The Word and Joy

I'd like to share my personal notes from  with you.

Joy is linked to the indwelling of the HS which we receive when we're saved. (John 17:7) So our joy is found by being filled with the Spirit & living by His guidance and power. A Spirit filled life is the only way to experience the abundant joy Christ has for us & comes from being in harmony with Him. Since He's no longer with us, He sent His Spirit & gave us His Word so we could be in harmony with Him. The more we abide in His Spirit & Word, the more the world loses it's attractiveness & the more committed to Him we become. This causes the world to hate us as we expose it's lies, false values,folly & take away their excuses. We're a constant reminder of this to them, so they hate us.

Our joy doesn't replace or remove sorrow but comes in the midst of it. If we didn't experience sorrow we wouldn't grow. Jesus shares His joy, John 17:13, love John 15:9 & peace John 14:27 with us. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy & peace... Gal 5:22. Our joy deepens as our relationship with Jesus does; as we learn more about Him and ourselves. As we learn about ourselves, we see more & more of our needs, & as we learn more about Him, we see how only He can fill those needs. We learn more about Jesus through His Word, which also reveals to us what this world is really like. It exposes all it's lies & illusions. His Word gives us His love, joy, peace, & power so we too can overcome the world.

His joy gives us the inward strength we need to overcome the world (Neh 8:10) & we get it through His Word. We receive all He has for us through His Word, prayer, & His Spirit. We never get our joy in the world but only from His Word. His joy isn't fleeting, but is abiding. It's what gave Him the strength to go to the cross for us. (Heb 12:2) It doesn't depend on circumstances, but on the spiritual resources He gives us in His Word.

John 17:14 tells us that we're different because Jesus gave us His Word and that's why the world hates us. The Word teaches us about ourselves and sin and convicts us of sin through the HS, and we in turn convict the world of it's sin, exposing it's lies, illusions and excuses. We are constant reminders of this to them which is why they hate us. (that's illogical to hate whats in your best interest. John 17:15 shows that Satan is behind this which helps explain why it's so illogical.) We are left on the earth to be in it, but not part of it. We're to be above them, representing our World to them, and not allow ourselves to become soiled by the world, even though we're in it and touching it. (just like Jesus who was surrounded by sinners, demons etc and touched people to help them, but was never sullied by any of it). The only way we can do this is by abiding in Him & His Word.

Jesus gives us joy through transformation, while the world offers it through substitution. For example, when a child cries because they broke their toy, the mother gives the child another toy to play with and the child is happy again. She's replacing the pain of the broken toy with another toy to bring the child pleasure or joy. We do the same thing as adults, it's just that our toys are different. We replace our sorrow, anxiety, fear, worry etc, with a few drinks, some TV or a book, sex, spending money, doing drugs, cleaning house, etc. That's all joy through substitution which is what the world has always taught us. This in turn teaches us to be self centered and immature because we never learn how to really deal with sorrow, pain and disappointment.

Jesus on the other hand, teaches us to have joy in the midst of our sorrow, pain and problems. In John 16:20–22 Jesus shows us what joy through transformation looks like in every day life. He gives the example of a woman having a baby. When she's in labor, she's in a great deal of pain and no one enjoys that. When the baby is born however, her pain changes to joy, as she sees the results of her hard labor.  It's transformed to joy by the same baby that caused her pain. 

Jesus never tells us that our sorrow and problems will be replaced by joy, He says they'll be turned to joy. When the apostles suffered beatings and being whipped, it hurt and nothing replaced that hurt, but their pain was turned to joy because they chose to focus on the fact that they'd been chosen to suffer for Christ. (Acts 5:41)  All through the bible we see instances of people choosing to turn their sorrow or pain to joy by focusing on the things of God instead of their pain or problems. In the NT, they also constantly reminded themselves that soon they would see Jesus again, and focused on the joy they knew that would bring. They knew that one day God would literally transform their pain & sorrow into joy. They didn't know if it would be in this life or at the start of their real life, but knowing it will happen, gave them hope and joy.  (just like knowing that Christmas is coming gives children joy)

As we learn to transform our sorrow or pain into joy we grow in faith and also in our character.  Neither our faith nor our character can ever be taken away from us.  Since the Joy of the Lord is our strength, the more we grow, the stronger we get.

The times we're most likely to turn to an idol

The times we're most likely to turn to an idol

Psalm 106:13–14 —But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel. *In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test. *

To me, the above two verses sum up what we read over and over again in the Old Testament regarding how the behavior of the Jew's toward God. Over and over again He would rescue them and set them up to have a great life, bu as soon as a little problem came up, they'd totally forget about Him and instead turn to the false God's for help and comfort. Or, sometimes it was because of the abundant life He gave them. They'd be enjoying it, and after awhile, would forget why they had such a good life, and because of greed would decide they wanted yet more or something different, and again would turn to their false gods in order to get it.

I used to read those stories and wonder how in the world anyone could do the things they did...how anyone could forget the wonderful things God had done for them and try to get something from a false god instead. It wasn't until I realized that the stories weren't just the history of the Jew's but were also a history of my own life that I began to understand how they could do such a thing. I began to understand because I realized that I'd done exactly the same things they had! My false gods had different names then theirs did, but I went running to them for the same reasons.

These verses give us a big clue as to "why" we run to our false gods and about the state of our hearts when we're most tempted to run to idols. Notice that it often happens in the desert, wasteland, or wilderness. It's generally not when life is going smoothly, but when we're struggling to get through something and have been struggling for awhile. We're not talking about a day trip into the desert as a tourist, but rather an unwanted detour that's happened and we feel unable to find our way back out. These words describe a large desolate, uninhabited place with little or nothing available for sustenance. They're usually described as lonely places with little or no water. It's when we're in a place like this that we'll be "craving" relief.

It's when we're feeling lonely, or alone. We don't have to really be alone to feel that way. We may be surrounded by friends and family and yet still feel alone. It can be because we feel no one understands us for whatever reason. Ironically, it could be because no one else in our circle knows the Lord, and so we feel "alone". There are probably as many reasons for feeling alone as there are people, but regardless of the reason, it's a time when we feel cut off from others.

We've often hear Christians talk about "the desert experience" meaning that they're going through a time when the Lord seems distant or not there at all, even though they know He really is. Because of that, again, they feel lonely, as though they've been abandoned by God. It feels like He doesn't hear our prayers much less answer them when this happens, and this can really shake us up, especially if we aren't familiar with His Word which tells us that He really is there, does hear our prayers, He does love us and that He always will.

One of the reasons Christian's call that kind of experience a desert experience is because there's a lack of water and food in the desert, and those are synonyms for God's Word. So being in a dry place, a desert, would also be a time when we feel that we're not being fed from His Word. Of course we can and often do put ourselves in a desert and simply refuse to eat what's offered.

It's when we feel that we're unable to survive on our own or when our survival is threatened. By that I don't mean that our lives are necessarily threatened, though that too would be a reason, but when we think our way of life is threatened. When something we hold dear is being threatened. It could be the loss or possible loss of our home, or our job, or an important relationship. (like a spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, child, parent, etc) It could be having to decide between buying medication or food or between those and paying the bills. It could be the loss or threatened loss of a dream, such as a desire to send our children to college or to buy a better house, or move to a better neighborhood. It could be chronic sickness or pain that causes us to feel this way.

Looking at all of that, it's pretty easy to see that the desert is a place where we have very strong feelings of need and for relief. These are the times when we're most likely to turn to our idols for that relief, just as the Jew's did. We may turn to our own wisdom and intellect, to try and figure out how to solve the situation and get what we want, instead of praying and seeking the Lord about it. This was one of Hezekiah's mistakes when he got sick and became terminally ill. Instead of turning to the Lord, he immediately turned to doctors. Now the Lord doesn't have a problem with us going to doctors and makes that clear in His Word. But He does have a problem with us putting all our trust in them instead of in Him. Especially in our country today, most of us rarely even consider going to the Lord about it when we don't feel well. We just call the doctor, get our prescription, take it and get better. (just like Hezekiah tried to do) Or we may do the opposite and simply try and tough it out, perhaps using home or over the counter remedies, hoping we'll eventually get better on our own. I know that's what I used to do. Like I said, God doesn't mind us going to doctors or taking medicine, but He wants us to recognize that He's in control and that He's the one we should turn to first and continuously all through the experience.

