Pathway in the Sea

Ever see a butterfly flutter by? John 3:7-8


Psalm 77:19

Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.



"The best way to show that a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or to spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick along side it."

-D. L. Moody

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Thad Jones Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on Who you want to please) there are times (practically always) that we must decide whether we are to offend the Lord or the world. Seems like a no-brainer, but it's a ticklish one.
Thad Jones Messianic Rabbi Kirt Schneider (www.discoveringthejewishjesus.com) is doing a series on Joshua 1:9. The theme is how fear is displeasing to God. It turns out that while the ten spies were chickening out at the threshold to the Promised Land, the inhabitants of the land were quaking in their boots in terror of the children of Israel. Rahab the Harlot informed Joshua's two spies of this when they were her "guests".
Thad Jones It is also interesting that Jesus Christ's only great grandmas named in Matthew's genealogy,Rahab and Ruth (Matthew 1: 5And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth...) are gentiles of low degree, and it is emphasized in the narrative: "the HARLOT";"the MOABITESS"(Deuteronomy 23
3An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:
4Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
5Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.
6Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.
Nehemiah 13
1On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
2Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
Thad Jones Justification and glorification by grace through faith. Our God is mighty to save!




Thad Jones Oops! Some other great grandmas are also noted:3And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar
Thad Jones ‎6...David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
Thad Jones We all know about scandalous Bathsheba, but can anyone tell me how Tamar the mother of Pharez fits the theme. (That nasty 'ho'. Genesis 38)
Thad Jones ‎(..and for all you Orthodox Jews out there, say hello to Tamar's "bastard" son Pharez, the progenitor of your blessed King David. Who does Pharez remind me of? 
John 8:41.Who is Jesus' Daddy?
Genesis 38:24-30

24And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

25When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.

26And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

27And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.

28And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

29And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.

30And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

Thad Jones Tamar and Pharez are noted here as well: Ruth 4

Sunday, January 29, 2012


Mark Zuckerberg (aka Clark Techno-nerd) becomes Zucker Man, Open Society uber-Jew:


     Apparently, the whole "master race"-paradigm-as-matrix-for-genocidal-atrocity-as-anathema-to-those-who-aspire-to-human-virtue concept has eluded the George Soros-es and Mark Zuckerbergs of the world. Sorry boys. As one who has looked the Jew Who is Eternal God in the eyes, uber-Jews impress me not at all. You have no concept of real Power.Actually, "Power" is inaccurate. "Omnipotence" is nearer the mark, but it really exceeds human intellectual perception, let alone comprehension.

Open society (excerpted)


The state in an open society would keep no secrets from itself in the public sense; it would be a non-authoritarian society in which all are trusted with the knowledge of all. Political freedoms and human rights are claimed as the foundation of an open society.[by whom?]
In Karl Popper's definition, found in his two-volume book The Open Society and Its Enemies, he defines an "open society" as one which ensures that political leaders can be overthrown without the need for bloodshed, as opposed to a "closed society," in which a bloody revolution or coup d'état is needed to change the leaders. He further describes an open society as one "in which individuals are confronted with personal decisions" as opposed to a "magical or tribal or collectivist society."[1]
In this context, tribalistic and collectivist societies do not distinguish between natural laws and social customs. Individuals are unlikely to challenge traditions they believe to have a sacred or magical basis. The beginnings of an open society are thus marked by a distinction between natural and man-made law, and an increase in personal responsibility and accountability for moral choices. (Note that Popper did not see this as incompatible with religious belief.[2]) Popper argues that the ideas of individuality, criticism, and humanitarianism cannot be suppressed once people become aware of them, and therefore that it is impossible to return to the closed society.[3]

Popper's theory that knowledge is provisional and fallible implies that society must be open to alternative points of view. An open society is associated with cultural and religious pluralism; it is always open to improvement because knowledge is never completed but always ongoing.
Closed society claims to certain knowledge and ultimate truth lead to the attempted imposition of one version of reality. Such a society is closed to freedom of thought. In contrast, in an open society each citizen needs to engage in critical thinking, which requires freedom of thought and expression and the cultural and legal institutions that can facilitate this.


