Who were the Nicolaitans in Revelation?

The Nicolaitans,

Ever wondered what John at Patmos directed by Jesus Himself was referring to? I have, for years...
In my studies over time and recently, what I've discovered is the word Nicolaitan is Greek in origin, NIKO meaning 'Conquer" or "To Conquer" and LAOS, which in Greek means "People" or "The People" or "The Laity"
Biblical scholars think there are at least two different beliefs concerning the origins of the word Nicolaitans from the early Church writers, but for this blog I'm going to just focus in on what the most prevalent belief is.

The Nicolaitans that John exiled on Patmos refers to are the disciples of Nicolas, an early Elder in the first century Church from recorded history. It appears that Nicolas was originally a pagan as most were at that time other than the Jews, and then converted to Christianity and was appointed later as an Elder along with several other men over the early church. Nicolas was first a Pagan probably a worshiper of Isis or the goddess Diana which was an extremely perverse and sexually immoral pagan religion, then he became a Jew, and then finally a Christian and a Christian leader.

Some biblical scholars say that Nicolas had little trouble combining his earlier pagan sexually immoral beliefs with his Christianity. and was teaching this heretical stew to the Laos or "The people" directly,
other scholars say that it was his churches misunderstandings of his teachings which led to the men having more than one wife and even the sharing of wives sexually.
Either way Nicolas and his particular congregation began embracing teachings of sexual immorality forbidden by the Apostles and Jesus Christ Himself, and then passing these heretical teachings off as true church doctrine.
The text in John's Revelation to the church at Pergamos describes what Christ hated and despised here as a severe warning to those who practiced these corrupt doctrines...Revelation 2:14-16

"But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to Idols and commit sexual immorality. In the same way, some of you hold to the teachings of the Nicolaitans.
Therefore, repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth..."
The Nicolaitans were teaching Idol worship, paganism, and sexual immorality ALONG WITH their Christian doctrines to the LAITY or the people, the church, just as these two odd characters Balaam and Balak who persuaded the Israelites into stumbling by teaching them sexual immorality and Idol worship.They did this to "stumble" or "trip up" the Israelites because they knew once they committed sexual sin and Idolatry their belief in their God would be severely lessened and would be much easier to "Conquer"
Similarly the NICO (To Conquer) Laitans (The Laity) were secretly making early Christians stumble and fall by teaching them sexual immorality or sleeping around with other mens wives and or girlfriends constantly and then pretending that was somehow Ok with God.
These were somewhat similar to the Gnostics of the first century, Gnosticism was the teaching of so called "knowledge", but it was an earthly knowledge, a carnal knowledge not of God but of men.
Gnostic is where we get our word knowledge but also where we get the English word Ignorant.
The Gnostics along with the Nicolaitans are those so called leaders who are knowledgeable of carnal and corrupt things, but "ignorant" of the teachings of God. Or possibly they "know" the things of God as well but choose to ignore those pure things from God and instead trip up or deceive the laity or "people" of God anyway, knowing it's wrong for the sake of money or power. or simply because they like to Lord over, control, or "Conquer" the people.
It's pretty obvious that the Nicolaitans are not only alive and well, but today in some cases ARE the Clergy, the Ecclesia, or certain church leaders who to this very day teach the mixing of Paganism, idol worship, and completely depraved sexual perversion and then pass it off as Christian doctrine.
These are the Wolves in sheep's clothing Jesus and some apostles warned us about are they not?

"Watch out for false prophets. they come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." Matthew 7:15
and again here...

"I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God's
Marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." Jude 1:4

Are we not seeing these things this very day in certain denominations and leaders that call themselves Christian?
The acceptance of Homosexuality, Lesbianism in not only some churches but actually practiced by bishops and so called leaders and groups of churches and then pretend God somehow agrees with these perverse doctrines?
Christian singers coming out and saying they are lesbian or gay and then wanting to profess and teach these heretical doctrines in churches or conferences believing that God says that's not only Ok but if you speak against that you're called a "hater" and "not tolerant"? All for money?
Politicians who profess they are Christians and say they belong to this denomination or that denomination and teach that the sin and destruction of human life through abortion of human beings made in the image of God Himself in direct opposition to God's word is some kind of Sacrament? For votes and money?

Do these modern day Nicolaitans actually think God is not watching all of this? Really?

Jesus Christ gives his strongest condemnation and uses the word "Hatred" of these perverse corrupt doctrines taught to His laity, the people, the church, and gives this stern warning to those who teach these things...

"In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of my Mouth..."

