Welcome to the idea center.
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."
The Question of Suffering
the uss united states
In the late 1940’s, the United States government commissioned William Francis Gibbs to work with the United States Lines to construct an eighty-million-dollar troop carrier for the navy. The purpose was to design a ship that would speedily carry fifteen thousand troops during times of war. By 1952, construction on the SS United States was complete. The ship could travel at forty-four knots (about fifty-one miles per hour), and she could steam ten thousand miles without stopping for fuel or supplies. She could outrun any other ship and travel nonstop anywhere in the world in less than ten days. The SS United States was the fastest and most reliable troop carrier in the world.
The only catch is, she never carried troops. At least not in any official capacity. The ship was put on standby once during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, but otherwise she was never used in all her capacity by the U. S. Navy.
Instead the SS United States became a luxury liner for presidents, heads of state, and a variety of other celebrities who traveled on her during her seventeen years of service. As a luxury liner, she couldn’t carry fifteen thousand people. Instead she could house just under two thousand passengers. Those passengers could enjoy the luxuries of 695 staterooms, 4 dining salons, 3 bars, 2 theaters, 5 acres of open deck with a heated pool, 19 elevators, and the comfort of the world’s first fully air-conditioned passenger ship. Instead of a vessel used for battle during wartime, the SS United States became a means of indulgence for wealthy patrons who desired to coast peacefully across the Atlantic.
Things look radically different on a luxury liner than they do on a troop carrier. The faces of soldiers preparing for battle and those of patrons enjoying their bonbons are radically different. The conservation of resources on a troop carrier contrasts sharply with the opulence that characterizes the luxury liner. And the pace at which the troop carrier moves is by necessity much faster than that of the luxury liner. After all, the troop carrier has an urgent task to accomplish; the luxury liner, on the other hand, is free to casually enjoy the trip.
When I think about the history of the SS United States, I wonder if she has something to teach us about the history of the church. The church, like the SS United States, has been designed for battle. The purpose of the church is to mobilize a people to accomplish a mission. Yet we seem to have turned the church as troop carrier into the church as luxury liner. We seem to have organized ourselves, not to engage in battle for the souls of peoples around the world, but to indulge ourselves in the peaceful comforts of the world. This makes me wonder what would happen if we looked squarely in the face of a world with 4.5 billion people going to hell and twenty-six thousand children dying every day of starvation and preventable diseases, and we decided it was time to move this ship into battle instead of sitting back on the pool deck while we wait for the staff to serve us more hors d’oeuvre.
Are we willing to obey the orders of Christ? Are we willing to be like him? Are we willing to risk our lives to go to great need and to great danger—whether it’s in the inner cities around us, the difficult neighbor across the street, the disease-ridden communities in Africa, or the hostile regions in the Middle East? Are we willing to fundamentally alter our understanding of Christianity from a luxury-liner approach that seeks more comforts in the world to a troop-carrier approach that forsakes comforts in the world to accomplish an eternally significant task and achieve an eternally satisfying reward?
The only catch is, she never carried troops. At least not in any official capacity. The ship was put on standby once during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, but otherwise she was never used in all her capacity by the U. S. Navy.
Instead the SS United States became a luxury liner for presidents, heads of state, and a variety of other celebrities who traveled on her during her seventeen years of service. As a luxury liner, she couldn’t carry fifteen thousand people. Instead she could house just under two thousand passengers. Those passengers could enjoy the luxuries of 695 staterooms, 4 dining salons, 3 bars, 2 theaters, 5 acres of open deck with a heated pool, 19 elevators, and the comfort of the world’s first fully air-conditioned passenger ship. Instead of a vessel used for battle during wartime, the SS United States became a means of indulgence for wealthy patrons who desired to coast peacefully across the Atlantic.
Things look radically different on a luxury liner than they do on a troop carrier. The faces of soldiers preparing for battle and those of patrons enjoying their bonbons are radically different. The conservation of resources on a troop carrier contrasts sharply with the opulence that characterizes the luxury liner. And the pace at which the troop carrier moves is by necessity much faster than that of the luxury liner. After all, the troop carrier has an urgent task to accomplish; the luxury liner, on the other hand, is free to casually enjoy the trip.
When I think about the history of the SS United States, I wonder if she has something to teach us about the history of the church. The church, like the SS United States, has been designed for battle. The purpose of the church is to mobilize a people to accomplish a mission. Yet we seem to have turned the church as troop carrier into the church as luxury liner. We seem to have organized ourselves, not to engage in battle for the souls of peoples around the world, but to indulge ourselves in the peaceful comforts of the world. This makes me wonder what would happen if we looked squarely in the face of a world with 4.5 billion people going to hell and twenty-six thousand children dying every day of starvation and preventable diseases, and we decided it was time to move this ship into battle instead of sitting back on the pool deck while we wait for the staff to serve us more hors d’oeuvre.
Are we willing to obey the orders of Christ? Are we willing to be like him? Are we willing to risk our lives to go to great need and to great danger—whether it’s in the inner cities around us, the difficult neighbor across the street, the disease-ridden communities in Africa, or the hostile regions in the Middle East? Are we willing to fundamentally alter our understanding of Christianity from a luxury-liner approach that seeks more comforts in the world to a troop-carrier approach that forsakes comforts in the world to accomplish an eternally significant task and achieve an eternally satisfying reward?
The formula doesn't work
We thought the good news was “do everything you can so God will be happy with you.” But that’s a little bit like saying “Come over to my house...and when you get there, you have to paint it all and fix everything up”> That’s not good news! Good news is God in Christ has come to dwell in you, and that in itself is enough. You are complete in Him. Everything else is your attempt to establish righteousness.
Christianity is not your responsibility. It’s your response to His ability.
Jesus isn’t a “longshot”; He’s the “favorite”.
Odds of Christ Fulfilling Prophecy
The focus of this topic is to look at the probability of Christ fulfilling the prophecies in the Old Testament.
So, what is probability? Probability, also known as "odds", is a branch of mathematics that measures the likelihood that a given event will occur. To begin, let's look at some interesting "odds":
Being struck by lightning in a year = 7 x 105 or 1 in 700,000
Being killed by lightning in a year = 2 x 106 or 1 in 2,000,000
Becoming president = 1 x 107 or 1 in 10,000,000
A meteorite landing on your house = 1.8 x 1014 or 1 in 180,000,000,000,000
You will eventually die = 1 in 1
As you can see, the probability of being struck or killed by lightning, becoming president, or having a meteorite land on your house, progressively increases, given the event; however, someone somewhere will be that 1 in 10x, and that someone could be you.
Now, let's look at one of the most amazing probability studies to be conducted. Dr. John Stoner, author of Science Speaks, applied the principle of probability, which states that if the chance of one thing happening is "1 in M", and the chance of another independent thing happening is "1 in N", then the chance that they shall both happen is "1 in M x N", as it pertains to fulfillment of Biblical prophecies.
The Bible is full of prophecies, either events that have happened or events that will happen in the future. In Science Speaks, Dr. Stoner looks at the probability that one man, Jesus Christ, could have fulfilled even 8 of the 300 prophecies that pertain to Him in the Bible. Let's look at these eight prophecies from the Old Testament pertaining to Christ, their fulfillment by Christ in the New Testament, the probability of one man fulfilling each prophecy, and the sum of one man fulfilling all eight prophecies. Keep in mind, the time span between the prophecies of the Old Testament and the New Testament fulfillment is hundreds, even thousands of years.
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
New Testament Fulfillment
And Herod asked where Christ had been born ... they answered Bethlehem (Matt 2:4-6)
Probability 2.8 x 105 or 1 in 280,000
Old Testament Prophecy
Forerunner of Christ (Malachi 3:1)
New Testament Fulfillment
John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ (Mark 1:2-8)
Probability 1 x 103 or 1 in 1,000 _
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ to enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Zech 9:9)
New Testament Fulfillment
Christ enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Matt 21:4-11)
Probability 1 x 102 or 1 in 100 _
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ to be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9)
New Testament Fulfillment
Judas betrayed Jesus (Luke 22:21)
Probability 1 x 103 or 1 in 1,000
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ to be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zech 11:12)
New Testament Fulfillment
Judas sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matt 26:15)
Probability 1 x 103 or 1 in 1,000
Old Testament Prophecy
30 pieces of silver casted down and used to buy a potter's field (Zech 11:13)
New Testament Fulfillment
30 pieces of silver used to buy a potter's field (Matt 27:3-10)
Probability 1 x 105 or 1 in 100,000
Old Testament Prophecy
Although innocent, Christ kept silent when on trial (Isaiah 53:7)
New Testament Fulfillment
Jesus kept silent when questioned (Mark 14:60-61)
Probability 1 x 103 or 1 in 1,000
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ crucified (Psalm 22:16)
New Testament Fulfillment
Jesus was crucified (John 19:17, 18)
Probability 1 x 104 or 1 in 10,000
To answer the question what is the probability of one man fulfilling all eight prophecies, the principal of probability is applied. Therefore, multiplying all eight probabilities together (1 times 2.8 x 105 x 103 x 102 x 103 x 103 x 105 x 103 x 104) gives us 2.8 x 1028, or for simplicity sake 1 x 1028 or 1 in 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
Given this and the time span between the writings of the Old Testament and the fulfillment by Christ in the New Testament, the prophecies were either given to the prophets by God, or the prophets just wrote them down as they thought they should be. With Christ fulfilling all eight prophecies, what are the odds the prophets were just guessing?
AND ACTUALLY JESUS FULFILLED OVER 300 PROPHECIES
The focus of this topic is to look at the probability of Christ fulfilling the prophecies in the Old Testament.
So, what is probability? Probability, also known as "odds", is a branch of mathematics that measures the likelihood that a given event will occur. To begin, let's look at some interesting "odds":
Being struck by lightning in a year = 7 x 105 or 1 in 700,000
Being killed by lightning in a year = 2 x 106 or 1 in 2,000,000
Becoming president = 1 x 107 or 1 in 10,000,000
A meteorite landing on your house = 1.8 x 1014 or 1 in 180,000,000,000,000
You will eventually die = 1 in 1
As you can see, the probability of being struck or killed by lightning, becoming president, or having a meteorite land on your house, progressively increases, given the event; however, someone somewhere will be that 1 in 10x, and that someone could be you.
Now, let's look at one of the most amazing probability studies to be conducted. Dr. John Stoner, author of Science Speaks, applied the principle of probability, which states that if the chance of one thing happening is "1 in M", and the chance of another independent thing happening is "1 in N", then the chance that they shall both happen is "1 in M x N", as it pertains to fulfillment of Biblical prophecies.
The Bible is full of prophecies, either events that have happened or events that will happen in the future. In Science Speaks, Dr. Stoner looks at the probability that one man, Jesus Christ, could have fulfilled even 8 of the 300 prophecies that pertain to Him in the Bible. Let's look at these eight prophecies from the Old Testament pertaining to Christ, their fulfillment by Christ in the New Testament, the probability of one man fulfilling each prophecy, and the sum of one man fulfilling all eight prophecies. Keep in mind, the time span between the prophecies of the Old Testament and the New Testament fulfillment is hundreds, even thousands of years.
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
New Testament Fulfillment
And Herod asked where Christ had been born ... they answered Bethlehem (Matt 2:4-6)
Probability 2.8 x 105 or 1 in 280,000
Old Testament Prophecy
Forerunner of Christ (Malachi 3:1)
New Testament Fulfillment
John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ (Mark 1:2-8)
Probability 1 x 103 or 1 in 1,000 _
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ to enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Zech 9:9)
New Testament Fulfillment
Christ enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Matt 21:4-11)
Probability 1 x 102 or 1 in 100 _
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ to be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9)
New Testament Fulfillment
Judas betrayed Jesus (Luke 22:21)
Probability 1 x 103 or 1 in 1,000
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ to be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zech 11:12)
New Testament Fulfillment
Judas sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matt 26:15)
Probability 1 x 103 or 1 in 1,000
Old Testament Prophecy
30 pieces of silver casted down and used to buy a potter's field (Zech 11:13)
New Testament Fulfillment
30 pieces of silver used to buy a potter's field (Matt 27:3-10)
Probability 1 x 105 or 1 in 100,000
Old Testament Prophecy
Although innocent, Christ kept silent when on trial (Isaiah 53:7)
New Testament Fulfillment
Jesus kept silent when questioned (Mark 14:60-61)
Probability 1 x 103 or 1 in 1,000
Old Testament Prophecy
Christ crucified (Psalm 22:16)
New Testament Fulfillment
Jesus was crucified (John 19:17, 18)
Probability 1 x 104 or 1 in 10,000
To answer the question what is the probability of one man fulfilling all eight prophecies, the principal of probability is applied. Therefore, multiplying all eight probabilities together (1 times 2.8 x 105 x 103 x 102 x 103 x 103 x 105 x 103 x 104) gives us 2.8 x 1028, or for simplicity sake 1 x 1028 or 1 in 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
Given this and the time span between the writings of the Old Testament and the fulfillment by Christ in the New Testament, the prophecies were either given to the prophets by God, or the prophets just wrote them down as they thought they should be. With Christ fulfilling all eight prophecies, what are the odds the prophets were just guessing?
AND ACTUALLY JESUS FULFILLED OVER 300 PROPHECIES
"as is"
The thing we need to repent of is believing that we are ok as is. Remember the notice on a used car "as is- no warranty"? This is a document put out by the seller to relieve them of all responsibility if you buy a car and something goes wrong. When we pretend we are good enough in the sight of God as long as we don't do anything too bad, we are living without a warranty (a written guarantee, issued to the purchaser of an article by its manufacturer, promising to repair or replace it if necessary within a specified period of time).
