The Fallen World

Heartwarming Story from NH

2012-01-10T07:43:00.002-05:00

This is a great story from Mount Zion Christian School in Manchester, NH. If this doesn't lift you up this morning, I don't know what will.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=8938128&l=b4089f7241&id=34757983455

If you need a lift today...

2011-11-09T08:21:00.000-05:00

Matthew 25:40
⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Faith

2011-11-08T09:38:00.000-05:00

Hebrews 11;1-3
¹ Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ² This is what the ancients were commended for.

³ By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

A question came up in a recent outreach opportunity about faith. The person asked why God didn't show us miracles today like the ones being performed at the time of Jesus. This passage in Hebrews tells us that we are to put our faith in Him who created the universe, taking what was unseen and making it visible.

Faith is more than belief. I can look at a chair and believe it will hold me up. It is not until I sit in the chair that I have put my faith in it. I can believe that God exists, but it is not until I surrender all to Him that I have truly put my faith in Him.

Ticket to the easy life?

2011-11-07T08:57:00.001-05:00

2 Timothy 4:3

³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

Who are you listening to? Are you listening to someone who is telling you what you want to hear? How following Jesus will make your life easier, or how God will give you everything you want.

Jesus went to the cross for us. God didn't spare Him from His wrath. The apostles were met with brutal demise for the sake of Jesus. Following Jesus is not a ticket to the easy life. You will have struggles and trials. The difference is in how you handle them.

Cast aside the false ear ticklers. Pray for discernment so you will know the truth. You are not leading your best life now. Your best life is yet to come.

Third Day Tonight!

2011-11-04T09:50:00.001-04:00

When my best friend was going through chemo, this song would remind us that we must go through the valley to stand upon the mountain. You never realize just how far God is lifting you up every single day when things are going well. It's not until you go through the valleys that you get a true understanding of who God is and what He does for us every day.

Miss you, Brother. I know I'll see you again when God calls me home.

Submission to governing authorities

2011-11-03T09:03:00.001-04:00

Romans 13
¹ Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Looking at the governments in the world today, it is hard to imagine that God would be pleased with all that is going on. However, we have to look at this passage in Romans and come to the conclusion that He is in charge and knows what He's doing. Instead of rebelling, we should be asking God what it is He wants to show us.

Mom refuses chemo to save unborn child

2011-10-26T08:35:00.000-04:00

John 15:13

¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Story on GodTube.com
A 41 year old woman who was told by doctors she would never conceive a child became pregnant. When doctors told her that she needed chemotherapy to treat her aggressive brain cancer, she decided to forego treatment in order to save her unborn child.

God bless this woman. One day, she will get to spend eternity with her little Dottie Mae.

Is you name in the book of life?

2011-10-21T08:38:00.002-04:00

Revelation 20:11-15
¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

In this passage, John tells us about the final judgement. It tells us that the dead will be judged according to what they have done. Every lie, every theft, every unpure thought. Those whose names were not contained in the book of life were tossed into the lake of fire. Make no mistake, you will be judged and you will be held accountable. You have sinned against a holy God and the punishment for that sin is eternal punishment in the lake of fire. The only way to avoid this is to make sure your name is in the book of life.

Do you know for sure that your name is in the book of life? You can know with certainty. Romans 10:13 tells us that "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Have you called on the name of the Lord? Put your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. Accept what He did on the cross as the payment for the punishment you deserve. Stop trying to do good to make up for the bad. Jesus took your punishment and offers His sacrifice as a free gift. However, like any gift, you have to take it. All the good you do will never make up for the bad. Sin must be punished. The question is do you want to take the punishment, or do you want to humble yourself, get down on your knees, and thank the One who already sacrificed all?

Turn from your sin. Call out for forgiveness and thank God for what He did. Ask Him to guide your life and stop ignoring your conscience. Once you do that, the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see sin for what it is and help make your desires more like the desires of God. He will dwell within you and make you a new person. The change will be real. Then you will know for sure that your name is written in the book of life.

Are you ready?

