TITANIC MEN, WHERE ARE THEY? Part 2

It’s a rainy day in April (to bring May flowers) so I’ll delve into part two of this important topic.

 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

Society surely has lost this definition for men.  We have the gender distinction issues raging these days, or should we call it the gender war.  Along with the effort to feminize the male gender.  The well orchestrated project of making sissies out of our men.

This was written in the news just weeks ago: The Equality Act, sponsored by Representative David N. Cicilline (D-R.I.) and promoted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), “would add sexual orientation and gender identity to characteristics protected by the 1964 Civil Rights Act.” Presumably, this would enshrine in federal law a standard dictating that a man claiming womanhood must be allowed access to the women’s arena (e.g., bathrooms, locker areas, sporting events). In reality, transgender ideology seeks to erase women and men: The whole idea is that people have “gender” (a psychological designation), that gender should take precedence over “sex” (a biological designation), and that it’s fluid. The ultimate reality, the theory goes, isn’t that you’re a “man” or “woman” but that you reside somewhere on a spectrum. (Also note that there are plenty of women claiming manhood and access to men’s private spaces.)

But look, the article goes on to say, “In fact, studies show that upwards of 80 percent of girls and 90 percent of boys who strongly “identify” as the opposite sex naturally outgrow the psychological problem.”  A psychological problem and a sin problem, I say.

Here is an excerpt from a topic I wrote on long ago called the Masculine Journey. If you haven’t read that yet and you are a man you should go there later and be enlightened.  So here is what defines a male from the Bible as written in that post.  “This Hebrew word describes maleness in a basic and fundamental anatomical way.  The Hebrew word zakar is the word for “male” in the phrase “God created man adam, male zakar and female”, Genesis 1:27.  If you check the Hebrew lexicons you will see they list the root of this term as “the male protrusion or male phallus”.  According to Dr. Hicks, “This word reflects the phallic male in his most distinct sexual aspect”.  We at our most primal level are sexual beings. The Bible is clear on this and does not pretend we are anything other than stated.  To be a male means you are a phallic kind of guy and you do not have a need to apologize for being that way.  You should never, ever allow it to be denigrated by women or by some crazy or crass individuals calling themselves men.”

So, there you have it.  If the doc looks down and sees a penis, he says “It’s a boy.”  And guess what, It’s a boy.  Congratulations you are a male. And if there is a vagina he says, “It’s a girl.”  Simple as that folks.  And you cannot make one out of the other. All you can do is pretend.  And pretend in sin they do. You can wish to be something all you want but God defined your gender when you were first conceived and before you were born.

Back to the father thing, 42% of males are born with no fathers.  Many leave after the males are born so statistics are low.  Boy’s don’t know what it means to be a man any longer. Fathers are not real fathers and have lost the ability to do the job. Fatherhood has declined and it continues to drop like a rock.

Fathers have been completely distracted with having too many interests, too many sports, too many hobbies, and everything seems to be getting in the way of discipleship of their children.

It is not only happening in the secular world and there seems to be no difference between Christian men, fathers and husbands from most men in the world.  Sadly, most men that call themselves Christians are carnal or cultural Christians and they blend in with the worldly or pagan counterparts.  There are a few strong Christian men that stand out of the crowd, but the majority are unseen. Can we re-claim the Christ honoring definition for manliness and if-so but how?

Many women survived the R.M.S Titanic sinking to tell the story of April 14, 1912.  Communication back then was by newspaper predominately. It took a week for the news to get out across the land. 75% of the women were saved but 80% of the men were lost.  That was because of the old law of the sea and the Bible “women and children first.”

An elderly woman was interviewed recently and said, “that was back in the day when men were gentlemen.”  Today things are different, and the men would throw the women overboard. With exception, however, true Christian Men would lay down their lives to save women and children because they would follow the pattern of Christ. Christ is the Sacrificial Lamb that rules, protects, leads and guides which is the proper way for men.  On the other hand, paganism uses women.

Christ defines manhood and what headship should look like.  All that is needed is to look to Jesus Christ. Jesus is love, Jesus is sacrificial, and love is service to others. Jesus taught that when he gave himself on the cross for us.  I find it ironic that I am writing this today which is the day before Easter and the day after Good Friday.  Good Friday is our Christian Holiday commemorating the day when Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross at Calvary to save us all from sin.  And tomorrow it’s Easter, the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and held (in the Western Church) between March 21 and April 25, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox. He is risen!

