HE KNOWS

2007-01-08T12:21:00.000-05:00

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OR NOT

Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as Head above all"
(1 Chronicles 29:11)

Two alternatives confront us, and between them we obliged to choose: either God governs, or He is governed: either God rules, or He is ruled; either God has His way, or men have theirs.

Has God foreordained everything that comes to pass? Has He decreed that what is, was to have been? In the final analysis this is only another way of asking, Is God now governing the world and everyone and everything in it?

"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure" (Isa. 46:9, 10)

"The Lord hath made all things for Himself" (Prov. 16:4)

God has access to the hearts of all men and He softens or hardens them according to His sovereign purpose.

The profane Esau swore vengeance upon his brother for the deception which he had practiced upon his father, yet when next he met Jacob, instead of slaying him we are told that Esau "fell on his neck and kissed him" (Gen. 32:4)

"The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will" (Prov. 21:1)

Not merely that He may overrule the effects of the actions of wicked, but that He will yet bring the wicked to stand before His judgment. That sentence of punishment may be passed upon them and the multitudes of non-Christians believe these things—but, we mean, that every action of the most lawless of His subjects is entirely beneath His control. That the wicked , though unknown to himself, carrying out the secret decrees of the Most High. Was it not this with Judas? So the wicked are steered do the will of our Father in Heaven.

I asked if the Former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson could leave a life of crime without God.This is my case and it looks like Mike needs God hand to pull him out of the pit.

What do you think??

2007-01-04T12:14:00.000-05:00

DOES JAIL TIME CHANGE A MAN?

PHOENIX (AP) - Former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson was charged Wednesday with drug possession and driving under the influence of drugs, and the Maricopa County prosecutor says he wants to send him to prison.

Tyson, 40, was charged with two felonies for drug possession and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. If convicted of all four charges, he could be sentenced to between 2 1/4 and 7 1/2 years.
The charges stem from his arrest Friday in Scottsdale, where Tyson was pulled over after leaving a nightclub. An officer found bags of cocaine in his back pocket and another in a package of cigarettes in his car, according to court records.

CAN A MAN REPENT AND LEAVE A LIFE CRIME WITH OUT GOD WORKING IN THERE LIFE?

I say no, what do you say.......

I think that even in the unsaved God is in control.....

2006-08-30T12:18:00.000-04:00

The Church Must First Repent
PART 3
WRITEN BY . Edwin Orr

All that has been said about individuals applies with equal force to the larger groups in which individual Christians find themselves a place. The life of the majority of churches and societies is sub-normal, stunted in growth, paralysed instead of powerful. What is the trouble ? It is just general backsliding. The author was once told by an agnostic: "I think I would be a Christian [if it were not] for the Christians." Another man, of communistic views, is reported having said to a parson: "I have a regard for your Jesus, but I am sure I see no connection between Him and the life of your church." Churches, and all other groups of Christians, are just like individuals--either they are growing in grace or else they are backsliding. Such backsliding is often a vicious circle, for spiritual poverty produces worldliness, and worldliness brings greater spiritual poverty.

Little by little, the church loses its grip on essential things, becomes a social club, goes to sleep or flies off at a tangent. All over the world we find sleeping churches, and all round them are the gospel-starved masses. Instead of performing the first thing of importance, evangelising the rnasses, they are engaged in a bewildering variety of pastimes--anything but the real thing. It has pleased the Lord to intervene at times to bring back His people to a more normal life. This is called revival. Revival, it must be noted, is solely the concern of believers, and is not an evangelistic campaign as many seem to think, although such a gospel effort may be the outcome of revival among Christians.

The greatest need of the churches today is revival.

Revival is of course a matter for individuals as well as churches--and in such cases, it is often called 'full surrender', or 'a clean heart', or 'victory over sin',--the term is not of such vast importance provided we recognise that the experience is simply the forsaking of a subnormal experience for the normal Christian life. This is individual revival. Returning to the words of Scripture, we find the message of the Lord blunt and powerful. " I counsel thee..." There is no mistaking what the Lord thinks of that Church. His denunciation; "You say that you stand in need of nothing " is met by an offer of pure gold instead of dross, clothing instead of shame, ointment to cure the blindness.

Again...repentance ! What does it mean? Be in earnest, and change your warped mind, change your backslidden heart, change your wrong attitude, change your contrary direction. Repent ! The next exhortation is one of mixed tenderness and urgency; "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in and sup with him, and he with Me." This plea, preached so often with effect to unregenerate sinners, would be even more effective with believers in the Church.

It is the Lord Christ Who stands outside the door of the Laodicean Church. He is patiently, tenderly knocking. Few hear Him, and many of those that do are too busy with other things to open the door. And those that are eager to open the door are often hindered by others who stand in the way. Still He is knocking. To the individual, there is wonderful comfort. Christ does not say, " If you persuade all the rest to let Me in----" but rather " If any man hear My voice" Individual responsibility is as great regarding revival as regarding salvation. Letting Christ into the heart means revival for the individual who does it.

If "revival is the reception by the church of life abundant," revival is also reception by the individual of the life abundant. Revival has always begun through the obedience of individuals. Four young men, together with individuals scattered throughout the Province, prayed down the Ulster Revival Of 1859. Evan Roberts and other individual servants of God prayed down the Welsh Revival Of 1904. God lit little fires here and there, in individual homes, and when they became numerous the place went on fire. Andrew Gih, listening to a plea made by Paget Wilkes, in Shanghai, did not wait until the rest of China was moved. He opened his heart to revival, and God has been using him as a revivalist ever since. Instances could be multiplied.

"If any man hear My voice, I will come in and sup with him, and he with Me." Revival must begin somewhere. It must begin in some heart. Who knows but it might start with You ? Many Christians are waiting for a collective stirring...something which will be labeled "revival" right away. God is waiting for individual stirrings, and He is waiting for you. Get the perspective right. "If any man..."

2006-08-18T12:17:00.000-04:00

The Church Must First Repent
PART 2
WRITEN BY . Edwin Orr

In the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, the word Ekklesia is used along with the Greek for Synagogue to translate the Hebrew Kahal, which fact throws further light on the subject. For Kahal is used variously in the Old Testament to denote a called-out assembly of Israel or of a tribe, or an assembly gathered out for worship.

So whether we use the word "Church" to denote the general professing Church, or the actual Church of believers, there are lessons to be learned. It is when we study the message to the Church of the Laodiceans that we find our message. The condition of the Laodicean Church fits our present-day state in Christendom exactly.

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked...As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me"

Can this be made to apply to the spiritual condition of believers ? Let us see. First of all, Laodicea was an ekklesia, a gathered-out assembly for worship. Secondly, it is suggested that this church was in a peculiar relationship with the Lord, because of the words : "All whom I hold dear, I reprove and chastise."

"For whom the Lord loveth," says the writer of Hebrews, " He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not ? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."

Which makes me think that the rebuke given Laodicea may be fairly applied to believers. Lukewarmness, self-satisfaction., halfheartedness, backsliding, formalism, indifference, self righteousness, greed for gold, worldliness, pride, self-deception, spiritual destitution, blindness and lack of vision, easily-seen-through--these are the characteristics of Laodicea, and these are the characteristics abounding to-day.

What would anyone think of an individual who possessed all these characteristics ...surely the greatest backslider living! But examine the position collectively.

Are there any lukewarm Christians in your church ?
Any self-satisfied ?
Any indifferent ?
Any self-righteous ?
Any backsliding?
Any formalistic ?
Any half-hearted ?
Any greedy after lucre ?
Any worldly ?
Any proud ?
Any self-deceived ?
Any spiritually destitute ?
Any without vision ?
Any shameless ?

Put together they look rather bad. If the majority of your church members share a majority of these indications of spiritual poverty, then your church is a Laodicean church. And if the majority of churches in your district are thus backslidden, then everything said to Laodicea applies to your neighbourhood. What would you do with an individual Christian who was thus backslidden in heart and life ? You would first pray for him. You would seek to show him his need. You would seek to make him concerned about his need. You would point out to him the life more abundant. You would tell him that Calvary means power, and that Christ will restore.

So what do you think of your Church... And can we label them

2006-08-14T09:12:00.000-04:00

The Church Must First Repent
PART ONE

by J. Edwin Orr

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." (Revelation 3:19)

The occurrence of the word "Repent" in the messages to the Seven Churches is truly remarkable. The word "Repentance" -- in the mind of the average Christian--is connected with sinners and not with professing Christians. And yet the word used throughout the New Testament in the presentation of the Gospel message to sinners is exactly the same word repeated by our Lord in His messages to the Seven Churches.

The word "Repent" occurs over seven times in these seven messages. It is omitted from two of them--Smyrna, the poor, persecuted Church--for a church in persecution is generally a purified one, and Philadelphia, the loyal Church, the Church that had kept the faith. The noun "metanoia" (repentance) is defined variously as a change of mind, a change of heart, a change of attitude, or a change of direction.

