tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73286669329081037722024-02-19T01:27:39.188-05:00Snapshots and SynapsesMitch Malloy - trials and triumphs | thoughts and captions | perceptions and prophecy Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comBlogger268125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-35058094252169242802024-02-04T16:11:00.002-05:002024-02-04T16:11:18.536-05:00Christian Unity<div style="text-align: justify;">I’ve been hearing a repeated plea for unity within the Church, and I agree there is a real need for this. But what does that look like?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The apostle Paul wrote “There is one Body” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A4-6&version=GW" target="_blank">Ephesians 4:4</a>), and in John’s gospel we see how Jesus prayed for Christian Unity, asking that we be one just as He and the Father are one. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A20-23&version=GW" target="_blank">John 17:20-23</a>) And even if Scripture didn’t discuss unity we could still embrace the practice. After all, practically speaking, there’s strength in numbers. For example: a healthy herd chases away predators, demonstrating how this plays out in nature. Likewise, we can observe that political parties push their agenda through when all party members vote in unity around an issue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But understand this: Christian Unity is only possible when we are knit together through the Spirit of God. When Jesus said that He and the Father were one or that He abided in the Father, it defined unity as reflecting the likeness of God. When Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father, Jesus explained that seeing the Son was like seeing the Father; even His words came from the Father. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A8-18&version=GW" target="_blank">John 14:8-18</a>) The fact is as we draw closer to God, we look and act and speak more like Him. Drawing close to God, we reflect His image more closely. And as we individually seek clearer understanding of Who God is, we naturally draw closer together. Sure, there are different perspectives as we each grow in our understanding, so we should respectfully and lovingly challenge each other in our quest to know God better, and in so doing we will grow together. “As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend.” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+27%3A17&version=NET" target="_blank">Proverbs 27:17</a>)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The problem with how many are using the term “Unity” is that it’s being conflated with the word “Conformity”. Conformity is an ugly thing in Church, often done unintentionally to manipulate and control. Conformity impedes discourse, portraying healthy questions as somehow heretical or spiritually immature. It is not spiritually immature to struggle with a concept; rather, maturity continues to wrestle with an issue. Proverbs repeatedly encourages us to seek understanding, and it’s clear that God wants us to do just that. God chose Israel, giving Jacob this new name which means “struggles with God”. Before this new name, the meaning of Jacob was “deceiver”, and I believe that he was selected as a model of how God chooses His people (us!) in our sinful nature. Then, in our ensuing struggle with God, He prepares His Church as His Bride. This struggle is a journey each of us must make as we are changed from glory to glory into the likeness of Christ. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+3%3A15-18&version=NET" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 3:15-18</a>)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you are in a church that discourages questioning, you <i><b>may</b></i> need a new church. I’m not saying you should definitely leave or suggesting that the leadership has bad intentions, but shutting down the conversation limits your spiritual growth and isn’t a healthy group dynamic. People who are threatened by questions are often insecure about their own position, and our goal should be to build them up, neither exploiting a weakness nor enabling the dysfunctional behavior.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wouldn’t suggest focusing on reasons to leave so much as asking God to show you how to respond, praying all the more for your church and its leadership as you find gaps, specifically asking the Holy Spirit to fill in those gaps. Also, as uncomfortable as it may be, seek winsome ways to have conversations with the leadership from a biblical perspective rather than assuming bad intentions. We are, each of us, on a journey with Christ as our destination.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gFZ9F5ruIE2oyaIE1Msv95gfxlP0iD192hjP9rXBtCDtFxphcKloVUY0YycwQQrknHHsFGF6WqUomMbEyWqAeHd00nQTGJ00k9E_wID2cjK-dQlwCRWqXTtoC2d_oHo-eMLdONG3QS0Orr0xr9ZLUsgk18E8kAckYYUlIaw64MMd2hTCrhxkTJbpyPw/s578/LoveOneAnother_semixparent.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="578" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gFZ9F5ruIE2oyaIE1Msv95gfxlP0iD192hjP9rXBtCDtFxphcKloVUY0YycwQQrknHHsFGF6WqUomMbEyWqAeHd00nQTGJ00k9E_wID2cjK-dQlwCRWqXTtoC2d_oHo-eMLdONG3QS0Orr0xr9ZLUsgk18E8kAckYYUlIaw64MMd2hTCrhxkTJbpyPw/w200-h190/LoveOneAnother_semixparent.png" width="200" /></a></div><br />Speak the truth in love, and if they aren’t open to a conversation then be sensitive to how you respond. If there is an openness to growing together, then guess what? That is what unity looks like! But if there is no desire to walk through it, sharpening each other, then God may be leading you elsewhere (See <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10%3A11-15&version=GW" target="_blank">Matthew 10:11-15</a>). There is a priesthood of all believers, one body with many parts, and you have your part to play. So be careful to follow Jesus’ example as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">A crushed reed he will not break,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">a dim wick he will not extinguish;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He will faithfully make just decrees.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+42%3A3&version=NET" target="_blank">Isaiah 42:3</a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2024 Mitchell Malloy (<a href="http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/">http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/</a>)</span></div><br />Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-41916314853242600792024-01-28T21:13:00.003-05:002024-01-28T21:19:12.336-05:00People are not Projects<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I would never dispute that Jesus said: “make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to do everything I have commanded you.” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A19-20&version=GW" target="_blank">Matthew 28:19-20</a> God’s Word). It’s come to be known as the Great Commission, and its pretty clear what Jesus wants us to do, but what does that look like? </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Let me start by saying what it’s not: It’s not to treat people as a means to an end, even if it’s arguably a good end. The philosopher Immanuel Kant described it as this: </span></p><p></p><blockquote style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Every man is to be respected as an absolute end in himself; and it is a crime against the dignity that belongs to him as a human being, to use him as a mere means for some external purpose.</span></blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Just going back to the book of Genesis, we see that God created men and women in His image. We are His Image-Bearers, and as such everyone is invaluable. Every person regardless of background or decisions has that in common. We are worthy of love if for no other reason than that we carry God’s image. This fact explains why people are never a means to an end, but rather they are the end objective of God Himself: a person to love; a person that is seen; a person that was planned by God Himself; a person that deserves respect; a person that bears His image and made to be loved.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Too often, we frail humans lose sight of the goal and focus on the enabling objectives. The Great Commission is an enabling objective. Church is an enabling objective, but people… people are the prize! Relationships are important, and projects are simply enablers. If you want to obey Jesus’ Great Commission, then start by loving people. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now love is incomplete without truth. To love someone is to see them as they are and choose to love them anyway. To be seen is to have both flaws and strengths and be understood and accepted. Love is a decision and is not dependent upon anything. We can only love in light of imperfections, and we can be wise in how we love others. We can love an addict while being wise in how we interact with them. Do you care enough to love a person even if they don’t change? It’s hard, for sure, but again, we can love wisely, leaving the door open and with appropriate boundaries. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Contrary to the saying, love is not blind. Rather, love is enlightened, and as Dr. James Dobson wrote: “Love Must Be Tough”. (Find it at <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/love-must-tough-hope-marriages-crisis/james-dobson/9781414317458/pd/317458" target="_blank">Christianbook.com</a>) To love someone is to speak the truth in love and not to beat them over the head with truth. We explain truth out of love for the person, for their eternal benefit.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The reality is that most people know when they are seen as a means to an end. Some people are so wounded or so lonely that they’ll take whatever attention they can get, and even if treated as someone else’s project, they’ll embrace it. God can and often does use this in the salvation of some people as part of their journey, but we know He works all things together for good to reach those He’s called for His purposes. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28&version=GW" target="_blank">Romans 8:28</a> God’s Word) </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I wonder how many people are turned away by being viewed as a project? In a post-Christian society, I’d expect an emotionally healthy but spiritually dead person would run away. An emotionally healthy person keeps predators at a distance and can sense when they are being targeted to build another’s kingdom. It’s one thing to be on mission together, humbly seeking God’s will in each of our lives as we intentionally reach out to bring others in the fold; it’s another thing to mutually use each other so that our individual desires are being stroked. The former reflects the Kingdom, but the latter reflects the World. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0GH6Tsve8fq1mBncZNXmXlIwgGgryDaoumlUNLJFgZOeCCqRVn3oddE2gEjpM8UNrJQIoV8TiTWBApjYoUZlySJSrul5Alw4wWI57YKDRHy3ktxFrIops4DJkj3Dkr5UTK19Rf4Xa1S5qBKDG3ZauOljeKoMQJ8SEIEZDtg-Yv4FLqaWF7-PugOXq1g/s853/Man%20good%20or%20bad.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0GH6Tsve8fq1mBncZNXmXlIwgGgryDaoumlUNLJFgZOeCCqRVn3oddE2gEjpM8UNrJQIoV8TiTWBApjYoUZlySJSrul5Alw4wWI57YKDRHy3ktxFrIops4DJkj3Dkr5UTK19Rf4Xa1S5qBKDG3ZauOljeKoMQJ8SEIEZDtg-Yv4FLqaWF7-PugOXq1g/w200-h113/Man%20good%20or%20bad.gif" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To be clear: I’m not saying the Great Commission or building the Church isn’t important, and I do believe that intentionality is important in relationships. But the goal is to love people into the Kingdom, training in love and truth rather than mobilizing a volunteer army. People will respond to love, especially as they are introduced to the God of Love. That is the cornerstone relationship that changes each of us and that ultimately changes the world around us. As the saying goes: “They won’t care about what you know until they know you care”. So if you want to embrace the Great Commission, start with loving everyone around you, speaking the truth and genuinely caring about them. This is the cornerstone of Christ’s Church. This is what it means to be a faithful Ambassador of the Kingdom, when we earn the right to teach the truth by demonstrating that we care.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2024 Mitchell Malloy (<a href="http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/">http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/</a>)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span>P.S. - This is not be confused with the Social Gospel, which replaces the good news of God's Love with a focus on societal improvements. </span></p><div><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-65527001891679430012024-01-01T15:00:00.007-05:002024-01-07T11:16:30.677-05:00New Years Day 2024<p></p><blockquote><p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px;">"So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away - look, what is new has come!" </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px;">2 Corinthians 5:17</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Is our Christian walk a single “one and done sinners prayer“, or is it a journey? I believe acknowledging our sinful nature is a part of that journey, and it happens on a daily basis. Sure, we need to accept the free gift of God‘s grace, and there is no salvation that we can work out on our own independent from Him. But it doesn’t end with a single acknowledgment, and we can look at how the original Christians were labeled as the pattern to follow. They were called: “followers of the Way.“</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Our life as a new creation begins as we hand the keys of our life over daily to the God of creation. So I have no resolution this year other than this: to hand over my life’s goals to Him daily and trust Him to lead me to green pastures. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">With His help, I will follow well and lead others well, using whatever influence I have to represent His Kingdom well. That’s all I really want in 2024. It’s all I need. Everything else are <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>just details. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">In that respect, may this be a successful year for all of us, regardless of the circumstances!!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Happy New Year!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBd9eVbIkipg7VRaPM_bxT4ECiu2Youae6yGEEHYOOSlbuNX72aish4gM1F_-IUWqhWXX56v_D7h1F4O4ZEEDSpryNlzATCPvTrmv_lY-4TlYodEui_GX8GpAPWuV_qjc0gmwQoop7lclJzohFWSyPdp5YKzqfYw7iGz0ZWvstMwbMN4qPIpUDr-L9pHA/s1188/Health%20Wheel.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1188" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBd9eVbIkipg7VRaPM_bxT4ECiu2Youae6yGEEHYOOSlbuNX72aish4gM1F_-IUWqhWXX56v_D7h1F4O4ZEEDSpryNlzATCPvTrmv_lY-4TlYodEui_GX8GpAPWuV_qjc0gmwQoop7lclJzohFWSyPdp5YKzqfYw7iGz0ZWvstMwbMN4qPIpUDr-L9pHA/s320/Health%20Wheel.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span><p></p>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-12701477092837244882023-12-25T00:00:00.005-05:002023-12-25T00:12:06.588-05:00The Shepherd’s Letter<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXzHd5n5C2xGsMuMJ4vWYQkU8JMasmZg85O4D1lFO1awKCnWhuU19kFFBbyKReVp7WIob8_mp7W1yH0opUdHJMQ4VYnM61qCTo-TueqLPdwXd41tTJCSX_ySoSBHmNH1__h5aCqPkVTpSLa3qRst3yi7o6nxNuZV2BStvu_Kw212MPlJkqGy2FDE_00qk" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Shepherd's Letter" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXzHd5n5C2xGsMuMJ4vWYQkU8JMasmZg85O4D1lFO1awKCnWhuU19kFFBbyKReVp7WIob8_mp7W1yH0opUdHJMQ4VYnM61qCTo-TueqLPdwXd41tTJCSX_ySoSBHmNH1__h5aCqPkVTpSLa3qRst3yi7o6nxNuZV2BStvu_Kw212MPlJkqGy2FDE_00qk=w211-h320" width="211" /></a></div><br />Published in paperback on Amazon</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Letter-Mitchell-Malloy/dp/1973415933/">https://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Letter-Mitchell-Malloy/dp/1973415933/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Copyright © 2007 Mitchell Malloy</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">All rights reserved.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">ISBN: 9781973415930</div><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"></h4><blockquote><h4 style="text-align: left;">ACKNOWLEDGMENTS</h4><div style="text-align: center;">All our talents come as a gift from above, and all we do is to imitate the Great Giver with gifts of our own.</div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Soli Deo Gloria!</div></blockquote><p></p><span></span><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">My dear friend Eleazar, I write to tell you a most amazing story, a tale that begins when I was a young man, shepherding my father’s sheep. I had recently married my beautiful wife, Hannah, and she was with child. My father had promised me a portion of his flock, and the whole world seemed to promise something wonderful!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hannah was just beginning to show. It was all that she had ever dreamed to be: a wife and mother. I loved her with my whole heart! My smiling, optimistic, cheerful Hannah wanted to give me seven sons and five daughters. She often repeated, “I will give you sons to someday help you tend your own flock. But, my husband, I will also give you daughters so that you will remain the loving and sensitive man I married!” I loved the wonder, the expectation of that time. As I tended the sheep at night, alone with my thoughts, I would imagine what our little family would one day become.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was on one such evening, while I was quietly reflecting on our bright future, that I was startled to the point of terror. I hesitate to write this, knowing how it must sound. I remember all too well how others have reacted upon hearing the tale. Yet here it is...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There, in the middle of the field, hovering and shining like a brilliant light, was the very real and glorious sight of an angel! He announced to me, and to the other shepherds in the field that night: "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby bundled in rags and lying in a feeding trough." And when this angel completed these words the entire sky was filled with similar celestial beings. They sang praises to the Almighty God, songs more wonderful than I had ever imagined, and they said, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." We stood in awe... speechless... fearful at such a sight... and wondering what all this meant.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the angels left, I said to the other shepherds, "Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At that time, the Romans were conducting a census so the city was filled with many travelers. It seemed no easy task to find the sign spoken of by the angels. Although we considered approaching the various innkeepers of the different inns, a friend of mine suggested we just check the stables for the promised child. It seemed less threatening to explain why we were trespassing than to relay the events we had experienced in the field.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We had gone through nearly every barn in the city, and by the time we reached the last one, each of us silently wondered if we'd truly find the promised child. We were therefore both astonished and relieved when the stable resonated with the sound of a woman’s voice, singing a Hebrew lullaby. We entered: excited, nervous, bold and joyful. A man quickly stood up as we entered. He was a strong man with the look of one familiar to hard work. Lying on a pile of hay behind him was a very beautiful, very exhausted young woman slightly younger than my beloved Hannah. Her arm extended into a manger, and her hand rested gently on the head of a newborn.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am sure we surprised the small family, and many times since I have wondered how I would have reacted had I been the infant’s father when our ragtag group burst into the barn. An older shepherd burst into laughter and told the couple all that had happened to us, quickly explaining why we were intruding on the intimate scene. The man smiled and said, “Welcome, friends!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The man’s name was Joseph and his wife, Mary. They had traveled here for the census and found all the inns full. This stable was the only place available. As I looked, I reflected on my own Hannah and the child inside her womb. Would our child know this baby? Would they play together? Perhaps Hannah would give me the first of seven sons to befriend this future king. They could be like Jonathan and David!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here was the promised Messiah! The angels had told us… this was the Savior! My children would live in freedom; free from Rome and free from Roman puppets, like Herod. But why here? Why a feeding trough? Why was he bundled in rags? It did not make sense, yet here we were, viewing the very sign promised by the angel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As much as I wanted to stay and find out all I could about this family, I could not keep my joy to myself. I rushed off to wake Hannah and tell her. Of course, she did not believe me. She said I must have been dreaming and that I was just anxious to be a father. She assured me that everything would seem right in the morning. But later, when the other shepherds confirmed my story, she beamed with pride at her husband whom the Lord had favored with this news. Of course, the rest of the town thought we had been drinking and laughed at what the Lord had shown us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next day, I tended sheep. And all the next week, I tended sheep. I tended my flock to provide for my family. And as I watched my young wife grow with child, I praised God for what He was doing. When my son was born, I rejoiced that he did not have to lie in a manger and that he was not clothed in rags. Our boy was our beloved, and so we named him David. As he grew, I would rush home to see him, hug him, and tumble him around in my arms. Hannah thrived on her new role as mother and said the same about me as a father. As I wrestled with our toddler, she joked, “I am afraid I must give you a daughter next so your tenderness does not disappear too quickly!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One day as I rushed home to see my family, I heard Hannah’s lullaby. It reminded me of the song I heard outside a stable over a year earlier. I slipped in silently, enjoying the thought of my wife holding my son. As I entered, Hannah did not look up. Her back was to the door, but I could still discern the profile of her face. She was crying.