Hungering and Thirsting After Righteousness

I can never make myself like Jesus Christ, but I can stop walking in the gutters of life.  That is a part of hungering and thirsting. …  I suggest that if we are truly hungering and thirsting after righteousness we shall not only avoid things that we know to be bad and harmful, we shall even avoid things that tend to dull or take the edge off our spiritual appetites.  There are so many things like that, things that are quite harmless in themselves and which are perfectly legitimate.  Yet if you find that you are spending much of your time with them, and that you desire the things of God less, you must avoid them.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “Studies in the Sermon on the Mount,” volume 1, p.91

A Few Interesting Items

Due to no access to my desktop shortly, I won't be posting much.  I will have a few citations drafted for posting from my lap-top, but my lap-top has virtually no files on it since it is mainly used as a back-up and for trips.  It's old and needs replace but the cash is not available.

Anyway, these are just a few items I've been collecting so I thought I'd go ahead and post them now.

An interesting read about the decline of culture and how Christians helped the decline.

The gnosticism of the homosexual movement in the Church.

4 Marks of a Godly Husband’s Love

How to read the Song of Solomon.  This certainly demonstrates the problem of allegorical type of interpretations.  However, I still think the author is wrong — not everything in the O.T. has to be about Christ.  It’s a love song, plain and simple.  “When the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense.”

Finally, I can't remember if I've pointed my readers to this site yet, so I'm doing it now.  Interesting commentaries -- just poke around a bit!

That's it for now.

Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

Do Seventh-day Adventist teach Trinity or tritheism?

What’s So Bad About Christian Radio? Well, I could go on for quite a while as to why I quit listening to it over 20 years ago, but I’ll let the article give you good reasons.

Excellent response to all those popular evangelical men jumping on the “police are racists” bandwagon.

I think I’ve encountered this guy.

Catholic Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles is now promoting the “LGBT” agenda.  So will the University be ousted from affiliation with Rome?  Will the leaders be excommunicated?  Nope.  Rome seems to turn a blind eye to this stuff, proving again that the Pope is not a representative of Christ.

Part 3 and part 4 of the series examining the incidents in Orlando with Pastor David Uth’s collection of false teachers and false teachings.

THIS is why they will remain only a “Potential Church.”  They have “worshiptainment” rather than any semblance of worship.  These are goats, not sheep.

With this sort of wordiness, it didn’t surprise me that this goat-pen is led by a husband and wife “pastor” team.  Jesus will certainly tell them, “I never knew you.”

Beth Moore — EGAD, she gets worse and worse with her direct revelations from God.  She is more and more narcissistic every time I see something about her.  And yet she is still the darling of the SBC.  I do have to agree with her statement she said over and over: “I know absolutely nothing.”  She knows absolutely nothing about reality.  OH, and notice that the woman she gave money to ALSO had a revelation from God!

Berean Research has an interesting article regarding the shenanigans of Donald Trump’s “Christian” advisors.

Here is another excellent “Everything you need to know about the New Apostolic Reformation” article.

Andy Stanley’s church is getting to be worse and worse.  Talk about a goat pen!!!  I can’t help but wonder how much time was spent practicing and rehearsing this nonsense instead of actually doing something constructive.

More nonsense from false prophet/teacher Heidi Baker.

Finally, IF ONLY!

Is Barack Obama a Christian as He Claims? Part 2

In this part I am going to examine parts of the transcript of a 2004 interview of Barack Obama by Cathleen Falsani. My responses will be in maroon.

During the interview, Obama was asked what he believed in regards to religion.  He stated:  I am a Christian.  So, I have a deep faith. So, I draw from the Christian faith.  On the other hand, I was born in Hawaii where obviously there are a lot of Eastern influences.   I lived in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, between the ages of six and 10.  My father was from Kenya, and although he was probably most accurately labeled an agnostic, his father was Muslim.  And I’d say, probably, intellectually I’ve drawn as much from Judaism as any other faith.  So, I’m rooted in the Christian tradition. 

How can he be “rooted in the Christian tradition” when this statement says nothing about Christianity, rather it mentions “Eastern” religions, Islam, agnosticism, and Judaism?