Turning to the idol of self is something we do all to frequently. We also frequently make others into idols. Likely candidates are those people who are most important to us. Another person becomes an idol, a false god, when they become the ultimate thing in our lives. For example when a woman feels as though her life would be over if her boyfriend left her, or if she didn't get a boyfriend (even an idea or ideal can become an idol!) No one but God should hold that kind of power over us. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be hurt or feel badly over a loss like that, but to feel that strongly about it shows that we've given God's place to a human being. We need to remember that God isn't just "A God" or even "the God", He's "my God" to each of us and wants to be first in our lives.

When our pain, hurt, or desire is so strong it will always cause us to run somewhere - either to God or to our idol. Our idol could be illegal drugs, prescribed drugs, alcohol, work, overeating, TV, a particular person like a boyfriend/girlfriend, a spouse, our children, or even a pet. These days it could even be a counselor or doctor, or self help books, or even just any books if reading is our refuge. An idol is anything we run to and or cling to that we think will dull or take away our pain, hurt, confusion, anxiety or fear. It's whatever we run to to make us feel better, even if it's only for a an hour or two. It's where we go when we're feeling desperate. (although we certainly don't have to physically "go" anywhere to find many of our idols)

It was when I finally understood this that I really realized why these things were idols and false gods. The Lord wants to be our one and only help; our only refuge in the storm; the only one we go to when we're desperate. The first one we think of. Again Hezekiah comes to mind, this time because he did what was right. When Israel was under siege and about to fall, the commander of the enemy army sent him a letter telling him to surrender or else. Hezekiah immediately took the letter to the temple, laid it before the Lord and cried "Help!" And of course the Lord came through for them. Jesus wants us to come to Him when we're weary and burdened, because He knows that He's the only one who can really help us. He desperately wants to gather us under His wings like a hen does her chicks, and keep us safe, but we keep running off to our false gods instead. Jesus is the one who truly loves us and has nothing but good intentions toward us. He calls us His bride, which is why when we go running off to our false gods, it's spiritual adultery. Thankfully He shows us how to identify our false gods and when we're most likely to run to them, so with His help, we can stop and remember to run to Him instead.

Unbelieving Israel: Now & the Tribulation

I know that it can be difficult to understand why Israel is still unbelieving even though the Jew's are being gathered back to their land. Depending on which scriptures you read, it can sound like they're supposed to be believing when this happens, but that's simply not true...not yet anyway.

God speaks of a number of times that Israel is dispersed and then regathered back together. Over and over again, Israel would abandon their belief in God and sin, be judged, and then finally learn their lesson and be returned to the land. One mistake we make when we read about these times though, is thinking that every single person had repented and turned back to God. When we think logically however, that of course simply isn't true. God has always kept a remnant of people who were true believers, but the vast majority were usually very superficial in their belief and would turn at the slightest provocation, and some never believed at all. Another thing to keep in mind is that God's remnant has always been "small". It's never been a large group of people, such as an entire nation.

Obviously, the last time they were dispersed came as God's judgement on them for rejecting His Son, which was carried out in 70ad by the Romans. this time, they were ultimately dispersed all over the world instead of to just one specific place. According to God's prophetic clock, their regathering would begin in the end times with the vast majority still being unbelieving and dead spiritually.

It must be this way, if God's Word is true. For the main purpose of the tribulation is to bring Israel, the Jew's, to recognize Christ as their Savior. If they already believed, the tribulation wouldn't be needed. I realize that the way I've worded this, makes it sound like God is being mean to them and forcing them not to believe so He can punish them, and that's not at all true! It's just hard for me to explain it in the right way, so please don't think that for even a second! The Tribulation, which is also called "the time of Jacob's trouble" is a time specifically for the Jew's to be purified and their hearts turned back to the Lord, once and for all time. God has planned to do this so that He can save a remnant of His people Israel so He can fulfill all the promises He made to them.

Zephaniah 2:1–2 —Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, *before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you. *
Zechariah 13:8–9 —In the whole land,” declares the Lord, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. *This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’ ” *

I often have found myself looking down on the Jew's as I read the OT, and thinking how horrid they were for turning from God, over and over again. I've thought that they acted stupidly, and even illogically at times. Yet, when I'm honest with myself, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I realize that I'm just exactly like they were and are. I too have turned away from Him, acted and thought stupidly and illogically at times. etc. They really haven't done anything that I haven't also done. Really, all the OT is just a picture of each one of us and like the Lord tells us, it was written and given to us to teach us. 1 Corinthians 10:6 —Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. * and verse 11 tells us they're warnings to us as well.

Right now, the eyes of the Jew's have been blinded so that we could be saved. (Romans 11:7–8) God didn't just decree that they'd be blind because He wanted it that way. They chose that path and had been walking on it for a very long time. Lest we forget though, we also chose that very same path, so we are no better then they were or are.

In Romans 11, Paul does a great job of explaining it and reminding us that even then (and now also) there is a remnant of Israel that was chosen by God, by His grace. (Romans 11:5) They don't deserve it anymore then we deserved our salvation, but God has chosen some to receive His grace. Paul states quite clearly in Romans 11 that the Jew's will eventually be saved, and this will occur due to the tribulation: Romans 11:25–27 —I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. *And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. *And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” *

When the "full number of the Gentiles has come in", the rapture will occur and the world will then begin to see the wrath of God against all ungodliness. You see, the Church has no purpose on the earth any longer once the last Gentile as been saved. The Church is kind of like a parenthesis in the history of Israel. I say that because God chose the Jew's out of all the other people, and He spent all those centuries preparing them to be His priests. They fumbled the job as He knew they would, so He basically stopped His prophetic clock so the Church could be born and the Gentiles saved. Once that's done, He will again start His prophetic clock again and the Jew's once again will be the center of His attention. (you can find this starting in Daniel 9:20)

Some people say that the Church could have the purpose of witnessing, but again, if God's Word is true, and I believe it is, we can see that the Church itself is falling apart at the seams, and is already a horrible witness. What makes us think that we'd do any better during the tribulation? Are we really that conceited? Besides which, as far as the church is concerned, God tells us that it will continue to go downhill during the end times, until finally it gets to a point where there are very few people left that are really saved and living their lives for Christ. You see, despite our tendency to think we're better then the Israelites were in the OT days, we've done the very same thing they did. It just proves God right yet again, that we humans cannot save ourselves and are totally incapable of doing right.

So the bible teaches that the Jew's will be regathered to Israel as unbelievers. At some point soon, most likely after the rapture, the Jew's will build another Temple. The Tribulation officially starts when the Antichrist signs a 7 year treaty giving them 7 years of protection, which of course he has no intention of keeping. But let's look closely at what we're told in Daniel because this tells us yet again the purpose of the Tribulation: Daniel 9:24 —“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. *

Do you see it?
1. finish transgression (restrain sin, speaking particularly of Israel’s in their long time of apostasy.)
2. to put an end to sin. (to judge it with finality;)
3. to atone for wickedness. (the eyes of the Jew's will be opened and they'll accept Jesus as their Savior and His work on the cross will atone for their sins, just as they did ours)
4. to bring in everlasting righteousness. (they'll be given a new nature as we were but their complete change will be more instantaneous then ours was.)
5. to seal up vision and prophecy (prophecy is "unsealed" until it is fulfilled, so this is saying that God will fulfill all His promises to them at this point)
6. to anoint the most holy. (there are two views of this one, and both may be correct. One is that this is talking about the anointing of the New Temple for the Millennium and the other is that it's talking about the anointing of Christ as ruler over the earth during the Millennium. Both make sense.)

Let me add something from a commentary about the phrase, "to bring in everlasting righteousness." that you may find interesting: The word “everlasting” (here pl. in Heb.) means ages. Thus this phrase (lit., “to bring in righteousness of ages”) is a prophecy that God will establish an age characterized by righteousness. This is a reference to the Millennial kingdom (Isaiah 60:21 —Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. *; Jeremiah 23:5–6 —“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. *In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness. *). The Bible Knowledge Commentary

So you see, this is all about Israel and everything is God's doing. Just as we couldn't save ourselves and were and are helpless to help ourselves, so are they. At the second coming, the Lord will graciously forgive all their sins, give them a new nature like He did us, and usher in what we call the Millennial Kingdom in order to keep all the promises He made to the Jew's in the Old Testament.

