Tuesday, June 2, 2009

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT

For your pleasure and/or preference, here are three versions of The Third Commandment, which is the topic of my discussion:

King James Version
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

New International Version
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

New Living Translation
Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.


Often when we think of using the Lord's name in vain we first think of swearing his name 'Jesus Christ' while angered or upset usually for added emphasis. This is bad enough. But I believe there is no depth to evil, how low it can really go, and killing in His name is misusing His name in an extremely detrimental and dangerous way, and as He tells us, it WILL NOT go unpunished. Killing in His name is dishonoring the Lord and using His name in vain for any reason and cannot be justified in any way. To do so would be to say the Lord contradicts Himself and that is an utter impossibility for He is perfect in every way.

People that try and say that the Lord used to sanctify killing of His peoples' enemies is true enough but not anymore. Many battles were waged to protect His people once upon a time. That was also the Old Testament times...before the sacrifice of our Savior. His death changed everything and there is no righteous killing being ordained. Vengence is His and His alone and we were supposed to learn to love our neighbors as ourselves. Many still fail at this plain and simple directive from Jesus and His teaching.

Abortion activists are hailing the shooter/killer of the late-term abortion doctor as a hero and (falsely) believing that it glorifies God. I believe nothing could be further from the truth. They are misguided and wandering after the beast and the beast's system and the do not have a clue because they do not know God. They are blinded by their hatred and hatred is never, never of God.

In wars enemies are created as well. Soldiers justify their perceived righteous killing(s) because of vengence in honor to their country. This does not glorify the Lord in any way whatsoever either no matter what anyone may say. There are no holy nations, not one.

We are never to repay evil with evil. We are to love our enemies and be kind to them for He tells us this is like heaping coals upon their heads. He is the righteous judge, not us or any nation. War is of the antichrist system as any killing is and shedding blood in the name of the Lord will bring His vengence upon those who do it.

Our Lord the Almighty Jesus Christ, is patient and longsuffering. Through Him we will endure and my prayers are for all to lift His holy name in love and praise which truly glorifies the Lord which can never be done by the shedding of blood since He shed His blood for us.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful post my dear sister FF.

So true, killing in His name is the name of the game in the kingdom of satan. In Jesus' own words: "the thief comes to steal destroy and kill". Sadaly, human beings have become the perfect tools to excute that killing. Even the "followers" of Jesus seems to have forgotten the fact that it is impossible to pelase God by doing satan's work.
Of course more 'God-pleasing' killings are in the pipeline. With the growing tension in the Korean Peninsula and the talk of Israel attacking Iran, Hizballah and Syria, one can only see a gloomy future ahead.

It appears that Air France had received a bomb threat days before it disappeared.

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:rogFhX-NRfYJ:momento24.com/en/2009/05/27/bomb-threat-on-air-france-flight/+Ezeiza+air+france+bomb+threat&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=opera

Stay blessed and keep looking up.

Annon

faithful forever said...

So, planes really do just 'disappear' these days. We should expect that just about anything can happen. Hmmm...a bomb threat to the disappeared flight. Very interesting my dear brother Annon. And this when a new weapon that burned hotter than any other weapon had been unveiled in California, I believe it was. I am too pressed for time to do a search right now, but I heard it on the radio last week and there has to some kind of information available. Must work pretty good, huh? Mission accomplished again.

The birth pangs are arriving closer even if they are still mostly unheeded by many. Iran is getting ready to 'inaugurate' the nuclear reactor Buchehr after Iran had a deadly mosque bombing then an arson fire and today a gunmen shooting at a bus. Obama has made a recent statement that Iran's energy needs are legitimate. Surely, he is 'weakening' our national security by just saying this.

There are 2.5 million Pakastanis who have fled the Swat valley and are without food, water and medical supplies. Many wounded can't get help and just imagine this hell, if we can here in our comfortable homes not giving it too much thought about all the suffering in the world, that it is our loved one that is hurt or dying and there is no where to go, nothing to do for them. Just as the people in Gaza. We will deserve everything that is coming upon us.

Your kind words are a wonderful blessing to me.

Love and prayers always.

faithful forever said...

Wanted to share this also:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ishdHLR8BUX-xm3_3YKRvckBmLMgD98IHN400

Anonymous said...

Nice post FF, glad to see you keeping this blog alive.

young brother said...

