tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41559775720913839422024-03-05T05:54:59.758-06:00Biblical IntegrityIntegrity preaching of the Bible; God's Word as it was written. People acting as Christians, not just saying they are Christians. Twisting or refuting God's Word is Blasphemy.Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-28552912817538495672010-07-21T08:44:00.002-05:002010-07-21T08:50:59.023-05:00Civil Disobedience and Christians<object width="440" height="272"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mkf1N1Ro3Sc&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mkf1N1Ro3Sc&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="440" height="272"></embed></object>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-8869859345159415972010-07-15T00:40:00.001-05:002010-07-15T00:42:38.429-05:00Dealing With The Crazy Makers In Our Life<a title="View Dealing With Crazy Makers in Your Life on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/3733639/Dealing-With-Crazy-Makers-in-Your-Life" style="margin: 12px auto 6px; font: 14px Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">Dealing With Crazy Makers in Your Life</a> <object id="doc_596323330136581" name="doc_596323330136581" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf" style="outline: medium none;" rel="media:document" resource="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=3733639&access_key=key-1of93f66msne23sats6z&page=1&viewMode=list" media="http://search.yahoo.com/searchmonkey/media/" dc="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" width="100%" height="500"> <param name="movie" value="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf"> <param name="wmode" value="opaque"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <param name="FlashVars" value="document_id=3733639&access_key=key-1of93f66msne23sats6z&page=1&viewMode=list"> <embed id="doc_596323330136581" name="doc_596323330136581" src="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=3733639&access_key=key-1of93f66msne23sats6z&page=1&viewMode=list" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="opaque" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100%" height="500"></embed> </object>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-87272925565481481912010-06-06T11:36:00.007-05:002010-06-06T12:00:30.822-05:00Bring It To Him<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2repent.wordpress.com"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsXwIzKjt1FtULnSfWZtU9xrE2AbQUVBBqZelTaBH4qAOpo_4P8R_yVMTKk-JIwYB8-TJZjBD-z0mfcSGBHJge-08hoYnq7bsb7Y15BXUvqRMQF1uUvUJJJ5JVczmDoxC_PQIsb4bzgQ/s400/3772408376_fe17e43155.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479702009816493730" border="0" /></a><br /><br />"A man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and<br />saying, <span style="font-style: italic;">'Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">very ill; ... I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">cure him. ' And Jesus answered and said ... 'Bring him here to Me"</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Matthew 17:14-17</span><br /><br />In life there are problems that I call "God problems." These are<br />not problems with God, but problems only God can handle. God<br />problems are those that cannot be fixed with your checkbook,<br />education or influence. These problems are outside of the control<br />of human beings and lie squarely within God's sovereign<br />jurisdiction. They stop us in our tracks and cause us to soberly<br />assess our associations and situation in life. They bring us face<br />to face with our insufficiency and our need for God's sufficiency.<br />When we face a God problem we discover what is really important<br />in life.<br /><br />These problems are not designed to stop us from making<br />progress in life, but to reveal our dependency on God for<br />everything in life. God wants to reveal something to you and your<br />problem may be the vehicle He is using to do it.<br /><br />Throughout the Gospel people sought Jesus to do what no one else<br />could do. In <span style="font-weight: bold;">Matthew 17:14-1 7</span>, a father had a son who was<br />demon-possessed and no one else was able to help him, including<br />Jesus' disciples. Finally, the father encounters Jesus. Jesus,<br />looking at this seemingly impossible and long term situation,<br />tells the father to, <span style="font-style: italic;">"Bring him to Me"</span>. Jesus did in a moment<br />what others could not do!<br /><br />In another situation, the disciples faced a seemingly impossible<br />task of feeding over 5000 men (not including the women and<br />children) with two fish and five loaves of bread. After taking<br />inventory of the situation, Jesus, speaking of the fish and loaves,<br />tells the disciples to, "Bring them here to me." Having placed<br />their impossible situation in the hands of Jesus, the peoples'<br />insufficiency was transformed into over flowing sufficiency. So<br />much so, that there were 12 baskets full of leftover after<br />everyone had eaten their fill.<br /><br />Too often, God is the last stop in our search for help. We don't<br />have to lose everything before we begin to seek Him. God is not<br />intimidated by what we are dealing with. We must stop trying to<br />fix our problem on our own and seek God for our deliverance.<br /><br />Let's be honest, if we could fix it, it would have been fixed by<br />now. This is a <span style="font-weight: bold;">"God Problem"</span>, or a "problem for God". Don't<br />mistake your trusting people with trusting God. When God showed<br />up, deliverance quickly followed.<br /><br />I want to challenge you. Set aside some time in the morning,<br />evening, on your lunch break or when you are lying in bed, and<br />seek out God's presence. Block out your situation and focus on<br />God's promises. In <span style="font-weight: bold;">Matthew 11:28-30</span>, Jesus promised, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"Come to</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, .... 'For My yoke is</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">easy and My burden is light'."</span> This offer still stands for those<br />who will seek Him! No matter ho long you had the problem. NO<br />matter how big it is. Whatever it is, God still says to -<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"Bring it to Me!"</span></span>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-22104112680201277282010-05-01T05:59:00.007-05:002010-05-01T06:53:54.873-05:00Bringing America Back Into The Grace Of God?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71k8_TpsaJR-nfnu453Ri69ejlNf_075uSMnATD6Zg1iAcaDHR1H5Ar1S49Uv0uTc7X3D7B9nE3MswUU5Ris_tocJaTrfOcoKf57-bZdZ_Tk1nCQzviP49EoUkLMR5tOTjv3Efw9SesI/s1600/Prayer+Team.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 57px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466257875965983762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71k8_TpsaJR-nfnu453Ri69ejlNf_075uSMnATD6Zg1iAcaDHR1H5Ar1S49Uv0uTc7X3D7B9nE3MswUU5Ris_tocJaTrfOcoKf57-bZdZ_Tk1nCQzviP49EoUkLMR5tOTjv3Efw9SesI/s400/Prayer+Team.bmp" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br />Dear Praying Friends,<br /><br />In 1994, Congregational minister Rev. Richard Owen Roberts reintroduced America's churches to the seemingly forgotten Biblical truth about "<strong><em><a href="http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF09E09.pdf">Solemn Assembly</a></em></strong>." His article of the same title from his book, <strong><em><a href="http://www.internationalawakening.org/HTMS/booklist.htm##Sanctify">Sanctify the Congregation</a></em></strong>, has been reprinted again and again to help Christians in America and around the world respond to God's call for corporate repentance and prayer. But have we met God's requirements to prevent our nation from moral, spiritual, economic, and political collapse? Or will judgments against our nation only increase? Our patriot pastors, colonial governors, Continental Congresses, and many Presidents frequently called for days of sincere fasting, humiliation and prayer. They were taken seriously and nearly universally observed. We cannot save ourselves. God's Word declares hope for our nation, but only as we seek Him (Is 1:4-20; 2 Chr 7:14).<br /><br />Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) - The President has not kept his word on a range of issues, but he is aggressively working to keep his promises to the nation's homosexual activists. With an expanded Hate Crimes Law already in force and a plan to open the U.S. military to homosexuals underway, Congressional Democrats are now promising a vote on ENDA (<strong><a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3017:">H.R.3017</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.1584:">S.1584</a></strong>) during the next few weeks. If passed, ENDA will require businesses, charities, schools, day care centers, etc., to hire, retain, and promote persons who could have been arrested as criminals in many states until just seven years ago under sodomy laws (Lawrence v. Texas U.S. 558 [2003]).<br /><br />Suspected violators of what some refer to as "Cross-Dresser Protection" legislation will be investigated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which will facilitate lawsuits by homosexual activists. The bill gives special employment protection to homosexual, bisexuals and "transgender persons" and covers both "actual" and "perceived" "sexual orientation or gender identity." There is some (but not enough) protection for religious organizations. Chai Feldblum, who drafted the measure, was recently appointed by President Obama to the EEOC. Feldblum, a law school professor and lesbian activist, believes first amendment religious rights must bow to homosexual rights, "<strong><a href="http://www.americanprinciplesproject.org/blogs/chais-enda-vs-religious-liberty.html">Gays win; Christians lose</a></strong>," she says (see <strong><a href="http://www.thecloakroomblog.com/tag/chai-feldblum/">Feldblum</a></strong>, <a href="http://www.fightenda.org/"><strong>Fight ENDA</strong></a>).<br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;">May God intervene to stop this evil bill. May God's people exercise their duty as citizens to demand that their representatives uphold religious liberty over sexual immorality by defeating ENDA (Pr 16:10-11; 20:23; Mic 6:11; Rom 1:32; 1 Ti 5:21; 2 Tim 4:2-3; Jas 3:17).</span><br /><br /></em></strong>DC. Same Sex Marriage - Next Tuesday, May 4th at 10:00 AM, a nine member panel of the D.C. Court of Appeals will hear Stand4MarriageDC Coalition's appeal defending their right under the D.C. Charter to conduct a citizen initiative (a proactive referendum) on the issue of marriage. The Board of Elections and Ethics has called the initiative discriminatory and an unfit topic for a citizen initiative, simply because it seeks to keep the legal definition of marriage that has been in force since D.C.'s inception. The court ruling could further challenge the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage for federal purposes as a union between a man and woman. When the D.C. Council passed a same-sex marriage bill in December, Congress had 30 legislative days to override the bill. Only a handful fulfilled their duty to act to overturn the law. The city began issuing marriage licenses to homosexuals in early March. Activists want to make our nation's capital the homosexual capital. According to a recent report by the D.C. AIDS office, more than 3% of D.C. residents have HIV or full blown AIDS (the actual number is much higher than the number of reported cases). D.C.'s rate is similar to that in African Uganda, which, for many years had the highest AIDS rate for any nation (<strong><a href="http://www.thetruthinblackandwhite.com/Events/dsp_event.cfm?eventid=33">Hearing</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.stand4marriagedc.com/">Stand4MarriageDC</a></strong>).<br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;">May God move upon the Court to uphold D.C. citizens' right to define marriage in their city. And may they win the Initiative at the polls! May our federal legislators fulfill their duty to uphold DOMA. If taken to the U.S. Supreme Court, may God grant a wondrous victory! (Gen 1:27-28; 2:20-25; Dt 16:18-20; Ecc 12:13; Mt 19:4-6; Rev 12:11).<br /></span><br /></em></strong>National Day of Prayer - Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the world's best known evangelist and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, was unceremoniously <a href="http://islamandamericanlaw.blogspot.com/2010/04/congress-urged-to-drop-evangelist-from.html"><strong><em>disinvited from speaking at the Pentagon</em></strong> </a>on May 6th. Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, wrote Secretary of Defense Robert Gates "demanding" that the Pentagon choose another speaker. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington-based Muslim lobbyist group with ties to HAMAS, a certified terrorist organization, complained about Graham, pointing to his statements that Islam is an "evil and wicked religion." Now they are demanding that Graham be disinvited from speaking at the main NDP event on Capitol Hill Graham stands by his statements, originally made after the terrorist attacks in 2001 (<strong><a href="http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/BPnews.asp?ID=32785">Story</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/64724">Hearings</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2010/04/why_ban_franklin_graham_from_national_day_of_prayer.html">Weinstein</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=146685">CAIR</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://islamandamericanlaw.blogspot.com/2010/04/congress-urged-to-drop-evangelist-from.html">Capitol Hill Event</a></strong>).<br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;">May the Commander-in-Chief make amends for this discourteous act in which the Pentagon bowed to the demands of a competing religious group with a questionable history. May God-fearing people across America, outraged by this provocation, speak out, and may the Pentagon's posture be reversed! May Rev. Graham and others be strengthened to speak the truth! (2 Sam 22:1 ff; 2 Chr 7:14; Ps 50:14-15; Is 1:10-20; Joel 1:14, 2:12-18; Mt 18:18-20; John 10:10-15; 16:23-27).<br /><br /></span></em></strong>Finally, this Saturday, May 1, from 6 AM - 2 PM, Christians from many denominations will gather on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial to "<strong><em><a href="http://www.mayday2010.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=57">Cry to God for a Nation in Distress</a></em></strong>." This gathering promises to be a powerful antecedent to National Day of Prayer activities scheduled in Washington, D.C. and across the nation. On Thursday May 6th, the <strong><a href="http://nationaldayofprayer.org/">NDP Task Force</a></strong> prayer meeting on Capitol Hill will be aired <a href="http://www.god.tv/live"><strong><em>live via God TV</em></strong> </a>(9 AM - 12 Noon); an <strong><a href="http://www.capitolhill-nationaldayofprayer.us/">NDP Eastern National Area Solemn Assembly </a></strong>will be conducted West of the Capitol (11:30 AM - 1 PM), and the <a href="http://www.capitalregionndp.org/menu/NationalDayOfPrayer.asp"><strong>Capitol Region NDP Committee</strong> </a>will conduct a pastors and leaders meeting (2 - 4 PM), and a Prayer and Unity gathering on the Capitol West Lawn (4:30 - 8:30 PM). Thank you for praying!<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Rev. Pierre Bynum<br />National Prayer Director<br />Email: <strong><a href="mailto:pbynum@frc.org">pbynum@frc.org</a></strong><br /><br />Family Research Council<br />801 G Street, NW<br />Washington, DC 20001<br />Phone: 202-393-2100<br />Fax: 202-393-2134<br />Web: <strong><a href="http://www.frc.org/">www.frc.org</a></strong> </div>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-2964480529750992942010-03-19T18:03:00.008-05:002010-03-19T23:50:07.057-05:00Urgent Prayer Needed: Socialist Agenda Ungodly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwMBSwCvuIspFV9qBqSdlkjaQPUSpQmsEGeUhctzDgXsXZtaerdp40v6_gktu1E8QwOIMa8ny0pCku-0ybVLfdRKUKrUUuHvSXzhUySwaGv6IPKbWCQOktmc4OLNjRnfVpG9J09cU_zA/s1600-h/prayerteam.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 57px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450484877222923794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwMBSwCvuIspFV9qBqSdlkjaQPUSpQmsEGeUhctzDgXsXZtaerdp40v6_gktu1E8QwOIMa8ny0pCku-0ybVLfdRKUKrUUuHvSXzhUySwaGv6IPKbWCQOktmc4OLNjRnfVpG9J09cU_zA/s400/prayerteam.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br />Dear Praying Friends,<br /><br />This Sunday the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the long-debated government takeover of the American health care system. We urge you to pray like you have never prayed before. We urge you, too, to talk to your pastor about joining with churches across America who will be uniting in prayer during their morning services this Sunday to pray about this all-important vote. And we urge you to do all you can to mobilize your praying friends to cry out to God between now and when the vote is taken -- as the Lord would lead you.<br /><br />FRC and our allies and supporters have labored for the past year to educate Americans about the evils of this bill and the threat it poses to all of us, but especially the unborn. If passed, it will lead to the largest expansion of elective abortion in the history of our nation, and will require taxpayers to fund abortion for the first time in 35 years. Polls show that a majority of Americans oppose it, and that an even greater number (71%) oppose taxpayer funding of abortion. The vote will be very close, and no one will know the outcome for certain until the vote is taken, except God. It is to Him we must appeal.<br /><br />We have previously made biblically based resources available to pastors and churches. You may wish to forward this letter to your pastor, who may not be on our pastors' list. He may wish to use them this Sunday:<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF10B70.pdf">Click here for an updated Sermon Starter</a></strong> entitled: The Wrong Prescription for America. If he wishes, your pastor can download it, copy the text, paste it into word processing software, edit as he sees fit and use it in his sermon!<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF10B69.pdf">Click here for a Bulletin Insert</a></strong> which contains a brief description of the fiscal, ethical, and moral problems with the bill and a call to action. Download the Bulletin Insert, print it out, copy it double-sided, and cut it down the middle. The half-sheet copies can be used in your church bulletin or as a stand-alone flier.<br /><br />It may be too late to reach your Senators and Representative, but you can pray. As salt and light, we the church must influence this critical debate (Matt. 5:13-16). Visit <strong><a href="http://www.frcaction.org/healthcare">www.FRCAction.org/healthcare</a></strong> for the latest information.<br /><br />And please forward this message to your pastor friends. We have made a tremendous impact in slowing this unholy juggernaut that will fund abortions, but now is not the time we must not let up. It is absolutely imperative that we prevail in prayer during the few hours we still have to do so.