Liturgical Dance?

Some years ago, I visited a church I'd been to several times previously. I knew the priest who pastored there, and he normally gave an inspiring sermon.

This particular Sunday, after the usual service was nearly completed, a woman came to the front of the church and announced that there was to be a "Liturgical Dance" prior to the service's completion.

Liturgical dance... Hmmm... I'd never heard of such a thing. What would it consist of? According to Wikipedia, “The dancers will respond with an appropriate dance which flows out of the music and is thought to enhance the prayer or worship experience.”

Hmm, still not something I’d expected.

Four teenage girls came out from somewhere in back, to the front of the altar, in what appeared to be their nightgowns! They started to dance a slow, sensual type of dance. I was in shock! It felt as though a huge load of natural fertilizer had been dumped upon me! I immediately stared down at my toes, and remained that way until the music stopped, and the girls left.

What in the world was this all about? More than anything, I felt contaminated. I wanted out immediately, and I left in a hurry. I wasn't the only one, either.

After some research, I concluded that this "liturgical dance" may have been based on the Babylonian church, not any Christian religion. From a history of ancient Babylonian fertility rites; "Magic-religious ceremonies were performed to insure an abundance of food and the birth of children. The rites, expressed through dances, prayers, incantations, and sacred dramas, are concerned with productivity include acts of sympathetic magic, such as kindling of fires and scattering the reproductive organs of animals on the fields, displays of phallic symbols, and ritual prostitution". There may also be some basis on the Celt's Love Dance of the gods and Bridal Feast of the goddess. Many think it may also be based on Herod's step-daughter Salome's "Dance of the Seven Veils," where the dancers begin their dance wearing seven veils, and usually remove them, one by one, until they often end the dance nearly nude. No matter which is the source, they're steeped in pagan worship.

In my opinion, this does NOT belong in Christian worship!

Folks, if you are EVER in any church, and ANYTHING there sets off your warning alarms, RUN, do not walk, and get out! God has given you notice that there is something "not right" going on. He wants you safe. He does NOT want you exposed to satanic filth!

Remember; "Ye shall not therefore oppress one another: but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the Lord your God. Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety." (Lev 25:17-18)kjv -and- "For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people say, 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape." (1Thes 5:2-3) rsv

Don't assume that everyone in a church, not even those in charge, are doing God's work. Satan's advocates are hard at work, trying to sabotage everything Christ has worked for. If the devil "fires a torpedo" at your "church-ship," get to safety, and try to repair the damage as best as possible. Remember, as the song says: "On Christ, the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand!"

See you soon, in Paradise!

But, I go to church...

Have you ever noticed that there is no commandment that says; "Get thee to church"?

If you try to talk with most people about God, they get a bit annoyed, and say, "But I go to church!" Often they will say they go 3 or 4 times a year. Oh, yeah, and uncle John's wedding last year, that was in church!

Why do people equate going to church with doing what God wants? Do we think we are so important that God needs to fit into our schedule?

I have a granddaughter that I love far beyond my ability to express. Last year, she started taking dance lessons, both ballet and tap dance. Prior to this, she's never had any training at all. After only 9 months of lessons, at her first recital, she was asked to do a solo in tap dance. She was very impressive, and I'm not saying this because I'm her grandpa. She was great! A solo by a first-year dance student is almost unheard of...

So why did God bless her so much?

A couple of years ago, this sweet girl wrote a letter to the president, expressing her belief in Christ, and gave him a few examples of God's love. There is no way to tell if it made any change in him, but that is precisely the problem most of us face when witnessing. We feel depressed that there is no immediate change, so we think we've been wasting our time. But we keep forgetting, It is not OUR time!

"And Jesus, when He came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and He began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, His disciples came unto Him, and said, this is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto Him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, five, and two fishes." (Mark 6:34-39)kjv

You know the story! Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes, and fed thousands of people, and had a lot of leftovers. We read this story, and think it is a great example of a miracle. But, who was blessed the most that day? Was it the people who ate, and were satisfied?

I think it probably was the apostles. They saw first-hand that God rewards faith and obedience. They did what Jesus told them to do, and He rewarded them, as well as those who ate their fill.

My granddaughter did not just go to church on Sundays, she practiced what the bible tells us all to do; she witnessed her faith! God rewarded her with a skill in an unexpected area, a blessing that amazed a lot of people. I hope she continues to improve at dance, and I'm sure she will, but I will do everything within my limited ability to help her continue with her witnessing.

God abundantly blesses those who do His will!

See you soon, in Paradise!

Just what is it about kids that Jesus loves?

What was it about children that made Jesus love them so much? Why did He instruct His apostles to let the children come to Him? Is there something here we are overlooking?

