Are You Guilty of This?

Scripture says... Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to us. — Hebrews 10:29

"You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That's what your ancestors did, and so do you!" (Acts 7:51).

Judgment day is a scriptural definite. Every person born will have a time of accountability. For some it will be far worse than for others. Have you "trampled on the Son of God"? This simply means that you have little place in your life for Jesus, even though you've heard and had the opportunity to serve Him. If you place other religions, beliefs, and teachings above Him, you are guilty of trampling on Him. Spiritually, God's Spirit will only point towards Jesus... no other prophet or religion (there are other conflicting spirits which will lead you in those directions). A hardened heart resists when the Spirit whispers in your ear. This is both insulting and disdainful to God and is the one act you willfully do which places you outside of His mercy.

One simple reminder: there is only one Jesus! Nobody else can take His place.

Counter Melodies in Our Life

Counter-melodies can be one of the most important parts of a song but are often the most overlooked or unnoticed parts of the overall score. I admit, I'm by nature a counter-melody person. I hear, see, and experience many things around me with a counter-melody perspective. Even when I hear a near-perfect popular song, my mind eventually creates a counter-melody to go along with it… I hear what is not there. A counter-melody takes what is already good and makes it just a bit better.
The melody is where the focus is. It is extremely important. It is the main attraction… the headliner! The melody is out in the forefront and is what makes-up the song; what is most likely remembered; what the vocals normally follow and mimic; and what receives most of the praise and recognition. The counter-melody normally hides in the background; seldom receives praise or recognition; and is sometimes not even noticed or heard by certain listeners. It occasionally is not capable of standing on it's own, but it compliments the melody in such a way that it brings out the best in it. The melody might be as good as possible, but it doesn't soar to the higher realm until the counter-melody comes-in and helps bring it there. The whole purpose of the counter-melody is to make the melody shine and sparkle brighter and with more polish and grandeur!
The concept of the counter-melody does not just happen in music. It's counterparts can be found throughout life in social structures; nature; relationships; family; friends; marriage; animals; culinary delights; fashion; visual arts; weather; engineering; and on-and-on. It is not the headliner's (or original's) "exact same counterpart" which makes the original seem better, it is the complimentary non-exact partner which bring's out the headliner's uniqueness in a much bolder, positive way. Most of the genuinely great things in our world are made even greater when they are complimented with the perfect counter-melody!
Just look around and you'll see, hear, and experience counter-melodies everywhere. You will notice the counter-melody is the best partner the melody can have… it is grandly indispensable in what it offers and brings to the table!

Know What You're Eating

We all know that you have the opportunity to eat lobster when you go to Red Lobster.

I assume you can eat a robin when you dine at Red Robin.

But, I have a hard time believing that anyone wants to eat a castle when they eat at White Castle!

Sounds, Noise, and Melody

Living in the middle of hills and dense woods should normally be peaceful and tranquil, but the encroachment of neighbors can change that quite quickly. Since moving here six years ago, one neighbor cut down all their trees, thus allowing the harsh sounds of traffic and civilization to more fully enter our quiet world. Another close neighbor has collected a pack of small yappy dogs who's non-stop barking echoes day and night throughout the neighborhood filling the hills with a wall of noise. Occasionally the entire 'herd' of noisemakers are allowed to retreat inside the neighbor's house, allowing peace and quiet to blanket our wooded domain for a short while. It is at those times that another sound can be heard and appreciated... the soothing singing of the large variety of birds who frequent the feeders in our patio! Their melodious songs echo through the trees and provide the ambiance which is perfectly tailored for living in an area such as this. Once again God shows that He knows best!

Satisfaction

It's in our nature to view things with a 'grass is always greener' perspective, especially in regards to where we live. This is where we work, toil, and struggle. We only occasionally take advantage of all the wonders at our own back door. We drive for a day or more to vacation somewhere which makes us think, "it sure would be great to live here", not realizing a vacation's perspective is not the same as the perspective coming from our daily struggle. Even folks living in a desirous location are often guilty of longing to be somewhere else.

