Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Where does the Gospel begin ?....
Where did the plan of salvation begin? Like any plan it has to have a foundation, a blueprint. Here are some bible verses about the foundation of redemption.
Matt. 13:35, Ps. 78:2, Matt. 25:34, John 17:24, Ephesians 1:4, I Peter 1:18-20, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:8.
Matt. 13:35, Ps. 78:2, Matt. 25:34, John 17:24, Ephesians 1:4, I Peter 1:18-20, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:8.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
What the Bible says about Hell...
Daniel 12:2, Isaiah 66:24, Deuteronomy 32:22, Psalms 55:15,
Matthew 3:12, 5:22, 5:29-30, 7:13, 10:28, 13:38-50, 16:18, 18:9, 23:15, 23:33, 25:28-30, 25:41, 25:46.
Mark 9:43-47, Luke 12:5-6, 16:19-26, II Timothy 1:9, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, James 3:6, II Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6, Revelation 1:18, 14:10-11, 19:20, 20:9-15, 21:8
Does Hell Exist - How is an eternity in Hell fair?
If Hell does exist, how can it be fair? Why would a loving God punish a person for eternity, when their sins only took place for 70-80 years? The answer is that all sin is ultimately against God, who is infinite (Psalm 51:4). So, since God is an eternal and infinite Being, all sin is worthy of an infinite punishment.
Matthew 3:12, 5:22, 5:29-30, 7:13, 10:28, 13:38-50, 16:18, 18:9, 23:15, 23:33, 25:28-30, 25:41, 25:46.
Mark 9:43-47, Luke 12:5-6, 16:19-26, II Timothy 1:9, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, James 3:6, II Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6, Revelation 1:18, 14:10-11, 19:20, 20:9-15, 21:8
Does Hell Exist - How is an eternity in Hell fair?
If Hell does exist, how can it be fair? Why would a loving God punish a person for eternity, when their sins only took place for 70-80 years? The answer is that all sin is ultimately against God, who is infinite (Psalm 51:4). So, since God is an eternal and infinite Being, all sin is worthy of an infinite punishment.
We Are Condemed Without Christ
Rom 8:1-17, Eph 4:17-24, Rom 7:20, Gal 1:10, Luke 8:10, Mark 6:11, James 4:4, John 1:5, John 3:36, John 8:43-44,47, Mark 4:22-25, Psalms 14:1; John 3:16-18; Isa 59:1-2, John 9:31, 1Jn 3:8-10, Psalm 1:6, John 3:12, Psalm 10:4-5, 1Chron 28:9 Luke 15:10s
What Jesus Says...
Mouse over the scripture reference and a small window will come up with the whole scripture in it.
John 6:63, Matthew 4:17, Matthew 5:3, Matthew 5:44, Matthew 9:22, Matthew 10:22, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 18:3, John 3:7, Matthew 19:9, Matthew 22:37, Matthew 24:4, Matthew 25:34, Matthew 26:41, Matthew 27:46, Matthew 28:19, Mark 4:3, Mark 6:50, Mark 8:37, Luke 4:4, Luke 6:28, Luke 6:38, Luke 6:46, Luke 12:7, Luke 12:34, Luke 21:33, John 4:24, John 5:14, John 6:48, John 8:12, John 8:36, John 10:10, John 10:30, John 14:6-7, John 14:15, John 15:12, John 19:30,
John 6:63, Matthew 4:17, Matthew 5:3, Matthew 5:44, Matthew 9:22, Matthew 10:22, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 18:3, John 3:7, Matthew 19:9, Matthew 22:37, Matthew 24:4, Matthew 25:34, Matthew 26:41, Matthew 27:46, Matthew 28:19, Mark 4:3, Mark 6:50, Mark 8:37, Luke 4:4, Luke 6:28, Luke 6:38, Luke 6:46, Luke 12:7, Luke 12:34, Luke 21:33, John 4:24, John 5:14, John 6:48, John 8:12, John 8:36, John 10:10, John 10:30, John 14:6-7, John 14:15, John 15:12, John 19:30,
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
The Lake of Fire
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15)
Some people may not believe in hell, but God makes it clear that all "the fearful, the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8).
Actually, Jesus Christ said more about hell than anyone else in the Bible. To the unsaved, He will say: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).
The lake of fire is not here on the earth. The beast and the false prophet are to be cast into the lake of fire before the binding of Satan for a thousand years; then the present earth itself is to be removed, and finally Satan will be "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10; see also 19:20; 20:2, 7, 10-11). Thus the lake of fire is in existence both before and after the removal of the present earth, and will continue to exist forever.
Many argue that the lake of fire is symbolic and should not be taken literally. If so, the reality must be so indescribable that it can only be symbolized by an eternal lake of fire. Perhaps it is some distant star, since stars are essentially lakes of fire, and those "that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" are to be "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord" (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).
Rather than questioning the reality of hell, which is the just destiny of all who reject or ignore the free gift of salvation provided by the infinite love and sacrificial suffering of God Himself in Christ on their behalf, men and women should come to Christ in faith and "be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9)....From Institute For Creation Research
Some people may not believe in hell, but God makes it clear that all "the fearful, the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8).
Actually, Jesus Christ said more about hell than anyone else in the Bible. To the unsaved, He will say: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).
The lake of fire is not here on the earth. The beast and the false prophet are to be cast into the lake of fire before the binding of Satan for a thousand years; then the present earth itself is to be removed, and finally Satan will be "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10; see also 19:20; 20:2, 7, 10-11). Thus the lake of fire is in existence both before and after the removal of the present earth, and will continue to exist forever.
Many argue that the lake of fire is symbolic and should not be taken literally. If so, the reality must be so indescribable that it can only be symbolized by an eternal lake of fire. Perhaps it is some distant star, since stars are essentially lakes of fire, and those "that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" are to be "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord" (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).
Rather than questioning the reality of hell, which is the just destiny of all who reject or ignore the free gift of salvation provided by the infinite love and sacrificial suffering of God Himself in Christ on their behalf, men and women should come to Christ in faith and "be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9)....From Institute For Creation Research
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Wonderful Words of Life July 28, 2009
"Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them." (Psalm 119:129)
Modern liberals may ridicule Bible-believing Christians as bibliolaters, but the fact is that it is not possible to place the Bible on too high a pedestal. "Thy testimonies are wonderful," the psalmist says, for "his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor" (Isaiah 9:6), whose testimonies they are.
Consider just how wonderful are the Scriptures. They were written in the heart of God even before the creation. "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89). Then, "at sundry times and in divers manners," this eternal Word of God was conveyed to men, as God "spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets" (Hebrews 1:1). Finally, it was complete, and the last of the prophets concluded it with an all-embracing warning: "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life" (Revelation 22:18-19). Crit ics who tamper with the words of the Bible are on dangerous ground, the psalmist said: "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever" (Psalm 119:160). Jesus said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35).
