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01/26/2009: Extricate is the word I want to solve your lost and hopeless lost "in the world" situation. “Lost and Bound” Bound up in cosmos diabolicus, the Greek words for the Devil’s World System as taught by Col. R.B. Thieme, Jr. using Schofield ref. Bible, 1917 Rev. 13:8 note. Bound also in the sense of “bound for glory” except not glory. But, as we would not be if we could not be if only someone would rescue us, bound for the abyss of torment followed by the lake of unquenchable fire with red hot slag. Well, harsh as that is, maybe it is better than the euphemism I sought. Born with a choice to make. Perhaps we even choose before birth, at least regarding our positivity or negativity toward a parental shepherd-like God who is noble, just and loving. But that is off-point, ask me Monday night, if my chapel can survive. Point in question: ensnarlment, bound up, entangled, rooted, snared, bemired: the longer under the world‘s control and sway, the worse it gets. So, I am thinking: what if we plan to reach the lost boys and girls with a systematic plan to extricate them? Reach out to them with a set of songs and sermons aimed at the devil’s most useful locks, fetters, shackles and chains. A minute or two to break each bond and one minute to hand over the keys to the kingdom of heaven. A couple minutes of enticement at the end closing hard before bringing up the objections (should we?) by summarizing them with God’s freeing solutions. Then a long list of what god will replace each with, for Satan is at his best only when proffering cheap counterfeits of God’s best for us. More to come, now to get the kids off to school. Entertainment is the new world system snare Intellectual pursuits is an old one. Sexuality and the chase and flirtatiousness of sexual conquest ensnare many. Sports is a subset of the entertainment industry ensnaring the male sex. Women are often on a quest for beauty and fashion. Politics and the allurement of power gain some. Others are drawn in by military and martial pursuits. Others are fascinated by civilian firearms and protection devices. The Bible itself condemns the love of money and motivation for filthy lucre. Even these pail behind Satan’s counterfeit systems mimicking true Christian religion. The old demonic idolatry remains. Powerful they were combining demon possessed idols and narcotic addiction and habit altogether with sexual addiction to all manner of sexuality and perversion plus the highest in culture including the best fine dining and entertainment of the time. Emperor worship and pharaoh worship improved on these as perhaps its epitome. More advanced entangling and imprisoning systems have arisen and entrenched themselves over time. Now the devil still uses the idolatrous components separately. The newer super systems are all by the point of the sword. Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Communists, even seculars: They have in common forbidding the free exchange of ideas that allows Christian sharing. Christians once born again are made to recant and herded back into failed demonic systems. Godless education systems lead a child into a Christ devoid, Christ denying, demon abounding world view. Extrication should be tailored to the way cosmos diabolicus presents itself in our culture. We would address: Evolution. Abortion. Drugs. Alcohol. Sexual immorality. Popular religious thought. Supposed charity. Environmental concerns. Education. Politics. Entertainment industry: Anti-religious hatred and slurs, False and twisted depictions of Christ, Christians and Christianity, Satanic presentations, Non-Christian religion depictions, Profanity, Anti-authoritarianism, Casual sexuality, Pre-eminence of sexuality Violence, Sadism, Normalizing perversions Utopian ideals: socialism/communism especially the romanticizing of their murderous promoters as heroes and heroines. Celebrity worship and admiration Machismo Indestructible self. Vanity of intelligence and education. Ambition Pursuit and care for: Money, for affluence Trappings of success; car, home, job clothes, girlfreind/boyfriend; husband/wife, et cetera If this list were exhaustive, I’d be older now. To extricate them we need to size up the individual or audience we are dealing with. We might even probe for what enslaves them most: Their priorities. Their preconceptions and beliefs Their passions and interests Now we present them in light of Christianity as inadequate or wrong and deceiving. Then we present Christ as meeting the true needs not truly met by their entanglements Meeting the unaddressed needs and wants. My background is business, especially sales, As you might guess. Sales is meeting needs. There is no way to meet needs like giving Jesus Christ as first savior and then Lord. 01/25/2009, Forest, Sr.'s birthday,Paul called it the beseeching of the lost in Christ’s stead “Be ye reconciled to God.” Reconciliation implies hostility. Lost and hostile to the very agent of rescue. As enmired in the devil’s world system we are hostile to our dear sweet fluffy Lord as if he is barbed toothy and poisonous. The strong delusion the devil gives us does that.
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