Dear friends and readers,
The HIGH HOLY DAYS are here!
So why should followers of Christ care about the High Holy Days? (Comment often heard), "I mean after all they are just some Old Testament--dusty old tome writings and WE are after all saved by grace, not the law"! Well, who could possibly argue with that?
However in that argument there are several shades of grey and a fair amount of confusion. Let's take the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) for example. If you ask most Christians about the Ten Commandments you will find a very "hot button" issue. As Christians we become highly incensed because the Commandments are being ripped off the walls of school hallways and the fronts of the nations court houses. All in the name of "POLITICAL CORRECTNESS"! HOW DARE THEY!!!
And most Christians will say that most indubitably, YES, the Ten Commandments still apply to us as followers of Christ. Hruuuumph! Take your filthy Philistine hands off OUR Ten Commandments.
Well---except for the fourth Commandment because after all, we ARE saved by grace and everybody knows that "Doing no work on the Sabbath and keeping it Holy?" is just so much Jewish legalism. I mean gee whiz, God can't really be serious about THAT. Who would drive the bus to Disneyland next Saturday for our church youth day?
So does that mean that we also don't need to take literally the Commands to honor our father and mother, refrain from murder, committing adultery, stealing, lying or lusting after our neighbors stuff?
Ok so Pastor Rance, why did you have to bring up all this confusing theology? I mean why make us think about THAT stuff?
SHADES OF GREY and confusion.
And for the record, we most definitely should be outraged about degrading the Ten Commandments and what you personally believe about the fourth Commandment is entirely your business. But can you see my point? It is so easy to "cherry pick" what we want from scripture and ignore what we don't.
Well my friends, the HIGH HOLY DAYS are another example of exactly that. In fairness, for generations long since past many of the "church fathers" taught that we do not need to take seriously the High Holy Days because they have zilch to do with us as followers of Christ.
Of course somehow you do have to explain away why Jesus Himself "secretly" attended the High Holy Day feast of TABERNACLES (John chapter 7) or why Jesus chose 4 of the other Biblical Spring time feast days to EXACTLY accomplish the prophesied events of His death and resurrection. But hey, why split hairs, right?
The truth is that ALL of the seven Biblical feast and days of repentance do very much apply to us as followers of the Lord. Unfortunately over the eons, the richness of these Biblical days has in most part become lost to us but that does not mean they do not have application for us.
So for review, Leviticus 23 Begins with GOD telling Moses "AND THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES, SAYING, SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY TO THEM: THE FEASTS OF THE LORD, WHICH YOU SHALL PROCLAIM TO BE HOLY CONVOCATIONS, THESE ARE MY FEASTS"!
Ah yes but God---and Moses were speaking to Israel, not to us as Christians. Fair enough. But if you stand upon that argument, how do you handle the New Testament book of Romans chapter 11 in which the Apostle Paul clearly teaches that it is the root of Israel that supports our faith in Christ? Does that make us Jews? No. Does that lash us to legalism? No. We are in fact saved by grace. But we also cannot explain away why it was that JESUS THE CHRIST OF GOD, chose 4 of the Spring time feasts to EXACTLY fulfill seminal events of His first coming.
Leviticus 23 lists the Sping time feasts as 1). PASSOVER 2). UNLEAVENED BREAD 3). FIRST FRUITS 4). PENTECOST.
FACT: These feast days were decreed by GOD HUNDREDS OF YEARS before Christ walked the earth. Yet He chose to give His life on the cross of Calvary precisely on PASSOVER! He chose to be buried PRECISELY on UNLEAVENED BREAD. He chose to be resurrected from the grave PRECISELY on FIRST FRUITS and 50 days later PRECISELY on PENTECOST came the Holy Spirit to the fledgling church that Jesus founded, (Acts chapter 2).
Coincidence you say? Don't think so!
So, the question is simple; If Jesus chose to fulfill these monumental events of His first coming precisely on feast days that God Himself declared in Leviticus, is there a possibility that Jesus might at some point in future years also choose to fulfill seminal events of His second coming on the last three High Holy Days, each of which (in order) were also decreed in Leviticus as 1). TRUMPETS (ROSH HASHANA). 2). DAY OF ATONEMENT (YOM KIPPUR) 3). TABERNACLES (SUKKOT)?
CAUTION HERE!!!