Christ is the bridegroom and biblical manhood understands what love is.  The bridegroom gave his life for the bride, which is His church. You and I if you call yourselves Christian. Love is sacrificial it is not sentimental, and it is service to meet the needs of others.

We should be very concerned with this generation because they don’t care about the Bride. Nor do they care about the Bridegroom.  They don’t care about the Lord Jesus Christ.  When we have our young males not caring bout the bride of Christ how can we expect them to care about a bride (a woman) they going to marry.  The bride we are called to sacrifice for is the Church of Jesus Christ.  The second bride we are to sacrifice ourselves for (if married) is our wife. A man must be sacrificial, Paul said in Chapter 5 of Ephesians that men should give themselves up just as Christ did. (Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.)

The Bible has all our instructions and men should be following the Pattern of Christ.  What is happening in our societal breakdown is that humans out there want to change things and erase the important laws and historic things provided to us. They certainly want to change or erase the Bible when it does not agree with their agenda. These people try to infect the thoughts of Christians with the idea that there is no divine pattern in the Bible, and they have the right to change things to fit our culture or whatever we deem necessary. Sadly, many of these change artists are teaching our children. Did you know that 90% of Christian parents send their children to public school to be controlled for 7 hours a day where there is no mention of God? That in itself is scary but then again in most Christian homes when the child gets back God isn’t mentioned there on a regular basis either.  For these people to reject the idea that God has given us a divine pattern to follow is to reject the Scriptures themselves because they clearly teach that we are to follow God’s Word. For example, Paul told Timothy: “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 1:13) So you see, Paul says there is a divine pattern while the people that want to change it say there is not. The writer of Hebrews quotes what God says to Moses, “For He said, “See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” (Hebrews 8:5) Reading this passage shows there was a divine pattern that Moses had to follow and there is a divine pattern for us to follow under the new covenant. Let us all strive to follow it.

Please allow me to spotlight the captain of the Titanic, Archibald Gracie.  Mr. Gracie was groomed for greatness and he sprang into action. It was women and children first and he made no bones about it. He went down with the ship. He was able to climb on a piece of something floating, was rescued and testified about the incident but later died from his internal injuries sustained when he went down. He was a courageous man because as a young man his father modeled how to be a man.  His father modeled what a Christian man is to be like, and he mentored his son into manhood. He was prepared by his father and his family and he was used by God to save many.

I’m out of space and time today folks and I’m just beginning, so please come back next time and I’ll write about our societal thing called Adolescence and the “Five Imperatives of Christian Manhood.”

If you are a male and wondering how you can possibly rise above all the attacks and be strong enough to stem the tide just stay with this and the answer will be revealed.

CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO NEXT POST AND KEEP READING

God bless you all and Happy Easter,

FJ1

 

 

 

 

The Tubthumper

Finders Keepers, part 5

Eternal SecurityThis is a continuance of looking for the evidence showing that I have total security in my salvation and why you should too.  The Bible teaches that we have a whole and eternal salvation.  Once save, always saved!

We left off by going over the new things you have in Christ upon becoming a Christian. (Someone in Christ)

The fourth new thing you have is a new hope. You have a hope that you know will guarantee you eternal life. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” (Romans 8:24-25)  You have a hope of glory! The hope we have is because of the full and final redemption of everything. The redemption comes through the sufferings of Christ. “Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” (1 peter 1:11) You now have a hope that someday you will receive a new body.  Your new body will be like Christ’s body. “We shall be like Him.”  “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)  It will be a body of flesh and bone. “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:39)  Your new body will be a recognizable body.  You will sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and you will recognize them and they you. “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 8:11)  It will be a body unlimited by time, space or gravity.  The Lord was able to walk through a solid door yet he had a body that could be touched, felt and a body that ate and drank.  Your new body will be spiritual body, sown out of nature but raised as a spirit. “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1 Corinthians 15:44, 49)

The new hope is for the redemption of all things and so the creation itself will also be restored. The anxious longing of creation waits for the Glory of God and for creation to be set free.  Creation had a great fall back in Genesis 3:17-18.  “Cursed is the ground.”  Creation fell when man sinned and creation will once again be restored.  It will be restored when the sons of God come into their own.  This will occur at the resurrection, during the millennium.  In Titus 3:5 we see the regeneration of believers, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Regeneration also occurs for nature. Nature itself will be converted.  “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28) You have a new hope of a full and final restoration of your own body and your environment.