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My hand shakes as I write this. It seems a cruel trick that the faces of those we love grow dim over time, yet the emotions associated with times of crisis seem to pierce the heart forever. I grieve even now with the horror of my son’s death. Hannah, my beautiful wife, David’s loving mother, sang to the bundle that had been our son, killed by the sword of Herod’s soldier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the months passed, Hannah grew weak. Although she never said it outright, I knew the pain of David’s death was beyond her. She did not want to bring another child into this world. All her life she had wanted nothing more than to be a mother, yet now she could not imagine having another child. She continued to grow weak, and later that year, I grieved more than the loss of my son.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I questioned the power of God. If this happened to my son, what about the child He showed me in the manger? Was that child still living? Why, if God was so powerful, did Israel’s future king rest his head first in a rancid barn?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But more, I questioned God’s compassion. How could He know my loss? How could He know the loss of a son? The grief was enough to drain the life from my beloved Hannah. How could God ever understand?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was as I struggled with these issues that we met. You seemed to have an answer, Eleazar. You said: “God helps those who help themselves. God despises Israel because we allow ourselves to be oppressed by the nations. If we want the God of our fathers to smile again on us, we must thrust these foreigners out!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It made sense at the time. Perhaps the savior would rise from the ashes of my loss. The baby in the stable, maybe he was just a sign of the weakness in Israel. I joined you wholeheartedly, my friend, because I needed a reason to live. I joined your group because I needed a focus for my anger. I sought vengeance for the loss of my family, and you seemed to know the way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For thirty years you and I looked for a weakness in the Romans that we could exploit, hoping our people would awake to our call for independence. Instead, our numbers increased through the greed of thieves, seeking profit from raids on tax collectors and foreigners.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Eleazar, you have known me for thirty years, yet my heart has been hidden from you. I pondered on meaning in my life. I had first found fulfillment in my family and then in the cause of freedom. But as of late, I despaired that even freedom for Israel was somehow not enough. I confess my capture was not completely undesired. I thought: “At last, my misery is over!” As I lay in my prison cell, I considered all the events, emotions and questions related in this letter. Certain to be crucified, I considered how I might find a more noble death. I determined to grab the sword of the prison guard or some other soldier and thus die in battle. I would certainly die, but anything was better than the slow, painful suffocation of hanging on a beam, stripped naked and deprived of all pride. No, better to be struck down by the sword.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I planned my death, the door to the cell suddenly swung open and the silhouette of the guard barked at me: “Get your smelly hide out of here!” Then turning he addressed a centurion, “Sir, I really think there must be a mistake…”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Just do as you are told! I know what I am doing and it is not your place to question my authority!” replied the senior officer, who turned quickly and departed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The meaning to life was clear! Surely, the Lord was sparing me through the mistake of some pompous centurion! My days of fighting were far from over; I would return with the enthusiasm of a man thirty years younger and route these gentiles from our land.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I departed the prison, an unusually large crowd was making it’s way toward Golgotha. I thought: “The Lord is surely with me!” What irony! I would follow the crowd to the place of crucifixions to avoid my own death on a cross. By the time the arrogant, Roman officer realized his mistake, I would be impossible to find. Perhaps he would even shift blame on that miserable prison guard.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So what was the charge?” asked a man in the street. “Who cares?” replied his companion, “The idiot claimed to be God’s son! He’s either a lunatic or a blasphemer. Either way he deserves to perish.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Unless he really was…” responded the first man. The second man shot a suspicious glare at the first, saying: “Are you one of them?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“No… of course not,” mumbled the first as he hurried away.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I heard he did many wonderful things: that he made the blind to see and the deaf to hear.” Three women to my left were speaking. “Then let him save himself!” shot the oldest of the threesome.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By the time I made my way to the spectacle, the three prisoners were hanging in agony. It appeared the one despised by the crowd was Jesus, the Nazarene we had heard about. Some claimed he was the Messiah, and from the stories I had heard, I also wondered if he might be our Deliverer. Many said he was possibly even Elijah himself. Yet here he was, nailed to the tree that had been reserved for me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I would have walked away and thought little more on the incident, except that he spoke, and I was held captive by his voice. His words were strained as he gasped for breath, yet there was a peace and strength that came with each syllable. Although his words were simple and not directed at me, upon hearing him speak, my life was forever changed. He spoke to a young man and a beautiful woman standing at the foot of the cross. That woman! Despite the three decades, she was unmistakable. I had seen her in that stable so long ago, gently stroking the hair of the newborn. The man on the cross, Jesus, was just about the right age. Could it be?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Nazarene spoke to the woman: "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the man by her side, "Here is your mother." There were no last words of defiance. There were no curses for the Roman dogs who stood around the site. Rather, he spoke words that have since haunted me: “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I could take it no longer. I was torn between demanding answers from the woman or running away from this reminder of… my life. My life was ruined by the Romans, yet when I should have been allowed to die, I was set free. And this man, his life nearly gone, prayed for... forgiveness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I chose to run from the scene. I pushed my way through the crowds, leaving Jerusalem two days to the south, but my curiosity overtook my fear. I slept with difficulty and eventually decided that I needed answers to my questions. Who was this Jesus? I could not ignore the question. It seemed my very life depended on the answer!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After more than a week, I finally found the young man who stood at Jesus’ feet. His name was John and he had been a close companion of the man I saw on the cross. Mary was Jesus’ mother and she was now living in the house of John.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Everything seemed so unreal. Here was the close friend and former disciple of a man just crucified, yet he seemed far from the despairing creature I expected to find. Curiously, he was at peace, even joyous. He led me to Mary.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She did not recall me specifically, but of course, she remembered our entry into the barn several decades earlier. Jesus was indeed the child I saw that night. She smiled, a radiant beam of joy. “He’s alive, you know…” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I turned to see the reaction of John. How difficult to care for the delusory mother of a dead friend. To my surprise he quickly responded: “The Lord is risen indeed!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My first reaction was to quickly excuse myself from these lunatics, but John simply smiled and started to explain. Jesus performed many miracles, which is partly how his reputation spread so quickly. But according to John, Jesus is actually the Son of God who was sent into this world to give us good news: the Almighty God wants us to know His love for us! John explained that had Jesus simply died like all other men, there would be no proof of His power and authority.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“He came to take the punishment for each of us who believe in the authority of His Name,” explained John, “but who could possibly believe in a dead man? Our Lord Jesus gave us undeniable proof that He is in fact the Son of God! Come, I’ll show you!” With that, he led me to an empty grave.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since that day, I have sought to uncover the truth. In the process, I have met with many witnesses who have seen and spoken with Jesus... since his death! I further discovered how our own religious leaders have tried to cover up a very inconvenient truth. And I have ultimately come to believe that Jesus is indeed alive! I know it sounds crazy, but the evidence is just too overwhelming.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I cannot begin to describe all that I have learned over these past several months. I am certain I do not understand it all yet, and I am doubtful that I can ever fully comprehend. However, I have seen undeniable evidence that this Jesus is who He claimed to be. I have seen His followers work miracles, and though we are oppressed by the very world that hated and killed Him, I now know a joy and peace that previously had been empty in my heart. And my friend, I have learned to forgive! I truly forgive those who have hurt me so. Oh, the pain is still there, but it comes with a compassion for people who in their ignorance of God's ways act as I once did.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And I have come to know the God of Abraham in a way I did not know was possible. I have discovered His love for ME! I understand more fully what it means to walk in His faith and to be guided by the very hand of God. I can read the scriptures of our fathers with a new, greater understanding!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Come, join me my friend and investigate for yourself! There is so much I don't know, but this much is certain: I was wandering through this world in pain, and although the world has not become less painful, I now walk in the comfort of my God, the God of our fathers, the One Who Lives!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Come join me in my journey! I await your response as a friend who is both hopeful you will come and fearful that you will not.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">fini</div><span><!--more--></span><h1 style="text-align: center;"><br />Merry Christmas, 2023</h1><p style="text-align: justify;">Reprinted here as my gift to you. </p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-22522742791830207322023-07-24T20:30:00.007-04:002023-07-24T21:07:05.827-04:00What is Alpha?<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I want to tell you about the Alpha Course. </b></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Around 30 years ago, I had the privilege of attending an Alpha course at <a href="https://truroanglican.com/" target="_blank">Truro Church</a> in Northern Virginia. I was already a believer in Christ, but I've always struggled connecting with others. Some people may be surprised by that fact because I've been blessed with so many wonderful relationships, but the Alpha Course was special in that it opened the door to lifelong, family relationships. The people in our Alpha group kept meeting until we were pulled to different parts of the country. Yet even after that, we've had reunions, attended the weddings of our daughters and even met remotely during the COVID lockdown. I can't say that every Alpha group is as special as ours. The reunions and remote gatherings were in large part due to one lovely lady in particular who has continued to pull us back again and again, and it was my privilege to see her enter into a relationship with Jesus 3 decades ago, a relationship that has poured out into the lives of others despite the trials and imperfections of life. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><b>So what is Alpha? </b></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Everyone has considered at one point or another the serious questions of life: “What is my purpose?”, “What’s the point in life?”, and “If there is a God, why did He create all of this? Why did He create me??”. Alpha is a small, casual group where people with any set of beliefs or background can come and discuss faith and the meaning of life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On a weekly basis Alpha connects people with people, usually over food and beverages, discussing deep questions in a light and accepting manner. It’s an open atmosphere where honest discussion can happen: you can ask questions, share anything you like or share nothing at all. Alpha comes from a biblical perspective, but you don't need to share that viewpoint to join in the conversation and enjoy the company of others.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The two-minute video below will give you an even better understanding.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RRh-cPUxNWU" width="320" youtube-src-id="RRh-cPUxNWU"></iframe></div><div><blockquote><div><b>So why am I sharing all this? </b></div></blockquote><div>I'm planning to participate in another Alpha Course this fall and wanted to invite you to join me... i<span style="text-align: justify;">t'll be fun</span>! If you live close to the northeast side of Indianpolis, we plan to meet on Sunday nights 7-8:30pm, starting September 10th. We'll <span style="text-align: justify;">enjoy some coffee and pastries (on the house!)</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span>at <a href="https://www.ascendindy.com" target="_blank">Ascend Coffee</a> in Castleton, IN. You can sign up at <a href="https://alphausa.org/try/" target="_blank">https://alphausa.org/try/</a>, searching for our group as shown in the picture below. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyqcCxbD0K5utMnH2FSk21kG3Njlm04XveA3MIFLn0G2mkWlQ4wXZWxqU9QW-ynNimtPgr60V6cTugNt83n2rXBqNTgHTO3XoyTYGBtrzMF9cXpUZSHlSJABx3fb4tdCIVqud8Q2W_hvpGCgvTLEbekz7WfcDmAaBdCeZ5TyynfveVcRiM8alKcbuFqs/s2592/TryAlpha.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="2592" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyqcCxbD0K5utMnH2FSk21kG3Njlm04XveA3MIFLn0G2mkWlQ4wXZWxqU9QW-ynNimtPgr60V6cTugNt83n2rXBqNTgHTO3XoyTYGBtrzMF9cXpUZSHlSJABx3fb4tdCIVqud8Q2W_hvpGCgvTLEbekz7WfcDmAaBdCeZ5TyynfveVcRiM8alKcbuFqs/w640-h306/TryAlpha.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Or maybe you can't make our Alpha, but are interested in finding one that meets closer to your house? If so, use the same link and enter your own location: <a href="https://alphausa.org/try/" target="_blank">https://alphausa.org/try/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-57394512762936639632023-06-28T00:01:00.075-04:002023-06-28T07:09:39.387-04:00The Bible and Pride Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">Then we will no longer be little children, tossed and carried about by all kinds of teachings that change like the wind. We will no longer be influenced by people who use cunning and clever strategies to lead us astray. Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ, who is the head. ~ <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A14-15&version=GW" target="_blank">Ephesians 4:14-15</a> </blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking the truth in love sounds easy, but in practice it can be really hard. It can be hard to speak truth, fearful of how it will be received, and it can be hard to speak in a loving fashion when the truth can seem so obvious or when it’s being casually disregarded. But God made us to live in truth and love, to speak truth to others with love in our hearts. As I wrote this, I felt concern that my words could hurt people I care about: friends, colleagues and relatives. I don’t want to bludgeon anyone with the truth, but I don’t want to be unclear about the whole truth, explained if you <u>read through to the end</u>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are many modern arguments for how the Bible supports homosexual love relationships, including assertions that David and Jonathan were romantically intimate, or that Ruth and Naomi were lovers. I even read a long post on how the Bible says nothing about homosexuality and that the only commentary is against rape, whether homosexual or heterosexual.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These are elaborate lies. In truth while the Bible doesn’t have long dissertations on the subject of homosexual behavior, it very clearly explains God viewpoint. So rather than trying to create implied approval of same-sex behavior based on a cognitive bias that contradicts Scripture, we should just take the Bible at face value when it states what is good and bad in God’s eyes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I’ll let my words be few and allow the Bible to show how God views what is celebrated during Pride Month.</div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><b>Same-Sex Intercourse</b></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Never have sexual intercourse with a man as with a woman. It is disgusting. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+18%3A22&version=GW" target="_blank">Leviticus 18:22</a> GW</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">When a man has sexual intercourse with another man as with a woman, both men are doing something disgusting and must be put to death. They deserve to die. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+20%3A13&version=GW" target="_blank">Leviticus 20:13</a> GW</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And in case you think this is only one biblical interpretation, you should compare with other versions. For example:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+20%3A13&version=ESV" target="_blank">Leviticus 20:13</a> ESV </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, it’s not simply an Old Testament interpretation. Some people have argued that the Gospel of Grace allows us to act however we feel led, but here’s what Paul wrote in Romans, the very same book that outlines the doctrine of God’s Grace:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">For this reason God allowed their lusts to control them. As a result, they dishonor their bodies by sexual perversion with each other. These people have exchanged God’s truth for a lie. So they have become ungodly and serve what is created rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For this reason God allowed their shameful passions to control them. Their women have exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. Likewise, their men have given up natural sexual relations with women and burn with lust for each other. Men commit indecent acts with men, so they experience among themselves the punishment they deserve for their perversion.</div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+1%3A24-27&version=GW" target="_blank">Romans 1:24-27</a> </div></blockquote><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Trans Behavior</h4><div style="text-align: justify;">I could not find anything that explicitly said: “Thou shalt not have a sex change operation” But who would have thought that necessary? Given the fact that a person’s sex is established by God at a cellular level and in the context of a Scripture verse like Deuteronomy 22:5 below, I believe the Bible is clear about God's perspective.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">A woman must never wear anything men would wear, and a man must never wear women’s clothes. Whoever does this is disgusting to the LORD your God. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+22%3A5&version=GW" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 22:5</a> </div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">There is nothing fluid about gender; God assigned a sex to a person at conception and the Psalmist declares:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">You alone created my inner being.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">You knitted me together inside my mother.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I will give thanks to You</div><div style="text-align: justify;">because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>My bones were not hidden from You</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>when I was being made in secret,</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">when I was being skillfully woven in an underground workshop.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20139%3A13%2D15&version=GW" target="_blank">Psalm 139:13-15</a> </div></blockquote><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Similar Punishments</h4><div style="text-align: justify;">In truth, same-sex and cross-dressing behavior is like bestiality in God’s eyes. Consider how God views LGBTQ behavior as compared with other sexual explorations:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">“Whoever has sexual intercourse with any animal will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+27%3A21&version=GW" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 27:21</a> </blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">Never have sexual intercourse with any animal and become unclean with it. A woman must never offer herself to an animal for sexual intercourse. It is unnatural. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+18%3A23&version=GW" target="_blank">Leviticus 18:23</a> </blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">A man who has sexual intercourse with an animal must be put to death. You must kill the animal, too. When a woman offers herself sexually to any animal, you must kill both the woman and the animal. They must be put to death. They deserve to die. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+20%3A15-16&version=GW" target="_blank">Leviticus 20:15-16</a> </blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But don't be too quick to say: "These people should be put to death!" This is where the New Testament clarifies something. The truth is that we've all sinned and have earned an undesired payment:</div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">The payment for sin is death, but the gift that God freely gives is everlasting life found in Christ Jesus our Lord. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6%3A23&version=GW" target="_blank">Romans 6:23</a> </blockquote></span></h4><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Didn’t Jesus nullify the Law?</h4><div style="text-align: justify;">People are quick to say that we’re no longer under the Law, which is true. The free gift of salvation is available to anyone who calls upon the name of God; they will be saved! (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10%3A13&version=GW" target="_blank">Romans 10:13</a>) But asking if we’re under the law isn’t the right question. Instead, we should ask if the Law correctly identifies what God sees as wrong, and if does, then how are we to respond? We don’t need to look past what Jesus Himself said about the Law to know if Jesus nullified the Old Testament Law:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A17&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 5:17 </a></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The full truth is that if we have ever done what is wrong in God’s eyes, then we deserve the death penalty, and I don’t know anyone other than Jesus who has led a sin-free life. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+3%3A23&version=GW" target="_blank">Romans 3:23</a>) Fortunately for all of us, Jesus came to pay the price for us. Where the Bible says that “you should be killed”, Jesus responds with: “I was killed so you don’t have to pay the price.” His love and Grace did not nullify the Law. No, the Law was not disassembled by Christ; rather, He fulfilled the Law on our behalf. Death was the price that fulfilled the requirement, but He was the One Who paid that price. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But just so we’re clear that heterosexual sin is equally unacceptable to God, let’s look at the high standard Jesus established:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">But I can guarantee that whoever looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery in his heart. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205%3A28&version=GW" target="_blank">Matthew 5:28</a> </blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So the Law is good and true. Whether Old or New Testament, God and His Law have not changed. The question is: will we let go of our “Pride” and humbly accept God’s grace, asking Him to transform us so that we can live in a way that pleases Him? Rather than arguing against what God has clearly stated, isn’t it better to focus our efforts on aligning with His good and perfect will, accepting the grace and power to be transformed into the people He wants us to be, knowing that His desire for us is for our own good?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God’s compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you.</blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect. </div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A1-2&version=GW" target="_blank">Romans 12:1-2 </a></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">God loves each of us. He loves us too much to see us remain in sexual sin, whether heterosexual or homosexual in nature. If we are His, we will come in line with His truth, forsaking the lies that lead to destruction. Please hear His loving plea! We are quickly approaching a time when all unrepentant fornicators will experience the wrath that they will have brought upon themselves.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eeyo2WmlRxIybqM2mUYJ0aC956gHqNTBLOszJ0keD-0QZy1oXTjrF5K2a5gVFJfUAmKMPK8BP-EPEwams4_j8GUfxWfiCQ0RXwYip6NZCWPMCFA_Addg-VCnqDZtKtyFgXFpSRMDpwuG9TEL6t1V5DOrDUcV9Tvp56nKSe1m3l6XvSMAmzbO2tO_/s960/PrideMonth.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eeyo2WmlRxIybqM2mUYJ0aC956gHqNTBLOszJ0keD-0QZy1oXTjrF5K2a5gVFJfUAmKMPK8BP-EPEwams4_j8GUfxWfiCQ0RXwYip6NZCWPMCFA_Addg-VCnqDZtKtyFgXFpSRMDpwuG9TEL6t1V5DOrDUcV9Tvp56nKSe1m3l6XvSMAmzbO2tO_/w640-h360/PrideMonth.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/)</span></div></div></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-47279341341666972532023-06-18T16:10:00.012-04:002023-06-28T07:34:49.793-04:00Challenges of a Father<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I haven’t written in a while because I’ve been trying to form <a href="http://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-bible-and-pride-month.html" target="_blank">my thoughts for a topic</a> that I’ll post later this month, and like our society in general have considered Father’s Day only as an afterthought. Our society <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/05/why-celebrate-mothers.html" target="_blank">celebrates Mothers</a> pretty easily, and that’s a good thing. But it seems harder to celebrate fathers. Why is that?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmlZ9B9TR9HO1y_qPRNiFv1DUG4lD21AGa9w9ZMqcS8hwS652kH-CC1rCVnm7zgCWhVN2BkCKbbbHeBqTtqKmQ1jtbOVG8Zs_60_RFmnp935zLQ5mUWS_cusn5jdzlXfM9vHck6hdXJC-8kc-efDLO0FlQBWwjxlRXQLAEV8NSTqEo7xFld0pQs0e/s960/Manhood.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmlZ9B9TR9HO1y_qPRNiFv1DUG4lD21AGa9w9ZMqcS8hwS652kH-CC1rCVnm7zgCWhVN2BkCKbbbHeBqTtqKmQ1jtbOVG8Zs_60_RFmnp935zLQ5mUWS_cusn5jdzlXfM9vHck6hdXJC-8kc-efDLO0FlQBWwjxlRXQLAEV8NSTqEo7xFld0pQs0e/w400-h225/Manhood.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The message at our church today was a really good one but reflecting upon the content I realized that it was mostly describing fatherhood wounds, the impact of a bad father figure and how God brings restoration. So I could choose to write about the qualities of a good father, and that would also be a good thing to share, but instead I thought it might be better to share my challenges as a father. Assuming that others may be challenged in similar ways, maybe someone would benefit from knowing that we’re not alone. As the father of five children, I know I’ve made mistakes and that I’ve also done the right thing. No one is perfect as a parent, and that shouldn’t be our goal. Even if we were perfect, our kids could still go their own way; Adam and Eve had the perfect Father, but we know what happened to them. Rather, our goal as fathers should be to remain faithful, trusting in God for the outcome. </div></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>My Challenges</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have many challenges as a father, but one that we all share is not knowing exactly what a “good father” looks like. We either understand that our earthly fathers fell far short of God’s design or we tend to imagine our earthly fathers were the perfect example. Neither is true. Our Heavenly Father is the only perfect model of fatherhood, and if you are like me, you may find it hard to see Him in our imperfect world. Jesus said that if we have seen Jesus we have seen the Father, but this is still a foreign concept to many. But I can discern from His statement that this one thing is sure: to see the Father, we need to have a relationship with Jesus and we need to understand what Jesus’ relationship with the Father looked like. All of our father wounds, daddy issues, and idolization go away if we first look to God as Father, which will truly open our eyes to understand what a “good father” looks like.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another challenge I’ve had as a father is balancing the need to discipline with my compassion. I look at some biblical characters and know I’m not alone. David, a man after God’s own heart, struggled with this, and the entire kingdom suffered because of his short-comings. Samuel the prophet also struggled with it, even after seeing how the same struggle impacted the biological sons of Samuel’s spiritual-father, Eli. We know from scripture that if you spare the rod, you spoil the child (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013%3A24&version=GW" target="_blank">Proverbs 13:24</a>) and that it’s actually a comfort for children to have that discipline in their lives. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023%3A4&version=GW" target="_blank">Psalm 23:4</a>) Yet still, I’ve struggled with it as well as going toward the other extreme.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The flip side of this is disciplining out of our weakness. The physical and emotional abuse that comes from a weak character is often stereotyped in a weak father. A weak father doesn’t discipline out of love, but he punishes the child in shame or out of pride. It’s often demonstrated by a power struggle to assert one’s dominance, and it breaks down the relationship over time, reaching it’s sad fruition when the child is powerful enough to resist the oppression. The unhealthy relationship emerges as patterns of avoidance, passive aggressive behaviors or even active aggression. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Shame and pride are two sides of the same coin, often glued together by comparison with others. This comparison to others leads to shame when we feel inferior or pride when we feel superior. We find healing when we can exchange our shame/pride with a desire to reflect God’s image, and we embrace both the “how” and “why” of our parenting style as a reflection of our Heavenly Father’s ways and purposes. When we rightly reflect Father God, we become Servant-Leaders: leaders who lead by serving and who serve by leading, actively doing what is in the best interest of the beloved over any feeling of shame or pride. The decision to servant-lead combats our natural desire to seek pleasure, avoid discomfort, settle for laziness, or react in rage. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The mental discipline of a Servant-Leader reflects God’s strength. It takes intentionality and initiative because anything less acquiesces to the desires of our flesh. It’s hard, and I’ve struggled to be as focused as I should be. I have failed many times, but I take comfort in God’s promise that a righteous man gets up again despite how many times he falls. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+24%3A16&version=GW" target="_blank">Proverbs 24:16</a>)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Finally, one of my greatest challenges has been loneliness and feelings of rejection. I realize others may not struggle with this the way that I do, but I’d imagine many fathers feel a certain loneliness. There’s a saying: “It’s lonely at the top”. As fathers, we are called to be the head of the family, whether we are married, partnering with a mother outside of marriage, or as a single parent. Often others fail to recognize our authority, but I encourage every father to lead anyway. It can feel difficult to be understood and every conversation can feel like a battle. For many us, it’s not our perception and there are seasons in life where it’s a persistent reality. It takes courage, tenacity and hope to continue fighting the good fight without resorting to reacting out of our woundedness. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">As wounded creatures we can take the fight or flight mentality, and the third option of dialog is often forgotten. We don’t struggle against flesh and blood but against ideas and thought patterns. Our fight is to take control first of our own thoughts and lovingly confront the lies that assault our family members. I find myself challenged in how hard to push while remaining relational, and I know I fall short in communicating His truth in a loving fashion, but that is my desire and that is commitment. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Answer</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Answer as already stated is Jesus: knowing Him means knowing how He would act and likewise how our own Heavenly Father acts on our behalf. If He is long-suffering, how can we give in to impatience? If He has the courage to discipline us, shouldn’t we be equally courageous, choosing discipline over reactive punishment? If He leads us by serving, shouldn’t we serve our family as a leader committed to positively impacting our children and less interested in personal cost? The answer to our challenges is to love in the way He first loved us (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A19&version=GW" target="_blank">1 John 4:19</a>) and reflect His Image to our children as a step towards introducing them to their Heavenly Father! We should never become an idol or misrepresentation of our Heavenly Father. Rather, we must be a finger that points to Him, a mirror of His light and voice that cries out in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord! Maybe then, as the hearts of fathers turn toward their children will the children respond in love to their fathers. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">“I’m going to send you the prophet Elijah before that very terrifying day of the Lord comes. He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children and children’s attitudes toward their parents. If not, I will come and reclaim my land by destroying you.” ~ <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi+4%3A5-6&version=GW" target="_blank">Malachi 4:5-6</a></blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/)</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-3368376990286256612023-05-21T00:29:00.006-04:002023-05-21T00:32:13.544-04:00Why Study End Times Prophesy?<p style="text-align: justify;">Since the Garden of Eden, there has always been evil in this world, and yet at one point the wickedness of men had become so great that the Bible tells us God regretted making mankind, deciding to flood the Earth and start over with Noah and his family. Some people say that wickedness has always existed and today is no different from years past, but I disagree. I have seen in my lifetime the growth of wickedness as described in the Bible as an increase in lawlessness or rebellion. Yes, evil has always existed, but it was not socially celebrated as it is today. What occurred in shadows is celebrated publicly, and the sophistry of today’s social norms would have quickly been silenced in a younger world. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’ve been accused more than once of focusing so much on what I am against people sometimes wonder what I’m for, and I have to admit it’s often easier for me to see what’s wrong when I look at our world today. It saddens me, and I wonder if that’s how Jeremiah felt as he looked upon the nation that he loved living in a way that was so counter to God’s desires when he wrote the Book of Jeremiah. I imagine Daniel and his companions as youth just prior to the Babylonian exile, listening to adult society publicly ridiculing Jeremiah while privately wondering if he was a prophet or a deluded fool. I also imagine they did not question Jeremiah’s book of Lamentations written after the destruction of Jerusalem and known as a book of comfort. Daniel referred to it in the ninth chapter of his own contribution to Scripture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">27% of the Bible is prophecy. The part of it that has been fulfilled gives us greater faith in that which has not. The book of Daniel is a great example of this. We can can have confidence from the many fulfilled prophecies in the book of Daniel that the unfulfilled prophecies will also come to pass. Why would we study only a portion of the Bible? If more than a quarter of the Bible is prophecy, then God obviously thought it was important for us to have that. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0bWP-boM5BvbwcB5QUMDc8XQPYqne0auUBYMXmmwlXQmu-y8ufBikMpHt8HTanZSIRKqEE3ZRACMpEf1UIgQ9VYlRJa37xLW26ZxKiIi-LEGheEayz1XHb4e1K17jzHfWdP1SRMa41vD8CYKAdyk4F2KZ91KCALEJMOyX7JBXD-bHNa5nhX9FW_6/s394/Imago%20Deo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="289" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0bWP-boM5BvbwcB5QUMDc8XQPYqne0auUBYMXmmwlXQmu-y8ufBikMpHt8HTanZSIRKqEE3ZRACMpEf1UIgQ9VYlRJa37xLW26ZxKiIi-LEGheEayz1XHb4e1K17jzHfWdP1SRMa41vD8CYKAdyk4F2KZ91KCALEJMOyX7JBXD-bHNa5nhX9FW_6/w147-h200/Imago%20Deo.png" width="147" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A hundred years ago, theologians explained away futurist perspectives of Bible prophecy, using Israel as the example. They argued that the Bible prophecy couldn’t possibly be taken literally because Israel and Jerusalem had been destroyed. However, in the middle of the last century and seeing the restoration of Israel as a nation, Bible-believing Christians understood that God was setting the stage for a world where prophecies will occur just as foretold in Scripture. Some overzealously started putting dates and timelines upon Jesus’ return despite Jesus’ own words that “no one knows the day nor the hour”, and others wrote fictional stories of how an End Times scenario could play out. This has led to a generation that is skeptical of End Times prophecies, with people both within the church and in society at large ridiculing anyone who studies End Times prophecies… fulfilling Peter’s prophecy that scoffers would arise near the end. (2 Peter 3:3)</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I cannot ignore Bible prophecy as it’s foundational to how God revealed to me who Jesus is. I asked God to show me on Good Friday as I was reading a chapter per day from the book of Psalms. The chapter I opened up that day was Psalm 22, written 1000 years before Jesus clearly describing His crucifixion. I had been raised to believe in God and in Jesus as the Son of God, but I had also been discouraged from reading the Old Testament as something that didn’t apply to me as a Christian, who was saved by the New Covenant in the New Testament. Yet it was the Old Testament that revealed the truth of the New Covenant. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li><b>So why study prophecy in Scripture? </b></li><li><b>How should it change the way we live as Christians? </b></li><li><b>Why any significant time exploring it?</b></li></ul><p></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the most neglected book in the Bible, the Book of Revelation, falls into this category. And yet we see God’s promise in chapter 1 that a blessing is received by anyone who reads it, or even anyone who hears it being read. We can also see from how the book of revelation ends: no one is permitted to add or subtract anything from the prophecies in that book. It is a gift. It is a mystery. It is a blessing, and a warning.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the misconceptions about “the end times” is that it’s the end of all things. That’s simply not true. Yes, it’s the end of the world as we know it, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s the beginning of a new world, a world that is beyond our comprehension. It’s the end of the world as we know it, because the world as we know it is flawed. The World is filled with rebellion, disease, and disorder. But the New World will be perfect, designed to please God and fulfill the deep desires in each of us.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Imagine that you and I are on a raft, about to hit heavy rapids: white water, and rocks that are both exciting and scary, legitimately life-threatening. A casual conversation around the things that await us at the end of our white water rafting trip would probably not be appropriate at that moment. Conversation would instead be focused around the upcoming dangers and which obstacle to avoid. Well, we are about to hit the Rapids. We need to stay focused. Yes, there will be a great resting place after we get through them, but we can’t go into this unprepared.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Transitions are often painful, like the process of physical conditioning or giving birth to a child, but the rewards outweigh the pain. As a guy, I will never know what birth pains are like, but that is what the End times are compared to in the Bible. In Gethsemane, Jesus prepared Himself for the pain He was about to endure. He was under great stress, so much so that He sweat blood. It is this spiritual and emotional preparation that I know I need, and which I believe others need as well. No one looks forward to the labor pains, and we need to understand that this new world is worth everything we about to go through!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So why study, prophecy? There’s a blessing in it for you: There’s a vision beyond the labor pains, a world that surpasses the one we live in now, and there are obstacles to avoid in our journey. So stay alert! Stay sober, and prepare your heart and mind. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So why do I write about this? To be true to my calling: to be a mirror of His light to this world, a finger that points toward heaven, and a voice in the wilderness proclaiming: “Prepare ye the Way of the Lord!” Whether people listen or fail to listen is all on them.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/)</span></p><div><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-15388985869275149752023-05-14T00:56:00.001-04:002023-05-14T00:56:06.610-04:00Why Celebrate Mothers?<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUrWBooHy8N2pwZoOR-HMlYRbdCz4KKCDT57Vt9IlBo03zvQk78HDgtQhmz5YXbmagg0o0UErx2sRzit5reF_XmHQzxoFgr2SqhEfixEIdflgGUdc9nGr9eeO4MqfeEH65u-PhiSVW3HZryx3kTPBp7QOMvCwOEt14kJRKtcOfGddBBoCC9XWgwLb/s478/Good%20Mother.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="478" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUrWBooHy8N2pwZoOR-HMlYRbdCz4KKCDT57Vt9IlBo03zvQk78HDgtQhmz5YXbmagg0o0UErx2sRzit5reF_XmHQzxoFgr2SqhEfixEIdflgGUdc9nGr9eeO4MqfeEH65u-PhiSVW3HZryx3kTPBp7QOMvCwOEt14kJRKtcOfGddBBoCC9XWgwLb/w200-h188/Good%20Mother.png" width="200" /></a></div>Why do we celebrate mothers? Should we celebrate all women on Mother’s Day? When God created women and men, He created us in his image. Male and female He created us. So from that aspect, yes we value women as much as we value men. We value mothers and women without children equally. We should never devalue what God has called invaluable. Yet just as we don’t celebrate men on Mother’s Day, we don’t celebrate all women. There are women without any biological children who play the role of a good mother for others. These spiritual mothers are every bit as worthy of celebrating as much as any biological mother.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We celebrate mothers, because of what a good mother is. A good mother encourages her children in doing what is right and rebukes them for doing what is wrong. A good mother is loving. She is self-sacrificing, and she is self-sacrificing because she loves. Because she loves, she does what’s in the best interest of her children and does not follow her own selfish desires. She ministers to a child in the middle of the night when they’re feverish… when they cough… when they’re in pain… and she always seems to find that one-extra-thing that helps her children feel loved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A good mother often sets aside her own dreams or postpones them because she knows she has a higher priority. She may have a full-time career or be a full-time homemaker, but in either case she’s a full-time mother, which is her priority. A good mother is worthy of so much respect! Out of love, a good mother pushes herself to do more than she ever thought she was capable of doing, setting an example that her daughters want to follow and modeling the type of person that her sons should marry.