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EX4_3-QTEDY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EX4_3-QTEDY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="320"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong>Nancy Pelosi claims to be praying to St Joseph and Nuns have told her they pray for this most evil agenda of our lifetime. Pelosi should have been ex-communicated when she defended Obama's stand on abortion, claiming the Catholic Church could not decide when life begins.</strong><br /><br /><object width="425" height="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RMWetHDwSuw&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RMWetHDwSuw&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="320"></embed></object>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-3001123878218824552010-03-17T01:49:00.004-05:002010-03-17T02:12:39.648-05:00Lord Have Mercy<a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/03/four-step-program.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 305px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449491676091070786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPerpwZegHodbEPNPtxcfX7Y7borZ3hi6MCGWrZK6NIlFwUWDdg_FvTpcrE8sRV0o3xBu4wkdpL3RlcVAwpExcF0nyVoT1p2o4OVQk6OdKXFRhGY1BLcTr1RFz_9_untHcseOOKb5Joq8/s400/Lord_Have_Mercy.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><strong>Psalm 85:7 - <em>“Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.”<br /><br /></em></strong>You may have joined a church, but have you thrown yourself on the mercy of the court? Have you said, <strong><em>“Lord God, be merciful to me, a sinner”?</em> (Luke 18:13)<br /><br /></strong>For the last few years of his life, I was a dedicated listener of Adrian Rogers' Gospel Lectures. There are few Pastors these days that are unafraid of calling a spade a spade as did Adrian. He was real quick to point out how we are deceived by today's evangelists and living in a fog as to the meaning of being a Christian.<br /><br /><strong>This is one of Adrian Rogers anecdotes on mercy I had to share with you.<br /><br /></strong>There’s a story about a lady who went to a photographer to have her picture made. When she saw it, she didn’t like it. So she took it back and told the photographer, “You’ll have to take this over.” He asked, “What’s wrong with it?” She said, “It doesn’t do me justice.” He looked at it and looked at her and said, “Lady, you don’t need justice; what you need is mercy.” God is just, but we need mercy. If you have never come to the place where you have seen yourself as a lost sinner before Almighty God and cried out to Him for mercy, then you’ve never been saved.<br /><br />A little boy had a jigsaw puzzle that had a map of the world on one side and a picture of a man on the other. His mother asked him to try to work it, and before long he had put the puzzle together. The mother was surprised to find that the little fellow knew so much about geography.<br />“How on earth did you do that?” she asked.<br />“Oh,” he said, “I worked the other side first. When I got the man right, the world was right.”<br />How true that is! We will never fix this world until we get the man right — the Man Jesus Christ, that is.<br /><br />Are things in your world confusing you these days? Turn to Jesus and trust Him to make sense of what you don’t understand.<br /><br /><strong>Psalm 139:23</strong> - <strong><em>“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.”</em></strong><br /><br /><strong><a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/03/four-step-program.html"><span style="color:#000099;">If you are so inclined to turn your heart over to the Lord, or aren't quite certain where you stand if something were to happen to you tonight, follow this link</span></a></strong>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-51817480545941306152010-03-06T01:21:00.005-06:002010-03-06T01:39:13.773-06:00Dealing With Distractions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmimZuZKI0GBDRBdDbZMt5ObV4XIs01NTzLMos0ILU9L3jrpwNX51-o5SP4R0yEc6QaZPYQl5vlF1n5axPm7s8xf-Xq-VRtUO0Ab4kmmLLuLY5R-jXUZ10hAZ3MvO_NHGdQUlSAmzMTzc/s1600-h/Acc_Woods_DistractionsDioOOH911.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmimZuZKI0GBDRBdDbZMt5ObV4XIs01NTzLMos0ILU9L3jrpwNX51-o5SP4R0yEc6QaZPYQl5vlF1n5axPm7s8xf-Xq-VRtUO0Ab4kmmLLuLY5R-jXUZ10hAZ3MvO_NHGdQUlSAmzMTzc/s400/Acc_Woods_DistractionsDioOOH911.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445417949885013874" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do<br />according to</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> all the law which Moses My servant commanded<br />you; do not turn from</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> it to the right or to the left, so that you<br />may have success</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> wherever you go."</span> Joshua 1:7-8</span><br /><br />In <span style="font-weight: bold;">Joshua 1:7-8</span>, God gives us some key principles that we can apply<br />in making the transition from our situation to our destinations.<br />The first thing God warns His people of is the danger of becoming<br />distracted. He warns them not to take their focus off of His Word<br />and become distracted by what's going on around them. You will<br />generally encounter distractions when you are getting close to<br />achieving something that will take you to the next level in your<br />life.<br /><br />Distractions are designed to take your focus off of your future and<br />cause you to become fixated and stuck in your present situation.<br />Some of the most dangerous distractions are those that don't make<br />much noise but creep in while we're at ease. The apparent ease<br />that we enjoy often causes us to forget about the work that still<br />must be done in order for God's promises to manifest in our lives.<br />A season of calm can cause the most diligent of us to become slack<br />in the very thing that got us headed in the right direction. The<br />enemy knows we pray more fervently and are more diligent in our<br />efforts to be delivered, when we're in trouble then when we're at<br />ease. Therefore, he allows a season of "trouble free living",<br />hoping that we will take our focus off of destroying his work,<br />slowing being lulled asleep. Once at ease, we don't discern his<br />activity in our lives and slowly find ourselves struggling with the<br />same things we once overcame. Remember, nothing is truly free<br />unless it comes from God. There is always a cost - even to what<br />appears to be peace.<br /><br />Often, when we are at ease we allow God to slip into the background<br />of our lives and we slowly drift away from His purpose and plan for<br />our lives. If the truth were told, that is the reason many of us<br />are in the situations we're in now. This is why we must stay<br />focused on where we are going and what we are trying to accomplish.<br /><br />Distractions also feed of our doubts and fears. When Peter began<br />to walk on the water, he did not sink because he couldn't finish<br />what he began to do. He sank because he became distracted and<br />fearful of what was going on around him. As he stepped out and did<br />the impossible, the bible says that the storm around him became<br />more fierce. This is a primary mode of operation of the enemy.<br />If he can't stop you then he will try to distract you. You must<br />be determined to finish what you've begun and be ready to face the<br />certain distractions that will arise.<br /><br />Your success will be found in your ability to keep your focus on<br />what is ahead of you and not be distracted by what is going on<br />around you. Distractions are not always giants or storm, but can<br />also be found a season of apparent ease. The most dangerous enemy<br />one can face, is an enemy that has not been detected. The Bible<br />promises, "He will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed<br />on Him, because he trusts in Him" (Isaiah 26:3, NKJV).<br /><br />Dr J C Mathews<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uiyCAuDC8QU&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uiyCAuDC8QU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">GOD BLESS YOU!!!</span></span>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-53562371226093461962010-02-26T01:52:00.006-06:002010-02-26T02:17:55.152-06:00Just Tell It!!!<a href="http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=144643765&blogId=494240541"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 264px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442457338472546610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Bz1MYHqh2G8hxaruhYgB0uV2SROeAWOEpBOHhAt9kmMIcSH-Sz5v8nmllEiY5QPEA7XptIz223neNTrz8egrXZYoMBC61m4-J42f12zR6ixzZe0-NoEBkLfSCrS3umsWsQTIdx9Mw20/s400/street_witnessing.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><strong><em>"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."<br /></em>Revelations 12:11, KJV<br /></strong><br />I discovered something while a student in law school that shed<br />light on why so many people are bound by situations they should<br />be set free from. During an Evidence class, we came to the topic<br />of "Testimony". In summary, I discovered that testimony serves<br />the purpose of proving the truthfulness of a matter by the<br />confirmation of another who has (preferably) first hand knowledge<br />of the events. This person is called a "witness". This individual<br />only qualifies as a witness if they have "first hand knowledge or<br />experience" of the matter. The most powerful testimony a witness<br />can possess is "eye witness" testimony. The testimony offered by<br />a witness who lacks this first hand knowledge is categorized as<br />"hearsay". Hearsay has very little probative value and is often<br />excluded from being accepted into evidence. Oftentimes, the<br />freedom, and very life, of the one being tried depends on<br />eyewitnesses that are willing to testify concerning what they know.<br /><br />As I read <strong>Revelations 12:11</strong>, it occurred to me that many people<br />are unnecessarily bound and perishing in their trials because the<br />enemy has shamed witnesses from coming forward and testifying<br />about their own experiences and what they know. The enemy knows<br />our testimony has the power to defeat him and set the accused free.<br />Many people are serving life sentences in bondage, condemnation,<br />and some even losing their lives, because they've lost all hope of<br />things getting better or them surviving what they're going through.<br />However, we are living testimonies or evidence that they can in<br />fact make it. The enemy tried to destroy our bodies, minds/souls<br />and spirits - but failed. Our testimony proves that the devil is<br />a liar and defeated!<br /><br />Testimony, by its very nature, is not for the one testifying but<br />for the benefit of the one being tried. I don't care how shameful<br />your past may have been; someone else needs the deliverance that<br />is in your mouth. There is a ministry in your testimony that<br />cannot be denied or refuted. <strong>Proverbs 18:21</strong> declares, that the<br /><strong><em>"power of life and death is in the tongue".</em></strong><br /><br />It is interesting to note that the root word for "testimony" in the<br />Greek is "martus". It is the same word from which we get the word<br />"martyr". A martyr is someone who died for what they believe and<br />know to be true. I mentioned earlier, that "hearsay" testimony is<br />generally not accepted as evidence. However, there are exceptions<br />to this rule. One such exception concerns the "words of a dying or<br />dead person". These words are considered unusually reliable because<br />a dying or dead person <strong><em>(1)</em></strong> has not ongoing interest in the matter,<br />and <strong><em>(2)</em></strong> has nothing to lose by telling the truth. They are no<br />longer subject to fear, intimidation or the power of those who have<br />an interest in the outcome of a matter. They're free to tell the<br />truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help them God!<br /><br />As born again, blood washed, forgiven Believers, who are dead to<br />all the guilt and shame of our past, why are we testifying to what<br />we have experienced and been delivered from? It is all under the<br />blood, buried in the watery grave of baptism and crucified with our<br />old man. Our past has no power over us! We are free to tell it -<br />all of it! <strong><em>There is no more condemnation to those who are in<br />Christ Jesus</em></strong> <strong>(Romans 8:1).</strong> When and if we fall short, we can pray<br />for forgiveness and God forgives us, never to be brought to our<br />charge again.<br /><br />With this being the case, let me ask you a question: What are you<br />afraid of? What's keeping you from testifying to others of what God<br />has brought you out of and delivered you from? Others are<br />struggling with the same thing you've been delivered from and need<br />to know the truth - that <strong><em>God is a deliverer!</em></strong><br /><br />The text says, "they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by<br />the word of their testimony." Jesus has done His part in defeating<br />the enemy. He shed His blood and rose from the grave. Now we must<br />do our part by tell our testimony! Every time you "tell it", it<br />reminds the devil he is "defeated!" Go ahead - remember what He's<br />done for you! Don't be afraid or ashamed - <strong><em>just "tell it!"</em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />Dr. J.C. Matthews, Senior Pastor of Dunamis Life Ministries and Chancellor of The International Kingdom Institute.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p9y68hhh6MQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p9y68hhh6MQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-54581880110283790972010-02-22T18:37:00.007-06:002010-02-22T19:02:07.682-06:00Son of Hamas Leader Denounces Islam (Video)<embed height="270" name="tangle" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="330" src="http://www.tangle.com/flash/swf/flvplayer.swf" allowscriptaccess="always" quality="high" wmode="transparent" flashvars="viewkey=8da090624b6a37fe2c95"></embed><br /><br />Son of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hamas</span> leader converts to Christianity - Fox news Video of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mosab</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hassan</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yousef</span>, the son of influential <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hamas</span> Leader <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sheikh</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hassan</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yousef</span>, has converted to Christianity, and said that there will never be peace between Islam and the rest of the world. The whole purpose for Islamic jihad is to enslave the rest of the globe into their beliefs and oppress humanity.<br /><br />The general public, and especially Christians, must wake up to the FACTS and drop the rhetoric that Islam is a peaceful religion and only a radical few wish Israel and the entire civilized Western World harm.<br /><br />I am amazed at how many misguided Christians have blocked me because I am too involved in politics and speak against <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">islam</span>. If more Christians do not start getting involved our country will be run by immoral heathens. Apathy and protecting ourselves from 'bad news' is not biblical...it's evil dissuading us from getting involved!<br /><br />You see in the above video where the son of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hamas</span> leader himself is warning you Islam will NEVER come to peaceful terms with the rest of humanity. The Koran commands jihad and the annihilation of all infidels. What will it take to wake up those of whom are so misguided? Everyone who believes so strongly these are end times and God is in control, and they are to do nothing, are placing themselves in the roles of false prophets as they presume to persuade others of their calamity.<br /><br /><object width="460" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jgz_MySm0Ew&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jgz_MySm0Ew&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="460" height="340"></embed></object>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-83574749095721143492010-02-12T22:34:00.006-06:002010-02-12T22:58:13.032-06:00The Difference Between Being Lost and Being Led<a href="http://frjg.multiply.com/journal/item/169/AN_INVITATION_TO_THE_DESERT_Mark_112-15_01_March_2009_First_Sunday_of_Lent"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 278px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437582019599174194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1Th4rYzU0uDDpvhCgcIH9QrM7_6EXc2tMBqmKjJJJlX4PErCLKXb1xqT5_Ad0YBD9kiChcC-7nGujsQUXf8SXPs4vwy-HidWu1qDfkofCBs7Yj_OQ0ybwbovXQ5Efy_ai48Zyy9VUcg/s400/desert_flower.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#6600cc;">"Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went<br />out into the wilderness."</span></em> Exodus 15:22<br /></strong><br />Many people who find themselves stuck in difficult situations<br />often feel as if they've become lost. Somehow, they've<br />arrived in a wilderness where everything has dried up and<br />nothing seems to be growing. Many of them have lived in this<br />wilderness for so long that they have given up on things<br />changing and concluded that this must be all God has in store<br />for them.<br /><br />On numerous occasions, they have attempted to change their<br />situation, but all of their efforts have failed.<br />If this sounds like you, you may not be lost at all! You may<br />be squarely within the Will of God.<br /><br />All dry places in life are not the result of being lost. Sometimes<br />God leads us into dry places and uses them as a place of preparation.<br />In <strong>Exodus 3:8</strong>, when God met Moses at the burning bush, He told<br />him that He was going to deliver His people from bondage and<br />into a land flowing with "milk and honey". Yet, we know when<br />God delivered His people from bondage, He led them directly<br />into a "wilderness" where they spent 40 years.<br /><br />We know that their wilderness experience had a purpose because the<br />Bible tells us that there was a shorter route available that they<br />could have taken and avoided the wilderness altogether. <strong>Exodus<br />13:17 says, <em>"God did not lead them by the way of the land of<br />the Philistines, even though it was near."</em><br /></strong><br />Whenever God leads you somewhere He has a predetermined<br />purpose for you, even if the route is longer than what you<br />expected. The longer the preparation, the greater the<br />promotion. If takes much longer to get a PhD than it does<br />a GED. I am not putting down those who have a GED. Praise<br />God for it. For some, it took just as much determination to<br />get their GED than it did for some to get their PhD. However, we<br />are speaking of principles.<br /><br />Oftentimes, your wilderness is the doorway to your promise.<br />At the initiation of Jesus' public ministry He was not led<br />into the temple, but into the wilderness. Jesus had to be<br />first prepared in their wilderness before He could preach his<br />first sermon. If you are in a wilderness right now, remember what<br />you learned while there because it will be necessary to sustain<br />you in your Promised Land. Don't faint or lose heart. You<br />may be at the door of your promise and purpose.<br /><br />I know it has been a long journey, but it will be worth your while.