Once again, Evan and I at Starbuck's...
Once again, my wallet wept as I paid a riduculous amount for mediocre coffee...in an eco-friendly cup of course (gotta save those trees!)
And what do you know, I got lucky and had another decent "The Way I See It" quote on the side of my partially recycled cup, among many horrible quotes.
The Way I See It #196
"The greatest leader is a servant. Don’t be a boss. Be a real leader, a servant leader. A servant leader is a winner. Even when he loses everything, even when he loses his life, a servant leader wins it all."
-- Pat Williams
Senior vice president of the Orlando Magic.
Mr. Williams is one smart dude...
This quote reminds me of a Bible verse.
Isaiah 52
The Suffering and Glory of the Servant
13 See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
and his form marred beyond human likeness—
15 so will he sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
Back to what Mr. Williams of Orlando Magic says,
"Even when he loses everything, EVEN WHEN HE LOSES HIS LIFE, a servant leader wins it all."
Christ, the ultimate servant, even to death, won everything.
And Mr. Williams, whatever his beliefs are, hits the secret of a true leader dead center.
And Christ is the ultimate example of that...
In Christ,
Hackett
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Christ- The Messiah?
The world has questioned Christ's authority many times. Is He God, is he not?
The Jews, for the most part, have denied his authority.
Islam calls Him a great prophet, but not the Savior.
Did this world reject its' Savior?
First, I will question the Jewish belief that the Messiah has yet to come...
The Old Testament has hundreds of prophecies concerning the Messiah. Many of them are found in the books of Isiah, Psalms, and Jeremiah. There are others scattered throughout the other books of the Old Testament though, such as in Micah.
Here are a few of those prophecies:
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Micah 5:2
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
There are hundreds more.
George Heron, a French mathematician, calculated that the odds of one man fulfilling only 40 of those hundreds of prophecies are 1 in 10 to the power of 157. That is a 1 followed by 157 zeros. Compare it to this; your odds on winning the state lottery are 14 followed by 6 zeros.
The Messiah, therefore, is one of a kind.
Jesus Christ, however, fulfills more than just 40 prophecies, he fulfills all of the hundreds of them.
Christ was born a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14)
Christ would be killed. (Isaiah 53:8)
Christ was born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)
Christ was counted among criminals. (Isaiah 53:12)
Christ was resurrected. (Psalm 16:8-10)
The list goes on and on...
From the Jewish standpoint, Christ fulfilled every single Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. Of course, many people argue Christ was not born of a Virgin and there is no physical proof of His resurection.
There is one prophecy, however, that cannot be denied.
Daniel 9
25 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."
Here, we see that the Messiah will come to Jerusalem.
Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem occured 173,880 days (483 times the Hebrew 360 day year) after Artaxerxes' decree was given in 445 B.C. (as recorded in Nehemiah 2:1-20) to rebuild Jerusalem. This was the first time that Jesus allowed anyone to proclaim him as "King." Note, the Hebrew word for "week" is "shavua" and literally means "seven." Therefore, in Hebrew, the idea of 70 weeks is "seventy sevens." The meaning of the word "weeks" was used in reference to both days and YEARS. Many scholars, both Christian and non-Christian, agree that the "weeks" here refers to years, which adds up to 483.
It's almost eerie that Christ comes to Jerusalem 483 years later, to the exact day, in accoradnce with the prophecy made by Daniel and the records found in Nehemiah concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
Considering the prophecies, I think the Jews missed their Messiah.
Now, for those of you who are neither Jewish nor Christian, here's more reasons on why Christ is the Messiah and God.
1. The prophecies made in the OT, which were written hundreds of years before Christ, point to Christ as the Messiah. From a historical standpoint, considering the accuracy of the Bible with world events that occured at different times, the fact that Christ fulfills all of the prophecies from the Old Testament is nearly impossible. But He does! It's eerie, borderline weird that human beings from the Old Testament prophesied things about the Messiah that Christ fulfilled.
2. Historically speaking, the Bible has recorded events about wars, etc that are backed up by other secular sources. If this is true, is it so hard to believe that maybe the Bible is right on Christ being the Messiah as well.
3. "Luke 23:44
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining."
This occured in the last three hours of Christ's life, at least according to the Bible, but did it really happen?
According to Phlegon, a Greek author from Caria, it did. Writing a chronology soon after 137 A.D., Phlegon reported that in the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e. 33 A.D.) there was "the greatest eclipse of the sun" and that "it became night in the sixth hour of the day [i.e., noon] so that stars even appeared in the heavens. There was a great earthquake in Bithynia, and many things were overturned in Nicaea."
That is non-biblical attestation by a Greek author to the darkness that occured in the final hours of Jesus life. Even though Phlegon writes the dakness off as an eclipse...we know it was not an eclipse.
Because in AD 221, however, Julius Africanus proved that it couldn't have been an eclipse that covered the sun, due to the time.
Of course, there are hundreds upon hundreds of reasons why we know Christ is the Messiah, and these are just a few.
After studying information like this, I don't see how anyone could deny the authority of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
In Christ,
Hackett
The Jews, for the most part, have denied his authority.
Islam calls Him a great prophet, but not the Savior.
Did this world reject its' Savior?
First, I will question the Jewish belief that the Messiah has yet to come...
The Old Testament has hundreds of prophecies concerning the Messiah. Many of them are found in the books of Isiah, Psalms, and Jeremiah. There are others scattered throughout the other books of the Old Testament though, such as in Micah.
Here are a few of those prophecies:
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Micah 5:2
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
There are hundreds more.
George Heron, a French mathematician, calculated that the odds of one man fulfilling only 40 of those hundreds of prophecies are 1 in 10 to the power of 157. That is a 1 followed by 157 zeros. Compare it to this; your odds on winning the state lottery are 14 followed by 6 zeros.
The Messiah, therefore, is one of a kind.
Jesus Christ, however, fulfills more than just 40 prophecies, he fulfills all of the hundreds of them.
Christ was born a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14)
Christ would be killed. (Isaiah 53:8)
Christ was born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)
Christ was counted among criminals. (Isaiah 53:12)
Christ was resurrected. (Psalm 16:8-10)
The list goes on and on...
From the Jewish standpoint, Christ fulfilled every single Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. Of course, many people argue Christ was not born of a Virgin and there is no physical proof of His resurection.
There is one prophecy, however, that cannot be denied.
Daniel 9
25 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."
Here, we see that the Messiah will come to Jerusalem.
Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem occured 173,880 days (483 times the Hebrew 360 day year) after Artaxerxes' decree was given in 445 B.C. (as recorded in Nehemiah 2:1-20) to rebuild Jerusalem. This was the first time that Jesus allowed anyone to proclaim him as "King." Note, the Hebrew word for "week" is "shavua" and literally means "seven." Therefore, in Hebrew, the idea of 70 weeks is "seventy sevens." The meaning of the word "weeks" was used in reference to both days and YEARS. Many scholars, both Christian and non-Christian, agree that the "weeks" here refers to years, which adds up to 483.
It's almost eerie that Christ comes to Jerusalem 483 years later, to the exact day, in accoradnce with the prophecy made by Daniel and the records found in Nehemiah concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
Considering the prophecies, I think the Jews missed their Messiah.
Now, for those of you who are neither Jewish nor Christian, here's more reasons on why Christ is the Messiah and God.
1. The prophecies made in the OT, which were written hundreds of years before Christ, point to Christ as the Messiah. From a historical standpoint, considering the accuracy of the Bible with world events that occured at different times, the fact that Christ fulfills all of the prophecies from the Old Testament is nearly impossible. But He does! It's eerie, borderline weird that human beings from the Old Testament prophesied things about the Messiah that Christ fulfilled.
2. Historically speaking, the Bible has recorded events about wars, etc that are backed up by other secular sources. If this is true, is it so hard to believe that maybe the Bible is right on Christ being the Messiah as well.
3. "Luke 23:44
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining."
This occured in the last three hours of Christ's life, at least according to the Bible, but did it really happen?
According to Phlegon, a Greek author from Caria, it did. Writing a chronology soon after 137 A.D., Phlegon reported that in the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e. 33 A.D.) there was "the greatest eclipse of the sun" and that "it became night in the sixth hour of the day [i.e., noon] so that stars even appeared in the heavens. There was a great earthquake in Bithynia, and many things were overturned in Nicaea."
That is non-biblical attestation by a Greek author to the darkness that occured in the final hours of Jesus life. Even though Phlegon writes the dakness off as an eclipse...we know it was not an eclipse.
Because in AD 221, however, Julius Africanus proved that it couldn't have been an eclipse that covered the sun, due to the time.
Of course, there are hundreds upon hundreds of reasons why we know Christ is the Messiah, and these are just a few.
After studying information like this, I don't see how anyone could deny the authority of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
In Christ,
Hackett
Friday, April 20, 2007
Evolution: The Impossible Theory
The first thing I ever remember reading out of a high school science textbook are the following words: Science is based on observation. Unfortunately, that statement, which is the basis of science, is disregarded by many scientists who claim that the Theory of Evolution is science. The study of history is not considered to be a science because the person studying cannot observe the events as they take place; this of course being because the events have already happened. The skeptic evolutionist would reply to this by saying something along the lines of “I was not around when you were born, so you must have never been born.” No, but there is conclusive evidence proving that I was born, and evolution, in simple terms, does not have such evidence. My purpose of this speech is to show you the problem with this Theory of Evolution that so many people believe is the truth today.
