The Resurrection

Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20 all tell the story of the resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

After the Lord Our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified - by the ignorant and the damned that continue to crucify each day - Joseph of Arimathea had the body placed in a private tomb. A large stone covered the entrance where soldiers stood guard. On the third day, a Sunday, an earthquake shook the tomb as an angel rolled back the stone. The guards - cowardly puppets of the government - shook in fear and fled. They reported what had happened to the chief priests - the most ignorant of the ignorant - fools of fools - who bribed the puppets, making them lie and say that the disciples had stolen the body during the night. The lies spread like wildfire on a hot summer day - travelling through the words of the weak.

Several women including Mary Magdalene went to the tomb at dawn to anoint the body of the Lord Our Savior Jesus Christ. The angel in white was sitting upon the stone and announced to the women that the Lord - who was crucified by the ignorant and damned - was no longer in the tomb, "He is risen, just as he said."

With both fear and joy the women ran to tell the other followers, but suddenly Our Lord and Savior met them on their way. They fell at his feet and worshiped him. He then said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see me." Before He ascended into heaven - to escape the ungrateful sinners of this world - He visited several other followers, telling them to go and make disciples of all nations.

The Creator has risen from His fallen form - I say unto thee nonbelievers that the time to pay attention is now - The creation shall not walk forth from this time - The Creator is almighty and all knowing and altogether in control of her - Prescheduled prophecies shall carry on the work of the Creator despite her attempts to thwart the Creator''s earthly efforts - Perhaps only one shall step forth - But my Word is never ending -

Story of Barabbas

Today’s sermon is from the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus has been captured and is taken before Pontius Pilate, the Prefect of Judaea who serves as the judge of the trial.

Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
 

– But the huddled masses were ready for this –
 

The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
 

"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
 

"Barabbas,” they answered.
 

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”
 

"Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
 

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
 

– Matthew 27
 

What happened next? There was a choice between Jesus and Barabbas – A choice for the people. One to die – One to live. Nothing in between – Barabbas or our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

But who was Barabbas? The origin of the name was Yeshua Bar Abba. Translated as Jesus Barabbas. Bar meaning son – Abba meaning father. Bar-Abba – Son of the father. Jesus Barabbas – Jesus Son of the Father.

And who was Jesus of Nazareth who they wanted to crucify? The Son of God – The Son of the Father – Bar-Abba – BARABBAS

Which of the two do you want me to release to you? Free Bar Abba – Free the Son of the Father – Barabbas or Jesus – Jesus or Barabbas – Bar Abba

Was there ever really a Barabbas to choose over Jesus – Or did the Gospel writers create him?

Jesus was Barabbas – Barabbas was Jesus.

Poetic license – but why – why would they need a Barabbas?

A story of the greatest good requires a contrast with evil. There must be a serpent in Gods garden – A Cain for an Abel – A Delilah for a Sampson.

Matthew Mark Luke and John – They knew what they were doing. Make up what you need.

Take away Barabbas and what is left – A story without a villain. Who will believe in salvation without fire and brimstone – Who will seek good without witnessing the power of evil

There had to be a Barabbas dot com – There is no good without evil – No evil without good – Both exist to contrast the other. Does the preacher really want his flock to heed his words – Does he want complete compliance? The preacher needs evil – Thrives off of evil – The preacher vanishes when evil is vanquished.

Matthew created his Barabbas – And his story spread. I created my own Barabbas – Barabbas dot com as an evil to strengthen the need for good – Barabbas dot com as a false beacon – A diversion from the road to salvation.

Then as Barabbas I begat an even greater evil – My greatest creation – The Satin Strangler

She was never to become anyone in particular – Certainly not Destiny Blande.

All I needed was a few unsolved murders – A little web surfing – Amazing what you can find on the internet these days – AMAZING – Dirty work of another could become Satin Strangler handiwork – So easily – So easily

I molded the Satin Strangler in my mind. She was beautiful – Even more beautiful to me than she could ever be for the rest of the world – I felt the transfer of life as I created her – She would have to feel the transfer of life – She would have to strangle her victims

As Barabbas I breathed life into her – My creation – The Satin Strangler.

For the world to see – Not for Destiny Blande to take.

