Do you know where your children are?

One of the most ridiculous and naive beliefs of the modern era is that "pornography doesn't hurt anyone." To uphold this belief, you have to ignore the facts and hold to an ideal which doesn't stand up to the world around us. At one time pornography was a hidden vice which required the individual go out of their way to seek and acquire. It was basically sought by men who had few other outlets for their wants and needs. Seldom was it viewed by women or children since it was not a part of their world.

With the advent of the internet, pornography suddenly became easily accessible to the masses. A new viewing audience emerged. The addictive persona of pornography captured a whole new audience who previously had been sheltered from it's pull. It's cancer has become such a part of current society that many folks accept it without questioning it's value or the repercussions it brings. Families have been shattered and yet very few are pointing a finger at one of the main causes.

A whole new segment of resulting abuse has sprung in it's wake. Child abuse... by both men and women is taking on an entire new face. The news is filled with female school teachers sexually abusing underage students. Men are having relations with women with no intention of solidifying the relationship beyond the sex. Women are accepting sexual relations that hold no further promise. Both men and women are acquiring sexual diseases once found mainly in other circles of contact. People are accepting various forms of deviancy and perversions... and considering them normal!

Children are viewing pornography in the privacy of their room and are fascinated and easily addicted. The bestial nature of it's contents doesn't take much to convince the adolescent that what they are viewing is good; is normal; and is easily emulated. Many websites are frequented by adolescents who purposely keep the sites secret from their clueless parents. Additionally, there are many alternative social media websites where teenagers go to discuss their sexuality; interchange pornography; and share secrets of such a nature that their parents, siblings, and even some of their peers would be shocked and surprised to hear.

We wonder where perverted minds come from. We normally think a reprobate mind is owned by some unappealing dirty old man who should be locked-up for his filthy thoughts. We never want to believe that someone we love could possess a mind which has distorted and perverted sexuality. To make it even more unreal... we never want to think that our beloved children could share similar thoughts to a filthy old pervert. What we all too often overlook is the harmful effects of easily accessed pornography. We turn our back and look the other way. We defend the right of pornographers. We are immature and naive in our reasoning. We underestimate the harm. We reap what we sew.

Do you know where your children are? Do you know what's captured their mind? Do you really?

_________________________________________________

Updating the Seasons Recordings

Since 'Sea of Despair/Showers of Grace' came together so quickly, the second part of April has allowed tweaking and updating to the Seasons tracks already recorded (began in December 2010). Though these tweaks aren't drastic (for the most part), they do improve the arrangement and overall recording a wee bit. Because of this, I will repost to all sites with the new/improved files. Unfortunately on a couple of the music sites, the statistics and comments will be lost. Otherwise it will be worth it.

______________________________

Church Growth

Evangelizing and church growth only go hand-in-hand if the growth comes by reaching the lost. Unfortunately, in the United States over the past several decades, many of our huge 'mega churches' have grown through the influx of Christians who are unhappy in their present/previous church. There has been a huge jump-ship from boring traditional churches to exciting progressive churches. Those churches might also be strong in evangelizing, but it's not necessarily a given.

_____________________

Having it All

Guess what? You CAN'T have it all!

(I have to ask... why would you want to?)

___________________

Short Memory

When it comes to advertising slogans, jingles, and commercials, it helps to have a short memory (or learn how to uneducate your self).

__________________

Invitation to a Wedding

I had no intention of watching the royal wedding but because of it's perfect timing with my schedule, I was able to view all of the important parts.

Do you think they planned it around my early AM rising?

_____________________

You Said What?

We know we're in for trouble when wisdom seems illogical and foolishness comes disguised as logic.

_______________

Five Tips to Make Your iPad Even Better

---

You've purchased an iPad and you're either thinking "This is the greatest little device I've bought in some time" or maybe, "I can't really figure out what all the fuss is about, could there be more to it than what I'm doing?"

I'm going to give five little tips to turn your iPad from a great device into a really, really great device! And you won't have to spend much money… if at all.

5 Tips

(1) Implement 'developer privilege'. I'm not going to tell you how to do it, you'll have to search somewhere else, but once you've added this, you will now have Apple's 'hidden' feature which makes the iPad so much easier to use! You won't believe how easy it is to maneuver by using finger gestures… close your hand on the screen to instantly go back to home; use fingertips to navigate forward or backward between apps; and four finger 'up' to instantly go to all your recently used apps. No more touching the hardware button or going through several steps to get where you need to go.

(2) Add cloud storage and get all kinds of additional storage. Cloud storage is so practical, simple and easy when you have an app. I've used Dropbox for some time… way before I ever got an iPad, and it's a great basic well-thought out storage solution between devices. The app for SugarSync is so good that I'm using it more and more. With their app you can actually view images, listen to music files, and view others types of documents as well. Their iPad app gets an A+. I'm just now getting acquainted with Box.net and will soon know it's strengths and weaknesses. There are many others too… just look and find what you need. The icing on the cake is they all offer some free storage. Between the three I'm using, I have about 15gb of free storage.

