Holy Club

Hmmm...

pevensie15@hotmail.com (AJ) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:55:00 +0000

"Scientists concede that their most cherished theories are based on embarrassingly few fossil fragments and that huge gaps exist in the fossil record." Time magazine, Nov. 7, 1977

b4givn70x7@aol.com (Tracy) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:35:00 +0000

HOW LONG...

DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE?!
Then what?!
Non-existance? How convenient. A liberating deception to continue in sin.
Heaven or hell? How true. A liberating truth that you don't have to be a slave to sin anymore, but a slave to righteousness instead.
REPENT-Give your life to the One that gave His life for you.

b4givn70x7@aol.com (Tracy) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:57:00 +0000

b4givn70x7@aol.com (Tracy) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:33:00 +0000

Come now, let us reason together says the Lord.
Though your sins are red as scarlet...

They shall be white as snow.
Though they are red as crimson
they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

Longing for home

noreply@blogger.com (Wayne Dawg) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:58:00 +0000

I long to go home.

No, not my home in north Georgia; my heavenly home.

I’m not longing to go because I am in some kind of pain everyday. I’m not longing to go because I am sick of living in the times were living in. I’m not longing to go because I just want to die and be through with life.

I’m longing to go because I am homesick of the home I have never been to.

Please don’t read this wrongly.

I love my beautiful wife with as much passion as I did the day we married. I love my wonderful children as much today as the day they were born. I love my grandchildren and want to live to see them have children of their own someday.

But there is a longing deep inside me that knows that this world is not my home. As a mere pilgrim, whom God has entrusted with many responsibilities during my stay here on Earth, I long for the day when I finish the race and enter into His rest.

Heaven will be magnificent. I’m sure the Bible only begins to describe the magnitude and beauty of how it will be.

A pure gold city.

Walls of jasper.

Gates of Pearl.

A great street of pure gold.

Basically, a paradise that mere words on this side of Earth will never be able to articulate appropriately.

As wonderful as those descriptions are, they pale in significance to the One who will reside there.
He is the One I long to see. He is the One I long to be with. He is the One who is worthy of all praise and adoration. He is the One who died on the cross to take away my sin.

‘Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.’

I long to be with Him, and, one day, I will.

But while I am here I must proclaim His Gospel. I must tell others why He came. Why He suffered. Why He died. Why He rose again.

How can I not?

So, while I have this longing to be with Him, He has not called me home yet. And, until He does, I will be obedient to the command of the Great Commission because, one day, His patience will end and he will judge the world in righteousness and truth.

Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God.

b4givn70x7@aol.com (Tracy) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:16:00 +0000

Deception blinds us from the truth. We can deliberately make a lie become the truth and believe it to be the truth. Of course it doesn't change the truth. Only God's truth is absolute truth.When I was 5 years old I decided that I was going to change my name from Tracy to Linda. I remember convincing myself that I could do it. I willfully, stubbornly, somehow succeeded in making this happen. I would not answer unless addressed as 'Linda' for the entire summer of '71'. I deceived myself.
A child stole money from a wallet. Got busted. The child chose to lie. The child claimed he found it. Pointed to the spot. It was a lucky day for the child. A deliberate decision was made to lie. Somehow he made the lie the truth to escape the consequence.
Not believing the Bible to be the complete, infallible Word of God is a deception. If we totally believed the Bible we would have some changing to do, huh? Whether we believe it entirely or partly. Whether we agree or disagree. Whether we tear those pages out or ignore them or don't bother to even read the Bible... The word of God doesn't change to suit us. We have to change. We have to stand and line up in agreement with God's Word.
Deception creeps on us unknowingly as well. It can be obvious to everybody except the victim.
Take an anorexic person looking in a mirror observing the image of her body to be magnified to obesity. While others look at a body of skin and bones, starving and dying. The victim is deceived and doesn't know it.Terrorists believe that killing Americans will find them favor with their god.
Religions that teach it's by good works or deeds that you get into heaven. Wrongo!
Heaven is a free gift from God Himself, to you. Unearned,undeserved,unmerited! If I gave you a b-day present would you give me 40 bucks for it? Or would you give me a back rub, clean my house,watch the kids so I can go on a shopping spree, then take the gift? Of course not, you would take the present, rip it open and say thank you.God is not impressed by any of the 'good deeds' we do. He said,"All of our righteous acts are like filthy rags." Isaiah Though the good things we do bring about goodness, volunteer positions, giving money to the poor, etc... It doesn't earn us any favor, brownie points, or heaven with God.

"For it is by grace that you are saved through faith and this not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not by works so no one can boast." Ephesains 2:8,9
It's God's work through us. Meaning you are only the vessel in which God works through. It's His work, His deal, for His glory! Otherwise it's just an atta boy/girl for you.

We must be in a seeking for the 'Truth' mode at all times. Suppose there was a treasure chest buried somewhere. It was filled with rare coins, a red jet ski, (it was a very big chest) millions of dollars, jewels galore, etc... Take it a step farther... Imagine that your child or loved one was missing... You would seek until you found... wouldn't you?
Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. Anyone who asks, it will be given, he who seeks, finds and he who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7

Just because our wonderful, trustworthy, respected and beloved Pastor teaches something from the pulpit doesn't mean he couldn't fall victim to deception. Just because a caring friend gives seemingly good advice doesn't necessarily mean it isn't subject to deception. Politics, justice systems, authority figures, parents, therapists, decisions, newspapers, television, radio, opinions, gossip, on and on and on... Can all be a victim of deception. We are bombarded by it constantly.
Christians and unbelievers can be bound in deception.
We must take every single, solitary biblical teaching, or any belief, agreement of opinion, advice, etc... before the Lord. God is the Truth. He is completely trustworthy and His truth is absolute. God is the only one that cannot be tarnished with deception. Lift it up to the Lord, have Him hold on to the teaching. Ask Him if it's true. If it is, He will give it back to you. If it's not, He will teach you the truth. We cannot hold onto anything that we believe to be 'true' unless we do this.
*Otherwise we are making little idols out of our teachings. We are saying, "I know." Who are we to know anything! God knows all things!*
What stands in the way of this quest for truth? Satan, the deceiver #1. Fear, relationships, attitude, unwillingness, laziness, pride, don't care, etc... We are commanded to check to see if we are in the truth and walk in it!

When you are deceived you don't know it. You will not ever know it unless you seek hard after the truth. The truth shall set us free! God rewards those that diligently seek Him!
Did you ask God? Ask God! Ask God! Ask God! Ask God! Ask God! Ask God! Ask God! Ask God!

What is Salvation (Paul Washer)

pevensie15@hotmail.com (AJ) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:29:00 +0000

Cool video above from Paul Washer. I usually don't like putting YT video's in my posts, but this one is well worth it. Hope you enjoy...

