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Monday, December 10, 2007

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:01:27 GMT

Christians have allowed themselves to be put in an unfair position. For centuries, the Bible survived as the accepted account of the formation of the universe, the world, and its inhabitants. However, in the mid-1800's that all changed with Darwin's publication, The Origin of Species. The book made a fairly convincing case in those days for the idea of natural selection. I think most Christians could agree that there is nothing fundamentally anti-Christian to the idea of natural selection. We can obviously see in domesticated animals that the creation of new species is possible. However, as the years progressed and "science" became god, the culture began to accept the idea that all the diversity of life on earth was a result of the evolutionary process. Men suggested that, not only were new species formed through evolution, but new classes of animals. The accepted idea became that not only could evolution account for the fact that there are various kinds of finches, but also the fact that there are birds, reptiles, and mammals, suggesting that all life on earth came from a single ancestor. Such an idea is of course against the accepted norm of the majority of history and an anti-Christian idea. Moreover, it is an anti-religion idea. There are few religious in the world without some sort of an account for a divine creation, though the accounts may vary widely.

Neverthess, there is a rule in logic and philosophical argument called the "burden of proof". According to this rule is a person makes a claim that he or she says is true, then the burden of proof lies on their shoulders. If a person wishes to challenge the accepted truth and makes a truth claim which is contrary, then he/she has the responsibility to proove that the accepted truth is wrong and proove that his/her idea is truth. Therefore, the evolutionist not the Christian has the burden of proof. The evolutionist must not only show that his ideas about the formation of life are true, but he must also proove that the Biblical account is false. As of yet, the Bible has not been proven to be untrue. On the contrary, every time the Bible has been put to the test, it has passed with flying colors and has offered evidence of its validity in a way that has even astonished those who believe it to be true as well as those who are seeking to prove its falsehood. Evolution as a scientific theory is poorly validated. It is a theory riddled with assumption, speculation, and often scandal. The supposed truth of evolution changes on a daily basis, which is of course the nature of a developing theory or of science in general.

Therefore, I am more than willing to stand by the Bible, which has been shown over and over to be historically, geographically, prophetically, and internally accurate. When the evolutionists themselves are finally able to agree on what their version of the truth is, then I will be willing to examine the theory. When the evolutionists are able to proove that the Bible is false, then I will be willing to examine the theory of evolution. When evolutionists are able to provide a clear cut case for the validity of their theory then I will be willing to allow for the possiblility that it is indeed the truth. However, at this moment in time, there are simply too many holes in the theory to be filled, and too many assumptions and speculations made for me to be willing to even call it a science.

As a Christians we have a responiblity, not to proove that the Bible is true. It prooves by it's own text that it is truth. Of course, one must truly examine the Biblical text to find this out. Many who propigate the theory of evolution simply dismiss the Bible without examining the possiblity that it is true. However, the burden of proof lies upon those who claim that evolution is the truth and that the Bible is false.

The evolutionist must first PROVE that the Bible is false. Then he must PROVE that evolution is true. He has the responibility of examining the Biblical text unbiasly, and every shred of evidence for the validity and falsity of the Bible to determine first if it, as the accepted truth, is indeed true or false. Then he must examine every shred of evidence for the validity of falsity of the evolutionary theory to determine if it is validated or refuted by the weight of the evidence.

To those who argue for the "truth" of evolution...

I DO NOT HAVE THE BURDEN OF PROOF! YOU DO!

I'll be quietly waiting here for you to completely examine both sides of this debate, then you may make a truth claim. For now, I will simply follow what has been accepted for centuries as truth, until proven otherwise.

The Formula For Peace: Part 2

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 03:24:15 GMT

Previously I examined the question of peace. We saw that there is a distinct difference in the peace that Jesus promises his followers and the so called peace the world offers. We also noticed that Paul discusses a kind of formula for this peace in Philipians 4:4-7 and the first thing in the formula is to rejoice.

Now I would like to move on to the second part of this formula. Let's reveiw again what Philipians 4:4-7 says. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know you forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." If you'll notice the next important word used in this verse is forbearance. That isn't a word we commonly use in our language today. According to Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words it may also be rendered gentle or patient. The idea is that one will be fair and reasonable not quick to jump to conclusions but examine all of the evidence and wait to make a proper verdict, one on the basis of compassion and justice. Personally I prefer the rendering of patients if forbearance doesn't make sense to you. This rendering seems to make the most sense in the context of the verse and is most equitable with the older word forbearance. However, it isn't a perfect fit. In some cases patients doesn't really work. I'm going to stick with the word forbearance in my discussion because it is probably the best translation from the Greek to English.

However, let's dig a little deeper. We are told we must let all men know our forbearance, but does the Bible say anything else about forbearance? What are we supposed to have forbearance regarding?