I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people. That there are values that transcend race or culture, that move us forward, and there’s an obligation for all of us individually as well as collectively to take responsibility to make those values lived.

Christianity teaches only ONE path to God, and that is through Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:13; John 3:18, 36; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5-6; 1 John 2:23, 5:11-12), and for Obama to claim to be a Christian and yet say there are many paths to God proves he doesn’t understand the Christian faith.  Yes there are indeed moral values which transcend race and culture; God tells us that these things are planted in the heart of every person (Romans 2:14-15)

And so, part of my project in life was probably to spend the first 40 years of my life figuring out what I did believe – I’m 42 now – and it’s not that I had it all completely worked out, but I’m spending a lot of time now trying to apply what I believe and trying to live up to those values.

When he was asked if he had always been a Christian, Obama replied that “I was raised more by my mother and my mother was Christian.”  

This says what his mother was but doesn’t say Obama was always a Christian.  He wasn’t asked to clarify.

Obama was then asked what “flavor” and he responded thus:

My grandparents who were from small towns in Kansas. My grandmother was Methodist. My grandfather was Baptist. This was at a time when I think the Methodists felt slightly superior to the Baptists. And by the time I was born, they were, I think, my grandparents had joined a Universalist church.  So, my mother, who I think had as much influence on my values as anybody, was not someone who wore her religion on her sleeve. We’d go to church for Easter. She wasn’t a church lady.

As I said, we moved to Indonesia. She remarried an Indonesian who wasn’t particularly, he wasn’t a practicing Muslim. I went to a Catholic school in a Muslim country. So I was studying the Bible and catechisms by day, and at night you’d hear the prayer call.

So I don’t think as a child we were, or I had a structured religious education. But my mother was deeply spiritual person, and would spend a lot of time talking about values and give me books about the world’s religions, and talk to me about them. And I think always, her view always was that underlying these religions were a common set of beliefs about how you treat other people and how you aspire to act, not just for yourself but also for the greater good.

So we find that Obama was exposed to various religious beliefs and that his mother taught that all these religions had a “common set of beliefs,” yet nothing is said about what his mother’s beliefs really were even though he says she was a Christian.  My question is, why would a Christian mother want to introduce her son into all these other belief systems?

Barack Obama claims he came to Christ via an altar call in 1987 or 1988:  It was a daytime service, during a daytime service. And it was a powerful moment. Because, it was powerful for me because it not only confirmed my faith, it not only gave shape to my faith, but I think, also, allowed me to connect the work I had been pursuing with my faith.

So it was an “altar call” which decided Obama’s faith; altar calls are responsible for a lot of false conversions.

When asked if that meant he “got yourself born again,” Obama replied:  

Yeah, although I don’t — I retain from my childhood and my experiences growing up, a suspicion of dogma. And I’m not somebody who is always comfortable with language that implies I’ve got a monopoly on the truth, or that my faith is automatically transferable to others.  I’m a big believer in tolerance. I think that religion at it’s best comes with a big dose of doubt. 

Notice he immediately attacks “dogma,” and doesn’t like the idea that Christianity claims to have a “monopoly on truth.”  He also thinks religion is “best” “with a big dose of doubt.” Without “dogma” or “doctrine” one has no foundation for their faith.  I have to question just how deep his faith is if he thinks it has to come with “a big dose of doubt.”

I’m suspicious of too much certainty in the pursuit of understanding just because I think people are limited in their understanding.  I think that, particularly as somebody who’s now in the public realm and is a student of what brings people together and what drives them apart, there’s an enormous amount of damage done around the world in the name of religion and certainty.

Apparently, the truth claims of the Christian faith disturb Mr. Obama.  If one doesn’t think their faith is true, then what is their faith really in?

Obama was asked, “Who’s Jesus to you?”  This was his response:  Right. Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he’s also a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher.  And he’s also a wonderful teacher. I think it’s important for all of us, of whatever faith, to have teachers in the flesh and also teachers in history.  

Notice that Obama says nothing about Jesus saving us from our sins, only that He is a bridge between God and man who is powerful as a “means of us reaching something higher” (whatever that may be), and that He is a “wonderful teacher.”  And then he makes a point about the importance of ANY faith.