<br />I know others may have arrived sooner at their place of destiny,<br />and you are still making your way toward your destiny. What God<br />wants to do in your life, requires preparation, therefore He<br />had to take you the long way. There are no short cuts in the<br />Kingdom of God - only God's way. I know, all the while you've<br />thought that somehow you where lost. You may not have been<br />lost at all. You just may have been led!<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Dr J C Matthews, International Kingdom Institute</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://frjg.multiply.com/journal/item/169/AN_INVITATION_TO_THE_DESERT_Mark_112-15_01_March_2009_First_Sunday_of_Lent"><span style="font-size:130%;">An Invitation To The Desert</span> </a></span></strong>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-6863732638317535742010-02-05T01:14:00.019-06:002010-02-13T21:36:47.156-06:00The Misconception of Ahmadinejad and the 12th Imam<a href="http://2repent.wordpress.com/"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 374px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 317px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434677335193042050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCnoMcRpX2JFztNizvvSE0bE4UNc5TKQ033iedvomYSTW9057iF0_P7WAQde8D4EpPhL9G2njed_lv5HAXnBmfLknz8I7i_urrS_Idv1v7hG0Ij28NA1AGGqNWny3cQrWlWDM4bfIBtI/s400/Ahmadinejad_Twelfth_Imam.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><div>Recently, Glenn Beck, political commentator on Fox News Channel, did a piece on Iran and the intent of Mahmud Ahmmanuhtjob to "hasten" the arrival of the Mahdi(muslim messiah). While Beck makes a good point in reference to the evil and down right lunacy which poses as a religion to oppress all humanity into slavery, he fails to place it in the proper perspective, as do so many.</div><br /><div>By escaping from, or eluding the true perspective of Islam's agenda presents a huge threat. Just as the rhetoric talking points of the leftists in our country, the politically correct stance to carefully stay within a (non-offensive) position so as to not reveal the true nature of the (political) organization fails the people.</div><br /><div>Rosie O'Donnell, one of the commentators on The View (ABC), stated, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrHvSWaLJ-I"><strong><span style="color:#000099;">"Christians are every bit as dangerous as radical muslims."</span></strong> </a>and received applause. We can all excuse O'Donnell's comments as 'par for the lune' typical ignorance. Speaking to a nationwide audience has never made one responsible for what is spewed, and there will always be those who will believe it. Same goes for a respected voice, such as Glenn Beck. More so, as he is taken more seriously. Just as the Holy Gospel is misconstrued oftentimes by evangelists, many facts are reformed into a concept of which lightens the threat. Beck seems to be pragmatic where convenient, but, still retains a certain level of 'political correctness'. He refuses to come out and label Islam as being RADICAL.</div><br /><div>It is getting back to my #1 pet peeve, the label of "Radical Islam" which projects an image that only a crazy portion of muslims actually wish Israel and U.S. harm. This is the planned strategy of Islam, through our 'politically correct' ignorance and the civil rights laws we enjoy, and they hate. Islamic propaganda sells the illusion it is really a peaceful "religion" and only a few "radicals" misinterpret the teachings of the koran.</div><br /><div>This brings me back to Beck, who portrays the President of Iran (Ahmmanuhtjob) as being a member of a small and out-of-control group. TRUE --- Ahmmanuhtjob is insane, and this makes him very dangerous as he aspires to become a nuclear power to complete his agenda. He has made it very clear many times all over the globe, even here in our country as we allowed him a stage, his intention is to 'hasten' the Mahdi's return.</div><br /><div>The Mahdi, in the koran, can only return to a 'cleansed society'. He cannot return among a world full of infidels, or non-believers of Islam. Beck states Ahmmanuhtjob believes he must create 'turmoil' and carnage all over the world, then the Mahdi will return and 'wipe out' all the infidels. Ahmmanuhtjob's beliefs are in line with the teachings of the koran. The koran is very clear as to what makes a faithful muslim. One of the demands is KNOWING THE KORAN.</div><br /><div>All TRUE muslims are to be completely knowledgeable of the ARABIC translation of the koran. There are other VERSIONS of the koran, even in English, for the purpose of selling the 'peace' propaganda to the rest of the globe. It puts spins on certain scriptures which depict prejudice and violence against Israelis and Westerners. It plays with words and wordage, so as to present a vague translation to defend the argument Islam is really a peaceful, loving religion, when in reality Islam is a political agenda POSING as a religion. Defended by those of whom supposedly promoting liberty and freedom, Islam is anything BUT!</div><div>*</div><div></div><div>Those muslims who claim it is a 'radical' few that believe Westerners and Jews must die, are either liars, in order to promote the false propaganda, or apostates. The apostates, seen to TRUE muslims as being just as 'guilty' as infidels, are also subject to death according to the koran. If they don't believe the teachings of the koran, they are apostates. If they convert from Islam to another religion, they are apostates, and are subject to assassination. At least with infidels(all who are not muslim) the koran teaches they are to be given the opportunity to convert to Islam. Jews are not so fortunate as Muhammad taught they were not human and should be killed at any opportunity. This is what jihad is fulfilling. Jews must die, all others believe what muslims believe, or they will also die.</div><div>*</div><div></div><div>All Americans should have a true perspective of what we are up against, not the version ignorant Western defenders perpetuate. These people, who lash out at anyone that attempts to unveil the truth, have no idea what the koran teaches. They will argue with those whom are knowledgeable of its danger to all humanity. The same people that promote laws against what they refer to as "Hate speech", also defend the koran which is all about hate, and violence toward any of whom do not believe. So called muslims claiming the koran teaches peace are as much muslim as Oprah Winfrey is Christian.</div><br />Normally, one would reasonably believe you cannot argue or defend that which you have no knowledge, but, when it comes to the koran people lose all reason and common sense. Muslims and non-muslims, alike, constantly defend the koran with untruths and rhetoric which does not exist except through deceptive translation. So you think, "What does all this have to do with me?" Or, you say, "I'm not going to worry about it, because it is written, and God is in control," to anyone who will listen. This is also dangerous as it is promoting apathy, and there is nothing godly about withdrawing from the events which threaten our society, when you could have stood against the evil tyranny.<br /><br />By not being knowledgeable of the truth, or not getting involved by hiding behind a misinterpreted scripture, we are helping the enemy. Ignorance and apathy is exactly what the enemy counts on, so the indoctrination can spread, just like the perversions have been spread throughout America over the past few decades. What used to be the "Moral Majority" is quickly becoming the minority, due to apathy and expecting someone else to do what every Christian had a duty to accomplish--- STOP evil in its tracks!<br /><br />Now, even our country's leaders are promoting perversions, and in our schools, when a decade ago it would have been unthinkable and unacceptable. I have heard "Christians" state it's alright, their kids are home schooled, or attend parochial schools. If we are true Christians, how do we accept evil for ANYONE in society, as long as it doesn't affect us? Liberals/atheists claim they are not their brother's keeper. By letting evil takeover, how are we to be sure our children's children will be safe, as we allowed the freedom to home school or private schools to be eliminated, and laws implemented to revoke our freedom to choose against perversions?<br /><br />Those of you whom are certain the current events are leading to the Lord's return and He is in control, and all you have to do is pray and leave it to Him. Yes, He is in control, but, how does that exonerate us from fulfilling our duty as a Christian, to face tyranny and fight evil? How is it so many seem to know that which God went to great lengths to conceal from humanity---the time of His coming? By doing nothing, we promote the evil, by way of little or no resistance. That is why rebellion to tyranny is obedience to God, but, so many Christians would have you believe it is a sin to even know what is going on or get involved in politics. How absurd!<br /><br />I advise all who believe the end times are upon us, and there is no reason to exert ones self to resist, read <strong>Revelations, chapter 3.</strong> The Lord states while the Master is away, a good servant is just as diligent as if He were here, watching, and should remain diligent until He returns. <strong>(Rev 2:26) <em>And he that overcomes, and keeps my works till the end, to him I will give power over all the nations</em>.</strong><br /><br />How are we innocent when we did nothing to stop evil? Jihad is not a religion. It is, however, a command of the koran. It is the agenda of Islamic jihad to abolish the freedom of every soul on earth. You think this is false, or so far off, or someone else will stop it? Then you must also believe there is no judgement day, and you will not be accountable.<br /><br />The reason the Apostle Paul wrote an urgent second letter to the Thessalonians was because he heard that they became lazy as they misinterpreted his message, "The coming of our Christ is at hand," and believed there was no reason to do anything but await His arrival.<br /><br />***A report released this week had the U.S. media abuzz with speculation after the state-run Press TV quoted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday as saying that the nation will deliver a harsh blow to “global arrogance” on February 11.No details on or explanation of the statement were revealed<strong><a href="http://bible-prophecy-today.blogspot.com/2010/02/is-iran-forcing-showdown-in-middle-east.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BibleProphecyToday+%28Bible+Prophecy+Today%29"><span style="color:#000099;">...(Read More)</span></a></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">Just as a 'watered down' Gospel poses a threat to our salvation, a 'watered down' koran poses a threat to ALL humanity.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Ahmadinejad is not the one misinterpreting the Koran!</span></strong><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TkGQmCZjJ0k&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TkGQmCZjJ0k&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-76106759502112309512010-01-28T14:52:00.006-06:002010-01-29T02:14:52.336-06:00God's Opportunities<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlhfxo4M_zMjNzWVM_HfqwkltwQRvb2ATG3NhAV-QI2ycSE_bfOrCdYFbtXL-m8NtBG_JzUgT7BvieB1_xwTZO4nZmhsDt_vfxk8QfFSZEyCpnQJMp4LiaZRRST1kpzzm3fzJhi_8KTVQ/s1600-h/Living4GodsGlory.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 328px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 245px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431896985794438626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlhfxo4M_zMjNzWVM_HfqwkltwQRvb2ATG3NhAV-QI2ycSE_bfOrCdYFbtXL-m8NtBG_JzUgT7BvieB1_xwTZO4nZmhsDt_vfxk8QfFSZEyCpnQJMp4LiaZRRST1kpzzm3fzJhi_8KTVQ/s400/Living4GodsGlory.jpg" /></a> <strong><em><span style="font-size:78%;">"Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied<br />on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has<br />escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a<br />huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you<br />relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes<br />of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show<br />Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."<br />And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in<br />his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not<br />seek the Lord, but the physicians. So Asa rested with his fathers;<br />he died in the forty-first year of his reign".<br />2 Chronicles 16:7-9, 12-13 </span></em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></em></strong></div><div align="left"><strong><em><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></em></strong></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p align="center"><br />Have you been robbing God of the opportunity to be glorified in<br />your life? Much of the frustration we face in life is really our<br />denying God the opportunity to demonstrate Himself able to handle<br />the problems that are too great for us. When we place our<br />confidence in men and turn to others for help, instead of God, we<br />deny Him the opportunity to be glorified. Our problems are really<br />open invitations for God's participation in our lives. Everyday,<br />people suffer unnecessarily because they deny God the opportunity<br />to get involved in their lives and thereby be glorified.<br /><br />King Asa made a similar mistake when he placed his confidence in<br />man, instead of God. God gave King Asa not only victory, but also<br />unusual peace, despite the fact he was surrounded by hostile<br />nations. The Bible records because King Asa became sick he and<br />once again placed his confidence and his life in the hands of men<br />instead of calling upon God for his healing. As a result, he not<br />only lost God's blessing over his life, but his life itself.<br /><br />How often, do we decide to turn from God, who has already proven<br />Himself faithful, able and willing to see us through our struggles?<br />It was God who has kept us from being totally destroyed by our<br />enemies - seen and unseen. He has hid us and not allowed our<br />adversaries to know when we are weak, nor has he exposed our hidden<br />faults.<br /></span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">What is it in your life that God is waiting for you to turn over to<br />Him and give Him the opportunity to show Himself strong? Your<br />impossibilities are really God's opportunities. When you deprive<br />Him the opportunity to demonstrate His sovereignty you also deprive<br />Him of glory that is due Him. When you need help, don't look<br />around - but look up! David, facing a seemingly impossible<br />situation, asked himself a question and came to the right<br />conclusion. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">David said, <strong><em>"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;<br />from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who<br />made heaven and earth" (Psalms 121:1-2,</em>)</strong>. <strong><span style="color:#330033;">Remember, the<br />impossibility you are facing might actually be an opportunity for<br />God to show Himself strong! </span></strong></span></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#330033;"></span></strong></p><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Dr. J.C. Matthews, Senior Pastor of Dunamis Life Ministries and Chancellor of The International Kingdom Institute.</span></strong><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kzzb-GonTV8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kzzb-GonTV8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-61739156563657140852010-01-21T18:38:00.008-06:002010-01-21T19:01:42.703-06:00The Non-Power Of Terrorists<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWCoW_L4VL_prNcYwUonH650fzU7WyT9ETzeKwT9f74Uu5pnwXJdAeM2SQRN0YyRuVYQUveybVOYIp6Jshdyup3wZrBlMY0e5Jy2G61m3m8tsfe9E1BaKZwNq0XKFkR6GlgpaOYiERHw/s1600-h/CapturePaintingOneNationUnderGod.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429357960763588802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWCoW_L4VL_prNcYwUonH650fzU7WyT9ETzeKwT9f74Uu5pnwXJdAeM2SQRN0YyRuVYQUveybVOYIp6Jshdyup3wZrBlMY0e5Jy2G61m3m8tsfe9E1BaKZwNq0XKFkR6GlgpaOYiERHw/s400/CapturePaintingOneNationUnderGod.jpg" /></a><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"> One Nation Under God (click to enlarge)</span></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></strong></div><br /><div align="left">The Non-power of Terrorists</div><br /><div align="left">by <strong><a href="http://www.theintercessors.com/"><span style="color:#000099;">Shay Villere</span></a></strong></div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I just read the sentencing statements made by the gentleman who tried to ignite his shoe-bomb on a plane a few years ago. Obviously, it contained the usual Muslim stuff, about Allah and jihad and all of it. What was interesting was the judge's comments.<br /><br />The judge outlined very well how America will never ever give in to people who are simply mass murderers masquerading as soldiers. Terrorists are not really fighting a war, they are just trying to kill people. All of this death and destruction under the guise of religious war is extremely foolish. There is no real hope for a cause like that, where all that happens is random death.<br /><br />I was especially impressed with how the judge mentioned over and over again how America had been through these situations before, and will happily go through them again. We are the ones who end the wars. We never run from fear. We are not in the business of giving up. We come to the aid of countries that need us. We alone are sometimes the only ones who are able to make a significant difference, and that is actually okay with us.<br /><br />Other countries are jealous of our freedom. They are jealous of our way of life. They are jealous of how we can do virtually anything we want, wherever we want. We are not hampered by the world. Our individual rights are the best this world has to offer. We are a courageous, determined people and mass murder holds no place in this country or any other.<br /><br />Where does Jesus fit in to all this? He is the one who INVENTED AMERICA!!! It was His religion that brought about these freedoms. He is the one who inspired the founding fathers. He is the one who guides the decisions of our leaders. If you look at the viewpoints of the last 200 years of America, and beyond really, they are CHRISTIAN VALUES! We are a country that comes to the defense of other countries because Jesus ALWAYS helps people who are impoverished and dominated by villains. Do you know what makes Christians different than other people? THE SACRIFICE!!! We will gladly hand over our happiness, our comfort, our money, to aid those people in the world who are without. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Shay Villere is the creator of </span></strong><a href="http://www.theintercessors.com/"><span style="color:#000099;"><strong>Intercessors.com</strong></span></a>, <strong><span style="font-size:85%;">where Christians from all walks of life can come together for prayer, 24/7</span></strong></div>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-16260018294338454602010-01-15T11:47:00.005-06:002010-01-15T13:23:56.670-06:00Miracles Abound On Evil Ground<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFZ1QoPVnd7sLWo_Z1lyMmZBcQgYxMNcmrXHK6isGLTIXq3kK0w5fg5H161H_Vqtsp9vmvOSvi1Z73JOZSId9euMpBdXCZULzWF4s8BV4tew37ZRuhp17d7FSflfn5H3GwqqDwuw7KrY/s1600-h/dantor.