THE ACE OF SPADES-
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph.
https://youtu.be/jdtFch6i59Y Ace of Spades
ON VIDEO-
.The ace in the ‘deck’
.Buffalo coin
.Did I call- Pops?
.Did he answer?
.Witchcraft and the occult
.Kingsville- Texas
.Gay lovers?
.Drive by shooting- at the fire house!
.The Captain shut the blinds [funny]
. ‘Make sure it’s a head shot’!
.The fire starter
.Meet Pastor Don- at McDonalds
.Rapture?
.Soren Kierkegaard
.Existentialism
.To all me enemies- you sure you want me to pray for you?
[verses- past posts- links below]
On today’s video I talk about a ‘strange’ incident that
happened many years ago.
I started a church in Kingsville in 1987- and the church was
mostly made up of the families of the guys I worked with from a jail ministry I
did.
So- lots of the congregation were the wives- kids- of
ex-cons.
But- we were of course open to anyone.
I knew a person who was just getting into ministry- his name
was Manuel Garza.
Manuel was a friend- but struggled [dabbled] in witchcraft
and the occult- he was also gay [bi].
I was warned ‘John- he has a history of causing trouble- in
churches’.
Maybe so?
Over time the church members told me he was doing bad stuff-
and eventually I told him he had to leave.
Manuel began targeting me- and my family [as you know- I’m
not good with stuff like that].
My wife told me that some people came to the house- at 2 am-
rang the bell [I was at work] and said they had a flat on the highway- and
wanted to come in.
Of course the highway was not near our house in Kingsville.
Manual [had someone] brake the window on my car while it was
parked at the Fire House- outside.
We had calls of house fires [vacant homes] and when I got to
the scene- he was there.
This went on for a few years.
Then one day Emmet- a church member- told me ‘John- Manuel
is going around saying you and him are gay lovers’.
It was a lie- I don’t like liars.
So- I had Emmet get in the car- we drove to Manuals house.
Emmet sat in the back with the window down [it was at
night].
So he could hear.
I rang the bell- and Manuel answered ‘Hey Manuel- I heard
you were telling people we were gay lovers’.
He vehemently denied it.
Then Emmet got out of the car.
Manuel was busted.
So- this was one of the reasons we moved to Corpus Christi-
it was nerve racking- not so much for me- but knowing my family was home- and I
was on duty.
Now- I went after Manuel- even copied his car License number
in my bible.
Yes- the ‘kingdom of heaven suffers violence- and the
violent take it by force’ [Ok- that’s a true verse- but it’s not talking about
this- I know].
So- over time Manual apologized- I forgave him.
He used to come by the fire house and I would pray for him
and his son Joey.
After about 25 years- one day [4 years ago?] I walked to a
McDonalds here in Corpus.
I had that old bible with me- and as I opened it- a funny
thing happened.
I wrote a note [back in 1991] that said ‘Me pastor Don- at
10 am’.
I wrote that note many years ago- and the place we were
supposed to meet- was the exact McDonalds I was sitting in [one I never go to-
I went this day- but have not been in it for many years].
Hmm?
A sign?
Then- I saw another note- it was Manuals license plate.
I wrote that many years before- but it reminded me- ‘I need
to ask forgiveness- from God- for targeting Manuel’.
I did.
About 2 weeks later- me and my wife were driving back to the
house and she said ‘Oh- that guy in Kingsville- that gave you all that trouble-
he died’.
Tony Barbour- Manuals gay lover- slit his throat.
‘John- did you ‘kill’ Manuel by praying’?
No- But the bible says when you pray for your enemies- and
forgive them- you ‘heap coals of judgment’ on their head.
It releases them into the judgment of God.
I talk about Manuel on today’s video.
Then I will go and pray- for all my enemies- God bless.
PAST POSTS-
SOCRATES
Socrates was born around
469-470 BCE.
He is famous for
introducing a way of learning that engaged the students in a dialogue- the
question would be put on the table- and thru rigorous debate- you would come to
an understanding thru the process of questioning.
This is referred to as the
Socratic Method.
Socrates came on the scene
during the famous Spartan wars.
The other day I watched
the movie 300- which depicts the battle between the city state of Athens
against the city/state of Sparta.
As you know- the Athenians
suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Spartans.
The Spartans were
outmanned by the Athenians- but their motto was ‘come back with your shields-
or on them’.
They were a true warrior
nation- trained to fight from their youth- and this defeat sent the people of
Athens into a time of disillusionment.
They questioned the power
of their gods- and a sort of malaise fell over Athens after the defeat.
This was when Socrates
entered the fray- when the people had many questions about life.
He was called the Gadfly
of Athens- a title that would also be given to the 19th century
Danish father of existentialism- Soren Kierkegaard.
They were called Gadfly’s-
because they were like flies that would pester you- and elicit a response.
The leadership of Athens
saw Socrates as one that was stirring up the youth of his day- and creating
discontent among the populace.
He rejected the many god’s
of the day- but did have a belief in a single deity- he- like the Christians 4
centuries later- would be accused of atheism- because of his rejection of
multiple god’s.
He was sentenced to death
in 399 BCE- and his form of execution was drinking Hemlock.
His most famous student-
Plato- spoke with him before his death.
Many were surprised at how
willingly Socrates faced his demise- and this willingness had a great impact on
those who witnessed it.
Socrates never wrote
anything- but most of what we do know about him comes from the writing of
others- most notably from Plato’s Dialogues.
Plato wrote down what
Socrates taught- In his writings we see Socrates engaging in this method with
various people- thus the name of Plato’s works- Dialogues.
There is a debate about
how much of what was written about him was actually true- Plato did add his own
ideas into these debates- and the controversy about this is so strong that we
actually have a name for it- the ‘Socratic Problem’.
