Frank

Meaning of Man, Part 2

Part 2 of 3 posts.

Ok men, here we go on the journey overview. We will look at six stages and will begin with ‘adam.

Creational Male: The very first experience a man has is the only one that we share with females. The foundational Hebrew word for man is ‘adam, which can refer to either male or female. It reflects a generic idea of mankind. For us men it tells us we are first and foremost (creational) beings. We ultimately reflect our Creator. We are flesh and blood, good ole red-blooded male material beings who someday will return to what we are, which is materially dust. Because we are creational we have capabilities that are divine and honorable. We also came with a caveat, in that we are also capable of using the talents we were created with for evil purposes and no good. We can never forget who and what we are as men. We are beings that are capable of fantastic and glorious benevolence and at the same time we are beings capable of horrible and destructive evil. We are capable of being rotten to the core and some, as you are aware, become evil beings.

Phallic Male: The second 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.

Warrior Male: I guess it is fact that there is a lack of true warriors in our society today. The Hebrew word gibbor describes a male in his warring strength. We know how it is right? We war often to be the best, the biggest, the toughest, richest, smartest, etc, etc… We kill our competition. We do away with any opposing viewpoints. We kill our declared enemies, and sometimes we end up killing our own marriages and families in the wake of things. This warrior and competitive warring is all part of being a normal man, however, the warrior has been de-valued in our contemporary society. Because of the feminine influence and the sissification of men the warrior has become a nasty killer that is violent, stupid, careless and abusive. Warriors are important to any society when they are fighting for the right things. A nation without its warriors will be in very serious trouble when a situation arises that calls for war. Strength, power, combativeness and competition are true masculine traits and unless we rediscover them and value them will lead our society into serious trouble. There is another reality to a warrior. The reality of combat is serious as warriors do get wounded and many die young.

Wounded Male: The next Hebrew word describes man in his weakness and frailty. The fourth Hebrew word for man is enosh, the wounded warrior or the wounded male. The contemporary male has been wounded by many things. Our fellow men have been wounded by abusive fathers, absent fathers, domineering mothers, bad teachers and poor educational systems, toxic business takeovers, layoffs, failures, success, alcoholism, divorce, poverty and even wealth. Men in our society are wounded and bleeding and are in need and don’t even know it. Sometimes the wounded male recovers and sometimes they never do. They become lost in the black hole of woundedness along the journey. Men can remain wounded for the rest of life pretty easily. Woundedness is a very important part of the normal male experience. Wounds are predictable but very few men are prepared to deal with them. The wounds are survivable and survivors can move along to some other gratifying male experiences. Before you think I am portraying men as victims I want to point out that most men are to blame for a good percentage of our wounds. We give up our place at times and we make mistakes. All is not our fault as noted above but some is. No matter what though, we need to man-up and get through it.

Ok men… we have reviewed the first 4 stages of the masculine journey. Now come with me and let’s take a look at the last 2 stages.

Click here to go to part 3

“The Tubthumper”

Meaning of Man, Part 1

Part 1 of a series of 3 posts.

This series of posts will be an overview of the six stages of masculinity from “The Masculine Journey”.

What does it mean to be a man? What is manliness or masculinity? Both men and women want to know the answer to the question, “What does it mean to be a man?” Does anyone have a clue? I suppose most men would hesitate before throwing out an answer and would have a fear of getting swallowed by feminist equalitarianism when answering that question.

You men that have reached the mature or sage stage of your life might want to pass some of these posts on to your young men in the creational or phallic stages to help them to not get lost or stuck along the way to where you are. Oh, now you ask what is a “creational stage and what is a phallic stage”? Stay with me on these posts and learn. For you men that are looking for what has been lost I hope it shows up here.

The model that Jesus gives us in the gospel should provide a good visual image for man. You must, however, study His life without any of the modern interpretations or miss-representations that I see so often. You must read the word for what it is and let it speak for itself. Jesus modeled both strength and sensitivity which change as men grow older. Manhood will look differently as you move through your adult life cycle.

Remember men that your life is a journey and on any journey the landscape changes as you travel. Some of you might say, “c’mon man”, there is nothing that is normal anymore when it comes to the subject of gender”. To a certain extent I am inclined to agree with you if we’re only talking about our warped cultural and social mindset these days. Make note, however, there are very critical differences between male and female in just about every area we can think of. Because a high percentage of males born today do not have the presence of a father and we have a dominant force of feminine expectations about men, it is not “politically correct” or “socially correct” to be talking about “the normal male”.

As you men travel your journey you will leave and arrive at a new place at times. You need to be aware when this happens that you will have a separation from the past, with an introduction to the new place and this will cause you some confusion to work through.

I don’t know that I will address marriage much here but when a man gets married he throws himself right smack dab in the middle of chaos and change. I remember when I got married. I did not give a second thought to the adjustment and change that would be required. If all men would get in touch with the adjustment needed most would wait and some might be scared out of it. Maybe, I say maybe, because I was young, blinded and just married her. I was heavily bound in the phallic stage which will be explained later. Now if you were to combine another event to cause adjustment such as a young man losing his job in the first year of marriage the adjustment, chaos, confusion and transition is longer and harder. When those kinds of things happen it will feel like your lesson is inappropriate for the season of life you are in and much too harsh. These experiences are actually normal. Don’t let anyone tell you they are not. These are rich experiences that will cause you to learn more about yourself and your manhood than any book or lecture could provide. Survive them and move to the next stop on your journey.

“The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head”, Proverbs 20:29. In other words, “young men are defined by their warrior strength and old men are defined by their wisdom” says Dr. Hicks.[1] What a man is greatly depends on what season in life he is in. These different seasons of life also provide different spiritual challenges and issues relating to faith. Children need to know that sins are forgiven; younger men need to overcome the tendency to do evil; and older men need to hang in there and value the spiritual persistence. As it is written, “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one”,1 John 2:12-14.

In Dr. Hick’s writings he plotted out six Hebrew words that represent the male journey.