What God asks us to do is take the written guarantee of His word, because he purchased the title for you to be right with God. But have you transfered the title out of your name over to Him?? It's the greatest exchange you'll ever know. To give all that you are, for all that He is- this is the gospel according to Jesus. Now you can be new!
What God asks us to do is take the written guarantee of His word, because he purchased the title for you to be right with God. But have you transfered the title out of your name over to Him?? It's the greatest exchange you'll ever know. To give all that you are, for all that He is- this is the gospel according to Jesus. Now you can be new!
surrender or commitment
Adrian Rogers, a famous 20th-century Baptist pastor, once went on a mission trip to Romania. Over the course of two weeks, he bonded with his interpreter but hadn’t learned much about the man's thoughts. So toward the end of the trip, he asked the man, “Tell me, what do you think of American Christians?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” came the strange reply. This, of course, only made Dr. Rogers more curious, so he began to press the man for an answer.
After several attempts, Dr. Rogers finally said, “Why won’t you tell me? I really want to know.”
Finally, the interpreter capitulated. “Well, OK then, but you’re not going to like my answer. I don’t think you Americans understand what Christianity is all about. Back in the 1960s, you started to use the word ‘commitment’ to describe your relationship with Christ. However, any time a word comes into usage, another word goes into disuse.”
The man continued, “Until the 1960s, you Americans talked about ‘surrender’ to Christ. Surrender means giving up control, turning over all to the Master Jesus. By changing to the word ‘commitment,’ your relationship with Christ has become something you do, and therefore you are able to keep control. 'Surrender' means giving up all rights to one’s self. You Americans don’t like to do that, so, instead, you make a commitment.”
Have you truly surrendered—not just committed—your life to Jesus Christ? Maybe you have “prayed a sinner’s prayer". Maybe you've taken back control of your life. In any case, be sure to settle this issue before you stop reading this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq0sPX5l40c
“I don’t want to talk about it,” came the strange reply. This, of course, only made Dr. Rogers more curious, so he began to press the man for an answer.
After several attempts, Dr. Rogers finally said, “Why won’t you tell me? I really want to know.”
Finally, the interpreter capitulated. “Well, OK then, but you’re not going to like my answer. I don’t think you Americans understand what Christianity is all about. Back in the 1960s, you started to use the word ‘commitment’ to describe your relationship with Christ. However, any time a word comes into usage, another word goes into disuse.”
The man continued, “Until the 1960s, you Americans talked about ‘surrender’ to Christ. Surrender means giving up control, turning over all to the Master Jesus. By changing to the word ‘commitment,’ your relationship with Christ has become something you do, and therefore you are able to keep control. 'Surrender' means giving up all rights to one’s self. You Americans don’t like to do that, so, instead, you make a commitment.”
Have you truly surrendered—not just committed—your life to Jesus Christ? Maybe you have “prayed a sinner’s prayer". Maybe you've taken back control of your life. In any case, be sure to settle this issue before you stop reading this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq0sPX5l40c
lukewarm people
Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives (Luke 6:26; Rev. 3:1; Matthew 23:5-7).
Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don’t genuinely hate sin and aren’t truly sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don’t really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one (John 10:10; Romans 6:1-2).
Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for “extreme” Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call “radical” what Jesus expected of all His followers (James 1:22; James 4:17; Matthew 21:28-31).
Lukewarm people say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, their money, and thoughts, but He isn’t allowed to control their lives (Luke 9:57-62).
Lukewarm people love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to assure you that they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn’t really possible for the average person; it’s only for pastors and missionaries and radicals (Matthew 22:37-38).
Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family, friends, and other people they know and connect with. There is little love left over for those who cannot love them back, much less for those who intentionally slight them, whose kids are better athletes than theirs, or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings attached (Matthew 5:43-47; Luke 14:12-14).
Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God (1 Timothy 6:17-18; Matthew 10:28).
Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America. Just as the prophets in the Old Testament warned Israel that they were not safe just because they lived in the land of Israel, so we are not safe just because we wear the label Christian or because some people persist in calling us a “Christian nation” (Matthew 7:21; Amos 6:1)
Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for “extreme” Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call “radical” what Jesus expected of all His followers.
Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don’t genuinely hate sin and aren’t truly sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don’t really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one (John 10:10; Romans 6:1-2).
Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for “extreme” Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call “radical” what Jesus expected of all His followers (James 1:22; James 4:17; Matthew 21:28-31).
Lukewarm people say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, their money, and thoughts, but He isn’t allowed to control their lives (Luke 9:57-62).
Lukewarm people love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to assure you that they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn’t really possible for the average person; it’s only for pastors and missionaries and radicals (Matthew 22:37-38).
Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family, friends, and other people they know and connect with. There is little love left over for those who cannot love them back, much less for those who intentionally slight them, whose kids are better athletes than theirs, or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings attached (Matthew 5:43-47; Luke 14:12-14).
Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God (1 Timothy 6:17-18; Matthew 10:28).
Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America. Just as the prophets in the Old Testament warned Israel that they were not safe just because they lived in the land of Israel, so we are not safe just because we wear the label Christian or because some people persist in calling us a “Christian nation” (Matthew 7:21; Amos 6:1)
Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for “extreme” Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call “radical” what Jesus expected of all His followers.
View Difficulty as a sign of God's Love
Isaiah 59~
You and I are much like Israel. When life isn't working out according to our plan and when we're suffering in some way, it's very tempting for us to bring God into the court of our judgement and question his faithfulness, wisdom and love. That's what Israel was doing - they were questioning the character of God.
You and I would like to say that at all times, we trust in the sovereignty of God and we worship his good character. That may be true most of the time, but if you're honest, when the comfort and ease of life is interrupted, you begin to wonder if God is actually who he claims to be.
Here's what's dangerous about that doubt: you no longer seek help from someone you don't trust. Think about it. Would you invest in a company if you knew the CEO was corrupt and stole the money of the investors? Would you seek out advice from a fraudulent "doctor" who had no medical training whatsoever? Would you trust your child to a babysitter convicted of repeated crimes?
When you allow your heart to begin to question God's goodness, even in subtle ways, you’ll quit seeking him. That’s exactly what happened with Israel. Israel thought that God wasn't strong enough to intervene (his hand is too short) and that he didn't love his children enough (his ear is dull to their cries) to rescue them from the difficulty.
Here's what Israel didn't understand: the grace of God will visit you in uncomfortable forms. Difficulty in your life is not a sign that God's hand is too short, nor is it a sign that his ears are too dull. Rather, it's a sign of his love. God will wrap his arms around you and bring you through difficulty to make you more like him.
In other words, uncomfortable grace is at work to free you from you.
This Advent season, remember that the greatest expression of the love of God is found in the sending of his Son. You don't need to question His love when difficulty comes. In fact, you should view difficulty as a sure sign of God's unending love for you!
God bless
message in the stars
If God really exists, why in Heaven’s names does God not prove that he exists instead of leaving us here in our terrible uncertainty? Why does he not show his face so that at last a despairing world can have hope? At one time or another, everyone asks such a question. In some objectifiably verifiable and convincing way, we want God himself to demonstrate his own existence. Deep in our hearts, I suspect that his is what all of us want, unbelievers no less than believers. And I have wondered sometimes what would happen if God were to do just that. What would happen if God did set about demonstrating his existence in some dramatic and irrefutable way?
Suppose, for instance, that God were to take the great dim river of the Milky way as we see it from down here flowing across the night sky and were to brighten it up a little and then rearrange it so that all of a sudden one night the world would step outside and look up at the heavens and see not the usual haphazard of stars but, written out in letters light years tall, the sentence: I REALLY EXIST, or GOD IS. If I were going to try to write a story or a play about such an event, I would start, of course, with the first night that this great theological headline appeared there in the stars, with suns and moons to dot the i’s and the tails of comets to cross the t’s. And I would try to show some of the ways that I can imagine people might respond to it. I would show some of them sinking to their knees, not because they are especially religious people but just because it might seem somehow the only natural thing to do under the circumstances. They would perhaps do it without even thinking about it, just crumpling down to their knees there in the tall grass out behind the garage. Some of them I would show running back into their houses in terror – guilty ones in terror of judgment, sophisticated ones in terror at the stark and terrible simplicity of it – just GOD IS written up there in the fire just the sheer and awesome vastness of the Unknown suddenly making itself known.
There would be a good many tears of regret, I suspect – people thinking that if only they had known it before, what different lives they might have had. And in many a person the sudden, wild upsurge of hope – the sick old man lying in bed where he cannot sleep and looking through his bedroom window. On the table his clock ticktocks his time away, but there in the sky he sees proof at last of a reality beyond time. And I would want to touch at least on the peculiar astonishment of preachers and theologians who spend so much of their lives talking about God that unless they are very careful, God starts to lose all reality for them and to become just a subject for metaphysical speculation. For them too there would be this great affirmation in the night, and they would discover that they had been right after all, more right than perhaps they have every quite been able to believe, and they would marvel at the strangeness of it.
What I would be trying to suggest in my story would be that the initial impact of God’s supplying the world with this kind of objective proof of his existence would be extraordinary. But as my story ended, I am afraid that in honesty I would have to suggest something else.
Several years would go by and God’s proof of himself would still be blazing away every night for all to read. In order to convince people that the message was not just some million-to-one freak of nature, I would be tempted to have God keep on rewriting it in different languages, sometimes accompanying it with bursts of pure color or with music so celestial that finally the last hardened skeptic would be convinced that God must indeed exist after all. Then the way that I would have to end it might be this. I would have a child look up at the sky some night, just a plain, garden-variety child with perhaps a wad of bubble gum in his cheek. If this were to be a movie, I would have a close-up here of just the child’s eyes with the stars reflected in them, and I would have him spell out the message syllable by syllable. And deep in the heaves there would be the usual strains of sublime music. And then I would have the child turn to his father, or maybe, with the crazy courage of childhood, I would have him turn to God himself, and the words that I would have speak would be “So what if God exists?” he would say. “What difference does that make?” And in the twinkling of an eye the message would fade away for good and the celestial music would be heard no more, or maybe they would continue for centuries to come, but it would no longer make any difference.
We all want to be certain, we all want proof, but the kind of proof that we tend to want – scientifically or philosophically demonstrable that would silence all doubts once and for all – would not in the long run, I think, answer the fearful depths of our need at all. For what we need to know, of course, is not just that God exists, not just that beyond the steely brightness of the stars there is a cosmic intelligence of some kind that keeps the whole show going, but that there is a God right there in the thick of our day-to-day lives who may not be writing messages about himself in the stars but who in one way or another is trying to get messages through our blindness as we move around down here knee-deep in the fragrant muck and misery and marvel of the world. It is not objective proof of God’s existence that we want but, whether we use religious language for it or not, the experience of God’s presence. That is the miracle that we are really after. And that is also, I think, the miracle that we really get.
I believe that we know much more about God than we admit that we know, than perhaps we altogether know that we know. God speaks to us, I would say, much more often than we realize or than we choose to realize. Before the sun sets every evening, he speaks to each of us in an intensely personal and unmistakable way. His message is not written out in starlight, which in the long run would make no difference; rather, it is written out for each of us in the humdrum, helter-skelter events of each day; it is a message that in the long run might just make all the difference.
Who knows that he will say to me today or to you today in the midst of what kind of unlikely moment he will choose to say it. Not knowing is what makes today a hold mystery as every day is a holy mystery. But I believe that there are some things that by and large God is always saying to each of us. Each of us carries around inside himself, I believe, a certain emptiness – a sense that something is missing, a restlessness, a deep feeling that somehow all is not right inside his skin. Part of the inner world of everyone is this sense of emptiness, unease, incompleteness, and I believe that this in itself is a word from God, that this is the sound that God’s voice makes in a world that has explained him away. In such a world, I suspect that maybe God speaks to us most clearly through our missing him.
Our days are full of nonsense, and yet not, because it is precisely into the nonsense of our days that God speaks to us words of great significance – not words that are written in the stars but words that are written into the raw stuff and nonsense of our days, which are not nonsense just because God speaks into the midst of them. And the words he says, to each of us differently, are be brave … be merciful … feed my lambs …press toward the goal.
The words that God speaks to us in our lives are the real miracles. They are not miracles that create faith as we might think that a message in the stars would create faith, but they are miracles that it takes faith to see – faith in the sense of openness, faith in the sense of willingness to wait, to watch, to listen, for the incredible presence of God here in the world among us.
~Frederick Buechner
Suppose, for instance, that God were to take the great dim river of the Milky way as we see it from down here flowing across the night sky and were to brighten it up a little and then rearrange it so that all of a sudden one night the world would step outside and look up at the heavens and see not the usual haphazard of stars but, written out in letters light years tall, the sentence: I REALLY EXIST, or GOD IS. If I were going to try to write a story or a play about such an event, I would start, of course, with the first night that this great theological headline appeared there in the stars, with suns and moons to dot the i’s and the tails of comets to cross the t’s. And I would try to show some of the ways that I can imagine people might respond to it. I would show some of them sinking to their knees, not because they are especially religious people but just because it might seem somehow the only natural thing to do under the circumstances. They would perhaps do it without even thinking about it, just crumpling down to their knees there in the tall grass out behind the garage. Some of them I would show running back into their houses in terror – guilty ones in terror of judgment, sophisticated ones in terror at the stark and terrible simplicity of it – just GOD IS written up there in the fire just the sheer and awesome vastness of the Unknown suddenly making itself known.