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 370px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 249px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427025050186268818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFZ1QoPVnd7sLWo_Z1lyMmZBcQgYxMNcmrXHK6isGLTIXq3kK0w5fg5H161H_Vqtsp9vmvOSvi1Z73JOZSId9euMpBdXCZULzWF4s8BV4tew37ZRuhp17d7FSflfn5H3GwqqDwuw7KrY/s400/dantor.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Missionaries from two New Jersey Churches are safe after Tuesday's devastating earthquake in Haiti. </div><br />The leaders of Allentown's Lifechurch said residents of their Haitian orphanage in Port-au-Prince and a volunteer from Allentown survived. Members of Trinity United Methodist Church in Hackettstown arrived at JFK in New York this morning. They had gone to Haiti on a yearly mission to bring badly needed medical supplies to the orphanage.<br /><br />At the time of the quake, the group was with the orphans in an open field, playing ball, said Frank Procaccini. Any other time they would have been in the buildings. The orphanage and the Hotel were destroyed, killing many inside.<br /><br />I have read about and heard of numerous accounts of rescues in a most impossible situation, with no equipment and supplies available. In almost every occurrence, it is told of prayers being answered.<br /><br />I wept at the images of Haitians waiting for help on rooftops which could barely hold them following the 2008 hurricanes, back-to-back. I was terribly upset at the delay in reaching them. It seemed then, as it does now, their government just does not care. The only word I've heard from their president was regarding the presidential palace being destroyed.<br /><br />Wednesday, Well known evangelist Pat Robertson publicly implied the Haitians deserved their fate as they swore a pact with the devil. While his inappropriate context certainly had bad timing, and would not be understood well by many in the global audience he reached, it was not far from truth.<br /><br />Michael Savage, well known radio show host, has taken the issue to the other extreme, making light of the voodoo situation while denouncing Robertson without mercy, for two days. I respect Savage's political opinions, most of the time, but, he should leave spiritual issues to the experts. He became just as "ridiculous" as Robertson.<br /><br />The truth of the matter is God will judge evil nations (which I've heard Savage express in the past). God will bring down an evil people. Unfortunately, innocents cannot be excluded from a national tragedy. While I am certainly no expert, as well, I will not exclude the facts for degradation sake. I believe for everything there is a reason. I do not believe in coincidence, 90% of the time.<br /><br />For generations Haiti has been known as the Voodoo Capitol of the world. Carried over from the African slave trades, those of whom ended up on the tropical Island, which at the time was called Saint Domingo, have evolved traditional rituals into a serious and threatening religion involving murder and torture.<br /><br />The difference in the background of the slaves has helped integrating beliefs, rites, songs and dances of different tribes to create a syncretic religion.<br />From the beginning the authorities already suspected that the meetings organized by the slaves, even the ones connected to the dancing meeting were related to religious (actually, witchcraft) practices.<br /><br />Along the way, Voodoo was even integrated with Catholic beliefs, hence the depictions above by Haitian artists. Other satanic religions, such as Santeria, have also stemmed from these same basic evils. It is rampant and responsible for many violent incidents globally and here in the U.S.<br /><br />So, while it is a great tragedy, and I have encouraged all within the sound of my voice (or network) to help in any way possible, let us not preclude the reality of Haiti's nature. I call for fervent prayer, for those still alive but not yet reached by rescuers, for the families of the victims, and for the spiritual enlightenment of the survivors- that they would be led away from the dominant evil in that country, and brought to salvation, in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen!<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">PLEASE HELP THE HAITIAN RED CROSS EFFORTS BY DONATING JUST $10 BY TEXTING "HAITI" TO 90999</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">it will be billed to your phone bill</span></strong>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-52726531565013815392010-01-05T00:46:00.009-06:002010-01-05T09:09:27.229-06:00Denial (Ya Say Ya Wanna Resolution)<a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/06/believe-it-to-see-it.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 350px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423144840627056834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4viifnLVPNa9zrye8o1ge3atnwFIxC7sc8RhYRf4I0bK8E7bpr_uDFunZkDIMjuSvDOudIMACxj3g_siPhHfvRTfFYM818Dgwxj1FczJTW9387K5JaWa6L3SekmY0bmZulFnUTgyCWZs/s400/denial.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Denial is a strange beast. We all have exercised it to some degree. Many live by it. It consumes them and dictates their life. In that case, they seldom find happiness and when they do it is short lived. Denial is an illusion, oftentimes serving as a drug, in order to rationalize an escape from a particular reality in our life.<br /><br />In any event, denial is a destructive presence hindering our dealing with the truth. We are often so convinced of the legitimacy of our denial, we accept it as truth. We dissuade ourselves from taking the proper course which would derive a healthy outcome of an issue or an event.<br /><br />Usually, if we think we need not deal with something ( perhaps an occurrence from the past), that is <em>exactly</em> what we need to deal with. We are unable to see it, for our denial. Perspective is everything. With the proper (or true) perspective there is almost no limit to what we humans can accomplish.<br /><br />By that same token, a bad or incorrect perspective can cripple us to no end. A wrong perspective produced from deceiving ourselves can and will ruin our lives from what God intended for us.<br /><br />I had just written an article regarding sin, and Mat 7:21. Almost immediately after posting it I received a comment from a woman demanding, “Enough already with the doom and gloom, we get the point.” At first, I thought why would she think I wrote the article for her, or, how did I get in her way? Then, I realized - she is probably one of the people I wrote it for.<br /><br />I have always been troubled by those of whom are seemingly strong Christians, but troubled by the Word of God, in any aspect. If I see the same scripture over and over, it seems to me I needed to see it. In a different perspective a scripture we have heard many times may take on a whole new meaning.<br /><br />God is very gentle with us. When we are faithful He will direct us and give us information He feels we need, or can handle. Our perception of what we need is seldom in line with what He sees that we truly need to enhance our lives. <strong>Proverbs 3: 5-6</strong>, <em>Trust in Him with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.<br /></em><br />In troubled times I have struggled to stick to that principle, and I promise you it pays off, so to speak.<br /><br />I have always used my own type of prose in my writing. I discovered early on that while they are very expressive and knowledgeable, Theologians and Scholars tend to ramble on with words by which the common lay person or even some English teachers are unable to understand. Since most people will not refer to a dictionary to get through each sentence, many an important issue goes unnoticed.<br /><br />I am intent on reaching those individuals who may be looking for answers or a hint from someone that may have experienced what they are going through. I only do this as I was led kicking and screaming by the Lord. I figure if anybody doesn’t like what I have to say, no one is holding a gun to their head; kind of like changing channels if ya don’t like the program.<br /><br />I have found that all too often, those individuals which attack with the most venom are the ones who need the message the most. Take the lady the other day, who told me it seems I had a very good point to make, that it was a shame my grammar was so bad. She went on to state she tried, but, was just unable to read what I had to say. By the way, she spoke fluent English if you were wondering.<br /><br />There is no rhyme or reason for many things we do. Often we seem silly, or petty, and recognize it, but, always rationalizing it to the point of eliminating any conviction of ourselves. Typically, this leads to self righteousness stemming from defending our self. It is the practice, not the rule, self righteousness and denial go hand in hand.<br /><br />The atheist will hold out to deny reason or logic to the point-of-no-return silliness in his argument. He will always have that opportunity to accept the truth of the Gospel and the proof in the prophesies and be saved. The professed Christian in all their self righteousness and denial will more than likely carry their ignorance to the grave. As they presume to tell everyone else they are not sufficient Christians, where they will spend eternity is only known to the Lord.<br /><br />The Lord has knowledge of where we are at in our conscious awareness and the contents of our heart. We cannot begin to conceive of His omnipotence, timing, and compassion. When we least expect it, He is there (all along) and just a word in our heart at the right time can change our life. In our stubbornness and fear of truly grasping the unknown (or unseen) by faith in the Son of God, we miss out completely what He had in store for us.<br /><br />Consequently, we continue to travel around the wilderness longer than necessary. Any happiness we think we experience without God in our life is just empty illusion. I can tell you, not only by the inerrant Word of God, but, by my own experience…<br /><br />If you lean not on your own understanding, but, trust in Him with all your heart, and in all your ways acknowledge Him - <strong>HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATH!!!</strong><br /></div><div><br />Some will have no idea what I'm saying, while someone else will understand completely and needed to hear it. There is a purpose for everything.</div><div align="left"><br />If you are looking for a New Year’s resolution, why not commit yourself to telling someone of the goodness the Lord has brought you and the relief of knowing your destination after this world. They may ask questions and you just might save a life.<br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>Iniquity keeps us from experiencing a complete relationship with Jesus, and receiving all He intends for our lives. CLICK ON THE MAN IN BONDAGE AND SET HIM FREE</strong><br /></span></div><a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/03/four-step-program.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 318px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423144109724646018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSu0vMxpvrZrgljCMY4hVVP18SoOBsfvQoNSrJ4LI4fA91XQdHgkJo270i4u2WmguTtJKIjzfIRI65_ay-TczmlXzOwdQRZGMN2sLXgfWim5PGz2DNIV7Lid_qGsEyOdBu_LFArfD1VPg/s400/prisoner.gif" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-23580193950788378112009-12-17T05:58:00.007-06:002009-12-17T07:39:37.079-06:00You Cannot Take Christ Out Of Christmas, Only Man Out Of Christ<a href="http://www.ubuildit.com.au/posters.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 317px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416175481539343538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2DS8P_6HujB5oLj926mDL9M-25da1w0rsG1hNl9cZUEZSv-zvTRgjw7MUGH27ZXWzaTpzX9ZSVbDTk78wzxQ7LgMqcPvtQvayEta52n6NB78YMuh0VyCwwdLfcrviBJOdI4_N7vUYfU/s400/nativity_scene.jpg" /></a><strong><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"> If you want to make this a special Christmas, DON'T FORGET THE BIRTHDAY BOY!</span></strong><br />*<br /><div>A young man training to be a missionary came to me one day and confided he was struggling in his relationship with the Lord. "I want to please Him," he said, "But it's very difficult, and I mess up all the time. It troubles me to know end, and I don't know, will I ever be pleasing to God?"</div><div></div><div>"You are exactly the one who pleases God the most!" I exclaimed to the young man with the troubled heart for God.</div><div>* </div><div></div><div></div><div>God is not looking for perfection in His children, just that we are His humble children. We were all born sinners, appalling creatures. Sin cannot be removed from us completely. To have a relationship with Christ, our Lord, one only needs to turn his heart over to Him, and live his/her life by faith in Him. No human can avoid sin completely, but, accepts the Holy Spirit's conviction and repents (turns away) and is forgiven.</div><div>*</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">We cannot live in sin (iniquity) and expect the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, in an ungodly place.</span></strong> </div><div>*</div><div></div><div>When we accept the truth of the Gospel and ask Jesus to come into our life and we give up control to Him, we become dead to sin. This does not mean we cannot sin, rather, we lose the desire to sin.</div><div>*</div><div></div><div></div><div>Are you struggling with the idea of giving your life over to the One who gave you life? Are you not ready just yet to give up that sin that pleases you so much right now? Maybe it is iniquity you have struggled to walk away from, but, have not been successful. Well, it is all perception. Perception is everything. We cannot conceive of His Glory and Love through our transgressions and discontent. In fact, the only content we will ever TRULY find is when we surrender our pathetic way of life over to Him and live in His Will.</div><div>*</div><div></div><div></div><div>Christmas, regardless of all the rhetoric and ignorance, is Christ's birthday. It is why we even celebrate the 25th December. We have come to make Christmas all about us humans. A special time to feel good about ourselves in giving gifts to one another and 'spreading cheer'. But, it is Christ's birthday. Not very many consider giving Him a gift, instead, we give everyone BUT Him a gift. In some cases, we go out of our way to find a gift for someone we don't even like.</div><div>*</div><div></div><div><strong>Did you know December 25 is not even the actual day Christ was born? Nope! it was actually much earlier in the month, but, for commercial reasons we decided to place Christmas closer to New Year's Day.</strong></div><div>*</div><div></div><div></div><div>If only more people could perceive iniquity as a pleasure only for a season, then their world will come crashing down. Many people even call themselves Christian, but, never turned to His Will and direction in their life. In other words, I hate to have to be the one to tell them, they are not really Christians. If you were led to read this far and you have been struggling with repenting of some iniquity in your life and you would like to do things His way for a change, for your life, <a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/03/four-step-program.html"><strong><span style="color:#000099;">follow this link immediately</span></strong> </a>and I will tell you how. It is really very simple---the hard part is having the heart to do so.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ddai8rkXWRs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ddai8rkXWRs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"><strong><em>I Wish All of You a Safe and Merry Christmas and God's Blessings!</em></strong></span>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-92221415750738184392009-12-11T11:18:00.007-06:002009-12-12T09:30:42.688-06:00Planned Parenthood Does Not Need "Bail Out"<a href="http://aulaction.org/"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 357px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414030244853683490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHWjr1vyA6AW6pt-NDulHr-g840L16MhSlS9ILOrzJxoYfZWbFoNCQIhMtWwduvXISmShZE2kKS9AftfArmN1szo8K6aPwUfPXLRR6o9wkAgS-N7k21KwaFK7nvrgvDarXcxJtY-PapU/s400/11379.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div>Planned Parenthood is the world's largest abortion provider, with an annual budget in excess of $1 billion - that's right, $1 billion - and posted an $85 million profit last year. Planned Parenthood also received $350 million in federal funding in 2007.<br /><br />The number of federal government "bailouts" of private businesses over the past year is bad enough - but forcing American citizens to finance the abortion industry under the guise of "health care" cannot be accepted. The taking of human life is not health care. That's why Americans United for Life is fighting back against abortion lobbyists in the U.S. Senate. Will you join our fight today?<br /><br />You can help prevent the tragedy of a dramatic increase of abortions in America -- funded by your tax dollars! <a href="https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=MTCXGWZ8DYFX"><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Please follow this secure link</span></strong> </a>right away to make a contribution of $50, $100, $250 or more to support our fight against federal funds being used to take innocent lives.<br /><br />Every year, well over 1,000,000 children lose their lives through abortion in America. For decades, existing federal law has prohibited the use of taxpayer funds from paying for abortions. But now a radical change would take place if the Democrat's health care bill becomes law, our government would force pro-life taxpayers to pay for abortions.<br /><br />Senate Democrats are perilously close to passing a health care bill that does not include language prohibiting federal funding of abortion; in fact, it explicitly includes federal funding for abortions and for insurance plans that include abortion coverage. If this version of the bill passes, there's virtually no way the final version will protect life when it is signed into law by President Obama.<br /><br />We worked with pro-life Senators to have a mirror version of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment included in the Senate bill. But pro-abortion Senators like Barbara Boxer, Claire McCaskill, and others who have publicly stated the bill will not pass with any pro-life language prevailed and killed the pro-life amendment that would have maintained existing law preventing taxpayer funds from being used for abortion.<br /><br />The abortion industry does not need a government bailout! I cannot think of a greater, more important fight than to keep taxpayer funds away from the abortion industry. I can't even imagine how many more children will be killed each year if we allow our tax-dollars to be used to end innocent lives.<br /><br />We must continue this fight and get this message out to as many people as possible. <strong><a href="https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=MTCXGWZ8DYFX"><span style="color:#000099;">Please follow this link immediately</span></a></strong> to give as generously as you can, then forward this message to friends, family, colleagues - everyone you know.<br /><br />We are not powerless in this fight. We can choose to have our dollars used to protect life, not end it. So I hope I can count on your support today.