Death of a Celebrity

26 June 2009

 With the passing of Ed McMahon a few days ago and the passing of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson just yesterday I thought I would put down a few thoughts.

 First, I am really very upset with comments that people have to make about this. Whether or not you like a celebrity, they just so happen to be somebody’s loved one. Somebody is mourning over their death. And because they are in the public eye, of course the news is going to make something of it. It is news. It is sad. No matter who dies, it’s sad to lose a loved one.

 I think it gives us all a dose of reality that tells us just how mortal we all really are. No matter how famous a person may be, they are subject to the same fate as the rest of us. But it doesn’t lessen the loss one may feel for them.

 I notice most negative comments are being made about Michael Jackson, not so much Ed or Farrah. But what the younger crowd seems to not be thinking about is that Michael’s death was both untimely and unexpected. So they have to realize there is going to be a shock factor involved with this. Ed McMahon was rather old and not doing so well. And of course we all knew just how much Farrah was suffering with her cancer. It was just a matter of time for her. But even her death was untimely, in this day and age her death at 62 years of age, is still on the young side.

 But these people were famous, they were household names. Is it wrong to feel compassion for their families and to feel a little grief oneself over their death’s?

 Let’s take Michael’s death here because this is the one that has me most upset. People are calling him names, saying he was a pervert, that he was weird and their comments are who cares that he died. Well, first of all, he was found Not Guilty on the molestation charges and I for one never believed them in the first place. And yes, Michael did seem to have some personal problems. But he was also the king of pop, he rocked our generation with some of the best music we have ever had. He was a very talented performer and music just wouldn’t be the same without his contribution.

 Michael has been in the public eye since he was 5 years old. That means he has been in the public eye for the past 45 years. That is a long time. He lived in a glass house or glass bubble, whatever the term is. And no matter what he did was scrutinized and made headline news around the world. But what people seem to forget is that he was a human being just like the rest of us. And he had a soul just like the rest of us. I for one hope and pray that he cared for his soul and that he is in heaven. No one knows for sure, that is between him and God. But it is my hope and prayer.

 But can’t we all just bow our heads and pay a little tribute to what these fine folks brought into our lives? Ed McMahon with his “Heeeeeeeere’s Johnny” phrase, Farrah with her beautiful looks and her gorgeous locks, and Michael for all the fine music he brought into our lives.

 I for one am saddened by the loss of each one of these celebrities. And I for one am thankful for the entertainment they brought into my life. And it is my prayer that each one of them may Rest In Peace.

 So for now…

Local Cafe’s with Free Wi-Fi

21 June 2009

 Since I have been regularly going to the Café for an hour or so as discussed with my doctor, I have found another local Café to frequent. There’s a great website that lists local free Wi-Fi Spots for your area. You just have to choose your State then look for your town or towns nearby. The website is

http://www.wififreespot.com/

 I started off by going to the local Paneras on a regular basis but wanted to see if there were other local places to visit. There are only two local Café’s that offer free Wi-Fi but it’s nice to have the change. I wish we had more Café’s and I’d like to see one or two move into my part of the city. But for now I’m happy with the two I visit.

 I like Paneras, don’t get me wrong. I believe they are a national chain. The Café is good sized, plenty of room for plenty of patrons. They have a nice fireplace you can sit by. They have plenty of windows to sit by. It’s very light and bright in the section where the windows are. But then they have a section that is off to the side and there are no windows. It’s a bit more quiet and private. So it’s nice if you want to meet up with somebody to have an intimate chat with. And of course they have great breads, pastries, Panini’s and salads. They offer four choices of coffee, which sometimes I find frustrating because my coffee of choice seems to always be empty and I have to choose a different one. I generally prefer the light roast, but end up with the decaffeinated. Although the other day I did try the dark roast and thought it was very good. I just added extra milk to it.

 The new place I found is not a chain they are just one Café and are going to be opening another this summer. I’d like to see them open one in my town and maybe as they grow they will. They’re in a great spot, almost across the street from one of the local Colleges. The name of the place is Hot Table and they got their name from the small Café’s one finds on the streets of Italy. It’s a nice place, smaller than Paneras but they have a greater selection of Panini’s. They offer two coffee choices Boston Blend which is a medium roast and Seattle Blend which is a dark roast. I like the Boston Blend and it’s kind of nice because it feels local.