Update

pevensie15@hotmail.com (AJ) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:25:00 +0000

I'm cross posting, I don't usually like to do this... but I haven't posted in a while:

Lately,

Wow, it's been awhile. Well, I've been very busy lately - where to start? To begin, in June I moved (that took a while), in July I didn't have internet access. As I'm writing this (August 15th) I don't have internet access. Although I should be getting internet on the 16th or 17th or possibly 18th (I'll be posting this one of those days).

I'm going to (try) to update all my accounts because I turned 16 (July 29th). The picture currently on my blog header is one of me at 14 (time flies). I had a busy birthday as well. My Grandma took me to universal studios, my mom and dad took me to and imax theater in San Diego and saw "Under the Sea." My Grandpa is scheduling a tour of Living Waters (late birthday present). Plus a bunch of presents (the kind that can be wrapped). Plus a whole bunch of B-day money.

In case some may be wondering I finished drivers ed the day before my b-day. But I have to call the drivers ed place because my certificate of completion was sent to my old address (great)! So I haven't gotten my permit yet, but I'll be getting it soon. But I won't be getting in the next three weeks for sure.

Why? Because I'm going to Washington with my Grandparents. I don't mean that in a bad way, I'm going to enjoy it very much, I was just saying... I won't be able to get a license in Washington when I live in California (I know... duh). They'll have internet, although my Grandma's list of things to do is pretty long (again, not a bad thing), so I may not get much time for posting and commenting. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures of the trip though.

Oh yea, I was at a wedding today, my cousin got married. She married a Marine, the wedding was on a base in San Diego (that was pretty cool). Anyway, just something I wanted to throw in.

And... I got some cool b-day presents worth mentioning. You see my mom and grandma have me write lists for them for my b-day presents (I know I'm 16, but my family seems to like buying presents). My grandma got me an expensive bike, and my mom got me all the little stuff I asked for. I got a cool magic trick that Ray Comfort uses (Lights from anywhere), he often refers to it as the "Light Show." I also got a sermon from E.Z. (Love at it's Best). I got Wretched Interviews by Todd Friel (of-course), also a wretched t-shirt.

I got the Son Rises (awesome book from William Lane. Craig) and a bunch of other stuff. Oh yea, I forgot, my Aunt and Uncle took me to see Hugh Ross speak and bought me two of his books (I'll tell you more in another post). And no, I still believe in a young earth (sorry atheists). I also got the DVD "God of Wonders." And, like I said above, lots of birthday money. Oh yea, and some Obama millions (I have a funny story about those).

Also, I made a memorial video slideshow for someone who's Grandma died (she went to our church). But she was a Christian. She died in peace. Before she died she called all her kids, grand kids, family ect... who were present and told them that "This is forever..." basically pointing out that our temporal life will effect our eternal. It was fun making that slideshow, it was showed at her funeral service. It was sobering looking at pictures from when she was young to old. She certainly lived an abundant life. I cried... I'm very sentimental. Her life was very laudable.

So far I've been just rambling on, I'll continue....

Books I'm reading - I'm reading some cool books that I'll make mention of. In the Bible I'm reading Luke and Samuel. Out of the Bible I'm reading Do Hard Things, Knowledge of the Holy, Thanks a Million (again), Keith Green's Biography (No Compromise), The Son Rises, Who Was Adam (Hugh Ross), God's Generals (the reformers). Also The Handbook of Christian apologetics (a catholic priest gave it to me, interesting story, inform you later). Catholics don't believe in the five sola's. They will say they believe in grace alone, but they do not believe in faith alone.

Anyway, that's another topic. I'm reading One thing you can't do in Heaven (again), and... that's about it right now. Well, still reading Ray Comfort's devotional and a few others.

If I have time in the next few weeks I'll post and comment, I'm going to turn in right now... church tomorrow. I play the drums in church (can't wait, it's really fun).

Keep me in your prayers (especially to redeem the time). Thank you all for reading, and forgive me for the sloppiness I just felt like writing something to give an update.

And atheists, I'll continue praying for you. I really do hope to see you in heaven.

The Morality Argument

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:10:00 +0000

Many times I've noticed that when talking to non religious folks, the question of morality comes up. Usually, it is a question of whether a person has hold a religious belief in order to be a moral person. I've noticed that no one really "wins" that argument.

I know many people who are agnostic or atheist, or many from other religions who are good, honest, morally upright people. Unfortunately too, I know some Christians who could learn to be a little more virtuous. So, is there a way to figure out if morality is as non believers think- evolutionary? Or as religious people believe, a tenet of their particular religion? Or, is morality from God alone?

Most often when the question of morality comes up, it seems to imply that "I'm more moral than you" mindset, where people end up arguing who behaves better. We ask questions such as "Where do such virtues as justice, patience and courage come from?" To this, I would agree with many atheists that these kinds of virtues come from an inner need of self preservation. Such virtues are practical and self serving. So if one believed in evolution, one could believe that such virtues prove the "survival of the fittest" idea.

Stories such as Aesop's Fables show the practicality of such morals as honesty, as in the Boy Who Cried Wolf. In the Tortoise and the Hare, we see the practical use of slow and steady wins the race. We see self preservation by helping others in stories such as the Lion and the Mouse.
These are all moral ways in which to live. Honesty, helping and patience and perseverance. However, these are all based on self. That honesty really is the best policy or one could get hurt. In serving others there is gain to oneself. While there is nothing wrong with this thought, these are based on self gratification and self preservation.

There are however, certain morals which can only come from God- faith, hope and charity, which are all based on putting others ahead of self. These defy the evolutionary thought of survival of the fittest because there is nothing self preserving about helping someone else at the cost of yourself.

Case in point are the Biblical parables of the Good Samaritan and the Lost Sheep. Evolution can not explain why we should do something selfless and charitable to someone else. There is nothing of the survival instinct when helping a half dead and beaten man lying in the road, wiping his woulds clean and taking care of him until he is better. There is no self preservation in laying your life down for someone else either.

I am not saying that a non Christian would not help a hurting person or defend someone even to death. What I am saying is that there is no other explanation other than God in which justifies doing such selfless acts. While evolution and atheism can justify the how we can be good and decent, they can not justify the why we should.

The question therefore should not be whether morality comes from God or not. The question needs to be whether an atheist or agnostic can justify morality.
For example, Richard Dawkins argues that morality is the product of evolution. He doesn't explain however, the other question of why. He explains the physical cause- the fact that people can be good, but not the logical of why they should be good. Good and bad can be brought out by the act, but it's the events leading to the conclusion which tells if they are good or bad. Our genetic makeup may tell us about why we do feel a certain way, but not why we should feel a certain way.