Follow along with me in part 2 as I provide a quick overview of each stage of the masculine journey by working through the meaning of these six Hebrew words from Scripture.

Click here to go to Part 2

“The Tubthumper”

[1] The Masculine Journey, understanding the six stages of manhood, by Robert Hicks, page 23.

The Masculine Experience

Many years ago I read a book that I enjoyed. Back then it was far less apropos than it is now. It went into defining manhood and the many stages of getting there. I am lead to reflect on that book for a few posts and share some of the things I enjoyed. We will also consult the main instruction manual which is God and His word.

All men start life at the same place when exiting the womb but where we end up is all up to each of us.

So what defines manhood? Is it possible to define? Can we all come to an understanding of what it means to be male? Is it possible? Yes, it is. We have many, many years of research into men’s issues to look at and the Scriptures contain a wealth of information and God’s design for us as men. The instruction book is available. We just need to read. The best thing a Christian man can do is read God’s word. I have found that whatever issue major issue we have the answer is in there.

We know that life is not static and the author of the book addressed that as the basis for his writing. By the way, the name of the book is “The Masculine Journey” by Robert Hicks. Mr. Hicks wrote about how as we grow and move through life our journey has a changing landscape. If you are a man in your twenties you will be much different than a man in his forties. If we observe well we can see the difference in each stage and based on the research from the past along with God’s word we can know what is appropriate during each stage we enter. I believe it is important to understand what stage we are in and the appropriate way we are to live and that’s why I am pondering all those things I learned man years ago. The one thing that really stayed with me is the learning that some men get stuck in one stage and never get out or advance to the next stage. You all know what I am talking about. Have you ever seen a 60 year old guy that still acts and thinks like he is 20? (Or how about 16?) When a man gets stuck in one stage of his life and does not mature and move on with some wisdom he becomes unable to deal with the realities of life. These are the guys that become a sad excuse for men. Over the years I have been able to pinpoint what stage men are in that live around me. I have also been able to pinpoint what stage I am in. Because of the many years that have passed since I learned this material I have been able to see myself change from one stage to the next and know where I am in this journey.

So what are the stages we are referring to? There are six. The first stage we enter is the “The Creational Male”. We were all created by God for a purpose and when we were born we each were given unique abilities and characteristics to lead is along the way and help us develop to our greatest potential as men.

Stage two you men can relate with easily. This is where we become or for some reading this became “The Phallic Male”. In a previous post I mentioned how society and our culture here in the U.S. have handled male sexuality. I believe I referred to it as the “sissification” of men. Our culture can deny, denigrate and pervert male sexuality all they want but listen up. We as males remain sexual beings from our most primary level. God designed it that way. Sometimes I think God had an interesting sense of humor. If you read your Bible you will learn that God doesn’t expect us to be any other way. Even though we go through this stage and it is designed by God there is a critical message for you. We are not to fixate on this phallic thing! We are to learn how to channel our sexual energy constructively. That in itself is an interesting subject. I once read about how to do that in the business world with a process called sexual mutation. I cannot get into that now though. So have you ever known a man that got stuck in the “Phallic Stage”? I have known many. I have known enough to draw my own conclusion that leads me to think this is the stage most dangerous for men to get stuck in.

Stage three, if you can move beyond the phallic stage is “The Warrior”. This is where we channel our strength, our fighting spirit, our natural competiveness (that God instills) where needed during our continual development as men. Once again this fighting spirit is not always directed and exercised appropriately.

Now on to stage four which really works some deep inner development and is called “The Wounded Male”. When we pass through the warrior stage getting wounded is all part of the process. There consequences and casualties when in war. It is from this wounding that we learn to understand the needs of others around us. I guess I could call it my school of hard knocks.

Stage five brings me to my fellow men that are not afraid to go against the grain to do what is right. This stage is called “The Mature Male”. A mature man is very purposeful. He possesses a high regard for the dignity of other human beings and the mature man has balance in his life and an understanding of the truth. This man is not afraid to go against the grain to pursue what is right. The mature man’s life is an exciting time of growth that gets more enjoyable as each day passes. If you get stuck, or have gotten stuck in a previous stage and have not reached this stage at the appropriate time in your life then you are stagnate and certainly not handling the realities of life well.

The last stage in our life as a male is “The Sage”. In this last stage we become wise and mature. This is where the real men make the finest contributions to our family, to our church and community. We will as the complete man be in command of our soul with the help of the Lord. We have arrived.

Can you see yourself in any of these stages? Can you identify?

I want to explore this much further and much deeper in future posts. It may develop into several different series. I’ll see how it goes.

I hope I have peaked your interest. Watch for more on the journey.

“The Tubthumper”

Freedom or slavery; citizens or subjects?

Part of celebrating Independence Day is remembering why our forefathers fought and what they accomplished. Thanks to them, we live in the greatest country in the world.

Two hundred thirty-six years ago this Fourth of July, 57 men signed the document that created the American republic. They represented a people of about 3 million grouped in a series of 13 colonies along the eastern seaboard of the United States. They were all sought by the commander of the British forces in North America for sedition and treason. It was a group of wanted men. The commander had behind him the resources of the greatest military power on earth. The wanted men had behind them the beginnings of a government from scratch, they had no army to speak of, but they had something mighty in the way of a dream for freedom and independence.

There was no way for them to know they were beginning the greatest constitutional republic in history. The republic they began has influence around the world like none other. The constitution this republic designed provides freedom to its citizens like nothing created before and for all those years has continued to do so. There is nothing that has ever matched it and nothing ever will.

What is common among us now is a denial of what made our country the great rock that it is. Our current President has been since he was elected in denial of the Constitution of the United States and has stuck to his assertion that the US Constitution is open to change. He says, “It allowed for protests, movements, and the assimilation of new ideas that would repeatedly, decade after decade, change the world—a constant forward movement that continues to this day.” He believes there is neither form nor firmness in the constitution. He believes all is fluid. Our current standing President takes the position that this liberates us to do whatever we will. He has deliberately broken the constitution many times and our great country is guilty of “willful blindness”.

