The Wal-Mart Employee Tragedy

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the commercialization of Thanksgiving and Christmas. This follows this post about ignoring Thanksgiving to get to Christmas. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

The Wal-Mart Employee Tragedy


A commentary by Melvin Rhodes




The trampled Wal-Mart employee incident says a great deal about the age in which we live! Clearly, money is still the nation's number one god. As long as it is, we will continue to experience mounting economic and social problems!



The trampled Wal-Mart employee incident says a great deal about the age in which we live!



The morning after Thanksgiving has been known for many years as "Black Friday"—the busiest shopping day of the year. Stores in the United States traditionally try to entice customers to their retail outlets on this day with bargains that are usually not repeated.



Every year the store openings get earlier. Shoppers line up well before dawn, ready to rush in as soon as the doors open to be among the first to get limited sales items.



Perhaps it was inevitable that in the midst of such frenzy a tragedy would occur. And it did—on November 28, 2008 at a Wal-Mart store in the state of New York.



When the doors opened, crowds surged in and trampled to death a 34-year-old store employee who was 6'5" tall and weighed 270 pounds.



In effect, the young man died so that those who arrived first could save a few dollars on the latest electronic gadget! To put it bluntly, a human life was worth less than things!



This has long been a materialistic age, especially in the western world and most especially in the United States, where many stores open 24 hours a day and seven days a week in intense competition to get business. Employees have had their family lives almost destroyed as they work long hours for minimal wages, neglecting spouses and children at home.



There is no thought for a day of rest, giving people an opportunity to worship the God who has given them everything. Ironically, the only time most stores think about religion is when they can make money on it during the annual holiday season which began the day after Thanksgiving!



It is perhaps appropriate that amidst all this greed, our economy seems to be collapsing. Every day the news gets worse. The stock market has been in turmoil for months, affecting the retirement funds of millions. House prices keep falling; unemployment is increasing; and business is down. These worrisome events are now worldwide problems, as nations economically implode.



Tens of millions of people who have neglected God for years in a mad pursuit for wealth are now losing everything.



Perhaps this is what Jesus Christ had in mind when He said: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21 [19] Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

[20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

[21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.





See All...).



No society can prosper indefinitely if it is built on wrong values; and greed is most assuredly wrong. When a lawyer asked Jesus what was most important in life, His response was quite simple: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39 [37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

[38] This is the first and great commandment.

[39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.





See All...).



In other words, true and lasting happiness is built on a solid foundation of putting God first in our lives and through our relationships with people, beginning with family.



When people care more about people than they do about material goods, tragedies like the one at Wal-Mart will not happen. Even Black Friday would be a thing of the past!



Some stores this year tried to beat the rush by beginning sales a day earlier, on Thanksgiving Day itself. A day set aside by the Pilgrims almost four centuries ago as an annual day giving thanks to the Almighty for His blessings seems set to become yet another sales day as gratitude has been replaced by greed.



Clearly, money is still the nation's number one god. As long as it is, we will continue to experience mounting economic and social problems!



Long ago the apostle Paul warned: "You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them!" (2 Timothy 3:1-5 [1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

[2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

[3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

[4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

[5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.





See All..., New Revised Standard Version).

.

Thanksgiving vs. Christmas

BLOGGERS NOTE: I WILL BE MOVING FROM FACEBOOK TO TWITTER AND BLOGSPOT SOON!


An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about ignoring Thanksgiving to get to Christmas. This follows this post about suicide prevention. This follows this post about the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. This follows this post about the anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

  Thanksgiving vs. Christmas

by Dennis Luker

America just largely ignored its most biblical holiday: Thanksgiving.



Christmas shopping ad campaigns like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Green Tuesday—even Black Friday Month—dominated advertising and even news coverage at the end of November. But so little attention was given to Thanksgiving.

Some Christians denounce the commercializing of the religious meaning of Christmas, but sadly, they miss many vital points of truth. However, our premise with The Good News magazine is that you don’t have to miss those points.

Three reasons why Thanksgiving is more biblical than Christmas:


1. Jesus Christ did give thanks to God the Father.



When He fed the 4,000 and the 5,000 hungry men plus women and children, Jesus gave thanks and blessed the food (Matthew 15:30-39 [30] And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:

[31] Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

[32] Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

[33] And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

[34] And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

[35] And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

[36] And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

[37] And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

[38] And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

[39] And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.





See All...; John 6:1-14 [1] After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

[2] And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

[3] And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

[4] And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

[5] When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

[6] And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

[7] Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

[8] One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,

[9] There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

[10] And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

[11] And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

[12] When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

[13] Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

[14] Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.





See All...). At the end of His ministry He specifically thanked God for the unleavened bread and wine of the Passover ceremony that commemorated the sacrifice of His own life for our sins (Luke 22:14-23 [14] And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

[15] And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

[16] For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

[17] And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

[18] For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

[19] And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

[20] Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

[21] But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

[22] And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

[23] And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.





See All...).



The principle of thanking God for all our physical and spiritual blessings and for life itself is woven throughout the Bible. As national holidays America’s and Canada’s Thanksgiving Days are based on honoring the blessings that God has given their people. ( Is Thanksgiving Rooted in a Biblical Festival?)   2. Jesus Christ did not command that His birthday be observed.



Part of developing Christianity decided to observe Christ’s day of birth, but "Christ-mass," as it came to be called, was not widely observed until A.D. 354! However, Jesus, His disciples and the apostles did not observe His birthday.



Instead of His day of birth, Christ commanded His followers to observe the day of His death—the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.



See All...).
Unfortunately, Christianity long ago rejected the Passover and substituted Easter—a day named after and honoring the pagan fertility goddess Ishtar. This is something that Jesus doesn’t approve of!  ( Easter: Masking a Biblical Truth)

3. Jesus Christ was not born on December 25.




Despite the popular idea, the shepherds did not stay out at night with their flocks in mid-winter. It got too cold for that during winter near Bethlehem! Also, the Christmas-observing part of Christianity had no clear idea when He was born, so they suggested dates from all over the calendar during the early centuries after Christ.


However, had they more carefully read the details in the Bible, those early church leaders could have found that although the exact day of His birth is not revealed, Jesus of Nazareth was born in the autumn—not in the winter. ( Biblical Evidence Shows Jesus Wasn't Born on December 25)

We want to thank you for being a reader of The Good News and encourage you to share it with your friends and family. Keep reading and learning more!

Thanksgiving vs. Christmas

BLOGGERS NOTE: I WILL BE MOVING FROM FACEBOOK TO TWITTER AND BLOGSPOT SOON!