2011-10-20T08:06:00.000-04:00

Matthew 24:36 - 41 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

If the Lord were to come today, this very instant, would you be ready? Were you doing anything last week for which you would have been regretful if He decided to come at that very moment?

What our Lord is telling us here is that we need to be on our guard. He is coming and no one knows the time or place. Everyone will be going on with their lives, like in the days of Noah, when all of a sudden He will show up to remove His church from the Earth. Do you want to be one of the people taken up, or do yo want to be one of the people left in the field?

Sanctus Real from Soulftest

2011-08-12T12:46:00.003-04:00

The Soulfest just concluded in Gilford NH last weekend. While the headliners were excellent, it was a great opportunity to see some of the lesser known bands. One of my favorites was Sanctus Real. This song is called "Lead Me" and is really comes from the heart.
(Not my video - h/t TrustTru7h)

Lyrics:
I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames, I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling, but on the inside

Oh, I can hear her saying
[chorus]Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent, but on the inside

Oh, I can hear them saying
[chorus]

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh Father, show me the way
To lead them

Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me 'cause I can't do this alone

I Will Rise

2011-08-02T07:44:00.002-04:00

1 Thessalonians 4
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and (AS)the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

The Black Horseman

2011-07-29T07:46:00.001-04:00

Revelation 6:5-6

⁵ When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A ^[d]quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a ^[g]denarius; and ^(O)do not damage the oil and the wine.”

This is commonly interpreted as a reference to hyperinflation. A denarius was a day's pay. A quart of wheat or three quarts of barley is enough for one person to eat for a day. This passage is eluding that in the end times, we will work a whole day for the equivalent of a loaf of bread. Not damaging the oil and the wine indicates that the rich will not suffer in the same way.

If the government keeps printing money at the current rate, how long will it be before this scenario rings true?

Asking in time of need

2011-02-17T09:27:00.000-05:00

Phillipians 4:4-7
⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The Lord wants to hear from you. In time of need, ask Him to provide. He wants His children to rely on Him in the same way you want your children to rely on you. God knows your needs. He just wants to hear you ask Him, thereby deepening your faith and dependence.

Start with thanksgiving for all that has been done, then present your requests to Him. Humble yourself and acknowledge all that is good in your life is a gift from God.

Resting in the Lord

2011-02-15T06:52:00.000-05:00

Psalm 91
¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

When people let you down, there is One who will give you rest and peace, a place you can go for comfort and support. Put your trust in the Lord. Cast all of your burdens on Him. He delights in His children. When you grow tired of trying to do it yourself, when others let you down, give it away to the Lord. You will never be disappointed.

Listening to what God says

2011-02-14T06:55:00.000-05:00

Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Did God really say ... ?

Too often in today's world, people try to justify their actions by twisting God's word to fit their actions. This isn't new. It has happened since the first two people inhabited the earth. We know right from wrong, we were given a conscience so that God could speak to us in all situations. Whenever we suppress our knowledge of good and evil, we are reverting back to the original problem of man. The desire to make God conform to our idea of how the world should operate instead of listening to how He tells us it should be.

Are we monkeys?

2011-01-11T08:42:00.000-05:00

Genesis 1:7
²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

Unless God is an ape, I think this pretty much sums it all up.

Exclusivity of Jesus

2011-01-07T07:17:00.000-05:00

John 14:6
⁶Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

The next time someone tells you there are many ways to Heaven, ask them these questions, "Who was Jesus? Was he a liar?" If they insist all roads lead to Heaven, ask them how they explain this quote.

Sharing your faith

2011-01-05T11:06:00.000-05:00

^{John 15:18 - 19}
¹⁸ “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

The next time you are worried about the reaction you may get from sharing the Gospel, keep these words from Jesus in mind. The world may not want to hear the truth, but it is our job to spread the Good News.

True freedom is in Christ

2011-01-04T06:39:00.000-05:00

Galatians 5:13-15:
¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

As we go about our day, how about doing something for someone else today? Smile and wave in that person trying to get on the highway in front of you. Allow someone with a few items to go ahead of you at the store.

If you need a lift today

2010-11-02T09:46:00.000-04:00

This made my day.