Very well said, FF. Why is it that we assume honest anger is worse than hypocrisy? That fake, "Wolf-in-sheeps-clothing" approach of doing evil in the name of good is the devil's favorite tactic, because human beings keep falling for it. In Revelation, God says, "I wish that you were either cold or hot, but because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth".

Jesus had little to no patience for the pharisees who were calling him "teacher" and acting earnest and sincere while asking him questions, because he knew that they were simply trying to get him to say the wrong thing, and give them a chance to have a crowd stone him for blasphemy.

There is no phony religiosity so convincing that God does not see through it; so what makes people think they can get away with it?

Again, great job FF, Keep up the good work!

Sandra said...

Interesting......I was just talking about this last night on my 20 minute walk with my friend. To take the name of the Lord in vain is what so many Christian ministers have done. To give blessings on war and killing does not come from the Lord. This country was founded on hypocrisy as they came to this blessed land with a Bible in one hand and a rifle in the other to steal the land and put the natives on reservations.



This whole issue with the killing of the doctor just shows what extreme beliefs can do to certain individuals. Extreme groups stir the pot of hate and someone decides to rid the world of the evil they are promoting on their web sites. Love and compassion is the answer. You might not agree with certain issues but we should be able to have a dialog and see where others are coming from without name calling and racist, hateful dialog.



Jesus said we are not of this world and I know that I am not because I just don't understand all the hate that is out there.

faithful forever said...

Great comment and how wonderful to hear from you, YB - been too long.

Amen, God knows our hearts and there will be no place to hide. I believe many will be saved at the last minute, but I also believe that many will be very surprised when He tells them He never knew them. They are comfortable with their lukewarmness, but He is not.

We know we should be prepared for anything, and this may be about to break if 'they' are bringing bin Laden out of the cave:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31082752

That's why Bhutto was assassinated - because she stated that bin Laden was already dead and gone.

The lies, the hypocrisy, and more lies and more hypocrisy. This is just one of the many reasons I love our little community searching for truth and marching for His glory because I can't find it anywhere else in the world.

Thank you for life more abundant Lord that I am blessed with by those who gather here.

How great our God is. His people amazing. I love you all.

faithful forever said...

Sandra, my beautiful sister Sandra, what a joy, and we were posting at the same time - again. Oh, the blessing and I cannot hold the tears back.

Sandra said...

FF,
You always make others feel special. That is a good trait and thank you for your kind words. I get confused at how people put down others and never want to walk a mile in anothers shoes to see where they are coming from and show some compassion. We all come from different walks of life and yet so many will not look beyond their narrow world view and mistrust and judging another takes place because of that narrow world view. So many Christians believe in this countries military might but draw the line on helping the least among us. They don't want their taxes to go for social programs.

Let his Kingdom come.

faithful forever said...

Great point, Sandra about the willingness to support the military but not the needy. This also is a typical pattern for the beast. The deception runs so deep. We have been lied to for so long that we can barely recognize the truth. But our God who is true and faithful has opened our eyes and freed us from these burdensome stones people heap upon themselves. It takes so much more energy to hate than it does to love and I do not know why anyone would consciencely choose not to love instead of hate. Love is seen as a weakness while hatred seems to be looked upon as a sign of strength. Love conquers all things and this we know to be true. It is the meek that will inherit the earth after all is said and done. The said and done part approaches. I believe they are attempting to tempt our Lord, and while He is slow to anger, His vengence is well deserved and understood.

I have missed you guys desperately I don't mind telling you. The connection, and the one-voice harmony is a source of joy for me in this weary world. You are special to me because you are my sister in Christ, as are my brothers who gather here.

Super Laser article I was referring to that I heard about on the radio last week that burns as 'hot as a star.' What next?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090530/ts_alt_afp/usitresearchmilitarylaser_20090530082418

Balor said...

The right-wing, fundamentalist, Rapture-ready crowd of true belivers are like folks whose g-d has died and is never coming back.

Some time back I read a report - I wish I'd kept it - which indicated that, with the passing of the millenium and the failure of the return of Jesus, there would increasing levels of extreme behavior from them, up to and including suicide bombings.

We are witnessing the death of "American" Christianity and it isn't pretty. Our own Taliban is out of power after 8 long years and now you see them lashing out. Their motto might as well be, "Down with intelligence, long live death!"