In the cases of helping one's neighbor or laying your life down for someone is something that an atheist can not explain. The atheist argument is that if God doesn't exist, then morality can not be justified. To the atheist, God doesn't exist- so morality can not be justified.
To the Christian, the argument is if God doesn't exist, then morality can not be justified, but morality can be justified, so God does exist.

Both arguments are logical in different reasoning, but only the Christian argument is the one which makes sense because morals such as charity are only justified by selflessness, not self preservation.

It's about LIFE

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:23:00 +0000

"A person's a person, no matter how small."

There is a lot of buzz about the new healthcare plan that's being looked at. You may be for or against it and you may have a certain politition that you support. Whatever, I say. In all the chatter going on, I want to make sure that we aren't forgetting about the health of the most innocent among us. The life of the unborn is so important, yet it is talked about so carelessly in our country. I heard a woman talking about possibly getting an abortion in the checkout line at Walmart - you can't get a more casual atmosphere than that! A close family member of mine ended the life of her unborn child, and let me tell you that abortions cause multiple victims. Please take today and make a special prayer for the children, yes, but also to those who have already made the decision to end their child's life.

Christians, must always be pro-life for the baby and pro-love for the mommy.

Application: Instead of protesting somewhere (not that protesting is necessarily bad), call up a crisis pregnancy center and find out how you can be pro-love to a young mother.

That's My King!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 01:46:00 +0000

I read this sermon a few years ago. I posted it on my old blog, mainly for believers who needed a reminder :-) It really speaks to me and is a great picture of who our Lord really is. I hope you find it as encouraging, hope filled and powerful as I have.

From Dr. Shadrach Meshach (S.M.) Lockridge ,1976

My King was born King. The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's an Ethnic King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King.Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him?

Don't try to mislead me. Do you know my King? David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent.

He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King. He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak.

He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. That's my King.Do you know Him?

Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you... but He's indescribable. That's my King.

He's incomprehensible, He's invincible, and He is irresistible.I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.

He always has been and He always will be. I'm talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor. There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign. That's my King! That's my King!

Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We're around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but in the end all that matters is God's power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honor and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? Forever and ever and ever and ever... And when you get through with all of the ever's, then... Amen!

Amen!

Evolution and Humans

pevensie15@hotmail.com (AJ) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:59:00 +0000

"The simple fact is that no proof whatever has been found indicating that one species evolved into another. The fossil record is simply a series of still pictures of species that existed at one time. They do not show how one species evolves into another. Transitional fossils have not been found. The fossil record shows new species appearing suddenly without any ancestors. What scientific investigation indicates is that the species are immutable and that when mutations occur they do not become new species. For example, evolutionists have been experimenting with fruit flies for years in the hope of demonstrating evolution at work. But fruit flies have stubbornly refused to develop into anything but more fruit flies, despite all kinds of stimuli, including radiation. Some mutations have occurred, but nothing to suggest the beginnings of a new species."

- Dr. Samuel L. Blumefeld

John Wesley's Conversion

pevensie15@hotmail.com (AJ) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:43:00 +0000

"In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed.

I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. I began to pray with all my might for those who had in a more especial manner despitefully used me and persecuted me. I then testified openly to all there what I now first felt in my heart. But it was not long before the enemy suggested, “This cannot be faith; for where is thy joy?” Then was I taught that peace and victory over sin are essential to faith in the Captain of our salvation; but that, as to the transports of joy that usually attend the beginning of it, especially in those who have mourned deeply, God sometimes giveth, sometimes withholdeth, them according to the counsels of His own will.

After my return home, I was much buffeted with temptations, but I cried out, and they fled away. They returned again and again. I as often lifted up my eyes, and He “sent me help from his holy place.” And herein I found the difference between this and my former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea, fighting with all my might under the law, as well as under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now, I was always conqueror."

John Wesley's conversion was pretty radical. He went from believing in doing things for salvation to grace alone through faith alone. It was at first hard for him to accept and believe that we can be saved through faith alone. But he came around.

Not all Christians have these kind of radical road to Damascus conversion experiences, nevertheless, something very similar happens. They are heading one direction, until they turn around and head the other direction repenting and trusting the Savior.

b4givn70x7@aol.com (Tracy) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:18:00 +0000

Excerpt from Matthew Henry's Commentary

"They held the truth as a captive or prisoner, that it should not influence them, as otherwise it would. An unrighteous wicked heart is the dungeon in which many a good truth is detained and buried."

Don't let your heart be a dungeon to suppress the truth. (YOU KNOW THE TRUTH!) Stop forbidding the Truth to influence you. Look squarely into the face of the Truth and let the Truth have its way!

Weekly dose of Whitefield

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:25:00 +0000

A quote from Whitefield

"Surely; God will not be so cruel as to damn you only for eating an apple, it cannot be.'' Alas! How many dose Satan lead captive at his will, by flattering them, that they shall not surely die; that Hell torments will not be eternal; that God is all mercy; that He therefore will not punish a few years sin with an eternity of misery? But Eve found God as good as His word; and so will all they who go on in sin, under a false hope that they shall not surely die."

God Delusion Refuted

pevensie15@hotmail.com (AJ) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:49:00 +0000

If you haven't seen the short video I made for youtube, be sure to check it out. I've pasted is below, here's a few things people have said about it:

This video is like a huge troll just to get some traffic on the blog.. or it looks like it.. because if there's one thing i'm sure of, is that this is no reasonable refute to dawkins

I lol'd.

Lol I got to 2:30 and just wanna say that your argument is pretty weak and stupid.. anyways I can see that it has been pointed out by many preceeding comments under me..

Hilarious, isn't it?

Oh and here are some transitional forms, since you obviously have no science education what so ever.

Please, open a science book, educate yourself and think before you make a complete fool of yourself.

Lol n0000b! he thinks theres a god what an outdated idea lolololololololol

Terrible reasoning, kiddo. Gee, I've never heard the watchmaker argument before! Stay in school.

An Athiest Found by God

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:26:00 +0000

I'm actually cheating with this one, as I posted it last year on one of my other blogs. However, with some of the things I've read and had on my mind lately, I thought it would be appropriate to post it here.