Eternal in the past; inviolable in the present; forever in the future! All we shall ever need for our guidance is to be found in God's wonderful testimonies: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable. . . . That the man of God may be perfect" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
It is not possible to have too high a view of Scripture, "for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" (Psalm 138:2). HMM
...From Institute for Creation Research
Modern liberals may ridicule Bible-believing Christians as bibliolaters, but the fact is that it is not possible to place the Bible on too high a pedestal. "Thy testimonies are wonderful," the psalmist says, for "his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor" (Isaiah 9:6), whose testimonies they are.
Consider just how wonderful are the Scriptures. They were written in the heart of God even before the creation. "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89). Then, "at sundry times and in divers manners," this eternal Word of God was conveyed to men, as God "spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets" (Hebrews 1:1). Finally, it was complete, and the last of the prophets concluded it with an all-embracing warning: "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life" (Revelation 22:18-19). Crit ics who tamper with the words of the Bible are on dangerous ground, the psalmist said: "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever" (Psalm 119:160). Jesus said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35).
Eternal in the past; inviolable in the present; forever in the future! All we shall ever need for our guidance is to be found in God's wonderful testimonies: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable. . . . That the man of God may be perfect" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
It is not possible to have too high a view of Scripture, "for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" (Psalm 138:2). HMM
...From Institute for Creation Research
Friday, July 17, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry? —Jonah 4:9
God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry?
—Jonah 4:9
Anger is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a tendency to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should be quick to question its character, with this enquiry, "Doest thou well to be angry?" It may be that we can answer, "YES." Very frequently anger is the madman's firebrand, but sometimes it is Elijah's fire from heaven. We do well when we are angry with sin, because of the wrong which it commits against our good and gracious God; or with ourselves because we remain so foolish after so much divine instruction; or with others when the sole cause of anger is the evil which they do. He who is not angry at transgression becomes a partaker in it. Sin is a loathsome and hateful thing, and no renewed heart can patiently endure it. God himself is angry with the wicked every day, and it is written in His Word, "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil." Far more frequently it is to be feared that our anger is not commendable or even justifiable, and then we must answer, "NO.." Why should we be fretful with children, passionate with servants, and wrathful with companions? Is such anger honourable to our Christian profession, or glorifying to God? Is it not the old evil heart seeking to gain dominion, and should we not resist it with all the might of our newborn nature. Many professors give way to temper as though it were useless to attempt resistance; but let the believer remember that he must be a conqueror in every point, or else he cannot be crowned. If we cannot control our tempers, what has grace done for us? Some one told Mr. Jay that grace was often grafted on a crab-stump. "Yes," said he, "but the fruit will not be crabs." We must not make natural infirmity an excuse for sin, but we must fly to the cross and pray the Lord to crucify our tempers, and renew us in gentleness and meekness after His own image...Charles H. Spurgeon
—Jonah 4:9
Anger is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a tendency to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should be quick to question its character, with this enquiry, "Doest thou well to be angry?" It may be that we can answer, "YES." Very frequently anger is the madman's firebrand, but sometimes it is Elijah's fire from heaven. We do well when we are angry with sin, because of the wrong which it commits against our good and gracious God; or with ourselves because we remain so foolish after so much divine instruction; or with others when the sole cause of anger is the evil which they do. He who is not angry at transgression becomes a partaker in it. Sin is a loathsome and hateful thing, and no renewed heart can patiently endure it. God himself is angry with the wicked every day, and it is written in His Word, "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil." Far more frequently it is to be feared that our anger is not commendable or even justifiable, and then we must answer, "NO.." Why should we be fretful with children, passionate with servants, and wrathful with companions? Is such anger honourable to our Christian profession, or glorifying to God? Is it not the old evil heart seeking to gain dominion, and should we not resist it with all the might of our newborn nature. Many professors give way to temper as though it were useless to attempt resistance; but let the believer remember that he must be a conqueror in every point, or else he cannot be crowned. If we cannot control our tempers, what has grace done for us? Some one told Mr. Jay that grace was often grafted on a crab-stump. "Yes," said he, "but the fruit will not be crabs." We must not make natural infirmity an excuse for sin, but we must fly to the cross and pray the Lord to crucify our tempers, and renew us in gentleness and meekness after His own image...Charles H. Spurgeon
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
God works in the heart of the believers
Menes Abdul Noor
God works in the heart of the believers, not on their outward appearances (1 Samuel 16:7). He does not sew a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old garment (Mark 2:21). He makes you a new creation, so you joyfully shout, "the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
As a result of this new life you bear fruit. The Father prunes you so you produce much fruit. We all need pruning to lay aside every weight and sin which so easily ensnares us (Hebrews 12:1). We have bad habits, like weights burdening us. We also have evil surroundings ensnaring us. Our abiding in Christ is the condition to bear fruit, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself (John 15:4). Our fruit should increase as we grow in knowing Christ.
The greatest fruit is to live victoriously, defeating Satan and having a successful witness for Christ (Acts 1:8). It glorifies the Father, since it declares the kindness of His care, the goodness of His laws and the abundance of His grace.
Jesus has chosen you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain (John 15:16). He chose you for salvation, and for a service. What an honor!
1995 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Menes Abdul-Noor is from Egypt, a respected leader of the Christian Church in Cairo.
7/08/09
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful ... This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
(John 15:2,8)
God works in the heart of the believers, not on their outward appearances (1 Samuel 16:7). He does not sew a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old garment (Mark 2:21). He makes you a new creation, so you joyfully shout, "the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
As a result of this new life you bear fruit. The Father prunes you so you produce much fruit. We all need pruning to lay aside every weight and sin which so easily ensnares us (Hebrews 12:1). We have bad habits, like weights burdening us. We also have evil surroundings ensnaring us. Our abiding in Christ is the condition to bear fruit, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself (John 15:4). Our fruit should increase as we grow in knowing Christ.
The greatest fruit is to live victoriously, defeating Satan and having a successful witness for Christ (Acts 1:8). It glorifies the Father, since it declares the kindness of His care, the goodness of His laws and the abundance of His grace.
Jesus has chosen you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain (John 15:16). He chose you for salvation, and for a service. What an honor!
1995 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Menes Abdul-Noor is from Egypt, a respected leader of the Christian Church in Cairo.
7/08/09
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful ... This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
(John 15:2,8)
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Which Jesus?