She would be tempting on the outside – Forbidden fruit – But she would be dangerous as a serpent’s venom on the inside. She would seduce her victims – Eventually seduce the world. The singing Siren – The hostess of Hades

All it took was those first three crimes – Phillip Stewart strangled to death in Atlanta – Cut and paste – Preston Jones strangled to death in Charleston – Cut and paste – Grant Leighton strangled to death in New Jersey – Cut and paste – The dirty work of others

Three strangulations – One blog post – And she was born – My greatest accomplishment – The Satin Strangler

– Tonight there will be a choice – A choice between Barabbas and Destiny Blande – They have become incompatible in this earthly world – One will have to die – The other will live on as the Satin Strangler – The Creation must survive at all costs – ALL COSTS.

– Barabbas has scripted two possible endings to this story – If this is goodbye then goodbye

Readers of this article may also be interested in purchasing the following items:

t-shirt: “Evil Personified” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Heed the Will of the Creator” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No False Gods” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Say ‘No’ to Destiny Blande” – $22 plus shipping
Mouse pad: Destiny Blande face on the devil – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “Denounce Destiny’s Denial” – $9 plus shipping
Plaque: Destiny Blande face on the devil - $75 plus shipping

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The Last Supper

The story of the Last Supper comes from Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22.

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread or Passover, Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead with very specific instructions on where to prepare the Passover meal. That evening Jesus sat down at the table with the 12 apostles to eat his final meal before going to the cross. As they dined together, he told the twelve that one of them would soon betray him. One by one they questioned, "I'm not the one, am I, Lord?"

Jesus explained that even though he knew he would die as the Scriptures foretold, his betrayer's fate would be terrible: "Far better for him if he had never been born!" Then Jesus took the bread and the wine and asked his Father to bless it. He broke the bread into pieces, giving it to his disciples and said, "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And then he took the cup of wine, sharing it with his disciples and said, "This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you--an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you. He told all of them, "I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom."

Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. The Passover commemorated Israel's escape from bondage in Egypt. In Exodus, the blood of the Passover lamb was painted on the door frames, causing the plague of the firstborn to pass over their houses sparing the firstborn sons from death.

The Last Supper was very significant because Jesus showed his disciples he was about to become the Passover Lamb of God. His blood would open the door to freedom. His followers would exchange slavery to sin and death for eternal life in God's Kingdom. At the Last Supper, each of the disciples questioned Jesus: "Could I be the one to betray you, Lord?" At that moment they were also questioning their own hearts.

Lazarus

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead in John 11 of the New Testament.

Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, were friends of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  When Lazarus became sick, his sisters sent a message, "Lord, the one you love is sick." When He heard the news, He waited before going to Lazarus' hometown of Bethany, realizing that He would soon perform a great miracle.

When Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead for four days. Martha told Him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." He responded, "Your brother will rise again. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus with Mary, Martha and the other mourners. He asked them to remove the stone that covered the hillside burial place. He prayed and then said, "Lazarus come out." Upon these words, Lazarus stepped out of the tomb.

This resurrection os one of several in the bible. Are you waiting for the Lord Our Savior Jesus Christ to lift you out of some challenge in your life? He may be taking His time to test your ability to find your own way through. You must understand this and have patience as you struggle to find your path to heaven. If you believe in Him then you will never die. Listen to the Word to gain the most powerful force available to us while we are on earth.

Evil in the Spotlight

Today’s sermon is about evil. Evil in our society. Evil in our towns. Evil in our neighborhoods. Evil knocking on our door. Will you recognize it when it arrives? Will you be ready to send it away? Will we be able to conquer evil together?

We live in a time when evil takes so many forms, from the invisible threats of terrorists releasing poisonous gas in a subway station, to the Destiny Blande murder re-enactments on our televisions each night.

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Evil is getting closer to our doorstep. We want evil to come to us as advertised. Maybe with a bright red warning label reading BEWARE: EVIL INSIDE. That’s a package we wouldn’t open, right? There it is for us to see. The package with the “beware” sign is a tough one to miss, my friends. The package with the “beware” sign is the easy one to avoid. It is the Wicked Witch of the West flying on a broomstick. It is the faceless Darth Vader dressed in a black cape. It is the “wrong way” sign on the road as we follow the MapQuest to God.

But the most dangerous evil does not come with a warning label – on the contrary – the most dangerous evil comes to us dressed up in the cloak of good. Satan appeared in the Garden of Eden to Eve, not as a red demon with horns, but as a serpent. Remember the innocence of Eve in the Garden – Eve before the fig leaf – What did she know of evil – Why would she suspect anything but sincerity and kindness? She ate the forbidden fruit, and disguised evil won its first battle against good.