We know exactly what happened in the past but we cannot know for certain anything about the future. So please, if you are tempted to think that what I am about to SPECULATE ABOUT will happen with 100% assurance---DON'T! But we do have to remember that God NEVER changes and
that also may mean that when it comes to the first and second coming of Christ, God may well follow the exact order we see listed in Leviticus for all 7 Biblical feast days and days of repentance.
If nothing more---EXTREMELY provocative possibilities!
So could that mean that at some future point in time 1). TRUMPETS might equate to the Rapture of the church? 2). DAY OF ATONEMENT equate to the Second Coming? 3). TABERNACLES might equate to the beginning of the millennial reign of Christ upon this earth?
In fairness to other writers and scholars, some folks like to reverse TRUMPETS/RAPTURE with ATONEMENT/RAPTURE. But I don't see that myself but then again I am not God and neither are they. That argument gets into the PRE/MID/POST fiasco so lets not even go there shall we? Only time will tell.
The point is that after reading this, I will have failed miserably if you cannot recognize that that High Holy Days (and in fact all of the seven decreed Biblical days) are in fact extremely significant to both the Jews and to the Gentile followers of Christ.
And I would be remiss by not reminding that the "CHURCH" of Jesus Christ is made up of both Jew and Gentile who have repented sincerely for their sins and placed their faith in the Jewish Messiah, JESUS!
God bless you all,
Pastor Rance.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Friday, September 20, 2019
DAYS OF LOT ARE UPON US--"Free the nipple" campaign?? Really?
Dear friends and readers.
I guess I should NOT be surprised!!! The days of LOT---Sodom and Gomorrah really are upon us.
I have been coming across some articles that frankly I doubted until doing some research. Did you know that it is now apparently legal in six States for women to walk around in public completely topless? Yes indeed, and these States include, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming. Plus apparently in Colorado it is legal for girls to appear topless in public as young as 11 years old. And no, I did not come of with that name. It is really being advertised as "FREE THE NIPPLE"!
I would imagine that many men out there are applauding and sincerely hope that this becomes a national trend. I am not one of them!
I have ministered in a third world country for many years and among many of the indigenous folk, openly breast feeding in public is no big deal because for them, a woman's breast is merely a God given device with which to feed your children. But, as we all know, for much of the rest of the world, particularly in western nations, the female breast has long since been elevated (or should I say--relegated) to a symbol of ultimate sexuality.
Fortunately the majority of women still maintain and believe in a modicum of respectability and social grace that requires some modesty. I can imagine that more States will follow over a period of time but probably those women who choose to expose themselves will begin doing so at beaches and resorts although having seen some of the recent hollywood event gowns this year, it would seem that the title of this movement "FREE THE NIPPLE" is becoming more and more fashionable.
So whats the deal here?? Apparently this trend was and is being pushed by the LGBTQ+ community with an apparent goal by some to add the letter "P" for PEDOPHILE! That's right folks it is coming our way. The "LETS DO PEDOPHILE" perverts are going after our children with sex on their minds. And I have no doubts whatsoever that those days will eventually come as well. But after all we do have to be "POLITICALLY CORRECT" don't we? I remember well back in the day, when it was announced that garbage collectors would hence forth be known as "SANITARY ENGINEERS"! So don't be surprised when you begin to see the pedophile movement using terms like "MINOR ATTRACTED PERSONS"!
According to the NY POST, Forty Collins, Colorado has been fighting the female topless in public issue for some time in court. Reported also by NBC News, the city decided not to continue this challenge because of outrageous costs of litigation. The decision not to move the court case any further effectively legalizes the topless practice in all of the six States covered by the 10th District Court of Appeals. Which will conceivably empower more and more of a push for the topless phenomenon in many other States over the course of time.
The argument over this issue by proponents seems to be along these lines; Men have breasts also and can walk around virtually anywhere they want with their nipples exposed so why should we women be discriminated against based upon our gender? WOW---OK now, we have the crux of the issue!
EQUALITY OF THE SEXES. Well, even I am for that but being an old fashioned guy, I have always championed for women earning the same as men---equal opportunity in the work force etc. Anything else than that kind of equality is shameful in my opinion. But then---call me silly, there are limits to good old fashioned conservative values that demand modesty in public. Nor can I even imagine the average husband being wild about his wife parading around with her breasts exposed. I mean what do you tell little Johnny or Jane about why mom is letting it all hang out? But then, whoops, I forgot what my last trip to Disneyland was like. Lot's and lot's of eye candy with husbands and kiddies in tow!