An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about ignoring Thanksgiving to get to Christmas. This follows this post about personal baggage. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

Thanksgiving vs. Christmas


by Dennis Luker

America just largely ignored its most biblical holiday: Thanksgiving.



Christmas shopping ad campaigns like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Green Tuesday—even Black Friday Month—dominated advertising and even news coverage at the end of November. But so little attention was given to Thanksgiving.



Some Christians denounce the commercializing of the religious meaning of Christmas, but sadly, they miss many vital points of truth. However, our premise with The Good News magazine is that you don’t have to miss those points!



Three reasons why Thanksgiving is more biblical than Christmas:

1. Jesus Christ did give thanks to God the Father.



When He fed the 4,000 and the 5,000 hungry men plus women and children, Jesus gave thanks and blessed the food (Matthew 15:30-39 [30] And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:

[31] Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

[32] Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

[33] And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

[34] And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

[35] And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

[36] And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

[37] And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

[38] And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

[39] And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.





See All...; John 6:1-14 [1] After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

[2] And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

[3] And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

[4] And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

[5] When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

[6] And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

[7] Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

[8] One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,

[9] There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

[10] And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

[11] And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

[12] When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

[13] Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

[14] Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.





See All...). At the end of His ministry He specifically thanked God for the unleavened bread and wine of the Passover ceremony that commemorated the sacrifice of His own life for our sins (Luke 22:14-23 [14] And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

[15] And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

[16] For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

[17] And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

[18] For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

[19] And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

[20] Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

[21] But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

[22] And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

[23] And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.





See All...).



The principle of thanking God for all our physical and spiritual blessings and for life itself is woven throughout the Bible. As national holidays America’s and Canada’s Thanksgiving Days are based on honoring the blessings that God has given their people. ( Is Thanksgiving Rooted in a Biblical Festival? )



2. Jesus Christ did not command that His birthday be observed.



Part of developing Christianity decided to observe Christ’s day of birth, but "Christ-mass," as it came to be called, was not widely observed until A.D. 354! However, Jesus, His disciples and the apostles did not observe His birthday.



Instead of His day of birth, Christ commanded His followers to observe the day of His death—the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.



See All...). Unfortunately, Christianity long ago rejected the Passover and substituted Easter—a day named after and honoring the pagan fertility goddess Ishtar. This is something that Jesus doesn’t approve of! ( Easter: Masking a Biblical Truth )



3. Jesus Christ was not born on December 25.



Despite the popular idea, the shepherds did not stay out at night with their flocks in mid-winter. It got too cold for that during winter near Bethlehem! Also, the Christmas-observing part of Christianity had no clear idea when He was born, so they suggested dates from all over the calendar during the early centuries after Christ.



However, had they more carefully read the details in the Bible, those early church leaders could have found that although the exact day of His birth is not revealed, Jesus of Nazareth was born in the autumn—not in the winter. ( Biblical Evidence Shows Jesus Wasn't Born on December 25 )



We want to thank you for being a reader of The Good News and encourage you to share it with your friends and family. Keep reading and learning more!







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A True Thanksgiving

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about Thanksgiving. This follows this post about the winter solstace.  This follows this post about "shop till you drop."   For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

A True Thanksgiving






Source: stock.xchng (www.sxc.hu ), Craig Goodwin (http://www.sxc.hu/profile/goody2230 )Almost 400 years ago the Mayflower sailed into the harbor near what is today Cape Cod. It was a difficult voyage for the crew and passengers. On board were the group known as Pilgrims—English citizens seeking refuge from religious persecution, looking for a new start in a new land where they could freely worship God according to their faith and conscience.



Dissension and bickering threatened to disrupt the venture. The ship landed north of its intended destination. Some on board said, "None had power to command them." Mutiny and revolt were spreading. Before setting foot on shore the group determined to bind themselves together by mutual agreement. The idea of a "compact," later to be called the Mayflower Compact, took shape.



This is a little known document of American history. The Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution came later and are enshrined in memory. The earlier compact between men and women was voluntarily agreed. They determined to submit themselves to work together for the common good, with nothing but their shared allegiance to a higher authority, in this case Kings James I and God. On Nov. 11 they agreed to cooperate "for the general good of the Colony unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."



It was an effort at self-government based on common consent, the basis for any form of government. In America this Compact, at least the will and intent behind it, led to the democracy that has endured for more than two hundred years. On this small ship off the coast of North America the idea of self-government first took root. Anchored in free will and choice it sets the baseline for true liberty.



Pilgrims and the Mayflower are associated with Thanksgiving. The first Pilgrim celebration came later, after a hard first year on the land. This first American Thanksgiving is special because of this compact made among free men and women submitting to one another in the name of God. They were exercising personal freedom, a fundamental right given by God to each of us. True gratitude begins when we acknowledge God as not only the giver of every good and perfect gift but also the right to choose our response to His grace.



May we always choose for life and never forget to thank God for this precious gift.

Sorceress, Adulterer and Harlot (Isaiah 56-57)

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the winter solstace. This follows this post about a bible reference about Gaza that could have prophetic implications.  This follows this post about "shop till you drop."   For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Sorceress, Adulterer and Harlot (Isaiah 56-57)


According to its note on Isaiah 56:9-12, The New Bible Commentary: Revised states: "Dumb dogs, sleeping dogs, greedy dogs… characterize the spiritual leaders (watchmen; cf. Ezk. 3:17), while shepherds is an OT term for rulers [although it could signify spiritual leaders as well]. The sequence is instructive: spiritually, to have no vision (v. 10a; cf. 1 Sa. 3:1) is to have no message (v. 10b) and to drift into escapism (v. 10c) and self-pleasing (v. 11a); meanwhile the civil leadership (vv. 11b, 12) will improve on this example with stronger excess and blither optimism."



Isaiah 57:1-2 shows that the death of God's true followers is often misinterpreted. Probably some see it as evidence that they were misled. Yet it is not always the wicked who die prematurely. The righteous may also die early—because of God's mercy, in order to spare them from hardship that they might otherwise have to experience. This is not to say that they could not endure the evil—it is just that they don't need to for their personal character development, and so God chooses to shelter them in the grave, where they unconsciously await the resurrection.



Of verses 1-13 the same commentary just quoted states: "The watchmen have relaxed (56:9-12), and evil has duly flooded in. The times could well be those of Manasseh, Hezekiah's apostate son, whose persecution of the innocent (2 Ki. 21:16) would accord with v. 1, and whose burning of his own son (2 Ki. 21:6) matches the revival of Molech-worship here (vv. 5b, 9)." Of course, these aspects of Manasseh's reign transpired after the death of Hezekiah himself, which puts it beyond the date of Isaiah's actual preaching (Isaiah 1:1)—thus still requiring divine foresight.