There would be a good many tears of regret, I suspect – people thinking that if only they had known it before, what different lives they might have had. And in many a person the sudden, wild upsurge of hope – the sick old man lying in bed where he cannot sleep and looking through his bedroom window. On the table his clock ticktocks his time away, but there in the sky he sees proof at last of a reality beyond time. And I would want to touch at least on the peculiar astonishment of preachers and theologians who spend so much of their lives talking about God that unless they are very careful, God starts to lose all reality for them and to become just a subject for metaphysical speculation. For them too there would be this great affirmation in the night, and they would discover that they had been right after all, more right than perhaps they have every quite been able to believe, and they would marvel at the strangeness of it.
What I would be trying to suggest in my story would be that the initial impact of God’s supplying the world with this kind of objective proof of his existence would be extraordinary. But as my story ended, I am afraid that in honesty I would have to suggest something else.
Several years would go by and God’s proof of himself would still be blazing away every night for all to read. In order to convince people that the message was not just some million-to-one freak of nature, I would be tempted to have God keep on rewriting it in different languages, sometimes accompanying it with bursts of pure color or with music so celestial that finally the last hardened skeptic would be convinced that God must indeed exist after all. Then the way that I would have to end it might be this. I would have a child look up at the sky some night, just a plain, garden-variety child with perhaps a wad of bubble gum in his cheek. If this were to be a movie, I would have a close-up here of just the child’s eyes with the stars reflected in them, and I would have him spell out the message syllable by syllable. And deep in the heaves there would be the usual strains of sublime music. And then I would have the child turn to his father, or maybe, with the crazy courage of childhood, I would have him turn to God himself, and the words that I would have speak would be “So what if God exists?” he would say. “What difference does that make?” And in the twinkling of an eye the message would fade away for good and the celestial music would be heard no more, or maybe they would continue for centuries to come, but it would no longer make any difference.
We all want to be certain, we all want proof, but the kind of proof that we tend to want – scientifically or philosophically demonstrable that would silence all doubts once and for all – would not in the long run, I think, answer the fearful depths of our need at all. For what we need to know, of course, is not just that God exists, not just that beyond the steely brightness of the stars there is a cosmic intelligence of some kind that keeps the whole show going, but that there is a God right there in the thick of our day-to-day lives who may not be writing messages about himself in the stars but who in one way or another is trying to get messages through our blindness as we move around down here knee-deep in the fragrant muck and misery and marvel of the world. It is not objective proof of God’s existence that we want but, whether we use religious language for it or not, the experience of God’s presence. That is the miracle that we are really after. And that is also, I think, the miracle that we really get.
I believe that we know much more about God than we admit that we know, than perhaps we altogether know that we know. God speaks to us, I would say, much more often than we realize or than we choose to realize. Before the sun sets every evening, he speaks to each of us in an intensely personal and unmistakable way. His message is not written out in starlight, which in the long run would make no difference; rather, it is written out for each of us in the humdrum, helter-skelter events of each day; it is a message that in the long run might just make all the difference.
Who knows that he will say to me today or to you today in the midst of what kind of unlikely moment he will choose to say it. Not knowing is what makes today a hold mystery as every day is a holy mystery. But I believe that there are some things that by and large God is always saying to each of us. Each of us carries around inside himself, I believe, a certain emptiness – a sense that something is missing, a restlessness, a deep feeling that somehow all is not right inside his skin. Part of the inner world of everyone is this sense of emptiness, unease, incompleteness, and I believe that this in itself is a word from God, that this is the sound that God’s voice makes in a world that has explained him away. In such a world, I suspect that maybe God speaks to us most clearly through our missing him.
Our days are full of nonsense, and yet not, because it is precisely into the nonsense of our days that God speaks to us words of great significance – not words that are written in the stars but words that are written into the raw stuff and nonsense of our days, which are not nonsense just because God speaks into the midst of them. And the words he says, to each of us differently, are be brave … be merciful … feed my lambs …press toward the goal.
The words that God speaks to us in our lives are the real miracles. They are not miracles that create faith as we might think that a message in the stars would create faith, but they are miracles that it takes faith to see – faith in the sense of openness, faith in the sense of willingness to wait, to watch, to listen, for the incredible presence of God here in the world among us.
~Frederick Buechner
the price
If you really do put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price. How is true value determined? Not by anyone's estimate- but by the price someone is willing to pay. In human experience it is a rare thing for one man to give his life for another, even if he be a good man, though there have been a few who have had the courage to do it. However no one on earth would allow their child to die for someone else. They don't value you that much. But God clearly proves His love for us: even while we were still sinners, His Son Jesus Christ died for us.This is equivalent of someone trading their son not just for a nice person, not even for someone that annoyed them, but for someone like a terrorist. And then inviting that terrorist to come and live with them forever!
God has payed the highest premium for you. Christ is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come (Ephesians 1:21). This King, royal & sinless, payed for you, not with gold or silver, but with His blood to ransom you & let you know your value has skyrocketed beyond measure! God loves you so much, even the angels are amazed (1 Peter 1:10–12). They witnessed the splendors of creation & the wonders of heaven. Yet they know nothing about grace and mercy and forgiveness. They’ve never experienced the wonder of deliverance from sin. That which we have experienced in Jesus Christ, the angels never knew and will never know. We are far more privileged than they.
It's as if God is continually pressing "Like" on the page of your life.
God has payed the highest premium for you. Christ is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come (Ephesians 1:21). This King, royal & sinless, payed for you, not with gold or silver, but with His blood to ransom you & let you know your value has skyrocketed beyond measure! God loves you so much, even the angels are amazed (1 Peter 1:10–12). They witnessed the splendors of creation & the wonders of heaven. Yet they know nothing about grace and mercy and forgiveness. They’ve never experienced the wonder of deliverance from sin. That which we have experienced in Jesus Christ, the angels never knew and will never know. We are far more privileged than they.
It's as if God is continually pressing "Like" on the page of your life.
fame is no blessing
She mounts the platform for yet another award. The picture at the conclusion of the music award ceremonies will show her struggling to hold the arm-load of trophies she has received this night. But as she approaches the podium for the last time to a standing ovation, there is a seriousness of purpose dimly visible behind her gracious, winning smile. "I know you are probably expecting me to give God the credit for all these awards tonight, but I'm not sure He wants any part of this." She lets the shock settle in for a moment before continuing. "In fact, it occurs to me as I stand here, that God may not have had anything to do with these awards at all. It wasn't God who came up with a great production, it was my producer. It wasn't God who made me famous, it was my marketing company. It isn't God who is even remotely interested in my popularity, it's my manager. Business is business, ladies and gentlemen, and I'm fortunate to have some of the best around me, but when it comes to God, He's far more concerned with how I live my life than He is acting as my promoter or the reason for my success. For all I know, He might be fighting against my success right now. So thank you, all of you, for acknowledging the hard work of the people around me, and now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back home to my life as it really is, and right now - to tell you the truth - that life needs a bit of attention. You see, I've sacrificed my family for these awards, and I need to get home and made sure I still have one." No this didn't actually happen-outside my imagination, that is-but it is a way to dramatize a point. When we think of success and fame, the tendency has been to think that these things come as the result of some kind of blessing from God. I wonder. Why would we think of giving God credit for personal fame? What would lead us to believe that He is interested in such a thing? Isn't it more that we have bought into fame, and we think that since it is so important to us, it must be important to God? For all we know, God might be the most disinterested party of all when it comes to celebrity status. What if it's quite the opposite? What if fame is a curse? Or worse: What if it's idolatry? Are we rewarding the idol and thanking God for helping us create it? At worse, fame is idolatry; at best, it is a huge responsibility. Nowhere do I see it as a blessing - certainly nothing anyone would want to be glibly thanking God for in front of cameras. Fame is no blessing. That much has been made clear through the failure of those who have treated it as such. Fame carries a responsibility to tell the truth because the spotlight will not tell it for you. Fame works against the truth. It deals in myth, and those who have had any real impact on society from a celebrity role are those who have been strong enough to shatter the myth - politicians who have actually served their community, movie stars who have taken up causes away from the camera, or rock stars who have been quick to parody their own image. Now that Christian artists are cast in similar celebrity molds as the world, where they are set apart as more highly desirable than others, can we expect them to somehow be exempt from the lie of fame just because they are Christians involved in "ministry?" The light of the spotlight will always be a bent one, regardless of who it's shining on. This is true not only of those who shine the light and stand in it, but of those who watch as well. The general public wants an image to worship. It's us who have bought into this fame thing; I doubt God is involved. When He sent His own Son into the world, He shunned fame. At one point the god of this world offered Him the highest pinnacle of worldly praise, and He rejected it. And when it came time to seize the day in front of all creation, God has His Son humiliated on a cross. It is truly dangerous to think that one has been awarded some kind of special compensation from God due to a certain success in the world. It is equally dangerous to think that because of success, a different set of rules applies. Fame carries a responsibility - a mine field to be carefully and prayerfully navigated. It is far from being a blessing.
(John Fischer)
(John Fischer)
do you care ore about fairness or truth?
Agree to disagree? When we live and work together, we should agree on some things; If I think I’m flying to somewhere and the pilot announces otherwise, we need to talk and we can’t agree to disagree.Can the world’s religions all be pointing to the same God? If all the world’s religions are worshiping the same God, then most of them are mistaken about his traits. How can we sensibly commit to a God about whom we know nothing? We would never buy a house or a business this way. Should our religious beliefs be allowed a lower standard? What’s going on here? If I have a boundary dispute with my neighbor, no one thinks we can both be right. We don’t practice tolerance or respect and let both claims hang there, as if they are both equally legitimate. We hire a surveyor who settles the matter. No one gets offended; we are both grateful to find out the truth. But wait, believers say. Religious matters are not resolvable the way prosaic matters are. It would be nice to know the answers, but since we don’t (or can’t), we foolishly accept that everyone’s answers are equally valid. I understand the desire for harmony. I see the need for people who disagree to live and work together. But if we sacrifice intellectual honesty and consistency on the altar of Easy Harmony, we are doing ourselves no favors. We get a bogus, cosmetic unity; a nostrum that soothes but doesn’t satisfy. Worse, it supplants genuine solutions, which we will need to live together as we squeeze into lifeboat Earth.So, now we start to see the problem. For unity to work, the defining beliefs of a religion can not include exclusive claims. This is where Jesus messes everything up because He distinguished Himself as God in the flesh, not just someone who taught about God like the others. He is ideentified as the only one who never sinned and the only one who has the ability to forgive sin. If nobody else can do that, it shows they are not on the same level. In other words, they don't have Lordship, so where is their authority over us? Universalists say there is no hell, or, even if there is a Hell, no one goes there. Everyone attains salvation. What, then, is salvation without the threat of perdition? Salvation from what? This removes the need for Christ’s sacrifice and Christianity is eviscerated of its core reason for being. You can have a less specific view of God that is more inclusive, but then it means very little to believe it. For unity to work, the defining beliefs of a religion can not include exclusive claims. Since this is not the case, we simply can’t have unity between the various religions. That in itself proves that the majority of them have to be false. At this point many come to the place where they project their sentiments onto a God of their image. In other words, if I don't think God would do a certain thing, it can't be true! So we build a "God" compatible with our understanding. Those who take this perspective think it makes way more sense than the arrogance of pronouncing absolute truths. But actually it's more arrogant to tell God who He is and what He can do based on our preferences. Really, it is our prides attempt to try and make things fair for everyone. Need I remind you that we are not as in control as we think we are. It is futile to compromise truth to appease everyone, since the truth stays firm regardless of our feelings and wants. However, exclusive dedication to Jesus IS fair because anyone has a chance to receive salvation who calls on the name of the Lord.A person who disagrees with this (again, it doesn't look practical to agree to <strong>disagree) will ask "What about those who have never heard of Jesus?" And to me, this is a major question that few answer well. But it also implies that it wouldn't be fair to be condemned. Guess what? Mercy is a gift none of us should be getting. Lawbreakers shouldn't think they have a right to complain if the governor doesn't pardon them.
That's the wrong question. The question is: WHY HAVEN'T THEY HEARD? The only answer I can come up with is: because Christians don't believe in Christianity.
gracious uncertainty
Our natural inclination is to be so precise—trying always to forecast accurately what will happen next—that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. Consequently, we do not put down roots. Our common sense says, “Well, what if I were in that circumstance?” We cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we have never been.
Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life—gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises. When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God—it is only believing our belief about Him. Jesus said, “. . . unless you . . . become as little children . . .” (Matthew 18:3).
The spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical, and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy. Jesus said, “. . . believe also in Me” (John 14:1), not, “Believe certain things about Me”. Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in—but you can be certain that He will come. Remain faithful to Him.
~Oswald Chambers
Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life—gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises. When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God—it is only believing our belief about Him. Jesus said, “. . . unless you . . . become as little children . . .” (Matthew 18:3).
The spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical, and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy. Jesus said, “. . . believe also in Me” (John 14:1), not, “Believe certain things about Me”. Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in—but you can be certain that He will come. Remain faithful to Him.
~Oswald Chambers
mind games
These days we have attempted to replace the power of God with the power of positive thinking. The gospel of Oprah overshadows the teachings of Jesus. The problem is: the power of positive thinking is still self-effort. Two sports teams may have positive attitudes, but one of them is going to lose. Two countries may have noble reasons for going to war, but both of them cannot win. If you and a farmer in the same town both have positive hopes, but you wish for a sunny day and he wishes for rain on his crops, who wins?
Then I started thinking about poverty stricken 3rd world countries. They have little reason to think positive. But if they did, would we come running to their rescue- or are we too busy thinking positively about how we can become successful that we ignore bringing hope to others?
