Thou Shall Be TOLERENT!

 Believers in Jesus Christ have been accused of being Intolerant and un-accommodating.

 What do those words even mean? Since these are “UN-“ words; one must understand the regular word.

“Tolerant and accommodating” – means to be able to change and lower the standards to allow someone with those lower standards to feel acceptable and unoffended

Based upon that definition, Believers in Jesus Christ BETTER BE intolerant and unaccommodating.  Those are the teachings one is accepting when calling themselves a “follower of Jesus Christ”.

Unfortunately, the church is wrong in how much it is tolerant and accommodating.  No where in scripture are believers told that they are to lower all standards in order to be able to love the unbeliever!

The abuse in making the gospel message acceptable has turned the act of “love” into an act to become culturally and socially acceptable. Believers are to be SEPARATE from the World.

Anyone who claims to be a believer and is OFFENDED by these words; I have one statement for you:

Pharisee and Hypocrites need to run and hide before they come face to face with the man they claim to follow!  He will not be able to tell you apart from unbelievers!

 

Matthew 16:1-4; 23:1-36; 25:31-33; 1 Timothy 4:6-11; 15-16; 2 Corinthians 4; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

K a l e i d o s c o p i c AMERICAns

 K a l e i d o s c o p i c   AMERICAns

React to Names of Sport Teams

There is another minority in America that is not getting any attention in the midst of all the current propaganda so  it is time for them to speak up.  This group is called the Kaleidoscopic. There are too many different ethnic backgrounds in just one person in this group to label them anything other than Kaleidoscopic AMERICAns.

There are millions of you out there!  You know who you are.  Here is a description of members of this forgotten class. People with an Ancestor who came from country A.  This ancestor met a spouse getting off the boat at Ellis Island who had come over from country B.  They went and did what couples did…had children!

Their son married a girl who was daughter of immigrants from country C. Their second son crossed the river and married the girl whose family had just come up the river from “down under”. The youngest child; a girl; ran off with that traveling salesman who said he was from the “continent”.

A few generations go by.  There are now twenty different lines of descendents scattered across the country.  Not one of those descendents has any clue that the blood of ancestors from at least three other continents is running through their veins! 

With all those variations in the blood type of one individual person; why are those various blood types not killing each other?

Consider this: Country A hates Country C.  Country B would get along with Country F, if it was not for the relationship with Country J.  So instead of killing each other, they get offended at people, monuments and athletic teams that make some kind of reference to their heritage.  Consider the current trend with Professional Sports for an example, let’s see….

There is that blood type “E”. That bloodline starts screaming at what it perceives as the misuse of the terms “Redskins, Indians, Braves and Chiefs”.  That can be fixed when last years football Super Bowl Champion gets renamed.  Why stop renaming teams with the Washington Redskins?  The Washington Football team is an offending name.  It is a reminder that the team is supposed to be from Washington.

Now let’s look at blood type “H”.  It gets offended EVERYTIME religion comes up.  Every time the “Saints or Padres” are mentioned.  How unholy! What a headache every time some band plays “When the Saints…” or “Take me out to…” during the 7^th.

Let’s not mention what happens when one of the bloodlines hears the term Pirates, Buccaneers, or Vikings!  Boy oh Boy, that blood “R” from Great-Great-Great Uncle Jack wants to go do some pillaging and raiding. Shiver me timbers, blood starts boiling enough to make someone walk the plank!

Then there are other names that conjure up memories from ancestors that really get someone thinking of the past!  We do not want to be reminded of the past, do we? Shame on them.

Marching of the “Panthers”.  Was that the 60’s? That has to go.  How about “Patriots”?  Too much blood shed during the 1770’s….blood, blood, blood…  Don’t recall, did we learn anything about that decade while in school?

49ers? Were they not the ones that tore up and destroyed landscape, selfishly looking for Gold? Destroying the environment, how rude!  Got to change that.

What about all those “BIRDS”?  The hunter blood type from “down under” has a real fear of them. Get rid of them!  Eagles, Falcons, Seahawks, Blackhawks, Jayhawks, While-Yellow-Green-Pink BIRDS!

Oh…..I got a vision of Gregory Peck being chased by a huge Raven…I’m shaking in fright at the thought.

Solution?  Hear is the EASY solution.

Add up all the years of accumulated “wisdom” from ALL those generations of intelligent ancestors. How many decades of education and experience among them all?  Maybe not much, but THAT group of Kaleidoscopic AMERICAns, from EVERY land mass on the planet came up with this plan. It is the most logical, sure fire, perfect, alternative to fix all these so called issues from ever happening again!  Want to hear it?  Too bad.  After all, you are the one reading this, so here it is anyway.

EVERY ATHLETIC SPORT TEAM has to change their name!  That’s it.  Nothing more.

Start on the West coast and go North to South and then West to East.  Professional Sport teams are renamed.  They change the name to:  Football Team A – the next one is called Football Team B – etc. Baseball teams will become: Baseball Team A – the next one is called Baseball Team B.  Go through each sport the same way.  This plan is fool proof.  It can be done for Professional and Collegiate!

Wow, is that not the SIMPLIST idea to come along since sliced bread?  Oops, better retract that last analogy, it may be offensive to peanut butter or bologna.

Of course that is, it is fool proof until….

Until, it offends those suffering from Grammaphobia! Then the best choice is using numbers.

Oops, that would offend those suffering from Numerophobia.

Looking out for one’s own selfish desires, means that…SOMEONE WILL ALWAYS GET OFFENDED

Oh well, guess YOU CANNOT PLEASE EVERYONE!