I take these words from Christ Himself seriously and if I've been guilty in any way of such teachings forgive me Lord, and pull me back to the Rock that is higher than I. I would hope every church leader of any kind over Christians or political leader that says they are a Christian should do so as well...

I'm just the Sax Player...


.

I ran into two racists of different colors last week...

I ran into two racists of different colors last week...

I always preface Blogs like this one I'm about to write by saying I'm neither White nor a person of color, and I'm also both at the same time. I'm a half breed, a mixed race American, sort of like the Samaritans in the Bible story Jesus told. They were half breeds, mixed race like me only 2,000 years ago. My Mom is half Hispanic and half Chinese, and my Dad is of English and Scottish descent. Because of my mixed race status I sometimes feel like a fly on the wall watching people of different races bicker back and forth and thinking "How stupid...why can't we just all call ourselves Americans."

In the last week I've witnessed and heard two very distinct and very racist comments...both were pointed in my direction...I heard these racist comments that were said by strangers I've never met not by anyone I know or have known or have ever worked with... I'll just say however that one person was white, and the other person was black...both uttered very racist comments within close earshot of yours truly...One young man at an event I was performing at last weekend (Colorado Black arts Festival) said as I was getting my musical equipt. out of my car "Watchout!, there's a wasps nest right there!" Now, myself being the naive half breed mixed race white looking person that I am thought nothing of that comment until about a minute later when I realized that a mixed race couple was walking towards me through the gate... A white woman with a black man, and I was there getting my horns out of the car, and I realized..."this guy was referring to W.A.S.P.S. as in White Anglo Saxon Protestants, in his wasps nest comment. I realized it was an incredibly demeaning, degrading and racist joke aimed at white people...which would include me and the white woman with her black husband...There was no wasps nest in the immediate vicinity, it was a crude and ignorant attempt at racial humor.

The second incident happened after I had driven 70 miles north towards home after a performance where I stopped at a 7/11 to get a Free Slurpee on Free Slurpee day...A white woman came into the store looking for the same thing I was looking for, the free slurpee cups, and I decided to be nice and say "their here right on your right" and she cordially said "Thank you", but then I began chatting with the store clerk and said, "you guys are lucky, In Greeley earlier I was getting a free slurpee and one store had a line about 15 people long!" Immediately after I spoke that sentence the white woman said loudly "Good, those Greeley people can stay over there, keep them all over there!" I'm assuming the white woman was referring to the people of another race that tend to live in Greeley, or maybe she just meant Greeley people in general...

I didn't say that I lived near Greeley myself I just let her continue in her stupefying ignorance and prayed for the woman silently...Now, I've encountered racists before in my life...as a half breed American that LOOKS white some people look at me and start making racist comments to me about a particular race, not realizing that I'm part of THAT OTHER races camp, as well as the ignorant person telling me the racist bigoted jokes camp as well...It just comes with the territory of being a half breed American.

But I have NEVER heard what I would consider racist comments in about a two to three day stretch, coming from two different racial types one white, and one black and so very blunt in your face racist, bigoted comments without so much as a hint of fear or repentance, or "Gee maybe I shouldn't have said that" from these two racists of different colors...perhaps these two very distinct racists thought about what they said later...perhaps they didn't even care or think about what they said at all, But I can only pray that they will

. I've spent most of my Musical career as a Gospel, Jazz, Funk, Rock and Roll saxophone player attempting to build some kind of bridge between races using my musical abilities, whether it was in Funky little bars or In Stadiums for close to 100,000 people. It saddens and discourages me to see we haven't seemed to improve race relations much (even though it appeared so in the 1980's-2000's) But this my friends is why I continue to say as I've stated here numerous times, that racism and bigotry comes in all colors, sadly...

Jesus AND....

This is the first in a series called "Jesus and..."

There's a lot of Jesus' going around today,
There's Jesus and Social Justice or Jesus and Socialism, there's Jesus and Nationalism,
there's Jesus and Save the Planet or Jesus and the Environment, there's Jesus and Money,
there's Jesus and Legalism or the Rules mandating Jesus, there's "Gay Jesus" or the "Jesus of Gay Marriage"

There's a whole lot of Jesus' running around today so lets explore some of these
"Other" Jesus' but before we do lets take a look at what the Jesus of the Bible said and
some of His closest followers said about "Another Jesus" shall we?
Paul the Apostle warned his followers and is still warning us more than two thousand years later
about those who preach "Another Jesus" and here it is...

2 Corinthians 11:4
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ, For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,
Or if you receive a different spirit than the Spirit you received, or a different Gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

And Christ Himself said here in Matthew 7:13-14
Enter through the Narrow gate, for the gate is wide, and the way broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it,
For the gate is small and the way narrow that leads to life, and only a few find it.