My first example of evidence that proves the Theory of Evolution wrong is the “Geologic Column.” Simply put, the geologic column is layers of rock and sediment, which date back in time over history. The deeper you go through these layers, the older the fossils are supposed to be that you find in those layers. Supposedly, according to evolutionists, all fossils fit into a specific order. This order goes from simple organisms to complex ones over time. However, there are many flaws in this area of the Theory of Evolution. In the past decade, archeologists and scientists have begun to discover fish scales in the Cambrian layer of the geologic column. But, according to the column, fish did not appear in the world until much later, perhaps millions of years later. This is just one of the many places Evolution contradicts itself.
My next point that challenges Evolution is the layer-transversing fossils. If you don’t know what a layer-transversing fossil is, it is a fossil that runs through thousands of years of layers in the geologic column. These fossils have been found all over the world. Perhaps the most frequently found layer-transversing fossils are trees. A possible explanation for this is that these “layers” weren’t laid down over billions of years, which evolutionist say they were laid down over billions of years. If the evolutionist were correct, and the layers were layed down over billions of years, then the evolutionist is implying that these ancient trees had the ability to grow through solid rock, not to mention with no sunlight. If the evolutionist were even to consider this insane notion, or even one like it, another argument can be made against it. Some of these trees have been found upside down, indicating a sudden catastrophe, such as a great flood, which a possible explanation for is found in the Bible.
More evidence against Evolution is that there is a lack of transitional fossils, which evolutionists claim show the changes in organisms over time. Only a handful of these so called “transitional fossils” have been found over time. If evolutionists are right, then there should be millions of transitional fossils everywhere in our museums and science labs, because of the millions of years of transition that should have made us who we are today would have left billions of fossils behind. Yet, there are only a few, and many of them have been proven to be fake. A good example of this is the so-called “Nebraska man” that was found. This was a huge deal in the scientific world, at last, a real piece of hard evidence had been found that supported evolution. Unfortunately, when the evidence was tested and analyzed, the bones were discovered to be that of a pig. Not only was this evidence found lacking in integrity, but also more of the skeleton was found later, and indeed, it was a pig.
The evidence against evolution continues on in that the theory evolution contradicts many laws of science. One example of this is the Law of Thermodynamics. This law states that as time progress, things wear down and become less effective. A good example of this is the human body, as it grows older; it reaches a peak, and then slowly begins to become weaker. Evolution, however, implies that things became more complex and more improved over time. But considering the Law of Thermodynamics is a proven Law, and Evolution is just a theory, I am more inclined to believe what has already been proven to be true, not a theory that contradicts the Truth. This is just one more thing that disproves the theory of Evolution.
I have one last example that proves evolution to be false and to be a lie. Some evolutionists argue that given time, anything can happen, including the extreme changing of organisms. Sounds like a good argument, right? I mean, we don’t know what humans may look like millions of years from now. Of course, there is a problem with this concept of Evolution as well, and that is, evolution doesn’t have enough time to prove itself. Billions of trillions of years is not even close to what would be needed. Rick Ramashing and Sir Fred Hoyle, two respected mathematicians, calculated what the probability of one cell would be to evolve by chance. Now, these two men are coming from an unbiased standpoint. They have many times told others they are atheists, and they looked the Theory of Evolution only from an educational standpoint. After calculating the correct number, they found to their disbelief that is a 1 in 10 to the 40,000 power years just for one cell to evolve. After their findings, Sir Hoyle had this to say about evolution:
"The chance that higher life forms might have emerged in this way is comparable with the chance that 'a tornado sweeping through a junk-yard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein.' "
Although I already believed that a sovereign God created this world before I researched for this speech, this is called the creationist theory, the information I found only convinced me further that what I believe is the truth. Evolutionists say that it is unreasonable to believe in a sovereign God that created the universe. But, when looking at the evidence, everything points to creationism, not the Theory of Evolution. I mean, the Creation theory has answers to everything evolution doesn’t. I mentioned earlier about trees being found in several layers of rock that is supposed to represent thousands and millions of years of change. Some of these trees were found upside down, indicating some great, forceful catastrophe. Evolution has no answer for this, but the creationist does:
"Genesis 7: 17-24
For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. 18The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. 21 Every living thing that moved on the earth perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark."
A flood would account for overturned trees, shifting of the land, and layers of mud that would eventually turn into rock over time. Yet, evolution says this is unreasonable, even though evolution has no reason for these happenings itself.
I also mentioned the Law of Thermodynamics earlier. As you recall the Law states that things wear down over time. Evolution states things get more complex and better over time. They do not agree with each other. Yet, the fact that there are Laws in the universe states that there is order and control. Could this order and control come from the theory of evolution, which insists that the survival of the fittest is what really happens? No. If this were true, then the universe would be in chaos, because the fittest would be destroying the weak. The fact that there are things such as the Law of Thermodynamics in the universe points to order and control, that something is sustaining the universe. By default, Evolution attempts to disprove Laws of science, which have been proven as true. Can a mere theory disprove what is known to be absolutely true? Of course not.
In conclusion, I hope I have been able to show you the weaknesses and sometimes lies of evolution. I cannot make you believe one thing or another, but I can show you the evidence that goes against the Theory of Evolution. The choice is yours to make. Do you believe in a theory known as Evolution, which has so many weaknesses and contradicts many things we know to be true, or do you believe in something else?
Evolution is simply not the truth, there is too much overwhelming evidence against it, and what I spoke of before is only a small portion of it. Does this mean you should stop searching for the truth? No. The truth is out there, but the truth is not evolution. Look somewhere else for it, because, after all, it is important to know where we come from. Because, in finding where we come from, we find out if we have hope or not of something else after our deaths. I myself believe I have found the truth, in the deep pages of the Bible, but I cannot force you to go there. That is a journey you must take on your own in your own search for what is truth. If you don’t get anything else from what I am saying today, please understand this, that the Theory of Evolution is based on misread evidence and lies. Go and keep searching for the truth, but remember, the Truth does not lie in the realm of Evolution.
My first example of evidence that proves the Theory of Evolution wrong is the “Geologic Column.” Simply put, the geologic column is layers of rock and sediment, which date back in time over history. The deeper you go through these layers, the older the fossils are supposed to be that you find in those layers. Supposedly, according to evolutionists, all fossils fit into a specific order. This order goes from simple organisms to complex ones over time. However, there are many flaws in this area of the Theory of Evolution. In the past decade, archeologists and scientists have begun to discover fish scales in the Cambrian layer of the geologic column. But, according to the column, fish did not appear in the world until much later, perhaps millions of years later. This is just one of the many places Evolution contradicts itself.
My next point that challenges Evolution is the layer-transversing fossils. If you don’t know what a layer-transversing fossil is, it is a fossil that runs through thousands of years of layers in the geologic column. These fossils have been found all over the world. Perhaps the most frequently found layer-transversing fossils are trees. A possible explanation for this is that these “layers” weren’t laid down over billions of years, which evolutionist say they were laid down over billions of years. If the evolutionist were correct, and the layers were layed down over billions of years, then the evolutionist is implying that these ancient trees had the ability to grow through solid rock, not to mention with no sunlight. If the evolutionist were even to consider this insane notion, or even one like it, another argument can be made against it. Some of these trees have been found upside down, indicating a sudden catastrophe, such as a great flood, which a possible explanation for is found in the Bible.
More evidence against Evolution is that there is a lack of transitional fossils, which evolutionists claim show the changes in organisms over time. Only a handful of these so called “transitional fossils” have been found over time. If evolutionists are right, then there should be millions of transitional fossils everywhere in our museums and science labs, because of the millions of years of transition that should have made us who we are today would have left billions of fossils behind. Yet, there are only a few, and many of them have been proven to be fake. A good example of this is the so-called “Nebraska man” that was found. This was a huge deal in the scientific world, at last, a real piece of hard evidence had been found that supported evolution. Unfortunately, when the evidence was tested and analyzed, the bones were discovered to be that of a pig. Not only was this evidence found lacking in integrity, but also more of the skeleton was found later, and indeed, it was a pig.
The evidence against evolution continues on in that the theory evolution contradicts many laws of science. One example of this is the Law of Thermodynamics. This law states that as time progress, things wear down and become less effective. A good example of this is the human body, as it grows older; it reaches a peak, and then slowly begins to become weaker. Evolution, however, implies that things became more complex and more improved over time. But considering the Law of Thermodynamics is a proven Law, and Evolution is just a theory, I am more inclined to believe what has already been proven to be true, not a theory that contradicts the Truth. This is just one more thing that disproves the theory of Evolution.