 They have great music I love their station and wish they displayed which station they listen to. It’s obviously a cable or pay radio station because there are no commercials but it’s not your typical elevator music. It is music with singing and the songs are familiar but sung by younger musicians. It’s not music that would put you to sleep and it’s not music that would rock you off your seat either. The people are very helpful and friendly and they offer a free refill on the Boston or Seattle blend coffees. They also offer flavors but I don’t do flavors so I’m not quite sure what they are.

 So all in all, now that I’ve been doing this outing on a regular basis it’s nice to have two places to choose from. I wish there were more I hope Café’s catch on more in the area. I’m amazed that out of all the local cities and towns there are only two Café’s that offer free Wi-Fi. So, I’m hoping more will pop up in the near future. But in the mean time, I’m happy with these two places. It’s great coffee and it’s a great outing for me. The doctor was right it is good therapy for me. While I don’t feel so awkward anymore and I can get lost into doing something on the computer I’m also not really alone yet I’m not dealing with people, if that makes sense.

 So there you have it, two good reviews for two local Café’s with free Wi-Fi. It’s nice, I enjoy the good coffee and it’s even better when my friend comes along with me. Neither place rushes you or are in a hurry to get rid of you. As a matter of fact, I think they would let you sit there all day if you so desired. It’s nice to get out of the apartment on a semi-regular basis and it also gives me time to do some writing and research on the computer. Over all I’m glad the doctor recommended it and I’m glad I played along. I look forward to it even though I generally go by myself.

 Not your typical blog but until next time…

 

So for now…

Where Am I Going

23 May 2009

 I think I’m just going to rant. I have been trying to take a nap to no avail and my brain is running a mile a minute. I have been thinking about many things I’d like to say in my blog. I have written the blog several times in my head. But now that I’m sitting here to type, I have no clue how I had it all planned out. It’s weird how I do that, I think about it and I know what I want to say but then when I sit down I can’t say what I wanted.

 Anyway at 48 years old I’ve been going through a lot of different things. Emotions, thoughts, etc. and I have attributed it to my Mid-life Crisis. I read a book about it. It seems I’m at the age, but the problem is, I’ve been suffering with this for a few years now. Some days it’s much worse than others.

 Also, I suffer from severe clinical depression so I think those thoughts and feelings don’t help matters much. I have been giving a lot of thought and feelings into where I’m at in life, what I want, where I’m going, etc. and I thought I’d try to put it in writing maybe to help me make some sense of things.

 I have told my doctor a few weeks ago how I’m feeling and he said we need to work on things. So, we’re supposed to work through some of this stuff but it seems topics always change and I don’t get to the heart of the issue. Like I said, I’ve been dealing with this for a few years now and I really haven’t gotten anywhere.

 I have no purpose for life, no reason to be here. I really do not want to be here. I never have. If you really knew me, you’d know I’ve attempted suicide many times over the years. I’ve never been meant to live on this planet. I don’t belong here and never have and at 48 years old I can say I doubt I ever will be.

 There is a lot of pent up anger in my system and I often try to figure out who I’m angry at. I tend to always end up back at being angry with God. It seems He always gets the brunt of my anger. But today, I’m trying not to be angry at God I don’t think I can blame Him for how I feel. I’ve just never appreciated life, I’ve never seen the appeal and I’ve never really wanted to be a part.

 As most of you know, I’m elusive, aloof, eccentric and quirky in many ways. I guess growing older by oneself and living alone for many years one just builds up a lot of peculiarities that the average person doesn’t get.

 Anyway, I honestly don’t see that I have a purpose in life. I have never really accomplished anything. And what I wanted most out of life never came to pass and it’s way too late for it to happen so I don’t see any reason for life to continue.

 Most of my life has been living a lie, living to hide, living in fear of being found out. I didn’t actually come out about my homosexuality until I was 46 years old to anybody and I still haven’t fully accepted it myself. I try to, I talk about it, I joke about it and I try to make the best of it. But I am so strong in my faith that there just isn’t any room for it and it really just gets in my way. It’s a part of myself I have always hated and I’m quite sure that I will always hate it. I’ve never wanted to be gay and I have lived as straight a life as I could. I really never got involved with too many men and when I did it was only for a few years. My conscience really didn’t allow me to get into it. Plus, I was so afraid of being found out that I just had to keep things quiet and to myself. It’s very hard to live a double life and even harder when you have such strong faith as I do.

