INFLUENCERS: SOCIETIES NEW "ENABLERS" AND "DISABLERS"

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​AN INFLUENCER IS A PERSON OR A THING THAT INFLUENCES ANOTHER. PEOPLE, SUNSHINE AND RAIN FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY. AN "ENABLER" IS A PERSON OR THING THAT MAKES SOMETHING POSSIBLE! THEY HAVE THE POWER TO INFLUENCE BY RELATIONSHIP! AN ENABLER IS ALSO SOMEONE WHO ENCOURAGES OR ENABLES NEGATIVE OR SELF DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR IN ANOTHER. SOMETIMES "ENABLERS" ARE NOT AWARE THAT THEIR ACTIONS OR POSTURE HELPS CONTRIIBUTE TO THE DELINQUINCIES OF OTHERS. IT'S EASY TO BECOME AN "ENABLER." MANY OF US ARE UNWITTINGLY GUILTY OF THIS. IT THEN STANDS TO REASON, THAT IF THERE ARE ENABLERS THERE MUST BE DISABLERS TOO. REMEMBER, ALL MEN AND WOMEN ARE BORN AS FREE MORAL AGENTS AND ANYONE THAT CALLS THEMSELVES AN INFLUENCER HAS TAKEN ON A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT.
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TO PROPERLY ENGAGE IN THIS POST PARTICIPANTS MUST EMBRACE THE TERMS DISABLERS, ENABLERS AND INFLUENCERS SYNONYMOUSLY. NO ONE, NOT EVEN GOD, HAS THE RIGHT TO CONTROL THE WILL OF ANOTHER. THIS IS WHAT GIVES US THE POWER TO CHOOSE OUR OWN DESTINY. THERE IS A FINE LINE BETWEEN INFLUENCING AND CONTROLLING. BEING IN CONTROL IS HAVING THE POWER TO DETERMINE, DIRECT AND INFLUENCE A COURSE OF EVENTS OR PEOPLES BEHAVIORS. WE ALL WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A WAY OF FIXING THIS WORLD. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO BUTTON WE CAN PUSH OR SWITCH WE CAN FLICK TO DO THAT. ALTHOUGH WE CANNOT FORCE OTHERS TO CHANGE, WE CAN INFLUENCE THEIR BEHAVIORS. TO DISABLE IS TO PUT OUT OF ACTION OR LIMIT THE MOVEMENT, SENSES OR ACTIVITIES. DISEASES ARE "DISABLERS." WHATEVER WE DO IN LIFE AND THE MANNER WE DO IT IN MATTERS. WHEN WILL WE LEARN THAT EVERYTHING EFFECTS EVERYTHING ELSE? ALTHOUGH WE MAY NOT BE AWARE OF, OR NOTICE WHAT HAPPENS, THERE IS A REAPING SEASON. EVERY INFLUENCER HAS AN AGENDA. WE SHOULD KNOW THE INTENTIONS AND PURPOSE BEHIND ANYONE OR ANYTHING WE FOLLOW. SENSITIVE? STOP READING NOW! WE WILL NOT BE PULLING PUNCHES! 

OZEMPIC: ONE OF THE LATEAST EXAMPLES - MORE  MONEY MORE DRUGS

Following celebrities has always been a trend. There is nothing wrong with imitating or even emulating people we admire and respect. Celebrities that promote fine qualities and set good examples are an asset to society. We must remember that they are human! Just because they indulge in certain behaviors or use certain products does not give us license to do so as well. Too many of us are falling into the monkey see monkey do trap. The 2nd monkey usually suffers the most! Monkey see monkey do, "is a pidgin-style saying that was already called an "old saying" in 1900. The saying refers to the learning of a process without an understanding of why it works. Another definition implies the act of imitation, usually with limited knowledge and/or concern for the consequences." We are citing this as one of many examples in modern society. Are the Sackler's solely responsible for the opioid epidemic? We can all decide for ourselves! Please do not fall into "the ozempic craze." More than two in five American adults are obese, and nearly one in five American children are obese, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Mounjaro and Ozempic are not FDA approved for the treatment of obesity; they can have serious side effects and consequences for people that use them. These are maintenance (life-long) drugs for people with type-2 diabetes. Even if it was FDA approved for "fat people," wide-scale adoption of these drugs is not the solution for obesity. The public health message to treat obesity should be one of lifestyle modification, not the use of a drug that will affect just one aspect of the disease, namely weight.