It is sad, in light of all that we've read concerning Israel's wonderful future, to again read of the awful apostasy of God's people—viewed by Him as an adulterous wife. Even today, the descendants of these same Israelites are rife with paganism and idolatry. While children are not literally sacrificed as they once were (verse 5), the unborn are murdered, aborted in a terrible holocaust at the altar of convenience and personal freedom. And living children are still offered over to the evil ways of our society from a young age—setting them on the path of death instead of God's right path of life.



Then notice verse 8: "Behind the doors and their posts you have set up your remembrance." The verse goes on to show this to be pagan. In Deuteronomy 6, God said of His instructions, "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates" (verse 9). Many took this literally. The Bible Reader's Companion explains: "The religious Jew attached small tubes containing bits of Scripture to his doorpost. Isaiah complains that while these symbols of piety are present, behind your doors there are pagan symbols. It's what's inside our homes, and our hearts, that counts" (note on Isaiah 57:8). Even today, many claim to follow the Bible—yet they set up pagan symbols such as Christmas trees right in their living rooms. Indeed, this is the norm in modern Christendom.



Verses 7-9 portray an adulterous wife seductively seeking lovers. The "king" of verse 9 could refer to the pagan god Molech (meaning "king"). Equated with the Roman god Saturn, his birthday was observed at the winter solstice with child sacrifice and evergreen trees (such as in verse 5). Indeed, in many respects, while the great false Christianity of this world claims to worship Jesus Christ, they are actually worshiping the wrong king, the false savior of the Babylonian mysteries—the sun god Baal or Molech. (It should perhaps be mentioned that some commentaries suggest that "king" in this verse could also indicate a foreign ruler the Israelites appeal to for aid rather than God. This happened in ancient times, and it appears from prophecy that it will happen again in the end time—this last time with the ruler of the European "Beast" power foretold elsewhere in Scripture, who will himself be directly tied to the false worship system already mentioned.)



The remainder of the chapter contrasts the fear and punishment of the wicked with the peace and reward of the righteous. Yes, even despite Israel's idolatrous rebellion, God in His unbounded mercy looks to the future redemption He has planned. Verse 15 is a comforting passage. God is "high and lofty," yet He dwells with us as we pursue our mundane affairs here below. God will be as intimately involved in our lives as we allow Him to be. This contrasts with the way pagan gods were depicted in some ancient cultures—as distant from the people: "Epicurean philosophy [in Greece] depicted the gods on Mount Olympus…in detached unconcern for the world" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, note on verse 15).



Paul cites verse 19 about preaching peace as applying to Jesus (Ephesians 2:17). And the chapter ends with the same words that ended chapter 48: There is no peace for the wicked.

It's Only... It's Just...

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about resisting evil by not giving it a little chance in your life. This follows this post about ending addictions. This follows this post about "shop till you drop."   For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

It's Only... It's Just...



article by Lorelei Nettles





They are used again and again in our own lives. Our children especially use them, and we only hurt ourselves when we allow them to control us. What are they?



There are words we may tend to use regularly, whether saying them aloud or only to ourselves. They are words like: “But it’s only,” “I know the difference,” “Others do it,” “It won’t hurt me” or “It’s not real, so what’s the big deal?” We use them when we are making excuses for what we are allowing into our life and minds; making excuses for things we might openly accept as wrong.



The mind cannot compartmentalize the real from the fantasy.



A mother related the following story after a conversation with her son: “One day I walked into the room while my son was watching a popular television program that I don’t approve of. It’s not a terribly horrible program, but I feel it gives a bad impression of the family. When I expressed my disappointment at him watching the show his reply was, ‘Mom, it’s only a cartoon.’



“I explained to my son that what we allow into our minds affects the way we think about things; that what seems innocent can really be making certain things seem acceptable to us when they really are not. We continued to talk about it for a minute or two when he suddenly told me that there should be a sermon on the subject. That’s when I knew he was beginning to understand the importance of what I was saying.”



We can all make similar excuses for what we will allow into our lives and minds. We can be so willing to brush aside objections to what we know not to be right or wholesome solely because of the way in which it is presented. We often make excuses without even thinking about it. We might say things like, “Well, other people at church watch this program,” “My friends watch this and I want to discuss it with them” or “I know the difference between right and wrong, so it won’t even affect me.”



There are several television programs and movies out right now that are about the occult, the dead being alive in one form or another, wolves, vampires or very sexual or mystical characters. Some are presented as very innocent or even humorous, which often leads us to disregard their underlying messages. Not all programs are bad, but we must be wary of what we are allowing into our minds.



An ancient issue

Similar things were happening in Moses’ day. Without really thinking about it, Israel returned to idolatry and turned from God. Did it happen quickly and did they do it with clear minds? Not likely. God had warned Israel to steer clear of those who worshiped other gods, but they did not listen and soon allowed pagan foreigners back into their lives. With them came their idols and idol worship (see 2 Kings 17:7-12 [7] For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,

[8] And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

[9] And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

[10] And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

[11] And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:

[12] For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.





See All... and Psalms 106:35-36 [35] But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.

[36] And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.





See All...).



By allowing pagan worship and rituals to be practiced among them, the Israelites slowly came to accept them. It began to seem normal and everyday after a while; nothing to get upset about. Then gradually over time, they started to adopt more and more of the idol worshipers’ ways, adapting them into their own culture. I am sure that in the beginning they told themselves it was no big deal; it was only something those other people did. It didn’t affect how the Israelites ran their lives. To them it was just an innocent acceptance. They probably thought things like we do today: “How can we dislike them for what they believe? They have always been that way. It’s not their fault, it’s just not fair to separate ourselves from them.” How easy it is to delude ourselves into this way of thinking.



The problem areas

The Internet is another issue that needs to be addressed. There are sites that are set up solely for the purpose of posting videos that too often share more than one should see or hear. Sexual content has become common and vulgarity disguised as humor is the norm. Trying to get a reaction is often the goal and getting caught up in all of it can come so easy. Voyeurism has also been linked to dysfunctional relationships and even violence towards women.



People can find themselves glued to computer screens for hours on end without anything to show for their time at the end of the day. What a waste! While the Internet can be a good tool, we must be careful not to let it overtake us.



Video games can either be a fun activity or create a mind that is numb, especially to violence. Games that are about stealing or killing do little to build our minds. I have heard this argument for one such game, “It’s not killing if they aren’t people, they are only aliens!” Does that matter? Is taking a life any different within your brain? I wouldn’t think so. If the creature walks upright and looks similar to a human, can your brain differentiate between them?