Jesus the Lamb of God

2010-09-29T08:58:00.000-04:00

John 1:29-34

²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' ³¹I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

³²Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.³³I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' ³⁴I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Imagine being on the banks of the river, seeing John baptizing people and speaking the word of God. Then Jesus comes walking towards him and John proclaims Him to be the Son of God. Imagine being able to witness Jesus' baptism, seeing the sky open up and a dove descend upon Him. How would you have reacted? Would you have picked up everything and followed Him? Do you follow Him now?

Our hope

2010-09-27T13:12:00.000-04:00

1 Thes 4:13-14

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. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

Whenever a loved one passes, it brings about an opportunity to witness to those friends and family who do not know the Lord. These words written by the Apostle Paul give us hope that we will be with Jesus when we die and will return with Jesus when He returns to earth.This is great news and we should be ready to let anyone know whenever we have the opportunity. Remember what Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3:15 : "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

Would you open the door?

2010-09-21T08:38:00.000-04:00

Revelation 3:20:

'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

Hearing Jesus' voice and opening the door is not always easy. We know that if we open that door, there may be things we do not to be seen. So instead, we keep the door closed and ignore the voice.

What is it we are afraid of hearing? Is there a pet sin in out life that we're afraid we'll have to give up? Are we afraid of what people will think if we invite Jesus in? Is there something in our past we don't want exposed?

Sovereignty and Stewardship

2010-08-03T09:02:00.001-04:00

We had a great discussion the other night at small group about the power of prayer and God's sovereignty. The discussion went along the lines of "If God is sovereign, sees all, and knows the outcome of all things, will praying change the outcome?"

Phillipians 4:6 - 7 tells us:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

1 Thes 5:16-18 further expounds:
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

As Christians, our connection to God is through prayer. We are told to pray continually with thanksgiving and to present our requests to God. But if the outcome is already known, why bring our requests to God? After all, if He already knows the outcome why bother? The short answer is because we are told to do so. If God commands His followers to do something, we are to obediently comply.
The longer answer is, God knows what is best for us. We are to grow in our walk and faith. The way He builds our faith is through answered prayer. We have been given stewardship over advancing His kingdom and in order to do that, we need to have our faith strengthened. When we ask God for something and He gives it to us, it is uplifting. We are rejuvenated and our walk strengthens.

1 John 5:14-15: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

The key in that passage is that what we ask has to be according to God's will.We need to look inside ourselves and make sure what we want is what God wants as well.

God is sovereign. He can see all of time because He is not constrained by time. He knows the outcome to every event before it happens. He knows what we are going to pray for and He knows if He is going to grant it to us. This does not absolve us of our duty to pray. After all, if we don't ask, we won't receive.

Jesus tell us in Matthew 7:7- 11:
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

But now we come to the big question. If the outcome is known, does prayer have any effect? I posit that it does. Just because God knows what we are going to pray for beforehand has no bearing on our responsibility to pray. After all, if we don't ask, we won't receive.

Amazing video from a woman of faith

2010-05-12T09:55:00.000-04:00

This is amazing. This woman's husband was murdered by four people who answered an ad posted on Criagslist. The people showed up under the pretense of buying a ring. They tied up the family and ended up killing her husband.

Watch the video, what happens next is absolutely incredible.

Taming your tongue

2010-05-11T06:26:00.000-04:00

James 3:1-12

1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
2 For we all stumble in many ways If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

3 Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well.

4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.

5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!

6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.

8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.

9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;

10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?

12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

So quickly we will say a harsh word or participate in gossip without ever thinking about the consequences. It never ceases to amaze me how someone who will gossip about everyone will suddenly become indignant when they find out they are the subject of the latest gossip.

In this book, James, the half brother of Jesus, goes to great lengths to warn us of the damage that can be caused by the tongue. Although being small it can cause great damage like a small fire can burn down an entire forest, or can be used to define who we are like a small rudder can direct an entire ship.

As you go about your day, before engaging in conversation, ask yourself if this is a conversation you should be in. Is what I'm saying going to build up or tear down? Am I going to use my words as a blessing or a curse?

