objectoffear

objectoffear @ 2006-12-12T21:50:00

2006-12-13T05:50:37Z

WAR is by nature politically incorrect. We will never win a war by being politically correct.

objectoffear @ 2006-11-08T11:04:00

2006-11-08T19:04:09Z

We're learning that Babylon was a totally "me" centered society. Isaiah says that their motto is "I am, and there is none besides me..."

So....what is the difference between them and us? Is birth control a gift from God so that we can control our own lives? Do we stick the kids we choose to have in pre-school because of our "need" to be "fulfilled," to show that "I am" someone? Have we bought into the world system that the amount of money we make defines us as a person? WHY THE HELL DO PEOPLE HAVE CHILDREN ONLY TO GIVE THEM TO SOMEONE ELSE TO RAISE??? Can't we at least give them the first 5 years of their lives? What is the difference between the world and the church? According to Barna, there's little difference.

In Babylon, the best and the brightest were taken from their homes to be trained by the government. We voluntarily give our children to the government. Babylon had a king that ruled, and the excesses of this decadent society rested on his shoulders. We vote for our leaders, so the decadence of society rests on our shoulders. I think our society, church included, is much worse than Babylon....at least that's how I feel today...

"feet of clay and iron...."

Happy Reformation Day!

2006-11-01T17:47:53Z

 DISPUTATION OF DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER ON THE 
POWER AND EFFICACY OF INDULGENCES 
Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter.

In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.
2. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priests.
3. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh.
4. The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.
6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven.
7. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His vicar, the priest.
8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying.
9. Therefore the Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.
10. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory.
11. This changing of the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the bishops slept.
12. In former times the canonical penalties were imposed not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.
13. The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them.
14. The imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity, great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the fear.
15. This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to say nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.
16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
17. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow less and love increase.
18. It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love.
19. Again, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness, though we may be quite certain of it.
20. Therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself.
21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;
22. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life.
23. If it is at all possible to grant to any one the remission of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission can be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very fewest.
24. It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding promise of release from penalty.
25. The power which the pope has, in a general way, over purgatory, is just like the power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish.
26. The pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in purgatory], not by the power of the keys (which he does not possess), but by way of intercession.
27. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory].
28. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone.
29. Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out of it, as in the legend of Sts. Severinus and Paschal.
30. No one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much less that he has attained full remission.
31. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare.
32. They will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who believe themselves sure of their salvation because they have letters of pardon.
33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to Him;
34. For these "graces of pardon" concern only the penalties of sacramental satisfaction, and these are appointed by man.
35. They preach no Christian doctrine who teach that contrition is not necessary in those who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessionalia.
36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.
37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without letters of pardon.
38. Nevertheless, the remission and participation [in the blessings of the Church] which are granted by the pope are in no way to be despised, for they are, as I have said, the declaration of divine remission.
39. It is most difficult, even for the very keenest theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the abundance of pardons and [the need of] true contrition.
40. True contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or at least, furnish an occasion [for hating them].
41. Apostolic pardons are to be preached with caution, lest the people may falsely think them preferable to other good works of love.
42. Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend the buying of pardons to be compared in any way to works of mercy.
43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons;
44. Because love grows by works of love, and man becomes better; but by pardons man does not grow better, only more free from penalty.
45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.
46. Christians are to be taught that unless they have more than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary for their own families, and by no means to squander it on pardons.
47. Christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is a matter of free will, and not of commandment.
48. Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting pardons, needs, and therefore desires, their devout prayer for him more than the money they bring.
49. Christians are to be taught that the pope's pardons are useful, if they do not put their trust in them; but altogether harmful, if through them they lose their fear of God.
50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that St. Peter's church should go to ashes, than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep.
51. Christians are to be taught that it would be the pope's wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many of those from whom certain hawkers of pardons cajole money, even though the church of St. Peter might have to be sold.
52. The assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it.
53. They are enemies of Christ and of the pope, who bid the Word of God be altogether silent in some Churches, in order that pardons may be preached in others.
54. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this Word.
55. It must be the intention of the pope that if pardons, which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, with single processions and ceremonies, then the Gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.
56. The "treasures of the Church," out of which the pope. grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among the people of Christ.
57. That they are not temporal treasures is certainly evident, for many of the vendors do not pour out such treasures so easily, but only gather them.
58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and the Saints, for even without the pope, these always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outward man.
59. St. Lawrence said that the treasures of the Church were the Church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time.
60. Without rashness we say that the keys of the Church, given by Christ's merit, are that treasure;
61. For it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient.
62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.
63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last.
64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
65. Therefore the treasures of the Gospel are nets with which they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches.
66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men.
67. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote gain.
68. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.
69. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of apostolic pardons, with all reverence.
70. But still more are they bound to strain all their eyes and attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own dreams instead of the commission of the pope.
71. He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let him be anathema and accursed!
72. But he who guards against the lust and license of the pardon-preachers, let him be blessed!
73. The pope justly thunders against those who, by any art, contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.
74. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth.
75. To think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the Mother of God -- this is madness.
76. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is concerned.
77. It is said that even St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against St. Peter and against the pope.
78. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written in I. Corinthians xii.
79. To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms, which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal worth with the Cross of Christ, is blasphemy.
80. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk to be spread among the people, will have an account to render.
81. This unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy matter, even for learned men, to rescue the reverence due to the pope from slander, or even from the shrewd questionings of the laity.
82. To wit: -- "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial."
83. Again: -- "Why are mortuary and anniversary masses for the dead continued, and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded on their behalf, since it is wrong to pray for the redeemed?"
84. Again: -- "What is this new piety of God and the pope, that for money they allow a man who is impious and their enemy to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God, and do not rather, because of that pious and beloved soul's own need, free it for pure love's sake?"
85. Again: -- "Why are the penitential canons long since in actual fact and through disuse abrogated and dead, now satisfied by the granting of indulgences, as though they were still alive and in force?"
86. Again: -- "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is to-day greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?"
87. Again: -- "What is it that the pope remits, and what participation does he grant to those who, by perfect contrition, have a right to full remission and participation?"
88. Again: -- "What greater blessing could come to the Church than if the pope were to do a hundred times a day what he now does once, and bestow on every believer these remissions and participations?"
89. "Since the pope, by his pardons, seeks the salvation of souls rather than money, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons granted heretofore, since these have equal efficacy?"
90. To repress these arguments and scruples of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the Church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make Christians unhappy.
91. If, therefore, pardons were preached according to the spirit and mind of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved; nay, they would not exist.
92. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!
93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Cross, cross," and there is no cross!
94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell;
95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.