<br /><br /><div></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://aulaction.org/"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 100px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414029824631486914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxac9MFnTTJNYK7PrOayQw_ThaNAbHQ2mk9vblwfYkOg_PKbLNR4GSJzXr0I_GNDQUBl_5_YcdF2qwconXuDCKccr71aUDejy_dCTFSBx_Gdix0N2draIgXexJqWZf2zmlhjuckcK9XXY/s400/Charmaine+Yoest.jpg" /></a> Charmaine Yoest</div><div align="center">President, CEO</div><div align="center"><strong><a href="http://aulaction.org/">AUL Action</a></strong></div><div align="center">The Legislative Arm of</div><div align="center"><a href="http://fightfoca.com/"><strong>Americans United For Life</strong> </a><br /><br />Well over 1,000,000 innocent lives are ended by abortions each year, and now the U.S. Senate is dangerously close to passing a health care bill that will allow our federal tax dollars to fund more abortions. <a href="https://secure.donationreport.com/donation.html?key=MTCXGWZ8DYFX"><strong>Please follow this link</strong> </a>today and make a contribution of $50, $100, $250 or more to Americans United for Life so we can continue our work to prevent federal funding of abortion. Then, please email this post to everyone you know to help us build our grassroots coalition. Thank you. </div>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-85087863264919190252009-12-04T13:51:00.005-06:002009-12-04T14:08:21.934-06:00A Different Christmas Poem<strong></strong><a href="http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411471291156939026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalxyevyud-tE92sKjku22Loyf3C-Ba_AKlOc-Ws503gfb_JZijEet-x47nWE_pW801hdDHt47x7JamtmfsCzUTEN7jq8Z3vhBEW-ekhpgw_DYbwVwprjGnxQSSH2-SdrtLKJBlr5s-HI/s400/christmas1.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Please, take just 10 seconds to <a href="http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html"><strong>send a printed card</strong> </a>to a soldier (FREE)</div><div></div><div>Or, if you are able to afford a <strong>$25</strong> donation <strong><a href="https://www.uso.org/donate/custom.aspx?id=641&">USO will send a $75 Care Package</a></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div></div><div></div><br />The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,<br />I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.<br />My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,<br />My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.<br />Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,<br />Transforming the yard to a winter delight.<br /><br />The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,<br />Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.<br />My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,<br />Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.<br />In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,<br />So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.<br /><br />The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,<br />But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.<br />Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the<br />sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.<br />My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,<br />And I crept to the door just to see who was near.<br /><br />Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,<br />A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.<br />A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,<br />Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.<br />Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,<br />Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.<br /><br />"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,<br />"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!<br />Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,<br />You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"<br />For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,<br />Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts…<br /><br />To the window that danced with a warm fire's light<br />Then he sighed and he said, "Its really all right,<br />I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.<br />"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,<br />That separates you from the darkest of times.<br /><br />No one had to ask or beg or implore me,<br />I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.<br />My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"<br />Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."<br />My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',<br />And now it is my turn and so, here I am.<br /><br />I've not seen my own son in more than a while,<br />But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.”<br />Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,<br />The red, white, and blue... an American flag.<br />“I can live through the cold and the being alone,<br />Away from my family, my house and my home.<br /><br />I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,<br />I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.<br />I can carry the weight of killing another,<br />Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..<br />Who stand at the front against any and all,<br />To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."<br /><br />"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,<br />Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."<br />"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,<br />"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?<br />It seems all too little for all that you've done,<br />For being away from your wife and your son."<br /><br />Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,<br />"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.<br />To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,<br />To stand your own watch, no matter how long.<br />For when we come home, either standing or dead,<br />To know you remember we fought and we bled.<br />Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,<br />That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."<br /><br />PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many<br />people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our<br />U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these<br />festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.<br /><br /><strong>LCDR Jeff Giles</strong> , SC, USN<br />30th Naval Construction Regiment<br />OIC, Logistics Cell One<br />Al Taqqadum , IraqEdward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-50939746032228451782009-12-01T06:10:00.005-06:002009-12-13T17:12:13.238-06:00Do You Believe He is Able?<a href="http://2repent.wordpress.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410240113099577874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 353px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAbwsw-_cE0-e50LTmbyIyZPhuhtMgteesTebfA8C_b4Pigv7G0Gt1zMJmCrSvW4_Xjpm2rxWOhjDTWfxQSJqGoZvygvV8DzJB6tfm96USjhv8J3QeWAsNeu-c6E2dHbw0Jna8bVyuwk/s400/jesus-heals-blind-man.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><strong><em>"He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus<br />said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"<br /></em>Matthew 9:28</strong><br /><br />Have you ever read the Bible and wondered why Jesus would ask a<br />blind or lame man if they wanted to be healed before He healed<br />them? The Bible says in <strong>John 5:6</strong>, that Jesus saw a man who had<br />been crippled for 38 years lying next to a pool and asked him, <strong><em>"Do<br />you wish to get well?"</em></strong> More specifically, in <strong>Matthew 9:28</strong> the<br />bible says, "He (Jesus) entered the house, the blind men came up<br />to Him, and Jesus said to them, <strong><em>"Do you believe that I am able to<br />do this? "<br /></em></strong><br />The reason Jesus ask these needy individuals these<br />seemingly obvious questions, is becasue Jesus understood that there<br />is a real connection between what we "believe" and what we<br />"receive". Jesus knew they first must believe that they can be<br />delivered before they were able to receive deliverance. It is<br />possible for someone to have been in a condition for so long that<br />they they refuse to believe that anyone can help them. For God to<br />change many of our situations we must first believe that things<br />can be better, and that better is God's will for our lives."<br /><br />In <strong>Romans 4:3</strong>, we are given the secret to the blessing Abraham<br />enjoyed in his life. The text says, <strong>"Abraham believed God and it<br />was credited to him as righteousness."</strong> The secret is simply -<br />Abraham "believed God". As a matter of fact, God granted him the<br />desire of his heart, not because he was perfect and obeyed His<br />every command, but that he believed Him. Abraham didn't earn what<br />God gave him, he simply believed God for what he could not do in<br />his own power.<br /><br />Your ability to believe in God's goodness and His<br />predetermined purpose for your life is what gives you the ability<br />to exceed your limitations. The Bible says that Abraham believed<br />God despite living in an objectively dead situation. His belief in<br />God's goodness above the deadness of his situation is what gave<br />birth to his blessing.<br /><br />Belief that life has something better in store for you is what will<br />empower you to overcome what otherwise has overcome you. The reason<br />so many people's situation becomes their destination is because<br />they believe that their situation can't change. What we believe is<br />the most important and determinative factor in our lives. What we<br />believe will determine what we strive to accomplish and what we<br />will settle for. Believing in something gives it life and makes it<br />a reality in our lives.<br /><br />What is it that you need or want to change in your life? In order<br />to see better, you must believe better. Better is available, but<br />you have to believe that it is God's will for your life and that it<br />is available. Just as we saw above, Jesus is asking you the same<br />question He asked the blind men in the text, <strong><em>"Do you believe that I<br />am able to do this?"</em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong>Dr. J.C. Matthews</strong>, Senior Pastor of Dunamis Life Ministries and Chancellor of The International Kingdom Institute.Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-19309302214905799802009-11-21T14:57:00.005-06:002009-11-21T15:37:05.704-06:00Appreciation For Our Military<a href="http://www.dtrtcybercrew.com/"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406664579002411746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRKHs8XTpLAcs-5at0RmNzQq5F5_rvua_Z96Dq91y62BG8Hp5Kc4w9PXPqztyp3I7tAh8xuLN3OYnbhTDyBSHQBm_rYOsIBGTujrwLLnGpo3KAbcIngMpsqzuk8ra-njFrTtOz1_B60c/s400/IMG00188.jpg" /></a><br />This letter which follows was sent to a good friend and brother in Christ, Pastor Ed Boston (pictured above) of Hope First Wesleyan Church in Hope, IN. He has long been a supporter of our troops and creator of <strong><a href="http://www.dtrtcybercrew.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Do The Right Thing</span></a></strong>.<br /><br /><strong>Dear Editor:</strong><br /><br />While I'm eating my Thanksgiving dinner with my family this year, I'm going to have a hard time enjoying it knowing that our President is willingly allowing our men and women in Afghanistan to die while waiting for him to make up his mind whether or not to give them the resources they need for survival.<br /><br />I was heartsick while reading a chat room that is sometimes visited by soldiers currently serving in Afghanistan, ask us to please pray for their safety because each day things get worse, and they don't know when they are going to get the help they need. Pastor Ed Boston, of Hope First Wesleyan Church in Hope, IN works with deployed soldiers and veterans through an on-line ministry called Do The Right Thing. He has confirmed the stories and the concerns of those currently serving.<br /><br />These brave men and women went where they were told to go and are doing their very best, so how deranged is it to send them there as sitting ducks while the elite politicians play golf in between paying off their friends for political favors.<br /><br />There is something so seriously wrong with our government allowing the Secretary of the Treasury to get away with funnelling obscene amounts of money to his friends in the auto unions, not to mention the developing corruption story coming out of the Goldman Sachs relationship. Simultaneously, this administration is obsessed with taking over 1/6 of our economy through socialized healthcare! All the while, as if they are invisible, the President is completely ignoring our brightest and best who are literally dying in Afghanistan.<br /><br />These same politicians campaigned on how Afghanistan was the war we "should" be in, and most Americans agreed with them, and yet they have absolutely no conscience at allowing these men to be slaughtered when it is within their power to protect them. It is beyond me how they sleep at night.<br /><br />So we'll eat our Turkey and be grateful that we live in the greatest country on earth, but first I'll call and write to all of my legislators and plead with them not to sit down to their dinner until they have gotten our military the support they need, and stop sending our children to slaughter like the bird they are about to consume.<br /><br /><strong>Susan Kaminski</strong><br /><br /><br />I am baffled as to how and why the present commander - in - chief can deny support for the troops in a war which he supported. Regardless of political strategy or agenda, our soldiers are not pawns. Many are pleading and looking for legal avenues to force the president to do what is necessary.<br /><br /><br />Meanwhile, I ask that anyone has the mind to, please <a href="http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1024.html"><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">go to this site</span></strong> </a>sponsored by Xerox and send a FREE printed card to the soldiers. It takes only 10 seconds, literally, and you will be glad you did.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.clearspring.com/o/47d6d01110aa5765/4b085c559df673a0/47e40f34c586245f/387d98b4" id="W47d6d01110aa57654b085c559df673a0" width="307" height="361"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.clearspring.com/o/47d6d01110aa5765/4b085c559df673a0/47e40f34c586245f/387d98b4" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></object>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-6019905074154769462009-11-13T07:33:00.010-06:002009-11-13T08:21:30.347-06:00Go, And Teach All Nations (Part II)<a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/11/go-and-teach-all-nations.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 389px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 354px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403581311210665122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZouU4gpGFGxaF8uveL_0aZkAyPAjsmpNGPGwwMIoUdbtCJXzN1bE1t1zV0pw3-B_6V4NNyizmIm-U7pDsThRrcWFWjxVD-ZOExKpGyAktVhpN2hK_hR-Rych1-WQlw8DsDI27LjjIcSQ/s400/charles-spurgeon2.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">A Sermon Delivered On Sunday Morning, April 21st, 1861, At The Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by Charles Spurgeon</span></strong><br /><br /><strong>PART II: The Argument</strong><br /><br />I have endeavored to be brief, but, I find I have been long, and therefore pass at once to the argument with which the text commences. The ARGUMENT is this: “<em>All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth, go ye, therefore, and teach all nations</em>.”<br /><br />Three things here. <strong>Christ had suffered, bled and died</strong>; he had now risen from the dead. As the effect of his finished work, he has as mediator received all power in heaven and in earth. There is no allusion here to His inherent power that is not given to Him: that is His native right. He has, as God, all power in heaven and in earth.<br /><br />The text relates to Him as mediator. As mediator he had not this power once; he was weak, he was despised, he was forsaken even of His God. But now, having finished the work was given Him to do, His Father honors Him. He is about to lift Him to His right hand, and gives Him, as a result of His resurrection, all power in heaven and in earth.<br /><br /><strong>Three things, then. First, this is the picture of the Church’s history</strong>, and therefore, she should teach all nations. Secondly, his is the Church’s right. Thirdly, it is the Church’s might; and for all these reasons, she ought to teach all nations.<br /><br />First is the Church’s picture. Christ suffers, bleeds, dies. Do you give up His cause? Do you look upon it as forlorn and desolate? He is nailed to the tree; the world abhors Him, fools gaze and sinners laugh. Do you lay down your weapons and say it is idle to defend such a man as this? It is all over now, He bows His head upon the cross. “It is finished,” saith He; and do your unbelieving hearts say, “Ay, indeed, it is finished; His career is over, His hopes are blighted, His prospects withered?”<br /><br />Ah! Little do you know that His shame was the mother of His future glory; that the stooping was the rising, that the crown of thorns was in fact the fruitful root out of which sprang the eternal crown of glory. He is put into the grave: do you say that there is the grave of all your faith could believe, or your hope could suggest? He rises, brethren, and His resurrection takes effect and fruit from the fact that He died and was buried.<br /><br />Do you not see the picture? We have been sending out heralds of the cross these eighteen hundred years; they have landed on many a shore to die. Fever has taken its hundreds, cruel men have slain their scores, from the first day until now, the record of the mission is written in blood. Somewhere or other there must always be martyrs for Christ.<br /><br />It seems as if the Church never cold plough a wave without a spray of gore. She is still in Madagascar persecuted, afflicted, tormented, still are her ministers hunted about like partridges upon the mountains, and her blood is dying the shambles of her slayers. Do you give up all hope? Shall we, as we look upon the tombs of our missionaries, say that Christ’s cause is dead? Brethren, as you turn over the long roll, and read the names of one after another who sleep in Jesus, shall you say, “Let us close the doors of the Mission House; let us cease our contributions, it is clear the case is hopeless, and the cause can never have success?” Nay, rather, the Church must suffer that she may reign, she must die that she may live, she must be stained with blood, that she may be robed in purple, she must go down into the earth, and seem to be buried and forgotten, that the earth may help the woman, that she may be delivered of the man child.<br /><br />Courage! Courage! Courage! The past is hopeful, because to the naked eye it seemeth hopeless. The cause is glorious because it has been put to shame. Now, now let us gather the fruits of the bloody sowing: let us now reap the harvest of the deep ploughing of agony and suffering which our ancestors have endured.