I have one last example that proves evolution to be false and to be a lie. Some evolutionists argue that given time, anything can happen, including the extreme changing of organisms. Sounds like a good argument, right? I mean, we don’t know what humans may look like millions of years from now. Of course, there is a problem with this concept of Evolution as well, and that is, evolution doesn’t have enough time to prove itself. Billions of trillions of years is not even close to what would be needed. Rick Ramashing and Sir Fred Hoyle, two respected mathematicians, calculated what the probability of one cell would be to evolve by chance. Now, these two men are coming from an unbiased standpoint. They have many times told others they are atheists, and they looked the Theory of Evolution only from an educational standpoint. After calculating the correct number, they found to their disbelief that is a 1 in 10 to the 40,000 power years just for one cell to evolve. After their findings, Sir Hoyle had this to say about evolution:
"The chance that higher life forms might have emerged in this way is comparable with the chance that 'a tornado sweeping through a junk-yard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein.' "
Although I already believed that a sovereign God created this world before I researched for this speech, this is called the creationist theory, the information I found only convinced me further that what I believe is the truth. Evolutionists say that it is unreasonable to believe in a sovereign God that created the universe. But, when looking at the evidence, everything points to creationism, not the Theory of Evolution. I mean, the Creation theory has answers to everything evolution doesn’t. I mentioned earlier about trees being found in several layers of rock that is supposed to represent thousands and millions of years of change. Some of these trees were found upside down, indicating some great, forceful catastrophe. Evolution has no answer for this, but the creationist does:
"Genesis 7: 17-24
For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. 18The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. 21 Every living thing that moved on the earth perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark."
A flood would account for overturned trees, shifting of the land, and layers of mud that would eventually turn into rock over time. Yet, evolution says this is unreasonable, even though evolution has no reason for these happenings itself.
I also mentioned the Law of Thermodynamics earlier. As you recall the Law states that things wear down over time. Evolution states things get more complex and better over time. They do not agree with each other. Yet, the fact that there are Laws in the universe states that there is order and control. Could this order and control come from the theory of evolution, which insists that the survival of the fittest is what really happens? No. If this were true, then the universe would be in chaos, because the fittest would be destroying the weak. The fact that there are things such as the Law of Thermodynamics in the universe points to order and control, that something is sustaining the universe. By default, Evolution attempts to disprove Laws of science, which have been proven as true. Can a mere theory disprove what is known to be absolutely true? Of course not.
In conclusion, I hope I have been able to show you the weaknesses and sometimes lies of evolution. I cannot make you believe one thing or another, but I can show you the evidence that goes against the Theory of Evolution. The choice is yours to make. Do you believe in a theory known as Evolution, which has so many weaknesses and contradicts many things we know to be true, or do you believe in something else?
Evolution is simply not the truth, there is too much overwhelming evidence against it, and what I spoke of before is only a small portion of it. Does this mean you should stop searching for the truth? No. The truth is out there, but the truth is not evolution. Look somewhere else for it, because, after all, it is important to know where we come from. Because, in finding where we come from, we find out if we have hope or not of something else after our deaths. I myself believe I have found the truth, in the deep pages of the Bible, but I cannot force you to go there. That is a journey you must take on your own in your own search for what is truth. If you don’t get anything else from what I am saying today, please understand this, that the Theory of Evolution is based on misread evidence and lies. Go and keep searching for the truth, but remember, the Truth does not lie in the realm of Evolution.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Suffering
"Suffering has a mysterious role in the Christian life and should mold our response to human agony in the world. Indeed, the suffering of those called into God’s service can become clothed with ever deepening significance— not glorified in itself, but endowed with power to advance God’s kingdom."
-Robert B. Krushwitz
Why does God allow suffering?
I think Mr. Krushwitz explains why. Suffering advances the kingdom of God.
Before I continue, I would like to say why I am writing this. I have several friends that are going through stuff right now, one on my mind in paticular, and I hope this can help in some way...
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Is suffering a bad thing? I mean, sure it hurts, but I think it's more of a blessing in disguise. Let me explain.
The amazing thing about suffering is the outcome. No matter how bad the suffering is, most of the time, when we come through it, things are for the better. If they are not for the better, then hey, at least the suffering is gone. The point I'm trying to make here is that sometimes the lowest point you can ever hit will be when you are suffering. And when you hit rock bottom, and the only thing left to do is look up, things can only get better.
Romans 5:3
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Rejoice in suffering? Easier said then done. But if you see all the good that can come from it and how God orchestrates it, it is much easier to rejoice.
Now, how do we deal with suffering?
"What does it mean to have courage in the face of suffering, pain, or even death? While our culture may idolize strength in adversity and tough self-reliance, courage has another side that many of us have not thought about much. It is revealed when our vulnerability is greatest and our own strength is exhausted."
-Rebecca Konydykk DeYoung
Ms. DeYoung here makes a valid point. The ultimate example of courage in suffering would be Christ during the final week of his life. Is it so hard to be courageous in our own sufferings when we compare what we are going through to what He went through? Of course not. Most of us aren't facing crucifixion, flogging, and mockery everyday.
Do you think it was easy for Christ to suffer like that? Here is what the Scripture says about it:
Matthew 26
36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
At this point, Christ gets a glimpse into the wrath of God, and He is terrified. Can you imagine a member of the Trinity being terrified? How great was God's wrath? It must have been unimaginable.
So, when we go through stuff, such as a job loss, a girlfriend breaking up with you, or even see someone die, is it so hard to be courageous? After all, Christ looked at the most terrifying thing in the universe, was momentarily scared, then after praying to His Father, went into the hurricane of God's wrath at full speed. That's courage. How much harder is it for us to be courageous and rejoicing in the midst of suffering? Compared to Christ, it should be quite easy for us.
That's why suffering is a blessing in disguise. It builds character, brings us closer to God, and strengthens us.
If anything, we should look forward to suffering.
Philippians 3
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
In Christ,
Hackett
-Robert B. Krushwitz
Why does God allow suffering?
I think Mr. Krushwitz explains why. Suffering advances the kingdom of God.
Before I continue, I would like to say why I am writing this. I have several friends that are going through stuff right now, one on my mind in paticular, and I hope this can help in some way...
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Is suffering a bad thing? I mean, sure it hurts, but I think it's more of a blessing in disguise. Let me explain.
The amazing thing about suffering is the outcome. No matter how bad the suffering is, most of the time, when we come through it, things are for the better. If they are not for the better, then hey, at least the suffering is gone. The point I'm trying to make here is that sometimes the lowest point you can ever hit will be when you are suffering. And when you hit rock bottom, and the only thing left to do is look up, things can only get better.
Romans 5:3
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Rejoice in suffering? Easier said then done. But if you see all the good that can come from it and how God orchestrates it, it is much easier to rejoice.
Now, how do we deal with suffering?
"What does it mean to have courage in the face of suffering, pain, or even death? While our culture may idolize strength in adversity and tough self-reliance, courage has another side that many of us have not thought about much. It is revealed when our vulnerability is greatest and our own strength is exhausted."
-Rebecca Konydykk DeYoung
Ms. DeYoung here makes a valid point. The ultimate example of courage in suffering would be Christ during the final week of his life. Is it so hard to be courageous in our own sufferings when we compare what we are going through to what He went through? Of course not. Most of us aren't facing crucifixion, flogging, and mockery everyday.
Do you think it was easy for Christ to suffer like that? Here is what the Scripture says about it:
Matthew 26
36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
At this point, Christ gets a glimpse into the wrath of God, and He is terrified. Can you imagine a member of the Trinity being terrified? How great was God's wrath? It must have been unimaginable.
So, when we go through stuff, such as a job loss, a girlfriend breaking up with you, or even see someone die, is it so hard to be courageous? After all, Christ looked at the most terrifying thing in the universe, was momentarily scared, then after praying to His Father, went into the hurricane of God's wrath at full speed. That's courage. How much harder is it for us to be courageous and rejoicing in the midst of suffering? Compared to Christ, it should be quite easy for us.
That's why suffering is a blessing in disguise. It builds character, brings us closer to God, and strengthens us.
If anything, we should look forward to suffering.
Philippians 3
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
In Christ,
Hackett
Monday, April 9, 2007
"The Way I See It"
Most of you are familiar with Starbucks, I'm sure. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of Starbucks, but that's not what this note is about.
I went to Starbucks last night with my good friend Evan (aka the midget.) Usually, about once a month we go somewhere with a goup of other guys and just hang out. Last night, it was just Evan and me. We were talking about the usual: girls, work, school, etc. Then we started talking about Christianity and religion.
It was at this point I looked down at my cup of nowhere near decent coffee that I just payed almost 5 dollars for, and saw one of those "The Way I See It" qoutes. I'm not usually a fan of those qoutes, but this one I read last night was very interesting, and it went right along with the conversation. It read:
"If I have given my all and still do not win, I haven’t lost. Others might remember winning or losing; I remember the journey."
-- Apolo Anton Ohno
Five-time Olympic medalist.
If you are a fan of the Winter Olympics, then you most likely know who this Apolo guy is. He is one of the best short track speed skaters in the world, and one of America's most favorite athletes.
But, even though I knew who he was, it was the quote that caught my eye.