With this information borne in mind, let us examine the uses of the verb in the Revelation.

1. In the first message, Ephesus is described as an energetic church, patiently laboring for God, and perfectly sound in doctrine. "I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent..."

2. The (third) message to Pergamos complains of their eating of meat sacrificed to idols, of fornication committed, and of the holding of the hated doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. "Repent!"

3. Thyatira is likewise rebuked in the fourth message. And again repentance is urged.

4. The dying Church of Sardis is again commanded to repent.

5. And Laodicea is urged to repent as well.

Before we come to the application of these messages, it is appropriate that we should consider the nature of the word "Church" for the simple reason that many people repudiate it as applying to a really Christian Church. "Ekklesia" the word used, may be interpreted "assembly" or "gathering of called-out ones", or "convention " in the best sense of the word (being convened). It occurs more than a hundred times in the New Testament, and is always translated "Church" with the exception of the instances regarding the Civic Assembly in Ephesus.

Are we repenting or maybe we do not need to....... You make the call.....Does a life have to change to be save or is that just works?

What do you think......

2006-07-21T12:22:00.000-04:00

Do you have a problem?
Copyright by Phillip L. Simpson

The meaning of the John's first epistle has been fairly uniformly understood throughout the centuries. However, this epistle presents a problem for the "free grace" theologian. The problem is this:

John appears to be stating plainly throughout the book that there are tests which reveal whether one is a child of God or not. Some of these tests include:

Whether we love the brothers (2:10, 3:10, 3:14, 4:7),
Walk in the light (1:7),
Keep His commandments (2:3-4),
Walk in the same way in which he walked (2:6),
Continue on in fellowship with other believers (2:19),
Confess the Son (2:23),
Practice righteousness (2:29; 3:10),
Confess that Jesus has come in the flesh (4:2),
Listen to the apostolic teaching (4:6),
Receive the Spirit (4:13),
Confess that Jesus is the Son of God (4:15),
Believe that Jesus is the Christ (5:1),
Overcome the world (5:4).

Notice how some of these tests are doctrinal, and others are behavioral.

Remember that the tests given by John are both behavioral and doctrinal. While "free grace" teachers insist the behavioral tests are indicators of our fellowship status with God (rather than tests of possession of eternal life), what about the doctrinal tests? Does John give these to determine our fellowship status? Is believing that Jesus has come in the flesh (1 John 4:2) only a sign of a mature Christian who is in fellowship with God? Can a believer deny this truth and still be a believer--albeit "out of fellowship"? No; rather, John was refuting Gnostic heresy in 1 John; therefore, a doctrinal affirmation was critical if his readers were to know if they believed in Christ savingly or not.

2006-07-13T09:13:00.000-04:00

Free Grace Theology vs. The Bible

The Boston Christian Bible Study Resources

"We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raise up against the knowledge of God and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." 2Corinthians 10:5
Many times the Bible warns Christians to not be deceived, indicating that it is possible for you as a Christian to be deceived. Let me give you examples of the kinds of things Christians may be deceived about:

1Cor 6:9,10 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Ephesians 5:5,6 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person— such a man is an idolater— has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

James 1:15,16 after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

1John 3:7,8 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.

These are all warnings against what has classically been labeled "Antinomian Theology", which today has evolved into what is called "Free Grace Theology".
Free Grace Theology is the idea:

That "Faith in Christ" means faith in Christ as Savior, but accepting Christ as Lord is optional.
related to which is also the misconception concerning Rev 3:20 - inviting Christ into your life.

That the faith that is acceptable to God for salvation is a non-application oriented mental assent to ideas.

That repentance is viewed simply a "change of mind" without necessarily any change of behavior

That there is not necessarily any correlation between a person's behavior and their salvation status

That the object of faith is one's own assurance of salvation, and thus one should never doubt or question whether they are saved or not.

And "Free Grace" theology sees a distinction between the New Testament expressions "entering the kingdom" (being saved) and "inheriting the kingdom" (reigning).

If these are the things you have been led to believed, then you have been deceived.

Please see this site...

http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/freegrace.html

2006-06-20T20:12:00.000-04:00

WHAT WORK ARE WE?

ROMANS 2:14
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

The rabbis taught that God did show partiality towards the Jews; they said: "God will judge the Gentiles with one measure and the Jews with another."
God's righteous judgment is not withheld because someone has heard the law; it is only held back if someone has done the law.

So many times we look at God as being angry all the time and He is going to step on you. He is very far from that and has made a way to keep His laws.
The Jew may think that he is saved because he has the law; but has he kept it? The Gentile may think that he is saved because he does not have the law, but has he kept the dictates of his own conscience?

You can see here by doing works gets you no where, God know your heart.
"People will be condemned, not because they have the law or do not have the law, but because they have sinned."
Judgment for sin can come with or without the law

ROMAN 2:15-16
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Possession of the law no advantage to the Jew in the day of judgment
Paul explains why the Gentile can be condemned without the law; conscience (the work of the law written in their hearts) is enough to condemn - or, theoretically, enough to justify - any man

Many pagan authors of Paul's day referred to the "unwritten law" within man; something which points us to the right way, though it is not embodied in written laws, it is in many ways more important than written laws
A law to themselves does not mean that these "obedient Gentiles" made up their own law (as we use the expression "law unto himself"), but that they were obedient to conscience, the work of the law residing in themselves

We say theoretically justify, because every man has violated his conscience (God's internal revelation to man), just as every man has violated God's written revelation
While Paul says in verse 14 that a Gentile, may, by nature do the things contained in the law; he is careful to not say that a Gentile could fulfill the requirements of the law by nature
Though God has His work within every man (resulting in conscience), man can corrupt that work, so that conscience varies from person to person, and our consciences can be damaged, and even restored in Christ

If our conscience is condemning us wrongly, we can take comfort in the idea that God is greater than our heart (1 John 3:20)

People who have never heard God's word directly still have a moral compass that they are accountable to
"God is describing how He has constituted all men: there is a 'work' within them, making them morally conscious."

Look at the question “ If a man has never heard of Jesus Christ and what He did for us and sins is he going to Heaven?”

On the day when God will judge the secrets of men, no man can find refuge from God's judgment by claiming ignorance of His written revelation; violation of God's internal revelation is enough to condemn us all .
Notice that the day of judgment was a part of Paul's gospel; he did not shrink from declaring man's absolute accountability to God
The idea that God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ was distinctively Christian; the Jews taught that God the Father alone would judge the world, committing judgment to no one - not even the Messiah.

Are you the work of the fresh or are you the work of the Spirit? My flesh does work against the Spirit in me . Paul stated the things that he should do ,he did not , but the things that he shouldn't do he does . That's a battle, but it is a battle that only Jesus has the power to win. With out Jesus in the battle you have already lost.

JOHN 14:17
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

2006-05-18T19:31:00.000-04:00

WORKS BEING DONE IN US part 2
Ephesians 4:13-16

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

It is important to realize that, according to this passage in Ephesians, the supreme purpose of the church is not the evangelization of the world. The Great Commission is often held up to us as the supreme aim and purpose of the church, and it is certainly a crucial and essential task. Jesus has clearly sent us out to preach the Gospel to every creature. But the Great Commission is not God's supreme and ultimate goal.

Romans 8:29 tells us that God's ultimate plan for us is that we be "conformed to the image of his Son." Evangelization is a means of bringing people into a relationship with God, so that God's ultimate goal for them--Christlikeness--can be achieved in their lives.

Nor does Paul say anything here about accomplishing world peace and universal justice. He does not say the church will ultimately introduce the millennium. We may well believe in the great vision of the prophets that there is a day coming when peace shall reign on the earth and men shall beat their swords into plowshares and make war no more. One day righteousness shall prevail over all the earth and all of today's headlines of injustice, tragedy, war, mass murder, terrorism, crime, racism, and hate will be forgotten. But that is not the great and final purpose for the existence of the church.

God's overarching goal is to produce men and women who demonstrate the character qualities of Jesus Christ. God does not want a church filled with whiterobed saints. He does not want a church filled with theological authorities or cultured clergyman. He wants a church filled with ordinary men and women who exemplify the extraordinary integrity, temperament, wholeness, compassion, individuality, boldness, righteousness, earnestness, love, forgiveness, selflessness, and faithfulness of Jesus Christ!

New Christians should also understand that growth does not come by trying. As Jesus pointed out, you cannot by taking thought add a cubit to your stature. You cannot say, "Now I am going to try to grow." Children would grow much faster than they do if that would work! But it doesn't.

How, then, do you grow? You must make sure that the factors that enhance and encourage spiritual growth are present. If they are, growth will occur of itself, naturally and unforced. We have already examined many of these factors, but they are summarized by the apostle Paul in this twofold way: increasing in (1) "the unity of the faith" and (2) "the knowledge of the Son of God." These, he says, will lead to mature manhood, "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).