I was in Law Enforcement back in the roaring 60's. Woodstock, sexual revolution, free sex, and the ban the bra movement--Under the guise of women's rights. In some of California's largest cities it was popular for a while to have large female rallies, the center of which was a bonfire. The whole idea was to demonstrate female equality by attendees ripping off their blouses and bras and throwing the bras into the fire. Of course the NEXT rally was attended by thousands of more people---evidence of this new and exciting social movements popularity? Frankly I was amazed that these "freedom, equality seeking women" seemed not to notice that the much larger crowds were made up primarily of men coming to "sneak a peak"! Officers like me were there---on duty of course--so I know it really happened---guys actually being bussed in for the event!
So, I guess this new "FREE THE NIPPLE" campaign is nothing new after all. BUT IT IS! Because now apparently whole States are giving in to this lunacy. Not to mention a push to try and force open restrooms for all sexes including in schools. Or allowing men who claim they suddenly like to think of themselves as women, being allowed to compete in women's sporting everts. Society is breaking down before our very eyes!
I'm sorry but this is WRONG WRONG WRONG. Actually I am not sorry at all because it is just plain WRONG!
But then as stated earlier, I am apparently an official fossil from a much older and far different universe. So in the unlikely event that there are any ladies out there reading this article, who think I am being unfair to their gender by suggesting it is appropriate to keep "the girls" covered up, please know that I also take an extremely dim view of men who walk around with the "cracks" of their bottoms exposed and even more so, for guys who think they need to demonstrate their "MACHO" to prove they are real men. So lady's from a man who does fully appreciate the feminine gender, please know that for many us, we think that a woman is far more attractive while fully clothed than one who is walking around "butt naked"! After all---where is the mystery in that?
Lastly, all of this new sexual abandon---at least for me and coming from a Biblical perspective, only reenforces my belief that we really are living in the end times. What else can it be while witnessing a wholesale rush to embrace the very things that destroyed ancient Sodom and Gomorrah?
LUKE 17:28-30 "LIKEWISE ALSO AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF LOT; THEY DID EAT, THEY DRANK, THEY BOUGHT, THEY SOLD, THEY PLANTED, THEY BUILT. BUT THE SAME DAY THAT LOT WENT OUT OF SODOM IT RAINED FIRE AND BRIMSTONE FROM HEAVEN, AND DESTROYED THEM ALL"!
And what was the sin of Sodom? Free sex, often perverted, no doubt public nudity, and I am very certain drugs and drunkenness! Who knows what else was going on there but of one thing I am certain.
GOD DID NOT LIKE IT!
The times are evil and getting worse by the day.
Come quickly Lord Jesus,
For those of you---both men and women who still value modesty,
God bless,
Pastor Rance.
I guess I should NOT be surprised!!! The days of LOT---Sodom and Gomorrah really are upon us.
I have been coming across some articles that frankly I doubted until doing some research. Did you know that it is now apparently legal in six States for women to walk around in public completely topless? Yes indeed, and these States include, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming. Plus apparently in Colorado it is legal for girls to appear topless in public as young as 11 years old. And no, I did not come of with that name. It is really being advertised as "FREE THE NIPPLE"!
I would imagine that many men out there are applauding and sincerely hope that this becomes a national trend. I am not one of them!
I have ministered in a third world country for many years and among many of the indigenous folk, openly breast feeding in public is no big deal because for them, a woman's breast is merely a God given device with which to feed your children. But, as we all know, for much of the rest of the world, particularly in western nations, the female breast has long since been elevated (or should I say--relegated) to a symbol of ultimate sexuality.
Fortunately the majority of women still maintain and believe in a modicum of respectability and social grace that requires some modesty. I can imagine that more States will follow over a period of time but probably those women who choose to expose themselves will begin doing so at beaches and resorts although having seen some of the recent hollywood event gowns this year, it would seem that the title of this movement "FREE THE NIPPLE" is becoming more and more fashionable.