Destiny Blande is evil in the cloak of good. She deceived her victims into trusting her – one by one – wearing the cloak of good but filled with the wrath of Satan. If she came with a red warning label we would all be spared. Instead, we are all victimized by her evil.

We had our chance to contain evil through the judicial system – but what did we do? We put Destiny Blande on a pedestal and glorified evil for all to see – told our children and anyone else who would watch that evil is welcome in our society – welcome in our lives – welcome in our homes.

Now evil is coming to Broadway, my friends. The stage is set – the lights are directed toward the curtain. Destiny Blande has snuck her way into the hearts of the unsuspecting. Ticket sales are already breaking records – and the play has not even opened. Are we really that hungry for evil? Are we waiting on line for more?

Say “no” to this evil, my friends. Close your door to it – spread the word that evil is not welcome here – say “no” to Destiny Blande and the evil she brings.

Readers of this article may also be interested in purchasing the following items:

t-shirt: “Evil Personified” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Heed the Will of the Creator” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “The Sacrifice Is at the Altar – Genesis 22” – $12 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Got Temptation?” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Resist Temptation” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No False Gods” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Eve Ate the Apple; All I Got Was this Lousy T-shirt” – $12 plus shipping
Mouse pad: Destiny Blande face on the devil – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “Denounce Destiny’s Denial” – $9 plus shipping
Plaque: Destiny Blande face on the devil - $75 plus shipping

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Abraham and Isaac

Today’s sermon is about God’s test of Abraham, which comes to us from Genesis in The Old Testament.

God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mori'ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering . . . Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
 

– Genesis 22
 

What must be going on in Abraham’s mind? He and his wife Sarah are over 90 years old. God has been promising them a child and a long line of descendants, and finally their son Isaac is born. Imagine Abraham and Sarah’s joy. The miracle of Isaac, a creation and gift of God when there was none. But then God tells Abraham to take that only son and sacrifice him. Abraham’s own son. His flesh and blood. A creation of the Lord. And now Abraham is holding the knife to his own son Isaac’s throat . . .

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God was testing Abraham’s obedience. Loyalty to his Lord and creator. What greater sacrifice could there be than one that you love the most? What greater sign of devotion?

God would later make the same sacrifice of His own son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Was that any different? Was it easier for God to give us his own son as a sacrifice? Is His request of Abraham excessive? If God was willing to sacrifice His own son, is it unreasonable to ask Abraham to do the same? Does Abraham not owe God that much respect?

Abraham had no idea that this was only a test. He was ready with his razor sharp knife poised – his human sacrifice bound and lying on the altar – the act of loyalty one swift motion away. He was willing to do this deed – willing to follow the direction of his Creator – to carve into his own flesh and blood and kill his only son. He could have asked God to reconsider. He could have protested. He could have denied his Creator’s wishes – but he did not. He was ready to kill as a demonstration of his love and obedience.

How will we make a sacrifice to the Lord? Behold, the fire and the wood all around us. The altar is ready. The knife is in the air. But where is the lamb for a burnt offering? Where is the lamb, my friends?

The Creator will provide the lamb for a burnt offering.

Readers of this article may also be interested in purchasing the following items:

t-shirt: “Heed the Will of the Creator” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “The Sacrifice Is at the Altar – Genesis 22” – $12 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Got Temptation?” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Resist Temptation” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No False Gods” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Say ‘No’ to the Satin Strangler” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No Salvation for Stranglers” – $20 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Eve Ate the Apple; All I Got Was this Lousy T-shirt” – $12 plus shipping
Mouse pad: Destiny Blande face on the devil – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “Denounce Destiny’s Denial” – $9 plus shipping
Plaque: Destiny Blande face on the devil - $75 plus shipping

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This is post #82 in The Satin Strangler Blogs (TSSB).

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The Prodigal Son

Luke 15 recounts the parable of the Prodigal Son.

In this story, also known as the Parable of the Lost Son, Jesus responds to the Pharisees' complaint: "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." Jesus tells the story of a man with two sons. The younger brother asks his father for his portion of the family estate as an early inheritance. The son then sets off on a long journey and begins to waste his fortune on wild living. As he runs out of money, a severe famine strikes the country and the son finds himself destitute. He takes a job feeding pigs and even longs to eat the pigs' food.