Trust in the Lord

2010-04-30T06:56:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

Too often we fail to trust the Lord when we are having difficulties. However, this is when the Lord does His best work. When we need help the most, God hears us. When we humble ourselves and ask God to lead our life, He is sure to listen. When we listen to Him, He leads us in the right direction.

How Good is Good Enough?

2010-03-17T06:47:00.000-04:00

Recently at one of my Bible studies, one of the people brought up the question of someone living a good life without putting faith in Jesus entering Heaven. Unfortunately in this day of Oprahanity, it is not an uncommon question. After all, shouldn't all "good" people go to Heaven no matter what they believe?

This is typical of man's pride and self image. Whenever someone is asked if they consider themselves to be a good person, the answer is almost always "yes". This is because we will compare ourselves to someone we consider to be an evil person in order to see ourselves in the best light possible. After all, who doesn't look good next to the murderer or thief you just read about in this morning's paper?

The problem with this, is that we are not going to be judged according to what other people have done. We are going to be judged according to God's holy standard, the ten commandments. We are going to stand before God and have to answer for every lie we've told, everything we've ever stolen, every time we've dishonored our parents. We are told God will not hold blameless those who take his name in vain. Every time we have blasphemed the name of God by using it casually, we have stored up wrath. Jesus teaches us that if we have looked at another person with lust, we have committed adultery in our heart. If we have hated a brother, we are murderers. God will judge us all in thought, word, and deed.

This shows that we are not good people at all, we are all sinners with a large debt to pay. The price of this debt is eternal damnation and separation from God in hell. When we look inward and see ourselves as God sees us, we realize that we are in serious trouble. All of our good deeds cannot erase the bad we have done. God is a holy and just judge and He must punish sin. If He simply allowed sinners to enter Heaven regardless of what they've done, He would not be just. If a judge in an earthly courtroom let criminals go free because they did some good deeds, that judge would not be a good judge. Sin must be punished.

Fortunately, there is good news. We can be released from our debt. We do not have to pay for our transgressions against God. Someone has taken our punishment for us to satisfy the judgment. God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us on the cross. Jesus took the punishment we all deserve. In doing this, the burden of our sin was lifted from us. God can now dismiss our case and allow us into Heaven. Not because of what we have done, because of what Jesus has done.

What we need to do in response to this is repent, turn from our sin and wicked ways, and put our trust in Jesus. We need to admit to God that we are not good people. In fact we are sinners that are not worthy of entering His kingdom. We need to thank Him for sending Jesus to take the punishment we deserve. Ask God to come into your life and open your eyes. He has promised that all who call on His name will be saved. He will make you a new creation in Christ and breathe new life into you. It is not too late. Nothing you have done in your life is so big that Jesus did not die for it. You are not guaranteed another day on Earth. Take the time to get right with God today.

Perseverence

2010-03-05T08:13:00.000-05:00

Galatians 6:7-10 (NIV)

"⁷Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that naturewill reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Have you ever been mocked or belittled for your beliefs? Often times people feel free to mock our faith or point out things we have done in the past as proof that we are not in the family of God. This may come from people we have known our whole life or even from family. Remember the ones who will do the most mocking are the ones who are having the light shone on them the brightest.

Keep up the witness, saints. Keep sowing to please the Holy Spirit. Persevere and we will reap a harvest beyond our wildest dreams. Imagine the feeling you will have when one day you meet the person you reached out to with kind words, or the person you left a Bible tract with in Heaven.

NH fails to protect unborn

2010-02-22T07:47:00.000-05:00

Last week, the NH legislature failed to pass a fetal protection bill. The bill was introduced as the result of a motor vehicle accident where a drunk driver ran a red light at 100 mph, slammed into a taxi killing the passenger. The driver of the taxi was 7 months pregnant and the baby was delivered by emergency c-section. The lived for two weeks before eventually succumbing to his injuries. The driver of the car was convicted on two counts of vehicular homicide. The second count was overturned by the NH Supreme Court because there was no applicable law that would allow for the conviction. The court opened the door for the legislature to define what the law should look like and the legislature drew up a bill and brought it to a vote. It went down 219-122.