So we see that Paul was already warning his followers that there would be a whole lot of
people preaching about "another Jesus", and Christ Himself said there would be many. many and very popular teachers and teachings that  people will follow led by charismatic and very popular "Preachers" but they're preaching a completely different Jesus than the one Paul taught or that Christ Himself revealed in His earthly ministry.

So lets take a look at a few of these Different Jesus' now...

Jesus and the Environment, or "Ecology Jesus"

In the 1970's when I was a teen a new social movement was sprouting and burgeoning and that was
the "Ecology" Movement, otherwise known today as the environmental movement or what has been termed the radical Environmental movement.
Today most environmentalists or "Greens" don't appear that radical, they paste "Save the Planet" stickers on their cars, or "Save Mother Earth" or "Stop Global Warming" stickers on their bumpers and even vote for politicians who run for office touting "Climate Justice" and we must Stop Global warming and what now has been adjusted very conveniently to "Climate Change". Unfortunately for the Climate Justice and Global warming adherents, I and many others are old enough to remember the prevailing climate science of the 1970's and that was that we were headed straight into a new Ice Age. There was even a Leonard Nimoy narrated documentary on television called the "Coming Ice Age" and it can be found today on YouTube. Look it up while perusing music videos...

In the early 70's and even up through the 90's however radical environmentalism was definitely not benign and even bordered on very radical thinking and even violence.
"Earth First" environmental radicals were violent enough that they burned down several buildings one in particular I remember well was a building in the Vail, Co. Ski resort area that was torched to the ground because radical environmentalists hated "their" forests being degraded (in their minds) by a Ski resort and despised people having fun bringing their families enjoying a holiday and for a bit of Skiing.

There are many, many more examples of environmental radicalism that not only destroyed property in the name of "Saving the Planet", but in fact has been linked to murder, the very founder of Earth Day the early High Priest himself of environmentalists Ira Einhorn was linked to the Murder of a young College student named Holly Maddux in 1978. Einhorn fled, escaped justice and left the country for 20 years after the young college girl's body was found in his apartment stuffed in a suit case...Here's the link...

http://michellemalkin.com/2013/04/22/a-grisly-earth-day-reminder-eco-pacifist-fraud-ira-einhorn-a-killer-in-p-c-clothing/

It's easy to see the hypocrisy of "Saving the Planet" by burning down buildings and getting really violent...makes a lot of sense doesn't it?

Today however radical environmentalism has exploded into the mainstream in most of the west, Europe, and the U.S., and now calls itself "Climate Justice" or "Environmental Justice" and has entered the halls of political and cultural elitist power and control. Even our current President hails "Climate justice" and calls those who deny that the climate is not warming and being destroyed by mankind "Deniers". It has sort of a religious connotation and feel to it doesn't it? There are the "true believers" and the "climate deniers" who are evil and must be dealt with...The entire "Climate justice" movement has an undeniable "Us vs. Them" Religious fervor that feels not unlike that of a Saturday night Gospel tent revival, but, and this is important...it's a very different gospel altogether.

Just yesterday March 9, 2016 the President's attorney General Loretta Lynch actually came out and admitted on the public record and for the entire nation to view that the administration has "discussed" the punitive options of how to deal with "Climate Deniers"
Lynch actually admitted that the Obama administration is researching legal options and discussing how to deal punitively with what they call "climate deniers" particularly those in the oil industry or fossil fuels industry. Apparently I could be one of those targeted because I am highly skeptical of man made Global warming (as are millions of other Americans), but I think the pharisees and saducees of today have much bigger fish they want to fry...

Ok, so what does this have to do with Jesus?
Well, here it is...This kind of radical environmentalism has also entered the "Church" or some churches, or some groups or members of churches.

Jesus and environmentalism...some will say what's wrong with that? what's wrong with being a Christian and saving the environment?
Well, nothing really until the environment and your environmental justice fervor takes the PLACE of Jesus... Now don't get me wrong, I don't like litter, I hate it when I see people throwing trash out of their cars or leaving trash in a park for others to clean up.
I really applaud those who put catalytic converters on cars in the early 1980's because I remember the 1970's well when the front range of Denver, Co. was a pretty disgusting dark brown cloud. The air today is much, much cleaner than it was when I was a late teen and into my early 20's. Technology and science has improved our air and I think that's great, even fantastic...

