thechristiancompass.com

 by Sharon Wyper

The editor forwarded a  press release to me for comment here, pertaining to the rumors of imminent disclosures to be made of a long-standing cover-up by the USA and other governments who have recovered bodies and craft from space aliens, and even made contact with them.

The July 28 press release, from christiannewswire.com, is titled “Could Aliens Become Spiritual Mentors?” and breathlessly asked the question “Is our society about to acknowledge the existence of aliens?”  This is brought on because “Just last week former NASA astronaut Edgar Mitchell, speaking on BBC Radio, said aliens exist and have been observing earth for “quite some time.”"

In fact, if one follows such things, many credible witnesses have attested to the reality of UFOs and visitors who are “not of this world” - usually to the jeers and scoffing of nearly everyone everywhere.   What does seem to have changed is the attitude of the media toward the subject, if only by a little, given the stature of the speaker.

This is a fascinating and scary press release on the “aliens from space’ topic from Christian News Wire, in that it is trying to make the case that an alien invasion might inspire us earthlings to be more spiritually aware, bringing wisdom and higher planes of existence to us  - who are less evolved!  Since I have long ago given up Science Fiction as a hobby, I was unaware of the movies cited, but the trend as described is clearly toward mind-controlled Hollywood propaganda prepping us to accept aliens (spirits not of God) as religious gurus - if not as demi-gods.  That is so scary.

This press release says, “We can always choose to embrace the unknown–the alien–instead of fearing it.”

Well, doh! - maybe we could get back to the Bible!  What about we just return to God our Creator, the Lord, God, and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved.  We could be protected from these devious unclean alien intruders by God Almighty, instead of welcoming them into our bosom.

Non-human intelligent beings are very much evident in the Bible, and are of two sorts, the Servants of God, ministering spirits who have gone forth on the earth, who always point men to Jesus Christ, and the Devil, whose servants are evil, adversaries of God, thieves, who come only to kill, steal, and destroy.  What is so hard to understand about that!?  Yes, they are here and have always been here.  It’s all in the Bible.  Also in the Bible are the complete instructions for dealing with them.

Also, by extension, Christian Newswire  now seems sort of scary - why would any “Christian” source offer a story like this?  You can read the whole thing here.  What do you think of this press release?

Tags: Christianity, Culture, Doctrine, Uncategorized by Sharon
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by Linda Emmons

Since our society has long abandoned formal, “proper” introductions of unmarried people to one another, and most frown on arranged marriages, what is a Christian single person to do? Being a Christian single has it’s benefits, and some people are called to that lifestyle. But if you or someone you know is part of the majority of Believers, those who know God has a soul-mate “out there” for them somewhere, and hate the sterile, ineffective approaches of typical dating services, Cache Connections may be for you.

Cache Connections is the outgrowth of the matchmaking abilities of friends and business partners Kim Whitaker and Linda Martin. Believing that a faith-based, personal approach to finding a mate was lacking, the two women started a matchmaking service. Soon it became apparent that they needed a larger pool of singles and decided to take Cache Connections online in February, 2007.

Kim and Linda said “We built the service exclusively for Christians…It has always been crucial that we are lifting up in prayer our clients and all areas of the business and committing every aspect to be done in a God-pleasing manner. We believe God hard-wires in everyone a destiny to be completed here on earth, so we take this role very seriously.”

A cache is a hidden treasure, and some of the unique characteristics of Cache Connections are the personalized, interactive services intended to bring out the treasure in the people they serve.  Cache tries to help members understand themselves and develop healthy relationships. Kim and Linda  host online chats to stay in touch with members and provide support from Dr.s Tom and Beverly Rodgers, relationship therapists, international speakers and authors of multiple books on Christian relationships.

Cache adds interest by hosting live chats and a “dating game” segment where a single is spotlighted and they narrow choices down to finalists.

To get started, prospective members must agree to a statement of faith, provide a credit card, and answer a questionnaire.  The members are given a series of choices to describe their  faith and how it plays out in their daily lives. The questions are designed to be a teaching tool, guiding members to think about who they are and what they are looking for in a mate.  The next task to register is photo submission. Since other sites tempt members to use outdated photos, Cache members are required to submit photos reflecting a more present reality.

Cache Connections is unabashedly Christian, and scriptural context is provided on their site for all the activities. Check them out further at http://www.cacheconnections.com/

Quick Facts:
Founders: Kim Whitaker and Linda Martin
Current members are from 20-80 years old; Average member age range is 35-48 years old
Geographical area covered is worldwide, although being a new service, many are clustered in Cache’s home base of Illinois.