We as a country have slid a long way down the greased slide toward hell. We have allowed some to erase the major advancement we have enjoyed in the past. Our current government, under our current leadership is growing so fast and furious that we are almost to the point where our government will have more resources than those it governs. Once it reaches that point it may well never be possible to reverse it. It will also be a defeat of democracy, freedom and independence.

Please look at your rights. When they are denied to you, and if the United States continues on its current path, they will and you will feel the oppression quickly. The original principles of the Declaration of Independence and of the Constitution put every man and woman that has been deprived of their rights in the same place as the Founders on July 4, 1776. Please, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are precious and need to be protected. They are the principles of the United States. Much blood was spilled to obtain them. They are now in jeopardy.

Pray for the healing of our land. Pray for the leadership of our country. Take a stand for what you believe. Be active by voting and supporting the ideals of your choice. I hope freedom is your choice. It is mine. Never in our nation’s rich history have we seen a President who so completely and blatantly disregards our constitution and the laws set in place. If this recklessness is allowed to continue, we will fundamentally lose our nation. Our rights as individuals will be overwhelmed by statism — with every last action being dictated by federal mandates and taxes. And our states will simply become part of federal authority to carry out its desires.

We have an election in just four months. It’s time WE THE PEOPLE take a stand! If we sit by silently in the face of this latest direct assault on the rights of the people we will lose all we have and end up with a “Soviet” style government with unlimited power to take away our rights.

Please pray for our nation. Pray that we get back to what began this great land. It began with a desire to have religious freedom and to worship God our own way. It is very unfortuneate for us that mainstream America has forgotten about God. Yes, we as a nation have forgotten God. Paul tells us in Romans 13:1, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” Please wake up and remember God.

Here is a prayer done in the senate on the 4th of July 1861. I truly wish we could have a prayer like this today. Review it and ponder just awhile on how far we have fallen away from God.

The following prayer was offered by Rev. Byron Sunderland, D.D. on July 4, 1861 before the opening session of the U.S. Senate. Almighty and everlasting God, be not angry with us for our sins, which we only confess and deplore; but pardon our offenses and extend to us Thy favor. We thank Thee for Thy goodness on this anniversary of the nation a day tenfold more precious by reason of our present troubles, and sacred to the heart for the ever memorable Declaration of our fathers, in which Thou didst begin more openly to give us a name among the nations of the earth. We thank Thee for all Thy manifold and abundant mercies hitherto to make our nation exceedingly great and glorious; but now disasters have befallen us and darkness broods in the land. And now we ask Thy mercy as the Senate is convening at a most momentous crisis of our history. Give to Thy servants all needed help. Add to their deliberations wisdom and unanimity, and profit and speed to their conclusion. Bless Thy servant, the President of the United States, our veteran Commander-in-Chief, and all that have functions in the civil and military power. May the angel of Thy presence walk in the Cabinet and in the Congress and in the camp, to go before, to purify, and to direct the now greatly and universally-awakened love of country. And we beseech Thee to guide us, to overrule and order all things, and so to cause that nothing shall fail, that the disorders of the land may be speedily healed, that peace and concord may prevail, that truth and righteousness may be established, and that Thy Church and Kingdom may flourish in a larger peace and prosperity, for Thy Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen. (Source: Congressional Globe, 37th Congress, first session, new series, 1, 4 July 1861.) (Contributor: American.edu)

Do you see what I mean?

I have placed three good websites below should you want to educate yourself on our history.

1) http://www.ouramericanrevolution.org/

2) http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html

3) http://constitutionus.com/

Heal Our Land, O God.

“The Tubthumper”

Remembering His Saints

In October of this year Auriesville will be a very busy place when just within walking distance my neighbors at The Auriesville Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs, which is a National Roman Catholic shrine right here in Auriesville, New York will host a major event for Catholics. We should be preparing for Roman Catholics to arrive from all around the world for an event that does not happen very often. They will be canonizing Kateri Tekakwitha as a saint.

To canonize a saint is (as I understand it) to declare (a deceased person) to be a saint and entitled to be fully honored as such. The term “saint” is often used to describe a person of exceptional holiness, formally recognized by the Christian Church, especially by canonization. Canonization is a solemn declaration by the pope in which a deceased member of the faithful is proposed as a model and intercessor to the Christian faithful and venerated as a saint on the basis of having lived a life of heroic virtue or having remained faithful to God through martyrdom.

The photo to the left is the only known portrait from the life of Catherine Tekakwitha, circa 1690 by Father Chauchetière. Sometime during the year 1656 she was born within the Ossernenon, Iroquois Confederacy (New France until 1763, modern Auriesville, New York).

Kateri Tekakwitha (pronounced [ˈgaderi degaˈgwita] in Mohawk), originally known as Catherine Tekakwitha informally known as Lily of the Mohawks (1656 – April 17, 1680) was an Algonquin and Iroquois Native American religious lay woman from New France and an early convert to Roman Catholicism. Consequently, she was shunned and exiled by her tribe. She died at the age of 24 after professing her vows of virginity. Known for her chastity and corporal mortification of the flesh, she is the first Native American woman to be venerated in the Roman Catholic Church. Tekakwitha was beatified by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1980. On February 18, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially announced at Saint Peter’s Basilica that Tekakwitha will be canonized on October 21, 2012 So that is what is happening regarding “saints” in our local Roman Catholic activities. I wonder if they will allow a “Tubthumper” to attend.

In the Bible, the word “saints” refers to holy people — holy, however, not primarily in the moral sense, but in the sense of being specially marked out as God’s people.

Many of the letters of the apostle Paul (see Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians) begin with a greeting that includes the word “saints” such as, “To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia.” In such statements, Paul includes all believers in Christ. The saints are God’s possession (Acts 9.13) and God’s beloved (Romans 1.7). They are saints because God has called them: they owe their status to no one but God.

It is in and through Jesus Christ that God has “sanctified” them (1 Corinthians 6.11), or “made them holy,” or “made them saints” (Ephesians 1.1; Philippians 4.21).