 I’m not going to rehash all the ex-gay stuff except to say I spent many years of my life in the ex-gay ministries only to find that it didn’t help and I think it only hurt. And I would tell any young Christian who happens to find himself gay to avoid such a ministry because all it does is make you hate yourself all the more. It makes you feel that you’re just not good enough for God’s love because God never changes you. While you are promised a change, it never happens. I’ve never seen it happen and I know from personal experience it doesn’t happen.

 But here I am at 48 and I keep thinking I have nothing to live for. And truthfully, I don’t. There’s nothing here for me. I don’t do anything exciting, I don’t have any desires to do anything exciting. I never accomplished much with my life and now I am on disability so I spend much of my time home alone.

 The one thing I’ve always wanted was my own family. I wanted a lot of children I wanted a wife and a family. I wanted to prove that I could love them and take care of them as a real man. But I never had that opportunity because I am gay and God never saw fit to make me straight.

 So now, what do I have? I should have grownup children. I should be a grand-father. But, it didn’t happen. I look at the younger generation and I always think to myself, I should have children their age. I think of all the joy that I’ve missed out on. All the love that I’ve missed out on and especially all the love I should be getting now at my age by being a grand-father. I would give anything to have grand-children running around me, sitting on my lap, crawling on me, etc. It hurts, it hurts real badly and I don’t think I can explain to anybody just how I feel about this.

 And even if I went looking for a significant other, a partner, I don’t see that bringing any lasting happiness or real purpose in my life. I’m old, set in my ways and I’d feel too guilty. I’m too set in my religious ways. And it would in no way fill the longing I have for children and a family of my own.

 So, even if there are a few more things I want to do with my life I do not see any of them giving me a reason to want to stick around. I don’t want to stick around. Life just is not nor has ever been worth living. Life has never shown me anything that made me want to stay here.

 But now another dilemma that I have is that I believe in a heaven and hell. And I believe we go to either one place or the other. Hopefully, I am going to go to heaven. I mean, who doesn’t hope that, right. We all want to go to heaven. I know it’s not going to be by my good works but it’s going to be on my faith. One cannot please God without faith and it is only by Grace that one is saved and not by works lest any man should boast. So, I think I have that part pretty well settled and I am pretty sure if I were to die I will go to heaven. I mean, as long as the promises in the Holy Bible are true, then I am headed in the right direction. When I meet St. Peter all I have to say to him is that I get to enter heaven not on my own merits but on the merits of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And if the Holy Bible is true, then I’m all set.

 But now here’s yet another problem. I believe that whether a person goes to heaven or hell that it is for eternity. I believe that once the human spirit is born it is eternal. I do not believe in annihilation and the thought of living for eternity just does not appeal to me. Ugh! Can you just imagine having to live forever? I just don’t want it. There is no end, no end to any of this and it really just depresses me all the more. Even if I were to attempt and succeed at suicide, I’d still have to face God and I’d still have to live forever. What’s a man to do? Seriously, what is a man to do? I don’t want any of this. I didn’t ask for any of it. But, I’m stuck with it. I’m trying my best to make the best of things, but I just cannot help it when my brain starts running away with these thoughts and the feelings they bring on are just overpowering sometimes.

 As a side note, this is not a suicide note. I have no plans on attempting suicide at this time. So no worries, ok. Some folks have “one of those days” well I’ve just got “one of those lives”. And I’m not quite sure what to do with it. And as strong as my faith in God is, He doesn’t talk to me so I don’t really get much help there. I just hope and pray that I can endure to the end.

 So for now…

Divorce and the Church

10 May 2009

 I feel very strongly about a new ministry that is taking place in my church and I thought I’d write my views on it. I have a lot I want to say and I will try my best to be clear and to say all that I feel about it. I cannot think of the exact name of the ministry but it is for folks who are divorced or who are going through a divorce. I will assume it’s some kind of support group maybe similar to Celebrate Recovery. Insert here, the name of the ministry is DivorceCare. Anyway, here’s why I’m against it.