objectoffear @ 2006-10-31T21:46:00

2006-11-01T05:46:14Z

Barna's got an interesting update today--seems as though the world is succeeding in infiltrating the mind of the "believer"......

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

A New Generation of Adults Bends Moral and Sexual Rules to Their Liking

objectoffear @ 2006-10-03T16:32:00

2006-10-18T23:33:00Z

Babylonian Influence

While studying Daniel, we have been comparing Babylon with our society today. Isaiah describes the Babylonian philosophy in chapter 47: "...you say to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me...' " This is compared to today's "me" generation. Everything is centered around the "me"- marketing is geared to "you deserve it, have it your way, please yourself..." How far should we take this comparison?
From Revelation:
"With a mighty voice he shouted: 'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird. For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.' Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people..."
Yes-come out of her ! We need to get Babylon out of us!

objectoffear @ 2006-09-14T13:45:00

2006-09-14T21:14:24Z

"I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years."
Revelation 20:4

   Years ago there was a movie popular in Christian circles called "A Thief in the Night," about the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. It was probably similar the recent "Left Behind" series (which I still have not seen, yet we own a few of the DVDs.) Anyhoo, there were a few movies in this series as well, and I remember scenes of those being beheaded for not having the mark of the beast. (Of course, in the 70's they didn't actually show it!) I remember thinking how really unreal it seemed, in our modern (this was before VCRs, CDs, DVDs, computers, cell phones, or even cordless phones--heck, we didn't even have calculators!) civilized society to have this ancient form of execution (I think they had a guillotine in the movie.) I thought it was a bit "out there" and even though it was scriptural, it wasn't imaginable at that time.
   Today, 35 years later, in our more modern and more "civilized" society, it does not seem unreal. The image of an islamic terrorist wielding a large sword is not unusual. It seems totally possible, and plausible ( I think they missed it with the guillotine.)
   Today I saw a muslim woman at Smart & Final with markings, tattoos, covering her hands (possibly arms, although they were covered as in their traditional dress) that looked like arabic script--very pretty, but I wondered what it said?
Hmmmm......just more food for thought.......

Have you forgotten???

2006-09-12T02:13:53Z

Have You Forgotten
Darryl Worley
Written by Darryl Worley and Wynn Varble

I hear people sayin'
We Don't need this war.
I say there's some things worth fightin' for.
What about our freedom, and this piece of ground?
We didn't get to keep 'em by backin' down.
They say we don't realize the mess we're gettin' in
Before you start preachin' let me ask you this my friend.

Chorus
Have you forgotten, how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten, when those towers fell
We had neighbors still inside goin through a livin hell
And you say we shouldn't worry bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

You took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it's too disturbin for you and me
It'll just breed anger is what the experts say
If it was up to me I'd show it everyday
Some say this country just out lookin' for a fight
Well after 9/11 man I'd have to say right.

Chorus
Have you forgotten, how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell
We had neighbors still inside goin' through a livin' hell
And we vow to get the ones behind Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

I've been there with the soldiers
Who've gone away to war
you can bet they remember just what they're fightin' for

Have you forgotten
All the people killed
Yes some went down like heroes
In that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten
About our Pentagon
All the loved ones that we lost
And those left to carry on
Don't you tell me not to worry 'bout Bin Laden

Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?!

C 2003 EMI April Music Inc./Pittsburg Landing Songs (ASCAP)

objectoffear @ 2006-09-11T13:40:00

2006-09-11T20:45:57Z

Quote from Bin Laden's #2 man, Al-Qaida deputy Ayman al-Zawahri, according to a new videotape aired by Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera on Monday, the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks:

"Your leaders are hiding from you the true extent of the disaster," he said. "And the days are pregnant and giving birth to new events, with Allah's permission and guidance."