An Atheist is found by God- John Powell a professor at Loyola University in Chicago writes about a student in his Theology of Faith class named Tommy:

Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith. That was the first day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both blinked. He was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below his shoulders.It was the first time I had ever seen a boy with hair that long. I guess it was just coming into fashion then. I know in my mind that it isn’t what’s on your head but what’s in it that counts; but on that day I was unprepared and my emotions flipped.I immediately filed Tommy under "S" for strange ... very strange. Tommy turned out to be the "atheist in residence" in my Theology of Faith course. He constantly objected to, smirked at, or whined about the possibility of an unconditionally loving Father-God. We lived with each other in relative peace for one semester, although I admit he was for me at times a serious pain in the back pew.When he came up at the end of the course to turn in his final exam, he asked in a slightly cynical tone: "Do you think I’ll ever find God?"I decided instantly on a little shock therapy. "No!" I said very emphatically."Oh," he responded, "I thought that was the product you were pushing."I let him get five steps from the classroom door and then called out: "Tommy! I don’t think you’ll ever find him, but I am absolutely certain that He will find you!" He shrugged a little and left my class and my life.I felt slightly disappointed at the thought that he had missed my clever line: "He will find you!" At least I thought it was clever. Later I heard that Tommy had graduated and I was duly grateful.Then a sad report, I heard that Tommy had terminal cancer. Before I could search him out, he came to see me. When he walked into my office, his body was very badly wasted, and the long hair had all fallen out as a result of chemotherapy. But his eyes were bright and his voice was firm, for the first time, I believe. "Tommy, I’ve thought about you so often. I hear you are sick!" I blurted out."Oh, yes, very sick. I have cancer in both lungs. It’s a matter of weeks.""Can you talk about it, Tom?""Sure, what would you like to know?""What’s it like to be only twenty-four and dying?""Well, it could be worse.""Like what?""Well, like being fifty and having no values or ideals, like being fifty and thinking that booze, seducing women, and making money are the real ‘biggies’ in life."I began to look through my mental file cabinet under "S" where I had filed Tommy as strange. (It seems as though everybody I try to reject by classification God sends back into my life to educate me.)But what I really came to see you about," Tom said, " is something you said to me on the last day of class." (He remembered!) He continued, "I asked you if you thought I would ever find God and you said, ‘No!’ which surprised me. Then you said, ‘But he will find you.’ I thought about that a lot, even though my search for God was hardly intense at that time. (My "clever" line. He thought about that a lot!) But when the doctors removed a lump from my groin and told me that it was malignant, then I got serious about locating God. And when the malignancy spread into my vital organs, I really began banging bloody fists against the bronze doors of heaven.But God did not come out. In fact, nothing happened. Did you ever try anything for a long time with great effort and with no success? You get psychologically glutted, fed up with trying. And then you quit.Well, one day I woke up, and instead of throwing a few more futile appeals over that high brick wall to a God who may be or may not be there, I just quit. I decided that I didn’t really care ... about God, about an afterlife, or anything like that. "I decided to spend what time I had left doing something more profitable. I thought about you and your class and I remembered something else you had said: ‘The essential sadness is to go through life without loving. But it would be almost equally sad to go through life and leave this world without ever telling those you loved that you had loved them.’ "So I began with the hardest one: my Dad. He was reading the newspaper when I approached him.""Dad". . ."Yes, what?" he asked without lowering the newspaper."Dad, I would like to talk with you.""Well, talk.""I mean. .. It’s really important."The newspaper came down three slow inches. "What is it?""Dad, I love you. I just wanted you to know that." Tom smiled at me and said with obvious satisfaction, as though he felt a warm and secret joy flowing inside of him: "The newspaper fluttered to the floor. Then my father did two things I could never remember him ever doing before. He cried and he hugged me.And we talked all night, even though he had to go to work the next morning. It felt so good to be close to my father, to see his tears, to feel his hug, to hear him say that he loved me. "It was easier with my mother and little brother. They cried with me, too, and we hugged each other, and started saying real nice things to each other. We shared the things we had been keeping secret for so many years. I was only sorry about one thing: that I had waited so long. Here I was just beginning to open up to all the people I had actually been close to."Then, one day I turned around and God was there. He didn’t come to me when I pleaded with him. I guess I was like an animal trainer holding out a hoop, ‘C’mon, jump through.’ ‘C’mon, I’ll give you three days .. .three weeks.’ Apparently God does things in his own way and at his own hour. "But the important thing is that he was there. He found me.You were right. He found me even after I stopped looking for him.""Tommy," I practically gasped, "I think you are saying something very important and much more universal than you realize. To me, at least, you are saying that the surest way to find God is not to make him a private possession, a problem solver, or an instant consolation in time of need, but rather by opening to love. You know, the Apostle John said that. He said God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is living in him.’ Tom, could I ask you a favor? You know, when I had you in class you were a real pain. But (laughingly) you can make it all up to me now. Would you come into my present Theology of Faith course and tell them what you have just told me? If I told them the same thing it wouldn’t be half as effective as if you were to tell them.""Oooh . . . I was ready for you, but I don’t know if I’m ready for your class.""Tom, think about it. If and when you are ready, give me a call." In a few days Tommy called, said he was ready for the class, that he wanted to do that for God and for me. So we scheduled a date. However, he never made it.He had another appointment, far more important than the one with me and my class. Of course, his life was not really ended by his death, only changed.He made the great step from faith into vision. He found a life far more beautiful than the eye of man has ever seen or the ear of man has ever heard or the mind of man has ever imagined.Before he died, we talked one last time. "I’m not going to make it to your class," he said."I know, Tom.""Will you tell them for me? Will you . . . tell the whole world for me?""I will, Tom. I’ll tell them. I’ll do my best."So, to all of you who have been kind enough to hear this simple statement about love, thank you for listening. And to you, Tommy, somewhere in the sunlit, verdant hills of heaven: "I told them, Tommy . ... ...as best I could."

The Trouble with Angels

pevensie15@hotmail.com (AJ) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:09:00 +0000

I love watching old movies and television. Preferably movies during the Hayes code, otherwise, old clean movies. Television like "I love Lucy" or "Leave it to Beaver", and movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" and the "Ten Commandments" (Charlton Heston). Anyway, I recently watched an old (not as old as the ones above) Hayley Mills movie entitled, "The Trouble with Angels."

I like to try and draw analogies from movies (Ray Comfort is always really good at that), but in this case I didn't have to... it already has a great Christian message.

Mary Clancy (Hayley Mills character) is sent off to a nun school for her last three years of high school. She's a troublemaker. She's sneaking into the bathroom to smoke, being a bad influence on the other girls, particularly one named Rachel, and playing jokes on the nuns.

Every time she has an idea to do something wrong she says, "I have a scathingly brilliant idea." That was a common phrase in the movie as she was always getting in trouble.

She put bubble making powder in the nuns coffee, put a clay mask on a girls face (it got stuck), and filled a room with smoke (by smoking) until the fire department showed up. She always snuck out of class (taking her friend Rachel with her) and almost got expelled once.