Tags: Uncategorized by Sharon
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by Linda Emmons

We don’t post all of the stories on TCC that generate interest in our little shop. One such story, from The Telegraph, a U.K. non-Christian publication, ignited some conversations within our staff and we wondered what our readers think.

Click here to see the original story, about a woman, Lorna Byrne, who sees angels on a regular basis.

The first question that came to my mind, is this for real? The unspecified author is clearly not a Christian, since he or she thinks it odd that someone could talk to G-d directly. Any Christian would understand that of course we can talk directly with G-d; we need no mediator since Jesus/Yeshua is our high priest and He leads the way for us into The Throne Room.

Anyone even casually familiar with The Holy Bible knows that humans have seen and interacted with angels since the beginning of history. The Telegraph reporter didn’t appear to  know that, either. We would have better clues as to the validity of this woman’s visions if this article had been presented from a less secular viewpoint. So the second question, is it possible to trust media bias when they attempt to write about things in which they have no subject matter knowledge?

Sharon, TCC’s talented webmaster, wondered if Byrne’s visions weren’t “…a gift of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Bible as ‘discerning of spirits?’ ” What do you think, based on what we know from this article and Holy Scriptures, and perhaps personal experience?

This conversation lead to an examination of Genesis 1, wondering if we could tell when angels were actually created. Some seem to think the angels (and Satan) were created before the “six days” of creation.

Sharon thinks, “that if so, this would indicate that Genesis 1 refers ONLY to the creation of the earth and local-to-earth phenomena.  The whole rest of the universe must have come prior to Genesis 1:1. However, that does not “feel” right.  Then, the clear reading of the text is that the Earth is the centerpiece and the rest of the Universe is just an accessory to it.  The angels do not precede the creation of the Earth as described in Genesis; although they are not mentioned specifically, they must be in the sequence somewhere — or are they completely outside of Creation as described in Genesis?  They would have to be if they predate the Earth.”

Had we been blogging this, my next entry would have been something like “I think the angels predate the earth. they aren’t mentioned at all in the first chapter of Genesis, so why couldn’t they have had prior existence? Especially since I don’t think there are verses elsewhere that say when they were created…and that the universe as we perceive it was created then doesn’t mean there wasn’t another dimension of existence that Heaven occupies before all of that. Everything i have read in science indicates a big big bang–and that although they don’t know where a center would be, that the universe continues to grow and expand. And yes, I think all that is for our benefit.”

Then we discussed whether there was a prequel to Genesis. What about it, what do your studies indicate?

My thought is yeah, why not? Scientists say that at the moment of creation there were 10-12 dimensions…clearly a lot more is going on than we can see right now, and since G-d is eternal, HE didn’t come into existence with our universe. His nature is to create–why not assume He created something before our universe? I think “the beginning” refers to us and what we can know about, not everything G-d knows about.

Dear Readers, this is your chance to dazzle and inform! I went waaaaaay out on a limb, stating what I think. I am not a theologian or scientist, but I do like to contemplate the nature of G-d and His creation. What can you share with us to correct or otherwise add to the conversation?

Tags: Uncategorized by Sharon
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by David Wyper

What does God have to say about our imagination?

Through Moses, God said of mankind that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” After hearing the words of a curse, man then blesses “himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst.” God says our imagination will testify against us and evils and troubles will befall us.

God has Solomon call our imagination “wicked,” and Jeremiah calls us deceived when we think our imagination can bring peace and that “no evil shall come upon you.” Jeremiah also compares our imagination to rebellion against God.

Jesus said the the proud are scattered “in the imagination of their hearts.”

Also, Paul refers to our imagination as vain and something to be cast down as it is a “high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.”

Yet, in the last decade or so,  the church has lifted up a song glorifying the imagination to be one of the most successful songs in Christian music, and God’s people have followed after like lemmings, singing, “I Can Only Imagine.”

Go figure.

We need to always fix our faith and trust in the absolutely finished work of Christ on the Cross; and (as Paul teaches) to not go beyond what is written.

Genesis 6:5 - And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Deuteronomy 29:19 & 20 - And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:  The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.

Deuteronomy 31:21 - And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.

Proverbs 6:18 - An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Jeremiah 23:17 & 18 - They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.  For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?

Lamentations 3:60-63 - Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.  Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me; The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.  Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.

Luke 1:51 - He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

Romans 1:21 - Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

2 Corinthians 10:5 - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Tags: Christianity, Culture, David Wyper, Doctrine, Uncategorized by Sharon
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