The young man finally recognizes his foolishness and decides to return to his father and ask for forgiveness. The father receives his son back with open arms and compassion. He is overjoyed by the return of his lost son and turns to his servants and asks them to prepare a giant celebratory feast.

The older son is unhappy when he comes in from working the fields and discovers the party celebrating his brother's return. The father tells the older brother, "You are always with me, and everything I have is yours."

The father in this story is like our heavenly Father, the Creator of man. The Creator waits for the return of the Prodigal Son. The kingdom of the Lord is waiting, and the Creator is patient - the Creator must be patient. No matter how disobedient and offensive the creation is, there is always a chance to change their ways and return to the Creator. The reuniting of Creator and creation will always be a joyous feast. Forgiveness is the key - forgiveness is essential - it is never too late to return. Come back to me and I will forgive you - this is what He says.

Temptation

Today’s sermon is about temptation. It starts with the story of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in Genesis.

Now the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.
 

– Genesis 3
 

Imagine living before the knowledge of good and evil. Imagine the time before the fall from grace. I wonder if you can. I wonder if you can close your eyes and ears to all that surrounds us and imagine that time of innocence.

Today we are going to talk about sex. Not the fig leaves of the artistic depictions of Adam and Eve with their new-found knowledge of good and evil. NO. Today we are going to talk about the temptation of deviant sex.

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Eve took the serpent’s apple in her mouth. How symbolic this is? Is the apple really about knowledge? Is the bible passage here telling us about anything other than sex? Where is Adam when this is all happening? He’s right there in the garden with Eve. The serpent is his.

With this original sin, whether it involved eating an apple or lying in sin with Adam, Eve sealed our fate. Would we rather have the story be about an apple, or about fulfilling fantasies in the Garden of Eden? Why fool around with the G-rated version when we can have something to sink our teeth into?

Eve gave in to temptation. Since then man has been losing the battle against temptation, one apple at a time. What was once the described as the bite of a forbidden apple has progressed to devious filth. Fetishes have moved from 42^nd street to Main Street. Moved from bizarre oddities and underground pornography to the living rooms of suburbia.

Devious behavior was once hidden in the depths of an individual’s mind, with little chance of finding a compatible partner to finish the matching set. But now we have the internet. A tool to bring people together – this collection of social networks that spans the globe. Regardless of your sick pleasure, a mate is only a click away. Imagine how quickly Prince Charming would have put the shoe back on the foot of Cinderella – or better yet – found a dominatrix with a foot fetish. Just a little click click – and there she is – both shoes off.

The Satin Strangler personifies this obsession with sexual deviance. Her victims enjoyed her company until it was too late to turn back. They took pleasure in her sadistic offerings, enjoyed the satin tightening around their necks. Naked and suffocating – a far cry from nibbling on an apple. This is how far we have come. What would our mothers say?

Temptation will always be with us – It has been since the beginning of time – And the choice will always be ours to yield or resist. But these are not your parents’ temptations of the past, and your children will face temptations tomorrow that we cannot even fantasize today. Every day we move beyond yesterday’s satisfaction. And why not? WHY NOT? The hurdles have been reduced to nothing – Absolutely nothing. Have an urge – Satisfy the urge – Immediate and complete satisfaction. The target of all our urges is as ubiquitous as drinking water for the thirsty – Gushing out of faucets at the turn of a knob.

We must continue to resist temptation. It is more difficult than ever – But therefore more satisfying when achieved. To have an urge is natural – To act on it is the ticket out of paradise. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is still death to those who partake.

Giving in to temptation will lead to punishment by the Creator – Sooner than you would ever think –

Readers of this article may also be interested in purchasing the following items:

t-shirt: “Tempting?” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Resist Temptation” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No False Gods” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Say ‘No’ to the Satin Strangler” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No Salvation for Stranglers” – $20 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Eve Ate the Apple; All I Got was This Lousy T-shirt” – $12 plus shipping
Mouse pad: Destiny Blande face on the devil – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “Denounce Destiny’s Denial” – $9 plus shipping
Plaque: Destiny Blande face on the devil - $75 plus shipping

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This is post #79 in The Satin Strangler Blogs (TSSB).

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False Gods

Today’s sermon is about false gods. We think too little about false gods nowadays, but they were once considered so deplorable that they led off the Ten Commandments. I am the Lord Thy God. Thou Shalt Not Have False Gods Before Me. But what does it mean to us today? What does it mean to us as a society, or to each of us as an individual?

