Christian Ruminations

Last Days?

2012-02-05T21:17:00.000-08:00

The Bible says that in the last days, men will gather for themselves teachers that will tell them what they want to hear, and will abandon sound teaching.(see 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Titus 1:9) Men will be lovers of men, and abandon natural relations with women.(see Romans 1:18-32) There will be many false prophets and false Christs.(see 2 Peter 2:1-16, 3:3) Let's look at some examples...

I recently heard a pastor of a large church say that there is really no difference between Christianity and a certain other church headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. After all, they believe in Jesus (or do they?) The Jesus that is of Biblical Christianity is one with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, and was and is God Himself (known as The Holy Trinity)! This other religion believes that Jesus is a created being, that in the "pre-incarnate state" (before becoming man), was a "spirit brother" to Lucifer (a.k.a. Satan) and the only reason Jesus is the Savior instead of Lucifer, is Jesus said yes to "Heavenly Father" and Lucifer said no. So how does this shake out as far as no difference? It is false!

There are those who would have us believe that all paths lead to the same destination: Heaven! After all, God loves us, and since He loves us, He would not send anyone to Hell! Yet, the Bible is clear that Jesus said He was "The way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father except through Him!" Doesn't sound to me like Jesus would agree that it does not matter if you are Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, or whatever else you want to be.

There are many pastors that are preaching and teaching that it is okay to be homosexual. That God didn't really mean it when He said that those who have such lifestyles will not inherit the Kingdom of God. I disagree. I think God meant what He said. However, the Christian Church has failed in its mission to love all men, regardless of the problems and sins in our lives. It is no more acceptable to be homosexual than it is to cheat on one's spouse or "live in sin." Let's call a spade a spade. God is clear on His requirements--holiness! It is a very good thing that He has forgiven me! The Bible clearly teaches that we are only saved through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. There is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved. (see Acts 4:8-22)

There are many who would also tell us that we can "do this 40 day program," and be happier, healthier, more successful, blessed, etc. The thing is, Jesus did not promise His disciples an easy, or trouble free life. In fact, He actually promised the opposite. "In this life you will have trouble..." "If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you..." (See John 15:18-25, 16:29-33). People have a tendency to see riches as success, but God measures success differently. If riches and/or success in this world is a measurement of our success in God's eyes, then Tiger Woods, or the Emirs of some foreign lands are more acceptable to God than I am. They have obviously attained God's favor. I don't think so!

I think we truly are in the "Last Days," but then again, so did the Apostles back in the days immediately following the resurrection of Jesus. So what does this mean for us? We should be sure that we do what we can to love God more than men, and love others as much or more than we love ourselves. The best thing to do is live as if we might go home to meet Jesus tonight, yet realize that we are saved through grace and this by faith.

Mincing Words

2012-02-01T21:53:00.000-08:00

In the past couple of weeks, I have watched a few videos on the subject of Jesus and Religion. One is by a guy who says he loves Jesus and hates religion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY Then, I have watched some that are responses to his rant. One is from a Catholic priest, one is Lutheran, then I read a response to his rant from an Orthodox priest. I also watched a couple videos in response that make little or no sense. I liked the responses of the Lutheran http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwetTNAGC44 and the Catholic Priest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru_tC4fv6FE

Now my beloved wife tells me that people are misunderstanding the guy. That he says "religion" as a metaphor for all that is evil in the church. I am not certain. I do think that if this guy is ranting about the evil present in the church, and not the church as a whole, he suffers from the same thing I do.

I sometimes say things that do not come across the way I want them to, or think that they will. If we want to be taken seriously, we need to be careful of what we say and especially, of how we say it.

Anyway, the guy has a few good points, and he has a few points that are contentious. I will leave it up to you to watch and decide what you think. The following is what I think.

I think if we are going to portray ourselves as experts/poets, we should ensure we are clear on our defiinitions.
I think we should extend grace to others, and not require perfect doctrine. (by this I do not mean that we should allow false doctrine to go unchallenged, but there are many things that are left up to individuals to decide for themselves, and these we should not quibble over.) --statement in ( ) added 2/5/12
I think we need to remember that Jesus founded a church, and said there would be false teachers and false Christs that we would need to watch out for. The question is wise discernment of who is and who is not false. In the Old Testament, God said the test of a prophet is 100% accuracy when they claim to speak for Him!

Romans 14 says that we are all responsible to our Lord. Perhaps we should remember that He is the boss!

The bottom line is that we live in a fallen world, society is made up of people and people are inherently evil. So there will be flaws even in the church. So maybe the rant about religion is a good thing. It has gotten people thinking, it has people talking. Let's all let this bring us closer together, not tear us apart.

Law versus Grace - and ramblings

2012-01-15T23:14:00.000-08:00

I read a very interesting and candid interview with Bono, the lead singer from U2, http://www.thepoachedegg.net/the-poached-egg/2010/09/bono-interview-grace-over-karma.html regarding grace and karma this evening. It is well worth the read. It is actually an excerpt from the book Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas.

So what does this have to do with the topic: Law versus Grace? Well, in a way, karma is like the Law. Both teach that we get what we deserve. What goes around, comes around. I know, trite cliches that annoy many people -- sorry about that. However, it is important to note that God offers grace today. Yes at one time, He required sacrifices and the Israelites were bound to the Law. Then Jesus came to Earth, lived as a man, suffered at the hands of the Romans (because of the Pharisees), died on the cross for the sins of the world--which means each one of us!

Paul, who was once known as Saul, was one of the strictest adherents to the Law when he was a Pharisee. In fact, he was one of those who made it his mission to persecute the followers of "The Way" as it was first known shortly after Jesus was killed and resurrected.

Once converted to Christianity however, Paul became one of the strongest advocates for Grace! He went so far as to state that those who wanted to go back under the Law should go ahead and emasculate themselves when they try to be circumcised. (see Galatians chapter 3) Now that is harsh! Paul himself points out that none of us can be righteous and earn forgiveness. "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). Gal 2:21.

So where do we go from here? Some would say that since we cannot be good, why even try? Well I say that although I cannot be worthy, I can be grateful. The Bible also warns us that those of us that have tasted God's forgiveness should not remain in sin. We should live as good a life as we can, not that we earn His mercy, but rather to show Him our gratitude.

Thank You, Jesus!

I have said it many times in this blog, and I will say it many more times. This is the truth that separates Christianity from all other religions. God loved and loves us, He sought and seeks us, He paid the penalty for our sins.

When Things go Wrong?

2012-01-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

Some people tell you that a Christian will have a great life and that if you live in accordance with God's laws, everything will go well for you. God will heal your sickness, keep you safe and bless you in every aspect of your life.

So what does one do when these things do not happen. What happens when a Christian is sick, has cancer, has financial problems, his marriage falls apart? Does this mean he is not a good Christian? Did he fail to give God his entire heart and life?

Let's check a few facts... Jesus warned His disciples that, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). Jn 16:33. The apostles did have troubles especially a few years after Jesus' death and resurrection. They began to be persecuted strongly by the Jews. Jesus had also told them that if the Jews had persecuted Him, the Jews would also persecute them.

I have known many Christians who have had serious illnesses, that for whatever reason--only God knows--they were not healed despite many prayers and great patience.

The questions are not always easy to answer. Here are some thoughts that I believe are Biblically sound.

We live in a fallen world. Sin is rampant, not everything/everyone submits to God's authority.
Disease and death entered the world due to man's sin. None of us are immune.
God DOES heal.
Some people DO NOT get healed.
11 of 12 Early Church Apostles were martyred. John, the only one not martyred was exiled to Patmos after being boiled in oil, to live the remainder of his days in relative isolation.
The promise of God for Christians is that in the NEXT LIFE, there will be no sickness, death or even tears.

We believe that God has everything under control, but does not necessarily protect us from ALL harm. He promised that He would give us strength when times are tough and give us the words we need when we are put on trial for His sake.

I have personally known people who have been miraculously healed of diseases, drug addictions, cancers, and self-destructive habits. Therefore, I know God DOES heal! I just do not know the answers why some are and some are not. I guess that is why I am NOT God!

So what do we do with the questions? We TRUST GOD. He promised that He would be with us through all our circumstances, trials and tribulations even to the end of time. We hold to the truth that God loves us. We CONTINUE to pray for healing for those we know, and hear about that are sick, injured or are going through hard times. We rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn.

I believe that those who claim that our lives should be trouble free when we are Jesus' followers need a reality check. What do you think?

What We Hear and Who We Are

2012-01-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday, two of my friends attended the same worship service, heard the same sermon, in all ways external, had the same experience.

One was excited by what she heard--the message, the speaker's illustrations/experiences, and his dedication and involvement in his message. The other one was not as excited by what he heard--the message or the speaker's experiences and illustrations.

How can this be, and what does it mean for those who follow Christ?

I have wondered this for years, as I grew up Roman Catholic and a Christian, and I know many others who are similar. I also know many people who are Roman Catholic, or generic Protestant, that do not seem to know Christ [be a Christian]. I think it is the same as when two or more people witness the same accident. They generally see something different than one another.