Though the Scriptures are unchanging, new light is continually issuing forth from them through individual teachers who are given these new insights by the Holy Spirit. But then they must be shared widely in the body or no new truth is given. New Christians grow when they exert themselves to understand the Scriptures with the help of the teachers and leaders who make themselves available to them within the body of Christ.

This occurs when the knowledge of the faith (Hearing) is put into practice (Doing).
Hearing and doing go hand in hand. You cannot know Jesus Christ until you follow Him. The disciples had an acquaintance with Jesus Christ before they became His disciples. That is obvious from the Gospel records. But they never knew Him until they left everything and followed him. It is here that we are particularly helped by the prayers and concern of the other members of the body. In our relationships with one another, our experience of the Lord who lives within us is deepened and enlarged. As Jesus said, when he revealed the standard of judgment for the last day,

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:40)

Teaching and preaching is the over flowing of The Holy Spirit in our life. By learning of Jesus we grow into the Image of Him. This means that we become like Him and doing what He does. Is these works or being coming like Him?

2006-05-03T14:02:00.000-04:00

Works or Obey PART 1

Legalism, with its heavy demand for morality upon people who do not yet understand how to meet that demand with the proper response, is a deadly thing! Yet it is widespread wherever you go in the Christian world today -- here in the United States and everywhere else.

Much of the reason for this worldwide spread of legalism is that Christians either do not understand the power available to them or they ignore it and try to respond to the demand for morality by reliance upon their own self-effort and will power. That is phony Christianity! It never works. It never will work. It has created much of the weakness of the church today. The church has gained the image in the eyes of many of being a place where morality is taught, where a high standard of life is preached, but where nobody practices it. This is why the idea has gained such wide popularity around the earth that Christians are basically hypocrites who talk of standards that they do not live.

Leviticus 17
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying,
What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,
And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:

What is God trying to impart with this kind of requirement? What is the lesson that he had for these people which still applies to us? We don't have to follow the letter of these regulations anymore, but we do have to obey the great principles that are involved. You will notice that for an Israelite to violate this requirement was a very serious offense. He was to be cut off from among his people if he did not follow it carefully. So this must be a very important principle.
.
The minute you depend upon yourself -- your personality, your background, your training, your heredity, your dedication, whatever -- to accomplish something for God's sake, you are walking in the flesh, rather than depending upon the activity of the life of Jesus Christ in you as a Christian, which is walking in the Spirit. The whole Bible labors to teach us that walking in the flesh is always unacceptable to God. It doesn't make any difference how good the results of it may appear to man; it is unacceptable to God. According to Paul in Romans, "The mind of the flesh is enmity against God," (Romans 8:7). So if you do walk in the flesh it is uncleanness. And anyone who does so is unclean until he begins to depend again upon the Spirit of God. This is reflected in these Old Testament practices.

John 6:52-56
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

There is the great reality!, "the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ," (Galatians 3:24 KJV). These ancient requirements in the Old Testament were but preparatory devices, visual aids, designed by God to prepare people for the proclamation of the truth from the lips of Jesus. And if they had understood this, as God had so carefully and patiently instructed them through the centuries, they would have received these words of Jesus with gladness and joy. But they didn't understand this principle at all. So you can imagine, in the face of this in Leviticus, how offensive these words were to Jews who had been taught all their lives that it was an abomination to eat blood. And now here comes Jesus who says, "Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you. You are dead. But if you do, you abide in me and I in you." Even his disciples were offended at this.

God is patiently trying to teach us that we are no longer to depend upon that fallen life, what we call "the flesh," the old life, the old method of operating. The resources that we lived by and depended upon before we became Christians -- our personality, our training and education, our good looks, whatever we counted on -- are no longer to be our resources. They are natural resources and to partake of them is wrong for a believer. That is what God is teaching. We are not to feed on a fallen life, for God has provided a new life, the life of Christ, imparted to us and now part of us. And that is a proper life -- a God-intended, God-provided life -- proper food. Therefore he who eats this life, drinks this blood, as Jesus said, "has eternal life," is operating on God's intended provision.

We eat and drink of this life whenever we draw upon the life of Jesus for strength to love someone who is not very lovely, or for patience when we are irritated and hard-pressed, or for kindness when we don't feel very good. If, in any moment of demand we reckon upon his life, then we are drinking his blood and eating his flesh. When we do that, his life is flowing in us and Christ is at work in us. That is the difference. And this is what God is seeking to remind us of. We have a reminder of it in the Lord's table where, by symbol, we eat of his flesh and drink of his blood, and that pictures the life we are to live. You can see how God labors to teach this. Anything else, he says, is a curse and if you fall prey to it you will be cut off from among your people, i.e., your life will be of such a character that there will be no observable change from the old life. You will not be living like a Christian.

I started out with the statement “Legalism, with its heavy demand for morality upon people who do not yet understand how to meet that demand with the proper response” I want to end with the same . The cross is God's way of saying there is nothing in us worth saving at all, apart from Christ -- no salvageable content whatsoever. He takes us as we are, men and women apart from Christ, and he says, "There is nothing you can do for me, not one thing." For when Christ became what we are, when he was "made sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5:21), God passed sentence upon Him, and put Him to death. This is God's eloquent way of saying to us, "There is nothing to please me in yourslf; there is not a thing you can do by your own effort that is worth a thing." All that we can ever be, without Christ, is totally set aside. Death eliminates us, wipes us out.

Who has not heard Christians talking in such a way as to give the impression that the greatest thing that ever happened to God was the day He found them. But we are not indispensable to Him; He is indispensable to us. And the great truth to which this brings us is: If we become bankrupt to do anything for God, we are then able to receive everything from Him. That is what he wants us to see.

2006-04-24T16:50:00.000-04:00

PREACHING CHRIST AND HIM ALONE

We spend time blogging about Calvinism and Arminianism. But do we spend the same time looking at the cross and what Jesus went though on the cross? And what does Calvinism or Arminianism have to do with the cross.

We must not let ourselves forget the fearful agony which Jesus went through: the bloody sweat; the three times he prayed to the Father for help; the betraying hurt of the traitor's kiss; the subsequent arrest by the temple guard; his appearance in shame and humiliation as a criminal before the high priests and before King Herod; the cruel mockery, and scornful contempt when he was dressed as a king and a crown of thorns placed upon his head; the scourging at the whipping post upon Pilate's command; the agony of the cross; the nails through his hands and feet; the spear through his side; and, above all, the terrible torment that drew from him the awful cries of anguish as his spirit endured shame and humiliation and the separation from the face of the Father that bearing the world's sin required him to pass through. Jesus saw the horror of the hell that was coming.

Now at the same time when He was on the cross it says in :Psa 22:12
Many bulls have compassed me: strong [bulls] of Bashan have beset me round.

It is a picture of the fallen angels around the cross laughing at Him.

What He did for us is so Great!

So I would like to lay it all down and ask who out there( in blog land) can tell me if I am save or not by if I'm Calvinist or a Arminian.

Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Paul says it the best

1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

He preached a crucified Jesus in plain language, and told the people that that Jesus who was crucified at Jerusalem was the Son of God and Saviour of men, and that all who would be saved must repent of their sins, and believe in him, and submit to his government and laws. This truth needed no artificial dress; it shone out with the greatest majesty in its own light, and prevailed in the world by its divine authority, and the demonstration of the Spirit, without any human helps. The plain preaching of a crucified Jesus was more powerful than all the oratory and philosophy of the heathen world.

Are we here to judge or preach Christ?

We should be looking at ourselves and see if we are doing what Jesus said or are we doing what we want?

2006-03-29T12:16:00.000-05:00

I will be on VACATION April 1-8.

April Fools Day.... My wife said that it better not be a joke!!!!!

Would I do That?

Pray for me and my wife that we would come back.
HA HA HA

I love the Caribbean... I will miss you all

God Bless You

P.S
Without Love you have nothing

2006-03-23T12:23:00.000-05:00

KING OF ALL

Ephesians 1:22-23

And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.

The only place this kind of power is ever going to be manifest is in you and me, in the midst of our pressures and problems.

God's power is the power to be patient in maddening situations.
It's the power to love a person when he is irritating the socks off of you.
It's the power to be joyful in the midst of suffering and distress.
It's the power to be thankful in the midst of deprivation.

That is what Paul is talking about--the power to live as God intended us to live. God sent His Son to us so that we might have hope, and riches, and power--the power to be what He wants us to be, and the power to be what we truly want to be.

God has designed that his church should operate as a body. We all have bodies that we might understand. Without the proper functioning of the bodies in which we live, our life, the life of our spirit, our personality if you like, can never be made manifest to anyone else. It takes the body to make the life visible. That is also true of the church. If the church of Jesus Christ is not functioning as a body, then the life that is in it (which is the life of Jesus) can never be seen. It takes the body to make the life visible.