With a follow-up question he stated he has a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” as well as having read the Bible.

Lots of people who are non-Christians read the Bible; reading the Bible does not make one a believer.  He never explains what he means by a “personal relationship” with Jesus; Mormons make the same claim, but they worship a Jesus of their own making, which the UCC denomination also does.

Further in the interview he stated, “I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper, we are all children of God.”

Here is another example where Obama proves he doesn’t understand the Christian faith.  We are NOT all “children of God” (John 8:41-45, 47).  To be a child of God one MUST be a true Christian.

Continuing in the interview, Obama said, “There’s the belief, certainly in some quarters, that people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior that they’re going to hell.”  When asked if he believe that he said, I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell.  I can’t imagine that my God would allow some little Hindu kid in India who never interacts with the Christian faith to somehow burn for all eternity.  That’s just not part of my religious makeup.

Well, the Scripture says over and over again that unless one personally believes that Christ died for their sin, they will die in their sin (Romans 6:23) — and the punishment for sin is eternal in hell.  Jesus talked more about hell than He did about heaven, and yet Mr. Obama denies this.

Obama was asked if he believed in heaven.  His response:  What I believe in is that if I live my life as well as I can, that I will be rewarded. I don’t presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. But I feel very strongly that whether the reward is in the here and now or in the hereafter, the aligning myself to my faith and my values is a good thing.  When I tuck in my daughters at night and I feel like I’ve been a good father to them, and I see in them that I am transferring values that I got from my mother and that they’re kind people and that they’re honest people, and they’re curious people, that’s a little piece of heaven.

Obama’s heaven is accessed through good works, yet the Bible says that, to God, all our righteous deeds, all our good works, are just like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

When asked what sin is, Obama said, Being out of alignment with my values.

Sin is being out of alignment with Obama’s values, not out of alignment with God’s values?!?

This statement alone proves that Mr. Obama has no understanding of the Christian faith.  Sin is rebellion against God’s laws, not being “out of alignment” with one’s personal values.

Then he was asked what happens if he has sin in his life:  I think it’s the same thing as the question about heaven. In the same way that if I’m true to myself and my faith that that is its own reward, when I’m not true to it, it’s its own punishment.

So if he is true to himself and his faith, that is its own reward, and when he is not true to them it is its own punishment?  There is no real punishment from God?  God just looks the other way?

So is Barack Obama a Christian as defined by the Bible?  By what we have seen of the beliefs taught by his church (both denomination and local), and by his own publicly stated political beliefs and actions (pro-abortion, pro-same-sex fake marriage, pro-homosexuality in general, pro-“transgender,” pro-sexual immorality in general, pro-Muslim and anti-Christian statements and actions, pro-socialism [theft], etc), one could not conclude that he believes in the God or Christ of the Bible.  Additionally, from this interview, it is very plain that he has virtually no understanding of the Christian faith, let alone an understanding of what sin is.

Okay, what is the purpose of this exercise of examining Barack Obama’s claims to be a Christian?  Discernment!  Just because someone claims to be a follower of Christ, if his stated beliefs and actions contradict what Scripture tells us, then we have to say he is lying about being a Christian.  If a church organization/denomination claims to be Christian and yet teaches contrary to what God has told us in Scripture, then they are worshiping a god and christ of their own making, and they are still dead in their sins.

Is Barack Obama a Christian as He Claims? Part 1

President Obama claims to be a Christian, and the media gets a lot of mileage out of helping him make this claim.  But just because Obama claims to be a Christian, that doesn’t make it so.  The intent of this article is to examine his claim in light of Scripture.  We need to start with some background information.

Obama attended the Trinity United Church of Christ in the Chicago area, whose pastor was Jeremiah Wright.  Being a UCC assembly, this made them part of the most liberal denomination which still considers itself “Christian.” To back up this charge, let’s look at what the UCC says about their denomination, gleaning from their official web site.

We work with — not against — people of other faiths.  Why? Because God is still speaking.

