Gmb-Google Me B.

03/29/2026

HOW TO IDENTIFY MODERN DAY IDOLS IN YOUR LIFE

Idol worship is still present and active. Many of us have idols; the problem is we just don’t recognize them for what they are.

Where Do I Spend My Time?
Where Do I Spend My Money?
Where Do I Get My Joy?
What’s Always On My Mind?

NO WAY THEY KEEP THIS UP FOR 700 YEARS!
(The object that gave healing started to kill them spiritually.)

Numbers 21:4-9. The Israelites are complaining (again), and God sends venomous snakes among them. Many are bitten and die. The people repent and beg Moses to intercede.

God's solution is bizarre: "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."

So Moses makes a bronze serpent, puts it on a pole, and everyone who looks at it is healed. It's a miracle. It's a picture of faith—looking to God's provision for salvation. Jesus even references it in John 3:14-15: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have
eternal life in him."

Beautiful, right? The bronze serpent is a prophetic picture of Christ on the cross. Look and live. Believe and be saved.

But here's what we don't talk about: that bronze serpent became one of Israel's most enduring idols.

2 Kings 18:4 records that King Hezekiah, during his reforms, "broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)

Read that again. The Israelites had been burning incense to it. They were worshiping the bronze serpent. For approximately 700 years, from Moses to Hezekiah, this object that God had used for healing had become an object of idolatry.

They even gave it a name: Nehushtan, which is a play on words in Hebrew—it means both "bronze thing" and "serpent thing." Hezekiah's destruction of it was a deliberate act of desacralization. He was saying, "This is just a piece of bronze. Stop worshiping it."

How did this happen?
How did something God commanded become something God condemned?

Because humans have an incurable tendency to worship the gift instead of the Giver. We turn blessings into idols. We turn tools into gods. We turn symbols into objects of devotion.

The bronze serpent was never meant to be kept. It was a one-time provision for a specific crisis. But the Israelites preserved it, probably as a relic, a reminder of God's mercy. And over time, that reminder became a replacement for God Himself.

This is why God is so strict about idolatry. It's not that He's insecure or jealous in a petty sense. It's that He knows how quickly we transfer our worship from Him to anything else —even things He Himself has blessed.

Think about how this applies today. How many "bronze serpents" does the modern church have?

How many things that were once tools of God's blessing have become objects of worship?

Buildings. Programs. Pastors. Worship styles. Denominations. Theological systems. Even the Bible itself can become an idol if we worship the book instead of the God who

inspired it.

The bronze serpent was made by God's command. It performed genuine miracles. It saved lives. And it still had to be destroyed because people started worshiping it.

Here's the uncomfortable question: what in your life has become a "bronze serpent"? What blessing from God have you turned into an idol? What tool has become a substitute for God Himself?

Hezekiah didn't just remove the bronze serpent from the temple. He smashed it to pieces. He made sure it could never be worshiped again.

That's how seriously God takes idolatry.

The bronze serpent story is a warning: even the holiest objects, even the things God himself has used, and they can become idols if we're not careful. And when they do, they must be destroyed.

God will not share His glory with anyone or anything. Not even with the things He's blessed.

03/18/2026

The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture by John Battelle, published in 2005, was widely regarded as an essential text for understanding the digital economy and the rise of Google.
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
+I was at Reach Local
Even around 9–10 years ago (circa 2016–2017), the book's foundational analysis of how search engines act as a "database of intentions"—reflecting humanity’s curiosity, desires, and behaviors—remained highly relevant to those studying the impact of search technology, marketing, and the evolution of the internet.
Goodreads
Goodreads
+what a Great Career Move !
Key insights and context from The Search include:
The "Database of Intentions": Battelle coined this term to describe the massive, searchable repository of human desires, queries, and behaviors that search engines collect, arguing it is one of the most powerful untapped data sets in human history.
Inside Look at Google's Rise: The book provided unique access to Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, offering a detailed narrative of the company's early years, IPO, and corporate culture.
Broad Impact: Beyond just a business story, it analyzed how search was changing media, pop culture, advertising, and even politics.
Required Reading Status: Upon its release, it was lauded as "indispensable" by critics and was a bestseller, often cited as the definitive text on the search industry's early, transformative era.
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
+4
While the industry changed rapidly, The Search was considered a "must read" for understanding the foundational trends of the modern internet era.
Google Books
Google Books

BattelleΓÇÖs blog: www.battellemedia.com What does the world want? According to John Battelle, a company that answers that questionΓÇöin all its shades o...

