victorychristian.net Blog http://victorychristian.net/blog Pastor John Gale's thoughts actually put into Blog form. Frightening isn't it? Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:05:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Phantom Cell Phone Vibrations http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/04/25/phantom-cell-phone-vibrations/ http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/04/25/phantom-cell-phone-vibrations/#comments Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:54:26 +0000 Administrator http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/04/25/phantom-cell-phone-vibrations/ Cell PhoneFor those of you who carry cell phones, which probably means almost everyone; have you ever experienced this strange phenomenon I like to call Phanton Cell Phone Vibration or PCPV?

It seems whenever I am in the car driving somewhere important I believe I feel my phone is vibrating.  My leg begins to buzz and as I try to steer the car with my knees I fumble around my seatbelt trying to remove my mobile phone from the holster on my waistband. (something no one should do) In frustration I look to find that it was not ringing at all.

What’s the deal with that?  It reminds me of stories about amputies who have phantom leg syndrome.  Where they feel their toes itching after they’ve been cut off.  Weird but true.

Researching the topic online I found dozens of incidents of people experiencing this phantom phone vibration thing.  So I guess I’m not going completey insane.  Despite what my wife says. 

It seems that the brain after getting accustomed to the vibrating phones on a regular basis  (My blackberry vibrates every time I get an email so at least once every fifteen minutes)   the muscles in your leg or hip or wherever you keep your phone can actually send signals to your brain as if your phone is ringing even when it’s not.  It’s like your leg is playing tricks on you.

A phantom ring vibration could make you respond for no reason…. hmm now how can this be used to show a spiritual comparison? 

Have you ever verbally responded to someone in a way that was inappropriate?  Maybe someone said something to you in a conversation that you took the wrong way and you quickly spoke out of turn; only to be embarassed later by your quick response.  Of course, this rarely happens to me…well maybe occassionally.  Again, ask my wife.

Just like those phanton vibrations that happen in the car, I need to not be so quick to react ….  after all it may be nothing. 

Next time, let it ring.

Blessings,

Pastor John

]]> http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/04/25/phantom-cell-phone-vibrations/feed/ 0 The Stain of Sin http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/18/the-stain-of-sin/ http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/18/the-stain-of-sin/#comments Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:38:56 +0000 Administrator http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/18/the-stain-of-sin/ If you haven’t seen the Tide pen commercial yet where the stain speaks gibberish over the person at a job interview it will leave you in stiches.

But there is significant comparisons in our lives when it comes to the stain of sin.  In the commercial the job applicant is trying to tell his potential employer about all the achievements he’s made but none of it can be heard because of the stain speaking loudly over top of the applicants voice. 

 How similar does sin overshadow our lives and become a nagging persistant voice overpowering our own thoughts and efforts.  Has the devil ever told you that you were no good?  That you’ll never amount to anything.  That you are so messed up you’ll never make it in life.  That’s just like the stain in the Tide commercial.  Speaking loudly over what you are trying to accomplish.

 The stain of sin is real, it is a dark blot on our spirit’s and it keeps us seperated from the love of God.  But as we come close to celebrating Easter Sunday; don’t forget about the cleansing blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ who gave the ultimate sacrifice and shed his blood for the remission of our sin.  Talk about a cleaning.

 The old hymn says it best.  What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus.  What can make me whole again nothing but the blood of Jesus.  Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow.  No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

 Blessings,

 Pastor John

]]> http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/18/the-stain-of-sin/feed/ 0 Blizzard of ‘78 http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/10/snowed-in/ http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/10/snowed-in/#comments Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:14:49 +0000 Administrator http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/10/snowed-in/ As a foot of snow stood in my driveway Saturday afternoon the phone rang.  It was Mary, Pastor’s wife telling me we were cancelling service on Sunday; that I needed to call the TV stations so they could list it on their cancellation crawls. 

I looked out the window and saw a whiteout of snow.  Blizzard like conditions, 35 mph winds, blowing drifting snow a drift in front of my door 2 feet high. 

Global warming?  I think not; and even though this was a lot of snow, (I heard Columbus got 20 inches) the blizzard of 1978 comes to mind.  I was 12 years old then and I remember 6 foot drifts, people shoveling their roofs and going to school on Saturdays for a while.  Now, that was a blizzard.  Anyone remember it?  Here’s a photo to refresh your memory.  Still it’s a beautiful picture, a pristine blanket of white. 