We have reached a point in our state where we can't even protect a child where they should be the safest. It is no wonder God is lifting His hand of protection from our country.

Proclaiming truth in a postmodern world

2010-02-01T14:19:00.001-05:00

Truth is not subjective. The great thing about truth is that is either true or it isn't. If my version of the truth and yours differ, than there are three options; my version is correct, your version is correct, or both versions are wrong. The one impossibility is that both versions are true. Unfortunately, we have been treated to a steady diet of teachers telling us that your truth may work for you, however that truth may not work for someone else and both are valid.

This type of thinking is prevalent especially when talking about spirituality and belief systems. There are several versions of the "all roads lead to Heaven" type of teaching being circulated and there is a large mass of people looking to have their ears filled with what they want to hear. Spirituality has been relegated to the realm of objectiveness where truth doesn't matter as long as you have sincere faith in your beliefs. Therein lies the problem.

In John 14:6, Jesus tells us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me." This poses a dilemma to those who would deny absolute truth exists. Jesus is professing exclusivity, He says that in order to get to the Father, you must go through Him. Either this is true or it isn't, there is no middle ground.

The concept of absolute truth comes into play when studying Biblical truths. As human beings, we have a tendency to look at sin with some relativism. We all know that stealing is wrong. However, when the stealing is done to feed one's family, we may overlook it. Motive doesn't change the underlying act. If stealing is wrong, it is always wrong regardless of circumstances. We can show compassion and forgiveness, we can even allow the transgression to go unpunished, but it doesn't change the fact that something was stolen and stealing is wrong.

From here, we enter into the realm of moral relativism. The seventh commandment tells us, "You shall not commit adultery." The common definition of adultery at the time is much as it is today. Deuteronomy describes it as "lying with a woman married to an husband." Applying hermeneutics to the passage would imply that any sex outside of the covenant bond of marriage is adultery. Jesus takes this a step further in the Gospel of Matthew. In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus tells us, "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Jesus did not look to remove the Old Testament law, he strengthened it by applying a more stringent standard.

We in society have now gone in the other direction. There was a time when a couple would not have lived together outside of the covenant bond of marriage. It would not have been tolerated in society. In a post modern society where truth is subjective, we now overlook Biblical truth in order to be more "tolerant." We have put Biblical truth aside in order to accommodate everyone elses definition of right and wrong. We have gone so far to satisfy our own desires and not offend anyone, that we have even redefined the meaning of marriage.

No matter what we as human beings do, the truth of God's word doesn't change. As a society, we may choose to ignore Biblical truths but it doesn't change the truth. It simply makes us disobedient. Those who choose to ignore history are destined to repeat it. We see how God reacted the last time a society decided to live by its own rules and ignore God. He laid Sodom and Gomorrah to waste.

Our society is forgetting the truths it was founded on. We are moving further and further away from God's word in order to satisfy our own lusts. This will not turn out good. If we as a nation don't repent of what we have become, God may decide He is tired of waiting.

The Dumbing Down of America's Churches

2010-01-29T18:25:00.001-05:00

I ran across this newsweek article and after some head shaking, I broken heartedly have to agree with the author. Although I am not a Catholic (I am a non denominational Christian), I have seen this trend throughout evangelical churches as well. We have opted for the feel-good social justice approach while ignoring the root principles of Christianity. Namely that our job here on earth is to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel, call people to repentance, and put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Obama's pragmatic approach to divisive policy (his notion that we should acknowledge the good faith underlying opposing viewpoints) and his social-justice agenda reflect the views of American Catholic laity much more closely than those vocal bishops and pro-life activists. When Obama meets the pope tomorrow, they'll politely disagree about reproductive freedoms and homosexuality, but Catholics back home won't care, because they know Obama's on their side. In fact, Obama's agenda is closer to their views than even the pope's.