Here's the humanist dilemma. Chris Hedges has said that "the liberal class" must not tolerate the intolerant. Note the humanist bias (above): 


     "The beginnings of an open society are thus marked by a distinction between natural and man-made law, and an increase in personal responsibility and accountability for moral choices."


    The very possibility that law could have as its source authentic Divine revelation is excluded. Bam! Your "open society" just slammed its closed society door in the face of anyone that believes the Bible is Divinely inspired and transcends anything "man-made". And it just failed the critical thinking/cultural and religious pluralism test.Why? Because Popper's theory postulates that ALL knowledge is provisional and fallible and therefore society MUST be open to alternative points of view. Guess who will NEVER comply with nor concede the validity of that view. Believers in the Biblical Jesus Christ.


"Closed society claims to certain knowledge and ultimate truth lead to the attempted imposition of one version of reality." 



Like the "version of reality" that excludes the Divine supernatural cause and purpose of this cosmos as revealed in the Bible? Again, it is the whitewashed lump of coal calling the snowflake black. The "certain knowledge and ultimate truth" that I subscribe to teaches the "open society" virtue of tolerance thus:

Psalm 37

 1Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
 2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
 3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
 4Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
 5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
 6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
 7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
 8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
 9For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
 10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
 11But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
 12The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
 13The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
 14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
 15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
 16A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
 17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
 18The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
 19They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
 20But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
 21The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
 22For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
 23The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
 24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
 25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
 26He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
 27Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
 28For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
 29The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
 30The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
 31The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
 32The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
 33The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
 34Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
 35I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
 36Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
 37Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
 38But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
 39But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
 40And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

It also teaches me what to expect from the closed society policies of "Open Society" despots:


John 15


 16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.


 17These things I command you, that ye love one another.


 18If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.


 19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.


 20Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.


 21But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.


 22If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.


 23He that hateth me hateth my Father also.


 24If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.


 25But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.


 26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:


 27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.



John 16


 1These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.


 2They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.


 3And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.


 4But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.


To the humanist, Mark Zuckerberg and George Soros are winners and believers in the Biblical Jesus Christ are losers.


To the Christian, it is quite exactly the opposite.


That is why, at his ultimate demise, the Word of God designates the adversary as "the Devil that DECEIVED them". Sucks to be you! Believe it... or not.


The undeclared objective of "open society" is the antithesis of the declared objective of the United States Constitution:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
    "Open Society" has as its undeclared aim to give the Powers That Be maximum access to the People and the People minimum access to the Powers That Be.
     The U.S. Constitution has as its declared aim to give the People maximum access to the Powers That Be and the Powers That Be minimum access to the People.

As I've said before, so say I now:
If We, the People of the United States of America will be free, then we MUST be brave:
By George Bernard Shaw
Shaw argues that what had attracted readers and audiences to Don Juan from the very first is not the moral lesson but Don Juan's "heroism of daring to be the enemy of God. From Prometheus to my own Devil's Disciple, such enemies have always been popular." Here we have one of the keys to Shaw's interest in the story: He too could depict a hero who was a rebel on the grand scale, but one who was an enemy of the false gods of society.
And surely Walkley knows that Shaw cannot depict Don Juan in an aristocratic society dominated by men. Not only has the middle class come into its own, but woman has become completely emancipated: "Man is no longer, like Don Juan, victor in the duel of sex . . . the enormous superiority of Woman's natural position in this matter is telling with greater and greater force." Here writes the man who had hailed the advent of the New Woman in his praise of Ibsen and in his own Candida. A modern Don Juan, Shaw continues, does not even pretend to read Ovid (The Art of Love, Roman classic of eroticism); he has read "Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, studied Westermarck, and is concerned for the future of the race instead of for the freedom of his own instincts."
Bernard Shaw (1856–1950).  Man and Superman.  1903.

The Revolutionist’s Handbook and Pocket Companion 
BY
JOHN TANNER, M.I.R.C.
(Member of the Idle Rich Class).
(excerpted.)



