The Feather Pillow

The following was inspired by my friend, host for Xtreme Christian Outdoors and Associate Pastor Jeff Deaver.

One day a jewish man went to speak to his Rabbi.  Teacher he said, I have been heart broken over the loss of a good friend.  Why my son, the Rabbi responded.  It is because of my tongue.  I have finally realized that I am a gossip and my words have hurt many people, even my family.  The loss of my friend is just one of many relationships I have damaged.  The Rabbi bowed his head for a moment, then looked the jewish man in the eye and asked what he desired?  The jewish man said he sought forgiveness and to undo the damage he has caused.  The Rabbi asked the Jewish man if he had a feather pillow in which he said; yes teacher.  Bring the feather pillow to the Temple tomorrow.

The next day the Jewish man, confused how the feather pillow would pay for his penance, brought it to the Rabbi at the Temple.  The Rabbi took the feather pillow from the Jewish man and cut it open with a sharp knife, causing the delicate feathers to rise out of the pillow and be carried by the open air to the window and wished away by the breeze.  The Rabbi fluffed the pillow two more times causing even more feathers to seek flight, then he turned to the jewish man and said; bring me all the feathers that have escaped from this pillow.  The Jewish man looked at the feathers floating out the window and said; that's impossible!  The Rabbi said; the feathers are like your words, they can never be retrieved to undo the damage they caused...


Ephesians 4:29-32: 
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.



Just once, I would like some one to say;  Ernie, this is me (because this is "me").  No, not all the time - but enough and very recent.

Forgive me Lord and kill the crop my words have seeded...

My definition of gossip;  Hearing from the jaw bone of an ass (me) rather than the horses mouth!

The Demon Switch

Two days ago a muslim man (Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez) killed four Marines at a Navel Reserve base in Chattanooga, TN..  I could easily start asking questions; Why are our troops not armed?,  Why hasn't this been called a terrorist attack?  Why is this president allowing the illegal influx of immigrants, specifically muslim into this country?  Most importantly, WHY ARE YOU NOT ARMED?

The enemy is here and is being given safe passage by our own government.  We make a nuclear deal with Iran which calls us "the great satan" and Israel "the little satan" (no cap's on purpose).  Before I go into what I really want to write about, hear this; muslim's have always said they would destroy this Nation from WITHIN and they are, and in the highest office no less.

Now for what I want to focus on.  After several instances of the "peaceful religion" attacking us infidels, I have read (from victims) that prior to the attacks, these people were as "normal" (whatever that is) as you and I (and I'm beginning to worry about you).  There was one article in particular which interview several victims who live in heavily populated muslim areas. What I found interesting to see and hear from the "folks next door" is that these terrorist prior to these incidents were friendly, private people, most with families, and work in the communities.

This article I am referring to went onto say that it was sudden when they were attacked and that the same people described earlier became zombie like (my term) during the attacks and when it was over, the same people helped the victims they created.  I find that behavior quite bazaar.

We can blame guns, religion, drugs, but we never get to the root - evil.  It's origin is satan, the fallen one.  Satan’s fall from heaven is described in Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-18.  These passages are referring to the kings of Babylon and Tyre, they reference the spiritual power behind the kings, which is satan.

The article made me think that the behavior exhibited by the terrorist was demonic in nature, in that one moment they acted normal (like we all are expected to) and the next was as if a switch was turned on and the demonic behavior was released or engaged.  As a retired Law-Man, I have experienced demonic possession before.  Actually I believe most Officers have encountered it but don't understand the power behind the behavior, attributing it to drugs or alcohol or mental illness.  Not all of the for mentioned attributes are demonic of course, however it does take discernment to see through them.

This is just my humble opinion, but if this Demon Switch is as I call it, a real phenomenon, it can explain why organization's like the FBI did not have Abdulazeez "on their radar."  For that matter, how many other's that we have no outward clue about are waiting for the Demon Switch to go off?

Just one of my wild thoughts...
ernie