This is a shame. Have we lost our way so far that we can look the other way at someone who would allow a human baby to be born alive and not feel that child deserves to get medical attention? Will we really look the other way at the exportation of abortion through the Mexico City initiative because we happen to agree with the president that we should feed, clothe, and shelter the poor? Do we ignore what Scripture has to say about homosexuality and the sanctity of human life so that we can feel good about ourselves and our community service?
Apparently we do:

Yet polls bear out that American Catholics do not want to be told by the Vatican how to think. Despite the rhetoric of love and truth, the Vatican shows disdain (if not disgust) toward gays. But 54 percent of American Catholics find gay relationships to be morally acceptable, according to a 2009 Gallup poll.

If there is truly 54% of any group of Christians finding homosexual relationships morally acceptable, there is a total breakdown in the teaching of the church. This would also explain how someone with views like the president can garner support from within the faith community.

For Obama, respectful disagreement and a willingness to recognize differences was the animating spirit of the presidential campaign, and it was central to his Notre Dame speech. That is the kind of politics many Catholics practice. They're tired of watching the church grasp frantically for control at the expense of truth and love. In America last November, it showed: 54 percent of Catholics voted for Obama.

Interesting that this is the second time “truth and love” have been used to make a point contrary to Scriptural teaching. Start with love. We as people of faith are willing to show love to anyone. We do not hate homosexuals. We do not hate people who have abortions. We do not hate the president. We as Christians have a love for all of humanity. We know what God has said and done for us. We also know what is in store for those who love God and obey Him, and our heart breaks for those who choose to blatantly disobey Him. It is our love for mankind that drives us to reach out and try to find those who are lost.
We do this through the truths that have been revealed to us through God’s word.

As Christians, we take the Bible to be God’s word to mankind, inerrant in its entirety. We have a president who believes that MOST of the Bible is inerrant. I am also afraid that we have a large body of professing Christians that feel this way as well. In this case, all bets are off. We do not have the ability to pick and choose which parts of the Bible are true and which are not. We either accept it as a whole or we reject it as a whole. Truth is not relative. Either something is true or it is false.

There is a principle in Biblical study called hermeneutics. This is how it is determined which scripture is meant for us today and which scripture was meant for a certain people at a given time. For example, dietary laws were given to prevent the widespread death of people eating shellfish when there was no refrigeration and worked very well keeping God’s people alive. As a general rule of thumb (very condensed version): Dietary and ceremonial worship rules were meant for a specific group of people at a given time. Moral laws, such as the Ten Commandments, were meant for all people at all times.

Biblical truth is not subjective. If you walk down the middle of the highway because you believe there is no such thing as 18 wheelers, the truth is that they do exist. And eventually one is going to get you. Not believing in Biblical truth is going to be completely irrelevant when you are standing in front of your Maker. Going to church every Sunday doesn’t make you a Christian much like working in a garage every Saturday doesn’t make you a car.

Extra Grace People

2010-01-25T18:59:00.000-05:00

We all have those people in our lives who require extra grace in our every day dealings. Maybe it's someone who seems to ask the same questions all the time. It may be someone that you just can't seem to get to no matter how hard you try. Maybe it's the argumentative person who always tries to trip you. Whoever it is, there are those people who will test the limits of our patience. What's important is how we respond to these people.

When I think about all I have done in my life, I'm happy that God didn't run out of patience with me. Surely my stubbornness, pride, and disobedience over years of my life would have caused anyone to classify me as an extra grace person. However, God didn't give up. Instead of giving up on me, He sent His son to take the punishment I deserve for all of my disobedience. Seeing this sacrifice, puts the difficult I have to deal with into a new light. God loves them just as much as He loves me.

The next time you have to deal with a person that tests your limits, remember that God didn't give up on you. As a Christian, we need to take the time to make sure that people can see the Holy Spirit working through us. Especially when it comes to the people who require us to dig deep for that last bit of strength. We all know who those people are.

If you don't, you're it.

Enduring with Christ

2010-01-22T06:47:00.000-05:00

2 Timothy 2:11-14
¹¹Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
¹²if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
¹³if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

God is faithful in His children. Although we will go through trials, God has promised us that if we remain faithful in Him, we will live eternally with Him. He knows that we may endure so much that we seem faithless but if we are living in Him, He will remain faithful to us.