"If I have given my all and still do not win, I haven’t lost. Others might remember winning or losing; I remember the journey."
The Journey. Wow, I don't know where Apolo stands religously, and this quote is definetly about his career, but what if it had been about the life of a Christian?
In our world today, its' about winning. If you lose, to bad; either win next time or give up. But in the middle of all that, we hear one of the world's most skilled athletes going against the tide.
"If I have given my all and still do not win, I haven’t lost. Others might remember winning or losing; I remember the journey."
The Journey...that word is so powerful to the Christian mind. You see, one of the major things that sets true Christians apart from the rest of the world is the fact that its' not all about winning. Very few people seem to understand that winning isn't everything. Yet, with the whole world screaming "Win, win, win!" there is an athlete, who gets paid to win, saying that it is not all about winning. It's about the Journey. Apolo remebers how he got to where he is today, and that is where he finds his joy. He doesn't find it in winning all the time, but sometimes he finds it in losing; because, you see, Apolo gets it: It's not about being right all the time or always winning. The Christian sees that too. A Christian can look back on his/her life and say "Wow, I have changed so much because of Christ. I have won and I have lost, I have conquered and I have failed, but my oh my, what a journey."
Personally, I applaud Apolo for understanding one of the real meanings of life, especially in the industry he is in where winning is everything. Shoot, I'll even applaud Starbucks for putting such a great quote among their many crappy ones on the side of an eco-friendly cup.
"The Way I See It."
I think the real meaning of Starbuck's little qoutes are about the meaning of life. Unfortunately, many of their quotes give a bad or wrong meaning to life.
"The Way I See It."
Maybe Starbucks should change it to: "The Way Apolo Sees It."
Because, out of all of those qoutes, one man has finally hit one of the main things about what life really is, especially life to a Christian.
In Christ,
Hackett
I went to Starbucks last night with my good friend Evan (aka the midget.) Usually, about once a month we go somewhere with a goup of other guys and just hang out. Last night, it was just Evan and me. We were talking about the usual: girls, work, school, etc. Then we started talking about Christianity and religion.
It was at this point I looked down at my cup of nowhere near decent coffee that I just payed almost 5 dollars for, and saw one of those "The Way I See It" qoutes. I'm not usually a fan of those qoutes, but this one I read last night was very interesting, and it went right along with the conversation. It read:
"If I have given my all and still do not win, I haven’t lost. Others might remember winning or losing; I remember the journey."
-- Apolo Anton Ohno
Five-time Olympic medalist.
If you are a fan of the Winter Olympics, then you most likely know who this Apolo guy is. He is one of the best short track speed skaters in the world, and one of America's most favorite athletes.
But, even though I knew who he was, it was the quote that caught my eye.
"If I have given my all and still do not win, I haven’t lost. Others might remember winning or losing; I remember the journey."
The Journey. Wow, I don't know where Apolo stands religously, and this quote is definetly about his career, but what if it had been about the life of a Christian?
In our world today, its' about winning. If you lose, to bad; either win next time or give up. But in the middle of all that, we hear one of the world's most skilled athletes going against the tide.
"If I have given my all and still do not win, I haven’t lost. Others might remember winning or losing; I remember the journey."
The Journey...that word is so powerful to the Christian mind. You see, one of the major things that sets true Christians apart from the rest of the world is the fact that its' not all about winning. Very few people seem to understand that winning isn't everything. Yet, with the whole world screaming "Win, win, win!" there is an athlete, who gets paid to win, saying that it is not all about winning. It's about the Journey. Apolo remebers how he got to where he is today, and that is where he finds his joy. He doesn't find it in winning all the time, but sometimes he finds it in losing; because, you see, Apolo gets it: It's not about being right all the time or always winning. The Christian sees that too. A Christian can look back on his/her life and say "Wow, I have changed so much because of Christ. I have won and I have lost, I have conquered and I have failed, but my oh my, what a journey."
Personally, I applaud Apolo for understanding one of the real meanings of life, especially in the industry he is in where winning is everything. Shoot, I'll even applaud Starbucks for putting such a great quote among their many crappy ones on the side of an eco-friendly cup.
"The Way I See It."
I think the real meaning of Starbuck's little qoutes are about the meaning of life. Unfortunately, many of their quotes give a bad or wrong meaning to life.
"The Way I See It."
Maybe Starbucks should change it to: "The Way Apolo Sees It."
Because, out of all of those qoutes, one man has finally hit one of the main things about what life really is, especially life to a Christian.
In Christ,
Hackett
The Doomsday Clock
"LONDON, England (AP) -- The world has nudged closer to a nuclear apocalypse and environmental disaster, a trans-Atlantic group of prominent scientists warned Wednesday, pushing the hand of its symbolic Doomsday Clock two minutes closer to midnight.
It was the fourth time since the end of the Cold War that the clock has ticked forward, this time from 11:53 to 11:55, amid fears over what the scientists are describing as "a second nuclear age" prompted largely by atomic standoffs with Iran and North Korea.
'As scientists, we understand the dangers of nuclear weapons and their devastating effects, and we are learning how human activities and technologies are affecting climate systems in ways that may forever change life on Earth,' said Stephen Hawking, the renowned cosmologist and mathematician.
'As citizens of the world, we have a duty to alert the public to the unnecessary risks that we live with every day, and to the perils we foresee if governments and societies do not take action now to render nuclear weapons obsolete and to prevent further climate change.'"
I'm not going to lie, the first time I heard about this "Doomsday Clock," I laughed. I couldn't believe that a group of some of the brightest scientific minds in the world would come together and create something this.....silly.
If you don't know how the clock works, its' quite simple: when the clock strikes midnight, one of two things wil happen. The first, the world ends, everyone dies, game over for Earth. The second, the Earth will become so crippled by the action, or inaction, of its inhabitants, that the majority of things will pass away. A few may survive, but the world will not be the same. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Of course, this is the opinion of a group of scientists, it does not actually mean this will happen.
Today, the hands on the clock rest on 11:55p.m., just a mere 5 minutes away from midnight. If this group of scientists is correct, hell on earth is right around the corner. Although the idea of a clock showing how close the world is to its' "midnight" may be slightly immature, I think these scientists make valid points in their arguements.
But doesn't it seem like there is something missing in their use of this "Doomsday Clock?" Something maybe left out of their arguements? Sure, the thought of nuclear bombs hitting cities worldwide is frightning. To think that in a single hour, all of civilization can perish because of mankind's inability to remember that we share this world with one another. But I noticed something missing in these arguements:
Where is God in all of this mess?
Would God really allow the world to commit suicide? After all, when put into perspective, that's what war is: humanity killing itself.
But back to the question.
I believe that these brilliant scientists have left out the biggest factor in this "Doomsday Clock": and that factor is God. Humanity gets away with a lot of crap, such as Darfar, the Holocaust, etc. But will God let humanity go to this extreme?
I for one can't speak the mind of God. I don't know of anyone who can. Therefore, I don't have an ansewer to this question, but I do have an opinion. My opinion: sure, its' possible, but unlikely. But my opinion is just one of millions, and that's not my point in writing this.
My point is to challenge whoever is reading this. Sure, the "Doomsday Clock" points to many scary things in this world, things that are a reality. But, this clock also points to something else: humanity is in a mess, and we can't get out of it alone. Something has gone terribly wrong in the world. This clock points out humanity's ultimate depravity, and our need for a Savior. Should mankind trust in itself to fix these problems, or should we trust God? My challenge: let God lead in your life. That's the beginning to the solution. Let's give God a chance to fix this, and it must start in the personnal lives of individual human beings. Let God lead in your life, and watch the small part of the world around you that occupy change for the better. Give it a try.
I await responses.
In His Love,
Hackett
It was the fourth time since the end of the Cold War that the clock has ticked forward, this time from 11:53 to 11:55, amid fears over what the scientists are describing as "a second nuclear age" prompted largely by atomic standoffs with Iran and North Korea.
'As scientists, we understand the dangers of nuclear weapons and their devastating effects, and we are learning how human activities and technologies are affecting climate systems in ways that may forever change life on Earth,' said Stephen Hawking, the renowned cosmologist and mathematician.
'As citizens of the world, we have a duty to alert the public to the unnecessary risks that we live with every day, and to the perils we foresee if governments and societies do not take action now to render nuclear weapons obsolete and to prevent further climate change.'"
I'm not going to lie, the first time I heard about this "Doomsday Clock," I laughed. I couldn't believe that a group of some of the brightest scientific minds in the world would come together and create something this.....silly.
If you don't know how the clock works, its' quite simple: when the clock strikes midnight, one of two things wil happen. The first, the world ends, everyone dies, game over for Earth. The second, the Earth will become so crippled by the action, or inaction, of its inhabitants, that the majority of things will pass away. A few may survive, but the world will not be the same. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Of course, this is the opinion of a group of scientists, it does not actually mean this will happen.
Today, the hands on the clock rest on 11:55p.m., just a mere 5 minutes away from midnight. If this group of scientists is correct, hell on earth is right around the corner. Although the idea of a clock showing how close the world is to its' "midnight" may be slightly immature, I think these scientists make valid points in their arguements.