(3) You won't believe how great Facebook looks until you add 'Flipboard'. For those of you who enjoy social media, you've never seen it look so good until you use it on an iPad. Honestly, Facebook is a pretty boring site (design wise) on a computer using a web browser, but when viewing it with one of several media apps, it blossoms and comes to life in a whole new way. The most impressive is Flipboard, an amazing app which allows you to view your Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, or other blog/news sites which you use. If you want to impress your friends on how the iPad does some things better than a computer, just show them Facebook as displayed on Flipboard's book interface. It honestly makes you want to look at people's trivial images and details!

(4) Who says you can't do flash or view a variety of movie formats? iSwitter is a web browser which can actually play many flash sites. Some play perfectly, others play with bugs, some not-at-all… it all depends. If you have a favorite flash-enabled web site it's worth checking to see if iSwitter can handle it. Also, for non-quicktime video formats both YXplayer and OPlayerHD do a good job of handling several of them. I've even opened media content within Safari and it instantly took me to one of these apps to open and flawlessly play the content. You can't beat that!

(5) Don't use your finger, get a capacitive brush. I'm not talking about one of the stylus pens which use a foam or rubber tip. What works even better are the brush pens (yes, they actually have brush bristles) offered by several companies from $3 to $30. The one I use is called the 'Pogo Sketch' and only cost $2.99 on ebay… shipping included! The soft brush bristles do a great job of emulating your fingers and for many screen activities it's much easier.

______________

Now you have five little additions which make your iPad even more of a powerhouse than what it was originally. Don't forget, the app market is literally filled with hundreds of thousands of apps… many of which are useful and incredible gems. You just have to do a little exploring and see what's out there. Additionally, another thing which makes the iPad so good is you get to use Apple apps! I have their iMovie, Garageband, and Pages on my iPad and those three apps alone are worth the entire investment for the iPad. If they're your cup of tea, they give you an experience which can't be found anywhere else.

______________

Also, if you've found some work-arounds, apps, or other add-ons which you've found helpful, feel free to share here. Additionally, I will add to this thread as I come across other improvements in the app market and hardware additions. 

 

_________________________

After the Storm

10pm, sitting in McDonalds, six devices connected to their wifi.

Oh yeah, this is day #2 of not having any power at our house.
Refrigerator at home is now filled with bags of ice... so the food won't go bad.

Yep. We're roughing it.

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

Storms and Rainbows

Interesting...
After the devastating storm which quickly did so much damage, as soon as the sky cleared, a radiant rainbow filled the sky. It's almost like a reminder that two opposite extremes can reside back-to-back and are so much a part of our lives. It is life's rainbows which help us get through our various storms.

_______________________________

Too Many Jerks in The Forums

Numerous forum computer jerks caused me to attempt and explain why they're so wrong in their perception of computer needs and how it relates to the individual consumer. Here's part of that response...



You have this scenario which has happened so often, it's not even funny...

A little old lady (computer illiterate) walks into Best Buy/CompUSA/Sears/ComputerWarehouse/Staples/etc/etc (you name it), and asks the salesperson which is the easiest/best computer for a person who knows very little about computers.

The salesperson knows Windows inside and out. That is their platform of preference and to them that is the one which everyone should have, so their answer comes without even thinking. ((I use Windows as an example since this is the platform which this scenario normally happens with.)) They take the customer to the computer which they are ready to sell (could be numerous reasons why). They could care less if this is really the best computer for the customer.

They point out all the numerous features. This incredible powerhouse can even open every app in Adobe Suite... at the same time, and still render the most complicated 3D game!! The little old lady explains all she really wants to do is send email and write some letters. The salesman can't understand this, so he explains: "sure you can read email and write letters, but you can also do all the other things I told you about!" He sells it to her.

Over the months she makes several trips back into the store to try and figure out why it's not doing what she wants. It's a simple and obvious solution to the salesperson but to her it's like a mountain. All too often her 'wonder computer' either ends up in her closet or is given to one of the grandkids. Occasionally it ends up in her yard sale.

This scenario started happening back in the '80s and continues right up to the present. It's so common that essays have been written on it and much research has gone into it.

The despicable Steve Jobs, for all his many faults, fully understands this problem. Whether you like him or hate him, you have to admit he must be doing something right… his bank account can attest for that.

There will come various combatants against the successful iPad. Some of them will also understand why Mr. Jobs released a device that is selling well, while ten years prior Mr. Gates also released a tablet device that for all practical purposes never soared or took flight. He stood up there on that stage and personally and enthusiastically demonstrated it to us, don't you remember?

___________________________

Do All Roads Lead to Heaven?

But Jesus Paid It All Video

It's only the sacrifice of Jesus which imparts eternal life. Our works alone fall far short of meeting the requirement of righteousness for entering into God's presence. Even other religions don't hold the key to God's kingdom. I'm not that perfect of a person and yet my works are as good or better than those of Mohammad. I've never committed all the murders that he did and at least I'm repentant for the lies, deceits and falsehoods that I've committed. Actually, old Mohammad comes across pretty bad in the works department. If he depends on his works to enter heaven, he's blown it; but if he depends on the blood of Christ, he stands a chance. The problem is his writings don't indicate that he was able to declare Jesus as Lord.

