a real trooper.

Highlights from the video for me were:
1. The Eyebrows...bobbin' up and down as he sings...
2. 1:52 seconds into the video where , for a split second, he actually sounded like Dean Martin
(Dits... Your In LOVE!!!)
3. The "serial killer" looks toward the end of the song. (2:01 and 2:07) Classic. This video is to
me, proof that God has a scene of humor.


This next video is is by Waggoner the giraffe, as he sings the 91 Psalm...Sigh... Just give it a listen...I am sure you will be blessed.

You gotta love the passed out panda bear that falls from the pulpit while Waggoner "Comes Alive" I guess that's what you get for drinking all the communion wine... It seems that, like Mr. Daker, Waggoner has a problem jumping the gun at the beginning of the song, but he later proves his vocal prowess as he sustains a note, which sounds like Pavorotti on an acid trip...
For the life of me I can not figure out how the goofy guy in the gold hat kept a straight face through this video...

Waggoner the giraffe is one of the characters of David Unger Hart (or Liebe Hart) a street performer, actor and artist who made a name for himself using a series of worn out hand puppets. He claimed to star in several T.V. shows, "Wings", "Chico and the Man"and "Golden Girls," Among others. He also claims that Jim Henson was his Christian Science Sunday school teacher and inspiration, and to top it off he believes he was abducted by space aliens. This video comes from a Jr. Christian Science Bible Show played on a Los Angeles public access Channel. now if I haven't given you enough reasons to avoid this like the plague. Feel free to search YouTube for some of his other works... They are a video cornucopia of weirdness...

So there we have it, another funny , weird, wonderful, and zany addition to the

WORSHIP MUSIC BATTLE OF THE BANDS!

The Holiness of Christ - Isaiah, A Picture of Salvation (part 2)

"Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.


I. A Quick Review, from the previous post.

In Isaiah's encounter with the God in the Sixth chapter , we have so far seen

• The sovereignty of God, as He sits on an exalted throne
• The majesty of God, in the train that fills the temple
• The unapproachable glory and transcendence of God, in the covered feet and faces of his seraphim.
• The Holiness of God, and the fullness of His glory in Proclamation of his angels. Also in the the Holy name of Him who sat upon that throne.
• And finally, the reaction of a sinful man as as the pronounced an oracle of doom upon himself, self condemned in the Presence of a Holy God...

II. Isaiah, a picture of Salvation..

Notice that When Isaiah stood in the presence of The Holy one he was extremely conscious of his sin. The condition of a persons heart is shown by his speech.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

-Jeremiah 17:9

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh
- Matthew 12:34

Isaiah knew his heart was wicked, by the very words that proceeded from his mouth, As he Stood in the court of the temple, terrified at the presence of God, a seraphim was sent to the to obtain a fiery coal from the alter. Then, holding the flaming hot coal in it's hand the Angel moved toward Isaiah. The prophet stood, wrecked in sheer terror , and motionless, as the burning hot coal touched his lips. Was the coal not a symbolic act of purification? or perhaps it was a taste of the judgment that would fall upon his people? Either way, one can only imagine the pain he must have felt, as the angel proclaimed "This coal has touched thy lips, your iniquities have been removed and your sin purged. If you were to look to the Hebrew, you would see that the word for "Purged" is Kaphar, and the word kaphar means "atoned."
The Lord of Hosts atoned for, and removed the sins of Isaiah, and as placing the coal upon his lips became a symbol of the purification of his speech, we see God preparing Isaiah for the ministry.
Notice something Also. when Isaiah stood in the presence of God, it was not until after the purging of his sins that the Lord spoke.

"Whom Shall I send, and who will go for Us?"

It is a truth. If you have not been reconciled to God through the Death of his son, If you have not received the Atonement, provided by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you have no relationship with the God, and have no business preaching His Word.

Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
-Isaiah 59: 1-2
and
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Psalm66:18

God does not take pleasure in wickedness. (Psalm5:4) and sin separates God from man. He hides His face, and has no fellowship with them. The unredeemed are called "children of the devil" (1 John 3:10) and, before they can become a Child Of God, they must call upon the only one who can mediate between them and the Heavenly Father, The Lord Jesus Christ.

"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"
-1 Timothy 2:5

Just as Isaiah stood in the presence of God's Holiness, and saw himself condemned, One who is to come to God MUST realize he is a sinner. No one who stands before God is righteous. (Romans 3:10-13) Isaiah would write later in this very book that all our righteousness is a filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6). How many Christ followers, having never heard the true gospel, have piled high the filthy rags of dead works, thinking that they have been accepted in "The community of faith," yet never repenting of their sins. Instead of coming to Christ with a sorrowful heart for violating His holiness, they gather teachers who butcher the Word of God to justify their iniquity. (2 Timothy 4: 3-4) They have deluded themselves into believing that God, in his love for everyone, will not condemn, and that he will not judge anyone for their sins.

“Through his death and resurrection, I am now fully reconciled to the world ... The whole world. ... In Jesus, I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me ... When Jesus forgave those who nailed him to the cross they were no longer in his debt, nor mine” (William P. Young- The Shack pp. 192, 225).