Saints are characterized by faithfulness to their Lord (Ephesians 1.1; Colossians 1.2); they are called to endurance in their faith (Revelation 13.10; 14.12). To them has been revealed the mystery of the Gospel of Christ (Colossians 1:26). They are called to conform their lives to God’s holy character; i.e., to live a life that is consistent with their status as saints (Ephesians 5.3). God ministers to the saints (Romans 8.27) and intends that they minister to one another’s needs (Romans 12.13; 2 Corinthians 8.4 and 9.1; Ephesians 1.15, 4.12 and 6.18; Colossians 1.4; 1 Timothy 5.10). The saints will receive a glorious inheritance at Christ’s return (Ephesians 1.18; Colossians 1.12; 1 Thessalonians 3.13; 2 Thessalonians 1.10).

All believers are saints because of the sanctifying work of Jesus Christ. Usually in the New Testament “saints” refers to the corporate church. While the term “saints” designates the Christians living in a certain city or town (as addressed in the greeting of Paul’s letters), most often the term designates all Christians in the entire world (Romans 8.27; 1 Corinthians 6.2, 14.33; Ephesians 1.15, 18).

In this sense, anyone who is within the Body of Christ (i.e., a professing Christian) is a ‘saint’ because of their relationship with Christ Jesus.

Within some Protestant traditions, “saint” is also used to refer to any born-again Christian. It is this definition that I prefer and do consider myself a “saint” do to the fact that I am a “born again” Christian. Just call me “Saint Tubthumper” or “Saint Frank”.

Many emphasize the traditional New Testament meaning of the word, preferring to write “saint” to refer to any believer, in continuity with the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.

All that rhetoric above simply leads me to my point on this post. I was finishing up my reading at the end of the Old Testament earlier today in the book of Malachi and I noticed a verse that was profound.

The love of God is being shown through His remembering His own saints: “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. (Malachi 3:16-17).

Wow! A book of remembrance, it is that point that caused my eyebrows to rise. A book of remembrance was written. “This book of remembrance can be looked at as the most glorious record ever kept. God is keeping a “divine diary” that contains all those words of affection to the lord spoken by believers.

What about “when I make up my jewels”? What do you think of that? The Hebrew translation for “jewels” is sebullah, and it means “special, peculiar treasure.”

Isn’t it fantastic to know that God “remembers” His people, His saints, His jewels and all the words of affection we utter? Praise His Holy name!

SING PRAISE TO GOD WHO REIGNS ABOVE!

Let all who name Christ’s holy name give God all praise and glory;

Let all who own His power, proclaim aloud the wondrous story!

Cast each false idol from its throne, for Christ is Lord, and Christ alone:

To God all praise and glory.

“Saint Tubthumper”

Hell, you don’t have to go there!

Part 3 of 3 part series:

God is real. His word is real. His love is real. His working in the world is real. He is real. God is near to any who would have Him. Jeremiah 29:13, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

He wants to offer you a relationship not possible with any person. Only God! No one else can offer you forgiveness of sins and eternal life. No one else can offer you a personal relationship with the divine Creator; only the Creator can do that. No one else can offer to touch you at the deepest level of your being and bring healing from heartache and despair. No one else can offer you the unconditional love we all crave. Reach out. He’s waiting for you.

I want to invite you to make Christ your Lord and Savior by repenting of your sins and calling on Him for forgiveness and eternal life, believing that He died for you and rose from the grave. The Bible says that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. That is very good news. Act on the words of God, will you?

The path to Heaven

1. God loves you and wants a personal relationship with you.

God has a wonderful plan for your life now and forever. The central theme of the Bible is God’s love for you and all people. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

God’s plan: Jesus said, ” The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10; 17:3).

2. We are all sinful and separated from God.

Because of sin we cannot know God personally or experience His love and plan for our lives. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, (Romans 3:23). Man (Adam) was created to have a relationship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin.

We are all separated from God because of sin. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Heaven and Hell are real destinations and the ultimate choice is ours. There is a hell…but the good news is we don’t have to go there!

The diagram above illustrates that God is Holy and we are sinful. A great gulf separates the two. The arrows show that man is continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through his own efforts, such as living a good life, doing good deeds, following philosophies, religions, cults etc. The next point explains the only way to bridge this gulf.

3. Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin.

Through Jesus Christ alone we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. “, (Romans 5:8).

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep” (I Corinthians 15:3-6).

Jesus Christ is the only way to God. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

This diagram illustrates that God has bridged the gulf which separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.

It is not enough just to know the above information. The next point is the most important.

4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

We must receive Jesus Christ by faith (i.e. by trusting or believing) so we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). “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” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

We experience a new spiritual birth when we receive Jesus Christ. “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 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 the 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 of 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. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:1-8).

We can receive Jesus Christ by personal invitation. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

Receiving Jesus Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Jesus to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us the kind of people He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We must receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of will.

The two circles below represent two kinds of lives, the self-directed life and the Christ-directed life:

Which circle best represents your life? Which circle would you like to have represent your life?

5. How you can receive Jesus Christ right now by prayer and faith:

Prayer is talking with God. God knows your heart and is not concerned with your words. He is looking at the attitude of your heart.

The following is a suggested prayer. It is only an example for you. Dear God/Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned. I believe You sent Jesus Christ to save me. I believe Jesus was crucified on the cross, he was buried, raised from the dead, and He ascended into heaven and sat down at Your right hand. I thank You Jesus for taking away my sins forever. I believe Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and I am now born again and will have eternal life. Take control of my life and make me the person You want me to be. Thank You God, for forgiving me and giving me everlasting life. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, pray one like it right now. It need not be the same and should be your own words. If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10:9). If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all wrong doing (1 John 1:9). Jesus said, ” I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

6. How you can grow as a new member of God’s Kingdom.

Talk to God in prayer daily. Matthew 21:22,”And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive”. Mark 11:24,”Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

Attend church regularly. Hebrews 10:25,”Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Psalm 122:1,”I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

Read God’s Word, the Bible, often. 2 Timothy 3:16,17,”All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Obey God always. John 14:21,”He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

Be a good witness and live for God by your life and words. John 15:8,”Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

Trust God for every detail of your life. 1 Peter 5:7,”Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Trust the Holy Spirit to help you daily. Romans 8:14, ”For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

*The illustrations were not created by me. Thanks go out to the artist whom I am unable to identify.