By the last year she began to realize something she hadn't the last few years. It started when she stumbled into the chapel and saw the nuns worshipping God with all their hearts. It started to make her realize that it isn't just empty tradition and myth as she presupposed, but there was some reason they worshiped the way they did. She wasn't an atheist or anything like that, but she was always very satire when it came to the Bible and such.

More and more she began to notice something different about the nuns. Some of them were very beautiful, yet, they denied themselves marriage to devote themselves to service in the order. She began to realize that they must have had a good reason for this, but was little confused.

It became more clear one night. Her friend Rachel was up late trying to finish a dress for the dress making competition. She wasn't very good at it though. Reverend Mother (the head Nun) came in and began helping. Rachel fell asleep and Reverend Mother worked on it through the entire night. Mary came in at five in the morning to see how Rachel was coming along with the dress. She was surprised to see Reverend Mother working on the dress, and Rachel asleep in the chair.

The dress looked beautiful. Mary was shocked at the Nun's work. Reverend Mother began to tell Mary how she used to sew as a little girl. She loved sewing, and always wanted to do it when she grew up. She would often look at new designers clothing and observe how she would have done it differently. Designing and sewing was her passion.

Mary listened intently and then very passionately in a manner of rebuke asked Reverend Mother, "Why did you give it up?" Reverend Mother replied without missing a beat, very solemnly yet firmly answered, "I found something better..."

Mary was astonished and continued to observe the nuns behavior. She started to realize that what she observed was genuine love for a real God... and she wanted that. As she began to believe this, one of the nun's died and perhaps cast a little doubt on Mary's realization.

Mary snuck into the back of the chapel and watched Reverend Mother lay on the casket of the dead nun, weeping. The nun that died was the math teacher, and Reverend Mother's best friend. When it seemed like there was no hope, the camera zooms in on the cross on top of the casket. As if Mary realized that Christ's death was the ultimate.

Mary's faith was reassured, that is, until she came across a farewell card made out to the most beautiful Nun there. Mary was mad, she thought that what she observed was genuine, but now was doubting again... because she figured the beautiful Nun probably found a man and was leaving the order for him.

Frantically Mary ran to the Nun and vehemently asked why she was leaving. The Nun calmly corrected Mary. She wasn't leaving the order, she was going to a leper colony in Africa to teach sick children. Mary calmed down, but was still angry saying that they were forcing her to go to the leper colony. The Nun replied that it was her choice, and she had a heart for teaching the children. Mary said, "Suppose you get it", referring to leprosy. The Nun replied, basically saying that the Lord will help her endure if she gets it.

Mary is now heavily influenced as it pertains to the nuns service to God. She realized that they weren't just making it up to keep tradition alive. Rather, they had something special inside of them, something that made them see designer clothes as vanity, and sickness as a mission field. Something that kept their spirits alive... even when close friends died. Mary wanted what they had.

When graduation day came, Reverend Mother announced the two girls who were staying because they had decided to become nuns. Sure enough, one of them was Mary.

When Rachel (Mary's friend) heard this, she was mad. She didn't speak to her, and wouldn't even say goodbye.

At the train station, Mary and the nuns were saying goodbye to all the girls, Rachel wouldn't say goodbye. She just stood there waiting for the train to arrive. Reverend Mother approached her and told her that Mary was very sad, she wanted to say goodbye. Rachel very angrily said that Mary had been brainwashed into becoming a nun. Reverend Mother discerned Rachel's emotions on the subject, and calmly replied.... She pointed out that Mary was very stubborn and wouldn't have yielded to become a nun, rather, it was her decision. Rachel couldn't argue, she knew Mary very well.

Rachel was very contemplative and got halfway into the train before she turned around ran to Mary hugging her and saying goodbye (that's when you start crying). They agreed to write to each other and went on their separate ways.

I'm sure you can see the message. Mary realized that the nuns had something she wanted. The nuns really loved God, a living God, and that love changed their lives. Their lives were a witness to Mary, and she ended up becoming a nun.

I'm not saying I agree with everything nun's teach (or everything the movie teaches), or what the catholic church teaches. It's just a movie with a good message, the nun's are more-so Christian than catholic in the movie.

Nevertheless, as Christian's, perhaps our actions are our best witness. This is not to put off witnessing with strangers, as I do often. Rather to SHOW Jesus... as Justin put it very wonderfully in his post about showing and telling Jesus.

It's been said that the biggest cause of atheism is professing Christians who deny Jesus by their lifestyle. People who say they're Christians, yet live like the world. Talk, walk, dress, and smell like the world. Paul says to not be "conformed" to the image of the world, but to be "transformed" (see Romans 12:2).

To conclude, our actions are a big part of our Christianity. Paul Washer always says that Christianity isn't a flu shot, it's an ongoing lifestyle. If we really love God, we will repent and continue repenting. We will love people in turn, and witness with our lifestyle and words. I don't have anything more to say, the movie says it all...

A good human being

noreply@blogger.com (Wayne Dawg) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:32:00 +0000

"I have come to the conclusion that whether or not a person is a religious believer does not matter. Far more important is that they be a good human being."

Dalai Lama

There is no such thing as a good human being.

The Bible states this very clearly in Mark 10:18...Jesus said, "And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God."

Paul affirms this in Romans 3:12, "They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

One can only compare good to God. God is good. We can compare all day long ones goodness to another's goodness, but that doesn't make either one good without having a standard to first judge 'good'.

The quote itself is nice, but good is relative based on social standards and perceptions of a particular morality view.

That's why we must always view good as starting with God and realizing that anything less than His standards is wrong and inadequate.

I mean how else can two perfectly intelligent people view, in polar opposites, the subject of abortion for example? One would say that it is 'good' for a woman to have a choice and another would say that it is 'good' for the baby not to be killed?

Good is relative when all we have to compare it to is each others opinion.

Voddie Baucham

JHReformed@gmail.com (Jacob) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:37:00 +0000

This is a video of Voddie Baucham laying out the truth. Hahaha, enjoy.

Calvin's 500th Birthday is July 10th!!

noreply@blogger.com (Brazen Hussey's) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 04:54:00 +0000

AND YES I'M A FAN. Here's to one of the most godly and influential men ever to grace the planet, after the prophets and apostles. The following is an excerpt from his Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 1. One of the finest extra-biblical treatments on the subject. I've cut-and-pasted from Christian Classics Ethereal Library, a valuable online resource of Christian classics.

CHAPTER 1.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OF OURSELVES MUTUALLY CONNECTED. —NATURE OF THE CONNECTION.

Sections.

1. The sum of true wisdom—viz. the knowledge of God and of ourselves. Effects of the latter.

2. Effects of the knowledge of God, in humbling our pride, unveiling our hypocrisy, demonstrating the absolute perfections of God, and our own utter helplessness.