BRAINWASHING GASLIGHTING GROOMING AND INFLUENCING 

​"EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON." THE REASON OR CAUSE IS USUALLY NO MYSTERY. IF THE INTENTIONS ARE APPARENT THEN THE PURPOSE SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT. EVIL IN THE PERSONIFICATION OF THE DEVIL IS ON A MISSION, WHETHER WE ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR NOT. ISN'T IT APPARENT THAT THERE ARE INVISIBLE ENERGIES, FORCES, AND POWERS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN THESE POSTS CALLED SPIRITS? WHY DO WE  BELIEVE IN NATURAL I-N-V-I-S-I-B-L-E FORCES LIKE ELECTRICITY, GRAVITY AND WIND EVEN THOUGH WE CANNOT SEE THEM? IT'S BECAUSE WE CAN SEE THEIR EFFECTS.

HAVE WE REACHED A POINT WHERE OUTWARD APPEARANCE IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE WILLING TO COMPROMISE OUR CONVICTIONS, CREDIBILITY AND REPUTATION FOR IT. INNER GRACES HAVE OUTWARD FACES THAT MAY NOT LOOK THE WAY WE THINK THEY SHOULD. HOWEVER, THAT'S SOME OF WHAT SETS THEM APART! ON FIRST GLANCE WE MAY NOT NOTICE CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS, EARMARKS OR QUALITIES; BUT LATER UPON CLOSER INSPECTION WE REALIZE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT. MANY OF OUR THOUGHTS REFLECT THAT INTUITIVELY WE KNEW OR FELT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. ​THIS IS WHEN SUCH SPIRITUAL ATTRIBUTES LIKE BLESSINGS, FAITH, GRACE, HOPE, LOVE, PRAISE AND PRAYER MATTER?

HAVE WE ALL SIMPLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT USING THE PROCESS OF CRITICAL THINKING? "CRITICAL THINKING" IS THE INTELLECTUALLY DISCIPLINED PROCESS OF ACTIVELY AND SKILLFULLY CONCEPTUALIZING, APPLYING, ANALYZING, SYNTHESIZING, AND/OR EVALUATING INFORMATION GATHERED FROM, OR GENERATED BY, OBSERVATION, EXPERIENCE, REFLECTION, REASONING, OR EXCHANGE OF COMMUNICATION." WE SHOULD USE THIS TOOL AS A GUIDE IN OUR BELIEFS AND ACTIONS. YES, CRITICAL THINKING ENABLES US TO DECIPHER THE TRUTH FROM WITHIN THE FACTS AND DEAL WITH MULTIPLE TRUTHS. REMEMBER, NO ONE HAS OR OWNS THE TRUTH. IN ADDITION TO THAT, NOBODY CAN HAVE THEIR VERY OWN TRUTH. IT IS CRITICAL THINKING THAT ALLOWS US TO HEAR AND HOMOGENOUSLY BLEND MULTIPLE TRUTHS.