<br /><br />I think that no true-hearted Christian will ever give up any enterprise which God has laid upon him, because he fears its ultimate success. “Difficult,” said Napoleon, “is not a French word.” “Doubtful,” is not a Christian word. We are sure to succeed; the Gospel must conquer. It is possible for heaven and earth to pass away, but, it is not possible for God’s Word to fail, and therefore, it is utterly impossible that any nation, or kindred, or tongue should to the end stand out against the attacks of love, against the invasion of the armies of King Jesus.<br /><br />Thus, then, you see, a fair argument can be built upon the text. Inasmuch as Christ is to His people a picture of what they are to be, inasmuch as by His suffering all power was given to Him in heaven and in earth, so after the sufferings of the Church, the wounds of her martyrs, and her deaths of her confessors, power shall be given unto her in heaven and in earth, and she shall reign with Christ over the nations gloriously.<br /><br /><strong>We now take a second view of the argument. This is the Church’s right.</strong> All power is given to Christ in heaven and in earth. What then? Why this? Kings and princes, potentates and power, are ye aware that your thrones have been given away? Do ye know it, ye crowned heads, that your crowns have been given- given away from you to one who claims to be King of kings and Lord of lords? Do ye pass decrees forbidding the Gospel to be preached? We laugh at you! Ye have no power to prevent it, for all power is given unto Christ in heaven and in earth.<br /><br />Do ye say the missionary has no right upon your shore? The virgin daughter of Zion shaketh her head at you, and laugheth you to scorn. She has right anywhere and everywhere; she has rights in heaven without limit, and rights in earth without bound, for all power is given to her head in heaven and in earth, and she therefore has a patent, a claim which is not to be disputed, to take to herself all countries and all kingdoms, because the power above is given unto Christ.<br /><br />What is that man doing on yonder shore? He has landed on an island in the South Seas; he is an intruder, banish him at once! Sirs, mind what you do , for surely ye fight against God. But, the man is sent away, he comes back again or if not he, another. A severer edict is passed this time, “Let us slay him, that the inheritance may still be ours.” But another comes, and another and another. Why do you stand up and take counsel together against the Lord, and against His anointed? These men are not intruders, they are ambassadors come to make peace, nay, more.<br /><br />They are delegates from heaven, come to learn the rightful heritage of King Jesus. Ye, by putting them away as intruders, have denied the rights of Christ, but, to deny is one thing and to disprove another. He hath still aright to you, and therefore hath the missionary still a right to whithersoever he will, preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ.<br /><br />Once or twice in my life I have met with some miserable little ministers, who, when I have gone into a village to preach, have questioned my right to preach in the village, because I ought to have asked them first, or to have consulted them. Can Christian men look upon a district as their own dominion? Or recon God’s servant as a poacher on their estates, or a brigand in their own territories? Is there any place on this earth so that man can shut out God’s ministers? We once for all put our foot on any claim so ridiculous.<br /><br />Wherever there is found a man there is found a minister free to preach. The whole world is our parish, we know of no fetter upon our feet, and no gag upon our lips. Though kings should pass laws, the servants of Christ can bear the penalty, but they cannot disobey their Master. Though the Emperor should say the Gospel should not be preached by any unauthorized denomination in France, as I have heard he has said of late, we care not for him.<br /><br />What cares the Church for a thousand Emperors? Their resolutions are mockery, their laws waste paper. The Church never was yet vassal to the state, or servile slave to municipalities and powers, and she neither can nor will be. At all the laws of states she laughs and utterly defies them, if they come in the ways of the laws of Christ which says, “Teach the Gospel to every creature.” Brethren, I say, the Church has a right anywhere and everywhere- a right not because she is tolerated; the word is insult, not because the law permits, the law permitting or not permitting, tolerated or not, everywhere beneath the arch of God’s heaven, God’s servants have a right to preach.<br /><br />Oh, that they would claim the right and teach and preach Jesus Christ continually!<br /><br /><strong>But, now, lastly, it seems the argument of the text contains the Church’s might.</strong> “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth; go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Ye have power to teach, fear not. Let this be your encouragement; you must succeed, you shall prevail. There lived another man saved Christ, who could say, ”All power is given me on earth.” Canute put his thrown by the side of the sea, but the waves wet his person, and proved to his flattering courtiers that he is but a man.<br /><br />What power have kings over the lightning, or of the rushing winds? Can they control he tides, or bid the moon stand still? Power is not given unto man, even here on earth. Much less can any man say that all power in heaven belonged to him? This is a singular expression. One which only could be used by Christ, and if any other should attempt to use it, were an imposition, or a blasphemy, but the Lord Jesus Christ can say today, as He said then, “All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth.”<br /><br />Let us think then all power is given to Christ in providence. Over common daily events He has supreme authority. You have launched upon the sea, upon a mission voyage; He rules the waves, and wings the winds. Fear not, for tempest is His trembling slave. You have come near the shore, but, there are hidden reefs and sunken rocks. Fear not, for all the power in the lowest deep has been given unto Him to guide you safely, and to bring you to your desired haven.<br /><br />A band of men meet you upon the shore, brandishing their weapons. You are unarmed, you have nothing but the Word. You shall now prove that “more is He that is with you, than all they that be with them.” Go, in this your might.<br /><br />All power is given to Christ-- powers over the wills of men as well as over the waves of the sea. But, political occurrences prevent your landing on a certain country, through treaties, or a want of treaties. There is no room for the missionary in such-and-such an empire. Pray! And the gates shall be opened; plead, and the bars of brass shall be cut in twain.<br /><br />Christ has power over politics. He can make wars, and create peace, with a view to the propagation of His Word. He can change the hearts of princes, and preside in the counsels of senates. He can cause nations which have long been shut up to be opened to the truth. And, indeed, what a wonderful proof we have had of late, that all power belongs unto Christ, for human skill has been yoked to the chariot of the Gospel.<br /><br />How wondrously, my brethren, have the inventions of man of late years progressed! How could we have preached the Gospel to all nations - how could we have even known that America existed, if it had not been that the Lord put it in the mind of Columbus to discover the New World? And how wearisome our life, if with the ordinary slow navigation of the ancient times we had to journey among all nations! But now we are carried across the waves so rapidly that distance is annihilated, and time forgotten.<br /><br />Truly God has opened up the world, and brought it to our threshold. If He has not made a smaller world, at least He has made it more convenient and nearer to our hand. And then see how countries, which once could not be reached, have been opened to us.<br /><br />The “Celestial King of China”, the rebel prince, invites us to come and preach. He does not merely permit - he invites. He builds places of worship. He is prepared, he says, that his brethren should come and teach him, and teach all his subjects, for they are imperfectly taught in the things of God. And the Imperial Sovereign of China, too, though he does not invite, permit’s the missionaries to go among his millions.<br /><br />There is perfect liberty for us to preach to four hundred million persons who before had never seen the light of Calvary. And there is India, too, given up to our dominion, and the old Company, which always impeded us, rolled up in its shroud and laid in its grave. And there are other lands and other places which once seemed to be environed by impassable mountains, into which we have now a road.<br /><br />Oh, for the will to dash through that road riding upon he white horses of salvation! Oh, for the heart, the soul, and the spirit to avail ourselves of the golden opportunity, and to preach Christ where He has never been preached before. All power, then, we can clearly see, over everything in this world has been given to Christ, and has been used for the propagation of truth.<br /><br />Brethren, let us recollect that power is given to Christ in Heaven as well as on earth. All angels bow before Him, and the cherubim and seraphim are ready to obey His high behests (i.e. commands). Power is given to Him over the plenitude of the Holy Spirit; he can pour out the mysterious energy in such abundance that nations can be born in a day. He can clothe His ministers with salvation, and make His priests shout aloud for joy. He has power to intercede with God, and He shall presently send out men to preach, give the people the mind to hear, and give the hearers the will to obey.<br /><br />We have in the midst of us today our Leader. He is not gone from us. If His flesh and blood be absent yet in body as well as spirit he still lives, adorned with the dew and beauty of His youth. As for the Muslim, his leader has long ago rotted in his coffin; but ours lives, and because He lives His truth and His cause live also.<br /><br />We have with us today a Leader whose power has not diminished, whose influence in the highest heavens has suffered no impairing. He is universal Lord. Oh, let our efforts be worthy of the power which He has promised. Let our zeal be in some respect akin to His zeal, and let our energy prove that the energy Divine has not been withdrawn.<br /><br />I wish that I could preach this morning, but, the more earnestly I feel, the more scant are my words with which to express my emotions. I have prayed to God a prayer I shall repeat until the day I die. I have prayed that out of this Church there may go many missionaries. I will never be content with a congregation, or with a Church, or even with ministers, many of whom have gone out of our midst.<br /><br />God’s people everywhere will I trust aid me in training young soldiers for my Master’s army. God will send the men, and faith will find the means, and we will ourselves send out our own men to proclaim the name of Jesus.<br /><br />Brethren, it is a singular thing, some young men get the idea in their minds they would like to go to foreign lands, but these are frequently the most unfit men, and have not the power and ability. Now, I would that the Divine call would come to some gifted men.<br /><br />You who have, perhaps, some wealth of your own, what could be a better object in life than to devote yourself and your substance to the Redeemer’s cause? You young men who have brilliant prospects before you, but who as yet have not the anxieties of a family to maintain, why would it not be a noble thing to surrender your brilliant prospects, that you may become a humble preacher of Christ? The greater the sacrifice, the greater the honor to yourself and the more acceptable to Him.<br /><br />I have questioned my own conscience, and do not think I could be in the path of duty if I should go abroad and preach the Word, leaving this field of labor. But I think many of my brethren now laboring at home might with the greatest advantage surrender their charges, and leave a land where they would scarce be missed, to go where their presence would be as valuable as the presence of a thousand such as they are here.<br /><br />Oh, that I long that we may see young men out of the universities, and students in our grammar schools - that we may see our physicians, tradesmen, and educated mechanics, when God has touched their hearts, giving up all they have, that they may teach and preach Christ. We want Vanderkists; we want Judsons and Brainerds over again. It will never do to send out the heathen men who are of no use at home. We cannot send men of third and tenth class abilities; we must send the highest and best. The bravest men must lead the van.<br /><br />O God, anoint thy servants, we beseech thee; put the fire in their hearts that never can be quenched; make it so hot within their bones that they must die or preach, that they must be down with broken hearts, or be free to preach where Christ was never heard.<br /><br />Brethren, envy anyone among you - I say again with truth, I envy you - if it shall be your lot to go to China, the country so lately opened to us. I would gladly change places with you. I would renounce the partial case of a settlement in this country, and renounce the responsibilities of so large a congregation as this with pleasure, if I might have your honors. I think sometimes that missionaries in the field - if it be right to compare such great things with such small ones - might say to you, as our English king did to his soldiers at the battle of Agincourt, changing the word for a moment - Have we none out of our sixteen hundred members - have we none out of this congregation of six thousand - who can say, “Here am I, send me?” Jesus! Is there not one? Must heathens perish? Must the gods of the heathens hold their thrones? Must thy kingdom fail? Are there none to own thee, none to maintain thy righteous cause?<br /><br />If there be none, let us weep, each one of us, because such a calamity has fallen on us. But, if there be any willing to give all for Christ, let us who are compelled to stay at home do our best to help them. Let us see to it that they lack nothing, for we cannot send them out without purse or scrip. Let us fill the purse of the men whose hearts God has filled, and take care of them temporarily, leaving it for God to preserve them spiritually.<br /><br />May the Lord, the Divine Master add His Blessing to the feeble words that I have uttered, and let me not conclude until I have said, I must teach you too, and this is the teaching of God - “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Trust Him with your soul and He will save you. For “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not, shall be damned.”<br /><br /><strong>Awake, thou Spirit, who of old<br />Didst fire the watchman of the Church’s youth,<br />Who faced the foe, unshrinking, bold<br />Who witnessed day and night the eternal truth<br />Whose voices through the world are ringing still,<br />And bringing hosts to know and do thy will!<br />Oh that thy fire were kindled soon,<br />That swift from land to land its flame might leap!<br />Lord, give us but this priceless boon<br />Of faithful servants, fit for thee to reap<br />The harvest of the soul; look down and view<br />How great the harvest, yet the laborers few.<br />Oh haste to help ere we are lost!<br />Send forth evangelists, in spirit strong,<br />Armed with thy Word, a dauntless host,<br />Bold to attack the rule of ancient wrong<br />And let them all the earth for thee reclaim,<br />To be thy kingdom, and to know thy name.<br /><br /></strong>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-71184736046549578732009-11-07T09:42:00.007-06:002009-11-13T08:04:12.850-06:00Go, And Teach All Nations<a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/11/go-and-teach-all-nations-part-ii.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401388689097581810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrr2H8geB63uBEjxSbEkygsPE93233XCxzzssVhF2sH4yUITEJTKr3tvFb6JeuNTUbAryABo1MMHV6oPahrOlCj7iLWqoHOUyjeblWD6NZdKaNzzf6zP3OaUbiPBCkd2bqNJA34djO2Gw/s400/CharlesSpurgeon2.jpg" /></a> This particular scripture found me three times this week. Then, I was led to this sermon by Spurgeon, and ultimately it kept haunting me to the point I finally realized the Lord wanted me to share this. It is one of the best explanations of what it actually intails to be a Christian. It is a portion of what I harp on to believers. Due to the length, I have dived it into two parts, but, please be patient and read it all, as it is one of the most vital messages for the Christian.<br /><br /><div></div><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">A Sermon Delivered On Sunday Morning, April 21st, 1861, At The Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington<br /></span></strong><br /><strong>Part I : The Command</strong><br /><br />“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ‘All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth, go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost’.” <strong>(Matthew 28:18-19)</strong><br /><br />While I was meditating in private upon this text I felt myself carried away by its power. I was quite unable calmly to consider its terms, or to investigate its argument. The command with which the text concludes repeated itself again, and again, and again in my ears, till I found it impossible to study, for my thoughts were running hither and thither, asking a thousand questions, all of them intended to help me in answering for myself the solemn inquiry, How am I to go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost?”<br /><br />The practical lesson seemed to me to overwhelm in my mind the argument of which that lesson is but a conclusion, “Go ye and teach all nations.” My ears seemed to hear it as if Christ were then speaking to me. I could realize His presence by my side. I thought I could see Him lift His pierced hand, and hear Him speak, with authority, blended with meekness, “Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the All-glorious God.”<br /><br />Oh! I would that the Church could hear the Savior addressing these words to her now, for the words of Christ are living words, not having power in them yesterday alone, but, today also. The injunctions of the Savior are perpetual in their obligation, not binding upon apostles merely, but upon us also, and upon every Christian does this yoke fall, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”<br /><br />We are not exempt today from the service of the first followers of the Lamb. Our marching orders are the same as theirs, and our Captain requires from us obedience as prompt and perfect as from them. Oh, that His message may not fall upon deaf ears, or be heard by stolid souls!<br /><br />Brethren, the heathen are perishing; shall we let them perish? His name is blasphemed, shall we be quiet and still? The honor of Christ is cast into the dust, and His foes His person and resist His throne. Shall we, His soldiers, suffer this, and not find our hands feeling for the hilt of our sword, the Word of the Spirit, which is the Word of God? Our Lord delayeth His coming; shall we begin to sleep, or to eat, or to be drunken? Shall we not rather gird up the loins of our mind, and cry unto Him, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly?”