It's really a wonderful, awesome picture that shows us that no matter how unfaithful we are, our God is faithful to us to keep His promises. We cannot save ourselves, nor can we keep ourselves saved. (It boggles my mind that some people are determined to think that they have the power to do that!) Praise God that He can and will save us and promises to keep us saved to the very end! It's just like He tells us in 2 Timothy 2:13 —if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. *

One last point I'd like to make about Israel being unbelieving like they are now is another place in God's Word this is shown very clearly. It's the prophecy of the dry bones in Ezekiel 37. If you read verses 4-8, you see that everything comes together, but there's a problem...there's no breath in them. As I'm sure you're aware, breath is a symbol for God's Spirit which we receive at salvation. It isn't until verse 10 that we see the breath enter the bones and they live. Until then, they're dead spiritually. In fact, if you read this prophecy carefully you'll see there are stages to their "rebirth". (can't think of another word for it) They are simply dead dry bones to start with, then they go through several stages before finally having breath given them. This makes it quite clear that Israel would enter their land again as unbelievers, spiritually dead, only to be given the breath of spiritual life and health by God at the second coming. It shows yet again that it's all God's doing, all because of His love, mercy and grace and not because of anything they do or did. It's the same way with us too. What an awesome God we serve!

I never did finish telling you the rest of the purpose of the tribulation! God isn't ignoring the Gentiles. Part of the reason for it is also to judge and punish the nations for their sins, most especially for the way they've treated Israel over the centuries. It's a vivid demonstration of the horrible consequences of sin. Because our sins have already been judged, there is no reason for the church to be on the earth during the tribulation, and of course, the Lord promises us that we won't be! Praise God!!!!

Christians, the Super Bowl and Rejecting Conspiratorial Thinking

Christians, the Super Bowl and Rejecting Conspiratorial Thinking

by Christine Pack

"For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 'Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.'" (Isaiah 8:11-13)

Yes, the world is wicked. And yes, a lot of that in-your-face wickedness was on display, both visually and lyrically, in many ways during the 2015 Super Bowl half-time show. But please, let's not go down the Illuminati rabbit hole. Exhibit A, an article from the dodgy, conspiracy-focused website called Now The End Begins, entitled: Ex-Christian Katy Perry Promotes Dark Magic and LGBT Agenda at 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The above article, which claims that various performers in the 2015 Super Bowl half-time show were openly broadcasting the intentions of the Illuminati and the New World Order, has been popping up in my Facebook newsfeed all day. For those who have never heard those terms before, the Illuminati and the New World Order are believed to be organizations in which Satan's minions gather in secret to work his dark mischief, but Old Scratch will occasionally (it is believed) come out into the open and use his minions to broadcast his intentions to the world, which he does through various costumes and hand signals. Beyonce making a triangle with her fingers during a stage performance was one widely quoted example of this, and so was Madonna's half-time Super Bowl costume from a few years ago. What are these high level occultists supposed to be broadcasting? The code-breakers can't quite figure it out, but they know Something Is Going On, what with All! Those! Symbols! being flashed. From the article:

In the recent years the Super Bowl, almost always the highest-rated and most-watched television broadcast on the planet, has given over it’s famed Halftime Show to trumpet the cause of the New World Order and the Illuminati. And as referenced in our opening bible verse at the top of the story, the Illuminati knows that it is “their hour”, and they are defiantly out in the open. (online source)

But as Christian researcher Marcia Montenegro wrote a few years ago, symbols vary from culture to culture, and don't always mean the same things (read her article entitled Demystifying Symbols here).

These conspiracy sites are concerning for two reasons:

(1) They confuse and mislead Christians about what the occult is. It is not about symbols that are embedded in the landscape, and which must be decoded. It is not about tracking conspiracies like a bloodhound, and examining all the (supposedly) dropped-breadcrumb-clues of the Illuminati when they (supposedly) Broadcast Their Intentions, and then unraveling the mystery about what wealthy industrialist knows what world leader, and what they were *really* (wink-wink) doing together at that private resort (cue scary music: dun dun dunnn!). Hint: They weren't planning chem-trail routes and other nefarious evil; they were drinking whisky, smoking cigars and comparing their golf scores. That's what they were doing.

(2) While it is true that evil does exist on a rampant scale, we only need God's word, which is our standard for what is good and holy and righteous, to be able to understand what is wrong and unholy and unrighteous. We don't need to be unraveling conspiracies and trying to figure out if the wealthy elite of the world are getting together to conspire and scheme in smoke-filled rooms. We already know there is evil. We already understand that there is an evil force that is alive and well, and operating in the world, and it is Satan. And we know this from God's word, not from unraveling supposed conspiracies. But truth and light overcome lies and darkness, so let's proclaim it to those taken captive by the world's system.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:1-5)

Full disclosure: I had a season of conspiratorial thinking in my own Christian walk, spending waaaaay too much time on conspiracy websites trying to Connect All The Dots. I have repented of that, and hope to help others do the same (that was one of my reasons for writing the article). And yet at the same time, as believers we know that Satan IS a real entity who prowls the earth seeking whom he may devour, and that he always has his willing agents from generation to generation. So it can be tricky sorting through the information, and coming to a biblical understanding of the right filter through which to see the world. Nonetheless, it's important for Christians to strive to think as biblically as possible in this area, as in all other areas, because not only will our Christians walks be strengthened, but the truth of the matter is important. God is the author of truth, and thus the truth of a matter should be important to us, because it's important to Him.

To learn more about the conspiracy mindset, please read some of these Facebook threads in which we discuss the conspiratorial worldview, and why such thinking can so seriously hinder a Christian's walk.

Symbols and conspiracy theories (9-30-13)

Conspiracy theory films (12-2-13)

Conspiracy theories and the Christian (12-31-13)

Be cautious of those teaching a conspiratorial worldview (12-16-13)

King James Onlyism and how it is conspiratorial thinking (9-28-13)

King James Onlyism, Textus Receptus and Jesuit Change Agents.....oh my! (10-1-13)

posted with permission

http://www.solasisters.com/2015/02/christians-super-bowl-and-rejecting.html

Christians and Conspiracy Theories

Christians and Conspiracy Theories Part 1

by Christine Pack

"For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 'Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.'" (Isaiah 8:11-13)

Yes, the world is wicked. And yes, a lot of that in-your-face wickedness was on display, both visually and lyrically, in many ways during the 2015 Super Bowl half-time show. But please, let's not go down the Illuminati rabbit hole. Exhibit A, an article from the dodgy, conspiracy-focused website called Now The End Begins, entitled: Ex-Christian Katy Perry Promotes Dark Magic and LGBT Agenda at 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The above article, which claims that various performers in the 2015 Super Bowl half-time show were openly broadcasting the intentions of the Illuminati and the New World Order, has been popping up in my Facebook newsfeed all day. For those who have never heard those terms before, the Illuminati and the New World Order are believed to be organizations in which Satan's minions gather in secret to work his dark mischief, but Old Scratch will occasionally (it is believed) come out into the open and use his minions to broadcast his intentions to the world, which he does through various costumes and hand signals. Beyonce making a triangle with her fingers during a stage performance was one widely quoted example of this, and so was Madonna's half-time Super Bowl costume from a few years ago. What are these high level occultists supposed to be broadcasting? The code-breakers can't quite figure it out, but they know Something Is Going On, what with All! Those! Symbols! being flashed. From the article:

In the recent years the Super Bowl, almost always the highest-rated and most-watched television broadcast on the planet, has given over it’s famed Halftime Show to trumpet the cause of the New World Order and the Illuminati. And as referenced in our opening bible verse at the top of the story, the Illuminati knows that it is “their hour”, and they are defiantly out in the open. (online source)

But as Christian researcher Marcia Montenegro wrote a few years ago, symbols vary from culture to culture, and don't always mean the same things (read her article entitled Demystifying Symbols here).

These conspiracy sites are concerning for two reasons:

(1) They confuse and mislead Christians about what the occult is. It is not about symbols that are embedded in the landscape, and which must be decoded. It is not about tracking conspiracies like a bloodhound, and examining all the (supposedly) dropped-breadcrumb-clues of the Illuminati when they (supposedly) Broadcast Their Intentions, and then unraveling the mystery about what wealthy industrialist knows what world leader, and what they were *really* (wink-wink) doing together at that private resort (cue scary music: dun dun dunnn!). Hint: They weren't planning chem-trail routes and other nefarious evil; they were drinking whisky, smoking cigars and comparing their golf scores. That's what they were doing.