The mind cannot compartmentalize the real from the fantasy. The mind learns to adapt to the sight of continual killing and can become silently compassionate and/or tolerant to a theft or a murder. How many movies have you seen where you find yourself rooting for the bad guy and how many games have been played where the character (you) is stealing or killing?



Questions to ask ourselves:



* Are the characters I see or use acting in a way that God would approve of?



* Do I find myself making “It’s only...” excuses?



* Is there a message here that is detrimental to my family, spouse, children or friends?



* Is there a chance that I am allowing my mind to be gradually changed in ways that might harm my character and my resolve to follow God’s ways?



* How will this affect my mind in the long run?



Not just visual

It is not only what we watch that can change our way of thinking, but also what we listen to. Have you ever been listening to the radio and become excited because an old song you love was coming on? You may be singing along with it, when suddenly and maybe for the first time, you actually listen to the words and realize that the message is horrible. It is not something you should be listening to at all!



…what we allow into our minds affects the way we think about things; that what seems innocent can really be making certain things seem acceptable to us when they really are not.



At this point, you have a choice. Will you listen or will you stop? It often comes as a surprise to me, that what I once thought to be great songs have often turned out to have very bad messages. While I have become more discriminating over the years and have chosen to stop listening to such music, I am also sure that I have allowed some of it to slide by. The song starts and I drive down the highway, singing along with an old favorite without a thought. In time, I am sure that I will weed these out as well, but it takes a conscious effort.



Satan is a master with music and we can see his influence throughout the industry, whether it is rock, country, rap or jazz. We need to be careful what we allow into our minds. “But it’s just music, it can’t influence me.” It can and does! Some of it is blatant and rebellious, while in other songs we may not even notice the subtle messages coming across.



I remember being at a church campout once. Everyone was singing around the campfire and the atmosphere was festive. It was quite fun until the songs seemed to turn and suddenly we were singing very unchristian lyrics. When I complained, I was told it was only a song and that I was being too serious. But in my mind, I pictured campsites nearby overhearing our song and never thinking us to be Christians. It’s something to think about.



More times than not, the music we listen to is very beautiful, has a good beat and or makes us want to dance. It’s this catchiness that attracts us and hooks us. Sometimes the verses are written in such a way that we may not at first understand their meaning. We often don’t even hear the words at first, even if we are singing them. Satan is cunning. He is very aware that music is a beloved part of almost every culture.



Satan is a master with music and we can see his influence throughout the industry, whether it is rock, country, rap or jazz.



There is music that leaves me feeling aggressive and tense. Many young people enjoy this style of music, but those who do often display these same characteristics. They are aggressive and angry. I saw this happen with my son when he was quite young. He was an active toddler, but I noticed that music affected the way he acted. Calmer music settled him down, while a screaming style song or music made him very hyper, even if exposed to it for a short time. There is much talk of the effect most classical music has on young children, and while I am not sure of its effect on the brain as far as intellect, I do know that when my family and I listen to it, there is a calming affect on us all.



Even grocery stores and restaurants know this to be true, playing soft rock or other calming music to get you to spend more time and money. They know that harsh music will make you want to leave and not spend extra time in their establishments.



The questions to ask ourselves:



* Do the lyrics speak positively, or do they speak of sin or sinful acts?



* Do I physically feel good when I listen to this?



* Would I listen to or sing along with this music with Jesus?



* Do I find myself saying things like, “But the music is so beautiful; what’s the harm in listening to the lyrics too?”



* Am I allowing Satan a foothold into my life?



We make daily decisions on what we watch, hear and engage in on the computer. The question is will we later find ourselves making excuses for those choices? Will we be saying, “It’s just… It’s only…”?

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Breaking Free from Addictions

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about ending addictions. This follows this post about the false promise of divorce.  This follows this post about "shop till you drop."   For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Breaking Free from Addictions


by John Cafourek





The curse of addictions takes an enormous toll on people and society as a whole. Addictions take many forms and often are very destructive. How can a person break free?

"Hello, Joe?" It was Wednesday morning, and I was on the phone checking in with a client. "This is Joe," a voice replied.



"Hi, Joe. How are you today? How's your battle with drugs been going?"



"I guess I'm doing okay. I got a job since the last time we talked! I'm making about $10 an hour. That's not bad—considering my lack of education."



"Last time we talked you said you had been completely off drugs for a few days. Have you been able to stay off all of them?"



"Well, I am mellowing out with a beer right now." (It was just after 9 a.m. at the time!) "It helps me unwind and relax. But I'm really not drinking much. I still take a few hits [of marijuana] to get through each day, but nothing real serious."



Joe is certainly no stranger to addiction. Now in his mid-50s, Joe's problem with addictions began during his late teen years. His first two addictions were very common ones, tobacco (nicotine) and alcohol. It wasn't long, however, before marijuana joined the list.



A few years later "crack" (cocaine) and "crank" or "speed" (methamphetamine) were added. Joe says he's tried a bunch of other drugs as well, but he claims he isn't really addicted to them.



The problem of denial

Addiction is a serious and growing epidemic. It's no respecter of age, gender, ethnicity, economic level or anything else. The statistics are shocking. And amazingly, many who are addicted don't seem to be aware of it.



Denial is a common defense mechanism. Dr. Patrick Carnes describes an all-too-common reaction:



"When Dan's therapist told him that he was sexually addicted, he was outraged! He thought his therapist was exaggerating. Dan was certain his real problem was depression. He was simply down all the time, and he wanted to be happier. True, his life had left a trail of broken relationships and he had some sexual problems, but that was because he was so down all the time" (Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction, 2001, pp. 177-178).



While there are many different addictions, the underlying thought process reflects a striking commonality between most all of them.



The addictive agent may be sex, alcohol, tobacco, methamphetamine ("meth"), cocaine, heroin, marijuana, sedatives, tranquilizers or hallucinogens such as LSD, PCP or ecstasy, or yet some other substance or behavior. Regardless of the specific agent, an addicted person often becomes very adept at denial. "Oh, I'm not addicted! I'm just going through a difficult time right now and need a bit of a boost. I can handle it."



Regardless of our specific personal struggle, refusing to admit we need help is often clearly recognized by other people as denial.



What is addiction?

Definitions of addiction vary within medicine and psychology. Although there is no general agreement on an exact definition, Dr. Howard Shaffer, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and editor of the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, identifies three distinctive behaviors that appear to be present with virtually all addictions:



• Behavior motivated by emotions, ranging from craving to compulsion.



• Continuance of participation in the behavior regardless of adverse consequences.



• Loss of control over the behavior.