  Revolutions have never lightened the burden of tyranny: they have only shifted it to another shoulder.
JOHN TANNER

  
I
ON GOOD BREEDING

IF there were no God, said the eighteenth century Deist, it would be necessary to invent Him. Now this XVIII century god was deus ex machina, the god who helped those who could not help themselves, the god of the lazy and incapable. The nineteenth century decided that there is indeed no such god; and now Man must take in hand all the work that he used to shirk with an idle prayer. He must, in effect, change himself into the political Providence which he formerly conceived as god; and such change is not only possible, but the only sort of change that is real. The mere transfiguration of institutions, as from military and priestly dominance to commercial and scientific dominance, from commercial dominance to proletarian democracy, from slavery to serfdom, from serfdom to capitalism, from monarchy to republicanism, from polytheism to monotheism, from monotheism to atheism, from atheism to pantheistic humanitarianism, from general illiteracy to general literacy, from romance to realism, from realism to mysticism, from metaphysics to physics, are all but changes from Tweedledum to Tweedledee: plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. But the changes from the crab apple to the pippin, from the wolf and fox to the house dog, from the charger of Henry V to the brewer’s draught horse and the race-horse, are real; for here Man has played the god, subduing Nature to his intention, and ennobling or debasing Life for a set purpose. And what can be done with a wolf can be done with a man. If such monsters as the tramp and the gentleman can appear as mere by-products of Man’s individual greed and folly, what might we not hope for as a main product of his universal aspiration?
   8
  This is no new conclusion. The despair of institutions, and the inexorable “ye must be born again,” with Mrs Poyser’s stipulation, “and born different,” recurs in every generation. The cry for the Superman did not begin with Nietzsche, nor will it end with his vogue. But it has always been silenced by the same question: what kind of person is this Superman to be? You ask, not for a super-apple, but for an eatable apple; not for a superhorse, but for a horse of greater draught or velocity. Neither is it of any use to ask for a Superman: you must furnish a specification of the sort of man you want. Unfortunately you do not know what sort of man you want. Some sort of goodlooking philosopher-athlete, with a handsome healthy woman for his mate, perhaps.   9
  Vague as this is, it is a great advance on the popular demand for a perfect gentleman and a perfect lady. And, after all, no market demand in the world takes the form of exact technical specification of the article required. Excellent poultry and potatoes are produced to satisfy the demand of housewives who do not know the technical differences between a tuber and a chicken. They will tell you that the proof of the pudding is in the eating; and they are right. The proof of the Superman will be in the living; and we shall find out how to produce him by the old method of trial and error, and not by waiting for a completely convincing prescription of his ingredients.  10
  Certain common and obvious mistakes may be ruled out from the beginning. For example, we agree that we want superior mind; but we need not fall into the football club folly of counting on this as a product of superior body. Yet if we recoil so far as to conclude that superior mind consists in being the dupe of our ethical classifications of virtues and vices, in short, of conventional morality, we shall fall out of the fryingpan of the football club into the fire of the Sunday School. If we must choose between a race of athletes and a race of “good” men, let us have the athletes: better Samson and Milo than Calvin and Robespierre. But neither alternative is worth changing for: Samson is no more a Superman than Calvin. What then are we to do?

[As Tony Di Nozzo of TV's NCIS observed after quoting Neitzsche's maxim concerning that which is not fatal, one must be careful to remember that the man died insane. That is not to gloat. It merely underscores the fact that humans exist in a temporary entropic cosmos for a reason, and to view anything we do as having any lasting significance is a perverse fallacy:


In 1898 and 1899 Nietzsche suffered at least two strokes, which partially paralysed him and left him unable to speak or walk. After contracting pneumonia in mid-August 1900 he had another stroke during the night of August 24 / August 25, and died about noon on August 25.[43] Elisabeth had him buried beside his father at the church in Röcken bei Lützen. His friend, Gast, gave his funeral oration, proclaiming: "Holy be your name to all future generations!"[44] Nietzsche had written in Ecce Homo (at the time of the funeral still unpublished) of his fear that one day his name would be regarded as "holy".] 



News flash! Stop eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil! The Devil is a liar.

Genesis 3
 4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

 5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

The humanist view of Man's future:

“If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face -- forever.”





The Christian view of Man's future:


-Thad Jones, (American Blogger, 1961- when my God appoints.)







Wednesday, January 11, 2012




Just so everyone is clear on the topic. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Jews or anybody else being "good with money". I agree with everything Rabbi Lapin says here. The problem is when Jews and complicit Gentiles are bad with money. As the Rabbi alludes, the love of money is the root of all manner of evil. ( The idea of "root" also carries the idea of fractal progression:
Genesis 1
11And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

12And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

13And the evening and the morning were the third day.