(2) While it is true that evil does exist on a rampant scale, we only need God's word, which is our standard for what is good and holy and righteous, to be able to understand what is wrong and unholy and unrighteous. We don't need to be unraveling conspiracies and trying to figure out if the wealthy elite of the world are getting together to conspire and scheme in smoke-filled rooms. We already know there is evil. We already understand that there is an evil force that is alive and well, and operating in the world, and it is Satan. And we know this from God's word, not from unraveling supposed conspiracies. But truth and light overcome lies and darkness, so let's proclaim it to those taken captive by the world's system.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:1-5)

Full disclosure: I had a season of conspiratorial thinking in my own Christian walk, spending waaaaay too much time on conspiracy websites trying to Connect All The Dots. I have repented of that, and hope to help others do the same (that was one of my reasons for writing the article). And yet at the same time, as believers we know that Satan IS a real entity who prowls the earth seeking whom he may devour, and that he always has his willing agents from generation to generation. So it can be tricky sorting through the information, and coming to a biblical understanding of the right filter through which to see the world. Nonetheless, it's important for Christians to strive to think as biblically as possible in this area, as in all other areas, because not only will our Christians walks be strengthened, but the truth of the matter is important. God is the author of truth, and thus the truth of a matter should be important to us, because it's important to Him.

To learn more about the conspiracy mindset, please read some of these Facebook threads in which we discuss the conspiratorial worldview, and why such thinking can so seriously hinder a Christian's walk.

posted with permission

http://www.solasisters.com/2015/02/christians-super-bowl-and-rejecting.html

 

Christians and Conspiracy Theories (Part 2)

Oh dear, just when the folks who might have a tendency to be conspiracy minded get settled down after the Super Bowl performances, Madonna gets "kind of Satanic" by dancing with "a bunch of masked, horned bull-men," according to the on-site MTV reporter. *sigh*

It's interesting to note that the above was reported in a tongue-in-cheek way by MTV, but this doesn't help the conspiracy theorists, whose ability to decode Illuminati conspiracies is high, but their ability to decode cheeky commentary is apparently non-existent. (Conspiracy theory website Now The End Begins ran with the headline Madonna Dances Over Pit of Horned Demons at 2015 Grammys.)

In reality, Madonna gave a performance that featured a matador theme, and which included horn-hatted dancers who did look something like how we might imagine Satan's minions to look.

However, there were other displays of demonic/Satanic imagery at the Grammys, including AC/DC singing "Highway To Hell," which the audience rocked out to while wearing glowy, devil horn hats. These devil hats were passed out to the crowd, who were encouraged to take them home as a keepsake. Sweet, huh?

Friends, this is not Illuminati indoctrination. This is just celebrities riding the wave of the culture. They love to shock and outdo each other and be outrageous. And besides, I've always had a theory about Madonna, who was raised Roman Catholic, that at heart (besides being a sinner), she's just a Catholic schoolgirl who wants to shock the nuns.

To be clear: there's no question about the fact that Madonna lives and promotes a wicked lifestyle. But no, she's not a member of the Illuminati.

Steady on, folks. Respond to the evil that you know of (which is readily known through the content of Madonna's songs and lifestyle), and "overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).

★★ And PLEASE do not see this as an opportunity to mock or ridicule Madonna. She's a lost person, living a depraved lifestyle, but at one time "such were some of you" (1 Cor 6:11). Pray for her. Pray for someone to have access to her who can give her the gospel, the TRUE gospel, which she undoubtedly never heard, having grown up Roman Catholic. ★★

          PART 3 Dr. Randy White Discusses Christians and Conspiracy Theories 

PART 4 Christians and Conspiracy Theories: Witnessing, Romans 1 and An Appeal

PART 5 - CONCLUSION Christians and Conspiracy Theories: A Biblical Response

posted with permission

http://www.solasisters.com/2015/02/christians-and-conspiracy-theories-part.html

Did you realize what's going to actually happen to you at the rapture?

I've been thinking about the rapture a lot lately and talking to the Lord about it and realized something that I've never really reflected on much before. We're all very aware that God spoke everything into existence and that Jesus is the Word. We're all familiar with all the times Jesus simply spoke a word and healed people while He was here before. We've all read in Revelation about how God calls the two prophets up to heaven after resurrecting them. And we're all excitedly waiting for the Lord to call us to come and join Him in the air, right? (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

We know that the instant He calls us, our bodies will begin to rise to meet Him. It won't matter whether the person believes or even knows about the rapture. It won't matter if they want to go or not (although I can't imagine anyone not wanting to!) There will be no warning, no discussion, no questions and answers, just a command; and we will obey because our bodies will have no choice in the matter.

For the very first time in our conscious memories, we will personally experience the commanding voice of our God. This is the voice Jesus used when He cursed the fig tree when He was here before. It's the voice He used when He called the stars and planets into being, and the voice He used when He formed our bodies in our mothers womb. It's the voice He uses when He calls the two prophets Home after they've completed their mission during the tribulation in Revelation 11:12.

And to know that His command for us to rise to meet Him contains another command in it - the command for our bodies to change - (1 Corinthians 15:51–54) and again, the command will be obeyed instantly and we will be in immortal, incorruptible bodies with no sin nature! Doesn't that just give you goosebumps???? It sure does me! I can't wait!!!!!

Even so, Come Lord Jesus!

The Oppression of Black Liberation Theology

The Oppression of Black Liberation Theology

Black liberation theology finds its origin in Liberation theology in Centro- American struggle of the 1960's. Liberation theology sees the Christian mission as bringing justice to oppressed people through political activism, solving their social and economic plight.

Black liberation Theology is even more extreme. This theology was used by Marxist regimes to take over churches in Africa and Central America. They use Christian terminology, they promote violence to overthrow governments and populations. It especially became popular in Nicaragua in the 1980's with the pro-sandanista dictatorship. It used Marxist strategies to be an impetus for the people to rebel where violent revolution was used. In some churches Jesus was represented as Sandinista soldier identifying with the oppressed.

In this theological framework Jesus becomes a liberator of the oppressed masses which are black. This is in contrast to the word faith prosperity message preached by numerous black pastors today. Black Liberation theology describes Jesus as a poor black man who lived in oppression under "rich white people" which makes this particular view racially based, accentuating the tensions of being Black. The notion of "Blackness" is not merely a reference to skin color, but rather is a symbol of oppression that can be applied to all persons of color who have a history of oppression (except Whites, of course). [Wright's Black Liberation Theology By Anthony B. Bradley assistant professor of theology at covenant theological, March 25, 2008]

By using Isa.61:1 which Jesus quoted in Luke 4 to explain his ministry, they make their case for liberating the oppressed. They isolate verses like this and breathe exaggerations into them.

Authentic Christianity transcends race and ethnicity. There is no black or white cultural value system in the Bible- there is a humanity system, recognizing that we are all made in the image of God, being sinners in need of redemption the same way- through Jesus Christ.

Jesus plus Marxism equals Black liberation theology and according to its teaching Jesus is against the oppressor (who happens to be white) because Jesus is a black man sent to free the oppressed (I thought Moses was sent to free the oppressed). To those who espouse this worldview and philosophy white greed is the problem (I didn't know greed had a particular color attached to it). This theology embraced Marxism/humanism as the vehicle to correct the wrongs of the white oppressors. Marxism which is the very opposite of Christianity in its application. So it is not a marriage made in heaven. This theology is not found in the mainstream of the church but is on the fringe. Even the Vatican has condemned it twice. It has recently been publicized in the media because of the controversial statements of Rev. Wright, the pastor of presidential candidate Barak Obama.

Trinity United Church of Christ is now the largest congregation in the United Church of Christ, a megachurch with anywhere from 8-10,000 members. The United Church of Christ denomination was the first in America to ordain gays, and women as ministers. It is at the forefront of liberal churches that do not hold to the Scripture in a Christian manner (this is the church that presidential candidate Barak Obama and his family attends) [For more on this ask for our Mar/Apr. newsletter]

This church is a black nationalist church that is promoting Black liberation Theology. Jeremiah Wright credits James Cone as being a founder of Black Theology which Wright said forms the foundational beliefs of Wrights church. At best, their position is Black nationalism, in its extreme it is something to be concerned about. When Sean Hannity interviewed Rev. Wright on his program Hannity and Colmes, Rev. Wright repeatedly challenged Hannity saying: "Black liberation theology started with Jim Cone in 1968... Do you know liberation theology?" he was very defensive and continued to scold Hannity, ... How many books of Cone's have you read? How many books of Cone's have you read? (Rev. Jeremiah Wright, explaining his Church to Sean Hannity, Fox News 3/1/07).

