Blog Archives - WWW.DISCIPLEFORCHRIST.ORG - THE ONLINE HAVEN FOR JESUS

What is the Christian Standpoint on Memorial Diamonds?

5/31/2019

What is the Christian Standpoint on Memorial Diamonds?

When we lose a loved one, we want to honor their life here on Earth. We want to keep them close to us, or at least be able to visit them from time to time. How do we do this? We bury our beloved, pray for them, and pay homage with a headstone. Of course, there are other ways to pay tribute to the deceased—elegies, memory gardens, and more. But what about cremation and memorial diamonds? And how do Christians feel about using a loved one’s ashes to create a piece of jewelry? Let’s take a look at the Christian standpoint on memorial diamonds from cremated remains.

The Bible and Cremation

It’s necessary to consider how Christians view cremation first, since memorial diamonds cannot be made without cremains. Generally, cremation is considered to be a viable alternative to the high cost of a traditional burial. What does the Bible say about cremation? While Christianity has a strong view on cremation, there are no exact biblical guidelines. However, just a few years ago, the Vatican issued guidelines for cremation, stating that “that a person's ashes must be kept in a sacred place, not in a home or other domestic residence, and should not be scattered or divvied up in any way.” The Vatican prefers that the ashes are buried, sent out to sea, or entombed in a columbarium. The document also put emphasis that burial “is above all the most fitting way to express faith and hope in the resurrection of the body.” Burials are deeply embedded in the Christian tradition. While it may seem that the Bible strongly discourages cremation, some passages seem to only support burial instead of adamantly opposing it. Cremation is not ideal according to most Christians, but it is not an entirely forbidden practice, either. Many believe that the idea of cremation is one’s choice and a matter of their conscience. According to Heart in Diamond, traditional Orthodox Christians are still against cremation. On the other hand, the Roman Catholic church dropped its ban in 1963. In 1969, they decided to allow funeral rights for those members that chose cremation. Even though cremation is allowed, Catholicism still favors burial. Those who are cremated are still allowed to receive sacraments and funeral rites—but only if the decision to be cremated was not a result of any hatred of the Church, or denial of Christian dogmas. One of the biggest worries for Christians is that their body will be ineligible for resurrection if they are cremated. After all, how can the body rise up by God if there is no body left? The counter-argument? Burial causes bodies to disintegrate, so logically-speaking, there is no intact body after burial, either. Storing cremated ashes in an urn or columbarium are no longer the only options loved ones have to commemorate the memory of their loved ones. Heart In Diamond is a company that can turn a loved one’s cremains into a diamond, which can be made into a cremation ring, cremation necklace, or another type of cremation jewelry. For a long time, cremation has been a forbidden practice by Christians, but some are slowly accepting the practice. This is not to provoke the ritual or disregard the Church, but to fulfill the need of the loved one and close family members. Do Christians approve of memorial diamonds? Christians are coming around to the idea of cremation, but this does not mean that they are keen on turning their beloved’s ashes into a piece of jewelry. The fact that the Vatican does not approve of divvying up ashes or preserving them in memento, makes it nearly impossible for Christians to approve the entire process of making and wearing of memorial diamonds. While memorial diamonds are an excellent option to honor your loved one, they offer many religious challenges and questions that many Christians are simply not willing to budge on.

This article was shared through email to Jason Brye and Jason decided to post... This blog update is a little different, but it's certainly something to think about.

Is Celebrating Memorial Day Worldly or Godly?

5/27/2019

Memorial Day has been an American festive day in which many souls celebrate the sacrifices that Soldiers and Veterans made. For the Christian, we can surely be obliged that God protected our borders and he gave us tranquility as a part of his grace and mercy. We're beholden today. We're overwhelmed in cheer cause we are full of gratitude. There is certainly nothing taboo or ill-conceived in reference to the joyous celebrations of Memorial Day.