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A good mother is not perfect and doesn’t always feel like being a “good” mother. It’s not her actions or her feelings that make her good, but the sum of her decisions over the course of a lifetime that reflects a goodness which demands celebration. Despite her best efforts, her children may not recognize her love or follow her example. Yet we don’t celebrate mothers because of the outcome of their efforts; Adam and Eve had the perfect parent and still went astray. Children will go their own way, and still they will always be loved, cherished by the good mother. We celebrate the faithfulness of the good mother, who is so important to each of us individually and as a society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am fortunate that I can<br /> celebrate my mom, my wife, and my daughter as good mothers. I am further blessed to celebrate other good mothers in my life: my mother-in-law, sister-in-laws, nieces, and friends. I thank them for their examples, their service and their love. I celebrate the love that has been poured out, which will continue to overflow into the lives of their children, their children’s children and a world that has mostly forgotten love.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It’s not what you do that makes you a good a mother, but who you are defines what you do. We celebrate you!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/)</span></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-76337071406823218862023-05-06T21:16:00.001-04:002023-05-07T08:34:45.796-04:00If I were an Atheist<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My Life / My Will</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I were an atheist, reality would be centered around me. I would judge things as good if they were in my best interest, and I would judge things as bad if they were not to my advantage. If I were an atheist, all relationships would exist for my pleasure and for the pursuit of my best interest. I would be at the center of the universe, and all others with circle around me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It would therefore be important that people agree with me in all things. Depending upon my level of sophistication, I would get people to agree with me without even realizing how I was manipulating them. In fact, I would take great joy in converting people to my way of thinking, and if I changed my thinking in any way, then I would want others to join me in this new enlightenment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I were an atheist, I would want people to think of me as somehow “good“, so I would probably have some story to tell people about my “goodness”. It could be around my generosity, which would be just enough to have people believe in my “goodness”, or it could be a construction of what I would leave behind, centered around a vision for humanity that would live beyond my existence. But the reality is that I would not truly care for anything about what survived my life. From my atheist perspective, the universe started to exist with me, and it will end with me. There may be times when I would even start to believe in these lies I was telling everyone else, but deep inside, and in moments of honesty that no one else would know, I would acknowledge no one mattered but me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I were an atheist, I would be committed to extend my life as long as possible, or at least, as long as I believed in a future the catered to my selfish desires. Any magic or technology that could prolong my life or enhance my self gratification would become increasingly important as I aged.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I were an atheist, I would ignore all the many signs and all the facts that implied the existence of any being greater than myself. Sure, I could acknowledge the universe was created with an intelligent design by some mysterious force, but I would never concede to the fact that a being with intelligence was behind all that intelligent design. I would claim boldly that life just happened into existence, despite the great statistical improbability, because to acknowledge otherwise would be admitting to the existence of something greater than myself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I were an atheist, I would ignore miracles and fulfilled prophecies of the <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/01/why-believe-bible.html" target="_blank">Bible</a>. I would insist on any nonsensical thing just to throw a big middle finger up toward heaven because in reality, an atheist believes they would be a better god than God.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I were an atheist, I would have to <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/02/is-god-real.html" target="_blank">prove that no god ever existed</a>… that no god could ever exist, but I’d probably avoid that impossible task so as to not waste my very limited existence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>If I were an agnostic</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">An agnostic can at least be honest with themselves and the world around them: they don’t know if a god exists. But does it end there?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I were an agnostic, would I avoid the tough questions or would I have the courage and fortitude to press into them? Would I seek an answer as if my [eternal] life depended upon it, or would I avoid the pursuit, knowing that the answer I receive demands a price: to live in humble truth or run away from it?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Because if God is God, then how should it change my life… my everything? Could I trust that God is good? I was once afraid of that answer, afraid that He would possess me like a demon and wreck me. Yes, what if God was powerful but not fully good? Could I trust Him with my life? Would He make me do things that I didn’t want to do… that would ruin my life? But the implications of a God Who is real would change my life; my understanding of reality would have to make way for His reality!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I would no longer be the center of the universe, but a planet circling an enormous, life-giving sun! A planet created for an eternal relationship, truly and fully loved by the Greatest Of All Time! Could I discover that fact and run away, resentful of God’s grandeur… or perhaps fearful of my own inadequacy? Or could I instead embrace His truth and love, His grace and mercy?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">No, I’m not an atheist, but I was once an agnostic who chose not to hide from the truth. Over months… over years, I asked God to prove Himself to me… if He was real.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I chose to doubt, and demanded that if He was real to give me an answer. And when He showed me in a way that only I could <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2019/04/who-is-this-person-jesus.html" target="_blank">understand</a>, I pressed in deeper to ask Him to reveal who Jesus was. He did not possess me as I feared. Rather, He has proved Himself a gentleman: in over 30 years, He has led me without ever forcing me. He has shown me a life I wouldn’t have chosen, but that I now wouldn’t change! And He promises a life eternal, a dynamic and continuous adventure that goes beyond this world and my current limitations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I am a Christian</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am now (and for decades have been) a Christian, a child of God (coG), a coG in His plans and a co-inheritor of His Kingdom! I am His and He’s my faithful Friend, my trusted Leader and Mentor. And from seeing His steadfast goodness in my life, I can trust in His promises for the future. I can trust that He has promised to prosper me and not to destroy me. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29%3A11&version=GW" target="_blank">Jeremiah 29:11</a>) I don’t need to live in fear or selfishness because He is always giving. Because His giving is limitless, I can always give. I am able to love because of His trustworthy love for me. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A19&version=GW" target="_blank">1 John 4:19</a>)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All that I have and all that I am comes from Him. There is no strength or ability in my hand or mind that doesn’t come from Him. Even my salvation is His gift to me, received by His grace through His gift of faith… the faith that He gave me. Not by my own power so I can’t boast. (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A8-9&version=GW" target="_blank">Ephesians 2:8-9</a>)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I feel sorry for the atheist: the fear, the isolation, the anger, the hopelessness, the self-deception. I thank God He has chosen me for His purposes, no matter how high or lowly! I am His and He is mine!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you doubt any of this, then pray for greater faith. He will give it if you are sincere. Do not doubt it, He will answer your prayer! But are you prepared to respond to the answer? Are you willing to press in relentlessly until you find an answer? Will you spend months or even years to know for certain, and will you be willing to adjust your life to His reality? The cost is great, but is there any better investment?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” ~ Jim Elliot</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYknoKVUgo5Hw5QkJKOvPXIjskklwLfW7zP4ZPWyq1CHiPZQxlcVWb7jbh98JAFyiDMZ9_J-7Z1Typm__-z8hPjoJre28D7LBlWJlD3yDJeZyNt8DaK9TF62Jf4V2C-RysVBpItRdYYmUUpwzO2CBX9zrw0xuEhZMjJL0tJ4PYGl-_X-NubkNVKj6O/s559/Solar%20System.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="559" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYknoKVUgo5Hw5QkJKOvPXIjskklwLfW7zP4ZPWyq1CHiPZQxlcVWb7jbh98JAFyiDMZ9_J-7Z1Typm__-z8hPjoJre28D7LBlWJlD3yDJeZyNt8DaK9TF62Jf4V2C-RysVBpItRdYYmUUpwzO2CBX9zrw0xuEhZMjJL0tJ4PYGl-_X-NubkNVKj6O/s320/Solar%20System.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/)</div></span></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-70341392789597892442023-04-15T23:22:00.000-04:002023-04-15T23:22:01.679-04:00Revelation Implications<p style="text-align: justify;">I’d been looking forward to this weekend for weeks… no months! It had been too long since I was able to hang out with my college friends and being back at the university made it all that much more special. There were definitely some changes, and all the students seemed so much younger than when I went here, but some things just don’t change. Like the guy on the street corner. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The man was older for sure, but it had been 10 years since I graduated from college. He was still on that same street corner, still preaching the same message: “Repent! The end is near!” People laughed at him, just like I remembered doing when I attended the university, but still, no one talked to him. Oh, sure, they talked at him, with jeers and ridicule. They talked about him, too, but they were more interested in getting to their next party.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I decided to approach him; let him know what I thought: “Hey man! I remember you being here 10 years ago, and it seems like you’re having less luck reaching people now than you did then. Why do you do it? And why don’t you change up your message to something they can respond to?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">He looked at me, a little surprised that someone was actually talking to him, but looking a little older and a little sadder with each word I spoke. Then he replied:</p><p style="text-align: justify;">“I do this because that’s what God told me to do, with the message that He gave me to share. And you’re right… they just pass by without stopping to consider the message.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">“Then why do you do it?” I replied. “Haven’t you been at it long enough. Do you really think God would have you repeat ‘The end is near!’ for over 10 years? Surely you can make a bigger difference doing something else, something that can make people’s lives better.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5rqczM7wVuz1nb9heM0PdoDdMrswUn-J0omHW6-hzYLtKwDdNTYVJ3-YGqKh1qdNaj-drpJZ10R67ZUlBSloXztBtsNpm9MCNOyPcgppmT8FdMeNDuWthnM9Ym7Le_P3BXXm0nEJ_-x3txAxjVcX0U3ZjyJAOkvrubIGQ5ZRxJwlOIyhKJXXa4Zy/s960/StreetPreacher.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5rqczM7wVuz1nb9heM0PdoDdMrswUn-J0omHW6-hzYLtKwDdNTYVJ3-YGqKh1qdNaj-drpJZ10R67ZUlBSloXztBtsNpm9MCNOyPcgppmT8FdMeNDuWthnM9Ym7Le_P3BXXm0nEJ_-x3txAxjVcX0U3ZjyJAOkvrubIGQ5ZRxJwlOIyhKJXXa4Zy/s320/StreetPreacher.png" width="320" /></a></div>He nodded his head slowly, looking away into the distance, and not even looking at me, he answered: “By who’s standard is 10 years a long time, and by who’s standard is the End near?” Then looking at me fiercely, making an uncomfortably intense eye contact, he said: “I used to think God had me here to preach to them, to you. Now I wonder if it’s not just to myself, so I don’t lose sight and just join the festivities that would distract us all from what’s happening and from what’s truly important.”<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">His answer was not what I was expecting, and I was about to ask him to explain, but then some friends arrived. Soon they were pulling at me to move along… There was a bar we hadn’t been to in years! Man, it was great to be back in this atmosphere!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The above story is fiction, but it reflects a simple truth: are we living for the pleasures of this world or out of obedience to God, no matter how foolish and fruitless it may seem. I’m not suggesting that we should try to act foolish or send a message that will turn people away, or even that we shouldn’t enjoy the good in life. However, I am saying that it’s important to pursue the right things and to walk in faithful obedience to what we know God has called us to do, even if we walk that path alone. We need to lead ourselves first, and only then lead others down that path. When Christ returns, will He find us awake and sober, or will we be blinded by busy-ness and hollow passions? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thinking even further about this, I had a thought that made me feel uneasy: There is a belief that people can still come to salvation after the Rapture. For someone who believes in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture, their loved ones can maybe come to know the Lord after they are Raptured. Sure, those who are left behind will have to go through the Tribulation period, but they can still be a “Tribulation Saint”. A Post-Trib believer can also take comfort that their left behind loved ones will see biblical prophecy unfold as the events roll out just as the Bible predicted. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">But for a pre-wrath, mid-tribulation guy like myself who believes that the Church is Raptured in the middle of the Tribulation after which an unrepentant world experiences God’s wrath… well, it hit me how much more important it is to share my faith and to pray for the salvation of others because the time is truly short. I believe that the silence in heaven when the 7th Seal is opened is done with great solemnity: no one else will receive salvation. That event will come slowly at first but when it gets closer it will come suddenly. We may feel like we’re in a marathon race, but every long-distance race picks up speed at the end. It’s that sudden acceleration at the end that concerns me, not for myself, but for those I love. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">If you have not yet accepted Christ as your only hope of salvation, receiving the free gift of God, what is stopping you? The time is short, which means it can happen any minute… or it may still take many years, but that moment is coming. It will come slowly at first and then suddenly, very quickly, so do not delay!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-55993032247050794542023-04-08T13:09:00.000-04:002023-04-08T13:09:09.968-04:00What is Easter? The Festival Revelations<p style="text-align: justify;">From its origins, Christianity has seen a connection between Passover and Resurrection Sunday, commonly known as Easter. At a minimum, Christians acknowledge that Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection occurred during the Jewish Passover celebration. The Bible clearly tells this story through the lens of the Passover Meal that Jesus had with His closest friends, commonly referred to as the Last Supper. It’s the night that Jesus is handed over to be scourged and crucified; we recall Jesus’ death on Good Friday, called good because He paid the price for our sins on that terrific day, fulfilling the law (Matt 5:17) and demonstrating a divine love. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Did you know however that Passover and Easter were linked from the Israel’s origin? Recall as Abraham was ready to sacrifice his first-born son on Mt. Moriah. Abraham told Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice, most likely not knowing how true his words were. However, it was not Isaac who was sacrificed on that hill; it was Jesus! Many scholars believe that the location of Mt. Moriah is likely Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">That theme of the first-born was then carried into the 10th plague in Exodus. This is the origin story of Passover: the angel of death claimed the first-born son from every house except those who had the blood of the sacrificed lamb covering the door frame to their home. Those who remained in the house marked for God were spared, and any first-born who left the home perished. For over 3000 years, God’s protection has been remembered by Jews, yet many have failed to see that this Passover was also prophetic symbology for the Lamb of God whose blood was shed: Jesus’ blood which covers and saves anyone who humbly calls on the name of the Lord. (Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Passover Seder meal is still celebrated in the same fashion today as Jesus did at His Last Supper, and it offers a deeper insight into all that God the Father planned. Celebrating a <a href="https://lifeinmessiah.org/blog/why-should-i-care-about-passover" target="_blank">Messianic Seder meal </a>is <a href="https://lifeinmessiah.org/blog/the-pertinence-of-passover-part-1-of-2" target="_blank">eye-opening</a> to both Jew and Christian. (For more information see <a href="https://lifeinmessiah.org/feasts-the-passover" target="_blank">The Passover</a>). Still, I would say that this only scrapes at the surface. Just as Passover spans many days, so does the Easter Celebration. The full story includes Jesus’ innocence, His faithful obedience despite foreknowledge of His suffering, the physical abuse resulting in His death, the demonstration of victory over death. All this is Easter. It is the proclamation of Peace to a rebellious humanity, the demonstration of how to live rightly, the fulfillment of the Law without reducing the perfect love of God, and the victory over death! In short, the celebration of Easter is the celebration of Jesus and the victory we undeservedly share with Him!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yet I believe there are still deeper truths to the festivals of Passover and Easter that have been mostly hidden. The Bible informs us that some if not all of the Jewish holidays will be observed during the Millennial reign of the Messiah (e.g. – Zech 14). If these festivals will be a part of our lives in the Millennium, shouldn’t we take time to understand them? And I wonder, is there a futurist context for these festivals? In the same way that Passover was both a celebration of God’s saving power to the Jews as well as a foreshadowing of the saving power of Jesus, could they both be prophetic symbology for Israel’s and Christendom’s future salvation? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are many different interpretations about how the Jewish festivals correspond with key events in Christianity, and I doubt that any of us will truly understand until Jesus returns. Still, without denying the importance of past events and how these festivals emerged, I would also contend that they are a foreshadowing of what is yet to be. It’s not an “either/or” but rather a “both/and”. It is both the past and the future, a real yet foreshadowing event as well as a wonderfully fulfilled future event.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Theologians have long categorized different Old Testament people to be a “type of Christ”. What I’m suggesting about these festivals is something similar. The below table is not gospel truth, but rather my musings that I wanted to share with you. There are a thousand years of Christ’s reign that is coming! It will be more wonderful than anything this world has ever seen, a victory we shall share with King Jesus if we can but endure this temporary suffering and resist the strong delusion coming over our world. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11) Come in humility to a perfect and loving God, trusting in His saving power and not your own efforts as He calls us to something greater than we would pursue on our own. Present day scoffers simply confirm Biblical prophecy and affirm the truth: our King is coming soon! (2 Peter 3:3) Prepare your hearts and minds for our King is coming soon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfYFaRky9ITapdOR4ePn1a_E2R-q1VZNBJ_3B8x-QIjwTwl38vChH8xiYTysxFFE6u_HiBDL8y9KjfoDgS7t0DtiK9oYeJ71V86Arz7LuQ6uRhrpvHPvhC8WEZ3thazCuSQ6RBB1jDMB0gxjpT7JFfa7RyO-uDpHROMzrC0lnLW2kg3Hyp3TZOnJC/s1348/Festival%20Musings.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Festival Musings" border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="1074" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfYFaRky9ITapdOR4ePn1a_E2R-q1VZNBJ_3B8x-QIjwTwl38vChH8xiYTysxFFE6u_HiBDL8y9KjfoDgS7t0DtiK9oYeJ71V86Arz7LuQ6uRhrpvHPvhC8WEZ3thazCuSQ6RBB1jDMB0gxjpT7JFfa7RyO-uDpHROMzrC0lnLW2kg3Hyp3TZOnJC/w509-h640/Festival%20Musings.png" title="Festival Musings" width="509" /></a></div></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) </span></p><p></p>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-76557286422849974882023-04-01T23:08:00.002-04:002023-04-01T23:13:55.652-04:00Palm Sunday 2023<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbRYI4019RkrPrnGxQmz6xfgwVN4KriCt7BdB0ecnkVivd3tdxf3Kejqnxo2Zw8KcjObPKTjF5qrJx9UBiUBY6gZgNmgjPS4URKO8nrB9L5-rARxDF55qGD0UCry0WE6haWROGq2m2An-xqHoDdVGz7B3jVgccYn8BHqOQ75roBbJEiqJCAoAoZZP/s2048/81B67E6A-6C83-4D51-B668-680EE15BAC6D.