God bless you,

“The Tubthumper”

Life is but a Vapor: Know for sure

Part 2 of 3 part series.

You can know for sure. That should be comforting. You can do something about it. This day is rushing toward you. Make certain of your destiny.

What are you thinking? Come on… put some thought into this important subject. I am sure you have done some good and you have done some bad. You may be thinking God will grade you on a curve like the teachers do in school. You may think you can get to heaven on your own because you are not as bad as others. Here is the truth: If you are going to heaven it is because you repented and embraced Christ by faith. If you have not done this you are going to hell. For it is written.

There are people in hell right now. How sad but true this is. What about you? Hell is predominately occupied by two groups. 1) Those that have never done it (repented and embraced Christ by faith) and 2) those that thought they had but did not.

(Luke 16:19-35- There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.)

It is written: Hell is eternal torment for the impenitent.

The subject of Hell is obstinately ignored by all. It is ignored primarily because of a move in our country toward universalism and health and wealth theology. Most religions won’t touch it because it is not popular and won’t make people feel good. You need the truth! Can you handle the truth? Truth doesn’t always feel good. Will it be heaven or hell for you? You can know for sure. This day is rushing toward you. Make certain of your destiny.

I have done it, I repented, I could not gain my own way to heaven. I humbled myself before God. I embraced Jesus Christ as forgiveness for my sins. I did not deserve it, but, I got it. Through God’s grace I am saved from hell.

This is your chance! Right now! You can turn from sin and embrace Christ and be changed. Every day is your day of opportunity.

But… when time comes to a close… it is over. Today, if you hear Him… please respond? I am talking about things eternal.

It is almost impossible today to get a person to think seriously for even a moment about where they are going when they die. I fear you do not comprehend what a huge deal this is! We are talking about eternity separated from God! We don’t want to go there (hell). We don’t want anyone we know to go there. We want to keep people from going there!

(Hebrews 9:27- And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment).

(Matthew 8:12- But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.)

(Matthew 25:30- And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.)

The Bible gives direct terms of fire, weeping and gnashing of teeth, outer darkness, torment, anguish, isolation and eternal destruction.

Every day of your life God calls out to you!

(2 Peter 3:9- The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.)

He wants all to come to repentance. God wants everyone rewarded with salvation. God provided a way out of hell but it is up to you to take up the opportunity!

Hear His voice! Hear it today!

You must be sure… the way to hell is wide and easy. The way to heaven is narrow but not complicated. Repent and acknowledge you deserve hell. Embrace Jesus Christ now by faith and ask Him to come into your life and forgive you. Ask him to save you!

Come back for part 3 and know how to know for sure.

“The Tubthumper”

Click here to go toPart 3

Life is but a vapor…

Part 1 of a 3 part series…

This post is about life and death and both are very important. Have you thought about what happens when your body finally ends up at room temperature? It will be sooner than you want.

This post is about Hell.

IT WAS JUST AN ORDINARY DAY!

It was just an ordinary day several years ago when my friend Steve and his wife were leaving for a normal Sunday at church. Steve, along with his wife and two children were driving to church as usual on a normal Sunday morning. They reached an intersection the exact time as another vehicle hurdled through at nearly 100 mph. The impact was sudden, powerful and caused the end to an entire family in an instant. The suspect that was fleeing the police in a high speed chase was virtually unharmed in the crash. The funeral was difficult with Steve in one casket along with his tiny son and his wife in the other casket with her young daughter. Four people were taken away in the blink of an eye on an ordinary Sunday morning. Memorable to say the least!

It was just an ordinary day last year when my friend Aaron (coincidentally in the same family as Steve) went out to prepare firewood to heat his home. When he didn’t come in for supper his wife went out and found him next to the woodpile. He had suffered a heart attack. In the blink of an eye he was gone.

I know, I know, it will never happen to you right? Well, think again… It was just an ordinary bright sunny beautiful day on September 11 when two planes suddenly crashed into the world trade center killing many thousands. When they left home that morning they had no idea they would never return home again. If today is your ordinary day which turns into your last, are you ready?

Hell is what we need to talk about. Heaven is where we all want to end up. But most will not. A loved husband will end up in Hell while his wife goes to Heaven. Beloved wives will end up in Hell and the husband in Heaven. Children of parents will go to Hell and the parent to Heaven. Brother will go to Heaven and sister to Hell. Sister is going to Heaven and brother to Hell. Think about this! Mother goes to Heaven and Father to hell and vise verse. Some of our loved ones are already in Hell. This should cause tears to be shed… Can we let this happen without trying to have us all together in Glory? God Forbid!

You can find the path to Heaven later after my explanation of Hell. The path to heaven is narrow and not easy.

The path to Hell is wide and almost like a greased downhill slide. Take heed and please make a wise choice.

Why am I posting on the subject of Hell? It’s because no one is doing it anymore. Most clergy and churches nowadays won’t touch the subject because it doesn’t make people feel good. Most Christians don’t talk about it much either. Modern church not talking about hell is something I have a hard time understanding due to this one fact. The Bible has much, much more in its pages about hades and hell than it has about heaven. That alone should make you think twice about the subject. Please understand that you and I are no different. With the things I address on this post we are the same. We were all born as mortals in sin. (Romans 3:23-For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God )

No need to post about heaven just yet because heaven is all good and positive with people. It is Hell that needs to be explained. Most people have no idea.

LET ME EXPLAIN HELL:

(Matthew 3;11- I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire) (Romans 2:8- But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath) (2 Thessalonians 1:8- In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ)

It is a place of wrath! God will inflict vengeance on they that do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hell is not a place I would send my worst enemy. And that is the truth. Yes, there is a heaven and there definitely is a hell. For it is written. And this is of grave importance. (No pun intended.)

