"that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting," (Eph4:14)

But there is one thing that drives me batty when it comes to blowing off the driveway. The maple -seeds-! For you who might not be familiar, the seed itself is rather average-sized, as tree seeds go. But at either end are attached a couple of 'wings'; and the overall appearance is somewhat like a boomerang. When the seeds fall from the tree, they 'twirl' very prettily, due to those wings. And if the wind is blowing when they fall, they flutter all over the place, spinning and darting here and there. But once on the ground, it is another story.

This past summer it was time, once again, to seal the surface of the (asphalt) driveway. In preparation, a very 'thorough' blowing was done. For the purpose: 'everything' needed to be 'gone' when the blower was put away, and cord wrapped up. But do you suppose those spinny/flighty maple seeds would spin and fly their way off the driveway? NOT A CHANCE! Everything else blows away nicely, but not those maple seeds! Aim the nozzle of 100-200 mph blast of air at it, and it just 'sticks' to the pavement. Try 'waggling' the nozzle around the seed, so as to create variations of wind? Nothing. Since the seed is "boomerang" shaped, try blowing at it from a different angle, at some other surface of its shape? Nothing. Blow from a distance (less force), or right on top (blasting)? Nothing.

But... just as soon as the nozzle might get just a bit beyond (ahead) of where the seed needs to go, under the backwash of the nozzle, then suddenly the seed jumps up and flutters, spins and flops all over the place...to the side, up, backwards...back and forth. Sometimes they will even pop clear behind me...the area that had already previously been cleared. ANYWHERE -BUT- "AHEAD"...where it is 'supposed' to go! So then, take a step back, and blow 'at' the seed again, thinking it has now been "popped loose" or "dislodged"? Same old thing. Sticks there tighter than a cat digging its claws into your flesh where it decided to climb and hang on.

Now, I'm sure there is likely some physical (from physics, the study of physical things) explanation as to why this is so. I've heard that when the big guns on Navy ships are fired off, that the decks next to them are cleared of personnel due to the force of the backwash of air pressure; that otherwise the people would get blown overboard, etc.

But as I was blowing the driveway again recently, my frustration changed to the observation how those maple seeds are -just- like people. And sadly, those calling themselves "christian".

God had already carried many of Israel and Judah captive to foreign lands. Jeremiah is God's prophet, telling the remaining refugees to "remain in this land, then I will build you and will not pull you down" (Jer42:10) But they stubbornly refuse to hear and decide to go down to Egypt. (Jer43) Jeremiah reviews to them God's judgment and the desolation of Jerusalem (Jer44:2) and how God has sent a continual stream of His prophets, "rising early and sending them, saying, Do not do this abominable thing which I hate!" (vs4) STOP WORSHIPING IDOLS!

But the men, knowing that it has been their own wives who have engaged in goddess worship to the Queen of Heaven, making the cakes for worship, respond,

"we will not give heed to you. But we will...." continue in idolatry. (vs16-17)

What do we have today? How many -hundreds- of (so-called) "christian" denominations are there, even though Paul exhorts to, "all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions" (1Co1:10)? Israel, for all its idolatry and judgment, wasn't even guilty of multi-denominationalism like the church is!

And why?

Some guru over here pontificates and gathers a following. Some pied piper over there holds up his bottles of snake oil and entices a following. Some new person starts punching and kicking people, and slapping the legs of old ladies on the platform because "God -told- him to do it" and a "new outpouring" is beginning, it is claimed. Others gather to do "christian yoga", or "christian" meditation, or contemplation, or... whatever the hundreds of various things are that exist, that satan has put into the minds of mankind.

Recently on public TV has been a series of documentaries on Appalachia. I happened upon it one evening when they told about the Appalachian church. There were the Calvinists (stern: God has already decided who's saved and who's lost), the Methodists (man has free will to decide). They would gather people in from surrounding areas by the thousands and hold tent meetings. It was claimed to be times of "awakening" and/or "revival". And they showed some of these being "revived": dancing around with expressions on their faces like they were bewitched and demon-possessed, eyes rolling back into their heads, twitching like pagan witch doctors, sprawled out on the ground like stiff 'boards' with expressions on their frozen faces of demon-possession. ("slain"?) From what I could see (and I've been a people watcher for many years), no indication of any sort of the "joy of the Lord" (Neh8:10) Since the recent phenomena from Tornonto, Pensacola, etc. I've not been to any such meetings (even to observe). But what they were showing from the Appalachian mountains from years ago was pretty much like the written accounts of today's "manifestations" and "outpourings". Today's phenomena are nothing new. Over the years I have never witnessed people being "thrown" across the room, or being "slain"; but have been in the odd meeting here or there where people went into vocal jibberish and other vocal and swooning manifestations of being demonically overcome. And some years ago, similar TV documentation from the same Appalachian regions of the "church" snake charmers. Worshiping snakes (like they do in India and China), not God? And it's called "church"!