This is not 1993 though in which many would sashay around with American hats and in army fatigues to parade around in hopes to persuade more Americans to be thankful. It is a time to be thankful. It's still a Holiday which God undoubtedly permitted, such as Independence Day. There is nothing wrong with showing recognition in regards to God's spiritual protection. With indemnity, God has blessed us with a fortified fortress and sanctuary. It's his loving pavilion in which we're protected.

His army kept us. He patrolled our waters even using mankind or soldiers. To a Christian, God was the 'commander in chief' guiding angels and archangels to surround us with an armor of 'spiritual steel.' We can be thankful in our hearts while showing pure gratitude. And this can be done without partying in drunken revelry or drinking and driving. We can eat barbecue, fry shrimp, enjoy some fresh salad and drink a Pepsi or Coke after saying grace.

We can still smile and eat with family on this day. We can be gracious and humble to a God of protection who embraced us with admirable, fatherly arms of strength. It's spiritual, but one day we'll be able to thank God in person. We feel his love on Memorial Day and on other days. Yes! It's Godly to celebrate Memorial Day the right way!

We can say 'thank God that our loved ones have gone on to heaven,' those who made it. We can be glad that we mourned perhaps cause we've lost some, but we'll be content afterwards in knowing that God healed those sorrowful moments and those decaying, spiritual wounds have been worked over by God's Almighty Hand.

We can pray for those who lost loved ones during 9/11. We can say 'Lord touch those who were injured.' We can say 'please Lord, heal the hearts of those who lost family and friends.'

This is a day of remembrance, but we must seek God first. Keep him first. Be thankful that we've been protected. Thank God for the police officers who have sacrificed and protected us. Thank God that Jesus lives in the hearts of those who lawfully protect and serve. Thank God for righteousness in the courts. Thank God for American Justice, that of which is still intact.

We know that there are thugs, robbers and murderers out there. But God kept us. Thank God for the righteous part of the law. Satan tried to intervene and lawlessness seemed to abound for a moment. But God's righteous hand is in all things and he has delivered us from oppression and from the blows of the wicked one who is Satan, also known as the Lawless One. But the love of Jesus surrounded us graciously. We're firmly pressing on in the name of Yeshua, who is King of Kings.

We'll be in remembrance of the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross, even post-Easter. We know that we have a lot to be thankful for today. Let's pray for the ones who lost others in battle. Thank God for protection. Thank God for good memories. Thank God for Memorial Day. REMEMBER JESUS ABOVE ALL NAMES! Thank him for the times that we did have with those we've lost. Celebrating Memorial Day is still Godly if God is in it. He's in it. Let's all say 'thank you Jesus for heaven, protection and those who fought for us whether spiritually or physically.' We know that all righteous protection comes from God. We can be in remembrance of God's love and be thankful for the angels who helped keep us. Angels did fight demons in heaven. So God is a fighter and a protector. Bless his Holy Name. God's Memorial Day is still good. Amen. Bless you.

God Has A Heart, Wouldn't You Say?

5/23/2019

God has a Heart, Wouldn't You Say?