What a sad day it will be when the people stand before their God of love, with offerings of many wonderful works done in his name, and they hear:

"I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."- Matthew 7:23

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment, Yet we see so little preaching of sin in the pulpit...and even less conviction is seen in the lives of the people who claim to be Children of God. When we are under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and we see ourselves sinners before a Holy God, what can we do but realize we are condemned, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) Yet because preachers fail to warn people of the impending judgment, rank open sin goes unconfessed and unforgiven...The call for repentance has been changed to a call of acceptance and tolerance...yet Jesus Christ has made it clear:

'I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish"- Luke 13:3

Isaiah stood before God, guilty and Hopeless but God chose to show him mercy. This act of mercy is available to anyone who will repent and come to Christ. "For as the wages of Sin is death, the GIFT OF GOD is Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23)

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,"

and

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 2:4, 5- 9, 10

We once again see the pattern. Those who are saved are created for the purpose of doing good works. First God saves, and then God sends...He purged Isaiah of his sins and then He asked
for a messenger. Isaiah said, "Here am I, send me." Notice he did not say, "Here I am," as that would be a statement of location. God already knew where Isaiah was... He said, "Here am I." Isaiah was offering himself to God. A living sacrifice, for as tradition has it, Isaiah was martyred...
God calls all of his Children to be living sacrifices. Holy and acceptable unto Him. (Romans 12:1) it is your spiritual worship, and your reasonable service...We are responsible for preaching and exposing error (2 Timothy 4:1-3) as God has no fellowship with false prophets and teachers.

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."

(2Peter2:1-3)

Next- The Holiness of Christ- Jesus is the Lord of Hosts

The Holiness of Christ - The LORD of Hosts (part 1)

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." -Isaiah 6: 1-5


In my walk with God I have heard many sermons on His holiness, and in practically every one this passage, or parts of it were quoted. Much of what you read may be a repeat of what I have learned From such Great men of God as R.C. Sproul, and Jerry Bridges, and S.L.Johnson, whose sermons and books on God's Holiness are of necessity for anyone who desires to Learn of the truths of this divine Attribute of God.

In the prior studies on the attribute of God's Holiness I have only briefly mentioned this passage, because I feel that some great truths, concerning The Lord Jesus Christ can be gleaned from this vision of Isaiah... truths that are lost in our present culture of Play- doh Christianity... I will not spend a serious amount of time ranting about the Christ of the post modern/ liberal / Emergent Culture, as the illustration to the right pretty much sums up how "So called Christianity" views it's savior today. No, this time I would like to dive straight into the Word of God itself and glean the truths concerning our precious savior. Truths that fall unseen before the spiritually blind as they cling to a false idol of their own making.

Isaiah chapter 6

In this portion of scripture we see The prophet of Isaiah's vision in the sanctuary of Solomon's temple, There is no specific time mentioned except it was in the year that Uzziah died, that being 757 B.C. Uzziah was an example of a good king who made the mistake of violating the holiness of God. After living a life pleasing in the sight of God, and accomplishing much for the kingdom of Judah, Uzziah sought, in his pride to put himself in a place where God did not intend him to be. He wanted to burn incense in the sanctuary of the LORD, a privilege that The Lord set aside solely for the Levites. As eighty-one priests went into the sanctuary to resist him, and warn him to leave , God smote Uzziah, in his pride and anger, with leprosy. Uzziah was thrust out of the Temple and lived the rest of his life quarantined, until he died...
It was this in this year that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prophet of God, saw the glorious vision as it appeared to him. How rich the wonderful truths are found in this passage .

I. A Vision of God

Isaiah's vision is a wellspring of great truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. His deity, His sovereignty, and His holiness are all seen clearly in this passage of Scripture, in addition, we will see the theological truth on the doctrine of a Christophany. But before we come to those truths, lets start with a detailed study of Isaiah's encounter with The Lord Of Hosts.

A) The Throne
In verse one we see that Isaiah saw The Lord, and in this vision He was sitting on a throne.
Throughout the Bible a throne is a symbol of authority for the person who sits on it. It denotes kingship, and sovereignty. Notice that this throne that Isaiah saw was "high and lifted up"... it did not touch the earth, it was suspended in the air... it was not just an earthly throne, it was a heavenly throne, he saw it for what it was, the exalted throne of God.

B) The Train
Perhaps you have seen a Hollywood movie where a king was passing through his court, and his long cape draped behind him, carried by servants. Or maybe you have seen a bride at a wedding, who during the ceremony walked with a flowing train of her dress trailing behind her.. Symbolically, the longer the train, the more majestic the person wearing it...Isaiah noticed that the train of The Lord's robe , that part which hung down from The Lord's throne, filled the temple..., a testimony to his majesty of The Lord...The Lord who is Sovereign, Exalted and Majestic.

C) The Seraphim
Isaiah also saw above the Throne a number of creatures that he identified as "Seraphim"
These creatures stood above the throne. How powerful must they have been to be so close in proximity to the face of The Lord. Powerful beings indeed when you consider that man can not, even for the slightest moment, glance upon God's face. (Exodus 33:20)
The sseraphim are fiery creatures...Their name is taken from the word meaning "burning." (Heb. "saraph") Some Consider this to refer to their color, being that of copper, (Strong's) yet I believe that they were literal fiery creatures, standing in attendance of God on His Throne.

" And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." -Hebrews 1:7, Psalm 104:4

Now each of these flaming creatures had Six wings, and each set of wings had a specific purpose.
The first set mentioned covered the angels face... perhaps to veil him from the Glory of God. As close as they were and as powerful as they must have been to stand in His presence, they still had to veil themselves from direct contact with The Lords Face.
The second set mentioned covered their feet...a form of reverence..

"And he [GOD] said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground". - Exodus 3:5

Feet... Why would the seraph have to cover their feet? Do feet symbolize a connection to creation?
Moses standing in the presence of God's holiness was commanded to remove his shoes. As lso was Joshua (Joshua5:15.) It seems whenever man encounters the presence of holiness, he is told to remove his shoes. It is considered by many to be a sign of reverence to the holy, such as one would remove his hat when entering the church, yet I feel that there could be a deeper meaning. Perhaps, by wearing shoes in the presence of holiness, a connection is broken of man from the ground... and in that sense, the separation is considered to be an exaltation... a lifting up of man from the earth that he came from...Mans connection to the ground is a symbol of his being a creature...
Is it possible that this is why the seraphim's feet were hidden? Maybe feet, being symbols of a created being, were to be hidden when they weren't connected to the creation... In other words The seraphim when lifted up with the throne of God, were required to hide their connection to the creation...that being their feet...
I am sure that muddied the water up a little... but the third set were for the purpose of transportation... they flew with 'em...simple e'nuff...