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbRYI4019RkrPrnGxQmz6xfgwVN4KriCt7BdB0ecnkVivd3tdxf3Kejqnxo2Zw8KcjObPKTjF5qrJx9UBiUBY6gZgNmgjPS4URKO8nrB9L5-rARxDF55qGD0UCry0WE6haWROGq2m2An-xqHoDdVGz7B3jVgccYn8BHqOQ75roBbJEiqJCAoAoZZP/w200-h200/81B67E6A-6C83-4D51-B668-680EE15BAC6D.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What do you think about when you consider Palm Sunday? Is it Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, or is it the knowledge that many of these same people cheering for Him would be calling out for His crucifixion? Do you question how you would have responded to Him? Do you wonder how Jesus felt, knowing that He was entering the city to endure a legal, physical and spiritual trial, that these people who cheered for Him would also reject Him? </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I don’t have much to write other than this: I am not worthy. None of us are. I struggle to let go of life’s conveniences, but Jesus willingly gave His very life for fickle people like us. Was it the Romans that crucified Jesus? Was the Jews? Was it God the Father? It was each of us, who by each sin, both little and great, created a need for a perfect sacrifice. So out of love, God sent His Son, and out of love the Son endured the scourging and death that each of us deserves. If no one accepted this great gift, if it were just you or I that would be redeemed, Jesus would have still been sacrificed… for just one sin. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So for this Holy Week, recall that you are the reason, your past and future transgressions, that created the need for both love and justice to prevail. Each beating, each whipping, each scornful comment, each nail, each step on the Via Dolorosa was endured because of you… because of me… because of us. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Thank you, Jesus, for being a better man than me. </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Thank you for Your faithful obedience and great love!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jesus is coming soon to gather His Bride, the Church. May we seek Him as if our very lives depend upon it - because they do. May we seek Him over every other good and convenient thing in our lives - because each good thing in this world will perish with this world, everything except the ones who will be caught up in the air with Him when he returns, those who have accepted Him and trust in Him alone for their salvation.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But I wonder, will we be like the people on that first Palm Sunday? Ready to be raptured, but not prepared to endure <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-persecution.html" target="_blank">persecution</a> should it come our way? Let’s pray that we’ll be ready. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-79705814283609695912023-03-25T23:30:00.152-04:002023-03-25T23:30:00.149-04:00Revelation & Persecution<p style="text-align: justify;">I don’t like to suffer. I dislike pain. I have no desire to even watch a movie that’s filled with suffering, especially if there’s nothing redemptive coming out of the hardship. I wish that life were easier, but the truth is that life is hard and that the more I think it should be easier, the harder it gets. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Knowing that life is hard, in a strange way helps me appreciate it more. If I expect life to be hard, I can still enjoy what is good and even enjoy the good fruits of labors resulting from endured hardship. I’ve learned to understand that sometimes we know we’re on the right path by the resistance we feel along the way. I still don’t enjoy suffering, but I can be emboldened by it. Paul understood a deep truth that he very matter-of-factly wrote to the Romans: </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote>“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan.” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28&version=GW" target="_blank">Romans 8:28</a>)</blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Likewise James wrote: </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways. You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you won’t need anything.</p><p style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=GW" target="_blank">James 1:2-4</a></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=GW" target="_blank"></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Peter, Matthew, John, and the 1st century Christians all understood that suffering is part of our Christian journey. It is a journey through a world that hates Jesus and often hates us because of our relationship to Jesus. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The world can embrace a generic “god” easily enough, but have you seen how some people can immediately become angry at the mention of Jesus or the idea that He is the only way to heaven? What is so offensive about the gospel of grace? How is it so maddening that Jesus paid the punishment we so rightly deserve? It’s all in the last part of that statement: we deserve punishment, meaning we have done something wrong. People don't like to admit that inconvenient truth. In pride, Lucifer rebelled, desiring to be his own god. Adam and Eve also wanted to be gods, able to judge good from evil. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Likewise, the idea that other religions are inadequate offends people. It insults cultural and family traditions and points out that we can’t somehow earn our way to heaven. Christianity is different from all other religions in this: you can't earn your way to salvation. It’s a humbling perspective that we are incapable of saving ourselves and that in fact we are wholly dependent upon God’s loving grace. The angelic proclamation of peace to shepherds when Jesus was born is offensive to anyone unable to acknowledge their own depraved nature or their past (and future) wrong-doings. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>The Rebellion</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-70th-week-and-2021.html" target="_blank">70th week</a> of <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-mystery-of-daniel-revealed.html" target="_blank">Daniel</a>, understood to be the Tribulation period, will bring an end to "the rebellion". The rebellion against God’s reigning authority, His Kingdom, began long ago, and the rebellious hate those who remind them of their rebellion and imperfections. God’s ambassadors of grace are ridiculed as self-righteous do-gooders and religious zealots. Sadly, we sometimes act that way instead of humbly acknowledging our own continuing need for God’s wonderful grace. Since the beginning of man’s rebellion, the world has beaten God’s prophets and even killed His only begotten Son. Persecution of God’s people has been going on since before the foundation of Christianity. This persecution is not God’s wrath against man, but it is rebellious men persecuting the people of God, and although we are told to suffer as good soldiers (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A3&version=GW" target="_blank">2 Timothy 2:3</a>), we all weary of the suffering and at some point ask God to intervene on our behalf. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Imagine a world where the spirit of the Antichrist has been given victory, essentially conquered the earth, a time where war, famine and pestilence are everywhere (See <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-on-four-horsemen.html" target="_blank">Revelation on Four Horsemen</a>). Imagine that bible-believing Christians continue to hold out against a global government, claiming that it was foretold in to be an evil authority within the Bible. How much will persecution increase? What if Christians refuse to accept a digital ID that is required to fight a new pestilence or to use a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)... something that is being rolled out even as I type!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Revelation 6 tells us what happens when Jesus opens the fifth seal to the scroll. The opening of each seal brings us closer to King Jesus taking ownership of the earth, and in the context of the first four seals, the fifth seal makes complete sense: </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">When the lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of God’s word and the testimony they had given about him. They cried out in a loud voice, “Holy and true Master, how long before you judge and take revenge on those living on earth who shed our blood?” Each of the souls was given a white robe. They were told to rest a little longer until all their coworkers, the other Christians, would be killed as they had been killed.</p><p style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+6%3A9-11&version=GW" target="_blank">Revelation 6:9-11</a></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+6%3A9-11&version=GW" target="_blank"></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5ATSHYPpQnFEDBM8s0hsijBsepazinUmraby2gO59TvlLr33-_kN49MBRpyG5y-aAXKRnf94bMyau6egxKdzRvm4Oz-RaexllySKLjzbVhOtA4570YrWW3wev3bRP_ngFQRcq1VwytBKefp_il2b4vrHBO_Fi6XUZ0lOzMo5N8UhSlQ3w2bQjLEU/s400/Prepare.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="400" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5ATSHYPpQnFEDBM8s0hsijBsepazinUmraby2gO59TvlLr33-_kN49MBRpyG5y-aAXKRnf94bMyau6egxKdzRvm4Oz-RaexllySKLjzbVhOtA4570YrWW3wev3bRP_ngFQRcq1VwytBKefp_il2b4vrHBO_Fi6XUZ0lOzMo5N8UhSlQ3w2bQjLEU/w200-h170/Prepare.png" width="200" /></a></div>We can expect persecution to increase as Christ’s return approaches. If Pre-Trib folks are correct in their understanding of Scripture (see <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-perspectives.html" target="_blank">Revelation Perspectives</a>), then the Rapture is imminent. But if those of us that believe in a Mid-Trib perspective are correct, we will remain here a bit longer. Either way, I believe the persecution of Christians across the world will increase. Are we prepared spiritually and emotionally for this kind of persecution? <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What is the line we cannot cross and still remain true to Jesus? </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We cannot accept a bodily mark, an etching or piercing of the skin. Since the Mark of the Beast is not introduced until Revelation 13, Pre-Trib teachers believe it won’t materialize until after the Church has been Raptured. That would be nice, but that is not how I understand Scripture. As I plan to explain at a later date, I don't believe that Revelation should be read as a single timeline of sequential events. Rather, it contains overlapping sequences that allow us to see the same events from different perspectives. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />So remember: Life is hard, but God is good and His good will prevail. Every hardship will be used for our benefit, used for our good. No matter how unpleasant our temporary burdens may be, God will give us the strength to persevere. How do we prepare? We draw close to God, close to other believers, and all the more as we see the day approaching. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things. We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.</p><p style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A24-25&version=GW" target="_blank">Hebrews 10:24-25</a></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A24-25&version=GW" target="_blank"></a></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A24-25&version=GW" target="_blank"></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">See also:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-upon-revelation.html" target="_blank">Revelation upon Revelation</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-on-four-horsemen.html" target="_blank">Revelation on Four Horsemen</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-perspectives.html" target="_blank">Revelation Perspectives</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-70th-week-and-2021.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">70th week of Daniel</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-mystery-of-daniel-revealed.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Mystery of Daniel Revealed</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2017/11/end-of-age-handbook.html" target="_blank">End of Age Handbook </a> </li></ul><p style="text-align: justify;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) </p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-58885977907334658362023-03-18T23:30:00.112-04:002023-07-10T01:05:11.634-04:00Revelation Perspectives<p style="text-align: justify;"><br />I’ll repeat my previous encouragements to explore every doctrine and postulation of different Bible teachers as a possibility until proven or rejected by the Bible itself. Maintain a healthy skepticism as well as an openness to some new insights. There are some contradictory beliefs by learned theologians about the Book of Revelations. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpBw6c0-g64S861jAJlrlqSy_ip_yt0oj1EVK9MaXtAJXkiel5HrgFWxxkP2pqrlPjze8pJrWsy3v2P3kE7FLwP3vXdxW3VdcVr8Rae83m7wkiSXmmWilnrxQzpnFoUoRyHFORia7OWOd3ie5LqVADc4D82vovYXThfsyK_qdV4sn8lgeLSJx0QfT/s1696/RevPerspectives.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="1696" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpBw6c0-g64S861jAJlrlqSy_ip_yt0oj1EVK9MaXtAJXkiel5HrgFWxxkP2pqrlPjze8pJrWsy3v2P3kE7FLwP3vXdxW3VdcVr8Rae83m7wkiSXmmWilnrxQzpnFoUoRyHFORia7OWOd3ie5LqVADc4D82vovYXThfsyK_qdV4sn8lgeLSJx0QfT/s320/RevPerspectives.png" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Some people believe that true believers will be caught up in sky with Jesus upon His return at the end of the seven year Tribulation period; this commonly referred to as “post-trib”, short for Post-Tribulation Rapture. A very common belief is in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture (Pre-Trib), who point out Bible verses which indicate that the Rapture and Christ’s Return are two separate events and that God has promised to protect His people from the Day of His Wrath. Some references include:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpBw6c0-g64S861jAJlrlqSy_ip_yt0oj1EVK9MaXtAJXkiel5HrgFWxxkP2pqrlPjze8pJrWsy3v2P3kE7FLwP3vXdxW3VdcVr8Rae83m7wkiSXmmWilnrxQzpnFoUoRyHFORia7OWOd3ie5LqVADc4D82vovYXThfsyK_qdV4sn8lgeLSJx0QfT/s1696/RevPerspectives.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li>Saving church from God’s wrath - <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A9+&version=GW" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 5:9</a> & <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+3%3A10&version=GW " target="_blank">Revelation 3:10</a> </li><li>Christ comes for His saints - <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A3+&version=GW" target="_blank">John 14:3</a> & <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+4%3A16-17&version=GW " target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 4:16-17</a> </li><li>Christ returns with His saints - <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+3%3A13+&version=GW" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 3:13</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A30&version=GW" target="_blank">Matthew 24:30</a>, & <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+19%3A11-16&version=GW" target="_blank">Revelation 19:11-16</a> </li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Between Pre-Trib and Post-Trib, I believe the Pre-Trib stance has stronger Biblical support, but there’s a 3rd option: Mid-Trib. As stated in <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2017/11/end-of-age-handbook.html" target="_blank">End of Age Handbook</a>, I’d love for the Pre-Tribulation Rapture to be our future reality, but as further explained in <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-upon-revelation.html" target="_blank">Revelation upon Revelation</a>, I believe the Mid-Trib stance addresses the arguments against both the Pre-Trib and Post-Trib. I also believe that Jesus made it clear that His people would not go through the entire seven year Tribulation when he said: “If God does not reduce the number of those days, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A22&version=GW" target="_blank">Matthew 24:22</a>). </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We will only know for sure as events unfold, but I have yet to see an argument against either Pre-Trib or Post-Trib that isn’t addressed by a Mid-Trib perspective. I believe that God’s Wrath is the second half of the Tribulation, also known as the Great Tribulation. My belief is that God’s people will be oppressed by wicked men during the first half of the Tribulation, which will be all the harder to endure as we see the rest of the world appear to prosper under the kingdom of the Antichrist. We will be asked to reject a biblical worldview and embrace a world structure that promises of pleasures, security, and prosperity... but all at an eternal cost. Christ will save His faithful people and the Wrath of the Lamb will fall upon those who have rejected God and His ways. Following the wrath of those days, Christ shall return and establish His Millennial Kingdom. (See <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+19-20&version=GW" target="_blank">Revelation 19 – 20</a>) </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What about Preterists, Historicists, and Idealist Perspectives?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now, I respect the Pre-Trib and Post-Trib perspectives as consistent with the rest of Scripture. As already explained, a big reason <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/01/why-believe-bible.html" target="_blank">why the Bible can be believed</a> is it’s prophetic nature. Many pulpits ignore this important distinction when comparing the Bible against other religious writings. Because of the number of fulfilled and as yet unfulfilled prophecies within Scripture, I join with other Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, and Post-Trib believers as someone who understands Revelation from a (mostly) Futurist perspective. But there are Christians that take other perspectives. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thomas Ice of Liberty University summarizes the different perspectives very well (emphasis added):</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">As if understanding the different millennial positions are not complicated enough, diversification is compounded when we consider the four possible views which relate to the timing of when an interpreter sees prophecy being fulfilled in history. The four views are simple in the sense that they reflect the only four possibilities in relation to time–past, present, future, and timeless. The <b>Preterist (past)</b> believes that most, if not all, prophecy has already been fulfilled, usually in relation to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The <b>Historicist (present)</b> sees much of the current Church Age as equal to the Tribulation Period. Thus, prophecy has been and will be fulfilled during the current Church Age. <b>Futurists (future)</b> believe that virtually all prophetic events will not occur in the current Church Age, but will happen in the future Tribulation, Second Coming, or Millennium. <b>The Idealist (timeless)</b> does not believe either that the Bible indicates the timing of events or that we can know before they happen. Therefore, idealists think that prophetic passages mainly teach great ideas or truths about God to be applied regardless of timing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Pretribulationism can only be built upon the futurist understanding of prophetic events. Such a conclusion is the result of the application of a consistent literal interpretation of prophecy as future historical events that are yet to occur.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">(<a href="https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1117&context=pretrib_arch" target="_blank">“Why I Believe the Bible Teaches Rapture Before Tribulation”</a>, Thomas D. Ice, Liberty University) </p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’ve never met Thomas Ice, and I’d love to hear him telling me: “I told you so!” if the Pre-Trib guys are correct. But while we may have different conclusions about the timing of Rapture, we share a Futurist perspective as well as a literal interpretation of Scripture. How could we not, when there are so many fantastic yet well documented fulfillment of Biblical prophecies? The Preterists, Historicists, and Idealists may be well intentioned, but their perspectives open the door to alternative gospels and apostasies. The Bible is so much more than a mere collection of inspirational writings, and it’s remaining fantastic proclamations can only be believed in light of past fulfilled prophecy. I can look at the Bible with assurance that it is God’s inerrant Word, a compilation of truth that cannot be matched by any other collection of religious writings. It's for this reason that I can use the Bible itself as an authority to proclaim its own authenticity:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God’s approval. </p><p style="text-align: right;">~ <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3%3A16&version=GW" target="_blank">1 Timothy 3:16 GW</a></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3%3A16&version=GW" target="_blank"></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Want to know more? See:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-upon-revelation.html" target="_blank">Revelation upon Revelation </a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-on-four-horsemen.html" target="_blank">Revelation on Four Horsemen </a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2017/11/end-of-age-handbook.html" target="_blank">End of Age Handbook </a> </li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/11/america-in-end-times.html" target="_blank">America in the End Times </a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2021/05/ezekiels-prophecy-for-america.html" target="_blank">Ezekiel's Prophecy for America </a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2018/10/how-to-fight.html" target="_blank">How to Fight</a> </li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/11/when-to-fight.html" target="_blank">When to Fight </a></li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) </p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-41165797918183329072023-03-10T21:50:00.006-05:002023-03-19T16:58:08.051-04:00Revelation on Four Horsemen<p style="text-align: justify;">I’ll repeat my encouragement in <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-upon-revelation.html " target="_blank">Revelation upon Revelation </a>to explore every doctrine and postulation of any Bible teacher as a possibility until proven or rejected by the Bible itself. Maintain a healthy skepticism as well as an openness to some new insights.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>What are the Four Horsemen?