Superhero: Ability & Availability

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below…

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This is Part 7 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love. In Part 5, we learned that superheroes are solution seekers. In Part 6, we saw that solution seekers are willing to sacrifice if necessary.

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In this message (Part 7), we will see that sacrificial love steps forward and offers service. But in order to do that, we must be available. If we are able, we should also be willing. Superheroes need to be able and available.

With television shows such as American Idol, The X Factor, So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Got Talent, The Voice, etc., it’s obvious that our nation is infatuated with talent and entertainment. Even when our country went through a recession back in 2008-2009, box office sales for the movie theaters still boomed. With that said, I’m going to use the entertainment industry in order to help you better understand this message.

Actors Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe were both slated to play the lead role in the classic movie, “Footloose” (1984). The casting directors were impressed with Tom Cruise because of the famous underwear dance sequence he performed in “Risky Business” (1983); however, Tom Cruise was unavailable for the part because he was filming “All the Right Moves” (1983). Rob Lowe auditioned three times and had dancing ability and the ‘neutral teen’ look that the director wanted, but he pulled his knee; consequently, the injury rendered him unavailable and prevented him from getting the part. Kevin Bacon was offered the leading role for the Stephen King movie, “Christine” (1983) at the same time that he was asked to do a screen test for “Footloose.” The producers from “Footloose” convinced Kevin Bacon that turning down a sure role in “Christine” for a part he might not even get in “Footloose” was the wiser choice by telling him that if he did get the part for “Footloose,” the role would make him an instant star. And in just 30 seconds into the screen test reading, Kevin Bacon was offered the lead role in “Footloose.” However, it was the director of “Footloose,” who only after watching “Diner” (1982), convinced the producers to go with Kevin Bacon. And Kevin Bacon almost didn’t get the part in “Diner” because he was sick on the day of his screen test reading for the role of Fenwick. But Kevin Bacon had previously decided that his character (Fenwick) would probably be half-drunk during the entire movie anyway, so he forged ahead, auditioned, and then got the part. And because of all this, there is now what Hollywood refers to as the “six degrees of Kevin Bacon”:

Here is the same information (as above), but put into a different perspective: Kevin Bacon only got the part in “Diner” because he made himself available for the audition even though he was sick. Because he made himself available and got the part in “Diner,” the director of “Footloose” saw him in “Diner” and then had reason to push Kevin Bacon to his producers; consequently, Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose.” However, the only reason Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose” was because he turned down “Christine” and made himself available for “Footloose.” However, Kevin Bacon was only chosen after Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe had both been unavailable.

Now, the only reason I chose to use this example was because Kevin Bacon played the evil villain, Sebastian Shaw, in the 2011 movie, X-Men: First Class. Kevin Bacon is now forever a part of superhero history and because of that, he is now in my book about superheroes. So, let’s use this message of ability and availability to see how it applies to our lives according to GOD’s Word:

“One day as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him along the way. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone in a field, and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. Then he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten of these pieces, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you! But I will leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. For Solomon has abandoned me and worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of the Ammonites. He has not followed my ways and done what is pleasing in my sight. He has not obeyed my decrees and regulations as David his father did.”‘ ”
(1Kings 11:29-33) -NLT

Solomon was David’s son. Solomon started out as an average man, became the wisest man (1Kings 3:5-12), but then ended up crashing and burning due to his sins. The irony is that Solomon was wise enough to foresee his downfall, but he blinded himself to Truth because he chose to set his focus on personal pleasure. Solomon’s story saddens me and not just because he was David’s son or that he had once been so wise, but because his story is like many Christians of today’s culture. So many Christians today have taken their focus off GOD’s will and have become distracted by the pleasures that our sinful society offers. Let’s examine what tripped Solomon up and how it relates to us today: GOD’s Word tells us that Solomon abandoned GOD and worshiped Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech.

Ashtoreth (Astarte, Ashtarte, Ashtaroth, Ishtar, Attar):

This deity was a mother goddess linked with fertility, love, and war. This deity was associated with carved trees or nature, as being the female deity of the moon, and also associated with sexual immorality. Sex and nature. Or as the hippies claimed, “it’s love and peace, man!” But as we learned in chapter 3, sex and love are not one and the same: sex needs love to be relevant and meaningful; love does not need sex to be relevant and meaningful. Love can survive and even thrive without sex, but sex without love is pleasure without purpose. Solomon ruined his life because he allowed sex to become his love. Ashtoreth was essentially the same ‘god’ that the hippies of the 1960’s worshiped. The goal was satisfaction for self. And so many of those misguided hippies of the 1960’s ended up being the people who influenced our politics and society; consequently, many of the dangerous indoctrinations and misguided beliefs have carried over into the present day in which we live. Nowadays, worship of Ashtoreth can be compared with the people who call themselves “ecosexuals” because they essentially worship ‘Mother Nature’ and center their lives on the pleasure of sex. The scattered remains of Ashtoreth are still evident in the entertainment and advertisement industries. If you haven’t noticed, sex sells. If you haven’t noticed, the lure of lust is the rust that causes a person’s stainless steel character to corrode and crumble.

Chemosh:

According to the Moabite Stone (the Mesha Stele), Chemosh was associated with the goddess Ashteroth. This deity was [in general] of the same nature as Baal (Baal-Hadid). The word baal means “lord.” Baal was most often associated with being the god of weather, war, or fertility. So, Baal was a god who was believed to enable the earth to produce crops and people to produce children. Nowadays, our secular society who supports scientism essentially worships themselves as the only beings capable of ensuring the growth of crops and allowing/denying human fertility. The modern version of Chemosh or Baal is most likely celebrities and scientists. Many people idolize celebrities, viewing them as superhuman; many people essentially worship scientists, viewing them as our saviors.

 

Molech (Moloch, Molek, Melek, Malik):

Children were burned to death as a sacrifice while worshiping a false god. Nowadays, Molech can be compared to Planned Parenthood and the thousands of abortions (murders) that take place every day. As of 2018, it was estimated that Americans have aborted (murdered) about 60 million babies since our sinful society demanded the ‘right’ to do so in 1973. (Click here to read my logical argument against abortion.)

Ancient Sin Is Modern Sin:

There’s nothing new about sin; Satan is subtle, evil is deliberate, and the devil’s demons haven’t changed their tactics. Even today, people are still placing their focus on false gods and idols. And if a wise man such as Solomon was able to be beguiled by physical beauty and enticed and entranced by the temptations that surrounded him, you better believe that you are susceptible to falling as well. In fact, GOD’s Word tells us that we are not exempt from falling:

“These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.”
(1Corinthians 10: 11-13) -MSG

“God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
(1Corinthians 10:13) -NLT

“Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”
(Mark 14:38) -MSG

“So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
(1Thessalonians 5:6) -NLT

But referring back to 1Kings 11:29-33, Ahijah the prophet tore his cloak into 12 pieces and announced that Jeroboam was to replace Solomon as king. Even if Ahijah had not told Jeroboam what the tearing of the cloak meant, the same thing was about to happen to Solomon and to Jeroboam regardless. Most of the time, we experience only signs and symbolism in our lives without any explanations. GOD doesn’t always tell us the ‘why.’ Therefore, we need to constantly and consistently keep our focus on GOD and the ways of GOD so that we can have our eyes open, alert, and ready to see the signs that GOD gives us when they arrive in our lives. We need to pay attention, be aware of where we are and if we’re living right before GOD. We need to keep ourselves in check at all times. Indeed — check yourself before you wreck yourself! We need to constantly self-examine ourselves to ensure we’re living the right way.