 Divorce is something that Jesus spoke about. He was not silent on the issue and He was very clear in what He thought about divorce. But not only did Jesus mention divorce but so did Paul in the epistles. From my understanding of Holy Scripture the only acceptable reason for divorce is infidelity.

 Scripture is very clear that divorce is wrong and it is a sin. While it will allow folks to divorce, if they do divorce they are not free to get remarried. The Bible says that if you marry a divorced person you and that person are committing adultery. So, if a couple gets divorced the only option they have is to remain single.

 The Bible does speak of unbelievers, if a believer is married to an unbeliever and the unbeliever does not wish to stay with the believing spouse, then the person is not obligated to remain married to them. However, if the unbeliever wishes to remain married the believer is not allowed to leave the unbelieving spouse.

 When asked about divorce Jesus was very clear when He said let no man put asunder what God has joined together. When a man and a woman get married the two become one flesh. According to scripture the only thing that voids this contract is the death of one of the spouses. If a spouse dies then the contract is null and void and the living spouse is allowed to remarry, especially if that spouse is young and of child bearing age.

 Now, the reasons this ministry bothers me are a few. First, I feel that it is condoning sin. It is saying that divorce is ok and so if you get divorced come to this ministry and we will support you and tell you everything is alright. That is wrong it is a sin to get divorced. It is black and white, period, no ifs and or buts about it. And so the church should treat divorce as sin and a person who gets divorced should be reprimanded by the church and told under no circumstances are they to get remarried.

 The Holy Bible is very clear on this, I am not making it up and I am taking a very strong stance on this. It is clearly wrong and it was important enough for Jesus Himself to speak on the issue several times during His ministry.

 Now, for the biggest reason why I am so strongly against this is because of the following. I am a Christian, a Born Again believer and I believe that the Holy Bible is the inerrant Word of God. I realize that we all sin, we all fail, this is not my issue. But, not only am I a Christian, but I am a gay Christian. And I find this to be most hypocritical on the church’s side.

 In order for me, a Christian man who happens to be gay, wishes to remain in the church I must refrain from pursing love and happiness. I must live with the fact that I can never fall in love or get married because it is against the church. While Jesus Himself never spoke of homosexuality, the church is very adamant about this. They are fine with me as long as I remain single and celibate.

 Well, the same requirements that are laid upon me should be laid upon folks who get married. And there is a huge, huge difference in all of this. I never chose to be gay. If I had my way, I would be married with 9 kids. I never wanted to be gay, I hate being gay, but I am gay and I am a Christian so I have to follow the laws of the church and I gladly do so because I chose my faith over my fleshly desires. But, a person who gets divorced is clearly making a choice. This is a choice to get divorced and so if a person chooses to get divorced then they should have to follow all the rules and guidelines that are laid out before them in the Holy Bible. Which is for them to remain single and not get remarried.

 And to say that it’s too hard or to say but it’s not fair, they need somebody to love. They need somebody to care for them they deserve the same rights as everybody else. I say bullsh*t, I deserve all of that too but they deny me. I have to live by the rules and so should a divorced person. No ifs ands or buts.

 So, in summary a person who willfully chooses to get divorced should be reprimanded for going against the teachings of Christ. Also, if after this the person pursues a relationship and remarries then that person should be excommunicated from the church. There is no room in the church for adulterers especially if there is no room for homosexuals. If the church wishes to play hardball against homosexuality, then they must follow the teachings of the Bible and take a stand against divorce and remarriage. No matter how hard or how painful or how lonely it may be for the person after their divorce. It was their choice, now they must live with the consequences of their choice. As I said, being gay is not a choice but being divorced is. The church cannot be hypocritical about this. They must take a stand against divorce and they must do what is right in God’s eyes on all accounts. They cannot pick and chose which sins they will condone and which sins they will not tolerate.

 And I defy anybody, anybody at all, to quote me one Scripture that proves Jesus said anything about homosexuality. It just didn’t happen, yet He was very strong in His stance on divorce.

 So for now…

Isolationism

22 April 2009

Well here I am sitting in Panera’s writing the blog. I haven’t written a blog in a while and I thought this would be a good time to update.

I spend most of my time, I’d say 90-95% of my time, home alone. I very rarely mingle with folks. I have one real life friend. I go to church & Sunday school once a week. And I visit my parents almost every day (they live downstairs). Then the only other thing I generally do is go to the doctor’s.