The problem dear friends is that the radical environmental movement birthed in the 1970's
 replaced Jesus with another god GAIA, or the goddess of the Earth, and also Pan or the Greek/Roman god of nature and the Earth.
GAIA is the earth goddess that many, many people give their allegiances to (many unknowingly) and have now skillfully entered the church claiming that Jesus is an environmentalist, or in some churches god is a woman not male (feminists can get their knives out now), but Earth Mother or GAIA. Look around today and you can see GAIA in stores, on packages, in advertisements, on television and even pushed in billion dollar grossing Movies made by world famous and very successful Film directors and producers. And now in this modern age GAIA and Earth worship has walked right into the front door of the Church...
To these folks the all powerful God and maker of the Universe is not capable of caring for the planet (in their minds) so, we humans must help out the God and maker of Earth because He's not quite powerful enough to take care of  the Planet Himself...(Sarcasm off)

The Bible most definitely states emphatically that god is not female but male in nature. Those who question that only have to look at John 10:30 "I and the Father are one", Jesus nowhere states "I and the Mother are one", or "No one who denies the Son has the Mother", Sounds pretty ridiculous and even heretical doesn't it? Yet, there are churches and even entire denominations pushing this un scriptural heretical nonsense.

There is no earth goddess and there is no GAIA, and scripture in fact states that Jesus CREATED all things Himself, and for the Christian we have to discern the times we're living in and decide if we're going to worship Mother Earth or GAIA, or Jesus Christ who is God, who came to Earth SEPARATE from His creation. Here the Bible states clearly that all things were created by Jesus Christ, HE is the author of creation...John 1:2-4

"He was in the Beginning with God, all things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being, in HIM was life, and that life was the light of men."

 If you think I'm making all this up and I'm just one of those crazy right wing Christian nut cases that hates the Planet and environment that God Himself created, google these things for yourself and find out, learn the history of the radical (and sometimes violent) environmentalist movement in the U.S. and Europe, and see what I and many others have learned. And then decide if you're going to incorporate "Another Jesus" into your worship schedule or worship the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ...

Don't shoot me, I'm just the sax player... :)

Radical environmentalism and the God Pan...

Radical Environmentalism and the God Pan...


Pantheism- Earth Worship

Over the last 30 years or so even to the time I was still in High School in the 1970's we've seen in an increasing type of worship of the ancient Greco Roman deity "Pan" or "Faunus"
What is "Pan" someone might say and what is Pantheism?

Pan (also Faunus) was the ancient God of the earth, of nature, in ancient Greece and Rome they worshiped numerous god's (little g) and Pan was one of them. You may have seen the drawings and paintings of Pan playing his Lute or Flute that resembled a Faun or Satyr not unlike the character Tumnus in the C.S. Lewis books "The Chronicles of Narnia"

Pan literally means Earth and Theism or Theist means worship or worshiper.

The Pan-Theist is quite literally an "Earth Worshiper" or Worshiper of nature or natural things.
The worship of Nature or "Earth worship" has it's modern form today, and that is those who worship creation, the creation of made things, the earth, the animals, the oceans the sun, the moon, rather than God almighty who created these things.
Pantheists worship as gods (again little g) everything...they believe everything IS god, the rocks contain god, the oceans contain god, the animals contain god, we humans contain god which is completely contrary to what the bible teaches for instance in Romans They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the creator, who is forever praised, Amen.
 As the Bible shows clearly God is SEPARATE from the creation, the earth, the trees, the Mountains, and oceans and animals. Yes, God's creation is spectacular, it is breathtaking to behold, but the Lord very consistently says we are not to worship the things HE created. We are to worship only GOD ALONE.

But the Pantheist believes the opposite of what biblical truth states, Pantheism says that God IS the earth, the trees, the mountains, the rocks, the animals and even goes a step further to say that WE are god also. We humans are little gods or contain god. It sounds a little like the lie Satan told Eve in the Garden "You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" Genesis 3:5 doesn't it?

As I stated earlier Pantheism takes a modern form, and it may be a form many may not even realize and that is radical environmentalism.
In the late 1960's and 70's when I was in High school there used to be these stickers and flags proclaiming "Ecology" that looked somewhat like an American flag but had green stripes, and there were bumper sticker slogans on a lot of cars proclaiming "Save The Planet"

Now, there's certainly not anything wrong with making our natural environment cleaner, safer and a better
place for people and our children to inhabit, I'm all for that...I hate it when I see people throwing trash out of their car, or throwing cigarettes on the sidewalk, it angers me...and in fact the Bible states in Genesis-
 God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground. Genesis 1:28 NLT
That tells me that yes, we take care of the earth, because it provides our food and water and brings us happiness as we enjoy what God gave us to enjoy.