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There have been countless movies, stories and myths about the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and they all originate from chapter 6 of Revelation. Do these four horsemen ride out together in cinematic pageantry to unite their powers towards some ominous apocalyptic purpose? We should go directly to the Book of Revelation to understand. The fact is that with all the spectacle of Hollywood and imaginative musings authors often visualize about these symbolic characters, it is almost always a complete re-imagining of who they are as described in the Bible. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Each horseman rides out after a seal to a scroll is opened. (See <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-upon-revelation.html " target="_blank">Revelation upon Revelation</a> for context) These are the first four seals of a scroll which I believe to be the deed of ownership for the earth being opened by Jesus, the Lamb of God. This is the same Jesus Who is known as the Lion of Judah, and Who is established in Revelation 5 as the only Being worthy to open the scroll. Each seal sets the stage for Jesus to come and claim what is rightfully His, and while John is seeing this occur in the throne room of heaven, his vision prophetically and symbolically describes earthly events. Each of these horsemen has a distinct mission. There’s no reason to believe that these missions are dependent upon other horsemen, but they do appear to occur as part of a sequence of events. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So assuming these are sequential events in both heaven and earth, opening the first seal results in some earthly victory achieved by the first horseman. He rides a white horse, wears a crown, carries a bow and is commanded to win battles. It’s interesting that this first horseman does not have any arrows, or at least none that are mentioned. Neither does he carry a sword like the second horseman. Victory in battle appears to come without firing a shot. I’ve read speculations that this character could represent Christ, the Antichrist, or the Spirit of the Antichrist. I believe it’s the latter of these three options, a world system that is opposed to God and His Kingdom, committed to establishing a counterfeit, humanist, global kingdom.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’ve pondered the question: what would it take to have absolute control over a world-wide society? First, there would need to be a centralization of power that is reinforced internationally. The control would have to span across every different aspect of society, something I’ll refer to as international power centers, or more succinctly as power centers. What would these power centers be? I’d suggest the following:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ol><li>Government </li><li>Religion </li><li>Economy</li><li>Military / Law Enforcement</li><li>Business</li><li>Education</li><li>Arts / Entertainment</li><li>Technology</li><li>Media / Communications</li><li>Transportation</li></ol><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I considered as well if Healthcare, Agriculture, and Land Ownership communities should be added to the above list, but decided that control of Government, Business and the Economy would be sufficient to negate any opposition that might arise from within those communities. Healthcare and Agriculture have essentially become big business with governmental oversight. Land Ownership is only possible with the approval of the reigning Governmental authority. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">By contrast, the other power centers can destabilize each other if the control of all ten isn't centralized. For example: governments have been overthrown by military coups and through economic unrest. Business, Technology and Transportation logistics can easily steer an economy, whereas the hearts and minds of people groups are guided through Religion, Education, Communications and the Arts. So if you could control all of these power centers, what would be the impact to a global society? I suspect controlling all ten areas of influence would be enough to lead the world in any direction, as much as is humanly possible. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have also wondered if the first horseman may be an event in recent history rather than a future prophecy? In many ways since 2020, the world has already been conquered. While it may be unclear who controls each of the above power centers, there appears to be some level of centralized control. Similar tactics have been applied internationally to draw the entire world toward a global system of governance. As just one example, starting in 2020, people in every free country relinquished rights in deference to COVID-19 public health policies. And while the specifics may be different from one country to another, similar displays of societal unrest and biased media coverage have been applied across nations, especially in countries with popular, nationalist political personalities. Finally, in many ways, a world-wide alignment of public and private sectors has achieved and is continuing to build a global order that is less vulnerable to individual political personalities and is becoming increasingly resistant to democratic processes. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In short, the world is being conquered, or perhaps has already been conquered by 10 power centers, 10 kingdoms that have no geographical boundary. This reminds me of Daniel 7 and Revelation 17. They describe a kingdom different from all others as well as ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom. Who is to say that these are geographical kingdoms? Will they be ten physical regions as some have anticipated or could they be functional areas as seen within corporate hierarchies? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Again, all of this is my conjecture, wondering how it may fit with current events if at all. But supposing the first seal has been opened and the first horseman has ridden out, then what do the next 3 horsemen portend? Does the first horseman need to fulfill his mission of conquest for the next horseman to ride out, or can there be some overlap?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCQpnaaFh1hY5DyZfsLLNLmkRI8mInrfwoK90eXjhnKAsNBZmC3t3O8ZI9iM_0RcuXSt38u7TkjVL8yvdjQtQx9b3siEuHJuQjK8WgibnGLmDsCD4dF0pYdLGx6K9PZp_DWFF11_7zBYpg1Al_cUMKek5qcX5C3sjbIFOpqhNWN2FFPBNe2aA0ZAq/s960/Four%20Horsemen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCQpnaaFh1hY5DyZfsLLNLmkRI8mInrfwoK90eXjhnKAsNBZmC3t3O8ZI9iM_0RcuXSt38u7TkjVL8yvdjQtQx9b3siEuHJuQjK8WgibnGLmDsCD4dF0pYdLGx6K9PZp_DWFF11_7zBYpg1Al_cUMKek5qcX5C3sjbIFOpqhNWN2FFPBNe2aA0ZAq/w400-h225/Four%20Horsemen.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>There’s so much I see that says we’re heading toward world war, economic changes and privation</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Review the headlines of 2023 to date and you’ll see many pessimistic indicators. These headlines seem to align with the next 3 seals of the scroll and the horsemen that will ride out. The 2nd horseman rides a fiery red horse and carries a sword to take peace from the earth. Could the growing conflict in Ukraine be the start of a world war? The second horseman will be followed by a third, bringing a Famine that will be experienced by the common man while elites and party members continue to enjoy their luxurious privileges. Entire books are devoted to the fragile global economy and the impact upon the mass availability of food and supplies. Then a fourth horseman will carry out Pestilence, a disease which I believe will be much more virulent than COVID-19. Again, entire books have been written of COVID's man-made origins and predictions on the next pandemic. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">But with all this happening, it is not a time to despair! These troubles are all temporary, and while sadly the plans of wicked men to oppress others appears to be going in their favor, we are called to wait patiently for God (see Ps 37:3-7). It’s a time to remember that God is still in control, and that He told us about the end from the beginning (Isa 46:10). And it’s time to recall that the end of this age is just the start of a better one, an age where Christ shall reign visibly without the current lawless rebellion of angels and wicked men, a <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-power-struggle.html" target="_blank">power struggle</a> against God’s good and perfect ways!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So what are the horsemen? They are the first four events that should encourage believers that Jesus is taking ownership of the earth. Matthew 24 compares the transition to birth pangs, and we should take heart that a new life, a better life, is approaching: the millennial reign of King Jesus! Hang on to everything you know that is true, that is right and that is noble. Remain strong, courageous and faithful through the temporary trials of this Age because: Victory belongs to the Lord!</p><p> Want to know more? See:</p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-on-four-horsemen.html" style="text-align: start;" target="_blank"></a></p><ul><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-on-four-horsemen.html" target="_blank"></a><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-upon-revelation.html" target="_blank">Revelation upon Revelation</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-perspectives.html" target="_blank">Revelation Perspectives</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2017/11/end-of-age-handbook.html" target="_blank">End of Age Handbook</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/11/america-in-end-times.html">America in the End Times</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2021/05/ezekiels-prophecy-for-america.html">Ezekiel's Prophecy for America</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2018/10/how-to-fight.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">How to Fight</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/11/when-to-fight.html" target="_blank">When to Fight</a></li></ul><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-5110229431260237442023-03-04T23:34:00.098-05:002023-03-12T13:47:54.668-04:00Revelation upon Revelation<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3e2ybfmUKqgDVllRzHAvagfUyNGJ1PfrKGaM81kQ1Aoz5GPo1Yo0teANMtA8mwicZYBo90afWY0YtwDLBaV2kPwKKB5uRiq5xl2LhAo6nUu3EqQcJSd-u761xFe82Bac2Tl_bbVI2nKU-0yGSr1akl6TssRs11pge1IMAGeyAiToNIJgHTdUy0AY7/s1077/Return_Logo_wht.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="1077" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3e2ybfmUKqgDVllRzHAvagfUyNGJ1PfrKGaM81kQ1Aoz5GPo1Yo0teANMtA8mwicZYBo90afWY0YtwDLBaV2kPwKKB5uRiq5xl2LhAo6nUu3EqQcJSd-u761xFe82Bac2Tl_bbVI2nKU-0yGSr1akl6TssRs11pge1IMAGeyAiToNIJgHTdUy0AY7/w200-h118/Return_Logo_wht.png" width="200" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not sure where to begin with this. After all, people historically have gone over the top with their revelations on the Book of Revelation. And let's be clear: John, the author, told us specifically not to add or remove anything from the book. So I will do my best to explain my understanding without any presumptions that my understanding is correct. This is simply my humble conjecture; it is not gospel truth. We see but dimly and even the brightest of all men (someone smarter than myself) can only understand scripture as God chooses to reveal it.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have written before that with every prophecy there is a <a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/11/revelation-interpretation-and.html" target="_blank">revelation, an interpretation, and finally an application</a>. The Book of Revelation is filled with revelation upon revelation. The Book of Revelation includes many interpretations as well as references to other symbols found earlier in the Bible. There are many educated theologians with vastly different understandings of this book... because it is prophetic! And as such prophecy often only becomes clear after God’s promises have transpired. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is good to read from different perspectives of those who have studied the book. It's even better to discern the doctrinal bias that influences the different interpretations, and it's best to prayerfully consider what the Holy Spirit is saying to you as you seek to understand what the Father has revealed to Jesus through John for the benefit of his church in this final book of the Bible.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first five chapters are important, and they should not be dismissed lightly. For example, they contain important descriptions of symbology that is used later in the book. They also contain the promise that God has a blessing for anyone who reads the book as well as anyone who hears it read aloud. Nonetheless I'm going to skip forward to chapter 6 as it starts to describe a scroll, closed by seven seals that only Jesus, the Lamb of God, is worthy to open. I join with many others in the belief that the scroll is in fact a deed to the earth, and that Jesus is opening this deed in his rightful claim as King of the Earth and all that is in it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As Jesus is opening up the scroll, we see also the sounding of seven trumpets. Seven seals and seven trumpets, which from my perspective are all completing at the same time. So just as the seals represent the transference of ownership to King Jesus, the trumpets announce His coming. With the sound of each trumpet, there is a visible and tangible activity that proclaims He is coming soon! </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Throughout scripture we see the trumpet or the shofar used in different contexts. The trumpet is used to proclaim the coming King; it is a call to battle, rallying the troops and gathering the people together. The trumpet is used to praise God, announcing holy activity such as the procession of the Ark of the Covenant or on a holy day such as the Day of Atonement. The trumpet is used as well to invite the Lord to fight on behalf of his people as in the case of Gideon’s victory, or when Jericho was conquered with seven trumpets blasts. It also signals disaster, and the trumpet sounds a warning for all people to take heed and avoid destruction.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is God's will that no one should perish, and He is long-suffering: holding out for the last convert. I believe the silence in heaven that immediately follows the opening of the 7th seal in chapter 8 reflects the solemnity of the moment, the nearness of God’s just judgement as the 7 trumpets announce His return. The scroll, the seven seals, and the seven trumpets lead us to a pivotal point in Revelation 10 & 11 that is more briefly described and 1 Thessalonians 4:16 by Paul: </p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>With a loud </b><u>command</u><b> and with the </b><u>shout</u><b> of the </b><u>chief angel</u><b> and a blast of God's </b><u>trumpet</u><b>, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. (CEV)</b></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">I agree with many that Paul’s depiction above describes the Rapture of the Church, when we will be caught up and carried to Jesus, ascending into the air similar to how he did. What I see in Revelation chapter 10 and 11 is a longer description of this event. In Revelation 10:3 the <u><b>archangel</b></u> crowned with a rainbow reminder of God’s promise (See Genesis) <u><b>shouts</b></u> something, and Revelation 11:11-12 describe the <u><b>command</b></u> that is issued. Verse 15 of that chapter completes Paul’s prophecy with the sounding of the 7th <u><b>trumpet</b></u> and the proclamation from heaven:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and he will rule as King forever and ever.”</b></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">I agree with many that the rapture of the church and Christ’s second coming are two separate events, and that his second coming occurs at the end of the tribulation. Revelation 10 & 11 are typically understood to occur midway through the seven-year tribulation period. I believe the 2nd half of the 7-year Tribulation is the Great Tribulation which is the righteous outpouring of God's wrath upon an unrepentant people who have refused to yield to his good and perfect ways. For this and other reasons, I believe in what is called a Mid-Tribulation Rapture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I agree with many as revealed by scripture that God will save his people from His Day of Wrath, and I understand God's wrath will be poured out through seven bowls as described in subsequent chapters of the Book of Revelation. The first half of the tribulation is the apparent victory of lawlessness, secularism, and of man establishing himself as his own deity. It is a time of great suffering for God’s people, a time when they must resist both the wicked temptations of this time period and endure the affliction of a world system opposed to God and His ways. The man of lawlessness appears to have won, and he appears to have stamped out all resistance from God's people. However, with the last trumpet blast, sounding after the last seal has opened the scroll, God comes to fight on behalf of his people, redeeming them from the assaults of wicked men, who are destroying the earth. And so the wrath of God against the irredeemable begins. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I humbly submit this as my understanding and ask that you explore for yourself the blessing God has in store for <i>you</i> when reading the last book in the Bible. It was the first book of the Bible I read, trying to understand it before I had even accepted Jesus as my Lord. It made no sense to me at the time; it can only be understood in the context of the rest of Scripture and even then, only as revealed by the Holy Spirit. It cannot be understood as a mere intellectual exercise. So pray, read, and pray some more. As a co-inheritor of God’s Kingdom:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It is the glory of God to hide things but the glory of kings to investigate them.<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></b></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="text-align: right;">~ Proverbs 25:2 GW</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0mjhBivwVYgYLCQ01BdTXoB2zWqiKINe4iEuGIaliZq4_QE4nN9vw3fVUBJnHZaN9f5dcdWMuDMHG2xI7HX4ggKj8TPaCk86TwqUxrvxnaSW5x7GQBUgL9IuvkuCECLVgWXI3lDJl-iMVgk_sFapkNjc7PMXH_fOcv5RGYRKnqX8nAPvIlHJW8m4/s1600/2012-09-16%2011.40.11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0mjhBivwVYgYLCQ01BdTXoB2zWqiKINe4iEuGIaliZq4_QE4nN9vw3fVUBJnHZaN9f5dcdWMuDMHG2xI7HX4ggKj8TPaCk86TwqUxrvxnaSW5x7GQBUgL9IuvkuCECLVgWXI3lDJl-iMVgk_sFapkNjc7PMXH_fOcv5RGYRKnqX8nAPvIlHJW8m4/w400-h300/2012-09-16%2011.40.11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></blockquote><p> Want to know more? See:</p><p></p><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-on-four-horsemen.html" target="_blank"></a><ul style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-on-four-horsemen.html" target="_blank"></a><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-on-four-horsemen.html" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2023/03/revelation-on-four-horsemen.html">Revelation on Four Horsemen</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2017/11/end-of-age-handbook.html" target="_blank">End of Age Handbook</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/11/america-in-end-times.html">America in the End Times</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2021/05/ezekiels-prophecy-for-america.html">Ezekiel's Prophecy for America</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2018/10/how-to-fight.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">How to Fight</a></li><li><a href="https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/11/when-to-fight.html" target="_blank">When to Fight</a></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-28968287265932579602022-12-24T00:30:00.026-05:002022-12-24T00:30:00.147-05:00The Merriest Christmas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6plBxPzx2lP2OsvqvaizWUuZh04a20ivp9RoJC3ZL7nIvxANcHLDSeWvSGImL8WrPxychGP8DdRz00eipBXMmzq0Lw1LfsQGwbK6eefMYRgyCrYo2DC1zGBN7yViTw5avwCvMga73vBcqG4WfYnjREM-DdJ1LK_8MCKXIRWlvnHreTmFTErgijK_i/s534/XmasLove1Another.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6plBxPzx2lP2OsvqvaizWUuZh04a20ivp9RoJC3ZL7nIvxANcHLDSeWvSGImL8WrPxychGP8DdRz00eipBXMmzq0Lw1LfsQGwbK6eefMYRgyCrYo2DC1zGBN7yViTw5avwCvMga73vBcqG4WfYnjREM-DdJ1LK_8MCKXIRWlvnHreTmFTErgijK_i/s16000/XmasLove1Another.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I love the Christmas season! For me, it’s always been a time of peace and goodwill, a time for family gatherings and reconnections, a time of giving and joy. It colors every aspect of my life and fills me with an intense appreciation of all that I’ve been given: the relationships, assets, and circumstances. It also fills me with a longing for Eternity, a knowledge that this is not my home and that the treasures of my Christmas are a but a dim reflection of what is currently unseen and the glory that will be revealed. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are so many Christmas stories I enjoy: movies, books, and memories. Yet so many of these are a sleight of hand distraction from what Christmas truly is. Some people would rightly point out that many of our Christmas traditions come from pagan practices, and a person could wonder why Christians would have overlaid Saturnalia with a Christian holy day. But consider this: God always has something better for us than what we would choose for ourselves. The joy, peace and goodwill between people at this time of year is a small part of the joy, peace and goodwill between God and mankind. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), and His love overflows from us into the lives of others. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Consider also that all truth is God’s truth. It doesn’t have to be Scriptural to be true, although we affirm that all Scripture is true, coming from the mouth of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Further consider that truth and love are bound together. We are called to speak the truth in a loving way (Ephsians 4:15), and in doing so we reflect the goodness of God. So, any word that is not both loving and true does not represent God. Rather, it is a partial truth that mimics the accuser of men, Satan, and the father of lies. Adam and Eve listened to the lies and half-truths spoken by that serpent to join in its rebellion against God. Man rebelled, yet God sent prophets as messengers of peace, ultimately sending a special emissary, His Son. (Matthew 21:33-46)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The birth of Jesus was announced by angels, proclaiming God’s desire for peace and His intentions of goodwill toward rebelling men (Luke 2:14). God had a plan for ending the rebellion as foretold 600 years before Christ (Daniel 9:24). God knew in His first coming, Jesus would be rejected (Isaiah 53, Daniel 9), but He would establish a foundation for ending mankind’s rebellion. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. </i></p><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">~ John 3:16 (God’s Word Translation) </span></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So we received a gift that we couldn’t appreciate and that we didn’t deserve. God the Father knew that Jesus was the gift we needed so that we could understand His love and join His family. I have received so many gifts through the years that I didn’t initially appreciate but that I needed, those are the most special, which in humility I look back upon with ever greater appreciation. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now I believe the signs of Jesus’ return are coming together. (Matt 24) It’s imperative that we receive Him as King and not remain the rebellious, self-centered people that we’ve been historically. His first coming was a perfect reflection of God’s loving mercy and grace, but the second coming will reflect God’s judgement and wrath for those who are too proud to humbly bow before His authority. The wicked (i.e. - those who remain rebellious) will receive His wrath, and the righteous (i.e. – those who receive His gift of grace) will be rewarded as adopted sons and daughters of the Father. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So Christmas is a reflection of God’s family, His Kingdom, His love, His joy, His peace, and all the many gifts that He pours out upon those who are willing to humbly embrace His proclamation of Peace and Good Will to All! That family is a loving family, one that always builds up each member, closer than the closest set of friends. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVh687Kcnbo" target="_blank">When we all get to heaven</a>, what a day of rejoicing that will be! </p><p style="text-align: justify;">copyright ©2022 Mitchell Malloy (<a href="http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/">http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/</a>)</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2022/12/christmas-short-story.html" target="_blank">Christmas Short Story</a> available for Kindle.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-11955084143465112832022-12-18T00:30:00.018-05:002023-03-04T09:46:35.245-05:00The Long Wait<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxkEjzcKCQ7wYzrK-U19u8gmj7Wv2WYGhkhj8aIwLGillM21bJIZ4IsVCGB8BVMMI4KO7Gedk-VqC0Y00bIPseq_FXH_0vwcdGvppQuXSGY8tAUeASK2CrqRdrHf8DCQ9_ZvyMR3uDTGbCVTQDDMeBVudJD9PF0jJK-P8PKVspS8VzyJ6GF1Jsv6z/s1077/Return_Logo_wht.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="1077" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxkEjzcKCQ7wYzrK-U19u8gmj7Wv2WYGhkhj8aIwLGillM21bJIZ4IsVCGB8BVMMI4KO7Gedk-VqC0Y00bIPseq_FXH_0vwcdGvppQuXSGY8tAUeASK2CrqRdrHf8DCQ9_ZvyMR3uDTGbCVTQDDMeBVudJD9PF0jJK-P8PKVspS8VzyJ6GF1Jsv6z/w200-h118/Return_Logo_wht.png" width="200" /></a></div>My timing and God’s timing have never quite been in sync: I was ready to graduate from college while still in high school; ready to get married before I had even met my wife or matured enough emotionally and spiritually to stay married; not ready to take ownership of my vocation, finding it easier to blame others; and not ready to write today’s blog. The truth is, I can be both overly eager, not taking the time God gives me to prepare, and slow to move out of my comfort zone. Fortunately, God’s timing is always perfect. <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><i>We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan. </i>~ Romans 8:28</blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The truth of that Bible verse has been increasingly penetrating my heart since I first put my trust in Jesus, learning to trust Him more and more. It tells me that I don’t need to have it all figured out. I have my part, and God has His. I’m called to take ownership of my actions, to be responsible in doing what I know to be right and searching for greater understanding in what isn’t clear. God is responsible for the outcomes. So if something doesn’t happen the way I thought it should, then I can trust that God has a different plan and that it’s better than mine. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Moses had a sense of God’s calling in his life, but like me, his timing and vision for it didn’t always line up with God’s. Moses killed an Egyptian who beat an Israelite, perhaps sensing his calling to deliver the Israelite slaves, yet later, when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, he came up with excuses as to why God should consider someone else. To his credit though, Moses answered God’s calling. I can be like Moses, overly zealous to start something before I’ve prepared, yet to reluctant as the time draws closer because I’ve learned enough to understand the cost. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jesus didn’t hurry things or drag His feet. He was always walking in step with the Father. He certainly knew His calling as evidenced by His words when Mary and Joseph found their lost son at the temple, yet His ministry didn’t start until He was thirty. And He didn’t’ hesitate when it was time to go to the cross, even though He was so stressed that he sweat blood. He knew; He felt; but He never hurried or delayed. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">That is still true today. He will come for His Bride at just the right time. He does not tarry, though we may feel as if He does when we see the increase of wickedness and the convergence of the signs outlined in Scripture. He is also working in each of us so that we will be prepared for His Return, which is a good thing for both us and for those we love. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The time is short. But what does that mean? We have no sense of God’s timing, but we know His timing is perfect. How can we say that “the time is short” when we are so often out of sync with His timing? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We can trust that He is working for the good of all His people. It’s been a long wait by human standards, but we know the time is near when we look at all the Biblical signs. So we know the time is near… nearer than it’s ever been before now. Still, no man knows the day nor the hour, and it will come upon us “like a thief in the night”, suddenly… after waiting for so long!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The time is short, so we should live as if He could call us home today yet prepare ourselves to represent Him well for a longer wait. We should be prepared to leave and prepared to stand firm. Each day… every day… starting today. Because when He comes, He will come suddenly. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2022 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/)</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2022/12/christmas-short-story.html" target="_blank">Christmas Short Story</a> available for Kindle.<br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-69001888354245502082022-12-11T00:30:00.044-05:002022-12-18T13:47:12.220-05:00Christmas Short Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8Hd9ynLacKTZqXOblwzr_8MKWg2KK07rhYV03gS5mCuV9_C3B9Zm4oeeiYK623WyfE24iAdWG3WMQG5JeAxWRK3pOSLrxYH7bc323WrDTnl_BcdRo-kSljT6ieWFfvB4M2DDA6WPC6bLvVjszgT8I_MKtbbp7KTb40yTbb07I5v7fsEtYeA-IdlF/s170/shepherds_ltr_DIGITAL_BOOK_THUMBNAIL.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="118" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8Hd9ynLacKTZqXOblwzr_8MKWg2KK07rhYV03gS5mCuV9_C3B9Zm4oeeiYK623WyfE24iAdWG3WMQG5JeAxWRK3pOSLrxYH7bc323WrDTnl_BcdRo-kSljT6ieWFfvB4M2DDA6WPC6bLvVjszgT8I_MKtbbp7KTb40yTbb07I5v7fsEtYeA-IdlF/s1600/shepherds_ltr_DIGITAL_BOOK_THUMBNAIL.jpeg" width="118" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Years ago, I wrote a Christmas short story that's now available on Amazon. The Kindle ebook will be available for free from 20-DEC to 24-DEC. Although a work of fiction, I believe the story truly explains the real meaning of Christmas. It starts off pretty traditional before taking a quick pivot. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If interested, follow the link to Amazon. The story is called "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Letter-Mitchell-Malloy-ebook/dp/B00ANBX11Q/" target="_blank">The Shepherd's Letter</a>". </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope you enjoy... Merry Christmas!</div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-40388036565550690662022-12-04T16:00:00.006-05:002022-12-18T13:48:12.812-05:00Being a Man<h4 style="text-align: justify;">Truth and Lies</h4><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0n2GhB4HDMgBNlRKoozLVU2j5OgBdp6VEvSFsUlYwQ30o3pgOd7BKqlmrs2lTyb3L4uuosPdWmwpWv5sBX-kLtmsANenp11LDbv0GT7c-024r_YxAPQRzCdWUH-c1LCTgGBAiB3rFa_l4Ddk_l_EKuywMGtnEtNj60Oxck6xT8Lid1-kePu94NsId/s396/What%20is%20a%20Man.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="396" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0n2GhB4HDMgBNlRKoozLVU2j5OgBdp6VEvSFsUlYwQ30o3pgOd7BKqlmrs2lTyb3L4uuosPdWmwpWv5sBX-kLtmsANenp11LDbv0GT7c-024r_YxAPQRzCdWUH-c1LCTgGBAiB3rFa_l4Ddk_l_EKuywMGtnEtNj60Oxck6xT8Lid1-kePu94NsId/w200-h194/What%20is%20a%20Man.png" width="200" /></a></div>I’m of the belief that God is in control, that He doesn’t make mistakes, and therefore our gender, height, and hair color are part of His perfect design. You should also know you were born for such a time as this. The timing of your birth and the family you were born into were intentional, which isn’t to say that how others treated you was part of God’s plan. The important thing to realize is that you are no accident. Your gender is no accident. <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’m writing this to those were born male and to dispel some lies about being a man. One lie is that masculinity is toxic or that one gender is better than another. There are some traits that are inherently masculine and some that are feminine. There are also traits that apply to both genders: intelligence, creativity, resilience, etc. As people we made in God’s Image (See Genesis 1:27) and we were made to be loved and to love others. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yet chances are, you’ve been lied to about the facts of life and what it means to be a man. Male traits are not inherently “toxic”. Our disposition to act selfishly, cowardly and foolishly is toxic. It’s our fallen nature that bends our strengths into weaknesses. Women and men are equally “toxic”. I’ve seen women do more damage with words than any blow thrown by an abusive man, but that’s not making a case for toxic femininity. It’s simply an example of our shared depravity. Both men and women were made in the image of God and called to become something greater than what most people are willing to pursue.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’m not going to list out masculine and feminine traits, but I will focus on two traits: strength and weakness. Both genders can be strong; both can be weak. Strength is often associated with men. Our bodies are built for carrying a heavy burden and exerting greater physical force than the average woman. Sure, strength can be abused, and women can also be strong. Strength abused is not toxic masculinity; it’s simply toxic behavior. We are called to exercise inner strength in order to channel our outer strength.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Weakness is also often associated with men in the pursuit of sexual gratification. Some people even glorify this weakness as one of the advantages of being a man, that men are free to pursue licentious behavior without consequence, which is another lie. Again, inner fortitude is needed, focused on what a man is called to be.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The truth is that we are called to live in a certain way, but we often choose to act differently. There is a difference between our perfect calling and our often less than perfect behavior. My answer to “What is a Man?” will focus on who a man is called to be. It’s up to you to decide if you will answer the call.</p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">So what is a man? </h4><p style="text-align: justify;">As a man, you were made to overcome challenges: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual challenges. The world is hard. We occasionally get respites from the battle and can often feel fatigued from the constant challenge, which is why we need to build rest into our routine so we can persevere in our calling. But as men, we are most satisfied when we have pushed through a challenge and found victory, pressing past the momentary discomforts that resisted our efforts. We need adventure, and it’s never really an adventure without a challenge. We desire the admiration of others, but more: we need to respect ourselves as men. We do that as challenge-overcomers. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's easy to get discouraged and settle for something less, to allow ourselves to just be comfortable or to pursue some pleasurable distraction. As already mentioned, we need to rest to recuperate, but it’s with the goal of getting back up and ultimately winning the battle. We need time to celebrate our victories and time to contemplate what we’ve learned from any set-back. In the end, us men feel satisfaction knowing that we have achieved a greater outcome by denying a lesser reward. We are driven by purpose, and to stay focused, we need to remind ourselves of our higher goals… as well as the consequences of pursuing lesser things! Nothing should distract us from our calling. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">As men, we should be pushing ourselves to be stronger, smarter, better. As men, we have a duty to be the best version of ourselves possible within life’s constraints. We get stronger with each challenge we overcome, and we also get stronger by being intentional in how we choose to spend our time between challenges. </p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Worthy Challenges</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the heroes of the Bible is David. He is referred to as man who had a heart like God. He was a shepherd, a poet, a warrior, a musician, and a king. He did so many things right, but he failed to live out his calling perfectly. He pursued a challenge that was not worthy of his calling, having an affair with another man’s wife and ultimately arranging the death of her husband. But in the end he acknowledged his bad behavior and trusted in God.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Like David, we will make mistakes, and when we fall down, the Bible tells us to get up. (Proverbs 24:16) We have innumerable chances to get up and try again. In fact, the biblical understanding of “repentance” means to turn away from what is wrong and change both our attitude and behavior toward what is right. It is so much more than the modern-day understanding of regret. We can regret our unworthy pursuits, but that is meaningless unless we find and pursue a worthy challenge.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A worthy challenge extends beyond our self and impacts others. Sure, initially we need to be able to fend for ourselves. It’s the first challenge of a man: to become our own man. Providing for ourselves is the first step to the larger challenge of providing for others, and while we understand that ultimately God is our Provider, we represent Him as a provider for others, first to our family and then to our larger community. We fulfill a need in others lives that only we can fulfill and create an extra burden for others when we fail to do our part. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our calling as providers goes hand in hand with our role as protector. Our strength as men is channeled into these two worthy challenges, and it’s essential for men to pass this on to the next generation. Our strength fades as we age, first physically and then mentally. As believers, we trust that we will be given resurrection bodies, but we need to pass the baton to others in this world… to those who are willing to answer the call to provide and protect their family and community. </p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Focused and Pure</h4><p style="text-align: justify;"><br />Understanding all of this is essential to understanding why purity is important for us men. The pursuit of pleasure is a distraction. Sure, we do all need down time: rest is an important component to getting stronger, and we should enjoy the good things that God has given. So it’s good to find pleasure in life, but the pursuit of pleasure is a distraction that carries a cost. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">People make fun of purity. Why is that? Why do people ridicule the person who dreams of a better way and by their actions pursues it? People who have given up hope for themselves discourage others from hoping to become more than what they currently are. To leave poverty, a person must first forsake the poverty mindset and endure the ridicule of others who have come to believe that poverty is all they can hope for. But everyone who escapes poverty protects the dream for others to follow.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is always within our power to say no to any distracting pleasure, and the more we do, the better we get at becoming the man we called to be. However, the more we yield to it, the less we respect ourselves and the more likely we are to buy into the lie that we are just too weak. Every step in the right direction reinforces who we were made to be. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and the reality is that we all stumble as we get stronger, more at first and less over time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It’s also important to understand that we are never strong enough to power through it on our own. I’m reminded that I can do all things through Christ, Who gives me strength (Phil 4:13). Ask for strength to do the right thing and keep moving forward as one empowered, as best you can. Turn your mind to the more important goal rather than focusing on the lesser reward; transform your thought process and act upon the greater pursuit. And if the greater goal is unclear, then spend time with God to make it more clear. Turn your eyes away from the lesser things and look upon the greater things.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ~ Philippians 4:8</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now, by practicing purity, we as men are better able to protect others. We protect ourself first by building up our spiritual muscles, our mental fortitude, and we are strengthening ourself to protect the wife that God may bring into our life, whether currently single or married. Finally, our sexual purity protects the lives of potential, unborn children.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Let that last thought settle in. You were made to be a protector, but how can you do that if you are giving into the pleasure of the moment with a woman who will abort your child? The pleasure of physical intimacy is a gift of God that can result in a new life, your son or daughter, but how can you provide for and protect that little one if you aren’t exercising your strength within a lifelong, marriage relationship? You literally can be a lifesaver.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our society has no provision for a man to raise a child the mother doesn’t want. They say it’s her body and her right. Sadly, the laws of California now considers an infant within her right to “abort” up to 30 days after birth. If you want to protect your children, stay sexually pure until marriage. Practice sexual purity in your thought life, in the activities you pursue, and the marriage bed will be that much more satisfying. You will enjoy the reality of your wife rather than comparing it with the fantasies you’ve entertained. You are protecting her and your love for her. If single, you are protecting the potential love you may have, and more importantly you grow with the Divine. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is nothing more manly and strong than seeking purity. If you believe that, then be careful what you choose to see or what you allow your mind to dwell upon. It doesn’t matter if you’ve always been committed to purity throughout your life or if it’s a renewed commitment. It is part of your calling, an enabler to fulfilling your role as provider and protector. From this moment on, it is my hope and prayer that you commit to being the provider and protector you were made to be. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2022 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/)</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-76869914158384706702022-10-23T22:20:00.004-04:002022-10-23T22:20:36.432-04:00Unique, Unspecial, & Highly Valued<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>You are unique</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is no one else exactly like you in all the universe and in any time period. Even if there were an exact biological duplicate, they would not have your life experiences or made all the decisions that led you to where you are today. They would not have overcome all the hardships you have overcome in exactly the same way. They could not have persevered in the same way that you have. In fact, no one but you can be you. No one else can choose to grow from this point in your life, and no one else can make the choices that you will moving forward from this moment. So be the best you that you can be, the best version of you. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are circumstances in life beyond our power to change. Our past remains our past. Some aspects of our lives are controlled by other people, but no one can take our integrity, making us choose the wrong thing or the wrong path. They can take our lives or our ability to choose. They can even deceive us to pick the worst path, but no one can make us willing choose to go the wrong way. We are, each of us, uniquely empowered to choose good or evil at any given moment. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Unspecial</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">All that said, you are Unspecial, which technically isn’t a word, but either way you remain not special. No matter how rich or poor, brilliant or dull, lovely or plain… you are not special. Everyone has unique attributes, but we all have a beginning and an end. There are billions of people living on this planet, each of whom shall one day perish. Some people have it easier than others, but that doesn’t make them special. Each of us has the tendency to compare ourselves to others, and we’ll either feel the illusion of pride or the devastation of shame. Yet in the end, our life as we know it today will come to an end. Our wealth does not define us, nor our talents. Our attractiveness to others is not a measure of our worth. The prophet Isaiah said of Jesus, the coming Messiah: </p><p></p><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">“He grew up in his presence like a young tree, like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that would make us look at him. He had nothing in his appearance that would make us desire him.” </blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: right;">Isaiah 53:2, God’s Word Version</blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Isaiah also noted that we all have gone astray, each choosing our own way. In other words, we have each rejected God and His ways, never fully embraced His ways, but have chosen a different path. All of mankind has made the choice at one time or another to go our own way, everyone but Jesus, Who stayed faithful to Father all the way to His death on a cross.