Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts

Saturday, March 2, 2024

PROPHECY: An Introduction and A Call to All the Children of God


A very important, critical prophetic word from the Mission of Divine Mercy Shrine in Texas.

Date posted to YouTube: February 28, 2024
Length: 30 minutes, 3 seconds

- Pseudo Boethius

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

PVK: Does He Get Us? Yes. Does He Make Demands on Us? Yes. Jesus' Diverse Ex...

OH NO!!! IT'S SNEAKY JESUS AT THE SUPERBOWL!!! HOW DARE HE!!!

The avalanche of negative Christian reaction videos to the "He Gets Us" commercials, and how incredibly bad so many of those reactions were, makes me just want to go off and be a Zen Buddhist or a secular humanist. I actually liked the commercials, though at first I didn't get them! But as I watched, I figured out that the "washing the feet" symbolism was actually quite brilliant. It was portraying the Jesus we really need deep down in our souls, not the confessional, systematic, containerized, religious, pie-in-the-sky Jesus that is often portrayed by our American religious systems. But then I'm an unapologetic fan of the "seeker sensitive" megachurch way of doing things.

As for all the Christian reactionaries out there, here's a passage for you all:

"And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. [Matthew 9 ESV]

And yes, Jesus is absolutely a model for us to follow. That was well understood up until Modernism came along, and then the liberals all decided that Jesus just wasn't relevant enough for SCIENCE!!! Then they made Jesus into a convenient trojan horse for whatever liberal political agenda was the center of their attention. We are seeing this right now with churches getting split down the middle having to deal with liberals trying to shove the Rainbow Flag agenda down everyone's throat. "Love is LOVE!!!" Well, maybe not. Here in America, Jesus has always been an excuse for all sorts of political movements, and some of them even made sense at the time. But we have long passed the point of diminishing returns using that strategy.

On the other hand, I know full well of the stupidity of my fundamentalist brothers in Christ, preaching and teaching that Christmas is just another pagan holiday and should not be celebrated, and Santa Claus is actually Satan, and The King James Bible is the only version you should be reading, as all the modern translations are corrupt. Both liberalism and the legalistic rigidity of conservatism are wrong. It's not about trying to find a happy middle way, it's about finding humility, holiness and love in Jesus.

Certainly in this life, and especially here in the USA, there are things, many things in fact, that Christians must take a stand *against.* There's no if's, and's or but's about it. One does not need to be angry or hateful about it, but one does need to firm in their convictions. On the other hand, there are things we need to take a stand for. And chief amongst those things, according to Jesus himself, is the call to repentance and transformation. We are to put off our old lives, take up our cross, and follow Him. And yes, that might mean a great increase in the pain and suffering that you will be dealing with, and no, people don't want to hear it. People want a Jesus who just affirms whatever choices they make, not one who tells them they are making bad choices. Just ask someone in AA.

People out there in the TLC know that Christians all over the world, but especially in Africa, are routinely persecuted unto death for their faith in Jesus, am I right? And some of the very worst of the persecution is in the country of Nigeria, and I won't even bother mentioning who are the main instigators of the persecution, you can go look that up for yourselves. People die for their faith in Jesus on a daily basis over there, no exageration.

From the Catholic News Agency:

As Christians in the country face a campaign of escalating violence, one Nigerian priest spoke to CNA about the suffering of the Church, and why he has hope of a final victory.

"I want other Catholics around the world to know of the suffering of our people," Fr. Joseph Bature of the Diocese of Maidiguri, told CNA Monday in Washington, D.C.

"Fr. Bature related the experience of trying to console a widow who had lost her children in violent anti-Christian attacks. "She had asked 'where are our other brothers and sisters? Do they know what we go through?'" he recounted.

"Our people feel isolated, because this situation sometimes is poorly reported," he said. "It's the loneliness, the sense of isolation, and the frustration."

Some IDF guy throws a hand grenade in Gaza, and the next thing you know, all the news outlets are reporting on the 527 woman and children killed by the hand grenade. But over in Nigeria, there has been a systematic, intentional effort to kill off the Christians in that country through whatever means necessary that's been going on for years, and you will NEVER hear about it in the news, NEVER. Why is that? You need to ask yourself these kind of questions. You need to pay attention.

And yet here's the prayer of a Nigerian man named Barnabas Nwoye, in the face of the reality in which he lives:

"Agonizing Jesus, I offer You my heart to be united with Your Agonizing Heart as a co-bearer of Your agony. Jesus, I want to be in agony with You so as to hasten Your Glorious Reign of Peace. Amen."

Now that's a prayer. Can't imagine any Protestant in the USA praying something like that.

Maybe some of you know enough history to know of the relentless persecution of of Armenians unto death at the hands of the Turks and their fellow travelers. But did any of you know that this is *still going on to this day?* It's not history, it's present day reality:

"Almost all ethnic Armenians have left Nagorno-Karabakh since Azerbaijan attacked and ordered the breakaway region’s militants to disarm, the Armenian government said on Saturday.