"The problem with 'asking jesus into your heart' is that there are millions of Jesus' who are waiting to get into your heart, but there's only one true Jesus who says 'Repent and Believe the Gospel' " Rett Copple
Saturday, June 20, 2009
What is mercy?
Mercy is this: a man blasphemes God's holy name, then takes another breath. That is mercy. ~Pastor Wayne Sutton
Friday, June 12, 2009
Walking in the Spirit
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)
This promise in our text is followed in a later Pauline epistle by two nuanced commands in the letter to the church at Galatia.
"This I say then," Paul says, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). Then again, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).
Although they appear to be the same command in English, there is a significant distinction in the original Greek language in which Paul penned the letters.
Both the Romans 8:1 and the Galatians 5:16 passages use the word perepeto, which carries the connotation to "walk around" and to "be at liberty."
The second iteration in Galatians 5:25 uses stoicheo, which means to "step precisely," to "march," or to "go in procession." Same command, but different emphasis.
The context of Galatians 5 stresses the difference between a lifestyle of fleshly behavior and a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. The "fruits" of the flesh and the "fruit" of the Spirit are diametrically opposed. They cannot exist together; they are not harmonious (Romans 8:5-8). We either "mind" the things of the flesh or the "things of the Spirit" (Romans 8:5).
The Christian walk has great liberty (Romans 8:21), but that liberty must "step precisely" in honesty (Romans 13:13), good works (Ephesians 2:10), and in truth (2 John 4-6). Our walk is expected to be by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) and we are to conduct a spiritual warfare in the Holy Spirit's power (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) protected by the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). The Institute for Creation Research
This promise in our text is followed in a later Pauline epistle by two nuanced commands in the letter to the church at Galatia.
"This I say then," Paul says, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). Then again, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).
Although they appear to be the same command in English, there is a significant distinction in the original Greek language in which Paul penned the letters.
Both the Romans 8:1 and the Galatians 5:16 passages use the word perepeto, which carries the connotation to "walk around" and to "be at liberty."
The second iteration in Galatians 5:25 uses stoicheo, which means to "step precisely," to "march," or to "go in procession." Same command, but different emphasis.
The context of Galatians 5 stresses the difference between a lifestyle of fleshly behavior and a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. The "fruits" of the flesh and the "fruit" of the Spirit are diametrically opposed. They cannot exist together; they are not harmonious (Romans 8:5-8). We either "mind" the things of the flesh or the "things of the Spirit" (Romans 8:5).
The Christian walk has great liberty (Romans 8:21), but that liberty must "step precisely" in honesty (Romans 13:13), good works (Ephesians 2:10), and in truth (2 John 4-6). Our walk is expected to be by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) and we are to conduct a spiritual warfare in the Holy Spirit's power (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) protected by the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). The Institute for Creation Research
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Isaiah 59:1-2
1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened,
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Battle of the Flesh
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.
—Galatians 5:17
In every believer's heart there is a constant struggle between the old nature and the new. The old nature is very active, and loses no opportunity of plying all the weapons of its deadly armoury against newborn grace; while on the other hand, the new nature is ever on the watch to resist and destroy its enemy. Grace within us will employ prayer, and faith, and hope, and love, to cast out the evil; it takes unto it the "whole armour of God," and wrestles earnestly. These two opposing natures will never cease to struggle so long as we are in this world. The battle of "Christian" with "Apollyon" lasted three hours, but the battle of Christian with himself lasted all the way from the Wicket Gate in the river Jordan. The enemy is so securely entrenched within us that he can never be driven out while we are in this body: but although we are closely beset, and often in sore conflict, we have an Almighty helper, even Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, who is ever with us, and who assures us that we shall eventually come off more than conquerors through Him. With such assistance the new-born nature is more than a match for its foes. Are you fighting with the adversary to-day? Are Satan, the world, and the flesh, all against you? Be not discouraged nor dismayed. Fight on! For God Himself is with you; Jehovah Nissi is your banner, and Jehovah Rophi is the healer of your wounds. Fear not, you shall overcome, for who can defeat Omnipotence? Fight on, "looking unto Jesus"; and though long and stern be the conflict, sweet will be the victory, and glorious the promised reward.
"From strength to strength go on;
Wrestle, and fight, and pray,
Tread all the powers of darkness down,
And win the well-fought day."
—Galatians 5:17
In every believer's heart there is a constant struggle between the old nature and the new. The old nature is very active, and loses no opportunity of plying all the weapons of its deadly armoury against newborn grace; while on the other hand, the new nature is ever on the watch to resist and destroy its enemy. Grace within us will employ prayer, and faith, and hope, and love, to cast out the evil; it takes unto it the "whole armour of God," and wrestles earnestly. These two opposing natures will never cease to struggle so long as we are in this world. The battle of "Christian" with "Apollyon" lasted three hours, but the battle of Christian with himself lasted all the way from the Wicket Gate in the river Jordan. The enemy is so securely entrenched within us that he can never be driven out while we are in this body: but although we are closely beset, and often in sore conflict, we have an Almighty helper, even Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, who is ever with us, and who assures us that we shall eventually come off more than conquerors through Him. With such assistance the new-born nature is more than a match for its foes. Are you fighting with the adversary to-day? Are Satan, the world, and the flesh, all against you? Be not discouraged nor dismayed. Fight on! For God Himself is with you; Jehovah Nissi is your banner, and Jehovah Rophi is the healer of your wounds. Fear not, you shall overcome, for who can defeat Omnipotence? Fight on, "looking unto Jesus"; and though long and stern be the conflict, sweet will be the victory, and glorious the promised reward.
"From strength to strength go on;
Wrestle, and fight, and pray,
Tread all the powers of darkness down,
And win the well-fought day."
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Quotes about the Bible
Josif Trifa Romania: "A Christian without a Bible, is like a soldier without a gun."
Russian Christian after receiving his first Bible: "The more I read, the more I want to read."
Another Russian Christian after receiving a Bible: "I could go to prison for having this book, but this book can also set men free."
Siberian Christian who had only one page of the Bible: "I wish I knew what is on the next page."
Russian Christian after receiving his first Bible: "The more I read, the more I want to read."
Another Russian Christian after receiving a Bible: "I could go to prison for having this book, but this book can also set men free."
Siberian Christian who had only one page of the Bible: "I wish I knew what is on the next page."
Friday, May 29, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
God so loved the world....
“According to the Christian revelation, God’s own great love propitiated his own holy wrath through the gift of his own dear Son, who took our place, bore our sin and died our death. Thus God himself gave himself to save us from himself.” —John Stott
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Made Perfect.....
Made perfect.