D) The Proclamation of the Angels.
As Isaiah goes further in describing the vision of God, he comes to hear the voice of the seraphim as they stand above the Throne of God, he is not clear how many serephim were there, maybe the fact that he did not give a specific number, shows that there were more than he could count in the short time before he succumbed to his encounter with God, or perhaps it is possible that their message was more important than the number of those proclaiming it. None the less their proclamation, refereed to by theologians as the "Trihagion" (Thrice holy) reveals several truths concerning He who sits on the throne
God is Holy- Bible truth reveals the one attribute that describes everything that God is and does, is His Holiness. Notice that the seraphim pronounce him Holy, Holy, Holy. It is common knowledge that when a Jewish man sought to emphasize something important, in both writing and speech, he would repeat a phrase. He would use repetition like we use bold letters, italics, and ALL CAPS.
Jesus Christ throughout the gospels would show emphasis on the truth of His teachings by using the words "Truly, truly I say unto you." the repetition of the word "truly" showed the importance of what He had to say.
Now notice that seraphim did not just proclaim that God was Holy, they proclaimed he was Holy, Holy, Holy. Few things
in the Bible are repeated to the third degree, and of God's Attributes, only his Holiness is given such emphasis... nowhere do we find any other attribute or emotion (love) being elevated to such great importance... In addition this repetition of the word Holy, also proclaims the "triune" nature of God, for all the members of the Godhead are Holy... (Matthew 1:18, John17:11, Acts 4:27).
If you look back to the beginning of the text, notice that Isaiah said that he saw the Lord...notice the word Lord in the English, the way it is written (Capital "L", lower case "ord")
This is the English translation of the Hebrew word "Adonay." this is the word chosen by the Jewish people, in speech,when referring to God, as opposed to His personal name. This was done for fear of blasphemy. the Jews took great pains to keep from blaspheming His holy name. The seraphim on the other hand had no problem using God's personal name when proclaiming his holiness...
They called him "Yehweh of the hosts" or Jehovah of the armies ...in English the letters for LORD , are all uppercase. This name and title refers to the fact that God is the sovereign over the armies of heavenly angels, as well as the armies of Israel. Jehovah Sabaoath, is Holy, Holy, Holy! And the Whole earth is full of His Glory.

E) The reaction of Isaiah.
We can properly assume that the writing of Isaiah's encounter with God was well after the fact, as when it actually happened, the time between His eyes seeing the throne, and his reaction concerning his spiritual status was at best mere seconds. It took Isaiah not long at all to realize Whose presence he was standing in, and how rotten he was as he stood before God, in His Holiness...His first reaction was to pronounce doom on himself.
Notice the word "WOE"- This word in the Hebrew is a extreme passionate cry of despair. Perhaps you have heard a Jewish person loudly exclaim "Oy Veh ish meir" in a time of distress...That person is saying "WOE IS ME". Now for the prophet, the exclamation of " woe" has a more significant meaning and it is found in the concept of the oracle...
The "oracle" is a single word that often prefaces a prophetic utterance. In the Bible it comes in two forms, the first is an oracle of Weal, or welfare... and the second is an oracle of WOE, or doom. The Lord Jesus used both of these in his speeches. In the beatitudes He used the oracle of weal in the form of the word "Blessed." -(Matthew 5:3-11) In His open condemnation of the scribes and pharisees, He proceeded each rebuke with an oracle of "Woe." (Matthew 23: 13-33) Understanding the impact of the oracle of woe shows the severity of God's judgment on those who receive it.
And it is with this we can understand how Isaiah felt, as he pronounced doom upon himself... "WOE is me for I am undone". Isaiah proclaimed himself dead, cut off, destroyed in the presence of The LORD... Why? What was the FIRST thing that came to mind as he struggled function in Gods presence? "For I am a man of unclean lips". It was his foul mouth...Perhaps he knew that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34) Perhaps he knew his heart was wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9) He saw himself condemned because of his mouth. He stood self condemned in the presence of God.

"For mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts " -verse 5

Who did Isaiah see sitting on the throne? Isaiah saw the KING. He saw JEHOVAH SABAOTH

But though he [Jesus] had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. -John 12:37-41

Isaiah saw JESUS CHRIST!

THE HOLINESS OF CHRIST - Isaiah, A Picture of Salvation (Part 2)...coming soon

God's Defining Attribute. Pt.2- Holiness

I. The Holiness of God

"There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. "-I Samuel 2:2

"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"- Exodus 15: 11

When making a case for the Holiness of God we must first consider the facts.

1) The holiness of God, unlike his love, is a constant. as you will soon see, it is ever present in every thing He is and does.

2) Holiness is the one adjective that is most used to describe God throughout the Bible.

3) Man, created in the image of God, received the ability to express every emotion common with God, even when corrupted by the fall... Man has never been transcendentally holy. Only God is Holy in his very nature..