"So the great dragon was cast out, that SERPENT of old, called the Devil and Satan, who LEADS THE WHOLE WORLD ASTRAY..." (Rev12:9)

They speak of the "emerging church", and how its followers come from -many- backgrounds and beliefs. Many of these beliefs are "twistings" from the Scriptures. (2Pt3:16) Others are directly from Babylon, being "consecrated from the east, and are fortunetellers like the Philistines, and they clap hands in worship with children of foreigners" (Is2:6) An entire range of belief 'systems', ranging from worship of demons, all the way to the introspections of self-deification. And you can often see it in their bodily self-adornments: tatoos, and jewelry. The jewelry on one person might include everything from crosses, fish, to every occult pagan symbol... all dangled around -one- neck. The females will attire themselves and enhance with the makeup of goddess harlots. The tatoos will include many sorts of pagan demonic figures.

There is a "church" in Spokane: I've been seeing their commercials on TV. On TV they don't say that they claim to be a "church". They call themselves "One Spokane" and proclaim a message of "you can do it" and "acceptance" no matter who/what you are. But when I finally figured out that they might be trying to be a church, without looking like one, took note of their web address and went to their website, one of the features is this hideous configuration of a demonic figure, the way today's culture portrays them. A "church" with satanic emblems??

They are -all- the same lie, "You will be as God" (Gen3:5) But they are -all- satan-worship.

All those "christian" churches are worshiping satan? Indeed!

God says, "This is the way, walk in it..." (Is30:21)

Man says, 'No, I will go my own way. Just who do you think you are, telling me what to do?!'

"O your perversity! Shall the former be esteemed as the potter’s clay; for shall the product say of him who made it, He did not make me? Or shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, He has had no understanding?" (Is29:16)

"No, rather, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, Why have you made me like this?" (Rom9:20)

"...having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away. For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning, but never able to come to the full true knowledge of the truth." (2Ti3:5-7)

That's the maple seed, wildly fluttering around in the backwash of the air nozzle.

Today's "christians" are a bunch of ditz-brains. Babbling tongues? Let's flutter over there...it 'feels' right! Have Jesus as my 'friend', but He doesn't care how I live? I can keep living a loose immoral life? Let's flutter over that way. God expects His children to walk a certain 'holy' path? Let's flutter way back behind God and hunker down, grab ahold of the world, and DON'T LET GO, NO MATTER HOW MUCH God pricks at our conscience! This pied piper proclaims that God "wants you to be rich"? (Even though Jesus Himself had "no where to lay His head"?) Yes, let's jump on that band wagon. This other charlatan invites to send him some "seed" (money), with the promise of 'blessing' to the giver. Oh, goodie goodie goodie! (Clap the hands, jumping up and down.) I'm gonna be blessed. (Squealing in raptured delight!)

What other scenario shall we mention? For whatever Biblical doctrine there may be, there will be equal ditziness against it. A subscriber was recently asking for sure-fire arguments regarding one aspect of the Rapture doctrines, that "nobody would be able to refute or twist". I gave one argument, but also the understanding that: No matter how 'clear' something might be from Scripture, there -will- also be those who find ways to argue around it towards falsehood.

It doesn't matter how strong that air blast is, nor from which angle, that maple seed won't budge.... -until- the nozzle is moved away and the seed will dart over some other direction.

It doesn't matter how clear God's Word is, nor in how many ways He gives commands and exhortation, the ditz-brained sinner won't budge... -but- will find some 'reason' to go and follow a different direction.

God showed His power, decimating all of Egypt's gods "with a strong hand" (Ex13:9), and brought Israel out of bondage. He showed Himself on Sinai with thunderous voice and lightnings, and punctuated the Law with "I am Jehovah" (Le18:5). But even -while- Moses was up on the mountain, receiving God's Law, Aaron led Israel in idolatry with the golden calf. (Ex32) Even -while- the thick cloud of God's presence was on the mountain, they did this (proverbially) right under God's nose.

Today's "church" is like...

"...raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever." (Ju1:13)

"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Turn away from you the crooked mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and LET YOUR EYELIDS LOOK STRAIGHT BEFORE YOU. Ponder the path of your feet, then all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil." (Pr4:23-27)