Take a look at Luke 6:29-35. "To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again. And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish." I know that was quite a chunk of scripture but I really wanted to get this point across. I want to look beyond the immediate lesson we can take away from these verses to something a bit deeper. I'm going to go off on a limb here and speculate a bit about human nature. I see this verse talking about forbearance and love in a kind of perfect harmony. We are to love the sinner and the person who wrongs us and understand that God loves them too. We are also to look at every situation as an opportunity to teach someone about the gospel. So, I would say that what this is really getting at is that we are to veiw everyone as a future bother or sister in the Lord who just hasn't come to that understanding for themselves yet. In this way we are to demonstrate forbearance towards them and demonstrate the love of God as we wait for them to understand it. No matter how many times a person wrongs us we are to forbear them and demonstrate the love of God to them waiting for the day when it finally clicks in their heads what we've been doing all along and the implications it has for their own souls. Let me come at this by asking a few questions. If someone hit you on the cheek how much forbearance would it take for" you to keep from hitting him back? If someone stole your coat right off your back how much forbearance would it take to keep you from chasing him down and taking it back? If someone stole everything that you had how much forbearance would it take to keep from demanding that he give it back? We could go through and ask similar questions about each of the cases stated in these verses. I see this passage as a demonstration of forbearance in our actions. With that in mind we must notice that we are to have forbearance regarding our actions not just toward the brethren but to everyone we interact with. Forbearance must be a way of life. In Romans 12:17-21 it says, "Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' No, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Forbearance must be demonstrated at all times and most especially with our enemies. How would your practice forbearance in the following situations? What if someone cuts you off on the way to work? What if your friend spreads rumors about you? There are all kinds of opportunites to let all men know of your forbearance. There are a few more verses in the bible that speak to the idea of forbearance demonstrated in our actions: Proverbs 16:32; Luke 6:27-30; 1 Peter 3:9.

Next I want to go to Titus 3:2. "to speak evil of no man, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all meekness toward all men." We should be forbearing in our speech. Remember that one of the translations for the greek word in Philippians 4:5 was gentleness. Gentleness and meekness are used synonymously in the King James Version and other standard versions of the bible. Again we can see that the idea of forbearance is present. We are to be level headed, and gracious in our judgements. That includes judgements about what we decide to say! The Bible speaks quite a bit about controling our tongues. Usually, when The Bible speaks a lot about something that is a good indication that it is a problem for most people. What we say especially in the precence of unbelievers or new Christians is vitally important. Even if people are speaking poorly of you or someone close to you; you have a responsibility to be forbearing in your speech. We aren't to speak evil of any man! I think most often for Christians the most difficult group to be totally forbearing in our speach with is other Christians. Take a look at 2 Corinthians 12:20, "For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means there should be strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults" It seems that Christians have a difficult time in being judicious and forbearing in their speech about one another. Even in the first century with the death of Christ just a few years in the past, the apostles in their midst, prophesies, and miracles happening every day the people were not able to hold their tongues. You must ask yourself, are you in a better position than these people to resist the tempation to let you speach go ungarded? 1 Peter 3:10 says, "For "the person who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit He must turn away from evil and do good. He must seek peace and pursue it..." Refraining from speaking evil and deceitful things is here equated with a happy life and peace. We all know how many problems we've created for ourselves by saying unwarrented and even deceitful things. I think this is a sin that everyone is guilty of. Well, now that we're all convicted of our sinfulness what do we do about it. Repent of course. As always, that is easier said than done. However, Jude 10 gives us some help in accomplishing our goal of taming our tongues. "Whatever these people do not understand, they slander. Like irrational animals, they are destroyed by the very things they know by instinct." That may not seem all that helpful at first glance, but it really is. The idea is simple; don't talk about what you don't understand. If you don't have all the facts on an issue don't talk about it! So, there we are back to the idea of forbearance. The idea that we are supposed to be judicious, compassionate, gentle, and patient in the things that we say. It takes practice to become proficient in forbearing speach, but just because something takes work doesn't mean we aren't required to do our very best. So, think about what you say. If you mess up admit your mistake and ask forgivness.

One last point. Take a look at 2 Peter 3:9. "The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some people understand slowness, but is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to come to repentance" Here we see that God is being patient with us, holding off Christ's second coming so that as many people as possible have an opportunity to obey the gospel. That's an amazing thought. God has waited all this time in sending Jesus back to end the world just because he wants you and I to have the chance to come into his kingdom. God has been amazingly forbearing with us. Think about all of the things that you've done that are outside of God's will. Nevertheless, he withheld his judgement willing that you would come to him in obedience and submission rather than punishing you for your sins. In this we see that God has, as usual, given us the greatest example to follow. He has been forbearing in his preaching, teaching, evangelism, and judgement so that we could have a chance to obey. We should be applying the same principle to others. How many times have to met someone for the first time and pronounced judgement on them. Maybe you haven't verbalized that judgment, but often time we think to ourselves, "That person is really a terrible sinner. There is no way that he would recieve the gospel. So, I just won't worry about bringing it up." In that way we pronouce judgemnt on them immediately and dismiss entirely the example of God to be forbearing, and patient. We must take every opportunity to teach and be patient for results. Rarely will you have someone decide to become a Christian after they've heard the gospel one time. Often times it takes quite a while before individuals truly come to an understanding of their responsibility in the face of God's will. Furthermore, new Christians aren't always where we think they should should be. We shouldn't think of these people as being unspiritual or irreverant. Rather, we should understand that they are simply not as mature. Like physical maturity, spiritual maturity takes time. We must be patient with these people, taking every opportunity to instruct, correct, and encourage them. Not everyone is ready for the "meat" of The Word. Some people still need to be nourished with "milk". We can't expect all Christians to be at the same level of understanding as those who've been Christians for a lifetime. Therefore, be forbearing when unbelievers violate a point of God's will in ignorace. Take the opportunity for instruction not condemnation. God was forbearing with you so be forbearing with others.

Therefore, we can see that by an examination of Philippians 4:5 we should practice forbearance. This may be one of the most difficult parts of this lesson. I know that for myself, it is very difficult to be forbearing with everyone, and I often fall short. Nevertheless, I understand that I have a duty to follow God's will on this matter and a resolve to do so. The benefits of true forbearance with everyone, believers and non-believers alike, are innumberable. But, as Philippians 4:4-7 says peace will most definately come.