Positive thinking, again, falls short if you are being abused. You cannot control things with your mental prowess. When positive thinking becomes an attempt to engineer life's results so you always come out ahead, it borders on spiritual manipulation of heaven's blessings for your own purposes.
John the Baptist said "He must increase and I must decrease" (referring to Jesus). John the Baptist was in prison and Jesus never visited him. He was eventually beheaded. We must come to the point where we yield our will to His purposes. Is your attitude positive so that you can manage your own life better? Is it a source of pride or humility?
When does positive thinking ever lead to dying to self? Positive thinking which provides fuel to build yourself up so that you have more energy to build your kingdom instead of God's is called humanism. Denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Jesus is the authentic way to surrender to God's will.
Then I started thinking about poverty stricken 3rd world countries. They have little reason to think positive. But if they did, would we come running to their rescue- or are we too busy thinking positively about how we can become successful that we ignore bringing hope to others?
Positive thinking, again, falls short if you are being abused. You cannot control things with your mental prowess. When positive thinking becomes an attempt to engineer life's results so you always come out ahead, it borders on spiritual manipulation of heaven's blessings for your own purposes.
John the Baptist said "He must increase and I must decrease" (referring to Jesus). John the Baptist was in prison and Jesus never visited him. He was eventually beheaded. We must come to the point where we yield our will to His purposes. Is your attitude positive so that you can manage your own life better? Is it a source of pride or humility?
When does positive thinking ever lead to dying to self? Positive thinking which provides fuel to build yourself up so that you have more energy to build your kingdom instead of God's is called humanism. Denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Jesus is the authentic way to surrender to God's will.
the rant
Politics & religion: 2 subjects many prefer not to talk about. Not sure why there is a fear of discussing them although I guess the reluctance comes from not being able to come to absolute conclusions without disdaining the other person.I'm open to talking about almost anything because it helps me discover the other person. I've got some strong convictions like many people. However, I am so, so tired of all the emails I get criticizing some politician or political party. When does it end? No really, answer that. Honestly there's something wrong with most politicians. Even if you are an honest one doesn't mean you can deliver the things you promised because they have to work with others that will never cooperate without strings attached. What if we didn't rely on the government to insure the quality of our lives? Because it will always be easier to point fingers at a politician and blame them as the reason why I didn't take personal responsibility! Let's look back at all the people in office and guess what? Whether it was a democrat or republican didn't affect our lives very much. That probably sounds sacrilegious to some of you, but investigate it. I know that their policies have an effect on our futures and I'm not saying not to be involved in the process. What I am saying is, do what you can to help things cooperating to solve things. If any of you send me an email putting down a politician for his view, I want your solution to the matter- not as just a theory, but what are you doing about it? Example: instead of people protesting abortion, why not go to an expecting mother and offer to support and assist them so they will know they are not alone. Laws don't drive out fear, but love does. What say you?
exactly you
God uses willing vessels, not brimming vessels. Throughout the Bible, in order to fulfill His plans for the earth, God used many people from all walks of life. He used:
1. Matthew, a government employee, who became an apostle.
2. Gideon, a common laborer, who became a valiant leader of men.
3. Deborah, a housewife, who became a judge.
4. Moses, a stutterer, who became a deliverer.
5. Jeremiah, a child, who fearlessly spoke the Word of the Lord.
6. Aaron, a servant, who became God's spokesman.
7. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, who became a defender of the faith.
8. David, a shepherd boy, who became a king.
9. Hosea, a marital failure, who prophesied to save Israel.
10. Joseph, a prisoner, who became prime minister.
11. Esther, an orphan, who became a queen.
12. Elijah, a homely man, who became a mighty prophet.
13. Joshua, an assistant, who became a conqueror.
14. James and John, fishermen, who became close disciples of Christ and were known as "sons of thunder."
15. Abraham, a nomad, who became the father of many nations.
16. Jacob, a refugee and a deceiver, who became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.
17. John the Baptist, a vagabond, who became the forerunner of Jesus.
18. Mary, an unknown virgin, who gave birth to the Son of God.
19. Nehemiah, a cupbearer, who built the wall of Jerusalem.
20. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Hebrew exiles, who became great leaders of the nation of Babylon.
21. Hezekiah, a son of an idolatrous father, who became a king renowned for doing right in the sight of the Lord.
22. Isaiah, a man of unclean lips, who prophesied the birth of God's Messiah.
23. Paul, a persecutor, who became the greatest missionary in history and author of two-thirds of the New Testament.
All God needs to use YOU is all of you!
1. Matthew, a government employee, who became an apostle.
2. Gideon, a common laborer, who became a valiant leader of men.
3. Deborah, a housewife, who became a judge.
4. Moses, a stutterer, who became a deliverer.
5. Jeremiah, a child, who fearlessly spoke the Word of the Lord.
6. Aaron, a servant, who became God's spokesman.
7. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, who became a defender of the faith.
8. David, a shepherd boy, who became a king.
9. Hosea, a marital failure, who prophesied to save Israel.
10. Joseph, a prisoner, who became prime minister.
11. Esther, an orphan, who became a queen.
12. Elijah, a homely man, who became a mighty prophet.
13. Joshua, an assistant, who became a conqueror.
14. James and John, fishermen, who became close disciples of Christ and were known as "sons of thunder."
15. Abraham, a nomad, who became the father of many nations.
16. Jacob, a refugee and a deceiver, who became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.
17. John the Baptist, a vagabond, who became the forerunner of Jesus.
18. Mary, an unknown virgin, who gave birth to the Son of God.
19. Nehemiah, a cupbearer, who built the wall of Jerusalem.
20. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Hebrew exiles, who became great leaders of the nation of Babylon.
21. Hezekiah, a son of an idolatrous father, who became a king renowned for doing right in the sight of the Lord.
22. Isaiah, a man of unclean lips, who prophesied the birth of God's Messiah.
23. Paul, a persecutor, who became the greatest missionary in history and author of two-thirds of the New Testament.
All God needs to use YOU is all of you!
love
On His Plan For Your Mate
Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone, to have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God says to a Christian, “No, not until you are satisfied and fulfilled and content with living, loved by Me alone, with giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me alone. I love you, my child, and until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with Me, exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings.
“I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to give you that most thrilling plan existing, one that you can’t imagine. I want you to have the best! Please allow Me to bring it to you. You just keep watching Me, expecting that satisfaction, expecting the greatest things, and know that I Am. Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you. You must wait!
“Don’t be anxious. Don’t worry. Don’t look around at the things others have received. Don’t look at the things you think you want. You just keep looking off and away up to Me, or you’ll miss what I want to show you.
“And then, when you’re ready, I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you would ever imagine. You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready (I am working this very minute to have both of you ready at the same time), until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I have planned and prepared for you, you won’t be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me … and this is perfect love.
“Dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty and perfection and love that I offer you with myself. Know that I love you utterly. I am God Almighty. Believe and be satisfied.”
Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone, to have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God says to a Christian, “No, not until you are satisfied and fulfilled and content with living, loved by Me alone, with giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me alone. I love you, my child, and until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with Me, exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings.
“I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to give you that most thrilling plan existing, one that you can’t imagine. I want you to have the best! Please allow Me to bring it to you. You just keep watching Me, expecting that satisfaction, expecting the greatest things, and know that I Am. Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you. You must wait!
“Don’t be anxious. Don’t worry. Don’t look around at the things others have received. Don’t look at the things you think you want. You just keep looking off and away up to Me, or you’ll miss what I want to show you.
“And then, when you’re ready, I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you would ever imagine. You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready (I am working this very minute to have both of you ready at the same time), until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I have planned and prepared for you, you won’t be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me … and this is perfect love.
“Dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty and perfection and love that I offer you with myself. Know that I love you utterly. I am God Almighty. Believe and be satisfied.”
this changes everything
I cannot begin to count the number of times I have heard other Christians say that the confession of our sins followed by a fervent commitment to repent of those sins is part of the daily duty of each and every Christian.
Did you know of the use of the word repent in the Old Testament pertains to God being the one repenting? Clearly, God has no need to repent of His sins, does He?! What a ludicrous thought! God is without sin. Yet, we have consistently tied repentance and sins together like Siamese twins.
Here is want I would like for you to consider in regard to what the Bible means when it speaks of repentance: If a man has changed his mind about how righteousness is attained from God and maintained with God, which is not by any works on his part but through faith in Christ alone, then he has repented and believed the gospel.
Friend, God has not made it more difficult for man to be saved. He has made it as simple and accessible as the nose on our face. Do not work for righteousness! Do not work to keep yourself righteous! If any man thinks that he has either earned righteousness through your works or kept himself righteous through works, according to the Scriptures, he must change his mind.
--He must think again about what it means to repent.--
The most religious people in Jesus’ day had the 1st 5 books of the Bible memorized. Not only did they attempt to keep all 613 commandments, but they added to them to be sure. When the self-righteous Pharisees wanted to know how Jesus could possibly sit and eat with the tax-collectors and sinners, Jesus told them that He had "not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:13). What the blinded Pharisees could not see was that Jesus was talking to their need for repentance from their own self-righteousness. They were the sinners He was referring to who needed to change their minds about how God reckons a man righteous. He said there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.
When Jesus began preaching the gospel of the Kingdom to the Jews in Galilee he told them that "the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Repent from what? From trusting in their own deeds for justification before God. And do what instead? Believe the gospel! And if they did not? Jesus warned them that "unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5) NOT unless they clean up their act, perform at a higher level, or are even sorrowful over their transgressions of the Law, BUT RATHER unless they have a complete change of mind about how God brings a man into the Kingdom and trust Him, they will perish.
Are many who are part of the professing church today any different in their thinking than the Pharisees in Biblical times? Have we not to a large degree imposed the Jews religion upon the body of Christ? Are not many who name the name of Christ today zealous for God while at the same time seeking to establish a righteousness of their own? Can a man be double-minded, trusting both in his obedience and Christ’s obedience for righteousness, and still claim that he has truly believed the gospel?
So, what does it mean to repent? Biblically, it means to undergo a 180 degree change of mind whereby a man is convinced once-and-for-all that his works for righteousness are nothing but filthy rags before God. At the same time, he is equally convinced that justification only comes through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ…plus nothing.
We need to repent from what we think repentance is.
Legalism suggests we can get God to respond to us because of what we do. The truth is the Father acts in love towards us first and then we respond to Him. God’s goodness causes us to repent. We don’t repent to make God act good towards us. We repent because He HAS acted in goodness towards us.
The word ‘repent’ in the New Testament means “to think differently after taking a closer look at the matter”. The Bible says the love of Christ compels us. It does not say our love for Him does. The reason people in church are struggling is they think it all hinges on their ability to rehabilitate their behavior. Your effort is just another thing to repent of so you can rely that God’s effort towards you (through the Lord Jesus) causes the change that gives you 100% favor with Him. You have become aware of a new understanding and this realization IS repentance. This is far more good news than what we have been used to- the endless effort to pray more, confess more, rededicate more, “repent” more in order to feel right with God over & over again. It never ends, because it is a great deception to rob you of life in Christ!
Acts 11:18 shows repentance is a gift: “When they heard this they became silent. And they glorified God, saying, "So then, God has given repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles."
Did you know of the use of the word repent in the Old Testament pertains to God being the one repenting? Clearly, God has no need to repent of His sins, does He?! What a ludicrous thought! God is without sin. Yet, we have consistently tied repentance and sins together like Siamese twins.
Here is want I would like for you to consider in regard to what the Bible means when it speaks of repentance: If a man has changed his mind about how righteousness is attained from God and maintained with God, which is not by any works on his part but through faith in Christ alone, then he has repented and believed the gospel.
Friend, God has not made it more difficult for man to be saved. He has made it as simple and accessible as the nose on our face. Do not work for righteousness! Do not work to keep yourself righteous! If any man thinks that he has either earned righteousness through your works or kept himself righteous through works, according to the Scriptures, he must change his mind.
--He must think again about what it means to repent.--
The most religious people in Jesus’ day had the 1st 5 books of the Bible memorized. Not only did they attempt to keep all 613 commandments, but they added to them to be sure. When the self-righteous Pharisees wanted to know how Jesus could possibly sit and eat with the tax-collectors and sinners, Jesus told them that He had "not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:13). What the blinded Pharisees could not see was that Jesus was talking to their need for repentance from their own self-righteousness. They were the sinners He was referring to who needed to change their minds about how God reckons a man righteous. He said there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.
When Jesus began preaching the gospel of the Kingdom to the Jews in Galilee he told them that "the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Repent from what? From trusting in their own deeds for justification before God. And do what instead? Believe the gospel! And if they did not? Jesus warned them that "unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5) NOT unless they clean up their act, perform at a higher level, or are even sorrowful over their transgressions of the Law, BUT RATHER unless they have a complete change of mind about how God brings a man into the Kingdom and trust Him, they will perish.
Are many who are part of the professing church today any different in their thinking than the Pharisees in Biblical times? Have we not to a large degree imposed the Jews religion upon the body of Christ? Are not many who name the name of Christ today zealous for God while at the same time seeking to establish a righteousness of their own? Can a man be double-minded, trusting both in his obedience and Christ’s obedience for righteousness, and still claim that he has truly believed the gospel?
So, what does it mean to repent? Biblically, it means to undergo a 180 degree change of mind whereby a man is convinced once-and-for-all that his works for righteousness are nothing but filthy rags before God. At the same time, he is equally convinced that justification only comes through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ…plus nothing.
We need to repent from what we think repentance is.
Legalism suggests we can get God to respond to us because of what we do. The truth is the Father acts in love towards us first and then we respond to Him. God’s goodness causes us to repent. We don’t repent to make God act good towards us. We repent because He HAS acted in goodness towards us.