During the time of the
disillusionment of the Athenians- there were a group of philosophers known as
the Sophists.
The word comes from
Sophia- meaning wisdom.
Philosophy itself means
The Love of Wisdom.
In our day the words
Sophomore- Sophistry and Sophisticated are derived from this root word.
The Sophists were the
original Pragmatists.
Pragmatism is a form of
belief that says ‘do what works- regardless of the ethical implications’.
We will get to Pragmatism at
the end of this whole series on Philosophy.
But for now- we see the
division between what Socrates taught- and the Sophists.
Socrates did indeed teach
a form of Ethics- which contrasted with the Sophists.
He said that the pursuit
of virtue was better than the pursuit of wealth- much like the words of Jesus
‘what does it profit a man if he gain the world- and lose his soul’.
His most famous saying is
‘The unexamined life is not worth living’.
He emphasized the
importance of mind over body- which inspired Plato’s philosophy of dividing
reality into 2 separate realms- the world of senses and the world of ideas.
Socrates actually
challenged the Democratic process- he believed it better for the wise men- the
Philosopher Kings- to run the show.
Athens did have a form of
Democracy at the time- and because of the rise of the Sophists- and the
itinerant teachers- you had sort of an election process- much like in our day-
where those who would attain office were those who spoke the best- and made the
best public argument.
We elect judges and stuff
in our day- and even presidents- not because they are the most capable- but
because they ran the best campaign.
So- in a way I agree with
Socrates- at times I think we need a better process of electing those to higher
office- then the one we have now.
It’s important to note
that even though we started this study with Thales- and in the study of Western
philosophy it’s commonly understood to have started with Thales.
Yet- Socrates seems to be
the Father of philosophy in many ways.
He probably has had the
most influence in the field philosophy- and the 2 great philosophers that we’ll
get to next come right out from the heels of Socrates [Plato and Aristotle].
Why is this important to
note?
As we progress in this
study- and get closer to the 19th/20th century
philosophers- we will see a trend- away from the idea that there are actually
any ethical values- moral virtues- or ‘right or wrong’.
These philosophers dabbled
with the idea that values themselves are the cause of man’s problems [Freud].
So- keep in mind- one of
the main streams of thought in the early stages of philosophy was that values
were indeed the main thing- Socrates challenged the Sophists of his day- he
said that moral virtue was very important- that to live life with the values of
courage- honesty- self-denial- these were the things that made men good- noble.
The bible says ‘the fear
of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ ‘those that seek the Lord understand
all things’.
Christian tradition would
agree with Socrates in many ways- Jesus showed us that the virtue of service to
others- to love your fellow man- to honor God- that these were indeed the heart
of the matter.
Socrates feared the loss
of virtue in society- that if we simply lived for the present time- with no
higher values [a form of hedonism] then the foundations of society will erode.
He also believed that it
was good to question things- not to simply believe a thing for the sake of
believing.
Over time- thru debate and
the discourse of other people- he believed you would get to the truth.
The bible says ‘in the
multitude of counselors there is safety’.
Yeah- as people have a
conversation- as they dialogue- often times they themselves come up with the
answer to the question.
The apostle Paul penned
the letter to young Timothy- he said ‘preach the word- in doing this you will
save yourself- and those that hear you’.
Yeah- when you engage- and
even try and teach others- this will have an effect on you too- the actual act
of engaging- of teaching- often brings more insight to the one doing the
communicating- then the ones who hear.
Yeah- I like Socrates- he
believed in what he taught- he drank the Hemlock- knowing full well that his
life would pass- but he had belief- faith- that after death man would pass over
into another realm- a much better one.
No- he was not ‘Christian’
in the traditional sense of the word- but he was about as close as you could
get- for his time.
VERSES [links below]
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give
him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Romans
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. Proverbs
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all
the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Jesus
1Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication
among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles,
that one should have his father's wife.
1Corinthians 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather
mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
1Corinthians 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in
spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath
so done this deed,
1Corinthians 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are
gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Corinthians 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction
of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife,
sold a possession,
Acts 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being
privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Acts 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was
sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in
thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Acts 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up
the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
Acts 5:6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him
out, and buried him.
Acts 5:7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his
wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
Acts 5:8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the
land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
Acts 5:9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed
together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have
buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
Acts 5:10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded
up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her
forth, buried her by her husband.
Acts 5:11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many
as heard these things.
For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one
stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave
the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the
iniquity of that land in one day. Zech.
Joel 3:9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up
the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
Joel 3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks
into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
Joel 3:11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and
gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come
down, O LORD.
Joel 3:12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of
Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
Joel 3:13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get
you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is
great.
Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for
the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
Joel 3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars
shall withdraw their shining.
Joel 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his
voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD
will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Joel 3:17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in
Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no
strangers pass through her any more.
Joel 3:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the
mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all
the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out
of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
LINKS-
Look at this headline
[above link] - these were the worst jobs numbers in 5 years- 35,000- a shock to
be honest [you should have about 250,000 for the month]. Yet- the headline
makes it sound like ‘the numbers are in- great!’
How can they also report unemployment down? Because they
don’t count the 600 thousand who ‘dropped out’- meaning- they gave up looking
for jobs.
So- ‘unemployment WENT DOWN’.
That’s insulting to the average American.
Another one. Rahm Emanuel was covering up the shooting of
the Black kid- himself.
He should resign.
http://www.kristv.com/story/32135315/review-finds-three-tornadoes-hit-kleberg-county-on-may-31 This is Kingsville
facebook.com/john.chiarello.5
Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts-
re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. I deal with
issues at times that it would be beneficial for some of you to download and
save the file from the Word Press link. This creates a permanent record. The
on-line videos are only good if sites are not hacked- which has happened in the
past. Thanks- John.#
No comments:
Post a Comment