Steven Garofalo
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THE BEST PLACE TO HIDE IS IN PLAIN SITE
By Steven Garofalo, August 16, 2023 (Copyright 2023)
August 16, 2023

THE BEST PLACE TO HIDE IS IN PLAIN SIT

(SEE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AT THE END)

There is an ancient Jewish saying that says, “If you want to hide a tree, plant it in a forest”.

Today, I am going to show you that despite where you chose to reside, the best place to live is where God places you in light of your unique calling and Christian mission. And like that tree in the forrest, that may just be in plain site.

In our crazy world, everyone seems to want to hide (understandably). We seem to have three basic choices. First, we can stay put where currently live. Second, we can move to a more safe and secluded place or part of the country. Or third, we can leave the country (i.e. America) altogether. All three can be good choices depending on your calling, mission and personal situation.

Before we open God’s Word, let’s be honest with ourselves that its easy (especially for Americans) to push the God button and say “the world is coming to an end” with the moral, economic and America Empire in decline. Let’s try to look above that and towards a more biblical, God-ordained, historical perspective in light of God’s plan for eternity and our lives. We are in the position we are at today because we (yes, this includes you and I) have gotten a bit to comfortable in our safe and artificially prosperous country. I say artificially because the majority of our wealth was printed or digitally added as the world’s currency which in turn overstimulated our economy over past four or five decades.

As a result, in our comfort, recreation and affluence, we have become a bit too comfortable in living out the orthodox, Christian faith. Sadly, most of us have taken our faith and the Word of God for granted. For example, I recently read of a North Korean family who were sentenced to a work camp for 100 years for the single charge of being caught or found to be in possession of a Christian Bible in their home. You can read the article for yourself entitled “North Korean Family, Including Two-Year-Old Toddler, Sentenced To Life In Prison For Having Bible” at the following link:

www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/north-korean-family-including-two-year-old-toddler-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-having-bible/ar-AA1bRfWB#:~:text=A%20North%20Korean%20toddler%20and%20the%20child’s%20parents,Freedom%20Report%2C%20the%20incident%20happened%20back%20in%202009.

Let’s now compare this Korean family’s dilemma to the average American home. According to an article called “The Truth About Our Bibles” by Trinity house community.org, the average American home has roughly 4.4 Bibles (most of which are not read by the way). How is it that an entire Korean family of three generations would risk their entire lives and family unit to read the Bible while the average American household with 4.4 Bibles does take much if any time at all to read or study their sizable inventory of Bibles?

King Solomon gives us the answer in that when we experience too much prosperity, we lack adversity. As a consequence, the lack of adversity creates weak spiritual roots. And a  result, weak spiritual roots create bad times, which once again creates stronger godly character and a proper appreciation for God and His Word. This is what King Solomon wrote about this in Ecclesiastes.

“In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?” (Ecclesiastes 7:14-16)

Notice that Solomon points out that “a righteous man perishes in his righteousness”. With all of our Bibles, we tend to think that we are good enough to go to heaven for checking the box with God and perhaps in some cases, having a Bible in our possession like some magic book that blesses us in it’s static state. Perhaps, the best antidote for this is for us to get out of the Christian bubble and interact more with non-saved, secular people. This is the subject of PART2 of this article. Interacting with the secular world may be uncomfortable but keeps us sharp in our faith and active in the Great Commission (Matthew 28). The Great Commission is also one of the main things we are called to do in our lifetime in this world. As a by-product/by doing this, we will gain a more sober appreciation for God and His Word. If we do this, God will work through us and change the world for the better.

In closing, there are three take aways I want you to think about. I will put them into study questions for you to conclude for yourselves:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

FIRST: Consider the level of material wealth, recreation and freedom you have been blessed with and enjoyed in your lifetime. Take the time to honestly think about and ponder how that has effected your Christian life and mission. Have you handed off the Christian mission to the church while you pay the toll of the church tithe or have you placed a greater emphasis on Christian mission over comfort and recreation?

SECOND: God has purposely allowed for life to contain both prosperity and adversity. We tend to (understandably) avoid adversity at all cost. Are you too wrapped up in thinking this is the end of the world? Do you feel paralyzed in a state of apathy now that we as the Christian world and the West in general are facing true adversity? What can and will you do to change that?

AND THIRD: Do you believe and accept what God said through King Solomon? “There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing…Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? (Ecclesiastes 7:14-16).

IN CONCLUSION: Despite where you have chosen to reside, the best place to live is where God places you in light of your unique calling and Christian mission. And like that tree in the forrest, that may just be in plain site. “If you want to hide a tree, plant it in a forest”. Are you willing to be planted where God wants you, even if that means in plain site?

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DO PETS GO TO HEAVEN?

When I was in seminary, the question was raised as to if pets or animals in general go to heaven. Our professor, Dr. Norman Geisler said this: “Jesus Christ came to earth and died on the Cross for the human race, not animals.” I was working out at the gym one day when one of the regulars, who had just moved to Charlotte, NC from California told me that one of her beloved dogs died; and would that dog go to heaven. I have her the same answer. But, was that the whole story? That’s what we are going to look at today.

In a peace by Michael Housman, Founder of GotQuestions.Org, Housman wrote that “The BIble does not give any explicit teaching on whether pets or animals in general have souls, or spirits, or whether pets and other animals will be in heaven.

His answer was short but the animals not having souls maybe up for debate.

We can use general biblical principles to develop some clarity on the subject though Housman wrote. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15 and 22) have the “BREATH OF LIFE” that is, both man and animals are living beings. Furthermore, the primary difference between human beings and animals is that humanity is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), while animals are not.

Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human beings are like God in some ways; they are capable of spirituality; they have a mind, emotion, and “will”; and part of their “being” continues after death.

If pets and other animals do have a “soul” (or spirit or immaterial aspect), it must therefore be of a different and lesser “quality”. This difference possibly means that pets and other animal “souls”  do not continue in existence after death.

Another factor to consider regarding whether pets will be in heaven is that animals are a port of God’s creative process in Genesis. God created the animals and said they were good (Genesis 1:25). Therefore, there is no reason why there could not be pets and animals on the NEW EARTH as described in (Revelation 21:1). 

In the end, there will most definitely be animals during the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25). It is impossible to say definitely whether some animals of these animals might be the pets we had here on earth. We do know that God is just and that when we get to heaven, we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His decision on this issue, whatever that turns out to be.

So, there you have it. I think that’s the best answer on the subject in all honest. Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and check out StevenGarofalo.Com for exclusive content and early release of our two weekly podcast.

Until next time, I’m your host Steven Garofalo, and this is your reason for truth for today.

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AN ETHICAL ECONOMY IS GOOD FOR ALL
By Steven Garofalo, May 2, 2025

WHAT MAKES A GOOD ECONOMY

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Today, I am going to show you through Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 that vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, will devour one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Let’s get started.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor is an interesting subject in light of wealth, corruption, and the human heart. This subject effects many things, including what makes a good economy. 

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5, verses eight to nine, Solomon says the following:

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9
“8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

COMMENTARY: There are two things king Solomon is saying here within the theme of the vanity of WEALTH and HONOR. Wealth and honor are two different things, as one can have wealth with or without honor or honor with or without wealth. That being said, let’s look at verses 8 and 9 independently to see the simple message God provides us today through Solomon.

BREAK DOWN
Ecclesiastes 5:8-9

THE ABUSE OF AUTHORITY & WEALTH
 “8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them." 

COMMENTARY: Verse 8 clearly illustrates that there is a corruption at every level of government, with higher level oppressors plundering the equally oppressive lower-level magistrates. This perhaps explains the st state of America and the world. With blackmail running. Rampant and the public sector unchecked, they have been robbing the everyday citizen of their hard earned money. As a result, the system became insulated and division between the haves and have nots became more defined. When the high level government officials rob and abuse those below them, someone above that person robs and abuses the higher level person himself.

In America, where we print money out of thin air for the world, in this short period of history, there is little need to plunder those under one authority because there is so much to steal that those in authority can simply pay them off or blackmail them; whichever is most convenient. Either way, Solomon makes abundantly clear that when there is nobody minding the ship, evil perpetuates to the point of overtaking the government in whole. As a result, we end up with a 2024 government, riddles with corruption, immorality, blackmail, lawlessness, and all other things evil due to the lack of God-ness which equates to “goodness”. 

Economically speaking, when this happens to a country, its own economy begins to decline into debt due to their insatiable desire and emotional need for more money and resources. When resources are stripped and money is squandered, the elite few are smart enough to collect those resources and money and we end up with a U.S. Stock Market where only 5% holds up to 80%  of the entire market wealth. 

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
The answer and solution is to keep to return to the system we created in the first place which is free market capitalism that allows those who desire to work hard, to have a fair chance at success, making money and turning a fair profit. This is called “honor for everyone”.

HONOR FOR EVERYONE
"9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

CONCLUSION:

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, devours one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Solomon (Qohelet) considered goverment to be frustrating becuase it was a necessary evil, something deply flawed but indespsnsible. On the one hand people sould "not be shocked" when they see OPPRESSION and injustice in a governmental province (v.8). After all, bloated government bureaucracy tends to frustrate justice (v.8b). On the other hand, government has it advantages (v.9). Many hold to the belief that this verse continues the negeative assessment of government. Others see this passage better understood more positively since it fits with Qohelet's normal pattern of "on the one hand, on the other.." way of teaching. 

Even a corrupt government is better than anarchy, which devastates a country, it's culture and in Solomon's time, an agrarian economy that would lead to starvation. Keeping to God's ways is the only solution to man's sinful nature; especially in governmental rule. In the end, a king who devotes himself to developing the resources of the land ushers in a systems that brings the opportunity for profit to all, not just the corrupt few.

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SOLA SCRIPTURA
A Protestant & Catholic View Comparison

I grew up Catholic and now go to a Protestant or non-Catholic church in Charlotte, NC. Michael Houdmann, Founder and CEO of GotQuestions.Org writes that a major difference between the two boils down to believing in the Bible alone as God's word verses believing that God's word plus man's input as the divine inspired word of God.

WHAT DO PROTESTANTS BELIEVE?

A major difference is the issue of sufficiency and authority of Scripture. While Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the source of God's special revelation to mankind, it also speaks to everything we need to understand as necessary for our salvation from sin.

Protestants view the Bible as the STANDARD for Christian morality and ethics which governs our behavior. This is called sola scripture and is one of the five Solas in Christianity. (Solas meaning "alone" in Latin. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 makes clear that "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (ESV).

WHAT DO CATHOLICS BELIEVE?

Catholics do not believe in sola scriptura hence do not believe that the Bible alone is sufficient. They see both the Bible and sacred Roman Catholic tradition as equally authoritative and binding on the Christian. While not all Catholics hold to doctrines such as purgatory, praying to the saints, worship or veneration of Mary, etc., the Catholic doctrine hold to them even though they have little or no mention or basis in the Bible. In truth, these doctrines are based on Roman Catholic traditions based on the Catholic Church's insistence that the Bible and tradition are equal in authority. The problem with this is that it undermines the sufficiency, authority, and completeness of the Bible. The view of Scripture is at the root of many, if not all, of the differences between Catholics and Protestants.

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