Yet the word paints a wonderful picture of the whiteness of snow when it says… in Psalms 51…  wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. A picture of how clean and pure snow is and how being washed in the cleansing power of Jesus blood can make us clean.

Blessings, Pastor John          

    

 

]]> http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/10/snowed-in/feed/ 0 American Idol Voting and the Election http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/06/american-idol-voting-and-the-election/ http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/06/american-idol-voting-and-the-election/#comments Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:52:01 +0000 Administrator http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/06/american-idol-voting-and-the-election/ AI logoAbsorbed by the American Idol experience; once again the other night I found myself phoning in my vote for David Archelluta.

Then it struck me.  Why don’t we vote for the president this way?  Wouldn’t it be easier than driving to the polls and standing in line for 30 minutes?

I’m joking of course.  Although it seems there is more excitement about who gets voted off of idol than who will be the next president.

We are in trouble gang.  Pop culture has usurped concern for the needs of this country. We are more worried about Brittney than whether we should allow a possible terrorist over our borders.  I want to scream “WHAT’S WRONG WITH US?”

Paul put it best…   There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Blessings,

PJ

]]> http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/03/06/american-idol-voting-and-the-election/feed/ 0 Oprah’s New Age Christ http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/02/27/oprahs-new-age-christ/ http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/02/27/oprahs-new-age-christ/#comments Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:22:09 +0000 Administrator http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/02/27/oprahs-new-age-christ/ Oprah WinfreySeveral minutes ago my mom sent me an email about Oprah daily teaching about a New Age Christ on her Oprah and Friends XM radio station.  After researching it further it is totally truthful.  Here is the entire email…

“Oprah and Friends” to teach course on New Age Christ  


 Many of you, like me, have probably been Oprah fans for a long time.  This is very discouraging news to hear about one who has such tremendous influence on the general public.  Please ask God to show Oprah the real Jesus Christ.

Just to make sure this was true, I went on Oprah’s website and there it is.  The below article is very interesting, so I thought I would share.

 Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 4:50 PM
 Subject: Oprah joins false prophets Bible warned about
 http://www..crossroad.to/articles2/007/smith-oprah.htm or
 
“Oprah and Friends” to teach course on New Age Christ

Jesus Christ being reinvented, redefined, and blasphemed and, this false New- Age Christ teaching is about to make huge inroads into the world, with the help of the queen of television talk shows, Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah Winfrey, beginning January 1, 2008, on her daily radio program will offer a year-long course on the New Age Christ , in a lesson a day and completely cover the 365 lessons from the Course in Miracles “Workbook.”

 Listeners will be encouraged to buy A Course in Miracles for the year-long course, and an audio version, recited by Richard (John Boy Walton) Thomas will be available on compact disc.

 Those who finish the Course will have a wholly redefined spiritual mindset-a New Age worldview that include the beliefs that there is no sin, no evil, no devil. A Course in Miracles teaches its students to rethink everything they believe about God and life, and, bluntly states: “This is a course in mind training” and is dedicated to “thought reversal.”

 The Course in Miracles -in reality-is the truth of the Bible turned upside down.

 Oprah told her television audience that Williamson’s book, A Course in Miracles was one of her favorite books, and that she had already bought a thousand copies and would be handing them out to everyone in her studio audience. Oprah’s endorsement skyrocketed Williamson’s book to the top of the New York Times bestseller list .

 A Course in Miracles is allegedly a “new revelation” from “Jesus” to help humanity work through these troubled times. This “Jesus”-who bears no doctrinal resemblance to the Bible’s Jesus Christ-began delivering channeled teachings in 1965 to a Columbia University Professor of Medical Psychology, Helen Schucman.

 One day Schucman heard an “inner voice” stating, “This is a course in miracles. Please take notes.” For seven years she diligently took spiritual dictation from this voice that described himself as “Jesus.”

 Here are some quotes from the “Jesus” voice of A Course in Miracles :
 ·         “There is no sin . . . ”
 ·          A “slain Christ has no meaning.”
 ·         “The journey to the cross should be the last ‘ useless journey.”
 ·        “Do not make the pathetic error of ‘clinging to the old rugged cross.’”
 ·        “The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol… It is a symbol that is Safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray.”
 ·         “The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself.”
 ·     ;     “The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation.”