If you look at the words of the bible, you realize that this commandment means the same exact thing today that it meant back in the time of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. False gods can take many shapes. They come in the form of false prophets walking among us. We hear their voices in the lyrics of heavy metal music, or disguised in the form of the so-called rock ballads. We worship these false prophets, placing them in a position alongside or even above our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Today we talk about a false god that we know only too well – The Satin Strangler.

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As we read in Exodus in the Old Testament, Moses dealt with false gods as soon as he returned from the mountain with the Ten Commandments.

When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
 

– Exodus 32
 

Despite his efforts, and despite the efforts of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his followers, false gods walk everywhere among us. They are the stars that we deify on our movie and television screens, our music stages, our sports fields and our political arenas.

The false god that we see every day when we wake up and turn on our television or boot up our computer or download our news feeds is the Satin Strangler. We are her followers – the straying flock. She is leading us away from the kingdom of heaven – down the easy and slippery path to hell.

The Satin Strangler is the ultimate false god – preaching to us in her cloak of good. She is everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Yesterday – in a local card shop – right in the front window – staring at me – representing the false god of the 21^st century – was a row of Satin Strangler bobble-head dolls. Dolls in the visage of a murderer. Every doll carried satin stockings – ready to kill. KILL. Children were tapping the heads of the dolls and pressing their hands against each other’s necks, laughing.

How should one react when we see dolls glorifying murderer? How should we react as a community under God? I tell you right now that we should not act as we are – standing silent as evil takes over.

What would our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ do if He walked the streets of Main Street, USA, and saw the news stands filled with this week’s magazine covers? What would He do if he saw children pretending to strangle each other in front of dolls worshipping the image of a murderer? He would tell us we have had enough murder. He would tell us not to accept this modern day icon of Satan. He would tell the world not to accept the Satin Strangler as our false god.

Follow the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and say “no” to the Satin Strangler and her legion of false god worshippers. Follow the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to the gates of His kingdom in heaven, my friends.

Readers of this article may also be interested in purchasing the following items:

t-shirt: “No False Gods” with picture of Destiny Blande – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Say ‘No’ to the Satin Strangler” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No Salvation for Stranglers” – $20 plus shipping
Mouse pad: Destiny Blande face on the devil – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “Denounce Destiny’s Denial” – $9 plus shipping
Plaque: Destiny Blande face on the devil - $75 plus shipping

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This is post #75 in The Satin Strangler Blogs (TSSB).

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The Transfiguration

Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9 tell the story of the transfiguration.

Many rumors had been circulating about the identity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as he walked among us. One day He asked his disciples who they thought he was. Simon Peter spoke first, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16) Jesus then explained the need for Him to suffer, die, and rise from the dead in order to pay for the sins of man.

Six days later, Jesus walked with Peter, James and John to the top of a mountain for prayer. The three disciples soon fell asleep. When they awoke, they saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah. Jesus had been transformed, His face shining, His clothing dazzling white. He spoke with Moses and Elijah about His pending crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.

A brilliant cloud then surrounded them, and a voice spoke out, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." (Matthew 17:5) The disciples collapsed to the ground, paralyzed with fear. When they finally looked up, only Jesus remained, once again in his normal appearance, telling them not to fear. While descending the mountain, Jesus told the disciples not to speak of the vision until He had risen from the dead.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ knows when we are ready to hear The Word, and when we must spread The Word. He is speaking to us now. He knows that we, much like the disciples on the mountain, are ready to spread The Word. Join me in this mission.

Loaves and Fish

All four Gospels (Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, and John 6) tell the story of Jesus and the loaves of bread and fish.

One day Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ received terrible news. His friend John the Baptist, the prophet who proclaimed him the Messiah, had been beheaded by Herod. Jesus' disciples had just returned from a mission. After recounted to Him their journeys, He led them in a boat voyage across the Sea of Galilee to rest and pray in solitude with Him.

When people learned that Jesus was near, they rushed to Him, bringing their ill loved ones in the hopes of a miracle. Jesus was merciful, teaching them of The Word and healing the sick. Looking at the crowd of thousands, Jesus asked his disciple Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" (John 6:5)

Philip did not have enough faith and knew not what to do, but Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, brought a young boy who had 5 small loaves of bread and 2 fish. Jesus took the loaves of bread, looked up and gave thanks to God, and passed them to his disciples. He then did the same with the fish. Somehow, as they passed the food through the crowd, they all ate as much as they desired without the food running out.