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>You are Highly Valued</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Why would God have the One Special Man be stripped naked, beaten and nailed on wooden post reserved for the worst criminals? Humiliated and broken for all to see, Jesus cried out in pain: “My God, my God! Why have You abandoned me???” He Who was without sin was sacrificed for all us Unspecial, selfish creatures who did not remain faithful to the One Who has always been faithful to us. We can look at how others have treated us and used that as an excuse for choosing to part ways with God, choosing something… anything that would lessen the pain of our own hurts, the betrayal of others, the feeling of being unloved or unappreciated. So Unspecial beings turn away, treating the Faithful One as the perpetrator… or exacting revenge upon those who have hurt us without respect for how God wants us to treat them… or taking what we can take, rationalizing that this is what everyone else does.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Why would God allow His only begotten Son to be crucified? How could a Perfect God turn His eyes away from Justice? How could He purify the Unspecial ones that He never ceased loving so that they could enter into His Kingdom, not because they were worthy, but because Jesus made them worthy. The Special One became the purchase price for Justice and the embodiment of Love.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Someone needed to pay for our betrayal, our infidelity. Yet it could not be any of us Unspecial ones because there was already a price on our heads for our disobedience. No matter how minor the transgression in our eyes, we fall short of God’s worthiness, His perfection, but each of us, no matter how much we’ve offended the Father, no matter how intentionally or unintentionally we’ve rejected Him, each of us is highly valued, made in His image.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Even as Jesus gasped for breath, His body pierced, He understood that wounded people wound people. He interceded to the Father, saying: “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing!” He could have cried out for Justice, but instead He became our Justice, our path to restoration, a visible image of God’s love for a people who cared so little for Him.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigefdirKt2LdcJWMFxWmlcdeYBLmhfiHhb0n30PlwJ732BTxQ8MKho6UVcai365ZzMHJzAKTRm-jZjrJ1VTjpVxP68Km_zArOm0F71eowm9BJG6RakD2LDTxLKn2F-ZCut062TtK4X-OiSn7ED0YciSdIROBdgU1m5-JsHrg0OmIBv0gqSd6PQ0zaY/s394/Imago%20Deo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="289" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigefdirKt2LdcJWMFxWmlcdeYBLmhfiHhb0n30PlwJ732BTxQ8MKho6UVcai365ZzMHJzAKTRm-jZjrJ1VTjpVxP68Km_zArOm0F71eowm9BJG6RakD2LDTxLKn2F-ZCut062TtK4X-OiSn7ED0YciSdIROBdgU1m5-JsHrg0OmIBv0gqSd6PQ0zaY/w147-h200/Imago%20Deo.png" width="147" /></a></div><br />Why would God love us so much? From the very beginning we were made in His Image. No person is so far from God that God forgets who we were made to be: His image bearers. We are Unspecial in our transgressions, yet always highly valued in our essence. Like a battered piece of gold slathered in dung, God wants to wash us clean and restore us to who He always wanted us to be. All we have to do is join God in the work He is doing in each of us. In His Presence we are purified, transformed, and remade. We are always His image bearers, highly valued with the potential to reflect His goodness better each day. <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">“So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female.” </p><p style="text-align: right;">Genesis 1:27, God’s Word Version</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2022 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-36711174072134947352022-04-15T00:30:00.064-04:002022-12-18T13:48:35.078-05:00Does God Cause Bad Things to Happen?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWNvdeK0LBA97czolyHYRpDDClZOcr75uEQkjKsUoSap2q__DX8qpOIGgVHTZH6PK-QQcuL6k0fdhDGiqIPN92Qc96SZ9TSPsnHx_gT5vWLWhkVqU15TF3V2CRG3BN2AIntisQVZNUk_fJ4FqBhuq9hxKtnTy4Xal47xu9qMNEVQ7ouLU-B2DVagR/s853/Man%20good%20or%20bad.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWNvdeK0LBA97czolyHYRpDDClZOcr75uEQkjKsUoSap2q__DX8qpOIGgVHTZH6PK-QQcuL6k0fdhDGiqIPN92Qc96SZ9TSPsnHx_gT5vWLWhkVqU15TF3V2CRG3BN2AIntisQVZNUk_fJ4FqBhuq9hxKtnTy4Xal47xu9qMNEVQ7ouLU-B2DVagR/w200-h113/Man%20good%20or%20bad.gif" width="200" /></a></div><br /> I've heard this question many times in different ways: <p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"[Your] God made this happen!"</li><li>"How can there be a God when He allowed this to happen?"</li><li>"If God is in 'control', why would He allow this?"</li><li>"Why would I believe in a 'god' that allows this?"</li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Before answering these questions, it’s important to know what is meant by the term “God”. Throughout history, mankind has worshipped many 'gods'. The nature and power of these gods vary. Some are good, some are bad, but they share one common trait: they are simply beings superior to man. There’s even a subtle form of ‘self’ worship where we view ourselves as somehow greater, kinder, and overall better than if we pause to consider an honest reflection of who we really are. We see this in secular humanism which has a utopian vision of man as a being who is basically good with the power to achieve anything he sets his mind to do. But to be God, and by this I mean the One-True-God, a being truly worthy of worship that overshadows all other beings, real or imagined, that God would need to be All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and Fully-Good. This is the God of the Bible and in my mind, without all three of these characteristics, a being would not be worth worshipping, especially if that being was not Fully-Good. This is God.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>So how could a Benevolent God, Who is both All-Knowing and All-Powerful allow evil?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Men have asked this question frequently, but it is often left unanswered. Or to be fair, it is usually answered feebly: "You just need to have faith". While this answer is of course true, it’s unsatisfying. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">What is faith anyway? According to Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the substance of Hope, which is confidence in the unseen things. Ephesians 2:8-9 further explains that Faith is a gift of God that empowers our ability to receive the grace God has extended to each of us as sinful men. To even accept this gift, we need to dispel the grandiose vision of ourselves as being basically good and accept that we are actually quite selfish. And we need to have faith in God as defined above that we can become something more than what we currently truly are. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">That’s a lot of faith, and for someone who is doubting God, it’s easy to understand how this true but feeble answer can become a stumbling block. Sometimes people are rightly told to pray for Faith so they can accept the gift of God’s salvation, but it lacks any real meaning for the person struggling with the question of Who God is. They can also be rightly told to not lean on their own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). But let’s be honest: why wouldn’t a reasonable person not expect a reasonable answer when it still isn’t clear to them that there is a God who can be trusted? </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>A Reasonable Answer</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So hang tight as we walk through a quick but more reasonable answer. Ultimately, Faith is needed, and if you are here looking for an answer, I pray on your behalf for that faith while giving you reason to believe that such a God can exist when we see the evil that causes such pain. If you are right now feeling that pain, I hope I can give you comfort and strength. If you are still reading, perhaps it's because you deserve a real answer to this important question, and if you are referencing the Biblical texts, not just taking my word for it, then you are acting in a kingly fashion. (Proverbs 25:2)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Who is God that He could allow evil, and could He truly be God when evil exists? That’s the real question here, right? There are many questions implied in this one query: Does God exist? Can I trust God? Why doesn't God stop bad things from happening? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In answering these questions I’m going to sidestep a Scriptural paradox that theologians have argued for millennia: Free Will vs Predestination. The Bible supports both arguments, which means there's a deeper truth than the either / or options theologians give us. But since the topic could easily be a book in itself, assume for now that both are true. If you want a more detailed answer on why this is a reasonable assumption please contact me via email: mitch at malloyclan dot com. (hint: Both God and part of man's essence are eternal and not limited by the temporal)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Assume for now that God is truly All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and Fully-Good. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li>Would a Being such as this have all the answers? Well, All-Knowing… yes. </li><li>Would a One-True-God know how to bring about a greater good despite the existence of evil intent? Hmm… yes, again All-Knowing. (see Romans 8:28-29) </li><li>Would this God be worthy of a loving relationship with others who have chosen to return His love? Pause for a moment and reflect on the implications of this question for moment. </li><li>Is Justice a good thing, and is there a possibility of justice without the ability to choose good? </li><li>If God had stopped any being's ability to choose between good and evil, would He still be Fully-Good? </li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The answer to that last question is certainly: no. God could not be Who He is and create only mindless automatons, removing any ability to act in a way that doesn’t please their self-indulged creator. And more: God could not be loved by such mindless creations. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So God made a better way. He made others in His own image who would be loved by Him. They could choose to do wrong, even reject Him and still be loved despite anything they would ever do to betray Him. He created beings who could choose to love God in return, who could rise above past decisions and with God's help be transformed into a new creation. He allowed for the possibility of bad intentions, and being All-Knowing had a plan to turn each and every bad decision into an opportunity for greater good. Like Joseph pointed out in Genesis 50:19-21:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote>Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I can’t take God’s place. <b>Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it. </b>This was to keep many people alive, as he is doing now. Don’t be afraid! I will provide for you and your children.” In this way he reassured them, setting their minds at ease.</blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In our arrogance, we presume to know better than God, but in our humility, we increasingly see how His ways are far beyond our ways. Often it’s only in hindsight that we can see what was invisible and required faith: that God is Who He says He is. We come to understand that He is acting on our behalf, and that this sometimes involves pain. No one likes pain. But we have to will ourselves to push through it. Like muscles that ache as we try to get back into shape, we need to understand that pain is a sign of weakness leaving the body, refining our character, demonstrating through each seemingly unbearable obstacle that God can be trusted because He is truly All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and Fully-Good. Faith often has to start in our head as an act of will and a decision to believe. It is then followed by actions which demonstrate our faith before it finally reaches our heart. This is an on-going, uncomfortable and mindful process.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And on today, Good Friday, we need to remind ourselves that God didn't hide the journey, the path that is sometimes painful yet leads to a greater glory. In fact, His Son demonstrated it for us. He willingly went to the cross. Like us, Jesus asked for another way… any other way… for the Father's purposes to be done without that painful experience. Yet the Father showed us through Jesus that an even greater glory awaits us on the other side of the suffering we will experience. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Look beyond the pain to the glory that lies ahead!</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2022 Mitchell Malloy (<a href="http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/">http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/</a>) </span></div><p></p>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-7323776977823221232021-09-19T00:30:00.002-04:002021-10-09T08:11:22.259-04:00To Be Loved<p style="text-align: justify;">What does it mean to be loved? How can love be found? It’s the subject of movies, books, philosophers and romantics. The pursuit of love has steered history. Why does the human heart crave this even if the essence of love is elusive? I’m reminded of the musical “Oliver” as the main character sings “Where is Love?” A young orphan, his heart yearns to find someone who will love him. Like most musicals this ends happily, but the reality for many is that love remains beyond their grasp. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are loveless marriages, loveless families, loveless lives. We all have a need to be known and accepted for who we are and not simply for what we do. When dating, we put forth our best image, not just because we desire the admiration of another, but because inwardly we desire to be a that type of person. I’ve often heard the words “He/She brings out the best in me” as a person strives to be better for the sake of the person they love. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>What is love?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Love is a powerful feeling, but it is more than just a emotion. Some of love’s elusive nature for native English speakers may be the fact that the word can mean many things. In Hebrew, there are three words that we can translate as “love”. In Greek there are seven words, each with a distinctly different meaning, and the highest form of love is Agape, unconditional love. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We are each designed with the need to be loved unconditionally. Our fear is that if someone knows about our dark side, we will be rejected. To be known, warts and all, and still be loved. This type of love is truly divine and reflects the nature of God. God looks at each of us and loves us more than we deserve. He sees our lies, our melt-downs, and our self-serving actions, yet He still chooses to love us. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In our fear of rejection, we can often reject others before they have chance to reject us. We can rationalize the lies that Satan whispers in our ear. “You’re not good enough” can become “Who can live up to a perfect standard?”, and that can continue to morph into bitterness against God or others. Rather than being “dumped”, a self-destructive pattern is to sever the relationship first. That’s what so many do with God. Yet God loves us unconditionally, and until we can experience that Agape of God, we can’t fathom anyone loving us like that.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Betrayal and Rejection</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our experiences in life may be filled with betrayal and rejection. From an early age, “love” may have only been experienced as a result of our performance, a conditional love. Attention may have only been received if we were attractive, and so we pour our efforts into being “beautiful”, believing that will make us more “lovable”. Or our strivings could be through athletics, academics, the arts, or status. It’s all a born of desperation to be loved even if it’s all conditional.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And when our efforts fail? Sometimes our love runs dry when we have loved well, but a person who should have returned that love rejects us, betrays us. Why should we love well when others do not? That question can become a death spiral, where we have learned the wrong thing from our experience and decide that love is an illusion or a foolish game. Yet still our hearts long for love.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Answer</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">No document, podcast or movie can fully answer all these questions, but let me offer some thoughts that have shaped my life. They aren’t original but they are cohesive when contemplated together. First, we experience pain and rejection because wounded people wound people. Second, God loves us unconditionally, knowing both what we’ve done and what we will do. Third, we can only love like God if we experience His unconditional love. Fourth, love is a decision to give, and in giving we somehow receive. Fifth, if we “love” to receive, that is loving conditionally, which is not really love at all. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK1UmpCsWW6a21XHaaztFYt7A8OANm46GOgLTPiSjux9YwgJ5mcDYAE15YqyM10sqeQ-FmQnTKbte7DMbrp06wKlTDjBkJ5wkDfEPq5OV6dDt1sDZLNw6G_8BTquEWsVz4FPhMtQ8P9w/s578/LoveOneAnother.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="578" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK1UmpCsWW6a21XHaaztFYt7A8OANm46GOgLTPiSjux9YwgJ5mcDYAE15YqyM10sqeQ-FmQnTKbte7DMbrp06wKlTDjBkJ5wkDfEPq5OV6dDt1sDZLNw6G_8BTquEWsVz4FPhMtQ8P9w/w200-h190/LoveOneAnother.png" width="200" /></a></div>Focusing on the third point above, we can only love because God first loves us. (see 1 John 4:19) If we want to be loved, we need to start with the One Who loves us perfectly and Who will fill up our love tank so that we can love like Him. Then and only then can we be ambassadors of His love, and He promises that if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts. (See Psalms 37:4) I believe that it was basking in God’s love that Francis of Assisi could pen his prayer. (See <a href="http://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2010/04/800-years-later.html">http://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2010/04/800-years-later.html</a>) And basking in His love, our own prayers come alive.<br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2021 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) </span></p><div><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328666932908103772.post-20681019137530427182021-09-11T15:58:00.003-04:002021-09-19T08:59:43.518-04:00America remembered on 911<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWg4f_zinNnAXz91GlLq1YyQ0E7txXNpjKH-aXvmOGhL41I3CA6OQn3Wj-Vr_lLxtWK7q7vBtPJnuGcEHARYPHb0SdmoMSEVmlyGhE27SB7yQ8W74_sMl4WjddpEwdYEfkRbV_dfoatE/s720/AmericaVsGiants.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWg4f_zinNnAXz91GlLq1YyQ0E7txXNpjKH-aXvmOGhL41I3CA6OQn3Wj-Vr_lLxtWK7q7vBtPJnuGcEHARYPHb0SdmoMSEVmlyGhE27SB7yQ8W74_sMl4WjddpEwdYEfkRbV_dfoatE/w200-h113/AmericaVsGiants.png" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">20 years ago today America was attacked. This is not a day of celebration, unless we celebrate the first responders who stepped up to their sworn responsibility. This is not a day to forget either. “Those who fail to remember history are destined to repeat it.” </div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">For me, it’s a day of reflection, remembering where I was as the first plane hit the tower, the call from my wife, the amazing stories of lives that were somehow spared because they didn’t follow their normal routine. And in the days that followed, listening to a liberal pundit turned conservative as he realized that many of his liberal colleagues truly hated America. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We have made mistakes, but I believe the vast majority of Americans have desired good things for our neighbors and tried to do what is right, both domestically and abroad. But I also see the moral decline, increase in selfishness and waning of love. Brother fights against brother and violence increases… and it will continue to increase unless we come back to our First Love.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It is our love of God that makes us loving. (see 1John 41:19) When we spend time with Him, in His Presence, we are transformed, becoming more like Him. This is our only hope; He is our only hope!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I love America, the ideals that made this a giant among nations for a season. The ideals weren’t original. They came from Scripture, the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. These same ideals can come alive in each of us today if we would just return to a love for God and the collections of history, prophecy and proverbs that He has given us in His Holy Word.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">America is no longer a superpower. Others will try to fill that void, but we live in biblical times. Israel is once again a nation and will grow in riches and power as the Bible predicted. America will heal as the unproductive shoots are pruned, and pruning doesn’t feel good at the time. Still, God is in control, and all of this is proof of His Word and His love for us. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So at the risk of sounding like a street preacher: repent… turn back to God… because the time is truly near. No man knows the day or the hour, but it is surely nearer today than ever before. It’s your move. It’s my move. May we move wisely.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">copyright ©2021 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Mitch Malloyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11604871427361685420noreply@blogger.com