Yesterday my doctor and I decided that this isolationism is getting way out of hand. While I am trying to find a job so I can go back to work. We aren’t sure if I will be able to handle 40 hours. But it’s what I want. So, my doctor wanted me to promise him that I would make myself go out and sit in the café for about an hour. Just have a cup of coffee. No need to mingle, no need to make friends, no need to interact. But to sit somewhere where there are other people and also to get out of the house. A change of scenery so to speak.

So, here I am. I made myself come here to Panera’s I have myself a cup of coffee and I’m sitting here with my computer. I thought this was as good a time as any to update my blog. It’s a short blog, but it’s an update none-the-less and it explains a little more about me.

We were talking about my fear of people and my fear of leaving the house. I cannot explain it and he wanted answers. I left there feeling a bit aggravated because I thought that was his job. I have no idea why I am an isolationist, I have no idea why I do not like to leave the house, but that’s what it is. I have been like this most of my life only since I’ve gotten older and once I got onto disability it has gotten worst. The only time I go out is when my friend calls me up and asks me to go. We either go to his house or we come here to Panera’s or go to Dunkin’ Donuts.

Anyway, so there you have it, my long overdue update to my blog. I guess that was one productive thing I’ve done while out. And my outing gave me an excuse to update the blog. I’ll try not to stay away so long in the future, I just really do not have a lot to write about so I never know what to say.

So for now…

The Jew, The Gentile & The Church

19 February 2009

I just want to touch on a few theological issues here. Nothing too deep I don’t think. But just a couple of things to share that have been on my mind.

I have recently finished a 31 week study on Eschatology and while I knew most of what was being taught because this is a topic I have studied for years. There were a few very crucial things that I did learn.

Something that I think is key in understanding Scripture when you’re studying eschatology that I never knew was that the Bible speaks of three groups of people. I always read it as it only spoke to two separate groups of people, Jews and Gentiles. But I learned that there is a third group of people that the Bible refers to and that is the Church. This makes a world of difference when it comes to understanding key texts. It has really brought things into a much clearer light.

So, we have the Jews, the Church and the Gentiles. The Jews have been God’s chosen people right along. This was something that I have always believed. I know that God is a God of covenants and that He is the God of the Jews. The whole Old testament is written to the Jews. Jesus was a Jew. Almost all the books of the New Testament were written by Jews. The only book in question is possibly the Gospel of Luke, but even then, I guess there’s not much evidence to prove that he was not Jewish either.

God has made everlasting covenants with Israel and I firmly believe that He intends to keep those promises. But in the Old Testament He does refer to the Gentile nations. He does say that He is the God of all. And of course in the New Testament we have the Gospel of John which is specifically written to the Gentiles. And we have the Apostle Paul who mainly went to the Gentile nations to bring the Good News of the Gospel.

The Gospel which is to bring people into the Church is for all, the Jew and the Gentile. So the Church is made up of the two groups. But the Bible specifically speaks of the Gentiles being grafted into the Olive Tree. The Book of Revelation is written as God’s judgment on the Jews as well as on the Gentiles. But the Church will not be left in the picture. The Church will have been raptured out of the scene. Jesus has specifically saved the church for Himself to be His Bride. While the Jews are spoken of as being God’s wife in the Old Testament, the Church is Christ’s Bride in the New Testament.

The Bride will be removed from the earth before the Great Tribulation as discussed in 2 Thessalonians as well as in Corinthians when it says that we will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye. But those that are left behind, those that remain on the earth will be given the full wrath of God which Jesus has paid the price for His Bride, the Church.

The folks left behind for the Great Tribulation are going to be given the opportunity to come to Christ during each of the judgments. God gives them every last chance that He can. While He will be pouring out His judgment He will also be calling His own to Himself.

This is all very fascinating and as I said I just wanted to touch on the topic. To explain that there are three groups of people spoken of in the Bible. This makes reading it so much clearer. So many things make much more sense now. I can’t believe that I never saw that before. In my 28 years of studying the Bible I have never heard of such a thing and I never picked it up for myself.