Addictions are often classified into two broad categories: substance abuse and behavioral "compulsions." Obviously, not every person who has some difficulty or problem controlling either his or her use of a particular substance or behavior is presently addicted. However, since many addictions are progressive, what may be just a problem at first can become exacerbated and ultimately develop into an addiction.



Smoking facts

One of the most prevalent addictions is to nicotine. Smoking is a major killer. Each year tobacco kills four times as many people as all other drugs, suicides, murders, accidents and AIDS put together.



Every six seconds a person dies from some kind of tobacco-related illness. Worldwide, 5 million people die prematurely every year as a result of smoking. In the United States alone, more than 400,000 people die from smoking each year while, in contrast, only 1,000 die from cocaine use.



Smoking can even be a gateway addiction. Smokers are about 14 times more likely to abuse alcohol, about 100 times more likely to use marijuana and about 32 times more likely to use cocaine.



The astronomical cost of alcohol abuse and addiction

Alcohol alone contributes to about 1.8 million deaths worldwide each year, with 100,000 of those in the United States. It is the third most common cause of death in developed countries, and the leading cause of disease and illness in some countries. About a third of alcohol-related deaths result from unintentional injuries.



Half of all U.S. traffic fatalities are related to the abuse of alcohol. The National Academy of Science estimates that alcoholism and alcohol abuse in the United States cost society $40 to $60 billion annually.



Currently, nearly 14 million Americans—1 in every 13 adults—abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. About 43 percent of U.S. adults—76 million people—have been exposed to alcoholism in the family.



It's estimated that more than 3 million American teens between the ages of 14 and 17 today are problem drinkers. More than 60 percent of high school seniors report having been drunk. And 31 percent say they had had five or more drinks in a row during the last two weeks.



Understanding other addictions

In his book Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction, Dr. Patrick Carnes provides some important insight into identifying some of the common symptoms indicative of sexual addiction by comparing them with characteristics of other addictions.



"A way to understand sexual addicts... is to compare them with other types of addicts. A common definition of alcoholism or drug dependency is that a person has a pathological relationship with a mood-altering chemical.



"The alcoholic's relationship with alcohol becomes more important than family, friends, and work. The relationship progresses to the point where alcohol is necessary to feel normal. To feel 'normal' for the alcoholic is also to feel isolated and lonely, since the primary relationship he depends upon to feel adequate is with a chemical, not other people.



"Sexual addiction is parallel. The addict substitutes a sick relationship to an event or a process for a healthy relationship with others. The addict's relationship with a mood-altering experience becomes central to his life...



"Addicts progressively go through stages in which they retreat further from the reality of friends, family, and work. Their secret lives become more real than their public lives. What other people know is a false identity. Only the individual addict knows the shame of living a double life—the real world and the addict's world" (pp. 14-15).



The anatomy of addiction

How does addiction actually begin? Perhaps not surprisingly, it starts with the acceptance of delusional thought processes about oneself, allowing these to become rooted in one's personal belief system. As a consequence, addiction stems from faulty core beliefs about oneself that affect how reality is perceived.



Each person develops a belief system that is the sum of the assumptions, judgments and ideas that he or she holds to be true. This belief system contains potent family messages about such matters as one's value or worth, relationships, needs and sexuality. When these core beliefs become inaccurate or faulty, they have the potential to provide fundamental momentum necessary for the development of an addiction.



What are some of these irrational beliefs? Perhaps the most common is the perception of not being a worthwhile person. Addicts believe that other people would not value them as a person if everything about them was known, including their addiction.



They also believe that their choice, their agent of addiction, is their most important need. Obtaining this pleasure, or perhaps relief or distraction from pain, becomes life's greatest obsession. The addictive agent or behavior begins to be viewed as the only thing that makes their isolation bearable. Consequently, faulty personal core beliefs become the anchor points for intensifying degrees of addiction.



Impaired thinking

Interacting faulty beliefs produce distorted views of reality. Denial leads the list. Ignoring the problem, blaming others and minimizing the behaviors become part of the addict's defensive repertoire.



Arguments, excuses, justifications and circular reasoning abound in these impaired thinking patterns. Amazingly, even consequences such as lost jobs, arrests and broken relationships are either overlooked or attributed to factors other than the addiction.



Slicing through this mental fog to both recognize and deal with denial and self-deception is essential to recovery and breaking free from the powerful grip of addiction.



Biblical insight illustrates how understanding the progressive mental process can help one recognize and reject impaired thinking. "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren" (James:1:14-16).



Help is available

Addiction is a cruel taskmaster. Feelings of shame, humiliation and personal failure can be overwhelming.



If we attempt to fight our battles all on our own, we are likely to make the struggle even more difficult. Family and friends can often provide support and honest feedback, both of which are very helpful. "Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes:4:12).



Seeking help from others is probably not easy for most of us. Swallowing our personal pride and being willing to seek out and accept help from others can be especially difficult.



As a counselor attempting to help others, I've often witnessed addiction's cycle of progressive devastation and destruction in a person's life. One man briefly described his gut-wrenching struggle with alcohol in a few heartfelt words: "Once I started drinking, I just couldn't seem to stop. It's been something like 20 years now. My wife divorced me, and then I lost my family too. After ignoring repeated warnings, I finally lost my job. I've really hit bottom. I guess I have nothing left to lose!"



It may seem totally hopeless, but it's never too late to reach out for help.



Battling pornography addiction

Sex sells! Pornography, one of the greatest sexual scourges afflicting human society today, is a $57 billion industry. Porn revenue is larger than the combined revenues of all professional football, baseball and basketball franchises! It also exceeds the combined revenues of the ABC, CBS and NBC television networks.



Overcoming an addiction to Internet pornography may require the use of special computer safeguards. For example, various software programs filter Internet content but still allow normal Web surfing. They can be used to block out offensive Web sites.



The person experiencing the problem should not be the one who installs this type of program, or he or she will easily know how to get around it. It is much better to have your spouse or some other trustworthy adult set up the software on your computer.



Three good ones are CyberPatrol (www.cyberpatrol.com ), CyberSitter (www.cybersitter.com ) and NetNanny (www.netnanny.com ). They cost less than $40. All have free trials, so you can take each for a test-drive before you buy.



Breaking free

Breaking the hold of any addiction is very difficult. All forms of addiction are vicious because they further the inability to trust others. However, without help from others, the addict often fails to regain control because the addiction is self-perpetuating—it feeds on itself.



Also, many addictions are supercharged with social judgment, ridicule or fear. This makes seeking help especially difficult. Seeking professional help is often a wise decision, but special care should be taken by the client to find a compatible match in values, approach and methodology.



One of the best-proven paths to recovery for a number of different addictions is the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), but adapted to some other particular addiction.



