How Safe Is Your Mind From A Cyber Attack?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about dangerous thoughts such as suicide. This follows this post about help in dealing with evolutionary teaching.  For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown  for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

How Safe Is Your Mind From A Cyber Attack?


by Daniel



Source: sxc.hu/AndreqcYour mind is an amazing supercomputer. But it’s vulnerable to a “cyber attack.”



On Friday, April 5, Matthew Warren ended his life with a gunshot wound after a lifelong struggle with depression and mental illness. He’s the 27-year-old son of Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose-Driven Life .



I could only imagine the shock, guilt, shame and pain his family is feeling right now. This story reminds me of a friend who used to attend our church. He was a nice, quiet young man. Two years ago, he ended his life by jumping out of the window of his hotel room—to the shock and horror of his family and friends.



Matthew Warren was “an incredibly kind, gentle and compassionate young man whose sweet spirit was an encouragement and comfort to many,” a statement from the church said. “Unfortunately, he also suffered from mental illness resulting in deep depression and suicidal thoughts. Despite the best health care available, this was an illness that was never fully controlled, and the emotional pain resulted in his decision to take his life.”



What drove Matthew and my friend to take their lives? Only God knows. And His wisdom, understanding and love are infinitely greater than our own. What the Warren family needs right now is compassion and reassurance.



Our minds are incredibly complex. They’re powerful, yet they’re extremely vulnerable. A barrage of negative and destructive thoughts hit us every single day. Here are three ways we can guard our hearts and minds from a “cyber attack”:



1. Fill your mind with God’s truth.

Truth is the best defense against deception. God’s Word—the Bible—is truth. Jesus Christ said: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.



See All...).” We need to saturate our minds with the truth about the purpose and meaning of life, the truth about our origins and destiny, the truth on how to live, the truth about the purpose of suffering, and the truth of the coming Kingdom of God. Truth is the anchor that keeps us grounded and steadfast through the hard times.



2. Guard the portals to your mind.

Thoughts, both good and bad, enter into our minds through the eyes, ears, and our other sense organs. King David of Israel wrote, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes,” (Psalm 101:3I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.



See All...). These eventually take up residence in the heart. King David’s son, Solomon, wrote, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life,” (Proverbs 4:23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.



See All...). We need to consciously choose the videos we watch, the music we listen to, the articles we read, and the people we talk to and hang out with.



3. Take conscious control of your thoughts.

Unless we take 100% responsibility for—and conscious control of— what we think about on a moment-by-moment basis , we are leaving our minds open to a “cyber attack” in the form of negative self-talk, suicidal thoughts, depression, etc.



Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, was robbed of everything he owned and cherished, including his beloved wife. He wrote in his 1946 book Man’s Search for Meaning : “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms— to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way .”



When everything goes wrong, we can choose to trust God’s unfailing promise:



“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding , will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).







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Amend the Bible?????

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about a recent attempt to "amend" the bible! This follows this post about America's national debt.  For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Amend the Bible



On a recent edition of CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight" the host engaged Saddleback Church's Rick Warren in a debate about same sex marriage and gay rights. Morgan suggested the Bible needed to be "amended" to accommodate modern social mores. Warren's reply was, "not a chance." Warren is right, it is not going to happen.



Amending the Bible is a bold call—not that others have not tried to amend its text down through the centuries. But textual criticism can usually determine where that has been done. But we don't need to go there today.



My thought after listening to the exchange was that people have already amended the Bible by ignoring its plain teaching on just about any major matter of substance in the book. The law? It's been changed, don't need to keep it. The Sabbath and holy days? Changed to Sunday and pagan festivals substituted. Adultery and marital fidelity? Let's do what feels right in our own eyes.



For many modern minds today there is no need to "amend" holy scripture—their lifestyle denies its authority and in effect says to God "We don't want you telling us what to do. You are not admitted into our conscience" (Romans 1:28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;



See All...).