This seems to explain why the book “The Words and Works of Jesus Christ” by J. Dwight Pentecost is my favorite book. It is a book that I think every new Christian should be required to read. Especially those of us that do not come from a Jewish background. This book explains everything that Jesus said and did for Jewish reasons. Mr. Pentecost explains the Jewish meanings behind everything that Christ did. The timing of the things He did, the meaning behind the things He said. This book has been my favorite book since I read it. And now that I am aware of the three groups of people. I want to read the book again because I know I will get that much more out of the book.

It truly is a great book and if you are interested at all in understanding the real and Jewish meanings behind the things Jesus did and said, this is a must read. It’s an old book and out of print. But it can be found through the used books at Amazon and I’m sure at other websites as well. As I said, I think it is a book that every new believer should be required to read and especially if he does not come from a Jewish background.

I really don’t know the whole point to this blog except that I just wanted to share some information that I’ve learned. And to lead you to a book to read if you really want to understand the New Testament even better. Read the Bible with the three groups of people in mind and you will see that Scripture makes much more sense. And if you can find the book by Mr. Pentecost, I suggest you read that as well as it will give you a Jewish perspective of Jesus works and words.

So for now…

The Inauguration

I’m not quite sure if I’ve mentioned this before but for the record I do not watch television. I haven’t watched television in quite a few years. I mostly get my news from word of mouth and then I look things up on the internet.

 

But I have found recently that I have been missing out on some pretty important issues and not hearing about them until a day or two later. So, I have gotten myself a news ticker for my desktop. I have also posted a news RSS feed on the side of my blog here. I have decided to go with the Jerusalem Post because I am very interested in what happens in the Middle East and more importantly in Israel. I am not ashamed to state or admit that I am Pro-Israel and since they seem to be the focal point of World News I decided it would be best to choose the Jerusalem Post for my RSS feed.

 

Anyway, we are just a couple of days away from the Inauguration of Mr. President Obama. While I did not vote for Mr. Obama, I will stand behind him as my new President. However, if he does not do a good job, or if he does something I disagree with I will voice my concerns. But being my President he deserves a fair chance from me and it is my hope & prayer that he is a good President. I certainly hope that this administration is better than the one exiting.

 

I know a lot of people are looking for to and are excited about this Inauguration. It certainly is History in the making. So it is an exciting time for us here in the US of A. And I do hope that Mr. President Obama can truly bring change to America as was his campaign promise. We most certainly do need change and it is my hope and prayer that Mr. President Obama accomplishes his goals.

 

The one thing I do not miss about watching television at this time is because I hate the fact that the media reports on a new President for the first 30 days, then the first 60 days, then the first 90 days, etc. It is so annoying how they count the days and tell us what he’s accomplished in that amount of time. As if the President can solve all the world’s problems within the first 100 days in office. It just aggravates me to no end.

 

But you can rest assured I will be keeping my eyes focused on the news ticker that I’ve added to my desktop. I think now is a crucial time to stay on top of the news. Not only for us here in the US of A but also with the things going on all around the globe.

 

I am very much into Eschatology and I tend to view the news with a slightly different angle than the average person. I like to see how things just might fit into the End Times events. I do believe we are living in the End Times. Now of course, End Times does not mean the next 4 years, it could be within the next 100 years or the next 1000 years. But I do believe it will happen within my life time. At least I hope it does. I’m ready. I’ve been ready my entire life. But I suppose End Times is a whole separate blog.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to touch on the Inauguration. I hope all you folks who will be going and being a part of this Historic Event, that you truly enjoy the festivities. I also hope that you folks who plan on watching the Inauguration from your televisions that you enjoy what you see and hear. As for me, I will just sit back and read the headlines of what is going on. Plus, I have a friend who is going so I will get some juicy inside information.

 

And to be quite honest the one thing I am just dieing to learn is just what type of dog Mr. Obama is going to buy for his daughters. How exciting, I love dogs and I’m sure the girls are just as excited as if it were the night before Christmas.