The 12-step program helps members restore their network of human relationships, especially in their family. Members are taught how to live the program, leaving behind their double life and its delusion and pain. Spouses and families are also given understanding and support through group meetings, such as those provided by Al-Anon.



National telephone hotlines are available to give help and advice for many of the myriad addictions that plague our societies today. Treatment programs, recovery programs and support groups can all be accessed to help break the vicious hold of addictions. Help is available, and there really is hope for recovery for those who will reach out and seek it.



Spiritual help

As a counselor, I have become acutely aware of an additional source of help available to those who believe in a Higher Power. Battling a powerful addiction can make us feel alone, vulnerable, weak and very weary. Those who seek Jesus Christ's help in breaking free from an addiction can tap into a spiritual source of strength and help.



Jesus said simply, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew:11:28). Paul expressed the huge difference spiritual help had made in his life in his exultant words, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).



Don't allow addictions to wreak havoc and destruction in your life. Decide now that you will seek out the help you need. You can break free from addiction!

I Dropped the "Shop-Till-You-Drop" Addiction

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about "shop till you drop." This follows this post about America's debt crisis.  For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

I Dropped the "Shop-Till-You-Drop" Addiction

by Anonymous Female





As a retired person without a job and without hobbies, and living in one of the affluent nations of the western world, I had gradually developed a psychological addiction—an obsession for shopping.



After my retirement, I began to work out regularly at a gym. But that gym happened to be within a shopping mall. This was an environment which gradually developed into a tempting “set up” for me to combine my trips to the gym with slipping in a little shopping.



Motivated by the retail marketing strategies to lure me through discounts, sales and coupons, I started to become obsessed with looking for “bargains.” Whether I needed the item became unimportant to me—it was the excitement of getting those bargains! What a bargain! What a deal! What a “sale”! If I liked one in a particular color, my reasoning went that surely I’d love even more of them in several colors!



I began recognizing my problem



Then one day when entering a back room of my house, I recognized that I had a problem. I recognized the problem for what it was when I saw that room loaded with a well-organized supply of ladies’ clothing. It looked like a miniature ladies’ clothing store! I realized that I couldn’t wear all of the clothes there in several lifetimes!! This stirred me to soul-searching and action. Even though I consider myself to be a logical person, I realized that this behavior was totally illogical.



I quickly realized that I had a spiritual problem—I was violating the Tenth Commandment against coveting. I was lusting for things I didn’t need, couldn’t afford, and didn't have room for. I began fervently asking God to forgive me and help me.



I thought about seeking professional “shopping addiction therapy.” That would not have been bad, but as it turned out, I didn’t require it.



It was so embarrassing for me to tell friends and family. One family member tried to help by just telling me to “stop it.” But that didn’t help because my addiction had become too strong to solve that simply.



I analyzed my family background as a possible contributing factor. Though we owned a house while I was growing up, we didn’t have much money for personal enjoyment. My dad kept tight control of the budget, allocating money to my mom only for family essentials, and not for personal items. Even though that background was no excuse for my behavior, could it be that I was overcompensating for my mother's restricted situation? Lamentations 3:40 says, “Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the LORD,” and this was part of my self-examination.



My road to recovery



I recognized that I didn’t need another thing. I had everything I could possibly need, physically speaking. I needed to “get a life.” So a struggle against this compulsion began within me.



For a short time I became ill, and that distracted me from shopping.



Then I took the many credit cards out of my purse, and left them at home in a desk drawer. But that wasn’t a sure solution because those retail stores told me that for my convenience, all I needed was to give them my Social Security number to make a purchase. They sure make it easy for anyone to spend money!



Those retail stores still send me “sale” coupons in the mail, but I ignore them and let them expire. Every day I look into that back room and just say to myself, “I don’t need another thing.”



I’ve made huge progress. I strongly believe that God has answered my prayers by removing this obsession to “shop till I drop”. Since early 2011 I’ve not had a compulsive desire to go shopping. But I take it one day at a time. [Editor’s note: Be aware that God does not promise to remove temptations every time someone prays for help. However, God does promise to help us if we are praying earnestly in faith while putting forth major effort to overcome.]



Since I became determined to break free from this addiction, I’ve been studying the Bible more and my mind has been opened to greater biblical understanding. This leads me to believe that my shopping obsession had been hindering my spiritual growth. What Jesus described in Mark 4:19 had come to fit me perfectly: “And the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” My desires (lusts) for “things” had become raw materialism.



My overcoming of this shopping addiction has led me to a greater understanding of and appreciation for Christ’s words: “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15).



[Although the author chose to be anonymous, she is very willing to talk to anyone who is struggling with a shopping addiction. If you are struggling, you can notify the BF managing editor and he will put you in contact with the author.]

http://breakingfree.ucg.org/content/i-dropped-shop-till-you-drop-addiction





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Christmas: a celebration banned by the Puritans!!!!!

An interesting article from www.ucg.org about the Puritan's approach to Christmas. This follows this post about the U.S. Thanksgiving. This follows this post about the Super Committee's failure. For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Christmas: a banned celebration




In England "the Protestants found their own quieter ways of celebrating, in calm and meditation," while "the strict Puritans refused to celebrate at all ...The Pilgrims in Massachusetts made a point of working on Christmas as on any other day. On June 3, 1647, Parliament established punishments for observing Christmas and certain other holidays. This policy was reaffirmed in 1652" (Del Re, p. 20).



Even colonial America considered Christmas more of a raucous revelry than a religious occasion: "So tarnished, in fact, was its reputation in colonial America that celebrating Christmas was banned in Puritan New England, where the noted minister Cotton Mather described yuletide merrymaking as ‘an affront unto the grace of God'" (Jeffery Sheler, "In Search of Christmas," U.S. News and World Report, Dec. 23, 1996, p. 56).

America's Declaration of Dependence on Divine Providence

An interesting article from http://www.gnmagazine.org/ about something you might want to consider on Thanksgiving! This follows this post  about coveting.  For a free magazine subscription click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.


America's Declaration of Dependence on Divine Providence


A commentary by John Miller

President of Superb Industries





America's Declaration of Independence is as much a declaration of dependence on Divine Providence as it is a declaration of independence from an oppressive monarch.

The Continental Congress in its first session on September 6, 1774 passed this resolution: "Resolved, that the Rev. Mr. Duché be desired to open Congress tomorrow morning with prayer, at Carpenter's hall, at nine o'clock."

Prayer for divine favor

Duché's prayer on September 7, 1774 pleaded: "O Lord! our heavenly Father, high and mighty, King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth, and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all kingdoms, empires, and governments. Look down in mercy, we beseech thee, on these our American States who have fled to thee from the rod of the oppressor, and thrown themselves on thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on thee … All this we ask in the name, and through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son and our Savior. Amen" (Thatcher's Military Biography, p. 121).