The word ‘repent’ in the New Testament means “to think differently after taking a closer look at the matter”. The Bible says the love of Christ compels us. It does not say our love for Him does. The reason people in church are struggling is they think it all hinges on their ability to rehabilitate their behavior. Your effort is just another thing to repent of so you can rely that God’s effort towards you (through the Lord Jesus) causes the change that gives you 100% favor with Him. You have become aware of a new understanding and this realization IS repentance. This is far more good news than what we have been used to- the endless effort to pray more, confess more, rededicate more, “repent” more in order to feel right with God over & over again. It never ends, because it is a great deception to rob you of life in Christ!
Acts 11:18 shows repentance is a gift: “When they heard this they became silent. And they glorified God, saying, "So then, God has given repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles."
believe
But the neighbor children who acted better, why are they not invited in? Because they have the wrong last name and are not my children.
One day there will be a great feast in heaven, and those who attend will not be there on the basis of their works but on the basis of their second birth. They must have the appropriate last name “Child of God”. Only our co-crucifixion and experience of His life in us PRESENTLY affords us this privilege.
All that is true about Christ’s life is true of the NEW YOU. Do you see the importance of this? Each person has taken it’s own peculiar form of events, temptations, and sins of the past. One has become a gossip, one a homosexual, another an alcoholic, one filled with arrogance, the other a loner, and the list goes on. But each one has the opportunity of exchanging what he has for what Christ is.
Example: Once a Christian man introduced himself as a recovering alcoholic. He was then asked, “Which would you rather be, a recovering alcoholic or a child of God?” There are 2 ways to be controlled by alcohol, one is needing it, and the other is having to stay away from it. Either way, one’s identity remains the same- an alcoholic.
Jesus did not come so we could remain the same and merely be sinners who don’t sin. He takes away the life in us that desires sin and replaces it with a heavenly one - His very LIFE. We possess a new identity. No person can live for God without it. If you try on your own you will always be aware of personal failure. But since Jesus Christ is alive, not just in heaven, but inside of you, HE lives and acts through you. There is nothing for you to do but rest in that and stay aware. This is what the Bible means when it says “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
where battles are won or lost
Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The Spirit of God seizes me and I am compelled to get alone with God and fight the battle before Him. Until I do this, I will lose every time. The battle may take one minute or one year, but that will depend on me, not God. However long it takes, I must wrestle with it alone before God, and I must resolve to go through the hell of renunciation or rejection before Him. Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle before God and won there.
I should never say, “I will wait until I get into difficult circumstances and then I’ll put God to the test.” Trying to do that will not work. I must first get the issue settled between God and myself in the secret places of my soul, where no one else can interfere. Then I can go ahead, knowing with certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity, disaster, and defeat before the world are as sure as the laws of God. The reason the battle is lost is that I fight it first in the external world. Get alone with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.
In dealing with other people, our stance should always be to drive them toward making a decision of their will. That is how surrendering to God begins. Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point— a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory.
(Oswald Chambers)
I should never say, “I will wait until I get into difficult circumstances and then I’ll put God to the test.” Trying to do that will not work. I must first get the issue settled between God and myself in the secret places of my soul, where no one else can interfere. Then I can go ahead, knowing with certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity, disaster, and defeat before the world are as sure as the laws of God. The reason the battle is lost is that I fight it first in the external world. Get alone with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.
In dealing with other people, our stance should always be to drive them toward making a decision of their will. That is how surrendering to God begins. Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point— a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory.
(Oswald Chambers)
is god crazy?
Is it rational to trust God even when we do not fully understand what he is doing? One of the most illuminating answers was put forward by the Oxford philosopher Basil Mitchell in his celebrated parable of the resistance leader.
The Parable of the Resistance Leader
Imagine you are in German-occupied France during World War II and you want to join the resistance movement against the Nazis. One evening in the local bar a stranger comes up to you and introduces himself as the leader of the local partisans. He spends the evening with you, explaining the general requirements of your duties, giving you a chance to assess his trustworthiness, and offering you the chance to go no further. But his warning is stern: If you join, your life will be at risk. This will be the only face-to-face meeting you will have. After this, you will receive orders and you will have to follow them without question, often completely in the dark as to the whys and wherefores of the operations, and always with the terrifying fear that your trust may be betrayed.
Is such trust reasonable? Sometimes what the resistance leader is doing is obvious. He is helping members of the resistance. "Thank heavens he is on our side," you say. Sometimes it is not obvious. He is in Gestapo uniform arresting partisans and—unknown to you—releasing them out of sight to help them escape the Nazis. But always you must trust and follow the orders without question, despite all appearances, no matter what happens. "The resistance leader knows best," you say. Only after the war will the secrets be open, the codes revealed, the true comrades vindicated, the traitors exposed, and sense made of the explanations.
Full understanding is not required for trust right now :)
The Parable of the Resistance Leader
Imagine you are in German-occupied France during World War II and you want to join the resistance movement against the Nazis. One evening in the local bar a stranger comes up to you and introduces himself as the leader of the local partisans. He spends the evening with you, explaining the general requirements of your duties, giving you a chance to assess his trustworthiness, and offering you the chance to go no further. But his warning is stern: If you join, your life will be at risk. This will be the only face-to-face meeting you will have. After this, you will receive orders and you will have to follow them without question, often completely in the dark as to the whys and wherefores of the operations, and always with the terrifying fear that your trust may be betrayed.
Is such trust reasonable? Sometimes what the resistance leader is doing is obvious. He is helping members of the resistance. "Thank heavens he is on our side," you say. Sometimes it is not obvious. He is in Gestapo uniform arresting partisans and—unknown to you—releasing them out of sight to help them escape the Nazis. But always you must trust and follow the orders without question, despite all appearances, no matter what happens. "The resistance leader knows best," you say. Only after the war will the secrets be open, the codes revealed, the true comrades vindicated, the traitors exposed, and sense made of the explanations.
Full understanding is not required for trust right now :)
We're talking about PRACTICE!
Practice what you preach is a famous saying, but turn it around and you find out you end up preaching whatever you have been practicing. Here are words from Jesus calling:
YOU ARE MINE FOR ALL TIME. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM MY LOVE. Since I have invested My very life in you, be well assured I will also take care of you. When your mind goes into neutral and your thoughts flow freely, you tend to feel anxious and alone.
Your focus becomes problem solving. To get your mind back into gear, just turn toward Me, bringing yourself and your problems into My Presence.
Many problems vanish instantly in the light of My love, because you realize you are never alone. Other problems may remain, but they become secondary to knowing Me and rejoicing in the relationship I so freely offer you.
Each moment you can choose to practice My Presence or to practice the presence of problems.
YOU ARE MINE FOR ALL TIME. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM MY LOVE. Since I have invested My very life in you, be well assured I will also take care of you. When your mind goes into neutral and your thoughts flow freely, you tend to feel anxious and alone.
Your focus becomes problem solving. To get your mind back into gear, just turn toward Me, bringing yourself and your problems into My Presence.
Many problems vanish instantly in the light of My love, because you realize you are never alone. Other problems may remain, but they become secondary to knowing Me and rejoicing in the relationship I so freely offer you.
Each moment you can choose to practice My Presence or to practice the presence of problems.
tolerance isn't nice
In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair...the sin that believes in nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, and calls any human idea a "right" - except intoleration. In that case, you are accepting a sovereign truth, which by nature, puts others in error. Writer Evelyn Beatrice Hall said "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". Really? Why would you defend something if you know there is something wrong with it? Is ther some virtue in allowing a little bit of wrong prevail? Or do you think your right to present the truth is only permitted if you allow all ideas to be promoted? For example, if a person's motive for sharing their faith is only done in the name of freedom, when it is available to all, what happens if that freedom is taken away (or if they travel to a country where they are not free to do so)? Does that mean your message is now not worth hearing? If you really know what's right, you should be announcing it regardless, whether it means you go to jail, suffer, or lose your life. But it's much easier to accept no responsibility and tolerate a mix of ideas. You think it's being nice, but you lead people astray without a word.
"We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated." - D.A. Carson
"We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated." - D.A. Carson
mary verifies jesus deity
Also Mary stood by the cross and watched her son die the horrible death of crucifixion. What was the charge against Jesus? It was this: He made himself the son of God” (John 19:7). If Mary knew that Jesus was not the Son of God, but that some man actually was his father, she could have stepped forward at any time during the trials or multiple questionings, revealed this fact, and saved her son’s life. If she let him endure the agony of Calvary for what she knew to be a lie, then Mary becomes the most despicable parody on womanhood that degrades the pages of history, instead she is called most blessed!
the price
If you really do put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price. How is true value determined? Not by anyone's estimate- but by the price someone is willing to pay. In human experience it is a rare thing for one man to give his life for another, even if he be a good man, though there have been a few who have had the courage to do it. However no one on earth would allow their child to die for someone else. They don't value you that much. But God clearly proves His love for us: even while we were still sinners, His Son Jesus Christ died for us.This is equivalent of someone trading their son not just for a nice person, not even for someone that annoyed them, but for someone like a terrorist. And then inviting that terrorist to come and live with them forever!
God has payed the highest premium foryou. Christ is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come (Ephesians 1:21). This King, royal & sinless, payed for you, not with gold or silver, but with His blood to ransom you & let you know your value has skyrocketed beyond measure! God loves you so much, even the angels are amazed (1 Peter 1:10–12). They witnessed the splendors of creation & the wonders of heaven. Yet they know nothing about grace and mercy and forgiveness. They’ve never experienced the wonder of deliverance from sin. That which we have experienced in Jesus Christ, the angels never knew and will never know. We are far more privileged than they.
It's as if God is continually pressing "Like" on the page of your life.
God has payed the highest premium foryou. Christ is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come (Ephesians 1:21). This King, royal & sinless, payed for you, not with gold or silver, but with His blood to ransom you & let you know your value has skyrocketed beyond measure! God loves you so much, even the angels are amazed (1 Peter 1:10–12). They witnessed the splendors of creation & the wonders of heaven. Yet they know nothing about grace and mercy and forgiveness. They’ve never experienced the wonder of deliverance from sin. That which we have experienced in Jesus Christ, the angels never knew and will never know. We are far more privileged than they.
It's as if God is continually pressing "Like" on the page of your life.
Random thoughts on abortion (formerly known as child sacrifice)
The law of our land today is that any abortion is legal in America until birth if the mother can give reason that the pregnancy or the child will be an excessive burden or stress on her well-being. Founders of the constitution didn't address abortion because they didn't think we could invent something so horrible.
The fundamental argument for slavery was that they are not free and equal persons but the property of their masters. The ruling is comparable to Roe vs. Wade because today no state may make a law banning abortion to protect the unborn. The argument is similar: basically because the unborn are at the sovereign disposal of their mothers and do not have personal standing in their own right. But the issue was so fundamental that the states went to war, and in the end the Lincoln administration overturned the Dred Scott decision. And today, 130 years later, we look back with amazing consensus and marvel at the blindness of our forefathers.
In the Bible the word (child or babe) used for the pre-born is the same as the born. Even medieval authorities determined a person to be alive if there is either a detectable heartbeat or brain-wave activity.
Former Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop said, “In thirty-five years of medicine I have never seen one case where abortion was necessary to save a mother's life.” HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE C-SECTION?
Whether that baby was a product of rape, or whether that baby was in some way malformed, how could a woman think that child in her was an enemy ?
Are you willing to explain why most cities have laws forbidding cruelty to animals, but you oppose laws forbidding cruelty to human fetuses? Are they not at least living animals?
Are you willing to explain why government is unwilling to take away the so-called right to abortion on demand even though it harms the unborn child; yet government is increasingly willing to take away the right to smoke, precisely because it harms innocent non-smokers, killing 3,000 non-smokers a year from cancer and as many as 40,000 non-smokers a year from other diseases?
Use your imagination to see and feel what is really happening behind those sterile clinic doors. If you could see each little handiwork of God and what it looks like when it is being crushed or poisoned or starved, you would say, "This can’t be happening. Civilized people do not do this!" It was the same at Auschwitz. The dismembering of a human being routinely in 30 minutes on an outpatient basis is barbaric. Four blocks from our church all year long – like churches within smelling distance of Auschwitz or Dachau or Buchenwald.
How do you get from, “We do not know whether this is protectable human life,” to “Therefore, we will not protect it?” Why does the judicial uncertainty about the humanity of the unborn lead to unbridled license to destroy it?
Ways to be actively involved in the solution:
1. Consider adoption.
2. Be a regular giver of your money to Crisis Pregnancy Centers.
3. Volunteer in a Crisis Pregnancy Center.
4. Be involved in spreading truth with good literature.
5. Make your presence know at the abortion clinics in town by writing or phoning or visiting and talking, if you can, with those who work there.
6. Dream a new kind of ministry.
7. Pray for change!
I love you mommy
The fundamental argument for slavery was that they are not free and equal persons but the property of their masters. The ruling is comparable to Roe vs. Wade because today no state may make a law banning abortion to protect the unborn. The argument is similar: basically because the unborn are at the sovereign disposal of their mothers and do not have personal standing in their own right. But the issue was so fundamental that the states went to war, and in the end the Lincoln administration overturned the Dred Scott decision. And today, 130 years later, we look back with amazing consensus and marvel at the blindness of our forefathers.
In the Bible the word (child or babe) used for the pre-born is the same as the born. Even medieval authorities determined a person to be alive if there is either a detectable heartbeat or brain-wave activity.
Former Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop said, “In thirty-five years of medicine I have never seen one case where abortion was necessary to save a mother's life.” HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE C-SECTION?
Whether that baby was a product of rape, or whether that baby was in some way malformed, how could a woman think that child in her was an enemy ?
Are you willing to explain why most cities have laws forbidding cruelty to animals, but you oppose laws forbidding cruelty to human fetuses? Are they not at least living animals?
Are you willing to explain why government is unwilling to take away the so-called right to abortion on demand even though it harms the unborn child; yet government is increasingly willing to take away the right to smoke, precisely because it harms innocent non-smokers, killing 3,000 non-smokers a year from cancer and as many as 40,000 non-smokers a year from other diseases?
Use your imagination to see and feel what is really happening behind those sterile clinic doors. If you could see each little handiwork of God and what it looks like when it is being crushed or poisoned or starved, you would say, "This can’t be happening. Civilized people do not do this!" It was the same at Auschwitz. The dismembering of a human being routinely in 30 minutes on an outpatient basis is barbaric. Four blocks from our church all year long – like churches within smelling distance of Auschwitz or Dachau or Buchenwald.
How do you get from, “We do not know whether this is protectable human life,” to “Therefore, we will not protect it?” Why does the judicial uncertainty about the humanity of the unborn lead to unbridled license to destroy it?
Ways to be actively involved in the solution:
1. Consider adoption.
2. Be a regular giver of your money to Crisis Pregnancy Centers.
3. Volunteer in a Crisis Pregnancy Center.
4. Be involved in spreading truth with good literature.
5. Make your presence know at the abortion clinics in town by writing or phoning or visiting and talking, if you can, with those who work there.
6. Dream a new kind of ministry.
7. Pray for change!
I love you mommy
What's important to God?
We have many religions telling us what we ought to do. Some would say it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. On top of this I know some people who have no religious devotion, but they act more moral than some who claim to be Christians. So what is God looking for? Is it our degree of "niceness" that makes Him happy? Or will he be pleased if we have acquired the proper understanding of doctrine?
If it is dependent on how good we can be, my question is how good? Or does it make sense for God to demand we hold on to certain ideas to assure us a place in heaven?
Whenever I hear salvation presented it is offered with the stakes being your soul ending up at the future destination of heaven or hell. If there isn't anything more to God than that, i don't know if God will impact a lot of people's practical way of living.
Let's start out with the word "Savior". This implies we need saving from something. And it's more than hell. It's a condition of independence from God we need saving from- our pride to do whatever we want. Have you ever thought about this? We can be kind & generous but keep our lives distance from God. We see that God's name has been misused so much to manipulate others and justify wars, so why bother? Yet we have to deal with this question: Why did Jesus have to die for us if we don't need Him in a deeper way? What did the crucifixion accomplish?
It supplies us with something beyond our abilities, something higher than respectability. It provides RIGHTEOUSNESS.
We may believe a hundred things about God, but the question is are you right with Him? Is doing your best really enough? Well, yes & no. It is by our standards, but not by God's. And the standards of culture change over the years anyway.
But what I am showing you is good news. It's the best news. God isn't grading you based on your performance. He is watching to see if you will put your life in the hands of Jesus who accomplished the ultimate. You receive access to the Father and can actually develop a relationship with Him. When you receive His Spirit He deposits His personality in you. In a way, you exchange all that you were for all that He is and it changes you now. Knowing this, let your new life in Christ become less of a religious theory and more of a love affair. The best assurance for heaven in the afterlife is to experience His power now! Ask Him in.
If it is dependent on how good we can be, my question is how good? Or does it make sense for God to demand we hold on to certain ideas to assure us a place in heaven?
Whenever I hear salvation presented it is offered with the stakes being your soul ending up at the future destination of heaven or hell. If there isn't anything more to God than that, i don't know if God will impact a lot of people's practical way of living.
Let's start out with the word "Savior". This implies we need saving from something. And it's more than hell. It's a condition of independence from God we need saving from- our pride to do whatever we want. Have you ever thought about this? We can be kind & generous but keep our lives distance from God. We see that God's name has been misused so much to manipulate others and justify wars, so why bother? Yet we have to deal with this question: Why did Jesus have to die for us if we don't need Him in a deeper way? What did the crucifixion accomplish?
It supplies us with something beyond our abilities, something higher than respectability. It provides RIGHTEOUSNESS.
We may believe a hundred things about God, but the question is are you right with Him? Is doing your best really enough? Well, yes & no. It is by our standards, but not by God's. And the standards of culture change over the years anyway.
But what I am showing you is good news. It's the best news. God isn't grading you based on your performance. He is watching to see if you will put your life in the hands of Jesus who accomplished the ultimate. You receive access to the Father and can actually develop a relationship with Him. When you receive His Spirit He deposits His personality in you. In a way, you exchange all that you were for all that He is and it changes you now. Knowing this, let your new life in Christ become less of a religious theory and more of a love affair. The best assurance for heaven in the afterlife is to experience His power now! Ask Him in.
Why hell makes sense
You may have heard the most recent religious stir is the theory that either hell doesn't exist or the nature of hell is being redefined. The main motive is the belief that God would be too loving to condemn anyone there on what they consider a technicality. Before i get into the reasons why the traditional view of hell makes sense, I have to say God is not willing that any should perish, but some people resist Him until the bitter end. He isn't responsible if they want to reject him and He won't make them love Him (or else it's not real love).
A recent news story I read rebuffed "Gandhi is in hell? Really?" The better question would be: Was Gandhi a sinner? You see, our kindness doesn't automatically=righteousness. If that were so, we are saying "I'm so good I didn't need Jesus to die for me!", thus nullifying the importance of His birth on earth, death, and resurrection. For you to be an accurate Christian, that cornerstone cannot be ignored. It isn't narrow-minded or unfair because anyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.
For those that do not call on the name of the Lord, God said this in John 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Persisting in your non-trust policy of God's provision is what earns you eternal separation from Him, and it's basically because you insisted on YOUR way. It doesn't matter how good or bad you think you are. There is a law of cause & effect. All through history God has documented judgement for those who reject Him. Back in the day anyone who set aside the Law of Moses died without mercy. How much more severe if we insult the Son of God and disregard Him as holy? The ones who claim this is not true would have you believe there are no consequences. If we lived in a society like that it would be utter chaos. It would mean no punishment for criminal activity. Do you think the Lord is more foolish than us? If there is no hell, where is the devil going to be- our next door neighbor in glory?
2Peter 2:4-7 reveals a pattern:
"4 For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment. 5 And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood. 6 Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people. 7 But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. 8 Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. 9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment."
Are we expecting God to suddenly change? If so, He needs to apologize to Sodom & Gomorrah.
But the good news is, these same scriptures also show that the Lord is a rescuer. He wants you with Him! He bought you with blood so you could be with Him. Why don't you take Him up on the offer before it's too late?
A recent news story I read rebuffed "Gandhi is in hell? Really?" The better question would be: Was Gandhi a sinner? You see, our kindness doesn't automatically=righteousness. If that were so, we are saying "I'm so good I didn't need Jesus to die for me!", thus nullifying the importance of His birth on earth, death, and resurrection. For you to be an accurate Christian, that cornerstone cannot be ignored. It isn't narrow-minded or unfair because anyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.
For those that do not call on the name of the Lord, God said this in John 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Persisting in your non-trust policy of God's provision is what earns you eternal separation from Him, and it's basically because you insisted on YOUR way. It doesn't matter how good or bad you think you are. There is a law of cause & effect. All through history God has documented judgement for those who reject Him. Back in the day anyone who set aside the Law of Moses died without mercy. How much more severe if we insult the Son of God and disregard Him as holy? The ones who claim this is not true would have you believe there are no consequences. If we lived in a society like that it would be utter chaos. It would mean no punishment for criminal activity. Do you think the Lord is more foolish than us? If there is no hell, where is the devil going to be- our next door neighbor in glory?
2Peter 2:4-7 reveals a pattern:
"4 For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment. 5 And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood. 6 Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people. 7 But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. 8 Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. 9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment."
Are we expecting God to suddenly change? If so, He needs to apologize to Sodom & Gomorrah.
But the good news is, these same scriptures also show that the Lord is a rescuer. He wants you with Him! He bought you with blood so you could be with Him. Why don't you take Him up on the offer before it's too late?
foolish wisdom
If I am wise, I dare not admit it since people would consider it foolish and never believe it..
If I am a fool, I dare not admit it since people would consider it true and never forget it.
If a wise man never speaks up, nobody knows he is wise.
If a fool keeps silent, people think he's wise (Proverbs 17:28).
I think this is the quandary we have that makes everybody fall back to the statement "well that's just your opinion".
But when you say that you are basically admitting that the absolute truth can't be known.
So we in a sense continue to try & fight our way out of a paper bag. Or we resign and just settle for our own faulty judgment as our guide based on our limited understanding.
There's another option that some take: Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not to your own understanding. Acknowledge the Lord in all of your ways and He will make your path straight (Proverbs 3:5-6)
The problem is, some consider this wisdom as foolishness. And others consider it "your opinion."
This also verifies another truth that a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, so that no one may boast before Him.
It boils down to us embracing God's wisdom even if at times it appears to be foolish. If we do not, we reside in the arena of pride (i insist my way is the way it should be) by default.
Are you the god of your own life?
If I am a fool, I dare not admit it since people would consider it true and never forget it.
If a wise man never speaks up, nobody knows he is wise.
If a fool keeps silent, people think he's wise (Proverbs 17:28).
I think this is the quandary we have that makes everybody fall back to the statement "well that's just your opinion".
But when you say that you are basically admitting that the absolute truth can't be known.
So we in a sense continue to try & fight our way out of a paper bag. Or we resign and just settle for our own faulty judgment as our guide based on our limited understanding.
There's another option that some take: Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not to your own understanding. Acknowledge the Lord in all of your ways and He will make your path straight (Proverbs 3:5-6)
The problem is, some consider this wisdom as foolishness. And others consider it "your opinion."
This also verifies another truth that a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, so that no one may boast before Him.
It boils down to us embracing God's wisdom even if at times it appears to be foolish. If we do not, we reside in the arena of pride (i insist my way is the way it should be) by default.
Are you the god of your own life?
jesus throughout the bible
In Genesis, He is the Creator God the Ram at Abraham’s altar.In Exodus, He is the Redeemer and the Passover Lamb.In Leviticus, He is our sanctification and our High Priest.In Numbers, He is our guide. He’s the Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire by night.In Deuteronomy, He is our teacher. He’s the City of our refuge.
In Joshua, He is the mighty conqueror; The Captain of the Lord’s Host; and the Scarlet Thread in Rahab’s window.In Judges, He gives victory over enemies. He is our Judge.In Ruth, He is our kinsman redeemer, the lover of our soul. In I Samuel, He is our Trusted Prophet and the root of Jesse;In 2 Samuel, He is the Son of David.In 1 Kings and 2 Kings, He is King of Kings and Lord of LordsIn 1st and 2nd Chronicles, He is our intercessor and High Priest.In Ezra, He is our temple, our house of worship, our faithful scribe.In Nehemiah, He is our mighty wall, protecting us from our enemies and the rebuilder of everything that is broken.In Esther, He stands in the gap to deliver us from our enemies. He is the Mordecai sitting faithful at the gate.In Job, He is the arbitrator who not only understands our struggles, but has the power to do something about them. He’s our Redeemer that ever liveth.In Psalms, He is our song-and our reason to sing. He is my Shepherd and I shall not want.
In Proverbs, He is our wisdom, helping us make sense of life and live it successfully.In Ecclesiastes, He is our purpose, delivering us from vanity.In the Song of Solomon, He is our lover. He’s the Beautiful Bridegroom.
In Isaiah, He’s the Suffering Servant. He is the mighty counselor, the Prince of Peace, the everlasting Father, and much more. He's everything we need.In Jeremiah, He is our balm of Gilead, the soothing salve for our sin-sick soul.In Lamentations, He is the Weeping Prophet, He is the ever-faithful one upon whom we can depend.In Ezekiel, He is our wheel in the middle of a wheel-the one who assures that dry, dead bones will come alive again. He’s the Wonderful Four-Faced Man.In Daniel, He is the ancient of days, the everlasting God who never runs out of time. He is the Fourth Man in the midst of a fiery furnace.
In Hosea, He is our faithful lover, always beckoning us to come back-even when we have abandoned Him. He is our Lover that is forever faithful.
In Joel, He is our refuge, keeping us safe in times of trouble. He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit.In Amos, He is the husbandman, the one we can depend on to stay by our side. He’s our Burden Bearer.In Obadiah, He is Lord of the Kingdom. In Jonah, He is our salvation, bringing us back within His will. He is our Savior.
In Micah, He is judge of the nation. He is the Messenger with beautiful feet.
In Nahum, He is the jealous God. He is the Avenger.
In Habakkuk, He is the Holy One. He is the Watchman that is ever praying for revival.In Zephaniah, He is the witness. He is the Lord mighty to save.In Haggai, He overthrows the enemies. He is the Restorer of our lost heritage.In Zechariah, He is Lord of Hosts. He is our Fountain.In Malachi, He is the messenger God. He is the Sun of Righteousness with healing in His wings.
In Matthew, He is king of the Jews. He is the Christ, the son of the Living God.In Mark, He is the servant. He is the Miracle Worker.In Luke, He is the Son of Man, feeling what we feel.In John, He is the Son of God. He is the Door by which every one of us must enter.
In Acts, He is Saviour of the world. He is the Shining Light that appears to Saul on the road to Damascus.