Almost everyone loves little babies. As children age, they go through the "terrible twos" and eventually reach their "terrifying teens." Still, most people like most kids (of any age) better than their own-age peers. What is it that is so different about kids?

There is no doubt that there is a lot that is evil about our world, and all of it is a corrupting influence on our lives. Kids have been exposed to less of it (so far), and are therefore less corrupt and more pure than are most adults.

Hmmm...

From the book; "Jesus answered and said unto him, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.' "(John 3:3-7) kjv -and- "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believed not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"(John 3:12)kjv

Here is the problem, in a nutshell.

Our understanding is shaped and influenced by our exposure to things that have happened to us, here on this earth, and in our lifetimes. Little children take almost everything on faith, because people they trust tell them it is so. God wants us to take His Word on faith, because He said so. He wants us to place our trust in Him!

As our kids grow older, their willingness to believe is whittled away by being hurt, by being lied to and by being ignored. In short, what is good is steadily eroded and eaten away by the evil of this world.

Jesus loves the innocence of children. He loves their trust and their hunger for His friendship. That is the goal we have, in our relationship with God. We must be reborn into the childlike trust in Him that is the hallmark of children! As a little child trusts mom and dad to take perfect care of him or her, so must we put our trust in Our Lord to take perfect care of us.

We must be born again!

A Celebration of Corruption

Today, the news is full of the legalization of gay "marriage." Even people who should know better are rejoicing. It is looked upon by many that opposing homosexuality is wrong because it is old-fashioned and out-of-date, or maybe just being self-righteous. There are a lot of people who believe that "times have changed" and that God's word needs to change with it, because people have made their own "lifestyle choices."

Homosexuality is mentioned in the bible. Let's look at a sample;

"That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom, and Lot was sitting there as they arrived. When he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed low to the ground. 'My lords' he said, 'come to my house to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up in the morning, as early as you like, and be on your way again.'

'Oh no,' they said, 'we'll just spend the night out here in the city square.'

But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. He set a great feast before them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast. After the meal, as they were preparing to retire for the night, all of the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out so we can have sex with them.'

Lot stepped outside to talk with them, shutting the door behind him. 'Please, my brothers,' he begged, 'don't do such a wicked thing. Look - I have two virgin daughters. Do with them as you wish, but leave these men alone, for they are under my protection.'

'Stand back!' they shouted. 'Who do you think you are? We let you settle among us, and now you are trying to tell us what to do! We'll treat you far worse than those other men!' And they lunged at Lot and began breaking down the door. But the two angels reached out and pulled Lot in and bolted the door. Then they blinded the men of Sodom so they couldn't find the doorway.

'Do you have any other relatives here in the city?' the angels asked. 'Get them out of this place - sons-in law, sons, daughters, or anyone else! For we will destroy the city completely. The stench of this place has reached the Lord, and He has sent us to destroy it.' "
(Gen 19:1-13) nlt

Doesn't sound like God tolerates homosexuality at all, does it? Please note that this passage indicates just how bad homosexuality really is... it is WORSE than rape! I am not condoning any immoral acts, of any sort, but the stench of homosexuality reaches God in heaven!

Believe me, that is BAD!

If God hates it, why do we tolerate it? Why do we make up excuses for it? How often have I heard that it is merely a lifestyle choice? So is the murder of unborn babies! What next? Will people begin to demand the legalization of rape? What about torture? Where and when will it all stop?

Actually, we know when it will stop, and even where, at the battle of Armageddon, near the mountain of Megiddo, a bit west of the Jordan. There will be a war, such as the world has never known! All the forces of both good and evil will arrayed against each other. God has even let us in on the outcome, He wins.

So why, I ask you, Why support a stench in God's nostrils?

We already know that Satan WILL lose! Why go down with him?

Why oppose our Lord?

For the love of all that is Holy, CHOOSE GOD!

See you soon, in Paradise.

Have you met Eve?

...or Adam?

The first husband and wife, both were originally part of the first human being, and were made from that first human, who was also named 'Adam.'

God said, "Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life - the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all livestock, wild animals, and small animals." So God created people in His own image. God patterned them after himself, male and female He created them." (Gen 1:26-27)nlt

He made them to be the first man and wife. Each was made to be the compliment of each other. They went from being one person to being two, and then one through marriage.

Yes, I know that marriage didn't exist officially yet... but look at what God said, "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a companion who will help him." (Gen 2:18)nlt "So the Lord God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. He took one of Adam's ribs and closed up the place from which He had taken it. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib and brought her to Adam." (Gen 2:21-22)nlt

First they were one, then two, then they became husband and wife.

God knows what He is doing! We all need a spouse who completes us. That person becomes our Eve (or Adam), and we become one!

So, when I ask, "Have you met Eve (or Adam)?" it is not really a rhetorical question. I am asking if you've met the person who completes you. Is that individual truly "your other half?" This is a very important question to ask.

Ten years ago, on May 19th, I met a wonderful woman through a pen-pal service. I'm aware that is not the best (or safest) way to meet, but she became very special to me, very quickly. Less than two months later, we married.

Neither of us is perfect. Mind you, that is not God's design. Rather, we both fill each others gaps, watch out for the other, love each other and make each other our top priority, after God.

If you meet someone about whom you are wondering, "Is this the right person for me?" Ask yourself this question, "Does he or she complete me in the way God intended?" Passion often blinds us to what God wants. It should be a part of your married life, but should never be the sole reason for marriage. Reflecting God's love is!

See you soon, in Paradise!

God's gift to us - Children!

-This is a common theme of mine. Forgive me for covering it again-

Almost 45 years ago, I joined a group called TARs. Its intended pupose was to help retarded children fit into society. I discovered that I bonded fairly well with these kids. Most people, unfortunately, treated them as though they were carriers of some contagious disease. I tried instead to meet them at whatever level they were capable of. The kids usually responded well, as most people didn't even want them around at all. This experience shaped my understanding of children, in general. Meet them at whatever level they are able to achieve and they will open their hearts to you.

About 20 years later, I met a couple at church who had one child who'd been born deaf, as a result of some disease the mother had contracted during her pregnancy. The doctors had advised her to have an abortion because of the high probability that the child might be deformed by the disease. They chose instead to have their child, and she was absolutely beautiful little girl. When I met them, the kid was about 8 or 9. I did notice that adults treated her the same as the retarded kids were generally treated, as if she were a carrier of some horrible disease. Bcause I accepted her as she was, she thought it would be great if she could teach me sign language so that we could communicate better. In less than 3 weeks, however, her family had moved to Tennessee.

I have always wished I could have had 10 to 12 kids, but that was not to be. At one point I figured an acceptable substitute might have been to be in charge of an orphanage, but that never came about, either. Instead, God granted me a number of "foster" grandchildren. Each one asked me to be his or her substitute grandfather! Even though they aren't truly mine, I love every one of them as much as though they were.

It is critical that we see our children, all of them, as the precious gift that God intended them to be. All too many people today seem to feel that kids are nothing but a burden to be dealt with by whatever means they find expedient. Abortion is considered an admirable way to eliminate unwanted babies. Sadly, people do not see it as murder of a helpless human being. Our world is truly becoming satanic.

What does our Lord have to say about kids? "But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and don't prevent them. For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.' And He put His hands on their heads and blessed them before He left." (Mat 19:14-15) tlb

Jesus valued kids so much that He rebuked His apostles when they tried to prevent these children from spending time with Him. If our Lord places so much value on children, how can we do any less? Open your arms to them. Love them. Show them they mean the world to you, just as they do to God! The reward is beyond measure!

See you soon, in Paradise!

Our Father's Day

Today is father's day. I first became a father over 30 years ago. Like a lot of people, father's day never meant anywhere near as much to me as did mother's day. For me, that changed about 10 years ago when my dad died. I realized that he'd been basically a pillar of support to my family, both when I was a child, and then later when I was grown. I expect that is the same for most of us. You never known how much any person means to you until he or she is gone.

This made me begin to think about they way we view our Lord in heaven. He is our Father. Jesus also refers to Him as His Father. Do we see Him as merely the Father of Jesus, or are we seeing Him as the Father of us all, and all of creation?

From the bible, as Jesus taught us to pray...

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." (Mat 6:9-13)kjv

I can almost hear the music playing in the background... can you?

Take a little time out today to thank the Lord for being our God, our Creator and our Father. Not one of us would be here, otherwise.

Our Father

You are in heaven,

Your Name is holy to us.

All of existance is Your kingdom!

What You want will come true

here on earth,

just as it does in heaven!

Thank-you for your care

and for providing us with food.

Please forgive our wrongdoings

and help us to forgive those who have harmed us.

Please help me resist temptation,

and keep evil away.

Father, Yours is the kingdom!

Yours is all power!

Yours is all glory,

eternally!

Amen!

Till we meet again in paradise!

Why couldn't I have been...

.Taller?

..Prettier?

...Richer?

....Older (or younger)?

.....Blonde (brunette, redhead, whatever)?

......Healthier?

...Almost everyone has asked these, or similar, questions at one time or another. Surely, we think, God could have made me more acceptable to ME. Why did He give me what I consider to be obvious defects?