II. Holiness defined

1) Holiness: Heb: qôdesh-BDB Definition: 1) apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness
- Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew definitions

2)Holiness: Grk: G40 -ἅγιος- hagios- hag'-ee-os From ἅγος, hagos (an awful thing) compare G53, [H2282]; sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), saint.- Strong's Notes

Holiness by definition is best defined as transcendence, that which is apart, or separate from everything else.
Concerning God it refers to His separation, or his apartness from his creation. In the Greek, holy is shown to mean separate, sacred , morally pure...Blameless.... Personally I think a good definition is Transcendent Perfection in being..
Our God is Holy, His Holiness is what completely separates Him from His Creation. And as you will see man does everything he can to separate himself from God's Holiness.
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III. Holiness Of God.... FINALLY!
When dealing Honestly with the Holiness of our Sovereign Lord we must, automatically see the corruptness in our own hearts. A true glimpse of the His Holiness causes an honest man to shrink in shame and terror. A careful look into the lives of the apostles and prophets shows the results of true encounters with God, in his holiness. Ezekiel who after seeing a vision of God, fell upon his face, and had to be lifted up by the Spirit. (Eze 1:28) Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, considered himself broken and stumbling, like a pitiful drunk in the presence of Holiness. (Jer 23:9) Peter also, stood astonished in the presence of The Lord Jesus, asked him to depart, because He[Peter] was a sinful man, (Lk5:8) and who could forget Poor Isaiah, struggling to keep his sanity in Gods Holy presence, because of his filthy mouth. (Isa 6)

Perhaps this is why The Holiness of God is avoided like the plague. In our age of "Jesus is my homeboy" and "God is my Copilot," we have replaced The Holy God with a a nice Loving god of Play-doh, which we can mold to fit our sinful ways. So corrupt we have become that we have reduced God to the "Old man Upstairs." Jesus has become a major marketing gimmick where anything from worldly music, or poorly written literature, to clothing, and even common of trinkets can be sanctified, simply by adding "Jesus" to it. Instead of being transformed, we seek to conform to this world and all the garbage in it. Rank sin is now overlooked as the "seeker sensitive/social acceptance gospel" brings wicked, unrepentant men and women into positions of authority in our church.... Holiness and sin are seldom mentioned in the pulpit, as the apostates and liberals daily push the envelope of decency further toward the God of this world... Yet the Bible still commands...

..."Be ye holy; for I am holy."- I Peter 1:16

IV. God is Holy

1) God is holy in his character:

"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel"- Psalm 22:3

"Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are."- John 17:11

David in his beautiful psalm of Messianic prophecy, proclaimed that God is Holy. God is Holy in his very character. Throughout the Bible He is called Holy. Even the Lord Jesus Christ, mere hours before he was to fulfill the prophecies in David's psalm, lifted his voice to the heavens, using a name so reverent, that it appears only once in the entire bible...Holy Father...Holy father... Not the pope, or any man... No one but God, Our Heavenly Father, should ever be addressed by that name...

2) God's name is Holy

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.- Luke 1:49

There are two ways one might look at this, each with equal merit, For in the Bible, The word "name" not only refers to personal address, it also refers to the title of the person addressed.
Our savior was given the name Jesus as a personal name, (Matthew 1:25) but He also had names which were titles, describing who he was (Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 9:6). So as we look at this small part of Mary's song of Praise, let us realize that:

• God's name is Holy... In personal address. The devout Jew, for fear of blasphemy, will not utter the sacred name of God, The very Name which is so sacred too him is replaced by the title "Adonay" being interpreted, "The Lord". It is also said that when His name was written scribes would clean their pens before, and after the sacred name was put to parchment...Taking the name of the Lord in vein was a sin that the Jewish people went to great lengths to avoid...Even Jesus Himself, in giving the example of How to pray, started with an exclamation of Praise to God in his very nature. He proclaimed, before anything else, that His Father's name be regarded as Holy. (Matthew 6:9). God's Name is holy.

• Holy is His name in title...Mary being a devout lady, knowing the actual name of God, pronounced Holy also as his title, acknowledging His holiness in choosing her as the mother of our Savior. God's name is Holy, and God is holy..

3) God's Works are Holy

The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.- Psalm 145:17

As seen clearly in the previous posts, you can show that not all of God's works are motivated by love, But Holiness Is found in everything he does. His love is Holy, His mercy is Holy, His wrath is a Holy wrath, and He is holy in his justice.. You can not separate God from his holiness, for in doing so, He would cease to Be God... God is holy in his works...

4) God swears by his Holiness

In His promises- "Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me."- (Psalm 89:35)

And in His judgment- "The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks."- (Amos 4:2)

When God swears by the one thing that is absolutely inherent in His very nature, it's a done deal...period.

So much more can be written about God's holiness, and so much more has, by men of far greater renown than I, however I would like to end this with one last thing.

5) The beauty of God is his holiness.

"Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in beauty of holiness.- 1Chronicles 16:29

"Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."- Psalm 29:2

God command's us to be holy, as He is Holy. and we are told to worship him in the beauty of holiness. Please read carefully this passage in First Peter

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.- I Peter 1:13-16

Twice we see the holiness of God Proclaimed in these verses, Look with your eyes. Read it aloud, and let it sink into your ears... We, who name Jesus Christ as our savior, are to be HOLY... not conforming ourselves after the lusts we were supposed to leave behind. No longer is it enough to spend six days filling our hearts and minds with the FILTH of Hollywood and the music industry, But now, using the excuse of "relevance," that very garbage is being dragged into the "worship" service... on the Lord's Day! Shame, and woe on the preacher who is so bereft of the Holy Spirit of God that the should gather sermon material from "Star Wars" or "I Love Lucy" or any other trash pulled from the screens of that godless industry.... Shame and Woe to the so-called worship leaders who Blast out secular garbage, or "Jesus or my boyfriend" music in the Service, like some drunken bar band! and those shallow repetitive choruses that have all the spiritual depth of a thimble full of water! You will give an account to God for your sin...Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness, for Christ has no concord with Belial, and light had no communion with darkness! (2 Corinthians 6: 14-18) We are COMMANDED to come out from among them and Be separate! Mark my words, we will all give an account, not only those who do it, but also those who sit on their "seats of Do nothing" and allow it to happen...