But doesn't it seem like there is something missing in their use of this "Doomsday Clock?" Something maybe left out of their arguements? Sure, the thought of nuclear bombs hitting cities worldwide is frightning. To think that in a single hour, all of civilization can perish because of mankind's inability to remember that we share this world with one another. But I noticed something missing in these arguements:
Where is God in all of this mess?
Would God really allow the world to commit suicide? After all, when put into perspective, that's what war is: humanity killing itself.
But back to the question.
I believe that these brilliant scientists have left out the biggest factor in this "Doomsday Clock": and that factor is God. Humanity gets away with a lot of crap, such as Darfar, the Holocaust, etc. But will God let humanity go to this extreme?
I for one can't speak the mind of God. I don't know of anyone who can. Therefore, I don't have an ansewer to this question, but I do have an opinion. My opinion: sure, its' possible, but unlikely. But my opinion is just one of millions, and that's not my point in writing this.
My point is to challenge whoever is reading this. Sure, the "Doomsday Clock" points to many scary things in this world, things that are a reality. But, this clock also points to something else: humanity is in a mess, and we can't get out of it alone. Something has gone terribly wrong in the world. This clock points out humanity's ultimate depravity, and our need for a Savior. Should mankind trust in itself to fix these problems, or should we trust God? My challenge: let God lead in your life. That's the beginning to the solution. Let's give God a chance to fix this, and it must start in the personnal lives of individual human beings. Let God lead in your life, and watch the small part of the world around you that occupy change for the better. Give it a try.
I await responses.
In His Love,
Hackett
The Great Philosophical Question
I hear stories all the time from friends who have taken at least one philosophy class in college. After months of studying different philosophies and different religions, the exam comes around. Of course, everyone stays up ridiculously late studying, and then the day comes and they go into class to take the test. In their heads they are going over the material again and again, knowing that this will be a written exam. The teacher enters the room, goes straight to the board, and writes...
Why?
The teacher then sits down, opens a book, and starts to read.
Panic sets in, the students look around helplessly at one another. They wonder if this is some kind of joke. But its' not. The teacher continues to read, and the students begin to write everything they know about everything they've studied, all except for one. This student looks thoughtfully at the board for a few moments, writes a few words down on paper, then turns his test in, leaving. The professor continues to read.
The students all look at the door as closes with an ominous thud. "Well, guess he really didn't care," they think. They go back to writing.
Grades come in a month later. The majority of the students get D's of C's on their exam, all except for one, he received an A. Not to hard to guess which student that one was.
That student's answer was...
Why not?
Was this a sarcastic ansewer that the professor found amusing? No
This is the actual answer to a philosophy teacher's question. Why not? Seems simple enough, right?
In the mind of a philosophy professor, this answer is packed with so much infrormation that hundreds of books have been written about them and the things they relate too, modern music relates to them, all of humanity seems to be caught up in the "why not" without even knowing it. And I say it is perhaps the greatest danger to society today.
"Philosophy, being nothing but the study of wisdom and TRUTH..."
—George Berkeley, A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, Introduction, §1, emphasis added
Truth. What is truth? Philosopher's have been asking this question for centuries, and they've finally come up with their answer in the past few decades.
Their answer: there is no truth.
Well, that sucks for humanity I guess, at least if they are right. Before I continue though, I would like to make a quick point. Saying that there is no truth, that is a truth in itself. And considering there is no truth, at least in the philosopher's mind, that's seems sketchy. And if what they say is true, which it can't be because "truth" doesn't exist to them, then humanity has a huge problem, one that we can not fix.
This new philosophical theory is known as Post-modernism, and related to post-modernism is Existentialism, Pluralism, Nihilism, Reletivism and any other of the -ism's for the most part. While all of them have their differences, they all have one thing in common, no single supreme being, no God. And all of this packed into two little words.
I won't bore you with the details of each of these -ism's, but I would like to mention a few things about them.
1. Post-modernism- of, relating to, or being a theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language. In other words, a complete overhaul of society needs to be done, religion must be executed, and Christianity might be the only thing that stands in its' path. Problem: post-modernism claims that there is very little wrong in the world. Take a look around and tell me if that is true, because it isn't. Post-modernism also says there is no truth, which means there is no God, which means man is God. And if man is God, then we in deep trouble. Does that mean all decisions that man makes is bad? Of course not. But many are, and those are more easily noticed than the good ones.
2. Existentialism- a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad. In other words, we must take the consequences of our actions, and if their is an eternity, we are judged by those actions. Problem: if we are to be judged by our actions, then we should all burn in hell.
3. Pluralism- the theory that all paths lead to where they say they end. In other words, the Christian gets to Heaven, the Muslim gets to paradise, etc, the only rule is, however, that you cannot say your beleif is better than mine. The problem with this theory is that why would the "gods" of so many religions all agree to let everyone reach the endpoint of where that religion aims? And if the "gods" of these religions are all powerful, as many of them claim to be, then why would they allow a powerless being who would be beneath them be a "god"? Doesn't make sense.
Of course, many of these philosophies do carry truth in them, whether they say they do or not. One examlpe being pluralism. This philosophy mentions that Christianity is a truth. I beleive that it is "The Truth", but hey, at least a pluralist has a grain of truth in what they beleive.
So, what are some of the ending possibilities of these philosphies? What are the consequences? All actions and beleifs have consequences, even an existentialist would agree with that. We are even seeing some of the consequences now: the decay of morals in society, the loss of some religous freedoms worldwide, an increasing number of wars, the church taking less of a stand in the world, etc. If man is God, as the post-modernist says, we are doing a pretty crappy job, and here's why: We let our actions be affected by the actions of others around us. In other words, we let outside forces control what we do, and that's not the definition of the word god, in any culture. Thankfully for us, there is a God who doesn't let our actions affect his decisions.
All of this from two simple words that have become so dangerous to the world: Why not? And all of this I have written only scratches the surface.
In my opinion these two questions, the one the professor asked and the one the student ansewered with, should be reversed. Why? That seems like a better question to ask humanity. Why are we here? Why is the world the way it is? Why? Why? Why?
Why did a man have to die on cross? Why? Because we are not God. We couldn't get ourselves out of the pit we were born into, and God did something to start fixing it. Why? Because He is all-powerful and because He WANTED to, not because He had too, our descions don't affect HIs.
Why not?....................
Why?..............
Which of those questions are you willing to serve? Its' a choice we must all make. Underneath those two questions are the depths of depravity and the great heights of God's love. Which will you serve?
I await replies.
In Christ,
Hackett
Why?
The teacher then sits down, opens a book, and starts to read.
Panic sets in, the students look around helplessly at one another. They wonder if this is some kind of joke. But its' not. The teacher continues to read, and the students begin to write everything they know about everything they've studied, all except for one. This student looks thoughtfully at the board for a few moments, writes a few words down on paper, then turns his test in, leaving. The professor continues to read.
The students all look at the door as closes with an ominous thud. "Well, guess he really didn't care," they think. They go back to writing.
Grades come in a month later. The majority of the students get D's of C's on their exam, all except for one, he received an A. Not to hard to guess which student that one was.
That student's answer was...
Why not?
Was this a sarcastic ansewer that the professor found amusing? No
This is the actual answer to a philosophy teacher's question. Why not? Seems simple enough, right?
In the mind of a philosophy professor, this answer is packed with so much infrormation that hundreds of books have been written about them and the things they relate too, modern music relates to them, all of humanity seems to be caught up in the "why not" without even knowing it. And I say it is perhaps the greatest danger to society today.
"Philosophy, being nothing but the study of wisdom and TRUTH..."
—George Berkeley, A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, Introduction, §1, emphasis added
Truth. What is truth? Philosopher's have been asking this question for centuries, and they've finally come up with their answer in the past few decades.
Their answer: there is no truth.
Well, that sucks for humanity I guess, at least if they are right. Before I continue though, I would like to make a quick point. Saying that there is no truth, that is a truth in itself. And considering there is no truth, at least in the philosopher's mind, that's seems sketchy. And if what they say is true, which it can't be because "truth" doesn't exist to them, then humanity has a huge problem, one that we can not fix.
This new philosophical theory is known as Post-modernism, and related to post-modernism is Existentialism, Pluralism, Nihilism, Reletivism and any other of the -ism's for the most part. While all of them have their differences, they all have one thing in common, no single supreme being, no God. And all of this packed into two little words.
I won't bore you with the details of each of these -ism's, but I would like to mention a few things about them.
1. Post-modernism- of, relating to, or being a theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language. In other words, a complete overhaul of society needs to be done, religion must be executed, and Christianity might be the only thing that stands in its' path. Problem: post-modernism claims that there is very little wrong in the world. Take a look around and tell me if that is true, because it isn't. Post-modernism also says there is no truth, which means there is no God, which means man is God. And if man is God, then we in deep trouble. Does that mean all decisions that man makes is bad? Of course not. But many are, and those are more easily noticed than the good ones.
2. Existentialism- a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad. In other words, we must take the consequences of our actions, and if their is an eternity, we are judged by those actions. Problem: if we are to be judged by our actions, then we should all burn in hell.