I’d like to know where they find in Scripture that we are to work with people who are worshipping idols and other gods.  And I’d like to know where they are hearing from God outside of Scripture; in what way is God still speaking?

We believe that all of the baptized “belong body and soul to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” No matter who – no matter what – no matter where we are on life's journey – notwithstanding race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, class or creed – we all belong to God and to one worldwide community of faith.

Notice they include “gender identity or expression” and “sexual orientation.”  The UCC supports the false idea of “transgenderism,” which refutes the idea that people are created only man and woman and nothing in between.  They enable people who have emotional problems and believe they are what they are not.  The UCC fosters this lie.  The UCC also supports homosexuality, which is abject rebellion against God, as I demonstrated in this article.  Not only do they support homosexuality, but they sanction same-sex unions and perform fake marriages, as well as ordaining homosexuals as pastors.  Before the SCOTUS forced same-sex fake marriage on the entire U.S., the UCC vehemently fought to overturn bans against SSFM.  (They also ordain women as pastors, contrary to 1 Timothy 2.)

Under “Justice Issues,” the UCC shows all their social activism, most of which is socialism (theft from those who have to give it to those who have not) and the “social gospel,” neither of which is biblical.  In reading their numerous links you see more support for sexual perversion, be it homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderism, or any other permutation other than what God ordained for human sexuality.  The UCC is vigorous in their efforts to support the murder of the unborn, contrary to the 6th commandment against murder.  In this vein they also support euthanasia!  If there is a political or social liberal stance on any topic, the UCC supports it 100%.  They claim Israel is an “occupation” of “Palestine,” and seem to lay all the problems there at the foot of Israel!  In addition to this, they support the very racist “Black Lives Matter” movement.  While some of these issues are not necessarily theological issues, they all form a solitary worldview which is totally anti-biblical “Christianity.”

On their site’s advice column, the response to someone questioning about polyamory/polygamy was ambiguous as to whether it is right or wrong, rather the advice mainly noted problems it causes, and then says there is no right answer to the issue except that the couple has to be on the same page!

The UCC has adopted a resolution opposing hostility towards Islam, without regard to the fact that Islam wants to eradicate all Jews and Christians.

I can’t find any information on their site about their view of Scripture, but I’ve seen many, many of their pastors teaching that Genesis is essentially myth until Abraham.  Of course with a no literal Adam and Eve that leaves no basis for the Jewish or Christian faiths.  I’ve also encountered UCC leaders who teach universalism and that there is no hell.

Let’s look at the official site of the specific assembly which Obama attended for 20 years or so to see their ideology, which is in addition to the UCC denominational ideology.  The first thing you see when you go to their home page is support for “Black Lives Matter.”  Pastor Jeremiah Wright, who was Obama’s pastor, teaches Black Liberation Theology, which is a Marxist, racist version of the social gospel founded mostly by James Cone; and Trinity’s website certainly shows this as a basic belief.  In fact, they say “Trinity UCC is a social justice church.  The heart of our social justice ministry resides within the Liberation and Outreach ministries.”  Additionally, they have a Yoga ministry - a ministry teaching the practices of Buddhism and Hinduism.

Lastly, when observing the church history, you will see they have ordained female pastors, and have promoted racism.

Now that we’ve reviewed the teachings of the denomination and of the individual assembly Barack Obama attended for 20 years, we can understand what his particular beliefs should be, which are totally unbiblical and even racist.  Therefore, their teachings are additions to Christianity, leading them to worship a Jesus and a god with a different identities than those of the Bible.  This Jesus cannot save.

In Part 2, we will examine an interview of Barack Obama in which he tells his testimony and some specific beliefs.

By Grace I'm Saved, Grace Free and Boundless

By grace I'm saved, grace free and boundless;

My soul, believe and doubt it not.

Why stagger at this word of promise?

Hath Scripture ever falsehood taught?

Nay; then this word must true remain;

By grace thou, too, shalt heav'n obtain.

By grace! None dare lay claim to merit;

Our works and conduct have no worth.

God in His love sent our Redeemer,

Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;

His death did for our sins atone,

And we are saved by grace alone.