SPIRITS: THE TRULY INVISIBLE INFLUENCERS

Spirits are influencers. There are different types of spirits with different functions that operate at different levels of existence. Spirits can be divided into four major categories. There is the human spirit, there are demonic spirits, there are angelic spirits and there is the Holy Spirit. We know that angelic spirits fight, guard and protect us. In addition they deliver messages for direction and guidance. Sometimes animals can sense spirits that we fail to detect. The list of demonic and human spirits can be exhaustive. There are spirits of joy, heaviness, error, slumber, fear, divination, haughtiness, evil, infirmity, whoredom, foul, unclean, familiar and antichrist. There is even a spirit called Jezebel. We should be careful what we name our children. Spirits can be charming and enchanting. It is important to question, test and try any spirit before we assimilate them by association and fellowship. Without properly controlling them we can easily fall under their spell. We believe that music has the ability to both summon and calm spirits. We are in the midst of a spiritual conflict that is being fought on our territory. Unfortunately, too many of us are NOT fighting or have been fooled into fighting one another. Even "so called" believers are still having dissention over doctrinal issues just like in the early church! The "spirit of hypocrisy" is more prone to be discovered in environments with political and religious settings because appearance is deemed to be so important. The weapons of our warfare are NOT carnal! The strategy being used against us is deception, denial then divide and conquer. Remember we are imperfect people striving to be in allegiance with a perfect God. Such were the authors and characters we refer to in the Bible. These are the influencers we are aligned with, but we are following Jesus. Believers do NOT need the internet to be living examples. Multimedia has been one of the primary vehicles used by "seducing spirits" to subtly introduce and support demonic doctrines. Newspapers, radio and television have traditionally been targeted by advertisers (influencers) of all types. The ability to influence the masses through multimedia is nothing new. Images with innuendos imply teachings and implant thoughts that can corrupt our consciousness. The tobacco industry used this tactic to promote the idea that cool, thoughtful and tough people smoked cigarettes while pondering decisions. There's even a cigarette named "KOOL." The idea that premarital sex is acceptable has crept into almost every aspect of entertainment including children's programming. We are being brainwashed from an early age to a later stage of development to indulge ungodly thinking. Our abortion issues come as a direct result of our moral posture. The "notion" that  fornication and adultery is no longer a shameful practice has permeated society. "If loving you is wrong I don't wanna be right," promotes that idea. If being right means being is sin (missing the mark) it's ok to live a wrong doing life! Even the title is deceptive! That song is NOT about love it is about LUST! Critical thinking enables us to reach less than obvious conclusions. The influence of cigarette advertising took millions of lives and cost billions in related heath care costs. This is why we no longer see them advertised. However the hidden truth behind the advertising ban was that the overall monetary cost to society outweighed the revenue gained through the taxation of that product. The government could no longer sanction the profits made from cigarettes like they do with alcohol. Yes, the love of money is the root of all EVIL!

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR AND AM I HIS KEEPER?

The Bible is composed of a collection of books journals and letters depicting how spirits can, do and have influenced humanity. Drugs and alcohol were NOT the main cause or culprit behind the people depicted in these stories. Their main problem was their hard-headed stubborn and  repeatedly rebellious practices. Their addictions were INIQUITIES and SIN. They were consistently being sited for operating under the influence of evil spirits! The writers and characters depicted in the Bible were flawed and sometimes broken people we can all identify with. These authors and stories serve as major influencers, but WE FOLLOW JESUS! The story of Cain and Abel along with the parable of the good Samaritan speak volumes regarding how we should treat one another. These examples portray many of the ways spirits work. Their influence is in every aspect of our existence and must be taken into account to understand why life is the way it is. Whether we are strangers or brothers we were made to love one another. Love is the glue that allows us to coexist, but love can be faked. There is a difference between altruism and charity. Although similar they are NOT the same.  It is the power of love that transforms the acts of altruism into the spirit of charity. There are many things that influence our existence. There are visible and invisible forces playing more than an ancillary role in our interactions. Have any of us ever lost our temper and then wondered what came over us? Anger can expose us to the "spirit of wrath." This is the same kind of energy that filled Cain with enough venom to kill his own brother Abel. Where do all the wars, fighting and strife come from? As a species have we NOT progressed from the stone age to this modern era? Have NOT our advancements, innovations and inventions met challenges, solved problems and benefited mankind? Why are we still having problems just getting along? What's behind our inability to coexist peacefully? Did NOT the good Samaritan aid, rescue and support a stranger at his own expense? Have we NOT learned anything from history? We've explored the oceans depths, flown through the atmosphere, glided through the air, landed on the moon and healed multiple diseases. So what prevents us from coexisting peacefully? What thesis can we give that explains how our own brilliance creates crisis and intelligence draws division. Does NOT  basic common sense tell us that there is a cause behind every effect and a reason, valid or NOT, for the things we do or neglect? Our reluctance to heed the warnings and read the handwriting on the wall is a symptom of our spiritual blindness. The stories in the Bible follow a distinct pattern for how God dealt with the children of Israel (Jacob). Deuteronomy 28 is often quoted for establishing this example. In the Bible warnings always preceded any perils or judgement to befall any of God's people. Has God changed? Where are the prophets? What is happening to humanity? Is God a part of or included in our battles and wars anymore?  