3. Pluralism- the theory that all paths lead to where they say they end. In other words, the Christian gets to Heaven, the Muslim gets to paradise, etc, the only rule is, however, that you cannot say your beleif is better than mine. The problem with this theory is that why would the "gods" of so many religions all agree to let everyone reach the endpoint of where that religion aims? And if the "gods" of these religions are all powerful, as many of them claim to be, then why would they allow a powerless being who would be beneath them be a "god"? Doesn't make sense.
Of course, many of these philosophies do carry truth in them, whether they say they do or not. One examlpe being pluralism. This philosophy mentions that Christianity is a truth. I beleive that it is "The Truth", but hey, at least a pluralist has a grain of truth in what they beleive.
So, what are some of the ending possibilities of these philosphies? What are the consequences? All actions and beleifs have consequences, even an existentialist would agree with that. We are even seeing some of the consequences now: the decay of morals in society, the loss of some religous freedoms worldwide, an increasing number of wars, the church taking less of a stand in the world, etc. If man is God, as the post-modernist says, we are doing a pretty crappy job, and here's why: We let our actions be affected by the actions of others around us. In other words, we let outside forces control what we do, and that's not the definition of the word god, in any culture. Thankfully for us, there is a God who doesn't let our actions affect his decisions.
All of this from two simple words that have become so dangerous to the world: Why not? And all of this I have written only scratches the surface.
In my opinion these two questions, the one the professor asked and the one the student ansewered with, should be reversed. Why? That seems like a better question to ask humanity. Why are we here? Why is the world the way it is? Why? Why? Why?
Why did a man have to die on cross? Why? Because we are not God. We couldn't get ourselves out of the pit we were born into, and God did something to start fixing it. Why? Because He is all-powerful and because He WANTED to, not because He had too, our descions don't affect HIs.
Why not?....................
Why?..............
Which of those questions are you willing to serve? Its' a choice we must all make. Underneath those two questions are the depths of depravity and the great heights of God's love. Which will you serve?
I await replies.
In Christ,
Hackett
The Missionary
Sister Dorothy Stang, and American sister of Notre Dame and naturalized Brazilian citizen, was killed at Anapu, Brazil, on February 12, 2006. An outspoken defender of indigenous tribes, she had received several death threats before her assassination.
This is the fourth name on the list of missionaries that were martyred the Vatican sends out every year. The list goes up to 26. Of course, Sister Stang is just one of the many Catholic and Protestant missionaries and beleivers that are martyred every year. In the year 2002, there were an estimated 160,000 Christian martyrs that sacrificed their lives for the cause of Christ, and the numbers continue to go up every year.
Obviously, the life of a missionary is a dangerous one. Thousands have have been flogged, cruciifed, shot, tortured, hung, poisened, decapitated, and drowned. And these are just a few of the ways the world has perfected the way of making martrys for Christ.
So, who is meant to be a missionary?
For starters, it seems that missionaries are a rare breed. They are called by God to do his work in this world. And the majority of us are not called to go to the most dangerous corners of the world and risk our lives for the church. However, we all are called to support missionaries, and become a missionary if we are called to it. The Bible tells us to always pray for those who go outside of their safety zone to help others. Monetary support is always a must as well, as is food and medicines.
Why are some of us not meant to be mssionaries?
Few people on earth would dare try to sneak into North Korea to bring the gospel to a nation that kills Christians relentlessly. My point, the life of a missionary is only for the most brave of Christ's followers. A good example of this is a story I once heard about a missionary and his followers in China nearly a decade ago. The Chinesse army caught them in a "religious service." They were all laid down on a road, and were asked to denounce Christ. They all refused, and a Chinesse army official was ordered to have a steamroller crush all of them. As the steamroller crushed their bodies, the missionary lead his follwers in singing "This Is My Fathers World." No one survived.
What can we do to help?
Missionaries always need prayer, supplies, and protection. Protection? Yes. We can protect our missionaries through letters. Several missionaries have been captured over the years, and after an overwhelming number of letters from supporters around the globe, political pressure on the countries that have captured these missionaries becomes so great that the missionaries are set free.
There are several organizations that organize these "letter writings" such as VOM(The Voice of the Martrys).
Also, one doesn't have to be a missionary to spread the gospel. Local areas around you are also good places to spread the Word, you can do this at work, school, anywhere. I hope you consider these thoughts.
The day of Christ's return gets closer every day, and the stakes are being raised. It's time to step up and make a difference.
In Christ,
Hackett
This is the fourth name on the list of missionaries that were martyred the Vatican sends out every year. The list goes up to 26. Of course, Sister Stang is just one of the many Catholic and Protestant missionaries and beleivers that are martyred every year. In the year 2002, there were an estimated 160,000 Christian martyrs that sacrificed their lives for the cause of Christ, and the numbers continue to go up every year.
Obviously, the life of a missionary is a dangerous one. Thousands have have been flogged, cruciifed, shot, tortured, hung, poisened, decapitated, and drowned. And these are just a few of the ways the world has perfected the way of making martrys for Christ.
So, who is meant to be a missionary?
For starters, it seems that missionaries are a rare breed. They are called by God to do his work in this world. And the majority of us are not called to go to the most dangerous corners of the world and risk our lives for the church. However, we all are called to support missionaries, and become a missionary if we are called to it. The Bible tells us to always pray for those who go outside of their safety zone to help others. Monetary support is always a must as well, as is food and medicines.
Why are some of us not meant to be mssionaries?
Few people on earth would dare try to sneak into North Korea to bring the gospel to a nation that kills Christians relentlessly. My point, the life of a missionary is only for the most brave of Christ's followers. A good example of this is a story I once heard about a missionary and his followers in China nearly a decade ago. The Chinesse army caught them in a "religious service." They were all laid down on a road, and were asked to denounce Christ. They all refused, and a Chinesse army official was ordered to have a steamroller crush all of them. As the steamroller crushed their bodies, the missionary lead his follwers in singing "This Is My Fathers World." No one survived.
What can we do to help?
Missionaries always need prayer, supplies, and protection. Protection? Yes. We can protect our missionaries through letters. Several missionaries have been captured over the years, and after an overwhelming number of letters from supporters around the globe, political pressure on the countries that have captured these missionaries becomes so great that the missionaries are set free.
There are several organizations that organize these "letter writings" such as VOM(The Voice of the Martrys).
Also, one doesn't have to be a missionary to spread the gospel. Local areas around you are also good places to spread the Word, you can do this at work, school, anywhere. I hope you consider these thoughts.
The day of Christ's return gets closer every day, and the stakes are being raised. It's time to step up and make a difference.
In Christ,
Hackett
The AIDS Issue
At the World Bank, an internal study found what South African economist Alan Whiteside ridiculed as a “silver lining” in the plague.
“If the only effect of the AIDS epidemic were to reduce the population growth rate, it would increase the growth rate of per capita income in any plausible economic model,” said the June 1992 report by the bank’s population and human resources department. Exactly that had happened in the 14th century, the report said, with the bubonic plague. The report did not conclude that AIDS would be a benefit to Africa, even in strictly economic terms, but it hardly marked a clarion call to action.
“Only the World Bank would put that on paper,” Whiteside said.
— Barton Gellman, The Belated Global Response to AIDS in Africa, Washington Post, Wednesday, July 5, 2000; Page A01
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read this. The World Bank talking about how AIDS can be a stimulant to the African economy. Unbelievable.
Aids claims 3.1 million lives a year in sub-Saharan Africa alone, this does not include the entire world. It seems to be the one disease that continues to refuse submission to vaccines. There is still no cure. According to the World Bank, 3.1 million people dying a year is a cheap price to pay if it means making the African economy better.
So, where did this disease come from? It seems to be far beyond human control.
Were there any warnings before this disease came? Well, there are a few. Here they are:
'The Bible' contains a number of writings from different authors over several hundreds of years. The message is clear: Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination" [Leviticus 18:22, King James Version, and henceforth. The penalty for such a behavior, which is committed on a regular basis by approximately 10% of the sexually active population is not insignificant: If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them"[Leviticus 20:13].
Considering that HIV/AIDS is mostly a problem in the homosexual community, I'd say the Bible hits it right on. Unfortunately for humanity, this disease has invaded the general public as well, in other words the heterosexual population. I think it's pretty clear why the Bible says dozens of times to avoid sexual immoralty.
I think most of us would agree that we are residing in the end times right now. I also think most of us would agree that Satan still holds dominion over this world, C.S. Lewis even once wrote: "Enemy occupied territory...that is what this world is." This is obvious to the fact that there is still war, diseases, and poverty that plague the world that we live in.
"Revelation 6:7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" 8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth."
Kinda weird isn't it? To think that we are living in these verses right now. HIV/AIDS seems to fit into the portion "plague" in these verses. Of course this could also be other diseases: such as flu or mad cow disease. After all, diseases and illnesses are the number one killer of the human population in today's world. Either way, the world takes no notice of biblical prophicies, and we continue on our way.