“But I have taken you in hand. Rule to your heart’s content! You are to be the king of Israel. If you listen to what I tell you and live the way I show you and do what pleases me, following directions and obeying orders as my servant David did, I’ll stick with you no matter what. I’ll build you a kingdom as solid as the one I built for David. Israel will be yours!”
(1Kings 11: 37-39) -MSG

GOD declared a promise to Jeroboam while pouring out His heart and love. GOD chose Jeroboam. However, let’s be honest — GOD only chooses and works with whomever is available. Why? Because we have the great gift of free will. And if someone isn’t willing, that person would not be available. This is why GOD always promises things, but inserts special stipulations into the contract agreement. GOD can only follow through with the promise or the miracle if we do our part. This is the reason why so many people have come and gone as leaders. If there is only one choice to work with, GOD will use that person until someone better is available to use, and so on and so forth. If we are chosen as someone of great significance, as an anointed one, it’s important that we always do our best and try to continually improve. There will always be a chance that someone coming out of the shop will be better than you. A lot of people will make themselves available yet they lack ability. A lot of people have ability, but who will make themselves available? There will always be a chance that you will injure your knee at the ‘audition’ and render yourself unavailable to be chosen for the part. We don’t want to be replaced by someone because we didn’t try our best. It would be even worse if GOD replaced us with inanimate and inarticulate items such as a blue cord. We need to show up to the ‘audition’ even if we don’t feel 100%! However, if we do get replaced by someone when we do try our best, then it was simply for the best and we need to move on. But we must try our best. However, to do that we must first make ourselves available. Ability is useless without availability; if you have the ability to act yet are unavailable to act, you won’t act and thus your ability is useless.

Ponder on this: there are more chances for your replacement the higher you get up the ladder. Look at it this way: if your job is to crawl into pipes/tunnels and clean out the sewage and waste that clogged the pipes/tunnels, how many people do you think will be after your job? Not many. But if you are a celebrity with fame and fortune, how many people would want your job then? Almost everyone. The better the position you are placed in, the greater expectation of your work, and the greater the risk of being replaced if you do not meet the expectation.

“Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.”
(Luke 12:48) -HCSB

“But then Jeroboam thought, ‘It won’t be long before the kingdom is reunited under David. As soon as these people resume worship at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, they’ll start thinking of Rehoboam king of Judah as their ruler. They’ll then kill me and go back to King Rehoboam.’ So the king came up with a plan: He made two golden calves. Then he announced, ‘It’s too much trouble for you to go to Jerusalem to worship. Look at these—the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ He put one calf in Bethel; the other he placed in Dan. This was blatant sin. Think of it—people traveling all the way to Dan to worship a calf!”
(1Kings 12:26-30) -MSG

Jeroboam replaced Solomon as king and then wrecked himself as soon as he started because he did not check himself. Jeroboam didn’t check his motives or align himself with GOD’s Word — his focus was on himself instead of doing GOD’s will. That’s why GOD needs to always be first. If we do GOD’s will, then we will be blessed in the process.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
(Matthew 6:33) -NLT

Unfortunately for GOD and everyone under Jeroboam’s rule, Jeroboam was the man that GOD had to work with for the time being. Can you believe that?! That guy was the best man for the job as king even though he was not suited for the position at all! (I can believe it. I can think of at least a couple presidents in our American history who weren’t suited to be president.) But out of all people who made themselves available, GOD selected Jeroboam because he was the closest thing to a leader who was available. That would be unbelievable if only it didn’t match so many other descriptions of world leaders throughout our history; Jeroboam’s story matches the accuracy of what we already know to be true throughout world history. That means that the entire lot of people GOD had to choose from were just a bunch of lukewarm, fence-sitting, selfish sinners or worse. They lost their edge. Their fire went out. 

“So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
(Revelation 3:16) -ESV

In Revelation 3, the church of Laodicea receives no praise from the Lord. GOD states that because they are neither hot nor cold and merely lukewarm, GOD is going to spit them out of His mouth. The people claimed that they needed nothing because they were wealthy, but GOD called them wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked, and shameful (Revelation 3:17-18). GOD proclaims His love, advises they accept His discipline, and admonishes them to repent. The insipid are intolerable; their indecisiveness leads to indigestion. Indifference leads to idleness. Fence-sitting, couch-potato, comfort-Christianity receives no praise (Hebrews 10:38; 12:4-13; Proverbs 3:11-12)! In Revelation 3:20, Jesus tells us that He stands at the door and knocks, simply waiting for someone to respond and allow Him in. And when that person allows Jesus within, He will have dinner with that person. Why is this important? In Mark 2:15-17, we see that this is how Levi — a tax collector — became Matthew, the disciple. Once we allow Jesus within and we fellowship with Him, hearing His Word in itself would be the meal we would be eating; consequently, being filled with the Bread of Life, life would exude out of our very pores and we would be on fire for Christ, thus incapable of being lukewarm. This letter to the church of Laodicea concludes with a promise to the victor that he/she will have the right to sit with Him on His throne. This promise is to say that we will be part of the family and will share in His glory.

I don’t know about you, but both the stories of Jeroboam and the church of Laodicea motivates me to act righteously. If I’m not chosen as someone of great significance, that means that there must be someone out there who is a better person than I am and that he/she was chosen for the job. GOD seeks ability, but works with who is available; therefore, we need to make ourselves available!

Are you available? Have you allowed your heart to be available to GOD? Once you make yourself available, you then put yourself in the running. If you don’t get chosen for a specific job, don’t get discouraged — that just means there is someone better suited for that particular job. No big deal. That doesn’t mean that you should drop out of the running though! You are perfect for a particular job, it’s just a matter of patience to discover where GOD needs you to be. GOD knows what you are best at, what you’re good at, what you’re alright at, and even what you’re bad at. GOD wants to use the gifts, talents, and abilities that He gave to you for how they would be used in the best way. Therefore, make yourself available. You cannot go to auditions if you don’t make yourself available for the auditions. You cannot get the part if you don’t audition. And when you audition, you should not give a halfhearted audition — you should put forth 100% effort and do your best while auditioning even if you don’t feel 100%. Every single new ‘audition’ is a new opportunity for you to prove that you are the right one to be chosen.