So whats the deal here?? Apparently this trend was and is being pushed by the LGBTQ+ community with an apparent goal by some to add the letter "P" for PEDOPHILE! That's right folks it is coming our way. The "LETS DO PEDOPHILE" perverts are going after our children with sex on their minds. And I have no doubts whatsoever that those days will eventually come as well. But after all we do have to be "POLITICALLY CORRECT" don't we? I remember well back in the day, when it was announced that garbage collectors would hence forth be known as "SANITARY ENGINEERS"! So don't be surprised when you begin to see the pedophile movement using terms like "MINOR ATTRACTED PERSONS"!
According to the NY POST, Forty Collins, Colorado has been fighting the female topless in public issue for some time in court. Reported also by NBC News, the city decided not to continue this challenge because of outrageous costs of litigation. The decision not to move the court case any further effectively legalizes the topless practice in all of the six States covered by the 10th District Court of Appeals. Which will conceivably empower more and more of a push for the topless phenomenon in many other States over the course of time.
The argument over this issue by proponents seems to be along these lines; Men have breasts also and can walk around virtually anywhere they want with their nipples exposed so why should we women be discriminated against based upon our gender? WOW---OK now, we have the crux of the issue!
EQUALITY OF THE SEXES. Well, even I am for that but being an old fashioned guy, I have always championed for women earning the same as men---equal opportunity in the work force etc. Anything else than that kind of equality is shameful in my opinion. But then---call me silly, there are limits to good old fashioned conservative values that demand modesty in public. Nor can I even imagine the average husband being wild about his wife parading around with her breasts exposed. I mean what do you tell little Johnny or Jane about why mom is letting it all hang out? But then, whoops, I forgot what my last trip to Disneyland was like. Lot's and lot's of eye candy with husbands and kiddies in tow!
I was in Law Enforcement back in the roaring 60's. Woodstock, sexual revolution, free sex, and the ban the bra movement--Under the guise of women's rights. In some of California's largest cities it was popular for a while to have large female rallies, the center of which was a bonfire. The whole idea was to demonstrate female equality by attendees ripping off their blouses and bras and throwing the bras into the fire. Of course the NEXT rally was attended by thousands of more people---evidence of this new and exciting social movements popularity? Frankly I was amazed that these "freedom, equality seeking women" seemed not to notice that the much larger crowds were made up primarily of men coming to "sneak a peak"! Officers like me were there---on duty of course--so I know it really happened---guys actually being bussed in for the event!
So, I guess this new "FREE THE NIPPLE" campaign is nothing new after all. BUT IT IS! Because now apparently whole States are giving in to this lunacy. Not to mention a push to try and force open restrooms for all sexes including in schools. Or allowing men who claim they suddenly like to think of themselves as women, being allowed to compete in women's sporting everts. Society is breaking down before our very eyes!
I'm sorry but this is WRONG WRONG WRONG. Actually I am not sorry at all because it is just plain WRONG!
But then as stated earlier, I am apparently an official fossil from a much older and far different universe. So in the unlikely event that there are any ladies out there reading this article, who think I am being unfair to their gender by suggesting it is appropriate to keep "the girls" covered up, please know that I also take an extremely dim view of men who walk around with the "cracks" of their bottoms exposed and even more so, for guys who think they need to demonstrate their "MACHO" to prove they are real men. So lady's from a man who does fully appreciate the feminine gender, please know that for many us, we think that a woman is far more attractive while fully clothed than one who is walking around "butt naked"! After all---where is the mystery in that?
Lastly, all of this new sexual abandon---at least for me and coming from a Biblical perspective, only reenforces my belief that we really are living in the end times. What else can it be while witnessing a wholesale rush to embrace the very things that destroyed ancient Sodom and Gomorrah?
LUKE 17:28-30 "LIKEWISE ALSO AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF LOT; THEY DID EAT, THEY DRANK, THEY BOUGHT, THEY SOLD, THEY PLANTED, THEY BUILT. BUT THE SAME DAY THAT LOT WENT OUT OF SODOM IT RAINED FIRE AND BRIMSTONE FROM HEAVEN, AND DESTROYED THEM ALL"!
And what was the sin of Sodom? Free sex, often perverted, no doubt public nudity, and I am very certain drugs and drunkenness! Who knows what else was going on there but of one thing I am certain.
GOD DID NOT LIKE IT!
The times are evil and getting worse by the day.
Come quickly Lord Jesus,
For those of you---both men and women who still value modesty,
God bless,
Pastor Rance.
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