Well, what are we as Christians called to do about AIDS, and other illnesses for that matter? The Apostle Paul instructs Christians to wage war against the sin in themselves (Romans 6), and to wage war against the evil one (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Unless you are a sadist, you would agree with me that diseases are not good things, they are of an evil nature. If we are to wage war against the evil one, that includes all of his devices in hurting us as well. Many Christians donate monies to charity or to their churches, thinking that donating to the fight against cancer of AIDS is not as useful. Well guess what? It is useful. These diseases are responsible for killing off humanity, and it is our job to fight it.
If you have no idea where you could donate money, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital or a check written to the World Health Organization are good places to start. Many of these organizations are not Christian-based, but that doesn't mean that Christ's will can not be achieved through them.
It's time to make a difference.
In Christ,
Hackett
“If the only effect of the AIDS epidemic were to reduce the population growth rate, it would increase the growth rate of per capita income in any plausible economic model,” said the June 1992 report by the bank’s population and human resources department. Exactly that had happened in the 14th century, the report said, with the bubonic plague. The report did not conclude that AIDS would be a benefit to Africa, even in strictly economic terms, but it hardly marked a clarion call to action.
“Only the World Bank would put that on paper,” Whiteside said.
— Barton Gellman, The Belated Global Response to AIDS in Africa, Washington Post, Wednesday, July 5, 2000; Page A01
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read this. The World Bank talking about how AIDS can be a stimulant to the African economy. Unbelievable.
Aids claims 3.1 million lives a year in sub-Saharan Africa alone, this does not include the entire world. It seems to be the one disease that continues to refuse submission to vaccines. There is still no cure. According to the World Bank, 3.1 million people dying a year is a cheap price to pay if it means making the African economy better.
So, where did this disease come from? It seems to be far beyond human control.
Were there any warnings before this disease came? Well, there are a few. Here they are:
'The Bible' contains a number of writings from different authors over several hundreds of years. The message is clear: Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination" [Leviticus 18:22, King James Version, and henceforth. The penalty for such a behavior, which is committed on a regular basis by approximately 10% of the sexually active population is not insignificant: If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them"[Leviticus 20:13].
Considering that HIV/AIDS is mostly a problem in the homosexual community, I'd say the Bible hits it right on. Unfortunately for humanity, this disease has invaded the general public as well, in other words the heterosexual population. I think it's pretty clear why the Bible says dozens of times to avoid sexual immoralty.
I think most of us would agree that we are residing in the end times right now. I also think most of us would agree that Satan still holds dominion over this world, C.S. Lewis even once wrote: "Enemy occupied territory...that is what this world is." This is obvious to the fact that there is still war, diseases, and poverty that plague the world that we live in.
"Revelation 6:7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" 8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth."
Kinda weird isn't it? To think that we are living in these verses right now. HIV/AIDS seems to fit into the portion "plague" in these verses. Of course this could also be other diseases: such as flu or mad cow disease. After all, diseases and illnesses are the number one killer of the human population in today's world. Either way, the world takes no notice of biblical prophicies, and we continue on our way.
Well, what are we as Christians called to do about AIDS, and other illnesses for that matter? The Apostle Paul instructs Christians to wage war against the sin in themselves (Romans 6), and to wage war against the evil one (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Unless you are a sadist, you would agree with me that diseases are not good things, they are of an evil nature. If we are to wage war against the evil one, that includes all of his devices in hurting us as well. Many Christians donate monies to charity or to their churches, thinking that donating to the fight against cancer of AIDS is not as useful. Well guess what? It is useful. These diseases are responsible for killing off humanity, and it is our job to fight it.
If you have no idea where you could donate money, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital or a check written to the World Health Organization are good places to start. Many of these organizations are not Christian-based, but that doesn't mean that Christ's will can not be achieved through them.
It's time to make a difference.
In Christ,
Hackett
Peace in the Middle East: The Solution
Peace in the Middle East? A solution? You're probably thinking: yeah...right. Well, I think I got it. No one will ever try to attempt this solution, but, whatever, people need to know. Here is a list of some of the problems in the Middle East, and their solutions. There's a single solution to all of these problems, but I'll state that one at the end.
1. Israel vs. Palestinians
This is obviously a problem. The Palestinians want their own country, and Israel's not giving them the land to have one. I think its' safe to say that most of the world thinks Israel is in the wrong here, after all, Israel is just being "intolerant." Well, sorry to bust your bubble if you think Israel is wrong here, but Israel is in the right. Why? Take a look at Genesis 15:18-21 "On that day, God made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river the Euphrates. The land of the Kenites, Kenizites, Kadmonites; the Hittites, Perizzites, Refaim; the Emorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.'" In other words, the land that Israel is on RIGHT NOW is GOD-ORDAINED for them. So, the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and all the other "hot zones" belong to Israel. Even some parts of modern day Lebanon belong to Isreal. Solution: Give up Palestinians, you're not fighting Israel, you're fighting God.
2. Arms Control
As of right now, there are only a handful of nations in the "World's Elite Nuclear Club." However, many unstable nations are beginning to experiment with nuclear devices, mostly weapons. One of these countries is Iran. The money for this nuclear funding comes from the selling of oil to the West. There are several problems and potential problems here, a few being: terrorists or extremists getting their hands on nuclear weapons, a mishandling of radioactive material that could cause death to a multitude of people, and other nations feeling threatened by there neighbor who now has the capability to blow them off of the map. Let's go with the last problem in that list for a minute. What's the natural reaction of a non-nuclear nation whose unstable neighbor just became a nuclear nation? To bolster their defenses and eventually create their own nuclear technology. And what is the rest of the "Eltie Nuclear Club" doing to prevent this: nothing. So what's the solution here? Economic sanctions obviously aren't doing anything. For one, switch to some other kind of energy supply, besides oil. This would cut off the funding for creating nuclear weapons. Another would be something a bit stronger than sanctions, maybe have the UN do something for once in its existence.
3. Middle East Situation Spills Over Into Africa
After World War II, dozens of nations in the Middle east and around the world, especially in Africa, broke away from their colonial rulers. As the Cold War became an ever increasing threat, both the West and the Soviet Union poured money and resources into Third World countries. As these superpowers weapons improved, however, old and outdated weapons were dumped into the Middle East and into Africa. In fact, 1.5 billion dollars in weapons alone has come from the U.S. to Africa. This, plus the inability to compete in the world market, has caused some of the wost violence that the world has ever seen. Today, in Africa alone, there have been over 9.5 million refugees and millions slaughtered by their own corrupt governments. Had this occurred in Europe, it would be known as World War III. Humanitarian aid to Africa occurred on and off during the Cold War, but the Cold War is over. Aid to Africa increased throughout the 1990s, but in our post 9/11 world today, the West only seems concerned for matters that is directly involved in, mainly "the War on Terror." This "war" should be called "the War on Terror that affects America." Are Darfur and the 28 other sub-Saharan nations that have been to war since 1980 not acts of terrorism as well? What about Rwanda? The U.S. lead West isn't in "a War on Terror," it's in a "War on Terror to protect themselves." To the West and Western Media, terrorism only exists where the West can be hurt by terrorism. The purely evil events in Angola, Rwanda, Darfur, and the rest of troubled Africa is not terrorism, as far as the West is concerned. Sure, the West sends humanitarian aid, and yes Africa needs that, but what the lost people of Africa need even more is an end to the violence. So, what's the solution here? Isaiah 1:16-17“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” The "Christian West" should have done this a long time ago, Africa is full "evil deeds" and no one is "defending the cause of the fatherless" or "pleading the case of the widow." I honestly don't care how liberal all of these thoughts sound, this verse from Isiah is a direct command from God to do something about places like Darfur and Rwanda. And what are we doing? Nothing. I think most of you would agree that the events of Darfur and other "hot spots" in Africa are pure evil and sin at it's lowest most base form. And what are we as Christians commanded to do about these things?
Ephesians 6:11-18"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm them, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
This verse is awesome. It talks about fighting anything from the devil. Notice that there is only one weapon of defense: the shield of faith. Every other weapon is offensive. We must face the devil and overcome him without letting him attack humanity first. And we're letting the evil one massacre humanity in Africa.
If you got to this point, congrats, I know this is lengthy, and I'm almost done.
4. The Ultimate Solution
Would you believe that there is an ultimate solution to a these problems? One that overrides all evil? There is, and its' Christ. When He returns all of these problems will be over. Until then though, we are called to fight the evil one wherever he is to be found, and right now, it looks like that's in Middle East, Africa, and the Far East. So what can we do to help? There are dozens of organizations that carry on the fight alone, and they need all the help that they can get. Missions focus on bringing the gospel, missions need to focus on bringing the gospel, aid, and protection for those who can't defend themselves. I think many Christians realize today that spiritual warfare does exist, but most Christians don't realize that spiritual warfare spills over into the physical world, and the fight must be fought there too. We gave the UN a chance, and they did absolutely nothing. It's time for us to step up.