We all filter things [everything] through our own filtration systems, our thoughts, beliefs, philosophies, desires, etc. One person attends church and finds Jesus, another finds nothing. Many people attend church, love Jesus, and yet differ in their experiences at similar or the same worship service as others.

I believe the bottom line is not what we see or hear, but what filtration process we use. It is all about the heart of the individual. Even Christians who are similar have different filters because of what they have experienced, learned, read, etc.

We must, if we call ourselves Christian, submit ourselves to Jesus! We must strive to see things His way. Does this mean that we cannot have differences? Absolutely NOT! God did not create robots, and He does not want us all exactly the same. He DOES want us to be sincere about our faith, and it MUST BE an active faith. His word declares that faith without works is dead. So, we should as it says in Romans 14, allow people to have some leeway in how they practice their faith. We need to accept people that see things differently (as long as it is not contrary to sound doctrine).

The Standards we Hold

2012-01-03T20:32:00.000-08:00

Recently a good friend and I were talking about the standards by which we live our lives. I mentioned that I was trying to get back on track with my relationship with God, and he questioned what I meant. By that, I did not mean that I was trying to earn God's love, forgiveness, or anything else, but rather that I was trying to live the way God wants me to. Jesus forgives us of our sins, not because of anything we do, or can do, or could do, but only because He paid the penalty for us. He calls us to live for Him, and to "Go forth and sin no more." However, it is worth mentioning again, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). Eph 2:8-9.

This is the crux of the message of Salvation, indeed the Gospel message.

Anyway, the standards, how to get back to the standards...

The Apostle Paul, probably the best at reminding the early Church about living up to standards, was also very free with his grace. He figured that he had been forgiven much, so he must also forgive much. I have to agree with that. The hard part is to raise up a standard that makes some people cringe, yet to forgive them when they fall short. Jesus told us to be holy, even as He is holy. Now that is a tough standard. We can never live up to that one, however we should do our best to do so. I am continually reminded of the warning to be careful how we judge, for the same standards we use will be used to judge us.

Some people misuse the verse to say that we should not judge at all, but that is not accurate. we are called to judge right from wrong, and to make correction where we see the need. HOWEVER, we are reminded to be careful, as already stated, the other shoe will drop on us someday!

So. Standards. Gotta have them, gotta live them. But why, if there is grace, do we need to obey standards? Out of gratitude. God created us. God redeemed us. God loves us. God asks us to live by certain standards. I, for one, plan to live by them.

New Year's Resolutions and Coffee

2012-01-02T21:23:00.000-08:00

New Year's Resolutions - some make them, some don't. Does anyone keep them? I do not know of anyone who makes and keeps their resolutions. It is possible, but I do not know of them. Yet many of us continue to make them. Why?

I think it is the same reason that we tell our God, other people and ourselves, that we are going to change. We intend to change, but old habits die hard. Does that mean that we cannot change? I don't think so, it is just difficult. It requires effort. A lot of effort.

Some years ago, I was addicted to coffee. Really addicted. I tried to quit and endured a headache for about 18 days give or take a couple. So I gave in and had a cup of coffee, and BAM, the headache was gone in about an hour. Then a few years later, as I was driving to work, merging onto the freeway, with my coffee cup in hand, as I was being passed by people on the freeway with coffee cups in their hands, I thought to myself, "If America was half as addicted to Jesus as we are to coffee, we wouldn't have half the problems that we do!"

So, I asked God to help me break my addiction to coffee. I started cutting down on the coffee consumption, and in a couple months, I was only drinking a couple of cups a day. So I quit. No headaches and no coffee for about three months I had no coffee and I was fine. Now I can take it or leave it. Every couple of months, I even quit for a few days just to be sure. I like coffee, always have, probably always will, but now I don't have to have it. Thank you Jesus.

The point is -- and I know I kinda meandered a little -- New Years Resolutions are like choosing to end a coffee (or any other) addiction. We CAN do it, we just have to be persistent, and forgive the pun, Resolute!

So, if you have a New Years Resolution, whatever it is, I am sure it is to improve some aspect of your life. So ask God to help you, ask others to help you, resolve to do it, and go for it. If you fail at first, just keep trying. With God all things are possible.

Remember, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). Php 4:13.

The Man in the Mirror

2012-01-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

The other day, I saw some gravestones on Facebook, that had friends names, and birth and "death dates and causes" fictitiously posted, so I accepted the app and allowed it to create one for me as well. Well, it said that I lived 96 years and died by looking in the mirror. Anyway, that got me thinking (actually it got me laughing hysterically, but then I got to thinking.)

Potential gravestone!

When I look in the mirror, what do I see? Do I see the same thing others see when they look at me? Or more? I have heard it said that the eyes are the window to the soul. I am not sure what this phrase means, but I do know that no one who looks at me, really sees what is inside my soul. Only God and I know what goes on deep inside.

So who is this man in the mirror? Why would looking in the mirror kill me? And the most important question of all, how does this relate to Christianity? I shall attempt to answer and relate all these questions together in the lines that follow.

The Bible states that every inclination of man's heart is evil from childhood. Genesis 6: 5, 8:21. Note in the context of these passages it is not singling one particular man out, but emphasizing that we are all evil from childhood. In the New Testament, it states that there are none righteous, not even one. Romans 3:10. Fortunately for me, other people cannot look through my eyes and see the depravity in my soul. Nor can I look into your eyes and see the depravity in you. It is generally through our actions and words that we are judged by others. However, there remains the mirror. When I look into the mirror, I can look at my reflection, or I can look deeper. Sometimes it scares me to look deeper. Maybe someday it will kill me, but for now, not really.

Fortunately, for the Christian, there is forgiveness. It is not that we are better than others, although we SHOULD be, given what we have been given by our Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus forgave us by the shedding of His blood. He willingly paid the debt that we had for our sins. He did ask us to stop sinning, so we really should. We should do as Christ asks, esp. since He has done so much for us. "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:23-25

The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). Jas 1:23-25.

So to wrap this article up, let me say that although looking in the mirror will not kill me or you, it should cause us to think of what is happening in our hearts and double check our motives. We should evaluate our lives as we begin the year of 2012 and ask ourselves if we are doing what God wants us to do, or merely gazing at our reflection in the mirror and forgetting what we look like when we turn away?

The End of This Year

2011-12-30T22:22:00.000-08:00

As I look back over the year of 2011, I find myself wondering who lived my life this year. I did very little that I had planned to do at the start of it. I just did not seem to have ANY motivation. My life borders on a disaster in many ways. There are many things left undone, and it bothers me.

So what does this have to do with a Blog based on Christianity?

God is still on the throne, and despite my failures, He loves me still! Jesus came to heal and to help us. He came to restore our relationship with The Father, the Creator of the universe.

What makes this relevant to the end of the year?

Easy, as we end a year, we begin a new one. Personally, I plan to make 2012 a much better year, and to do a better job of fulfilling my obligations and responsibilities. And who knows, maybe the Mayans are right, the world will end, or change, or maybe Jesus will come back.

The bottom line is that Jesus loves us all and will continue to love us this year, next year and always! He does not give His love or forgiveness conditionally, with the exception of our acceptance of them. Christianity is different from all other religions because all other religions focus on man's seeking God or gods, and Christianity focuses on God seeking man.

God bless us all!

The Start of a New Year

2011-12-28T21:45:00.000-08:00

On the radio today, I heard a comment about how to start the New Year right. It had to do with letting the old one go, including the past hurts, problems, et cetera.

Kaleidoscope picture

This is true, not only at the New Year but every day as a Christian. Jesus forgives us, and throws our sins as far away as the east is from the west. We too are required to forgive others as Jesus has forgiven us. In fact, Jesus warns us that if we do not forgive others, we will not be forgiven either.

One of the main differences between Christianity and all other religions, is that Christianity teaches that we cannot ever be good enough to be forgiven or earn God's love and a place in heaven. Instead, Christ paid the penalty for my sins and yours, when He died on the cross. We cannot and do not have to earn forgiveness or the love of our God.

We celebrate the birth of Jesus each year on December 25th and this is a great place to start thinking about the New Year, new start and new life brought to us by our Savior. He entered this world as a baby so that He could experience life as a human, and sacrifice His life in our place.

So as we close the chapter on one year of our lives, and begin another, let us put past hurts, mistakes and problems behind us, and begin a new year, new life and help bring healing and grace to ourselves and our fellow man.

Just as a kaleidoscope is different every time we look in it, let us continue to change and bring glory to our God and Savior, Jesus Christ this New Year!

The Christian God and the evil we do!

2011-02-14T00:09:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest questions among many people Christians, and non-Christians alike, is "If God is good, how can He allow so much evil in the world?"

The answer to this question, and many others like it, although on the surface is simple, is actually quite complex. So let's look at it in detail from the position of orthodoxy. If you read this, and have comments, or questions, feel free to leave them on the site.