3. Effects of the knowledge of God illustrated by the examples, 1. of holy patriarchs; 2. of holy angels; 3. of the sun and moon.

1. Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other. For, in the first place, no man can survey himself without forthwith turning his thoughts towards the God in whom he lives and moves; because it is perfectly obvious, that the endowments which we possess cannot possibly be from ourselves; nay, that our very being is nothing else than subsistence in God alone. In the second place, those blessings which unceasingly distil to us from heaven, are like streams conducting us to the fountain. Here, again, the infinitude of good which resides in God becomes more apparent from our poverty. In particular, the miserable ruin into which the revolt of the first man has plunged us, compels us to turn our eyes upwards; not only that while hungry and famishing we may thence ask what we want, but being aroused by fear may learn humility. For as there exists in man something like a world of misery, and ever since we were stript of the divine attire our naked shame discloses an immense series of disgraceful properties every man, being stung by the consciousness of his own unhappiness, in this way necessarily obtains at least some knowledge of God. Thus, our feeling of ignorance, vanity, want, weakness, in short, depravity and corruption, reminds us (see Calvin on John 4:10), that in the Lord, and none but He, dwell the true light of wisdom, solid virtue, exuberant goodness. We are accordingly urged by our own evil things to consider the good things of God; and, indeed, we cannot aspire to Him in earnest until we have begun to be displeased with ourselves. For what man is not disposed to rest in himself? Who, in fact, does not thus rest, so long as he is unknown to himself; that is, so long as he is contented with his own endowments, and unconscious or unmindful of his misery? Every person, therefore, on coming to the knowledge of himself, is not only urged to seek God, but is also led as by the hand to find him.

2. On the other hand, it is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he has previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself. For (such is our innate pride) we always seem to ourselves just, and upright, and wise, and holy, until we are convinced, by clear evidence, of our injustice, vileness, folly, and impurity. Convinced, however, we are not, if we look to ourselves only, and not to the Lord also —He being the only standard by the application of which this conviction can be produced. For, since we are all naturally prone to hypocrisy, any empty semblance of righteousness is quite enough to satisfy us instead of righteousness itself. And since nothing appears within us or around us that is not tainted with very great impurity, so long as we keep our mind within the confines of human pollution, anything which is in some small degree less defiled delights us as if it were most pure just as an eye, to which nothing but black had been previously presented, deems an object of a whitish, or even of a brownish hue, to be perfectly white. Nay, the bodily sense may furnish a still stronger illustration of the extent to which we are deluded in estimating the powers of the mind. If, at mid-day, we either look down to the ground, or on the surrounding objects which lie open to our view, we think ourselves endued with a very strong and piercing eyesight; but when we look up to the sun, and gaze at it unveiled, the sight which did excellently well for the earth is instantly so dazzled and confounded by the refulgence, as to oblige us to confess that our acuteness in discerning terrestrial objects is mere dimness when applied to the sun. Thus too, it happens in estimating our spiritual qualities. So long as we do not look beyond the earth, we are quite pleased with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue; we address ourselves in the most flattering terms, and seem only less than demigods. But should we once begin to raise our thoughts to God, and reflect what kind of Being he is, and how absolute the perfection of that righteousness, and wisdom, and virtue, to which, as a standard, we are bound to be conformed, what formerly delighted us by its false show of righteousness will become polluted with the greatest iniquity; what strangely imposed upon us under the name of wisdom will disgust by its extreme folly; and what presented the appearance of virtuous energy will be condemned as the most miserable impotence. So far are those qualities in us, which seem most perfect, from corresponding to the divine purity.

3. Hence that dread and amazement with which as Scripture uniformly relates, holy men were struck and overwhelmed whenever they beheld the presence of God. When we see those who previously stood firm and secure so quaking with terror, that the fear of death takes hold of them, nay, they are, in a manner, swallowed up and annihilated, the inference to be drawn is that men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God. Frequent examples of this consternation occur both in the Book of Judges and the Prophetical Writings;5353 Judges 13:22; Isaiah 6:5; Ezek. 1:28, 3:14; Job 9:4, &c.; Gen. 17:27; 1 Kings 19:13. so much so, that it was a common expression among the people of God, “We shall die, for we have seen the Lord.” Hence the Book of Job, also, in humbling men under a conviction of their folly, feebleness, and pollution, always derives its chief argument from descriptions of the Divine wisdom, virtue, and purity. Nor without cause: for we see Abraham the readier to acknowledge himself but dust and ashes the nearer he approaches to behold the glory of the Lord, and Elijah unable to wait with unveiled face for His approach; so dreadful is the sight. And what can man do, man who is but rottenness and a worm, when even the Cherubim themselves must veil their faces in very terror? To this, undoubtedly, the Prophet Isaiah refers, when he says (Isaiah 24:23), “The moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign;” i.e., when he shall exhibit his refulgence, and give a nearer view of it, the brightest objects will, in comparison, be covered with darkness.

But though the knowledge of God and the knowledge of ourselves are bound together by a mutual tie, due arrangement requires that we treat of the former in the first place, and then descend to the latter.

b4givn70x7@aol.com (Tracy) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:13:00 +0000

I believe that the stony heart of man must be plowed up and prepared for salvation. The heart must be convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to show the sinners guilt before God. It leaves place for the Holy Spirit to do His work.

We can't present a, "Happiness" or "Wonderful Life Gospel" in witnessing. Many would receive Jesus because they want a better life. Happiness and wonderful appeal to them. These people that receive Jesus based on this false promise fall away when the trials of life come. The seeds fell on stony ground. Some reject Jesus with this, "Happiness Gospel" because their lives aren't half bad. Perhaps they have a nice family, are well to do and genuinely happy. Why would they want what Jesus offers if they are already happy?Some well meaning people present a "Wonderful Life Gospel" and have them say a sinners prayer at an altar call. Then continue the service having a time of prayer. They pray for the Christian Jim that is suffering with brain cancer and the Christian Sue who was robbed and beaten.
Jesus promised to be with us when trials and tribulations come. Not IF they come, but WHEN they come. God doesn't exempt anyone from trials. God is not to blame for our troubles, because God is always good. Period! Nothing happens in our lives that isn't first filtered through the sovereign hand of God. We live in a fallen, sin sick world. Sin, Satan and our own consequences from foolish choices are to blame. God cares deeply and will faithfully help us.

Now on the other hand... My life before I was a Christian was ridiculous. My life with Christ is wonderful. People find that out after they are converted.