Let's look at what Cones Black liberation Theology actually teaches. James Cone is one of the leading voices of this theology, he wrote that the United States was a white racist nation and the white church was the Antichrist for having supported slavery and segregation.

Cone: The 'raceless' American Christ has a light skin, wavy brown hair, and sometimes - wonder of wonders - blue eyes. For whites to find him with big lips and kinky hair is as offensive as it was for the Pharisees to find him partying with tax-collectors. But whether whites want to hear it or not, Christ is black, baby, with all of the features which are so detestable to white society (J. H. Cone, The White Church and Black Power, in G. S. Wilmore and J. H. Cone, Black Theology: A Documentary History, 1966-1979 (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 1979), pp.116-17.)

Today, Cone is a professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York, he stands by that view, but clarifies that he doesn't believe that whites individually are the Antichrist.

Cones Black theology and Black power is the treatise for many involved in this worldview. On.p.31 "a theology whose sole purpose is to apply the freeing power of the gospel to black people under white oppression." This would be like the Jewish apostles keeping the gospel to only Jews under the Roman jurisdiction.

Cone defines liberation as the "emancipation of black people from white oppression by whatever means black people deem necessary," "selective buying, boycotting, marching, even rebellion" (Cone, Theology, 6).


Cone: "Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community. Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love." (James Cone, quoted in “Divine Racism: The Unacknowledged Threshold Issue for Black Theology, by William R. Jones in African-American Religious Thought: An Anthology, edited by Cornel West and Eddie Glaube (Westminster John Knox Press).

Cone: "For white people, God's reconciliation in Jesus Christ means that God has made black people a beautiful people; and if they are going to be in relationship with God, they must enter by means of their black brothers, who are a manifestation of God's presence on earth. The assumption that one can know God without knowing blackness is the basic heresy of the white churches. They want God without blackness, Christ without obedience, love without death. What they fail to realize is that in America, God's revelation on earth has always been black, red, or some other shocking shade, but never white. Whiteness, as revealed in the history of America, is the expression of what is wrong with man. It is a symbol of man's depravity. God cannot be white even though white churches have portrayed him as white. When we look at what whiteness has done to the minds of men in this country, we can see clearly what the New Testament meant when it spoke of the principalities and powers. To speak of Satan and his powers becomes not just a way of speaking but a fact of reality. When we can see a people who are controlled by an ideology of whiteness, then we know what reconciliation must mean. The coming of Christ means a denial of what we thought we were. It means destroying the white devil in us. Reconciliation to God means that white people are prepared to deny themselves (whiteness), take up the cross (blackness) and follow Christ (black ghetto)."(James Cone, from Black Theology and Black Power, quoted in The Decline of African American Theology: From Biblical Faith to Cultural Captivity by Thabiti M. Anyabwile (Orbis), p.150. [Emphasis and underline mine]

Cone: "What else can the crucifixion mean except that God, the Holy One of Israel, became identified with the victims of oppression? What else can the resurrection mean except that God's victory in Christ is the poor person's victory over poverty?" (Cone, Speaking the Truth; p. 6)

Is this what the crucifixion is about? Or is it about our sin, all of mankinds sin, whether we are black, white, yellow, red; all being forgiven and united by the cross if we believe in the true gospel message and preach the Christ of the Scriptures. Cone has said the resurrection of Christ means the liberation of all people, relating it to physical deliverance from oppression ( The Moody Handbook of Theology p.598). This is not biblical Christianity by any stretch.

"To be Christian is to be one of those whom God has chosen. God has chosen black people!" (Black Theology and Black Power, pp. 139-140). They believe that Blacks are God's Chosen People, that Jesus was a black man-- I have yet to see a scripture that says this in the Bible. Jesus was a Jew; He was Semitic.

Black Liberation theology blames the problems on the white man. Most would consider this a reversal as white racism.

Stuck in the past as if there has been no progress between races since the early 60's in America.

Cone: "The time has come for white America to be silent and listen to black people. . . . All white men are responsible for white oppression. . . . Theologically, Malcolm X was not far wrong when he called the white man the devil." "The white structure of this American society, personified in every racist, must be at least part of what the New Testament meant by the demonic forces" (Black Theology and Black Power, pp. 39-41]

Many of the statements are similar to what the Black Muslim movement teaches. Elijah Mohammed wrote: "You will agree with me that the whole Caucasian race is a race of devils" (Message to the Black Man p.23).

In an interview, Cone, when he was asked which church most embodied his message, "I would point to that church (Trinity) first." Cone also said he thought that Wright's successor, the Rev. Otis Moss III, would continue the tradition. (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/election2008 ... 31079.html)

The March 22 edition of World Magazine reported an endorsement of Cones Liberation theology was posted on "talking points" listed on Trinity's website (they were taken down). "The vision statement of Trinity United Church of Christ is based upon the systematized liberation theology that started in 1969 with the publication of Dr. James Cone's book Black Power and Black Theology" (http://www.worldmag.com/articles/13850). In fact Cone's book was recommended as required reading for Trinity parishioners who wished to more thoroughly understand the church's theology and mission (it was then removed from the site.)

The Trinity website claims that God is not pleased with "America's economic mal-distribution." Jeremiah Wright promotes the idea of massive wealth redistribution called economic parity.  Black liberation theologians use Marxism as an ethical framework for the black church because Marxist thought is predicated on a system of oppressor class (whites) versus victim class (blacks). (Referenced from Victimology in Black Liberation Theology.” Anthony B. Bradley is a research fellow at the Acton Institute)

Anthony Bradley states: For black liberation theologians Sunday is uniquely tied to redefining their sense of being human within a context of marginalization. Black people who have been humiliated and oppressed by the structures of White society six days of the week gather together each Sunday morning in order to experience another definition of their humanity, says James Cone in his book Speaking the Truth (1999). (Wright's Black Liberation Theology By Anthony B. Bradley March 25, 2008).

Trinity United Church of Christ --THE MINISTRY

"The Center for African Biblical Studies is AFRICAN-CENTERED...seeking to implement and promote Bible Study from an African perspective. We are an African people, and we remain true to our native land, the mother continent, the cradle of civilization."

A Christian church will normally say it is Christ centered not African centered (in large letters). If one is actually a Bible student they would know Africa is not the cradle of civilization (neither is America). The Middle east area of Iraq/ Iran/ Israel is. It is clearly mentioned in Gen.1-15. It is a fact that Africa has contributed some great thinkers and theologians, especially in the early centuries but they had nothing to say of this theology in the early church when all Christians were persecuted.

Slavery was a practiced in numerous cultures, many were made slaves by being captured in war. Even in Israel there was slavery, though they were to treat them more humanely and were treated far better than the Greeks, Roman or slaves of other nations. A servant whose master maimed him (or her), causing the loss of an eye or even a tooth, was to be freed (Exodus 21:26). Israel was told to give a slave's release in the seventh year allowing a choice of indefinite slavery. (Exodus 21:6) The year of Jubilee allowed the slaves to go free (Leviticus 25:40). During New Testament times there were still slaves. The church did not receive a commandment to remove this custom inherited in Judaism, but the gospel of did give equality and justice and the master was to have love of man in his master to servant relationship. A spiritual brotherhood was practiced with believing slaves to believing masters. The apostle Paul wrote: "There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, .... ye all are one man in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). The Christian slaves and masters are both exhorted in Paul's letters to live Christ like lives and make their relations one to another base on love. "Bondservants (be obedient unto .... your masters, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart.... doing the will of God from the heart as bondservants of Christ .... that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. And, you masters .... giving up threatening: .... knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him (Ephesians 6:5-9). In other words God is no respecter of persons.

Because of the Rev. Wright controversy, numerous churches and ministers have expressed concern. Rob Shenck of the National Clergy council personally admonished Wright, telling him what he is teaching is contrary to the gospel and he needs to abandon it.

Black Liberation theology churches are not a help to the Black Christian community because they diminish the message of the gospel and divide people by race upholding black nationalism over the cross of Christ that is supposed to unite us all.