I believe that this is one of the major reasons why many people today never seem to discover who they are. They never learn what they can do, what possibilities lie within, and what potential is theirs because they have never discovered who God is. We reflect Him, and therefore it is extremely important that we come to know God better.

It is the power to bring life out of death, hope out of hopelessness, joy out of sorrow, and beauty out of ashes. May we see it, believe it, and act on it--and may the world see God's power flowing through us as we boldly take on the challenges of our daily lives.

2006-03-10T13:27:00.000-05:00

NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES PART 5

Ephesians 1:21
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Paul stresses the fact that the name of Jesus is greater than any name that is named. There are many names on earth that confer power and authority. A policeman acts in the name of the law. The president of the United States acts in the name of the people. A salesman acts in the name of the company. Ominously, there are some in our world who actually act in the name of Satan! But there is one name that is above every other name--the name of Jesus.

All hail the power of Jesus’ Name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.

Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre, and as they tune it,
fallBefore His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face Who tunes their choir, and crown Him Lord of all.

Crown Him, ye morning stars of light,
Who fixed this floating ball;
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might, and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel’s might, and crown Him Lord of all.

Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God,
who from His altar call;
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s Rod, and crown Him Lord of all.

Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace, and crown Him Lord of all.

Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all,
The God incarnate, Man divine, and crown Him Lord of all.

Sinners, whose love can ne’er forget
the wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet, and crown Him Lord of all.

Let every tribe and every tongue
before Him prostrate fall
And shout in universal song the crownèd Lord of all.
And shout in universal song the crownèd Lord of all.

bio("John Rippon","r/i/rippon_j")
John Rippon added this verse in 1787]

O that, with yonder sacred throng,
we at His feet may fall,
Join in the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all,
Join in the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all!

Is He Lord over your Life, the Name over all?

2006-03-02T18:58:00.000-05:00

HE IS ALIVE PART 4

Ephesians 1:20

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

God triumphed over every form of opposition. Jesus rising from the dead and His glorification of ascension were a defeat for Satan and his hosts.
We have a picture of all the hosts of hell trying to foil God's purposes by keeping Jesus in the grave.

No one is sufficient to describe such great power. No one has ever done this in human history, others have been raised from the dead, but they died again.

This is why Paul points out that He is seated at the right hand of the Father.
The right hand of God signifies the place of privilege, power, distinction, holiness and dominion.

The next thing Paul points out is the location of the seat in heavenly places. That is where the Lord Jesus is today in a literal body of flesh and bone, a glorified body no longer capable of dying, but scarred with the nails of the cross. The world would like to think of Jesus as a ghost flying around . But Paul lets us know that He is not dead, but alive and sitting next to the Father. He is alive..... not mere words in a book , but living and reigning as King of all, over all.

King David prophesied that the Messiah would be seated at the right hand of God: "The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool'" (Psalm 110:1).

Praise the Lord.... Your kindom come

2006-02-23T13:50:00.000-05:00

HIS POWER PART 3

Ephesians 1:19

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

The power of God is far above any other force, stronger than anything that can be launched against you. So believe Paul's words! This is what the apostle is praying for that you would truly grasp this thought and understand the true power that He offers you.

The answer to fear is power. The moment you feel empowered, fear vanishes. So Paul prayed that the Christians would see the limitless power that was theirs through Christ. The power is available to us all--but we often fail to see it, believe it, and act on it. When we feel powerless, we are quick to give up. The struggle overwhelms us and we just throw in the towel. It is because we have lost sight of the One who gives all power, and whose power was demonstrated at the resurrection, when God raised Jesus from the dead. Remember, resurrection power works best in a cemetery! So how much power do you need! We Love You Jesus....Amen

2006-02-13T12:07:00.000-05:00

Part 2

KNOWING HIM

Ephesians 1:18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

The "length" is what he calls in Ephesians 1:18 "the hope to which you are called," that hope which began before the foundation of the world, and which reaches on through all of recorded time, and into the limitless reaches of futurity and eternity. That is the length of God's program of love, of which you and I are a part of and the hope to which we are called.

The "width" is what Paul calls the riches of Christ's inheritance among the Gentiles. God's grace is not narrowly confined to anyone group, the Jews. It is freely available to all, without discrimination or division--to Jew, Gentile, black, white, rich, poor, slave, free, male, female , Calvinist and Arminianist --it doesn't make any difference. All humanity is caught up in the riches of Jesus Christ, in the cross and in the church. That is the width of God's love. All and in all, His grace mabe perfect though our failures.

The "height" is the place to which we are raised with Christ. He has raised us to sit together with Him in heavenly places, far above all principalities, powers, and authorities, in this age and in the age to come. It is the place of authority as a Christian, the place of power to be freed from everything that would drag you down and blunt your effectiveness for God. It's is on the cross with our Savior , walking with Him and not looking at yourself.

The "depth," of course, is what Paul described in Ephesians 2 as death, the living death out of which God has called us. Once we were victims of death and sin; now we are victors over death and sin. Once we were children of wrath; now we are children of God, raised from the depths to heights of splendor with Christ.

All of these dimensions of Christ's love are are given to us by faith in Him. If we do not believe in Him why would we want to know Him. But it's by wanting Him and Jesus calling us as a Groom calls His bride. Living for Him and then we will know Him. Our love grow for Jesus as we seach the dimensions of His love.

2006-02-07T12:37:00.000-05:00

THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEART

Ephesians 3:17
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

The first thing to believe is the most fundamental fact of the Christian life--Jesus Christ has come to live in you. This fact is not dependent upon your feelings, which ebb and flow. It rests solely upon Jesus' promise given in the Upper Room in John 14. The question was put to Him by Judas Iscariot a short time before He would be betrayed by this man. Judas said to him, verse 22, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?" Jesus replied, verse 23, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."

That is what Paul refers to. Faith is awakened now. You remind yourself that Jesus Christ lives in you. You are a believer. He has taken up residence in you. He will not leave you. He is at home in your heart, and you belong to Him.
Here is yet another key to recover from a fainting heart: love! We are reassured by Jesus' promise to be with us, and we know that He loves us, He cares for us, and He will never change that relationship. Christ's love roots us in Him. It is the ground of our being. This is a statement of ultimate security. Roots are solid in the ground, dug deep into the earth, steadfast and immovable, like a tree that has sent its roots deep into the rich, life-sustaining soil.

The same is true of you and me. If we put our roots down deeply into the love of Christ, we become immovable, firmly fixed, rooted and grounded. We become secure in Him. His love gives us our sense of security and well-being.

Jesus alone is why we live. There is no sinners pray that keep you from this world and tasting the sin of this world . It Jesus and Him alone , not words that have no meaning in your heart . David said to his when he handed the throne over to him . This is paraphrasing it, Chronicles 29:17-19 Son , God doesn’t hear words He looks at your heart, so God give him a perfect heart. We can’t lie to God , he knows your heart.

2006-01-18T09:10:00.000-05:00

Down For Repiar

I'm out of a computer , it went down.

I'm having it worked on...Miss you all

May the Lord give you the Grace to Love the
unloveable.

Love You All
Doug

2006-01-04T15:29:00.000-05:00

ABIDE IN ME

John 15:4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Jesus has already revealed the fundamental secret of Christian living, out of which everything else flows. These seven words of Jesus, "Abine in me and I in you," are, in my estimation, the most profound truth ever revealed on this planet. Discovering their meaning is the business of the Christian life.

Here John describes the three things that will happen when this principle begins to work itself out in life. When we begin to put into practice the concept "You in me and I in you," the first person who is changed is ourselves. We grow more Christlike. We display the "fruit of the Spirit." We become more gentle, more gracious, more loving, more easy to live with, more able to cope, more panic-proof. We begin to handle life the way we were intended to do. That is what it means to become Christlike.

Without the flow of God’s Spirit there is no life. You must be firmly attached to the Vine where you’re receiving the spiritual sap and life and nourishment that you need directly from the Lord Himself. A lot of how you grow is up to you and how much nourishment you receive, so don’t cut yourself off from the Vine.

Jesus said, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). But if you are dwelling in the Vine, as one of the branches, then you can produce beautiful leaves and beautiful fruit so that He and the Father may be glorified and have much fruit (John 15:8).

Are we pluged into the Vine or are we pluged into the world?

2005-12-24T09:14:00.000-05:00

But why was Jesus born of a virgin?

One answer, of course, is to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14: "Behold the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

God announced very early that His plan for redemption involved the Messiah being brought forth from the tribe of Judah1, and specifically from the line of David2. The succession of subsequent kings proved to be, with only a few exceptions, a dismal chain. As the succeeding kings of Judah went from bad to worse, we eventually encounter Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin), upon whom God pronounces a " blood curse" : "Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah."(Jeremiah 22:30)

Jechonias
Also known as:
Jechoniah (in New Revised Standard Version)
Jeconiah (1 Chr. 3:16)
Coniah (an abbreviation of Jeconiah) (Jer. 22:24)
Jekonjah
Jehoiachin

The Curse of JehoiakimAn unusual curse in Jeremiah 36:1-32 gives new insight into the virgin birth of Jesus. The CurseJehoiakim was a king of Israel. He angered God by burning a scroll that Jeremiah the prophet wrote. God cursed Jehoiakim by indicating that none of his children would sit on the throne of David (Jeremiah 36:29-31). And although Jehoiakim had children, scripture shows that none of them ever reigned as King David had.

