I am a Christian!

I am a Christian!!

This in no way makes me perfect, infallible, or better than anyone else. I make mistakes. We all do.  

Being a Christian means, in one aspect that we strive to be Christ-like.  It in no way, shape, form, or fashion implies that we are Christ-like, or if we manage to achieve that state, that we can maintain it.  

Most true Christians try, but realistically, Christ-like is the ultimate goal.   We know it's impossible to obtain this state here on Earth.   We have Grace, we have Forgiveness, we have Mercy.  And we TRY TRY TRY to be Christlike.  But, inevitably, we fall short.  

Being Christian is believing that Christ died for our sins, so that we may know the Father and have a relationship with him.  Being Christ-like means loving others, the way God loves us.  

When you fail, and you WILL fail, ask for forgiveness and move on.  This is all we can do, and all He wants us to do.  And then go back and Love others and strive to "be Christ-like".


And listen to Greater by MercyMe.  

Thank you Lord, for the message that you sent me in church today.  I needed it!!!!

Genesis - What I Learned

An Overview of Genesis; And what I learned from reading this Book of the Bible

An Overview of Genesis;

And what I learned from reading it

       1.  God created everything from nothing.  He did it exactly the way He wanted to and is fully able to do so. 

  
   2.  Adam & Eve – all of us have heard most of this story.  Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, because they listened to the serpent and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.   They then had to work the land and struggle to survive.  They had two sons, Cain and Abel.  Cain killed Abel, and then was banished to the East by God.   I should have known there was more kids, but I learned that there was a third son.  The line of “promise” came with the birth of Seth.    

        3.  The N’filim were not a race of giants, mutants, or offspring of fallen angels.  The N’filim refer to the offspring of women from Cain (daughters of men) and men from Seth (Sons of God).  A merging of the Seth—faithful, Godly men, and Cain—who fell away from God.

       4.  Noah – Built an Ark because God told him too.  Noah built an Ark using God’s instructions on how to build it.  Noah used the materials that he was told too.  He did not take 2 of every animal on board the Ark with him.  Of the “unclean” animals he took one pair, a couple.  But of the “clean” animals he took 7 pairs, 7 couples.  The childhood stories, the cartoons, the movies, they didn’t get this right, and it’s plainly spoken in the bible.  “Of every clean animal you are to take seven couples, and of the animals that are not clean, one couple; also of the birds in the air take seven couples –in order to preserve their species throughout the earth.” (GEN 7:2-3)

The animals were not used for food.  Humans did not eat animals at this time.  They only consumed the plant life. 

The mountains of Ararat include Mount Ararat, but are not only Mount Ararat. 

A raven was sent out, but didn’t come back, which indicated that he had found food and a place to nest.  A dove was sent out, who returned unsuccessful.  Noah waited another week, and sent out another dove, who returned with an Olive Branch.

Noah had three sons.  Shem, Ham, and Japeth.

Ham was cursed by Noah.  Japheth was doomed to be the servant of Shem.  With Shem being the line of “promise”.

      5.   Abraham – was told by God to leave his family and travel west.  He took with him Lot and his family.  Lot parted later and went to Sodom.  When Sodom & Gomorrah were destroyed Lot’s life and his family was spared by God, at Abraham’s request.  Lot went into the mountains with his two daughters, and thought there was no one left in the world.  The daughters got Lot drunk and had his kids.   Abraham told two separate Kings (or Pharaohs) that his wife Sarah was not his wife, but his sister.  Abraham had two sons.  The first Ishmael was from Sarah’s handmaid Hagar.  The second when Abraham was 100, from Sarah named Isaac.  Ishmael was banished at Sarah’s request.  And Isaac was almost sacrificed at God’s bequest, but through faith was spared, and became the line of “promise”. 

       6. Isaac – married Rebecca.  And had two sons.  Esau and Jacob.  Jacob with Rebecca’s help, tricked Isaac into giving first born blessing to Jacob.  EVEN though God had already told Rebecca that Jacob would get it. 

       7.   Jacob – after tricking Isaac, ran away from home, found himself indentured to Laban for the hand of his daughter.  Laban tricked him into taking Leah, when Jacob really wanted Rachel, so Jacob indentured himself again for Rachel.  And returned with 2 wives, 2 concubines, and 11 sons to Canaan.  He buried Rachel along the way home, after she gave him the 12^th son.  The 12 sons became the 12 tribes of Israel.  Joseph the 11^th was his favorite.  Jacob died in Egypt. 