Just as the prosperity gospel has influenced the Black church the wrong way, these ARE POLITICAL ORIENTED CHURCHES THAT USE the Bible for their agenda. They major on suffering and oppression to unite the Black people against a common enemy. In the case of Rev. Wright, the blacks against the white oppressors in the government and elsewhere. The government is then considered the problem and is evil, unable to do any good. There is no way out of this conflict unless there is a complete reversal. Much like the Palestinian demands to Israel (who they label as occupiers and oppressors), it is all or nothing. Whether all who embrace liberation theology see it in this manner is hard to say.

Those who have adopted it in America may have had the intention to help but it has done the opposite by encouraging a victim mentality among the black community. It fosters and us against them mentality and distorts the reality of true progress that has been made. Years after the Civil Rights Act, they do not want to recognize any substantial change, so it does nor diminish but continues racial tension that has certainly diminished.


For a more extensive background and the originators involved- http://home.earthlink.net/~ronrhodes/BlackTheology.html

Let Us Reason Ministries

posted with permission
http://www.letusreason.org/Cult25.htm

Computer Help

These programs will help you keep your computer safe.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is considered to be the next step in the detection and removal of malware. In our product we have compiled a number of new technologies that are designed to quickly detect, destroy, and prevent malware. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware can detect and remove malware that even the most well known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to detect. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware monitors every process and stops malicious processes before they even start. The realtime protection module uses our advanced heuristic scanning technology which monitors your system to keep it safe and secure. In addition, we have implemented a threats center which will allow you to keep up to date with the latest malware threats.

Activating the full version unlocks realtime protection, scheduled scanning, and scheduled updating. For consumers and personal use, it is a one time fee of $24.95. For corporate and business customers, annual licenses are required, please see our Corporate Licensing program.

Key Features

* Light speed quick scanning.
* Ability to perform full scans for all drives.
* Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware protection module. (requires registration)
* Database updates released daily.
* Quarantine to hold threats and restore them at your convenience.
* Ignore list for both the scanner and Protection Module.
* Settings to enhance your Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware performance.
* A small list of extra utilities to help remove malware manually.
* Multi-lingual support.
* Works together with other anti-malware utilities.
* Command line support for quick scanning.
* Context menu integration to scan files on demand.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/

I've stopped paying for any antivirus program a couple of years ago. The reason I did so was because although I had paid for what was supposedly the best, I was still getting viruses and trojans etc but malwarebytes - a free program -caught every one of them that got pass the so called professional paid for (expensive) security software. (I tried both Macaffee and Norton) So, I got rid of them and have just used malwarebytes ever since then with 0 problems.

I've also used it for friends and family who's computers got infected even though they had security software programs running and fixed their computers with it. However, as some of you may have experienced, some malware will attempt to prevent you from using malwarebytes or from installing it, so it's always best to have it installed already so you can use it in case of emergency even if you don't want to use it as your main defense. They've also developed a program (for free as well) that counteracts the malware from attempting to keep you from using it. (I've had that problem on friends computers I've fixed with it) This little program could easily be a lifesaver for you computer, so again I strongly suggest that you download it now, when you don't need it, so that you'll have it if you do ever need it. The fact that malware is now made to prevent malwarebytes from working tells you that this program is just that good! (If you have Malwarebytes 2.0 then you have chameleon already)

Trust me, if your computer gets infected and you then try to download or install something to fix it and can't do so, there's nothing more frustrating! Malwarebytes can save you from that frustration, and save your computer from being trashed!

Chameleon Gets Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Installed and Running

Malwarebytes Chameleon technologies gets Malwarebytes Anti-Malware installed and running when blocked by malicious programs.

• Download Chameleon from the link above. Unzip the contents to a folder in a convenient location.
• Follow the instructions in the included CHM Help File or, if the help file will not open, simply try to run the files by double-clicking on them one by one until one of them remains open, then follow the onscreen instructions

https://www.malwarebytes.org/chameleon/

These videos tell you how to install and run Malwarebytes and how to do this if the virsus is preventing you from doing so which many try to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eFPirAk_lw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxabxxG2vNA

 

Firefox:
One other thing that's helpful in preventing getting hacked, or getting viruses, etc, is to use the Firefox browser instead of Internet Explorer. Firefox does a very good job of prevention, warning you when someone/something is trying to attack or even if a site you're trying to go to has been attacked. These quotes are off the firefox page, but I can vouch for it. Bruce has gotten LOTS of viruses through IE and none through firefox and neither have I:

An independent study shows that, in 2006, IE users were vulnerable to online threats 78% of the time. Firefox users? Only 2%.
Anti-Malware

Firefox protects you from viruses, worms, trojan horses and spyware delivered over the Web. If you accidentally access an attack site, it will warn you away from the site and tell you why it isn’t safe to use.
Instant Web Site ID

Want to be extra sure about a site’s legitimacy before you make a purchase? Click on a site favicon for an instant identity overview. Another click digs deeper: how many times have you visited? Are your passwords saved? Check up on suspicious sites, avoid Web forgeries and make sure a site is what it claims to be.

Anti-Virus Software

Firefox integrates elegantly with your Windows antivirus software. When you download a file, your computer’s antivirus program automatically checks it to protect you against viruses and other malware, which could otherwise attack your computer.

Pop-Up Blocker

Banish pop-ups (and pop-under windows) from your surfing experience once and for all. Or, find a happy medium—choose to view blocked pop-ups or create an “allow” list of sites whose pop-ups you’re okay with seeing.

Forget This Site

Having second thoughts about having visited a certain Web site? With this feature, you can remove every trace of that site from your browser—no questions asked!
Anti-Phishing

Shop and do business safely on the Internet. Firefox gets a fresh update of web forgery sites 48 times in a day, so if you try to visit a fraudulent site that’s pretending to be a site you trust (like your bank), a browser message—big as life—will stop you.

This page tells even more about their security measures:

http://en-us.www.mozilla.com/en-US/f...ures/#security

This page is where you can download it for free:

http://en-us.www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html

New to Firefox?

These articles will get you started and browsing like a pro!

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/products/firefox/get-started

And here’s where you can find add-ons:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/

For a good email program that will prevent a lot of the spam you get normally, try G-mail; so far anyway, it's done the best job of the many I've tried.
Gmail: Email from Google

 

If you have a problem you need to fix, Safe Mode is often the way to do it.

In Windows, what is Safe Mode used for and why?

Safe Mode is a special way for Windows to load when there is a system-critical problem that interferes with the normal operation of Windows. The purpose of Safe Mode is to allow you to troubleshoot Windows and try to determine what is causing it to not function correctly. Once you have corrected the problem, then you can reboot and Windows will load normally.

There are several things that happen when Windows boots in Safe Mode that differ from a standard boot:

• * Safe Mode does not run the autoexec.bat or config.sys files.

• * Most device drivers are not loaded. A device driver is the software that Windows uses to interact with a piece of hardware, such as a printer or scanner.

• * Instead of the normal graphics device driver, Safe Mode uses standard VGA graphics mode. This mode is supported by all Windows-compatible video cards.

• * Himem.sys, which is normally loaded as part of the config.sys script, is loaded with the /testmem:on switch. This switch tells the computer to test the extended memory before continuing.

• * Safe Mode checks the msdos.sys file for information on where to find the rest of the Windows files. If it finds the files, it proceeds to load Windows in Safe Mode with the command win /d:m. If it does not find the Windows files, it will run command.com to bring up a C: prompt.

• * Windows boots using a batch file called system.cb instead of the standard system.ini file. This file loads the Virtual Device Drivers (VxDs) that Windows uses to communicate with the standard parts of the computer.

• * Windows now loads the regular system.ini file plus win.ini and Registry settings. It skips the [Boot] (except for the shell and device lines) and [386Enh] sections of system.ini and does not load or run any programs listed in win.ini.

• * The Windows desktop loads up in 16 colors and at a resolution of 640 x 480 with the words "Safe Mode" in each corner.

Safe Mode starts up automatically if Windows does not boot on the previous attempt. You can also invoke Safe Mode by pressing F5 or by pressing F8 and selecting it from the boot menu.

more
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question575.htm


FireFox also has a Safe Mode which can be very helpful too:

Safe Mode is a special Firefox execution mode that can be used to troubleshoot issues in Firefox. In Safe Mode, you can reset some settings or disable add-ons that might be the source of the issue. By comparing Firefox behavior in normal mode to its behavior in Safe Mode with various items disabled, you may be able to diagnose issues.