Isn’t that where this all started?  Trying to please everyone?

Be-ATTITUDES

Every preacher has probably preached on the Beatitudes at some point in their time in the pulpit. There are probably a few people who can even quote them.  A lot of people reading the Gospel of Matthew probably skim over these nine verses just to get past them since the passage is so familiar.  The verses can even be found on knick-nacks at a discount store. Nothing here to waste time on.  HOLD ON a minute, turns out Jesus had a lot to say about the ATTITUDES prevalent in our society right now. There are more solutions in this passage than in any other media available.  What? Well, take a better look at it ONE VERSE AT A TIME.

Matthew 5:3-11 are the BE - ATTITUDES…

1) BE POOR IN SPIRIT – Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven

How do you think of yourself?  In humility or pride? If in humility, then what form of humility?

There is vanity when one considers how much was sacrificed in giving.  Being proud of how much offering was given or how wonderful it was of us to give those groceries to the needy.  Being proud of how “un-wealthy” we are is just as bad as King Midas counting every one of his gold coins.

Be poor but not proud.  Job was as thankful for the “taking away”; as he was for “the giving”!

Be humble and lowly.  Matthew Henry puts it this way:  “accommodate ourselves to our poverty…not in pride or prejudice….not throwing away what God has given us…be as little children in our opinion of ourselves…”

2) BE MOURNFUL – Receive comfort

Has this verse ever been used for anything other than during the occasion of the death of someone?

We are to be mournful.  Not the sorrow of life in this world but mournful over sin.  We must feel the sorrowfulness for our sins.  Sins which were paid for by the high cost of a blood sacrifice.  Mournful enough that we are apologetic for our sinful nature. Life must be lived in repentance.

There is a second reason for being mournful.  We need to have sorrow for the sins of others.  Do you feel the sorrow watching your fellow man wallow in his depravity?  Jesus did.  That is why he blessed those who mourn.  In Luke 19:41, Jesus wept over Jerusalem and its “state/condition”.

3) BE MEEK - and inherit the earth

This word IS NOT even a part of our vocabulary today.  What does it mean?  You have heard the expression: “Google it”.  Well do that and you will find this definition:

 “quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive”

That entire definition is so opposed to what is broadcasted from every angle of culture and society.  Look for an example of a person around that fits this description of being meek.  How many can you list?

For a follower of God, this one should hit them in some sensitive areas of their lifestyle and attitudes. What a directive on how a child of God should live and conduct themselves daily. It is also a VERY SIMPLE answer from God on how we should be reacting to the strange chaos we are finding ourselves living in today.

Then there is submissive.  An entire paper can be written on that.  Submission is expected to both authority here on earth and in heaven.  We are expected to be submissive in our homes, marriages, jobs, and authorities.

This is “Quiet Submission” to God and man. Not boastful about that submission or humility.  Calling attention to the fact that you are being submissive is false humility.  Titus 3:1-2 dictates that we are to be gentle in dealings with the evil of men.  Not allowing ourselves to being provoked.  OUCH, does that mandate what our reaction is to look like?

4) BE HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS – and you will be filled

Thriving constantly for purity.  Not for perfection.  When are you hungry?  Have you ever missed more than one meal?  Your stomach starts talking to you.  When you have that kind of desire for God’s Word and for being in the presence of God you are getting closer.  Unlike eating food, you will never reach a full “stomach” until you are standing before the throne of God.  Our goal is to be as much like Jesus as possible without the self-righteousness displayed by the Pharisee in scripture.

5) BE MERCIFUL – and you will obtain mercy

How quick are we to snap a response at the actions of those we see on media today? We are very quick at pronouncing our judgment.  This does not mean or dictate we condone a sinful life style.  A sinful life will send the soul to Hell. Period, end of story!  BUT, there is NO SOUL THAT IS NOT ABLE TO BE SAVED! 

How much do we assume the afflictions, problems or needs of others?  To little time in our seemingly busy schedule to bother with them.  Where is the compassion and care for our fellow man?  Scripture is filled with examples of mercy.  There were those who lowered their friend through the roof just to be healed.  Boaz allowed Ruth to get food from his fields.  It is also filled with those who treated lepers as outcasts and did not show mercy.  Which form of mercy do you display?

6) BE PURE IN HEART – and you will see God

Cleanliness of the heart.  If your heart has never made a commitment to Christ, then none of this will mean anything to you.  The first thing needed is a heart that has been totally surrendered to God and has agreed to Him being the master of everything.  Once that has happened, priorities begin to change and these Be-Attitudes begin to make sense.

7) BE A PEACEMAKER – to be called the children of God

Are we striving to obtain peaceful solutions or are we always an instigator to say or do something to cause dissention or unrest.

8) BE RIGHTEOUS AND PREPARED FOR PERSECUTION

This covers both blatant persecution and the suffering that comes as a result of standing for the righteousness of God. Persecution WILL COME for adherence to righteousness!

Those living in America have not known true persecution. Are they prepared for it?  There are those who have given their lives for the Gospel.  Persecution can come in many forms from simple name calling and false accusations. However, are you prepared for persecution that results in not having food on the table or a home to live?  How about the loss of a job to pay the bills UNLESS you agree to a lifestyle or organization that denies Biblical principles?

Remaining true to convictions and righteousness is the most difficult of all these.  Being rooted in God’s word will be the greatest weapon available to the children of God.

Each of these BE-ATTITUDES builds upon one another. They were not spoken by Jesus to be used as just another common liturgy or as a cute plague on the wall of an office. Better read them slowly again and pay more careful attention to them before quoting them.