In His Love,
Hackett
1. Israel vs. Palestinians
This is obviously a problem. The Palestinians want their own country, and Israel's not giving them the land to have one. I think its' safe to say that most of the world thinks Israel is in the wrong here, after all, Israel is just being "intolerant." Well, sorry to bust your bubble if you think Israel is wrong here, but Israel is in the right. Why? Take a look at Genesis 15:18-21 "On that day, God made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river the Euphrates. The land of the Kenites, Kenizites, Kadmonites; the Hittites, Perizzites, Refaim; the Emorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.'" In other words, the land that Israel is on RIGHT NOW is GOD-ORDAINED for them. So, the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and all the other "hot zones" belong to Israel. Even some parts of modern day Lebanon belong to Isreal. Solution: Give up Palestinians, you're not fighting Israel, you're fighting God.
2. Arms Control
As of right now, there are only a handful of nations in the "World's Elite Nuclear Club." However, many unstable nations are beginning to experiment with nuclear devices, mostly weapons. One of these countries is Iran. The money for this nuclear funding comes from the selling of oil to the West. There are several problems and potential problems here, a few being: terrorists or extremists getting their hands on nuclear weapons, a mishandling of radioactive material that could cause death to a multitude of people, and other nations feeling threatened by there neighbor who now has the capability to blow them off of the map. Let's go with the last problem in that list for a minute. What's the natural reaction of a non-nuclear nation whose unstable neighbor just became a nuclear nation? To bolster their defenses and eventually create their own nuclear technology. And what is the rest of the "Eltie Nuclear Club" doing to prevent this: nothing. So what's the solution here? Economic sanctions obviously aren't doing anything. For one, switch to some other kind of energy supply, besides oil. This would cut off the funding for creating nuclear weapons. Another would be something a bit stronger than sanctions, maybe have the UN do something for once in its existence.
3. Middle East Situation Spills Over Into Africa
After World War II, dozens of nations in the Middle east and around the world, especially in Africa, broke away from their colonial rulers. As the Cold War became an ever increasing threat, both the West and the Soviet Union poured money and resources into Third World countries. As these superpowers weapons improved, however, old and outdated weapons were dumped into the Middle East and into Africa. In fact, 1.5 billion dollars in weapons alone has come from the U.S. to Africa. This, plus the inability to compete in the world market, has caused some of the wost violence that the world has ever seen. Today, in Africa alone, there have been over 9.5 million refugees and millions slaughtered by their own corrupt governments. Had this occurred in Europe, it would be known as World War III. Humanitarian aid to Africa occurred on and off during the Cold War, but the Cold War is over. Aid to Africa increased throughout the 1990s, but in our post 9/11 world today, the West only seems concerned for matters that is directly involved in, mainly "the War on Terror." This "war" should be called "the War on Terror that affects America." Are Darfur and the 28 other sub-Saharan nations that have been to war since 1980 not acts of terrorism as well? What about Rwanda? The U.S. lead West isn't in "a War on Terror," it's in a "War on Terror to protect themselves." To the West and Western Media, terrorism only exists where the West can be hurt by terrorism. The purely evil events in Angola, Rwanda, Darfur, and the rest of troubled Africa is not terrorism, as far as the West is concerned. Sure, the West sends humanitarian aid, and yes Africa needs that, but what the lost people of Africa need even more is an end to the violence. So, what's the solution here? Isaiah 1:16-17“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” The "Christian West" should have done this a long time ago, Africa is full "evil deeds" and no one is "defending the cause of the fatherless" or "pleading the case of the widow." I honestly don't care how liberal all of these thoughts sound, this verse from Isiah is a direct command from God to do something about places like Darfur and Rwanda. And what are we doing? Nothing. I think most of you would agree that the events of Darfur and other "hot spots" in Africa are pure evil and sin at it's lowest most base form. And what are we as Christians commanded to do about these things?
Ephesians 6:11-18"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm them, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
This verse is awesome. It talks about fighting anything from the devil. Notice that there is only one weapon of defense: the shield of faith. Every other weapon is offensive. We must face the devil and overcome him without letting him attack humanity first. And we're letting the evil one massacre humanity in Africa.
If you got to this point, congrats, I know this is lengthy, and I'm almost done.
4. The Ultimate Solution
Would you believe that there is an ultimate solution to a these problems? One that overrides all evil? There is, and its' Christ. When He returns all of these problems will be over. Until then though, we are called to fight the evil one wherever he is to be found, and right now, it looks like that's in Middle East, Africa, and the Far East. So what can we do to help? There are dozens of organizations that carry on the fight alone, and they need all the help that they can get. Missions focus on bringing the gospel, missions need to focus on bringing the gospel, aid, and protection for those who can't defend themselves. I think many Christians realize today that spiritual warfare does exist, but most Christians don't realize that spiritual warfare spills over into the physical world, and the fight must be fought there too. We gave the UN a chance, and they did absolutely nothing. It's time for us to step up.
In His Love,
Hackett
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Post-modernism in Dying America
This is going to be a long one, so get serious about reading it before you start:
So, I was reading my bible and thinking the other day about the world that we live in, and how things seem to be getting worse every day. I was trying to figure out why and how things have gotten the way that they have, and these are a few of the reasons that I came up with.
1. The Fall 2. Man's continous rebelllion against God. 3. Post-modernism
I'll briefly state my thoughts on the first two, due to their simplicity.
1. The Fall- This is what started all the problems we expeirence in today's post-modern world. Adam and Eve disobeyed God, plunging the world into sin and darkness.
2. Man's Unending Rebellion- After the Fall, mankind continually choses everything over God, and the world steadily began to grow worse and more unstable. Even after the death of Christ, the world still continued and continues to spiral out of control. The only difference, forgiveness is now offered.
These first two are what have brought us to today's world, and now, even as you are reading this, man's rebellion against God has been fully renewed in a different and terrifying way.
3. Post-modernism- Ever since Earth was created, mankind has replaced its' Creator with another god. Some examples of these are idols, imaginery "gods", and satanic pagan practices. But now, mankind is no longer doing this. Instead of man trading God for "gods," mankind is exchanging God for no God. No more idols, paganism, etc. Instead, mankind is leaving any form of religion or God behind. However, post-modernism, though it says there is no God, still places a "god" on the throne: Man himself. And so we are ushered into a new era, where mankind is nearing "perfection." I only have one question to ask to the post-modernist: If mankind is God, then why can't we find a solution to the violence that rules the world today? I mean, seriously, we've been trying for thousands of years. If you say that there is no problem in the world today, then why do people commit suicide, why do kids bring guns to school, why are planes hijacked and flown into buildings, why are goverments killing their own citizens, why are there so many opposing idealogies in the world, why do people get hurt from relationships, etc.? Post-modernism says the world is going one way when, in reality, the world is going in the complete opposite direction. We aren't nearing perfection, we're swiftly closing in to a Spiritual Dark Ages. And the fallout can be seen everywhere: shrinking religous freedom for Christians, more and more corruption in government, and an escalating number of wars in the world. And what happens when, in the future, we will be ushered into the Spirtual Dark Age? Answer: Hell on Earth, literally.
Let me know what you think.
In Christ(the solution to the world's problems),
Hackett
So, I was reading my bible and thinking the other day about the world that we live in, and how things seem to be getting worse every day. I was trying to figure out why and how things have gotten the way that they have, and these are a few of the reasons that I came up with.
1. The Fall 2. Man's continous rebelllion against God. 3. Post-modernism
I'll briefly state my thoughts on the first two, due to their simplicity.
1. The Fall- This is what started all the problems we expeirence in today's post-modern world. Adam and Eve disobeyed God, plunging the world into sin and darkness.
2. Man's Unending Rebellion- After the Fall, mankind continually choses everything over God, and the world steadily began to grow worse and more unstable. Even after the death of Christ, the world still continued and continues to spiral out of control. The only difference, forgiveness is now offered.
These first two are what have brought us to today's world, and now, even as you are reading this, man's rebellion against God has been fully renewed in a different and terrifying way.
3. Post-modernism- Ever since Earth was created, mankind has replaced its' Creator with another god. Some examples of these are idols, imaginery "gods", and satanic pagan practices. But now, mankind is no longer doing this. Instead of man trading God for "gods," mankind is exchanging God for no God. No more idols, paganism, etc. Instead, mankind is leaving any form of religion or God behind. However, post-modernism, though it says there is no God, still places a "god" on the throne: Man himself. And so we are ushered into a new era, where mankind is nearing "perfection." I only have one question to ask to the post-modernist: If mankind is God, then why can't we find a solution to the violence that rules the world today? I mean, seriously, we've been trying for thousands of years. If you say that there is no problem in the world today, then why do people commit suicide, why do kids bring guns to school, why are planes hijacked and flown into buildings, why are goverments killing their own citizens, why are there so many opposing idealogies in the world, why do people get hurt from relationships, etc.? Post-modernism says the world is going one way when, in reality, the world is going in the complete opposite direction. We aren't nearing perfection, we're swiftly closing in to a Spiritual Dark Ages. And the fallout can be seen everywhere: shrinking religous freedom for Christians, more and more corruption in government, and an escalating number of wars in the world. And what happens when, in the future, we will be ushered into the Spirtual Dark Age? Answer: Hell on Earth, literally.
Let me know what you think.
In Christ(the solution to the world's problems),
Hackett
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