Is this a narrow-minded, intolerant view? Yes, I suppose it is. Is it bad to have this view? No, this is the only view a follower of Jesus can hold... we are given no other options. There are so many scriptures which point to the exclusivity of the gospel message it would be pointless to list all of them, but they are summed-up by this simple statement from Acts 4:12: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

God consistently revealed His goodness and righteousness through His patience, mercy and deeds. The picture of man stayed consistent throughout history, portraying man as rebellious and unlawful to God.

If we acknowledge the implications of God's Word, then we have to question or reject every other belief system there is. We are not left with the choice of accepting them on their own or unifying them with Christian doctrine. God's Word becomes the measuring stick by which other beliefs stand or fall. The life and person of Jesus sets another precedence by which other belief systems must be measured. There are numerous aspects of the Christ which make him vastly different from the rest of us and set him apart from all other religious leaders and/or founders. Only he had divine insight to fully have.... the ability to know people's thoughts and motives; his resurrection and death; his ascension to heaven and his fulfillment of a minion of prophecies... the list could go on and on!

(1) His predefined purpose... fulfilling prophecies

Of the many hundreds of accurate prophecies given by God, the central focus of the majority of them is the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is easily the most important figure in our world's history from a prophetic perspective. While on earth, Jesus knew when and where he was fulfilling prophecies regarding himself. His fulfillment of prophecy went far beyond any predictions in which his own efforts might have been able to successfully fulfill. There were literally dozens of prophetic fulfillment which were completely out of his capabilities to physically carry-out, such as: his birth, his death, his resurrection, the time, the place and the actions, deeds and attitudes of other people. The chances of Jesus, or any other person, to fulfill all the Messianic prophecies is entirely implausible... and yet he did just that! When Jesus states, "I am the truth and the life," he has God-ordained proof that he's telling the truth. The heavens, time and space accurately declare him truthful!

(2) His pure, sinless life

There are no recorded instances of Jesus ever committing any type of sin. This is even more remarkable when observing other religion's writings about their own founders, prophets teachers and holy men and their sins or misdeeds... which have unwittingly been reported by their adherents. Even though the followers of Jesus might stumble and fall into sin, our Lord never did! He is the only person who ever lived who was perfect, pure and sinless!

(3) His foreknowledge of events

All of us can make educated guesses at what will transpire in the future, but Jesus had true knowledge of future events. Many times he would tell various people what would happen with them personally... and it would always come to pass. Even with this insightful knowledge, they couldn't prevent it from happening. When Peter was told he would deny Jesus three times before the cock crows, it came to pass even though Peter didn't want it to. Jesus' knowledge of the future included more than individuals, he knew events on both a regional and global scale.

(watch for part two)


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

But Jesus Paid it All

Music Video for But Jesus Paid it All
The entire "Alpha & Omega Suite" can be FREELY downloaded at: http://www.last.fm/music/tAaOS/AlphaOmegaSuite

BEHIND THE VIDEO: When playing the board game Monopoly, it helps to possess a 'get out of jail free' card. Without the card a player could forfeit enough turns to either lose the game or trail significantly behind. The card guarantees immediate dismissal from jail so the game can continue without interruption for that player. Real life doesn't offer an equivalent card... once jailed, we serve our full term if bail can't be made. When the sentence has been handed-down, there's no turning back for the law breaker.

Real life offers another terrible blow... we arrive in this world with our sentence already set in stone! We assume we're born with freedom to do whatever we want but reality is much different; at birth many factors are dictated which we have no control over. For example, we're born with no choice of our physical traits; gender; race; social standing; geographical location; family; wealth; poverty; handicaps; strengths; weaknesses... literally 100% of what we take for granted! But there is another inborn trait often overlooked, ignored or denied that separates us from God and His righteousness... our notorious 'sin nature'. It doesn't matter how much wealth or prestige our position in society offers, we all enter this world with sin's burden fastened securely around our neck. We have no choice!

This present life is not the only place where we're separated from God, sin guarantees our afterlife will also be spent apart from His presence. Heaven's gates will be closed to even the kindest and most thoughtful person with exemplementary actions. Why? Because we underestimate the full extent of sin's devastating equation in the makeup of our very being! We downplay its significance with statements such as, "I'm really not a bad person," and "Surely God won't send me to hell," and "I've never killed anyone," and "I'm kind to animals so I must not be all that bad." Our blinded eyes are incapable of seeing sin for the ugly and repulsive cancer which God proclaims and knows it to be.

Heaven's door will always remain shut to all who are dead in their sins. It's as if we're shaped like a 'large square peg' and heaven's entrance is a 'small round hole'. No matter how hard we try, it is totally impossible for us to enter through. God and His angelic followers are naturally separated from the unholiness which dwells within us. Heaven is habitated only by the righteous and hell is the natural destination of the rest of us. Just like oil and water, sin and righteousness will not mix and can never join in unison!