God IS good, and allows evil, so that we CAN CHOOSE good.

Now that I have expressed the simple, lets dig a little into the complexity. If God is truly good, and All powerful, why would He allow people to hurt others when He COULD prevent it?

God is a father, not an inventor of robots. He has chosen to give His children freedom of choice. We are free to choose to do good, or harm. Unfortunately, this means that people get hurt. A wise man once said, "If we are careful enough, we can miss sadness, and happiness." We cannot truly choose good, if we do not have the opportunity to choose evil. So God allows His children to hurt others. Does He like it? Absolutely NOT! But He HAS to allow it. Could He stop it? Yes He could, but He can't and still allow choice. As a father myself, I have seen my children hurt each other many times. This pains ME, too, but I do not stop them ALL THE TIME ! I could, but then they would not have the opportunity to learn from the tragedy of harming another. Sometimes I do stop them, when it is truly dangerous, or excessively hurtful, and I subject them to a lesson on why they should not act that way! At other times, tho' I let them hash it out, and then they end up making up, and learning for themselves why they should not act that way. They also learn how it feels to hurt, and to be hurt. This actually serves to improve their character. The Bible reminds us that if we, as imperfect as we are, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more, does our HEAVENLY FATHER Who is perfect give good gifts to His children! (based on Matthew 7:11) Does this mean that it is good for us to be hurt, or to hurt others? God forbid! Of course not, but we CAN learn from it, and the learning to humble ourselves, and apologize, IS good for us. God being both All-Powerful, and All-Knowing, could stop us, and prevent us from harming each other, but again, there is that whole freedom of choice thing. God is also the pure essence of Love, and does not wish any of His children to be hurt, or to hurt others. Again, very complicated, because it is difficult for us to understand how a GOOD, LOVING GOD, could allow such evil, hurtful behavior. It doesn't seem to make sense. What makes even less sense is that this same God, came down from heaven, to live as one of us, to die for us, to make up for the hurt we caused! He created us for love, and fellowship. We turned our backs on Him, and were disobedient. He died to pay the penalty!

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for^b our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

^bOr as the one who would turn aside his wrath, taking away

The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). 1 Jn 4:10-11.

I know, this still does not completely explain the original question! The thing is, a God Who is All-Powerful, All-Knowing, All-Loving, and Perfect allows us to choose, because He wants us to choose to do what is right, even though He knows what we will do, before we even do it. He even already paid the penalty for what we will do! Does this make it ok to do the wrong thing? Absolutely NOT! It just means that He has already also made provision for healing for those who have been hurt, as well as those who hurt others. We just have to CHOOSE to LET Him heal us, and our relationships, and continue to Love Him to the best of our ability.

Thank You, Jesus! My Savior, My God, My friend!

Creation and us...

2011-01-26T21:54:00.000-08:00

Many people read the Bible and do not believe it, because of what looks like contradictions within it. One such example is the story of the Creation of the Earth and all that is in it. People say that there are two different accounts of the creation. This is actually not true. There is only one story of creation, but it is told two different, yet complimentary ways. First, we have the orderly account in Genesis 1 - 2:4. Second, we have the focus on the creation of man. This second perspective is not a separate view of creation, but rather shows the preeminence of man over all other parts of creation. Man, after all was created in God's image and likeness. God put man in charge of the creation, and told him to fill the earth and subdue it.

People also get wrapped around the axle on the issue of wives for the first people. The Scriptures tell us Adam and Eve had 3 sons (Cain, Abel, and Seth), then mentions that after Seth was born, Adam lived another 800 years and had other sons and daughters. But it does not talk about where Cain and Seth got their wives. Obviously they married their sisters. Now before you freak out, remember that when man was created, we were perfect, made in God's likeness, and there was no sickness, or genetic problems, therefore this would not create a problem. The Bible also does not lay down timelines of when these people got married, only occasionally when they fathered a particular child.

Another reason some people choose not to believe it is all the evil in the world. But I will deal with that in a separate post. Look again soon

Death, Destruction, Rebirth, Reconciliation

2010-09-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

What does the title of this segment have to do with Christianity, and the difference between Christianity and all other religions? You must read the entire article to see!

Today, I attended the funeral Mass for my uncle Paul. As odd as it may seem, I enjoyed it. Let me explain. I am not glad he is dead. I am glad that he is with Jesus, and not suffering. As it says in the Scriptures, Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). 1 Th 4:13.

The thing is, we celebrated his life, and our memories of him.

The sermon (homily) and eulogy were both very appropriate and related well to the Scriptures used in the celebration: Romans 8:18-27 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that^a the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

^aOr subjected it in hope. For

The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). Ro 8:18-27.

and Matthew 28:16-20 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^a the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

^aOr into; see Acts 8:16; 19:5; Romans 6:3; 1 Cor. 1:13; 10:2 and Gal. 3:27.

The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984). Mt 28:16-20.

The priest talked about how my uncle had lived thru suffering, yet without complaining about it, and how he was looking forward to his new life with God. Not that he gave up fighting for his life here in this world, but he was looking forward to being with God. He spoke about how the Holy Spirit was present with my uncle during his suffering, and then he went on to talk about how Uncle Paul had been a witness to Jesus wherever he went, and in this way, he fulfilled the "Great Commission."

My uncle Jim gave the eulogy, and talked about how uncle Paul was not perfect. He struggled thru life. He was not the best son, the best father, the best husband, or the best brother. But Paul did love his siblings, his parents, his children, and spouse. He was a man sorry for his sins, and interested in reconciliation with those from whom he was estranged. He loved God, and was looking forward to being with Him. Uncle Paul was a great kidder. He loved to tease, but he would always end his visit assuring his host(ess) that he loved him(her). He was a fanatic about bowling, from his early days as a child, setting the pins (yes people had to do that at one time, not machines), then as a professional bowler later he scored 2 perfect 300 games. Uncle Paul had served in the military (Air Force) and was a long haul truck driver. He loved to travel, and enjoyed the diversity America has to offer.

My uncle Paul had been diagnosed about 20 years ago with esophageal cancer, and given 6 months to live. Miraculously, he not only survived, he thrived for the remainder of his life, until about 10 weeks ago. He succumbed to heart failure, pneumonia, and many other maladies taking him in and out of a hospital and hospice for the last 9 weeks of his life. His body just shut down, and tho' he fought hard, he just could not recover.

Death and destruction are normal parts of life. They end our physical life, leading to a rebirth of spiritual life IF we are part of God's family thru Christ. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me." He also said thru the Apostle Paul, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old is gone, behold the new is come." Jesus said that he had come that we might have life, and have it abundantly. He sacrificed His life, so we could be reconciled to God. We were separated by sin from God, and suffered spiritual, as well as physical death. Jesus conquered death by willingly dying altho' He had not sinned, thereby breaking the bondage of sin and death. Therefore, those who have been redeemed by Christ's death will not suffer a spiritual death, and even if they die physically prior to Jesus' return, they will be resurrected to spend eternity with Him.

Logically Speaking...

2010-07-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

The quote by Anselm which is considered the definitive Ontological proof in the being (not the existence) of God is beyond compare. I say this, because it is logical proof, that has never successfully been challenged since created in the 11th Century AD. All those who have tried to attack, or disprove Anselm's proof have had to change it to attempt to prove their points. So what? You may ask. Well, I follow Anselm's thoughts, and beliefs that echo what the Bible says: The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." Give me an example, some may say, so here goes:

Anselm stated: "That than which nothing greater may be conceived must be, and is.

Some of the many challenges to this statement include:

If God exists, He could also not exist. (changes being, to existence)

the error here, logically is the difference between existence and being. Now I did not set the rules for this, but the difference is that things with existence, can also lose or not have existence. For example a pie can exist, but as soon as it is consumed, it loses existence. Something with being, has life that although it may change, cannot cease to have life. For example, humans have being. Once created, they never cease to have life. We may live forever with God in heaven, or live forever without God in hell.

If God can be conceived to exist, He can also be conceived to not exist. (again the change, but also changes the argument)

For if the being can be conceived to not be, it is obviously not God. For there is nothing greater than a being that not only can be conceived to be, but can not be conceived to not be. Further, God must be conceived to be, by the very definition of this logic. For the progression of this concept, consider the following:

I can conceive of an apple.
I can conceive of the tree which grew the apple.
I can conceive of the planet which enables the tree to grow.
I can conceive of the solar system which contains the planet.
I can conceive of the galaxy in which the solar system is located.
I can conceive of the universe in which the galaxy is located.
I can conceive of a being which once did not have being, but has being now, and created the universe.
I can conceive of a being which always had being, has being now, but someday may not have being, which created the universe.
I can conceive of a being which always had being, has being now, and always will have being.
I can conceive of a being which always had being, has being now, and always will have being, created the universe, but did not care about it once it was created.
I can conceive of a being which always had being, has being now, and always will have being, created the universe, but continued to care for it.
I can conceive of a being which always had being, has being now, and always will have being, created the universe, and added life to it, but did not give that creation free will.
I can conceive of a being which always had being, has being now, and always will have being, created the universe, and gave the creation free will.
I can conceive of a being which always had being, has being now, and always will have being, created the universe, and once the creation thumbed its nose at him, destroyed that creation.
I can conceive of a being which always had being, has being now, and always will have being, created the universe, and despite the creation thumbing its nose at him, said, I still love you.
etc...