And How do I end this... for in pointing the finger at everyone else I must acknowledge that I am no better. In the mirror of God's Holiness, I am just as guilty, of allowing my soul to be spoon fed by the God of this world. And If you are Honest with yourself, before God, you will feel the same way... be honest...

I said at the beginning, that when we are dealing with the holiness of our sovereign Lord, we must see the corruptness of our own heart. Sin, in our hearts and lives, is the reason
we avoid the subject and the study of God's Holiness... No one is more blind to the truth than he who refuses to see.. But for those who do, praise God, in his mercy, that He gives us this precious promise.

"If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth, But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship, one with another, And the BLOOD of Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL sins."- I John 1:6-7.

Praise the Lord for his mercy....

Part three- The Holiness of Jesus Christ...
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God's Defining Attribute. Pt.1- Love

The defining attribute of God. The one quality of God that defines His very nature. The one characteristic of Our Lord that is inherent in everything that He is...and does.
Why do we seek to pigeon-hole God into a single quality? Is not the Lord of creation glorious and perfect in all attributes and emotions? For years this very subject has been a matter of debate, and entire theologies have been formed around this very concept..but why? Perhaps as finite human creatures , not being able to comprehend the nature of an Infinite being, we seek to grasp something concrete, something in which we can "Sum up" the entirety of God's eternal attributes with one convenient word, and in doing so have a ready answer the the question "Who (or what) is God?" Perhaps in our choice of a defining attribute we seek to emphasize what we consider the more pleasant aspect of God, as opposed to something which would require us to deal with our own personal shortcomings... namely, our sin.

How do we determine what single attribute can describe God? Before answering, we should consider the following:

1) The defining Attribute of God should be a constant. It has to be a something that does not change in the Nature of God. A characteristic that is consistent in absolutely everything He has done, or will do.

2) An Emotion? Up until now you might have noticed that I have mentioned little of emotions.
While Emotions have been used to describe nature of God, only one, that being "love" has been, and still is, used to describe God's ontological being.

The problem with this is that emotions are not a constant. In order for an emotion to define everything that God is, it Should be consistent in everything he does.. For Love to be considered the preeminent attribute of God, every thought, every word, and every action must be permeated with that emotion, every time He moves to express himself. And Therein lies the problem. Not every act committed by God is an expression of his love.
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I. The Wrath of God (See previous blog)

There is no way to reconcile the love of God with the the final judgment, which is described as pure, unmixed wrath-Revelation 14:9-10.

II. Esau.

"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."- Romans 9: 13

The Greek word for "hated" leaves no doubt of God's feelings toward the brother of Jacob.

1) HATED-G3404-μισέω- "miseō" -Thayer Definition: 1) to hate, pursue with hatred, detest 2) to be hated, detested Part of Speech: verb

Paul in his Epistle makes a reference to Esau that is traced back to Malachi 1:3 .

"And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. "- Malachi 1:3

The Hebrew confirms what was translated in the Greek:

2) Hated-H8130- śânê' -saw-nay'-A primitive root; to hate (personally): - enemy, foe, (be) hate (-ful, -r), odious, X utterly.

NOTE: The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) in Malachi 1:3 shows the same Greek word for "hated" as the New Testament Greek text cited in Romans 9:13 (Gr- Miseo)

The Biblical text makes it quite clear... You can not reconcile the "all encompassing" love of God with his hatred of Esau.

The Bible says God is love. (I John 4:8 and 16) and of all the emotions that are expressed by God, perhaps it is the greatest. But it is an emotion in which even God has a limit. The belief that God can not act apart from love, which is a popular notion among the church today is false, as is seen in the previous texts. Knowing this, you must ask yourself, Can Love Be God's Defining attribute? Would it not be more proper to consider God's Holiness as His supreme attribute? I personally believe yes, and in the next post, we will examine why...
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Penal Substitution, and The Love of God.

A few weeks ago I examined a few verses showing the depravity of man, culling truth from many New Testament promises that exclaimed the before/ after effects of redemption. A comprehensive list of 45 characteristics shown the status of the unredeemed man Before God. Anyone with eyes that can see, would realize that the picture of the unredeemed in the New Testament is bleak and hopeless before a Holy God.
It was my original intention to continue the study by examining what the Old Testament says about the sinner standing before God. What follows was to be the groundwork for the next post... however God in his providence, had lead me to chase another rabbit, and in doing so Establish a truth that has become a problem in much of what is called Christianity today.
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I. God's primary attribute- LOVE?

"Do you believe that God does anything that is not motivated by love? 'Cause love is his ontological character, it's his being." -Paul Young, author of "The Shack" from an interview with Pastor Kendal Adams.

The defining attribute of God has always been a debate among theologians throughout the ages, and in this day and age, when the "seeker sensitive/ social acceptance gospel" message is puked up by another salvo of liberal clergy and theologians, the love of God has become so all encompassing, that it overshadows and even eliminates any of his other attributes. Case in point, Mr. Young, who is a spokesman for emergent Christianity.
Young, like all others of his theological persuasion, see God as being so loving that EVERY act he preforms is motivated by this emotion, even at the expence of his other attributes. Those who hold to this have to twist major portions of scripture to promote their views. Improper exegesis is all to common among people who hold this position, as seen in his [Young's] book, which is awash with the false doctrine of "Universal Atonement."
However, Paul Young does asks a valid question. Does God Do Anything that is not motivated by Love? After all...

... "God is Love"-I John 4: 8- (intentionally wrested from it's context...)


In Answering this one question, we can see whether God's Love is His "very being", His "ontological nature," as Paul would have it. We can disprove this by simply finding one instance of God doing something that is not motivated by His love...