It also has migrated from botany to mathematics: "square root", "cube root" and so forth...)

1 Timothy 6

3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing ; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith ; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time -He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion ! Amen.

Matthew 13

24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.


Amos 8

 4Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,

 5Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

 6That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?

 7The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.

Sunday, January 08, 2012

The difference between a "safety net" and a publicly-funded "magic carpet":


(excerpted)

So who are these people working for? I think the time has come that we fired the whole lot, and hauled them off in chains to await trial and sentence for treason. ( Don't get too excited about that, maternal-basement-dwelling leftists. Your ideology will then be treated as the criminal, seditious and treasonous activity that it is, and you'll either have to find work or some private sector suckers to support you. Those of you who opt to remain on the public teat can find subsistence level accommodations at the KBR detention facilities. That should inspire you to find some way to actually contribute to our civilization in a productive and gainful way.)


Made Perfect Through Suffering by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman.
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Rom. 8:18).

I kept for nearly a year the flask-shaped cocoon of an emperor moth. It is very peculiar in its construction. A narrow opening is left in the neck of the flask, through which the perfect insect forces its way, so that a forsaken cocoon is as entire as one still tenanted, no rupture of the interlacing fibers having taken place. The great disproportion between the means of egress and the size of the imprisoned insect makes one wonder how the exit is ever accomplished at all--and it never is without great labor and difficulty. It is supposed that the pressure to which the moth's body is subjected in passing through such a narrow opening is a provision of nature for forcing the juices into the vessels of the wings, these being less developed at the period of emerging from the chrysalis than they are in other insects.

I happened to witness the first efforts of my prisoned moth to escape from its long confinement. During a whole forenoon, from time to time, I watched it patiently striving and struggling to get out. It never seemed able to get beyond a certain point, and at last my patience was exhausted. Very probably the confining fibers were drier and less elastic than if the cocoon had been left all winter on its native heather, as nature meant it to be. At all events I thought I was wiser and more compassionate than its Maker, and I resolved to give it a helping hand. With the point of my scissors I snipped the confining threads to make the exit just a very little easier, and lo! immediately, and with perfect case, out crawled my moth dragging a huge swollen body and little shrivelled wings. In vain I watched to see that marvelous process of expansion in which these silently and swiftly develop before one's eyes; and as I traced the exquisite spots and markings of divers colors which were all there in miniature, I longed to see these assume their due proportions and the creature to appear in all its perfect beauty, as it is, in truth, one of the loveliest of its kind. But I looked in vain. My false tenderness had proved its ruin. It never was anything but a stunted abortion, crawling painfully through that brief life which it should have spent flying through the air on rainbow wings. I have thought of it often, often, when watching with pitiful eyes those who were struggling with sorrow, suffering, and distress; and I would fain cut short the discipline and give deliverance. Short-sighted man! How know I that one of these pangs or groans could be spared? The far-sighted, perfect love that seeks the perfection of its object does not weakly shrink from present, transient suffering. Our Father's love is too true to be weak. Because He loves His children, He chastises them that they may be partakers of His holiness. With this glorious end in view, He spares not for their crying. Made perfect through sufferings, as the Elder Brother was, the sons of God are trained up to obedience and brought to glory through much tribulation. --Tract.

Join me on the wing, won't you, fellow butterflies?