In Romans, He is the righteousness of God. He is our Justifier.In I Corinthians, He is the rock that followed Israel. He is our Resurrection.In II Corinthians, He is the triumphant one, giving victory. He is our Sin Bearer.In Galatians, He is our liberty; He redeems us from the law and makes us free.In Ephesians, He is our Unsearchable Riches. He is head of the Church.In Philippians, He is our joy. He is the supplier of our every need.In Colossians, He is our completeness. He’s the Fullness of the Godhead Bodily.In I Thessalonians, He is our hope. He is our Soon Coming King.In II Thessalonians, He is our patience and discipline.In I Timothy, He is our faith. He is the Mediator between God and man.In II Timothy, He is our stability in perilous days.In Titus, He is the truth. He is our Blessed Hope.In Philemon, He is our benefactor. He is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother.In Hebrews, He is our perfection. He’s the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant. He is our Sacrifice. He is our High Priest.In James, He is the power behind our faith. He is the Lord Jesus that heals the sick.In I Peter, He is our example. He is the Chief Shepherd.In II Peter, He is our purity.In I John, He is our life.In II John, He is our pattern.In III John, He is our motivation.In Jude, He is the foundation of our faith. He is the Lord coming with 10,000 saints.In the Revelation, He is our coming King. Lift up your eyes, Church, for your redemption draweth nigh!
no time to lose
Other adults said, "We have to be out of town too often on the weekend." But the porno book dealersaid, "We're willing to stay in town weekends, too, to accommodate your children."
Still other adults said, "I'm unsuited, unable to work with youth & children." But the movie producer said, "We'll study, survey, and spend millions to produce whatever turns kids on."
Even more adults said, "I could never give the time required to plan and go to teacher's meetings." But the pusher, the porn dealer, and the movie producer said, "We'll stay open whatever hours are necessary every day to win the minds of the kids."
So....the adults stayed in their comfortable Sunday Schools and enjoyed the sweet fellowship and absorbed the good Bible study, and at times would go out of town or were available to do whatever they pleased instead.
Not long afterwards, the young people soon quit coming because they had gone to listen to others who did care about the things they did and what went into their minds.
Random gold nuggets
Condemnation is putting faith in your sin.
It's Just as I am, not just as I better be.
Matthew 12:35 if we speak words that make others idle we will be judged.
If we told Jesus we obeyed the 10 Commandments He would answer "I don't care"
We don't know what we're doing but we want to be in control
Breath is the result of God's first kiss with man.
Repentance is receiving All that heaven offers you & trading it for your old self
Prayer is the wireless connection with the headquarters of heaven
Anyone who believes you can lose salvation is living under old covenant rules not the New covenant.
The sin action is only the symptom, but the captivity of pride is the sin the gospel gives opportunity to free people
Is prayer to help us see His presence or just a transition?
The inheritance and legacy that God gives is watched over by him!
Love and insecurity cannot coexist in a healthy relationship. This is true of earthly relationships and your relationship with God. So there is no reason to hear preaching motivated by insecurity of salvation
A double portion is the smallest blessing you can have because God multiplies not just adds!
Someone has to initiate the new normal. If you take the first step there's at least a chance things will get better. If you don't there's a good chance things will never get better. Are you willing to lose the relationship just because the first step might be painful?
But they're the one who hurt me you might say. Why should I initiate this? It's their responsibility. You might be 100% correct. They might be thinking the same thing about you which leaves the relationship in a stalemate. Someone has to take the first step so be brave and let it be you.
The devil never comes to someone and asks them to join him in an alliance of evil. He just allows circumstances of life, intellectual objections and deep emotional wounds to wear down people so they make an exception that they can't possibly be expected to follow God's way anymore.
We complain about sins of others we don't like instead of changing people with the gospel.
"Safe for the whole family" is baloney that we've been sold under a banner by Christianity that was intended to be dangerous.
Suspicion sets the stage for the thing you fear the most
There are acts of love built inside you. The kingdom of God is within
After you have been knocked down, what will you do when you get up?
Even if someone's disobedience affects you, God knows how to bring us to a better place.
Psalm 23:2 He leads away from disturbing places towards stillness & rest.
The early church was broke
You (God) woke me up today for your purposes
I'm not going to let people use their pain as Lord I will not let the devil take advantage of God's children they were bought with redemption
Christ in you is always the first responder to any difficulty
Prophetic revelation fortifies your faith. David knew he was chosen to be king so when he fought Goliath he knew he couldn't die.
Signs follow they that believe, not the people we pray for that don't!
The thorn in the flesh is not written to you to reinforce that God doesn't answer prayer.
Yesterday is not your identity
Do you decide when you sin or does grace decide you don't?
His armor fits perfectly.
God puts his people in impossible situations but...
40:27 Why do you say, Jacob,
Why do you say, Israel,
“The Lord is not aware of what is happening to me,
My God is not concerned with my vindication”?
40:28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is an eternal God,
the creator of the whole earth.
He does not get tired or weary;
there is no limit to his wisdom.
40:29 He gives strength to those who are tired;
to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.
40:30 Even youths get tired and weary;
even strong young men clumsily stumble.
40:31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength (they shall exchange their strength for Mine);
they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings,
they run without growing weary,
they walk without getting tired.
We rule and reign by being servants
We only see a lot of people through their gift.
Athletes
Pastors
Singers
Actors
Other people's sympathy isn't enough because the highest grace they can give is feeling sorry for me.
Don't allow yourself to be deceived away from His grace in any situation.
You have heard He died on the cross for you but have you heard you died with Him?
Whether they know it or not, the congregation does ministry.
Disillusionment goes away when the authentic is unveiled
How am I doing? Better than my circumstances.
If you want people to be saved by grace, you better start living by it!
God deals with people all the time that think falsely.
You see the wounds now. God cannot leave you this way. In the future you will testify of a greater Grace. The scars cannot define you where He is taking you.
And you will testify that suffering is not the last word. Jesus is.
In what ways can I point out the attraction of Christ?
Sin is an unbelief issue. The Lord came to help us believe.
Adam and Eve's temptation wasn't evil intent. They wanted to "be like God".
The tower of Babel was built to reach heaven and achieve god-like status.
Every morning you preach to yourself some kind of gospel: a false "I can't do this" gospel or the true "I have all I need in Christ" gospel.
Israel wanted a Savior to knock down bad government. America wants the same thing.
But Jesus doesn't do things the way we want Him to.
We are under the power of the devil of self until the Savior enters
Satan owns the fence
Joy is enthusiasm in spite of circumstances
Adam was wounded on his side. So was Jesus
Exchange the false fulfillment for the inheritance from the Lord.
When you follow God even in difficult things, it's easy because you don't need your own strength.
We are created AND formed (genesis 2)
Formed is more personal.
The enemy doesn't have a countermove against praise.
Heaven is not saying *amazing X3
It's saying Holy,holy holy!
Being with Jesus doesn't always make suffering absent. But our suffering looks different because of Him.
Suffering makes us self focused. The central idea of God is that it's no longer I that lives but Christ in us.
The process of suffering is worth going through. He's the way, truth and life. The way includes suffering.
There's a hereafter. It doesn't end with suffering. It ends in triumph.
Don't get trapped in a confession when Christianity is an expression
Conviction is a good revealer but not a good motivator. Only grace and kindness.
The gift you have is not for self promotion but service
What is God giving you the grace to turn from & turn to?
God is offering an opportunity to exchange old ways for His new!
2 Corinthians 5:17
You are either a caterpillar 🐛 or a butterfly 🦋
You can't be both.
What can you do to gain God's favor?
Pray?
Read the Bible?
Serve?
Tithe?
Love?
Witness?
Nothing.
Maturity is not how you act but react
It's easy for Jesus (in you)
May we all be arriving at the place where our thoughts are intercepted by the mercy of God towards us and we begin to see the supernatural sparkles in the spirit world that make all things work together.
What we think about God is our theology. What he thinks about us is our identity.
God works through mistakes. Looking back on the past and trying to fix it is your attempt to redeem and not trusting in God's sovereignty.
It's Just as I am, not just as I better be.
Matthew 12:35 if we speak words that make others idle we will be judged.
If we told Jesus we obeyed the 10 Commandments He would answer "I don't care"
We don't know what we're doing but we want to be in control
Breath is the result of God's first kiss with man.
Repentance is receiving All that heaven offers you & trading it for your old self
Prayer is the wireless connection with the headquarters of heaven
Anyone who believes you can lose salvation is living under old covenant rules not the New covenant.
The sin action is only the symptom, but the captivity of pride is the sin the gospel gives opportunity to free people
Is prayer to help us see His presence or just a transition?
The inheritance and legacy that God gives is watched over by him!
Love and insecurity cannot coexist in a healthy relationship. This is true of earthly relationships and your relationship with God. So there is no reason to hear preaching motivated by insecurity of salvation
A double portion is the smallest blessing you can have because God multiplies not just adds!
Someone has to initiate the new normal. If you take the first step there's at least a chance things will get better. If you don't there's a good chance things will never get better. Are you willing to lose the relationship just because the first step might be painful?
But they're the one who hurt me you might say. Why should I initiate this? It's their responsibility. You might be 100% correct. They might be thinking the same thing about you which leaves the relationship in a stalemate. Someone has to take the first step so be brave and let it be you.
The devil never comes to someone and asks them to join him in an alliance of evil. He just allows circumstances of life, intellectual objections and deep emotional wounds to wear down people so they make an exception that they can't possibly be expected to follow God's way anymore.
We complain about sins of others we don't like instead of changing people with the gospel.
"Safe for the whole family" is baloney that we've been sold under a banner by Christianity that was intended to be dangerous.
Suspicion sets the stage for the thing you fear the most
There are acts of love built inside you. The kingdom of God is within
After you have been knocked down, what will you do when you get up?
Even if someone's disobedience affects you, God knows how to bring us to a better place.
Psalm 23:2 He leads away from disturbing places towards stillness & rest.
The early church was broke
You (God) woke me up today for your purposes
I'm not going to let people use their pain as Lord I will not let the devil take advantage of God's children they were bought with redemption
Christ in you is always the first responder to any difficulty
Prophetic revelation fortifies your faith. David knew he was chosen to be king so when he fought Goliath he knew he couldn't die.
Signs follow they that believe, not the people we pray for that don't!
The thorn in the flesh is not written to you to reinforce that God doesn't answer prayer.
Yesterday is not your identity
Do you decide when you sin or does grace decide you don't?
His armor fits perfectly.
God puts his people in impossible situations but...
40:27 Why do you say, Jacob,
Why do you say, Israel,
“The Lord is not aware of what is happening to me,
My God is not concerned with my vindication”?
40:28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is an eternal God,
the creator of the whole earth.
He does not get tired or weary;
there is no limit to his wisdom.
40:29 He gives strength to those who are tired;
to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.
40:30 Even youths get tired and weary;
even strong young men clumsily stumble.
40:31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength (they shall exchange their strength for Mine);
they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings,
they run without growing weary,
they walk without getting tired.
We rule and reign by being servants
We only see a lot of people through their gift.
Athletes
Pastors
Singers
Actors
Other people's sympathy isn't enough because the highest grace they can give is feeling sorry for me.
Don't allow yourself to be deceived away from His grace in any situation.
You have heard He died on the cross for you but have you heard you died with Him?
Whether they know it or not, the congregation does ministry.
Disillusionment goes away when the authentic is unveiled
How am I doing? Better than my circumstances.
If you want people to be saved by grace, you better start living by it!
God deals with people all the time that think falsely.
You see the wounds now. God cannot leave you this way. In the future you will testify of a greater Grace. The scars cannot define you where He is taking you.
And you will testify that suffering is not the last word. Jesus is.
In what ways can I point out the attraction of Christ?
Sin is an unbelief issue. The Lord came to help us believe.
Adam and Eve's temptation wasn't evil intent. They wanted to "be like God".
The tower of Babel was built to reach heaven and achieve god-like status.
Every morning you preach to yourself some kind of gospel: a false "I can't do this" gospel or the true "I have all I need in Christ" gospel.
Israel wanted a Savior to knock down bad government. America wants the same thing.
But Jesus doesn't do things the way we want Him to.
We are under the power of the devil of self until the Savior enters
Satan owns the fence
Joy is enthusiasm in spite of circumstances
Adam was wounded on his side. So was Jesus
Exchange the false fulfillment for the inheritance from the Lord.
When you follow God even in difficult things, it's easy because you don't need your own strength.
We are created AND formed (genesis 2)
Formed is more personal.
The enemy doesn't have a countermove against praise.
Heaven is not saying *amazing X3
It's saying Holy,holy holy!
Being with Jesus doesn't always make suffering absent. But our suffering looks different because of Him.
Suffering makes us self focused. The central idea of God is that it's no longer I that lives but Christ in us.
The process of suffering is worth going through. He's the way, truth and life. The way includes suffering.
There's a hereafter. It doesn't end with suffering. It ends in triumph.
Don't get trapped in a confession when Christianity is an expression
Conviction is a good revealer but not a good motivator. Only grace and kindness.
The gift you have is not for self promotion but service
What is God giving you the grace to turn from & turn to?
God is offering an opportunity to exchange old ways for His new!
2 Corinthians 5:17
You are either a caterpillar 🐛 or a butterfly 🦋
You can't be both.
What can you do to gain God's favor?
Pray?
Read the Bible?
Serve?
Tithe?
Love?
Witness?
Nothing.
Maturity is not how you act but react
It's easy for Jesus (in you)
May we all be arriving at the place where our thoughts are intercepted by the mercy of God towards us and we begin to see the supernatural sparkles in the spirit world that make all things work together.
What we think about God is our theology. What he thinks about us is our identity.