II. The Wine of God's Wrath

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb"-Revelation 14:10

I want to avoid going into the nature and duration of God's punishment, and just concentrate on the metaphor that describes God's anger. It is called The wine of the Wrath of God, poured into the cup of his indignation.
The Greek words which are translated "wrath" and "indignation," testify to the emotional status of God at the time of Judgment.

Wrath- Grk. -Thumos: passion, angry, heat, anger forthwith boiling up and soon subsiding again

Indignation-Grk.- Orgay:- movement or agitation of the soul, impulse, desire, any violent emotion, but especially anger- Thayer"s Lexicon of New Testament Greek

God's judgment is described as a cup of His violent anger, filled with His boiling wrath. This wine of God's intense anger is poured out "Without mixture" as it forced upon those who are being judged...

A little study into the history of wine Shows that throughout the Bible, it was a common beverage, used for various purposes. It was mixed with water to control the strength, and it was mixed with spices to add flavor, and also for medicinal purposes.

God's wrath and indignation are emotions in the above text, that have no mixture. There is no other emotion added to water down God's wrath... There is no other emotion to make the cup of His fierce anger more palatable.... There is no other emotion, to deaden the pain and anguish that will be experienced by the pitiful souls who are so foolish as to refuse the precious free gift of God!

Could this not be the very Cup that Jesus Christ, in His anguish, took upon himself to Drink, as he succumbed to His Fathers will, in the Garden of Gethsemane?

"Father , if thou be willing take this CUP from me, nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done"- Luke 22:42

It was this very Cup that our precious savior, in His absolute love for us, drank deeply from as His bloody, bruised, and beaten body was nailed to a filthy cross. As the sin of every man who would Come to God was laid upon Him, Our precious savior took upon himself the fullness of God's undiluted wrath. He took upon himself OUR sin and He endured the wrath that WE deserved, even refusing the medicinal wine, mixed with myrrh, given him to dull the horrible pain of his crucifixion- Mark 15: 23 . As He hung upon the cross, wounded for OUR transgressions, and Crushed for OUR iniquities, The divine prophecy was fulfilled...God saw the travail of Christs soul, and was SATISFIED. -Isaiah 53:11 How Great the love of the Lord Jesus Christ for enduring the punishment we deserve!

Who would have the unmitigated gall to deny the penal substitutionary death of Christ? Who would have the absolute audacity to deny the love that Jesus Christ expressed in giving his very life for the lost???

Ironically the very ones who claim that God's love is his defining attribute... including Paul Young...

God's love is an emotion, it is not his defining attribute... You cannot reconcile the judgment of God on the unredeemed with his love, as His judgment is only pure undiluted wrath. - Revelation 14:10

Does God do anything that is not motivated by love? The answer is yes... But Praise be to our Most High and Loving God, that HE has provided a sacrifice, in his own son, and a Free Gift to those who will accept it.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not parish, but have everlasting life... John 3:16

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THIS will be continued in the next post: God's Defining Attribute...Holiness.
-SOLI DIO GLORIA!

Worship Music Battle of the Bands III

Guess what time it is folks!!! It is time for round three of the Worship Music Battle of the Bands! where the bizarre meets the downright creepy for the purpose of "lifting high the banner of the cross"...or not...

Today we pit a classic video favorite, with what I feel is the creepiest, most disturbing thing ever to label itself Christian...except for... perhaps... the author of this blog...be that as it may... Let's get to contestant number one...

Our first video is a Youtube classic. With close to three million views, it has been parodied dozens of times. The Group and has been labeled as "The first Christian ska band," and has been a candidate for our battle of the bands for some time. Desiring to make it on a post, I have yet to find anything that could compare to the...what word am I looking for...goofiness of this piece of work...until now...Sooooooo,

Ladies and gentlemen...For your viewing pleasure... From their album "First Fruits", Sonseed, with the viral video hit, "Jesus Is A Friend of Mine!!!"

When I first saw this all I could do was shudder, but after several viewings, it kinda grew on me. The disco like clothing, the pink stage background, and the catchy chorus, that I just can't get out of my head...."Disturbing" finally gave way to "cute" and now I can actually listen to it without wanting to gouge my eardrums out with an icepick...
My favorite part is 1:50 minutes into the song.

"He is like a Mountie, He always gets His man and he will zap you any way he can...
Classic theology at it's finest! What more can I say?


There are many words that can describe our next contestant ... He ministers in song, singing duets with the voice of a small child that lives in a 2 bedroom condominium in his stomach... I AM NOT KIDDING.... And if that is not disturbing enough.... sigh..let's just listen to the video...

Introducing, Mark Fox, singing "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made..."



All I can say is YEEEESH!!! Perhaps if this was done with a ventriloquist dummy it would be more tolerable or a hand puppet, or a voice over for a cartoon. but as it stands....Creepy!!!
A little googlidge of Mr. Fox brought me to this link, http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/10/the_secret_of_l.html where I found that he also recorded an entire album of childrens songs, that included "Diary of an unborn child, " a truly disturbing story of the life of an unborn fetus untill it was aborted...
I struggled through a few of the seventeen tracks, and decided that water boarding would be less painful... This makes telletubbies seem lame... If you did not hear me the first time, I'll say it again...YEEEEESH!!!

So if the above video give you the taste for "Sanctified Disturbing Children's Music," click the link and have a ball... As for me I would rather listen to a "Hee Haw" marathon while scratching a bottle cap down a black board.... It is that bad. }}}}}}SHUDDER{{{{

Why should we preach the gospel?