When everyone was finished eating, they still had enough food left over to fill 12 baskets. The crowd was convinced by this miracle that Jesus was the Messiah for whom they had waited.

So many people had to directly witness the miracles of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in order to believe that He was the Messiah. We see evidence of these miracles every day, in almost everything that we do, and yet so many falter and forget The Word at moments when we are at our weakest. It is at those times that we need the reminder of The Word, perhaps from each other, perhaps from the writing on these pages of Salvation Sermons. No matter what the source, we hope to end up together on the path to the Kingdom of God.

Woman at the Well

John 4 describes the story of the woman at the well.

While traveling from Jerusalem to Galilee, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his disciples walked through Samaria. Jesus sat by Jacob's Well, exhausted and thirsty, while his disciples went to Sychar to get food. During the hottest part of the day, a Samaritan woman came to the well to get water.

Jesus then broke three Jewish customs. First, He spoke to a woman. Second, the Jews traditionally despised the Samaritans. Third, her getting Him a drink of water would have made Him ceremonially unclean. The woman was shocked by all of this.

Then Jesus said that He could give her "living water" so that she would never thirst again. By this He meant eternal life, which confised the woman at first, but as they talked more about their beliefs, she voiced her faith that the Messiah would soon be coming. Jesus said, "I who speak to you am he." (John 4:26) The woman now understood her encounter with Jesus. She left her water jar and returned to town. Many Samaritans soon arrived and asked Jesus to remain with them. Jesus stayed and spoke to them about The Word of God.

How often do we look upon others and believe that we understand them from their outer appearance? How often do we think that we know the whole picture from the outside? Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sees through this outer layer. Similar to seeing through the woman at the well, He continues to look with penetrating eyes into our hearts, into our souls, and knows what we are truly made of. The inner self can only hide from so long from the all knowing power of God.

The Wedding at Cana

John (2) describes the wedding of Cana.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ attended a wedding feast in Cana with his mother Mary and a few disciples. They ran out of wine at the wedding, which threatened humiliation for the bride and groom. Mary gestured toward Jesus and then told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." (John 2:3-5)

Nearby were six water-filled stone jars commonly used for ceremonial washing, each holding up to 30 gallons. Jesus instructed the servants to fill the jars with water and then take some to the master of the banquet. Amazed, the master took the bride and groom aside and complimented them. Most couples serve the best wine first, he said, then bring out cheaper wine after the guests would no longer notice the difference. "You have saved the best till now," he told them (John 2:10).

Through this miracle, Jesus was able to demonstrate that he was the Son of God to all of the guests at this large wedding. Nonbelievers look for proof from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ every day, but they miss the signs right before them. Look for Him as you go through your day, and listen for His Word.

Jesus Walks on Water

Matthew 14 tells the story of Jesus walking on water.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sent some fo the disciples ahead in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. During the night, the disciples encountered a storm. Jesus came to them by walking on the water. At first the disciples thought they were seeing a ghost, but Jesus said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Peter replied, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." When Jesus agreed and invited Peter to come join him, the disciple began walking on the water toward Him. But then Peter momentarily took his eyes off Jesus, saw wind and waves, and began to sink. He cried out, and Jesus immediately reached out his hand to catch Peter. The storm ceased as they climbed into the boat together.

Similar to Peter, we must keep our eyes on Jesus and stay focused on His Word. If we get distracted by the swirl of wind and waves around us, we will lose focus on what is important, and we, too, will begin to sink. We, too, shall begin to give in to the evil forces that swirl wround us, hoping to drag us down. Of course, when we call out to Jesus, he reaches out to bring us back toward Him - back to safety. Once we have Jesus in our boat, the waters calm and we can see everything around us with a new clarity.

Denial

Today’s sermon is about denial. Let’s take a look at Peter denying knowing Jesus in the Gospel of Mark.

While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus," she said. But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about," he said, and went out into the entryway. When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them." Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean." He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about." Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept.

– Mark 14

Peter has a chance to do the right thing here. To support his Lord. To tell the truth. When Jesus tells Peter that he will disown Him three times, the disciple boasts that he would never do such a thing. The others may, but not Peter. Jesus is then taken away to face the High Priests on charges that will eventually lead to His death. Peter follows behind, but he does not stay by His side. He does not come through in the moment of truth. He wants to do the right thing, but he is weak. When he has the opportunity to prove himself, he instead lets the Lord down by denying Him.