There are exceptions to this rule. Bruce was a simple mountain man... quite satisfied with where God had placed him. His remote rural existence was quite modest by most standards. He told of the time his wife and he responded to the 'all inclusive' promo of a time share resort. After experiencing it's wonders; being shown all it's many amenities; and being pressured to the extreme by the persistent sales force, Bruce gently explained to them why he was not interested. "You have a lot of nice things at your place but I already live in a place that's so good people come from all over to experience my mountains. I wake up every day looking forward to the chores I will do feeding the chickens, milking the cow, and tending my fields... and all the time looking at my mountains. I like what you have here, but it's for someone else that doesn't have things as nice as what I have at home."

Bruce didn't have near as much as folks who aren't satisfied with the multitudes of expensive toys that cannot bring them happiness. His grass was greener on his side of the fence.

Know Who God is

A really broad, all-inclusive view of God is really no view at all... especially if little of it is based on Christ's revelations of who God is. "Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me." (John 15:20–21) What? We've rejected God!!? Jesus is saying that if we listen to any other voice which doesn't align-up with His revelations about God and the spiritual realm, we are in reality rejecting God! He gives us no room to be all inclusive in our viewpoints and interpretations. Perhaps now you understand a bit better why He was nailed to a cross to die. His message isn't what we want to hear.

Sea of Despair-Showers of Grace - Autumn

Sea of Despair-Showers of Grace - Autumn

It's been a full year since I posted "Sea of Despair - Showers of Grace" and so I am posting it once again. It is one of my personal favorites, and though this is the Autumn instrumental version, it's lyrics have strong meaning to me and can be round at the Jamendo music sight. I will post that link as well. Thanks!

Where are IT departments heading?

I read a tech report about the demise of the IT department and the current reasons why there’s a good possibility these departments will shrink in the next few years. So I wrote this little article about my personal experience with IT departments over the years…
________________
For me it started in 1987.
That was when our company purchased three little Mac Plus’ to do our printed catalogs with. There were already about forty M-DOS computers which had a daily need for the company’s IT department. Those DOS things were basically a nightmare in numerous ways! The employees using the DOS computers would come around and marvel at the way our little boxes operated… so much nicer, user friendly, and more efficient than anything they had been trained on. The IT staff had a different attitude. They believed that any computer which didn’t require their assistance was not worth paying attention to. I could also see that the Macs were a pure threat to their job security as well.

The graphic department’s little Macs also proved to be quite trouble free as well. Looking back at the end of the first year, it was evident these computers which did things differently also required very little maintenance. They were basically problem free! The IT department appreciated the ‘headache’ computers but had a sometimes outspoken disdain for our devices.

Over the decades, having worked at numerous other companies in graphics, I have seen this same scenario repeated over and over in various incarnations. Even when Windows finally entered the workforce, the non-Macs almost always had some type of need for IT. There were always some aspects which weren’t user-friendly for the office staff and had to be maintained by a techie expert to operate well.

I really thought the IT departments would shrink far greater than they had by 2000. I’m a bit surprised they have been around as long as they have when technology had got to the point that their services were no longer in great demand… and I’m not talking about the future, I’m going back a ways.

I think there will always be a need for some type of IT department. Perhaps it will evolve where the position is part of a bigger job description. Perhaps it will be a position where one person can do what three once did. With both computers, and the end-user’s abilities being what they are now, I can’t imagine IT not evolving in some way as well.

Smartphone

Silly me. I once thought that a Smartphone was so-named in reference to it's intelligent computing abilities. But after owning a couple of them, I now think they're called a Smartphone because you have to be fairly smart in order to use the dang thing!

Like Christ

History has given us many great people whom we can pattern our self after and strive to be like. Some of us even have a beloved family member worthy of learning from. But there has been only one who is utterly impossible to emulate without the assistance of God's mighty Spirit working within. When He instructed us to "die to self" He was not joking... there is no other way to even remotely be a reflection of Him and His vastly higher ways!