As I sat in the solitude of my room on a quiet Sunday afternoon, my study for the day was to gather a small list of verses on the depravity of man. Bible open, notebook at hand, I proceed to Romans 3 for some obvious examples. . From Romans, I went to John, and several other books, gathering many verses that actually showed the status of an unredeemed man throughout the writings of the New Testament. As you can see the list is rather long...
Last night, I took all the verses I gathered and ordered them. as you see them below.
While I was praying on how to present this. The Lord laid it upon my heart to use it for an answer to the question I have been dealing with, as a follower of Reformed theology.

Q. "If all the elect are guaranteed salvation, why should we evangelize?"

The obvious answer is simple, Because we are commanded to. -Matthew 28:19-20
Yet this answer, true as it is, seems to me to be a "cop out answer" to a critical question...

We were not given the ability to discern who is elect and who is not. We are commanded to preach the Word to all nations. It is the Holy Spirit's job to call and save. It is God who will gather His elect... It is our responsibility to preach His Word.
Every verse listed below reveals the condition of an unsaved man before God..This is how God views those who are unredeemed.


I. From the Mouth of Jesus Christ

John 3:16 is probably the most quoted, and the most memorized verse in the Bible. Yet
surrounding this wonderful truth, Jesus, in his conversation with Nicodemus, revealed many
things concerning the status of the lost.

• 1. They can not see the kingdom of God- John 3:3
• 2. They can not enter the Kingdom of God-John 3:5
• 3. They are already condemned- John 3:18
• 4. They love darkness rather than light- John 3:19
• 5. Their deeds are evil- John 3:19
• 6. They hate the light- John 3:20
• 7. They won't come to the light- John 3:20
• 8. The Wrath of God Abides upon them- John 3:36
• 9. They can't come to Christ- John 6:44

Wow... Jesus had a lot to say about the unredeemed... but it doesn't end there. If that is not enough to show the need for proclaiming the gospel, Let us go to The works of the apostle Paul.

II. The Writings of Paul

Let's jump to the book of Romans. A book that is replete with verses that testify to the
status of the unredeemed:

• 10. They treasure up wrath upon themselves- Romans 2:5
• 11. They are not righteous- Romans 3:10
• 12. They do not understand- Romans 3:11
• 13. They do not seek after God- Romans 3:11
• 14. They have gone their own way- Romans3:12
• 15. They have become worthless- Romans 3:12
• 16. They do nothing good- Romans 3:13
• 17. They have no reverence for God- Romans 3:18
• 18. They fall short of God's Glory- Romans 3:23

Let us continue

• 19. They are ungodly Romans 5:6
• 20. They are enemies of God- Romans 5:10
• 21. They are servants of sin- Romans 6:17
• 22. They are at enmity with God- Romans 8:7
• 23. They can not please God- Romans 8:8
• 24. They are vessels of wrath , fit for destruction- Romans 9:22

Oh... there's more

• 25. They can not receive the things of the Spirit of God- 1 Corinthians 2:14
• 26. The things of the Spirit of God are foolish to them- 1 Corinthians 2:14
• 27. They cant know the things of the Spirit of God- 1 Corinthians 2:14
• 28. They walk according to the course of this world- Ephesians 2:2
• 29. They are dead in trespasses and sin- Ephesians 2:1
• 30. They walk according to the prince of the power of the air- Ephesians 2:2
• 31. They are children of disobedience- Ephesians 2:2
• 32. They are Children of Wrath - Ephesians 2:3
• 33. They are Dead in sins- Ephesians 2:5
• 34. They are without Christ- Ephesians 2:12
• 35. They aliens and strangers to the covenant-Ephesians 2:12
• 36. They have no hope- Ephesians 2:12
• 37. They are without God in the world- Ephesians 2:12
• 38. They are dead in sins- Colossians 2:13
• 39. God will take vengeance on them in flaming fire- II Thessalonians 2:8
• 40. They will be punished with everlasting destruction- II Thessalonians 2:9
• 41. They can't please God- Hebrews 11:6
• 42. The are children of the devil- I John 3:1o

This is by no means an exhaustive list. But every single thing on this list applies to your lost friends... or family members...Wife, child, brother, sister, mother or father...
You would do everything you could to help them if they were seriously ill... Why won't you help them seeing that they are spiritually dead? How much do you really love those who are lost?

People are in dire need of hearing God's Word...We must love them enough to tell them the truth. Even if, in doing so, we become their enemy. It is our commission to proclaim the Love of God to all people through the sacrifice of his Son.

Q. "If all the elect are guaranteed salvation, why should we evangelize?"

A. Because if you don't tell them, you don't love them... Period.

Total Depravity and the Bottom of the Food Pyramid

Have you ever look at the bottom of the Food Pyramid? The U.S.D.A has determined that in order for a person to have a well balanced diet, they must have 6 to 11 servings of the "The Cereal Group" It is to be the most significant part of our diet, as fiber is important to the proper running of our digestive/excretory system.....
Now, Surely this is good information to know, but after reading the title to this blog entry, you might be wondering, "What does this have to do with man's Spiritual Condition?

The Word "Perhaps"

First of all, Before we go on, I would like to make it clear that this is not meant to be taken dogmatically. It is just an interesting observation to spark conversation. That is why the word "Perhaps " will figure in to the writing as needed to show that I do not consider this to be doctrinal . It is just one of those things that make you go "Hmmmmmm"

Imago dei

Man Before the fall was created in the image of God. There has been much speculation and debate concerning exactly what is meant by "image and likeness." For the sake of avoiding a Long lesson on the theology of Imago Dei, Let us examine the most common of the teachings.