Most people don’t want this to be true. They suppress the truth. They do not want to answer for what they have done. No excuse. God says there is no excuse.

It’s important to examine your life, death, heaven and hell. How do you live and what happens when you die?

If you are reading this we know you were born so there is life. You likely have a birth certificate. I have some stark news for you if you haven’t heard it yet. You will die. All that’s left to be determined is when your date of death is stamped on the death certificate. It may be today or it may hopefully be another but most don’t expect it when it happens. And for many, when it does, it’s too late.

Nothing on earth is more sobering than a talk about hell. As real as the hope of heaven is, so too is the reality of hell. There will be a moment one day in the future that the only thing about you that will matter is your relationship with God. Your occupation, your good character, your status, sex, or race will mean nothing apart from your standing before God. What will that moment be like for you? Are you just hoping that everything will work out or are you confident in what is ahead for you?

“The Tubthumper”

Part 2 is up…Click here and follow…

Marry a prostitute? It was commanded!

God commanded a prophet to marry a prostitute. Can you believe that?

Some say that Hosea married a prostitute. Some say he didn’t marry at all and this is just an old fishing story. I think we need to examine the facts to get to the bottom of things. I also think God used Hosea to get a message across through prophesy like he has done so many times. If we turn to the scriptures we see early on in Hosea beginning in verse 2 what God told him. “And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. (Hsa. 1;2) This book of Hosea is certainly different isn’t it? It is pretty strange that God would tell a prophet to “take unto thee a wife of whoredoms.” It certainly caught my attention. We know the land God is speaking of. It is Israel.

So God is going to make a comparison and use something called a similitude.

The word similitude isn’t a word I have kicked around much and I needed to seek the meaning so I include the dictionary meaning here for you.

Noah Webster’s New International Dictionary of the English Language gives the definition of Similititude as follows:

1. (n.) The quality of being similar or like; resemblance; likeness; similarity; as, similitude of substance. 2. (n.) The act of likening, or that which likens, one thing to another; fanciful or imaginative comparison; a simile. 3. (n.) That which is like or similar; a representation, semblance, or copy; a facsimile.

In chuck Smith’s commentary on Hosea he describes it this way, “A similitude is something that is similar to, by which you then draw a picture, something that you can see and then you draw from that a spiritual analogy”.[1]

So Hosea took Gomer as we see in verses 2-5 and Gomer conceived and bare a son named Jezreel. I want to point out there is no evidence to suggest that Gomer was a prostitute prior to being with Hosea. We do have the proof that she became a prostitute later. So this is a situation where God knew the heart of Gomer and used her to get a message across. Israel has been unfaithful and it is now that God is drawing a comparison between the unfaithfulness of his beloved people to the unfaithfulness of a marriage. This is not the first time God has indicated His relationship with Israel is comparable to that of a marriage.

In his commentary, Chuck Smith said it this way, “I think it’s just that God told him to take this woman that God knew would be unfaithful in order that God might draw the similitude between this unfaithful wife of Hosea and the nation of Israel who had been unfaithful unto God. For God had taken the nation of Israel as His bride, blessed her, heaped His love upon her, and yet she turned from God.”[2]

We know from reading the rest of the book that Hosea and Gomer had three children and they all carried names that hold prophetic meanings. We also know that this marriage had all the issues that a very troubled marriage would have today. We had Hosea the injured spouse and Gomer the immoral spouse. Hosea’s marriage was a very visible example and message to Israel.

Hosea attempted many times in vain to save the marriage. He tried to bar Gomer from the markets of the world as we see in Chapter 2, verse 6. He tried to keep her home but she eventually ended up a prostitute in the markets and became a sex slave. Hosea even pleaded with his son to try to talks some sense into his mother (2:2). It didn’t work and she continued to seek her pleasures at every opportunity she had. Gomer was used, abused and well, you get the picture. And she had become a sex slave for which Hosea bought her back for 15 pieces of silver and homer and half of barley (3:2). He had to buy her as a slave. We never get to see the ending of this and whether the marriage was saved or ended in ruins. I think there is a point to this as well because we haven’t seen the ending to this adulterous relationship the Israel carries on. But we will.

We know the end is drawing near.

In Hosea 8:7 we see, “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.” And in verse 8, “Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.” So Israel would be for a while swallowed up among the nations.

Through the message of Hosea’s marriage God wanted to teach Israel and us about the anguish in His heart when His people commit spiritual adultery and become prostitutes to another god.

The story will have a happy ending because God’s bride will return to him as we see in Hosea 3:5, “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” And we also see in Chapter 14, verses 4 through 7, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.” Therefor God’s wife will be restored. The Bible says in Zechariah, “They shall look upon Him whom they have pierced.” Chuck Smith said, “And in that day when they look upon Him whom they have pierced and they recognize that Jesus indeed is God’s promised Messiah and they open their hearts to receive Him, there’s gonna be such a glorious reunion as they in love and repentance reach out to God and he in love reaches out to them and restores them.”[3]

And together they live happily ever after… Amen.

“The Tubthumper”

[1] Chuck Smith-Transcriptions for the C2000 Series, Hosea 1-4, Blue Letter Bible Commentaries.

[2] IBID.

[3] Chuck Smith-Transcriptions for the C2000 Series, Hosea 10-14, Blue Letter Bible Commentaries.

The First Attempted Holocaust

Hitler was not the first…

We all know about the tragic things that were perpetrated by Germany’s leader, Hitler during the well documented Holocaust period. Did you know there could have been a major Holocaust a lot earlier in history? There have been many attempts to annihilate the Jews which have all been unsuccessful. Let me tell you about the very first attempted Holocaust in history as recorded in God’s word.

This event occurs in the book of Esther. In this book is the description of what happened to the majority of Jews (roughly 80 percent) that decided to remain and not return to Jerusalem after the decree of Cyrus the Great, the king of Persia after the Persian conquest of Babylon.