—Hebrews 12:23
Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the Christian needs—the perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the breasts of the regenerate—experience soon teaches us this. Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations. But I rejoice to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work which He has begun; and He shall present my soul, not only perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot or blemish, or any such thing. Can it be true that this poor sinful heart of mine is to become holy even as God is holy? Can it be that this spirit, which often cries, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this sin and death?" shall get rid of sin and death—that I shall have no evil things to vex my ears, and no unholy thoughts to disturb my peace? Oh, happy hour! may it be hastened! When I cross the Jordan, the work of sanctification will be finished; but not till that moment shall I even claim perfection in myself. Then my spirit shall have its last baptism in the Holy Spirit's fire. Methinks I long to die to receive that last and final purification which shall usher me into heaven. Not an angel more pure than I shall be, for I shall be able to say, in a double sense, "I am clean," through Jesus' blood, and through the Spirit's work. Oh, how should we extol the power of the Holy Ghost in thus making us fit to stand before our Father in heaven! Yet let not the hope of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now. If it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be abiding in us now or it cannot be perfected then. Let us pray to "be filled with the Spirit," that we may bring forth increasingly the fruits of righteousness.
—Hebrews 12:23
Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the Christian needs—the perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the breasts of the regenerate—experience soon teaches us this. Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations. But I rejoice to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work which He has begun; and He shall present my soul, not only perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot or blemish, or any such thing. Can it be true that this poor sinful heart of mine is to become holy even as God is holy? Can it be that this spirit, which often cries, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this sin and death?" shall get rid of sin and death—that I shall have no evil things to vex my ears, and no unholy thoughts to disturb my peace? Oh, happy hour! may it be hastened! When I cross the Jordan, the work of sanctification will be finished; but not till that moment shall I even claim perfection in myself. Then my spirit shall have its last baptism in the Holy Spirit's fire. Methinks I long to die to receive that last and final purification which shall usher me into heaven. Not an angel more pure than I shall be, for I shall be able to say, in a double sense, "I am clean," through Jesus' blood, and through the Spirit's work. Oh, how should we extol the power of the Holy Ghost in thus making us fit to stand before our Father in heaven! Yet let not the hope of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now. If it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be abiding in us now or it cannot be perfected then. Let us pray to "be filled with the Spirit," that we may bring forth increasingly the fruits of righteousness.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
"Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone." (Hosea 4:17)
Our God is long-suffering and full of mercy, but there is a line which must not be crossed. It is dangerous to presume that God will always continue to forgive; He can become a "consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).
The leaders of Ephraim (a collective term for the ten northern tribes of Israel) had passed this point of no return. They had become completely infatuated with the pantheistic polytheism of the nations, being "joined" to their symbolic models of natural forces and all the immoral practices which accompanied such nature worship. The word for "joined" means "fascinated by." They had been brought so deeply under the occult powers behind these nature-god idols as to be irrevocably committed to them, so that it would be a waste of time and tears to try to reclaim them now.
The Scriptures contain many similar warnings. "My spirit shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3). "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind" (Matthew 15:14). "There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it" (1 John 5:16). "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine" (Matthew 7:6). Pharaoh repeatedly "hardened his heart" against God, and finally God Himself hardened Pharaoh's heart (e.g., Exodus 8:15; 10:27). "God gave them up" (Romans 1:24, 26, 28).
These should be sobering words to anyone who is becoming enchanted with evolutionism, or occultism, or any form of pantheistic humanism. As long as such a person has any qualm of conscience, or even any doubts about the pseudo-scientific philosophy to which he is becoming addicted, there is hope that he might yet turn to the true God of creation. To continue in his present course, however, is presumptuous and deadly. The time will come, perhaps sooner than he thinks, when God will say: "Let him alone." HMM Institute for Creation Research Days of Praise
The leaders of Ephraim (a collective term for the ten northern tribes of Israel) had passed this point of no return. They had become completely infatuated with the pantheistic polytheism of the nations, being "joined" to their symbolic models of natural forces and all the immoral practices which accompanied such nature worship. The word for "joined" means "fascinated by." They had been brought so deeply under the occult powers behind these nature-god idols as to be irrevocably committed to them, so that it would be a waste of time and tears to try to reclaim them now.
The Scriptures contain many similar warnings. "My spirit shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3). "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind" (Matthew 15:14). "There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it" (1 John 5:16). "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine" (Matthew 7:6). Pharaoh repeatedly "hardened his heart" against God, and finally God Himself hardened Pharaoh's heart (e.g., Exodus 8:15; 10:27). "God gave them up" (Romans 1:24, 26, 28).
These should be sobering words to anyone who is becoming enchanted with evolutionism, or occultism, or any form of pantheistic humanism. As long as such a person has any qualm of conscience, or even any doubts about the pseudo-scientific philosophy to which he is becoming addicted, there is hope that he might yet turn to the true God of creation. To continue in his present course, however, is presumptuous and deadly. The time will come, perhaps sooner than he thinks, when God will say: "Let him alone." HMM Institute for Creation Research Days of Praise
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sin
You prick your fingers on the thorns of conscience reaching for the rose of sin...Charles H. Spurgeon
Saturday, May 9, 2009
You cannot have an encounter with God and not be changed
I thought I knew what it was to be a Christian, I thought I knew what the bible said, I thought my sinners prayer when I was small saved me, I thought all Christians were hypocrites, I thought that God was all loving and all forgiving, I thought I was going to heaven.....I was wrong! So very very wrong!
Then I had an encounter with the "Living God!"
I'd like to tell you about someone else that had an encounter with the "Living God" his name was Isaiah...
Isaiah 6:1-8
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:
“ Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said:
“ Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The LORD of hosts.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:
“ Behold, this has touched your lips;
Your iniquity is taken away,
And your sin purged.”
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“ Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Isaiah was Changed! He saw the Lord,...God IS Goodness, He IS Love, He IS Unique, He IS Separate , Our CREATOR, Our Maker, Our Sovereign Lord.
Isaiah saw his own depravity before a just and holy God. We can no more stand before God and proclaim our goodness than a wax candle can stand before a blast furnace and maintain its structural integrity.
We have broken every one of God's laws. He gave us those laws as a mirror to show us we have no goodness, we are born depraved, children of disobedience, monsters of iniquity , we do nothing but sin and love it, we drink down iniquity like water.
Isaiah said "Woe is me...I am undone!"
Isaiah was undone, wrecked, ruined, unclean, unworthy, cursed, he could not justify himself before God! He felt filthy before Him!
There are other accounts in the bible of men having encounters with God and they (fell down as dead, pronounced curses on themselves, did not want to be in His presence because they felt the stain of there iniquity, told the Lord they were not worthy,etc...)
All those men humbled themselves before a righteous and holy God.
Isaiah humbled himself before the Great and Almighty God and God took away Isaiah's sin.
He was CHANGED! renewed, re-made, re-born, converted, regenerated. His sin was purged, he was cleansed. Isaiah was re-created.
That's what should happen to us when we are saved. We become a new creation, old thing have passed away, behold all things have become new. Our desires change, our habits change, our focus changes off the things of this world and onto the things of God. We desire His word, we desire to spend time with Him in prayer, we desire to do His will. That is regeneration.
The Lord then asks “ Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”
and what does Isaiah say? ....“Here am I! Send me.”
We too WANT to say "Here am I! Send me."
If these things have not taken place in your life, If your counting on the sinners prayer that you prayed years ago to save you, if you go to church because you feel you have to, if you read your bible because that's what is expected, if you give to charity or do good deeds to try and balance the sin in your life, if you see yourself as a good person....then you need to examine yourself in the light of God's Word to see if you are in the faith.
You cannot have an encounter with the Living God and Not be changed!
Then I had an encounter with the "Living God!"
I'd like to tell you about someone else that had an encounter with the "Living God" his name was Isaiah...
Isaiah 6:1-8
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:
“ Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said:
“ Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The LORD of hosts.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:
“ Behold, this has touched your lips;
Your iniquity is taken away,
And your sin purged.”
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“ Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Isaiah was Changed! He saw the Lord,...God IS Goodness, He IS Love, He IS Unique, He IS Separate , Our CREATOR, Our Maker, Our Sovereign Lord.
Isaiah saw his own depravity before a just and holy God. We can no more stand before God and proclaim our goodness than a wax candle can stand before a blast furnace and maintain its structural integrity.
We have broken every one of God's laws. He gave us those laws as a mirror to show us we have no goodness, we are born depraved, children of disobedience, monsters of iniquity , we do nothing but sin and love it, we drink down iniquity like water.
Isaiah said "Woe is me...I am undone!"
Isaiah was undone, wrecked, ruined, unclean, unworthy, cursed, he could not justify himself before God! He felt filthy before Him!
There are other accounts in the bible of men having encounters with God and they (fell down as dead, pronounced curses on themselves, did not want to be in His presence because they felt the stain of there iniquity, told the Lord they were not worthy,etc...)
All those men humbled themselves before a righteous and holy God.
Isaiah humbled himself before the Great and Almighty God and God took away Isaiah's sin.
He was CHANGED! renewed, re-made, re-born, converted, regenerated. His sin was purged, he was cleansed. Isaiah was re-created.
That's what should happen to us when we are saved. We become a new creation, old thing have passed away, behold all things have become new. Our desires change, our habits change, our focus changes off the things of this world and onto the things of God. We desire His word, we desire to spend time with Him in prayer, we desire to do His will. That is regeneration.
The Lord then asks “ Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”
and what does Isaiah say? ....“Here am I! Send me.”
We too WANT to say "Here am I! Send me."
If these things have not taken place in your life, If your counting on the sinners prayer that you prayed years ago to save you, if you go to church because you feel you have to, if you read your bible because that's what is expected, if you give to charity or do good deeds to try and balance the sin in your life, if you see yourself as a good person....then you need to examine yourself in the light of God's Word to see if you are in the faith.
You cannot have an encounter with the Living God and Not be changed!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Idols of the mind and heart....
"The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be;
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee."
...Charles H. Spurgeon
Whate'er that idol be;
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee."
...Charles H. Spurgeon
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Sharing the Gospel
This is from a blog called "Fallen and Flawed" I thought it clear and concise, and very well written.
My Salvation Story
10 Ways to Know If You Are a Truly Good Person
How to Become a Christian (in 1,000 Words or Less)
Is the Christian Gospel a Sick Delusion?
Do You Believe These Crude Things about Christians?
Evangelism: Introducing the Elevator Pitch
6 Things Joel Osteen Won’t Tell You about Being a Christian
5 Non-Negotiable Laws of Sharing Your Faith
My Salvation Story
10 Ways to Know If You Are a Truly Good Person
How to Become a Christian (in 1,000 Words or Less)
Is the Christian Gospel a Sick Delusion?
Do You Believe These Crude Things about Christians?
Evangelism: Introducing the Elevator Pitch
6 Things Joel Osteen Won’t Tell You about Being a Christian
5 Non-Negotiable Laws of Sharing Your Faith
GOD vs. Science
GOD vs. Science
A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, 'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.' The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.
'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'
'Yes sir,' the student says.
'So you believe in God?'
'Absolutely.'
'Is God good?'
'Sure! God's good.'
'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'
'Yes.'
'Are you good or evil?'
'The Bible says I'm evil.'
The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible!' He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'
'Yes sir, I would.'
'So you're good...!'
'I wouldn't say that.'
'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'
The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?'
The student remains silent.
'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax .
'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'
'Er... Yes,' the student says.
'Is Satan good?'
The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.'
'Then where does Satan come from?'
The student falters. 'From God'
'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son.. Is there evil in this world?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'
'Yes.'
'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the
principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'
Again, the student has no answer.
'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'
The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'
'So who created them?'
The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'
The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'
The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'
'No sir. I've never seen Him.'
'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'
'No, sir, I have not.'
'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'
'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'
'Yet you still believe in him?'
'Yes.'
'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that,
son?'
'Nothing,' the student replies. 'I only have my faith.'
'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'
At the back of the room another student stands quietly for a moment before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat?'
'Yes,' the professor replies. 'There's heat.'
'And is there such a thing as cold?'
'Yes, son, there's cold too.'
'No sir, there isn't.'
The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet.
The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'
Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.
'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'
'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'
'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'
The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'
'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'
The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'
'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.'
'Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'
'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'
'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'
The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed .
'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'
The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.
'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.'
The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.'
'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'
Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.
Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I guess you'll have to take them on faith.'
'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'
Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'
To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light...'
The professor sat down. Class was dismissed.
A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, 'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.' The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.
'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'
'Yes sir,' the student says.
'So you believe in God?'
'Absolutely.'
'Is God good?'
'Sure! God's good.'
'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'
'Yes.'
'Are you good or evil?'
'The Bible says I'm evil.'
The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible!' He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'
'Yes sir, I would.'
'So you're good...!'
'I wouldn't say that.'
'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'
The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?'
The student remains silent.
'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax .
'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'
'Er... Yes,' the student says.
'Is Satan good?'
The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.'
'Then where does Satan come from?'
The student falters. 'From God'
'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son.. Is there evil in this world?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'
'Yes.'
'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the
principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'
Again, the student has no answer.
'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'
The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'
'So who created them?'
The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'
The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'
The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'
'No sir. I've never seen Him.'
'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'
'No, sir, I have not.'
'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'
'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'
'Yet you still believe in him?'
'Yes.'
'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that,
son?'