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SHOW ME THE INCENTIVE AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE OUTCOME

This quote form Charlie Munger speaks to the fact that all influencers have an agenda. Although this quote relates to finance and investing, the principle is applicable across most areas in life. WHY? That is the question we need to ask, and the answer we should know before following any influencer. Why did Jesus come? Jesus said he came that we might "have life and have it more abundantly." We also know that the devil comes to kill and destroy. Substances are influencers too! The popularity of alcohol, tobacco and drugs have had such an impact on society that three agencies namely the ATF, DEA and FDA have been formed as a result of their influence. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a crime. Influencers who get others to think certain ways and commit certain acts should be treated as criminals too. The advent of legalized on-line gambling has opened a new door for the "spirit of greed and avarice" to emerge and abound. The idea of gateway drugs is nothing compared to gateway spirits. The notion that the majority of people possess the ability to so called "Bet Responsibly" is to deny the power of seduction that leads to addiction. Betting on sports is corrupting the competitors. Stealing signals, drugging and killing horses and shaving points are just some of the by-products of our gambling culture. Today, many of our politicians are so concerned with their competition that they concentrate on defaming their opponents rather than dealing with the issues. The world is under the influence of SPIRITS. This is how it has always been! Whether we believe it or NOT is inconsequential. The powers of darkness would rather have us to believe they do NOT exist. The divisive spirit that has gripped the now Un-United States doesn't care whether we fight over abortion, climate change or the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Sometimes we need new perspective and a fresh set of eyes when we've lost our way. The motivations derived from being inspired by any influencer should be evaluated. We do NOT expect our posts to be popular. As a matter of fact there is doubt that the majority of our followers even read through them. It's easier to listen to the audio summary and sip and swallow the milk than to read and study the writing with the work of chewing and digesting the meat.

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RESPONSIBILITY COMBINES EXAMPLE & ACCOUNTABILITY 

WE MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE. believers are obligated to MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT ETHICAL AND MORAL POSITION REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER POSture OR SIDE OTHERS TAKE. we must DEAL WITH FACTS BEFORE FEELINGS. WE SHOULD EQIUTABLY HOLD OTHERS TO THE UNIVERSAL STANDARDS WE ALL OBSERVE WHILE PERSONALLY MAINTAINING AN EVEN HIGHER STANDARD. THIS POST HIGHLIGHTs SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF INFLUENCERS. EVERYONE HAS SOME LEVEL OF INFLUENCE WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT. oUR EXAMPLES CARRY MORE INFLUENCE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WE MAY SAY. BEING RIGHT IS A POSITION DEFINED BY MEN. BEING RIGHTEOUS IS A GIFT OF GRACE OBTAINED THROUGH FAITH AND IMPUTED BY GOD. THIS IS A BATTLE FOUGHT IN THE TRENCHES AGAINST FILTHY PIGS THAT HAVE TRESSPASSED INTO OUR EARTHLY PARLOR. IT's NOT BETTER NOT TO KNOW! IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS IT IS B-L-I-N-D-N-E-S-S!

"ENLIGHTENMENT" often ADDRESSES OUR EMBARASSING INIQUITIES. 

MOST PEOPLE HAVE DIFFICUTIES ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR OWN SHORTCOMINGS BUT EASILY SEE OTHERS. "INFLUENCERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS," SHOULD NOT EXPECT MANY PATS ON THE BACK, THANK YOU'S OR COUNT FOLLOWERS. EXPOSING DIRT IN PLACES ALREADY THOUGHT TO BE CLEAN IS AN UNPOPULAR PROFESSION. THIS NOT ABOUT THE NUMBERS, THIS IS ABOUT THE ORDER. ORDER PRIORITIZES WHAT WE DO, HOW WE DO IT AND WHO WE DO IT WITH! THE HIGHER WE CLIMB THE LIGHTER THE LOAD WE SHOULD HOLD. MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS CANNOT CARRY ALL OF THE SUPPLIES REQUIRED FOR THE ENTIRE JOURNEY. THERE MUST BE BASE CAMPS AT DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS FOR REPROVISIONING. WE NEED FAITH IN OUR PROVIDER TO REACH THE SUMMIT.  "INFLUENCERS" HAVE A CRITICAL CALLING. THEIR MISSION SHOULD BE TO BENEFIT THEIR FOLLOWERS. hISTORICALLY, JESUS IS THE GREATEST INFLUENCER KNOWN TO MAN. IF JESUS HAD BEEN ALL ABOUT SELF, HE WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE PEOPLE TO MAKE HIM A REGIONAL EARTHLY KING!

IS HEAVEN FAR AWAY OR DO WE MAKE OUR HEAVEN AND HELL HERE ON EARTH?