How about you? Do your actions say that you have amended God's plain teaching to suit what you want to do with your life? Revelation 22:19 says not to "take away from the words of the book of this prophecy." Doing so causes God to remove our names from the Book of Life.



Far better to "amend" our life to conform with the Bible. It's safer that way.







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Rick Warren's Inauguration Prayer

A very interesting analysis of Rick Warren's Inauguration prayer


The Most Underrated Part of the Inauguration
Chuck Norris

I know inaugural news and commentary are already passe. But I could not find one report this past week that caught what I believe was the most subtle, strategic and possibly subversive moment of the inauguration ceremony. Did you catch it?

Like most news agencies, U.S. News & World Report reported that the Rev. Rick Warren's invocation "clearly opted for a conciliatory tone that eschewed any mention of culture-war issues." But Warren hardly was pacifying the elites or anyone else -- if you truly understand what he prayed. The invocation seemed like a rather benign blessing that even his most ardent foes could have interpreted as inclusive. But the real portrait of his prayer was quite to the contrary.
First of all, Warren's prayer was nearly five minutes long -- about 486 words. He certainly didn't cower to typical audience intolerance for long prayers and opt for a short grace before meals.
Second, Warren embarked on what theologians call a Mars Hill apologetic, which is a biblical approach and deductive line of reasoning that the apostle Paul used in teaching about a Creator God, with whom all can identify at first: "Almighty God, our Father, everything we see and everything we can't see exists because of you alone. It all comes from you. It all belongs to you. It all exists for your glory. History is your story."
Third, Warren then narrowed his focus by identifying the Creator as the one true Hebrew (or Jewish) God of the Old Testament -- something that sounds inclusive of Judaism but also serves as the basis and narrowing of his Christian logic. At the same time, he was culturally relative and sensitive to (but not necessarily endorsing of) Islam by extolling God as "the compassionate and merciful one," a descriptive line that opens all but one chapter of the Quran. Warren prayed: "The Scripture tells us, 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.' And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made."
Fourth, Warren then covered the gamut in compassionate petitions -- thanking God for racial freedom and equality, praying a blessing on Obama and his Cabinet, and asking God to help us all unite in freedom, forgive us of our presumption and pride, and share with and serve all humanity.
Fifth, Warren turned on a dime by calling on God to help us remember this universal religious truth (in all Middle Eastern religions, I might add): God will judge all nations and all peoples. Then, for clarity's sake, the name of Warren's Supreme Judge was given. He referred to this transforming agent, who changed his own life, in four different languages: "I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life -- Yeshua (Hebrew), Isa (Arabic), Jesus (Spanish pronunciation), Jesus (English pronuncation)."
Sixth and last, just when you thought the "amen" was imminent, Warren gave a coup de grace to any political or earthly power -- a possibly subversive chess move to subtly call Obama's regime into checkmate. He called upon the global Christian community to invoke God's power against any and all human strongholds by collectively praying the Lord's Prayer. Warren rallied all branches, traditions and denominations of the universal church by triggering a prayer response through his words "who taught us to pray, saying …" Proof came as cameras immediately panned across the people in the Washington crowd, many of whom found themselves suddenly reciting the prayer with Warren. (It was interesting to watch how Obama chose not to join in.)
What everyone needs to understand is that the Lord's Prayer is no trite religious repetition to Warren. He once explained in one of his teachings: "'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.' Why do we pray that 'Thy will be done as it is in heaven'? Because in heaven, God's will is done perfectly. Is God's will done perfectly on earth? Absolutely not. In fact, most of the things that happen on earth are not God's will. God's will is not always done. … But when you pray, 'Thy will be done,' you're saying … 'I accept your plan, and I surrender to God's control.'"
Reciting the Lord's Prayer is pleading with God to erect his kingdom and execute his desires on earth as they are in heaven. It is calling upon the one true God, asking for his nature to overrun ours, his wishes to be fulfilled (not ours), and his rule and reign to be established (not ours). On the flip side, it is the most "dangerous" prayer one can pray if one wants to continue to live selfishly, misuse power and maintain control over others.
The Lord's Prayer is, in reality, the most invasive and subversive prayer to human selfishness that one can say. It's able to break down strongholds within us, within others and even within political structures. As Warren again said, praying the Lord's Prayer is ideal "when your circumstances are uncontrollable, when people around you won't change (they're unchangeable), and when problems are unexplainable."
Now you tell me: Why would Warren, who thoroughly understands the Scriptures, pray that particular prayer at the transference of new political powers with whom he largely disagrees? The answer is obvious.
Like millions of others, I repeated this relatively short prayer by rote for most of my life without thinking twice about its meaning. But then I learned about its powerful truths from my pastor, who teaches its principles and encourages its daily recitation through a simple acronym. (You can listen to his Lord's Prayer message series on his Web site, www.NationalTreasures.org.) The Lord's Prayer has revolutionized my prayers and my life, and I believe (as I know Warren does) it can change all of our lives, government and the world if we sincerely and regularly pray it. That's exactly why Warren's invocation included it.
For most, Warren was reinforcing his image as "a unifying, post-Christian-right figure rather than as a divisive culture warrior." But reality is, as Jesus called his apostles to do, Warren was being as "shrewd as a serpent and innocent as a dove." And most never even caught it.
Say what you will about this purpose-driven pastor, but when you parse it, the Rev. Rick Warren's inaugural invocation was about as purpose-driven as prayers come.