03/16/2026

APRIL, 8, 2026
Ticket's go on sale tomorrow at 2pm
Doors open
Show 8:30 - 10:15
Catalina Jazz Club
Wed Apr 8, 2026 ▪︎ 8:30PM
THE WINELIGHT BAND | TRIBUTE TO GROVER WASHINGTON, JR. with JOHN VALENTINO (Sax)
Bar & Grill

Hollywood, CA

https://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesLocalMusicScene/
/

03/12/2026

Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'" is a command from Jesus in the Bible, found in Matthew 5:37

CLICK ►► http://bit.ly/DONTbeTEMPTEDMatthew 5:37 (NKJV) But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil ...

03/12/2026

Worshipping" a brand, logo, or fraternity refers to extreme brand loyalty, intense dedication, or, in the specific case of some fraternities, literal branding of the skin as a rite of passage. This behavior often stems from a deep need for belonging, community, and the adoption of a shared identity, which can mirror religious devotion in its rituals, symbols, and oaths.
Aspen Daily News

+MythologyDelusion
Fraternity Branding (Literal Interpretation)
Definition: Branding involves using a hot metal rod or wire to burn a fraternity's letters or symbols onto the skin, creating a permanent scar.
Cultural Context: This practice is heavily associated with Divine Nine (NPHC) black fraternities, particularly Omega Psi Phi, where it is used to symbolize dedication, tenacity, and a lifelong bond of brotherhood.
Controversy and Meaning: While some see it as a tradition rooted in African tribal marks and a way to take back a practice historically used on enslaved people, critics often view it as "barbaric" or dangerous.
Social Pressure: Although often described as voluntary, this practice can be driven by high social pressure and intense peer influence during the initiation process.

+TheNeedToBelong
"Brand Worship" and Consumer Culture
Psychology of Loyalty: Extreme consumer loyalty, such as getting tattoos of logos (e.g., Harley Davidson) or unwavering dedication to a brand, is often fueled by marketing that creates a sense of community and status.
The "Logo" as Symbol: Logos act as modern symbols of belonging. Brands utilize this by fostering an "emotional halo," turning fans into brand ambassadors who willingly advertise for them.
Societal Drivers: This, according to some perspectives, can be a form of social conditioning where individuals seek identity and status through external markers in a consumer-driven society.
Common Threads
Ritual and Initiation: Whether it's a fraternity initiation, a corporate brand launch, or becoming a loyal fan, the process involves rituals, secrets, and a "rebirth" into a new group identity.
Commitment: Both scenarios often require a high level of sacrifice—either financial, time, or in the case of branding, physical—to demonstrate devotion to the group.

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03/12/2026

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort or psychological stress experienced when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously, or behaves in a way that conflicts with their beliefs. Coined by Leon Festinger, this theory suggests people are motivated to reduce this discomfort by changing behaviors, justifying actions, or ignoring conflicting information. ℹ️

The psychology of being evil often involves complex mental processes, including cognitive dissonance, which occurs when one's beliefs conflict with their act...

03/12/2026

Scripture treats vows, oaths, and pledges as binding, serious commitments to God or others that must be honored without delay. While Old Testament laws allowed them (often in God’s name), Jesus and James taught that followers should avoid casual swearing, encouraging absolute integrity so that a simple "yes" or "no" suffices.
+DevineNine
Key Biblical Principles:
Binding Nature: Once spoken, a vow or pledge must be fulfilled; breaking it is considered sin. Numbers 30:2 emphasizes that if you vow to the Lord, you must not break your word.
Seriousness: Vows should not be made rashly or in haste. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 urges not to delay in paying what is promised, noting it is better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
Jesus’ Teaching: In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus warns against using oaths to "bolster" one's case, as this stems from a lack of integrity. He instructs believers to let their "yes" be "yes" and their "no" be "no," indicating that honest people do not need to swear by heaven or earth.
Prohibition of Falsehood: Swearing falsely is explicitly forbidden and considered a violation of God’s commands.
Contextual Examples: The Bible mentions specific situations, such as vows of abstinence or giving, and highlights the seriousness of such, especially if they are made regarding the Lord's work or name.
GotQuestions.org


In summary, the Bible emphasizes honesty and reliability over formal oath-taking. While not strictly banning all vows (such as marriage), it strictly commands that whatever is pledged must be kept.

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03/10/2026

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