       8.  Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers to Egypt.  He made a place in Egypt for his family because he was able to divine the meaning of dreams, and saved Eqypt from a famine.  Many were saved by Joseph’s planning ahead for the famine, including his family.  When Jacob died, Joseph returned Jacob’s body to bury him with his grandfather Abraham, his father, Isaac, and his wife Leah.

      9.  Israel prospered in Egypt 200 years, before the Egyptians ousted those that had them enslaved, and turned around and enslaved the Israelites.  Genesis ended with Israel enslaved to Egypt. 

     The men that God chose and used in the book of Genesis were not pious, righteous, or even honest.   He appears to have had no obvious reason for choosing and separating the ones that he did choose.  This means to me that we can all be called to Him, to be His people, to be part of His chosen.  

Mystery Files: Pope Joan & Joan of Arc

I have spent a LOT of time on NetFlix lately.  And found two very short shows on two very controversial women.  One I knew nothing about.

Joan of Arc

The 23 minute show, explored Joan's feats, explained how knights armor isn't as heavy as it appears, so the petite 19 year old would have had no issues wearing the armor in battle.  The show said that in addition to the visions, that she had heard voices from the time she was a very young girl, and she did what these voices said to her.  She was convicted of Heresy and burned at the stake.  Where she never cried out, but focused on the name Jesus... saying his name over and over until she died.  I found the short show, VERY informative giving insightful information, some I knew already, some I didn't.  I recommend this one, it's worth the time. 

From Wikipedia:  Joan of Arc: ca. 1412 – 30 May 1431), nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is considered a heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. She was born to a peasant family at Domrémy in north-east France. Joan said she received visions of the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination late in the Hundred Years' War. The uncrowned King Charles VII sent Joan to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief mission. She gained prominence after the siege was lifted in only nine days. Several additional swift victories led to Charles VII's coronation at Reims. On 23 May 1430, she was captured at Compiègne by the allied English-Burgundian faction. She was later handed over to the English, and then put on trial by the pro-English Bishop of Beauvais Pierre Cauchon on a variety of charges.  After being convicted,  she was burned at the stake on 30 May 1431, dying at about 19 years of age. 

Twenty-five years after her execution, an inquisitorial court authorized by Pope Callixtus III examined the trial, pronounced her innocent, and declared her a martyr. Joan of Arc was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920. She is one of the nine secondary patron saints of France, along with St. Denis, St. Martin of Tours, St. Louis, St. Michael, St. Remi, St. Petronilla, St. Radegund and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

Pope Joan

Pope Joan I had never heard of, and when I asked a dear friend of mine who is a devout Catholic, he just laughed at this one.  As I pretty much expected.  I am not sure what I believe at this point.  The 23 minute show, gave both sides of the story, several alternatives, several versions.  And some evidence that is quite believable.  AND some that isn't.  

The story, Joan, dressed as a Monk to travel with her "partner" hid her gender from all those around her.  She was very bright, and very knowledgeable and moved rapidly through the ranks of the Catholic Church.  All the way to the top becoming Pope.  She was able to hid her femininity under the Monk's robes, and the Church garb.  And being small and usually fasting, did not menstruate.  During a procession in town, Pope Joan fell off of her horse in massive pain, as she gave birth, or miscarried in the streets.  Quite possibly she miscarried because she didn't know she was pregnant.  Once her secret was out, she was then executed by quartering on the spot.  

It stated in the show that the route the Pope travels was changed after this to "avoid" the street where Pope Joan was outed and killed.  And I read in one of the online articles, that a "Dung" chair is used now, where the prospective Pope sits on it, and a Bishop underneath reaches through a hole in the chair to "feel" the testicles and prove gender beforehand.  Some of this all seems preposterous.  But women time and time again throughout history, have been successful at infiltrating male oriented activities.  Could it be that this Joan was successful at being the Pope, OR is this propaganda to discredit and shine darkness on the Catholic Church.  

Who could possibly know now?

From Wikipedia:  Pope Joan was a mythical female pope who allegedly reigned for a few years some time during the Middle Ages. The story first appeared in 13th-century chronicles, and was subsequently spread and embellished throughout Europe. It was widely believed for centuries, though most modern historians consider it fictitious, perhaps deriving from historicized folklore regarding Roman monuments or from anti-papal satire.