Stay tuned, We still have a great deal more to cover in examining The Formula For Peace!

The Formula For Peace: Part 1

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:30:27 GMT

We do not live in a peacful world. Anyone can simply look around or read the news to understand this truth. The Bible also makes this point clearly known. Just read what Psalms 74:23 has to say, "Do not foget the clamor of thy foes, the uproar of thy adversaries which goes up continually!" Those who oppose God have been active since and before David's time and are continually active. Just think of all the wars in just the last century. Not just the wars in which the United States has been involved with but ALL of the wars. That's a pretty stagoring thing to imagine. We can obviously see that peace does not exist in the world. However, Jesus promises peace to his disciples in the book of John. In John 14:27 it says, "Peace I leave with you: my peace I give to you: not as the world gives do I give to you." Furthermore, In John 16:33 the Bible says, "I have said this to you , that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Just notice in these two verses the distinction between the peace Jesus gives and the "peace" the world offers. The peace the Jesus was talking about is not the lack of war or the ability to get along with everyone all the time. The peace that Jesus desires for his diciples is a peace that dwells in the soul. This peace is between God and every believer and consequently between every believer and his circumstances.

Clearly, the question arises, "How does a person recieve and maintain this Christ given peace?" I believe that Philippians 4:4-7 gives one of the best answers to this question. It says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know you forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxitey about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep you hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I know that I don't post often on here, but over the next few weeks I want to discuss the answer to the question above and the answer given by this verse from Philippians. I don't want to take complete credit for the observation that we are given a sort of formula for peace in this verse. The idea first came to me by way of an abbreviated section in a larger sermon by a preacher who's last name is Corley. I have forgotten the man's first name but I think he might have prefered it that way. The message he left with me was of far greater importance than his name. So, everything that I am going to say on this topic will be an expansion of his ideas which he delivered in about ten minutes of an hour long sermon on the subject of peace. Of course my thoughts are hingend on Philippians 4:4-7 and I would suggest that as you read, keep that passage in your bible marked and refer back to it often. I might even suggest that you memorize that passage. In doing so you will have memorized the basic outline of this discussion and will have a sermon or short talk ready as the need should arise. As you will most likely see this can be a great way to preach the gospel to someone. Nevertheless, I won't focus on the evanglistic potential of this text in Philippians, but I think that if you are an intuitive thinker you will get the idea of how it might work. So, let us get right into the discussion with the first point.

I think the first idea we can draw from this passage in Philippians is that a person should rejoice. As much as we like to believe differently, ultimately this flesh, without the soul that God has breathed into every one of us, is just an animal. At times we must treat ourselves simply as animals, knowing that the simple actions we take have a great effect on our souls. The habits that we maintain do indeed directly effect our souls. God realized this and so used it to make us better servants for him in that he appointed that we should take his Lord's Supper every week. By this habit and its necessary actions we are made to frequently remember the Lord's death and thus a great impression of its importance is cultivated in our souls, along with an understanding of the graditude we should have for his sacrifice. Consequently, we are more frequently inclined to think about the Lord's death outside of worship and are then motivated to a great many actions and attitudes as a result. The simple act of rejoicing even when the world seems to be coming down around you may indeed go a long way to producing a real feeling of joy in your soul. We all have at least one thing to rejoice about. Even in the midst of the worst circumstances God will not leave you totally despondent. Of course, for the Christian we have one of the easiest things in the world to rejoice about. We should rejoice in hope just as the Bible says in Romans 12:12, "Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." If we as Christians will simply focus on Christ's return and heaven's reward every situation, no matter how drear, will suddenly become a great time of rejoicing and joyful worship. I would even go as far to say, and rightly so, that we should make a habit of rejoicing even outside of those drear times. We should rejoice in heaven's reward when we face easily happy circumstances as well. Think about Luke 10:20, "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Obviously having evil spirits in subjection would be something that would thrill every believer. Nevertheless, the circumstances are not to be the focus, whether good or bad. We should always be looking ahead. By activly looking ahead to the reward we keep this life in perspective. We realize that our time here is temporary and that both the good and bad times will pass away with time itsself. As a result of this focus our actions will be dirctly effected. We will be more joyful people, more courteous, more evangelistic, more loving, and ultimately more like our focus which is Christ Jesus.

However, let us revisit the idea of rejoicing in hard times for a bit. In Romans 5:2 & 3 the Bible says, "Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance..." We are to go beyond just rejoicing in hope we are to rejoice for the troubles and sufferings themselves. To most that would seem to be absolute insanity! Are Christians to be some kind of sadists? No, we are not going to derive pleasure from suffering. However, we are going to be able to see beyond the immediate suffering to the reward and rejoice in the change that will come about deep within ourselves because of the suffering. What Christians are really rejoicing in is the endurance that is produced by the suffering. There are several verses in the Bible the attest to this fact. James 1:2 & 3 says, "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trial, for you kow that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." Here we see a different word used as the reward of suffering. Steadfastness implies the idea of being imovable and firm. Through suffering we are made steadfast in our faith. We are forced in hard times to truly rely on the Lord and the knowledge that he has a better plan. We are forced to really put our faith into action. (Notice again the connection between our actions and the state of our souls!) Of course there is an obvious danger involved in testing our faith. There are individuals who, when tested, reject the faith and turn away. These people are not strengthened by suffering but truly torn down. There can be all sorts of speculation about why God allows this to happen, but I think the best answer I can come up with (note this is only my opinion) is that these people didn't have the kind of faith that was allowing the Holy Spirit to work in them. Therefore, they were already not allowing themselves to be made into the kind of souls God wants in his kingdom; they have already lost their faith on the very deepest level. Regardless of God's reasoning, we are blatantly told in 1 Peter 1:6 & 7 that trials do indeed prove faith to be genuine. This passage reads, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may rebound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." We prove ourselves in how we handle trials. God has told us that we are to rejoice in trials, so we are proven when by faith we handle tough situations in the way that he has commanded. Finally, I have noticed that scripture seems to provide us with a great circle of reasoning. In Matthew 5: 11 & 12 it says, "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." Here we see that suffering ultimately should cause us to look towards the reward of heaven, in which we are again to rejoice.