"Nazeli Baghdasaryan, the press secretary to Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, said 100,417 people had arrived in Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh, which had a population of about 120,000 before Azerbaijan reclaimed the region in a offensive last week."

"A total of 21,043 vehicles had crossed the Hakari bridge, which links Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, since last week, Baghdasaryan said. Some lined up for days because the winding mountain road that is the only route to Armenia became jammed."

"The departure of more than 80% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population raises questions about Azerbaijan’s plans for the enclave that was internationally recognised as part of its territory. The region’s separatist ethnic Armenian government said on Thursday that it would dissolve itself by the end of the year after a three-decade bid for independence."

This was all happening while that whole "Gaza" thing has been happening, but did you hear anything about this in the news? Ethnic Armenians had their own "enclave" in a majority Muslim dominated country, and they are all fleeing to the actual country of Armenia, otherwise they will all be killed. At least they were all able to flee to safety. Just like the people of Gaza were all able to flee to the neighboring country of Egypt...oops, the Egyptians won't allow that to happen now, will they? I guess the Egyptians aren't very good Christians.

Unlike Protestants, Catholics don't get all hung up in the "rapture" and all that nonsense. They know and expect that there will be some really bad things happening, and that the antichrist will come, but instead of looking at all the judgments and disasters that proceed the coming of Jesus, they instead like to focus on His bodily return to earth to set up a true utopia as promised throughout all the prophetic books in the Bible. Yes, things will get dark before the dawn, but there will be a dawn. For those Christians living in Nigeria, their own "end-times" is happening as we speak. To them, things couldn't possibly get much worse, why worry about a single antichrist when you are surrounded by them?

But then there are those living in the West. We certainly have our own crosses to bear, like the Italian mystic Luisa Piccarreta. On April 29, 1902, Jesus stopped by to visit Luisa, and they had the following conversation:

"This morning my adorable Jesus came for a little, telling me: "My daughter, one who wants everything from God must give all of himself to God." And He stopped, without telling me anything else for the time being. Seeing Him close to me, I said to Him: 'Lord, have compassion on me; don't You see how everything is dried and withered? It seems to me that I have become so dry, as if I had never received a drop of rain." And He: "So much the better. Don't you know that the drier the wood, the more easily the fire devours it and converts it into fire? One spark alone is enough to ignite it. But if it full of humors and not well dried, it takes a big fire to ignite it, and much time to convert it to fire. The same in the soul: when everything is dry, one spark alone is enough to convert her completely into fire of divine love."

This is why everyone needs to pay attention to the Christian mystics. You ain't gonna get that sort of thing reading Keller or Carson.

Oh, by the way: Happy Valentine's Day TLC! Why do we celebrate that day anyway? Because of this guy:

"The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death."

Someone should have told Claudius II that "love is love..." Oh well.

Oh, and by the way, Valentine's Day is a pagan holiday. Really. Just don't tell the New Atheists...

Here's some Valentine's Day presents for you all:

First, go out and buy the book "The Moment of Christian Witness" by the great theologian Hans Urs Von Balthasar. It's a small volume, just 150 pages, but it might be one of the best things he ever wrote. It will certainly be one of the best things you have ever read. You're welcome.

Secondly, go and find this music video and watch it: "Josh Turner - Long Black Train (Official Music Video)". You will be very glad you did.

And third, go and find this music video and watch it to the end: "A Simple Song" by Melinda Coombes. Her little talk at the end of this self-made music video is solid gold, as Melinda works at a retirement home.

My Valentine's Day present was hearing Dave singing "People Get Ready" in this video. I wish I could have been there for that, he did a great job.

- Pseudo Boethius

Monday, February 12, 2024

CHRISTIANITY: Food Truck Emily: How the Gospel of My Right Arm Has Failed Me

An incredible testimony from "Food Truck Emily" about her entire life. She's got quite the story to tell! This might be a two hour long video, but it goes very fast.

Date posted to YouTube: February 9, 2024
Length: 2 hours, 0 minutes, 19 seconds

- Pseudo Boethius

CHRISTIANITY: "He Gets Us" at the Super Bowl (with Ed Stetzer) [Think Biblically Podcast]

The story behind those viral 2024 Superbowl ads about Jesus.

"Step into the captivating world of faith and advertising with Talbot Dean Ed Stetzer in this Think Biblically podcast episode.

"Explore the groundbreaking "He Gets Us" campaign, a visionary effort by Christian business leaders and marketing experts to reshape contemporary views of Jesus, fostering curiosity and dialogue among skeptics and believers alike. Stetzer delves into the campaign's strategic approach to reach a broader audience, its significant impact on engagement with the Bible and church communities, and addresses the criticism it faces. Additionally, Ed provides details on a companion book to the campaign.

"This episode is a treasure trove for anyone fascinated by the innovative intersection of faith, culture, and marketing, offering deep reflections on making Jesus' message resonate in today's world."

Date posted to YouTube: February 6, 2024
Length: 40 minutes, 46 seconds

- Pseudo Boethius

NDE: Man Dies; Taught 10 Things You MUST do to Get Into Heaven

The path to salvation from a person who met Jesus in a near-death experience.