'Nothing,' the student replies. 'I only have my faith.'
'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'
At the back of the room another student stands quietly for a moment before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat?'
'Yes,' the professor replies. 'There's heat.'
'And is there such a thing as cold?'
'Yes, son, there's cold too.'
'No sir, there isn't.'
The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet.
The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'
Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.
'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'
'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'
'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'
The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'
'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'
The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'
'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.'
'Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'
'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'
'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'
The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed .
'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'
The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.
'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.'
The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.'
'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'
Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.
Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I guess you'll have to take them on faith.'
'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'
Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'
To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light...'
The professor sat down. Class was dismissed.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Go to the Throne...
"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Take that promise to the throne continually; do not plead anything else, but go to God over and over again with this--"Lord, Thou hast said it, do as Thou hast said." Are you distressed because of sin, and burdened with the heavy load of your iniquities? Listen to these words--"I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions, and will no more remember thy sins." You have no merit of your own to plead why He should pardon you, but plead His written engagements and He will perform them. Charles H. Spurgeon
Monday, April 27, 2009
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST THE GOSPEL IS A MESSAGE ABOUT:
Mouse over the Bible verses and you can see the whole verse.
1. GOD
1. Is. 6:1-5, 5:16; Rev.4:8-11. God is Holy.
2. Dan. 4:35; Ps. 135:6. God is Sovereign.
3. 1 Jn. 4:8,16. God is Love.
4. Heb. 12:29. God is a Communing Fire.
5. Gen. 17:1; Jer. 32:17; Is. 43:13; Amos 9:2-3. God is Omnipotent.
6. Ps. 139:1-6; Rom. 11:33-36. God is Omniscient
7. Jer. 23:23-24; Ps. 139:7-12. God is Omnipresent
8 Ps. 145:17. God Is Righteous.
9. Ex. 34:6-7. God is Merciful.
10. Rev. 29:11-15. God is a Judge.
11. Jn. 4:23-24. God is a Spirit.
12. 1 Jn. 5:7; 2 Cor.13:14; I Pet. 1:2. God is one God revealed in three distinct persons; Father, Son, & Holy Spirit (trinity, not modalism).
13. Jn. 1:1-3, 14,18, 10:30-33, 17:5, 20:28; Acts 20:28; Rm. 9:5; Phi. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-17, 2:9; I Tim. 3:16; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:1-12; II Pet. 1:1; Rev. 1:8. Jesus is God--YHWH.
2. SIN
1. Gem. 2:15-17. Adam and Eve's disobedience resulted in spiritual and physical death.
2. Rom. 6:23. The wages of sin is death.
3. Dt. 6:4-5. However, before sin entered the world man's purpose was to serve God and glorify Him.
4. Matt. 22:34-40. Therefore, man is now living in an abnormal condition.
5. Rom. 3:10, 5:6-9; Lk. 5:31,32 There is none righteous, no not one!
6. Rom. 3:23. Everyone, without exception, is a sinner.
7. Rom 5:12. Adam's sin nature is inherited by all mankind.
8. Is. 64:6-7. God views our good deeds as “filthy rags.”
9. Eph. 2:8-9. God rejects our good works.
Ps. 51:5, 58:3. We are sinners from birth.
11. Jn. 3:19. Sinners love their sin.
3. THE LAW
1. Ex. 20:1-20. The Ten Commandments must by obeyed perfectly.
2. Mt. 22:34-40. If we disobey the 1st & 2nd greatest commandments we have broken all of the Bible’s laws.
3. Ja. 2:10-11. If we break one commandment we’ve broken them all.
4. Rom. 3:20; Gal. 3:24. The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to reveal sin in us and disclose our inability in keeping the law’s demands. This creates an attitude of desperation in sinners to be delivered from the guilt and penalty of the law. Christ alone is the sinners hope.
4. THE VANITY OF LIFE
1. Heb. 9:27. Three things are common to all: Life, Death, & Judgment.
2. 2 Pet. 3:8; Ja. 4:13-14. Life Is short: The earth will be covered by all new people 110 years from now. Our life span is compared to one grain of sand taken from one planet among a thousand planets covered with sand. After you die no one remembers you (Eccl. 1:11, 2:16).
3. Eccl. 12:8,13,14, Life is vain: Solomon, the wisest man who lived, had everything this world has to offer yet he judged this life as totally vain and futile. Nevertheless, man pursues the vain things of this world against all reason, logic and intelligence (2 Tim. 3:7).
4. Lk. 12:16-21. Life is fragile: You may die tonight! Many labor to extend their life through exercise and vitamins but will add only a few years.
5. Eccl. 5:15; 1 Tim. 6:7; Lk. 9:24. Money and riches are vain.
5. HELL & JUDGEMENT
1. Rev. 20:11-15. The great white throne judgment.
2. Matt. 25:41-46. Everlasting fire and punishment for the unsaved.
3. Heb. 9:27. After this life comes judgment.
4. Lk. 16:19-31. Hell is a place of unceasing pain and torment with no escape.
6. THE NEW BIRTH
1. Jn. 3:1-7. Jesus teaches that the “new birth” is necessary for salvation.
2. Jn. 1:13. Salvation is not inherited from our parents, secured by our effort, nor decided by our will, but is a process by which we are “born of God.”
3. 2 Cor. 5:17. To be born again means that our old life is replaced by a new one.
4. Eph. 4:21-24; Col. 3:9-10. When a person becomes “born again” the Bible describes him as a “new person,” who brings forth new fruit.
5. Gal. 6:15. All that matters is that we become a “new creation.”
7. GRACE
1. Eph. 2:8,9. Grace is a free gift, it is unmerited favor.
2. Acts 15:11. We are saved by the grace of Christ.
3. Rom. 4:3-5. Salvation is by grace through faith and not by the deeds of the law.
4. Tit. 3:5-7; Rom.3:24. We are “Justified” freely by His grace.
8. REPENTANCE
I. Lk. 13:3. Unless we repent, we will all perish.
2. Acts 3:19. We must repent and be converted.
3. Matt. 4:17. Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” however; the world ridicules the need of repentance.
4. Acts 26:20. We must repent and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.
5. I Jn. 1:9. If we confess our sins He will forgive us our sins.
6. Prov. 28:13. He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confess and forsakes them will have mercy.
7. Ps. 66:18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.
9. FAITH
1. Heb. 11:6. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
2. Jn. 20:24-29. Blessed are they who do not see yet believe.
3. Jn. 3:16-19. Whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal fife.
4. Eph. 2:8. We are saved by grace “through faith.”
5. Gal. 3:23-26. We are saved through faith in Christ and not by keeping the law.
6. Rom. 3:28, 5:1. We ore justified through faith in Christ.
7. Gal. 3:11; Rom. 1:17; Heb. 10:38; Hab. 2:4. “The just shall live by faith.”
10. SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST ALONE
1. Jn. 14:6. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
2. 1 Jn. 5:11-13. He that has the “Son” has life, and he that does not have the Son of God does not have life.