The Problem Joseph, the father of Jesus, was one of Jehoiakim's descendants (through Jeconiah). Joseph's offspring could not claim David's throne because of the curse. Jesus laid claim to the throne of David (Luke 1:32, Acts 2:30, Hebrews 12:2). If Jesus had been born of Joseph, the curse would have been contradicted. Also, God had promised David that one of his physical descendants would reign on the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13). As explained above, Joseph was excluded from being the genetic father of the future king of Israel. It was impossible to fulfill the requirements of both curse and promise by natural means. One man had to be both heir to and offspring of David, without being the genetic descendant of Jehoiakim. This problem required a divine solution. The SolutionGod created a solution through the miracle of the virgin birth. Although Joseph was one of Jehoiakim's offspring (through Solomon), Mary was not.

She was a descendant of Nathan, one of David's other sons (Luke 3:31). God's promise to David was fulfilled because Mary was the biological parent of Jesus. The virgin birth also addressed the curse God had pronounced upon Jehoiakim. Kingship was an inherited right. By Joseph, Jesus inherited a legal claim to the throne of David. However, he was exempt from the curse of Jehoiakim because Joseph was not his genetic father. So the miracle of the virgin birth accomplished God's will in two ways.

First, it granted Jesus a legal claim to the throne of David. And second, it maintained the integrity of the curse God had pronounced upon Jehoiakim. Indeed, Jesus was not one of Jehoiakim's offspring.

Jeremiah 36:
30 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 I will punish him, his family, and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring on them, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah all the doom that I have pronounced against them; but they did not heed.”’” 32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the instruction of Jeremiah[f] all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And besides, there were added to them many similar words.

This curse created a rather grim and perplexing paradox: the Messiah had to come from the royal line, yet now there was a "blood curse" on that very line of descent! (I always visualize a celebration in the councils of Satan on that day. But then I imagine God turning to His angels, saying, "Watch this one!")
The "Seed of the Woman" thus becomes one of the prophetic titles of the Messiah. This biological contradiction is the first hint -- in the early chapters of Genesis -- of the virgin birth.

Who was Joseph's Father? At first glance, Matthew and Luke appear to be in disagreement as to who Joseph's father was. Matthew states he was the son of Jacob, while Luke states he was the son of Heli. Fortunately, an unlikely source has aided scholars in unraveling this mystery. The Jerusalem Talmud indicates that Mary was the daughter of Heli (Haggigah, Book 77, 4). Joseph was the son-in-law of Heli. Luke could rightfully call Joseph the "son of Heli" because this was in compliance with use of the word "son" at that time. Moreover, designating a son-in-law as a son had scriptural precedent. Refer to Son in Jewish Genealogies for more on this topic. Thus, Joseph was the son of Jacob, and the son-in-law of Heli.

So the miracle of the virgin birth accomplished God's will in Three ways. First, it granted Jesus a legal claim to the throne of David. And second, it maintained the integrity of the curse God had pronounced upon Jehoiakim. Indeed, Jesus was not one of Jehoiakim's offspring.

Third God does not need man to do anything , even birth of His Son.

Merry Christmas

2005-12-16T12:25:00.000-05:00

WHERE DID THE MAGI COME FROM?

One of the titles given to Daniel was Rab-mag, the Chief of the Magi. His unusual career included being a principal administrator in two world empires-the Babylonian and the subsequent Persian Empire. When Darius appointed him, a Jew, over the previously hereditary Median priesthood, the resulting repercussions led to the plots involving the ordeal of the lion's den.

Daniel apparently entrusted a Messianic vision (to be announced in due time by a "star") to a secret sect of the Magi for its eventual fulfillment. But first let's review some historical background. This is based upon the facts that we have concerning the Babylonians. They had apparently studied the night's sky to a most excellent degree. Their meticulous research and extensive records of astronomical phenomenon were unmatched in the western world.

Jewish influence in Babylon due to the large numbers of Jews who stayed in Babylon after the Exile in the 6th Century BC. Babylon was in a unique position then of having well informed Magi, both of astronomical events and Jewish Messianic expectations. In addition the book of Daniel frequently mentions Magi in the Babylonian Court. (Daniel 1:20, 2:2, 4:1, 4:9, 5:11) It is strange therefore that it seems to have the backing of most modern scholars. Many of them take it as established fact that the Magi were Babylonian.

What do you think?

2005-12-08T04:36:00.000-05:00

MEANING OF LIFE FINAL CHAPTER

THE BIRTH

The author of the biblical book of Ecclesiastes states this feeling when he said, "Meaningless! Meaningless!...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." This author had wealth beyond measure, wisdom beyond any man of his time or ours, women in the hundreds, palaces and gardens that were the envy of kingdoms, the best food and wine, and had every form of entertainment available. And he said at one point, that anything that his heart wanted, he pursued. And yet he summed up "life under the sun" (life lived as though all there is to life is what we can see with our eyes and experience with our senses) is meaningless! Why is there such a void? Because God created us for something beyond what we can experience in the here-and-now. Solomon said of God, "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men..."

In Revelation, the last book of the Bible, at the end of many other end-time events, God reveals that He will destroy this present earth and heavens as we know them and usher in the eternal state by creating a new heaven and a new earth. At that time, He will restore the full fellowship with redeemed mankind. Some of mankind will have been judged unworthy and cast in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15). And the curse of sin will be done away with; there will be no more sin, sorrow, sickness, death, pain, etc. (Revelation 21:4). And believers will inherit all things; God will dwell with them, and they shall be His sons (Revelation 21:7). Thus, we come full circle in that God created us to have fellowship with Him; man sinned, breaking that fellowship; God restores that fellowship fully in the eternal state with those deemed worthy by Him.

Meaning of life is a life given over to our Father, a life that before the foundation of the earth was planed out. Gods plan was that He wanted us to spend eternity with Him. Wash of our sin. He can not even be in the present of sin, so He has to wash us from anything that would keep us from fellowship with Him. So our meaning is more of a destination that we are going. From this dimension to His dimension a place of no sin, were perfection is the standard. Our Father is forming us in the womb of the universe into the image of Jesus Christ. Labor pains are started and the birth is close. Contraction are so close in number and our head is entering the birth canal. All things are ready for our delivery into Heaven. This is my meaning of life or birth. Are you ready.. Amen

2005-12-04T05:57:00.000-05:00

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE

WHEN I WAS YOUNG I REMEMBER THAT POEPLE WOULD ASK THIS QUESTION AND LOOK FOR A ANSWER FROM SOME SMART , WEALTHY, IMPORTANT PERSON THINKING THEY HAD THE ANSWER BECAUSE THE WAY THERE LIFE LOOKED.

People can try to find meaning in life without believing in a Creator in just the same way as they can try to find meaning in random scribbles or in clouds. If one looks at a cloud hard enough for long enough and applies enough wishful thinking then one can find a hint of a familiar face or object, and project this meaning onto it.

Here are some poeple that the world looks up at for thee meaning.

For me life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer. - Arnold Schwarzenegger

"This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not be false to any man." -- William Shakespeare

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no 'brief candle" to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." -- George Bernard Shaw

He that is kind is free, though he is a slave; he that is evil is a slave, though he be a king."
-- St. Augustine

"The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth..." -- Albert Einstein
"Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence." -- Henry David Thoreau

According to the big bang Theory, the universe was created sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that hurled matter and in all directions. In 1927, the Belgian priest Georges Lemaître was the first to propose that the universe began with the explosion of a primeval atom. For life to evolve, simple molecules have to combine to form more complex ones. This mixing would have happened in the seas of the early Earth, often called the 'primordial soup'.
Amino acids then joined together end-to-end to form long, chain-like molecules, known as proteins. Proteins are essential for building a living creature. They are involved in the formation of just about everything in your body, from the colour of your skin to the layout of neurons in your brain.
Another complex molecule that was formed during these reactions was DNA. DNA has an amazing characteristic that makes it essential for life - it can reproduce itself. It also carries all the code to make a living creature.

What is the meaning of life?
For the unsaved, life started by a cosmic exposion, a freak thing so when you ask what the meaning of life is they don't know . Life is a accident it was never to happen so there is no meaning. Isn't this so sad... In the next post we will look into my life of a believe and my answer
to the meaning of life.

2005-11-26T22:53:00.000-05:00

DO WE TRUST IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD

In Jewish thought, a name is not merely an arbitrary designation, a random combination of sounds. The name conveys the nature and essence of the thing named. It represents the history and reputation of the being named. You can see this in there names although scripture , so God took His name and did the same to show us how complete He is.