But, and here's where the radical environmentalist gets it wrong...we are not to believe that created things are on par with God Himself, we do not look at the environment and say "We need to think of this planet as a god, as a thing to be worshiped, as a sacred and living god, as well as all of the animals, and trees, and oceans, and the sun, and moon as well." 
This is the critical error of the radical environmentalist...they believe the environment is something to be worshiped, a sacred thing, the animals are sacred, the trees are sacred, the planet is sacred.
And if you've ever debated radical environmentalists you know full well that they will come at you with the fervor of someone with a deeply held religious belief. I know, because I have debated and spoke with the "Save the Planet" types many times and it's definitely as if you're attacking their god when you present ideas and philosophies contrary to their own.

Today we've now gone far beyond the "Ecology" and "Save the Rain Forest" bumper sticker slogans.
Today, those people that pushed "Ecology" in the 70's are now the people saying we must have "climate justice" and "Global warming is the greatest threat we face" or now the latest term is "Climate Change" Today's environmentalists indeed have a religious fervor to serve their cause as if they were worshiping something.These are the very same radical environmentalists from the 70's who are now in their 40's 50's and 60's that are still adamantly worshiping Pan, and quite frankly, many of them don't even know it...

They never QUIT worshiping Pan in fact, but are now setting government policies according to who they worship, and that is the Earth. They are Pantheists who are now fully blossomed into policy makers
and regulatory administrators who are deciding and implementing local, state, and even national and International policy based on their long held belief in worshiping their god the earth, they are still Pan-Theists.

Today's environmental policy makers are now former 60's hippie radical environmentalists that have a lot of political power, and can force their Pantheistic beliefs down everyone else's throats, which they are now attempting to do.

We've seen it in many many decisions in the last few years for instance, Stephen Chu President Obama's
former energy secretary said we need gasoline prices to rise to $8-$9 a gallon. Why would the former energy secretary of the United States say that? Well, here it is...
Someone like Stephen Chu is still to this day a Pan-Theist. He worships his god Planet earth and so, to protect his god Mr. Chu needs Human beings to drive cars and trucks and buses much less, and maybe not at all... because humans are polluting and damaging his god the earth.

 Mr. Chu could care less about the severe damage that $9 a gallon gas would do to an average family's food budget, or their ability to pay their house payment or rent, or say a musician like myself who drives hundreds of miles to music gigs, if gas were $9 a gallon I would not only NOT make money from a $250 gig in Aspen or Vail, Co. I would actually have to PAY in gas costs to play that gig...in Mr. Chu's mind that does not matter, what matters to him is that we humans (of which he is one) are hurting his god, we are damaging (in his mind) what is sacred to him, and so we bad human beings need to drive less...a LOT less.

We are seeing very powerful people now claiming "Climate Justice" and Global warming IE Climate Change must be stopped, the Clarion call of those like Al Gore and even the President and Pope are
saying "Save the planet" "Save the Planet" "Stop Climate Change" And they preach it with the fervor of a Pentecostal preacher at a Saturday night revival meeting.
But the problem and issue with this brand of strident Evangelical Environmentalism is, that when you are worshiping the wrong gods, you always come to the wrong conclusions, and those conclusions can destroy the lives of people, particularly if you hold a position of great power...
As the Bible speaks very clearly in the same chapter I quoted earlier- Romans 1:21-25

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

I'm just the Sax Player...

UPSIDE DOWN AMERICA

Upside down America

We're Smoke Free but pot infused and drug addicted...

We believe in a "Woman's right to choose"except her choice to own a gun to protect herself or her family, or choice to send her kid to a better private school...

We're saving the planet but can't even pick up the dirty clothes and trash in our bedrooms...

We're "Tolerant" and "Coexistent" except with small business owners who believe in morals that have stood for 2,000 years, and then they need to be punished...

We're "diverse" and anti racist except with minorities who happen to be conservative...

We're open minded but need "safe spaces" so as not to hear opposite ideas that conflict with our own..

We're Pro environment except at rally's and concerts we attend and then it's ok to throw tons of trash around for others to pick up...

We believe in "Social Justice" except with people who say abortion or gay marriage is wrong and then they should get punished to the fullest extent of the law...

We believe in equality for all except for those who disagree with that...

We hate capitalism but love and use the electronic toys and gadgets capitalism produces...

We say "Recycle" and "conserve" but live in homes with more rooms and use more electricity than
the guy who uses a traditional light bulb...

We're racially diverse but live and go to church in neighborhoods where everyone looks like us...

We want our kids to go the best schools available but think everyone else should support and send their kids to public schools...

We say man is causing climate change but don't think one volcano that spews a million times more
pollution into the atmosphere has anything to do with it...

And lastly...we say we believe in God but get very angry and try to silence those who  speak His name in public...


I'm just the Sax Player...