Therefore, we are to rejoice when things are good or bad. We are to be joyful for victories over the devil, for the steadfastness and genuineness that is produced through trials, and ultimately and most importantly for the hope of heaven. This is the first element in the formula for peace. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice."

Come back next week for more of the story and the next element in the formula!

The Faith

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 03:19:43 GMT

The words "the faith" are given several times in the scriptures (Jude 3; Galatians 1:23; 1 Timothy 6:12; Revelation 14:12; Colossians 1:23). A general reading of the scriptures might simply pass over these words without taking much notice. However, the words "the faith" have significant meaning and a true understanding of the definition of this term has important implications concering doctrine. When attached to the article "the" the word faith, according to Thayer's Lexicon, refers to "the religious beliefs of Christians." According to Strongs Lexicon it means the "conviction of...the system of religious (Gospel) truth." In this way "the faith" refers to the conviction of the truth which leads to salvation. Of course, faith being vitally connected with knowledge, this truth is hinged on understnding the gospel (Romans 10:17). Therefore, "the faith" is a referance to the understanding of what it takes for a person to be saved and the conviction of that truth.

This has great implications for unity and the nature of God's revelation to man. First of all every Christian should be defending the same faith. this means we should be defending the same understanding/doctrine that leads to salvation. Of course this means there is only one truth that leads to salvation just as it is stated in Ephesians 4:5.

Furthermore, we are told in Jude 3 that the faith, or the doctrine and conviction that leads to salvation, has been once for all delivered to the saints. This means that the faith does not change. The faith that was revealed in the New Testament of the 1st century is the same faith we should be following today. Let me pose two important questions. First, what would be the implications of adding new revelation to the faith today? Secondly, what would be the implications fo leaving out parts of the faith relied on in the 1st century? To answer the first question, if revelation continued aftger the 1st century and the writing of the New Testament then the church of the 1st century did not have the whole faith. they could not have been saved without the faith as it is defined by the Greek language and biblical context. To answer the second question, if we take away from the faith that was relied upon in the 1st century then we remove part of the body of knowledge or the doctrine that leads to salvation. Therefore, today we must neither add to nor take away from the faith established in the New Testament.

Just think about the implications this has on your practice of Christianity and the doctrine you defend. Do you defend the same gospel that was defended in the 1st century? Does your church add to the Word? Does your church have a creed book or statment of faith other than the Bible that guides the chruch? Is the Bible your sole source for determining what you should do to be pleasing to God? Do you think the Holy Spirit is still revealing God's will today? Is your religion or brand of Christianity based on "the faith" or on your on man's desires, creeds, traditions, or your own feeling about what is right and wrong and what you think is pleasing to God?

These are all very very important questions that every person must ask himself. Remember the faith was once for all delivered to the saints! Once for all means forever. Once for all means it doesn't change. Once for all means that you should be preaching, teaching, and living the same thing as Paul! Are you?

Friday, December 22, 2006

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 19:49:48 GMT

Why the Nativity:

A Christmas Message

Christmas has been a long standing tradition in the western world. Many of the things we do today were established long ago, like giving gifts. This tradition is intended to remind us of the birth of Jesus. The gifts remind us of the three wise men and their gifts to the baby Jesus. They also remind us of the great gift Jesus was and is to us. Most people know the nativity story pretty well. However, have you ever taken a moment to think about why it had to happen? Why does this world need a Messiah? What was Jesus’ purpose on this earth? What should be my response to his ministry? I want to try to answer some of those questions, so if you would, please grab your bible and check out the scriptures I’m going to point to. Let’s examine these things together and learn the answers to these life-changing questions.

I think the best place to start in order to answer these questions is the book of Genesis. This book, written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, explains the reason for his coming. In Genesis chapter 3 it tells of the fall of man, a time when sin (disobedience to God’s will) entered the world. Further in Gen. 3:15 the first prophecy of the Messiah is given. Therefore, in this passage we have God’s great plan for the Messiah and man all in one chapter hundreds of years before it would come to pass. We learn from this that the purpose of the Messiah is to redeem man from sin. Look at these other scriptures that attest to the same truth. Isaiah 53 gives one of the most vivid descriptions of what the Messiah was to do. Take special note of vv. 10-12. We are told here that he was to be an offering for sin. There are a host of other passages that speak to this very truth: Mt. 1:21-23; Jn. 1:29; Acts 4:12. Of course, those aren’t all of the passages, but I think you get the point. It was the plan from the beginning that this little baby born in a stable would suffer and die for the sins of men.

Therefore, he suffered and died for you. Think about it. Have you ever done something contrary to God’s will? Have you ever lied (Mt. 5:33-37)? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever committed adultery (Mt. 5:27-32)? Have you ever committed murder (Mt. 5:21-26)? If you’ve done these things you’ve sinned against God. Romans 3:23 says, “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That means what Jesus came to do he came to do for you! What a comfort to know that the creator of all that you see, the whole universe, loved you enough to send his son to save you from your sins (Jn. 3:16). This is probably the most amazing Christmas gift anyone could ever hope to receive. This is the grace of God, he sent his son to reconcile you to himself (Col. 1:19-22).