"Vincent Tolman had a Near-Death Experience (NDE) after taking a new weight loss supplement. He was dead for over 45 minutes and put into a body bag. He was taught 10 things you must know to get into Heaven and he was shown the future, which is amazing for some of us. A Near-Death Experience (NDE) occurs when someone dies, is revived, and knows there is life after death. For Vincent, his Near-Death Experience (NDE) was a life-altering experience that changed him forever."

Date posted to YouTube: November 23, 2023
Length: 22 minutes, 5 seconds

- Pseudo Boethius

Sunday, January 27, 2019

NDE: Howard Storm - The Plan (2019)



My favorite near-death experiencer, Howard Storm.  Howard met Jesus face-to-face in his death, and shares what Jesus told him.

He also shares what many people who pursue a spiritual life come to realize, that there really are not many people who are truly open to spiritual things, maybe one out of a hundred.   He's certainly not the first person to notice this, but it needs to be said. 

He also talks about the MOST IMPORTANT activity a person can engage in: prayer.  It really does work! 

2019-01-27  [P-B]

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

NDE: Al Diaz Visits Heaven, Meets Jesus!



Al is just a regular guy, who happened to die and meet Jesus!   He tells us his story in this video.

"Al Diaz nearly died on the operating table and went to Heaven and met the Lord Jesus Christ. He was given the choice to return and did, so that he could do more for the Lord. He is clearly filled with the Holy Spirit and has wonderful words of encouragement to share."

2019-01-02  [P-B]

Sunday, December 30, 2018

BIBLE: The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

The Rich Man and Lazarus

“There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,  who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores.

“Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  And in hell, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. So he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.’  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.  Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’

So the rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus to my father’s house  (for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’  But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’  Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’  He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Luke 16 - New English Translation

2018-12-30  [P-B]

Thursday, December 27, 2018

NDE: Overdosed and went to hell. Here's what I saw



Yes, there are a LOT of people who go to hell in their near-death experience, but you don't often hear about it, for what should be obvious reasons.   Yet they are the most motivated evangelists you will ever find!  Meagan Griffith went to hell after living a life devoted to drugs and alcohol.   She was trying, but not succeeding (at all) to get out of that life style.  She has a warning she wants everyone to hear.

2018-12-27  [P-B]

Sunday, December 23, 2018

THEOLOGY: JUDGED and SENT TO HELL


Often times it's the greatest sinners who have the greatest wisdom.  This young lady was a blatant, intentional sinner by her own admission, if it was wrong, she did it.  Until one day she realized she was on a path of destruction, and called out to Jesus. 

2018-12-23  [P-B]

Friday, December 14, 2018

ART: "The Prince of Peace"

"Prince of Peace"
She painted this portrait when she was 8 years old.

NDE: Both 4-year Boy Colton & 8-year Akiane Saw Lord Jesus Christ



HEAVEN IS FOR REAL!  Some of the best near death experiences are those related by children, it seems as if Heaven goes above and beyond when a child enters it's realm.  Absolutely incredible testimony!   Coulton Burpo literally sat on the lap of Jesus when he was in heaven as a four year old boy.  What's amazing is after he came back from the dead, and started telling his parents about his experience, his father showed him all the famous portraits of Jesus done by various artists over the years, and asked him for his opinion as to the accuracy of the depiction.  The only portrait of Jesus that met Coultan's approval was done by the child artist Akiane. 

2018-12-14  [P-B]

Thursday, December 13, 2018

ART: ''Painting The Impossible'' by Akiane Kramarik



One of my all time favorite artists: Akiane Kramarik tells how her entire life shaped her into a person who could finally paint the impossible:  one of the most beautiful portraits of Jesus ever.

2018-12-13  [P-B]

Thursday, August 16, 2018

NDE: Jesus Tells Woman in Coma, "Tell People to Follow My Laws!!!"

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Length: 00:07:04

A woman who came back from a coma with a message from Jesus.

P-B

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Friday, July 27, 2018

RELIGION: The Jesus Prayer Might Radically Change Your Prayer Life

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Length: 00:06:07

People still pray "The Jesus Prayer", a very simple, very effective form of prayer that is extremely well known amongst Eastern Orthodox Christians.

P-B

Saturday, July 7, 2018

ARTICLE: "I love Jesus but I want to die: what you need to know about suicide"

Saturday, July 07, 2018
What it feels like to be extremely depressed:
I was in California on a business trip, just yards from the beach, eating ice cream and laughing as the conversation drifted away from business. Eventually, somebody mentioned a friend-of-a-friend who had died by suicide.
The familiar ache and nausea filled my chest. My insides rattled when my coworker said he didn’t understand what would make someone feel like taking their life was the only option.
I swallowed hard and let out the breath I’d been holding. “I do.” For the first time in my life, I spoke up. “I completely get that. I’ve been there.”
My coworkers stared, jaws dangling in breathless shock. Finally, someone asked what it’s like to want to die. So I told them about the physical pain, the exhaustion, the heaviness. I told them it’s like dying of a terrible disease and wishing I could hurry it up, knowing things would only get worse.
P-B