By grace! Oh, mark this word of promise

When thou art by thy sins opprest,

When Satan plagues thy troubled conscience,

And when thy heart is seeking rest.

What reason cannot comprehend

God by His grace to thee doth send.

By grace God's Son, our only Savior,

Came down to earth to bear our sin.

Was it because of thine own merit

That Jesus died thy soul to win?

Nay, it was grace, and grace alone,

That brought Him from His heavenly throne.

By grace! This ground of faith is certain;

So long as God is true, it stands.

What saints have penned by inspiration,

What in His Word our God commands,

What our whole faith must rest upon,

Is Grace alone, grace in His Son.

By grace to timid hearts that tremble,

In tribulation's furnace tried,--

By grace, despite all fear and trouble,

The Father's heart is open wide.

Where could I help and strength secure

If grace were not my anchor sure?

Hymn #373, The Lutheran Hymnal

Text: Ephesians 2:8, 9

Author: Christian L. Scheidt, 1742, cento

Titled: "Aus Gnaden soll ich selig werden"

Composer: Kornelius H. Dretzel, 1731

Tune: "O dass ich tausend"

Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

What you and your church need to know about the New Apostolic Reformation.

Part 4 of the series on the NAR’s Bible version.

Beth Moore has a new book out — horrors!  Moore’s false teaching never ceases, nor does her chumming with other heretics!

The Anglican Church of Canada has joined other fully apostate groups in approving of same-sex fake marriage.  Why such rebellion against God?!?

Up and coming false teacher Nick Hall is someone to watch out for.

A new “App” has been released just in time for the Together 2016 conference, which proves how apostate this group is — It tells you where to find “gay affirming” churches and those with yoga programs.  There is no shame with false teachers.

Together 2016 got ended five hours early due to heat.  The lineup of who’s who in false teaching probably brought the heat from hell (snark).  As to some of what happened at this gathering, see Elizabeth Prata’s post.

What happens when people make up their own hermeneutic when studying Scripture?  Just read Beth Moore’s stuff for an example.  However, this article shows how wild this ideology can get.

Frank Turek is an excellent apologist, and I can easily recommend “I Don’t Have Enough Faith To Be an Atheist” and “Legislating Morality,” both co-authored by Norman Geisler.  He also has the excellent books, “Correct, Not Politically Correct” and “Stealing From God.” But he has one false teaching which seriously affects reading of Genesis — he’s one of those who claims that the days of Genesis are not literal 24-hr days.  Justin Derby does an excellent job examining Turek’s teaching. (I disagree with Justin in that Turek is NOT a heretic, because what you believe about creation is not a salvation issue.)

The Celebrity Christian Conundrum.

Apostasy in Orlando.  The stuff that went on there is outrageous and even heretical  Listen to the Justin Peters series linked at the end of the article to see just how bad this was.  Pastor David Uth is totally responsible for this.  Part two of this report is here.

Poor Bill Johnson’s feelings were hurt when he was called a false teacher.

An interesting conversation with a Freemason.

Who is the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy in John 10:10?  I’ve always understood it as the false teachers, and I guess I’ve been correct!

Joel Osteen and the Prosperity Gospel.

Be Discerning!

Any of [the teaching] that is good is in the Word of God, and any that is not in the Word of God, and any that is not in the Word of God is not good.  I am a Bible Christian and if an archangel with a wingspread as broad as a constellation shining like the sun were to come and offer me some new truth, I’d ask him for a reference.  If he could not show me where it is found in the Bible, I would bow him out and say, “I’m awfully sorry, you don’t bring any references with you.”

A.W. Tozer, cited by Gary Gilley in Think on These Things, September 2008, p10

Pride Prevents Coming to Christ

It is pride that keeps a man from believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Most of those who are not Christians, particularly the intellectuals, are unbelievers because of their pride.  They refuse to say, “Vile, and full of sin I am.”  Of course they are not!  They will not say that they are “helpless” and that they can do nothing.  They are convinced that they can do a great deal, and they are trying to do so.  They have confidence in their own morality, confidence in their own understanding, in their views, and in many other things.  Their reliance upon these things prevents them from becoming Christians.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “The Christian Soldier: An Exposition of Ephesians 6:10-20,” pg.238

Beware of Spiritual Infections!