I don’t think there is another book in the Bible where God is any more evident as he works in behind the scenes during this horrible attempt at destroying the Jewish people.

The part I want to point out today is the recording in this book of the most horrible example of anti-Semitic hatred in the entire Bible. This occurs at the hands of Haman the Agagite. Haman was the Adolf Hitler of the Old Testament.

Esther was selected by the king at the time to be his queen because she was the most beautiful girl in the land. She was from the tribe of Benjamin and she was indeed a very, very beautiful girl. (Esther 2:7) She was raised in the city of Susa in Persia by her cousin Mordecai. I wanted to introduce Mordecai because he has an important part in the attempted holocaust. The king at the time, King Ahasuerus, held a beauty contest of sorts to find the most beautiful woman in the land and Esther won the contest hands down. The King was smitten! It is written in Esther 2:17, “And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. (KJV) So like many men of today he threw out his old number one wife, Vashti and replaced her with a hottie named Esther. (Also called Hadassah in her younger years.) It is important to point out that Esther is really a Jewish girl, however, she did not at the time, reveal herself as Jewish. (Esther 2:10, 20)

Mordecai, Esther’s cousin had become a palace official and was in good favor after he and Esther prevented an attempted assassination of King Ahasuerus.

Soon after Esther became queen, the king appointed a vicious and heartless politician named Haman. Haman has been described as being an unwitting servant of Satan himself. He has been also referred to with nicknames like Haman the haughty, Haman the heartless and Haman the shameless. He was incredibly arrogant and self-centered. Know any politicians like that? I prefer the heartless as a name for him. The name of haughty was tagged because he swelled with pride after being elevated to prime minister by the king. (Esther 3:1)

Let’s go back to Mordecai. Mordecai always infuriated Haman because he refused to bow down and honor Haman whenever he walked by. In Esther 3:5-6 it says, “And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that [were] throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, [even] the people of Mordecai.”

So Haman was out to kill Mordecai and he wanted to go even further and destroy all the Jews in the Kingdom. Remember this is representing 80 percent of the Jews at the time. He began by lying about the Jews to the king. He claimed to the king that they were disloyal and must be destroyed. He also offered to pay 10,000 talents to have them destroyed in a bloodbath which in today’s money would exceed $30 million dollars. He got the king to sign the death warrant and then they sat down together and enjoyed a drink. (Esther 3; 15) So out went Royal orders announcing all Jews would be executed on February 28 the following year which was 473 B.C. (3:12-15)

Mordecai informed Esther of this and advised her to visit the king but Esther could not do this because nobody, not even the Queen, can enter the king’s inner court without certain instant death.

Esther began to work on figuring out some way to get to the king. (Her husband) She said, “And if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:16). Esther got to see the king at a banquet and suggested to him that there be a second banquet she will prepare just for the three of them. Esther, King Ahasuerus and Haman which was quickly agreed to. Haman was so proud and puffy about all these fantastic happenings that involve him. It would be just him and the king and queen showing that he was special. Haman’s wife suggested he build a gallows and have Mordecai hanged upon it the very next day. Haman had the gallows built.

Now the king will learn what is going on. Esther the queen has prepared the banquet that she so carefully orchestrated. We turn to Esther 7: 1-6 to find what is happening as Haman and the king arrive. “So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What [is] thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what [is] thy request? and it shall be performed, [even] to the half of the kingdom. Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage. Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? And Esther said, The adversary and enemy [is] this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.”

Now the tables are turned and what happens next actually has a little humor. King Ahasuerus was so upset he was unable to speak and went outside to his palace garden for a few minutes. Haman was filled with fear as he should be. He very cowardly ran to Esther and begged her to intercede with the king and save him. In his cowardly fright he was so agitated that he accidentally fell on the sofa where Esther was relaxing (7:8).

Just then, in walks king Ahaseuerus and he interpreted that Haman was trying to rape his wife. Haaaa! The king learned that a gallows had been built. (Built for Mordecai) The king was so filled with wrath that he ordered Haman himself to be hanged that very night on those gallows. So Haman was hanged on Mordecai’s gallows and the king’s wrath was pacified. Justice is served and the very first holocaust attempt is thwarted.

Mordecai was appointed the new prime minister and this led to the institution of a new feast. Mordecai and Esther instituted the new memorial feast to commemorate yearly that glorious salvation from Haman the heartless (9:20-32). The feast is called Purim.

Earlier in Esther 4 verse 14 Mordecai had told Esther that “thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this”. Now who can argue with that? Esther had come to the kingdom to save the Jew’s from holocaust.

This end to Haman the heartless is one of the most vivid object lessons of the fulfillment of the prophecy in Genesis 12:3: “And I will…curse him that curseth thee”.

The Tubthumper

Daniel and the Lion’s Den from the Flipside

“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions”, Hebrews 11:33.

I was reading in the great book of Daniel today and it struck me about how this great story of Daniel and the lion’s den told to children all over the world has a side no one wants the kiddies to know. Only those that read all the text know the real story. Grab your Bible and follow along.

I am in the 6th chapter of Daniel where an evil plan is being developed. Darius the new king of Babylon was organizing and setting up his kingdom. He had 129 provinces and he appointed a governor for each one. (129 governors) Those 129 governors reported to 3 presidents. Daniel was made one of the 3 presidents and he was at this time a little more than 80 years old. Even at his age of 80 Daniel was still very much full of skill and abilities. So much that King Darius wanted to elevate him even further and put him in charge of the other 2 presidents. (Dan. 6:3)

Here we see the evil plan being orchestrated because the plan of King Darius made all the governors and the other two presidents green with envy and filled with anger. They began to plot as to how to kill Daniel. But the King was fond of Daniel.

They devised a plot to trick Darius into signing a 30 day decree saying all praying during that time was to be directed to the king himself (Dan. 6:6-9).

Daniel found out about this and saw right through it. Daniel was fearless and continued to pray 3 times a day as he always had and in plain view of all.