The fifth new thing you have is a new helper in prayer.  The Holy Spirit who lives in you, witnesses to you, and now is said to pray for you and me becomes your helper. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26) The Holy Spirit indwells us and helps us to know what to pray for. It is good thing He indwells us because we need His help.  The Holy Spirit looks to you to do your part but also helps you when needed. The Holy Spirit helps us with intensity through the groan of the Spirit.  We have the groan of nature, the groan of the believer and now the groan of the Holy Spirit. You can see in verse 27 of Romans 8 the infallibility of our helper, “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”  The Holy Spirit, who lives within you, within your hearts, makes intercession for you and for us.  The Holy Spirit is praying to the LORD Jesus Christ and then He (the LORD) to the Father, all for intercession for you and me. Isn’t that awesome!  It is hard to comprehend.

In closing today I enter another piece of evidence which is powerful and may be the strongest verse in the Bible regarding eternal security.  Romans 8:30, “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”  And whom He justified, them he also glorified.  This verse reveals God’s view of salvation.  It reveals that God’s view is that He is seeing us as already glorified before it has happened!

A done deal. Once saved, always saved.

Believe and live.

“The Tubthumper’

Come back for the next post as we continue looking at evidence for this case. Click here to go to next post.

Use these links for all previous posts on this subject;

Part 1    Part 2    Part 3    Part 4

Part 6

Day 16 of prayer for our nation, 24 to go.

heal-our-land-v5-600x300Appoint the leader to bring us back to our roots as a Christian nation.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man… And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-16, 19)

Let us pray. Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Wellspring of all that is. You are the sea on which we float, You are the wind that fills our sails, You are the storm that buffets us, You are the calm that brings us peace. You are the Almighty King.  We adore you, Lord.

Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Our nation has turned from you Lord.  We have pushed you out of public life in the USA.  Forgive us O’God.

Lord, we bow before You in humble thanks.  We thank you, as a nation, for your gifts of power and strength.  We thank you, Lord for all of our blessings.  For our freedoms, for our families, for our incomes and for our life.  We acknowledge your presence and all you have done for us in the past.  Father we know that all power, grace and wealth comes from you.  We claim the riches of Your glory and the fullness of Your grace that come through the indwelling of Your Spirit within us. Lord, we praise and thank you today.

We pray for the election in 24 days, we pray for your guidance and protection and we pray You will appoint the leader to bring us back to our roots as a Christian nation.  Father, set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow more and more in your likeness and image.  We pray today for our nation to remain firm and steadfast in the knowledge of Your truth and the promise of the victory that is ours through Christ, who loves us. Heal our land, Lord.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen

 

Man Jailed for holding Bible Studies, right or wrong?

This is all over the news lately.

Father of six faces 60 days behind bars for hosting Bible study in his OWN home against city rules.

If you have been following my blog you know I am a professed Christian.  Just for the record right up front, I think this preacher is wrong.  He is seriously wrong.  While the entire world is increasing in acts of rebellion and anger at authority I believe a man of God should be setting an example for the world.  Romans 13 says, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God.”

I especially believe one who claims to be a preacher which comes with a high level responsibility outlined by the Lord should be submitting to authority and showing the world how a Christian lives differently.

“The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of man; and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?”, Benjamin Franklin.

To all my fellow Christians, be careful, the world is watching us.

Read the news release and then I will continue:  screen-shot-2012-07-07-at-4_52_55-pm-1341694836

A Phoenix man who held weekly Bible studies at his home has had the book thrown at him over the religious gatherings. Michael Salman (pictured at right) has been sentenced to two months in jail and more than $12,000 in fines because the group sessions at his home were against the city’s building code, Fox News Radio reported.

