Church of Cannabis in Alabama

I wrote earlier about the First Church of Cannabis in Indiana.

I understand there's now a First Church of Cannabis in Alabama looking to be situated in Montgomery.


After viewing the video I have to wonder---
if a plant, mineral, vegetable, or object is deemed 'good and peaceful' by Man,
is that Man's reason to worship it?

A church building where believers meet for group worship to the Lord

Photo credit: Sgarton from morguefile.com
 

And, for what ever reason or excuse, isn't worshiping anything other than God considered idolatry?
Cannabis may not be a statue or a graven image, but replacing the worship to God with worship to an herb is what I would call 'modern day idolatry'.

Jesus, the Son of God had proven he's 'good and peaceful' and through him a person can have everlasting peace with the God of creation, (the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). Cannabis can't give that.

In my humble opinion, smoking an herb will not gain me any peace with God. It may gain me a few minutes of pain relief. I don't wish anyone to suffer with pain. If I was suffering in chronic pain I'd also like to have some relief. But anything I take for pain I do not think is on any level with Christ the Messiah.

And, cannabis isn't the only substance easing discomforts of pain,
What's next, the Church of the pain-relievers Codeine, Aleve® and Oxycontin®?

I believe the Church should only be about the message of the Bible which telling of the need of a personal Savior or Messiah because no one other than Jesus can say they've not sinned against God. Sin is serious and separates us from a holy and just God. The church is a gathering place to teach and instruct about being a disciple of Jesus.
In learning of Christ in Bible scriptures we learn about the heavenly Father, what's pleasing to our heavenly Father and how to live a more spiritually and more Christ-like.

The Lord alone deserves all of our worship because in and through him is the only way for us to inherit God's promises and for our spirit to be quickened with the Holy Spirit.

Food, water and air are beneficial as well and necessary. But I don't see any church gatherings to worship these life necessities supporting physical well-being.  Smoking cannabis has it's place and it's benefits but cannabis worship is far fetching where worship to it doesn't belong, in my opinion


I do pray those seeking healing to first and foremost seek after the true healer with all their heart, mind and strength and place total faith and trust in Him who  truly is worthy to be worshiped and praised.

'Nuff said.

The First Church of Cannabis, and how far are we willing to go?

Here's some trendy news.

I read about a church in Indiana, called First Church of Cannabis, where the parishioners can 
legally smoke pot.

dried marijuana (cannabis) leaves/stems

Photo credit: growweedeasy from morguefile.com

I'm not certain if pot smoking is the whole criteria of their religious belief, but the article does read 'they' believe cannibus can heal the world and formed a church to claim pot smoking is part of their religious practice.


Here are four news articles on the science of the healing benefits of Cannabis, which is the medical term for marijuana.

 This article states medical marijuana will have different effects for different people when 
  used under different conditions.

This article tells about medical types-Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Ruderalis.

This article tells about the different ways of getting the best medicinal effect from Cannabis.
(for example, if smoked, a vaporizer will help cut down lung and bronchial irritation).

And this article tells about a strain of cannabis with high CBD (cannabidiol) to low TCH (tetrahydro-cannabinol), medical studies of Cannabis and Parkinson's Disease and cancer, a cannabis drink and more.

church pews

Photo credit: Sgarton from morguefile.com
 

Okay, back to The First Church of Cannabis.

A church is a building, a structure where people meet.
A place where they can gather together, but should church be a place to smoke pot?
In Christian terms, 'the' church refers to the collective followers of Christ.

What is religion?
Has the First Church of Cannabis based it's doctrine around a plant because it helps with many physical afflictions?

A religion or organization where the people worship pot.
After reading this article, I'm questioning if the parishioners of the First Church of Cannabis have elevated marijuana to a status of divinity?

What is worship?
Are the parishioners of The First Church of Cannabis worshiping a plant because of it's therapeutic benefits?

This is one of the best writings I've come across on what is worship.
God alone deserves our praises and true worship.
Here are 34 scriptures on worship God.