3. Acts 4:10-12. Salvation is in none other than Jesus Christ.
4. Rev. 3:20. Jesus knocks on the door of our heart.
5. Rom. 10:13. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
6. Jn. 3:36. He who does not believe on the Son of God has the wrath of God on him.
1. GOD
1. Is. 6:1-5, 5:16; Rev.4:8-11. God is Holy.
2. Dan. 4:35; Ps. 135:6. God is Sovereign.
3. 1 Jn. 4:8,16. God is Love.
4. Heb. 12:29. God is a Communing Fire.
5. Gen. 17:1; Jer. 32:17; Is. 43:13; Amos 9:2-3. God is Omnipotent.
6. Ps. 139:1-6; Rom. 11:33-36. God is Omniscient
7. Jer. 23:23-24; Ps. 139:7-12. God is Omnipresent
8 Ps. 145:17. God Is Righteous.
9. Ex. 34:6-7. God is Merciful.
10. Rev. 29:11-15. God is a Judge.
11. Jn. 4:23-24. God is a Spirit.
12. 1 Jn. 5:7; 2 Cor.13:14; I Pet. 1:2. God is one God revealed in three distinct persons; Father, Son, & Holy Spirit (trinity, not modalism).
13. Jn. 1:1-3, 14,18, 10:30-33, 17:5, 20:28; Acts 20:28; Rm. 9:5; Phi. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-17, 2:9; I Tim. 3:16; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:1-12; II Pet. 1:1; Rev. 1:8. Jesus is God--YHWH.
2. SIN
1. Gem. 2:15-17. Adam and Eve's disobedience resulted in spiritual and physical death.
2. Rom. 6:23. The wages of sin is death.
3. Dt. 6:4-5. However, before sin entered the world man's purpose was to serve God and glorify Him.
4. Matt. 22:34-40. Therefore, man is now living in an abnormal condition.
5. Rom. 3:10, 5:6-9; Lk. 5:31,32 There is none righteous, no not one!
6. Rom. 3:23. Everyone, without exception, is a sinner.
7. Rom 5:12. Adam's sin nature is inherited by all mankind.
8. Is. 64:6-7. God views our good deeds as “filthy rags.”
9. Eph. 2:8-9. God rejects our good works.
Ps. 51:5, 58:3. We are sinners from birth.
11. Jn. 3:19. Sinners love their sin.
3. THE LAW
1. Ex. 20:1-20. The Ten Commandments must by obeyed perfectly.
2. Mt. 22:34-40. If we disobey the 1st & 2nd greatest commandments we have broken all of the Bible’s laws.
3. Ja. 2:10-11. If we break one commandment we’ve broken them all.
4. Rom. 3:20; Gal. 3:24. The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to reveal sin in us and disclose our inability in keeping the law’s demands. This creates an attitude of desperation in sinners to be delivered from the guilt and penalty of the law. Christ alone is the sinners hope.
4. THE VANITY OF LIFE
1. Heb. 9:27. Three things are common to all: Life, Death, & Judgment.
2. 2 Pet. 3:8; Ja. 4:13-14. Life Is short: The earth will be covered by all new people 110 years from now. Our life span is compared to one grain of sand taken from one planet among a thousand planets covered with sand. After you die no one remembers you (Eccl. 1:11, 2:16).
3. Eccl. 12:8,13,14, Life is vain: Solomon, the wisest man who lived, had everything this world has to offer yet he judged this life as totally vain and futile. Nevertheless, man pursues the vain things of this world against all reason, logic and intelligence (2 Tim. 3:7).
4. Lk. 12:16-21. Life is fragile: You may die tonight! Many labor to extend their life through exercise and vitamins but will add only a few years.
5. Eccl. 5:15; 1 Tim. 6:7; Lk. 9:24. Money and riches are vain.
5. HELL & JUDGEMENT
1. Rev. 20:11-15. The great white throne judgment.
2. Matt. 25:41-46. Everlasting fire and punishment for the unsaved.
3. Heb. 9:27. After this life comes judgment.
4. Lk. 16:19-31. Hell is a place of unceasing pain and torment with no escape.
6. THE NEW BIRTH
1. Jn. 3:1-7. Jesus teaches that the “new birth” is necessary for salvation.
2. Jn. 1:13. Salvation is not inherited from our parents, secured by our effort, nor decided by our will, but is a process by which we are “born of God.”
3. 2 Cor. 5:17. To be born again means that our old life is replaced by a new one.
4. Eph. 4:21-24; Col. 3:9-10. When a person becomes “born again” the Bible describes him as a “new person,” who brings forth new fruit.
5. Gal. 6:15. All that matters is that we become a “new creation.”
7. GRACE
1. Eph. 2:8,9. Grace is a free gift, it is unmerited favor.
2. Acts 15:11. We are saved by the grace of Christ.
3. Rom. 4:3-5. Salvation is by grace through faith and not by the deeds of the law.
4. Tit. 3:5-7; Rom.3:24. We are “Justified” freely by His grace.
8. REPENTANCE
I. Lk. 13:3. Unless we repent, we will all perish.
2. Acts 3:19. We must repent and be converted.
3. Matt. 4:17. Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” however; the world ridicules the need of repentance.
4. Acts 26:20. We must repent and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.
5. I Jn. 1:9. If we confess our sins He will forgive us our sins.
6. Prov. 28:13. He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confess and forsakes them will have mercy.
7. Ps. 66:18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.
9. FAITH
1. Heb. 11:6. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
2. Jn. 20:24-29. Blessed are they who do not see yet believe.
3. Jn. 3:16-19. Whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal fife.
4. Eph. 2:8. We are saved by grace “through faith.”
5. Gal. 3:23-26. We are saved through faith in Christ and not by keeping the law.
6. Rom. 3:28, 5:1. We ore justified through faith in Christ.
7. Gal. 3:11; Rom. 1:17; Heb. 10:38; Hab. 2:4. “The just shall live by faith.”
10. SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST ALONE
1. Jn. 14:6. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
2. 1 Jn. 5:11-13. He that has the “Son” has life, and he that does not have the Son of God does not have life.