There are many roles in acting just like there are many roles that we Christians play in the huge ‘movie’ called Life. GOD is the writer, producer, director, script supervisor, executive producer, camera operator, the sound guy, the editor, etc… GOD is also the casting director. GOD created this ‘movie’ called Life; in addition, He knows who is best suited for what role. We need to place our trust in GOD (Proverbs 3:5-6). GOD places His trust in us just as a director places his/her trust in an actor/actress. It’s a mutual trust. The movie can’t be great without the actors — and the Director knows that. GOD still needs ‘actors’ and ‘actresses’ to fill the roles in Life. Are you available? Don’t concern yourself about when you will get chosen — it will happen. Patience… GOD has a specific role that He wants you to play, but there is a specific time in which He needs you to fill that role. Practice your ability, but be available always. Always go to your ‘auditions.’ Always try your best. Never get discouraged. Understand that it’s just a matter of time. And in the meantime, constantly try to better yourself as a person. There’s always room for improvement.

Jeroboam got cast as the part of the king, but I guarantee you that the audience was unhappy with the selection and the movie bombed. But Jeroboam got the part because he was the best one for the role who was also available to be used as that role. There were better men than Jeroboam (no doubt), but perhaps they were too far away in the world to be cast as the king for that particular place. Or perhaps those better men were already playing a role in GOD’s movie somewhere else. GOD knew that the movie wasn’t great with Jeroboam as king, but GOD had someone else in mind for the role of King, and His name was Jesus. That’s part of the storyline in this movie we call Life – GOD allowed bad kings so that we would appreciate the Good King. But GOD’s planning and timing had to be precise. So, GOD worked with who was available for the time being. Are you available? Let’s learn a lesson from the prophet Isaiah on how we should respond in life:

“Then I said, ‘It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, ‘See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.’ Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, ‘Here I am. Send me.’ ”
(Isaiah 6:5-8) -NLT

Isaiah’s humility helped him realize he was a sinful man. Isaiah’s recognition of his sinful nature enabled him to repent of his sins and receive forgiveness. Isaiah’s willingness to do GOD’s will made him available to be chosen for anointed and appointed ability.

I challenge you to make yourself available! Be the most righteous person you can possibly be, be patient, and be persistent. GOD has a plan for you. To insure your availability, ensure that you are living in alignment with GOD’s Word. Live as righteous as possible. What happens when the right people aren’t available? GOD has to choose a Jeroboam or a blue cord. Be available. Don’t make GOD choose a Jeroboam because you weren’t available. Are you available? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the superhero who feeds that homeless person on the street? Or are you going to be in the strip club thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the superhero who tells the truth when everyone else is too afraid to speak up? Or are you going to be hiding your head in the sand thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the superhero to speak a miracle over someone’s life and help heal someone? Or are you going to be intoxicated at a party thereby rendering yourself unavailable? If you choose to love, desire to do GOD’s will, seek solutions, and are willing to sacrifice, you have the ability. But are you available? And will you help others be ready and available for when Christ returns?

“Always be ready! You don’t know when the Son of Man will come.”
(Matthew 24:44) -CEV

If you’re not ready and available when GOD calls you, how are you going to help others be ready and available when Christ comes? If you are able, you should also be willing. Be able. Be available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Available?

With television shows such as American Idol, The X Factor, So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Got Talent, The Voice, etc., it’s obvious that our nation is infatuated with talent and entertainment. Even when our country went through a recession in 2008-2009, box office sales still boomed. With that said, I’m going to use the entertainment industry to convey my message.

Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe were both slated to play the lead role in the movie, “Footloose” (1984). The casting directors were impressed with Tom Cruise because of the famous underwear dance sequence in “Risky Business” (1983); however, Tom Cruise was unavailable for the part because he was filming “All the Right Moves” (1983). Rob Lowe auditioned three times and had dancing ability and the ‘neutral teen’ look that the director wanted, but he pulled his knee; consequently, the injury rendered him unavailable and prevented him from getting the part. Kevin Bacon was offered the leading role for the Stephen King movie, “Christine” (1983) at the same time that he was asked to do a screen test for “Footloose.” The producers from “Footloose” convinced Kevin Bacon that turning down a sure role in “Christine” for a part he might not even get in “Footloose” was the wiser choice by telling him that if he got the part for “Footloose,” the role would make him an instant star. And in just 30 seconds into the screen test reading, Kevin Bacon was offered the lead role in “Footloose.” However, it was the director of “Footloose,” who after watching “Diner” (1982), convinced the producers to go with Kevin Bacon. And Kevin Bacon almost didn’t get the part in “Diner” because he was sick on the day of his screen test reading for the role of Fenwick. But Kevin Bacon had previously decided that his character (Fenwick) would probably be half-drunk during the entire movie anyway, so he forged ahead, auditioned, and then got the part.

Here is the same information (as above), but put into a different perspective: Kevin Bacon only got the part in “Diner” because he made himself available for the audition even though he was sick. Because he made himself available and got the part in “Diner,” the director of “Footloose” had reason to push Kevin Bacon to his producers; consequently, Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose.” However, the only reason Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose” was because he turned down “Christine” and made himself available for “Footloose.” However, Kevin Bacon was only chosen after Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe had both been unavailable.

“One day Jeroboam was walking down the road out of Jerusalem. Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh, wearing a brand-new cloak, met him. The two of them were alone on that remote stretch of road. Ahijah took off the new cloak that he was wearing and ripped it into twelve pieces. Then he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten of these pieces for yourself; this is by order of the God of Israel: See what I’m doing—I’m ripping the kingdom out of Solomon’s hands and giving you ten of the tribes. In honor of my servant David and out of respect for Jerusalem, the city I especially chose, he will get one tribe. And here’s the reason: He faithlessly abandoned me and went off worshiping Ashtoreth goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh god of the Moabites, and Molech god of the Ammonites. He hasn’t lived the way I have shown him, hasn’t done what I have wanted, and hasn’t followed directions or obeyed orders as his father David did.’ ”
(1 Kings 11:29-33) -MSG

Solomon was David’s son. Solomon started out as the wisest man and ended up crashing and burning due to his sins. The irony is that Solomon was wise enough to foresee his downfall, but he blinded himself to Truth because he chose to set his focus on personal pleasure. Solomon’s story saddens me and not just because he was David’s son or that he had once been so wise, but because his story is like many Christians of today’s culture. So many Christians today have taken their focus off GOD’s will and have become distracted by the pleasures that our sinful society offers. Let’s take a look at what tripped Solomon up and how it relates to us today:

Ashtoreth (Astarte, Ashtarte, Ashtaroth, Ishtar, Athtar) was a mother goddess linked with fertility, love, and war. This deity was associated with carved trees or nature, as being the female deity of the moon, and also associated with sexual immorality. Sex and nature. Or as the hippies claimed, it was love and peace. Sex and love are not the same: sex needs love to be meaningful; love does not need sex to be meaningful. Love can survive and even thrive without sex, but sex without love is pleasure without purpose. Solomon ruined his life because he allowed sex to become his love. Ashtoreth was essentially the same god that the hippies of the 1960’s worshipped. The goal was satisfaction for self. And so many of those misguided hippies of the 1960’s ended up being the people who influenced our politics and society; consequently, many of the dangerous indoctrinations and misguided beliefs have carried over into the present day in which we live. Nowadays, worship of Ashtoreth can be compared with people worshiping ‘Mother Nature’ and centering their lives on the pleasure of sex. The scattered remains of Ashtoreth are still evident in the entertainment and advertisement industries. If you haven’t noticed, sex sells. If you haven’t noticed, the lure of lust is the rust that causes a person’s stainless steel spirit to corrode and crumble.