Questions for Candidates

If you have been watching the news about the U.S. Presidential Election, you might find the article below interesting. Of course the coming King of the Kingdom of God will do more for us than any candidate, which puts Him above politics, and if you haven't reread it recently, now is a good time to reread Jesus Christ: The Real Story http://www.gnmagazine.org/booklets/JC/

15 Questions Rick Warren Should Ask Obama and McCain
Gregg JacksonThursday, August 07, 2008
Pastor Rick Warren, author of the “Purpose Driven Life,” will be hosting a “Compassion Forum” August 16th at Saddleback Church in California in which he will be asking questions to both presidential candidates Senators Obama and McCain. According to a recent NY Times article, Mr. Warren was quoted as saying:“Since I’m their friend, I’m not going to give them any gotcha questions,” Mr. Warren said, adding that a typical query would be, “What’s the most difficult decision you’ve had to make, and how did you make it?”Setting aside for the moment the fact that we as Christians have a solemn obligation to speak prophetically to the world about Christ and His Word even if what we say makes our “friends” uncomfortable, as a Christian, interested in knowing specifically where the candidates stand on issues in relation to their Christian faith, not only do I want to know what the most difficult decisions they’ve had to make are, but how their personal relationship with Jesus Christ and His Word actually informed and influenced those decisions. The “Compassion Forum” will focus on global poverty, HIV, and the environment, which are all issues that should be of concern to all Christians. But I hope that Mr. Warren will also pose questions regarding the great social and cultural issues of our time including abortion, embryonic stem cell research, same-sex “marriage,” and the mainstreaming of homosexuality. People can watch turn on any of the mainstream networks for non-threatening softball questions for the candidates. Mr. Warren should use his forum as an opportunity to ask the difficult and challenging questions not often heard in a presidential campaign. This may be his last opportunity before it becomes a “hate crime” to do so.Here are some questions I suggest Mr. Warren asks candidates Obama and McCain:
1. For both candidates: What is truth? Who is truth? And Is that truth transcendent and applicable at all times to everyone regardless of their impulses, behavioral preferences, desires, wants, nationality, ethnicity, religious dogma, gender, race, etc?
2. Sen. Obama, you have said you are personally pro-life but in favor of abortion rights up to and even including after delivery in some cases. Why are you pro-life personally if an abortion doesn't actually kill a baby in her mother's womb? Also, do you think Jesus would be in favor of abortion? Why or why not?
3. Sen. McCain, you claim to be personally pro-life as well. Why? And if you believe that abortion always ends the life of the developing baby in her mother's womb, why would it be ok for individual states to legalize killing babies? Don't our nation's founding documents the Declaration of Independence ("life, liberty, pursuit of happiness") and Constitution (5th and 14th Amendments) guarantee the right to life that no individual state can violate?
4. Sen. Obama, Do you believe that homosexual behavior, as God says in His Word, is unnatural, deviant, and self-destructive? As a follow-up, some have said that we shouldn't worry about homosexuality because Jesus never said anything about it specifically. Well, in case you're planning on going down the same Scriptural-ignorant road, Jesus never spoke about crack cocaine, racism, and suicide, either. So are those things okay? And the Gospel of John says that in the beginning was the Word, that the Word became flesh, and that the Word was Jesus Himself. So, since "all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable" the entire Bible is about Jesus, and that's the same Jesus that affirmed marriage as one man and one woman in the Gospels as well. Therefore, as a Christian how do you find yourself on the opposite end of an issue from Jesus?