Maybe what we need is a Fundamentalists Anonymous to help people overcome their disappointment with their failed religion. Maybe we need the following:

http://www.geocities.com/church_of_hank/fundamentalists_anonymous.html

1. I realize that I had turned control of my mind over to another person or group, who had assumed power over my thinking.
2. That person or group persuaded me of the inerrancy of the Bible, in spite of its many internal contradictions.
3. I became addicted to the Bible as the supreme focus of my faith, in spite of the commandment that God should come first.
4. I admit to God, to myself and to another person the shortcomings of my belief in the unbelievable.
5. I have made an inventory of my false claims about the Bible.
6. I have made a list of those whom I led into confusion about the Bible.
7. I am willing to make amends to all those whom I may have led astray.
8. I realize that I have the inner power to restore sanity to my life and to search Scripture for the truth.
9. I will reach out to friends who can help me clarify my thinking about the Bible, God and Jesus.
10. I confess that only with God's help can my mind grasp the truth.
11. I will seek through prayer and meditation to improve my conscious contact with God, praying for knowledge of God's will for me and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these twelve steps, I will offer these steps to other former biblical fundamentalists.

I realize there was once an organization called Fundamentalists Anonymous started by Richard Yao, but it has since fallen by the wayside. Regardless, the need for mental health resources has never been greater for the millions of people with no alternatives.

In part, these people are living in a world of their own making - a world they never expected to live in. Often poor and under-educated, they are not prepared to function in a modern society. The consequences of not addressing their condition can only end badly.

faithful forever said...

Balor said, 'The consequences of not addressing their condition can only end badly.' And to listen to their pundits on Faux News is a trip lately. These fundamentalists really are a very dangerous thinking people and are certainly our modern-day Pharisees.

Great comment Balor; loved the 12-step program as well.

Obama is in Cairo (interesting, if I do say so myself) and the news reported that what he says is 'of grave importance to Israel.' It seems as though they are making Israel a stumbling block for the whole world while making the whole world less stable with Israel standing alone as an island. Very prophetic.

Indeed, Sandra, let His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth...Heaven on earth. I can wait because I have to, but I can hardly wait.

Love and prayers.

faithful forever said...

Planes and everything and everyone on them can just disappear:

http://news.aol.com/article/brazil-air-france-crash/511716?icid=main|main|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fbrazil-air-france-crash%2F511716

It is so subtle, but just the same it is there - the message of 'peace' behind Obama's speeches to the peoples of Israel and Palestine and to the Muslim world. When they say peace, sudden destruction comes.

I have learned that I do not know the details of how this is going to be fulfilled with the unfolding of prophecy we are witnessing, but still I cannot help but try and put the pieces together. I cannot explain it because I do not think Obama is the Son of Perdition and I keep thinking of the first beast and the second beast.

Interesting times indeed.

Stay blessed and keep looking up.

faithful forever said...

Strong quake in Japan:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-japan-quake6-2009jun06,0,4241653.story

faithful forever said...

Awww, don't tell me everyone is going to disappear again!

Greetings anyway.

I think I am staying away from the vaccine...I mean I know I am staying away from the vaccine. This is an interesting read, but you have to stay with it to the end to get the whole picture:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13856

faithful forever said...

Interesting points of view from a few Arabs about Obama's speeches:

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/some-dissenting-voices-in-arab-blogosphere/

Balor said...

On the other hand, ff, Obama apparently confessed to the United State's involvement in overthrowing Iran's democratically elected government when Dr. Mossadeq was ousted. For an American president to admit to this and acknowledge it as wrong - what's next? Will he apologize for the overthrow of Salvodore Allende next?

Anonymous said...

No sign of Air France. I read somehwere Obama was given ultimatum to disclose the ET stuff and that date was May 31. Apparently nothing was disclosed and some are associating the disappearance of the plane with that ultimatum. In this strange time anything is possible. Am not sure what we make of this:

http://www.ufoevidence.org/documents/doc1763.htm

Stay blessed and keep looking up.

Annon

young brother said...

There is a wonderful book called, "Further down the Road Less Traveled", by M. Scott Peck which is cheap and available on Amazon. In it there is a theory of 4 general stages of spiritual growth. The first stage is completely self-centered, sociopathic, destructive and free of conscience. The next level is institutionalized (model prisoners and fundamentalists are great examples). Next in line is the critical and analytical stage of the Athiest, the Agnostic, and the Philosopher. The final stage of spiritual awareness is labeled "Mystic", and is an acceptance and appreciation of the mystery of life. Unlike the institutional level, to the mystic God is not a far away figure threatening punishment, but becomes very close and very real, a part of our own souls.