The Declaration of Independence begins by attributing the States' "entitlement" to become a "separate and equal station" to "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" and concludes with an appeal "to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of [their] intentions."

While it certainly declares the founding fathers' intent "to dissolve the political bands" to a despotic British sovereign and lists his "repeated injuries and usurpations," it does so on the basis of "unalienable rights" and principles endowed to them by Almighty God; their Creator, the Supreme Judge of the world.

The major founding personalities—despite their varying individual beliefs regarding religious matters—acknowledge that the success of their seemingly fragile endeavor rested firmly on the grace of God.

Confirmed by Franklin and Adams

Benjamin Franklin stated in a speech to the Continental Convention: "We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that 'except the Lord build the House they labor in vain who build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring Aid, we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel" (The Works of Benjamin Franklin, by John Bigelow, p. 377).

John Adams confirms decades later in an 1813 letter to Thomas Jefferson the original intent of those formative years: "The general Principles, on which the Fathers Achieved Independence, were the only Principles in which that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could Unite…Now I will avow, that I then believed, and now believe, that those general Principles of Christianity, are as eternal and immutable, as the Existence and Attributes of God" (John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 28th, 1813, from Quincy in The Adams-Jefferson Letters).

The founders' unabashed declaration of dependence on Divine Providence both for the justification of their cause and for the success of their endeavor should give us pause to ponder 233 years later.

Will it last?

Are we still on the same course? Do we still perceive the need for God's guidance and blessings?

That the God who created the Universe has blessed our nation with the choicest bounties of heaven is a matter of historical fact. One can argue about the manifold faults of our nation's endeavors, but no one can dispute the historical fact that the United States of America has become the most powerful and influential nation in the history of man.

But can it last? Foreclosures on the American dream are rampant. Jobs have been exported by the thousands. Plant closings are common. Not only is it difficult to buy products made in America, it may soon become difficult to find companies that are owned by Americans.

Perhaps a business associate of mine from Pennsylvania said it best a few years ago in a discussion about some of our impending challenges. "Greed," he said, "will become our undoing."

Today's moral bankruptcy

But should this surprise us? In contrast to our founding fathers who thought it necessary to invoke the principles and favor of Divine Providence, we live in a morally bankrupt materialistic society that wants more for less yesterday and hopes to pay for it tomorrow.

As a nation we deny the existence of our Creator, worshipping instead an evolving creation. We have banned prayer from public schools, driven God from the public square, banished His Law for the courtroom and scorned His guiding principles.



Learn how and why America became the recipient of unprecedented divine blessings and why a very different future lies ahead. Simply request, download or read online our free, enlightening booklet, The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy..

For even further reading click here


 


 

Covetousness Is Idolatry

An interesting article from http://www.gnmagazine.org/  about coveting. This follows this post about Adultery. For a free magazine subscription click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Covetousness Is Idolatry


Many don't realize how greed is impeding their spiritual growth and how necessary it is to overcome the deadly and deceitful sin of covetousness.

by Greg Sargent

The founder of Christianity once remarked that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35), to extend a helping hand to the needy rather than amass wealth for oneself. When giving is practiced, the giver and the receiver ultimately benefit.



Of course, the prevailing practice of the modern world is the opposite: the way of getting, the practice of acquiring possessions. Many people behave like the man in the parable who said to himself, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink and be merry" (Luke 12:19). But the man in this story did not please God, who plainly disliked his callous, selfish attitude and love of the material world.



Humanity has long been afflicted by the curse of covetousness. Jesus Christ warned the people of His day: "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15).



A form of idolatry

Is coveting a problem we should take seriously? In Colossians 3:5 the apostle Paul directs us to "put to death" our fleshly desires, including "covetousness, which is idolatry," or, as one translation puts it, coveting is equivalent to "the worship of strange gods" (Bible in Basic English).



Why is covetousness equated with idolatry? What is the connection? What is the Bible definition of covetousness, and why is it a sin? And, most important, how can we overcome the sin of coveting?



Our English word covet means to intensely or obsessively desire. It frequently refers to lusting after something (or someone) that belongs to someone else.



The biblical meaning is much the same, though expressed through a variety of Hebrew and Greek words. For example, the Hebrew chamad, which is used in the Tenth Commandment, means "to greatly delight in" and can refer to a legitimate desire as well as immoral greed.



Also translated as "covetousness" (Exodus 18:21), the Hebrew word betsa means to plunder, to acquire or possess an insatiable desire for dishonest gain. Greek words translated "covetousness" in the New Testament convey "greed," "setting the heart upon," "longing" or "lusting for."



Taking great delight in something certainly is not always wrong. God tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:31 that we should "covet" (King James Version), or "earnestly desire" (New King James Version), spiritual gifts. We should greatly desire the good things God has to offer.



One of those gifts, which Paul described, was the ability to speak in an edifying, exhorting and comforting manner. This is a prime example of longing for-desiring-something good. Desire is not inherently evil, but the channeling of our longings toward what cannot be rightfully ours or into harmful and destructive obsessions is the sin of covetousness.



Simply put, God allows us to rightly desire some things but not others. There is nothing wrong with wanting things that will make our lives more comfortable or enjoyable, so long as it doesn't interfere with our relationship with God. We should seek after spiritual gifts. Yet improper desire, the sin of coveting, is everywhere condemned in Scripture.



Modern application of Tenth Commandment

The Tenth Commandment forbids us to covet a variety of things that belong to others-our neighbor's house, wife, servant, ox, donkey and, in fact, "anything that is your neighbor's" (Exodus 20:17). This covers the whole range of possessions.



Some of the examples in Exodus 20 concerning the commandment on coveting may seem antiquated to our modern way of thinking. After all, most of us do not own donkeys or employ servants. However, if we look closely at the forbidden list, it includes, in principle, a virtual wish list of everything we could desire in modern society.



Take a closer look at the listing of prohibited items in Exodus 20:17. Notice that it includes someone else's house, wife, manservant, ox, donkey and anything else that belongs to him. This enumeration includes many of the basics of life: property, the marriage relationship, household appliances and tools, machinery used at work and one's means of transportation. In other words, God forbids us to desire another person's mate, microwave oven, tool set or car.



God's instructions are timeless. Coveting eminently applies to this day and age, when so many people are drowning in debt because they have bought so many items they lusted after but couldn't afford.



What's wrong with wanting physical things?

But back to the question: What is the connection between covetousness and idolatry? Why, in God's eyes, is unlawful desire considered the equivalent of committing idolatry?