“They’re cracking down on religious activities and religious use,” Salman told Fox News Radio. “They’re attacking what I as a Christian do in the privacy of my home.”

Vicki Hill, Phoenix’s chief assistant city prosecutor, said religious freedom had nothing to do with it and that it was a matter of public safety.

“Any time you are holding a gathering of people continuously, as he does – we have concerns about people being able to exit the facility properly in case there is a fire,” Hill told Fox News Radio. “It came down to zoning and proper permitting.”

Since 2007, The Salman family has fought to say the building in their backyard is for private worship, but Phoenix officials say its run as a church, and not up to code.

The battle between Salman and the city of Phoenix is a longstanding feud. Hill said that Salman’s neighbors complained of the gatherings back in 2007 because they were causing too much traffic congestion. Originally, about 15 people would attend the Bible studies, Fox News Radio reported.

But that number began to grow, and that’s when Phoenix officials sent Salman a letter saying that his living room gatherings were in violation of the city’s building codes.

When he didn’t stop hosting the groups, the Phoenix Fire Department broke up a Good Friday gathering Salman was hosting at his home in 2008 in which there were as many as 20 people in the backyard.

Salman then decided to construct a 2,000-square-foot building in his backyard and move the gatherings there. He said that he applied for and was granted the appropriate permits for the building. Hill, however, said that the permits Salman received were for converting his garage into a game room.

Finally, in 2009, a dozen cops raided Salman’s home and charged him with 67 code violations for hosting the gatherings. Since then, the courts have sided with the city, saying that Salman was using the building as a church and, therefore, was subject to city zoning laws.  “He built a structure that he said wasn’t a church that is, in fact, a church,” Hill told Fox News Radio.

“The state is not saying that the Salmans can’t run a church or have worship services at the location,” read a Jan. 4, 2010, Arizona court ruling. “But the state is saying that if they do so, they must do it properly and in accord with fire and zoning laws.”

Salman doesn’t buy the court’s argument and has claimed that Phoenix officials are discriminating against him for his religious beliefs.

“If I had people coming to my home on a regular basis for poker night or Monday Night Football, it would be permitted,” he told Fox News Radio. “But when someone says to us we are not allowed to gather because of religious purposes – that is when you have discrimination.

Salman’s attorney is appealing the ruling and Salman’s sentencing, but unless a federal court intervenes, Salman will begin serving his sentence on July 9.   End of news release.

Ok, so this man and his followers have garnered the attention of the entire United States.  I wonder if he is proud of the scene he is making.  The officials said publicly they didn’t care if Mr. Salman ran a church there as long he goes through the proper channels.

Christ said that Christians are to be the “light of the world” and the “salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13-16). They are always to shine as outstanding examples to the world. This includes a humble willingness to cheerfully obey all civil governments under which they find themselves.  I have reviewed enough of this case to know that this preacher is holding regular and consistent meetings to preach and study the word of God and to fellowship together.  (Sounds like a church)  I reviewed photos of his property and there is a cross in front marking the property clearly for all to see and there is a pulpit in the meeting room. (Looks like a church) I usually say if it looks like duck, walks like duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.  I have no idea why this man is rebelling against the city ordinances and crying discrimination but it looks to me as though he is wrong.  Besides, didn’t anyone tell him that once you become a child of God the persecution would begin?

Continued…  Click here to read part 2.

“The Tubthumper”

Where are the “real” men?

Will the masculine man return to America?
Will our civilization survive the decline of manliness? What does it really mean to be a man?

Where are the men?  Where are you? I mean, where are the real men?  The sad commentary today is that men are either wimps or cruel barbarians.

First things first, if you are a woman this entry has nothing to do with you.  I have great respect for all you do and are and in many ways you are stronger than us men.  But this is a man thing.  The only thing I can say to you ladies is that I don’t understand why you tolerate some of the bums and barbarians that try to call themselves men.  That’s your business I suppose.

Now let me talk to the males in the house.