Chemosh was [in general] a deity of the same nature as Baal (Baal-Hadad). Baal may refer to any god or even human officials, but was most often associated with being the god of weather, war, or fertility. Nowadays, the worship of Chemosh or Baal can be compared with people idolizing or worshiping celebrities. It can also be compared with people who base their emotions and actions off their zodiac signs and use whatever horoscopes they may read as a method of divination.

Molech (Moloch, Molek, Melek, Malik) was the god of child sacrifice. Children were burned to death as a sacrifice to this false god. Nowadays, the worship of Molech can be compared to Planned Parenthood and the thousands of abortions (murders) that take place every day. As of 2017, Americans have aborted (murdered) about 59 million babies since our sinful society demanded the ‘right’ to do so in 1973. (Click here to read my argument against abortion.)

There’s nothing new about sin; Satan and his demons haven’t changed their tactics. Even today, people are still placing their focus on false gods and idols. And if a wise man such as Solomon was able to be beguiled by physical beauty and enticed and entranced by the temptations that surrounded him, you better believe that you are susceptible to falling as well. In fact, GOD’s Word tells us that we are not exempt from falling:

“These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.”
(1 Corinthians 10: 11-13) -MSG

“Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”
(Mark 14:38) -MSG

“So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:6) -NLT

So, Ahijah the prophet tore his cloak into 12 pieces and announced that Jeroboam was to replace Solomon as king. Even if Ahijah had not told Jeroboam what the tearing of the cloak meant, the same thing was about to happen to Solomon and to Jeroboam regardless. Most of the time, we experience only signs and symbolism in our lives without any explanations. GOD doesn’t always tell us the ‘why.’ Therefore, we need to constantly and consistently keep our focus on GOD and the ways of GOD so that we can have our eyes open, alert, and ready to see the signs that GOD gives us when they arrive in our lives. We need to pay attention, be aware of where we are and if we’re living right before GOD. We need to keep ourselves in check at all times. Indeed — check yourself before you wreck yourself! We need to constantly self-examine ourselves to ensure we’re living the right way.

“But I have taken you in hand. Rule to your heart’s content! You are to be the king of Israel. If you listen to what I tell you and live the way I show you and do what pleases me, following directions and obeying orders as my servant David did, I’ll stick with you no matter what. I’ll build you a kingdom as solid as the one I built for David. Israel will be yours!”
(1 Kings 11: 37-39) -MSG

GOD declared a promise to Jeroboam while pouring out His heart and love. GOD chose Jeroboam. However, let’s be honest — GOD can only choose and work with whomever is available. Why? Because we have the gift of free will. And if someone isn’t willing, that person would not be available. This is why GOD always promises things, but inserts special stipulations into the contract agreement. GOD can only follow through with the promise or the miracle if we do our part. This is the reason why so many people have come and gone as leaders. If there is only one choice to work with, GOD will use that person until someone better is available to use, and so on and so forth. If we are chosen as someone of great significance, as an anointed one, it’s important that we always do our best and try to constantly improve. There will always be a chance that someone coming out of the shop will be better than you. There will always be a chance that you will injure your knee at the audition and render yourself unavailable to be chosen for the part. We don’t want to be replaced by someone because we didn’t try our best. We need to show up to the audition even if we don’t feel 100%! However, if we do get replaced by someone when we do try our best, then it was simply for the best and we need to move on. But we must try our best.

Ponder on this: there are more chances for your replacement the higher you get up the ladder. Look at it this way: if your job is to crawl into pipes/tunnels and clean out the sewage and waste that clogged the pipes/tunnels, how many people do you think would be after your job? Not many. But if you are a celebrity with fame and fortune, how many people would want your job then? Almost everyone. The better the position you are placed in, the greater expectation of your work, and the greater the risk of being replaced if you do not meet the expectation.

“Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.”
(Luke 12:48) -HCSB

“But then Jeroboam thought, ‘It won’t be long before the kingdom is reunited under David. As soon as these people resume worship at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, they’ll start thinking of Rehoboam king of Judah as their ruler. They’ll then kill me and go back to King Rehoboam.’ So the king came up with a plan: He made two golden calves. Then he announced, ‘It’s too much trouble for you to go to Jerusalem to worship. Look at these—the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ He put one calf in Bethel; the other he placed in Dan. This was blatant sin. Think of it—people traveling all the way to Dan to worship a calf!”
(1 Kings 12: 26-30) -MSG

Jeroboam wrecked himself as soon as he started because he did not check himself. Jeroboam didn’t check his motives or align himself with GOD’s Word — his focus was on himself instead of doing GOD’s will. That’s why GOD needs to always be first. If we do GOD’s will, then we will be blessed in the process.

Unfortunately for GOD and everyone under Jeroboam’s rule, Jeroboam was the man that GOD had to work with for the time being. Can you believe that?! That guy was the best man for the job as king even though he was not suited for the position at all! (I can believe it. I can think of at least a couple presidents in our American history who weren’t suited to be president.) But out of all people who made themselves available, GOD had to select Jeroboam because he was the closest thing to a leader that He could find. That would be unbelievable if only it didn’t match so many other descriptions of world leaders throughout our history; Jeroboam’s story matches the accuracy of what we already know to be true throughout world history. That means that the entire lot of people GOD had to choose from were just a bunch of lukewarm, fence-sitting, selfish sinners or worse.

“So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
(Revelation 3:16) -ESV

I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to try harder to be righteous. If I’m not chosen as someone of great significance, that means that there must be someone out there who is a better person than I am and that he/she was chosen for the job. GOD works with who is available; therefore, we need to make ourselves available.

Are you available? Have you allowed your heart to be available to GOD? Once you make yourself available, you then put yourself in the running. If you don’t get chosen for a specific job, don’t get discouraged — that just means there is someone better suited for that particular job. No big deal. That doesn’t mean that you should drop out of the running though! You are perfect for a particular job, it’s just a matter of patience to find where GOD needs you to be. GOD knows what you are best at, what you’re good at, what you’re alright at, and even what you’re bad at. GOD wants to use the gifts, talents, and abilities that He granted you with for how they would be used in the best way. Therefore, make yourself available. You cannot go to auditions if you don’t make yourself available for the auditions. You cannot get the part if you don’t audition. And when you audition, you should not give a halfhearted audition — you should put forth 100% effort and do your best while auditioning even if you don’t feel 100%. Every single new audition is a new chance for you to prove that you are the right one to be chosen.

There are many roles in acting just like there are many roles that we Christians play in the huge ‘movie’ called LIFE. GOD is the writer, producer, director, script supervisor, executive producer, camera operator, the sound guy, the editor, etc… GOD is also the casting director. GOD created this ‘movie’ called LIFE; in addition, He knows who is best suited for what role. We need to place our trust in GOD. GOD places His trust in us just as a director places his/her trust in an actor/actress. It’s a mutual trust. The movie can’t be great without the actors — and the Director knows that. GOD still needs ‘actors’ and ‘actresses’ to fill the roles in LIFE. Are you available? Don’t concern yourself about when you will get chosen — it will happen. Patience… GOD has a specific role that He wants you to play, but there is a specific time in which He needs you to fill that role. Be available always. Always go to your auditions. Always try your best. Never get discouraged. Understand that it’s just a matter of time. And in the meantime, constantly try to better yourself as a person. There’s always room for improvement, right?