First let's ask and answer another question: Why do we take such pleasure in physical things we shouldn't have? We love them because they give us a feeling of fulfillment. They make us happy, at least temporarily.



Ultimately the forbidden but coveted fruit attracts us through our senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing, but the initial act of desire takes place in the mind. Coveting, when actually carried out, can easily become the sins of adultery, stealing and lying.



Our tendency to covet can lead us to idolize, to actually worship, the physical as our source of contentment. Just as adherents to pagan religions bowed down to inanimate objects they thought could make them happy, we convince ourselves that physical things will make us happy and provide us peace and joy.



Illustrating mankind's obsession with idols, God describes a man who pays deference to an inanimate object and cries, "Deliver me, for you are my god!" (Isaiah 44:17). Our human tendency is to look to the idol of our choice to deliver us from difficulties and disappointments. We expect the physical things on which we set our hearts and minds to bring us happiness.



The problem God finds with such a shortsighted view is that we enlist the physical to compete with the spiritual. Our idols-the things on which we set our hearts and minds-directly compete with the Spirit of God and interfere with our relationship with God. We think the objects of our affection will satisfy our innermost cravings, even though God says His Spirit alone can truly satisfy: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness" (Galatians 5:22).



Love, joy, peace and the other fruits of God's Spirit should be visible in our lives whether we have all that we desire or not. If we feel good only when we gain what we desire, we revere our physical possessions and are guilty of coveting and idolatry.



Content in any circumstances

A perceptive person recently suggested to me that happiness is a mode of travel, not a destination. As we travel through life toward our goal, the Kingdom of God, we are supposed to be happy. But what about circumstances that don't lend themselves to peace and a serene sense of well-being?



Let Paul comment on that: "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13).



When Paul wrote these words to the church in Philippi, he existed as a manacled prisoner, yet he lived contentedly. He had learned that contentment did not depend on material possessions. Paul, who spent most of his adult life as a sojourner establishing, strengthening and building the Church, and his last few years as a prisoner, could not be said to have led a covetous life.



Paul realized he had much to be happy about-the glory and majesty that will be his in God's Kingdom. When we keep our eyes on the reality and significance of our calling, we find it easier to ignore the glitter of material gain.



Jesus Christ reminds us of our priorities: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things" (Matthew 6:33-34).



Jesus showed us that, when we keep the Kingdom as our goal by obeying His spiritual law, everything else is taken care of, so don't worry about-to the point of coveting-things you don't have.



Keys to overcoming

This brings us to the question of how we can overcome covetous thoughts. The Bible gives us three keys to conquering this sin.



•Key No. 1: Love and obey God.



The first key is found in the commandment against idolatry. After God speaks out against idolatry, He states that He shows "mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments" (Exodus 20:6).



Compare this to what we are told regarding the last days, that many in the end time will be "lovers of themselves, lovers of money" (2 Timothy 3:2). God tells us that, if we love Him first and foremost, we will not be guilty of idolatry through covetousness. However, if we love only ourselves, we will covet. Above all, we will probably desire money, which we look at as simply the power to buy anything our heart desires.



When we stop to think about it, we realize that loving ourselves before God makes no sense. God is spirit and eternal; we are of the dust, physical and temporal. God can let us live forever (Romans 6:23); most of us will live physically only 70 or 80 years.



Everything good and true comes from God (James 1:17). All the flawed presents we could buy are like the water in a barrel with a hole in the bottom. Every physical thing is temporary, like a mist that exists for a short time and then disappears.



What about us is worthy of love? Without a spiritual relationship with God, we go to our grave and are forgotten (Ecclesiastes 9:5). God offers us a wonderful future, and that brings us to the second key to overcoming covetousness.



Faith focuses

•Key No. 2: Ask God for faith.



Ephesians 5 warns that no "covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" (verse 5). Covetousness is the lust of the senses. Faith in God's inheritance focuses our desire on something far more important and permanent, on things we cannot see. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, emphasis added throughout).



An idolater longs for what he sees (or hears or feels) and pays no attention to the unseen spiritual aspects of life. The godly, those who are heirs with Christ (Galatians 3:29), hope for an inheritance in the Kingdom of God, which for the time being they can't see. That takes faith.



Moses chose to forsake the pleasures of sin and suffer affliction because he counted "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt" (Hebrews 11:26). He believed God, diligently sought Him and looked for his reward from God (Hebrews 11:6).



King David, too, focused on the "fullness of joy" and "pleasures forevermore" from God (Psalm 16:11), rather than material things of the world.



When life grows empty and you desire to embark on some kind of binge-to satiate yourself, to seek fulfillment by substituting the material for God's Spirit-simply ask God for the faith to wait for the better blessings He has in store for you. Ask for faith to trust in Him and be content with His Spirit and the promise of happiness in His Kingdom. Then work hard and rely on God, who pledges to supply your spiritual needs (Philippians 4:19).



Another perspective

•Key No. 3: Help others.



A key to conquering covetousness is to help others. Spending time with widows, the ill, the elderly and the incapacitated does wonders to focus our minds on serving rather than seeking to fulfill our own desires. We receive a fulfillment and contentment by helping others that physical things cannot give us.



Something happens when we practice true and undefiled religion (James 1:27). We realize that people with few possessions can learn important spiritual lessons; they can learn to "beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist of the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). We find that we grow happier by giving than by receiving (Acts 20:35). We learn to love people and use things, rather than love things and use people.



God frees us from the distractions that could tempt us to covet and thereby prevent us from gaining eternal life in His Kingdom.



God knows that a covetous spirit cannot be satisfied (Ecclesiastes 1:8). He knows that, if He allows the covetous to obtain eternal life, they will lust after the one additional thing they do not have: God's throne! The covetous person will not be satisfied until he can have everything. He who knows only discontent in one place will not find happiness in another; he will always want more than is rightfully his. That's why coveting is idolatry.



However, when we reign with God in His Kingdom, His Spirit will have convicted us and enabled us to overcome all sin, including covetousness, for eternity.



"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you" (Romans 8:11, New Revised Standard Version).



Christ's followers, people with the Holy Spirit, bear the fruit of satisfaction and contentment-love, joy and peace of mind (Galatians 5:22). With God's Spirit comes the assurance of our gaining entry into God's Kingdom (Ephesians 1:14), having shed the sin of covetousness.



We have seen that coveting is an insidious sin and that God equates covetousness with idolatry. Its fruit may seem to bring us happiness, but only temporarily. Covetousness is contrary to God's own nature and can keep us from the real joy of God's salvation-eternal life in His Kingdom. GN