Of course the heartless plotters ran to King Darius to tie the noose around Daniels neck once and for all. Well, King Darius realized he had been had and tried to find a way out of it but the law of the Medes and Persians left no loophole to escape. (Dan. 6:11-15)

This is where Daniel had to be thrown into the lion’s den and sealed with the kings own signet ring. The king spent a very restless, miserable and sleepless night in his palace (Dan. 6:17-18).

Boy, o-boy when the morning broke the next day the King was up and rushing to that lion’s den. He called out in anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has he delivered you from the lions? (Dan. 6:20 in my words)

Hah, out of the blackness of the den comes a voice. Daniel says to the king, “No worries sir, my God sent his angels in to protect me and the lions never touched me and I never hurt the lions either” (Dan. 6:21-22 again in my interpretation)

Now this is the part that is never told to the kids.

We have the reaction of the king! He had a twofold reaction to all that had happened. He was glad and he was mad.

This is the good part: He was glad and rejoicing that Daniel was saved and he issued a decree ordering all citizens of his kingdom to consider this almighty Judean God (Dan. 6:23, 25-27).

But oh boy, this is the bad part: It is real bad!

The king was furious and took immediate vengeance upon the ones that tricked him. He ordered them to be thrown into the same lion’s den that they had thrown Daniel into. Not only the tricksters but also all their families were to be thrown in the den with them. Yes, the king was mad.

The Bible says their bodies were instantly torn apart and ravaged by the lions. A horrific and bloody scene it was. It says in Daniel 6:24, “And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast [them] into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den”. (KJV)

Persian law was incredibly cruel back then. It was much crueler than Hebrew law. But even so our laws today are pale in comparison.

So now you see just as Paul Harvey always said on his radio show, “And now you know… the rest of the story”.

The story still has a good ending as this verse allows, “I make a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he [is] the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion [shall be even] unto the end. (Daniel 6:26)

The end

The battleground: Homosexual vs. Heterosexual

I am responding to the practice of gay-bashing and also the actions returned in-kind. This kind of stuff has been going on as long as murder. And that is from the beginning of mankind!

In a Peanuts comic strip, Lucy tells Linus, “I finally figured out how to prove to everyone that my religion is right.” Linus asks, “How do you do that?” “It’s simple,” says Lucy, “I hit ‘em over the head with my lunch box!”

I lay claim to being a born again Christian and so my beliefs are grounded from God’s Holy Word.

We must recognize that some people have mistreated homosexuals in the past. It’s a shame that people do mock, taunt, or bully another human being. If those things are done by Christians and I am quite sure they are I want it known I do not support that action. We were made in God’s image and although I admit it is hard should work to carry ourselves in His image.

I should remind you of what was reportedly found in a late medieval manuscript: “The church is something like Noah’s ark. If it weren’t for the storm outside, you couldn’t stand the smell inside.”

That said, I think we need to make one thing clear in regard to civil discourse: To differ is not to hate. I hope we can still have a real conversation in this country about different points of view without casting one another in the worst possible light. The idea that disagreeing with homosexual behavior necessarily results in harm to gay people is designed to shut down conversation and immediately rule one point of view (in this case, the Christian one) out of bounds. The same thing happens the other way around and we have the Christian zealots ruling the other point of view out of bounds. I think this issue is blown so far out of proportion it is without question used by the devil to divide humanity. We Christians should be heralders of the Gospel and not the judge and jury. We need to leave that to the Lord. When Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, he listed homosexuality among other sins—idolatry, adultery, burglary, greediness, drunkenness, slanderers, and cheaters. He didn’t just single out the homosexual issue.

Merville Vincent wrote, “In God’s view, I suspect we are all sexual deviants. I doubt if there is anyone who has not had a lustful thought that deviated from God’s perfect idea of sexuality.” That in itself makes one person no better than another. According to God sin is sin, simple as that.

As a Christian, I am to love my neighbor and seek his good, even when I don’t see eye to eye with my neighbor.

Joseph Sizoo writes in his book, Preaching Unashamed, “Jesus healed them all. He identified Himself with the paralytic who had just enough feeling to know pain. He became one with the lepers whose bodies withered with anguish. He seemed to belong to the blind who stumbled through the streets of eternal darkness. He cared what happened to the lily that faded, the reed that was bent, the coin that was lost, the prodigal son who had stepped across the threshold of indiscretion. He was the most compassionate man who ever lived.” We in Christ’s likeness need to show compassion.

First Peter 3:15 reads, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”

If you truly believe the Holy Bible this is important, if not nothing I can say is important. Read in Leviticus 18 and 20, Romans 1, or 1 Corinthians 6—classic passages which condemn homosexuality.

Jesus did not say “Go and make heterosexuals” but rather “Go and make disciples.” Remember–it is not a sin to be attracted to the opposite sex; it IS a sin to be involved in any form of sexual activity apart from the husband/wife relationship. What’s more, mankind is already heterosexual—physiologically, anatomically, and biologically.

I want to be careful to not leave any hint of self-righteousness. I am nothing but a lowly sinner saved by grace. Jesus died to save lustful, homo- and heterosexual sinners and transform our hearts and minds and behavior.

Joe Dallas, who writes, “Our response should show interest and concern, two qualities the church has rarely shown when dealing with homosexuality. We must admit we have mishandled the issue in many ways: we have veered between ignoring the problem to becoming obsessed with it, we have made hasty and false generalizations at times about homosexuals themselves, and we have shown a tremendous zeal for defeating the political goals of gays while showing less concern for their eternal well being.”

I believe the church has let society down in many ways, but that is a topic for another time. If Christians believe Christ is the answer, and we do. At least I do. I would then say if we speak of the homosexual with contempt, disgust, and hatred, we will never win him to Christ. I could reason that because gays strike at us it gives reason to fight. I don’t believe that. I believe we are to respond in love and compassion as Jesus did. We can differ with one another and not hate. We can have a genuine conversation about our different points of view. To differ is not to hate and to differ is not forcing my belief on others. I lovingly ask to not have your belief forced on me. Let us agree to disagree!

“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