Let us develop a spirit of understanding and discrimination lest we become victims of the noxious, insidious infections which will rob us of our spiritual life and vitality.  I dislike having to say such things, but it is one’s duty to warn people against infections.  The preacher is a man who is called upon to placard notices warning people of dangerous, infectious, spiritual diseases.  The Church should put false teachers into quarantine and isolation hospitals, but until she does so I say, Avoid such men and their teachings and have no fellowship with them.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “The Christian Soldier: An Exposition of Ephesians 6:10-20,” pg.153

The “Felt Needs” Church

Many “seeker-friendly” churches have quite deliberately subordinated both worship and discipleship to evangelism, and evangelism to entertainment, and in the process subverted the traditional defining features of the church.  Further, they are blind to the dangers in the current stress on “felt needs.”

Os Guinness, Dining With the Devil: The Megachurch Movement Flirts with Modernity, pg.79

Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

It really takes a lot of work to keep up with this stuff so as to warn my readers about what is happening!

Excellent article suggesting we should have “stranger danger” teaching in the Church!

Prophet Passion Java, “Bishop” Noel Jones — another false teacher/prophet I’ve not heard of before.  I just don’t get it — why do people believe this trash!?!?!

Similarly, another false prophet gaining an audience is “Prophet Nicholas,” who “launches Holy Ghost Missiles Against Singleness.”  Satan is having a field day!

Gary Gilley had an excellent series on the “Ancient-Future Faith” movement.  Part 1 is “Ancient-Future Faith Or Do All Roads Lead to Rome?”; part 2 is “Ancient-Future Faith: Its Practices”; and part 3 is “Ancient-Future Faith: Its Beliefs.”

It may be satire, but it is right on the money.

It’s pretty sad when people like Greg Laurie help promote the false teachings of Roman Catholicism.

Christians need to quit being cowards.

Priscilla Shirer is really using her popularity to get more and more bizarre with her false teachings.

Seems to me that Thabiti Anyabwile is nothing less than a full-blown racist.  And yet he is cited by so many as a wonderful evangelical teacher.

Seeker-sensitive tithe mongering.  For the members of this congregation: Four minutes of your life wasted, should be leaving you questioning why you went to this church!

Speaking of tithes, it is becoming common for churches to play the secular game of collecting offerings on-line, supposedly for more convenience. First problem is the name of this group, which reinforces the lie that Christians are to tithe.  Another problem with this is that these groups charge a percentage of the take for their own income, so not all money donated goes to the church.  They claim that stats say giving increases when people can do so on-line.  Oh, and I’ve heard it said that it also makes giving convenient when traveling.  But why can’t the travelers just give on their return?  Why do people think they have to give every week? (I get paid once a month and give once a month!)  And, really, why would people increase giving just because they have on-line access?  To lessen their guilt about not attending Church?  Does the possibility of receiving more money really justify the pragmatism of playing the secular world’s game?  Is money really that important to the Church that they will use anything that “works” to get more of it?  I certainly wouldn't want a percentage of my offering going to pay a firm to handle the money -- I want ALL of my offering to go to the Church.  This is just a way to make money off of the church, plain and simple, and the churches go along with it and praise it.

I’ve discovered another female false prophet in a 2-year old video — Stacey Campbell.  Looks to me like she’s demon-possessed.

The United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom is now approving and performing same-sex fake marriages.  This denomination no longer pretends to obey God.

It’s ironic when a church fires a false teacher, not for false teachings, but for his sins.  I think his self-image from his popularity probably had something to do with his actions.  Here’s another short report on Perry Noble’s firing.

The ultimate in pastor worship.  How about returning to worshiping God?

Russell Moore again promoting paganism.  Can you just see Paul asking all the pagans to pray together with him for peace in the Roman Empire?  Neither can I.

Part 3 of the series on the NAR’s “Passion Translation” of the Bible.

Rodney Howard Browne’s church had a 12-year-old girl blaspheming God!

Closing with this.  All I can say is, WOW!  How far down away from the Lord can CCM get?!?