This is not as strange or unfamiliar a concept as it may seem at first glance. In English, we often refer to a person's reputation as his "good name." When a company is sold, one thing that may be sold is the company's "good will," that is, the right to use the company's name. The Hebrew concept of a name is very similar to these ideas.

JEHOVAH-JIREH: "The Lord will Provide." Gen. 22:14.
JEHOVAH-ROPHE: "The Lord Who Heals" Ex. 15:22-26.
JEHOVAH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner." Ex. 17:15..
JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies" Lev. 20:8
JEHOVAH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" Judges 6:24.
JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU: "The Lord Our Righteousness" Jer. 23:5,
JEHOVAH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" Psa. 23,
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord is There" (Ezek. 8:35)
JEHOVAH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts". Isa. 1:24;

Are you weak in faith? Do you sometimes find yourself flagging? Do you sometimes wonder whether the life of faith is worth it? Jesus knows you. He knows your temperament, your tendencies and your circumstances. He can help you completely in that weakness , but do we trust Him. Do we believe in His name as the foundation of our life.

God, who sees the heart, is not looking at outward performance; he knows what is going on. He knows the selfishness, the greed, the grasping, the self-centeredness, the ruthlessness with which we cut people out and harm those we profess to love. He sees all the maneuvering and manipulating, the clever arranging that goes on in our lives and in our hearts.

Therefore, to his purposes, that beautiful performance is utterly invalid, worthless, to God. That is why the sense of righteousness that results from our performance before men never lasts. It is but a temporary shot in the arm that we need to repeat again and again, almost as though we were addicted to it. But it will always let us down in the hour of crisis. It is only the righteousness that comes from God that is lasting and will work -- not only in time, but for all eternity.

God said that He will give us new names , I believe that He will do that because we will be more like His Son. You see my name would never fit in heaven if it wasn’t for the Cross. I will trust in His name .

Proverbs 3:5-7
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

2005-11-25T07:53:00.000-05:00

A Trustworthy Name Part 1
C.H. Spurgeon:

I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
(Zephaniah 3:12)

When true religion is ready to die out among the wealthy it finds a home among the poor of this world, rich in faith. The Lord has even now His faithful remnant. Am I one of them?

Perhaps it is because men are afflicted and poor that they learn to trust in the name of the Lord. He that hath no money must try what he can do on trust. He whose own name is good for nothing in his own esteem, acts
wisely to rest in another name, even that best of names, the name of Jehovah. God wilt always have a trusting people, and these will be an afflicted and poor people. Little as the world thinks of them, their being left in the
midst of a nation is the channel of untold blessings to it. Here we have the conserving salt which keeps in check the corruption which is in the world through lust.

Again the question comes home to each one of us. Am I one of them? Am I afflicted by the sin within me and around me? Am I poor in spirit, poor spiritually in my own judgment? Do I trust in the Lord? This is the main business. Jesus reveals the name, the character, the person of God; am I trusting in Him? If so, I am left in this
world for a purpose. Lord, help me to fulfill it.

2005-11-21T09:13:00.000-05:00

THANKSGIVEN WHAT I S
THE REAL TRUTH

IS IT THIS

The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church (a Puritan sect). They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religious persecution. There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly. Seeking a better life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America. Most of those making the trip aboard the Mayflower were non-Separatists, but were hired to protect the company's interests. Only about one-third of the original colonists were Separatists.
The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast -- including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year.
Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. It lasted three days.

OR IS THIS THE TRUTH

The Wampanoag people,
tell the history of Thanksgiving, they had confirmed the oral history passed down through their generations. Most Americans know that Massasoit, chief of the Wampanoag had welcomed the so-called Pilgrim Fathers - and the seldom mentioned Pilgrim Mothers - to the shores where his people had lived for millennia. The Wampanoag taught the European colonists how to live in our hemisphere by showing them what wild foods they could gather, how, where, and what crops to plant, and how to harvest, dry, and preserve them.
The Wampanoag now wanted to remind white America of what had happened after Massasoit's death. He was succeeded by his son, Metacomet, whom the colonist called "King" Philip. In 1617-1676, to show "gratitude" for what Massasoit's people had done for their fathers and grandfathers, the Pilgrims manufactured an incident as a pretext to justify disarming the Wampanoags. The whites went after the Wampanoag with guns, swords, cannons, and torches. Most, including Metacomet, were butchered. His wife and son were sold into slavery in the West Indies. His body was hideously drawn and quartered. For twenty-five years afterward Matacomet's skull was displayed on a pike above the whites' village. The real legacy of the Pilgrim Fathers is treachery.
WHAT IS THE TRUE ABOUT THANKSGIVEN

Does anyone want to put your knowlege on this matter.

Anybody have good recipes for Thanksgiven Dinner or so goodie , I love to cook.

Don't forget to Thank Him our Father is so Great
HAPPY THANKSGIVEN

2005-11-17T13:49:00.000-05:00

What is God's Plan?

Have you ever wondered why God planted the Garden of Eden with two tree like these two in a world that was absolutely perfect to begin with?

Why did God put the Tree of knowledge in that Garden?. And when they did eat of it -- that is, after they had rebelled against God -- they could no longer get to the Tree of Life With the creation of man, then, the real story begins. Because history is not about matter; it's not about stars and planets; it's not about the earth and its topography or geography; it's not about animals. The real story is the story of man. Everything else was scenery for the story of man and his redemption.
John F. MacArthur, Jr.

Did God set us up to fail? The Bible tells us that Christ was crucified (in God's heart) from the beginning of creation. Adam and Eve had all the advantages of a perfect parent, and perfect environment, but they still failed to know God and love Him. We are born into a corrupt and dying world, Adam and Eve had a natural innocence, but they soon fell.

Who was the first person God tested? The first person to be tested was the very first person, Adam. As one who was given a free will, Adam had to be tested to see if he would obey or disobey. For that same reason, all free moral agents must be tested..

God did not create us as robots but, rather—as the theologians like to say—as “free moral agents.” We are not programmed to obey or disobey, but are given a choice.

God created people with free wills because He wanted to have a family that would love Him. If people were not given a choice in the matter, then love for God would have been an impossibility. Robots can’t love.

For that reason, all of Gods children must be tested to see if they will love God—as revealed by their obedience or disobedience. Jesus said,

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments”
(John 14:15).

God moved in love to make man and have a people to be companions to Himself (Psa.33:11-15; Prov.16:4; John 1:3-4; John 3:16; Eph.1:4; I John 4:19; Rev. 4:11). Perhaps man was made flesh to be molded by experience and trials, so he might learn to appreciate and love God.

If I say to you that I love chocolate ice cream the best and I never had any other ice cream flavors , how can I tell if chocolate is the best?

There comes a time when we must all choose to know God as perfect in love, or to believe Satan and his lies. Satan simply asked the question. "Has God said?", but in so doing he cast doubt upon God's Word or Love

If Adam had been placed in an environment where nothing was forbidden, then it would have been the same as if God had created Adam as a robot without free choice. Adam would have been a robot by virtue of his environment. If nothing had been forbidden, Adam would not have had any choices to make regarding obedience or disobedience. That is why God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden. It was a test.

Keep in mind that it was not Satan who placed the tree of knowledge in the garden—it was God Himself. Yet no one can accuse Him of tempting Adam, because He placed every other tree in the garden that was “pleasing to the sight and good for food” (Gen. 2:9). Adam could never justifiably say to God, “It’s your fault that I ate the forbidden fruit because there was nothing else for me to eat,” or “It’s your fault that I ate of this tree because all the other fruit looked unappetizing to me!”

There is a vast difference between tempting and testing. God never tempts anyone, but, as we will learn, He tests everyone. It was Satan who tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit—not God.

God was certainly not unmindful of what would happen when He gave man a free-will to make choices, but that liberty was important. Man soon fell in sin and was corrupted. God then set about to "devise means, that His banished be not expelled from Him" -II Sam.14:14. That is to say, that though man chose to listen to the tempter at the very beginning and disobeyed, God devised means to redeem him and reconcile him to Himself. That is grace. He had to let Satan be reviled for what he is and also have the means to bring His child back , though the port hole of sin.

From the beginning God spoke of His Son, who would come to provide redemption for fallen man and reign over the world. Here it shows that God had a plan before He started in creation.

In the Old Testament of the Bible the animal sacrifices were required for a covering of sin before God, and all pointed forward to the sacrifice God's Son would make one day to reconcile "whosoever will" (John 3:16; Heb.1:1-3; Rev.22:17). When He came the first time it was in meekness "as a Lamb" (John 1:29, 36), and He was rejected, hated, and crucified. God allowed it to provide redemption through His death for sin, and His blood shed for cleansing (Lev. 17:11; Heb.9); but when He comes again it will be "as the Lion", and He will not seek acceptance.