The Greatest Commandment

2010-01-21T06:53:00.000-05:00

Mark 12:28 - 31
²⁸One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

²⁹"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' ³¹The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."

What have you done to show your love for God today? Have you taken time to thank Him for all you have been given? We eat His food, drink His water, breathe His air, yet we have a tendency to take it all for granted.

Have you taken time to show love for your fellow man today? How about the person in line at the store in front of you, the person making your coffee, the person asking for change on the sidewalk? What if that person asking for change was an angel? Did you pass that test this morning?

Our eternal hope

2010-01-20T07:12:00.000-05:00

Revelation 21:3-4
³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Read that passage, drink it in. This is what we as Christians have to look forward to. Living and dwelling with God. No more tears, no more pain, no more disease, no more remnants of the fallen world in which we live.

Repentence and faith

2010-01-18T13:30:00.000-05:00

Acts2:^38:Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Most of the people here in the northeast were baptized as infants. While a noble act on the part of the parents, it is clear that baptism is performed as a result of 1) Hearing the word. 2) Repenting of sin. 3) Being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Pray for our nation

2010-01-14T10:44:00.000-05:00

God has put governments in place to direct us. Looking at the current administration, we need to look at what God is trying to tell us. Is God angry at us for becoming complacent? We have a president who claims to know the Lord yet his actions seem to speak otherwise. While we do not know of a person's salvation, we can judge a man's fruit.

Please keep our leaders in prayer. Pray they will come to know the Lord and align their goals with His. Pray for our nation to elect Godly leaders, leaders who will seek His wisdom and guidance. Pray that our nation will again be a nation "under God."

Pray for Haiti

2010-01-13T07:30:00.000-05:00

A devastating earthquake hit the island nation of Haiti yesterday. Please pray for comfort and healing for the residents. By all accounts, there is widespread devastation across a very poor country just miles off our southern coast.

Second chances

2010-01-11T08:33:00.000-05:00

Looking back at your life, do you see things that you think God may have a hard time forgiving? Our God is a God of second chances. When Jesus was hung on the cross, it was for all of our sins. Past, present, and future. There is nothing you have done that a God rich in mercy cannot forgive. The offer of salvation, forgiveness, and everlasting life is a gift that is offered to you. Like any gift, you need to reach out and take it.

Repent of your sins. Admit to God that He is right and you are a sinner. Thank Him for sending His son to take the punishment you deserve. Ask God to change your heart, to make His desires your desires. Do it today. You are not guaranteed another day.

Belief is irrelevant

2010-01-08T06:25:00.000-05:00

Belief is irrelevant in light of the truth.

With the rise of "Ophranity" and all of the other false religions, there is a movement afoot that tells us that all belief systems are equal and as long as one believes in their own beliefs they will find God. This is not new. It has happened from the beginning of time when Satan asked Eve, "Did God really say..."Since that point, humankind has been in search of a god to shape in his own image. A god that will allow them to live as they see fit, certainly not a god that will judge them for their sin. And of course the god who will simply love, love, love them as they are and allow them to continue in their sin.

Just believing that something is true does not make it so. Truth is not subjective. If my truth and your truth disagree, one of them is wrong. If you believe that God will overlook your sin because you are a generally good person, or because you go to church on Sunday, or because you do good deeds in the community, you have created an idol and inserted it in place of God. The God who has revealed Himself to us in the Bible tells us that we cannot do anything to earn our way to Him. The only way is through Jesus Christ.

We need to turn from our sin and trust that Jesus has taken our punishment for us, not try to earn our way. When Jesus was whipped, beaten, spat upon, had his beard pulled out, and finally nailed to the cross, he bore the punishment for all of us. Through His sacrifice we can approach God and be seen as sinless. We are to repent, that is turn from our sin, and ask for forgiveness. When we do that, God will give us a new heart. His desires will be ours. The old creature will die, and a new one will take its place. We will be born again.