The Tri-Unity of Man- Genesis 1

Let us First establish the common belief among most of Christianity, that the Hebrew word "Elohim," A plural of the of the word "EL" meaning God, and all the plurals in the creation account, allow for the New Testament revelation of the Holy Trinity... In other words, God The Father, The Pre-incarnate Christ and The Holy Spirit were all present in the act of creation.
In this scene, perhaps we can look at the Imago Dei, as refering to the triune nature of man. (See Image to the left)
Just as God exists in three personages, so there are three aspects to the nature of man. This is dismissed by many theologians, in favor of a human dichotomy, that is, man as body and soul.
I personally happen to lean to the former, holding to the fact that God is not only triune in nature, but is consistently seen, throughout The Bible as dwelling with man in buildings of three rooms, each room being an aspect of the nature of man.
For instance, both the Temple and the tabernacle consisted of three areas, 1. The outer court, the place of sacrifice that represents the physical , or the body, 2. The Holy Place, the place of fellowship, that is represented by the soul, (as the soul is identified as being in connection with fellow man) and 3. The Holy Of Holies a place of personal intimate communication with God, that is represented as the Spirit.

" And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."- Genesis 1:7

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."- 1 Thessalonians 5: 23

There is scriptural support for the trichotomy of man as you can see, also. This is the State of Man BEFORE the fall.

Adam and Animals

If you look at the creation account you will see that there is a fundamental difference between the way God formed man and Created the animals. that difference is seen in the above verse. (Genesis 1:7.) In that verse it is well known that God formed the body of man from the dust of the ground, and then .. He Breathed into it's nostrils... And lump of earth became a living soul. That piece of human shaped clay received something that no other part of creation was blessed with, the very Breath of God. When you consider all that sprung forth as a result of that divine act, it begs to question. What Did Man receive From God during that moment of creation?
Perhaps, The Breath of God had something to do with the formation of the Spirit of man...
Years later The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to his scared disciples, huddled in a closed room, afraid of the Jews... and performed an act that not only parallels to this creation account, but also testifies of His Deity:

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, "Peace be unto you."
And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Then said Jesus to them again, "Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them,"Receive ye the Holy Ghost."- John 20: 19-22

The Greek word translated "Breathe" is Emphusao and is used only once in the Septuagint, (Greek translation of the Old Testament).... and that is in Genesis 1 verse7
Man, apart from all other creatures received the Spirit of God. Of all of God's Creation, only Man was given the ability to have a intimate relationship with his Creator. Plants have a body, but they have no soul or spirit. Animals have a Body and they Have soul and they have a animating spirit, but they have no connection to God. no capacity to worship. Adam had a body, and a soul,
and a Spirit. and the very presence of God dwelt within him. A human building, with three rooms.
Now that we have "chased that rabbit," Lets get back to the point of the lesson

"Chowing Down in Eden"

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so." -Genesis 1: 29-30

Now As God Came to the completion of the creative act, we can see he assigned the nutritional guidelines for Both man and animals. they had separate diets, yet they were both vegetarian.
Man was Given the herbs bearing seed and the fruit of the tree yielding seed... Fruit, and seed-bearing vegetables. He was free to eat anything he wanted of this, with one exception

"Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." -Genesis 2: 16-17

As for the animals, they were given every green herb ... The Grass of the field and vegetables. Why was there a distinction in their diet? Was there a reason why the diets of man and beast differ? If there was, the difference did not last.

The Fall

Form Genesis 2: 16-17 we see that Adam was Given Every tree to eat in the Garden except one.
In Genesis 3: 1-2, we can see that Adam Conveyed the warning to Eve.

" We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." -Genesis 3: 2-3

The message was more than clear, Adam and Eve had Access to any tree in the garden, including the "Tree of Life," Yet they were to avoid the tree in the center... the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil... Without going into a long lesson on the fall, The Serpent beguiled Eve into eating, Eve ate, She brought it to Adam, he ate.... And they Died

Diet of a Dead Man

The day Ye eat there of, ye shall die... What exactly did that death entail? First the death was Spiritual. As seen earlier, Adam, had the Spirit of God dwelling in him. yet that relationship ended with his disobedience. As Sin Entered into the Life of Adam, the Spirit, which was tabernacled in Adam (and Eve,) departed. Instead of Fellowship with God, Adam and his wife were reduced to hiding in the trees. They feared to meet God. (Genesis3:8) and were ashamed of themselves. They became "Spiritually dead, " and this curse that was passed down to every man that would ever exist.

" Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" -Roman 5:12.

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins"-Ephesians 2:1

Spiritual death entailed the departure of the Spirit of God from man. He had a body, a soul, and an animating spirit, but the capacity to fellowship was lost, as the Spirit of God no longer dwelling in him.

"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."- Isaiah59:1-2

When the Spirit of God Left man, he became separate from God, and in that separation, man had nothing distinguishing himself from the rest of creation. Guided by natural desires, instead of the will of God, Man in a sense became as the animals.

Perhaps this was reflected in the dietary revision that God gave to Adam as punishment
for his part in the the sin of disobedience.

"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

As Adam's punishment God cursed the ground, and gave him, in addition to their diet of Fruit, the diet of the animals., the herbs of the field...Perhaps in the increasing toil of man's quest for food, God sent another clear message... Fallen man is no better than an animal. Should you doubt this, take a look at how far we have come to prove the point

Notice at the end of the above passage that God has also proclaimed physical death. The body that He formed from the earth, and blessed with life, will return to the earth, as it is cursed in death. This was accomplished when man was removed from Eden, and denied the Tree of Life.
(Genesis3:22-24)

Closing... FINALLY!

Since the Fall we have come a long way. Man and beast became carnivores, and God added (and relaxed) many dietary laws For his chosen people, Yet I will often think back as I choke down my bowel of oat meal and thank Adam for facilitating the addition of The cereal group to our diet... as now the least enjoyable of our food sources, (in my opinion) have now become the most beneficial to our health. Fin