God works through mistakes. Looking back on the past and trying to fix it is your attempt to redeem and not trusting in God's sovereignty.
MUCH MORE!
Grace is MUCH MORE than forgiveness. We have been taught that grace is simply unmerited favor. If grace is only “unmerited favor” then why does God give it only to the humble? If Grace is only “unmerited favor” then why can you fall from grace? If Grace is just “unmerited favor” then why does the Bible say that the grace of God was upon Jesus (and he was sinless)? This word grace is translated not only means "unmerited favor," but really carries the deeper meaning of "an influence that produces a result." Another way of saying it is grace is supernatural enablement. That puts a whole different light on things. GRACE IS GREATER than what you think. You are not just released from a penalty but from sin’s power through grace! 2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. In this instance, you can see that the scripture itself defines grace as God’s power. And here is an example of grace as your teacher: Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age..." Do you see that? Grace, not Law, teaches us to say no to ungodliness. Grace isn’t permission to be worldly. It’s your Teacher empowering you to escape anything immoral. To sum it up, grace is: 1)God’s favor 2)God’s power 3)Your teacher Wherever you have saw the word grace in the Bible, now go back and read it with a livelier view, knowing that grace is the empowering presence of God enabling you to be who God created you to be, and to do what God has called you to do - right where you are. What’s amazing about grace is that it has already been bestowed to you through Jesus. It’s a gift you should embrace NOW. Law was not given in the expectation that we would keep it. It was given in the full knowledge that we would break it; and when we have broken it so completely that we are convinced of our utter need, then the Law has served its purpose. It has been our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that He Himself may fulfill it in us. What does it mean to be delivered from the law? It means that I am henceforth no longer going to try to do anything to please God; for if I do, then I immediately place myself under the law. But I put my trust in Christ, the only Law-fulfiller. And finally, I see that this alone is what is pleasing to God (Matt. 5:17). This is deliverance from the law!
Hard life
Jesus didn’t complain about any of this-
The religious institution opposed me
In my day, religious leaders were very judgmental
A place of worship I went to was more concerned about making money than prayer
I was lonely
I was accused of being a drunk
People rejected me
People falsely accused me
I was arrested as a criminal
I was put on trial although I was innocent
Soldiers mocked me
Demon possessed people attacked me
I was homeless
People I loved turned away and left me
A close friend betrayed me
I helped everyone in need and it got me in trouble
I was tempted to reject God’s ways
My followers were sometimes hypocrites
I experienced suffering and injustice
They let a murderer go and condemned me
They stripped me in public
I was beaten and tortured beyond recognition
I was cussed out while I was dying
Life was unfair to me
At any point he could have become cynical or bitter and given up. But He thought loving you was worth it.
The religious institution opposed me
In my day, religious leaders were very judgmental
A place of worship I went to was more concerned about making money than prayer
I was lonely
I was accused of being a drunk
People rejected me
People falsely accused me
I was arrested as a criminal
I was put on trial although I was innocent
Soldiers mocked me
Demon possessed people attacked me
I was homeless
People I loved turned away and left me
A close friend betrayed me
I helped everyone in need and it got me in trouble
I was tempted to reject God’s ways
My followers were sometimes hypocrites
I experienced suffering and injustice
They let a murderer go and condemned me
They stripped me in public
I was beaten and tortured beyond recognition
I was cussed out while I was dying
Life was unfair to me
At any point he could have become cynical or bitter and given up. But He thought loving you was worth it.
God’s Perfect Law Perfectly Fulfilled
(By Joseph Prince)
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Colossians 2:13–14
When we consider the account of the woman caught in adultery in John 8, interestingly, the Bible is silent on what Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger in response to the Pharisees on the matter (John 8:6). But I believe that when He stooped down, He was writing the Law of Moses.
In Jerusalem at the temple precinct where Jesus would have met this woman, the Lord opened my eyes to see that the floor of the temple precinct was made of hard cobblestone. This means Jesus was not writing on soil. He was writing with His finger on stone.
Jesus was writing the law on stone. He was effectively saying to the Pharisees, “You presume to teach Me about the Law of Moses? I am He who wrote the law.” Jesus wrote twice on the ground with His finger, thus completing the typology, as we know that God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger twice.
The first set of the Ten Commandments was destroyed by Moses when he saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. God then wrote another set on stones and gave it to Moses for it to be placed under the mercy seat in the ark of the covenant.
I had never heard anyone preach this before—it was a fresh revelation straight from heaven. I love it when the Lord opens my eyes to see His grace!
Do you know why it’s so exciting to know what Jesus wrote on the ground that day? It’s so significant because it shows us that the very author of God’s perfect law does not use the law to judge and condemn us today. And it’s not because God simply decided to be merciful on us. No!
It’s because Jesus Himself fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf and took upon Himself every curse and stroke of punishment for our sins on His own body at the cross. We are forgiven because He was judged. We are accepted because He was condemned!
Whatever your challenge today, your answer is found in receiving a fresh revelation of how much you are forgiven in Christ.
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Colossians 2:13–14
When we consider the account of the woman caught in adultery in John 8, interestingly, the Bible is silent on what Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger in response to the Pharisees on the matter (John 8:6). But I believe that when He stooped down, He was writing the Law of Moses.
In Jerusalem at the temple precinct where Jesus would have met this woman, the Lord opened my eyes to see that the floor of the temple precinct was made of hard cobblestone. This means Jesus was not writing on soil. He was writing with His finger on stone.
Jesus was writing the law on stone. He was effectively saying to the Pharisees, “You presume to teach Me about the Law of Moses? I am He who wrote the law.” Jesus wrote twice on the ground with His finger, thus completing the typology, as we know that God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger twice.
The first set of the Ten Commandments was destroyed by Moses when he saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. God then wrote another set on stones and gave it to Moses for it to be placed under the mercy seat in the ark of the covenant.
I had never heard anyone preach this before—it was a fresh revelation straight from heaven. I love it when the Lord opens my eyes to see His grace!
Do you know why it’s so exciting to know what Jesus wrote on the ground that day? It’s so significant because it shows us that the very author of God’s perfect law does not use the law to judge and condemn us today. And it’s not because God simply decided to be merciful on us. No!
It’s because Jesus Himself fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf and took upon Himself every curse and stroke of punishment for our sins on His own body at the cross. We are forgiven because He was judged. We are accepted because He was condemned!
Whatever your challenge today, your answer is found in receiving a fresh revelation of how much you are forgiven in Christ.
IT IS FINISHED
*Because it is finished you are free from the impossible burden of having to earn God's love & acceptance.
*Because it is finished there is nothing you can do to tempt God to leave you, forsake you, or stop loving you.
*Because it is finished you cannot sin beyond the coverage of God's forgiveness.
*Because it is finished the sins you can't forget, God doesn't remember.
*Because it is finished you are not defined by your worst moments or your greatest accomplishments, your struggles or your successes, your strengths or your weaknesses. You're defined by who you belong to.
*Because it is finished you can talk truthfully about the worst parts of you without being afraid of others' disapproval because the only approval that ultimately matters is God's and you already have it.
*Because it is finished you can endure rejection from others because you will never have to endure rejection from God - ever.
*Because it is finished you can freely admit when you are wrong because your value is not dependent on being right, but rather on the rightness of Jesus that covers you.
*Because it is finished you are loved unconditionally and that means you are free from needing everybody else to like you.
*Because it is finished you can love others without needing them to love you back because all of the love you need - you already have.
*Because it is finished who you ultimately are has nothing to do with you. Your identity is firmly anchored in Jesus' performance, not yours; His record, not yours. You are not what you do or don't do. You are what Jesus has done for you!
*Because it is finished we can join our voices with the song in Revelation 5 and say "We are not worthy but the Lamb who was slain is worthy and by the grace of His saving death we are what we are: beloved sons & daughters of God".
~Tullian Tchividjian
*Because it is finished there is nothing you can do to tempt God to leave you, forsake you, or stop loving you.
*Because it is finished you cannot sin beyond the coverage of God's forgiveness.
*Because it is finished the sins you can't forget, God doesn't remember.
*Because it is finished you are not defined by your worst moments or your greatest accomplishments, your struggles or your successes, your strengths or your weaknesses. You're defined by who you belong to.
*Because it is finished you can talk truthfully about the worst parts of you without being afraid of others' disapproval because the only approval that ultimately matters is God's and you already have it.
*Because it is finished you can endure rejection from others because you will never have to endure rejection from God - ever.
*Because it is finished you can freely admit when you are wrong because your value is not dependent on being right, but rather on the rightness of Jesus that covers you.
*Because it is finished you are loved unconditionally and that means you are free from needing everybody else to like you.
*Because it is finished you can love others without needing them to love you back because all of the love you need - you already have.
*Because it is finished who you ultimately are has nothing to do with you. Your identity is firmly anchored in Jesus' performance, not yours; His record, not yours. You are not what you do or don't do. You are what Jesus has done for you!
*Because it is finished we can join our voices with the song in Revelation 5 and say "We are not worthy but the Lamb who was slain is worthy and by the grace of His saving death we are what we are: beloved sons & daughters of God".
~Tullian Tchividjian
Now you know the REST of the story...
Have you ever wondered why we spend 1/3 of our lives asleep? It's because rather than preaching a message to us, God decided to give us a real life illustration about the importance of rest.
When we rest (sleep) it prepares us for the next day. When we rest (in Christ) it prepares us for anything. God never intended for us to chart our course on our own using our Bibles. He wants us to know Jesus as our Sabbath rest. "For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world." (Hebrews 4:10)
But what is the importance of works in the Christian life? The Bible says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Works spring from our embracing of rest in Christ. If not they become dead works. It's only through Christ, by rest in Him. This is why Colossians says Christ in you is the hope of glory.
Enter into His rest!
Have you ever wondered why we spend 1/3 of our lives asleep? It's because rather than preaching a message to us, God decided to give us a real life illustration about the importance of rest.
When we rest (sleep) it prepares us for the next day. When we rest (in Christ) it prepares us for anything. God never intended for us to chart our course on our own using our Bibles. He wants us to know Jesus as our Sabbath rest. "For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world." (Hebrews 4:10)
But what is the importance of works in the Christian life? The Bible says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Works spring from our embracing of rest in Christ. If not they become dead works. It's only through Christ, by rest in Him. This is why Colossians says Christ in you is the hope of glory.
Enter into His rest!
Born this way?
"God made me this way" is a statement often made by homosexuals who have honestly tried & failed to overcome the problem. Don't you wonder why would someone try to change a habit if there wasn't some conviction that it is wrong? And does the fact that one gives up make it right?
Should society adjust for others for other failures such as kleptomaniacs, rapists, alcoholics, or drug addicts and tell them this is just how God made you?
The truth is it's a question of accepting a false identity.
God didn't make you that way - ADAM did! When mankind was deceived into eating from the wrong tree it put us in the wrong arena. You are in one of two situations: You are either in Adam or you are in Christ. Each one give you an identity.
Adam's identity traps you in your own abilities and prompts you to justify it. Christ's identity gives you a new nature and justifies you by delivering you from the power of sin.
Which one will you put your faith in?
Should society adjust for others for other failures such as kleptomaniacs, rapists, alcoholics, or drug addicts and tell them this is just how God made you?
The truth is it's a question of accepting a false identity.
God didn't make you that way - ADAM did! When mankind was deceived into eating from the wrong tree it put us in the wrong arena. You are in one of two situations: You are either in Adam or you are in Christ. Each one give you an identity.
Adam's identity traps you in your own abilities and prompts you to justify it. Christ's identity gives you a new nature and justifies you by delivering you from the power of sin.
Which one will you put your faith in?
He lives.
Some people become Christians just because of the culture. But let's look back in history and see how it all started. The Jews had been persecuted for 700 years (Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans). Some of these nations no longer exist but how did the Jews survive even when in captivity? They passed down their social heritage to each generation. These traditions made up the very fabric of their identity and they believed that if they didn't continue them with each generation that they would become extinct and be condemned by God.
So along comes a rabbi named Jesus and he teaches for 3 years and is persecuted by religious authorities to the point where they crucify him as someone cursed by God in their minds.
Around 40 Days later over 10,000 Jews are following him and claiming he is the initiator of a new way to find God. They are all willing to give up their social institutions and traditions and previous vows that they've been taught since childhood and were willing to accept being ostracized even by family members to follow this person. What could have possibly caused this dramatic following against all odds unless they actually saw someone come back from the dead? They would go on to live in poverty and life on the run under persecution for the rest of their lives. And yet it was all worth it because they found the Messiah. It's impossible for all of them to be under some kind of delusion and there was no corporate Church structure that was controlling them, so they all would have been better off maintaining the status quo. But many of them were willing to die for this newfound faith. Can you come up with any explanation, other than the resurrection, for this huge change in people's lives?
I think He's real.
So along comes a rabbi named Jesus and he teaches for 3 years and is persecuted by religious authorities to the point where they crucify him as someone cursed by God in their minds.
Around 40 Days later over 10,000 Jews are following him and claiming he is the initiator of a new way to find God. They are all willing to give up their social institutions and traditions and previous vows that they've been taught since childhood and were willing to accept being ostracized even by family members to follow this person. What could have possibly caused this dramatic following against all odds unless they actually saw someone come back from the dead? They would go on to live in poverty and life on the run under persecution for the rest of their lives. And yet it was all worth it because they found the Messiah. It's impossible for all of them to be under some kind of delusion and there was no corporate Church structure that was controlling them, so they all would have been better off maintaining the status quo. But many of them were willing to die for this newfound faith. Can you come up with any explanation, other than the resurrection, for this huge change in people's lives?
I think He's real.