When the church is taken to heaven, God's wrath will then be poured out on this world such as never before. The door of grace will be closed. Prophetically, that could happen today, because all that is foretold to happen prior to that time has occurred.

Since man fell in sin and cannot save himself, only God could redeem lost souls (Luke 1:26-35; Luke 2:7-11; Rom.5); but all men will not be saved. Most will not come to God because of pride, self-will, and a rebellious spirit toward God (Rom.3);
nevertheless, God has opened the way and calls man (John 3:16). These are all the enemy of God or if you want to look at it choice of Satan.

Deuteronomy 30: 15-17
15See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
16In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
17But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;

He wants to give us. The call and hope is unto all, but only upon all that believe (Rom.3:21-24). Though a soul may go down to hell in everlasting judgment, he will not go down unloved.

The children of God will enjoy fellowship with the Father in heaven forever, and the blessings and happiness will be great and beyond our imagination (I Cor.2:9). The "judgment seat of Christ" (Rom.14:10) will be set to administer rewards there for faithfulness in this life by real Christians.

One may not care for THE PLAN and develop his own way (Prov.14:12). That is a choice, but we must say again: God is sovereign, and He has shown something of His plan in His Word. Our place should be in submission and obedience. One should search the Scriptures whether this is so (Acts 17:11).

Can we say that God did not give us a choice( free will) it would be hard to believe in the Book that read.
Love You All

2005-11-16T00:08:00.000-05:00

All the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby
Lennon/McCartney

Ah, look at all the lonely people
Ah, look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice
in the church where a wedding has
been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window,
wearing the face
that she keeps in a jar by the door

Who is it for All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

Father McKenzie,writing the words
of a sermon
that no one will hear
No one comes near
Look at him working, darning his
socks
in the night when there's nobody
there
What does he care
All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?

All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

Ah, look at all the lonely people
Ah, look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby, died in the church
and was buried along with her name
Nobody came
Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt
from his hands as he walks from the
grave
No one was saved

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

WHY IS THERE LONELINESS IN THE WORLD? It is because God made us for companionship.

There are times when we all feel lonely. A new town, a new job, a new school, the loss of loved one will all cause loneliness. That kind of loneliness is natural—it won't last. But for some, loneliness runs much deeper.

A Swiss woman lived in a large apartment house and worked with many people. Each evening she tuned in to the sign-off of the radio station just to hear a voice say, "We wish you a very pleasant good night." She imagined that voice speaking just to her.

LONELINESS: THE UNIVERSAL EMOTION.Loneliness is not uncommon.

The world is full of Eleanor Rigby’s.

Gen. 2:18
"Not good for man to be alone"

Sin entered the picture; people became separated from God and from each other. Sin destroys relationships.

Dr. Karl Menninger, the famous psychiatrist, once gave a lecture on mental health and was answering questions from audience.

One man asked: "What would you advise a person to do if that person felt a nervous breakdown coming on?"

All those in the audience thought that he would say, "Consult a psychiatrist" but to their astonishment the doctor replied:

"Lock up your house, go across the railroad tracks, find someone who is in need, and do something to help that person."

The best treatment for loneliness (as well as other emotional problems) is to DO
SOMETHING FOR OTHERS!

How do I do that; I can’t even help my self? The Lord has made us for His work on this earth, but we are often doing things backwards from what He has made us for. Jesus is no longer walking in the flesh on this earth, so if someone needs a hug from Him, He sends His children that are very much like Him. Jesus says, “If you have seen me, you have seen my Father”. Jesus and His Father are the same. Do we understand that? He is so like His Father that you cannot tell the difference. He loves people like His Father, He talks like His Father and He sounds like His Father, and Jesus wants us to be just like Him.

Our Lord was on His way to the cross before the earth was even made. That is hard to understand, so let’s bring this thought closer home in our minds.
He came into our life in the flesh, as a baby, to walk to the cross for us. From infancy to a thirty-three year old man may seem like a long time to us. Can you imagine that the whole time He spent on this earth, He knew that He was to bear the pain of the cross? Can you see that His focus was not on the cross, but on people? That helped His thoughts; He cares for us so much that He took that walk.

If are thought are on do things for other people and how I can glorify God though Christ Jesus , then when do we have time to think about loneliness and other problem that are in our path.

When we are self center instead of Christ center then we are always going to be in distress going though our trials. I want to be like Jesus, just loving people. Its the Love of Jesus that held Him on the cross and its His love that saves.

2005-11-13T23:04:00.000-05:00

Calvin vs Arminius

vs Forgiven

It is not my purpose to take sides on extremeto divide the body of Jesus Christ over human interpretations of these Biblical truths concerning my salvation. In the argument it is easy to ignore or neglect the plain statements of the Bible, or do we totally understand the ways of God (Romans 11:33-36) or have the ability to under stand. But how tragic it is when we become more concerned with being "right" than being loving. I believe the way we conduct our debates and express our opinions will sometimes "grieve" the present of the Holy Spirit who dwells within the believer. There is a far range between "Five Points of Arminianism" and a ”Five Points of Calvinism” so I want to place my self.

1

"T" = TOTAL DEPRAVITY
The Calvinists believed that man is in absolute bondage to sin and Satan, unable to exercise his own will to trust in Jesus Christ without the help of God.

FREE WILL
Arminianism
believed that the fall of man was not total, maintaining that there was enough good left in man for him to will to accept Jesus Christ unto salvation.

DEPRAVITY
I
believe that all are sinners (Romans 3:23) and unable by human performance to earn, deserve, or merit salvation (Titus 3:5). I believe that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and that apart from God's grace, no one can be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). I believe that none are righteous, or capable of doing good (Romans 3:10-12), and that apart from the conviction and regeneration of the Holy Spirit, none can be saved (John 1:12-13; 16:8-11; I Peter 1:23-25). Mankind is clearly fallen and lost in sin.

2

"U" = UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
Calvinists
believed that foreknowledge is based upon the plan and purpose of God, and that election is not based upon the decision of man, but the "free will" of the Creator alone.

CONDITIONAL ELECTION
Arminius
believed that election was based on the foreknowledge of God as to who would believe. Man's "act of faith" was seen as the "condition" or his being elected to eternal life, since God foresaw him exercising his "free will" in response to Jesus Christ.

ELECTION
I
believe that God chose the believer before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-6), and based on His foreknowledge, has predestined the believer to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29-30). I believe that God offers salvation to all who will call on His name. Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." I also believe that God calls to Himself those who will believe in His Son, Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 1:9). However, the Bible also teaches that an invitation (or call) is given to all, but that only a few will accept it. We see this balance throughout scripture. Revelation 22:17 states, "And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." I Peter 1:2 tells us we are, "elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." Matthew 22:14 says, "For many are called, but few are chosen (elected)." God clearly does choose, but man must also accept God's invitation to salvation.

3

"L" = LIMITED ATONEMENT
Calvinists
believed that Jesus Christ died to save those who were given to Him by the Father in eternity past. In their view, all for whom Jesus died (the elect) will be saved, and all for whom He did not die (the non elect) will be lost.

UNIVERSAL ATONEMENT
Arminius held that redemption was based on the fact that God loves everybody, that Christ died for everyone, and that the Father is not willing that any should perish. The death of Christ provided the grounds for God to save all men, but each must exercise his own "free will" in order to be saved.

ATONEMENT
I
believe that Jesus Christ died as a propitiation (a satisfaction of the righteous wrath of God against sin) "for the whole world" (I John 2:2; 4:9-10), and that He redeems and forgives all who will believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation from sin, death, and hell (Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18-19). I believe that eternal life is a gift of God (Romans 6:23), and that "whosoever believeth" in Jesus Christ will not perish, but will have eternal life (John 3:16-18). I Timothy 4:10 says "we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe." Hebrews 2:9 states that Jesus, "was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man." The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ was clearly sufficient to save the entire human race.

4
"I" = IRRESISTIBLE GRACE
Calvinists
believed that the Lord possesses irresistible grace that cannot be obstructed. They taught that the free will of man is so far removed from salvation, that the elect are regenerated (made spiritually alive) by God even before expressing faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. If a totally depraved person wasn't made alive by the Holy Spirit, such a calling on God would be impossible.

OBSTRUCTABLE GRACE
Arminius
believed that since God wanted all men to be saved, He sent the Holy Spirit to "woo" all men to Christ, but since man has absolute "free will," he is able to resist God's will for his life. He believed that God's will to save all men can be frustrated by the finite will of man. He also taught that man exercises his own will first, and then is born again.

I
believe that God's grace is not the result of human effort or worthiness (Romans 3:24-28; 11:6), but is the response of God's mercy and love to those who will believe in His Son (Ephesians 2:4-10). Grace gives to us what we do not deserve nor can earn by our performance (Romans 11:6). I believe that God's grace and mercy can be resisted by us. Jesus said in Matthew 23:37, We are not condemned because we have no opportunity to be saved, but a person is condemned because he makes a choice not to believe (John 3:18). In John 5:40 we read "And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life." Jesus also said in John 6:37, "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:40 states, "And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that everyone who seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life.