3. Acts 4:10-12. Salvation is in none other than Jesus Christ.
4. Rev. 3:20. Jesus knocks on the door of our heart.
5. Rom. 10:13. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
6. Jn. 3:36. He who does not believe on the Son of God has the wrath of God on him.
Whosoever Will May Come
"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call." (Joel 2:32)
"God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). Yet in the above "whosoever" passage of the Old Testament, it is clear that those who "call on the name of the LORD" were the same as "the remnant whom the LORD shall call." Those who call on the Lord have first been called by the Lord. He accepts all those who call on Him from every nation, but no doubt their geographical location to a large extent determines whether they will even hear of Him, and "how then shall they call on him . . . of whom they have not heard?" (Romans 10:14).
Theologians of great intellect have wrestled with these questions for centuries, without resolving them, at least to the satisfaction of those of different mental persuasion. On the practical level, however, the Holy Spirit led Peter to quote this passage in his great sermon on the Day of Pentecost: "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).
Peter was still speaking only to Jews, of course, but they had assembled at Jerusalem "out of every nation under heaven" (Acts 2:5). But then Paul made it forever plain that "whosoever" applied to everyone when he also quoted Joel. "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:12-13). The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, on the very last page of Scripture, says: "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17). So, whosoever will, may come! One can contemplate later, with deep thanksgiving, the mysteries of the divine call, but first he must come, and if he so wills, he may! From....Institute for Creation Research
"God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). Yet in the above "whosoever" passage of the Old Testament, it is clear that those who "call on the name of the LORD" were the same as "the remnant whom the LORD shall call." Those who call on the Lord have first been called by the Lord. He accepts all those who call on Him from every nation, but no doubt their geographical location to a large extent determines whether they will even hear of Him, and "how then shall they call on him . . . of whom they have not heard?" (Romans 10:14).
Theologians of great intellect have wrestled with these questions for centuries, without resolving them, at least to the satisfaction of those of different mental persuasion. On the practical level, however, the Holy Spirit led Peter to quote this passage in his great sermon on the Day of Pentecost: "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).
Peter was still speaking only to Jews, of course, but they had assembled at Jerusalem "out of every nation under heaven" (Acts 2:5). But then Paul made it forever plain that "whosoever" applied to everyone when he also quoted Joel. "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:12-13). The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, on the very last page of Scripture, says: "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17). So, whosoever will, may come! One can contemplate later, with deep thanksgiving, the mysteries of the divine call, but first he must come, and if he so wills, he may! From....Institute for Creation Research
What, Why, Where, When, and How....
If you've ever had questions like, "Why are we here?", "Where did we come from?", Is there anything out there?", "Is there a purpose to life?", "What happens after we die?", Then please visit these sites...
Created for His Glory
Answers in Genesis
The Institute for Creation Research
Pull the Plug on Atheism
Created for His Glory
Answers in Genesis
The Institute for Creation Research
Pull the Plug on Atheism
Sunday, April 26, 2009
I Thought I knew....
I thought I knew what the bible was about and what salvation was. After a fashion and trying Christianity I came to the conclusion that it was a big bunch of hooey.
Living in terrible circumstances, beaten by a drunk husband, couldn't hold a job, wearing rags most of the time, fired from my job while pregnant, homeless, hungry, eating out of dumpsters, trying to raise a son with no money and no help, abandoned by my mother and other family. I started going to church and I made a profession. I was told, accept Jesus into your heart and your life will be better. Tithe and you'll get it back 100 fold. Pray for that unsaved abusive husband and he'll get saved and you'll have the man of your dreams and you'll have a happy, prosperous healthy family.
What lies are told in the name of Christ!
I finally heard the REAL gospel of Jesus Christ and it tells us that our lives may not get better here on this earth but we will be laying up treasures in heaven.
Found out that we are promised persecution, tribulation, and trials while here on earth, that this earth is not our home and we are but strangers in it.
That our lives are but a vapor and pass quickly and any troubles or suffering we have while hear do not even compare with the riches of Christ's glory when we are with Him.
I found out that our real treasure is Christ and to be with Him and in communion with Him is better than ANY personal possession in the whole of the universe.
I found out that I am a radically depraved person that was born that way and had broken God's laws so many times that I deserved death and hell as punishment.
I was such a liar, resented anyone that had more than I did, bitter and full of hatred toward those that I had perceived had wronged me. I hated God and told Him so on many occasion, turned against Him all together and worshiped other gods.
It only took one sin for Adam and Eve to be thrown out of the garden of Eden and I had committed so many there was no counting them.
If I had of died then I would have gone straight to hell and rightly so.
Then Jesus! sweet Lord and savior.
God demanded my punishment for breaking His Law....Jesus stepped in and paid my fine. Became sin for me, and took the wrath of God that was reserved for me upon Himself. He suffered my punishment!!! Why? Love....He loved me!
I repented of my sins...turned away from them and trusted Jesus for my salvation.
He changed me, gave me a new heart, my desires for the things of this world are dim, and my desire is for Him.....Thank you Lord!
Living in terrible circumstances, beaten by a drunk husband, couldn't hold a job, wearing rags most of the time, fired from my job while pregnant, homeless, hungry, eating out of dumpsters, trying to raise a son with no money and no help, abandoned by my mother and other family. I started going to church and I made a profession. I was told, accept Jesus into your heart and your life will be better. Tithe and you'll get it back 100 fold. Pray for that unsaved abusive husband and he'll get saved and you'll have the man of your dreams and you'll have a happy, prosperous healthy family.
What lies are told in the name of Christ!
I finally heard the REAL gospel of Jesus Christ and it tells us that our lives may not get better here on this earth but we will be laying up treasures in heaven.
Found out that we are promised persecution, tribulation, and trials while here on earth, that this earth is not our home and we are but strangers in it.
That our lives are but a vapor and pass quickly and any troubles or suffering we have while hear do not even compare with the riches of Christ's glory when we are with Him.
I found out that our real treasure is Christ and to be with Him and in communion with Him is better than ANY personal possession in the whole of the universe.
I found out that I am a radically depraved person that was born that way and had broken God's laws so many times that I deserved death and hell as punishment.
I was such a liar, resented anyone that had more than I did, bitter and full of hatred toward those that I had perceived had wronged me. I hated God and told Him so on many occasion, turned against Him all together and worshiped other gods.
It only took one sin for Adam and Eve to be thrown out of the garden of Eden and I had committed so many there was no counting them.
If I had of died then I would have gone straight to hell and rightly so.
Then Jesus! sweet Lord and savior.
God demanded my punishment for breaking His Law....Jesus stepped in and paid my fine. Became sin for me, and took the wrath of God that was reserved for me upon Himself. He suffered my punishment!!! Why? Love....He loved me!
I repented of my sins...turned away from them and trusted Jesus for my salvation.
He changed me, gave me a new heart, my desires for the things of this world are dim, and my desire is for Him.....Thank you Lord!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Jesus is the Way
John 14:4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
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