The first mention of the mythical female pope appears in the chronicle of Jean de Mailly, but the most popular and influential version was that interpolated into Martin of Opava'sChronicon Pontificum et Imperatorum, later in the 13th century. Most versions of her story describe her as a talented and learned woman who disguises herself as a man, often at the behest of a lover. In the most common accounts, due to her abilities, she rises through the church hierarchy, eventually being elected pope; however, while riding on horseback, she gives birth, thus exposing her sex. In most versions, she dies shortly after, either being killed by an angry mob or from natural causes. Her memory is then shunned by her successors.

Left Behind by Tim LaHaye & Jerry B Jenkins

I read this 16 book series about 5 years ago.  I found this series to be a very quick read which is quite surprising for a 16 book set.  It was gripping and held me wanting to find the next book and read it as well.

I found this trilogy of movies on NetFlix.  It's the first two books, in three movies, from what I could find out about it.  I've included below a piece where LaHaye filed suit to get the rights back to remake the films, due to overwhelming dissatisfaction with the quality of the movies.  The first of which was released on DVD first, with a "coupon" for a discounted matinee ticket when it was released at the theater.  In other words the movie was not expected to be a success.

I found the first two movies very well put together, yes there were some "cheesy" lines, but that happens in all movies, they for the most part were true to the story line of the books.  The third in this series however, I agree was horrible.  It diverted completely from the story line of the books, and "attempted" to wrap the series up quickly.  Jumping forward in timeline by a year, maybe more.  Brought in a character that was not explained or set up, just "HERE she is".  Very disappointed with the third in this series, and it ended in such a campy style, like really "that was non-productive, and totally stupid".

So I do understand WHY LaHaye sued, his "baby" was totally massacred.  And the movie has already been redone by Nicolas Cage, to be released soon.  I look forward to seeing "if" they can do better.  But think that Kirk Cameron did an excellent job in the movies, and should be given credit for his accomplishment here.  Even if the rest of the third movie really sucked.

1. 
   
2. Left Behind is a series of 16 best-selling novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatological viewpoint of the end of the world.

Left Behind is a Christian based film released in 2000 and starring Kirk Cameron, Brad Johnson, Gordon Currie and Clarence Gilyard. It was directed by Vic Sarin. Left Behind was proclaimed by its creators as the biggest and most ambitious Christian film ever made. It is based on the Left Behind book series.

According to Wikipedia:  "The film received all around critical backlash and negative reviews. It received a 16% positive rating among reviewers on the Rotten Tomatoes website. The Washington Post's Desson Howe, described it as "a blundering cringefest, thanks to unintentionally laughable dialogue, hackneyed writing and uninspired direction. The more this movie tries, the worse it gets. Its sincerity ends up becoming a bulging bull's-eye for rotten-tomato throwers."

And, "Owing to dissatisfaction with the quality of this movie and its sequels, LaHaye filed suit against Namesake Entertainment and Cloud Ten Pictures in July 1999, claiming breach of contract. On July 3, 2008, Tim LaHaye and Cloud Ten settled legal disputes on the film adaptations of the book series.  Part of the agreement grants LaHaye an opportunity to remake the series. He asserts:

My dream has always been to enter the movie theater with a first-class, high-quality movie that is grippingly interesting, but also is true to the biblical storyline -- and that was diluted in the first attempt. But Lord willing, we are going to see this thing made into the movie that it should be, and that all the world sees it before the real Rapture comes.

As of October 1, 2010 the rights to the Left Behind film series have officially been reclaimed by Cloud Ten Pictures."

Who is THE Church?

Seems the more I learn, the more questions that I have.  I have an answer to my initial question.  Constantine in 335, separated the Christians from the Jews, splitting the Messianic church that started around 30 AD, into Messianic Jews on one branch, and Catholics on another.   Constantine went on (more research needed) to "convert" and/or "persecute" and/or "eliminate" those that did not go with him.   So it seems this is the source of the hatred that of Christians to Jews, and Constantine's moving Christianity away from all things Jewish, was in essence a complete success.  And only recently are historians and others like me finding out how to put the two "halves" back together, to find the Truth.

And I am not sure an answer can be found, but I am on the exploration to find out who the Christians, ARE?

1.  Messianic Church: I have seen it said this was the first church of Christians, formed around 30 AD.

2.  Catholic Church: Says they were founded by Jesus and Peter was their first Pope.

3.  Greek Orthodox Church: was created by the original Apostles, when they returned to Jerusalem, and were filled by the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost.  Only after this did they feel that they were empowered to go do Christ's work.

All there claim to be first.  More research is needed, and input from out there would be welcome.