<br /><br />The scoffing skeptics of these last days have said that the anticipated conquest of the world for Christ is but a dream, or an ambitious thought, which crossed our leader’s mind, but which is never to be accomplished. It is asserted by some that the superstitions of the heathen are too strong to be battered down by our teachings, and that the strongholds of Satan are utterly impregnable against our attack. Shall it be so? Shall we be content foolishly to sit still? Nay, let us rather work out the problem, let us prove the promise of God to be true; let us prove the words of Jesus to be words of soberness; let us show the efficacy of His blood and the invincibility of His Spirit, by going in the spirit of faith, teaching all nations, and winning them to the obedience of Christ, our Lord.<br /><br />I do not know how to begin to preach this morning, but still it seems to me, standing here, as if I heard that voice saying, “Go thou, therefore, and teach all nations;” and my soul sometimes pants and longs for the liberty to preach Christ where He was never preached before; not to build upon another man’s foundation, but to go to some untrodden land, some waste where the foot of Christ’s minister was never seen, that there “the solitary place might be glad for us, and the wilderness rejoice and blossom as the rose.”<br /><br /><br />I have made it a solemn question whether I might not testify in China or India the Grace of Jesus, and in the sight of God I have answered it. I solemnly feel that my position in England will not permit my leaving the sphere in which I now am, or else tomorrow I would offer myself as a missionary. Oh, do none of you hear the call this morning? You that are free from so great a work as that which is cast upon me - you that have talents as yet undevoted to any special end, and powers of being as yet unconsecrated to any given purpose, and unconfirmed to any one sphere; do you not hear my Master saying in tones of plaintive sorrow, blended with an authority which is not to be denied, “Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost?”<br /><br />Oh that there were might in some human lip to move the thousands of our Israel to advance at once, unanimously and irresistibly to the world’s conquest, like one tremendous tide rising from the depths of the ocean, to sweep over the sands, the barren sands which are now given up to desolation and death?<br /><br />Oh that once again the voice of thunder could be heard, and the lightning spirit could penetrate each heart, that as one man the entire Church might take the marching orders of her Lord, and go to all nations, baptizing them in the name of Israel’s God. O Lord, if we fail to speak, fail not thou to speak; and if we know not how to bear thy burden, or to express thine awful thoughts, yet speak thou with that all-constraining silent voice which well-trained ears can hear, and make thy servants obedient to thee now, for Christ’s sake!<br /><br />This morning we shall first dwell a little while on the command, and secondly, we shall enlarge upon the argument. There is an argument, as you will perceive, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations.”<br /><br />First, my brethren, and very briefly indeed, a few things about the COMMAND. And we must remark, first what a singularly loving one it is. Imagine Mahomet (ie: Mohammed) on his dying bed saying to his desciples, “All power is given unto me in Heaven and earth;” what would be his command? “Go ye, therefore, with sharp scimitars, and propound faith in the prophet, or death as the dread alternative; avenge me of the men who threw stones at the prophet, make their houses a dunghill, and cut them in pieces for vengeance is mine, and God’s prophet must be avenged of His enemies.” But Christ, though far more despised and persecuted of men, and having real power which that pretend prophet never had, says to His disciples, as He is about to ascend to Heaven, “All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth; go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”<br /><br />It is the voice of love, not of wrath. “Go and teach them the power of my blood to cleanse, the willingness of my arms to embrace, the yearning of my heart to save! Go and teach them. Teach them no more to despise me, no more to think my Father an angry and implacable Deity. Teach them to bow the knee, and kiss the Son, and find peace for all their troubles, and a balm for all their woes in me. Go ye, speak as I have spoken; weep as I have wept; invite as I have invited; exhort, entreat, beseech and pray, as I have done before you. Tell them to come unto me, if they be weary and heavy laden, and I will give them rest; and say unto them, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, but rather that he should turn unto me and live.’” What a generous and gracious command is that of the text, “Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”<br /><br />Note, too, how exceedingly plain is the command, “Go ye, teach all nations.” The Romish Church has misunderstood this. She says, “Go ye, mystify all nations; sound in their ears a language once living, but now dead; take to them the Latin tongue, and let that be sounded with all the harmony of sweet music, and they will be converted. Erect the sumptuous altar; clothe the priest in mystic garments; celebrate mysterious rites; and make the heathen wonder; dazzle them with splendor; amaze them with mystery.” But, “Nay,” says Christ, “nay, go ye and teach.”<br /><br />Why, it is the mother’s work with her child; it is the tutor’s work with the boy and with the girl - “go ye, and teach.” How simple! Illustrate; explain, expound; tell; inform; narrate. Take from them the darkness of ignorance, reveal to them the light of revelation. Teach! Be content to sit down, and tell them the most plainest and most common things. It is not your eloquence that shall convert them; it is not your gaudy language or your polished periods that shall sway their intellects. Go and teach them. Teach them! Why, my hearer, I say again, this is a word which has to do with the rudiments of knowledge.<br /><br />We do not preach to children, we teach them, and we are not so much to preach to nations. That word seems to big and great for the uncivilized and childish people; go ye, and teach them first the very simplicities of the cross of Christ.<br /><br />And note how he puts it next. Who are to be taught? “Go ye, and teach all nations.” The Greek has his philosophers, teach him, he is but a child; he is a fool though he thinketh himself to be wise. There be polite nations which have a literature of their own, far larger and more extensive than the literature of the Christian: teach them nevertheless. They are to be taught and unless they are willing to take the learner’s place, and to become as little children, they can in no wise enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Do not debate and argue with them. Put not your self with them upon their level as a combatant concerning certain dogmas; insist upon it that I have sent you - sent you to teach the most erudite and profoundly learned; and when you shall claim it, I am with you always to back your claim, and men shall be willing to sit at your feet to be taught the name of Jesus.<br /><br />I do not know whether all your missionaries have caught the idea of Christ - “Go ye and teach all nations” but most of them have, and these have been honored with many conversions. The more fully they have been simple teachers, not Philosophers of the Western Philosophy, not eager disputants concerning some English dogma, I say the more plainly they have gone forth as teachers sent from God to teach the world, the more successful they have been.<br /><br />“Go ye, therefore, and teach.” Some may think, perhaps, there is less difficulty in teaching the learned than teaching the uncivilized and barbarous. There is the same duty to one as to the other: “Go and teach.” “But they brandish the tomahawk.” Teach them, and lie down and sleep in their hut, and they shall marvel at your fearlessness and shall spare your life. “But they feed on the blood of their fellows, they make a bloody feast about the cauldron in which a man’s body is the horrible viand.” Tech them and they shall empty their war kettle, and they shall bury their swords, and bow before you, and acknowledge King Jesus.<br /><br />“But they are brutalized, they have scarce a language - a few clicking sounds make up all they can say.” Teach them, and they shall speak the language of Canaan, and sing the songs of Heaven. It has been proven, brethren, that there are no nations incapable of being taught, nay, that there are no nations incapable afterwards of teaching others. The African slave has perished under the lash, rather than dishonor his Master. The Esquimaux has climbed his barren steeps, and borne his toil, while has recollected the burden which Jesus bore. The Hindu has patiently submitted to the loss of all things, because he loved Christ better than all. Feeble Malagasay women have been prepared to suffer and die, and have taken joyfully suffering for Christ’s sake.<br /><br />There has been heroism in every land for Christ. Men of every color and of every race have died for Him. Upon His altar has been found the blood of all kindred that be upon the face of the earth. Oh! Tell me not, they cannot be taught. Sirs, they can be taught to die for Christ; and this is more than some of you have learned. They can rehearse the very highest lesson of the Christian religion - that self sacrifice which knows not itself but gives up all for Him.<br /><br />At this day there are Karen Missionaries preaching among the Karens with as fervid an eloquence as was ever known by Whitfield. There are Chinese teaching in Borneo, Sumatra, and Australia, with as much earnestness as Morison or Milne first taught in China. There are Hindu evangelists who are not ashamed to have given up the Brahminical thread, and to eat with the Pariah, and to preach with him the riches of Christ.<br />There have been men found of every class and kind, not only able to be taught, but able to become teachers themselves. And the most mighty teachers, too, of the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well was that command warranted by the future facts, when Christ said, “Go ye, teach all nations.”<br /><br />But, brethren, he text says, “Baptizing them.” They are to be taught, and afterwards they are to be baptized. I know not why it is that we yield to the superstitions of our Christian brethren, so much as to use the word baptize at all. It is not an English word, but, a Greek word. It has but one meaning, and cannot bear another. Throughout all the classics, without exception, it is not possible to translate it correctly, except with the idea of immersion. Believing this, and knowing this, if the translation is not complete, we will complete it this morning.<br /><br />“Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Now I think that our Missionary Society, while it may take precedence in matters of time - for it was the first that was ever commenced with the exception of the Moravians - ought also to take precedence in matters of purity, because we can carry out this text in every country, teaching first, and baptizing afterwards. We do not understand the philosophy of first baptizing, and afterwards teaching. We hold that we must teach first, and then, when men are disciples, we are to baptize them. Not the nations; the Greek does not bear that interpretation, but, those who have been made disciples we are to baptize into the Sacred Name.<br /><br />We think that the brethren do serious damage to the Gospel by baptizing children. We do not think their error a little one. We know it does not touch a vital point, but we d believe infant baptism is the prop and pillar of Popery, and it being removed, Popery and Puseyism become at once impossible. You have taken away all idea of a nation godliness and a nation religion, when you have cut away all liberty to administer Christian ordinances to unconverted persons. We cannot see any evil which would follow, if our brethren would renounce their mistake; but we can see abundant mischief which their mistake has caused, and in all kindness, but with all fidelity, we again enter our solemn protest against their giving baptism to any other than disciples, to any but those who are followers of the Lamb.<br /><br />Throw down her hedges? Give her supper and her baptism to those that are not Christ’s people? Break down her walls? Remove her barricades? God forbid! Except a man be renewed in heart, we adre not allow him to participate in the ordinances which belong to Christ’s Church. It is a disastrous thing to call unconverted children Christians, or to do anything which may weaken their apprehension of the great fact, that until they are converted they have no part or lot in this matter.<br /><br />Brethren, if you differ with me on this point, bear with me, for my conscience will not let me conceal this solemn truth. To you who agree with me I say, while our other can do in some things more than we can, and we rejoice in their efforts, and would heartily bless God that they wold show more activity than ourselves, yet we ought to be ashamed of ourselves if we are a whit behind. We are a body of Christians who can fairly and purely teach and baptize. We can obey this command of Christ abroad as well as at home, without running counter to our practice in one place by our practice in the other. We ought to be first and foremost, and if we be not, shame shall cover us for our unfaithfulness. “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/11/go-and-teach-all-nations-part-ii.html">(Continued in Part II: The Argument)</a></strong>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-86759488362562691912009-10-23T11:58:00.007-05:002009-10-23T13:02:06.582-05:00Witnessing of Wrath To Come; Not Joy and Happiness<a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/02/warm-and-fuzzy-sermons-serve-only-satan.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 287px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395841595847487490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1aNDzgsyF1Zi7tsh9mnqALhrGwuhSWoI0rgweOckV4jzQp8rN_nWOU4rbbq-G2tYt5iETEUwLgMMq3X-TByJnaFpV4WgFMOw_FCOKg8yI38Mj63jhpQwKYnlLETqZa0lcZ9oGm2fxzI/s400/man-praying-on-one-knee.jpg" /></a><br />A few years ago, I attended a Christian conference in Katy, Texas, where I had the privilege of hearing Kirk Cameron speak. Kirk is an actor who gave his heart to the Lord several years ago. He teamed up with well known evangelist Ray Comfort (Living Waters Ministry) and together they have produced a series of DVD ministering videos called <b><a href="http://www.wayofthemaster.com/index.shtml">“The Way of the Master"</a></b>. Kirk is well known for his starring in the “<strong><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/biblical07-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=111">Left Behind</a></strong>” movies.<br /><br />In their ministry, Kirk and Ray approach people from all walks of life and show them the NEED to turn away from sin and accept Jesus as their Savior. As anyone has read any of my articles would know, I am a strong proponent of this type of evangelism. Too many people are walking around today deceived into believing they are saved when they are not.<br /><br />While it is true that, once saved, you cannot lose your salvation, thanks to misguided evangelists seeking numbers, rather than strong believers in Christ, many think they are saved due to a (five) minute prayer. Meanwhile, most professed Christians are living in all ranges of iniquity, including fornication, adultery, pornography, alcohol and drug abuse, blasphemy, and even supporting the most heinous of sins-- abortion.<br /><br />I have heard so many arguments from people claiming to be Christians regarding (my) view of the Gospel… “<em><strong>Is just the way you interpret it</strong></em>”, they’ll say. They truly believe that God’s word is acceptable in many different forms, depending on how each individual interprets it, as long as that individual thinks he or she is doing the right thing. It is truly sad. What they are saying, in essence, is that they can play stupid, and all will be fine in the end. God said His people will be destroyed due to ignorance. That means ignorance is no excuse. Worse yet, is the fact that the ones of whom were presented with the truth, and rejected it, will be the most harshly judged.<br /><br />This brings me to the next most popular argument… “<strong><em>Judge not, lest ye be judged</em></strong>.”<br />Oh, I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been hit with that one. Totally misunderstood, even atheists use that one. Judging sin is not the context by which Jesus meant we were not to judge others. As much as misguided sentiments like “pray about it, and you’ll be fine”, oftentimes we tend to use scripture to enable our disconnect from doing the right thing, and still seem godly about it. It’s always human nature to rationalize our own lackings. When it comes to sin, we are commanded to judge it, especially, in as far as pointing it out, and hopefully the recipient will be nudged to be convicted of it, and repent. Silly atheists!!!<br /><br />At the conference, Kirk gave the best analogy I had ever heard regarding the need to make it clear <strong><em>why </em></strong>a person needs the Lord.<br /><br /><strong>Two men are seated on a plane</strong>. The first is given a parachute and told to put it on as it would improve his flight. He’s a little skeptical at first, since he cannot see how putting on a parachute could possibly improve his flight.<br /><br />He decides to experiment and see if the claims are true. As he puts it on he notices the weight of it upon his shoulders, and he finds he has difficulty in sitting upright. However, he consoles himself with the fact he was told the parachute would improve his flight, so he decides to give it a little time.<br /><br />As waits he notices that some of the other passengers are laughing at him for wearing a parachute on a plane. He begins to feel somewhat humiliated. As they continue to point and laugh at him, he can stand it no longer. He sinks in his seat, unstraps the parachute and throws it to the floor. Disillusionment and bitterness fills his heart, because as far as he was concerned he was told an outright lie.<br /><br />The second man is given a parachute, but, listen to what he is told. He’s told to put it on because at any moment he could be jumping 25,000 feet out of the plane. He gratefully puts the parachute on. He doesn’t notice the weight upon his shoulders, nor that he cannot sit upright. His mind is consumed with the idea of what would happen to him if he had to jump without the parachute.<br /><br />Let’s now analyze the motive and the result of each passenger’s experience. The first man’s motive for putting the parachute on was solely to improve his flight. The result of his experience is that he was humiliated, disillusioned, and somewhat embittered against those who gave him the parachute. As far as he is concerned it will be a long time before someone gets one of those things on his back again.<br /><br />The second man put on the parachute solely to escape the jump to come. And because of his knowledge of what would happen to him if he jumped without it he has a deep rooted joy and peace in his heart knowing that he is saved from sure death. This knowledge gives him the ability to withstand the mockery of the other passengers. His attitude toward those who gave him the parachute is one of heart felt gratitude.<br /><br />Now listen to what the modern Gospel says: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness.” In other words, Jesus will improve your flight. The sinner responds, and in an experimental fashion he puts on the Savior to see if the claims are true. And what does he get? The promised temptation, tribulation, and persecution. So what does he do? He takes off the Lord Jesus Christ; he’s offended for the Word’s sake; he’s disillusioned and embittered--- and quite rightly so.