Entertaining angels

noreply@blogger.com (Wayne Dawg) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:38:00 +0000

An interesting thing happened to me on the way home from work a few years ago that I would like to share. I have many times shared this story around Christian friends, Bible studies and personal testimonies, but I have never shared it outside the ‘Christian circle’.

It was a cold and rainy winter day in January 1996 as I left the office and headed the short distance home. I had just turned onto the main highway and started up the hill when I noticed a hitchhiker, thumb out, going in my direction. This hitchhiker looked liked the proverbial San Francisco hippie who was MIA from 1967 and had been transplanted on this highway as a result of some freaky wormhole incident. As I mentioned, it was cold and rainy this day. This hippy was wrapped in a bundle of what should have been warm flannel shirts and a couple jackets. He had on a red bandanna holding back his wet, matted long black hair which had almost the same exact appearance of his beard. I don’t know how long this guy had been trying to hitch a ride, but judging from his completely soaked clothes, he had been out there awhile. Did I mention it was cold? The temperature was probably somewhere in the mid to high 30’s. There had been talk of some sleet accumulating later in the evening, but for the moment it was just a very, very cold rain.

As I was passing by this incredible sight, this throwback to another time and place, our eyes met. In that moment, time seemed to slow down as we stared into each others gazes. His eyes seemed to say to me, ‘how can you pass me by….how can you not help me out?’ His countenance went from hopeful to a head hanging sadness that I will never forget. At that moment I said out loud and from my heart, ‘Lord, I would rather do anything than pick up this hitcher, anything.’ I repeated this over and over as I tried to rid my mind of that last image I had of his sad, rejected face.

I was a new Christian. It had been only a little over a year since I had been saved by the grace of God when I passed that hitcher. I was still learning in leaps and bounds all I could about my new faith in Christ and I was about to be schooled by the Lord Himself on the power of a heartfelt prayer.

I’m not in the habit, even to this day, of picking up hitchers. I will, and have many times, stopped and helped people change a tire, push a car off the road, take someone to get gas, help someone in an accident, but I don’t pick up hitchers.

I continued to pray, out loud, my prayer of doing anything for the Lord except picking up the hitcher.

As I rounded a turn on the highway a couple miles up the road, there off on the side of the road, was a very elderly woman trying to look under the back end of her car. This car was a very bad looking, faded green, 70’s something Ford Maverick. As I approached the car it was obvious that this was my answered prayer in opposition to picking up the hitcher.

I pulled in behind the Maverick, got out and asked the woman what was wrong with her car. She said she didn’t know. She said that she was on her way home when all of a sudden, about two minutes ago, there was a bad noise coming from the back of her car. Two minutes ago I thought. Hmmm. Coincidentally about the time I started praying for something other than picking up the hitcher.

I told her to get back in the car and get out of the rain and I will have a look under her car. Well I bent down as far as I could to look under her car to see what that matter was, but couldn't quite see without crawling under the vehicle. I went back to my car to get an umbrella and maybe find something to lie on so I could crawl under the car in my office apparel. I found neither. So I made an executive decision to just go ahead and get under the car and figure out what was wrong and get this lady on her way. The part of the road where she pulled over had been freshly graded off for a road to the woods. This same road later became the entrance to the sub-division where I live now. Hmmm. Needless to say with all the rain, the road was very muddy and it had been partially filled with loose gravel to make crawling under cars the perfect mixture of mess and pain.

When I finally got under the rear of the car I found the problem. The rusted pipe that led to the rusty muffler had finally broken off and the only thing holding the rusty muffler to the car was this leathery looking strap. So I crawled back from under her car and went rummaging through my car for anything that might cut loose the strap that held the muffler. I found no such instrument of destruction in my car. I walked back to the woman in the Maverick and tapped on her window. By now I’m soaked, wet, muddy and very, very cold. My light jacket that was meant for a walk from the office to the car was not holding up well to the conditions I was putting it under. The elderly lady slowly rolled down her window and, after telling her what was wrong; I ask her if she might happen to have a knife of some kind in her car. She finds a butter knife (of course) in her glove compartment and I gladly take it and crawl back under the car. After about ten minutes of trying to cut through a half frozen wet leathery strap with wet frozen fingers I finally manage to free the beast that was dragging under her car. I put the muffler in her car and told her she would be able to drive home but to get it fixed right away.

She asked me how much she owed me for helping her out and I told her that I couldn’t accept any money for doing what I asked to do. She said thank you and drove on in the same direction I was going.

When I got my frozen wet muddy self back in my car I understood at that moment that I had just been schooled on the power of prayer. As I pulled my car back onto the road and headed home I realized that the Maverick was no where to be seen. Only a few seconds had passed since she pulled out and there was no way she could have sped off that fast.

I hustled my car up around the next turn and she was no where in sight.

No where.

Was she an angel sent specifically to answer my prayer and test me to see if I would indeed do anything but pick up that hitcher? To this day I believe she was.

Heck, the hippy could have been angel that was there to see what I would do for all I know.

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels." Heb 13:2

Wayne Dawg

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

JHReformed@gmail.com (Jacob) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:17:00 +0000

Last night on Facebook, I saw a friend's status update and it just...made me want to cry, let me share it with you....
"So-and-So cant decide if she wants to work all year to get in a fashion show next summer or if she wants to go to Jacksonville for a two month mission trip...:/"