There is an acknowledgment among many Christians that atheism has impoverished and battered many people. But some atheists deserve God’s most profound blows. Cause their fierce, verbal attacks in reference to the name of Jesus can be disheartening and despicable. We must remember that our Lord has a heart as we do, but he is God of course. There is no need to tempt him to fury in which the entire world must suffer cause an atheist longs to be ‘the jokester’ who poked at God. Let’s be in remembrance of the Great Flood. God will allow catastrophic devastation. He’s God. He can do that. Perhaps cause his heart was downtrodden by so many superficial and pretentious God wanna bes who prance and sashay on his earth in disregard for the Almighty One who owns this turf.
God has a heart, so we must love him with profound adoration and care. So we could imagine that Jesus’ core, his heart, may even span miles as he reigns as the omnipotent one in heaven. And Jesus does so with our Heavenly Father who teaches us wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Millions have invested thought and gone to churches worldwide. So Christianity has been an impeccable faith for so many souls. Some atheists in distasteful jealousy act as the Grinch and try to place stumbling blocks in the path of Christians. Christians should perhaps cease conversing with many atheists outside of work cause many of these atheists only want to persecute Christians for being chosen by God, while the atheist is a destitute, cursed being who may have to go through a period of extreme sacrifice to even hear a whisper from God. Are they jealous? Of course, they are. God speaks to you and I and their disgust for God caused common sense to come into play. Why would he talk to them if they hate him so much? Amen. And they even verbally attack his name, preaching for Satan. But their blows don’t go unnoticed. Atheists are clearly just Satanists who attempt to get others to go to hell cause they themselves are going. No wonder God cursed them to be blinded by their own sin, disbelief and cattiness. But we can try to pray for them, but if they don’t respond then that prayer will merely be heaps of coal over their heads. It’s spiritual. That may be a sign of coal dripping on them in hell perhaps.
Our Heavenly Father sincerely adores Jesus Christ. Jesus’ followers, such as myself, are dedicated to exalting and magnifying his Holy Name. Why allow atheists to demonize the one who suffered for us? They are demeaning our Holy One. Their degradation of our Holy King is certainly appalling. So we as Christians must lawfully rebuke them if they pester Christians perhaps in Atheism vs. Christianity Debate Groups on Facebook. They bombard Youtube and dislike Gospel Videos. They are working for Satan as they go against the Holy Gospel of infinite pleasure.
Jesus has a heart. He is alive. He has feelings, so we must refrain from allowing others to denounce him. Quench those fiery darts of Satan by utilizing Bible Scripture. Amen. Be courageous. Be firm. Not only are we guarding our Savior’s heart, we’re building a blockade up in reference to our own core which is our own hearts as well. That is where our soul is. If one has no heart, then they have no soul and out to the lake of fire and brimstone they’ll go.
God is not mocked per our Holy Word and many atheists have mocked our Lord and Savior while pushing Christians to be tempted to abandon God and follow lies. Maybe God disdainfully acknowledges their mocking as ‘mere mists of useless voices.’ And then he says ‘I am not mocked, they’ll just be mere nothings in hell mocking the one who could have saved them from hell.’ Maybe God has saved some atheists. That would be a neat deed. But he doesn’t have to if they mock, degenerate and mortify his Holy Name. God may not budge and will laugh in their derision and calamity as he Biblically declares.
They go after fables and err from the truth. These are seducing doctrines of devils which they follow. They flatter with words and they ridicule our Savior as if this is a seventh-grade gym class environment. They want others to fall into the miry clay that they are trapped in. They desire for other souls to be bewildered in ‘regret’ as they are. But hold on. Protect God’s heart and his Holy Word! This is not a joke. We’re serving a True, Living God who does have the power to send disobedient ones to hell. And he will do so. This is not a game of just ‘casting gays’ to hell with a magic wand of subjective ‘gooey feelings.’ God is deeper and more meticulous than that. How come the 144,000 who are close to God, are redeemed gay men? So that must mean that some gays will be saved. So why play with God’s Word to use for malicious intent just to go ‘tit for tat’ with people as if God’s heart is not affected by ones who carelessly use his Holy Word to play God themselves. Satanists and those bound for hell do teach others to condemn or to tempt God so that they will be in the same quicksand that these deteriorating ones are in themselves. Don’t listen to the lies of this world. Part of knowing God is knowing that he does not take hypocrisy lightly. He does not take being ridiculed as a grain of salt. He is not playing Chess with us. He is governing an entire world in which we knew nothing about nor created and we ourselves had to learn God and why we are here. Who is up there? Who is below the earth? Does it seem like a joke with car accidents, mass murders, terrorism, Satanists marching to take souls to hell with them and with so much other types of violence? No, it’s no joke. God has a heart and so do we. So we must be wiser in regards to how we walk on this earth. God is a powerful God who will send condemners and so-called mockers to hell and he won’t relinquish nor be reluctant. Amen.
So let’s travail this earth in fear of God and knowing that he does have a heart. Mocking him will never be the answer. Tempting him to anger and then being cowardly or passive aggressive in approach will never please God. He is not the ‘mouse’ that fell into a trap so easily. He is not an animal. He is ‘our Lord, thy God.’ He has given us America and the world. He provided for us. He gave us food and shelter. We don’t have to be the world’s biggest superstar to be thankful. When people don’t meditate and submit to God in Holiness and thankfulness, he clearly gets angry. We read it in our Word. We’ve heard of his might. He’s not the one to hear ‘why would God allow this to happen?’ – after so much racism, other forms of hatred, hypocrisy, condemnation from SINNERS THEMSELVES and so much more. He is the one who sends hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards and tsunamis. He expects the Babylon Whore to sit down and know that he is God and not her vagina and desire to use men for money. He is not the God to sit and watch a closet man condemn gays, but he’s gay himself. He is not the God to allow a man to get in his pulpit and denounce his Holy Name so that ‘this man’ can be praised above Jehovah. No he is not that God. So moving forward, let’s look at God with awe-struck wonder. He is the God who is the power behind electricity, the internet, television, air flight and more. How does an airplane glide across clouds without God’s Almighty hand? How does a ship maneuver over deep depths of water without God calming waves and the powerful winds? Where does power come from? It does not come from man, it comes from God. So let us cherish his heart. Let’s love him more and give HIM THE PRAISE HE DESERVES. Let’s pay attention to God’s heart and his will for us. Bless you! God has a heart.