Firefox Safe Mode has no connection to Windows Safe Mode.

For directions on how to start firefox in safe mode go here:

http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Safe+Mode


How to start Windows in Safe Mode

Windows Safe Mode is a way of booting up your Windows operating system in order to run administrative and diagnostic tasks on your installation. When you boot into Safe Mode the operating system only loads the bare minimum of software that is required for the operating system to work. This mode of operating is designed to let you troubleshoot and run diagnostics on your computer. Windows Safe Mode loads a basic video drivers so your programs may look different than normal.

A good site with great tutorials to start windows in safe mode, for each type of Windows
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...utorial61.html

Another link for tutorials starting windows in Safe Mode:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm

Having problems with firefox? Try resetting it! It fixes most problems quite easily.

Caution: Before you do this, if you have add on's such as "My Words" or "BB Code" and use custom codes or "Quick Notes" or others that are similar where you have information stored in them that you use regularly, first copy that information into a notepad or an email or even a PM and send it to yourself so you don't lose it and have to re do it all over again.

This makes everything much easier because it puts your old profile folder on your desktop so you don't really lose anything, as you can copy things back into the new profile if the reset doesn't work and you want to. Plus, it saves all your bookmarks, passwords and stuff like that into the new profile for you so you don't have to mess with that. Here's a bit of info and a link to their "how to" page:

If you're having problems with Firefox, resetting it can help. The reset feature fixes many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information like bookmarks and open tabs.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-firefox-easily-fix-most-problems

I hope all this helps someone. I know I've had to use these resources before.

He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve!

Psalm 103:10 —he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. *

"Maybe you’ve heard well-meaning people say, “God caused this [insert something horrid] to teach me a lesson.” What kind of holy God would He be if He went around doing wrong? Evil and its consequences come from a lot of different avenues because we live in a broken world. However, God doesn’t broker evil in our lives. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ). Run your circumstances through the grid of that verse.

The thief is Satan. God is working in our lives to bring about life to the fullest—in, through, and even in spite of the destruction the enemy hurls against us. When evil happens, God can ultimately take what was meant for destruction and turn it for good. He doesn’t bring evil, but because of His power and redemptive work, He is not limited by it. He never wastes pain. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). His goodness is not limited, except for where we limit Him in our lives." Thriving: Trusting god for life to the fullest.

Forgiving and Forgetting, the Lord's way

I did a study on Forgiving awhile ago, called, Understanding Forgiveness and Forgiving 1 but it's quite long so I thought I'd try and condense it for those who don't have time for the longer studies. However, if after reading this, you would like more information, the bible verses about it etc. please go to the above link for it's a very good study...even if all you read is the 1st post, you'll get a lot out of it.

To start with, we're to forgive others the way the Lord forgives us. That means we need to go to them and tell them how they sinned and then if they repent, tell them they are forgiven. We also need to let them know that means we won't bring up the sin to them, to others, or even to ourselves again or ever use it against them, for that's how the Lord forgives us. Just knowing this little bit bring us all kinds of questions!

Why should we go to them, shouldn't they be coming to us? Well, yes, they should, but the Lord commands us to go to them just as He commands them to go to us and confess and repent, so ideally both parties should be on their way to each other right away. It rarely works that way though, so the Lord says, we're to go to them if they haven't already come to us. It helps if we understand the Lord's reasons behind His commands. His command to us that He tried to drill into our heads over and over is to love one another, and for unity in the body of Christ, so this is all about reconciliation. For the body of Christ to work the way the Lord intended, there can't be hard feelings between the various members of it. I'm not talking here about the members of a local church, but of the whole body, which is all who've been saved.

That bring up another question...what about those who aren't saved? What do we do then? The Lord never forgives us until we repent and then we become saved. Before then we really don't understand about sin, repentance or forgiveness and what it really means. So with the unsaved, we can only offer them a shallow portion of what we give each other when we forgive. But, in so doing, we're at the same time giving them an example of what being saved is all about and it can give us a great opening too to talk to them about the real deal...about salvation in Christ. We can explain to them that we can forgive them for ourselves, but that we can't forgive their actual sin for only God can do that, and for that they need to recognize that they need a Savior, etc. We can explain that when we forgive, it also means we won't bring the sin up to them, ourselves or others ever again or use it against them in any way, just as the Lord does for us when He forgives us and saves us. This can plant many good seeds the Lord can use to bring them into His Kingdom.

But, do we have to forgive someone who's not saved? Yes, God still commands us to forgive them. His reasons for this are similar, for we're commanded to love them as well as other believers, though for a different reason. First because we don't know that they won't one day be a believer and our brother or sister in Christ. Only the Lord knows that. Therefore the Lord doesn't want things coming between us and them that might stand in our way if/when they do become a believer. Secondly, He wants us to represent Him to them, so we're literally to be Him to them, act as He would, speak as He would, forgive as He would. Of course this is to hopefully bring them into His Kingdom one day. The Lord knows that because they are unbelievers though that forgiveness and reconciliation won't always be possible. That's why He tells us regarding unbelievers, Romans 12:18 —If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. * Therefore we're to do all we can to live at peace with them.

All of this can be difficult but it seems the most difficult part is that we usually don't "feel like" forgiving them, whether they're saved or not. Yet, the Lord never tells us to do something that's not possible, so how do we deal with this? First we have to realize that our feelings have absolutely nothing to do with it. Seriously, they don't! We often do things we don't feel like. Every morning I used to have to be up no later then 6 so I could be at work by 7. When that alarm clock went off, I sure didn't feel like getting up, but I did, and I surely didn't want to go to work, or feel like it, but again, I did. Day after day. It's the same thing with forgiveness.

I never asked anyone if I'd truly gone to work that day since I hadn't felt like it that morning when I'd awakened, and yet we constantly find ourselves asking if we really forgave someone since we didn't feel like it when we did it and our feelings for them hadn't changed. The answer to that is simple. Of course we forgave them! (assuming we forgave the way the Lord forgives us anyway)

Part of the reason our feelings about the person haven't changed though is usually because we didn't really forgive them the way the Lord does us. We left out the part about not bringing the matter up to them, to others, or even to ourselves again. That's the clincher! And how in the world do we do that???? Again, the Lord tells us how. Obviously the Lord can't and doesn't really "forget" our sins. He knows everything, and if He literally forgot them, then He wouldn't know everything and that contradicts His Word. What He means is that He doesn't think of our sins; He doesn't dwell on them, He doesn't hold them against us, even when we later repeat the same sin again. And that's exactly what He requires us to do. He calls it "taking our thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5 ) There is a short teaching about this subject here if you need to know how to do this: Taking Thoughts Captive it does take self discipline, but it's what the Lord expects of us and it will change us to be more like Christ in more ways then I can begin to count here. Basically, what it means is that whenever we find ourselves beginning to think about (or speak about) what happened, we literally stop the thoughts/words before they go any further, reminding ourselves of our promise and that the Lord has done this many times for us. Since we have broken our promise, we then need to ask the Lord's forgiveness. Because of our sin nature, at first we'll find ourselves thinking of it quite often or wanting to think about it anyway, so we'll constantly have to take those thoughts captive and replace them with God's Truth as described in the thread I mentioned. The more we do this, the less often it will happen, until eventually we will find that our feelings will begin to reflect the feelings of our Lord instead of our old sin nature. Eventually those old feelings will be entirely replaced with those of love from our new nature that's like the Lord. This is what makes true forgiveness and reconciliation really possible.

So remember, our feelings, don't matter as far as whether or not we can forgive or have forgiven. They will eventually begin to reflect the truth though the more we keep our thoughts in line with the Lord's when the matter does come to our attention.

When we forgive someone, it's a big deal, and something major happens in the spiritual realm and for the person being forgiven as well as for us. Giving or receiving forgiveness is not something that should ever be done lightly or without prayerful thought, which it often seems to be these days. Forgiveness is something we do out of love for our Lord to be obedient to Him; so we offer the offender a gift...not because they earned it by repenting, but because we love the Lord.

It's very different from the world's way of "apology". When people apologize, they don't have to confess any sin or even admit why they're really sorry. They could simply be sorry they got caught or that their reputation might suffer or for other consequences of what they did. They don't have to recognize that God has anything at all to do with it even. They're not promising you anything at all either. That doesn't mean however that we should never say we're sorry, but we should be aware of the difference between the two.