What is idolatry?

Here are some modern forms of idolatry
(Idolatry is placing honor or reverence on anything other than God).

Here are 100 scripture verses on idolatry. 


Indiana's church of marijuana is a legitimate entity.
Does this 'count' as what a 'church' was designed to be?

Have the parishioners of this church taken something intended to be utilized for the spreading of the gospel and turned it into a format or tool so they can legally and religiously partake in a substance for pleasure or benefits?
Facts state this plant gives good, healthful value, but elevating any substance to the status of being worthy of being worshiped is questionable.

The true determination of it's position as a true church, what the parishioners believe and practice, and their worship to a plant will ultimately be determined by the true and righteous Judge, Jesus.

My thoughts....
How far shall Man allow himself to turn away from God?
What will sinning ultimately profit any one?
(I'm not advocating to live with pain - it's always helpful to seek a way to be pain-free,
but the condition of a person's eternal soul is much more important than any condition of the body, which has a termination date. The soul does not.

Scripture verses on turning away from God. 

The living God loves each of us so much.
Sin lessens our love for Him.
Why does God hate sin?

The results of sin-

In our 'soul' is where sin is birthed.
Sinfulness breeds more sinfulness unless checked, and this is The Way.

Why do we sin? 

Blinded eyes and hardened hearts keep us going the sinful way.

 God does not approve of any sinful behavior-it's not for our ultimate good. Satisfying any fleshly desires feels good, but some have negative consequences.


When the condition of the state of Mankind in general keeps looking more dreadful
rather than positive and encouraging, it should be obvious--- STOP Make a change and turn
around before it's too late.

Stop sinning - it leads only to danger

Photo credit: clarita from morguefile.com


Sinning leads only to danger.

But for some it's more important to have a religious right to legally 'light up' 
and feel good for a few hours....

and, so...

with blinded-eyes, hardened hearts and total disregard for their very souls,
some continue plunging downward towards the abyss of utter darkness.


P.S. I'm not judging any person. This is a discussion about how sinfulness has lead to the forming of  a church being about marijuana and not about Jesus, the Son of God, who loved us so much he died to pay the penalty for our Sins.

Until next time, I shall keep moving upwards my glorious future on that small, less traveled path set before me.

The source of Peace

Short and simple.


Photo credit: Prawny from morguefile.com

Desiring to be at peace with God ought to be the most important peace we desire, more than the peace we desire within ourselves and with our neighbors.

The only way to have peace with God, is through Jesus.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

You CAN have peace with God through Jesus. It's a peace unlike any other peace imaginable. There isn't an adequate way to describe the inner peace Jesus gives to those who accept him as their personal Lord and Savior.

Through Jesus, a person can be at peace with God. Peace means to not be in conflict against God because our sins are forgiven through Jesus' sacrificial dying on the cross at Calvary, and we can have no fear of death any longer. (spiritual death). Those who believe will enjoy eternal, spiritual life because your spirit will have been quickened (made alive) by the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Jesus from death.

That's some special kind of peace. And a special kind of life to look forward to in God's Kingdom.

Throughout history, does it look like peace is on the horizon between people living on this planet? No, people like conflicts, so peace isn't possible.
Peace is always out of grasp because the ingredient for peace can only come about through one Way.

Jesus offers peace because He is the source of Peace.
Jesus is the source of all good and all love.

My paraphrase-You're at peace with God when you have the Son whom God has given all authority to. (John 3:34-36)

Look at these scriptures on peace.

Peace - beyond our hopes and dreams

World peace.
No more wars, weapons or warring against each other.

Conflict with other people all gone.

World peace.
Is it possible? Can all nations and all people be peaceable towards one another?
Could the need for military and armaments be obsolete?
Could focusing on getting along like 'best of neighbors' happen? 
Could surveillance and intelligence be unnecessary?