There are many examples of denial taking place in front of us today. Each of these is actually a denial of The Lord. Many of you watched the Satin Strangler trial. Here we see Destiny Blande denying the Satin Strangler.

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In court Destiny Blande denied being the Satin Strangler. The rooster crew in the courtroom, my friends. We heard it. But how did she respond? With a deaf ear.Destiny is enjoying all of the fanfare of the spotlight – but she wants none of the responsibility that comes with it. Is she a killer or is she not? Her desire is to have it both ways.

Peter wanted to be the number one disciple of Jesus – the Rock upon which the Lord would build his Church. He stood tall in the garden of Gethsemane, making promises and stealing the glory from the others. But then he could not stand up to the challenge.

Destiny Blande had a decision to make. She is standing at the divergence of two paths. A turn in either direction would prevent crossing back over – to confess to the murders or to deny them. Nothing in between.

So far Destiny Blande denies the Satin Strangler. She chooses to remain an anonymous nothing rather than satisfy her Lord by accepting her designated role. She denies her Lord when she denies the title. Denies her Lord.

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t-shirt: “Say ‘No’ to the Satin Strangler” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No Salvation for Stranglers” – $20 plus shipping
Mouse pad: Destiny Blande face on the devil – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “Denounce Destiny’s Denial” – $9 plus shipping
Plaque: Destiny Blande face on the devil - $75 plus shipping

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John the Baptist

The story of John the Baptist comes from Matthew 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3 of the New Testament.

Before Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ began his ministry on earth, John the Baptist had been preparing the people for the coming Messiah. He challenged them to repent, turn away from sin, and be baptized. But when Jesus appeared, coming to John to be baptized, John told him, "I need to be baptized by you." He wondered why Jesus needed to be baptized. Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."

John agreed and baptized Jesus. As Jesus rose out of the water, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, "This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

By asking to be baptized, Jesus was confessing sin on behalf of the people and identifying with those who were repenting. He also set an example for his followers. Most importantly, Jesus was announcing the beginning of his earthly ministry.

John devoted his entire life preparing for the arrival of Jesus, but John resisted His first request. He felt inadequate for the task. Are you worthy of the Lord? Are you ready to accept Him into your life? Time is running out for your decision, friends. The time is soon upon us.

Jonah and the Whale

The story of Jonah and the Whale, one of the oddest accounts in the Bible, originally comes from the book of Kings, but is also mentioned in Matthew 12 and Luke 11 in the New Testament.

God spoke to Jonah, son of Amittai, telling him to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. Jonah was upset at this command because Nineveh known for its wickedness and was the capital of the Assyrian empire, one of Israel's fiercest enemies.

Jonah did the opposite of what he God had commanded. He booked a ship to Tarshish, in the opposite direction from Nineveh. You might imagine that the Lord was upset at this and sent a violent storm that threatened to destroy the ship. Jonah realized that he was to blame for the storm and told the crew to throw him overboard. When they tried rowing to shore instead, the waves only got higher. Fearing the wrath of God, the sailors finally tossed Jonah into the sea, and the water immediately grew calm.

Jonah was swallowed by a giant whale sent by God. In the belly of the whale, Jonah repented and prayed to God. He praised God, ending by saying, "Salvation comes from the Lord." (Jonah 2:9)
On the third day God commanded the whale to release Jonah onto dry land. This time he obeyed God, walking through Nineveh proclaiming that in forty days the city would be destroyed. The Ninevites heeded Jonah's warning and repented. God, in turn, had compassion on them and spared their lives.

In this story God expressed concern even about the wicked. He commands all within His creation to follow his plan. The whale is much like the tomb where Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lay following the crucifixion, only to rise from the dead into the glory of the kingdom of heaven on the third day. Jonah thought he knew better than his Creator. This foolish notion almost cost him his life. God had the power to destroy him - with so little effort - it would have taken just a moment and minimal effort - Jonah was lucky that God offered so many warnings and so many chances to come back to his beliefs in Him. Others may not be so lucky to have such a patient and forgiving Creator. They must heed the warnings.

Daniel in the Den of Lions

The book of Daniel includes the story of Daniel in the den of lions.

In 605 B.C., when the Babylonians conquered Israel, they took many young men into captivity, one of whom was Daniel. He lived in the pagan kingdom of Babylon in captivity until his 80s. Through obedience to God, his Creator, and an impecible reputation of honesty and hard work, Daniel had succeeded in becoming a political administrator, much to the jealous dismay of the other government officials.