As I said at the start, I realize this doesn't cover anywhere near all the questions concerning forgiveness and forgetting concerning both the saved and unsaved, but I hope it gives at least a glimpse of how the Lord wants us to forgive and why. And of course, I hope it helps others as it has me in my own life.

For more information see:

Understanding Forgiveness and Forgiving 9

Forgiving someone isn't the last step. Usually when we forgive someone, we tend to think that's the end of it and we don't have anything else we need to do. But we need to remember God's purpose in forgiveness. His purpose is reconciliation. If we look at how He forgives us, we can see that forgiveness is actually closer to the first step, because once He forgives us, He brings us into a close, personal relationship with Him. That's what he wants to have happen when we forgive someone else. The purpose is so we can build an even stronger, deeper relationship with that person. It's to make our relationship better then ever.

Let's look at it this way...before we were saved, sin put a wall between us and God, right? When we repent and He forgives us, it removes that wall between us. But we're still separated - we're not "one" yet. But then the Lord then comes and dwells within us and we're no longer separated, but instead are living in a vital close relationship with Him.

Now obviously we can't go "dwell within" someone, and God doesn't expect that either, but He does want us to be reconciled and be one in Him. In this world though it's very easy for us to drift away from that friend after they've repented. Remember that we're not talking about them repenting from some little sin, but rather from something really serious, because we cover all the other kinds of sin with love.

The Lord shows us what needs to be done here:

2 Corinthians 2:7–8 —Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. *I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. *

There are 3 things we're told are needed here: forgive, comfort, and reaffirm our love for them. When we love someone, we want to help them don't we? We all know how difficult it can be to overcome some sins in our life, so what we're being told to do here is to help them overcome the sin in any way we can. If nothing else we can pray for them, but other things we might be able to do is to point them to a biblical counselor, or to the pastor or elders at church or another church member that might be able to help them with the problem. We can also "be there" for them to talk to when they're needing that. That would be comforting them and also reaffirming our love for them. In other words we're not to just forgive them and leave them to deal with their mess. We're to help them rise above it.

To reaffirm our love for them, we can also do things like make sure that we include them in invitations for dinner or activities, and just make the effort to call them regularly to see how they're doing and let them know that we care. When we do things like this, it will cause our relationship with them to grow stronger instead of drifting away from them.

One thing we need to remember during this time is that we are to love them with God's love and not the worlds way. God says that there are consequences to sin and while He does want us to forgive each other, we're not to try and prevent the person from having to deal with the consequences of their sin.

For example, let's say I was driving your car and speeding and got a ticket for it. You forgive me but I say now that I'm forgiven, you should pay for the ticket because otherwise you're holding the sin against me still. Boy is that twisting things! But then I've seen people say things very similar to this so I know it happens. Making me pay for the ticket I got is not holding my sin against me. When you forgave me you promised not to bring up the sin or hold it against me, but you didn't promise that you would remove the consequences of the sin.

The Bible shows us again and again that there are consequences for sin even when we're forgiven. Look at David, after he was forgiven for his sin, his infant son still died. Remember too that God says that for some sins, restitution is required. Like if someone steals something from you, it would be correct to ask them to return it or to pay whatever it would cost you to replace it. The tendency today is for people to "give in" and let others get away with just about anything, but that isn't the loving thing to do.

That's one reason why it's often so much easier to just drift apart from the person. When we realize though that's not God's will, then we have to put a good deal of effort into reconciling with the person. This leads us to two other things...what if you break your promise and for who's sake are you forgiving someone for.

Who should be the focus of our forgiveness? I'm bringing this up because in today's world, everything is about us, or so we've been taught. Even with forgiveness we tend to look at it as a way to benefit ourselves. If we don't forgive, then God won't forgive us and won't hear our prayers, so we forgive others to get a benefit for ourselves from it. Yet that wasn't how Jesus forgave others, or why He forgave them. He wasn't looking for any gain for Himself out of it when He forgave me or you or the people who were in His life back then. Just as everything else that the Lord teaches us is the opposite of what the world teaches, so is this. He doesn't want us to forgive others so we gain out of it or even out of fear that He won't forgive us or that He will judge us more harshly. He has told us constantly in His Word that we're to deny ourselves, put others before ourselves; that we're to be God centered and others centered and not self centered. He constantly and consistently points away from ourselves and toward others from Genesis through Revelation. Even the two great commandments tell us that. We're to love God and others.

Once again we need to look at how God forgave us to see where He wants us to put our focus on when we forgive others. When He forgave us, we were His enemies. We hated Him and ridiculed Him and sinned constantly against Him. Yet He loved us so much that He forgave us anyway. He didn't wait till He felt like it. Nor did He do it so that the Father would listen to Him or forgive Him - He had nothing to be forgiven for anyway. When we forgive others, it's to be the same way.

We did not deserve to be forgiven, even when we repented of our sin and asked Him to come into our lives and be our Lord. That's how we're to forgive others and another reason why our feelings don't matter. We grant them forgiveness even though they don't deserve it, just like He forgave us. Think back to when we were first saved. We repented of our sins, but we didn't really deserve to be forgiven...we didn't immediately turn around and live holy lives. Well, at least I know I didn't. So why did the Lord forgive me? He did it because He loves me. After He forgave me, He was still patient with me too. He was gentle and kind and never threw my sins in my face or used them against me, and has never done that to this day. Instead He patiently instructs me and teaches me His ways and when I fall down, He picks me back up and starts all over again.

So what's our focus to be or what's the reason we should forgive others? We should be focusing on their needs, not our feelings or what we'll get out of it if we do, or what will happen to us if we don't. What then is the purpose of granting others forgiveness? It's to do good to another out of gratitude to God, honoring Him by imitating His gracious forgiveness in Christ.

Ephesians 4:32 —Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. *

The word used for forgiving in the above verse stresses grace and means something given to someone freely as a favor. Everything in the above verse focuses on the one who is forgiven, not on the person doing the forgiving. Let's look at what it says in context too:

Ephesians 4:32–5:2 —Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. *Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children *and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. *

Did you notice the very next line? We're to imitate God in the way He forgives us, and lead a life of love just as He did. It's very easy to fall back into the worlds ways of thinking and think that we deserve to have Him forgive us for our sins, because after all, we're really not all that bad. We're actually pretty good, at least in comparison with other people we know...right? Wrong! God tells us that even our very best is nothing more then filthy rags compared to His perfection. Think about that for a moment...who's the most saintly, most godly person you've ever known or read about? How about the disciples or any of the people in the Bible? On their very best days, they were no better then filthy rags compared to our Lord's perfection. We are so utterly selfish, so totally depraved, that the only thing we have ever deserved from God is Hell. That's one thing I know for sure about myself now. Yet even as horrible as I really was and still am, the Lord forgave me of all my sins. All of them! Isn't that amazing???? I didn't deserve it when He hung on that cross for me. I didn't deserve it at any time during my life and I still don't deserve it today.

But the world has filled our heads with the total opposite for so long, and the church has failed to teach us for so long about how totally depraved we are, that this is hard for most people to deal with and understand. Another reason it's hard to deal with and understand is because we naturally don't want to. It goes against our sin nature to want to know just how sinful we are. That's also why so many people who think they're saved, really aren't, because they never knew or understood why they needed a savior to begin with. They think they're just fine the way they are. Once we honestly and truly realize this though, that's when we truly begin to love the Lord for forgiving us. This is what Jesus was talking about in the story He told Simon:

Luke 7:40–43 —Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. *“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. *Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” *Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. *
Luke 7:44–47 —Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. *You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. *You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. *Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” *

When Jesus says "he who has been forgiven little loves little", He's not saying that some people have fewer sins to forgive so they don't love Him as much. He's talking about how we perceive our sins. When we don't realize just how much of a sinner we are, then we feel like we've been forgiven only a little, since we're such a great person. It's not until we realize just how much of a sinner we really are that we will have that deep love and thankfulness for Him. The more we realize just how sinful we are, the easier it is to forgive another person no matter what they've done. It also helps us to realize that the person's sin against us, just shows how badly they need our Lord- just as badly as we did.

We need to always remember that the purpose of granting others forgiveness is to do good to another out of gratitude to God for forgiving us, honoring Him by imitating His gracious forgiveness in Christ.

Ephesians 4:32–5:2 —Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. *Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children *and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. *