World peace.
As much as I want to live in a world with no wars, no threat of wars, I know better.
All it takes is one to bring it on, and back we return to warring, hatred and killing.

People claim to want world peace.
But unless all are willing to give their all totally to the cause of world peace, it will never happen.
Warring, killing, stealing, lying, corrupting, and the likes, make for hostility, aggravation, discord, and those things are not conducive to bring about peace.

Some are going about practicing the 'opposite of peace' to usher in peace. 

I repeat, those things aren't conducive to peace. 
Only peace bring peace.

Some have the notion world peace will be a reality when all opposition to their certain set of rules or beliefs has been obliterated.
In other words, the world will be at peace when the world is totally dominated and inhabited by one group of people.

********

There is another kind of Peace.
Better than world peace.
Imagine a peace that's truly 'peaceful'.
Peace without force or fear.
This peace is waiting, patiently.
It's a peace that fills your heart and no Earthly words of any language can adequately describe.

This peace- is a peace so delightful that no man or woman can steal it from you. But they can have their own.
This peace is a gift that resides in your heart to whomever invites Jesus in. Just ask.
This peace means there is no longer a divider between you and your creator, the heavenly Father. A close relationship can happen when you aren't warring with God the Father. A close, loving relationship can develop.
This peace means you are looked upon by God the Father as one of his precious little ones. And God takes mighty good care of his children.
This peace means you can look forward to a super, super eternal future. A heavenly one.
This peace means you can rest and stop fighting, stop being an enemy of God. Instead call him, 'Abba, Father'.
This peace fills your heart, changing it, quickening your 'dead' spirit, and you being repositioned to rightful standing with God.
This peace brings about a connecting, close relationship with God the Father.
This peace is beyond all our hopes and dreams of world peace. God's blessings are awesomely good!
This peace is an internal peace, an individual, loving, satisfying peace with an infinitely, loving, heavenly Father.
This peace won't end and will fill our hearts over and over and over and over beyond our hopes and dreams.

Jesus IS peace AND offers peace with God.
This peace is more glorious than world peace.
Peace with God is peace, indeed.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Faithful brothers and sisters

Today I learned about Coptic Christians.

I am amazed how my brothers and sisters in Christ are firm in their faith,
in persecution for their faith,
even to death.

To learn about Coptic Christians, click here.

To live

Little Walter Joshua Fretz spent only 19 weeks developing in his Mother's warm womb.

I read this article and gazed at the photos of him.

He was a tiny fully-formed baby boy.

"So perfect," his Mother stated. She said she could see his heart beating.


At 19 weeks, that 'blob of cells' is a tiny baby.

Life is a gift from God- be happy!

Photo credit: Prawny from morguefile.com
 
In the womb, a developing baby boy or girl is getting nourishment and growing until time to make their entrance into the world. Their life was already progressing before they exited the birth canal.

Here are some links you can search on the creator knowing and forming you inside your Mother.

Every life is fearfully, masterfully, wonderfully made in the spiritual image of God.

God is the creator of life.
Not Man nor scientists.

Some individuals, whose Mother's granted them the opportunity to continue living,
want to rob a developing new life that same opportunity. 

God designed human life to develop within their Mothers until birth.

This geneticist says week 22- when a premature fetus can survive outside the Mother is when life begins. 

On a personal note-

I don't believe God intended for parents to kill their own flesh and blood before their developing baby can live independently of it's Mother.
A developing baby is an alive baby.

I don't believe God sees a developing baby at 9 weeks of age any differently than a developing baby at 19 weeks or a developing baby at 24 weeks. God sees a young soul.

Man makes excuses about life and death with science and medicine practices in mind.
If medicine and science improves so that an incubated 10 week old fetus treated can be sustained until it's lungs develop, will that mean changing at what point the baby isn't any longer considered a' blob of cells'?

When does life begin? 

At your beginning when a sperm cell penetrates an unfertilized egg. The DNA of both are necessary for life to begin dividing and multiplying cells- the beginnings of a life.