This is the truth. This is what has been revealed to us in the Bible. Any other belief will end in destruction. No matter how fervently someone believes it.

Brit Hume was right

2010-01-07T09:17:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it, Fox News man Brit Hume made some comments about Tiger Woods and his current mess. He said that Tiger needs to turn to Jesus for forgiveness and redemption. Woods is a Buddhist. Brit is absolutely correct. However, he was a little narrow in his scope. Everyone needs to turn to Jesus for forgiveness of sin. We are told in Acts 4:12: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

While the PC crowd will get all upset at Brit for saying this, we as Christians know the truth. There is no forgiveness of sin without Jesus. If you die without your sins being forgiven, you are destined for eternal punishment in hell. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Jesus took the sins of all who would repent and put their trust in Him.

While there are lots of belief systems in the world, you only need to ask yourself one question. Is what you believe the truth? If it's not, it makes no difference how strongly you believe it.

God can forgive all sin

2010-01-06T05:45:00.000-05:00

1 Timothy 1:15-17

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

A lot of people are afraid to come to God because of something they have done in their life. There may be some overriding guilt that because of past actions God will be so angry that He could not possibly forgive them. Well, there is really good news. There is nothing you have done that Jesus did not take the punishment for on the cross. Every sin you have committed was paid for in the life blood of Jesus. Look at the passage above written by the Apostle Paul. Paul, or Saul of Tarsus as he was previously known, was a persecutor of Christians in the early church. He oversaw the stoning of Stephen and was responsible for having Christians rounded up, jailed, and executed for their faith. Now, look back on your life. What do you think you have done that God could not forgive you? The answer is nothing.

Repent and ask God for forgiveness. He is rich in mercy. Put your trust in Jesus as the one who bore the punishment you deserve and God will reach into your life and give you a new heart. You will feel a great relief of the burden you have carried and will be born again. Do it today. You are not guaranteed another breath on earth.

Evangelism in a Fallen World

2010-01-05T15:34:00.000-05:00

2 Timothy 4:1 - 5 (NIV)

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

How do you prefer to evangelize? Are you a street preacher, someone who hands out tracts, one who talks to strangers, or how about one of the new trends lifestyle or friendship evangelism? It is difficult to reach out and talk to people in the current climate. In the age of "tolerance", the intolerance toward Christians is astounding. We are constantly being told that we should not be forcing our views on others. But the question needs to be asked; "Is preaching the word the same as forcing our views?"

We need look no farther than the Middle East and the Islamic world to see a true example of forcing a belief on someone. It is illegal to convert to another religion in most Islamic countries and the penalty is death. In India, radical Hindus in Orissa state are rounding up Christian missionaries, beating, raping, and killing them for the crime of evangelism. How does this compare to handing out a tract or street preaching?

It is our duty to preach the word. If there was a blind man heading toward a cliff, would you tell him? Even if the man didn't think there was a cliff on the horizon, you know there is one and he is heading for certain destruction. Do you not tell him because you are afraid of what he might say to you? Remember what Paul said above "correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." Be gentle but do not waver.

From Romans 10:14 "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

More corruption of the church

2010-01-05T15:29:00.000-05:00

The Rev. Carlton Veazey, the president of Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, gave the closing speech at a Capitol Hill rally. In the speech, he said that not only is abortion a constitutional right, it is a "God given right."

While it would be nice to think of his group as a simple fringe group, a perusal of the member organizations page shows ever more evidence of the corruption coming from within the church. All the usual suspects are there. Episcopal, Presbyterian, and all the Uni-churches are represented.

While it's sad, it's not surprising. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

People will seek out people like Carlton Veazey because he will tell them what they want to hear. In the true style of "cafeteria Christian", those parts of the Bible that can be mangled and word twisted to get at his point will be consumed by those who are looking to have their ears tickled. However, Rev. Veazey will have a much higher standard to answer to. James 3:1 says. "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." This is a strict warning to those who would lead us down the wrong path.

I would be trembling in fear knowing what is in store for me if I was Rev. Veazey. I will continue to pray for him that he will come to know the true God who made himself known to us through His word.