...Perhaps we should look at His words on the subject; "I knew you before you were formed within your mother's womb; before you were born..." (Jer 1:5)tlb or if you prefer a more traditional; "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb..." (Jer 1:5)kjv.

...Now, He wasn't speaking specifically to you. His audience, at that time was a kid named "Jeremiah" who went on to become one of the great prophets of the Old Testament. Does this mean it cannot apply to you?

...God has made every single grain of sand, drop of water, plant, animal and human, since the beginning of time. If you think about it, He has the blueprints for everyone He has ever made, and ever will! If He really wanted another Abraham Lincoln, Queen Nefertiti, Alexander the Great or Marilyn Monroe, He already has that set of plans on hand. Nope, He wanted you! It is never up to us to second guess God's design.

...It tears me up to hear of a baby born deformed or retarded. My heart aches when I run across a deaf child or one with a horrible genetic defect that will make his or her life miserable. Through it all, we have to keep this in the forefront of our thoughts, "It is God's plan." Not yours, not mine... God's! It behooves us to remember that He has a reason... always. The reason may be nothing more than that we turn to Him more.

...You are unique for a reason. That reason is God's. He sees you a His wonderful creation. You are a joy He made because He wanted you. Most of all, He wanted you to be who and what you are. Is it so terrible to be a "God original design?"

...He loves you! You are a one-of-a-kind, limited production item. His effort went into making you exactly what you are. Be proud of who and what you are. Just remember to thank Him for all His work!

...Look at it from another perspective, you could have been a three-toed sloth, a slime mold or a malaria virus. He has all those plans, too.

Satan's "secret agents"

If you read the bible, you know the Antichrist is coming. He is bringing with him 7 years of horrible misery in preparation for Christ's return in glory.

Careful reading of the scriptures reveals that there will also be "antichrists" (lower case).

Just who are these? They will be precursors to the Antichrist. In effect, they will be forerunners, here to establish the playing field for Satan's attempt at a takeover of theworld. Keep in mind that the devil's goal is not to make the world permanently his, but rather, to keep souls from God. Period.

A while back, I worked with such an individual. Very abrasive, lied constantly, demanded his own way (no matter what), he brought misery to those around him. And yet, many others thought him God's gift to the workforce. He was very capable of making others see his way as the only right way. and was extremely abusive to those who managed to see him for what he was. I put in a lot of prayer time, trying to deal with this individual. I even received an answer to those prayers, although it was not exactly what I expected (or hoped for). I heard a brief flash of, "Be at peace, He has it under control."

You probably already have met with a (lower case) antichrist. They seem to be everywhere, even in politics. What you might not expect is that are quite a few who are active in churches. Think about it! Where else can Satan reap such a harvest? By working in churches he can strip away souls that might otherwise end up belonging to God.

If you run into an individual who lies with ease, is willing to emotionally hurt others (especially children), or tries to belittle others to his (or her) own benefit, that person may very well be a (lower case) antichrist! This may be true, even if he is a family member. Don't let the spiritual bio-hazard get you down. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Frequently. Oh, and don't expect God's answer to be just what you want to hear.

Watch out for the worm holes!

It has been a while since I've posted. I will explain why at some future date.

For some time now I've been wondering just how to explain the difference between good and evil to a child. We understand that God expects certain behavior from us, and mostly we try to live up to His expectations. But, how to put it into language that a little kid could understand?

Out of the blue, it hit me... We know God will not look upon evildoers. His goodness is withheld from them, they live in Satan's world, not God's.

So, here it is...

The ground is like the dividing line between good and evil. God is above, smiling down on His creation. The devil is below the ground, trying to trick us and lure us down, below the ground, away from God. We are all like happy little worms, wriggling along on top of the ground, enjoying the warmth of God's love. Now and then, we find a tunnel going down. It leads away from God, but we usually don't think about that. We just think, "Oh look! Here is this neat hole to play in." So, we go, just a little bit, away from God. Probably we don't think about it at the time, it just looks like a great way to have fun. Before you know it, though, you're in the dark, and away from God. Soon, you don't remember the way back up. Its OK down here, isn't it?

But, you are away from God, His goodness, His love and His blessings. You have to get out of the hole to get back to God. Sometimes He will help by putting big rocks in your way, so that you will remember just how nice it was on the surface. Sometimes, though, He knows you will ignore Him, because that is the way worms get when they want only their own way.

So, how does the little worm go back to being God's good little worm? It has to be sorry it went down the hole, tell God it is sorry, and then work its way back out of the dirt, back into God's love and light.

So, what's the moral?

- Be a good worm and watch out for Satan's worm holes! -