Life is necessary for there to be any development.

Life continues developing after birth-through adolescence, puberty, adulthood, middle age and through the elder years.

If you want to get technical, we're all made of cells, so we're all a blob of cells,  cells that have been given the breath of life.

If God has knitted you together, and knew you when you were in utero-
You've been given the 'breath of life' . -the gift of physical life.



38 Bible verses about the womb

15 Bible verses about pregnancy

Cross references- babies being sinful


It was God's will that little Walter Joshua Fretz not have a long, physical life.
I find it very heart-warming his parents named him.

His short life has made an impression upon the hearts of many.
 I know he has upon mine.

The gift of spiritual life is what you receive when you invite Jesus into your heart and life.
And spiritual life is eternal life. A gift God wants each person to want to choose.

Snowflake wonderment

I was thinking about snowflakes, well actually snow crystals.
These tiny flakes come in beautiful shapes.
Each flake different.
Each snow crystal is different.
And to think no two are exactly the same is beyond comprehension.
Every flake is dependent upon 
temperature and humidity factors forming the shape will become.
And God. He is in sole control of the elements.

God has each flake designed into a shape and never runs out of designs.

snow crystals magnified

Photo credit: FidlerJan from morguefile.com

Most of the time we don't see these beautiful shapes. We just see snow.
But thanks to photography, we're able to admire the detail of these magnificent works
of art up close and really be blown away by their individual splendor.

How many snow crystals does it take to make this scene?

Photo credit: IJY from morguefile.com

And, I like how this author sums up the subject of snowflakes.

Thinking on that should warm your heart.

Until next time,
taking it step upon step, along that small, narrow path, leading homeward to promised splendor and glory with my Lord God and all the saints.

Happiness and joy to all. What if?

Surrounded by happy people is a place I believe every one would choose to be and stay.

Disney World makes it's reputation being a destination you're going to be happy being there. Every year people by the million pay handsomely to go to a place manufacturing emotions of happiness for each visitor entering the turnstiles to the world of wonder and delight for all ages.

Joy touches deeper than happiness

Photo credit: earl53 from morguefile.com
 
So, what if the entire world could be a happy, happy world?

We wouldn't need to travel to any one destination to experience happiness for a day or two.  We'd have happiness day in and and day out in every place we lived or went, including hospitals, schools, offices of all sorts, every place.

Happiness would be the normal state of affairs globally for any and every person wanting or desiring to be happy.

Is this asking too much? If every one wanted and desired happiness, couldn't this be so?

Doesn't every one want to feel happy and experience a state of happiness every day for as long as you wanted?

We could all make the pursuit of happiness the in vogue pan epidemic 'bug' you'd want to get bitten by.

What if everyone had the same or very similar  definition of happiness?
We'd all be on the same page about happiness.
We'd all be striving for the same, we'd all know the next person is just like us, and we'd help each other reach the happy destination together, which would reinforce every one's daily happiness quota.

There'd be worldwide unified happiness in which we'd be surrounded by happy people everywhere.

Disney World might not like that.

But, being happy is different than being joyful.
Don't get me wrong. Happiness is a very desirable emotion and mental state.
But in my humble opinion,
being joyful is preferred over being happy.

I like how this person puts it in describing differences between joy and happiness.

And this description of the differences.

And this one.

And being that, what if we all sought after joy?

What a world this would be.

What if?

It may be an unrealistic dream to wish happiness and joy for all people in the world,
 but one person at a time is all it would take to get
the 'Joy bug' passed around to catch on.

Inner joy warms the heart, radiates outward and is lasting.

Photo credit: Melodi2 from morguefile.com


It's joyful for me to wish this. (my heart's smiling)

How you can know God personally, the One who gives you life and wants you to 
enjoy life to the fullest, and so much more.


Until next time,
I'm treading along that small path, enjoying inner joy that surpasses
 all understanding.
 The source of my joy comes from who I know.