<br /><br />He was promised peace, love, joy and fulfillment, and all he got was trials and humiliation. His bitterness is directed at those who gave him the so-called “Good news.” His latter end becomes worse than the first, and he’s another inoculated and bitter “backslider.”<br /><br />Instead of preaching that Jesus improves the flight, we should be warning sinners that they have to jump out of a plane. That it’s appointed for man to die once, and then face judgment <strong>(Hebrews 9:27).</strong> When a sinner understands the horrific consequences of breaking the Law of God, he will flee to the Savior, solely to escape the wrath that is to come. If we are true and faithful witnesses, that’s what we should be preaching-- that there is wrath to come-- that God “commands all men everywhere to repent: because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness” <strong>(Acts 17:30,31).</strong><br /><br />The issue isn’t one of happiness, but, of righteousness. It doesn’t matter how happy a sinner is, or how much he is enjoying the pleasures of sin. Peace and joy are legitimate fruits of salvation, but, it’s not legitimate to use these fruits as a drawing card for salvation. If we continue to do so, the sinner will respond with an impure motive, lacking repentance.<br /><br />Can you remember why the second passenger had joy and peace in his heart? It was because he knew the parachute was going to save him from sure death. In the same way, as believers we have joy and peace in believing because we know that the righteousness of Christ is going to deliver us from the wrath that is to come.<br /><br />With that thought in mind, let’s take a close look at an incident aboard the plane. We have a brand new flight attendant. It’s her first day aboard the plane. She’s carrying a tray of boiling hot coffee. She wants to leave an impression upon the passengers, and she certainly does. As she walks down the aisle she trips over someone’s foot and slops the coffee all over the lap of the second passenger. What’s his reaction as the boiling coffee hits his tender flesh? Does he go , “Man that hurt!!!” ? Yes, he does. But, then does he rip the parachute from his shoulders, throw it to the floor, and yell, “Stupid parachute!!!” ? No, why should he? He didn’t put the parachute on for a better flight. He put it on for the jump to come. If anything, he clings even tighter to the parachute and even looks forward to the jump.<br /><br />If we have put on the Lord Jesus Christ for the right motive-- to flee from the wrath to come-- when tribulation strikes, when the flight gets bumpy, we won’t get angry at God, and we won’t lose our joy and peace. Why should we? We didn’t come to Christ for a better lifestyle.<br /><br />If anything, tribulation drives the true believer closer to the Savior. Sadly, we have multitudes of professing Christians who lose their joy and peace when the flight gets bumpy. Why? They are the product of a man-centered gospel. <strong><em>They came lacking repentance, without which they cannot be saved. </em></strong>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-68273658255762365382009-10-15T06:49:00.007-05:002009-12-14T09:44:15.064-06:00"They Just Don't Understand": The Fate of Rifqa<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8YBqEGXJQg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392792731274986018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlltygK65L1jPgwYhPKovkKi68XiQoTyOlD7ID6Zk_N8ufs7xRtp-DO0T9VYByXjEghMhnezB9ISXWpWabNXoD8Q3nxmk64S1VHxEIroDQ-KflWeSv_4y3RhJdN6OcI7BYvuS0aTsx43c/s400/Fathima_Rifqa_Bary.jpg" /></a> Fathima Rifqa Bary, a 17 year old who ran away from her parents in Ohio in fear for her life stated to media, "<em>They just don't understand</em>." That is why I write this, because most <strong>DO NOT</strong> understand, as much as they think they <strong>do</strong> understand.<br /><br />Rifqa was raised in a devout Muslim family. A few years ago she accepted Christ. As much as she stayed low key of her Christian faith, was spotted by people from the local mosque involved in certain activities. Rifqa had already suffered abuse with injuries noted by her school (cuts and bruises). When the mosque made it public that Rifqa was an apostate and her father threatened to kill her, she took it seriously, as well she should.<br /><br />The Koran teaches (ch 4, v89) that if one becomes an apostate of Islam they are to be killed by anyone which whom gets the opportunity to do so. In Muslim states it is no problem. Since they are in Democracies (until they can change that) they must abide by the respective country laws. Regardless, there have been many 'honor killings' here in the U.S.; two right here in Texas. Last year a Muslim father shot and killed both his daughters as he learned one of them dated an American. This brought shame on the family. This is the <strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf-kEkIKuJU"><span style="color:#3333ff;">chilling 9-1-1 call</span></a></strong>.<br /><br />Monday, 10/12/09, Florida Judge Daniel Dawson ordered Rifqa be returned to her parents in Ohio. I was not surprised. In fact, I expected it. Anything else would be a negative connotation toward the satanic Islamic religion which you are force fed is 'peaceful and loving'. It is only "kooks and fanatics" like myself which slander Islam with hate mongering.<br /><br /><br />In reality, it is ignorance which enables Islam to gain a foothold in Europe, and is very close to accomplishing the same in America. Muslims spew the rhetoric that it is only 'radical' Muslims which support violence and plan to take over the world. They have Muslim college students get on facebook and twitter and seek all forums involving any conversation on Islam. Their specific mission is attempting to convince infidels that if you are anti-Muslim you are a bigot, or worse, a Christian is a hypocrite. No Christian wants to be called a hypocrite.<br /><br />Muslims will quote scripture out of context, and the typical Christian will either stay away from the debate or buckle under the pressure as they do not know the Gospel enough to retort. In essence, many Christians are ignorantly led to believe, falsely, we all worship the same God, and Islam is just another religion. So many people, even Christians, do their bidding for them. Especially young people, whom never read the Koran, will begin to argue with me regarding what <strong><em>they </em></strong>believe vs. the facts.<br /><br />Average Americans and many Christians just do not understand Islam, but, do not want to be labeled a bigot or a hypocrite. We are all supposed to love our brothers and sisters of another faith. Right?!! And we should share the Truth (Gospel) with them anytime we get the opportunity. Once presented to them, if they reject it that is their responsibility. But, to accept the religion of tyranny, which is exactly what they solicit, is blasphemy. You better get this. It is utter blasphemy, and no matter how many times you said a short prayer professing your faith to Jesus, you are on a straight path to hell if you defend the lies and rhetoric of Islam.<br /><br />In Rifqa's case, it is very possible a young girl may end up dead when she has asked for help, because so many defend the gutter religion. the ridiculous hypocrisy here is the liberals who scream they are for your rights are the very ones enabling Islam to meet their goal of making you their slave. It is due to rhetoric mostly spun by the liberals we wouldn't think of doing anything that would upset or offend our Muslim 'brothers'.<br /><br />There are a few in the media who are starting to get involved and ask questions. Even so, they are not stepping across the line and 'calling a spade a spade'. For those not familiar with the old saying, you would not call a spade a rake, that would be ridiculous. If I needed a spade, but, ask you to bring me rake, not a lot will be accomplished. The fascists are able to get along with the constant rhetoric which discounts the truth, merely because we will not call a spade a spade.<br /><br />Islam is not a peaceful, misunderstood religion. You are led to misunderstand, through deception. There are over a billion Muslims in the world. I have been told I cannot judge all of them because of the beliefs of a few. This is the deception. It is a few, who call themselves Muslim, but, follow another doctrine. These are considered apostates just like Rifqa, and face the same fate. Why do you think Muslims are killing other Muslims around the world? It is because they do not follow the true doctrine of the Koran, and are considered apostates.<br /><br />It is exactly the same as Jehovah Witness, Mormon, or any other religion which professes to be Christian, but, deviates from the Gospel and deceives their followers. They are not true Christians by definition, but, many accept their doctrine through ignorance, and are not saved.<br /><br />It is only illegal in sharia law to kill another (true) Muslim. The Koran teaches ALL infidels must die before their messiah (grand Mahdi) can return. That means even if you live to be a ripe old age, your grandchild may be forced to choose between Islam or die, someday. It is even worse for Jews. The Koran teaches Jews cannot be converted, and should be killed at any given opportunity. Yet, we are led to believe that only a distinct few 'radical' Muslims wish to harm the Jewish people. <strong>True</strong> Muslims <strong><em>are</em></strong> radical, as their Koran is radical and satanic.<br /><br />What boggles the mind is how little we are willing to learn about something we ignorantly defend. Our political leaders do not want you to know the truth, as it is against their political ambitions. The Leftists in our government work hand in hand with the jihad of Islam, as they both strive for global unity and one governance. The major obstacle for both the socialists in power now, and Islam (also socialists) is the American Constitution. It is being ignored at every turn.<br /><br />As President Obama ignored National Prayer Day, and stayed away from cameras for the first time to avoid controversial questions, he gave a <strong><a href="http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/rm/2009/128227.htm"><span style="color:#3333ff;">celebratory speech at the beginning of Ramadan</span></a></strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">. </span><span style="color:#cc0000;">Obama disgustingly pointed out there is a correlation between Christian and Muslim principles. </span><span style="color:#333333;">He is either the most ignorant or the most boldly deceiving President in history.</span><br /><br />Just like Rifqa, we are being ignored of the detriment which faces every citizen. Rifqa will eventually be handed back over to her parents. They are not citizens, and are possibly going back to their country of Sri Lanka. If they get Rifqa back to Sri Lanka, even if her parents do not kill her, the Mosque will. Honor killing is the #1 cause of death in Muslim states. It is perfectly legal to kill your wife if she is suspected of adultery. No questions asked if you kill your child because they dated a boy of another faith. And, no problem-- if you know of someone to have left the Muslim faith (an apostate) to behead them slowly, with a kitchen knife. More on <strong><a href="http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977254853&grpId=3659174697246620"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Children beheaded</span></a> </strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong><a href="http://www.jihadwatch.org/2009/12/new-pics-reveal-hamas-linked-cairs-backstage-media-coordination-in-rifqa-bary-case.html"><span style="color:#000099;">New pics reveal Hamas-linked C.A.I.R. backstage media coordination in Rifqa's case</span></a></strong>Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4155977572091383942.post-49514684779349535242009-10-02T11:25:00.003-05:002009-10-02T12:09:41.543-05:00Healing Part II: Forgiveness<a href="http://2repent.wordpress.com/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388040188953369266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8-cLkPAvAkc2sAh-uEXAVUux1Pfc-cU1PQokKxUB4fqQnY46lvh9PYdiWl6SdehuRiCN9vs8rEZUDF978ln3ZhhuOuxnm6AUqH7gJi63agNj2HsrjknCX1oADpvtmnCgVedMD6yD8xk/s400/forgiveness.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>When we forgive we are releasing a prisoner…<strong><em>our self!</em></strong><br /><br />Hard as it may be, we find that patience and perseverance in the Lord is the only healthy way to ride out the storms <strong><a href="http://biblicalintegrity.blogspot.com/2009/06/healing-part-1-riding-out-storm.html">(Healing Part I)</a></strong> in life. God has a perfect plan and His perfect Will for our lives is not always apparent. We stray from the path He intends for us, or we are ‘side swiped’ by an event which entangles us in confusion, and devastating pain.<br /><br />All the self help books in the world will not take the place of God’s Counsel. Ten years of psychotherapy will not achieve what God can achieve in us, in the blink of an eye. He knew a long time ago the place you were going to be tonight. He knew your pain. Pain is not His Will for us, but, since we are not always obedient and operate for our own good, He does it for us. Like a good father; like a good shepherd.<br /><br />As it goes with the lamb which constantly strays, the Good Shepherd must brake our legs, sometimes, in order to get us back where we belong-- for our own good. The Lord knows exactly what state our soul is in. He knows at what stage of our understanding He can say one word, just one, and we will comprehend exactly what he is telling us. This is where He wants us ultimately and always. A close relationship. Where the Good Father only has to ‘speak once’ and we get it.<br /><br />Now comes the more difficult part of healing. The pain and suffering we endure is really trivial once it is behind us. It seemed so great at the time, but, barely conjures up a memory. The truly hard road is that of FORGIVENESS, but, we must take it like it or not.<br /><br />It cannot be a shallow, outwardly gesture. Rather, it must be a process which encompasses our soul until we reach a different realm of understanding. His understanding. We cannot think like God. It is inconceivable to us how the all merciful, all loving Father moves. Part of our process, our journey, must be forgiveness. It is obviously very important to our Father in Heaven, as He will not forgive us, until we have done so ourselves.<br /><br />That said, it is all part of the whole LOVE thing, in which He is constantly trying to steer us. We are ever so stubborn when it comes to the type of love He wants us to give and receive. If only we would follow His Word, the complete process, and obey the demands of unconditional love.<br /><br />When we have reached a certain level of understanding in our heart regarding a situation, or a person in our life, the Lord gives us the next step, word, or opens a door, as He knows we can handle it.<br /><br />I have heard and read many sermons and articles on forgiveness. The two most common misconceptions of evangelistic preachers these days are right out of most secular ‘self-help’ books.<br /><br />1. Forgiveness does not mean forget<br /><br />2. Forgiveness is for yourself, not the other person.<br /><br />I have heard many preachers, for which I have the utmost respect, adamantly pushing these two key issues when it comes to forgiveness.<br /><br />It is further deception by the enemy to lead the sheep silently to the death, and away from the goodness our Father has in store. It is through our selfishness in most cases we find it impossible to forgive. Sometimes for the smallest things. But, there is oftentimes huge issues, recent or maybe years past. Maybe we don’t even know we hold bitterness for a certain person. We discounted a situation a long time ago; our concept is that it was forgiven, when it was just forgotten, for now. If an issue goes unresolved it lays dormant deep inside us, until such time it is uncontrollably brought out by a memory, or a word spoken, or even a fragrance.<br /><br />The Lord knows we don’t truly forget, unless we truly forgive. Likewise, if we truly forgive, then we must forget. When He forgives us, it is forgotten as if it never happened. Unlike a criminal court, as a man stands accused of a crime, and his previous crimes may be held in account for his punishment. When we are truly sorry for our sin, and repent, He is faithful to forgive. Thank God for that, RIGHT?!!<br /><br />No matter how strong the offense (or trespass) which was perpetrated against us, we must be obedient to God’s command to forgive and forget. If we are to hold onto the smallest portion of the incident in our heart, or in our mind, without completely letting it go, then what have we accomplished? It is like undergoing surgery for a tumor, but, deciding to leave just a little bit in there, for old times sake. Why bother with surgery?<br /><br />The second issue for which I appeal to your charitable nature. Yes, forgiveness is for ourselves, BUT, also for as much as the one who trespassed against us. The process of healing cannot be a clinical, calculated procedure if we are to get it right. Likewise, forgiveness is not a ‘paint-by-numbers’ and reach the end-result experience. We must give up a part of ourselves which is perhaps the most difficult part to surrender. Our pride, or center of being. We must step out of our self, in the same way we would leave our comfort zone to help the needy during the holidays, or run out in the middle of the night to answer the call of a distressed family member.<br /><br />The one thing we most commonly put aside when we think we have dealt properly with forgiving someone is that person is also a child of God. They are also growing in the way God sees fit. Or, maybe they don’t yet have a relationship with the Lord, but, you are blessing them exponentially by giving of yourself when they most often feel they don’t deserve it. This may drive them to the Lord on their own accord. If we are holding a hard heart, or ill feelings against them, we are not only hurting ourselves, but, we are denying an opportunity to bless them. If you reject that idea, then you haven’t truly forgiven, as you told your self you did.<br /><br />The whole purpose for the Lord to constantly steer us to the path of charity (which refers to love in the KJV) is so that we might lose that ever damning , overwhelming sense of self, or self centeredness, which keeps us from following all His guidelines for loving one another.<br /><br />Christ forgives us without conditions. We don’t deserve it--it is by His Grace alone. We want to place limitations and conditions on our forgiveness of others, without grace? Just saying your forgiven without the true heart experience and surrender to God’s charitable ways, is just as meaningful as “I’m sorry” and not meaning it. Don’t waste your time. Also don’t waste your time going to church, as God does not want you to bring Him offerings while you knowingly have an unresolved issue with a brother or sister, or neighbor.<br /><br />Jesus not only said we were to forgive seventy times seven, but, we were to ‘turn the other cheek’. I know this is hard to do, and we will not always take that path, especially in the heat of the moment, when our feelings have been destroyed by another whom we trusted. We forgive to bless our trespasser as well, whether we like it or not, as it blesses us in the end.Edward Snyderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10114128064141451412noreply@blogger.com0