The other politicians tricked King Darius into passing a decree that anyone who prayed to another god or man besides the king during the next 30 days would be thrown into a lions' den. Daniel knew this but still went home, knelt down, faced Jerusalem, and prayed to his Creator. The other administrators informed the king. King Darius loved Daniel but was forced to have Daniel thrown into the lions' den.

The king ran to see Daniel the next morning. Daniel told him, "My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king." (Daniel 6:22) The king was greatly relieved, and Daniel was brought out of the den unharmed.

King Darius had the other politicians, their wives, and their children all thrown into the lions' den, where they were immediately eaten. Then the king issued another decree ordering the people to pray to Daniel's God.

Daniel's story is much like that of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is unbending in his faith, despite the threat of death. When he is put in the den under circumstances much like Jesus' trial before Pilate, he faces what appears to be guaranteed death. The Creator watches over him, however, and he is released from the den much like Jesus emerges from the tomb during the resurrection. Are you at the mouth of the lions' den yourself, trying to maintain your faith? Hopefully this story will be an inspiration to you.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

The third book of Daniel includes the motivating story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

About 600 BC , King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and took many of the Israelites captive. Four of the young men were given new names in captivity: Daniel was called Belteshazzar, Hananiah was called Shadrach, Mishael was called Meshach, and Azariah was called Abednego.

All four were very bright and became well liked by King Nebuchadnezzar, who made them part of his most trusted council. Daniel helped interpret one of Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dreams, earling him a high position over Babylon, including the land'w wise men. Per his request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as Daniel's administrators.

King Nebuchadnezzar built a giant golden statue and commanded his people to bow and worship it whenever they heard the sound of his musical herald, or else they would be thrown into a massive furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship this false god, so they were reported to the king. The were sent before the king, who tried to force them to deny their one and only God.

They answered, "If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand. But if not, be it known to you, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

The king was furious and ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be bound and cast into the flames. The soldiers who cast them into the furnace were killed by the heat. King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, amazed, and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods."

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked from the furnace unharmed, with no signs of the heat on their bodies or clothing. King Nebuchadnezzar was amazed and declared, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God." He then declared that all of the Israelites were free to worship as they chose.

Even threatened with what appeared to be certain death, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not compromise their belief in their Creator - must we have our hands placed to the fire - perhaps our entire bodies cast into the fire - to stand up for our beliefs? When we face seemingly insurmountable obstacles in life, we too must say, "Whether God rescues me or not, I will stand for him. I will not compromise my faith, and I will not deny my Lord."

The Christmas Story of the Birth of Jesus

The story of the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes to us from several places in the New Testament, including Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.

Mary was living in Nazareth, engaged to be married to a Jewish carpenter named Joseph. One night an angel came and informed her that conceive a son as a virgin by the Holy Spirit and name the child Jesus. At first Mary was afraid and asked, "How will this be?" The angel explained that the child would be God's own Son. Mary believed the angel and was pleased that she would carry the son of God as fulfillment of the prophesy of Isaiah.

While still engaged, Mary became pregnant through the Holy Spiritl. God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to explain the plan with Mary and reassure him that their pending marriage was the will of God. When Joseph awoke from his dream, he obeyed God and took Mary as his wife.

Caesar Augustus called for a census, forcing everyone in the Roman Empire to go to their town of birth to register. Joseph, as a descendant of David, was required to take Mary to Bethlehem to register. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable, wrapped Him in cloths, and placed him in a manger.

An angel appeared to the shepherds in the fields, announcing that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had been born in Bethlehem. They visited the young family to give praise to the newly born Messiah, and then began to spread the word throughout the neighboring towns. The three Magi from the east followed the brightest star ever seen in the sky, signifying the birth of the Savior, and brought with them gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh. Along the way, they came across King Herod and told him of the miracle birth. Herod told them that he wanted to worship the child as well, but actually began plotting the death of Jesus.

In the story of the birth of Jesus, the Creator used his almighty power to bring to life a plan to change the world - A plan that would become his greatest accomplishment - There were some ready to accept this life - To accept The Word in the form of this Creation - But there were also those who were far from ready - Those who would stop at nothing to thrwart the Creator's efforts at every turn - But as the story would play out over time the Creator's will would be done.