What's Next for the Gospel Music Arena?

5/23/2019

What’s Next for the Gospel Music Arena?

Where is the love, Revival and powerful anointing? ‘One may ask Christians and others certainly may perceive that things are a little off these days as far as Gospel Music goes. Years ago, we’d hear talk of Hillsong, the News Boys, Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary. Many in the world couldn’t fathom a generation Gaither-less and without the powerful sounds in reference to the name Jesus. From hymnals to stylish Gospel Jams, Christian Music has been an impressively, beautiful musical delight for centuries. But where is the popular genre headed?
These days, countless Black Gospel Artists are delivering awe-inspiring album artwork on Instagram and Facebook. But who sincerely goes above and beyond to bring awareness and prestigious recognition in reference to such powerful artists? Gospel Music isn’t dead. This temp-phase merely seems to be a hibernation period. It’s like some artists are in an incubation period, awaiting the next Big Revival. But this time will it be less religious? Will we see Tattooed Christian Hip Hop and Christian Rock Artists who tell the TRUE JOURNEY behind life and battling strongholds to cling on to God’s unchanging hand as many say? There is a real struggle. Christian Artists have given powerful testimonies through music for ages.
There are artists performing Gospel, but who is the mainstream risk taker to once again bring Jesus to the White House or to grace sold out stages across America? With admirable and notable talents, Christian Artists from all backgrounds are inspiring Indie Gospel Artists to remain ‘steadfast’ while continuously recording breathtaking runs, sumptuous organ sounds and while hopefully singing perhaps Classical Masterpieces in palatial churches both domestic to America and abroad internationally. There is hope. Christian Artists are still manifesting as we see an evincing on Social Media where Christians are whole-heartedly and earnestly sharing Scripture, songs and fervent love for Jesus.
So Gospel Music still surpasses thoughts of adversaries. Christians have genuinely created, gorgeous pages to spread immense compassion and to show their dedication for Jesus. And Gospel Music is prevalent as well. Perhaps a strikingly, exuberant promoter will gain notoriety with sincerity and we’ll continue hearing wondrous hymnals and Gospel Chords. Bluesy Gospel and other various styles of Christian Music is on the rise again. Let’s hear and be receptive to a wondrous genre which touches the heart and soul. Gospel Music is still a decadent sounding music genre.