Jeroboam got cast as the part of the king, but I guarantee you that the audience was unhappy with the selection and the movie bombed. But Jeroboam got the part because he was the best one for the role who was also available to be used as that role. There were better men than Jeroboam (no doubt), but perhaps they were too far away in the world to be cast as the king for that particular place. Or perhaps those better men were already playing a role in GOD’s movie somewhere else. GOD knew that the movie wasn’t great with Jeroboam as king, but GOD had someone in mind for the role of King, and His name was Jesus Christ. But GOD’s planning and timing had to be precise. So, GOD worked with who was available for the time being.

I challenge you to make yourself available! Be the most righteous person you can possibly be, be patient, and be persistent. GOD has a plan for you. To insure your availability, ensure that you are aligned with GOD’s Word. Live as righteous as possible. What happens when the right people aren’t available? GOD has to choose a Jeroboam. Be available. Don’t make GOD choose a Jeroboam because you weren’t available. Are you available? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the person who feeds that homeless person on the street? Or are you going to be in the strip club thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the person who tells the truth when everyone else is too afraid to speak up? Or are you going to be hiding your head in the sand thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the person to speak a miracle over someone’s life and help heal someone? Or are you going to be intoxicated at a party thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Are you available? And will you be ready and available for when Christ returns?

“Always be ready! You don’t know when the Son of Man will come.”
(Matthew 24:44) -CEV

“Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete.”
(Romans 12:2) -Voice

“Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.”
(Ephesians 5: 10-11) -NLT

“So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps. Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does. Instead, walk as the wise! Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times.”
(Ephesians 5: 15-16) -Voice

“Most importantly, be disciplined and stay on guard. Your enemy the devil is prowling around outside like a roaring lion, just waiting and hoping for the chance to devour someone.”
(1 Peter 5:8) -Voice

“Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.”
(1 Corinthians 16:13) -MSG

Subtle

Not all boats sink because they hit gigantic icebergs. Some boats sink because they get struck by an enemy’s attack, but some boats sink due to a slow leak caused by negligence. Now, ponder on this: you are the boat. What kind of boat are you? How well do you believe your boat is constructed? Are you a boat that is merely tied up and docked at a port, unable to sail? Are you currently sailing out on the sea? If you were to get attacked by an enemy, who or what would be your enemy? Now, ponder on this: would a captain decide to sail if he knew his ship would sink in the sea? Not many people believe they are going to sink and so they set sail. Even if you are currently sailing, do you believe you are impervious to an enemy’s attacks? How much faith do you possess in your boat?

Fingernails and toenails are made of a tough protective protein called keratin. Fingernails grow at an average rate of 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) per month. Most people do not realize that it’s time to trim their fingernails until the nails are already too long. The change happens so slowly that it usually goes unnoticed. The change happens so slowly that it never causes concern.

The rate or speed of hair growth is about 1.25 centimeters (0.5 inches) per month, or about 15 centimeters (6 inches) per year. Like nails, humans usually don’t notice the growth of hair until a moment of realization that it needs to be trimmed. Also like nails, humans do not feel the growth of hair occurring because the change happens so slowly.

Change that happens slowly often goes unnoticed and is accepted and integrated into everyday life. Now use that information to imagine how evil operates. Evil advances with slow movements and seemingly insignificant additions, subtractions, or replacements. Subtlety is the secret to evil’s success.

Does a smart burglar bust open a front door and sound the alarm? Or does a smart burglar attempt to sneak in without attracting attention? Does a smart con artist shout and demand your valuables? Or does a smart con artist persuade you to do something by using convincing lies to direct you to a decision by your own free will?

“Who has not heard and felt the enticing of the devil? His voice often sounds so reasonable and his message so easy to justify. It is an appealing, intriguing voice with dulcet tones. It is neither hard nor discordant. No one would listen to Satan’s voice if it sounded harsh or mean. If the devil’s voice were unpleasant, it would not persuade people to listen to it.”
(James E. Faust)

“It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing.… Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
(C.S. Lewis)

Most people will not realize that a mosquito stole his/her life blood and replaced it with its saliva until they feel the need to scratch the itch of the wheal. A mosquito injects saliva into the body of its victim; the saliva serves as an anticoagulant. Mosquito saliva negatively affects vascular constriction, blood clotting, platelet aggregation, angiogenesis and immunity, and creates inflammation. Mosquitos can also transmit extremely harmful infections such as malaria, yellow fever, west nile virus, dengue fever, and filariasis.

Evil is a lot like a mosquito. The change is so small that it usually goes unnoticed. That’s why people who get mosquito bites usually have quite a few. But even if the evil deed does get noticed, it gets nonchalantly brushed away because it’s too small to cause concern. If the deed that evil does is small enough, the evil will eventually accomplish what it set out to do. However, the consequences of the evil deeds are always felt. Either the mosquito bites itch and creates frustration, or the infection and disease will be felt. Aren’t you aware that evil deeds bring infections and diseases?

Imagine a cruise ship that accumulated tiny holes at the bottom of the boat due to rust and wear and tear. The holes were formed from the inside due to neglect of proper upkeep and a lack of preventative maintenance. The holes were created from the inside and corrosively expanded outward. Now, if neither the captain nor crew of the cruise ship alerts the passengers that the ship is taking on water, the majority of passengers will not realize that the ship is sinking until the water has already inundated so much as to cause a capsize. The water coming in from the bottom was never noticed by the privileged people up top who were never concerned with the bottom. It wasn’t until the gravity from the capsize that tipped over the patron’s Patron tequila that panic set in. What happened? Complacency created the catastrophe. No one was ready. No one was alert. No one was on guard. No one was sounding the alarm. All passengers were merely doing whatever made them happy. A problem with the pursuit of happiness is that purpose often gets neglected.

Evil is corrosive. Evil works to create tiny holes. The goal is to get evil inside so slowly as to go unnoticed until it’s too late. People usually don’t realize that they are sinking in life until it becomes obvious and they’re almost drowning. And only then will they want to change what they’re doing in order to be saved. Do people not typically desire to lose weight only after they realize they’re overweight? Do people not typically go to the dentist only after the pain from the cavity forces them to acknowledge the problem? Should we wait until pain forces us to acknowledge the problem?

Evil is corrosive and deliberately slow with its intentions. Enamel of your teeth can disappear over time due to corrosion. Many people will never notice until the day they suddenly feel the pain associated with the lack of enamel. The enamel of righteous living has been under a deliberately slow and precise attack for years. But the corrosion will eventually lead to a lot of pain and suffering.

Our world continues to take the line between right and wrong and push it farther away from Truth — the line gets pushed farther every day. The instructions of GOD and the teachings of Jesus continue to be compromised year after year due to an extremely slow acceptance of that which is wrong. And because the changes have all happened slowly over time, people accept them and consider them to be normal. And because we have not yet experienced GOD’s discipline, humans continue to celebrate their wrongdoings.