Thus, Jesus did the hard part in this plan. Does he want you to do anything? What is your responsibility now? That, of course, is the next logical question. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, has laid out some important things that are necessary to receive this gift of salvation. The first condition is that we must believe that Jesus is who he says he is (John 1:12; Acts 13:39). Of course there are many scriptures that attest to this fact, but in all reality all we need is one verse that gives this command to make it a part of the conditions for receiving the gift.

What more? Is belief all that is required? Examine James 2:18-20. It is obvious that belief is not the only requirement. The bible also places great emphasis on repentance. Take a look at the following verses: 2 Peter 3:9; 2 Cor 7:9-10; Acts 2:37-38, 3:19, 8:22. As you can see there are many verses speaking to the necessity of repentance and many more are given in the scriptures that aren’t listed here. However, there are still two more conditions to receive the gift of salvation. The bible also stresses confession of Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. The following verses speak to this truth: Mt. 10:32; Rm. 10:9-10; 1 Jo. 2:32. Again, there are many more verses in the bible that say similar things. Finally, the last condition to be met in order to receive the gift of salvation is immersion (baptism) for the remission of sins, as the following verses attest: Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:37-38; Rm. 6:3-8; 1 Pet 3:20-21.

Thus, we have the whole purpose of the Messiah and the conditions to receive the gift of salvation. The gift of salvation was and still is the greatest Christmas gift any of us can receive. It all began in a little stable, with a little baby, on a beautiful starry night. The real meaning of Christmas isn’t all the material possessions we exchange among ourselves, or the food we eat, or even the family we spend it with, though all those things are precious and wonderful. The real purpose and meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of the Messiah and the offering of a great a perfect gift to each one of us. I hope, that this Christmas and throughout the year, you will take time to reflect on these things. It doesn’t matter if you are or are not a Christian now. We all need reminders of the amazing grace of God and what he has done for us. Therefore, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a joyful, God-centered year to come.

Clayton Clark

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:42:37 GMT

Original Sin?

Is the doctrine of original sin right? The idea of original sin is that every child is born with sin as a result of Adam's fall. The Catholic church, the first to suggest the idea, defines original sin as: "A consequence of this first sin, the hereditary stain with which we are born on account of our origin or descent from Adam." (The Catholic Encyclopedia, v. XI, copyright 1911, Robert Appleton Company).

Frist let's examine the account of Adam's sin. It is found in Genesis chapter two and three. I won't quote the whole passage here but if you have a chance just read these two chapters. However, I do want to note a few important details. In Gen. 2:8,9 it says, "And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Just take note that there are two specific trees mentioned here, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. Keep that thought in the back of your mind. Now lets look at Gen. 2:15-17. It says, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 'You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.'" Note that the command here is to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Every other tree was free game, that includes the tree of life. Remember that point it will be important later. Again in Gen. 3:1-3 the command is repeated but in less detail. Now look at Gen. 3:22-24 which says, "Then the Lord god said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever' -- therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life." What was the purpose of expulsion from the garden? It was so that man could not eat of the tree of life and live forever. Remember that the tree of life was not forbidden. Adam and Eve were free to eat of this tree and I think it would be safe to say that they did. However, when they were expelled from the garden this life-giving fruit was no longer available. Thus, death entered the world as a result of sin. This is death in the physical sense.

One of the key passages most people use to defend the doctrine of orginal sin is Rom. 5:12. It says, "Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned.." Now I want to ask a question. Could Paul be making a comparison or analogy between the physical death of Adam as a result of his sin and the spiritual death incured on men because all have sinned? In the whole biblical context, taking the scripture in Gen. into account we would all incur physical death as a result of Adam's sin, but would we all incur spiritual death? There is no evidence in the Gen. account to suggest such a thing. Think about the sentance in Romans like this: "Therefore sin came into the world through one man and as a result of his sin physical death entered the world, and because sin is now in the world spiritual death spread to all men because all men have sinned." This seems to be the most logical interpretation of this verse in the entirety of the biblical context which necessitates that the account of the first sin in Gen. be taken into consideration.

Furthermore, let us examine the person of Christ Jesus. He was both fully human and fully diety at the same time. His humanity is evident in the following passages: Heb 2:14-18, 2:11; Mt. 1:20-23; Jn. 1:14; Rm. 8:3; Phil. 2:6-8; and 1 Jo 4:2. Take some time to read these passages don't just take my word for it. I think Heb. 2:14-18 is very important. In it we learn two thinks. First of all, we learn that because we all share flesh and blood Christ likewise shared flesh and blood with us. Secondly, he had to be like us in every way. That means that in every aspect he was completely, totally, without question human. You may have noticed that a few of these verses about Jesus humanity and diety also attest to his sinless nature. This presents a huge problem within the doctrine of original sin. If Jesus is fully human then according to the doctrine of original sin Jesus would have been born with sin. Yet, the scriptures also attest that Jesus is without sin. This presents a contradiction unless the doctrine of original sin is dissmissed. Without dismissing this idea Jesus cannot be fully human. Furthermore, with this contradiction looming in front of you, don't you think that it discounts the gospel completely? If you want to believe in the saving work of the cross you can not believe in original sin.