Wednesday, January 04, 2012

So I'm researching Lou Rawls' "Natural Man" track for album info and cover art last night. I'd erased all my ID3 tags in a vain experiment in resolving cover art issues with my iPods. I spent a lot of time last week rebuilding my music library in iTunes after that fiasco. Anyway, I started looking for what I thought was a Lou Rawls cut that had "Lady" in the title. It turns out that it was "Lady Blue" by L.R. That's Leon Russell. It's an honest mistake. Despite their radically different physical aspects, the two vocalist's voices sound practically identical. Counter-intuitively, Leon Russell's is more soulful. So I'm watching him on YouTube and I notice other videos for '70's pop music. Bread. England Dan, et al. The Carpenters. Superstar, with songwriting credits to L.Russell/B.Bramlett.
So I google the song. Wikipedia.
In the 1995 comedy film Tommy Boy, David Spade's character and Chris Farley's character argue over what music to listen to on the radio (Farley prefers heavy metal; Spade prefers more modern rock) when they stumble upon this song. Both insist that the other should turn to another station if the song offends them; in the next scene, both of them are loudly (and emotionally) singing the song's chorus. The song was also used in the 2007 movie, Ghost Rider, with Nicolas Cage as the Ghost Rider. In the movie, Donal Logue tries to turn off "Superstar", when Cage defends the song and states that nobody messes with Karen Carpenter. On the Ghost Rider official soundtrack, a song is entitled "A Thing for Karen Carpenter".
(Of course, there's nothing supernatural about the timing of this:)

Then I remember Neil Peart's bio:

This put Rush on indefinite hiatus for the first time, and prompted Neil to write "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road", his second book.
Trivia
Close friends with actor Nicholas Cage.

How many "degrees of separation" is that? When I e-mailed "An Open Letter to the People of the Jews" in November of '04, Nicholas Cage's movie "National Treasure" was at the height of its promotional prominence:

I knew that the spiritual impact would be massive. The preternatural Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami the following month brought to mind this passage of scripture:

Isaiah 27



I have had this on my mind of late, and then I saw this innocuous commercial on TV:


One wonders where the creators of the cartoon get their ideas. (The yin yang is an Asian symbol.)


(...and are You f-in' kidding me:


Ultra-Star : Yin Yang
 )




draco.JPG


hydra.JPG

Genesis 1
14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.






Mazel tov




Luke 2

25And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

26And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

28Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

29Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

33And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

34And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

35(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.


Revelation 12

1And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

2And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

3And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

5And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

12Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

13And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

14And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.


17And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.


Genesis 49
8Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.


9Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?


10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.


11Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:


12His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
...a lion's whelp, as a lion, and as an old lion? Is that Hydra below Leo Major?

Daniel 12
1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.


2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.


3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.


4But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.


5Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.


6And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?


7And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.


8And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?


9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.


10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.


11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.


12Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.


13But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.


Revelation 5


1And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.


2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?


3And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.


4And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.


5And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.


6And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.


7And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.


8And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.


9And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;


10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.


11And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;


12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.


13And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.


14And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.


The serpent through the woman through the man to God. God through the Man through the woman to the serpent.


Sympathy For The Devil
Rolling Stones (excerpted)


Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and faith


And I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate


Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game


....uh, nope. It's the other way around:


John 8


43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.


44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.


... it was my Jesus that "Made damn sure that Pilate washed his hands and sealed your fate:


Matthew 16


21From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.


22Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.


23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.


Matthew 27


11And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.


12And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.


13Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?


14And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.


15Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.


16And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.


17Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?


18For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.


19When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.


20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.


21The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.


22Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.


23And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.


24When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.


25Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.


Exodus 12
12For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.


13And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.


14And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.


Exodus 12


21Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.


22And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.


23For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.


24And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.


25And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.


26And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?


27That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.


Numbers 24


1And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.


2And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.


3And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:


4He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:


5How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!


6As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.


7He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.


8God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.


9He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.


10And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.


11Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.


12And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,


13If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?


14And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.


15And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:


16He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:


17I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.


18And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.


19Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.


20And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.


21And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.


22Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.


23And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!


24And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.


25And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.


Deuteronomy 23
3An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:


4Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.


5Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.


6Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.


Nehemiah 13


1On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;


2Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
(Update 1-21-12:
Ruth 4
9And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.


10Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.


11And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
[Who is the most famous Person born in Bethlehem Ephratah?]


12And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.


13So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
[Mazel tov!]
14And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
[I'll give you a hint:2012 A.D.]
15And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.


16And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.


17And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
...curse into blessing, indeed.)
Jude


1Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:


2Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.


3Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.


4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.


5I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.


6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.


7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.


8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.


9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.


10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.


11Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.


12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;


13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.


14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,


15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.


16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.


17But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;


18How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.


19These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.


20But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,


21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.


22And of some have compassion, making a difference:


23And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.


24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,


25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen
(It is somehow very appropriate that St. Jude Thaddaeus is the patron saint of hopeless causes. Mine are about as hopeless as it gets.)