But it got me thinking. Obviously this situation is a ridiculous one and the answer is obvious to any Christian. Help people and share the gospel with them, or be self-centered...A durr. But why is it obvious? And what happens if it is not so obvious? As a high school student about to apply for colleges, there are lots of choices and decisions I have to make now that will impact the rest of my life. I have to choose a college, major, financial aid, in the next 5-10 years I'll be looking for a wife, and on and on. How can I know how to make these decisions according to the Will of God? What does He want in my decisions? Do I wait for a still small voice in the back of my mind to tell me to go to Covenant College? Or is it in 3 Corinthians, Thou Shalt Go to Covenant College?
I was listening to a Paul Washer sermon on marriage, and he addressed this quite wonderfully.
What is your ultimate purpose in your life? What is God's ultimate purpose in your life?
As a Christian, your ultimate purpose in life is found in 1 Corinthians 10:31- "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God"
Everything you do, even the most menial tasks, do for the glory of God. To glorify Him. To make Him look good and great! When was the last time you drank a glass of water to the glory of God?
Things are great! Don't get me wrong. Cars, Computers, etc. Are good to use, if you use them rightly. If you use them for the glory of God. Use Cars to show that cars are not your treasure, Christ is. Use computers to show that computers are not your treasure, Christ is. And so on. Everything you do should be based on one question, Will this glorify Him? Will this advance His Kingdom? Make Him look great?
Now, what's God's ultimate purpose in your life?
This can be found in Romans 8:28-29- And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.
In other words, everything that happens in the life of the true Christian is God working things to the good of that person. That good is obviously not temporal good (if so Paul the Apostle wouldn't have been beaten, starved, imprisoned, shipwrecked, stoned, and ultimately killed), but rather is explained in verse 29 where we see that God has predestined the elect to be conformed to the image of His Son so that Christ would be glorified.
That is, every event in the life of a believer is ordained, predestined, and caused by God for one purpose, to make the Christian more like Christ. More like Christ.
So the truth is, the decisions you make shouldn't be based on what you want, or what will be easy, or what will make you happy. Your decisions should be based on one thing, What will glorify God and make me more like Christ? Lots of decisions become easy when put to that test.
Paul Washer said, "Lots of times young boys will come into my office with that goofy smile and say, 'I'm in love with so-and-so. I want to Marry her.' And I'll ask them why and they'll say, 'Because she's beautiful! We can talk. We have a great time together and we get a long. She's perfect for me!' Then I'll say, 'Let me get this right, you want to marry this girl because she meets all your selfish silly conditions?' 'That's not what I'm saying!' 'That's exactly what you're saying."
Marriage is not based upon what a person looks like, how compatable you are, how well you get along, or anything like that. What happens when that wife you married because she was beautiful is no longer beautiful. Or what happens when that wife you used to be able to laugh and talk to, wont laugh or talk to you anymore? What happens when (and it will happen) someone more beautiful who you can talk to enters your life? A secretary or bank teller?
Marriage is based upon one thing: God has called a man to be with a woman to glorify Him and to make them into the image of Christ. If your wife's beautiful and perfect, Hallelujah. Praise God. If she's anything but, it doesn't matter because that's not what your marriage is based on. Because let's be honest, God isn't going to give you a wife who's perfect. Why? Well, what's God's puprose for everything in your life? To conform you to the image of Christ. What are the three characteristics that best describe Christ do you think? My three would have to be mercy, unconditional love, and grace. I think those three are about what anyone would say. So what will your spouse be like? She will be someone who teaches you how to be merciful, how to love someone even though they don't live up to your conditions, and how to be gracious. She will fail in ways you would wish she would not, she will let you down time after time after time after time. Because God's going to do what it takes to make you into the image of Christ.

Same thing with anything really. The college you chose, the church, the home, the car, whatever choice you have in your life. Simply ask yourself, What will glorify God and make me into the image of Christ?

On Death and Dying

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:26:00 +0000

Note: Jacob, I'm sorry about your friend's wife. I am keeping her and him in my prayers and thoughts. I'm sorry for the timing of this post- I've been working on the idea for about a week now, and just finished it up this evening. I would have done it sooner, but wanted to get a friend's permission to use his story. God Bless, and I hope this is a hope filled post- Carolyn

I've noticed that some people think that Christians are afraid of death. Maybe there are some who are afraid. Am I? Absolutely not.

While I may have some apprehension on how I may die- I hope if I die before Christ comes for me, it will be peacefully in my sleep! I don't relish the thought of coming to a violent or painful end. Am I afraid of being before God in all His Glory? Somewhat, but because I know that it is only because of Christ that I am worthy to be in His presence. This, however, doesn't make me afraid of what death will bring. Nor should any Biblical Christian be afraid.

I don't have a death wish. However, there are millions of Christians around the world who are suffering even to death by being martyred for their faith in Christ. Note: martyr in the sense of being murdered because of their faith in Christ is alot different than the Islamic view of martyr where they kill themselves and as many others as they can for the cause of allah.

As I was saying, I don't have a death wish- I do have a life here, in which I would like to see more of, as I would like to be around to see my son grow up. However, if it is my time to go, I am also comfortable in the promise of overcoming death to be with Christ. Paul says it just as I believe:

Philippians 1:20-22I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

I find much comfort in the Scriptures to deal with and understand death and dying. I know many Christians and non believers who have lost a loved one. While not everyone is able to deal with grief in the same way, and I don't want to lump people into the believer/non believer categories- but I have seen a marked difference in the reactions of death, and in grieving for loved ones by believers and non believers.

I know of one case being a good friend of mine who lost his son Eddie in Iraq in September 2007. Eddie was a strong Christian believer. Now, he wrestled with the war, killing and friends being killed- but for his own mortality, he was not afraid. He didn't welcome death either, but he knew he had a promise to look forward to. His father Dave is also a Christian believer, and an ex military man. He was afraid for Eddie as any father would be for a child gone off to war. He also knew, however, the same promise that awaits every believer in Christ. When Dave and his family received word of Eddie's death, it was understandably an excruciating grief.

They had lost their only son, at the prime of his youth. Dave had lost his best friend. A mother lost her baby, sisters lost their only brother. I can not imagine the pain their family was dealing with- but they did by the grace, peace and comfort of the One who also lost His only Son. They were dealt their grief in parts- so as to be able to get through the hard part of burying their boy and having fresh and vivid memories of him. In Dave's own words, "My family was able to experience joy in the terrible pain of losing Eddie because of one thing only: Eddie’s salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ."

They still grieve, whenever they think of him, and always will until they are reunited with him- but they grieve simply because they miss him. They are comforted to know without a doubt where Eddie is now. They are comforted and have peace because they know they will be reunited again some day.

When talking about his son, Dave also mentions an important part of being a Christian- using Our spiritual armor. He shares more about this " Our Spiritual armor has us prepared to go into spiritual battle with the gospel of peace; a peace found only in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. And this peace is a double blessing. One thing that made my son such a ferocious warrior was that he did not fear death; he did not invite it, but he was not afraid of it. His brothers-in-arms, battle-tested infantrymen, would marvel at “Mundy’s” lack of fear. Mundy (Eddie’s nickname for his full name Edmund) would say, “Oh I’m scared, but if I die I know I'll be with Jesus.” Amen. The second blessing in the gospel of peace is just what Eddie would do; explain his sense of fearlessness over death. It gave him a platform to share the “blessed hope” he had in Jesus Christ."

I have friends who are facing the possibility that their 8 year old boy may not make it through his chemo treatments as he is battling leukemia. They are fighting to beat this, but they also know there is the possibility that his body may not be able to keep fighting. They are trusting in their Lord to get through this. They are trusting in the words in which many Christians throughout the ages have relied on:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23

Christians grieve, we are sad, we hurt and we miss our loved ones- but we are not afraid. Death holds no sting for us. We know we have a future. We have hope in death for a better life. Some may believe this is a false hope based on fairy tales, but for those of us who place our trust in Jesus Christ, those of us who believe and know of His promises will never be afraid of death and dying.

Wouldn't you like to have the same promise, the same assurance?

John 5:24,25

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.