 Popular author Wayne Dyer told his PBS television audience that the “brilliant writing” of A Course in Miracles would produce more peace in the world.

 The Course in Miracles-based book, Forgiveness, continues to be sold in Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral bookstore as Schuller prepares to host a January 17-19, 2008, “Rethink Conference” at his Crystal Cathedral.

 2 Timothy 3 (King James Version)
 1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

]]> http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/02/27/oprahs-new-age-christ/feed/ 2 Why Haven’t You Updated Your Blog? http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/02/05/why-havent-you-updated-your-blog/ http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/02/05/why-havent-you-updated-your-blog/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:02:43 +0000 Administrator http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/02/05/why-havent-you-updated-your-blog/ I know, I know I’m behind.  But what’s new?  So many people have stopped me at church lately and asked.  Why haven’t you updated your blog so here’s to you Mr. or Mrs. Blog reader.

My last blog was in November… yikes talk about procrastination. 

Speaking of procrastination (quite a segue eh?)  does anyone else wait till the last minute to do something?  I think I just may have the worst case of procrastination ever know to man.  I tend to think the longer I wait to do something the better it will be when I finish.

I even talked to Pastor Gary about this once.  He told me instead of putting something off.  The first time you think you need to get busy and do something.  Do it at that exact moment.  Does it work?  If you don’t put off thinking about it.  It really does work; try it you big procrastinator!

Procrastination only leads to anxiety, palpitations and eventually hyperventalation which is not very pleasant.  Unless you are into that.  So here’s my New Years Resolution for ‘08 just a little bit late…. (cause I used to be a procrastinator)

No More Procrastinating!!  Moses put it best in the book of Genesis (The Message Version)

I’ll take all the blame. If we had gone ahead in the first place instead of procrastinating like this, we could have been there and back twice over.”

See you soon. (Really, I promise)

Pastor John

]]> http://victorychristian.net/blog/2008/02/05/why-havent-you-updated-your-blog/feed/ 0 Whatever Happened to Marathon Bars? http://victorychristian.net/blog/2007/11/10/whatever-happened-to-marathon-bars/ http://victorychristian.net/blog/2007/11/10/whatever-happened-to-marathon-bars/#comments Sat, 10 Nov 2007 06:57:33 +0000 Administrator Thirty-four years ago; M&M Mars introduced a giant candy bar known as the Marathon Bar. Anybody remember this delectable 8 inch long braided caramel bar coated in milk chocolate?

Commercials showed Marathon John (Patrick Wayne) riding into a scene. A villain would announce himself as Quick Carl and state something like, “. . . I do everything fast.” Marathon John would toss him a monstrous Marathon bar and challenge Carl to eat it fast.

The bright red package, complete with a ruler on the back, made it stand out in the candy isle and at the check out during the 70’s.

In reality the candy bar didn’t weigh any more than other chocolate bars of the day. Just stretched out thinner and longer. Still as a kid; I can remember trying to stuff the whole thing in my mouth all at once on several occasions.

However, despite the clever advertising campaigns and the colorful imagery, sales expectations were not met and Mars, Inc. pulled the Marathon Bar from the shelves in October of 1981.

Now of course candy bars are made this way on purpose; to look large but actually be smaller in weight. There also seems to be a trend of loading the chocolate bars with fillers like puffed rice cereals that make them seem big but really they are just full of a lot more air than ingredients.

This brings up a powerful truth. Have you ever met someone who at first look appeared to be a spiritual giant? But they were really full of a lot of hot air? Maybe they impressed you in such a way that you placed them upon a spiritual pedestal. They appeared large and in charge; but when you got to really know them. You noticed their faults and flaws and saw that they really weren’t the giants you thought them once to be.

I’ve found over the years that people like this desire the limelight. As the former Music Minister of my church I once was even told by a (not so great) singer that they were an upfront soloist and they needed to have a microphone each week so that they could be heard.

People who feel the need to pray eloquent long winded public prayers are much the same way. They do it just to be seen and heard. Jesus called these folks in his day hypocrites and broods of snakes.

Unfortunately the hypocrite Marathon Bars are no longer in existence today, but they do give us a good reminder. Appearances can be deceiving.

 

 

 

Blessings,

Pastor John

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