Our date with hell seems to be a definite, hopeless fact with no escape or way out. But the good news is "things impossible for men are totally possible for God!" He doesn't desire for us to remain outcasts and adversaries so He has provided the means for us to join Him in His heavenly kingdom. We might not possess the keys to open the door but His son, the required 'sacrificial lamb' does! He will gladly let anyone enter who has been purified by His sin-cleansing blood, which is the 'admission price' for entrance into the kingdom! We can enter because of who Jesus is and who we recognize Him to be not because of our own inefficient works or goodness.

When seeing Jesus face-to-face, we will either greet Him as our Lord and personal Savior or as an unknown foreigner whom we rejected to follow and serve. In this life, at the moment we repent and acknowledge Him as Lord, He gives us that elusive card which had been beyond our grasp for far too long... we now possess the 'get out of jail free' card! It becomes ours because Jesus purchased it through His blood which was lovingly but painfully shed on the cross! Our sentence of separation becomes annulled and we can close the door of jail forever and securely behind us. We are free!

With repetitious rhythm the lyrics state, "but Jesus paid it all!" For all who desire to spend eternity with God in His kingdom, the price has been completely paid. It won't cost us a cent. It has been given to us as a free gift! Our future is guaranteed to be with Him throughout all eternity! We thank God that through the grace, mercy, loving kindness and sacrifice of Jesus, our debt has been paid in full. 'Cause Jesus has paid it all... fully and completely!


----------

Yeah... My IQ is Lower Than Your IQ

Please don't take offense at this statement, I was just analyzing a person I know and trying to figure-out her personality. My assessment is not meant mean-spirited.

"She's assuredly confident and bold in spite of her dumbness."

((yeah, my thumb IS pointing back at myself))

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

Jesus Can Whip the Easter Bunnies Tail

Though I love Easter candy and traditional foods, I'm quite aware that chocolate, eggs, and bunnies have nothing to do with the real importance of the holiday.

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

Wacky Pastors

When you hear about a pastor who's jailed, you should scrutinize on whether he was jailed for standing up for God's Word... or if he's just plain wacko.

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

The Grass Whithers and Dies

One problem with anything contemporary is that it's so much in the here and now. That means when tomorrow arrives, today's contemporary will be tomorrow's boring over-the-hill. That's just another reason to focus on the timeless instead on what is destined to whither

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

Good Friday: Promises Fulfilled

"You follow Jesus? What makes him so unique or different from all the other prophets who claim to have a message from God?" "Jesus taught 2000 years ago. I like to believe in a more contemporary thought." "Jesus? Wasn't he some guy that lived a long time ago?" All are statements admonished by folks who haven't delved into the uniqueness of the Christ. But all are valid and worth having an answer for. Why should we base our life upon the teachings of someone who lived two millennia ago? What is it that actually sets him apart from all the rest?

There are numerous aspects of this Christ which make Him vastly different from the rest of us. His pure, sinless life; His predefined purpose; His foreknowledge of events; the ability to know people's thoughts and motives; His resurrection and defeat of death; His ascension to heaven and His fulfillment of a minion of prophecies... the list could go on and on! "Promises Fulfilled" takes an affectionate look at the Jesus promised in prophecy, the Christ who was supposed to come... and did! This is the Jesus who time itself claimed to be Lord!

If time itself proclaims Jesus to be Lord, we must understand what time is. Here, we find a reflection on the universal triune has been set in place. Science determines time to be one of the three parts which comprise the universe in which we live... time, matter and space. Then, when taking this same division of three, science breaks time itself down into three parts... past, present and future. This is time as we know it in the physical realm. Every person lives and functions under the restrictions of time's three parts. We can try to remember the past; live the present; and hope for the future. But if we are to know anything beyond time's boundaries, it must be revealed by someone existing outside our physical realm. Someone without our restrictions. Someone who can know the past, present and future naturally. Someone like the God Who revealed Himself in scripture!

This God not only knows the past and future, but has chosen to give us important revelations regarding them. These revelations shed light on undocumented and otherwise unknown events from the earliest prehistoric past. They also reveal areas of future events; places; and people; of which and whom He considers important for us to have knowledge of. Those revelations have been recorded by His chosen prophets and are intermixed throughout the historical accounts in the written texts we refer to as the Bible. Since it is of utmost importance to know if these prophets have actually been sent by God, we must determine, "Are his prophecies accurate? Do they come to pass? Do they reflect what God has revealed? Are they consistent with other proven prophecies?"

When looking at the hundreds of accurate prophecies given by God, it becomes apparent that the central focus of many is the person of Jesus Christ. If the sheer amount of prophecies pertaining to a specific individual amount to the person's timeless importance, then Jesus easily emerges as the most important figure in our world's history! There is a reason God considers Jesus to be so incredibly important. There is a reason Jesus has been set apart from all others who made the claim of having been sent from God. There is a reason why after thousands of years Jesus still lives within His followers. It's not an accident or a coincidence... Jesus is the only true and accurate reflection of God Himself! If we are to know God intimately, we must get to know Jesus!

While on earth, Jesus knew when and where he was fulfilling prophecies regarding Himself. His fulfillment of prophecy went far beyond any predictions in which his own efforts might have been able to successfully fulfill. There were literally dozens of prophetic fulfillments which were completely out of His capabilities to physically carry-out, such as: His birth; His death; His resurrection; the time; the place; and the actions, deeds and attitudes of other people. The chances of Jesus, or any other person, to fulfill all the Messianic prophecies is entirely implausible... and yet He did just that! When Jesus makes the bold statement of His deity, "I am the truth and the life," He has God-ordained proof that He's telling the truth. The heavens, time and space accurately declare Him truthful!

"Promises Fulfilled" is a tribute to the Messiah who came and did just what scripture had promised He would do. The constraints of a three minute song determined that most messianic prophecies had to be ignored. So the lyrics focus on a few prophecies selectively taken from the book of Isaiah which paint an accurate, clear and detailed portrait of Jesus' life!

"Promises Fulfilled" could only have been written about Jesus. No other religion or system has as it's central figure a person or deity who is so accurately portrayed in precise detail, over and over again, for centuries prior to his earthly birth. There never has been anyone like our Lord Jesus... and there never will be! We rejoice in the great things He has done... and for the multitudes of prophecies He promised and fulfilled!

__________________

Coffee Break

If you want to hear how far off and twisted a person's thoughts and reasoning can be, all you have to do is listen to their opinions.

____________________________

Media Bible

The best bible app for any individual depends on how basic, or how much muscle you require for your own personal Bible study needs. It's quite similar to printed Bibles. You can purchase a Bible, or you can buy a Study Bible. You can also add reference books to the equation if need be. The 'muscle apps' are the ones which compare to the Study Bible... but also include whatever reference material you care to add to them.

I've had my iPad long enough now to test and make some suggestions on Bible apps.

I've narrowed it down to three apps. Since they initially don't cost anything, it's feasible and worthwhile to keep all three on the iPad. Each one has it's strength and is worth keeping just for it's positive point. Here's what I'm using...

(1) YouVersion.
This is a great basic app. It's for when all you want to do is read the bible. It's not the best study bible for doing in-depth studies. It has two strengths to it... you can read the NIV version of the bible for free, almost all other apps charge for the NIV. This is also by far the easiest app to copy any verse and save; email; or send directly to Facebook or Twitter. Apparently, there's no difference between the iPad and the Android versions of this app.

(2) Olive Tree Bible.
With this one you get much more capability for studying the Bible in-depth. You can load commentaries, dictionaries, concordances, etc. It allows up to two windows for viewing more than one study material. It's unique strength is that it actually has pop-up windows which makes study even easier. There is a difference between the iPad and the Android versions of this app... the one for the iPad is much, much better than OliveTree's Android version.

(3) Laridian PocketBible.
This is the muscle app of the bunch. It's for the person who's really doing lot's of in-depth study. It actually allows up to five window panes!! This means you can have a couple Bible versions, commentaries, dictionaries, strongs numbers, or anything else... all opened and viewable on your screen at the same time. If you're a pastor or Bible student, this one has no equal. This app is only available for the iPad with no Android equivalent at this time.

I believe these three Bible apps can meet the requirement of almost any person's needs, whether you want the basic, intermediate, or advanced app for your own personal Bible reading and/or study.
__________________
Been using touch devices for twenty years.
You name the platform, chances are I've owned a couple.
I do have my favorites (too bad HPC died when it did.)
Some haven't lived up to their hype (Windows Tablet, Android, Newton.)
Some are as good as you've heard (iPad, PPC, Psion)
_--_

Resurrection

If you don't normally read the Bible, this is a great time of the year to read at least one of the gospels. Get re-informed about what Easter is all about. (hint... r-e-s-u-r-r-e-c-t-i-o-n)

______________________________

Footnote: Easter is almost upon us. Do your best to make it the special and unique day it represents.

______________________________

Colossians 2:6-10

Colossians 2:6-10


There are numerous ways of studying God's word... both the good and the bad practices. The most important aspect of studying scripture is to derive from it what was intended. It is to nurture our spiritual growth and help us become all that God intends for us to be. It is to help us understand God, His standards and expectations. It is to help us understand humanity's spiritual weaknesses in our self and also in others. And it is to be understood within the presented context, and within it's historical framework.

The following example of breaking down a verse is one of the simplest and most basic ways for a believer to begin a bible study. As one becomes accustomed to this approach, he or she can grow and learn several other equally valid methods of getting into God's word.


6 Therefore, (Let's grow and move forward... based on God's word)
 as you (All who are in Christ, including myself)
  received (Offered to me and I accepted)
   Christ Jesus the Lord, (Jesus only... no other religious teacher, guru, or charlatan)
    so walk in Him, (My actions, thoughts, desires, efforts are grounded in Him)
7 rooted (That which holds me in place, balances me, gives me strength, and sustains)
 and built up in Him (He is the potter... I am the clay)
  and established in the faith, (Many world systems and philosophies, but my purpose is in Christ's gospel)
    just as you were taught, (Not my education from other sources, but that from sound biblical teaching)
      abounding in thanksgiving. (Always thankful for what Christ has done, giving Him praise and glory)
8 See to it (My effort, not God's or anyone elses)
 that no one (It doesn't matter who it is, how great, mighty, or attractive they might be)
  takes you captive (Loss of freedom... once caught, I am trapped and unable to escape)
   by philosophy (Man's best thinking and deepest thoughts, no matter how appealing they might seem)
    and empty deceit, (Not beneficial to my spiritual purity, but that which tricks me into putting my Christ-centeredness aside)
     according to human tradition, (Man's great teachings passed down through the generations)
       according to the elemental spirits of the world, (The most basic, seemingly normal and commonly encountered spiritual teachings)
         and not according to Christ. (If it doesn't stack up with Christ's teachings and example, then it's harmful and incorrect)
9 For in Him (Nothing outside of Christ, but only that which is Him alone)
 the whole fullness (Complete and not lacking for more)
  of deity dwells bodily, (If I want to see God... just look at Jesus. He alone is God-in-man)
10 and you  (All who are in Christ, including myself)
  have been filled  (Filled means all the way to the top, not just part way)
    in Him,  (Jesus only... no other religious teacher, guru, or charlatan)
     who is the head  (The boss, the top dog, the one in charge, the one to be obeyed and listened to, the one who makes the rules)
       of all rule and authority.  (At the very top, doesn't get any higher than this, my ways and desires submit to His)

Exceptional

Know when (and how) to recognize exceptions to the rule, otherwise the rule stands.

‎(And don't create exceptions where none should be.)

_________________________________

Eye of the Beeholder

One major flaw with social networking is it can be little more than a popularity contest.

If you remember high school as bad, social networking can make those days seem heavenly in comparison.

If you think people can be nasty to your face... you haven't seen nothing yet! They can be quite demonic when sitting at a computer and don't have to look anyone in the eye.

______________________________

Are You 100% Correct?

There are some things you are 100% sure about.
There are other things you are 90% sure of.
Be very careful you don't treat them one and the same.
Your credibility is at stake, and much worse harm can sometimes result.

‎(Anything less than 50% should be viewed as nothing more than a wild guess.)

_______________________________________

Can We Agree You're Wrong?

"Why can't we just agree to disagree?"

Sure. Sounds fine I guess. It just doesn't make sense why you would choose to remain wrong.

___________________________

Is This You?

To those who don't have it, common sense is not all that common... and it doesn't seem to make much sense.

_______________________________________

Moronic Oxymorons

I just heard a well-known television newscaster refer to something as a 'successful failure'.

Sure sounds like an oxymoron to me.

________________________________

Music Lesson 101

A difference between the composers of the classical period and those who write current popular hits, and are labeled singer/songwriters, is most of these untrained performers don't write their music down. They normally sing and/or play it for the producer/engineer who then has the music notated if need be.

____________________________________

Nothing is Free

"Would you like...?"
These are three of the most dangerous words in a consumer-based society.
You are guaranteed when this phrase is spoken by a waiter, waitress, or any salesperson, that when you receive your bill... It will normally be higher than you expected.

The deception of this phrase is that it wears a disguise of concern, helpfulness, and veil of being offered a gift.

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

Only Jesus

There would be far fewer men reject Jesus if they didn't see the weak effeminate, pathetic false image created by men. If they would look at the authentic strong, bold, never-back-down Jesus who didn't miss an opportunity to lovingly confront, correct, set-straight, and tell-it-like-it-is, then they would see that His strength far exceeds anyone else we know or admire. He alone sets the standard for manliness as it should be.

_________________________________

Do You Want God to Use You?

You can't be fully usable unless you're willing to give something up (anything and/or everything).
Are you willing to take the most important thing in your life and give it over to the Lord? If not, He will just find someone else to fill the void you left… but don't expect to be commended for your decision.

Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:21,22)

_____________________________

Bibles for the iPad

I've had my iPad long enough now to test and make some suggestions on Bible apps.

I've narrowed it down to three apps. Since they initially don't cost anything, it's feasible and worthwhile to keep all three on the iPad. Each one has it's strength and is worth keeping just for it's positive point. Here's what I'm using...

(1) YouVersion.
This is a great basic app. It's for when all you want to do is read the bible. It's not the best study bible for doing in-depth studies. It has two strengths to it... you can read the NIV version of the bible for free, almost all other apps charge for the NIV. This is also by far the easiest app to copy any verse and save; email; or send directly to Facebook or Twitter. Apparently, there's no difference between the iPad and the Android versions of this app.

(2) Olive Tree Bible.
With this one you get much more capability for studying the Bible in-depth. You can load commentaries, dictionaries, concordances, etc. It allows up to two windows for viewing more than one study material. It's unique strength is that it actually has pop-up windows which makes study even easier. There is a difference between the iPad and the Android versions of this app... the one for the iPad is much, much better than OliveTree's Android version.

(3) Laridian PocketBible.
This is the muscle app of the bunch. It's for the person who's really doing lot's of in-depth study. It actually allows up to five window panes!! This means you can have a couple Bible versions, commentaries, dictionaries, strongs numbers, or anything else... all opened and viewable on your screen at the same time. If you're a pastor or Bible student, this one has no equal. This app is only available for the iPad with no Android equivalent at this time.

I believe these three Bible apps can meet the requirement of almost any person's needs, whether you want the basic, intermediate, or advanced app for your own personal Bible reading and/or study.

_______________________________________

Fairy Tale

Dictionary Definitions...
(1) a story involving fantastic forces and beings (also called fairy story)
(2) a story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending
(3) a made-up story usually designed to mislead
(4) a story marked by seemingly unreal beauty, perfection, luck, or happiness

Synonyms: fable, fabrication, lie, falsehood, falsity, fib, mendacity, prevarication, story, tale, pretentious nonsense, untruth, whopper

No wonder we're so neurotic now. We daily dine on a diet of this kind of stuff... and I'm as guilty as anyone!

This accounts for about everything on TV or film. Even the so-called reality shows fit into this definition.
___________________________

iPad

You should respect the opinions of others.
(Unless that person doesn't appreciate the iPad. Then you don't have to respect their opinion.)

_____________________________

How Weird Are You?

When we don't have someone to balance us out…
-someone who can see the roses where we see the thorns…
--someone who is an opposite (in positive ways)…
---someone with an alternate perspective…
----we have a natural tendency…
-----as we age and get older…
------to just get plain WEIRD!!!

__________________________________________

Morning, Evening, and Night

Okay, let's be perfectly honest.
I'm going to state what most of us feel but seldom voice, and that is...
There's always just a wee bit of mistrust between 'morning people' and 'evening people'.
Occasionally our two worlds clash.
Sometimes the other side irritates us just a bit.
...There! I said it.

((But hey, you could write a book on those true 'night people'.))

_________________________________

Winter: Sea of Despair - Showers of Grace Posted

On April 12 the Winter version of 'Sea of Despair - Showers of Grace' has been posted to a couple of music sites. This song holds a special place within the Alpha & Omega Suite since it was the last song composed… and came as an unexpected surprise in 2008. I had been composing the music since 2000, taking my time and letting Divine inspiration do the leading… and pretty sure the Suite would contain 32 songs. But as I was finalizing all parts, out of nowhere came the final three songs, of which Sea of Despair was the last written in the spring of 2008. After nine years and countless hours, the Suite now totaled out at 35 pieces.

Sea of Despair is also unique within the Suite in that it is the only piece of which an instrumental interlude is a strong part of the song. The interlude helps emphasize the amazing contrast which happens when God's grace intervenes into the despair that occurs within a person's natural life. The sea might be deep and foreboding but the victory of the cross is gently and soothingly showered down.

__________________________________________

Who's Right?

Have you ever noticed how some people's world views are so different from your own? Your natural reaction is, "surely they must be wrong about what they believe?" What type of experiences have they had (or you) that has caused such a drastic difference in their views from your own? It's at times like that that you feel about as much camaraderie with them as you would a space alien.

Perhaps neither of you are right. Maybe you are. Surely they can't be?

_______________________________________

Time

When you're young, you often hear older people tell you "time flies" or "time goes by so fast". This often goes against what you've experienced with elementary school that doesn't seem to ever end. It's not until you become older that you truly understand what was being told to you. Time really does go by so fast.

_______________________________

Email Proper

Am I the only one who hates never-ending reply's to emails?
I'm referring to when you have sent what should be the final email to a conversation, and then you receive a one or two word reply, such as: thanks; okay; that's fine; bye; no problem; will do; see ya later; and worst of all... the lone smiley!

These are the little emails (along with spam) which can cause your email box to quickly overflow, but worst of all they take you away from the work at hand by stopping to see what's been sent.

____________________________________

I am not a Paul

The Example of Ezra

Ezra is believed to be the author of the entire Psalm 119.

(1) First, as a scribe, Ezra dedicated himself to carefully studying God's Word.

(2) Second, he intended to apply and obey personally the commands he discovered in God's Word.

(3) Third, he was committed to teaching others God's Word and its application to life.

Ezra was dedicated, obedient, and committed.
That was Ezra... and can also describe Paul too. But it is not Paul... he had additional strengths and bold abilities. He was superbly equiped for the special ministry God had given him. They were quite different. I am much more like Ezra than I am Paul.

This is me...
I am not a good orator. I am not bold or good at confrontations. I do not go out of my way to evangelize or debate those of opposing views. I greatly admire Paul but I am not him or have his strengths. I am much more like Ezra and will strive to be as effective with what God has given me as he was. Like Ezra, I will: (1) Dedicate myself to carefully studying God's Word. (2) Apply and obey personally the commands discovered in God's Word. (3) Commit myself to teaching others God's Word and its application to life.

I feel that the Alpha & Omega Suite conveys important God-ordained doctrines as well as any musical to be found anywhere. That's what it's all about.
_________________________________

God's Artisans

God equips artists, craftsmen and musicians with abilities and skill.

God has always used people to carry-out what He wants accomplished. If He wants His word to be written down, he uses the hand and pen of man. If He wants His temple to be built, he uses the hand and tools of man. If He wants art to glorify Him, he uses the hand and brush of man. If He wants music to be played, he uses the hand and instruments of man. If He wants battles to be fought, he uses the hand and weapons of man. We are always His chosen instrument for carrying-out His will... whether we're conscience of it or not!

Too many artists interpet their creative talents as a testimony to their own artistic greatness. They take pride in innate abilities they were born with and for which credit is not their due. Even though they might have spent years honing their skills, this area of expertise was waiting within, right from the start! The question which should be asked is, "who put that ability within me and what can I do to give Him glory with this gift He has given?"
 
(Ex 31:1) Then the LORD said to Moses, (2) "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, (3) and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-(4) to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, (5) to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. (6) Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you.

Soar On Wings Like Eagles

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
(Issiah 40:28-31)

____________________________________

Universal ebook Converter

For almost twenty years I've used touch computers of one type or another (Newton, Palm, Pocket PC, HPC, Windows, Android, iPad... maybe more). Problem is I've written text/stories/music with many varying systems, some of which are almost impossible to open and view anymore.

iPad to the rescue!!
The iPad system is designed to make almost everything simple and easy. Well, it turns out a universal ebook converter for iPad has allowed me to convert over a dozen different formats (100s of files) which I now have access to.

Look for snippets and posts from these forgotten writings!

____________________________

It's Only Fantasy

Fantasy can never fully satisfy... simply because it is not reality.
It will always fall short. It is not capable of reaching and fulfilling a person's emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs. It's Achilles' heel is that it can never be dependable.

The very nature of fantasy is to entertain... nothing more, nothing less.

___________________________________

Our Contacts

Every day of our life we come in contact with people, events, problems and situations which bring out emotional feelings within us. How we deal with these feelings can vary drastically from one individual to the next.

One person might explode with anger and rage, another with calm contemplation when an accident occurs. The one individual reacts with verbal or physical abuse, the other with reason and willingness to correct the problem.

Unfortunately, the ability to cope with frustrations is becoming a lost art. Parents and teachers don't always know how to curb their own feelings and so aren't able to teach their children or students the skills needed in dealing with day-to-day stresses.

Children look at adults as their role models for dealing with all types of situations in life... both the good and bad! The inability to react properly is being passed on from adult to child! When the adult flies-off into a rage each time an unpleasant situation arises, it's only natural for the child to also react in the same manner.
____________________________

8 But now also put off all these things: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, shameful speech out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds 10 and having put on the new, having been renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, slave or freeman, but Christ is all things in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender feelings of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long- suffering, 13 forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has a complaint against any. As Christ forgave you, so also you do. 14 And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. Colossians 3 8-14

Decent

-adjective
1. conforming to the recognized standard of propriety, good taste, modesty, etc., as in behavior or speech.
2. respectable; worthy: a decent family.
3. adequate; fair; passable: a decent wage.
4. kind; obliging; generous: It was very decent of him to lend me his watch.
5. suitable; appropriate: She did not have a decent coat for the cold winter.
6. of fairly attractive appearance: a decent face.
7. Informal. wearing enough clothing to appear in public.
8. Slang. great; wonderful.

_________________________________

Etched In Stone

The insightful Word of God states there are definite absolutes and universal truths which we all should live by. It shows there are some things which are morally wrong and others which are ethically right. It admonishes to live according to guidelines which God has set in place. These moral truths transcend cultures and time. They are true no matter how, where and when we might have lived. They are valid both in our physical universe and in the spiritual realm. They have equal application to our mind, body and soul. It is only when we allow sin to overtake our inborn sense of righteousness that our vision becomes cloudy and we have a difficult time distinguishing right from wrong. We then accept 'good as bad and bad as good.'

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

How Impossible is It?

The impossible happens all the time... we just don't recognize it until it becomes the possible.

If you were in Vegas on Sept 10th, 2001 and bet that a plane could topple a massive skyscraper to the ground in a matter of minutes, you would have received an easy taker since you were betting on the impossible. The odds would have become far greater if you were to say it could happen twice in a row!

The very next day the impossible became reality!

We witness implausibilities which become possibilities more often than we care to acknowledge.

Originality

o·rig·i·nal·i·ty (noun)
1. The quality of being original.
2. The capacity to act or think independently.
3. The ability to create or innovate.
4. Something original.
5. Freshness of aspect, design, or style.
6. The power of independent thought or constructive imagination.

Synonyms: freshness, newness, novelty
Opposite/contrast: Lemming

_________________________________

"Sea of Despair - Showers of Grace"

Storms of doubt everywhere.
Skies of doom. Does anybody care?
By our efforts we hide our sin.
All our works won't get anybody in!
Feet stuck deep in the mud of doubt.
"Doomed for hell" our enemy does shout.
All our good deeds won't get anybody out.
Gasping in water as we thrash about.
Lord, only You can stop the spout.
Losing sight of the road we're on.
Lost our way now that everybody's gone.

___________________________________________

Edit Thyself! (#2)

As you might have gathered, I'm a huge fan of 'editing'.

Though it is possible to edit too much, I believe (in general) that most people don't edit enough. This is true of what proceeds from our lips and is also true of what we put down on paper or post online.

As a good exercise, write down a couple of paragraphs and then edit them down to fit within the infamous "Facebook 500 words or less".

___________________________________________