Another passage that is generally accepted to show that original sin was an accepted Old Testament doctrine is Ps. 51:5. It says,"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." Is it really saying that the author was born already stained with sin? This is probably not the case. We must remember what we are reading here. The Hebrew writings often involve exhagerated statements to add emphasis. Look at Job 31:18 it says, "but from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my birth I guided the widow." Is it really possible that Job was engaging in benevolent ministry as an infant? No, we understand the passage in Job clearly to mean that as long as he can remember or his whole life (relatively speaking) was characterized by benevolence. Furthermore, the "original sin" interpretation contradicts many other Old Testament passages. I'm not going to copy all of these verses but read them all for your self.

Ez. 18:20: Here we learn that sin is not inherited. Deut. 21:6 further attestes to this point.
Gen. 8:21; Jer 3:25 Here we see that sinfulness begins in the period characterized as "youth" (read these in the KJV or Young's Literal Translation maybe even examine the Greek)
Isa. 7:15-16; Deut. 1:39 A certain level of maturity must be reached before a child is capable of choosing between good and evil.
Ecc. 12:7; Zec. 12:1 The human spirit is not inherited from one's parents but is given by God.

With all of this evidence against the doctrine of original sin how could one still seek to defend it? It seems that those who desire to defend this doctrine are forced to take many passages of scripture out of context and make poor interpretations based on those incomplete ideas. I believe the Bible has no contradictions. How could it and still be the word of God? How could the Bible be riddled with "mistakes" and still be trusted for the saving message of the gospel? We must take care how we divide and interpret The Word of God.

What are the implications for belief into original sin? One of the most distinct results is the supposed need for infant baptism. If children are born with sin then it must be taken care of as soon as possible after birth. When original sin is dismissed doesn't that also dismiss the need for infant baptism? Why, or even what good would it do to baptize an innocent child? Furthermore, this solves issues like sprinkling or pouring for baptism, for the most part.

For those who hold the belief of original sin, approaching the Bible with an honest heart will most likely be very convicting. Your pastor or priest may tell you not to worry about this issue, or that many scholarly men have studied the issue to come to the conclusion that original sin is an appropriate doctrine. Why would anyone trust their salvation to another soul. When you stand before the judgment seat of God your pastor or preist won't be there to speak up for you. It'll just be you and God and you'll be accountable for what you have believed and defended. Why does a pastor or priest or even the pope for that matter, have the authority to dictate to you what the Bible says? Why not read it for yourself? We where meant to be able to read and understand the word individually. We do not need others to interpret it for us. So, read the word and examine this question with an honest open heart.

no illegal aliens

Sun, 29 Oct 2006 03:51:12 GMT

One of the most vibrant topics in the political arena
these days has to do with the problem of open borders
and the massive influx of illegal aliens that pour
into the US, especially along our southern border. It
seems to be much like the old saying about the
weather, “Everybody talks about it, but no body does
anything about it.” The debate rages on about “guest
worker programs”, “amnesty” to those aliens that are
already here illegally, whether to build “a wall” the
entire length of the border, etc., etc. One can well
imagine that with some, regardless of their party
affiliation or leanings, politics is a major
consideration determining the stand taken. Marches are
held, placards are hoisted for the TV cameras, and
stirring speeches are given citing the desire of poor
folk to be able to tap into the American dream or
simply to feed their families. And even those who are
the most vocal about the need for border control
express sympathy for those who want what citizens of
this great country have. I heard a Hispanic man just a
few days ago on the Dave Ramsey talk radio show who
said that he was from a migrant family, but that he is
trying to break that cycle and set a different
precedent for others in his family. He has bought a
house, has a good, steady job, and is “out of debt”
(or nearly so). He hoped that henceforward his family
would break out of that mold that has characterized it
for generations. We all applaud such accomplishment,
and wish such folk the very best their drive and
ability can provide.

One of the great things about the USA is the fact
that it has always laid out the welcome mat for those
of other nations seeking to enter, and there is a
protocol that is to be adhered to by those seekers for
a better life here. There are legal steps that are to
be taken. The big problem being debated, however, has
to do with those who have entered illegally or are
seeking to do so. The figure being bandied about is
twelve million. That’s a bunch of people!

But in listening to some of the talk show debates my
mind kind of switched gears the other day. I thought,
“There’s not and will not be any illegal aliens in the
kingdom of God.”

Citizens of God’s kingdom were aliens. Paul wrote,
“And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in
your mind in your evil works, yet now hath he
reconciled in the body of his flesh through death…”
(Col. 1:21-22). Writing to the Ephesians he used a
term that in the past was a synonym for alien, the
word “stranger.” Hear him as he describes the
condition of Gentiles who have become believers in
Christ. “So then ye are no more strangers and
sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19).

Though we were aliens, strangers, foreigners, and
while desiring the benefits enjoyed by those in the
kingdom (Eph. 1:3), we realized that immigration into
the kingdom of God is controlled at the border by the
King of Kings. He has given the terms by which
entrance may be granted one to come to sit with Him in
the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6). Prior to His return to
heaven to take His place at the right hand of God
(Acts 2:33) He gave instruction to His ambassadors (2
Cor. 5:20). He told them to “Go ye therefore, and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever
I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world.” (Mat. 28:19-20)

The Lord’s ambassadors, the apostles, followed Jesus’
instructions, a fact that is evident from every case
of conversion recorded in the book of Acts. The
account of events on Pentecost will suffice to
illustrate. The gospel having been preached to the
multitudes gathered there, they were cut to the heart
and asked “Peter and the rest of the apostles,
Brethren, what shall we do?”   Peter’s answer is
given. “Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your
sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit.” (Acts 2:37-38). Verse 41 reads, “They then
that received his word were baptized: and there were
added unto them in that a day about three thousand
souls.” And a bit later the writer tells us, “And the
Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.”
(v. 47). Nobody slipped in past the watchful eye of
the Savior. He knew who should be saved and He saved
them and added them to that relationship of the saved,
the church, the “called out.” Paul tells the
Colossians that God “delivered us out of the power of
darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the
Son of his love” (Col. 1:13). It is of these that he
said they formerly were alienated (Col. 1:21). But in
the kingdom one is no longer an alien, stranger, and
foreigner. There are no illegal aliens in the
kingdom. Nobody slips in unobserved. No one skirts
the terms the King has laid down. No one trafficking
in souls can get an alien into the kingdom by some
clandestine means.