1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 "Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness."

Matthew 24:4-8 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains..."

Mark 13:5-8 Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains..."

This is another reason why I believe the Biblical anti-Christ is, in nature, islamic (or islam itself). Funny how satan can use and twist scripture to his own ends.

objectoffear @ 2006-09-09T22:06:00

2006-09-10T05:20:01Z

Work, work, work--someday we'll be caught up.
Watched the Sam Walton biography on A&E this morning and it reinforceed my feelings toward WalMart--what a fantastic person he was! He recognized the changes occurring in retail and used it to become the largest retailer in the world. If it wasn't him, it would have been someone else. He knew the value of a dollar, and always sought to find bargains for consumers. And he was never caught up in his wealth! I think about how real Sam was compared to others with $$$--the Kennedys with their unearned income, and the hollywood types paid for being phonies. Walmart is a real American success story--the epidome of the American dream!
Thanks Walmart, for the $1300 you'll be giving ME this week for all those cakes you ordered!!!

objectoffear @ 2006-08-03T15:41:00

2006-08-03T22:43:35Z

No, Tim, you're not getting your deposit back.....oh wait....you didn't have a deposit....

objectoffear @ 2006-07-30T11:29:00

2006-07-30T18:32:20Z

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness..."

My letter to the editor:

Oh, woe is me! The corporate scapegoats are again blamed for the closure
of local businesses. Never mind that these small businesses are usually
closed when the working folks can shop. I stopped shopping downtown when
I would leave work early to pick up items downtown and find the shops
either already closed (15 minutes early) or in the process of
closing--lights out, all but one door locked, cash register emptied and
the glare of clerks, or store owners, waiting for me to find what I
needed so that they could go home. Five o'clock and lights out--roll up
the sidewalks!

Yes, we now have a Home Depot. But we used to have a Grossmans. Yes, we
now have Target, Mervyns, and Walmart. But we used to have K-Mart,
Wards, and Penneys. We used to have Smith's, Town & Country, Alpha Beta
and later Sav-on. We still have Town & Country, but replaced the others with 2
Save Marts, and a Food 4 Less. I can't see that much has changed in the 25
years I've lived here, except that there's a lot more people and houses,
which necessitates more services.

After a week in Texas, visiting "evil" Walmart Supercenters, I am
disappointed that they are under so much attack. I just want everyone
to remember who put the mom and pop grocery stores out of business
during my grandparents' generation--the supermarkets. Now the grocer's
union doesn't want to reap what they sowed in the past and are fighting
against cheaper prices and, most of all, choice for consumers with the
possibility of the same extinction that they brought about in that previous generation.

I've been told that I will feel differently when a big chain (which we were for
almost 17 years) puts us out of business. I may--but I also may just feel like it's
time for a change.

Thank God for the internet, which is probably a bigger
competitive threat! Let's see how we can now outlaw that, or heavily tax
our purchases there!

From a local small business owner and consumer.

objectoffear @ 2006-07-29T20:02:00

2006-07-30T03:03:31Z

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may they prosper who love you." Psalm 122:6

objectoffear @ 2006-07-29T11:58:00

2006-07-29T19:04:54Z

2 Timothy 2:12- Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

objectoffear @ 2006-07-25T21:08:00

2006-07-26T04:27:15Z

Well- another day, another dollar. So hot-too hot for business. People just don't get out when it's this hot. Heck, I wouldn't get out if I didn't have to work. Mike finished fixing the A/C today. Nice and cool--inside. At a cost of $2000+ a month it'd better be cool!
What has God shown me today? I don't know. Porterville is a pit. How long, oh Lord, how long must we stay here? I guess our job is not finished yet--we're still here. We were told however that we are an oasis--an oasis in a dry, dirty, dusty town. If any city needs the touch of God, it's this one. We discussed with a friend that location-wise, Porterville is perfect. Close to the mountains, not too far from the coast. Off the major thoroughfares. A nice place--even in this heat. But the people.......politics......I guess they all need the Lord. How can one little person change this town? One can't......but I guess God can (but does He really want to?)
"Lord-help me to be a blessing to those who cross my path. Help me be a light in this darkness. Help me to love the unlovable so that they will see You. 'Search me, oh God, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.'"

Welcome to Me!!!

2006-07-25T05:14:05Z

This is more of a test than an entry. Don't know why I have this and since no one knows I'm here, I'm sure no one is reading this.
It's the middle of a heat wave and this really sucks! HOT! HOT! HOT! We were closed half the day because our A/C was busted. 104 in the store is not a workable situation. 113 outside. We were originally told that it could be 3 days before it could be looked at, so was looking forward to an impromptu vacation either to the coast or up to the mountains....but good ol' Mike made it! Made some repairs and got it back working at about 60%. So we're open and ready for business! So much for a vacation.....which we wouldn't be able to afford anyhow! Especially when no money is coming in.
Am sooooo glad we have air at home....even considering our $400 bill received today.
Now there's even more work to do tomorrow---yuck! So far behind......will we ever be caught up???
Until next time.....