But the scriptures around the world speak both to insitutionalized and mystical believers. There are at least two levels of interpretation.

Further Down the Road Less Traveled was written over 20 years ago, when the disease of fundamentalism was in full swing, riding high.

Nowadays there are leaks in the system, and this will continue because the system itself is the whore of Babylon undergoing the natural consequences of it's corrupt nature. It happened to my old church over the past two years. (Coral Ridge Presbyterian).

But from our vantage point we should be careful to maintain respect for the Bible. Because the fundamentalists who insist that the Bible is true, don't actually search through the scriptures. They have a series of favorites that they revisit over an over again. These verses, out of context, encourage prejudice and hatred but the point that the Bible itself spells out time and time again is love. The Bible itself holds the key to helping those who are lost in a religious fog to come out the other side. If these people respect and revere it already so much, why not use that reverence to our advantage?

faithful forever said...

One thing I do know is how much I don't know. I believe the ancient gods had supernatural powers that were from the dark side and the 'enlightened ones' existing since the beginning of time to the present, consistently use symbols depicting a winged disk. We know everything they do is for a reason and this is not a coincidence. I don't know exactly what it means, but they too have a plan, or think they have a plan.

But our Lord has a much better plan that entirely cancels theirs out.

Two bodies and a briefcase bearing a ticket have allegedly been found in the vicinity of where the plane is thought to have disappeared. A British pilot has claimed to have seen a very bright flash in the area, but it is not being reported on.

Obama's speeches (that just keep coming and coming) seem to have a certain aspect of appeal as well as disappeal for almost every race on the face of the earth. I have not seen much of them, but rather bits and pieces here and there, and two things that caught my attention were Obama's use of the term 'enlightened' and in reference to the Palestinian people (the true Semites) is that armed resistance is not acceptable. I would enjoy hearing his explanation about resistance to what, exactly.

Interesting times and all will be revealed therefore they are going to get ever more interesting.

Anonymous said...

Just off topic but awesome! Watch the vodeo for better understanding.

Stay blessed and keep looking up.

Annon

I am part of a lost generation.
I refuse to believe that
I can change the world
I realize this may be a shock but
“happiness comes from within”
is a lie and
“Money will make me happy”
So in thirty years I will tell my children
they are not the most important thing in my life.
My employer will know that
I have my priorities straight because
work
is more important than
family.
I tell you this
Once upon a time
families stayed together
but this will not be true in my era
This is a quick fix society
Experts tell me

30 years from now, I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce

I do not concede that
I will live in a country of my own making
In the future
Environmental destruction will be the norm.
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about this earth
My generation is apathetic and lethargic.
It is foolish to presume that
There is hope

And all of this will come true unless we choose to rewrite it.

Reading in reverse we get an entirely different meaning.

There is hope
It is foolish to presume that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic.
My peers and I care about this earth
No longer can it be said that
Environmental destruction will be the norm
In the future
I will live in a country of my own making
I do not concede that
30 years from now I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce
Experts tell me
This is a quick fix society
but this will not be true in my era
Families stayed together
Once upon a time
I tell you this
family
is more important than
work
I have my priorities straight because
My employer will know that
they are not the most important thing in my life.
So in thirty years I will tell my children
“Money will make me happy”
is a lie
But “happiness comes from within”
I know that this may be a shock but
I can change the world
I refuse to believe
I am part of a lost generation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

faithful forever said...

I greatly appreciate the effort you put into that Annon, and thanks for the video clip; I enjoyed it and found it rather uplifting.

I was reading in Lamentations and found this uplifting as well and wanted to share:

3:22-25 (King James Version)

22It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

Amen, and keep seeking.

Israel killed four Palestinians today under claims they were militants trying to get into Israel. Netanyahu apparently needs to hurry up with that peace plan he is writing up in response to Obama's peace plan that he so strongly disagrees with. They say peace while they desire and create more death and more destruction.

I was sure I felt a mild earthquake here early Saturday, but there are no reports of such, so it is a mystery. Anyway, Texas has been having some tremors that are being reported:

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/06/09/0609texdigest.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=52

Peace and prayers to all.

young brother said...

