Worthiness

Ephesians 2:4-5:

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved."

It's a rare gift for one to truly have a grasp on their own fallenness.  Many of us who have been redeemed tend to loose sight of from where we were redeemed from and the pitiful state we were in when we were scooped from the "miry clay".  I respect those who have that true sense of themselves and know the depth of their depravity but I also grieve for them when I see that sense become a hindrance for their experiencing the joy of their salvation.  For these folk, I'd like to offer up some encouragement.

We all were born broken, with fallen natures that genetically predisposed us to be alienated us from the almighty.  Within this alienation we became masters of our own destinies, choosing paths and actions that were sinful and not God honoring.  But for those who've embraced God and called by His sovereign will, this nature has been rectified and these choices forgotten.  And now when we approach the presence of the Almighty He no longer sees us as we once were, but sees us as clothed in the arms of His son, the Christ.  Spiritually, we stand before the Holy Father, wrapped in the arms of the Holy Son.

Because Jesus is worthy, and its in His arms we stand, we can stand before the Almighty.

On a Cold November's Evening

From Mike Oldfield,  Music from the beginning...

In the Morning

Morning music from Rich Mullins...

Gratitude

Father Matt Kennedy shares his thoughts on gratitude in this Thanksgiving season.  

Read it here... 

Feeling this one Tonight

Obama as Messiah?

This morning, many are laughing off Jamie Foxx's divine attribution to the president as satire.  But apparently, there's a measurable portion of people within our republic who are beginning to believe this as absolute fact.  Though I'm not about to run to a mountaintop and wait for the parousia over this development, it has raised my attention.

All orthodox Christian views of the end times, be it pre-, post-, a-, millenium;  pre-, mid-, post- tribulation, et, al teach of one who would raise himself up to stand against the Almighty and the people of God, the final antichrist.

Saint John tells us that that there are many "antichrists" and I believe that a study of history would reveal that there have been many such personalities who've appeared on the human stage.  I believe too, that when the Almighty brings the epoch of time and space to a close, that there will be one such person on the scene.  He will exist at a time when technology will allow him to speak globally, at once to the people of earth.  He will have the resources (PR and otherwise) to make him appear indeed as a savior of humanity, saving us from ourselves.  He'll have an innate charisma that will allow him to sway great groups of people and will seem a "uniter".

Am I saying that Barrack Hussein Obama is this man?  Not for a moment.  Would I imply that he possesses attributes of this "willful king"?  Absolutely.

We are now two generations removed from a "Christian America".  Many of the churches that were pillars of the historic faith now worship the trinity of Big Government, Abortion and Hedonism.  A growing majority of Americans represent themselves as "spiritual, not religious" (Neopaganism).  This troubled sea of humanity, though at war and alienated from the Almighty, has an aching vacuum within that cries out to worship something or someone.  This creates a recipe for cosmic disaster.

This is how the final Antichrist will rise to power.

Cobwebs

I failed to see just how dusty this blog has become.  I suppose I could blame it on any number of things.  Anyhoo, its time to dust off the keyboard and climb back into the seat.

Thoughts on what's transpired over the Summer and Fall...  I was very disappointed, though not surprised, at the results of the campaigns and election.  With its predictable Orwellian verve, the American Socialists ran on bread & circuses, hedonism, prenatal infanticide, and a strawman "war on women" while the Establishment Republican party kneecapped candidates with true vision.  In November, the choice was down to either Alinskite Marxist or a candidate that many who simply "hold their nose and vote" for.  And, when one needed to show little more than a pizza coupon as identification to vote, the way was paved for potential voter fraud of epic proportions.

So, like apostolic Christians, we pray for Nero because scripture compels us to.  We pray that his heart would be animated by the Holy Spirit and his will be conformed to the Will of the Almighty.  We pray that any dreams or plans that run contrary to the will of God be defeated and come to nothing.

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Advent is approaching and its my hope to share reflections on this season of preparation.