Tremendous Adoration for God's Word

5/19/2019

Tremendous Adoration for God’s Word

The Songs of Solomon are storied and extravagant. The verses flow like a melodious masterpiece. The name Deuteronomy shows that our road pavior, Jehovah Jireh, has a quirky ‘thoughtfulness’ trait. One certainly may be mindful of God’s dominance while glancing over Biblical statutes and commandments. The Word of God proves that the spiritless merely lack regard for our Father. There is a prevalent consistency of charge and command by way of God’s spirit as one reads the Holy Bible. In spite of their contrary beliefs, our Bible is full of wonders, fascinations and it aids us tremendously as we embrace God in an often times cold world. God’s Word helps us remain strong and steadfast as we’re awesomely created as towardly, heaven bound beings who cherish the Lord who is our Savior. Christians have thoroughly meditated and with our newfound comprehension because of tedious study of the Bible, we are satisfied in knowing that God’s Word is a vital tool which Christians use on a consistent basis. God has a special, distinct kind of adoration for his son Jesus and for our Holy Word which is our guide to righteousness, peace and heaven. It is by God’s power in which we connect and through this power the words resonate and help our yearning souls get relief.
The Bible leads us to express a wide array of varied emotions. For instance, the death of Jacob in God’s Word may have saddened many. The Book of Revelation perhaps may put fear in a child’s heart. Our nerves may lead us to feel frightened thinking about God’s evil apparitions in which he fights for us. These evil beasts ‘as he calls them’ are depicted as devourers per God’s Holy Word. We need God’s protection and Scripture helps us fight off those ‘wicked and sometimes dark thoughts.’
Far from substandard, we as Christians hear God’s voice as we ponder over his word. The Living Word acts as a sort of ‘spiritual medium’ for transcending power from God to us. From knowing God’s anger as he calls Judah treacherous to connecting to Jesus as we notice the strong love he possesses with our Heavenly Father; we know that God has invested much adept skill in orchestrating the writing of his Holy Word. We can now positively feed our spirits as we understandably accept the power of God through the Bible. It’s not false. It’s a reality. It acts as spiritual food. As long as we strive to act in accordance with God and his word, he’ll gleefully blot out our iniquities from remembrance. We’ll be washed clean through spiritual rehabilitation. Each scripture is good for reproof, reclamation and instruction. Let’s not be idolatrous of the Holy Book per se, but let’s feel God’s love and know he dictated orders through his Holy Word.
The Holy Word still spiritually moves mountains. Mountains like depression, sickness and rage are defeated by commanding Satan and his wicked apparitions to flee from our thoughts. We have Scripture which helps us bring Satan’s wiles and fiery darts to nothings. It’s a flawless gift which is still accepted by Christians because it contains God’s Laws. God’s Word is like a piercing sword because it’s true, yet overrules us with great, majestic powers from our God in heaven. We know to obey him through his Word, otherwise we’d be like wanderers swaying with every other cloud as the world torments them to be Anti-Christs. Therefore the Word of God keeps us guarded and safe in God’s spiritual realm. Knowing God’s statutes through his Word is how Christians connect from all ends of the world. We’re guided by one God who is in Jesus and he came from our Father. The Father lives through Jesus so it’s by the power of our Holy Father that we praise Jesus as God. The Lord is one. Cause they all have one goal which is to protect us. The Holy Word is an indication that God is real because we see proof in today’s detrimentally, crippled times. We’ve seen Satanists rise to power as God said would be towards the end. But we saw God trample over these spirits so that Christians may publicly praise God and be at peace. It is by God and through his Holy Word that we understand him more and more. Let’s thankfully praise God for a noticeable connection to him through his power behind scripture. Amen. Bless you. Always know that the Holy Bible is still relevant and still a powerful tool to gravitate us closer to God’s heart and thoughts. Amen.