Annon, that poem was amazing! Terrific find! FF, and all, I just wrote a new post on Seek Ye The Kingdom called "What it takes to be a disciple". I hope those that read it enjoy it and are encouraged by it.

faithful forever said...

Do we have what it takes to be a disciple? That should be a question we should all be asking ourselves. I certainly enjoyed it and the many blessings that came with it. Please keep writing, Young Brother, and thank you.

Our world is on fire like crazy, more than ever, and people still want to talk about the weather.

A Texas cop tased a 72 year old grandmother. Protestors in the Peru rainforest were ambushed and many killed while they slept or tried to run away. N.Korea is threatening nukes if provoked, to fall in 'merciless offensive.' The ACLU has ruled The Ten Commandments unconstitutional at an Oklahoma Courthouse. Pakistan had a bombing at a luxury hotel with a dead count of 11 thus far and the violence rages more with each passing day. More than 117,000 people are fleeing the Somali civil war torn region with no where to go. The abortion doctor's killer is threatening more violence of the same being planned around the US as long as abortions are legal. Bodies and plane parts are now being found from the mysterious plane crash or whatever it was.

And the airways are flooded with the story of an american idol contestant declaring his sexuality and David Carridine the actor whose untimely death from a perverted act and needs to be investigated.

Got to admire Cindy Sheehan's persistance; she organized a protest in Bush's new neighborhood. It's a pretty boring video, but this is my way of supporting her and her efforts, I guess:

http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/06/video-cindy-sheehan-protests-bush-in-dallas/

And of all things, Gorbechav is calling for a new american revolution.

Without hope in the Lord, there would be no hope in this hopeless world. I am so thankful that He has set us apart to be a peculiar people because I would no more want to be a part of this world for all the tea in China.

faithful forever said...

My apologies, I should have finished my thought a little better...I would no more want to be a part of this world for all the tea in China than I would want to be one of those who prefer to talk about the weather. A time and place for everything, but when it is the weather that is your main concern, one just might be more lost than one realizes.

Anyway, thanks for listening.

Love and peace and prayers.

faithful forever said...

Pandemic Level 6 coming soon to a neighborhood near you:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090610/ap_on_he_me/un_un_swine_flu

faithful forever said...

Excerpt:

Phase six represents a fully evolved pandemic situation. The government of the affected county or counties may implement emergency powers. The media campaign will now focus on achieving public support for national response and contingency measures, such as rationing and curfews, and preparing the public for the imminent onset of pandemic activity. Health-care workers would evaluate vaccine stockpiles and vaccine effectiveness, as well as mortuary capacity. Officials would make a concerted effort to assuage public fears and address public grief. People who had come in contact with the virus, even if not presenting symptoms, would be advised to avoid entering unaffected areas.

http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2009/04/whos-6-phase-pandemic-global-response-plan/

faithful forever said...

Lots and lots of 'interesting' things going on.

Greetings to one and all, and all for One. Be of good courage for our redemption draweth near. This weary world is fading.

In two days our world goes digital for whatever that may or may not entail, and the Iranian elections are also in two days.

Shooting at the holocaust museum in NY and possibly another one down south that is being blamed on a supremicist as well. Yes, things are moving right along, but the Sun appears to be in a 'deep calm' and when I read it, I thought about the Sun being forbid to shine:

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/01apr_deepsolarminimum.htm

Stay blessed and keep looking up at the Son whom is worthy of all our praise. He will make His people the light of the world. Keep shining.

A copied paragraph in regards to DTV:

Why Are Broadcast TV Stations Switching to All-Digital?

Congress mandated the conversion to all-digital television broadcasting, also known as the digital television (DTV) transition, because all-digital broadcasting will free up frequencies for public safety communications (such as police, fire, and emergency rescue). Also, digital is a more efficient transmission technology that allows broadcast stations to offer improved picture and sound quality, as well as offer more programming options for consumers through multiple broadcast streams (multicasting). In addition, some of the freed up frequencies will be used for advanced commercial wireless services for consumers.

***
Then of course there's the economy that is still tanking and now a possible phase 6, with the number being of no coincidence.

Interesting times for certain these days are.

Love and prayers.

faithful forever said...

Absolutely nothing they do is by coincidence:

http://news.aol.com/main/politics/article/obama-feet-up-photo/522634

Keep in mind Bibi's peace plan is soon to be unveiled, which I think is possibly this Sunday.

faithful forever said...

It's official; on 6/11:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31207627