Think about it. Ponder on all of the changes that have occurred from even 1950 up until this present day. Did we condone abortion in the 50’s like we do today? What about marriage? As of 2018, people offer an easy solution of divorce without hesitation and it is accepted as normal. In the 50’s, relationships were cherished a lot more than they seem to be now. As of 2018, relationships are viewed as unnecessary anchors of burden that hold people back; moreover, people boast about their promiscuous lifestyles and celebrate many different sexual partners. On Easter of 1956, three different New York City skyscrapers configured their lighting to reveal the cross. As of 2018, people get fired from jobs for expressing their faith or get taken to court in lawsuits due to their faithful convictions. Also, I recently heard of a child who got suspended from school for reading The Bible in free time. As of 2018, we have people like Bruce Jenner who altered his gender and now proclaims himself to be a female. And our society not only accepts it, but celebrates it.

And it is evident that sin is celebrated nowadays because the majority of all our celebrities lack class and are not good role models. An easy way to see what we celebrate is to see who our celebrities are and what they stand for. How many movies, television shows or even songs on the radio promote moral decay? We put those celebrities there; we keep them there. But it hasn’t stopped there. Not too much longer after transsexual approval, homosexual marriage became legal in all 50 states. And now I am hearing news that pedophiles are attempting to have the same rights as the gay community in the fight for sexual orientation as protected class and right. In the 1950’s, we were able to discuss right and wrong without the need for lawsuits. In this present day, a simple discussion somehow gets labeled as hate speech and the one who expresses thoughts gets labeled as being intolerant.

Without emotions overriding critical thinking and critical reasoning, ponder on all of the changes that have occurred throughout history. Would pedophiles be a protected class even 10 years ago? And now we consider pushing the line yet again. Further and further we go down the gentle slope into the Nothing.

“I think we will witness increasing evidence of Satan’s power as the kingdom of God grows stronger. I believe Satan’s ever-expanding efforts are some proof of the truthfulness of this work. In the future the opposition will be both more subtle and more open. It will be masked in greater sophistication and cunning, but it will also be more blatant. We will need greater spirituality to perceive all of the forms of evil and greater strength to resist it.”
(James E. Faust)

My point is that change has occurred so slowly over time that sin has been accepted because it was garnished on good and normal things as if it were the sprinkles on an ice cream cone. Evil is like mold in a house or moss on a stone. People have picked up the mossy stones, yet never wiped them clean before taking them back home. We thresh wheat, remove dross from gold, and purify our drinking water, so why would we not filter the rest of life?

The change happened so slowly that it never generated alarm, never caused concern. And now an accumulated large mass of change has been accepted over time; consequently, the change also has a growing snowball effect in that each new change becomes more bold and blatant. And it’s all been accepted in disguise under the notion of it being “progress.” But is it all truly progress? For what ultimate goal is this progress made? We are always making progress; we are always getting closer to a goal. But in which direction are we traveling? It is possible to travel with good intentions and still end up going in the wrong direction. Are we getting closer to praise or discipline? Every single step we take brings us closer to either Heaven or Hell.

Humans have a long history of justifying their wrongdoings. Do any of the following sound familiar to you?

• “It’s just a little bit…”;
• “It’s only…”;
• “Just for a little while…”;
• “It’s not like I’m doing…”;
• “At least I’m not doing…”;
• “It’s not like it’s going to kill me.”;
• “Well, it makes me happy, so…”;
• “It feels good, so…”;
• “Everyone does it.”;
• “If it doesn’t hurt anybody else, it’s all right.”;
• “If it feels okay, it must be.”;
• “It’s not that bad.”;
• “I’m just going to do it one more time…”

“These subtle entreaties make Satan the great imitator, the master deceiver, the arch counterfeiter, and the great forger.”
(James E. Faust)

Necessity is constant awareness and consistent alertness. There is no need to beware (fear) so long as one is aware. I do not fear the persecution that is on the way because I am aware that it’s coming. I’m ready. Jesus told us to be ready (Matthew 24:44) and that we would be persecuted for following Him (Matthew 24:9). Jesus told us that people would stray far away and that even family would be against family (Mark 13:12). But we are also told to preach the Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20), share Truth (2Corinthians 10:5; Ephesians 4:15), love others (Matthew 22:36-40), forgive others (Matthew 6:14-15), and invite anyone in who repents (Matthew 12:41; Luke 15:7,10; 17:3-4).

It does not matter how far you have traveled into the campground of sin — you can be forgiven and saved! Regardless of what you have done, Jesus will welcome you. No one is too far out of GOD’s loving reach to be rescued! Jesus is the Relentless Rescuer! The only requirements are genuine repentance and to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If only we could release pride and humble ourselves. It’s not too late!

Consider the following:

1. On July 4, 1776, a total of 56 men joined together to create a Declaration of Independence. Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 24 had received seminary education
2. Our founding fathers extracted Truth from GOD’s Word and placed those truths as the foundation to which they would use to build America. Every part of our government and way of life was designed to be inseparable from GOD’s Word.
3. In 1864, “In God We Trust” began appearing on the nation’s currency. This concept was recognized as far back as 1814 when Francis Scott Key wrote the National Anthem. The Star-Spangled Banner’s final stanza concludes “And this be our motto – ‘In God is our Trust.’ ”
4. After an intensive study of our nation’s religious history, the U.S. Supreme Court declared in an 1892 case, “This is a Christian nation.”
5. In a Funk & Wagnalls 1902 Homiletic Review (volume 44), William Booth (founder of Salvation Army) said, “The chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without GOD, and Heaven without Hell.”
6. In 1911, there was a man who was arrested and fined $500 for passing out leaflets that attacked Christianity. The Supreme Court’s ruling stated, “Whatever strikes at the root of Christianity tends to the disillusion of civil government.” [An attack on Truth is an attack on liberating freedom and righteousness that America is built upon.]
7. In the 1950’s, GOD’s Word was still used in schools and it was authorized by the Board of Education.
8. Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that ruled it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools. Was prayer banned from schools in 1962? Yes. When we see the bigger picture and how it all trickled down into forming a pluralistic and relativistic society, it is quite evident that the year 1962 marked the beginning of the secular reign of education. Thus, true indoctrination began.
9. In 1963, the Supreme Court banned Bible reading in schools; in addition, it established a perversion of separation of church and state. [Separation from church and state is not in the Constitution; the separation was designed to protect the church from the government so that the government would not be able to control the church. The design for the nation was not freedom from religion, but freedom of religion.]
10. In 1969, Ronald Reagan’s No-Fault Divorce law made it easier to disregard GOD’s design for marriage and made it easier for promiscuity.
11. In 1973, “Roe versus Wade” legalized abortion; consequently, there have been an estimated 60 million babies aborted [murdered] since 1973 as of 2018.
12. June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court overruled GOD’s Word and redefined the definition of marriage and ruled that homosexual marriage be legal in all 50 states.
13. May 13, 2016, the Obama administration unilaterally imposed transgender polices on public schools.
14. March 2017: New York court allows poly parenthood with three-way custody ruling. Three women are allowed to be the parents.
15. April 2017: a 9-year old female, Mary Grace, was allowed to legally become a male (“Max Briggle”) and receive a new birth certificate.
16. …?