Now one may be accepted on some “church roll,” and it
may be thought by many that he is in the kingdom. But
“the Lord knows them that are His” (2 Tim. 2:19).
Look at the letters to the churches of Asia in
Revelation two and three. In every one of them the
Lord says, “I know.”   There are many who claim to be
doing the Lord’s will but in reality are acting
without His authority. Remember that Jesus said, “Not
every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will
of my Father who is in heaven.” (Mat. 7:21).

So, be assured that while the border of our country
may be “porous” and aliens may be coming in and taking
up residence illegally and may even be eating of the
fruits of this fair land, it is not so in the kingdom
of God.

What about you? Are you in the kingdom, having
followed the apostolic pattern by which the Lord
grants citizenship? No need to claim citizenship if
you haven’t met the conditions of citizenship
established by the King of Kings. He wants to be your
Lord, but you must comply with His directives.
                                                                        ~ Norman Fultz

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Sat, 19 Aug 2006 19:45:18 GMT

Here's the sermon outline that I preached on 7/30/06:

Count The Cost

What does it really mean to be a disciple of Jesus?

Scripture: Luke 14:28-32

Introduction:

A. Comment about the fear topic

B. Thank you

C. Talk about “The Great Commission” (Mt 28:18-20)

¹⁸“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

1) “make disciples” is the general command

2) the following statements: baptize and teach…are specific details of that general command.

D. The question we want to examine today is “What does it really mean to be a disciple of Jesus?”

1) Counting the Cost (Luke 14:28-32)

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘this man began to build, and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace.”

2) Will include a brief discussion about those two details of being a disciple.

3) Main focus on the requirements that Jesus laid out in his ministry.

I. Why does he get to decide?

A. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18)

B. He is Lord

1. Mt 28:18

2. Acts 2:34-36

“For David did not ascend into the heavens; but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet.’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

C. He is creator

1. John 1:1-3, 14:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God: all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made;…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.”

2. Colossians 1:16-17:

“for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

II. Jesus requirements for discipleship

A. Sacrifice

1) Self Denial (Luke 9:23)

“And he said unto all, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’”

a) The Throne Principle

i) Removal of self leaves a void…an empty throne will be filled

ii) Jesus must be enthroned

iii) In essence this is what bible study is. If we study God’s word with an honest heart we will remove ourselves from the throne of our lives and replace the void with the Will of God.

2) Possessions

b) Luke 12:33, 34

“Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.”

c) Throne Principle

3) Relationships

(Luke 14:26)

“If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

4) Everything

a) Luke 14:33

“So therefore whosoever of you does not renounce all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.”

b) Everything you have is on loan from God

i) Your money, house, car, clothes

ii) Wife, children

iii) Even your life

iv) Nothing really belongs to you except the decision to

acknowledge, or not acknowledge, the fact that God deserves total control. He has left that one thing up to you. Your decision to seek after God or not is the only thing that truly belongs to you.

B. Confession

1) Mt 10:32-33

“So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

a) Whoever talks about me to people, I will tell my Father that he is mine; but whoever does not talk about me to people, I will not tell my Father that he is mine.

b) We must evangelize!

i) Be prepared…bible study (1 Peter 3:15b)

“Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence.”

ii) Your life should confess Christ

· actions speak louder than words

· people are always watching

iii) We confess Christ when we take the Lord’s Supper

(1 Corinthians 11:26)

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

iv) Take advantage of every opportunity (Col 4:5, 6)

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

2) Confession is required for salvation! (Rm. 10:9, 10)

“because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in you heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified and he confesses with his lips and so is saved”

C. Love (John 13:34, 35)

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

1) In 1 Cor 13:4-7 God gives us his standard of love.

“Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

a) This is the kind of love we are to have for one another

b) We could spend an hours on the topic of love, but lucky for you I didn’t have that much time to prepare.

2) People outside of Christ are looking for this kind of love. By loving one another we prove to ourselves and those who are not disciples of Christ that we are indeed in Christ.

a) Loving one another is part of evangelism.

b) This is what the world is hungry for! If we’ve got it then they’ll want it, it’s kind of like “If you build it they will come”

D. Persecution (Luke 14:27)

“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”

1) Chinese man story

2) Mt 10:22, 24-25

“²²and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved…²⁴A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; ²⁵it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they malign those of his household.”

a) Jesus was persecuted we should expect no better treatment

b) What could be better than being put in the same category as our teacher and master!

3) 2 Tim 3:12

“Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”

a) Here’s the test – are you being persecuted in any way?

i. If your answer is yes then you are probably seeking whole heartedly to live a godly life.

ii. If your answer is no then you might want to question your lifestyle hold it against God’s standard.

E. Like the teacher (Luke 6:40)

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.”

1) This is Christian maturity “when he is fully taught he will be like his teacher.

2) This should be the goal of every disciple

3) Look again at Mt 10:25a from a different perspective.

“It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the servant like his master.”

a) I believe we should desire to be so much like our teacher that people have a hard time distinguishing us from Jesus.