 

So, for now…

Happy New Year 2009

Hi Everybody;
Just a very short blog today. I recorded a New Year Greeting for family and friends and I thought I’d share it with you. The problem is, it will not be there very long. Only until New Year Day or the day after. So, if you care to hear my greeting just follow the link I’m posting. I do have in mind something I want to write a blog about. So I will be updating the blog soon. Anyway, have a safe & blessed New Year!

http://www.uhaveaudio.com/index.php?/visitors/playMyAudio/1230420515_32/3500

Christmas 2008

Just a quick note here to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas. I hope that you all have a blessed day and you get everything you wish for. Personally, Christmas is not my favorite holiday (I hate it). But I also don’t want to be a Scrooge and let it go by unnoticed. There are many reasons I don’t care for the holiday but I think mostly because I find it to be a painful time of year. My depression always gets worse this time of year. I know some of it has to do with SAD, seasonal depression. But it also has to do with my overall view of the holidays. They’re a very lonely time for me and they don’t mean anything to me and the only thing I look forward to is when they are over. But enough of that. I sincerely do hope & pray you all have a great day. I hope that all your wishes come true. And I hope you find yourself surrounded by loving family & friends. And of course, Season’s Greetings to everybody who doesn’t celebrate Christmas but other holidays. I’d try to mention them seperately but for one, I haven’t a clue how to spell some and two, I probably would leave one or two out. God Bless. And remember Jesus is the reason for the Season. Oh yeah, also, I think I have a topic for my next real Blog. But I don’t think I’ll sit down and write it for a few more days. We’ll see.

The Devil, Flesh & Sin

7 December 2008

In my opinion the average Christian gives the devil more credit than he is due. I also think they give him more power than he has. The only power the devil has is deception, if he possesses any other powers it is because the Christian gave them to him. I think the average Christian has made the devil into a small god and they fear him and his powers. If they would only listen to what they say they would realize how wrong they are.

We tend to blame him for everything instead of taking the blame for ourselves. Well, the devil tempted me. Or, Satan whispered in my ear. I don’t believe any of that non-sense. Satan is not omni-present. He cannot be in more than one place at one time. So what makes a person think they are so special that he’s going to take time out of his busy schedule to whisper in their ear? That is just ridicules to me. Satan is much more worried about ruling this world than he is whispering in some schmuck’s ear.

What people are dealing with is their own flesh. We have been given over to sin. We are born with a sin nature. It is in our nature to sin. So folks need to take this responsibility for themselves. The Bible says that God gives us over to our own flesh. It is our flesh that we battle, not Satan. The Bible tells us we battle our own flesh, it tells us to follow after the Spirit and not the flesh. We must put our flesh to death every day, we must deny our flesh. It is our flesh that we are dealing with, not the devil.

Can people be possessed or oppressed? Sure they can, but I think this is the exception to the rule. I think somebody like Ted Bundy must have been possessed because no normal human being would do the things he did. I think if a person were possessed they would be a lot worse than just battle little whispers in their ears. I mean, look at Hitler, now what that man did was definitely demonic. But again, he was an exception to the rule. It’s not every day we meet folks like these people.

Christians seem to think that the devil is hiding behind every door, around every bend. And he just is not. So I say stop giving him all this credit. He’s not some god he has no power over you. Your struggles, your battles with sin are nothing more than your will against the Spirit’s will. It is your flesh that is tempting you. Sin is pleasurable, no where in the Bible does it say otherwise. It starts out pleasurable, that’s what makes it tempting. But then you fall prey to it and it has you hooked. But once you’re hooked who are you battling the devil or your flesh? Why it’s your flesh of course. Your flesh has had a taste of something that it not ought to have had. But once it tasted it, your flesh enjoyed it and you aren’t satisfied you want more and more. You’re battling your flesh, your sin nature, not the devil. Take the blame for yourself and stop passing the blame.

Look at Adam and Eve in the Garden. Adam blamed God for his sin. He said well, it was the woman you gave me that made me sin. And then Eve blamed the devil saying he deceived her. Well, this may be true, he did deceive her but it was her flesh that gave in to the sin. She looked at the fruit on the tree and saw that it was pleasing to the eye. So, it goes all the way back to the beginning. It is human nature to blame somebody else when in reality it is our own sin nature we ought to be blaming. We must die to ourselves daily.

I think if people read Romans chapter 7 and paid attention to what Paul was saying they would see my point. Paul says he does the things he doesn’t want to do and doesn’t do the things he wants to do. But no where do we read that Paul is blaming the devil, no, he’s blaming his flesh, his sinful nature. It’s time we take responsibility for our own sins and stop making the devil something that he is not.

So, for now…