How far from Truth will the line be dragged? The line between innovation and effrontery becomes evident through consequences.

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
(Carl Sagan, The Demon-haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark)

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”
(Romans 12:2) -MSG

“Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.”
(Ephesians 5:10-11) -NLT

“So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps. Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does. Instead, walk as the wise! Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times.”
(Ephesians 5:15-16) -Voice

“Most importantly, be disciplined and stay on guard. Your enemy the devil is prowling around outside like a roaring lion, just waiting and hoping for the chance to devour someone.”
(1Peter 5:8) -Voice

“Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.”
(1Corinthians 16:13) -MSG

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
(Ephesians 6:18) -NLT

“Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”
(Mark 14:38) -MSG

“So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
(1Thessalonians 5:6) -NLT

Conclusion:

Satan is subtle; evil is deliberate; sin is from Satan. But what is sin? And are all sins equal or are some worse than others? In its most basic form, sin is the breaking of GOD’s known Law. Augustine concisely stated that sin was something said, done, or desired that was contrary to the eternal Law of GOD. If sin is therefore viewed as a violation of the stated Law of GOD, how do humans come to commit the act of sinning? Another way of stating the question is this: Are humans sinners because they sin, or do humans sin because they are sinners?

To answer this question, we need to examine the nature of GOD. The nature of GOD reveals that GOD is the absolute standard. GOD’s Word informs us that due to the Fall of Adam and Eve, all humans are sinful from birth. Because all humans are sinful from birth, we all need to be saved. We sin because we are sinners; it is part of our nature. Because any sin causes us to fall short of the righteous standard, it is easy to see that all sin is equally condemning. That is, sin is a violation of the laws, edicts, and demands of a righteous GOD. To break one sin is as equally condemning as it is to break another sin. In Matthew 5:28, Jesus tells us that even a lustful look is adultery in the heart. Jesus told us that sin is still sin even if it is a desire to do wrong. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day taught that it was okay to think about anything you desired so long as you did not act on those desires. Jesus helped us to realize that GOD knows and judges a person’s thoughts as well as his/her actions (Psalm 139:1-2; Matthew 9:4; Luke 11:17; 1John 3:20). Jesus proclaimed that our actions are the result of what is in our hearts (1Chronicles 29:17; Matthew 12:34). Truly, the heart is the start.

Roman Catholicism attempts to categorize sins; however, this type of division of sins also demands that a person can become a Christian and receive grace and forgiveness, and then possibly lose that salvation again. Can we lose our salvation? No. This doctrine (called apostasy) is not unique to Roman Catholicism, and it raises more issues than it attempts to solve. But then again, that’s only one of the problems that arises within Roman Catholicism. Another problem is the title of the Pope. But does the division into categories of sins demand penance, as Catholicism teaches? If so, then does not that penance pay for a sin for which Christ already paid? Did Christ die on the cross only for the sins we committed in the past, but not in the future? If so, does that not make His sacrifice incomplete? Hebrews 9:24-28 informs us that Christ died once and for all, for all sin committed throughout time. Christ was the complete payment and sacrifice that atoned for all sins for all people for all time. As for creating categories of sin, the apostle Paul tell us in Romans 2:1-29 that to violate one law is in fact a violation of all the laws of GOD. Romans 6:23 defines all sin as deadly. Indeed, Galatians 5:19-21 helps clarify that many different sins are sufficient causes to keep us out of the Kingdom of Heaven. All sins are equally severe in the sight of GOD, and all sins produce death. Any attempt to categorize sin into varying degrees of gravity is an exercise in futility.

Although Jesus said that lust and adultery are both sins, that does not mean they are equal. It is much worse to actually murder a person than it is to simply hate a person, even though they are both sins in GOD’s sight. There are degrees to sin. Some sins are worse than others. At the same time, in regard to both eternal consequences and salvation, all sins are the same. Every sin will lead to eternal condemnation. All sin, no matter how “small,” is against an infinite and eternal GOD, and is therefore worthy of an infinite and eternal penalty. Conversely, there is no sin too “big” that GOD cannot forgive it. Jesus died to pay the penalty for sin (1John 2:2). Jesus died for all of our sins (2Corinthians 5:21). Are all sins equal in GOD’s sight? Yes and no. In severity? No. In penalty? Yes. In forgivability? Yes.

Application:

What subtle sins are you attempting to justify? Some actions, like viewing pornography or gambling affect the offender deeply as well as other people. Other actions, like smoking marijuana, or drinking alcohol might not seem as bad, but they have a great potential to be stumbling blocks for other people. What does it mean to be a Christian? There are essential doctrines that Christians believe, but the essential call of duty for a Christian is to be a superhero who loves others more than self.

I challenge you to examine yourself deeply. I challenge you to study all of the changes that have taken place throughout history and to ponder about which changes were good (aligned with GOD’s Word) and which changes were bad (human agenda created to satisfy self). I also challenge you to merely be aware and observe the changes that are currently taking place. I further challenge you to call attention to and expose the changes that are not good. Change for the better can never be made unless we call attention to what is wrong and make every effort to be righteous and good. In fact, I want to challenge you even further to call attention to everything that is good. Do not just call attention to what is bad. We need to share all that is good as well. Both are necessary.

Is evil sucking the life out of you while you’re unaware? The Holy Spirt is the repellent against the Life Sucker. Are you a sinking ship and you’re unaware that you’re going down? Many people foolishly possess self-confidence; however, GOD’s Word reminds us that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38).

“These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.”
(1Corinthians 10:11-12) -MSG

When was the last time you went below deck to check your engine room? When was the last time you checked to see if the nuts and bolts were fastened? Are you alert? Are you aware? Are you on guard? Are you awake or sleepwalking? Are you willing and able to sound the alarm? Are you willing and able to be a messenger? Don’t allow evil to steal your life; don’t sink with sinners when you can walk on water with Captain Christ. Jesus is the captain who makes it all happen.

[Discover my testimony: “Why I Am A Christian“]

Neopaganism

Neopaganism (new paganism) is a revival of ancient paganism and is a form of pantheism or polytheism or both. Neopaganism is also manifest in witchcraft (Wicca), occultism, and other religions that fit under the broad umbrella of New Age. At its core, the New Age movement borrows, mixes, and matches spiritual practices from paganism, Buddhism, Hinduism, aboriginal religions, and other sources. As a result, New Age religions present an incredible variety of practices. Psychics, horoscopes, the Dalai Lama, Wicca, witchcraft, crystal therapy, contacting the dead, worship of the moon goddess, past life regression, communion with higher beings, white/black magic, feng shui, and the quest for one’s “higher self” are all incorporated into New Age spirituality. The impulse to mix different religious beliefs and practices is ancient.

There are obviously a variety of beliefs that are practiced under the broad neopagan heading; however, there are some generally shared characteristics and beliefs that draw on polytheism, the occult, relativism, pluralism, and sometimes even pantheism.