4) None of us will meet this goal in our lifetime. Sure we will have moments when we look an awful lot like Jesus but if you are anything like me those moments come and go pretty quickly.

a) However, this is still the goal we should strive to obtain it, and what we don’t do in this lifetime Christ will complete when he returns 1 John 3:2-3

“Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

II. How do I meet all of these requirements?

A. How do we know we are meeting the requirements for discipleship and can we be deceived?

1) Mt 28:20

a) When we “observe all that Jesus has commanded us to do”

b) That doesn’t really narrow it down too much, but you really wanted to know and that’s the truth.

2) Can people be deceived?

a) Mt 7:21-23

“Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we no prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’

b) There will be many on judgment day who believe without doubt that they are saved. However, our Lord reveals to us here that day MANY will find that they have been deceived!

B. This seems like an impossible demand: to do all that Jesus has commanded us to do! Surely he doesn’t really expect that?

1) The solution is grace! Eph 2:8

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your won doing it is the gift of God.”

a) Without grace living up to our teacher’s standards of discipleship are impossible.

b) So now that we have grace we can to whatever we want and Jesus will cover it right?

i. WRONG! Romans 6:1,2

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

ii. There is a balance: we seek as much as possible to submit to our teacher in obedience but when we don’t make it he’s made the way for us through grace.

2) So this grace, how do we get it?

a) Paul goes on to tell us in Romans 6:3-4

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised form the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

Conclusion: Self-examination

A. Back to Mt. 28:18-20

1) We now have a full understanding of discipleship as Jesus taught it.

a) There are all of the requirements we talked about for most of this lesson

b) There are also two other requirements: That we are baptized into Christ and that we obey all that he has commanded us

2) Time for some self-examination: (James 1:22-25)

“But are doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and preservers, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.”

· Just think about these questions this morning in regards to your life.

a) Is there a difference in the discipleship you practice verses what Jesus taught?

b) Is there a difference in discipleship verses attendance?

· The question really boils down to have you counted the cost; do you know what’s required to follow Jesus?

· Are you willing to do it?

· If you have already made a decision to be a disciple of Jesus but found that you have not been living up to the requirements Jesus has asked for you, or

· if you are ready this morning to make that commitment, to be a disciple of Jesus please come forward as we stand and sing.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 15:35:48 GMT

so i haven't posted for about a month now....that's kinda crazy. things have just been really busy. i've found that i don't really have time for much outside of school now...i haven't talked to anyone from home much at all, and i can think of a lot of people up here i haven't had much time to talk to either. i picked this major cuzz i thought it would be easier. ha...not a chance. oh well...it will serve a good purpose later in life.

so, i feel like i'm obsessed with missions now. getting out of the country just that once has brought a lot of things into focus. we'll see where this obsession leads.

going home this weekend...for the first time in over a month. so my family is becoming that family you don't want to tell your Christian friends about. both of my brothers are slowly working their way to becoming alcoholics. my mom has a friend...a guy...who i'm sorry to say is not the most wholesome of individuals. my dad...well my dad's life is still a wreck...i guess it has been for quite a while now. if you would have looked at our family 10 years ago you would have never guessed that all this would come about. we seemed so normal...so "leave it to beaver"...really it was that perfect. i don't know...maybe now i see the things i just didn't see before. The word of God has that power...to reveal sins...it's that double edged sword...the mirror...you know the one that you look into and see all your flaws. good thing it's better than any man made mirror...it at least offers the solution to the problem. i found the solution...but i'm afraid my family has not. so often i feel so distant from them...so detached. i really don't feel like i belong in my own house. church at home is a refuge for me, a safe haven. Christian friends are an unbelievable blessing...(thanks dave). all this leads me to question...why are some eyes opened to the truth and others shut...why are some blessed with a truth seeking spirit and others a spirit of truth suppression....why do some love the light and others the darkness. i don't fully understand the answer...sure it all has to do with choice...at least at some point in a persons life there is a choice...to follow right or to follow wrong...to follow the path of self sacrifice or to follow the path of least resistance. i hope that everyone who reads this chooses the right path. Jesus Christ the Son of Almighty God creator of the universe has come, lived a life without sin, died on a cross, taken the punishment you deserve, conquered death by his resurrection and made provision for you to make the choice to enter a relationship with him and with the father. believe in Jesus Christ, confess that belief with your mouth, repent of your sins, be baptized for the remission of your sins in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and finally continue to learn and be taught...striving to obey all that is commanded. Ultimately our lives are hinged on this decision. it is the determining factor on how we live our lives day to day, and how we will spend eternity. don't waste a minute, even a second...life is to short...i cannot explain the urgency that is needed for all of us. those who are Christians to take up your cross and live a life worthy of our calling, and those who are not yet Christians to make that decision and set your feet on the path of righteousness.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Sun, 15 Jan 2006 03:09:34 GMT

mexico, mexico, mexico....oh how i do love mexico. so this was my first trip to sunny me-he-co...the people there are truly amazing...i'm sad that they are made to live in such poverty. in a away it almost makes me hate the blessings i have....i guess i just realized how much we in the U.S. and how little the rest of the world has. i think a lot of American's out of ignorace try to blame the mexican people for their problems. but honestly when your own government exploits you how are you supposed to help yourself. there is a huge need in mexico not only for ministry to physical needs but even more for ministry of spiritual needs. i think a lot of american christians just sit back in their comfortable homes and enjoy life, but what we really have to realize is that we are only stewards of God's money and we should use our abundant blessings to help others by meeting needs and that even in meeting physical needs we can use it as an evangelistic tool. i loved my first missions trip...i hope there will be many more to follow...here are some pics...