Above the Law

One fallacy I've heard all my life is that the rich are often above the law, but the poor seldom are. Having observed the local, national, and some foreign laws and the way they are enforced, or not enforced, I have seen that it's not entirely a matter of one's financial status. What it actually boils down to is... what connections does a person have? One's connections are vitally important! Who do you know in the right place who is willing to stack the deck in your favor? Just pick up the paper and see who is prosecuted and who isn't. It's all in the connections... whether obtained by wealth, family, friends, organizations, or social services.

Jump

Deception takes place not only individually, but even more so collectively. It is when a group, or even a whole society, accepts a falsehood; acts upon it; and enforces it's lie that the potential of devastating results happen with far greater harm than what might come from the 'lone gunman'. This is why it's so critically important for the individual to hold their society accountable for what it enforces, accepts, rejects, and teaches by using moral and ethical checks and balances which can only come from a higher standard than what humanity is capable of on our own. When we stand on a cliff and jump as high as possible, we are destined to descend far greater than what we can ascend.

Misconception

One of many misconceptions regarding Jesus is that he only taught 'peace, love, and harmony' along with other loving and pretty things. The truth is that much of his teachings were in fact warnings which dealt with quite negative and sometimes frightful concepts. He consistently exposed areas which we believe to be good for the darker side which they actually are. We associate 'destruction' with war and calamity, but Jesus associated it with the normal condition we live under. No, he never was that 'timid little Jesus holding a rose in his hand' that some tend to believe. But, the good, uplifting, and positive news is that even though he showed that things might be worse than we want to believe, there is also the 'good news' of a way out for those who are willing to accept it. He emphasized that if we choose to stay the way we are things won't be so great, but if we really listen, take it to heart, turn and make that change, and let him lead us in a whole new way, then things can actually get turned around and redirected for a much better destination. That is the loving and positive message he is known for.

Opinionated

"That's only your opinion" is not a valid statement when your so-called opinion is based on the opinion, teachings, science, or doctrine of someone else. If the 'only your opinion' statement is addressed to you, and you know your opinion is authentically and accurately based on someone, or some group's established facts, then your response can be, "No, it's not just my opinion, it's what ______ also believes, teaches, and researched."

Senior

There are quite a few things that I both love and hate at the same time. Perhaps one of the best examples of this hated love affair is that of the "Senior Discount"!!! I confess that I'm normally quite excited to see that I'm actually getting a special discount for something... a discount that I wouldn't have gotten up until recent years, but that discount comes at a price. It comes at the price of now being classified as a SENIOR (at least by certain establishments). In case you have forgotten, the word senior is used by many of us senio... uh, how about 'middle aged' folks, instead of the other common word freely used by younger people... OLD!!! Ouch. Old? And I still think of old as pertaining to my grandparents... not me.

Mercy

He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. Prov. 28:13

Master debater

It sure seems like no matter what forum you post in, there's always a 'debater' who is lurking and looking for an excuse to take the opposite stand of whatever you have posted. It's as if their entire life is dedicated to making them self the champ (bully?) of online forums. If you post, "The sky is filled with rain", they will instantly post, "the sky is sunny and warm". Okay, this might be true and accurate if you were in entirely different locations, but this jerk is located just down the road a mile or two and is standing in a downpour! LOL

Warnings

Getting older is when you finally realize that some of those sociological/moral warnings you heard and laughed at when you were younger actually have come alarmingly true and are no longer a laughing matter.

Oh you Protestants!

Oh great. I just learned that my birthday, May 1st, has become some type of international protest day. There were all types of protests taking-place all over the globe. I'm sure there might have been some valid ones, but from what I've read, many of them just gave an opportunity for lunatics and hotheads to have a chance to cause some trouble. I sure wish that people could channel their anger and indignation into areas which would align with those things which we really should be concerned about.

Change Your Ways - Autumn

Change Your Ways - Autumn

I recently scored the Winter version of 'Change Your Ways', a song I wrote back in 2000 which emphasizes one of the most important doctrines in the Bible, and one that goes fully hand-in-hand with the gospel of Christ… the all important doctrine of repentance. Without true repentance there's not a single one of us who can turn to God and follow His ways. When sending His Messiah, God first paved the way by sending a prophet whom He referred to as "the greatest of all prophets" who's main message was for us to "repent and change our ways and get ready for His Christ".

Change Your Ways could have been the piece which begins the Omega, but it is concreted-in as the final piece of the Alpha.

Though I wrote both melody and lyrics almost twelve years ago, when scoring the Autumn version recently, I understood that something would be different about this arrangement. To my amazement a new counter-melody came which changes the song completely! The counter melody runs throughout this Autumn arrangement and is brought to the foreground in the second verse/chorus. If you are familiar with the original version, and with the Winter version, you will be quite surprised by what happens with this Autumn strings/symphonic rendition. It never ceases to amaze me when God's spirit works in incredible, unexpected ways!

Activism

When social activism/political activism is not based on God's established laws of morality, ethics, and virtue, though it might bring about some good, it will naturally bring about some bad as well. If the activism contains far greater ungodly principles, it will also bring about far more negative results than positive.

Hello, Jerry Springer

It's bewildering that some people don't strive to be high class. It's as if low class is good enough for them. They have the means... the social influences, the finances, the education, and the opportunities, and yet an almost conscience decision seems to be made to aim for the lowest, the trashiest, and the poorest taste possible. And all the while giving the impression they are oblivious that their sights are set so low.

Who Do You Like?

Some people we really, really like. We like everything about them. Most people we like... somewhat. Still other people we like in spite of the things which irritate us. There are a few people we try to like but we don't always succeed. Then there are those folks we just can't like, no matter what. Finally, there's the 'good riddance' folks. We would just as soon they be locked away and out of sight/out of mind. Forget about liking them! -((Hey, did I tell you that I like you?))-

The Rise of Ants

I've been around long enough to know that nobody stays on top of the hill for very long. I've seen companies far bigger than either Apple or Sony fall. Here's a wake-up call for you... tomorrow, neither Sony, Apple or Microsoft could even be around anymore. Just accept that fact. Tomorrow's giant could easily be that little no-name company that's churning out junk sold at flea markets. You never can tell. The death, demise, or shrinkage of giants has happened so often in my lifetime that I've grown to accept it. The rise of ants has also happened. Twelve years ago if anyone had told you that Apple would have a bigger year than Microsoft you would have thought them a fool. Thirty years ago you wouldn't have expected either of them to be doing as well as Sony.

Tares

I was just reading about the tares sown among the wheat... the implications are incredible! It also makes sense of so many things and sheds light on why things are, and why they aren't better than they could be. The sneaky thing about the tares is that most people standing outside of the field can mainly see the tares and not the wheat, and yet they believe the tares to be the wheat! They also aren't able to comprehend that if they were in that field, they too would be that tare which they so highly criticize.

Review

Don't you just hate reading online product reviews that receive lots of five stars... alongside tons of one star reviews too! I mean, what's this all about? The product can't be both a oner and a fiver at the same time. Either it's good, or it's bad, but it really can't be both. It's enough to cause you to lose faith in the whole consumer review process. It was probably just as valid to listen to my opinionated old grandad say, "Son, this here's a good one. That one there's a piece of junk."

How do you Spell Philosophy?

Philosophical quotations often sound far deeper and more meaningful than what they actually are. You can quote me on this. -(( We can make almost any silly thought come across as important by phrasing it in the form of a quotable statement. ))-

'One Way Traffic'

I've noticed that web forums are a place where people have a lot to say but have little desire to listen and learn.

Meetings

Though we are told how important meetings are, they are actually that time where we sit there thinking, "Boy! I've got a lot of work to do and this thing's way too long! He's going over the same old unimportant stuff which is keeping me from getting back to the really important things that must get done! Get this thing over with... please!!!"

The Speck

Too many folks are great at looking the other way when it hits close to home but are quick to point a finger when it's the actions of someone that doesn't matter to them.

Editing

Though I'm an outspoken advocate for editing and feel most things are better when edited down, another valid view is that which is taken when studying ancient writings. Scribes had to function in place of a printing press (since none existed) and over the course of time, changes, editorial decisions, and errors would be added to the original text. Our standard procedure when studying ancient manuscripts is to go back as far as possible... the closer we get to the original, the more accurate it is perceived to be.

Our Gate

Jesus' teachings are quite out of sync with modern popular thought.
The vast multitudes should really hope that He is quite wrong about the information He conveyed to us.

"Enter by the narrow gate; 
for wide is the gate and 
broad is the way that 
leads to destruction, 
and there are many who go in by it. 
Narrow is the gate 
and difficult is the way 
which leads to life, 
and there are few who find it."
— Matthew 7:13

Value

Some things, no matter how worthless you think they are, has value to someone.

Trapped

Speed traps are reminders to otherwise law-abiding citizens that they too are lawbreakers on occasion.
Unfamiliar laws bring this point home even further on the day you learn of some unknown law that you've been routinely breaking for years.

Believe

Is there ever a point that reasoning and logic stop and faith and trust have to take over? The truth is that many varied areas of our life are fueled with a supplement of faith and trust in order that we are able to get out of bed and function for the remainder of the day. But that said, each one of us do have those certain areas that we just don't have enough faith to believe in something. I know there's a few personal areas that I say, "I just don't have enough faith, and logic just doesn't supply enough facts for me to believe in (whatever)." Those are the areas that my "test paper" has a big red 'F' marked at the top.
(((Sometimes an F is not all that bad... as long as it's not of life-or-death importance... and when it boils down to 'who's grading that paper' and do I really care whether they give an A or an F. And, is the F actually an A and the A in reality an F when put into their proper light?)))

Comprehend?

Don't Assume the Unassuming

It sure would be nice if more people would learn that 'unassuming' is really a cherished way to be. It's so much more positive and uplifting than it's opposite extreme. Unassuming people don't always make history but their contribution far outweigh the negatives that so many 'history makers' have imposed on us.

Art

Sharp and detailed or fuzzy and representative?

Both are valid. Both have their strengths and weaknesses.
Both make their own contributions in their own way.
You can reject one in favor of the other, but please remember...
Both have their time and place to be most effective!

Know Who to Choose

Insightful wisdom knows when a person who you don't particularly like has the right combination of abilities and traits to do the best possible job. It also knows when the person who you like and admire is not the right one to get the job done effectively.

Argumentative

The arsenal of an argumentative spirit is: inflated ego, war-faring battle attack, showing one's dominance, lack of respect, need to win, and intolerance.
The fruit is: strife, dissension, separation, belittlement, fatigue, and many other resulting casualties.

--- All because of an improper need to be proven right in one's opinion... at any cost!

((Being referred to as argumentative is never a compliment.))

The Prophets Spoke Tonight - Winter

The Prophets Spoke Tonight - Winter

The 'Prophets Spoke Tonight' doesn't focus on just one but collectively lumps the many Hebrew prophets all together as a group. By doing so, the song covers many centuries of prophetic proclamations, our response to the message, and our dealings with the messenger. Do we listen to their warnings and proclamations or do we instead enjoy the flattery of the false prophets? The song also sings testimony to God's patience and persistence in dealing with, and allowing us the opportunity to repent and return to Him. And no, it's not pretty... but it does show humanity in our true light and it sheds light on why we need the provision God made.

Sharing

It's better to get ripped-off by a con-man than to hold on to everything you have because you're too stingy to share or give.

Get Along

There's only one easy way to get along with people, and that is: just don't
be around them!
All other ways require work and effort.

Too Many of Me

Here's a good reason why I don't sign my artwork using my name...

According to the census numbers, there are 537 Philip White's in the United States. There are another 873 who use the alternate spelling of Phillip. This makes a total of 1410 who have the same name.

A Google search shows there are multitudes of Philip White artists and musicians! But when I did a search for artists that go by pdw (which is how I sign my art) I was the only one that showed-up.

I guess my next search should be to find out how many are serving prison time for dastardly deeds. LOL

Down Through the Ages - Autumn

Down Through the Ages - Autumn

I finished scoring both arrangements of "Down Through the Ages" the end of March. This Autumn version contains plucked strings whereas the Winter version emphasizes guitar picking.

Fairness

Some things that might seem right and equal on the surface are not always what they seem.
Take this statement for example: "I'll do the cooking, you do the cleaning up."
This sounds fair. What could possibly be wrong with that?

Well, this could be said by a person who absolutely loves to cook to someone who has no love for doing dishes. And to make it even worse, the person doing the cooking has a tendency to be far messier than what the job entails. They tend to strew items in places they should not go.

So, when you hear something that sounds fair and apparently makes sense, look into things a little deeper and you might find a whole different story lurks below the surface.

God's Promises

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.  (James 1:12)

KEY WORDS...
Blessed 
perseveres 
trial 
approved 
receive 
"crown of life" 
promised 
"those who love Him"

Sheep and Wolves

Bewildering when an ungodly person does a good deed, and disappointing when a Christian does an act of selfishness. Both contrasting extremes go against the very nature and potential of their faith and lifestyle.

Handing On a Legacy - Winter

Handing On a Legacy - Winter

The Winter arrangement of "Handing On a Legacy" has now been posted to Soundcloud.

Legacy #2

If you think the legacy you leave behind will be at your job or vocation, after just one generation you are that "who is this person" in the picture on the office wall.

Legacy

Famous people are remembered for their public accomplishments... all the rest of us, if we're remembered for a couple generations or so, are remembered for our parenting and/or family legacy.

What We Really Deserve

Entitlement can be such a nasty trait.
It showcases and brings out the very worst in human nature. It knows no socio-economic boundaries… the wealthy, the poor, and everyone in-between can be guilty of demonstrating an attitude of entitlement. It rears it's ugly head in those who have been handed life on a silver platter by their parents or ancestors, but it also is equally offensive when displayed by those who's handouts have come from the government or other institutions.

Do you feel entitled? If so, enjoy the air you breathe, 'cause that's about all you might really be entitled to. Maybe.

500 Greatest Songs of All Time

Rolling Stone magazine has a list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
Their list would be an insult to anyone who listened and enjoyed music prior to the past fifty years.
I got so bored with their list that I went ahead and skipped to the top ten. Guess what? There's only a couple in the top ten that I even like, much less would place in the top ten.

I guess their definition of "all time" is different than anyone who considers all time to be from the beginning of recorded history and not from the beginning of the rock and roll era.

I knew there had to be a reason why I was never much of a Rolling Stone magazine fan.

Most Problems have a Temporary Solution

My dilemma.
My car was so incredibly full with furniture, groceries, and other stuff I could barely squeeze into the driver's seat, much less change gears. The gear shift could not be pulled back no matter how hard I tried.
My solution.
I drove the six miles home by using 1st, 3rd, and 5th (the three forward gears). 2nd, 4th, and reverse were not an option.
I made it home, no problem.

Personal Advice to iPhone & iPad Owners…

In order to get the most out of your iPhone or iPad, you really have to get familiar with, and learn all about the iTunes App Store. It is only by adding pertinent apps that your device fully comes alive and becomes the fun tool which you had hoped it would be!

Though it's true that Apple has included several excellent apps with your device, when you consider there's over 500,000 other apps available, the iPhone/iPad only reaches it's full potential when other great apps are added to it!

The iTunes app store allows you to search for various types of apps in whatever category you might be interested in. You can read a description of it and evaluate whether the app's price is worth it. Most apps in the store are priced far lower than what you are accustomed to paying for computer apps. It's rare to find apps priced over $10… most are priced below $5, and many, many are completely FREE!

Here's the best advice I can give to you: Since it's hard to keep up with all the many apps added to the store on a daily basis, and it's also difficult to keep up with the apps which go on sale for a day or two, you need to get one of the 'Daily app alerts' apps from the store. It will tell you on a daily basis about:
1) The new apps added to the store on that day.
2) Apps which are on sale (a $5 app might now be $1, but will eventually go back up, so get it while it's priced low).
3) Apps that normally have a price, but for that day are offered FREE!

My favorite app alert is called 'AppZapp'. You can configure tons of information about what you're looking for (you might only want to be notified about game apps but not office apps, etc). By using AppZapp, I've added hundreds of apps to my iPad and have not spent much money at all. I just had to be patient and wait for that $12 app to go on sale for $2 or so.

Now go explore the app market and find out what is out there.
___________

Hint: a couple of my Facebook specific iPad apps are so excellent, they put Facebook's own website to shame. They've spoiled me to the point that when I view Facebook on a regular computer, it's quite disappointing.

a Hardened Heart

It's quite easy to comprehend when someone despicable has hardened their heart. Surely, the murderer, the pedophile, the deceitful liar, the cheating spouse, the abuser, the greedy, and society's numerous villains have hardened their hearts against what is good and true.


But, what about someone you love, respect, and admire? What about your favorite professor who has expanded your vision and filled your head with knowledge, insight, facts, and figures? The teacher who not only taught their subject with a depth and scholarly foundation, but who also reached out to help you see that many things your parents taught weren't right.


That person was also quite active in what they considered to be 'good causes'. They had several causes which they felt were making this world a better place. They considered themselves to be a do-gooder of sorts, and encouraged you to be one also… as long as you took-up-arms for what they considered to be good and upstanding. Heaven forbid you take strong stands for causes which they do not agree with. (Thesis have received an 'F' for such blasphemy.)


Oh yeah, they also helped you see the fallacy of your spiritual beliefs. They emphasized that all religions are wrong and are only for the simple, uneducated, and foolish… not for the intelligent and educated. All these religions are wrong… especially any that proclaim the name of Christ! Jesus-centered beliefs are the worst of them all.


Did I mention that the great and highly-educated professor shares something in common with all the folks mentioned in the first paragraph? They too are guilty of hardening their heart. The results of a hardened heart reaches many areas of life, not just the dark areas which you personally feel are bad and harmful.


Jesus didn't mince any words about this. Numerous verses reflect His opinion about anyone who causes someone not to believe in Him. He refers to them as "wolves, deceivers, venomous, and false teachers". He places them in the same category as the wicked who do all the harmful practices mentioned above.


We are told to 'guard our heart', not to harden it.

Tribulation

To all who take comfort in the hope you will miss the Lord’s wrath in the days of tribulation…

Don’t get too smug, for in the days leading up to that point, man’s persecution against the church will rapidly increase. It’s true that God’s wrath won’t hit yet, but life will be anything but a picnic for God’s people.

Too many believers are taking comfort where comfort should not be. Our hope is completely in the Lord… no matter how bad things get. Let your faith increase and the gospel spread, but don’t expect a life free of hardship and persecution. That was never one of Jesus’ promises.

Erroneous Beliefs

The good thing about New Age beliefs is: they come and go.

The bad thing is: they come and go.

A good well-rounded theological principle

If you can't find it in scripture, both clearly and emphatically, then don't adhere to it as a definite.

-((When hearing someone's spiritual opinion, have them show you the place (or places) it can be found in scripture, and if they can, make sure they are keeping it in correct context.))-

Too much Lent

It's interesting that a regal branch of the western church quickly adopted, altered, and adhered to ceremonies, practices, and traditions which Jesus had so strongly rebuked the established religion of His day for holding.

'Them thar outward thangs don't mean a thang if yer heart ain't ware it's sposed to be!"

Musical Influences...

The music of the 60s was the music of my youth.
- The music of the 70s was the music of my early adulthood.
The music of the 80s was the music I adopted as my own.
- The music of the early 90s I enjoyed, but was disappointed by the late 90s.
The music from 2000-on I occasionally enjoy, but most often am quite disappointed with.

I do love some of the musical gems prior to the 60s (classical, film, era, big band, symphonic, folk, etc).