A Voice in the Wilderness
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" Maple Seed Christians "
"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)
The neighbors on either side of me have maple trees. There are also
other trees in the neighborhood that, when storm winds blow, their
leaves, pine needles, seeds, pine cones, whatever...always also end up
in my yard and on my driveway, as well as the rest of all over the
neighborhood, even though my own yard does not have any such trees. So,
at raking time, I'm 'blessed' by the 'generosity' of neighbors, giving
me their 'spare' debris.
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)
If a person reads the Old Testament, it is pretty much a continual
account of Israel's apostasy, God's judgment, periodic times of
repentance and revival, and then return to apostasy. God continually
sending prophets to warn against judgment with the plea to repent.
Prophets being persecuted for their "hate speech", and the many
different ways in which Israel would continually go astray from God,
according to the enticements of the heathen around them.
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)
When one is in such a meeting it is just like those maple seeds
fluttering off to the sides and backwards from the intended direction.
It is anything -but- "decently and in order" (1Co14:40)
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)
We live in a time prophesied where they follow, "corrupting spirits and
doctrines of demons" (1Ti4:1)
"...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)
There is a certain type of female (Please don't get defensive ladies: If
you are a 'lady', you will know to whom this refers, that it's not you.
It used to be females only, but these days it seems many males also join
in the depravity.) that in all my years I thought only existed in the
movies, after she had had a few too many drinks; or that appear on the
game shows like Deal or No Deal, Price is Right, etc. Who, with no
provocation, go into fits of screaming, wild unbridled ecstatic fits of
jumping up and down, grabbing everybody in sight and smothering them
with hugs and kisses, or if in a negative scenario wild utterances of
fits of rage and tantrums. The sort whose voice rises to a shrill level
and can be heard for 'miles'. The sort who, if even the hint of an
emergency exists (real or imagined), shrieks, jumps around wildly,
waving the hands in utter helplessness, and goes berserk, like
ditz-brains. One of these moved into a house in my neighborhood
recently. Thus... they apparently actually -do- 'exist' in real life!
Not just the movies or TV!
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)
But the air from God's 'nozzle' runs a straight path...
"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)
Amen!
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