5. Sen. McCain, You said of same-sex marriage: "I think that gay marriage should be allowed if there's a ceremony kind of thing, if you wanna call it that, I don't have any problem with that." Do you stand by that statement, as you have also stated that you personally oppose same-sex "marriage?" You don't offer a section on your website dedicated to this issue, which continues to make national headlines. And it's also making headlines in your own state. Recently, Dr. James Dobson expressed regret that you weren't more public in your support for a marriage initiative in your state, and since you support individual states' rights to defend the institution of marriage, do you agree with Dr. Dobson that you haven't been forthright enough on this issue?6. Sen. McCain, The California Supreme Court here in California recently postulated that limiting marriage between one man and one woman was unconstitutional. Shortly thereafter you appeared on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" and didn't respond to Ellen's comment that she could "now legally get married." You have said that issues such as abortion and marriage should be decided via the voters of the individual states. Since the voters in California already voted to define marriage in 2000 (by 61%) as the legal union of one man and one woman, and since that voter approved statute has not changed and can't unless revoked by the people themselves, why did you not remind Ellen that "gay marriage" isn't legal in California because the courts' declaratory opinion, containing no court order, hasn't changed the current marriage statute which does not include any provision for members of the same sex to marry?
7. Sen. Obama, Jesus repeatedly says in the Bible that He is the only source and giver of eternal life. (John 5:21-25, John 6:40, John 14:6, john 17:3, John 6:22, Acts 4:12, Acts 10:42-43, 1 Tim 2;5-6, 1 John 5:11-12, Rev 7:9-12). Yet as a Christian you have stated that there are many sources of truth and eternal life and that even non-Christians go to heaven. How do you reconcile your view that there are many ways to achieve eternal life in Heaven with what Jesus said (i.e. that He is the only way)?
8. Sen. McCain, during an interview with Charles Gibson on "Good Morning America," President Bush was asked: "Do Christians and non-Christians and Muslims go to heaven in your mind?" Bush replied, "Yes, they do. We have different routes of getting there..." Do you agree with President Bush? Do Christians and non-Christians and Muslims go to heaven in your mind? What is the source of your opinion on this matter?
9. Sen. Obama, you support federal sexual orientation non-discrimination laws and if elected would sign the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Under that law, religious organizations and churches would have to hire cross dressers and transvestites, for example, or face criminal fines and prosecution. Why should a church like ours that believes, based on what the Scriptures say, that homosexuality is a perversion of God's natural law, be forced by the government to hire practicing homosexuals or face criminal charges?
10. Question for both: Can we ever expect God's divine protection and blessings in this country if we continue to kill 4,000 babies per day?
11. Question for both: What specific Bible verses are most encouraging to you that sustain you in times of personal crisis?
12. Question for both: 2 Timothy 3:16 states that “All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Do you agree that every word of the Bible is the inerrant, authoritative, infallible word of God? If not, how do you determine what is God breathed and what isn’t?
13. Question for both: What has your personal salvation meant to you in your life? Who is Jesus in your life?
14. Question for both: How much will reading God's word and daily prayer influence what you do in the Oval Office if elected?
15. Questions for both: What is the message of the Gospel?
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