So anyway you get the idea. The ultimate end of this argument is that the God of the universe, not only still cares for His creation, but He paid the ultimate price, sending His own perfect son (son only because he was born, after setting aside His divine attributes, to become human) to die (the penalty for sin) even tho' He (Jesus) was sinless, to repair the damage done to the relationship humanity was created to have with God, and make it possible for all those who would come to Him to enjoy this restored relationship for all eternity. The mind boggling thing about all this is that although the God of the universe did this and it is only required that we put our faith in Him to be saved, people still thumb their noses at Him, and say "No thanks!"

Learn more about Anselms argument at: http://www.princeton.edu/~grosen/puc/phi203/ontological.html

The Christmas Celebration & Traditions

2009-12-30T09:42:00.000-08:00

Many people do not believe in celebrating the Christmas Holiday the same way as others do. They say that certain holiday traditions originated in pagan times, and are pagan traditions. Therefore, as Christians we should not participate in these pagan rituals. But what is the truth, and what does the Bible say about this apparent problem? That is what I would like to look at in today's blog.

Christmas traditions that have pagan origins are the Christmas Tree; the celebration of Christmas in Winter (by the winter solstice); the Yule log; the giving of gifts; and I am sure there are more, but we will just deal with these for now.

The Christmas Tree, Yule log, and the winter solstice, are definitely related to the pagan traditions, but why did the Christian Church adopt them? When humanity was mired in the dark or middle ages, and pagans were converting to Christianity, they were used to celebrating and using these symbols to celebrate the winter solstice. Old habits die hard, and the Christians now found themselves in a quandry about what to do with this time of year. The Christian Church had already adopted the date of 25 December to celebrate Christmas, so that was not a problem, but how to get rid of the old pagan rituals? So the Christian Church changed the rituals into Christian rituals, by associating them with Christian ideas, concepts and Scripture.

For Example, the Christmas tree has a double meaning, both the evergreen, showing that Jesus brings eternal life, and as a forewarning of the Cross. For it was wood upon which He was crucified (in many places, the Scriptures prophesy "a tree").

Now, some people say we should not use a tree, as the pagans used one before Christians did for their rituals and celebrations. But what do the Scriptures say?

In Romans, 14 --

⁵One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. ⁷For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. ⁸If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ro 14:5-8

This does not apply only to the celebration of a particular day, but if you take this passage (as one must always do) within the context of the chapter, and book, and indeed the entire Bible, you will see that the concept is that we should allow grace to others who believe slightly differently than ourselves. (However this does not mean all teachings, or beliefs are acceptable -- There are limits to orthodoxy.)

Most importantly, the Scriptures tell us to do all things for the Glory of God in Christ Jesus, and to do all things in LOVE. So, just because I do something, or do not do something, does not mean it is right, or wrong for someone else to do it. It depends on their faith journey with their Creator, and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. (see above Scripture again)

Let us all be tolerant of those who disagree with us, and give as much grace to them, as we would like to receive from them!

The Race

2009-12-01T22:34:00.000-08:00

The Poem "The Race" is about a young man who has difficulties, falls three times, yet gets up and finishes the race. http://www.poemsonly.com/poems/iptherace.php

This poem epitomizes the struggle each of us goes thru in life. Even once we give our hearts and minds to Christ, we still struggle with the sins and habits we had before then. Yet, we have our own cheering section, the Lord Jesus Himself.

Several times in the Scriptures, we are instructed to run this race. Paul used the allegory several times, Romans 12:1 for example... "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Heb 12:1

Jesus, although God, became human so He could purchase us back from slavery to sin. Once we are born again, we are no longer slaves to sin. Even if we sin, we are owned by Christ, and He does not abandon us. Jesus is our advocate, and He intercedes for us at The Father's throne. He has purchased us, and by such a price!

So let us live in such a way as to bring glory to God, Our Father, and His Son Jesus Christ.

How then do I live?

2009-11-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

Paul wrote in Colossians: See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Col 2:8

So what are these human traditions, and basic principles that Paul was talking about...?

First, we must understand the time frame he was writing in, and to whom... Paul was writing to a greek church, in Colosse and the hollow and deceptive philosophy and traditions had to do with celebrating rituals, and Gnosticism (a form of secret wisdom, which also decried all things physical) see http://www.answers.com/gnosticism for more information on this heresy.

Second, The point that Paul made frequently in his writings, preaching, and life, is that just as he was not justified in God's sight when he was a zealot in his Judaism, no one can be, or is, justified by works, or by doing anything... We are justified in God's sight ONLY because and THRU Jesus' Suffering, Death on a cross and Resurrection. God has provided grace (unmerited [undeserved] favor) to all who would call out to Him, and admit that we cannot make it to Him, thru our works, efforts, or any other thing, except the substitutionary death of Christ.

No one understood this more than Paul, who as Saul (his name before becoming Christian) was a leader in the Jewish religion, and was responsible for the death of many Christians, because the Christians were preaching heresy (according to Judaism). Christianity was teaching that Jesus IS God, and that He was raised from the dead.

So, how does this relate to the theme of this blog, and what makes Christianity different from all other religions? Simple, all religions (except Christianity) have to do with man's efforts to reach and to worship some deity, or become divine. Christianity has to do with God's efforts to reach out to, and save humanity from our own sins, and restore His relationship with us. He created us, we rebelled (and still rebel) and yet God loves us, and sent His son, (Himself incarnate [the concept of the Trinity is too much for many people to handle]) to be the sacrifice required to pay the penalty for our sins, and restore fellowship with Him.

Therefore, when the Colossians were being led astray by these philosophies and traditions, Paul had to straighten them out by getting them focused again on Christ.

Prayers for death?

2009-09-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

There was quite a bit of discussion recently about a "Christian" pastor, who said that he prays that President Obama dies, and dies of cancer, and goes to Hell.

So what is the REAL CHRISTIAN response to this? There are several. First, Jesus Christ, from Whom we get the name Christian (meaning Little Christ), was persecuted, even murdered by the Chief Priests, with the cooperation of Pontius Pilate, because Jesus said He is God.

Jesus was flogged, had his beard plucked, was spit upon, cursed at, had the robes ripped off his back after the blood congealed into it, carried an approximately 200 pound cross to His own crucifixion on the top of Golgotha, Was nailed to the cross, and mocked, scorned, ridiculed. His response, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Lk 23:34

Therefore, if we are to be "Little Christs," we need to pray for our enemies, not curse them. When one of the most wicked men of the 20th and beginning of 21st centuries (Saddam Hussein) was executed (Definitely deserved, as he was single handedly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of his own people,) I found myself praying, and hoping that he had repented, and found Christ and forgiveness prior to his last breath, so not even he would spend eternity in Hell.

Although I do not pretend to be the best Christian in the world, I do have a pretty good handle on what a Christian should be and do. Jesus prayed for his persecutors, even at His death. A horrible, painful, lonely death. The lonely part is food for another post, but I digress. Paul, one of the main leaders (not of the Church per se, but of the movement -- called Christianity) said that he would almost rather be cursed himself, if his fellow Jews could be saved by his condemnation.

Therefore, a Christian response to this Christian preacher who said he wished, even prayed for the President's death by cancer and confinement to Hell for eternity, is to pray for him, that he may see the error of his ways, and repent of his evil attitude. I pray that our President will receive wisdom from God, and that he will make good decisions, and lead our country well. I also pray that he will repent of any sin in his life, or that he supports. May God be merciful to us all.

Christians and the Law (part 2)

2009-09-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

Continuing our discussion on whether Christians must obey the law, I point out that there are many facets to this question...

First, Christianity is founded upon freedom. We are free to choose what to do and what not to do. However this freedom is not license to harm or walk on others. Paul wrote in Romans 13:⁸Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. ⁹The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ro 13:8-10). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Further, He wrote in another place, that if by eating meat, he offended his brother, he would never eat meat again... Therefore, although we have freedom to do what we want, we should always be considerate of others in what we actually do.

Second, we have the obligation to abide by the (civil) laws enacted by governments, except when they contradict God's Laws... for example, murdering an unborn baby is "Legal" but murder is specifically forbidden, and carries with it a hefty penalty.

Romans 13:1-5 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ²Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. ⁴For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. ⁵Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ro 13:1-5). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Third, the Law was written, not so that we could obey it, but to prove to fallen man that we cannot be good enough, obedient enough, to fix the relationship problem we have with God due to our sin. The Law was set up so we would know WE NEED A SAVIOR. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for ALL SIN once for all on the Cross, hence His words "It is finished." His work was to redeem fallen man so that we could be truly free.

So, a Christian does, and does not have to follow the Law. We are required to be obedient to God, and to live our lives in a way that glorifies Him. How each Christian works this out, is up to him, and those who love him. After all, we are called to community, and to holding each other accountable, see Galatians: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. ²Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ga 6:1-2). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Christians and the Law (To obey or not to obey, that is the question)

2009-09-05T00:18:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of discussion today about Christians not obeying

(or saying they do not have to obey the Law)

So Let's look at the Rules, and what it means to be a Christian...

The Old Testament has 10 Commandments, and approximately 600 laws handed down from God, by Moses... Then there is the Talmud, a discussion on the points of the Law, by the learned Rabbi's (If any Jewish people read this, and I have made an error, please let me know).

Christians claim that they do not have to obey the Law, because Christ abolished it. Jesus was a Jew, and obeyed the Law, with a few exceptions. He went to church (synagogue) every sabbath, and then broke the law, by hangin' out with sinners. He touched a leper. Jesus did not chastise the woman with the bleeding problem, that touched him, and according to the Law, made Him unclean. Instead, He blessed her and said, "Woman, your faith has made you whole."

The New Testament has much to say on the Law, and a new concept, Grace. While Jesus walked the earth, He was constantly challenging the leaders of the temple and synagogue because they did not live their faith in such a way as to make life easier on the masses, they made it tougher on them...

Jesus said He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. Yet when He died, the temple veil was torn in half, from top to bottom. Now, to understand this, you must realize that the veil was woven cloth, 12" thick... It was the wall of separation between God (a very Holy God) and fallen man. Only the high priest, once per year could go into the holiest of holies to offer incense to God, because of the sin in our lives. So when the temple veil was rent in half, it signified the end of the separation between God and man. All men now have access to God because Jesus paid the penalty for our sin once for all time.

A Hebrew zealot named Saul was persecuting the believers in Christ early in the Church history, because they followed Jesus, and believed He was God. Then Jesus knocked him off his horse, blinded him for 3 days, and Saul became Paul, one of the greatest leaders in early church history, and the writer (under divine leading) of 13 of our New Testament books. (See his story in Acts chapter 9). One of the books (It was a letter at the time, and is known as an Epistle) that the Holy Spirit wrote thru Paul, was Galatians. Written to the church in Galatia, Paul dealt with the issue of obedience to the Law. Gal 2:21 -- I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! (NIV) He pointed out to them, that if you cannot obey ALL the Law, then you are in trouble if the Law is your yardstick. Christ satisfied the requirements of the Law, because His blood covers our sins. As it is written throughout the Scriptures, apart from the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb, and His blood shed once for all men for all time, attains us the opportunity to be right with God thru FAITH, not obedience to the Law.

Patriotism and Christianity

2009-07-05T21:54:00.000-07:00

I am as patriotic as anyone, probably more than most. I love this country, and am proud to be an American. I served in the US Army for 24 years. I have heard it said that I could not be a Christian and serve in the Army, or be so patriotic. Some people think that Christians cannot be patriotic to America or any other country, or that those who are patriotic, cannot be Christians. These statements are not true. However, as a Christian, our first loyalty IS to GOD. Therefore, when there is a conflict between what a Christian believes or is required to do, and what is demanded of them, or is "Legal" to do as a member of a particular nation, the Christian should do what is required of them, as a Christian, not the conflicting thing. So what would be an example of this? In World War II, there were many Christians in Germany. It was required of German citizens to report Jews, and let the police know where they lived. Some Christians did give into this pressure. Other Christians did the right thing, and hid the Jews they knew, and even helped them escape the Nazis. Those who did this, when caught, were shot, or sent to concentration camps. Today, we have similar, albeit different, and less lethal conflicts.

There are those who say that Christians may not speak out on issues that they believe strongly about, or they will be fined for hate speech. In Canada, a preacher was fined because he said that the practice (not attraction, or temptation, but the practice) of homosexuality was sinful, and wrong. The Bible clearly states that the practice of homosexuality is an abomination to God. Therefore, a Christian can and should speak out about it. Just because the law says it is "legal" does not make it right, or acceptable.

But lets get back to the issue. Yesterday, we celebrated Independence Day. The day 233 years ago that citizens of a fledgling nation declared independence from England. This sparked a war that lasted 7 years. Many of the patriots that fought the British were Christians, fighting for their right to believe and practice their faith their way. They were tired of tyranny, unfair taxation, and opression because of what they believed. Today, we have soldiers providing support all over the world to people of other nations that are attempting to do similar things, and fighting terrorists, to help keep our borders more safe. So thank a soldier, airman, marine, or Navy or Coast Guard Seaman when you see them, and pray for their safety.

Bottom line, be patriotic, support our nation. It is still the best in the world, even with its problems. Stand tall, salute the flag, remember our history, and our foundational principles -- all based on Biblical principles by the way !!!

Do you HAVE to go to Church?

2009-06-07T21:14:00.001-07:00

Many people say that they do not have to go to church to worship God, the question is whether or not a Christian needs to go to Church.

Today's sermon spoke about this topic, and the preacher, one of our Senior Pastor's brothers, made some very good points about how this question should be answered. !

The text was from 1 Kings 12

²⁶Jeroboam thought to himself, “The kingdom will now likely revert to the house of David. ²⁷If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.”²⁸After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” ²⁹One he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. ³⁰And this thing became a sin; the people went even as far as Dan to worship the one there.

Some of the points made are as follows:

Jeroboam was king of the Northern Kingdom just after Solomon died
Solomon had strayed from the correct path and created idols and temples for worship to false gods
Jeroboam was worried that if the people from his kingdom went to Jerusalem to worship, he would lose their allegiance
Jeroboam decided to keep them from going to Jerusalem, he would build two duplicate altars (of the altar in Jerusalem) in the northern kingdom, along with golden calves for the people to worship.
Jeroboam led his people into sin, instead of making life more convenient

On top of these points, we should look to Jesus, and see what He did, and the commands of the early church fathers:

Jesus frequented the synagogue, as well as the temple on the sabbath
The writer of Hebrews commanded the early Christians to ²⁴And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ²⁵Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The Apostles also pointed out that each of us is a member of the body of Christ. The hand cannot say to the foot, I don't need you.

The preacher pointed out that if the leg just chooses not to show up, then the body of Christ is crippled

Although Christians are not REQUIRED to attend Church, we NEED one another. We are called to community, not to isolation. If once we accept Christ as savior, we are not required to do anything else, not supposed to bring fellowship and love and support to one another, as well as lead others to Christ, then God would just bring us home immediately. We ARE CALLED to community, and to support one another, as well as lead others to Christ.

So the bottom line is Yes, we do need to go to church to Worship God, not because we are REQUIRED, but because it is good for us, and for our fellow man.

Shepherd or Sheepdog

2009-03-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is to relate the previous post to the role of Christianity, and what makes Christianity different from all other religions...

As I was sitting in church today, the following thoughts occurred to me, regarding the sheep, sheepdog, and wolf analogy...

As Christians, we are not the shepherds, we are called to be sheepdogs, however. We do not lead the sheep, we herd them in the direction that The Shepherd (Jesus is the good Shepherd) would like us to go. We assist the shepherd in protecting the sheep, but the ultimate protection is His responsibility. As He stated, "I Am the Good Shepherd, the Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep." Even pastors, who are referred to as shepherds of the flock, really are sheepdogs. They only lead the flock as Jesus leads them. If they do anything other than that, they are false christs. It is the responsibility of the sheepdog to listen to the Shepherd, and follow His direction. We do, fight the wolves of this world, but again, the ultimate protection is done by, and in the authority of the Shepherd. We have no authority on our own, but only under Him.

Sheep, Sheepdog, or Wolf

2009-03-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

Recently this was forwarded to me by my son, who is serving our nation, and the nation of Iraq in the Army National Guard...

Hat tip to Tom (Walter) Jennings for this…

This letter was written by Charles Grennel and his comrades who are veterans of the Global War On Terror. Grennel is an Army Reservist who spent two years in Iraq and was a principal in putting together the first Iraq elections in January of 2005. It was written to Jill Edwards, a student at the University of Washington , who did not want to honor Medal of Honor winner USMC Colonel Greg Boyington. Ms. Edwards and other students (and faculty) do not think those who serve in the U.S. armed services are good role models.

To: Edwards, Jill (student, UW)
Subject: Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs

Miss Edwards,
I read of your “student activity” regarding the proposed memorial to Col. Greg Boyington, USMC and a Medal of Honor winner. I suspect you will receive a bellyful of angry e-mails from conservative folks like me. You may be too young to appreciate fully the sacrifices of generations of servicemen and servicewomen on whose shoulders you and your fellow students stand. I forgive you for the untutored ways of youth and your naivete.
It may be that you are, simply, a sheep. There’s no dishonor in being a sheep - as long as you know and accept what you are.
William J. Bennett, in a lecture to the United States Naval Academy on November 24, 1997 said: “Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident.” We may well be in the most violent times in history but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.
Then there are the wolves and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy. Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You’d better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.
Then there are sheepdogs and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf. If you have no capacity for violence, then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep.
If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog - a warrior - someone who is walking the uncharted path - someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.

We know that the sheep live in denial; that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires can happen - which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms, and fire exits throughout their kids’ schools. But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kids school. Our children are thousands of times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by school violence than fire, but the sheep’s only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their child is just too hard and so they choose the path of denial.
The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf; he has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, cannot, and will not ever harm the sheep. Any sheepdog who intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot work any other way - at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as ours.
Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn’t tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go “Baa.” Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.
The students, the victims, at Columbine High School were big, tough high school students and, under ordinary circumstances, they would not have had the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just had nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT teams were clearing the rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel those clinging, sobbing kids off of them.
This is how the little lambs feel about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door. Look at what happened after September 11, 2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America , more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel? Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be.
Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: he is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser but they move to the sound of the guns when needed, right along with the young ones.
Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come but the sheepdog lives for that day.
After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep - that is, most citizens in America - said, “Thank God I wasn’t on one of those planes.” The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, “Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference.” You want to be able to make a difference. There is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, but he does have one real advantage - only one - and that is that he is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population.
There was research conducted a few years ago with individuals convicted of violent crimes. These cons were in prison for serious, predatory crimes of violence: assaults, murders, and the killing of law enforcement officers. The vast majority said that they specifically targeted victims by body language: slumped walk, passive behavior, and lack of awareness. They chose their victims like big cats do in Africa when they select one out of the herd that is least able to protect itself. Some people may be destined to be sheep and others might be genetically primed to be wolves or sheepdogs.
But I believe that most people can choose which one they want to be, and I’m proud to say that more and more Americans are choosing to become sheepdogs. Seven months after the attack on September 11, 2001, Todd Beamer was honored in his hometown of Cranbury , New Jersey . Todd, as you recall, was the man on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania who called on his cell phone to alert an operator at United Airlines about the hijacking. When they learned of the other three passenger planes that had been used as weapons, Todd and the other passengers confronted the terrorist hijackers. In one hour, a transformation occurred among the passengers - athletes, business people, and parents - from sheep to sheepdogs and, together, they fought the wolves, ultimately saving an unknown number of lives on the ground.
“There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men.” ~ Edmund Burke.
Here is the point I like to emphasize, especially to the thousands of police officers and soldiers I speak to each year. In nature, the sheep - real sheep - are born as sheep. Sheepdogs are born that way and so are wolves. They didn’t have a choice.
But you are not a critter. As a human being, you can be whatever you want to be. It is a conscious, moral decision. If you want to be a sheep, then you can be a sheep and that is okay, but you must understand the price you pay. When the wolf comes, you and your loved ones are going to die if there is not a sheepdog there to protect you. If you want to be a wolf, you can be one, but the sheepdogs are going to hunt you down and you will never have rest, safety, trust, or love.
But if you want to be a sheepdog and walk the warrior’s path, then you must make a conscious and moral decision every day to dedicate, equip, and prepare yourself to thrive in that toxic, corrosive moment when the wolf comes knocking at the door.
This business of being a sheep or a sheepdog is not a yes-no dichotomy. It is not an all-or-nothing, either-or choice. It is a matter of degrees, a continuum. On one end is an abject, head-in-the-sand sheep and, on the other end, is the ultimate warrior. Few people exist completely on one end or the other. Most of us live somewhere in between. Since 9-11, almost everyone in America took a step up that continuum, away from denial. The sheep took a few steps toward accepting and appreciating their warriors, and the warriors started taking their job more seriously.
It’s okay to be a sheep but do not kick the sheepdog. Indeed, the sheepdog may just run a little harder, strive to protect a little better, and be fully prepared to pay an ultimate price in battle and spirit - with the sheep moving from “baa” to “thanks.”
We do not call for gifts or freedoms beyond our lot. We just need a small pat on the head, a smile, and a thank you to fill the emotional tank which is drained protecting the sheep. And when our number is called by the Almighty and day retreats into night, a small prayer before the heavens just may be in order to say thanks for letting you continue to be a sheep. And be grateful for the thousands - millions - of American sheepdogs who permit you the freedom to express even bad ideas.

Avoid EVEN the Appearance of Evil

2009-02-28T12:26:00.000-08:00

The Word of God - more commonly known as The Bible, (1 Thessalonians 5:22) tells Christians to Avoid every kind of evil, in fact, the Greek actually says to abstain even from evil appearances. But why? A recent situation at one of my jobs, should illustrate this nicely...

I work at the Spokane Veteran's Memorial Arena, with a company that has a contract to clean up after events, as one of my many jobs. One night recently, after cleaning up, there were several bottles of water, soda pop, bags of chips, fruit, etc left over from a group that had used the Arena. These items were purchased / provided by an outside caterer, and did not belong to the arena, so the boss said they must go away... Now alcohol, regardless of source, is not allowed to be removed from the Arena, by anyone in the company... Anyway, the people still working, split up the loot, and one person grabbed a cardboard box (happened to be a beer box) to put stuff in and as we were carrying it out, an employee (of the arena) saw this box, apparently of beer, leaving the arena in one of our arms. Well, he knew nothing of the situation, and as a regular employee, it probably looked to him like we were doing something wrong. So he reported it to his supervisor, who brought the situation to the leadership of our group, and lotsa nonsense erupted. Did we do anything wrong? Now the Scriptures also teach us, as Christians that there are specific steps to take when we have a problem with someone else or think that they are doing wrong... Remember the point of this blog is to point out the difference that separates Christianity from all other religions... The Bible lets us know that if we have a problem with someone, or what they are doing, we are to do the following:
1. we are to go to them, one on one, and bring it to their attention.
2. If they do not listen, take one or two others with you.
3. If they still do not listen, take it to the elders of the church.
4. If they still do not listen, (if it is something requiring it,) cast them out of the body of believers, so that they do not poison others with their sin.
Now obviously, the steps do not have to go this far in all cases, but only the extreme ones...

The point of this story is that, had this individual simply asked about what he thought was something wrong, he would have found that there was not anything wrong going on, and no one would have had to suffer the scrutiny of security tapes having been viewed, and people running the risk of losing their jobs over something which really was nothing.

Now the Bible also says not to muzzle the ox which threshes your grain, and I will be relating this verse to the same issue in another post. so stay tuned...

Church or Relationship

2009-02-06T15:30:00.000-08:00

Once again, people are harping on Christians for the lack of perfection of Churches... The uniqueness of being a Christian is, however, not being perfect, but rather that even though we are not perfect, our God loved us, and came here to save us from our sins... (John 3:16 states that God so loved the world that He sent His only son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life) And He did this, because we messed up in the beginning. He does require us to live our lives as a living sacrifice, dedicated to Him, and serving our fellow man. Yet, our salvation is dependent only on Him. We are not judged on what we do, but rather on whether or not we are His. We can never be good enough to EARN His love, or even forgiveness. The difference between Christianity and all other religions, is that other religions are about man seeking God(s), or trying to earn his(their) love, and Christianity is about Him (The creator, giver of life, author and finisher of our faith) seeking us. Jesus came to earth, setting His attributes of Godhood aside, and became man, so He could live with and like us, but without sin, so that He could pay for our sins. He willingly went to His death, a death on the cross, that God's justice [In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Heb 9:22] could be satisfied. So the question remains... What do YOU do WITH JESUS -- Do you accept His gift of forgiveness, and spend eternity? Or do you reject Him, and die in your sins?
Email me and let me know if you Accept His gift...

Super bowl Sunday

2009-01-30T18:41:00.000-08:00

As the 2009 Superbowl aproaches, I pause to remember that what matters is not which team wins, or loses, but is it a good game? Is the game one sided, or was it a good contest. I do not particularly care which team will win. What does matter, though, is whether or not we are on the winning team for all eternity. Jesus and Lucifer are in a constant battle for our souls. Jesus has already won the battle of all eternity, but Lucifer (Satan) refuses to admit defeat, even though he knows his time is short. He knows his end is in defeat, but still acts as a spoiler, trying to fool, and lead away as many of God's children as he can. God's Word, the Bible, says that the devil is prowling the world, like a lion looking for souls to devour, because he knows his time is short. Jesus paid for our debt, yes our debt, as all sin separates us from God. Since He was sinless, He died for us. He is the quarterback of God's winning team. The team that wins for all eternity. So repent of your sin, and join the winning team. Say yes to Jesus, and ask Him to forgive you of your sins.

From Christmas to the Cross

2008-12-25T11:11:00.000-08:00

Christmas is great, fun, and pleasant... It is truly amazing, the God of the universe, set aside his Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence, and became a helpless baby, born of a human woman, impregnated miraculously by the Holy Spirit (she was still a virgin). He relied upon her for his food, and care.

But the Christmas story, as nice as it is, if God visited us, and did nothing to save us from the result of our sin, is useless. Jesus came to earth for two reasons: first, to show us how to live submitted to the Father's will and by the power of the Holy Spirit, and second to pay the penalty we incurred by our sin. The penalty of death was our punishment, yet He (Jesus) willingly paid the penalty for us.

Jesus lived a sinless life, with only human abilities, but by the power of the Holy Spirit in His life, He worked many supernatural miracles. He said His followers would be able to do the same. Peter, Paul, and the other apostles did also perform healings, and miracles.

Jesus said He came to die. He told Pilate that Pilate had no power over Him. He could have called down legions of angels, to rescue Him, but He chose to allow Himself to be put to death. This was the culmination of God's promise all the way back to the garden of Eden, God sacrificed two sheep so He could clothe Adam and Eve. This was a type of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He has paid the penalty for our sin.

Thank you, Lord Jesus

Happy Birthday, Jesus

2008-12-25T03:56:00.001-08:00

Today, December 25th is the day that we in Christendom celebrate the birth of Jesus... But, is it the correct date? Obviously, no one knows for sure, but there are two main theories.

1. In the Spring, around the time that is traditionally, Passover or (today, Easter)

2. The time currently celebrated (Dec or Jan)

The Catholic Encyclopedia http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03724b.htm offers the perspectives, with links so you can investigate for yourself.

Personally, I do not think it matters much. God is timeless, and as long as we honor God in what we do, I do not think He cares which day we celebrate what... Paul's Epistle to the Romans reminds us of this philosophy, and I find it refreshing. If you have not read Romans recently, check it out. I recommend reading it straight thru, then breaking it down, and really reading and focusing on one chapter per day. This holds true to each book of the Bible.

May the Christ of Christmas, the God man, the Lord and Savior of the world, be born in your heart today, as He was long ago in Bethlehem...

Next post, Christmas, looking toward Good Friday...

Christianity, Religion or Relationship

2008-12-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

One of the major differences between Christianity and all other religions is that it is more about a relationship with God, than a system of do's and don'ts. Jesus was a Jew, and obeyed the Law, but got on the case of the leaders of the temple, synagogues, and the teachers of the law in His day, because they were more concerned about the law, than about helping people to worship, and ultimately find God. Jesus did unorthodox things: He hung out with sinners; tax collectors, prostitutes, allowed lepers to come near Him, He allowed unclean people to touch Him, etc.

Most religions are all about drawing close to a god or gods. Christianity is about God drawing near to us. He repaired the destruction that we (as humans) did to our relationship with God from the very beginning. Jesus said that He came to lay down His life as a ransom for many. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, the penalty was death (Eternal separation from God). Physical death, as well as the separation from God's presence (Spiritual Death), was the result of their sin.

The Scriptures teach us that without the shedding of blood (death) there is no remission of sin. So Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, came down from heaven, became human, and lived a sinless life, voluntarily dying a sinner's death, even death on a cross to pay for our sins.

Jesus stated that when (He) the Son of Man was lifted up (crucified), He would draw all men unto Him.

Thank You Jesus...

Christ Jesus, Who is He?

2008-12-05T19:36:00.000-08:00

The Bible proclaims Jesus Christ is the Son of Man, the Promised One, Emmanuel (God with us), The Savior, The Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father (God), Mighty God, The Alpha and Omega (the first and the last), the Author and Finisher of our faith, The Word of God, God Almighty, etc...

Some people claim that the Bible does NOT teach such things, or if it does, it was a carefully fabricated story. But 400 - 800 years prior to Christ, his charactistics were predicted, including the EXACT way that He would die, even to words used at His crucifixion by others present. Some people challenge this, but I submit the following as evidence (or at least something to ponder if you are skeptical):

Psalms 22 written by King David approx 800 years prior to Christ, describes a man beaten, bloody, taunted and crucified, but no bones broken. Broken bones was very common during crucifixion by the Romans (not even done when this was written by David) but the Romans did not break Christ's bones. They usually broke the legs to make the person suffocate quicker after they had suffered into the late afternoon. Jesus gave up His spirit mid afternoon, and therefore, the Romans pierced His side to verify He was dead, or they would have broken His legs.

Isaiah 45:23 written approx 500 years prior to Jesus Christ, says "By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear."
Romans 14:11 states this applies to Jesus Christ, Lord of the living and the dead.

When Jesus Christ was challenged by the leaders of the Jewish church in the Temple, just prior to His betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion, He stated that, "...before Abraham was, I AM" Jesus clearly declared Himself to be God, using the title that God (I AM) used to describe Himself to Moses when He sent Moses into Egypt to bring the Israelites out of bondage. The Jewish leaders understood this, because they immediately yelled Blasphemy and tore their clothes.

So again, Who is this man called The Christ? He is God Incarnate, the creator of the universe, the Savior, our Redeemer, the baby born in the Stable, placed in the manger... the most humble child, who came to die for our sins.

Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus

Bumper Stickers and Tattoos

2008-12-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

This morning (on the Morning Show) on Air1 radio, they were talking about tattoos, and whether or not Christians should have them, and what is acceptable...

Christianity is not a system of rules; Do's and Don'ts -- so much as it is a relationship with the person of Jesus Christ, which is lived out in every thought, decision, and action. We should be careful to not cause our brother to stumble, but the Bible, (God's Word) informs us that there are things that each of us must decide for ourselves whether or not they are acceptable. We should not let others have undue influence on what we believe (as long as it is not opposed to the Laws of God).

So, we see people making statements every day by putting bumper stickers on vehicles, or tattoos on their skin. The difference, I believe is that we should be VERY CAREFUL as to what we decide to put in the form of a tattoo, due to it's permanence, whereas, bumper stickers can always be removed simply with a little solvent, and elbow grease.

As Paul wrote in Romans 14:13-18 13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. 14 As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

I know some wonderful Christian people who have tattoos, and some who have bumper stickers... I personally have stickers and magnets on my truck, but no tattoos, but it does not offend me, when others choose to have them. The key question is, do either the tats, or stickers make a positive statement, or cause people to draw nearer to God, or their fellow man, or do they have the opposite effects??

These last questions are the basic premise of our responsibility in Christianity in all that we think, say or do... What effect does what we do, have on our relationships with God, and others?

Advent (What is it, Why do we celebrate it?)

2008-12-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

Advent is celebrated from the Sunday after Thanksgiving, until Christmas. It is a time of preparation for the coming of the savior. Traditionally, a wreath with 4 (sometimes 5) candles are lit as the weeks progress. The candles are 3 Purple, 1 Pink, and 1 White. Each Sunday an additonal candle is lit, starting with the purple farthest from the pink, and going around the wreath. The 3rd Sunday, the pink candle is lit to symbolize hope, as well as the joy of the expectant arrival of the King of Glory. The White candle is usually placed in the center, and represents Christ. It is not lit until Either Christmas Eve after dark, or on Christmas day. Prayers or readings usually accompany the lighting of the candles, and hymns are sometimes sung as well. The symbolism of the purple (sometimes blue nowadays) is to represent the waiting, expectation, penance for sins, and the royalty of the expected coming King.

Christianity and war

2008-11-28T19:33:00.001-08:00

Though some may find the war in Iraq, and war in general to be a contradiction to

the philosophy of Christian living, there are much more complex issues at hand than to just condemn war outright. For example, World War II was fought to end the tyranny of both Germany and Japan who were vicious in their persecution and domination without mercy upon others. Similarly, the war in Iraq is all about liberating the people of Iraq from a vicious and evil tyrant that did not even hesitate to gas and murder 100,000+ of his own people!

So what? We are not Iraqi's some people would say! But that is what was said when Hitler was murdering Jews. Then Catholics (1/3 of the Poles murdered were Catholics), then Evangelicals, finally there was no one left except those too frightened to say anything, or his supporters. So anyway, getting back to the purpose of this...

Having served in Iraq (I am the one on the far left of the picture above) I can tell you that most of the people there DO feel liberated. They are happy to have a taste of freedom! So what do the Scriptures say about war... ?

The scriptures do not condemn a righteous war, in fact they demand it. The problem we face is deciding when war is righteous and when it is not. Fortunately, I do not have to make that decision, on my own. The leaders of this country decide when our soldiers go to war. The Bible also says to follow the law, and the orders of those in our leadership. Romans 13 covers this quite well. So again back to the subject at hand.

Is war opposed to Christianity? That depends on the purpose for it. Is it wrong for soldiers to participate in war? Never, as long as they follow the rules (and yes there are rules in war -- the Geneva convention) of land warfare. Soldiers must obey their leaders, as long as they are not given orders to do something illegal or immoral according to their faith, or the laws of land warfare.

Therefore, if you object to this (or any other) war, but say you want to support the troops, do not talk out of both sides of your mouth. A soldier does not feel support if you tell them, "I support you, but not what you are doing."

Thanksgiving (or not)

2008-11-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

What is this holiday all about anyway, and why should we be grateful? Who are we thanking?

Thanksgiving was originally celebrated by the British colonists those who landed on the continent of the Americas to thank God for safe passage. Then by the pilgrims and the indians (Native Americans as it is PC to say these days) as simple harvest festivals, but became formally a day of Thanks after a particular hard drought, and prayers brought rain, which resulted in a good harvest. Squanto, a Native American, had also taught the pilgrims how to catch eels and plant corn.

Now days, people just use it as an excuse to skip work. Those who have a deep and abiding faith in God, still recall that all we have comes from Him, and we truly give thanks for what we have and who He is.

I had a thanksgiving experience back in 1984 that is unparalleled.. I was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, and traveled with my chaplain (my boss), his family, my roommate, and some friends of my boss's wife to West Berlin from West Germany. Back then, travel thru East Germany was an interesting experience. We had to travel thru Checkpoints Alpha and Bravo as we left West Germany and entered West Berlin respectively. As we were driving thru East Germany, it was the middle of the night, and we were apparently driving thru the middle of nowhere as there were no lights anywhere, except an occasional light when we would pass an on/off ramp onto the Autobahn (Freeway) on which we were traveling. All was good, we arrived safely, had a great few days, enjoying West Berlin, and traveling thru Checkpoint Charlie which allowed us to visit East Berlin, where we had a thanksgiving dinner of sorts in an "International Restaurant" that was barely passable as a decent meal. At the end of the weekend, we again went thru East Germany, passing Checkpoit Bravo in th early afternoon, and driving the same Autobahn that we had come in on. Back then, if you traveled from West Germany to West Berlin, there was ONLY ONE approved route, and you had to have "Flag Orders" so named because they were printed on paper with the US Flag preprinted. The Flag Orders had to be letter perfect, with the information on them matching exactly the Identification Card information that accompanied them. So anyway, as we traveled this same autobahn that was totally dark in the middle of the night, we saw bildings, houses, factories, and just basically continuous city all the way as we traveled back to the West (and freedom). The friends of my boss's wife, had relatives that had recently escaped the East German life into the freedom of the west, so I enquired about this anomaly.

So I found out that the East Germans had a curfew imposed by the Russians (East Germany was still occupied (and oppressed)) at the time. It was told to me that the curfew extended to light emitting from the home after certain hours, and that the Stasi (East German Secret Police) would very harshly enforce this curfew. Thus total darkness in the middle of the night and a Blaupunkt factory, lumber mills, houses, etc. plainly visible in the daylight, and early evening.

The bottom line, we are grateful to God, for our freedom, His gifts of life, liberty, and the ability to pursue happiness.

Mostly, tho' I am grateful that the God of the Universe, the Creator of all things visible and invisible, stepped down to earth, became human, in the person of Jesus Christ, and redeemed ME from my sins 2000 years ago. He did this not because I deserve anything other than death, but because of His own Holiness, that demands that the atonement for sin is death. Because we cannot pay these demands ourselves, He paid them for us.

John 3:16-17 For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

Thank You Jesus!

The Life of a Quilt

2008-11-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

This post inspired by a quilter's blog scrappermarylu.blogspot.com

Life is like a quilt project. It looks like a mess to all but the master quilter. He has all the pieces already laid out in His mind. As He works, the scraps begin to make sense, and form patterns to the onlooker, but still, until it is complete, there is only patterns and colors, but once the Master has finished, we find a thing of beauty.

Jeff Steinberg ( a Christian musician from the 1980's) had a song called Masterpiece in Progress, which illustrated this concept perfectly. Visit his website at http://www.tinygiant.com/

Anyway, right now, my life is a mess. I am working a full time job, as well as a part time job. I am in a financial crisis. I have stubborn sin that keeps rearing its ugly head. I have been a Christian all my life, yet 46 years in, I still struggle with sin. Why, O Lord, cannot I win over the sin in my life? I think it is so I will be more compassionate toward others in their sins. I also think it is to remind me I need to rely on God's Grace to get me there, not get there on my own. No matter how good I am, I will never be good enough to get into heaven. God loves me, and paid the price for my sin back 2000 years ago. Jesus died for my sin. !! He loves me that much.

God, help me to resist the devil, and to sin no more, but keep me living for You, and compassionate to Your other children, that I may see them from Your perspective.

Kingdom Upside Down

2008-05-20T06:07:00.000-07:00

The kingdom of Jesus Christ is all about others. Jesus said the key to being great in His kingdom, is to become a servant to others. Morgan Cryar http://www.premierrecords.com/ said it well in his song Kingdom Upside Down hence the name of this post to my blog. This has been one of my favorite songs since the mid 1980s. Many people have espoused service to others, but the service that Jesus honors is that which is done simply because it should be done, or because it is done in His Name. We must ask ourselves, "Am I doing this to get a reward, to be recognized, or just because it needs to be done?" Those who serve to get recognition, have their reward when the get the recognition. Those who serve to bring glory to Christ, or to receive honor only from Christ, will get their reward when they meet Him face to face. We all have the potential to be pigs (people who look out for their own interests first). But we also all have the potential to look out for others first. The world tells us to look out for number one (meaning ourselves), but Jesus says to look out for others first. Matthew 6:33 says to "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." This means that God will take care of us, and meet our needs, if we will put Him, and His Kingdom (serving others) as the priority in our lives.

The Divinity of Christ

2008-03-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

Many people have undertaken to prove, or disprove the Divinity of Christ Jesus. I do not happen to believe there is any room for, nor justification for any doubt that Jesus is God Almighty in human flesh. Some of the reasons for this is the Old Testament clearly declares that God Himself would be the Savior of the world(meaning all men). The New Testament provides ample proof (to those who have ears to hear) that Jesus (the Christ)is indeed the Savior of the world. One parallel passage in particular is the correlation between Isaiah Chapter 6, which describes how the prophet Isaiah saw the LORD GOD; and the Gospel of John chapter 12: verses 36 - 41 which clearly identifies Christ Jesus as the one seen by, and described by the same prophet Isaiah. Another passage, 1st Epistle of Peter, talks about the Spirit of Christ speaking thru the many prophets of old about the sufferings of Christ. If it is the Spirit of Christ, and the Old Testament says it is the Spirit of God, we again MUST agree that these are ONE AND THE SAME !

The challenge

2007-12-01T10:06:00.000-08:00

I believe that the hardest thing and the difference between Christianity and all other religions, is that in Christianity, we do good not to earn anything, but to express our gratitude to God for His mercy and forgiveness. Other religions teach that you do good to gain better "karma," or better "placement in heaven," or some other reward or appeasement for our deity, to make us more acceptable to him.

Those who know Jesus Christ however, understand that we cannot DO ANYTHING to improve our standing with God. We must simply accept the gift. Even within Christian circles, we hear such things as, "He is such a good man." or "He does so much for the less fortunate." But these things are ancillary. The issue is What do you do with the Cross of Jesus Christ?

As stated by Oswald Chambers in his daily devotional My Utmost for His Highest, he makes the observation that to think God has forgiven us because of His love, is a great mistake. God cannot forgive out of love for us. He can only forgive because of the great price paid by His own son Jesus Christ -- His very life blood, shed on the cross.

Nuclear Rat

2006-03-17T21:43:00.000-08:00

The Nuclear Rat Picture is an actual rat, and the picture was taken in Baghdad, Iraq at night, without a flash... The proof of Weapons of Mass destruction by Saddam... Not really!!! However as Paul Harvey would say, here is the rest of the story... We found the rat dead in a trap in a supply room, and decided to play a prank on one of the other soldiers, by smearing the liquid from a glowstick(chemical light) on it. The effect was not as dramatic as hoped, though it did give him a start. Guess soldiers are not as jumpy as some people think...

Nuclear Rat

2006-03-17T12:33:00.000-08:00

Thanks for visiting

2006-03-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

To those who have recently visited my blog, Thanks. I was just kinda playing around with the blog thing, but the sentiment is sincere. I plan to update a little more often, if I can.

Here it is in a nutshell

2005-02-12T23:45:00.000-08:00

The difference between true Christianity and all other religions, is that True Christianity is about God reaching out to man, to heal and save us. All other religions are about man trying to reach out to God. Man can never be good enough to be acceptable to God, because God is Absolute Purity, Perfection, Holiness, and Love. So you can not earn your way to heaven, or to God's forgiveness. But God has made it possible for us to be acceptable to Him, because of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "I do not set aside the Grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained thru the law, Christ died for nothing." (Galatians 2:21)Now what does this mean in practical terms? It means that by Faith in Christ, we can have Salvation from our sins. But we can never earn that forgiveness. There is no sin so small that it will not separate us from God, but no sin so large that it can separate us, if we confess (agree with God)and repent (turn 180 degrees away)from our sin. Again, Paul said "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9,10) This tells us that the only requirements to be acceptable to God are to believe in Him, and Confess Him.

Ruminations on True Christianity

2005-02-12T23:33:00.000-08:00

This site is intended for people to read and comment on my thoughts on true Christianity, and the difference between it and all other religions