Neopaganism sprouts from the soil of paganism, Hinduism, Wicca, and, indirectly, atheism, and other systems. Of course, the main root of neopaganism is ancient Greek and Roman polytheism. Neopagans are free to worship any gods and goddesses. But not all modern paganism comes from Greece. The revival of Buddhism and especially Hinduism with its multimillions of gods also supports New Age religion and neopaganism. Hinduism has infiltrated virtually every level of Western culture, tailored to fit Western humanism by teaching that each of us is a little god.

Another stream of neopaganism is the religion of Wicca (a.k.a. witchcraft or the Craft). This movement, popularly known as witchcraft, has a strong overlap with the feminist movement, which is evident in the feminist witch, Margot Adler. Wicca does not [intentionally] endorse evil or worship Satan (as some believe); rather, Wiccans attempt to draw on the spiritual powers in the universe to promote goodness and healing. Wicca recognizes many gods, including the supreme goddess, who is represented by the moon. This religion teaches that there are many invisible lines of spiritual power crisscrossing the world around us and that it is possible to tap into them for the sake of helping others. Wicca often likes to paint itself as the female alternative to male-dominated established religion [even though Gerald Gardner (1888—1964) is widely known as the father of modern Wicca]. Wiccans often envision their own versions of the Source of power; consequently, this makes Wicca individualistic and attractive to those who desire to maintain control and those who like alternative lifestyles. Others, feeling a special connection with animals, enjoy Wicca’s emphasis on nature. 

On April 11-14, 1974, the Council of American Witches listed 13 basic principles in the creed they called “Principles of Wiccan Belief.” These beliefs include moon worship, harmony with nature, the creative power in the universe manifest in male and female polarities, and sex as pleasure. The core Wiccan ethic says, “harm no one; do what you will.” Another rule says, “Anything you do will come back to you three times over.” Spell-casting and magic are vital parts of Wicca. Spells are symbolic acts performed in an altered state of consciousness to cause a desired change. Interestingly, though Wicca is synonymous with the demonic deeds in the Judeo-Christian theology, the Council of American Witches disavowed devil worship and the belief that there is “the only way” and rejected absolute Truth. Wiccans have an abhorrence to monotheism because it contradicts their polytheistic, pluralistic, and relativistic beliefs.

Neopagans are almost inevitably involved in the occult. They believe in an impersonal force, energy, or power, into which they can tap to do supernormal things. Whatever the source of ‘the Force’ of Star Wars, it clearly is similar to the force believed in by neopagan witches. Luke Skywalker is a classic model for this belief; this was evident when he had engaged in white magic when he tapped into the “light side of the Force.”

Neopagans are strongly pluralistic. Polytheism by its nature leaves room for more gods and goddesses. All forms of worship of whatever god one may choose are legitimate for the worshiper; however, such belief rejects absolute Truth in favor of an irrationalism in which opposites can both be true.

My Final Thoughts:

Due to the pluralistic beliefs and relativism regarding Truth, neopagans claim we should discard reason as normative in life. But if this is done, then opposites could both be true and this violates the fundamental laws of thought. The person who claims that opposites can both be true does not really believe that the opposite of that statement also is true. All Truth cannot be relative. That very claim is presented as a nonrelative truth claim. There cannot be one and only one GOD (monotheism) and more than one god (polytheism) at the same time and in the same sense. The pluralistic desire to embrace all forms of religion runs into the same problem. Everything cannot be true, including opposites. This violates the law of noncontradiction. Polytheists have to deny pluralism in order to affirm it, for they do not believe the opposite of pluralism is true. But if opposites are not true, pluralism is false.

We encounter a problem even in the claim that Wicca promotes goodness and healing. For if one were to tap into the ‘force’ in order to use it for something bad, that would imply that there is an absolute standard of good by which the bad can be measured. And if using the ‘force’ for bad violates Craft Law, that indicates that there is a universal craft law that defines right and wrong. If it does not, witchcraft can be done in any way one wishes. And if the dictum to not do anyone harm yet do what you will is to be taken seriously, an absolute moral standard must exist. If ethics are autonomous, then the very notion of what is and is not considered “harm” to another becomes wholly subjective. After all, Truth is absolute and never relative; consequently, teaching children that Truth is relative is harmful. Thus, Wiccans are harming children by teaching them Wicca as being true while they are also contradicting themselves by appealing to a claim of absolute truth.

Even the “Principle of Wiccan Belief” adopted by the Council of American Witches has a strong statement excluding the belief that Christianity is “the only way.” All inclusive groups fail to realize that every truth claim is exclusive. Under a cloak of inclusive language, neopagans believe that the only way is to deny that there is an only way. If witchcraft is true, all non-witchcraft beliefs must be false. Neopaganism is just as exclusive as any other religion that claims to have discovered truth about reality.

In her book, “Drawing Down the Moon,” Margot Adler states that modern pagans remain antiauthoritarian, taking pride in being the most flexible and adaptable of religions, who are perfectly willing to throw out dogmas. A neopagan ‘creed,’ therefore, is an oxymoron. Neopagans are noncreedal by definition. However, their protest notwithstanding, neopagans have their own creeds and dogmas. While protesting creeds, Adler declared a set of “basic beliefs” that she proclaims most people share. She seems unaware that she is thereby defining a creed. The creed she confessed was that the world is holy, nature is holy, the body is holy, sexuality is holy, the mind is holy, and the imagination is holy. She also declared that the individual is holy — the woman a goddess, a man a god. Divinity is immanent in all nature; it is as much within the individual as without. There are several standard doctrines of neopaganism in her creed, including pantheism, polytheism, animism, self-deification, and, covertly, free sexual expression.

Some pagan religions speak of origins, but few ask ultimate questions about them. There are gods acting, but how did they get us to this point? What caused it all to be? This has all been discussed already in the anthropic principle, the Big Bang cosmology, and the teleological argument. What creates and what is created are two, not one. The doctrine of creation empties nature of divinity. In polytheism, people prefer to worship a god they make rather than the GOD who made them. But why worship a finite god that is not an Ultimate? Worship should be reserved for the Ultimate.

Conclusion:

Neopagans acknowledge a ‘force’ greater than themselves yet it is ultimately used for self. Even if this ‘force’ is to be used to promote goodness and healing, the end goal would ultimately be the same as secular humanism in that pleasure is to be pursued and there is to be no absolute moral law to restrict people. Neopaganism is saturated in self-centeredness for the purpose of obtaining personal power. It is self-worship. Neopaganism provides no reason for life and death nor purpose for life. Furthermore, neopaganism is pantheistic, polytheistic, relativistic, and pluralistic; pantheism, polytheism, relativism, and pluralism have all been rejected; therefore, it simply follows that neopaganism and all of its subcategories must be rejected as Truth and eliminated as a choice. Neopaganism does not logically coincide with reality.

But what is Truth? Christ Jesus is Truth and is the only way. But does that make me narrow-minded? Yes. But for good reasons. Truth is narrow. See my other article, “Are Christians Narrow-Minded?“