Back in the day, men understood what manhood was all about.  Excuse me for being blunt.  I have watched over the last 20 to 30 years as males have been feminized and sissified.  I have watched the protectors of women and children slump down to a place of “every man for himself”.  I have watched as men no longer spend time leading their families because they are distracted with their personal activities.  In short I have witnessed our men turn from our Judeo Christian examples of manhood to pure examples of paganism.  Men no longer are the protectors.  Men no longer are the leaders.  Men have given up their place as the headship and the women have taken over out of need.  I am sorry to say I am ashamed of my fellow man.  I am sorry if I am stepping on your toes, but, if the shoe fits, wear it.

Do young men of today even know what it means to be a man?  There are no fathers anymore and with no fathers there will be no men.  Think about it.  The statistics show that over 42% of male babies born today are born with no fathers.  The broken home syndrome of our society is taking its toll.  Even if there is a father connected to the household he is distracted with his selfish activities like sports and entertainment or hobbies.  The men of today are distracted beyond words from fulfilling their responsibilities.  Back in the day… sons and fathers spent the day together.  They worked together, they played together and they ate together and so the father was able to lead and teach.  Times have changed.  Men of today are not interested in leading.  Men of today are interested in escaping reality.  (I’m sorry guys but I call them as I see them.)  I see a majority of men around me practicing slothfulness and living on unemployment checks from the government while they enjoy time fishing and hunting while the wife slaves at the job and then comes home and cooks and cleans for them.  I know several men that for months and months told me there was no work to find.  I can tell you that like magic when the government checks stopped and the next time I saw them a job had been found.  They should have been doing whatever it takes from day one to provide.  It may have meant mowing lawns or digging ditches but you must do what it takes.  I know what you say, “I can’t do that I have a degree”.   To that I say, “who’s guiding you?”

I have several Amish families as neighbors and I watch them.  I can tell you they have clung to something precious.  In the Amish culture men are still men and Amish men teach their sons how to be men.  I admire that about them.  The sons are always with their fathers working from the time they can walk.  Their sons are always beside their fathers on the Sabbath and worshipping.  The Amish father is still the spiritual leader as well.  Maybe not having a television is good.

We need to get back to rising up mighty men of God.  If we don’t our societal failure is immanent.  Strong men need to be men of faith and leading the way in worship and prayer.  He needs to be teaching his faith to his children and passing it down.  We know from history that when society moves to paganism failure is soon to follow.  We need men of courage.  We need to get away from this feminization of men.  Will our sons of today be ready for the battles of the future?  Will they be ready for battling enemies both physical and spiritual?

Are you a male? Are you a man? Are you a real man?  Are you providing the teaching your children need?  Are you providing the protection for your family?  Are you providing the basic necessities for your family?  Are you leading your family in worship of the Lord?  Don’t neglect these responsibilities.  Equip yourself and engage.  Don’t be distracted or self-centered.  Be engaged and involved.  We read in 1 Cor. 16:13-14 what god wants in man, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.”

So we can see from the authority of God that we are to: 1) Be watchful, 2) Stand fast in faith, 3) Act like a man, 4) Be strong and 5) All this is to be done in a spirit of love.

God is the creator and the source of strength.  We must submit to God’s rules  and when men do not fulfill their roles and responsibilities a society will break down.  Christian men need to follow the pattern of Christ.  Christ laid down His life for us.  Jesus is the sacrificial lamb.  He rules, protects, leads and guides.  He is the guide for all Christian men.  Christ defines manhood.  A biblical man understands what love is.  Love is sacrifice!  A man must be sacrificial.  In Ephesians 5:25 it says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it”.  This is the ultimate sacrifice.  Christ loved the church so much he died for it and He says that is the way we are to love our wives.  If your boat was sinking and you could only get one person off would you send your wife away and go down alone.  Or would you say, “Every man for himself” and jump for your life?  When the Titanic went down many years ago the majority of men were standing on deck watching the women and children row away as they sacrificed themselves and went down to their death. I hope it’s not as bad as I think but I see the situation today as if it happened again the women would be the ones standing on the deck and the men rowing to safety.  O lord I pray this is not the case.

The life of a Christian man is all about self-denial.  We are to take up our cross and follow Christ and His ways. (Matthew 16:24) After God and family you come first!

Can we ever inspire our sons again to act like men?  Be a valiant man.  Don’t be AWOL like so many men are.  Tell your family what Christ told us, “I will never leave you or forsake you”.

Please men… just man-up!

The Tubthumper