5
"P" = PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
Calvinists
believed that salvation is entirely the work of the Lord, and that man has absolutely nothing to do with the process. The saints will persevere because God will see to it that He will finish the work He has begun.

FALLING FROM GRACE
Arminius
If man cannot be saved by God unless it is man's will to be saved, then man cannot continue in salvation unless he continues to will to be saved.

PERSEVERANCE
I
believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:38-39), and that there is no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1). I believe that the promise of Jesus in John 10:27-28 is clear: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." Jesus said in John 6:37, "him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." We have this assurance in Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." I believe that the Holy Spirit has sealed us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30).

It is sad that we have to even look between Calvinism or Arminianism because I don"t like ether of these men doctoral statments or there life they live. The truth is found in the word and the gray areas are gray areas. Until the Lord comes , why are we wasting time guessing.

2005-11-11T20:44:00.000-05:00

HIS TEARS

Are we truely looking at the coming of the Lord? I hope so, I'm so tired of seeing poeple staving and dieing from so many differnt things that sin did to this earth.

Acehnese girls attend a special prayer to mark the start of the Islamic New Year in the Grand Mosque in the tsunami- hit city of Banda Aceh, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra February 10, 2005. Indonesia hopes to begin large- scale rebuilding and infrastructure projects in tsunami-devastated Aceh province next month to take advantage of international sympathy and billions of dollars pledged by donors. REUTERS/ Darren WhitesideREF: QUAKE INDONESIA

An Acehnese man looks at a boat left on top of a house as a result of the tsunami in the Indonesian provincial city of Banda Aceh February 24, 2005. Almost 240,000 people are dead or missing and more than 400,000 were made homeless in Aceh by the December 26, 2004 tsunami. REUTERS/ SupriREF: QUAKE INDONESIA

An Acehnese worker builds a wooden home at a tsunami devastated area in the village of Uleelheu in outskirts of Banda Aceh July 1, 2005. A magnitude 9 earthquake on December 26 off the coast of Sumatra island triggered a massive tsunami that left 160, 000 people dead or missing in the Aceh province. Picture taken on July 1, 2005. REUTERS/Tarmizy HarvaREF: INDONESIA

An Acehnese child rubs her eye as she rummages through a destroyed shop in the Indonesian town of Meulaboh on Aceh's west coast January 4, 2005. An army of aid workers raced on Tuesday to supply food and water to millions of tsunami victims and the United Nations warned a death toll of 150,000 would climb as more bodies are found and disease stalks survivors. REUTERS/Darren WhitesideREF: QUAKE INDONESIA

A woman sweeps water from her flooded home in Longtan township, Conghua county, in the southern province of Guangdong July 21, 2002. The Xinhua News Agency said nine people were killed and one was missing after torrential rains hit Guangdong. State media said nearly 800 people had died in China's worst floods since 1998. The Chinese characters on the wall read "happy family". REUTERS/China PhotoREF: CHINA

Severe rainstorms and floods destroy Bahe Railway Bridge, 20 kilometres from Xian, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi province June 9, 2002. At least 14 people have died and more than 100 are missing due to flooding. Nine of them were killed when the bridge collpsed, according to state media on Tuesday. REUTERS/China PhotoREF: CHINA FLOODS

Chinese soldiers fight against the rising flood waters as they try to put up barriers on the swollen Binlangjiang River in Yinjiang, southwest China's Yunnan province, July 21, 2004. Torrential rains have caused widespread flooding in south and central China, which has been on high flood alert since Monday when President Hu Jintao issued a warning about further flooding, a perennial scourge. Picture taken July 21, 2003. REUTERS/China PhotosREF: CHINA FLOODS

A Chinese man passes by a flooded hotel with his makeshift raft in Wuzhou city, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, June 24, 2005. Torrential rain has pushed rivers above their bursting points and triggered mudslides in the past week, killing at least 97 people and leaving 41 missing, state media said on Friday. In the hard- hit industrial city of Wuzhou, houses on the banks of the Xijiang river have been flooded up to their roofs and downtown residents have been forced to flee to higher ground. REUTERS/Jason LeeREF: CHINA FLOODS

A Cuban father and his two daughters enjoy the waves battering against Havana' s seafront El Malecon, September 5, 2004. Hurricane Frances caused high waves and strong winds in the Cuban capital before being downgraded as a tropical storm over Florida. REUTERS/Claudia Daut REUTERSREF: CUBA FRANCES

A Cuban man pushes his bed through the almost deserted coastal town of Surgidero de Batabano, Cuba, September 12, 2004. More than 5,400 inhabitants of the town have been evacuated before the arrival of Hurricane Ivan as the category 5 storm was thrashing the Grand Cayman islands at noon today. Ivan is expected to hit western Cuba September 13, before heading toward Florida. REUTERS/Claudia DautREF: WEATHER IVAN

A Jamaican man stops a car on a flooded street in Kingston, during Hurricane Ivan's stay in Jamaica, September 11, 2004. Deadly Hurricane Ivan ripped Jamaica with powerful winds, torrential rains and huge waves on today, tearing away houses and washing out roads before heading toward the tiny Cayman Islands and Cuba. REUTERS/ Daniel AguilarREF: WEATHER IVAN

Cuban children stand near a damaged home in the province of Matanzas, November 6, 2001, after Hurricane Michelle swept throungh the island. Michelle is the most powerful storm to hit Cuba since 1944 and has left five confirmed fatalities so far. REUTERS/Daniel AguilarREF: CUBA HURRICANE MICHELLE

A malnourished infant lies on the floor of a feeding centre run by the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontiers in the town of Maradi in southern Niger on June 29, 2005. Aid workers say cases of malnutrition have rocketed among children in Niger in the past few months after the worst drought in years aggravated chronic food shortages in one of the world's poorest countries, which lies just south of the Sahara. Picture taken June 29, 2005. REUTERS/ Finbarr O' ReillyREF: NIGER

Senegalese children run as locusts spread in the capital Dakar September 1, 2004. Only a military-style operation with bases across West Africa can stop the worst locust invasion for 15 years, Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade said on Tuesday as the insects swept into his capital. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned last week that the locust swarms infesting countries from Mauritania to Chad could develop into a full-scale plague without additional foreign aid. REUTERS/Pierre HoltzREF: SENEGAL LOCUSTS

More than a thousand women and children line up to receive food aid at a food distribution center in the village of Yama in northwestern Niger August 3, 2005. Emergency operations to feed 2.5 million people in Niger reached some of their first beneficiaries on Wednesday, but there was only enough for some of the hundreds of women and children who came in search of help. Mothers who left their homes at dawn to trek to Yama swelled a crowd of expectant faces to more than 1,000 by the time aid workers began handing out biscuits and flour from a stock designed for 500 people. REUTERS/Finbarr O' ReillyREF: NIGER FOOD

A Senegalese child runs as locusts spread through the capital Dakar, September 1, 2004 in the worst invasion to hit impoverished countries across West Africa in 15 years. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization warned last week that the locust swarms infesting countries from Mauritania to Chad could develop into a full-scale plague without additional foreign aid. REUTERS/Pierre HoltzREF: SENEGAL LOCUSTS

Lets all keep praying for the people of World that the Lord would save them all. I know He loves His childern. Come Jesus Come

2005-11-10T17:08:00.000-05:00

TEARS ARE OK

Psalm 126:5-6
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

There are many false doctrines out there that say that if you believe in God you will not have any problems. Sound to me like the Laodiceans church and if God judges them harshly what will He do to the church of today. Rev 3:14-22
Lets fill the building with people by giving them false hope and leading them astray. These so called churches are taken people down a path that lead to destruction because they think that if they tell them good things they will stay. It is all about money, not Gods work in people’s lives.
You are going to be hurt in this world, but here is the greatest words in John 15:18-19 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
So if we say that by knowing God you won’t have any problems, just maybe you will have to look at if they are God people or of the world.
God’s children are going to have a lot of problems, that’s the mark of a Christian. If you hurt now, God will get you though it. Then you will be stronger for the next time someone wrongs you or hurts you. God is always there to pick us up and to love us up as a Father does. The true and living King of our life,
Abba Father

2005-11-08T19:06:00.000-05:00

HE KNOWS

So many times I have seen a person come into a church so broken and at the end of self. I have watched the Lord take that life that is so important to Him and start to rebuild it. Not the way that we would do it , but His way. We can only see the outside of ones life. But He can see the inside, where the pain stems from. Can another man’s father come to you and offer tinder care when he has never been there at all in your life? He would be so blind in your hurt. God our Father does know us , He’s made us in a way that He can see into our soul and heart. I get upset when I see a person with worldly wisdom say I know his problem and that by looking at his outward projection,… he has labeled him. I would be careful in knowing ones problems, you might be throwing away the baby with the bath water.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy